MAGNETIC BRAIN STIMULATION MODULATES NEURONAL PLASTICITY IN SPINAL CORD INJURY PATIENTS

Patients can often recover good motor function in muscles below an incomplete spinal cord injury. Within a few days of injury natural processes lead to down-regulation of inhibitory pathways within the motor cortex than can be demonstrated electrophysiologically. We believe that this natural change might encourage motor recovery by allowing an increased excitability of surviving descending corticospinal neurones. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can produce similar changes in corticospinal inhibition in normal uninjured individuals, albeit rather short-lasting. In this preliminary study we have delivered a sham rTMS over one week followed by another week of real treatment to four stable incomplete spinal cord injury patients who already showed reduced inhibition compared with controls. Intracortical inhibition was further reduced during the week of treatment but recovered basal levels within the three-week follow-up period. Longer-term improvements were seen in the clinical scores for both motor and sensory function, perceptual threshold to electrical stimulation of the skin and the time taken to complete a standard peg-board test. Although the measurable electrophysiological effects of rTMS are short-lived it would appear that functional recovery persists for at least three weeks after the treatment. Spinal cord injury patients might be more susceptible to the plastic cortical changes evoked by rTMS than non-injured individuals. This preliminary study provides promising data on which to base a larger investigation with the aim of substantiating the use of rTMS as a tool for routine use in rehabilitation

Using mixed methods to investigate factors influencing reporting of livestock diseases: a case study among smallholders in Bolivia

Livestock disease surveillance is particularly challenging in resource-scarce settings, where disease events are often unreported. Surveillance performance is determined as much by the quantifiable biological attributes of the disease, as it is by motivations and barriers perceived by livestock keepers for disease reporting. Mixed methods designs, which integrate the collection, analysis and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data in a single study, are increasingly used across different disciplines. These designs allow for a deeper exploration of the topic under investigation, than can be achieved by either approach alone. In this study a mixed methods design was used in order to gain a greater understanding of the factors that influence reporting of livestock diseases in Bolivia. There is a need to strengthen passive surveillance in this country, among other reasons as part of an eradication program for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Findings revealed livestock keepers in the study area were extremely unlikely to report the occurrence of livestock health events to the Official Veterinary Services (OVS). Communication outside the local community occurs more often through alternative routes and this is positively correlated with disease awareness. The main barriers to disease reporting identified, were a lack of institutional credibility and the conflicting priorities of the OVS and livestock keepers. As for other animal and human diseases across the developing world, passive surveillance of livestock diseases in Bolivia should be enhanced; this is urgent in view of the current FMD eradication program. Increasing timeliness and smallholders’ participation requires a detailed understanding of their likely actions and perceived barriers towards disease reporting. These insights are most likely to be developed through a holistic mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative analyses

P2X7 Receptor and Caspase 1 Activation Are Central to Airway Inflammation Observed after Exposure to Tobacco Smoke

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a cigarette smoke (CS)-driven inflammatory airway disease with an increasing global prevalence. Currently there is no effective medication to stop the relentless progression of this disease. It has recently been shown that an activator of the P2X7/inflammasome pathway, ATP, and the resultant products (IL-1β/IL-18) are increased in COPD patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether activation of the P2X7/caspase 1 pathway has a functional role in CS-induced airway inflammation. Mice were exposed to CS twice a day to induce COPD-like inflammation and the role of the P2X7 receptor was investigated. We have demonstrated that CS-induced neutrophilia in a pre-clinical model is temporally associated with markers of inflammasome activation, (increased caspase 1 activity and release of IL-1β/IL-18) in the lungs. A selective P2X7 receptor antagonist and mice genetically modified so that the P2X7 receptors were non-functional attenuated caspase 1 activation, IL-1β release and airway neutrophilia. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the role of this pathway was not restricted to early stages of disease development by showing increased caspase 1 activation in lungs from a more chronic exposure to CS and from patients with COPD. This translational data suggests the P2X7/Inflammasome pathway plays an ongoing role in disease pathogenesis. These results advocate the critical role of the P2X7/caspase 1 axis in CS-induced inflammation, highlighting this as a possible therapeutic target in combating COPD

Glucocorticoid and Estrogen Receptors Are Reduced in Mitochondria of Lung Epithelial Cells in Asthma

Mitochondrial glucocorticoid (mtGR) and estrogen (mtER) receptors participate in the coordination of the cell’s energy requirement and in the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation enzyme (OXPHOS) biosynthesis, affecting reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and induction of apoptosis. Although activation of mtGR and mtER is known to trigger anti-inflammatory signals, little information exists on the presence of these receptors in lung tissue and their role in respiratory physiology and disease. Using a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation disease and applying confocal microscopy, subcellular fractionation, and Western blot analysis we showed mitochondrial localization of GRα and ERβ in lung tissue. Allergic airway inflammation caused reduction in mtGRα, mtERβ, and OXPHOS enzyme biosynthesis in lung cells mitochondria and particularly in bronchial epithelial cells mitochondria, which was accompanied by decrease in lung mitochondrial mass and induction of apoptosis. Confirmation and validation of the reduction of the mitochondrial receptors in lung epithelial cells in human asthma was achieved by analyzing autopsies from fatal asthma cases. The presence of the mitochondrial GRα and ERβ in lung tissue cells and especially their reduction in bronchial epithelial cells during allergic airway inflammation suggests a crucial role of these receptors in the regulation of mitochondrial function in asthma, implicating their involvement in the pathophysiology of the disease

Seeing an embodied virtual hand is analgesic contingent on co-location

Seeing one’s own body has been reported to have analgesic properties. Analgesia has also been described when seeing an embodied virtual body co-located with the real one. However, there is a controversy regarding whether this effect holds true when seeing an illusory-owned body part, such as during the rubber-hand illusion. A critical difference between these paradigms is the distance between real and surrogate body part. Co-location of real arm and surrogate is possible in an immersive virtual environment, but not during illusory ownership of a rubber arm. The present study aimed at testing whether the distance between real and virtual arm can explain such differences in terms of pain modulation. Employing a paradigm of embodiment of a virtual body allowed us to evaluate heat pain thresholds (HPT) at co-location and at 30-cm distance between real and virtual arm. We observed significantly higher HPT at co-location than at 30-cm distance. The analgesic effects of seeing a virtual co-located arm are eliminated when increasing the distance between real and virtual arm which explains why seeing an illusorily owned rubber arm does not consistently result in analgesia. These findings are relevant for the use of virtual reality in pain management

Experiences of men in abusive romantic relationships

This study aimed to describe the phenomenon of partner abuse in romantic relationships wherein males were the victims and their female partners were the perpetrators of the abuse. Nine male participants were interviewed and qualitative analysis was used to analyze the interview data. Findings revealed that men experienced emotional, verbal and physical abuse. The male respondents perceived sources of the female partner\u27s abusive behavior included jealousy, irritability and unreasonable demands. Adverse effects due to the abuse involved diminished interpersonal functioning and lowered sense of well-being, and self-esteem. Findings were discussed in relation to the women\u27s experience of abuse