• Journal of Sasang Constitution and Immune Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2021

Introduction The previous study showed that the psychological Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and physical Body Mass Index (BMI) were clinically useful for predicting Sasang types diagnosed with certified clinical specialist and QSCCII. The purpose of current study was to examine its clinical usefulness using large sized clinical sample. Methods The age, sex, height, weight, circumference of waist and hip, Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and Sasang type of 2,049 participants listed on the Korean Medicine Data Center were acquired. The anthropometrics of BMI, Ponderal Index (PI), Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR), and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) were calculated. The discriminant analysis using SPQ subscales, BMI, age and sex were performed to predict Sasang types. And, the ANCOVA with age and sex as covariate was also used to examine differences among diagnosed and predicted Sasang type groups in biopsychological features. Results The discriminant analysis showed 82.0% of percentage correctly predicted. And, the biopsychological characteristics of predicted Sasang type groups were significantly similar to those of diagnosed Sasang type groups. In both predicted and diagnosed Sasang type groups, the anthropometric measures were in increasing order of So-Eum, So-Yang, and Tae-Eum types, and the psychological measures were in increasing order of So-Eum, Tae-Eum, and So-Yang types as shown in previous studies. Discussion and Conclusion The well validated biopsychological variables of SPQ and BMI showed theoretical and clinical usefulness, and were found to be useful for diagnosing Sasang types in clinical setting. The current study might be useful for the East-West integrative medicine and evidence-based teaching.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.567-573
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• 2020

The persimmon is commonly cultivated in temperate regions of the world, including China, Korea, Japan, Brazil, Turkey, and Italy. In some Asian cultures, consumers are aware of the health claims related to the persimmon and its functional ingredients. The rich phytochemistry of the persimmon has opened new avenues of research on diet-based regimens designed to cure various ailments. This study was conducted to identify the genotoxicity of immature green persimmon (Diospyros kaki THUNB.) extract (DKA). The bacterial reverse mutation assay, the chromosomal aberration assay, and the mammalian micronucleus test were performed to determine the DKA genotoxicity. The result of the bacterial reverse mutation assay revealed that the DKA did not induce mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537 and Escherichia coli WP2uvrA with or without metabolic activation of S9 mixture. The oral administration of DKA also caused no significant increase in the number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes or in the mean ratio of polychromatic to total erythrocytes. In addition, DKA did not cause a significant chromosome aberration on CHL cells in the presence or absence of S9 activation. In conclusion, DKA could be considered as a reliable and safe functional food since no toxicity was found under the condition of this study.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.103-112
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• 2021

Gallbladder polyps (GBPs) may be a cause of gallbladder cancer. The known risk factors for GBPs are male gender, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia. Especially, male gender has been known that it strongly affects on the prevalence of GBPs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate risk factors affecting the prevalence of GBPs among adults on Jeju Island according to genders. We examined 5,574 subjects who visited a single health-screening center at Jeju National University Hospital between January 2015 and December 2019. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors affecting the prevalence of GBPs. The prevalence of GBPs were 8.9% in male subjects and 8.1% in female subjects, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that ≥60 year age (odds ratio [OR] 0.659; P=0.027) and aspartate aminotransferase >32 IU/L (OR 0.658; P=0.009) in male subjects and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ≥60 mg/dL (OR 0.514; P=0.013) in female subjects were independent factors affecting the prevalence of GBPs. The prevalence of GBPs in men (8.9%) is comparable to that in women (8.1%) on Jeju Island. Age <60 years and the higher level of aspartate aminotransferase in men and the normal or lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in women were independent risk factors of GBPs on Jeju Island.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.412-421
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• 2021

Objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly prevalent metabolic disease. Muscle is known to influence NAFLD development. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationships among low muscle mass, NAFLD, and hepatic fibrosis using various definitions of low muscle mass and NAFLD diagnostic methods, including magnetic resonance imaging-based proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 320 participants (107 males, 213 females) from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study on Atherosclerosis Risk of Rural Areas in the Korean General Population cohort. Muscle mass was assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and adjusted for the height squared, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). NAFLD was diagnosed using ultrasonography (US), MRI-PDFF, and the comprehensive NAFLD score (CNS). Hepatic fibrosis was assessed using magnetic resonance elastography. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to determine the aforementioned associations. Results: According to US, 183 participants (57.2%) had NAFLD. Muscle mass adjusted for body weight was associated with NAFLD diagnosed using US (odds ratio [OR], 3.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70 to 5.31), MRI-PDFF (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.13 to 3.53), and CNS (OR, 3.39; 95% CI, 1.73 to 6.65) and hepatic fibrosis (males: β=-0.070, p<0.01; females: β=-0.037, p<0.04). Muscle mass adjusted for BMI was associated with NAFLD diagnosed by US (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.86) and CNS (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.65), whereas muscle mass adjusted for height was not associated with NAFLD. Conclusions: Low muscle mass was associated with NAFLD and liver fibrosis; therefore, maintaining sufficient muscle mass is important to prevent NAFLD. A prospective study and additional consideration of muscle quality are needed to strengthen the findings regarding this association.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.184-195
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• 2022

Objective: In this study we aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary live yeast supplementation on ruminal pH pattern, fermentation characteristics and associated bacteria in beef cattle. Methods: This work comprised of in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro fermentation was conducted by incubating 0%, 0.05%, 0.075%, 0.1%, 0.125%, and 0.15% active dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ADY) with total mixed ration substrate to determine its dose effect. According to in vitro results, 0.1% ADY inclusion level was assigned in in vivo study for continuously monitoring ruminal fermentation characteristics and microbes. Six ruminally cannulated steers were randomly assigned to 2 treatments (Control and ADY supplementation) as two-period crossover design (30-day). Blood samples were harvested before-feeding and rumen fluid was sampled at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h post-feeding on 30 d. Results: After 24 h in vitro fermentation, pH and gas production were increased at 0.1% ADY where ammonia nitrogen and microbial crude protein also displayed lowest and peak values, respectively. Acetate, butyrate and total volatile fatty acids concentrations heightened with increasing ADY doses and plateaued at high levels, while acetate to propionate ratio was decreased accordingly. In in vivo study, ruminal pH was increased with ADY supplementation that also elevated acetate and propionate. Conversely, ADY reduced lactate level by dampening Streptococcus bovis and inducing greater Selenomonas ruminantium and Megasphaera elsdenii populations involved in lactate utilization. The serum urea nitrogen decreased, whereas glucose, albumin and total protein concentrations were increased with ADY supplementation. Conclusion: The results demonstrated dietary ADY improved ruminal fermentation dose-dependently. The ruminal lactate reduction through modification of lactate metabolic bacteria could be an important reason for rumen pH stabilization induced by ADY. ADY supplementation offered a complementary probiotics strategy in improving gluconeogenesis and nitrogen metabolism of beef cattle, potentially resulted from optimized rumen pH and fermentation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.716-728
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An imbalanced adipokine profile in obesity increases the susceptibility to obesity-related cardiometabolic alterations, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The mulberry plant has been reported to have health benefits, such as hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects. This study examined the effects of a mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit ethanol extract (MBEE) on dyslipidemia, liver steatosis, and adipokine imbalance in response to a high-fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of 4 groups containing 6 rats each and fed either a control diet (CON), a high-fat diet (HFD), or a high-fat diet with MBEE of 150 mg/kg/day (LMB) or 300 mg/kg/day (HMB). The triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were measured spectrophotometrically. The leptin, adiponectin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The plasma TG levels were similar in the 4 groups. Plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and TC/HDL-C ratio increased in the HFD group compared with the CON group, whereas those values decreased in the LMB group (P < 0.05), indicating that MBEE had a plasma lipid-lowering effect. HDL-C decreased in the HFD group, but MBEE did not affect the HDL-C level. The HFD rats significantly increased hepatic TG and cholesterol levels and plasma ALT and AST activities compared to the CON group. The hepatic TG level and ALT and AST activities were reduced markedly by the MBEE treatment. The HFD group showed a higher PAI-1 level, whereas MBEE treatment, especially in the HMB group, significantly reduced leptin level, and leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/ adiponectin ratios. These findings suggest that MBEE altered the imbalance between the pro-and anti-inflammatory adipokines to a more anti-inflammatory state. CONCLUSIONS: MBEE could protect against abnormal lipid metabolism and hepatic steatosis induced by a high-fat diet, lowering plasma cholesterol, LDL-C and TC/HDL-C, and hepatic TG. These findings are associated with the regulating effect of MBEE on the leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/adiponectin ratios.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.83-92
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• 2021

