• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.160-161
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• 2017

Proper maintenance of biological components is crucial for longevity and healthy aging. Although the role of homeostatic maintenance systems for DNA and protein in longevity is established, it remains largely unknown for RNA. In our recent work, we show that nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) promotes longevity in the roundworm C. elegans by enhancing RNA quality control. We find that the activity of NMD decreases during aging, raising the possibility that RNA quality declines in old animals. We then show that key components of NMD complex are required for prolonged lifespan in C. elegans. In addition, animals with reduced insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling (IIS), a representative longevity model, display increased NMD activity. Thus, up-regulation of NMD appears to play crucial roles in longevity conferred by reduced IIS via enhancing mRNA quality control. As both IIS and NMD pathways are evolutionarily conserved, mammals including humans may be equipped with similar RNA quality control systems to achieve longevity.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2010

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to analyze the heath factors for longevity index of survival rate in Korean centenarians, which contribute to longevity. Methods: The subjects of this paper included 996 centenarians in 276 regions of Korea that the data in this study was collected from the National Statistical Office, Republic of Korea in 2005. This paper that proposes indicators as follow: The ratio between the longevity index above 100 years old (100LI) and the survival rate above 65 years old (65SR): 100LISR. The study that examined the longevity factors that between 100LISR and health factors. Results: The results of this study showed that Gyeryong City (23 per 10,000 above 65 years old) included the most of 100LISR in Korea, followed by Cheju Island. The regression showed that significant predictors for longevity (100LISR) were non-drinking, non-smoking, garlic and root vegetable and elderly people are suffering serious health problems, they need caregivers for elderly care (R-Sq(%)=83.9, P=0.001). The correlation showed that significant factors as longevity were Sulfur dioxide (r=-0.677, p=0.004). Conclusion: The implications of this study are that longevity is to be fostered by promoting healthy behaviors of elderly and by inventing various policies to mitigate the environmental pollution.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.537-544
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• 2023

The share of the population that is aging is growing rapidly. In an aging society, technologies and interventions that delay the aging process are of great interest. Dietary restriction (DR) is the most reproducible and effective nutritional intervention tested to date for delaying the aging process and prolonging the health span in animal models. Preventive effects of DR on age-related diseases have also been reported in human. In addition, highly conserved signaling pathways from small animal models to human mediate the effects of DR. Recent evidence has shown that the immune system is closely related to the effects of DR, and functions as a major mechanism of DR in healthy aging. This review discusses the effects of DR in delaying aging and preventing age-related diseases in animal, including human, and introduces the molecular mechanisms that mediate these effects. In addition, it reports scientific findings on the relationship between the immune system and DR-induced longevity. The review highlights the role of immunity as a potential mediator of the effects of DR on longevity, and provides insights into healthy aging in human.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.26-32
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• 2015

Objectives: Rheum undulatum L. has traditionally been used for the treatment of many diseases in Asia. However, its anti-proliferative activity in cancer has still not been studied. In the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of methanol extract of Rheum undulatum L. (MERL) on human adenocarcinoma gastric cell lines (AGS). Methods: To investigate the anti-cancer effect of MERL on AGS cells, we treated the AGS cells with varying concentrations of MERL and performed 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Cell cycle analyses, measurements of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), caspase activity assays and Western blots were conducted to determine whether AGS cell death occurred by apoptosis. Results: Treatment with MERL significantly inhibited growth of AGS cells in a concentration dependent manner. MERL treatment in AGS cells leaded to increased accumulation of apoptotic sub G1 phase cells in a concentration dependent manner. In control cultures, 5.38% of the cells were in the sub G1 phase. In MERL treated cells, however, this percentage was significantly increased (9.95% at $70{\mu}g/mL$, 15.94% at $140{\mu}g/mL$, 26.56% at $210{\mu}g/mL$ and 38.08% at $280{\mu}g/mL$). MERL treatment induced the decreased expression of pro-caspase-8 and -9 in a concentration dependent manner, whereas the expression of the active form of caspase-3 was increased. A subsequent Western blot analysis revealed increased cleaved levels of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Also, treatment with MERL increased the activities of caspase-3 and -9 compared with the control. MERL treatment increased the levels of the pro-apoptotic truncated Bid (tBid) and Bcl2 Antagonist X (Bax) proteins and decreased the levels of the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) protein, whose is the stabilization of mitochondria. However, inhibitions of p38, extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs) and C-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) by MERL treatment did not affect cell death. Conclusion: These results suggest that MERL mediated cell death is associated with an intrinsic apoptotic pathway in AGS cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.680-686
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• 2023

