scholarly journals VIROLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF RABIES IN BATS FROM AN URBAN AREA IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 497-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubens Souza de OLIVEIRA ◽  
Lanna Jamile Corrêa da COSTA ◽  
Fernanda Atanaena Gonçalves de ANDRADE ◽  
Wilson UIEDA ◽  
Luzia Fátima Alves MARTORELLI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Wet And Dry Seasons

The outbreaks of rabies in humans transmitted by Desmodus rotundus in 2004 and 2005, in the northeast of the Brazilian State of Para, eastern Amazon basin, made this a priority area for studies on this zoonosis. Given this, the present study provides data on this phenomenon in an urban context, in order to assess the possible circulation of the classic rabies virus (RABV) among bat species in Capanema, a town in the Amazon basin. Bats were collected, in 2011, with mist nets during the wet and dry seasons. Samples of brain tissue and blood were collected for virological and serological survey, respectively. None of the 153 brain tissue samples analyzed tested positive for RABV infection, but 50.34% (95% CI: 45.67-55.01%) of the serum samples analyzed were seropositive. Artibeus planirostris was the most common species, with a high percentage of seropositive individuals (52.46%, 95% CI: 52.31 52.60%). Statistically, equal proportions of seropositive results were obtained in the rainy and dry seasons (c2 = 0.057, d.f. = 1, p = 0.88). Significantly higher proportions of males (55.96%, 95% CI: 48.96-62.96%) and adults (52.37%, 95% CI: 47.35-57.39%) were seropositive. While none of the brain tissue samples tested positive for infection, the high proportion of seropositive specimens indicates that RABV may be widespread in this urban area.

scholarly journals Safety profile of the transcription factor EB (TFEB)-based gene therapy through intracranial injection in mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-250
Author(s):  
Zhenyu Li ◽  
Guangqian Ding ◽  
Yudi Wang ◽  
Zelong Zheng ◽  
Jianping Lv
Keyword(s):  
Gene Therapy ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Virus Serotype ◽  
Transcription Factor Eb ◽  
The Brain

AbstractTranscription factor EB (TFEB)-based gene therapy is a promising therapeutic strategy in treating neurodegenerative diseases by promoting autophagy/lysosome-mediated degradation and clearance of misfolded proteins that contribute to the pathogenesis of these diseases. However, recent findings have shown that TFEB has proinflammatory properties, raising the safety concerns about its clinical application. To investigate whether TFEB induces significant inflammatory responses in the brain, male C57BL/6 mice were injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8) vectors overexpressing mouse TFEB (pAAV8-CMV-mTFEB), or AAV8 vectors expressing green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) in the barrel cortex. The brain tissue samples were collected at 2 months after injection. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining showed that mTFEB protein levels were significantly increased in the brain tissue samples of mice injected with mTFEB-overexpressing vectors compared with those injected with PBS or GFP-overexpressing vectors. pAAV8-CMV-mTFEB injection resulted in significant elevations in the mRNA and protein levels of lysosomal biogenesis indicators in the brain tissue samples. No significant changes were observed in the expressions of GFAP, Iba1, and proinflammation mediators in the pAAV8-CMV-mTFEB-injected brain compared with those in the control groups. Collectively, our results suggest that AAV8 successfully mediates mTFEB overexpression in the mouse brain without inducing apparent local inflammation, supporting the safety of TFEB-based gene therapy in treating neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals Scatterometry Measurements With Scattered Light Imaging Enable New Insights Into the Nerve Fiber Architecture of the Brain

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Menzel ◽  
Marouan Ritzkowski ◽  
Jan A. Reuter ◽  
David Gräßel ◽  
Katrin Amunts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Nerve Fiber ◽  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Scattered Light ◽  
Polar Angle ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Fiber Architecture ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
The Brain

The correct reconstruction of individual (crossing) nerve fibers is a prerequisite when constructing a detailed network model of the brain. The recently developed technique Scattered Light Imaging (SLI) allows the reconstruction of crossing nerve fiber pathways in whole brain tissue samples with micrometer resolution: the individual fiber orientations are determined by illuminating unstained histological brain sections from different directions, measuring the transmitted scattered light under normal incidence, and studying the light intensity profiles of each pixel in the resulting image series. So far, SLI measurements were performed with a fixed polar angle of illumination and a small number of illumination directions, providing only an estimate of the nerve fiber directions and limited information about the underlying tissue structure. Here, we use a display with individually controllable light-emitting diodes to measure the full distribution of scattered light behind the sample (scattering pattern) for each image pixel at once, enabling scatterometry measurements of whole brain tissue samples. We compare our results to coherent Fourier scatterometry (raster-scanning the sample with a non-focused laser beam) and previous SLI measurements with fixed polar angle of illumination, using sections from a vervet monkey brain and human optic tracts. Finally, we present SLI scatterometry measurements of a human brain section with 3 μm in-plane resolution, demonstrating that the technique is a powerful approach to gain new insights into the nerve fiber architecture of the human brain.

