Gardeniae Fructus 50% EtOH extract (GE) is a traditional herb that has been used to treat a variety of diseases. In this study, we investigate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties of GE on acute reflux-induced esophagitis (RE) model in rats. 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays were performed to determine the antioxidant activity of GE. GE was given orally at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight 1h 30 min prior to RE induction. And its effect was assessed in comparison with RE control and normal groups. The administration of the extract of the GE showed remarkable protection of mucosal damage in esophageal tissue, and the histologic observation showed that the gastric lesion was improved. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the serum were diminished by GE treatment. The antioxidative biomarkers including nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were significantly increased. GE administration significantly reduced the inflammatory protein expression through MAPK-related signaling pathways and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. These results suggest that GE protects the esophagus mucosal membrane by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory response under reflux esophagitis condition through the antioxidant pathway. Therefore, it is suggested that GE may be a potential remedy for the treatment of reflux esophagitis.

PurposeMaternal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection induces neurodevelopmental disorders, such as cerebral palsy. Exercise activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway that enhances neurogenesis. Wnt ligands are also implicated in the hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is a downstream molecule of Akt, and GSK-3β is known to modulate hippocampal neurogenesis negatively.MethodsCerebral palsy was made by maternal LPS-injection. On the 5 weeks after birth, treadmill running was applied to the rat pups of the exercise groups, for 30 minutes, 5 times a week during 6 weeks.ResultsTreadmill running alleviated short-term memory impairments of the cerebral palsy rat pups. Hippocampal cell proliferation was increased and hippocampal apoptosis was suppressed by treadmill running in the cerebral palsy rat pups. Hippocampal phosphorylated-PI3K/PI3K ratio, phosphorylated-Akt/Akt ratio, and Wnt expression were enhanced by treadmill running in the cerebral palsy rat pups. In contrast, hippocampal phosphorylated-GSK-3β/GSK-3β ratio and β-catenin expression were suppressed by treadmill running in the cerebral palsy rat pups.ConclusionsThe results of this study showed that short-term memory improvement due to treadmill running in cerebral palsy occurs via activation of the PI3K-Akt-Wnt pathway.

Physical activity (PA) and the activity-related factors of aged women dwelling in a city community of Korea were examined for 253 participants aged over 75, regarding their socio-demographic characteristics, health status, physical performance, depression, cognitive function, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and PA. Descriptive statistics, analysis of covariance, Pearson correlation, and multiple regressions were performed to analyze cross-sectional data. The data indicated the participants carry out low-intensity physical activities, such as house chores, light gardening, and walking for pleasure. Moderate and vigorous-intensity physical activities were performed rare. The frequency per week was 15.62±8.60 for all listed activities. Frequency of PA decreased significantly in participants aged over 80, of poor perceived health, depression, and cognitive decline. There was a negative correlation between PA and the figure 8 walks (r=−0.20, P=0.002). PA showed significantly positive correlation with self-efficacy (r=0.34, P=0.001) and outcome expectations (r=0.36, P=0.001). In a regression analysis, explanation rate of factors influencing PA was 21.9 % (P=0.001). Outcome expectations (β=0.23), cognitive function (β= −0.20), and self-efficacy (β=0.19) influenced the PA. These findings indicate that interventions stimulating cognitive function and enhancing positive expectation and self-confidence should be included for PA promotion of older women aged 75 years and over.

Social isolation is known to induce emotional and behavioral changes in animals and humans. The effect of treadmill exercise on depression was investigated using social isolated rat pups. The rat pups in the social isolation groups were housed individually. The rat pups in the exercise groups were forced to run on treadmill for 30 min once a day from postnatal day 21 to postnatal day 34. In order to evaluate depression state of rat pups, forced swimming test was performed. Newly generated cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were determined by 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry. We examined the expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) in the dorsal raphe using immunofluorescence. The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) was detected by Western blot analysis. The present results demonstrated that social isolation increased resting time and decreased mobility time. Expression of 5-HT and TPH in the dorsal raphe and expression of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus were decreased by social isolation. The number of BrdU-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus was suppressed by social isolation. Treadmill exercise decreased resting time and increased mobility in the social isolated rat pups. Expression of 5-HT, TPH, BDNF, and TrkB was increased by treadmill exercise. The present results suggested that treadmill exercise may ameliorates social isolation-induced depression through increasing neuronal generation.

This study aimed to verify habitual smoking effects on cardiopulmonary function in taekwondo athletes. Subjects were university taekwondo athletes aged 20–24 years in nonsmoker (n= 9) and smoker (n= 6) groups. Subjects underwent an exercise examination for their ventilation threshold, minute ventilation, oxygen uptake, maximum volume of minute oxygen consumption, heart rate, and oxygen pulse during exercise and 1, 3, and 5 min after maximum exercise. The time of reaching the ventilation threshold was significantly higher in nonsmokers than in smokers. Heart rate during recovery after maximum exercise was significantly lower in nonsmokers for 1 and 3 min. Nonsmokers had significantly higher time for reaching the ventilation threshold and heart rate recovery at 1 and 3 min after exercise. The higher timing of accumulation fatigue in ventilation amount and faster recovery after exercise are useful in continuous exercise and improving athletic performance. Thus, athletes should stop smoking as soon as possible to improve their aerobic physical fitness and athletic performance.

This study was done to develop a strength based I-change smoking cessation program for middle school boys and identified its effects. The study design was a nonequivalent control group pre-post test design. The participants were 97 middle school students from D city, who were in school from April 6 to September 25, 2015. The experimental group participated in the strength based I-change smoking cessation program, while the comparative group participated in a general smoking cessation program. The control group did not participate in any program. Data analyses involved χ²-test, Fishers' exact test, Bonferroni test, and Repeated measures ANOVA, with the IBM SPSS for Windows (version 20.0) program. Compared to the comparison and control groups, the experimental group showed significant improvement in knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, behavior change. Also cotinine in urine and modeling of social influence in the experimental group significantly decreased after the strength based I-change smoking cessation program. These findings indicate that the strength based I-change smoking cessation program is an effective intervention for middle school boys who smoke. The findings suggest that such programs can be used at public health centers or through school health education to decrease smoking in adolescents.

Diabetes mellitus is considered as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility whether treadmill exercise ameliorates Alzheimer disease-associated memory loss in the diabetes mellitus. For this study, the effects of treadmill exercise on short-term memory and spatial learning ability in relation with Wnt signaling pathway were evaluated using the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Step-down avoidance task and 8-arm radial maze test were performed for the memory function. Immunohistochemistry for 5-bro-mo-2′-deoxyridine (BrdU) and doublecortin (DCX) and Western blot for Wnt3 and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) were conducted. The rats in the exercise groups were made to run on the treadmill for 30 min per one day, 5 times a week, during 12 weeks. In the present results, short-term memory and spatial learning ability were deteriorated by induction of diabetes. Treadmill exercise improved short-term memory and spatial learning ability in the diabetic rats. The numbers of BrdU-positive and DCX-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were decreased by induction of diabetes. Treadmill exercise increased these numbers in the diabetic rats. Wnt3 expression in the hippocampus was decreased and GSK-3β expression in the hippocampus was increased by induction of diabetes. Treadmill exercise increased Wnt3 expression and suppressed GSK-3β expression in the diabetic rats. The present study suggests that treadmill exercise alleviates Alzheimer disease-associated memory loss by increasing neurogenesis through activating Wnt signaling pathway in the diabetic rats.

The main purpose of this study was to explore how low-skilled worker’s learning activity influences skill improvement. Using a unique 2007 Human Capital Corporate Panel data-set from the South Korean manufacturing industry, we operationalize skill improvement over time among low-skilled workers. A worker is classified as ‘low skilled’ if he or she has a low education level and poor technical skills. Regression models show that low-skilled workers’ informal learning positively influences their skill improvement. In contrast, we note that supervisors negatively influence skill improvement of low-skilled workers when measuring the change in technical skill proficiency. Quality circle programmes also have a positive influence on skill improvement. In conclusion, skills can be improved through planned interventions that increase collaboration on the job. The results from this study help to highlight the importance of designing learning interventions for low-skilled workers that take account of their underlying education and skills.