Publications by authors named "N C Leal"

Postgraduate medical education (PGME) is an essential part of medical education and increasingly shifts into focus of educational stakeholders. Structured postgraduate medical training programs are required in the U.S.

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of age-related dementia. In AD, the death of neurons in the central nervous system is associated with the accumulation of toxic amyloid β peptide (Aβ) and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are signal transducers of metabolic and biochemical information, and their impairment can compromise cellular function.

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Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is a highly virulent bacterium that poses a significant threat to human health. Preserving this bacterium in a viable state is crucial for research and diagnostic purposes. This paper presents and evaluates a simple lyophilization protocol for the long-term storage of Y.

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Article Synopsis
  • Organelles create membrane contact sites for molecule and signal transfer, with mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contact sites (MERCS) playing a key role in various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders.
  • A genome-wide screen identified 410 genes that regulate MERCS, with 29 genes chosen for further analysis; particularly, GET4 and BAG6 were found to significantly influence MERCS when suppressed.
  • Investigating GET4 and BAG6 revealed that their loss increases MERCS and enhances mitochondrial function, while also showing neuroprotective effects in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease.
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The endoplasmic reticulum is a subcellular organelle key in the control of synthesis, folding, and sorting of proteins. Under endoplasmic reticulum stress, an adaptative unfolded protein response is activated; however, if this activation is prolonged, cells can undergo cell death, in part due to oxidative stress and mitochondrial fragmentation. Here, we report that endoplasmic reticulum stress activates c-Abl tyrosine kinase, inducing its translocation to mitochondria.

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