A new permanent cell line derived from the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) as cell culture model for zoonotic viruses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Approximately 60% of emerging viruses are of zoonotic origin, with three-fourths derived from wild animals. Many of these zoonotic diseases are transmitted by rodents with important information about their reservoir dynamics and pathogenesis missing. One main reason for the gap in our knowledge is the lack of adequate cell culture systems as models for the investigation of rodent-borne (robo) viruses <it>in vitro</it>. Therefore we established and characterized a new cell line, BVK168, using the kidney of a bank vole, <it>Myodes glareolus, </it>the most abundant member of the <it>Arvicolinae </it>trapped in Germany.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BVK168 proved to be of epithelial morphology expressing tight junctions as well as adherence junction proteins. The BVK168 cells were analyzed for their infectability by several arbo- and robo-viruses: Vesicular stomatitis virus, vaccinia virus, cowpox virus, Sindbis virus, Pixuna virus, Usutu virus, Inkoo virus, Puumalavirus, and Borna disease virus (BDV). The cell line was susceptible for all tested viruses, and most interestingly also for the difficult to propagate BDV.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, the newly established cell line from wildlife rodents seems to be an excellent tool for the isolation and characterization of new rodent-associated viruses and may be used as <it>in vitro-</it>model to study properties and pathogenesis of these agents.</p

Characterization of “Neo-Dermis” Formation Beneath Cultured Human Epidermal Autografts Transplanted on Muscle Fascia

Cultured human keratinocyte autografts were transplanted to burn wounds that had been completely excised down to muscle fascia such that all cutaneous elements were removed from the wounds. Healing autografts were biopsied from days 6-153 in five patients, and the "neo-dermis" beneath the autografts was examined by immunofluorescent staining using antibody probes to connective tissue molecules, by histochemical staining for elastin fibers, and by electron microscopy. We found that the neo-dermis contained most of the major connective tissue elements early in the post-transplantation period. However, regardless of the time examined, there was a paucity of elastin fibers and poor organization of linkin (microthread-like fibers) in the neo-dermis beneath autografts. The perturbations of these connective tissue components in the neo-dermis may play a role in the poor recoil and elastic properties of burn wounds treated with autografts

La decisió entre anar‐se’n o quedar‐se. Anàlisi de les estratègies formatives, laborals i vitals dels joves universitaris valencians davant la crisis econòmica

En aquest informe recollim el treball desenvolupat en el projecte titulat “La decisió entre anar‐se’n o quedar‐se. anàlisi de les estratègies formatives, laborals i vitals dels joves universitaris valencians davant la crisis econòmica”portat a terme per un equip format per professorat vinculat al Departament de Sociologia i Antropologia Social1 i al Departament de Psicologia Social2. Es tracta d’una investigació que va ser presentada a la convocatòria d’ajudes per a Projectes d’Investigació Precompetitius, d’acord a la Resolució de 14 de febrer de 2012 del Rectorat de la Universitat de València. Cal dir que la durada del projecte estava prevista des de l’1 de juliol de 2012 fins a l’1 de juliol de 2013, tal i com figurava en les bases, però es va sol·licitar al Vicerectorat d’Investigació i Política Científica una ampliació del termini a causa del permís de maternitat de la investigadora responsable. La resolució d’aquesta petició va ser favorable i, per tant, el projecte es va ampliar fins al 31 de desembre de 2013

Fluid-transport evaluation of lateral condensation, GuttaCore™ and continuous wave of obturation techniques

To achieve success in endodontic treatment, the root canal system should be as sealed as possible with suitable material such as gutta-percha and sealer. Objective: This study compare the apical leakage of roots obturated with GuttaCore™, lateral condensation, and continuous wave obturation through a computerized fluid-transport system. Material and methods: Fifty-two freshlyextracted upper molars were used. The disto-buccal roots were cut and standardized to 10 mm long. The root canals were prepared at working length with WaveOne primary reciprocating files. The specimens were randomly divided and filled by one of the following obturation techniques: GuttaCore™, lateral condensation or continuous wave obturation, using SILCO sealer. The positive controls were left unfilled and the negative controls were totally coated with cyanoacrylate and three layers of nail polish. The roots were stored in relative humidity for 72 h at 37°C, allowing the sealer to set. After this period, the roots were connected to a computerized fluid-transport system, and the apical leakage was analyzed. Results: The results were expressed in µL.cmH2O-1.min-1 x10-4 1.36 atm. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey´s tests. The specimens of the positive control group showed extreme amounts of apical leakage. There was no leakage in the negative ontrols. The statistical analysis indicated that continuous wave obturation and GuttaCore™ showed lower leakage than the lateral condensation technique (p0.05). Conclusion: Continuous wave obturation and GuttaCore™ showed lower leakage than the lateral condensation technique. There was no difference between the continuous wave obturation and GuttaCore™. The fluid-transport system used in this study allowed an accurate quantitative measurement of leakage using simpler equipment.To achieve success in endodontic treatment, the root canal system should be as sealed as possible with suitable material such as gutta-percha and sealer. Objective: This study compare the apical leakage of roots obturated with GuttaCore™, lateral condensation, and continuous wave obturation through a computerized fluid-transport system. Material and methods: Fifty-two freshlyextracted upper molars were used. The disto-buccal roots were cut and standardized to 10 mm long. The root canals were prepared at working length with WaveOne primary reciprocating files. The specimens were randomly divided and filled by one of the following obturation techniques: GuttaCore™, lateral condensation or continuous wave obturation, using SILCO sealer. The positive controls were left unfilled and the negative controls were totally coated with cyanoacrylate and three layers of nail polish. The roots were stored in relative humidity for 72 h at 37°C, allowing the sealer to set. After this period, the roots were connected to a computerized fluid-transport system, and the apical leakage was analyzed. Results: The results were expressed in µL.cmH2O-1.min-1 x10-4 1.36 atm. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey´s tests. The specimens of the positive control group showed extreme amounts of apical leakage. There was no leakage in the negative ontrols. The statistical analysis indicated that continuous wave obturation and GuttaCore™ showed lower leakage than the lateral condensation technique (p0.05). Conclusion: Continuous wave obturation and GuttaCore™ showed lower leakage than the lateral condensation technique. There was no difference between the continuous wave obturation and GuttaCore™. The fluid-transport system used in this study allowed an accurate quantitative measurement of leakage using simpler equipment

