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Creators/Authors contains: "Prather, Jonathan F"

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  1. :Diabetes has been linked to an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a conditioncharacterized by a subtle cognitive decline that may precede the development of dementia. Theunderlying mechanisms connecting diabetes and MCI involve complex interactions between metabolicdysregulation, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. A critical mechanism implicated in diabetes andMCI is the activation of inflammatory pathways. Chronic low-grade inflammation, as observed in diabetes,can lead to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interferon-gamma (IFNγ), each of whichcan exacerbate neuroinflammation and contribute to cognitive decline. A crucial enzyme involved inregulating inflammation is ADAM17, a disintegrin, and metalloproteinase, which can cleave and releaseTNF-α from its membrane-bound precursor and cause it to become activated. These processes, inturn, activate additional inflammation-related pathways, such as AKT, NF-κB, NLP3, MAPK, andJAK-STAT pathways. Recent research has provided novel insights into the role of ADAM17 in diabetesand neurodegenerative diseases. ADAM17 is upregulated in both diabetes and Alzheimer's disease,suggesting a shared mechanism and implicating inflammation as a possible contributor to muchbroader forms of pathology and pointing to a possible link between inflammation and the emergenceof MCI. This review provides an overview of the different roles of ADAM17 in diabetes-associatedmild cognitive impairment diseases. It identifies mechanistic connections through which ADAM17and associated pathways may influence the emergence of mild cognitive impairment. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available January 1, 2026
  2. Birdsong has long been a subject of extensive research in the fields of ethology as well as neuroscience. Neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying song acquisition and production in male songbirds are particularly well studied, mainly because birdsong shares some important features with human speech such as critical dependence on vocal learning. However, birdsong, like human speech, primarily functions as communication signals. The mechanisms of song perception and recognition should also be investigated to attain a deeper understanding of the nature of complex vocal signals. Although relatively less attention has been paid to song receivers compared to signalers, recent studies on female songbirds have begun to reveal the neural basis of song preference. Moreover, there are other studies of song preference in juvenile birds which suggest possible functions of preference in social context including the sensory phase of song learning. Understanding the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying the formation, maintenance, expression, and alteration of such song preference in birds will potentially give insight into the mechanisms of speech communication in humans. To pursue this line of research, however, it is necessary to understand current methodological challenges in defining and measuring song preference. In addition, consideration of ultimate questions can also be important for laboratory researchers in designing experiments and interpreting results. Here we summarize the current understanding of song preference in female and juvenile songbirds in the context of Tinbergen’s four questions, incorporating results ranging from ethological field research to the latest neuroscience findings. We also discuss problems and remaining questions in this field and suggest some possible solutions and future directions. 
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  3. Cooper, Brenton G. (Ed.)