• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.945-958
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Food literacy (FL) is a crucial skill for selecting sustainable and healthy food options, necessitating the identification of vulnerable groups in the community using valid measurement tools. Identifying weak domains in FL is essential for enhancing the overall FL. This study examined the FL levels of Seoul citizens based on their sociodemographic characteristics and assessed the relationship between FL, food intake, and weight status. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study utilized the data from the Seoul Food Survey, a cross-sectional study employing representative samples of Seoul citizens. Data collection occurred from September to October 2021, with 4,039 citizens aged 18 yrs and above participating in face-to-face surveys. Thirty-three FL items were assessed, comprising 14 items in the nutrition and safety (NS) domain, eight items in the cultural and relational (CR) domain, and 11 items in the socio-ecological (SE) domain. In addition, data on food intake sufficiency and obesity status were collected. The descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance, and logistic regression analysis were used for analysis. RESULTS: Men, students, young adults, older citizens, and people experiencing food insecurity had the lowest scores for all the FL domains. The highest quartile group of NS scores had a higher probability of consuming adequate servings of vegetables and fruits, with significant linear trends observed (P for trend < 0.05). In all three FL domains, the odds ratio for obesity was significantly lower in the groups with high FL scores (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A close relationship was observed between low FL, obesity, and food intake, even after controlling for other covariates. Vulnerable groups with low FL were also identified. Therefore, it is essential to develop programs to improve FL and the health and well-being of these groups.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.55-74
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• 2024

Objectives: This study reviewed the status of adverse event (AE) reporting in VigiAccess using anti-obesity agents as examples and explored the possibility of its use and future challenges. Methods: AE reports related to some representative drugs among herbal medicines (HMs), complex HM prescriptions, ingredients of supplements, and over-the-counter and prescription medicines were investigated using VigiAccess on February 1, 2024. Results: AE reports on prescription drugs were overwhelmingly higher than those on HMs or supplements. Although most reports were submitted from North America, reports on Ephedra sinica and green tea extract (GTE) were more from Asia and Europe, respectively. The female population reported more, and the difference in the sex ratio was the smallest for Ephedra spp. The age group was concentrated on young adults, but many older patients reported GLP-1 receptor agonist-related AEs. Symptoms related to the gastrointestinal and nervous systems were most commonly reported, but mental and cardiac disorders were common in Ephedra-type HMs. Hepatobiliary disorders are also commonly found in GTE-related reports. Conclusions: VigiAccess was useful for easily checking the global status of AE reporting for prescription drugs. However, several limitations were observed in using VigiAccess for HMs because of the few reports. Thus, it is necessary to increase the number of reports by education and to promote AE reporting among HM prescribers and users. The full range of HMs should be included in the pharmacovigilance system, and the coding and classification of HMs should be revised.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.310-322
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• 2024

Background: Osteosarcopenia is a common condition characterized by the loss of both bone and muscle mass, which can lead to an increased risk of fractures and disability in older adults. The study aimed to elucidate the response of various mouse strains to treatment with Rg3, one of the leading ginsenosides, on musculoskeletal traits and immune function, and their correlation. Methods: Six Collaborative Cross (CC) founder strains induced muscle atrophy and bone loss with dexamethasone (15 mg/kg) treatment for 1 month, and half of the mice for each strain were orally administered Rg3 (20 mg/kg). Different responses were observed depending on genetic background and Rg3 treatment. Results: Rg3 significantly increased grip strength, running performance, and expression of muscle and bone health-related genes in a two-way analysis of variance considering the genetic backgrounds and Rg3 treatment. Significant improvements in grip strength, running performance, bone area, and muscle mass, and the increased gene expression were observed in specific strains of PWK/PhJ. For traits related to muscle, bone, and immune functions, significant correlations between traits were confirmed following Rg3 administration compared with control mice. The phenotyping analysis was compiled into a public web resource called Rg3-OsteoSarco. Conclusion: This highlights the complex interplay between genetic determinants, pathogenesis of muscle atrophy and bone loss, and phytochemical bioactivity and the need to move away from single inbred mouse models to improve their translatability to genetically diverse humans. Rg3-OsteoSarco highlights the use of CC founder strains as a valuable tool in the field of personalized nutrition.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.179-203
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to identify (1) the attitudes of seniors toward library digitalization, (2) factors that lead them to use digital information in libraries, and (3) factors that hinder or prevent them from using digital information in libraries. As a result of conducting 1:1 in-depth interviews with 20 senior users of the National Library of Korea, the majority of seniors had a favorable attitude toward library digitalization. 'Librarian' and 'vision and font size' were found to be the most important factors for seniors' use of digital information. These two factors are factors that enable the use of digital information, but they are also factors that prevent or hinder the use of digital information. In addition, factors for the use of digital information include 'characteristics of the content' and 'convenience', factors for non-use include 'attitude and psychological factors' and 'physical properties of books', and hindering factors include 'website usability issues'.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.217-231
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• 2024

