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In this study, we investigated the immunological properties of six strains of Acetobacter pasteurianus through nuclear factor-kappa B/activator protein-1 (NF-κB/AP-1) transcription factor activation and nitric oxide (NO) and cytokine production in macrophages. We found that the six A. pasteurianus strains had no significant inhibitory effect on the cell viability of RAW-Blue™ cells at the concentration of (25, 50, 100 CFU/macrophage). The production of NO and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) showed different abilities of immune activation for each strain, and it was 0.7 to 0.9 times higher than that of the LPS (100 ng/mL, v/v) positive control and 7 to 8 times superior to that of the negative control group. To explore the underlying mechanism, we evaluated the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Consequently, we found that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression including genes expression of cytokines were elevated by the six A. pasteurianus treatment. These results suggested that the six strains of A. pasteurianus have an excellent industrial application value as a functional material for the purpose of enhancing immune function.

Background Enkephalin, an endogenous neuropeptide, binds to the delta (δ) opioid receptor and exerts an antinociceptive effect. Recent studies have suggested that neuropeptides might effectuate cutaneous wound healing. Therefore, we investigated the effects of an enkephalin derivative on wound healing and scar formation in vivo.Methods Enkephalin derivatives (leucine-enkephalin) were synthesized using the alanine scan method, and the most promising derivative (E10) was selected for further testing. In 15 C57BL/6N mice, two full-thickness skin defects (10 mm in diameter) were made on both sides of the back (left side, enkephalin group; right side, control group). The enkephalin group was administered 100 μL of E10 (AGGFL, 200 μg/mL), and the control group received phosphate-buffered saline. The wound size was digitally analyzed on days 2, 4, 7, and 10. After 21 days, the scar tissues were histologically evaluated for the scar depression index (SDI), and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentration was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results The skin defect percentages were 98.4%±17.9% (day 2), 83.2%±24.0% (day 4), 39.7%±17.4% (day 7), and 16.2%±10.0% (day 10) in the control group and 86.1%±15.0% (day 2), 61.4%±11.6% (day 4), 26.6%±8.8% (day 7), and 16.4%±8.8% (day 10) in the enkephalin group. The SDI values were significantly lower in the enkephalin group (0.06±0.19) than in the control group (0.22±0.13, P

Objective Aerobic exercise may be associated with changes in brain activity within the default mode network (DMN) and dorsal attention network (DAN). We hypothesized that changes in functional connectivity (FC) within the DMN and DAN might be most effectively activated by moderate-intensity exercise.Methods Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans and visuospatial attention tests after resting were performed before and after each of moderate- and high-intensity aerobic exercises (10 min each) in 15 healthy male volunteers.Results The reaction time during the attention test increased significantly, and the rate of correct responses decreased from moderate-intensity exercise condition to high-intensity exercise condition. FC within the DMN under high-intensity exercise condition was higher than that under pre-exercise and moderate-intensity exercise conditions. FC within the DAN under moderate-intensity exercise condition was the highest, whereas FC between the DMN and DAN under moderate-intensity exercise condition was the lowest. Changes in cognitive domain functions were associated with changes in FC between the DMN and DAN.Conclusion Our results support the inverted-U hypothesis of maximum arousal efficacy during moderate exercise. Both cognitive domains, namely, the attention system and brain activity domains, may be better under moderate-intensity exercise than under high-intensity exercise.

Objective Menopause symptoms can vary in type, duration, and severity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the key factors predicting severe symptoms among Korean perimenopausal women with various demographic data, obstetric and psychiatric histories, and menopausal symptoms screening scale scores.Methods Data were collected from 1,060 women, and 4 latent classes were identified using latent profile analysis, with 6 major categories of menopausal complaints. Among the 4 classes, we selectively used data from the “all unimpaired” and “all impaired” groups. Menopause rating scale (MRS), sociodemographic, obstetric, and psychiatric factors were assessed, and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted with the “all impaired” group as a dependent variable.Results Marital status and scores on the psychological and somatic subscales of the MRS were statistically related to being in the “all impaired” group. Otherwise, family history of menopausal symptoms, menarche age, and history of other psychiatric disorders were not statistically significant predictors of being in the “all impaired” group.Conclusion The psychological and somatic subscales of the MRS predict the severity of perimenopausal syndrome better than obstetric and psychiatric history do among Korean perimenopausal women. Psychological and somatic symptoms as well as genitourinary symptoms in menopausal patients should be closely evaluated.

