Laboratory characterization of measles virus infection in previously vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals

Waning immunity or secondary vaccine failure (SVF) has been anticipated by some as a challenge to global measles elimination efforts. Although such cases are infrequent, measles virus (MeV) infection can occur in vaccinated individuals following intense and/or prolonged exposure to an infected individual and may present as a modified illness that is unrecognizable as measles outside of the context of a measles outbreak. The immunoglobulin M response in previously vaccinated individuals may be nominal or fleeting, and viral replication may be limited. As global elimination proceeds, additional methods for confirming modified measles cases may be needed to understand whether SVF cases contribute to continued measles virus (MeV) transmission. In this report, we describe clinical symptoms and laboratory results for unvaccinated individuals with acute measles and individuals with SVF identified during MeV outbreaks. SVF cases were characterized by the serological parameters of high-avidity antibodies and distinctively high levels of neutralizing antibody. These parameters may represent useful biomarkers for classification of SVF cases that previously could not be confirmed as such using routine laboratory diagnostic techniques.     

Mindfulness and psychoeducation to manage stress in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: A pilot study

Objectives: Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) often corresponds to the prodromal stage of Alzheimer disease (AD). The aMCI stage represents a crucial time window to apply preventive interventions in an attempt to delay cognitive decline. Stress, one of AD’s modifiable risk factors frequently co-occurring with aMCI, stands out as a key intervention target. The goal of this study was to assess the impacts of two non-pharmacological interventions, mindfulness and psychoeducation, on stress at the psychological and physiological levels among aMCI older adults.

Methods: Forty-eight aMCI participants were randomized between a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) and a psychoeducation-based intervention (PBI) for eight weekly sessions. Anxiety symptoms, perceived stress levels, cortisol awakening response (CAR), and coping strategies were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Mindfulness attitudes and time dedicated to at-home meditative practices were evaluated in the MBI group.

Results: The main results revealed a slight reduction of the CAR among MBI participants who practiced meditation at home the most and a decrease in perceived stress levels in the PBI group. Both interventions enhanced problem-focused coping strategies.

Conclusion: In sum, this pilot study supports the potential of MBI and PBI to reduce stress at the physiological and psychological level, respectively, and increase coping strategies in older adults at risk for AD.     

The Spinal Control of Backward Locomotion

Animal locomotion requires changing direction, from forward to backward. Here, we tested the hypothesis that sensorimotor circuits within the spinal cord generate backward locomotion and adjust it to task demands. We collected kinematic and electromyography (EMG) data during forward and backward locomotion at different treadmill speeds before and after complete spinal transection in six adult cats (three males and three females). After spinal transection, five/six cats performed backward locomotion, which required tonic somatosensory input in the form of perineal stimulation. One spinal cat performed forward locomotion but not backward locomotion while two others stepped backward but not forward. Spatiotemporal adjustments to increasing speed were similar in intact and spinal cats during backward locomotion and strategies were similar to forward locomotion, with shorter cycle and stance durations and longer stride lengths. Patterns of muscle activations, including muscle synergies, were similar for forward and backward locomotion in spinal cats. Indeed, we identified five muscle synergies that were similar during forward and backward locomotion. Lastly, spinal cats also stepped backward on a split-belt treadmill, with the left and right hindlimbs stepping at different speeds. Therefore, our results show that spinal sensorimotor circuits generate backward locomotion but require additional excitability compared with forward locomotion. Similar strategies for speed modulation and similar patterns of muscle activations and muscle synergies during forward and backward locomotion are consistent with a shared spinal locomotor network, with sensory feedback from the limbs controlling the direction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Animal locomotion requires changing direction, including forward, sideways and backward. This paper shows that the center controlling locomotion within the spinal cord can produce a backward pattern when instructed by sensory signals from the limbs. However, the spinal locomotor network requires greater excitability to produce backward locomotion compared with forward locomotion. The paper also shows that the spinal network controlling locomotion in the forward direction also controls locomotion in the backward direction.     

Learning curves and perioperative outcomes after endoscopic enucleation of the prostate: a comparison between GreenLight 532-nm and holmium lasers

Purpose

To compare the learning curves, perioperative and early functional outcomes after HoLEP and GreenLEP.

Methods

Data from the first 100 consecutive cases treated by GreenLEP and HoLEP by two surgeons were prospectively collected from dedicated databases and analysed retrospectively. En-bloc GreenLEP and two-lobar HoLEP enucleations were conducted using the GreenLight HPS? 2090 laser and Lumenis? holmium laser. Patients’ characteristics, perioperative outcomes and functional outcomes after 1, 3 and 6 months were compared between groups.

Results

Total energy delivered and operative times were significantly shorter for GreenLEP (58 vs. 110 kJ, p < 0.0001; 60 vs. 90 min, p < 0.0001). Operative time reached a plateau after 30 procedures in each group. Length of catheterization and hospital stay were significantly shorter in the HoLEP group (2 vs. 1 day, p < 0.0001; 2 vs. 1 day, p < 0.0001). Postoperative complications were comparable between GreenLEP and HoLEP (19 vs. 25 %; p = 0.13). There was a greater increase of Q _max at 3 months and a greater IPSS decrease at 1 month for GreenLEP, whereas decreases in IPSS and IPSS-Q8 at 6 months were greater for HoLEP. Transient stress urinary incontinence was comparable between both groups (6 vs. 9 % at 3 months; p = 0.42). Pentafecta was achieved in four consecutive patients after the 18th and the 40th procedure in the GreenLEP and HoLEP group, respectively. Learning curves ranged from 14 to 30 cases for GreenLEP and 22 to 40 cases for HoLEP.

Conclusion

Learning curves of GreenLEP and HoLEP provided roughly similar peri-operative and short-term functional outcomes.

     

Influence of municipal effluents on the expression of connexins in the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) testis

Gap junctions are essential for spermatogenesis. Exposure to municipal wastewater effluent can modify spermatogenesis in fish. The present aim was to determine if municipal wastewater effluent could alter the expression of testicular connexins (Cxs) in brook trout. Trout were exposed for 4 and 12 weeks to various concentrations of municipal effluent (0, 1, 10 and 20%, v/v). Hepatic vitellogenin (vtg) mRNA levels were not different between exposure groups after 4 weeks. At this time, testicular cx43 and cx31 mRNA levels increased in the 1% group, but cx30 and cx43.4 levels were not different at any concentration. Immunolocalization of each Cx did not differ between groups after 4 weeks. After 12 weeks, spermatogenesis in the 1% group was more advanced than in other groups, and hepatic vtg mRNA levels were significantly increased at the higher exposure concentrations. Testicular cx43 mRNA levels were higher than controls at all doses, while cx43.4 levels increased in a dose-dependent manner but remained lower than controls. cx31 mRNA levels were significantly lower in the 1 and 10% groups than in control and 20% group, while cx30 levels did not vary. Immunolocalization of Cxs did not differ between groups except for Cx43.4, which was expressed between spermatocytes in the 1% group. Furthermore, the Cx31 immunoreaction appeared to decrease in testicular blood vessels of fish exposed to the highest dose. Furthermore, vegf mRNA levels were unaltered by treatment at both time points. Thus, long-term exposure to environmental concentrations of wastewater effluent can alter the expression of testicular Cxs.     

Are parents doing better when they are together? A study on the association between parental sensitivity and family-level processes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of one parent's presence on the quality of the interaction between the other parent and their three-month-old infant. Family interactions were observed in a sample of 69 two-parent families. Parental sensitivity was assessed during two sessions, first in a ‘dyadic’ context (D) and then in a ‘dyad within the triad’ context (DT). Subsequently, we compared maternal and paternal sensitivity in the D and DT contexts according to the quality of family functioning (‘high coordination’ versus ‘low coordination’). The results showed that parents were significantly more sensitive in the DT context than in the D context. This effect appeared to vary according to the quality of family alliance. Moreover, family alliance was globally associated with sensitive parenting. This study helps clarify the role of the triad as a protective factor for early infant–parent dyads.