Analysis of differences in eating alone attitude of Koreans by dietary habits and age.

This study compares differences in eating alone attitude according to dietary habits and age in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do region in South Korea. Out of total 411 participants, 207(50.4%) were males and 204(49.6%) were females. 30 types of eating alone attitude were identified to perform a factor analysis; further these 30 types of attitudes were categorized into 8 factors termed as: 'enjoyable eating alone', 'eating alone as a daily routine', 'healthy eating alone', 'self-conscious eating alone', 'choose what I want', 'efficient eating alone', 'lonely eating alone', and 'solo dining'. Our investigation on the link between dietary habits and eating alone attitude revealed significant differences in 3 factors out of those 8 factors: healthy eating alone, solo dining, eating alone as a daily routine. The high healthy meal group was found to have less frequency of eating alone. Among people in their 20s and 30s, the low healthy meal group had more population than the high healthy meal group. There was a tendency that the population of the high healthy meal group increases as age rises. Our data indicated that the younger generation eats alone more frequently as a daily routine (p < 0.01), feels freer when eating alone, eats out alone more frequently (p < 0.01). People in their 20s were found to be more positive on eating alone and tended to be willing solo diners. The high healthy meal group did eat alone in a healthy way whereas the low healthy meal group had a negative view on eating alone. Our study aims at providing a good starting point to develop programs for healthy eating alone by finding gaps between healthy and unhealthy eating alone.

Fomes fomentarius Ethanol Extract Exerts Inhibition of Cell Growth and Motility Induction of Apoptosis via Targeting AKT in Human Breast Cancer MDA-MB-231 Cells.

Fomes fomentarius, an edible mushroom, is known to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetes effects. However, the underlying anti-cancer mechanism of F. fomentarius is unknown. To determine the molecular mechanism of the anti-cancer effects of F. fomentarius, various methods were used including fluorescence-activated cell sorting, Western blotting, migration, and crystal violet assays. F. fomentarius ethanol extract (FFE) decreased cell viability in six cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, A549, H460, DU145, and PC-3). FFE decreased the migration of MDA-MB-231 cells without causing cell toxicity. Furthermore, FFE attenuated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and phosphorylation of Akt as well as increased E-cadherin in MDA-MB-231 cells. FFE arrested the S and G2/M populations by inhibiting the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins such as cyclin-dependent kinase 2, cyclin A/E, and S-phase kinase-associated protein 2. FFE increased the sub-G1 population and expression of cleaved caspase-9, -3, and cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate (ADP-ribose) polymerase at 72 h and suppressed B-cell lymphoma 2. Interestingly, FFE and AKT inhibitors showed similar effects in MDA-MB-231 cells. Additionally, FFE contained betulin which inhibited p-AKT in MDA-MB-231 cells. Our findings demonstrate that FFE inhibits cell motility and growth and induces apoptosis by inhibiting the phsphoinositide 3- kinase /AKT pathway and caspase activation.

Study on the change and acculturation of dietary pattern of Southeast Asian workers living in South Korea.

This study analyzed the dietary pattern of Southeast Asian workers (Vietnamese, Thais, Cambodians and Myanmar) living in South Korea in order to recognize the dietary changes after they moved to South Korea. Questionnaires were completed by 251 Southeast Asian workers living in South Korea. Using a self-administered questionnaire, we assessed the diets before and after living in the hometown and in South Korea. Significant changes observed in the Southeast Asian workers were decreased in consumption frequency of fresh fruits, cooked vegetables, rice noodles, green tea and glutinous rice, and increase in consumption of Kimchi, seaweed, milk, coffee and pizza. These changes were attributed to rapid dietary acculturation. The frequencies of eating homemade food were significantly decreased after they came to Korea except for Thais. Thais showed the highest frequencies of eating homemade food daily among others. 28.2% of respondents said their health condition had deteriorated after living in South Korea due to difficulties to adapt Korean food, increased frequencies of eating instant food, and lacking exercises. By providing understanding of the dietary patterns of Southeast Asian workers, these results can be used for preliminary data to develop a program for their Korean food adaptation.

Chiral discrimination of sibutramine enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-NMR) have been used to discriminate the enantiomers of sibutramine using cyclodextrin derivatives. Possible correlation between CE and (1)H-NMR was examined. Good correlation between the (1)H-NMR shift non-equivalence data for sibutramine and the degree of enantioseparation in CE was observed. In CE study, a method of enantiomeric separation and quantitation of sibutramine was developed using enantiomeric standards. The method was based on the use of 50 mM of phosphate buffer of pH 3.0 with 10 mM of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (M-ß-CD). 0.05% of LOD, 0.2% of LOQ for S-sibutramine enantiomer was achieved, and the method was validated and applied to the quantitative determination of sibutramine enantiomers in commercial drugs. On a 600 MHz (1)H-NMR analysis, enantiomer signal separation of sibutramine was obtained by fast diastereomeric interaction with a chiral selector M-ß-CD. For chiral separation and quantification, N-methyl proton peaks (at 2.18 ppm) were selected because of its being singlet and simple for understanding of diastereomeric interaction. Effects of temperature and concentration of chiral selector on enantiomer signal separation were investigated. The optimum condition was 0.5 mg/mL of sibutramine and 10 mg/mL of M-ß-CD at 10°C. Distinguishment of 0.5% of S-sibutramine in R-sibutramine was found to be possible by (1)H-NMR with M-ß-CD as chiral selector. Host-guest interaction between sibutramine and M-ß-CD was confirmed by (1)H-NMR studies and CE studies. A Structure of the inclusion complex was proposed considering (1)H-NMR and 2D ROESY studies.