Quercetin protects against LPS-induced lung injury in mice via SIRT1-mediated suppression of PKM2 nuclear accumulation.

The role of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-mediated macrophages pyroptosis in acute lung injury (ALI) is well-established. Quercetin (Que) is a natural bioflavonoid compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties that reportedly inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome in sepsis-induced organ dysfunctions such as ALI. However, the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of quercetin on NLRP3 activation remains unclear. In this study, we established an endotoxin-induced ALI mouse model with an in vitro LPS challenge. We demonstrated that the administration of quercetin could significantly reduce pulmonary injury and decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, we found that quercetin could inhibit the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by suppressing the nuclear accumulation of PKM2 and increasing SIRT1 levels. Importantly, treatment with SRT1720 (a specific SIRT1 activator) could inhibit the nuclear accumulation of PKM2 and the activation of NLRP3. Besides, preventing PKM2 dimerization with ML265 yielded an anti-inflammatory effect, similar to findings observed for SRT1720. In addition, we found that SIRT1 silencing or inhibition by EX527 could increase NLRP3 activation and nuclear accumulation of PKM2 and override quercetin-mediated anti-inflammatory activity. These findings indicated that quercetin could downregulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation by inhibiting the nuclear accumulation of PKM2 and upregulating SIRT1 expression, expanding the treatment landscape for ARDS.

Analysis of Labial and Lingual Strength among Healthy Chinese Adults in Taiwan.

This study collected 11 parameters regarding the labial and lingual strength for maximum isometric and swallowing tasks among 150 healthy Chinese adults in Taiwan. Measurements were performed using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI). All of the labial and lingual strength parameters were measured three times. The maximal value of three trials represents the pressure of every parameter. The overall mean (±standard deviation) and maximum isometric pressures of the lips, anterior tongue, and posterior tongue were 24.81 ± 5.64, 55.95 ± 14.13, and 53.23 ± 12.24 kPa, respectively. The mean value of posterior tongue strength was less than that of the anterior tongue by approximately 5%. The percentages of maximum isometric tongue pressure during the swallowing of saliva and water were 85% and 80% for the anterior tongue and 90% and 81% for the posterior tongue, respectively. The average endurances for the anterior tongue and posterior tongue were 13.86 ± 7.08 and 10.06 ± 5.40 s, respectively. The maximum isometric pressures were greater than both the saliva and water swallowing pressures, and the saliva swallowing pressures were greater than the water swallowing pressures. A value of 33 kPa in maximum isometric pressure could serve as a demarcation of weak tongue strength for healthy Chinese adults. As for the repeated trials of labial and lingual strength, there were no statistically significant differences for any of the pressures obtained from the 11 labial and lingual strength parameters. The normative data can be used for the objective assessment of labial and lingual strength in healthy Chinese adults.

New 8-Hydroxybriaranes from the Gorgonian Coral Junceella fragilis (Ellisellidae).

Three new 8-hydroxybriaranes-fragilides R-T (1-3) were obtained from a sea whip gorgonian coral Junceella fragilis. The structures of briaranes 1-3 were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods, including 1D (1H and 13C NMR), 2D (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY experiments) NMR studies, and (+)-HRESIMS. Fragilides S and T (2 and 3) are the only briaranes known to possess 8α-hydroxy and 17ß-methyl groups, respectively. Briarane 2 exerted an inhibition effect on iNOS release from RAW264.7; a macrophage cell line that originated from a mouse monocyte macrophage, stimulated with lipopolysaccharides.

New 1,4-Dienonesteroids from the Octocoral Dendronephthya sp.

Two new steroids, dendronesterones D (1) and E (2), featuring with 1,4-dienone moiety, along with three known steroids, methyl 3-oxochola-4,22-diene-24-oate (3), 5α,8α-epidioxy-24(S)- methylcholesta-6,22-dien-3ß-ol (4), and 5α,8α-epidioxy-24(S)-methylcholesta-6,9(11),22-trien-3ß-ol (5), were isolated from an octocoral Dendronephthya sp. The structures of steroids 1 and 2 were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods and steroid 1 was found to exhibit significant in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells by inhibiting the expression of the iNOS protein.

The Feasibility Study of a Revised Standard Care Procedure on the Capacity of Nasogastric Tube Placement Verification Among Critical Care Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based studies propose that the aspirate pH test may be easily and reliably conducted to verify the proper placement of nasogastric tubes (NGTs). Nurses rarely implement this procedure because of the lack of related knowledge. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of implementing a revised standard care procedure to enhance nurses' ability to verify placement of the NGT. METHODS: his study used a quasi-experimental, longitudinal research design. Nurses from two intensive care units were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 35) and the control group (n = 31). A revised standard-of-care procedure to confirm the proper placement of an NGT was incorporated into a slideshow presentation, a printed leaflet, and an audit checklist. The experimental group received continuous education and individual teaching on the revised standard-of-care procedure, whereas the control group did not receive additional education and continued to provide conventional care. The study gathered data using scales designed to address knowledge of and attitudes toward verification of NGT placement and the checklist for auditing the NGT care procedure. Scales were implemented before and after the practice program was conducted, in Months 1, 2, and 3, to evaluate the feasibility of the developed improvement measures. RESULTS: This study found significant improvements in the experimental group in terms of knowledge regarding NGT placement verification and the NGT care auditing procedure. The positive improvement of the intervention on the NGT care auditing procedure remained for at least 3 months after the end of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that using an aspirate pH test is a feasible approach to verify NGT placement in critical care units, a crucial aspect of care necessary to promote patient safety and quality of care.

CqToll participates in antiviral response against white spot syndrome virus via induction of anti-lipopolysaccharide factor in red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus.

It is well known that Tolls/Toll like receptors (TLRs), a family of pattern recognition receptors, play important roles in immune responses. Previously, we found that a Toll transcript was increased in a transcriptome library of haematopoietic tissue (Hpt) cells from the red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus post white spot syndrome virus infection. In the present study, a full-length cDNA sequence of Toll receptor (named as CqToll) was identified with 3482 bp which contained an open reading frame of 3021 bp encoding 1006 amino acids. The predicted structure of CqToll protein was composed of three domains, including an extracellular domain of 19 leucine-rich repeats residues, a transmembrane domain and an intracellular domain of 138 amino acids. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that CqToll was expressed widely in various tissues determined from red claw crayfish with highest expression in haemocyte but lowest expression in eyestalk. Importantly, significant lower expression of the anti-lipopolysacchride factor (CqALF), an antiviral antimicrobial peptide (AMP) in crustaceans, but not CqCrustin was observed after gene silencing of CqToll in crayfish Hpt cell cultures, indicating that the CqALF was likely to be positively regulated via Toll pathway in red claw crayfish. Furthermore, the transcription of both an immediate early gene and a late envelope protein gene VP28 of WSSV were clearly enhanced in Hpt cells if silenced with CqToll, suggesting that the increase of WSSV replication was likely to be caused by the lower expression of the CqALF resulted from the loss-of-function of CqToll. Taken together, these data implied that CqToll might play a key role in anti-WSSV response via induction of CqALF in a crustacean C. quadricarinatus.

Identification of an anti-lipopolysacchride factor possessing both antiviral and antibacterial activity from the red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus.

