OBJECTIVE: Human embryonic stem (ES) cells have a great potential in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The human ES cells could be differentiated into specific cell types by treatments of growth factors and alterations of gene expressions. However, the efficacy of guided differentiation and isolation of specific cells are still low. In this study, we characterized isolated cells from differentiated human ES cells by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) system using specific antibodies to cell surface markers. METHODS: The undifferentiated hES cells (Miz-hESC4) were sub-cultured by mechanical isolation of colonies and embryoid bodies were spontaneously differentiated with DMEM containing 10% FBS for 2 weeks. The differentiated cells were isolated to positive and negative cells with MACS system using CD34, human epithelial antigen (HEA) and human fibroblast (HFB) antibodies, respectively. Observation of morphological changes and analysis of marker genes expression were performed during further culture of MACS isolated cells for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Morphology of the CD34 positive cells was firstly round, and then it was changed to small polygonal shape after further culture. The HEA positive cells showed large polygonal, and the HFB positive spindle shape. In RT-PCR analysis of marker genes, the CD34 and HFB positive cells expressed endodermal and mesodermal genes, and HEA positive cells expressed ectodermal genes such as NESTIN and NF68KD. The marker genes expression pattern of CD34 positive cells changed during the extension of culture time. CONCLUSION: Our results showed the possibility of successful isolation of specific cells by MACS system from undirected differentiated human ES cells. Thus, MACS system and marker antibodies for specific cell types might be useful for guided differentiation and isolation of specific cells from human ES cells.
Antibodies ; Ectoderm ; Embryoid Bodies ; Endoderm ; Fibroblasts ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Mesoderm ; Nestin ; Regenerative Medicine ; Tissue Engineering

Background: Stress as a cause of mental health problems is known to be more prevalent in women than in men and has a negative effect on several aspects of physical health, such as the composition of blood and saliva. This study investigated the relationship of perceived stress with blood cell counts, saliva flow rate, and saliva factors. Methods: We recruited women in their 20s with a high prevalence of stress. Stress was evaluated using the Korean version of the perceived stress scale. Blood tests included white blood cell, hemoglobin, and platelet. We then examined the saliva flow rate and cariogenic bacteria level, acidity, occult blood, buffer capacity, leukocyte level, protein level, and ammonia level using rinse water with the SILL-HaⓇ saliva test system. Results: In a total of 70 participants, the average age was 21.64 years old, the average perceived stress score was 16.96±4.32, and high levels of stress were reported by 80% of the participants (n=56). The high-stress group had lower hemoglobin levels. In addition, the high-stress group showed a lower saliva flow rate than the low-stress group, and there was a difference in the salivary acidity and buffer capacity. The total perceived stress score showed a positive correlation with acidity and negative correlation with buffer capacity and the hemoglobin level. Conclusion This study found that stress in female college students might affect the composition of blood and saliva. High levels of stress were positively correlated with the hemoglobin level, saliva flow rate, and acidity and negatively correlated with the buffer capacity.

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the factors affecting a hypothetical model of testing for general hospital nurses’ job embeddedness. Methods: Data were collected from August 20 to September 19, 2021, by a self-administered questionnaire answered by 428 general hospital nurses. The data were analyzed by SPSS and AMOS. Results: Nine of the hypothetical model’s 12 hypotheses were supported by the data collected from all participants. The test results indicate that ego resilience, subjective career success, and recovery experience from job stress directly affect participants’ job embeddedness. Nurses’ work environments were reported to affect ego resilience and subjective career success, while at the same time ego resilience and subjective career success affected the participants’ job embeddedness. Work-life balance was found to affect ego resilience and ego resilience affected subjective career success, and at the same time subjective career success directly affected participants’ recovery experiences from job stress and job embeddedness. Of these variables, subjective career success had the strongest direct effect on participants’ job embeddedness. Work-life balance affected the participants’ recovery experiences from job stress, and their recovery experiences from job stress were found to directly affect job embeddedness. Conclusion These results suggest that different management strategies to enhance hospital nurses’ job embeddedness should address nurses’ ego resilience, subjective career success, and recovery experiences from job stress.

No abstract available.

To identify strategies to prevent sexual problems in teenage girls, respondents in this study answered two open-ended questions: "What are strategies for teenage school girls to prevent unwanted coitus?" and "What are strategies for teenage girls to prevent pregnancy?" The respondents were 12,733 girls from an accessible population of 19,000, a multi-stage cluster sample from a population of 1,988,902 girls attending 4,684 schools in the seven largest cities and nine provinces in Korea. Data were collected by mail between October 2 and October 28, 2000. The response rate was 68.9%. The total number of responses for the first question was 10,345, and for the second, 9,624. Data were analyzed by content analysis. The results of this study are: 1. According to priority, frequent strategies to prevent unwanted coitus were, self assertiveness (35.7%), heterosexual interaction training (24.6%), sex education (21.2%), and innovations in the system of social culture (4.7%). The order of priority was the same whether the respondents had experienced coitus or not. 2. According to priority, frequent strategies to prevent pregnancy were, heterosexual interaction training (27.4%), sex education (26.2%), contraceptive use and induced abortion (21.4%), and innovations in the system of social culture (3.2%). The first priority for the respondents who had not experienced coitus was heterosexual interaction training (27.7%) but contraceptive use (35.5%) was the first priority for the group who had experienced coitus. In sex education, a focus on contraceptive use for teenage girls who have experienced coitus and on heterosexual interaction training for those who have not, would strengthen preventive strategies for these two sexual problems. Assertiveness training as part of sex education would further strengthen prevention strategies.
Abortion, Induced ; Assertiveness ; Coitus ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Female* ; Heterosexuality ; Humans ; Korea* ; Postal Service ; Pregnancy ; Sex Education

One author's affiliation is misspelled in original article.

Purpose: This study investigated the completion rate of hypertension management education and its influencing factors among adults in the Busan region, utilizing data from the 2021 Community Health Survey. Methods: The study included 3,660 adults aged 19 years or older who had been diagnosed with hypertension. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4, focusing on demographic, socioeconomic, and health status characteristics. Results: The results indicated that 22.1% of participants had completed hypertension management education. Key influencing factors varied by region: in the Western region, age, income, education level, marital status, and life satisfaction were significant factors associated with participation in hypertension management education. In the Southern region, income and education level were identified as relevant factors. Additionally, in the Central and Eastern regions, education level was a significant determinant. Conclusion Therefore, tailored hypertension management education programs that consider age, income, marital status, and life satisfaction are essential for residents in the Western region of Busan. Moreover, it is critical to enhance access to hypertension management education for low-income populations in the Southern region. Educational programs should also be designed to align with the educational levels of Busan residents to ensure effective hypertension management education.

Purpose: This study investigated the completion rate of hypertension management education and its influencing factors among adults in the Busan region, utilizing data from the 2021 Community Health Survey. Methods: The study included 3,660 adults aged 19 years or older who had been diagnosed with hypertension. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4, focusing on demographic, socioeconomic, and health status characteristics. Results: The results indicated that 22.1% of participants had completed hypertension management education. Key influencing factors varied by region: in the Western region, age, income, education level, marital status, and life satisfaction were significant factors associated with participation in hypertension management education. In the Southern region, income and education level were identified as relevant factors. Additionally, in the Central and Eastern regions, education level was a significant determinant. Conclusion Therefore, tailored hypertension management education programs that consider age, income, marital status, and life satisfaction are essential for residents in the Western region of Busan. Moreover, it is critical to enhance access to hypertension management education for low-income populations in the Southern region. Educational programs should also be designed to align with the educational levels of Busan residents to ensure effective hypertension management education.

Purpose: This study investigated the completion rate of hypertension management education and its influencing factors among adults in the Busan region, utilizing data from the 2021 Community Health Survey. Methods: The study included 3,660 adults aged 19 years or older who had been diagnosed with hypertension. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4, focusing on demographic, socioeconomic, and health status characteristics. Results: The results indicated that 22.1% of participants had completed hypertension management education. Key influencing factors varied by region: in the Western region, age, income, education level, marital status, and life satisfaction were significant factors associated with participation in hypertension management education. In the Southern region, income and education level were identified as relevant factors. Additionally, in the Central and Eastern regions, education level was a significant determinant. Conclusion Therefore, tailored hypertension management education programs that consider age, income, marital status, and life satisfaction are essential for residents in the Western region of Busan. Moreover, it is critical to enhance access to hypertension management education for low-income populations in the Southern region. Educational programs should also be designed to align with the educational levels of Busan residents to ensure effective hypertension management education.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate oral hygiene using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) and to compare its results with those of oral examination to determine the applicability of QLF technology for assessing oral health status and oral hygiene in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Materials and Methods: We analyzed oral health status, oral examination findings, oral hygiene evaluations using QLF technology, and dry mouth in a sample of 70 hospitalized ICU patients. The relationship between oral hygiene assessments using QLF technology and oral examinations was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: The average participant age was 62.16 years, and the average ICU hospitalization period was 144.94 days. Oral hygiene assessments based on QLF and examination showed a significant positive correlation with the red fluorescence intensity of oral biofilm and number of teeth requiring extraction. Conclusion Oral hygiene evaluations of hospitalized ICU patients using QLF technology were confirmed and classified based on the red fluorescence intensity of oral biofilm. Increases in red fluorescence intensity and distribution area were correlated with the number of teeth requiring extraction.