bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neural mechanisms of sensorimotor transformation and action selection
Authors: Huda Rafiq , Goard Michael J. , Pho Gerald N. , Sur Mriganka 
Published: July 2018

AbstractRay Guillery made major contributions to our understanding of the development and function of the brain. One of his principal conceptual insights, developed together with Murray Sherman [S.M. Sherman & R.W. Guillery (2001) Exploring the Thalamus. Elsevier, Amstrerdam; S. Sherman & R. Guillery (2006) Exploring the Thalamus and Its Role in Cortical Functioning. Academic Press, New York, NY; S.M. Sherman & R.W. Guillery (2013) Functional Connections of Cortical Areas: A New View from the Thalamus. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA and then in his last book (R. Guillery (2017) The Brain as a Tool: A Neuroscientist's Account. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK)], was that the brain is a ‘tool’ to understand the world. In this view, the brain does not passively process sensory information and use the result to inform motor outputs. Rather, sensory and motor signals are widely broadcast and inextricably linked, with ongoing sensorimotor transformations serving as the basis for interaction with the outside world. Here, we describe recent studies from our laboratory and others which demonstrate this astute framing of the link among sensation, perception, and action postulated by Guillery and others [G. Deco & E.T. Rolls (2005) Prog Neurobiol, 76, 236–256; P. Cisek & J.F. Kalaska (2010) Annu Rev Neurosci, 33, 269‐298]. Guillery situated his understanding in the deeply intertwined relationship between the thalamus and cortex, and importantly in the feedback from cortex to thalamus which in turn influences feed‐forward drive to cortex [S.M. Sherman & R.W. Guillery (2001) Exploring the Thalamus. Elsevier, Amstrerdam; S. Sherman & R. Guillery (2006) Exploring the Thalamus and Its Role in Cortical Functioning. Academic Press, New York, NY]. We extend these observations to argue that brain mechanisms for sensorimotor transformations involve cortical and subcortical circuits that create internal models as a substrate for action, that a key role of sensory inputs is to update such models, and that a major function of sensorimotor processing underlying cognition is to enable action selection and execution.
The β‐adrenoceptor blocker propranolol ameliorates compulsive‐like gambling behaviour in a rodent slot machine task: implications for iatrogenic gambling disorder
Authors: Cocker P. J. , Lin M. Y. , Tremblay M. , Kaur S. , Winstanley C. A. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractPrevious work has shown that chronic administration of the dopamine D2/3 receptor agonist ropinirole invigorates performance on a rodent slot machine task (rSMT). This behavioural change appears superficially similar to the iatrogenic gambling disorder (GD) observed in a sub‐set of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and has been associated with increased activation of the intra‐cellular signalling proteins GSK3β and CREB in the striatum. Here, we wanted to determine whether this response to ropinirole could be attenuated by targeting these signalling proteins, and if the loss of dopaminergic innervation characteristic of PD would alter ropinirole's effects on the rSMT. Male Long Evans rats were trained on the rSMT. Dopaminergic terminals innervating the dorsolateral striatum were then lesioned bilaterally using the neurotoxin 6‐hydroxydopamine hydrochloride (6‐OHDA). Subsequently animals were implanted with osmotic mini‐pumps delivering ropinirole. Lastly, animals were given dietary lithium (Li+), to inhibit the activation of GSK3β, or injections of the ß‐adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol, which potently inhibits CREB as a secondary mechanism of action, and any changes in ropinirole‐induced increases in compulsive‐like engagement in the rSMT evaluated. Chronic ropinirole increased the number of trials animals completed, reproducing our original finding. This increase in task engagement was not altered in animals with 6‐OHDA lesions, a putative model of early PD. In addition, the effects of ropinirole were not attenuated by administration of Li+, but were ameliorated by propranolol. These data suggest that propranolol may represent a potential pharmacotherapy for the treatment of iatrogenic gambling.
Similar effect of intermittent theta burst and sham stimulation on corticospinal excitability: A 5‐day repeated sessions study
Authors: Perellón‐Alfonso Ruben , Kralik Magdalena , Pileckyte Indre , Princic Matic , Bon Jurij , Matzhold Caspar , Fischer Benjamin , Šlahorová Petra , Pirtošek Zvezdan , Rothwell John , Kojovic Maja 
Published: July 2018

