Isoflurane disrupts anterio-posterior phase synchronization of flash-induced field potentials in the rat

Consciousness presumes a set of integrated functions such as sensory processing, attention, and interpretation, and may depend upon both local and long-range phase synchronization of neuronal activity in cerebral cortex. Here we investigated whether volatile anesthetic isoflurane at concentrations that produce loss of consciousness (LOC) disrupts long-range anterio-posterior and local anterior synchronization of neuronal activity in the rat. In six rats, deep electrodes were chronically implanted in the primary visual cortex (V1) and in two areas of the motor cortex (M1 and M2) for recording of intracortical event-related potentials (ERP). Thirty discrete flashes were presented at random interstimulus intervals of 15–45 s, and ERPs were recorded at stepwise increasing isoflurane concentrations of 0–1.1%. Neuronal synchronization was estimated using wavelet coherence computed from the ERP data band-pass filtered at 5–50 Hz. We found that (1) in the waking state, long-range anterio-posterior coherence in 5–25 Hz and 25–50 Hz frequency bands was significantly higher than local anterior coherence; (2) anterio-posterior coherence in both 5–25 Hz and 26–50 Hz bands was significantly reduced by isoflurane in a concentration-dependent manner; (3) local anterior coherence was not affected by isoflurane at any of the concentrations studied. These findings suggest that a disruption of long-range anterio-posterior rather than local anterior synchronization of neuronal activity precedes the anesthetic-induced loss of consciousness.     

SHBG等指标在单纯饮食控制的妊娠期糖尿病患者血清中的变化研究

目的检测单纯饮食控制治疗的妊娠期糖尿病(GDM)患者血清中性激素结合球蛋白(SHBG)、空腹胰岛素(FINS)、空腹血糖(FBG)水平和胰岛素抵抗(IR),探讨SHBG等指标在单纯饮食控制的GDM患者血清中的变化。方法用酶连免疫吸附法(ELISA)测定26例妊娠期糖尿病患者单纯饮食控制前后的静脉血血清中SHBG和FINS、FBG水平和IR。结果治疗后血糖浓度明显降低,P<0.05;单纯饮食控制后的GDM血清中SHBG的浓度明显高于治疗前,P<0.05;而FINS、IR则无明显变化。结论单纯的饮食控制一周就能使FBG、SHBG的指标发生变化。饮食控制确是GDM首选并有效的治疗方法,同时SHBG可作为早期预测GDM治疗疗效的一个敏感指标。     

小鼠γ—干扰素真核表达质粒的构建和鉴定

目的 克隆小鼠γ-干扰素(γ-IFN)基因，构建并鉴定小鼠γ-干扰素真核表达质粒。方法 从BALB／c小鼠脾脏提取总RNA，用RT—PCR方法扩增出小鼠γ-干扰素基因，分别用EcoR Ⅰ、BamH Ⅰ双酶切扩增片段和pcDNA3.1(-)，定向克隆到真核表达质粒pcDNA3．1(-)，构建成真核表达质粒pcDNA3．1(-)γ-IFN，转化产物通过PCR扩增筛选，双酶切鉴定；阳性克隆进行序列分析。结果 RT—PCR产物电泳可见一约500bp大小目的片段，PCR和双酶切电泳结果均证实已插入约500bp的γ-IFN基因片段；阳性克隆测序结果表明克隆的小鼠γ-干扰素基因完全正确。结论 成功构建了小鼠γ-干扰素真核表达质粒，为进一步气道内实施哮喘小鼠基因治疗打下了坚实基础。     

The effects of systemic treatment with aminobisphosphonates and statins on circulating Vγ9Vδ2-T cells in patients with advanced cancer

Aminobisphosphonates (NBP) are used for treatment of metastatic bone disease. Frequently, patients undergoing NBP-treatment experience side-effects, known as acute phase response (APR), resulting from cytokine production by Vγ9Vδ2-T cells. As opposed to NBP, statins reduce intracellular phosphoantigen levels and prevent NBP-induced Vγ9Vδ2-T cell activation in vitro. We conducted a pilot study in patients with (bone-)metastasized malignancies receiving NBP-treatment and evaluated the phenotype and function of circulating Vγ9Vδ2-T cells in vivo and the effects of statins on Vγ9Vδ2-T cell responses and the associated APR. We observed reduced expression of perforin, granzyme B and HLA-DR on Vγ9Vδ2-T cells in patients treated with NBP and statins. However, statins could not prevent NBP-induced changes in circulating Vγ9Vδ2-T cell numbers or production of IFNγ and TNFα. Consistent with this, simvastatin could not prevent the occurrence of APR upon NBP-infusion. These observations call for the exploration of alternative strategies to prevent collateral APR upon NBP treatment.     

