Enhanced human papillomavirus type 8 oncogene expression levels are crucial for skin tumorigenesis in transgenic mice

AbstractHuman papillomavirus 8 (HPV8) is involved in skin cancer development in epidermodysplasia verruciformis patients. Transgenic mice expressing HPV8 early genes (HPV8-CER) developed papillomas, dysplasias and squamous cell carcinomas. UVA/B-irradiation and mechanical wounding of HPV8-CER mouse skin led to prompt papilloma induction in about 3weeks. The aim of this study was to analyze the kinetics and level of transgene expression in response to skin irritations. Transgene expression was already enhanced 1 to 2days after UVA/B-irradiation or tape-stripping and maintained during papilloma development. The enhanced transgene expression could be assigned to UVB and not to UVA. Papilloma development was thus always paralleled by an increased transgene expression irrespective of the type of skin irritation. A knock-down of E6 mRNA by tattooing HPV8-E6-specific siRNA led to a delay and a lower incidence of papilloma development. This indicates that the early increase of viral oncogene expression is crucial for induction of papillomatosis

Predicting 3D lip shapes using facial surface EMG

Aim The aim of this study is to prove that facial surface electromyography (sEMG) conveys sufficient information to predict 3D lip shapes. High sEMG predictive accuracy implies we could train a neural control model for activation of biomechanical models by simultaneously recording sEMG signals and their associated motions. Materials and methods With a stereo camera set-up, we recorded 3D lip shapes and simultaneously performed sEMG measurements of the facial muscles, applying principal component analysis (PCA) and a modified general regression neural network (GRNN) to link the sEMG measurements to 3D lip shapes. To test reproducibility, we conducted our experiment on five volunteers, evaluating several sEMG features and window lengths in unipolar and bipolar configurations in search of the optimal settings for facial sEMG. Conclusions The errors of the two methods were comparable. We managed to predict 3D lip shapes with a mean accuracy of 2.76 mm when using the PCA method and 2.78 mm when using modified GRNN. Whereas performance improved with shorter window lengths, feature type and configuration had little influence

Leptomeningeal metastasis from solid tumours: EANO–ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up

Central nervous system; Clinical practice guideline; NeurologicalSistema nerviós central; Guia de pràctica clínica; NeurològicSistema nervioso central; Guía de práctica clínica; NeurológicoThis Clinical Practice Guideline provides recommendations for managing leptomeningeal metastases from solid tumours

Shift from Carbon Flow through the Microbial Loop to the Viral Shunt in Coastal Antarctic Waters during Austral Summer

The relative flow of carbon through the viral shunt and the microbial loop is a pivotal factor controlling the contribution of secondary production to the food web and to rates of nutrient remineralization and respiration. The current study examines the significance of these processes in the coastal waters of the Antarctic during the productive austral summer months. Throughout the study a general trend towards lower bacterioplankton and heterotrophic nanoflagellate (HNF) abundances was observed, whereas virioplankton concentration increased. A corresponding decline of HNF grazing rates and shift towards viral production, indicative of viral infection, was measured. Carbon flow mediated by HNF grazing decreased by more than half from 5.7 µg C L−1 day−1 on average in December and January to 2.4 µg C L−1 day−1 in February. Conversely, carbon flow through the viral shunt increased substantially over the study from on average 0.9 µg C L−1 day−1 in December to 7.6 µg C L−1 day−1 in February. This study shows that functioning of the coastal Antarctic microbial community varied considerably over the productive summer months. In early summer, the system favors transfer of matter and energy to higher trophic levels via the microbial loop, however towards the end of summer carbon flow is redirected towards the viral shunt, causing a switch towards more recycling and therefore increased respiration and regeneration

Application of the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia in toddlers

Introduction: In young children with early onset ataxia (EOA), quantitative rating of ataxia by the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) is longitudinally influenced by the physiological age effect on motor coordination. To enable longitudinal quantitative interpretation of ataxia by SARA in children with EOA, the EPNS ataxia working group has previously determined SARA-scores in typically developing children (4-16 years of age). In toddlers, this information is still lacking. We therefore aimed to investigate the feasibility and reliability of SARA-scores in typically developing toddlers. Methods: In 57 typically developing toddlers (2-4 years), we aimed to determine the: 1. feasibility of SARA -scores, 2. age-related pre-requisites to obtain SARA-scores in toddlers over all domains, 3. SARA-score reliability, 4. mathematical age connection of SARA-scores in toddlers and older children. Results: In typically developing toddlers, the feasibility of SARA is strongly age-dependent (p < .000). After computing compensations for two age-related, unfeasible and therefore un-assessable kinetic subtasks and after allowing the videotaping of non-kinetic SARA sub-task performances at home, the SARA was fully reliably assessable in all (n = 57) toddlers (ICC = 0.732). From two to 16 years of age, SARA-scores were mathematically represented by one continuous, exponentially decreasing trend line approaching the adult-optimum at 16 years of age. Conclusion: In toddlers, SARA-scores are reliably assessable, by using two age-compensations and allowing the videotaping of SARA-performances partly at home. In children with EOA, these data enable longitudinal quantification and interpretation of quantitative ataxia-scores by SARA from 2 years of age throughout childhood