Multimodal Imaging of the Integrated Postnatal Development of Brain and Skull and Its Co-modulation With Neurodevelopment in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model.

The brain and skeletal systems are intimately integrated during development through common molecular pathways. This is evidenced by genetic disorders where brain and skull dysmorphologies are associated. However, the mechanisms underlying neural and skeletal interactions are poorly understood.

Green tea extracts containing epigallocatechin-3-gallate modulate facial development in Down syndrome.

Trisomy of human chromosome 21 (Down syndrome, DS) alters development of multiple organ systems, including the face and underlying skeleton. Besides causing stigmata, these facial dysmorphologies can impair vital functions such as hearing, breathing, mastication, and health. To investigate the therapeutic potential of green tea extracts containing epigallocatechin-3-gallate (GTE-EGCG) for alleviating facial dysmorphologies associated with DS, we performed an experimental study with continued pre- and postnatal treatment with two doses of GTE-EGCG supplementation in a mouse model of DS, and an observational study of children with DS whose parents administered EGCG as a green tea supplement.

New murine Niemann-Pick type C models bearing a pseudoexon-generating mutation recapitulate the main neurobehavioural and molecular features of the disease.

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is a rare neurovisceral disease caused mainly by mutations in the NPC1 gene. This autosomal recessive lysosomal disorder is characterised by the defective lysosomal secretion of cholesterol and sphingolipids. No effective therapy exists for the disease.

A comparative assessment of intensive and extensive wastewater treatment technologies for removing emerging contaminants in small communities.

Ecosystem pollution due to the lack of or inefficient wastewater treatment coverage in small communities is still a matter of great concern, even in developed countries. This study assesses the seasonal performance of 4 different full-scale wastewater technologies that have been used in small communities (<2000 population equivalent) for more than 10 years in terms of emerging contaminant (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and NH4-N removal efficiency. The studied technologies, which were selected due to their widespread use, included two intensive treatment systems (an extended aeration system (AS) and a rotating biological contactor (RBC)) and two extensive treatment systems (a constructed wetland (CW) and a waste stabilization pond (WSP)), all located in north-eastern Spain.

Distribution and Sources of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Recent Sediments of the Imo River, SE Nigeria.

The distribution of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of the lower course of the Imo River (Nigeria) was investigated to determine the sources and fate of these compounds. The aliphatic fraction is characterized by a widespread contribution of highly weathered/biodegraded hydrocarbon residues (reflected in the absence of prominent n-alkane peaks coupled with the presence of 17α(H),21β(H)-25-norhopane, an indicator of heavy hydrocarbon biodegradation) of Nigerian crude oils (confirmed by the occurrence of 18α(H)-oleanane, a compound characteristic of oils of deltaic origin). The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ranging from 48 to 117 ng/g dry weight (dw; ∑13PAHs) indicate a moderate pollution, possibly lowered by the sandy lithology and low organic carbon (OC) content of the sediments.