Development of a forest healing program for individuals with musculoskeletal disease risk and verification of its preventive effects.

Preventive treatment is crucial in averting the onset of musculoskeletal diseases, particularly among individuals in high-stress occupations. This study aimed to develop a forest healing program and a standardized survey index to gauge its efficacy in mitigating stress and preventing musculoskeletal disorders. Service-oriented workers who engage in repetitive tasks but are not traditional office workers at risk of musculoskeletal issues were recruited.

Efficacy of Poria Cocos Extract on Sleep Quality Enhancement: A Clinical Perspective with Implications for Functional Foods.

Background: Since the outbreak of the pandemic started, an increase in the number of sleep disorders, including insomnia and poor sleep quality, has been seen. The pattern will probably continue.

Methods: This study focuses on the preparation and clinical testing of extract in treating suboptimal sleep quality.

Application of Static Headspace GC-MS Method for Selective 1,4-Dioxane Detection in Food Additives.

Efficient detection methods must be developed for 1,4-dioxane due to its suspected status as a human carcinogen, which is highly mobile in food and environmental resources. In this regard, this experiment has been conducted to develop reliable and selective detection and measurement methods by using static headspace (SH) isolation, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A new method was developed for determining the spiked 1,4-dioxane contents in a polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG 600).

The Positive Effects of Extract on Quality of Sleep in Insomnia Rat Models.

Sleep disorders may have various causes and can incur mental and/or physical symptoms, and affect an individual's quality of life. In this study, we confirm that the extract (PCET) can improve sleep quality and structure by promoting inhibitory neurotransmission via the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A (GABA) receptors based on the mechanisms revealed in the experiment with superior cervical ganglion neurons. Pentobarbital-induced sleep tests were conducted in order to determine whether the PCET extract improves the sleep quality and structure in normal ICR mice.

Predictive value of the videofluoroscopic swallowing study for long-term mortality in patients with subacute stroke.

To investigate the usefulness of the videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) for subacute stroke in predicting long-term all-cause mortality, including not only simple parameters obtained from VFSS results, but also recommended dietary type as an integrated parameter.This was a retrospective study of patients with subacute (<1 month) stroke at a university hospital between February 2014 and September 2019. The independent risk factors were investigated using stepwise Cox regression analysis, which increased the all-cause mortality of patients with stroke among VFSS parameters.

Significantly Reduced Alanine Aminotransferase Level Increases All-Cause Mortality Rate in the Elderly after Ischemic Stroke.

(1) Background: A significantly reduced alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level is being recognized as a risk factor of increasing mortality in the elderly in relation to frailty. In the elderly, both frailty and ischemic stroke are not only common, but are also associated with mortality. The aim of this research was to investigate whether a significantly reduced ALT level increases the all-cause mortality rate in the elderly with ischemic stroke.

The Impact of Time-Restricted Diet on Sleep and Metabolism in Obese Volunteers.

A time-restricted diet is one of the various ways to improve metabolic condition and weight control. However, until now, there have been few pieces of evidence and research to verify the methods and effectiveness of time-restricted diets on metabolic improvement and health promoting. We designed this study to make a healthy diet program and to verify the effectiveness of a time-restricted diet on general health, including sleep and metabolism, in healthy volunteers.

Effect of Forest Therapy for Menopausal Women with Insomnia.

Female hormone changes during menopause can affect the autonomic nervous system, circadian rhythm, and secretion of cortisol/melatonin, resulting in a vulnerability to insomnia. In this light, therapy has been gaining attention as a way to reduce stress hormones by stabilizing the autonomic nervous system. Thus, this study aims to objectively and scientifically analyze the impact of forest therapy in postmenopausal insomnia patients.

An Exploratory Study on the Effects of Forest Therapy on Sleep Quality in Patients with Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers.

The improvement of sleep quality in patients with cancer has a positive therapeutic effect on them. However, there are no specific treatment guidelines for treating sleep disturbance in cancer patients. We investigated the effect of forest therapy on the quality of sleep in patients with cancer.

Unblinded, randomized multicenter trial comparing lamotrigine and valproate combination with controlled-release carbamazepine monotherapy as initial drug regimen in untreated epilepsy.

Purpose: To compare controlled-release carbamazepine monotherapy (CBZ-CR) with lamotrigine and valproate combination therapy (LTG + VPA) in equivalent total drug load, as initial drug regimen in untreated patients with partial and/or generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS).

Methods: This unblinded, randomized, 60-week superiority trial recruited patients having two or more unprovoked seizures with at least one seizure during previous three months. After randomization into CBZ-CR or LTG + VPA, patients entered into eight-week titration phase (TP), followed by 52-week maintenance phase (MP).

Efficacy and safety of stem cell therapies for patients with stroke: a systematic review and single arm meta-analysis.

Background And Objectives: Stem cell-based therapy is a potential new approach in the treatment of stroke. However, the efficacy and safety of these treatments are not yet fully understood. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of available single-arm studies using stem cell-based therapy in patients with stroke.

Nighttime blood pressure and white matter hyperintensities in patients with Parkinson disease.

Increasing evidence indicates that nocturnal blood pressure level and/or loss of nocturnal blood pressure dips are sensitive markers of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Several studies have suggested that blunted heart rate variability and nocturnal decline in heart rate are also associated with target organ damage. These phenomena occur relatively commonly in patients with Parkinson disease (PD); however, few studies have assessed the consequences of these abnormalities in patients with PD.

The effect of levetiracetam on status epilepticus-induced neuronal death in the rat hippocampus.

Purpose: Levetiracetam has been reported to be well tolerated and effective in status epilepticus (SE) refractory to benzodiazepine. Because of little preclinical or clinical data concerning the outcomes of LEV in SE-induced neuronal death and vasogenic edema, we investigated the effect of LEV on SE-induced injury in comparison to diazepam (DZP), and valproate (VPA).

Methods: Two hours after pilocarpine-induced SE, rats were given one of the following drugs; (1) DZP, (2) LEV, (3) VPA, (4) DZP+LEV, (5) DZP+VPA, and (6) DZP+oxiracetam.

Supra-additive neuroprotection by renexin, a mixed compound of ginkgo biloba extract and cilostazol, against apoptotic white matter changes in rat after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

Background And Purpose: White-matter (WM) lesions are known to potentiate cognitive impairment in poststroke patients. The present study was designed to assess whether Ginkgo biloba extract (GB) and cilostazol, which were evaluated alone and in a combination formula (Renexin), can attenuate the WM lesions and cognitive decline caused by chronic hypoperfusion in the rat.

Methods: ANIMALS WERE DIVIDED INTO FIVE TREATMENT GROUPS: cilostazol (25 mg/kg/day), GB (20 mg/kg/day), Renexin (25 mg/kg/day cilostazol + 20 mg/kg/day GB), vehicle, and sham.

Anorectal manometric dysfunctions in newly diagnosed, early-stage Parkinson's disease.

Background And Purpose: Anorectal dysmotility is common in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), but there have been few evaluations in newly diagnosed PD patients.

Methods: We conducted anorectal manometric evaluations in 19 newly diagnosed, drug-naïve, early-stage PD patients. All of the PD patients were questioned regarding the presence of anorectal symptoms.

Association of cognitive dysfunction with neurocirculatory abnormalities in early Parkinson disease.

Objective: Cognitive impairment and neurocirculatory abnormalities such as orthostatic hypotension (OH), supine hypertension (SH), and failure to decrease blood pressure at night (nondipping) occur relatively commonly in Parkinson disease (PD); however, whether cognitive dysfunction in early PD is related to neurocirculatory abnormalities has not been established. Cognitive dysfunction in PD is associated with white matter hyperintensities on MRI. We report results of an analysis of neuropsychological and hemodynamic parameters in patients with early PD.

Orthostatic hypotension, non-dipping and striatal dopamine in Parkinson disease.

Orthostatic hypotension and non-dipping are relatively common autonomic dysfunctions in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). These abnormalities have been thought to occur independently of striatal dopaminergic depletion; however, only little preliminary information is available. In this study, we investigated the association of neurocirculatory changes with striatal dopamine transporter status in 69 patients with early PD.

Combined use of ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy and dopamine transporter (DAT) positron emission tomography (PET) predicts prognosis in drug-induced Parkinsonism (DIP): a 2-year follow-up study.

DIP is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome; some patients develop persistent and worsening of parkinsonian symptoms after discontinuation of the offending drug, or Parkinson's disease (PD) reappears later after a full remission from DIP. However, it is difficult to predict the prognosis in patients with DIP. Herein, we evaluated whether the combined use of (18)F-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2 beta-carbon ethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane (FP-CIT) PET and cardiac MIBG scintigraphy can be used to help distinguish the prognosis in patients with DIP.

Changes in glucose metabolism and metabolites during the epileptogenic process in the lithium-pilocarpine model of epilepsy.

Purpose:   The metabolic and biochemical changes that occur during epileptogenesis remain to be determined. (18) F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H MRS) are noninvasive techniques that provide indirect information on ongoing pathologic changes. We, therefore, utilized these methods to assess changes in glucose metabolism and metabolites in the rat lithium-pilocarpine model of epilepsy as markers of epileptogenesis from baseline to chronic spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS).

Transcranial sonography (TCS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) in relation with putative premotor symptoms of PD.

Background: Hyperechogenicity of substantia nigra (SN+) is a common finding in transcranial ultrasound studies of parkinsonian patients. However, this feature is also found in 13-16% of ET patients. The possible links between ET and PD are of special interest, particularly with the familial aggregated data supporting this association.

Cognitive improvement after long-term electrical stimulation of bilateral anterior thalamic nucleus in refractory epilepsy patients.

Introduction: The cognitive and behavioral effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) administered to the deep cerebral nuclei for epilepsy treatment is unknown. We investigated the cognitive outcomes at least 12 months after DBS to the bilateral anterior thalamic nucleus (ATN) for controlling intractable epilepsy.

Methods: Nine patients with intractable epilepsy who were not candidates for resective surgery, but who were treated by bilateral ATN DBS underwent cognitive and behavioral assessments before implantation and more than 1 year after DBS surgery.

Low bone mineral density is associated with poor clinical outcome in acute ischemic stroke.

Background: Chronic low bone mineral density is associated with an increased risk of stroke. However, little is known about the influence of bone mineral density at the time of stroke on clinical outcome. We investigated the association between bone mineral density and functional disability at three-months in patients with acute ischemic stroke.