Identification of new reference genes with stable expression patterns for cell cycle experiments in human leukemia cell lines.

Cell cycle-dependent gene expression analysis is particularly important as numerous genes show tightly regulated expression patterns at different phases of the cell cycle. For cancer cells, analysis of cell cycle-related events is of paramount significance since tumorigenesis is characteristically coupled to cell cycle perturbations. RT-qPCR is a highly sensitive technique to investigate cell cycle-dependent transcriptional regulation.

ChatGPT M.D.: Is there any room for generative AI in neurology?

ChatGPT, a general artificial intelligence, has been recognized as a powerful tool in scientific writing and programming but its use as a medical tool is largely overlooked. The general accessibility, rapid response time and comprehensive training database might enable ChatGPT to serve as a diagnostic augmentation tool in certain clinical settings. The diagnostic process in neurology is often challenging and complex.

Endocannabinoid and neuroplasticity-related changes as susceptibility factors in a rat model of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Traumatic experiences result in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 10-25% of exposed individuals. While human clinical studies suggest that susceptibility is potentially linked to endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling, neurobiological PTSD susceptibility factors are poorly understood. Employing a rat model of contextual conditioned fear, we characterized distinct resilient and susceptible subpopulations based on lasting generalized fear, a core symptom of PTSD.

Alterations in resting-state gamma-activity is adults with autism spectrum disorder: A High-Density EEG study.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a wide range of symptoms that include deficits in social cognition and difficulties with social interactions. Neural oscillations in the EEG gamma band have been proposed as an important candidate neurobiological marker of higher order cognitive processes and social interactions. We investigated resting-state gamma-activity of patients with ASD (n=23) in order to delineate alterations as compared to typically developing (TD) subjects (n=24).

Post-weaning social isolation in male mice leads to abnormal aggression and disrupted network organization in the prefrontal cortex: Contribution of parvalbumin interneurons with or without perineuronal nets.

Adverse social experiences during childhood increase the risk of developing aggression-related psychopathologies. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key regulator of social behavior, where experience-dependent network development is tied to the maturation of parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons. Maltreatment in childhood could impact PFC development and lead to disturbances in social behavior during later life.

Low Dark Current Organic Photodetectors Utilizing Highly Cyanated Non-fullerene Acceptors.

Organic materials combining high electron affinity with strong absorption in the visible spectrum are of interest for photodetector applications. In this study, we report two such molecular semiconductors, based upon an acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) approach. Coupling of an acceptor end group, 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-4,5,6-tricarbonitrile (TCNBT), with a donor cyclopentadithiophene core affords materials with a band gap of 1.

Bioresorbable implants vs. Kirschner-wires in the treatment of severely displaced distal paediatric radius and forearm fractures - a retrospective multicentre study.

Background: Distal radius fractures are very common in paediatric patients. Severely displaced fractures may require surgical intervention. The gold standard surgical method is percutaneous K-wire osteosynthesis followed by immobilisation.

Insulin sensitizes neural and vascular TRPV1 receptors in the trigeminovascular system.

Background: Clinical observations suggest that hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance can be associated with migraine headache. In the present study we examined the effect of insulin on transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor-dependent meningeal nociceptor functions in rats.

Methods: The effects of insulin on the TRPV1 receptor stimulation-induced release of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) from trigeminal afferents and changes in meningeal blood flow were studied.

Neurochemically distinct populations of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis modulate innate fear response to weak threat evoked by predator odor stimuli.

Anxiety and trauma-related disorders are characterized by significant alterations in threat detection, resulting in inadequate fear responses evoked by weak threats or safety stimuli. Recent research pointed out the important role of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) in threat anticipation and fear modulation under ambiguous threats, hence, exaggerated fear may be traced back to altered BNST function. To test this hypothesis, we chemogenetically inhibited specific BNST neuronal populations (corticotropin-releasing hormone - BNST and somatostatin - BNST expressing neurons) in a predator odor-evoked innate fear paradigm.

Somatostatin Neurons of the Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis Enhance Associative Fear Memory Consolidation in Mice.

Excessive fear learning and generalized, extinction-resistant fear memories are core symptoms of anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Despite significant evidence from clinical studies reporting hyperactivity of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) under these conditions, the role of BNST in fear learning and expression is still not clarified. Here, we tested how BNST modulates fear learning in male mice using a chemogenetic approach.

Spontaneous Right Ventricular Pseudoaneurysms and Increased Arrhythmogenicity in a Mouse Model of Marfan Syndrome.

Patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS), a connective tissue disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the gene encoding the extracellular matrix protein fibrillin-1, have an increased prevalence of primary cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. We have performed an in-depth in vivo and ex vivo study of the cardiac phenotype of mice, an established mouse model of MFS with a severely reduced expression of fibrillin-1. Using ultrasound measurements, we confirmed the presence of aortic dilatation and observed cardiac diastolic dysfunction in male mice.

DTI-identified microstructural changes in the gray matter of mice overexpressing CRF in the forebrain.

Increased corticotroping releasing factor (CRF) contributes to brain circuit abnormalities associated with stress-related disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder. However, the causal relationship between CRF hypersignaling and circuit abnormalities associated with stress disorders is unclear. We hypothesized that increased CRF exposure induces changes in limbic circuit morphology and functions.

Ambulatory Electrocardiographic Monitoring and Ectopic Beat Detection in Conscious Mice.

Ambulatory electrocardiography (AECG) is a primary diagnostic tool in patients with potential arrhythmic disorders. To study the pathophysiological mechanisms of arrhythmic disorders, mouse models are widely implemented. The use of a technique similar to AECG for mice is thus of great relevance.

