Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 3 in age-dependent optic neuropathy

To determine retinal vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (VGLUT3) expression alterations in a mouse model of progressive optic neuropathy (glaucoma). Tissue specimens were obtained from age-matched DBA/2J and control C57BL/6J mice for western blot analysis. Enucleated globes from DBA/2J, C57BL/6J, and BALB/cJ mice were fixed in formalin, paraffin-embedded, and sectioned for VGLUT3 protein localization. western blot analysis of the control retinas revealed the expression of a ~55 kDa immunoreactive VGLUT3 protein that is to be expected in tissues such as retina, brain, liver, heart, and kidney tissue, but not in intestinal or lung tissue. Furthermore, a strong ~130 kDa immunoreactive VGLUT3 isoform that is restricted to the central nervous system (the brain and retinas) was also identified in the controls, but was not detected in the DBA/2J retinas. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed a lack of VGLUT3 expression in the synapses between amacrine and retinal ganglion cells in DBA/2J retinas, in contrast to its strong expression in the C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ controls. Our results implicate the dysregulated expression of a central nervous system-specific VGLUT3 isoform as a predisposing factor in the development of optic neuropathy in DBA/2J mice, a spontaneous mouse model of glaucoma. In striking parallel to the visual system defects of glaucomatous DBA/2J mice, the inner ear of VGLUT3 knockout mice displays a progressive loss of inner hair cell to spiral-ganglion neuron synapses. A significant reduction in the number of spiral-ganglion neurons leads to age-associated deafness. Thus, we propose that the absence of this biochemically uncharacterized 130 kDa VGLUT3 isoform in the DBA/2J retina is a predisposing factor in synaptic instability, and a contributing factor in the age-dependent and progressive loss of ganglion cells projecting to the brain

Three-dimensional structure of Rubella virus factories

AbstractViral factories are complex structures in the infected cell where viruses compartmentalize their life cycle. Rubella virus (RUBV) assembles factories by recruitment of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), mitochondria and Golgi around modified lysosomes known as cytopathic vacuoles or CPVs. These organelles contain active replication complexes that transfer replicated RNA to assembly sites in Golgi membranes. We have studied the structure of RUBV factory in three dimensions by electron tomography and freeze-fracture. CPVs contain stacked membranes, rigid sheets, small vesicles and large vacuoles. These membranes are interconnected and in communication with the endocytic pathway since they incorporate endocytosed BSA-gold. RER and CPVs are coupled through protein bridges and closely apposed membranes. Golgi vesicles attach to the CPVs but no tight contacts with mitochondria were detected. Immunogold labelling confirmed that the mitochondrial protein p32 is an abundant component around and inside CPVs where it could play important roles in factory activities

Dispersion cancellation and quantum eraser experiments analyzed in the Wigner function formalism

We extend the Wigner function formalism for parametric down-conversion experiments presented in a previous paper [Phys. Rev. A 55 3879 (1997)] to experiments involving propagation through a dispersive medium [Steinberg et al., Phys. Rev. A 45, 6659 (1992)], and polarization [Kwiat et al., Phys. Rev. A 45, 7729 (1992)]

Bacteriological and cytological findings during the late puerperal period after two different treatments of retained placenta followed by acute puerperal metritis

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of two acute puerperal metritis (APM) treatment protocols on uterine condition during the late puerperal period (5th to 7th week). Late gestation healthy cows (n = 21) were divided randomly in three equal groups. Parturitions were induced. Treatments of APM were started on the third day postpartum (PP). Group A was treated with an oxytocin analogue carbetocin for three days and intrauterine administration of cephapirin between days 15 and 17. Group B was given intramuscular injection of ceftiofur for five days followed by two injections of prostaglandin F2α, at an interval of 12 h, on the eighth day PP. Group C served as the control group with no treatment. Body temperature was recorded daily for 14 days PP. Uterine biopsies for bacteriology, and uterobrush samples for cytology, were taken once a week from the 5th to 7th week postpartum. No differences were found in body temperature on day 14 PP, presence of bacteriological infections and disappearance of uterine inflammatory signs diagnosed by cytological examination between experimental groups

Host-driven subspeciation in the hedgehog fungus, Trichophyton erinacei, an emerging cause of human dermatophytosis

