use A treatise on topical corticosteroids in dermatology : use, misuse and abuse By dal.novanet.ca Published On :: Fri, 1 May 2020 19:44:43 -0300 Callnumber: OnlineISBN: 9789811046094 Full Article
use InBios receives Emergency Use Authorization for its Smart Detect... By www.prweb.com Published On :: InBios International, Inc. announces the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its diagnostic test that can be used immediately by CLIA...(PRWeb April 08, 2020)Read the full story at https://www.prweb.com/releases/inbios_receives_emergency_use_authorization_for_its_smart_detect_sars_cov_2_rrt_pcr_kit_for_detection_of_the_virus_causing_covid_19/prweb17036897.htm Full Article
use STRmix Now Being Used by Suffolk County Crime Lab, Contra Costa... By www.prweb.com Published On :: New organizations bring total number of U.S. forensic labs using STRmix to 55.(PRWeb April 23, 2020)Read the full story at https://www.prweb.com/releases/strmix_now_being_used_by_suffolk_county_crime_lab_contra_costa_sheriffs_office/prweb17057336.htm Full Article
use data warehouse By looselycoupled.com Published On :: 2005-05-17T14:00:00-00:00 A large store of data for analysis. Organizations use data warehouses (and smaller 'data marts') to help them analyze historic transaction data to detect useful patterns and trends. First of all the data is transferred into the data warehouse using a process called extracting, transforming and loading (ETL). Then it is organized and stored in the data warehouse in ways that optimize it for high-performance analysis. The transfer to a separate data warehouse system, which is usually performed as a regular batch job every night or at some other interval, insulates the live transaction systems from any side-effects of the analysis, but at the cost of not having the very latest data included in the analysis. Full Article
use Bayesian factor models for probabilistic cause of death assessment with verbal autopsies By projecteuclid.org Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 22:05 EDT Tsuyoshi Kunihama, Zehang Richard Li, Samuel J. Clark, Tyler H. McCormick. Source: The Annals of Applied Statistics, Volume 14, Number 1, 241--256.Abstract: The distribution of deaths by cause provides crucial information for public health planning, response and evaluation. About 60% of deaths globally are not registered or given a cause, limiting our ability to understand disease epidemiology. Verbal autopsy (VA) surveys are increasingly used in such settings to collect information on the signs, symptoms and medical history of people who have recently died. This article develops a novel Bayesian method for estimation of population distributions of deaths by cause using verbal autopsy data. The proposed approach is based on a multivariate probit model where associations among items in questionnaires are flexibly induced by latent factors. Using the Population Health Metrics Research Consortium labeled data that include both VA and medically certified causes of death, we assess performance of the proposed method. Further, we estimate important questionnaire items that are highly associated with causes of death. This framework provides insights that will simplify future data Full Article
use Busemann functions and semi-infinite O’Connell–Yor polymers By projecteuclid.org Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 04:02 EDT Tom Alberts, Firas Rassoul-Agha, Mackenzie Simper. Source: Bernoulli, Volume 26, Number 3, 1927--1955.Abstract: We prove that given any fixed asymptotic velocity, the finite length O’Connell–Yor polymer has an infinite length limit satisfying the law of large numbers with this velocity. By a Markovian property of the quenched polymer this reduces to showing the existence of Busemann functions : almost sure limits of ratios of random point-to-point partition functions. The key ingredients are the Burke property of the O’Connell–Yor polymer and a comparison lemma for the ratios of partition functions. We also show the existence of infinite length limits in the Brownian last passage percolation model. Full Article
use From alms house to first nation : a story of my ancestors in South Australia : a Sherwell family story / by Pamela Coad (nee Sherwell). By www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au Published On :: Sherwell (Family) Full Article
use Russia probe transcripts released by House Intelligence Committee By news.yahoo.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 23:20:04 -0400 Reaction and analysis from Fox News contributor Byron York and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Full Article
