S-antigen and rod-opsin immunoreactions in midline brain neoplasms of transgenic mice: Similarities to pineal cell tumors and certain medulloblastomas in man.

Transgenic mice expressing the large T-antigen of the simian virus 40 (SV 40) under the control of 1) the enhancer of Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MSV) and 2) the SV 40 promoter develop undifferentiated neuroectodermal tumors located in the midline of the dorsal brain surface, abnormalities in lens fiber differentiation and retinal dysplasia. In this study the brain neoplasms of six adult animals and the brain of one 11-day old mouse were examined by conventional histology and immunocytochemical demonstration of S-antigen, rod-opsin, neuron-specific enolase, neurofilaments (160 and 200 kDa) and glial fibrillary acidic protein. According to histologic criteria the neoplasms were characterized as "primitive" neuroectodermal tumors composed mainly of small cells with scanty and ill-defined cytoplasm. Neoplastic cells displaying immunoreactive S-antigen were found in five brain tumors; three of these tumors also contained a limited number of rod-opsin immunoreactive neoplastic cells. Some tumor cells had neurite-like processes containing immunoreactive neurofilament (200 kDa). No pathologic lesions were found in the brain of the 11-day old animal. Tumors in transgenic mice may resemble pineal cell tumors and a special subtype of medulloblastoma in man. These neoplasms contain S-antigen immunoreactive and also rod-opsin immunoreactive tumors cells in certain cases. The findings suggest that transgenic mice expressing the large T-antigen of SV 40 may become a valuable animal model for analysing the origin, histogenesis and development of primitive neuroectodermal tumors with photoreceptor-like features (pineal cell tumors and certain medulloblastomas)

Lack of effect of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy and intense drug resistance in western Uganda

Background Intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine (SP) is widely implemented in sub-Saharan Africa for the prevention of malaria in pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes. However, in areas of intense SP resistance, the efficacy of IPTp may be compromised. Methods A cross-sectional study among 915 delivering women (728 analysable live singleton deliveries) was conducted in Fort Portal, western Uganda, to assess associations of reported IPTp use, Plasmodium falciparum infection, maternal anaemia, low birth weight, and preterm delivery, and to estimate the degree of SP resistance as reflected by pfdhfr/pfdhps mutations. Results Plasmodium falciparum infection was detected by PCR in 8.9 % and by microscopy of placental blood samples in 4.0 %. Infection was significantly associated with stillbirth, early neonatal death, anaemia, low birth weight, and pre-term delivery. Eighty percent of the women had taken at least one dose of IPTp, and more than half had taken two doses. As compared to women without chemoprophylaxis against malaria, IPTp had no significant influence on the presence of P. falciparum infection (13.8 vs. 9.6 %, P = 0.31). Nor was it associated with reductions in anaemia, low birth weight or preterm delivery. P. falciparum with intense SP resistance (pfdhfr/pfdhps quintuple or sextuple mutations) were observed in 93 % (pfdhps 581G, 36 %), and the additional high resistance allele pfhdr 164L in 36 %. Conclusions In Fort Portal, Uganda, reported use of IPTp with SP does not provide an observable benefit. The molecular markers of P. falciparum indicate high grade SP resistance reaching the threshold set by WHO for the discontinuation of IPTp with SP. Alternative approaches for the prevention of malaria in pregnancy are urgently needed

Increased Cholinergic Response in α-Synuclein Transgenic Mice (h-α-synL62)

Peer reviewedPostprin

A toolbox for sediment budget research in small catchments

© 2017, Lomonosov Moscow State University. All rights reserved. Sediment monitoring and assessment remain one of the most challenging tasks in fluvial geomorphology and water quality studies. As a response to various environmental and human disturbance effects, the main sources and pathways of the sediments transported within catchments, especially most pristine small one, may change. The paper discusses state-of-the-art in the sediment budget research for small catchments. We identified nine independent approaches in the sediment transport assessment and applied them in 11 catchments across Eurasia in the framework of an FP-7 Marie Curie-International Research Staff Exchange Scheme in 2012-2016. These methods were classified as: i) Field-based methods (In-situ monitoring of sediment transport;-Soil morphological methods and dating techniques; Sediment source fingerprinting; Sediment-water discharge relationships), ii) GIS and remote sensing approaches (Riverbed monitoring based on remote sensing/historical maps; parametrization of the channel sediment connectivity; Sediment transport remote sensing modeling), and iii) Numerical approaches (Soil erosion modeling and gully erosion (stochastic and empirical models); channel hydrodynamic modeling). We present the background theory and application examples of all selected methods. Linking fieldbased methods and datasets with numerical approaches, process measurements as well as monitoring can provide enhanced insights into sediment transfer and related water quality impacts. Adopting such integrated and multi-scale approaches in a sediment budget framework might contribute to improved understanding of hydrological and geomorphological responses

Different pathways of molecular pathophysiology underlie cognitive and motor tauopathy phenotypes in transgenic models for Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited. Acknowledgments From the Berlin Laboratory, we thank Ingo Voigt for performing the injections of the two constructs into the oocytes, Bettina Seelhorst for her extensive technical assistance, Anna Thoma for taking specific care of the animals, and John Horn, Charite Core Facility for electron microscopy for performing expert analyses in ultra-cryosections with immunogold technique. Expert comments on the manuscript from Silke Frahm-Barske (Berlin) are also acknowledged. Special thanks to Bob Switzer at NeuroScience Associates Inc. for embedding, sectioning and staining mouse brains. This work was funded by TauRx Therapeutics, Singapore. C.R.H. and C.M.W. declare that they are officers in TauRx Therapeutics Ltd.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Effects of oxidized and reduced forms of methylthioninium in two transgenic mouse tauopathy models

Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge the contributions of Bettina Seelhorst (histological analysis), Anna Thoma (animal care), Marlene Arthur (animal dosing) and Pierre-Henri Moreau (experimental discussions). This work was supported by TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Singapore.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Dramatic and sustained increase in HIV-testing rates among antenatal attendees in Eastern Uganda after a policy change from voluntary counselling and testing to routine counselling and testing for HIV: a retrospective analysis of hospital records, 2002-2009

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The burden of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Uganda is high. The aim of this paper is to describe the experience of the first 7 years of the prevention of mother- to- child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programme in Mbale Regional Hospital, Eastern Uganda, with particular reference to the lessons learnt in changing from voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) to routine counselling and testing (RCT) for HIV testing in antenatal services.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was a retrospective analysis of the PMTCT records of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda, from May 2002 to April 2009. The data on HIV testing of pregnant women and their male partners was extracted from the reports and registers using a standardized data extraction form, and data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences; Uganda National Council of Science and Technology, and Mbale Hospital.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 54 429 new antenatal (ANC) attendees and 469 male-partners accessed antenatal services at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. There was a sustained, significant increase in HIV testing among new ANC attendees from 22% during the VCT period to 88% during the RCT period (<it>p </it>= 0.002), while among male partners, HIV testing increased from 88% to 100% (<it>p </it>= 0.010) However, the overall number of male partners who tested for HIV remained very low despite the change from VCT to RCT approach in HIV testing.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Routine offer of antenatal HIV testing dramatically increased HIV testing in pregnant women and their partners in Uganda. Our findings call for further strengthening of the policy for routine HIV testing in antenatal clinics. Our study also showed that male partner HIV testing in antenatal clinics is low and this area needs further work through research and innovative interventions in order to improve male partner involvement.</p

