Effect of Amount of Daily Water Intake and Use of Moisturizer on Skin Barrier Function in Healthy Female Participants.

Background: It is well known that adequate water intake and moisturizer application improves skin barrier function.

Objective: This study was conducted to analyze the effects of daily water intake and moisturizer application on skin barrier function and the degree of response to barrier recovery.

Methods: Participants with daily water intake more than 1 L were classified as high daily water intake group (H) and those with less than 1 L as low daily water intake group (L).

Two-dimensional planimetry for alopecia areata severity evaluation compared with severity of alopecia tool: A pilot study.

Background: Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) is widely used to assess the severity of alopecia areata (AA). However, physician-related subjectivity exists in SALT scoring (S1-5), especially with initial inspection in the clinical practice. This study investigated two-dimensional planimetric method to calculate actual surface area of AA, validating SALT scoring.

Evaluation of Sleep Disturbance in Alopecia Areata through Questionnaire: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as a Reasonable Tool.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is common non-scarring hair loss disease. Sleep distrubance has been regarded as a triggering or aggravating factor for AA. However, objective evaluation of sleep disturbance and its clinical effect on AA has not been clearly demonstrated.

Serum biomarker-based osteoporosis risk prediction and the systemic effects of Trifolium pratense ethanolic extract in a postmenopausal model.

Background: Recent years, a soaring number of marketed Trifolium pratense (red clover) extract products have denoted that a rising number of consumers are turning to natural alternatives to manage postmenopausal symptoms. T. pratense ethanolic extract (TPEE) showed immense potential for their uses in the treatment of menopause complications including osteoporosis and hormone dependent diseases.

Trifolium pratense ethanolic extract alters the gut microbiota composition and regulates serum lipid profile in the ovariectomized rats.

Background: Trifolium pratense (red clover) ethanolic extract (TPEE) has been used as a popular over-the-counter remedy for the management of menopausal symptoms. Prolonged consumption of herbal extract has been shown to regulate the composition of gut microbiota. This study was designed to elucidate the influence of TPEE on the gut microbiota composition in the ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Hot Water Extract of Barley Sprout through the Inhibition of Adipocyte Differentiation and Growth.

Barley sprouts are known to have several effective physiological activities. In this study, the anti-obesity effect of a barley sprout hot water extract (BSE) was confirmed. Saponarin was quantitatively analyzed in BSE using HPLC, and the inhibitory effect on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation into adipocytes was confirmed by Oil Red O staining, TG assay, and Western blotting.

Correction: The combination of Cassia obtusifolia L. and Foeniculum vulgare M. exhibits a laxative effect on loperamide-induced constipation of rats.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

The combination of Cassia obtusifolia L. and Foeniculum vulgare M. exhibits a laxative effect on loperamide-induced constipation of rats.

Chronic constipation is a functional gastrointestinal disease that is detrimental to the quality of patient life. Cassia obtusifolia L. (CO) and Foeniculum vulgare M.

Comparison of Grouping Schemes for Exposure to Total Dust in Cement Factories in Korea.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate grouping schemes for exposure to total dust in cement industry workers using non-repeated measurement data.

Methods: In total, 2370 total dust measurements taken from nine Portland cement factories in 1995-2009 were analyzed. Various grouping schemes were generated based on work process, job, factory, or average exposure.

Cancer mortality and incidence in cement industry workers in Korea.

Objectives: Cement contains hexavalent chromium, which is a human carcinogen. However, its effect on cancer seems inconclusive in epidemiologic studies. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to elucidate the association between dust exposure in the cement industry and cancer occurrence.

The role of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) activation in pneumococcal EstA protein-induced inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

In a previous study, we demonstrated pneumococcal EstA-induced inflammatory response through NF-κB and MAPK-dependent pathways. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) activation and associated signaling cascades may also be involved in EstA-induced inflammatory process in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Association between Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders and Psychosocial Factors at Work: A Review on the Job DCS Model's Perspective.

Over years it has been increasingly concerned with how upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs) are attributed to psychosocial job stressors. A review study was conducted to examine associations between UEMSDs and psychosocial work factors, and to recommend what to consider for the associations. For studies in which the job demand-control-support (DCS) model or its variables were specifically employed, published papers were selected and reviewed.

Immunomodulatory activities and subacute toxicity of a novel β-glucan from Paenibacillus polymyxa JB115 in rats.

Subacute toxicity and immunopharmacological activities of β-glucan from P. polymyxa JB115 was evaluated in a 28-day feeding study in rats. The white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hematocrit, hemoglobin, thrombocytes (THR) and thrombocytocrit were significantly higher in male fed with β-glucan than control rats and the insignificant lower eosinophil count, mean corpuscular volume, mean cell hemoglobin and uninfected THR (uTHR) levels were observed in male whereas no marked changes in female rats.