• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.317-322
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• 2015

Alcohol-induced fatty liver (steatosis) results from excessive generation of reducing equivalents by ethanol metabolism. Generally, chronic ethanol treatment causes hepatosteatosis by regulating sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), which increases the synthesis of hepatic lipids. The effect of ethanol on SREBP-1c is mediated through mammalian sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1), a NAD⁺-dependent protein deacetylase that regulates hepatic lipid metabolism. Ginseng is a widely used herbal medicine that is used in Asia for its anti-diabetes and anti-obesity effects. The pharmacological and therapeutic effects of ginseng are primarily produced by bioactive constituents known as ginsenosides. Here, we examined the regulatory effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) extracts on SREBP-1c and SIRT-1 on lipid homeostasis in AML-12 mouse hepatocytes. AML-12 cells were treated with ethanol and/or KRG extracts (0 - 1,000 μg/ml). Lipid droplets were assayed using Oil red O staining, and western blotting was used to measure SIRT-1 and SREBP-1 expression. Treatment with KRG extracts restored SIRT-1 expression and reduced SREBP-1c expression in ethanol-treated cells. We also showed that KRG extract and ginsenosides Rb₂ and Rd significantly decreased SREBP-1 acetylation in ethanol-treated cells. These results show that treatment with KRG extract and its active ginsenoside constituents Rb₂ and Rd protected against alcohol-related hepatosteatosis via regulation of SIRT-1 and downstream acetylation of SREBP-1c, which altered hepatic lipid metabolism.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2022

A small proportion of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) develop severe pneumonia. We reported the severe COVID-19 pneumonia in children aged <18 years with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir and dexamethasone from August 2021 to November 2021 by a retrospective review of their medical records. Eight children were included (5 males and 3 females). Their median age was 16 years (range: 9 to 17 years) and their median body mass index was 30.5 kg/m² (range: 22.8-38.5 kg/m²). All patients had fever and dyspnea with hypoxia. Chest radiographic findings were variable and included diffuse or multifocal consolidation, nodules, and ground-glass opacities in the lungs. After receiving intravenous remdesivir and dexamethasone, 7 of the 8 children experienced an improvement in their symptoms within 2 days. In our case series, obesity was present in 6 out of 8 children with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.506-515
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• 2015

In this study, the effect of Goheung pomegranate extract on postmenopausal syndrome was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo in ovariectomized Sprague-Dawly (SD) rats. Sixty female SD rats were divided into six groups: sham, sham operation and distilled water; OVX, ovariectomized and distilled water; PE1, ovariectomized and pomegranate concentrate (0.75 mL/twice/d); PE2, ovariectomized and pomegranate concentrate (1.5 mL/twice/d); PE3, ovariectomized and pomegranate concentrate (2.2 mL/twice/d); and CE, ovariectomized and commercial pomegranate concentrate (2.2 mL/twice/d). Percent bone volume (bone volume/tissue volume) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) improved in a dose-independent manner in PE1, 2, and 3. Especially, bone mineral density was significantly improved in PE3 (P<0.05) compared to OVX. Pomegranate extract reduced body weight and visceral fat mass. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level slightly increased in a dose-independent manner in the experimental group. In addition, HDL-C/total cholesterol level of PE3 significantly increased (P<0.05) compared with OVX. These results show that pomegranate concentrate improved blood lipid levels and bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats. Therefore, Goheung pomegranate concentrates are expected to improve cardiovascular and bone-related diseases in menopausal women.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.182-192
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• 2011

Purpose : Atopic findings may be associated with severity of pneumonia in 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection, which could suggest a possible association between atopic findings and the severity of viral infections. Thus, we studied association between atopic findings and severity of disease in children with H1N1 influenza infection. Methods : A retrospective study was performed in 74 children admitted in a single tertiary institute and confirmed as H1N1 patients by reverse transcriptase (RT) - polymerase chain reaction (PCR). They were divided into 2 groups according to the severity of pneumonia. We evaluated whether the atopic finding is risk factor between the two groups. Results : Children with severe pneumonia had higher percentages of serum eosinophilia (88% vs 40%, P <0.001), asthma (65% vs 35%, P =0.011), allergic rhinitis (71% vs 40%, P =0.009), and IgE level (P =0.007). We found positive correlations between aeroallergen sensitizations and severity of pneumonia (82% vs 53%, P =0.007). Conclusion : Among patients with H1N1 pneumonia, asthma and atopic findings are risk factors for severity of pneumonia.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 2018

Chronic inflammation is known to have effects on various diseases such as gout, cancer, dementia, atopic disease, and obesity. In addition, since some signal cascades involved in the development of inflammation are known to affect the damage and aging of the skin tissue, studies are being conducted actively to control the inflammation mechanism. In order to mitigate or prevent inflammatory response, a number of researches have been made to develop anti-inflammatory materials from some plants. In particular, Stevia rebaudiana produces steviol glycosides (SG), a natural sweetener with a distinctive flavor. Studies on some of SG have been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity. Researchers of this study expected that more SG also possess anti-inflammatory activity, besides stevioside, rebaudioside A, and steviol. In order to confirm this possibility, the researchers screened inhibition activity of various steviol glucosides for NO production in RAW 264.7 cell lines. As a result, steviol ${\beta}-glucopyranosyl$ ester (SGE) showed the highest inhibitory activity among steviol derivatives treated at the same molar concentration. In addition, we found that mRNA expression level of $interleukin-1{\alpha}$ ($IL-1{\alpha}$), $interleukin-1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor kappa-light chain-enhancer of activated B cells ($NF-{\kappa}B$) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was also decreased in a dose-dependent manner. These results show that SGE inhibits anti-inflammatory activity and NO production in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. It was confirmed that SGE has potential to be applied as an anti-inflammatory material.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.8
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• pp.1158-1165
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• 2014

