Physicochemical, structural, and in-vitro release properties of carboxymethyl cellulose-based cryogel beads incorporating resveratrol-loaded microparticles for colon-targeted delivery system.

The objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical, structural, and in vitro release properties of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based cryogel beads incorporating resveratrol-loaded microparticles (MP) for colon-targeted delivery system. CMC-based cryogel beads were produced by ionic cross-linking with different concentrations (2%, 3%, and 4%) of AlCl3. Based on FE-SEM images, CMC-based cryogel beads showed a smoother surface and more compact internal structure with increasing AlCl3 concentrations, which was proven to be due to the new cross-linking between the -COO- group of CMC and Al3+ by FT-IR analysis. The encapsulation efficiency of the cryogel beads was significantly increased from 79.48% to 85.74% by elevating the concentrations of AlCl3 from 2% to 4%, respectively. In vitro release study showed that all CMC-based cryogel beads had higher stability for resveratrol than MP in simulated gastric conditions and can efficiently deliver resveratrol to colon without the premature release.

The use of ecological momentary assessment for family caregivers of adults with chronic conditions: A systematic review.

Background: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) as a real-time data collection method can provide insight into the daily experiences of family caregivers. Purpose: This systematic review aimed to synthesize studies involving EMA completed by family caregivers of adults with chronic conditions. Methods: A systematic search was conducted within six databases for articles published from the inception of the database through September 2023. We extracted the characteristics of the included studies and data on EMA-specific methods to determine the quality of the included studies. Results: A total of 12 studies involving EMA completed by family caregivers of adults with chronic conditions were identified, with almost all studies focused on caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's or dementia-related conditions. The average compliance rate across the included studies was 75%, below the recommended rate. In addition, most of the included studies did not collect the family caregivers' daily activities and care contexts in their responses (i.e., affect, stress, well-being, care demand, and fatigue) to the EMA prompts. Discussion: This review showed that using EMA to collect information on family caregivers of adults with chronic health conditions appeared feasible and acceptable. However, the methodology or design of using EMA to collect caregiver information in this population is still preliminary. The limited number of existing studies that have used EMA to capture the daily experiences of family caregivers does not provide key information that could improve understanding of caregivers' emotional experiences and well-being in real-life situations. We identified gaps in the literature that warrant additional EMA studies for this population.

Correction to: Toxigenic diversity of Bacillus cereus isolated from fresh produce and effects of various factors on the growth and the cytotoxicity of B. cereus.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s10068-023-01330-0.].

Toxigenic diversity of Bacillus cereus isolated from fresh produce and effects of various factors on the growth and the cytotoxicity of B. cereus.

This study analyzed the virulence, growth characteristics, and cytotoxicity of Bacillus cereus strains isolated from fresh produce, including romaine lettuce, sesame leaf, tomato, and cucumber grown by different methods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to assess the toxigenic potential, and the cytotoxicity of B. cereus was estimated using cell-free supernatant in HEp-2 cells. The study found that hblD was the predominant diarrheal enterotoxin in the 59 isolated B. cereus strains, followed by nheB and hblC. The optimal temperatures for growth ranged from 42 to 44 °C, with the highest growth rates and shortest lag times. Cytotoxicity varied greatly depending on abiotic factors, including NaCl, pH, and medium, and was not always correlated with cell population. The study highlights the importance of establishing control measures to prevent B. cereus intoxication in fresh vegetables. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01330-0.

Clinical Course of Patients With Mediastinal Lymph Node Tuberculosis and Risk Factors for Paradoxical Responses.

BACKGROUND: Paradoxical responses (PR) occur more frequently in lymph node tuberculosis (LNTB) than in pulmonary tuberculosis and present difficulties in differential diagnosis of drug resistance, new infection, poor patient compliance, and adverse drug reactions. Although diagnosis of mediastinal LNTB has become much easier with the development of endosonography, limited information is available. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical course of mediastinal LNTB and the risk factors associated with PR. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with mediastinal LNTB via endosonography were evaluated retrospectively between October 2009 and December 2019. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to evaluate the risk factors associated with PR. RESULTS: Of 9,052 patients who underwent endosonography during the study period, 158 were diagnosed with mediastinal LNTB. Of these, 55 (35%) and 41 (26%) concurrently had pulmonary tuberculosis and extrapulmonary tuberculosis other than mediastinal LNTB, respectively. Of 125 patients who completed anti-tuberculosis treatment, 21 (17%) developed PR at a median of 4.4 months after initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment. The median duration of anti-tuberculosis treatment was 6.3 and 10.4 months in patients without and with PR, respectively. Development of PR was independently associated with age < 55 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81-18.14; P = 0.003), lymphocyte count < 800/µL (aOR, 8.59; 95% CI, 1.60-46.20; P = 0.012), and short axis diameter of the largest lymph node (LN) ≥ 16 mm (aOR, 5.22; 95% CI, 1.70-16.00; P = 0.004) at the time of diagnosis of mediastinal LNTB. CONCLUSION: As PR occurred in one of six patients with mediastinal LNTB during anti-tuberculosis treatment, physicians should pay attention to patients with risk factors (younger age, lymphocytopenia, and larger LN) at the time of diagnosis.

An overview of various methods for in vitro biofilm formation: a review.

Biofilms are widely present in the natural environment and are difficult to remove as they are a survival strategy of microorganisms. Thus, the importance of studying biofilms is being increasingly recognized in food, medical, dental, and water quality-related industries. While research on biofilm detection methods is actively progressing, research on biofilm formation is not progressing rapidly. Moreover, there are few standardized methods because biofilm formation is affected by various factors. However, comprehensive knowledge of biofilm formation is essential to select a suitable method for research purposes. To better understand the various in vitro biofilm formation methods, the principles and characteristics of each method are explained in this review by dividing the methods into static and dynamic systems. In addition, the applications of biofilm research based on various assays are also discussed.

Effects of a coach-guided video-conferencing expressive writing program on facilitating grief resolution in adults with SCI.

OBJECTIVE: To examine effects of a videoconferencing coach-guided expressive writing program on facilitating grief resolution in adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: One group pretest - posttest design with a 1-month follow-up. SETTING: Home-based videoconferencing. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four adults with SCI. INTERVENTIONS: 10 weekly 1-hour videoconferencing sessions in which participants engaged in expressive writing guided by writing coaches, either individually or in small groups. OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-report questionnaires on measures of grief, emotional distress, depression, stress, trouble falling asleep, meaning and purpose, self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions, ability to participate in social roles and activities, and satisfaction with social roles and activities. RESULTS: Immediately after completing the program, participants showed significant reductions in measures of severity of grief, trouble falling asleep, and trouble participating in social roles and activities and significant increases in self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions and satisfaction with social roles and activities. Participants maintained benefits at 1-month follow-up, showing significant reductions in measures of severity of grief, trouble falling asleep, and distress related to different difficulties and significant increases in feelings of meaning and purpose in life compared to their scores at pre-program. Post-hoc analysis showed that participants whose injury was sustained within 5 years of study enrollment had significant reductions in change scores of distress and trouble participating in social roles and activities compared to those whose injuries were sustained more than 5 years before the study began. CONCLUSION: The videoconferencing coach-guided expressive writing program helps adults with SCI reduce grief intensity and trouble falling asleep and produces a sustained effect. People who sustained a more recent injury seemed to gain more benefits from the program than those whose injuries occurred less recently.Trial Registration: NCT04721717.

Ferric citrate and apo-transferrin enable erythroblast maturation with ß-globin from hemogenic endothelium.

Red blood cell (RBC) generation from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) offers potential for innovative cell therapy in regenerative medicine as well as developmental studies. Ex vivo erythropoiesis from PSCs is currently limited by the low efficiency of functional RBCs with ß-globin expression in culture systems. During induction of ß-globin expression, the absence of a physiological microenvironment, such as a bone marrow niche, may impair cell maturation and lineage specification. Here, we describe a simple and reproducible culture system that can be used to generate erythroblasts with ß-globin expression. We prepared a two-dimensional defined culture with ferric citrate treatment based on definitive hemogenic endothelium (HE). Floating erythroblasts derived from HE cells were primarily CD45+CD71+CD235a+ cells, and their number increased remarkably upon Fe treatment. Upon maturation, the erythroblasts cultured in the presence of ferric citrate showed high transcriptional levels of ß-globin and enrichment of genes associated with heme synthesis and cell cycle regulation, indicating functionality. The rapid maturation of these erythroblasts into RBCs was observed when injected in vivo, suggesting the development of RBCs that were ready to grow. Hence, induction of ß-globin expression may be explained by the effects of ferric citrate that promote cell maturation by binding with soluble transferrin and entering the cells.Taken together, upon treatment with Fe, erythroblasts showed advanced maturity with a high transcription of ß-globin. These findings can help devise a stable protocol for the generation of clinically applicable RBCs.

Exploring the Relationships Among (COVID)-19 Stress, Leisure Constraints, and Happiness for Adults During the (COVID)-19 Pandemic in Korea.

Objectives: The emergence of COVID-19 and its consequences has led to fears, worries, discomfort, depression, and anxiety for human beings worldwide. In this study, we examined the relationships among COVID-19 stress, leisure constraints, and happiness of Korean adults. Methods: We employed on-line convenience sampling to recruit participants. The sample consisted of Korean adults. A total of 600 surveys were distributed, we retained 293 responses for analysis. Results: COVID-19 stress subcomponents significantly impacted on individual happiness. Our findings align with research focusing on positive correlates between perceived COVID-19 stress and leisure constraints subcomponents. We also found that as COVID-19 stress decreased, perceived happiness increased. Conclusions: Future research is proposed to explore the mechanism of how leisure constraints influence the engagement of physical activities and strategies of leisure constraints negotiation to gain the benefits of happiness in the pandemic crisis. Managerial implications and future research are discussed from the perspectives of constraint negotiation and happiness.

Correlations between Social Determinants of Health and Technology Access among Rural African American Alabamians.

Certain populations have been excluded from the benefits of telehealth and the recent advances and widespread use of technology in health promotion due to limited technology access. Although research has identified these specific groups, none has explored these issues using the social determinants of health (SDH) framework. This exploratory study aimed 1) to investigate technology access and 2) to identify associated SDHs. A cross-sectional research design was implemented, and participants were recruited from rural Alabama (N=185). Binary logistic regressions were conducted. Only 60% of participants had technology access. People with food insecurity and health illiteracy were less likely to have internet and PC/tablet access. In addition, older age was associated with a lower likelihood of access to a smartphone. This study provided insights into SDH correlates of the digital divide, particularly among rural African Americans, and indicated that addressing affordability could be a partial solution.

FLT4 as a marker for predicting prognostic risk of refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

Treating patients with refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains challenging. Currently there is no effective treatment for refractory AML. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that refractory/relapsed AML is associated with leukemic blasts which can confer resistance to anticancer drugs. We have previously reported that high expression of Fms-related tyrosine kinase 4 (FLT4) is associated with increased cancer activity in AML. However, the functional role of FLT4 in leukemic blasts remains unknown. Here, we explored the significance of FLT4 expression in leukemic blasts of refractory patients and mechanisms involved in the survival of AML blasts. Inhibition or absence of FLT4 in AML blasts suppressed homing to bone marrow of immunocompromised mice and blocked engraftment of AML blasts. Moreover, FLT4 inhibition by MAZ51, an antagonist, effectively reduced the number of leukemic cell-derived colony-forming units and increased apoptosis of blasts derived from refractory patients when it was co-treated with cytosine arabinoside under vascular endothelial growth factor C, its ligand. AML patients who expressed high cytosolic FLT4 were linked to an AML-refractory status by internalization mechanism. In conclusion, FLT4 has a biological function in leukemogenesis and refractoriness. This novel insight will be useful for targeted therapy and prognostic stratification of AML.

Effects of Self-Compassion Interventions on Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Stress: A Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: A growing body of evidence shows self-compassion can play a key role in alleviating depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress in various populations. Interventions fostering self-compassion have recently received increased attention. This meta-analysis aimed to identify studies that measured effects of self-compassion focused interventions on reducing depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted within four databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The quality of the included RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias tool. Either a random-effects model or fixed-effects model was used. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to types of control groups, intervention delivery modes, and the involvement of directly targeted populations with psychological distress symptoms. Results: Fifty-six RCTs met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analyses showed self-compassion focused interventions had small to medium effects on reducing depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress at the immediate posttest and small effects on reducing depressive symptoms and stress at follow-up compared to control conditions. The overall risk of bias across included RCTs was high. Conclusions: Fewer studies were conducted to compare effects of self-compassion interventions to active control conditions. Also, fewer studies involved online self-compassion interventions than in-person interventions and directly targeted people with distress symptoms. Further high-quality studies are needed to verify effects of self-compassion interventions on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. As more studies are implemented, future meta-analyses of self-compassion interventions may consider conducting subgroup analyses according to intervention doses, specific self-compassion intervention techniques involved, and specific comparison or control groups. Preregistration: This study is not preregistered. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-023-02148-x.

Relationships Between Types of Leisure Activities and Mental Health among Older Adults With Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: Three types of leisure activities such as sedentary, social, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) have been identified as essential factors that influence mental health outcomes among older adults with diabetes. In this study, we aimed to investigate what types of leisure activities are associated with mental health outcomes among older adults with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used 2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data. We extracted 310 records from 3266 individuals diagnosed with diabetes and conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to investigate the research question. Results: LTPA was the strongest predictor of reduced loneliness and stress and increased happiness and life satisfaction among older adults with diabetes. Discussion: Our findings highlight the relationship between different types of leisure activities and mental health for older adults with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data suggest that LTPA, social leisure, and sedentary leisure reduce loneliness and stress and improve happiness and life satisfaction.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the decomposer Ptecticus tenebrifer Walker, 1849 (Insecta: Diptera: Stratiomyidae).

Ptecticus tenebrifer (Walker, 1849), which is endemic in East Asia, plays a critical role in natural processing of organic waste. In this study, we found that the complete mitochondrial genome of P. tenebrifer is 15681 bp in length obtained from the MGIseq system (MGI) with 150 bp paired-end reads. As with typical animal mitochondrial genomes, it contains 13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis was performed using the maximum likelihood method with a bootstrap value of 500 and the Tamura-Nei model and reveals the close relationship with P. aurifer.

A time-dependent subdistribution hazard model for major dental treatment events in cancer patients: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Dental care in cancer patients tends to be less prioritized. However, limited research has focused on major dental treatment events in cancer patients after the diagnosis. This study aimed to examine dental treatment delays in cancer patients compared to the general population using a national claims database in South Korea. METHOD: The Korea National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort version 2.0, collected from 2002 to 2015, was analyzed. Treatment events were considered for stomatitis, tooth loss, dental caries/pulp disease, and gingivitis/periodontal disease. For each considered event, time-dependent hazard ratios and associated 95% confidence intervals were calculated by applying a subdistribution hazard model with time-varying covariates. Mortality was treated as a competing event. Subgroup analyses were conducted by type of cancer. RESULTS: The time-dependent subdistribution hazard ratios (SHRs) of stomatitis treatment were greater than 1 in cancer patients in all time intervals, 2.04 within 30 days after cancer diagnosis, and gradually decreased to 1.15 after 5 years. The SHR for tooth loss was less than 0.70 within 3 months after cancer diagnosis and increased to 1 after 5 years. The trends in SHRs of treatment events for other dental diseases were similar to those observed for tooth loss. Subgroup analyses by cancer type suggested that probability of all dental treatment event occurrence was higher in head and neck cancer patients, particularly in the early phase after cancer diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Apart from treatments that are associated with cancer therapy, dental treatments in cancer patients are generally delayed and cancer patients tend to refrain from dental treatments. Consideration should be given to seeking more active and effective means for oral health promotion in cancer patients.

Therapeutic potential of FLT4-targeting peptide in acute myeloid leukemia.

Previously, we found that dysfunctional natural killer (NK) cells with low interferon gamma (IFN-γ) were restored in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by the FLT4 antagonist MAZ51. Here, we developed 12 peptides targeting FLT4 for clinical application and examined whether they restored the frequency of lymphocytes, especially T cells and NK cells, and high IFN-γ expression, as MAZ51 treatment did in our previous study. Although clinical data from using peptides are currently available, peptides targeting FLT4 to modulate immune cells have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we focus on novel peptide 4 (P4) from the intracellular domain of FLT4 because it had dominant negative activity. Similar to MAZ51, high IFN-γ levels were expressed in AML-mononuclear cells exposed to P4. Additionally, T and NK cell levels were restored, as were high IFN-γ levels, in a leukemic environment when P4 was treated. Interestingly, the regulatory T cells were significantly decreased by P4, implying the role of peptide in tumor niche. Overall, we demonstrated the therapeutic value of functionally modulating lymphocytes using a peptide targeting FLT4 and proposed the development of advanced therapeutic approaches against AML by using immune cells.

Antimicrobial activities of Asian plant extracts against pathogenic and spoilage bacteria.

