Astrocytic glucocorticoid receptors in the ventral hippocampus modulate anxiety-like behaviors.

Stress exposure is associated with the development of anxiety disorders, and astrocytes have emerged as critical mediators of stress responses and anxiety pathogenesis. While astrocytic dysfunction has been implicated in these processes, the specific molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrate a crucial role for astrocytic glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) in modulating anxiety-like behaviors.

Machine learning-based system for online quantitative monitoring of heavy metals across different aqueous matrices using spectroscopy of plasmas in liquids.

Monitoring heavy metal concentrations in industrial wastewater is essential for environmental safety, but analyzing solutions with variations of matrices, such as conductivity, poses significant challenges, particularly for online monitoring. This work aims to develop a machine learning (ML)-based plasma spectroscopy system for real-time heavy metal monitoring, with accurate quantification across varying solution matrices. The proposed approach enables robust monitoring without the need for matrix correction, making it particularly suitable for industrial applications such as printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, where real-time effluent control is essential.

Synthesis and Characterization of Atropdiastereomeric Macrocyclic Metacyclophanes.

We report the design, synthesis, and characterization of achiral macrocyclic metacyclophanes exhibiting atropdiasteromerism. These macrocycles contain a 1,2,6-trisubstituted benzene in which the 1 position bears an amide group and the 2 and 6 positions are connected by a bridging chain. Because of the hindered rotation about the C(aryl)-C(acyl) bond and C(sp)-C(sp) bonds, the C═O bond of the amide group may be oriented toward or away from the interior of the macrocycle, resulting in observable and separable stereoisomers.

Direct Visualization of Metal-Induced Gap State Distribution and Valley Band Evolution at Metal Versus Semimetal MoS Interfaces.

The interlayer coupling between metals and the two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors' conduction band (CB), encompassing metal-induced gap states (MIGS) and valley band modulation, critically influences both the Schottky barrier height (SBH) and intrinsic sheet resistance. Understanding the CB modulation induced by metals/semimetals is, therefore, essential for contact engineering optimization. Given that the MIGS decay length and orbital interactions are spatially confined to the nanoscale region proximate to the 2D semiconductor interface, we employed scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy to quantitatively determine the MIGS decay length and CB minimum on various metal/semimetal substrates.

Mercury flows in a cement plant adopting circular economy policies.

The principle of recycling materials has been adopted as part of the cement industry's contribution to the transition from linear to circular economy. This study examines mercury flow in a cement plant and investigates the impact of circular economy policies on mercury emissions. The raw material analysis indicate that steel industry sludge is the main mercury source (40.

High muscle-to-fat ratio predicts slow muscle strength decline in middle-aged and older adults: Longitudinal aging study of Taipei.

Background: Handgrip strength is a vital marker of muscle function and predictor of health outcomes in older adults. This study investigated the relationship between the muscle-to-fat ratio and 3-year decrease in handgrip strength in community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Longitudinal Aging Study of Taipei (LAST), a cohort study of adults aged 50 years and older.

A plant endophytic bacterium Burkholderia seminalis strain 869T2 increases plant growth under salt stress by affecting several phytohormone response pathways.

Background: Due to global warming and gradual climate change, plants are subjected to a wide range of environmental stresses, adversely affecting plant growth and production worldwide. Plants have developed various mechanisms to overpower these abiotic stresses, including salt stress, drought, and high light intensity. Apart from their own defense strategies, plants can get help from the beneficial endophytic bacteria inside host plants and assist them in enduring severe growth conditions.

Expanding the Repertoire of Large Scaffolds with and Macrocyclic Metacyclophanes.

Understanding how changes in structure translate to changes in molecular shape is key to catalyst optimization and molecular design in medicinal chemistry and materials. One key contributor to the molecular shape is the relative orientation of substituents on a scaffold. Macrocyclic metacyclophanes display their two arenes in a parallel or antiparallel fashion, resulting in or conformations that lead to disparate relative orientations of the aryl substituents.

Intrinsic capacity transitions predict overall and cause-specific mortality, incident disability, and healthcare utilization.

Objectives: To develop an intrinsic capacity (IC) score and to investigate the association between IC transition with overall and cause-specific mortality, incident disability and healthcare utilization.

Design: Retrospective cohort study SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Data from 1852 respondents aged ≥ 65 years who completed the 1999 and 2003 surveys of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging were analyzed.

Measurements: Transitions of IC score were categorized into three groups: (1) Improved IC (IC >0), (2) Stable IC (IC = 0), (3) Worsened IC (IC <0).

Lysosomal TFEB-TRPML1 Axis in Astrocytes Modulates Depressive-like Behaviors.

