Hyperexcited limbic neurons represent sexual satiety and reduce mating motivation.

Transient sexual experiences can have long-lasting effects on behavioral decisions, but the neural coding that accounts for this change is unclear. We found that the ejaculation experience selectively activated estrogen receptor 2 (Esr2)-expressing neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST)-BNSTEsr2-and led to persistent decreases in firing threshold for days, during which time the mice displayed sexual satiety. Inhibition of hyperexcited BNSTEsr2 elicited fast mating recovery in satiated mice of both sexes. In males, such hyperexcitability reduced mating motivation and was partially mediated by larger HCN (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated) currents. Thus, BNSTEsr2 not only encode a specific mating action but also represent a persistent state of sexual satiety, and alterations in a neuronal ion channel contribute to sexual experience-dependent long-term changes to mating drive.

Electrocardiogram analysis of post-stroke elderly people using one-dimensional convolutional neural network model with gradient-weighted class activation mapping.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally after ischemic heart disease, also a risk factor of cardioembolic stroke. Thus, we postulate that heartbeats encapsulate vital signals related to stroke. With the rapid advancement of deep neural networks (DNNs), it emerges as a powerful tool to decipher intriguing heartbeat patterns associated with post-stroke patients. In this study, we propose the use of a one-dimensional convolutional network (1D-CNN) architecture to build a binary classifier that distinguishes electrocardiograms (ECGs) between the post-stroke and the stroke-free. We have built two 1D-CNNs that were used to identify distinct patterns from an openly accessible ECG dataset collected from elderly post-stroke patients. In addition to prediction accuracy, which is the primary focus of existing ECG deep neural network methods, we have utilized Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (GRAD-CAM) to facilitate model interpretation by uncovering subtle ECG patterns captured by our model. Our stroke model has achieved ~90 % accuracy and 0.95 area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve. Findings suggest that the core PQRST complex alone is important but not sufficient to differentiate the post-stroke and the stroke-free. In conclusion, we have developed an accurate stroke model using the latest DNN method. Importantly, our work has illustrated an approach to enhance model interpretation, overcoming the black-box issue confronting DNNs, fostering higher user confidence and adoption of DNNs in medicine.

Experimental study of temperature-sensitive chitosan/ß-glycerophosphate embolic material in embolizing the basicranial rete mirabile in swines.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of the non-adhesive temperature-sensitive liquid embolic material, chitosan/ß-glycerophosphate (C/GP), in embolizing the basicranial rete mirabile (REM) in a swine model of cerebral arteriovenous malformation (cAVM). A total of 24 domestic swines were used as the experimental animals, among which 12 pigs underwent direct embolization of one side of the REM, while the other 12 pigs underwent embolization of the bilateral REM following anastomosis of the carotid artery and jugular vein. A super-selective microcatheter was introduced into the REM during the embolization procedure, and the C/GP hydrogel was injected until an image of the REM disappeared in the angiography examination. Further angiography examinations were performed after 2 and 6 weeks, and histological examination of the REM was performed after 6 weeks. Of the 24 domestic swines, 23 cases underwent successful thrombosis. Convulsions occurred in one case and that pig died during the embolization procedure. Following embolization, the angiography observations revealed that the embolized REM was no longer able to be developed, and adhesion of the microcatheter tip with the embolic agent did not occur. In addition, no apparent revascularization was observed in the angiography examinations performed at weeks 2 and 6. Therefore, the current preliminary study indicated that use of the non-adhesive temperature-sensitive embolic material was feasible for the embolization of cAVM; thus, C/GP may be used as an ideal embolic material for the treatment of cAVM.

Inhibitory effects of a polysaccharide extract from the Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (higher Basidiomycetes), on the proliferation of human neurogliocytoma cells.

This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory roles of a polysaccharide extract from Inonotus obliquus on U251 human neurogliocytoma cells cultured in vitro. After administering the polysaccharide extract from I. obliquus to U251 cells cultivated in vitro, methyl thiazolyl tetrazoliym assay was performed to measure the inhibitory effects of the extract on tumor cell proliferation. The expression of the apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were determined by Western blotting. Different concentrations of I. obliquus extract (25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 µg/mL) were added to U251 cells at 24, 48, and 72 hours. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazoliym assay showed that the inhibition ratio increased with increased extract concentration and prolonged treatment duration. The I. obliquus extract sharply decreased the expression of Bcl-2 but dramatically increased the expression of caspase-3. This function was gradually enhanced with increased drug concentration and prolonged treatment duration. The I. obliquus extract can inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. This inhibition function is closely related to the downregulation of Bcl-2 and the upregulation of caspase-3.