Hwang HJ, et al. Nutr Res Pract. 2019 Apr;13(2):105-114. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2019.13.2.105

육성민, et al. J Nutr Health. 2022 Apr;55(2):278-295. https://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2022.55.2.278

Short-chain fatty acids contribute to normal bowel function and prevent bacterial infections. In particular, butyrate is a promising candidate that plays an important role in regulating the functional integrity of the gastrointestinal tract by stimulating mucin secretion. We investigated whether butyrate treatment modulates mucin secretion and bacterial adherence in LoVo cells. In addition, the possible signaling pathways were also examined in connection with the upregulation of mucin secretion. The results showed that butyrate induced mucin secretion in LoVo cells, resulting in the inhibition of Escherichia coli adhesion by increasing the adherence of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum. The gene expression analysis suggests that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways including Cdc42-PAK pathway appears to be involved in stimulating mucin secretion. More importantly, butyrate induced the increased actin expression and polymerization in LoVo cells, which could be attributable to the Cdc42-PAK signaling pathway, implicated in actin cytoskeleton and mucin secretion. Our results provide a molecular basis in modulating bacterial adherence and the MAPK signaling pathway for the improved homeostasis of colonic epithelial cells.

임영숙, et al. J Nutr Health. 2022 Feb;55(1):155-173. https://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2022.55.1.155

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder in school-age children and adolescents. However, the reported associations between ADHD and single nutrient intake are inconsistent. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between dietary intake changes and the prevalence of ADHD over time with repeat measurements using data from the Children Health and Environment Research (CHEER). To assess changes over time, we used data obtained in 2006 and 2008 (Phases ₁ and ₂). In this study, there were 2899 children aged 8 years or older in Phase ₁ and 2120 children aged 9 years or older in Phase ₂ from Korea, and the ADHD scores and dietary intake of 1733 children in Phases ₁ and ₂ were used in the final analysis. The YN group refers to children whose disease had improved in Phase ₂, and the NY group refers to children diagnosed with ADHD in Phase ₂. A notable within-group result was the increase in vegetable protein (p = 0.03) in the YN group. A between-group comparison showed that significant changes in nutrient intake could be confirmed most in the NY group, and the YN group tended to have a lower nutrient intake than the NY group. In the correlation of changes in nutrient intake and three subtypes (combined, AD, and HD), the total fat (p = 0.048) and animal protein (p = 0.099) showed a positive correlation with the prevalence of AD. Vegetable iron (p = 0.061 and p = 0.044, respectively), zinc (p = 0.022 and p = 0.007, respectively), vegetable protein (p = 0.074), and calcium (p = 0.057) had inhibitory effects on ADHD and its subtype. In conclusion, management of dietary and nutritional status should be considered to ameliorate ADHD and its subtypes in school-age children, and these relationships require further exploration in other settings.

This study conducted basic research to develop foods of the future, such as meat substitutes using plant-based alternatives. The moisture content of alternative meat patties developed in this study is similar to vegetable and meat patties. Protein and fat content are intermediate, compared to vegetable and meat patties, while the raw material content was higher in alternative meat patties. The composition of essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids were 36.29% and 63.71%, respectively, in the alternative meat patties, and amino acid composition showed a tendency similar to that of commercially available animal meat patties. As a result of measuring the color (brightness, redness, yellowness) and physical properties (hardness, adhesion, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, elasticity) of the alternative meat patty, they are generally similar to existing meat or plant products. It was confirmed that the alternative meat patty can replace an existing product through sensory improvement. Considering the results of this study, the manufacturing method of alternative meat patties is a scientific formulation for flavoring meat without any significant difference, compared to commercially available animal meat patties. It is expected to provide good basic data for future research on alternatives to meat. In addition, continuous research should be conducted in parallel to improve the quality of alternative meat patties and to increase the production of alternative meat patties in consideration of consumer preferences.