The Korean Early Childhood Education and Care Panel Study (K-ECEC panel study), commencing in 2021, aimed to collect data related to early life growth and development. In particular, based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, the study aims to collect intrinsic and extrinsic parental factors, educational and caregiving experiences in institutions, and environmental factors from the prenatal stage through infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. This is important for understanding child development with varied dimensional aspects. The K-ECEC panel study uses a stratified sampling strategy in order to recruit pregnant women based on regions and numbers of deliveries to individual hospitals. This resulted in the participation of 3,372 women, 95 of whom were from low-income families and 72 from multicultural families. The K-ECEC panel study is based on a household survey collecting information related to pregnancy, birth, and childrearing. The survey included an annual follow-up for individual households of newborns from 2022, and the second round of the survey was conducted in 2023. A total of 2,775 children participated in the first round of the survey, 1,423 of whom were boys. As there are few birth cohort studies considering policy-oriented aspects in Korea, the K-ECEC panel study is expected to provide data to understand childhood trajectories for growth and development. Furthermore, in terms of childcare and education, it is expected to be utilized to evaluate the policy effects of early life and parenting support.

The Korean Early Childhood Education and Care Panel Study (K-ECEC panel study), commencing in 2021, aimed to collect data related to early life growth and development. In particular, based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, the study aims to collect intrinsic and extrinsic parental factors, educational and caregiving experiences in institutions, and environmental factors from the prenatal stage through infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. This is important for understanding child development with varied dimensional aspects. The K-ECEC panel study uses a stratified sampling strategy in order to recruit pregnant women based on regions and numbers of deliveries to individual hospitals. This resulted in the participation of 3,372 women, 95 of whom were from low-income families and 72 from multicultural families. The K-ECEC panel study is based on a household survey collecting information related to pregnancy, birth, and childrearing. The survey included an annual follow-up for individual households of newborns from 2022, and the second round of the survey was conducted in 2023. A total of 2,775 children participated in the first round of the survey, 1,423 of whom were boys. As there are few birth cohort studies considering policy-oriented aspects in Korea, the K-ECEC panel study is expected to provide data to understand childhood trajectories for growth and development. Furthermore, in terms of childcare and education, it is expected to be utilized to evaluate the policy effects of early life and parenting support.

The Korean Early Childhood Education and Care Panel Study (K-ECEC panel study), commencing in 2021, aimed to collect data related to early life growth and development. In particular, based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, the study aims to collect intrinsic and extrinsic parental factors, educational and caregiving experiences in institutions, and environmental factors from the prenatal stage through infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. This is important for understanding child development with varied dimensional aspects. The K-ECEC panel study uses a stratified sampling strategy in order to recruit pregnant women based on regions and numbers of deliveries to individual hospitals. This resulted in the participation of 3,372 women, 95 of whom were from low-income families and 72 from multicultural families. The K-ECEC panel study is based on a household survey collecting information related to pregnancy, birth, and childrearing. The survey included an annual follow-up for individual households of newborns from 2022, and the second round of the survey was conducted in 2023. A total of 2,775 children participated in the first round of the survey, 1,423 of whom were boys. As there are few birth cohort studies considering policy-oriented aspects in Korea, the K-ECEC panel study is expected to provide data to understand childhood trajectories for growth and development. Furthermore, in terms of childcare and education, it is expected to be utilized to evaluate the policy effects of early life and parenting support.

The Korean Early Childhood Education and Care Panel Study (K-ECEC panel study), commencing in 2021, aimed to collect data related to early life growth and development. In particular, based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, the study aims to collect intrinsic and extrinsic parental factors, educational and caregiving experiences in institutions, and environmental factors from the prenatal stage through infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. This is important for understanding child development with varied dimensional aspects. The K-ECEC panel study uses a stratified sampling strategy in order to recruit pregnant women based on regions and numbers of deliveries to individual hospitals. This resulted in the participation of 3,372 women, 95 of whom were from low-income families and 72 from multicultural families. The K-ECEC panel study is based on a household survey collecting information related to pregnancy, birth, and childrearing. The survey included an annual follow-up for individual households of newborns from 2022, and the second round of the survey was conducted in 2023. A total of 2,775 children participated in the first round of the survey, 1,423 of whom were boys. As there are few birth cohort studies considering policy-oriented aspects in Korea, the K-ECEC panel study is expected to provide data to understand childhood trajectories for growth and development. Furthermore, in terms of childcare and education, it is expected to be utilized to evaluate the policy effects of early life and parenting support.

Chondrosarcoma is a malignant tumor that originates from cartilaginous cells and is characterized by cartilage formation. Only 5% to 10% of chondrosarcoma occurs in the head and neck area, and it is uncommon in the temporomandibular joint area. This report describes an unusual case with a rare, large chondrosarcoma in a 47-year-old woman who presented with painless swelling and trismus. Computed tomography showed a large mass approximately 8.5×6.0 cm in size arising adjacent to the lateral pterygoid plate and condyle. There were features suggestive of bone resorption. The tumor was resected in a single block with perilesional tissues, and a great auricular nerve graft was performed because of facial nerve sacrifice. Microscopic examination of sections stained with H&E revealed chondrocytes with irregular nuclei and heterogeneous hyper chromatic tumor cells embedded in the chondrocyte lacuna. The diagnosis was a grade I chondrosarcoma. There was no evidence of recurrence at the 8-month follow-up, and a reconstruction surgery with fibular osteocutaneous free flap was performed. We report this unusual entity and a review of the literature.
Bone Resorption ; Cartilage ; Chondrocytes ; Chondrosarcoma* ; Diagnosis ; Facial Nerve ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Head ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Osteosarcoma ; Recurrence ; Temporomandibular Joint* ; Transplants ; Trismus

In our previous study, we demonstrated that immobilization stress blocked estrogen-induced luteinizing hormone(LH) surge possibly by inhibiting the synthesis and release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) at the hypothalamic level and by blocking estrogen-induced prolactin (PRL) surge by increasing the synthesis of dopamine receptor at the pituitary level in ovariectomized rats. The present study was performed to determine whether immobilization stress affects pituitary LH responsiveness to GnRH, and whether endogenous opioid peptide (EOP) and dopamine systems are involved in blocking LH and PRL surges during immobilization stress. Immobilization stress was found to inhibit basal LH release and to completely abolish LH surge. However, the intravenous application of GnRH agonist completely restored immobilization-blocked LH surge and basal LH release. Treatment with naloxone did not exert any effect on immobilization-blocked LH surge but increased basal LH release during immobilization stress. Pimozide did not affect immobilization-blocked LH surge or basal LH release. Naloxone also decreased immobilization-induced basal PRL release, but had no effect on immobilization-blocked PRL surge. Immobilization-increased basal PRL levels were augmented by pimozide treatment and immobilization-blocked PRL surge was dramatically restored by pimozide. We conclude that immobilization stress does not impair pituitary LH response to GnRH, and that the immobilization stress-induced blockage of LH surge is probably not mediated by either the opioidergic or the dopaminergic system. However, immobilization-blockade of PRL surge may be partly mediated by the dopaminergic system.
Animal ; Estradiol/*pharmacology ; Female ; Gonadorelin/*pharmacology ; Immobilization ; Luteinizing Hormone/*secretion ; Naloxone/pharmacology ; Opioid Peptides/physiology ; Ovariectomy ; Prolactin/*secretion ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Dopamine/physiology ; Stress/*metabolism

The inflammation that accompanies acute injury has dual functions: bactericidal action and repair. Bactericidal functions protect damaged tissue from infection, and repair functions are initiated to aid in the recovery of damaged tissue. Brain injury is somewhat different from injuries in other tissues in two respects. First, many cases of brain injury are not accompanied by infection: there is no chance of pathogens to enter in ischemia or even in traumatic injury if the skull is intact. Second, neurons are rarely regenerated once damaged. This raises the question of whether bactericidal inflammation really occurs in the injured brain; if so, how is this type of inflammation controlled? Many brain inflammation studies have been conducted using cultured microglia (brain macrophages). Even where animal models have been used, the behavior of microglia and neurons has typically been analyzed at or after the time of neuronal death, a time window that excludes the inflammatory response, which begins immediately after the injury. Therefore, to understand the patterns and roles of brain inflammation in the injured brain, it is necessary to analyze the behavior of all cell types in the injured brain immediately after the onset of injury. Based on our experience with both in vitro and in vivo experimental models of brain inflammation, we concluded that not only microglia, but also astrocytes, blood inflammatory cells, and even neurons participate and/or regulate brain inflammation in the injured brain. Furthermore, brain inflammation played by these cells protects neurons and repairs damaged microenvironment but not induces neuronal damage.
Astrocytes ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Encephalitis ; Inflammation ; Ischemia ; Microglia ; Models, Animal ; Models, Theoretical ; Neurons ; Skull

The difficult oral healthcare in intellectually disabled patients with poor behavioral control has led to debate over the cost-effectiveness and validity of implant treatment in these patients. The patient in the present report had schizophrenia that had led to poor oral care and severe dental caries in the full mouth. Tooth extraction and a removable prosthesis were planned, but the guardian wanted an implant procedure. Since the guardian showed strong will and cooperation with regard to the patient's oral healthcare, extraction followed by immediate implant placement was performed across two rounds of general anesthesia. Since the outcome appears successful, we present this case report. Immediate implant placement after tooth extraction requires fewer surgeries and rounds of general anesthesia, reduces horizontal bone resorption, and can achieve better esthetic results. Therefore, as long as a certain degree of oral care is possible, this can be a positive option for restoration of a partially edentulous mouth, even in intellectually disabled patients.
Anesthesia, General* ; Bone Resorption ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dental Caries ; Humans ; Mouth ; Mouth, Edentulous ; Outpatients* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Schizophrenia ; Tooth Extraction

The difficult oral healthcare in intellectually disabled patients with poor behavioral control has led to debate over the cost-effectiveness and validity of implant treatment in these patients. The patient in the present report had schizophrenia that had led to poor oral care and severe dental caries in the full mouth. Tooth extraction and a removable prosthesis were planned, but the guardian wanted an implant procedure. Since the guardian showed strong will and cooperation with regard to the patient's oral healthcare, extraction followed by immediate implant placement was performed across two rounds of general anesthesia. Since the outcome appears successful, we present this case report. Immediate implant placement after tooth extraction requires fewer surgeries and rounds of general anesthesia, reduces horizontal bone resorption, and can achieve better esthetic results. Therefore, as long as a certain degree of oral care is possible, this can be a positive option for restoration of a partially edentulous mouth, even in intellectually disabled patients.
Anesthesia, General* ; Bone Resorption ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dental Caries ; Humans ; Mouth ; Mouth, Edentulous ; Outpatients* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Schizophrenia ; Tooth Extraction

5-HT₆ receptor (5-HT₆R) is implicated in cognitive dysfunction, mood disorder, psychosis, and eating disorders. However, despite its significant role in regulating the brain functions, regulation of 5-HT₆R at the molecular level is poorly understood. Here, using yeast two-hybrid assay, we found that human 5-HT₆R directly binds to neuro-oncological ventral antigen 1 (Nova-1), a brain-enriched splicing regulator. The interaction between 5-HT₆R and Nova-1 was confirmed using GST pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays in cell lines and rat brain. The splicing activity of Nova-1 was decreased upon overexpression of 5-HT₆R, which was examined by detecting the spliced intermediates of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a known pre-mRNA target of Nova-1, using RT-PCR. In addition, overexpression of 5-HT₆R induced the translocation of Nova-1 from the nucleus to cytoplasm, resulting in the reduced splicing activity of Nova-1. In contrast, overexpression of Nova-1 reduced the activity and the total protein levels of 5-HT₆R. Taken together, these results indicate that when the expression levels of 5-HT₆R or Nova-1 protein are not properly regulated, it may also deteriorate the function of the other.
Animals ; Brain ; Cell Line ; Cytoplasm ; Eating ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Immunoprecipitation ; Mood Disorders ; Psychotic Disorders ; Rats ; RNA Precursors ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; Serotonin ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques