Inhibition of acute lung inflammation by a neuroimmune circuit induced by vagal nerve stimulation.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been shown to limit immune cell activity across several pathologies ranging from sepsis to auto-immune diseases. While stimulation of vagal efferent neurons has been previously demonstrated to reduce maladaptive host responses during endotoxemia, only selective stimulation of vagal afferent neurons was able to inhibit TLR7-induced macrophage activation and neutrophil recruitment in the lung. These anti-inflammatory actions are facilitated by systemic increases in epinephrine, as VNS significantly increased epinephrine in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and inhibition of epinephrine production eliminated the protection afforded by VNS.

A missense mutation in the KCNE4 gene is not predictive of equine anhidrosis.

Anhidrosis is defined as a decreased or absent ability to sweat in response to heat and exercise. In horses, this condition can increase the risk of life-threatening hyperthermia. A prior study has suggested that equine anhidrosis is associated with a missense variant (rs68643109) in the Potassium Voltage-Gated Channel Subfamily E Regulatory Subunit 4 (KCNE4) gene.

Ca signaling driving pacemaker activity in submucosal interstitial cells of Cajal in the murine colon.

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) generate pacemaker activity responsible for phasic contractions in colonic segmentation and peristalsis. ICC along the submucosal border (ICC-SM) contribute to mixing and more complex patterns of colonic motility. We show the complex patterns of Ca signaling in ICC-SM and the relationship between ICC-SM Ca transients and activation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) using optogenetic tools.

A high throughput machine-learning driven analysis of Ca spatio-temporal maps.

High-resolution Ca imaging to study cellular Ca behaviors has led to the creation of large datasets with a profound need for standardized and accurate analysis. To analyze these datasets, spatio-temporal maps (STMaps) that allow for 2D visualization of Ca signals as a function of time and space are often used. Methods of STMap analysis rely on a highly arduous process of user defined segmentation and event-based data retrieval.

Minimum wages and public health: A literature review.

We evaluate evidence for the effectiveness of raising minimum wages on various measures of public health within the US, Canada, the UK, and Europe. We search four scientific websites from the inception of the research through May 20, 2018. We find great variety (20+) in measured outcomes among the 33 studies that pass our initial screening.