NADPH oxidase produces a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced gastric epithelial cells. Even though ROS mediate apoptotic cell death, direct involvement of NADPH oxidase on H. pylori-induced apoptosis remains unclear. Besides, H. pylori isolates show a high degree of genetic variability. The predominant genotype of H. pylori in Korea has been reported as cagA+, vacA s1b, m2, iceA genotype. Present study aims to investigate whether NADPH oxidase-generated ROS mediate apoptosis in human gastric epithelial AGS cells infected with H. pylori in a Korean isolate. AGS cells were pretreated with or without an NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) and cultured in the presence of H. pylori at a bacterium/cell ratio of 300:1. Cell viability, hydrogen peroxide level, DNA fragmentation, and protein levels of p53, Bcl-2, and Bax were determined. Results showed that H. pylori inhibited cell viability with the density of H. pylori added to the cells. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase by DPI suppressed H. pylori-induced cell death, increased hydrogen peroxide, DNA fragmentation, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, and p53 induction in AGS cells dose-dependently. The results suggest that targeting NADPH oxidase may prevent the development of gastric inflammation associated with H. pylori infection by suppressing abnormal apoptotic cell death of gastric epithelial cells.
Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/metabolism ; Cell Survival ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism/microbiology ; Gastric Mucosa/metabolism ; Helicobacter Infections/*metabolism/microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori/drug effects/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; NADPH Oxidase/metabolism ; Onium Compounds/*antagonists & inhibitors/pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Republic of Korea ; Stomach/cytology/*metabolism/microbiology

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress occurs in white adipose tissue and dysregulates the expression of adipokines secreted from adipocytes. Since adipokines influence inflammation, supplementation with antioxidants might be beneficial for preventing oxidative stress-mediated inflammation in adipocytes and inflammation-associated complications. β-Carotene is the most prominent antioxidant carotenoid and scavenges reactive oxygen species in various tissues. The purpose of this study was to determine whether β-carotene regulates the expression of adipokines, such as adiponectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with glucose/glucose oxidase (G/GO). METHODS: 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured with or without β-carotene and treated with G/GO, which produces H2O2. mRNA and protein levels in the medium were determined by a real-time PCR and an ELISA. DNA binding activities of transcription factors were assessed using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. RESULTS: G/GO treatment increased DNA binding affinities of redox-sensitive transcription factors, such as NF-κB, activator protein-1 (AP-1), and STAT3. G/GO treatment reduced the expression of adiponectin and increased the expression of MCP-1 and RANTES. G/GO-induced activations of NF-κB, AP-1, and STAT3 were inhibited by β-carotene. G/GO-induced dysregulation of adiponectin, MCP-1, and RANTES were significantly recovered by treatment with β-carotene. CONCLUSIONS: β-Carotene inhibits oxidative stress-induced inflammation by suppressing pro-inflammatory adipokines MCP-1 and RANTES, and by enhancing adiponectin in adipocytes. β-Carotene may be beneficial for preventing oxidative stress-mediated inflammation, which is related to adipokine dysfunction.
Adipocytes ; Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Adipose Tissue, White ; Antioxidants ; beta Carotene ; Chemokine CCL2 ; Chemokine CCL5 ; DNA ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Inflammation ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxidoreductases ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Transcription Factor AP-1 ; Transcription Factors

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of perception of nursing students' rights participating in clinical practice.METHODS: This descriptive study carried out purposeful sampling. The participants were 17 nursing students, who had experience of participating in clinical practice for more than 12 weeks. Data were collected through focus group interviews. Twelve subjects were in their third year and five in their fourth year. All were practicing in secondary general and tertiary university hospitals. The data were analyzed using classical content analysis method.RESULTS: The researchers extracted 23 codes representing the nursing students' rights of clinical practice, which were grouped into 4 categories and 11 subcategories. The 4 categories were ‘deep disappointment as an alienated person in a clinical field’, ‘clinical practice experience that cannot be given up despite difficulties’, ‘need for a practice environment that takes care of nursing students’, and ‘hope for support, advocacy and respect’.CONCLUSION: Nursing students cannot claim rights at this time, but expressed the desire to build a support system so that these parts can be improved in the future. Therefore, nursing education institutions and clinical fields should maintain diverse efforts through reciprocal relationships.
Education, Nursing ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Focus Groups ; Hospitals, University ; Human Rights ; Humans ; Methods ; Nursing ; Students, Nursing

