Modeling epileptogenesis and temporal lobe epilepsy in a non-human primate

Here we describe a new non-human primate model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) to better investigate the cause/effect relationships of human TLE. Status epilepticus (SE) was induced in adult marmosets by pilocarpine injection (250 mg/kg; i.p.). The animals were divided in 2 groups: acute (8 h post-SE) and chronic (3 and 5 months post-SE). To manage the severity of SE, animals received diazepam 5 min after the SE onset (acute group: 2.5 or 1.25 mg/kg; i.p.; chronic group/; 1.25 mg/kg; i.p). All animals were monitored by video and electrocorticography to assess SE and subsequent spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). To evaluate brain injury produced by SE or SRS we used argyrophil III, Nissl and neo-Timm staining techniques. Magnetic resonance image was also performed in the chronic group. We observed that pilocarpine was able to induce SE followed by SRS after a variable period of time. Prolonged SE episodes were associated with brain damage, mostly confined to the hippocampus and limbic structures. Similar to human TLE, anatomical disruption of dentate gyrus was observed after SRS. Our data suggest that pilocarpine marmoset model of epilepsy has great resemblance to human TLE, and could provide new tools to further evaluate the subtle changes associated with human epilepsy.FAPESPCNP

BIO-NMD - Grant Agreement Number 241665 - (VII Framework Program) - IPC Comittee Coordinator - Intermediate Meeting Ferrara 28-30 november 2011 Presentation "IPR Protection: how to proceed"

Intellectual Property Guidelines: - Assessment of IP opportunities - IP protection - IP ownership - IP management - Technology transfer - Advanced IPR strateg

BIO-NMD - Grant Agreement Number 241665 - (VII Framework Program) - IPC Comittee Coordinator - Final Meeting Rome 16 november 2012 Presentation "IPR Protection: how to proceed"

Final presentation and discussion about IPR and the guidelines Steps made up to date and Concluding remarks deriving from the survey between the partners. Write some suggestions about all the patenting activity and what is remaining active after expire date of the projec

Mass media health information: quantitative and qualitative analysis of daily press coverage and its relation with public perception

Objective: This paper describes the methods followed by the Pisa University OCS for collecting, storing and analyzing all health-related articles and database contents. Moreover, an example population survey on the topic of food safety based on such analysis is shown. Methods: Articles published each day since 1999 in Italy's three most popular newspapers are collected and stored in a Data Base Text; on these articles quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. On the basis of these results as well as of epidemiological data, a questionnaire survey was carried out about sources of information, knowledge and risk perception of citizens regarding food safety. Results: On a total of 24,434 articles on all health topics, 18% regarded food related hazards: their evolution over time showed peaks on BSE, avian flu and dioxin.A large proportion of the people surveyed declared having changed their food habits, at least temporarily, as a consequence of media information. Most get their information on food safety mainly from television. Most respondents remembered having previously heard news on BSE, avian flu and dioxin, but did not recall having heard of listeriosis, brucellosis or typhoid fever. Conclusions: Newspapers articles facing food related hazards tend to be alarming thus affecting the citizens risk perception. On the other hand people often ignore how to manage their own food safety in a practical way. Practice implications: Analysis of media messages can help to evaluate and correct the negative effects that may result in wrong information

Integrating civil liberty and the ethical principle of autonomy in building public confidence to reduce COVID-19 vaccination inequity in Africa

Concerns regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccination have caused hesitancy and lowered uptake globally. While vaccine hesitancy is documented globally, some continents, countries, ethnic groups and age groups are disproportionately affected, resulting in significant global inequities. To date, Africa has the lowest COVID-19 coverage globally, with only 22% of its population completely vaccinated. It might be argued that the difficulty with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Africa was triggered by the anxiety created by misinformation on social media platforms, particularly with the misinformation regarding depopulating Africa, given the significance of maternity in the continent. In this work, we examine numerous determinants of poor vaccination coverage that have received little attention in primary research and that may need to be considered by various stakeholders engaged in the COVID-19 vaccine strategy at the national and continental levels. Our study also emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary team when introducing a new vaccine, for people to trust that the vaccine is truly helpful to them and to be convinced that immunization is, all things considered, worthwhile

Behavioral and histopathological analysis of domoic acid administration in marmosets

Purpose: To induce status epilepticus (SE) followed by the subsequent onset of spontaneous recurrent seizures, thus characterizing a new model of temporal lobe epilepsy in a nonhuman primate.Methods: Male and female marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) (n 18), ages between 2 and 8 years, were injected with domoic acid (0.5-4 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline, and behaviorally assessed with regard to the presence of acutely induced seizures and for <= 6 months for spontaneous seizures. Injection of doses ranging from 3.5 to 4 mgJkg either did not induce SE or resulted in fatal SE. Even a 5-min SE duration (SE blockade resulting from diazepam injection) proved lethal to marmosets within I h of domoate administration, regardless of intensive care and monitoring of the animals. Animals injected with doses ranging from 0.5 to 3 mg/kg that developed only a few minor convulsive signs were allowed a 6-month survival period for the assessment of spontaneous epileptic events. At the end of the experiment, 6-month period, or acute intoxication associated with SE induction, animals were deeply anesthetized and had their brains subjected to histologic processing for Nissl and delta-FosB.Results: for the animals injected with domoate that did not develop SE (i.e., those that survived), we could not detect any behavioral signs of spontaneous epileptic seizures in the 6-month observation period, and only minor indications of neuropathologic changes (i.e., neuronal death) over Nissl-stained sections, as well as some small changes in the staining for delta-FosB in a few of the animals.Conclusions: Systemic administration of domoic acid to marmosets is not effective for the generation of a model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy. Administration of domoic acid at doses that do not lead to SE also did not lead to the development of temporal lobe epilepsy or clear-cut behavioral changes over a 6-month period.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rural Rio de Janeiro, Dept Physiol Sci, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Modeling epileptogenesis and temporal lobe epilepsy in a non-human primate

Here we describe a new non-human primate model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) to better investigate the cause/effect relationships of human TLE. Status epilepticus (SE) was induced in adult marmosets by pilocarpine injection (250 mg/kg; i.p.). the animals were divided in 2 groups: acute (8 h post-SE) and chronic (3 and 5 months post-SE). To manage the severity of SE, animals received diazepam 5 min after the SE onset (acute group: 2.5 or 1.25 mg/kg; i.p.; chronic group/; 1.25 mg/kg; i.p). All animals were monitored by video and electrocorticography to assess SE and subsequent spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). To evaluate brain injury produced by SE or SRS we used argyrophil III, Nissl and neo-Timm staining techniques. Magnetic resonance image was also performed in the chronic group. We observed that pilocarpine was able to induce SE followed by SRS after a variable period of time. Prolonged SE episodes were associated with brain damage, mostly confined to the hippocampus and limbic structures. Similar to human TLE, anatomical disruption of dentate gyrus was observed after SRS. Our data suggest that pilocarpine marmoset model of epilepsy has great resemblance to human TLE, and could provide new tools to further evaluate the subtle changes associated with human epilepsy. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Inst Fis Sao Carlos IFSC, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Inst Fis Sao Carlos IFSC, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc