Neuropathological events in an animal model resembling human fetal post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus

Introduction: In premature newborns, intraventricular hemorrhages (IVH) probably trigger the disruption of the neurogenic ventricular zone. Most of the cases with severe IVH develop post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). A mouse model with IVH has been developed to research into the common neuropathological events present in PHH and into possible therapies. Methods: In two-day-old mice, the blood serum from littermates was injected into the ganglionic eminence of one hemisphere or both hemispheres. Fourteen days later, a histopathological analysis was carried out. In the case of injection in one hemisphere, the effects were compared with the contralateral non-injected hemisphere. Results: Mice with IVH developed the following neuropathological effects. The ependyma was found denuded and replaced by reactive astrocytes. A reaction of astrocytes over-expressing aquaporin-4 and of NG2 cells was also found developed in the white matter. Alterations in the neurogenesis were also common in the ventricular zone and in the white matter. Conclusions: The animal model of IVH developed shows similar neuropathological events to other forms of congenital hydrocephalus and can be used to research into therapies for PHH.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. PI15/0619 (ISCIII/FEDER) to AJJ

IPSC differentiation into ependymal progenitors to treat ventricular damage during hydrocephalus

Introduction: During both obstructive congenital hydrocephalus and post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus additional pathological events are intimately associated with their ethiology: a) a detrimental inflammatory response; b) severe damage of the underlying periventricular nervous tissue, including white matter, and c). Therapeutic approaches have been directed to overcome a) and b), however recovery of damaged neuroepithelium/ependyma is, in our present, an important therapeutic gap. Methods: Human and mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) have been artificially differented into ependymal progenitors. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of iPCS are performed ex vivo and in vivo in the damaged ventricular wall. Their integration and differentiation has been studied by immunohistochemistry and histopathological analysis. Results: Mice and human ependymal progenitors are able to integrate and differentiate into ependyma in damaged ventricular wall. Stage of ependymal differentiation by the time of the injection defined different degrees of integration. Conclusions: IPSC appear to be a good ependymal progenitor source with no ethical controversy associated.RyC 2014-16980 Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Employment Law Update

It is important for managers to keep abreast of developments in employment law. Every year the law is refined as courts are presented and resolve new questions. Many of these are questions of statutory interpretation. Some are issues of common law. This article reviews recent court cases involving the interpretation of important statutes, such as the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Age Discrimination Act. It also reviews developments in the common law area of privacy issues (Landesman, 2004)

ChromaGAN: Adversarial Picture Colorization with Semantic Class Distribution

The colorization of grayscale images is an ill-posed problem, with multiple correct solutions. In this paper, we propose an adversarial learning colorization approach coupled with semantic information. A generative network is used to infer the chromaticity of a given grayscale image conditioned to semantic clues. This network is framed in an adversarial model that learns to colorize by incorporating perceptual and semantic understanding of color and class distributions. The model is trained via a fully self-supervised strategy. Qualitative and quantitative results show the capacity of the proposed method to colorize images in a realistic way achieving state-of-the-art results.Comment: 8 pages + reference

Organização do acesso e permanência das pessoas com deficiência no ensino superior a partir da instauração do Programa Incluir

