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1.

Background

Development of anxiety- and depression-like states under chronic social defeat stress in mice has been shown by many experimental studies. In this article, the differentially expressed Slc25* family genes encoding mitochondrial carrier proteins were analyzed in the brain of depressive (defeated) mice versus aggressive mice winning in everyday social confrontations. The collected samples of brain regions were sequenced at JSC Genoanalytica (http://genoanalytica.ru/, Moscow, Russia).

Results

Changes in the expression of the 20 Slc25* genes in the male mice were brain region- and social experience (positive or negative)-specific. In particular, most Slc25* genes were up-regulated in the hypothalamus of defeated and aggressive mice and in the hippocampus of defeated mice. In the striatum of defeated mice and in the ventral tegmental area of aggressive mice expression of mitochondrial transporter genes changed specifically. Significant correlations between expression of most Slc25* genes and mitochondrial Mrps and Mrpl genes were found in the brain regions.

Conclusion

Altered expression of the Slc25* genes may serve as a marker of mitochondrial dysfunction in brain, which accompanies the development of many neurological and psychoemotional disorders.
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2.

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a primary cause of dementia in ageing population affecting more than 35 million people around the globe. It is a chronic neurodegenerative disease caused by defected folding and aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) protein. Aβ is formed by the cleavage of membrane embedded amyloid precursor protein (APP) by using enzyme ‘transmembrane aspartyl protease, β-secretase’. Inhibition of β-secretase is a viable strategy to prevent neurotoxicity in AD. Another strategy in the treatment of AD is inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. This inhibition reduces the degradation of acetylcholine and temporarily restores the cholinergic function of neurons and improves cognitive function. Monoamine oxidase and higher glutamate levels are also found to be linked with Aβ peptide related oxidative stress. Oxidative stress leads to reduced activity of glutamate synthase resulting in significantly higher level of glutamate in brain. The aim of this study is to perform in silico screening of a virtual library of biaryl scaffold containing compounds potentially used for the treatment of AD. Screening was done against the primary targets of AD therapeutics, acetylcholinesterase, β-secretase (BACE1), Monoamine oxidases (MAO) and N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Compounds were screened for their inhibitory potential by employing molecular docking approach using AutoDock vina. Binding energy scores were embodied in the heatmap to display varies strengths of interactions of the ligands targeting AD.

Results

Several ligands showed notable interaction with at least two targets, but the strong interaction with all the targets is shown by very few ligands. The pharmacokinetics of the interacting ligands was also predicted. The interacting ligands have good drug-likeness and brain availability essential for drugs with intracranial targets.

Conclusion

These results suggest that biaryl scaffold may be pliable to drug development for neuroprotection in AD and that the synthesis of further analogues to optimize these properties should be considered.
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3.

Background

Parkinson's disease, a prevalent neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by the reduction of dopaminergic neurons resulting in the loss of motor control, resting tremor, the formation of neuronal inclusions and ultimately premature death. Two inherited forms of PD have been linked to mutations in the α-synuclein and parkin genes. The parkin protein functions as an ubiquitin ligase targeting specific proteins for degradation. Expression of human α-synuclein in Drosophila neurons recapitulates the loss of motor control, the development of neuronal inclusions, degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and the ommatidial array to provide an excellent genetic model of PD.

Results

To investigate the role of parkin, we have generated transgenic Drosophila that conditionally express parkin under the control of the yeast UAS enhancer. While expression of parkin has little consequence, co-expression of parkin with α-synuclein in the dopaminergic neurons suppresses the α-synuclein-induced premature loss of climbing ability. In addition directed expression of parkin in the eye counteracts the α-synuclein-induced degeneration of the ommatidial array. These results show that parkin suppresses the PD-like symptoms observed in the α-synuclein-dependent Drosophila model of PD.

Conclusion

The highly conserved parkin E3 ubiquitin ligase can suppress the damaging effects of human α-synuclein. These results are consistent with a role for parkin in targeting α-synuclein to the proteasome. If this relationship is conserved in humans, this suggests that up-regulation of parkin should suppress α-synucleinopathic PD. The development of therapies that regulate parkin activity may be crucial in the treatment of PD.
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4.

