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We describe the longest period of subcutaneous EEG (sqEEG) monitoring to date, in a 35-year-old female with refractory epilepsy. read more Over 230 days, 4791/5520 h of sqEEG were recorded (86%, mean 20.8 [IQR 3.9] hours/day). Using an electronic diary, the patient reported 22 seizures, while automatically-assisted visual sqEEG review detected 32 seizures. There was substantial agreement between days of reported and recorded seizures (Cohen's kappa 0.664), although multiple clustered seizures remained undocumented. Circular statistics identified significant sqEEG seizure cycles at circadian (24-hour) and multidien (5-day) timescales. Electrographic seizure monitoring and analysis of long-term seizure cycles are possible with this neurophysiological tool.An liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method coupled with a stable isotope dilution assay was established for the simultaneous detection of 17 mycotoxins and their derivatives (aflatoxins B1 , B2 , G1 , G2 , M1 , and M2 ; fumonisins B1 and B2 ; ochratoxin A; zearalenone; zearalanone; α-zearalanol; α-zearalenol; T-2 toxin; deoxynivalenol; deepoxy-deoxynivalenol; and sterigmatocystin) in milk and dairy products. The mycotoxins were extracted with acidified acetonitrile and the lipids were removed using a Captiva EMR-lipid column. The average recoveries of the target compounds from samples spiked at three different concentrations were 67-102%, and the relative standard deviations of the peak areas were less than 10%. Limits of quantification (S/N = 10) of 0.004-1.25 μg/kg were achieved, which are significantly lower than the maximum levels allowed in various countries and regions for each regulated mycotoxin. Milk and yogurt products from local markets and e-commercial platforms were analyzed using the optimized method. The screening showed that aflatoxin M1 , deoxynivalenol, fumonisins B1 and B2 , and zearalenone could be found in milk and yogurt products, especially those products also containing grains or jujube ingredients, indicating that there is a risk of mycotoxins in dairy products.Attentional set shifting is a measure of cognitive flexibility and executive functions widely assessed in humans by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the CANTAB Intra-/Extra-Dimensional set-shifting task (ID/ED). The recently established automated two-chamber "Operon ID/ED" task for mice has proved to be an effective preclinical tool for drug testing and genetic screening, with direct translational valence in healthy human subjects and patients with schizophrenia. Here, we describe an upgraded version of the Operon ID/ED task that is now commercially available. This automated task allows one to study the ability of mice to shift attention through different rules, using two or three different dimensions (i.e., lights, odors, and textures). This unit provides a detailed step-by-step protocol for preparing and testing the mice that includes all procedures required for this upgraded attentional set-shifting paradigm. A short manual for the use of the dedicated ANY-maze software and tools for adapting it to different needs are also provided. Overall, this is a comprehensive guideline for the use of this complex upgraded equipment and paradigm. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol Operon ID/ED testing Support Protocol Use of ANY-maze software.
PURA syndrome is rare autosomal dominant condition characterized by moderate to severe neurodevelopmental delay with absence of speech in nearly all patients and lack of independent ambulation in many. Early-onset problems include excessive hiccups, hypotonia, hypersomnolence, hypothermia, feeding difficulties, recurrent apneas, epileptic seizures, and abnormal nonepileptic movements. Other less common manifestations comprise congenital heart defects, urogenital malformations, and various skeletal, ophthalmological, gastrointestinal, and endocrine anomalies. Up to now, 78 individuals with PURA syndrome and 64 different pathogenic variants have been reported, but no clear-cut genotype-phenotype correlations have emerged so far. Herein, we report the clinical and molecular characterization of a 3-year-old girl with severe hypotonia, global developmental delay, and soft, loose skin, who came to our attention with a suspicion of cutis laxa (CL), which denotes another condition with variable neurodevelopmental py between individuals with different PURA variants, but also among patients with the same causal mutation.