AbstractDespite accumulating evidence of inter and intraindividual variability in response to theta burst stimulation, it is widely believed that in therapeutic applications, repeated sessions can have a “build‐up” effect that increases the response over and above that seen in a single session. However, strong evidence for this is lacking. Therefore, we examined whether daily administration of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) over the primary motor cortex induces cumulative changes in transcranial magnetic stimulation measures of cortical excitability, above the changes induced by sham stimulation. Over five consecutive days, 20 healthy participants received either active iTBS or sham stimulation. Each day, baseline measures of cortical excitability were assessed before and up to 30 min after the intervention. There was no significant difference in the rate of response between iTBS and sham stimulation on any of the 5 days. There was no iTBS specific cumulative increase of corticospinal excitability. The likelihood that an individual would remain a responder from day‐to‐day was low in both groups, implying high within‐subject variability of both active and sham iTBS after‐effects. In contrast, we found a high within‐subject repeatability of resting and active motor threshold, and baseline motor‐evoked potential amplitude. In summary, sham stimulation has similar effect to active iTBS on corticospinal excitability, even when applied repeatedly for 5 days. Our results might be relevant to research and clinical applications of theta burst stimulation protocols.
Repurposing an established drug: an emerging role for methylene blue in L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia
Authors: Bariotto‐dos‐Santos Keila , Padovan‐Neto Fernando Eduardo , Bortolanza Mariza , dos‐Santos‐Pereira Maurício , Raisman‐Vozari Rita , Tumas Vitor , Del Bel Elaine 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe nitric oxide (NO) system has been proven to be a valuable modulator of L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia in Parkinsonian rodents. NO activates the enzyme soluble guanylyl cyclase and elicits the synthesis of the second‐messenger cGMP. Although we have previously described the anti‐dyskinetic potential of NO synthase inhibitors on L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia, the effect of soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitors remains to be evaluated. The aim of this study was to analyze whether the clinically available non‐selective inhibitor methylene blue, or the selective soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor ODQ (1H‐[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3‐a]quinoxalin‐1‐one), could mitigate L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia in 6‐hydroxydopamine‐lesioned rats. Here, we demonstrated that methylene blue was able to reduce L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia incidence when chronically co‐administered with L‐DOPA during 3 weeks. Methylene blue chronic (but not acute) administration (2 weeks) was effective in attenuating L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia in rats rendered dyskinetic by a previous course of L‐DOPA chronic treatment. Furthermore, discontinuous methylene blue treatment (e.g., co‐administration of methylene blue and L‐DOPA for 2 consecutive days followed by vehicle and L‐DOPA co‐administration for 5 days) was effective in attenuating dyskinesia. Finally, we demonstrated that microinjection of methylene blue or ODQ into the lateral ventricle effectively attenuated L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia. Taken together, these results demonstrate an important role of NO‐soluble guanylyl cyclase‐cGMP signaling on L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia. The clinical implications of this discovery are expected to advance the treatment options for patients with Parkinson's disease.
Soil aggregates: a scale to investigate the densities of metal and proton reactive sites of organic matter and clay phases in soil
Authors: Spadini L. , Navel A. , Martins J. M. F. , Vince E. , Lamy I. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryDetermining site density of reactive sites of metals in the main soil phases remains a challenging task. This study aimed to show that densities of reactive sites in soil may be assessed by a fractionation procedure based on soil being spatially organized as aggregates. The method is described with copper as a model trace element and a common silty loam soil after applying a low energy fractionation method to maintain the integrity of soil aggregates. The reactivity of five soil size fractions (> 250, 250–63, 63–20, 20–2 and < 2 μm) to protons and copper was quantified by acid–base titrations. The total proton sorption capacities were assigned to the total concentration of copper reactive sites and fitted to a linear combination of the relevant reactivity data of each phase, namely the total contents of organic carbon, copper and acid‐extractable aluminium. Acid–base reactivity was linearly related to the distribution of copper, and differences between fractions were used to reconstruct the distribution of acid–base and copper‐complexing sites among the clay, organic and weakly reactive residual phases. In accordance with our hypothesis that key reactive phases are mainly organic materials and clays, we used this procedure to determine the site densities of (i) two size classes of particulate organic matter, (ii) strongly reactive organic matter (e.g. soil humic and fulvic acids) and (iii) clay. The site densities and the distributions of copper obtained were used to validate our conceptual model for predicting global soil reactivity to metals.Highlights

