• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.190-204
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• 2022

Background: In Korea, the population is rapidly aging, and the types of households for the elderly are also diversifying. The self-rated health of the elderly is a valuable health indicator that can comprehensively represent the overall quality of life along with physical, mental, and functional health. On the other hand, studies on the association between household type and self-rated health of the elderly are still insufficient. Thus, this study analyzed the association between household type and self-rated health by gender in Korean older adults. Methods: Using data from the analysis of the National Survey of Older Koreans 2017, 10,299 elderly people aged 65 and over were targeted. For the accuracy of the analysis data, 9,910 people were selected as the study sample by excluding proxy responses, those diagnosed with dementia, and non-response. And technical analysis, univariate analysis using the Rao-Scott chi-square test, and logical regression analysis involving survey characteristics were conducted by gender. Results: According to the adjusted model with all variables, in both men and women, the odds ratio of self-rated health 'bad' in 'couple (with ill spouse)' was significantly higher than 'couple (with spouse)'. It was 2.54 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.05-3.15) for men and 2.11 (95% CI, 1.70-2.62) for women. In addition, the odds ratio of self-rated health 'bad' in 'living with adult children' was 1.43 (95% CI, 1.09-1.87) for men and 1.42 (95% CI, 1.15-1.75) for women, which was more significant in women than men. Conclusion: This study states that there is an association between gender, household type, and self-rated health of the elderly, and the health of a spouse and cohabitation with children have a significant effect on self-rated health. As a result, in order to improve the health status of the elderly, health promotion and health care policies involving the characteristics of the elderly's gender and household type are needed.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.880-889
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• 2021

The home meal replacement (HMR) market has attracted significant attention due to COVID-19 pandemic and products that utilize the combination of different processed ingredients are now being developed. In this study, Broughton's ribbed ark Scapharca broughtonii was soaked in seasoned soy sauce with the incorporation of mustard leaf Brassica juncea (M-BRA), which is known to have a unique texture as well as excellent functional properties such as antioxidation, to develop a regional specialty product. The optimal conditions for manufacturing M-BRA from the seasoned soy sauce (the sauce to be added [X₁] and the soaking time [X₂]), were examined using response surface methodology (RSM) to analyze the significance of the salinity (Y₁), amino-N content (Y₂), and overall acceptance (Y₃). The coefficient of determination (R²) between X₁-X₂ and Y₁-Y₃ were close to 1, thereby confirming the suitability of the RSM model. The optimal conditions were seasoned soy sauce addition of 140% and soaking time of 156 min. The M-BRA manufactured under these conditions exhibited superior overall acceptance compared to seasoned commercial soy sauce, which was used as a control. We expect that the market for M-BRA manufactured by combining marine and agricultural materials will expand owing to superior overall acceptance compared with commercial products.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.155-167
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• 2020

The stage manager role of "Our Town"(1938), a representative work of Thornton Wilder(1897-1975), is a unique theatrical device that presents a wide range of interesting and diverse perspectives in the actor's acting approach, the director's stage-shape methodology, and the audience's theater experience. Why did Wilder call stage manager role a stage manager, not just a simple narrator? Because "Our Town" intentionally lacks the basic elements that dramas must have, it needed a more self-reliant and omnipotent role in creating the margins of dramatic writing, including boldly omitted time and space, with infinite imagination. For this reason, stage manager role plays a much more complex and multi-functional role than a narrator. In response, this paper accurately articulates the concept of theatrical style and theatrical convention on the premise of the stage manager role in "Our Town," followed by making theatrical convention, the director of scene progress and scene change, the messenger of the writer's thoughts, and dramatic rhythm control.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.969-979
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• 2021

Type 2 diabetes is a serious chronic metabolic disease, and the goal of diabetes treatment is to keep blood glucose at a normal level and prevent complications from diabetes. Hyperglycemia is a key pathologic feature of type 2 diabetes that mainly results from insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Chronic exposure of β-cells to elevated glucose concentrations induces glucotoxicity. In this study, we examined whether an 80% ethanol extract of Oxya chinensis sinuosa Mishchenko (OEE) protected INS-1 pancreatic β-cells against glucotoxicity-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress. Pretreatment with a high concentration of glucose (high glucose = 30 mM) induced glucotoxicity and apoptosis of INS-1 pancreatic β cells. Treatment with OEE significantly increased cell viability. Treatment with 0.01-0.20 mg/ml OEE dose dependently decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide levels and increased insulin secretion in high glucose-pretreated INS-1 β cells. OEE also significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes in response to high-glucose-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, OEE treatment significantly reduced the expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins, including Bax, cytochrome C, caspase-3, and caspase-9, and increased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression. Apoptotic cells were identified using Annexin-V/propidium iodide staining, which revealed that treatment with OEE significantly reduced high-glucose-induced apoptosis. These findings implicate OEE as a valuable functional food in protecting pancreatic β-cells against glucotoxicity-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.800-811
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• 2022

The integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics may elucidate the correlation between the genotypic and phenotypic patterns in organisms. In equine physiology, various metabolite levels vary during exercise, which may be correlated with a modified gene expression pattern of related genes. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic studies in horses have not been conducted to date. The objective of this study was to detect the effect of moderate exercise on the metabolomic and transcriptomic levels in horses. In this study, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we analyzed the concentrations of metabolites in muscle and plasma; we also determined the gene expression patterns of branched chain (alpha) keto acid dehydrogenase kinase complex (BCKDK), which encodes the key regulatory enzymes in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism, in two breeds of horses, Thoroughbred and Jeju, at different time intervals. The concentrations of metabolites in muscle and plasma were measured by ¹H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy, and the relative metabolite levels before and after exercise in the two samples were compared. Subsequently, multivariate data analysis based on the metabolic profiles was performed using orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and variable important plots and t-test were used for basic statistical analysis. The stress-induced expression patterns of BCKDK genes in horse muscle-derived cells were examined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to gain insight into the role of transcript in response to exercise stress. In this study, we found higher concentrations of aspartate, leucine, isoleucine, and lysine in the skeletal muscle of Jeju horses than in Thoroughbred horses. In plasma, compared with Jeju horses, Thoroughbred horses had higher levels of alanine and methionine before exercise; whereas post-exercise, lysine levels were increased. Gene expression analysis revealed a decreased expression level of BCKDK in the post-exercise period in Thoroughbred horses.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.27-38
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• 2017

Objective : In the present study, we examined whether Canavalia gladiata D.C. (CG) and Arctium lappa L., Redix (AL) mixture (CGAL), their components, lupeol and chicoric acid, regulate immune system and suppress the tumor in vitro and in vivo. Methods : LPS-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured after treatment with CG extract (CGE), CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol and chicoric acid mixture (lupeol+CA) in Raw264.7 cell. To determine the effect of CGE on immune responses, immune cell population and IgG production were assessed in mice. To investigate the effect of CGAL and their component on anti-tumor activity, tumor volume and weight were measured, cell cycles and immune cell population were analyzed in MC38 injected tumor bearing mice. Also, NK cell activity was determined in splenocyte isolated from tumor bearing mice. Results : CGE, CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol+CA decreased the LPS-induced ROS and NO production without cell toxicity in RAW264.7 cells. CGE increased the immune cell populations of $CD4^+T$, $CD8^+T$ and macrophages in various immune organ of mice. In tumor bearing mice, CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol+CA suppressed tumor volume and weight. In cell cycle analysis, they decreased the percentages of S phase. In addition, CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol+CA immune cell populations of $CD4^+T$, $CD8^+Tcell$, NK cell and macrophage in tumor as well as NK cell activity. Conclusion : CGAL and its compounds may enhance immune responses and suppress tumor growth, and may be capable of developing health functional foods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2022

