“We are not simply ‘multicultural’”: intersecting ethnic and religious identities of Japanese-Korean young adults in South Korea

The present study explores the ethnic and religious identities of 21 multicultural young adults with a Japanese mother and a Korean father, all residing in South Korea where the “myth” of a mono-ethnic nation still lingers. In the study, one is considered multicultural provided they are born to both one foreign-born parent and one Korean-born parent. All interviewees are members of the Family Federation for World Peace Unification religion established in South Korea in the 1950s. Interviews with these young adults showed (a) that there was an intersectionality between their ethnic identity and religious identity; (b) that the influence of the interaction between the Church and the mother on the ethnic and religious identities of the interviewees was substantial; and (c) that they distinguished themselves from other multicultural individuals and even from non-multicultural individuals concerning their socio-economic background and transcending religious mission.     

Increased Superoxide Dismutase 2 by Allopregnanolone Ameliorates ROS-Mediated Neuronal Death in Mice with Pilocarpine-Induced Status Epilepticus

Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), along with dysfunction of the antioxidant defense system, such as that involving superoxide dismutase (SOD), may play a major role in neuronal death following status epilepticus (SE). Neurosteroids, which are allosteric modulators of the GABA_A receptor in cerebral metabolism, have been suggested as being neuroprotective in various animal models; however, their effect to preventing ROS has not been examined. Herein, we investigate the neuroprotective role of allopregnanolone, the prototypical neurosteroid in the brain, in relation to the ROS-mediated neuronal injury. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to SE and treated with allopregnanolone. Hippocampal cell death was assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay, and ROS production was investigated by in situ detection of oxidized hydroethidine. SOD2 expression was analyzed by both western blot and immunofluorescent staining in the hippocampal subfields. In mice treated with allopregnanolone after SE, hippocampal cell death, DNA fragmentation, oxidative DNA damage, and ROS production were reduced significantly compared to mice subjected to vehicle treatment after SE. Hippocampal SOD2 expression was significantly increased by allopregnanolone. These finding suggest that allopregnanolone plays a neuroprotective role, with not only anticonvulsant but also antioxidant effects, by increasing SOD2 in pilocarpine-induced SE model.     

Lower limb skeletal muscle mass: development of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry prediction model.

Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can accurately measure lower limb skeletal muscle (SM) mass, this method is complex and costly. A potential practical alternative is to estimate lower limb SM with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The aim of the present study was to develop and validate DXA-SM prediction equations. Identical landmarks (i.e., inferior border of the ischial tuberosity) were selected for separating lower limb from trunk. Lower limb SM was measured by MRI, and lower limb fat-free soft tissue was measured by DXA. A total of 207 adults (104 men and 103 women) were evaluated [age 43 +/- 16 (SD) yr, body mass index (BMI) 24.6 +/- 3.7 kg/m(2)]. Strong correlations were observed between lower limb SM and lower limb fat-free soft tissue (R(2) = 0.89, P < 0.001); age and BMI were small but significant SM predictor variables. In the cross-validation sample, the differences between MRI-measured and DXA-predicted SM mass were small (-0.006 +/- 1.07 and -0.016 +/- 1.05 kg) for two different proposed prediction equations, one with fat-free soft tissue and the other with added age and BMI as predictor variables. DXA-measured lower limb fat-free soft tissue, along with other easily acquired measures, can be used to reliably predict lower limb skeletal muscle mass.     

The RHC21 gene of budding yeast, a homologue of the fission yeast rad21 +gene, is essential for chromosome segregation

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene RHC21 is a homologue of the fission yeast rad21 ⁺gene, which affects the sensitivity of cells to γ-irradiation and is essential for cell growth in S. pombe. Disruption of the RHC21 gene showed that it is also essential in S. cerevisiae. To examine its function in cell growth further, we have isolated temperature-sensitive mutants for the RHC21 gene and characterized one of them, termed rhc21-sk16. When this mutant was incubated at 36° C, the percentage of large-budded cells was increased. Most of the large-budded cells had aberrant nuclear structures, such as unequally extended nuclear DNA with incompletely elongated spindles across the mother-daughter neck or only in a mother cell. Furthermore, a circular minichromosome is more unstable in the mutant than in the wild-type, even at 25° C. Flow cytometry showed that the bulk of DNA replication takes place normally at the restrictive temperature in the mutant. These results indicated that the RHC21 gene is required for proper segregation of the chromosomes. In addition, we found that the mutant is sensitive not only to UV radiation and γ-rays but also to the antimicrotubule agent nocodazole at 25° C. This suggests that the RHC21 gene is involved in the microtubule function. We discuss how the RHC21 gene product may be involved in chromosome segregation and microtubule function. Received: 10 March 1997 / Accepted: 1 September 1997     

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan synthesis in CHO DG44 and HEK293 cells

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells are the most popular host cells for transient gene expression (TGE) of therapeutic proteins. These host cells require high transfection efficiency in order to enhance TGE. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) at the cell surface is known to regulate endocytosis for gene delivery. The HSPG expression in CHO DG44 and HEK293E cells was investigated in an effort to enhance the TGE. Immunostaining of HSPGs followed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that CHO DG44 cells possessed a higher amount of cell-surface and intracellular HSPGs than HEK293E cells. The mRNA levels of the representative enzymes involved in the HSPG biosynthesis in CHO DG44, which were determined by quantitative real time PCR, were quite different from those in HEK293E cells. Taken together, the results obtained here would be useful in improving TGE in CHO DG44 and HEK293E cells through genetic engineering of HSPG synthesis.     

