Total RNA analysis of the active microbiome on moving bed biofilm reactor carriers under incrementally increasing micropollutant concentrations.

Micropollutants are increasingly prevalent in the aquatic environment. A major part of these originates from wastewater treatment plants since traditional treatment technologies do not remove micropollutants sufficiently. Moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), however, have been shown to aid in micropollutant removal when applied to conventional wastewater treatment as a polishing step. Here, we used Total RNA sequencing to investigate both the active microbial community and functional dynamics of MBBR biofilms when these were exposed to increasing micropollutant concentrations over time. Concurrently, we conducted batch culture experiments using biofilm carriers from the MBBRs to assess micropollutant degradation potential. Our study showed that biofilm eukaryotes, in particular protozoa, were negatively influenced by micropollutant exposure, in contrast to prokaryotes that increased in relative abundance. Further, we found several functional genes that were differentially expressed between the MBBR with added micropollutants and the control. These include genes involved in aromatic and xenobiotic compound degradation. Moreover, the biofilm carrier batch experiment showed vastly different alterations in benzotriazole and diclofenac degradation following the increased micropollutant concentrations in the MBBR. Ultimately, this study provides essential insights into the microbial community and functional dynamics of MBBRs and how an increased load of micropollutants influences these dynamics.

Loss of Postnatal Arx Transcriptional Activity in Parvalbumin Interneurons Reveals Non-cell Autonomous Disturbances in CA1 Pyramidal Cells.

Maintenance of proper electrophysiological and connectivity profiles in the adult brain may be a perturbation point in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). How these profiles are maintained within mature circuits is unclear. We recently demonstrated that postnatal ablation of the Aristaless (Arx) homeobox gene in parvalbumin interneurons (PVIs) alone led to dysregulation of their transcriptome and alterations in their functional as well as network properties in the hippocampal cornu Ammoni first region (CA1). Here, we characterized CA1 pyramidal cells (PCs) responses in this conditional knockout (CKO) mouse to further understand the circuit mechanisms by which postnatal Arx expression regulates mature CA1 circuits. Field recordings of network excitability showed that CA1 PC ensembles were less excitable in response to unpaired stimulations but exhibited enhanced excitability in response to paired-pulse stimulations. Whole-cell voltage clamp recordings revealed a significant increase in the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents onto PCs. In contrast, excitatory drive from evoked synaptic transmission was reduced while that of inhibitory synaptic transmission was increased. Current clamp recordings showed increase excitability in several sub- and threshold membrane properties that correlated with an increase in the conductance of Na+ current. Our data suggest that, in addition to cell-autonomous disruption in PVIs, loss of Arx postnatal transcriptional activity in PVIs led to complex dysfunctions in PCs in CA1 microcircuits. These non-cell autonomous effects are likely the product of breakdown in feedback and/or feedforward processes and should be considered as fundamental contributors to the circuit mechanisms of NDDs such as Arx-linked early-onset epileptic encephalopathies.

Day Case Local Anaesthetic Thoracoscopy: Experience from 2 District General Hospitals in the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Local anaesthetic thoracoscopy (LAT) can be a vital procedure for diagnosis of unexplained pleural effusions. Traditionally, poudrage for pleurodesis and insertion of a large bore drain necessitated admission. There has been a shift towards performing LAT as a day case procedure with indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) insertion. This was advocated during the COVID pandemic by the British Thoracic Society (BTS). To determine the feasibility of such pathways, continuous evaluations are required. METHODS: All day case LAT procedures with IPC insertion, performed in theatre, were identified at two large district general hospitals (Northumbria HealthCare in the North East of England and Victoria Hospital, NHS Fife, in Scotland). Rapid pleurodesis with talc was not performed due to local staffing problems. All patients had their LAT in theatre under conscious sedation with a rigid scope. Demographics, clinical, radiological and histopathological characteristics and outcomes were collected. RESULTS: 79 patients underwent day case LAT. The lung did not deflate, meaning biopsies were not enabled, in four of the patients. The mean age was 72 years (standard deviation 13). Fifty-five patients were male and twenty-four were female. The main diagnoses were lung cancers, mesotheliomas and fibrinous pleuritis with an overall diagnostic sensitivity of 93%. Other diagnoses were breast, tonsillar, unknown primary cancers and lymphomas. Seventy-three IPCs were simultaneously placed and, due to normal macroscopic appearances in two patients, two large bore drains were placed and removed within one hour of LAT termination. Sixty-six (88%) patients were discharged on the same day. Seven patients required admission: one for treatment of surgical emphysema, four because they lived alone, one for pain control and one for control of a cardiac arrythmia. Within 30 days, there were five IPC site infections with two resultant empyemas (9%), with no associated mortality. Two patients developed pneumonia requiring admission and one patient required admission for pain management. The median number of days for which the IPCs remained in situ was 78.5 days (IQR 95). The median length of stay (LoS) was 0 days (IQR 0). No patients required further interventions for pleural fluid management. CONCLUSIONS: Day case LAT with IPC insertion is feasible with this current set up, with a median stay of 0 days, and should be widely adopted. The health economics of preventing admission are considerable, as our previous analysis showed a median length of stay of 3.96 days, although we are not comparing matched cohorts.