Precise site densities of key soil reactive phases are often lacking in transfer modelling
We applied specific experimental methods of aggregate analysis and partial leaching of Al phases
Site densities of the various types of organic matter were assessed using variably amended soils
Soil aggregate analysis is powerful for determining base parameters in element transfer modelling
Ecological correlates of the spatial co‐occurrence of sympatric mammalian carnivores worldwide
Authors: Davis Courtney L. , Rich Lindsey N. , Farris Zach J. , Kelly Marcella J. , Di Bitetti Mario S. , Blanco Yamil Di , Albanesi Sebastian , Farhadinia Mohammad S. , Gholikhani Navid , Hamel Sandra , Harmsen Bart J. , Wultsch Claudia , Kane Mamadou D. , Martins Quinton , Murphy Asia J. , Steenweg Robin , Sunarto Sunarto , Taktehrani Atieh , Thapa Kanchan , Tucker Jody M. , Whittington Jesse , Widodo Febri A. , Yoccoz Nigel G. , Miller David A.W. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe composition of local mammalian carnivore communities has far‐reaching effects on terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. To better understand how carnivore communities are structured, we analysed camera trap data for 108 087 trap days across 12 countries spanning five continents. We estimate local probabilities of co‐occurrence among 768 species pairs from the order Carnivora and evaluate how shared ecological traits correlate with probabilities of co‐occurrence. Within individual study areas, species pairs co‐occurred more frequently than expected at random. Co‐occurrence probabilities were greatest for species pairs that shared ecological traits including similar body size, temporal activity pattern and diet. However, co‐occurrence decreased as compared to other species pairs when the pair included a large‐bodied carnivore. Our results suggest that a combination of shared traits and top‐down regulation by large carnivores shape local carnivore communities globally.
PFCA: An influence‐based parallel fuzzy clustering algorithm for large complex networks
Authors: Bhatia Vandana , Rani Rinkle 
Published: July 2018

AbstractClustering helps in understanding the patterns present in networks and thus helps in getting useful insights. In real‐world complex networks, analysing the structure of the network plays a vital role in clustering. Most of the existing clustering algorithms identify disjoint clusters, which do not consider the structure of the network. Moreover, the clustering results do not provide consistency and precision. This paper presents an efficient parallel fuzzy clustering algorithm named “PFCA” for large complex networks using Hadoop and Pregel (parallel processing framework for large graphs). The proposed algorithm first selects the candidate cluster heads on the basis of their influence in the network and then determines the number of clusters by analysing the graph structure using PageRank algorithm. The proposed algorithm identifies both disjoint and fuzzy clusters efficiently and finds membership of only those vertices, which are the part of more than one cluster. The performance is validated on 6 real‐life networks having up to billions of connections. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm scales up linearly with the increase in size of network. It is also shown that the proposed algorithm is efficient and has high precision in comparison with the other state‐of‐art fuzzy clustering algorithms in terms of F score and modularity.
Successful control of hidradenitis suppurativa with verapamil: a case report
Authors: Laroche Marie‐Laure , Teste Marianne , Vanoost Julien , Geniaux Hélène 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAn inappropriate immunologic response has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Adalimumab was the first TNF‐α inhibitor approved for moderate to severe HS. We report on a case of HS (Hurley stage 2) in a 39‐year‐old man, who had received fusidic acid and isotretinoin treatments without evident benefit during the last 8 years. The patient noticed a reduction in the number of lesions and quality of life (DLQI from 27 to 6) in the 2 months following verapamil initiation for cluster headache. When verapamil was stopped, the lesions recurred within 1.5 months. The patient resumed taking verapamil as before and a remission occurred. Verapamil has been shown to inhibit TNF‐α and IL‐1β in vitro and in vivo. We hypothesize that verapamil inhibits the inflammatory process through the TNF‐α/IL‐1 pathway involved in the HS physiopathology. Compared to biologic agents as anti‐TNF‐α (adalimumab) and anti‐IL1 (anakinra), verapamil is safer and cheaper. Given its possible role on TNF‐α/IL‐1, verapamil may represent an alternative therapeutic option in mild and moderate HS.
Putting community to use in environmental policy making: Emerging trends in Scotland and the UK
Authors: Holstead Kirsty , Taylor Aiken Gerald , Eadson Will , Braunholtz‐Speight Tim 
Published: July 2018