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to confirm the relationship between nursing students’ self-determination and life satisfaction in order to clarify the mediating effect of grit and social support, which can have a mutual influence on self-determination and life satisfaction. Methods: The data collection for this study was conducted from January 1 to 31, 2022, with nursing students enrolled in nursing departments at six universities located in three regions. The data collected in this study were analyzed using the IBM SPSS statistics 25.0 program. Results: The study found correlations between life satisfaction and self-determination (r=.64, p<.001), grit (r=.41, p<.001), and social support (r=.46, p<.001). Grit (B=0.06) and social support (B=0.06) showed a mediating effect in the relationship between self-determination and life satisfaction. Conclusion Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that a program that can enhance the life satisfaction of nursing students be developed and implemented by focusing on social support, which is an external resource, and self-determination and grit, which are internal resources.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate interpersonal competence and social support and their mediating effects on the relationship between caring efficacy and empathy in nursing students. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. Data collection was conducted from February 5 to February 12, 2019, from 254 students enrolled in the Department of Nursing in Jeollabuk-do and Chungcheongbuk-do. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: As a result of verifying the mediating effects of social support and interpersonal competence on the relationship between the empathy ability and caring efficacy of nursing college students, it was found that social support and interpersonal competence partially mediated the relationship between the two variables (Z=1.68, p=.046). Conclusion Through this study, a theoretical basis was provided that when applied to an educational program could improve nursing students' caring efficacy. Content that can improve not only empathy but also social support and interpersonal competence should be included.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate interpersonal competence and social support and their mediating effects on the relationship between caring efficacy and empathy in nursing students. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. Data collection was conducted from February 5 to February 12, 2019, from 254 students enrolled in the Department of Nursing in Jeollabuk-do and Chungcheongbuk-do. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: As a result of verifying the mediating effects of social support and interpersonal competence on the relationship between the empathy ability and caring efficacy of nursing college students, it was found that social support and interpersonal competence partially mediated the relationship between the two variables (Z=1.68, p=.046). Conclusion Through this study, a theoretical basis was provided that when applied to an educational program could improve nursing students' caring efficacy. Content that can improve not only empathy but also social support and interpersonal competence should be included.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of taro extract on brain resilience in in vitro Parkinson’s disease model induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Methods: To induce a neuroinflammatory reaction and the in vitro Parkinson’s disease model, SH-SY5Y cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and 6-OHDA, respectively. After that, cells were treated with at various concentrations (1, 5, and 10 mg/mL) of taro extract. Then nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin (IL)-6, synaptophysin (SYP) and growth associated protein (GAP)-43 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression level were measured. Results: Taro extract significantly suppressed LPS-induced NO production. Meanwhile, iNOS and IL-6 mRNA expression decreased in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, taro increased the mRNA expression of SYP and GAP-43 mRNA. Conclusion These findings indicate that taro played an important role in brain resilience by inhibiting neuronal cell death and promoting neurite outgrowth, synaptogenesis, and neural plasticity. The results of this study suggest that taro may contribute to the prevention of neurodegenerative disease and become a new and safe therapeutic strategy for Parkinson’s disease.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine whether mindfulness skills are mediating the improvements of depressive symptoms in patients with mood disorders who practiced Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). METHODS: A total of 19 patients with mood disorder were included in this study. The participants were divided into two subgroups: a normal to mild depression group and a moderate depression group. The participants completed questionnaires to assess depressive symptoms, anxiety, quality of life, suicidal idea, and mindfulness skills which were measured by the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) before and after MBCT course. RESULTS: The moderate depression group showed improvements through MBCT in depressive symptoms and suicidal idea, but not in anxiety and quality of life. The normal to mild depression group showed no significant change through MBCT. The improvement of depressive symptoms in the moderate depression group was predictable by improvements of the five facets of mindfulness, especially by ‘observe’ and ‘non-react’ components. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that currently depressive patients with moderate severity but not with normal to mild severity benefit from MBCT in reducing depressive symptoms and suicidal idea. The improvement of depressive symptoms was mediated by improved mindfulness skills through MBCT.
Anxiety ; Cognitive Therapy* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Mindfulness* ; Mood Disorders* ; Negotiating ; Quality of Life