Introduction: In South Korea, the number of multicultural families is steadily increasing. The purpose of the study was to examine and identify the process of adaptation of elderly women to foreign daughters-in-law in multicultural families in rural settings. Method: This is a qualitative study and applies a grounded theory method. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews between February and April 2019, involving 15 elderly women with foreign daughters-in-law, and analyzed employing Corbin and Strauss’s grounded theory. Results: The results are demonstrated through the “Chaotic,” “Resistive,” “Exploratory,” “Transitional,” and “Receptive” periods, based on the flow of time. Discussion: The findings contribute to the practice and intervention of multicultural nursing by examining the adaptation process and providing future direction on the adaptation of elderly women who are part of multicultural families.

As we enter an aging society due to increasing life expectancy, there are many social pathology problems such as generation conflict. This study is intended to find out the effects of sunlight on elderly women’s sleep related elements. Participants of this study are 40 elderly women (age 70.5±3.5years, height 155.8± 4.3cm, weight 67.8± 4.1kg) who haven’t engaged in planned exercise or nourishment control for one year. The participants were randomly divided into four groups of sunlight group, exercise group, sunlight and exercise combination group, and control group, and 10-week-long experiment was done. Regarding sleep quality related items and sleep related hormone changes according to the experiment, One-way ANOVA analysis and Duncan post-hoc were done, and the results are as follows. Regarding the bedtime among the quality of sleep, the combination group fall asleep the soonest followed by the exercise group, the sunlight group, and the control group. The combination group also woke up the earliest followed by the sunlight group, the exercise group, and the control group. Regarding the potential sleep time (time to take until falling asleep), the combination group had the shortest time followed by the sunlight group, the exercise group, and the control group.

A gradient-index phononic crystal (GRIN PnC) capable of manipulating wave propagation can serve as an excellent input wave energy focusing platform for amplifying energy harvesting power generation. However, despite its remarkable focusing capability, the finite wavelength of the propagating elastic waves in the focal area causes voltage cancellation inside a piezoelectric element under multimode strains having opposite directions; this limits the capacity of the GRIN PnC-based energy harvesting system. This study demonstrates a rational electrode configuration for a piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) device that can maximize the performance of a given GRIN PnC platform. The multimode strain analysis experimentally performed on the PEHs distributed over the focusing area confirms that the patterned electrode PEH configuration is the most effective in alleviating strain and voltage cancellation while efficiently transferring the focused elastic wave energy. Furthermore, a proper combination of electrical connections between the patterned electrodes substantially increases the piezoelectric potential across the ceramic by maximizing the strain difference. The simultaneous tailoring of the piezoelectric ceramic composition and the electrode configuration leads to a maximum power generation of 7.06 mW even under off-resonance conditions, the largest ever reported in elastic wave energy harvesting.

Herein, the results of our study suggest that NaY9Si6O26:Yb3+ phosphors are promising next-generation candidates for advanced anti-counterfeiting applications.

A new facile strategy to maximize the charge density over 1000 μC m−2 for a high-output TENG is demonstrated by introducing new physics in contact electrification, i.e. ‘Electric-field-driven interfacial trapping of drifting triboelectric charges’.

The intrinsic H2O2 electrosynthesis activities of anthraquinone, benzoic acid, and phenol groups on carbon nanotubes were systematically compared.

Electrochemical reductive amination without using any redox agents is presented with high Faraday efficiency on a Cu electrode. The detailed reaction mechanism has been thoroughly validated.