• 대한지역사회영양학회지
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• 제8권6호
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• pp.814-821
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to assess the maternal zinc status during pregnancy and to evaluate the relationship between the zinc concentration of maternal, umblical cord blood and placental tissue and pregnancy outcomes. Venous blood samples were drawn from 53 pregnant women just before delivery and the cord blood of their newborn babies was collected immediately after birth. In addition, placental tissues were extracted. We investigated the difference in the concentration of zinc in maternal, umbilical cord blood and placental tissue in two gestational age groups (preform delivery group [PT] and normal term delivery group [NT]) at 34.7 wk and 39.0 wk of mean gestational age, respectively). We also assessed correlations of the zinc concentration of maternal, umbilical cord blood and placental tissue. Lastly, we studied the correlations between the birth weights and the zinc concentration in the maternal, umbilical cord blood and placental tissue. The concentrations of maternal serum zinc and of umbilical cord serum zinc were significantly higher in the PT group (76.9$\pm$37.4 $\mu/dl$, 101.3$\pm$41.4 $\mu/dl$) than in those of the NT group (57.8$\pm$22.4 $\mu/dl$, 80.7$\pm$27.5 $\mu/dl$), respectively (p<0.05). The zinc concentration of the umbilical cord blood was significantly higher than that of the maternal blood in both groups (p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between the gestational age and the serum zinc concentration in the cord or the maternal serum. Our results showed that there was a negative relationship between the birth weight (r=-0.286) and the maternal serum zinc concentration. Despite there not being a significant difference, there was tendency for the highest concentrations of maternal serum zinc to be associated with the lowest birth weights. These findings support a possible relationship between the maternal zinc status and the pregnancy outcome, and suggest that zinc may play a role in the many biological processes involved in the successful outcome of a pregnancy.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.8-17
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• 2012

Objectives: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are man-made, persistent global pollutants widely diffused throughout the environment. They have been even found in the cord blood and breast milk of humans. Furthermore evidence of developmental toxicity in animals exists. To assess the distribution of maternal and fetal exposure to PFOS and PFOA, we analyzed paired maternal blood, cord blood and breast milk samples. Methods: Maternal blood, cord blood and breast milk were collected from 150 volunteers from the general population (aged 20-40, mean $30.5{\pm}2.9$) of the city of Busan in 2009-2010. The samples were extracted using the weak anion exchange and solid-phase extraction methods and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC, Agilent 1200 Series) coupled with an Triple Quad LC-MS/MS system (Agilent 6410). Results: Median PFOA and PFOS concentrations in maternal blood were 2.18 and 3.32 ng/ml, in cord blood were 0.83 and 0.58 ng/ml, and in breast milk were 0.13 and 0.11 ng/ml, respectively. PFOS and PFOA concentrations were significantly correlated among matrices (Spearson's ${\rho}=0.226$, p = 0.05 for maternal blood; ${\rho}=0.736$, p < 0.01 for cord blood; ${\rho}=0.493$ p < 0.01 for breast milk). The ratio of cord blood/maternal blood was 0.39 for PFOA and 0.19 for PFOS. The ratio of breast milk/maternal blood was 0.07 for PFOA and 0.06 for PFOS. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that PFOA and PFOS exposure through the placenta was more prominent than through breast milk among Korean neonates born in Busan. The transfer efficiency of maternal blood to breast milk was similar between PFOA and PFOS, but that of maternal blood to cord blood was higher in PFOA than PFOS.

• 약학회지
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.459-466
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• 1998

To investigate the effect of coffee consumption during pregnancy on serum lipids in maternal and infants` umbilical cord blood, 76 cases of newborn infants and women delivered o f a child who had delivered at hospital located in Chung-Ju city from Feb. 1, 1996 to Aug. 31, 1996 were studied. The gestational ages of cases were 37 to 42 weeks and the average maternal ages were $28.3{\pm}4.63$ years old without any other medical or obstetric problems. Infants` Apgar scores and birth weights were decreased by above 3 cups per day of coffee consumption during pregnancy. No relationships between coffee consumption during pregnancy and maternal serum lipid levels were observed. However, serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels in infants` umbilical cord were significantly increased with increasing coffee consumption during pregnancy. In contrary to coffee consumption, alcohol drinking habits affected maternal serum lipid levels but not serum lipid levels in infants` umbilical cord blood. Coffee consumption during pregnancy increased caffeine concentration in infants` umbilical cord blood. These results suggest that caffeine from maternal consumption of coffee can easily pass to the fetus and significantly affect serum lipids levels in infants` umbilical cord blood rather than those in maternal blood.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제30권8호
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• pp.963-969
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• 2001

Objectives : Cord blood stem cells have been widely used as donor cells for bone marrow transplantation recently. These cells can give rise to a variety of hematopoietic lineages to repopulate the blood. Recent observations reveal that some bone marrow cells and bone marrow stromal cells(MSCs) can grow to become either neurons or glial cells. It is, however, unclear whether or not there exists stems cells which can differentiate into neurons in the blood during the early stages of postnatal life. Methods : Human cord blood stem cells were prepared from human placenta after full term delivery. To induce neuronal differentiation of stem cells, ${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol was treated. To confirm the neuro-glial characteristics of differentiated stem cells, immunocytochemical stain for NeuN, neurofilament, glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), microtubule associated protein2(MAP2) was performed. RT-PCR was performed for detecting nestin mRNA and MAP2 mRNA. Results : We showed in this experiment that neuro-glial markers(NeuN, neurofilament, MAP2, GFAP) were expressed and axon-like cytoplasmic processes are elaborated in the cultured human cord blood stem cells prepared from new born placenta after full term delivery. Nestin mRNA was also detected in fresh cord blood monocytes. Conclusions : These results suggest that human cord blood derived stem cells may be potential sources of neurons in early postnatal life.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.422-428
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• 2003

Umbilical cord blood (UCB), a rich source of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, has been proposed as an alternative to bone marrow and peripheral blood for transplantation treatment. Ex vivo expansion of cord blood stem cells could make the use of cord blood transplant feasible even for adult patients. However, the optimal cytokine cocktail for expansion of stem cells is yet to be established. This study compares proliferation, apoptosis, and telomerase activities in human cord blood stem cells cultured ex vivo with FLT3 ligand (FL)/thrombopoietin (TPO) or FL/TPO/stem cell factor (SCF), with a view to determine optimal combination of cytokines. CD34+ cells were cultured in DMEM containing either FL (50 ng/ml) and TPO (10 ng/ml) (FT group) or FL (50 ng/ml), TPO (10 ng/ml) and SCF (50 ng/ml) (FTS group). The cell proliferation rate was ten times higher in the FTS group. Although cells cultured with the two different combinations of cytokines were maintained for a long term (up to 8 weeks), a large number of cells underwent differentiation during this period. Cells cultured in FTS displayed lower levels of apoptosis compared to those of the FT group during the Initial 7 days of culture. The CD34+ fraction in both groups was markedly decreased to $21-30\%$ , and only $5-6\%$ was detected at 14 days of culture. Telomerase activity detected in human CD34+ cord blood at low levels was upregulated during the early phase of culture and decreased to baseline levels in the later phase. The telomerase activity of cord blood cultured in FT was lower than that of the FTS group. Our results suggest that, on adding stem cell factors to the FT cytokines, cultured CD34+ cord blood cells display a greater degree of cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis. However, during CD34+ cord blood cell culture, a Barge number of cells undergo differentiation, indicating that more potent novel cytokines or new culture conditioning methods should be developed to maintain their ability to engraft and sustain long-term hematopoiesis.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.91-96
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the folate nutritional status of Korean pregnant women and to investigate the relation between folate levels of maternal-umbilical cord blood, placenta tissue, and pregnancy outcomes. The study subjects consisted of 25 pregnant women who have had normal term deliveries. Dietary folate intakes of the pregnants were estimated by semi quantitative frequency questionnaire and the serum and placenta tissue folate level was measured by microbiological analysis. The total folate intakes of the pregnant women was 655.6 ${\mu}$g/d, which was 131.1% of the Korean RDA for pregnants. Maternal serum folate level was 16.18ng/ml, which was significantly lower than that of umbilical cord blood (34.98ng/ml, p<0.05). Mean folate concentration of the placental tissue was 998.0ng/ml, which was the highest compared to maternal and umbilical cord serum level. Umbilical cord serum folate level and placental tissue folate level were highly influenced by maternal serum folate level. The umbilical cord folate levels of the infant group whose birth weight was higher than 3500g were significantly higher than the group whose birth weight was less than 3500g (p<0.05). The placental folate level was significantly higher in maternal group who showed desirable weight gain during pregnancy (11 - 14kg). In conclusion, the birth weigt was related to the umbilical cord folate level and the maternal weight gain was affected by the placental folate level.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.166-174
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• 2002

Background: Human umbilical cord bloods, which could be taken during the delivery are utilized as a source of hematopoietic stem cells. Also in cord blood, there are several kinds of stem cells such as endothelial and mesenchymal stem cells. Methods: We isolated the mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord bloods and confirmed the differentiation of these cells into osteoblast progenitor cells. The mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood have the ability to differentiate into specific tissue cells, which is one of characteristics of stem cells. These cells were originated from the multipolar shaped cells out of adherent cells of the umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell culture. Results: The mesenchymal stem cells expressed cell surface antigen CD13, CD90, CD102, CD105, ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin and cytoplasmic antigen vimentine. Having cultrued these cells in bone formation media, we observed the formation of extracellular matrix and the expression of alkaline phosphatase and of mRNA of cbfa-1, ostoecalcin and type I collagen. Conclusion: From these results we concluded that the cells isolated from the umbilical cord blood were mesenchymal stem cells, which we could differentiate into osteoblast when cultured in bone formation media. In short, it is suggested that these cells could be used as a new source of stem cells, which has the probability to alternate the embryonic stem cells.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.426-432
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• 2001

Vitamin B(sub)12(cobalamin) is an essential nutrient in human and it is particularly important during pregnancy. Nevertheless very few studies have reported, concerning vitamin B(sub)12 in relation with reproduction. This study was conducted to evaluate the vitamin B(sub)12 nutrition status of Korean pregnant women and to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels of maternal-umbilical cord blood and pregnancy outcomes. Dietary vitamin B(sub)12 intakes of the pregnants were estimated by semiquantitative frequency questionnaire. Serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels in both maternal blood and umbilical cord blood of 30 pregnant women at delivery were measured by radioimmunoassay. Mean vitamin B(sub)12 intake was 3.3$\pm$1.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/d which was 125.8% of the Korean RDA(2.6$\mu\textrm{g}$) for vitamin B(sub)12 level of umbilical cord blood was 607.8$\pm$282.9pg/ml, more than two fold of maternal vitamin B(sub)12 level 268.6$\pm$97.8pg/ml. This finding indicates that fetal uptake of vitamin B(sub)12 in the fetus may be due to an active transport mchanism across the placenta. Umbilical cord blood vitamin B(sub)12 levels were highly correlated with maternal levels($r^2$=0.548, p<0.001), showing that fetal vitamin B(sub)12 level is affected by maternal status. However there was no significant correlation between the serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels in maternal-umbilical cord blood and the pregnancy outcomes except for the birth weight. Maternal-umbilical serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels were the highest in the group of birth weight 3.0-3.5kg, and the lowest in the group of birthweight below 3.0kg. (Korean J Nutrition 34(4) : 426~432, 2001)

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.89-94
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• 2016

Purpose: Molecular genetic analysis is the main approach used for prenatal diagnosis of hemophilia A and B. However, in certain cases, such analysis is uninformative. In such situations, direct measurement of fetal coagulation factor levels is still the best option, and it may be the only option in some cases. This study was conducted to determine the normal ranges of mid-trimester cord blood factor VIII (FVIII) and IX (FIX) in a Korean population. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six FVIII samples and 29 FIX samples were assayed in fetal cord blood acquired by ultrasound-guided cordocentesis. Sampling was conducted during gestational ages of 19-24 weeks. Results: The mean and standard deviations for FVIII and FIX activity were $45.5{\pm}30.5%$ and $19.9{\pm}12.2%$, respectively. Ranges for FVIII and FIX were 1.5-125.0% and 6.0-52.0%, respectively. Conclusion: Our study revealed the normal ranges and lowest level of factor VIII and factor IX in non-affected normal fetus by fetal cord blood sampling during the mid-trimester in a Korea population. The factor assay of the fetal cord blood is invasive but feasible and provides important basic data related to hemophilia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.73-79
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• 2012

Background: Aortic cross clamping is associated with spinal cord ischemia. This study used a rat spinal cord ischemia model to investigate the effect of distal aortic pressure on spinal cord perfusion. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=12) were divided into three groups. In group A (n=4), the aorta was not occluded. In groups B (n=4) and C (n=4), the aorta was occluded. In group B the distal aortic pressures dropped to around 20 mmHg. In group C, the distal aortic pressure was decreased to near zero. The carotid artery and tail artery were cannulated to monitor the proximal aortic pressure and the distal aortic pressure. Fluorescent microspheres were used to measure the regional blood flow in the spinal cord. Results: After aortic occlusion, blood flow to the cervical spinal cord showed no significant difference among the three groups. In groups B and C, the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord and renal blood flow decreased. No microspheres were detected in the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord of group C. Conclusion: The spinal cord blood flow is dependent on the distal aortic pressure after thoracic aortic occlusion.