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Up to one-third of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience visual hallucinations (VHs). Lewy bodies are sparse in the visual cortices and seem unlikely to explain the hallucinations. Some neuroimaging studies have found that perfusion is reduced in the occipital lobe in individuals with VHs. Recent work has suggested that decreased cholinergic input may directly lead to the decreased perfusion. The investigators hypothesized that individuals with PD and VHs would have biochemical evidence of reduced microvascular perfusion and reduced cholinergic activity in areas of the brain that process visual images.Tissue from Brodmann's area (BA) 18 and BA 19 was obtained from a well-characterized cohort matched for age, gender, and postmortem interval in 69 individuals (PD without VHs, N=11; PD without dementia plus VHs N=10, N=10; PD with dementia plus VHs, N=16; and control subjects, N=32). Von Willebrand factor, vascular endothelial growth factor A, and myelin-associated glycoprotein:proteolipid protein-1 (MAG:PLP1) ratio-a measure of tissue oxygenation relative to metabolic demand, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), choline acetyltransferase, and α-synuclein-were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The primary outcome was the MAG:PLP1 ratio.There was no biochemical evidence of chronic hypoperfusion in PD, although microvessel density was decreased in ventral BA 18 and BA 19. There was no between-group difference in BChE in either dorsal BA 18 or BA 19. AChE concentration was reduced in individuals with PD compared with control subjects in dorsal and ventral BA 18 and dorsal BA 19, and it was increased in ventral BA 19. These changes were most marked in the PD plus VHs group.These results suggest that changes in cholinergic activity rather than chronic hypoperfusion may underlie VHs in PD.

A claimed benefit of an inflation target is that it provides an anchor for long-term inflation expectations. We evaluate this by using survey-based inflation expectations data for New Zealand to as...

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the government has set a target for the country to become predator-free by 2050, largely as a response to the threat of extinction that introduced mammals pose to native birds. Current pest management tools lack the scalability required to reach pest eradication; thus, new technologies are being explored through public research funding, including controversial techniques such as gene drive. While the need to listen to Māori perspectives on genetic technologies is broadly recognised, the Treaty relationship between government and Māori demands more, including attention to rangatiratanga (autonomy for Māori) and tikanga (Māori customary protocols). A ‘social licence to operate’ is argued to be key to getting public support for such technologies, but is that consistent with a Māori approach? To address this question, we gathered Māori perspectives on novel biotechnological controls for pest wasps through three distinct studies. Study participants included tertiary students, businesses, and spiritual or religiously affiliated groups. All participants drew from their identities as Māori people to help identify their position on these issues. Their perspectives on issues of consent and Social Licence suggest a preference for processes based upon rangatiratanga. Participant perspectives were also organised according to a take utu ea decision-making framework. This exercise suggests that this framework continues to be a relevant and useful contribution to how biotechnology discussions are framed. Rangatiratanga and tikanga are underlying considerations for Māori in relation to novel biotechnologies, and, if recognised more widely, have potential to transform conservation biology in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Additional file 1: Table S1. The primary and secondary antibodies included in this study. AC = autoclave; agg-aSyn = aggregated alpha-synuclein; aSyn = alpha-synuclein; FA = formic acid; GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein; Iba1 = ionized calcium binding adaptor protein 1; IF = immunofluorescence; IHC = immunohistochemistry; MBP = myelin basic protein; mc = monoclonal; mus = mouse; na = not applicable; NF = neurofilament; pc = polyclonal; rab = rabbit; SB = slot blot.

The prevalence of type I diabetes continues to be a significant source of ill health, particularly in young people. The epidemiology of Type I diabetes is distinctive, with large differences among the populations of different nations. Most studies of damage to the insulin producing islet of Langerhans cells use Streptozocin-induced animal models for type I diabetes. Streptozocin (formerly called Streptozotocin) is a glucoseamine nitroso-urea produced naturally by the soil bacteria Streptomyces achromogenes. The experimental literature establishes that type I diabetes in animal models results from specific uptake of streptozocin by the GLU2 receptor on pancreatic islet cells, and subsequent toxicity. The autoimmune response appears to be a secondary response to the toxic damage to islet cells. Early reports on streptozocin as an anti-cancer agent, established that it was toxic to human pancreatic islet cells. These findings taken together raise the possibility that some fraction of human type I diabetes may be due to exposure to streptozocin or streptozocin-like compounds produced by Streptomyces species and entering the human food chain, or produced as a by- product of cooking, baking, or frying or other food processing operation.

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an uncommon but aggressive subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that is mostly seen in HIV positive patients. This case report details an HIV-positive patient with two unusual sites of PBL manifestation, the pleural space and the rectum. The patient was initiated on treatment but subsequently developed complications leading to the inability to temporarily continue therapy. In addition to illustrating less common site manifestations of PBL as well as its therapeutic challenges, this case also exhibits how a patient’s socioeconomic and health insurance status can contribute to treatment delays, and hence their overall prognosis and survival.

Additional file 2: Fig. S1. Specificity validation of the aSyn antibodies LASH-BL 34-45, LASH-BL 80-96 and BD SYN-1 by pre-adsorption followed by IHC on DLB1 cingulate cortex (layers V–VI). aSyn = alpha-synuclein; DLB = dementia with Lewy bodies; IHC = immunohistochemistry. Fig. S2. (a) A representative image of a cortical LB positive for NF and LASH-BL 34-45, and negative for GFAP. Image from DLB1 cingulate cortex taken using Zeiss LSM700 confocal microscope. (b) The oligodendrocytes and microglial cells, marked by anti-MBP and anti-Iba1 antibodies, respectively, were negative for aSyn in the white matter (upper two panels). Punctate aSyn positivity was detected in the microglial cells in the grey matter (lower panel) as rare events. Images taken from DLB1 cingulate cortex using Olympus slide scanner at 40x magnification. aSyn = alpha-synuclein; DLB = dementia with Lewy body; GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein; Iba1 = ionised calcium binding adaptor protein 1; MBP = myelin basic protein; LB = Lewy body; NF = neurofilament. Fig. S3. The cingulate cortex of sporadic PD, PDD, DLB, SNCA G51D mutation and SNCA duplication cases immunostained using antibodies against the N-terminal (LASH-EGTNter) and C-terminal (2F10-E12 and AB 134-138) of aSyn. Astrocytic aSyn was not detected using these antibodies. Representative images taken from cingulate cortical layers V–VI of PD7, PDD5, DLB1, SNCA G51D3 and SNCA duplication cases. aSyn = alpha-synuclein; DLB = dementia with Lewy bodies; PD = Parkinson’s disease; PDD = Parkinson’s disease with dementia. Fig. S4. Representative IF images of GFAP-positive astrocytes from DLB1, SNCA G51D3 and SNCA duplication cingulate cortices, showing positivity for aSyn detected using LASH-BL 34-45 antibody. Images taken using Olympus slide scanner at 40x magnification. aSyn = alpha-synuclein; DLB = dementia with Lewy body; GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein; IF = immunofluorescence; NF = neurofilament. Fig. S5. Representative images from the SNCA duplication EC, amygdala and insula immunostained using antibodies against the N-terminal, NAC and C-terminal regions of aSyn. The astrocytic aSyn detected only by LASH-BL34-45, LASH-BL80-96 and BD SYN-1 (91-99) antibodies. Similar staining patterns were observed in the same regions from PD, PDD, DLB and SNCA G51D cases stained with the same antibody set. aSyn = alpha-synuclein; DLB = dementia with Lewy bodies

Abstract: The neurological complications of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) including stroke have been documented in the recent literature. COVID-19-related inflammation is suggested to contribute to both a hypercoagulable state and haemorrhagic transformation, including in younger individuals. COVID-19 is associated with a heightened risk of ischaemic stroke. Haemorrhagic stroke in COVID-19 patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) accounts for

The diagonal band of Broca (DBB) contains the second largest cholinergic cell group in the human brain, known as the nucleus of the vertical limb of the DBB (nvlDBB). It has major projections to the hippocampus, but it is often underinvestigated, partly due to its ill-defined anatomical boundaries and hence the difficulty of reliable sampling. In this chapter, we have reviewed the historical literature to reestablish the anatomy of the nvlDBB, distinguishing it from neighboring basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei. Although varying degrees of neuronal loss in the nvlDBB have been reported in a range of neurological disorders, and in the aged brain, the significant nvlDBB cholinergic neuronal loss reported in Lewy body dementias is of particular interest. Retrograde tracer study in rodents has demonstrated reciprocal connections between the DBB and the hippocampal CA2 subfield, an area particularly susceptible to Lewy pathologies. Previous functional studies have demonstrated that the nvlDBB is particularly involved in memory retrieval, a cognitive domain severely affected in Lewy body disorders. Based on these observations, we propose an anatomical and functional connection between the cholinergic component of the nvlDBB (Ch2) and the hippocampal CA2.

Floods, especially large floods, are one of the most important factors affecting river morphology and ecosystems. Due to the effects of floods on landforms, the analysis of the geomorphological consequences of floods is important. In this study, the effects of an extreme flood that happened on April 1, 2019, in the Khorramabad River Basin located in western Iran are investigated. This research aims to investigate the effects of floods on channel changes as well as estimating the amount of flood-related erosion and sedimentation of the Khorramabad River. To do so, Sentinel-2 satellite images, Google Earth images, geological and topographic maps, and field investigations have been used in this research. First, the river channel was extracted from cloud-free multispectral Sentinel-2 images taken before (March 22, 2019) and after (April 21, 2019) the flood. Then, the amounts of erosion, sedimentation, and also unchanged areas were calculated using the Union tool in ArcGIS. Furthermore, using Google Earth images, cross-sectional profiles were prepared in two sections of the river, and changes in the depth and width of the riverbed were studied. The results show that the flood has significantly affected the width and depth of the channel, and the most prominent impacts of the flood were shifts of the riverbed and severe bank erosion in the meandering areas. According to the field surveys, floodwater occupied floodplains around the river channel and destroyed the adjacent agricultural lands and gardens. The analysis of river channel maps (before and after the flood) indicates that the greatest changes in the river channel (46.4% of the total changes) occurred as riverbed widening in the downstream and midstream areas due to riverbank erosion as well as river channel shifts. The changes caused by sedimentation account for 18.6% of the total changes, and the remaining 35% of the river channel area did not change at all.

Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is common in the ageing male. Clinical manifestations like retention impact on a patient’s quality of life. Alterations in androgen activity at the androgen receptor complex level in the prostate contribute to prostatic hyperplasia with the highest incidence occurring in males in their 70’s. There remains a paucity of cases in young males who develop acute urinary retention secondary to BPH. We present a case of a 27-year-old male who developed acute urinary retention secondary to BPH who required a Holmium Laser Enucleation of his Prostate (HOLEP). Case description: A 27 year old man was admitted in acute urinary retention. BPH was diagnosed via way of radiological imaging and histological assessment. After pre-operative sperm banking and suprapubic catheterisation, the patient underwent a HOLEP. He had biochemically confirmed hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism which was at odds with his muscular, physical appearance. Total testosterone levels had fluctuated following admission suggesting an exogenous substance was interfering with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis but he denied exogenous steroid use. Result: The patient successfully passed his voiding trial on the second post-operative day and remained catheter free. Post-operative uroflowmetry and sexual function remain unknown as patient disengaged with follow up. Conclusion: HOLEP prostatectomy is a safe and effective way of managing BPH in younger patients following sperm banking and assessment by endocrinology.

The paper proposes an architecture for implementing the Bank of England's basic principles for the design of a CBDC with a focus on real-time high value, often cross border, enterprise transactions. The use of digital ledger technology makes innovative use of chaincode - smart contracts specifying how transactions are to be conducted - and tokens - providing a convenient mechanism for executing transactions and providing the CB monetary policy management. The proposed approach minimizes counterparty risk, eliminates settlement risk, and enhances transaction efficiency, thereby improving global productivity.

The diagonal band of Broca (DBB) contains the second largest cholinergic cell group in the human brain, known as the nucleus of the vertical limb of the DBB (nvlDBB). It has major projections to the hippocampus, but it is often underinvestigated, partly due to its ill-defined anatomical boundaries and hence the difficulty of reliable sampling. In this chapter, we have reviewed the historical literature to reestablish the anatomy of the nvlDBB, distinguishing it from neighboring basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei. Although varying degrees of neuronal loss in the nvlDBB have been reported in a range of neurological disorders, and in the aged brain, the significant nvlDBB cholinergic neuronal loss reported in Lewy body dementias is of particular interest. Retrograde tracer study in rodents has demonstrated reciprocal connections between the DBB and the hippocampal CA2 subfield, an area particularly susceptible to Lewy pathologies. Previous functional studies have demonstrated that the nvlDBB is particularly involved in memory retrieval, a cognitive domain severely affected in Lewy body disorders. Based on these observations, we propose an anatomical and functional connection between the cholinergic component of the nvlDBB (Ch2) and the hippocampal CA2.

There is a global need for novel, next-generation technologies and techniques to manage pest species. We review work on potential step-changing technologies for large landscape (>1000 hectares) pest management of social Vespula wasps. We also review Māori perspectives on these controls to gauge social and cultural acceptability to research, test and use of novel controls. Approaches discussed are the use of gene silencing (RNAi) and gene drives (CRISPR-Cas 9) involving genetic modification, which has potential for pest control but vary in feasibility, cost, benefits and off-target risks. RNAi may be better suited for wasp control in high-value cropping systems due to scaling inefficiencies. Gene drives offer potential for large-scale control but would require legislative and wide social deliberation due to their status as genetic modification. Both RNAi and gene drives will require consultation with tangata whenua. Māori interest groups agreed that exotic wasps must be controlled and expressed aversion to non-targeted traditional control methods. We present a diversity of opinions in parallel with scientific research underscoring the need for continued dialogue with Māori. Novel biotechnological controls must satisfy a broad range of social and cultural criteria, receive regulatory approval, along with being demonstrated as safe, selective, and cost-effective.

© 2019, © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Aligned with the New Zealand government’s ‘Predator-Free 2050’ target for Aotearoa New Zealand, National Science Challenge: Our Biological Heritage supports research into five distinct ‘novel biotechnological controls’ of exotic wasps. A framing question within this project is which controls are considered ‘socially acceptable’ and thus suitable for further development to control and potentially eradicate introduced wasps? How can the public answer this question without first engaging with complex technologies? Can they develop and express an informed view that still reflects their ‘gut’ reactions and unique positions? To model and explore the views of an ‘informed public’, university students in Māori studies engaged in reflection, writing and mapping activities; choice and ranking exercises; Q Method; and focus group interviews. Amongst the interviewees, Q Method analysis distinguished three ‘factors’, describing unique viewpoints: those who see the potential of biotechnologies, those who are in doubt about them and those in a position of trust in scientists. Overall, the group see potential in new biotechnologies for wasps but are wary of political, economic and social decision-making mechanisms.