NeuroLab: Sistema de adquisición y análisis de registros neurofisiológicos

El registro de la actividad eléctrica extracelular constituye el método principal de análisis del comportamiento y función de neuronas y redes neuronales en estudios experimentales invasivos. Se describe un nuevo programa, NeuroLab, desarrollado para la adquisición, visualización y análisis de este tipo de registros. Permite obtener ficheros de hasta 16 canales de campo, unitarios y estimulación. Se han incluido funciones básicas para facilitar al usuario la comprobación de la adquisición correcta, tanto durante la misma (reproducción visual y acústica) como posteriormente mediante opciones de procesado digital. Su concepción modular permite incrementar sus prestaciones añadiendo nuevas funciones a las ya existentes, y el procesado posterior de los datos adquiridos amplía las posibilidades de análisis de este tipo de estudios frente a soluciones comerciales cerradas

La hiperresistència del norovirus

Sent una de les malalties més comunes entre la població, la gastroenteritis aguda (GEA) es relaciona habitualment amb els norovirus. Un grup de virus que pot afectar l'estómac i els intestins, i fàcilment transmissibles en espais tancats o per contacte personal, el que explica que habitualment es donin brots epidèmics durant els creuers. Destaquen per la seva capacitat de resistència a pràctiques higièniques o ambients extrems, per la qual cosa es converteixen en una de les primeres causes de malaltia gastrointestinal. Així doncs, el següent article presenta un estudi comparat de les taxes d'afectació per Salmonella i norovirus a Catalunya durant un període de 12 mesos. Els resultats atribueixen a aquest últim una major incidència d'atac i una clara propensió a l'epidèmia, en comparació amb altres agents infecciosos. Per això, proposen unes mesures higienistes més exhaustives.Siendo una de las enfermedades más comunes entre la población, la gastroenteritis aguda (GEA) se relaciona habitualmente con los norovirus. Un grupo de virus que pueden afectar el estómago y los intestinos, y fácilmente transmisibles en espacios cerrados o por contacto personal, lo que explica que habitualmente se den brotes epidémicos durante los cruceros. Destacan por su capacidad de resistencia a prácticas higiénicas o ambientes extremos, por lo que se convierten en una de las primeras causas de enfermedad gastrointestinal. Así pues, el siguiente artículo presenta un estudio comparado de las tasas de afectación por Salmonella y norovirus en Cataluña durante un periodo de 12 meses. Los resultados atribuyen a éste último una mayor incidencia de ataque y una clara propensión a la epidemia, en comparación con otros agentes infecciosos. Por ello, proponen unas medidas higienistas más exhaustivas y dedicar especial atención a los que siempre son los más débiles: ancianos y niños.Acute gastroenteritis (AGE), often related to noroviruses, is one of the most common diseases suffered by the population. Noroviruses affect the stomach and intestines and are easily transmissible through human contact or in enclosed spaces, which would explain why they appear relatively frequently during cruise trips. This group of viruses stands out for its ability to resist good hygiene habits or extreme environments and is one of the main causes of gastrointestinal diseases. The following article presents a comparative study of the index of Salmonella and norovirus cases in Catalonia over a twelve month period. The results show that there is a higher incidence of norovirus attacks and a clear predisposition to cause epidemics when compared to other infectious agencies. Researchers thus propose establishing more exhaustive hygiene measures and that special attention be given to those who always suffer the most: the elderly and children

Transcriptomic profiling of TK2 deficient human skeletal muscle suggests a role for the p53 signalling pathway and identifies growth and differentiation factor-15 as a potential novel biomarker for mitochondrial myopathies

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the gene encoding thymidine kinase 2 (TK2) result in the myopathic form of mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome which is a mitochondrial encephalomyopathy presenting in children. In order to unveil some of the mechanisms involved in this pathology and to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets we have investigated the gene expression profile of human skeletal muscle deficient for TK2 using cDNA microarrays. RESULTS: We have analysed the whole transcriptome of skeletal muscle from patients with TK2 mutations and compared it to normal muscle and to muscle from patients with other mitochondrial myopathies. We have identified a set of over 700 genes which are differentially expressed in TK2 deficient muscle. Bioinformatics analysis reveals important changes in muscle metabolism, in particular, in glucose and glycogen utilisation, and activation of the starvation response which affects aminoacid and lipid metabolism. We have identified those transcriptional regulators which are likely to be responsible for the observed changes in gene expression. CONCLUSION: Our data point towards the tumor suppressor p53 as the regulator at the centre of a network of genes which are responsible for a coordinated response to TK2 mutations which involves inflammation, activation of muscle cell death by apoptosis and induction of growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) in muscle and serum. We propose that GDF-15 may represent a potential novel biomarker for mitochondrial dysfunction although further studies are required

