Development of digital mirror therapy for stroke-severe patients.

Mirror therapy (MT), which is used in the existing stroke rehabilitation environment, has significant limitations for use with severe stroke patients. Since mirrors only reflect symmetrical movement, allowing a patient to observe precise asymmetrical movement is impossible. This study proposes a new MT system by developing a pyramid hologram technology that uses delayed motion to create realistic images. Significant differences, observed via electroencephalogram, were shown in all motor cortex channels immediately after the event in the delayed condition when compared to before the event (C3: p < 0.001; Cz: p < 0.001, C4: p < 0.001). The illusion of asymmetrical movement using the proposed system can be applied to severe stroke patients to increase the positive outcome of rehabilitation.

In vivo assessment of the effect of taxifolin glycoside on atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions using biomedical tools in NC/Nga mice.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive methods of assessment are widely used in clinical trials. However, such methods have not been established in atopic dermatitis (AD), which is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. AIM: To demonstrate, using biomedical tools, the benefits of a new substance, taxifolin glycoside (TAX), in an AD model, the NC/Nga mouse. METHODS: We evaluated the efficacy of topical TAX for AD by measuring clinical skin severity score, cytokine expression and serum IgE level, and by using biomedical measures (vapometry and corneometry). Topical TAX was applied to AD-induced NC/Nga mice for 3 weeks. The anti-inflammatory effects of this compound were demonstrated noninvasively using biomedical tools and immunological assays. RESULTS: Our method of AD assessment using biomedical tools is more objective and accurate than visual inspection. The results obtained using the biomedical tools were identical to those obtained using immunological assays. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo biomedical tools are useful for diagnosing and monitoring treatment effects in AD.

Bovine epizootic encephalomyelitis caused by Akabane virus infection in Korea.

A large-scale epidemic of Akabane virus (AKAV) encephalomyelitis in cattle aged 4-72 months occurred in the southern part of Korea from late summer to late autumn in 2010. Affected cattle exhibited neurological signs including locomotor ataxia, astasia, tremor and hypersensitivity. Samples of brain (n = 116), spinal cord (n = 116) and whole blood (n = 205) were submitted to the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service for diagnosis. Microscopical analysis of the brains and spinal cords revealed the presence of non-suppurative encephalomyelitis in 99 of 116 brains and/or spinal cords (85%). The brains and spinal cords were evaluated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and AKAV antigens were detected by immunohistochemistry using rabbit antiserum against AKAV strain OBE-1. Fifteen AKAVs were isolated from the brain and spinal cord samples. Antibodies against AKAV in a virus neutralization test were detected in 188 of 205 serum samples (91.7%). This is the first report of a large-scale outbreak of bovine epidemic encephalomyelitis caused by AKAV infection in Korea.

Molecular characterization of chicken infectious anemia viruses detected from breeder and broiler chickens in South Korea.

In South Korea, 32 sequences of chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) from various flocks of breeder and commercial chickens were genetically characterized for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis of the viral protein 1 gene, including a hypervariable region of the CIAV genome, indicated that Korean CIAV strains were separated into groups II, IIIa, and IIIb. Strains were commonly identified in great-grandparent and grandparent breeder farms as well as commercial chicken farms. In the field, CIAV strains from breeder farms had no clinical effects, but commercial farm strains were associated with depression, growth retardation, and anemia regardless of the group from which the strain originated. In addition, we identified 7 CIAV genomes that were similar to vaccine strains from vaccinated and unvaccinated breeder flocks. These data suggest that further studies on pathogenicity and vaccine efficacy against the different CIAV group are needed, along with continuous CIAV surveillance and genetic analysis at breeder farms.

Genetic characteristics of virion protein 2 genes of infectious bursal disease viruses isolated from commercial chickens with clinical disease in South Korea.

We examined the molecular identification of 13 infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) strains isolated in Korea from January 2009 to January 2010. Sequence analysis of the variable virion protein 2 gene suggested that 3 of the isolates were very virulent IBDV, 8 of the isolates were classical virulent IBDV, 1 of the isolates was antigenic variant IBDV, and 1 of the isolates was intermediate plus vaccine strain. However, the clinical effects were evident for these strains regardless of classification because each chick flock was raised in various field situations with a different vaccine program and complications by other viruses or bacteria. Therefore, our observations revealed that IBDV strains of 4 genotypes, including vaccine strain, were recently present in South Korea and that the IBDV strains need to be discriminated using genetic characterization of virion protein 2 gene for efficient diagnosis and disease control.

