A novel monomeric amyloid β-activated signaling pathway regulates brain development via inhibition of microglia.

Amyloid β (Aβ) forms aggregates in the Alzheimer's disease brain and is well known for its pathological roles. Recent studies show that it also regulates neuronal physiology in the healthy brain. Whether Aβ also regulates glial physiology in the normal brain, however, has remained unclear.

Reevaluating Sleep Quality During COVID-19 and Associations With Quarantine, Mental Health, Stress, and Screen Time in Young Adults: Results From a Cross-Sectional Online Survey.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected individual sleep quality, especially with high-stress levels. We assessed sleep quality in young adults during COVID-19, and mental health, stress, and screen time (ST) use. An international cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2020 to January 2021.

Social Media Behaviors and Lifestyle Changes in Young Adults (Ages 18-28 years) During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis From an International Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Screen time (ST), mainly social media (SM), has increased during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, impacting mental and physical health. This study aims to analyze SM use in young adults ages 18 to 28 years and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 to provide a baseline on pandemic habits in the younger population.

Methods: An international cross-sectional observational study was conducted from September 2020 to January 2021.

Biomolecular interaction of purified recombinant Arabidopsis thaliana's alternative oxidase 1A with TCA cycle metabolites: Biophysical and molecular docking studies.

In higher plants, the mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway plays an essential role in maintaining the TCA cycle/cellular carbon and energy balance under various physiological and stress conditions. Though the activation of AOX pathway upon exogenous addition of α-ketoacids/TCA cycle metabolites [pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), oxaloacetic acid (OAA), succinate and malic acid] to isolated mitochondria is known, the molecular mechanism of interaction of these metabolites with AOX protein is limited. The present study is designed to understand the biomolecular interaction of pure recombinant Arabidopsis thaliana AOX1A with TCA cycle metabolites under in vitro conditions using various biophysical and molecular docking studies.

Exploring Vaccination Sentiments: A Population-Centric Examination.

Vaccine hesitancy has, for a considerable time, been a significant risk to global health. As an integral part of disease prevention, vaccines have become a public health matter which is often debated among the community in spite of proven scientific evidence of their efficiency. A questionnaire was designed to evaluate the perception and knowledge of a population and compare it with behavior in order to assess a demographic within a sample population of 245 individuals selected at random within the United States, Here, we aim to clarify the difference between vaccine opinion among the general public as compared to vaccination status.

An Observational Report of Screen Time Use Among Young Adults (Ages 18-28 Years) During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Correlations With Mental Health and Wellness: International, Online, Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Screen time (ST) drastically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is little research on the specific type of ST use, degree of change from before COVID-19, and possible associations with other factors. Young adults are a particular interest since previous studies have shown the detriment ST has on a young person's health. With the combination of a life-changing pandemic, there are unreached depths regarding ST and young adults.

Structural and Biophysical Characterization of Purified Recombinant Alternative Oxidase 1A (rAtAOX1A): Interaction With Inhibitor(s) and Activator.

In higher plants, alternative oxidase (AOX) participates in a cyanide resistant and non-proton motive electron transport pathway of mitochondria, diverging from the ubiquinone pool. The physiological significance of AOX in biotic/abiotic stress tolerance is well-documented. However, its structural and biophysical properties are poorly understood as its crystal structure is not yet revealed in plants.

Human ACE2 receptor polymorphisms and altered susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2.

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. The viral spike (S) protein engages the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to invade host cells with ~10-15-fold higher affinity compared to SARS-CoV S-protein, making it highly infectious. Here, we assessed if ACE2 polymorphisms can alter host susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 by affecting this interaction.

Harnessing region-specific neurovascular signaling to promote germinal matrix vessel maturation and hemorrhage prevention.

Germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH), affecting about 1 in 300 births, is a major perinatal disease with lifelong neurological consequences. Yet despite advances in neonatal medicine, there is no effective intervention. GMH is characterized by localized bleeding in the germinal matrix (GM), due to inherent vessel fragility unique to this developing brain region.

A Brain-Region-Specific Neural Pathway Regulating Germinal Matrix Angiogenesis.

Intimate communication between neural and vascular cells is critical for normal brain development and function. Germinal matrix (GM), a key primordium for the brain reward circuitry, is unique among brain regions for its distinct pace of angiogenesis and selective vulnerability to hemorrhage during development. A major neonatal condition, GM hemorrhage can lead to cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, and mental retardation.

Bilateral Mirror Image Cervical Neurofibroma in an Adult with Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by various phenotypic features like hyperpigmented spots, neurofibromas, Lisch nodules, skeletal abnormalities and tendency to develop neoplasms. Only few cases of Non-Familial Spinal Neurofibromatosis-1 (Non-FSNF1) have been described in literature with tumors involving the spinal roots at every level being even rarer. We reported an interesting case of bilateral symmetrical cervical neurofibroma with multiple spinal neurofibromas appearing as mirror image on CT, associated with non familial NF-1 as a rare presentation in a 25-year-old adult male.

Acquired dorsal intraspinal epidermoid cyst in an adult female.

Background: Epidermoid and dermoid cyst comprise <1% of spinal tumors and may be congenital (hamartoma) or acquired (iatrogenic) in origin. Epidermoid cysts within the neuraxis are rare benign neoplasms that are most commonly located in the intracranial region.

Case Description: Here, we report the a case of an acquired intradural extramedullary epidermoid cyst involving the thoracic region in an adult female who had no associated history of an accompanying congenital spinal deformity.

A Tie2-driven BAC-TRAP transgenic line for in vivo endothelial gene profiling.

Recent technological innovations including bacterial artificial chromosome-based translating ribosome affinity purification (BAC-TRAP) have greatly facilitated analysis of cell type-specific gene expression in vivo, especially in the nervous system. To better study endothelial gene expression in vivo, we have generated a BAC-TRAP transgenic mouse line where the L10a ribosomal subunit is tagged with EGFP and placed under the control of the endothelium-specific Tie2 (Tek) promoter. We show that transgene expression in this line is widely, but specifically, detected in endothelial cells in several brain regions throughout pre- and postnatal development, as well as in other organs.

Regulation of the nascent brain vascular network by neural progenitors.

Neural progenitors are central players in the development of the brain neural circuitry. They not only produce the diverse neuronal and glial cell types in the brain, but also guide their migration in this process. Recent evidence indicates that neural progenitors also play a critical role in the development of the brain vascular network.

Prevalence of genetic variants associated with cardiovascular disease risk and drug response in the Southern Indian population of Kerala.

Background And Aim: This study reports the prevalence of five clinically significant variants associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, and variable responses of individuals to commonly prescribed cardiovascular drugs in a South Indian population from the state of Kerala.

Materials And Methods: Genomic DNA isolated from 100 out-patient samples from Kerala were sequenced to examine the frequency of clinically relevant polymorphisms in the genes MYBPC3 (cardiomyopathy), SLCO1B1 (statin-induced myopathy), CYP2C9, VKORC1 (response to warfarin) and CYP2C19 (response to clopidogrel).

Results: Our analyses revealed the frequency of a 25 bp deletion variant of MYBPC3 associated with risk of cardiomyopathy was 7%, and the SLCO1B1 "C" allele associated with risk for statin-induced myopathy was 15% in this sample group.

A rare differential diagnosis for cause of proptosis: skull plasmacytoma.

True solitary plasmacytoma of the skull without signs of systemic myelomatosis is very rare as is orbital involvement. It can be part of generalized disease (multiple myeloma) or localized disease, presenting as orbital tumor. We describe a case of solitary osseous plasmacytoma of the orbit.

Radiopathological evaluation of primary malignant skull tumors: a review.

Skull tumors comprise a wide variety of entities, ranging from chronic inflammatory disease to primary and secondary neoplasms. There is no valid incidence or data about the incidence of skull tumors in general. Primary malignant skull tumors are rare, with most articles reporting single cases.

An uncommon manifestation of a common tropical disease: disseminated cysticercosis.

Disseminated cysticercosis is a rare form of cysticercosis in which the cysticerci spread throughout the body. We describe the case of a seven-year-old child with disseminated cysticercosis. He presented with a one month history of swelling of the whole body, unable to walk for one month and swelling of both eyes for 20 days.

Primary Skull Osteosarcoma: MDCT Evaluation and Histopathological Correlation in Two Cases.

Osteosarcomas are typically long bone tumors and rarely affect the skull, with most articles reporting single cases. As elsewhere in the body, these lesions may be classified as primary or secondary, chiefly post-Paget and post-radiation therapy. We describe two cases of primary osteosarcoma of skull one presenting with cerebellar symptoms and another with giant skull swelling.

Specific detection of Mycobacterium sp. genomic DNA using dual labeled gold nanoparticle based electrochemical biosensor.

The present study was aimed at the development and evaluation of a DNA electrochemical biosensor for Mycobacterium sp. genomic DNA detection in a clinical specimen using a signal amplifier as dual-labeled AuNPs. The DNA electrochemical biosensors were fabricated using a sandwich detection strategy involving two kinds of DNA probes specific to Mycobacterium sp.

Kinetics of growth and caffeine demethylase production of Pseudomonas sp. in bioreactor.

The effect of various initial caffeine concentrations on growth and caffeine demethylase production by Pseudomonas sp. was studied in bioreactor. At initial concentration of 6.

Precision measurements in 124Te following the decay of 124Sb.

The decay of 124Sb (60 d half-life) to levels of 124Te has been studied using two HPGe detectors in singles and coincidence mode. We identify 75 transitions in this decay, including 14 gamma rays, the emission of which are being reported here for the first time. In confirming the existence of 26 well-established levels below 2900 keV excitation, we also introduce 5 other levels at 2490.

Acute phase reactants predict mitral regurgitation following mitral valvuloplasty.

This report evaluated whether acute phase reactants can predict the development of mitral regurgitation following percutaneous mitral valvotomy. 58 patients who developed significant mitral regurgitation following valvotomy were retrospectively compared with 58 age, sex and procedure technique matched control patients, who had valvotomy without mitral regurgitation. ESR and total leucocyte count were significantly higher in the group who developed mitral regurgitation, than in the control group.