Effect of the Adapted NASA Mission X International Child Fitness Program on Young Children and their Parents in South Korea

Obesity has become a global epidemic. Childhood obesity is global public health concern including in South Korea where 16.2% of boys and 9.9% of girls are overweight or obese in 2011. Effective and sustainable intervention programs are needed for prevention of childhood obesity. Obesity prevention programs for young children may have a greater intervention effect than in older children. The NASA Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut (MX) program was developed to promote children's exercise and healthy eating by tapping into their excitement for training like an astronaut. This study aimed to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the adapted NASA MX intervention in promoting PA in young children and in improving parents' related perspectives

Imiquimod enhances excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons by inhibiting background (K2P) and voltage-gated (Kv1.1 and Kv1.2) potassium channels

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Imiquimod (IQ) is known as an agonist of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and is widely used to treat various infectious skin diseases. However, it causes severe itching sensation as its side effect. The precise mechanism of how IQ causes itching sensation is unknown. A recent report suggested a molecular target of IQ as TLR7 expressed in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. However, we recently proposed a TLR7-independent mechanism, in which the activation of TLR7 is not required for the action of IQ in DRG neurons. To resolve this controversy regarding the involvement of TLR7 and to address the exact molecular identity of itching sensation by IQ, we investigated the possible molecular target of IQ in DRG neurons.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>When IQ was applied to DRG neurons, we observed an increase in action potential (AP) duration and membrane resistance both in wild type and TLR7-deficient mice. Based on these results, we tested whether the treatment of IQ has an effect on the activity of K⁺channels, K_v1.1 and K_v1.2 (voltage-gated K⁺channels) and TREK1 and TRAAK (K_2Pchannels). IQ effectively reduced the currents mediated by both K⁺channels in a dose-dependent manner, acting as an antagonist at TREK1 and TRAAK and as a partial antagonist at K_v1.1 and K_v1.2.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results demonstrate that IQ blocks the voltage-gated K⁺channels to increase AP duration and K_2Pchannels to increase membrane resistance, which are critical for the membrane excitability of DRG neurons. Therefore, we propose that IQ enhances the excitability of DRG neurons by blocking multiple potassium channels and causing pruritus.</p

Automatic mandibular canal detection using a deep convolutional neural network

The practicability of deep learning techniques has been demonstrated by their successful implementation in varied fields, including diagnostic imaging for clinicians. In accordance with the increasing demands in the healthcare industry, techniques for automatic prediction and detection are being widely researched. Particularly in dentistry, for various reasons, automated mandibular canal detection has become highly desirable. The positioning of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), which is one of the major structures in the mandible, is crucial to prevent nerve injury during surgical procedures. However, automatic segmentation using Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) poses certain difficulties, such as the complex appearance of the human skull, limited number of datasets, unclear edges, and noisy images. Using work-in-progress automation software, experiments were conducted with models based on 2D SegNet, 2D and 3D U-Nets as preliminary research for a dental segmentation automation tool. The 2D U-Net with adjacent images demonstrates higher global accuracy of 0.82 than naïve U-Net variants. The 2D SegNet showed the second highest global accuracy of 0.96, and the 3D U-Net showed the best global accuracy of 0.99. The automated canal detection system through deep learning will contribute significantly to efficient treatment planning and to reducing patients’ discomfort by a dentist. This study will be a preliminary report and an opportunity to explore the application of deep learning to other dental fields.Peer reviewe

TLR2-induced astrocyte MMP9 activation compromises the blood brain barrier and exacerbates intracerebral hemorrhage in animal models

Background: The innate immune response plays an important role in the pathogenesis of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Recent studies have shown that Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is involved in the innate immune response in various neurological diseases, yet neither its role in ICH nor the mechanisms by which it functions have yet been elucidated. We examined these in this study using a collagenase-induced mouse ICH model with TLR2 knock-out (KO) mice. Results: TLR2 expression was upregulated in the ipsilateral hemorrhagic tissues of the collagenase-injected mice. Brain injury volume and neurological deficits following ICH were reduced in TLR2 KO mice compared to wild-type (WT) control mice. Heterologous blood-transfer experiments show that TLR2 signaling in brain-resident cells, but not leukocytes, contributes to the injury. In our study to elucidate underlying mechanisms, we found that damage to blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity following ICH was attenuated in TLR2 KO mice compared to WT mice, which may be due to reduced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) activation in astrocytes. The reduced BBB damage accompanies decreased neutrophil infiltration and proinflammatory gene expression in the injured brain parenchyma, which may account for the attenuated brain damage in TLR2 KO mice after ICH. Conclusions: TLR2 plays a detrimental role in ICH-induced brain damage by activating MMP9 in astrocytes, compromising BBB, and enhancing neutrophils infiltration and proinflammatory gene expression. © 2015 Min et al.; licensee BioMed Central.1

Involvement of microRNA Lethal-7a in the Regulation of Embryo Implantation in Mice

MicroRNAs interact with multiple mRNAs resulting in their degradation and/or translational repression. This report used the delayed implantation model to determine the role of miRNAs in blastocysts. Dormant blastocysts in delayed implanting mice were activated by estradiol. Differential expression of 45 out of 238 miRNAs examined was found between the dormant and the activated blastocysts. Five of the nine members of the microRNA lethal-7 (let-7) family were down-regulated after activation. Human blastocysts also had a low expression of let-7 family. Forced-expression of a family member, let-7a in mouse blastocysts decreased the number of implantation sites (let-7a: 1.1±0.4; control: 3.8±0.4) in vivo, and reduced the percentages of blastocyst that attached (let-7a: 42.0±8.3%; control: 79.0±5.1%) and spreaded (let-7a: 33.5±2.9%; control: 67.3±3.8%) on fibronectin in vitro. Integrin-β3, a known implantation-related molecule, was demonstrated to be a target of let-7a by 3′-untranslated region reporter assay in cervical cancer cells HeLa, and Western blotting in mouse blastocysts. The inhibitory effect of forced-expression of let-7a on blastocyst attachment and outgrowth was partially nullified in vitro and in vivo by forced-expression of integrin-β3. This study provides the first direct evidence that let-7a is involved in regulating the implantation process partly via modulation of the expression of integrin-β3. (200 words)

Olivine LiCoPO4 phase grown LiCoO2 cathode material for high density Li batteries

Olivine LiCoPO4 phase grown LiCoO2 cathode material was prepared by mixing precipitated Co3(PO4)2 nanoparticles and LiCoO2 powders in distilled water, followed by drying and annealing at 120 ??C and 700 ??C, respectively, for 5 h. As opposed to ZrO2 or AlPO4 coatings that showed a clearly distinguishable coating layer from the bulk materials, Co3(PO4)2 nanoparticles were completely diffused into the surface of the LiCoO2 and reacted with lithium of LiCoO2. An olivine LiCoPO4 phase was grown on the surface of the bulk LiCoO2, with a thickness of ???7 nm. The electrochemical properties of the LiCoPO4 phase, grown in LiCoO2, had excellent cycle life performance and higher working voltages at a 1C rate than the bare sample. More importantly, Li-ion cells, containing olivine LiCoPO4, grown in LiCoO2, showed only 10% swelling at 4.4 V, whereas those containing bare sample showed a 200% increase during storage at 90 ??C for 5 h. In addition, nail penetration test results of the cell containing olivine LiCoPO4, grown in LiCoO2 at 4.4 V, did not exhibit thermal runaway with a cell surface temperature of ???80 ??C. However, the cell containing bare LiCoO2 showed a burnt-off cell pouch with a temperature above 500 ??C.close364

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Disorders of Extreme Stress (DESNOS) Symptoms Following Prostitution and Childhood Abuse