Aging is a complex series of multi-organ processes that occur in various organisms. As such, an in vivo study using an animal model of aging is necessary to define its exact mechanisms and identify anti-aging substances. Using Drosophila as an in vivo model system, we identified Crataegus pinnatifida extract (CPE) as a novel anti-aging substance. Regardless of sex, Drosophila treated with CPE showed a significantly increased lifespan compared to those without CPE. In this study, we also evaluated the involvement of CPE in aging-related biochemical pathways, including TOR, stem cell generation, and antioxidative effects, and found that the representative genes of each pathway were induced by CPE administration. CPE administration did not result in significant differences in fecundity, locomotion, feeding amount, or TAG level. These conclusions suggest that CPE is a good candidate as an anti-aging food substance capable of promoting a healthy lifespan.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.12 no.4 s.33
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

Recently many administrative institutes try to improve the viability of rural villages. For increasing the viability, not only infrastructures but internal vitality is necessary in rural villages. Nonetheless, most of governmental projects have been focused on infrastructures. For this reason, RDA(Rural Development Administration) designed and performed the RHL(Rural Healthy and Longevity village) project. This RHL project is not easy to evaluate the outcome because it consists of very intangible project items. In this paper, we developed a scoring model to evaluate the result of the RHL project. The scoring model based on DEA(Data Envelopment Analysis) was suggested to evaluate the quantity of personal activities in each village. Personal activities are classified into five categories: regional life, social life, productive life, outdoor life and indoor life. Evaluating indices of each category are developed and weighting values are evaluated by AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process). The developed model was applied to Kumsan village and examined its applicability.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1510-1518
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• 2015

In this work, we wanted to develop a probiotic from famous longevity villages in Korea. We visited eight longevity villages in Korea to collect fecal samples from healthy adults who were aged above 80 years and had regular bowel movements, and isolated lactic-acid-producing bacteria from the samples. Isolated colonies that appeared on MRS agar containing bromophenol blue were identified by means of 16S rRNA sequencing, and 102 of the isolates were identified as lactic-acid-producing bacteria (18 species). Lactobacillus fermentum was the most frequently found species. Eight isolates were selected on the basis of their ability to inhibit the growth of six intestinal pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Typhimurium, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Enteritidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes) and their susceptibility to 15 antimicrobial agents. Among these eight isolates, four Lactobacillus fermentum isolates were found not to produce any harmful enzymes or metabolites. Among them, Lactobacillus fermentum isolate no. 24 showed the strongest binding to intestinal epithelial cells, the highest immune-enhancing activity, anti-inflammation activity, and anti-oxidation activity as well as the highest survival rates in the presence of artificial gastric juice and bile solution. This isolate, designated Lactobacillus fermentum PL9988, has all the characteristics for a good probiotic.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.511-526
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• 2011

This study aims at surveying how Koreans look upon and prepare for the age of longevity("age of 100 years") drawing near at hand, analyzing factors affecting such a perception and behavior. To this end, a telephone survey was launched for 1200 persons sampled to evenly comprise the young, middle-aged, and elderly groups. Our findings indicate that more Koreans looked upon the upcoming "age of 100 years" as a 'disaster' rather than a 'blessing.' The sense of combined uneasiness over the aged life being further elongated while they are unprepared for it, anxiety over maintaining health and so forth came into play. However, the better a person is prepared by way of health management, savings for retirement, preparation for leisure activities and employment for the later life, the more positively he or she looked upon the "age of 100 years". An analysis by group indicates that women rather than men, the elderly rather than the young, the less educated rather than the highly educated, the low-income bracket rather than the high-income bracket looked upon the "age of 100 years" more negatively. Under such circumstances, it is suggested that the nation's social system tailored to a life expectancy of 80 years should be readjusted, tailored to a 'longevity paradigm' and that to this end social systems should be reoriented toward the direction where 'healthy aging' and 'active aging' are fully supported.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.664-671
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• 2023

The proper maintenance of mRNA quality that is regulated by diverse surveillance pathways is essential for cellular homeostasis and is highly conserved among eukaryotes. Here, we review findings regarding the role of mRNA quality control in the aging and longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans, an outstanding model for aging research. We discuss the recently discovered functions of the proper regulation of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, ribosome-associated quality control, and mRNA splicing in the aging of C. elegans. We describe how mRNA quality control contributes to longevity conferred by various regimens, including inhibition of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling, dietary restriction, and reduced mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling. This review provides valuable information regarding the relationship between the mRNA quality control and aging in C. elegans, which may lead to insights into healthy longevity in complex organisms, including humans.

• Proceedings of the EASDL Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.252-256
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• 2003

As one of the typical Chinese food, rice gruel endows rich culture images. Gruel-eating can be concluded to 6 aspects: the food fur the old, the food fur the weak and the ill, the food for good health and longevity, the food for the hermits and monks; the food far the poor, and the food for enjoyment. In a modem society, the health implication of gruel eating gives many inspirations to medical workers, nutritionist and food manufacturers. People expect the gruels make more contributions to a balanced, diversified, convenient and healthy modem diet.