• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.173-188
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• 2024

Objectives: The study aim was to analyze the regional differences in dietary protein intake and protein sources of Korean older adults and their association with metabolic syndrome. Methods: Study participants were 1,721 older adults aged 65 and over who participated in 2016-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Using 24-hour recall dietary intake data, protein intake and their food sources were examined. The association between protein intake and metabolic syndrome, obesity, and abdominal obesity were analyzed by multiple logistic regression. Results: Total protein and animal protein intakes were higher in urban area (60.0 g, 24.4 g, respectively) than in rural area (54.6 g, 19.6 g, respectively). With increase of protein intake level, animal to total protein proportion was increased in both areas. Total protein and plant protein intake was negatively associated with the risk of obesity, abdominal obesity in both areas. Animal protein intake was negatively associated with the risk of obesity in both areas, and with abdominal obesity only in urban area. In urban area, plant protein intake was also negatively associated with the risks of metabolic syndrome, elevated triglyceride, and reduced high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In urban area, the risk of metabolic syndrome was decreased when their protein intake was more than 0.91 g/kg and was lowest when their protein intake was more than 1.5 g/kg (P for trend < 0.001). Conclusions: Korean older adults showed inadequate protein intake and those in rural area showed lower animal protein intake than in urban area. The risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome was decreased with the increase of protein intake level. These findings may help develop effective nutrition support strategy for older adults to reduce regional health disparity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.479-497
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) and browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) can protect against obesity and obesity-related metabolic conditions. Cryptotanshinone (CT) regulates lipid metabolism and significantly ameliorates insulin resistance. Adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a receptor for cellular energy metabolism, is believed to regulate brown fat activity in humans. MATERIALS/METHODS: The in vivo study included high-fat-fed obese mice administered orally 200/400 mg/kg/d CT. They were evaluated through weight measurement, the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test (IPITT), cold stimulation test, serum lipid (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein) measurement, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, the in vitro study investigated primary adipose mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with incubation of CT and AMPK agonists (acadesine)/inhibitor (Compound C). Cells were evaluated using Oil Red O staining, Alizarin red staining, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining to identify and observe the osteogenic versus adipogenic differentiation. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and the Western blot were used to observe related gene expression. RESULTS: In the diet-induced obesity mouse model mice CT suppressed body weight, food intake, glucose levels in the IPGTT and IPTT, serum lipids, the volume of adipose tissue, and increased thermogenesis, uncoupling protein 1, and the AMPK pathway expression. In the in vitro study, CT prevented the formation of lipid droplets from MSCs while activating brown genes and the AMPK pathway. AMPK activator enhanced CT's effects, while the AMPK inhibitor reversed the effects of CT. CONCLUSION: CT promotes adipose tissue browning to increase body thermogenesis and reduce obesity by activating the AMPK pathway. This study provides an experimental foundation for the use of CT in obesity treatment.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.322-333
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction are 2 of the independent predictors for cardiovascular disease, while Acanthopanax senticosus Harms (ASH) is a traditional medicinal plant that can improve cardiovascular health. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the fruit of ASH on vascular function in apparently healthy subjects. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, consisting of healthy adults with at least 2 of the following 3 conditions: borderline high blood pressure (BP; 120 mmHg ≤ systolic BP ≤ 160 mmHg or 80 mmHg ≤ diastolic BP ≤ 100 mmHg), smoking (≥10 cigarettes/day), and borderline blood lipid levels (220 ≤ total cholesterol ≤ 240, 130 ≤ low density lipoprotein cholesterol ≤ 165, or 150 ≤ triglyceride ≤ 220 mg/dL). Randomly assigned 76 subjects who received a placebo or 2 doses of ASH fruit (low, 500 mg/day; high, 1,000 mg/day) completed the intervention. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), flow-mediated dilation, carotid intima-media thickness, and BP were measured both at baseline and following the 12-week intervention. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation was assessed by western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the placebo group, the low-dose group showed more significant changes after the 12-week intervention period in terms of systolic BP (0.1 vs. -7.7 mmHg; P = 0.044), baPWV (31.3 vs. -98.7 cm/s; P = 0.007), and the ratio of phospho-eNOS/eNOS (0.8 vs. 1.22; P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ASH fruit extract at 500 mg/day has the potential to improve BP and arterial stiffness via endothelial eNOS activation in healthy adults with smoking and the tendency of having elevated BP or blood lipid parameters.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.1310-1314
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• 2008

Purpose : This study aimed to assess the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in children from low-income families in Gunpo and to evaluate whether economic status affects the prevalence of obesity. Methods : Between October 2007 and March 2008, 341 children (167 girls and 174 boys; age, 6 to 13 years) were enrolled in this study. All these children came from families who earned minimum wages and who were supported by government. We measured height, weight, and blood pressure and performed laboratory examinations, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using weight and height. We compared the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in children from low-income families with the prevalence of these maladies found in other studies. Results : Prevalence of obesity ($BMI{\geq}95^{th}$) was 7.1%. Prevalence of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was 8.2% and 16.7%, respectively. In the obese group, prevalence of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was 25.0% and 45.8%, respectively. Obesity and hyperlipidemia were slightly more frequent in our study than those found in other reports, and the prevalence of hypertension in the obese group was very high compared with statistics from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (25% vs. 19.5%) and those from other reports. Conclusion : Low-income status was associated with an increased incidence of obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Hypertension showed an especially strong association with economic status, which seemed to correlate with genetic, environmental, and dietary effects.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2006

The analytical measurement range (AMR) is the range of analyte values that a method can directly measure on a specimen without any dilution, concentration, or other pretreatment not part of the usual assay process. The linearity of the AMR is its ability to obtain test results which are directly proportional to the concentration of analyte in the sample from the upper and lower limit of the AMR. The AMR validation is the process of confirming that the assay system will correctly recover the concentration or activity of the analyte over the AMR. The test specimen must have analyte values which, at a minimum, are near the low, midpoint, and high values of the AMR. The AMR must be revalidated at least every six months, at changes in major system components, and when a complete change in reagents for a procesure is introduced; unless the laboratory can demonstrate that changing the reagent lot number does not affect the range used to report patient test results. The AMR linearity was total protein (0-16.6), albumin (0-8.1), total bilirubin (0-18.1), alkaline phosphatase (0-1244.3), aspartate aminotransferase (0-1527.9), alanine aminotransferase (0-1107.9), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (0-1527.7), creatine kinase (0-1666.6), lactate dehydrogenase (0-1342), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.3-154.3), sodium (35.4-309), creatinine (0-19.2), blood urea nitrogen (0.5-206.2), uric acid (0-23.9), total cholesterol (-0.3-510), triglycerides (0.7-539.6), glucose (0-672.7), amylase (0-1595.3), calcium (0-23.9), inorganic phosphorus (0.03-17.0), potassium (0.1-116.5), chloride (3.3-278.7). We are sure that materials for the AMR affect the evaluation of the upper limit of the AMR in the process system.

• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.196-203
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• 2018

Purpose: The hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) represents the degree of nonenzymatic glycation and has been positively associated with cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) and cardiovascular disease in adults. This study aimed to investigate the association between HGI, components of metabolic syndrome (MS), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in a pediatric nondiabetic population. Methods: Data from 3,885 subjects aged 10-18 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2016) were included. HGI was defined as subtraction of predicted glycated hemoglobin ($HbA1_c$) from measured $HbA1_c$. Participants were divided into 3 groups according to HGI tertile. Components of MS (abdominal obesity, fasting glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure), and proportion of MS, CMRF clustering (${\geq}2$ of MS components), and elevated ALT were compared among the groups. Results: Body mass index (BMI) z-score, obesity, total cholesterol, ALT, abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, and CMRF clustering showed increasing HGI trends from lower-to-higher tertiles. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed the upper HGI tertile was associated with elevated triglycerides (odds ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-2.30). Multiple linear regression analysis showed HGI level was significantly associated with BMI z-score, $HbA1_c$, triglycerides, and ALT. When stratified by sex, age group, and BMI category, overweight/obese subjects showed linear HGI trends for presence of CMRF clustering and ALT elevation. Conclusion: HGI was associated with CMRFs in a Korean pediatric population. High HGI might be an independent risk factor for CMRF clustering and ALT elevation in overweight/obese youth. Further studies are required to establish the clinical relevance of HGI for cardiometabolic health in youth.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.289-298
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• 2009

Effects of Nattokinase fibrinol (NKF), defined as a fibrinolytic product, on fibrinolytic and atherogenetic markers were studied for healthy adults (20-31 years old), who is smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. Subjects were divided into 29 for NKF group and 10 for placebo group in a short term study. They were given 2 tablets of NKF (4,000 unit) or placebo tablet and thereafter blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 4 hr prerid. For a 4-week long term study, 15 subjects for NFK group and 10 subjects for placebo group were supplemented one tablet of each NKF (2,000 unit) and placebo per day, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 4 weeks later. The short-term experimental trial showed that NKF remarkably increased fibrinolytic activity at 2hr after consumption, which was maintained up to 4 hr, relative to that of placebo, while NKF reduced the euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT) and retarded the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), as compared to placebo group. NKF supplementation for 4 weeks elevated fibrinolytic activity, shortened ECLT and retarded aPTT. Furthermore, NKF supplementation increased anti-atherogenic index by decreasing triglyceride (TG) and elevating high-density lipiprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. These results indicate that NKF supplementation for short term or long term might have beneficial effects on preventing and treating cardiovascular disease by increasing fibrinolytic activity and improving atherogenic markers such as hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.163-173
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• 2013

Objectives: There has been an increase in the use of mind-body therapies to control cardiovascular risk factors recently. This trial was designed to determine whether the 'jeol'(Korean Buddhists' prostration) meditation program, as a new mind-body intervention, was effective in managing stress, depression and controlling cardiovascular risk factors in women working at a geriatric hospital. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine whether the 'jeol' meditation program could improve stress, anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular risk factors in women. We randomly assigned 57 participants to the intervention(29 participants) or control(28 participants) group. The subjects in the intervention group participated in a group Jeol meditation program once weekly, and practiced at home. The following variables were assessed: stress(Psychosocial Wellbeing Index), depression(Beck's Depression Inventory), body mass index(BMI), waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment(HOMA), low-density lipoprotein(LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride were assessed. Results: After the 8-week program, 2 participants from the intervention group and 1 from the control group dropped out. The subjects in the intervention group exhibited decreased scores for stress(t=5.102, p<0.01), depression(t=5.259, p<0.01), BMI(t=2.942, p=0.007), and waist circumference(t=2.582, p=0.016); however these scores did not demonstrate a significant decrease in participants of the control group. The other variables showed no significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: The 'jeol' meditation program evidently reduced stress, anxiety, depression, body weight, and waist circumference in women, which suggests that this program could be employed as a mind-body therapies.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.531-537
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• 2007

Small amounts of trans fatty acids exist naturally in beef and dairy foods. Also, they can be produced in the process of partial hydrogenation to manufacture shortning or margarine. They can provide a better palatability and shelf life. According to the recently studies, trans fatty acids can raise health risk such as heart diseases and coronary artery diseases. They can also increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the blood plasma, therefore increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine total lipids and trans fatty acids (TFAs) content in processed foods and meat products. The analysis of trans fatty acids was performed in 28 samples of donuts, 18 samples of bakeries, 4 samples of frozen doughs, 2 samples of popcorns, and 4 samples of meat products (ham, sausage, nuget, and bacon). Total lipids in processed foods and meat products were extracted by chloroform-Methanol method and acid digestion, respectively. They were analyzed by gas chromatography using a SP-2560 column and flame ionization detector. The amounts of TFAs per 100 g of foods were 0-3.3% (0.74% on average) in donuts, 0.2-5.8% (1.18% on average) in bakeries, 0.2-6.3% (1.93% on average) in frozen doughs, and 0-5.8% in popcorns. Meat products such as ham, sausage, and nuget analyzed 0.1% of TFAs, respectively and trans fatty acids in bacon were not detected. As a result, the distribution of TFAs in processed foods was widely ranged from O% to 6.3% according to manufacturers and types of products, whereas the content of TFAs in meat products ranged from 0% to 0.1%.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 1995

A comparison was made regarding the extent of anger between 50 hypertensives and 50 normotensives, using anger scale. In addition, correlation was investigated between the extent of anger and biological variables such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein(HDL) and triglyceride in each of both the groups. The two groups were matched to each other regarding age, sex, the level of education and body mass index(BMI). The hypertensives scored significantly higher than normotensives in anger suppression, whereas normotensives scored significantly higher than hypertensives in anger expression. In hypertensives, scores of anger suppression and anger expression did not significantly correlate with blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, HDL and triglyceride, respectively. In normotensives, however, scores of anger suppression correlated positively with systolic blood pressure. Male hypertensives scored significantly higher than female hypertensives regarding anger expression, whereas male normotensives scored significantly higher than female normotensives regarding anger expression and anger total subscale, respectively. These results suggest that hypertensives suppressed more anger than normotensives, and that anger suppression in normotensives was more likely to increase blood pressure, supporting the previous reports that suppressed anger may be related to hypertension.