Exploratory Clinical Trial of a Depression Diagnostic Software That Integrates Stress Biomarkers and Composite Psychometrics

Sooah Jang,In-Young Kim,Sun-Woo Choi,Anna Lee,Ju-Yeal Lee,Hyunkyung Shin,Junwoo Lee,Mikyeong Lee,Kyoung-Ryul Lee,Saeeun Jung,Jin Sun Ryu,Jihee Oh,Manjae Kwon,Joohan Kim,Ryunsup Ahn,Young-Chul Jung,Jeo 대한신경정신의학회 2024 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.21 No.3

Objective This study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of Minds.NAVI, a depression screening kit combining psychometric measures and stress hormone biomarkers, in a prospective clinical trial. The objective was to assess its potential as a depression screening tool and investigate the associations between psychological assessments, salivary hormone staging, and depression severity.Methods Thirty-five participants with major depressive disorder and 12 healthy controls (HCs) were included. The Minds.NAVI software, utilizing the PROtective and Vulnerable factors battEry Test (PROVE) and salivary cortisol/dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) analysis, was employed. The PROVE test is a comprehensive self-report questionnaire that assesses depressive symptoms, suicide risk, attachment style, adverse childhood experiences, mentalization capacity, and resilience. In addition, salivary cortisol and DHEA levels were measured to evaluate the functional stage of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis.Results Minds.NAVI exhibited 100% sensitivity, 91.7% specificity, and 97.9% accuracy in distinguishing depression from HCs within an exploratory small group. Salivary stress hormone phases showed changes with depression stage (p=0.030), and the proportion of patients with “adrenal exhaustion stage” was higher in the moderate/severe depression group (p=0.038). Protective/vulnerable factors differed significantly between controls and depressed groups (p<0.001). Cortisol awakening response inversely correlated with depressive symptom severity (r=-0.31, p=0.034).Conclusion This study suggested possible clinical effectiveness of Minds.NAVI, a depression screening tool that integrates psychometric measures and stress hormone biomarkers. The findings support the potential association between depression, chronic stress, and HPA axis hyporesponsiveness.

Suppression of AIMP1 protects cognition in Alzheimer’s disease model mice 3xTg-AD

Jang, Sooah,Lee, Jung Ho,Sohn, Bo Kyung,Kim, Eosu,Park, Sang Gyu,Yoon, Kang Jun,Park, Minsun,Kim, Eun Woo,Jeong, Jihyeon,Lee, Jun-Young,Kim, Chul Hoon,Namkoong, Kee Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams Wilkin 2017 NEUROREPORT - Vol.28 No.2

<P>Neuroinflammation has been raised as a candidate of unifying pathogenesis and a target of a disease-modifying strategy for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex (ARS)-interacting multifunctional protein 1 (AIMP1) is a cytokine that is known to amplify the actions of tumor necrosis factor-a and to be involved in microglial activation and neuronal death. In this respect, AIMP1 could be a plausible target for the treatment of AD. Therefore, we aimed to examine whether anti-AIMP1 antibody could exert therapeutic effects against cognitive impairment using 3xTg-AD mice. Through the passive avoidance test, we found that an intraperitoneal injection of anti-AIMP1 antibody over 4 weeks was effective in protecting memory function in 3xTg-AD mice (16 weeks old). In addition, to address the translational implications of AIMP1, we measured blood AIMP1 levels in patients with AD (n=22), mild cognitive impairment (n=25), and normal cognition (n=23). Blood AIMP1 levels were associated negatively with global cognitive function and were significantly higher in individuals with a higher degree of medial temporal lobe atrophy, which is one of the representative clinical markers of AD. Our results suggested a possible association of AIMP1 with AD pathogenesis, as well as the potential of the anti-AIMP1 antibody as a novel therapeutic option for AD. Copyright (C) 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.</P>

초등학교 과학 교과서의 거꾸로 수업 활용 가능성에 대한 교사들의 인식 - 한국과 싱가포르 교과서 비교 연구 -

이수아 ( Lee Sooah ),신영준 ( Shin Youngjoon ),전영석 ( Jhun Youngseok ) 한국초등과학교육학회 2017 초등과학교육 Vol.36 No.2

This study is to examine whether elementary science textbooks in Korea and Singapore are applicable to flipped learning. By comparative study we sought to identifying appropriate features of science textbooks for learner-centered teaching. We analyzed text pages on the unit of `Working of electricity` in Korean elementary science textbook for sixth grade and three chapters of `Electric circuits, Using electricity, Conductors of electricity` in Singaporean elementary textbook, `Science : My pals are here!`. We designed evaluating frameworks for science textbooks based on the four pillars of flipped learning. and applied it to 10 elementary teachers evaluate two textbooks. They evaluated textbooks with Likert Scale items and wrote detailed statements and exemplars about their choices. We analyzed the teachers` evaluative descriptions inductively and chose commonly mentioned characteristics. Based on the analysis, we got to the conclusion about specific features of two elementary science textbooks in terms of flexible environment, learning culture, intentional contents, and teachers` expertises. Implications for improving science textbooks towards flipped learning and learner-centered teaching through comparative study were discussed.

