The impact of religious-psychological factors on self-perceived sport performance among religious athletes in Malaysia.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which religious-psychological factors contribute to self-perceived sport performance among religious athletes. METHODS: The participants consisted of 612 athletes (310 males, 302 females) aged 12-70 years (mean age = 25.33; SD = 8.99) who were competing in sport competitions at the time, either individually or in a team, or both, and who had formally registered in local, regional, or national sport federations in Malaysia. They completed the Athletic Religious Faith Scale (ARFS) and a self-perceived sport performance questionnaire. RESULTS: The results showed that religious-psychological factors explain around 21% of the variance in self-perceived sport performance among religious athletes. Only three religious-psychological factors (i.e., religious coping, athletic identity, and religious dietary practices) contributed to the stimulation of self-perceived sport performance; in particular, religious coping was the most predictable factor, whereas the other factors (i.e., dependence on faith, flow, religious mental healing, and religious psychological effects) had no meaningful relationship with self-perceived sport performance. CONCLUSIONS: This finding suggests that sport psychologists, coaches, and other professionals should consider the importance of religious faith and help religious athletes practice positive religious coping (e.g., religious social support or religious meditation) to enhance athletes' well-being and athletic performance.

Profiling of the Major Phenolic Compounds and Their Biosynthesis Genes in Sophora flavescens Aiton.

Sophorae Radix (Sophora flavescens Aiton) has long been used in traditional medicine in East Asia due to the various biological activities of its secondary metabolites. Endogenous contents of phenolic compounds (phenolic acid, flavonol, and isoflavone) and the main bioactive compounds of Sophorae Radix were analyzed based on the qualitative HPLC analysis and evaluated in different organs and at different developmental stages. In total, 11 compounds were detected, and the composition of the roots and aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) was significantly different. trans-Cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid were observed only in the aerial parts. Large amounts of rutin and maackiain were detected in the roots. Four phenolic acid compounds (benzoic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and chlorogenic acid) and four flavonol compounds (kaempferol, catechin hydrate, epicatechin, and rutin) were higher in aerial parts than in roots. To identify putative genes involved in phenolic compounds biosynthesis, a total of 41 transcripts were investigated. Expression patterns of these selected genes, as well as the multiple isoforms for the genes, varied by organ and developmental stage, implying that they are involved in the biosynthesis of various phenolic compounds both spatially and temporally.

Hyaluronic acid-supported combination of water insoluble immunostimulatory compounds for anti-cancer immunotherapy.

A novel powder-form combination adjuvant system containing two immunostimulatory compounds was firstly developed and evaluated as a therapeutic intervention for cancer immunotherapy. With the help of hyaluronic acid (HA), water insoluble monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), QS21 and imiquimod (R837), could be easily dispersed in aqueous solution and lyophilized as powder-form, which have an advantage in room-temperature storage stability compared with those conventional liquid formulation that requires cold storage. Two kinds of HA-based combination vaccine adjuvants (HA/MPL/QS21, HMQ and HA/MPL/R837, HMR) contributed to the increase of both humoral and cellular immunity, which is very important for efficient cancer immunotherapy. Through the challenge experiments in EG7-OVA (mouse lymphoma-expressing OVA) tumor-bearing mice model, we found out that the immunostimulatory effects of HMQ and HMR were successful in the inhibition of tumor proliferation. Taken together, both HA-based powder-form combination adjuvant systems are expected to be used as potent prophylactic and therapeutic cancer vaccine.

Effects of a Single-Dose Interscalene Block on Pain and Stress Biomarkers in Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of a single-dose interscalene block and general anesthesia (SISB/GA) with the effects of GA only in the early postoperative period after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by evaluating subjective pain visual analog scale scores and objective pain-related stress biomarkers. METHODS: Patients refractory to conservative treatment of the affected shoulder were enrolled in this prospective, randomized endpoint study. Patients diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear (1-4 cm) based on magnetic resonance imaging were included. Exclusion criteria were small (<1 cm) and massive (>4 cm) rotator cuff tears. Thirty-one patients each were randomized into the SISB/GA and GA treatment groups. Preoperative pain scores were measured at 6:00 AM on the day of surgery, measured again at 1 and 6 hours postoperatively, and then every 6 hours until 3 days postoperatively. Blood sampling was performed to evaluate the stress biomarkers insulin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and fibrinogen preoperatively at 6:00 AM on the day of surgery and postoperatively at 18, 42, and 66 hours (6:00 AM on postoperative days 1-3). RESULTS: Pain scores were significantly decreased in the SISB/GA group (2.50 ± 0.94) versus the GA group (3.82 ± 1.31) on the day of surgery (P < .001), and especially at 6 hours postoperatively (SISB/GA: 2.42 ± 1.43; GA: 4.23 ± 2.17; P < .001). Insulin was decreased significantly in the SISB/GA group (10.55 ± 7.92 µU/mL) versus the GA group (20.39 ± 25.60 µU/mL) at 42 hours postoperatively (P = .048). There was no significant change in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate or fibrinogen over time (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: After arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, an SISB effectively relieved pain on the day of surgery without any complications. In addition, insulin levels were significantly reduced at 42 hours postoperatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, prospective randomized controlled trial.

