The regulatory mechanisms of NG2/CSPG4 expression

Neuron-glial antigen 2 (NG2), also known as chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), is a surface type I transmembrane core proteoglycan that is crucially involved in cell survival, migration and angiogenesis. NG2 is frequently used as a marker for the identification and characterization of certain cell types, but little is known about the mechanisms regulating its expression. In this review, we provide evidence that the regulation of NG2 expression underlies inflammation and hypoxia and is mediated by methyltransferases, transcription factors, including Sp1, paired box (Pax) 3 and Egr-1, and the microRNA miR129-2. These regulatory factors crucially determine NG2-mediated cellular processes such as glial scar formation in the central nervous system (CNS) or tumor growth and metastasis. Therefore, they are potential targets for the establishment of novel NG2-based therapeutic strategies in the treatment of CNS injuries, cancer and other conditions of these types

Prognostic indicators and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients with neurological disease: An individual patient data meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Neurological COVID-19 disease has been reported widely, but published studies often lack information on neurological outcomes and prognostic risk factors. We aimed to describe the spectrum of neurological disease in hospitalised COVID-19 patients; characterise clinical outcomes; and investigate factors associated with a poor outcome. METHODS: We conducted an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of hospitalised patients with neurological COVID-19 disease, using standard case definitions. We invited authors of studies from the first pandemic wave, plus clinicians in the Global COVID-Neuro Network with unpublished data, to contribute. We analysed features associated with poor outcome (moderate to severe disability or death, 3 to 6 on the modified Rankin Scale) using multivariable models. RESULTS: We included 83 studies (31 unpublished) providing IPD for 1979 patients with COVID-19 and acute new-onset neurological disease. Encephalopathy (978 [49%] patients) and cerebrovascular events (506 [26%]) were the most common diagnoses. Respiratory and systemic symptoms preceded neurological features in 93% of patients; one third developed neurological disease after hospital admission. A poor outcome was more common in patients with cerebrovascular events (76% [95% CI 67-82]), than encephalopathy (54% [42-65]). Intensive care use was high (38% [35-41]) overall, and also greater in the cerebrovascular patients. In the cerebrovascular, but not encephalopathic patients, risk factors for poor outcome included breathlessness on admission and elevated D-dimer. Overall, 30-day mortality was 30% [27-32]. The hazard of death was comparatively lower for patients in the WHO European region. INTERPRETATION: Neurological COVID-19 disease poses a considerable burden in terms of disease outcomes and use of hospital resources from prolonged intensive care and inpatient admission; preliminary data suggest these may differ according to WHO regions and country income levels. The different risk factors for encephalopathy and stroke suggest different disease mechanisms which may be amenable to intervention, especially in those who develop neurological symptoms after hospital admission

Prognostic indicators and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients with neurological disease: An individual patient data meta-analysis.

BackgroundNeurological COVID-19 disease has been reported widely, but published studies often lack information on neurological outcomes and prognostic risk factors. We aimed to describe the spectrum of neurological disease in hospitalised COVID-19 patients; characterise clinical outcomes; and investigate factors associated with a poor outcome.MethodsWe conducted an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of hospitalised patients with neurological COVID-19 disease, using standard case definitions. We invited authors of studies from the first pandemic wave, plus clinicians in the Global COVID-Neuro Network with unpublished data, to contribute. We analysed features associated with poor outcome (moderate to severe disability or death, 3 to 6 on the modified Rankin Scale) using multivariable models.ResultsWe included 83 studies (31 unpublished) providing IPD for 1979 patients with COVID-19 and acute new-onset neurological disease. Encephalopathy (978 [49%] patients) and cerebrovascular events (506 [26%]) were the most common diagnoses. Respiratory and systemic symptoms preceded neurological features in 93% of patients; one third developed neurological disease after hospital admission. A poor outcome was more common in patients with cerebrovascular events (76% [95% CI 67-82]), than encephalopathy (54% [42-65]). Intensive care use was high (38% [35-41]) overall, and also greater in the cerebrovascular patients. In the cerebrovascular, but not encephalopathic patients, risk factors for poor outcome included breathlessness on admission and elevated D-dimer. Overall, 30-day mortality was 30% [27-32]. The hazard of death was comparatively lower for patients in the WHO European region.InterpretationNeurological COVID-19 disease poses a considerable burden in terms of disease outcomes and use of hospital resources from prolonged intensive care and inpatient admission; preliminary data suggest these may differ according to WHO regions and country income levels. The different risk factors for encephalopathy and stroke suggest different disease mechanisms which may be amenable to intervention, especially in those who develop neurological symptoms after hospital admission

Development and pH sensitivity of the respiratory rhythm of fetal mice in vitro

In newborn and adult mammals, chemosensory drive exerted by CO2 and H+ provides an essential tonic input: without it the rhythm of respiration is abolished. It is not known, however, whether this chemosensory drive and the respiratory rhythm appear simultaneously during development. In isolated brainstem–spinal cord preparations from fetal mice, we determined at what stage of fetal life the respiratory rhythm appeared in third to fifth cervical ventral roots (phrenic motoneurons) and whether this fetal rhythm was sensitive to chemosensory inputs. A respiratory-like rhythm consisting of short duration bursts of discharges recurring at 2–16 min−1 was detected in two of nine embryonic day 13 fetuses; it was abolished by transection of the spinal cord between the first to second cervical segments and was phase-related to rhythmic activity from medullary units of the ventral respiratory group. At embryonic day 13, it coexisted with a slow rhythm (0.1–2.0 min−1) of long duration bursts of action potentials which was generated by the spinal cord. At later fetal stages, the respiratory-like rhythm became more robust and of higher frequency, while the spinal cord rhythm became less obvious. At all fetal stages, acidification of the superfusion medium from pH 7.5–7.2 or 7.4–7.3 or 7.4 to 7.2 increased the frequency of both the respiratory-like and the spinal cord rhythms. In addition, acidification reduced the amplitude of the integrated burst activity of the spinal cord rhythm of embryonic day 13–embryonic day 16 fetuses and the respiratory-like rhythm of embryonic day 17 and older fetuses. Our results indicate that the rhythms transmitted by phrenic motoneurons during fetal development are chemosensitive from early fetal stages. Through its effects on induction and patterning of the rhythm, chemosensory drive may play a role in activity-dependent formation of respiratory neural networks

Molecular characterization of Shewanella and Aeromonas isolates associated with spoilage of Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Storage in ice is a common way of preserving commercial fish species but some microorganisms can still contaminate and participate in the spoilage of the product; therefore, identification of potential harmful microbes is important. Thirteen colonies were isolated from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) that had been stored in ice, whose phenotypic identification revealed that they belonged to the genera Aeromonas (n = 5) and Shewanella (n = 8). Molecular genotyping with ERIC-PCR showed clonality only among two of the five Aeromonas isolates and for two groups (n = 3; n = 2) of the eight Shewanella isolates. Sequencing the rpoD gene showed that four Aeromonas isolates belonged to the species Aeromonas salmonicida and one to A. sobria. Of the eight Shewanella, seven isolates cluster with Shewanella putrefaciens and one with Shewanella profunda in the 16S rRNA phylogenetic tree. However, analysis of the gyrB gene showed that these eight isolates could constitute a new species closely related to S. baltica. The Shewanella and A. salmonicida isolates produce off-odours and reduce trimethylamine oxide, indicating that they might contribute to the spoilage of the fish.Fil: Beaz Hidalgo, Roxana. Universitat Rovira I Virgili; EspañaFil: Agüeria, Daniela Alejandra. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable; ArgentinaFil: Latif Eugenín, Fadua. Universitat Rovira I Virgili; EspañaFil: Yeannes, Maria Isabel. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Figueras, Maria J.. Universitat Rovira I Virgili; Españ

The Plastic Brain

A comprehensive overview of the many factors that can influence brain plasticity throughout the lifespan. Addresses perinatal plasticity, functional state plasticity, injury-induced plasticity, and stressor-induced plasticity. Because it looks at so many aspects of the field, this volume will serve as a great resource for students as well as researchers interested in expanding their knowledge. The volume comes out as an integrated view based in the expertise of Ibero American neuroscientists working in the field

Aeromonas aquatica sp. nov., Aeromonas finlandiensis sp. nov. and Aeromonas lacus sp. nov. isolated from Finnish waters associated with cyanobacterial blooms

Three groups of Aeromonas strains isolated from Finland lakes experiencing cyanobacterial blooms could not be assigned to any known species of this genus on the basis of 16S rRNA and rpoD gene sequences. The Multilocus Phylogenetic Analysis (MLPA) of the concatenated sequence of seven genes (gyrB, rpoD, recA, dnaJ, gyrA, dnaX and atpD; 4093bp) showed that the three groups of strains did not cluster with any known Aeromonas spp. and formed three independent lineages. This was confirmed by performing the analysis with their closest relatives using 15 genes (the latter 7 and cpn60, dnaK, gltA, mdh, radA, rpoB, tsf, zipA; 8751bp). Furthermore, ANI results between the genomes of the type strains of the three potential new species and those of their close relatives were all <96% which is the previously proposed cutoff value for differentiating species within this genus. The in silico DDH values of the three type strains of the new species also showed a similarity <70% with the most closely related species indicating they belong to different taxa. The three groups of strains could be differentiated from each other and from other known Aeromonas species on the basis of several phenotypic characters. This polyphasic study revealed that the 3 groups of strains represent 3 novel Aeromonas species for which the names Aeromonas aquatica sp. nov. (type strain AE235T=CECT 8025T=LMG 26712T), Aeromonas finlandiensis sp. nov. (type strain 4287DT=CECT 8028T=LMG 26709T) and Aeromonas lacus sp. nov. (type strain AE122T=CECT 8024T=LMG 26710T) are proposed. © 2015 Elsevier GmbH