scholarly journals Putting the “Biology” Back into “Neurobiology”: The Strength of Diversity in Animal Model Systems for Neuroscience Research

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Keifer ◽  
Cliff H. Summers
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Neuroscience Research

scholarly journals 20 years of African Neuroscience: Waking a sleeping giant

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
MB Maina ◽  
U Ahmad ◽  
HA Ibrahim ◽  
SK Hamidu ◽  
FE Nasr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Research ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Current State ◽  
Neuroscience Research ◽  
Global North ◽  
New Policies ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Work Done

Understanding the function and dysfunction of the brain remains one of the key challenges of our time. However, an overwhelming majority of brain research is carried out in the Global North, by a minority of well-funded and intimately interconnected labs. In contrast, with an estimated one neuroscientist per million people in Africa, news about neuroscience research from the Global South remains sparse. Clearly, devising new policies to boost Africa’s neuroscience landscape is imperative. However, the policy must be based on accurate data, which is largely lacking. Such data must reflect the extreme heterogeneity of research outputs across the continent’s 54 countries distributed over an area larger than USA, Europe and China combined. Here, we analysed all of Africa’s Neuroscience output over the past 21 years. Uniquely, we individually verified in each of 12,326 publications that the work was indeed performed in Africa and led by African-based researchers. This step is critical: previous estimates grossly inflated figures, because many of Africa’s high-visibility publications are in fact the result of internationally led collaborations, with most work done outside of Africa. The remaining number of African-led Neuroscience publications was 5,219, on average only ~5 per country and year. From here, we extracted metrics such as the journal and citations, as well as detailed information on funding, international collaborations and the techniques and model systems used. We link these metrics to demographic data and indicators of mobility and economy. For reference, we also extracted the same metrics from 220 randomly selected publications each from the UK, USA, Australia, Japan and Brazil. Our unique dataset allows us to gain accurate and in-depth information on the current state of African Neuroscience research, and to put it into a global context. This in turn allows us to make actionable recommendations on how African research might best be supported in the future.

scholarly journals Bovine leukemia virus protease: comparison with human T-lymphotropic virus and human immunodeficiency virus proteases

2007 ◽  
Vol 88 (7) ◽  
pp. 2052-2063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamás Sperka ◽  
Gabriella Miklóssy ◽  
Yunfeng Tie ◽  
Péter Bagossi ◽  
Gábor Zahuczky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Animal Model ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Bovine Leukemia Virus ◽  
Leukemia Virus ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
T Lymphotropic Virus ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a valuable model system for understanding human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1); the availability of an infectious BLV clone, together with animal-model systems, will help to explore anti-HTLV-1 strategies. Nevertheless, the specificity and inhibitor sensitivity of the BLV protease (PR) have not been characterized in detail. To facilitate such studies, a molecular model for the enzyme was built. The specificity of the BLV PR was studied with a set of oligopeptides representing naturally occurring cleavage sites in various retroviruses. Unlike HTLV-1 PR, but similar to the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) enzyme, BLV PR was able to hydrolyse the majority of the peptides, mostly at the same position as did their respective host PRs, indicating a broad specificity. When amino acid residues of the BLV PR substrate-binding sites were replaced by equivalent ones of the HIV-1 PR, many substitutions resulted in inactive protein, indicating a great sensitivity to mutations, as observed previously for the HTLV-1 PR. The specificity of the enzyme was studied further by using a series of peptides containing amino acid substitutions in a sequence representing a naturally occurring HTLV-1 PR cleavage site. Also, inhibitors of HIV-1 PR, HTLV-1 PR and other retroviral proteases were tested on the BLV PR. Interestingly, the BLV PR was more susceptible than the HTLV-1 PR to the inhibitors tested. Therefore, despite the specificity differences, in terms of mutation intolerance and inhibitor susceptibility of the PR, BLV and the corresponding animal-model systems may provide good models for testing of PR inhibitors that target HTLV-1.

scholarly journals Antibody response to the 45 kDa Candida albicans antigen in an animal model and potential role of the antigen in adherence

2008 ◽  
Vol 57 (12) ◽  
pp. 1466-1472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Bujdáková ◽  
Ema Paulovičová ◽  
Silvia Borecká-Melkusová ◽  
Juraj Gašperík ◽  
Soňa Kucharíková ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Confocal Laser

The Candida antigen CR3-RP (complement receptor 3-related protein) is supposed to be a ‘mimicry’ protein because of its ability to bind antibody directed against the α subunit of the mammalian CR3 (CD11b/CD18). This study aimed to (i) investigate the specific humoral isotypic response to immunization with CR3-RP in vivo in a rabbit animal model, and (ii) determine the role of CR3-RP in the adherence of Candida albicans in vitro using the model systems of buccal epithelial cells (BECs) and biofilm formation. The synthetic C. albicans peptide DINGGGATLPQ corresponding to 11 amino-acids of the CR3-RP sequence DINGGGATLPQALXQITGVIT, determined by N-terminal sequencing, was used for immunization of rabbits to obtain polyclonal anti-CR3-PR serum and for subsequent characterization of the humoral isotypic response of rabbits. A significant increase of IgG, IgA and IgM anti-CR3-RP specific antibodies was observed after the third (P<0.01) and the fourth (P<0.001) immunization doses. The elevation of IgA levels suggested peptide immunomodulation of the IgA1 subclass, presumably in coincidence with Candida epithelial adherence. Blocking CR3-RP with polyclonal anti-CR3-RP serum reduced the ability of Candida to adhere to BECs, in comparison with the control, by up to 35 % (P<0.001), and reduced biofilm formation by 28 % (P<0.001), including changes in biofilm thickness and integrity detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy. These properties of CR3-RP suggest that it has potential for future vaccine development.

scholarly journals Two-wavelength near-infrared fluorescence for the quantitation of drug antiplatelet effects in large animal model systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitomo Ashitate ◽  
Soon Hee Kim ◽  
Eiichi Tanaka ◽  
Maged Henary ◽  
Hak Soo Choi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Large Animal Model ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Near Infrared Fluorescence

Mechanisms of Autoimmunity in the Context of T-Cell Tolerance: Insights from Natural and Transgenic Animal Model Systems

1990 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard M. Siegel ◽  
Makoto Katsumata ◽  
Shinji Komori ◽  
Scott Wadsworth ◽  
Linda Gill-Morse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Transgenic Animal ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
T Cell Tolerance ◽  
Cell Tolerance ◽  
Transgenic Animal Model
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