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The choice of treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) depends on symptom severity. When severe motor issues with urinary dysfunction are not present, conservative treatment is often considered to be the priority. One such conservative treatment is epidural injection, which is effective in alleviating inflammation and the pain caused by LSS-affected nerves. In this study, Shinbaro2 (Sh2), pharmacopuncture using natural herbal medicines for patients with disc diseases, is introduced as an epidural to treat LSS in a rat model. The treatment of primary sensory neurons from the rats' dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons with Sh2 at various concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2 mg/mL) was found to be safe and non-toxic. Furthermore, it remarkably stimulated axonal outgrowth even under H2O2-treated conditions, indicating its potential for stimulating nerve regeneration. When LSS rats received epidural injections of two different concentrations of Sh2 (1 and 2 mg/kg) once daily for 4 weeks, a significant reduction was seen in ED1+ macrophages surrounding the silicone block used for LSS induction. Moreover, epidural injection of Sh2 in the DRG led to a significant suppression of pain-related factors. Notably, Sh2 treatment resulted in improved locomotor recovery, as evaluated by the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scale and the horizontal ladder test. Additionally, hind paw hypersensitivity, assessed using the Von Frey test, was reduced, and normal gait was restored. Our findings demonstrate that epidural Sh2 injection not only reduced inflammation but also improved locomotor function and pain in LSS model rats. Thus, Sh2 delivery via epidural injection has potential as an effective treatment option for LSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current standard for the pharmacological management of lumbar disk herniation (LDH), involving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and opioid analgesics, often carries a risk of adverse events. The search for alternative therapeutic options remains a vital objective, given the high prevalence of LDH and the critical impact on the quality of life. Shinbaro 2 is a clinically effective herbal acupuncture against inflammation and various musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, we explored whether Shinbaro 2 exerts protective effects in an LDH rat model. The results showed that Shinbaro 2 suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, disk degeneration-related factors, matrix metalloproteinase-1,-3,-9, and ADAMTS-5 in LDH rats. Shinbaro 2 administration reinstated a behavioral activity to a normal level in the windmill test. The results indicated that Shinbaro 2 administration restored spinal cord morphology and functions in the LDH model. Therefore, Shinbaro 2 exerted a protective effect in LDH via actions on inflammatory responses and disk degeneration, indicating that future research is warranted to assess the action mechanisms further and validate its effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to disruption of the blood--spinal cord barrier, hemorrhage, and tissue edema, which impair blood circulation and induce ischemia. Angiogenesis after SCI is an important step in the repair of damaged tissues, and the extent of angiogenesis strongly correlates with the neural regeneration. Various biomaterials have been developed to promote angiogenesis signaling pathways, and angiogenic self-assembling peptides are useful for producing diverse supramolecular structures with tunable functionality. RADA16 (Ac-RARADADARARADADA-NH2), which forms nanofiber networks under physiological conditions, is a self-assembling peptide that can provide mechanical support for tissue regeneration and reportedly has diverse roles in wound healing. In this study, we applied an injectable form of RADA16 with or without the neuropeptide substance P to the contused spinal cords of rats and examined angiogenesis within the damaged spinal cord and subsequent functional improvement. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the inflammatory cell population in the lesion cavity was decreased, the vessel number and density around the damaged spinal cord were increased, and the levels of neurofilaments within the lesion cavity were increased in SCI rats that received RADA16 and RADA16 with substance P (rats in the RADA16/SP group). Moreover, real-time PCR analysis of damaged spinal cord tissues showed that IL-10 expression was increased and that locomotor function (as assessed by the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale and the horizontal ladder test) was significantly improved in the RADA16/SP group compared to the control group. Our findings indicate that RADA16 modified with substance P effectively stimulates angiogenesis within the damaged spinal cord and is a candidate agent for promoting functional recovery post-SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the professional self-concept of nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs). Methods : Data were collected from July 1 to August 15, 2014. The subjects were 206 ICU nurses working in four university hospitals in B and U cities, Korea. Their professional self-concept was measured using Arthur's Scale revised by Yoon (2012), and professional quality of life (QOL) was measured using Pro QOL Korean Ver. 5 developed by Stamm (2010). Data were analyzed with SPSS Ver. 18, using a t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results : Professional self-concept was significantly correlated with compassion satisfaction (r=.61, p<.001), and burn out (r=-.57, p<.001). The factors influencing professional self-concept were compassion satisfaction (β =.46, p<.001), burn out (β =-.27, p<.001), and education level (β =.14, p=.014). The explanatory power of this model was 46.5%. Conclusion : The results suggest that the influencing factors found in this study should be considered when planning nursing intervention programs for improving the professional self-concept of ICU nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the causes and characteristics of golf-related shoulder injuries in Korean amateur golfers. Methods Golf-related surveys were administered to, and ultrasonography were conducted on, 77 Korean amateur golfers with golf-related shoulder pain. The correlation between the golf-related surveys and ultrasonographic findings were investigated. Results The non-dominant shoulder is more likely to have golf-related pain and abnormal findings on ultrasonography than is the dominant shoulder. Supraspinatus muscle tear was the most frequent type of injury on ultrasonography, followed by subscapularis muscle tear. Investigation of the participants' golf-related habits revealed that only the amount of time spent practicing golf was correlated with supraspinatus muscle tear. No correlation was observed between the most painful swing phases and abnormal ultrasonographic findings. Participants who had not previously visited clinics were more likely to present with abnormal ultrasonographic findings, and many of the participants complained of additional upper limb pain. Conclusion Golf-related shoulder injuries and pain are most likely to be observed in the non-dominant shoulder. The supraspinatus muscle was the most susceptible muscle to damage. A correlation was observed between time spent practicing golf and supraspinatus muscle tear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cladosporium cladosporioides H1 was found to be the most abundant microbe in Janggyeong Panjeon. C. cladosporioides H1 produced a 20 kDa xylanase, which was generally stable below 60°C and had specialized activity in an acidic condition. Our results may lead to the development of a strategy for preservation of organic cultural heritage environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polarimetric backscattering coefficients (vv-, hh-, hv-, and vh-polarizations) of a flooded rice field are measured using L- and C-band ground-based polarimetric scatterometers. These measurements were made during the rice growth cycle, i.e., from the transplanting period to the harvest period (May to October 2006), to understand the feasibility of modeling and estimating rice growth. We also collected ground truth data that include fresh and dry biomasses, plant height, leaf area index, and leaf size. To study the incidence angle effect, the scatterometer data were collected at four different incidence angles, i.e., 30°, 40°, 50°, and 60°. In this paper, we show that the backscattering coefficients of a rice field can accurately be modeled using the radiative transfer theory. We also demonstrate that a polarimetric scatterometer is an effective tool for estimating rice growth. The hh-polarized backscattering coefficient is more sensitive to rice growth than its vv-polarization counterpart. The polarimetric ratio can be used to estimate rice growth accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root mean square (rms) height s and autocorrelation length l are commonly used as the surface roughness input parameters to surface scattering models. Whereas it is well known that the surface roughness parameters of a natural soil surface are underestimated with a short surface profile, it is not clear how much the underestimated surface parameters affect the backscattering coefficients of the surface for various incidence angles and polarizations. In this paper, the backscattering coefficients of simulated and measured surface profiles are computed using the integral equation method and analyzed to answer this question. A 4000...-long rough surface is generated numerically, where ... is the true correlation length of the surface, and the backscattering coefficients of the surface are computed and analyzed for various conditions. The rms error of the backscattering coefficient at a medium range of incidence angles is less than 1.5 dB for vv-polarization and 0.5 dB for hh-polarization if the profile length is larger than 5... for a surface with ks = 1.0, kl = 10.0, and (10.0, 2.0). Similar results are obtained from numerous simulations with various roughness conditions and various wavelengths. It is also shown that the rms error of the backscattering coefficients between 5- and 1-m-long measured surface profiles is 1.7 dB for vv-polarization and 0.5 dB for hh-polarization at a medium range of incidence angle (15° ≤ θ ≤ 70°), whereas the surface roughness parameters are significantly reduced from 2.4 to 1.5 cm for the rms height s and from 35.1 to 10.0 cm for the autocorrelation length l. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]