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This study aimed to investigate the effects of 12-week consumption of highly bioavailable curcumin (150 mg/day of Theracurmin Super [TS -P1] or Theracurmin [CR-033P]) on common cold symptoms, immune function, and inflammatory markers. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted from November 2021 to May 2022 on 99 healthy Japanese adults. Using a computerized random number generator, each subject was randomly assigned to one of the following three groups: TS -P1, CR-033P, or placebo (n = 33 per group). For 12 weeks, each group consumed the four capsules that were given to them daily. The cumulative number of days for which common cold symptoms persisted was set as the primary outcome. Immunity parameters, inflammatory parameters, liver function parameters, and physical examination results were additional outcomes. A safety assessment was also performed. Ninety-four subjects completed the study, and the per protocol set included 30 subjects in the placebo group, 32 subjects in the TS -P1 group, and 33 subjects in the CR-033P group. The cumulative number of days for which common cold symptoms persisted was significantly lower in the TS -P1 and CR-033P groups than that in the placebo group. No adverse effects were observed. Consumption of highly bioavailable curcumin, TS -P1 or CR-033P (150 mg/day), for 12 weeks reduced the number of days for which common cold symptoms persisted in healthy Japanese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the issue of how cultural backgrounds influence the way readers construct mental images of fictional characters. In an experiment conducted in 2008 in Germany, we found evidence suggesting that readers of fictional narratives draw on their stereotypes when evaluating the personality of a fictional character. Moreover, results of this experiment also suggest that this tendency to focus on (stereo-)typical attributes in the evaluation of characters increases rather than decreases with knowledge about the respective culture. Here, we discuss what cognitive processes presumably underlie these findings and what conclusions can be drawn for the reading process from these theoretical considerations on the influence of readers' cultural beliefs, values, norms, and so on. We further report the results of a second experiment conducted in Japan, which corroborates our previous findings. Finally, we outline suggestions for future endeavors that could make use of our research to address further questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a multidimensional construct that involves subjective evaluation of an individual's oral health. Although it is difficult to evaluate OHRQoL biologically, recently, it has been reported that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in several body fluids could reflect various health conditions. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether salivary miRNAs expression differs according to OHRQoL in healthy volunteers. Forty-six volunteers (median age, 23.0 years) were recruited, and their OHRQoL was assessed using the Japanese version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-J). Then, we compared salivary microRNA profiles of the high-OHRQoL group (≤25th percentile score of OHIP-J) and the low-OHRQoL group (≥75th percentile score of OHIP-J) using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array and the quantitative real-time PCR. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of oral health status. In the PCR array, miR-203a-3p and miR-30b-5p were significantly more expressed in the low-OHRQoL group (p < 0.05). Quantitative real-time PCR assay also showed that miR-203a-3p was more highly expressed in the low-OHRQoL group than in the high-OHRQoL group (p < 0.05). These observations suggest that expression of salivary miR-203a-3p was related with OHRQoL in healthy volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]