Beneficial role of Boehmeria nivea in health and phytochemical constituents.

The leaf and stem extracts of Boehmeria nivea (BN) collected from three different regions in Korea were screened for their antioxidant, neuroprotective, estrogenic, insulin secretion, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. We also examined whether BN extracts regulate cancer cell growth, inflammatory-related gene expression, and lipid accumulation in cellular system. Leaf extracts possessed greater antioxidant, anti-proliferative in cancer cells, neuroprotective, estrogenic activity, and inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory gene expression than stem extracts. Leaf and stem extracts inhibited lipid accumulation in three T3-L1 adipocytes but did not affect glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in INS-1 cells. We isolated and identified the phytochemical constituents in the n-butanol and ethyl acetate fractions of BN leaves by combining silica gel column chromatography with mass spectrometry and 1 H- and 13 C-NMR analysis. The active compounds (caffeic acid, isoquercitrin, p-coumaric acid, and rutin) exhibited ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity, which may contribute to the biological activities of BN leaf extract. An analytical method was developed to quantify marker compounds for the discrimination of BN collected from different regions. Our results support the use of this analysis method for accurate identification and quantification of marker compounds in BN for the development of functional foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Boehmeria nivea (BN) has been used as a raw material for the textile industry or traditional herbal medicine. The current study established the biological activities and active components of BN. Our results showed that BN leaf and stem extracts exhibit antioxidant, neuroprotective, and estrogenic activity. BN leaf extract also inhibited cancer cell growth, inflammatory mediators and cytokines production, and lipid accumulation in vitro. Moreover, the bioactive compounds, such as caffeic acid, isoquercitrin, p-coumaric acid, and rutin, exert ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Therefore, BN could potentially be a promising source of bioactive phytochemicals for the development of functional foods or drugs.

The Development of a Sleep Intervention for Firefighters: The FIT-IN (Firefighter's Therapy for Insomnia and Nightmares) Study.

Background: Firefighters are vulnerable to irregular sleep patterns and sleep disturbance due to work characteristics such as shift work and frequent dispatch. However, there are few studies investigating intervention targeting sleep for firefighters. This preliminary study aimed to develop and test a sleep intervention, namely FIT-IN (Firefighter's Therapy for Insomnia and Nightmares), which was based on existing evidence-based treatment tailored to firefighters in consideration of their occupational characteristics. Methods: This study implemented a single-group pre-post study design, utilizing an intervention developed based on brief behavior therapy for insomnia with imagery rehearsal therapy components. FIT-IN consisted of a total of three sessions (two face-to-face group sessions and one telephone session). Participants were recruited from Korean fire stations, and a total of 39 firefighters participated. Participants completed a sleep diary for two weeks, as well as the following questionnaires to assess their sleep and psychological factors: insomnia severity index (ISI), disturbing dream and nightmare severity index (DDNSI), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), depressive symptom inventory-suicidality subscale (DSI), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). These questionnaires were administered before the first session and at the end of the second session. Results: The FIT-IN program produced improvements in sleep indices. There was a significant increase in sleep efficiency (p < 0.01), and a decrease in sleep onset latency, number of awakenings, and time in bed (p < 0.05), as derived from weekly sleep diaries. In addition, significant decreases were shown for insomnia (p < 0.001) and nightmare severity (p < 0.01). Conclusion: There were significant improvements in sleep and other clinical indices (depression, PTSD scores) when comparing pre-and post-intervention scores. FIT-IN may be a feasible and practical option in alleviating sleep disturbance in this population. Further studies will be needed to ascertain FIT-IN's effectiveness.

Protective and inhibitory effects of acteoside from Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai against oxidative DNA damage.

Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai is a Korean endemic plant of the Oleaceae family that contains acteoside, a glycosylated caffeic acid, with neuroprotective, anti­inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Previous studies, involving Accelerated Chromatographic Isolation, a high­performance liquid chromatography­photodiode array detector and a liquid chromatograph­mass selective detector, isolated and identified acteoside in A. distichum (AAD) and documented its antioxidant and anti­inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to determine whether AAD could protect from DNA damage by reducing oxidative stress. AAD treatment protected plasmid DNA against damage to DNA double­strands induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased the levels of phosphorylated p53 and γ­H2AX in ROS­treated NIH 3T3 cells. These findings suggested that AAD could reduce ROS­mediated cellular damage and may represent an effective, natural antioxidant with the ability to protect genetic material.

Work-related musculoskeletal diseases and the workers' compensation.

The Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (IACIA) regulates the workers' compensation insurance system and the standards for the recognition of occupational diseases (ODs). Since its establishment in 1994, the IACIA has been amended several times. Before 2008, the approval of compensation for work-related musculoskeletal diseases (WMSDs) was decided based on the recommendation of consultants of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL). The IACIA was amended in 2008, and since then, the approval of compensation for occupational injuries has been decided based on the recommendation of COMWEL consultants, whereas the approval of compensation for ODs was decided based on the judgment of Committee on Occupational Diseases Judgment (CODJ) which was established in 2008. According to the 2013 amendment to the IACIA, degenerative musculoskeletal diseases among workers engaged in musculoskeletal-burdening work should be considered compensable ODs. Despite some commendable changes to the workers' compensation insurance system, other significant issues persist. To resolve these issues, related organizations including the associations of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and occupational and environmental medicine; Ministry of Employment and Labor; and COMWEL need to work cooperatively.