A soluble granulocyte colony stimulating factor decoy receptor as a novel tool to increase hematopoietic cell homing and reconstitution in mice.

The relative ineffectiveness of hematopoietic stem cells in reaching the bone marrow upon transplantation combined with the limited number of these cells available is a major reason for graft failure and delayed hematopoietic recovery. Hence, the development of strategies that could enhance homing is of high interest. Here, we provide evidence that homing is severely impaired postexposure to ionizing radiation (IR) in mice, an effect we found was time dependent and could be partially rescued using mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy.

Ionizing radiation-induced expression of INK4a/ARF in murine bone marrow-derived stromal cell populations interferes with bone marrow homeostasis.

Alterations of the BM microenvironment have been shown to occur after chemoradiotherapy, during aging, and after genetic manipulations of telomere length. Nevertheless, whether BM stromal cells adopt senescent features in response to these events is unknown. In the present study, we provide evidence that exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) leads murine stromal BM cells to express senescence markers, namely senescence-associated β-galactosidase and increased p16(INK4a)/p19(ARF) expression.

Traumatic brain injury and olfactory deficits: the tale of two smell tests!

Primary Objective: Olfactory functions are not systematically evaluated following traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study aimed at comparing two smell tests that are used in a clinical setting.

Research Design: The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and the Alberta Smell Test were compared in terms of assessment time, cost and diagnosis.

Characterization of a Canadian mink H3N2 influenza A virus isolate genetically related to triple reassortant swine influenza virus.

In 2007, an H3N2 influenza A virus was isolated from Canadian mink. This virus was found to be phylogenetically related to a triple reassortant influenza virus which emerged in Canadian swine in 2005, but it is antigenically distinct. The transmission of the virus from swine to mink seems to have occurred following the feeding of animals with a ration composed of uncooked meat by-products of swine obtained from slaughterhouse facilities.

Recovery of anterograde amnesia in a case of craniopharyngioma.

Background: Studies of the amnesic syndrome have indicated that telencephalic and diencephalic structures are critical components of the memory system. The exact role of the mammillary bodies (MBs) in human memory remains elusive, since few cases of selective MB damage have been reported.

Objective: To study a case of severe anterograde amnesia due to a third-ventricle craniopharyngioma with severe MB compression.

Cortical areas mediating stereopsis in the human brain: a PET study.

Using PET, we investigated the neural substrates of stereodepth perception in humans. The presentation of Julesz-type random-dot stereograms (RDS) produced significant rCBF elevations in Brodmann areas (BA) 18, 19 and 7, all in the right hemisphere. Activation foci were also found in both middle temporal areas (MT).