Cross-over from pyrene to acene optical and electronic properties: a theoretical investigation of a series of pyrene derivatives fused with N-, S, and O-containing heterocycles.

Pyrene and acene derivatives are an important source of materials for optoelectronic device applications both as emitters and organic semiconductors. The mobility of major charge carriers is correlated with the coupling constants of the respective major charge carrier as well as the relaxation energies. Herein, we have applied range-separated density functionals for the estimation of said values.

Autophagy regulates the release of exercise factors and their beneficial effects on spatial memory recall.

Exercise promotes learning and memory recall as well as rescues cognitive decline associated with aging. The positive effects of exercise are mediated by circulatory factors that predominantly increase Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) signaling in the hippocampus. Identifying the pathways that regulate the release of the circulatory factors by various tissues during exercise and that mediate hippocampal expression will allow us to harness the therapeutic potential of exercise.

Levels and Correlates of Numeracy Skills in Lebanese Adults with Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Diabetes numeracy skills are required in the interpretation of food labels, insulin pump dosage, the interpretation of blood glucose meter data, and the determination of carbohydrate intake. This study assessed the levels and correlates of numeracy skills in Lebanese adults with diabetes to identify those most at risk of uncontrolled diabetes. In total, 299 adults with diabetes, mean age 47.

Methionine mediates resilience to chronic social defeat stress by epigenetic regulation of NMDA receptor subunit expression.

Rationale: Previous studies suggested that methionine (Met) levels are decreased in depressed patients. However, whether the decrease in this amino acid is important for phenotypic behaviors associated with depression has not been deciphered.

Objective: The response of individuals to chronic stress is variable, with some individuals developing depression and others becoming resilient to stress.

Nicotine induces resilience to chronic social defeat stress in a mouse model of water pipe tobacco exposure by activating BDNF signaling.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how nicotine in the context of water pipe tobacco smoking (WTS) affects depression and anxiety-like behaviors associated with chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). Male C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to WTS or received intraperitoneal injections of nicotine for thirty days then subjected to CSDS for ten days. During CSDS, mice were exposed to WTS or received nicotine injections.

IL-1β induces rod degeneration through the disruption of retinal glutamate homeostasis.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration is characterized by the accumulation of subretinal macrophages and the degeneration of cones, but mainly of rods. We have previously shown that Mononuclear Phagocytes-derived IL-1β induces rod photoreceptor cell death during experimental subretinal inflammation and in retinal explants exposed to IL-1β but the mechanism is unknown.

Methods: Retinal explants were culture in the presence of human monocytes or IL-1β and photoreceptor cell survival was analyzed by TUNEL labeling.

Lactate Mediates the Effects of Exercise on Learning and Memory through SIRT1-Dependent Activation of Hippocampal Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).

Exercise promotes learning and memory formation. These effects depend on increases in hippocampal BDNF, a growth factor associated with cognitive improvement and the alleviation of depression symptoms. Identifying molecules that are produced during exercise and that mediate hippocampal expression will allow us to harness the therapeutic potential of exercise.

Lactate is an antidepressant that mediates resilience to stress by modulating the hippocampal levels and activity of histone deacetylases.

Chronic stress promotes depression in some individuals, but has no effect in others. Susceptible individuals exhibit social avoidance and anxious behavior and ultimately develop depression, whereas resilient individuals live normally. Exercise counteracts the effects of stress.