Genome scan linkage analysis identifies quantitative trait loci affecting serum clinical–chemical traits in Korean native chicken

Alterations in robustness- and health-related traits lead to physiological changes, such as changes in the serum clinical chemical parameters in individuals. Therefore, clinical–chemical traits can be used as biomarkers to examine the health status of chickens. The aim of the present study was to detect the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) influencing eight clinical–chemical traits (glucose, total protein, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and α-amylase) in an F₁ nuclear families comprising 83 F₀ founders and 585 F₁ progeny of Korean native chickens. Genotypic data on 135 DNA markers representing 26 autosomes have been generated for this resource pedigree. The total length of the map was 2729.4 cM. We used a multipoint variance component linkage approach to identify QTLs for the traits. A significant QTL affecting serum α-amylase levels was identified on chicken chromosome (GGA) 7 [logarithm of odds (LOD) = 3.02, P value = 1.92 × 10^?4]. Additionally, we detected several suggestive linkage signals for the levels of total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and creatinine on GGA 4, 12, 13, and 15. In this study, serum α-amylase levels related significant QTL was mapped on GGA7 and cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and creatinine traits related suggestive QTLs were detected on GGA4, 12, 13 and 15, respectively. Further verification and fine mapping of these identified QTLs can provide valuable information for understanding the variations of clinical chemical trait in chickens.     

Stable gene expression by self-complementary adeno-associated viruses in human MSCs

Genetically modified mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are potentially valuable tools for the novel treatment of human illnesses. Here, we investigated whether gene transfers by self-complementary adeno-associated viruses (scAAV) lead to promising genetic modification in human bone marrow and umbilical cord blood MSCs. Of the various scAAVs, scAAV2, and scAAV5 effectively and safely expressed transgenes in both hMSCs. Transduction efficiency with scAAV2 at 1000 multiplicity of infection was 66.3+/-9.4% and 67.6+/-6.7% in bone marrow and umbilical cord blood MSCs, respectively. A co-infection study showed that the distinct scAAV2 and scAAV5 can effectively express different transgenes in the same hMSC. hMSCs transduced by scAAVs showed long-term gene expression for three months in rat brains. Genetic modification by scAAVs did not affect osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Therefore, the present study strongly supports the promising potential of scAAVs as a technical platform for safe, long-term transgene expression in hMSCs.     

Current applications of adipose-derived stem cells and their future perspectives简

Adult stem cells have a great potential to treat various diseases. For these cell-based therapies, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are one of the most promising stem cell types, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). ESCs and iPSCs have taken center stage due to their pluripotency. However, ESCs and iPSCs have limitations in ethical issues and in identification of characteristics, respectively. Unlike ESCs and iPSCs, ADSCs do not have such limitations and are not only easily obtained but also uniquely expandable. ADSCs can differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myocytes and neurons under specific differentiation conditions, and these kinds of differentiation potential of ADSCs could be applied in regenerative medicine e.g., skin reconstruction, bone and cartilage formation, etc. In this review, the current status of ADSC isolation, differentiation and their therapeutic applications are discussed.     

Analysis of VNTRs in the solute carrier family 6, member 18 (SLC6A18) and lack of association with hypertension

We report here the distribution of VNTRs (variable number of tandem repeats; minisatellites) and polymorphic analysis of SLC6A18, which is a member of the SLC6 Na(+)- and Cl(-)-dependent neurotransmitter transporter family. In this study, DNA was obtained from 300 unrelated individuals and 205 patients with essential hypertension (EH). We then analyzed the VNTRs in the genomic DNA by searching for minisatellites of SLC6A18 using the Tandem Repeat Finder program. Eight novel VNTRs were identified: five of which were polymorphic minisatellites (SLC6A18-MS1, -MS2, -MS4, -MS5, and -MS6) and three of which were monomorphic minisatellites (SLC6A18-MS3, -MS7, and -MS8). Next, we investigated the relationship between EH and four of the polymorphic minisatellites (SLC6A18-MS1, -MS2, -MS4, and -MS6). We excluded SLC6A18-MS5 from the common/rare allele analysis, because most individuals were heterozygous and hypervariable for this locus. There were no significant differences observed in the overall distribution of these minisatellites, which indicates that these polymorphisms are not responsible for EH susceptibility in the Korean population. A segregation analysis of the minisatellites in SLC6A18 was then conducted by analyzing genomic DNA obtained from two generations of five families and from three generations of two families. The five polymorphic minisatellites were transmitted through meiosis following Mendelian inheritance, which suggests that polymorphic minisatellites could be useful markers for paternity mapping and DNA fingerprinting. In summary, we discovered five novel VNTR polymorphisms in SLC6A18; however, these variations were not associated with EH.