Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis: clinical characteristics and factors associated with outcomes.

Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis is autoimmune encephalitis without any identifiable pathogenic antibody. Although it is a major subtype of autoimmune encephalitis, many unmet clinical needs exist in terms of clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis. In this institutional cohort study, patients diagnosed with seronegative autoimmune encephalitis with available 2-year outcomes were analysed for the disease course, 2-year outcome prediction system, effect of immunotherapy, necessity of further immunotherapy at 6 or 12 months and pattern of brain atrophy.

Role of Luteolin-Induced Apoptosis and Autophagy in Human Glioblastoma Cell Lines.

Malignant glioblastoma (GBM) is caused by abnormal proliferation of glial cells, which are found in the brain. The therapeutic effects of surgical treatment, radiation therapy, and chemo-therapy against GBM are relatively poor compared with their effects against other tumors. Luteolin is abundant in peanut shells and is also found in herbs and other plants, such as thyme, green pepper, and celery.

Portal Connecting Dark Photons and Axions.

The dark photon and the axion (or axionlike particle) are popular light particles of the hidden sector. Each of them has been actively searched for through the couplings called the vector portal and the axion portal. We introduce a new portal connecting the dark photon and the axion (axion-photon-dark photon, axion-dark photon-dark photon), which emerges in the presence of the two particles.

Effects of the Cynanchum wilfordii Ethanol Extract on the Serum Lipid Profile in Hypercholesterolemic Rats.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the ethanol extract of Cynanchum wilfordii (ECW) on the blood lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic rats. Thirty 7-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were allowed free access to either a normal diet (AIN-93 diet), or 1% high-cholesterol diet with or without 0.5% or 1% ECW for 5 weeks.

Effect of simultaneous therapy of arthrocentesis and occlusal splints on temporomandibular disorders: anterior disc displacement without reduction.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the effect of simultaneous application of arthrocentesis and occlusal splint.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study of 43 patients (3 males, 40 females) whose symptoms had improved was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital between 2008 and 2010. Subjects were divided into three groups: Group A (17 patients with arthrocentesis and occlusal splints simultaneously applied), Group B (13 patients whose symptoms did not improve with occlusal splints, undergoing arthrocentesis after occlusal splint use for 8 weeks), and Group C (13 patients that only used occlusal splints).

Fourth generation parity.

We present a very simple fourth generation (4G) model with an abelian gauge interaction under which only the 4G fermions have nonzero charge. The U(1) gauge symmetry can have a Z2 residual discrete symmetry (4G parity), which can stabilize the lightest 4G particle (L4P). When the 4G neutrino is the L4P, it would be a neutral and stable particle and the other 4G fermions would decay into the L4P, leaving the trace of missing energy plus the standard model fermions.

Importance of membrane selection in the development of immunochromatographic assays for low-molecular weight compounds.

This study was performed to demonstrate the importance of selecting an appropriate membrane when developing immunochromatographic assays (ICAs) for the sensitive detection of low-molecular weight compounds. Based on our findings, we propose a theoretical basis for selecting such a membrane. When eluting the sample solution for the competitive ICA using colloidal gold label for low-molecular analytes, the degree of binding inhibition is proportional to the collision frequency between the antibody-colloidal gold (Ab-CG) and analyte before Ab-CG binding to the capture antigen and a higher concentration of pesticides around the Ab-CG leads to a greater degree of inhibition.

Muon anomaly and dark parity violation.

The muon anomalous magnetic moment exhibits a 3.6σ discrepancy between experiment and theory. One explanation requires the existence of a light vector boson, Z(d) (the dark Z), with mass 10-500 MeV that couples weakly to the electromagnetic current through kinetic mixing.

Competitive immunochromatographic assay for the detection of the organophosphorus pesticide chlorpyrifos.

An immunochromatographic assay (ICA) based on competitive antigen-coated format using colloidal gold as the label was developed for the detection of the organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos. The ICA test strip consisted of a membrane with a detection zone, a sample pad and an absorbent pad. The membrane was separately coated with chlorpyrifos Hapten-OVA conjugate (test line) and anti-mouse IgG (control line).

Monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the organophosphorus insecticide O-ethyl O-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate (EPN).

This study aimed at developing competitive direct and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the organophosphorus insecticide O-ethyl O-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate (EPN) using a monoclonal antibody (mAb). Of the five EPN derivatives (haptens) prepared for use as an immunogen or as a competitor, two of them were used as the immunogen for the production of the mAbs. By using the antibody with the highest specificity and a coating antigen (hapten-OVA conjugate), a competitive indirect ELISA was developed, which showed an IC(50) of 2.

Six-lepton Z' resonance at the Large Hadron Collider.

New physics models admit the interesting possibility of a Z' weak boson associated with an extra U(1) gauge symmetry and a Higgs boson that is heavy enough to decay into a pair of Z bosons. Then Z' production and decay via Z' --> ZH --> ZZZ has a distinctive LHC signal that is nearly background-free and reconstructs the H and Z' masses and widths. The Z' decay to 3 pairs of leptons is especially distinctive.

Development of ELISAs for the class-specific determination of organophosphorus pesticides.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the class-specific determination of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides were developed from monoclonal antibodies raised against haptens with the functional group common to OP pesticides. To develop antigen-coated, indirect, competitive ELISAs, four haptens with different spacer arm structures were used to prepare antibodies, while eight haptens were tested for use as coating antigens. A total of 32 ELISAs were developed with one selected as the most suitable one based on average IC(50) and % CV values.

Glycosaminoglycan degradation-inhibitory lactic acid bacteria ameliorate 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis in mice.

