• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.870-882
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, a global public health problem. Mentha canadensis (MA), a traditional phytomedicine and dietary herb used for centuries, was the focus of this study to investigate its effects on obesity. MATERIALS/METHODS: Thirty-five male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a normal diet (ND, n = 10) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 25) for 4 weeks to induce obesity. After the obesity induction period, the HFD-fed mice were randomly separated into 2 groups: one group continued to be fed HFD (n = 15, HFD group), while the other group was fed HFD with 1.5% (w/w) MA ethanol extract (n = 10, MA group) for 13 weeks. RESULTS: The results showed that body and white adipose tissue (WAT) weights were significantly decreased in the MA-supplemented group compared to the HFD group. Additionally, MA supplementation enhanced energy expenditure, leading to improvements in plasma lipids, cytokines, hepatic steatosis, and fecal lipids. Furthermore, MA supplementation regulated lipid-metabolism-related enzyme activity and gene expression, thereby suppressing lipid accumulation in the WAT and liver. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that MA has the potential to improve diet-induced obesity and its associated complications, including adiposity, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2017

The aim of this study is to investigate the combined effect of acupotomy, selective cryolysis and herbal medicine therapy for treating regional fat accumulation of thigh. Twenty-four patients were selected for the study. A session of selective cryolysis and acupotomy treatments were performed on both thighs once a week, for four weeks, with administration of herbal medicine. Thigh circumference, weight, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle mass, and body fat rate were measured before and after the procedure. Statistical significance (P<0.05) was determined using the paired t-test. After treatments, thigh circumference was significantly reduced by $3.57{\pm}1.41cm$ in 4 weeks (P<0.001). Weight, BMI, skeletal muscle mass, and body fat rate too were significantly reduced (P<0.001). Of the 24 patients, 1 reported an adverse event of frostbite. We assume this combined therapy can be useful when dealing with localized fat accumulation. Long-term evaluation and further studies are required to identify the specific effect size.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.47-55
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• 2012

Polyclonal antisera against regional (abdominal and subcutaneous) fats were developed to reduce body fat in rats. Isolation and culture of abdominal and subcutaneous adipocytes of rats were performed for analyzing lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration. At the level of 1:1,000 dilution, little antibody reactivity appeared in non-immunized serum whereas both of antisera against abdominal (AAb) and subcutaneous adipocyte plasma membrane proteins (SAb) had relatively strong reactivity till the level of 1:128,000 dilutions. Compared with regional fats, extremely low reactivities of AAb and SAb were detected with PMP of the organs (p<0.001). Both AAb and SAb were most strongly reacted with each adipocyte plasma memebrane proteins and showed statistically (p<0.01) higher cross-reactivities compared with non-immunized serum based on LDH analysis. In conclusion, these results may indicate that the present polyclonal antibodies against regional inedible adipocyte plasma membrane proteins are well developed and have safety in cross-reactivities with body organs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2019

Fat accumulation in adipocytes occurs through the process of adipogenesis in which preadipocytes differentiate into adipocytes. Obesity is a metabolic disorder caused by excessive accumulation of fat in the body, which increases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and various cancers. Recently, inhibition of adipocyte differentiation was shown to be a potential antiobesity strategy. In this study, the inhibitory effect of dichloromethane fractions from Illicium verum Hooker fil. water extract on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to adipocytes was investigated. Dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation when applied during the adipocyte differentiation process, as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil-red O staining. In addition, dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. reduced important adipogenic transcription factors, such as CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$). The expression of FAS and LPL, which are terminal differentiation markers of mature adipocytes, was also reduced in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. In addition, the treatment significantly inhibited mitotic clonal expansion, which is essential for adipocyte differentiation, by arresting the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Taken together, these results suggest that dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. may be a natural material with antiobesity effects.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.135-141
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• 1997

