• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.523-529
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• 2019

mRNA quality is controlled by multiple RNA surveillance machineries to reduce errors during gene expression processes in eukaryotic cells. Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a well-characterized mechanism that degrades error-containing transcripts during translation. The ATP-dependent RNA helicase up-frameshift 1 (UPF1) is a key player in NMD that is mostly prevalent in the cytoplasm. However, recent studies on UPF1-RNA interaction suggest more comprehensive roles of UPF1 on diverse forms of target transcripts. Here we used subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescence to understand such complex functions of UPF1. We demonstrated that UPF1 can be localized to the nucleus and predominantly associated with the chromatin. Moreover, we showed that UPF1 associates more strongly with the chromatin when the transcription elongation and translation inhibitors were used. These findings suggest a novel role of UPF1 in transcription elongation-coupled RNA machinery in the chromatin, as well as in translation-coupled NMD in the cytoplasm. Thus, we propose that cytoplasmic UPF1-centric RNA surveillance mechanism could be extended further up to the chromatin-associated UPF1 and co-transcriptional RNA surveillance. Our findings could provide the mechanistic insights on extensive regulatory roles of UPF1 for many cellular RNAs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to obtain the nutritional values and objective data of uncooked powdered food (UPF) in korea. We interviewed 27 healthy female subjects aged over 25 years living in the lksan area. We just replaced common breakfast and dinner of the subjects with UPF. Their dietary intake status was evaluated by 24-hour recall method. Their body compositions were measured using body fat analyzer. Also we conducted hematological and clinical analysis of blood. The intake of energy, lipid and protein has decreased as people started to take UPF, but the intake of vitamins and minerals has increased. The quality of meals has improved after taking UPF. Due to the energy loss by taking UPF, weight and body fat gradually lessened. Among the lost weight the percentage of the body fat was high and we judged that the process of losing weight was successful. It is hard to predict whether weight loss will occur to people who are already in shape or not, but if overweight and obesity people regularly take UPF instead of other food products, we assume that UPF will help lessening body fat. The most positive change among biochemical changes by taking UPF was decreasing of serum lipid contents. The concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol gradually decreased and decreased intently after 12weeks. Serum HDL-cholesterol gradually increased and serum triglyceride showed gradual decrement. When healthy adult women replaced two of three meals with UPF for 3months, we were able to see some useful changes like decrement of body fat and serum lipid control and during this 3month period, no significant nutritional problems occurred. Complete judgement on UPF may be difficult with these conclusions but if people take a nomal meal once and replenish iron from taking UPF twice a day, we assume that replacing UPF with regular meal not be a problem in nutritional status. If other experiments on the effects of UPF proceed, we believe that those experiments will be very helpful in judging the nutritional value of UPF. (Korean J Nutrition 36(1) : 49-63, 2003)

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.39-55
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of an uncooked powdered food(UPF) on the weight loss and changes of the biochemical nutritional status for 20 overweight and 26 obese women in Iksan area. We just replaced common breakfast and dinner of the subjects with UPF. Their dietary intake status was evaluated by 24-hour recall method. Also anthropometric and biochemical measurements before and after the UPF program were estimated. The intake of energy, lipid and protein decreased and the quality of meals improved as people started to take UPF. Due to the energy loss by taking UPF, weight and body fat decreased significantly. The percentage of the body fat was high among the weight lost, from which we judged that the process of losing weight was successful. It is hard to predict whether weight loss will occur to people who are already in shape or not, but if overweight and obesity people regularly take UPF instead of other food products, we assume that UPF will help lessening the body fat. The most positive change among biochemical changes by taking UPF was the decrease of serum lipid contents. When overweight and obesity women replaced two out of three meals with UPF for 3 month period, no significant nutritional problems occurred. It seems that the 12weeks of UPF program used in this study was effective in improving anthropometric indices without producing the deficiency of iron or other susceptible nutrients.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.60-70
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: There is growing evidence supporting the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and metabolic disease risk. However, little is known about the association between UPF consumption and blood pressure (BP). Thus, this study examined the association between UPF consumption and elevated BP in Korean adults. Methods: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018) and included 9,188 participants aged 30-79 years without a history of hypertension diagnosis. Food items reported in a one-day 24-hour recall were categorized on the basis of the NOVA (not an acronym) food classification criteria. UPF consumption was estimated as the contribution to total energy intake. Elevated BP was defined as systolic BP ≥120 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥80 mmHg. The independent association between UPF consumption and elevated BP was assessed by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: The upper tertile of UPF consumption was significantly associated with elevated BP compared with the lower tertile, after adjusting for potential confounders. A linear trend was observed for elevated BP across the tertiles of the dietary energy contribution of UPF. Similar results were found in stratified analyses by age group, smoking, obesity, and overall dietary quality. However, a marginal level of association was found in some subgroups, current smokers, and non-obese adults. Conclusions: The dietary energy contribution of UPF consumption was positively associated with increased prevalence of elevated BP, and these findings suggest that lowering UPF consumption might help prevent BP elevation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.476-488
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Dietary sugars intake worldwide is stable or decreasing, but overall sugars intake remains above the recommended level. Some studies suggest that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) drive excessive sugars intake. However, UPF consumption in Korea and its association with sugars intake have not yet been studied. This study aimed to estimate the contribution of UPF consumption to total sugars intake and to investigate the association between UPF consumption and total sugars intake in Koreans. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2018 were used, and included data on 21,075 participants aged 1+ years completed a 24-h recall. Food items reported in the 24-h recall were classified according to the NOVA system as UPFs, processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, or unprocessed or minimally processed foods. RESULTS: The average daily energy intake was 1,996 kcal, and UPFs accounted for 26.2% of the total energy intake (% TE). The average total sugars intake was 63.1 g (13.0% TE), and 44.9% of total sugars intake came from UPFs. Among the entire population, 15.8% exceeded the recommended limit for total sugars within 20% TE, and excessive total sugars intake was more prevalent among females (19.5%) and children (21.1%). The prevalence of excessive total sugars intake showed a significantly increasing tendency across the quartiles of UPF energy contribution, ranging from 11.9% in the lowest quartile to 23.2% in the highest quartile. Even after adjustment for sociodemographic variables, UPF consumption was positively associated with the prevalence of excessive total sugars intake (P for trend < 0.001). This association was similar in subgroup analyses by sex and age. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that UPF consumption may drive excessive intake of total sugars in the Korean diet. Our findings conclusively establish that restricting UPF consumption may be an efficient way to reduce sugars intake in Korean population.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.30.1-30.11
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• 2019

Marine natural products isolated from the sponge Fascaplysinopsis cf reticulata, in French Polynesia, were investigated as an alternative to antibiotics to control pathogens in aquaculture. The overuse of antibiotics in aquaculture is largely considered to be an environmental pollution, because it supports the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes within the aquatic environment. One environmentally friendly alternative to antibiotics is the use of quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs). Quorum sensing (QS) is a regulatory mechanism in bacteria which control virulence factors through the secretion of autoinducers (AIs), such as acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) in gram-negative bacteria. Vibrio harveyi QS is controlled through three parallel pathways: HAI-1, AI-2, and CAI-1. Bioassay-guided purification of F. cf reticulata extract was conducted on two bacterial species, i.e., Tenacibaculum maritimum and V. harveyi for antibiotic and QS inhibition bioactivities. Toxicity bioassay of fractions was also evaluated on the freshwater fish Poecilia reticulata and the marine fish Acanthurus triostegus. Cyclohexanic and dichloromethane fractions of F. cf reticulata exhibited QS inhibition on V. harveyi and antibiotic bioactivities on V. harveyi and T. maritimum, respectively. Palauolide (1) and fascaplysin (2) were purified as major molecules from the cyclohexanic and dichloromethane fractions, respectively. Palauolide inhibited QS of V. harveyi through HAI-1 QS pathway at 50 ㎍ ml^-1 (26 μM), while fascaplysin affected the bacterial growth of V. harveyi (50 ㎍ ml^-1) and T. maritimum (0.25 ㎍). The toxicity of fascaplysin-enriched fraction (FEF) was evaluated and exhibited a toxic effect against fish at 50 ㎍ ml^-1. This study demonstrated for the first time the QSI potential of palauolide (1). Future research may assess the toxicity of both the cyclohexanic fraction of the sponge and palauolide (1) on fish, to confirm their potential as alternative to antibiotics in fish farming.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.51-64
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• 2024

Objectives: This study examined the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and chronic diseases in elderly Koreans. Methods: Data from the 2019-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Dietary intake and UPF consumption were assessed using the NOVA food classification based on 24-hour recall data from 3,790 participants (aged 65+ years). Participants were divided into 4 groups based on the quartile of energy intake from UPFs. Regions were classified as urban or rural. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after controlling for potential confounders. Results: Among the participants, 71.3% resided in urban and 28.7% in rural areas. Compared to the urban elderly, rural participants tended to be older, have lower education and income levels, be more likely to live in single-person households, and have a higher smoking rate (P < 0.05). Urban elderly consumed more UPFs daily (146.1 g) compared to rural residents (126.6 g; P < 0.05). "Sugar-sweetened beverages" were the most consumed category in both regions. "Sweetened milk and its products" and "traditional sauces" were prominent in urban areas, while rural elderly consumed more "traditional sauces" and "distilled alcoholic beverages." Rural areas also had a higher carbohydrate-to-calorie ratio than urban areas. Compared to the lowest quartile of UPF intake, the highest quartile was significantly associated with impaired fasting glucose only in rural areas (AOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.00-2.19; P for trend = 0.0014). No significant associations were observed for diabetes in either urban or rural areas. Conclusions: This study suggests that high intake of UPFs is associated with increased odds of impaired fasting glucose in rural elderly. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific negative health effects of UPFs in different populations, and targeted efforts should promote healthy diets in both urban and rural areas.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.305-323
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine breast shape and ratio of breast enlargement women prior to development of breast enlargement patient's bra. Background: Although there are many previous studies on women's breast that did not undergo breast augmentation surgery, no studies have examined the breast type and proportion of women with breast augmentation. Method: In this study, we analyzed ratios and angles with photographs taken before and after breast augmentation on the frontal and lateral views of the breast, UPF and projection were analyzed too. We also compared the pre-operative and post-operative rates with those of previous breast studies, as well as the post-operative breast types for the desirable breast types. Results: The length and width of the breast base and the height of the breast projection increased after the operation. The rate of increase in width is larger than the vertical distance in the breast base, and the rate of increase in height of the projection is larger than the increase in the width. Specifically, in the vertical distance, the rate of increase in the lower portion is larger than that in the upper portion. In the width, the rate of increase on the inside is larger than that on the outside. Conclusion: The angles of the static relationship with the projection increased and the angles of the minor relation decreased. The changes in the size of the breast were visually observed in the overlapping of the triangle shape before and after the surgery. The changes were composed of the line connecting the angle and the measurement points. The pre-operative upper pole fullness (UPF) was mostly 0 and - 1, but after the surgery, +1, 0, -1, +2 were distributed, while post-operative levels of projection were distributed in the order of level 3> level 1> level 2. In comparison with the desirable breast type, it was found that the anatomical type was a more natural breast type than the round type of implant. Application: These results can be useful as basic data for the breast analysis of breast enlargement patients and their bra patterns.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.367-368
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• 2015

It has long been thought that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) functions as a DNA-binding transcription factor in response to its ligand (a glucocorticoid) and thus regulates various cellular and physiological processes. It is also known that GR can bind not only to DNA but also to mRNA; this observation points to the possible role of GR in mRNA metabolism. Recent data revealed a molecular mechanism by which binding of GR to target mRNA elicits rapid mRNA degradation. GR binds to specific RNA sequences regardless of the presence of a ligand. In the presence of a ligand, however, the mRNA-associated GR can recruit PNRC2 and UPF1, both of which are specific factors involved in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). PNRC2 then recruits the decapping complex, consequently promoting mRNA degradation. This mode of mRNA decay is termed "GR-mediated mRNA decay" (GMD). Further research demonstrated that GMD plays a critical role in chemotaxis of immune cells by targeting CCL2 mRNA. All these observations provide molecular insights into a previously unappreciated function of GR in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(7): 367-368]

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.81-85
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• 2011

The uvulopalatal flap (UPF) technique is a modification of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) for the surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. In the UPF technique, an uvulopalatal flap is fabricated and sutured to the residual mucosa of the soft palate to expand the antero-posterior dimensions of the oropharyngeal inlet. In the extended uvulopalatal flap (EUPF) technique, an incision at the tonsillar fossa is added to the classical UPF technique followed by the removal of mucosa and submucosal adipose tissue for additional expansion of the lateral dimension. The EUPF technique is more conservative and reversible than UPPP. Therefore, complications, such as velopharyngeal insufficiency, dysphagia, dryness, nasopharyngeal stenosis and postoperative pain, are reduced. In the following case report, the patient was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and treated with the EUPF technique. The patient's total respiratory disturbance events per hour (RDI) was decreased to 15.4, the $O_2$ saturation during the sleep was increased, and the excessive daytime sleepiness had disappeared after the surgery without complications. The authors report this case with a review of the relevant literature.