Disease: seizures

Online Availability of Diamond Shruumz Before and After FDA Recall Initiation: Qualitative Assessment and Simulated Test Purchasing

Diamond Shruumz mushroom-based edible products caused severe illnesses in consumers and were recalled by the FDA in June 2024. Researchers discovered that despite the recall, many online sellers continued to advertise and sell these products across social media and websites. The study found that even two weeks after the recall, about one-third of the websites still successfully completed product sales, showing how difficult it is for regulators to enforce recalls on the internet.

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Avian toxicoses: a review

Pet and wild birds can be poisoned by many common substances including metals found in cage materials, kitchen cookware fumes, toxic plants, chocolate, salt, and rodent poison. Symptoms vary by toxin but can include difficulty breathing, weakness, seizures, and bleeding. Treatment focuses on removing the source, supportive care, and specific antidotes when available, though diagnosis is often challenging due to the small size of birds.

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“Plants of the Gods” and their hallucinogenic powers in neuropharmacology — A review of two books

This review examines two books about plants that have been used in religious and healing rituals across many cultures for their mind-altering properties. The author verifies that the hallucinogenic plants described in Carlos Castaneda’s popular books about a Yaqui sorcerer are accurately portrayed pharmacologically. The review explains how different sacred plants like peyote, certain mushrooms, and nightshade varieties affect the brain through various chemical pathways, while noting their dangers when misused.

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Disseminated Scytalidium philadelphianum infection in a Belgian Malinois

A Belgian Malinois dog developed a serious fungal infection caused by Scytalidium philadelphianum, a rare mold, that affected the spine and eventually the brain. The infection was diagnosed through imaging, fluid samples, and fungal culture from the dog’s urine and spine tissue. Despite treatment with multiple antifungal medications over seven months, the dog’s condition worsened with seizures and nerve damage, leading to euthanasia. This case marks the first documented instance of this particular fungal species causing widespread disease in animals.

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Cerebral Hypoxia-Induced Molecular Alterations and Their Impact on the Physiology of Neurons and Dendritic Spines: A Comprehensive Review

This review explains how low oxygen levels in the brain damage nerve cells and their connection points (dendritic spines) through a cascade of molecular changes. The brain normally has protective mechanisms, but severe or prolonged hypoxia overwhelms these defenses, leading to memory loss and cognitive problems. Several molecular pathways and supporting cells called astrocytes and microglia can help protect neurons. Understanding these protective mechanisms may lead to new treatments for brain conditions caused by low oxygen, such as stroke.

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Presynaptic hyperexcitability reversed by positive allosteric modulation of a GABABR epilepsy variant

Researchers studied three genetic mutations in GABA_B receptors that cause severe epilepsy and developmental problems in children. They found that these mutations prevent the receptors from reaching the cell surface and cause excessive calcium buildup in nerve terminals, leading to overexcitability. Using a special drug compound that enhances GABA_B receptor activity, the team was able to reverse these harmful effects, offering a potential new treatment strategy for affected patients.

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Convergent evolution links molybdenum insertase domains with organism-specific sequences

Scientists discovered that fungi have uniquely evolved a special way to make molybdenum cofactor, a molecule essential for life. When researchers tried to swap the fungal version with versions from plants or animals, the fungi couldn’t survive properly. A specific 20-amino acid section turned out to be critical for the fungus to use nitrate as food. This finding shows that evolution has created highly specialized solutions for the same biological problem in different organisms.

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