National Information Standards Organization

Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, a form of low-dose light therapy, has been noted to be effective in several age-associated chronic diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Here, we examined the effects of PBM therapy on age-associated cardiovascular changes in a mouse model of accelerated cardiac aging. Fourteen months old Adenylyl cyclase type VIII (AC8) overexpressing transgenic mice (n = 8) and their wild-type (WT) littermates (n = 8) were treated with daily exposure to Near-Infrared Light (850 nm) at 25 mW/cm2 for 2 min each weekday for a total dose of 1 Einstein (4.5 p.J/cm2 or fluence 3 J/cm2 ) and compared to untreated controls over an 8-month period. PBM therapy was administered for 3.5 months (Early Treatment period), paused, due to Covid-19 restrictions for the following 3 months, and restarted again for 1.5 months. Serial echocardiography and gait analyses were performed at monthly intervals, and serum TGF-β1 levels were assessed following sacrifice. During the Early Treatment period PBM treatments: reduced the age-associated increases in left ventricular (LV) mass in both genotypes (p = 0.0003), reduced the LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) in AC8 (p = 0.04); and reduced the left atrial dimension in both genotypes (p = 0.02). PBM treatments substantially increased the LV ejection fraction (p = 0.03), reduced the aortic wall stiffness (p = 0.001), and improved gait symmetry, an index of neuro-muscular coordination (p = 0.005). The effects of PBM treatments, measured following the pause, persisted. Total TGF-β1 levels were significantly increased in circulation (serum) in AC8 following PBM treatments (p = 0.01). We observed a striking increase in cumulative survival in PBM-treated AC8 mice (100%; p = 0.01) compared to untreated AC8 mice (43%). PBM treatment mitigated age-associated cardiovascular remodeling and reduced cardiac function, improved neuromuscular coordination, and increased longevity in an experimental animal model. These responses correlate with increased TGF-β1 in circulation. Future mechanistic and dose optimization studies are necessary to assess these anti-aging effects of PBM, and validation in future controlled human studies is required for effective clinical translation.

Abstract The Metadata 2020 initiative is an ongoing effort to bring various scholarly communications stakeholder groups together to promote principles and standards of practice to improve the quality of metadata. To understand the perspectives and practices regarding metadata of the main stakeholder groups (librarians, publishers, researchers, and repository managers), we conducted a survey during summer 2019. The survey content was generated by representatives from the stakeholder groups. A link to an online survey (17 or 18 questions depending on the group) was distributed through multiple social media, listserv, and blog outlets. Responses were anonymous, with an optional entry for names and email addresses for those who were willing to be contacted later. Complete responses (N = 211; 87 librarians, 27 publishers, 48 repository managers, and 49 researchers) representing 23 countries on four continents were analyzed and summarized for thematic content and ranking of awareness and practices. Across the stakeholder groups, the level of awareness and usage of metadata methods and practices was highly variable. Clear gaps across the groups point to the need for consolidation of schema and practices, as well as broad educational efforts to increase knowledge and implementation of metadata in scholarly communications.

Abstract BackgroundCirculating neuronal and astrocytic Extracellular Vesicles (NEVs, AEVs) provide biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (including total and p‐Tau in NEVs, complement in AEVs). In a large case‐control study leveraging Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging samples, Tau‐related NEV biomarkers predicted future AD diagnosis with high accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. To validate NEV Tau biomarkers for predicting cognitive decline in late middle‐age we leveraged Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s prevention (WRAP) study samples. To examine convergent validity we used transgenic AD mice. Finally, we examined functional effects of circulating EVs.MethodsWe isolated NEVs and AEVs from plasma through immunocapture against L1CAM and GLAST respectively. Total and p‐Tau were measured in 292 serum samples from 146 cognitively unimpaired WRAP participants, divided into longitudinal cognitive decliner and non‐decliner groups. We also measured Tau biomarkers in circulating NEVs and brains of 28 mice (4 2xTg, 15 3xTg, 9 WT). To study functional effects of circulating EVs, we co‐cultured AEVs and NEVs (from 8 AD patients, 8 controls) with rat cortical and human iPSC‐derived neurons and performed cell viability and neurodegeneration assays.ResultsIn WRAP, cognitive status was associated with NEV Tau biomarkers depending on age, with cognitively declining compared to stable individuals showing higher pTau231 (p < 0.01), total Tau (p <0.001) and pTau181 (p < 0.05) with older age. Combining longitudinal NEV biomarkers achieved up to 94% area‐under‐curve (AUC), 86.0% sensitivity and 86.7% specificity for predicting cognitive decline. In mice, total Tau and pTau181 levels in circulating NEVs showed strong correlations with levels in cortex and hippocampus (p < 0.001; Figure: Fraction1 acquired ante‐mortem, Fraction 2 acquired during euthanasia). Functionally, AEVs (and, less effectively, NEVs) of AD patients induced complement Membrane Attack Complex deposition, membrane disruption, neurodegeneration, and necroptosis on recipient neurons. Neurodegenerative effects were not produced by total circulating EVs from AD patients or AEVs/NEVs from controls and were suppressed by complement inhibitors.ConclusionsNEV Tau biomarkers predict cognitive decline in late middle‐age humans. Tau in circulating NEVs reflect brain levels in mice. Functionally, AD patients’ circulating AEV/NEVs are neurotoxic. Inhibition of EV‐associated complement components may be therapeutically beneficial in AD.

This report summarizes the outputs from NISO Plus 2020 and provides a clear set of actions for NISO as well as recommendations for other organizations and the wider information community .

The NISO KBART Automation Recommended Practice supplies instructions to content providers for automatic, behind-the-scenes transfer of library-specific subscriptions from a content provider to a knowledgebase vendor. These extensions of the well-established KBART (Knowledge Bases And Related Tools) Recommended Practice, NISO RP-9-2014, are anticipated to move knowledgebase configuration activities, which are painstaking and time-consuming for library staff, to automatic programs that can update the settings in a matter of minutes. This increase in data accuracy will result in improved electronic product access services to end users and better information available to libraries for their own collection management activities.