The purpose of this study was to investigate nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and a food habits of middle school students. The study was carried out through questionnaire. The subjects were 431 middle school students (boys 298, girls 133) in Chonbuk area. In nutrition knowledge, there were no significant differences in total scores between boys and girls. However, the girls showed higher score in knowledge of weight control than boys did (p < 0.05). In dietary attitude, there were significant differences in attitude of "balanced meal (p < 0.05)", "sufficient protein intake (p < 0.01)", "food diversity (p < 0.001)" and "overeating (p < 0.01)" between boys and girls. The boys showed better dietary attitudes than the girls did. In food habits, there were significant differences in the rate of skipping breakfast (p < 0.05), the rates of skipping dinner (p < 0.01), the frequency of snacks (p < 0.05), the type of snacks (p < 0.05) between boys and girls. The girls showed higher rates of skipping a meal and frequency of snacks than the boys did. It suggests that gender should be considered for an effective and practical nutrition education for middle school students to improve dietary attitudes and food habits.
Breakfast ; Education ; Female ; Food Habits* ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do* ; Meals ; Snacks

Cellular cardiomyoplasty has recently emerged as a potential new treatment of ischemic heart disease. Combining cellular cardiomyoplasty with gene therapy using myogenic transcription factor might facilitate myocardial regeneration. In this study, we engineered H9c2, L6 using plasmid vector to overexpress the transcription factor MEF2c, Nkx2.5 involved in cardiomyogenesis. We investigated 1) formation of intercellular junction in mono-culture and co-culture with cardiomyocyte for functional and structural synchronous contraction after transplantation, 2) differentiation into cardiomyocyte, 3) resistance to hypoxic condition. Each cell overexpressing MEF2 and Nkx2.5 was generated by gene transfection and clonal selection. CO-culture was performed that each cell line added over cultured cardiomyocyte. H9c2-MEF2c and H9c2-Nkx2.5 became long, spindle shape like cardiomyocyte. Troponin T, cardiac specific marker, was found spot-like pattern in H9c2-Nkx2.5. However, co-culture with cardiomyocyte did not induce differentiation all kinds of cells into cardiomyocyte. Connexin43, which is gap junction marker was increased in H9c2-MEF2c, H9c2-Nkx2.5, L6-MEF2c and L6-Nkx2.5. Especially, co-culture with cardiomyocyte resulted in elevation of connexin43 levels more than monoculture. Ultrastructurally, formations of gap junction and desmosome were found apparently in L6-Nkx2.5. Long-standing, strong, regular and more frequent contraction were observed in cardiomyocyte co-cultured with H9c2-MEF2c, H9c2-Nkx2.5, L6-MEF2c, L6-Nkx2.5, respectively. Neverthless, any cell did not have active contraction itself, but passive movement except cardiomyocyte. H9c2-MEF2c, L6-MEF2c and L6-Nkx2.5 had resistance to hypoxia compared with other groups. These results suggested that co-culture and overexpressions of MEF2c and Nkx2.5 induced differentiation into cardiomyocyte and played an important role on intercellular junction formation and hypoxic resistance. This would be a promising source of cellular cardiomyoplasty. Therefore, much more research would be essential for clinical application of cellular cardiomyoplasty and this study would be a basic source for further study of MEF2c and Nkx2.5 in cellular cardiomyoplasty.
Animals ; Anoxia ; Cardiomyoplasty ; Cell Line ; Cell Transplantation ; Coculture Techniques* ; Connexin 43 ; Desmosomes ; Gap Junctions ; Genetic Therapy ; Intercellular Junctions ; Myoblasts ; Myoblasts, Cardiac* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocytes, Cardiac* ; Plasmids ; Rats* ; Regeneration ; Transcription Factors ; Transfection ; Troponin T

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expression of E-cadherin and cathepsin-B in prostatic carcinomas and correlate with the Gleason grades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expressions of E-cadherin and cathepsin B were examined by the immunohistochemical technic using the antibodies against the E-cadherin and cathepsin B on the paraffin block sections of 56 prostatic carcinomas with evaluation of Gleason grading. RESULTS: E-cadherin expression in normal epithelium was membranous intercellular expression and those of prostate carcinomas were aberrant expressions such as negative expression or cytoplasmic presentation. The expressivity of the E-cadherin according to the progression of the Gleason grading revealed negative membranous expression and tendency of gradual increase of aberrant expression. The normal prostate and BPH revealed expression of cathepsin B mostly in the basal layers of acini as cytoplasmic reaction and the stromal macrophages and microvessel wall also showed positive expression. The prostatic carcinoma showed cytoplasmic positivity in the cancer cells and the expression rate was increased from Gleason grade 2 to Gleason grade 4. But the Gleason grade 5 tissue revealed decreased or negative expression. The Gleason grade 4, especially in the invasive cells and invasive edges, revealed the most intense and frequent expression of cathepsin B and this findings were consistent with the nonnal function of the cathepsin B as a protease degrading the extracellular matrix proteins. CONCLUSION: E-cadherin expression was aberrant after Gleason grade 6 related with high histologic grades. It is suggested that the E-cadherin expression could tell the potential cancer progression as a tumor suppression factor. The cathepsin B was most strongly expressed in basal cells of the benign prostatic acini and the cancer nests of Gleason grade 4, which tells the possibility that cathepsin B could be a marker of basocellular differentiation and of assessing stromal invasion of prostatic carcinomas.
Antibodies ; Cadherins* ; Cathepsin B* ; Cathepsins* ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelium ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Macrophages ; Microvessels ; Neoplasm Grading ; Paraffin ; Prostate

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Even though they are identified on the basis of their induction by elevated temperatures, heat shock proteins are induced by various stimuli. Such inducers include viral infection, exposure to ethanol, sodium arsenite, steroid hormones and heavy metals. They become involved under pathological conditions, such as anoxia/ischemia, reperfusion injury and oxidative stress in the heart. In this research, the cellular damages and changes of Hsp25 and alphaB crytallin were investigated under oxidative stress induced H2O2 treatment in a cultured cardiomyoblast cell line, H9c2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The morphological changes of the H9c2, and the distributions of Hsp25 and alphaB crytallin, were examined with phase-contrast, confocal and electron microscopy. The levels of Hsp25 and alphaB crytallin expressions within the cells were also checked. RESULTS: After exposure to a low concentration (10 micrometer) of H2O2, the amounts of Hsp25 and alphaB crytallin were increased more than in the control and heat shock groups. They were particularly localized in the perinuclear region and along the actin filament. When exposed to a high concentration (more than 100 micrometer) of H2O2, many cells developed apoptotic features, such as vacuolization, blebbing and apoptotic body formations. The amounts of Hsp25 and alphaB crytallin were decreased more than in the control group. However, a weak reaction in the perinuclear region and along the actin filaments still remained when observed under confocal microscopy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the elevation of the expressions of Hsp25 and alphaB crytallin were dependent on the concentration of H2O2. Additionally, the redistribution of these small Hsps is closely associated with the actin filaments, as well as the nuclei. Therefore, much more research will be essential for the elucidation of roles of Hsp25 and alphaB crytallin in oxidative stress, such as ischemia or ischemic-reperfusion injury.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Actins* ; Blister ; Cell Line* ; Ethanol ; Heart ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; Ischemia ; Metals, Heavy ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron ; Oxidative Stress ; Reperfusion Injury ; Shock ; Sodium

This study attempted to examine the nutrition knowledge of caregivers for the elderly and the diet-related medical treatment and dietary assistance given by them. Thus, this research is a descriptive study focusing on the current nutritional knowledge of caregivers and the dietary assistance given by them. The survey included a questionnaire (nutritional knowledge level of digestive system diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular risk, brain disease, bone disease, and meal assistance performance status) for caregivers working in nursing homes for the elderly. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 235 caregivers between February and March 2020. The results were analyzed using the SPSS 25.0, and the significance test of each question was verified by the Friedman test and the Chi-square independence test. The number of elderly people who needed meal assistance from caregivers was 4.4 more than the average. The most common types of meal assistance were partial assistance (59.20%) and the task of when to stop eating for the elderly (58.71%). Besides, the higher nutritional knowledge level of the caregivers, the more the time spent on services related to meal assistance (P＜0.001), and the higher the meal assistance level. The disease state of the elderly was considered the most relevant (P＜0.001). Caregivers with high levels of knowledge and offering significant meal assistance were found to have received nutrition education (P＜0.001). Up to 80% of the respondents needed nutrition education, and most of them answered that they needed education on appropriate management methods for the specific disease state of the elderly (P＜0.01). Accordingly, providing nutrition education for caregivers for the elderly should be a means to improve their ability to offer meal assistance.

South Korea implemented interventions to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with discovery of the first case in early 2020. Mathematical modeling designed to reflect the dynamics of disease transmission has been shown to be an important tool for responding to COVID-19. This study aimed to review publications on the structure, method, and role of mathematical models focusing on COVID-19 transmission dynamics in Korea. In total, 42 papers published between August 7, 2020 and August 21, 2022 were studied and reviewed. This study highlights the construction and utilization of mathematical models to help craft strategies for predicting the course of an epidemic and evaluating the effectiveness of control strategies. Despite the limitations caused by a lack of available epidemiological and surveillance data, modeling studies could contribute to providing scientific evidence for policymaking by simulating various scenarios.

