Newer treatments that have been proposed such as immune-checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies need further validation. A multicenter study would allow clarification of the most appropriate therapeutic strategy for this uncommon nosological entity.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific congresses are increasingly being organised as virtual congresses. In May 2020, the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) held a VC, free-of-charge. In the absence of systematic studies on this topic, the aim of this study is to evaluate the attendance and perceived quality of the 2020 EAN virtual congress (VC) compared to the 2019 EAN face-to-face congress (FFC).

Analysis of demographic data of participants obtained from the online registration collected. Comparison of the two congresses based on a survey with questions on the perception of speakers’ performance, quality of networking, and other aspects.

Of 43,596 registered participants, 20,694 active participants attended the VC. Compared to 2019, the number of participants tripled (6916 in 2019) and the cumulated number of participants attending the sessions was five times higher (169,334 in 2020 vs 33,024 in 2019). Out of active participants 55% were from outside Europe, 42% were board-certified neurologists (FFC 80%), and 21% were students (FFC 0.6%). The content of the congress was evaluated as ‘above expectation’ by 56% of the attendees (FFC 41%). Out of the respondents who had been exposed to earlier EAN congresses 73% preferred the FFC congress compared to the VC (17%).

The VC fulfilled the main mission of organizing high quality EAN congresses despite the restrictions of the impersonal format. The geographical distribution of the participants prove the expected higher inclusivity of a VC. The large participation of students and neurologists in training opens new educational potentials for the EAN.

The VC fulfilled the main mission of organizing high quality EAN congresses despite the restrictions of the impersonal format. The geographical distribution of the participants prove the expected higher inclusivity of a VC. The large participation of students and neurologists in training opens new educational potentials for the EAN.

In zebrafish, lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) originate from multiple/several distinct progenitor populations and generate organ-specific lymphatic vasculatures. Cell fate and tissue specificities were determined using a combination of genetically engineered transgenic lines in which the promoter of a LEC-specific gene drives expression of a fluorescent reporter protein.

We established a novel zebrafish transgenic line expressing eGFP under the control of part of the zebrafish batf3 promoter (Basic Leucine Zipper ATF-Like Transcription Factor 3). Spatiotemporal examination of Tg(batf3MINeGFP) transgenic fish revealed a typical lymphatic expression pattern, which does not perfectly recapitulate the expression pattern of existing LEC transgenic lines. eGFP

cells constitute a heterogeneous endothelial cell population, which expressed LEC and/or blood endothelial cells (BEC) markers in different tissues. In addition, we characterize the renal eGFP

cell as a population of interest to study kidney diseases and regeneration.

Our Tg(batf3MINeGFP) reporter zebrafish line provides a useful system to study LEC populations, of which heterogeneity depends on origin of progenitors, tissue environment and physiological conditions. We further developed a novel fish-adapted tissue clearing method, which allows deep imaging and 3D-visualization of vascular and lymphatic networks in the whole organism.

Our Tg(batf3MINeGFP) reporter zebrafish line provides a useful system to study LEC populations, of which heterogeneity depends on origin of progenitors, tissue environment and physiological conditions. We further developed a novel fish-adapted tissue clearing method, which allows deep imaging and 3D-visualization of vascular and lymphatic networks in the whole organism.

What is the central question of this study? What is the role of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in respiration control in humans? What is the main finding and its importance? Direct evidence is provided for a role of the ACC in respiratory control in humans. The neurophysiological responses in dorsal ACC to different breathing tasks varied and were different between left and right ACC.

The role of subcortical structures and cerebral cortex in the maintenance of respiratory homeostasis in humans remains poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests an important role of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in respiratory control. PMX-53 mouse In this study, local field potentials (LFPs) from dorsal ACC were recorded in humans through implanted deep brain electrodes during several breathing activities, including voluntary activities of breath-holding and deep breathing, and involuntary activities of inspiration of varying concentrations of carbon dioxide (1%, 3%, 5% and 7%). We found that the breath-holding task ining task with associated hypocapnia (deep breathing) induced bilateral changes in activity within low frequency bands. Furthermore, probabilistic diffusion tractography analysis showed left-sided connection of the ACC with the insula and frontal operculum, and bilateral connections within subsections of the cingulate gyrus and the thalamus. This electrophysiological analysis provides direct evidence for a role of the ACC in respiratory control in humans.

What is the central question of this study? The compound sodium phenylbutyrate (PB) has been shown to promote branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism, and as such has been proposed as a treatment for disorders with enhanced BCAA levels does PB induce muscle protein catabolism by forcing BCAA degradation away from muscle protein synthesis and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition? What is the main finding and its importance? Accelerated BCAA catabolism using PB resulted in adverse effects related to mTOR signalling and muscle protein metabolism in skeletal muscle cells, which may limit its application in conditions where muscle wasting is a risk.

The compound sodium phenylbutyrate (PB) has been used for reducing ammonia in patients with urea cycle disorders and proposed as a treatment for disorders with enhanced branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) levels, due to its effects on promoting BCAA catabolism. In skeletal muscle cells, we hypothesised that PB would induce muscle protein catabolism due to forcing BCAA degradation away from muscle protein synthesis and downregulating mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR).