Klinischer Krankheitsverlauf der infektiösen Anämie der Schweine und Ausscheidungswege von Mycoplasma suis nach experimenteller Infektion splenektomierter Schweine mit dem Feldstamm K323/13

Mycoplasma suis gehört zu der Gruppe der hämotrophen Mykoplasmen und ist Erreger der infektiösen Anämie des Schweins (IAP). Der klinische Krankheitsverlauf und die Inkubationszeit der IAP sind abhängig von der Virulenz des Stammes, der Empfänglichkeit des Wirtstieres und der Infektionsdosis des Erregers (HOELZLE, 2008; STADLER et al., 2014). In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden der klinische Verlauf und die labordiagnostischen Parameter von splenektomierten Schweinen nach experimenteller Infektion mit einem aktuellen M. suis-Feldstamm K323/13 untersucht. Mittels quantitativer LightCycler® MSG1-PCR erfolgte die Detektion und Quantifizierung der M. suis-DNA im Blut der splenektomierten, infizierten Tiere. Zusätzlich wurden Urinproben, Nasen-, Speichel- und Vaginalsekrettupfer- und Gewebestanzproben sowie Gewebeproben von Leber, Klein- und Großhirn auf M. suis-DNA untersucht. Die humorale Immunantwort nach M. suis-Infektion wurde mittels rHspA1-ELISA evaluiert. Bei allen Tieren wurde eine pathologisch-anatomische und pathologisch-histologische Untersuchung durchgeführt. Um den Einfluss der Splenektomie auf die klinischen und labordiagnostischen Parameter zu ermitteln, wurden zudem splenektomierte, nicht infizierte Tiere als Kontrollgruppe verwendet. Sechs Tage p.i. zeigten alle splenektomierten, infizierten Tiere hochgradige Symptome einer akuten IAP in Form von Ikteroanämie, hohem Fieber und Apathie. Darüber hinaus wurden erstmals nach experimenteller Infektion mit M. suis zentralnervöse Symptome beobachtet. Bis zum achten Tag p.i. verendeten sechs der sieben infizierten Tiere bzw. wurden aufgrund einer hochgradigen, lebensbedrohlichen Hypoglykämie getötet. Labordiagnostisch wurde zudem ein massiver Anstieg der Bilirubin- und der Harnstoffkonzentration im Blut festgestellt. Ein infiziertes Tier zeigte einen chronischen Krankheitsverlauf mit wiederholten Phasen einer akuten IAP und hämorrhagischer Diathese. Eine humorale Immunantwort ließ sich mittels eines rHspA1-ELISAs ab dem 42. Tag p.i. detektieren. Bei einzelnen splenektomierten, infizierten Tieren konnte M. suis-DNA sowohl in Nasensekrettupfern als auch in Urinproben nachgewiesen werden. In der pathologisch-anatomischen und pathologisch-histologischen Untersuchung konnten bei den splenektomierten, infizierten Tieren hochgradige Veränderungen einer IAP erhoben werden. Zusätzlich wurde eine für M. suis bisher noch nicht beschriebene peripherlobuläre Leberzelldegenerationen festgestellt. Die splenektomierten, nicht infizierten Tiere zeigten weder klinische Anzeichen noch pathologisch-anatomische oder pathologisch-histologische Veränderungen einer IAP. Die labordiagnostischen Blutparameter verliefen über den gesamten Versuchszeitraum von 90 Tagen innerhalb des Referenzbereichs

Klinischer Krankheitsverlauf der infektiösen Anämie der Schweine und Ausscheidungswege von Mycoplasma suis nach experimenteller Infektion splenektomierter Schweine mit dem Feldstamm K323/13

