Experimental determination of compound action potential direction and propagation velocity from multi-electrode nerve cuffs

Information extracted from whole-nerve electroneurograms, recorded using electrode cuffs, can provide signals to neuroprostheses. However, the amount of information that can be extracted from a single tripole is limited. This communication demonstrates how previously unavailable information about the direction of action potential propagation and velocity can be obtained using a multi-electrode cuff and that the arrangement acts as a velocity-selective filter. Results from in vitro experiments on frog nerves are presented.     

TRPV1 antagonist, A-889425, inhibits mechanotransmission in a subclass of rat primary afferent neurons following peripheral inflammation

TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid family type 1) is a nonselective cation channel that is activated and/or sensitized by noxious heat, protons, and other endogenous molecules released following tissue injury. In addition, a role for TRPV1 in mechanotransmission is emerging. We have recently reported that a selective TRPV1 receptor antagonist, A-889425, reduces mechanical allodynia and spinal neuron responses to mechanical stimulation of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-inflamed rat hind paws. The population of peripheral nerve fibers through which TRPV1 antagonists mediate their effect on mechanotransmission have not yet been described. The objective of this study was to characterize TRPV1-mediated modulation of mechanically evoked activity in sensory axons innervating rat hind paws. We used an in vitro skin-nerve preparation to record neural activity from single axons isolated from rat tibial nerve. Single fibers were classified by conduction velocity, mechanical threshold, and stimulus-response relationships. We used A-889425 to investigate uninjured and inflamed skin afferent neuron populations to evoked mechanical stimulation. Application of A-889425 had no effect on the mechanical responsiveness of Aδ and C-fiber units innervating uninjured skin. In contrast, A-889425 inhibited responses of slowly conducting Aδ fiber units to noxious mechanical stimulation in a population of axons innervating CFA-inflamed hind paws. These data support a role for TRPV1 in mechanotransmission following peripheral inflammation, and highlight the importance of a distinct subclass of primary afferent neurons in mediating this effect.     

Cpa, the outer membrane protease of Cronobacter sakazakii, activates plasminogen and mediates resistance to serum bactericidal activity

Cronobacter spp. are emerging neonatal pathogens in humans, associated with outbreaks of meningitis and sepsis. To cause disease, they must survive in blood and invade the central nervous system by penetrating the blood-brain barrier. C. sakazakii BAA-894 possesses an ~131-kb plasmid (pESA3) that encodes an outer membrane protease (Cpa) that has significant identity to proteins that belong to the Pla subfamily of omptins. Members of this subfamily of proteins degrade a number of serum proteins, including circulating complement, providing protection from the complement-dependent serum killing. Moreover, proteins of the Pla subfamily can cause uncontrolled plasmin activity by converting plasminogen to plasmin and inactivating the plasmin inhibitor α2-antiplasmin (α2-AP). These reactions enhance the spread and invasion of bacteria in the host. In this study, we found that an isogenic cpa mutant showed reduced resistance to serum in comparison to its parent C. sakazakii BAA-894 strain. Overexpression of Cpa in C. sakazakii or Escherichia coli DH5α showed that Cpa proteolytically cleaved complement components C3, C3a, and C4b. Furthermore, a strain of C. sakazakii overexpressing Cpa caused a rapid activation of plasminogen and inactivation of α2-AP. These results strongly suggest that Cpa may be an important virulence factor involved in serum resistance, as well as in the spread and invasion of C. sakazakii.     

The potential for using 3D visualization for data exploration,error correction and analysis of LiDAR point clouds

Instead of viewing Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data via a standard two-dimensional screen, we developed prototype software that displays point cloud data, collected terrestrially and aerially from a rural setting, and allows data exploration in an immersive three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) environment. A head-mounted display (HMD) is used for stereoscopic viewing and a joystick for user navigation. Seventeen remote-sensing specialists took part in interactive trials and they expressed their opinion on the benefits and shortcomings of the prototype for a variety of potential processing activities, which we present in this article. The virtual environment was thought to be ideal for carrying out 3D geometric analysis and good for scrutinizing data errors. Participants felt that the usefulness of data integration depends on user needs and suggested that the interpolation of the cloud would assist interpretation for non-experts.