bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Positive reinforcement and c‐Fos expression following abuse‐like thinner inhalation in mice: Behavioural and immunohistochemical assessment
Authors: Malloul Hanaa , Bennis Mohammed , Ba‐M'hamed Saadia 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThinners are organic solvents widely used in industrial applications, but they have also been subject to abuse by inhalation for their psychoactive and rewarding properties. In spite of the prevalence of inhalant abuse, the addictive potential and pathways mediating their reinforcing effects are not yet fully understood and thus still subject of further investigations. Here, we assessed in mice the locomotor activity and the ability of paint thinner to reinforce the conditioning in the place preference paradigm following acute (1 day), subchronic (6 weeks) and chronic (12 weeks) exposures to 300 and 600 ppm of thinner vapor. While locomotor activity was unaffected by the different thinner treatments, a positive conditioned place preference to inhaled thinner was found upon subchronic and chronic exposures. To investigate the activated brain structures underlying such behavioural changes, we analyzed the distribution of c‐Fos immunoreactivity, a marker for neuronal activation, following acute and repeated exposures to 600 ppm of thinner. Notably, thinner exposure increased the number of c‐Fos immunoreactive neurons with increasing duration of exposure in the majority of structures examined; including those typically involved in the processing of rewarding or emotionally stimuli (e.g., ventral tegmental area, core and shell of nucleus accumbens, amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and cingulate cortex), and olfactory stimuli (e.g., piriform cortex and olfactory tubercle). Moreover, prolonged, but not acute thinner inhalation significantly increased c‐Fos immunoreactivity in all hippocampal subregions. Taken together, the expanded distribution of thinner‐induced c‐Fos expression may underlie the observed positive reinforcement upon long‐term thinner inhalation.
Post hoc analysis of the Exenatide‐PD trial—Factors that predict response
Authors: Athauda Dilan , Maclagan Kate , Budnik Natalia , Zampedri Luca , Hibbert Steve , Aviles‐Olmos Iciar , Chowdhury Kashfia , Skene Simon S. , Limousin Patricia , Foltynie Thomas 
Published: August 2018

AbstractExenatide, a glucagon‐like peptide‐1 agonist and a licensed treatment for Type 2 diabetes significantly reduced deterioration in motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease in a randomized, placebo‐controlled trial. In addition, there were trends favouring the exenatide group in assessments of nonmotor symptoms, cognition, and quality of life. The aim of this exploratory post hoc analysis was to generate new hypotheses regarding (a) whether candidate baseline factors might predict the magnitude of response to exenatide; and (b) whether the beneficial effects of exenatide reported for the overall population are consistent in various subgroups of patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine possible predictors of motor response to exenatide in this cohort. Potential treatment by subgroup interactions for changes in; motor severity, nonmotor symptoms, cognition, and quality of life after 48‐weeks treatment with exenatide were evaluated among post hoc subgroups defined by age, motor phenotype, disease duration, disease severity, body mass index (BMI), and insulin resistance. In the subgroup analyses, exenatide once‐weekly was associated with broadly improved outcome measures assessing motor severity, nonmotor symptoms, cognition, and quality of life across all subgroups, however, tremor‐dominant phenotype and lower Movement Disorder Society‐Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) Part‐2 scores predicted greatest motor response to exenatide and there was an indication that patients with older age of onset and disease duration over 10 years responded less well. While patients with a range of demographic and clinical factors can potentially benefit from exenatide once‐weekly, these data support an emphasis towards recruiting patients at earlier disease in future planned clinical trials of gluacagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonists in Parkinson's disease (PD).
Neuronal correlates of auditory streaming in the auditory cortex of behaving monkeys
Authors: Selezneva Elena , Gorkin Alexander , Budinger Eike , Brosch Michael 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis study tested the hypothesis that spiking activity in the primary auditory cortex of monkeys is related to auditory stream formation. Evidence for this hypothesis was previously obtained in animals that were passively exposed to stimuli and in which differences in the streaming percept were confounded with differences between the stimuli. In this study, monkeys performed an operant task on sequences that were composed of light flashes and tones. The tones alternated between a high and a low frequency and could be perceived either as one auditory stream or two auditory streams. The flashes promoted either a one‐stream percept or a two‐stream percept. Comparison of different types of sequences revealed that the neuronal responses to the alternating tones were more similar when the flashes promoted auditory stream integration, and were more dissimilar when the flashes promoted auditory stream segregation. Thus our findings show that the spiking activity in the monkey primary auditory cortex is related to auditory stream formation.