Protocol for isolating young adult parvalbumin interneurons from the mouse brain for extraction of high-quality RNA.

Dysfunction in the parvalbumin (PV) subclass of GABAergic interneurons is implicated in several neurodevelopmental disorders that evolve in severity with postnatal developmental stages. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of the postnatal changes in the function of PV interneurons has been limited by the difficulty in the isolation of pure adult PV interneurons and high-quality RNA. Here, we describe our protocol for the isolation of pure young adult PV interneurons and preparation of high-quality RNA from these cells. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Joseph et al. (2021).

Islet1 Precursors Contribute to Mature Interneuron Subtypes in Mouse Neocortex.

Cortical interneurons (GABAergic cells) arise during embryogenesis primarily from the medial and caudal ganglionic eminences (MGE and CGE, respectively) with a small population generated from the preoptic area (POA). Progenitors from the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE) are thought to only generate GABAergic medium spiny neurons that populate the striatum and project to the globus pallidus. Here, we report evidence that neuronal precursors that express the LGE-specific transcription factor Islet1 (Isl1) can give rise to a small population of cortical interneurons. Lineage tracing and homozygous deletion of Nkx2.1 in Isl1 fate-mapped mice showed that neighboring MGE/POA-specific Nkx2.1 cells and LGE-specific Isl1 cells make both common and distinct lineal contributions towards cortical interneuron fate. Although the majority of cells had overlapping transcriptional domains between Nkx2.1 and Isl1, a population of Isl1-only derived cells also contributed to the adult cerebral cortex. The data indicate that Isl1-derived cells may originate from both the LGE and the adjacent LGE/MGE boundary regions to generate diverse neuronal progeny. Thus, a small population of neocortical interneurons appear to originate from Isl-1-positive precursors.

Postnatal Arx transcriptional activity regulates functional properties of PV interneurons.

The transcription factor Aristaless-related X-linked gene (Arx) is a monogenic factor in early onset epileptic encephalopathies (EOEEs) and a fundamental regulator of early stages of brain development. However, Arx expression persists in mature GABAergic neurons with an unknown role. To address this issue, we generated a conditional knockout (CKO) mouse in which postnatal Arx was ablated in parvalbumin interneurons (PVIs). Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in CKO mice revealed an increase in theta oscillations and the occurrence of occasional seizures. Behavioral analysis uncovered an increase in anxiety. Genome-wide sequencing of fluorescence activated cell sorted (FACS) PVIs revealed that Arx impinged on network excitability via genes primarily associated with synaptic and extracellular matrix pathways. Whole-cell recordings revealed prominent hypoexcitability of various intrinsic and synaptic properties. These results revealed important roles for postnatal Arx expression in PVIs in the control of neural circuits and that dysfunction in those roles alone can cause EOEE-like network abnormalities.

Isoflurane mediated neuropathological and cognitive impairments in the triple transgenic Alzheimer's mouse model are associated with hippocampal synaptic deficits in an age-dependent manner.

Many in vivo studies suggest that inhalational anesthetics can accelerate or prevent the progression of neuropathology and cognitive impairments in Alzheimer Disease (AD), but the synaptic mechanisms mediating these ambiguous effects are unclear. Here, we show that repeated exposures of neonatal and old triple transgenic AD (3xTg) and non-transgenic (NonTg) mice to isoflurane (Iso) distinctly increased neurodegeneration as measured by S100ß levels, intracellular Aß, Tau oligomerization, and apoptotic markers. Spatial cognition measured by reference and working memory testing in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) were altered in young NonTg and 3xTg. Field recordings in the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) hippocampus showed that neonatal control 3xTg mice exhibited hypo-excitable synaptic transmission, reduced paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and normal long-term potentiation (LTP) compared to NonTg controls. By contrast, the old control 3xTg mice exhibited hyper-excitable synaptic transmission, enhanced PPF, and unstable LTP compared to NonTg controls. Repeated Iso exposures reduced synaptic transmission and PPF in neonatal NonTg and old 3xTg mice. LTP was normalized in old 3xTg mice, but reduced in neonates. By contrast, LTP was reduced in old but not neonatal NonTg mice. Our results indicate that Iso-mediated neuropathologic and cognitive defects in AD mice are associated with synaptic pathologies in an age-dependent manner. Based on these findings, the extent of this association with age and, possibly, treatment paradigms warrant further study.

