The conserved endocannabinoid anandamide modulates olfactory sensitivity to induce hedonic feeding in C. elegans.

The ability of cannabis to increase food consumption has been known for centuries. In addition to producing hyperphagia, cannabinoids can amplify existing preferences for calorically dense, palatable food sources, a phenomenon called hedonic amplification of feeding. These effects result from the action of plant-derived cannabinoids that mimic endogenous ligands called endocannabinoids.

Egr1 Is Necessary for Forebrain Dopaminergic Signaling during Social Behavior.

Finding the link between behaviors and their regulatory molecular pathways is a major obstacle in treating neuropsychiatric disorders. The immediate early gene (IEG) is implicated in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, and is linked to gene pathways associated with social behavior. Despite extensive knowledge of gene regulation at the molecular level, it remains unclear how EGR1 deficits might affect the social component of these disorders.

Choice-Selective Neurons in the Auditory Cortex and in Its Striatal Target Encode Reward Expectation.

Learned behavioral responses to sounds depend largely on the expected outcomes associated with each potential choice. Where and how the nervous system integrates expectations about reward with auditory sensory information to drive appropriate decisions is not fully understood. Using a two-alternative choice task in which the expected reward associated with each sound varied over time, we investigated potential sites along the corticostriatal pathway for the integration of sound signals, behavioral choice, and reward information in male mice.

Design and test of a Faraday cup for low-charge measurement of electron beams from laser wakefield acceleration.

Nowadays, laser wakefield acceleration is considered to be one of the perspective methods for GeV electron beam production. The combination of laser accelerated electrons and Compton backscattering of a probe light beam opens the possibility of creating the tabletop source of a femtosecond light beam in x-ray and gamma ranges. The project is aimed at creating a laser-driven Compton light source in ILP SB RAS in collaboration with BINP SB RAS.