The Incluir Program influenced institutional policies for the implementation of accessibility actions for people with disabilities in higher education, in all Brazilian states. With financial support from the MEC, Brazilian universities created and/or restructured diversity support units in Federal Institutions of Higher Education and State Institutions of Higher Education. Thus, the objective of this work is to analyze how the current situation is, from the productions of theses and master's thesis, since their publication, to understand how these Higher Education institutions have organized to support the entry and permanence of people with disabilities after this financial contribution and the publications of the inclusion public policies in Brazil. The methodological procedures of this research are qualitative and bibliographic in nature, using content analysis. The results of this investigated period revealed progress in the implementation of public policies, after 2005, with the creation of diversity support units and resources for the inclusion of young people and adults with disabilities, it was also possible to identify the need for teacher formation and for professionals working in these institutions to eliminate the attitudinal and communication barriers located in many higher education institutions.El Programa Incluir influenció las políticas institucionales, para la implementación de acciones de accesibilidad para personas con deficiencia en la enseñanza superior, en todos los estados brasileños. Con el apoyo financiero del MEC, las universidades de Brasil crearon y/ o reestructuraron las unidades de apoyo a la diversidad en las Instituciones Federales de Enseñanza Superior e Instituciones Estatales de Enseñanza Superior. Así, el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar cómo está la situación actual a partir de las producciones de tesis y disertaciones de maestría, desde su publicación, para comprender como estas instituciones de Enseñanza Superior se han organizando para apoyar el ingreso e la permanencia de personas con discapacidad, después de ese aporte financiero y las publicaciones de las políticas públicas de inclusión en Brasil. Los procedimientos metodológicos de esta pesquisa son de carácter cualitativo y bibliográfico usando el análisis de contenido. Los resultados de este periodo investigado revelaron el avance en la implementación de las políticas públicas, después de 2005, con la creación de las unidades de apoyo a la diversidad y los recursos para la inclusión de jóvenes y adultos con discapacidad, además fue posible identificar la necesidad de la formación docente y de los profesionales que trabajan en estas instituciones para eliminar las barreras actitudinales y comunicativas localizadas en muchas instituciones de enseñanza superior.O Programa Incluir influenciou as políticas institucionais, para a implementação de ações de acessibilidade para pessoas com deficiência no ensino superior, em todos os estados brasileiros. Com o apoio financeiro do MEC, as universidades do Brasil criaram e/ou reestruturaram os núcleos de acessibilidade nas Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior e Instituições Estaduais de Ensino Superior. Assim, o objetivo desse trabalho é analisar como está a situação atual a partir das produções de teses e dissertações, desde sua publicação, para compreender como as Instituições de Ensino Superior estão se organizando para apoiar o ingresso e a permanência de pessoas com deficiência, após esse aporte financeiro e as publicações das políticas públicas de inclusão no Brasil. Os procedimentos metodológicos dessa pesquisa são de caráter qualitativo e bibliográfico por meio da análise de conteúdo sobre o tema. Os resultados desse período investigado revelaram o avanço da implementação das políticas públicas, após 2005, com a criação dos núcleos de acessibilidade e os apoios para a inclusão de jovens e adultos com deficiência, contudo foi possível identificar a necessidade da formação docente e dos profissionais que atuam nestas instituições para eliminar as barreiras atitudinais e comunicacionais encontradas em muitas instituições de ensino superior

Reactivity and fate of secondary alkane sulfonates (SAS) in marine sediments

This research is focused on secondary alkane sulfonates (SAS), anionic surfactants widely used in household applications that access aquatic environments mainly via sewage discharges.We studied their sorption capacity and anaerobic degradation in marine sediments, providing the first data available on this topic. SAS partition coefficients increased towards those homologues having longer alkyl chains(from up to 141 L kg 1 for C14 to up to 1753 L kg 1 for C17), which were those less susceptible to undergo biodegradation. Overall, SAS removal percentages reached up to 98% after 166 days of incubation using anoxic sediments. The degradation pathway consisted on the formation of sulfocarboxylic acids after an initial fumarate attack of the alkyl chain and successive b-oxidations. This is the first study showing that SAS can be degraded in absence of oxygen, so this new information should be taken into account for future environmental risk assessments on these chemicals

Long-time effects of an experimental therapy with mesenchymal stem cells in congenital hydrocephalus

Introduction: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) are a potential therapeutic tool due to their ability for migrating and producing neuroprotector factors when they are transplanted in other neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, some investigations have shown that BM-MSC are able to modulate astrocyte activation and neuroprotector factor production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-time effects of a BM-MSC experimental therapy in the hyh mouse model of congenital hydrocephalus. Methods: BM-MSC were characterized in vitro and then transplanted into the ventricles of young hydrocephalic hyh mice, before they develop the severe hydrocephalus. Non-hydrocephalic normal mice (wt) and hydrocephalic hyh mice sham-injected (sterile saline serum) were used as controls. Samples were studied by analyzing and comparing mRNA, protein level expressions and immunoreaction related with the progression and severity of hydrocephalus. Results: Fourteen days after transplantation, hydrocephalic hyh mice with BM-MSC showed lower ventriculomegaly. In these animals, BM-MSC were found undifferentiated and spread into the periventricular astrocyte reaction. There, BM-MSC were detected producing several neuroprotector factors (BDNF, GDNF, NGF, VEGF), in the same way as reactive astrocytes. Total neocortical levels of NGF, TGF-β and VEGF were found increased in hydrocephalic hyh mice transplanted with BM-MSC. Furthermore, astrocytes showed increased expressions of aquaporin-4 (water channel protein) and Slit-2 (neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory molecule). Conclusions: BM-MSC seem to lead to recovery of the severe neurodegenerative conditions associated to congenital hydrocephalus mediated by reactive astrocytes.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. PI15/0619 (ISCIII/FEDER