• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.73-81
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was (1) to examine the effects of a Health Promotion Exercise Program (HPEP) on functional improvement, physical strength (PS) and muscle activation (MA), and the interactive influence with activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IDAL) in the elderly, and (2) to develop and provide a HPEP for the elderly in order to prevent declines and impairments in integrated nerve function and physical capacity. Methods: Our study included relatively healthy elderly people aged 65 years or older. The experimental group, which was composed of 30 people, participated in a HPEP 50~60 minutes a day, 3 times a week, for a total of 12 weeks. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) validated the measurement models for MA, physical strength, ADL and IADL with a p<0.01. This confirms (i) the beneficial effects of the ADFP on their MA and PS, and (ii) that their improvement in PS, in turn, can improve their IADL. The results of this study indicates that ADFP can help Korean seniors 65 years or older improve their MA, PS, ADL, and IADL, and do so synergistically. Conclusion: An HPEP, when organized in such a way that the elderly can easily do it, and when exercise items and intensity can be programmed and reorganized accordingly to individual physical and physiological characteristics by presenting 5 categorized health domains of physical strength, may be useful, especially because it can be practiced irrespective of time and place.

• 한국치위생학회지
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.753-762
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of changes in the oral environment of the elderly in long-term care facilities after the intake of Weissella cibaria. Methods: The test group ingested the W. cibaria strain Chonnam Medical University (CMU), and the control group ingested the control food. Of all randomized trial subjects, 62 were analyzed (32 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group). In this 8-week demographic study, we evaluated self-perceived halitosis, changes in halitosis, sensory test results, tongue plaque index scores, saliva buffering capacity, and the salivary flow rate. Results: The W. cibaria CMU intake in the elderly in long-term care facilities during the experimental period did not demonstrate statistically significant changes in the salivary flow rate. However, self-perceived halitosis, organoleptic test results, tongue plaque index scores, and salivary buffering capacity demonstrated statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups. These findings partially confirmed the beneficial effects of the W. cibaria CMU on the oral environment in the elderly. Conclusions: Research results on the role of probiotics in the oral cavity should be summarized, and utilization plans should be sought to obtain a clearer understanding of the clinical efficacy and related factors. The value of probiotic use may be high in improving the oral health of people by enabling treatment and prevention.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제5권5호
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• pp.443-449
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• 2001

Previously we reported that THI 52 inhibits tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression in mouse peritoneal macrophages exposed to LPS plus $IFN-{\gamma}.$ In the present study, the effects of THI 52 on vascular reactivity ex vivo, and iNOS protein expression (rat lung) were investigated in LPS-treated rats. Treatment of THI 52 concentration-dependently reduced not only serum nitrite production but also the expression of iNOS protein in rat lung tissues. Thoracic aorta taken from LPS injected rat for 8 h ex vivo resulted in suppression of vasoconstrictor effects to phenylephrine (PE), which was restored by THI 52 (20 mg/kg) 30 min prior to LPS. When measured iNOS activity, treatment of THI 52 concentration-dependently reduced the enzyme activity in RAW 264.7 cells activated with LPS plus $IFN-{\gamma}.$ Likewise, iNOS activity was significantly reduced in lung tissues taken those rats that were injected THI 52 prior to LPS injection compared with LPS injection alone. These results strongly suggest that THI 52 can suppress iNOS gene expression induced by LPS, and restore the vascular contractility to PE. Thus, THI 52, a new synthetic isoquinoline alkaloid, may be beneficial in inflammatory disorders where production of NO is excessed by iNOS expression.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제63권6호
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• pp.226-231
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• 2020

Background: Probiotics and prebiotics have strain-specific effects on the host. Synbiotics, a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, are proposed to have more beneficial effects on the host than either agent has alone. Purpose: We performed a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium together with oligosaccharides and lactoferrin on the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or sepsis in very low birth weight neonates. Methods: Neonates with a gestational age ≤32 weeks and birth weight ≤1,500 g were enrolled. The study group received a combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin, whereas the control group received 1 mL of distilled water as placebo starting with the first feed until discharge. The outcome measures were the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset cultureproven sepsis and NEC stage ≥2 or death. Results: Mean birth weight and gestational age of the study (n=104) and the control (n=104) groups were 1,197±235 g vs. 1,151±269 g and 29±1.9 vs. 28±2.2 weeks, respectively (P>0.05). Neither the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or death, nor the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset culture-proven sepsis differed between the study and control groups (5.8% vs. 5.9%, P=1; 26% vs. 21.2%, P=0.51). The only significant difference was the incidence of all stages of NEC (1.9% vs. 10.6%, P=0.019). Conclusion: The combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin did not reduce NEC severity, sepsis, or mortality.

