The second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly is Parkinson’s disease (PD). Its etiology is unclear and there are no available disease-modifying medicines. Therefore, more evidence is required concerning its pathogenesis. The use of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is the basis of most animal models of PD. MPTP is metabolized by monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) to MPP + and induces the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in mammals. Zebrafish have been commonly used in developmental biology as a model organism, but owing to its perfect mix of properties, it is now emerging as a model for human diseases. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are cheap and easy to sustain, evolve rapidly, breed transparent embryos in large amounts, and are readily manipulated by different methods, particularly genetic ones. Furthermore, zebrafish are vertebrate species and mammalian findings obtained from zebrafish may be more applicable than those derived from genetic models of invertebrates such as Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. The resemblance cannot be taken for granted, however. The goal of the present review article is to highlight the promise of zebrafish as a PD animal model. As its aminergic structures, MPTP mode of action, and PINK1 roles mimic those of mammalians, zebrafish seems to be a viable model for studying PD. The roles of zebrafish MAO, however, vary from those of the two types of MAO present in mammals. The benefits unique to zebrafish, such as the ability to perform large-scale genetic or drug screens, should be exploited in future experiments utilizing zebrafish PD models.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common brain motor disorder, characterized by a substantial loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Motor impairments, such as dyskinesia, bradykinesia, and resting tremors, are the hallmarks of PD. Despite ongoing research, the exact PD pathogenesis remains elusive due to the disease intricacy and difficulty in conducting human studies. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as an ideal model for researching PD pathophysiology. Even though 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been used to induce PD in zebrafish, behavioural findings are frequently limited to a single time point (24 hours post-injection). In this sense, we aim to demonstrate the effects of MPTP on zebrafish swimming behaviour at multiple time points. We administered a single dosage of MPTP (200μg/g bw) via intraperitoneal injection (i/p) and assessed the locomotor activity and swimming pattern at 0h, 24h, and 96h post-injection through an open field test. Analysis of the behaviour revealed significant reductions in swimming velocity (cm/s) and distance travelled (cm), concurrent with an increase in freezing maintenance (duration and bouts) in zebrafish injected with MPTP. In addition, the MPTP-injected zebrafish exhibited complex swimming patterns, as measured by the turn angle, meander, and angular velocity, and showed abnormal swimming phenotypes, including freezing, looping, and erratic movement. To conclude, MPTP administration into adult zebrafish induced hypolocomotion and elicited motor incoordination. Plus, the effects of MPTP were observable 24 hours after the injection and still detectable 96 hours later. These findings contribute to the understanding of MPTP effects on adult zebrafish, particularly in terms of swimming behaviours, and may pave the way for a better understanding of the establishment of PD animal models in the future.

Neuromarketing is an emerging field in which academic and industry research employ neuroscience techniques to understand the consumers’ mind by explaining consumers’ preferences, motivations, and expectations. Nevertheless, some people claimed that the use of neuroscience in marketing somehow had introduced companies to a ‘buy button’ that can read the mind of potential consumers and influence their buying decisions. Plus, those that oppose neuromarketing also believe that the act of ‘reading’ consumers’ mind with the aim of improving company services is unethical and should not be used, let alone implied. However, what does actually ‘ethics in neuromarketing’ means in the first place? Moreover, how does this become an issue in the marketing field? Herein, we will articulate common ethical concerns with neuromarketing. We argue that the most frequently raised concerns- autonomy, informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, benevolence, and no maleficence-given the current capabilities for business to stay vigilant. However, we identify how potentially serious ethical issues may emerge from neuromarketing practices in the industry, which are primarily exclusive. We identify approaches that business can use and reduce the threats to consumers. We conclude that neuromarketing has clear potential for business to stay vigilant and mitigate the positive impact on society.

The ability of Streptococcus pneumoniae to induce infections relies on its virulence factor machinery. A previous CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) study had identified 254 essential proteins that may be responsible for the pathogenicity of S. pneumoniae serotype 2 strain D39. However, 39 of them were functionally and structurally uncharacterized. Hence, by using in silico approach, this study aimed to annotate the function and structure of these un-annotated proteins. Initially, all 39 proteins went through primary screening for template availability and pathogenicity. From there, 11 of them were selected and underwent further physicochemical, functional, and structural categorization through an integrated bioinformatics approach by means of amino acid sequence-and structure-based analyses. The obtained data revealed that 9 targeted proteins showed a high possibility to be involved in either cell viability or cell pathogenicity mechanism of the bacterium, with SPD_1333 and SPD_1743 being the two most promising proteins to be further studied. Findings from this study can help in facilitating a better understanding of pathogenic ability of this microorganism and enhance drug development and target identification processes in the aim of improving pneumococcal disease control.

Molecular studies have proven beneficial in understanding the pathophysiology of PD. Besides, the advancing application of zebrafish as a PD model has enabled researchers to conduct molecular studies with more promising outcomes and significance. Current evidence reported on the association of HMGB1 protein with neuroinflammation-induced PD pathogenesis. However, to the extent ofour knowledge, the molecular mechanism pertaining to HMGB1 involvement in PD are still elusive. Hence, we propose to conduct a study on HMGB1 protein, to elucidate its role in the pathogenesis of the MPTP-induced zebrafish model of PD. This study will answer the question pertaining to the involvement of HMGB1 in PD development and whether the knockdown of this protein can improve PD symptoms in zebrafish, particularly MPTP-induced motilitydisorders.