Memantine protects cholinergic and glutamatergic septal neurons from Aβ1-40-induced toxicity

The medial septal region (medial septum and diagonal band of Broca, MS/DB) controls hippocampal excitability and synaptic plasticity. MS/DB cholinergic neurons degenerate early in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The presence of MS/DB glutamatergic neurons that project to the hippocampus and are vulnerable to Aβ suggests that excitotoxicity plays a role in AD septal degeneration and hippocampal dysfunction. To demonstrate the presence of excitotoxicity in Aβinduced septal damage, we compared rats injected with Aβ1–40 into the MS/DB with animals treated with memantine prior, during and after Aβ1–40 injections. Controls were injected with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). MS/DB cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons were immunochemically identified. The number of MS/DB neurons was estimated using stereology. Our results show that memantine blocks Aβ1–40-induced septal damage and suggest that excitotoxicity plays a role in basal forebrain neurodegeneration

Memantine protects cholinergic and glutamatergic septal neurons from Aβ1-40-induced toxicity

The medial septal region (medial septum and diagonal band of Broca, MS/DB) controls hippocampal excitability and synaptic plasticity. MS/DB cholinergic neurons degenerate early in Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). The presence of MS/DB glutamatergic neurons that project to the hippocampus and are vulnerable to Aβ suggests that excitotoxicity plays a role in AD septal degeneration and hippocampal dysfunction. To demonstrate the presence of excitotoxicity in Aβ-induced septal damage, we compared rats injected with Aβ1-40 into the MS/DB with animals treated with memantine prior, during and after Aβ1-40 injections. Controls were injected with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). MS/DB cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons were immunochemically identified. The number of MS/DB neurons was estimated using stereology. Our results show that memantine blocks Aβ1-40-induced septal damage and suggest that excitotoxicity plays a role in basal forebrain neurodegeneration

Smallanthus sonchifolius roots ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by reducing redox imbalance and hepatocyte damage in rats fed with a high fructose diet

Objective: To evaluate the potential of Smallanthus sonchifolius (S. sonchifolius) roots in ameliorating hepatic damage of rats fed with a high fructose diet. Methods: The effect of S. sonchifolius roots on energy intake, body weight, fat and liver mass was determined in male rats fed with a high-fructose diet. Plasma glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, lipoproteins and aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were analyzed. Histological changes of the livers were evaluated by electronic microscopy and apoptosis was examined using the TUNEL method. The levels of malondialdehyde, reduced-glutathione and antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase) activities were also determined. Results: S. sonchifolius roots significantly decreased energy intake, body weight, fat and liver mass (P < 0.05). S. sonchifolius roots ameliorated liver steatosis and mitochondrial morphology, avoiding cellular apoptosis and normalizing transaminase activity in the liver of rats fed with high fructose. Enzymatic assays revealed that S. sonchifolius roots had a modulatory effect on the oxidative stress induced by fructose-feeding by reducing lipid peroxidation (P < 0.05) and antioxidant enzyme activities (P < 0.05) in liver. Conclusions: S. sonchifolius roots can ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by improving oxidative stress and liver injury.Fil: Aleman, Mariano Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Sanchez, Sara Serafina del V.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Honore, Stella Maris. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; Argentin

Effect of heuristics on serendipity in path-based storytelling with linked data

Path-based storytelling with Linked Data on the Web provides users the ability to discover concepts in an entertaining and educational way. Given a query context, many state-of-the-art pathfinding approaches aim at telling a story that coincides with the user's expectations by investigating paths over Linked Data on the Web. By taking into account serendipity in storytelling, we aim at improving and tailoring existing approaches towards better fitting user expectations so that users are able to discover interesting knowledge without feeling unsure or even lost in the story facts. To this end, we propose to optimize the link estimation between - and the selection of facts in a story by increasing the consistency and relevancy of links between facts through additional domain delineation and refinement steps. In order to address multiple aspects of serendipity, we propose and investigate combinations of weights and heuristics in paths forming the essential building blocks for each story. Our experimental findings with stories based on DBpedia indicate the improvements when applying the optimized algorithm