Disentangling the neurobiological bases of temporal impulsivity in Huntington's disease

BackgroundDespite its impact on daily life, impulsivity in Huntington's disease (HD) is understudied as a neuropsychiatric symptom. Our aim is to characterize temporal impulsivity in HD and to disentangle the white matter correlate associated with impulsivity.MethodsForty-seven HD individuals and 36 healthy controls were scanned and evaluated for temporal impulsivity using a delay-discounting (DD) task and complementary Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire. Diffusion tensor imaging was employed to characterize the structural connectivity of three limbic tracts: the uncinate fasciculus (UF), the accumbofrontal tract (NAcc-OFC), and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex connectig the caudate nucleus (DLPFC-cn). Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to analyze the relationship between impulsive behavior and white matter microstructural integrity.ResultsOur results revealed altered structural connectivity in the DLPC-cn, the NAcc-OFC and the UF in HD individuals. At the same time, the variability in structural connectivity of these tracts was associated with the individual differences in temporal impulsivity. Specifically, increased structural connectivity in the right NAcc-OFC and reduced connectivity in the left UF were associated with higher temporal impulsivity scores.ConclusionsThe present findings highlight the importance of investigating the spectrum of temporal impulsivity in HD. As, while less prevalent than other psychiatric features, this symptom is still reported to significantly impact the quality of life of patients and caregivers. This study provides evidence that individual differences observed in temporal impulsivity may be explained by variability in limbic frontostriatal tracts, while shedding light on the role of sensitivity to reward in modulating impulsive behavior through the selection of immediate rewards. This study investigates individual differences in temporal impulsivity by using a delay discounting task and, its relationship with white matter connectivity. Our findings reveal significant alterations in the microstructure of key tracts of interest, including the right DLPF-Ccn, bilateral uncinate fasciculus and the left accumbo-frontal tract, in individuals with HD. Furthermore, we observed that variability in the structural connectivity in specific tracts is associated with individual differences in temporal impulsivity. imag

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

On the setup of an operational autonomous underwater glider facility

Peer Reviewe

Transcriptomic profiling of TK2 deficient human skeletal muscle suggests a role for the p53 signalling pathway and identifies growth and differentiation factor-15 as a potential novel biomarker for mitochondrial myopathies

Background Mutations in the gene encoding thymidine kinase 2 (TK2) result in the myopathic form of mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome which is a mitochondrial encephalomyopathy presenting in children. In order to unveil some of the mechanisms involved in this pathology and to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets we have investigated the gene expression profile of human skeletal muscle deficient for TK2 using cDNA microarrays. Results We have analysed the whole transcriptome of skeletal muscle from patients with TK2 mutations and compared it to normal muscle and to muscle from patients with other mitochondrial myopathies. We have identified a set of over 700 genes which are differentially expressed in TK2 deficient muscle. Bioinformatics analysis reveals important changes in muscle metabolism, in particular, in glucose and glycogen utilisation, and activation of the starvation response which affects aminoacid and lipid metabolism. We have identified those transcriptional regulators which are likely to be responsible for the observed changes in gene expression. Conclusion Our data point towards the tumor suppressor p53 as the regulator at the centre of a network of genes which are responsible for a coordinated response to TK2 mutations which involves inflammation, activation of muscle cell death by apoptosis and induction of growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) in muscle and serum. We propose that GDF-15 may represent a potential novel biomarker for mitochondrial dysfunction although further studies are required

Glider data collected during the Algerian Basin Circulation Unmanned Survey

We present data collected in the framework of the Algerian BAsin Circulation Unmanned Survey (ABACUS) project. The main objective of ABACUS is the monitoring of the basin circulation and of the surface and intermediate water masses' physical and biological properties in a key region of the Mediterranean Sea circulation. Data presented here have been collected through deep glider cruises in the Western Mediterranean Sea during the autumns of 2014, 2015 and 2016; activities at sea are expected to be repeated during the coming years, so that the dataset will be extended. Glider missions were conducted in the Algerian Basin, between the island of Mallorca and the Algerian coast. Across the three glider missions, eight repeated transects were completed which enabled us to investigate the basin-scale circulation and the presence of mesoscale structures, utilising both the adaptive sampling capabilities of the gliders and the higher resolution of the data. After collection, all data passed a quality control procedure and were then made available through an unrestricted repository host by the SOCIB Data Centre at https://doi.org/10.25704/b200-3vf5. The actual dataset spans three autumn seasons, providing an important contribution to the data collection in the chronically undersampled Algerian Basin. Temperature and salinity data collected in the first 975&thinsp;m of the water column allowed us to identify the main water masses and describe their characteristics, improving the understanding of the dynamics of the region. On the timescale of the project, data show a large variability in the surface layer and reduced variability in the intermediate and deep layers. Our measurements have been successfully compared to data previously collected in the area from 1909 to 2011. Results showed similar overall distribution, ranges and variability to the historical data, with no outliers in the surface or deep layers.</p

Epidemiology of foodborne Norovirus outbreaks in Catalonia, Spain

Background: Noroviruses are one of the principal biological agents associated with the consumption of contaminated food. The objective of this study was to analyse the size and epidemiological characteristics of foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Catalonia, a region in the northeast of Spain. Methods: In all reported outbreaks of gastroenteritis associated with food consumption, faecal samples of persons affected were analysed for bacteria and viruses and selectively for parasites. Study variables included the setting, the number of people exposed, age, sex, clinical signs and hospital admissions. The study was carried out from October 2004 to October 2005. Results: Of the 181 outbreaks reported during the study period, 72 were caused by Salmonella and 30 by norovirus (NoV); the incidence rates were 14.5 and 9.9 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. In 50% of the NoV outbreaks and 27% of the bacterial outbreaks (p = 0.03) the number of persons affected was ¿10; 66.7% of NoV outbreaks occurred in restaurants; no differences in the attack rates were observed according to the etiology. Hospitalizations were more common (p = 0.03) in bacterial outbreaks (8.6%) than in NoV outbreaks (0.15%). Secondary cases accounted for 4% of cases in NoV outbreaks compared with 0.3% of cases in bacterial outbreaks (p < 0.001) Conclusion: Norovirus outbreaks were larger but less frequent than bacterial outbreaks, suggesting that underreporting is greater for NoV outbreaks. Food handlers should receive training on the transmission of infections in diverse situations. Very strict control measures on handwashing and environmental disinfection should be adopted in closed or partially-closed institutions

Epidemiology of foodborne Norovirus outbreaks in Catalonia, Spain

Background: Noroviruses are one of the principal biological agents associated with the consumption of contaminated food. The objective of this study was to analyse the size and epidemiological characteristics of foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Catalonia, a region in the northeast of Spain. Methods: In all reported outbreaks of gastroenteritis associated with food consumption, faecal samples of persons affected were analysed for bacteria and viruses and selectively for parasites. Study variables included the setting, the number of people exposed, age, sex, clinical signs and hospital admissions. The study was carried out from October 2004 to October 2005. Results: Of the 181 outbreaks reported during the study period, 72 were caused by Salmonella and 30 by norovirus (NoV); the incidence rates were 14.5 and 9.9 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. In 50% of the NoV outbreaks and 27% of the bacterial outbreaks (p = 0.03) the number of persons affected was ¿10; 66.7% of NoV outbreaks occurred in restaurants; no differences in the attack rates were observed according to the etiology. Hospitalizations were more common (p = 0.03) in bacterial outbreaks (8.6%) than in NoV outbreaks (0.15%). Secondary cases accounted for 4% of cases in NoV outbreaks compared with 0.3% of cases in bacterial outbreaks (p < 0.001) Conclusion: Norovirus outbreaks were larger but less frequent than bacterial outbreaks, suggesting that underreporting is greater for NoV outbreaks. Food handlers should receive training on the transmission of infections in diverse situations. Very strict control measures on handwashing and environmental disinfection should be adopted in closed or partially-closed institutions