Enhancing diffusion-weighted prostate MRI through self-supervised denoising and evaluation.

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that provides information about the Brownian motion of water molecules within biological tissues. DWI plays a crucial role in stroke imaging and oncology, but its diagnostic value can be compromised by the inherently low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Conventional supervised deep learning-based denoising techniques encounter challenges in this domain as they necessitate noise-free target images for training.

Dysfunction of the magnocellular subdivision of the visual thalamus in developmental dyslexia.

Developmental dyslexia (DD) is one of the most common learning disorders, affecting millions of children and adults worldwide. To date, scientific research has attempted to explain DD primarily based on pathophysiological alterations in the cerebral cortex. In contrast, several decades ago, pioneering research on five post-mortem human brains suggested that a core characteristic of DD might be morphological alterations in a specific subdivision of the visual thalamus-the magnocellular lateral geniculate nucleus (M-LGN).

Major vault protein is part of an extracellular cement material in the Atlantic salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis).

Major vault protein (MVP) is the main component of the vault complex, which is a highly conserved ribonucleoprotein complex found in most eukaryotic organisms. MVP or vaults have previously been found to be overexpressed in multidrug-resistant cancer cells and implicated in various cellular processes such as cell signaling and innate immunity. The precise function of MVP is, however, poorly understood and its expression and probable function in lower eukaryotes are not well characterized.

Detailed mapping of the complex fiber structure and white matter pathways of the chimpanzee brain.

Long-standing questions about human brain evolution may only be resolved through comparisons with close living evolutionary relatives, such as chimpanzees. This applies in particular to structural white matter (WM) connectivity, which continuously expanded throughout evolution. However, due to legal restrictions on chimpanzee research, neuroscience research currently relies largely on data with limited detail or on comparisons with evolutionarily distant monkeys.

Lateralization of dorsal fiber tract targeting Broca's area concurs with language skills during development.

Language is bounded to the left hemisphere in the adult brain and the functional lateralization can already be observed early during development. Here we investigate whether this is paralleled by a lateralization of the white matter structural language network. We analyze the strength and microstructural properties of language-related fiber tracts connecting temporal and frontal cortices with a separation of two dorsal tracts, one targeting the posterior Broca's area (BA44) and one targeting the precentral gyrus (BA6).

Salmon louse labial gland enzymes: implications for host settlement and immune modulation.

Salmon louse () is a skin- and blood-feeding ectoparasite, infesting salmonids. While feeding, labial gland proteins from the salmon louse may be deposited on the Atlantic salmon () skin. Previously characterized labial gland proteins are involved in anti-coagulation and may contribute to inhibiting Atlantic salmon from mounting a sufficient immune response against the ectoparasite.

Brain structure and function: a multidisciplinary pipeline to study hominoid brain evolution.

To decipher the evolution of the hominoid brain and its functions, it is essential to conduct comparative studies in primates, including our closest living relatives. However, strong ethical concerns preclude neuroimaging of great apes. We propose a responsible and multidisciplinary alternative approach that links behavior to brain anatomy in non-human primates from diverse ecological backgrounds.

Morphological evolution of language-relevant brain areas.

Human language is supported by a cortical network involving Broca's area, which comprises Brodmann Areas 44 and 45 (BA44 and BA45). While cytoarchitectonic homolog areas have been identified in nonhuman primates, it remains unknown how these regions evolved to support human language. Here, we use histological data and advanced cortical registration methods to precisely compare the morphology of BA44 and BA45 in humans and chimpanzees.

High angular resolution susceptibility imaging and estimation of fiber orientation distribution functions in primate brain.

Uncovering brain-tissue microstructure including axonal characteristics is a major neuroimaging research focus. Within this scope, anisotropic properties of magnetic susceptibility in white matter have been successfully employed to estimate primary axonal trajectories using mono-tensorial models. However, anisotropic susceptibility has not yet been considered for modeling more complex fiber structures within a voxel, such as intersecting bundles, or an estimation of orientation distribution functions (ODFs).

Transcriptomic and targeted immune transcript analyses confirm localized skin immune responses in Atlantic salmon towards the salmon louse.

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are highly susceptible to infestations with the ectoparasite Lepeophtheirus salmonis, the salmon louse. Infestations elicit an immune response in the fish, but the response does not lead to parasite clearance, nor does it protect against subsequent infestations. It is, however, not known why the immune response is not adequate, possibly because the local response directly underneath the louse has been poorly evaluated.

Uncovering the Morphological Evolution of Language-Relevant Brain Areas.

Human language is supported by a cortical network involving Broca's area which comprises Brodmann Areas 44 and 45 (BA44, BA45). While cytoarchitectonic homolog areas have been identified in nonhuman primates, it remains unknown how these regions evolved to support human language. Here, we use histological data and advanced cortical registration methods to precisely compare the morphology of BA44 and 45 between humans and chimpanzees.

GMO analysis results from official food control laboratories in Germany from 2017 to 2021.

