INTRODUCTION Hemifacial spasm (HFS) may be due to peripheral axon ephapsis or central motor neuron hyperexcitability. Low facial motor evoked potential (MEP) thresholds or MEP responses to single pulse stimulation (normally multipulse stimulation is needed) may support the central hypothesis. METHODS We retrospectively compared response thresholds for facial MEPs in 65 patients undergoing sur...

We used an in vitro opsonophagocytic killing assay to measure the functional activity of antibody directed at the mucoid exopolysaccharide (MEP) antigen expressed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. Rabbit antibodies raised to purified MEP were able to mediate phagocytic killing in the presence of human peripheral blood leukocytes and a low level (final con...

A rapid cascade of regulatory events defines the developmental fates of embryonic cells. However, once established, these developmental fates and the underlying transcriptional programs can be remarkably stable. Here, we describe two proteins, MEP-1 and LET-418/Mi-2, required for maintenance of somatic differentiation in C. elegans. In animals lacking MEP-1 and LET-418, germline-specific genes ...

We successfully immobilized metalloporphyrins (MeP) in mesoporous silica coating magnetite spheres. In this sense, we prepared two different classes of core@shell supports, which comprise aligned (Fe3O4-AM-MeP, MeP=FeP or MnP) and non-aligned (Fe3O4-NM-MeP, MeP=FeP or MnP) mesoporous magnetic structures. X-ray diffractometry and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the mesoporous natu...

Hyperostosis of the sphenoid ridge or convexity of the skull associated with meningioma en plaque (MEP) is often confused with other hyperostosing conditions, such as fibrous dysplasia or osteoma. The authors present nine cases, six of them proven, of hyperostosing MEP with specific attention to the CT features. All nine cases had one or more CT features that were characteristic or suggestive o...

While evoked potentials are sensitive tools for diagnosing multiple sclerosis, little is known about their prognostic value and their role in determining the course of the disease. To validate the visual and motor evoked potentials (VEP and MEP) as measures for the course of multiple sclerosis, we examined prospectively 30 patients with relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive multiple scle...

Isoprenoids, also known as terpenoids, are biosynthesized by the condensation of the two C5 unit isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and isomer dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). Generally, plants use two separate pathways plastidial Methyl-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) and cytosolic acetate-mevalonate (MVA) pathways for formation of IPP. The genes, enzymes and intermediates of the MEP pathway have be...

Bacteria, plants, and algae produce isoprenoids through the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, an attractive pathway for antimicrobial drug development as it is present in prokaryotes and some lower eukaryotes but absent from human cells. The first committed step of the MEP pathway is catalyzed by 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR/MEP synthase). MEP pathway genes have ...

Identifying the presence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) within individual polymer types prior to extrusion has given us a unique perspective on which polymers may be problematic in meeting European Union (EU) low persistent organic pollutant (POP) content limits (LPCLs) and potential for mixed engineering plastics (MEP) used as viable recycled product. Our findings suggest that careful m...

A number of large studies have reported that environmental pollutants from fossil fuel combustion can cause deleterious effects to the immune system, resulting in an allergic reaction leading to respiratory tract damage. In this study, we investigated the effect of motorcycle exhaust particles (MEP), a major pollutant in the Taiwan urban area, on airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsivene...