Evaluating Nuclei Concentration in Amyloid Fibrillation Reactions Using Back-Calculation Approach

Background: In spite of our extensive knowledge of the more than 20 proteins associated with different amyloid diseases, we do not know how amyloid toxicity occurs or how to block its action. Recent contradictory reports suggest that the fibrils and/or the oligomer precursors cause toxicity. An estimate of their temporal concentration may broaden understanding of the amyloid aggregation process. Methodology/Principal Findings: Assuming that conversion of folded protein to fibril is initiated by a nucleation event, we back-calculate the distribution of nuclei concentration. The temporal in vitro concentration of nuclei for the model hormone, recombinant human insulin, is estimated to be in the picomolar range. This is a conservative estimate since the back-calculation method is likely to overestimate the nuclei concentration because it does not take into consideration fibril fragmentation, which would lower the amount of nuclei Conclusions: Because of their propensity to form aggregates (non-ordered) and fibrils (ordered), this very low concentration could explain the difficulty in isolating and blocking oligomers or nuclei toxicity and the long onset time for amyloid diseases

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Lung Cancer: Underlying Pathophysiology and New Therapeutic Modalities

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are major lung diseases affecting millions worldwide. Both diseases have links to cigarette smoking and exert a considerable societal burden. People suffering from COPD are at higher risk of developing lung cancer than those without, and are more susceptible to poor outcomes after diagnosis and treatment. Lung cancer and COPD are closely associated, possibly sharing common traits such as an underlying genetic predisposition, epithelial and endothelial cell plasticity, dysfunctional inflammatory mechanisms including the deposition of excessive extracellular matrix, angiogenesis, susceptibility to DNA damage and cellular mutagenesis. In fact, COPD could be the driving factor for lung cancer, providing a conducive environment that propagates its evolution. In the early stages of smoking, body defences provide a combative immune/oxidative response and DNA repair mechanisms are likely to subdue these changes to a certain extent; however, in patients with COPD with lung cancer the consequences could be devastating, potentially contributing to slower postoperative recovery after lung resection and increased resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Vital to the development of new-targeted therapies is an in-depth understanding of various molecular mechanisms that are associated with both pathologies. In this comprehensive review, we provide a detailed overview of possible underlying factors that link COPD and lung cancer, and current therapeutic advances from both human and preclinical animal models that can effectively mitigate this unholy relationship

Genes de suscetibilidade no transtorno de déficit de atenção e hiperatividade Susceptibility genes in attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder

O transtorno de déficit de atenção e hiperatividade (TDAH) é um dos transtornos mais comuns da infância e adolescência, afetando entre 3% a 6% das crianças em idade escolar. Essa patologia caracteriza-se por sintomas de desatenção, hiperatividade e impulsividade, apresentando ainda uma alta heterogeneidade clínica. Embora as causas precisas do TDAH não estejam esclarecidas, a influência de fatores genéticos é fortemente sugerida pelos estudos epidemiológicos, cujas evidências impulsionaram um grande número de investigações com genes candidatos. Atualmente, apesar da ênfase dada a este tópico, nenhum gene pode ser considerado necessário ou suficiente ao desenvolvimento do TDAH, e a busca de genes que influenciam este processo ainda é o foco de muitas pesquisas. O objetivo desse artigo é, portanto, sumarizar e discutir os principais resultados das pesquisas com genes candidatos no TDAH.<br>Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders of childhood and adolescence, affecting 3%-6% of school age children. It is characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, showing also a high clinical heterogeneity. Although the precise causes of ADHD are unclear, the influence of genetic factors is strongly suggested by epidemiologic studies, that provide evidences for a large number of investigations with candidate genes. Nowadays, despite the great attention driven to this subject, no gene can be considered as necessary or sufficient to the development of ADHD, and the search for genes that affect this process is still the focus of many investigations. Thus, the objective of this paper is to summarize and discuss the main results on the research with possible susceptibility genes for ADHD

Water Selective Imaging and bSSFP Banding Artifact Correction in Humans and Small Animals at 3T and 7T, Respectively

Introduction: The purpose of this paper is to develop an easy method to generate both fat signal and banding artifact free 3D balanced Steady State Free Precession (bSSFP) images at high magnetic field.Methods: In order to suppress fat signal and bSSFP banding artifacts, two or four images were acquired with the excitation frequency of the water-selective binomial radiofrequency pulse set On Resonance or shifted by a maximum of 3/4TR. Mice and human volunteers were imaged at 7T and 3T, respectively to perform whole-body and musculoskeletal imaging. “Sum-Of-Square” reconstruction was performed and combined or not with parallel imaging.Results: The frequency selectivity of 1-2-3-2-1 or 1-3-3-1 binomial pulses was preserved after (3/4TR) frequency shifting. Consequently, whole body small animal 3D imaging was performed at 7T and enabled visualization of small structures within adipose tissue like lymph nodes. In parallel, this method allowed 3D musculoskeletal imaging in humans with high spatial resolution at 3T. The combination with parallel imaging allowed the acquisition of knee images with ~500μm resolution images in less than 2min. In addition, ankles, full head coverage and legs of volunteers were imaged, demonstrating the possible application of the method also for large FOV.Conclusion: In conclusion, this robust method can be applied in small animals and humans at high magnetic fields. The high SNR and tissue contrast obtained in short acquisition times allows to prescribe bSSFP sequence for several preclinical and clinical applications