Inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of depression. This study aims to elucidate the antidepressant effect of baicalein, an anti-inflammatory component of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine (Scutellaria baicalensis), on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like behavior in mice, and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. In vitro, baicalein exhibited antioxidant activity and protected macrophages from LPS-induced damage. The results of the tail suspension test and forced swimming test (tests for despair potential in mice) showed the antidepressant effect of baicalein on LPS-treated mice. It also substantially decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, and eotaxin, elicited by LPS in the plasma. Baicalein downregulated NF-κB-p65 and iNOS protein levels in the hippocampus, demonstrated its ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Additionally, baicalein increased the levels of the mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (mBDNF) in the hippocampus of LPS-treated mice, and elevated the ratio of mBDNF/proBDNF, which regulates neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity. Baicalein also promoted the expression of CREB, which plays a role in a variety of signaling pathways. In summary, the findings of this study demonstrate that the administration of baicalein can attenuate LPS-induced depression-like behavior by suppressing neuroinflammation and inflammation induced by the peripheral immune response.

This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on high-platform drop jump performance through kinematic analysis. Thirty healthy male physical education students were randomly recruited (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group). The experimental group received a 20-min NMES intervention before performing the drop jump test. The Kwon3D motion analysis system was used for data processing, and the drop jump process was divided into five key phases for kinematic parameter analysis. The results showed that the jump height of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < .05). Additionally, during the explosive rising phase, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater center of gravity velocity, hip joint angle, and velocities of the thigh, calf, and sole compared to the control group (p < .05). The findings indicate that NMES effectively induces the post-activation potentiation (PAP) effect, enhancing lower-limb explosive power and overall athletic performance. This study provides scientific evidence for the potential application of NMES as a training strategy and recommends further exploration of its long-term effects and impact on different populations.

Good oral health is important for general health of the body. This study aimed to evaluate an innovative design incorporating oral health education related to oral pathogenic bacteria into a microbiology laboratory curriculum for students of department of life science by evaluating the students’ perspectives on the oral health curriculum. Twenty-six students who took the elective course entitled “Microbiology Laboratory” in the National Taiwan Normal University in 2022 were invited to fill out the questionnaire for a presurvey regarding their familiarity with basic oral health concepts, and a postsurvey in which the students answered the same presurvey questions after finishing the class. Of the 26 students, 25 (96.15%) participated in both the presurvey and postsurvey. The results showed that the learning unit of oral health education related to oral pathogenic bacteria helped students in raising their concepts of oral health. To the questions asking that I understand the bacteria that cause dental caries and the pathogenic mechanism and I understand the bacteria that cause periodontal diseases and the pathogenic mechanism, the numbers of students who agreed both questions increased from 2 (8%) to 25 (100%), respectively. Moreover, the mean scores increased from 2.64 to 4.32 (P < 0.001) and from 2.68 to 4.32 (P < 0.001) for the two corresponding questions, respectively. The learning unit of oral health education in the microbiology laboratory curriculum helped the students of department of life science to increase their awareness and understanding of oral health.