Wanted dead or alive? The tradeoff between in-vivo versus ex-vivo MR brain imaging in the mouse

High-resolution MRI of the mouse brain is gaining prominence in estimating changes in neuroanatomy over time to understand both normal developmental as well as disease processes and mechanisms. These types of experiments, where a change in time is to be captured as accurately as possible using imaging, face multiple experimental design choices. Chief amongst these choices is whether to image ex-vivo, where superior resolution and contrast are available, or in-vivo, where resolution and contrast are lower but the animal can be followed longitudinally. Here we explore this tradeoff by first estimating the sources of variability in anatomical mouse MRI and then, using statistical simulations, provide power analyses of these experiment design choices

White and Gray Matter Abnormalities After Cranial Radiation in Children and Mice

PurposePediatric patients treated with cranial radiation are at high risk of developing lasting cognitive impairments. We sought to identify anatomical changes in both gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in radiation-treated patients and in mice, in which the effect of radiation can be isolated from other factors, the time course of anatomical change can be established, and the effect of treatment age can be more fully characterized. Anatomical results were compared between species.Methods and MaterialsPatients were imaged with T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after radiation treatment. Nineteen radiation-treated patients were divided into groups of 7 years of age and younger (7−) and 8 years and older (8+) and were compared to 41 controls. C57BL6 mice were treated with radiation (n=52) or sham treated (n=52) between postnatal days 16 and 36 and then assessed with in vivo and/or ex vivo MRI. In both cases, measurements of WM and GM volume, cortical thickness, area and volume, and hippocampal volume were compared between groups.ResultsWM volume was significantly decreased following treatment in 7− and 8+ treatment groups. GM volume was unchanged overall, but cortical thickness was slightly increased in the 7− group. Results in mice mostly mirrored these changes and provided a time course of change, showing early volume loss and normal growth. Hippocampal volume showed a decreasing trend with age in patients, an effect not observed in the mouse hippocampus but present in the olfactory bulb.ConclusionsChanges in mice treated with cranial radiation are similar to those in humans, including significant WM and GM alterations. Because mice did not receive any other treatment, the similarity across species supports the expectation that radiation is causative and suggests mice provide a representative model for studying impaired brain development after cranial radiation and testing novel treatments

Mutation in the FUS nuclear localisation signal domain causes neurodevelopmental and systemic metabolic alterations

Variants in the ubiquitously expressed DNA/RNA-binding protein FUS cause aggressive juvenile forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Most FUS mutation studies have focused on motor neuron degeneration; little is known about wider systemic or developmental effects. We studied pleiotropic phenotypes in a physiological knock-in mouse model carrying the pathogenic FUSDelta14 mutation in homozygosity. RNA sequencing of multiple organs aimed to identify pathways altered by the mutant protein in the systemic transcriptome, including metabolic tissues, given the link between ALS-frontotemporal dementia and altered metabolism. Few genes were commonly altered across all tissues, and most genes and pathways affected were generally tissue specific. Phenotypic assessment of mice revealed systemic metabolic alterations related to the pathway changes identified. Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans and histological characterisation revealed that homozygous FUSDelta14 brains were smaller than heterozygous and wild-type brains and displayed significant morphological alterations, including a thinner cortex, reduced neuronal number and increased gliosis, which correlated with early cognitive impairment and fatal seizures. These findings show that the disease aetiology of FUS variants can include both neurodevelopmental and systemic alterations

Review Article MR technology for biological studies in mice

ABSTRACT: Mouse models are crucial for the study of genetic factors and processes that influence human disease. In addition to tools for measuring genetic expression and establishing genotype, tools to accurately and comparatively assess mouse phenotype are essential in order to characterize pathology and make comparisons with human disease. MRI provides a powerful means of evaluating various anatomical and functional changes and hence is growing in popularity as a phenotypic readout for biomedical research studies. To accommodate the large numbers of mice needed in most biological studies, mouse MRI must offer high-throughput image acquisition and efficient image analysis. This article reviews the technology of multiple-mouse MRI, a method that images multiple mice or specimens simultaneously as a means of enabling high-throughput studies. Aspects of image acquisition and computational analysis in multiple-mouse studies are also described

The Vehicle, Fall 1993

Table of Contents 7/10ths SynthesisPeter F. Essigpage 5 Aug 1992 (My Small Catechism)Jon Montgomerypage 6 Chaos Is-J. Dylan McNeillpage 7 UntouchedTraci Williamspage 8 The JustificationJohn C. Carminepage 8 LincolnJon Montgomerypage 9 Untitled (Photo)Nicole Niemanpage 10 Park PoemJohn Brillhartpage 11 SmokeJulia Ann Canhampage 12 Warming the BenchAnn Moutraypage 12 Cereal KillerJay Harnackpage 13 The Dutiful SonsTom McGrathpage 14 UntitledCatherine DeGraafpage 17 7-up bottleWalt Howardpage 17 BreedDan Trutterpage 18 An Argument Against LoveTony Martinezpage 19 UntitledT. Scott Laniganpage 19 Glassblowers BallStephanie Franzenpage 20 Portrait of a Young GirlJohn C. Carminepage 20 Untitled (artwork)Dan Trutterpage 21 Death of a FriendLizabeth Kulkapage 22 Submission BluesMartin Paul Brittpage 23 To the Fourteen Year Old SuicideScott Langenpage 23 The Flabby PilgrimTom McGrathpage 24 The Fall of ImmortalityBrian Wheelerpage 25 Merging with AirThom Schnarrepage 26 UntitledCatherine DeGraafpage 27 Tree FishSandra Beauchamppage 28 Country SlumberJ. Dylan McNeillpage 29 Untitled (artwork)Dan Trutterpage 33 Authors\u27 Pagepage 34https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1060/thumbnail.jp

Choline acetyltransferase-expressing T cells are required to control chronic viral infection.

peer reviewedAlthough widely studied as a neurotransmitter, T cell-derived acetylcholine (ACh) has recently been reported to play an important role in regulating immunity. However, the role of lymphocyte-derived ACh in viral infection is unknown. Here, we show that the enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step of ACh production, is robustly induced in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells during lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection in an IL-21-dependent manner. Deletion of Chat within the T cell compartment in mice ablated vasodilation in response to infection, impaired the migration of antiviral T cells into infected tissues, and ultimately compromised the control of chronic LCMV clone 13 infection. Our results reveal a genetic proof of function for ChAT in T cells during viral infection and identify a pathway of T cell migration that sustains antiviral immunity

ISSN exercise & sport nutrition review: research & recommendations

Sports nutrition is a constantly evolving field with hundreds of research papers published annually. For this reason, keeping up to date with the literature is often difficult. This paper is a five year update of the sports nutrition review article published as the lead paper to launch the JISSN in 2004 and presents a well-referenced overview of the current state of the science related to how to optimize training and athletic performance through nutrition. More specifically, this paper provides an overview of: 1.) The definitional category of ergogenic aids and dietary supplements; 2.) How dietary supplements are legally regulated; 3.) How to evaluate the scientific merit of nutritional supplements; 4.) General nutritional strategies to optimize performance and enhance recovery; and, 5.) An overview of our current understanding of the ergogenic value of nutrition and dietary supplementation in regards to weight gain, weight loss, and performance enhancement. Our hope is that ISSN members and individuals interested in sports nutrition find this review useful in their daily practice and consultation with their clients

cis,cis-Spiro[4.4]nonane-1,6-diol: A New Chiral Auxiliary for the Asymmetric Diels-Alder Reaction

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