Human Cultures Research Articles

Strategi Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah dalam Membangun Pendidikan Humanistik Berbasis Teknologi di Era Society 5.0

The era of Society 5.0 presents both challenges and opportunities for the education sector to integrate technology with humanistic values. Technology-based humanistic education focuses on developing students' character, emphasizing ethics, creativity, and adaptability, while also making wise use of technology. In this context, school principals play a strategic role as leaders who guide the transformation of education to align with the demands of the times. This study aims to analyze the leadership strategies of school principals in building technology-based humanistic education using a qualitative approach with a literature review method. Data was gathered from various sources, such as journals, books, and relevant documents. The findings reveal that the leadership strategies of school principals include empowering teachers in technology literacy, strengthening the humanistic culture in schools, and utilizing technology as a tool to support an inclusive learning process. This research provides strategic recommendations for school principals to optimize their roles in building an innovative, humanistic, and relevant education system in the Society 5.0 era.

Assessing human B cell responses to influenza virus vaccines and adjuvants in a PBMC-derived in vitro culture system

In vitro systems based on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can bridge the gap between preclinical and clinical vaccine evaluation but have so far mainly been exploited to assess vaccine effects on antigen-presenting cells and T cells. Our study aimed to assess whether B cells present in PBMCs also respond to vaccines and reflect the effects of different vaccine formulations and adjuvants. We stimulated PBMCs with whole inactivated virus (WIV) or split virus (SIV) H5N1 influenza vaccine, with or without the addition of the adjuvant cytosine phosphoguanine (CpG) ODN 2395, and collected the cells and supernatants at different timepoints. B cell subsets were measured by flow cytometry, immunoglobulin (IgG) levels by ELISA, B cell-related genes by qPCR, and cytokine levels by intracellular staining. B cells differentiated more readily to plasmablasts and plasma cells and produced more IgG when PBMC cultures were stimulated with WIV than when stimulated with SIV. In line, PRDM1, XBP1, and AICDA, genes associated with the differentiation of B cells to antibody-secreting cells, were expressed at higher levels in WIV- than in SIV-stimulated PBMCs. The combination of WIV and CpG consistently induced the highest levels of antibody-secreting cell differentiation, IgG production, and B-cells secreting IL-6 and IL-10. Taken together, B cells in human PBMC cultures show distinct responses to different types of vaccines and vaccine/CpG combinations. This underlines the suitability of unfractionated PBMCs for evaluating vaccine effects on different types of human immune cells before running costly clinical trials.

Impact of repetitive, ultra-short soft X-ray pulses from processing of steel with ultrafast lasers on human cell cultures

Ultrafast lasers, with pulse durations below a few picoseconds, are of significant interest to the industry, offering a cutting-edge approach to enhancing manufacturing processes and enabling the fabrication of intricate components with unparalleled accuracy. When processing metals at irradiances exceeding the evaporation threshold of about 1010 W/cm² these processes can generate ultra-short, soft X-ray pulses with photon energies above 5 keV. This has prompted extensive discussions and regulatory measures on radiation safety. However, the impact of these ultra-short X-ray pulses on molecular pathways in the context of living cells, has not been investigated so far. This paper presents the first molecular characterization of epithelial cell responses to ultra-short soft X-ray pulses, generated during processing of steel with an ultrafast laser. The laser provided pulses of 6.7 ps with a pulse repetition rate of 300 kHz and an average power of 500 W. The irradiance was 1.95 ×1013 W/cm2. Ambient exposure of vitro human cell cultures, followed by imaging of the DNA damage response and fitting of the data to a calibrated model for the absorbed dose, revealed a linear increase in the DNA damage response relative to the exposure dose. This is in line with findings from work using continuous wave soft X-ray sources and suggests that the ultra-short X-ray pulses do not generate additional hazard. This research contributes valuable insights into the biological effects of ultrafast laser processes and their potential implications for user safety.

Building resilience in LNG marine terminal operations: a comprehensive socio-technical risk analysis utilizing the resilience assessment grid (RAG) method

Abstract In the face of rising global energy demand, LNG terminals play an essential role in the energy supply chain. However, the complexity of terminal operations, combined with the risk of catastrophic events, necessitates a robust resilience framework. This paper presents a comprehensive socio-technical resilience analysis that uses the Resilience Assessment Grid (RAG) methodology to measure resilience in LNG terminal operations. We examine the complex interplay of human elements, organizational culture, and technological systems in the terminal environment. Our approach uses the RAG methodology to identify vulnerabilities, assess the potential impact of disruptions, and assess the effectiveness of current safety and risk management practices. The results of this study show that the implementation of the safety concept at the LNG Marine Terminal is quite optimal, as indicated by the compliance figures for each resilience aspect, which exceed three as a benchmark. The highest score in the entire system is found in the ability to respond aspect, namely 4.38, which shows that the organization, in implementing this concept, still focuses on preventing and controlling accidents. This condition differs from the ability to monitor aspect, which has the lowest value, 3.97. However, this item cannot be called an inhibiting factor because its value exceeds the expected standard. In response, there is still room for improvement from existing achievements in the future.

Alzheimer’s disease pathologies are pathogen‐driven

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is diagnosed via postmortem detection of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques or oligomers and intracellular hyperphosphorylated tau. These canonical pathologies are key players in AD etiology. A complementary line of research suggests that common human pathogens serve as the initial seeding agents which facilitate the pathologies of AD.MethodLow (n = 8), mild (n = 9), and advanced (n = 10) Alzheimer’s disease brain samples were subjected to expansion microscopy (ExM), a tissue manipulation method which enables the imaging of biological samples at 40nm resolution. For our purposes, we used a novel version of ExM, decrowding expansion pathology (dExPath), which exposes inaccessible protein epitopes to antibody staining while enabling super resolution imaging. Observations from these human brain samples were then modeled using human iPSC neuronal 3D brain organoids and primary rodent cultures.ResultUsing dExPath, we visualized pathogen‐related proteins within our Alzheimer’s disease human brain samples. We discovered a clear colocalization between AD pathologies and pathogen‐derived proteins. When utilizing human brain organoids and rodent cultures as model systems for the human brain, we used pathogen infection to replicate the AD pathologies observed in the AD human brain.ConclusionOur results suggest that (1) neurons exposed to pathogens produce human AD pathologies and (2) AD pathologies may be antimicrobial. With these important roles in mind, our continued research focuses on isolating the mechanisms by which AD pathologies arise in response to common pathogens.

Extracellular Vesicles from Human iPSC‐derived NSCs Protect Human Neurons Against Aβ‐42 Induced Neurodegeneration, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Tau Phosphorylation

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid‐beta (Aβ) in the extracellular space, which leads to various adverse effects such as oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, tau phosphorylation, synapse loss, and neurodegeneration. Therefore, therapeutic interventions that can reduce Aβ‐toxicity and slow down the progression of cognitive dysfunction in AD have significance. One promising approach is to use extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are released by neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). These EVs contain therapeutic proteins and miRNAs that can help protect against Aβ‐induced pathological changes in the brain, providing a potential avenue for neuroprotection.MethodThis study first isolated and characterized EVs secreted from hiPSC‐NSCs by chromatographic methods. Next, mature human neurons generated from 2 different hiPSC lines were exposed to 1‐µM Aβ42 oligomers with different concentrations of hNSC‐EVs. The protective effects of EVs on neurons exposed to Aβ were quantified using MTT and live/dead cell assays and counting of surviving MAP‐2+ neurons. The extent of oxidative stress was investigated via measurements of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyls (PCs) and the expression of genes encoding iNos and Cox2. Furthermore, the expression of genes and/or proteins linked to pro‐apoptotic (Bad, Bax) and antiapoptotic (Bcl2) effects, mitochondrial respiratory chain (Nudfs6, Nudfs7, Sdha, Sdhb, Cyc1, Bcs11, Cox6a1, Atp6ap1), autophagy (Beclin 1 and MAPILC3B) were quantified. Total tau and p‐tau were also measured.ResultThe addition of hiPSC‐NSC‐EVs to mature human neuronal cultures exposed to Aβ reduced the extent of Aβ‐induced neurodegeneration. When human neurons were exposed to Aβ‐42 alone, it increased pro‐apoptotic genes (Bad, Bax) and reduced the expression of an antiapoptotic gene (BCL‐2). However, adding hNSC‐EVs to Aβ‐42 exposed neurons normalized the expression of pro‐ and antiapoptotic genes to control levels, reduced oxidative stress markers, prevented Aβ‐42‐induced hyperactivation of mitochondria and decreased autophagy, reduced the phosphorylation of tau.ConclusionTreating human neurons with hiPSC‐NSC‐EVs can significantly decrease the various pathological changes caused by Aβ exposure. Supported by a grant from the National Institute for Aging (1RF1AG074256‐01A1 to A.K.S.)

The use of human intestinal enteroid cell cultures for detection of multiple gastroenteric viruses.

Human norovirus (HuNoV) and human astrovirus (HAstV) are viral enteric pathogens and known causative agents of acute gastroenteritis. Identifying the presence of these viruses in environmental samples such as irrigation water, or foods exposed to virus contaminated water (e.g., shellfish, agricultural crops), remains an important goal in the field of food safety. Determining if a virus species present in a sample is infectious is complicated by the recalcitrance of many enteric virus species to grow in culture, and/or the lack of a common cell culture system(s). Human intestinal enteroids (HIEs) can support the replication of HuNoV and HAstV, and thus hold promise as a platform for demonstrating the replication of multiple enteric virus species within a single sample. The objective of this study was to determine if HIEs can support co-replication of two genetically distinct human enteric viruses, HAstV3 and HuNoV GII.4[P16]. In single virus infections, HuNoV GII.4[P16] RNA levels were highest at 48-72 hpi (6.3 to 9.1 x 106 genome copy equivalents [gce]/well) and HAstV3 RNA levels were highest at 24 hpi (3.4 ×108 gce/well). HAstV3-infected cells stained positive for viral capsid protein at 24 hpi and induced the synthesis of RNA and protein expression of interferon (IFN)-beta, -lambda 1 and 2/3, peaking at 24 hpi and 48 hpi respectively. HuNoV GII.4[P16] replication was negatively impacted by HAstV3 co-infection, but HAstV3 was unaffected by HuNoV. A reduction in HuNoV GII.4[P16] RNA during co-infections was observed at 72 hpi, with partial restoration achieved using neutralizing anti-IFN-antibodies. Human intestinal enteroids can support the co-infection and replication of HuNoVGII.4[P16] and HAstV3, even at more than 100-fold excess in one virus over the other, and compounds (e.g., anti-IFN antibodies) that interfere with HIE antiviral mechanism(s) can aid in maximizing HuNoV replication during co-infection.

Fucoxanthin alleviates the cytotoxic effects of cadmium and lead on a human osteoblast cell line.

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are non-biodegradable heavy metals (HMs) that persistently contaminate ecosystems and accumulate in bones, where they exert harmful effects. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of fucoxanthin (FX) against the chemical toxicity induced by Cd and Pb in human bone osteoblasts in vitro, using various biochemical and molecular assays. The effect of metals and FX on osteoblasts viability was assayed by MTT, then the effect of Pb, Cd, and FX on the cells' mitochondrial parameters was studied via assays for ATP, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), mitochondrial complexes, and lactate production. Also, the effect of metals on oxidative stress was assessed by reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes assays. Also the effect of FX and metals on apoptosis caspases and related genes was assessed. When Cd and Pb were added to human osteoblast cultures at concentrations ranging from 1-20μM for 72h, they significantly reduced osteoblast viability in a time and concentration-dependent manner. The cytotoxic effect of Cd on osteoblasts was greater than that of Pb, with estimated EC50 of 8 and 12μM, respectively, after 72h of exposure. FX (10 and 20μM) alleviated the cytotoxicity of the metals. Bioenergetics assays, including ATP, MMP, and mitochondrial complexes I and III activities, revealed that HMs at 1 and 10μM concentrations inhibited cellular bioenergetics after 72h of exposure. Cd and Pb also increased lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species while reducing catalase and superoxide dismutase antioxidant activities and oxidative stress-related genes. This was accompanied by increased caspases -3, -8, and-9 and Bax/bCl-2 ratio. Co-treatment with FX (10 and 20μM) mitigated the disruption of bioenergetics, oxidative damage, and apoptosis induced by the metals, showing a concentration-dependent pattern to varying extents. These findings strongly support the role of FX in managing toxicities induced by environmental pollutants in bones and in addressing bone diseases associated with molecular bases of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and bioenergetic disruption.

Hypoglycemic Agents Increase Regulatory Factor X1 to Inhibit Cancer Cell Behaviour in Human Glioblastoma Cells.

Glioblastoma multiforme is a deadly brain tumour in humans. We have shown that regulatory factor X1 (RFX1), a transcription factor, inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of human glioblastoma cells. This study was designed to identify the existing medications that could increase RFX1 in human glioblastoma cells and to determine whether these medications could inhibit the cancer cell behaviours. A bioinformatics approach was used to identify the medications that increased RFX1. The effects of these medications on human glioblastoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assayed under cell culture and mouse brain xenograft conditions. Pioglitazone, rosiglitazone and WY-14643 increased RFX1 based on bioinformatics prediction and Western blotting data. These hypoglycemic agents reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of human glioblastoma cell cultures. These agents reduced metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) activity in the culture medium. Silencing RFX1 attenuated hypoglycemic agent-induced inhibition of cancer cell behaviours and MMP2 activity. Pioglitazone reduced the xenograft tumour volume and migration distance of U87 human glioblastoma cells in the mouse brain. RFX1-siRNA attenuated these effects. Our results provide additional evidence for RFX1 as a therapeutic target for human glioblastoma and suggest that pioglitazone, rosiglitazone and WY-14643 inhibit cancer cell behaviour of human glioblastoma cells via upregulating RFX1.

In vitro model of Reconstructed Human Corneal Epithelium for the evaluation of ocular surface desiccation and protection with Vitamin A enriched ophthalmic ointment.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a paraffin ointment enriched with vitamin A in the protection against severe desiccation using 2D and 3D corneal epithelial in vitro models. We used immortalized human corneal epithelial cell cultures to evaluate the efficacy of four compounds -a paraffin ointment enriched with vitamin A (vA-PFF) and its vehicle; an aqueous gel containing hydroxypropyl guar (HPG); and an aqueous gel containing sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)- to preserve cell viability in an in vitro model of desiccation. WST-1 and Live/Dead assays were used to study cell viability. Protection against cell damage was evaluated using a tridimensional reconstructed human corneal epithelial stem cell model (QobuR-RhCE). Compared to CMC, the paraffin ointment produced a significant prosurvival effect and it was similar to hydroxypropyl guar (HPG). The effect of vA-PFF in the protection against cell damage in QobuR-RhCE was significantly higher than CMC and HPG.Our results suggested that reconstructed 3D human corneal epithelia are sensitive tools to evaluate the efficacy of topical formulations against chemical damage and severe desiccation, indicating that would be an alternative method to animal experimentation, valid to use in ocular drug screening. vA-PFF caused no toxicity to cells in culture and was effective against extreme desiccation and cell damage in in vitro 2 D and 3D models.

015 Interferon and tumour necrosis factor α are upregulated in the human skin organ culture model for pemphigus vulgaris as a secondary effect to split formation

015 Interferon and tumour necrosis factor α are upregulated in the human skin organ culture model for pemphigus vulgaris as a secondary effect to split formation

HIV-1 exploits LBPA-dependent intraepithelial trafficking for productive infection of human intestinal mucosa.

The gastrointestinal tract is a prominent portal of entry for HIV-1 during sexual or perinatal transmission, as well as a major site of HIV-1 persistence and replication. Elucidation of underlying mechanisms of intestinal HIV-1 infection are thus needed for the advancement of HIV-1 curative therapies. Here, we present a human 2D intestinal immuno-organoid system to model HIV-1 disease that recapitulates tissue compartmentalization and epithelial-immune cellular interactions. Our data demonstrate that apical exposure of intestinal epithelium to HIV-1 results in viral internalization, with subsequent basolateral shedding of replication-competent viruses, in a manner that is impervious to antiretroviral treatment. Incorporation of subepithelial dendritic cells resulted in HIV-1 luminal sampling and amplification of residual viral replication of lab-adapted and transmitted-founder (T/F) HIV-1 variants. Markedly, intraepithelial viral capture ensued an altered distribution of specialized endosomal pathways alongside durable sequestration of infectious HIV-1 within lysobisphosphatidic acid (LPBA)-rich vesicles. Therapeutic neutralization of LBPA-dependent trafficking limited productive HIV-1 infection, and thereby demonstrated the pivotal role of intraepithelial multivesicular endosomes as niches for virulent HIV-1 within the intestinal mucosa. Our study showcases the application of primary human 2D immune-competent organoid cultures in uncovering mechanisms of intestinal HIV-1 disease as well as a platform for preclinical antiviral drug discovery.

Musical Preferences and Personality Traits

Music resonates differently in every single person according to human culture and characteristics. Individual differences such as personality traits may play a key role in modulating the emotional response to music and yet relatively little is known about the underlying structure of Italian musical preferences. On these bases, the current research presents a replication of the structure of the MUSIC Model and examines its relationships with personality traits. A sample of 2,104 participants completed an online survey. The current study is divided into three parts: 1) an exploratory factor analysis study, 2) a confirmatory factor analysis study to verify the emerged structure, and 3) a structural equation modeling for the investigation of the relationships between music and personality. Findings confirmed a latent five-factor structure that was labeled as follows: 1) Mellow: classical, gospel, opera, and religious; 2) Unpretentious: alternative, bluegrass, and new age; 3) Sophisticated: jazz, blues, soul R&B; 4) Intense: heavy metal, punk, and rock; and 5) Contemporary: dance electronica, world (international), pop, reggae, and rap hip-hop. Overall, findings suggested musical preferences are subject to some personality traits. These results could be considered a promising starting point to generate new theories to use music in therapeutic contexts for enhancing well-being.

Historicizing the liberal antiracism of Cultural Evolution

The Cultural Evolution Society was established in 2015 to “catalyze a theoretical synthesis” in the scientific study of human culture. As a field of research, cultural evolution took shape in the 1970s and 1980s around the aim of incorporating culture into biology’s modern evolutionary synthesis. Cultural evolution grew around the turn of the twenty-first century at the interface of population genetics and cognitive psychology. This article locates the origins of research on cultural evolution in projects of postwar scientific antiracism and U.S.-based debates about race and intelligence in the 1960s. Charting the development of prominent approaches to studying cultural evolution, I show how population geneticists and cognitive psychologists worked to redefine culture in statistical, populational, and geographic terms to politically neutralize the study of human difference. I situate the forms of genetic and cognitive culturalism that emerged as a result in a longer history of twentieth-century scientific antiracism.

THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF THE FORMATION OF SOCIAL VALUES OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS BASED ON NATIONAL SPORTS

The article discusses the theoretical aspects of the formation of social values in primary school students based on national sports. The philosophical, psychological, and pedagogical meanings of the concepts of "value" and "social value" are characterized. In the course of the analysis, social values—in a broad sense—are important in the context of compliance or non-compliance with the needs of phenomena and objects of existence, society, social groups, and individuals. It is clarified that in a narrower sense, these are humane and aesthetic requirements that have developed as a product of human culture and social consciousness. Signs of social values are understood as general provisions for members of society, continuously functioning depending on time, regulation of public relations, voluntary and conscious action. Also, according to the theoretical analysis in the article, the life and social types of ways to regulate the behavior of primary school students through social values regulate several attributes. In particular, vital: life, health, physique, safety, well-being, human condition (satiety, calmness, cheerfulness), strength, endurance, quality of life, natural environment (environmental values), practicality, consumption, etc., and social: hard work, wealth, work, family, unity, patriotism, tolerance, discipline, business, risk, social equality, ability to achieve, personal independence, consumption level, etc. In the empirical section, experimental work was carried out for primary school students using the "Value Questionnaire" method. Schwartz and M. Rokich's methodology "Definition of value orientations" was used.

Ad Astra per aquam (to the stars, through water): The Kansas Aqueduct Project as a sociotechnical imaginary in the Anthropocene

Groundwater supplies are dwindling worldwide as the Anthropocene deepens and human-water systems become more tightly coupled. Key actors are searching for ways to augment water supplies, including by large-scale transport. In this context, the role of human culture – values, beliefs, norms, symbols, language – is becoming even more important as a driver of socio-ecological change. We explore the role of culture in coupled, human-water systems through a case study of an emergent outcome in a groundwater-dependent system: the Kansas Aqueduct Project (KAP) – a large, yet-to-be-constructed infrastructure project that would divert water from the Missouri River 300 miles uphill, at exceptional cost to replenish groundwater supplies in the High Plains/Ogallala Aquifer, which has been depleted by irrigated agriculture. First proposed in the 1980s, the KAP has re-emerged as a socio-technical ‘solution’ to the unsustainable use of groundwater in Western Kansas. Given the significant barriers to its construction, why and how has the KAP survived as an idea? We employ the concept of a sociotechnical imaginary to understand the re-emergence of the KAP in this context. We show that the KAP is a re-assertion of an anthropocentric, specifically Euro-American cultural vision of progress and order, one that is based in environmental law, centers humans, naturalizes the region’s post-war history, and sees agriculture as the foundation of society. It is this order that is actually more imperiled by groundwater decline than the water itself.

Restoration of hair follicle inductive properties by depletion of senescent cells.

Senescent cells secrete a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which can induce senescence in neighboring cells. Human dermal papilla (DP) cells lose their original hair inductive properties when expanded invitro, and rapidly accumulate senescent cells in culture. Protein and RNA-seq analysis revealed an accumulation of DP-specific SASP factors including IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and TIMP-2. We found that combined senolytic treatment of dasatinib and quercetin depleted senescent cells, and reversed SASP accumulation and SASP-mediated repressive interactions in human DP culture, resulting in an increased Wnt-active cell population. In hair reconstitution assays, senolytic-depleted DP cells exhibited restored hair inductive properties by regenerating de novo hair follicles (HFs) compared to untreated DP cells. In 3D skin constructs, senolytic-depleted DP cells enhanced inductive potential and hair lineage specific differentiation of keratinocytes. These data revealed that senolytic treatment of cultured human DP cells markedly increased their inductive potency in HF regeneration, providing a new rationale for clinical applications of senolytic treatment in combination with cell-based therapies.

Information Security Management at the University: A Critical Review of Recent Studies

As global cyber threats continue to escalate, particularly with the increasing frequency of attacks targeting academic institutions, information security management (ISM) has become imperative for safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of personal and research data within universities. This study examines the increasingly strategic role of information security management (ISM) in universities that face growing threats to personal and research data. This paper identifies key trends, methodological approaches, and research gaps within university ISM by reviewing research published over the past decade. Findings reveal that, despite the critical importance of ISM, the field still needs to be explored, with significant opportunities for further research in areas such as human factors, organizational culture, and information security behaviors. This research provides a comprehensive overview for IT professionals and university information security managers. It offers insights into the evolving ISM landscape in higher education and highlights new avenues for future investigation.

Traditional Human Cultural Influences on Animals

Many of the world's animals are being positively or negatively affected by human production and activities in various ways of behavior and lifestyle. This paper focuses on the exploration of the many aspects of the impact of traditional human culture on animals. The results of this paper show that animals are mostly negatively affected by human traditional culture. However, efforts are being made to save and take remedial measures, this is only because the historical legacy cannot be cured in a short period of time and people need to put more efforts to improve the various conservation measures. The purpose of this study is to hope that people can remedy their negative impacts on animals in nature and to make people understand how they can do so in time. By studying various cases and collecting data from different regions, this paper aims to reveal the specific ways in which traditional practices harm wildlife. Ultimately, the call is to create a balanced, symbiotic environment where traditional practices can coexist with modern conservation efforts.

Chitin promotes equol production via n-acetylglucosamine in human fecal cultures

ObjectivesEquol is a metabolite of isoflavone. Here, we investigated the effect of dietary fiber on equol-producing microbiota. MethodsHuman feces was anaerobically cultured in Gifu Anaerobic Medium (GAM) containing 1 mg/L daidzein supplemented with 1 % (w/v) dietary fiber (pectin, chitin, or resistant starch [RS]). The equol conversion rate, number of equol-producing bacteria, pH, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and microbial composition were measured in fecal cultures. ResultsEquol conversion significantly increased by 2.7-fold in the chitin group compared with the control group. Conversely, the conversion rate decreased to one-tenth in the pectin group and one-third in the RS group. The number of equol-producing bacteria also significantly increased in the chitin group compared with the control group. Whereas pH values and acetate/propionate concentrations decreased in the pectin and RS groups compared with the control group, no significant differences were observed in the chitin group. Microbiota analysis indicated that the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus increased, whereas those of Dorea, Lachnoclostridium, and Eggerthella decreased in the pectin and RS groups. In contrast, these abundances remained stable in the chitin group. The relative abundances of Adlercreutzia and Slackia remained unchanged across all groups. In vitro cultures of Eggerthella sp. strain YY7918 and Adlercreutzia equolifaicens JCM14793 demonstrated that equol conversion from daidzein was stimulated by the addition of 0.5–1% (w/v) n-acetylglucosamine, a breakdown product of chitin, but not chitin itself. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that equol production is stimulated by n-acetylglucosamine, derived from decomposed chitin, in certain equol-producing bacteria without affecting their growth.