The epithelial cytokine response, associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS), is important in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced inflammation. H. pylori induces the production of ROS, which may be involved in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (Jak/Stat), and oxidant-sensitive transcription factor, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappaB), and thus, expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in gastric epithelial cells. alpha-lipoic acid, a naturally occurring thiol compound, is a potential antioxidant. It shows beneficial effects in treatment of oxidant-associated diseases including diabetes. The present study is purposed to investigate whether alpha-lipoic acid inhibits expression of inflammatory cytokine IL-8 by suppressing activation of MAPK, Jak/Stat, and NF-kappaB in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. Gastric epithelial AGS cells were pretreated with or without alpha-lipoic acid for 2 h and infected with H. pylori in a Korean isolate (HP99) at a ratio of 300:1. IL-8 mRNA expression was analyzed by RT-PCR analysis. IL-8 levels in the medium were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. NF-kappaB-DNA binding activity was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Phospho-specific and total forms of MAPK and Jak/Stat were assessed by Western blot analysis. ROS levels were determined using dichlorofluorescein fluorescence. As a result, H. pylori induced increases in ROS levels, mRNA, and protein levels of IL-8, as well as the activation of MAPK [extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2), p38], Jak/Stat (Jak1/2, Stat3), and NF-kappaB in AGS cells, which was inhibited by alpha-lipoic acid. In conclusion, alpha-lipoic acid may be beneficial for prevention and/or treatment of H. pylori infection-associated gastric inflammation.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism ; Gastric Mucosa/*drug effects/metabolism/microbiology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; Helicobacter Infections/immunology/*metabolism ; Helicobacter pylori/drug effects/*pathogenicity ; Humans ; Interleukin-8/genetics/*metabolism ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Janus Kinase 1 ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/*biosynthesis ; NF-kappa B/*metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/isolation & purification/metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; Stomach/metabolism/*microbiology ; Thioctic Acid/*pharmacology

PURPOSE: The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex comprises M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and M. africanum, and causes tuberculosis in humans and animals. Identification of Mycobacterium spp. and M. tuberculosis complex to the species level is important for practical use in microbiological laboratories, in addition to optimal treatment and public health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A novel multiplex PCR assay targeting a conserved rpoB sequence in Mycobacteria spp., as well as regions of difference (RD) 1 and RD8, was developed and evaluated using 37 reference strains and 178 clinical isolates. RESULTS: All mycobacterial strains produced a 518-bp product (rpoB), while other bacteria produced no product. Virulent M. tuberculosis complex strains, M. tuberculosis, M. bovis and M. africanum, produced a 254-bp product (RD1), while M. bovis BCG, M. microti and nontuberculous mycobacteria produced no RD1 region product. Additionally, M. tuberculosis and M. africanum produced a 150-bp product (RD8), while M. bovis and M. bovis BCG produced a 360-bp product (deleted form of RD8). M. microti and nontuberculous mycobacteria produced no RD8 region product. This assay identified all Mycobacterium spp. and all M. tuberculosis complex strains to the species level. CONCLUSION: The multiplex PCR assay of the present study could be implemented as a routine test in microbiology laboratories, and may contribute to more effective treatment and surveillance of tuberculosis stemming from the M. tuberculosis complex.
Animals ; Cattle ; Classification/methods ; DNA Primers ; Genes, Bacterial ; Humans ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; Mycobacterium/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Species Specificity