Lysosomes are important cellular structures for human health as centers for recycling, signaling, metabolism and stress adaptation. However, the potential role of lysosomes in stress-related emotions has long been overlooked. Here, it is found that lysosomal morphology in astrocytes is altered in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of susceptible mice after chronic social defeat stress.

Astrocytic ALKBH5 in stress response contributes to depressive-like behaviors in mice.

Epigenetic mechanisms bridge genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of major depression disorder (MDD). However, the cellular specificity and sensitivity of environmental stress on brain epitranscriptomics and its impact on depression remain unclear. Here, we found that ALKBH5, an RNA demethylase of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), was increased in MDD patients' blood and depression models.

Development Trend in Composition Optimization, Microstructure Manipulation, and Strengthening Methods of Die Steels under Lightweight and Integrated Die Casting.

In the general environment of lightweight automobiles, the integrated die-casting technology proposed by Tesla has become the general mode to better achieve weight reduction in automobiles. The die-casting mold required by integrated die-casting technology has the characteristics of large scale and complexity. Hence, higher requirements are put forward for the comprehensive performance of the die steel.

Multi-integrated approach for unraveling small open reading frames potentially associated with secondary metabolism in .

Due to their small size and special chemical features, small open reading frame (smORF)-encoding peptides (SEPs) are often neglected. However, they may play critical roles in regulating gene expression, enzyme activity, and metabolite production. Studies on bacterial microproteins have mainly focused on pathogenic bacteria, which are importance to systematically investigate SEPs in streptomycetes and are rich sources of bioactive secondary metabolites.

Skeletal Editing of Dibenzolactones to Fluorenes via Ni- or Pd-Catalyzed Decarboxylation.

The skeletal editing of dibenzolactones to fluorenes by Ni- or Pd-catalyzed decarboxylation is reported. In contrast to previously reported intramolecular decarboxylative couplings, inductively electron-withdrawing substituents on the aryl carboxylate moiety and metal additives are not required. The decarboxylation reaction proceeds cleanly and can be applied to the skeletal editing of a natural product analogue.

Astrocyte dysfunction drives abnormal resting-state functional connectivity in depression.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a devastating mental disorder that affects up to 17% of the population worldwide. Although brain-wide network-level abnormalities in MDD patients via resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) exist, the mechanisms underlying these network changes are unknown, despite their immense potential for depression diagnosis and management. Here, we show that the astrocytic calcium-deficient mice, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-type-2 receptor knockout mice ( mice), display abnormal rsfMRI functional connectivity (rsFC) in depression-related networks, especially decreased rsFC in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-related pathways.

Transitions in Frailty and 4-Year Mortality Risk in Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Objectives: To explore the associations of (1) the frailty phenotype or frailty index transition with cause-specific mortality, and (2) different combinations of transition in frailty phenotype and frailty index with all-cause mortality.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting And Participants: Data from 3529 respondents aged >50 years who completed the 1999 and 2003 surveys of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging were analyzed.

Immunoglobulin Y Specific for SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Subunits Effectively Neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity and Ameliorates Disease Manifestations In Vivo.

(Background) The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) carries high infectivity and mortality. Efficient intervention strategies are urgently needed. Avian immunoglobulin Y (IgY) showed efficacy against viral infection whereas the in vivo efficacy remains unclear.

Effects of the Short-Foot Exercise on Foot Alignment and Muscle Hypertrophy in Flatfoot Individuals: A Meta-Analysis.

This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to examine the effects of the short-foot exercise (SFE) compared to foot orthosis or other types of interventions. Eligibility criteria involved participants with flatfoot engaging in the SFE compared to other forms of intervention or control groups without specific intervention. Relevant studies published before the end of June 2022 were identified from databases.

Targeting CD38 to Suppress Osteoarthritis Development and Associated Pain After Joint Injury in Mice.

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the role of CD38, which can function as an enzyme to degrade NAD , in osteoarthritis (OA) development.

Methods: Human knee cartilage from normal donors and OA donors were examined for CD38 expression. "Gain-of-function," through overexpression of CD38 via transient transfection, and "loss-of-function," through pharmacologic inhibition of CD38, approaches were used to assess the effects of CD38 on intracellular NAD :NADH ratio and catabolic activity in chondrocytes.

A booster dose of Delta × Omicron hybrid mRNA vaccine produced broadly neutralizing antibody against Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Background: With the continuous emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants that feature increased transmission and immune escape, there is an urgent demand for a better vaccine design that will provide broader neutralizing efficacy.

Methods: We report an mRNA-based vaccine using an engineered "hybrid" receptor binding domain (RBD) that contains all 16 point-mutations shown in the currently prevailing Omicron and Delta variants.

Results: A booster dose of hybrid vaccine in mice previously immunized with wild-type RBD vaccine induced high titers of broadly neutralizing antibodies against all tested SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs).