Largest Cretaceous lizard track assemblage, new morphotypes and longest trackways comprise diverse components of an exceptional Korean Konservat-Lagerstätten ichnofauna.

A newly discovered assemblage of lizard tracks from the Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation (Sindong Group, Gyeongsang Basin) Korea is the largest yet reported from the Cretaceous. It consists of at least 95 tracks comprising five trackways, including a meter-long trackway (T1) with 50 footprints assigned to the new ichnotaxon Neosauroides innovatus ichnosp. nov. Two other trackways (T2 and T3) are designated N. innovatus paratypes characterized by strong heteropody, relatively wide trackways and small narrow manus tracks. These morphological characteristics distinguish Neosauroides innovatus from the previously reported lizard trackways Sauripes hadongensis from the Hasandong Formation and Neosauroides koreaensis from the Haman Formation, both also from the Gyeongsang Basin. These three lizard track assemblages from the Korean Cretaceous constitute the entire global lizard track record for this period. The Mesozoic record of lizard tracksites is more localized than the lizard body fossil record. This limited distribution suggests bias in the track record and the fossil record more generally. However, due to deposition of fine-grained substrates, suitable for high definition track registration, the Jinju Formation is increasingly well known as an ichnological window on small tetrapod activity and based on diversity, abundance and high-quality preservation, is regarded as an exceptional Konservat-Lagerstätten.

Effect of SEGUE-based communication education on nursing simulation practice: a quasi-experimental design.

Background: Effective educational approaches are required to enhance nursing students' communication competency.Objectives: To  evaluate the effectiveness of SEGUE ('set the stage,' 'elicit information,' 'give information,' 'understand the patient's perspective,' and 'end the encounter')-based communication education.Design: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design.Methods: Students were randomized into the control group (n = 41) and experimental group (n = 57). Communication competency and efficacy were measured via a self-report questionnaire and via ratings of the students from professor and standardized patient.Results: Scores by students (self-evaluations; p < .001), professor (p < .001), and standardized patient (p < .042) showed higher communication competency in the experimental group. Compared with the control group, the pre-post difference in communication efficacy in the experimental group was increased (p = .004).Conclusions: Simulation practice to reflect the various clinical situation is recommended to improve students' communication.Impact statement: SEGUE-based communication education in nursing simulation practice with the standardized patient was an effective strategy for improving nursing students' communication.

miR-148a is a downstream effector of X-box-binding protein 1 that silences Wnt10b during adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells.

Wnt10b, an endogenous inhibitor of adipogenesis, maintains preadipocytes in an undifferentiated state by suppressing adipogenic transcription factors. We have previously demonstrated that Wnt10b transcription during adipogenesis is negatively regulated by X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1), an important transcription factor of the unfolded protein response. In this report, we demonstrate that XBP1s can directly induce the transcription of microRNA-148a, which in turn mediates the silencing of Wnt10b mRNA during adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. Stability of Wnt10b mRNA was found to be significantly increased by knockdown of XBP1s. Using computational algorithms, a set of microRNAs was predicted to bind Wnt10b mRNA, of which microRNA-148a was selected as a potential target for XBP1s. Our results revealed that microRNA-148a could bind to the 3'UTR of Wnt10b mRNA. Its ectopic expression significantly suppressed both Wnt10b expression and ß-catenin activity. When we altered the expression of XBP1 in 3T3-L1 cells, microRNA-148a levels changed accordingly. A potential XBP1 response element was found in the promoter region of microRNA-148a, and XBP1s directly bound to this response element as shown by point mutation analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, a microRNA-148a mimic significantly restored adipogenic potential in XBP1-deficient 3T3-L1 cells. These findings provide the first evidence that XBP1s can regulate Wnt10b by a post-transcriptional mechanism through directly inducing microRNA-148a.

Elliptical morphology of the carpal tunnel cross section

Although the carpal tunnel is known for its anatomical constituents, its morphology is not well recognized. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphometric properties of the carpal tunnel and its surrounding structures. Magnetic resonance and cross-sectional images of the distal carpal tunnel were collected from eight cadaveric hands. Morphological analyses were performed for the cross sections of the carpal tunnel, interior carpus boundary, and exterior carpus boundary. The specimens had a carpal arch width and height of 23.9 ± 2.9 mm and 2.2 ± 0.9 mm, respectively. The carpal tunnel, interior carpus boundary, and exterior carpus boundary had perimeters of 54.8 ± 4.5 mm, 68.5 ± 7.0 mm, and 130.6 ± 11.8 mm, respectively, and areas of 183.5 ± 30.1 mm2, 240.7 ± 40.2 mm2, and 1002.3 ± 183.7 mm2, respectively. The cross sections were characterized by elliptical fitting with aspect ratios of 1.96 ± 0.15, 1.96 ± 0.19, and 1.76 ± 0.19 for the carpal tunnel, interior carpus boundary, and exterior carpus boundary, respectively. The major axis of the boundaries increased in pronation angle, relative to the hamate-trapezium axis, for the exterior carpus (6.0 ± 3.0º), interior carpus (8.2 ± 3.2º), and carpal tunnel (15.9 ± 2.2º). This study advances our understanding of the structural anatomy of the carpal tunnel, and the morphological information is valuable in the identification of structural abnormality, assistance of surgical planning, and evaluation of treatment of effects

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