The cis-regulatory element localized to position −292/−285 of the mouse GnRH receptor (mGnRHR) gene promoter, designated Sequence Underlying Responsiveness to GnRH 1 (SURG-1), has been shown previously to contribute to stimulation of mGnRHR gene expression by GnRH. We have identified three specific protein-DNA complexes on the SURG-1 element by EMSA using nuclear extracts from the gonadotrope-derived αT3–1 and LβT2 cell lines. Serial mutagenesis and supershift assays identified nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) binding to −288/−284 and Oct-1 binding to a TAAT sequence at −290/−287. Binding of these two transcription factors was confirmed in vivo by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and increased in response to GnRH stimulation. To define the functional significance of these sequences in the regulation of mGnRHR gene transcription, transient transfection assays were performed in αT3–1 cells using a 1.2-kb mGnRHR (−1164/+62) gene promoter-luciferase reporter construct with selective mutations of the Oct-1, NF-Y, and/or the previously characterized activating protein 1 (AP-1) binding site (−274/−268). Individual mutations in the Oct-1, NF-Y, and AP-1 sites decreased both basal expression and stimulation by GnRH agonist, and the combined mutation of the Oct-1 and AP-1 binding sites further reduced basal transcriptional activity and abolished GnRH stimulation. Overexpression of NF-YA increased GnRHR promoter activity, whereas expression of a dominant negative NF-YA mutant decreased activity, further supporting a role of NF-Y in regulation of mGnRHR gene transcription. In addition, knockdown of Oct-1 by small interfering RNA confirmed that Oct-1 is important for mGnRHR gene expression. In conclusion, NF-Y and Oct-1 bind to the SURG-1 element to direct basal and GnRH-stimulated expression of the mGnRHR gene.

BACKGROUND: The resistive jaw opening exercise (RJOE) was suggested as a potential remedial treatment for patients with dysphagia. However, clinical evidence is insufficient. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of RJOE on hyoid bone movement, aspira

This study verified validity and reliability of the School Function Assessment (SFA) using Rasch analysis in South Korean school-based occupational therapy sites serving children with intellectual disabilities and others. Participants were 103 elementary school children (grades 1 through 6) with disabilities. Rasch analysis revealed several misfitting items. Difficulty levels of items, presented in hierarchical order, were very different from those found at the time of development of the SFA. Results for the rating scale fit showed that a 4-point scale, rather than the existing 6-point scale, was more appropriate for several parts of the SFA in the Korean context. Separation reliability ranged from good to very good, with coefficients from .85 to .99. This study contributes to the literature by verifying the reliability and validity of the SFA for students who need school-based occupational therapy in Korea using Rasch analysis, with a focus on applying it to children with intellectual disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders. For more efficient application of the SFA in South Korea in the future, it remains necessary to modify the misfitting items, rearrange their difficulty levels, and properly adjust the rating scales rather than evaluating items by literally translating them into Korean.