GFAP-Driven GFP Expression in Activated Mouse Muller Glial Cells Aligning Retinal Blood Vessels Following Intravitreal Injection of AAV2/6 Vectors

Background: Muller cell gliosis occurs in various retinal pathologies regardless of the underlying cellular defect. Because activated Muller glial cells span the entire retina and align areas of injury, they are ideal targets for therapeutic strategies, including gene therapy.Methodology/Principal Findings: We used adeno-associated viral AAV2/6 vectors to transduce mouse retinas. The transduction pattern of AAV2/6 was investigated by studying expression of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgene using scanning-laser ophthalmoscopy and immuno-histochemistry. AAV2/6 vectors transduced mouse Muller glial cells aligning the retinal blood vessels. However, the transduction capacity was hindered by the inner limiting membrane (ILM) and besides Muller glial cells, several other inner retinal cell types were transduced. To obtain Muller glial cell-specific transgene expression, the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter was replaced by the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter. Specificity and activation of the GFAP promoter was tested in a mouse model for retinal gliosis. Mice deficient for Crumbs homologue 1 (CRB1) develop gliosis after light exposure. Light exposure of Crb1(-/-) retinas transduced with AAV2/6-GFAP-GFP induced GFP expression restricted to activated Muller glial cells aligning retinal blood vessels.Conclusions/Significance: Our experiments indicate that AAV2 vectors carrying the GFAP promoter are a promising tool for specific expression of transgenes in activated glial cells

Insights into deposition of Lower Cretaceous black shales from meager accumulation of organic matter in Albian sediments from ODP site 763, Exmouth Plateau, Northwest Australia

The amount and type of organic matter present in an exceptionally complete upper Aptian to lower Cenomanian sequence of sediments from ODP site 763 on the Exmouth Plateau has been determined. Organic carbon concentrations average 0.2%. Organic matter is marine in origin, and its production and preservation was low over the ca. 20-million-year interval recorded by this sequence. Because this section was tectonically isolated from mainland Australia in the early Aptian, it better represents global oceanic conditions than the many basin-edge locations in which Albian-age black shales have been found. Formation of the basin-edge black shales evidently resulted from rapid, turbiditic burial of organic matter rather than from enhanced oceanic production or from basin-wide anoxia during the Albian.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47134/1/367_2005_Article_BF02202605.pd

A mulher em situação de abortamento: um enfoque existencial La mujer em situación de aborto: un enfoque existencial Women in face of abortion: an experience-based approach

O trabalho se propõe a desvelar facetas do significado do aborto para a mulher que o vivencia. Para tanto, as autoras recorrem a Metodologia de Investigação Fenomenológica - que possibilita uma análise compreensiva dos depoimentos das mulheres que estão vivenciando essa situação. Foram coletados depoimentos de doze mulheres hospitalizadas, em situação de abortamento, mediante a questão norteadora: "O que está significando para você essa experiência? Você pode descrever para mim?" As convergências de suas falas foram analisadas e possibilitaram a construção de algumas categorias temáticas que sinalizam para a essência desse vivenciar e constituem-se em subsídios para nortear o planejamento de assistência à mulher de forma que a sua situacionalidade seja contemplada. Os resultados possibilitaram o desvelamento de facetas importantes, tais como tristeza, perda, dor fisiológica e existencial, solidão, uma hospitalização desconfortante, a culpa ou medo de ser culpada, a preocupação com o corpo e a intencionalidade de suas consciências começando a voltar-se para a importância dos métodos contraceptivos. Resulta também o desejo de rever seus projetos de vida.<br>El trabajo se propone descubrir facetas del significado del aborto para la mujer que lo vivencia. Por tanto, la autora recurre a la Metodología de Investigación del Fenómeno - que posibilita un análisis comprensivo de los relatos de las mujeres que están viviendo esa situación. Fueron recogidos testimonios de doce mujeres hospitalizadas en situación de aborto, por medio de la cuestión orientadora: ¿Qué significa para Ud. Esta experiencia? ¿Puede Ud., describirla para mí? Las convergencias de sus charlas son analizadas y posibilitan la construcción de algunas categorías temáticas que señalan la esencia de esa vivencia y pueden constituirse en subsidios para orientar el plan de asistencia a la mujer de forma que su situación sea contemplada. Los resultados posibilitan el conocimiento de facetas importantes, tales como tristeza, pérdida, dolor fisiológico y existencial, soledad, una hospitalización no confortable, la culpa o miedo de ser culpada, preocupación con el cuerpo y la intención de su conciencia comenzando a ver la importancia de los métodos contraceptivos. Surge también el deseo de rever sus proyectos de vida.<br>This work aims at revealing the meaning of abortion in the view of women who have experienced it. For this purpose, the author used the Methodology of Phenomenological Investigation, which enabled a comprehensive analysis of the accounts collected. Data were gathered by interviewing twelve hospitalized women. The following questions were used: "What's the meaning of this experience to you? Can you describe it to me? The convergence of their accounts was analyzed and this enabled the creation of thematic categories. Such categories point out the essence of these women's experience and may provide guidelines for the development of assistance policies that would meet their specific needs. The results enlighten important aspects associated with sadness, loss, physiological and existential pain, loneliness, hospitalization discomfort, guilt or fear of being considered guilty, concern with their bodies and the intentionality of their consciences beginning to give importance to contraceptive methods. Their desire to review their own life projects also emerges

Authigenic carbonate mineral formation in the Pagassitikos palaeolake during the latest Pleistocene, central Greece

The Pagassitikos Gulf in Greece is a semi-enclosed bay with a maximum depth of 102 m. According to the present-day bathymetric configuration and the sea level during the latest Pleistocene, the gulf would have been isolated from the open sea, forming a palaeolake since ~32 cal. ka b.p. Sediment core B-4 was recovered from the deepest sector of the gulf and revealed evidence of a totally different depositional environment in the lowest part of the core: this contained light grey-coloured sediments, contrasting strongly with overlying olive grey muds. Multi-proxy analyses showed the predominance of carbonate minerals (aragonite, dolomite and calcite) and gypsum in the lowest part of the core. Carbonate mineral deposition can be attributed to autochthonous precipitation that took place in a saline palaeolake with high evaporation rates during the last glacial–early deglacial period; the lowest core sample to be AMS 14C dated provided an age of 19.53 cal. ka b.p. The palaeolake was presumably reconnected to the open sea at ~13.2 cal. ka b.p. during the last sea-level rise, marking the commencement of marine sedimentation characterised by the predominance of terrigenous aluminosilicates and fairly constant depositional conditions lasting up to the present day