143 research outputs found
A toolkit to explore lived experience of motivation: When words are not enough
No full textDesigning to support motivation is an increasingly important issue, especially as pervasive technologies are used to facilitate various healthy behaviour changes. There are many motivation theories but these do not map specifically to inform design. In ‘Motivating Mobility’ we explore the lived experiences of motivation of people with stroke, in order to design rehabilitation technologies. Motivation varies between people, between contexts and over time and can be ‘difficult to express’, particularly for those with communication problems. We describe development of a theoretically based toolkit, principled in both content and form, and using multiple modes of communication, aimed at gathering motivational requirements in order to inspire design. We show use of the toolkit, discuss the rich data collected and reflect on how well the approach works and ties requirements, via their elicitation tool, back to theory. This toolkit has potential to inform design for motivational effect in similar pervasive health applications
The reality of homes fit for heroes: design challenges for rehabilitation technology at home.
No full textIt is widely accepted that rigorous rehabilitation exercises after a stroke can help restore some functionality. However for many patients, this means exercises at home with minimal, if any, clinician support. Technologies that help motivate and promote good exercises offer significant potential but need to be designed to realistically take account of real homes and real lives of the people who have had a stroke. As part of the Motivating Mobility project, we carried out a series of visits to homes of people living with stroke and photographed their homes. In contrast to many utopian smart home scenarios, the elderly of today live in homes that were built as homes fit for heroes' but have been evolved and adapted over time and present significant challenges for the design of in-home rehabilitation technologies. These challenges include the uses and repurposing of use of rooms, attitudes to and uses of existing technologies, space available in the home, feelings about different spaces within homes and individual preferences and interests. The findings provide a set of sensitivities that will help shape and frame ongoing design work for the successful deployment of rehabilitation technologies in real homes
Therapeutic inhibition of soluble brain TNF promotes remyelination by increasing myelin phagocytosis by microglia
No full textDefamation, A Camouflage of Psychic Interests: The Beginning of a Behavioral Analysis
No full textDoes the law of defamation need to be reformed? The author thinks so. Professor Probert rejects the doctrine of libel per se and questions the courts\u27 understanding and use of the term reputation. It is his belief that plaintiffs on an individual basis should have increased benefit of the knowledge accumulated by the various social sciences in proving the harm done by the alleged defamation, with more liberalization in the requirements of pleading and proof than is now generally countenanced by the courts
Accelerated Cellular Senescence in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: A Histopathological Study
No full textObjective: The neurodegenerative processes driving the build-up of disability in progressive multiple sclerosis (P-MS) have not been fully elucidated. Recent data link cellular senescence (CS) to neurodegeneration. We investigated for evidence of CS in P-MS and sought to determine its pattern. Methods: We used 53BP1, p16, and lipofuscin as markers of CS in white matter lesions (WMLs), normal appearing white matter (NAWM), normal appearing cortical gray matter (NAGM), control white matter (CWM), and control gray matter (CGM) on autopsy material from patient with P-MS and healthy controls. Senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors were quantified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Results: P16+ cell counts were significantly increased in WMLs and GMLs, compared with NAWM, CWM, NAGM, and CGM and lipofuscin+ cells were significantly increased in WMLs, compared with NAWM and CWM, indicating more abundant CS in demyelinated lesions. The 53BP1+ cells in WMLs were significantly increased compared with NAWM and CWM. The 53BP1+ and p16+ cells were found significantly more abundant in acute active WMLs and GMLs, compared with chronic inactive lesions. Co-localization studies showed evidence of CS in neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, and macrophages. Among the quantified CSF SASP factors, IL-6, MIF, and MIP1a levels correlated with 53BP1+ cell counts in NAGM, whereas IL-10 levels correlated with p16+ cell counts in NAWM. P16+ cell counts in WMLs exhibited an inverse correlation with time to requiring a wheelchair and with age at death. Interpretation: Our data indicates that CS primarily affects actively demyelinating gray and WMLs. A higher senescent cell load in P-MS is associated with faster disability progression and death. ANN NEUROL 2025
Χαρακτηρισμός ενός επαγόμενου συστήματος γενετικής στόχευσης σε ενδοθηλιακά κύτταρα ποντικών με στόχο την ανάλυση φαινομένων φλεγμονής στον εγκέφαλο
No full textΒιβλιογραφία σ. 626
A National Representative, Cross-Sectional Study by the Hellenic Academy of NeuroImmunology (HEL.A.NI.) on COVID-19 and Multiple Sclerosis: Overall Impact and Willingness Toward Vaccination
No full textBackground: In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the constant needs of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and their caregivers were urgently highlighted.Aim: The present study aims to capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in several aspects of the quality of life of PwMS, in perception and behavior to COVID-19 and multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as concerning healthcare, working conditions, and the willingness toward COVID-19 vaccination.Methods: This study is an initiative of the Hellenic Academy of Neuroimmunology (HEL.A.NI.) and it has been included in the MS Data Alliance (MSDA) Catalog, which can be accessed after creating an account on . Two online questionnaires were administered: (i) impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life, behavior, and healthcare of PwMS (Questionnaire A) and (ii) vaccination against COVID-19 (Questionnaire B). People with MS were invited to participate by the Hellenic Federation of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (HFoPwMS).Results: Three-hundred-ninety PwMS responded to Questionnaire A, whereas 176 PwMS provided answers for Questionnaire B. Older age, longer disease duration, and higher MS-related disability were associated with the increased perceived sensitivity toward severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, as well as the increased perceived severity of COVID-19 upon potential infection. A significant proportion of PwMS experienced restricted access to MS-related health professionals, disease-modifying therapy (DMT) prescription, and/or to MS-related laboratory examination due to the pandemic. Subgroups of PwMS reported exacerbated symptoms (i.e., chronic MS-related symptoms, fatigue and/or worsening of pre-existing fatigue, and sexual dysfunction and or/worsening of pre-existing sexual dysfunction). Overall, the majority of the participants reported either a strong willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or a likeliness to undergo vaccination. Being aware of the HEL.A.NI. recommendations regarding COVID-19 vaccination for PwMS were reported to increase the willingness of the participants to receive the vaccine.Conclusions: Our results highlight the necessity of scientific and patient organizations in taking joint action to increase awareness on health-related issues during the pandemic and to provide accurate and up-to-date guidance for PwMS. Online information and communications technology (ICT) tools for polling public belief and behavior may prove valuable as means of retaining active routes of communication between stakeholders.We would like to acknowledge Vasiliki Maraka and Moira Tzitzika of the Hellenic Federation of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (HFoPwMS) for rapidly and effectively bringing the initiative into public awareness via appropriate publicity measures, as well as the members of the General Assembly of the Hellenic Academy of Neuroimmunology (HEL.A.NI.) for reviewing the questionnaires and supporting the initiative
Mannan-MOG35-55 Reverses Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Inducing a Peripheral Type 2 Myeloid Response, Reducing CNS Inflammation, and Preserving Axons in Spinal Cord Lesions
