Emodin, an active constituent of oriental herbs, is widely used to treat allergy, inflammation, and other symptoms. This study provides the scientific basis for the anti-inflammasome effects of emodin on both in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Bone marrow-derived macrophages were used to study the effects of emodin on inflammasome activation by using inflammasome inducers such as ATP, nigericin, and silica crystals. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxin shock model was employed to study the effect of emodin on in vivo efficacy. Emodin treatment attenuated interleukin (IL)-1β secretion via the inhibition of NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation induced by ATP, nigericin, and silica crystals. Further, emodin ameliorated the severity of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated symptoms in LPS-induced endotoxin mouse models. This study is the first to reveal mechanism-based evidence, especially with respect to regulation of inflammasome activation, substantiating traditional claims of emodin in the treatment of inflammation-related disorders.

This study provides the scientific basis for the inhibitory effect of the aerial parts of Cichorium intybus Linn. (C. intybus) on the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro and on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced type-2 diabetes (T2D). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed bone marrow-derived macrophages were used to study the effects methanolic extract of C. intybus leaf (CI) on inflammasome activation. An insulin resistance model (mice fed a HFD) was used to study the in vivo effect of CI on T2D. CI attenuated interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion by inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in mouse bone marrow macrophages. The CI treatment attenuated the intracellular movement of NLRP3 in Triton X-100 insoluble fraction, without affecting the expression of other NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins. Attenuated IL-1β secretion may improve glucose metabolism in the HFD-fed insulin resistance mouse model. CI also attenuated the infiltration of M1 macrophages and increased the M2 macrophage population in white adipose tissue. Collectively, our data showed that CI inhibits IL-1β secretion through attenuation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, leading to an antidiabetic effect by improving glucose metabolism and inhibiting metainflammation.

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This study aimed to determine the potential association between handgrip strength and nutritional quality in Korean men aged ≥20 years using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016 to 2018. This population-based cross-sectional study included 5,748 men aged ≥20 years. A dietary intake survey was performed using the 24-hr dietary recall method. Nutritional quality was examined using the Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) score. A high INQ score reflected poor nutritional quality, with insufficient intake of many nutrients. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine the association between handgrip strength and INQ scores after adjusting for other covariates. The intake of carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, and vitamins B2 and C was significantly positively associated with a higher quartile for handgrip strength for those aged ≥65 years (all p < .01). A significant inverse association was found between the quartiles of handgrip strength and INQ scores among men aged ≥65 years after adjusting for all covariates (β = −0.26, p < .01). This association was not found among those aged <65 years ( p = .25). The age-specific association between handgrip strength and nutritional quality underscores the importance of public policies that promote sufficient and comprehensive nutrient intake among older adults. Handgrip strength may be useful in clinical practice as a simple and cost-effective tool for screening for nutritional quality in older adults.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Adequate nutritional intake is essential for good health and well-being. We aimed to compare the nutrient intake from homemade meals, meals sourced externally (“eating out”), and meals from workplace foodservices, as well as the potential association between foodservices used and nutritional quality among adult Korean workers. SUBJECTS/METHODS We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationwide cross-sectional survey on the health and nutritional status of the Korean population. Data from 6,845 workers aged 20–64 years were included. A survey on dietary behavior and nutrition was conducted using the 24-h dietary recall method. Nutritional quality was examined using the index of nutritional quality (INQ) score. Higher INQ scores reflected poorer nutritional quality, with insufficient intake of a higher number of nutrients. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify the association between the foodservices used and INQ scores after adjusting for other covariates. RESULTS We found that foodservice users exhibited a higher 1-day intake of total energy and macronutrients (all P < 0.05) and lower INQ scores ( P < 0.01) than non-users. The INQ scores for total daily meals decreased with the frequency of foodservice use ( P < 0.01). A significant association was observed between the non-use of foodservices and INQ scores (β = 0.29, P < 0.01) after adjusting for other covariates. CONCLUSIONS The use of workplace foodservices contributed to higher dietary nutritional quality among workers. This study highlights the importance of expanding the scope of workplace foodservices to promote higher nutritional quality and healthy dietary habits among workers.

In the current study, we aimed to examine the association between knee pain and diet quality in women aged ≥ 50 years using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. Diet quality was assessed using the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), and knee pain and osteoarthritis were self-reported. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to adjust for age, body mass index, household income, marital status, education, occupation, smoking status, hazardous alcohol use, regular physical activity, menopause, and chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, and depression. A total of 3,881 women were included in this study, and the prevalence of knee pain was 25.4%. The intakes of total energy, protein, and fat were lower in women with knee pain than in those without (all P < 0.01), while the carbohydrate intake was higher (P = 0.01). No significant differences were noted in the scores for variety, overall balance, and moderation components, except for the item of total fat intake, between the DQI-I scores for women with and without knee pain, after adjusting for age. Women without knee pain showed higher scores in several items of the adequacy component (P < 0.05) than did women with knee pain. The total DQI-I scores were lower in women with knee pain than in women without knee pain, after adjusting for covariates, including osteoarthritis (OR = 0.985, 95% CI = 0.973–0.997, P = 0.01). Knee pain independent of osteoarthritis was associated with poor diet quality in community-dwelling women aged ≥ 50 years.

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Objective: Depression is among the most common neuropsychiatric disorders, and its prevalence is twofold higher in women than in men. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary fiber intake and depression in women by menopause status using data from a nationwide population-based survey conducted in Korea. Methods: We utilized the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey data for 2014, 2016, and 2018 with a complex sampling design. Dietary fiber intake was calculated according to the 24-hour recall method, and we used Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores to assess depression. A t test based on the general linear model was used to compare mean dietary fiber intake according to the presence of depression by menopause status. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to compute the odds ratio for depression according to the gradually adjusted model. Results: This study included 5,807 women. Among the premenopausal women, dietary fiber intake was higher in the nondepression group than in the depression group (P < 0.001), while there was no significant difference among postmenopausal women. Accordingly, among the premenopausal women, a significantly inverse relationship was observed between a change in daily dietary fiber intake as 1 g/1,000 kcal and the prevalence of depression in the fully adjusted model with an odds ratio of 0.949 (95% confidence interval, 0.906-0.993; P = 0.03). However, among the postmenopausal women, this significant association was not observed. Conclusions: Dietary fiber intake was inversely associated with depression in premenopausal but not postmenopausal women.