Long-term muscle-specific overexpression of DOK7 in mice using AAV9-tMCK-DOK7.

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) dysfunction underlies several diseases, including congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs) and motor neuron disease (MND). Molecular pathways governing NMJ stability are therefore of interest from both biological and therapeutic perspectives. Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) is necessary for the formation and maintenance of post-synaptic elements of the NMJ, and downstream of tyrosine kinases 7 (DOK7) is crucial for activation of the MuSK pathway.

Habitat patches providing south-north connectivity are under-protected in a fragmented landscape.

As species' ranges shift to track climate change, conservationists increasingly recognize the need to consider connectivity when designating protected areas (PAs). In fragmented landscapes, some habitat patches are more important than others in maintaining connectivity, and methods are needed for their identification. Here, using the Condatis methodology, we model range expansion through an adaptation of circuit theory.

The relative importance of COVID-19 pandemic impacts on biodiversity conservation globally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on almost all aspects of human society and endeavor; the natural world and its conservation have not been spared. Through a process of expert consultation, we identified and categorized, into 19 themes and 70 subthemes, the ways in which biodiversity and its conservation have been or could be affected by the pandemic globally. Nearly 60% of the effects have been broadly negative.

Large extents of intensive land use limit community reorganization during climate warming.

Climate change is increasingly altering the composition of ecological communities, in combination with other environmental pressures such as high-intensity land use. Pressures are expected to interact in their effects, but the extent to which intensive human land use constrains community responses to climate change is currently unclear. A generic indicator of climate change impact, the community temperature index (CTI), has previously been used to suggest that both bird and butterflies are successfully 'tracking' climate change.

Cadaveric feasibility study on the use of ultrasound contrast to assess spread of injectate in the serratus anterior muscle plane.

Background: The Serratus anterior muscle plane (SAP) block has recently been described for the purpose of perioperative pain management following cases of trauma and breast surgery. It might prove a safer alternative to the other regional thoracic paravertebral and central neuraxial blockade techniques. There are no descriptive cadaveric studies in the pre-existing literature to delineate the anatomical plane for this novel technique.

Influences of extreme weather, climate and pesticide use on invertebrates in cereal fields over 42 years.

Cereal fields are central to balancing food production and environmental health in the face of climate change. Within them, invertebrates provide key ecosystem services. Using 42 years of monitoring data collected in southern England, we investigated the sensitivity and resilience of invertebrates in cereal fields to extreme weather events and examined the effect of long-term changes in temperature, rainfall and pesticide use on invertebrate abundance.

Managing protected areas under climate change: challenges and priorities.

The implementation of adaptation actions in local conservation management is a new and complex task with multiple facets, influenced by factors differing from site to site. A transdisciplinary perspective is therefore required to identify and implement effective solutions. To address this, the International Conference on Managing Protected Areas under Climate Change brought together international scientists, conservation managers, and decision-makers to discuss current experiences with local adaptation of conservation management.

Protected areas facilitate species' range expansions.

The benefits of protected areas (PAs) for biodiversity have been questioned in the context of climate change because PAs are static, whereas the distributions of species are dynamic. Current PAs may, however, continue to be important if they provide suitable locations for species to colonize at their leading-edge range boundaries, thereby enabling spread into new regions. Here, we present an empirical assessment of the role of PAs as targets for colonization during recent range expansions.

Risk-based surveillance for H5N1 avian influenza virus in wild birds in Great Britain.

Recent outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in Europe have highlighted the need for continuous surveillance and early detection to reduce the likelihood of a major outbreak in the commercial poultry industry. In Great Britain (gb), one possible route by which H5N1 could be introduced into domestic poultry is through migratory wild birds from Europe and Asia. Extensive monitoring data on the 24 wild bird species considered most likely to introduce the virus into GB, and analyses of local poultry populations, were used to develop a risk profile to identify the areas where H5N1 is most likely to enter and spread to commercial poultry.

Ketanserin-sensitive depressant actions of 5-HT receptor agonists in the neonatal rat spinal cord.

1. The monosynaptic reflex (MSR), recorded in vitro from the neonatal rat spinal cord, was depressed by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT), methysergide and R(+)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), and also by the selective 5-HT1D agonists, sumatriptan and N-methyl-3-(1-methyl-1-piperidinyl)-1H-indole-5-ethane sulphonamide (GR 85548). 2.

A novel 5-HT receptor or a combination of 5-HT receptor subtypes may mediate depression of a spinal monosynaptic reflex in vitro.

The monosynaptic reflex (MSR), recorded in vitro from the neonatal rat spinal cord, was depressed by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-HT receptor agonists. The results, together with our previous findings, indicate an apparent rank order of potency: 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT) > sumatriptan > methysergide > 5-HT >> 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) > 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MeOT) = 1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-piperazine (TFMPP) > alpha-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (alpha-Me 5-HT) >> (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI). The equipotent molar ratios were 5-CT 0.

Inhibition of reflex responses of neonate rat lumbar spinal cord by 5-hydroxytryptamine.

1. Monosynaptic (MSR) and polysynaptic (PSR) segmental reflex responses were recorded from a ventral root of the neonate rat hemisected spinal cord. Amplitudes of the two components were monitored with a peak height detector.