The Formyl Peptid Receptor Ligand Ac2-26 Improves the Integrity of the Blood-Brain Barrier in the Course of Pneumococcal Meningitis.

Background: The brain is protected from invading pathogens by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the innate immune system. Pattern recognition receptors play a crucial role in detecting bacteria and initiating the innate immune response. Among these are G-protein-coupled formyl peptide receptors (FPR), which are expressed by immune cells in the central nervous system.

Titration of cuprizone induces reliable demyelination.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Cuprizone-induced demyelination, wherein mice are fed a diet containing the copper chelator cuprizone, is a well-established model that replicates key features of demyelination and remyelination. However, the dose-response relationship of cuprizone is complex; high concentrations can induce toxicity, whereas low doses may fail to produce reliable demyelination across subjects.

Magnitude and timescales of Ca isotope variability in human urine: implications for bone mass balance monitoring.

Calcium (Ca) isotopes in blood/urine are emerging biomarkers of bone mineral balance (BMB) in the human body. While multiple studies have investigated Ca isotopes in patients suffering from diseases affecting BMB, comparatively little effort has been devoted to understanding the homeostasis of Ca isotopes in healthy individuals. Here, we report on a longitudinal study of the urine Ca isotope composition (δ44/42CaUrine) from 22 healthy participants (age 19-60) over timescales ranging from days to months.

Carbonate uranium isotopes record global expansion of marine anoxia during the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event.

The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE; ~183 Mya) was a globally significant carbon-cycle perturbation linked to widespread deposition of organic-rich sediments, massive volcanic CO release, marine faunal extinction, sea-level rise, a crisis in carbonate production related to ocean acidification, and elevated seawater temperatures. Despite recognition of the T-OAE as a potential analog for future ocean deoxygenation, current knowledge on the severity of global ocean anoxia is limited largely to studies of the trace element and isotopic composition of black shales, which are commonly affected by local processes. Here, we present the first carbonate-based uranium isotope (δU) record of the T-OAE from open marine platform limestones of the southeastern Tethys Ocean as a proxy for global seawater redox conditions.

Astrocytes: Lessons Learned from the Cuprizone Model.

A diverse array of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia, exhibit distinct myelin abnormalities at both the molecular and histological levels. These aberrations are closely linked to dysfunction of oligodendrocytes and alterations in myelin structure, which may be pivotal factors contributing to the disconnection of brain regions and the resulting characteristic clinical impairments observed in these conditions. Astrocytes, which significantly outnumber neurons in the central nervous system by a five-to-one ratio, play indispensable roles in the development, maintenance, and overall well-being of neurons and oligodendrocytes.

Nitrogen isotopes reveal independent origins of N-fixing symbiosis in extant cycad lineages.

Cycads are ancient seed plants (gymnosperms) that emerged by the early Permian. Although they were common understory flora and food for dinosaurs in the Mesozoic, their abundance declined markedly in the Cenozoic. Extant cycads persist in restricted populations in tropical and subtropical habitats and, with their conserved morphology, are often called 'living fossils.

Carbon cycling: How much life has ever existed on Earth?

Carbon has cycled through Earth's biosphere for billions of years. New work estimates that life has recycled the equivalent of almost 100 times the Earth's entire carbon reservoir through the biosphere. This highlights life's global impact, providing a benchmark for habitable planets.

The Cuprizone Mouse Model: A Comparative Study of Cuprizone Formulations from Different Manufacturers.

The Cuprizone mouse model is widely used in studies on de- and remyelination. In the hands of different experimenters, the Cuprizone concentrations that lead to comparable levels of demyelination differ considerably. The reasons for this variability are unknown.

Current Status Regarding Immunosuppressive Treatment in Patients after Renal Transplantation.

Renal transplantation is now the best treatment for end-stage renal failure. To avoid rejection and prolong graft function, organ recipients need immunosuppressive therapy. The immunosuppressive drugs used depends on many factors, including time since transplantation (induction or maintenance), aetiology of the disease, and/or condition of the graft.

Low sulfated heparan sulfate mimetic differentially affects repair in immune-mediated and toxin-induced experimental models of demyelination.

There is an urgent need for therapies that target the multicellular pathology of central nervous system (CNS) disease. Modified, nonanticoagulant heparins mimic the heparan sulfate glycan family and are known regulators of multiple cellular processes. In vitro studies have demonstrated that low sulfated modified heparin mimetics (LS-mHeps) drive repair after CNS demyelination.

Biohybrid lung Development: Towards Complete Endothelialization of an Assembled Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator.

Towards the establishment of a long-term lung-assist device to be used both as a bridge and as an alternative to lung transplantation according to final destination therapy, we develop the biohybrid lung (BHL) on the technical basis of contemporary extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Here, to overcome the significant drawbacks of ECMO, in particular the missing hemocompatibility of the artificial surfaces, all blood-contacting areas need to be endothelialized sufficiently. In continuation of our recent accomplishments, demonstrating the feasibility of establishing a physiological acting endothelial cell (EC) monolayer on the hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) of the ECMO in vitro, the next step towards BHL translation is the endothelialization of the complete oxygenator, consisting of HFMs and the surrounding housing.

Food Restriction in Mice Induces Food-Anticipatory Activity and Circadian-Rhythm-Related Activity Changes.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by emaciation, hyperactivity, and amenorrhea. To what extent AN-related symptoms are due to food restriction or neuronal dysfunction is currently unknown. Thus, we investigated the relevance of food restriction on AN-related symptoms.