Quantitative and qualitative changes in gene expression patterns characterize the activity of plaques in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disorder of the CNS with both genetic and environmental contributing factors. Clinical symptoms are broadly characterized by initial onset, and progressive debilitating neurological impairment. In this study, RNA from MS chronic active and MS acute lesions was extracted, and compared with patient matched normal white matter by fluorescent cDNA microarray hybridization analysis. This resulted in the identification of 139 genes that were differentially regulated in MS plaque tissue compared to normal tissue. Of these, 69 genes showed a common pattern of expression in the chronic active and acute plaque tissues investigated (Pvalue<0.0001, ρ=0.73, by Spearman's ρ analysis); while 70 transcripts were uniquely differentially expressed (≥1.5-fold) in either acute or chronic active tissues. These results included known markers of MS such as the myelin basic protein (MBP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1, nerve growth factors, such as nerve injury-induced protein 1 (NINJ1), X-ray and excision DNA repair factors (XRCC9 and ERCC5) and X-linked genes such as the ribosomal protein, RPS4X. Primers were then designed for seven array-selected genes, including transferrin (TF), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), GSTP1, crystallin, alpha-B (CRYAB), phosphomannomutase 1 (PMM1) and tubulin β-5 (TBB5), and real time quantitative (Q)-PCR analysis was performed. The results of comparative Q-PCR analysis correlated significantly with those obtained by array analysis (r=0.75, Pvalue<0.01, by Pearson's bivariate correlation). Both chronic active and acute plaques shared the majority of factors identified suggesting that quantitative, rather than gross qualitative differences in gene expression pattern may define the progression from acute to chronic active plaques in MS.

Beyond “Beyondness”

When the term “anti-aesthetic” emerged thirty years ago, it was presumed to stand in stark opposition to the “aesthetic.” Today the situation is less clear. While the seminars aim to move beyond this dichotomy, many of the participants doubt whether the anti-aesthetic still holds as an absolute distinction. Over the course of the conversations, other oppositions arise—such as art theory and criticism versus philosophical aesthetics, art history versus visual culture—but it is the debate over Modernism that most complicates moving beyond, to the next aesthetic paradigm.

Changes to airborne pollen counts across Europe

A progressive global increase in the burden of allergic diseases has affected the industrialized world over the last half century and has been reported in the literature. The clinical evidence reveals a general increase in both incidence and prevalence of respiratory diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (common hay fever) and asthma. Such phenomena may be related not only to air pollution and changes in lifestyle, but also to an actual increase in airborne quantities of allergenic pollen. Experimental enhancements of carbon dioxide (CO) have demonstrated changes in pollen amount and allergenicity, but this has rarely been shown in the wider environment. The present analysis of a continental-scale pollen data set reveals an increasing trend in the yearly amount of airborne pollen for many taxa in Europe, which is more pronounced in urban than semi-rural/rural areas. Climate change may contribute to these changes, however increased temperatures do not appear to be a major influencing factor. Instead, we suggest the anthropogenic rise of atmospheric CO levels may be influential.