Modulators of Cytoskeletal Reorganization in CA1 Hippocampal Neurons Show Increased Expression in Patients at Mid-Stage Alzheimer's Disease

During the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), hippocampal neurons undergo cytoskeletal reorganization, resulting in degenerative as well as regenerative changes. As neurofibrillary tangles form and dystrophic neurites appear, sprouting neuronal processes with growth cones emerge. Actin and tubulin are indispensable for normal neurite development and regenerative responses to injury and neurodegenerative stimuli. We have previously shown that actin capping protein beta2 subunit, Capzb2, binds tubulin and, in the presence of tau, affects microtubule polymerization necessary for neurite outgrowth and normal growth cone morphology. Accordingly, Capzb2 silencing in hippocampal neurons resulted in short, dystrophic neurites, seen in neurodegenerative diseases including AD. Here we demonstrate the statistically significant increase in the Capzb2 expression in the postmortem hippocampi in persons at mid-stage, Braak and Braak stage (BB) III-IV, non-familial AD in comparison to controls. The dynamics of Capzb2 expression in progressive AD stages cannot be attributed to reactive astrocytosis. Moreover, the increased expression of Capzb2 mRNA in CA1 pyramidal neurons in AD BB III-IV is accompanied by an increased mRNA expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB), mediator of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons. Thus, the up-regulation of Capzb2 and TrkB may reflect cytoskeletal reorganization and/or regenerative response occurring in hippocampal CA1 neurons at a specific stage of AD progression

Mutations observed in mitochondrial DNA of salmon collected in Mano River, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

On March 11, 2011, a great earthquake occurred off the east coast of Honshu Island, Japan. The consequent breakdown of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) caused a massive release of radionuclides into terrestrial and marine environments and into the atmosphere. The Abukuma Mountains region is one of the areas highly polluted by this accident. Freshwater fishes continued to live in this area after the FNPP accident became so polluted. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) usually transfers from the mother to the next generation clonally. Therefore, it is one of the best genetic predictors of the effect of radiation on DNA. The influence of radiation can be presumed by comparing mtDNA between larval fish and their female parent. mtDNA of masu salmon was collected from an area highly polluted, namely, the upstream portion of Mano River, and compared it with that from nonpolluted cultured masu salmon. While no mutations were observed in the cultured masu salmon, those collected from Mano River exhibited three types of subdivisions in the Cytb region and two types of subdivisions in the D-loop region of mtDNA. These results suggest that exposure to radioactive cesium causes a base exchange in DNA. But the mutations observed were not serious enough to affect the masu salmon phenotype

Differences between Pygmy and Non-Pygmy hunting in Congo Basin forests

We use data on game harvest from 60 Pygmy and non-Pygmy settlements in the Congo Basin forests to examine whether hunting patterns and prey profiles differ between the two hunter groups. For each group, we calculate hunted animal numbers and biomass available per inhabitant, P, per year (harvest rates) and killed per hunter, H, per year (extraction rates). We assess the impact of hunting of both hunter groups from estimates of numbers and biomass of prey species killed per square kilometre, and by examining the proportion of hunted taxa of low, medium and high population growth rates as a measure of their vulnerability to overhunting. We then map harvested biomass (kg-1P-1Yr-1) of bushmeat by Pygmies and non-Pygmies throughout the Congo Basin. Hunting patterns differ between Pygmies and non-Pygmies; Pygmies take larger and different prey and non-Pygmies sell more for profit. We show that non-Pygmies have a potentially more severe impact on prey populations than Pygmies. This is because non-Pygmies hunt a wider range of species, and twice as many animals are taken per square kilometre. Moreover, in non-Pygmy settlements there was a larger proportion of game taken of low population growth rate. Our harvest map shows that the non-Pygmy population may be responsible for 27 times more animals harvested than the Pygmy population. Such differences indicate that the intense competition that may arise from the more widespread commercial hunting by non-Pygmies is a far more important constraint and source of conflict than are protected areas

Comparison of the incidence of severe outcomes in outpatients with COVID-19 or seasonal influenza without risk factors: Retrospective analysis of a health insurance claims-database

Background: To evaluate disease severity for coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), seasonal influenza (FLU) is often used as a control group for comparison. However, evidence regarding outpatients without risk factors for severe disease is insufficient to consider future treatment policies for these patients. Objectives: To compare the risk of severe disease in patients without risk factors for severe disease who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or FLU. Study design: This was a retrospective study analyzing a health insurance claims database (data collection: COVID-19, January 2020 through August 2022; FLU, October 2017 through September 2019). Outcome measures were incidences of severe events of hospitalization, respiratory and heart rate monitoring, oxygen therapy, ventilator use, and intensive care unit admission (within 28 days from diagnosis), and death (within the following month). Results: Data from 575,293 patients were included in the COVID-19 group and from 1,095,698 patients in the FLU group, without risk factors. Adjusted odds ratios for all study outcomes were significantly higher for patients with COVID-19 than with FLU (>3 times greater odds ratio for all severe events). For the population aged ≥18 years, there was also a significantly higher risk for all severe events with COVID-19 versus FLU. The incidence of severe events with COVID-19 among the population aged <18 years was greatly reduced (versus ≥18 years), and risk for severe events was not significantly different with COVID-19 versus FLU. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the medical need for specific treatment for patients with COVID-19 may be as high as for FLU