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Children pay a cost to punish third parties for unfairness. However, theoretical debates highlight that such behaviors could reflect a strategic attempt to manipulate others in future interactions. The personal deterrence hypothesis claims that punishment is motivated to deter future unfairness toward punishers. Here we tested this hypothesis with a total of n = 248 five- to 10-year-olds. In two experiments, participants witnessed that a divider shared resources either fairly or selfishly with a third party. Participants learned that the same divider (same divider condition) or a new divider (different divider condition) would subsequently decide how to share resources with the participant. If children's punishment is motivated by personal deterrence, they should punish unfairness more often in the same divider condition (vs. different divider). Conversely, if children fear retaliation from dividers, they should punish dividers less often in the same divider condition (vs. different divider). Children intervened by taking resources away from the divider (Experiment 1) or by sending a disapproving or an approving verbal message (Experiment 2). Children were more likely to punish unfair than fair allocations through material punishment and disapproving messages, while being more likely to reward fair than unfair allocations by sending approving messages. However, children did so at the same level regardless of their future divider's identity. We discuss how these results speak to a children's emerging concern with fairness and how it challenges the notion that children punish for self-oriented reasons as suggested by the personal deterrence hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Third-party punishment has been regarded as an important mechanism to promote fairness. Although previous research has shown that children aged 6 and older punish unfair behaviors at a personal cost, it is unknown whether they actually intend to establish equality or whether equality is a mere byproduct of punishment. In this preregistered study, N = 60 five- to 9-year-olds witnessed that an agent made unfair resource allocations to a peer. Children could then decide not only whether to punish but also how much to punish. We found that with age, children's intervention is more likely to equalize outcomes between third parties (e.g., turning 3:1 into 1:1). In conclusion, the egalitarian motive to reduce differences in payoffs could underlie children's punishment over development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This descriptive study investigated the effects of nurses' knowledge of withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, death anxiety, and perceptions of hospice care on their attitudes toward withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. Methods: Data were collected from 262 nurses at tertiary hospitals, general hospitals, or primary hospitals in Busan, Korea, and statistically analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: The participants' scores were 3.68±0.45 (out of 5) for attitudes toward withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, 0.65± 0.15 (out of 1) for knowledge of withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, 2.61±0.26 (out of 4) for death anxiety, and 4.06±0.43 (out of 5) for perceptions of hospice care. Furthermore, knowledge of withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and perceptions of hospice care showed positive correlations with attitudes toward withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, while death anxiety showed a negative correlation. The most significant factors influencing attitudes toward withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment were perceptions of hospice care, followed by having experienced caring for patients who withdrew life-sustaining treatment, death anxiety, having a spouse, and ethical values, and the overall explanatory power was 43.0%. Conclusion: This study showed that perceptions of hospice were an important factor influencing nurses' attitudes toward withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and validate educational intervention programs that can improve perceptions of hospice care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first examples of asymmetric oxidative coupling of simple phenols and 2-hydroxycarbazoles are outlined. Generation of a more vanadium catalyst by ligand design and by addition of an exogenous Brønsted or Lewis acid was found to be key to coupling the more oxidatively resistant phenols. The resultant vanadium complex is both more Lewis acidic and more strongly oxidizing. Good to excellent levels of enantioselectivity could be obtained, and simple trituration readily provided the products with ≥95% ee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study is to find relationship between cancer patient's spiritual health and the level of their anxiety and pain. Methods: From April 27 through May 11, 2012, a survey was conducted with 167 cancer patients hospitalized at a university hospital in Busan. Spiritual health was measured by the Spiritual Health Inventory developed by Highfield (1992). The instrument for anxiety measurement was the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory by Spielberger (1975) and that for pain was the Visual Analogue Scale (2009). The association between patients' characteristics and spiritual health, anxiety or pain degree were analyzed using the ANOVA test. The interrelationship between spiritual health, anxiety and pain was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results: The patients exhibited a moderate degree of spiritual health and anxiety and a mild level of pain. Patients' spiritual health significantly differed by their religion, education, monthly income of the family, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living and support. Their anxiety level was significantly different according to age, religion, education, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends' support and use of analgesics. Significant differences were also found in the level of pain according to illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends' support and use of analgesics. We found a moderately negative correlation between spiritual health and anxiety. Anxiety and pain showed a positive correlation, and spiritual health and pain exhibited a negative correlation. Conclusion: To help cancer patients to manage their spiritual health, anxiety and pain, a program should be developed considering the primary factors discussed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

p-Hydroxycinnamates, such as ferulate and p-coumarate, are components of plant cell walls and have a number of commercial applications. Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 (RHA1) catabolizes ferulate via vanillate and the β-ketoadipate pathway. Here, we used transcriptomics to identify genes in RHA1 that are up-regulated during growth on ferulate versus benzoate. The up-regulated genes included three transcriptional units predicted to encode the uptake and β-oxidative deacetylation of p-hydroxycinnamates: couHTL, couNOM and couR. Neither ΔcouL nor ΔcouO mutants grew on p-hydroxycinnamates, but grew on vanillate. Among several p-hydroxycinnamates, CouL catalyzed the thioesterification of p-coumarate and caffeate most efficiently (kcat/Km = ~400 mM-1s-1). p-Coumarate was also RHA1's preferred growth substrate, suggesting that CouL is a determinant of the pathway's specificity. CouL did not catalyze the activation of sinapate, similar to two p-coumaric acid:CoA ligases from plants, and contains the same bulged loop that helps determine substrate specificity in the plant homologues. The couO mutant accumulated 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-β-ketopropionate in the culture supernatant when incubated with ferulate, supporting β-oxidative deacetylation. This phenotype was not complemented with a D257N variant of CouO, consistent with the predicted role of Asp257 as a metal ligand in this amidohydrolase superfamily member. These data suggest that CouO functionally replaces the β-ketothiolase and acyl-CoA thioesterase that occur in canonical β-oxidative pathways. Finally, the transcriptomics data suggest the involvement of two distinct formaldehyde detoxification pathways in vanillate catabolism and identify a eugenol catabolic pathway. This study augments our understanding of the bacterial catabolism of aromatics from renewable feedstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple catalysts that use atom-economical oxygen as the terminal oxidant to accomplish selective ortho-ortho, ortho-para, or para-para homo-couplings of phenols are described. In addition, chromium salen catalysts have been discovered as uniquely effective in the cross-coupling of different phenols with high chemoand regioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine medical professionals' perception and knowledge of hospice and palliative care (HPC) and attitude toward death. Methods: The survey was performed on 84 physicians and 172 nurses in Busan, Korea. Data were collected from April 5, 2012 to April 30, 2012. Results: Regarding the purpose of HPC, the most popular perception was "To alleviate pain and accommodate comfort" among both physicians and nurses. For the need for HPC, "Terminal patients need a separate ward for emotional fluctuation" the answer chosen by both groups the most. Both groups scored low on knowledge of HPC. For pain and symptom management, physicians scored higher than nurses (physicians: 6.97±1.82, nurses: 5.68±1.93, P<0.001). Conclusion: Considering the survey results, we suggest development of a program to improve medical professionals' perception and knowledge of HPC and attitude toward death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol (RSV) has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant actions which may contribute to its cardiovascular protective effects. We examined whether RSV has any beneficial effects on pancreatic islets in db/db mice, an animal model of type 2 diabetes. The db/db and db/dm mice (non-diabetic control) were treated with (db-RSV) or without RSV (db-control) (20 mg/kg daily) for 12 weeks. After performing an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test, mice were sacrificed, the pancreas was weighed, pancreatic β-cell mass was quantified by point count method, and the amount of islet fibrosis was determined. 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), an oxidative stress marker, was determined in 24 h urine and pancreatic islets. RSV treatment significantly improved glucose tolerance at 2 hrs in db/db mice (P = 0.036), but not in db/dm mice (P = 0.623). This was associated with a significant increase in both pancreas weight (P = 0.011) and β-cell mass (P = 0.016). Islet fibrosis was much less in RSV-treated mice (P = 0.048). RSV treatment also decreased urinary 8-OHdG levels (P = 0.03) and the percentage of islet nuclei that were positive for 8-OHdG immunostaining (P = 0.019). We conclude that RSV treatment improves glucose tolerance, attenuates β-cell loss, and reduces oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes. These findings suggest that RSV may have a therapeutic implication in the prevention and management of diabetes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of xylitol on the virulence and morphology of Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans). This study was conducted to evaluate changes in the morphology and virulence of S. mutans in response to long-term consumption of gum containing xylitol. Participants were voluntarily recruited for a women’s oral health prevention program, classified into two groups (a control and a xylitol group), and then followed for 1 year. Ten salivary samples were randomly selected from each group. Colony count, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to analyze the characteristics of S. mutans. In the xylitol group, the colony counts of S. mutans decreased steadily over time. In addition, the adherence of the colonies in the xylitol group became weak, and the size of the colonies decreased compared to the control. The secretion of sticky substances from the surface of S. mutans colonies and gtfB gene expression also decreased in the xylitol group. These findings indicate that regular chewing of xylitol gum over a long period may lead to decreased gtfB expression, which can negatively affect the synthesis of extracellular polysaccharides by S. mutans, which could reduce the size and growth of S. mutans colonies and change their morphology as a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a method for the efficient generation of functional dopaminergic (DA) neurons from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) on a large scale. The most unique feature of this method is the generation of homogeneous spherical neural masses (SNMs) from the hESC-derived neural precursors. These SNM5 provide several advantages: (i) they can be passaged for a long time without losing their differentiation capability into DA neurons; (ii) they can be coaxed into DA neurons at much higher efficiency than that from previous reports (86% tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons/total neurons); (iii) the induction of DA neurons from SNMs only takes 14 days; and (iv) no feeder cells are required during differentiation. These advantages allowed us to obtain a large number of DA neurons within a short time period and minimized potential contamination of unwanted cells or pathogens coming from the feeder layer. The highly efficient differentiation may not only enhance the efficacy of the cell therapy but also reduce the potential tumor formation from the undifferentiated residual hESCs. In line with this effect, we have never observed any tumor formation from the transplanted animals used in our study. When grafted into a parkinsonian rat model, the hESC-derived DA neurons elicited clear behavioral recovery in three behavioral tests. In summary, our study paves the way for the large-scale generation of purer and functional DA neurons for future clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Filtered 325-nm xenon light was used to test its effectiveness in the detection of incipient carious lesions on bovine enamel by measuring the fluorescence spectrum. Background Data The combination of early detection with new interventional methodology and caries management will be the preferred dental practice in the future. Methods Specimens of bovine tooth enamel were embedded in resin, polished, exposed to a lactate carbopol buffer system for 71 hours, and randomly divided into one control and three test groups of 10 specimens each, with Vickers hardness number (VHN) stratification. The surface changes were characterized by atomic force microscopy. All specimens were irradiated with xenon light, and a fluorescence spectrum was produced. Characteristics of fluorescence among the demineralized tooth groups were measured using an optical multichannel analyzer and a confocal laser scanning microscope. Results The VHNs were significantly different among the four groups (p< 0.05). The fluorescence had a peak intensity of approximately 425 nm, and the slope value between 450 and 550 nm was significantly decreased in all test groups (groups II–IV) compared to the control group (group I), as the VHN decreased (p< 0.05). Demineralized lesion depth gradually increased to 30–40 μm in groups II–IV. Conclusions The 325-nm xenon light resulted in high efficacy for detecting incipient carious lesions. By evaluating the highest peak and slope value, the incipient carious lesion may be detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As competition in business-to-consumer e-commerce becomes fiercer, Web-based stores are attempting to attract consumers' attention by exploiting state-of-the-art technologies. Virtual reality (VR) on the Internet has been gaining prominence recently because it enables consumers to experience products realistically over the Internet, there by mitigating the problems associated with consumers' lack of physical contact with products. However, while the employment of VR has increased in B2C e-commerce, its impact has not been explored extensively by research in the IS field. This study investigates whether and under what circumstances VR enhances consumer learning about products. In general, VR enables consumers to learn about products thoroughly by providing high-quality three-dimensional images of products, interactivity with the products, and increased telepresence. In addition, congruent with the theory of cognitive fit, the effects of VR are more pronounced when it exhibits products whose salient attributes are completely apparent through visual and auditory cues (because most VR on desktop computers uses only those two sensory modalities to deliver information). Based on these attributes, we distinguish between two types of products--namely, virtually high experiential (VHE) and virtually low experiential (VLE) products--in terms of the sensory modalities that are used and required for product inspection. Hypotheses arising from the distinctions expressed by these terms were tested via a laboratory experiment. The results support the predictions that VR interfaces increase overall consumer learning about products and that these effects extend to VHE products more significantly than to VLE products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the biomarkers that can identify patient candidates suitable for rescue cerclage procedure. The purpose of the study was to identify novel biomarkers in amniotic fluid (AF) that can predict the outcome of rescue cerclage in patients with cervical insufficiency by using an antibody microarray. This case-control study was conducted using AF samples collected from singleton pregnant women who underwent rescue cerclage following a diagnosis of cervical insufficiency (19-25 weeks). Patients were divided into case (n=20) and control (n=20) groups based on the occurrence of spontaneous preterm delivery (SPTD) at <34 weeks of gestation after cerclage placement. The AF proteomes were analyzed using an antibody microarray for biomarker discovery work. Ten candidate biomarkers of interest were validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Thirty-one molecules studied showed significant intergroup differences (=two-fold change in signal intensity). Validation by ELISA confirmed significantly higher levels of a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), S100 calcium-binding protein A8/A9 complex (S100 A8/A9), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1a (MIP-1a), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in women who had SPTD at <34 weeks. Of these, AF S100 A8/A9 and TIMP-1 levels were independent of other potentially confounding factors (e.g., cervical dilatation). S100 A8/A9 had the highest area under the curve (AUC) at 0.857. Using protein-antibody microarray technology, we identified differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and several novel biomarkers (APRIL, IL-8, MIP-1a, S100 A8/A9, and TIMP-1) in AF from women who had SPTB at <34 weeks after cerclage for cervical insufficiency. These data can provide an insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying SPTD after rescue cerclage in patients with cervical insufficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-monocerin was accomplished via radical cyclization of a vinylic ether intermediate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The baulamycins were identified as in vitro siderophore biosynthesis inhibitors. Diverted total synthesis was used to construct the natural products and eight strategic analogues, three of which had improved inhibitory activity. Biological testing then revealed that membrane damage is the predominant mode of action in Staphylococcus aureus cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem-cell based gene therapy is a promising novel therapeutic approach for inoperable invasive tumors, including brainstem glioma. Previously, we demonstrated the therapeutic potential of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAT-MSC) genetically engineered to express a secreted form of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (sTRAIL) against brainstem glioma. However, safety concerns should be comprehensively investigated before clinical applications of hAT-MSC.sTRAIL. At first, we injected stereotactically low (1.2 x 105 cells/18 µL), medium (2.4 x 105/18 µL), or high dose (3.6 x 105/18 µL) of hAT-MSC.sTRAIL into the brainstems of immunodeficient mice reflecting the plan of the future clinical trial. Local toxicity, systemic toxicity, secondary tumor formation, and biodistribution of hAT-MSC.sTRAIL were investigated. Next, presence of hAT-MSC.sTRAIL was confirmed in the brain and major organs at 4, 9, and 14 weeks in brainstem glioma-bearing mice. In the 15-week subchronic toxicity test, no serious adverse events in terms of body weight, food consumption, clinical symptom, urinalysis, hematology, clinical chemistry, organ weight, and histopathology were observed. In the 26-week tumorigenicity test, hAT-MSC.sTRAIL made no detectable tumors, whereas positive control U-87 MG cells made huge tumors in the brainstem. No remaining hAT-MSC.sTRAIL was observed in any organs examined, including the brainstem at 15 or 26 weeks. In brainstem glioma-bearing mice, injected hAT-MSC.sTRAIL was observed, but gradually decreased over time in the brain. The mRNA of human specific GAPDH and TRAIL was not detected in all major organs. These results indicate that the hAT-MSC.sTRAIL could be applicable to the future clinical trials in terms of biosafety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SCH 351448 is a novel activator of low-density lipoprotein receptor promoter, which was discovered from the organic extract of the fermentation broth of a Micromonospora microorganism. The structure of SCH 351448 features a 28-membered macrodiolide consisting of two identical hydroxy carboxylic acid units. Authors report the first total synthesis of this molecule. Synthetic plan called for double combination of units A and B, and the olefin metathesis reaction was envisaged for macrodiolide synthesis.