Primo Vessel Stressed by Lipopolysaccharide in Rabbits.

For tracking the primo vascular system, we observed the primo vessels in vivo in situ using the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) response in the lymphatic vessels of a rabbit. Injection of LPS (200 µg/kg) into the lymph nodes resulted in greatly stained primo vessels, which were swollen in some cases. We were able to obtain comparative images through alcian blue and diaminobenzidine staining, which clearly showed different morphologies of the primo vessels. The mechanism causing the response of the primo vessels to the injected LPS is still unclear; however, these results might be a first attempt at giving an explanation of the function of the primo vascular system and identifying the changes in the structure and function of the primo vascular system in response to an external stimulus such as an injection of LPS.

Shape changes of the basal ganglia and thalamus in Alzheimer's disease: a three-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: A large number of Alzheimer's disease (AD) studies have focused on medial temporal and cortical atrophy, while changes in the basal ganglia or thalamus have received less attention. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of progressive topographical shape changes in the basal ganglia (caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus) and thalamus concurrent with AD disease progression over three years. This study also examined whether declines in volumes of the basal ganglia or thalamus might be responsible for cognitive decline in patients with AD. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with early stage AD and 14 normal control subjects were prospectively recruited for this study. All subjects were assessed with neuropsychological tests and MRI at baseline and Years 1 and 3. A longitudinal shape analysis of the basal ganglia and thalamus was performed by employing a boundary surface-based shape analysis method. RESULTS: AD patients exhibited specific regional atrophy in the right caudate nucleus and the bilateral putamen at baseline, and as the disease progressed, regional atrophic changes in the left caudate nucleus were found to conform to a distinct topography after controlling the total brain volume. Volumetric decline of the caudate nucleus and putamen correlated with cognitive decline in frontal function after controlling for age, gender, education, follow-up years, and total brain volume changes. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that shape changes of the basal ganglia occurred regardless of whole brain atrophy as AD progressed and were also responsible for cognitive decline that was observed from the frontal function tests.

Observation of a long primo vessel in a lymph vessel from the inguinal node of a rabbit.

Though primo vessels are frequently found in the lymph near the abdominal aorta of rabbit by Alcian blue dye, the reproductions are still difficult to require considerable skills and technical know-how at dissected tissue of animal species. However, in the inguinal lymph node of a rabbit we found a long-type primo vascular system (LTP) dyed with Alcian blue, from an abdominal lymph vessel to an inguinal lymph node. The length of LTP was over an average length of 9.1 cm. The average diameters of the primo and the lymph vessels were about 23.9 µ m and 242 µ m, respectively. The primo vessels were not floating but adhered to lymph vessels with fascial connective tissue. These primo vessels might be a functional integration in the lymph system.

Anti-proliferative effect of honokiol in oral squamous cancer through the regulation of specificity protein 1.

Honokiol (HK), a novel plant-derived natural product, is a physiologically activated compound with polyphenolic structure, and has been identified to function as an anticancer agent. It has been widely used in several diseases as a traditional medicine for a long time. We investigated whether HK could show anticancer effects on two oral squamous cell lines (OSCCs), HN-22 and HSC-4. We demonstrated that HK-treated cells showed dramatic reduction in cell growth and apoptotic cell morphologies. Intriguingly, the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was significantly inhibited by HK in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, we checked changes in cell cycle regulatory proteins and anti-apoptotic proteins at the molecular level, which are known as Sp1 target genes. The important key regulators in the cell cycle such as p27 and p21 were up-regulated by HK-mediated down-regulation of Sp1, whereas anti-apoptotic proteins including Mcl-1 and survivin were decreased, resulting in caspase-dependent apoptosis. Taken together, results from this study suggest that HK could modulate Sp1 transactivation and induce apoptotic cell death through the regulation of cell cycle and suppression of anti­apoptotic proteins. In addition, HK may be used in cancer prevention and therapies to improve the clinical outcome as an anticancer drug.

Changes in subcortical structures in early- versus late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) are reported to be different from those with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) in terms of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings. In this study, we aimed to compare the longitudinal volume changes of 6 subcortical structures (the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, putamen, globus pallidus, and caudate nucleus) between patients with EOAD and LOAD for 3 years. We prospectively recruited 36 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (14 EOAD, 22 LOAD) and 14 normal control subjects. We analyzed the volume of subcortical structures using an automatic surface-based method. At baseline, there were no differences in the volumes of subcortical structures between patients with EOAD and LOAD. However, over 3 years of longitudinal follow-up, patients with EOAD showed more rapid volumetric decline in the caudate, putamen, and thalamus than patients with LOAD, which is consistent with neuropsychological results. Our findings suggested that the cognitive reserve theory might be applicable to explain different decline rates of the volumes of the basal ganglia and thalamus according to onset age.

Isolation and morphological features of primo vessels in rabbit lymph vessels.

Until now, even though intensive research has been dedicated to the primo vascular system (PVS) during these years, no statistical data on primo vessels and primo vessels in lymph flow have been available. Recently, the general morphological features of primo vessels in lymph vessels around the abdominal aorta were identified from microdissections of tissues from New Zealand White rabbits, and with Alcian blue staining, primo vessels in lymphatic vessels could be definitely identified under a digital microscope. The micro-dissected specimens in situ reveal rod-shaped nuclei stained by Acridine orange. The blue-stained nuclei, which were distributed in a broken-lined stripe, formed a tube structure of about 20 µm in diameter. The distance between the nuclei of two cells on neighboring aligned stripes, which is also the diameter of the micro tube, was measured to be about 5∼10 µm. The average length of the primo vessels was 2.4 mm, with the longest being 5.6 mm. The average size of the primo vessel was 50 µm, and the average diameters of the primo and the lymph vessels were 26.0 µm and 258.5 µm, respectively. Occasionally, without the use of Alcian blue staining, milk-white transparent primo vessels were observed floating in lymph vessels. Thus, we suggest that the PVS might also have an important function connected with the lymph system. We also expect the traditional Korean meridian system to leave its invisible world during the last thousands of years and soon enter the visible scientific world.

Anti-inflammatory effects of methanol extract of Patrinia scabiosaefolia in mice with ulcerative colitis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Patrinia scabiosaefolia Fisch is used in folk medicines to treat intestinal abscesses, acute appendicitis, and dysentery in Asia. Although recent reports indicate that Patrinia scabiosaefolia has sedative and anti-tumor effects, its effects on ulcerative colitis have not been previously explored. AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine the effects and the mode of action of the methanol extract of the roots of Patrinia scabiosaefolia (PME) on a model of colitis in mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We induced colitis using DSS in 5-week-ICR mice over 7 days and estimated disease activity index (DAI), which took into account body weight, stool consistency, gross bleeding, and tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) accumulation. Colon lengths and spleen weights were measured. Histological changes were observed by H&E staining. Pro-inflammatory mediators, namely, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined using Griess assays, immunoassays, and by quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), respectively. RESULTS: PME significantly attenuated DSS-induced DAI scores and tissue MPO accumulation, which implied that it suppressed weight loss, diarrhea, gross bleeding, and the infiltrations of immune cells. PME administration also effectively and dose-dependently prevented shortening of colon length and enlargement of spleen size. Histological examinations indicated that PME suppressed edema, mucosal damage, and the loss of crypts induced by DSS. Furthermore, PME inhibited the abnormal secretions and mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that PME has an anti-inflammatory effect at colorectal sites that is due to the down-regulations of the productions and expressions of inflammatory mediators, and that it may have therapeutic value in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

[Analysis of risk factors for low bone mineral density in patients with inflammatory bowel disease].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Several clinical risk factors for low bone mineral density (BMD) in the patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been suggested. However, its prevalence and pathophysiology in Korean population have not been fully studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for low BMD in Korean IBD patient. METHODS: BMD of the lumbar spine and femur was evaluated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 30 patients with IBD. Biochemical parameters of bone metabolism, such as serum calcium, phosphorus, osteocalcin, and deoxypyridinoline were measured. The associations between low BMD and clinical parameters such as disease duration, disease activity, drug history, body mass index (BMI), and others were evaluated retrospectively using medical records. RESULTS: Low BMD at the lumbar spine or femur was observed in 63.3% of the patients, and there was no significant difference between the patients with Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. Clinical and biochemical parameters were irrelevant to BMD. In the patients without glucocorticoid treatment prior to BMD measurement, already 50.0% of patients had low BMD. CONCLUSIONS: Low BMD is a common feature in Korean IBD patients, even those who do not use glucocorticoid. The multiple factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of low BMD. Therefore, BMD should be examined in all IBD patients, irrespective of glucocorticoid treatment.

Psychological intervention programs for reduction of injury in ballet dancers.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two psychological interventions designed to reduce injury among dancers by enhancing coping skills. Participants were 35 ballet dancers. They were assigned to three conditions: control (n = 12), autogenic training (n = 12), and a broad-based coping skills condition, including autogenic training, imagery, and self-talk (n = 11). The 12-week interventions were designed on the basis of results from previous studies. For the 12 weeks following the intervention, participants were asked to practice their respective interventions three times a week. During the 24-week period (12 weeks training plus 12 weeks practice), training staff at the dance academies recorded injuries on a record sheet each day. Participants wrote injury records by themselves for another 24 weeks. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and univariate tests for each dependent variable showed that the broad-based coping skills condition enhanced coping skills, in particular, peaking under pressure, coping with adversity, having confidence and achievement motivation, and concentrating. Separate analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), one using preintervention injury frequency as the covariate and one using preintervention injury duration as the covariate, revealed that participants in the broad-based coping skills condition spent less time injured than participants in the control condition.