bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Soluble Aβ oligomers and protofibrils induce NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglia
Authors: Lučiūnaitė Asta , McManus Róisín M. , Jankunec Marija , Rácz Ildikó , Dansokho Cira , Dalgėdienė Indrė , Schwartz Stephanie , Brosseron Frederic , Heneka Michael T. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAlzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder causing memory loss, language problems and behavioural disturbances. AD is associated with the accumulation of fibrillar amyloid‐β (Aβ) and the formation of neurofibrillary tau tangles. Fibrillar Aβ itself represents a danger‐associated molecular pattern, which is recognized by specific microglial receptors. One of the key players is formation of the NOD‐, LRR‐ and pyrin domain‐containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, whose activation has been demonstrated in AD patient brains and transgenic animal models of AD. Here, we investigated whether Aβ oligomers or protofibrils that represent lower molecular aggregates prior to Aβ deposition are able to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome and subsequent interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β) release by microglia. In our study, we used Aβ preparations of different sizes: small oligomers and protofibrils of which the structure was confirmed by atomic force microscopy. Primary microglial cells from C57BL/6 mice were treated with the respective Aβ preparations and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, represented by caspase‐1 cleavage, IL‐1β production, and apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a CARD speck formation was analysed. Both protofibrils and low molecular weight Aβ aggregates induced a significant increase in IL‐1β release. Inflammasome activation was confirmed by apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a CARD speck formation and detection of active caspase‐1. The NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor MCC950 completely inhibited the Aβ‐induced immune response. Our results show that the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated not only by fibrillar Aβ aggregates as reported before, but also by lower molecular weight Aβ oligomers and protofibrils, highlighting the possibility that microglial activation by these Aβ species may initiate innate immune responses in the central nervous system prior to the onset of Aβ deposition.
image
Cover Image for this issue: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.14773.
Optogenetic stimulation of kisspeptin neurones within the posterodorsal medial amygdala increases luteinising hormone pulse frequency in female mice
Authors: Lass Geffen , Li Xiao Feng , de Burgh Ross A. , He Wen , Kang Yanping , Hwa‐Yeo Shel , Sinnett‐Smith Lydia C. , Manchishi Stephen M. , Colledge William H. , Lightman Stafford Louis , O'Byrne Kevin T. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractKisspeptin within the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus is a critical neuropeptide in the regulation of reproduction. Together with neurokinin B and dynorphin A, arcuate kisspeptin provides the oscillatory activity that drives the pulsatile secretion of gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH), and therefore luteinising hormone (LH) pulses, and is considered to be a central component of the GnRH pulse generator. It is well established that the amygdala also exerts an influence over gonadotrophic hormone secretion and reproductive physiology. The discovery of kisspeptin and its receptor within the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) and our recent finding showing that intra‐MePD administration of kisspeptin or a kisspeptin receptor antagonist results in increased LH secretion and decreased LH pulse frequency, respectively, suggests an important role for amygdala kisspeptin signalling in the regulation of the GnRH pulse generator. To further investigate the function of amygdala kisspeptin, the present study used an optogenetic approach to selectively stimulate MePD kisspeptin neurones and examine the effect on pulsatile LH secretion. MePD kisspeptin neurones in conscious Kiss1‐Cre mice were virally infected to express the channelrhodopsin 2 protein and selectively stimulated by light via a chronically implanted fibre optic cannula. Continuous stimulation using 5 Hz resulted in an increased LH pulse frequency, which was not observed at the lower stimulation frequencies of 0.5 and 2 Hz. In wild‐type animals, continuous stimulation at 5 Hz did not affect LH pulse frequency. These results demonstrate that selective activation of MePD Kiss1 neurones can modulate hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator frequency.
Bordetella bronchiseptica experimental model development in pigs and efficacy evaluation of a single intramuscular injection of gamithromycin (Zactran® for Swine) against Bordetella bronchiseptica‐associated respiratory disease in experimentally infected piglets
Authors: Gupta Aradhana , Cortes‐Dubly Marie‐Laure , Buellet Prescillia , Richard‐Mazet Alexandra , Merdy Olivier , Targa Norba L. , Dumont Pascal 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn the Bordetella bronchiseptica infection model development study, twenty‐eight piglets were inoculated with B. bronchiseptica strain of either canine (109 CFU/ml) or swine (108 and 109 CFU/ml) origin; swine origin strain at 109 CFU/ml was chosen for the efficacy assessment study due to higher incidence and severity of gross and histopathological lesions compared with other strains. To assess efficacy of gamithromycin against B. bronchiseptica, forty piglets were experimentally inoculated on Day 0 and clinical signs were scored as per severity. Animals were then treated either with gamithromycin or saline on Day 3. The Global Clinical Scores in gamithromycin‐treated group were consistently lower than the saline‐treated control group from Day 4 onwards and were 0 and 40 in the gamithromycin‐treated and saline‐treated control groups, respectively, on Day 6. Severity and frequency of gross and histopathological observations were significantly lower in gamithromycin‐treated animals compared with saline‐treated controls. The efficacy of Zactran® for Swine at the label dose for the treatment of B. bronchiseptica–associated respiratory disease was demonstrated based on the faster reduction in clinical signs as early as 1 day post‐gamithromycin treatment and based on the significant difference in the severity of macroscopic and microscopic lung lesions 10 days post‐gamithromycin treatment.
Statistical learning abilities and their relation to language
Authors: Siegelman Noam 
Published: December 2019

