EMG Activity of Masseter Muscles in the Elderly According to Rheological Properties of Solid Food

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of aging on masticatory muscle function according to changes in hardness of solid food. METHODS: Each of fifteen healthy elderly and young people were selected. Subjects were asked to consume cooked rice, which was processed using the guidelines of the Universal Design Foods concept for elderly people (Japan Care Food Conference 2012). The properties of each cooked rice were categorized as grade 1, 2, 3 and 4 (5×10³, 2×10⁴, 5×10⁴, and 5×10⁵ N/m²) respectively. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure masseter activity from food ingestion to swallowing of test foods. The raw data was normalized by the ratio of sEMG activity to maximal voluntary contraction and compared among subjects. The data was divided according to each sequence of mastication and then calculated within the parameters of EMG activities. RESULTS: Intraoral tongue pressure was significantly higher in the young than in the elderly (p<0.05). Maximal value of average amplitude of the sequence in whole mastication showed significant positive correlation with hardness of food in both young and elderly groups (p<0.05). In a comparisons between groups, the maximal value of average amplitude of the sequence in whole mastication and peak amplitude in whole mastication showed that mastication in the elderly requires a higher percentage of maximal muscle activity than in the young, even with soft foods (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: sEMG data of the masseter can provide valuable information to aid in the selection of foods according to hardness for the elderly. The results also support the necessity of specialized food preparation or products for the elderly.

Effect of Temperature on Embryonation of Ascaris suum Eggs in an Environmental Chamber

The influence of temperature on the development and embryonation of Ascaris suum eggs was studied using coarse sand medium in an environmental chamber with 50% humidity. The time required for development and embryonation of eggs was examined under 3 different temperature conditions, 5degrees C, 25degrees C, and 35degrees C. A. suum eggs did not develop over 1 month at the temperature of 5degrees C. However, other temperature conditions, 25degrees C and 35degrees C, induced egg development to the 8-cell-stage at days 5-6 after incubation. All eggs examined developed to the 8-cell stage at day 6 after incubation in the sand medium at 25degrees C. The higher temperature, 35degrees C, slightly accelerated the A. suum egg development compared to 25degrees C, and the development to the 8-cell stage occurred within day 5 after incubation. The formation of larvae in A. suum eggs at temperatures of 35degrees C and 25degrees C appeared at days 17 and 19 after incubation, respectively. These findings show that 35degrees C condition shortens the time for the development of A. suum eggs to the 8-cell-stage in comparison to 25degrees C, and suggest the possibility of accelerated transmission of this parasite, resulting from global warming and ecosystem changes.

Evaluation of Foodservice Managers' Perception on Safety Management in Childcare Centers and Kindergartens / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of foodservice managers in childcare centers and kindergartens for identifying the vulnerable areas of safety management. The foodservice managers in 1,144 of nationwide childcare centers and kindergartens were surveyed from May to October 2007 to answer a total 72 questions in areas of general characteristics, actual practice of foodservice management and safety management perception. Meals were served in 97.7% of surveyed facilities and 91.0% among them were self-operated. The hiring rate (27.8%) of dietitians in childcare centers was significantly lower than the rate (82.0%) of kindergartens. The needs of dietitian employment between childcare centers and kindergartens differed as 44.9% and 87.5%, respectively. In knowledge on food-borne illnesses, they have the wrong information in the field of season for frequent outbreak, major pathogens and foods causing food-borne illnesses. The food-borne illnesses (36.2%) were indicated as the major problem in foodservice facilities and the degree of risk exposure was considered as safe (70.1%). More than 70% of both facilities answered as sanitary in the status of personal hygiene. Only 38.0% recognized the Facility and Equipment Standard in the Childcare Law and Early Childhood Education Law. In preparation of meals and management of cooking processes, kindergarten scored significantly high compared to childcare centers (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) while the necessity of standards was not different in both facilities. Among managers surveyed, 28.8% had taken food safety education from professional institutions and more than 80% in both facilities indicated the need of professional educations. These results suggest that it is necessary for the systematic sanitary education of foodservice managers by developing the sanitary management standard as well as the amendment of laws related foodservice in childcare centers and kindergartens.

Assessment of Food Safety Management Performance for School Food Service in the Seoul Area / 대한지역사회영양학회지

Effective and systematic sanitation management programs are necessary to prevent foodborne disease outbreaks in school foodservice operations. The purpose of this study was to identify the elements to improve in order to ensure the safety of school food service by evaluating sanitation management practices implemented under HACCP-based programs. The survey was designed to assess the level of hygiene practices of school food service by using an inspection checklist of food hygiene and safety. Fifty-four school foodservice establishments considered as poor sanitation practice groups from two year inspections by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education were surveyed from September to December in 2005. Inspection checklists consisted of seven categories with 50 checkpoints; facilities and equipment management, personal hygiene, ingredient control, process control, environmental sanitation management, HACCP system and safety management. Surveyed schools scored 68.0+/-12.42 points out of 100 on average. The average score (% of compliance) of each field was 10.7/20 (53.3%) for facilities and equipment management, 7.4/11 (67.2%) for personal hygiene, 7.4/11 (74.1%) for ingredient control, 22.4/32 (69.8%) for process control, 8.9/12 (73.8%) for environmental sanitation management, 4.2/7 (59.7%) for HACCP systems management, and 7.2/8 (89.7%) for safety management, respectively. The field to be improved first was the sanitation control of facilities and equipment. The elements to improve this category were unprofessional consultation for kitchen layout, improper compartment of the kitchen area, lacks of pest control, inadequate water supply, poor ventilation system, and insufficient hand-washing facilities. To elevate the overall performance level of sanitation management, prerequisite programs prior to HACCP plan implementation should be stressed on the school officials, specifically principals, for the integration of the system.

Evaluation of the Perceived Performance on Sanitary Management of Cooked Foods in Foodbanks / 대한지역사회영양학회지

A survey was implemented to suggest basic data for assuring the safety of cooked foods in foodbank operations. A questionnaire consisted of total 48 items including general characteristics, basic inputs and perceived importance/performance of sanitary management. One hundred twenty-eight responses among the 267 nationwide foodbanks were used for the statistical analysis. About forty-one percent of foodbanks was operated a period of 1-3 years and 43.0% of them were managed by social welfare organizations. The number of staff was only 0.5 person per operation with the whole responsibility and 1.0 with additional work, and thus most of the work was managed by volunteers. Job satisfaction was shown to be moderate and was affected by specialty and salary mostly. The facilities and equipment in foodbanks were not enough to operate and freezers/refrigerators were the top priority to supplement. Most of the respondents attended a nationwide level sanitary education program (79.7%), but complained not enough frequency of education (90%). The sanitary status of the donated foods was considered as satisfactory but some safety practices had to be improved, including personnel expenses and operating costs in the district level, a sanitary awareness of the donors and a general management of the facilities and equipment. An assessment on sanitary management resulted in an overall average of 4.45 out of 5 points in importance and 3.85 in performance showing the high level of sanitation perception in foodbank managers. From the IPA analysis, the fields found to be improved were sanitation management during cooking and temperature control as well as cleanliness and sanitation of both transport vehicle and refrigerator/freezer. To secure the food safety in foodbanks, consequently, personnel support, supplement of facilities and equipment, intense sanitation education and development of sanitation management program is needed.

The Effect of the Postoperative Weight Reduction on the Quality of the Life in the Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Obesity / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The incidence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) among obese patients is about three times higher than that of non-obese patients. Obesity is the most significant risk factor of OSAS. But in the treatment of OSAS, we tended to neglect treating obesity till now. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of weight loss after surgery on the quality of the life in OSAS patients with obesity. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Twenty OSAS patients with obesity (body mass index >25) completed the preoperative SF-36v2TM questionnaire. All patients were treated by LAUP or UPPP. Ten of them (experimental group) were induced to lose weight by 10 mg of sibutramine for 3 months whereas nothing was done in the others (control group). And then all patients completed the same questionnaire again. The changes of the SF-36v2TM scores have been assessed. RESULTS: In the experimental group, the mean BMI decreased from 30.2 to 28.4 (p<0.05), the mean physical component sum-mary of SF-36v2TM scores was increased from 50.2 to 54.6 (p<0.05) and mean mental component summary was also increased from 45.8 to 49.6 (p0.05). But in the control group, only mean mental component summary was statistically increased from 49.1 to 50.8. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the trial of postoperative weight loss may improve the quality of life in OSAS patients with obesity. So we must consider the positive trial of weight loss as well as the surgeries in the treatment of OSAS patients with obesity.

Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) as an Evaluator of Perennial Allergic Rhinitis Patients-The First Report- / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The symptom score index (SSI) has not been able to express fully the states of the perennial allergic rhinitis patients. So, other tools were deemed necessary to not only evaluate the degree of severity but also to evaluate the efficacy of the newly developed drugs on perennial allergic rhinitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of perennial allergic rhinitis on the quality of life of patients and to verify the correlation between the nasal symptoms and other factors influencing the patients' complaints on allergic rhinitis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: One hundred and three allergic rhinitis patients who do not have nasal septal deviation, chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps were subjected to study. The patients answered the quality of life questionnaire on the scale of one to five. We calculated the frequency, importance and correlation coefficient of each nasal symptom item and the other question items. We also carried out a x(2)-test for the test group and the control group. RESULTS: In addition to nasal symptoms, patients experienced impairment of the quality of life due to generalized symptoms of allergic rhinitis and practical problems. On the questionnare, generalized symptoms, practical problems, emotional problems, activity limitations and ocular symptoms were frequently checked complaint items, but sleep disorder was not. The relationship between the quality of life of patients with nasal symptoms was statistically significant, but sleep disorder was not. CONCLUSIONS: This questionnaire was effective as an evaluator of impairment of quality of life in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

Localized Wegener's Granulomatosis in Maxillary Sinus / 대한이비인후과학회지

Wegener's granulomatosis was first described by Wegener in 1936 as a vasculitis and necrotizing granuloma of the upper or lower respiratory tract. It is largely classified into a generalized necrotizing granuloma and a focal necrotizing granuloma. As a localized form of the disease, the respiratory tract is known to be involved frequently; however, the paranasal sinus is a less frequent site of involvement than other organs. In Korea, there has been no reports of Wegener's granulomatosis in the last ten years, and reports of localized form is extremely rare. We are reporting here a case of Wegener's granulomatosis in the maxillary sinus with literature review.