Increased humoral antibody response of foot-and-mouth disease virus vaccine in growing pigs pre-treated with poly-γ-glutamic acid

This study was conducted to determine if humoral antibody response of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine improved in 8-week-old growing pigs born to well-vaccinated sows pre-treated with 60 mg of poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) three days before vaccination. Antibody against FMD virus serotype O was measured 0, 2, 4 and 6 weeks post-vaccination, using a PrioCHECK FMDV type O ELISA kit. The results showed that positive antibody reactions against FMDV serotype O antigen among a component of the vaccine significantly increased in response to pre-injection with γ-PGA.

Control of Inflammatory Responses: a New Paradigm for the Treatment of Chronic Neuronal Diseases

The term 'inflammation' was first introduced by Celsus almost 2000 years ago. Biological and medical researchers have shown increasing interest in inflammation over the past few decades, in part due to the emerging burden of chronic and degenerative diseases resulting from the increased longevity that has arisen thanks to modern medicine. Inflammation is believed to play critical roles in the pathogenesis of degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Accordingly, researchers have sought to combat such diseases by controlling inflammatory responses. In this review, we describe the endogenous inflammatory stimulators and signaling pathways in the brain. In particular, our group has focused on the JAK-STAT pathway, identifying anti-inflammatory targets and testing the effects of various anti-inflammatory drugs. This work has shown that the JAK-STAT pathway and its downstream are negatively regulated by phosphatases (SHP2 and MKP-1), inhibitory proteins (SOCS1 and SOCS3) and a nuclear receptor (LXR). These negative regulators are controlled at various levels (e.g. transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational). Future study of these proteins could facilitate the manipulation of the inflammatory response, which plays ubiquitous, diverse and ambivalent roles under physiological and pathological conditions.

Myasthenia Gravis with Hyperthyroidism and Thymic Hyperplasia

This is the first case report of myasthenia gravis with cosxisting hyperthyroidism and thymic hyperplasia in Korea. Thirty two year-old man visited in the clinic with exthophalmos, ptosis, dysarthria and dysphagia. Serum anti-acetylcholine receptor and anti-microsomal antibodies was increased significantly. The chest CT showed a large soft tissue mass at the anterior mediastinum. The anti-thyroid drug, glucocorticoid, cholinesterase inhibitor and intravenous immunoglobulin was given as a treatment. After thyroid function is normalized, thymectomy will be done.

A Case of Leiomyoblastoma / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Leiomyoblastoma is uncommon and has been known as a neoplasm of smooth muscle origin. However, with recent pragress in immunohistochemical staining techniques, many clinicopathological discrepancies have been pointed out about the origin of leiomyoblastoma. We present here a case of gastric leiomyoblastoma did not expressed desmin and neuron specific enolase, and was thought to be of unknown derivation.

A Case of Leiomyoblastoma / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Leiomyoblastoma is uncommon and has been known as a neoplasm of smooth muscle origin. However, with recent pragress in immunohistochemical staining techniques, many clinicopathological discrepancies have been pointed out about the origin of leiomyoblastoma. We present here a case of gastric leiomyoblastoma did not expressed desmin and neuron specific enolase, and was thought to be of unknown derivation.