| 1. |
- Acharya, B. S., et al.
(author)
-
Introducing the CTA concept
- 2013
-
In: Astroparticle physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0927-6505 .- 1873-2852. ; 43, s. 3-18
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a new observatory for very high-energy (VHE) gamma rays. CTA has ambitions science goals, for which it is necessary to achieve full-sky coverage, to improve the sensitivity by about an order of magnitude, to span about four decades of energy, from a few tens of GeV to above 100 TeV with enhanced angular and energy resolutions over existing VHE gamma-ray observatories. An international collaboration has formed with more than 1000 members from 27 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America. In 2010 the CTA Consortium completed a Design Study and started a three-year Preparatory Phase which leads to production readiness of CTA in 2014. In this paper we introduce the science goals and the concept of CTA, and provide an overview of the project. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
|
|
| 2. |
- Begum, Y. A., et al.
(author)
-
Shift in Phenotypic Characteristics of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) Isolated from Diarrheal Patients in Bangladesh
- 2014
-
In: Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1935-2735. ; 8:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the most common causes of bacterial diarrhea. Over the last decade, from 1996 to 2012, changes in the virulence antigen properties of ETEC such as heat labile (LT) and heat stable (ST) toxins, colonization factors (CFs), and 'O'-serogroups have been observed. The aim of this prospective study was to compare changes in antigenic profiles of ETEC strains isolated from a 2% surveillance system at the icddr,b hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh between 2007-2012 and an earlier time period of 1996-1998 conducted at the same surveillance site. Methodology: In the surveillance system every 50th patient attending the hospital was screened for major enteric pathogens including ETEC, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella spp. and Salmonella spp. from January 2007 to December 2012. Principal Findings: Of the 15,152 diarrheal specimens tested between 2007-2012, the overall rate of ETEC isolation was 11%; of these, 43% were LT/ST, 27% LT and 30% ST positive. Isolation rate of ST-ETEC (p<0.009) and LT/ST ETEC (p<0.011) during 2007-2012 period differed significantly compared to those seen between 1996-1998. In comparison to the 19961998 period, difference in CF profile of ETEC isolates during 2007-2012 was observed particularly for strains expressing CS7 (12.4%), CS14 (9.5%) and CS17 (10.0%). The predominant CF types were CS5+CS6, CFA/I, CS7, CS17, CS1+CS3, CS6 and CS14. The most common serogroups among the CF positive ETEC isolates were O115, O114, O6, O25 and O8. A strong association was found between CFs and 'O' serogroups i.e. between CS5+CS6 and (O115 and O126); CS7 and (O114), CFA/I and (O78 and O126), CS17 and (O8 and O167) and CS1/CS2+CS3 and (O6). Conclusion: The analyses show a shift in prevalence of antigenic types of ETEC over the study period; the information is important in designing effective ETEC vaccines with broad protective coverage.
|
|
| 3. |
- Nordström, Ulrika, et al.
(author)
-
Progressive nigrostriatal terminal dysfunction and degeneration in the engrailed1 heterozygous mouse model of Parkinson's disease.
- 2015
-
In: Neurobiology of Disease. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-9961. ; 73, s. 70-82
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Current research on Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis requires relevant animal models that mimic the gradual and progressive development of neuronal dysfunction and degeneration that characterizes the disease. Polymorphisms in engrailed 1 (En1), a homeobox transcription factor that is crucial for both the development and survival of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, are associated with sporadic PD. This suggests that En1 mutant mice might be a promising candidate PD model. Indeed, a mouse that lacks one En1 allele exhibits decreased mitochondrial complex I activity and progressive midbrain dopamine neuron degeneration in adulthood, both features associated with PD. We aimed to further characterize the disease-like phenotype of these En1(+/-) mice with a focus on early neurodegenerative changes that can be utilized to score efficacy of future disease modifying studies. We observed early terminal defects in the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway in En1(+/-) mice. Several weeks before a significant loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra could be detected, we found that striatal terminals expressing high levels of dopaminergic neuron markers TH, VMAT2, and DAT were dystrophic and swollen. Using transmission electron microscopy, we identified electron dense bodies consistent with abnormal autophagic vacuoles in these terminal swellings. In line with these findings, we detected an up-regulation of the mTOR pathway, concurrent with a downregulation of the autophagic marker LC3B, in ventral midbrain and nigral dopaminergic neurons of the En1(+/-) mice. This supports the notion that autophagic protein degradation is reduced in the absence of one En1 allele. We imaged the nigrostriatal pathway using the CLARITY technique and observed many fragmented axons in the medial forebrain bundle of the En1(+/-) mice, consistent with axonal maintenance failure. Using in vivo electrochemistry, we found that nigrostriatal terminals in the dorsal striatum were severely deficient in dopamine release and reuptake. Our findings support a progressive retrograde degeneration of En1(+/-) nigrostriatal neurons, akin to what is suggested to occur in PD. We suggest that using the En1(+/-) mice as a model will provide further key insights into PD pathogenesis, and propose that axon terminal integrity and function can be utilized to estimate dopaminergic neuron health and efficacy of experimental PD therapies.
|
|
