Cellular Growth Dynamics Affects Allelopathic Activity in Coffee Cell Culture

Cellular growth dynamics and allelopathic activity in coffee cell cultures were examined as follows: First, we compared allelopathic activity of seven woody plant calli, Coffea canephora, Derris indica, Ficus carica L., Juniperus conferta, Prunus persica, Punica granatum, and Sonneratia ovata, using a modified “sandwich method bioassay” and found that coffee callus showed the strongest growth inhibition to lettuce seedling nearly 90% of hypocotyl and 96% of root. This coffee callus actively proliferated, with a 21-fold increase during five weeks of subculture, with a growth curve comprising two typical phases: a lag phase of 0 - 2 weeks of culture and an exponential phase of 3 - 5 weeks of culture. Allelopathic activity varied depending on the growth phase of the coffee callus. The strongest allelopathic activity was detected in 1 - 2-week-old callus showing nearly 100% inhibitory effect on lettuce seedling growth. As the allelopathic activity of coffee calli is extremely high, beyond the natural level in coffee leaves and green beans, we focused on analyzing the allelopathic activity of its aqueous extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography. Several prominent peaks, including two reference alkaloids, theobromine and caffeine, which are known allelochemicals in coffee plants, and three distinct unknown peaks were identified at 270 nm in coffee calli during the lag phase (1 - 2 weeks of culture). The higher value of the total phenolic content in the lag phase also suggested a key biosynthetic pathway in relation to the allelopathic activity of coffee callus will be activated in the lag phase.

Literature Review of Nursing Education Promoting Professional Socialization among Nursing Students

The aim of this review was to clarify the elements that promote socialization of nursing professionals from the findings of previous studies, with keywords related to socialization among undergraduate nursing students, and obtain indicators for promoting professional socialization in nursing students in the current nursing education. The literature review was conducted using a qualitative analysis of the promotion of professional socialization among nursing students. The results were reported according to the reporting checklist of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The authors conducted a literature search using electronic databases in July 2021, such as CINAHL (EBSCOhost), MEDLINE (EBSCOhost) for English articles, and Ichushi for Japanese articles. Included studies were from 1985 to 2021. Previous studies were integrated to current studies. A total of 23 articles in English and 34 articles in Japanese were analyzed. The methods for promoting professional socialization in nursing students include self-learning, online media, extracurricular elements, and clinical practice. Socialization process differed for each school year;the first-year students tend to have ideological answers, while the fourth-year students tend to have practical answers as a result of education. The process needs supports from instructors and mentors. Nursing education promoting professional socialization in nursing students has developed diverse modeling, positive effects for improving social skills, and impact of self-efficacy and self-esteem and has fostered professional commitment and professional identity. However, loss of idealism of professional identity after graduation should be considered with supports from instructors and mentors. To establish nursing professional identity smoothly, nursing instructors supporting skills should be developed by understanding students’ stage of professional socialization.

Psychological Preparation of Children for Medical Procedures: An Awareness Survey Targeting Nurses in Japan

Preparation is a means to support the psychological readiness and autonomy of children undergoing medical treatment. In this study, to understand the current practice and application of psychological preparation, using “explaining medical information to a child” as an indicator of respect for children’s rights, we investigated the effect of psychological preparation since 2002. The present study aimed to clarify the current status and awareness of psychological preparation for children undergoing medical procedures in pediatric nursing in Japan. An original questionnaire regarding psychological preparation for children in hospitals was sent by mail to nurses who were working in Japanese pediatric wards in 2010. Based on results from a previous study, nurses’ awareness of psychological preparation for children undergoing medical procedures seems to have improved. However, it was evident that nursing staff working in mixed wards require more specialized knowledge regarding child care, especially in terms of preparation. Furthermore, Japanese nurses recognized a need for improvement concerning their duties. It was also clear that the meaning of preparation remains ambiguous for many nurses. These results suggest that preparation has both psychological and ethical meanings.

Influence of a Program Combining Amusement and Exercise on Subjective Well-Being: Six-Month Intervention Study with a Complex-Type Program for Community-Dwelling Elderly Subjects

Background: Health promotion for the elderly mainly targets improvements in physical function, and a lack of strengthening of subjective well-being as well as the creation of interaction-providing opportunities for activity and participation has been reported. Evaluations of positive and negative aspects for subjective well-being are needed. Elderly subjects were intervened through a 6-month complex-type program combining amusement and exercise and its influences on subjective well-being and physical and physiological functions were investigated. Methods: Subjects in this survey were 37 healthy elderly females living in M city, Hiroshima Prefecture (age: 69.7 ± 5.9 years old), and the survey was performed between September 2016 and March 2017. The complex-type program comprised amusement and exercise programs. The survey was performed at 4 time points during the intervention period: before the intervention and 1, 3, and 6 months during the intervention. Subjective well-being (Japanese version of the Subjective Well-being Inventory (SUBI): Mental health scores, Mental fatigue scores), salivary amylase levels, and the locomotive syndrome risk test (two-step test, stand-up test, and 25-question risk assessment) were surveyed at each time point. Regarding the duration of the intervention as a factor, changes in salivary amylase levels were analyzed using repeated measures one-way ANOVA and SUBI was tested using the Friedman test (EZR Ver 1.32). In addition, the relationship between the locomotive syndrome risk level and duration of the intervention was examined using Fisher’s test. Results: SUBI and the locomotive syndrome risk level significantly differed with time during the intervention. Slight changes were observed in salivary amylase levels during the intervention. Conclusion: The present results suggest that the complex-type program promoted interactions among community-dwelling elderly subjects and positively influenced the maintenance of and improvements in physical and physiological functions. These changes may be associated with favorable influences on the positive and negative aspects of subjective well-being.