Noble Metal Nanoparticles with Nanogel Coatings: Coinage Metal Thiolate-Stabilized Glutathione Hydrogel Shells.

Developing biocompatible nanocoatings is crucial for biomedical applications. Noble metal colloidal nanoparticles with biomolecular shells are thought to combine diverse chemical and optothermal functionalities with biocompatibility. Herein, we present nanoparticles with peptide hydrogel shells that feature an unusual combination of properties: the metal core possesses localized plasmon resonance, whereas a few-nanometer-thick shells open opportunities to employ their soft framework for loading and scaffolding.

Sleep-stage-dependent alterations in cerebral oxygen metabolism quantified by magnetic resonance.

A key function of sleep is to provide a regular period of reduced brain metabolism, which is critical for maintenance of healthy brain function. The purpose of this work was to quantify the sleep-stage-dependent changes in brain energetics in terms of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO ) as a function of sleep stage using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with concurrent electroencephalography (EEG) during sleep in the scanner. Twenty-two young and older subjects with regular sleep hygiene and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in the normal range were recruited for the study.

When the heart inhibits the brain: Cardiac phases modulate short-interval intracortical inhibition.

The phasic cardiovascular activity influences the central nervous system through the systolic baroreceptor inputs, inducing widespread inhibitory effects on behavior. Through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) delivered during resting-state over the left primary motor cortex and across the different cardiac phases, we measured corticospinal excitability (CSE) and distinct indices of intracortical motor inhibition: short (SICI) and long (LICI) interval, corresponding to GABA and GABA neurotransmission, respectively. We found a significant effect of the cardiac phase on short-intracortical inhibition, without any influence on LICI.

Quantum-classical rate coefficient datasets of vibrational energy transfer in carbon monoxide based on highly accurate potential energy surface.

A merged potential energy surface (PES) is introduced for CO + CO collisions by combining a recent full-dimensional ab initio PES [Chen et al. J. Chem.

The Role of Psychological Parental Control and Internalizing Problems in the Etiology of Vigorexia and Orthorexia in Adolescence.

The present study aims to explore the forms of psychological parental control that are interconnected with dysfunctional emotional states (i.e., anxiety and depression), and how these internalizing problems may manifest as distorted behaviors (i.

State of the Art and New Trends from the Second International StemNet Meeting.

The Second International StemNet (Federation of Stem Cell Research Associations) meeting took place on 18-20 October 2023 in Brescia (Italy), with the support of the University of Brescia and the Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna. The program of the meeting was articulated in nine sections: (1) Biomedical Communication in Italy: Critical Aspects; (2) StemNet Next Generation Session; (3) Cell-Free Therapies; (4) Tips and Tricks of Research Valorisation; (5) Stem Cells and Cancer; (6) Stem Cells in Veterinary Applications; (7) Stem Cells in Clinical Applications; (8) Organoids and 3D Systems; (9) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPCS) and Gene Therapy. National and International speakers presented their scientific works, inspiring debates and discussions among the attendees.

Titania-based fabric phase sorptive extraction approach for the determination of antiepileptic drugs, levetiracetam and lamotrigine in urine samples using high-performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array detection.

A new fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) based separation and enrichment method was developed for sensitive determination of two antiepileptic drug molecules, Levetiracetam (LEV) and Lamotrigine (LTG). The analysis of these drug molecules was performed with high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) after FPSE. HPLC analysis was carried out by using phenyl hexyl column, under isocratic conditions with the mobile phase composed of pH 3.

Electron doping as a handle to increase the Curie temperature in ferrimagnetic MnSiX (X = Se, Te).

By analysing the results of simulations performed for MnSiX (X = Se, Te), we first discuss the analogies and the differences in electronic and magnetic properties arising from the anion substitution, in terms of size, electronegativity, band widths of p electrons and spin-orbit coupling strengths. For example, through mean-field theory and simulations based on density functional theory, we demonstrate that magnetic frustration, known to be present in MnSiTe, also exists in MnSiSe and leading to a ferrimagnetic ground state. Building on these results, we propose a strategy, electronic doping, to reduce the frustration and thus to increase the Curie temperature ().

Loss of calpain 3 dysregulates store-operated calcium entry and its exercise response in mice.

Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2A (LGMD2A) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding Calpain 3, a skeletal-muscle specific, Ca-dependent protease. Localization of Calpain 3 within the triad suggests it contributes to Ca homeostasis. Through live-cell Ca measurements, muscle mechanics, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy (EM) in deficient (C3KO) and wildtype (WT) mice, we determined if loss of Calpain 3 altered Store-Operated Calcium Entry (SOCE) activity.

ER and SOCE Ca signals are not required for directed cell migration in human microglia.

The central nervous system (CNS) is constantly surveilled by microglia, highly motile and dynamic cells deputed to act as the first line of immune defense in the brain and spinal cord. Alterations in the homeostasis of the CNS are detected by microglia that respond by migrating toward the affected area. Understanding the mechanisms controlling directed cell migration of microglia is crucial to dissect their responses to neuroinflammation and injury.

