Search Results (2,642)

Aizoon africanum (L.) Klak (Synonym Galenia africana L.) is traditionally used for a variety of medicinal purposes; however, it has been reported to cause liver damage and severe ascites, particularly in sheep and Angora goats in the arid regions of the Western Cape. This study explores its cytotoxic properties to identify potential cytotoxic compound(s) in the plant. The methanolic extract of A. africanum was re-investigated and subjected to various chromatographic techniques, including preparative HPLC, resulting in the isolation of eight compounds (1–8). Structural elucidation was primarily based on NMR data. Among the isolated compounds, four were flavanones, one was a flavonone, and three were chalcones. Notably, compound 8 was identified as a new chalcone, while compounds 2 and 3 were reported for the first time from this plant. The toxicity of these isolated compounds was evaluated against the HepG2 and SH-SY5Y cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. We further investigated markers of cell death using spectrophotometric and luminometric methods. Among the isolated compounds, 7 and 8 exhibited cytotoxic activities within the range of 3.0–20.0 µg/mL. Notably, the compounds demonstrated greater cytotoxicity towards liver-derived HepG2 cells compared to the neuronal SH-SY5Y cell line. Compound 7 (2′,4′-dihydroxychalcone) was identified as inducing apoptosis through the intrinsic pathway without causing overt necrosis. The findings indicate that the phytochemicals derived from A. africanum exhibit differential cytotoxic effects based on cell type, suggesting potential for developing novel anticancer agents, particularly compound 7. Additionally, the identification of compound 8 provides insight into the liver toxicity of this plant observed in sheep in South Africa. Full article

Adolescence represents a critical period of neurodevelopment during which brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a fundamental role in neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity. While exercise-BDNF relationships are well-documented in adults, evidence in adolescents remains limited and inconsistent. This systematic review examined the effects of exercise modalities on circulating BDNF concentrations in adolescent populations. A systematic search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across multiple databases (FECYT, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest Central, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library) through June 2025. Inclusion criteria comprised adolescents, exercise interventions, BDNF outcomes, and randomized controlled trial design. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. From 130 initially identified articles, 8 randomized controlled trials were included, with 4 rated as excellent and the other 4 as good quality. Exercise modalities included aerobic, resistance, concurrent, high-intensity interval training, Taekwondo, and whole-body vibration, with durations ranging 6–24 weeks. Four studies demonstrated statistically significant BDNF increases following exercise interventions, four showed no significant changes, and one reported transient reduction. Positive outcomes occurred primarily with vigorous-intensity protocols implemented for a minimum of six weeks. Meta-analysis was not feasible due to high heterogeneity in populations, interventions, and control conditions. Moreover, variation in post-exercise sampling timing further limited comparability of BDNF results. Future research should standardize protocols and examine longer interventions to clarify exercise-BDNF relationships in adolescents. Full article

Monitoring pH and acidity during yoghurt fermentation is essential for product quality and process efficiency. Conventional measurement methods, however, are invasive and labour-intensive. This study developed artificial neural network (ANN) models to predict pH and titratable acidity during yoghurt fermentation using CIELAB colour parameters (L, a*, b*). Reconstituted milk powder with 12% total solids was prepared with varying protein levels (4.2–4.8%), inoculum concentrations (1–3%), and fermentation temperatures (36–44 °C). Data were collected every 10 min until pH 4.6 was reached. Forty models were trained for each output variable, using 90% of the data for training and 10% for validation. The first two phases of the fermentation process were clearly distinguishable, lasting between 4.5 and 7 h and exceeding 0.6% lactic acid in all treatments evaluated. The best pH model used two hidden layers with 28 neurons (R² = 0.969; RMSE = 0.007), while the optimal acidity model had four hidden layers with 32 neurons (R² = 0.868; RMSE = 0.002). The strong correlation between colour and physicochemical changes confirms the feasibility of this non-destructive approach. Integrating ANN models and colourimetry offers a practical solution for real-time monitoring, helping improve process control in industrial yoghurt production. Full article

