A European survey on biobanks: trends and issues.

Biobanks have recently gained great significance for research and personalised medicine, being recognised as a crucial infrastructure. At the same time, the widely varied practices in biobanking may also pose a barrier to cross-border research and collaboration by limiting access to samples and data. Nevertheless, the extent of the actual activities and the impact of the level of networking and harmonisation have not been fully assessed. To address these issues and to obtain missing knowledge on the extent of biobanking in Europe, the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, in collaboration with the European Science and Technology Observatory (ESTO), conducted a survey among European biobanks. In total, 126 biobanks from 23 countries responded to the survey. Most of them are small or medium-sized public collections set up either for population-based or disease-specific research purposes. The survey indicated a limited networking among the infrastructures. The large majority of them are stand-alone collections and only about half indicated to have a policy for cross-border sharing of samples. Yet, scientific collaborations based on the use of each biobank appear to be prominent. Significant variability was found in terms of consent requirements and related procedures as well as for privacy and data protection issues among the biobanks surveyed. To help promote networking of biobanks and thus maximise public health benefits, at least some degree of harmonisation should be achieved.

Analysis of ankle kinetics during walking in individuals with Down syndrome.

The biomechanical characteristics of the ankle during gait of 17 participants with Down syndrome, ages 8 to 36 years, were investigated. Ten volunteers without disabilities of comparable anthropometric parameters were the control group. A 3-dimensional gait analysis was performed using an optoelectronic system equipped with a force platform. Participants with Down syndrome showed significant decreases of plantar-flexor moments and of A1 and A2 joint powers. Furthermore, correlation between kinetic and temporal spatial parameters was markedly reduced or weak in comparison to the control group. These results point out a hypofunctioning of ankle, probably due to hypotonia and ligament laxity.

The effect of chronic hydergine treatment on the plasticity of synaptic junctions in the dentate gyrus of aged rats.

The number of synapses (Nv), the surface density of contact zones (Sv) as well as the average size (S) of E-PTA stained synapses in the supragranular layer of the dentate gyrus from adult (12 months), old (30 month), and Hydergine-treated old (30 months) rats were measured by using quantitative morphometric techniques. In old animals, Nv and Sv were significantly reduced, whereas S was significantly increased as compared with the values in adult rats. Hydergine (Codergocrine mesylate) treatment of old animals (3 mg/Kg/day for 4 weeks) influenced these three parameters, differentially. The Sv in aged animals receiving Hydergine, relative to that in untreated old rats, was significantly increased; the number and size of synapses in the treated old rats were significantly higher and smaller, respectively, than that in old controls. We interpret the present findings to indicate a modulating effect of Hydergine on the morphological plasticity of synaptic junctions in the dentate gyrus of aged rats.

Age-related morphological rearrangements of synaptic junctions in the rat cerebellum and hippocampus.

A quantitative investigation has been carried out on the age-related morphological changes of the synaptic junctions in the cerebellar glomeruli and in the supragranular layer of the hippocampal dentate gyrus of young (3 months), adult (12 months) and old (28-30 months) rats. The numerical (Nv) and surface (Sv) density as well as the average length (L) of E-PTA stained synapses was calculated by means of morphometric methods. The results we obtained showed a similar trend in both these areas of the CNS. Nv significantly increased between young and adult rats and significantly decreased in the old group, when compared both to young and adult animals. Sv appeared to be unchanged comparing young and adult animals, whereas it was significantly reduced in the old group. L showed a decrease between 3 and 12 months of age and appeared to be markedly increased in the old animals when compared to adult values. From the present findings it can be inferred that number (Nv) and size (L) of the synapses are in a close inverse relationship which, through the organism's life span, aims to maintain the constancy of the surface contact area (Sv) among the dendritic network. By considering Nv, L and Sv altogether per age group, we were able to obtain a reliable measurement of the morphological aspect of synaptic plasticity through different periods of the life. With regard to aging we found that, despite the 'compensative synaptogenesis' brought about by the increased size (L) of the synaptic appositions, the reactive capacity of old nerve cells is seriously impaired.

Quantitative investigation of the morphological plasticity of synaptic junctions in rat dentate gyrus during aging.

The morphological plasticity of synaptic junctions was investigated by means of quantitative stereology in the dentate gyrus supragranular layer of young (3 months), adult (12 months) and old (30 months) female Fisher 344 rats. The numerical (Nv) and surface (Sv) density and the average surface area (S) of EPTA-stained synaptic junctions were calculated on 100 EM pictures per age group. We found that Nv significantly increased between the young and adult group and decreased in old animals when compared both to 3 and 12 months of age. Sv was unchanged in young and adult rats, whereas it underwent a significant reduction in the old group. The percentage distribution of S showed that at 3 months of age the majority of the synaptic population had an average size ranging between 0.12 and 0.20 micron 2, whereas during adulthood and aging there was a shift towards smaller and larger synaptic contacts, respectively. Taking into account Nv, Sv and S all together per age group, the present findings demonstrate that the morphological aspect of synaptic plasticity is markedly influenced by time and that during aging it undergoes a serious impairment. The possible involvement in memory and learning processes of these synaptic age-related morphological adaptations and the fact that the investigated junctions are supposed to be cholinergic is discussed.

A modulating effect of Hygergine on the synaptic plasticity of old rats.

The morphological plasticity of E-PTA stained synaptic junctions was investigated by means of quantitative morphometry in the dentate gyrus supra-granular layer of adult, old and old-Hydergine treated rats. Numerical (Nv) and surface (Sv) density as well as average size of the synapses (S) were the three parameters considered. During aging, Nv and Sv significantly decrease whereas S increases. Hydergine treatment to old rats resulted in a significant increase of Nv and Sv and a significant decrease of S. Present findings are interpreted as a modulating effect of Hydergine on the synaptic plasticity of old rats.