Heritable Differences in Catecholamine Signaling Modulate Susceptibility to Trauma and Response to Methylphenidate Treatment: Relevance for PTSD.

Alterations in cortical catecholamine signaling pathways can modulate acute and enduring responses to trauma. Heritable variation in catecholamine signaling is produced by a common functional polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), with Val carriers exhibiting greater degradation of catecholamines than Met carriers. Furthermore, it has recently been suggested that drugs enhancing cortical catecholamine signaling may be a new therapeutic approach for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients.

In Vitro Fracture Resistance of Adhesively Restored Molar Teeth with Different MOD Cavity Dimensions.

Purpose: Molar MOD (mesial-occlusal-distal) cavity preparation weakens relative cuspal stiffness by up to 63%, often resulting in cuspal fracture. This investigation inspects fracture resistance of MOD cavities restored using direct composite restoration.

Materials And Methods: 120 extracted, intact mandibular molars were selected.

Task Division within the Prefrontal Cortex: Distinct Neuron Populations Selectively Control Different Aspects of Aggressive Behavior via the Hypothalamus.

An important question in behavioral neurobiology is how particular neuron populations and pathways mediate the overall roles of brain structures. Here we investigated this issue by studying the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), an established locus of inhibitory control of aggression. We established in male rats that dominantly distinct mPFC neuron populations project to and produce dense fiber networks with glutamate release sites in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) and lateral hypothalamus (LH; i.

Current Status of Animal Models of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Behavioral and Biological Phenotypes, and Future Challenges in Improving Translation.

Increasing predictability of animal models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has required active collaboration between clinical and preclinical scientists. Modeling PTSD is challenging, as it is a heterogeneous disorder with ≥20 symptoms. Clinical research increasingly utilizes objective biological measures (e.

Social Learning Requires Plasticity Enhanced by Fluoxetine Through Prefrontal Bdnf-TrkB Signaling to Limit Aggression Induced by Post-Weaning Social Isolation.

Escalated or abnormal aggression induced by early adverse experiences is a growing issue of social concern and urges the development of effective treatment strategies. Here we report that synergistic interactions between psychosocial and biological factors specifically ameliorate escalated aggression induced by early adverse experiences. Rats reared in isolation from weaning until early adulthood showed abnormal forms of aggression and social deficits that were temporarily ameliorated by re-socialization, but aggression again escalated in a novel environment.

The role of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in short- and long-term fear recall.

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are crucial synaptic elements in long-term memory formation, including the associative learning of fearful events. Although NMDA blockers were consistently shown to inhibit fear memory acquisition and recall, the clinical use of general NMDA blockers is hampered by their side effects. Recent studies revealed significant heterogeneity in the distribution and neurophysiological characteristics of NMDA receptors with different GluN2 (NR2) subunit composition, which may have differential role in fear learning and recall.

Animal Models of PTSD: A Critical Review.

The goals of animal research in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include better understanding the neurophysiological etiology of PTSD, identifying potential targets for novel pharmacotherapies, and screening drugs for their potential use as PTSD treatment in humans. Diagnosis of PTSD relies on a patient interview and, as evidenced by changes to the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5, an adequate description of this disorder in humans is a moving target. Therefore, it may seem insurmountable to model the construct of PTSD in animals such as rodents.

Structural and functional alterations in the prefrontal cortex after post-weaning social isolation: relationship with species-typical and deviant aggression.

Although the inhibitory control of aggression by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the cornerstone of current theories of aggression control, a number of human and laboratory studies showed that the execution of aggression increases PFC activity; moreover, enhanced activation was observed in aggression-related psychopathologies and laboratory models of abnormal aggression. Here, we investigated these apparently contradictory findings in the post-weaning social isolation paradigm (PWSI), an established laboratory model of abnormal aggression. When studied in the resident-intruder test as adults, rats submitted to PWSI showed increased attack counts, increased share of bites directed towards vulnerable body parts of opponents (head, throat, and belly) and reduced social signaling of attacks.

Overexpression of Forebrain CRH During Early Life Increases Trauma Susceptibility in Adulthood.

Although early-life stress is a significant risk factor for developing anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) is disrupted in individuals with PTSD and early-life stress and hence may mediate the effects of early-life stress on PTSD risk. We hypothesized that CRH hyper-signaling in the forebrain during early development is sufficient to increase response to trauma in adulthood.

A corpus of noise-induced word misperceptions for Spanish.

Word misperceptions are valuable in designing and evaluating detailed computational models of speech perception, especially when a number of listeners agree on the misperceived word. The current paper describes the elicitation of a corpus of Spanish word misperceptions induced by different types of noise. Stimuli were presented using an adaptive procedure designed to promote the rapid discovery of misperceptions.

Neural mechanisms of predatory aggression in rats-implications for abnormal intraspecific aggression.

Our recent studies showed that brain areas that are activated in a model of escalated aggression overlap with those that promote predatory aggression in cats. This finding raised the interesting possibility that the brain mechanisms that control certain types of abnormal aggression include those involved in predation. However, the mechanisms of predatory aggression are poorly known in rats, a species that is in many respects different from cats.

Dealing with the effects of sensor displacement in wearable activity recognition.

Most wearable activity recognition systems assume a predefined sensor deployment that remains unchanged during runtime. However, this assumption does not reflect real-life conditions. During the normal use of such systems, users may place the sensors in a position different from the predefined sensor placement.