Monitoring retinal changes with optical coherence tomography predicts neuronal loss in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

BACKGROUND:Retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a clinical and research tool in multiple sclerosis, where it has shown significant retinal nerve fiber (RNFL) and ganglion cell (RGC) layer thinning, while postmortem studies have reported RGC loss. Although retinal pathology in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) has been described, comparative OCT studies among EAE models are scarce. Furthermore, the best practices for the implementation of OCT in the EAE lab, especially with afoveate animals like rodents, remain undefined. We aimed to describe the dynamics of retinal injury in different mouse EAE models and outline the optimal experimental conditions, scan protocols, and analysis methods, comparing these to histology to confirm the pathological underpinnings. METHODS:Using spectral-domain OCT, we analyzed the test-retest and the inter-rater reliability of volume, peripapillary, and combined horizontal and vertical line scans. We then monitored the thickness of the retinal layers in different EAE models: in wild-type (WT) C57Bl/6J mice immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide (MOG35-55) or with bovine myelin basic protein (MBP), in TCR2D2 mice immunized with MOG35-55, and in SJL/J mice immunized with myelin proteolipid lipoprotein (PLP139-151). Strain-matched control mice were sham-immunized. RGC density was counted on retinal flatmounts at the end of each experiment. RESULTS:Volume scans centered on the optic disc showed the best reliability. Retinal changes during EAE were localized in the inner retinal layers (IRLs, the combination of the RNFL and the ganglion cell plus the inner plexiform layers). In WT, MOG35-55 EAE, progressive thinning of IRL started rapidly after EAE onset, with 1/3 of total loss occurring during the initial 2 months. IRL thinning was associated with the degree of RGC loss and the severity of EAE. Sham-immunized SJL/J mice showed progressive IRL atrophy, which was accentuated in PLP-immunized mice. MOG35-55-immunized TCR2D2 mice showed severe EAE and retinal thinning. MBP immunization led to very mild disease without significant retinopathy. CONCLUSIONS:Retinal neuroaxonal damage develops quickly during EAE. Changes in retinal thickness mirror neuronal loss and clinical severity. Monitoring of the IRL thickness after immunization against MOG35-55 in C57Bl/6J mice seems the most convenient model to study retinal neurodegeneration in EAE

Электроснабжение установки перекачки нефти п. Пионерный ОАО «Томскнефть»

РЕФЕРАТ Выпускная квалификационная работа 149 с., 23 рис., 32 табл., 29 источников, 6 прил. Ключевые слова: нефтепровод, насос, электрооборудование, схема электроснабжения, линия, сеть, электроприемник, нагрузка, оборудование, защита, ток, напряжение, мощность. Объектом исследования является электрическая часть УПН п. Пионерный ОАО «Томскенефть». Цель работы – проектирование схемы электроснабжения предприятия, выбор оборудования. В процессе исследования проводился сбор исходных данных в ходе производственной практики на объекте исследования. В результате была спроектирована схема электроснабжения от подстанции энергосистемы, до конечного электроприемника. Были выбраны кабели и провода, коммутационное оборудование, были сделаны необходимые проверки. Также результатом работы сталESSAY Final qualifying work 149 p., 23 fig., 32 tab., 29 sources, 6 adj. Keywords: oil, pump, electrical equipment, power supply circuit, line, network, power-consuming equipment, load equipment, protection, current, voltage, power. The object of research is the electrical part of UPN claim. Pionerny of "Tomskeneft". The purpose of work - designing enterprise power scheme, the choice of equipment. The study was conducted to collect baseline data in the course of practical training on the subject of the study. As a result, power supply circuit has been designed from the substation grid, appliance, to the end. Were selected cables and wires, switching equipment, the necessary checks have been made. It is also the result of the work became an economic calculation of capital costs for the con

Sequential FDG-PET and induction chemotherapy in locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the Oesophago-gastric junction (AEG): The Heidelberg Imaging program in Cancer of the oesophago-gastric junction during Neoadjuvant treatment: HICON trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>18-Fluorodeoxyglucose-PET (¹⁸F-FDG-PET) can be used for early response assessment in patients with locally advanced adenocarcinomas of the oesophagogastric junction (AEG) undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It has been recently shown in the MUNICON trials that response-guided treatment algorithms based on early changes of the FDG tumor uptake detected by PET are feasible and that they can be implemented into clinical practice.</p> <p>Only 40%-50% of the patients respond metabolically to therapy. As metabolic non-response is known to be associated with a dismal prognosis, metabolic non-responders are increasingly treated with alternative neoadjuvant chemotherapies or chemoradiation in order to improve their clinical outcome. We plan to investigate whether PET can be used as response assessment during radiochemotherapy given as salvage treatment in early metabolic non-responders to standard chemotherapy.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The HICON trial is a prospective, non-randomized, explorative imaging study evaluating the value of PET as a predictor of histopathological response in metabolic non-responders. Patients with resectable AEG type I and II according to Siewerts classification, staged cT3/4 and/or cN+ and cM0 by endoscopic ultrasound, spiral CT or MRI and FDG-PET are eligible. Tumors must be potentially R0 resectable and must have a sufficient FDG-baseline uptake. Only metabolic non-responders, showing a < 35% decrease of SUV two weeks after the start of neoadjuvant chemotherapy are eligible for the study and are taken to intensified taxane-based RCT (chemoradiotherapy (45 Gy) before surgery. ¹⁸FDG-PET scans will be performed before ( = Baseline) and after 14 days of standard neoadjuvant therapy as well as after the first cycle of salvage docetaxel/cisplatin chemotherapy (PET 1) and at the end of radiochemotherapy (PET2). Tracer uptake will be assessed semiquantitatively using standardized uptake values (SUV). The percentage difference ΔSUV = 100 (SUV_Baseline- SUV _PET1)/SUV_Baselinewill be calculated and assessed as an early predictor of histopathological response. In a secondary analysis, the association between the difference SUV_PET1- SUV_PET2and histopathological response will be evaluated.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of sequential ¹⁸FDG-PET in predicting histopathological response in AEG tumors to salvage neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in patients who do not show metabolic response to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Clinical trial identifier <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01271322">NCT01271322</a></p

Photoperiod Regulates Corticosterone Rhythms by Altered Adrenal Sensitivity via Melatonin-Independent Mechanisms in Fischer 344 Rats and C57BL/6J Mice

Most species living in temperate zones adapt their physiology and behavior to seasonal changes in the environment by using the photoperiod as a primary cue. The mechanisms underlying photoperiodic regulation of stress-related functions are not well understood. In this study, we analyzed the effects of photoperiod on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in photoperiod-sensitive Fischer 344 rats. We first examined how photoperiod affects diurnal variations in plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone. ACTH levels did not exhibit diurnal variations under long- and short-day conditions. On the other hand, corticosterone levels exhibited a clear rhythm under short-day condition with a peak during dark phase. This peak was not observed under long-day condition in which a significant rhythm was not detected. To analyze the mechanisms responsible for the photoperiodic regulation of corticosterone rhythms, ACTH was intraperitoneally injected at the onset of the light or dark phase in dexamethasone-treated rats maintained under long- and short-day conditions. ACTH induced higher corticosterone levels in rats examined at dark onset under short-day condition than those maintained under long-day condition. Next, we asked whether melatonin signals are involved in photoperiodic regulation of corticosterone rhythms, and rats were intraperitoneally injected with melatonin at late afternoon under long-day condition for 3 weeks. However, melatonin injections did not affect the corticosterone rhythms. In addition, photoperiodic changes in the amplitude of corticosterone rhythms were also observed in melatonin-deficient C57BL/6J mice, in which expression profiles of several clock genes and steroidgenesis genes in adrenal gland were modified by the photoperiod. Our data suggest that photoperiod regulates corticosterone rhythms by altered adrenal sensitivity through melatonin-independent mechanisms that may involve the adrenal clock

Deficiency of the clock gene Bmal1 affects neural progenitor cell migration

We demonstrate the impact of a disrupted molecular clock in Bmal1-deficient (Bmal1−/−) mice on migration of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Proliferation of NPCs in rostral migratory stream (RMS) was reduced in Bmal1−/− mice, consistent with our earlier studies on adult neurogenesis in hippocampus. However, a significantly higher number of NPCs from Bmal1−/− mice reached the olfactory bulb as compared to wild-type littermates (Bmal1+/+ mice), indicating a higher migration velocity in Bmal1−/− mice. In isolated NPCs from Bmal1−/− mice, not only migration velocity and expression pattern of genes involved in detoxification of reactive oxygen species were affected, but also RNA oxidation of catalase was increased and catalase protein levels were decreased. Bmal1+/+ migration phenotype could be restored by treatment with catalase, while treatment of NPCs from Bmal1+/+ mice with hydrogen peroxide mimicked Bmal1−/− migration phenotype. Thus, we conclude that Bmal1 deficiency affects NPC migration as a consequence of dysregulated detoxification of reactive oxygen species

Oxidative stress induced by the Fe2+/ascorbic acid system or model ischemia in vitro: effect of carvedilol and pyridoindole antioxidant SMe1EC2 in young and adult rat brain tissue

