• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.418-423
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Spirulina, a blue-green alga, is widely produced and commercialized as a dietary supplement with bio- and immune-modulatory functions. We have previously shown that spirulina had favorable effects on lipid profiles, immune functions, and antioxidant capacity in healthy Korean elderly. Despite favorable effect of spirulina supplementation, some sub-populations have shown a poor response to supplementation. Obesity is a factor related to poor-response. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the immuno-modulation, antioxidant capacity, and lipid-lowering effect of spirulina in obese and non-obese Korean elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The subjects were 78 elderly aged 60-87 years. In a randomized double blind, placebo-controlled study, subjects were fed either placebo or spirulina daily, at 8 g for 12 weeks. Subjects were divided into the non-obese group and the obese group based on body mass index (BMI) criteria for Asians suggested by the International Obesity Task Force: $BMI<25kg/m^2$ (non-obese) and $BMI{\geq}25kg/m^2$ (obese). RESULTS: In the non-obese group, spirulina supplementation showed a significant lowering effect on plasma concentration of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, a significant increase in interleukin (IL)-2 concentration (P < 0.01) and a significant increment (P < 0.05) in IL-2/IL-6 ratio, and a significant increase in total antioxidant status level and a significant decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level. However, these effects were not observed in the obese group. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that blood lipid lowering and immune and antioxidant improving response for spirulina supplement was affected by obesity in Korean elderly.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2001

This research was conducted to investigate the effects of far infrared radiological materials on growth performance, immune response and changes of microbial flora in feces for growing pigs. Twelve growing pigs($Duroc{\times}Yorkshire{\times}Landrace$, average initial body weight of $15.6{\pm}0.5kg$) were used in a 40 day growth assay. Treatments were control(saline injection with diet: S); saline injection with Bio-Plus in diet(SBP); and vaccination with Bio-Plus in diet(VBP) in a randomized complete block design with initial BW as the blocking criterion. Serum concentrations of IgG of SBP and VBP were higher than those of S at day 10(p<0.05), 20(p<0.05), 30(p<0.05) and 40(p<0.05). Pigs fed with treatment diets had increased lymphocyte level compared to S at day 20(p<0.05) and 40(p<0.05). Cortisol was lower in treatments than in S at day 30(p<0.05). At day 20, there was no significant difference in E. coli among the treatments. However, it was observed that E, coli of the treatments was decreased compared to S at day 40(p<0.01). Lactobacillus of SBP was significantly higher(p<0.05) than that of S at day 40. In conclusion, the results of the experiment suggest that far infrared radiological materials could be a very beneficial immune response for growing pigs in health aspects.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.208-220
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of neurofeedback training for reducing stress and enhancing self-regulation in late adolescence to identify the possibility of use for nursing intervention. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pre-post quasi-experimental design was used. Participants were 78 late adolescents assigned to the experimental group (n=39) that received the neurofeedback training and the control group (n=39). Data were collected on heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductance level (SCL) to assess stress-biomarker response. The questionnaire contained 164 items from: Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and Self-regulatory Ability scale. The neurofeedback training was based on the general adaptation syndrome and body-mind medicine. The intervention was conducted in a total of 10 sessions for 30 minutes per session with high-beta, theta and sensory motor rhythm training on scalp at central zero. Results: There were significant difference in standard deviation of normal to normal interval (p=.036) in HRV and SCL (p=.029) of stress-biomarker response between the two groups. Negative affect (p=.036) in PANAS and obsessive compulsive (p=.023) and depression (p<.001) in SCL-90-R were statistically significant. Self-regulation mode (p=.004) in self-regulation ability scale showed a significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: The results indicated that the neurofeedback training is effective in stress-biomarkers, psychoemotional stress response and self-regulation. Therefore, neurofeedback training using neuroscientific approach based on brain-mind-body model can be used as an effective nursing intervention for late adolescents in clinics and communities for effective stress responses.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.450-461
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• 2022