AbstractNumerous studies on statistical learning (SL) have demonstrated humans' sensitivity to complex statistical properties in their sensory environment. These observations have had a profound impact on the study of language, highlighting statistical aspects of the linguistic input that can be learned from experience, leading to the widespread claim that SL plays a key role in language acquisition and processing. But how can this theorized link be experimentally demonstrated? One increasingly popular avenue comes from studies of individual differences, which tie individual variability in SL to variance in linguistic behavior. This review presents the theoretical advances stemming from this line of research, as well as some of the challenges it currently faces. It contends that while previous studies had an important role in establishing the existence of some coarse‐grained link between SL and language, recent developments in SL research suggest that the exact nature of this relationship is more complex than originally conceived and is still far from being fully understood. I specifically discuss three outstanding challenges: (a) understanding individual differences in light of the componential nature of SL, (b) mapping the full array of SL processes given the complexity of real‐world statistics, and (c) estimating the strength of current empirical evidence while taking into account both positive and null findings. Confronting these issues, I argue, is a necessary step towards a full theory of the role of SL across language.
Situational judgement tests for selection: Traditional vs construct‐driven approaches
Authors: Tiffin Paul A. , Paton Lewis W. , O'Mara Deborah , MacCann Carolyn , Lang Jonas W. B. , Lievens Filip 
Published: December 2019

