Repetitive Nerve Stimulation and Single Fiber EIectromyography Tests for Myasthenia Gravis

Sometimes it is not easy to make a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG) when the ocular symptoms are the only clinical manifestations. The authors performed this study to understand the significance or the indication of repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) and single fiber electromyography (SFEMG) tests in various stages of MG. The subjects consisted of 15 ocular, 12 generalized, 4 remitted MG, and 5 other neurologic diseases which mimicked it.Positive RNS and SFEMG results were found in 53.3%, 86.7% of ocular type, in 0.0%, 75.0% of remitted type, in 75.0%, 91.7% of generalized type of MG and in 0.0%, 60.0% of other neurologic disease, respectively. When we analysed the results in 15 ocular MG and in 5 non-MG groups, the RNS tests had low sensitivity (53.3%) and high specificity (100%) as they were positive in 8 of 15 ocular MG, and negative in all of 5 non-MG group. Whereas the SFEMG had high sensitivity (86. 7%) and low specificity (40.0%) as it was positive in 13 of 15 ocular MG, and negative in 2 of 5 non-MG group.Therefore it would be concluded that the SFEMG test was much more sensitive than the RNS for the diagnosis of MG, but would not differentiate ocular MG from other neurologic diseases whose clinical features mimicked it. On the other hand, the diagnosis of MG would be promising by a positive RNS test as its specificity was very high

(E)-4-{[(Pyridin-4-yl­methyl­idene)amino]­meth­yl}benzoic acid

The title mol­ecule, C14H12N2O2, exhibits a V-shaped conformation with a dihedral angle of 59.69 (3)° between the benzene and pyridine rings. In the crystal, O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into zigzag chains along [010]

Optimum dynamic characteristic control approach for building mass damper design

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142538/1/eqe2995.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142538/2/eqe2995_am.pd

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis induced by manganese trigger α-synuclein accumulation

Purpose: To explore whether α-synuclein aggregation is linked to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis induced by manganese (Mn) on CATH.a dopaminergic cell lines.Methods: Western blot analysis for the expression of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (p-eIF-2α), eIF2α, inositol requiring enzyme 1(IRE-1α), cleaved caspase-3, and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) was performed, including overexpression of recombinant adenovirus-mediated α-synuclein on CATH.a dopaminergic cell line.Results: It was observed that cell viability (p < 0.05) was significantly reduced by 250 μM exposed for 3h and 1,000 μM of MnCl2 exposed for 24 h. The expression of p-elF-2α, IRE-1α, and GRP78 was especially induced by 1,000 μM of MnCl2 exposed at 3, 6, and 12 h, respectively (p < 0.05). Twenty four-hour exposure of 250 uM of MnCl2 and the 3 h exposure of 1,000 uM of MnCl2 significantly induced CHOP, active caspase 3 and α-synuclein expression (p < 0.05). α-Synuclein combined with recombinant adenoviral transduction increased GRP78, IRE-1α and eIF2a, CHOP and caspase 3 expression at longer times and at higher concentrations of manganese exposure on CATH.a dopaminergic cells.Conclusion: Based on these findings, Mn is a risk factor for diseases associated with α-synuclein accumulation. Furthermore, α-synuclein accumulation is associated with apoptosis via ER stress induced by Mn.Keywords: Manganese (Mn), α- Synuclein, Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Apoptosi

Immunity to self co-generates regulatory T cells

Immune responses to self are kept in check by tolerance mechanisms, including suppression by regulatory T cells (Tregs). The defective generation of Tregs specific for self-antigens may lead to autoimmune disease. We identified a novel population of human CD4^+^ Tregs, characterized by high surface expression of CD52, which is co-generated in response to autoantigen. Blood CD4^+^CD52^hi^ T cells were generated preferentially in response to low-dose autoantigen and suppressed proliferation and interferon-[gamma] production by other T cells. Depletion of resting CD4^+^CD52^hi^ T cells enhanced the T-cell response to autoantigen. CD4^+^CD52^hi^ Tregs were neither derived from nor distinguished by markers of conventional resting CD4^+^CD25^+^ Tregs. In response to the pancreatic islet autoantigens glutamic acid decarboxylase, the generation of CD4^+^CD52^hi^ Tregs was impaired in individuals with and at-risk for type 1 diabetes, compared to healthy controls and individuals with type 2 diabetes. CD4^+^CD52^hi^ Tregs co-generated to self-antigen may therefore contribute to immune homeostasis and protect against autoimmune disease

Tailoring excitonic states of van der Waals bilayers through stacking configuration, band alignment and valley-spin

Excitons in monolayer semiconductors have large optical transition dipole for strong coupling with light field. Interlayer excitons in heterobilayers, with layer separation of electron and hole components, feature large electric dipole that enables strong coupling with electric field and exciton-exciton interaction, at the cost that the optical dipole is substantially quenched (by several orders of magnitude). In this letter, we demonstrate the ability to create a new class of excitons in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) hetero- and homo-bilayers that combines the advantages of monolayer- and interlayer-excitons, i.e. featuring both large optical dipole and large electric dipole. These excitons consist of an electron that is well confined in an individual layer, and a hole that is well extended in both layers, realized here through the carrier-species specific layer-hybridization controlled through the interplay of rotational, translational, band offset, and valley-spin degrees of freedom. We observe different species of such layer-hybridized valley excitons in different heterobilayer and homobilayer systems, which can be utilized for realizing strongly interacting excitonic/polaritonic gases, as well as optical quantum coherent controls of bidirectional interlayer carrier transfer either with upper conversion or down conversion in energy