Neuro- and vasoprotective potential of neuropeptide Y Y2 receptor agonist, NPY13-36, against transient focal cerebral ischemia in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Numerous in vitro and in vivo experimental studies indicate that neuropeptide Y Y2 receptors (Y2R) are potential targets for neuroprotective therapy, including neuroprotection against ischemic stroke in healthy rats. Since stroke in humans is typically associated with comorbidities and long-term hypertension is the most common comorbidity leading to stroke, this study aimed to assess the neuroprotective potential of the Y2R agonist NPY13-36 in the rats with essential hypertension (SHR) subjected to 90 min middle cerebral artery suture occlusion with subsequent reperfusion (MCAOR). The cerebrocortical microflow in the ischemic focus and penumbra was continuously monitored with a Laser-Doppler flowmeter.

The effect of high- and low-approach motivated sadness on frontal alpha asymmetry and other metrics.

Sadness is commonly perceived as an affective state with negative valence. However, studies on the psychological and physiological effects of sadness have yielded mixed results. We proposed a systematic analysis of sadness, taking into account an additional dimension - the intensity of approach motivation, understood as an urge to move toward.

p66Shc Protein-Oxidative Stress Sensor or Redox Enzyme: Its Potential Role in Mitochondrial Metabolism of Human Breast Cancer.

This work presents a comprehensive evaluation of the role of p66Shc protein in mitochondrial physiology in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The use of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and its genetically modified clones (obtained with the use of the CRISPR-Cas9 technique), expressing different levels of p66Shc protein, allowed us to demonstrate how the p66Shc protein affects mitochondrial metabolism of human breast cancer cells. Changes in the level of p66Shc (its overexpression, and overexpressing of its Serine 36-mutated version, as well as the knockout of p66Shc) exert different effects in breast cancer cells.

Persistent activity during working memory maintenance predicts long-term memory formation in the human hippocampus.

Working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) are often viewed as separate cognitive systems. Little is known about how these systems interact when forming memories. We recorded single neurons in the human medial temporal lobe while patients maintained novel items in WM and completed a subsequent recognition memory test for the same items.

Pre-choice midbrain fluctuations affect self-control in food choice: A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study.

Recent studies have shown that spontaneous pre-stimulus fluctuations in brain activity affect higher-order cognitive processes, including risky decision-making, cognitive flexibility, and aesthetic judgments. However, there is currently no direct evidence to suggest that pre-choice activity influences value-based decisions that require self-control. We examined the impact of fluctuations in pre-choice activity in key regions of the reward system on self-control in food choice.

Prion protein prevents the inhibition of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel by Tau peptide K18 oligomers.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a tauopathy characterized by the deposition of amyloid aggregates of hyperphosphorylated Tau protein and amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) in the brain. Nevertheless, a soluble, oligomeric forms of Tau and Aβ are considered to be the most neurotoxic species responsible for neurodegenerative processes in AD. The mechanism of action of these oligomers remains largely unclear.

The impact of the physicochemical properties of calcium phosphate ceramics on biocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

Objective: In this study we have focused on biocompatibility and osteoinductive capacity analysis of self-manufactured single-phase (HAP) and two-phase (HAP and β-ТСР) bioactive ceramics with various chemical modifications (Fig. 1).

Results: We demonstrate a reduction in solubility for all analyzed composite after the treatment with HO and HO, accompanied by an enhancement in adsorption activity.

Metabolic impairments in neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation.

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) is a broad, heterogeneous group of rare inherited diseases (1-3 patients/1,000,000 people) characterized by progressive symptoms associated with excessive abnormal iron deposition in the brain. Approximately 15,000-20,000 individuals worldwide are estimated to be affected by NBIA. NBIA is usually associated with slowly progressive pyramidal and extrapyramidal symptoms, axonal motor neuropathy, optic nerve atrophy, cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dense but not alpha granules of platelets are required for insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells.

Objectives: Platelets, originally described for their role in blood coagulation, are now also recognized as key players in modulating inflammation, tissue regeneration, angiogenesis, and carcinogenesis. Recent evidence suggests that platelets also influence insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells. The multifaceted functions of platelets are mediated by the factors stored in their alpha granules (AGs) and dense granules (DGs).

