Visual Laterality of Calf–Mother Interactions in Wild Whales

Behavioral laterality is known for a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Laterality in social interactions has been described for a wide range of species including humans. Although evidence and theoretical predictions indicate that in social species the degree of population level laterality is greater than in solitary ones, the origin of these unilateral biases is not fully understood. It is especially poorly studied in the wild animals. Little is known about the role, which laterality in social interactions plays in natural populations. A number of brain characteristics make cetaceans most suitable for investigation of lateralization in social contacts.) in the greatest breeding aggregation in the White Sea. Here we show that young calves (in 29 individually identified and in over a hundred of individually not recognized mother-calf pairs) swim and rest significantly longer on a mother's right side. Further observations along with the data from other cetaceans indicate that found laterality is a result of the calves' preference to observe their mothers with the left eye, i.e., to analyze the information on a socially significant object in the right brain hemisphere.Data from our and previous work on cetacean laterality suggest that basic brain lateralizations are expressed in the same way in cetaceans and other vertebrates. While the information on social partners and novel objects is analyzed in the right brain hemisphere, the control of feeding behavior is performed by the left brain hemisphere. Continuous unilateral visual contacts of calves to mothers with the left eye may influence social development of the young by activation of the contralateral (right) brain hemisphere, indicating a possible mechanism on how behavioral lateralization may influence species life and welfare. This hypothesis is supported by evidence from other vertebrates

Topographoanatomical relation of the trellised labyrinth structures determining the structure of fronto-nasal duct

The conducted morphological study allowed us to determine the structural variants of the frontal sinus-ingrown cells of the anterior trellised labyrinth. We have defined their role in fronto-nasal duct narrowin

Topographoanatomical relation of the trellised labyrinth structures determining the structure of fronto-nasal duct

The conducted morphological study allowed us to determine the structural variants of the frontal sinus-ingrown cells of the anterior trellised labyrinth. We have defined their role in fronto-nasal duct narrowin

Роль оксида азота и эндотелиальной NO-синтазы в канцерогенезе

Introduction. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by NO synthases (NOS) is involved in the regulation of vital physiological functions. At the same time, NO and NOS are involved in events associated with the tumor process: mutagenesis, proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, etc., exerting a multidirectional effect on the tumor.Objectives – analyze and summarize literature data concerning the role of NO and endothelial NOS (eNOS) in the initiation and progression of tumors, as well as in the inhibition of tumor growth.Materials and methods. In preparing the review, publications of information bases of biomedical literature were used: SciVerse Scopus (538), PubMed (1327), Web of Science (905), Russian Science Citation Index (125).Results. The molecular mechanisms of the action of NO and its derivatives on the initiation and progression of carcinogenesis have been explored. Numerous factors and conditions regulating the activity of eNOS in health and tumor growth have been analyzed. The molecular signaling pathways through which the pro-tumor effects of NO and eNOS, stimulating angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, are realized, including through the mobilization of stem cells, are considered.Conclusion. Nitric oxide produced by activated eNOS promotes tumor progression by increasing the proliferation of tumor cells, enhancing the action of pro-angiogenic factors, stimulating angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and metastasis. Selective inhibition of increased eNOS activity may be a promising therapeutic approach aimed at reducing metastasis and tumor growth.Введение. Оксид азота (NO), продуцируемый NO-синтазами (NOS), участвует в регуляции гомеостаза целого ряда жизненно важных систем организма. В то же время NO и NOS вовлечены в связанные с канцерогенезом процессы, такие как мутагенез, регуляция пролиферации, апоптоза, ангиогенеза, и могут оказывать на опухоль разнонаправленное действие.Цель исследования – проанализировать и обобщить данные литературы, касающиеся роли NO и эндотелиальной NOS (eNOS) в инициации и прогрессии опухолей, а также в ингибировании опухолевого роста.Материалы и методы. При подготовке обзора были использованы публикации информационных баз биомедицинской литературы: SciVerse Scopus (538), PubMed (1327), Web of Science (905), Российский индекс научного цитирования (125).Результаты. Изучены молекулярные механизмы действия NO и его производных на инициацию и прогрессию канцерогенеза. Проанализированы многочисленные факторы и условия, регулирующие активность eNOS в норме и при опухолевом росте. Рассмотрены кальций- и аргинин-зависимые пути регуляции активности фермента, а также возможности его регуляции антиканцерогенными полифенолами. Проведен анализ молекулярных сигнальных путей, посредством которых реализуются проопухолевые эффекты NO и eNOS, стимулирующие ангиогенез и лимфангиогенез.Заключение. Оксид азота, продуцируемый гиперактивированной eNOS, способствует прогрессии опухолей, усиливает действие проангиогенных факторов, стимулирует ангиогенез, лимфангиогенез и метастазирование. Селективное ингибирование повышенной активности eNOS может стать перспективным терапевтическим подходом, направленным на торможение роста опухоли и ее метастазирования

NCAM function in the adult brain: lessons from mimetic peptides and therapeutic potential.

International audienceNeural cell adhesion molecules (NCAMs) are complexes of transmembranal proteins critical for cell-cell interactions. Initially recognized as key players in the orchestration of developmental processes involving cell migration, cell survival, axon guidance, and synaptic targeting, they have been shown to retain these functions in the mature adult brain, in relation to plastic processes and cognitive abilities. NCAMs are able to interact among themselves (homophilic binding) as well as with other molecules (heterophilic binding). Furthermore, they are the sole molecule of the central nervous system undergoing polysialylation. Most interestingly polysialylated and non-polysialylated NCAMs display opposite properties. The precise contributions each of these characteristics brings in the regulations of synaptic and cellular plasticity in relation to cognitive processes in the adult brain are not yet fully understood. With the aim of deciphering the specific involvement of each interaction, recent developments led to the generation of NCAM mimetic peptides that recapitulate identified binding properties of NCAM. The present review focuses on the information such advances have provided in the understanding of NCAM contribution to cognitive function