• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2021

The seagrass habitats are a highly productive marine ecosystem which provides nursery ground and shelter for many fish and invertebrate species. Pholis nebulosa (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) is one of the most abundant seagrass fishes in the coastal waters of Korea. The estimation of fish production is key for devising conservation measures and ensuring fish resources sustainability. A total 894 P. nebulosa ranging from 3.83 to 26.5 cm total length (TL) were collected monthly in 2006 with a small beam trawl in a seagrass bed of southern Korea. Growth parameters of P. nebulosa were estimated using the von Bertalanffy growth model, and production was estimated using a general equation which relates daily fish production to ash-free dry weight (AFDW), biomass, and water temperature. The von Bertalanffy's growth equation was estimated as: L_t = 28.3823(1-e^{-0.7835(t+0.9864)}). The densities, biomass, daily, annual production, and P/B ratio were 0.069±0.061/m^-2, 1.022±0.621 g/m², 0.005±0.004 g AFDW/m²/day, 1.676 g AFDW/m²/yr, and 1.641, respectively. Monthly variation in production of P. nebulosa peaked during March and April 2006 (0.0139 and 0.0111 g AFDW/m²/day), whereas the lowest value of 0.0005 g AFDW/m²/day was in December. Monthly change in production of P. nebulosa was positively correlated with biomass and condition factor. Our results will contribute to the conservation of seagrass ecosystems, which are still undisturbed in the study area.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.242-249
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• 2019

Objectives: Elderly individuals with diabetes should maintain a normal body mass index (BMI) to help control their blood glucose levels. This study investigated barriers to physical activity (PA), self-efficacy to overcome those barriers, and PA self-efficacy among elderly individuals with diabetes in relation to BMI. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 56 participants. Data were collected by a questionnaire interview and direct measurements for anthropometric data. PA self-efficacy was measured using 8 questions describing different levels of PA, where participants rated the strength of their belief that they could engage in that activity. Self-efficacy to overcome barriers was measured using 10 questions capturing participants' confidence in their ability to engage in PA despite different possible barriers. Mean scores for these parameters were analyzed using the chi-square test and the independent t-test. Results: In total, 89.3% of participants had a low PA level and 58.9% had more than 3 hours of sedentary activity per day. Furthermore, 55.4% were obese and 14.3% were overweight. The mean scores for PA self-efficacy and self-efficacy to overcome barriers were $59.1{\pm}26.4$ and $52.5{\pm}13.8$, respectively. PA level was related to BMI (p<0.001; r=0.116) and sedentary activity (p<0.05; r=0.274). PA self-efficacy and age were not related to BMI. Barriers to PA were associated with PA levels (p<0.05). Conclusions: Physical inactivity was a major problem in elderly individuals with diabetes, and was correlated with higher BMI. Lower levels of PA might be mediated by sedentary activity.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.47-61
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• 2019

The Dokdo coast is known for its high biodiversity. However, few studies have examined the biodiversity and macrobenthic community on the subtidal soft-bottom. Therefore, we collected macrobenthos (> 1 mm) using a Smith-McIntyre grab ($0.1m^2$) at 15 stations along the Dokdo coast in September 2016. The sediments consisted of badly sorted (1.7) coarse sand with gravel and the mean sediment grain size was $-0.4{\phi}$. In total, 177 macrobenthic species were collected; their mean density was $1,566ind./m^2$. The number of species and density of macrobenthic fauna decreased significantly with the mean grain size. The dominant species were the amphipods Melita denticulata (16.5%) and Melita shimizui (5.5%), polychaete Salvatoria clavata (5.4%), bivalve Glycymeris aspersa (4.4%), and ophiuroid Ophionereis dubia (4.3%). The dominant macrobenthos species on the subtidal soft-bottom differed from the coastal areas of the East Sea, suggesting that the difference in the sediment grain size affected the macrobenthos. Cluster analysis was performed to divide the study area into four groups, and environmental factors which correlated with species composition and distribution in the study area were the combination of the four parameters of salinity, dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon and depth. A future seasonal investigation is needed to understand the species composition and characteristics of the Dokdo macrobenthos.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.30-43
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• 2019

This study compared the predictive models for the growth kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus in ham rice balls. In addition, a semi-quantitative risk assessment of S. aureus on ham rice balls was conducted using FDA-iRISK 4.0. The rice was rounded with chopped ham, which was mixed with mayonnaise (SHM), soy sauce (SHS), or gochujang (SHG), and was contaminated artificially with approximately $2.5{\log}\;CFU{\cdot}g^{-1}$ of S. aureus. The inoculated rice balls were then stored at $7^{\circ}C$, $15^{\circ}C$, and $25^{\circ}C$, and the number of viable S. aureus was counted. The lag phases duration (LPD) and maximum specific growth rate (SGR) were calculated using a Baranyi model as a primary model. The growth parameters were analyzed using the polynomial equation as a function of temperature. The LPD values of S. aureus decreased with increasing temperature in SHS and SHG. On the other hand, those in SHM did not show any trend with increasing temperature. The SGR positively correlated with temperature. Equations for LPD and SGR were developed and validated using $R^2$ values, which ranged from 0.9929 to 0.9999. In addition, the total DALYs (disability adjusted life years) per year in the ham rice balls with soy sauce and gochujang was greater than mayonnaise. These results could be used to calculate the expected number of illnesses, and set the hazard management method taking the DALY value for public health into account.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.171-180
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• 2019

Purpose: Malnutrition may influence neurocognitive development in children by directly affecting the brain structural development, or indirectly by affecting the children's cognition experience. Malnutrition alters the cell numbers, cell migration, synaptogenesis, and neurotransmission due to inadequate availability of necessary micronutrients to support cell growth. We aimed to analyze neurocognitive development in infants with malnutrition and its association with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), micronutrients levels and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) findings. Methods: The study included two groups; group 1, infants with malnutrition (n=24), group 2; healthy infants (n=21). Peripheral blood was obtained from the participants for studying micronutrients and LC-PUFA levels. The neurocognitive development was analyzed by the use of an Ankara Developmental Screening Inventory test. MRS were performed on all infants. Results: All parameters of neurocognitive development and serum calcium ($9.6{\pm}0.9mg/dL$ vs. $10.4{\pm}0.3mg/dL$, p<0.05) and magnesium ($2.02{\pm}0.27mg/dL$ vs. $2.2{\pm}0.14mg/dL$, p<0.05) levels were noted as being low in infants with marked malnutrition. No difference was found in LC-PUFA levels between healthy and malnourished infants. Thalamic choline/creatine levels were significantly high in infants with malnutrition ($1.33{\pm}0.22$ vs. $1.18{\pm}0.22$, p<0.05). Total neurocognitive development in infants was positively correlated with serum calcium levels (p<0.05, r=0.381). Conclusion: Calcium supplementation may improve neurocognitive development in malnourished infants.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.1294-1304
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• 2018

The aims of this research were to examine the effect of heating temperature (65, 75, and $85^{\circ}C$) and $CaCl_2$ concentration level (3, 4, and 5 mM) on the physicochemical properties of ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin (${\beta}$-lg) nanoemulsions (NEs) and to study how the droplet size of NEs affects the bioaccessibility (BA) of coenzyme $Q_{10}$ ($CoQ_{10}$). The droplet size of NEs and BA of $CoQ_{10}$ was assessed by particle size analyzer and UV-Vis spectrophotometer, respectively. An increase in heating temperature and $CaCl_2$ concentration level resulted in a significant (p<0.05) increase in the droplet size of NEs while there were no significant differences in polydispersity index and zeta-potential of NEs. When NEs containing $CoQ_{10}$ were incubated in simulated small intestinal phases, an increase in the droplet size and polydispersity index of NEs was observed. This indicated that NEs were not stable in small intestine and digestion of NEs occurred. As heating temperature and $CaCl_2$ concentration level were decreased, a significant (p<0.05) increase in BA of $CoQ_{10}$ was observed. There was a significant (p<0.05) increase in BA of $CoQ_{10}$ with a decrease in the droplet size of NEs. In conclusion, heating temperature and $CaCl_2$ concentration level were key-parameters affecting the initial droplet size of NEs and BA of $CoQ_{10}$ was negatively correlated with initial droplet size of NEs.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.1144-1154
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• 2018