Background

Environmental uncertainty, such as food deprivation, may alter internal milieu of nervous system through various mechanisms. In combination with circumstances of stress or aging, high consumption of unsaturated fatty acids and oxygen can make neural tissues sensitive to oxidative stress (OS). For adult rats, diminished level of gonadal steroid hormones accelerates OS and may result in special behavioral manifestations. This study was aimed to partially answer the question whether OS mediates trade-off between food hoarding and food intake (fat hoarding) in environmental uncertainty (e.g., fluctuations in food resource) within gonadectomized mouse model in the presence of food deprivation-induced food hoarding behavior.

Results

Hoarding behavior was not uniformly expressed in all male mice that exposed to food deprivation. Extended phenotypes including hoarder and non-hoarder mice stored higher and lower amounts of food respectively as compared to that of low-hoarder mice (normal phenotype) after food deprivation. Results showed that neural oxidative status was not changed in the presence of hoarding behavior in gonadectomized mice regardless of tissue type, however, glutathione levels of brain tissues were increased in the presence of hoarding behavior. Decreased superoxide dismutase activity in brain and spinal cord tissues and increased malondialdehyde in brain tissues of gonadectomized mice were also seen.

Conclusions

Although, food deprivation-induced hoarding behavior is a strategic response to food shortage in mice, it did not induce the same amount of hoarding across all colony mates. Hoarding behavior, in this case, is a response to the environmental uncertainty of food shortage, therefore is not an abnormal behavior. Hoarding behavior induced neural OS with regard to an increase in brain glutathione levels but failed to show other markers of neural OS. Decreased superoxide dismutase activity in brain and spinal cord tissues and increased malondialdehyde levels in brain tissues of gonadectomized mice could be a hallmark of debilitated antioxidative defense and more lipid peroxidation due to reduced amount of gonadal steroid hormones during aging.
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5.

Background

While it is well known that bradykinin B2 agonists increase plasma protein extravasation (PPE) in brain tumors, the bradykinin B1 agonists tested thus far are unable to produce this effect. Here we examine the effect of the selective B1 agonist bradykinin (BK) Sar-[D-Phe8]des-Arg9BK (SAR), a compound resistant to enzymatic degradation with prolonged activity on PPE in the blood circulation in the C6 rat glioma model.

Results

SAR administration significantly enhanced PPE in C6 rat brain glioma compared to saline or BK (p < 0.01). Pre-administration of the bradykinin B1 antagonist [Leu8]-des-Arg (100 nmol/Kg) blocked the SAR-induced PPE in the tumor area.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the B1 receptor modulates PPE in the blood tumor barrier of C6 glioma. A possible role for the use of SAR in the chemotherapy of gliomas deserves further study.
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6.

Purpose

To examine the effect of visual target blurring on accommodation.

Methods

We evaluated the objective refraction values when the visual target (asterisk; 8°) was changed from the state without Gaussian blur (15 s) to the state with Gaussian blur adapted [0(without blur)?→?10, 0?→?50, 0?→?100: 15 s each].

Results

In Gaussian blur 10, when blurring of the target occurred, refraction value did not change significantly. In Gaussian blur 50 and 100, when blurring of the target occurred, the refraction value became significantly myopic.

Conclusion

Blurring of the distant visual target results in intervention of accommodation.
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7.

Background

Axon calibers vary widely among different animals, neuron classes, and even within the same neuron. What determines the diameter of axon branches?

Results

We pursue the hypothesis that the axon caliber has evolved to minimize signal propagation delays, while keeping arbor volume to a minimum. For a general cost function, we show that the optimal diameters of mother and daughter branches at a bifurcation satisfy a power law. The derivation relies on the fact that the axon conduction speed scales as a power of axon diameter. Although available data are consistent with the law, there is a large spread in the data. Future experimental tests will determine whether this spread is due to biological variability or measurement error.

Conclusions

Minimization of arbor volume and signal propagation delay may have been an important factor in the evolution of the brain.
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8.

Background

How does the brain repair obliterated speech and cope with acoustically ambivalent situations? A widely discussed possibility is to use top-down information for solving the ambiguity problem. In the case of speech, this may lead to a match of bottom-up sensory input with lexical expectations resulting in resonant states which are reflected in the induced gamma-band activity (GBA).

Methods

In the present EEG study, we compared the subject's pre-attentive GBA responses to obliterated speech segments presented after a series of correct words. The words were a minimal pair in German and differed with respect to the degree of specificity of segmental phonological information.

Results

The induced GBA was larger when the expected lexical information was phonologically fully specified compared to the underspecified condition. Thus, the degree of specificity of phonological information in the mental lexicon correlates with the intensity of the matching process of bottom-up sensory input with lexical information.

Conclusions

These results together with those of a behavioural control experiment support the notion of multi-level mechanisms involved in the repair of deficient speech. The delineated alignment of pre-existing knowledge with sensory input is in accordance with recent ideas about the role of internal forward models in speech perception.
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9.

Background

The morphological development of neurons is a very complex process involving both genetic and environmental components. Mathematical modelling and numerical simulation are valuable tools in helping us unravel particular aspects of how individual neurons grow their characteristic morphologies and eventually form appropriate networks with each other.

Methods

A variety of mathematical models that consider (1) neurite initiation (2) neurite elongation (3) axon pathfinding, and (4) neurite branching and dendritic shape formation are reviewed. The different mathematical techniques employed are also described.

Results

Some comparison of modelling results with experimental data is made. A critique of different modelling techniques is given, leading to a proposal for a unified modelling environment for models of neuronal development.

Conclusion

A unified mathematical and numerical simulation framework should lead to an expansion of work on models of neuronal development, as has occurred with compartmental models of neuronal electrical activity.
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10.

Background

Global cerebral ischemia triggers neurodegeneration in the hippocampal CA1 region, but the mechanism of neuronal death remains elusive. The epsilon isoform of protein kinase C (PKCε) has recently been identified as a master switch that controls the nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of ATF2 and the survival of melanoma cells. It is of interest to assess the role of PKCε–ATF2 signaling in neurodegeneration.

Results

Phosphorylation of ATF2 at Thr-52 was reduced in the hippocampus of PKCε null mice, suggesting that ATF2 is a phosphorylation substrate of PKCε. PKCε protein concentrations were significantly reduced 4, 24, 48 and 72 h after transient global cerebral ischemia, resulting in translocation of nuclear ATF2 to the mitochondria. Degenerating neurons staining positively with Fluoro-Jade C exhibited cytoplasmic ATF2.

Conclusions

Our results support the hypothesis that PKCε regulates phosphorylation and nuclear sequestration of ATF2 in hippocampal neurons during ischemia-induced neurodegeneration.
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11.

Background

The proteasome system plays an important role in synaptic plasticity. Induction and maintenance of long term potentiation is directly dependent on selective targeting of proteins for proteasomal degradation. The 20S proteasome activator PA28αβ activates hydrolysis of small nonubiquitinated peptides and possesses protective functions upon oxidative stress and proteinopathy. The effect of PA28αβ activity on behavior and memory function is, however, not known. We generated a mouse model that overexpresses PA28α (PA28αOE) to understand PA28αβ function during healthy adult homeostasis via assessment of physiological and behavioral profiles, focusing on female mice.

Results

PA28α and PA28β protein levels were markedly increased in all PA28αOE tissues analyzed. PA28αOE displayed reduced depressive-like behavior in the forced swim test and improved memory/learning function assessed by intersession habituation in activity box and shuttle box passive avoidance test, with no significant differences in anxiety or general locomotor activity. Nor were there any differences found when compared to WT for body composition or immuno-profile. The cognitive effects of PA28αOE were female specific, but could not be explained by alterations in estrogen serum levels or hippocampal regulation of estrogen receptor β. Further, there were no differences in hippocampal protein expression of neuronal or synaptic markers between PA28αOE and WT. Biochemical analysis of hippocampal extracts demonstrated that PA28α overexpression did not increase PA28–20S peptidase activity or decrease K48-polyubiquitin levels. Instead, PA28αOE exhibited elevated efficiency in preventing aggregation in the hippocampus.

Conclusions

This study reveals, for the first time, a connection between PA28αβ and neuronal function. We found that PA28α overexpressing female mice displayed reduced depressive-like behavior and enhanced learning and memory. Since the positive effects of PA28α overexpression arose without an activation of 20S proteasome capacity, they are likely independent of PA28αβ’s role as a 20S proteasome activator and instead depend on a recognized chaperone-like function. These findings suggest that proteostasis in synaptic plasticity is more diverse than previously reported, and demonstrates a novel function of PA28αβ in the brain.
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12.

Background

Recent studies demonstrate that diverse antidepressant agents increase the cellular production of the nucleolipid CDP-diacylglycerol and its synthetic derivative, phosphatidylinositol, in depression-relevant brain regions. Pharmacological blockade of downstream phosphatidylinositide signaling disrupted the behavioral antidepressant effects in rats. However, the nucleolipid responses were resistant to inhibition by serotonin receptor antagonists, even though antidepressant-facilitated inositol phosphate accumulation was blocked. Could the neurochemical effects be additional to the known effects of the drugs on monoamine transmitter transporters? To examine this question, we tested selected agents in serotonin-depleted brain tissues, in PC12 cells devoid of serotonin transporters, and on the enzymatic activity of brain CDP-diacylglycerol synthase - the enzyme that catalyzes the physiological synthesis of CDP-diacylglycerol.

