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N-terminal oligomerization drives HDAC4 nuclear condensation and neurodevelopmental dysfunction in Drosophila
(The Royal Society, 2025-10) Hawley HR; Sutherland-Smith AJ; Savoian MS; Fitzsimons HL
Histone deacetylase four (HDAC4) undergoes dynamic nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, a process critical for regulating its activity. However, aberrant nuclear accumulation of HDAC4 is associated with both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease, and in our Drosophila model, impairs normal neuronal development. Upon nuclear accumulation, HDAC4 forms biomolecular condensates, previously termed aggregates, that correlate with the severity of defects in development of the Drosophila mushroom body and adult eye. Here we determined that nuclear condensation of HDAC4 is dependent on self-oligomerization, and that impairing oligomerization reduces condensation and the severity of neurodevelopmental phenotypes in Drosophila. HDAC4 condensates are highly dynamic and are stabilized by the presence of MEF2, which promotes their formation, ultimately exacerbating phenotypic severity. These data provide insight into the role of HDAC4 condensates in normal neuronal function and suggest that their dysregulation may contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders. Consequently, targeting oligomerization of HDAC4 and its interaction with MEF2 present potential therapeutic strategies for diseases associated with HDAC4 nuclear accumulation.
Temporal reconstruction of a Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 outbreak in New Zealand
(Microbiology Society, 2025-10-30) Strydom H; Wright J; Bromhead C; Welch D; Williams E; Mulqueen K; de Ligt J; Biggs PJ; Paine S; Jefferies S; French N
Outbreaks caused by Salmonella Enteritidis are commonly linked to eggs and poultry meat internationally, but this serovar had never been detected in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) poultry prior to 2021. Locally designated genomic cluster Salmonella Enteritidis_2019_C_01, was implicated in a 2019 outbreak associated with a restaurant in Auckland. Four Enteritidis_2019_C_01 sub-clusters have since been identified, two retrospectively, in the Auckland region. Authorities initiated a formal outbreak investigation after genomically indistinguishable S. Enteritidis was isolated from the NZ poultry production environment. This study analysed 231 S. Enteritidis genomes obtained from the outbreak using Bayesian phylodynamic tools to gain insight into the outbreak's dynamics and origin. We used Bayesian integrated coalescent epoch plots to estimate the change of the Enteritidis ST11 population size over time and marginal structured coalescent approximation to estimate transmission between poultry producers. We investigated human and poultry isolates to elucidate the time and location of the most recent common ancestor of the outbreak and transmission pathways. The median most recent common ancestor was estimated to be February 2019. We found evidence of amplification and spread of strain Enteritidis_2019_C_01 within the poultry industry, as well as transmission events throughout the production chain. The intervention by the public health and food safety authorities coincided with a drop in the effective population size of the S. Enteritidis ST11 as well as notified human cases. This information is crucial for understanding and preventing the transmission of S. Enteritidis in NZ poultry to ensure poultry meat and eggs are safe for consumption.
Temporal reconstruction of a Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 outbreak in New Zealand
(Microbiology Society, 2025-10-30) Strydom H; Wright J; Bromhead C; Welch D; Williams E; Mulqueen K; de Ligt J; Biggs PJ; Paine S; Jefferies S; French N
Outbreaks caused by Salmonella Enteritidis are commonly linked to eggs and poultry meat internationally, but this serovar had never been detected in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) poultry prior to 2021. Locally designated genomic cluster Salmonella Enteritidis_2019_C_01, was implicated in a 2019 outbreak associated with a restaurant in Auckland. Four Enteritidis_2019_C_01 sub-clusters have since been identified, two retrospectively, in the Auckland region. Authorities initiated a formal outbreak investigation after genomically indistinguishable S. Enteritidis was isolated from the NZ poultry production environment. This study analysed 231 S. Enteritidis genomes obtained from the outbreak using Bayesian phylodynamic tools to gain insight into the outbreak's dynamics and origin. We used Bayesian integrated coalescent epoch plots to estimate the change of the Enteritidis ST11 population size over time and marginal structured coalescent approximation to estimate transmission between poultry producers. We investigated human and poultry isolates to elucidate the time and location of the most recent common ancestor of the outbreak and transmission pathways. The median most recent common ancestor was estimated to be February 2019. We found evidence of amplification and spread of strain Enteritidis_2019_C_01 within the poultry industry, as well as transmission events throughout the production chain. The intervention by the public health and food safety authorities coincided with a drop in the effective population size of the S. Enteritidis ST11 as well as notified human cases. This information is crucial for understanding and preventing the transmission of S. Enteritidis in NZ poultry to ensure poultry meat and eggs are safe for consumption.