Altres ajuts: Czech Ministry of Health (grant NU21-05-00681)Trichophyton erinacei is a main cause of dermatophytosis in hedgehogs and is increasingly reported from human infections worldwide. This pathogen was originally described in the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) but is also frequently found in the African four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris), a popular pet animal worldwide. Little is known about the taxonomy and population genetics of this pathogen despite its increasing importance in clinical practice. Notably, whether there are different populations or even cryptic species associated with different hosts or geographic regions is not known. To answer these questions, we collected 161 isolates, performed phylogenetic and population-genetic analyses, determined mating-type, and characterised morphology and physiology. Multigene phylogeny and microsatellite analysis supported T. erinacei as a monophyletic species, in contrast to highly incongruent single-gene phylogenies. Two main subpopulations, one specific mainly to Atelerix and second to Erinaceus hosts, were identified inside T. erinacei, and slight differences in the size of microconidia and antifungal susceptibilities were observed among them. Although the process of speciation into two lineages is ongoing in T. erinacei, there is still gene flow between these populations. Thus, we present T. erinacei as a single species, with notable intraspecies variability in genotype and phenotype. The data from wild hedgehogs indicated that sexual reproduction in T. erinacei and de novo infection of hedgehogs from soil are probably rare events and that clonal horizontal spread strongly dominates. The molecular typing approach used in this study represents a suitable tool for further epidemiological surveillance of this emerging pathogen in both animals and humans. The results of this study also highlighted the need to use a multigene phylogeny ideally in combination with other inde-pendent molecular markers to understand the species boundaries of dermatophytes

Fourth-order interference in the Wigner representation for parametric down-conversion experiments

In the Wigner formalism, after giving a general description of a light beam, the theory of parametric down-conversion is developed to second-order in the coupling constant. We then describe the detection process by calculating the auto-correlation and cross-correlations of the signal and idler beams. Four recent experiments are analyzed in detail: interference on a screen, Franson's experiments [Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 2205 (1989)], Rarity and Tapster's experiments [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 2495 (1990)], and induced coherence without induced emission [X. Y. Zou, L. J. Wang, and L. Mandel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 318 (1991)]

Dynamic emotion perception and prior expectancy.

Social interactions require the ability to rapidly perceive emotion from various incoming dynamic, multisensory cues. Prior expectations reduce incoming emotional information and direct attention to cues that are aligned with what is expected. Studies to date have investigated the prior expectancy effect using static emotional images, despite the fact that dynamic stimuli would represent greater ecological validity. The objective of the study was to create a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm to examine the influence of prior expectations on naturalistic emotion perception. For this purpose, we developed a dynamic emotion perception task, which consisted of audio-visual videos that carry emotional information congruent or incongruent with prior expectations. The results show that emotional congruency was associated with activity in prefrontal regions, amygdala, and putamen, whereas emotional incongruency was associated with activity in temporoparietal junction and mid-cingulate gyrus. Supported by the behavioural results, our findings suggest that prior expectations are reinforced after repeated experience and learning, whereas unexpected emotions may rely on fast change detection processes. The results from the current study are compatible with the notion that the ability to automatically detect unexpected changes in complex dynamic environments allows for adaptive behaviours in potentially advantageous or threatening situations

Infected Dendritic Cells Facilitate Systemic Dissemination and Transplacental Passage of the Obligate Intracellular Parasite Neospora caninum in Mice

The obligate intracellular parasite Neospora caninum disseminates across the placenta and the blood-brain barrier, to reach sites where it causes severe pathology or establishes chronic persistent infections. The mechanisms used by N. caninum to breach restrictive biological barriers remain elusive. To examine the cellular basis of these processes, migration of different N. caninum isolates (Nc-1, Nc-Liverpool, Nc-SweB1 and the Spanish isolates: Nc-Spain 3H, Nc-Spain 4H, Nc-Spain 6, Nc-Spain 7 and Nc-Spain 9) was studied in an in vitro model based on a placental trophoblast-derived BeWo cell line. Here, we describe that infection of dendritic cells (DC) by N. caninum tachyzoites potentiated translocation of parasites across polarized cellular monolayers. In addition, powered by the parasite's own gliding motility, extracellular N. caninum tachyzoites were able to transmigrate across cellular monolayers. Altogether, the presented data provides evidence of two putative complementary pathways utilized by N. caninum, in an isolate-specific fashion, for passage of restrictive cellular barriers. Interestingly, adoptive transfer of tachyzoite-infected DC in mice resulted in increased parasitic loads in various organs, e.g. the central nervous system, compared to infections with free parasites. Inoculation of pregnant mice with infected DC resulted in an accentuated vertical transmission to the offspring with increased parasitic loads and neonatal mortality. These findings reveal that N. caninum exploits the natural cell trafficking pathways in the host to cross cellular barriers and disseminate to deep tissues. The findings are indicative of conserved dissemination strategies among coccidian apicomplexan parasites