eLife

Latest preprint reviews

1. Intravital deep-tumor single-beam 3-photon, 4-photon, and harmonic microscopy

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Gert-Jan Bakker
   2. Sarah Weischer
   3. Júlia Ferrer Ortas
   4. Judith Heidelin
   5. Volker Andresen
   6. Marcus Beutler
   7. Emmanuel Beaurepaire
   8. Peter Friedl

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Summary: Nonlinear microscopy is in the unique position that high-resolution images of cells and other tissue components can be obtained in live tissue. However, scattering and absorption limit the penetration depth. The impact of nonlinear microscopy in biomedicine and biology would be much improved if higher imaging depths can be achieved. In this manuscript, the authors show they can accomplish imaging in complex specimens using 3- and 4-photon excitation, deeper in the specimen than comparable optics can accomplish with 2-photon excitation laser scanning microscopy. Using a customised commercial system, the authors have incorporated a high-powered laser source with an OPA and dispersion compensation to generate either 1330nm or 1650nm laser lines with high peak pulse energies at low pulse repetition rates. They then compare the relative capabilities of each laser line in terms of number of fluorescence emission channels measured (skin tumour xenografts), fluorescence bleaching analysis and functional toxicity thresholds and fluorescence signal attenuation (excised murine bone).

     This is a very interesting study with some potentially important findings from a technical perspective. However, there is a disconnect at present between the quality of the work and the quality of the presentation. There are many areas of quantitative imaging and intravital imaging that are well known to those in the direct field, and that are a complete mystery to the vast majority of those that are not. It would therefore be highly beneficial to restructure the manuscript in such a way that the findings can reach the many researchers that could benefit from this powerful approach rather than the few who already use it.

   Reviewed by eLife

2. Faster Cryptococcus Melanization Increases Virulence in Experimental and Human Cryptococcosis

   This article has 21 authors:

   1. Herdson Renney de Sousa
   2. Getúlio Pereira de Oliveira
   3. Stefânia de Oliveira Frazão
   4. Kaio César de Melo Gorgonha
   5. Camila Pereira Rosa
   6. Emãnuella Melgaço Garcez
   7. Joaquim Lucas
   8. Amabel Fernandes Correia
   9. Waleriano Ferreira de Freitas
   10. Higor Matos Borges
   11. Lucas Gomes de Brito Alves
   12. Hugo Costa Paes
   13. Luciana Trilles
   14. Márcia dos Santos Lazera
   15. Marcus de Melo Teixeira
   16. Vitor Laerte Pinto
   17. Maria Sueli Soares Felipe
   18. Arturo Casadevall
   19. Ildinete Silva-Pereira
   20. Patrícia Albuquerque
   21. André Moraes Nicola

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Summary: The description of how faster melanization is associated with LC3-mediated phagocytosis evasion, virulence and outcomes in humans is interesting and does provide some new information. In general, the study has been executed well, with clear articulation of the results and appending conclusions. However, the work falls short of investigating any substantive mechanistic basis for the observations and how they relate to the broader metabolism in Cryptococcus. .

   Reviewed by eLife

3. Inhibitory interneurons show early dysfunction in a SOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

   This article has 10 authors:

   1. Clarissa F. Cavarsan
   2. Preston R. Steele
   3. Landon T. Genry
   4. Emily J. Reedich
   5. Lynn M. McCane
   6. Kay J. LaPre
   7. Alyssa C. Puritz
   8. Marin Manuel
   9. Natallia Katenka
   10. Katharina A. Quinlan

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Summary: In the present study, the authors searched for early signs (during the neonatal period) of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease focusing on a specific class of spinal interneurons; i.e.: glycinergic interneurons. In SOD1 mice, they aimed at testing whether these inhibitory neurons exhibit measurable changes at young age that could then contribute to the MN pathology known to develop later. The originality of this study is that, for the first time, it examines specifically inhibitory neurons. The authors investigated the morphological and electrophysiological properties of lumbar glycinergic interneurons in the spinal ventral horn in one model of SOD1 mice compared to WT P6-P10 mice. In addition, the authors more specifically considered Renshaw cells in this process and found that these cells were less excitable in SOD1 mice.. Based on these experimental data they created a statistical model to make predictions on RC cells (and non-Renshaw cells found to be more excitable in SOD1 mice) to further demonstrate that early changes in their excitability could account for the disease.

