Gut microbiota has emerged as an important regulator of bone homeostasis. In particular, the modulation of innate immunity and bone homeostasis is mediated through the interaction between ...microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and the host pattern recognition receptors including Toll-like receptors and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domains. Pathogenic bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Staphylococcus aureus tend to induce bone destruction and cause various inflammatory bone diseases including periodontal diseases, osteomyelitis, and septic arthritis. On the other hand, probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species can prevent bone loss. In addition, bacterial metabolites and various secretory molecules such as short chain fatty acids and cyclic nucleotides can also affect bone homeostasis. This review focuses on the regulation of osteoclast and osteoblast by MAMPs including cell wall components and secretory microbial molecules under in vitro and in vivo conditions. MAMPs could be used as potential molecular targets for treating bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis and periodontal diseases.
, a Gram-positive bacterium, is a commensal bacterium that is commonly found in the skin, oral cavity, and intestine. It is also known as an opportunistic pathogen that can cause local or systemic ...diseases, such as apical periodontitis and infective endocarditis.
, an early colonizer, easily attaches to host tissues, including tooth surfaces and heart valves, forming biofilms.
penetrates into root canals and blood streams, subsequently interacting with various host immune and non-immune cells. The cell wall components of
which include lipoteichoic acids, lipoproteins, serine-rich repeat adhesins, peptidoglycans, and cell wall proteins, are recognizable by individual host receptors. They are involved in virulence and immunoregulatory processes causing host inflammatory responses. Therefore,
cell wall components act as virulence factors that often progressively develop diseases through overwhelming host responses. This review provides an overview of
and how its cell wall components could contribute to the pathogenesis and development of therapeutic strategies.
Carbon fusion is important to understand the late stages in the evolution of a massive star. Astronomically interesting energy ranges for the 12C+12C reactions have been, however, poorly constrained ...by experiments. Theoretical studies on stellar evolution have relied on reaction rates that are extrapolated from those measured in higher energies. In this work, we update the carbon fusion reaction rates by fitting the astrophysical S-factor data obtained from direct measurements based on the Fowler, Caughlan, & Zimmerman (1975) formula. We examine the evolution of a 20M⊙ star with the updated 12C+12C reaction rates performing simulations with the MESA (Modules for Experiments for Stellar Astrophysics) code. Between 0.5 and 1 GK, the updated reaction rates are 0.35 to 0.5 times less than the rates suggested by Caughlan & Fowler (1988). The updated rates result in the increase of core temperature by about 7% and of the neutrino cooling by about a factor of three. Moreover, the carbon-burning lifetime is reduced by a factor of 2.7. The updated carbon fusion reaction rates lead to some changes in the details of the stellar evolution model, their impact seems relatively minor compared to other uncertain physical factors like convection, overshooting, rotation, and mass-loss history. The astrophysical S-factor measurements in lower energies have large errors below the Coulomb barrier. More precise measurements in lower energies for the carbon burning would be useful to improve our study and to understand the evolution of a massive star.
Red meat consumption is associated with an elevated risk of mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In contrast, forage fish, as highly nutritious, environmentally friendly, affordable, and ...the most abundant fish species in the ocean, are receiving increasing interest from a global food system perspective. However, little research has examined the impact of replacing red meat with forage fish in the global diet on diet-related NCDs.MethodsWe based our study on datasets of red meat projections in 2050 for 137 countries and forage fish catches. We replaced the red meat consumption in each country with forage fish (from marine habitats), without exceeding the potential supply of forage fish. We used a comparative risk assessment framework to investigate how such substitutions could reduce the global burden of diet-related NCDs in adults.ResultsThe results of our study show that forage fish may replace only a fraction (approximately 8%) of the world’s red meat due to its limited supply, but it may increase global daily per capita fish consumption close to the recommended level. Such a substitution could avoid 0.5–0.75 million deaths and 8–15 million disability-adjusted life years, concentrated in low- and middle-income countries. Forage fish as an alternative to red meat could double (or more) the number of deaths that could be avoided by simply reducing red meat consumption.ConclusionsOur analysis suggests that forage fish is a promising alternative to red meat. Policies targeting the allocation of forage fish to regions where they are needed, such as the Global South, could be more effective in maximising the potential of forage fish to reduce the global burden of disease.
The prolonged coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is likely to cause psychological distress in people. This systematic review aimed to identify the effectiveness of virtual reality ...(VR)-based psychological intervention among individuals with psychological distress during the COVID-19 crisis. PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles published until July 2022.
The available citations were deduplicated and screened by two authors using the title and abstract information. Eligibility criteria were constructed according to the PICOT guidelines. Empirical studies of all designs and comparator groups were included if they appraised the impact of an immersive VR intervention on any standardized measure indicative of psychological distress (stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic symptoms) or improvements in quality of life in participants, including COVID-19 patients, medical staff working with COVID-19 patients, and people who had experienced strict social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The results were discussed using a narrative synthesis because of the heterogeneity between studies. Seven of the studies met the inclusion criteria. There were two randomized controlled trials and five uncontrolled studies on VR interventions.