AbstractContextHistorically, situational judgement tests (SJTs) have been widely used for personnel selection. Their use in medical selection in Europe is growing, with plans for further expansion into North America and Australasia, in an attempt to measure and select on ‘non‐academic’ personal attributes. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding what such tests actually measure and how they should be designed, scored and implemented within the medical and health education selection process. In particular, the theoretical basis from which such tests are developed will determine the scoring options available, influencing their psychometric properties and, ultimately, their validity.MethodsThe aim of this article is to create an awareness of the previous theory and practice that has informed SJT development. We describe the emerging interest in the use of the SJT format to measure specific constructs (eg ‘resilience’, ‘dependability’, etc.), drawing on the tradition of ‘individual differences’ psychology. We compare and contrast this newer ‘construct‐driven’ method with the traditional, pragmatic approach to SJT creation, often employed by organisational psychologists. Making reference to measurement theory, we highlight how the anticipated psychometric properties of traditional vs construct‐driven SJTs are likely to differ.ConclusionsCompared to traditional SJTs, construct‐driven SJTs have a strong theoretical basis, are uni‐ rather than multidimensional, and may behave more like personality self‐report instruments. Emerging evidence also suggests that construct‐driven SJTs have comparable predictive validity for workplace performance, although they may be more prone to ‘faking’ effects. It is possible that construct‐driven approaches prove more appropriate at early stages of medical selection, where candidates have little or no health care work experience. Conversely, traditional SJTs may be more suitable for specialty recruitment, where a range of hypothetical workplace scenarios can be sampled in assessments.
Approaching culture in medical education: Three perspectives
Authors: Watling Christopher J. , Ajjawi Rola , Bearman Margaret 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe notion of culture is increasingly invoked in the medical education literature as a key influence on how educational strategies unfold, and culture change is frequently identified as a necessary precursor to progress. A meaningful perspective on what culture means is often missing from these discussions, however. Without a theoretically grounded notion of culture, calls for culture change are challenging to interpret and to act upon.ObjectiveIn this cross‐cutting edge paper, we explore how culture has been defined and theorised using three lenses: the organisational perspective; the identity perspective, and the practice perspective. We consider what each perspective might offer to medical education researchers.ResultsEach of these perspectives draws on a range of disciplinary influences, and none represents a singular theory of culture. Broadly, the organisational perspective directs our attention to the shared assumptions and values that bind individuals within an organisation. It tends to view culture through a strategic lens; culture may be either a barrier to or a facilitator of the changes that are inevitably required of an organisation if it is to maintain its relevance. The identity perspective, particularly the notion of figured worlds, alerts us to the power of communal narratives to shape how individuals see themselves within particular cultural worlds. The practice perspective emphasises what actually occurs in practice, avoiding symbolic ideas about culture and shared values and instead privileging activity and human‐material networks or arrangements.ConclusionsThese diverse perspectives share a common thread— they shift our research gaze beyond the individual, allowing us instead to see how those individuals form organisations, inhabit cultural worlds and constitute practices. They afford substance and direction for explorations of culture, and thus offer the promise of a more nuanced understanding of some of medical education's most challenging problems.
Cell wall‐anchored 5′‐nucleotidases in Gram‐positive cocci
Authors: Soh Kar Yan , Loh Jacelyn M. S. , Proft Thomas 
Published: December 2019

Abstract5′‐nucleotidases (5′‐NTs) are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of nucleoside monophosphates to produce nucleosides and phosphate. Since the identification of adenosine synthase A (AdsA) in Staphylococcus aureus in 2009, several other 5′‐NTs have been discovered in Gram‐positive cocci, mainly in streptococci. Despite some differences in substrate specificity, pH range and metal ion requirements, all characterized 5′‐NTs use AMP and ADP, and in some cases ATP, to produce the immunosuppressive adenosine, which dampens pro‐inflammatory immune responses. Several 5′‐NTs are also able to use dAMP as substrate to generate deoxy‐adenosine which is cytotoxic for macrophages. A synergy between 5′‐NTs and exonucleases which are commonly expressed in Gram‐positive cocci has been described, where the nucleases provide dAMP as a cleavage product from DNA. Some of these nucleases produce dAMP by degrading the DNA backbone of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) resulting in a “double hit” strategy of immune evasion. This Micro Review provides an overview of the biochemical properties of Gram‐positive cell wall‐anchored 5′‐NTs and their role as virulence factors. A potential use of 5′‐NTs for vaccine development is also briefly discussed.
Molecular evidence for the adaptive evolution of Geobacter sulfurreducens to perform dissimilatory iron reduction in natural environments
Authors: Liu Xing , Ye Yin , Xiao Ke , Rensing Christopher , Zhou Shungui 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe electrically conductive pili (e‐pili) of Geobacter species enable extracellular electron transfer to insoluble metallic minerals, electrodes and other microbial species, which confers biogeochemical significance and global prevalence on Geobacter in diverse anaerobic environments. E‐pili are constructed by truncated PilA which is considered to have evolved from full‐length pilin by gene fission under positive evolutionary selection. However, this hypothesis is based on phylogenetic analysis and has not yet been experimentally confirmed. Here, we reconstructed an ancestral strain of G. sulfurreducens (designated COMB) carrying full‐length PilA by combining genes GSU1496 and GSU1497. The results demonstrated that strain COMB expressed and assembled the full‐length fused PilA and exhibited an outer membrane c‐type cytochrome profile similar to the wild‐type strain. Surprisingly, the generated COMB‐pili were also conductive, indicating the evolution of truncated PilA did not occur for conductivity. Moreover, strain COMB minimally reduced Fe(III) oxides but maintained its ability to respire electrodes, demonstrating the truncation of pilin enables iron respiration. This study provides the first experimental evidence that the truncation of pilin in Geobacter species confers adaption to Fe(III)‐mineral‐mediated selective pressures, and suggests an evolutionary event during which the separation of the GSU1497 gene helped Geobacter survive and thrive in natural environments.
Seasonal variation in Arctic marine mammal acoustic detection in the northern Bering Sea
Authors: Chou Emily , Antunes Ricardo , Sardelis Stephanie , Stafford Kathleen M. , West Leigh , Spagnoli Christopher , Southall Brandon L. , Robards Martin , Rosenbaum Howard C. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractDeclines in Arctic sea ice cover are influencing the distribution of protected endemic marine mammals, many of which are important for local Indigenous Peoples, and increasing the presence of potentially disruptive industrial activities. Due to increasing conservation concerns, we conducted the first year‐round acoustic monitoring of waters off Gambell and Savoonga (St. Lawrence Island, Alaska), and in the Bering Strait to quantify vocalizing presence of bowhead whales, belugas, walruses, bearded seals, and ribbon seals. Bottom‐mounted archival acoustic recorders collected data for up to 10 months per deployment between 2012 and 2016. Spectrograms were analyzed for species‐typical vocalizations, and daily detection rates and presence/absence were calculated. Generalized additive models were used to model call presence as a function of time‐of‐year, sea surface temperature, and sea ice concentration. We identified seasonality in call presence for all species, corroborating previous acoustic and distribution studies, and identified finer‐scale spatiotemporal distribution via occurrence of call presence between different monitoring sites. Time‐of‐year was the strongest significant effect on call presence for all species. These data provide important information on Arctic endemic species' spatiotemporal distributions in biologically and culturally important areas within a rapidly changing Arctic region.
Disentangling the effects of environment and ontogeny on tree functional dimensions for congeneric species in tropical forests
Authors: Fortunel Claire , Stahl Clément , Heuret Patrick , Nicolini Eric , Baraloto Christopher 
Published: December 2019

Summary

Soil water and nutrient availability are key drivers of tree species distribution and forest ecosystem functioning, with strong species differences in water and nutrient use. Despite growing evidence for intraspecific trait differences, it remains unclear under which circumstances the effects of environmental gradients trump those of ontogeny and taxonomy on important functional dimensions related to resource use, particularly in tropical forests.

Here, we explore how physiological, chemical, and morphological traits related to resource use vary between life stages in four species within the genus Micropholis that is widespread in lowland Amazonia. Specifically, we evaluate how environment, developmental stage, and taxonomy contribute to single‐trait variation and multidimensional functional strategies.

We find that environment, developmental stage, and taxonomy differentially contribute to functional dimensions. Habitats and seasons shape physiological and chemical traits related to water and nutrient use, whereas developmental stage and taxonomic identity impact morphological traits –especially those related to the leaf economics spectrum.

