Alpha-synuclein-induced stress sensitivity renders the Parkinson's disease brain susceptible to neurodegeneration.

A link between chronic stress and Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis is emerging. Ample evidence demonstrates that the presynaptic neuronal protein alpha-synuclein (asyn) is closely tied to PD pathogenesis. However, it is not known whether stress system dysfunction is present in PD, if asyn is involved, and if, together, they contribute to neurodegeneration.

Psychosis-Like Behavior and Hyperdopaminergic Dysregulation in Human α-Synuclein BAC Transgenic Rats.

Background: Parkinson's disease psychosis is a prevalent yet underreported and understudied nonmotor manifestation of Parkinson's disease and, arguably, the most debilitating. It is unknown if α-synuclein plays a role in psychosis, and if so, this endophenotype may be crucial for elucidating the neurodegenerative process.

Objectives: We sought to dissect the underlying neurobiology of novelty-induced hyperactivity, reminiscent of psychosis-like behavior, in human α-synuclein BAC rats.

Highly fluorescent N-doped carbon nanodots as an effective multi-probe quenching system for the determination of nitrite, nitrate and ferric ions in food matrices.

Tris-(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane and urea were used as low-cost precursor compounds to synthesize highly fluorescent N-doped carbon nanodots (CNDs), in an environmentally-friendly, inexpensive process. The as-prepared CNDs exhibit blue fluorescence, excellent photostability under various conditions, water dispersibility and stability over several parameters, such as a wide range of pH. The N-doped CNDs were applied as a multi-probe fluorescence quenching system to the sensitive detection of nitrite (NO), nitrate (NO) and ferric (Fe) ions in food matrices.