Integrative characterization of germ cell-specific genes from mouse spermatocyte UniGene library

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The primary regulator of spermatogenesis, a highly ordered and tightly regulated developmental process, is an intrinsic genetic program involving male germ cell-specific genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We analyzed the mouse spermatocyte UniGene library containing 2155 gene-oriented transcript clusters. We predict that 11% of these genes are testis-specific and systematically identified 24 authentic genes specifically and abundantly expressed in the testis via in <it>silico </it>and <it>in vitro </it>approaches. Northern blot analysis disclosed various transcript characteristics, such as expression level, size and the presence of isoform. Expression analysis revealed developmentally regulated and stage-specific expression patterns in all of the genes. We further analyzed the genes at the protein and cellular levels. Transfection assays performed using GC-2 cells provided information on the cellular characteristics of the gene products. In addition, antibodies were generated against proteins encoded by some of the genes to facilitate their identification and characterization in spermatogenic cells and sperm. Our data suggest that a number of the gene products are implicated in transcriptional regulation, nuclear integrity, sperm structure and motility, and fertilization. In particular, we found for the first time that Mm.333010, predicted to contain a trypsin-like serine protease domain, is a sperm acrosomal protein.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We identify 24 authentic genes with spermatogenic cell-specific expression, and provide comprehensive information about the genes. Our findings establish a new basis for future investigation into molecular mechanisms underlying male reproduction.</p

Systematic identification and integrative analysis of novel genes expressed specifically or predominantly in mouse epididymis

BACKGROUND: Maturation of spermatozoa, including development of motility and the ability to fertilize the oocyte, occurs during transit through the microenvironment of the epididymis. Comprehensive understanding of sperm maturation requires identification and characterization of unique genes expressed in the epididymis. RESULTS: We systematically identified 32 novel genes with epididymis-specific or -predominant expression in the mouse epididymis UniGene library, containing 1505 gene-oriented transcript clusters, by in silico and in vitro analyses. The Northern blot analysis revealed various characteristics of the genes at the transcript level, such as expression level, size and the presence of isoform. We found that expression of the half of the genes is regulated by androgens. Further expression analyses demonstrated that the novel genes are region-specific and developmentally regulated. Computational analysis showed that 15 of the genes lack human orthologues, suggesting their implication in male reproduction unique to the mouse. A number of the novel genes are putative epididymal protease inhibitors or β-defensins. We also found that six of the genes have secretory activity, indicating that they may interact with sperm and have functional roles in sperm maturation. CONCLUSION: We identified and characterized 32 novel epididymis-specific or -predominant genes by an integrative approach. Our study is unique in the aspect of systematic identification of novel epididymal genes and should be a firm basis for future investigation into molecular mechanisms underlying sperm maturation in the epididymis

Cost-benefit analysis of water source improvements through borehole drilling or rehabilitation: an empirical study based on a cluster randomized controlled trial in the Volta Region, Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Despite remarkable progress in water coverage improvements, diseases associated with poor water remain a considerable public health problem in many developing countries. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to estimate the costs and benefits of drilling or rehabilitating boreholes with handpumps in resource-poor settings and hard-to-reach areas. METHODS: Diarrheal reduction in the population was predicted on the basis of the empirical findings from a cluster randomized controlled trial. The full investment and estimated annual running costs were used to calculate the intervention costs. Direct economic benefits of avoiding child diarrheal disease, indirect economic benefits related to health improvements, and non-health benefits related to water improvement were estimated. One-way and multi-way sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the robustness of the findings. RESULTS: Our analysis found that the return on a US$1 investment was US$ 9.4 for borehole drilling and US$ 14.1 for borehole rehabilitation. Time savings were the main contributor, accounting for 68% of the benefits, followed by the economic benefits of averted child deaths, which contributed to 15% of the benefits. The sensitivity analyses suggested that improving water sources yields high returns under all circumstances, and that borehole rehabilitation is more efficient than borehole drilling. CONCLUSION: This study explicitly justifies increased investment in water improvement in rural areas and demonstrates the high returns of rehabilitating boreholes. We hope that this study will be used as evidence for informing the policy decisions of governments or international agencies regarding further investments in improved water coverage in rural areas and the selection of appropriately designed interventions

Directions for and prospects of the Environmental Health Study in Korean National Industrial Complexes (EHSNIC): A proposal for the third phase of the EHSNIC

The Environmental Health Study in the Korean National Industrial Complexes (EHSNIC) is a project that aims to monitor the exposure and health effects of environmental pollution among residents of national industrial complexes, as well as propose appropriate environmental health measures. Since its launch in 2003, this project has been initiated in eight national industrial complexes. Currently, it is necessary to review the accomplishments and limitations of the phases 1 and 2 of this project, and establish the direction of the upcoming the phase 3. Thus, the present study has developed principles and goals for the phase 3, considering the rationale and justification of the EHSNIC, and presented specific research contents accordingly. In the phase 3, it is important to improve the methods for exposure assessment and evaluation of health effects, in order to identify clearly the association between the pollutants released from industrial complexes and their health impacts, to develop and to reinforce communication strategies to promote participation of residents of communities near industrial complexes. Nonetheless, it is also important to maintain the basic goal of continuously monitoring the level of exposure to and health effects of environmental pollutants

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease: An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline

Patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) require long-term care and are reported to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions frequently. This CAM-specific clinical practice guideline (CPG) makes recommendations for the use of CAM, including herbal medicines, acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmaco-acupuncture, and qigong (with Tai chi) in patients with IPD. This guideline was developed using an evidence-based approach with randomized controlled trials currently available. Even though this CPG had some limitations, mainly originating from the bias inherent in the research on which it is based, it would be helpful when assessing the value of the CAM interventions frequently used in patients with IPD

Developing indicators of pattern identification in patients with stroke using traditional Korean medicine

Abstract Background The traditional Korean medical diagnoses employ pattern identification (PI), a diagnostic system that entails the comprehensive analysis of symptoms and signs. The PI needs to be standardized due to its ambiguity. Therefore, this study was performed to establish standard indicators of the PI for stroke through the traditional Korean medical literature, expert consensus and a clinical field test. Methods We sorted out stroke patterns with an expert committee organized by the Korean Institute of Oriental Medicine. The expert committee composed a document for a standardized pattern of identification for stroke based on the traditional Korean medical literature, and we evaluated the clinical significance of the document through a field test. Results We established five stroke patterns from the traditional Korean medical literature and extracted 117 indicators required for diagnosis. The indicators were evaluated by a field test and verified by the expert committee. Conclusions This study sought to develop indicators of PI based on the traditional Korean medical literature. This process contributed to the standardization of traditional Korean medical diagnoses.</p

Scratch Properties of Clear Coat for Automotive Coating Comprising Molecular Necklace Crosslinkers with Silane Functional Groups for Various Environmental Factors

Automotive coatings, which comprise multiple layers, i.e., primer, base coating, and clear coat layers, are exposed to various environmental conditions that pose various types of damages to them. In particular, the outer layer of the automotive coating, i.e., the clear coat, is affected significantly by such damages. Therefore, a reliable and durable clear coat must be developed to improve the appearance of automobiles. In this study, a new clear coat based on an acrylic-based clear coat modified using polyrotaxane crosslinkers, which are necklace-shaped supramolecules composed of ring-shaped host molecules, is developed and characterized. The effects of polyrotaxane and silane on the scratch properties and mechanisms of the clear coating are analyzed. It is observed that the critical loads of the clear coat from scratch tests can be improved by adding optimal molecular necklace crosslinkers comprising silane functional groups. The improvement in the scratch properties of the modified acrylic-based clear coat may be attributed to the crosslinking characteristics and dynamic molecular movements of the polyrotaxane. In addition, the effects of environmental factors on the scratch characteristics of the modified acrylic-based clear coat are investigated by addressing the scratch durability of the clear coat

Ginseng for Health Care: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials in Korean Literature

<div><p>Objective</p><p>This systematic review was performed to summarise randomised clinical trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy and safety of ginseng in the Korean literature.</p> <p>Method</p><p>The study involved systematic searches conducted in eight Korean Medical databases. The methodological quality of all of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. We included all RCTs on any type of ginseng compared to placebo, active treatment or no treatment in healthy individuals or patients regardless of conditions.</p> <p>Results</p><p>In total, 1415 potentially relevant studies were identified, and 30 randomised clinical trials were included. Nine RCTs assessed the effects of ginseng on exercise capacity, cognitive performance, somatic symptoms, quality of life, and sleeping in healthy persons. Six RCTs tested ginseng compared with placebo for erectile dysfunction, while another four studies evaluated the effects of ginseng against no treatment for gastric and colon cancer. Two RCTs compared the effect of red ginseng on diabetes mellitus with no treatment or placebo, and the other nine RCTs assessed the effects of ginseng compared with placebo or no treatment on various conditions. The methodological caveats of the included trials make their contribution to the current clinical evidence of ginseng somewhat limited. However, the 20 newly added trials (66.7% of the 30 trials) may provide useful information for future trials. Ginseng appears to be generally safe, and no serious adverse effects have been reported.</p> <p>Conclusions</p><p>The clinical effects of ginseng have been tested in a wide range of conditions in Korea. Although the quality of RCTs published in the Korean literature was generally poor, this review is useful for researchers to access studies that were originally published in languages that they would otherwise be unable to read and due to the paucity of evidence on this subject.</p> </div