use India uses drones to disinfect virus hotspot as cases surge By news.yahoo.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 11:19:33 -0400 Indian authorities used drones and fire engines to disinfect the pandemic-hit city of Ahmedabad on Saturday, as virus cases surged and police clashed with migrant workers protesting against a reinforced lockdown. The western city of 5.5 million people in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state has become a major concern for authorities as they battle an uptick in coronavirus deaths and cases across India. Full Article
use The McMichaels can't be charged with a hate crime by the state in the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery because the law doesn't exist in Georgia By news.yahoo.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 17:07:36 -0400 Georgia is one of four states that doesn't have a hate crime law. Arbery's killing has reignited calls for legislation. Full Article
use Estimating the Use of Public Lands: Integrated Modeling of Open Populations with Convolution Likelihood Ecological Abundance Regression By projecteuclid.org Published On :: Thu, 19 Dec 2019 22:10 EST Lutz F. Gruber, Erica F. Stuber, Lyndsie S. Wszola, Joseph J. Fontaine. Source: Bayesian Analysis, Volume 14, Number 4, 1173--1199.Abstract: We present an integrated open population model where the population dynamics are defined by a differential equation, and the related statistical model utilizes a Poisson binomial convolution likelihood. Key advantages of the proposed approach over existing open population models include the flexibility to predict related, but unobserved quantities such as total immigration or emigration over a specified time period, and more computationally efficient posterior simulation by elimination of the need to explicitly simulate latent immigration and emigration. The viability of the proposed method is shown in an in-depth analysis of outdoor recreation participation on public lands, where the surveyed populations changed rapidly and demographic population closure cannot be assumed even within a single day. Full Article
use User-Friendly Covariance Estimation for Heavy-Tailed Distributions By projecteuclid.org Published On :: Fri, 11 Oct 2019 04:03 EDT Yuan Ke, Stanislav Minsker, Zhao Ren, Qiang Sun, Wen-Xin Zhou. Source: Statistical Science, Volume 34, Number 3, 454--471.Abstract: We provide a survey of recent results on covariance estimation for heavy-tailed distributions. By unifying ideas scattered in the literature, we propose user-friendly methods that facilitate practical implementation. Specifically, we introduce elementwise and spectrumwise truncation operators, as well as their $M$-estimator counterparts, to robustify the sample covariance matrix. Different from the classical notion of robustness that is characterized by the breakdown property, we focus on the tail robustness which is evidenced by the connection between nonasymptotic deviation and confidence level. The key insight is that estimators should adapt to the sample size, dimensionality and noise level to achieve optimal tradeoff between bias and robustness. Furthermore, to facilitate practical implementation, we propose data-driven procedures that automatically calibrate the tuning parameters. We demonstrate their applications to a series of structured models in high dimensions, including the bandable and low-rank covariance matrices and sparse precision matrices. Numerical studies lend strong support to the proposed methods. Full Article
use Daily Marijuana Use Is Not Associated with Brain Morphometric Measures in Adolescents or Adults By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2015-01-28 Barbara J. WeilandJan 28, 2015; 35:1505-1512Neurobiology of Disease Full Article
use Fingolimod Rescues Demyelination in a Mouse Model of Krabbe's Disease By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-04-08 Sibylle BéchetApr 8, 2020; 40:3104-3118Neurobiology of Disease Full Article
use Grey Matter Volume Differences Associated with Extremely Low Levels of Cannabis Use in Adolescence By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2019-03-06 Catherine OrrMar 6, 2019; 39:1817-1827BehavioralSystemsCognitive Full Article
use Sleep Loss Promotes Astrocytic Phagocytosis and Microglial Activation in Mouse Cerebral Cortex By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2017-05-24 Michele BellesiMay 24, 2017; 37:5263-5273Cellular Full Article
use Visualization of Microtubule Growth in Cultured Neurons via the Use of EB3-GFP (End-Binding Protein 3-Green Fluorescent Protein) By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2003-04-01 Tatiana StepanovaApr 1, 2003; 23:2655-2664Cellular Full Article
use Experience-Dependent Plasticity of Binocular Responses in the Primary Visual Cortex of the Mouse By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 1996-05-15 Joshua A. GordonMay 15, 1996; 16:3274-3286Articles Full Article
use The Major Cell Populations of the Mouse Retina By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 1998-11-01 Chang-Jin JeonNov 1, 1998; 18:8936-8946Articles Full Article
use Highly Selective Receptive Fields in Mouse Visual Cortex By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2008-07-23 Cristopher M. NiellJul 23, 2008; 28:7520-7536BehavioralSystemsCognitive Full Article
use Ad Makers Use Deepfakes to 'Refresh' Old Content By www.technewsworld.com Published On :: 2020-04-28T11:05:35-07:00 With measures to stem the spread of COVID-19 putting a chokehold on their filming capabilities, advertising agencies are enhancing old content with new tech, including deepfakes. Deepfakes typically blend one person's likeness, or parts thereof, with the image of another person. Ad agencies are so restricted in how they can generate content, they'll explore anything that can be computer-generated. Full Article
use A Patchwork of Useful Things By www.crmbuyer.com Published On :: 2020-04-04T04:00:00-07:00 Adobe just announced what it calls the first digital economy index. It seems like it's modeled after other indices usually kept by the federal government to measure economic output and consumption. The Adobe index captures only consumer consumption behavior though. Some of its insights include new shopping behavior, such as which products have become hot items or decreased in popularity over time. Full Article
use Fingolimod Rescues Demyelination in a Mouse Model of Krabbe's Disease By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-04-08T09:30:18-07:00 Krabbe's disease is an infantile neurodegenerative disease, which is affected by mutations in the lysosomal enzyme galactocerebrosidase, leading to the accumulation of its metabolite psychosine. We have shown previously that the S1P receptor agonist fingolimod (FTY720) attenuates psychosine-induced glial cell death and demyelination both in vitro and ex vivo models. These data, together with a lack of therapies for Krabbe's disease, prompted the current preclinical study examining the effects of fingolimod in twitcher mice, a murine model of Krabbe's disease. Twitcher mice, both male and female, carrying a natural mutation in the galc gene were given fingolimod via drinking water (1 mg/kg/d). The direct impact of fingolimod administration was assessed via histochemical and biochemical analysis using markers of myelin, astrocytes, microglia, neurons, globoid cells, and immune cells. The effects of fingolimod on twitching behavior and life span were also demonstrated. Our results show that treatment of twitcher mice with fingolimod significantly rescued myelin levels compared with vehicle-treated animals and also regulated astrocyte and microglial reactivity. Furthermore, nonphosphorylated neurofilament levels were decreased, indicating neuroprotective and neurorestorative processes. These protective effects of fingolimod on twitcher mice brain pathology was reflected by an increased life span of fingolimod-treated twitcher mice. These in vivo findings corroborate initial in vitro studies and highlight the potential use of S1P receptors as drug targets for treatment of Krabbe's disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study demonstrates that the administration of the therapy known as fingolimod in a mouse model of Krabbe's disease (namely, the twitcher mouse model) significantly rescues myelin levels. Further, the drug fingolimod also regulates the reactivity of glial cells, astrocytes and microglia, in this mouse model. These protective effects of fingolimod result in an increased life span of twitcher mice. Full Article
use Noncoding Microdeletion in Mouse Hgf Disrupts Neural Crest Migration into the Stria Vascularis, Reduces the Endocochlear Potential, and Suggests the Neuropathology for Human Nonsyndromic Deafness DFNB39 By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-04-08T09:30:18-07:00 Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multifunctional protein that signals through the MET receptor. HGF stimulates cell proliferation, cell dispersion, neuronal survival, and wound healing. In the inner ear, levels of HGF must be fine-tuned for normal hearing. In mice, a deficiency of HGF expression limited to the auditory system, or an overexpression of HGF, causes neurosensory deafness. In humans, noncoding variants in HGF are associated with nonsyndromic deafness DFNB39. However, the mechanism by which these noncoding variants causes deafness was unknown. Here, we reveal the cause of this deafness using a mouse model engineered with