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Background: The prevalence of diabetes is a significant concern and is particularly impactful on the older adult population. Auricular acupressure is recognized as an effective complementary treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of auricular acupressure on glycemic markers, stress, and sleep quality in older adults with Type 2 diabetes in South Korea. Methods: The study involved weekly acupressure therapy sessions for 8 weeks, with 25 participants in the intervention group and 26 in the placebo group. Specific acu-points associated with diabetes, sleep, and stress were targeted in the intervention group, while unrelated acu-points were used in the control group. Subjective indicators such as stress and sleep scales, along with objective measures such as blood tests, heart rate variability, and sleep activity recorders, were employed in the analysis. Results: Significant differences were observed in blood sugar (F = 5.20, p ＜ .001) and glycated hemoglobin (Z = -2.345, p = .019) between the two groups after administration of the acupressure therapy. However, no significant between-group differences were found in either glycated albumin or fructosamine. Also, activity in the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves showed significant between-group variation. Although no significant between-group differences were found for subjective sleep indicators, notable changes in the number of awakenings, duration of awakening, REM sleep, and deep sleep conditions were identified. Conclusions: Although the effects are not strong, the findings suggests auricular acupressure influences glycemic index, stress, and sleep quality in older individuals with Type 2 diabetes positively. The results of this study support the potential of using auricular therapy as a nursing intervention in diabetes management.

Background The demand for bioplastics has increased exponentially as they have emerged as alternatives to petrochemical plastics. However, there is a substantial lack of knowledge regarding bioplastic degradation. This study developed a novel pretreatment method to improve the accessibility of a bioplastic substrate for biodegradation. In this study, cellulose acetate, a bioplastic found in the world’s most littered waste, e.g. cigarette filters, was selected as a potential substrate. Before anaerobic digestion, three thermal alkaline pretreatments: TA 30 °C, TA 90 °C, and TA 121 °C, were used to evaluate their effects on the chemical alterations of cellulose acetate. Result The ester groups in cellulose acetate were significantly reduced by the TA 30 °C pretreatment, as seen by a decrease in C = O stretching vibrations and shortening of C − O stretches (1,270 ∼ 1,210 cm − 1 ), indicating effective removal of acetyl groups. This pretreatment significantly enhanced cellulose acetate biodegradability to a maximum of 91%, surpassing the previously reported cellulose acetate degradation. Methane production increased to 695.0 ± 4 mL/g of volatile solid after TA 30 °C pretreatment, indicating enhanced cellulose acetate accessibility to microorganisms, which resulted in superior biogas production compared to the control (306.0 ± 10 mL/g of volatile solid). Diverse microbes in the anaerobic digestion system included hydrolytic ( AB240379_g , Acetomicrobium , FN436103_g , etc.), fermentative, and volatile fatty acids degrading bacteria ( JF417922_g , AB274492_g , Coprothermobacter , etc.), with Methanobacterium and Methanothermobacter being the sole hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the anaerobic digestion system. Additionally, an attempt to predict the pathway for the effective degradation of cellulose acetate from the microbial community in different pretreatment conditions. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to estimate the maximum cellulose acetate degradation rate, with a simple and cost-effective pretreatment procedure. This approach holds promise for mitigating the environmental impact of cellulose acetate of cigarette filters and presents a sustainable and economically viable waste management strategy.

Purpose This study aimed to review the literature on complementary and alternative therapies, utilizing text mining and trend analysis in nursing research. As CAM becomes increasingly prevalent in healthcare settings, a comprehensive understanding of the current research landscape is essential to guide evidence-based practice, inform clinical decision-making, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes. Method This study aimed to identify CAM-related literature published from 2018 to 2023. Using the search terms 'complementary therap*', 'complementary medicine', 'alternative therap*', and 'alternative medicine', we performed a comprehensive search in eight databases, including EMBASE, Cochrane Central, PubMed Central, Korea Education and Research Information Service (RISS), Web of Science, KMbase, KISS, and CINAHL. From the text network and topic modeling analysis of 66,490 documents, 15 topics were identified. These topics were classified into two nursing-related topics through an academic classification process involving three doctors with doctoral degrees, three nurses, and three pharmacists. Based on the classified topics, research trends were comparatively analyzed by re-searching the database for 12 nursing and 22 non-nursing literature. Result This study found that in nursing literature, yoga is used to improve mental symptoms such as stress and anxiety. In non-nursing literature, most of the experimental studies on complementary and alternative therapies were conducted in a randomized manner, confirming that a variety of physiological and objective indicators were used. Additionally, it was discovered that there were differences in the diversity of research subjects and research design methods for the same intervention method. Therefore, future research should focus on broadening the scope of subjects and measurement tools in nursing studies. Additionally, such studies should be conducted with randomization and generalizability in the experimental design in mind. Conclusion This study employed text network analysis and text mining to identify domestic and international CAM research trends. Our novel approach combined big data-derived keywords with a systematic classification method, proposing a new methodological strategy for trend analysis. Future nursing research should focus on broadening the scope of subjects, diversifying measurement tools, and emphasizing randomization and generalizability in experimental designs.

This study developed a resilience scale for kidney transplantation (RS-KTPL) and assessed its reliability and validity. During the tool development phase, the concept of resilience in 10 patients who had undergone a kidney transplant was analyzed by integrating results from the theoretical and field research stages. Initial tool items were then derived. These items underwent content validity verification, item review, and a preliminary survey. The validation phase involved two main surveys, conducted using the preliminary 59 items derived from the development phase for data gathering. The first survey had 266 participants, and the second had 205 participants. Using the collected data, the structural validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, criterion validity, and reliability of the tool items were verified, ultimately establishing the final items. The RS-KTPL comprises six factors with 27 items confirmed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on a 4-point Likert scale: positive thought transition through recovery belief, supportive relationships with others, self-awareness of negative psychological reactions, physical health control, homeostasis control, and supportive relationships with medical staff. The cumulative explanation of the tool was 50.71%. The model fit of the RS-KTPL was represented as follows: GFI 0.88, CFI 0.93, TLI 0.91, RMSEA 0.04, and SRMRI 0.06. Convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity were also secured. The reliability of the tool, measured by Cronbach α was 0.87. The RS-KTPL can be used to identify the level of resilience in patients who have undergone a kidney transplant, enabling them to recognize their strengths and areas of improvement for enhanced resilience. This tool can be applied in clinical nursing practices to comprehensively assess the resilience of patients with a kidney transplant, providing direction for nursing intervention plans to enhance patient resilience.

Mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) have immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study was to explore whether extracts of MSCs (MSC-Ex) could augment the low therapeutic efficacy of the whole cells in an Aspergillus fumigatus ( Af )-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) model. LPS- or TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) were treated with MSC-Ex, and the Af -induced AD model was established in BALB/c mice. In HaCaT cells, MSC-Ex treatment significantly reduced the inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-α), iNOS and NF-κB levels, and upregulated the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β1). In the AD mice, the MSC-Ex group showed greatly reduced dermatitis, and lower clinical symptom scores and IgE levels. The histological dermatitis scores were also markedly lower in the MSC-Ex-treated animals compared with the MSC-treated group. Decreased levels of IFN-γ (Th1) and IL-17 (Th17), IL-4 and IL-13 (Th2) were detected in T cells and the skin tissue from the MSC-Ex treated AD mice. The therapeutic capacity of MSC-Ex was preserved after lyophilization and reconstitution. MSC-Ex treatment reproducibly suppresses dermatitis and inhibits the induction of inflammatory cytokines in the skin of AD mice. MSC-Ex is therefore a potential new treatment agent for AD.

Background For elderly people with chronic lower back pain who need long-term management, there is a need for a nursing intervention study that is effective, is easy to perform, and applies complementary and alternative therapies to manage pain without repulsion. Hand pressure therapy is a treatment indigenous to Korea used to reduce pain and improve functions of daily life by applying acupuncture, pressure sticks, and moxibustion to parts of the hand as they relate to parts of the body. This research is to identify the effects of pellet pressed on the hand on pain and the daily lives of elders with chronic lower back pain (CLBP). Methods The hand pressed-pellet intervention period was six weeks long. Twenty-seven patients in the intervention group and twenty-four patients in the placebo control group were recruited from elderly over sixty-five who used welfare centers. In the intervention group, hand pressed-pellet therapy was conducted in eleven acupressure response zones related to CLBP, and the placebo control group was provided with similar therapy and zones, but unrelated to CLBP. The research tool measured the intensity of CLBP using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Korean Owestry Disability Index (K-ODI), which are subjective indicators, and the Compact Digital Algometer, which is an objective indicator. Result The pain intensity (VAS) measured after six weeks of hand pressed-pellet therapy showed significant difference between the two groups compared to their pain before the experiment (F = 60.522, p  < .001). There was a significant difference between the two groups in the pain pressure threshold using pressure statistics (F = 8.940, p  < .001), and in CLBP dysfunction evaluation index (K-ODI) after applying pressed pellet to the hand (Z = − 3.540, p  < .001). Conclusion Subjective indicators were measured to verify the effect of hand pressed-pellet therapy on CLBP, and the result confirmed that the hand pressed-pellet therapy was effective in alleviating CLBP. Trial registration The study was registered retrospectively with reference number KCT0008024 on 23/12/2022.

