• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.391-397
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Myocardial cell death due to occlusion of the coronary arteries leads to myocardial infarction, a subset of coronary heart disease (CHD). Dietary fiber is known to be associated with a reduced risk of CHD, the underlying mechanisms of which were suggested to delay the onset of occlusion by ameliorating risk factors. In this study, we tested a hypothesis that a beneficial role of dietary fiber could arise from protection of myocardial cells against ischemic injury, manifested after occlusion of the arteries. MATERIALS/METHODS: Three days after rats were fed apple pectin (AP) (with 10, 40, 100, and 400 mg/kg/day), myocardial ischemic injury was induced by 30 min-ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, followed by 3 hr-reperfusion. The area at risk and infarct area were evaluated using Evans blue dye and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, respectively. DNA nicks reflecting the extent of myocardial apoptosis were assessed by TUNEL assay. Levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax were assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Supplementation of AP (with 100 and 400 mg/kg/day) resulted in significantly attenuated infarct size (IS) (ratio of infarct area to area at risk) by 21.9 and 22.4%, respectively, in the AP-treated group, compared with that in the control group. This attenuation in IS showed correlation with improvement in biomarkers involved in the apoptotic cascades: reduction of apoptotic cells, inhibition of conversion of procaspase-3 to caspase-3, and increase of Bcl-2/Bax ratio, a determinant of cell fate. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that supplementation of AP results in amelioration of myocardial infarction by inhibition of apoptosis. Thus, the current study suggests that intake of dietary fiber reduces the risk of CHD, not only by blocking steps leading to occlusion, but also by protecting against ischemic injury caused by occlusion of the arteries.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The inhibitory effect of Hijikia fusiforme (HF) extracts on degenerative osteoarthritis was examined in primary cultured rat cartilage cells and a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis rat model. MATERIALS/METHODS: In vitro, cell survival and the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), collagen type I, collagen type II, aggrecan, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) was measured after $H_2O_2$ ($800{\mu}M$, 2 hr) treatment in primary chondrocytes. In vivo animal study, osteoarthritis was induced by intra-articular injection of MIA into knee joints of rats, and then RH500, HFE250 and HFE500 were administered orally once a day for 28 days. To determine the anti-inflammatory effects of HFE, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) expression were measured. In addition, real-time PCR was performed to measure the genetic expression of MMPs, collagen type I, collagen type II, aggrecan, and TIMPs. RESULTS: In the in vitro assay, cell survival after $H_2O_2$ treatment was increased by HFE extract (20% EtOH). In addition, anabolic factors (genetic expression of collagen type I, II, and aggrecan) were increased by HFE extract (20% EtOH). However, the genetic expression of MMP-3 and 7, known as catabolic factors were significantly inhibited by treatment with HFE extract (20% EtOH). In the in vivo assay, anabolic factors (genetic expression of collagen type I, II, aggrecan, and TIMPs) were increased by oral administration of HFE extract. However, the genetic expression of MMP-3 and 7, known as catabolic factors, and production of NO and $PGE_2$ were significantly inhibited by treatment with oral administration of HFE extract. CONCLUSION: HFE extract inhibited articular cartilage degeneration through preventing extracellular matrix degradation and chondrocyte injury.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.288-295
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Emerging evidence shows that eating breakfast and breakfast types may be associated with health outcomes and dietary intakes in various populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between breakfast types in Korean adults with their daily nutrient intakes and health outcomes. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 11,801 20- to 64-year-old adults (age $42.9{\pm}11.8$ yrs [$mean{\pm}standard$ error of the mean]; male 41.1%, female 58.9%) in 2007-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey data were divided into 5 groups based on breakfast types in a 24-hr dietary recall: rice with 3 or more side dishes (Rice3+, 35.3%), rice with 0-2 side dishes (Rice0-2, 34.73%), noodles (1.56%), bread and cereal (6.56%), and breakfast skipping (21.63%). Daily nutrient intakes and the risk of metabolic syndrome were compared among five groups. RESULTS: Compared with Korean Recommended Nutrient Intake levels, the breakfast-skipping group showed the lowest intake level in most nutrients, whereas the Rice3+ group showed the highest. Fat intake was higher in the bread and noodle groups than in the other groups. When compared with the Rice3+ group, the odds ratios for the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome were increased in the breakfast skipping, Rice0-2, and noodle groups after controlling for confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: The rice-based breakfast group showed better nutritional status and health outcomes when eating with 3 or more side dishes. Nutrition education is needed to emphasize both the potential advantage of the rice-based, traditional Korean diet in terms of nutritional content and the importance of food diversity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.232-237
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• 2012

