Non-Identical Twins – Microglia and Monocyte-Derived Macrophages in Acute Injury and Autoimmune Inflammation

The brain has been commonly regarded as a “tissue behind walls.” Appearance of immune cells in the brain has been taken as a sign of pathology. Moreover, since infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages and activated resident microglia were indistinguishable by conventional means, both populations were considered together as inflammatory cells that should be mitigated. Yet, because the microglia permanently reside in the brain, attributing to them negative properties evoked an ongoing debate; why cells that are supposed to be the brain guardians acquire only destructive potential? Studies over the last two decades in the immune arena in general, and in the context of central nervous system pathology in particular, have resulted in a paradigm shift toward a more balanced appreciation of the contributions of immune cells in the context of brain maintenance and repair, and toward the recognition of distinct roles of resident microglia and infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages

ANTIBODY RESPONSE OF INBRED MOUSE STRAINS TO ORDERED TETRAPEPTIDES OF TYROSINE AND GLUTAMIC ACID ATTACHED TO MULTICHAIN POLYALANINE OR POLYPROLINE : TYR-TYR-GLU-GLU IS A MAJOR DETERMINANT OF THE RANDOM POLY-(TYR, GLU)-POLYDLALA--POLYLYS

Five inbred mouse strains which represent high and low responders to the random synthetic polypeptide poly(LTyr,LGlu)-polyDLAla--polyLLys, designated (T, G)-A--L, to which the immune response is controlled by an H-2-linked gene, were immunized with three ordered tetrapeptides composed of tyrosine and glutamic acid attached either to multichain poly-DL-alanine or to polyproline. Only one of the three antigenic determinants, namely tyrosyl-tyrosyl-glytamyl-glutamic acid (T-T-G-G), resembled the random peptide (T, G) in the pattern of immune responses elicited against it, and in the cross-reactivity of the specific antibodies with (T, G)-A--L. The immune response pattern to the other two ordered tetrapeptides, T-G-T-G and G-T-T-G, was different from that obtained with (T, G)-A--L, and no cross-reactivity was detected between the antibodies provoked with these peptides and (T, G)-A--L. Thus, it is suggested that T-T-G-G is a major determinant in the random (T, G)-A--L

Proximity-Based Emergency Response Communities for Patients With Allergies Who Are at Risk of Anaphylaxis: Clustering Analysis and Scenario-Based Survey Study

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is a potentially fatal allergic reaction. However, many patients at risk of anaphylaxis who should permanently carry a life-saving epinephrine auto injector (EAI) do not carry one at the moment of allergen exposure. The proximity-based emergency response communities (ERC) strategy suggests speeding EAI delivery by alerting patient-peers carrying EAI to respond and give their EAI to a nearby patient in need. OBJECTIVES: This study had two objectives: (1) to analyze 10,000 anaphylactic events from the European Anaphylaxis Registry (EAR) by elicitor and location in order to determine typical anaphylactic scenarios and (2) to identify patients' behavioral and spatial factors influencing their response to ERC emergency requests through a scenario-based survey. METHODS: Data were collected and analyzed in two phases: (1) clustering 10,000 EAR records by elicitor and incident location and (2) conducting a two-center scenario-based survey of adults and parents of minors with severe allergy who were prescribed EAI, in Israel and Germany. Each group received a four-part survey that examined the effect of two behavioral constructs-shared identity and diffusion of responsibility-and two spatial factors-emergency time and emergency location-in addition to sociodemographic data. We performed descriptive, linear correlation, analysis of variance, and t tests to identify patients' decision factors in responding to ERC alerts. RESULTS: A total of 53.1% of EAR cases were triggered by food at patients' home, and 46.9% of them were triggered by venom at parks. Further, 126 Israeli and 121 German participants completed the survey and met the inclusion criteria. Of the Israeli participants, 80% were parents of minor patients with a risk of anaphylaxis due to food allergy; their mean age was 32 years, and 67% were women. In addition, 20% were adult patients with a mean age of 21 years, and 48% were female. Among the German patients, 121 were adults, with an average age of 47 years, and 63% were women. In addition, 21% were allergic to food, 75% were allergic to venom, and 2% had drug allergies. The overall willingness to respond to ERC events was high. Shared identity and the willingness to respond were positively correlated (r=0.51, P<.001) in the parent group. Parents had a stronger sense of shared identity than adult patients (t243= -9.077, P<.001). The bystander effect decreased the willingness of all patients, except the parent group, to respond (F1,269=28.27, P<.001). An interaction between location and time of emergency (F1,473=77.304, P<.001) revealed lower levels of willingness to respond in strange locations during nighttime. CONCLUSIONS: An ERC allergy app has the potential to improve outcomes in case of anaphylactic events, but this is dependent on patient-peers' willingness to respond. Through a two-stage process, our study identified the behavioral and spatial factors that could influence the willingness to respond, providing a basis for future research of proximity-based mental health communities

