• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.151-158
• /
• 2007

tert-Butyl acetate is an organic solvent used for coatings, industrial cleaning, and surface treatment applications. This study investigated the potential adverse effects of tert-butyl acetate on pregnant dams and embryo-fetal development after maternal exposure on gestational days 6 through 19 in rats. The test chemical was administered to pregnant rats by gavage at dose levels of 0, 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 mg/kg/day. All dams were subjected to a caesarean section on day 20 of gestation and their fetuses were examined for any external, visceral, and skeletal abnormalities. At 2,000 mg/kg, treatment-related clinical signs, including piloerection, abnormal gait, decreased locomotor activity, loss of fur, reddish tear, anorexia, nasal discharge, vocalization and coma, were observed in a dose-dependent manner. All dams died between the 2nd day and 5th day of treatment due to a severe systemic toxicity. At 1,500 mg/kg, minimal maternal toxicity including an increase in the incidence of decreased locomotor activity and loss of fur, and an increase in the weights of adrenal glands and liver was observed. On the contrary, no significant adverse effect on the embryo-fetal development was detected. There were no adverse effects on either pregnant dams or embryo-fetal development at <1,000 mg/kg. These results show that a 14-day repeated oral dose of tert-butyl acetate in rats caused a minimal maternal toxicity including increases in the incidence of clinical signs and the weights of adrenal glands and liver, but no embryotoxicity and teratogenicity at 1,500 mg/kg/day. Under these experimental conditions, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of tert-butyl acetate is estimated to be 1,000 mg/kg per day for dams and 1,500 mg/kg per day for embryo-fetal development.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.780-788
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationship between famine exposure in early life and the risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood during the 1959-1961 Chinese Famine. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 3,418 individuals aged 35-74 years free of diabetes from two studies in 2006 and 2009 were followed up prospectively in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Famine exposure was classified as unexposed (individuals born in 1962-1978), fetal exposed (individuals born in 1959-1961), child exposed (individuals born in 1949-1958), and adolescent/adult exposed (born in 1931-1948). A logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between famine exposure and diabetes after adjustment for potential covariates. RESULTS: During a three-year follow-up, the age-adjusted incidence rates of type 2 diabetes were 5.7%, 14.5%, 12.7%, and 17.8% in unexposed, fetal-exposed, child-exposed, and adolescent/adult-exposed groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Relative to the unexposed group, the relative risks (95% confidence interval) for diabetes were 2.15 (1.29-3.60), 1.53 (0.93-2.51), and 1.65 (0.75-3.63) in the fetal-exposed, child-exposed, and adolescent/adult-exposed groups, after controlling for potential covariates. The interactions between famine exposure and obesity, education level, and family history of diabetes were not observed, except for the urbanization type. Individuals living in rural areas with fetal and childhood famine exposure were at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, with relative risks of 8.79 (1.82-42.54) and 2.33 (1.17-4.65), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that famine exposure in early life is an independent predictor of type 2 diabetes, particularly in women. Early identification and intervention may help prevent diabetes in later life.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2012

Passive exposure to tobacco smoke significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality in children. Children, in particular, seem to be the most susceptible population to the harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Paternal smoking inside the home leads to significant maternal and fetal exposure to ETS and may subsequently affect fetal health. ETS has been associated with adverse effects on pediatric health, including preterm birth, intrauterine growth retardation, perinatal mortality, respiratory illness, neurobehavioral problems, and decreased performance in school. A valid estimation of the risks associated with tobacco exposure depends on accurate measurement. Nicotine and its major metabolite, cotinine, are commonly used as smoking biomarkers, and their levels can be determined in various biological specimens such as blood, saliva, and urine. Recently, hair analysis was found to be a convenient, noninvasive technique for detecting the presence of nicotine exposure. Because nicotine/cotinine accumulates in hair during hair growth, it is a unique measure of longterm, cumulative exposure to tobacco smoke. Although smoking ban policies result in considerable reductions in ETS exposure, children are still exposed significantly to tobacco smoke not only in their homes but also in schools, restaurants, child-care settings, cars, buses, and other public places. Therefore, more effective strategies and public policies to protect preschool children from ETS should be consolidated.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.56-62
• /
• 2014

Purpose: To assess the outcomes of increased fetal nuchal translucency (NT), to aid in prenatal counseling and management in our practice. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent first trimester fetal karyotyping using chorionic villi sampling (CVS) and second trimester level II sonography for a fetal NT thickness ${\geq}3.0mm$ between 11 weeks and 13 weeks 6 days' gestation, at Gyeongsang National University Hospital. Pediatric medical records and a telephone interview were used to follow-up live-born children. Exclusion criteria included incomplete data and CVS for other indications. Results: Seventy cases met the inclusion criteria (median NT thickness, 4.7 mm; range, 3.0-16.1 mm). Twenty-nine cases (41.4%) were aneuploid. The prevalence of chromosomal defects increased with NT thickness: NT 3.0-3.4 mm, 16.7%; NT 3.5-4.4 mm, 27.3%; NT 4.5-5.4 mm, 66.7%; NT 5.5-6.4 mm, 37.5%; NT ${\geq}6.5mm$, 62.5%. The most common karyotype abnormality was trisomy 18 (n=12), followed by trisomy 21 (n=9). In chromosomally normal fetuses (n=41), fetal death occurred in 2 cases (4.9%), and structural malformations were found in 11 cases (26.8%). In chromosomally and anatomically normal fetuses (n=28), one child had neurodevelopmental delay (3.6%). Twenty-eight infants who had a prenatal increased NT were alive and well at follow-up (40%). Conclusion: Outcomes of increased fetal NT might help inform prenatal counseling and management. The high prevalence of chromosomal defects associated with increased fetal NT implies that CVS should be performed in the first trimester, particularly considering the stress associated with an uncertain diagnosis.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.173-183
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was done to examine current status of women's health nursing practicum and identify necessary core nursing skills in this practicum area. Moreover, one syllabus and evaluation sheets for women's health nursing clinical practicum at one university were reviewed. Methods: A survey design was used with 81 educators who were teaching maternity or women's health nursing and its practicum. Results: Most clinical sites for practicum were university hospitals (43.0%), women's hospitals (32.7%), or general hospitals (17.3%); but the majority (77.8%) of educators expressed difficulty in finding appropriate practicum places. Common teaching and learning methods were clinical guides for practicum (44.6%), e-learning content (30.2%), and simulation (23.6%). Core nursing skills for this practicum included assessment of stages of labor, preparation of uterine-fetal monitoring devices and interpretation of results, monitoring uterus and fetal activity, and performing Leopold's maneuver. For postpartum care, the following were included; postpartum fundal massage, assessment of breast engorgement, fundus height, and episiotomy sites, inserting urinary catheter, and teaching the use of patient-controlled analgesia. Conclusion: To improve the quality of clinical practicum, development of a clear course syllabus, standardized clinical guidebook, and core nursing skills is required and should be shared with all relevant nurse educators.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.598-607
• /
• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the Sophrologic Prenatal Education Program. Method: The subjects of this study were 16 antepartum women who had been registered at community health centers at S-gu in Pusan. Data were collected from women who visited for antenatal care during the period from the 7th of May to 28th of June in 2003. Participants were evaluated before and on completion of the 8 weeks' educational program using 3 instruments: Breast-feeding knowlege, Maternal-fetal attachment and Antenatal stress. The Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks Test was conducted for data analysis using SPSS/WIN 10.0. Results: Statistically significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest in the mean score of the Breast-feeding knowledge. The mean scores of the experiment group and the control group were $31.44{\pm}5.51\;and\;37.06{\pm}4.27$ respectively (p=.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest in the mean score of the Maternal-fetal attachment (p=.315, p=.578). Conclusions: Community health care providers must consider the emotional needs of Korean people and make efforts to adapt the Sophrologie Prenatal Education Program for a larger number of antepartum women in community.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2002

Background: In contrast to evidences of Ig H chain receptor editing in transformed cell lines and transgenic mouse models, there has been no direct evidence that this phenomenon occurs in human developing B cells. Methods: $V_HDJ_H$ rearrangements were obtained from genomic DNA of individual $IgM^-$ B cells from liver and $IgM^+B$ cells from bone marrow of 18 wk of gestation human fetus by PCR amplification and direct sequencing. Results: We found three examples of H chain receptor editing from $IgM^+$ and $IgM^-human$ fetal B cells. Two types of $V_H$ replacements were identified. The first involved $V_H$ hybrid formation, in which part of a $V_H$ gene from the initial VDJ rearrangement is replaced by part of an upstream $V_H$ gene at the site of cryptic RSS. The second involved a gene conversion like replacement of CDR2, in which another $V_H$ gene donated a portion of its CDR2 sequence to the initial VDJ rearrangement. Conclusion: These data provide evidence of receptor editing at the H chain loci in developing human B cells, and also the first evidence of a gene conversion event in human Ig genes.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.359-365
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of Mineral trioxide aggregate(MTA) to support osteoclastic differentiation from fetal rat calvarial cell. Methods: In this study, response of IL-6, RANKL, and OPG in fetal rat calvarial cells stimulated with IL-$1{\beta}$ on MTA was evaluated by ELISA and RT-PCR. Results: The results were as follows; there was no significant difference between glass and MTA at 5days. In ELISA analysis, Glass group and MTA group showed similar IL-6 expression, Glass+IL-$1{\beta}$ group and MTA+IL-$1{\beta}$ group showed similar IL-6 expression. In RT-PCR analysis, Glass group and MTA group showed similar IL-6, RANKL, OPG mRNA expression, MTA+IL-$1{\beta}$ group and Glass+IL-$1{\beta}$ group showed 3 fold increase of IL-6 and RNAKL mRNA expression when compared with MTA group. All groups showed similar OPG mRNA expression. Conclusions: MTA does not suppress cell proliferation and increase the proinflammatory cytokine that induce osteoclastogenesis. Thus, MTA is biocompatible material that could be used in various clinical conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
• /
• 2002.05a
• /
• pp.48-64
• /
• 2002

The primary recognized health risk from common deficiencies in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), a cytoprotective enzyme for oxidative stress, is red blood cell hemolysis. Here we show that litters from untreated pregnant mutant mice with a hereditary G6PD deficiency had increased prenatal (fetal resorptions) and postnatal death. When treated with the anticonvulsant drug phenytoin, a human teratogen that is commonly used in pregnant women and causes embryonic oxidative stress, G6PD-deficient dams had higher embryonic DNA oxidation and more fetal death and birth defects. The reported G6PD gene mutation was confirmed and used to genotype fetal resorptions, which were primarily G6PD deficient. This is the first evidence that G6PD is a developmentally critical cytoprotective enzyme for both endogenous and xenobiotic-initiated embryopathic oxidative stress and DNA damage. G6PD deficiencies accordingly may have a broader biological relevance as important determinants of infertility, in utero and postnatal death, and teratogenesis.-Nicol, C. J., Zielenski, J., Tsui, L.-C., Wells, P. G. An embryoprotective role for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in developmental oxidative stress and chemical teratogenesis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.145-151
• /
• 1982

Breslau's report on the two stillbirths induced by illuminating gas poisoning made many investigators explore the hazards. of carbon monoxide(CO) poisoning to pregnancy. The pregnant woman, her fetus, and the newborn infant have been identified to be particularly vulnerable to CO even in low concentration. Several factors, such as placental barrier, membrane resistance of maternal and fetal red blood cells etc., were considered to be related to the delayed elimination of CO from fetus. Slower elimination of CO from fetus than from mother was confirmed in several in vivo studies. But there are few studies which have confirmed the difference of carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) dissociation in adult and fetal bloods. Author investigated the effects of hemoglobin itself on the elimination of CO from mother and fetus. By observing the difference of CO dissociation from adult and fetal hemoglobin at the various partial pressures of oxygen, the author tries to suggest the base of the proper treatment measure for the CO poisoning of pregnant woman and newborn infant. The results were as follows: 1. The total hemoglobin amounts of adults and fetal bloods were $16.1{\pm}0.50gm%\;and\;15.7{\pm}0.32gm%$, respectively. The fetal hemoglobin proportions in adult and fetal bloods were $1.2{\pm}0.15%\;and\;72.7{\pm}3.01%$, respectively. 2. Adult and fetal bloods saturated by CO to 100% HbCO were exposed to ambient air$(21%\;O_2),\;100%\;O_2\;and\;3\;ATAO_2$. After 30 minutes exposure, the HbCO saturations of adult blood were 96.7%, 70.9%, and 52.8%, respectively, and those of fetal blood were 98.5%, 76.1%, and 62.2%, respectively. HbCO dissociation was proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen and the most marked dissociation was shown under 3 ATA $O_2$, HbCO dissociation of fetal blood was slower than that of adult blood in all conditions. According to the above results, it is possible that CO poisoning make more serious damage to the fetus and newborn infant than to the adult due to the delayed dissociation of HbCO. Thus in the treatment of CO poisoning of pregnant woman and newborn infant, hyperbaric oxygen therapy seems to be the most eflective treatment measure, but the duration of hyperbaric oxygenation should be lengthened accordingly.