Sharp wave‐associated activity patterns of cortical neurons in the mouse piriform cortex
Authors: Katori Kazuki , Manabe Hiroyuki , Nakashima Ai , Dunfu Eer , Sasaki Takuya , Ikegaya Yuji , Takeuchi Haruki 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe olfactory piriform cortex (PC) is thought to participate in olfactory associative memory. Like the hippocampus, which is essential for episodic memory, it belongs to an evolutionally conserved paleocortex and comprises a three‐layered cortical structure. During slow‐wave sleep, the olfactory PC becomes less responsive to external odor stimuli and instead displays sharp wave (SPW) activity similar to that observed in the hippocampus. Neural activity patterns during hippocampal SPW have been intensively studied in terms of memory consolidation; however, little is known about the activity patterns of olfactory cortical neurons during olfactory cortex sharp waves (OC‐SPWs). In this study, we recorded multi‐unit neural activities in the anterior PC in urethane‐anesthetized mice. We found that the activity patterns of olfactory cortical neurons during OC‐SPWs were non‐randomly organized. Individual olfactory cortical neurons varied in the timings of their peak firing rates during OC‐SPW events. Moreover, specific pairs of olfactory cortical neurons were more frequently activated together than expected by chance. On the basis of these observations, we speculate that coordinated activation of specific subsets of olfactory cortical neurons repeats during OC‐SPWs, thereby facilitating synaptic plasticity underlying the consolidation of olfactory associative memories.
Measuring horizontal pore gas velocity profiles in porous media in response to near‐surface wind speed and gustiness
Authors: Poulsen T. G. 
Published: August 2018

SummaryA simple method for experimental determination of horizontal wind‐induced, near‐surface pore gas velocities in porous media is presented. This method uses traditional tracer gas tracking methodology, but is designed for applications where mass loss of tracer gas from the experimental domain occurs at an unknown rate (as is the case in near‐surface, wind‐exposed porous media), making traditional inverse transport modelling inapplicable. The method was applied to a dry, granular porous medium consisting of crushed basalt (2–4 mm grain size), using CO2 as the tracer gas. Experiments were conducted under controlled (wind tunnel) conditions, at average near‐surface wind speeds ranging from 0 to 5.6 ms−1, for both gusty and non‐gusty winds. Velocity profiles of near‐surface horizontal pore gas in the top 15 cm of the porous medium were determined for 10 different combinations of average wind speed and wind gust frequency. Pore gas velocities of up to 0.5 cms−1 were observed that depended on depth and near‐surface wind conditions. Results indicate that horizontal gas flow can occur in wind‐exposed porous media under both non‐gusty and gusty wind conditions, and that wind gustiness has a significant effect on the velocity profiles of horizontal pore gas inside porous media. Results show further that pore gas velocities were almost linearly proportional to near‐surface average wind speed, regardless of porous medium depth.HighlightsDeveloped a novel method for measuring wind‐induced pore gas velocity in porous media.
Near‐surface wind action induced horizontal pore gas velocities.
Pore gas velocity profiles depended strongly on wind gustiness (gust frequency).
Pore gas velocities were directly proportional to average near‐surface wind speed.
The specificity and role of microglia in epileptogenesis in mouse models of tuberous sclerosis complex
Authors: Zhang Bo , Zou Jia , Han Lirong , Beeler Brennan , Friedman Joseph L. , Griffin Elizabeth , Piao Yue‐Shan , Rensing Nicholas R. , Wong Michael 
Published: August 2018

SummaryObjectiveMicroglial abnormalities have been reported in pathologic specimens from patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic disorder characterized by epilepsy, intellectual disability, and autism. However, the pathogenic role of microglia in epilepsy in TSC is poorly understood, particularly whether microglia defects may be a primary contributor to epileptogenesis or are secondary to seizures or simply epiphenomena. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Tsc1 gene inactivation in microglia is sufficient to cause epilepsy in mouse models of TSC.MethodsUsing a chemokine receptor, Cx3cr1, to target microglia, conventional Tsc1Cx3cr1‐CreCKO (conditional knockout) mice and postnatal‐inducible Tsc1Cx3cr1‐CreERCKO mice were generated and assessed for molecular and histopathologic evidence of microglial abnormalities, mechanistic target of rapamycin 1 (mTORC1) pathway activation, and epilepsy.ResultsTsc1Cx3cr1‐CreCKO mice exhibited a high efficiency of microglia Tsc1 inactivation, mTORC1 activation, increased microglial size and number, and robust epilepsy, which were rapamycin‐dependent. However, Cre reporter studies demonstrated that constitutive Cx3cr1 expression affected not only microglia, but also a large percentage of cortical neurons, confounding the role of microglia in epileptogenesis in Tsc1 Cx3cr1‐CreCKO mice. In contrast, postnatal inactivation of Tsc1 utilizing a tamoxifen‐inducible Cx3cr1‐CreER resulted in a more‐selective microglia Tsc1 inactivation with high efficiency, mTORC1 activation, and increased microglial size and number, but no documented epilepsy.SignificanceMicroglia abnormalities may contribute to epileptogenesis in the context of neuronal involvement in TSC mouse models, but selective Tsc1 gene inactivation in microglia alone may not be sufficient to cause epilepsy, suggesting that microglia have more supportive roles in the pathogenesis of seizures in TSC.
Chemosensory enrichment as a simple and effective way to improve the welfare of captive lizards
Authors: Londoño Claudia , Bartolomé Alicia , Carazo Pau , Font Enrique 
Published: August 2018

AbstractEnvironmental enrichment has proven to be a useful and effective welfare tool in order to evaluate and enhance the well‐being of captive animals, but only when it is based on detailed knowledge of each species' natural behaviour. Chemoreception is fundamental to many aspects of reptilian biology; however, sensory enrichment with chemical stimuli has rarely been applied to reptiles. In this study, we evaluate the use of chemosensory enrichment as a method to enhance the welfare of Podarcis liolepis. For seven weeks, we exposed field‐caught males to scents from donor conspecific males collected on pieces of filter paper (i.e., “enriched” group, n = 18), and compared their behaviour to that of control males provided with unscented pieces of filter paper (n = 18). We measured the occurrence of normal (e.g., locomotion) and abnormal (escape attempts) behaviours each day for three weeks. In addition, we conducted two exploration tests and a visual barrier test. Compared to controls, enriched lizards showed a consistent long‐term decrease (29%–38%) in the occurrence of escape attempts. During exploration tests, enriched lizards spent less time performing escape attempts and devoted more time to perching than controls. As expected, both control and enriched lizards showed a reduction of time in locomotion and an increase in the time spent perching between the first and second exploration test, but these changes were significantly more pronounced for enriched animals. Taken together, our results suggest improved welfare of enriched animals, as they spent less time engaging in abnormal behaviours, more time in normal behaviours, and showed signs of faster habituation to a novel environment. Chemosensory enrichment is a relatively simple enrichment strategy that could potentially be applied to improve the welfare of a wide range of captive lizards, and reptiles at large.
Information‐gathering as a response to manipulated signals in the eastern fence lizard, Sceloporus undulatus
Authors: Ossip‐Drahos Alison G. , Berry Nicolas J. , King Christian M. , Martins Emília P. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractColorful visual signals are used across taxa to convey information during agonistic male‐male encounters, which are important for sexual selection. Although much is known about the information content of color signals, less is known about how receivers interpret this information. Here, using territorial Sceloporus undulatus lizards in a natural setting, we examined receiver response to intruders with different color patch sizes to determine (a) if patch size conveys information assessed during male‐male interactions and (b) if/how receivers modulate their behavioral responses to different types of behavioral signals. We found that larger lizards had longer and wider patches, indicating that the size of the patches may be one of the many characteristics of these patches that is used by males to convey information. Free‐ranging subject males also produced more headbob displays in response to intruders with small patches and took marginally longer to react to intruders with large patches. However, we found no differences in the aggressiveness of the response (i.e., fullshows). This indicates that patch size conveys information that is employed during territorial disputes, but that the response is primarily in terms of timing, allowing lizards to gather more information about intruders, instead of aggressive behavior (i.e., fullshows).
Nail abnormalities identified in an ageing study of 30 inbred mouse strains
Authors: Linn Sarah C. , Mustonen Allison M. , Silva Kathleen A. , Kennedy Victoria E. , Sundberg Beth A. , Bechtold Lesley S. , Alghamdi Sarah , Hoehndorf Robert , Schofield Paul N. , Sundberg John P. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn a large‐scale ageing study, 30 inbred mouse strains were systematically screened for histologic evidence of lesions in all organ systems. Ten strains were diagnosed with similar nail abnormalities. The highest frequency was noted in NON/ShiLtJ mice. Lesions identified fell into two main categories: acute to chronic penetration of the third phalangeal bone through the hyponychium with associated inflammation and bone remodelling or metaplasia of the nail matrix and nail bed associated with severe orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis replacing the nail plate. Penetration of the distal phalanx through the hyponychium appeared to be the initiating feature resulting in nail abnormalities. The accompanying acute to subacute inflammatory response was associated with osteolysis of the distal phalanx. Evaluation of young NON/ShiLtJ mice revealed that these lesions were not often found, or affected only one digit. The only other nail unit abnormality identified was sporadic subungual epidermoid inclusion cysts which closely resembled similar lesions in human patients. These abnormalities, being age‐related developments, may have contributed to weight loss due to impacts upon feeding and should be a consideration for future research due to the potential to interact with other experimental factors in ageing studies using the affected strains of mice.
Measuring environmental sustainability performance of freight transportation seaports in China: A data envelopment analysis approach based on the closest targets
Authors: Li Xingchen , Li Feng , Zhao Nenggui , Zhu Qingyuan 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBecause of China's rapid economic development, its freight transportation system has grown to become one of China's high‐pollution‐emission sectors. However, there are few studies that pay close attention to measuring and improving the environmental performance of China's freight transportation system, especially in regard to seaports. In this paper, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is applied to measure the environmental performance of freight transportation seaports. In addition, we also provide benchmarking information to point the way to improving environmental performance effectively. Our proposed DEA model is based on the closest targets, which satisfies the strong monotonicity and can yield the most relevant solution for the inefficient seaports. An empirical study of 21 of China's primary freight transportation seaports shows that most of them have relatively good environmental performance. Among the five coastal port groups, the Bohai‐rim port group had the best environmental performance, whereas the Pearl River port group had the worst. Our data show significant differences between the best and worst performances, indicating that more measures should be taken to balance and coordinate the development between the five coastal port groups.
DegP functions as a critical protease for bacterial acid resistance
Authors: Fu Xinmiao , Wang Yan , Shao Heqi , Ma Jing , Song Xinwen , Zhang Meng , Chang Zengyi 
Published: August 2018

To counteract the lethal acid stress, bacteria explore such strategies as cytoplasmic decarboxylase‐catalyzed proton consumption and periplasmic chaperone‐assisted protein refolding. Here, we report a periplasmic protease‐mediated acid resistance mechanism in Escherichia coli. Deletion of the protease gene degP dramatically decreases the viability of late log or early stationary phase cells against the extreme acid stress (pH 2.3), which can only be minimally rescued by complementary expression of the protease‐deficient DegP(S210A) mutant protein. Similarly, DegQ, a homolog of DegP, also contributes to the bacterial acid resistance, but SurA as an important periplasmic chaperone hardly exhibits protection effect. In vitro studies reveal that DegP completely loses its protease activity under acidic condition but is able to partially reactivate upon neutralization. Importantly, we demonstrate the interaction of DegP with typical cellular substrate proteins in cells during acid stress and/or recovery stages by using unnatural amino acid‐mediated in vivo photo‐crosslinking, as well as the degradation of periplasmic proteins by DegP during recovery after acidic denaturation. These data illustrate the role of DegP in bacterial acid resistance conceivably via degrading those acid‐induced misfolded proteins. Our findings, together with earlier reports, suggest a comprehensive acid resistance strategy adopted by bacteria such that in the ATP‐deficient extra‐cytoplasm, the inevitable misfolded proteins induced by acid stress are refolded by a chaperone (e.g., HdeA/HdeB) and/or cleaved by a protease (e.g., DegP/DegQ) while in the cytoplasm excessive protons are directly consumed or exported.
Attitudes towards lung cancer screening in a population sample
Authors: Smits Stephanie E. , McCutchan Grace M. , Hanson Jane A. , Brain Kate E. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Routine UK lung cancer screening is not yet available, thus understanding barriers to participation in lung screening could help maximize effectiveness if introduced.MethodsPopulation‐based survey of 1007 adults aged 16 and over in Wales using random quota sampling. Computer‐assisted face‐to‐face interviews included demographic variables (age, gender, smoking, social group), four lung cancer belief statements and three lung screening attitudinal items. Determinants of lung screening attitudes were examined using multivariable regression adjusted for age, gender, social group and previous exposure to lung campaign messages.ResultsAvoidance of lung screening due to fear of what might be found was statistically significantly associated with negative lung cancer beliefs including fatalism (aOR = 8.8, 95% CI = 5.6‐13.9, P ≤ 0.001), low perceived value of symptomatic presentation (aOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.5‐3.9, P ≤ 0.001) and low treatment efficacy (aOR = 0.3, CI = 0.2‐0.7, P ≤ 0.01).Low perceived effectiveness of lung screening was significantly associated with fatalism (aOR = 6.4, 95% CI = 3.5‐11.7, P ≤ 0.001), low perceived value of symptom presentation (aOR = 4.9, 95% CI = 2.7‐8.9, P ≤ 0.001) and low treatment efficacy (aOR = 0.1, 95% CI = 0.1‐0.3, P ≤ 0.001). In contrast, respondents who thought lung screening could reduce cancer deaths had positive beliefs about lung cancer (aOR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2‐0.7, P ≤ 0.001) and its treatment (aOR = 6.1, 95% CI = 3.0‐12.6, P ≤ 0.001).ConclusionPeople with negative beliefs about lung cancer may be more likely to avoid lung screening. Alongside the introduction of effective early detection strategies, interventions are needed to modify public perceptions of lung cancer, particularly for fatalism.
Use of LC‐MS analysis to elucidate by‐products of niacinamide transformation following in vitro skin permeation studies
Authors: Sil B. C. , Moore D. J. , Lane M. E. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo explore and elucidate the formation of niacinamide (NIA) by‐products during in vitro skin permeation studies using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) analysis.MethodsPorcine skin permeation studies of various NIA formulations were conducted using Franz diffusion cells for a period of 24 hours. NIA by‐products were identified by LC, extracted and further qualitatively analysed by LC‐MS.ResultsAnalysis and characterisation of NIA by‐products using LC‐MS resulted in the identification of different molecular entities with similar structures to NIA. The most prevalent molecular specie in this study was 1,4,5,6‐tetrahydropyridine‐3‐carboxamide with the highest ion abundance. Other structural NIA analogues were also identified and reported, namely piperidine‐3‐carboxamide and 1,4‐dihydropyridine‐3‐carboxamide. None of these NIA derivatives were detected in stability studies of NIA in the medium used as the receptor phase, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), that had not been in contact with skin.ConclusionThe comparatively low recovery of NIA following in vitro mass‐balance and permeation studies for pseudo‐finite and finite dosing of the active compared with infinite dosing is attributed to chemical derivatisation of the molecule during skin penetration. These findings reported here will allow the development of more sensitive methods to ensure full mass balance recovery of NIA following topical application of NIA preparations.