• 한국식품영양학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.43-51
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• 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the health concern, eating habits, dietary behavior, and psychological stress among middle-aged adults in Chungnam according to their exercise status. A total of 437 adults with a mean age of 42.6 years participated in this study and completed a questionnaire survey. The subjects were divided into one of three groups according to their exercise status: never doing exercise (NDE; n=144), doing exercise once a week (DEO; n=186), and doing exercise twice a week or more (DET; n=107). Results demonstrated significant differences in concern about health, subjective health status, meal regularity, dietary problems, and stress score among the three groups. The DET and DEO groups were more concerned about their health (p<0.001), and had a perception that their health status was better than that of the NDE group (p<0.01). A larger percentage of the DET group had breakfast everyday (p<0.05) and a smaller percentage of the DET group had dietary problems such as irregular mealtime and skipping meals (p<0.01), compared to the other groups. The average stress score of the DET group was significantly lower than that of the DEO and NDE groups (p<0.05). The results reveal that doing regular exercising at least twice a week is associated with higher health concern, more desirable dietary habits, and lower psychological stress in middle-aged adults. These findings support the beneficial effects of regular exercise for health, dietary habits, and stress control.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.447-456
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• 2008

Limonene, pinene, and isoprene are abundant and ubiquitous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are found in various natural products and also produced from various manufacture processes. Limonene and pinene are major components of food additives and household products for enrichment of good flavors and elimination of malodors, and isoprene is a basal motif of monoterpenes such as limonene and pinene. They have shown many beneficial effects such as chemopreventive, chemotherapeutic, and antioxidant activities. Upon certain conditions, however, adverse effects of these compounds on human health have also been reported. Although they do not seem to have acute and severe toxicity to human, they can easily generate secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) when they react with oxygen and/or ozone, which have shown certain toxic effects on experimental animal models as well as on humans. Numerous household and scented products containing limonene, pinene, and isoprene are widely used in these days. However, biological consequences upon exposure to these products are largely unknown. The aim of this review is to summarize and analyze the current understanding on the biological effects of VOCs, in particular limonene, pinene, and isoprene, as well as their SOAs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제36권5호
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• pp.452-458
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• 2003

Soybean is a rich source of isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein. Soy isoflavones have both weak estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects and are structurally similar to tamoxifen, an agent that has an effect similar to that of estrogen in terms of reducing postmenopausal bone loss. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of differences in protein source (casein vs soy) and isoflavone levels (reduced vs higher levels) on selected bone markers and hormones in growing male rats. Thirty weanling Sprague-Dawley young rats were divided into 3 groups: The control group was fed a casein-based diet, the soy concentrate group was fed soy protein with totally reduced isoflavones content (isoflavones 0.07 mg/g protein), and the soy isolate group was fed soy protein with a higher than normal isoflavones content (isoflavones 3.4 mg/g protein). The degree of bone formation was estimated by measuring serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphoatase (ALP). By determining collagen cross-linkage by immunoassay and correcting with creatinine values, the bone resorption rate was compared. Serum osteocalcin, growth hormone, estrogen and calcitonin were analyzed using radio immunoassay kits. The bone formation marker and ALP activity were differentiated by protein source, showing higher values than casein in feeding either soy isolate or soy concentrate. In this study using growing rats, the differences in isoflavone contents were not a significant factor in either bone formation or bone reaborption markers. Moreover, the soy isolate group had significantly higher levels of growth hormone than the casein group. The findings of this study suggest that growth hormone is partially responsible for its bone-formation effects in young growing rats. Soy protein and the isoflavones in soy protein are beneficial for bone-formation in growing male rats. Therefore, exposure to soy protein and isoflavones early in life may have long-term health benefits in preventing bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Further study to evaluate the mechanism of action of isoflavones on bones is warranted. (Korean J Nutrition 36(5): 452∼458, 2003)

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.48-58
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of mirror therapy on motor function recovery following a stroke through a systemic review and meta-analysis. In total, nine of the 48 studies were identified from search engines between 1997 and 2011, as well as from a review of the reference lists of each identified study. The quality of each study was assessed using Jadad scale, and the effect size was calculated as a Cohen's effect size using MetaAnalyst (Beta 3.13). The overall effect size of the mirror therapy was 2.005 (95% confidence interval=1.041~2.970) in a random-effects model. This finding suggests that mirror therapy is beneficial for improving motor function following a stroke. The results from the subgroup analysis according to categorical variables were as follows: First, the effect size was larger for an onset time of less than 1 year (1.166) than for a duration of 1 year or more (.668). Second, the effect size of unpublished dissertations (1.610) was larger than published articles (1.221). Third, motor recovery of upper extremities (1.609) had a greater effect than motor recovery of lower extremities (.903). The major limitation of this study is the relatively small study population. Therefore, further individual studies of mirror therapy should be conducted in order to generalize the effects. In addition, mirror therapy supervised by a physical therapist should be recognized as a potential approach to manage motor function following a stroke and recommended to patients to improve their motor function.

• PNF and Movement
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.199-206
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a virtual upper extremity training program using the RAPAEL Smart Glove on upper extremity function in stroke survivors with chronic hemiparesis and to focus the training program development using the Smart Glove as a feasibility study. Methods: This study was conducted using a single group and pre-post test research design in the outpatient departments of local rehabilitation units. Ten chronic hemiparetic stroke survivors with a diagnosis of first stroke received therapeutic rehabilitation at the rehabilitation units. All the participants used a virtual reality program with the RAPAEL Smart Glove for 30 minutes per session 3 days a week over 8 weeks. They also received conventional occupational therapy with functional electrical stimulation for 40 minutes per session 3 days a week for 8 weeks as an additional therapy. To analyze the effects of this therapeutic intervention, four clinical measures, including the box-block test (BBT), the Wolf motor function test (WMFT), the trail-making score, the Jebsen Taylor hand function test (JTHFT), and grip strength, were used. Results: Upon completion of the intervention in week 8, all the participants demonstrated significant WMFT, JTT, BBT, grip strength, and trail-making score gains compared to the respective baselines at week 0. Conclusion: This study suggests that virtual upper extremity training using the RAPAEL Smart Glove has a reasonable and beneficial effects on upper extremity function in chronic hemiparetic stroke survivors.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.80-94
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have reported chocolate consumption has beneficial effects on blood pressure, obesity, and dyslipidemia, which are components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, evidence regarding these relationships in Asia is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate relations between chocolate consumption and MetS in Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Study subjects were 6,982 adults aged 19-64 years free of major chronic diseases that participated in the 2014-2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Information on chocolate consumption was obtained using food frequency questionnaires. For primary analysis, subjects were divided into two groups: non-consumer (n = 3,741, 53.6%); consumer (n = 3,241, 46.4%). In order to investigate dose-response effects on MetS, chocolate consumers were divided into quartiles based on amounts consumed: Q1 (n = 789, 24.3%); Q2 (n = 837, 25.8%); Q3 (n = 863, 26.6%); Q4 (n = 752, 23.2%) in second analysis. RESULTS: Chocolate consumers; 1) were more physically active(P < 0.0001); 2) less likely to smoke(P < 0.0001); 3) paid more attention to food nutrition labels (P < 0.0001), and 4) had healthier dietary patterns, that is, they consumed vegetables, fruits, and dairy products more frequently(P < 0.0001) than non-consumers. Furthermore, chocolate consumers had a 30% lower risk of MetS (odds ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.86; P = 0.0005). However, dose-response effects between chocolate intake and MetS was not found by secondary analysis after excluding non-consumers. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, chocolate consumers had healthier lifestyles and dietary patterns and a lower prevalence of MetS than non-consumers, as determined by our primary analysis. Although dose-response effects were not found to be significant among chocolate consumers during secondary analysis, the patterns were partially similar. This cross-sectional finding shows chocolate consumption does not increase the risk of MetS. The prospective studies and intervention trials in Korea are needed to confirm this cross-sectional finding.