Results

Imipramine, paroxetine, and maprotiline concentration-dependently increased the levels of CDP-diacylglycerol and phosphatidylinositides in PC12 cells. Rat forebrain tissues depleted of serotonin by pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine showed responses to imipramine or maprotiline that were comparable to respective responses from saline-injected controls. With fluoxetine, nucleolipid responses in the serotonin-depleted cortex or hippocampus were significantly reduced, but not abolished. Each drug significantly increased the enzymatic activity of CDP-diacylglycerol synthase following incubations with cortical or hippocampal brain tissues.

Conclusion

Antidepressants probably induce the activity of CDP-diacylglycerol synthase leading to increased production of CDP-diacylglycerol and facilitation of downstream phosphatidylinositol synthesis. Phosphatidylinositol-dependent signaling cascades exert diverse salutary effects in neural cells, including facilitation of BDNF signaling and neurogenesis. Hence, the present findings should strengthen the notion that modulation of brain phosphatidylinositide signaling probably contributes to the molecular mechanism of diverse antidepressant medications.
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13.

Background

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation (LIPUS) has been proven to be a noninvasive method with high spatial resolution and deep penetration. Previous studies have qualitatively demonstrated that the electromyographic response caused by LIPUS in the mouse motor cortex is affected by the anesthetic state of the mice. However, the quantitative relationship between motor response and anesthetic dose remains unclear.

Results

Experimental results show that the success rate decreases stepwise as the isoflurane concentration/mouse weight ratio increases (ratios: [0.004%/g, 0.01%/g], success rate: ~?90%; [0.012%/g, 0.014%/g], ~?40%; [0.016%/g, 0.018%/g], ~?7%; 0.024%/g, 0). The latency and duration of EMG increase significantly when the ratio is more than 0.016%/g. Compared with that at ratios from 0.004 to 0.016%/g, normalized EMG amplitude decreases significantly at ratios of 0.018%/g and 0.020%/g.

Conclusions

Quantitative calculations indicate that the anesthetic dose has a significant regulatory effect on the motor response of mice during LIPUS. Our results have guiding significance for the selection of the anesthetic dose for LIPUS in mouse motor cortex experiments.
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14.

Purpose

To evaluate the relationship between corneal and ocular higher order wavefront aberrations (HOAs) and age in young subjects aged 20 years or less.

Methods

Corneal and ocular HOAs of the right eyes of 87 normal subjects were measured using videokeratography and the Hartmann–Shack wavefront aberrometer (KR-9000PW; Topcon Corp., Tokyo, Japan). The HOAs were calculated using Zernike polynomials up to the sixth order. From the Zernike coefficients, the root mean squares (RMS) of coma and spherical aberration were calculated.

Results

Corneal spherical-like aberrations significantly correlated with age (r = 0.420, p < 0.001); however, coma-like aberrations and total HOAs did not significantly correlate with age. None of the ocular HOAs significantly correlated with age. In addition, a gender-wise comparison of the collected data showed that corneal and ocular HOAs did not significantly correlate with age.

Conclusion

In children, the corneal and ocular total HOAs did not vary with age. Compared to the previous reports in adults, we found fewer corneal and ocular HOAs in children.
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15.

Background

How does the brain convert sounds and phonemes into comprehensible speech? In the present magnetoencephalographic study we examined the hypothesis that the coherence of electromagnetic oscillatory activity within and across brain areas indicates neurophysiological processes linked to speech comprehension.

Results

Amplitude-modulated (sinusoidal 41.5 Hz) auditory verbal and nonverbal stimuli served to drive steady-state oscillations in neural networks involved in speech comprehension. Stimuli were presented to 12 subjects in the following conditions (a) an incomprehensible string of words, (b) the same string of words after being introduced as a comprehensible sentence by proper articulation, and (c) nonverbal stimulations that included a 600-Hz tone, a scale, and a melody. Coherence, defined as correlated activation of magnetic steady state fields across brain areas and measured as simultaneous activation of current dipoles in source space (Minimum-Norm-Estimates), increased within left- temporal-posterior areas when the sound string was perceived as a comprehensible sentence. Intra-hemispheric coherence was larger within the left than the right hemisphere for the sentence (condition (b) relative to all other conditions), and tended to be larger within the right than the left hemisphere for nonverbal stimuli (condition (c), tone and melody relative to the other conditions), leading to a more pronounced hemispheric asymmetry for nonverbal than verbal material.

Conclusions

We conclude that coherent neuronal network activity may index encoding of verbal information on the sentence level and can be used as a tool to investigate auditory speech comprehension.
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16.

Background

To understand the functioning of distributed networks such as the brain, it is important to characterize their ability to integrate information. The paper considers a measure based on effective information, a quantity capturing all causal interactions that can occur between two parts of a system.

Results

The capacity to integrate information, or Φ, is given by the minimum amount of effective information that can be exchanged between two complementary parts of a subset. It is shown that this measure can be used to identify the subsets of a system that can integrate information, or complexes. The analysis is applied to idealized neural systems that differ in the organization of their connections. The results indicate that Φ is maximized by having each element develop a different connection pattern with the rest of the complex (functional specialization) while ensuring that a large amount of information can be exchanged across any bipartition of the network (functional integration).

Conclusion

Based on this analysis, the connectional organization of certain neural architectures, such as the thalamocortical system, are well suited to information integration, while that of others, such as the cerebellum, are not, with significant functional consequences. The proposed analysis of information integration should be applicable to other systems and networks.
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17.
18.

Purpose

We investigated the relationship between central and peripheral corneal astigmatism in elderly patients.

Methods

Seventy-six eyes of 76 elderly subjects (mean age?=?72.6?±?3.0 years) were included in the study. Corneal shape was evaluated using the Pentacam HR (Oculus, Wetzlark, Germany), which is comprised of a rotating Scheimpflug camera and a short-wavelength slit light. The power distribution map was selected and corneal astigmatism was calculated using front K-Readings in zones centered on the pupil. Analyzed zones were 2.0–6.0 mm in diameter.

Results

Corneal astigmatism decreased as diameter increased, similar to what was observed in eyes with with-the-rule astigmatism and against-the-rule astigmatism (ANOVA, p?<?0.01). This effect was more pronounced in eyes with a large central corneal astigmatism (Spearman’s rank-correlation coefficient test, r?=?0.51, p?<?0.01). There was no change as to axis of corneal astigmatism (ANOVA, p?=?0.98).

Conclusion

These results suggest that the relationship between central and peripheral corneal astigmatism should be taken into consideration to optimize vision when astigmatic correction is needed.
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19.

Background

The treatment of Parkinson’s disease is often complicated by levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists can alleviate LID in animal models but may be less effective in conditions of severe dopaminergic denervation. While the mechanisms of LID remain incompletely understood, elevated corticostriatal levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been suggested to play a role. Here, female mice with near-total unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nigrostriatal lesions were chronically treated with levodopa, and the effects of the α7 nicotinic receptor partial agonist AZD0328 and nicotine on LID were assessed. At the end of the experiment, BDNF protein levels in the prefrontal cortex and striatum were measured.

Results

Five-day treatments with three escalating doses of AZD0328 and a 10-week treatment with nicotine failed to alleviate LID. BDNF levels in the lesioned striatum correlated positively with LID severity, but no evidence was found for a levodopa-induced elevation of corticostriatal BDNF in the lesioned hemisphere. The nicotine treatment decreased BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex but had no effect on striatal BDNF.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that treatment of LID with nicotinic agonists may lose its effectiveness as the disease progresses, represent further evidence for a role for BDNF in LID, and expand previous knowledge on the effects of long-term nicotine treatment on BDNF.
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20.

Background

To determine whether early imitative responses fade out following the maturation of attentional mechanisms, the relationship between primitive imitation behaviors and the development of attention was examined in 4-month-old infants. They were divided into high and low imitators, based on an index of imitation. The status of attention was assessed by studying inhibition of return (IOR). Nine-month-old infants were also tested to confirm the hypothesis.

Results

The IOR latency data replicate previous results that infants get faster to produce a covert shift of attention with increasing age. However, those 4-month-olds who showed less imitation had more rapid saccades to the cue before target presentation.

Conclusion

The cortical control of saccade planning appears to be related to an apparent drop in early imitation. We interpret the results as suggesting a relationship between the status of imitation and the neural development of attention-related eye movement.
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