This study was done to explore the effect of Korean women's salt usage behavior on their sodium intake and excretion according to aging. Dietary sodium intake and salt usage behavior were analyzed to compare the difference between young and middle-aged women. One hundred fifty six young women and 77 middle-aged women without hypertension or any current medication were recruited. Body mass index, waist hip ratio, blood pressure were measured from each subject. Salt usage behaviors were surveyed with questionnaire, sodium intake with 24-hr recall method, and sodium excretion with spot urine. Middle-aged women were more obese than young women according to body mass index and waist hip ratio. Blood pressure was significantly higher for the middle-aged. Young women consumed more fats and middle-aged women more carbohydrates. Middle-aged women consumed more sodium and potassium, and excreted more sodium. Among questionnaire items, kimchi, soup or pot stew, or salted vegetables were found to be related with high sodium diet. Salted vegetables and salted nuts and potato chips were significantly correlated with young women's high sodium diet, while soy sauce on fried food, kimchi, salted vegetables accounted for middle-aged women's high sodium diet. With these results, we concluded that middle-aged women consumed more carbohydrates, less fat, and more sodium and potassium than young women. Middle-aged women frequently choose kimchi, soup or pot stew, or salted vegetables, and they contribute to high sodium intake. We recommend to choose low-salt kimchi, less soup or pot stew, and more fresh vegetables for lower sodium diet.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2012

This study was conducted to identify dietary factors that may affect the occurrence of gastric cancer in Koreans. Preoperative daily nutrition intake and diet quality of patients diagnosed with gastric cancer were evaluated. Collected data were comparatively analyzed by gender. The results were then used to prepare basic materials to aid in the creation of a desirable postoperative nutrition management program. The subjects of this study were 812 patients (562 men and 250 women) who were diagnosed with gastric cancer and admitted for surgery at Soonchunhyang University Hospital between January 2003 and December 2010. Nutrition intake and diet quality were evaluated by the 24-hr recall method, the nutrient adequacy ratio, mean adequacy ratio (MAR), nutrient density (ND), index of nutritional quality (INQ), dietary variety score (DVS), and dietary diversity score (DDS). The rate of skipping meals and eating fast, alcohol consumption, and smoking were significantly higher in males than those in females. The levels of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, niacin, and cholesterol consumption were significantly higher in males than those in females. Intake of fiber, zinc, vitamin A, retinol, carotene, folic acid were significantly higher in females than those in males. MAR in males was significantly higher (0.83) than that in females (0.79). INQ values were higher in females for zinc, vitamin A, vitamin $B_2$, vitamin $B_6$, and folic acid than those in males. The average DVS was 17.63 for females and 13.19 for males. The average DDS was 3.68 and the male's average score was 3.44, whereas the female's average score was 3.92. In conclusion, males had more dietary habit problems and poor nutritional balance than those of females. Our findings suggest that proper nutritional management and adequate dietary education for the primary prevention of gastric cancer should be emphasized in men.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 1998

Enucleation of oocytes is an important limiting step for embryo cloning. We propose an enucleation technique based on the removal of chromatin after oocyte activation by aspirating the second polar body containing complemented chromatin. In a preliminary experiment to determine an optimal age of oocytes enucleation in rabbits, oocytes were enucleated at 15~20 hours post hCG. Recently ovulated oocytes were enucleated at a higher rate than aged oocytes. Microsurgical removal of the complemented chromatin in the second polar body was significantly more effective in enucleating than aspiration of a larger cytoplasm volume surrounding the first polar body of metaphase-arrested oocytes(96.8% versus 70.4%; P〈0.05). Moreover, compared with a nuclear transplantation protocol based on enucleation of metaphase-arrested oocytes and preactivated oocytes followed by treatment with 5 $\mu$M ionomycin for 5 min and 2 mM DMAP for 1 hr, there was no significant difference in the rate of blastocyst development. The ease with which modified technique can be performed is likely to render this technique widely useful for research and practice on mammalian cloning.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.9-17
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• 2017

Purpose : The easiest and most cost-effective way to prevent medical-related infections is known as proper hand washing of health care workers. The experience of MERS in domestic medical institutions has increased the importance of hand hygiene for medical workers to prevent infections in hospitals. It is necessary to investigate the level of hand hygiene practice by type of medical institutions and the factors influencing the infection prevention. Methods : Domestic and overseas hand hygiene related business cases and literature data were collected and analyzed in order to investigate the hand hygiene status of medical institutions in Korea. Result : As a result of hand hygiene monitoring of all hospital-level medical institutions in 2016, the total number of observations was 24,328 and the hand hygiene performance rate was 75.9%. The hand hygiene performance rate of hospitals was 71.5% for general hospitals, 75% for general hospitals, and 81.3% for hospitals. Implications : In general hospitals and hospitals, the HR(Hand Rubbing) method is preferred as a way of performing hand hygiene, whereas the HW(Hand Washing) method is relatively high in the small hospitals. It is estimated that the HW system is preferred because of the cost burden at the hospital medical institution. Therefore, it is necessary to compensate the related expenses to improve the hand hygiene performance of the physicians who are engaged in the hospitals.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 1993