a noncoding intronic 10 bp deletion (del10) in Hgf. Male and female mice homozygous for del10 exhibit moderate-to-profound hearing loss at 4 weeks of age as measured by tone burst auditory brainstem responses. The wild type (WT) 80 mV endocochlear potential was significantly reduced in homozygous del10 mice compared with WT littermates. In normal cochlea, endocochlear potentials are dependent on ion homeostasis mediated by the stria vascularis (SV). Previous studies showed that developmental incorporation of neural crest cells into the SV depends on signaling from HGF/MET. We show by immunohistochemistry that, in del10 homozygotes, neural crest cells fail to infiltrate the developing SV intermediate layer. Phenotyping and RNAseq analyses reveal no other significant abnormalities in other tissues. We conclude that, in the inner ear, the noncoding del10 mutation in Hgf leads to developmental defects of the SV and consequently dysfunctional ion homeostasis and a reduction in the EP, recapitulating human DFNB39 nonsyndromic deafness. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Hereditary deafness is a common, clinically and genetically heterogeneous neurosensory disorder. Previously, we reported that human deafness DFNB39 is associated with noncoding variants in the 3'UTR of a short isoform of HGF encoding hepatocyte growth factor. For normal hearing, HGF levels must be fine-tuned as an excess or deficiency of HGF cause deafness in mouse. Using a Hgf mutant mouse with a small 10 bp deletion recapitulating a human DFNB39 noncoding variant, we demonstrate that neural crest cells fail to migrate into the stria vascularis intermediate layer, resulting in a significantly reduced endocochlear potential, the driving force for sound transduction by inner ear hair cells. HGF-associated deafness is a neurocristopathy but, unlike many other neurocristopathies, it is not syndromic. Full Article
use Interneuron NMDA Receptor Ablation Induces Hippocampus-Prefrontal Cortex Functional Hypoconnectivity after Adolescence in a Mouse Model of Schizophrenia By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-04-15T09:30:18-07:00 Although the etiology of schizophrenia is still unknown, it is accepted to be a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from the interaction of genetic vulnerabilities and environmental insults. Although schizophrenia's pathophysiology is still unclear, postmortem studies point toward a dysfunction of cortical interneurons as a central element. It has been suggested that alterations in parvalbumin-positive interneurons in schizophrenia are the consequence of a deficient signaling through NMDARs. Animal studies demonstrated that early postnatal ablation of the NMDAR in corticolimbic interneurons induces neurobiochemical, physiological, behavioral, and epidemiological phenotypes related to schizophrenia. Notably, the behavioral abnormalities emerge only after animals complete their maturation during adolescence and are absent if the NMDAR is deleted during adulthood. This suggests that interneuron dysfunction must interact with development to impact on behavior. Here, we assess in vivo how an early NMDAR ablation in corticolimbic interneurons impacts on mPFC and ventral hippocampus functional connectivity before and after adolescence. In juvenile male mice, NMDAR ablation results in several pathophysiological traits, including increased cortical activity and decreased entrainment to local gamma and distal hippocampal theta rhythms. In addition, adult male KO mice showed reduced ventral hippocampus-mPFC-evoked potentials and an augmented low-frequency stimulation LTD of the pathway, suggesting that there is a functional disconnection between both structures in adult KO mice. Our results demonstrate that early genetic abnormalities in interneurons can interact with postnatal development during adolescence, triggering pathophysiological mechanisms related to schizophrenia that exceed those caused by NMDAR interneuron hypofunction alone. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT NMDAR hypofunction in cortical interneurons has been linked to schizophrenia pathophysiology. How a dysfunction of GABAergic cortical interneurons interacts with maturation during adolescence has not been clarified yet. Here, we demonstrate in vivo that early postnatal ablation of the NMDAR in corticolimbic interneurons results in an overactive but desynchronized PFC before adolescence. Final postnatal maturation during this stage outspreads the impact of the genetic manipulation toward a functional disconnection of the ventral hippocampal-prefrontal pathway, probably as a consequence of an exacerbated propensity toward hippocampal-evoked depotentiation plasticity. Our results demonstrate a complex interaction between genetic and developmental factors affecting cortical interneurons and PFC function. Full Article
use Selective Disruption of Inhibitory Synapses Leading to Neuronal Hyperexcitability at an Early Stage of Tau Pathogenesis in a Mouse Model By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-04-22T09:29:41-07:00 Synaptic dysfunction provoking dysregulated cortical neural circuits is currently hypothesized as a key pathophysiological process underlying clinical manifestations in Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative tauopathies. Here, we conducted PET along with postmortem assays to investigate time course changes of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic constituents in an rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy, which develops tau pathologies leading to noticeable brain atrophy at 5-6 months of age. Both male and female mice were analyzed in this study. We observed that radiosignals derived from [11C]flumazenil, a tracer for benzodiazepine receptor, in rTg4510 mice were significantly lower than the levels in nontransgenic littermates at 2-3 months of age. In contrast, retentions of (E)-[11C]ABP688, a tracer for mGluR5, were unaltered relative to controls at 2 months of age but then gradually declined with aging in parallel with progressive brain atrophy. Biochemical and immunohistochemical assessment of postmortem brain tissues demonstrated that inhibitory, but not excitatory, synaptic constituents selectively diminished without overt loss of somas of GABAergic interneurons in the neocortex and hippocampus of rTg4510 mice at 2 months of age, which was concurrent with enhanced immunoreactivity of cFos, a well-characterized immediate early gene, suggesting that impaired inhibitory neurotransmission may cause hyperexcitability of cortical circuits. Our findings indicate that tau-induced disruption of the inhibitory synapse may be a critical trigger of progressive neurodegeneration, resulting in massive neuronal loss, and PET assessments of inhibitory versus excitatory synapses potentially offer in vivo indices for hyperexcitability and excitotoxicity early in the etiologic pathway of neurodegenerative tauopathies. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study, we examined the in vivo status of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the brain of the rTg4510 tauopathy mouse model by PET imaging with (E)-[11C]ABP688 and [11C]flumazenil, respectively. We identified inhibitory synapse as being significantly dysregulated before brain atrophy at 2 months of age, while excitatory synapse stayed relatively intact at this stage. In line with this observation, postmortem assessment of brain tissues demonstrated selective attenuation of inhibitory synaptic constituents accompanied by the upregulation of cFos before the formation of tau pathology in the forebrain at young ages. Our findings indicate that selective degeneration of inhibitory synapse with hyperexcitability in the cortical circuit constitutes the critical early pathophysiology of tauopathy. Full Article
use The VGF-derived Peptide TLQP21 Impairs Purinergic Control of Chemotaxis and Phagocytosis in Mouse Microglia By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-04-22T09:29:41-07:00 Microglial cells are considered as sensors of brain pathology by detecting any sign of brain lesions, infections, or dysfunction and can influence the onset and progression of neurological diseases. They are capable of sensing their neuronal environment via many different signaling molecules, such as neurotransmitters, neurohormones and neuropeptides. The neuropeptide VGF has been associated with many metabolic and neurological disorders. TLQP21 is a VGF-derived peptide and has been shown to signal via C3aR1 and C1qBP receptors. The effect of TLQP21 on microglial functions in health or disease is not known. Studying microglial cells in acute brain slices, we found that TLQP21 impaired metabotropic purinergic signaling. Specifically, it attenuated the ATP-induced activation of a K+ conductance, the UDP-stimulated phagocytic activity, and the ATP-dependent laser lesion-induced process outgrowth. These impairments were reversed by blocking C1qBP, but not C3aR1 receptors. While microglia in brain slices from male mice lack C3aR1 receptors, both receptors are expressed in primary cultured microglia. In addition to the negative impact on purinergic signaling, we found stimulating effects of TLQP21 in cultured microglia, which were mediated by C3aR1 receptors: it directly evoked membrane currents, stimulated basal phagocytic activity, evoked intracellular Ca2+ transient elevations, and