A borrowed life: Introduction to the great dis-equalizer—the covid-19 crisis

© 2021 by the author(s). Introduction to the curated issue of PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies, The Great Dis-Equalizer: The COVID-19 Crisis

Neural Potential of a Stem Cell Population in the Hair Follicle

The bulge region of the hair follicle serves as a repository for epithelial stem cells that can regenerate the follicle in each hair growth cycle and contribute to epidermis regeneration upon injury. Here we describe a population of multipotential stem cells in the hair follicle bulge region; these cells can be identified by fluorescence in transgenic nestin-GFP mice. The morphological features of these cells suggest that they maintain close associations with each other and with the surrounding niche. Upon explantation, these cells can give rise to neurosphere-like structures in vitro. When these cells are permitted to differentiate, they produce several cell types, including cells with neuronal, astrocytic, oligodendrocytic, smooth muscle, adipocytic, and other phenotypes. Furthermore, upon implantation into the developing nervous system of chick, these cells generate neuronal cells in vivo. We used transcriptional profiling to assess the relationship between these cells and embryonic and postnatal neural stem cells and to compare them with other stem cell populations of the bulge. Our results show that nestin-expressing cells in the bulge region of the hair follicle have stem cell-like properties, are multipotent, and can effectively generate cells of neural lineage in vitro and in vivo

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy identifies neural progenitor cells in the live human brain

The identification of neural stem and progenitor cells (NPCs) by in vivo brain imaging could have important implications for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic purposes. We describe a metabolic biomarker for the detection and quantification of NPCs in the human brain in vivo. We used proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to identify and characterize a biomarker in which NPCs are enriched and demonstrated its use as a reference for monitoring neurogenesis. To detect low concentrations of NPCs in vivo, we developed a signal processing method that enabled the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the analysis of the NPC biomarker in both the rodent brain and the hippocampus of live humans. Our findings thus open the possibility of investigating the role of NPCs and neurogenesis in a wide variety of human brain disorders

Prevalence and characteristics of progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease in a prospective registry

Rationale Progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (PF-ILD) is characterized by progressive physiologic, symptomatic, and/or radiographic worsening. The real-world prevalence and characteristics of PF-ILD remain uncertain. Methods Patients were enrolled from the Canadian Registry for Pulmonary Fibrosis between 2015-2020. PF-ILD was defined as a relative forced vital capacity (FVC) decline ≥10%, death, lung transplantation, or any 2 of: relative FVC decline ≥5 and <10%, worsening respiratory symptoms, or worsening fibrosis on computed tomography of the chest, all within 24 months of diagnosis. Time-to-event analysis compared progression between key diagnostic subgroups. Characteristics associated with progression were determined by multivariable regression. Results Of 2,746 patients with fibrotic ILD (mean age 65±12 years, 51% female), 1,376 (50%) met PFILD criteria in the first 24 months of follow-up. PF-ILD occurred in 427 (59%) patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), 125 (58%) with fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), 281 (51%) with unclassifiable ILD (U-ILD), and 402 (45%) with connective tissue diseaseassociated ILD (CTD-ILD). Compared to IPF, time to progression was similar in patients with HP (hazard ratio [HR] 0.96, 95% confidence interval, CI 0.79-1.17), but was delayed in patients with U-ILD (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71-0.96) and CTD-ILD (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.56-0.74). Background treatment varied across diagnostic subtypes with 66% of IPF patients receiving antifibrotic therapy, while immunomodulatory therapy was utilized in 49%, 61%, and 37% of patients with CHP, CTD-ILD, and U-ILD respectively. Increasing age, male sex, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and lower baseline pulmonary function were independently associated with progression. Interpretation Progression is common in patients with fibrotic ILD, and is similarly prevalent in HP and IPF. Routinely collected variables help identify patients at risk for progression and may guide therapeutic strategie

Serious Games for First Responders

In this chapter, serious games for fire and rescue services and medical personnel are investigated. Command training and joint training are considered for the value it can provide in all first responder services learning to work together

Developmental Expression of Kv Potassium Channels at the Axon Initial Segment of Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

Axonal outgrowth and the formation of the axon initial segment (AIS) are early events in the acquisition of neuronal polarity. The AIS is characterized by a high concentration of voltage-dependent sodium and potassium channels. However, the specific ion channel subunits present and their precise localization in this axonal subdomain vary both during development and among the types of neurons, probably determining their firing characteristics in response to stimulation. Here, we characterize the developmental expression of different subfamilies of voltage-gated potassium channels in the AISs of cultured mouse hippocampal neurons, including subunits Kv1.2, Kv2.2 and Kv7.2. In contrast to the early appearance of voltage-gated sodium channels and the Kv7.2 subunit at the AIS, Kv1.2 and Kv2.2 subunits were tethered at the AIS only after 10 days in vitro. Interestingly, we observed different patterns of Kv1.2 and Kv2.2 subunit expression, with each confined to distinct neuronal populations. The accumulation of Kv1.2 and Kv2.2 subunits at the AIS was dependent on ankyrin G tethering, it was not affected by disruption of the actin cytoskeleton and it was resistant to detergent extraction, as described previously for other AIS proteins. This distribution of potassium channels in the AIS further emphasizes the heterogeneity of this structure in different neuronal populations, as proposed previously, and suggests corresponding differences in action potential regulation

Proton NMR characterization of intact primary and metastatic melanoma cells in 2D & 3D cultures

Abstract Objective To characterize the differences between the primary and metastatic melanoma cell lines grown in 2D cultures and 3D cultures. Methods Primary melanoma cells (WM115) and metastatic melanoma cells (WM266) extracted from a single donor was cultured in 2D as well as 3D cultures. These cells were characterized using proton NMR spectrometry, and the qualitative chemical shifts markers were identified and discussed. Results In monolayer culture (2D), we observed one qualitative chemical shift marker for primary melanoma cells. In spheroid cultures (3D), we observed nine significant chemical shifts, of which eight markers were specific for primary melanoma spheroids, whereas the other one marker was specific to metastatic melanoma spheroids. This study suggests that the glucose accumulation and phospholipid composition vary significantly between the primary and metastatic cells lines that are obtained from a single donor and also with the cell culturing methods. 14 qualitative chemical shift markers were obtained in the comparison between monolayer culture and spheroids cultures irrespective of the differences in the cell lines. Among which 4 were unique to monolayer cultures whereas 10 chemical shifts were unique to the spheroid cultures. This study also shows that the method of cell culture would drastically affect the phospholipid composition of the cells and also depicts that the cells in spheroid culture closely resembles the cells in vivo. Conclusion This study shows the high specificity of proton NMR spectrometry in characterizing cancer cell lines and also shows the variations in the glucose accumulation and phospholipid composition between the primary and metastatic melanoma cell lines from the same donor. Differences in the cell culture method does plays an important role in phospholipid composition of the cells

Emotional scapes in Mediterranean port cities: Walking Barcelona, Marseille and Genova

Mediterranean port cities share a number of trajectories that reveal their constitutive interconnectedness. Among the more recent is the process of urban regeneration that many of these cities have undergone over the last two decades. Several studies have analysed the implications of urban renewal from a socio-economic and urban planning perspective. However, the intersection between diverse urban restructuring processes and the emotions that crisscross these cities is still largely underexplored. This article aims to begin filling this gap by identifying possible emotional responses that mirror local concerns in three port cities located on the northern shores of the Mediterranean. More specifically, the article investigates Barcelona in light of the hope that emerges when a city is in crisis, Marseille and the nostalgia that is mobilised to reimagine the city’s national consciousness and Genova with regard to an uncanny feeling when more-than-human balances are altered. Drawing from different disciplines, including ethnography, media, archival and literary analysis, this article argues that emotional trajectories are significant aspects to consider in the urban renewal processes of distinctive spaces like port cities because they allow us to comprehend some of the local reactions to urban transformations and gentrification that go beyond understanding economic and branding strategies in a post-industrial space. </jats:p

Biofabrication for neural tissue engineering applications

Unlike other tissue types, the nervous tissue extends to a wide and complex environment that provides a plurality of different biochemical and topological stimuli which in turn define the functions of that tissue. As a consequence of such complexity, the traditional transplantation therapeutic methods are quite ineffective; therefore, the restoration of peripheral and central nervous system injuries has been a continuous challenge. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in the nervous system have provided new alternative medical approaches. These methods use external biomaterial supports, known as scaffolds, in order to create platforms for the cells to migrate to the injury site and repair the tissue. The challenge in neural tissue engineering (NTE) remains the fabrication of scaffolds with precisely controlled, tunable topography, biochemical cues and surface energy, capable of directing and controlling the function of neuronal cells. At the same time, it has been shown that neural tissue engineering provides the potential to model neurological diseases in vitro, mainly via lab-on-a-chip systems, especially in cases for which it is difficult to obtain suitable animal models. As a consequence of the intense research activity in the field, a variety of synthetic approaches and 3D fabrication methods have been developed for the fabrication of NTE scaffolds, including soft lithography and self-assembly, as well as subtractive (top-down) and additive (bottom-up) manufacturing. This article aims at reviewing the existing research effort in the rapidly growing field related to the development of biomaterial scaffolds and lab-on-a-chip systems for NTE applications. Besides presenting recent advances achieved by NTE strategies, this work also delineates existing limitations and highlights emerging possibilities and future prospects in this field