Spexin-expressing neurons in the magnocellular nuclei of the human hypothalamus

Neuropeptides are involved in numerous brain activities being responsible for a wide spectrum of higher mental functions. The purpose of this concise, structural and qualitative investigation was to map the possible immunoreactivity of the novel neuropeptide spexin (SPX) within the human magnocellular hypothalamus. SPX is a newly identified peptide, a natural ligand for the galanin receptors (GALR) 2/3, with no molecular structure similarities to currently known regulatory factors. SPX seems to have multiple physiological functions, with an involvement in reproduction and food-intake regulation recently revealed in animal studies. For the first time we describe SPX expressing neurons in the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei of the human hypothalamus using immunohistochemical and fluorescent methods, key regions involved in the mechanisms of osmotic homeostasis, energy expenditure, consummatory behaviour, reproductive processes, social recognition and stress responses. The vast majority of neurons located in both examined neurosecretory nuclei show abundant SPX expression and this may indirectly implicate a potential contribution of SPX signalling to the hypothalamic physiology in the human brain. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Revision of Nymphaea candida range - new data on the distribution and habitat preferences of the species in southern Poland

The paper presents results of geobotanical and taxonomic studies on the distribution and habitat requirements of Nymphaea candida in southern Poland. The researches were conducted in southern Poland in 2003-2009, in the provinces of Lower Silesia, Lublin, Małopolska, Opole, Silesian province as well as, in southern parts of Mazowieckie and Lubuskie. Flowers, leaves and fruits of Nymphaea species were collected from 27 locations. Altogether pollens from 73 populations of N. candida and 18 of N. alba from all the researched area were measured. The trophic level of an ecosystem was evaluated according to the results of the total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, transparency and biological parameters. As the result of the studies of more than 200 water bodies, 57 localities of N. candida were documented within the investigation area. The populations of N. candida occupy mid-forest water bodies and river ox-bow lakes. A significant number of populations was also found in artificial reservoirs - fish ponds. The most suitable habitat conditions for N. candida occur in shallow waters in the shore zone with the amplitude of the water column vary from 0.5 to 2 m. Regarding the trophy level, N. candida occupies different habitats, mainly mesotrophic and also eutrophic with high content of organic matters. Considering the 15 checked morphological parameters, especially the stigma diameter, the number of carpellary teeth, flower and pollen diameters, the found and collected specimens of N. candida significantly differ from N. alba. The study confirms that N. candida ocurrs in whole lowland Poland without any regional distribution gaps. According to the IUCN guidelines to species assessment the data gathered during the presented study do not allow to classify N. candida as a vulnerable species in Poland. Still existing populations for more than 150 years, numerous stable locations, abundant populations, a habitat accessibility, a biotope extent, an ecological amplitude against the trophy level and direct human impacts suggest, that the species should be regarded as a least concern (LC) taxon

Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 6

The paper presents new records for 10 vascular plant species from three Asian and four European countries. Of this number, three species (Panicum capillare, Stipa macroglossa, Tribulus longipetalus) are reported from Tajikistan, two (Calamagrostis emodensis, Calamagrostis lahulensis) from Myanmar, two (Euphorbia taurinensis, Origanum vulgare var. megastachyum) from Poland, one (Sagina apetala) from Uzbekistan, one (Orobanche ritro) from Ukraine and Russia, and one (Leontodon saxatilis) from the Czech Republic. Eight of these taxa are new to the flora of different Asian and European countries; and two, very rare but recently spreading species, namely Leontodon saxatilis and Euphorbia taurinensis, were reported from the Czech Republic and Poland, respectively. Four of the taxa presented (Euphorbia taurinensis, Panicum capillare, Sagina apetala and Tribulus longipetalus) should be regarded as alien to the studied areas, intensively spreading or even invasive, whereas the other six are native elements given for the first time from the countries. In each of the species, synonyms, the general distribution, habitat preferences and habitats occupied in the particular country, taxonomy with remarks on recognition and differentiating the species from the most similar occurring in particular country as well as a list of localities of examined species occurring in a given country, often far from the previously known areas, were presented. In the case of Stipa macroglossa a lectotype for the species was designated in the present paper. Illustrations for Stipa macroglossa and Orobanche ritro were also provided

Escitalopram as a modulator of proopiomelanocortin, kisspeptin, Kiss1R and MCHR1 gene expressions in the male rat brain

Neuropeptides are important, multifunctional regulatory factors of the nervous system, being considered as a novel, atypical sites of antidepressants action. It has already been proven that some of them, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), are able to affect peptidergic pathways in various brain regions. Despite these reports, there is so far no reports regarding the effect of treatment with SSRIs on brain proopiomelanocortin (POMC), kisspeptin, Kiss1R and MCHR1 gene expression. In the current study we examined POMC, kisspeptin, Kiss1R and MCHR1 mRNA expression in the selected brain structures (hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, striatum, cerebellum and brainstem) of rats chronically treated with a 10 mg/kg dose of escitalopram using quantitative Real-Time PCR. Long-term treatment with escitalopram led to the upregulation of MCHR1 expression in the rat amygdala. Kisspeptin mRNA level was also increased in the amygdala, but Kiss1R mRNA expressions were elevated in the hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum. POMC mRNA expressions were in turn decreased in the hippocampus, amygdala, cerebellum and brainstem. These results may support the hypothesis that these neuropeptides may be involved in the site-dependent actions of SSRI antidepressants. This is the first report of the effects of escitalopram on POMC, kisspeptin, Kiss1R and MCHR1 in animal brain. Our findings shed a new light on the pharmacology of SSRIs and may contribute to a better understanding of the alternative, neuropeptide-dependent modes of antidepressant action

Spexin-expressing neurons in the magnocellular nuclei of the human hypothalamus

Neuropeptides are involved in numerous brain activities being responsible for a wide spectrum of higher mental functions. The purpose of this concise, structural and qualitative investigation was to map the possible immunoreactivity of the novel neuropeptide spexin (SPX) within the human magnocellular hypothalamus. SPX is a newly identified peptide, a natural ligand for the galanin receptors (GALR) 2/3, with no molecular structure similarities to currently known regulatory factors. SPX seems to have multiple physiological functions, with an involvement in reproduction and food-intake regulation recently revealed in animal studies. For the first time we describe SPX expressing neurons in the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei of the human hypothalamus using immunohistochemical and fluorescent methods, key regions involved in the mechanisms of osmotic homeostasis, energy expenditure, consummatory behaviour, reproductive processes, social recognition and stress responses. The vast majority of neurons located in both examined neurosecretory nuclei show abundant SPX expression and this may indirectly implicate a potential contribution of SPX signalling to the hypothalamic physiology in the human brain. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 3

The paper presents new records for 18 vascular plant species from six Eurasian countries. Three taxa (Lepidium densiflorum, Stipa czerepanovii, Xanthium albinum) are reported from Kazakhstan, one (Ranunculus schmakovii) from Mongolia, three (Dianthus campestris, Ranunculus kauffmannii, Viola suavis) from Poland, five (Eragrostis amurensis, Linum catharticum, Ludwigia peploides subsp. stipulacea, Pyrethrum mikeschinii, Solidago canadensis) from Tajikistan, five (Clinopodium menthifolium, Juncus effusus, Mollugo cerviana, Poa sphondylodes, Vulpia myuros) from Russia, and one (Orobanche alba subsp. xanthostigma) from Georgia. Ten of the taxa presented (Clinopodium menthifolium, Dianthus campestris, Eragrostis amurensis, Juncus effusus, Lepidium densiflorum, Mollugo cerviana, Solidago canadensis, Viola suavis, Vulpia myuros and Xanthium albinum) are regarded as alien to the studied areas, whereas the remaining eight are native elements to the flora of the countries. For each species, synonyms, general distribution, habitat preferences, taxonomy with remarks on recognition and differentiation of the species from the most similar occurring in a given country, as well as a list of localities recorded (often far from the previously known areas), are presented

Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 3

The paper presents new records for 18 vascular plant species from six Eurasian countries. Three taxa (Lepidium densiflorum, Stipa czerepanovii, Xanthium albinum) are reported from Kazakhstan, one (Ranunculus schmakovii) from Mongolia, three (Dianthus campestris, Ranunculus kauffmannii, Viola suavis) from Poland, five (Eragrostis amurensis, Linum catharticum, Ludwigia peploides subsp. stipulacea, Pyrethrum mikeschinii, Solidago canadensis) from Tajikistan, five (Clinopodium menthifolium, Juncus effusus, Mollugo cerviana, Poa sphondylodes, Vulpia myuros) from Russia, and one (Orobanche alba subsp. xanthostigma) from Georgia. Ten of the taxa presented (Clinopodium menthifolium, Dianthus campestris, Eragrostis amurensis, Juncus effusus, Lepidium densiflorum, Mollugo cerviana, Solidago canadensis, Viola suavis, Vulpia myuros and Xanthium albinum) are regarded as alien to the studied areas, whereas the remaining eight are native elements to the flora of the countries. For each species, synonyms, general distribution, habitat preferences, taxonomy with remarks on recognition and differentiation of the species from the most similar occurring in a given country, as well as a list of localities recorded (often far from the previously known areas), are presented

Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries : new national and regional vascular plant records, 4

The paper presents new records for 20 vascular plant species from 13 Eurasian countries. Four taxa (Calamagrostis sichuanensis, Klasea dissecta, Ptilagrostis milleri and Stipa klimesii) are reported from China, four (Aconogonon valerii, Carex siderosticta, Poa tanfiljewii and Potamogeton × subobtusus) from Russia, three (Amorpha fruticosa, Carduus acanthoides and Plantago minuta) from Tajikistan, two (Achillea sergievskiana and Delphinium barlykense) from Kazakhstan, one (Calamagrostis effusiflora) from Bhutan and India, one (Campanula wolgensis) from Mongolia, one (Orobanche coerulescens) from Georgia, two (Dysphania geoffreyi and Ptilagrostis milleri) from Nepal, one (Stipa × alaica) from Afghanistan, one (Stipa × manrakica) from Kyrgyzstan, one (Ranunculus × gluckii) from Poland and one (Sporobolus cryptandrus) from Italy. Four of the taxa presented (Amorpha fruticosa, Carduus acanthoides, Carex siderosticta and Sporolobus cryptandrus) are regarded as alien to the studied areas, whereas the remaining 16 are native elements to the flora of the countries. For each species synonyms, general distribution, habitat preferences, taxonomy with remarks on recognition and differentiation of the species from the most similar taxa occurring in a given country, as well as a list of recorded localities (often far from the previously known areas) are presented. Based on the spikelet morphology, we have proposed in Ptilagrostis a new section Barkworthia M. Nobis, A. Nobis & A. Nowak, which comprises two species Ptilagrostis yadongensis and Ptilagrostris milleri, with distinctly unequal glumes, lemmas and paleas