• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.725-731
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• 2008

The principal objective of this study was to assess the effects of low-calorie diets(LCD) for 8 weeks of medical nutrition therapy in individuals with BMI in excess of $23\;kg/m^2$. 41 over-weight or obese individuals (male=14, female=27, age $28.6{\pm}8.9\;yrs$), none of whom were diagnosed with a medical disease, were administered MNT 4 times over the study period. Approximately $1,100{\sim}1,300\;kcal/day$ were prescribed by a dietitian, via individualized counseling. Anthropometric parameters, daily nutrient intake, and blood levels of leptin, insulin, and lipid profiles were measured prior to and after the 8 weeks of the intervention period. We noted significant reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal skin-fold thickness, and waist circumference in both men and women. The mean body weight losses in men and women were $3.2{\pm}0.6\;kg$/8 weeks and $2.8{\pm}0.6\;kg$/8 weeks, respectively. However, the % of lean body mass (LBM) in men and women was shown to increase significantly (p<0.05). The daily intake of calorie, fat, protein, vitamin E, folate, and iron were significantly reduced during the LCD period. Blood levels of lipids and glucose were in normal range, and evidenced no changes after LCD. However, the serum levels of leptin in female subjects were significantly reduced (p<0.00l) from $8.9{\pm}4.8\;ng/mL$ to $6.9{\pm}4.8\;ng/mL$. In conclusion, 8 weeks of LCD with individualized counseling by a dietitian effectively reduced body fat and visceral fat in both men and women with BMI in excess of $23\;kg/m^2$.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.466-470
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• 2007

Nowadays burcucumber(Sicyos angulatus L.) has been widely used as a rootstock of Cucurbitaceae. The study was done to examine the effects of shading with different colored fabrics(white, red and aluminum-coated) on growth and cotyledon chlorophyll content of its seedling. Shading with the white colored fabric lengthened seedling height and hypocotyl length, but shading with the red colored fabric enlarged true leaf area. Total dry weight of each seedling was decreased in the order of no shading, white, red and aluminum, in which resulted from reductions of cotyledon dry weight in white colored fabric, cotyledon and true leaf dry weight in red colored fabric, and dry weight of cotyledon, true leaf and root in aluminum colored fabric. Cotyledon chlorophyll content was reduced by shading treatments although the 3 shading treatments showed nearly same content.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.469-477
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• 2013

This study investigated effect of extract containing quercetin-3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucuronopyranoside from Rumex Aquaticus Herba (ECQ) against chronic gastritis in rats. To produce chronic gastritis, the animals received a daily intra-gastric administration of 0.1 ml of 0.15% iodoacetamide (IA) solution for 7 days. Daily exposure of the gastric mucosa to IA induced both gastric lesions and significant reductions of body weight and food and water intake. These reductions recovered with treatment with ECQ for 7 days. ECQ significantly inhibited the elevation of the malondialdehyde levels and myeloperoxidase activity, which were used as indices of lipid peroxidation and neutrophil infiltration. ECQ recovered the level of glutathione, activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and expression of SOD-2. The increased levels of total NO concentration and iNOS expression in the IA-induced chronic gastritis were significantly reduced by treatment with ECQ. These results suggest that the ECQ has a therapeutic effect on chronic gastritis in rats by inhibitory actions on neutrophil infiltration, lipid peroxidation and various steps of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2003

Background: There is abundance of studies on the decrease in body fat through limited calorie intake or exercise; however, studies focusing simultaneously on functional foods and exercise are rare. This study was aimed to identify the effects of combination of a functional beverage and exercise on body composition and biochemical metabolic profiles. Method: Eighty-one healthy volunteers (69 females aged 19 to 50 years and 12 males aged 19 to 55 years), who maintained their body weight stable with 23 or higher in BMI (kg/$m^2$) and 25% or higher body fat for the last three months, were recruited in the study through written advertisement. All the subjects gave their informed consent, and the study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study design was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel group design. All participants were given 12-week programed-exercise, which was performed 3 times a week. One bottle (100 ml) of test (Garcinia cambogia 300 mg, L-carnitine 20 mg, Soy peptide 1,000 mg) or placebo solution was given daily 30 min before each session of programed-exercise. BMI (body mass index), %fat, local fat amount (visceral and mid-thigh), waist circumference, skin fold thickness and some biochemical metabolic parameters like glucose, insulin and free fatty acids, etc in the blood were measured and compared before and after 12-week intervention within groups as well as between groups according to the protocol Results: Twenty six volunteers were dropped out and fifty five volunteers completed the study. At the end of 4, 8, and 12 weeks, approximately 1.98%, 3.00% and 3.50% losses of initial body weight were observed, respectively, in the test group (P<0.01), and 0.29, % ,0.74%, 1.60%, respectively, in the placebo group (P>0.05). BMI changed by 2.40%, 3.41% and 4.46%, respectively, in the test group, and 0.38%, 0.95% and 1.75%, respectively, in the placebo group, at each period of time. The reductions of body weight and BMI were significantly higher in the test group than in the placebo group at each period of time (P<0.05). Conclusions: It is thought that the combination of functional beverage, which contains mostly garcinia cambogia, L-carnitine, and soy peptide, and exercise have synergy effects on reducing body fat.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.575-582
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• 2011

