SCD4 deficiency decreases cardiac steatosis and prevents cardiac remodeling in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) is a lipogenic enzyme that catalyzes formation of the first double bond in the carbon chain of saturated fatty acids. Four isoforms of SCD have been identified in mice, the most poorly characterized of which is SCD4, which is cardiac-specific. In the present study, we investigated the role of SCD4 in systemic and cardiac metabolism. We used WT and global SCD4 KO mice that were fed standard laboratory chow or a high-fat diet (HFD). SCD4 deficiency reduced body adiposity and decreased hyperinsulinemia and hypercholesterolemia in HFD-fed mice. The loss of SCD4 preserved heart morphology in the HFD condition. Lipid accumulation decreased in the myocardium in SCD4-deficient mice and in HL-1 cardiomyocytes with knocked out Scd4 expression. This was associated with an increase in the rate of lipolysis and, more specifically, adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) activity. Possible mechanisms of ATGL activation by SCD4 deficiency include lower protein levels of the ATGL inhibitor G0/G1 switch protein 2 and greater activation by protein kinase A under lipid overload conditions. Moreover, we observed higher intracellular Ca2+ levels in HL-1 cells with silenced Scd4 expression. This may explain the activation of protein kinase A in response to higher Ca2+ levels. Additionally, the loss of SCD4 inhibited mitochondrial enlargement, NADH overactivation, and reactive oxygen species overproduction in the heart in HFD-fed mice. In conclusion, SCD4 deficiency activated lipolysis, resulting in a reduction of cardiac steatosis, prevented the induction of left ventricular hypertrophy, and reduced reactive oxygen species levels in the heart in HFD-fed mice.

Personality characteristics of empathy profiles - practical implications for education of medicine students.

BACKGROUND: Empathy plays the key role in the doctor - patient relationship. The research of empathy determinants plays an important role in formulating practical guidelines for the education of medical students. The aim of this study was to analyse personality characteristics of empathy profiles among students of medicine, with consideration of chief personality factors and their subdimensions according to the FFM model. METHODS: During workshops in Clinical Psychological Skills, 153 students (M = 57, F = 96; mean age 23 years) analysed their psychological functioning styles by examining their personality profiles and empathy indicators. Empathic Sensitiveness Scale (ESS) and Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) were applied for this purpose. The analyses of empathy indicators were presented by means of cluster analysis. Variance analysis with post hoc Tukey-b test was performed for differences between clusters and to differentiate between personality factors and their components in empathy clusters. This study was approved by the Jagiellonian University Bioethics Committee (approval number: 1072.6120.175.2018 date: 28.06.2018). RESULTS: The first cluster included students who presented high empathetic concern for others, understood their perspective and needs characterised by medium level of Neuroticism, high levels of other dimensions The second group included students who could understand others very well, yet with lower tendency to react emotionally to suffering, characterised by medium level of Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, high Conscientiousness and low Agreeableness. The third cluster included students who react strongly to painful and unpleasant reactions of others, characterised by high Neuroticism and Agreeableness, low Extraversion. CONCLUSIONS: Each empathy profile is manifested in relations with patients in a specific way. Medical education in empathy holds great potential to reduce anxiety, stress, and burnout associated with the medical profession. Discussion of individual results with students, gives an opportunity to talk about how their empathy and personality characteristics may influence their everyday medical practice.

Comparison of cognitive functioning of elders with late-life depression and patients with and without a history of depressive episodes: a cross-sectional study.

Nowadays there are numerous studies on the occurrence of cognitive dysfunction in late-life depression (LLD). The role of executive dysfunctions in the psychopathology of depression is particularly emphasized and needs further examination. The aim was to assess cognitive functions and their relation to depressive symptoms in elders with LLD, previously depressed, and patients without the history of depressive episodes. The study consisted of 824 older adults who underwent a neuropsychological evaluation (97 currently depressed, 114 previously depressed and 613 patients without the history of depressive episodes). LLD patients performed poorer in ACE-III and AVLT and poorer in TMT-B than those previously depressed and never depressed. The LLD group also performed significantly poorer than the previously depressed on Digit Span Forward. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that performance on measures of executive functioning was associated with depression severity in LLD (ß =.227, P =.024). The results of this study suggest that executive functions are the most impaired in the elderly with LLD. Furthermore, there is a relationship between executive dysfunction and the severity of depression in LLD. Executive dysfunction appears to be the core neurocognitive deficit in LLD.

Intra- and postoperative adverse events in awake craniotomy for intrinsic supratentorial brain tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and consequences of intra- and postoperative adverse events in awake craniotomy for intrinsic supratentorial brain tumors. Despite the growing prevalence of awake craniotomy intra- and postoperative, adverse events related to this surgery are poorly discussed. METHODS: We studied 25 patients undergoing awake craniotomy with maximum safe resection of intrinsic supratentorial brain tumors in the awake-asleep-awake protocol. RESULTS: Surgery-related inconveniences occurred in 23 patients (92%), while postoperative adverse events were observed in 17 cases (68%). Seven patients suffered from more than one postoperative complication. The most common surgery-related inconvenience was intraoperative hypertension (8 cases, 32%), followed by discomfort (7 cases, 28%), pain during surgery (5 cases, 20%), and tachycardia (3 cases, 12%). The most common postoperative adverse event was a new language deficit that occurred in 10 cases (40%) and remained permanent in one case (4%). Motor deficits occurred in 36% of cases and were permanent in one case (1%). Seizures were observed in 4 cases (16%) intra- and in 2 cases (8%) postoperatively. Seizures appeared more frequently in patients with multilobar insular-involving gliomas and in patients without prophylactic antiepileptic drug therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery-related inconveniences and postoperative adverse events occur in most awake craniotomies. The most common intraoperative adverse event is hypertension, pain, and tachycardia. The most frequent postoperative adverse events are new language deficits and new motor deficits.

The coin that is most current is flattery? Stability and discontinuity of false praise-telling from 5 to 7 years of life.

Preschool children engage in flattery behaviors, including expressing opinions toward other people or objects that-although favorable-are not truly held. Research shows that in the following years, the number and complexity of motives underlying such insincere behavior increase. The current study focused on children's overt behavior, examining two aspects of the development of false praise-telling: individual stability and group-level discontinuity. Using an art-rating task, a total of 164 children aged 5 to 7 years were tested at three points in time (T1/2/3): MT1 age = 5.66 years, SD = 0.1; MT2 age = 6.65 years, SD = 0.16; MT3 age = 7.61 years, SD = 0.14. The results show that, having become capable of giving false praise in politeness settings at 5.5 years of age, children continue to flatter others in this way at later ages, indicating that false praise-telling is an individually stable characteristic. In addition, a statistically significant increase in the proportion of false praise-telling to non-lying behavior in children over the 2-year study period was observed. This indicates that the discontinuity, namely the growth in children's flattery behavior, occurs from 5 to 7 years of age. The findings are discussed with respect to the diverse factors that might underlie and affect children's tendency to praise others falsely in politeness settings.

Global cognitive functioning and physical mobility in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment: evidence and implications.

INTRODUCTION: Co-occurrence of physical and cognitive dysfunctions contribute to functional decline and a gradual loss of independence. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between global cognitive impairment and physical mobility in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 800 older adults were recruited (653 with normal cognitive functioning and 147 participants with MCI). Motor performance was measured with the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and the 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Cognitive functions were evaluated using Mini- Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-III). RESULTS: ACE-III scores were associated with the TUG test performance in older adults (with and without MCI), but not with 6MWT results. The overall score in ACE-III and its subscales, i.e. a) memory and fluency in the MCI group and in the total group, and b) fluency in the control group, were associated with TUG after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, medication use, depressive symptoms, hypertension, coronary artery disease and diabetes. In the case of the 6MWT test results, only the ACE-III fluency subscale scores and not the overall ACE-III score were associated with them. CONCLUSIONS: Global cognitive function, verbal fluency and memory were independently associated with the TUG. ACE-III, being a more extensive testing tool than MMSE, made it possible to show the relationship between global cognition and motor skills.

[Clinical and demographic predictors of mild cognitive impairment - cross-sectional study].

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Cognitive limitations are a serious health and social problem, which concerns elderly people. Effective prevention and treatment of cognitive dysfunction is one of the challenges of modern medicine. There is not enough consistent data in the literature to indicate to indicate the relationship between various clinical and demographic factors with cognitive functioning in different age ranges. The aim: To analyze clinical and demographic predictors of mild cognitive impairment by age group. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Material and methods: The analysis included 817 participants (669 with normal cognitive function and 148 people with MCI). The evaluation of the level of depressive symptoms was measured by the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale. All participants were screened for cognitive functioning using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III. Different cognitive domains were evaluated with different neuropsychological tools: the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test, Clock Drawing test, Verbal Fluency test, Digit Span Test and Trail Making test. RESULTS: Results: It has been shown that independently associated with MCI ware age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.05-1.13) and level of education (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.69-0.81). Depending on the age, it turned out that in the younger MCI group, age, education and depression were significant, and the age and level of education were significant in the older MCI group. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The identification of cognitive dysfunctions is an important element of the diagnostic and therapeutic process.

Intracranial aneurysm distribution and characteristics according to gender.

OBJECTIVE: Female sex is associated with a greater prevalence of cerebral aneurysms. However, it also might be linked to the location and size of the aneurysm. The aim of this study was to find the link between female sex and aneurysm characteristics. METHODS: Our study group consisted of 357 patients admitted to the hospital with both unruptured and ruptured aneurysms confirmed by Digital Subtraction Angiography or Computed Tomography Angiography and aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage confirmed by head CT. Patients' medical records were analyzed for necessary information including, but not limited to medical history, blood test results, and aneurysm prevalence, size and location. RESULTS: Women constituted 232 (64.98%) of all patients. In this group, compared to males, we observed a more common occurrence of multiple aneurysms (1.35 ± 0.67 vs. 1.2 ± 0.57; p = .046) and left internal carotid artery aneurysms (25.88% vs. 13.93%; p < .01). Anterior communicating artery aneurysms were less common (17.11% vs. 31.15%; p < .01). Women also had lower dome-to-neck ratios (2.16 ± 0.82 vs. 2.82 ± 1.92; p < .01), were less likely to be smokers (53.6% vs. 33.19%; p < .01) and smoked fewer cigarettes per day (15.09 ± 6.62 vs. 21.09 ± 11.08; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Female patients have a greater risk of multiple aneurysms and left internal carotid artery aneurysms, but a lower risk of anterior communicating artery aneurysms.

The role of stearoyl-CoA desaturase in the regulation of cardiac metabolism.

The uptake and utilization of energetic substrates in the myocardium are under strict control, any disturbances of which may lead to myocardial dysfunction, such as in the case of ischemia and heart failure. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) is an enzyme that converts saturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids. It is an important player in the regulation of heart metabolism. Our previous studies showed that SCD1 affects substrate utilization by the heart, with a preference for glucose. Large cohort studies established a positive correlation between the plasma fatty acid desaturation index and cardiovascular disease mortality. Therefore, SCD1 might serve as a potential target for future therapies. We review recent findings on the role of SCD1 in the heart, with a focus on cardiac metabolism reprogramming and its involvement in heart dysfunction.

Profiles of empathic sensitivity in students of the last year of medicine.

Developing the empathic attitude is one of the tasks of medical education as it affects the quality of therapeutic contact in the relationship between the doctor and the participant, conditioning the treatment process. According to Davis's concept, empathy is defined as an affective-cognitive reaction in the context of the other person's experience. AIM: Analysis of profiles of empathic sensitivity in students of medicine. Group: Male and female students of the fifth year of medicine who agreed to participate in an anonymous study (n = 153; M = 57, F = 96; mean age: 23 years). Tools: The Empathetic Sensitivity Scale (EES), which is the Polish tool for Davis's Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) was used. The ESS includes three sub-scales: Empathic Care (EC), Personal Distress (PD) and Adopting Perspective (AP). RESULTS: The raw results were converted into sten scores and for sten scores for all three dimensions of empathetic sensitivity no differences were found between male and female students. Three clusters (1: n = 33%, 2: n = 39%, 3: n = 28%), which differ in terms of each distinguished indicator, were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The first cluster characterizes empathetic people, both in the affective and cognitive spheres, and those dealing well with unpleasant emotions in situations difficult to others. The second cluster characterizes participants with the ability to recognize the needs of others and to take into account their perspectives; the third cluster includes participants with a tendency to focus on own experiences emerging in response to other people's suffering but with the ability to understand a situation and show empathic concern for the other person. The most favourable profile - for a future doctor as well as for his participants - is the first cluster because the doctor, with his empathic sensitivity directed towardsthe other man, can deal with his own unpleasant emotions.

Cognitive disorders in children's hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hydrocephalus is defined as an increase of volume of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricular system of the brain. It develops as a result of cerebrospinal fluid flow disorder due to dysfunctions of absorption or, less frequently, as a result of the increase of its production. Hydrocephalus may lead to various cognitive dysfunctions in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to determine cognitive functioning in children with hydrocephalus, the authors reviewed available literature while investigating this subject. RESULTS: The profile of cognitive disorders in children with hydrocephalus may include a wide spectrum of dysfunctions and the process of neuropsychological assessment may be very demanding. The most frequently described cognitive disorders within children's hydrocephalus include attention, executive, memory, visual, spatial or linguistic dysfunctions, as well as behavioral problems.

[The Post Stroke Depression Scale (PSDRS) as a tool for evaluation of depressed mood at an early stage after cerebral stroke].

Introduction: Cerebral stroke can lead both to the limitation of motor skills and cognitive dysfunctions as well as mood disorders. One of the most frequent results of cerebral stroke is post-stroke depression (PSD). Numerous researchers have emphasized the significance of an early detection of this disorder. There is discussion concerning both its background and the methods that might be used for its evaluation. One of the scales applied for this purpose is Post Stroke Depression Rating Scale (PSDRS). Material and methods: The aim of this study was to determine the profile of depressive symptoms in patients at an early stage after stroke. The participants of the study were 43 persons who underwent cerebral stroke. The study was carried out in the course of the first week after the vascular incident. The patients were examined with the application of the PSDRS elaborated in order to determine the specific nature of post-stroke depression. Results: The results of the PSDRS applied indicate the occurrence of three factors present in the group under study. The first factor includes the symptoms related to a depressive mood, sense of guilt, apathy and suicidal thoughts; the second one is related to the impairment of emotional control, anhedonia, variation over time and a catastrophic reaction; the third factor concerns vegetative disorders and anxiety. Conclusions: The application of the PSDRS for the evaluation of depressed mood in persons in the acute phase after cerebral stroke enables the distinction of the factors covering various aspects related to post-stroke depression. This scale is a valuable tool for the evaluation of early symptoms of depression in patients in the first week after cerebral stroke.

[Emotional disorders in patients with cerebellar damage--case studies]. / Zaburzenia emocjonalne u pacjentów z uszkodzeniem mózdzku--studium przypadków.