In Germany, genetically modified organisms (GMO) analysis of food samples collected within the official food control is performed by the laboratories of the Federal States. The present report shows GMO analysis results from food samples of the years 2017 to 2021, including contaminations by unauthorized GMO, as well as genetically modified (GM) plant events authorized in the European Union. In addition to previous publications, evaluation of the aggregated food samples analysed for GMO components is shown.

Mining Lepeophtheirus salmonis RNA-Seq data for qPCR reference genes and their application in Caligus elongatus.

Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus are two parasitic copepod species posing a significant threat to salmonid aquaculture. Consequently, several gene expression studies are executed each year to gain new knowledge and treatment strategies. Though, to enable accurate gene expression measurements by quantitative real time PCR, stable reference genes are needed.

A novel approach to co-expression network analysis identifies modules and genes relevant for moulting and development in the Atlantic salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis).

Background: The salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is an obligate ectoparasitic copepod living on Atlantic salmon and other salmonids in the marine environment. Salmon lice cause a number of environmental problems and lead to large economical losses in aquaculture every year. In order to develop novel parasite control strategies, a better understanding of the mechanisms of moulting and development of the salmon louse at the transcriptional level is required.

Mapping the human lateral geniculate nucleus and its cytoarchitectonic subdivisions using quantitative MRI.

The human lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the visual thalamus is a key subcortical processing site for visual information analysis. Due to its small size and deep location within the brain, a non-invasive characterization of the LGN and its microstructurally distinct magnocellular (M) and parvocellular (P) subdivisions in humans is challenging. Here, we investigated whether structural quantitative MRI (qMRI) methods that are sensitive to underlying microstructural tissue features enable MR-based mapping of human LGN M and P subdivisions.

The salmon louse genome: Copepod features and parasitic adaptations.

Copepods encompass numerous ecological roles including parasites, detrivores and phytoplankton grazers. Nonetheless, copepod genome assemblies remain scarce. Lepeophtheirus salmonis is an economically and ecologically important ectoparasitic copepod found on salmonid fish.

The FTZ-F1 gene encodes two functionally distinct nuclear receptor isoforms in the ectoparasitic copepod salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis).

The salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is an ectoparasitic crustacean that annually inflicts substantial losses to the aquaculture industry in the northern hemisphere and poses a threat to the wild populations of salmonids. The salmon louse life cycle consists of eight developmental stages each separated by a molt. Fushi Tarazu Factor-1 (FTZ-F1) is an ecdysteroid-regulated gene that encodes a member of the NR5A family of nuclear receptors that is shown to play a crucial regulatory role in molting in insects and nematodes.

Roles of three putative salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) prostaglandin E synthases in physiology and host-parasite interactions.

Background: The salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is a parasite of salmonid fish. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exhibit only a limited and ineffective immune response when infested with this parasite. Prostaglandins (PGs) have many biological functions in both invertebrates and vertebrates, one of which is the regulation of immune responses.

Identification of critical enzymes in the salmon louse chitin synthesis pathway as revealed by RNA interference-mediated abrogation of infectivity.

Treatment of infestation by the ectoparasite Lepeophtheirus salmonis relies on a small number of chemotherapeutant treatments that currently meet with limited success. Drugs targeting chitin synthesis have been largely successful against terrestrial parasites where the pathway is well characterised. However, a comparable approach against salmon lice has been, until recently, less successful, likely due to a poor understanding of the chitin synthesis pathway.

Host gill attachment causes blood-feeding by the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) chalimus larvae and alters parasite development and transcriptome.

Background: Blood-feeding is a common strategy among parasitizing arthropods, including the ectoparasitic salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis), feeding off its salmon host's skin and blood. Blood is rich in nutrients, among these iron and heme. These are essential molecules for the louse, yet their oxidative properties render them toxic to cells if not handled appropriately.

Heavy and light chain homologs of ferritin are essential for blood-feeding and egg production of the ectoparasitic copepod Lepeophtheirus salmonis.

The salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is a hematophagous ectoparasite of salmonid fish. Due to its blood-feeding activity, the louse is exposed to great amounts of iron, which is an essential, yet potentially toxic mineral. The major known iron storage protein is ferritin, which the salmon louse encodes four genes of (LsFer1-4).

A scavenger receptor B (CD36)-like protein is a potential mediator of intestinal heme absorption in the hematophagous ectoparasite Lepeophtheirus salmonis.

Intestinal absorption of heme has remained enigmatic for years, even though heme provides the most bioavailable form of iron. The salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is a heme auxotrophic ectoparasite feeding on large quantities of blood from its host, the salmon. Here we show that a scavenging CD36-like receptor is a potential mediator of heme absorption in the intestine of the salmon louse.

Chitin synthesis and degradation in Lepeophtheirus salmonis: Molecular characterization and gene expression profile during synthesis of a new exoskeleton.

Animals with exoskeleton need to molt to grow and develop. Molting is well described in some arthropods especially insects. Chitin is a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine, and one of the major components of the exoskeleton of arthropods.