• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.146-153
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• 2009

This study was conducted to examine the effects of fruits and stems of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten Makino on water intake, feed intake, body weight, blood glucose level and glucose tolerance in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into non-diabetic control (NC), diabetic control (DC), 8% Opuntia fruit (DOF), 5% Opuntia stem (DO-5) and 10% Opuntia stem (DO-10) groups. Fruits and stems of Opuntia ficus-indica were freeze-dried and ground before use in the experiment. Animals were fed experimental diet for 3 weeks. DOF, DO-5 and DO-10 groups showed lower water and feed intake as well as less body weight loss than DC group. The fasting blood glucose levels were 100 mg/dL for NC and 379 mg/dL for DC. Fasting glucose level of DOF was a significantly low level of 28% (p<0.05), whereas DO-5 and DO-10 had a decrease of 5% and 9% compared to DC. As for the glucose tolerance test, the highest blood glucose levels for NC and DC-10 group were observed at 30 minutes after glucose injection while those of DOF and DO-5 groups were after 60 minutes. DOF and DO-5 plasma insulin level improved. Plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were also lower in DOF, DO-5 and DO-10 groups, although HDL-cholesterol level was only slightly affected by experimental diets compared to DC. These results suggest that the feeding of Opuntia ficus-indica fruits and stems improved blood glucose and lipid metabolism in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 2010

The current study was performed to develop natural bio-active substances as additives for the production of high quality broiler chickens. A total of 120 male 3 day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated to CON (control), GK2.5 (ginkgo leaf 2.5%), GK5.0 (ginkgo leaf 5.0%), PK2.5 (pumpkin 2.5%) and PK5.0 (pumpkin 5.0%) of five groups in cages (24 birds per group). All birds were fed corresponding diets from 3 to 35 d of age and determined growth performance and biological parameters including blood biochemical profiles, antioxidant status and intestinal microflora. During the entire feeding trial, GK5.0 and PK5.0 groups resulted in a significantly (P<0.05) higher FCR than GK2.5 and PK2.5 groups. Plasma triglyceride significantly (P<0.05) increased in GK5.0 group compared with the other groups, and the level of alanine transaminase (ALT) increased (P<0.05) in GK5.0 and PK5.0 groups compared with that in PK2.5 group. Dietary addition of ginkgo leaf and pumpkin significantly (P<0.05) increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the small intestine. Also, the addition of 2.5% ginkgo leaf significantly (P<0.05) increased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in the liver. Futhermore, muscle GST activity significantly (P<0.05) enhanced by dietary addition of ginko leaf and pumpkin. However, the level of lipid peroxidation (MDA) in the small intestine and muscle turned to be higher (P<0.05) in PK5.0 group. The colony forming units (CFU) of E. coli in intestinal digesta significantly (P<0.05) decreased in both ginko leaf and pumpkin supplemented groups compared with CON group. In conclusion, dietary addition of 2.5% ginko leaf and pumpkin as dietary sources can be applicable for the production of high quality broiler chickens.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.24 no.2 s.62
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• pp.102-111
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• 2006

The increased occurrence of hyperglycemia and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ) induced type I diabetes has been implicated in the etiology and pathology of disease complication. STZ has known to be genotoxic in a variety of assays including tests for microbial mutagenesis and unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat kidney. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a pathologic condition, resulting in severe metabolic imbalances and non-physiologic changes in many tissues. We examined the effect of gamma radiation and KWNP on preventing the development of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus using streptozotocin-induced Fisher 344 diabetic rats. The hematological values (red blood cell and white blood cell), serum biochemical constituents-alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin-were checked and the organs (testis, spleen and kidney) were weighed. The gonad indices of the STZ treated groups were much lower than the value of the control group. But the gonad indices of the KWNP treated groups were higher than those of the treated groups. The ratio of the weight of kidney to the body weight of the STZ treated groups was higher than that of the control group. The value of the diabetic group treated with KWNP after irradiation (F group) was lower than the other STZ treated groups. The white blood cell and ALP values of the F group were lower than the other STZ groups, as well. The cholesterol and triglyceride values of all the KWNP treated groups were significantly lower than the other groups. A significant increase (about 10 times) of insulin was detected in the F group. The results of hematological assay showed the distinctive damage in the irradiated and STZ treated groups. The quantity of apoptotic cells in seminiferous tubule of testis confirmed a serious damage as assessed in the STZ treated groups. These experimental results have revealed that treatment of the products of KWNP after irradiation has the antidiabetic effect in the STZ-induced diabetic rats. But the F group showed higher recuperative power. These experimental results have revealed that treatment of the gamma irradiation and KWNP have the recovering effect in the STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-25
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• 1996

The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis can not be summarized as a single process. Lipid infiltration hypothesis and endothelial injury hypothesis have been proposed and investigated. Recent developments show that there are many points of potential interactions between them and that they can actually be regarded as two phases of a single, unifying hypothesis. Among the many risk factors of atherosclerosis, plasma homocysteine and lipoprotein(a) draw a considerable interest because they are independent indicators of atherogenicity. Triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoproteins (chylomicron and VLDL) are not considered to be atherogenic but they are related to the metabolism of HDL cholesterol and indirectly related to coronary heart disease (CHD). LDL can of itself be atherogenic but the oxidative products of this lipoprotein are more detrimental. HDL cholesterol has been considered to be a favorable cholesterol. The so-called 'causalist view' claims that HDL traps excess cholesterol from cellular membranes and transfers it to TG-rich lipoproteins that are subsequently removed by hepatic receptors. In the so-called 'noncausalist view', HDL does not interfere directly with cholesterol deposition in the arterial wall but instead reflects he metabolism of TG-rich lipoproteins and their conversion to atherogenic remnants. Approximately 70-80% of the human population shows an effective feedback control mechanism in cholesterol homeostasis. Type of dietary fat has a significant effect on the lipoprotein cholesterol metabolism and atherosclerosis. Generally, saturated fatty acids elevate and PUFA lower serum cholesterol, whereas MUFA have no specific effect. EPA and DHA inhibit the synthesis of TG, VLDL and LDL, and may have favourable effects on some of the risk factors. Phospholipids, particularly lecithin, have an antiatherosclerotic effect. Essential phospholipids (EPL) may enhance the formation of polyunsaturated cholesteryl ester (CE) which is less sclerotic and more easily dispersed via enhanced hydrolysis of CE in the arterial wall. Also, neutral fecal steroid elimination may be enhanced and cholesterol absorption reduced following EPL treatment. Antioxidants protect lipoproteins from oxidation, and cells from the injury of toxic, oxidized LDL. The rationale for lowering of serum cholesterol is the strong association between elevation of plasma or serum cholesterol and CHD. Cholesterol-lowing, especially LDL cholesterol, to the target level could be achieved using diet and combination of drug therapy. Information on the link between cholesterol and CHD has decreased egg consumption by 16-25%. Some clinical studies have indicated that dietary cholesterol and egg have a significant hypercholesterolemic effect, while others have indicated no effect. These studies differed in the use of purified cholesterol or cholesterol in eggs, in the range of baseline and challenge cholesterol levels, in the quality and quantity of concomitant dietary fat, in the study population demographics and initial serum cholesterol levels, and clinical settings. Cholesterol content of eggs varies to a certain extent depending on the age, breed and diet of hens. However, egg yolk cholesterol level is very resistant to change because of the particular mechanism involved in yolk formation. Egg yolk contains a factor of factors responsible for accelerated cholesterol metabolism and excretion compared with crystalline cholesterol. One of these factors could be egg lecithin. Egg lecithin may not be as effective as soybean lecithin in lowering serum cholesterol level due probably to the differences of fatty acid composition. However, egg lecithin may have positive effects in hypercholesterolemia by increasing serum HDL level and excretion of fecal cholesterol. The association of serum cholesterol with egg consumption has been widely studied. When the basal or control diet contained little or no cholesterol, consumption of 1 or 2 eggs daily increased the concentration of plasma cholesterol, whereas that of the normolipemic persons on a normal diet was not significantly influenced by consuming 2 to 3 eggs daily. At higher levels of egg consumption, the concentration of HDL tends to increase as well as LDL. There exist hyper-and hypo-responders to dietary (egg) cholesterol. Identifying individuals in both categories would be useful from the point of view of nutrition guidelines. Dietary modification of fatty acid composition has been pursued as a viable method of modifying fat composition of eggs and adding value to eggs. In many cases beneficial effects of PUFA enriched eggs have been demonstrated. Generally, consumption of n-3 fatty acids enriched eggs lowered the concentration of plasma TG and total cholesterol compared to the consumption of regular eggs. Due to the highly oxidative nature of PUFA, stability of this fat is essential. The implication of hepatic lipid accumulation which was observed in hens fed on fish oils should be explored. Nutritional manipulations, such as supplementation with iodine, inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis, garlic products, amino acids and high fibre ingredients, have met a limited success in lowering egg cholesterol.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.217-223
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• 2003

Purpose : Every year, there is a remarkable increase in the prevalence of children with excess body fat. The aim of this study is to find a useful screening method in assessing adolescent, obesity and to specify the predictable risk factors that are related to adult cardiovascular disease according to BMI and obesity index. Methods : From July to November in 2001, a total of 2,814(male : female=2,011 : 803) mid to high school students who were in the obesity range according to obesity index(>20%) were evaluated according to height, weight, body mass index(BMI), obesity index, and serum lipid levels. Results : Among the obese students over 20% by obesity index, 86.6% were over the range of 95 percentile by BMI. Among students defined as obese by BMI, 21.0% of males and 21.4% of females students had hypercholesterolemia; by obesity index, the ratio was 20.7% male and 19.0% female. The frequency of hypertriglyceremia in male students was 15.0% in group I(overweight group, 85P97p); in female students 11.8%, 20.7% and 28.2% respectively. Conclusion : In this study, using BMI alone to test the serum lipid level in adolescent obesity had a limit of 10.0-17.0% omission. Therefore using obesity index as a screening method to find the adult cardiovascular disease would rather reduce the omission rate. The risk factor of cardiovascular disease according to BMI was the increasing level of triglyceride in both male and female students. We think that using the obesity index has more rationale rather than BMI in assessing lipid profiles.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.258-268
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) consumption with nutrition and health status. Examination of health status for this project included obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, low-HDL-cholesterolemia, diabetes, anemia, and metabolic syndrome. Methods: Two groups, RTEC consumers and those who did not consume RTEC, were identified using 24-hour dietary recall data from the 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Nutritional intakes and risk factors of the two groups were compared using covariates-adjusted statistical procedures. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS survey procedures, and strata, cluster, and weight were considered. Subjects of analysis of nutritional intake were between the ages of 1 and 75, and those considered in the risk factor analysis were between the ages of 19 and 75. Results: Results showed that 3.8% of the Korean population was RTEC consumers. Compared to the subjects who did not intake RTEC, RTEC consumers exhibited significantly higher intakes of calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin C. It was also discovered that the percentage of people whose intakes were less than EAR decreased with RTEC consumption. RTEC consumption showed significant association with decreased systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, serum triglyceride, and serum total cholesterol. Consequently, prevalence of hypertension among RTEC consumers was significantly lower than that among non-consumers, and the odds ratio for hypertension was 0.19 after adjusting the models for covariates. Conclusion: Results of this study clearly suggest an association of RTEC consumption with improved nutritional status and cardiometabolic risk profile in Korean adults. Conduct of additional studies will be necessary in order to determine the nature of these relationships.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.261-275
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• 2013

This study was designed to investigate the relationships of depressed mood with obesity, blood and urinary compositions, and dietary habits in Koreans at the age of 40, a critical transition to the middle adulthood stage. A total of 27,684 people who have taken the Life Transition Period Health Examination at the Korea Association of Health Promotion in 2011 were divided into two groups; the depressed mood group (DG) and the non-depressed group (NG) according to results of the primary questionnaire for mental health. The results were analyzed using the health examination criteria of the National Health Insurance Corporation. Women and medicaid recipients showed higher incidence of depressed mood than men and health insurance subscribers. People with underweight in BMI or abdominal obesity showed correlation with depressed mood, while there was no significant relationship with metabolic syndrome. Regarding blood and urinary compositions, DG was related to a higher level of hemoglobin and lower levels of HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride, although the relationships diminished after adjustment for other confounder effects. According to dietary habits, more people in DG were categorized as a group for "Needs Much Improvement", and the odds ratio of the depressed mood showed a significant increase. Significant difference regarding the frequency of food items such as milk products, animal proteins, Kimchi, and fruits was observed between DG and NG. In addition, a higher portion of subjects in DG did not consume regular meals and various kinds of food. In conclusion, the depressed mood of 40 year-old adults was significantly related to underweight, higher waist measurement, and undesirable dietary habits. Results of our study can be applicable as a basic resource for development of effective nutrition counseling and education programs for improvement of mental health promotion during the critical transition to the middle adulthood stage.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.381-389
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examined the relationships among serum ferritin, vitamin D, folate, iron, and vitamin B₁₂ as indicators of obesity. The results provide the basic data for the prevention and treatment of obese and severely obese people. Methods: This study selected 44 people from 18 years of age or older to 59 years. This study used the indicators of the body mass index (BMI) to analyze obesity as the obesity group (BMI of 25.0-29.9 kg/㎡) and as the severe obesity group (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/㎡). Of the 44 subjects, 23 and 21 subjects were in the obesity and severe obesity groups, respectively. Their height, weight, body fat, skeletal muscle mass measured using bioimpedance analysis, and measured serum nutrients and biochemical parameters. Results: The obesity group showed a significantly lower age, body weight, BMI and body composition, body fat mass, and body fat percentage, and the height was significantly lower in the severe obesity group. The results of the biochemical parameters of the subjects showed that the levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were within the normal range, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. The levels of folate, vitamin B₁₂, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, iron, and ferritin were almost normal, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. Conclusion: This study revealed an association with the serum nutrients and obesity, but there was no difference between the obesity group and severe obesity group. Observations of the nutrient levels in not only the blood in obesity and severe obesity but also in red blood cells and tissues will be necessary.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.347-364
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• 2006