Degradation of malic acid in wine by immobilized Issatchenkia orientalis cells with oriental oak charcoal and alginate.

AIMS: To test degradation of malic acid content in wine by immobilized Issatchenkia orientalis KMBL 5774 cells recently isolated from Korean wine pomace as a malic acid-degrading yeast. METHODS AND RESULTS: I. orientalis KMBL 5774 cells were immobilized using a mixture of oriental oak (Quercus variabilis) charcoal with sodium alginate. When the immobilized yeast cells were observed on a scanning electron microscope, cells were efficiently immobilized on the surface area of the charcoal. A Korean wine containing a high level of malic acid was treated with the immobilized yeast cells. The HPLC analysis of the malic acid content in the treated wine showed the malic acid content was reduced to 0.75 mg ml(-1) after treatment from the original content of 8.96 mg ml(-1), representing 91.6% of the malic acid was degraded during the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The immobilization of the malic acid-degrading yeasts with oriental oak charcoal and sodium alginate is useful for degradation of malic acid in wines containing a high level of malic acid with no significant increase in other acids. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Malic acid is sometimes detrimental to the quality of wines when present at high concentrations in some varieties. The immobilized I. orientalis KMBL5774 cells appear to be a promising candidate in view of developing biotechnological methods for reduction of malic acid contents in wine.

Feed contaminated with classical swine fever vaccine virus (LOM strain) can induce antibodies to the virus in pigs.

In November 2004, antibodies to classical swine fever virus (csfv) were detected in finishing pigs during the annual serological surveillance in Jeju Province, Korea. In addition, csf vaccine viruses (lom strain) had recently been isolated from pigs raised on farms known to have csfv antibody-positive pigs. In contrast with mainland Korea, Jeju Province had been csf free and its pigs had not been vaccinated against csf for more than five years. An epidemiological investigation team from the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service investigated the current status of csf prevention on the Korean mainland and in Jeju Province to determine possible routes of introduction of the virus into the province. It was concluded that improperly processed blood meals, manufactured on mainland Korea, had been contaminated with the csf vaccine lom strain, and that the lom strain had been transmitted to pigs fed feed or feedstuffs containing the contaminated meal.

Lipocortin-1 inhibits proliferation of cultured human mesangial cells.

Lipocortin-1, a 37-kDa member of the annexin family of proteins, originally evoked interest as one of the second messengers for the anti-inflammatory actions of glucocorticoids. Studies showed that glucocorticoids inhibited the proliferation of various cell types and lipocortin-1 mediated growth inhibition of glucocorticoids in a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. The presence of specific lipocortin-1-binding sites (receptor-like molecules) on monocytic cells has been demonstrated. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of hydrocortisone and recombinant human lipocortin-1 on cultured human mesangial cells (CHMC), and the effects of anti-lipocortin-1 antibody on the hydrocortisone-induced inhibition of CHMC proliferation. The existence of specific binding sites for lipocortin-1 was also investigated. Lipocortin-1 inhibited CHMC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner as determined by [3H]thymidine uptake and cell count. Growth of CHMC was inhibited to 18% of the control in the presence of 5 micrograms/ml of lipocortin-1. Similar growth-inhibitory activity by lipocortin-1 was observed in CHMC activated by platelet-derived growth factor. Hydrocortisone also inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. One to 5,000 dilution of anti-lipocortin-1 antibody reversed hydrocortisone-induced inhibition of CHMC proliferation partially, whereas concentrations over 1:1,000 reversed the inhibition completely. Flow cytometry analysis as well as indirect immunofluorescent microscopy revealed specific binding sites on the surface of CHMC. These results support the hypothesis that corticosteroids act by inducing CHMC to synthesize or secrete lipocortin-1, and that lipocortin-1 generates proliferation-suppressive signal(s) through specific binding sites on CHMC.