PURPOSE: Since 1980s, human enterovirus-71 virus (HEV-71) is one of the common infectious disease in Asian Pacific region since late 1970s without effective commercial antiviral or protective vaccine is unavailable yet. The work examines the role of vaccine adjuvant particle size and the route of administration on postvaccination antibody response towards HEV-71 vaccine adsorbed to calcium phosphate (CaP) adjuvant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, CaP nano-particles were compared to a commercial micro-size and vaccine alone. Secondly, intradermal reduced dosage was compared to the conventional intramuscular immunization. Killed HEV-71 vaccines adsorbed to CaP nano-size (73 nm) and commercial one of micro-size (1.7 microm) were administered through intradermal, intramuscular, rabbits received vaccine alone and unvaccinated animals. RESULTS: CaP nano-particles adsorbed HEV-71 vaccine displayed higher antibody than the micro-size or unadsorbed vaccine alone, through both parenteral immunization routes. Moreover, the intradermal route (0.5 microg/mL) of 0.1-mL volume per vaccine dose induced equal IgG antibody level to 1.0-mL intramuscular route (0.5 microg/mL). CONCLUSION: The intradermal vaccine adsorbed CaP nano-adjuvant showed safer and significant antibody response after one-tenth reduced dose quantity (0.5 microg/mL) of only 0.1-mL volume as the most suitable protective, cost effective and affordable formulation not only for HEV-71; but also for developing further effective vaccines toward other human pathogens.
Animals ; Antibody Formation* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Calcium* ; Communicable Diseases ; Enterovirus A, Human ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G ; Injections, Intradermal ; Nanoparticles ; Particle Size ; Rabbits ; Vaccines

Background: and Purpose Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the cerebellar hemisphere represents a new option in treating essential tremor (ET) patients. We aimed to determine the efficacy of cerebellar rTMS in treating ET using different protocols regarding the number of sessions, exposure duration, and follow-up duration. Methods: A randomized sham-controlled trial was conducted, in which 45 recruit patients were randomly allocated to 2 groups. The first (active group) comprised 23 patients who were exposed to 12 sessions of active rTMS with 900 pulses of 1-Hz rTMS at 90% of the resting motor threshold daily on each side of the cerebellar hemispheres over 4 weeks. The second group (sham group) comprised 22 patients who were exposed to 12 sessions of sham rTMS. Both groups were reassessed at baseline and after 1 day, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin tremor-rating scale (FTM). Results: Demographic characteristics did no differ between the two groups. There were significant reductions both in FTM subscores A and B and in the FTM total score in the active-rTMS group during the period of assessment and after 3 months (p=0.031 and 0.011, respectively).However, subscore C did not change significantly from baseline when assessed at 2 and 3 months (p=0.073 and 0.236, respectively). Furthermore, the global assessment score was significantly higher in the active-rTMS group (p>0.001). Conclusions Low-frequency rTMS over the cerebellar cortex for 1 month showed relative safety and long-lasting efficacy in patients with ET. Further large-sample clinical trials are needed that include different sites of stimulation and longer follow-ups.

Clinical case studies and reporting are important to the discovery of new disorders and the advancement of medical sciences. Both clinicians and basic scientists play equally important roles leading to treatment discoveries for both cures and symptoms. In the field of movement disorders, exceptional observation of patients from clinicians is imperative, not just for phenomenology but also for the variable occurrences of these disorders, along with other signs and symptoms, throughout the day and the disease course. The Movement Disorders in Asia Task Force (TF) was formed to help enhance and promote collaboration and research on movement disorders within the region. As a start, the TF has reviewed the original studies of the movement disorders that were preliminarily described in the region. These include nine disorders that were first described in Asia: Segawa disease, PARK-Parkin, X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism, dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy, Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome, benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy, Kufor-Rakeb disease, tremulous dystonia associated with mutation of the calmodulin-binding transcription activator 2 gene, and paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia. We hope that the information provided will honor the original researchers and help us learn and understand how earlier neurologists and basic scientists together discovered new disorders and made advances in the field, which impact us all to this day.

Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic mechanism(s) of ethyl acetate extract fraction of Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) leaves on streptozotocin-induced diabetes in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: A total of 24 adult male rats were segregated randomly into four groups (6 rats each group). Streptozotocin-induced diabetes rats were given (oral gavage) ethyl acetate extract fraction of M. oleifera (200 mg/kg b.w.) for 30 d. The rats of control and experimental groups were sacrificed after 24 hours of final dose of treatment, to extract blood and pancreatic tissue for biochemical and histopathological analysis. Results: The ethyl acetate extract fraction of M. oleifera significantly reversed (P<0.05) the manifestation of streptozotocin on the levels of serum glucose & insulin, lipid profile, hepatic damage markers (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase), malondialdehyde formation, antioxidants (glutathione, Vitamin C & Vitamin E), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 β , TNF- α & IL-6). Histopathological analysis of pancreatic tissues was in concurrence with the biochemical results. Conclusions: These findings support that M. oleifera leaves have potent therapeutic effect on diabetes mellitus via increasing antioxidant levels and inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators.