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Τετάρτη 1 Αυγούστου 2018

Le syndrome « ichtyose-prématurité » : deux nouveaux cas

Publication date: Available online 1 August 2018

Source: Annales de Dermatologie et de Vénéréologie

Author(s): M. Severino-Freire, A.-C. Bing Lecointe, E. Bourrat, M. Pichery, N. Jonca, C. Chiaverini, J. Mazereeuw-Hautier

Résumé
Introduction

Le « syndrome ichtyose-prématurité » est très rare ; il appartient au groupe des ichtyoses syndromiques. Il est dû à des mutations du gène FATP4, lequel joue un rôle clé dans le transport et l'activation des acides gras de l'épiderme et dans la fonction barrière cutanée. Malgré une présentation clinique stéréotypée en période néonatale, l'affection est peu connue des cliniciens. Nous en rapportons deux nouveaux cas.

Observations

Cas no 1 : il s'agissait d'un enfant de sexe masculin, d'origine française, né de parents non apparentés à 33 semaines de gestation. À la naissance, l'enfant présentait une détresse respiratoire prise en charge en réanimation néonatale. Sur le plan cutané, on notait un aspect de vernix caseosa épais atteignant principalement le cuir chevelu, les sourcils et les quatre membres. L'évolution était favorable, avec un examen cutané normal à 4 ans. Cas no 2 : il s'agissait d'un enfant de sexe masculin, d'origine marocaine, né de parents apparentés à 34 semaines de gestation. À la naissance, il présentait une détresse respiratoire aiguë prise en charge en réanimation néonatale. À l'examen clinique, il avait un aspect épaissi de la peau mimant un vernix caseosa, blanchâtre, localisé principalement sur le cuir chevelu, le front, les quatre membres et l'abdomen. L'évolution était favorable, avec un examen cutané normal à 2 ans.

Conclusion

Nos deux patients illustrent la présentation clinique caractéristique de ce syndrome, qui mérite d'être connu des cliniciens pédiatres et dermatologues afin de poser le diagnostic, de réaliser un conseil génétique et de prévoir une prise en charge adaptée de la période périnatale en cas de future grossesse.

Summary
Background

Ichthyosis prematurity syndrome is a rare syndromic form of ichthyosis caused by mutations in FATP4, which plays a central role in the transport and activation of fatty acids in the epidermis and in epidermal barrier function. Despite stereotypical clinical presentation in the neonatal period, the diagnosis is not well known by clinicians. Herein we report two new cases.

Patients and methods

Case no. 1: a boy born prematurely (33 weeks of gestation) to non-consanguineous French parents presented at birth with respiratory distress necessitating admission to intensive care. His skin was covered by a thick caseous vernix, especially on the scalp, eyebrows and 4 limbs. At the age of 4 years, the boy's skin appeared normal. Case no. 2: a boy born prematurely to consanguineous Moroccan parents (34 weeks of gestation) presented at birth with respiratory distress requiring admission to intensive care. At clinical examination, he had a whitish thick skin giving an impression of vernix caseosa, with involvement of the scalp, forehead, 4 limbs and abdomen. At the age of 2 years, his skin was normal.

Conclusion

The clinical presentation of this syndrome is typical. It is important to make the diagnosis to enable genetic counseling and planning of adequate neonatal care in the event of future pregnancies.



Is there a shortening of the urethral plate in Complete penile disassembly used in epispadias repair and What is its impact on the final outcomes?

Publication date: Available online 2 August 2018

Source: Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery

Author(s): Smail Acimi, Debbous Lamia, Mohammed Ali Acimi, Amina Leila Khelil

Abstract
Purpose

To assess the importance of shortening of the urethral plate occurred with complete penile disassembly technique in epispadias repair and its impact on cosmetic and functional results (on urinary incontinency).

Methods

From January 2009 to December 2016, 26 boys underwent complete penile disassembly technique for proximal epispadias repair. Twenty-one patients had epispadias after primary repair of bladder exstrophy and 5 isolated peno-pubic epispadias. The age of the patients ranged from 11 months to 6 years (median 3 years).

Results

After disassembling the penis in three parts, the shortening and narrowing of urethral plate were found in all patients, the shortening varied between 2 and 16 mm. However, in isolated epispadias the urethral plate is easily extensible. The cosmetic results (after dehiscence and fistulas repair) were found satisfying in 24 patients with conical glans and meatus in orthotopic position without any necrosis of the glans. However, 18 patients (81.8 % of cases) who had initially a bladder exstrophy presented a dehiscence or fistula. The urinary continence ≥1 h was observed in 5 patients (19% of cases) and only 3 patients (11.5% of cases) had an urinary continence ≥3 h.

Conclusions

The complete penile disassembly procedure restores the normal anatomy of the penis. Despite the shortening and narrowing of the urethral plate the cosmetic results were good in the majority of patients. However, its functional outcomes on urinary incontinence, particularly for epispadias with bladder extrophy remain uncertain.



Long-term Functional and Aesthetic Evaluation of Using a Single Rhomboid-shaped Fascial Strip for Severe Congenital Unilateral Blepharoptosis

Publication date: Available online 2 August 2018

Source: Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery

Author(s): Daisuke Sakahara, Keisuke Imai, Takeshi Masuoka, Hirokazu Shido, Kimiyo Matsumoto, Koji Kawamoto, Songsu Kang, Jumpei Tsumoto

Summary
Purpose

Surgery for congenital blephaloptosis is often performed at about 4-5 years of age. Long-term follow-up is important during facial growth. We performed frontal suspension using a single rhomboid-shaped autogenous fascial strip. We conducted a long-term evaluation of severe congenital unilateral blephaloptosis patients.

Patients and methods

334 patients with congenital blephaloptosis underwent surgery between 1994 and 2006. Of those, 192 patients had unilateral blephaloptosis with levator function less than 3mm. A retrospective analysis were extracted from those patients who could be followed-up postoperatively for at least 10 years, and had accurate clinical photographs available. Evaluation included visual acuity, palpebral fissure height (PFH) and marginal reflex distance (MRD) on photographs to compare both eyes. PHF and MRD were assessed as ratio. Morphological evaluation was based on patient and family comments. Statistical analysis included the t-test.

Results

Participants comprised 95 patients (63 male, 32 female, 43 left and 52 right). Visual acuity showed improvements. Although postoperative MRD ratio of the affected eye was significantly improved.

No clinically significant bilateral difference in postoperative PFH was seen compared to the unaffected side. The surgical results were 62 excellent, 14 good, 12 fair, 3 poor and 4 others' cases in our criteria. No major complications occurred. Satisfactory result could be seen in 76 of 95 cases.

Conclusion

Based on our evaluation, our surgical procedure appears useful for patients with unilateral congenital ptosis. Moreover, blephaloptosis surgery is useful for improving visual acuity. We report this surgical procedure and discuss the long-term results.



Electrochemical synthesis, photodegradation and antibacterial properties of PEG capped zinc oxide nanoparticles

Publication date: Available online 2 August 2018

Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology

Author(s): Ajay Jose, K.R. Sunaja Devi, Dephan Pinheiro, S. Lakshmi Narayana

Abstract

The effect of surfactant and dopant on the properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles were studied by preparing polyethylene glycol (PEG) capped ZnO and tungsten doped PEG capped ZnO nanoparticles via the electrochemical method. These nanoparticles were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet Diffuse Reflection Spectroscopy (UV-DRS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electron Dispersive Analysis of X Rays (EDAX). The photocatalytic degradation of malachite green dye using these nanoparticles was studied under visible light. The effects of various reaction parameters like dye concentration, catalyst concentration, pH and time were studied to optimize the photodegradation reaction. Reusability of these nanoparticles was studied and no significant change was observed in the degradation efficiency of PEG capped ZnO till the fourth cycle, while there was a gradual decrease in the degradation efficiency of tungsten doped PEG capped ZnO. Langmuir- Hinshelwood kinetic model well describes the photodegradation capacity and the degradation of malachite green follows pseudo-first order kinetics.Photocatalytic studies reveal that PEG capping increases the degradation properties of ZnO while tungsten doping decreases the extent of PEG capping and has a detrimental effect on the degradation properties of ZnO. The prepared nanoparticles exhibit significant antibacterial properties against gram-positive Bacillus cereus and gram-negative Escherichia coli bacterial strains by agar well diffusion method.

Graphical Abstract

Unlabelled Image



Magnetic nanotechnological devices as efficient tools to improve the quality of water: analysis on a real case

Abstract

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), based on iron oxide (magnetite) and ferrogel of gelatin and MNPs, were employed as efficient tools for the removal of heavy metals and nutrients from water samples from Bahia Blanca estuarine (BBE). An exhaustive adsorption performance of Cu, NO3, and NO2 was conducted in batch using model solutions aiming to adjust the adsorption conditions. Adsorption studies using water simulating the real samples were also performed. Both kinds of nanomaterials demonstrated an efficiency between 60 and 80%, and 85% for the removal of heavy metals and NO3 and NO2, respectively. Similar adsorption assays were performed using BBE water samples, employing the experimental conditions explored with model and simulated water. The reached efficiency was 30 and 45% for heavy metal and nutrient removal, respectively, using nanoparticles; meanwhile, ferrogels displayed a removal capacity around 50–60%. The nanoparticles showed structural instability by the leaching of iron to the medium after the adsorption processes. Ferrogels remained almost inalterable in terms of their integrity during the adsorption time. These materials showed satisfactory perspectives regarding their reuse possibilities. They were used for almost five repeated cycles of adsorption without losing efficiency on the adsorption. The results of this study suggest that MNPs and FGs appear as versatile and promising materials that may be considered as valid alternatives to the actual tools for the remediation of real water samples.



Phosphate affects adsorption and desorption of oxytetracycline in the seawater-sediment systems

Abstract

The fate and transport of antibiotics in the aquatic environment are usually influenced by the combined effects of environmental factors. In this study, batch-type experiments were conducted to investigate the combined effects of phosphate and salinity on oxytetracycline (OTC) adsorption on, and desorption from, two marine sediments. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model fitted the kinetic data better than pseudo-first-order model. The pseudo-second-order kinetic rate (k2) of OTC increased significantly with increasing phosphate concentrations. Sorption isotherms of OTC can be well described by both the Langmuir and Freundlich models. Compared with the control experiments (without phosphate addition), Freundlich distribution coefficients (KF) after addition of 50 mg L−1 phosphate decreased from 24.9 to 17.9 L kg−1 on sediments collected from Laizhou Bay, and from 52.2 to 31.3 L kg−1 on sediments collected from Bohai Bay, which indicated that phosphate could inhibit adsorption of OTC on marine sediments. Furthermore, phosphate had a stronger inhibitory effect on OTC adsorption at low salinity level than at high salinity level. The effects of phosphate on OTC adsorption can be explained by ion exchange, change of sediment surface charge, and electrostatic repulsion mechanisms. Desorption experiments showed that phosphate can enhance the total desorption percentage of OTC from marine sediments. Overall, the presence of phosphate in marine system may enhance OTC's long-term transport.



Mathematical simulation to improve municipal solid waste leachate management: a closed landfill case

Abstract

This article presents an example of the application of simulation tools to estimate the post-closure evolution of leachate in a non-hazardous waste landfill. The objective of this work is to predict the behavior of leachate after the closure of the landfill for use as basic information with which to design the leachate management strategy in the following years. The MODUELO 4.0 mathematical landfill simulation software package was used for this purpose. The results of the simulation show that the concentrations in the leachate increase during the post-closure period, from values close to 2200 mg/L of COD and 1500 mg/L of NH4+ at the time of landfill closure to 3200 mg/L of COD and 5300 mg/L of NH4+ 20 years later. This increase is mainly due to the reduction in the flows, from 105 to 17 m3/day on average, since the surface lining was installed. Consequently, pollutant fluxes decrease to values below 100 kg/day in both COD and NH4+ 3 months after closure. This evolution indicates that the management of this leachate will be simpler in the future, especially if it is co-treated with urban wastewater, as its contribution decreases. On the other hand, external water connections to the leachate collectors may cause a relevant increase in the volume of the global landfill effluent. Controlling runoff management and underground infiltrations could lead to important savings in leachate treatment during the aftercare phase.



Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with adalimumab

Introduction: Human leishmaniasis is an infection caused by flagellated protozoa of the genus Leishmania. They are obligate intracellular parasites that selectively infect dendritic cells and macrophages. Development of cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral disease depends on the Leishmania species involved and on the immune response of the host. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) cytokine has been implicated in macrophage activation and tissue granuloma formation, two activities linked to control of intracellular infection caused by Leishmania spp.

Motivations to use, and to stop use of, tanning beds among sexual-minority men: A qualitative study

Background: Sexual-minority men, defined as gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, are more likely than heterosexual men to report using tanning beds in the past 12 months. Furthermore, self-reported lifetime prevalence of melanoma is twice as high among sexual minority men compared with heterosexual men. A recent study of 14–35-year-old sexual-minority men in San Diego, California, assessed motivations to, and not to, indoor tan using an online survey methodology. Motivations to indoor tan in that study included appearance reasons, sociocultural pressures, and affect regulation.

Secukinumab demonstrates high sustained efficacy and a favorable safety profile through five years of treatment in moderate-to-severe psoriasis

Background: Secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes IL-17A, has been shown to have significant efficacy in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, demonstrating sustained high levels of efficacy with a favorable safety profile. Here we report secukinumab's long-term sustainability and safety through 5 years of continuous treatment at the approved dose.

The link between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and the onset of diabetes

Background: Psoriasis currently affects >125 million people in the world. Approximately, 30% of patients with psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis and are also at a higher risk of developing diabetes. The aim of this project was to determine whether patients with psoriasis and diabetes are at a higher risk for developing psoriatic arthritis than those who do not have diabetes.

6143—Botulinum toxin type A treatment for Raynaud’s phenomenon: Experience and 3-year follow-up

Introduction: Raynaud's phenomenon consists of vasospastic disease of the digital arteries after exposure to cold or stress and may appear in isolation or in the context of a systemic disease. When severe, it causes an important reduction in a patient's quality of life. The available treatments do not always offer good results, making it necessary to look for therapeutic alternatives.

Pigmented fungiform papillae of the tongue: An incidental finding in a patient with mycosis fungoides

A 28-year-old Hispanic man with a history of stage IA mycosis fungoides presented with "new dark spots on the tongue." He was not taking any medications and had never been prescribed minocycline. He also denied pain, pruritus, and systemic symptoms. His skin disease had been clinically stable for the past five years with home, narrowband UVB phototherapy twice a month. Physical examination of the oral cavity was significant for multiple dark-brown structures on the distal tongue. Dermoscopic evaluation showed several fungiform papillae with pigmented borders in a rose petal pattern.

7124—Direct immunofluorescence and correlates of systemic disease in adult Henoch-Schönlein purpura

Introduction: IgA vasculitis, formerly called Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), is a systemic vasculitis caused by the deposition of IgA in multiple organ systems, commonly leading to renal, gastrointestinal, and joint manifestations. In adults, renal disease is more severe and occurs more often. The primary objective of this study was to characterize clinical and direct immunofluorescence (DIF) findings with systemic disease in adults with HSP.

Subungual melanoma: The attitudes, knowledge, and referral patterns of nail technicians

Background: Subungual melanoma (SM) accounts for 2%-10% of all melanomas and cannot be distinguished from benign conditions such as longitudinal melanonychia by inspection alone. Low ten-year survival in SM has been attributed to delayed diagnosis, thus early detection may improve outcomes. Early specialist referral and dermatoscopy is useful for proper diagnosis and care. A mnemonic to educate the lay population on findings concerning for SM was created in 2000, but dissemination to the public has been poor.

6774—The role of shave biopsy and electrodesiccation in the overall treatment of keratinocyte carcinoma

The mainstay of treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) remains surgical. Surgical literature shows that biopsy of keratinocyte carcinoma may clear tumors. This prospective study sought to determine the role of biopsy by means of the shave technique and electrodesiccation in the clearance of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Biopsies performed on highly probable skin cancers were performed with the use of the shave technique and treated with electrodesiccation. Suspected cancers were shaved in a manner that encompassed the entire lesion.

Rare presentation of a primary cutaneous well differentiated liposarcoma

A 61-year-old man with a history of malignant melanoma in-situ presented with a 1-year history of a large firm nodule on his back. Physical exam revealed a 3 × 2 cm firm, nontender, mobile nodule on his right back. A punch biopsy was obtained revealing subcuticular adipose tissue with a lobular architecture that contained enlarged, markedly pleomorphic, and hyperchromatic nuclei at the periphery of the fat lobules and was interpreted as a well differentiated liposarcoma. Liposarcomas of the skin are exceedingly rare and represent a diagnosis of exclusion regarding histopathologic mimics, metastases, and direct extensions from deeper tumors.

6349—Cellular mechanism of compulsive behavior in a mouse model of trichotillomania

Introduction and objectives: Dysfunction of the striatum of the brain is implicated in compulsive behavior such as trichotillomania. Sapap3-mutant (Sapap3−/−) mice lack a post-synaptic scaffolding protein linked to trichotillomania in genetic studies and mice exhibit compulsive grooming leading to severe skin wounds. Yet the cellular basis of this compulsive behavior remains unknown.

Ninety-nine percent response rate in 586 radiation treatments for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Background: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a skin tropic lymphoid neoplasm. Relapse is very common; particularly for advanced disease for which there is no cure despite an array of treatment modalities. Skin directed radiation therapy is effective for CTCL. This retrospective study was undertaken to assess response rates and toxicity in patients who received skin directed radiation therapy.

7445—Hospital readmissions for skin disease in the United States

Background: Hospital readmissions represent a potentially preventable form of hospitalization; however, hospital readmissions for dermatologic conditions remain poorly characterized.

Telogen effluvium with dysesthesia has lower B12 levels and may respond to B12 supplementation

The pathogenesis of telogen effluvium with dysesthesia (TED) is not well understood and treatment options are limited. We investigated a subtype of telogen effluvium (TE) associated with dysesthesia (TED), which is defined as the presence of TE with severe itch, pain, soreness, burning, or formication in the absence of any inflammatory scalp disorder or medication associated with TE/dysesthesia. A retrospective chart review of 45 patients with telogen effluvium with dysesthesia (TED) and a control group of 45 patients with TE were evaluated for B12 levels.

Effect of adding a diet with index and low glycemic load for 12 weeks in the treatment of moderate acne: Randomized clinical trial

Background: Acne is a self-limiting disorder of the pilosebaceous unit that is observed mainly in adolescents and young adults. It affects the self-esteem and quality of life of those who suffer from it, mainly because of the scars that it leaves as a sequel in cases of inflammatory acne. As the main reason for dermatologic consultation, it is extremely important to investigate new therapeutic options. Recent studies have suggested that dietary factors, specifically glycemic load, may be involved in the pathogenesis of acne.

Social media usage relating to dermatology. #dermatology: Its users, popularity, and content on Twitter and Instagram

Background: Information technology advances and the Internet have given rise to radical changes in how medicine is practiced. With Web 2.0, characterized by the change from static web pages to user-generated content and the growth of social media, this may change further still. Presently, 2.34 billion people already use social media. We aimed to understand how social media is currently used with relation to dermatology.

“Dermohscopy” mapping: Correlating dermoscopic findings with histology in Mohs micrographic surgery

Mapping is an essential step during Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) since it allows tumors seen on histology to be tracked during surgery. Histologic findings are typically correlated to the clinical photo or to the hand-drawn map. Despite the increasing use of dermoscopy as an adjuvant tool to help identify basal cell carcinoma, mapping the dermoscopic findings before MMS has not been described to the author's knowledge. The author describes the "dermohscopy" mapping to better correlate dermoscopic findings with histology in MMS.

Risk of depression among patients with acne: A population-based cohort study using The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database

Background: Acne has been associated with decreased self-esteem and many reports have suggested a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among these patients. Despite this, the population-level risk of physician-diagnosed major depressive disorder (MDD) among patients with acne is not known.

1% antraline: Treatment of alopecia areata in children

Introduction: Alopecia areata is a clinical entity with difficult therapeutic management, and in the case of children we have few treatment options. Anthralin or dithranol (1,8-dihydroxyantrone) is a synthetic derivative of anthracene that acts on keratinocytes in the skin and increases its ability to generate free radicals with antiinflammatory effect. It is used topically once a day for psoriasis and alopecia areata. The main benefit is its good tolerance and rare side-effects, which include local irritation and temporary hyperpigmentation of the scalp.

Properties of sunscreen influence its application

Background: Skin cancer is associated with significant rates of morbidity and mortality, and one preventative measure against skin cancer is the use of sunscreen. A better understanding of which sunscreen attributes are most important to the public, and which may account for their use or disuse, may help health practitioners and public health initiatives to promote the sun protection methods that are most appealing to the public.

Effective environmental management within the context of sustainability and economic development: a special issue from the 13th International Conference on Protection and Restoration of the Environment (PREXIII), July 3–8, 2016, Mykonos island, Greece



Laser assisted synthesis of inorganic fullerene like MoS2-Au nanohybrid and their cytotoxicity against human monocytic (THP-1) cells

Publication date: Available online 1 August 2018

Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology

Author(s): Sarojini Jeeva Panchu, Shanel Dhani, Anil Chuturgoon, Mathew K. Moodley

Abstract

Here in, we report the investigation of the immunotoxicity of gold nanoparticles decorated on inorganic fullerene like MoS2 nanostructure (IFMoS2- AuNPs) on the THP-1 immune cell line. The MoS2 nanoparticle with fullerene like nanostructure (IFMoS2) was synthesized by double pulsed laser-assisted chemical vapour deposition (LCVD) method from bulk MoS2 at the temperature of 700 °C. The MoS2 inorganic fullerene-like nanoparticles grown by vapour-solid process (VS). The surface of the IFMoS2 was decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to develop the semiconductor biocompatibility interface. The IFMoS2 are typically with diameters 20–50 nm as observed from the electron microscopy analysis. The stability of IFMoS2-AuNPs were examined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements. The decoration of AuNPs on IFMoS2 surface was analyzed by UV–Vis, FTIR, PXRD, FESEM, EDX with elemental mapping and HRTEM measurement. The in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of the FMoS2-AuNPs was determined on acute monocytic leukemic cells (THP-1) in which cell viability, caspase activity (CASP -3&7/CASP -8/CASP -9) and cell- structural changes were assessed. From FESEM revealed that IFMoS2-AuNPs induced apoptosis in THP-1 cells. Further, THP-1 cell viability markedly decreased at higher IFMoS2-AuNPs concentrations (65–100 μg/ml), indicating its potential as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of human monocytic leukemia.

Graphical Abstract

Unlabelled Image



Long-term Functional and Aesthetic Evaluation of Using a Single Rhomboid-shaped Fascial Strip for Severe Congenital Unilateral Blepharoptosis

Surgery for congenital blephaloptosis is often performed at about 4-5 years of age. Long-term follow-up is important during facial growth. We performed frontal suspension using a single rhomboid-shaped autogenous fascial strip. We conducted a long-term evaluation of severe congenital unilateral blephaloptosis patients.

Is there a shortening of the urethral plate in Complete penile disassembly used in epispadias repair and What is its impact on the final outcomes?

