25 research outputs found
Countering Extremists on Social Media:Challenges for Strategic Communication and Content Moderation
Extremist exploitation of social media platforms is an important regulatory question for civil society, government, and the private sector. Extremists exploit social media for a range of reasons-from spreading hateful narratives and propaganda to financing, recruitment, and sharing operational information. Policy responses to this question fit under two headings, strategic communication and content moderation. At the center of both of these policy responses is a calculation about how best to limit audience exposure to extremist narratives and maintain the marginality of extremist views, while being conscious of rights to free expression and the appropriateness of restrictions on speech. This special issue on "Countering Extremists on Social Media: Challenges for Strategic Communication and Content Moderation" focuses on one form of strategic communication, countering violent extremism. In this editorial we discuss the background and effectiveness of this approach, and introduce five articles which develop multiple strands of research into responses and solutions to extremist exploitation of social media. We conclude by suggesting an agenda for future research on how multistakeholder initiatives to challenge extremist exploitation of social media are conceived, designed, and implemented, and the challenges these initiatives need to surmount
CSF1R inhibitor JNJ-40346527 attenuates microglial proliferation and neurodegeneration in P301S mice
Neuroinflammation and microglial activation are significant processes in Alzheimer's disease pathology. Recent genome-wide association studies have highlighted multiple immune-related genes in association with Alzheimer's disease, and experimental data have demonstrated microglial proliferation as a significant component of the neuropathology. In this study, we tested the efficacy of the selective CSF1R inhibitor JNJ-40346527 (JNJ-527) in the P301S mouse tauopathy model. We first demonstrated the anti-proliferative effects of JNJ-527 on microglia in the ME7 prion model, and its impact on the inflammatory profile, and provided potential CNS biomarkers for clinical investigation with the compound, including pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics and efficacy assessment by TSPO autoradiography and CSF proteomics. Then, we showed for the first time that blockade of microglial proliferation and modification of microglial phenotype leads to an attenuation of tau-induced neurodegeneration and results in functional improvement in P301S mice. Overall, this work strongly supports the potential for inhibition of CSF1R as a target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other tau-mediated neurodegenerative diseases
Inflammatory biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease plasma
Introduction: Plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis/stratification are a \u201cHoly Grail\u201d of AD research and intensively sought; however, there are no well-established plasma markers. Methods: A hypothesis-led plasma biomarker search was conducted in the context of international multicenter studies. The discovery phase measured 53 inflammatory proteins in elderly control (CTL; 259), mild cognitive impairment (MCI; 199), and AD (262) subjects from AddNeuroMed. Results: Ten analytes showed significant intergroup differences. Logistic regression identified five (FB, FH, sCR1, MCP-1, eotaxin-1) that, age/APO\u3b54 adjusted, optimally differentiated AD and CTL (AUC: 0.79), and three (sCR1, MCP-1, eotaxin-1) that optimally differentiated AD and MCI (AUC: 0.74). These models replicated in an independent cohort (EMIF; AUC 0.81 and 0.67). Two analytes (FB, FH) plus age predicted MCI progression to AD (AUC: 0.71). Discussion: Plasma markers of inflammation and complement dysregulation support diagnosis and outcome prediction in AD and MCI. Further replication is needed before clinical translation
Peritonite infecciosa felina: 13 casos Feline infectious peritonitis: 13 cases
Numa pesquisa realizada em tecidos de 638 gatos necropsiados, foram encontrados 13 casos (2,03%) de peritonite infecciosa felina. Oito desses casos (61,53%) eram da forma efusiva ou Ășmida, e 5 apresentavam a forma seca ou nĂŁo-efusiva da doença. A idade dos gatos afetados variou de 2 meses a 3 anos. Doze gatos (92,30%) eram de raças puras, cinco deles (38,47%) eram oriundos de ambientes onde havia mais de um gato e trĂȘs eram provenientes de um mesmo gatil. A duração da doença clĂnica foi de 7 a 45 dias e os sinais clĂnicos incluĂram emagrecimento, anorexia, diarrĂ©ia, icterĂcia, vĂŽmito, linfadenopatia e distĂșrbios neurolĂłgicos. Os achados de necropsia na forma Ășmida incluĂam excesso de lĂquido viscoso (50ml a 1 litro), translĂșcido ou levemente opaco na cavidade peritoneal e, em um caso, na cavidade torĂĄcica. Exsudato fibrinoso cobria as superfĂcies serosas dos ĂłrgĂŁos abdominais dando-lhes aspecto granular e brancacento. Na forma seca, havia mĂșltiplos focos granulomatosos sob a superfĂcie serosa e para o interior do parĂȘnquima de ĂłrgĂŁos abdominais; esses achados eram particularmente proeminentes nos rins. Opacidade de cĂłrnea foi observada em um gato. Histologicamente, havia graus variĂĄveis de vasculite e perivasculite piogranulomatosa, particularmente em arterĂolas. Meningite ou meningoencefalite piogranulomatosa foram observadas em trĂȘs gatos com a forma seca de peritonite infecciosa felina.<br>In a survey carried out in tissue specimens from 638 necropsied cats, 13 cases (2.03%) of feline infectious peritonitis were found. Eight of those (61.53%) were of the effusive or wet form and five had the dry non-effusive form of the disease. Ages of affected cats varied from 2-months to 3 yeas. Twelve affected cats (92.30%) were purebreds, five of these cats (38.47%) came from households with more than one cat and three of them came from the same comercial cat raising facility. The duration of clinical courses were 7-45 days and clinical signs included loss of weight, anorexia, diarrhea, jaundice, vomiting, swollen lymph nodes, and neurological disturbances. Necropsy findings, in the wet form included excess of yellowish viscous tanslucent or slightly opaque fluid (50ml-1 liter) in the peritoneal cavity and (in one case) thoracic cavity. Fibrinous exudate covered the serosal surfaces of abdominal organs imparting a whitish, granular, frost-like appearance to them. In the dry form there were multiple granulomatous foci underneath the serosal surface, which extended into the parenchyma of abdominal organs; these findings were particularly prominent in the kidneys. Corneal opacity was observed in one cat. Histologically, there were variable degrees of disseminated piogranulomatous vasculitis and perivasculitis particularly in arterioles. Pyogranulomatous meningitis or meningoencephalitis were observed in three cats with the dry form of feline infectious peritonitis
AnĂĄlise imuno-histoquĂmica de cĂŁes naturalmente infectados pelo parvovĂrus canino Immunohistochemical analysis of dogs infected naturally by canine parvovirus
Noventa e seis cĂŁes com lesĂ”es macroscĂłpicas sugestivas de parvovirose canina foram necropsiados no Setor de Patologia VeterinĂĄria da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul no perĂodo de março de 2005 a novembro de 2006. Tecidos destes caninos foram analisados atravĂ©s de histologia e imuno-histoquĂmica. Aumento das placas de Peyer do intestino delgado e hiperemia da mucosa e serosa intestinal foram os achados macroscĂłpicos mais observados. Microscopicamente, foi visualizada enterite necrĂłtica em 77% dos cĂŁes. Em 17,7% as alteraçÔes histolĂłgicas do intestino delgado ficaram prejudicadas pela autĂłlise, dificultando a interpretação. O teste de imuno-histoquĂmica em cortes de intestino delgado, linfonodo mesentĂ©rico, timo, baço, tonsila, lĂngua e medula Ăłssea de todos os 96 casos, foi positivo em 91,6% (88/96) dos casos. O intestino delgado demonstrou o melhor resultado, obtendo-se marcaçÔes em 77% (74/96) dos casos. A anĂĄlise final do exame paramĂ©trico de Fisher demonstrou uma fraca associação entre autĂłlise intestinal e resultado positivo da imuno-histoquĂmica onde as chances de um intestino delgado autolisado histologicamente apresentar resultado positivo na imuno-histoquĂmica Ă© 0,33 vezes menor (OR=0,33; 95%IC: 0,10-1,17) quando comparada a um intestino delgado nĂŁo autolisado.<br>Ninety-six dogs with gross lesions suggestive of canine parvovirus infection were selected and necropsied in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, between March 2005 and November 2006. The main gross lesions were enlargement of the Peyer's patches in the small intestine and hyperemia in the intestinal mucosa and serosa. Microscopically, the small intestine showed necrotizing enteritis in 77% (74/96) of the dogs examined. However, in 17.7% of the histological evaluation in the small intestine were damaged due to autolytic changes making it difficult to obtain an appropriate interpretation. The immunohistochemistry test was performed in tissues of small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, tonsils, tongue, and bone marrow in all the 96 selected cases. Parvovirus antigen was detected in 91.6% (88/96) of the dogs necropsied. The best result of the IHC test was seen in samples of small intestine which was positive in 77% (74/96) of the cases. The statistical analysis (Fisher test) showed a weak association between intestinal autolysis and positive result of the IHC test. The chance of the autolysed intestine showing a positive result in the immunohistochemistry test was 0.33 less (OR=0.33, 95% CI:0.10-1.17) when compared with small intestine not autolysed