Physiological and Metabolomic Analysis of <i>Issatchenkia orientalis</i> MTY1 With Multiple Tolerance for Cellulosic Bioethanol Production

Seong, Yeong-Je,Lee, Hye-Jin,Lee, Jung-Eun,Kim, Sooah,Lee, Do Yup,Kim, Kyoung Heon,Park, Yong-Cheol Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley Sons) 2017 Biotechnology journal Vol.12 No.11

Long-Term Culture of Organotypic Hippocampal Slice from Old 3xTg-AD Mouse: An ex vivo Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Sooah Jang,Hyunjeong Kim,Hyejin Kim,SuKyoung Lee,EunWoo Kim,KeeNam koong,Eosu Kim 대한신경정신의학회 2018 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.15 No.2

Objective-Conventional methods for organotypic hippocampal tissue slice culture (OHSC) have shown several disadvantages or limitations regarding age of animals used, duration of culture and difficulty using neurodegenerative models. Therefore, we tried to establish OHSC from old 3xTg-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mice for longer period (over 4 weeks) and to validate utility of this system as a valid platform for translational neuroscience of AD. Methods-OHSC was performed with old 3xTg-AD mice (12-14 months), old wild type mice (12-14 months) and young 3xTg-AD mice (2-4 months) using serum-free medium for 4 weeks. Hippocampal structure was evaluated by 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) intensity and neuronal metabolism was measured by Alamarblue assay. Pathologic characteristics of AD were also investigated; β-amyloid levels by ELISA, amyloid plaque deposition by Thioflavin-S staining, and glial activation by immunohistochemistry. Results-Following 4-week culture in serum-free media, hippocampal cells and layers were well preserved in cultured slices from old AD mice as was in those from young AD and old wild type mice. On the contrary, excessive regression of total visible cells was observed in conventional serum-containing medium regardless of genotype of mice. In parallel with this well preserved structure, major pathologic characteristics of AD were also well manifested in hippocampal slices from old AD mice. Conclusion-Our findings suggest that long-term OHSC from old 3xTg-AD mouse can serve as a promising ex vivo system for studies on pathophysiology of AD, especially with the minimum number of sacrifice of experimental animals.

Quantification and visualization of metastatic lung tumors in mice

Lee Ha Neul,Kim Seyl,Park Sooah,Jung Woonggyu,Kang Jin Seok 한국독성학회 2022 Toxicological Research Vol.38 No.4

Histopathological examination is important for the diagnosis of various diseases. Conventional histopathology provides a two-dimensional view of the tissues, and requires the tissue to be extracted, fixed, and processed using histotechnology techniques. However, there is an increasing need for three-dimensional (3D) images of structures in biomedical research. The objective of this study was to develop reliable, objective tools for visualizing and quantifying metastatic tumors in mouse lung using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Melanoma cells were intravenously injected into the tail vein of 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice. The mice were euthanized at 2 or 4 weeks after injection. Lungs were fixed and examined by micro-CT, OCT, FE-SEM, and histopathological observation. Micro-CT clearly distinguished between tumor and normal cells in surface and deep lesions, thereby allowing 3D quantification of the tumor volume. OCT showed a clear difference between the tumor and surrounding normal tissues. FE-SEM clearly showed round tumor cells, mainly located in the alveolar wall and growing inside the alveoli. Therefore, whole-tumor 3D imaging successfully visualized the metastatic tumor and quantified its volume. This promising approach will allow for fast and label-free 3D phenotyping of diverse tissue structures.

Particulate matter increases beta-amyloid and activated glial cells in hippocampal tissues of transgenic Alzheimer's mouse: Involvement of PARP-1

Jang, Sooah,Kim, Eun Woo,Zhang, Yinhua,Lee, Jimin,Cho, So Yeon,Ha, Junghee,Kim, Hyunjeong,Kim, Eosu Elsevier 2018 Biochemical and biophysical research communication Vol.500 No.2