served as a chemotactic signal. We conclude that TLQP21 has differential effects on microglia depending on C3aR1 activation or C1qBP-dependent attenuation of purinergic signaling. Thus, TLQP21 can modulate the functional phenotype of microglia, which may have an impact on their function in health and disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The neuropeptide VGF and its peptides have been associated with many metabolic and neurological disorders. TLQP21 is a VGF-derived peptide that activates C1qBP receptors, which are expressed by microglia. We show here, for the first time, that TLQP21 impairs P2Y-mediated purinergic signaling and related functions. These include modulation of phagocytic activity and responses to injury. As purinergic signaling is central for microglial actions in the brain, this TLQP21-mediated mechanism might regulate microglial activity in health and disease. We furthermore show that, in addition to C1qBP, functional C3aR1 responses contribute to TLQP21 action on microglia. However, C3aR1 responses were only present in primary cultures but not in situ, suggesting that the expression of these receptors might vary between different microglial activation states. Full Article
use MECP2 Duplication Causes Aberrant GABA Pathways, Circuits and Behaviors in Transgenic Monkeys: Neural Mappings to Patients with Autism By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-05-06T09:30:22-07:00 MECP2 gain-of-function and loss-of-function in genetically engineered monkeys recapitulates typical phenotypes in patients with autism, yet where MECP2 mutation affects the monkey brain and whether/how it relates to autism pathology remain unknown. Here we report a combination of gene–circuit–behavior analyses including MECP2 coexpression network, locomotive and cognitive behaviors, and EEG and fMRI findings in 5 MECP2 overexpressed monkeys (Macaca fascicularis; 3 females) and 20 wild-type monkeys (Macaca fascicularis; 11 females). Whole-genome expression analysis revealed MECP2 coexpressed genes significantly enriched in GABA-related signaling pathways, whereby reduced β-synchronization within fronto-parieto-occipital networks was associated with abnormal locomotive behaviors. Meanwhile, MECP2-induced hyperconnectivity in prefrontal and cingulate networks accounted for regressive deficits in reversal learning tasks. Furthermore, we stratified a cohort of 49 patients with autism and 72 healthy controls of 1112 subjects using functional connectivity patterns, and identified dysconnectivity profiles similar to those in monkeys. By establishing a circuit-based construct link between genetically defined models and stratified patients, these results pave new avenues to deconstruct clinical heterogeneity and advance accurate diagnosis in psychiatric disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex disorder with co-occurring symptoms caused by multiple genetic variations and brain circuit abnormalities. To dissect the gene–circuit–behavior causal chain underlying ASD, animal models are established by manipulating causative genes such as MECP2. However, it is unknown whether such models have captured any circuit-level pathology in ASD patients, as demonstrated by human brain imaging studies. Here, we use transgenic macaques to examine the causal effect of MECP2 overexpression on gene coexpression, brain circuits, and behaviors. For the first time, we demonstrate that the circuit abnormalities linked to MECP2 and autism-like traits in the monkeys can be mapped to a homogeneous ASD subgroup, thereby offering a new strategy to deconstruct clinical heterogeneity in ASD. Full Article
use A Causal Role for Mouse Superior Colliculus in Visual Perceptual Decision-Making By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-05-06T09:30:22-07:00 The superior colliculus (SC) is arguably the most important visual structure in the mouse brain and is well known for its involvement in innate responses to visual threats and prey items. In other species, the SC plays a central role in voluntary as well as innate visual functions, including crucial contributions to selective attention and perceptual decision-making. In the mouse, the possible role of the SC in voluntary visual choice behaviors has not been established. Here, we demonstrate that the mouse SC of both sexes plays a causal role in visual perceptual decision-making by transiently inhibiting SC activity during an orientation change detection task. First, unilateral SC inhibition-induced spatially specific deficits in detection. Hit rates were reduced, and reaction times increased for orientation changes in the contralateral but not ipsilateral visual field. Second, the deficits caused by SC inhibition were specific to a temporal epoch coincident with early visual burst responses in the SC. Inhibiting SC during this 100-ms period caused a contralateral detection deficit, whereas inhibition immediately before or after did not. Third, SC inhibition reduced visual detection sensitivity. Psychometric analysis revealed that inhibiting SC visual activity significantly increased detection thresholds for contralateral orientation changes. In addition, effects on detection thresholds and lapse rates caused by SC inhibition were larger in the presence of a competing visual stimulus, indicating a role for the mouse SC in visual target selection. Together, our results demonstrate that the mouse SC is necessary for the normal performance of voluntary visual choice behaviors. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The mouse superior colliculus (SC) has become a popular model for studying the circuit organization and development of the visual system. Although the SC is a fundamental component of the visual pathways in mice, its role in visual perceptual decision-making is not clear. By investigating how temporally precise SC inhibition influenced behavioral performance during a visually guided orientation change detection task, we identified a 100-ms temporal epoch of SC visual activity that is crucial for the ability of mice to detect behaviorally relevant visual changes. In addition, we found that SC inhibition also caused deficits in visual target selection. Thus, our findings highlight the importance of the SC for visual perceptual choice behavior in the mouse. Full Article
use Calcineurin Inhibition Causes {alpha}2{delta}-1-Mediated Tonic Activation of Synaptic NMDA Receptors and Pain Hypersensitivity By www.jneurosci.org Published On :: 2020-05-06T09:30:22-07:00 Calcineurin inhibitors, such as tacrolimus (FK506) and cyclosporine, are widely used as standard immunosuppressants in organ transplantation recipients. However, these drugs can cause severe pain in patients, commonly referred to as calcineurin inhibitor-induced pain syndrome (CIPS). Although calcineurin inhibition increases NMDAR activity in the spinal cord, the underlying mechanism remains enigmatic. Using an animal model of CIPS, we found that systemic administration of FK506 in male and female mice significantly increased the amount of α2-1–GluN1 complexes in the spinal cord and the level of α2-1–bound GluN1 proteins in spinal synaptosomes. Treatment with FK506 significantly increased the frequency of mEPSCs and the amplitudes of monosynaptic EPSCs evoked from the dorsal root and puff NMDAR currents in spinal dorsal horn neurons. Inhibiting α2-1 with gabapentin or disrupting the α2-1–NMDAR interaction with α2-1Tat peptide completely reversed the effects of FK506. In α2-1 gene KO mice, treatment with FK506 failed to increase the frequency of NMDAR-mediated mEPSCs and the amplitudes of evoked EPSCs and puff NMDAR currents in spinal dorsal horn neurons. Furthermore, systemic administration of gabapentin or intrathecal injection of α2-1Tat peptide reversed thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity in FK506-treated mice. In addition, genetically deleting GluN1 in dorsal root ganglion neurons or α2-1 genetic KO similarly attenuated FK506-induced thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity. Together, our findings indicate that α2-1–bound NMDARs mediate calcineurin inhibitor-induced tonic activation of presynaptic and postsynaptic NMDARs at the spinal cord level and that presynaptic NMDARs play a prominent role in the development of CIPS. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Calcineurin inhibitors are immunosuppressants used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs and tissues. However, these drugs can cause severe, unexplained pain. We showed that calcineurin inhibition enhances physical interaction between α2-1 and NMDARs and their synaptic trafficking in the spinal cord. α2-1 is essential for calcineurin inhibitor-induced aberrant activation of presynaptic and postsynaptic NMDARs in the spinal cord. Furthermore, inhibiting α2-1 or disrupting α2-1–NMDAR interaction reduces calcineurin inhibitor-induced pain hypersensitivity. Eliminating NMDARs in primary sensory neurons or α2-1 KO also attenuates calcineurin inhibitor-induced pain hypersensitivity. This new information extends our mechanistic understanding of the role of endogenous calcineurin in regulating synaptic plasticity and nociceptive transmission and suggests new strategies for treating this painful condition. Full Article
use WWII Bunker Used by Churchill's 'Secret Army' Unearthed in Scotland By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Mar 2020 16:28:44 +0000 British Auxiliary Units were trained to sabotage the enemy in case of German invasion Full Article
use Poland's Only Cat Museum Puts Couple's Private Collection of Trinkets on Display By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000 The pint-sized institution, which opened last year, is filled with 1,000 feline-themed knickknacks that journeyed with their owners from Ukraine Full Article
use All of the Museum of the Bible's Dead Sea Scrolls Are Fake, Report Finds By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:39:39 +0000 The new findings raises questions about the authenticity of a collection of texts known as the "post-2002" scrolls Full Article
use Notre-Dame Restoration Pauses Amid France's Two-Week Lockdown By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Thu, 19 Mar 2020 16:04:16 +0000 Lead decontamination policies enacted in August are now in conflict with measures to prevent spread of COVID-19 Full Article
use Ten Museums You Can Virtually Visit By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Fri, 20 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000 Museums are closing their doors amid the coronavirus crisis, but many offer digital exhibitions visitors can browse from the comfort of home Full Article
use 5.4-Magnitude Earthquake Damages Zagreb Cathedral, Museums By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Mar 2020 19:12:59 +0000 The tremors, which arrived in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, was the worst the Croatian capital has seen in 140 years Full Article
use Archaeologists Unearth Remnants of Kitchen Behind Oldest House Still Standing in Maui By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Wed, 25 Mar 2020 18:00:02 +0000 The missionary who lived in the house during the mid-1800s delivered vaccinations to locals during a smallpox epidemic Full Article
use Take a Free Virtual Tour of the Winchester Mystery House By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Wed, 25 Mar 2020 18:32:40 +0000 The California landmark is closed, but you can explore its bizarre architectural features from afar Full Article
use Van Gogh Masterpiece Stolen From Dutch Museum Shuttered by COVID-19 By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:38:25 +0000 Thieves pilfered "The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring 1884" from the Singer Laren in the early hours of Monday morning Full Article
use Shuttered Museums Use Social Media to Share Bouquets of Floral Artwork By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 20:55:47 +0000 Hundreds of museums are participating in an online attempt to spread joy as COVID-19 keeps their galleries empty Full Article
use This Museum Is Asking People to Remake Famous Artworks With Household Items By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2020 14:28:28 +0000 The Getty Museum hopes its social media challenge will spark inspiration amid the COVID-19 pandemic Full Article
use Quarantined Couple Builds Art Museum to Entertain Pet Gerbils By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Wed, 08 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000 The story of two bored art lovers who found a way to "a-mouse" themselves Full Article
use These Artists Used Clay to Build Their Dream Homes in Miniature By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 17:34:59 +0000 Ceramics artist Eny Lee Parker hosted a contest that asked quarantined creators to imagine their ideal rooms Full Article
use Meet the Artist Behind Animal Crossing's Art Museum Island By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 17:57:04 +0000 The art within Shing Yin Khor's virtual world represents a sassy response to the game's built-in natural history museum Full Article
use Shel Silverstein's Historic Sausalito Houseboat Is Now on Sale By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 14:56:16 +0000 The children's book author and illustrator purchased the repurposed World War II vessel in 1967 Full Article
use The Museum of Modern Art Now Offers Free Online Classes By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 18:12:23 +0000 The nine classes span contemporary art, fashion and photography Full Article
use Miniature Gecko Art Gallery Premieres on the Heels of Viral London Gerbil Museum By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000 The creator behind the reptilian repertoire hopes many more pet museums are in the works Full Article
use This Free Game Lets Users Build Their Own Virtual Art Museums By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Mon, 20 Apr 2020 18:22:51 +0000 "Occupy White Walls" allows players to design their own art galleries—and explore others' out-of-the-box creations Full Article