This experiment was conducted to study the qualitative changes of grafted cactus after harvest and to examine the decomposition characteristics of pathogenic fungi which occurs or grows during the simulated shipping period. Plant materials with four varieties of Gymnocalycium mihanovichii var. friedrichii including, 'Hukwang', 'Huhong', 'Hwangwol', 'Yeunhwa' and two varieties of Chamaecereus silvestrii f. variegate such as 'Goldcrown' and 'Yellowcrown' were used. During the simulated shipping period, the fresh-weight, bulb diameter, carbon dioxide emission rate, and decomposition rate were observed. The regeneration rate and decomposition rate were observed for the grafted cactuses that were placed in a greenhouse environment with a temperature of $28{\pm}12^{\circ}C$ and humidity of $36{\pm}15.3%$ after 40 days of simulated shipping. There were reductions in the fresh-weight and bulb diameter in every variety as time passed while the carbon dioxide emission rate showed no meaningful difference by each variety. Furthermore, the decomposition rate in the scion was higher than in the stock. According to the analysis of pathogenic fungi by decomposition characteristics, Alternaria sp., Cladosporium sp., Colletotrichum sp., Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp. in G. mihanovichii var. friedrichii were found and Alternaria sp., Bipolaris sp., Cladospoirum sp. in C. silvestrii f. variegate were identified. Therefore, to maintain and improve the quality of grafted cactus, it is necessary to analyze the factors of decomposition from the time of harvest until the point of export and develop a process technology to minimize the decomposition rate.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.57-69
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• 2003

It is well known that many pesticides possess hormonal activity, and affect the developments of wildlife and mammals including human. Currently, pyrethroid insecticides are in worldwide use to control in and outdoor pests, providing potential far environmental exposure. Hormonal activities of these pyrethroid insecticides, however, have been little studied, and the developmental effects of them were no reported. Therefore, we firstly examined the potential estrogenic activities of some pyrethroid insecticides (permethrin, cypermethrin, tetramethrin, deltamethrin, sumithrin, fenvalerate and bioallethrin) by immature rat uterotrophic assay, luciferase reporter gene assay and Calbindin-D$\sub$9k/ (CaBP-9k) gene expression assay. Uterine wet weights were increased by permethrin and the permethrin-induced weights were inhibited by ICI 182780 in the uterolrophic assay. On the other hand tetramethrin significantly reduced uterine and vaginal wet weights, and also inhibited the E2-induced weight increases at all doses tested. Cypermethrin and sumithrin had a tendency to increase uterine weights, although not statistically significant. Permethrin and cypermethrin dose-dependently increased the luciferase activity in reporter gene assay. Northern blot analysis showed that permethrin induced CaBP-9k mRNA expression whereas tetramethrin inhibted. Subsequent studies were conducted to investigate the possible developmental effects of four pyrethroid insecricides (permethrin, cypermethrin, sumithrin and teramethrin). Either diethlbestrol (DES) or 17${\beta}$ -estradiol (E2) was used as a reference control in this study. Pyrethroid insecticides were administered to Sprague Dawley rats via subcutaneous injection at 6 to 18 days of gestation or 1 to 5 days after birth. In utero treatment of permethrin (10mg/kg/day) in female rat resulted in significant increases in uterine and ovarian weights while significant decreases in serum E2 concentration, uterine and ovarian ER${\alpha}$ mRNA levels. Sumithrin and permethrin led to acceleration in vaginal opening of female rat, while delay in preputial separation of male after neonatal treatment. Anogenital distances of PND 18 were significantly reduced in sumthrin-treated, and permerhrin-treated male rats after neonatal treatment. All the pyrethroid insecticides tested caused significant increases in uterine weights on PND 18, while significant reductions in the first diestrus phase when neonataly treated. In addition, exposure to pyrethroids in neonatal period led to significant reduction in relative brain weight in female rat on PND 18, but its weight was recovered in diestrus phase. In summary, Our experimental data demonstrate the possibilities of developmental effects of pyrethroid insecticides via estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary leucine supplementation on mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism in the liver of normal birth weight (NBW) and intrauterine growth-retarded (IUGR) weanling piglets. MATERIALS/METHODS: A total of sixteen pairs of NBW and IUGR piglets from sixteen sows were selected according to their birth weight. At postnatal day 14, all piglets were weaned and fed either a control diet or a leucine-supplemented diet for 21 d. Thereafter, a $2{\times}2$ factorial experimental design was used. Each treatment consisted of eight replications with one piglet per replication. RESULTS: Compared with NBW piglets, IUGR piglets had a decreased (P < 0.05) hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content. Also, IUGR piglets exhibited reductions (P < 0.05) in the activities of hepatic mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), citrate synthase (CS), ${\alpha}$-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (${\alpha}$-KGDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and complexes I and V, along with decreases (P < 0.05) in the concentration of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the protein expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\gamma}$ coactivator $1{\alpha}$ (PGC-$1{\alpha}$). Dietary leucine supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the content of ATP, and the activities of CS, ${\alpha}$-KGDH, MDH, and complex V in the liver of piglets. Furthermore, compared to those fed a control diet, piglets given a leucine-supplemented diet exhibited increases (P < 0.05) in the mtDNA content and in the mRNA expressions of sirtuin 1, PGC-$1{\alpha}$, nuclear respiratory factor 1, mitochondrial transcription factor A, and ATP synthase, $H^+$ transporting, mitochondrial F1 complex, ${\beta}$ polypeptide in liver. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary leucine supplementation may exert beneficial effects on mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism in NBW and IUGR weanling piglets.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2011