Purpose: Glyphosate herbicide (GH) is a widely used herbicide and has been associated with significant mortality as poisoned cases increases. One of the reasons for high toxicity is thought to be toxic effect of its ingredient with glyphosate. This study was designed to determine differences in the clinical course with the salt-type contained in GH. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at a single hospital between January 2013 and December 2017. We enrolled GH-poisoned patients visited the emergency department. According to salt-type, patients were divided into 4 groups: isopropylamine (IPA), ammonium (Am), potassium (Po), and mixed salts (Mi) groups. The demographics, laboratory variables, complications, and their mortality were analyzed to determine clinical differences associated with each salt-type. Addtionally, we subdivided patients into survivor and non-survivor groups for investigating predictive factors for the mortality. Results: Total of 348 GH-poisoned patients were divided as follows: IPA 248, Am 41, Po 10, and Mi 49 patients. There was no difference in demographic or underlying disease history, but systolic blood pressure (SBP) was low in Po group. The ratio of intentional ingestion was higher in Po and Mi groups. Metabolic acidosis and relatively high lactate level were presented in Po group. As the primary outcome, the mortality rates were as follows: IPA, 26 (10.5%); Am, 2 (4.9%); Po, 1 (10%); and Mi, 1 (2%). There was no statistically significant difference in the mortality and the incidence of complications. Additionally, age, low SBP, low pH, corrected QT (QTc) prolongation, and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation were analyzed as independent predictors for mortality in a regression analysis. Conclusion: There was no statistical difference in their complications and the mortality across the GH-salt groups in this study.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.690-697
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the ad libitum and restricted feeding regimen on fasting heat production (FHP) and body composition. Methods: Twelve Hubbard broilers breeders were selected with the same body weight and submitted in two feeding regimes: Restricted (T1) with feed intake of 150 g/bird/d and ad libitum (T2). The birds were randomly distributed on the treatments in two runs with three replications per treatment (per run). The birds were adapted to the feed regimens for ten days. After that, they were allocated in the open-circuit chambers and kept for three days for adaptation. On the last day, oxygen consumption (VO₂) and carbon dioxide production (VCO₂) were measured by 30 h under fasting. The respiratory quotient (RQ) was calculated as the VCO₂/VO₂ ratio, and the heat production (HP) was obtained using the Brower equation (1985). The FHP was estimated throughout the plateau of HP 12 hours after the feed deprivation. The body composition was analyzed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning at the end of each period. Data were analyzed for one-way analysis of variance using the Minitab software. Results: The daily feed intake was 30 g higher to T2 (p<0.01) than the T1. Also, the birds of the T2 had significatively (p<0.05) more oxygen consumption (+3.1 L/kg^0.75/d) and CO₂ production (+2.2 L/kg^0.75/d). That resulted in a higher FHP 359±14 kJ/kg^0.75/d for T2 than T1 296±17.23 kJ/kg^0.75/d. In contrast, the RQ was not different between treatments, with an average of 0.77 for the fasting condition. In addition, protein and fat composition were not affected by the treatment, while a tendency (p<0.1) was shown to higher bone mineral content on the T1. Conclusion: The birds under ad libitum feeding had a higher maintenance energy requirement but their body composition was not affected compared to restricted feeding.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.30-43
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• 2024

Background and Purpose: The SoUth Korea study to PrEvent cognitive impaiRment and protect BRAIN health through lifestyle intervention (SUPERBRAIN) proved the feasibility of multidomain intervention for elderly people. One-quarter of the Korean population over 65 years of age has mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Digital health interventions may be cost-effective and have fewer spatial constraints. We aim to examine the efficacy of a multidomain intervention through both face-to-face interactions and video communication platforms using a tablet personal computer (PC) application in MCI. Methods: Three hundred participants aged 60-85 years, with MCI and at least one modifiable dementia risk factor, will be recruited from 17 centers and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the multidomain intervention and the waiting-list control groups. Participants will receive the 24-week intervention through the tablet PC SUPERBRAIN application, which encompasses the following five elements: managing metabolic and vascular risk factors, cognitive training, physical exercise, nutritional guidance, and boosting motivation. Participants will attend the interventions at a facility every 1-2 weeks. They will also engage in one or two self-administered cognitive training sessions utilizing the tablet PC application at home each week. They will participate in twice or thrice weekly online exercise sessions at home via the ZOOM platform. The primary outcome will be the change in the total scale index score of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status from baseline to study end. Conclusions: This study will inform the effectiveness of a comprehensive multidomain intervention utilizing digital technologies in MCI.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.1726-1737
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• 2024

Objective: This study examined the effects of substituting winged bean tuber steam (WBTS) modified starches for cassava chips (CSC) in the concentrate diet on rumen fermentation, nutrient utilization, and blood metabolites in Thai-native beef cattle. Methods: Four Thai-native bulls were assigned randomly as a 4×4 Latin square design, which represents the amount of CSC replaced with WBTS in the concentrate mixture diets at 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%. Results: Increasing levels of WBTS replacement for CSC in the concentrate diets had a quadratic effect on total dry matter (DM) intake (p<0.05). Replacement of WBTS at 20% and 30% for CSC did not alter total DM intake compared to 0% WBTS, whereas 10% WBTS replacement could significantly increase total DM intake by 0.41 kg DM/d compared to the control group. In addition, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility showed a quadratic increase (p<0.05) when CSC was substituted at various levels of WBTS in the concentrate diet (p<0.05). Replacement of CSC with WBTS at 10% and 20% showed higher NDF digestibility when compared to 0% replacement. There was a quadratic increase in blood glucose at 4 h post-feeding, and the average blood glucose value was significantly lower (p<0.01) when substituting CSC with WBTS. Substituting WBTS for CSC at 10% in the concentrate diet showed the highest blood glucose concentration when compared to other treatments. Replacing CSC with WBTS at 10% and 20% shows a higher concentration of C3 than those of other treatments (0% or 30%). The nitrogen (N) intake increased linearly (p<0.05) when substituting WBTS for CSC at all levels in the diet. Additionally, N retention and the ratio of N retention to N intake increased (p<0.05) when substituting WBTS for CSC at 10%, 20%, and 30% compared to 0%. The gross energy intake (GEI), digestible energy intake (DEI), and energy efficiency (DEI/GEI) were quadratically increased when substituted with various levels of WBTS for CSC in the concentrate diet. Conclusion: The findings indicate that substituting 10% of CSC in the concentrate diet with WBTS may be sufficient as an alternative feed resource for improving nutrient utilization and metabolic efficiency in beef cattle diets.