Purpose: In this qualitative descriptive study, we aimed to explore the experiences of nurses providing end-of-life (EOL) care in an emergency department (ED) setting and identify the associated challenges and implications for clinical practice. Methods: Twelve nurses with over 1 year of EOL care experience in the ED were interviewed. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis, as outlined by Braun and Clarke. Results: Five main themes with corresponding subthemes were identified: (1) Inadequate Environment for EOL Care, including physical environment barriers for a dignified death and emotional restraint in a chaotic setting; (2) Impact of Life-Sustaining Treatment Decision Complexity, encompassing complicated dynamics of family decision-making and compromised care quality in the decision-making process; (3) Managing Care Relationships in Physician-Limited Settings, manifested as navigating limited physician communication and bearing the emotional weight of EOL care; (4) Challenges in Protecting Patients’ Rights, characterized by powerlessness in the face of silent patients and confusion from reversed decisions by families; and (5) Actualizing Compassionate EOL Care, ensuring dignity through purposeful actions and navigating environmental barriers to dignified care. Conclusion: We highlight the need for systematic changes in the ED to better support EOL care, including the development of culturally sensitive communication protocols, shared guidelines for decision-making, and improved collaboration between healthcare professionals. These findings provide valuable insights into enhancing EOL care in EDs. Future efforts should focus on policy changes, tailored education programs, and support systems that address the multifaceted needs of patients, families, and healthcare providers.
We investigated the effect of a synthetic complement peptide C3a on the outcome of Brucella abortus 544 infection in a murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 cell. First, we determined the highest non-cytotoxic concentration of the peptide in the cell line. We also found that the peptide significantly increased the growth of the bacteria at 8 and 24 h. Although the number of bacterial CFU was also elevated at 48 and 72 h, the increases were not significant as compared to controls. We further investigated the effect of C3a peptide on the growth of Brucella by pre-incubating the peptide at various temperatures and found that the effect was reversed at 24 h post-incubation suggesting that incubation of peptide at high temperatures including 65°C or 95°C could inactivate its action. This also could indicate the beneficial effect of high temperature during infection. Although several studies reported the inhibitory effect of different antimicrobial peptides including C3a, the present study preliminarily revealed that it had no positive contribution on the control of B. abortus 544 infection in vitro and indirectly to its receptor, CD88, which belongs to GPCR. Moreover, the encouraged further exploration of the effect of other similar peptides would be performed for the purpose of finding Brucella-host cell interaction for the control of disease progression.
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid messenger mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (LPAR1-6). It is involved in the pathogenesis of certain chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In addition, it controls the self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells. Recent research has demonstrated the close relationship between periodontitis and various diseases in the human body. However, the precise role of LPA in the development of periodontitis has not been studied. We identified that LPAR1 was highly expressed in human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). In periodontitis-mimicking conditions with Porphyromonas gingivalis -derived lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) treatment, PDLSCs exhibited a considerable reduction in the cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation potential, in addition to an increase in the inflammatory responses including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β expression and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation. Of the various LPAR antagonists, pre-treatment with AM095, an LPAR1 inhibitor, showed a positive effect on the restoration of cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation, accompanied by a decrease in NF-κB signaling, and action against Pg-LPS. These findings suggest that the modulation of LPAR1 activity will assist in checking the progression of periodontitis and in its treatment.
Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (CCOC), a very rare neoplasm located mostly in the mandible, has been regarded as a benign tumor. However, due to the accumulation of case reports, CCOC has been reclassified as a malignant entity by the World Health Organization. Patients with CCOC present with regional swelling and periodontal indications with variable pain, often remaining misdiagnosed for a long period. CCOC has slow growth but aggressive behavior, requiring radical resection. Histologic analysis revealed the monophasic, biphasic, and ameloblastic types of CCOC with clear cells and a mixed combination of polygonal and palisading cells. At the molecular level, CCOC shows the expression of cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen, along with markers that assign CCOC to the sarcoma family. At the genetic level, Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1-activating transcription factor 1 fusion is regarded as the key feature for identification. Nevertheless, the scarcity of cases and dependence on histological data delay the development of an efficient therapy. Regarding the high recurrence rate and the potential of distant metastasis, further characterization of CCOC is necessary for an early and accurate diagnosis.
The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that reside in dental tissues hold a great potential for future applications in regenerative dentistry. In this study, we used human dental pulp cells, isolated from the molars (DPCs), in order to establish the organoid culture. DPCs were established after growing pulp cells in an MSC expansion media (MSC-EM). DPCs were subjected to organoid growth media (OGM) in comparison with human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). Inside the extracellular matrix in the OGM, the DPCs and DPSCs readily formed vessel-like structures, which were not observed in the MSC-EM. Immunocytochemistry analysis and flow cytometry analysis showed the elevated expression of CD31 in the DPCs and DPSCs cultured in the OGM. These results suggest endothelial cell-prone differentiation of the DPCs and DPSCs in organoid culture condition.
