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Meller, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Meller, S..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Timing Matters: Lessons from Perinatal Neurogenesis in the Olfactory Bulb

In the olfactory bulb odorant receptor specific input converges into glomeruli. Deep to the glomeruli coding of odor information is tuned by local synaptic circuits. Deciphering the dendritic organization of granule cells relative to the secondary dendrites of projection neurons is a pivotal for understanding odor processing. We carried out a detailed interrogation of the granule cells including the timing of neurogenesis, laminar distribution and synaptogenesis between granule cells and projection neurons. In brief, the granule cells develop following a outside in maturation pattern from embryogenesis to adulthood following a developmental continuum. Granule cells born one week after birth exhibit a unique sublayer specific distribution pattern, marking a transition between embryonic or neonatal and adult stages. Integration into reciprocal synaptic circuits occurred 10 days post neurogenesis, We conclude that timing of neurogenesis dictates the anatomical configuration of granule cells within the olfactory bulb, which in turn regulates a preferential synaptic integration with either mitral cell or tufted cell secondary dendrites. Summary StatementThe integration and distribution of granule cells into the olfactory bulb is determined by the timing of neurogenesis. Location of somata shifts from superficial to deep during development.

neuroscience↗

Scent dog identification of SARS-CoV-2 infections, similar across different body fluids

BackgroundThe main strategy to contain the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic remains to implement a comprehensive testing, tracing and quarantining strategy until vaccination of the population is adequate. MethodsTen dogs were trained to detect SARS-CoV-2 infections in beta-propiolactone inactivated saliva samples. The subsequent cognitive transfer performance for the recognition of non-inactivated samples were tested on saliva, urine, and sweat in a randomised, double-blind controlled study. ResultsDogs were tested on a total of 5242 randomised sample presentations. Dogs detected non-inactivated saliva samples with a diagnostic sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 95%. In a subsequent experiment to compare the scent recognition between the three non-inactivated body fluids, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 95% and 98% for urine, 91% and 94% for sweat, 82%, and 96% for saliva respectively. ConclusionsThe scent cognitive transfer performance between inactivated and non-inactivated samples as well as between different sample materials indicates that global, specific SARS-CoV-2-associated volatile compounds are released across different body secretions, independently from the patients symptoms. FundingThe project was funded as a special research project of the German Armed Forces. The funding source DZIF-Fasttrack 1.921 provided us with means for biosampling.

animal behavior and cognition↗