Carbon dioxide enrichment for greenhouse crops has generally been a standard commercial practice for many years. Vegetable crops such as tomato, cucumber, and lettuce respond positively to the $CO_2$ enrichment. But improper $CO_2$ enrichment leads to physiological damage and economical loss. This study was carried out to develop a $CO_2$ concentration control algorithm considering growth stage and efficiency. The measurand was $CO_2$ consumption rate and top fresh weight that represents growth stage. The weight of top fresh lettuce as a whole in the tray was measured through a non-destructive method. The demand in $CO_2$ concentration according to growth stage was investigated. The results are summarized as follows. 1. The $CO_2$ consumption rate could be measured within the error of $\pm$ 15.4mg$CO_2$/hr in the range of $CO_2$ concentration of 500-1500ppm. 2. The weight of top fresh lettuce could be measured within the error $\pm$ 4.3g in the range of 0-1400g. 3. The $CO_2$ control model developed could determine an economical $CO_2$ supply rate considering $CO_2$ consumption rate and leakage rate. 4. The $CO_2$ control algorithm based on the control model was composed of feedforward control for maintaining a stable $CO_2$ concentration level, and feedback control with $CO_2$ consumption rate and top fresh weight for adapting to the change in $CO_2$ demand by growth stage. 5. For the performance test with the developed control algorithm on lettuce the decrease in $CO_2$ supply rate was obtained without a significant decrease in top fresh weight.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.119-124
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• 2008

Many automobile assembly workers often do several cycles of tasks continuously, i.e., without breaks, to get a longer break. This is not recommended since the dose of fatigue increases exponetially with time and it takes much longer time to recover. In this study, a laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of work/rest schedules on workload of a repetitive upper-limb task. Eleven male subjects participated in the experiment, in which simulated screw driving tasks were carried out repetitively with 3 different work/rest schedules: standard breaks(1 cycle of work at a time, 60 20-s breaks), medium breaks(5 cycles of work at a time, 12 100-s breaks), and long breaks(10 cycles of work at a time, 6 200-s breaks). The result showed that medium- and long-breaks schedules significantly increased the level of perceived discomfort and %HRR as compared to the standard-break schedule. The subjects' preference was not statistically different among work/rest schedules, which might be caused from the absolutely low level of workload of the experimental tasks. From the results, it is recommended to have frequent and shorter breaks rather than infrequent and longer breaks to decrease the level of physical workload. A more expanded studies, however, should be carried out to provide more practical safety guidelines on the work practice of continuous working without breaks among automobile assembly workers.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.322-327
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• 2005

Regression models for determining infection periods of apple white rot were developed based on conidial germination and appressorium formation of Botryosphaeria dothidea. A total of 120 apple fruits were inoculated with the fungal conidial suspension and subjected to 6 temperatures and 10 wetness periods. Conidia germinated and produced appressoria, exhibiting swollen tips of germ tubes on the fruit surface. Conidial germination (G) increased with temperature (T) and wetness period (W), and was described as $G=-89.273+7.649T+7.056W-0.109T^{2}-0.085W^{2}-0.066TW(R^{2}=0.75)$. Less than 2 hr of wetness period were enough for conidia to germinate at 25 to $30^{\circ}C$. Effects of temperature and wetness period on appressorium formation (A) could be explained as $A=-1.540-2.375W+0.045W^{2}+0.213TW(R^{2}=0.77)$. The relationship between conidial germination and appressorium formation ($A_g$) was described as$A_g=0.381-0.227G+0.005G^{2}(R^{2}=0.67)$, suggesting that conidial germination may have to reach approximately $43.7\%$ to initiate appressorium formation. Using the regression equation for conidial germination and the criterion of $43.7\%$ conidial germination, an infection model was developed to determine infection periods based on temperature and wetness period. The infection model with the criterion of $43.7\%$ conidial germination was apparently more conservative than the appressorium formation model in determining possibility of apple infection. The infection model seemed sensitive to variable weather conditions, suggesting possible use of the model for timing fungicide sprays to control white rot of apples in practice.