• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.4 s.28
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• pp.518-527
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• 1989

The relationship between copper content in scalp hair and mental retardation was investigated. Samples of scalp hair were collected from 297 mentally retarded children who were students in one of two schools providing special educational services, one, consisted of children living in an orphan home, the other, children living with parents. For comparison, 117 scalp hair samples were collected from the children who had got average or above average academic achivement in a regular elementary school. Hair samples were taken from the nape of the neck and the copper content was determined by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (IL 551). There was no statistically significant difference in scalp copper levels across different age groups except female orphan group, but no trend or correlation between copper conents and age was found. The hair copper contents of the mentally retarded children groups were significantly lower than that of control groups. But there was no dose-response relationship between degree of mental retardation and hair copper level. The hair copper contents of the group accompanied by Down's syndrome and unknown group were significantly lower than that of control group in both sex, and in the case of accompanied by epilepsy or autism, lower than control group in male. Although the results of this study show no evidence that mental retardation has owed to copper deficiency, the possibility of copper deficiciency in their fetal or infant age could not be ruled out. Thus further study is needed to determine whether mental retardation could be attributed to copper deficiency, through the examinations about their living environments, dietary pattern, eating habit and the impact of copper deficiency on brain development.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.316-322
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• 2007

Zinc finger transcription factor genes are a significant fraction of the genes in the vertebrate genome. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a human zinc finger-containing gene, ZNF435, from a fetal brain cDNA library. ZNF435 cDNA is 1290 base pairs in length and contains an open reading frame encoding 349 amino acids with four C2H2-type zinc fingers at its carboxyl terminus and a SCAN motif at its amino terminus. RT-PCR results showed that ZNF435 was expressed in all tested tissues. A ZNF435-GFP fusion protein was located in the nucleus and the four zinc fingers acted as nuclear localization signals (NLSs). ZNF435 was found to be capable of homo-association, and this effect was independent of its zinc fingers. Furthermore, ZNF435 proved to be a transcription repressor as its overexpression in AD293 cells inhibited the transcriptional activities of AP-1.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.361-368
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• 1994

Teratogenic and embryotoxic effects of mercury have been reported, however, there is little information about possible antidotes against mercury exposure during gestation. In order to evaluate therapeutic effects of selenium as an antidote against mercury poisoning, pregnant CD-1 mice were exposed to methylmercury chloride(20ppm) through the drinking water with treatment of sodium selenite (1.0mg, 2.0mg or 3.0mg/kg b.w., subcutaneously) or BAL(5.0mg/kg b.w., subcutaneously) under the single or combination base as the therapeutic agents from day 6 to 15 of gestation. Fetal growth parameters such as body weight and crown-rump length in the mice exposed to mercury, were reduced as was placental weight compared to those in the control. Treatment of selenium(alone, combination with BAL) reduced the harmful effects induced by mercury on the fetal growth parameters even though no specific relationship between dose and therapeutic effect. The incidence of dead fetuses/resorptions and malformed fetuses(especially cleft palate) was also increased in the mercury only treated group. Selenium treatment demonostrated reduced the incidence of abnormal fetuses under the exposure of mercury. Relative maternal organ weights(liver, kidney, spleen) were increased significantly but relative brain weight was decreased as evidenced by decreased in the mercury treated mice compared to that in the control. A subtle indication of maternal mercury toxicity evidenced by changes of relative maternal organ weights, decreased water and feed consumption were also prevented efficiently by selenium treatment. The present study suggests that methylmercuric chloride is embrytoxic and teratogenic in CD-1 mice when exposured during organogenesis and that selenium administration may have therapeutic application for the treatment of mercury poisoning although more applicable study in human should be performed with caution in the future.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2012

Fish contain both the neurotoxin methyl mercury (MeHg) and nutrients important for brain development. The developing brain appears to be most sensitive to MeHg toxicity and mothers who consume fish during pregnancy expose their fetus prenatally. Although brain development is most dramatic during fetal life, it continues for years postnatally and additional exposure can occur when a mother breast feeds or the child consumes fish. This raises the possibility that MeHg might influence brain. We evaluated the relationship between fish consumption and mercury exposure levels in umbilical cord blood of the pregnant women of the city of Tongyeong city, Korea. A total of 159 pregnant women residing in the city of Tongyeong, Korea were recruited for the study between October 2010 and March 2011. Fish consumption was evaluated using food frequency questionnaires including detailed questions on fish consumption. We used ANOVA to estimated the particular relevance between the frequency of fish consumption and the umbilical cord blood mercury concentration, and other various factors. The average mean concentration of mercury levels in umbilical cord blood of pregnant women who participated in our study were $2.69{\pm}2.50ppb$, ranging from 0.01 to 14.80 ppb. The mean concentration of umbilical cord blood mercury exposure was lower than the level recommended by WHO (5.0 ppb), but the mercury exposure level exceeded the WHO recommended in 17 (10.7%) cases of umbilical cord blood. Mercury levels in cord blood of pregnant women were $2.04{\pm}2.00ppb$, ranging from 0 to 8.00 ppb in below 29 years old and $3.18{\pm}2.74ppb$, ranging from 0.01 to 14.80 ppb in more 30 years old. In this study, there was a significant difference for the frequency of eating fish between the groups (p < 0.01). The level of the groups that ate fish 3 to more times per week ($4.15{\pm}4.02ppb$) was significant higher as compared with the level of other groups that ate fish 1 to times per week ($2.63{\pm}2.22ppb$) and none per week ($1.06{\pm}1.44ppb$), respectively. We found that the mercury concentration of umbilical cord blood associate with fish consumption and this was statistically significant and this fact revels that fish consumption is positively related to mercury levels in the umbilical cord blood. We need systematic and periodic research on the general population to prevent mercury poisoning, which can be cause by low-level mercury exposure from dietary intake such as chronic fish consumption.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1990

We established an in vitro system of central serotonergic neurons by culturing dissociated rat embryonic (El4) brainstem cells to 14 days in vitro and monitored the serotonergic neuronal growth by measuring 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) contents in the cells with hish performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-EC). We studied also tile effects of various drugs on the contents of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, confirming in vivo reports. The 5-HT content (13 ng/mg protein) and 5-HT turnover rate (17 pmol/mg protein/h) at 14 days in vitro were in good agreement with those reported in the adult rat brain. The 5-HT content was more easily depleted with p-chlorophenylalanine, a tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor than with NSD 1015 (3-hydroxybenzylhydrazine), an aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) inhibitor. Incubation of the cultures with tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan increased the rate of serotonin formation implying that neither tryptophan hydroxylase nor AADC is saturated with its amino acid substrate in this in vitro system . The 5-HT content was depleted by reserpine. The 5-HT and 5-HIAA contents were increased and decreased, respectively, by monoamine oxidase inhibitors. All the above results indicate that the biochemical properties of the central serotonergic neurons in this culture system reflect reliably those of central serotonergic neurons in vivo. We suggest that measuring 5-HT and 5-HIAA contents in the primary cultured dissociated brainstem-cells with HPLC-EC is useful in the study of pharmacology as well as toxicolgy of the central serotonergic neurons.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.77-77
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• 2003

Coculture of HSC with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) is one of used methods to increase cell numbers before transplant to the patients. However, because of difficulties to purify HSCs after coculture with BM-MSCs, it needs to develop a method to overcome the problem. In the present study, we have examined whether a culture insert placed over a feeder layer might support the expansion of HSCs within the insert. $CD34^+/ $ cells isolated from the umbilical cord blood by using midiMACS were divided into three groups. A group of 1 $\times$ $10^5$ cells were grown on a culture insert without feeder layer (Direct). The same number of HSCs was directly cocultured with BM-MSCs (Contact). The third group was placed onto an insert below which BM-MSCs were grown (Insert). To distinguish feeder cells from HSCs, BM-MSCs was pre-labeled fluorescently with PKH26 and 1 $\times$ $10^5$ cells were seeded in the culture dishes. After culture for 13 days, the expansion factor (x) of HSCs that were grown without feeder layer (Direct) was $26.6 \pm 8.4.$ In contrast, the number of HSCs directly cocultured with feeder layer was 59.6 $\pm$ 0.5 and that of HSCs cultured onto an insert was $46.9 \pm 8.4.$ The percentage of BM-MSCs cells remained being fluorescent was $97.9 \pm 0.3%$ after culture. Immune-phenotypically large proportion of cultured cells were founded to be differentiated into myeloid/monocyte progenitor cells. The ability of BM-MSCs, fetal lung, cartilage and brain tissue cells to support ex vivo expansion of HSCs was also examined using the insert. After 11 days of coculture with each of these cells, the expansion factor of HSCs was 15.0, 39.0, 32.0 and 24.0, respectively. Based upon these observations, it is concluded that the coculture method using insert is very effective to support ex vivo expansion of HSCs and to eliminate the contamination of other cells used to coculture wth HSCs.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.281-290
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• 2014

This study is a quasi-experimental research using non-equivalent control group pre-post design in order to understand the effectiveness of biomedical ethics education using movies. This study selected the first-year 45 students and 63 students who were attending at two 4-year-course nursing colleges as an experimental group and control group, respectively. Then, this study provided the experimental group with the lecture on biomedical ethics for 16 weeks using the movie related to the ethical issues covering 10 areas. Data collection was done for 5 days from August 26, 2013 until December 5, 2013, and conducted pre-post questionnaire survey on the 1st week session and 16th session after explaining there search purpose and getting a written agreement from the subjects. As a result of analysis of the collected data using SPSS Statistics 18, it was found that students' average point of biomedical ethics awareness improved to 3.31 from 3.07; additionally, in the analysis of the data by sub-area, the point in artificial abortion improved to 3.69 from 3.08; artificial insemination from 2.99 to 3.57; fetal diagnosis from 3.10 to 3.45; a newborn's right to life from 3.39 to 3.55 and organ transplant from 3.26 to 3.53, respectively(P<.001). On the contrary, the research results showed that there was no change in the point of the mercy-killing, brain death, and human biotechnology areas, respectively(p>.05). Conclusively, movie-aided education could be diversely used for nursing education provided movie contents should be in accord with a lecture subject in a way that can arouse students' interest and concern, and improve educational satisfaction.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2006