The aims of this study were to identify (a) the social network contact frequency of the elderly with children, relatives, and friends; (b) the impact of contact frequency (face-to-face/non-face-to-face) on life satisfaction of the elderly; and (c) the moderating effect of digital capabilities of the elderly on the relationship between social contact frequency and life satisfaction. Data were obtained from the National Survey of Older Koreans 2020. The sample comprised 6,119 adults aged 65+ who were in single or couple households. The principal findings were as follows. First, couple households, higher levels of education, and better health status increased life satisfaction of the elderly. Second, the higher the frequency of face-to-face contact with children and the higher the frequency of non-face-to-face contact with friends, the more positive the effect on life satisfaction of the elderly. Third, the interaction effect of the digital capabilities of the elderly differed according to children, relatives and friends. There was a significant and positive moderating effect on the relationship between life satisfaction and the frequency of face-to-face/non-face-to-face contact with children and the frequency of face-to-face contact with relatives. Conversely, there was a significant negative effect on the relationship between life satisfaction and the frequency of face-to-face/non-face-to-face contact with friends. By examining the impact of non-face-to-face contact on life satisfaction of the elderly in the era of digital transformation, the findings have significance in that they provide basic data to support policies and education programs aimed at improving the digital capabilities of the elderly.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2024

Objective : The objective of this study is to create questionnaires for Social Capital (SCQ) and Built Environment (BEQ) that can be utilized as protective factors for mental health. Methods : A total of 426 adults aged 18 or older, residing in 'D' Metropolitan City in Korea, were included as subjects in this study. Data for subjective evaluation of social capital and built environment were collected through an online survey. Various statistical analyses, such as reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlation analysis between PHQ-9 and GAD-7, were conducted. Results : The Cronbach's α values for SCQ and BEQ were 0.94 and 0.90, respectively, indicating good reliability. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that SCQ consisted of 4 factors, explaining a total of 71.91%, while BEQ consisted of 4 factors, explaining a total of 62.18%. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that both questionnaires had a reasonable configuration, with TLI, CFI, and RMSEA values at an appropriate level. Additionally, both SCQ and BEQ showed negative correlations with depression and anxiety. Conclusion : This study has developed a tool for measuring social capital and the built environment in Korea. It also demonstrates the reliability and validity of this questionnaire. The use of this tool could greatly support preventive mental health interventions within the community.

• Journal of Advanced Technology Convergence
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2024

This study was conducted on 2,380 people aged 40-64 years old among the subjects of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2021, the 3rd year of the 8th period. In order to identify factors influencing disease morbidity and health-related quality of life according to household type, general characteristics, diseases, etc. Morbidity and physical factors were compared and analyzed. The data were analyzed after creating a weighted complex sample plan file using the spss 25.0 program, and the significance level was set at .05. As a result of the analysis, factors affecting single-person households were education level, restrictions of activity, and depression, and factors affecting multi-person households were gender, smoking, restrictions of activity, dyslipidemia, and depression. Subjective health status showed a positive correlation with health-related quality of life, and anxiety and stress showed a negative correlation. Based on the results of this study, It is that propose individual quality-of-life improvement interventions that take into account each influencing factor for each household type.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.889-900
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• 2003

This study was carried out to obtain information regarding eating habits, including health related behavior and health food consumption patterns. The subjects of this study were 149 men and 152 women residing in the Ulsan area. We obtained results by means of a questionnaire and an interview, and these were analyzed using the SPSS package program. The results of this study are summarized as follows The average age of the men was 47.6 $\pm$ 7.3 years and of the women was 47.3 $\pm$ 7.6 years old. The average height and weight of the men were 169.4 $\pm$ 5.5 cm and 67.7 $\pm$ 8.2 kg, respectively. Those of the women were 157.6 $\pm$ 5.0 cm and 58.2 $\pm$ 7.5 kg, respectively. The BMI values of all the subjects ranged from 20.0 to 25.0, all within the normal levels. In the case of dietary patterns, 24.3% of the total population always skipped a meal. In particular, 15.9% of the total population skipped breakfast. No time to eat, no appetite, having no taste, and having poor health were themain reasons for skipping meals. With regard to health care, there was a significant difference between the men and the women with respect to smoking and drinking (p<0.001). Of the total population, 40.5% hardly exercised (less than once a week), 26.2% exercised occasionally, 13.6% frequently exercised, and 19.6% exercised almost every day. A total of 60.7% responded that they were not interested in their health. The mean eating habit score of the subjects was 65.6 $\pm$ 9.9. The women had a higher eating habit score than the men (64.0 $\pm$ 9.6 for the men and 67.2 $\pm$ 9.9 for the women). Except for one group above 60 years, the older group had a higher eating habit score than the younger one. The group having a higher income and a more specialized career had a higher eating habit score than the one having a lower income and a less specialized career. There was also a marital difference. The group of single subjects showed a lower eating habit score than the married group. The group having a higher eating habit score drank, smoked and went out for meals less, and exercised more than the group having lower scores. They also were more concerned about their health. In the older group, there were more diabetic and hypertensive individuals. The subjects who had a higher BMI index were more likely to be patients with hypertension, especially in the men's group. Those who had a higher BMI index and hypertension simultaneously took a variety of medicines and foods for promoting health. Those who worried a lot about their health and had health problems tended to take special foods for their health. Patients usually took tonics. Special foods for health included Chinese medicines, tonic foods, vitamin or mineral supplements and manufactured health food supplements. Preferences for them depended on the sex and age of the subject. In the case of tonic foods, the men liked them more than the women. Foods other than tonic foods were favorites with the women. This study may provide basic information on the eating habits and health related behaviors of middle-aged people. However, further studies are needed to improve the eating habits and to change the nutritional attitudes, so that people can make better choices of health foods.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2014

Objectives: Depression, sleep complaints and cognitive impairments are commonly observed in the elderly. Elderly subjects with depressive symptoms have been found to show both poor cognitive performances and sleep disturbances. However, the relationship between sleep complaints and cognitive dysfunction in elderly depression is not clear. The aim of this study is to identify the association between sleep disturbances and cognitive decline in late-life depression. Methods: A total of 282 elderly people who underwent nocturnal polysomnography in a sleep laboratory were enrolled in the study. The Korean version of the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery developed by the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K) was applied to evaluate cognitive function. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the geriatric depression scale (GDS) and subjective sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI). Results: The control group ($GDS{\leq}9$) when compared with mild ($10{\leq}GDS{\leq}16$) and severe ($17{\leq}GDS$) depression groups, had significantly different scores in the Trail making test part B (TMT-B), Benton visual retention test part A (BVRT-A), and Stroop color and word test (SCWT)(all tests p<0.05). The PSQI score, REM sleep duration, apnea-hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index were significantly different across the three groups (all indices, p<0.05). A stepwise multiple regression model showed that educational level, age and GDS score were predictive for both TMT-B time (adjusted $R^2$=35.6%, p<0.001) and BVRT-A score (adjusted $R^2$=28.3%, p<0.001). SCWT score was predicted by educational level, age, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and GDS score (adjusted $R^2$=20.6%, p<0.001). Poor sleep quality and sleep structure alterations observed in depression did not have any significant effects on cognitive deterioration. Conclusion: Older adults with depressive symptoms showed mild sleep alterations and poor cognitive performances. However, we found no association between sleep disturbances (except sleep apnea) and cognitive difficulties in elderly subjects with depressive symptoms. It is possible that the impact of sleep disruptions on cognitive abilities was hindered by the confounding effect of age, education and depressive symptoms.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.31 no.2 s.51
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• pp.169-177
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• 2005

The propensity to purchase babies' cosmetics is investigated and analysed for this research. The synopsis of this research paper is as follows. The first, the $68\%$ of all respondents do not how a manufacturer or brand name in the reality of variously emerging domestic and import cosmetics for babies. The second, in case of a child haying a fair, sensitive skin or atopy (atopic dermatitis), the respondents are careful in choosing babies cosmetics but in case of a child having a normal skin the older a child grows from a stage of a new-born, a baby and an infant to a primary-school child, the older its mother is, the more respondents use adults' cosmetics in common rather than use cosmetics only for babies. $7.6\%$ of respondents do not use babies' cosmetirs at ail. Especially, in using bathing goods such as a shampoo or a body cleanser, they frequently use adults' cosmetics in common. The third, the qualify is taken into the utmost consideration in purchasing babies' cosmetics. The Quality of imports is trusted and preferred better than that of domestic goods. The cost of purchasing babies cosmetics is less than 10,000 Won. consumers recognize that the price or cosmetics is rather high. The last, the improvement or babies cosmetics is 'the safety of goods', answered by $56.5\%$ of respondents. The respondents are generally not satisfied with babies' cosmetics. So, a baby's skin is threatened by a newly-built house syndrome, the increase of atopic dermatitis, etc., caused by an environmental pollutions, a change of diet and a change of residential life. Under these actual conditions, babies' cosmetics which can protect a delicate and sensitive skin of a baby should be developed immediately. Consumers should have a correct choice with precise recognition and information on a baby's skin and cosmetics and continually use the efficacious and excellent babies' cosmetics to prevent a baby from a skin irritation, and need to show a keen interest in a healthy skin of a baby.