Foodservice Status and Perception regarding Foodservice Management in Kindergartens attached to Elementary Schools in Seoul / 대한지역사회영양학회지

Objectives@#This study examines the foodservice status of kindergartens attached to elementary schools in Seoul. We further determine the perception of elementary school principals and kindergarten assistant principals on the foodservice management for kindergartens. @*Methods@#This survey was conducted from July 17 to 23, 2019, enrolling 207 kindergartens attached to elementary schools in Seoul. Questionnaires were sent to principals of elementary schools and assistant principals of kindergartens, and the data obtained from 89 kindergartens were included in the analysis. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: general information on subjects, foodservice management status, foodservice management status during elementary school vacations, and the perception of principals of elementary schools and assistant principals of kindergartens on foodservice management. Data are presented as frequency and percentage or mean and standard deviation. Statistical comparison between principals of elementary schools and assistant principals of kindergartens was conducted by paired t-test, chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation analysis. @*Results@#A separate menu (10.1%) or recipe (20.2%) that considers preschooler characteristics was rarely used for foodservice at kindergartens attached to elementary schools. Most kindergartens did not have a separate dining space (3.4%) or a dedicated cook (93.3%). Although most kindergartens (92.1%) had operational foodservice during elementary school vacations, non-professional staff and non-nutrition teacher were mainly in charge of organizing the menu and purchasing ingredients (34.1% and 41.5%, respectively). The rate of using a contract catering company (28.0%, 23.2%) was also high. Both elementary school principals and assistant principals of kindergartens showed a high perception of the necessity for providing responsibility allowances for nutrition teachers and improving the cooking environment for kindergartens during elementary school vacations. @*Conclusions@#There is a need for policies and administrative support measures to improve the quality of foodservices for kindergartens attached to elementary schools.

Associations between Allergic Rhinitis and Frequency of Muscular Exercise and Sitting Time in Korean Adolescent from the 2016 Korean Youth's Risk Behavior Web-Based Study / 대한스포츠의학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the association between allergic rhinitis and frequency of muscular exercise and sitting time in Korean adolescents. METHODS: We performed logistic regression analysis to calculate allergic rhinitis odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) about frequency of muscular exercise and sitting time measured by questionnaires. RESULTS: Students participating in muscular exercise over 5 days a week had lower OR than students not participating in muscular exercise (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84–0.98), and the groups whose sitting time were 5 to 10 hours, 10 to 15 hours, over 15 hours had much higher OR than the group participating in sitting time less than 1 hour (5–10 hours: OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05–1.44; 10–15 hours: OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.15–1.55; ≥15 hours: OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.19–1.63). CONCLUSION: We found that allergic rhinitis of Korean adolescents was associated with frequency of muscular exercise and sitting time.

Xanthoangelol and 4-Hydroxyderricin Are the Major Active Principles of the Inhibitory Activities against Monoamine Oxidases on Angelica keiskei K

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) have been widely used as antidepressants. Recently, there has been renewed interest in MAO inhibitors. The activity-guided fractionation of extracts from Angelica keiskei Koidzumi (A. keiskei K.) led to the isolation of two prenylated chalcones, xanthoangelol and 4-hydroxyderricin and a flavonoid, cynaroside. These three isolated compounds are the major active ingredients of A. keiskei K. to inhibit the MAOs and DBH activities. Xanthoangelol is a nonselective MAO inhibitor, and a potent dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) inhibitor. IC50 values of xanthoangelol to MAO-A and MAO-B were calculated to be 43.4 microM, and 43.9 microM. These values were very similar to iproniazid, which is a nonselective MAO inhibitor used as a drug against depression. The IC50 values of iproniazid were 37 microM, and 42.5 microM in our parallel examination. Moreover, IC50 value of xanthoangelol to DBH was calculated 0.52 microM. 4-Hydroxyderricin is a potent selective MAO-B inhibitor and also mildly inhibits DBH activity. The IC50 value of 4-hydroxyderricin to MAO-B was calculated to be 3.43 microM and this value was higher than that of deprenyl (0.046 microM) used as a positive control for selective MAO-B inhibitor in our test. Cynaroside is a most potent DBH inhibitor. The IC50 value of cynaroside to DBH was calculated at 0.0410 microM. Results of this study suggest that the two prenylated chalcones, xanthoangelol and 4-hydroxyderricin isolated from A. keiskei K., are expected for potent candidates for development of combined antidepressant drug. A. keiskei K. will be an excellent new bio-functional food material that has the combined antidepressant effect.

Actual Status of Constipation and Life Factors Affecting Constipation by Diagnosis of Rome in Female University Students in Korea

This study investigated the actual status of constipation. In total, 978 female students in Korea participated. We identified the relationship among constipation and life style, clothing patterns, housing patterns, dietary habits, and dietary intake in a constipation symptom group and a normal group. The actual constipation rate based on the Rome II criteria was 27.0% (n = 264). Body weight (p < 0.05) and body mass index (p < 0.05) in the constipation group were significantly higher than those in the normal group. The incidence of functional bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome in the constipation group were significantly higher than those in the normal group. The discomfort of wearing underwear was significantly higher in the constipation group than that in the normal group. The constipation group revealed a significantly higher rate of irregular dietary habits than those in the normal group. The dietary diversity score of the normal group was 4.22 (p < 0.05), which was significantly higher than that of constipation group (4.12). No significant difference in life style factors was observed. It is necessary for university female students to correct their dietary habits, maintain food intake of three times per day, and select diverse foods. Furthermore, it is necessary for university female students to wear comfortable clothing to lessen symptoms and improve constipation rates.

Effects of Elsholtzia splendens and Cirsium japonicum on premenstrual syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome is a common chronic disorder in most women of reproductive age. The main symptoms are depression, anxiety, tension, feeling out of control, and mastalgia. In premenstrual syndrome, the effects of aromatic edible Elsholtzia splendens and Cirsium japonicum were investigated for over 3 months in 30 women participants in their twenties. In the Elsholtzia splendens capsule treated group, scores of depression and anxiety were significantly lower than those in the Cirsium japonicum capsule treated group. Moreover, instability of the premenstrual assessment form was significantly decreased in the Elsholtzia splendens capsule treated group. Our results suggest that Elsholtzia splendens could be an effective plant material in relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Korean consumers' perceptions of health/functional food claims according to the strength of scientific evidence

In this study, we investigated that consumers could differentiate between levels of claims and clarify how a visual aid influences consumer understanding of the different claim levels. We interviewed 2,000 consumers in 13 shopping malls on their perception of and confidence in different levels of health claims using seven point scales. The average confidence scores given by participants were 4.17 for the probable level and 4.07 for the possible level; the score for the probable level was significantly higher than that for the possible level (P < 0.05). Scores for confidence in claims after reading labels with and without a visual aid were 5.27 and 4.43, respectively; the score for labeling with a visual aid was significantly higher than for labeling without a visual aid (P < 0.01). Our results provide compelling evidence that providing health claims with qualifying language differentiating levels of scientific evidence can help consumers understand the strength of scientific evidence behind those claims. Moreover, when a visual aid was included, consumers perceived the scientific levels more clearly and had greater confidence in their meanings than when a visual aid was not included. Although this result suggests that consumers react differently to different claim levels, it is not yet clear whether consumers understand the variations in the degree of scientific support.

Anesthesia for Caffeine Augmentation in Electroconvulsive Therapy: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

The efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depression is dependent on the duration of seizure. Over a course of ECT, progressive reduction in the duration of the induced seizure is common. Caffeine pretreatment is reported to prolong seizure activity in patients experiencing inadequate seizure activity although maximal electrical stimulus for ECT is applied. The side effects of caffeine are anxiety, psychomotor agitation, prolonged seizures, enhanced hemodynamic changes and arrythmias. Caffeine is generally well tolerated by most patients, but it should be used with caution for those medically fragile patients, i.e., with preexisting cardiac disease. We describe here a case of anesthesia for ECT with caffeine augmentation. A 61-year-old man was diagnosed of major depression. Caffeine pretreatment with ECT was scheduled after antidepressants and 3 ECTs failed. Hypertension and tachyarrythmia were treated with esmolol.