Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Lespedeza cuneata in Coal fly ash-induced murine alveolar macrophage cells

Lespedeza cuneata (LC) is a perennial plant used in herbal medicine to treat numerous diseases, including prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes, early atherosclerosis, and hematuria. Reference collections of bioactive compounds of LC are crucial for the determination of their pharmacological properties. However, little is known regarding its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in alveolar macrophage (MH-S) cells. This study examined whether LC can inhibit reactive oxygen species and Coal fly ash (CFA) induced inflammation in MH-S cells. The anti-oxidative effects of LC were evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, anti-inflammatory effects were examined using nitric oxide (NO) assay, and cytotoxicity was analyzed using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The expression of inflammatory cytokine genes was assessed through a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Our results revealed that LC exhibited high radical scavenging activity and a dose-dependent (7.8–1,000 μg/mL) inhibition of oxidation as compared to ascorbic acid and Trolox. It also inhibited CFA-induced NO production in MH-S cells. Moreover, it suppressed the CFA exposure-mediated expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. These results suggest that LC is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that can be useful as a nutraceutical product.

Effect of Post-Activation Potentiation according to Sequence of Velocity Using Isokinetic Device on Short-Term Performance of Lower Extremity: Taekwondo Athletes and Healthy Adults

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to figure out how PAP (Post-Activation Potentiation) phenomenon affects short-term performance efficiently. @*Methods@#This study was conducted with 18 Taekwondo athletes and 16 healthy adults. By using isokinetic dynamometer, two different intervention, TDP (Top-down program) and BUP (Bottom-up program), were performed to measure isokinetic parameter; (peak torque:PT, total work: TW, average power: AP, and average torque: AT) of knee extensor for intragroup, intergroup comparison and two-way ANOVA. @*Results@#The Taekwondo athletes group showed statistically significant differences in all isokinetic parameters PT, TW, AP, and AT after TDP (p 0.05). PT and TW at TDP were statistically significant (p < 0.05) when the rate of change in TDP and BUP was compared and analyzed considering the difference in physical ability between the Taekwondo athlete group and the healthy adult group. However, AP and AT were not statistically significant. Finally, when examining the interaction between the two groups and two exercise sequence according to isokinetic parameters, only TW (p < 0.05) showed a statistically significant interaction, while PT (P = 0.099), AP (P = 0.103), and AT (P = 0.096) did not. This study suggests that short-term performance can be improved through the PAP phenomenon when TDP is applied to the Taekwondo group. @*Conclusion@#According to our result, for Taekwondo athletes, if the goal is to improve short-term performance just before the main game, we suggest a training program through TDP.

The Effect of Kinesio Taping on Pain, Muscle Strength and Balance Control Ability by Age Group: A Literature Review

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to objectively and systematically investigate the effect of Kinesio taping by organizing and analyzing the research results using effect size. @*Methods@#A total of 1,000 papers was searched, and 100 of them were selected the first time. Afterward, the effects of taping were analyzed and classified papers that studied balance, muscle strength, and pain, and finally 34 papers were selected. The effect size was calculated using the Effect Size Calculators (University of Colorado, USA) program. Statistical analysis was performed by using PASW Statistics software version 23.0 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics were used to obtain the effect size and confidence interval for each group. @*Results@#In a study related to balance control ability, the effect size was 1.519 in the young subjects group (20-39 years old), and the effect size in the elderly group (65 years or older) was 0.360. In a study related to muscle strength, the effect size was 0.469 in the group of young subjects and 0.250 in the middle-aged group (40-65 years old), and the effect size of the elderly group was 0.848. In the study related to pain control, the effect size was 0.469 in the young group, the effect size of the middle-aged group was 0.972, and the effect size of the elderly group was 1.040. @*Conclusion@#Kinesio taping differed in the degree of effect according to the age group of the subjects, but it was effective in balance control ability, muscle strength, and pain.

The Effect of Kinesio Taping on Pain, Muscle Strength and Balance Control Ability by Age Group: A Literature Review

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to objectively and systematically investigate the effect of Kinesio taping by organizing and analyzing the research results using effect size. @*Methods@#A total of 1,000 papers was searched, and 100 of them were selected the first time. Afterward, the effects of taping were analyzed and classified papers that studied balance, muscle strength, and pain, and finally 34 papers were selected. The effect size was calculated using the Effect Size Calculators (University of Colorado, USA) program. Statistical analysis was performed by using PASW Statistics software version 23.0 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics were used to obtain the effect size and confidence interval for each group. @*Results@#In a study related to balance control ability, the effect size was 1.519 in the young subjects group (20-39 years old), and the effect size in the elderly group (65 years or older) was 0.360. In a study related to muscle strength, the effect size was 0.469 in the group of young subjects and 0.250 in the middle-aged group (40-65 years old), and the effect size of the elderly group was 0.848. In the study related to pain control, the effect size was 0.469 in the young group, the effect size of the middle-aged group was 0.972, and the effect size of the elderly group was 1.040. @*Conclusion@#Kinesio taping differed in the degree of effect according to the age group of the subjects, but it was effective in balance control ability, muscle strength, and pain.

Immediately Effects of Static Stretching of the Ankle Plantar Flexor for 5 Minutes on Balance Control and Muscle Activity in Healthy Young Adults

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to confirm the effect of static stretching of the plantar flexor for 5 minutes on balance and ankle muscle activity when walking in young adults. @*Methods@#This study experimented on 20 healthy college students without vestibular and musculoskeletal diseases. Subjects performed static stretching intervention of plantar flexor for 5 minutes on a stretch board set at 15° to 25° Balance was measured four times before intervention (pre), after intervention (post), 5 minutes after intervention (post 5 min), 10 minutes after intervention (post 10 min), and ankle muscle activity was measured during walking. For the analysis and post hoc analysis, one-way Repeated Measure ANOVA and Fisher’s LSD (Last Significant Difference) was performed to find out the change in balance and the activity of ankle muscles before static stretching, pre, post, post 5 minutes rest, post 10 minutes rest. @*Results@#There was no significant difference in weight distribution index (WDI) in balance, but stability index (ST) showed a significant difference, and there was also a significant difference in correlation pre, post, post 5min rest, post 10 minutes rest (p 0.05). @*Conclusion@#The stability index (ST) increased significantly immediately after static stretching and decreased after 5 minutes. After static stretching, at least 5 minutes of rest are required to restore balance.

The Immediate Effects of Dynamic Stretching and Static Stretching Using a Wedge Board on the Balance Ability and Jump Function of Healthy Adult

Purpose@#This study aims to measure the improvement of balanced ability and rapid response of 30 healthy adults by performing dynamic stretching, static stretching, and sargent jump. @*Methods@#The sample 30 peoples without any musculoskeletal disease who volunteered to be the subject of the study. We measured all subjects on following metrics to evaluate the function and stability under the normal condition, with dynamic stretching (DS) group, static stretching (SS) group: vertical jump height and reaching distance Anterior, Posteromedial, Posterolateral and NO (Normal eye open), NC (Normal eye close), PO (Pillow with eye open), and PC (Pillow with close eye) were evaluated. All measures were analyzed using independent t-test and One-way repeated Anova. @*Results@#There was a significant increase in SJH (Sargent jump) in both groups (p 0.05). There was no significant improvement in ST (Stability Index) and WDI (Weight Distribution Index) in both groups (p > 0.05). @*Conclusion@#Both DS and SS showed significant improvement in SJH and Y-balance tests, which are dynamic functions, but had no significant effect on static balance ability.