Valence and salience encoding in the central amygdala.

The central amygdala (CeA) has emerged as an important brain region for regulating both negative (fear and anxiety) and positive (reward) affective behaviors. The CeA has been proposed to encode affective information in the form of valence (whether the stimulus is good or bad) or salience (how significant is the stimulus), but the extent to which these two types of stimulus representation occur in the CeA is not known. Here, we used single cell calcium imaging in mice during appetitive and aversive conditioning and found that majority of CeA neurons (~65%) encode the valence of the unconditioned stimulus (US) with a smaller subset of cells (~15%) encoding the salience of the US.

Defect Chemistry Engineering to Regulate the Excellent Value of Nonstoichiometric CaCoO (0 ≤ ≤ 0.06) Ceramics.

Cobalt-based oxides have attracted significant attention as p-type thermoelectric materials due to their wide operational temperature range. However, their low average figure of merit () value has hindered service performance. A series of cation vacancies as Ca-active sites were introduced into CaCoO (0 ≤ ≤ 0.

Interface Optimization and Thermal Conductivity of Cu/Diamond Composites by Spark Plasma Sintering Process.

Cu/Diamond (Cu/Dia) composites are regarded as next-generation thermal dissipation materials and hold tremendous potential for use in future high-power electronic devices. The interface structure between the Cu matrix and the diamond has a significant impact on the thermophysical properties of the composite materials. In this study, Cu/Dia composite materials were fabricated using the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) process.

Sensory experience controls dendritic structure and behavior by distinct pathways involving degenerins.

Dendrites are crucial for receiving information into neurons. Sensory experience affects the structure of these tree-like neurites, which, it is assumed, modifies neuronal function, yet the evidence is scarce, and the mechanisms are unknown. To study whether sensory experience affects dendritic morphology, we use the ' arborized nociceptor PVD neurons, under natural mechanical stimulation induced by physical contacts between individuals.

Abdominal myosteatosis measured with computed tomography predicts poor outcomes in patients with glioblastoma.

Background: Alterations in cellular metabolism affect cancer survival and can manifest in metrics of body composition. We investigated the effects of various body composition metrics on survival in patients with glioblastoma (GBM).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who had an abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan performed within 1 month of diagnosis of GBM (178 participants, 102 males, 76 females, median age: 62.

Blood and urinary cytokine balance and renal outcomes at orthopaedic surgery.

Background: In patients undergoing orthopaedic trauma surgery, acute kidney injury (AKI) can develop post-operatively and is a major cause of increased mortality and hospital stay time. Development of AKI is associated with three main processes: inflammation, ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and hypoperfusion. In this study, we investigated whether ratios of urine and blood anti-inflammatory biomarkers and biomarkers of hypoperfusion, IRI and inflammation are elevated in patients who develop post-trauma orthopaedic surgery acute kidney injury (PTOS-AKI).

Re-encountering the phobic cue within days after a reconsolidation intervention is crucial to observe a lasting fear reduction in spider phobia.

Memory reconsolidation interventions offer an exciting alternative to exposure treatment because they may target fear memories directly, thereby preventing relapse. A previous reconsolidation intervention for spider fear abruptly reduced avoidance behaviour, whereas changes in self-reported fear followed later. In this pre-registered placebo-controlled study, we first aimed to conceptually replicate these effects in spider phobia.

Engineering performance and environmental assessment of sustainable concrete incorporating nano silica and metakaolin as cementitious materials.

The carbon footprint associated with cement production, coupled with depletion of natural resources and climate change, underscores the need for sustainable alternatives. This study explores the effect of metakaolin (MK) and nano-silica (NS) on concrete's engineering performance and environmental impact. Initially, compressive, tensile, and flexural strength tests, along with durability assessments like water absorption, sorptivity, rapid chloride permeability, and resistance to acid and sulphate attacks, were conducted.

A phase I study of temsirolimus in combination with metformin in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Introduction: Molecular alterations in the PI3K/AKT and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathways are frequently observed in patients with endometrial cancers. However, mTOR inhibitors, such as temsirolimus, have modest clinical benefits. In addition to inducing metabolic changes in cells, metformin activates AMPK, which in turn inhibits the mTOR pathway.

Optical Phonon Decay and Improved Thermoelectric Efficiency in p-Type MgSb.

The MgSb-based layered compounds exhibit exceptional thermoelectric properties over a wide temperature range and possess the potential to supplant traditional BiTe modules with reliable and economical MgSb-based thermoelectric devices, contingent upon the availability of a complementary p-type MgSb material with high thermoelectric efficiency comparable to that of n-type MgSb. We provide a simpler method involving the codoping of monovalent atoms (K and Na) at the Mg site of the MgSb lattice to improve the thermoelectric performance of p-type MgSb. K-Na codoping results in a peak power factor of around 0.

Neuroimmunometabolism: How Metabolism Orchestrates Immune Response in Healthy and Diseased Brain.

Neuroimmunometabolism describes how neuroimmune cells, such as microglia, adapt their intracellular metabolic pathways to alter their immune functions in the CNS. Emerging evidence indicates that neurons also orchestrate the microglia mediated immune response through neuro-immune crosstalk perhaps through metabolic signalling. However, little is known about how the brain's metabolic microenvironment and microglial intracellular metabolism orchestrate the neuroimmune response in healthy and diseased brains.

Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation as a Salvage Procedure After Failed Index Cartilage Surgery of the Knee: A Systematic Review.

Background: Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) is well established as a viable chondral restoration procedure for the treatment of symptomatic, focal chondral defects of the knee. The efficacy of secondary OCA in the setting of failed index cartilage repair or restoration is poorly understood.