Purpose: To assess the usefulness of breath-hold fast MR imaging of liver with fat suppression (FS) by application of chemical saturation technique in the diagnosis of regional fatty changes suspected in sonography. Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients who had focal lesions with diffuse, homogeneous signal changes after FS through chemical saturation technique without additional changes of imaging parameter during MR imaging of liver were selected. T1-weighted fast low-angle shot and T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences were obtained with or without FS during each single breath-holding session. Subjective changes of signal intensity between the pre-FS and the FS images were compared with the sonographic findings in each lesion. Results: Seven lesions of decreased signal intensity after FS on T1 or T2-weighted images, including three lesions only at FS T1 images, were regarded as focal fat infiltration. All seven lesions had compatible sonographic findings as homogenously echogenic areas. Another six lesions of subjectively increased signal intensity including two lesions only at FS T2 images were regarded as focal fat sparing. All six lesions had sonographic findings as homogenous echo poor areas suggesting focal fat sparing. In cases regarded as fat infiltration, score changes were more prominent at FS T1 images than FS T2 images(p=0.0002). In cases regarded as fat sparing, score changes were more prominent at FS T2 images than FS T1 images(p=0.042). Conclusion: Breath-hold fast T1 and T2-weighted MR imaging with and without chemical saturation pre-pulse may be sufficient for characterization of regional fatty changes in the differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesion found at sonography.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.298-313
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of natural compounds in improving athletic ability has attracted attention in both sports and research. Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) leaves are used to make traditional herbal medicines in Asia. The active components of G. pentaphyllum, dammarane saponins, or gypenosides, possess a range of biological activities. On the other hand, the anti-fatigue effects from G. pentaphyllum extract (GPE) and its effective compound, gypenoside L (GL), remain to be determined. MATERIALS/METHODS: This study examined the effects of GPE on fatigue and exercise performance in ICR mice. GPE was administered orally to mice for 6 weeks, with or without treadmill training. The biochemical analysis in serum, glycogen content, mRNA, and protein expressions of the liver and muscle were analyzed. RESULTS: The ExGPE (exercise with 300 mg/kg body weight/day of GPE) mice decreased the fat mass percentage significantly compared to the ExC mice, while the ExGPE showed the greatest lean mass percentage compared to the ExC group. The administration of GPE improved the exercise endurance and capacity in treadmill-trained mice, increased glucose and triglycerides, and decreased the serum creatine kinase and lactate levels after intensive exercise. The muscle glycogen levels were higher in the ExGPE group than the ExC group. GPE increased the level of mitochondrial biogenesis by enhancing the phosphorylation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) protein and the mRNA expression of nuclear respiratory factor 1, mitochondrial DNA, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-δ, superoxide dismutase 2, and by decreasing the lactate dehydrogenase B level in the soleus muscle (SOL). GPE also improved PGC-1α activation in the SOL significantly through AMPK/p38 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that GPE supplementation enhances exercise performance and has anti-fatigue activity. In addition, the underlying molecular mechanism was elucidated. Therefore, GPE is a promising candidate for developing functional foods and enhancing the exercise capacity and anti-fatigue activity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.715-722
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• 2008

There are marked variations in the activity of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) among adipose depots. The aim of this study was to compare the mechanisms of 24 h of fasting on LPL regulation between epididymal (EPI) adipocytes and mesenteric (MES) adipocytes in rats. 1-Day fasting consistently decreased activities of heparin-releasable LPL, total extractable LPL and cellular LPL markedly in both EPI and MES fat pads. LPL activity in MES fat pads was relatively lower than in the EPI fat pads. Consistent with data on LPL activity, the levels of expression of LPL mRNA in both nutritional states were lower in MES than EPI adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes. The decreased LPL activity after 1 day of fasting in MES adipocytes was explained mainly by a 50% decrease in the relative abundance of LPL mRNA level and a parallel 50% decrease in relative rate of LPL synthesis. In contrast, fasting of 1 day in EPI adipocytes decreased total LPL activity by 47% but did not affect LPL mRNA level or relative rate of LPL synthesis. A decrease in overall protein synthesis contributed to the decreased LPL activity after 1 day fasting both in EPI and MES adipocytes. In MES adipocytes the decrease in LPL activity, LPL mRNA and LPL synthesis were comparable, but in EPI adipocytes the changes in LPL activity were substantially larger than the changes in LPL mRNA level and LPL synthesis. Therefore, fasting decreased fat cell size, LPL activity, LPL mRNA level and relative rate of LPL synthesis in rats, and these effects were more marked in the MES adipocytes. These results clearly demonstrate the regional variations in the metabolic response of adipose tissue and LPL functions to fasting.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.243-251
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• 2004