Immunocytochemical Localization of (Na + ,K + )-ATPase in the Goldfish Optic Nerve

Antiserum to the catalytic subunit of goldfish brain (Na + ,K + )-ATPase has been employed at the electron microscopic level by means of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical method. In optic nerve, an-tigenic sites are restricted to the nodes of Ranvier. No reaction product is detected in underlying internodal neurolemma. Outgrowing neurites for cultured retinal explants devoid of glial ensheathment exhibit a continuous distribution of the enzyme subunit. Antibodies against eel electroplax (Na + , K + )-ATPase cross-react with the goldfish brain enzyme and show a similar immunocytochemical distribution pattern.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65862/1/j.1471-4159.1981.tb02384.x.pd

New Surgical Approach To Overcome The Inability Of Injured Mammalian Axons To Grow Within Their Environment

We present a new method for creating conditions conducive to axonal growth in injured optic nerves of adult rabbits. The surgical approach consists of making a cavity in the adult rabbit optic nerve, into which a piece of nitrocellulose soaked with conditioned medium originating from regenerating fish optic nerves is implanted. In addition, daily irradiation (10 days, 5 min, 35 mW) with low energy He-Ne laser is carried out. Such a combined treatment may open a door to neurobiologists and clinicians, hoping to unravel the enigma of mammalian CNS regeneration

Outgrowth and maintenance of neurites from cultured goldfish retinal ganglion cells

Single retinal ganglion cells obtained from goldfish retina are shown to support outgrowth of neurites. Processes up to 1 mm in lenght grow out over a two week period from cells identified as retinal ganglion cells on the basis of morphological criteria, in the absence of supporting elements. Prior crush of the optic nerve significantly enhances neuritic outgrowth. Fibers emerging from single cells often associate to form a single process. A tendency for characteristic clockwise patterning of neurite outgrowth from single cells is seen, similar to that obtained from retinal explants.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24460/1/0000734.pd

Did Government Benefits Help Israeli Households Avoid Hardship during COVID-19? Evidence from a National Survey

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Israel quickly introduced aggressive social distancing measures to curb the virus spread and adapted its unemployment insurance program in response to rising unemployment rates. This study examines the relationship between household income and the experience of material hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, and investigates how the receipt of unemployment benefits moderated the relationship between income and material hardship. Using data from a household survey, we find a negative association between household income and the experience of material hardship. Moreover, middle-income households receiving unemployment benefits were more likely to experience material hardship than those who did not receive government support. The difference was largely not observed for low- and high-income households. These trends were similar during the early and later months of the pandemic. This study informs the efforts of policymakers to improve existing social support programs to expedite economic recovery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Air pollution attributable postneonatal infant mortality in U.S. metropolitan areas: a risk assessment study

BACKGROUND: The impact of outdoor air pollution on infant mortality has not been quantified. METHODS: Based on exposure-response functions from a U.S. cohort study, we assessed the attributable risk of postneonatal infant mortality in 23 U.S. metropolitan areas related to particulate matter <10 μm in diameter (PM(10)) as a surrogate of total air pollution. RESULTS: The estimated proportion of all cause mortality, sudden infant death syndrome (normal birth weight infants only) and respiratory disease mortality (normal birth weight) attributable to PM(10 )above a chosen reference value of 12.0 μg/m(3 )PM(10 )was 6% (95% confidence interval 3–11%), 16% (95% confidence interval 9–23%) and 24% (95% confidence interval 7–44%), respectively. The expected number of infant deaths per year in the selected areas was 106 (95% confidence interval 53–185), 79 (95% confidence interval 46–111) and 15 (95% confidence interval 5–27), respectively. Approximately 75% of cases were from areas where the current levels are at or below the new U.S. PM(2.5 )standard of 15 μg/m(3 )(equivalent to 25 μg/m(3 )PM(10)). In a country where infant mortality rates and air pollution levels are relatively low, ambient air pollution as measured by particulate matter contributes to a substantial fraction of infant death, especially for those due to sudden infant death syndrome and respiratory disease. Even if all counties would comply to the new PM(2.5 )standard, the majority of the estimated burden would remain. CONCLUSION: Given the inherent limitations of risk assessments, further studies are needed to support and quantify the relationship between infant mortality and air pollution