Brain ischemia is a severe condition caused by reduced cerebral blood flow, leading to the disruption of ion gradients in brain tissue. This imbalance triggers spreading depolarizations, which are waves of neuronal and glial depolarization propagating through the gray matter. Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are essential for real-time monitoring of these electrophysiological processes both in vivo and in vitro, but their sensitivity and signal quality are critical for accurate detection of extracellular brain activity. In this study, we evaluate the performance of a flexible microelectrode array based on gold-coated zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs), referred to as nano-fMEA, specifically for high-fidelity electrophysiological recording under pathological conditions. Acute mouse brain slices were tested under two ischemic models: oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) and hyperkalemia. The nano-fMEA demonstrated significant improvements in event detection rates and in capturing subtle fluctuations in neural signals compared to flat fMEAs. This enhanced performance is primarily attributed to an optimized electrode–tissue interface that reduces impedance and improves charge transfer. These features enabled the nano-fMEA to detect weak or transient electrophysiological events more effectively, making it a valuable platform for investigating neural dynamics during metabolic stress. Overall, the results underscore the promise of ZnO NRs in advancing electrophysiological tools for neuroscience research. Full article

Synthetic nanopores were recently demonstrated with memristive and nonlinear voltage-current behaviors, akin to ion channels in a cell membrane. Such ionic devices are considered a promising candidate for the development of brain-inspired neuromorphic computing techniques. In this work, we show the composite behavior of nanopore-array large memristors, formed with different membrane materials, pore sizes, electrolytes, and device arrangements. Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with 5 nm and 20 nm diameter pores and track-etched polycarbonate (PCTE) membranes with 10 nm diameter pores are tested and shown to demonstrate memristive and nonlinear behaviors with approximately 10⁷–10¹⁰ pores in parallel when electrolyte concentration across the membranes is asymmetric. Ion diffusion through the large number of channels induces time-dependent electrolyte asymmetry that drives the system through different memristive states. The behaviors of series composite memristors with different configurations are also presented. In addition to helping understand fluidic devices and circuits for neuromorphic computing, the results also shed light on the development of field-assisted ion-selection-membrane filtration techniques as well as the investigations of large neurons and giant synapses. Further work is needed to de-embed parasitic components of the measurement setup to obtain intrinsic large memristor properties. Full article

Background/Objectives: The hippocampus is an essential part of the central nervous system (CNS); it plays a significant role in social–cognitive memory processing. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) can lead to impaired hippocampal functions. In this study, we evaluated the effect of plumbagin (PLB) as a natural product on spatial learning and memory, neuro-morphological changes, and inflammation levels in a VPA-induced autism model during adolescence. Methods: Pregnant Wistar rats received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of VPA (600 mg/kg) or saline on gestational day 12.5. The male offspring were then categorized and assigned to five groups: Saline+DMSO-, VPA+DMSO-, and VPA+PLB-treated groups at doses of 0.25, 0.5, or 1 mg/kg. Spatial learning and memory were evaluated using the Morris water maze. Histopathological evaluations of the hippocampus were performed using Nissl and hematoxylin–eosin staining, as well as immunofluorescence. The pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were also quantified by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: The findings revealed that a VPA injection on gestational day 12.5 is associated with cognitive impairments in male pups, including a longer escape latency and traveled distance, as well as decreased time spent in the target quadrant. Treatment with PLB significantly enhanced the cognitive function, reduced dark cells, and ameliorated neuronal–morphological alterations in the hippocampus of VPA-exposed rats. Moreover, PLB was found to reduce astrocyte activation and the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Conclusions: These findings suggest that PLB partly mitigates VPA-induced cognitive deficits by ameliorating hippocampal inflammation levels. Full article

Myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF), named in reference to its secretion from myeloid cells in bone marrow, is a novel protein with anti-apoptotic and tissue-repairing properties. MYDGF is found in various human tissues affected by different diseases. To date, however, MYDGF expression has yet to be reported in the nervous system. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that MYDGF mRNA levels increased in the zebrafish retina 1 h after optic nerve injury (ONI). MYDGF-producing cells were located in the photoreceptors and infiltrating leukocytic cells. We prepared the retina for MYDGF gene knockdown by performing intraocular injections using either MYDGF-specific morpholino or the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Under these MYDGF-knockdown retinal conditions, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 mRNA was suppressed; in comparison, apoptotic caspase-3 and inflammatory TNFα mRNA were significantly upregulated in the zebrafish retina after ONI compared to the control. Furthermore, heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) was evidently suppressed under these conditions, leading to a significant number of apoptotic neurons. These findings indicate that MYDGF is a key molecule in the stimulation of neuronal regeneration in the central nervous system. Full article

Investigating brain area functions requires advanced technologies, but meaningful insights depend on correlating neural signals with behavior. Traditional mice behavior annotation methods, including manual and semi-automated approaches, are limited by subjectivity and time constraints. To overcome these limitations, our study employs the YOLO neural network for precise mice tracking and composite RGB frames for behavioral scoring. Our model, trained on over 10,000 frames, accurately classifies sitting, running, and grooming behaviors. Additionally, we provide statistical metrics and data visualization tools. We further combined AI-powered behavior labeling to examine hippocampal neuronal activity using fluorescence microscopy. To analyze neuronal circuit dynamics, we utilized a manifold analysis approach, revealing distinct functional patterns corresponding to transgenic 5xFAD Alzheimer’s model mice. This open-source software enhances the accuracy and efficiency of behavioral and neural data interpretation, advancing neuroscience research. Full article

Neural networks have shown significant promise in the field of image processing, particularly for tasks such as denoising and restoration, due to their capacity to model complex nonlinear relationships between inputs and outputs. In this study, we explored the application of a complex-valued neural network—a multilayer neural network with multi-valued neurons (MLMVN)—for filtering two types of noise in digital images: additive Gaussian noise and multiplicative speckle noise. The proposed approach involves processing images as a set of overlapping patches in the frequency domain using MLMVN. Training was performed using a batch learning algorithm, which proved to be more efficient for big learning sets: it results in fewer learning epochs and a better generalization capability. Experimental results demonstrated that MLMVN achieves noise filtering quality comparable to well-established methods, such as the BM3D, Lee, and Frost filters. These findings suggest that MLMVN offers a viable framework for image denoising, particularly in scenarios where frequency domain processing is advantageous. Also, complex-valued logistic and hyperbolic tangent activation functions were used for multi-valued neurons for the first time and have shown their efficiency. Full article

Cognitive function is critical for overall health, with vitamin D’s impact under extensive investigation. This review explores the association between vitamin D and cognitive health, its neuroprotective mechanisms, and the therapeutic potential of supplementation in cognitive decline. Observational studies link low vitamin D levels to increased cognitive deterioration risk, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia. Clinical trial results on vitamin D supplementation’s cognitive benefits are inconclusive. Vitamin D’s neuroprotective effects are complex, influencing cognitive abilities by interacting with neuronal and glial cells, modulating immune responses, and regulating key molecular pathways. Challenges remain in clinical applications, including determining optimal vitamin D levels, effective supplementation forms and doses, and identifying responsive populations. The review advocates for robust clinical trials to address these gaps, facilitating informed use of vitamin D in cognitive health. Future research should focus on the optimal timing, duration, and target groups for supplementation to enhance cognitive outcomes and reduce risks. Full article

Preterm infants often require oxygen supplementation, resulting in high risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and neurodevelopmental deficits. Despite a growing number of studies, there is still little knowledge about brain injury in BPD models. Therefore, we exposed neonatal C57BL/6 mice to 85% oxygen from birth to postnatal day (P) 14. At P28, two weeks after recovery under normoxic conditions, right hemisphere was used for the analysis of mRNA and the left hemisphere for protein expression of neuronal cells, neuroinflammatory and vascularisation markers, analysed by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Hyperoxia led to an altered expression of markers associated with neuronal and oligodendrocyte maturation and neuroinflammation such as Dcx, Nestin, Il-1β, Il-6, NG2, and YM1/2. These changes were accompanied by an increased expression of genes involved in angiogenesis and vascular remodelling, e.g., Vegf-a, Nrp-1, and Icam-1. Together, 14 days of hyperoxia triggered a phenotypic response, resembling signs of encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP). Full article

This article first constructs a multi-layer deep learning neural network to help understand the structural characteristics of communication data, thereby learning complex functions and obtaining the predicted network values. At the same time, signal transmission is achieved through the interconnection of neurons, the representation performance of which is enhanced through activation functions; this completes the modeling of IoT communication models. Then, we use the analytic hierarchy process to construct a deep learning autoencoder and extract the feature elements of network communication reliability parameters. Finally, we use the obtained total reliability indicators as features for automatic coding and evaluate the mapping relationship between indicators. The results show that the success rates of handovers in deep leaning-based IoT communication based are all greater than 99.6%. The predicted transmission rate can reach a maximum of 99.5%, achieving error free communication output and improving fidelity. Full article

