Estradiol modulates resting-state connectivity in perimenopausal depression.

The perimenopausal transition is marked by an increased risk for affective dysregulation and major depressive disorder (MDD), with hormone replacement therapy using estradiol (E2) showing promise for alleviating symptoms of perimenopausal-onset MDD (PO-MDD). Although E2's effectiveness is recognized, its mechanisms underlying mood symptom modulation remain to be fully elucidated. Building on previous research suggesting that E2 may influence mood by altering cortico-subcortical connectivity, this study investigated the effects of transdermal E2 on resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in perimenopausal women with and without PO-MDD, focusing on rsFC changes using seed regions within reward and emotion processing networks.

Development of the CDISC Pediatrics User Guide: a CDISC and conect4children collaboration.

Introduction: The conect4children (c4c) project aims to facilitate efficient planning and delivery of paediatric clinical trials. One objective of c4c is data standardization and reuse. Interoperability and reusability of paediatric clinical trial data is challenging due to a lack of standardization.

Perimenopausal Effects of Estradiol on Anhedonia and Psychosis Study (PEEPs): study protocol for a neural and molecular mechanistic clinical trial.

Background: The perimenopausal transition is accompanied by psychiatric symptoms in over 10% of women. Symptoms commonly include depressed mood and anhedonia and less commonly include psychosis. Psychiatric symptoms have been linked to the depletion and/or variability of circulating estradiol, and estradiol treatment reduces perimenopausal anhedonia and psychosis in some women.

Preliminary findings of accelerated visual memory decline and baseline brain correlates in middle-age and older adults with autism: The case for hippocampal free-water.

Research aimed at understanding cognitive and brain aging in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, but critical longitudinal work is scant. Adults with ASD struggle with tasks involving visual memory compared with neurotypical adults (NT). This may be related to differences in size or integrity of the hippocampus and its' primary structural connectivity pathway, the fornix.

Effects of age on the hippocampus and verbal memory in adults with autism spectrum disorder: Longitudinal versus cross-sectional findings.

Research studying aging in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, but longitudinal work is needed. Autistic adults have increased risk of dementia, altered hippocampal volumes and fornix integrity, and verbal memory difficulties compared with neurotypical (NT) adults. This study examined longitudinal aging in middle-age adults with ASD versus a matched NT group, and compared findings with cross-sectional age effects across a broad adult age range.

Sex-related brain connectivity correlates of compensation in adults with autism: insights into female protection.

The male preponderance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) led to the hypothesis that aspects of female biology are protective against ASD. Females with ASD (ASD-F) report more compensatory behaviors (i.e.

Quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder: influence of age, sex, and a controlled, randomized mindfulness-based stress reduction pilot intervention.

Purpose: Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) consistently report worse functional health and well-being, compared to neurotypical (NT) peers. In a series of studies, we aimed to elucidated the effects of sex, age, and their interaction on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving health-, disability-, and autism-related QoL, with possible sex and age outcome moderators, in adults with ASD.

Methods: Study 1 used the 36-Item Short Form Survey to compare mental and physical HRQoL composite scores in adults with ASD (n = 67) and matched NT adults (n = 66).

Brain-based sex differences in autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan: A systematic review of structural MRI, fMRI, and DTI findings.

Females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been long overlooked in neuroscience research, but emerging evidence suggests they show distinct phenotypic trajectories and age-related brain differences. Sex-related biological factors (e.g.

12-Lipoxygenase governs the innate immune pathogenesis of islet inflammation and autoimmune diabetes.

Macrophages and related myeloid cells are innate immune cells that participate in the early islet inflammation of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The enzyme 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) catalyzes the formation of proinflammatory eicosanoids, but its role and mechanisms in myeloid cells in the pathogenesis of islet inflammation have not been elucidated. Leveraging a model of islet inflammation in zebrafish, we show here that macrophages contribute significantly to the loss of β cells and the subsequent development of hyperglycemia.

Financing a sustainable ocean economy.

The ocean, which regulates climate and supports vital ecosystem services, is crucial to our Earth system and livelihoods. Yet, it is threatened by anthropogenic pressures and climate change. A healthy ocean that supports a sustainable ocean economy requires adequate financing vehicles that generate, invest, align, and account for financial capital to achieve sustained ocean health and governance.

A novel UV-fluorescence approach to assess the long wear efficacy of foundations.

Background: The long wear properties of foundations are regarded as a must-have in terms of claims. Here, we propose an instrumental approach based on UV-fluorescence imaging as an alternative to clinical grading methods.

Methods: A method was developed, with UV-fluorescence images captured with the Visia CR as a first step, followed by images analysis using Image-Pro plus.

Social Cognition in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Adult Lifespan: Influence of Age and Sex on Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task in a Cross-sectional Sample.

: Approximately 50,000 U.S. teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) become adults every year, however little is known regarding how age influences social cognition and if men and women with ASD are differentially impacted across the adult lifespan.

A novel DNA primase-helicase pair encoded by SCC elements.

Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are a rich source of new enzymes, and conversely, understanding the activities of MGE-encoded proteins can elucidate MGE function. Here, we biochemically characterize three proteins encoded by a conserved operon carried by the Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome (SCC), an MGE that confers methicillin resistance to , creating MRSA strains. The first of these proteins, CCPol, is an active A-family DNA polymerase.

Genetic modifiers ameliorate endocytic and neuromuscular defects in a model of spinal muscular atrophy.

Background: Understanding the genetic modifiers of neurodegenerative diseases can provide insight into the mechanisms underlying these disorders. Here, we examine the relationship between the motor neuron disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which is caused by reduced levels of the survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein, and the actin-bundling protein Plastin 3 (PLS3). Increased PLS3 levels suppress symptoms in a subset of SMA patients and ameliorate defects in SMA disease models, but the functional connection between PLS3 and SMN is poorly understood.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Australian Trainee Childcare Educators Regarding Their Role in the Feeding Behaviours of Young Children.

: Early childhood (2-5 years) is acknowledged as a critical time for the establishment of healthy behaviours. The increasing number of children and amount of time spent in childcare provides strong rationale to explore the important role that childcare services and childcare educators play in influencing healthy eating behaviours of young children in their care. : This study used a qualitative exploratory approach to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Australian childcare trainee educators' regarding their role in the feeding of young children.

Age Group Differences in Executive Network Functional Connectivity and Relationships with Social Behavior in Men with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Research suggests adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may use executive functions to compensate for social difficulties. Given hallmark age-related declines in executive functioning and the executive brain network in normal aging, there is concern that older adults with ASD may experience further declines in social functioning as they age. In a male-only sample, we hypothesized: 1) older adults with ASD would demonstrate greater ASD-related social behavior than young adults with ASD, 2) adults with ASD would demonstrate a greater age group reduction in connectivity of the executive brain network than neurotypical (NT) adults, and 3) that behavioral and neural mechanisms of executive functioning would predict ASD-related social difficulties in adults with ASD.

The neural correlates of mindfulness-induced depression reduction in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study.

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience high rates of depression and anxiety, and some evidence suggests mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is effective in reducing these symptoms. However, the neural mechanisms of symptom alleviation, and benefit of MBSR beyond education/support groups are unknown. Maladaptive forms of self-reflection are linked to ASD, depression, and anxiety.

Clinical evidences of benefits from an advanced skin care routine in comparison with a simple routine.

Background: The use of a skin care routine is commonly promoted by the cosmetic industry, yet there is a lack of clinical evidence to support this practice over the use of a single skin care product.

Aims: In the present study, we aimed at showing the clinical benefits of using a comprehensive skin care routine vs a simple one.

Methods: Skin micro-/macro-topographic, skin color, and superficial/deep hydration were collected at baseline and after 4 weeks of use, on forty-nine women randomly allocated to two groups.

DermaTOP Blue and Antera 3D as methods to assess cosmetic solutions targeting eyelid sagging.

Background: As the eye contour ages, the skin on the lid becomes lax often causing a voluminous protrusion where the superior palpebral sulcus begins to sag onto the upper eyelid. This sagging feature may present a novel anti-ageing target for cosmetic products when treating the eye area. A quantitative method to evaluate the volume of this sagging feature has not been previously established.

Normal sleep bouts are not essential for C. elegans survival and FoxO is important for compensatory changes in sleep.

Background: Sleep deprivation impairs learning, causes stress, and can lead to death. Notch and JNK-1 pathways impact C. elegans sleep in complex ways; these have been hypothesized to involve compensatory sleep.

Preliminary aggregate safety and immunogenicity results from three trials of a purified inactivated Zika virus vaccine candidate: phase 1, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Background: A safe, effective, and rapidly scalable vaccine against Zika virus infection is needed. We developed a purified formalin-inactivated Zika virus vaccine (ZPIV) candidate that showed protection in mice and non-human primates against viraemia after Zika virus challenge. Here we present the preliminary results in human beings.

High prevalence of HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea among men who have sex with men and transgender women attending trusted community centres in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria.

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV prevalence have been reported to be higher amongst men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria than in the general population. The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence of HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea in this population using laboratory-based universal testing.

Methods: TRUST/RV368 represents a cohort of MSM and transgender women (TGW) recruited at trusted community centres in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria, using respondent-driven sampling (RDS).