Global patterns of the leaf economics spectrum in wetlands

Contains fulltext : 226771.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Sertoli cells have a functional NALP3 inflammasome that can modulate autophagy and cytokine production

Sertoli cells, can function as non-professional tolerogenic antigen-presenting cells, and sustain the blood-testis barrier formed by their tight junctions. The NOD-like receptor family members and the NALP3 inflammasome play a key role in pro-inflammatory innate immunity signalling pathways. Limited data exist on NOD1 and NOD2 expression in human and mouse Sertoli cells. Currently, there is no data on inflammasome expression or function in Sertoli cells. We found that in primary pre-pubertal Sertoli cells and in adult Sertoli line, TLR4\NOD1 and NOD2 crosstalk converged in NF?B activation and elicited a NALP3 activation, leading to de novo synthesis and inflammasome priming. This led to caspase-1 activation and IL-1? secretion. We demonstrated this process was controlled by mechanisms linked to autophagy. NOD1 promoted pro-IL-1? restriction and autophagosome maturation arrest, while NOD2 promoted caspase-1 activation, IL-1? secretion and autophagy maturation. NALP3 modulated NOD1 and pro-IL-1? expression, while NOD2 inversely promoted IL-1?. This study is proof of concept that Sertoli cells, upon specific stimulation, could participate in male infertility pathogenesis via inflammatory cytokine induction

Gene expression clines reveal local adaptation and associated trade-offs at a continental scale

Local adaptation, where fitness in one environment comes at a cost in another, should lead to spatial variation in trade-offs between life history traits and may be critical for population persistence. Recent studies have sought genomic signals of local adaptation, but often have been limited to laboratory populations representing two environmentally different locations of a species' distribution. We measured gene expression, as a proxy for fitness, in males of Drosophila subobscura, occupying a 20° latitudinal and 11 °C thermal range. Uniquely, we sampled six populations and studied both common garden and semi-natural responses to identify signals of local adaptation. We found contrasting patterns of investment: transcripts with expression positively correlated to latitude were enriched for metabolic processes, expressed across all tissues whereas negatively correlated transcripts were enriched for reproductive processes, expressed primarily in testes. When using only the end populations, to compare our results to previous studies, we found that locally adaptive patterns were obscured. While phenotypic trade-offs between metabolic and reproductive functions across widespread species are well-known, our results identify underlying genetic and tissue responses at a continental scale that may be responsible for this. This may contribute to understanding population persistence under environmental change

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in elderly patients – analysis of outcome and complications

BACKGROUND: There is an ongoing discussion about age limits for deep brain stimulation (DBS). Current indications for DBS are tremor-dominant disorders, Parkinson's disease, and dystonia. Electrode implantation for DBS with analgesia and sedation makes surgery more comfortable, especially for elderly patients. However, the value of DBS in terms of benefit-risk ratio in this patient population is still uncertain. METHODS: Bilateral electrode implantation into the subthalamic nucleus (STN) was performed in a total of 73 patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Patients were analyzed retrospectively. For this study they were divided into two age groups: group I (age <65 years, n = 37) and group II (age ≥ 65 years, n = 36). Examinations were performed preoperatively and at 6-month follow-up intervals for 24 months postoperatively. Age, UPDRS motor score (part III) on/off, Hoehn & Yahr score, Activity of Daily Living (ADL), L-dopa medication, and complications were determined. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in overall performance determined as ADL scores (group I: 48/71 points, group II: 41/62 points [preoperatively/6-month postoperatively]) and in the rate of complications (group I: 4 transient psychosis, 4 infections in a total of 8 patients, group II: 2 deaths [unrelated to surgery], 1 intracerebral hemorrhage, 7 transient psychosis, 3 infections, 2 pneumonia in a total of 13 patients), (p < 0.05). Interestingly, changes in UPDRS scores, Hoehn & Yahr scores, and L-dopa medication were not statistically different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: DBS of the STN is clinically as effective in elderly patients as it is in younger ones. However, a more careful selection and follow-up of the elderly patients are required because elderly patients have a higher risk of surgery-related complications and a higher morbidity rate

A Probabilistic, Distributed, Recursive Mechanism for Decision-making in the Brain

Decision formation recruits many brain regions, but the procedure they jointly execute is unknown. Here we characterize its essential composition, using as a framework a novel recursive Bayesian algorithm that makes decisions based on spike-trains with the statistics of those in sensory cortex (MT). Using it to simulate the random-dot-motion task, we demonstrate it quantitatively replicates the choice behaviour of monkeys, whilst predicting losses of otherwise usable information from MT. Its architecture maps to the recurrent cortico-basal-ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops, whose components are all implicated in decision-making. We show that the dynamics of its mapped computations match those of neural activity in the sensorimotor cortex and striatum during decisions, and forecast those of basal ganglia output and thalamus. This also predicts which aspects of neural dynamics are and are not part of inference. Our single-equation algorithm is probabilistic, distributed, recursive, and parallel. Its success at capturing anatomy, behaviour, and electrophysiology suggests that the mechanism implemented by the brain has these same characteristics