AbstractCommunity is frequently called upon in policy to meet environmental challenges. It is increasingly recognised that the success of these environmental interventions relies on community awareness and action. But what this emphasis on community does, and what the impacts are, are often neglected, or left uncritiqued. To explore this issue, we surveyed literature from the UK across four distinct environmental domains—energy, urban greenspace, water, and land—to chart what characterises the use of community in pursuit of environmental goals. We highlight the main conceptual commonalities across the domains by focusing on research that gives insight into the increased interest in communities in environmental policy. In summary, we posit that where community is used environmentally, it brings with it (a) a reframing of justice, (b) processes of ‘public making,’ and (c) a rescaling of governance.
Microbial population, chemical composition and silage fermentation of native grasses growing on the Inner Mongolian Plateau
Authors: Gentu Ge , Hou Meiling , Liu Tingyu , Jia Yushan , Cai Yimin 
Published: July 2018

AbstractSilage was made from the dominant native grasses growing on the Inner Mongolian Plateau, including Baical needlegrass (Stipa baicalensis), China leymus (Leymus chinensis), Scabrous hideseedgrass (Cleistogenes squarrosa), Ruthenia medic (Melissilus ruthenicus) and Slenderleaf pulsatilla (Pulsatilla turczaninovii) and their microbial populations, chemical composition and silage fermentation were studied. Before ensiling, these grasses contained per g of fresh matter (FM) 105lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cell‐forming units (cfu), 107aerobic bacteria, 103–105coliform bacteria, yeasts and molds. TheLABcounts increased rapidly after 2 days of fermentation and remained dominant during the fermentation process. After 7 days of ensiling, the coliform bacteria and molds were below detectable levels in all silages. The crude protein (CP) of these grasses ranged from 8.93 to 14.95% of dry matter (DM), and the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) comprised 58.29–70.05% ofDM. Crude protein content of Ruthenia medic was higher and theNDFand acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents of Slenderleaf pulsatilla were lower than those of the other grasses. During ensiling, the organic matter,CP, ether extract,NDFandADFcontents in each kind of silage did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). During the progression of ensiling, the lactic acid and acetic acid contents increased in all silages, while thepHdecreased. At day 30, all silages had similar fermentation patterns; more than 0.58%FMlactic acid was produced and thepHwas reduced below 4.44. The results suggest that the native grasses can be used to prepare good quality silages.
Do Headache Patients Require More Care in Between Visits Than Other Neurology Outpatients?
Authors: Brilla Roland , Woo Kaitlin M. , Seeger Susanne K. 
Published: July 2018

BackgroundThere is evidence that time spent in patient care in between patient visits is increasing and a contributor to physician burnout. The extent of this work on providers in the field of headache medicine is unknown.ObjectivesTo establish whether headache outpatients require a high level of care in addition to clinic visits, based on the quantity of remote encounters per patient (phone calls and secure email communication to the clinics), in comparison to other neurologic clinics.MethodsIn an academic referral clinic, a total of 3164 established patients were included in this retrospective analysis, 275 from the headache clinic, the remainder from various other neurology clinics (2 physician providers per clinic except 3 physician providers in the headache clinic). Patients presenting for a follow‐up visit between January 2014 and April 2016 were observed for a 12‐month period during which the number of a) telephone and b) secure email (MyChart) encounters per patient was recorded, and in addition, the number of entries related to each of these encounters. This analysis did not require IRB approval as per institutional guidelines.ResultsHeadache clinic patients required a high frequency of remote encounters (composite of both telephone and email messages) per patient, second only to the MS clinic patients. Use of secure email messaging (MyChart) per patient was much higher in the headache clinic compared to all other clinics.ConclusionPatients in a headache clinic in an academic tertiary care setting require a high intensity of remote outpatient care, more so than patients in other neurology subspecialty clinics and general neurology clinic, with the exception of the neuroimmunology/MS clinic. This is to a large extent secondary to the very frequent use of secure email linked to the electronic medical record by headache patients.
Identifying Natural Subgroups of Migraine Based on Comorbidity and Concomitant Condition Profiles: Results of the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) Study
Authors: Lipton Richard B. , Fanning Kristina M. , Buse Dawn C. , Martin Vincent T. , Reed Michael L. , Manack Adams Aubrey , Goadsby Peter J. 
Published: July 2018