AIM: Growing number of research shows the role of the cerebellum in the regulation of affect. Lesions of the cerebellum can lead to emotional disregulation, a significant part of the Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome. The aim of this article is to analyze the most recent studies concerning the cerebellar participation in emotional reactions and to present three cases: two female and one male who suffered from cerebellar damage and presented post-traumatic affective and personality change. METHOD: The patients' neuropsychological examination was performed with Raven's Progressive Matrices Test--standard version, Trial Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Auditory Verbal Learning Test by Luria, Benton Visual Retention Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Stroop Interference Test, Attention and Perceptivity Test (Test Uwagi i Spostrzegawczosci TUS), Frontal Behavioral Inventory (FBI). RESULTS: The review of the literature suggest cerebellar participation, especially teh vermis and paravermial regions, in the detection, integration and filtration of emotional information and in regulation of autonomic emotional responses. In the described patients we observed: oversensitivity, irritability, impulsivity and self-neglect. The man and the woman with right-sided lesions presented similar symptoms: rigidity ofthought, stubbornness, lack of criticism,jocular and inappropriate behavior. The woman with left-sided cerebellar lesion was adynamic, apathic and passive, she presented emotional blunting, social isolation, lack of interests and motivation, general cognitive slowdown. CONCLUSIONS: Both the analyzed research and the described cases indicate the connection between the cerebellum and emotion regulation. The symptoms presented by the described patients were most probably a consequence of damaged cerebellar projections to subcortical structures (the limbic system) and frontal areas. The diversification of symptoms depending on the localization of lesions had not been described yet and seems to indicate an interesting direction for future research.

Bioprinting of Perfusable, Biocompatible Vessel-like Channels with dECM-Based Bioinks and Living Cells.

There is a growing interest in the production of bioinks that on the one hand, are biocompatible and, on the other hand, have mechanical properties that allow for the production of stable constructs that can survive for a long time after transplantation. While the selection of the right material is crucial for bioprinting, there is another equally important issue that is currently being extensively researched-the incorporation of the vascular system into the fabricated scaffolds. Therefore, in the following manuscript, we present the results of research on bioink with unique physico-chemical and biological properties. In this article, two methods of seeding cells were tested using bioink B and seeding after bioprinting the whole model. After 2, 5, 8, or 24 h of incubation, the flow medium was used in the tested systems. At the end of the experimental trial, for each time variant, the canals were stored in formaldehyde, and immunohistochemical staining was performed to examine the presence of cells on the canal walls and roof. Cells adhered to both ways of fiber arrangement; however, a parallel bioprint with the 5 h incubation and the intermediate plating of cells resulted in better adhesion efficiency. For this test variant, the percentage of cells that adhered was at least 20% higher than in the other analyzed variants. In addition, it was for this variant that the lowest percentage of viable cells was found that were washed out of the tested model. Importantly, hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that after 8 days of culture, the cells were evenly distributed throughout the canal roof. Our study clearly shows that neovascularization-promoting cells effectively adhere to ECM-based pancreatic bioink. Summarizing the presented results, it was demonstrated that the proposed bioink compositions can be used for bioprinting bionic organs with a vascular system formed by endothelial cells and fibroblasts.

Bone Marrow Nucleated Cells and Bone Marrow-Derived CD271+ Mesenchymal Stem Cell in Treatment of Encephalopathy and Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.

The broad spectrum of brain injuries in preterm newborns and the plasticity of the central nervous system prompts us to seek solutions for neurodegeneration to prevent the consequences of prematurity and perinatal problems. The study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the implantation of autologous bone marrow nucleated cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in different schemes in patients with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and immunological encephalopathy. Fourteen patients received single implantation of bone marrow nucleated cells administered intrathecally and intravenously, followed by multiple rounds of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells implanted intrathecally, and five patients were treated only with repeated rounds of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Seizure outcomes improved in most cases, including fewer seizures and status epilepticus and reduced doses of antiepileptic drugs compared to the period before treatment. The neuropsychological improvement was more frequent in patients with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy than in the immunological encephalopathy group. Changes in emotional functioning occurred with similar frequency in both groups of patients. In the hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy group, motor improvement was observed in all patients and the majority in the immunological encephalopathy group. The treatment had manageable toxicity, mainly mild to moderate early-onset adverse events. The treatment was generally safe in the 4-year follow-up period, and the effects of the therapy were maintained after its termination.

Comparative Analysis of the Results of Stroke Treatment With Multiple Administrations of Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived HE-ATMP and Standard Conservative Treatment: Case Series Study.

Stroke remains still the leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Although interventions such as early reperfusion, intravenous thrombolysis, and endovascular revascularization have shown neurological benefit in stroke patients, there is still lack of effective treatment enabling regeneration of nervous tissue after cerebral ischemic episodes. Cell therapy is an evolving opportunity for stroke survivors with residual neurological deficits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate safety and potential efficacy of multiple administration of Hospital Exemption-Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (HE-ATMP) comprising 3 × 107 Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs). A study group was composed of six patients-three women and three men. The patients were qualified to the treatment with diagnosis of chronic stroke (2-24 months after cerebral ischemic episode), during 2 years. All the patients undergone repeated rounds of HE-ATMP administration to the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) via lumbar puncture. The control group consisted of six patients (two women and four men) who experienced stroke, treated at the same time (follow-up period: 24 months) using standard treatment methods, without endovascular treatment. To evaluate the results of the therapy, we used both impairment scales [National Institutes of Health Stroke Score (NIHSS)] and functional outcomes scales [Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) and Barthel Index (BI)]. In four patients, who received at least three repeated rounds of HE-ATMP, we reported neurological improvement and reduction of functional neurodeficiency. The biggest improvement concerned the reduction of speech disorders in two cases; significant improvement in the field of motor skills in three patients and reduction of apraxia and improvement of logical communication skills in two patients were also reported. All the patients became more independent. Significant improvement of the neurological condition using the same scales was registered only in two patients from the control group. We did not report any adverse events in the treated group during follow-up. At 1-year follow-up, we demonstrate safety and beneficial effect of WJMSC transplantation including neurological improvement and reduction of functional neurodeficiency. We are aware that the samples size of this study is relatively small. The treatment regimen needs to be further tested in larger group of patients.

Bioprinted 3D Bionic Scaffolds with Pancreatic Islets as a New Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes-Analysis of the Results of Preclinical Studies on a Mouse Model.

Recently, tissue engineering, including 3D bioprinting of the pancreas, has acquired clinical significance and has become an outstanding potential method of customized treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus. The study aimed to evaluate the function of 3D-bioprinted pancreatic petals with pancreatic islets in the murine model. A total of 60 NOD-SCID (Nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency) mice were used in the study and divided into three groups: control group; IsletTx (porcine islets transplanted under the renal capsule); and 3D bioprint (3D-bioprinted pancreatic petals with islets transplanted under the skin, on dorsal muscles). Glucose, C-peptide concentrations, and histological analyses were performed. In the obtained results, significantly lower mean fasting glucose levels (mg/dL) were observed both in a 3D-bioprint group and in a group with islets transplanted under the renal capsule when compared with untreated animals. Differences were observed in all control points: 7th, 14th, and 28th days post-transplantation (129, 119, 118 vs. 140, 139, 140; p < 0.001). Glucose levels were lower on the 14th and 28th days in a group with bioprinted petals compared to the group with islets transplanted under the renal capsule. Immunohistochemical staining indicated the presence of secreted insulin-living pancreatic islets and neovascularization within 3D-bioprinted pancreatic petals after transplantation. In conclusion, bioprinted bionic petals significantly lowered plasma glucose concentration in studied model species.

When practice does not make a perfect - paradoxical learning curve in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder revealed by different serial reaction time task variants.

Introduction: Our previous studies identified a paradoxical implicit motor learning curve in schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) patients. This study aimed to verify whether those previously observed deficits may be captured by a new version of the ambidextrous serial reaction time task (SRTT), prepared for use in the MRI. Methods: This study involved 186 participants. A total of 97 participants (33 BD, 33 SZ, and 31 healthy controls, HCs) completed the original, unlimited time response variant of SRTT. A total of 90 individuals (30 BD, 30 SZ, and 30 HCs) underwent a newer, limited response time version of this procedure. Results: There was no significant difference in terms of implicit motor learning indices between both limited and unlimited response time SRTT. Compared to HCs, SZ, and BD patients presented decreased indices of implicit motor learning. Both clinical groups showed a paradoxical learning pattern that differed significantly from the HCs. Moreover, in the SZ group, the pattern depended on the hand performing SRTT. Discussion: The limited response time SRTT variant allowed us to replicate the findings of disrupted implicit motor learning in SZ and BD. The use of this paradigm in further neuroimaging studies may help to determine the neuronal underpinnings of this cognitive dysfunction in the abovementioned clinical groups.

Increased atherosclerotic plaque in AOC3 knock-out in ApoE-/- mice and characterization of AOC3 in atherosclerotic human coronary arteries.

Introduction: Amine oxidase copper containing 3 (AOC3) displays adhesion between leukocytes and endothelial cells and enzymatic functions. Given its controversial role in atherogenesis, we proposed to investigate the involvement of AOC3 in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE-/-AOC3-/- mice and human coronary arteries. Methods: Lesions, contractile markers, and AOC3 were studied in aortic tissues from 15- and 25-week-old mice and different stages of human coronary atherosclerotic arteries by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or western blot. Human VSMCs, treated or not with LJP1586, an AOC3 inhibitor, were used to measure differentiation markers by qPCR. AOC3 co-localization with specific cell markers was studied by using confocal microscopy in mice and human samples. Results: At 15 weeks old, the absence of AOC3 was associated with increased lesion size, α-SMA, and CD3 staining in the plaque independently of a cholesterol modification. At 25 weeks old, advanced plaques were larger with equivalent staining for α-SMA while CD3 increased in the media from ApoE-/-AOC3-/- mice. At both ages, the macrophage content of the lesion was not modified. Contractile markers decreased whereas MCP-1 appeared augmented only in the 15-week-old ApoE-/-AOC3. AOC3 is mainly expressed by mice and human VSMC is slightly expressed by endothelium but not by macrophages. Conclusion: AOC3 knock-out increased atherosclerotic plaques at an early stage related to a VSMC dedifferentiation associated with a higher T cells recruitment in plaques explained by the MCP-1 augmentation. This suggests that AOC3 may have an important role in atherosclerosis independent of its canonical inflammatory effect. The dual role of AOC3 impacts therapeutic strategies using pharmacological regulators of SSAO activity.

Subjective experience, cognitive functioning and trauma level of patients undergoing awake craniotomy due to brain tumor - Preliminary study.

BACKUP AND OBJECTIVE: Awake craniotomy (AC) for brain tumors, when the patient is conscious during the operation, allows to reduce the risk of motor disability and aphasia, however, it may be a source of extreme stress. The aim of our study was to examine the patients' subjective experience of the surgery including the level of psychological trauma and cognitive functioning. METHOD: Eighteen patients operated due to brain tumor were enrolled in this study. The Essener Trauma-Inventory Questionnaire and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE III) were administrated. The patients' experience with awake craniotomy was evaluated with a qualitative descriptive survey. RESULTS: All patients remembered the intraoperative neuropsychological examination and several sensations like: drilling, cold, head clamp fixation or having eyes covered. In most of the patients the postoperative psychological trauma experience did not reach the clinical level. The ACE III postoperative scores revealed partial cognitive deficits with the lowest scores in memory and word fluency domains. Slight amnestic aphasia was observed postoperatively only in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: Awake craniotomy for resection of brain tumors is well-tolerated by patients and does not cause significant psychological trauma. Nonetheless, anxiety about the procedure warrants further study and individualized neuropsychological care is needed for the emotional preparation of the patient.