The Biochemical Response of Soybean Cultivars Infected by Species Complex.

Oxidative stress in soybean plants infected with isolates was evaluated in order to select (1) the least aggressive inoculation method, (2) to determine the most aggressive isolate, and (3) to determine the most tolerant soybean cultivar to this isolate. Based on the present malondialdehyde (MDA) content, the main end product of the lipid peroxidation process, and the biomarker for oxidative stress, the mycelium contact method was chosen as the least aggressive inoculation method, compared to the toothpick method and plug method. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide-dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (PX)), the reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and the level of lipid peroxidation (LP) were measured in soybean cv.

Liraglutide restores impaired associative learning in individuals with obesity.

Survival under selective pressure is driven by the ability of our brain to use sensory information to our advantage to control physiological needs. To that end, neural circuits receive and integrate external environmental cues and internal metabolic signals to form learned sensory associations, consequently motivating and adapting our behaviour. The dopaminergic midbrain plays a crucial role in learning adaptive behaviour and is particularly sensitive to peripheral metabolic signals, including intestinal peptides, such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).

Habitual daily intake of a sweet and fatty snack modulates reward processing in humans.

Western diets rich in fat and sugar promote excess calorie intake and weight gain; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Despite a well-documented association between obesity and altered brain dopamine function, it remains elusive whether these alterations are (1) pre-existing, increasing the individual susceptibility to weight gain, (2) secondary to obesity, or (3) directly attributable to repeated exposure to western diet. To close this gap, we performed a randomized, controlled study (NCT05574660) with normal-weight participants exposed to a high-fat/high-sugar snack or a low-fat/low-sugar snack for 8 weeks in addition to their regular diet.

Neural encoding of food and monetary reward delivery.

Different types of rewards such as food and money can similarly drive our behavior owing to shared brain processes encoding their subjective value. However, while the value of money is abstract and needs to be learned, the value of food is rooted in the innate processing of sensory properties and nutritional utilization. Yet, the actual consumption of food and the receipt of money have never been directly contrasted in the same experiment, questioning what unique neural processes differentiate those reward types.

Technical Note: Modulation of fMRI brainstem responses by transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation.

Our increasing knowledge about gut-brain interaction is revolutionising the understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health, and even decision making in our everyday lives. In support of this interaction, the vagus nerve is a crucial pathway transmitting diverse gut-derived signals to the brain to monitor of metabolic status, digestive processes, or immune control to adapt behavioural and autonomic responses. Hence, neuromodulation methods targeting the vagus nerve are currently explored as a treatment option in a number of clinical disorders, including diabetes, chronic pain, and depression.