ObjectiveTo identify natural subgroups of people with migraine based on profiles of comorbidities and concomitant conditions, hereafter referred to as comorbidities.BackgroundMigraine is a heterogeneous disease. Identifying natural subgroups (endophenotypes) may facilitate biological and genetic characterization and the development of personalized treatment.MethodsThe Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes Study is a prospective web‐based survey study designed to characterize the course of migraine and related comorbidities in a systematic US sample of people with migraine. Respondents were asked if they ever had a specific comorbidity and, if present, whether the comorbidity was confirmed/diagnosed by a “doctor”; 62 comorbidities were available for analysis. Latent class analysis (LCA) modeling determined the optimal number of classes and a parsimonious set of comorbidities.ResultsOf the 12,810 respondents with migraine, 11,837 reported ≥1 comorbidity and were included in this analysis. After statistical analysis and clinical judgment reduced the number of comorbidities, we selected an 8‐class model based on 22 comorbidities. Each class had a distinct pattern summarized as follows: Class 1, Most Comorbidities; Class 2, Respiratory/Psychiatric; Class 3, Respiratory/Pain; Class 4, Respiratory; Class 5, Psychiatric; Class 6, Cardiovascular; Class 7, Pain; Class 8, Fewest Comorbidities. The distribution of individuals across models was variable, with one‐third of respondents in Class 8 (Fewest Comorbidities) and <10% in Class 1 (Most Comorbidities). Demographic and headache characteristics, not used in assigning class membership, varied across classes. For example, comparing Class 1 (Most Comorbidities) and Class 8 (Fewest Comorbidities), Class 1 had a greater proportion of individuals with severe disability (Migraine Disability Assessment grade IV; 48.1% vs 22.3% of overall individuals) and higher rates of allodynia (67.6% vs 47.0%), medication overuse (36.4% vs 15.0%), chronic migraine (23.1% vs 9.1%), and aura (40.1% vs 28.8%).ConclusionsLCA modeling identified 8 natural subgroups of persons with migraine based on comorbidity profiles. These classes show differences in demographic and headache features not used to form the classes. Subsequent research will assess prognostic and biologic differences among the classes.
Trends and characteristics of imports of live CITES‐listed bird species into Japan
Authors: Vall‐Llosera Miquel , Su Shan 
Published: July 2018

Understanding the characteristics of the international bird trade is critical for preventing the traffic of endangered species. Japan is the second largest importer of birds for the pet industry globally, yet little research has examined its role in the international trade of live exotic birds. We used reports to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Trade Database to conduct the first quantitative analysis of the live commercial bird imports to Japan. We also investigated whether the volume of import is influenced by factors related to species availability. We analysed close to 2 million live bird imports by Japan from 1979 to 2015. The volume of imports peaked in 1999 and then declined until 2008, when imports increased again. Japan imported 603 bird species, mostly parrots (64%), owls (11%) and raptors (9%), from 92 different countries. Most imported birds were reported to be captive‐bred (70%), and key exporters were Belgium (23%), the Netherlands (15%) and Singapore (12%). The most frequently imported bird species had widespread distributions and were not of high conservation concern, so we concluded that bird imports were restricted by the availability of bird species to the international market. Research effort in countries that engage heavily in wildlife trade is necessary to understand the impacts of the trade on bird conservation, and to monitor captive bird populations outside their native ranges.