This study was to quantitative analysis compare to dynamic characteristic change of the regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) after development of cerebral fat embolism in cats using perfusion MR Imaging. Forty-four adult rats were used. Triolein (n = 15), oleic acid (n = 9) and linoleic acid (n = 11) were injected into the internal carotid artery using microcatheter through the transfemoral approach. Polyvinyl alcohol (Ivalon) (n = 9) was injected as a control group. Perfusion MR images were obtained at 30 minutes and 2 hours after embolization, based on T2 and diffusion-weighted images. The data was time-to-signal intensity curve and ΔR$_2$＊ curve were obtained continuously with the aid of home-maid image proc in.leased significantly at 2 hours compared with those of 30 minutes (P＜0.005). In conclusion, cerebral blood flow decreased in cerebral fat embolism immediately after embolization and recovered remarkably in time course. It is thought that clinically informations to dynamic characteristic change of the cerebral hemodynamics to the early finding in cerebral infarction by DWI and PWI

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.78-87
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of obesity, a worldwide pandemic, has been increasing steadily in Korea. Reports have shown that increased intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, independent of body mass index. However, the relationship between dietary intake and IMAT accumulation in the Korean population remains undetermined. The objective of this study was to evaluate regional fat compartments using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. We also aimed to investigate the association between IMAT amounts and dietary intake, including carbohydrate intake, among Korean individuals with obesity. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study, performed at a medical center in South Korea, recruited 35 individuals with obesity (15 men and 20 women) and classified them into 2 groups according to sex. Anthropometry was performed, and body fat distribution was measured using MRI. Blood parameters, including glucose and lipid profiles, were analyzed using commercial kits. Linear regression analysis was used to test whether the IMAT was associated with daily carbohydrate intake. RESULTS: Carbohydrate intake was positively associated with IMAT in all individuals, with adjustments for age, sex, height, and weight. No significant differences in blood indicators were found between the sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of sex and age, higher carbohydrate intake was strongly correlated with greater IMAT accumulation. This suggests the need to better understand sex differences and high carbohydrate diet patterns in relation to the association between obesity and metabolic risk, which may help reduce obesity prevalence.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.639-653
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the regional 야fferences in dietary supplement use and related factors among college students participating in nutritional education programs via the internet. The subjects in this study were 797 college students (male: 518, female: 279). A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire about dietary supplement use, demographic characteristics, health-related lifestyles, nutrient intake, and data were collected via the internet and by mail. Dietary supplements were taken by 82.2% of subjects (males: 76.3%, females: 85.3%). There was a significant regional difference in supplement use (p<0.01). The supplements, used most frequent by male students in the Seoul and Incheon areas were lactic acid beverages and gagogi, in that order. Male students in the Kyunggi area used gagogi and lactic acid beverages in that order. Lactic acid beverages and Chinese medicine were used most frequently by male students in the Chungcheong area. Male students in the Kyungsang area used lactic acid beverages and water-soluble vitamins, in that order. Male students in Seoul and Kyungsang areas showed significantly higher percentage of keep on taking supplements compared to other areas (p<0.05). Both male and female students in the Seoul area had more frequent medical examinations, in comparison to students in other areas (p<0.05). Male students in the Kyungsang and Seoul areas took significantly more calcium (p<0.05) and iron (p<0.05), in comparison to students in other areas. Female students id the Kyunsang area took significantly more Vitamin A, phosphorous and iron (p<0.05), while those in the Seoul area took significantly more Vitamin C (p <0.01) and calcium (p<0.05) . Male students in the Chungcheong area took significantly less seaweed, in comparison to students in other areas (p<0.05) . Male students in the Seoul area had the highest amount of animal fat and oil, while those in the Incheon area ate the lowest amount of animal oil and fat (p<0.05). Female students in the Kyunggi area ate the highest amount of fruit, while those in the Incheon area ate the lowest amount of fruit (p< 0.05) , Female students in the Incheon area ate the highest amount of seaweed, while those in the Kyunggi area ate the lowest amount of seaweed (p<0.01). Therefore, it can be concluded that it is necessary to develop dietary supplements to optimize the nutritional status of college students in different areas of Korea.