Viral vectors have become important tools for basic research and clinical gene therapy over the past years. However, testing of vector-derived transgene function can be challenging when specific post-translational modifications are needed for biological activity. Similarly, neuropeptide precursors need to be processed to yield mature neuropeptides.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors for human gene therapy require efficient and economical production methods to keep pace with the rapidly increasing clinical demand. In addition, the manufacturing process must ensure high vector quality and biological safety. The OneBac system offers easily scalable rAAV vector production in insect Sf9-derived AAV rep/cap-expressing producer cell lines infected with a single baculovirus that carries the rAAV backbone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Seroepidemiology shows that infections with adeno-associated virus (AAV) are widespread, but diverse AAV serotypes isolated from humans or nonhuman primates have so far not been proven to be causes of human disease. In view of the increasing success of AAV-derived vectors in human gene therapy, definition of the in vivo sites of wild-type AAV persistence and the clinical consequences of its reactivation is becoming increasingly urgent. Here, we identify the presumed cell type for AAV persistence in the human host by highly sensitive AAV PCRs developed for the full spectrum of human AAV serotypes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe realization of large powerful all-solid-state batteries is still hampered by the availability of environmentally friendly and low-cost Li ion conductors that can easily be produced on a large scale and with high reproducibility. Advanced solid electrolytes benefit from fast ion-selective transport and non-flammability, but they may have low electrochemical stability with respect to Li metal. Sol-gel-synthesized lithium titanium aluminum phosphate Li(1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide a non-muscular communication channel for patients with late-stage motoneuron disease (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)) or otherwise motor impaired people and are also used for motor rehabilitation in chronic stroke.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain computer interface (BCI) technology has been proposed for motor neurorehabilitation, motor replacement and assistive technologies. It is an open question whether proprioceptive feedback affects the regulation of brain oscillations and therefore BCI control. We developed a BCI coupled on-line with a robotic hand exoskeleton for flexing and extending the fingers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: After about 30 years of research on Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) there is little knowledge about the phenomenon, that some people - healthy as well as individuals with disease - are not able to learn BCI-control. To elucidate this "BCI-inefficiency" phenomenon, the current study investigated whether psychological parameters, such as attention span, personality or motivation, could predict performance in a single session with a BCI controlled by modulation of sensorimotor rhythms (SMR) with motor imagery.
Methods: A total of N=83 healthy BCI novices took part in the session.
Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV) is known to establish latency by preferential integration in human chromosome 19q13.42. The AAV non-structural protein Rep appears to target a site called AAVS1 by simultaneously binding to Rep-binding sites (RBS) present on the AAV genome and within AAVS1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne crucial question in the design of electroencephalogram (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) experiments is the selection of EEG channels. While a setup with few channels is more convenient and requires less preparation time, a dense placement of electrodes provides more detailed information and henceforth could lead to a better classification performance. Here, we investigate this question for a specific setting: a BCI that uses the popular CSP algorithm in order to classify voluntary modulations of sensorimotor rhythms (SMR).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUsing brain-computer interfaces (BCI) humans can select letters or other targets on a computer screen without any muscular involvement. An intensively investigated kind of BCI is based on the recording of visual event-related brain potentials (ERP). However, some severely paralyzed patients who need a BCI for communication have impaired vision or lack control of gaze movement, thus making a BCI depending on visual input no longer feasible.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Depressive symptoms among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are usually measured with conventional questionnaires. These measurements do not consider the specific circumstances of the underlying disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of a new short 12 items ALS-Depression-Inventory (ADI-12).
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