In modern society, interest in antioxidants is increasing as the stress caused by oxidants increases. However, the demand for synthetic antioxidants is decreasing because some studies have confirmed that they are harmful when consumed in large quantities; thus, studies on antioxidants derived from natural substances are actively being conducted to replace synthetic antioxidants. Blueberry, known as one of the world's top ten long-lived foods, is a plant of the Vaccinium (Ericaceae) family, and various pharmacological activities of blueberry including antioxidant activity have been studied. Vaccinium oldhamii (VO) is a deciduous broad-leaved shrub in the same genus as blueberries, and in this paper, we summarize the studies on the efficacy analysis of VO extracts and purified products. The content of phenolic compounds in VO fruits was proportional to antioxidant and anti-influenza activity such as the inhibition of NO production, and the total content of polyphenols and anthocyanin was higher than that in blueberries. VO fruit extracts showed anti-inflammatory activity and anti-cancer activity against human acute leukemia; in contrast, VO branch extracts showed anti-inflammatory activity, activity to inhibit osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption due to inflammatory response, and anti-cancer activity against several human cancer cell lines. Compared to blueberries, VO showed higher phenolic compound content, antioxidant activity, and various physiological activities. In addition, VO is considered to have sufficient value as an alternative crop to blueberries, such as it can be grown natively in Korea, with simple mass cultivation and no need to pay royalties for commercialization.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.549-564
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between harmful free radicals and antioxidants. Long-term oxidative stress can lead to an "exhausted" status of antioxidant defense system triggering development of metabolic syndrome and chronic inflammation. Green perilla (Perilla frutescens) is commonly used in Asian cuisines and traditional medicine in southeast Asia. Green perilla possesses numerous beneficial effects including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. To investigate the potentials of green perilla leaf extract (PE) on oxidative stress, we induced oxidative stress by high-fat diet (HFD) in aging mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: C57BL/6J male mice were fed HFD continuously for 53 weeks. Then, mice were divided into three groups for 12 weeks: a normal diet fed reference group (NDcon), high-fat diet fed group (HDcon), and high-fat diet PE treated group (HDPE, 400 mg/kg of body weight). Biochemical analyses of serum and liver tissues were performed to assess metabolic and inflammatory damage and oxidative status. Hepatic gene expression of oxidative stress and inflammation related enzymes were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: PE improved hepatopathology. PE also improved the lipid profiles and antioxidant enzymes, including hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in serum and liver. Hepatic gene expressions of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory related enzymes, such as SOD-1, CAT, interleukin 4 (IL-4) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) were significantly enhanced by PE. PE also reduced the levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum and liver; moreover, PE suppressed hepatic gene expression involved in pro-inflammatory response; Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). CONCLUSIONS: This research opens opportunities for further investigations of PE as a functional food and possible anti-aging agent due to its attenuative effects against oxidative stress, resulting from HFD and aging in the future.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.570-583
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• 2023

Objective: Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) play critical roles in embryo development, and immune responses to infectious diseases. In this study, to investigate the roles of FGFs, we performed genome-wide identification, expression, and functional analyses of FGF family members in chickens. Methods: Chicken FGFs genes were identified and analyzed by using bioinformatics approach. Expression profiles and Hierarchical cluster analysis of the FGFs genes in different chicken tissues were obtained from the genome-wide RNA-seq. Results: A total of 20 FGF genes were identified in the chicken genome, which were classified into seven distinct groups (A-F) in the phylogenetic tree. Gene structure analysis revealed that members of the same clade had the same or similar exon-intron structure. Chromosome mapping suggested that FGF genes were widely dispersed across the chicken genome and were located on chromosomes 1, 4-6, 9-10, 13, 15, 28, and Z. In addition, the interactions among FGF proteins and between FGFs and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) proteins are limited, indicating that the remaining functions of FGF proteins should be further investigated in chickens. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway analysis showed that FGF gene interacts with MAPK genes and are involved in stimulating signaling pathway and regulating immune responses. Furthermore, this study identified 15 differentially expressed genes (DEG) in 21 different growth stages during early chicken embryo development. RNA-sequencing data identified the DEG of FGFs on 1- and 3-days post infection in two indigenous Ri chicken lines infected with the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 (HPAIV). Finally, all the genes examined through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and RNA-Seq analyses showed similar responses to HPAIV infection in indigenous Ri chicken lines (R² = 0.92-0.95, p<0.01). Conclusion: This study provides significant insights into the potential functions of FGFs in chickens, including the regulation of MAPK signaling pathways and the immune response of chickens to HPAIV infections.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.106-118
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• 2023

Objectives: Network pharmacology is a method of constructing and analyzing a drug-compound-target network to predict potential efficacy and mechanisms related to drug targets. In that large-scale analysis can be performed in a short time, it is considered a suitable tool to explore the function and role of herbal medicine. Thus, we investigated the potential functions and pathways of Chongmyunggongjin-dan (CMGJD) on Alzheimer's disease (AD) via network pharmacology analysis. Methods: Using public databases and PubChem database, compounds of CMGJD and their target genes were collected. The putative target genes of CMGJD and known target genes of AD were compared and found the correlation. Then, the network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. and functional enrichment analysis was conducted based on the Gene Ontology (GO) Biological process and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Pathways to predict the mechanisms. Results: The result showed that total 104 compounds and 1157 related genes were gathered from CMGJD. The network consisted of 1157nodes and 10034 edges. 859 genes were interacted with AD gene set, suggesting that the effects of CMGJD are closely related to AD. Target genes of CMGJD are considerably associated with various pathways including 'Positive regulation of chemokine production', 'Cellular response to toxic substance', 'Arachidonic acid metabolic process', 'PI3K-Akt signaling pathway', 'Metabolic pathways', 'IL-17 signaling pathway' and 'Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction'. Conclusion: Through a network pharmacological method, CMGJD was predicted to have high relevance with AD by regulating inflammation. This study could be used as a basis for effects of CMGJD on AD.