Publications by authors named "Menna L"

: We aimed to assess the relationship among circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs), hypoxia-related proteins, and the conventional risk factors of life-threatening coronary artery disease (CAD) to find more precise novel biomarkers. : Patients were categorized based on coronary CT angiography. Patients with a Segment Involvement Score > 5 were identified as CAD patients.

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Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors are candidate drug targets for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here we focused on mGlu3, a receptor subtype involved in synaptic regulation and neuroinflammation. mGlu3 mice showed an enhanced nigro-striatal damage and microglial activation in response to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).

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Several studies have described increased risk ratios of certain types of malignancies in patients with severe psoriasis. Among these, the lymphoproliferative disorders, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, have been described most frequently. In addition to traditional cancer risk factors, some psoriasis treatments may also be implicated as potential carcinogens.

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Cognitive dysfunction is associated with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Here, we used genetic and pharmacological approaches to examine the involvement of either Group 2 metabotropic glutamate (mGlu2) or mGlu3 receptors in memory deficit induced by methamphetamine in mice. Methamphetamine treatment (1 mg/kg, i.

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Stroke results in local neural disconnection and brain-wide neuronal network dysfunction leading to neurological deficits. Beyond the hyper-acute phase of ischaemic stroke, there is no clinically-approved pharmacological treatment that alleviates sensorimotor impairments. Functional recovery after stroke involves the formation of new or alternative neuronal circuits including existing neural connections.

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  • The study highlights the role of mGlu5 receptors in various forms of monogenic autism, building on previous findings related to fragile-X syndrome (FXS).
  • Researchers developed a method to assess a specific signaling pathway (PI hydrolysis) in mice models of autism, discovering that this pathway was significantly reduced in key brain regions of mice with Angelman syndrome (AS) and FXS.
  • The findings suggest that the typical signaling process linked to mGlu5 receptors is impaired in these autism models, marking a significant advancement in understanding the neurobiological aspects of monogenic autism.
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  • Dkk3 (Dickkopf-3) is a protein that influences blood pressure regulation and is linked to hypertension in rats; its full role in cardiovascular health remains unclear.* -
  • Research using genetically modified mice and hypertensive rat models showed that deleting Dkk3 increased blood pressure and impaired blood vessel relaxation, but restoring Dkk3 countered these effects.* -
  • The protein functions by enhancing VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) expression and activating a signaling pathway that lowers blood pressure, highlighting Dkk3’s potential as a therapeutic target for hypertension.*
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Cellular responses to metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor activation are shaped by mechanisms of receptor-receptor interaction. mGlu receptor subtypes form homodimers, intra- or inter-group heterodimers, and heteromeric complexes with other G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In addition, mGlu receptors may functionally interact with other receptors through the βγ subunits released from G proteins in response to receptor activation or other mechanisms.

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  • The study investigates the gut microbiota of free-range chickens compared to those raised indoors, emphasizing its effects on poultry welfare, performance, and food safety.
  • Significant differences in microbiota were found based on the chickens' age and whether they had outdoor access, with outdoor chickens showing greater microbial diversity and beneficial species.
  • The findings suggest that outdoor conditions promote a healthier gut environment, potentially reducing food contamination risks and enhancing nutrient availability in the gut.
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Background: Previous studies suggest that different metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor subtypes are potential drug targets for treating absence epilepsy. However, no information is available on mGlu3 receptors.

Objective: To examine whether (i) changes of mGlu3 receptor expression/signaling are found in the somatosensory cortex and thalamus of WAG/Rij rats developing spontaneous absence seizures; (ii) selective activation of mGlu3 receptors with LY2794193 affects the number and duration of spikewave discharges (SWDs) in WAG/Rij rats; and (iii) a genetic variant of GRM3 (encoding the mGlu3 receptor) is associated with absence epilepsy.

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  • The study examines how spatial learning and memory extinction affect mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex using five different groups of mice.
  • It finds that mGlu5 receptor-mediated PI hydrolysis is significantly reduced in learner mice compared to naive and control mice in key brain regions.
  • Additionally, memory extinction leads to an increase in mGlu5 receptor signaling and protein levels, suggesting mGlu5 receptors could be potential targets for drugs to help with cognitive impairments or unwanted memories.
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Dogs are considered the most important species involved in animal-assisted therapy (AAT), and the scientific literature focuses on the benefits linked to the involvement of dogs in various therapeutic areas. In this study, we carried out a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, exploring the scientific literature from the last 5 years (2016-2021) on three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) to highlight the characteristics of the dogs involved in AATs. Based on the scientific literature relevant to such dogs, we considered different parameters (i.

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The involvement of animals for therapeutic purposes has very ancient roots. To date, it is clear that animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), in addition to ensuring the replacement of missing or deficient affects, improves psychophysiological parameters connected to human health. However, AAI could potentially present risks related to the transmission of infectious agents from animals to humans.

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Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors) shape mechanisms of methamphetamine addiction, but the individual role played by the two subtypes is unclear. We measured methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and motor responses to single or repeated injections of methamphetamine in wild-type, mGlu2, and mGlu3mice. Only mGlu3mice showed methamphetamine preference in the CPP test.

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Emotion comprehension (EC) is a crucial competence for children, as it determines the quality of peer interactions. This study assessed the efficacy of an animal-assisted education (AAE) intervention with dogs based on the Federico II Model of Healthcare Zooanthropology (FMHZ) to promote EC in a group of primary school children. One hundred and four children (48 females) aged 6-7 years took part in the study, of whom 63 participated in the AAE intervention (i.

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Interkingdom communication between bacteria and host organisms is one of the most interesting research topics in biology. Quorum sensing molecules produced by Gram-negative bacteria, such as acylated homoserine lactones and quinolones, have been shown to interact with host cell receptors, stimulating innate immunity and bacterial clearance. To our knowledge, there is no evidence that these molecules influence CNS function.

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This study was conducted to evaluate the presence of (C.) and in dogs at five dog training centers in Southern Italy. A total of 550 animals were sampled by collecting rectal swabs.

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Antibiotic misuse is greatly contributing to an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans and animals. Natural and synthetic alternative strategies are being investigated in human and veterinary medicine, but little attention is paid to the antimicrobial effects of edible lipids, such as medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and monoglycerides. Among MCFAs, lauric acid (LA) and its monoglyceride derivative, glycerol monolaurate (GML), exhibit the strongest antimicrobial activity.

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mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors are highly functional in the early postnatal life, and regulate developmental plasticity of parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons in the cerebral cortex. PV cells are enwrapped by perineuronal nets (PNNs) at the closure of critical windows of cortical plasticity. Changes in PNNs have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.

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Early-life stress involved in the programming of stress-related illnesses can have a toxic influence on the functioning of the nigrostriatal motor system during aging. We examined the effects of perinatal stress (PRS) on the neurochemical, electrophysiological, histological, neuroimaging, and behavioral correlates of striatal motor function in adult (4 months of age) and old (21 months of age) male rats. Adult PRS offspring rats showed reduced dopamine (DA) release in the striatum associated with reductions in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive (TH) cells and DA transporter (DAT) levels, with no loss of striatal dopaminergic terminals as assessed by positron emission tomography analysis with fluorine-18-l-dihydroxyphenylalanine.

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Antimicrobial resistance is a public health concern worldwide and it is largely attributed to the horizontal exchange of transferable genetic elements such as plasmids carrying integrons. Several studies have been conducted on livestock showing a correlation between the systemic use of antibiotics and the onset of resistant bacterial strains. In contrast, although companion birds are historically considered as an important reservoir for human health threats, little information on the antimicrobial resistance in these species is available in the literature.

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Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a non-pharmacological therapy aimed at people with physical and/or mental disabilities. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out interventions that guarantee its benefits for patients while also avoiding the risk of zoonoses due to contact with the animals or their mucous membranes. The present study aimed to detect the occurrence of in the oral cavity of dogs attending a "dog educational centre" and training for AAT interventions.

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Previous studies have shown that injection of the mGlu5 receptor positive allosteric modulator (PAM) VU0360172 into either the thalamus or somatosensory cortex markedly reduces the frequency of spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) in the WAG/Rij model of absence epilepsy. Here we have investigated the effects of VU0360172 on GABA transport in the thalamus and somatosensory cortex, as possible modes of action underlying the suppression of SWDs. Systemic VU0360172 injections increase GABA uptake in thalamic synaptosomes from epileptic WAG/Rij rats.

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