BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative pathology whose molecular etiopathogenesis is not known. Novel contributions have come from familial forms of PD caused by alterations in genes with apparently unrelated physiological functions. The gene coding for alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) (PARK1) has been investigated as alpha-syn is located in Lewy bodies (LB), intraneuronal inclus...

Heterodinuclear complexes, syn-[MPt(μ-pyt)2(bpy)2](n+) (syn-[MPt], M = Pd(2+), Au(3+), Hpyt = pyridine-2-thiol, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine), were synthesized as a selective geometrical isomer by stepwise complexation. X-ray analyses of the hexafluorophosphate salts of these complexes proved their dinuclear structures with short M···Pt distances (2.9084(4) Å for syn-[PdPt] and 2.9071(4) Å for syn-[Au...

The aggregation of alpha synuclein (α-syn) is a neuropathological feature that defines a spectrum of disorders collectively termed synucleinopathies, and of these, Parkinson's disease (PD) is arguably the best characterized. Aggregated α-syn is the primary component of Lewy bodies, the defining pathological feature of PD, while mutations or multiplications in the α-syn gene result in familial P...

Huntington's disease (HD) is the most common of nine inherited neurological disorders caused by expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) sequences which confer propensity to self-aggregate and toxicity to their corresponding mutant proteins. It has been postulated that polyQ expression compromises the folding capacity of the cell which might affect other misfolding-prone proteins. α-Synuclein (α-syn) is ...

The genus Sericomyrmex Mayr (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) is a Neotropical group of fungus-farming ants known for its problematic taxonomy, caused by low morphological variability across the species, vague and old species descriptions, and an outdated and incomplete key published in 1916. Recent molecular studies revealed that Sericomyrmex is the product of a rapid recent radiation, with a d...

Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) is a major component of Lewy bodies, abnormal protein aggregates that are present in neurons of patients with Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders. Despite intensive investigation, the in vivo role of α-Syn in physiological and pathological processes is not fully understood. This study addresses a current debate on the nuclear localization of α-Syn protei...

Palaearctic species of the weevil genus Mecinus Germar, 1821 are revised. A total of 47 species are recognized, one of which, M. baridioides sp. n. is new to science. Mecinus dorsalis var. tavaresi Hoffmann, 1958 (stat. rev.) is considered as a distinct species, whereas M. alboscutellatus var. atratulus (Solari, 1933) is maintained as a subspecies of M. alboscutellatus (Hustache, 1913). The fol...

      Schimke immune-osseous dysplasia (SIOD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder presented with specific facial features, skeletal dysplasia, steroid resistance nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and cellular immune insufficiency. This is a SIOD case reported from Iran. He was 5 years old boy when evaluated for proteinuria and short stature. In appearance, we detected hyperpigmented macules, kyphosc...

α-Syntrophin (α-syn), a scaffold protein, links signaling molecules to the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Absence of α-syn from the DGC is known to lead to structurally aberrant neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) with few acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) clustered at synaptic sites. Using α-syn knock-out mice, we show that during the first postnatal week, α-syn is not required for synapse formatio...

THE FOLLOWING TAXONOMIC OR NOMENCLATURAL CHANGES ARE PROPOSED Themus (s.str.) regalis (Gorham, 1889), nom. rest.; Themus (s.str.) scutulatus Wittmer, 1983 = Themus (s.str.) hmong Kazantsev, 2007, syn. n.; Themus (Telephorops) coelestis (Gorham, 1889) = Themus violetipennis Wang & Yang, 1992, syn. n.; Themus (Telephorops) uniformis Wittmer, 1983, stat. n. = Themus (Telephorops) cribripennis Witt...