No abstract

Tau is a major microtubule-associated protein which induces bundling and stabilization of axonal microtubules (MTs). To investigate the interaction of tau with MTs in living cells, we expressed GFP-tau fusion protein in cultured Xenopus embryo neurons and performed time-lapse imaging of tau-labeled MTs. Tau uniformly labeled individual MTs regardless of their assembly/disassembly status and location along the axon. Photobleaching experiments indicated that interaction of tau with MTs is very dynamic, with a half-time of fluorescence recovery of the order of 3 seconds. Treatment of cells with taxol, a drug that suppresses MT dynamics, rapidly induced detachment of tau from MTs. Although binding of tau to straight MTs was uniform, there was a heightened concentration of tau at the sites of high MT curvature. Our results suggest that dynamic interaction of tau with MTs may modify local mechanical properties of individual MTs and play a crucial role in the remodeling of the MT cytoskeleton during neuronal plasticity.

Confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have a serious and complex impact on the mental health of patients with an eating disorder (ED) and of patients with obesity. The present manuscript has the following aims: (1) to analyse the psychometric properties of the COVID Isolation Eating Scale (CIES), (2) to explore changes that occurred due to confinement in eating symptomatology; and (3) to explore the general acceptation of the use of telemedicine during confinement. The sample comprised 121 participants (87 ED patients and 34 patients with obesity) recruited from six different centres. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) tested the rational-theoretical structure of the 872 FERN ANDEZ-ARANDA ET AL.

Aims Delay of progression from paroxysmal to persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important measure of long-term success of AF treatment. However, published data on the impact of catheter ablation on AF progression are limited. This study evaluates whether radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation delays the progression of AF compared with antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) treatment using current AF management guidelines. Methods This prospective, randomized, controlled, two-arm, open-label trial was conducted at 29 hospitals and medical centres across 13 countries. Patients were randomized 1 : 1 to RF ablation or AAD treatment. The primary endpoint was the rate of persistent AF/atrial tachycardia (AT) at 3 years. Results After early study termination following slow enrolment, 255 (79%) of the planned 322 patients were enrolled (RF ablation, n = 128, AAD, n = 127); 36% of patients in the RF ablation group and 41% in the AAD group completed 3 years of follow-up. For the primary endpoint, the Kaplan–Meier estimate of the rate of persistent AF/AT at 3 years was significantly lower with RF ablation [2.4% (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.6–9.4%)] than with AAD therapy [17.5% (95% CI, 10.7–27.9%); one-sided P = 0.0009]. Patients ≥65 years were ∼4 times more likely to progress to persistent AF/AT than patients <65 years, suggesting RF ablation can delay disease progression [hazard ratio: 3.87 (95% CI, 0.88–17.00); P = 0.0727]. Primary adverse events were reported for eight patients in the RF ablation group. Conclusions Radiofrequency ablation is superior to guideline-directed AAD therapy in delaying the progression from paroxysmal to persistent AF.