Cortical substrate of bladder control in SCI and the effect of peripheral pudendal stimulation

We investigate (i) the central representation of lower urinary tract (LUT) control and (ii–iii) the acute and 23 short-term central neuromodulatory effect of peripheral pudendal nerve stimulation in incomplete spinal 24 cord injured (SCI) patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The urinary bladder of eight 25 SCI patients has been passively filled and emptied using a catheter, to identify the neural substrate of bladder 26 control (i), and with simultaneous peripheral pudendal nerve stimulation to investigate its acute central 27 neuromodulatory effect (ii). To identify the potential effects of pudendal nerve stimulation treatment (iii), 28 six patients underwent a 2-week training using pudendal nerve stimulation followed by another fMRI 29 session of bladder filling. The pre- and post-training fMRI results have been compared and correlated with 30 the patient's pre- and post-training urological status. Our results suggest that the central representation of 31 bladder filling sensation is preserved in the subacute stage of incomplete SCI. However, compared to earlier 32 data from healthy subjects, it shows decreased neural response in right prefrontal areas and increased in left 33 prefrontal regions, indicating diminished inhibitory micturition control as well as, compensatory or de- 34 compensatory reorganization of bladder control. We also provide evidence for a neuromodulatory effect of 35 acute pudendal nerve stimulation, which was most prominent in the right posterior insula, a brain region 36 implicated in homeostatic interoception in human. Pudendal stimulation training also induced significant 37 neuromodulation, predominantly signal increases, in the normal cortical network of bladder control. 38 Correlations with the patient's urological status indicate that this neuromodulatory effect may reflect the 39 clinical improvement following training

Milk exosomes: beyond dietary microRNAs

Extracellular vesicles deliver a variety of cargos to recipient cells, including the delivery of cargos in dietary vesicles from bovine milk to non-bovine species. The rate of discovery in this important line of research is slowed by a controversy whether the delivery and bioactivity of a single class of vesicle cargos, microRNAs, are real or not. This opinion paper argues that the evidence in support of the bioavailability of microRNAs encapsulated in dietary exosomes outweighs the evidence produced by scholars doubting that phenomenon is real. Importantly, this paper posits that the time is ripe to look beyond microRNA cargos and pursue innovative pathways through which dietary exosomes alter metabolism. Here, we highlight potentially fruitful lines of exploration

The role of left and right hemispheres in the comprehension of idiomatic language: an electrical neuroimaging study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The specific role of the two cerebral hemispheres in processing idiomatic language is highly debated. While some studies show the involvement of the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG), other data support the crucial role of right-hemispheric regions, and particularly of the middle/superior temporal area. Time-course and neural bases of literal vs. idiomatic language processing were compared. Fifteen volunteers silently read 360 idiomatic and literal Italian sentences and decided whether they were semantically related or unrelated to a following target word, while their EEGs were recorded from 128 electrodes. Word length, abstractness and frequency of use, sentence comprehensibility, familiarity and cloze probability were matched across classes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Participants responded more quickly to literal than to idiomatic sentences, probably indicating a difference in task difficulty. Occipito/temporal N2 component had a greater amplitude in response to idioms between 250-300 ms. Related swLORETA source reconstruction revealed a difference in the activation of the left fusiform gyrus (FG, BA19) and medial frontal gyri for the contrast idiomatic-minus-literal. Centroparietal N400 was much larger to idiomatic than to literal phrases (360-550 ms). The intra-cortical generators of this effect included the left and right FG, the left cingulate gyrus, the right limbic area, the right MTG (BA21) and the left middle frontal gyrus (BA46). Finally, an anterior late positivity (600-800 ms) was larger to idiomatic than literal phrases. ERPs also showed a larger right centro-parietal N400 to associated than non-associated targets (not differing as a function of sentence type), and a greater right frontal P600 to idiomatic than literal associated targets.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The data indicate bilateral involvement of both hemispheres in idiom comprehension, including the right MTG after 350 ms and the right medial frontal gyrus in the time windows 270-300 and 500-780 ms. In addition, the activation of left and right limbic regions (400-450 ms) suggests that they have a role in the emotional connotation of colourful idiomatic language. The data support the view that there is direct access to the idiomatic meaning of figurative language, not dependent on the suppression of its literal meaning, for which the LIFG was previously thought to be responsible.</p

Nutritional Regulation of Mammary miRNome: Implications for Human Studies

Mammary gland is the organ of milk component synthesis that provides the nutrients for growth and development of the mammalian neonate. In addition to macronutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids known for their roles in providing substrate and energy, a new class of components has been identified notably microRNA that have signaling roles regulating a large set of biological processes. MicroRNAs, short noncoding RNAs, have been reported to act on the mammary tissues, influencing mammary development and milk component biosynthesis, and evidence is now assembling that they also signal to the infant. The expression profile of these miRNAs can be under nutritional regulation. Their presence in milk and their relative persistency through industrial treatment open new way of investigations to use them as biomarkers of animal health, as well as to evaluate their effects on the health of those consuming them. Due to the role of miRNAs on human health and diseases, their transfer from milk or milk products to infants and adults is being actively researched, though their bioavailability is not known. Research is defining their distribution in the different fractions of milk (such as cells, exosomes, fat globule, or skim milk). Indeed, the unique packaging of miRNAs could be crucial for their action through the intestinal tract. The value of milk miRNAs to diverse aspects of human health is now an emerging field of scienc