Saline corrosion is one of the major degradation mechanisms for stainless steel type 304 (SS304) dry storage cask during the spent fuel interim storage period. Slow strain rate test (SSRT) and neutral salt spray test (NSS) were performed at $85^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$ with 0.5 wt% sodium chloride mist sprayed on the cold-rolled SS304 specimens of different degrees of reduction in this study. The weight changes of the NSS specimens tested at $85^{\circ}C$ for 2000 hours differed greatly from those at $200^{\circ}C$. The weight loss of NSS specimens was not significant at $85^{\circ}C$ but the weight gain decreased gradually with increasing the cold-rolled reduction. The yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile stress (UTS) values obtained from the SSRT tests for lightly cold-rolled specimens in the salt spray environment at $85^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$ are slightly lower than in air. But for those with 20% reductions, the specimen strengths were no longer changed by the saline corrosion. The preliminary results demonstrated that the quality and performance of cold-rolled SS304 is acceptable for fabrication of dry storage casks. However, more work on the corrosion behavior of cold-rolled stainless steel in the saline atmosphere is needed to better understand its long-term performance.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.7-13
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• 2014

Objectives : Anti-obesity drugs that have been developed so far have limited efficacies and considerable adverse effects affecting tolerability and safety. Therefore, most anti-obesity durgs have been withdrawn. We tried to develop anti-obesity agent by combinations from herbs that are used in food ingredients as well as in traditional medicines. Methods : The 80% (v/v) ethanol extracts from Bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescence) leaf (BL) and Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) and their 1:1 combination (BLSB) was evaluated on high fat diet induced obese mice compared to Omega-3 as a positive control. The mice were divided into six groups (n=5), one group fed a normal diet (ND), and the others fed a high fat diets for eight weeks. Two weeks after starting feeding the diets, the high fat diet groups were orally administered vehicle and Omega-3, BL, SB, and BLSB at dosage of 200 mg/kg/day for six weeks. All groups were assayed for body weights, food efficiency ratio, blood biochemistry parameters, and organic tissue weights. Results : BLSB group showed significant reductions in body weight gain and fat weights of liver and epididymal adipose tissue compared to BL or SB alone as well as control. Total-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels significantly decreased, and HDL-cholesterol level increased. In liver tissue, macrovesicular steaotisis was remarkably improved and its fat cell size was also significantly decreased. Conclusions : These results suggested that a combination preparation of bamboo leaf and S. baicalensis has anti-obesity effect and have synergistic effect compared to bamboo leaf or S. baicalesis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.301-307
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• 2011

The hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects of two dietary dosages (0.1% and 0.5%) of water and 80% ethanol extracts from hot-air dried Orostachys japonicus A. Berger were evaluated in the serum and organ tissues of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The STZ-induced diabetic groups supplemented with the O. japonicus extracts showed significantly higher body weight compared to a diabetic control group at the end of experiment. The extracts exhibited substantial hypoglycemic effects by significant reductions of fasting blood glucose levels at all time points tested compared to the initial stage before treatment of the extracts. Declines of serum and hepatic triglyceride levels were greater than declines of total cholesterol in the groups treated with the 0.5% O. japonicus extract (DBW2 and DBE2) when compared to the DBC group. Hepatic glycogen content was higher in the groups treated with O. japonicus extract, while lipid peroxide content was decreased in these treated groups compared to the DBC group. Hepatic antioxidant activity was significantly increased in the groups supplemented with the O. japonicus ethanol extract The hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects of the O. japonicus ethanol extract were significantly greater than the effects of the water extract. Based on this study, it seems that O. japonicus ethanol extract, due to its higher phenolic and flavonoid components than the water extract, may control blood glucose and alleviate hyperlipidemia in diabetes.