This study was conducted to investigate the antimicrobial effects of 300 Asian plant extracts (PEs) against pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. The antimicrobial activities were examined using agar well or agar disc diffusion, and micro-titer methods. Results revealed that PEs exhibited higher antimicrobial effects against Gram-positive bacteria compared than against Gram-negative bacteria. With few exceptions, PEs delayed the lag time (LT) of pathogenic bacteria (1.17-3.75 times). Among PEs tested, Alchornea trewioides (AT) and Erodium stephanianum (ES) were the most effective in inhibiting pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. In the study evaluating the effect on the growth inhibition in the broth, Acetobacter aceti was inhibited at 2.77 and 3.02 log CFU/mL by the combination treatment of AT+nisin and ES+nisin after storage for 7 days, respectively. Although further investigations are needed to clarify the antimicrobial mechanism of PEs, this study demonstrated that antimicrobial efficacy varied with PE types, solvents, and bacteria. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-022-01182-0.

The feasibility and preliminary effects of a pilot randomized controlled trial: Videoconferencing acceptance and commitment therapy in distressed family caregivers of people with dementia.

This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined preliminary effects of an 8-week videoconferencing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) program supplemented with psychoeducation materials on distressed family caregivers of persons living with dementia (PLWD) compared to the control group provided with psychoeducation materials only. Nineteen family caregivers of PLWD in the USA were randomly assigned to the ACT group or the control group. Data was collected at pretest, posttest, and 1-month follow-up (F/U). Compared to the control group, the ACT group showed a significantly larger reduction in grief at posttest, with a medium effect size. Small effects of ACT were found in anxiety, psychological quality of life, and engagement in meaningful activities at posttest and grief, engagement in meaningful activities, and psychological flexibility at F/U compared to the control group. These promising findings warrant a full-scale RCT with adequate power to measure the efficacy of videoconferencing ACT for caregivers of PLWD.

Effects of a coach-guided videoconferencing acceptance and commitment therapy intervention combined with psychoeducation on distressed individuals living with spinal cord injury: a preliminary mixed-methods study.

PURPOSE: This study examined effects of coach-guided videoconferencing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) accompanied by psychoeducation on distressed individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and explored participants' experiences in the intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten people with SCI participated in 8 individual videoconferencing sessions delivered by trained coaches. Data using self-reported questionnaires and individual interviews was collected at pretest and posttest and analyzing using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and interpretative phenomenological analysis (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04670406). RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were found in depression, anxiety, stress, grief, engagement in meaningful activities, and self-compassion with medium to large effect sizes. There was no significant change in quality of life, resilience, and ACT processes. Participants gained a new way of thinking by: being aware of thoughts and emotions; exploring perceptions of others; and focusing on the present. Also, the intervention equipped participants to deal with challenges by: improving coping with SCI-related conditions; practicing self-compassion, acceptance, and meditation; and acquiring skills of value-based decision making and committed action. CONCLUSIONS: Findings contribute to the limited evidence as the first study that measured effects of videoconferencing ACT on people with SCI. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to measure efficacy of internet-delivered ACT for people with SCI.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONGuided videoconferencing ACT may reduce depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, and grief and increase engagement in meaningful activities and self-compassion in people with SCI.Professionals may consider ACT as a supportive or adjunct service for people with SCI who experience psychological distress.

CD34dim cells identified as pluripotent stem cell-derived definitive hemogenic endothelium purified using bone morphogenetic protein 4.

Hemogenic endothelium (HE) plays a pivotal and inevitable role in haematopoiesis and can generate all blood and endothelial lineage cells in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros of mouse embryos. Whether definitive HE can prospectively isolate pure HE from human pluripotent stem cells that can spontaneously differentiate into heterogeneous cells remains unknown. Here, we identified and validated a CD34dim subpopulation with hemogenic potential. We also purified CD34 cells with a CXCR4- CD73- phenotype as a definitive HE population that generated haematopoietic stem cells and lymphocytes. The frequency of CXCR4- CD73- CD34dim was evidently increased by bone morphogenetic protein 4, and purified HE cells differentiated into haematopoietic cells with myeloid and T lymphoid lineages including Vδ2+ subset of γ/δ T cells. We developed a simple method to purify HE cells that were enriched in CD34dim cells. We uncovered an initial step in differentiating haematopoietic lineage cells that could be applied to basic and translational investigations into regenerative medicine.