Our data expand the phenotypic spectrum of PURA syndrome by showing that it can be regarded as a differential diagnosis for cutis laxa in early infancy. Our patient and literature review emphasize that a wide clinical variability exists not only between individuals with different PURA variants, but also among patients with the same causal mutation.Hippo signaling pathway is a highly conserved and familiar tissue growth regulator, primarily dealing with cell survival, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is the key transcriptional effector molecule, which is under negative regulation of the Hippo pathway. Wealth of studies have identified crucial roles of Hippo/YAP signaling pathway during the process of development, including the development of neuronal system. We provide here, an overview of the contributions of this signaling pathway at multiple stages of neuronal development including, proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs), migration of NSCs toward their destined niche, maintaining NSCs in the quiescent state, differentiation of NSCs into neurons, neuritogenesis, synaptogenesis, brain development, and in neuronal apoptosis. Hyperactivation of the neuronal Hippo pathway can also lead to a variety of devastating neurodegenerative diseases. Instances of aberrant Hippo pathway leading to neurodegenerative diseases along with the approaches utilizing this pathway as molecular targets for therapeutics has been highlighted in this review. Recent evidences suggesting neuronal repair and regenerative potential of this pathway has also been pointed out, that will shed light on a novel aspect of Hippo pathway in regenerative medicine. Our review provides a better understanding of the significance of Hippo pathway in the journey of neuronal system from development to diseases as a whole.Previous studies have documented that individual differences in fine and gross motor skills are associated with executive function (EF) skills. This study used an experimental design to test whether participating in cognitively challenging motor skills activities was causally related to improvements in motor skills and two key indicators of school readiness executive function and early numeracy skills. The motor skill program involved fine and gross motor game-like activities that were delivered in a small group format. Activities were socially engaging and progressively challenged children based on their motor competencies. Fifty-three preschool-aged children participated in 16 motor skill sessions across 8 weeks. There were significant treatment effects for all outcomes, such that children in the treatment condition exhibited significant improvements in motor, EF, and early numeracy skills, compared to their peers in the waitlist control condition. Treatment effects on EF skills were stronger for inhibitory control than working memory. Improvements in numeracy were most pronounced for children with initially lower levels of ability. Motor skill-based interventions are an ecologically valid and developmentally appropriate approach for fostering school readiness skills in early childhood.The enzyme 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase (OPR) is important in the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway and thus plays a vital role in plant defence. However, systematic and comprehensive analyses of OPR genes in watermelon and their roles in defence responses are extremely limited. The physicochemical properties, phylogenetic tree, gene structure and cis-acting elements of watermelon OPR genes were analysed using bioinformatics, and qRT-PCR and RNA-Seq were applied to assay expression of OPR genes in watermelon. A total of five OPR family genes were identified in watermelon, which were unevenly distributed across the four chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis assigned OPR members from different plant species to five subfamilies (OPRI-OPRV). The motif compositions of OPR members were relatively conserved. Expression analysis using qRT-PCR revealed that ClOPR genes, except for ClOPR5, were highly expressed in the flower and fruit. RNA-seq analysis showed that the ClOPR genes had different expression patterns during flesh and rind development. Furthermore, the ClOPR genes, particularly ClOPR2 and ClOPR4, were significantly upregulated by exogenous JA, salicylic acid (SA) and ethylene (ET) treatments. In addition, red light induced expression of ClOPR2 and ClOPR4 in leaves and roots of root-knot nematode (RKN)-infected watermelon plants, suggesting their involvement in red light-induced defence against RKN. These results provide a theoretical basis for elucidating the diverse functions of OPR family genes in watermelon.Catalytic methods that transform C-H bonds into C-X bonds are of paramount importance in synthesis. A particular focus has been the generation of organoboranes, organosilanes and organostannanes from simple hydrocarbons (X=B, Si, Sn). Despite the importance of organozinc compounds (X=Zn), their synthesis by the catalytic functionalisation of C-H bonds remains unknown. Herein, we show that a palladium catalyst and zinc hydride reagent can be used to transform C-H bonds into C-Zn bonds. The new catalytic C-H zincation protocol has been applied to a variety of arenes-including fluoroarenes, heteroarenes, and benzene-with high chemo- and regioselectivity. A mechanistic study shows that heterometallic Pd-Zn complexes play a key role in catalysis. The conclusions of this work are twofold; the first is that valuable organozinc compounds are finally accessible by catalytic C-H functionalisation, the second is that heterometallic complexes are intimately involved in bond-making and bond-breaking steps of C-H functionalisation.Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) acts under physiological conditions to regulate normal development of several tissues and organs. The role of PTHrP in spinal cord development has not been characterized. Pthrp knock in (Pthrp KI) mice were genetically modified to produce PTHrP in which there is a deficiency of the nuclear localization sequence (NLS) and C-terminus. Using this genetically modified mouse model, we have characterized its effect on spinal cord development early postnatally. The spinal cords from Pthrp KI mice displayed a significant reduction in its length, weight, and cross-sectional area compared to wild-type controls. Histologically, there was a decreased development of neurons and glial cells that caused decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. The neural stem cells (NSCs) cultures also revealed decreased cell proliferation and differentiation and increased apoptosis. The proposed mechanism of delayed spinal cord development in Pthrp KI mice may be due to alteration in associated pathways in regulation of cell-division cycles and apoptosis. There was significant downregulation of Bmi-1 and upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27, p21, and p16 in Pthrp KI animals. We conclude that NLS and C-terminus peptide segments of PTHrP play an important role in inhibiting cell apoptosis and stimulation of cellular proliferation necessary for normal spinal cord development.