Both the calcium and collagen in bone powder are hard to be absorbed by the body. Although enzymatic hydrolysis by protease increased the bio-availability of bone powder, it was a meaningful try to further increase $Ca^{2+}$ release, oligopeptide formation and antioxidant activity of the sheep bone hydrolysate (SBH) by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation. Lactobacillus helveticus was selected as the starter for its highest protease-producing ability among 5 tested LAB strains. The content of liberated $Ca^{2+}$ was measured as the responsive value in the response surface methodology (RSM) for optimizing the fermenting parameters. When SBH (adjusted to pH 6.1) supplemented with 1.0% glucose was inoculated 3.0% L. helveticus and incubated for 29.4 h at $36^{\circ}C$, $Ca^{2+}$ content in the fermented SBH significantly increased (p<0.01), and so did the degree of hydrolysis and the obtaining rate of oligopeptide. The viable counts of L. helveticus reached to $1.1{\times}10^{10}CFU/mL$. Results of Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that LAB viable counts, $Ca^{2+}$ levels, obtaining rates of oligopeptide and the yield of polypeptide were positively correlated with each other (p<0.01). The abilities of SBH to scavenge the free radicals of DPPH, OH and ABTS were also markedly enhanced after fermentation. In conclusion, L. helveticus fermentation can further boost the release of free $Ca^{2+}$ and oligopeptide, enhance the antioxidant ability of SBH. The L. helveticus fermented SBH can be developed as a novel functional dietary supplement product.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.356-367
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• 2018

Purpose: Kallikrein (KLK) proteases are hormone-like signaling molecules with critical functions in different cancers. This study investigated the expression of KLK6 in gastric cancer and its potential role in the growth, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Materials and Methods: In this study, we compared protein levels of KLK6, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 9 in normal gastric epithelial and gastric cancer cell lines by western blot. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was employed to sort 2 clones of SGC-7901 cells with distinct KLK6 expression, namely, KLK6-high ($KLK6^{high}$) and KLK6-low ($KLK6^{low}$), which were then expanded. Lastly, immunohistochemical analysis was performed to investigate KLK6 expression in gastric cancer patients. Results: The expression levels of KLK6, VEGF, and MMP 9, were significantly higher in the gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901, BGC-823, MKN-28, and MGC-803 than in the normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-1. Compared to $KLK6^{low}$ cells, $KLK6^{high}$ cells showed enhanced viability, colony-forming ability, migration, and invasion potential in vitro. Importantly, immunohistochemical analysis of a human gastric cancer tissue cohort revealed that the staining for KLK6, VEGF, and MMP9 was markedly stronger in the cancerous tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues. KLK6 expression also correlated with that of VEGF and MMP9 expression, as well as several key clinicopathological parameters. Conclusions: Together, these results suggest an important role for KLK6 in human gastric cancer progression.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.369-376
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of inflammatory biomarkers in acute infectious diarrhea among children. Methods: Clinical parameters including fever, bacterial and viral etiology based on stool culture and multiplex polymerase chain reaction, and nine biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and leukocytes in blood and calprotectin, lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, polymorphonuclear elastase, leukocytes, and occult blood in feces were evaluated in children who were hospitalized due to acute diarrhea without underlying disease. Results: A total of 62 patients were included. Among these patients, 33 had fever, 18 showed bacterial infections, and 40 patients were infected with 43 viruses. Of all the biomarkers, CRP was significantly correlated with fever (p<0.001). CRP, ESR, calprotectin, lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, fecal leukocytes, and occult blood were significantly associated with infection with bacterial pathogens (p<0.001, p=0.04, p=0.03, p=0.003, p=0.02, p=0.03, p=0.002, respectively). The combination of CRP and fecal lactoferrin at their best cut-off values (13.7 mg/L and $22.8{\mu}g/mL$, respectively) yielded a sensitivity of 72.2%, and a specificity of 95.5% for bacterial etiology compared with their individual use. Conclusion: Blood CRP is a useful diagnostic marker for both fever and bacterial etiology in acute pediatric diarrhea. The combination of CRP and fecal lactoferrin yields better diagnostic capability for bacterial etiology than their use alone for acute diarrhea in children without underlying gastrointestinal disease.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.271-279
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• 2019

Background: We utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to evaluate the cerebral white matter changes that are associated with phantom limb pain in patients with unilateral arm amputation. It was anticipated that this would complement previous research in which we had shown that changes in cerebral blood volume were associated with the cerebral pain network. Methods: Ten patients with phantom limb pain due to unilateral arm amputation and sixteen healthy age-matched controls were enrolled. The intensity of phantom limb pain was measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and depressive mood was assessed by the Hamilton depression rating scale. Diffusion tensor-derived parameters, including fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), were computed from the DTI. Results: Compared with controls, the cases had alterations in the cerebral white matter as a consequence of phantom limb pain, manifesting a higher AD of white matter in both hemispheres symmetrically after adjusting for individual depressive moods. In addition, there were associations between the RD of white matter and VAS scores primarily in the hemispheres related to the missing hand and in the corpus callosum. Conclusions: The phantom limb pain after unilateral arm amputation induced plasticity in the white matter. We conclude that loss of white matter integrity, particularly in the hemisphere connected with the missing hand, is significantly correlated with phantom limb pain.