Chronic Eosinophilic Meningoencephalitis by Prototheca Wickerhamii in an Immunocompetent Boy.

Human protothecosis is mainly a cutaneous infection caused by the Prototheca species. Prototheca wickerhamii is an established pathogen of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in dogs, but no eosinophilic pleocytosis of the cerebrospinal fluid has been reported in human cases of meningitis. Herein, we report a case of chronic protothecosis manifesting eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent boy.

An extended leukocyte differential count (16 types of circulating leukocytes) using the CytoDiff flow cytometric system can provide information for the discrimination of sepsis severity and prediction of outcome in sepsis patients.

Background: The Beckman Coulter CytoDiff flow cytometric system (Beckman Coulter, Miami, FL) was recently developed for performing leukocyte differential counts in up to 16 leukocyte subpopulations. We compared these leukocyte subpopulation levels among patients with three stages of sepsis (uncomplicated sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock), especially focused on the discrimination of complicated sepsis from uncomplicated sepsis.

Methods: We examined a total of 181 samples with sepsis who were admitted to the surgical intensive care unit.

An extended leukocyte differential count (16 types of circulating leukocytes) using the cytodiff flow cytometric system can provide informations for the discrimination of sepsis severity and prediction of outcome in sepsis patients.

Background: The Beckman Coulter CytoDiff flow cytometric system (Beckman Coulter, Miami, FL, USA) was recently developed for performing leukocyte differential counts in up to 16 leukocyte subpopulations. We compared these leukocyte subpopulation levels among patients with three stages of sepsis (uncomplicated sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock), especially focused on the discrimination of complicated sepsis from uncomplicated sepsis. Methods: We examined a total of 181 samples with sepsis who were admitted to the surgical intensive care unit.

Production of ginsenoside aglycons and Rb1 deglycosylation pathway profiling by HPLC and ESI-MS/MS using Sphingobacterium multivorum GIN723.

Using enrichment culture, Sphingobacterium multivorum GIN723 (KCCM80060) was isolated as having activity for deglycosylation of compound K and ginsenoside F1 to produce ginsenoside aglycons such as S-protopanaxadiol (PPD(S)) and S-protopanaxatriol (PPT(S)). Through BLAST search, purified enzyme from S. multivorum GIN723 was revealed to be the outer membrane protein.

The first Korean case of disseminated mycetoma caused by Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis in a patient on long-term corticosteroid therapy for the treatment of microscopic polyangiitis.

Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis is predominantly associated with invasive infections in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of disseminated mycetoma caused by N. pseudobrasiliensis in a 57-yr-old woman with microscopic polyangiitis, who was treated for 3 months with corticosteroids.

The current acceptance, accessibility and recognition of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine in the United States in the public, governmental, and industrial sectors.

To assess the current level of acceptance in the United States of complementary and alternative medicine, recent research into the prevalence, acceptance, accessibility, and recognition of complementary and alternative therapies were reviewed. Several signs point to an increasing acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine in the United States; the use of complementary and alternative medicine is significantly increasing, many aspects of Chinese medicine and Ayurveda are becoming mainstream, practitioners in the United States are beginning to be licensed, and insurance companies are beginning to cover some complementary and alternative therapies. Remaining challenges to true acceptance include the restrictive Western mindset, the absence of published studies, a lack of consistent manufacturing processes and quality standards, and a fear of adulteration.

Comparison of the Cytodiff flow cytometric leucocyte differential count system with the Sysmex XE-2100 and Beckman Coulter UniCel DxH 800.

Introduction: Routine automated haematology analysers categorize leucocytes into five types. The Cytodiff (Beckman Coulter) is a 16-part leucocyte differential analysis system that uses six markers and five colours. We compared leucocyte differential counts obtained by the Cytodiff with five-part differential counts obtained by routine automated haematology analysers.

Effects of ortho-dihydroxyisoflavone derivatives from Korean fermented soybean paste on melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells and human skin equivalents.

In this study we investigated the inhibitory effects and possible mechanisms of action of 8'-hydroxydaidzein and 3'-hydroxydaidzein, two ortho-dihydroxyisoflavone derivatives from Korean fermented soybean paste, on melanogenesis in B16 murine melanoma cells. The two hydroxydaidzeins reduced melanin synthesis comparably to treatment with kojic acid, a proven whitening agent, in B16 melanoma cells. Furthermore, when in vitro human skin equivalents were treated with the hydroxydaidzeins, the levels of melanogenesis were significantly reduced relative to a kojic acid control.

Glucosylation of the flavonoid, astragalin by Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-512FMCM dextransucrase acceptor reactions and characterization of the products.

Astragalin (kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, Ast) glucosides were synthesized by the acceptor reaction of a dextransucrase produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-512FMCM with astragalin and sucrose. Each glucoside was purified and their structures were assigned as kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-α-D-glucopyranoside (or kaempferol-3-O-β-D-nigeroside, Ast-G1') and kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-α-D-glucopyranoside (or kaempferol-3-O-β-D-isomaltoside, Ast-G1) for one glucose transferred, and kaempferol-3-O-β-D-isomaltooligosacharide (Ast-IMO or Ast-Gn; n=2-8). The astragalin glucosides exhibited 8.

Identification and characterization of the Rhizobium sp. strain GIN611 glycoside oxidoreductase resulting in the deglycosylation of ginsenosides.

Using enrichment culture, Rhizobium sp. strain GIN611 was isolated as having activity for deglycosylation of a ginsenoside, compound K (CK). The purified heterodimeric protein complex from Rhizobium sp.

Activation of LXRα induces lipogenesis in HaCaT cells.

The oxysterol nuclear receptors, LXRα (liver X receptor α; NR1H3) and LXRβ (NR1H2), coordinately regulate the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, anti-inflammation, and cholesterol transport. Previous studies have demonstrated that ligands of LXRα are important in the maintenance of the normal epidermal barrier function and keratinocyte differentiation. In this study, we examined whether LXRα and its ligands regulate lipid synthesis in HaCaT cells, a spontaneously transformed human keratinocyte cell line.

Biflavonoids isolated from Selaginella tamariscina regulate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase in human skin fibroblasts.

The methanol extract from Selaginella tamariscina significantly inhibited UV irradiation induced activity of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in primary fibroblasts from human skin. Using the technique of bioassay-directed chromatographic separation, five biflavonoids were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of S. tamariscina.

Genistein enhances expression of genes involved in fatty acid catabolism through activation of PPARalpha.

Although evidences are emerging that dietary isoflavones have beneficial effects in treatment of hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases, the underlying molecular mechanism has not yet been extensively characterized. In this report, we showed that genistein, one of the major isoflavones, increased expression of genes involved in lipid catabolism such as carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, liver form (CPT1L) in HepG2 cells, when assayed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reactions as well as Western blotting analysis. The increase in mRNA-level of CPT1L after genistein treatment was not changed in the presence of ICI182780, a potent inhibitor of estrogen receptor, suggesting that this effect of genistein was estrogen receptor-independent.