Time course modifications in organotypic culture of human neuroretina

The purpose of this study was to characterize organ culture of human neuroretina and to establish survival and early degeneration patterns of neural and glial cells. Sixteen neuroretina explants were prepared from 2 postmortem eyes of 2 individuals. Four explants were used as fresh retina controls, and 12 were evaluated at 3, 6, and 9 days of culture. Neuroretina explants (5 × 5 mm) were cultured in Transwell® dishes with the photoreceptor layer facing the supporting membrane. Culture medium (Neurobasal A-based) was maintained in contact with the membrane beneath the explant. Cryostat and ultrathin sections were prepared for immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Neuroretinal modifications were evaluated after toluidine blue staining and after immunostaining for neuronal and glial cell markers. Ultrastructural changes were analyzed by electron microscopy. From 0 to 9 days in culture, there was progressive retinal degeneration, including early pyknosis of photoreceptor nuclei, cellular vacuolization in the ganglion cell layer, decrease of both plexiform layer thicknesses, disruption and truncation of photoreceptor outer segments (OS), and marked reduction in the number of nuclei at both nuclear layers where the cells were less densely packed. At 3 days there was swelling of cone OS with impairment of pedicles, loss of axons and dendrites of horizontal and rod bipolar cells that stained for calbindin (CB) and protein kinase C (PKC-α), respectively. After 9 days, horizontal cells were pyknotic and without terminal tips. There were similar degenerative processes in the outer plexiform layer for rod bipolar cells and loss of axon terminal lateral varicosities in the inner plexiform layer. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining did not reveal a dramatic increase of gliosis in Müller cells. However, some Müller cells were CB immunoreactive at 6 days of culture. Over 9 days of culture, human neuroretina explants underwent morphological changes in photoreceptors, particularly the OS and axon terminals, and in postsynaptic horizontal and bipolar cells. These early changes, not previously described in cultured human samples, reproduce some celullar modifications after retinal damage. Thus, this model may be suitable to evaluate therapeutic agents during retinal degeneration processes.

Inclusive education in Spain: how do skills, resources, and supports affect regular education teachers’ perceptions of inclusion?

This study examined regular education teachers’ perceptions of inclusion in elementary and secondary schools in Spain and how these perceptions may differ depending on teaching experience, skills, and the availability of resources and supports. Stratified random sampling procedures were used to draw a representative sample of 336 general education teachers (68 kindergarten, 133 elementary, and 135 secondary teachers) from the province of Alicante. The results indicated the acceptance of the principles of inclusion, although teacher skills, time, material resources, and personal supports for inclusion were deemed insufficient. Kindergarten and elementary teachers showed more positive perceptions of inclusion than secondary education teachers, and so did teachers with more personal supports and material resources than those with less supports and resources. The results are discussed in terms of its implications for practice in order to promote more inclusive classrooms in Spain.

Gender inequalities in occupational health related to the unequal distribution of working and employment conditions: a systematic review

Introduction: Gender inequalities exist in work life, but little is known about their presence in relation to factors examined in occupation health settings. The aim of this study was to identify and summarize the working and employment conditions described as determinants of gender inequalities in occupational health in studies related to occupational health published between 1999 and 2010. Methods: A systematic literature review was undertaken of studies available in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Sociological Abstracts, LILACS, EconLit and CINAHL between 1999 and 2010. Epidemiologic studies were selected by applying a set of inclusion criteria to the title, abstract, and complete text. The quality of the studies was also assessed. Selected studies were qualitatively analysed, resulting in a compilation of all differences between women and men in the prevalence of exposure to working and employment conditions and work-related health problems as outcomes. Results: Most of the 30 studies included were conducted in Europe (n=19) and had a cross-sectional design (n=24). The most common topic analysed was related to the exposure to work-related psychosocial hazards (n=8). Employed women had more job insecurity, lower control, worse contractual working conditions and poorer self-perceived physical and mental health than men did. Conversely, employed men had a higher degree of physically demanding work, lower support, higher levels of effort-reward imbalance, higher job status, were more exposed to noise and worked longer hours than women did. Conclusions: This systematic review has identified a set of working and employment conditions as determinants of gender inequalities in occupational health from the occupational health literature. These results may be useful to policy makers seeking to reduce gender inequalities in occupational health, and to researchers wishing to analyse these determinants in greater depth.