     Despite the fact that this paper addresses the potential role of an unprecedentedly investigated class of neurons (inhibitory ones) in ALS disease, reviewers pointed to several concerns. First, there is a major problem with the identification of the Renshaw cells. Indeed arguments using the localization within the ventral horn of the spinal cord, the calbindin expression, the size and the number are questionable as it is done here. In addition, because the characteristics of this type of cell has been later used for the predictive statistical model, it importantly attenuates the validity of the model and credibility of the conclusions reached. Finally, because of the problems addressed above and because this paper is mainly descriptive without bringing real new hypotheses this paper might not participate in moving the field of ALS significantly forward. Thus, the three reviewers and I agree that the paper would be better suited for a specialised audience assuming detailed comments about the methodology are addressed.

   Reviewed by eLife

4. Contributions of h- and Na+/K+ Pump Currents to the Generation of Episodic and Continuous Rhythmic Activities

   This article has 10 authors:

   1. Simon A. Sharples
   2. Jessica Parker
   3. Alex Vargas
   4. Jonathan J. Milla-Cruz
   5. Adam P. Lognon
   6. Ning Cheng
   7. Leanne Young
   8. Anchita Shonak
   9. Gennady S. Cymbalyuk
   10. Patrick J. Whelan

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Summary: Both reviewers found that the analysis of data was too shallow and that the HCO model was insufficiently justified in the context of spinal cord CPGs. The reviewers argue that a more robust analysis including a discussion of the dynamic properties of the model (in the context of dynamic switching) was needed to support conclusions.

   Reviewed by eLife

5. A home and rescue gene drive efficiently spreads and persists in populations

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Nikolay P. Kandul
   2. Junru Liu
   3. Jared B. Bennett
   4. John M. Marshall
   5. Omar S. Akbari

   Reviewed by eLife

6. Retinal circuits driving a non-image forming visual behavior

   This article has 9 authors:

   1. Corinne Beier
   2. Ulisse Bocchero
   3. Zhijing Zhang
   4. Nange Jin
   5. Stephen C. Massey
   6. Christophe P. Ribelayga
   7. Kirill Martemyanov
   8. Samer Hattar
   9. Johan Pahlberg

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Summary: The reviewers all appreciated the potential of the work and felt that the general approach followed was strong. The reviewers, however, raised several important concerns. Discussion among the reviewers emphasized the importance of these. Chief among these was a concern about the extent to which the paper breaks new ground in a way that will appeal to a broad audience. Specifically, several of the results reported are expected based on prior work on the retinal pathways involved, and the results that do not fit with existing knowledge were not pursued in sufficient detail. These, and several other concerns, are detailed in the individual reviews below.

   Reviewed by eLife

7. Global gradients in intertidal species richness and functional groups

   This article has 2 authors:

   1. Jakob Thyrring
   2. Lloyd S Peck

   Reviewed by eLife

8. Glycine acylation and trafficking of a new class of bacterial lipoprotein by a composite secretion system

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Christopher Icke
   2. Freya J Hodges
   3. Karthik Pullela
   4. Samantha A McKeand
   5. Jack Alfred Bryant
   6. Adam F Cunningham
   7. Jeff A Cole
   8. Ian R Henderson

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Summary: All three reviewers were enthusiastic about the identification and characterization of a hybrid secretion system involved in lipoprotein acylation and trafficking. We were impressed by the strength and extent of the data and the clever use of genetic, biochemical and bioinformatic approaches. At the same time, there was agreement that the conclusion that acylation is involved in CexE secretion is not fully supported. There was also consensus that overlap between this study and the 2020 PLOS Pathogen paper from Belmont-Monroy, necessitates more direct acknowledgement.

   Reviewed by eLife

9. De Novo Lipid Labeling for Comprehensive Analysis of Subcellular Distribution and Trafficking in Live Cells

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Jun Zhang
   2. Jia Nie
   3. Haoran Sun
   4. John-Paul Andersen
   5. Yuguang Shi

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Summary: Zhang et al. describe an interesting method to label newly synthesized lipids with fluorescent fatty acids and track their movement in cells. All reviewers agreed that this could potentially be a useful tool. However, they all raised concerns regarding the rigor of the characterization of this methodology.

   Reviewed by eLife

10. Does Self-Reassurance Reduce Neural and Self-Report Reactivity to Negative Life Events?

    This article has 4 authors:

    1. Jeffrey J. Kim
    2. James R. Doty
    3. Ross Cunnington
    4. James N. Kirby

    This article has been curated by 1 group:

    • Curated by eLife

      Summary: Kim and colleagues present a secondary analysis of an already published imaging dataset in 40 participants going through a two-week compassion training paradigm. They show participants standardized statements that are emotional or neutral and further have participants either engage in "self-criticism" or "self-reassurance" while considering the statements. The authors report on differences in brain regions (what they refer to as "neural pain") depending on criticism or reassurance condition. Concerns with the conceptual framework, approach, and interpretation substantially dampened our enthusiasm.

    Reviewed by eLife