Long-lasting, subtype-specific regulation of somatostatin interneurons during sensory learning.

Somatostatin (SST)-expressing inhibitory neurons are a major class of neocortical γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) neurons, where morphological, electrophysiological, and transcriptomic analyses indicate more than a dozen different subtypes. However, whether this diversity is related to specific roles in cortical computations and plasticity remains unclear. Here we identify learning-dependent, subtype-specific plasticity in layer 2/3 SST neurons of the mouse somatosensory cortex.

A facile method for separating fine water droplets dispersed in oil through a pre-wetted mesh membrane.

To achieve the successful separation of emulsions containing fine dispersed droplets and low volume fractions, a membrane with pore sizes comparable to or smaller than the droplet size is typically required. Although this approach is effective, its utilization is limited to the separation of emulsions with relatively large droplets. To overcome this limitation, a secondary membrane can be formed on the primary membrane to reduce pore size, but this can also be time-consuming and costly.

Implementation of Sexual Health Curriculum Series: Educational Initiative to Increase STI Screening and Treatment in Dallas, Texas.

Objective: A new monthly virtual education curriculum on sexual healthcare was launched in 2021. This is an analysis of the pilot education series designed to increase primary care providers' knowledge of sexual health best practices including taking thorough sexual histories, STI screening and treatment, and PrEP prescribing.

Methods: A Sexual Health Curriculum Series was developed as part of a quality improvement initiative at a large urban safety-net hospital in Dallas County, Texas.

Quantitative Fluorescence Analysis Reveals Dendrite-Specific Thalamocortical Plasticity in L5 Pyramidal Neurons during Learning.

High-throughput anatomic data can stimulate and constrain new hypotheses about how neural circuits change in response to experience. Here, we use fluorescence-based reagents for presynaptic and postsynaptic labeling to monitor changes in thalamocortical synapses onto different compartments of layer 5 (L5) pyramidal (Pyr) neurons in somatosensory (barrel) cortex from mixed-sex mice during whisker-dependent learning (Audette et al., 2019).

IEG expression defines SST neuron ensembles critical for motor learning.

Neocortical interneurons have been hypothesized to be important for circuit reorganization during learning. In this issue of Neuron, Yang et al. (2022) identify a subset of Npas4-expressing somatostatin interneurons that help regulate excitatory synaptic plasticity during motor learning.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Chlamydial Infection Treatment in Women Discharged From an Urban Safety-Net Emergency Unit.

Background: Chlamydia is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted infection. COVID-19 exacerbated the challenges in treating and preventing new Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections. This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on treating CT-positive patients discharged from a safety-net women's emergency unit.

Covalent organic framework-supported platinum nanoparticles as efficient electrocatalysts for water reduction.

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the most effective and sustainable ways to produce hydrogen gas as an alternative clean fuel. The rate of this electrocatalytic reaction is highly dependent on the properties (dispersity and stability) of electrocatalysts. Herein, we developed well-dispersed and highly stable platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) supported on a covalent organic framework (COF-bpyTPP), which exhibit excellent catalytic activities toward HER as well as the hydride reduction reaction.

Fluorescence-Based Quantitative Synapse Analysis for Cell Type-Specific Connectomics.

Anatomical methods for determining cell type-specific connectivity are essential to inspire and constrain our understanding of neural circuit function. We developed genetically-encoded reagents for fluorescence-synapse labeling and connectivity analysis in brain tissue, using a fluorogen-activating protein (FAP)-coupled or YFP-coupled, postsynaptically-localized neuroligin-1 (NL-1) targeting sequence (FAP/YFPpost). FAPpost expression did not alter mEPSC or mIPSC properties.

Separation of Arylenevinylene Macrocycles with a Surface-Confined Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework.

A two-dimensional surface covalent organic framework, prepared by a surface-confined synthesis using 4,4'-azodianiline and benzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde as the precursors, was used as a host network to effectively immobilize arylenevinylene macrocycles (AVMs). Thus AVMs could be separated from their linear polymer analogues, which are the common side-products in the cyclooligomerization process. Scanning tunneling microscopy investigations revealed efficient removal of linear polymers by a simple surface binding and solvent washing process.

Surface-Confined Dynamic Covalent System Driven by Olefin Metathesis.

Understanding how the constitutional dynamics of a dynamic combinatorial library (DCL) adapts to surfaces (compared to bulk solution) is of fundamental importance to the design of adaptive materials. Submolecular resolved scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) can provide detailed insights into olefin metathesis at the interface. Analysis of the distribution of products has revealed the important role of environmental pressure, reaction temperature, and substituent effects in surface-confined olefin metathesis.

Multicatalytic, Light-Driven Upgrading of Butanol to 2-Ethylhexenal and Hydrogen under Mild Aqueous Conditions.

Microbes produce low-molecular-weight alcohols from sugar, but these metabolites are difficult to separate from water and possess relatively low heating values. A combination of photo-, organo-, and enzyme catalysis is shown here to convert C butanol (BuOH) to C 2-ethylhexenal (2-EH) using only solar energy to drive the process. First, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) catalyzed the oxidation of BuOH to butyraldehyde (BA), using NAD as a cofactor.

Semiconductor-Based, Solar-Driven Photochemical Cells for Fuel Generation from Carbon Dioxide in Aqueous Solutions.

There has been active interest to identify new methods to reduce CO into usable fuel sources. In this work, we demonstrate two types of photo-electrochemical cells (PECs) that photoreduce CO directly to formate in aqueous solutions both in the presence and absence of external bias or additional electron sources. The photocathodes were either a CuFeO /CuO electrode or a bilayer of CdTe on NiO, whereas the photoanode was a bilayer of NiO on CdS.

Solid-state photogalvanic dye-sensitized solar cells.

Photogalvanic cells are photoelectrochemical systems wherein the semiconductor electrode is not a participant in primary photoinduced charge formation. The discovery of photoelectrochemical systems that successfully exploit secondary (thermal) electron injection at dye-semiconductor interfaces may enable studies of electron transfer at minimal driving force for electron injection into the semiconductor. In this study, we have examined thermal electron transfer from molecular sensitizers to nanostructured semiconductor electrodes composed of titanium dioxide nanorods by means of transient spectroscopy and the assembly and testing of photoelectrochemical cells.

Optoelectronic tuning of organoborylazadipyrromethenes via effective electronegativity at the metalloid center.

Organoborylazadipyrromethenes were synthesized from free base and fluoroborylazadipyrromethenes and characterized with regard to their structural and electronic properties. B-N bond lengths, along with photophysical and redox behavior, appear dependent on the effective electronegativity at the boron atom as tuned by its substituents, with stronger electronegativity correlating to a shorter B-N bond length, red-shifted absorbance, enhanced fluorescence lifetime and yield, and positively shifted redox potentials.