Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are hematophagous ectoparasites and a major European vector of zoonotic diseases affecting global health. Tick salivary and midgut proteins antigen p23 (A0A0K8RKR7) and metalloprotease (A0A0K8RCY8) were previously implicated in the pathophysiology of the tick-borne allergy alpha-Gal syndrome (AGS). This study aimed to functionally characterize these two biomolecules, focusing on their role in I. ricinus tick feeding and reproduction through gene knockdown...

Reduced muscle mass and function are hallmarks of aging, increased frailty, and reduced resilience. There are no clinically-approved interventions besides exercise to improve muscle quality and function in the elderly. We recently found that older participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who took the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil, (DON) had greater skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiratory capacity than non-treated counterparts. Here we tested if DON treatment or DON+exercise...

CONCLUSIONS: Candidate biomarkers of fatigue-related impairment were identified that responded to single neurobehavioral performance endpoints, as well as those that responded to multiple types or metrics of performance. Reproducible identification of biomarker candidates for PVT lapses during total sleep deprivation increases confidence in the ability to develop a molecular approach to fatigue-related impairment detection, while novel discoveries expanded the list of candidate genes to other...

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CONCLUSIONS: TDCS enhanced executive function and task engagement, as evidenced by improved accuracy, reaction times, and frontal activation. However, it failed to reduce threat sensitivity as hypothesized. Contextual interventions engaging target circuits during stimulation may optimize tDCS efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for anxious depression. Future studies should explore synergistic therapeutic approaches.