It is well-known that anti-lipopolysacchride factors (ALFs) are involved in the recognition and elimination of invading pathogens. In this study, the full-length ALF cDNA sequence of the red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (termed CqALF) was cloned from a suppression subtractive hybridization library constructed using red claw crayfish hematopoietic tissue cell (Hpt cell) cultures following challenge with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). The full-length cDNA sequence of CqALF was 863 bp, and the open reading frame encoded 123 amino acids with a signal peptide in the N-terminus and a conserved LPS-binding domain. Unlike most ALFs, which are highly expressed in haemocytes, high expression levels of CqALF were detected in epithelium, the stomach and eyestalks, while lower expression was detected in Hpt, nerves, the heart, muscle tissue, gonads, haemocytes, intestines, gills and the hepatopancreas. To further explore the biological activities of CqALF, mature recombinant CqALF protein (rCqALF) was expressed and purified using a eukaryotic expression system, and an antimicrobial activity test was carried out. rCqALF clearly exerted antiviral activity, as evidenced by the severe disruption of the envelope of intact WSSV virions following co-incubation of virions with rCqALF. Additionally, pre-incubation of WSSV with rCqALF resulted in both a significant reduction in WSSV replication in red claw crayfish Hpt cell cultures and an increased survival rate among animals. Furthermore, rCqALF was effective against both Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Shigella flexneri and Staphylococcus aureus. A membrane integrity assay suggested that rCqALF was unlikely to disrupt bacterial membrane integrity compared to cecropin P1. Taken together, these data suggest that CqALF may play an important role in immune defence in the crustacean C. quadricarinatus.

A cloud-based forensics tracking scheme for online social network clients.

In recent years, with significant changes in the communication modes, most users are diverted to cloud-based applications, especially online social networks (OSNs), which applications are mostly hosted on the outside and available to criminals, enabling them to impede criminal investigations and intelligence gathering. In the virtual world, how the Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) identifies the "actual" identity of criminal suspects, and their geolocation in social networks, is a major challenge to current digital investigation. In view of this, this paper proposes a scheme, based on the concepts of IP location and network forensics, which aims to develop forensics tracking on OSNs. According to our empirical analysis, the proposed mechanism can instantly trace the "physical location" of a targeted service resource identifier (SRI), when the target client is using online social network applications (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), and can analyze the probable target client "identity" associatively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first individualized location method and architecture developed and evaluated in OSNs.

Effectiveness of propolis on oral health: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The use of propolis mouth rinse or gel as a supplementary intervention has increased during the last decade in Taiwan. However, the effect of propolis on oral health is not well understood. PURPOSE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to present the best available evidence regarding the effects of propolis use on oral health, including oral infection, dental plaque, and stomatitis. METHODS: Researchers searched seven electronic databases for relevant articles published between 1969 and 2012. Data were collected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument was used to evaluate the quality of the identified articles. RESULTS: Eight trials published from 1997 to 2011 with 194 participants had extractable data. The result of the meta-analysis indicated that, although propolis had an effect on reducing dental plaque, this effect was not statistically significant. The results were not statistically significant for oral infection or stomatitis. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Although there are a number of promising indications, in view of the limited number and quality of studies and the variation in results among studies, this review highlights the need for additional well-designed trials to draw conclusions that are more robust.

Disability assessment: the efficacy of multimedia interactive nurse education.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 3% of the population in Taiwan is classified as disabled. Disability assessment directly relates to long-term care quality and resource allocation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a multimedia interactive DVD on enhancing nurse knowledgeand disability assessment skills. METHODS: The study was a quasi-experimental design. The experimental group received multimedia interactive DVD, and the control group received conventional classroom education. The study gathered data using scales assessing knowledge related to disability assessment and case studies. Scales were implemented before and after multimedia interactive DVD interventions at weeks 2 and 4. In-depth interviews with voice recording were used to collect qualitative data to elicit differences in perception between the experimental and control groups. RESULTS: This study found significant improvements in the experimental group in terms of disability assessment knowledge and case study assessment skills. These improvements lasted through at least 1-month posttest. Analysis of interview data for the experimental group showed that the multimedia interactive DVD provided a more flexible approach to learning than classroom education and improved participant self-confidence to conduct disability assessments. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The study showed the effectiveness of the developed multimedia interactive DVD in significantly improving the disability assessment confidences of nurses. Study findings can be used as a reference guide for continuing educational efforts in long-term care settings.