RESUMEN
This study aimed to investigate the influence of Astragalus membranaceus (AM), Adenophora triphylla (AT), and Ulmus pumila (UP) extracts on the quality traits, palatability, and storage stability of sous-vide (SV) cooked chicken breasts. Chicken breasts were marinated in AM, AT, or UP extracts for 1 h, and then consistently cooked at a constant temperature of 60°C for 2 h. SV cooked chicken breasts with the UP extract exhibited lower lightness and higher yellowness values on the surface region compared to those with the AM and AT extracts (p<0.05). The control and UP groups displayed a similar overall visual acceptability (p>0.05), although the UP group had lower color acceptability (p<0.01). The UP group also had higher flavor and lower off-flavor intensities compared to the control group (p<0.05), although similar scores were observed in tenderness attributes and juiciness among the groups (p>0.05). Owing to these results regarding overall sensory acceptability, samples from the UP group were more preferred by the trained panelists compared to samples from the control group (p<0.001). On 14 d of cold storage, all the groups with herbal medicinal extracts exhibited a lower concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances than the control group (p<0.05), and the AT and UP groups showed lower values compared to the AM group due to their higher flavonoid contents (p<0.001). Therefore, meat marination with herbal plant extracts before SV cooking can be effective for enhancing the overall quality of SV cooked chicken breast.
RESUMEN
A prospective observational study was conducted in 524 lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LDH) inpatients to report the long-term effects of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment. Participants received integrative CAM treatment during hospitalization, from June 2012 to May 2013, and long-term outcomes were assessed from July to August 2016. Numerical rating scales (NRSs) of back and leg pain, the Oswestry disability index (ODI), satisfaction, surgery, recurrence, and current care status were investigated. Baseline characteristics were analyzed to determine factors that predicted long-term satisfaction. A total of 367 patients were available for follow-up. The long-term change in NRS of back and leg pain and ODI was 3.53 (95% CI, 3.22, 3.83), 2.72 (2.34, 3.11), and 32.89 (30.21, 35.57), respectively, showing that improvements were well sustained. Regarding satisfaction, 86.11% responded that they were "slightly improved" or better. Range of lumbar flexion ≤ 60° and both legs' pain at admission were significant predictors of "much improved" or better satisfaction in the long term. Overall, LDH patients who received CAM treatment maintained favorable states in the long term. However, as an uncontrolled observational study, further studies with placebo and/or active controls are warranted. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02257723 (date of registration: October 2, 2014).