Male partner attendance of skilled antenatal care in peri-urban Gulu district, Northern Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Male partner attendance of skilled Antenatal Care (ANC) is beneficial to improving maternal outcomes. This study investigated the level, perceived benefits and factors associated with male partner attendance of skilled ANC in a peri-urban community recovering from two decades of civil conflict.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-sectional survey used multi-stage sampling in 12 villages of Omoro county to select 331 married male respondents aged 18 years or more, whose female spouses had childbirth within 24 months prior to the survey. A structured questionnaire elicited responses about male partner attendance of ANC during pregnancy at a public health facility as the main outcome variable. Analysis used Generalized Linear Model (GLM) in Stata version 10.0 to obtain Prevalence Risk Ratios (PRR) for association between the binary outcome and independent factors. All factors significant at p < 0.15 and potential confounders were included in the multivariable model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, 65.4% (95%CI; 60.3, 70.5) male partners attended at least one skilled ANC visit. Mean age was 31.9 years [SD 8.2]. Perceived benefits of attending ANC were: HIV screening (74.5%), monitoring foetal growth (34%) and identifying complications during pregnancy (18.9%). Factors independently associated with higher ANC attendance were: knowledge of 3 or more ANC services (adj.PRR 2.77; 95%CI 2.24, 3.42), obtaining health information from facility health workers (adj.PRR 1.14; 95%CI 1.01, 1.29) and if spouse had skilled attendance at last childbirth (adj.PRR 1.31; 95%CI 1.04-1.64). However, factors for low attendance were: male partners intending their spouse to carry another pregnancy (adj.PRR 0.83; 95%CI 0.71, 0.97) and living more than 5 Km from a health facility (adj.PRR 0.83, 95%CI 0.70, 0.98).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Men who were knowledgeable of ANC services, obtained health information from a health worker and whose spouses utilised skilled delivery at last pregnancy were more likely to accompany their spouses at ANC, unlike those who wanted to have more children and lived more than 5 km from the health facility. These findings suggest that empowering male partners with knowledge about ANC services may increase their ANC participation and in turn increase skilled delivery. This strategy may improve maternal health care in post conflict and resource-limited settings.</p

Striving to promote male involvement in maternal health care in rural and urban settings in Malawi - a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Understanding the strategies that health care providers employ in order to invite men to participate in maternal health care is very vital especially in today's dynamic cultural environment. Effective utilization of such strategies is dependent on uncovering the salient issues that facilitate male participation in maternal health care. This paper examines and describes the strategies that were used by different health care facilities to invite husbands to participate in maternal health care in rural and urban settings of southern Malawi.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data was collected through in-depth interviews from sixteen of the twenty health care providers from five different health facilities in rural and urban settings of Malawi. The health facilities comprised two health centres, one district hospital, one mission hospital, one private hospital and one central hospital. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from health care providers with the aim of understanding strategies they used to invite men to participate in maternal health care.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four main strategies were used to invite men to participate in maternal health care. The strategies were; health care provider initiative, partner notification, couple initiative and community mobilization. The health care provider initiative and partner notification were at health facility level, while the couple initiative was at family level and community mobilization was at village (community) level. The community mobilization had three sub-themes namely; male peer initiative, use of incentives and community sensitization. The sustainability of each strategy to significantly influence behaviour change for male participation in maternal health care is discussed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Strategies to invite men to participate in maternal health care were at health facility, family and community levels. The couple strategy was most appropriate but was mostly used by educated and city residents. The male peer strategy was effective and sustainable at community level. There is need for creation of awareness in men so that they sustain their participation in maternal health care activities of their female partners even in the absence of incentives, coercion or invitation.</p

Mistrust in marriage-Reasons why men do not accept couple HIV testing during antenatal care- a qualitative study in eastern Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A policy for couple HIV counseling and testing was introduced in 2006 in Uganda, urging pregnant women and their spouses to be HIV tested together during antenatal care (ANC). The policy aims to identify HIV-infected pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV through prophylactic antiretroviral treatment, to provide counseling, and to link HIV-infected persons to care. However, the uptake of couple testing remains low. This study explores men's views on, and experiences of couple HIV testing during ANC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted at two time points, in 2008 and 2009, in the rural Iganga and Mayuge districts of eastern Uganda. We carried out nine focus group discussions, about 10 participants in each, and in-depth interviews with 13 men, all of whom were fathers. Data were collected in the local language, Lusoga, audio-recorded and thereafter translated and transcribed into English and analyzed using content analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Men were fully aware of the availability of couple HIV testing, but cited several barriers to their use of these services. The men perceived their marriages as unstable and distrustful, making the idea of couple testing unappealing because of the conflicts it could give rise to. Further, they did not understand why they should be tested if they did not have symptoms. Finally, the perceived stigmatizing nature of HIV care and rude attitudes among health workers at the health facilities led them to view the health facilities providing ANC as unwelcoming. The men in our study had several suggestions for how to improve the current policy: peer sensitization of men, make health facilities less stigmatizing and more male-friendly, train health workers to meet men's needs, and hold discussions between health workers and community members.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In summary, pursuing couple HIV testing as a main avenue for making men more willing to test and support PMTCT for their wives, does not seem to work in its current form in this region. HIV services must be better adapted to local gender systems taking into account that incentives, health-seeking behavior and health system barriers differ between men and women.</p