Our findings suggest that combining environment, ontogeny, and taxonomy allows for a better understanding of important functional dimensions in tropical trees and highlights the need for integrating tree physiological and chemical traits with classically used morphological traits to improve predictions of tropical forests’ responses to environmental change.
Natural history of trigeminal neuralgia—A hospital‐based retrospective study
Authors: Debta Priyanka , Sarode Gargi , Sarode Sachin , Gadbail Amol , Debta Fakir Mohan , Swain Santosh Kumar , Mishra Ekagrata , Sahu Mahesh Chandra 
Published: December 2019

AbstractObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the natural history of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and pretrigeminal neuralgia (PTN) in a hospital‐based sample using a retrospective and descriptive study design.MethodsThis study followed a retrospective study design, which yielded a sample size of 216 patients who were reclassified as per the new classification and diagnostic grading for practice and research proposed by the American Academy of Neurology. Based on an in‐depth analysis of patient history and the treatments administered, a possible state of PTN prior to TN development was determined.ResultsTN shows a female predilection with predominantly unilateral involvement. A total of 45.83% of patients had left‐side involvement with V3 primarily affected. Additionally, 11.11% of patients did not have any clinically apparent trigger zone, while 68.05% had a single trigger zone. Twenty‐one patients were found to have suspected PTN prior to TN. The time interval between PTN onset and TN development ranged from 6 months to 6 years. The PTN pain varied, and the clinical overlap between the site of PTN and the site of future TN was 100%.ConclusionAn in‐depth patient history can serve as a reliable modality for TN diagnosis. PTN should be considered as a differential diagnosis for pain of orofacial origin because of its overlapping features with other painful conditions.
The influence of soil temperature and water content on belowground hydraulic conductance and leaf gas exchange in mature trees of three boreal species
Authors: Lintunen Anna , Paljakka Teemu , Salmon Yann , Dewar Roderick , Riikonen Anu , Hölttä Teemu 
Published: December 2019

AbstractUnderstanding stomatal regulation is fundamental to predicting the impact of changing environmental conditions on vegetation. However, the influence of soil temperature (ST) and soil water content (SWC) on canopy conductance (gs) through changes in belowground hydraulic conductance (kbg) remains poorly understood, because kbg has seldom been measured in field conditions. Our aim was to (a) examine the dependence of kbg on ST and SWC, (b) examine the dependence of gs on kbg and (c) test a recent stomatal optimization model according to which gs and soil‐to‐leaf hydraulic conductance are strongly coupled. We estimated kbg from continuous sap flow and xylem diameter measurements in three boreal species. kbg increased strongly with increasing ST when ST was below +8°C, and typically increased with increasing SWC when ST was not limiting. gs was correlated with kbg in all three species, and modelled and measured gs were well correlated in Pinus sylvestris (a model comparison was only possible for this species). These results imply an important role for kbg in mediating linkages between the soil environment and leaf gas exchange. In particular, our finding that ST strongly influences kbg in mature trees may help us to better understand tree behaviour in cold environments.
Combining thermal imaging with photogrammetry of an active volcano using UAV: an example from Stromboli, Italy
Authors: Wakeford Zoë E. , Chmielewska Magda , Hole Malcolm J. , Howell John A. , Jerram Dougal A. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractVolcanoes are a potential hazard to over 750 million people worldwide. Accessing them to install monitoring equipment can be logistically challenging and dangerous. Traditional monitoring equipment is expensive and not available to many local communities. A new, low‐cost method is proposed to address these challenges using a unique 3D thermal photogrammetric modelling workflow. The data acquisition and processing part of this workflow has been tested on Stromboli, a volcano in the Aeolian Islands of Italy. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were deployed at the volcano to acquire both visible and thermal infrared imagery. Both datasets were then digitally processed to produce 3D virtual outcrop models. Finally, the two datasets and models were integrated to produce the first 3D thermal photogrammetric model of an active volcano. The result is an easy‐to‐use workflow applicable to any volcano. This low‐cost monitoring system could be deployed in developing countries and remote areas otherwise hindered by limited budgets and poor access.