Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroprotection by Ketone Bodies and Ketogenic Diet in Cerebral Ischemia and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Ketone bodies (KBs), such as acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate, serve as crucial alternative energy sources during glucose deficiency. KBs, generated through ketogenesis in the liver, are metabolized into acetyl-CoA in extrahepatic tissues, entering the tricarboxylic acid cycle and electron transport chain for ATP production. Reduced glucose metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction correlate with increased neuronal death and brain damage during cerebral ischemia and neurodegeneration. Both KBs and the ketogenic diet (KD) demonstrate neuroprotective effects by orchestrating various cellular processes through metabolic and signaling functions. They enhance mitochondrial function, mitigate oxidative stress and apoptosis, and regulate epigenetic and post-translational modifications of histones and non-histone proteins. Additionally, KBs and KD contribute to reducing neuroinflammation and modulating autophagy, neurotransmission systems, and gut microbiome. This review aims to explore the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the neuroprotective effects of KBs and KD against brain damage in cerebral ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Association of recommended food score with depression, anxiety, and quality of life in Korean adults: the 2014-2015 National Fitness Award Project.

BACKGROUND: A healthy diet is a key determinant of an individual's health status and is closely related to mental health and quality of life (QoL); however, the exact nature of the relationship is unknown. This study hypothesized that a higher diet quality score is associated with a lower observance of symptoms of depression and anxiety and a higher QoL. METHODS: This study evaluated 1,295 adults (521 men; 774 women) aged 19-64 years, who participated in the 2014-2015 National Fitness Award Project. Diet quality was measured by the recommended food score (RFS), and mental health and QoL were assessed by the beck depression inventory (BDI), beck anxiety inventory (BAI), and the World Health Organization QoL-Brief (WHOQoL-BREF). RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates, the individuals with depression had a significantly lower RFS value compared to those without depression, and the group with a QoL score above the median had a higher RFS value than the group with a QoL score below the median. These trends occurred in both men and women. Subjects in the highest tertile of RFS showed a lower odds of depression (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.32-0.81, p-trend = 0.0043) and a QoL score below the median (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.30-0.54, p-trend < 0.0001) compared with those in the lowest tertile. The RFS was not associated with anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that higher diet quality may be associated with lower depressive symptoms and a better QoL in Korean adults.

The Relationship Between Social Capital, the Happiness of Others, and the Happiness of Korean Adults: A National Sample Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to reveal the relationship between social capital, the happiness of others, and the happiness of Korean adults. METHODS: Data from 4,890 participants (2,092 males [42.78%] and 2,798 females [57.22%]) aged 19 to 79 years were used. Data used in the analysis were provided by the Survey on Koreans' Happiness and Quality of Life (2019) conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. RESULTS: First, age, education, marital status, and subjective economic level were found to be significantly related to individual happiness. Second, social capital, which including trust and social participation, was positively related to individual happiness. Third, the key result of this study was that the happiness of close people was positively associated with individual happiness. Fourth, belonging showed a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the happiness of others and individual happiness. CONCLUSION: This study contributes by examining the relationship between the happiness of others and individual happiness after controlling for social capital and demographic variables and examining the moderating effect of social capital on the relationship between the happiness of self and others. These results are expected to help understand the factors that determine the happiness of Korean adults.

Enzymes hydrolyzing structural components and ferrous ion cause rusty-root symptom on ginseng (Panax ginseng).

Microbial induction of rusty-root was proved in this study. The enzymes hydrolyzing plant structural materials, including pectinase, pectolyase, ligninase, and cellulase, caused the rusty-root in ginseng. Pectinase and pectolyase produced the highest rusty-color formation. Ferrous ion (Fe+++) caused the synergistic effect on rusty-root formation in ginseng when it was used with pectinase. The effect of ferric ion (Fe++) on rusty-root formation was slow, compared with Fe+++, probably due to gradual oxidation to Fe+++. Other metal ions including the ferric ion (Fe++) did not affect rusty-root formation. The endophytic bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Lysobacter gummosus, Pseudomonas veronii, Pseudomonas marginalis, Rhodococcus erythropolis, and Rhodococcus globerulus, and the rotten-root forming phytophathogenic fungus Cylindrocarpon destructans, caused rusty-root. The polyphenol formation (rusty color) was not significantly different between microorganisms. The rotten-root-forming C. destructans produced large quantities of external cellulase activity (about 2.3 U[micronM/min/mg protein]), which indicated the pathogenecity of the fungus, whereas the bacteria produced 0.1-0.7 U. The fungal external pectinase activities (0.05 U) and rusty-root formation activity were similar to those of the bacteria. In this report, we proved that microbial hydrolyzing enzymes caused rusty-root (Hue value 15 degrees) of ginseng, and ferrous ion worsened the symptom.