Mesenchymal stromal cells for tolerance induction in organ transplantation

The primary challenge in organ transplantation continues to be the need to suppress the host immune system long-term to ensure prolonged allograft survival. Long-term non-specific immunosuppression can, however, result in life-threatening complications. Thus, efforts have been pursued to explore novel strategies that would allow minimization of maintenance immunosuppression, eventually leading to transplant tolerance. In this scenario, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), given their unique immunomodulatory properties to skew the balance between regulatory and memory T cells, have emerged as potential candidates for cell-based therapy to promote immune tolerance. Here, we review our initial clinical experience with bone marrow-derived MSC in living-donor kidney transplant recipients and provide an overview of the available results of other clinical programs with MSC in kidney and liver transplantation, highlighting hurdles and success of this innovative cell-based therapy.     

Regulatory T cells for tolerance

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical mediators of immune homeostasis and hold significant promise in the quest for transplantation tolerance. Progress has now reached a critical threshold as techniques for production of clinical therapies are optimised and Phase I/II clinical trials are in full swing. Initial safety and efficacy data are being reported, with trials assessing a number of different strategies for the introduction of Treg therapy. It is now more crucial than ever to elucidate further the function and behaviour of Tregs in vivo and ensure safe delivery. This review will discuss the current state of the art and future directions in Treg therapy.     

Increased T cell immunosenescence and accelerated maturation phenotypes in older kidney transplant recipients

Older kidney transplant recipients experience increased rates of infection and death, and less rejection, compared with younger patients. However, little is known about immune dysfunction in older compared with younger kidney transplant recipients and whether it is associated with infection. We evaluated T cell phenotypes including maturation, immune senescence, and exhaustion in a novel investigation into differences in older compared with younger patients receiving identical immune suppression regimens.We evaluated PBMC from 60 kidney transplant recipients (23 older and 37 matched younger patients) by multiparameter immune phenotyping. Older kidney transplant recipients demonstrated decreased frequency of naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and increased frequency of terminally differentiated, immune senescent, and NK T cells expressing KLRG1. There was a trend towards increased frequency of T cell immune senescence in patients experiencing infection in the first year after transplantation, which reached statistical significance in a multivariate analysis.This pilot study reveals immune dysfunction in older compared with younger transplant recipients, and suggests a likely mechanism for increased vulnerability to infection. The ability to assess T cell maturation and immune senescence in transplant recipients offers the potential for risk stratification and customization of immune suppression to prevent infection and rejection after transplantation.     

Cross-Language Differential Item Functioning of the Job Content Questionnaire Among European Countries: The JACE Study

Background  Little is known about cross-language measurement equivalence of the job content questionnaire (JCQ) Purpose  The purposes of this study were to assess the extent of cross-language differential item functioning (DIF) of the 27 JCQ items in six languages (French, Dutch, Belgian-French, Belgian-Dutch (Flemish), Italian, and Swedish) from six European research centers and to test whether its effects on the scale-level mean comparisons among the centers were substantial or not. Method  A partial gamma coefficient method was used for statistical DIF analyses where the Flemish JCQ was the reference for other language versions. Additionally, equivalence between the Flemish and Dutch translations was subjected to a judgmental review. Results  On average, 36% to 39% of the total tested items appeared to be cross-language DIF items in the statistical analyses. The judgmental review indicated that half of the DIF items may be associated with translation difference. The impacts of the DIF items on the mean comparisons of the JCQ scales between the centers were non-trivial: underestimated skill discretion (Milan), underestimated decision authority (Leiden), underestimated psychological demands (Milan women), and incomparable coworker support (Gothenburg 95). Conclusion  Cross-language DIF of the JCQ among European countries should be considered in international comparative studies on psychosocial job hazards using JCQ scales.

The Broadband-Transient Induced Gamma-Band Response in Scalp EEG Reflects the Execution of Saccades

The contraction of the extra-ocular muscles, during the execution of saccades, produces a strong electric potential in the EEG called the saccadic spike potential (SP). At the frequency spectrum, this SP manifests as a broadband response with most of its power at the gamma-band frequencies. Saccadic activity is known to follow a time-pattern of repression (at around 50–150 ms post stimulus) which is followed by a large increase in saccadic rate at around 200–300 ms post stimulus. Due to this temporal pattern relative to the stimulus, and to the appearance of a SP at each saccade, this increase in saccadic rate shows up after averaging as an increase in gamma-band activity at the time-range of 200–300 ms. Thus, the broadband-transient “induced gamma-band response” frequently reported in the EEG literature, is in fact a “gamma-imposter”, due to ocular myographic activity, and not to neural activity. Previous findings regarding the scalp EEG broadband-transient induced gamma-band response, relating it to neural synchronization and to various cognitive functions should be reevaluated considering the systematic contamination by ocular activity. This article is one of five on the “Special Topic: Discussing Gamma” in issue 22(1) of Brain Topography.