Anaerobic digestion using cigarette butts, one of most littered items, was studied not only as a waste treatment, but also as an energy production method. Methane production from cigarette butts was measured through the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test and it was evaluated whether it is possible to produce electrical energy. Intact cigarettes or individual components (filter, paper, and leaf) were supplied as the sole carbon source (substrate) for the BMP test. The tendency of methane production indicated biodegradation in the order of paper, filter, and leaves; however, the filter of cigarettes was the substrate produced the highest amount of methane per total solid. The microbial community was also analyzed in each anaerobic digestion reactor, and substrate-specific microorganisms were identified, such as Proteiniphilum strain (filter) and Methanobacterium formicicum (paper). In intact cigarettes, the related microbial community became dominant over time in the order of paper, filter, and leaf. The conversion of cigarette butts to methane, a renewable energy source, can be proposed as a sustainable route for energy demand, for example, in a smoking room.

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease. Great efforts have been recently made to treat AD using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have immunomodulatory functions. However, the immunomodulatory effects of MSCs need to be enhanced for clinical application in the treatment of AD. Objectives To evaluate and characterise the therapeutic effects of human Wharton’s jelly-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs) primed with the Toll-like receptor 3 agonist poly I:C or interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in a murine model of AD. Methods Mice were treated with Aspergillus fumigatus extract to induce AD and then subcutaneously injected with non-primed, poly I:C-primed or IFN-γ-primed WJ-MSCs. Clinical symptom scores, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), histological characteristics and cytokine levels were determined. Transcriptome profiling and pathway analyses of primed WJ-MSCs were conducted. Results The clinical symptom score and TEWL in skin lesions were reduced in mice administered non-primed and primed WJ-MSCs. Epidermal thickness and inflammatory cell infiltration in skin lesions were reduced more in mice administered primed WJ-MSCs than in mice administered non-primed WJ-MSCs. Secretion of interleukin-17 was significantly reduced in skin draining lymph nodes of mice administered primed WJ-MSCs. Genomics and bioinformatics analyses demonstrated the enrichment of certain pathways specifically in WJ-MSCs primed with poly I:C or IFN-γ. Conclusions Priming with poly I:C- or IFN-γ improved the therapeutic effects of WJ-MSCs in a murine model of AD. This study suggests that priming with poly I:C or IFN-γ enhances the immunomodulatory functions of WJ-MSCs and can be used as a novel therapeutic approach for AD.

The accumulation of short-chain carboxylic acids (SCCAs), such as acetic acid (C2), propionic acid (C3), butyric acid (C4), and valeric acid (C5), produced by acetogens in the anaerobic digestion (AD) process hampers the maintenance of stable AD processes in biomethane production. The conversion of various SCCAs to the corresponding alcohols can be a good solution not only for utilizing abandoned or harmful SCCAs and producing useful alcohols but also for increasing the efficiency of the biogas production process. ACT01_02765 (acyl-CoA transferase) from Megasphaera hexanoica quickly and easily converted C2-C8 carboxylic acids into the corresponding alcohols in Escherichia coli with AdhE2 (alcohol dehydrogenase) from Clostridium acetobutylicum. E. coli (ACT01_02765 and AdhE2) converted carboxylic acids to the corresponding alcohols with a conversion yield that was approximately 40 times higher and a conversion rate that was approximately 10–50 times faster than those of E. coli (Ptb-Buk and AdhE2). The enzymatic machinery in E. coli (ACT01_02765 and AdhE2) is effective for carboxylic acids of different carbon chain lengths, resulting in the production of propanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol, and octanol.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine what individual motives (e.g., self-expression or rewards) and brand communication aspects (such as content) influence consumers' brand engagement behaviors, and how these behaviors are linked to their intentions in favor of a brand.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an online survey with a quota sample of 629 adults in the United States. Participants were recruited through a Qualtrics online panel.FindingsData indicate that the motivations of entertainment and remuneration are positively associated with consuming and contributing to brand content on social media. In addition, the motive of obtaining information prompts people to consume brand content (e.g., reading a brand's posts or watching videos), while the motivation for self-expression leads to contributing activities (e.g., conversing on a brand's account and uploading videos). After controlling for these motivations, brand communication strategy (such as content and tone) appears to influence consumers' brand-related activities on social media, which subsequently results in consumer intentions in favor of the brand.Originality/valueConsumer engagement in social media has become the primary focus of corporate communication. This work is one of few studies that have explored how consumer motivation and brand communication come together to generate consumer engagement on social media. The overall findings shed light on how corporate communications can generate consumer engagement on social media and how companies reap benefits from it.