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of Sargassum fulvellum ethanol extract (SFEE) on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response. SFEE remarkably suppressed production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and $IL-1{\beta}$ at 50 and $100{\mu}g/mL$. There were no cytotoxic effects on proliferation of macrophages treated with SFEE compared to the control. SFEE reduced expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins in a dose-dependent manner. The formation of edema in mouse ears was reduced at the highest dose tested compared to the control. Moreover, in the acute toxicity test, no mortality occurred in mice administered 5,000 mg/kg body weight of SFEE over the 2-week observation period. These results suggest that SFEE may have significant effects on inflammatory factors and be a potential anti-inflammatory therapeutic material.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 2013

This research was performed to investigate the effect of Agarum cribrosum ethanol extracts on the levels of lipids in the serum of rats fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks. Experimental groups were divided into basal diet only (BDG), high fat diet control (HFDCG), high-fat diet and 5% Agarum cribrosum ethanol extract powder (HF5S), and high-fat diet and 10% Agarum cribrosum ethanol extract powder(HF10S) groups. The levels of hematological variables were not significantly different among the four groups. Compared with the control group's serum total cholesterol level of 89.14 mg/dL, the levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 77.26 and 75.47 mg/dL, respectively. Compared with the control group's LDL-cholesterol leve of 27.41 mg/dL, the LDL-cholesterol levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 20.64 and 20.17 mg/dL, respectively. Also, compared to the control group's serum triglyceride level of 98.36 mg/dL, the triglyceride levels of the HF5S and HF10S groups were significantly lowered to 87.94 and 87.39 mg/dL, respectively. These results indicate that dietary intake of Agarum cribrosum ethanol extracts might have beneficial effects on obesity by reducing body weight and improving blood lipid profile.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 2004

This study was conducted to examine the effects of $\beta$3-adrenergic receptor polymorphism on the blood glucose level and obesity in 530 volunteers, who attended a weight loss program in a local obesity clinic. The age differences in total subjects and the distribution of male and female were 26.55$\pm$0.31 yr, 9.1% (n=48), 90.9% (n=492). The genotype distribution of $\beta$3-AR gene polymorphism were WW type 75%, WR type 22% and RR type 3%. Among many parameters, fasting blood glucose was significantly higher in WR＋RR type (p=0.001) compared with WW type. When the subjects were divided into two groups by 6.105 mmol/L of the fasting blood glucose level, the frequency of hyperglycemia was 23.3% in WW type subjects, while there was a increase to 35.6% in WR＋RR type subjects (p=0.011, $\chi$$^2$-analysis). When hyperglycemia group was compared with normoglycemia group, obesity index (p=0.044), %body fat (p=0.046) and TG (p=0.000) were significantly higher, and HDL (p=0.006) was significantly lower in the hyperglycemia. When all of the above factors were included in stepwise logistic regression analysis to find risk factors of hyperglycemia, the results were that the odds ratio for hyperglycemia were 2.015 (p=0.011) for WR+RR type of $\beta$3-AR gene, 2.165 (p=0.000) for TG and 0.419 (p=0.059) for HDL cholesterol. There was a significantly positive correlation between the blood glucose vs BMI, WHR, body fat in the WW type (r=0.099, 0.119, 0.082) However, in the WR and RR type there were no significance between the blood glucose vs BMI, WHR, body fat. These data suggest that the WR＋RR genotype of $\beta$3-AR has a very strong association with increased blood glucose level and might be a significant risk factor for hyperglycemia among Korean subjects.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2013

Vitis amurensis Rupreche, a sort of grape, grows naturally in Asian countries. It is known for important biological effects such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, neuroprotection, and angiogenesis inhibition. Although its root is used as a traditional folk medicine in Korea, the root's biological activities are poorly studied. In the present study, the effects of V. amurensis root methanol extract (VARM) and its solvent fractions on adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were investigated. The VARM significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and the triglyceride (TG) content of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, without cytotoxicity. To identify active molecules, the VARM was fractionated with a series of organic solvents including dichloromethane ($CH_2Cl_2$), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and n-butanol (n-BuOH). All the fractions also showed inhibition of lipid accumulation in the 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The $CH_2Cl_2$ fraction showed the most powerful anti-obesity effect through the modulation of cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosinethymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene and protein expression. Oleanolic acid was one of the main active compounds involved in the anti-obesity activity of the V. amurensis root. These results provide important new insight into the potential potent anti-adipogenic effect of the V. amurensis root and illustrate that one of the main compounds involved in this effect is oleanolic acid.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2021

This study investigated the anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-obesity effects of Sparassis latifolia (S. latifolia) fruiting body powder in rats fed with a high fat and cholesterol diet (HFD). Rats were fed a normal control diet (ND), an HFD, an HFD supplemented with 5% fruiting body powder of S. latifolia (HFD+SL), or an HFD supplemented with 0.03% simvastatin (HFD+SS), for 6 weeks. The HFD group demonstrated considerable increase in body weight gain, the food efficiency ratio (FER), and plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels, compared to the ND group. In contrast, the HFD+SL and HFD+SS groups showed significantly reduced body weight gain, food intake, and plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels compared to the HFD group. In particular, the HFD+SL and HFD+SS diets significantly suppressed the occurrence of non-alcoholic fat deposits in the liver. Taken together, these results suggest that dietary supplementation of the fruiting body powder of S. latifolia in an HFD could lower the risks of hyperlipidemia, atherogenesis, and obesity and may be used as a functional food to manage cardiovascular disease and fecal lipid and cholesterol levels.