Sustained attention training reduces spatial bias in Parkinson’s disease: a pilot case series

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly demonstrate lateralized spatial biases, which affect daily functioning. Those with PD with initial motor symptoms on the left body side (LPD) have reduced leftward attention, whereas PD with initial motor symptoms on the right side (RPD) may display reduced rightward attention. We investigated whether a sustained attention training program could help reduce these spatial biases. Four non-demented individuals with PD (2 LPD, 2 RPD) performed a visual search task before and after 1 month of computer training. Before training, all participants showed a significant spatial bias and after training, all participants’ spatial bias was eliminated.Published versio

The chronic lymphocytic leukaemia lymph node microenvironment

The lymph node (LN) microenvironment in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) is the main site of disease progression and maintenance. Whilst isolated components of the LN niche have been studied $in$ $vitro$, to date, no comprehensive architectural overview of the microenvironment has been attempted. A more holistic view is essential in order to fully understand this disease. LN CLL cells are likely to receive a complex array of survival signals from accessory cells which drive disease and protect against conventional therapeutics. This study embarked upon establishing reliable combinations of primary and secondary antibodies that permit multicolour immunohistochemistry (IHC) interrogation of the CLL LN in formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples (FFPE). This work serves to demonstrate that the architecture of the CLL microenvironment is complex, dynamic and heterogeneous and highlights the advantages multicolour IHC can present to the field for understanding the therapeutic opportunities in this disease

Phragmites australis as a model organism for studying plant invasions

© 2016, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. The cosmopolitan reed grass Phragmites australis (Poaceae) is an intensively studied species globally with a substantial focus in the last two decades on its invasive populations. Here we argue that P. australis meets the criteria to serve as a model organism for studying plant invasions. First, as a dominant species in globally important wetland habitats, it has generated significant pre-existing research, demonstrating a high potential for funding. Second, this plant is easy to grow and use in experiments. Third, it grows abundantly in a wide range of ecological systems and plant communities, allowing a broad range of research questions to be addressed. We formalize the designation of P. australis as a model organism for plant invasions in order to encourage and standardize collaborative research on multiple spatial scales that will help to integrate studies on the ecology and evolution of P. australis invasive populations, their response to global environmental change, and implications for biological security. Such an integrative framework can serve as guidance for studying invasive plant species at the population level and global spatial scale

Geographic variation in apparent competition between native and invasive \u3ci\u3ePhragmites australis\u3c/i\u3e

Apparent competition, the negative interaction between species mediated by shared natural enemies, is thought to play an important role in shaping the structure and dynamics of natural communities. However, its importance in driving species invasions, and whether the strength of this indirect interaction varies across the latitudinal range of the invasion, has not been fully explored. We performed replicated field experiments at four sites spanning 900 km along the Atlantic Coast of the United States to assess the presence and strength of apparent competition between sympatric native and invasive lineages of Phragmites australis. Four herbivore guilds were considered: stem‐feeders, leaf‐miners, leaf‐chewers and aphids. We also tested the hypothesis that the strength of this interaction declines with increasing latitude. Within each site, native and invasive plants of P. australis were cross‐transplanted between co‐occurring native and invasive patches in the same marsh habitat and herbivore damage was evaluated at the end of the growing season. Apparent competition was evident for both lineages and involved all but the leaf‐chewer guild. For native plants, total aphids per plant was 296% higher and the incidence of stem‐feeding and leaf‐mining herbivores was 34% and 221% higher, respectively, when transplanted into invasive than native patches. These data suggest that invasive P. australis has a negative effect on native P. australis via apparent competition. Averaged among herbivore types, the indirect effects of the invasive lineage on the native lineage was 57% higher than the reverse situation, suggesting that apparent competition was asymmetric. We also found that the strength of apparent competition acting against the native lineage was comparable to the benefits to the invasive lineage from enemy release (i.e., proportionately lower mean herbivory of the invasive relative to the native taxa). Finally, we found the first evidence that the strength of apparent competition acting against the native lineage (from stem‐feeders only) decreased with increasing latitude. These results suggest that not only could apparent competition be of tantamount importance to enemy release in enhancing the establishment and spread of invasive taxa, but also that these indirect and direct herbivore effects could vary over the invasion range

Protein A-mediated binding of staphylococcus spp. to antibodies in flow cytometric assays and reduction of this binding by using Fc receptor blocking reagent

peer-reviewedStaphylococcus aureus and other coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. bind the Fc region of IgG antibodies through expression of protein A (SpA). These species have consequently been a source of false-positive signals in antibody-based assays designed to detect other target bacteria. Here, flow cytometry was used to study the influence of a number of factors on the SpA-mediated binding of single cells to an anti-human IgG antibody, including strain, heat killing, overnight storage, growth phase, cell physiology, surface adhesion, and growth in model food systems. Through the costaining of antibody-stained cells with the permeability dye pr opidium iodide and calcein violet AM, the cell physiological status was related to SpA-mediated antibody binding. Generally, permeabilized cells lacking esterase activity did not strongly bind antibody. The binding of a number of commercially available polyclonal IgG antibodies to non-Staphylococcus spp. was also characterized. Not all SpA-expressing species showed strong binding of mouse IgG, and one species not known to express SpA showed strong binding. Most SpA-expressing strains bound rabbit IgG antibodies to some extent, whereas only one strain bound goat IgG. To reduce or eliminate SpA-mediated IgG binding, the following products were evaluated as blocking reagents and applied prior to staining with primary or secondary antibody: normal rabbit serum, mouse IgG isotype control, goat IgG, and a commercial FcR blocking reagent. Only the FcR blocking reagent consistently reduced SpA-mediated binding of Staphylococcus spp. to antibodies against other species and could be recommended as a blocking reagent in immunoassays designed to detect non-Staphylococcus species

Specific treatment and outcome of urethrorectal fistula associated with type 1 atresia ani in a juvenile male dog

A four-month-old, entire male, German wirehaired pointer presented with tenesmus due to type I atresia ani and with urination observed through this stenosed anal opening. A positive contrast retrograde urethrogram demonstrated a urethrorectal fistula and stricture of the penile urethra. Urine culture revealed heavy mixed bacterial growth, which was treated with appropriate antibiotics. Surgical correction of the congenital urethrorectal fistula was performed via a perineal approach with a 3.5 French catheter placed retrograde into the fistula to facilitate its dissection. The anal stenosis was addressed by surgical anoplasty and the urethral stricture via a scrotal urethrostomy. The dog recovered well with the owner reporting complete resolution of the clinical signs and urination via the urethrostomy site at six months postoperatively. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of congenital urethrorectal fistula associated with type 1 atresia ani in a male dog

Virtual Laboratory Enabling Collaborative Research in Applied Vehicle Technologies

The virtual laboratory is a new technology, based on the internet, that has had wide usage in a variety of technical fields because of its inherent ability to allow many users to participate simultaneously in instruction (education) or in the collaborative study of a common problem (real-world application). The leadership in the Applied Vehicle Technology panel has encouraged the utilization of this technology in its task groups for some time and its parent organization, the Research and Technology Agency, has done the same for its own administrative use. This paper outlines the application of the virtual laboratory to those fields important to applied vehicle technologies, gives the status of the effort, and identifies the benefit it can have on collaborative research. The latter is done, in part, through a specific example, i.e. the experience of one task group