Alcohol influences the neuroadaptation of brain cells where receptors and enzymes like protein kinase C (PKC) exist. Naltrexone acts on opioid receptors. However, other mechanisms of action remain unknown. We prepared SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, and fed them with 150 mM ethanol for 72 h followed by treatment with naltrexone for 24 h. We performed microarray analysis and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Our results showed that PKC epsilon increased 1.90 times and showed an overall decreasing pattern as time increased. Phosphorylated ERK also increased 2.0 times according to the change of PKC epsilon. Integrin alpha7 increased 2.32 times and showed an increasing pattern as time increased. In conclusion, naltrexone influences PKC epsilon neuronal signaling system and endothelial adhesion molecule integrin alpha7 in addition to the well-known opioid system.
Antigens, CD/*metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Comparative Study ; DNA, Complementary/genetics ; Humans ; Integrin alpha Chains/*metabolism ; Naltrexone/*pharmacology ; *Neuroblastoma/enzymology/metabolism/pathology ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Protein Kinase C-epsilon/*metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Time Factors

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the spiritual well-being and spiritual care of hospice team members. METHOD: Between December 2005 and February 2006, a questionnaire was given to 192 hospice team members. The instruments used in this study were the Spiritual Well-Being Scale(SWBS) developed by Paloutzian, & Ellison(1984), and a Spiritual Care Performance Scale developed by the authors. RESULTS: The levels of spiritual well-being were relatively high: significantly lower in the 25-29 years old, in the unmarried, and in the 1-2 million won income groups, and significantly higher in Protestants, Catholics, clergy, and volunteers. The levels of performance of spiritual care were intermediate; significantly higher in clergy, and those with 10 or more years of experience. There was a positive correlation between: levels of spiritual well-being and age; levels of spiritual well-being and performance of spiritual care; and levels of performance of spiritual care and age. The factors affecting the levels of spiritual well-being included religion, age, and performance of spiritual care. The factors affecting the levels of performance of spiritual care were the years of hospice experience and spiritual well-being. CONCLUSION: Because there was a positive correlation between levels of spiritual well-being and performance of spiritual care, there is a need to develop a strategies to increase the spiritual well-being of hospice team members.
Clergy ; Hospice Care ; Hospices* ; Humans ; Protestantism ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Single Person ; Spirituality ; Volunteers

Fibroblast growth factor(FGF) is a mitogen and a potent antigenic factor. It is also known as a differentiation factor for neuroectodermal-derived cell. It has been observed to be expressed in more than 90% of m-RNA of human meningiomas and gliomas. Progesterone receptor(PR) is well known surface receptor of meningioma and its number is greater than that of estrogen receptor. It is one os the known prognostic factors of meningioma. Meningiomas themselves are regarded as benign tumors in general, however some types show aggressive features. In the present study, authors examined the expression of FGF-1 and PR in meningioma tissues using immunohistochemical techniques with monoclonal antibody against human FGF-1 and PR. FGF-1 was detected in 25 of 35 classic meningiomas and in 7 of 9 aggressive ones. PR is expressed in 5 cases of classic and 2 cases of aggressive meningiomas. These results suggest FGF-1 may be involved in aggressive progression of meningioma. There was no significant difference of aggressiveness and expression of FGFR-1 and PR between classic and aggressive meningiomas, including their subtypes.
Estrogens ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 ; Fibroblast Growth Factors* ; Fibroblasts* ; Glioma ; Humans ; Meningioma* ; Progesterone*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of fluoxetine on transcription, translation and activity of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), and intracellular level of serotonin. METHODS: The expression level of the TPH mRNA and the protein, the TPH enzyme activity, and the intracellular level of serotonin were explored at the fluoxetine-treated RBL-2H3 cells. Real-time RT-PCR and immunoblotting analysis confirmed changes in the expression of TPH mRNA and protein. The activity of TPH was measured using [3H]tryptophan. The intracellular level of serotonin was measured by HPLC. RESULTS: The TPH activity was gradually increased on time from 24hr to 72hr. The real-time RT-PCR also revealed that the TPH mRNA was increased at 12, 24 and 72hr in the fluoxetine-treated RBL-2H3 cells. The immunoblotting analysis also revealed that the TPH protein was decreased at 72hr in the fluoxetine-treated RBL-2H3 cells. The intracellular level of serotonin was increased at 48hr after treatment of fluoxetine. CONCLUSION: Fluoxetine induced the increases of the TPH mRNA, the TPH enzyme activity and intracellular level of serotonin, and the decrease of the TPH protein expression at the RBL- 2H3 cells.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Fluoxetine ; Immunoblotting ; RNA, Messenger ; Serotonin ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase* ; Tryptophan*

Behet's disease is a systemic disorder presenting with recurrent oral and genital ulcerations as well as uveitis often leading to blindness. Although vascular lesions are common complications of this disease, cardiac involvement is extremely rare. A 34-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with intermittent low-grade fever 8 months ago. At that time, the echocardiographic examination revealed a right atrial wall mass that was initially thought to be a vegetation, and surgical excision was performed. Histological finding was consistent with organizing thrombus. The patient was readmitted to the hospital with fever, chill and sore throat for about 4 weeks. His past medical history included recurrent oral and genital ulcerations and uveitis for 5 years. Right atrial mass was seen again on echocardiographic examination. On the basis of the clinical course and the presence of recurrent cardiac thrombus, a diagnosis of Beh?et's disease with recurrent intracardiac thrombosis was made. The patient was treated with prednisolone, colchicine, cyclosporine, and aspirin. Medical therapy resulted in complete resolution of his symptoms and disappearance of the right atrial thrombus.
Adult ; Aspirin ; Behcet Syndrome ; Blindness ; Colchicine ; Cyclosporine ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Fever ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Pharyngitis ; Prednisolone ; Thrombosis* ; Ulcer ; Uveitis

OBJECTIVES: The ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1, the major components of ginseng saponin, have neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects including promotion of neuronal survival and proliferation, facilitation of learning and memory, and protection from ischemic injury and apoptosis. In this study, to investigate the molecular basis of the effects of ginsenoside on neuron, we analyzed gene expression profiling of SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells treated with ginsenoside Rg1 or Rb1. METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells were cultured and treated in triplicate with ginsenoside Rg1 or Rb1(80micrometer, 40micrometer, 20micrometer). The proliferation rates of SH-SY5Y cells were determined by MTT assay and microscopic examination. We used a high density cDNA microarray chip that contained 8K human genes to analyze the gene expression profiles in SH-SY5Y cells. We analyzed using the Significance Analysis of Microarray(SAM) method for identifying genes on a microarray with statistically significant changes in expression. RESULTS: Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with 80microliter ginsenoside Rg1 or Rb1 for 36h showed maximal proliferation compared with other concentrations or control. The results of the microarray experiment yielded 96 genes were upregulated(> or =3 fold) in Rg1 treated cells and 40 genes were up-regulated(> or =2 fold) in Rb1 treated cells. Treatment with ginsenoside Rg1 for 36h induced the expression of some genes associated with protein biosynthesis, regulation of transcription or translation, cell proliferation and growth, neurogenesis and differentiation, regulation of cell cycle, energy transport and others. Genes associated with neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation such as SCG10 and MLP increased in ginsenoside Rg1 treated cells, but such changes did not occur in Rb1- group. CONCLUSION: Our data provide novel insights into the gene mechanisms involved in possible role for ginsenoside Rg1 or Rb1 in mediating neuronal proliferation or cell viability, which can elicit distinct patterns of gene expression in neuronal cell line. Ginsenoside Rg1 have more broad and strong effects than ginsenoside Rb1 in gene expression and related cellular physiology. In addition, we suggest that SCG10 gene, which is known to be expressed in neuronal differentiation during development and neuronal regeneration during adulthood, may have a role in enhancement of activity dependent synaptic plasticity or cytoskeletal regulation following treatment of ginsenoside Rg1. Further, ginsenoside Rg1 may have a possible role in regeneration of injured neuron, promotion of memory, and prevention from aging or neuronal degeneration.
Aging ; Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Gene Expression Profiling* ; Gene Expression* ; Humans* ; Learning ; Memory ; Negotiating ; Neuroblastoma* ; Neurogenesis ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Panax ; Physiology ; Plastics ; Protein Biosynthesis ; Regeneration ; Saponins ; Transcriptome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Musical Background Questionnaire (MBQ) has been developed to assess formal musical training and listening enjoyment. The aims of this study were to translate MBQ into Korean with subsequent linguistic validation and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Korean version of MBQ (K-MBQ).SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Between 2013 and 2014, a panel affiliated with the questionnaire committee of the Korean Audiological Society reconciled the first draft K-MBQ translated by a bilingual person. A separate bilingual translator, who had never seen the original MBQ, translated the draft K-MBQ back into English, and subsequently, the panel reviewed its equivalence to the original one. K-MBQ was administered to 29 adults (M:F=15:14; aged 21 to 76 years) for cognitive debriefing. Pure tone and speech audiometry were performed in all participants. RESULTS: The translation of K-MBQ was completed through a multi-step process of forward translation, reconciliation, reverse translation, cognitive debriefing and proofreading. Thirteen (45%) of 29 subjects reported formal musical training, and 16 participants (55%) judged themselves as having no musical education and background. No significant correlation was found between musical background and hearing level, whereas self-perceived quality of music and self-perception of music elements quantified by K-MBQ were associated with hearing ability in terms of pure-tone and speech audiometry. CONCLUSION K-MBQ was translated and linguistically validated. The use of this questionnaire can provide further evaluation of musical background in patients with hearing loss or cochlear implant users.