Impact of Various Effects of Smoking in the Mouth on Motivating Dental Patients to Quit Smoking

We explored the impact of addressing personally relevant effects of smoking in the mouth on promoting the motivation to quit in a dental setting at personal and public levels. Stages of behavior change and attempts to quit smoking by smokers were recorded during dental visits. Dentists selected and gave motivational information from 24 topics relevant to a patient's oral health status, risk, or dental treatment. During the dental visit, each topic was presented to patients. Topics of gingival melanin pigmentation and periodontal disease risk were most frequently presented. Progression through stages of behavior change and attempts to quit smoking were observed after presentation of each topic. At a personal level, progression through stages was most frequently observed after the patient was shown an image of pediatric dental caries and smoker's palate, and attempts to quit was most frequently observed after the patient shown an image of the effects of smoking cessation and pediatric dental caries. At the public level, enhancing the motivation to progress through stages and attempts to quit was most frequently observed after the presentation of effects of smoking cessation and discoloration of teeth, although the intensity of enhanced motivation significantly correlated with the frequency of presentation, which was not the highest for these topics. Although various smoking effects on the mouth have potential impact on promoting the motivation to quit, the impact on enhancing motivation is not necessarily consistent at personal and public levels

Association between the tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end products and exercise capacity in cardiac rehabilitation patients

Background Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are associated with aging, diabetes mellitus (DM), and other chronic diseases. Recently, the accumulation of AGEs can be evaluated by skin autofluorescence (SAF). However, the relationship between SAF levels and exercise capacity in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between the tissue accumulation of AGEs and clinical characteristics, including exercise capacity, in patients with CVD. Methods We enrolled 319 consecutive CVD patients aged >= 40 years who underwent early phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) at our university hospital between November 2015 and September 2017. Patient background, clinical data, and the accumulation of AGEs assessed by SAF were recorded at the beginning of CR. Characteristics were compared between two patient groups divided according to the median SAF level (High SAF and Low SAF). Results The High SAF group was significantly older and exhibited a higher prevalence of DM than the Low SAF group. The sex ratio did not differ between the two groups. AGE levels showed significant negative correlations with peak oxygen uptake and ventilator efficiency (both P <0.0001). Exercise capacity was significantly lower in the high SAF group than in the low SAF group, regardless of the presence or absence of DM (P <0.05). A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SAF level was an independent factor associated with reduced exercise capacity (odds ratio 2.10; 95% confidence interval 1.13-4.05; P = 0.02). Conclusion High levels of tissue accumulated AGEs, as assessed by SAF, were significantly and independently associated with reduced exercise capacity. These data suggest that measuring the tissue accumulation of AGEs may be useful in patients who have undergone CR, irrespective of whether they have DM

Relationship between Semenogelins bound to human sperm and other semen parameters and pregnancy outcomes

BackgroundSemenogelins (SEMGs) are major components of human seminal vesicle secretions. Due to SEMG’s sperm-motility inhibitor, a significant negative correlation between sperm motility and the proportion of SEMG-bound spermatozoa (SEMG+) was found in asthenozoospermic patients. SEMGs also show intrinsic inhibitory capability for sperm capacitation; however, studies on actual clinical specimens have not been conducted.MethodsTo reveal the relationship between SEMGs and the fertilizing capacity of sperm from male infertile patients who are not restricted to asthenozoospermia, we measured the proportion of SEMG+ in the spermatozoa of 142 male infertile patients. The pregnancy outcomes in partners of these patients were retrospectively analyzed using questionnaires.ResultsAmong examined semen parameters, only the total SEMG-unbound sperm count showed a tendency to be different between the spontaneous pregnancy or intra-uterine-insemination-pregnancy groups and in-vitro-fertilization- or intracytoplasmic-sperm-injection-pregnancy groups. It was elevated in the former group, which includes patients who used in vivo fertilization.ConclusionsThe total SEMG-unbound sperm count would be a relevant parameter for in vivo fertilization. This result suggests that SEMGs inhibit ectopic capacitation before sperm reach the fertilization site and that the number of total SEMG-unbound sperm is a parameter directly linked to the possibility of in vivo fertilization

Welfare Impact of Carbon Dioxide Euthanasia on Laboratory Mice and Rats : A Systematic Review

Background: There has been increased concern about the suitability of CO as a method for euthanasia of laboratory mice and rats, including the potential discomfort, pain or distress that animals may experience prior to loss of consciousness; time to loss of consciousness; best methods for use of CO; and the availability of better alternatives. These discussions have been useful in providing new information, but have resulted in significant confusion regarding the acceptability of CO for rodent euthanasia. In some cases, researchers and veterinarians have become uncertain as to which techniques to recommend or use for euthanasia of laboratory mice and rats. Methods: The International Association of Colleges of Laboratory Animal Medicine (IACLAM) convened a taskforce to examine the evidence for adverse welfare indicators in laboratory rats and mice undergoing CO euthanasia using a SYRCLE-registered systematic review protocol. Of 3,772 papers identified through a database search (PubMed, Web of Science, CAB Direct, Agricola, and grey literature) from 1900 to 2017, 37 studies were identified for detailed review (some including more than one species or age group), including 15 in adult mice, 21 in adult rats, and 5 in neonates of both species. Experiments or reports were excluded if they only assessed parameters other than those directly affecting animal welfare during CO induction and/or euthanasia. Results: Study design and outcome measures were highly variable and there was an unclear to high risk of bias in many of the published studies. Changes in the outcome measures evaluated were inconsistent or poorly differentiated. It is likely that repeated exposures to carbon dioxide inhalation are aversive to adult rats and mice, based on avoidance behavior studies; however, this effect is largely indistinguishable from aversion induced by repeated exposures to other inhalant anesthetic gasses. Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to permit an unbiased assessment of the effect of CO inhalation during euthanasia on welfare indicators in laboratory mice and rats. Additional well-designed, unbiased, and adequately powered studies are needed to accurately assess the welfare of laboratory mice and rats undergoing euthanasia via CO gas

成人看護学実習にテレナーシングを導入した教育プログラムの効果 : 患者教育プラン実施に対する学生の自己評価から

目的：成人看護学実習にテレナーシングを導入した教育プログラムの効果を学生の自己評価から検討する。方法：成人看護学実習Ⅱを履修した学生100名に患者教育プランの実施状況や認識をweb調査した。量的データは記述統計を用い、自由記載は質的記述的に分析した。結果：56名から回答を得た（回収率56.0％）。85.7%の学生が自作のパンフレットを使用し、87.5％がプランを計画通りにでき、84.0％が看護師役に満足していた。実施に対する認識は【患者のセルフケアを促して続けるための工夫】や【相手のペースに合わせて指導を展開しようとする試み】、【画面越しの患者の状態観察の難しさ】等12カテゴリーが抽出された。考察：学生はテレナーシングにおけるコミュニケーション技法を学ぶ機会となり、患者の行動変容を意識したプランを実施できた。このことから、本教育プログラムは成人看護学実習での教育方法としての有用性が示唆された。Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of an educational program that introduced telenursing to adult nursing practice by students’ self-evaluation.Method: We conducted a web survey on the implementation and perceptions of telenursing among 100 nursing students who had taken Adult Nursing Practice II. We analyzed quantitative data and free text using descriptive statistics and qualitative descriptive methods, respectively.Result: Of the 56 respondents, 85.7% used self-made pamphlets as learning materials, 87.5% could follow the educational plan as planned, and 84.0% were satisfied with the nurse role. We extracted 12 categories of perceptions of telenursing, including “attempts to encourage and continue self-care among patients,” “attempts to develop teaching at the pace of the other person,” and “difficulties in observing the patient’s condition through a screen.”Discussion: The students had an opportunity to learn communication techniques in telenursing and were able to implement a plan with an awareness of patients’ behavioral changes. This suggests that this educational program is useful as an educational method in adult nursing practice

Effect of lactarius piperatus fruiting body maturity stage on antioxidant activity measured by several biochemical assays

The effects of fruiting body maturity on antioxidant activity and antioxidants production of the wild mushroom, Lactarius piperatus, were evaluated. Several biochemical assays were used to screen the antioxidant properties: reducing power, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, inhibition of erythrocytes hemolysis mediated by peroxyl radicals and inhibition of lipid peroxidation using the b-carotene linoleate model system. The amounts of phenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, b-carotene and lycopene present in the immature, mature and degraded fruiting bodies were also determined. The highest antioxidant contents and the lowest EC50 values for antioxidant activity were obtained in the mature stage with immature spores