A Novel Laser-Based Zebrafish Model for Studying Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Molecular Targets.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem. Here, we developed a novel model of non-invasive TBI induced by laser irradiation in the telencephalon of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) and assessed their behavior and neuromorphology to validate the model and evaluate potential targets for neuroreparative treatment. Overall, TBI induced hypolocomotion and anxiety-like behavior in the novel tank test, strikingly recapitulating responses in mammalian TBI models, hence supporting the face validity of our model.

[Stroke risk stratification in elderly patients with comorbid sarcopenia and atherosclerosis].

Objective: The study was to investigate the features of carotid arteries atherosclerosis as the leading risk factor for atherothrombotic stroke in elderly patients depending on the presence of sarcopenia.

Material And Methods: 2 groups of patients above the working age were examined: 110 patients with normal muscle mass and 24 suffering sarcopenia. Ultrasound examination of carotid and vertebral arteries extracranial segments was performed with an assessment of atherosclerotic changes severity, atherosclerotic plaques instability, 10-year risk of stroke (according to Framingham risk score) and a 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (SCORE risk scale).

The Relationship between the Strength Characteristics of Cerebral Aneurysm Walls with Their Status and Laser-Induced Fluorescence Data.

Background: Cerebral aneurysms (CA) are a widespread vascular disease affecting 50 per 1000 population. The study of the influence of histological, morphological and hemodynamic factors on the status of the aneurysm has been the subject of many works. However, an accurate and generally accepted relationship has not yet been identified.

Ultraviolet Pulsed Laser-Induced Fluorescence Nonlinearity in Optically Thick Organic Samples.

A simple two-component model is worked out to investigate pulsed laser-induced fluorescence in complex organic samples, like biological tissues, optically thick at the excitation wavelength. Expression for emitted fluorescence signal is obtained. Saturation process is shown to be determined not only by fluorophores excited by the laser, but non-fluorescent chromophores with overlapping absorption band as well.

Development of piperazine-based hydroxamic acid inhibitors against falcilysin, an essential malarial protease.

The human parasite Plasmodium falciparum kills an estimated 445,000 people a year, with the most fatalities occurring in African children. Previous studies identified falcilysin (FLN) as a malarial metalloprotease essential for parasite development in the human host. Despite its essentiality, the biological roles of this protease are not well understood.