Chiron the centaur, mythical inventor of medicine for animals and humans, and emblem of numerous veterinary associations worldwide, is possibly an historic personality of the prehomeric period (ca 1300 B.C.) Only 600 to 700 years later did the legend form that centaurs (in antique Greek: "hunters on horseback of the wild bull") were wild creatures, half horse and half man, and associated with uncontrolled libido and its socially destructive forces. According to tradition, literary as well as folkloric, Chiron taught his medicine to the ruling class of his time in a specially prepared cave in the Pelion Mountains (=the healing mountains) of Eastern Thessalia. Following leads from ancient authors and local traditions, a cave fitting the location and description was discovered in 1981 by the senior author. Details about its location, and observations about its surroundings, including ancient and modern place names indicate once more that Chiron, the centaur, stands for an historic personality.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1680868 | PMC |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Microenvironment actuated CAR T cells improve solid tumor efficacy without toxicity.
Sci Adv
January 2025
Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
A major limiting factor in the success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors is targeting tumor antigens also found on normal tissues. CAR T cells against GD2 induced rapid, fatal neurotoxicity because of CAR recognition of GD2 normal mouse brain tissue. To improve the selectivity of the CAR T cell, we engineered a synthetic Notch receptor that selectively expresses the CAR upon binding to P-selectin, a cell adhesion protein overexpressed in tumor neovasculature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMitochondria complex III-generated superoxide is essential for IL-10 secretion in macrophages.
Sci Adv
January 2025
Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) function modulates macrophage biology; however, mechanisms underlying mitochondria ETC control of macrophage immune responses are not fully understood. Here, we report that mutant mice with mitochondria ETC complex III (CIII)-deficient macrophages exhibit increased susceptibility to influenza A virus (IAV) and LPS-induced endotoxic shock. Cultured bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) isolated from these mitochondria CIII-deficient mice released less IL-10 than controls following TLR3 or TLR4 stimulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRescue-like behavior in a bystander mouse toward anesthetized conspecifics promotes arousal via a tongue-brain connection.
Sci Adv
January 2025
Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
Prosocial behaviors are advantageous to social species, but the neural mechanism(s) through which others receive benefit remain unknown. Here, we found that bystander mice display rescue-like behavior (tongue dragging) toward anesthetized cagemates and found that this tongue dragging promotes arousal from anesthesia through a direct tongue-brain circuit. We found that a direct circuit from the tongue → glutamatergic neurons in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MTN) → noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) drives rapid arousal in the anesthetized mice that receive the rescue-like behavior from bystanders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrefrontal 5α-reductase 2 mediates male-specific acute stress response.
Sci Adv
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
A key response to acute stress is the increased brain synthesis of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (AP). Although the rate-limiting step of this reaction is catalyzed by 5α-reductase (5αR), the role of its two primary isoenzymes, 5αR1 and 5αR2, in stress reactivity remains unclear. Here, we found that acute stress led to increased levels of 5αR2, but not 5αR1, in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of male, but not female, rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroplastics in the bloodstream can induce cerebral thrombosis by causing cell obstruction and lead to neurobehavioral abnormalities.
Sci Adv
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Environment Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China.
Human health is being threatened by environmental microplastic (MP) pollution. MPs were detected in the bloodstream and multiple tissues of humans, disrupting the regular physiological processes of organs. Nanoscale plastics can breach the blood-brain barrier, leading to neurotoxic effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!