Serotonin-2B receptor (5-HTR) expression and binding in the brain of APP/PS1 transgenic mice and in Alzheimer's disease brain tissue.

Despite well-documented dysregulation in central serotonergic signaling in Alzheimer's disease (AD), knowledge about the potential involvement of the serotonin-2B receptor (5-HTR) subtype remains sparse. Here, we assessed the levels of 5-HTRs in brain tissue from APP/PS1 transgenic (TG) mice, AD patients, and adult microglial cells. 5-HTR mRNA was measured by RT-qPCR in ageing TG and wild-type (WT) mice, in samples from the middle frontal gyrus of female, AD and control subjects, and in microglia from the cerebral cortex of WT mice.

Ensuring legitimate project-level claims about net biodiversity outcomes.

Renewable energy projects, such as wind farms and hydropower dams, can indirectly benefit biodiversity by mitigating climate change. However, we explain why such indirect benefits should not contribute towards the accounting of project-level net biodiversity outcomes and provide guidance on the steps needed to legitimately claim no-net-loss of biodiversity.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of tau phosphorylation in mouse models of familial Alzheimer's disease.

Transgenic models of familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) serve as valuable tools for probing the molecular mechanisms associated with amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced pathology. In this meta-analysis, we sought to evaluate levels of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and explore potential age-related variations in tau hyperphosphorylation, within mouse models of AD. The PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for studies measuring soluble p-tau in 5xFAD, APP/PSEN1, J20 and APP23 mice.

Natural antioxidants that act against Alzheimer's disease through modulation of the NRF2 pathway: a focus on their molecular mechanisms of action.

Characterized by a complex pathophysiology that includes the intraneuronal formation of neurofibrillary tangles and the extracellular deposition of β-amyloid plaques, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a terminal neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia in older adults. Oxidative stress in the brain is considered as one of the contributing factors to the pathogenesis of AD, and thus, antioxidants have attracted much interest as potential therapeutic agents against the disorder. Natural antioxidants are typically characterized by low acute and chronic toxicity, which facilitates their potential therapeutic application.

Demystifying ecological connectivity for actionable spatial conservation planning.

Connectivity underpins the persistence of life; it needs to inform biodiversity conservation decisions. Yet, when prioritising conservation areas and developing actions, connectivity is not being operationalised in spatial planning. The challenge is the translation of flows associated with connectivity into conservation objectives that lead to actions.

A global horizon scan of issues impacting marine and coastal biodiversity conservation.

The biodiversity of marine and coastal habitats is experiencing unprecedented change. While there are well-known drivers of these changes, such as overexploitation, climate change and pollution, there are also relatively unknown emerging issues that are poorly understood or recognized that have potentially positive or negative impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems. In this inaugural Marine and Coastal Horizon Scan, we brought together 30 scientists, policymakers and practitioners with transdisciplinary expertise in marine and coastal systems to identify new issues that are likely to have a significant impact on the functioning and conservation of marine and coastal biodiversity over the next 5-10 years.

Efficacy of Chronic Paroxetine Treatment in Mitigating Amyloid Pathology and Microgliosis in APPSWE/PS1ΔE9 Transgenic Mice.

Background: Modulation of serotonergic signaling by treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has been suggested to mitigate amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology in Alzheimer's disease, in addition to exerting an anti-depressant action.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chronic treatment with the SSRI paroxetine, in mitigating Aβ pathology and Aβ plaque-induced microgliosis in the hippocampus of 18-month-old APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice.

Methods: Plaque-bearing APPswe/PS1ΔE9 and wildtype mice were treated with paroxetine per os at a dose of 5 mg/kg/day, from 9 to 18 months of age.

Selection of predictor variables for species distribution models: a case study with an invasive marine bryozoan.

Species distribution models (SDMs) are important tools for predicting the occurrence and abundance of organisms in space and time, with numerous applications in ecology. However, the accuracy and utility of SDMs can be compromised when predictor variables are selected without careful consideration of their ecophysiological relevance to the focal organism. We conducted an in-depth examination of the variable selection process by evaluating predictors to be used in SDMs for Membranipora membranacea, an ecologically significant marine invasive species with a complex lifecycle, as a case study.

A systematic review of artificial reefs as platforms for coral reef research and conservation.

Artificial reefs (ARs) have been used on coral reefs for ecological research, conservation, and socio-cultural purposes since the 1980s. We examined spatio-temporal patterns in AR deployment in tropical and subtropical coral reefs (up to 35° latitude) and evaluated their efficacy in meeting conservation objectives, using a systematic review of the scientific literature. Most deployments (136 studies) were in the North Atlantic and Central Indo-Pacific in 1980s - 2000s, with a pronounced shift to the Western Indo-Pacific in 2010s.

Imbalances in Copper or Zinc Concentrations Trigger Further Trace Metal Dyshomeostasis in Amyloid-Beta Producing .

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the buildup of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, is believed to be a disease of trace metal dyshomeostasis. Amyloid-beta is known to bind with high affinity to trace metals copper and zinc. This binding is believed to cause a conformational change in Aβ, transforming Aβ into a configuration more amenable to forming aggregations.

Promoting inclusive metrics of success and impact to dismantle a discriminatory reward system in science.

Success and impact metrics in science are based on a system that perpetuates sexist and racist "rewards" by prioritizing citations and impact factors. These metrics are flawed and biased against already marginalized groups and fail to accurately capture the breadth of individuals' meaningful scientific impacts. We advocate shifting this outdated value system to advance science through principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Mild Microglial Responses in the Cortex and Perivascular Macrophage Infiltration in Subcortical White Matter in Dogs with Age-Related Dementia Modelling Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Microglia contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis by clearing amyloid-β (Aβ) and driving neuroinflammation. Domestic dogs with age-related dementia (canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD)) develop cerebral amyloidosis like humans developing AD, and studying such dogs can provide novel information about microglial response in prodromal AD.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the microglial response in the cortical grey and the subcortical white matter in dogs with CCD versus age-matched cognitively normal dogs.

Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Is Required for Spatial Learning and Memory in Male Mice under Physiological, but Not Immune-Challenged Conditions.

Increasing evidence demonstrates that inflammatory cytokines-such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-are produced at low levels in the brain under physiological conditions and may be crucial for synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, learning and memory. Here, we examined the effects of developmental TNF deletion on spatial learning and memory using 11-13-month-old TNF knockout (KO) and C57BL6/J wild-type (WT) mice. The animals were tested in the Barnes maze (BM) arena under baseline conditions and 48 h following an injection of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which was administered at a dose of 0.

Ionic strength and polyelectrolyte molecular weight effects on floc formation and growth in Taylor-Couette flows.

Polyelectrolyte-driven flocculation of suspended particulate in solution is an important process in a variety of industrial processes such as drinking water treatment and composite material synthesis. Flocculation depends on a wide variety of physicochemical and hydrodynamic properties, which affect floc size, growth rate, and floc morphology. Floc formation and growth behavior is explored here using two different molecular weights of a cationic polyacrylamide flocculant and anisotropic Na-bentonite clay particles under a variety of solution ionic strengths.

Subregional variation in cover and diversity of hard coral (Scleractinia) in the Western Province, Solomon Islands following an unprecedented global bleaching event.

Coral reefs are critically important marine ecosystems that are threatened worldwide by cumulative impacts of global climate change and local stressors. The Solomon Islands comprise the southwestern boundary of the Coral Triangle, the global center of coral diversity located in the Indo-Pacific, and represent a bright spot of comparatively healthy coral reef ecosystems. However, reports on the status of coral reefs in the Solomon Islands are based on monitoring conducted at 5 stations in 2003-2004 and 2006-2007, with no information on how corals in this region have responded to more recent global bleaching events and other local stressors.

Deep-Sea Misconceptions Cause Underestimation of Seabed-Mining Impacts.

Scientific misconceptions are likely leading to miscalculations of the environmental impacts of deep-seabed mining. These result from underestimating mining footprints relative to habitats targeted and poor understanding of the sensitivity, biodiversity, and dynamics of deep-sea ecosystems. Addressing these misconceptions and knowledge gaps is needed for effective management of deep-seabed mining.

Microfluidic rheology of methylcellulose solutions in hyperbolic contractions and the effect of salt in shear and extensional flows.

Methylcellulose solutions are known to form microfibrils at elevated temperatures or in the presence of salt. The fibrils have a significant impact on the solution's rheological properties. Here, the shear and extensional properties of methylcellulose solutions with added salt are measured using hyperbolic microfluidic channels, allowing for new characterization at lower molecular weights and higher shear and strain rates that are difficult to access by macroscale rheology studies.

Increased Inflammation and Unchanged Density of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) in the Postmortem Frontal Cortex of Alzheimer's Disease Patients.

Sections from the middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann area 46) of autopsy-confirmed Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and non-demented subjects were examined for the prevalence of hallmark AD pathology, including amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, phosphorylated tau (pTau) tangles, neuroinflammation and synaptic loss ( = 7 subjects/group). Dense-core deposits of Aβ were present in all AD patients (7/7) and some non-demented subjects (3/7), as evidenced by 6E10 immunohistochemistry. Levels of Aβ immunoreactivity were higher in AD vs.

Impact of post-orthodontic dental occlusion on masticatory performance and chewing efficiency.

Background: Whether precise orthodontic detailing of occlusion impacts masticatory function is unknown. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of post-orthodontic dental occlusion on masticatory performance and chewing efficiency.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-four adults who completed orthodontic treatment were categorized into two groups using the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) model grading system: one meeting ABO standards (ABO, N = 29), the other failing to meet them (non-ABO, N = 25).