(+)-SCH 351448 (Na+ salt A) was synthesized employing ring-closing olefin metathesis reaction of an open diene diester intermediate for construction of the 28-membered macrodiolide structure. The open diene diester was prepared from the monomeric hydroxy carboxylic acid and two different olefin fragments. The monomeric hydroxy acid was synthesized via Julia-Julia coupling reaction of intermediates derived from the same olefinic fragments. Oxane units in these fragments were prepared by radical cyclization reactions of β-alkoxyacrylates. Analogous SCH 351448 salts incorporating other mono- and divalent cations may be prepared. Under acidic conditions, SCH 351448 (Na+ salt A) was the most stable complex, but SCH 351448 (Ca2+ salt) and (Na+ salt B) appear to be physiologically important species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Figs (Ficus carica L.) have been used as a digestion promoter and a cure for ulcerative inflammation and eruption in Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypolipidemic effects of fermented fig wine (FW), fig fruits (FF), fig leaf (FL) and supplement in rats fed high-fat diet. Five groups of male Sprague-Dawely rats during 6 weeks were fed different diet: normal control (N) diet, high-fat (HF) diet, high-fat (HF) diet supplemented with powdered FW, FF and FL. The supplementation of FW, FF and FL significantly lowered the concentrations of plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol, compared to the other two groups. HDL-cholesterol was significantly higher in the FW, FF and FL groups than in the HF group. In plus, contents of fecal cholesterol was significantly higher in the FW, FF and FL groups than in the HF group. These results suggest that supplementation of powdered FW, FF and FL enhance the excretion of fecal lipids, resulting in improving plasma and hepatic lipid profile in high-fat fed rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kind of salt used in doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) preparation is one of the most important factors to affect chemopreventive activity of doenjang. Bamboo salt (BS) is known to have various therapeutic effects on several diseases. In this study, antimutagenic and anticlastogenic effects of methanol extracts from doenjang prepared with BS were investigated in Ames test and micronucleus test. We compared 1 time heat treated BS added doenjang (BS1-D), 9 times heat treated BS added doenjang (BS9-D), sun-dried salt added doenjang (SDS-D) and purified salt added doenjang (PS-D). Especially, BS9-D inhibited aflatoxin B1-induced mutagenicity by 62%, a two-fold increase as compared to PS-D, at the lowest concentration (0.625 mg/plate) tested. BS1-D and BS9-D also showed higher inhibitory effects than PS-D and SDS-D on mutagenicity induced by N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide. SDSD (500mg/kg) did not alter the induction of chromosome aberration by mitomycin C, while BS1-D extract (500mg/kg) significantly decreased the frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes (p<0.05). Even at 1000 mg/kg administration, BS1 exerted more suppressive effects on chromosome aberration than SDS-D. These results indicated that BS increased antimutagenicity and anticlastogenicity of doenjang and the kind of salt is an important factor to determine chemopreventive effect of doenjang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]