Memory is a fundamental neurological function, essential for animal survival. Over the course of vertebrate evolution, elaborations in the forebrain telencephalon create new memory mechanisms, meaning basal vertebrates such as amphibians must have a less sophisticated system of memory acquisition, storage, and retrieval than the well-known hippocampal-based circuitry of mammals. Personality also appears to be a fundamental vertebrate trait and is generally defined as consistent individual behavior over time and across life history stages. In anuran amphibians (frogs), personality studies generally ask whether adult frogs retain the personality of their tadpole stage or whether personality shifts with metamorphosis, an idea behavioral ecologists term adaptive decoupling. Using a multidisciplinary perspective and recognizing there are ~7843 species of frogs, each with some molecular, morphological, physiological, or behavioral feature that makes it unique, we review, clarify, and provide perspective on what we collectively know about memory and personality and their mechanisms in anuran amphibians. We propose four working hypotheses: (1) as tadpoles grow, new telencephalic neurons become integrated into functional networks, producing behaviors that become more sophisticated with age; (2) since carnivores tend to be more bold/aggressive than herbivores, carnivorous anuran adults will be more aggressive than herbivorous tadpoles; (3) each amphibian species, and perhaps life history stage, will have a set point on the Shy–Bold Continuum; and (4) around this set point there will be a range of individual responses. We also suggest that several factors are slowing our understanding of the variety and depth of memory and personality possibilities in anurans. These include the scala natura approach to comparative studies (i.e., the idea that one frog represents all frogs); the assumption that amphibians are no more than simple reflex machines; that study species tend to be chosen more for convenience than taxonomic representation; and that studies are designed to prove or disprove a construct. This latter factor is a particular hindrance because what we are really seeking as scientists is not the confirmation or refutation of ideas, but rather what those ideas are intended to produce, which is understanding. Full article

Sporadic Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects 3% of people over 65 years of age. People are living longer, thanks in large part to improvements in global health technology and health access for non-neurological diseases. Consequently, neurological diseases of senescence, such as PD, are representing an ever-increasing share of global disease burden. There is an intensifying research focus on the processes that underlie these conditions in the hope that neurological decay may be arrested at the earliest time point. The concept of neuronal death linked to ageing- neural senescence- first emerged in the 1800s. By the late 20th century, it was recognized that neurodegeneration was common to all ageing human brains, but in most cases, this process did not lead to clinical disease during life. Conditions such as PD are the result of accelerated neurodegeneration in particular brain foci. In the case of PD, degeneration of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) is especially implicated. Why neural degeneration accelerates in these particular regions remains a point of contention, though current evidence implicates a complex interplay between a vast array of neuronal cell functions, bioenergetic failure, and a dysfunctional brain immunological response. Their complexity is a considerable barrier to disease modification trials, which seek to intercept these maladaptive cell processes. This paper reviews current evidence in the domain of neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease, focusing on alpha-synuclein accumulation and deposition and the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in progressive brain changes. Recent approaches to disease modification are discussed, including the prevention or reversal of alpha-synuclein accumulation and deposition, modification of oxidative stress, alteration of maladaptive innate immune processes and reactive cascades, and regeneration of lost neurons using stem cells and growth factors. The limitations of past research methodologies are interrogated, including the difficulty of recruiting patients in the clinically quiescent prodromal phase of sporadic Parkinson’s disease. Recommendations are provided for future studies seeking to identify novel therapeutics with disease-modifying properties. Full article

Globins are a class of globular proteins that function in the transportation or storage of oxygen. They are critical for cellular metabolism. Notable examples include hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells, and myoglobin, which is present in muscle cells. Approximately two decades ago, a third globin, designated as neuroglobin, was identified, expressed predominantly in neuronal cells. This was followed two years later by the fourth, cytoglobin, found in cells of the fibroblast lineage, as well as in neuronal cell populations of the central and nervous systems. Both neuroglobin and cytoglobin have been found in the sensory and endocrine systems, albeit inconsistently, and it is thought that they are engaged in functions such as oxygen transport and storage, scavenging of free radicals, NO metabolism, peroxidase activity, and signaling functions. Neuroglobin is also expressed in astrocytes under challenging conditions. Common neuroscience methods were utilized to study the distribution and regulation of globin tissues and of single brain cells. Despite considerable overlap in the findings of various studies, some results deviate significantly from other studies. The potential causes of these discrepancies may include variations in detection methods, animal age and sex, time of day and year, and differing cell culture conditions. This review will explore factors that may influence functional aspects of globins and their detection in the mammalian brain. Full article