Responsible and Regulatory Conform Machine Learning for Medicine: A Survey of Challenges and Solutions

Machine learning is expected to fuel significant improvements in medical care. To ensure that fundamental principles such as beneficence, respect for human autonomy, prevention of harm, justice, privacy, and transparency are respected, medical machine learning systems must be developed responsibly. Many high-level declarations of ethical principles have been put forth for this purpose, but there is a severe lack of technical guidelines explicating the practical consequences for medical machine learning. Similarly, there is currently considerable uncertainty regarding the exact regulatory requirements placed upon medical machine learning systems. This survey provides an overview of the technical and procedural challenges involved in creating medical machine learning systems responsibly and in conformity with existing regulations, as well as possible solutions to address these challenges. First, a brief review of existing regulations affecting medical machine learning is provided, showing that properties such as safety, robustness, reliability, privacy, security, transparency, explainability, and nondiscrimination are all demanded already by existing law and regulations - albeit, in many cases, to an uncertain degree. Next, the key technical obstacles to achieving these desirable properties are discussed, as well as important techniques to overcome these obstacles in the medical context. We notice that distribution shift, spurious correlations, model underspecification, uncertainty quantification, and data scarcity represent severe challenges in the medical context. Promising solution approaches include the use of large and representative datasets and federated learning as a means to that end, the careful exploitation of domain knowledge, the use of inherently transparent models, comprehensive out-of-distribution model testing and verification, as well as algorithmic impact assessments

Agriculture et biodiversité. Valoriser les synergies

Que sait-on aujourd'hui des impacts, positifs et négatifs, de l’agriculture sur la biodiversité ? Quels services la biodiversité peut-elle apporter à l’agriculture, et à quelle hauteur de performance ? Comment favoriser au champ les synergies entre agriculture et biodiversité ? Quels instruments de politiques publics, économiques et juridiques, faut-il mettre en place pour promouvoir ces interactions ? Ces questions ont mobilisé un groupe pluridisciplinaire d’experts (écologues, agronomes, microbiologistes, spécialistes de santé végétale, économistes, juristes, sociologues), de différentes institutions (Inra, CNRS, IRD, Universités, Ecoles supérieures agronomiques) en France et à l’étrange

Protein phosphatase 4 controls circadian clock dynamics by modulating CLOCK/BMAL1 activity

In all organisms with circadian clocks, post-translational modifications of clock proteins control the dynamics of circadian rhythms, with phosphorylation playing a dominant role. All major clock proteins are highly phosphorylated, and many kinases have been described to be responsible. In contrast, it is largely unclear whether and to what extent their counterparts, the phosphatases, play an equally crucial role. To investigate this, we performed a systematic RNAi screen in human cells and identified protein phosphatase 4 (PPP4) with its regulatory subunit PPP4R2 as critical components of the circadian system in both mammals an

Lower S-adenosylmethionine levels and DNA hypomethylation of placental growth factor (PlGF) in placental tissue of early-onset preeclampsia-complicated pregnancies

INTRODUCTION: The pathophysiology of preeclampsia is largely unknown. Serum placental induced growth factor (PlGF) levels are decreased during second trimester pregnancy. Aberrant DNA methylation is suggested to be involved in the etiology of preeclampsia (PE). We hypothesize that DNA methylation is altered in PE placentas determined the methyla

Chefs in Future Integrated Healthcare - Current State and Innovation Needs: A First Overview of the NECTAR Project (aN Eu Curriculum for Chef gasTro-Engineering in Primary Food Care)

: People in need of care, chronic or acute, often present problematic food intake and special nutritional needs. Integrated, person-centred and pro-active food and nutritional care delivery has been proven effective for people in health care. However, skills mismatches have been reported in different professions involved, which also applies to the role of chefs in healthcare. The EU funded project NECTAR aims at closing this gap by creating a new job profile, called Chef Gastro-Engineering (CGE). The current publication summarizes the status quo in hospitals and gives a perspective on the future role of chefs in integrated healthcare delivery

All clinically-relevant blood components transmit prion disease following a single blood transfusion: a sheep model of vCJD

Variant CJD (vCJD) is an incurable, infectious human disease, likely arising from the consumption of BSE-contaminated meat products. Whilst the epidemic appears to be waning, there is much concern that vCJD infection may be perpetuated in humans by the transfusion of contaminated blood products. Since 2004, several cases of transfusion-associated vCJD transmission have been reported and linked to blood collected from pre-clinically affected donors. Using an animal model in which the disease manifested resembles that of humans affected with vCJD, we examined which blood components used in human medicine are likely to pose the greatest risk of transmitting vCJD via transfusion. We collected two full units of blood from BSE-infected donor animals during the pre-clinical phase of infection. Using methods employed by transfusion services we prepared red cell concentrates, plasma and platelets units (including leucoreduced equivalents). Following transfusion, we showed that all components contain sufficient levels of infectivity to cause disease following only a single transfusion and also that leucoreduction did not prevent disease transmission. These data suggest that all blood components are vectors for prion disease transmission, and highlight the importance of multiple control measures to minimise the risk of human to human transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion