Prevention of mitochondrial impairment by inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 activity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs) and subsequent muscle weakness. These pathological features are associated with numerous cellular changes, including alteration in mitochondrial morphology and function. However, the molecular mechanisms associating mitochondrial structure with ALS pathology are poorly understood. In this study, we found that Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) was dephosphorylated in several ALS models, including those with SOD1 and TDP-43 mutations, and the dephosphorylation was mediated by the pathological induction of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) activity in these models. Suppression of the PP1-Drp1 cascade effectively prevented ALS-related symptoms, including mitochondrial fragmentation, mitochondrial complex I impairment, axonal degeneration, and cell death, in primary neuronal culture models, iPSC-derived human MNs, and zebrafish models in vivo. These results suggest that modulation of PP1-Drp1 activity may be a therapeutic target for multiple pathological features of ALS

Genetic Study in a Case of Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder characterized by multiple trichodiscomas, fibrofolliculomas, and acrocordons. There is also an increased risk of developing renal neoplasms and lung cysts/spontaneous pneumothorax. We present a 43-year-old man with multiple, 2~4 mm sized, dome-shaped, and skin-colored papules on his cheek and neck. On the basis of clinical finding and histopathologic examination on the cheek lesion, it was diagnosed as multiple trichodiscomas. Subsequently, molecular analysis revealed a mutation in the folliculin gene. We report a rare case of BHDS with a proved gene mutation

A study on nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior of elementary school children in Seoul

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutrition and diet related knowledge, attitude, and behavior of elementary school children in Seoul. The subjects included were 439 (male 236, female 203) elementary school children in the 4th to the 6th grades. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 12.0 program. The average obesity index (OI) was 104.98 and 99.82 for male and female subjects, respectively. The average percentage of underweight, normal, overweight and obese of subjects was 33.7%, 32.8%, 12.3%, and 19.4%, respectively. The percentage of the underweight group of female subjects was higher than that of the male subjects. The percentage of the obese group of male subjects was higher than that of the female subjects. The average score of nutrition knowledge, nutrition attitude and dietary behavior was 6.8, 7.44, and 7.34, respectively. Dietary behavior of male subjects was positively correlated with parents' education levels, monthly household income and nutrition attitude. Dietary behavior of female subjects was positively correlated with monthly household income, nutrition knowledge and nutrition attitude. Dietary behavior of female subjects was positively correlated with obesity index (OI). Proper nutrition education and intervention are required for the improvement of elementary school children's nutrition knowledge, nutrition attitudes and dietary behaviors

Specific Primer Sets for RT-PCR Detection of Major RNA Viruses of Tomato Plants in Korea

Major tomato viruses in Korea are Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV), and Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV). RT-PCR conditions for the viruses were examined, especially in primer set and RT-PCR mixture. Total 46 primer sets from the unique sequence of the viruses were tested for nonspecific background products in a RT-PCR mixture without template. Among them 16 primer sets were applied to healthy tomato RNA, resulting the compatibility between RT-PCR mixture and primer set influenced RT-PCR to reduce nonspecific background products. Based on the combinations among cDNA synthesis parameters and RT-PCR mixtures, two reaction mixtures were finally selected for ToCV detection. The condition allowed to determine more specific primer sets; C029 (ToCV), C072 (TSWV), C070 (CMV), C048 (PepMoV), and C065 (ToMV). These primer sets are expected to be of use to specific detection of the major viruses in tomato plants

Simple and Rapid Detection for Rice stripe virus Using RT-PCR and Porous Ceramic Cubes

A rapid and simple RT-PCR diagnosis method for detection of Rice stripe virus (RSV), one of major virus infecting rice, was developed using porous ceramic cubes in this study. The porous ceramic cube can rapidly absorb biological molecules such as small-sized proteins and nucleic acid fragments into its pores. We examined whether this ability of porous ceramic cubes could be applied for isolating viral nucleic acids or particles from the RSV- infected plant tissues. In this study, we found that the porous ceramic cube was capable of absorbing a detection level of viruses from the rice tissues infected with RSV and established RT-PCR-based RNA diagnosis method using porous ceramic cubes

The Current Incidence of Viral Disease in Korean Sweet Potatoes and Development of Multiplex RT-PCR Assays for Simultaneous Detection of Eight Sweet Potato Viruses

Sweet potato is grown extensively from tropical to temperate regions and is an important food crop worldwide. In this study, we established detection methods for 17 major sweet potato viruses using single and multiplex RT-PCR assays. To investigate the current incidence of viral diseases, we collected 154 samples of various sweet potato cultivars showing virus-like symptoms from 40 fields in 10 Korean regions, and analyzed them by RT-PCR using specific primers for each of the 17 viruses. Of the 17 possible viruses, we detected eight in our samples. Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) and sweet potato virus C (SPVC) were most commonly detected, infecting approximately 87% and 85% of samples, respectively. Furthermore, Sweet potato symptomless virus 1 (SPSMV-1), Sweet potato virus G (SPVG), Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV), Sweet potato virus 2 ( SPV2), Sweet potato chlorotic fleck virus (SPCFV), and Sweet potato latent virus (SPLV) were detected in 67%, 58%, 47%, 41%, 31%, and 20% of samples, respectively. This study presents the first documented occurrence of four viruses (SPVC, SPV2, SPCFV, and SPSMV-1) in Korea. Based on the results of our survey, we developed multiplex RT-PCR assays for simple and simultaneous detection of the eight sweet potato viruses we recorded

Imported Malaria in Korea: a 13-Year Experience in a Single Center

The incidence of imported malaria has been increasing in Korea. We reviewed data retrospectively to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical features, and outcomes of imported malaria from 1995 to 2007 in a university hospital. All patients diagnosed with imported malaria were included. Imported malaria was defined as a positive smear for malaria that was acquired in a foreign country. A total of 49 patients (mean age, 35.7 year; M : F = 38 : 11) were enrolled. The predominant malarial species was Plasmodium falciparum (73.5%), and the most frequent area of acquisition was Africa (55.1%), followed by Southeast Asia (22.4%) and South Asia (18.4%). Fourteen-patients (30.6%) suffered from severe malaria caused by P. falciparum and 1 patient (2.0%) died of multiorgan failure. Most of the patients were treated with mefloquine (79.2%) or quinine (10.2%); other antimalarial agents had to be given in 13.2% treated with mefloquine and 44.4% with quinine due to adverse drug events (ADEs). P. falciparum was the most common cause of imported malaria, with the majority of cases acquired from Africa, and a significant number of patients had severe malaria. Alternative antimalarial agents with lower rates of ADEs might be considered for effective treatment instead of mefloquine and quinine