Effects of Mustard Seed Extract on Physicochemical and Storage Characteristics of Dry-aged Pork Loin Ham.

This study investigated the effects of mustard seed extracts on physicochemical and storage characteristics of dry-aged pork loin ham during the aging period. In experiment 1, antioxidant activity was assessed for mustard seed extracted with varying ethanol concentrations and the results showed high antioxidant activity at 25%, 50%, and 75% ethanol concentrations. In experiment 2, pork loin was treated with mustard seed extracts obtained using different ethanol concentrations: not treated (control), 25% (MS25), 50% (MS50), and 75% (MS75). Physicochemical and storage characteristics of pork loin ham were measured in wk 0, 2, 4, and 6. The pH, aw, CIE b*, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and volatile basic nitrogen values were lower in treated samples compared to the control (p<0.05). In conclusion, applying mustard seed extracts, particularly MS75, in the dry-aged pork loin ham production process could enhance storage stability and improve color attributes without having negative impacts on product quality.

Impact of premature natural menopause on body composition and physical function in elderly women: A Korean frailty and aging cohort study.

ABSTRACT: Induced premature menopause accelerates the rate of body composition changes (decrease in skeletal muscle mass and increase in fat mass) and deteriorating physical function. However, few studies have focused on the impact of premature natural menopause. This study aimed to investigate the impact of age at natural menopause (ANM) on body composition and physical function in elderly women.Using data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study, 765 community-dwelling elderly women aged 70 to 85 years who experienced natural menopause were recruited in this study. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical function was evaluated by grip strength, the timed up and go test (TUG), and the short physical performance battery (SPPB). Participants were categorized into 4 groups according to their ANM: <40 (premature natural menopause, PNM), 40 to 44 (early natural menopause, ENM), 45 to 54 (normal menopause, NM), and ≥55 (late menopause, LM) years.There were no significant differences in the body composition parameters, such as the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (PNM: 5.90 ±â€Š0.90 vs ENM: 5.91 ±â€Š0.70 vs NM: 5.85 ±â€Š0.73 vs LM: 5.90 ±â€Š0.75, kg/m2, P = .75) and trunk fat mass index (PNM: 19.4 ±â€Š3.9 vs ENM: 19.9 ±â€Š4.4 vs NM: 19.9 ±â€Š3.9 vs LM: 20.0 ±â€Š3.8, %, P = .87) between the groups. In the physical function evaluation, there was no significant difference between the groups in grip strength (PNM: 19.8 ±â€Š0.6 vs ENM: 20.3 ±â€Š0.4 vs NM: 20.6 ±â€Š0.2 vs LM: 20.6 ±â€Š0.4, kg, P = .53). However, in the TUG (PNM: 11.8 ±â€Š0.4 vs ENM: 10.3 ±â€Š0.3 vs NM: 10.6 ±â€Š0.1 vs LM: 10.2 ±â€Š0.3, seconds, P < .01) and SPPB (PNM: 10.0 ±â€Š0.2 vs ENM: 10.5 ±â€Š0.2 vs NM: 10.6 ±â€Š0.1 vs LM: 10.8 ±â€Š0.2, points, P < .05), the PNM group showed significantly lower values than the other groups did. There was no difference in physical function between the groups except the PNM.Premature natural menopause did not affect the body composition in elderly women but was associated with physical function deterioration. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the prevention of the physical function deterioration caused by premature natural menopause in elderly women.

Factors Affecting Compliance With Weight-Bearing Restriction and the Amount of Weight-Bearing in the Elderly With Femur or Pelvic Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors affecting the amount of weight-bearing during gait training in the elderly patients who underwent internal fixation after femur or pelvic fractures and how well they performed the weight-bearing restriction as directed by the physiatrist. METHODS: In this retrospective chart review study, we measured the amount of weight-bearing on the affected side in 50 patients undergoing internal fixation surgery and rehabilitation after femur or pelvic fracture using a force plate. Patients receiving non-weight-bearing or partial weight-bearing education were considered to perform weight-bearing restriction well when the amount of weight-bearing was <50 lb. Furthermore, regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of postoperative complications, age, cognitive function, and pain on weightbearing restriction. RESULTS: Variables affecting the amount of weight-bearing were age (r=0.581, p<0.001), weight-bearing education type (r=0.671, p<0.001), manual muscle strength of hip flexion on the non-affected side (r=-0.296, p=0.037), hip abduction (r=-0.326, p=0.021), knee extension (r=-0.374, p=0.007), ankle plantar flexion (r=-0.374, p=0.008), right hand grip strength (r=-0.535, p<0.001), Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (r=-0.496, p<0.001), Clinical Dementia Rating (r=0.308, p=0.03), and pain visual analog scale scores (r=0.318, p=0.024). The significant predictor of the amount of weight-bearing among these variables was age (ß=0.448, p=0.001). The weight-bearing restriction adherence rate was significantly lower, at 22%, for patients aged ≥65 years as compared to 73% for those <65 years. CONCLUSION: Age was a major variable affecting the amount of weight-bearing. Compliance with weight-bearing restriction was significantly lower in patients aged ≥65 years than in patients <65 years.

