Structural and ultrastructural alterations in human olfactory pathways and possible associations with herpesvirus 6 infection

Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Skuja et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Structural and ultrastructural alterations in human olfactory pathways and putative associations with human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection were studied. The olfactory bulb/tract samples from 20 subjects with an unspecified encephalopathy determined by pathomorphological examination of the brain autopsy, 17 healthy age-matched and 16 younger controls were used. HHV-6 DNA was detected in 60, 29, and 19% of cases in these groups, respectively. In the whole encephalopathy group, significantly more HHV-6 positive neurons and oligodendrocytes were found in the gray matter, whereas, significantly more HHV-6 positive astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia/macrophages and endothelial cells were found in the white matter. Additionally, significantly more HHV-6 positive astrocytes and, in particular, oligodendrocytes were found in the white matter when compared to the gray matter. Furthermore, when only HHV-6 PCR+ encephalopathy cases were studied, we observed similar but stronger associations between HHV-6 positive oligodendrocytes and CD68 positive cells in the white matter. Cellular alterations were additionally evidenced by anti-S100 immunostaining, demonstrating a significantly higher number of S100 positive cells in the gray matter of the whole encephalopathy group when compared to the young controls, and in the white matter when compared to both control groups. In spite the decreased S100 expression in the PCR+ encephalopathy group when compared to PCR- cases and controls, groups demonstrated significantly higher number of S100 positive cells in the white compared to the gray matter. Ultrastructural changes confirming the damage of myelin included irregularity of membranes and ballooning of paranodal loops. This study shows that among the cellular targets of the nervous system, HHV-6 most severely affects oligodendrocytes and the myelin made by them.publishersversionPeer reviewe

STAMINA: Bioinformatics Platform for Monitoring and Mitigating Pandemic Outbreaks

Data Availability Statement: All data driven applications used the our world in data COVID-19 datasets, complimented by proprietary datasets share by the STAMINA consortium.Copyright © 2022 by the authors. This paper presents the components and integrated outcome of a system that aims to achieve early detection, monitoring and mitigation of pandemic outbreaks. The architecture of the platform aims at providing a number of pandemic-response-related services, on a modular basis, that allows for the easy customization of the platform to address user’s needs per case. This customization is achieved through its ability to deploy only the necessary, loosely coupled services and tools for each case, and by providing a common authentication, data storage and data exchange infrastructure. This way, the platform can provide the necessary services without the burden of additional services that are not of use in the current deployment (e.g., predictive models for pathogens that are not endemic to the deployment area). All the decisions taken for the communication and integration of the tools that compose the platform adhere to this basic principle. The tools presented here as well as their integration is part of the project STAMINA.The paper presented is based on research undertaken as part of the European Commission-funded project STAMINA (Grant Agreement 883441)

Effect of seasonal fluctuation of ambient temperature on fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients living in Attica, Greece

Fatigue limits daily functioning of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and has a severe impact on their quality of life. Fatigue is considered a result of biological, psychological and environmental factors. This study investigated the effect of the ambient temperature on the levels of fatigue during each season of the year in MS patients and a healthy population. Forty-five MS patients and 42 healthy people matched for age and sex participated in the study. Measurement of fatigue was based on the Fatigue Severity Scale. Patients were asked which season they felt the worst fatigue. The measurements were conducted every 3 months in November, February, May and August on the last day of the month. MS patients (mean = 4.20, standard error [SE] = 0.22) exhibited a higher mean fatigue severity than the control group (mean = 2.68, SE = 0.22). MS patients did not present any significant differentiation in fatigue between seasons. However, the control group exhibited a tendency for fatigue severity to significantly increase in August, and actually experienced fatigue levels higher than the MS group during the last week of August. Significant fluctuation of fatigue was not observed in patients with MS. Patients may avoid worsening fatigue caused by climatic conditions with appropriate organization of their life routine. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Motor and sensory polyneuritis with distal conduction failure as uncommon complication of an acute Rickettsia conorii infection

Rickettsia conorii is endemic in the Mediterranean region. Infections are mostly benign and neurological involvement is unusual. We describe a case of a man who presented with acute facial nerve palsy followed by flaccid tetraparesis due to an electrophysiologically established polyneuritis with distal conduction failure. Elevated IgM antibody titres for R. conorii were documented by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. After doxycycline therapy, the patient presented a rapid clinical improvement. Repeated electrophysiological examinations revealed significantly restored compound muscles, and sensory action potentials, corresponding to the clinical course after treatment and ex juvantibus, indicate the causative relation between R. conorii infection and the described clinical syndrome. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Validity and reliability of the FSS in Greek MS patients

Objectives: The study provided validity and reliability evidence of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) in Greek patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and Methods: The FSS was administered to 72 MS patients, without co morbid fatigue and 75 matched paired controls with respect to gender and age. Both groups responded to the FSS, SF-36v2, BDI-II and a demographic questionnaire on two time points separated by a 1-week interval. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test construct validity, concurrent and divergent validity, internal and test-retest reliability were also examined. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, intercorrelations with BDI-II (r = 0.552, p < 0.01) and SF-36v2 vitality (r = -0.715, p < 0.01) and physical functioning (r = -0.673, p < 0.01) subscales, and differences between patients and non patients (t(145) = 6.007, p < 0.001), revealed sufficient construct, concurrent and divergent validity evidence. The factor analysis demonstrated a unidimensional structure Cronbach alpha (0.953) and ICC (0.889) was high, indicating that the responses of our sample were internally consistent and stable across time. Conclusion: The Greek version of FSS is valid and reliable and may be used by clinicians and researchers to assess fatigue of Greek MS patients. © 2013 Bakalidou et al.; licensee Springer

Neuropsychological and psychiatric aspects of multiple sclerosis: preliminary investigation of discrete profiles across neurological subtypes

Cognitive deficits affecting memory, attention, speed of information processing and executive functions are common in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study we examine the possibility of discrete pattern of neuropsychological deficits of MS subtypes. 28 patients (13 RRMS, 6 CIS, and 9 SPMS) were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsycholgical battery. Results indicate that only the SPMS group demonstrates memory and executive impairment. This finding indicates possible differentiation of the three subtypes in terms of neuropsychological profiles. Psychiatric aspects of MS are also briefly discussed. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Italia

Neuronal tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β expression in a porcine model of intracerebral haemorrhage: Modulation by U-74389G

Tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) are important mediators of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) inflammatory response. Lazaroids, established antioxidants and neuroprotectants, have been studied in several brain pathologies. The present study was designed to investigate: a) TNF-α and IL-1β changes, in neurons and b) U-74389G effects, 4 and 24 h after haematoma induction in a porcine model of intracerebral haemorrhage. In twenty male landrace pigs (swines) aged 135-150 days old, autologous whole blood was injected around the right basal ganglia territory; in ten of the pigs the lazaroid compound U-74389G was administered. Brain TNF-α and IL-1β immunopositive neurons were determined by immunoarray techniques at 4 and 24 h timepoints. After the haematoma induction the number of TNF-α immunopositive neurons ipsilateral to the haematoma was significantly higher compared to the contralateral site at 4 h (p<0.0005), while U-74389G significantly reduced the number of TNF-α immunopositive neurons, ipsilateral to the haematoma, at 4 h (p=0.002); at 24 h, TNF-α immunopositive neurons were found significantly lower in the control group ipsilateral to the haematoma in comparison to 4 h timepoint(p<0.0005). The number of IL-1β immunopositive neurons at 4 h after the hematoma induction was significantly higher ipsilateral to the haematoma site (p<0.0005). U-74389G had no statistical significant effect. TNF-α and IL-1β, increase in neurons, 4 h after the haematoma induction, ipsilateral to the haematoma site. The administration of the antioxidant compound U-74389G, results in early (at 4 h) decrease of TNF-α immunopositive neurons but shows no statistical significant effect to IL-1β immunopossitive neurons. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved