Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to a group of risk factors that cause health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. MetS is characterized by insulin resistance, which leads to abnormal insulin sensitivity. Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJ) is perennial herbaceous species found in Asia that exhibits antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we aimed to measure the effects of CJ on MetS by improving insulin resistance in a db/db type 2 diabetes mouse model. After administrating CJ extract (CJE) for db/db mouse for 6 weeks, we measured with the evaluation of Insulin resistance, lipid profiles, histological analysis of liver, damage of liver and kideny. Results: The results showed that CJE was effective in reducing body weight and fat mas and showed a positive effect on lowering blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity. CJE improved dyslipidemia by increasing serum-HDL levels and decreasing serum-LDL levels. In addition, CJE reduced liver and kidney damage in histological analysis. Conclusions These results demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects of CJE and suggest its potential for improving MetS.Therefore, CJE may have potential values as a functional food material for managing MetS.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to a group of risk factors that cause health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. MetS is characterized by insulin resistance, which leads to abnormal insulin sensitivity. Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJ) is perennial herbaceous species found in Asia that exhibits antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we aimed to measure the effects of CJ on MetS by improving insulin resistance in a db/db type 2 diabetes mouse model. After administrating CJ extract (CJE) for db/db mouse for 6 weeks, we measured with the evaluation of Insulin resistance, lipid profiles, histological analysis of liver, damage of liver and kideny. Results: The results showed that CJE was effective in reducing body weight and fat mas and showed a positive effect on lowering blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity. CJE improved dyslipidemia by increasing serum-HDL levels and decreasing serum-LDL levels. In addition, CJE reduced liver and kidney damage in histological analysis. Conclusions These results demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects of CJE and suggest its potential for improving MetS.Therefore, CJE may have potential values as a functional food material for managing MetS.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to a group of risk factors that cause health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. MetS is characterized by insulin resistance, which leads to abnormal insulin sensitivity. Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJ) is perennial herbaceous species found in Asia that exhibits antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we aimed to measure the effects of CJ on MetS by improving insulin resistance in a db/db type 2 diabetes mouse model. After administrating CJ extract (CJE) for db/db mouse for 6 weeks, we measured with the evaluation of Insulin resistance, lipid profiles, histological analysis of liver, damage of liver and kideny. Results: The results showed that CJE was effective in reducing body weight and fat mas and showed a positive effect on lowering blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity. CJE improved dyslipidemia by increasing serum-HDL levels and decreasing serum-LDL levels. In addition, CJE reduced liver and kidney damage in histological analysis. Conclusions These results demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects of CJE and suggest its potential for improving MetS.Therefore, CJE may have potential values as a functional food material for managing MetS.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to a group of risk factors that cause health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. MetS is characterized by insulin resistance, which leads to abnormal insulin sensitivity. Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJ) is perennial herbaceous species found in Asia that exhibits antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we aimed to measure the effects of CJ on MetS by improving insulin resistance in a db/db type 2 diabetes mouse model. After administrating CJ extract (CJE) for db/db mouse for 6 weeks, we measured with the evaluation of Insulin resistance, lipid profiles, histological analysis of liver, damage of liver and kideny. Results: The results showed that CJE was effective in reducing body weight and fat mas and showed a positive effect on lowering blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity. CJE improved dyslipidemia by increasing serum-HDL levels and decreasing serum-LDL levels. In addition, CJE reduced liver and kidney damage in histological analysis. Conclusions These results demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects of CJE and suggest its potential for improving MetS.Therefore, CJE may have potential values as a functional food material for managing MetS.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to a group of risk factors that cause health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. MetS is characterized by insulin resistance, which leads to abnormal insulin sensitivity. Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJ) is perennial herbaceous species found in Asia that exhibits antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we aimed to measure the effects of CJ on MetS by improving insulin resistance in a db/db type 2 diabetes mouse model. After administrating CJ extract (CJE) for db/db mouse for 6 weeks, we measured with the evaluation of Insulin resistance, lipid profiles, histological analysis of liver, damage of liver and kideny. Results: The results showed that CJE was effective in reducing body weight and fat mas and showed a positive effect on lowering blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity. CJE improved dyslipidemia by increasing serum-HDL levels and decreasing serum-LDL levels. In addition, CJE reduced liver and kidney damage in histological analysis. Conclusions These results demonstrate the anti-diabetic effects of CJE and suggest its potential for improving MetS.Therefore, CJE may have potential values as a functional food material for managing MetS.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine repeat in the ataxin-3 gene. The resulting mutant ataxin-3 protein forms intraneuronal inclusions that lead to neurodegeneration in the cerebellum and other brain regions. This study aimed to develop a novel nonhuman primate model of SCA3 to address the limitations of existing knock-in and transgenic models using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver the mutant gene. AAV viral vectors carrying mutant ataxin-3 were stereotaxically injected into the cerebellum of monkeys. The animals were monitored over an 8-week period, during which behavioral and neuroimaging assessments were conducted. This was followed by a detailed pathological examination. The AAV vector successfully spread throughout the cerebellum, and the expression of mutant ataxin-3 was confirmed. Neuroimaging revealed a reduction in N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels, whereas histological analysis showed significant damage to the Purkinje cell layer. Notably, the monkeys exhibited sleep disturbances, a prodromal symptom commonly observed in human patients with SCA3. AAV-mediated delivery of mutant ataxin-3 can effectively replicate the key pathological and clinical features of SCA3 in primates. This approach offers a promising new model for studying disease mechanisms and evaluating potential therapies.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, opinions, competence, and barriers of nurses providing trauma-informed care (TIC) to children in hospitals. Methods: Data were collected from 198 nurses nationwide using the TIC Provider Survey developed by the Center for Pediatric Traumatic Stress in July, 2024. Descriptive statistics, t tests, and one-way ANOVA were conducted using the IBM SPSS Statistics software (ver. 23.0, IBM Corp.). Results: Of the 13 items assessing knowledge of TIC, seven had a correct response rate of over 90%. However, the correct response rate for these three items were less than 30%. Regarding opinions on the TIC, more than 90% of participants agreed with five of the seven items. In self-rated competence in providing TIC, they were not competent in responding to a child’s (or parent’s) questions about whether the child is going to die or understanding how traumatic stress may present differently according to developmental stages. The major barriers to providing TIC were time constraints, lack of training, and organizational support. Items with relatively low performance rates were ‘teach parents what to say to their child after a difficult/sick/scary experience, and teach child or parents the specific ways to cope with unpleasant experiences’. Conclusion This study suggests that it can contribute to the development of specific guidelines for nurses to effectively apply TIC in pediatric and family nursing practice, emphasizing the need for educational programs to support this implementation.

ymptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) caused by loss of dopaminergic neurons are accompanied by movement disorders, including tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and akinesia. Non-human primate (NHP) models with PD play an essential role in the analysis of PD pathophysiology and behavior symptoms. As impairments of hand dexterity function can affect activities of daily living in patients with PD, research on hand dexterity function in NHP models with chronic PD is essential. Traditional rating scales previously used in the evaluation of animal spontaneous behavior were insufficient due to factors related to subjectivity and passivity. Thus, experimentally designed applications for an appropriate apparatus are necessary. In this study, we aimed to longitudinally assess hand dexterity function using hand dexterity task (HDT) in NHP-PD models. To validate this assessment, we analyzed the alteration in Parkinsonian tremor signs and the functionality of presynaptic dopaminergic neuron using positron emission tomography imaging of dopamine transporters in these models. In addition, a significant inverse correlation between HDT and DAT level was identified, but no local bias was found. The correlation with intention tremor signs was lower than the resting tremor. In conclusion, the evaluation of HDT may reflect behavioral symptoms of NHP-PD models. Furthermore, HDT was effectively used to experimentally distinguish intention tremors from other tremors.

BACKGROUND: Stem cell therapy requires a serum-free and/or chemically-defined medium for commercialization, but it is difficult to find one that supports long-term expansion of cells without compromising their stemness, particularly for novel stem cells. METHODS: In this study, we tested the efficiency of StemPro® MSC SFM Xeno Free (SFM-XF), a serum-free medium, for the long-term expansion of human fetal cartilage-derived progenitor cells (hFCPCs) from three donors in comparison to that of the conventional α-Modified Eagle's Medium (α-MEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). RESULTS: We found that SFM-XF supported the expansion of hFCPCs for up to 28–30 passages without significant changes in the doubling time, while α-MEM with 10% FBS showed a rapid increase in doubling time at 10–18 passages depending on the donor. Senescence of hFCPCs was not observed until passage 10 in both media but was induced in approximately 15 and 25% of cells at passage 20 in SFM-XF and α-MEM with 10% FBS, respectively. The colony forming ability of hFCPCs in SFX-XF was also comparable to that in α-MEM with 10% FBS. hFCPCs expressed pluripotency genes like Oct-4, Sox-2, Nanog, SCF, and SSEA4 at passage 20 and 31 in SFM-XF; however, this was not observed when cells were cultured in α-MEM with 10% FBS. The ability of hFCPCs to differentiate into three mesodermal lineages decreased gradually in both media but it was less significant in SFM-XF. Finally we found no chromosomal abnormality after long-term culture of hFCPCs until passage 17 by karyotype analysis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that SFM-XF supports the long-term expansion of hFCPCs without significant phenotypic and chromosomal changes. This study have also shown that hFCPCs can be mass-produced in vitro, proving their commercial value as a novel source for developing cell therapies.
Aging ; Cartilage* ; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Karyotype ; Mesoderm ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors

With recent advances in molecular diagnostic methods and targeted cancer therapies, several molecular tests have been recommended for gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Microsatellite instability analysis of gastrointestinal cancers is performed to screen for Lynch syndrome, predict favorable prognosis, and screen patients for immunotherapy. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor has been approved in metastatic CRCs with wildtype RAS (KRAS and NRAS exon 2–4). A BRAF mutation is required for predicting poor prognosis. Additionally, amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and MET is also associated with resistance to EGFR inhibitor in metastatic CRC patients. The BRAF V600E mutation is found in sporadic microsatellite unstable CRCs, and thus is helpful for ruling out Lynch syndrome. In addition, the KRAS mutation is a prognostic biomarker and the PIK3CA mutation is a molecular biomarker predicting response to phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors and response to aspirin therapy in CRC patients. Additionally, HER2 testing should be performed in all recurrent or metastatic GCs. If the results of HER2 immunohistochemistry are equivocal, HER2 silver or fluorescence in situ hybridization testing are essential for confirmative determination of HER2 status. Epstein-Barr virus–positive GCs have distinct characteristics, including heavy lymphoid stroma, hypermethylation phenotype, and high expression of immune modulators. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies enable us to examine various genetic alterations using a single test. Pathologists play a crucial role in ensuring reliable molecular testing and they should also take an integral role between molecular laboratories and clinicians.