A population of Insula neurons encodes for social preference only after acute social isolation in mice.

The Insula functions as a multisensory relay involved in socio-emotional processing with projections to sensory, cognitive, emotional, and motivational regions. Notably, the interhemispheric projection from the Insula to the contralateral Insula is a robust yet underexplored connection. Using viral-based tracing neuroanatomy, ex vivo and in vivo electrophysiology, in vivo fiber photometry along with targeted circuit manipulation, we elucidated the nature and role of Insula communication in social and anxiety processing in mice.

Medullary Thyroid Cancer: Epidemiology and Characteristics According to Data From the Marne-Ardennes Register 1975-2018.

Context: Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare disease.

Objective: The main objective of our study was to analyze the incidence evolution of MTC with a follow-up of more than 40 years. Further, a descriptive and survival analysis was performed according to the Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Poor inhibitory control predicts sex-specific vulnerability to nicotine rewarding properties in mice.

Rationale: The risk of becoming addicted to tobacco varies greatly from individual to individual, raising the possibility of behavioural biomarkers capable of predicting sensitivity to nicotine reward, a crucial step in the development of nicotine addiction. Amongst all of nicotine's pharmacological properties, one of central importance is the enhancement of cognitive performances, which depend on the balance between attentional processes and inhibitory control. However, whether the cognitive enhancement effects of nicotine are predictive of sensitivity to its rewarding properties is still unknown.

A single mild juvenile TBI in male mice leads to regional brain tissue abnormalities at 12 months of age that correlate with cognitive impairment at the middle age.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has the highest incidence amongst the pediatric population and its mild severity represents the most frequent cases. Moderate and severe injuries as well as repetitive mild TBI result in lasting morbidity. However, whether a single mild TBI sustained during childhood can produce long-lasting modifications within the brain is still debated.

Impact of Acetaldehyde Addition on the Sensory Perception of Syrah Red Wines.

Two experimental Syrah red wines with different polyphenol contents were used to study the impact of acetaldehyde addition on olfactory perception. Free acetaldehyde levels were measured in red wine by Head Space-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) to determine the acetaldehyde combination levels for those wines. Significant differences were observed for both sensory threshold and acetaldehyde combination for the wines.

Synthesis of Substituted Pyridines via Formal (3+3) Cycloaddition of Enamines with Unsaturated Aldehydes and Ketones.

An organocatalyzed, formal (3+3) cycloaddition reaction is described for the practical synthesis of substituted pyridines. Starting from readily available enamines and enal/ynal/enone substrates, the protocol affords tri- or tetrasubstituted pyridine scaffolds bearing various functional groups. This method was demonstrated on a 50 g scale, enabling the synthesis of 2-isopropyl-4-methylpyridin-3-amine, a raw material used for the manufacture of sotorasib.

Impact of acute and chronic nicotine administration on midbrain dopaminergic neuron activity and related behaviours in TRPV1 knock-out juvenile mice.

The addictive properties of nicotine, the main alkaloid in tobacco and tobacco-derived products, largely depend on its action on the activity of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel has also been examined as an emerging contributor to addiction-related symptoms due to its ability to modulate midbrain neurons. Thus, the objective of our study was to explore the role of TRPV1 receptors (TRPV1Rs) on nicotine-induced behaviours and associated response of DA neuron activity.

Nitration of Aryl Boronic Acids Using Fuming Nitric Acid.

The nitration of aryl boronic acid derivatives has been developed using fuming nitric acid as the nitrating agent. This facile procedure provides efficient and chemoselective access to a variety of aromatic nitro compounds. While several activating agents and nitro sources have been reported in the literature for this synthetically useful transformation, this report demonstrates that these processes likely generate a common active reagent, anhydrous HNO.

Study of the relationship between red wine colloidal fraction and astringency by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation coupled with multi-detection.

Macromolecules including condensed tannins and polysaccharides impact wine taste and especially astringency. Asymmetrical Flow-Field-Flow-Fractionation (AF4) coupled to UV detection (UV), multi-angle light scattering (MALS) and refractive index detection (dRI) has been proposed to separate red wine colloids. The present work aimed at relating AF4-mutidetection profiles with red wine astringency.

Flavor additives facilitate oral self-administration of nicotine solution in mice.

Rationale: Tobacco products are very addictive, partly because they contain nicotine which is reinforcing, but also because they include appealing aromas and tastes. Flavor additives are such sensory stimuli which enhance attractiveness, as well as use and abuse of tobacco and vaping products. Yet, the interaction between these flavor additives and nicotine remains poorly understood.

Development of a methodology to study typicity of PDO wines with professionals of the wine sector.

Background: Today, many agricultural products claiming a link to their origin and typicity receive a warm welcome on the market. Nevertheless, the notion of typicity is blurred for consumers and needs to be objectified for communication purposes. This study aims at formalizing a methodology for studying typicity of terroirs, with PDO wines as an example, using a participatory approach with professionals of the wine sector from terroirs, using focus group and tasting.

Circulating Triglycerides Gate Dopamine-Associated Behaviors through DRD2-Expressing Neurons.

Energy-dense food alters dopaminergic (DA) transmission in the mesocorticolimbic (MCL) system and can promote reward dysfunctions, compulsive feeding, and weight gain. Yet the mechanisms by which nutrients influence the MCL circuitry remain elusive. Here, we show that nutritional triglycerides (TGs), a conserved post-prandial metabolic signature among mammals, can be metabolized within the MCL system and modulate DA-associated behaviors by gating the activity of dopamine receptor subtype 2 (DRD2)-expressing neurons through a mechanism that involves the action of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL).

Mechanistic Insights into the Racemization of Fused Cyclopropyl Isoxazolines.

Experimental and computational studies of the unexpected racemization of enantiopure fused cyclopropyl isoxazolines are reported. These studies offer insights into the mechanism of racemization, quantify the position of the transition state on the dipolar-diradical continuum, and establish a relationship between the structure and stability of this class of compounds. Experimental and computed energy barriers for racemization are also presented.

The motivation for exercise over palatable food is dictated by cannabinoid type-1 receptors.

The lack of intrinsic motivation to engage in, and adhere to, physical exercise has major health consequences. However, the neurobiological bases of exercise motivation are still unknown. This study aimed at examining whether the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in this process.

Arc reactivity in accumbens nucleus, amygdala and hippocampus differentiates cue over context responses during reactivation of opiate withdrawal memory.

Opiate withdrawal induces an early aversive state which can be associated to contexts and/or cues, and re-exposure to either these contexts or cues may participate in craving and relapse. Nucleus accumbens (NAC), hippocampus (HPC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) are crucial substrates for acute opiate withdrawal, and for withdrawal memory retrieval. Also HPC and BLA interacting with the NAC are suggested to respectively mediate the processing of context and cue representations of drug-related memories.

Attentional capacities prior to drug exposure predict motivation to self-administer nicotine.

Rationale: Nicotine can enhance attention and attribution of incentive salience to nicotine-associated stimuli. However, it is not clear whether inter-individual differences in attentional capacities prior to any exposure could play a role in vulnerability to nicotine self-administration. We further explored this vulnerability through pre-existing inter-individual differences in attention to a reward-predictive cue in drug-free animals.

NMDA-receptor-dependent plasticity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis triggers long-term anxiolysis.

Anxiety is controlled by multiple neuronal circuits that share robust and reciprocal connections with the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a key structure controlling negative emotional states. However, it remains unknown how the BNST integrates diverse inputs to modulate anxiety. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of infralimbic cortex (ILCx) and ventral subiculum/CA1 (vSUB/CA1) inputs in regulating BNST activity at the single-cell level.

Impact of perinatal exposure to high-fat diet and stress on responses to nutritional challenges, food-motivated behaviour and mesolimbic dopamine function.

Background/objectives: Energy-dense food exposure and stress during development have been suggested to contribute to obesity and metabolic disorders later in life. Although these factors are frequently associated, the effects of their combination have not yet been investigated. In this study, using an animal model, we examined the long-term impact of maternal high-fat diet (HFD) and early-life stress (ELS) on energy homoeostasis control and food motivation.

Memories of Opiate Withdrawal Emotional States Correlate with Specific Gamma Oscillations in the Nucleus Accumbens.

Affective memories associated with the negative emotional state experienced during opiate withdrawal are central in maintaining drug taking, seeking, and relapse. Nucleus accumbens (NAC) is a key structure for both acute withdrawal and withdrawal memories reactivation, but the NAC neuron coding properties underpinning the expression of these memories remain largely unknown. Here we aimed at deciphering the role of NAC neurons in the encoding and retrieval of opiate withdrawal memory.