The veridical Near-Death Experience Scale: construction and a first validation with human and artificial raters
(Frontiers Media S A, 2025-10-16) Greyson B; Long J; Holden JM; Jourdan J-P; King RA; Mays S; Mays R; Rivas T; Tassell-Matamua N; van Lommel P; Woollacott M; Tressoldi P; Panda R
Introduction: In this study, we describe the construction of the veridical Near-Death Experience Scale (vNDE Scale), a structured instrument for evaluating the evidential strength of perceptions reported during near-death experiences (NDEs), and its first validation by human and artificial raters.
Methods: The construction was implemented using a typical Delphi Method. The first draft of the scale was evaluated by 13 experts in NDE, who were asked to suggest revisions and comments within a month for the first round and 20 days for the second round.
Results: A general consensus was achieved on the second round on eight criteria related to the timing of the investigation, the medical and physical conditions, the level of third-person verification, and the number, type, and quality of perceptions reported by the near-death experiencer, to be rated on a four-level Likert scale. The validation phase consisted of the application of the vNDE Scale to 17 cases of potentially veridical NDEs by 11 independent human raters and three artificial raters based on Large-Language Models. In 14 of the17 cases (82.3%), the overall agreement between human and artificial judges was over 75%, considering the two close levels of evidence strength, i.e., moderate plus strong, low plus very low, or vice-versa.
Discussion: The vNDE Scale is a practical tool for evaluating the evidential strength of perceptions reported by near-death experiencers.
Reliability of a Modified 24 h Dietary Recall and Veggie Meter to Assess Fruit and Vegetable Intake in New Zealand Children
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2025-10-20) Patel VV; Perera TSH; Rush E; McArley S; Wham C; Rowlands DS; Witkowska AM
Adequate intake of fruits and vegetables (F + V) supports healthy growth and development in children, yet many New Zealand children do not meet national dietary recommendations, and methods to evaluate intake require good reliability. Objectives: To establish the validity and reliability of a modified 24 h multiple pass recall (MPR) for evaluating F + V and carotenoid intakes in children aged 9–13 years. The reliability of the Veggie Meter® (VM®), a non-invasive reflection spectrometer to estimate skin carotenoid scores and derive blood carotenoid concentrations, was also examined. Methods: Thirty-two children (20 boys, 12 girls) completed three 24 h MPRs and parent-assisted weighed food diaries (WFDs) on randomised weekdays and weekends. Skin carotenoid scores were assessed using the VM®. The validity of the MPR was evaluated against WFDs using log-transformed Pearson correlations and mean x-axis bias. The reliability was assessed by the coefficient of variation (CV) and Pearson correlations. Results: Participants did not meet recommended F + V intakes (5–5.5 servings/day): MPR (mean fruit 1.3 servings/day; vegetables 2.0), WFD (fruit 1.3; vegetables 1.9). The MPR was a valid tool to estimate fruit and vegetable daily servings (combined-day Pearson coefficients > 0.71) with only trivial–small standardized mean bias-offset vs. WFD; however, the reliability was poor for the MPR-estimated carotenoid intake (CV 126%) and F + V intake. In contrast, the VM® was reliable (Pearson correlation 0.97–0.99) with low measurement error (CV 4.0–5.2%). Conclusions: The modified 24 h MPR was valid but unreliable for estimating F + V and carotenoid intake. The VM® demonstrated high reliability as a biomarker of skin carotenoid status in children.