Mycoplasma suis gehört zu der Gruppe der hämotrophen Mykoplasmen und ist Erreger der infektiösen Anämie des Schweins (IAP). Der klinische Krankheitsverlauf und die Inkubationszeit der IAP sind abhängig von der Virulenz des Stammes, der Empfänglichkeit des Wirtstieres und der Infektionsdosis des Erregers (HOELZLE, 2008; STADLER et al., 2014). In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden der klinische Verlauf und die labordiagnostischen Parameter von splenektomierten Schweinen nach experimenteller Infektion mit einem aktuellen M. suis-Feldstamm K323/13 untersucht. Mittels quantitativer LightCycler® MSG1-PCR erfolgte die Detektion und Quantifizierung der M. suis-DNA im Blut der splenektomierten, infizierten Tiere. Zusätzlich wurden Urinproben, Nasen-, Speichel- und Vaginalsekrettupfer- und Gewebestanzproben sowie Gewebeproben von Leber, Klein- und Großhirn auf M. suis-DNA untersucht. Die humorale Immunantwort nach M. suis-Infektion wurde mittels rHspA1-ELISA evaluiert. Bei allen Tieren wurde eine pathologisch-anatomische und pathologisch-histologische Untersuchung durchgeführt. Um den Einfluss der Splenektomie auf die klinischen und labordiagnostischen Parameter zu ermitteln, wurden zudem splenektomierte, nicht infizierte Tiere als Kontrollgruppe verwendet. Sechs Tage p.i. zeigten alle splenektomierten, infizierten Tiere hochgradige Symptome einer akuten IAP in Form von Ikteroanämie, hohem Fieber und Apathie. Darüber hinaus wurden erstmals nach experimenteller Infektion mit M. suis zentralnervöse Symptome beobachtet. Bis zum achten Tag p.i. verendeten sechs der sieben infizierten Tiere bzw. wurden aufgrund einer hochgradigen, lebensbedrohlichen Hypoglykämie getötet. Labordiagnostisch wurde zudem ein massiver Anstieg der Bilirubin- und der Harnstoffkonzentration im Blut festgestellt. Ein infiziertes Tier zeigte einen chronischen Krankheitsverlauf mit wiederholten Phasen einer akuten IAP und hämorrhagischer Diathese. Eine humorale Immunantwort ließ sich mittels eines rHspA1-ELISAs ab dem 42. Tag p.i. detektieren. Bei einzelnen splenektomierten, infizierten Tieren konnte M. suis-DNA sowohl in Nasensekrettupfern als auch in Urinproben nachgewiesen werden. In der pathologisch-anatomischen und pathologisch-histologischen Untersuchung konnten bei den splenektomierten, infizierten Tieren hochgradige Veränderungen einer IAP erhoben werden. Zusätzlich wurde eine für M. suis bisher noch nicht beschriebene peripherlobuläre Leberzelldegenerationen festgestellt. Die splenektomierten, nicht infizierten Tiere zeigten weder klinische Anzeichen noch pathologisch-anatomische oder pathologisch-histologische Veränderungen einer IAP. Die labordiagnostischen Blutparameter verliefen über den gesamten Versuchszeitraum von 90 Tagen innerhalb des Referenzbereichs

Identifying functional groups of phytoplankton using data from three lakes of different trophic state

Abstract.: There is tremendous diversity in species of phytoplankton. Yet one may expect some degree of commonality in the response of similar species to similar conditions. Functional groups are those sets of species that respond similarly to environmental conditions because they have similar properties. The identification of such functional groups can assist model-based prediction of the abundance of phytoplankton as a function of time, space, and environmental conditions. Functional groups can also assist limnologists in the analysis and presentation of field data. We identified functional groups of phytoplankton using a combination of prior knowledge (based on taxonomic divisions and measurable properties) and statistical cluster analysis of long-term, species-level data from three Swiss lakes of different trophic state. For this task, we used the taxonomic division as the basic unit of analysis. Each taxonomic group was subdivided into several further groups by analysing the occurrence pattern of each species of the group and grouping together species with similar patterns. The reasons for the occurrence pattern for each species within a group were then analysed based on the main properties of the species. The results of this analysis were used to merge groups that had similar occurrence for similar reasons across taxonomic boundaries. Groups with different occurrence patterns but similar properties were also merged. This led to suggestions for functional groups at multiple levels of aggregation. The resulting groups were used in a subsequent study for modelling phytoplankton in the three lakes used for this analysis. The general methodology of combining prior knowledge on properties with empirical evidence on occurrence should be useful for finding functional groups of phytoplankton in other lakes as well. Comparisons of studies across lakes can then contribute to the identification of universal functional groups of phytoplankton applicable to a broad class of water

Large Footprint Bone Cyst: Arthroscopic Autologous Cylinder Press-Fit with Buddy Anchor Interference-Fit for Rotator Cuff Repair