No full textCNS autoantigens conjugated to oxidized mannan (OM) induce antigen-specific T cell tolerance and protect mice against autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). To investigate whether OM-peptides treat EAE initiated by human MHC class II molecules, we administered OM-conjugated murine myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide 35-55 (OM-MOG) to humanized HLA-DR2b transgenic mice (DR2b.Ab°), which are susceptible to MOG-EAE. OM-MOG protected DR2b.Ab° mice against MOG-EAE by both prophylactic and therapeutic applications. OM-MOG reversed clinical symptoms, reduced spinal cord inflammation, demyelination, and neuronal damage in DR2b.Ab° mice, while preserving axons within lesions and inducing the expression of genes associated with myelin ( Mbp ) and neuron ( Snap25 ) recovery in B6 mice. OM-MOG-induced tolerance was peptide-specific, not affecting PLP178-191-induced EAE or polyclonal T cell proliferation responses. OM-MOG-induced immune tolerance involved rapid induction of PD-L1- and IL-10-producing myeloid cells, increased expression of Chi3l3 (Ym1) in secondary lymphoid organs and characteristics of anergy in MOG-specific CD4 + T cells. The results show that OM-MOG treats MOG-EAE in a peptide-specific manner, across mouse/human MHC class II barriers, through induction of a peripheral type 2 myeloid cell response and T cell anergy, and suggest that OM-peptides might be useful for suppressing antigen-specific CD4 + T cell responses in the context of human autoimmune CNS demyelination.CNS autoantigens conjugated to oxidized mannan (OM) induce antigen-specific T cell tolerance and protect mice against autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). To investigate whether OM-peptides treat EAE initiated by human MHC class II molecules, we administered OM-conjugated murine myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide 35-55 (OM-MOG) to humanized HLA-DR2b transgenic mice (DR2b.Ab°), which are susceptible to MOG-EAE. OM-MOG protected DR2b.Ab° mice against MOG-EAE by both prophylactic and therapeutic applications. OM-MOG reversed clinical symptoms, reduced spinal cord inflammation, demyelination, and neuronal damage in DR2b.Ab° mice, while preserving axons within lesions and inducing the expression of genes associated with myelin ( Mbp ) and neuron ( Snap25 ) recovery in B6 mice. OM-MOG-induced tolerance was peptide-specific, not affecting PLP178-191-induced EAE or polyclonal T cell proliferation responses. OM-MOG-induced immune tolerance involved rapid induction of PD-L1- and IL-10-producing myeloid cells, increased expression of Chi3l3 (Ym1) in secondary lymphoid organs and characteristics of anergy in MOG-specific CD4 + T cells. The results show that OM-MOG treats MOG-EAE in a peptide-specific manner, across mouse/human MHC class II barriers, through induction of a peripheral type 2 myeloid cell response and T cell anergy, and suggest that OM-peptides might be useful for suppressing antigen-specific CD4 + T cell responses in the context of human autoimmune CNS demyelination
TNF receptor I sensitizes neurons to erythropoietin- and VEGF-mediated neuroprotection after ischemic and excitotoxic injury
No full text: CNS neurons use robust cytoprotective mechanisms to ensure survival and functioning under conditions of injury. These involve pathways induced by endogenous neuroprotective cytokines such as erythropoietin (EPO). Recently, in contrast to its well known deleterious roles, TNF has also been shown to exhibit neuroprotective properties. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which TNF receptor (TNFR)I mediates neuroprotection by comparing the gene expression profiles of lesioned cortex from WT and TNFRI KO mice after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Several known neuroprotective molecules were identified as TNFRI targets, notably members of the Bcl-2 family, DNA repair machinery and cell cycle, developmental, and differentiation factors, neurotransmitters and growth factors, as well as their receptors, including EPO receptor (EPOR), VEGF, colony-stimulating factor receptor 1, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and nerve growth factor (NGF). Further analysis showed that induction of EPOR and VEGF expression in primary cortical neurons after glucose deprivation (GD) largely depended on TNFRI and was further up-regulated by TNF. Also, EPO- and VEGF-induced neuroprotection against GD, oxygen-glucose deprivation, and NMDA excitotoxicity depended significantly on TNFRI presence. Finally, EPO prevented neuronal damage induced by kainic acid in WT but not TNFRI KO mice. Our results identify cross-talk between tissue protective cytokines, specifically that TNFRI is necessary for constitutive and GD-induced expression of EPOR and VEGF and for EPO-mediated neuroprotection
TNF and related molecules: trends in neuroscience and clinical applications1This is a Meeting report from the 6th International TNF Congress: TNF and Related Molecules, Scientific Trends and Clinical Applications. Abstracts are published in European Cytokine Network 7 (1996) 143–346.1
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