Merozoite release from Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes involves the transfer of DiIC16 from infected cell membrane to Maurer’s clefts

Merozoite release from infected erythrocytes is a complex process, which is still not fully understood. Such process was characterised at ultra-structural level in this work by labelling erythrocyte membrane with a fluorescent lipid probe and subsequent photo-conversion into an electron-dense precipitate. A lipophilic DiIC16 probe was inserted into the infected erythrocyte surface and the transport of this phospholipid analogue through the erythrocyte membrane was followed up during 48 h of the asexual erythrocyte cycle. The lipid probe was transferred from infected erythrocyte membranes to Maurer’s clefts during merozoite release, thereby indicating that these membranes remained inside host cells after parasite release. Fluorescent structures were never observed inside infected erythrocytes preceding merozoite exit and merozoites released from infected erythrocyte were not fluorescent. However, specific precipitated material was localised bordering the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and tubovesicular membranes when labelled non-infected erythrocytes were invaded by merozoites. It was revealed that lipids were interchangeable from one membrane to another, passing from infected erythrocyte membrane to Maurer’s clefts inside the erythrocyte ghost, even after merozoite release. Maurer’s clefts became photo-converted following merozoite release, suggesting that these structures were in close contact with infected erythrocyte membrane during merozoite exit and possibly played some role in malarial parasite exit from the host cell

Visual recovery after perinatal stroke evidenced by functional and diffusion MRI: case report

BACKGROUND: After perinatal brain injury, clinico-anatomic correlations of functional deficits and brain plasticity remain difficult to evaluate clinically in the young infant. Thus, new non-invasive methods capable of early functional diagnosis are needed in young infants. CASE PRESENTATION: The visual system recovery in an infant with perinatal stroke is assessed by combining diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and event-related functional MRI (ER-fMRI). All experiments were done at 1.5T. A first DTI experiment was performed at 12 months of age. At 20 months of age, a second DTI experiment was performed and combined with an ER-fMRI experiment with visual stimuli (2 Hz visual flash). At 20 months of age, ER-fMRI showed significant negative activation in the visual cortex of the injured left hemisphere that was not previously observed in the same infant. DTI maps suggest recovery of the optic radiation in the vicinity of the lesion. Optic radiations in the injured hemisphere are more prominent in DTI at 20 months of age than in DTI at 12 months of age. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that functional cortical recovery is supported by structural modifications that concern major pathways of the visual system. These neuroimaging findings might contribute to elaborate a pertinent strategy in terms of diagnosis and rehabilitation

Progetto "Per immaginare, la mente ha bisogno di immagini". L'importanza dei libri in et\ue0 prescolare. Confronto della situazione tra bambini vedenti, non vedenti e ipovedenti.

Roberta Caldin \ue8 Responsabile Scientifico del Progetto I libri tattili per bambini con deficit visivo di 2-5 anni. Approcci pedagogici e indagine comparativa (Italia-Francia), per la Scuola di Dottorato in Scienze Pedagogiche, dell\u2019Educazione e della Formazione, del Dipartimento di Scienze dell\u2019Educazione dell\u2019Universit\ue0 di Padova. La ricerca si svolge in collaborazione con l\u2019Universit\ue0 di Grenoble, con la Casa Editrice francese Les doigts qui r\ueavent e con la Fondazione R. Hollman di Padova-Cannero Riviera e ha il compito di ideare, testare e monitorare sia l\u2019accessibilit\ue0 e la sollecitazione cognitiva di alcuni prototipi tattili, sia il ruolo di mediatori che i libri illustrati tattilmente possono avere nell\u2019avvio e nel potenziamento della relazione genitori-figli

First total synthesis of pamamycin-621D

Aim and Objective: The objective of our work was to synthesize and fully characterize Pamamycin- 621D, one of the less abundant members of a large family of macrodiolides with antimycobacterial properties, which had never been synthesized before. Furthermore, we also wished to improve our general strategy by using a new unsaturated precursor. Materials and Method: A new unsaturated ethylketone precursor was prepared using alkene cross metathesis, and a convergent and flexible strategy based on a key diastereoselective aldol addition was implemented to afford pamamycin-621D in 12 steps from that precursor. Results: Pamamycin-621D has been obtained and fully characterized for the first time. The structure of pamamycin-621D was confirmed by HRMS and comparison of 1H-NMR spectra with the natural pamamycin- 621D. Both optical rotation and 13C-NMR had not been published previously due to lack of material, and the latter are reported here for the first time. Given the scarce characterization available previously, our synthesis also gives additional support to the initial structural assignment of pamamycin-621D. A significant improvement of the key aldol addition via the use of a new unsaturated precursor is also reported. Conclusion: The work described above constitutes the first total synthesis of pamamycin-621D and has enabled us to fully characterize this scarcely available natural product. More importantly, this work highlights the fact that our synthetic approach provides ready access to various members of the pamamycin family, allowing possible studies on structure-activity relationships and mode of action of even the least abundant of these natural products. The synthesis of other pamamycin congeners and biological investigations will be published in due course. </jats:sec

Reach on sound: A key to object permanence in visually impaired children.

BACKGROUND: The capacity to reach an object presented through sound clue indicates, in the blind child, the acquisition of object permanence and gives information over his/her cognitive development. AIM: To assess cognitive development in congenitally blind children with or without multiple disabilities. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. SUBJECTS: Thirty-seven congenitally blind subjects (17 with associated multiple disabilities, 20 mainly blind) were enrolled. OUTCOME MEASURES: We used Bigelow's protocol to evaluate "reach on sound" capacity over time (at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months), and a battery of clinical, neurophysiological and cognitive instruments to assess clinical features. RESULTS: Tasks n.1 to 5 were acquired by most of the mainly blind children by 12 months of age. Task 6 coincided with a drop in performance, and the acquisition of the subsequent tasks showed a less agehomogeneous pattern. In blind children with multiple disabilities, task acquisition rates were lower, with the curves dipping in relation to the more complex tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The mainly blind subjects managed to overcome Fraiberg's "conceptual problem"--i.e., they acquired the ability to attribute an external object with identity and substance even when it manifested its presence through sound only--and thus developed the ability to reach an object presented through sound. Instead, most of the blind children with multiple disabilities presented poor performances on the "reach on sound" protocol and were unable, before 36 months of age, to develop the strategies needed to resolve Fraiberg's "conceptual problem

Reach on sound: a key to object permanence in visually impaired children.

BACKGROUND: The capacity to reach an object presented through sound clue indicates, in the blind child, the acquisition of object permanence and gives information over his/her cognitive development. AIM: To assess cognitive development in congenitally blind children with or without multiple disabilities. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. SUBJECTS: Thirty-seven congenitally blind subjects (17 with associated multiple disabilities, 20 mainly blind) were enrolled. OUTCOME MEASURES: We used Bigelow's protocol to evaluate "reach on sound" capacity over time (at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months), and a battery of clinical, neurophysiological and cognitive instruments to assess clinical features. RESULTS: Tasks n.1 to 5 were acquired by most of the mainly blind children by 12 months of age. Task 6 coincided with a drop in performance, and the acquisition of the subsequent tasks showed a less agehomogeneous pattern. In blind children with multiple disabilities, task acquisition rates were lower, with the curves dipping in relation to the more complex tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The mainly blind subjects managed to overcome Fraiberg's "conceptual problem"--i.e., they acquired the ability to attribute an external object with identity and substance even when it manifested its presence through sound only--and thus developed the ability to reach an object presented through sound. Instead, most of the blind children with multiple disabilities presented poor performances on the "reach on sound" protocol and were unable, before 36 months of age, to develop the strategies needed to resolve Fraiberg's "conceptual problem