Background: Impaired executive function is common in older adults. This study examined the causal relationship between the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and executive function in older adults over time.Method: This study performed a secondary analysis of data from four waves (2016–2019) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study. A fixed-effect analysis was conducted to examine the effects of ICT on the executive function of older adults without dementia aged ≥65 years. This study analyzed data from 3,334 respondents. Results: We observed significant positive effects of ICT use on executive function over time (standardized β=0.043–0.045; 95% confidence interval, 0.001–0.043; p<0.05). Conclusion The current findings support the use of ICT as a protective approach to prevent decline in executive function in community-dwelling older adults.

Background: Impaired executive function is common in older adults. This study examined the causal relationship between the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and executive function in older adults over time.Method: This study performed a secondary analysis of data from four waves (2016–2019) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study. A fixed-effect analysis was conducted to examine the effects of ICT on the executive function of older adults without dementia aged ≥65 years. This study analyzed data from 3,334 respondents. Results: We observed significant positive effects of ICT use on executive function over time (standardized β=0.043–0.045; 95% confidence interval, 0.001–0.043; p<0.05). Conclusion The current findings support the use of ICT as a protective approach to prevent decline in executive function in community-dwelling older adults.

Background: Impaired executive function is common in older adults. This study examined the causal relationship between the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and executive function in older adults over time.Method: This study performed a secondary analysis of data from four waves (2016–2019) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study. A fixed-effect analysis was conducted to examine the effects of ICT on the executive function of older adults without dementia aged ≥65 years. This study analyzed data from 3,334 respondents. Results: We observed significant positive effects of ICT use on executive function over time (standardized β=0.043–0.045; 95% confidence interval, 0.001–0.043; p<0.05). Conclusion The current findings support the use of ICT as a protective approach to prevent decline in executive function in community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND/OBSECTIVE: Airway inflammation by eosinophils, neutrophils and alveolar macrophages is a characteristic feature of asthma that leads to pathological subepithelial thickening and remodeling. Our previous study showed that oxidative stress in airways resulted in eosinophilia and epithelial apoptosis. The current study investigated whether glutathione-containing dry yeast extract (dry-YE) ameliorated eosinophilia, goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus overproduction. MATERIALS/METHOD: This study employed 2 µg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or 20 ng/mL eotaxin-1-exposed human bronchial epithelial cells and ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged mice. Dry-YE employed in this study contained a significant amount of glutathione (140 mg in 100 g dry yeast). RESULTS: Human bronchial epithelial cell eotaxin-1 and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) were markedly induced by the endotoxin LPS, which was dose-dependently attenuated by nontoxic dry-YE at 10-50 µg/mL. Moreover, dry-YE inhibited the MUC5AC induction enhanced by eotaxin-1, indicating that eotaxin-1-mediated eosinophilia may prompt the MUC5AC induction. Oral supplementation with 10-100 mg/kg dry-YE inhibited inflammatory cell accumulation in airway subepithelial regions with a reduction of lung tissue level of intracellular adhesion molecule-1. In addition, ≥ 50 mg/kg dry-YE diminished the lung tissue levels of eotaxin-1, eosinophil major basic protein and MUC5AC in OVA-exposed mice. Alcian blue/periodic acid schiff staining revealed that the dry-YE supplementation inhibited goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus overproduction in the trachea and bronchiolar airways of OVA-challenged mice. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress may be involved in the induction of eotaxin-1 and MUC5AC by endotoxin episode and OVA challenge. Dry-YE effectively ameliorated oxidative stress-responsive epithelial eosinophilia and mucus-secreting goblet cell hyperplasia in cellular and murine models of asthma.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Asthma* ; Chemokine CCL11 ; Eosinophil Major Basic Protein ; Eosinophilia* ; Eosinophils ; Epithelial Cells ; Glutathione ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Mice ; Mucin 5AC ; Mucins ; Mucus* ; Neutrophils ; Ovalbumin ; Ovum ; Oxidative Stress ; Trachea ; Yeasts

Weight reduction behavior is common among adolescent girls. The present study examined the status of weight reduction behavior and factors affecting the behavioral intention of weight reduction using the Health Belief Model (HBM) for female middle school students by weight category. Survey data was collected from three girl's middle schools in Gyeongju, Korea. A total of 299 female middle school students participated in this study. The questionnaire had questions about general characteristics, weight reduction behavior, and variables of HBM (perceived threat, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, self-efficacy in dietary life and exercise, and behavioral intention of weight reduction). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis were applied to analyze the variables. A higher percentage of students in the overweight group attempted weight reduction than those in the underweight and the normal weight groups (P < 0.001). Among students who had attempted weight reduction, 73% tried diet therapy, while 78% tried exercise. Students in the normal and overweight groups showed significantly higher threat (P < 0.01) and cues to action (P < 0.001) than those in the underweight group. As for perceived benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy in dietary life and exercise, there were no significant differences among weight groups. Students in the overweight group showed the strongest intention of weight reduction and there were significant differences among the three weight groups (P < 0.001). Perceive threat (P < 0.01), cues to action (P < 0.001), and perceived self-efficacy (P < 0.01) were significantly associated to behavioral intention of weight reduction for all respondents. For the underweight group, perceived threat (P < 0.05) and perceived self-efficacy (P < 0.01) were the significant variables. For the overweight group, cue to action was the significant variable (P < 0.05).
Adolescent ; Cues ; Female ; Humans ; Intention ; Korea ; Overweight ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thinness ; Weight Loss

This study was conducted to measure and evaluate the food and nutrient intakes of the people living near the nuclear plant and to investigate the relationship between the household income level and the food and nutrient intake patterns. A total of 552 cases (263 males and 289 females) were surveyed during the period from April 1 to December 21 of 2005. Dietary intake was measured by means of the 24-hour recall method. The data were analyzed using SPSS Windows (ver. 14.0). The household income level of the subjects was classified into two groups : Low income group (LIG; < or = 2,000,000 won) and high income group (HIG; > 2,000,000). The subjects at large had less energy and nutrient intakes than did the population in town and village who participated in the 2005 National Health and Nutrition Survey. The intake of calcium, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and folic acid was less than the Estimated Average Requirement in case of 50~95% of the subjects. The LIG consumed less beans, vegetables, fruits, meats, and beverages than did the HIG in male, while the LIG consumed less eggs and beverages than did the HIG in female. The LIG consumed less nutrients than did the HIG in male, except for carbohydrate, while the LIG consumed less nutrients including zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid than did the HIG in female. In addition, the LIG had higher percentage energy consumption from carbohydrate. These results suggest that higher food and nutrient intake is associated with higher income.
Ascorbic Acid ; Beverages ; Calcium ; Eggs ; Fabaceae ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Fruit ; Humans ; Male ; Meat ; Nutrition Surveys ; Ovum ; Plants ; Riboflavin ; Vegetables ; Vitamin A ; Vitamin B 6 ; Zinc

In an attempt to investigate mothers' perceptions of factors affecting preschool children's food preferences, their policy improving food intake and belief in food selection, in-depth interviews with 30 mothers who had preschool children were conducted in Daegu and Busan. The interviews were tape-recorded and the contents of interviews were analysed by researchers. Most mothers and children liked meats. It was found that children usually disliked vegetables such as onions, carrots, and green onions. Mothers perceived that many factors affected their children's food preferences: mothers' and fathers' food preferences, food offering at meals, mothers' food intake during pregnancy, children's food intake during weaning period, heredity, peer pressure, and advertisements on television. Mothers made efforts to improve childrens food intakes in many ways: change of cooking method, emphasizing function of nutrients and food for health, conciliation and enforcement, and comparison to other children. The most affecting belief for mothers in food selection was family members' food preference. Health, balance in nutrient intake, degree of food processes, food additives, chemicals, convenience, diversity, and economy were also important beliefs to select food. Convenience was especially the primary belief in choosing and preparing children's snacks. Mothers offered frozen dumplings and meat, instant noodles, tuna, and ham for snacks for convenience. These results showed that mothers understood many aspects affecting children's food preference, tried to improve children's food intakes, and had several beliefs in food selection. We concluded that it is necessary to give information for mothers to make healthy snacks in a short time and chance to learn cooking skills.
Busan ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cooking ; Daegu ; Daucus carota ; Eating* ; Food Additives ; Food Preferences* ; Heredity ; Humans ; Meals ; Meat ; Mothers ; Onions ; Pregnancy ; Snacks ; Television ; Tuna ; Vegetables ; Weaning

Purpose: In periprosthetic osteolysis, cytokines, which are secreted from macrophages by the stimulation of particles, up-regulate the signaling for osteoclast activation through RANKL (Receptor activator of Nuclear Factor Kappa-B Ligand). This study compared the reaction to the particles and RANKL in the macrophages by examining the changes in the pro-inflammatory signals. In addition, because erythromycin has an anti-inflammatory effect, the effect of erythromycin on the pro-inflammatory signals by particles and RANKL was also analyzed to clarify the mechanism for the anti-resorptive effect with particles. Materials and Methods: The Raw 264.7 cell line (murine macrophage cell line) was used for these experiments. The particles were made from PMMA (poly-methyl-meth-acrylate) and UHMWPE (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) to enhance their stimulatory effects. Under the same culture conditions used for macrophages, the cells were treated with either particles or RANKL. The differences in the production of TNF-α, activities of MAP kinase, I-κB and reactive oxygen species (ROS) between the particle and RANKL treated macrophages were examined. The influence of erythromycin on these models was also observed. Results: Erythromycin inhibited ERK and p38 phosphorylation in both models, and suppressed the increase in H2O2 production in the particle-treated macrophages. However, erythromycin inhibited neither the production of TNF- in both models nor the production of H2O2 in the RANKL-treated macrophages. In addition, erythromycin reversed the suppression of I-κB by the particles. Conclusion: For the response of macrophages, erythromycin mainly suppresses the particle induced ROS and NF-κB activation compared with RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis signaling. Erythromycin might suppress particle-induced osteolysis through these anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, further studies on the downstream signals of osteoclastogenesis will be needed.
Cell Line ; Cytokines ; Erythromycin* ; Macrophages ; Molecular Weight ; Osteoclasts ; Osteolysis ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Reactive Oxygen Species

In order to investigate food purchase frequency of elementary school children and its related ecological factors, 4314th, 5th and 6th grade elementary school children and their mothers, living in Seoul and Daejon, small city and rural area of Chungnam Province, were participated in this study. The subjects and their parents were surveyed by a selfrecording questionnaire about food purchase frequency and some ecological factors. Average height and weight of the subjects by gender and grade were similar to or a little bit more than the 1998 Korean Growth Standard. According to relative body weight, 30.6% and 10.8% of the subjects belonged to under-weight and obesity categories, respectively. Of the subjects, 46.9% used PC telecommunication or internet, 53.8% of them used it for less than an hour per day, and 46.4% watched TV for 2 to 4 hours a day. About 42% of the subjects spent 500 Won or less daily to buy snacks. A half of the subjects took snacks once a day because of hunger. Mothers' nutrition knowledge score was averagely 8.16 out of 13 full score and the average attitude score was 43.22 out of 50 full score. Foods purchased more than once a week were milk and yoghurt, cookies, ice-cream, ramyun, and gum in order. Family income, parents' education level, mothers' nutrition knowledge and food attitude score, students' snacking frequency and TV watching time showed significant correlations with purchase frequencies of some individual food items. In conclusion, the elementary school children considered taste most important rather than nutrition in buying snacks and most frequently bought carbohydrate foods and concentrated sugars except milk. Ecological factors such as mothers' nutritional knowledge and food attitude, TV watching time and snacking frequency had influenced the children's food purchase frequency. Accordingly, it is necessary to educate both children and their mothers about good food purchase and the importance of snacking.
Body Weight ; Carbohydrates ; Child* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Daejeon ; Education ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Hunger ; Internet ; Milk ; Mothers ; Obesity ; Parents ; Seoul ; Snacks* ; Telecommunications ; Yogurt

Carbohydrate intake is decreasing along with the reduction of rice consumption among the Korean population. There is an increasing trend of diet-related degenerative diseases with the increased consumption of animal food, and therefore, the increase of animal food intake can be considered as one of causes of the diet-related disease. The objective of this study is to investigate the differences in rice preference and breakfast patterns between the subjects have breakfast regularly and those skipping it. One thousand participants were selected by the stratified sample method from the primary, middle, high school and college, and company workers from 24 cities of Kyeonggi-do. The interviewing procedure was carried by regional home extension workers. Approximately half participants (49.9%) were under the age of 20. Although 86% of the subjects considered eating breakfast good for health. only 46.4% of the subjects had breakfast regularly (HB). The rest of them skipped breakfast (SB) more than twice a week. The proportion of subjects hiving no breakfast were 9.3% of male and 12.2% of female subjects. The main reason for not having breakfast was due to the limited time. For their breakfast 85% of the HB ate boiled rice with the side dishes. More subjects in SB (27.8%) preferred the boiled rice with various grains for breakfast than those of HB (21.8%). The subjects in HB (65.5%) preferred boiled plein rice more than those of SB (56.9%). In cases they must have breakfast, 47.7% of the subjects wanted rice with the side dishes, 24.2% preferred rice ball or rice roll with laver, 10.5% preferred a rice beverage. More subjects in HB (59.8%) wanted rice with side dishes than those in SB (36.9%). It was found out that selecting rice at the breakfast is still the main choice. Diverse ready-to-eat rice menus have to be developed to increase the rice consumption, specially to increase breakfast eating frequencies of SB through saving time and effort.
Animals ; Beverages ; Breakfast* ; Edible Grain ; Eating ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Male