This study provides basic data when planning nutrition support for healthy aging by revealing the relationship between various symptoms in the elderly and nutrient intake. From the 8th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, data from senior citizens aged 65 years or older in 2021 were used, and answers on the depression prevalence, activity restrictions, complaints of discomfort when chewing, and nutrient intake were analyzed through SPSS multiple logistic regression analysis. In the case of depression, there was a significant effect on the intake of four of the 20 nutrients (water, protein, cholesterol, and vitamin E). When experiencing activity restrictions, the intake of eight of the 20 nutrients (phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin D, beta-carotene, retinol, thiamine, and niacin) was affected. When experiencing chewing discomfort, the intake of three of the 20 nutrients (fat, magnesium, and vitamin E) was affected. Elderly people who suffer from depression, activity restrictions, and discomfort with chewing are at risk of various nutrient deficiencies, and related studies need to be conducted.

PURPOSE: Human saliva, as a vital part of the immune defense system, contains a number of distinct proteins and peptides. Recently human common salivary protein 1 (CSP1) has been identified as an abundant salivary protein and may play a role in promoting the binding of cariogenic bacteria to salivary pellicles. However, nothing else is known regarding the role of CSP1 in periodontology. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare CSP1 levels between healthy subjects and periodontal patients. METHODS: This controlled clinical study was conducted in periodontally healthy individuals and patients with chronic periodontitis Chonbuk National University Hospital, with Institutional Review Board approval. Whole saliva samples were collected from 36 healthy subjects and 33 chronic periodontitis patients and analyzed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immune blotting were conducted to ensure that anti-CSP1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) binds to CSP1 in human saliva. A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system was house-fabricated using mAb-hCSP1#14 and mAb-hCSP1#4 as a capture and a detector mAb, respectively. The CSP1 concentrations in saliva from 36 healthy subjects and 33 periodontal patients were quantified using the CSP1 sandwich ELISA system, and the results were analyzed using the Student’s t-test. RESULTS: Immunoblot analysis using mAb-hCSP1 as a probe confirmed that CSP1 in human saliva existed as a single band with a molecular weight of approximately 27-kDa. The quantification of CSP1 concentrations by CSP1 ELISA showed that the median values (25th to 75th percentiles) of periodontal patients and healthy subjects were 9,474 ng/mL (range, 8,434–10,139 ng/mL) and 8,598 ng/mL (range, 7,421–9,877 ng/mL), respectively. The Student's t-test indicated the presence of a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a significant difference in CSP1 levels between healthy subjects and periodontal patients suggests that CSP1 may be a potential biomarker for the detection or screening of periodontitis patients.
Bacteria ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Electrophoresis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Healthy Volunteers* ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Mass Screening ; Molecular Weight ; Peptides ; Periodontitis ; Saliva ; Sodium

Phenylketonuria (PKU), an autosomal recessive disorder, occurs in one of 53,000 births in Korea. The disorder is associated with deficient activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase. In PKU, phenylalanine cannot be used in a normal fashion because of the deficient enzyme. Untreated, affected individuals develop marked mental disabilities, behavioral difficulties, seizures, rashes, pigment dilution, and unusual body odor. PKU treatment consists of a phenylalanine-restricted diet supplemented with a phenylalanine-free mixture of amino acids. During the restricted diet, PKU patients have an increased risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency because of a limited intake of animal products. We report a successful anesthetic management in a patient with phenylketonuria for dental procedures.
Amino Acids ; Anesthesia, General* ; Animals ; Diet ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Korea ; Nitrous Oxide ; Odors ; Outpatients* ; Parturition ; Phenylalanine ; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase ; Phenylketonurias* ; Seizures ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

Maternal and child health is an important issue throughout the world. Given their impact on maternal and child health, nutritional issues need to be carefully addressed. Accordingly, the effect of maternal, child, and nutritional disorders on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) should be calculated. The present study used DALYs to estimate the burden of disease of maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders in the Korean population in 2012. For this purpose, we used claim data of the Korean National Health Insurance Service, DisMod II, and death data of the Statistics Korea and adhered to incidence-based DALY estimation methodology. The total DALYs per 100,000 population were 376 in maternal disorders, 64 in neonatal disorders, and 58 in nutritional deficiencies. The leading causes of DALYs were abortion in maternal disorders, preterm birth complications in neonatal disorders, and iron-deficiency anemia in nutritional deficiencies. Our findings shed light on the considerable burden of maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions, emphasizing the need for health care policies that can reduce morbidity and mortality.
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Child ; Child Health ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Korea* ; Malnutrition ; Mortality ; National Health Programs ; Nutrition Disorders* ; Premature Birth