Akt1-Inhibitor of DNA binding2 is essential for growth cone formation and axon growth and promotes central nervous system axon regeneration.

Mechanistic studies of axon growth during development are beneficial to the search for neuron-intrinsic regulators of axon regeneration. Here, we discovered that, in the developing neuron from rat, Akt signaling regulates axon growth and growth cone formation through phosphorylation of serine 14 (S14) on Inhibitor of DNA binding 2 (Id2). This enhances Id2 protein stability by means of escape from proteasomal degradation, and steers its localization to the growth cone, where Id2 interacts with radixin that is critical for growth cone formation. Knockdown of Id2, or abrogation of Id2 phosphorylation at S14, greatly impairs axon growth and the architecture of growth cone. Intriguingly, reinstatement of Akt/Id2 signaling after injury in mouse hippocampal slices redeemed growth promoting ability, leading to obvious axon regeneration. Our results suggest that Akt/Id2 signaling is a key module for growth cone formation and axon growth, and its augmentation plays a potential role in CNS axonal regeneration

Maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells by a novel β-glucan purified from Paenibacillus polymyxa JB115

We investigated the immunostimulatory effects of a novel β-glucan purified from Paenibacillus (P.) polymyxa JB115 on bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs), a type of potent antigen-presenting cells. β-glucan isolated from P. polymyxa JB115 enhanced the viability and induced the maturation of DCs. β-glucan markedly increased the cytokine production of DCs and surface expression of DC markers. In addition, DCs treated with β-glucan showed a higher capacity to stimulate allogeneic spleen cell proliferation compared to those treated with medium alone. These results demonstrate the effect of β-glucan on DC maturation and may increase the use of β-glucan

Saccadic Palsy after Cardiac Surgery: Serial Neuroimaging Findings during a 6-Year Follow-Up

Background Patients who develop horizontal and vertical saccadic palsy after cardiac surgery have rarely been described. Although most such patients exhibit distinct neurological deficits, their brain MRI findings are almost normal. In addition, functional neuroimaging of such patients has never been reported.Case Report A 43-year-old woman with dysarthria, dysphagia, and horizontal and vertical saccadic palsy after cardiac surgery was followed up for about 6 years; serial brain MRIs has been performed during this period, including susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and [[F-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Multiple microbleeds in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem, and glucose hypometabolism in the brainstem, cerebellum, and multiple cortical areas.Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of saccadic palsy after cardiac surgery with serial SWI and [F-18]-FDG-PET performed to explore the possible cerebral lesions.Background Patients who develop horizontal and vertical saccadic palsy after cardiac surgery have rarely been described. Although most such patients exhibit distinct neurological deficits, their brain MRI findings are almost normal. In addition, functional neuroimaging of such patients has never been reported. Case Report A 43-year-old woman with dysarthria, dysphagia, and horizontal and vertical saccadic palsy after cardiac surgery was followed up for about 6 years; serial brain MRIs has been performed during this period, including susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Multiple microbleeds in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem, and glucose hypometabolism in the brainstem, cerebellum, and multiple cortical areas. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of saccadic palsy after cardiac surgery with serial SWI and [18F]-FDG-PET performed to explore the possible cerebral lesions.OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2014-01/102/0000004487/28SEQ:28PERF_CD:SNU2014-01EVAL_ITEM_CD:102USER_ID:0000004487ADJUST_YN:YEMP_ID:A075641DEPT_CD:801CITE_RATE:1.807FILENAME:kimej-saccadic palsy after cardiac surgery-j clin neurol-2014-10(4)367.pdfDEPT_NM:의학과SCOPUS_YN:YCONFIRM:

Coffee Consumption and Bone Mineral Density in Korean Premenopausal Women

Background: Although Asian people are known to have lower bone mass than that of Caucasians, little is known about coffee-associated bone health in Asian. This study aimed to assess the relationship between coffee consumption and bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean premenopausal women.Methods: Data were obtained from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008?2009. The study population consisted of 1,761 Korean premenopausal women (mean age 36 years) who were measured for lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD and who completed a standardized questionnaire about coffee intake frequency. We excluded the participants who took hormone replacement therapy or medication for osteoporosis. The cross-sectional relationship between coffee consumption and impaired bone health (osteopenia or osteoporosis) was investigated by bone densitometry.Results: Coffee consumption showed no significant association with BMD of either femoral neck or lumbar spine, independent of other factors. The adjusted odds ratios for BMD for those who consumed once in a day, twice a day and three times a day were 0.94 (0.70?1.26), 0.93 (0.67?1.28), and 1.02 (0.69?1.50), respectively (P for trend = 0.927).Conclusion: This study does not support the idea that coffee is a risk factor for impaired bone health in Korean premenopausal women.OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2014-01/102/0000052039/9SEQ:9PERF_CD:SNU2014-01EVAL_ITEM_CD:102USER_ID:0000052039ADJUST_YN:YEMP_ID:A079543DEPT_CD:806CITE_RATE:0FILENAME:coffee consumption and bone mineral density in korean premenopausal women.pdfDEPT_NM:의과학과SCOPUS_YN:NCONFIRM:

Radioprotective effects of fucoidan on bone marrow cells: improvement of the cell survival and immunoreactivity

Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide purified from brown algae including Fucus vesiculosus and has a variety of biological effects including mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Recently, we demonstrated that fucoidan stimulates the antigen-presenting functions of dendritic cells. In this study, we investigated the radioprotective effects of fucoidan on bone marrow cells (BMCs), which are the main cellular reservoir for the hematopoietic and immune system. To evaluate the effects of fucoidan, we assayed cell viability and immune responses. In a viability assay, fucoidan significantly increased the viability of BMCs. Based on the results of flow cytometric analysis, the increased viability of fucoidan-treated BMCs was attributed to the inhibition of radiation-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, fucoidan altered the production of immune-related cytokines from BMCs and increased the capability of BMCs to induce proliferation of allogeneic splenocytes. Taken together, our study demonstrated that fucoidan has radioprotective effects on BMCs with respect to cell viability and immunoreactivity. These results may provide valuable information, useful in the field of radiotherapy

A Case of Acute Hepatitis with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection and Transient Depression of Multiple Coagulation Factors

We report a case of acute severe hepatitis with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) infection and transient depression of multiple coagulation factors. A 5-year-old boy, previously healthy, was admitted with pneumonia. M. pneumoniae infection was confirmed by serology testing. Liver enzymes were elevated on admission without any past medical history. After treatment with azithromycin for 3 days, pneumonia improved, but the hepatitis was acutely aggravated. Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) was prolonged and depression of multiple coagulation factors developed. Liver biopsy revealed features consistent with acute hepatitis. A week later, liver enzymes were nearly normalized spontaneously. Normalization of prolonged PTT and coagulation factors were also observed several months later. This may be the first case of transient depression of multiple coagulation factors associated with M. pneumoniae infection

Factors Influencing Residual Pleural Opacity in Tuberculous Pleural Effusion

Tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) leads to residual pleural opacity (RPO) in a significant proportion of cases. The aim of this study was to investigate which TPE patients would have RPO following the treatment. This study was performed prospectively for a total of 60 TPE patients, who underwent pleural fluid analysis on the initial visit and chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans before and after the administration of antituberculous medication. At the end of antituberculous medication, the incidence of RPO was 68.3% (41/60) on CT with a range of 2-50 mm. Compared with the non-RPO group, the RPO group had a longer symptom duration and lower pleural fluid glucose level. On initial CT, loculation, extrapleural fat proliferation, increased attenuation of extrapleural fat, and pleura-adjacent atelectasis were more frequent, and parietal pleura was thicker in the RPO group compared with the non-RPO group. By multivariate analysis, extrapleural fat proliferation, loculated effusion, and symptom duration were found to be predictors of RPO in TPE. In conclusion, RPO in TPE may be predicted by the clinico-radiologic parameters related to the chronicity of the effusion, such as symptom duration and extrapleural fat proliferation and loculated effusion on CT

Anti-stress effects of ginseng via down-regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) gene expression in immobilization-stressed rats and PC12 cells

Catecholamines are among the first molecules that displayed a kind of response to prolonged or repeated stress. It is well established that long-term stress leads to the induction of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes such as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) in adrenal medulla. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of ginseng on TH and DBH mRNA expression. Repeated (2 h daily, 14 days) immobilization stress resulted in a significant increase of TH and DBH mRNA levels in rat adrenal medulla. However, ginseng treatment reversed the stress-induced increase of TH and DBH mRNA expression in the immobilization-stressed rats. Nicotine as a ligand of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in adrenal medulla stimulates catecholamine secretion and activates TH and DBH gene expression. Nicotine treatment increased mRNA levels of TH and DBH by 3.3- and 3.1-fold in PC12 cells. The ginseng total saponin exhibited a significant reversal in the nicotine-induced increase of TH and DBH mRNA expression, decreasing the mRNA levels of TH and DBH by 57.2% and 48.9%, respectively in PC12 cells. In conclusion, immobilization stress induced catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes gene expression, while ginseng appeared to restore homeostasis via suppression of TH and DBH gene expression. In part, the regulatory activity in the TH and DBH gene expression of ginseng may account for the anti-stress action produced by ginseng