BACKGROUND: About 20–25% of all rotator cuff tears are associated with footprint bone cysts. Large cysts (>10 mm2) are rare but can be problematic for anchor fixation and rotator cuff repair. So far treatment of footprint bone cysts was described using large or several anchors, cement, or compaction grafting mostly with allograft bone being biologically inferior to restore bone stock compared to autologous grafts. METHODS/RESULTS: We report about a 57-year-old manual laborer with persistent pain and loss of shoulder function (subjective shoulder value [SSV] 50%). Magnetic resonance imaging showed a high-grade partial supraspinatus tendon tear (>50%) associated with a large supraspinatus footprint bone cyst (10 mm × 11 mm × 17 mm). An efficient setup in lateral position for arthroscopic autologous press-fit grafting from the iliac crest is described for single-stage arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Improved fixation was achieved using a buddy anchor interference-fit technique. CONCLUSION: The clinical follow-up after 12 months showed an excellent outcome (SSV >90%, DASH-Score 14 points, and Constant-Score 87 points) with dynamic ultrasound and radiographs confirming tendon and bone stock restoration

Does Feedback Design Matter? A Neurofeedback Study Comparing Immersive Virtual Reality and Traditional Training Screens in Elderly

Neurofeedback (NF) is a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) application, in which the brain activity is fed back to the user in real-time enabling voluntary brain control. In this context, the significance of the feedback design is mainly unexplored. Highly immersive feedback scenarios using virtual reality (VR) technique are available. However, their effects on subjective user experience as well as on objective outcome measures remain open. In the present article, we discuss the general pros and cons of using VR as feedback modality in BCI applications. Furthermore, we report on the results of an empirical study, in which the effects of traditional two-dimensional and three-dimensional VR based feedback scenarios on NF training performance and user experience in healthy older individuals and neurologic patients were compared. In conclusion, we suggest indications and contraindications of immersive VR feedback designs in BCI applications. Our results show that findings in healthy individuals are not always transferable to patient populations having an impact on serious game and feedback design

Severity of olfactory deficits is reflected in functional brain networks-An fMRI study

Even though deficits in olfactory function affect a considerable part of the population, the neuronal basis of olfactory deficits remains scarcely investigated. To achieve a better understanding of how smell loss affects neural activation patterns and functional networks, we set out to investigate patients with olfactory dysfunction using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and olfactory stimulation. We used patients' scores on a standardized olfactory test as continuous measure of olfactory function. 48 patients (mean olfactory threshold discrimination identification (TDI) score=16.33, SD=6.4, range 6 - 28.5) were investigated. Overall, patients showed piriform cortex activation during odor stimulation compared to pure sniffing. Group independent component analysis indicated that the recruitment of three networks during odor stimulation was correlated with olfactory function: a sensory processing network (including regions such as insula, thalamus and piriform cortex), a cerebellar network and an occipital network. Interestingly, recruitment of these networks during pure sniffing was related to olfactory function as well. Our results support previous findings that sniffing alone can activate olfactory regions. Extending this, we found that the severity of olfactory deficits is related to the extent to which neural networks are recruited both during olfactory stimulation and pure sniffing. This indicates that olfactory deficits are not only reflected in changes in specific olfactory areas but also in the recruitment of occipital and cerebellar networks. These findings pave the way for future investigations on whether characteristics of these networks might be of use for the prediction of disease prognosis or of treatment success

Resistance to mesenchymal reprogramming sustains clonal propagation in metastatic breast cancer

The acquisition of mesenchymal traits is considered a hallmark of breast cancer progression. However, the functional relevance of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains controversial and context dependent. Here, we isolate epithelial and mesenchymal populations from human breast cancer metastatic biopsies and assess their functional potential in vivo. Strikingly, progressively decreasing epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM) levels correlate with declining disease propagation. Mechanistically, we find that persistent EPCAM expression marks epithelial clones that resist EMT induction and propagate competitively. In contrast, loss of EPCAM defines clones arrested in a mesenchymal state, with concomitant suppression of tumorigenicity and metastatic potential. This dichotomy results from distinct clonal trajectories impacting global epigenetic programs that are determined by the interplay between human ZEB1 and its target GRHL2. Collectively, our results indicate that susceptibility to irreversible EMT restrains clonal propagation, whereas resistance to mesenchymal reprogramming sustains disease spread in multiple models of human metastatic breast cancer, including patient-derived cells in vivo