New effective strategies and new highly effective neuroprotective agents are being searched for the therapy of human stroke and cerebral ischemia. The compound SMe1EC2 is a new derivative of stobadine, with enhanced antioxidant properties compared to the maternal drug. Carvedilol, a non-selective beta-blocker, possesses besides its cardioprotective and vasculoprotective properties also an antioxidant effect. We compared the effect of carvedilol and SMe1EC2, antioxidants with a similar chemical structure, in two experimental models of oxidative stress in young and adult rat brain tissue. SMe1EC2 was found to improve the resistance of hippocampal neurons to ischemia in vitro in young and even in 18-month-old rats and inhibited formation of protein carbonyl groups induced by the Fe2+/ascorbic acid pro-oxidative system in brain cortex homogenates of young rats. Carvedilol exerted a protective effect only in the hippocampus of 2-month-old rats and that at the concentration 10-times higher than did SMe1EC2. The inhibitory effect of carvedilol on protein carbonyl formation induced by the pro-oxidative system was not proved in the cortex of either young or adult rats. An increased baseline level of the content of protein carbonyl groups in the adult versus young rat brain cortex confirmed age-related changes in neuronal tissue and may be due to increased production of reactive oxygen species and low antioxidant defense mechanisms in the adult rat brain. The results revealed the new pyridoindole SMe1EC2 to be more effective than carvedilol in neuroprotection of rat brain tissue in both experimental models involving oxidative stress

Age-Related Changes in the Daily Rhythm of Photoreceptor Functioning and Circuitry in a Melatonin-Proficient Mouse Strain

Retinal melatonin is involved in the modulation of many important retinal functions. Our previous studies have shown that the viability of photoreceptors and ganglion cells is reduced during aging in mice that lack melatonin receptor type 1. This demonstrates that melatonin signaling is important for the survival of retinal neurons. In the present study, we investigate the effects of aging on photoreceptor physiology and retinal organization in CH3-f+/+ mice, a melatonin proficient mouse strain. Our data indicate that the amplitude of the a and b waves of the scotopic and photopic electroretinogram decreases with age. Moreover, the daily rhythm in the amplitude of the a- and b- waves is lost during the aging process. Similarly, the scotopic threshold response is significantly affected by aging, but only when it is measured during the night. Interestingly, the changes observed in the ERGs are not paralleled by relevant changes in retinal morphological features, and administration of exogenous melatonin does not affect the ERGs in C3H-f+/+ at 12 months of age. This suggests that the responsiveness of the photoreceptors to exogenous melatonin is reduced during aging

Interrogating domain-domain interactions with parsimony based approaches

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The identification and characterization of interacting domain pairs is an important step towards understanding protein interactions. In the last few years, several methods to predict domain interactions have been proposed. Understanding the power and the limitations of these methods is key to the development of improved approaches and better understanding of the nature of these interactions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Building on the previously published Parsimonious Explanation method (PE) to predict domain-domain interactions, we introduced a new Generalized Parsimonious Explanation (GPE) method, which (i) adjusts the granularity of the domain definition to the granularity of the input data set and (ii) permits domain interactions to have different costs. This allowed for preferential selection of the so-called "co-occurring domains" as possible mediators of interactions between proteins. The performance of both variants of the parsimony method are competitive to the performance of the top algorithms for this problem even though parsimony methods use less information than some of the other methods. We also examined possible enrichment of co-occurring domains and homo-domains among domain interactions mediating the interaction of proteins in the network. The corresponding study was performed by surveying domain interactions predicted by the GPE method as well as by using a combinatorial counting approach independent of any prediction method. Our findings indicate that, while there is a considerable propensity towards these special domain pairs among predicted domain interactions, this overrepresentation is significantly lower than in the iPfam dataset.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Generalized Parsimonious Explanation approach provides a new means to predict and study domain-domain interactions. We showed that, under the assumption that all protein interactions in the network are mediated by domain interactions, there exists a significant deviation of the properties of domain interactions mediating interactions in the network from that of iPfam data.</p

Acromegaly and gigantism in the medical literature. Case descriptions in the era before and the early years after the initial publication of Pierre Marie (1886)

In 1886 Pierre Marie used the term “acromegaly” for the first time and gave a full description of the characteristic clinical picture. However several others had already given clear clinical descriptions before him and sometimes had given the disease other names. After 1886, it gradually became clear that pituitary enlargement (caused by a pituitary adenoma) was the cause and not the consequence of acromegaly, as initially thought. Pituitary adenomas could be found in the great majority of cases. It also became clear that acromegaly and gigantism were the same disease but occurring at different stages of life and not different diseases as initially thought. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century most information was derived from case descriptions and post-mortem examinations of patients with acromegaly or (famous) patients with gigantism. The stage was set for further research into the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of acromegaly and gigantism