Improvement of PEDOT:PSS linearity via controlled addition process.

Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), which is a conductive polymer, has gained immense attention as a next-generation transparent electrode. However, in order to realize its practical application, it is imperative that its optical and electrical properties should be improved. Generally, acid dopants are added to improve optical and electrical properties. In this study, however, we replaced the batch process used for manufacturing PEDOT:PSS with a controlled addition process to improve its optical and electrical properties efficiently without additional additives and processes. In this process, the rate of polymerization and the structure of the product could be regulated by controlling the amount of monomer and catalyst. Moreover, we investigated the efficiency of the controlled addition process both theoretically and experimentally. The proposed approach was used to increase the linearity of PEDOT and the proportion of PEDOT attached to the PSS chain to improve transmittance by 6.2% (73 to 79.2% at 100 ohm) and conductivity by 39.68% (446 to 623 S cm-1). It was determined that the properties of PEDOT:PSS could be improved using the proposed method during the polymerization process.

Formation of a conductive overcoating layer based on hybrid composites to improve the stability of flexible transparent conductive films.

A protective layer that can be applied on a flat flexible transparent conductive film was prepared by combining silica sol and organic polymer. (3-Glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) was used as a precursor for the silica sol, which hydrolyzed under moisture to form silanol groups and self-condensed to form a sol under acidic conditions. Therefore, the organic polymer used was poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSSA), which is acidic and water-soluble; thus, the silica precursor can form a sol and can cause chemical condensation with the silica sol under thermal conditions. However, as this protective layer was insulating, there was difficulty in conducting electricity to the lower portion through the upper contact. Therefore, a small amount of conductive polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), was added to the protective layer to make the overcoating layer itself conductive, thereby enabling electrical conduction to the underlying conductive film. The network structure of the overcoating layer surface could block oxygen and moisture, thus improving chemical stability. Therefore, under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions for 500 h, the sheet resistance increased by 145% before overcoating but increased by 33% after the overcoating layer was formed with appropriate thickness. In addition, the bonding strength of the surface was further improved. Peel-off occurred after applying a pencil having hardness of 5B or more before the overcoating treatment; however, after the overcoating treatment, no damage was caused by a pencil having hardness of 5H or less. Consequently, the overcoated conductive film maintained flexibility and transparency; it also exhibited desirable electrical characteristics, improved chemical stability, and excellent scratch resistance.

Effects of Electrical Muscle Stimulation for Preventing Deltoid Muscle Atrophy after Rotator Cuff Repair: Preliminary Results of a Prospective, Randomized, Single-blind Trial.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in preventing deltoid atrophy during the first 12 weeks after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. METHODS: Eighteen patients undergoing arthroscopic repair of a medium-sized rotator cuff tear by a single surgeon, were randomized into two groups: NMES and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Each group used the respective device for 6 weeks after surgery. Pain was measured at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively, using the visual analogue scale (VAS); range of motion (ROM), abduction strength and functional scores were measured at baseline and 12 weeks postoperatively. Deltoid thickness and cross-sectional areas were measured using magnetic resonance imaging at 12 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: At 12 weeks post-surgery, no statistically significant difference was observed between the NMES and TENS groups in the pain VAS, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score, ROM, and abduction strength. Postoperative decrease in the thickness of the anterior, middle, and posterior deltoid, at the level just below the coracoid, was -2.5%, -0.7%, and -6.8%, respectively, in the NMES group, and -14.0%, -2.6%, and -8.2%, respectively, in the TENS group (p=0.016, p=0.677, and p=0.791, respectively). At the level of the inferior glenoid tubercle, postoperative decrease in area of the deltoid was -5.4% in the NMES group and -14.0% in the TENS group, which was significantly different (p=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: NMES has the potential for reducing deltoid atrophy after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, suggesting that NMES might help minimize postoperative atrophy after various shoulder surgeries.

Influence of residual sodium ions on the structure and properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate).

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is a promising conducting polymer in terms of its applicability to transparent and flexible electronic devices. Generally, a negatively charged PSS chain can interact with alkali metal cations like sodium and potassium. During polymerization, these ions, especially sodium ions, remain in an aqueous state and affect particle formation. This paper describes the effect of residual sodium ions on the synthesis of PEDOT:PSS and its electrical and optical properties. Removing the sodium ions weakens the coulombic interaction between the PEDOT and PSS chains, which leads to a linear conformation. This conformational change enhances the electrical conductivity and work function. Furthermore, transmittance in the visible region increased remarkably because the intrinsic electrical properties of the PEDOT:PSS particles were improved. Moreover, the colloidal stability was enhanced because the particle coagulation caused by residual sodium ions was reduced. In summary, we determined that sodium ions in PEDOT:PSS have a considerable influence on its electrical and optical properties and colloidal stability for practical applications.