Corona Health -- A Study- and Sensor-based Mobile App Platform Exploring Aspects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Physical and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic is typically assessed via surveys, which might make it difficult to conduct longitudinal studies and might lead to data suffering from recall bias. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) driven smartphone apps can help alleviate such issues, allowing for in situ recordings. Implementing such an app is not trivial, necessitates strict regulatory and legal requirements, and requires short development cycles to appropriately react to abrupt changes in the pandemic. Based on an existing app framework, we developed Corona Health, an app that serves as a platform for deploying questionnaire-based studies in combination with recordings of mobile sensors. In this paper, we present the technical details of Corona Health and provide first insights into the collected data. Through collaborative efforts from experts from public health, medicine, psychology, and computer science, we released Corona Health publicly on Google Play and the Apple App Store (in July, 2020) in 8 languages and attracted 7,290 installations so far. Currently, five studies related to physical and mental well-being are deployed and 17,241 questionnaires have been filled out. Corona Health proves to be a viable tool for conducting research related to the COVID-19 pandemic and can serve as a blueprint for future EMA-based studies. The data we collected will substantially improve our knowledge on mental and physical health states, traits and trajectories as well as its risk and protective factors over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and its diverse prevention measures

Functional electrical stimulation driven by a brain–computer interface in acute and subacute stroke patients impacts beta power and long-range temporal correlation

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a standard rehabilitation approach applied by therapists to aid motor recovery in a paretic limb post-stroke. Information pertaining to the timing of a movement attempt can be obtained from changes in the power of oscillatory electrophysiological activity in motor cortical regions, derived from scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. The use of a brain–computer interface (BCI), to enable delivery of FES within a tight temporal window with a movement attempt detected in scalp EEG, is associated with greater motor recovery than conventional FES application in patients in the chronic phase post-stroke. We hypothesized that the heightened neural plasticity early post-stroke could further enhance motor recovery and that motor improvements would be accompanied by changes in the motor cortical sensorimotor rhythm after compared with before treatment. Here we assessed clinical outcome and changes in the sensorimotor rhythm in patients following subcortical stroke affecting the non-dominant hemisphere from a study comparing timing of FES delivery using a BCI, with a Sham group, receiving FES with no such temporal relationship. The BCI group showed greater clinical improvement following the treatment, particularly early post-stroke, and a greater decrease in beta oscillatory power and long-range temporal correlation over contralateral (ipsilesional) motor cortex. The electrophysiological changes are consistent with a reduction in compensatory processes and a transition towards a subcritical state when movement is triggered at the time of movement detection based on motor cortical oscillations

Gene Expression of the Tumour Suppressor LKB1 Is Mediated by Sp1, NF-Y and FOXO Transcription Factors

The serine/threonine kinase LKB1 is a tumour suppressor that regulates multiple biological pathways, including cell cycle control, cell polarity and energy metabolism by direct phosphorylation of 14 different AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family members. Although many downstream targets have been described, the regulation of LKB1 gene expression is still poorly understood. In this study, we performed a functional analysis of the human LKB1 upstream regulatory region. We used 200 base pair deletion constructs of the 5′-flanking region fused to a luciferase reporter to identify the core promoter. It encompasses nucleotides −345 to +52 relative to the transcription start site and coincides with a DNase I hypersensitive site. Based on extensive deletion and substitution mutant analysis of the LKB1 promoter, we identified four cis-acting elements which are critical for transcriptional activation. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays as well as chromatin immunoprecipitations, we demonstrate that the transcription factors Sp1, NF-Y and two forkhead box O (FOXO) family members FOXO3 and FOXO4 bind to these elements. Overexpression of these factors significantly increased the LKB1 promoter activity. Conversely, small interfering RNAs directed against NF-Y alpha and the two FOXO proteins greatly reduced endogenous LKB1 expression and phosphorylation of LKB1's main substrate AMPK in three different cell lines. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Sp1, NF-Y and FOXO transcription factors are involved in the regulation of LKB1 transcription