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Exposure to air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, direct effects of PM on production of β-amyloid (Aβ), a key pathogenic molecule in AD, and its underlying mechanism are still elusive. Given PM's potential to induce oxidative stress in other tissues, we hypothesized that poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) might be involved in PM-induced neurotoxicity. To address this, we used an <I>ex vivo</I> model of AD, the organotypic hippocampal slice tissue culture from old (12-14 months-of-age) triple transgenic 3xTg-AD mice. First, we observed that fine PM (aerodynamic diameter < 4 μm) can dose-dependently activate PARP-1 and decrease NAD<SUP>+</SUP> levels in Neuro2A cells. PARP-1 activation did occur under concentrations of PM which did not affect cell viability. Next, we observed that direct treatment of PM increased Aβ levels and activated glial cells in the <I>ex vivo</I> hippocampal tissues of 3xTg-AD mice. PM-induced glial activation was most prominent in CA1 region of the hippocampal tissue. Notably, we found that pharmacological inhibition of PARP-1 reversed both PM-induced Aβ increase and glial activation, arguing the possible involvement of PARP-1 in PM-induced AD pathogenesis. Our findings suggest that PARP-1 might be a potential molecular target, responsible for mediating negative effects of PM on the brain. Modulating PARP-1 activity could be a promising approach to prevent or alleviate PM-related environmental neurotoxicity which could initiate AD pathogenesis.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Particulate matter (PM) activates PARP-1 in neuronal cells. </LI> <LI> PM increases beta-amyloid in <I>ex vivo</I> hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mouse. </LI> <LI> PM activates glial cells in <I>ex vivo</I> hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mouse. </LI> <LI> Pharmacological inhibition of PARP-1 reverses PM-induced AD pathologies. </LI> <LI> PARP-1 inhibition would be a promising approach counteracting PM's neurotoxicity. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

온라인 혐오표현 규제 쟁점과 대안 : 규제기관담당자, 시민단체 활동가, 연구자 및 피해 경험자 심층 면접을 중심으로

김수아(Sooah Kim),김민정(Minjeong Kim),이동후(Donghoo Lee),홍성일(Sungil Hong) 한국언론정보학회 2020 한국언론정보학보 Vol.101 No.-

이 연구는 온라인 혐오표현의 규제 현실과 대안에 관하여 관계기관 행정 담당자 및 피해 경험자, 연구자를 중심으로 심층 면접한 결과 제기된 쟁점에 관해 논의하였다. 현재 혐오표현 규제가 말의 규제, 즉 욕설과 비하표현 규제로만 이루어지는 문제가 지적되었고, 반차별에 대한 인식 전환과 사회적 합의를 추구하여 구조적인 차별 효과 및 사회적 소수자의 억압, 배제와 관련된 역사성을 살펴야 한다는 점이 강조되었다. 플랫폼 자율규제의 경우는 단순한 기계적 적용이 문제되고 있어, 이용자 신고제 등의 단순한 자율규제 방식, AI 등을 적용한 욕설 중심의 규제는 차별에 대한 인식이 공유되지 않은 상황에서 소수자의 목소리를 제한하는 데 활용될 가능성이 높아진다는 우려가 제기되었다. 또한, 정치인과 언론과 같은 공적 영역에 대해서는 혐오표현 유통의 책임을 좀 더 무겁게 물리는 방안을 고안할 필요가 있다는 점이 제안되었다. 포괄적 차별금지법의 제정 필요성이 강조되었으며, 규제가 필요한 혐오표현의 범주와 관련하여 일차적으로 시급하게 합의가 이루어져야 한다는 당위성이 제시되었다. The purpose of this study is to present issues found by carrying out in-depth interviews to administrative staff in related organizations, victims, and researchers regarding the reality of regulating online hate speech. The most problematic point about the distribution of hate speech is that social minorities hardly feel they are protected these days. This is, in fact, associated with the problem that regulating hate speech is presently only about regulating ‘words’- insults. We should understand both structural discrimination and historicity not regarding simple insults as hatred and discrimination; however, to carry on that discussion, the current judicial system fails to form the social consensus in online space where ordinary people get to experience that. Although self regulation of media platforms was once come up with as an alternative, we must examine if the problem of hatred and discrimination becomes rather weakened with the simple and mechanical application of it. Insult-oriented regulation applying AI or simple self regulation such as users’ report system should be utilized in limiting minorities’ voices in the condition that recognition on discrimination is not shared. Also, this researcher suggests that concerning politicians and the press, it is needed to devise measures to impose heavier responsibilities on the distribution of hate speech.

Metabolite profiling of sucrose effect on the metabolism of Melissa officinalis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Kim, Sooah,Shin, Min Hye,Hossain, Md. Aktar,Yun, Eun Ju,Lee, Hojoung,Kim, Kyoung Heon Springer-Verlag 2011 Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry Vol.399 No.10

Global profiling of ultraviolet-induced metabolic disruption in Melissa officinalis by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Kim, Sooah,Yun, Eun Ju,Hossain, Md. Aktar,Lee, Hojoung,Kim, Kyoung Heon Springer-Verlag 2012 Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry Vol.404 No.2