Quercus acuta Thunb. (Q. acuta) is a subtropical, evergreen, broad-leaved tree with excellent carbonsequestration capacity and ecological adaptability. However, the phytochemical composition of fruits, particularly phenolic marker compounds, has not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, the biological activities of water and ethanol extracts of Q. acuta fruits were evaluated, and a high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD)-based method for the quantification of marker compounds was established and validated. MTT assays showed no cytotoxicity at concentrations of 5–20 μg/mL, and the water extract significantly inhibited UVB-induced MMP-1 expression in HaCaT keratinocytes. Gallic acid and ellagic acid in Q. acuta fruits were confirmed as marker compounds, and the validated method demonstrated excellent linearity (R² > 0.999), recovery, and precision (RSD < 2.0%). Quantitative analysis revealed that the water extract contained higher levels of phenolic compounds compared with the 70% and 100% ethanol extracts. These findings support the stability and biological efficacy of phenolic marker compounds in aqueous environments and suggest the potential industrial applications of Q. acuta fruit extracts.

With the increasing population of companion dogs, the social cost derived from their behavioral problems is increasing. Therefore, it is important to understand the environment to provide experience for dogs via interactions with their owners to prevent and solve these problems. The parenting behavior of dog owners as an environmental factor has a profound impact on the behavior development of dogs, as does the parenting behavior on children. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a scale to assess the dog owner’s parenting behavior. Exploratory factor analysis involving 300 participants resulted in a scale with four subscales, Positive Education, Involvement of Socialization, Intimacy, and Stable Responses, and 19 items. Confirmatory factor analysis was then performed to verify its reliability and validity. The result of parenting behaviors assessed by this scale was significantly different between a group with dogs with problematic behavior (n = 141) and those without (n = 159). Overall, a dog owner’s parenting behavior involves affection and control aspects, but the role required specifically in the control aspect is distinguished from the parenting behavior with children. The findings in the present study will provide people who have dogs with behavior problems with effective education that will help prevent dogs from developing behavioral problems.

The quality of a veterinary service depends on the veterinarian’s physical and mental health. However, a veterinarian’s mental health is generally considered to be more vulnerable than that of other health care professionals. As many veterinary students will enter the veterinary profession in near future, it is necessary to investigate their psychological status. This study examined stressors affecting student life in one veterinary school. Anxiety, depression, and stress levels were assessed using questionnaires and qualitative research techniques. The results obtained from questionnaires showed that the proportion of veterinary students with psychological distress was higher than expected. The major stressors experienced by the veterinary students were academic, economic, and environmental. Qualitative study using a photovoice method revealed that the students in this study felt relatively deprived compared with those in other veterinary schools. In addition, they were distressed by the school environment and limited human relationship. Our results suggest that veterinary school administrators should be aware of students’ psychological distress and should undertake systematic improvement in their educational system by altering counseling programs, curricula, and school culture principles.