Unveiling the Potential of Natural Compounds: A Comprehensive Review on Adipose Thermogenesis Modulation.

The process of adipocyte browning has recently emerged as a novel therapeutic target for combating obesity and obesity-related diseases. Non-shivering thermogenesis is the process of biological heat production in mammals and is primarily mediated via brown adipose tissue (BAT). The recruitment and activation of BAT can be induced through chemical drugs and nutrients, with subsequent beneficial health effects through the utilization of carbohydrates and fats to generate heat to maintain body temperature. However, since potent drugs may show adverse side effects, nutritional or natural substances could be safe and effective as potential adipocyte browning agents. This review aims to provide an extensive overview of the natural food compounds that have been shown to activate brown adipocytes in humans, animals, and in cultured cells. In addition, some key genetic and molecular targets and the mechanisms of action of these natural compounds reported to have therapeutic potential to combat obesity are discussed.

Deficiency of circadian clock gene Bmal1 exacerbates noncanonical inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and lethality via Rev-erbα-C/EBPß-SAA1 axis.

Circadian arrhythmia has been linked to increased susceptibility to multiple inflammatory diseases, such as sepsis. However, it remains unclear how disruption of the circadian clock modulates molecular aspects of innate immune responses, including inflammasome signaling. Here, we examined the potential role of the circadian clock in inflammasome-mediated responses through myeloid-specific deletion of BMAL1, a master circadian clock regulator. Intriguingly, Bmal1 deficiency significantly enhanced pyroptosis of macrophages and lethality of mice under noncanonical inflammasome-activating conditions but did not alter canonical inflammasome responses. Transcriptome analysis of enriched peritoneal myeloid cells revealed that Bmal1 deficiency led to a marked reduction in Rev-erbα expression at steady state and a significant increase in serum amyloid A1 (SAA1) expression upon poly(I:C) stimulation. Notably, we found that the circadian regulator Rev-erbα is critical for poly(I:C)- or interferon (IFN)-ß-induced SAA1 production, resulting in the circadian oscillation pattern of SAA1 expression in myeloid cells. Furthermore, exogenously applied SAA1 markedly increased noncanonical inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis of macrophages and lethality of mice. Intriguingly, our results revealed that type 1 IFN receptor signaling is needed for poly(I:C)- or IFN-ß-induced SAA1 production. Downstream of the type 1 IFN receptor, Rev-erbα inhibited the IFN-ß-induced association of C/EBPß with the promoter region of Saa1, leading to the reduced transcription of Saa1 in macrophages. Bmal1-deficient macrophages exhibited enhanced binding of C/EBPß to Saa1. Consistently, the blockade of Rev-erbα by SR8278 significantly increased poly(I:C)-stimulated SAA1 transcription and noncanonical inflammasome-mediated lethality in mice. Collectively, our data demonstrate a potent suppressive effect of the circadian clock BMAL1 on the noncanonical inflammasome response via the Rev-erbα-C/EBPß-SAA1 axis.

Effects of Avatar Transparency on Social Presence in Task-Centric Mixed Reality Remote Collaboration.

Despite the importance of avatar representation on user experience for Mixed Reality (MR) remote collaboration involving various device environments and large amounts of task-related information, studies on how controlling visual parameters for avatars can benefit users in such situations have been scarce. Thus, we conducted a user study comparing the effects of three avatars with different transparency levels (Nontransparent, Semi-transparent, and Near-transparent) on social presence for users in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) during task-centric MR remote collaboration. Results show that avatars with a strong visual presence are not required in situations where accomplishing the collaborative task is prioritized over social interaction. However, AR users preferred more vivid avatars than VR users. Based on our findings, we suggest guidelines on how different levels of avatar transparency should be applied based on the context of the task and device type for MR remote collaboration.

Moderating Effects of Emotional Recognition Competency in Rejective Parenting and Adolescent Depression and Aggression.

Rejective parenting is a major antecedent of emotional instability and aggressive behavioral problems. Previous studies have reported that emotional problems, such as depression, anxiety, aggression, and conduct problems in children and adolescents, improve through interventions that enhance emotional recognition competency. In this study, we explored whether the emotional recognition ability levels of individual adolescents moderated the pathway of negative parenting on aggression mediated by depression The moderated mediating effect of emotional recognition competency was investigated through examining 2265 first-year high school students using the 2021 data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey 2018. There was no significant moderating effect on the direct pathway from rejective parenting to aggression. The moderating effect of emotional recognition competency on the indirect pathway leading to aggression through depression in rejective parenting was significant. These results suggest that the ability to correctly understand signals related to the emotions of others can play an important role in reducing depression and aggressive behavior by reducing conflict with people around them and experiencing more support.

A Systematic Review of Location Data for Depression Prediction.

Depression contributes to a wide range of maladjustment problems. With the development of technology, objective measurement for behavior and functional indicators of depression has become possible through the passive sensing technology of digital devices. Focusing on location data, we systematically reviewed the relationship between depression and location data. We searched Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases by combining terms related to passive sensing and location data with depression. Thirty-one studies were included in this review. Location data demonstrated promising predictive power for depression. Studies examining the relationship between individual location data variables and depression, homestay, entropy, and the normalized entropy variable of entropy dimension showed the most consistent and significant correlations. Furthermore, variables of distance, irregularity, and location showed significant associations in some studies. However, semantic location showed inconsistent results. This suggests that the process of geographical movement is more related to mood changes than to semantic location. Future research must converge across studies on location-data measurement methods.

Effects of tomato ketchup and tomato paste extract on hepatic lipid accumulation and adipogenesis.

Tomatoes include high levels of lycopene, which is a potent antioxidative, hypolipidemic, and antidiabetic phytochemical. The intake of lycopene is associated with a reduced risk of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate whether tomato ketchup and tomato paste, major dietary sources for tomato and lycopene, could regulate hepatic lipid metabolism and adipogenesis. To investigate the regulatory effects of tomato ketchup and tomato paste, we prepared a tomato ketchup extract (TKE) and a tomato paste extract (TPE) in 80% (v/v) ethyl acetate for the experiment. TKE and TPE reduced lipid accumulation and key markers for gluconeogenesis and induced a higher rate of fatty acid oxidation in HepG2 hepatocytes. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, TKE and TPE increased adipogenesis and intracellular triglyceride accumulation, and stimulated glucose uptake. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and gamma expression levels were increased by TKE and TPE treatment. A single oral dose of tomato ketchup and tomato paste (9.28 g/kg) significantly improved glucose and insulin tolerance in mice. These findings suggest that lycopene-containing tomato ketchup and tomato paste may have beneficial regulatory effects in terms of energy metabolism in hepatocytes and adipocytes, and thus may improve blood glucose metabolism.

The Effects of Spatial Complexity on Narrative Experience in Space-Adaptive AR Storytelling.

A critical yet unresolved challenge in designing space-adaptive narratives for Augmented Reality (AR) is to provide consistently immersive user experiences anywhere, regardless of physical features specific to a space. For this, we present a comprehensive analysis on a series of user studies investigating how the size, density, and layout of real indoor spaces affect users playing Fragments, a space-adaptive AR detective game. Based on the studies, we assert that moderate levels of traversability and visual complexity afforded in counteracting combinations of size and complexity are beneficial for narrative experience. To confirm our argument, we combined the experimental data of the studies (n=112) to compare how five different spatial complexity conditions impact narrative experience when applied to contrasting room sizes. Results show that whereas factors of narrative experience are rated significantly higher in relatively simple settings for a small space, they are less affected by complexity in a large space. Ultimately, we establish guidelines on the design and placement of space-adaptive augmentations in location-independent AR narratives to compensate for the lack or excess of affordances in various real spaces and enhance user experiences therein.

Nationwide population-based cohort study of adverse obstetric outcomes in pregnancies with myoma or following myomectomy: retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to evaluate risks of adverse obstetric outcomes in pregnancies with myoma(s) or in pregnancies following myomectomy. METHODS: We analyzed the national health insurance database, which covers almost the entire Korean population, between 2004 and 2015. The risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnancies with myoma(s) or in pregnancies following myomectomy, compared to those in women without a diagnosed myoma, were analyzed in multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, 38,402 women with diagnosed myoma(s), 9890 women with a history of myomectomy, and 740,675 women without a diagnosed myoma gave birth. Women with a history of diagnosed myoma(s) and women with a history of myomectomy had significantly higher risks of cesarean section (aOR 1.13, 95% CI 1.1-1.16 and aOR 7.46, 95% CI 6.97-7.98, respectively) and placenta previa (aOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.29-1.54 and aOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.35-1.83, respectively), compared to women without a diagnosed myoma. And the risk of uterine rupture was significantly higher in women with previous myomectomy (aOR 12.78, 95% CI 6.5-25.13), compared to women without a diagnosed myoma, which was much increased (aOR 41.35, 95% CI 16.18-105.69) in nulliparous women. The incidence of uterine rupture was the highest at delivery within one year after myomectomy and decreased over time after myomectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a history of myomectomy had significantly higher risks of cesarean section and placenta previa compared to women without a diagnosed myoma.

Verification of Current Risk Scores for Kawasaki Disease in Korean Children.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and assess the compatibility of current risk scoring systems from Japan that were developed to predict intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD). The authors previously investigated another prediction model for patients with refractory KD in Korea. A retrospective study involving 350 patients with KD who were admitted between January 2014 and December 2015 was performed. Patients younger than 2 years were excluded for the propensity score matching in this study. Patients were classified into IVIG responders and IVIG resistance groups. The well-known Harada, Kobayashi, and Egami risk scores were calculated for each patient, and the proportion of high-risk patients was compared between the two groups for each risk score. Logistic regression analysis revealed that platelets, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and aspartate aminotransferase levels were independent predictors of IVIG resistance. Multivariate analysis suggested that platelets and CRP were risk factors. Risk-scoring systems from Japan have good specificity but low sensitivity. Among the three risk scoring systems, the Kobayashi risk score demonstrated significant differences between the IVIG resistance and IVIG responder groups in Korean patients with KD. It is very important to identify IVIG-resistant patients to protect them from ongoing coronary arterial lesion(s); therefore, early prediction and timely optimal additional treatment is of significant benefit. It would be helpful to construct a highly sensitive, exclusive scoring system for Korean patients with KD.

Myocardial Assessment in School-Aged Children with Past Kawasaki Disease.

Coronary artery involvement remains the most important complication with Kawasaki disease (KD). Additional myocardial injury can be caused by inflammatory response and ischemic event. However, the long-term outcome of myocardial function has not been fully known in KD. The purpose of this study is to evaluate myocardial function in school-aged children who had the past history of KD. Sixty-seven children in the second grade of elementary schools, who had the past history of KD, were included. Echocardiographic measurements of each coronary artery and myocardial function were obtained as the long-term follow-up data, and compared with the baseline data at the time of initial presentation of KD. The mean age of the subjects was 8.6 ± 2.4 years, and 4.3 ± 3.4 years have passed since the diagnosis of KD. Among the echocardiographic data, interventricular septum thickness at end-diastole (IVSd), LV internal diameters at end-systole (LVIDs), maximal velocity of late diastolic filling across mitral valve (mitral A) flow, maximal velocity of early diastolic filling across mitral valve (mitral E)/A ratio, mitral inflow E wave to peak early diastolic tissue velocity (E/E') ratio showed significant differences between the baseline and follow-up measurements. Coronary Z-score of left main artery (LMA), left anterior descending (LAD), and right coronary artery (RCA) showed no significant difference. The school-aged children with the past history of KD may have diastolic dysfunction. Therefore, appropriate assessment of myocardial function would be recommended during the follow-up period in children with KD.

Does botulinum toxin injection site determine outcome in post-stroke plantarflexion spasticity? Comparison study of two injection sites in the gastrocnemius muscle: a randomized double-blind controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if botulinum toxin type A injection at the proximal 2/10 and 3/10 of calf length, where the intramuscular nerve endings of the gastrocnemius muscle are densely distributed, is more efficacious in controlling plantarflexion spasticity than injection at distant sites within the same muscle. DESIGN: A double-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTTING: Two rehabilitation centres. SUBJECTS: Forty stroke patients were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A received injection at the proximal 2/10 and 3/10 of calf length, group B at and below the midbelly of the muscle. Both groups received 200 IU of botulinum toxin A and were followed up to eight weeks. MAIN MEASURES: Primary variables were the surface electromyography values recorded during plantarflexion; secondary variables were the Modified Ashworth Scale, Modified Tardieu Scale, clonus scale, 10-metre walking test, ABILOCO and Functional Ambulation Categories. RESULTS: At baseline, the median Modified Ashworth Scale was 2.0 (range,1+ -3.0), and there were no significant differences between the two groups in all the parameters, including spasticity. Compared to baseline, no significant differences between the two groups were detected in all the surface electromyography and clinical parameters at week 8 (P > 0.05). Both groups showed significant improvement of spasticity with a median Modified Ashworth Scale of 1+ (range, 0.0-2.0) at eight weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Botulinum toxin A injection was associated with a significant improvement from baseline to week 8 in both treatment groups, however, no significant difference between the 2 groups was observed, based on the electrophysiological and clinical parameters employed in this study.

Investigating the usability of a screen reader and mental models of blind users in the Windows environment.

The study explored blind users' mental models and strategies in coping with the Windows environment and investigated the relationship between users' mental models and usability problems they face when using a screen reader. The study found that blind users possess a functional or structural mental model or a combination thereof. Blind users also have a rich and highly procedural strategy for coping with a new Windows environment and application. Users' established mental models developed from using a familiar screen reader were found to contribute to problems in using a new screen reader.