A DNA vaccine against GII.4 human norovirus VP1 induces blocking antibody production and T cell responses.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are highly contagious and a leading cause of epidemics of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Among the various HuNoV genotypes, GII.4 is the most prevalent cause of outbreaks.

Cycloastragenol inhibits adipogenesis and fat accumulation in vitro and in vivo through activating Hedgehog signaling.

Unlabelled: In this study, we investigated the effect of cycloastragenol (CAG), a triterpenoid isolated from roots, on regulating the adipogenesis and fat accumulation in vitro and in vivo. During the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells, CAG inhibited lipid accumulation and the expression of key adipogenic factors, proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) and increased the expression of Gli1, a key mediator in Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. In HFD-induced animal experiment, CAG significantly reduced body weight gain without affecting brown fat weight.

Curcumol metabolized by rat liver S9 fraction and orally administered in mouse suppressed the proliferation of colon cancer in vitro and in vivo.

Following 3R (reduction, refinement, and replacement) principles, we employed the rat liver S9 fraction to mimic liver metabolism of curcumol having high in vitro IC on cancer cells. In HCT116 and HT29 colon cancer cells, the metabolites of curcumol by S9 fraction exerted more enhanced activity in inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via regulating the expression of cyclin D1, CDK1, p21, PARP and Bcl-2 than curcumol. In addition, oral administration of curcumol at 4 mg/kg BW significantly suppressed the development of colon tumor induced by azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in tumor tissues.

Cortical activity and spatiotemporal parameters during gait termination and walking: A preliminary study.

Gait termination requires an interaction between the biomechanical and neuromuscular systems to arrest forward momentum. Currently, the biomechanical characteristics of gait termination have been demonstrated; however, the neural mechanism of gait termination remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate cortical activity during gait termination using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Efficacy of Wheelchair Skills Training Program in Enhancing Sitting Balance and Pulmonary Function in Chronic Tetraplegic Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study.

: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a wheelchair skills training program (WSTP) in improving sitting balance and pulmonary function in patients with chronic tetraplegia resulting from cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI). : Twenty-four patients were randomly divided into WSTP and control groups. The WSTP group participated in the WSTP for eight weeks, while the control group underwent conventional physical therapy for the same eight-week period.

The efficacy of sling exercise combined with extracorporeal shock wave on office workers with chronic neck pain.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy on the anterior surface line of the fascia meridian, including the oblique muscle, combined with sling exercise, on the stability of the spine in the neck disability index (NDI), neck joint range of motion (ROM), craniovertebral angle, neck alignment, and posture control. A total of 20 office workers with chronic neck pain were randomly assigned to an experimental group that combined extracorporeal shock wave therapy and sling exercise (n = 10) and a control group (CG) consisting of sling exercise (n = 10) performed twice weekly for 4 weeks. All subjects were evaluated using the NDI, ROM, neck alignment, and spine stability tests.

Biomechanical Analysis of Unplanned Gait Termination According to a Stop-Signal Task Performance: A Preliminary Study.

Unlabelled: There is a correlation between cognitive inhibition and compensatory balance response; however, the correlation between response inhibition and gait termination is not clear.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the gait parameters of the lower extremity that occurred during unplanned gait termination (UGT) in two groups classified by the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT).

Methods: Twenty young adults performed a stop-signal task and an unplanned gait termination separately.

EEG-based analysis of various sensory stimulation effects to reduce visually induced motion sickness in virtual reality.

The use of virtual reality (VR) is frequently accompanied by motion sickness, and approaches for preventing it are not yet well established. We explored the effects of synchronized presentations of sound and motion on visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) in order to reduce VIMS. A total of 25 participants bicycle riding for 5 min with or without sound and motion synchronization presented on a head-mounted display.

Immediate Effects of the Reverse Plank Exercise on Muscle Thickness and Postural Angle in Individuals with the Forward Shoulder Posture.

The forward shoulder posture (FSP) results from shoulders being pulled forward by shortened anterior shoulder girdle muscles. The objective of this study was to investigate the short-term effectiveness of the reverse plank exercise on parascapular muscle thickness and forward shoulder angle (FSA) in patients with FSP. Participants were divided into the FSP and non-FSP (NFSP) groups based on the observed angle between the horizontal line of the C7 spinous process and the acromion process.

Motor Imagery Combined With Physical Training Improves Response Inhibition in the Stop Signal Task.

Background: Motor imagery training has a similar effect to that of physical training on motor performance. The objective of this study was to investigate the short-term effectiveness of motor imagery training on response inhibition using the stop signal task (SST).

Methods: Participants were divided into a physical training group (PT,  = 17), a motor imagery training group (MIT,  = 17), and a motor imagery combined with physical training group (MIPT,  = 17).

Liposomal Dexamethasone Reduces A/H1N1 Influenza-Associated Morbidity in Mice.