To evaluate the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), we measured the inhibitory effect of several LAB isolated from intestinal microflora and commercial probiotics against the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) degradation by intestinal bacteria. Bifidobacterium longum HY8004 and Lactobacillus plantarum AK8-4 exhibited the most potent inhibition. These LAB inhibited colon shortening and myeloperoxidase production in 2,4,6- trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced experimental colitic mice.

The degradation of glycosaminoglycans by intestinal microflora deteriorates colitis in mice.

The biosynthesis and modification of mucopolysaccharides and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), secreted from gastrointestinal mucosal cells, are increased in colitis and influence the viability of the defense barrier. Therefore, to evaluate the role of GAG-degrading intestinal microflora during the progression of colitis, we investigated the degradation activity of intestinal bacterial GAG, cytotoxicity of GAGs and their metabolites, such as iduronic acid, D: -uronic acid or D: -glucuronic acid and D: -galactosamine or D: -glucosamine, against intestinal cells. We also tested their deteriorative effects against colitis.

Development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the organophosphorus insecticide EPN.

Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) in indirect and direct format were developed for the quantitative detection of the organophosphorus insecticide EPN. Five EPN derivatives (haptens) were synthesized and coupled to carrier proteins to use as an immunogen or as a competitor. Rabbits were immunized with two of the five haptens coupled to KLH for production of polyclonal antibodies, and the sera were screened against one of the haptens coupled to ovalbumin (OVA).

Lactobacillus suntoryeus inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and TLR-4-linked NF-kappaB activation in experimental colitis.

Objective: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can improve disturbances of indigenous microflora as well as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. We examined the anticolitic effect of Lactobacillus suntoryeus HY7801, which inhibited toll-like receptor (TLR)-4-linked NF-kappaB activation in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitic mice.

Materials And Methods: We measured the ability of commercial and intestinal LAB to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated, TLR-4-linked NF-kappaB activation in HEK cells, as well as to inhibit colitis outcomes in TNBS-induced colitic mice.

Lactic acid bacteria inhibit proinflammatory cytokine expression and bacterial glycosaminoglycan degradation activity in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitic mice.

To evaluate the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), inhibitory effect of several LAB isolated from intestinal microflora and commercial probiotics against NO production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells was measured and anti-inflammatory effect of NO production-inhibitory LAB, Lactobacillus plantarum HY115 and L. brevis HY7401, in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitic mice was investigated.

[Associations of non alcoholic fatty liver with the metabolic syndrome and serum carotenoids].

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the associations of non alcoholic fatty liver with metabolic syndrome and the serum carotenoids.

Methods: This study was conducted in a general hospital in South Korea from November, 2004 to August, 2005. The study subjects were 350 sampled persons who were aged from 40 years and older (males: 180, females: 170).

Effects of soybean isoflavone extract on the plasma lipid profiles and antioxidant enzyme activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The present study evaluated the effects of various dosages of soybean isoflavone extract on lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The one normal control group was fed an AIN-76-based experimental diet and four diabetic groups were fed the same diet, supplemented with four different levels of soybean isoflavone extract for seven weeks. The daily dosages of pure isoflavone for four diabetic groups were set to be 0 mg (diabetic control), 0.

Ethanol extract of fermented soybean, Chungkookjang, inhibits the apoptosis of mouse spleen, and thymus cells.

Apoptosis is a step of the cell cycle which is important in the regulation of immune cell populations. Chungkookjang is a Korean traditional fermented soybean containing microorganisms, enzymes, and bioactive compounds which was used in the treatment of mouse spleen as well as thymus cells (CH1-fermented soybean containing barley, wormwood, and sea tangle; CH2-fermented soybean) and was found to exhibit substantially reduced small DNA fragmentation. An MTT assay showed that the treatment of CH1 and CH2 into the mouse splenocytes and thymocytes sharply increased their survival.

Cholinesterase-based dipstick assay for the detection of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides.

A cholinesterase (ChE)-based dipstick-type assay for the class-specific detection of organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CM) pesticides was developed. The principle of the assay is based on inhibition of the activity of a ChE by these two families of pesticides, which is dependent on the concentration of pesticides. The proposed assay system is composed of a test strip with an acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-coated membrane and an enzyme substrate solution.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the insecticide fenitrothion. Influence of hapten conformation and sample matrix on assay performance.

This study aimed at developing competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the organophosphorus (OP) insecticide fenitrothion using a monoclonal antibody. The hapten used to obtain the antibody had an ideal structural feature that allowed minimal functional group sacrifice. By using the antibody and a coating antigen, a competitive indirect ELISA was developed, which showed an IC50 of 14 ng mL(-1) with a detection limit of 3.

Soybean isoflavone extract improves glucose tolerance and raises the survival rate in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The present study evaluated the effect of various dosages of soybean isoflavone extract on body weight changes, glucose tolerance and liver function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. One group of normal rats (normal control) was fed an AIN-76-based experimental diet and four groups of diabetic rats were fed the same diet supplemented with four different levels of soybean isoflavone extract for seven weeks. The daily dosages of pure isoflavone for four diabetic groups were set to be 0 mg (diabetic control), 0.

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the organophosphorus insecticide bromophos-ethyl.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the quantitative detection of the organophosphorus insecticide bromophos-ethyl. Four bromophos-ethyl derivatives (haptens) were synthesized and were coupled to carrier proteins through the pesticide thiophosphate group to use as an immunogen or as a coating antigen. Rabbits were immunized with either one of two haptens coupled to bovine serum albumin for production of polyclonal antibodies, and the sera were screened against one of the haptens coupled to ovalbumin.