scholarly journals Serum and Brain Metabolomic Variations Reveal Perturbation of Sleep Deprivation on Rats and Ameliorate Effect of Total Ginsenoside Treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-jun Gou ◽  
Fang Cen ◽  
Zi-quan Fan ◽  
Ying Xu ◽  
Hong-yi Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Panax Ginseng ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Metabolite Profile ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
And Control

Sleep loss or sleep deprivation (SD) refers to shorter sleep than average baseline need, and SD has been a serious problem of modern societies which affects health and well-being.Panax ginsengis a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Our previous study has demonstrated that total ginsenosides (GS), the extracts fromPanax ginseng, could effectively improve cognition and behavior on SD rats. However, little is known about its metabolomic study. In this study, serum and brain metabolomic method based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was employed to evaluate the efficacy and study the mechanism of GS on a rat model of SD. With pattern recognition analysis of serum and brain tissue metabolite profile, a clear separation of the model group and control group was acquired for serum and brain tissue samples; the MGS (model + GS) group showed a tendency of recovering when compared to control group, which was consistent with behavioral and biochemical parameters. 39 and 40 potential biomarkers of brain tissues and serum samples, respectively, were identified and employed to explore the possible mechanism. Our work revealed that GS has significant protective effects on SD, and metabolomics is a useful tool for evaluating efficacy and elucidating mechanism in TCM.

scholarly journals Diversity of ichthyofauna of Feni and Muhuri rivers, Feni, Bangladesh

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-60
Author(s):  
Sumana Yeasmin ◽  
Gulshan Ara Latifa ◽  
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury
Keyword(s):  
Freshwater Fish ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Species Evenness ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
Data Deficient ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Wet And Dry Seasons

Diversity of ichthyofauna of Feni and Muhuri rivers was studied from April, 2015 to March 2016. The selected rivers were surveyed to cover the wet season (April 2015-September 2015) and the dry season (October 2015-March 2016). A total of 65 freshwater fish species belonging to 11 orders, 29 families were recorded from the two rivers. Of the 65 species, 12 species were threatened, and one species was identified as data deficient according to IUCN Bangladesh. Perciformes was recorded as most dominating order (19 species, among the 54 species recorded) in Feni river, whereas the Cypriniformes was recorded as the dominating order (17 species among the 42 species recorded from this river) in Muhuri river. Corica soborna was the most common species with the highest number of individuals in comparison to other fish species recorded from two rivers in both wet and dry seasons. Calculating the Shannon-Weiner and Simpson’s indices of diversity and species evenness, highest number of species and individuals were found in the wet season while minimum in the dry season from both the rivers.Bangladesh J. Zool. 45(1): 47-60, 2017

Design and Evaluation of Advanced Smart Needles for Brain Biopsy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Sahlabadi ◽  
Seyedvahid Khodaei ◽  
Parsaoran Hutapea
Keyword(s):  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Needle Biopsy ◽  
Brain Biopsy ◽  
Lateral Movement ◽  
Open Biopsy ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Tissue Cutting ◽  
Nitinol Wire ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Stereotactic Core

Biopsy involves removing a piece of tissues for further medical examination. Brain biopsy is generally performed using different techniques, such as open biopsy, stereotactic core biopsy, and needle biopsy. Open biopsy is the most common and the most invasive form of the brain biopsy. During the procedure, a piece of the skull is removed and the brain is exposed. Stereotactic core and needle biopsies are minimally invasive. In these procedures, a hole is usually drilled into the skull and a needle is inserted through the hole to extract the tissue. Brain biopsy has its risks and complications due to the vulnerability of the brain tissue. Although using needle or stereotactic biopsies reduce the risks, brain biopsy may cause swelling or bleeding in the brain, and in some cases, can result in infection, stroke, seizure or even coma. A needle biopsy with conventional needles involves pulling or pushing the cutting stylet inside the needle hollow body (cannula). The manual pulling and pushing procedure induces lateral movement of the needle, which increases the damage in brain tissue. The goal here is to completely remove the needle harmful lateral movement. In this work, design of smart biopsy needles is proposed and demonstrated by incorporating nitinol wires and springs to control the lateral movement of the cutting stylet. The first design comprises of two parts. The first part of the needle is a 360° tissue cutting stylet, and the second part is the cannula. The cutting stylet can slide inside the cannula and a nitinol wire is embedded at the end of the stylet and the end of the cannula. As the electric current is applied on the nitinol wire, it shrinks and pulls the cutting stylet. The second design is almost similar to the first design, but it has a 180° tissue cutting stylet with a similar actuating mechanism. The last design uses a nitinol torsion spring that is attached to the cutting stylet. It cuts tissue samples by activating the nitinol spring to rotate the cutting stylet.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Brain Protection With Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate Solutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. E510-E516
Author(s):  
Sonay Oğuz ◽  
Halil F. Aşgün ◽  
Başak Büyük
Keyword(s):  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Brain Perfusion ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Ischemia Group ◽  
Htk Solution ◽  
Cerebrovascular Surgery ◽  
Common Carotid Arteries ◽  
The Brain

Background: Tissue-protective solutions increase resistance of cells to ischemic conditions. Especially in carotid and aortic arch surgeries where the brain perfusion is at risk, these solutions may be beneficial to prevent ischemic brain damage. This study was designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution in increasing resistance of brain tissue to ischemic conditions. Methods: Three separate randomized groups were created, each consisting of eight rabbits. The groups were called the ischemia, HTK and sham groups, respectively. In the ischemia group, temporary brain ischemia was created for 15 minutes by placing clamps on the bilateral subclavian and common carotid arteries. Then the clamps were removed, and the brain was reperfused for 30 minutes. In the HTK group, HTK solution was sent to the brain through the internal carotid artery before the same ischemia-reperfusion protocol was applied. Histopathological analyses using a visual scoring system to assess the degree of ischemic changes and the apoptotic cell index by TUNEL test were performed in all brain tissue samples. Results: Apoptotic cell indices of the HTK (20.6%) and sham (17.8%) groups were lower than the ischemia group (56.8%) (P < .05). Statistically significant differences were detected between all groups in categorical scores (P < .05). Conclusions: It was shown that less ischemic damage occurs in the brain tissue with the use of HTK solution, and it may be a candidate approach to prevent the brain from ischemic insults during cerebrovascular surgery. Further studies are required to demonstrate its exact effectiveness, in terms of dose, duration, and temperature.

scholarly journals Cloud characteristics, thermodynamic controls and radiative impacts during the Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon (GoAmazon2014/5) experiment

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (23) ◽  
pp. 14519-14541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott E. Giangrande ◽  
Zhe Feng ◽  
Michael P. Jensen ◽  
Jennifer M. Comstock ◽  
Karen L. Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Cloud Characteristics ◽  
Radiative Impacts ◽  
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
Basin Region ◽  
Cloud Regimes ◽  
Wet And Dry Seasons

Abstract. Routine cloud, precipitation and thermodynamic observations collected by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility (AMF) and Aerial Facility (AAF) during the 2-year US Department of Energy (DOE) ARM Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon (GoAmazon2014/5) campaign are summarized. These observations quantify the diurnal to large-scale thermodynamic regime controls on the clouds and precipitation over the undersampled, climatically important Amazon basin region. The extended ground deployment of cloud-profiling instrumentation enabled a unique look at multiple cloud regimes at high temporal and vertical resolution. This longer-term ground deployment, coupled with two short-term aircraft intensive observing periods, allowed new opportunities to better characterize cloud and thermodynamic observational constraints as well as cloud radiative impacts for modeling efforts within typical Amazon wet and dry seasons.

scholarly journals Analysis of a Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis Genotype B3 Virus from the 2009-2010 South African Measles Epidemic Shows That Hyperfusogenic F Proteins Contribute to Measles Virus Infection in the Brain

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Angius ◽  
Heidi Smuts ◽  
Ksenia Rybkina ◽  
Debora Stelitano ◽  
Brian Eley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Measles Virus ◽  
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis ◽  
Neurological Complications ◽  
Neural Cells ◽  
Viral Receptor ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
F Protein ◽  
Recombinant Viruses ◽  
The Brain

ABSTRACTDuring a measles virus (MeV) epidemic in 2009 in South Africa, measles inclusion body encephalitis (MIBE) was identified in several HIV-infected patients. Years later, children are presenting with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). To investigate the features of established MeV neuronal infections, viral sequences were analyzed from brain tissue samples of a single SSPE case and compared with MIBE sequences previously obtained from patients infected during the same epidemic. Both the SSPE and the MIBE viruses had amino acid substitutions in the ectodomain of the F protein that confer enhanced fusion properties. Functional analysis of the fusion complexes confirmed that both MIBE and SSPE F protein mutations promoted fusion with less dependence on interaction by the viral receptor-binding protein with known MeV receptors. While the SSPE F required the presence of a homotypic attachment protein, MeV H, in order to fuse, MIBE F did not. Both F proteins had decreased thermal stability compared to that of the corresponding wild-type F protein. Finally, recombinant viruses expressing MIBE or SSPE fusion complexes spread in the absence of known MeV receptors, with MIBE F-bearing viruses causing large syncytia in these cells. Our results suggest that alterations to the MeV fusion complex that promote fusion and cell-to-cell spread in the absence of known MeV receptors is a key property for infection of the brain.IMPORTANCEMeasles virus can invade the central nervous system (CNS) and cause severe neurological complications, such as MIBE and SSPE. However, mechanisms by which MeV enters the CNS and triggers the disease remain unclear. We analyzed viruses from brain tissue of individuals with MIBE or SSPE, infected during the same epidemic, after the onset of neurological disease. Our findings indicate that the emergence of hyperfusogenic MeV F proteins is associated with infection of the brain. We also demonstrate that hyperfusogenic F proteins permit MeV to enter cells and spread without the need to engage nectin-4 or CD150, known receptors for MeV that are not present on neural cells.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document