To assess the importance of shortening of the urethral plate occurred with complete penile disassembly technique in epispadias repair and its impact on cosmetic and functional results (on urinary incontinency).

The hi-tech way to handle the new gen kind in the procedure room



Erratum

Integrative and Comparative Biology;doi.org/10.1093/icb/icy044.

Making science meaningful for broad audiences through stories

Synopsis
Science is a search for evidence, but science communication must be a search for meaning. General audiences will only care about science if it is presented in a meaningful context. One of the most effective ways to do this is through storytelling. Stories are integral to all cultures. Studies indicate that stories even help audiences to process and recall new information. Scientists sometimes worry that storytelling will conflate empirical evidence with fabrication. But when telling non-fiction stories, it is a process of recognizing the story elements already present in the subject material and distilling the most concise and compelling account for a target audience. In this paper, I review literature, offer examples, and draw from my experience as a scientist and a communication trainer to explore how storytelling makes science comprehensible and meaningful for general audiences.

Correction to: National survey on dose data analysis in computed tomography

The original version of this article, published on 28 May 2018, unfortunately contained a mistake.



Age at Exposure to Arsenic in Water and Mortality 30–40 Years After Exposure Cessation

Abstract
Arsenic in drinking water is known to cause cancer and non-cancer diseases, but little is known about the effect of age at exposure. Here, we investigated age at arsenic exposure and mortality in Antofagasta, Chile, 30–40 years after a distinct period of very high arsenic water concentrations in 1958–1970. We calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) comparing Antofagasta with the rest of Chile for 2001–2010 by sex and age at potential first exposure. A remarkable relationship with age at first exposure was found for bronchiectasis with increased risk in adults 30–40 years after exposure being confined to those who were in utero (SMR=11.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.3, 25.4) or aged 1–10 (SMR=5.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 15.8) during the high exposure period. Increased SMRs for lung, bladder and laryngeal cancer were evident for exposures starting at all ages, but the highest SMRs were for exposures beginning at birth (bladder cancer SMR=16.0, 95% CI: 10.3, 23.8; laryngeal cancer SMR=6.8, 95% CI: 2.2, 15.8; lung cancer SMR=3.8, 95% CI: 2.9, 4.9). These findings suggest that interventions targeting early life arsenic could have major impacts on reducing long-term mortality due to arsenic 30–40 years after exposures end.

Universal Influenza Vaccines: Progress in Achieving Broad Cross-Protection In Vivo

Abstract
Despite all we have learned since 1918 about influenza virus and immunity, available influenza vaccines remain inadequate to control outbreaks of unexpected strains. Universal vaccines not requiring strain-matching would be a major improvement. Their composition would be independent of predicting circulating viruses, and thus potentially effective against unexpected drift or pandemic strains. This commentary explores progress with candidate universal vaccines based on various target antigens. Candidates include vaccines based on conserved viral proteins such as nucleoprotein and matrix, on the conserved hemagglutinin (HA) stem, and various combinations. Discussion will cover the differing evidence for each candidate vaccine demonstrating protection in animals against influenza viruses of widely divergent HA subtypes and groups, durability of protection, routes of administration including mucosal providing local immunity, and reduction of transmission. Human trials of some candidate universal vaccines have been completed or are underway. Interestingly, the HA stem, like nucleoprotein and matrix, induces immunity permitting some virus replication and emergence of escape mutants fit enough to cause disease. Vaccination with multiple target antigens will thus have advantages over use of single antigens. Ultimately, a universal vaccine providing long-term protection against all influenza virus strains might contribute to pandemic control and routine vaccination.

A Novel Role for the Hippocampus in Category Learning



Challenges to Body Fluid Homeostasis Differentially Recruit Phasic Dopamine Signaling in a Taste-Selective Manner

The internal environment of an organism must remain stable to ensure optimal performance and ultimately survival. The generation of motivated behaviors is an adaptive mechanism for defending homeostasis. Although physiological state modulates motivated behaviors, the influence of physiological state on phasic dopamine signaling, an underlying neurobiological substrate of reward-driven behavior, is underexplored. Here, we use sodium depletion and water restriction, manipulations of body fluid homeostasis, to determine the flexibility and specificity of dopamine responses. Changes in dopamine concentration were measured using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in the nucleus accumbens shell of male rats in response to intraoral infusions of fluids that either satisfied or did not satisfy homeostatic need. Increases in dopamine concentration during intraoral infusions were observed only under conditions of physiological deficit. Furthermore, dopamine increases were selective and limited to those that satisfied the need state of the animal. Thus, dopamine neurons track fluid balance and respond to salt and water stimuli in a state- and taste-dependent manner. Using Fluoro-Gold tracing and immunohistochemistry for c-Fos and Foxp2, a marker of sodium-deprivation responsive neurons, we revealed brainstem populations of neurons that are activated by sodium depletion and project directly to the ventral tegmental area. The identified projections may modulate dopamine neuron excitability and consequently the state-specific dopamine release observed in our experiments. This work illustrates the impact of physiological state on mesolimbic dopamine signaling and a potential circuit by which homeostatic disruptions are communicated to mesolimbic circuitry to drive the selective reinforcement of biologically-required stimuli under conditions of physiological need.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Motivated behaviors arise during physiological need and are highly selective for homeostasis-restoring stimuli. Although phasic dopamine signaling has been shown to contribute to the generation of motivated behaviors, the state and stimulus specificity of phasic dopamine signaling is less clear. These studies use thirst and sodium appetite to show that dopamine neurons dynamically track body fluid homeostasis and respond to water and salt stimuli in a state- and taste-dependent manner. We also identify hindbrain sodium deprivation-responsive neurons that project directly to the ventral tegmental area, where dopamine neuron cell bodies reside. This work demonstrates command of homeostasis over dopamine signaling and proposes a circuit by which physiological need drives motivated behavior by state- and taste-selective recruitment of phasic dopamine signaling.



Binocular Neuronal Processing of Object Motion in an Arthropod

Animals use binocular information to guide many behaviors. In highly visual arthropods, complex binocular computations involved in processing panoramic optic flow generated during self-motion occur in the optic neuropils. However, the extent to which binocular processing of object motion occurs in these neuropils remains unknown. We investigated this in a crab, where the distance between the eyes and the extensive overlapping of their visual fields advocate for the use of binocular processing. By performing in vivo intracellular recordings from the lobula (third optic neuropil) of male crabs, we assessed responses of object-motion-sensitive neurons to ipsilateral or contralateral moving objects under binocular and monocular conditions. Most recorded neurons responded to stimuli seen independently with either eye, proving that each lobula receives profuse visual information from both eyes. The contribution of each eye to the binocular response varies among neurons, from those receiving comparable inputs from both eyes to those with mainly ipsilateral or contralateral components, some including contralateral inhibition. Electrophysiological profiles indicated that a similar number of neurons were recorded from their input or their output side. In monocular conditions, the first group showed shorter response delays to ipsilateral than to contralateral stimulation, whereas the second group showed the opposite. These results fit well with neurons conveying centripetal and centrifugal information from and toward the lobula, respectively. Intracellular and massive stainings provided anatomical support for this and for direct connections between the two lobulae, but simultaneous recordings failed to reveal such connections. Simplified model circuits of interocular connections are discussed.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Most active animals became equipped with two eyes, which contributes to functions like depth perception, objects spatial location, and motion processing, all used for guiding behaviors. In visually active arthropods, binocular neural processing of the panoramic optic flow generated during self-motion happens already in the optic neuropils. However, whether binocular processing of single-object motion occurs in these neuropils remained unknown. We investigated this in a crab, where motion-sensitive neurons from the lobula can be recorded in the intact animal. Here we demonstrate that different classes of neurons from the lobula compute binocular information. Our results provide new insight into where and how the visual information acquired by the two eyes is first combined in the brain of an arthropod.



Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide-Immunoreactive Interneurons within Circuits of the Mouse Basolateral Amygdala

In cortical structures, principal cell activity is tightly regulated by different GABAergic interneurons (INs). Among these INs are vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing (VIP+) INs, which innervate preferentially other INs, providing a structural basis for temporal disinhibition of principal cells. However, relatively little is known about VIP+ INs in the amygdaloid basolateral complex (BLA). In this study, we report that VIP+ INs have a variable density in the distinct subdivisions of the mouse BLA. Based on different anatomical, neurochemical, and electrophysiological criteria, VIP+ INs could be identified as IN-selective INs (IS-INs) and basket cells expressing CB1 cannabinoid receptors. Whole-cell recordings of VIP+ IS-INs revealed three different spiking patterns, none of which was associated with the expression of calretinin. Genetic targeting combined with optogenetics and in vitro recordings enabled us to identify several types of BLA INs innervated by VIP+ INs, including other IS-INs, basket and neurogliaform cells. Moreover, light stimulation of VIP+ basket cell axon terminals, characterized by CB1 sensitivity, evoked IPSPs in ~20% of principal neurons. Finally, we show that VIP+ INs receive a dense innervation from both GABAergic inputs (although only 10% from other VIP+ INs) and distinct glutamatergic inputs, identified by their expression of different vesicular glutamate transporters.

In conclusion, our study provides a wide-range analysis of single-cell properties of VIP+ INs in the mouse BLA and of their intrinsic and extrinsic connectivity. Our results reinforce the evidence that VIP+ INs are structurally and functionally heterogeneous and that this heterogeneity could mediate different roles in amygdala-dependent functions.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We provide the first comprehensive analysis of the distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing (VIP+) interneurons (INs) across the entire mouse amygdaloid basolateral complex (BLA), as well as of their morphological and physiological properties. VIP+ INs in the neocortex preferentially target other INs to form a disinhibitory network that facilitates principal cell firing. Our study is the first to demonstrate the presence of such a disinhibitory circuitry in the BLA. We observed structural and functional heterogeneity of these INs and characterized their input/output connectivity. We also identified several types of BLA INs that, when inhibited, may provide a temporal window for principal cell firing and facilitate associative plasticity, e.g., in fear learning.



Muscarinic Receptor M3R Signaling Prevents Efficient Remyelination by Human and Mouse Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells

Muscarinic receptor antagonists act as potent inducers of oligodendrocyte differentiation and accelerate remyelination. However, the use of muscarinic antagonists in the clinic is limited by poor understanding of the operant receptor subtype, and questions regarding possible species differences between rodents and humans. Based on high selective expression in human oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), we hypothesized that M3R is the functionally relevant receptor. Lentiviral M3R knockdown in human primary CD140a/PDGFαR+ OPCs resulted in enhanced differentiation in vitro and substantially reduced the calcium response following muscarinic agonist treatment. Importantly, following transplantation in hypomyelinating shiverer/rag2 mice, M3R knockdown improved remyelination by human OPCs. Furthermore, conditional M3R ablation in adult NG2-expressing OPCs increased oligodendrocyte differentiation and led to improved spontaneous remyelination in mice. Together, we demonstrate that M3R receptor mediates muscarinic signaling in human OPCs that act to delay differentiation and remyelination, suggesting that M3 receptors are viable targets for human demyelinating disease.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The identification of drug targets aimed at improving remyelination in patients with demyelination disease is a key step in development of effective regenerative therapies to treat diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. Muscarinic receptor antagonists have been identified as effective potentiators of remyelination, but the receptor subtypes that mediate these receptors are unclear. In this study, we show that genetic M3R ablation in both mouse and human cells results in improved remyelination and is mediated by acceleration of oligodendrocyte commitment from oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Therefore, M3R represents an attractive target for induced remyelination in human disease.



Associative Prediction of Visual Shape in the Hippocampus

Perception can be cast as a process of inference, in which bottom-up signals are combined with top-down predictions in sensory systems. In line with this, neural activity in sensory cortex is strongly modulated by prior expectations. Such top-down predictions often arise from cross-modal associations, such as when a sound (e.g., bell or bark) leads to an expectation of the visual appearance of the corresponding object (e.g., bicycle or dog). We hypothesized that the hippocampus, which rapidly learns arbitrary relationships between stimuli over space and time, may be involved in forming such associative predictions. We exposed male and female human participants to auditory cues predicting visual shapes, while measuring high-resolution fMRI signals in visual cortex and the hippocampus. Using multivariate reconstruction methods, we discovered a dissociation between these regions: representations in visual cortex were dominated by whichever shape was presented, whereas representations in the hippocampus reflected only which shape was predicted by the cue. The strength of hippocampal predictions correlated across participants with the amount of expectation-related facilitation in visual cortex. These findings help bridge the gap between memory and sensory systems in the human brain.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The way we perceive the world is to a great extent determined by our prior knowledge. Despite this intimate link between perception and memory, these two aspects of cognition have mostly been studied in isolation. Here we investigate their interaction by asking how memory systems that encode and retrieve associations can inform perception. We find that upon hearing a familiar auditory cue, the hippocampus represents visual information that had previously co-occurred with the cue, even when this expectation differs from what is currently visible. Furthermore, the strength of this hippocampal expectation correlates with facilitation of perceptual processing in visual cortex. These findings help bridge the gap between memory and sensory systems in the human brain.



The Neuroregenerative Capacity of Olfactory Stem Cells Is Not Limitless: Implications for Aging

The olfactory epithelium (OE) of vertebrates is a highly regenerative neuroepithelium that is maintained under normal conditions by a population of stem and progenitor cells, globose basal cells (GBCs), which also contribute to epithelial reconstitution after injury. However, aging of the OE often leads to neurogenic exhaustion, the disappearance of both GBCs and olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Aneuronal tissue may remain as olfactory, with an uninterrupted sheet of apically arrayed microvillar-capped sustentacular cell, or may undergo respiratory metaplasia. We have generated a transgenic mouse model for neurogenic exhaustion using olfactory marker protein-driven Tet-off regulation of the A subunit of Diphtheria toxin such that the death of mature OSNs is accelerated. At as early as 2 months of age, the epithelium of transgenic mice, regardless of sex, recapitulates what is seen in the aged OE of humans and rodents. Areas of the epithelium completely lack neurons and GBCs; whereas the horizontal basal cells, a reserve stem cell population, show no evidence of activation. Surprisingly, other areas that were olfactory undergo respiratory metaplasia. The impact of accelerated neuronal death and reduced innervation on the olfactory bulb (OB) was also examined. Constant neuronal turnover leaves glomeruli shrunken and affects the dopaminergic interneurons in the periglomerular layer. Moreover, the acceleration of OSN death can be reversed in those areas where some GBCs persist. However, the projection onto the OB recovers incompletely and the reinnervated glomeruli are markedly altered. Therefore, the capacity for OE regeneration is tempered when GBCs disappear.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A large percentage of humans lose or suffer a significant decline in olfactory function as they age. Therefore, quality of life suffers and safety and nutritional status are put at risk. With age, the OE apparently becomes incapable of fully maintaining the neuronal population of the epithelium despite its well known capacity for recovering from most forms of injury when younger. Efforts to identify the mechanism by which olfactory neurogenesis becomes exhausted with age require a powerful model for accelerating age-related tissue pathology. The current OMP-tTA;TetO-DTA transgenic mouse model, in which olfactory neurons die when they reach maturity and accelerated death can be aborted to assess the capacity for structural recovery, satisfies that need.



Neural Processing of Acoustic and Electric Interaural Time Differences in Normal-Hearing Gerbils

Bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) provide benefits for speech perception in noise and directional hearing, but users typically show poor sensitivity to interaural time differences (ITDs). Possible explanations for this deficit are deafness-induced degradations in neural ITD sensitivity, between-ear mismatches in electrode positions or activation sites, or differences in binaural brain circuits activated by electric versus acoustic stimulation. To identify potential limitations of electric ITD coding in the normal-hearing system, responses of single neurons in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus and in the inferior colliculus to ITDs of electric (biphasic pulses) and acoustic (noise, clicks, chirps, and tones) stimuli were recorded in normal-hearing gerbils of either sex. To maintain acoustic sensitivity, electric stimuli were delivered to the round window. ITD tuning metrics (e.g., best ITD) and ITD discrimination thresholds for electric versus transient acoustic stimuli (clicks, chirps) obtained from the same neurons were not significantly correlated. Across populations of neurons with similar characteristic frequencies, however, ITD tuning metrics and ITD discrimination thresholds were similar for electric and acoustic stimuli and largely independent of the spectrotemporal properties of the acoustic stimuli when measured in the central range of ITDs. The similarity of acoustic and electric ITD coding on the population level in animals with normal hearing experience suggests that poorer ITD sensitivity in bilateral CI users compared with normal-hearing listeners is likely due to deprivation-induced changes in neural ITD coding rather than to differences in the binaural brain circuits involved in the processing of electric and acoustic ITDs.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Small differences in the arrival time of sound at the two ears (interaural time differences, ITDs) provide important cues for speech understanding in noise and directional hearing. Deaf subjects with bilateral cochlear implants obtain only little benefit from ITDs. It is unclear whether these limitations are due to between-ear mismatches in activation sites, differences in binaural brain circuits activated by electric versus acoustic stimulation, or deafness-induced degradations in neural ITD processing. This study is the first to directly compare electric and acoustic ITD coding in neurons of known characteristic frequencies. In animals with normal hearing, populations of auditory brainstem and midbrain neurons demonstrate general similarities in electric and acoustic ITD coding, suggesting similar underlying central auditory processing mechanisms.



Neuronal Preconditioning Requires the Mitophagic Activity of C-terminus of HSC70-Interacting Protein

The C terminus of HSC70-interacting protein (CHIP, STUB1) is a ubiquitously expressed cytosolic E3-ubiquitin ligase. CHIP-deficient mice exhibit cardiovascular stress and motor dysfunction before premature death. This phenotype is more consistent with animal models in which master regulators of autophagy are affected rather than with the mild phenotype of classic E3-ubiquitin ligase mutants. The cellular and biochemical events that contribute to neurodegeneration and premature aging in CHIP KO models remain poorly understood. Electron and fluorescent microscopy demonstrates that CHIP deficiency is associated with greater numbers of mitochondria, but these organelles are swollen and misshapen. Acute bioenergetic stress triggers CHIP induction and relocalization to mitochondria, where it plays a role in the removal of damaged organelles. This mitochondrial clearance is required for protection following low-level bioenergetic stress in neurons. CHIP expression overlaps with stabilization of the redox stress sensor PTEN-inducible kinase 1 (PINK1) and is associated with increased LC3-mediated mitophagy. Introducing human promoter-driven vectors with mutations in either the E3 ligase or tetracopeptide repeat domains of CHIP in primary neurons derived from CHIP-null animals enhances CHIP accumulation at mitochondria. Exposure to autophagy inhibitors suggests that the increase in mitochondrial CHIP is likely due to diminished clearance of these CHIP-tagged organelles. Proteomic analysis of WT and CHIP KO mouse brains (four male, four female per genotype) reveals proteins essential for maintaining energetic, redox, and mitochondrial homeostasis undergo significant genotype-dependent expression changes. Together, these data support the use of CHIP-deficient animals as a predictive model of age-related degeneration with selective neuronal proteotoxicity and mitochondrial failure.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mitochondria are recognized as central determinants of neuronal function and survival. We demonstrate that C terminus of HSC70-Interacting Protein (CHIP) is critical for neuronal responses to stress. CHIP upregulation and localization to mitochondria is required for mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy). Unlike other disease-associated E3 ligases such as Parkin and Mahogunin, CHIP controls homeostatic and stress-induced removal of mitochondria. Although CHIP deletion results in greater numbers of mitochondria, these organelles have distorted inner membranes without clear cristae. Neuronal cultures derived from animals lacking CHIP are more vulnerable to acute injuries and transient loss of CHIP renders neurons incapable of mounting a protective response after low-level stress. Together, these data suggest that CHIP is an essential regulator of mitochondrial number, cell signaling, and survival.



This Week in The Journal



Chrna5-Expressing Neurons in the Interpeduncular Nucleus Mediate Aversion Primed by Prior Stimulation or Nicotine Exposure

Genetic studies have shown an association between smoking and variation at the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene locus encoding the α5, α3, and β4 nicotinic receptor subunits. The α5 receptor has been specifically implicated because smoking-associated haplotypes contain a coding variant in the CHRNA5 gene. The Chrna5/a3/b4 locus is conserved in rodents and the restricted expression of these subunits suggests neural pathways through which the reinforcing and aversive properties of nicotine may be mediated. Here, we show that, in the interpeduncular nucleus (IP), the site of the highest Chrna5 mRNA expression in rodents, electrophysiological responses to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor stimulation are markedly reduced in α5-null mice. IP neurons differ markedly from their upstream ventral medial habenula cholinergic partners, which appear unaltered by loss of α5. To probe the functional role of α5-containing IP neurons, we used BAC recombineering to generate transgenic mice expressing Cre-recombinase from the Chrna5 locus. Reporter expression driven by Chrna5Cre demonstrates that transcription of Chrna5 is regulated independently from the Chrna3/b4 genes transcribed on the opposite strand. Chrna5-expressing IP neurons are GABAergic and project to distant targets in the mesopontine raphe and tegmentum rather than forming local circuits. Optogenetic stimulation of Chrna5-expressing IP neurons failed to elicit physical manifestations of withdrawal. However, after recent prior stimulation or exposure to nicotine, IP stimulation becomes aversive. These results using mice of both sexes support the idea that the risk allele of CHRNA5 may increase the drive to smoke via loss of IP-mediated nicotine aversion.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding the receptors and neural pathways underlying the reinforcing and aversive effects of nicotine may suggest new treatments for tobacco addiction. Part of the individual variability in smoking is associated with specific forms of the α5 nicotinic receptor subunit gene. Here, we show that deletion of the α5 subunit in mice markedly reduces the cellular response to nicotine and acetylcholine in the interpeduncular nucleus (IP). Stimulation of α5-expressing IP neurons using optogenetics is aversive, but this effect requires priming by recent prior stimulation or exposure to nicotine. These results support the idea that the smoking-associated variant of the α5 gene may increase the drive to smoke via loss of IP-mediated nicotine aversion.



Adult Neurogenesis Conserves Hippocampal Memory Capacity

The hippocampus is crucial for declarative memories in humans and encodes episodic and spatial memories in animals. Memory coding strengthens synaptic efficacy via an LTP-like mechanism. Given that animals store memories of everyday experiences, the hippocampal circuit must have a mechanism that prevents saturation of overall synaptic weight for the preservation of learning capacity. LTD works to balance plasticity and prevent saturation. In addition, adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus is proposed to be involved in the down-scaling of synaptic efficacy. Here, we show that adult neurogenesis in male rats plays a crucial role in the maintenance of hippocampal capacity for memory (learning and/or memory formation). Neurogenesis regulated the maintenance of LTP, with decreases and increases in neurogenesis prolonging or shortening LTP persistence, respectively. Artificial saturation of hippocampal LTP impaired memory capacity in contextual fear conditioning, which completely recovered after 14 d, which was the time required for LTP to decay to the basal level. Memory capacity gradually recovered in parallel with neurogenesis-mediated gradual decay of LTP. Ablation of neurogenesis by x-ray irradiation delayed the recovery of memory capacity, whereas enhancement of neurogenesis using a running wheel sped up recovery. Therefore, one benefit of ongoing adult neurogenesis is the maintenance of hippocampal memory capacity through homeostatic renewing of hippocampal memory circuits. Decreased neurogenesis in aged animals may be responsible for the decline in cognitive function with age.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Learning many events each day increases synaptic efficacy via LTP, which can prevent the storage of new memories in the hippocampal circuit. In this study, we demonstrate that hippocampal capacity for the storage of new memories is maintained by ongoing adult neurogenesis through homoeostatic renewing of hippocampal circuits in rats. A decrease or an increase in neurogenesis, respectively, delayed or sped up the recovery of memory capacity, suggesting that hippocampal adult neurogenesis plays a critical role in reducing LTP saturation and keeps the gate open for new memories by clearing out the old memories from the hippocampal memory circuit.



Perinatal Exposure to an Environmentally Relevant Mixture of Phthalates Results in a Lower Number of Neurons and Synapses in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Decreased Cognitive Flexibility in Adult Male and Female Rats

The growth and organization of the developing brain are known to be influenced by hormones, but little is known about whether disruption of hormones affects cortical regions, such as mPFC. This region is particularly important given its involvement in executive functions and implication in the pathology of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we examine the long-term effects of perinatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds, the phthalates, on the mPFC and associated behavior. This investigation is pertinent as humans are ubiquitously exposed to phthalates through a variety of consumer products and phthalates can readily cross the placenta and be delivered to offspring via lactation. Pregnant dams orally consumed an environmentally relevant mixture of phthalates at 0, 200, or 1000 μg/kg/d through pregnancy and for 10 d while lactating. As adults, offspring were tested in an attentional set-shifting task, which assesses cognitive flexibility. Brains were also examined in adulthood for stereological quantification of the number of neurons, glia, and synapses within the mPFC. We found that, independent of sex, perinatal phthalate exposure at either dose resulted in a reduction in neuron number, synapse number, and size of the mPFC and a deficit in cognitive flexibility. Interestingly, the number of synapses was correlated with cognitive flexibility, such that rats with fewer synapses were less cognitively flexible than those with more synapses. These results demonstrate that perinatal phthalate exposure can have long-term effects on the cortex and behavior of both male and female rats.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans globally are exposed on a daily basis to a variety of phthalates, which are endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The effects of phthalate exposure on the developing brain, especially on cognitively relevant regions, such as the mPFC, are not known. Here, we use a rat model of human prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant mixture of phthalates and find that there is an appreciable reduction in neuron number, synapse number, and size of the mPFC and a deficit in cognitive flexibility. These results may have serious implications for humans given that the mPFC is involved in executive functions and is implicated in the pathology of many neuropsychiatric disorders.



A Hierarchy of Time Scales for Discriminating and Classifying the Temporal Shape of Sound in Three Auditory Cortical Fields

Auditory cortex is essential for mammals, including rodents, to detect temporal "shape" cues in the sound envelope but it remains unclear how different cortical fields may contribute to this ability (Lomber and Malhotra, 2008; Threlkeld et al., 2008). Previously, we found that precise spiking patterns provide a potential neural code for temporal shape cues in the sound envelope in the primary auditory (A1), and ventral auditory field (VAF) and caudal suprarhinal auditory field (cSRAF) of the rat (Lee et al., 2016). Here, we extend these findings and characterize the time course of the temporally precise output of auditory cortical neurons in male rats. A pairwise sound discrimination index and a Naive Bayesian classifier are used to determine how these spiking patterns could provide brain signals for behavioral discrimination and classification of sounds. We find response durations and optimal time constants for discriminating sound envelope shape increase in rank order with: A1 < VAF < cSRAF. Accordingly, sustained spiking is more prominent and results in more robust sound discrimination in non-primary cortex versus A1. Spike-timing patterns classify 10 different sound envelope shape sequences and there is a twofold increase in maximal performance when pooling output across the neuron population indicating a robust distributed neural code in all three cortical fields. Together, these results support the idea that temporally precise spiking patterns from primary and non-primary auditory cortical fields provide the necessary signals for animals to discriminate and classify a large range of temporal shapes in the sound envelope.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Functional hierarchies in the visual cortices support the concept that classification of visual objects requires successive cortical stages of processing including a progressive increase in classical receptive field size. The present study is significant as it supports the idea that a similar progression exists in auditory cortices in the time domain. We demonstrate for the first time that three cortices provide temporal spiking patterns for robust temporal envelope shape discrimination but only the ventral non-primary cortices do so on long time scales. This study raises the possibility that primary and non-primary cortices provide unique temporal spiking patterns and time scales for perception of sound envelope shape.



Maintenance of Mouse Gustatory Terminal Field Organization Is Dependent on BDNF at Adulthood

The rodent peripheral gustatory system is especially plastic during early postnatal development and maintains significant anatomical plasticity into adulthood. Thus, taste information carried from the tongue to the brain is built and maintained on a background of anatomical circuits that have the capacity to change throughout the animal's lifespan. Recently, the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was shown to be required in the tongue to maintain normal levels of innervation in taste buds at adulthood, indicating that BDNF is a key molecule in the maintenance of nerve/target matching in taste buds. Here, we tested whether maintenance of the central process of these gustatory nerves at adulthood also relies on BDNF by using male and female transgenic mice with inducible CreERT2 under the control of the keratin 14 promoter or under control of the ubiquitin promoter to remove Bdnf from the tongue or from all tissues, respectively. We found that the terminal fields of gustatory nerves in the nucleus of the solitary tract were expanded when Bdnf was removed from the tongue at adulthood and with even larger and more widespread changes in mice where Bdnf was removed from all tissues. Removal of Bdnf did not affect numbers of ganglion cells that made up the nerves and did not affect peripheral, whole-nerve taste responses. We conclude that normal expression of Bdnf in gustatory structures is required to maintain normal levels of innervation at adulthood and that the central effects of Bdnf removal are opposite of those in the tongue.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT BDNF plays a major role in the development and maintenance of proper innervation of taste buds. However, the importance of BDNF in maintaining innervation patterns of gustatory nerves into central targets has not been assessed. Here, we tested whether Bdnf removal from the tongue or from all structures in adult mice impacts the maintenance of how taste nerves project to the first central relay. Deletion of Bdnf from the tongue and from all tissues led to a progressively greater expansion of terminal fields. This demonstrates, for the first time, that BDNF is necessary for the normal maintenance of central gustatory circuits at adulthood and further highlights a level of plasticity not seen in other sensory system subcortical circuits.



Grid-Cell Activity on Linear Tracks Indicates Purely Translational Remapping of 2D Firing Patterns at Movement Turning Points

Grid cells in rodent medial entorhinal cortex are thought to play a critical role for spatial navigation. When the animal is freely moving in an open arena the firing fields of each grid cell tend to form a hexagonal lattice spanning the environment. For movements along a linear track the cells seem to respond differently. They show multiple firing fields that are not periodically arranged and whose shape and position change when the running direction is reversed. In addition, peak firing rates vary widely from field to field. Measured along one running direction only, firing fields are, however, compatible with a slice through a two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal pattern. It is an open question, whether this is also true if leftward and rightward runs are jointly considered. By analyzing data from 15 male Long–Evans rats, we show that a single hexagonal firing pattern explains the linear-track data if translational shifts of the pattern are allowed at the movement turning points. A rotation or scaling of the grid is not required. The agreement is further improved if the peak firing rates of the underlying 2D grid fields can vary from field to field, as suggested by recent studies. These findings have direct consequences for experiments using linear tracks in virtual reality.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Various types of neurons support spatial navigation. Their response properties are often studied in reduced settings and might change when the animal can freely explore its environment. Grid cells in rodents, for example, exhibit seemingly irregular firing fields when animal movement is restricted to a linear track but highly regular patterns in two-dimensional (2D) arenas. We show that linear-track responses of a cell for both leftward and rightward running directions can be explained as cuts through a single hexagonal pattern if translational remapping is allowed at movement turning points; neither rotations nor scale transformations are needed. These results provide a basis to quantify grid-cell activity in 1D virtual reality and could help to detect and categorize grid cells without experiments in 2D environments.



Vismodegib, una experiencia local

Publication date: Available online 1 August 2018

Source: Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas

Author(s): P. Pasquali



Association of Low SES With Hidradenitis Suppurativa

This cohort analysis evaluates the association of low socioeconomic status with hidradenitis suppurativa among patients in the United States.

Hair Regrowth Outcomes of Contact Immunotherapy for Patients With Alopecia Areata

This systematic review and meta-analysis uses standardized criteria and prognostic factors to examine the clinical hair regrowth outcomes of contact immunotherapy with diphenylcyclopropenone or squaric acid dibutyl ester for patients with alopecia areata.

An Atypical Figurate Erythema With Seasonal Recurrences

A woman had a large annular erythematous plaque on her back that had centrifugally expanded. She had mild pruritus that had not responded to antihistamine therapy or topical steroids and reported a 20-year history of the plaques recurring every summer and resolving by autumn. What is your diagnosis?

Comparison of Course and Outcome for Patients With Disseminated or Localized Lyme Borreliosis

This cohort study compares the development and treatment outcome of disease among European patients with Lyme borreliosis manifested as either multiple erythema migrans or as erythema migrans as well as controls without a history of the disease.

Machine Learning and Health Care Disparities in Dermatology

This viewpoint discusses the limitations of machine learning in diagnostics involving skin of color.

Association Between Severe Acute Contact Dermatitis Due to N sativa Oil and Epidermal Apoptosis

This case series describes the clinical and histologic features of severe acute contact dermatitis due to Nigella sativa oil and investigates the components responsible for such eruptions.

Understanding Deep Neck Anatomy and Its Clinical Relevance

In deep central necklift surgery, the first step to safely and effectively modify all of the relevant components is a thorough understanding of the nuances of the complex anatomic relationships and variations within the confined space of the deep central neck. There are anatomic variations that defy our traditional approaches to create the ideal neck in the aging patient as well as the young patient. This article concentrates on the surgically relevant anatomy of the deep central neck.

Noninvasive Methods for Lower Facial Rejuvenation

Demand for noninvasive aesthetic medicine options is increasing because of the popularity of nonsurgical procedures and industry's focus on direct-to-consumer marketing. Such techniques as nonablative and ablative lasers, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, high-intensity focused ultrasound, and skin care with peeling agents may also be used in conjunction with surgery to optimize overall aesthetic results. To maximize benefits, the provider must have a detailed understanding of the science behind each device. Combined therapy is safe and well tolerated by many patients in an office-based setting. Although surgery remains the gold standard, nonsurgical therapy should be a portion of surgical practices.

Design of an enhanced SAT using the graphene-MAR mixture for the removal of 17β-E2 at a demonstration site of Qianjin farm in China

Abstract

An adsorption-enhanced soil aquifer treatment (SAT) system was designed to reduce the level of estrogens below the threshold stipulated by the standards. The 17β-E2 adsorption by graphene and MARs (H103) was investigated and an optimum amount of graphene and MARs in the mixture was determined using the linear programming. The kinetics and isotherm characteristics of both adsorbents were well described by the Lagergren pseudo-second order and the Freundlich model, respectively. The 17β-E2 adsorption on graphene and H103 was 88% and 70.37%, and the high temperature was beneficial to the 17β-E2 adsorption on graphene while the thermodynamic behaviors of H103 were in direct contrast to that of graphene. The study found that the maximum economic benefits could be achieved when the mass of graphene and H103 in the mixture is 2.79 g and 13.20 kg, respectively.



RE: “DESIGN STRATEGY OF THE SABES STUDY: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF EARLY HIV INFECTION AMONG MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN AND TRANSGENDER WOMEN IN LIMA, PERU, 2013–2017”



Inclusion bias of patients with genetically different glioblastoma subgroups in clinical trials

The revised fourth edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of brain tumors from 2016 differentiates diffusely infiltrating malignant astrocytomas with necrosis and/or vascular proliferates into the 3 genetic subgroups isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type, IDH mutated, and H3K27M mutated.1 In particular, the differentiation of the IDH status allows considerable clinical conclusions regarding the prognosis.2,3 The largest molecular subgroup by far are patients with glioblastoma without IDH mutation. This subgroup can also be further differentiated on a molecular level. The "Heidelberg brain tumor classifier" currently contains about 6 epigenetic subgroups of glioblastomas without an IDH mutation.4 If one analyzes these glioblastoma patients by expression profiling, then at least 4 molecular subgroups are found.5,6 However, all these molecular classifications of glioblastomas without IDH mutation require a technically and thus also economically sophisticated infrastructure, which can currently be provided by only a few well-established neuro-oncological institutions. In addition, it has not yet been conclusively resolved whether these high-throughput methods can be used to identify prognostically relevant molecular subgroups. The demand is correspondingly high for further molecular differentiation of the large bunch of IDH wild-type glioblastomas using only a few markers to generate prognostic conclusions, which can also be investigated in an averagely equipped neuropathology.

The hi-tech way to handle the new gen kind in the procedure room

Publication date: Available online 1 August 2018

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): K.T. Ashique, Feroze Kaliyadan



Bioactivity of diatomaceous earth against the subterranean termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Abstract

The effects of diatomaceous earth (DE) on the penetrating behavior, tunneling behavior, mortality, and body surface characteristics of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes chinensis were investigated in this study. Our results show that the workers of R. chinensis were able to penetrate 1- and 2-mm layers of dry DE but not 3-mm layers. After treatment with dry DE for 6 h, the mortality of termites reached 100%, which was significantly higher than in the treatment with DE with a 10 and 25% moisture content and treatment with sand of three different moisture contents. The tunneling distances of workers in DE with 10, 25, and 50% moisture contents were all significantly shorter than those in sand with the same moisture contents (10, 25, and 50%), indicating that DE has a good suppressing effect on the tunneling behavior of workers. After treatment with dry DE for different times (1, 3, and 6 h), many DE particles adhered to the bodies of workers, whereas no particles adhered to the body of workers in the case of treatment with dry sand. The treatment with dry DE for 6 h resulted in the death of all workers, which presented conspicuous abdominal shrinkage, whereas workers treated with sand had no significant mortality and no obvious abdominal shrinkage. In summary, we suggest that dry DE has ideal insecticidal activity against the subterranean termite R. chinensis and can be further exploited for controlling termites inside houses.



FIMARAD : la filière de santé maladies rares en dermatologie

Publication date: Available online 31 July 2018

Source: Annales de Dermatologie et de Vénéréologie

Author(s): C. Bodemer, C. Taïeb, D. Vidaud, S. Ingen-Housz-Orob, R. Gène



The influence of aging on the comparative terrestrial ecotoxicity potential of copper and zinc in soils

Abstract

Metal exposure to terrestrial organism is influenced by the reactivity of the solid-phase metal pool. Aging is one of the important factors that control the reactivity of the solid-phase metal pool in soil. In this study, the selected 13 soils were collected from different locations of China, representing different soil types. The reactivity variation of spiked Cu and Zn with aging was assessed in these 13 soils, and their comparative toxicity potentials (CTPs) were also calculated. The median reactive fractions (freactive) of Cu and Zn with 95% confidence intervals were 1.6 × 10−2 (3.5 × 10−6 to 2.2 × 10−1) and 0.10 (9.1 × 10−4 to 0.44) kgreactive/kgtotal, and the median CTPs for Cu and Zn were 2.09 (8.1 × 10−4 to 2.2 × 104) and 0.85 (8.5 × 10−4 to 7.2 × 102) m3/kg day, respectively. The statistical analysis indicated that aging variability in the CTP of Cu and Zn was mainly associated with the variability in soil organic carbon and pH. These results stress the importance of dealing with aging in the calculation of CTPs for terrestrial ecotoxicity of metals.