Target Tracking Based on Biological-Like Vision Identity via Improved Sparse Representation and Particle Filtering

To effectively track targets under partial occlusion and illumination variation, an improved target tracking method based on combination of sparse representation and particle filtering is proposed in this paper. We regard the candidate target particle set as redundant dictionary and the target template as observation signal to reduce the computational complexity and enhance the real-time performance of target tracking. Besides, to enhance tracking robustness for better adaption to illumination and occlusion, the density histogram, local binary pattern feature fusion, trivial templates and energy control parameters are also utilized in this study. Finally, extensive simulation experiments under different circumstances show that the proposed method performs better compared with other methods, and the average computation time decreases greatly.     

DNA Damage in Major Psychiatric Diseases

Human cells are exposed to exogenous insults and continuous production of different metabolites. These insults and unwanted metabolic products might interfere with the stability of genomic DNA. Recently, many studies have demonstrated that different psychiatric disorders show substantially high levels of oxidative DNA damage in the brain accompanied with morphological and functional alterations. It reveals that damaged genomic DNA may contribute to the pathophysiology of these mental illnesses. In this article, we review the roles of oxidative damage and reduced antioxidant ability in some vastly studied psychiatric disorders and emphasize the inclusion of treatment options involving DNA repair. In addition, while most currently used antidepressants are based on the manipulation of the neurotransmitter regulation in managing different mental abnormalities, they are able to prevent or reverse neurotoxin-induced DNA damage. Therefore, it may be plausible to target on genomic DNA alterations for psychiatric therapies, which is of pivotal importance for future antipsychiatric drug development.     

Hydroxyurea Treatment and Development of the Rat Cerebellum: Effects on the Neurogenetic Profiles and Settled Patterns of Purkinje Cells and Deep Cerebellar Nuclei Neurons

The current paper analyzes the development of the male and female rat cerebellum exposed to hydroxyurea (HU) (300 or 600 mg/kg) as embryo and collected at postnatal day 90. Our study reveals that the administration of this drug compromises neither the cytoarchitecture of the cerebellar cortex nor deep nuclei (DCN). However, in comparison with the saline group, we observed that several cerebellar parameters were lower in the HU injected groups. These parameters included area of the cerebellum, cerebellar cortex length, molecular layer area, Purkinje cell number, granule cell counts, internal granular layer, white matter and cerebellar nuclei areas, and number of deep cerebellar nuclei neurons. These features were larger in the rats injected with saline, smaller in those exposed to 300 mg/kg of HU and smallest in the group receiving 600 mg/kg of this agent. No sex differences in the effect of the HU were observed. In addition, we infer the neurogenetic timetables and the neurogenetic gradients of PCs and DCN neurons in rats exposed to either saline or HU as embryos. For this purpose, 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine was injected into pregnant rats previously administered with saline or HU. This thymidine analog was administered following a progressively delayed cumulative labeling method. The data presented here show that systematic differences exist in the pattern of neurogenesis and in the spatial location of cerebellar neurons between rats injected with saline or HU. No sex differences in the effect of the HU were observed. These findings have implications for the administration of this compound to women in gestation as the effects of HU on the development of the cerebellum might persist throughout their offsprings’ life.     

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two globally invasive ants,the Argentine ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Linepithema</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">humile</Emphasis> and the little fire ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wasmannia auropunctata</Emphasis>

Ants are among the most widespread and damaging of invasive alien species. Here, we report the complete mitochondrial genomes for two globally invasive ants: the Argentine ant Linepithema humile and the little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata. The circular genomes of L. humile and W. auropunctata are 15,929 and 16,362 bp in length, respectively, and encode the same typical set of 37 mitochondrial genes (i.e. 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs and two rRNAs) and one control region. The mitochondrial genome of W. auropunctata harbors a unique gene arrangement (‘rrnS-trnV-CR-trnM-trnI-trnQ-nad2-trnW-trnC-trnY’; the underlines indicate inverted genes) between rrnL and cox1. Phylogenetic analysis largely corroborated the traditional taxonomy, except for L. humile which was found to be more related to those taxa of the subfamilies Formicinae and Myrmicinae than to the consubfamilial Leptomyrmex pallens. Our genomic data can be readily used for genetic assays of these two globally invasive ants.     

Oral Palmitoylethanolamide Treatment Is Associated with Reduced Cutaneous Adverse Effects of Interferon-β1a and Circulating Proinflammatory Cytokines in Relapsing–Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous lipid mediator known to reduce pain and inflammation. However, only limited clinical studies have evaluated the effects of PEA in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Although subcutaneous administration of interferon (IFN)-β1a is approved as first-line therapy for the treatment of relapsing–remitting MS (RR-MS), its commonly reported adverse events (AEs) such as pain, myalgia, and erythema at the injection site, deeply affect the quality of life (QoL) of patients with MS. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we tested the effect of ultramicronized PEA (um-PEA) added to IFN-β1a in the treatment of clinically defined RR-MS. The primary objectives were to estimate whether, with um-PEA treatment, patients with MS perceived an improvement in pain and a decrease of the erythema width at the IFN-β1a injection site in addition to an improvement in their QoL. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the effects of um-PEA on circulating interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-17 serum levels, N-acylethanolamine plasma levels, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression, and safety and tolerability after 1 year of treatment. Patients with MS receiving um-PEA perceived an improvement in pain sensation without a reduction of the erythema at the injection site. A significant improvement in QoL was observed. No significant difference was reported in EDSS score, and um-PEA was well tolerated. We found a significant increase of palmitoylethanolamide, anandamide and oleoylethanolamide plasma levels, and a significant reduction of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-17 serum profile compared with the placebo group. Our results suggest that um-PEA may be considered as an appropriate add-on therapy for the treatment of IFN-β1a-related adverse effects in RR-MS.     

Issues in the Treatment of Neurological Conditions Caused by Reactivation of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV)

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a ubiquitous neurotropic human herpesvirus. Primary infection usually causes varicella (chicken pox), after which virus becomes latent in ganglia along the entire neuraxis. Decades later, virus reactivates to produce herpes zoster (shingles), a painful dermatomally distributed vesicular eruption. Zoster may be further complicated by postherpetic neuralgia, VZV vasculopathy, myelitis, and segmental motor weakness. VZV reactivation has also been associated with giant cell arteritis. This overview discusses treatment of various conditions that often require both corticosteroids and antiviral drugs. Treatment for VZV-associated disease is often based on case reports and small studies rather than large-scale clinical trials. Issues that require resolution include the optimal duration of such combined therapy, more effective treatment for postherpetic neuralgia, whether some treatments should be given orally or intravenously, the widening spectrum of zoster sine herpete, and the role of antiviral therapy in giant cell arteritis.     

Abstracts from the 14th International Symposium on NeuroVirology October 25–28, 2016, Toronto,Ontario, Canada

Journal of NeuroVirology -     

Recurrence of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy despite immune recovery in two HIV seropositive individuals

We present two cases of recurrent progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in patients with long standing virally suppressed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and normal CD4+ T cell count who were taking stable regimens of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This has significant implications for other patients with a past history of PML, not just those with HIV but also those on medications such as natalizumab or fumarates.