Anesthetic preconditioning inhibits isoflurane-mediated apoptosis in the developing rat brain.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that preconditioning (PC) with a short exposure to isoflurane (ISO) would reduce neurodegeneration induced by prolonged exposure to ISO in neonatal rats, as previously shown in neuronal cell culture. METHODS: We randomly divided 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats into 3 groups: control, 1.5% ISO, and PC + 1.5% ISO. The control group was exposed to carrier gas (30% oxygen balanced in nitrogen) for 30 minutes and then to carrier gas again for 6 hours the following day. The 1.5% ISO group was exposed to carrier gas for 30 minutes and then to 1.5% ISO for 6 hours the following day. The PC + 1.5% ISO group was preconditioned with a 30-minute 1.5% ISO exposure and then exposed to 1.5% ISO for 6 hours the following day. Blood and brain samples were collected 2 hours after the exposures for determination of neurodegenerative biomarkers, including caspase-3, S100ß, caspase-12, and an autophagy biomarker Beclin-1. RESULTS: Prolonged exposure to ISO significantly increased cleaved caspase-3 expression in the cerebral cortex of 7-day-old rats compared with the group preconditioned with ISO and the controls using Western blot assays. However, significant differences were not detected for other markers of neuronal injury. CONCLUSIONS: The ISO-mediated increase in cleaved caspase-3 in the postnatal day 7 rat brain is ameliorated by PC with a brief anesthetic exposure, and differences were not detected in other markers of neuronal injury.

Comparison of neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in neonatal mice exposed to propofol or isoflurane.

BACKGROUND: While previous studies have demonstrated neuronal apoptosis and associated cognitive impairment after isoflurane or propofol exposure in neonatal rodents, the effects of these two anesthetics have not been directly compared. Here, we compare and contrast the effectiveness of isoflurane and propofol to cause neurodegeneration in the developing brain and associated cognitive dysfunction. METHODS: Seven-day-old mice were used. Mice in the isoflurane treatment group received 6 h of 1.5% isoflurane, while mice in propofol treatment group received one peritoneal injection (150 mg/kg), which produced persistent anesthesia with loss of righting for at least 6 h. Mice in control groups received carrying gas or a peritoneal injection of vehicle (intralipid). At 6 h after anesthetic treatment, a subset of each group was sacrificed and examined for evidence of neurodegeneration, using plasma levels of S100ß, and apoptosis using caspase-3 immunohistochemistry in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and Western blot assays of the cortex. In addition, biomarkers for inflammation (interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) were examined with Western blot analyses of the cortex. In another subset of mice, learning and memory were assessed 32 days after the anesthetic exposures using the Morris water maze. RESULTS: Isoflurane significantly increased plasma S100ß levels compared to controls and propofol. Both isoflurane and propofol significantly increased caspase-3 levels in the cortex and hippocampus, though isoflurane was significantly more potent than propofol. However, there were no significant differences in the inflammatory biomarkers in the cortex or in subsequent learning and memory between the experimental groups. CONCLUSION: Both isoflurane and propofol caused significant apoptosis in the mouse developing brain, with isoflurane being more potent. Isoflurane significantly increased levels of the plasma neurodegenerative biomarker, S100ß. However, these neurodegenerative effects of isoflurane and propofol in the developing brain were not associated with effects on inflammation or with cognitive dysfunction in later life.

Dual effects of isoflurane on proliferation, differentiation, and survival in human neuroprogenitor cells.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that isoflurane can provide both neuroprotection and neurotoxicity in various tissue culture models and in rodent developing brains. The cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating these dual effects are not clear, but the exposure level and duration of isoflurane appear to be determinant factors. METHODS: Using the ReNcell CX (Millipore, Billerica, MA) human neural progenitor cell line, the authors investigated the impact of prolonged exposure to varying isoflurane concentrations on cell survival and neurogenesis. In addition, the authors assessed the impact of short isoflurane preconditioning on elevation of cytosolic Ca concentration and cytotoxic effects mediated by prolonged isoflurane exposures and the contribution of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate or ryanodine receptor activation to these processes. RESULTS: Short exposures to low isoflurane concentrations promote proliferation and differentiation of ReNcell CX cells, with no cell damage. However, prolonged exposures to high isoflurane concentrations induced significant ReNcell CX cell damage and inhibited cell proliferation. These prolonged exposures suppressed neuronal cell fate and promoted glial cell fate. Preconditioning of ReNcell CX cultures with short exposures to low concentrations of isoflurane ameliorated the effects of prolonged exposures to isoflurane. Pretreatment of ReNcell cultures with inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate or ryanodine receptor antagonists mostly prevented isoflurane-mediated effects on survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Finally, isoflurane-preconditioned cultures showed significantly less isoflurane-evoked changes in calcium concentration. CONCLUSION: The commonly used general anesthetic isoflurane exerts dual effects on neuronal stem cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation, which may be attributed to differential regulation of calcium release through activation of endoplasmic reticulum localized inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate and/or ryanodine receptors.

Dantrolene ameliorates cognitive decline and neuropathology in Alzheimer triple transgenic mice.

Disruption of intracellular calcium homeostasis via abnormal and excessive activation of ryanodine receptors plays an important role in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease. We investigated the therapeutic effect of dantrolene, a ryanodine receptor antagonist, on cognitive dysfunction and neuropathology in the triple transgenic Alzheimer mouse model (3xTg-AD). 3xTg-AD mice were treated with dantrolene from 2 to 13 months of age. Learning and memory were measured with the Morris Water Maze at 6, 10, and 13 months of age. Amyloid and tau neuropathology and biomarkers for synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration were examined in the brain using immunoblotting or immunohistochemistry. Dantrolene treatment for 11 months significantly reduced both memory deficits and amyloid plaque load in the hippocampus in 13-month-old 3xTg-AD mice. Dantrolene treatment, however, had no effect on phosphorylated tau, phosphorylated or total GSK-3ß, synaptic markers, or mitochondrial or cytosolic cytochrome C. Our results suggest that dantrolene significantly improves cognition in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease and is associated with a reduction in amyloid plaque burden, forming the basis for a novel therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease.

Modulation of neurite outgrowth by activation of calcium-permeable kainate receptors expressed by rat nociceptive-like dorsal root ganglion neurons.

Neurite outgrowth is a fundamental step in establishing proper neuronal connections in the developing central nervous system. Dynamic control of outgrowth has been attributed to changes in growth cone Ca2+ levels in response to extracellular cues. Here we have investigated a possible role for Ca2+ permeable kainate (KA) receptors in regulating neurite outgrowth of nociceptive-like dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. To identify KA receptor subunits likely to be involved, we used quantitative RT-PCR on acutely dissociated DRG and dorsal horn neurons. DRG neurons expressed more GluK1, particularly the GluK1b spice variant, than dorsal horn neurons. Conversely, dorsal horn neurons expressed more GluK2, particularly GluK2a, than DRG neurons. Further, an RNA editing assay indicated that the majority of GluK1 and GluK2 mRNA transcripts in DRG were unedited. Imaging Ca2+ transients following application of a KA receptor agonist to DRG and dorsal horn co-cultures revealed increases in intracellular Ca2+ in the growth cones of DRG neurons. In the majority of cases, this increase in Ca2+ was partly or completely blocked by Joro spider toxin (JSTX), an antagonist for Ca2+-permeable AMPA and KA receptors. Treatment of DRG/dorsal horn co-cultures with KA for 18 hours suppressed neurite outgrowth while application of the rapidly desensitizing KA receptor agonist SYM 2081, the competitive AMPA/KA receptor antagonist, CNQX, and JSTX or philanthotoxin enhanced neurite outgrowth and prevented KA effects on neurite outgrowth. Thus, Ca2+ entry through KA receptors at the growth cone of DRG neurons may be an important regulator of neurite outgrowth.

An in vitro assay system for studying synapse formation between nociceptive dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn neurons.

Synapses between nociceptive dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and spinal cord dorsal horn neurons represent the first loci for transmission of painful stimuli. Our knowledge of the molecular organization and development of these synapses is sparse due, partly, to a lack of a reliable model system that reconstitutes synaptogenesis between these two neuronal populations. To address this issue, we have established an in vitro assay system consisting of separately purified DRG neurons and dorsal horn neurons on astrocyte microislands. Using immunocytochemistry, we have found that 97%, 93%, 98%, 96%, and 94% of DRG neurons on these microislands express markers often associated with nociceptive neurons including Substance P, TRPV1, calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP), TrKA, and peripherin, respectively. Triple labeling with these nociceptive-like markers, synaptic vesicle marker Vglut2 and using MAP2 as a dendritic marker revealed the presence of nociceptive-like markers at synaptic terminals. Using this immunocytochemical approach, we counted contact points as overlapping MAP2/Vglut2 puncta and showed that they increased with time in culture. Single and dual patch-clamp recordings showed that overlapping Vglut2/MAP2 puncta observed after a few days in culture are likely to be functional synapses between DRG and dorsal horn neurons in our in vitro assay system. Taken together, these data suggest our co-culture microisland model system consists of mostly nociceptive-like DRG neurons that express presynaptic markers and form functional synapses with their dorsal horn partners. Thus, this model system may have direct application for studies on factors regulating development of nociceptive DRG/dorsal horn synapses.

Anesthetic-induced neurodegeneration mediated via inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors.

The commonly used general anesthetic isoflurane induces widespread neurodegeneration in the developing mammalian brain through poorly understood mechanisms. We have investigated whether excessive Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum via overactivation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (InsP3Rs) is a contributing factor in such neurodegeneration in rodent primary cultured neurons and developing rat brain. We also investigated the correlation between isoflurane exposure and cognitive decline in rats at 1 month of age. Our results show that isoflurane increases cytosolic calcium in the primary cortical neurons through release from the endoplasmic reticulum and influx from the extracellular space. Pharmacological inhibition of InsP3R activity and knockdown of its expression nearly abolishes the isoflurane-mediated elevation of the cytosolic calcium concentration and cell death in rodent primary cortical and hippocampal neurons. Inhibition of InsP3R activity by its antagonist xestospongin C significantly inhibits neurodegeneration induced by isoflurane at clinically used concentration in the developing brain of postnatal day 7 rats. Moreover, our results show that isoflurane activates beta-site amyloid beta precursor protein-cleaving enzyme via activation of the InsP3R. We also noted that mice exposed to isoflurane during early postnatal development showed transient memory and learning impairments, which did not correlate well with the noted neuropathological defects. Taken together, our results suggest that Ca2+ dysregulation through overactivation of the InsP3R may be a contributing factor in the mechanism of isoflurane-induced neurodegeneration in rodent neuronal cell culture and during brain development.

Teaching clinical thinking to first-year medical students.

BACKGROUND: The ability to think clearly and critically is necessary to normal human conduct. Particular forms of reasoning characteristic of practitioners of medicine have been studied, but a principled pedagogical framework that also reflects clinical practice has not been delineated. AIMS: The goals are: identify the principles that underlie the clinical thinking of physicians, develop a pedagogical framework, and design and implement curricular modules for medical students in the first year of their studies. METHODS: The authors reviewed prior work on clinical thinking of physicians and medical students as well as reflective pieces by seasoned clinicians. They also examined modalities of logic and inference used by physicians and others. The designed modules were implemented at the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University and linked to training in attentive listening and clinical observation. RESULTS: Five core features of a pedagogic framework on clinical thinking were developed and used to design and implement a series of teaching modules for first-year medical students. CONCLUSIONS: The core features, and the modules based upon them, can serve for further empirical work on clinical reasoning and lead to modules for advanced students as they progress in their acquisition of expertize.

Dietary alpha-cyclodextrin lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and alters plasma fatty acid profile in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice on a high-fat diet.

High dietary intake of saturated fat and cholesterol, and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are some of the modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Alpha-cyclodextrin (a-CD) when given orally has been shown in rats to increase fecal saturated fat excretion and to reduce blood total cholesterol levels in obese hypertriglyceridemic subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this study, the effects of dietary a-CD on lipid metabolism in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice were investigated. Low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice were fed a "Western diet" (21% milk fat) with or without 2.1% of a-CD (10% of dietary fat content) for 14 weeks. At sacrifice, there was no difference in body weight; but significant decreases were observed in plasma cholesterol (15.3%), free cholesterol (20%), cholesterol esters (14%), and phospholipid (17.5%) levels in mice treated with alpha-CD compared with control mice. The decrease in total cholesterol was primarily in the proatherogenic apolipoprotein B-containing lipoprotein fractions, with no significant change in the high-density lipoprotein fraction. Furthermore, alpha-CD improved the blood fatty acid profile, reducing the saturated fatty acids (4.5%) and trans-isomers (11%) while increasing (2.5%) unsaturated fatty acids. In summary, the addition of alpha-CD improved the lipid profile by lowering proatherogenic lipoproteins and trans-fatty acids and by decreasing the ratio of saturated and trans-fatty acids to polyunsaturated fatty acids (-5.8%), thus suggesting that it may be useful as a dietary supplement for reducing cardiovascular disease.