Purpose: To evaluate radiographic and clinical outcomes, failures, and reoperations after OCA after failed index cartilage repair or restoration of the knee.

Anatomic Approach to Fetal Hydrocephalus.

Hydrocephalus is an imprecise term and refers to the imbalance of brain parenchyma and cerebral spinal fluid in the cranial vault. Ventriculomegaly, or enlargement of the ventricular system, is often the more precise term and is therefore preferred. Appropriate imaging and measurement techniques are critical to detect ventriculomegaly and grade its severity.

Enhanced Production of Rebaudioside D and Rebaudioside M through V155T Substitution in the Glycosyltransferase UGT91D2 from .

Steviol glycosides (SGs) are noncaloric natural sweeteners found in the leaves of stevia (). These diterpene glycosides are biosynthesized by attaching varying numbers of monosaccharides, primarily glucose, to steviol aglycone. Rebaudioside (Reb) D and Reb M are highly glucosylated SGs that are valued for their superior sweetness and organoleptic properties, yet they are present in limited quantities in stevia leaves.

Acute kidney injury following CAR-T cell therapy: a nephrologist's perspective.

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, an emerging personalized immunotherapy for various haematologic malignancies, autoimmune diseases and other conditions, involves the modification of patients' T cells to express a chimeric antigen receptor that recognizes tumour or autoimmune cell antigens, allowing CAR-T cells to destroy cancerous and other target cells selectively. Despite remarkable clinical improvements in patients, multiple adverse effects have been associated with CAR-T cell therapy. Among the most recognized adverse effects are cytokine release syndrome, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome and tumour lysis syndrome.

Comparison of Conventional Syringe with Camouflaged Syringe and Vibration-assisted Syringe for Pain and Fear Perception during Local Anesthetic Administration in Children: A Split-mouth Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aim And Background: Although local anesthesia (LA) eliminates pain and instills a positive dental attitude, the physical appearance of its syringe is highly fear provoking and often intolerable. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the pain and fear perception in camouflaged syringe (CS) and vibration-assisted syringe (VA) when compared with conventional syringe and with each other (VACS) during local anesthetic administration in pediatric patients aged between 6 and 12 years.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-five subjects were randomly assigned into three groups: CS group ( = 7), VA group ( = 26), and VACS group ( = 27).

Artificial removal of the zona pellucida at the pronuclear stage: an exploratory study to improve embryo fragmentation.

Objective: To investigate whether artificial removal of zona pellucida (ZP) at the pronuclear stage improves good-quality embryos and blastocyst development in patients with difficulty conceiving because of severe fragmentation in early-cleavage stage.

Design: Exploratory investigation.

Setting: Reproductive center.

Association between the proportionality of functional mitral regurgitation and survival after mitral valve operation.

Objective: The concept of proportionate and disproportionate functional mitral regurgitation suggests that transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral repair may benefit patients with a smaller left ventricle relative to a higher regurgitant burden. The clinical relevance of proportionality remains unknown in mitral operations for ischemic mitral regurgitation. We aimed to characterize the association between mitral regurgitation proportionality and outcomes after mitral valve operations.

Validation of the inadequate delivery of oxygen index in an adult cardiovascular intensive care unit.

Objective: Machine learning (ML) may allow for improved discernment of hemodynamics and oxygen delivery compared to standard invasive monitoring. We hypothesized that an ML algorithm could predict impaired delivery of oxygen (IDO) with comparable discrimination to invasive mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO) measurement.

Methods: A total of 230 patients not on mechanical circulatory support (MCS) managed with a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) were identified from 1012 patients admitted to a single cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) between April 2021 and January 2022.

Real-world effectiveness of intravenous belimumab in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: results of the observational OBSErve study in the Russian Federation.

Background: The real-world effectiveness of intravenous (IV) belimumab in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been demonstrated in various countries through the OBSErve (evaluation Of use of Belimumab in clinical practice SEttings) program. Here we describe the clinical effectiveness of IV belimumab for treating SLE in real-world clinical practice in the Russian Federation.

Methods: In the retrospective, observational OBSErve Russia study (GSK Study 215349), eligible physicians enrolled adults with SLE receiving IV belimumab as part of their standard care.

Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers.

Background: Regeneration is the replacement of lost or damaged tissue with a functional copy. In axolotls and zebrafish, regeneration involves stem cells produced by de-differentiation. These cells form a growth zone which expresses developmental patterning genes at its apex.

GOLD grade-specific characterization of COPD in the COSYCONET multi-center trial: comparison of semiquantitative MRI and quantitative CT.

Objectives: We hypothesized that semiquantitative visual scoring of lung MRI is suitable for GOLD-grade specific characterization of parenchymal and airway disease in COPD and that MRI scores correlate with quantitative CT (QCT) and pulmonary function test (PFT) parameters.

Methods: Five hundred ninety-eight subjects from the COSYCONET study (median age = 67 (60-72)) at risk for COPD or with GOLD1-4 underwent PFT, same-day paired inspiratory/expiratory CT, and structural and contrast-enhanced MRI. QCT assessed total lung volume (TLV), emphysema, and air trapping by parametric response mapping (PRM, PRM) and airway disease by wall percentage (WP).

The Artisse Intrasaccular Device: A New Intrasaccular Flow Diverter for the Treatment of Cerebral Aneurysms.

Background And Purpose: This animal study was designed to evaluate in vivo the acute and short-term safety and efficacy of the new Artisse intrasaccular device (ISD) for aneurysm occlusion and to gain knowledge about the behavior in the aneurysms.

Materials And Methods: The device was implanted in 7 white New Zealand rabbits with bifurcation aneurysms. Immediate and 90-day angiographic follow-up as well as histologic and scanning electron microscope imaging were evaluated.