All studies reported significant improvement in a wide range of psychological distress during COVID-19, ranging from stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic symptoms to quality of life, supporting the efficacy of VR-based psychological intervention. Our results suggest that VR intervention has potential to ameliorate COVID-19-related psychological distress with efficacy and safety.
Batteries are used in all types of electronic devices from conventional to advanced devices. Currently, batteries are evolving in the direction of extremely personalized yarn− or textile−structured ...textronic systems. However, the absence of a protective layer on such batteries is a critical limitation to their practical use. In this study, we developed a wearable and washable MnO2−Zn textile battery that maintains its electrochemical capacity under various external environmental conditions through a vacuum−sealed packaging. The packaged textile battery was fabricated by vacuuming a polymer envelope containing the battery, followed by heat sealing with a vacuum packaging machine. The interior and exterior regions of the textile battery are completely separated by the packaging sheath to preclude leakage and intrusion of substances. The resulting packaged textile battery exhibits stable capacity retention performance under varying temperature and humidity; mechanical deformations due to bending, twisting, rubbing, and pressing; and several mechanical, chemical, and their combined washing cycles. On the basis of these demonstrations, we expect that our vacuum−packaged textile battery will offer new possibilities for practical and convenient use of textronics.
Since the King Sejong Korean Antarctic Research Station began operation in 1988, studies of various fields have been then carried out in polar regions and significant achievements have been yielded. ...However, environmental and biological radiations have not been dealt with compared to other research areas. In this study, the
137
Cs distribution is investigated for environmental elements in the vicinity of the two research stations, the Jang Bogo Station and the King Sejong Station, operated by the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) in Antarctica by using a low-level radiation analysis method. Three different types of environmental samples, soils, mosses, and lichens are investigated for identification of
137
Cs. In order to discriminate low levels of radiations from background radiations and estimate their specific activities with high reliability and precision, we used a heavily shielded HPGe detector in an underground laboratory to perform the activity measurements. GEANT4 simulations were carried out for efficiency calibrations corresponding to the shape of the pre-processed sample.
137
Cs has been identified in all the samples and the energy spectrum has been found to reflect their physical and ecological characteristics.
What does a mask mean to you? Masks have been used throughout history for various purposes, ranging from religious ceremonies to entertainment and protection. While most people today associate masks ...with medical masks worn during the COVID-19 pandemic, masks have a rich history that predates their use as protective gear. In addition to their physical applications, masks have also been used as a metaphorical tool to "mask" one's identity and present a different persona in social situations. Throughout history, masks have served various functions depending on the culture and society. In ancient Egypt, masks were used to elevate the wearer to a god-like status and provide protection from death. During the Renaissance, masks were used for entertainment and to eliminate social distinctions through anonymity. In Korea, masks were used to satirize and ridicule the ruling class. Today, masks are primarily used for medical protection, but they continue to hold a fascination for many people. They provide an opportunity to become someone else, to escape reality, and to shape-shift online. The use of masks has become even more relevant with the rise of social media, where people can create virtual masks and present a curated version of themselves to the world. In this thesis, research shows the historical and contemporary meanings of masks and their significance in modern society. It examines the ways in which masks have been used throughout history and speculates on their potential future uses. Ultimately, masks continue to be a powerful symbol that holds meaning beyond their immediate physical applications.
In case library learning, an instructional method that promotes case‐based problem solving, learners often struggle with indexing cases. Poor case indexing may hamper retention and retrieval of ...cases, hindering the construction of mental libraries in learners. To address this issue, the authors developed two indexing prompt types, explanation‐based and difference‐based, and explored their effects on self‐explanation and problem solving in case libraries. A total of 105 students across three sections of a career development course participated in the study. Each section was assigned to one of three conditions: explanation‐based indexing, difference‐based indexing and no indexing prompt. Both indexing prompts facilitated self‐explanation, which elaborated corresponding aspects of cases on which the prompts mainly focused. In arguing for a solution, learners relied more heavily on domain knowledge regardless of prompt types. However, both indexing prompt groups outperformed the control group in rebuttals. The authors discussed the theoretical and practical implications of the study.
Lay Description
What is already known about this topic:
A case library learning is a favorable learning environment that delivers authentic decision‐making problems and facilitates argumentation skill acquisition.
Learners often struggle with indexing cases without sufficient guidance, and subsequently, have difficulties in retrieving and reusing the cases to solve problems.
Promoting high‐quality self‐explanations has been proved effective in learning from cases and improving subsequent problem‐solving.
What this paper adds:
Indexing prompts that direct learner's attention to either anomalous or different features between cases can foster self‐explanations that elaborate the corresponding aspects of cases on which the prompts focused.
Learners in case libraries tend to rely more heavily on domain knowledge they could gain from instructional materials than direct lessons from the cases.
Learners who engage in indexing cases with prompts can construct their argumentation better by rebutting well for their contentions.
Implications for practice and/or policy:
Prompting self‐explanations on anomalies, differences, or similarities between cases can maximize the benefits of case‐based learning environments.
ICase libraries will demonstrate the full potential when learning materials that contain domain knowledge related to the case lessons are incorporated into the case libraries.
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