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The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in regulating resistance to the effects of acute uncontrollable stress. We previously showed that mPFC-lesioned animals exhibit impaired object recognition memory after acute exposure to a brief stress that had no effect in normal animals. Here, we used designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs to determine how modulating mPFC activity affects recognition-memory performance under stressful conditions. Specifically, animals with chemogenetic excitation or inhibition of the mPFC underwent either a brief ineffective stress (20-min restraint + 20 tail shocks) or a prolonged effective stress (60-min restraint + 60 tail shocks). Subsequent recognition memory tests showed that animals with chemogenetic mPFC inhibition exposed to brief stress showed impairment in an object recognition memory task, whereas those with chemogenetic mPFC excitation exposed to prolonged stress did not. Thus, the present findings the decreased mPFC activity exacerbates acute stress effects on memory function whereas increased mPFC activity counters these stress effects provide evidence that the mPFC bidirectionally modulates stress resistance.

Peroxiredoxin 2 (Prx2) regulates oxidative stress response in neuronal injury. The present study examined the effects of Prx2 deletion on transient global ischemia-induced hippocampal-dependent memory impairment. First, 20-min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO)-reperfusion and sham-operated control procedures were conducted in 6- or 7-month-old Prx2 knockout and wild-type mice. The cognitive status of these mice was assessed using the Morris water maze task with a hidden platform and a novel object recognition task 7 days after the 20-min BCCAO. Next, to evaluate neuronal degeneration and oxidative stress in the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus critical for learning and memory, we measured immunoreactive Fluoro-jade C (FJC)-positive signals and 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal (4-HNE) levels, respectively. The 20-min BCCAO induced cognitive impairments and increased the intensity of FJC-positive signals and 4-HNE levels of CA1 in Prx2 knockout mice but not in wild-type mice. These results suggest that Prx2 deficiency reduces resilience to transient global ischemia.

The selenium-binding protein 1 (SELENBP1) has been reported to be up-regulated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of schizophrenia patients in postmortem reports. However, no causative link between SELENBP1 and schizophrenia has yet been established. Here, we provide evidence linking the upregulation of SELENBP1 in the PFC of mice with the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. We verified the levels of SELENBP1 transcripts in postmortem PFC brain tissues from patients with schizophrenia and matched healthy controls. We also generated transgenic mice expressing human SELENBP1 (hSELENBP1 Tg) and examined their neuropathological features, intrinsic firing properties of PFC 2/3-layer pyramidal neurons, and frontal cortex (FC) electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to auditory stimuli. Schizophrenia-like behaviors in hSELENBP1 Tg mice and mice expressing Selenbp1 in the FC were assessed. SELENBP1 transcript levels were higher in the brains of patients with schizophrenia than in those of matched healthy controls. The hSELENBP1 Tg mice displayed negative endophenotype behaviors, including heterotopias- and ectopias-like anatomical deformities in upper-layer cortical neurons and social withdrawal, deficits in nesting, and anhedonia-like behavior. Additionally, hSELENBP1 Tg mice exhibited reduced excitabilities of PFC 2/3-layer pyramidal neurons and abnormalities in EEG biomarkers observed in schizophrenia. Furthermore, mice overexpressing Selenbp1 in FC showed deficits in sociability. These results suggest that upregulation of SELENBP1 in the PFC causes asociality, a negative symptom of schizophrenia.

What’s most important in the infrastructure environment of Corona virus (COVID)-19 is cybersecurity. Therefore, in this paper, we describe cybersecurity insights in the current situation of COVID-19 environment. We then focused on the cybersecurity management elements that must be considered when supporting to non-face services in the COVID-19 environment. First of all, in this paper, we research about the related issues, including COVID-19 epidemic spread. This study research about these real-COVID-19 issues and focused on security management that should be checked in terms of cybersecurity required for these environments. The factors derived as management points are the measures derived from the analysis of COVID-19 infection diseases situations and cases of cyber security attacks. For the purpose of research analysis, the characteristics of existing COVID-19 statistical studies on the spread of infections, or studies on visualizing them, or tracking solutions, were analyzed. From this, the approach was chosen to derive and purpose the necessary security elements in terms of cybersecurity management. Various related issues, including the spread of COVID-19 infectious diseases, include the study of predictive solutions to infection cases, the study of data collection and analysis related to infectious diseases, the study of human and robot interfaces and platforms to support non-face services, and the study of visual methods for identifying the spread of COVID-19 infectious diseases. Therefore, this study approaches at these real COVID-19 issues and focuses on security management insights that should be checked in terms of cybersecurity required for these environments. Key security management points to be found to support non-face-to-face services in the context of infection diseases of COVID-19 are cybercrime problems, security management, human or edge assets, and remote operations and home security management enhancements, enhanced monitoring in a safe operating environment, enhanced security in the supply chain, enhanced security in cyber physical system, and enhanced security management in privacy. In addition, the need and urgency of practical risk management were recognized by focusing on the case, importance and characteristics of attacks in terms of risk management of cyber security responding to the spread environment of COVID-19 infections. In this paper, security management elements were analyzed in COVID-19 environment. The managed items, that can help security managers check the main elements of what should be checked in the COVID-19 environment, were analyzed. Focusing on realistic issues, the elements of security management and risk management can be derived and provided in the related security awareness. These factors are key elements that should be considered in security measures when implementing to non-face services.