With the participation of 46 prostituted women in Korea, this study investigates the relationship between prostitution experiences, a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified (DESNOS). Prostituted women showed higher levels of PTSD and DESNOS symptoms compared to a control group. Women who had experienced both CSA by a significant other and prostitution showed the highest levels of traumatic stress. However, posttraumatic reexperiencing and avoidance and identity, relational, and affect regulation problems were significant for prostitution experiences even when the effects of CSA were controlled.Sareen J, 2007, PSYCHOSOM MED, V69, P242, DOI 10.1097/PSY.0b013e31803146d8Briere J, 2006, J NERV MENT DIS, V194, P78, DOI 10.1097/01.nmd.0000198139.47371.54PARK JM, 2006, KOREAN J CLIN PSYCHO, V26, P717van der Kolk BA, 2005, J TRAUMA STRESS, V18, P389Whiffen VE, 2005, TRAUMA VIOLENCE ABUS, V6, P24, DOI 10.1177/1524838004272543FARLEY M, 2005, TRANSCULT PSYCHIATRY, V42, P242SBORDONE RJ, 2005, HDB COMPLEX OCCUPATI, P343Farley M, 2004, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM, V10, P1087STARK C, 2003, PROSTITUTION TRAFFIC, P17DIETRICH A, 2003, THESIS U BRIT COLUMBROSS CA, 2003, PROSTITUTION TRAFFIC, P199BRIERE J, 2002, APSAC HDB CHILD MALT, P175Nishith P, 2000, J ABNORM PSYCHOL, V109, P20*AM PSYCH ASS, 2000, DIAGN STAT MAN MENTLOWMAN J, 2000, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM, V6, P987BRIERE J, 2000, INVENTORY ALTERED SEYI SM, 1999, J KOREAN NEUROPSYCHI, V38, P501Farley M, 1998, FEM PSYCHOL, V8, P405Farley M, 1998, WOMEN HEALTH, V27, P37FARLEY M, 1998, PROSTITUTION TRAFFIC, P33Roth S, 1997, J TRAUMA STRESS, V10, P539Cloitre M, 1997, J TRAUMA STRESS, V10, P437Pelcovitz D, 1997, J TRAUMA STRESS, V10, P3HERMAN J, 1997, TRAUMA RECOVERY AFTEVANDERKOLK BA, 1996, TRAUMATIC STRESS EFF, P182POLUSNY MA, 1995, APPL PREV PSYCHOL, V4, P143PARK JM, 1995, KOREAN J PSYCHOPATHO, V4, P105WALDINGER RJ, 1994, J NERV MENT DIS, V182, P625HITCHCOCK LS, 1994, J PAIN SYMPTOM MANAG, V9, P312KENDALLTACKETT KA, 1993, PSYCHOL BULL, V113, P164LEE YH, 1993, THESIS SEOUL NATL UGIOBBE E, 1993, MICHIGAN J GENDER LA, V1, P33LOWMAN J, 1992, BRIT J CRIMINOL, V32, P1HERMAN JL, 1992, J TRAUMA STRESS, V5, P377COLE PM, 1992, J CONSULT CLIN PSYCH, V60, P174BRIERE J, 1992, CHILD ABUSE TRAUMA TROTH S, 1991, J TRAUMA STRESS, V4, P279CHU JA, 1990, AM J PSYCHIAT, V147, P887SHIN MS, 1990, KOREAN J CLIN PSYCHO, V9, P1BECK AT, 1988, COGNITIVE THER RES, V12, P459BERNSTEIN EM, 1986, J NERV MENT DIS, V174, P727BROWNE A, 1986, PSYCHOL BULL, V99, P66HOROWITZ MJ, 1986, STRESS RESPONSE SYNDKIM KI, 1984, KOREAN VERSION SYMPTSILBERT MH, 1981, CHILD ABUSE NEGLECT, V5, P407HOROWITZ M, 1979, PSYCHOSOM MED, V41, P209DEROGATIS LR, 1977, J CLIN PSYCHOL, V33, P981DEROGATIS LR, 1977, BRIT J SOC CLIN PSYC, V16, P347BECK AT, 1974, J CONSULT CLIN PSYCH, V42, P861