• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.81-98
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• 2023

Objectives : This study aimed to analyze the trends in research and development projects related to herbal medicine and natural products in the field of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) over the past 20 years. Methods : Research projects were identified using "Korean medicine" as the subject heading in the National Science and Technology Information Service. The included projects investigated Korean medicine, natural products, or were related to the TKM industry. Data pre-processing and network analysis were performed using Python and Networkx package, and the network was visualized using the ForceAtlas2 visualization algorithm. Results : 1. Over the study period, 4,020 projects were conducted with a research budget of KRW 835.2 billion. Seven institutions performed over 100 projects each, accounting for 2.4% of all participating institutions, and the top 10 institutions accounted for 58.9% of total projects. 2. Obesity was the most frequently mentioned disease-related keyword. Chronic or age-related diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia, parkinson's disease, cancer, inflammation, and asthma were also frequent research topics. Clinical research, safety, and standardization were also frequently mentioned. 3. Centrality analysis found that obesity was the only disease-related keyword identified, alongside TKM-related keywords. Standardization, safety, and clinical trials were identified as central keywords. Conclusions : The study found that research projects in TKM have focused on standardizing and ensuring the safety of herbal medicine, as well as on chronic and age-related diseases. Clinical studies aimed at verifying the effectiveness of herbal medicine were also frequent. These findings can guide future research and development in herbal medicine.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2019

[Purpose] In the present pilot study, we aimed to investigate the effects of the Silverrobics exercise program, which is similar to aerobic dance, on the factors related to glucose metabolism and liver enzymes. [Methods] Eight elderly women with obesity and impaired fasting glucose participated in the Silverrobics exercise program (60 minutes per session for five times a week for 8 weeks). The program was conducted at 50-60% of the heart rate reserve at 1 to 2 weeks and at 60-80% of the heart rate reserve at 3 to 8 weeks. To verify the effect of this 8-week exercise program on glucose metabolism and liver enzymes, blood analysis at pre- and post-training was performed. [Results] After the Silverrobics exercise program, there were significant decreases in the glucose (p<0.05), glycated hemoglobin A1c (p<0.05), 1,5-anhydroglucitol (p<0.05), and insulin levels (p<0.01) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance score (p<0.05). However, there were no significant effects on the liver enzymes, except for alkaline phosphatase. The alkaline phosphatase level increased after the Silverrobics exercise program (p<0.05). [Conclusion] Although the Silverrobics exercise program had no beneficial effects on the liver enzymes, it may play an important role in preventing liver diseases considering the effects on glucose metabolism.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.13-23
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• 2021

Objectives The purpose of this research is to comprehensively analyze about Jowiseungcheong-tang (Diàowèishēngqīng-tāng). This herbal medicine is widely used to treat obesity and metabolic disease. Methods We used 3 search terms, 'Jowiseungcheong-tang', 'Jowiseungcheong-tang plus obesity' and 'Jowiseungcheong-tang plus metabolic disease' in Korean word via 5 domestic databases. Therefore, 8 laboratory experiments and 4 clinical researches were chosen. Results Jowiseungcheong-tang (Diàowèishēngqīng-tāng) was identified as a herbal medicine for obesity and related metabolic disease. In plasma level of lipid, leptin, inflammatory material were decreased in laboratory experiments. Weight loss and symptom relief were reported in clinical research. Conclusions Definite information about laboratory experiment was showed, specifically suitable index and numerical value. In clinical research, although Jowiseungcheong-tang (Diàowèishēngqīng-tāng) is widely used for obesity and metabolic disease, the number of reported thesis and patient were pretty a few. Also, diagnosis methods were also scanty. Multi-institutional clinical trial should be progressed.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.68-78
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to analyse the trend in papers related to obese people with disabilities. Methods: We reviewed Korean Medicine papers by searching 4 Korean web databases and classified the papers by the year of publishment, the title of journals, the type of study, main treatment, assessment for outcomes. Results: There were 18 studies about the intellectually disabled, which accounted for most of the study. It is expected that intensive research on obesity for the intellectually disabled will be conducted in the future. Also, study on obesity for the disabled will require special attention. Disabled person tend to have a higher obesity rate and secondary diseases due to disabilities can be easily developed. Their health care capabilities are more likely lower than those of the general population. Given these considerations, it would be necessary to study metabolic syndrome in parallel in the study of obesity for the disabled. Disabled person are exposed to obesity more easily than ordinary people, and there is a higher risk of health degradation due to complications from obesity, which requires more attention and research. However, since there is not research in the oriental medical and medical circles on obesity in the disabled, medical approaches and studies on obesity in the disabled are necessary. Conclusions: We expect that more interest and research will be carried out on obesity for the disabled in the Korean medicine to achieve clinical application and to develop treatment protocols for the disabled obesity disease.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.229-244
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• 2005

Objectives: An investigative effort was made to provide basic data upon which effective public health education can be constructed for schools. Methods: The research was made by delivering self-administered questionnaires to 536 men and women with unknown names from a national university during 1-month period on September of 2004. The questionnaire items included preventive attitudes, interests, anxiety, health behavior, consciousness, etc. centering upon life-style related diseases. Results and Conclusions: The preventive attitudes against life-style related diseases was of a higher level in female than male students, The smaller number of students had knowledge of the definition of life-style related diseases, willingness to learn, and gathered information on them. The number of students who had anxiety about them was also small and as low as 54.3% of students were willing to undertake periodic health examination. A great variation ranging from 4.7% to 81.7% was shown in the accuracy rate of answers on the questions asking about three leading causes of death, overconsumption of dietary salt, obesity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and colon cancer. With regard to health behaviors, a smaller number of students were involved in health behaviors. On the other hand, $25.7{\sim}35.1%$ of students had everyday exercises and breakfasts, 65.5% had no tobacco use. The study results showed that the survey subjects had deficient knowledge as well as a low level of preventive attitudes and interests against life-style related diseases. Moreover, their health behavior and health consciousness were undesirable apart from their low rates of taking periodic health examinations. Accordingly, the college students should be encouraged to take health education and to make more effective the existing health education in the university.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2020

Objectives Depletion of ovarian function after menopause in women induces estrogen deficiency leading to increased fat and decreased muscle mass. In this study, we examined the effect of herbal medicines by measuring hormone expression in muscle tissue of estrogen-deficient rats induced by ovariectomy. Methods Ovariectomy was performed to induce estrogen deficiency, and mice were given herbal prescription (HP) for 6 weeks. Estrogen-deficient rats were divided into two groups: one group (HPH) which were orally administered HP 200 mg/kg and the other group (HPL) administered HP 40 mg/kg. Weight changes in both groups were measured using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). After extraction of the femoral muscles in mice, the expression of the leptin, lipoprotein lipase (LPL), diacyl glycerol acyltransferase (DGAT)1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator (PGC)-1α, NADH dehydrogenase (NDH), farnesyl diphosphate farnesyltransferase (FDFT)1, lanosterol synthase (LSS), phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT), and peroxiredoxin (Prdx6) were measured using PCR. Results HP increased the expression of leptin, LPL, DGAT1, PGC-1α, NDH, FDFT1, LSS, PEMT, and Prdx6. HP affects body fat metabolism and is effective in improving menopausal obesity and obesity complications caused by estrogen deficiency. However, HP does not affect the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, and thus will not be effective in obesity-related metabolic diseases. Conclusions HP is thought to inhibit weight gain by regulating hormone expression related to glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism in muscle tissue of estrogen-deficient rats.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.46-61
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An increasing life expectancy in society has burdened healthcare systems substantially because of the rising prevalence of age-related metabolic diseases. This study compared the effects of animal protein hydrolysate (APH) and casein on metabolic diseases using aged mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Eight-week-old and 50-week-old C57BL/6J mice were used as the non-aged (YC group) and aged controls (NC group), respectively. The aged mice were divided randomly into 3 groups (NC, low-APH [LP], and high-APH [HP] and fed each experimental diet for 12 weeks. In the LP and HP groups, casein in the AIN-93G diet was substituted with 16 kcal% and 24 kcal% APH, respectively. The mice were sacrificed when they were 63-week-old, and plasma and hepatic lipid, white adipose tissue weight, hepatic glucose, lipid, and antioxidant enzyme activities, immunohistochemistry staining, and mRNA expression related to the glucose metabolism on liver and muscle were analyzed. RESULTS: Supplementation of APH in aging mice resulted in a significant decrease in visceral fat (epididymal, perirenal, retroperitoneal, and mesenteric fat) compared to the negative control (NC) group. The intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and area under the curve analysis revealed insulin resistance in the NC group, which was alleviated by APH supplementation. APH supplementation reduced hepatic gluconeogenesis and increased glucose utilization in the liver and muscle. Furthermore, APH supplementation improved hepatic steatosis by reducing the hepatic fatty acid and phosphatidate phosphatase activity while increasing the hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity. Furthermore, in the APH supplementation groups, the red blood cell (RBC) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hepatic H₂O₂ levels decreased, and the RBC glutathione, hepatic catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities increased. CONCLUSIONS: APH supplementation reduced visceral fat accumulation and alleviated obesity-related metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, in aged mice. Therefore, high-quality animal protein APH that reduces the molecular weight and enhances the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score has potential as a dietary supplement for healthy aging.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.158-170
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between milk intake and prevalence rates of chronic diseases using KNHANES data, and the significance of the relationship was tested based on meditators, socioeconomic status (income, education), dietary behaviors (smoking, alcohol drinking, breakfast, and eating out), and physical activity (walking, medium, and high). Methods: Using the 5th and 6th survey data of KNHANES, milk intake rates and presence of seven chronic diseases were summarized and analyzed by ANOVA for two groups of adult men and women as follows: hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol, diabetes, abdominal obesity, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The dependent variables for the presence of seven chronic diseases regressed with socioeconomic, dietary behavior, and physical activity variables according to Logistic models. The dependent variables for milk intake using predictor variables of socioeconomic, dietary behaviors and physical activity were analyzed according to Logistic models. Finally, the significant socioeconomic, dietary behavior, and physical activity variables in the above model along with milk intake as a control variable or mediator variable regressed with significant chronic diseases according to Logistic models. Results: Milk intake, socioeconomic status, dietary behaviors, and physical activity were significantly different among the two groups of adult men and women, which were also critical factors to the prevalence of chronic diseases. The dependent variable for prevalence of chronic diseases regressed with significant factors of socioeconomic status, dietary behavior, and physical activity variables according to chronic diseases using the control or mediator variable of milk intake and summarized as follows: For adult men, milk intake controlled the education effect on diabetes partly, alcohol on hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, breakfast on metabolic syndrome, eating out on obesity, and medium physical activity on hypertriglyceridemia. For adult women, household income on hypertriglyceridemia, diabetes, abdominal obesity, education level on hypertension, alcohol drinking, eating out, and walking activity on abdominal obesity, alcohol, breakfast, eating out, walking activity on low HDL-cholesterol, and medium physical activity on hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-cholesterol were partly controlled by milk intake. Other significant socioeconomic status, dietary behavior, and physical activity variables related to prevalence of chronic diseases were fully controlled or mediated by milk intake. Conclusion: This study shows that milk intake (daily more than 200 g) prevents chronic diseases such as hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, abdominal obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.155-168
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of allergic diseases and its related factorsin Korean adolescents. The subjects were 72,435 middle and high school students. The data were analyzed by ${\chi}^2$ test and multiple logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis was 9.3%, 30.6%, and 23.4%, respectively. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, asthma was associated with gender, age, economic state, obesity, stress, sleep satisfaction, secondhand smoking, drug use, other allergic diseases and physical activity. Allergic rhinitis was associated with age, economic state, residential area, type of residence, obesity, stress, sleep satisfaction, smoking experience, secondhand smoking, alcohol drinking, other allergic diseases and physical activity. Finally, atopic dermatitis was associated with gender, age, economic state, residential area, obesity, stress, other allergic diseases and physical activity. Conclusion: These results will provide database for prevention and management of allergic diseases.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.38-40
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• 2016

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder often caused by a deletion of the chromosome 15q11-q13 region inherited from the father or by maternal disomy 15. Growth hormone deficiency with short stature, hypogonadism, cognitive and behavioral problems, analgesia, decreased gastric motility and decreased ability to vomit with hyperphagia are common in PWS leading to severe obesity in early childhood, if not controlled. The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of recombinant human GH (rhGH, henceforth designated GH) on the gene expression related to cognitive function in the brain of PWS mouse model (Snord116del). GH restored the mRNA expression level of several genes in the cerebellum. These data suggest the effect of GH on the expression of cognitive function related genes in cerebellum may provide a mechanism for the GH-induced brain function in PWS patients.