Tracking changes in functionality and morphology of repopulated microglia in young and old mice.

Background: Microglia (MG) are myeloid cells of the central nervous system that support homeostasis and instigate neuroinflammation in pathologies. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed the functional heterogeneity of MG in mouse brains. Microglia are self-renewing cells and inhibition of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) signaling depletes microglia which rapidly repopulate.

Circulating microRNAs and isomiRs as biomarkers for the initial insult and epileptogenesis in four experimental epilepsy models: The EPITARGET study.

Objective: Structural epilepsies can manifest months or years after the occurrence of an initial epileptogenic insult, making them amenable for secondary prevention. However, development of preventive treatments has been challenged by a lack of biomarkers for identifying the subset of individuals with the highest risk of epilepsy after the epileptogenic insult.

Methods: Four different rat models of epileptogenesis were investigated to identify differentially expressed circulating microRNA (miRNA) and isomiR profiles as biomarkers for epileptogenesis.

Mutation in the mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1 leads to autism with more severe symptoms in males.

There is increasing evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but the causal relationships are unclear. In an ASD patient whose identical twin was unaffected, we identified a postzygotic mosaic mutation p.Q639* in the TRAP1 gene, which encodes a mitochondrial chaperone of the HSP90 family.

Distribution of calbindin-positive neurons across areas and layers of the marmoset cerebral cortex.

The diversity of the mammalian cerebral cortex demands technical approaches to map the spatial distribution of neurons with different biochemical identities. This issue is magnified in the case of the primate cortex, characterized by a large number of areas with distinctive cytoarchitectures. To date, no full map of the distribution of cells expressing a specific protein has been reported for the cortex of any primate.

Analysis of Deposition and Diffusion of Cholesterol in Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses Using Confocal Microscopy.

In this study, we investigated lipid deposition and diffusion in silicone hydrogel (Si-Hy) contact lenses using confocal microscopy. Different Si-Hy lenses were analyzed to understand the interaction patterns of cholesterol with various lens materials. The results highlight significant differences in the deposition and diffusion of lipids through the lenses, revealing that some materials, such as comfilcon A, allow lipids to diffuse more freely compared to others, such as samfilcon A, which provides a greater barrier.

The ubiquitin-specific protease 21 is critical for cancer cell mitochondrial function and regulates proliferation and migration.

Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) are the main members of deubiquitinases (DUBs) that catalyze removing ubiquitin chains from target proteins, thereby modulating their half-life and function. Enzymatic activity of USP21 regulates protein degradation which is critical for maintaining cell homeostasis. USP21 determines the stability of oncogenic proteins and therefore is implicated in carcinogenesis.

NMDA receptor antagonist high-frequency oscillations are transmitted via bottom-up feedforward processing.

In mammals, NMDA receptor antagonists have been linked to the emergence of high-frequency oscillations (HFO, 130-180 Hz) in cortical and subcortical brain regions. The extent to which transmission of this rhythm is dependent on feedforward (bottom-up) or feedback (top-down) mechanisms is unclear. Previously, we have shown that the olfactory bulb (OB), known to orchestrate oscillations in many brain regions, is an important node in the NMDA receptor-dependent HFO network.

The interplay of serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT7 receptors in chronic stress.

Serotonin regulates multiple physiological and pathological processes in the brain, including mood and cognition. The serotonin receptors 5-HT1AR (also known as HTR1A) and 5-HT7R (also known as HTR7) have emerged as key players in stress-related disorders, particularly depression. These receptors can form heterodimers, which influence their functions.

Spatio-temporal mechanisms of consolidation, recall and reconsolidation in reward-related memory trace.

The formation of memories is a complex, multi-scale phenomenon, especially when it involves integration of information from various brain systems. We have investigated the differences between a novel and consolidated association of spatial cues and amphetamine administration, using an in situ hybridisation method to track the short-term dynamics during the recall testing. We have found that remote recall group involves smaller, but more consolidated groups of neurons, which is consistent with their specialisation.