Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy of the Sensory and Motor Brain Regions with Simultaneous Kinematic and EMG Monitoring During Motor Tasks

There are several advantages that functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) presents in the study of the neural control of human movement. It is relatively flexible with respect to participant positioning and allows for some head movements during tasks. Additionally, it is inexpensive, light weight, and portable, with very few contraindications to its use. This presents a unique opportunity to study functional brain activity during motor tasks in individuals who are typically developing, as well as those with movement disorders, such as cerebral palsy. An additional consideration when studying movement disorders, however, is the quality of actual movements performed and the potential for additional, unintended movements. Therefore, concurrent monitoring of both blood flow changes in the brain and actual movements of the body during testing is required for appropriate interpretation of fNIRS results. Here, we show a protocol for the combination of fNIRS with muscle and kinematic monitoring during motor tasks. We explore gait, a unilateral multi-joint movement (cycling), and two unilateral single-joint movements (isolated ankle dorsiflexion, and isolated hand squeezing). The techniques presented can be useful in studying both typical and atypical motor control, and can be modified to investigate a broad range of tasks and scientific questions.     

Schwannomas of the peroneal nerves: Clinical and functional results of surgical treatment

Objectives:Peroneal nerves Schwannomas are rare benign tumors. Literature is still poor of studies about clinical and functional outcomes after surgical treatment. We evaluated the pre-operative presentation of the disease and assessed clinical and functional outcomes after surgery.Methods:We collected all the cases of peroneal nerves’ neurinoma treated surgically between June 2016 and June 2020. We analyzed each patients’ personal data and carried out accurate clinical examinations before and after surgery. MRI was performed both pre-operatively and post-operatively.Results:We reported 9 cases of peroneal nerves schwannomas: five arising from the common peroneal nerve and four arising from the deep or superficial branches alone. Their mean size was 22.6 mm. Each patient showed sensation deficits before surgery; pre-operative MRC score was 4.2. Pre-Operative MSTS and LEFS scores were 23.6 and 64.4. Surgery was successful in each case. No local recurrence nor major complication occurred. Tumor size was significantly associated with both diagnostic delay and development of pre-operative deficits. Surgery was proven to be globally successful: post-operative evaluations highlighted a marked reduction of neurological signs and overall functional limitations.Conclusions:Surgical treatment at early stages of the disease represents a reliable and relatively safe therapeutic option.     

Spatial synchrony in Drosophila suzukii population dynamics along elevational gradients

1. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD; Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, 1931) is a polyphagous invasive crop pest native of Southeast Asia able to attack a wide array of host plant species in both cultivated and natural habitats. SWD is now widespread in several mountain regions, but it is still unclear how the species moves to different elevations across the seasons, and how this depends on environmental conditions and food resources. 2. The temporal dynamics of several SWD populations were studied along elevational gradients in the Alps using a synchrony analysis. Twelve transects were selected, covering an overall elevational gradient of 2100 m. SWD abundance was monitored every 2 weeks during the growing season (from June to November 2015) when cultivated and wild hosts are potentially susceptible (i.e. fruits are ripe). 3. Spotted wing drosophila were widely distributed along all the tested elevations, revealing synchrony in population dynamics across ranges in elevation and geographic distance. Synchronised populations were observed at distances of up to 100 km at sites with similar temperatures. The high dispersal potential of the pest together with the seasonal variation in temperature are likely to be the dominant mechanisms causing the observed spatial synchrony. A factor that seemed to reduce synchrony is the large concentration of host plants (i.e. crop) in lowland agricultural landscapes. 4. The spatial synchrony in pest abundance at large spatial scale indicates that the risk of SWD outbreaks is highly dependent on drivers beyond the control of traditional field‐scale management. These findings could help in developing monitoring and predictive models of SWD population dynamics.     

Novel use of a perfluorocarbon for supplying oxygen to aerobic submerged cultures

Summary A novel method for supplying oxygen by using a perfluorocarbon as an oxygen carrier in submerged cultures was demonstrated. Oxygen was transferred to the aqueous phase by liquid-liquid contacting in a spray column fermentor. Advantages of using such a system for supplying oxygen are discussed.Nomenclature F₁ recirculation rate of PP9 through nozzle - P_B back pressure at nozzle - SA_PP9 oxygen concentration in PP9 in aerator as a percent of saturation when air equilibrated at the end of the exponential phase of growth - T_F fermentation time to reach final cell concentration - V_A air flow rate through sparger - X_e cell concentration at the end of the exponential phase of growth - X_F final cell concentration - Ø_A gas (air) hold-up - Ø_L liquid (PP9) hold-up in aqueous system     

Translational control of human acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 mRNA is mediated by an internal ribosome entry site in response to ER stress,serum deprivation or hypoxia mimetic CoCl2

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) is a cytosolic enzyme catalyzing the rate limiting step in de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. There is mounting evidence showing that ACC1 is susceptible to dysregulation and that it is over-expressed in liver diseases associated with lipid accumulation and in several cancers. In the present study, ACC1 regulation at the translational level is reported. Using several experimental approaches, the presence of an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) has been established in the 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) of the ACC1 mRNA. Transfection experiments with the ACC1 5′ UTR inserted in a dicistronic reporter vector show a remarkable increase in the downstream cistron translation, through a cap-independent mechanism. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress condition and the related unfolded protein response (UPR), triggered by treatment with thapsigargin and tunicamycin, cause an increase of the cap-independent translation of ACC1 mRNA in HepG2 cells, despite the overall reduction in global protein synthesis. Other stress conditions, such as serum starvation and incubation with hypoxia mimetic agent CoCl₂, up-regulate ACC1 expression in HepG2 cells at the translational level. Overall, these findings indicate that the presence of an IRES in the ACC1 5′ UTR allows ACC1 mRNA translation in conditions that are inhibitory to cap-dependent translation. A potential involvement of the cap-independent translation of ACC1 in several pathologies, such as obesity and cancer, has been discussed.     

Isolation of mRNA species related to the rooting induction in almond and apple through the differential display technique

Differential display of mRNA has been recently developed as a tool to detect and characterize changes in gene expression. We applied this technique to fruit trees plantlets induced to root in vitro, in order to isolate and study genes involved in root induction. A reproducible pattern of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products was obtained, both in almond and apple, in vertical polyacrylamide gels stained with ethidium bromide. Differences in PCR fingerprinting were detected in mRNAs of basal part of either auxin induced or non induced microcuttings. Thus, we suggest that this technique can be used in woody species to detect changes among mRNA populations during root induction. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

New gold carbene complexes as candidate anticancer agents

Three structurally related gold(I) carbene complexes with bulky hydrophobic ligands i.e. 1–3 were investigated in solution for further consideration as candidate anticancer agents. Cytotoxic assays were subsequently conducted on bone marrow-derived preosteoclast cell line of human origin (FLG 29.1) and human colon cancer cells (HCT-116). A far greater cytotoxic activity was measured for compound 1 against HCT-116 cells compared to 2 and 3; conversely, all compounds were highly and similarly active against FLG 29.1 cells. Results obtained for the reaction of complexes 1 and 2 with RNase A documented the occurrence of a weak interaction with this model protein and the formation of a tiny amount of the corresponding adduct. Moreover, a certain reactivity of the complex 2 was also detected toward GSH. The general implications of the obtained results are discussed.     

Tumour‐associated macrophages correlate with microvascular bed extension in colorectal cancer patients

Tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) represent pivotal components of tumour microenvironment promoting angiogenesis, tumour progression and invasion. In colorectal cancer (CRC), there are no conclusive data about the role of TAMs in angiogenesis‐mediated tumour progression. In this study, we aimed to evaluate a correlation between TAMs, TAM immunostained area (TAMIA) microvascular density (MVD), endothelial area (EA) and cancer cells positive to VEGF‐A (CCP‐VEGF‐A) in primary tumour tissue of locally advanced CRC patients undergone to radical surgery. A series of 76 patients with CRC were selected and evaluated by immunohistochemistry and image analysis. An anti‐CD68 antibody was employed to assess TAMs and TAMIA expression, an anti‐CD34 antibody was utilized to detect MVD and EA expression, whereas an anti‐VEGF‐A antibody was used to detect CCP‐VEGF‐A; then, tumour sections were evaluated by image analysis methods. The mean ± S.D. of TAMs, MVD and CCP‐VEGF‐A was 65.58 ± 21.14, 28.53 ± 7.75 and 63% ± 37%, respectively; the mean ± S.D. of TAMIA and EA was 438.37 ± 124.14μ² and 186.73 ± 67.22μ², respectively. A significant correlation was found between TAMs, TAMIA, MVD and EA each other (r ranging from 0.69 to 0.84; P ranging from 0.000 to 0.004). The high level of expression of TAMs and TAMIA in tumour tissue and the significant correlation with both MVD and EA illustrate that TAMs could represent a marker that plays an important role in promoting angiogenesis‐mediated CRC. In this context, novel agents killing TAMs might be evaluated in clinical trials as a new anti‐angiogenic approach.     

Isolation and characterization of a serine esterase from cytolytic T cell granules

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes and lymphocytes with NK-like activity contain a serine esterase activity which has been localized to their cytoplasmic granules by cytochemistry and subcellular fractionation studies. The serine esterase-specific inhibitor 3H-DFP labels two protein species in the granules. The two proteins, referred to as serine esterases 1 and 2 (SE 1 and SE 2), migrate with Mr of 34-36 kd and 28-30 kd, respectively, under reducing conditions. SE 1 shows trypsin-like activity and has been purified to apparent homogeneity. Under nonreducing conditions, SE 1 has an Mr of 60-66 kd, suggesting that it may consist of two disulfide-linked subunits of 34-36 kd each. SE 1 cleaves fibrin and casein, has a pl greater than 10, and optimal activity at pH 8. The substrate specificity of SE 2 is not known. The serine esterase activity is secreted by lymphocytes that have been stimulated with the calcium ionophore A23187. The serine esterases described here could play an active role in cell-mediated killing.