복어는 동아시아 요리의 고급 원료로 상업적 가치가 높 은 수산자원이나, 야생 복어의 테트로도톡신은 치명적인 식중독 사건을 꾸준히 유발하고 있다. 자주복은 한국, 일 본, 중국에서 인기 있는 복어 종으로, 테트로도톡신이 없 는 복어 생산을 위해 양식되는 주된 어종이다. 따라서 양 식 자주복과 자연산 자주복의 구별은 식품 안전과 규제측면에서 매우 중요하다. 본 연구에서는 국내 온라인 및 오프라인 시장에서 판매되는 100개의 자주복 제품을 대상 으로 ‘양식 및 자연산’ 여부를 PCR 기반 방법을 이용하 여 확인하였으며, PCR 결과를 제품의 표시사항 정보와 비 교하였다. PCR 분석에는 자연산 자주복과 양식 자주복의 유전적 다양성 차이를 보이는 6개의 마커를 이용하였다. PCR 분석 결과 모든 양식 자주복 제품에서는 6개 마커에 서 모두 완전한 증폭 패턴을 보였으나, 자연산 자주복 제 품에서는 0 - 5개 마커에서 만 무작위 증폭 패턴을 나타냈 다. 따라서 6개 유전 마커의 증폭 패턴을 이용한 분석법 은 향후 자주복 제품의 허위표시 모니터링 및 테트로도톡 신 유무의 신속 검사에 널리 활용될 수 있을 것이다. 또 한 본 연구 결과는 현행 복어 종 판별을 보완할 수 있는 기초자료를 제공해 줄 수 있다.

Older adults face a heightened risk of chronic diseases due to physiological changes, functional decline, and dietary imbalances. Although nutrition education can enhance dietary habits, its influence on physical activity is less clear. This study, conducted at the Seongnam Senior Industry Innovation Center in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, assessed the effects of group-based nutrition education on 24 adults aged 65 and older (10 men, and 14 women; mean age 76.08 years). Participants engaged in a 12-week program that focused on hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and nutrition management. Anthropometric measurements, physical activity capacity, and dietary intake were evaluated before and after the intervention. Results showed significant reductions in body weight (p=0.038) and waist circumference (p=0.003), while BMI, body fat, and blood pressure remained unchanged. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass, muscle mass index, and right-hand grip strength decreased. Dietary fiber intake saw a slight increase, while cholesterol intake decreased significantly (p=0.007). Waist circumference decreased in both the groups consuming less than 300 mg and those consuming 300 mg or more of cholesterol. Overall, group-based nutrition education led to improvements in dietary habits and anthropometric outcomes, but did not enhance physical activity levels. Combining nutrition education with structured exercise may be more effective in promoting muscle strength and functional health in older adults.

Flavonoids extracted from the roots of Petasites japonicus were evaluated for their cytoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-aging effects. The MTT assay confirmed that cell viability remained above 95% across concentrations up to 12 μg/mL, indicating no cytotoxicity. The extract demonstrated strong DPPH radical scavenging activity in a concentration-dependent manner, reaching 86.7% at 12 μg/mL, which is comparable to vitamin C. ROS scavenging activity also increased with dosage, showing significant suppression at concentrations of 6 μg/mL and above, thus effectively mitigating oxidative stress. Collagen synthesis assays revealed an initial decrease at low concentrations, followed by a clear recovery and significant enhancement at higher doses (10–12 μg/mL). Additionally, the extract inhibited collagenase activity, with notable suppression occurring at concentrations above 10 μg/mL, suggesting protective effects against collagen degradation. Elastase activity was reduced in a dose-dependent manner, achieving over 60% inhibition at 10–12 μg/mL. These results imply that flavonoids have dual functions: they stimulate collagen production while suppressing the enzymes that degrade collagen and elastin. The strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of these flavonoids likely contributes to their protective effects on dermal structure and function. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of flavonoids as promising natural ingredients for anti-aging cosmetics and skin health applications.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) has emerged as an important alternative to transpapillary biliary drainage by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for malignant biliary obstruction (MBO), especially in cases with failed ERCP. Given the increasing evidences of safety and effectiveness of EUS-BD, EUS-BD as primary biliary drainage has been investigated in clinical trials. However, there are still obstacles that need to be addressed prior to clinical application. In this narrative review, clinical outcomes, hurdles and future perspectives of primary EUS-BD for MBO are discussed.