Cerebral palsy(CP) is one of the most common motor disease, due to brain injury during fetal and neonatal development which results in neuromotor paralysis and associated neuromuscular symptoms. Features of CP include motor disability due to the lack of muscle control, often accompanied by sensory disorders, mental retardation, speech disorders, hearing loss, epilepsy, behavior disorders, etc. There are increasing chances of treatment of dental patients with cerebral palsy, as the occurrence of CP is increasing with the decrease in infant mortality and an increase in immature birth and premature birth and also, there is a trend to pursue of higher quality of life. Reports on the relationship between CP and maxillofacial deformity are uncommon, but it is well known that the unbalance and discontrol of the facial muscles, lip, tongue and the jaws leads to malocclusion and temporomandibular joint disorders, and statistics show that class 2 relationship of the jaws and open bite is frequently reported. However, it is difficult to perform maxillofacial deformity treatment, which consists of orthodontic treatment, maxillofacial surgery and muscle adaptation training, due to difficulties in communication and problems of muscle adaptation caused by difficulties in motor control which leads to a high recurrence rate. This case report is to trearment of maxillofacial deformity in CP patient. A 26 year old female patient came to the department with the chief complaint of prognathism of the mandible and facial asymmetry. According to the past medical history, she was diagnosed as cerebral palsy 1 week after birth, classified as GMFC, classII accompanied with left side torticollis. The patient's intelligence was moderate, and there were no serious problems in communication. For two years time, the patient underwent lingual frenectomy, pre-operation orthodontic treatment and then bimaxillary orthognathic surgery to treat mandibular prognathism and facial asymmetry followed by rehabilitatory exercise of facial muscle. After 6 months of follow up, there was a good result. This is to report to the typical signs and symptoms of DFD in CP patient and the limitation of the usual method of the treatment of DFD in CP patient with literature review.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.421-432
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• 2005

In order to understand the renal reabsorption mechanism of neutral amino acids via amino acid transporters, we have isolated human L-type amino acid transporter 2 (hLAT2) and human T-type amino acid transporter 1 (hTAT1) in human, then, we have examined and compared the gene structures, the functional characterizations and the localization in human kidney. Northern blot analysis showed that hLAT2 mRNA was expressed at high levels in the heart, brain, placenta, kidney, spleen, prostate, testis, ovary, lymph node and the fetal liver. The hTAT1 mRNA was detected at high levels in the heart, placenta, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, pancreas, spleen, thymus and prostate. Immunohistochemical analysis on the human kidney revealed that the hLAT2 and hTAT1 proteins coexist in the basolateral membrane of the renal proximal tubules. The hLAT2 transports all neutral amino acids and hTAT1 transports aromatic amino acids. The basolateral location of the hLAT2 and hTAT1 proteins in the renal proximal tubule as well as the amino acid transport activity of hLAT2 and hTAT1 suggests that these transporters contribute to the renal reabsorption of neutral and aromatic amino acids in the basolateral domain of epithelial proximal tubule cells, respectively. Therefore, LAT2 and TAT1 play essential roles in the reabsorption of neutral amino acids from the epithelial cells to the blood stream in the kidney. Because LAT2 and TAT1 are essential to the efficient absorption of neutral amino acids from the kidney, their defects might be involved in the pathogenesis of disorders caused by a disruption in amino acid absorption such as blue diaper syndrome.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.216-221
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• 2003

Purpose: To investigate the modulation of radiosensitivity by celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, on cancer cells over- and under-expressing COX-2. Materials and Methods: A clonogenic radiation survival analysis was performed on A549 human lung and MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines incubated in both 1 and $10\%$ fetal bovine serum (FBS) containing media. The apoptosis in both cell lines was measured after treatment with radiation and/or celecoxib. Results: Celecoxib enhanced the radiation sensitivity of the A549 cells in the medium containing the $10\%$ FBS, with radiation enhancement ratios of 1.58 and 1.81 respectively, at surviving fractions of 0.1, with $30\muM\;and\;50\muM$ celecoxib. This enhanced radiosensitivity disappeared in the medium containing the $1\%$ FBS. Celecoxib did not change the radiation sensitivity of the MCF-7 cells in either media. The induction of apoptosis by celecoxib and radiation was not synergistic in either cell line. Conclwsion: Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, preferentially enhanced the effect of radiation on COX-2 over-expressing cancer cells compared to the cells with a low expression, and this effect disappeared on incubation of the cells during drug treatment in the medium with suboptimal serum concentration. Apoptosis did not appear to be the underlying mechanism of this radiation enhancement effect due to celecoxib on the A549 cells. These findings suggest radiosensitization by a selective COX-2 inhibitor is COX-2 dependent.