Purpose: DNA damage and repair responses are induced by metabolic diseases and environmental stress. The balance of DNA repair response and the antioxidant system play a role in modulating the entire body's health. This study uses a high-fat and high-calorie (HFC) drink to examine the new roles of a plant-based multivitamin/mineral supplement with phytonutrients (PMP) for regulating the antioxidant system and cellular DNA repair signaling in the body resulting from metabolic stress. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized, parallel-arm, and placebo-controlled trial, healthy adults received a capsule containing either a PMP supplement (n = 12) or a placebo control (n = 12) for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at 0, 1, and 3 hours after consuming a HFC drink (900 kcal). The blood samples were analyzed for the following oxidative stress makers: areas under the curve reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), erythrocytes MDA, urinary MDA, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and the glutathione:oxidized glutathione ratio at the time points. We further examined the related protein levels of DNA repair signaling (pCHK1 (Serine 345), p-P53 (Serine 15), and 𝛄H2AX expression) in the plasma of subjects to evaluate the time-dependent effects of a HFC drink. Results: In a previous study, we showed that PMP supplementation for eight weeks reduces the ROS and endogenous DNA damage in human blood plasma. Results of the current study further show that PMP supplementation is significantly correlated with antioxidant defense. Compared to the placebo samples, the blood plasma obtained after PMP supplementation showed enhanced DNA damage response genes such as pCHK1(Serine 345) (a transducer of DNA response) and 𝛄H2AX (a hallmark of DNA damage) during the 8 weeks trial on metabolic challenges. Conclusion: Our results indicate that PMP supplementation for 8 weeks enhances the antioxidant system against oxidative stress and prevents DNA damage signaling in humans.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.776-784
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• 2023

Objective: This experiment was conducted to evaluate the inclusion of dietary nontoxic sulfur (NTS) on growth performance, immune response, sulfur amino acid composition and meat characteristics in growing-finishing pigs. Methods: A total of 140 crossbred pigs ([Yorkshire×Landrace]×Duroc) with an average body weight of 34.73±0.66 kg were used for the 12-week feeding trial. Experimental pigs were allotted to one of 5 treatments in 4 replicates of 7 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block (RCB) design. The experimental treatments were as follows (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4% NTS levels): i) Control, corn soybean meal (SBM)-based diet; ii) NTS 0.1, basal diet + NTS 0.1%; iii) NTS 0.2, basal diet + NTS 0.2%; iv) NTS 0.4, basal diet + NTS 0.4%. Results: Body weight increased linearly as dietary NTS levels increased up to 0.2% (linear; p = 0.04) in the early finishing phase (9 weeks). During the whole experimental period, body weight and average daily gain linearly increased as the dietary NTS level increased in the diet (linear; both p = 0.01), but quadratic responses in body weight and average daily gain were observed with the addition of NTS 0.4% (quadratic, both p = 0.01). In the late finishing period, the IgG concentration increased linearly (linear; p = 0.01) as the dietary NTS level increased up to 4%. In the finishing period, a linear response was observed as a dietary NTS level was added (linear; p = 0.03), and supplementation with 0.2% NTS resulted in a higher methionine content than the other treatments (quadratic; p = 0.01). NST 0.2% had a lower value of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (quadratic; p = 0.01). Conclusion: Consequently, supplementation with dietary NTS up to 0.2% could improve growth performance, amino acid composition in hair and meat antioxidation capacity.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.138-155
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• 2002

Objective : The purpose of this study is to work on the problems and on the direction of the study regarding the evidence-based study of Acupuncture. Methods : We reviewed the PubMed electronic database. Eight articles of systematic review without meta-analysis and six articles without meta-analysis were selected. Results : In the study of eight articles of systematic review without meta-analysis, there were two articles on effectiveness of acupuncture and one on non-effectiveness of acupuncture. Four articles were about the changes according to the quality of randomized controlled trials. Also, one article was about the side-effect of acupuncture. In the study of six articles of systematic review with meta-analysis, there were two articles on Odds Ratio, two on Relative Risk, one on number-needed-to-treat, and two on 18 predefined methodological criteria. Conclusion : As the quality of RCTs was high, positive response decreased and as the quality of RCTs was low, positive response increased. For the study of evidence-based acupuncture, it is necessary that we conduct research on well-planned placebo acupuncture, large sample size, statistical method, method of searching and assessing literature and method of meta-analysis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.677-684
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• 2003

Twenty eight multiparous lactating cows were utilized in an experiment to evaluate the response to an exogenous fibrolytic enzyme on their lactational performance during early lactation period (in terms of milk production, milk composition, feed intake, milking efficiency, body weight change) and the exact time of this response. Cows were randomized into two groups (14 each) with similar parities and were fed a concentrate ration of barley, ground corn, soybean meal, and wheat bran and roughage ration of alfalfa hay. One of the two groups was supplemented with the fibrolytic enzyme immediately after parturition up to 100 post partum. The experiment was of two phases with 50 days each. The enzyme, which has a cellulase/hemicellulase activity (derived from Trichoderma group), was added to the concentrate part of the ration in a dry powder form. Milk production, 3.5% fat corrected milk, energy corrected milk were higher (p<0.05) for cows fed treated diet. At the same time, No differences were observed in percentages of milk components, feed intake, body weight, body weight change, or rectal temperature for the whole experimental period or during any of the two phases. Efficiency of milk production was higher (p<0.05) for treatment group cows than for that of the control ones. However, efficiency was better during the second phase than during the first phase. Feeding enzyme treated diets to dairy cows improved lactational performance during early 100 day of the lactation period. However, the first 50 days of lactation looked to be the critical.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2015

We discuss confidence intervals for sensitive binomial attributes obtained by a direct question method and indirect question method. The Randomized Response Technique(RRT) by Warner (1965) is an indirect question method that uses a randomization device to reduce the response burden of respondents. We used the mean coverage probability (MCP), root mean squared error (RMSE), and mean expected width (MEW) to compare the confidence intervals by the two methods. The numerical comparisons indicated found that the MEW of RRT is too large and the RRT is so conservative that the MCP exceeds a nominal level(${\alpha}$); therefore, it is necessary to complement these problem in order to increase the utility of the indirect question method.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.255-262
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• 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicine (HM) combined with chemotherapy (CT) for cervical cancer. Ten electronic databases including Pubmed, Cochrane library, Embase, Korean databases, and Chinese medical databases were systematically searched up to October 2019. All randomized controlled trials with HM combined with CT to treat cervical cancer were included. A total of 21 trials were included for analysis. Compared to the control group, HM combined with CT group significantly increased tumor response (complete and partial response) (risk ratio [RR] = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.15-1.33, p < 0.00001) and Karnofsky performance score (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.41-2.01, p < 0.00001). Also, HM combined with CT group remarkably reduced CT toxicity. In Conclusion, our study suggests that HM might be a potential option for cervical cancer to enhance curative efficacy and reduce CT toxicity.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.175-186
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• 2022

This study aimed to systematically review the effectiveness of methylene blue (MB) photosensitizers in the management of symptomatic oral lichen planus (OLP). Electronic online databases and manual searches were performed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English between January 2010 and February 2022. RCTs comparing photodynamic therapy (PDT) and corticosteroid therapy at baseline and follow-up period were identified. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. A meta-analysis was performed regarding visual analog scale (VAS) scores, Thongprasom sign scores, lesion size, response to treatment, and exacerbation of lesions after therapy. The clinical severity was analyzed qualitatively. Five RCTs consisting of 180 samples fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All parameters of VAS score, Thongprasom sign score, lesion size, and response to treatment were statistically non-significant. Our results indicate that both MB-PDT and corticosteroid therapy are effective for the management of OLP. Moreover, MB-PDT is an effective alternative treatment option for OLP when corticosteroids are contraindicated. However, conclusive evidence cannot be ascertained owing to the heterogeneity among the studies.