Electron spin resonance of nitrogen-vacancy centers in optically trapped nanodiamonds

Using an optical tweezers apparatus, we demonstrate three-dimensional control of nanodiamonds in solution with simultaneous readout of ground-state electron-spin resonance (ESR) transitions in an ensemble of diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color centers. Despite the motion and random orientation of NV centers suspended in the optical trap, we observe distinct peaks in the measured ESR spectra qualitatively similar to the same measurement in bulk. Accounting for the random dynamics, we model the ESR spectra observed in an externally applied magnetic field to enable d.c. magnetometry in solution. We estimate the d.c. magnetic field sensitivity based on variations in ESR line shapes to be ~50 microTesla/Hz^1/2. This technique may provide a pathway for spin-based magnetic, electric, and thermal sensing in fluidic environments and biophysical systems inaccessible to existing scanning probe techniques.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figures for manuscript and supporting informatio

Photoelectron angular distributions in photodetachment from P-

The angular distributions of electrons ejected in laser photodetachment of the P- ion have been studied in the photon energy range of 0.95-3.28 eV using a photoelectron spectrometer designed to accommodate a source consisting of collinearly overlapping photon and negative ion beams. We observe the value of the asymmetry parameter β starting at zero near the threshold, falling to almost -1 about 0.5 eV above the threshold and eventually rising to a positive value. The experimental data has been fitted to a simplified model of the Cooper-Zare formula which yields a qualitative understanding of the quantum interference between the outgoing s and d waves representing the free electron. The present results are also compared with previous results for other elements involving p-electron photodetachment

English as the Official Language of the United States: An Overview

This report provides background on contemporary efforts to declare English the official language, a review of selected issues raised by official English proposals in Congress, and a summary of arguments that have been advanced in favor of and in opposition to such proposals

Gravitational waveforms from a point particle orbiting a Schwarzschild black hole

We numerically solve the inhomogeneous Zerilli-Moncrief and Regge-Wheeler equations in the time domain. We obtain the gravitational waveforms produced by a point-particle of mass $\mu$ traveling around a Schwarzschild black hole of mass M on arbitrary bound and unbound orbits. Fluxes of energy and angular momentum at infinity and the event horizon are also calculated. Results for circular orbits, selected cases of eccentric orbits, and parabolic orbits are presented. The numerical results from the time-domain code indicate that, for all three types of orbital motion, black hole absorption contributes less than 1% of the total flux, so long as the orbital radius r_p(t) satisfies r_p(t)> 5M at all times.Comment: revtex4, 24 pages, 23 figures, 3 tables, submitted to PR

Cardiovascular disease after cancer therapy

AbstractImprovements in treatment and earlier diagnosis have both contributed to increased survival for many cancer patients. Unfortunately, many treatments carry a risk of late effects including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), possibly leading to significant morbidity and mortality. In this paper we describe current knowledge of the cardiotoxicity arising from cancer treatments, outline gaps in knowledge, and indicate directions for future research and guideline development, as discussed during the 2014 Cancer Survivorship Summit organised by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).Better knowledge is needed of the late effects of modern systemic treatments and of radiotherapy to critical structures of the heart, including the effect of both radiation dose and volume of the heart exposed. Research elucidating the extent to which treatments interact in causing CVD, and the mechanisms involved, as well as the extent to which treatments may increase CVD indirectly by increasing cardiovascular risk factors is also important. Systematic collection of data relating treatment details to late effects is needed, and great care is needed to obtain valid and generalisable results.Better knowledge of these cardiac effects will contribute to both primary and secondary prevention of late complications where exposure to cardiotoxic treatment is unavoidable. Also surrogate markers would help to identify patients at increased risk of cardiotoxicity. Evidence-based screening guidelines for CVD following cancer are also needed. Finally, risk prediction models should be developed to guide primary treatment choice and appropriate follow up after cancer treatment