This study is concerned with assessment of diethylnitrosamine (DEN 0.01 %) induced liver cell carcinogenesis by measurement of changes preceding the development of neoplasms. Therefore, it was undertaken to investigate changes of liver-specific enzyme activities in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by ad libitum feeding of DEN. And also. the changes of hepatic morphology in SD rats were detected by haematoxylineosin stain and immunohistochemistry (PCNA). 5- Fluorouracil (5- FU) is one of the most widely used anticancer agents for digestive cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma, and is known to affect the cell cycle and induce apoptosis of cancer cells. In the present study, SD rats were given drinking water containing 0.01% diethylnitrosamine (DEN) for 8 weeks. Minor behavioral change, brittleness of hair and decreased amount of water and diet intake were observed in rats 4 weeks after DEN administration. The body and liver weights were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in rats 11 weeks after DEN administration. The liver weight ratio to body weight was rather stable and not significantly decreased in the all treatment groups. The liver specific enzyme activities (AST, ALT, ${\gamma}$-GTP) were significantly increased in all treatment groups compared to control group (p < 0.05). Variable size of liver tumor and hepatomegaly were observed in rats treated with DEN after 10 weeks. Numerous vacuoles were seen on the midzonal and or peripheral areas of hepatic lobules. The large and polymorphological hepatocytes with eosinophilic cytoplasm or densely basophilic mitotic nucleoli were seen. Several proliferative small round cells were seen on vacuolated and necrotic areas in peripheral hepatic lobules or portal areas. PCNA-positive cells were seen on the vacuolated portal areas and peripheral areas of hepatic lobules in the areas of small round cells. We examined functional and morphological changes of livers by 5 - FU treatments on DEN -treated rat. The DEN -treated rats compared to 5 - FU -treated rats after DEN treatment for 8 weeks. The serum total protein and triglyceride were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased, and the liver enzyme activities of AST and ALT were significantly(p < 0.05) increased. After 8 weeks, in the non-5-FU -treated group, the size of liver tumor were varied and hepatomegaly were observed, hepatocellular vacuolization, necrosis and steatosis were observed on the midzonal and peripheral areas of hepatic lobules. The large and polymorphological hepatocytes were seen, the interlobular connective tissues were proliferated. PCNA positive cells were seen in the portal areas and peripheral areas of hepatic lobules in the non-5-FU-treated group. In hepatocytes, condensation of nuclear chromatin and vacuolization were observed, shape of the nuclei were irregular, the degraded nuclei and organelles were observed. The livers of rats in the 5 - FU treatment group were seen grossly brilliant, red-brown color, and the vacuolated and degenerated regions, hyperplastic nodules were not nearly observed. In the electron microscope, the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes contained a large number of mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, developed organelles surrounding nuclei. The above findings suggest that 5 - FU will be effective as anti -liver tumor drug.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.687-694
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• 2008

Background: Although aortic valve sclerosis causes no significant hemodynamic alterations, it is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death and myocardial infarction. However, the role of ${\beta}_3$ integrin in aortic valve sclerosis remains unclear. Material and Method: Twenty male New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups. Group 1 rabbits (n=10) received a normal chow diet, while group 2 (n=10) rabbits received a diet containing 1% cholesterol for 12 weeks. After the rabbits were euthanized, their aortic valves and ascending aortas were excised for analysis. Result: Total serum cholesterol ($2,148.3{\pm}1,012.5\;mg/dL$ versus $53.7{\pm}31.8\;mg/dL$, p<0.05), triglyceride ($240.4{\pm}218.3\;mg/dL$ versus $31.6{\pm}6.4\;mg/dL$, p<0.05), and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol($2,065.3{\pm}960.9\;mg/dL$ versus $29.1{\pm}30.9\;mg/dL$, p<0.05) levels were significantly higher in the cholesterol diet group compared with the normal diet group. Myofibroblasts and macrophages were more highly expressed in the aortic valve leaflets of rabbits in the cholesterol diet group than of those in the normal diet group. A real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed decreased ${\beta}_3$ integrin mRNA levels in the hypercholesterolemic aortic valves and aortas. Conclusion: The present study shows that hypercholesterolemia induces aortic valve sclerosis. These findings suggest that alterations in ${\beta}_3$ integrin may playa role in the development of aortic valve sclerosis.