Re-emerging viral threats have continued to challenge the medical and public health systems. It has become clear that a significant number of severe viral infection cases are due to an overreaction of the immune system, which leads to hyperinflammation. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of the dexamethasone nanomedicine in controlling the symptoms of influenza virus infection.

Comparative study of vestibular projection pathway connectivity in cerebellar injury patients and healthy adults.

Objective: Cerebellar injury can not only cause gait and postural instability, nystagmus, and vertigo but also affect the vestibular system. However, changes in connectivity regarding the vestibular projection pathway after cerebellar injury have not yet been reported. Therefore, in the current study, we investigated differences in the connectivity of the vestibular projection pathway after cerebellar injury using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography.

Comparison of Abdominal Muscle Thickness between the Abdominal Draw-in Maneuver and Maximum Abdominal Contraction Maneuver.

All abdominal muscles, including the transverse abdominis (TrA), should be modulated to improve core stability. This study aimed to investigate easier and more effective core exercise methods by comparing thickness changes in the TrA, internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles during the abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) and maximum abdominal contraction maneuver (MACM). Thirty healthy subjects who participated in this study underwent ADIM and MACM three times in random order.

Comparison of forward versus backward walking on spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters on sand: A preliminary study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters of backward walking (BW) and forward walking (FW) on sand. Randomly selected subjects (n = 28) were categorized into a sand group (SG, n = 14) and an overground group (OG, n = 14). SG was directed to perform both FW and BW on sand, while OG performed the same on the overground.

Effects of Dual-Task Training on Gait Parameters in Elderly Patients with Mild Dementia.

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dual-task training (DTT) compared to single-task training (STT), on gait parameters in elderly patients with mild dementia (MD). Twenty-four elderly patients with MD were randomly assigned to the DTT ( = 13) or the STT group ( = 11). The DTT group performed a specific cognitive-motor DTT, while the STT group received only motor task training.

Breathing Exercise Called the Maximal Abdominal Contraction Maneuver.

The maximal abdominal contraction maneuver (MACM) was designed as an effective and efficient breathing exercise to increase the stability of the spinal joint. However, it has not been determined whether MACM is more effective and efficient than the maximal expiration method. Thus, the present study was undertaken to investigate whole abdominal muscle thickness changes after MACM.

Patients carrying DPYD variant alleles have increased risk of severe toxicity and related treatment modifications during fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy.

To evaluate toxicity risk in carriers of four variants using an institutional genetic repository. Of over 65,000 patients in the repository, 582 were evaluated for the primary composite end point of grade 3 or higher toxicity or treatment modification due to toxicity. The primary end point was more common in variant carriers (36.

Histamine causes an imbalance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors in the retinal pigment epithelium of diabetic retina via H4 receptor/p38 MAPK axis.

Introduction: Systemic histaminergic activity is elevated in patients with diabetes mellitus. There are a few studies suggesting that histamine is implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes, but the exact role of histamine in the development of diabetic retinopathy is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of histamine receptor H4 (HRH4) in the regulation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-derived pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors under diabetic conditions.

Effect of Plyometric versus Ankle Stability Exercises on Lower Limb Biomechanics in Taekwondo Demonstration Athletes with Functional Ankle Instability.

Background: This study aimed to compare the effects of plyometric and ankle stability exercises on the dynamic balance and lower limb kinematic and kinetic parameters of Taekwondo demonstration athletes with functional ankle instability.

Methods: Fourteen subjects participated in this study and were randomly divided into two groups: a plyometric exercise group ( = 7) and an ankle stability exercise group ( = 7). Exercises were performed twice a week for 8 weeks.

Protein Kinase A Catalytic Subunit Is a Molecular Switch that Promotes the Pro-tumoral Function of Macrophages.

As current therapies benefit only a minority of cancer patients, additional therapeutic targets are needed. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have attracted attention for improving therapeutic responses, yet regulatory strategies remain elusive. Here, we show that the protein kinase A catalytic subunit (PKA-C) acts as a molecular switch, inducing a pro-tumoral immunosuppressive macrophage phenotype within tumors.

Three-Dimensional Identification of the Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus in the Human Brain: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study.

Background: The medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) interacts with eye movement control circuits involved in the adjustment of horizontal, vertical, and torsional eye movements. In this study, we attempted to identify and investigate the anatomical characteristics of the MLF in human brain, using probabilistic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography.

Methods: We recruited 31 normal healthy adults and used a 1.

Role of diffusion tensor imaging in analyzing the neural connectivity of the parieto-insular vestibular cortex in pusher syndrome: As case report.

Rationale: Pusher syndrome is a disorder of postural control. It is associated with unilateral lesions on central vestibular system. In the current study, we attempted to identify and investigate neural connectivity of the parieto-insular vestibular cortex in a patient with pusher syndrome, using diffusion tensor imaging.