The purpose of this study is to improve practical skill evaluation method of mushroom - trained certified technician's practical skill evaluation which is one of national qualification tests based on national incompetency standards. One of the current National Competency Standards (NCS), mushroom - trained certified technician uses NCS based practical assessment method. In order to improve the current practical evaluation method, we try to improve practical evaluation method based on field customized problem solving ability and improve the practical evaluation method, various evaluation methods should be constructed. On the purpose of identify the diversity and problems of the evaluation method, the experts of the group consultation, the mushroom-related research institute and the related industry collaborated to identify the problems of the actual mushroom - trained certified technician practicum test, This study on the evaluation improvement method was carried out. In this study, the contents of practical test of the current mushroom traits were analyzed and the trends of the latest mushroom industry were widely reflected.
This study is investigated the growth characteristics(number of available stipe, pileus diameter, pileus thickness, stipe length, stipe thickness, object weight, comparison yield ability of 1 cycle) and storage characteristics of ‘Sanjo 701’ (S7) cultivars according to relative humidity. The S7 growth characteristics were investigated by quantifying the growth and the characteristics according to the relative humidity, The storage stability was investigated every 5 days and freshness was measured by ‘Minamide Method’. S7 pileus diameter is The higher the relative humidity was confirmed becomes larger and the more increased relative humidity also increase the comparison yield ability of 1 cycle. However, pileus diameter or stipe length This could not see the big difference in the three treatment groups, the plieus thickness was no significant difference in the treatment of 80% and 95%. The fresh weight of S7 decreased significantly at 80% and 95% relative humidity after 10 days of storage, but decreased continuity in 65% humiditiry. The elongation percentage of S7 pileus was observe in 95% relative humidity, values of L, a and b (SCI), showed the highest L value in 65% and the a value in 95%. b values were similar in 65%, 80% and 95% treatments. On the ‘Minamide Method’ measure freshness was changed from the 10th day of storage at relative humidity of 95%, but humidity of 65% and 80% treatments, it changed after 15 days of storage. In this study growth characteristics and yield were increased at higher relative humidity, but storage stability was decreased. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to change the relative humidity to produce high quality mushrooms.
This study was conducted to analyze the muscle activity in the right forearm and shoulderwhile doing the sowing activity by muscle type and work section, and to find the possibility of the utilization of sowing as a muscle exercise and rehabilitative activity based on the results of the analysis. The results showed that the activity of 7 muscles including the upper trapezius near the neck, the upper trapezius near the shoulder, the middle deltoid, the biceps brachii, the triceps brachii, the brachioradialis, and the flexor carpi ulnaris were significantly higher than the stable state. In addition, the muscle activity in the sections of mixing the soil, filling the tray with the soil, sowing, writing the label, and watering was significantly higher than the stable state. In particular, the muscle activity of the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii was statistically significantly high in the section of filling the tray with the soil, which indicates that the task of filling the tray with the soil can be utilized as an exercise to activate the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii. In addition, the muscle activity of the brachioradialis was significantly high in all the work sections, which indicates that the sowing process can be utilized to exercise the brachioradialis in particular. These results can be used as the basic data about the activated muscle types and degrees throughout the sowing process. These results can be also used to induce the activation of specific muscles, and the overall exercise and rehabilitation of the forearms.
Previously, the wheat non-specific lipid transfer proteins (TaLTP), members of a small multigene family, appear to show a complex pattern of expression regulation. For further assessment of expression diversity of the TaLTP genes, we have attempted to evaluate their expression profiles of responses to abiotic stresses via the semi-quantitative RT-PCR method. The expression profiles revealed that the TaLTP genes in group A evidenced highly similar (but not identical) responses against abiotic stresses, whereas much differential expression pattern among genes in each group. The four promoters of TaLTP1, TaLTP7, and TaLTP10 of group A and TaLTP3 of group B were fused to a GUS reporter gene and the recombinant genes were introduced into Arabidopsis. The promoters of TaLTP1, TaLTP7 and TaLTP10 of group A, drove strong but various GUS expression in cotyledons, hypocotyls, epidemic and sub-epidemic cells of young shoots and leaves, floral organs as well as siliques. By contrast, the promoter of TaLTP3 just directed trace expression in cotyledons, young emerged leaves and epidemic cells of flower ovaries. The promoter of TaLTP1 directed the expression in root system whereas the promoters of TaLTP1 and TaLTP10 showed some degree of expression during seed development. The expression diversity of TaLTP genes suggests their multiple physiological functions, evidencing subfunctionalization over evolutionary time.