Miuraea migitae, a new record of the order Bangiales (Bangiophyceae, Rhodophyta) from Korea

Abstract We found specimens of foliose Bangiales from the subtidal zone of Udo, Jeju Island, Korea. In molecular analyses of rbcL sequences, these Korean specimens were almost identical to Miuraea migitae from Osaka, Japan. In the morphological comparison, Korean specimens were consistent with habitat, color, and vegetative characteristics with the description of M. migitae. This is the first record of M. migitae outside the type locality and Nagasaki in Japan. This study confirms that new or unrecorded species of the order Bangiales may be discovered from subtidal habitats

A study on Korean nursing students' educational outcomes

The purpose of this study was to describe outcome indicators of nursing education including critical thinking, professionalism, leadership, and communication and to evaluate differences among nursing programs and academic years. A descriptive research design was employed. A total of 454 students from four year baccalaureate (BS) nursing programs and two three-year associate degree (AD) programs consented to complete self-administered questionnaires. The variables were critical thinking, professionalism, leadership and communication. Descriptive statistics, χ2-test, t-tests, ANOVA, and the Tukey test were utilized for the data analysis. All the mean scores of the variables were above average for the test instruments utilized. Among the BS students, those in the upper classes tended to attain higher scores, but this tendency was not identified in AD students. There were significant differences between BS students and AD students for the mean scores of leadership and communication. These findings suggested the need for further research to define properties of nursing educational outcomes, and to develop standardized instruments for research replication and verification

Optimized-SopungSunkiwon, a Herbal Formula, Attenuates A β

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by memory dysfunction, neuronal cell damage, and neuroinflammation. It is believed that AD-related pathology is mostly due to the overproduction of Aβ, especially the oligomeric form (AβO), in the brain. Evidence of the effects of multifunctional medicinal herbs in the treatment of AD has been steadily increasing. Optimized-SopungSunkiwon (OSS), a multiherbal formulation that is composed of six medicinal herbs derived from SopungSunkiwon, is a traditional medicine that is prescribed for neurodegenerative disorders in elderly patients. We previously reported that OSS showed an antiamnesic and memory enhancing effect in mice, but it is unknown whether OSS has a protective effect against AβO neurotoxicity. In this study, we investigated the effects of OSS in AD models induced by AβO in vitro and in vivo. We found that OSS protected neuronal cells and inhibited the generation of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species against AβO toxicity in vitro. These results were confirmed by in vivo data that oral administration of OSS for 14 days attenuated memory impairments and neuronal cell death by modulating gliosis, glutathione depletion, and synaptic damage in the mouse hippocampus induced by AβO

Pengaruh Ekstrak Jahe Merah (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe Var. Rubrum) Terhadap Kadar Mda Serum Tikus Setelah Terpapar Asap Rokok

Latar Belakang: Asap rokok merupakan salah satu sumber radikal bebas. Kadar radikal bebas yang tinggi dapat menyebabkan terjadinya kondisi stres oksidatif dan memicu terjadinya peroksidasi lipid pada membran sel yang akan menghasilkan Malondialdehyde (MDA). Sebenarnya, tubuh mempunyai sejumlah enzim dan zat yang dapat menetralkan radikal bebas yang disebut antioksidan. Kadar radikal bebas yang tinggi dapat menyebabkan antioksidan endogen tidak mampu untuk menetralisir. Kemampuan jahe sebagai antioksidan alami juga tidak terlepas dari kadar komponen fenolik total yang terkandung di dalamnya sehingga memiliki efek protektif yang tinggi dalam menangkal stres oksidatif. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian ekstrak jahe merah terhadap kadar MDA serum tikus setelah terpapar asap rokok. Metode: Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian true experimental dengan desain pre-post test only control group design pada tikus. Perlakuan yang diberikan yaitu dengan pemberian ekstrak jahe merah (Zingiber officinale var. Rubrum) dan pemberian paparan asap rokok pada tikus, sedangkan keluarannya (outcome) adalah kadar MDA serum tikus. Hasil: Pemberian paparan asap rokok pada kelompok 2 meningkatkan kadar MDA serum dibandingkan dengan kelompok 1. Kelompok 3 yang diberikan ekstrak jahe merah 200 mg/kgBB/hari tidak efektif menurunkan kadar MDA serum. Pemberian ekstrak jahe merah menurunkan kadar MDA serum setelah diberikan paparan asap rokok (K4) jika dibandingkan dengan kelompok yang diberikan jahe merah tanpa diberikan paparan asap rokok (K3), penurunan tersebut tidak bermakna secara statistik. Kelompok 4 meningkatkan kadar MDA serum tikus dibandingkan dengan kelompok 2. Kesimpulan: Tidak terdapat pengaruh yang bermakna dari pemberian jahe merah (Zingiber officinale var. Rubrum) terhadap kadar MDA darah tikus setelah terpapar asap rokok

Myoepitheliomas of the Soft Palate: Helical CT Findings in Two Patients

We describe the enhancement patterns of myoepithelioma in two patients with a soft palate mass. In the first case, helical CT revealed a faintly enhancing mass. Histologically, the tumor was composed of plasmacytoid cells in a background of rich myxoid stroma. Immunostaining for CD34 showed scanty blood vessels. In the second case, helical CT revealed an intensely enhancing mass. Histologically, the mass was a cellular tumor with fibrous stroma. Immunostaining for CD34 also showed frequent blood vessels

Machine learning approaches for detecting tropical cyclone formation using satellite data

This study compared detection skill for tropical cyclone (TC) formation using models based on three different machine learning (ML) algorithms-decision trees (DT), random forest (RF), and support vector machines (SVM)-and a model based on Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Eight predictors were derived from WindSat satellite measurements of ocean surface wind and precipitation over the western North Pacific for 2005-2009. All of the ML approaches performed better with significantly higher hit rates ranging from 94 to 96% compared with LDA performance (~77%), although false alarm rate by MLs is slightly higher (21-28%) than that by LDA (~13%). Besides, MLs could detect TC formation at the time as early as 26-30 h before the first time diagnosed as tropical depression by the JTWC best track, which was also 5 to 9 h earlier than that by LDA. The skill differences across MLs were relatively smaller than difference between MLs and LDA. Large yearly variation in forecast lead time was common in all models due to the limitation in sampling from orbiting satellite. This study highlights that ML approaches provide an improved skill for detecting TC formation compared with conventional linear approaches

Differential effect of corn oil-based low trans structured fat on the plasma and hepatic lipid profile in an atherogenic mouse model: comparison to hydrogenated trans fat

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Trans </it>fat are not desirable in many aspects on health maintenance. Low <it>trans </it>structured fats have been reported to be relatively more safe than <it>trans </it>fats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined the effects of low <it>trans </it>structured fat from corn oil (LC), compared with high <it>trans </it>fat shortening, on cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism in apo E deficient mice which is an atherogenic animal model. The animals were fed a high <it>trans </it>fat (10% fat: commercial shortening (CS)) or a low <it>trans </it>fat (LC) diet for 12 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LC decreased apo B and hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride concentration compared to the CS group but significantly increased plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentration and fecal lipids with a simultaneous increase in HDL-cholesterol level, apo A-I, and the ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol (HTR). Reduction of hepatic lipid levels by inclusion of LC intake was observed alongside modulation of hepatic enzyme activities related to cholesterol esterification, fatty acid metabolism and fecal lipids level compared to the CS group. The differential effects of LC intake on the plasma and hepatic lipid profile seemed to be partly due to the fatty acid composition of LC which contains higher MUFA, PUFA and SFA content as well as lower content of <it>trans </it>fatty acids compared to CS.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We suggest that LC may exert a dual effect on plasma and hepatic lipid metabolism in an atherogenic animal model. Accordingly, LC, supplemented at 10% in diet, had an anti-atherogenic effect on these <it>apo E</it>^{<it>-/- </it>}mice, and increased fecal lipids, decreased hepatic steatosis, but elevated plasma lipids. Further studies are needed to verify the exact mode of action regarding the complex physiological changes and alteration in lipid metabolism caused by LC.</p