Efficacy of risedronate with cholecalciferol on bone mineral density in Korean patients with osteoporosis.

The efficacy of once-weekly risedronate with and without cholecalciferol in bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean patients with osteoporosis was compared. After 12 months, both spine and hip BMD increased significantly in both groups, but there was no significant difference between two groups. INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of once-weekly risedronate with and without cholecalciferol in BMD in Korean patients with osteoporosis. METHODS: This was a prospective, 12-month, randomized, open-labeled, actively controlled trial involving 41 hospitals. A total of 841 subjects with osteoporosis were randomized to once-weekly risedronate (35 mg) and cholecalciferol (5600 IU) in a single pill (RSD+, n = 642) or once-weekly risedronate (35 mg) alone (RSD, n = 199). BMD was measured via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine and hip, and the serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH) D), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assayed at baseline and after 12 months of treatment. RESULTS: After 12 months, the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip BMD increased significantly in both groups; there was no significant difference between two groups. Women in the RSD+ group exhibited significantly increased lumbar spine BMD, and subjects with previous fracture history in the RSD+ group had significantly increased total hip BMD compared with the RSD group. The serum 25(OH) D level increased significantly in the RSD+ group. The serum PTH level decreased in the RSD+ group but increased in the RSD group. The serum ALP level significantly decreased in both groups; there was no significant difference between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A once-weekly pill containing risedronate and cholecalciferol had the equivalent antiresorptive efficacy on BMD compared with risedronate alone and improved 25(OH) D serum levels after 12 months of treatment without significant adverse events in Korean patients with osteoporosis.

Effects of low-dose light-emitting-diode therapy in combination with water bath for atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice.

BACKGROUND: Light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy and water bath therapy have beneficial effect on atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin disease. However, not all current treatments work well and alternative therapies are need. The contribution of combination therapy with low-dose 850 nm LED and water bath was investigated on dermatophagoides farina (Df)-induced dermatitis in NC/Nga mice. METHODS: Low-dose LED (10, 15, and 20 J/cm(2) ) irradiation, water bath (36 ± 1°C) were administered separately and together to the Df-induced NC/Nga mice in acrylic jar once a day for 2 weeks. RESULTS: Combined therapy with low-dose LED therapy and water bath therapy significantly ameliorated the development of AD-like skin lesions. These effects were correlated with the suppression of total IgE, NO, histamine, and Th2-mediated immune responses. Furthermore, combination therapy significantly reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the induction of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the skin lesions. The beneficial therapeutic effects of this combination therapy might regulate by the inhibition of various immunological responses including Th2-mediated immune responses, inflammatory mediators such as IgE, histamine, and NO, as well as inflammatory cells. CONCLUSIONS: The combination therapy of LED and water bath might be used as an efficacious, safe, and steroid-free alternative therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AD.

Simple technique for evaluating dimensional and compositional changes in selective-area-grown MQW laser diode.

We report on a novel combination of measurement techniques for evaluating dimensional and compositional changes of selective-area-grown multiple-quantum-well laser diodes (SAG MQW LDs). This technique is based on C-V and I-V measurements of the fully fabricated LDs. Using this technique, the changes in the capacitance and voltage correspond to the layer thickness and bandgap energy. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique, we first fabricated an LD array containing ten different SAG MQW structures, and examined the effects of the dimensional and compositional changes on the wavelength shift both theoretically and experimentally. From our examination, we found that a wavelength shift of 83 nm is obtained for an SAG mask pattern with an opening width of 100 µm, and that a cross point between both dimensional and compositional changes exists for this mask pattern. As the following step, the fabricated LD array was tested using the proposed technique, and the growth rate enhancement and bandgap energy were extracted from the measured C-V and I-V results. The extracted data for each array channel were compared with the simulation results, which were well-fitted from the photo-luminescence (PL) measurements. They both show good agreement with the simulation results.

Effect of Zen Meditation on serum nitric oxide activity and lipid peroxidation.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of Zen Meditation on serum nitric oxide activity (NO) and oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation). The experimental group included 20 subjects who had practiced the Zen Meditation program in Meditation Center located in Seoul, South Korea. The control group included 20 subjects who did not practice any formal stress management technique and were age and sex matched with experimental group. To provide an assessment of nitric oxide production, the serum level of nitrate/nitrite was determined using the Griess reagent. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was measured as a convenient index of lipid peroxidation by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. Meditation group showed a significant higher level of serum nitrate+nitrite concentration and a significant reduced level of serum malondialdehyde (MDA) than control group. A comprehensive randomized controlled trial should be performed to prove the causal relationship between meditation and level of nitric oxide or oxidative stress in reducing cardiovascular risk factors.