Biology subjects

Cunningham, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Cunningham, E..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Ocular findings in Northern Gannets following an outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (H5N1)

BackgroundDuring 2021-2022, high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) caused mass mortality in wild birds across Europe, with Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) among the most affected. Following the outbreak, unusual alterations in the species characteristic pale iris were observed in some individuals. MethodsOpportunistically captured gannets on Bass Rock (n=52), selected to represent a range of iris pigmentation, were examined. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, rebound tonometry and photography were performed. Iris pigmentation was classified as normal, mottled or black. Eleven birds underwent avian influenza virus (AIV) serology. Histopathology was performed on two eyes. ResultsAbnormal iris pigmentation was found in 74% of adult and immature gannets, with 61% affected bilaterally. Additional signs consistent with uveitis were present in 77% of affected birds. Iris pigmentation abnormalities were positively associated with AIV H5 seropositivity (Fishers exact test, P=0.018). Histopathology from affected eyes showed increased melanin deposition and disorganisation, including loss of a distinct anterior layer of melanocytic cells and hypertrophy of melanocytes within the iris stroma. LimitationsField conditions limited uniform lighting and concurrent serology. ConclusionsIris pigmentation changes were associated with prior HPAI exposure and frequently accompanied by signs of uveitis, suggesting iris alterations may indicate past infection and potential chronic sequelae.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Electrocorticographic Detection of Speech Networks in Glioma-infiltrated Cortex

Direct cortical stimulation (DCS) is the clinical gold standard for identifying functional cortex in the human brain, which is essential for the safe removal of brain lesions. Defining the electro-physiological properties of DCS- positive cortical regions may facilitate the identification of critical language regions, thereby permitting safe glioma resections in communities without access. Leveraging a multicenter electrophysiologic dataset of DCS- positive language regions spatially matched with subdural arrays, we analyzed regions identified as functionally critical (DCS+) versus functionally non-critical (DCS-) during intraoperative language mapping. In IDH-mutant gliomas, DCS+ regions exhibited significantly greater speech-related neural activity and enhanced encoding and decoding of linguistic and semantic features. We demonstrate that resting-state classifiers distinguish DCS+ from DCS- regions in IDH-mutant tumors. Task-based and resting-state electrophysiologic distinctions were pathology-specific and not present in IDH-wildtype glioblastomas. These findings may accelerate DCS mapping by guiding surgeons to priority regions, improving efficiency, and patient outcomes.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Optimising the use of Oxford Nanopore Sequencing technology for detection of Wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts in Anopheles mosquitoes.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease predominantly affecting sub-Saharan Africa, remains a significant global health challenge with 263 million cases in 2023. Although progress in vaccine development has recently occurred, insecticide resistance has reduced the effectiveness of the main stay method of traditional vector control and novel innovative vector control strategies against Anopheles mosquitoes is crucial to combat the spread of malaria. Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic bacterium that can invade mosquito populations and inhibit human pathogens. Historically Wolbachia was thought to not occur naturally within wild Anopheles An.) populations, but recent evidence has confirmed the presence of at least two strains in genuine symbiosis. Detection of Wolbachia strains has pre-dominantly relied on PCR amplification of Wolbachia genes and/or sanger and illumina sequencing. In this study, we assess the use of Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) for detecting bacteria within wild Anopheles mosquitoes and determine the ability to detect the endosymbiotc bacterium Wolbachia. We assessed Wolbachia detection from library preparations using the ONT Field sequencing kit for MinION sequencing on the Mk1C and found a pool size of 10 mosquitoes is required preventing individual mosquito analysis. There were roughly 13 times more Wolbachia reads in pooled Anopheles demeilloni compared to An. gambiae. Utilizing the more economical Flongle flow cells and Mk1B device, we further evaluated the effectiveness of two library preparation methods that are compatible: Rapid PCR Barcoding and 16S Barcoding kits. Our findings indicate that the 16S Barcoding Kit in conjunction with the Flongle flowcell effectively identified Wolbachia in both Anopheles demeilloni and Anopheles moucheti but we found no evidence of Wolbachia in Anopheles gambiae. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of developing ONT for field-based sequencing in malaria-endemic regions, providing a potentially lower cost and field friendly method for monitoring mosquito populations and associated endosymbionts. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=196 SRC="FIGDIR/small/659891v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (47K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18ee91dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16a71c4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@15330edorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b13e3d_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Electrical stimulation of the superior temporal gyrus evokes rapid responses in human visual cortex

Sounds elicit rapid responses in human visual cortex. Anatomical work in nonhuman primates suggests that these responses may be enabled by monosynaptic, corticocortical projections between auditory and visual areas. Such projections would not only provide routes for rapid modulation of visual processing in the sighted, but also avenues for cortical adaptation following vision loss. However, there is little available information on the presence and organization of such projections in humans. Here, we address this question by examining intracranial responses to direct electrical stimulation of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) in 23 patients (both male and female). Mid- and posterior-STG stimulation produced rapid responses in early visual cortex (18ms+), with a distribution that favored lateral occipital cortex and anterior calcarine regions near peripheral V1. Early visual cortex (V1/V2) responded most strongly to stimulation over mid-STG, whereas lateral occipital cortex (near V5/hMT+) exhibited the most robust response to posterior STG stimulation. These data demonstrate that communication from auditory to visual cortex can occur in humans at latencies that are compatible with corticocortical, potentially monosynaptic, transmission. Responses in visual cortex were organized in a manner similar to that of nonhuman primates, with preliminary evidence for an exception over the occipital pole. Overall, the results provide support for theories that human visual responses to sound are inherited, in part, from auditory cortex.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

High pathogenicity avian influenza (H5N1) in Northern Gannets: Global spread, clinical signs, and demographic consequences

During 2021-22 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) killed thousands of wild birds across Europe and North America, suggesting a change in infection dynamics and a shift to new hosts, including seabirds. Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) appeared especially severely impacted, but limited understanding of how the virus spread across the metapopulation, or the demographic consequences of mass mortality limit our understanding of its severity. Accordingly, we collate information on HPAIV outbreaks across most North Atlantic gannet colonies and for the largest colony (Bass Rock, UK), provide impacts on population size, breeding success, adult survival, and preliminary results on serology. Unusually high numbers of dead gannets were first noted in Iceland during April 2022. Outbreaks in May occurred in many Scottish colonies, followed by colonies in Canada, Germany and Norway. By the end of June, outbreaks had occurred in five Canadian colonies and in the Channel Islands. Outbreaks in 12 UK and Ireland colonies appeared to follow a clockwise pattern with the last infected colonies recorded in late August/September. Unusually high mortality was recorded at 40 colonies (75% of global total colonies). Dead birds testing positive for HPAIV H5N1 were associated with 58% of these colonies. At Bass Rock, the number of occupied sites decreased by at least 71%, breeding success declined by [~]66% compared to the long-term UK mean and adult survival between 2021 and 2022 was 42% lower than the preceding 10-year average. Serological investigation detected antibodies specific to H5 in apparently healthy birds indicating that some gannets recover from HPAIV infection. Further, most of these recovered birds had black irises, suggestive of a phenotypic indicator of previous infection. Untangling the impacts of HPAIV infection from other key pressures faced by seabirds is key to establishing effective conservation strategies for threatened seabird populations, HPAIV being a novel and pandemic threat.

ecology↗