• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.434-440
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• 2012

A placebo-controlled double-blind ingestion study of a beauty supplement containing rice-derived ceramide was performed. Thirty three subjects who always tended to have rough skin due to dryness participated in the study. Dermatological diagnosis by physicians showed that the supplement significantly improved dryness and itching of the skin. On measurement of water content in the skin, the supplement was shown to significantly increase water content in the skin. On microscopic three-dimensional analysis of the epidermis, the supplement was shown to improve smoothness, exfoliation, and short-term ingestion of the supplement containing rice derived ceramide, which is very effective as skin beautifying food.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1057-1066
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• 2016

This study examined how 'forest name' or 'information of forest healing effectiveness' influence their perceived environmental restorativeness (PER) and perceived healing effectiveness (PHE). Study area was the 'Forest Healing Road (FHR)' in Mudeungsan National Park. Data were collected from 247 visitors selected by convenient sampling method using questionnaire survey during May-June, 2015. Respondents who read interpretive signs (forest name and information on forest healing effectiveness of FHR were written) installed along the FHR were regarded as placebo group and respondents who didn't read them as control group. The results showed that there were no overall differences on PER and PHE between control and placebo groups. Placebo group, however, rated more positive on 'being away' factor of PER than control group. All four factors (i.e., being away, coherence, fascination, comparability) of PER statistically influenced PHE (p<0.001), and these factors explained 51.1% of PHE. The 'coherence' was the most influential to PHE, followed by 'being away', 'comparability', and 'fascination' in order. Placebo effects on PER were shown in male, in lower age group(age${\leq}54$), or respondents with lower visiting experience to FHR(${\leq}20$ times/year). Placebo effects on PHE were found in male, in small group (${\leq}2$ persons), in respondents who visited 'alone' or 'with relatives/family', or in respondents with lower visiting experience to FHR(${\leq}20$ times/year). Some research and managerial implications were suggested.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.125-134
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• 2005

목적 : 이 연구의 목적은 플라시보 자락요법을 계발하기 위함이다. 방법 : 이 연구에서 우리는 자락요법을 잘 알고 있는 특정 피시험군에 진자락요법과 위자락요법을 시행하고, 피시험자에게 본인이 받은 치료가 무엇이었는지 설문조사하였다. 위자락요법은 피부를 뚫어 혈관을 자파시키지 않고 피부 겉에서 느낌만 나도록 자극을 주고 흡입하는 것이다. 결과 : 총 53명의 피시험자가 모든 시험과정에 적절하게 참가하였으므로 모든 데이터를 신뢰할 수 있었다. 결과는 두 그룹간에 유의한 차이를 발견할 수 없었다. 위자락요법을 받은 피시험자중 44.4%는 그들이 받은 치료가 진자락요법이라고 생각했고, 55.6%는 위자락요법이라고 생각했다. 진자락요법을 받은 피시험자중 53.8%는 그들이 받은 치료가 진자락요법이라고 생각했고, 46.2%는 위자락요법이라고 생각했다. 결론 : 각 군간의 민감도와 특이도 간에 유의한 차이가 나타나지 않으므로, 자락요법에 있어 플라시보가 성공했다고 볼 수 있다. 이 연구는 자락요법을 적응증으로 하는 다양한 질환의 임상연구에 있어서 대조군 처치시 좋은 모델을 제시하였다.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 2023

This study was aimed at examining the effects of aroma blending oil inhalation on academic stress and class concentration in nursing students. The research design was a nonequivalent placebo control group nonsynchronized. The subjects of the study were 24 students in the treatment group and 24 placebo control group. Data collection was from November 4, 2022 to December 3, 2022, and the data were analyzed chi-square test, independent t-test, paired t-test using the SPSS 23.0 Program. The treatment group inhaled aroma blending oil for 10 days showed a significant decrease in academic stress (t=-8.79, p<.001) and a significant increase in class concentration (t=24.44, p<.001).

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.45-53
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• 2023

This study is a nonequivalent placebo control group pretest-posttest design to confirm the effects of auricular pressure therapy on perceived stress and sleep quality for nursing students. The subjects of the study were selected from K College, 30 people in the treatment group and 30 people in the control group, a total of 60 people. Data were collected from March 2 to April 26, 2022. Auricular pressure was applied to the treatment group (shenmen, heart, thalamus), and the placebo control group was applied to the auricle (hip, knee, ankle) in the same method during the same period. Data were analyzed independent t-test repeated measures ANOVA using the SPSS 23.0 program. The perceived stress score of the treatment group significantly decreased to 2.28 after 4 weeks of intervention and 2.07 after 8 weeks of intervention, and the sleep quality score significantly increased to 3.37 after 4 weeks of intervention and 4.02 after 8 weeks of intervention. It was found to have a lasting effect over time.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.47-55
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• 2018

Objectives: Clinical improvements can be observed following placebo administrations in clinical trials. Randomized controlled trials have been conducted to disentangle the specific effects of therapeutic interventions over the past decade. In acupuncture trials, non-penetrating placebo needles offer the opportunity to determine the specific effects of needling. Methods: The present review provides an overview of the concept of the placebo effect and the characteristics of the placebo needles. Results: Placebo control can contribute to minimize for bias and the contextual and psychological components of therapeutic interventions. Placebo control should meet two criteria: blinding efficacy (indistinguishable from active treatment) and physiological inertness. In the case of acupuncture, however, it is difficult to meet both criteria simultaneously. The dilemma of placebo needles suggests that placebo needles do not constitute proper control in acupuncture research. Considering the characteristics of placebo needles, patients are more likely to perceive placebo needles as active treatment in acupuncture trials compared to placebo pills in pharmaceutical trials. Placebo response might be observed more frequently to placebo needles than to placebo pills. When acupuncture treatments are utilized in clinical use, placebo effects can be enhanced by exploiting patients' expectations in the contextual or environmental cues that surround medical intervention. Conclusions: We have to consider these unique characteristics of placebo needles in order to avoid drawing premature conclusions that acupuncture itself is just a placebo.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.73-80
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of kinesio taping on upper extremity pain and muscle activation of lateral epicondyle DOMS. This research is randomized controlled designd study and conducted as a single-blind. Twenty four subjects were participated in this study, All the patients were divided two group, were kinesio taping applied group, placebo kinesio taping applied group. The participants were tested pressure upper extremity pain threshold and muscle activation, pre-post intervention. After raining, the change values of the pain and muscle activation in KT group were significantly greater than PKT group(p<0.05). This findings show that kinesio taping training convergence interventions for lateral epicondyle DOMS pain and upper extremity. Continued development on convergence interventions for lateral epicondyle DOMS with pain and upper extremity in the practice are suggested.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.187-196
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• 2010

Recently, people have been suffering from stress-related fatigue and psychological disorders. Most people depend on medicine for pain relief; many treat pain also through alternative medicine or replacement therapy. However, drug therapy has many side effects, including increased stress after the therapy. In comparison, alternative therapies such as massage and foot reflexology are less damaging to the body, and such therapies can be provided without physical or psychological discomfort. In this regard, the author had previously co-developed color foot reflexology, which combines the merits of color therapy and foot reflexology; color foot reflexology has been shown to have beneficial effects without undue pain. This study investigates the effects of color foot reflexology on the physiological response of the body by comparing the body’s response to the signal with that to the placebo. Healthy adult subjects were selected for the experiment, which was conducted under optimal experimental conditions and design. The results indicated that when stimulated, parasympathetic nerves increased in HRV and that blood pressure, pulse, body heat, peripheral blood flow were dramatically activated. However, the results for the placebo indicated minimal changes or irregular outcomes. The results provide strong evidence for the beneficial effects of the color foot reflexology instrument on the autonomic nervous system and on the physiological response of the body. Future research is warranted to verify the results of the current study by examining patients suffering from diseases and disorders arising from irregular physiological functions in the context of the foot.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.136-145
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial was to examine how acupuncture treatment at Shinmun(HT7) affects the brain activity and the autonomic nervous system(ANS), using electroencephalograms(EEG) and heart rate variability(HRV). Methods : Eighteen healthy volunteers participated in two separate experiments: in each experiment, either real acupuncture(RA) or non-penetrating sham acupuncture(SA) was applied at HT7 in random sequences to each person. The EEG and HRV measurements were conducted simultaneously before and during the acupuncture stimulation for 5 minutes, respectively. Resulting EEG and HRV parameters were compared between RA and SA groups. To assess differences according to the stress levels for participants, subgroup analysis was performed based on the results of the stress response index questionnaire. Results : In the results, acupuncture stimulation at HT7 increased ${\alpha}$ band in EEG. In the HRV analysis, heart rate was decreased significantly but HF and RMS-SD were increased in the RA group, compared with those of the SA group. In the subgroup analysis by stress level, participants in the RA group with high stress exhibited an increased in ${\alpha}$ band in their EEG while the low stress participants showed decrease or little increase in the band. For the SA group, ${\alpha}$ band reported relatively moderate changes in all channels. Conclusions : Our results showed that acupuncture induces changes in brain activation and the ANS. Acupuncture was related to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. The brain activities of the participants were different depending on the stress level.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.3 s.83
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• pp.305-311
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• 2007

Glucocorticoids (GCs) alter metabolism, synaptogenesis, apoptosis, neurogenesis, and dendritic morphology in the hippocampus. To better understand how glucocorticoids regulate these aspects of hippocampal biology, we studied gene expression patterns in the CA3 (Hippocampal pyramidal cell field CA3) and dentate gyrus (DG). Litter-matched Lewis inbred rats treated for 20 days with either 9.5 mg per day sustained-release corticosterone or placebo pellets were compared with high-density oligonucleotide microarray analysis (Rat Neurobiology U34 Arrays, Affymetrix). In placebo-treated rats, 32 genes were expressed at greater levels in CA3 than DG, whereas 3 genes were expressed at great levels in DC than CA3. Regional differences were also apparent in corticosterone-induced changes in the hippocampal transcriptome. Six genes in CA3 and 41 genes in DC were differentially regulated by corticosterone. As per the glucocorticoid effects on gene transcription in the brain, forty three of these genes were upregulated, and 4 genes were downregulated. Genes differentially expressed in hippocampus included those for 13 neurotransmitter proteins, 5 ion channel related proteins, 4 transcription factors, 3 neurotrophic factors, 1 cytokine, 1 apoptosis related protein, and 5 genes involved in synaptogenesis. Interestingly, GCs can have suppressive effects on brain BDNF mRNA transcription, one of the neurotrophic factors. These results indicate the diversity of targets affected by chronic exposure to corticosterone and highlight important regional differences in hippocampal neurobiology.