Protective effect of oral stem cells extracellular vesicles on cardiomyocytes in hypoxia-reperfusion.

Hypoxia signaling plays an important role in physiological and pathological conditions. Hypoxia in the heart tissue can produce different consequences depending on the duration of exposure to the hypoxic state. While acute hypoxic exposure leads to a reversible acclimatization in heart tissue with normal systemic oxygen supply, chronic hypoxia exacerbates cardiac dysfunction, leads to a destruction of the tissue.

Heart is deceitful above all things: Threat expectancy induces the illusory perception of increased heartrate.

It has been suggested that our perception of the internal milieu, or the body's internal state, is shaped by our beliefs and previous knowledge about the body's expected state, rather than being solely based on actual interoceptive experiences. This study investigated whether heartbeat perception could be illusorily distorted towards prior subjective beliefs, such that threat expectations suffice to induce a misperception of heartbeat frequency. Participants were instructed to focus on their cardiac activity and report their heartbeat, either tapping along to it (Experiment 1) or silently counting (Experiment 2) while ECG was recorded.

Spinal Orthosis in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Overview of the Braces Provided by the National Health Service in Italy.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a lateral, rotated curvature of the spine. It is a 3-dimensional deformity that arises in otherwise healthy children at or around puberty. AIS is the most common form of scoliosis in the pediatric population.

Neuropsychological Assessments of Cognitive Impairment in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Meta-Regression.

Introduction: Cognitive dysfunction or deficits are common in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The current study systematically reviews and meta-analyzes multiple domains of cognitive impairment in patients with MDD.

Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched from inception through May 17, 2023, with no language limits.

Dreaming while awake: The beneficial effects of yoga Nidra on mental and physical recovery in two elite karate athletes.

Yoga Nidra (YN) naturally stimulates a hypnagogic state wherein an individual is physiologically asleep yet maintains a certain awareness to follow a guide's instructions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of this aware sleep state on recovery-stress balance in two elite karate athletes adopting an idiosyncratic and multimodal approach. One male and one female athlete underwent a YN intervention.

Brain flexibility increases during the peri-ovulatory phase as compared to early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

The brain operates in a flexible dynamic regime, generating complex patterns of activity (i.e. neuronal avalanches).

Phylogenetic conservation of Trop-2 across species-rodent and primate genomics model anti-Trop-2 therapy for pre-clinical benchmarks.

A phylogenetic conservation analysis of Trop-2 across vertebrate species showed a high degree of sequence conservation, permitting to explore multiple models as pre-clinical benchmarks. Sequence divergence and incomplete conservation of expression patterns were observed in mouse and rat. Primate Trop-2 sequences were found to be 95%-100% identical to the human sequence.

RF energy harvesters for wireless sensors, state of the art, future prospects and challenges: a review.

The power consumption of portable gadgets, implantable medical devices (IMDs) and wireless sensor nodes (WSNs) has reduced significantly with the ongoing progression in low-power electronics and the swift advancement in nano and microfabrication. Energy harvesting techniques that extract and convert ambient energy into electrical power have been favored to operate such low-power devices as an alternative to batteries. Due to the expanded availability of radio frequency (RF) energy residue in the surroundings, radio frequency energy harvesters (RFEHs) for low-power devices have garnered notable attention in recent times.

The state-trait sense of self inventory: A psychometric study of self-experience and its relation to psychosis-like manifestations.

The sense of self is a fundamental construct in the study of the mind, yet its psychological nature remains elusive. We introduce a novel 25-item inventory to investigate selfhood both as an enduring trait and a temporary state. We hypothesized two foundational aspects of the self: identity (related to self-referencing and continuity over time) and agency (the perception of controlling own's actions and thoughts).

Neutrophil, lymphocyte count, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predict multimorbidity and mortality-results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging follow-up study.

Immunosenescence is the age-related changes in the immune system, namely, progressively higher levels of circulating inflammatory markers, characteristics changes of circulating immune subset cells and altered immune function. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NL ratio) has been identified as a prognostic indicator for neoplastic disease progression, in predicting chronic degenerative diseases, and as a potential indirect marker of healthy aging. This study aims to examine the longitudinal association of neutrophil, lymphocyte absolute count, and their ratio with longitudinal risk for multimorbidity and mortality.

Heart rate variability, recovery and stress analysis of an elite rally driver and co-driver during a competition period.

To ensure both optimal health and performances, monitoring physiological and psychological states is of main importance for athletes. It is well known that monitoring heart rate variability and using validated questionnaires is useful for monitoring both the health and training status of athletes of different sports. Motorsports such as rally require high levels of physical and mental preparation thus information about psychophysiological status of rally athletes is fundamental.

In search of a marker of altered cerebrovascular function in hypertension: Analysis of the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in UK Biobank resting state fMRI data.

The selfish brain mechanism proposes that in some patients with impaired cerebral blood flow (CBF) or cerebrovascular function, hypertension may develop as a compensatory mechanism that aims to maintain CBF by increasing systemic blood pressure through an increase in cardiovascular sympathetic tone. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in the resting state blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI signal has been previously posited as an index of cerebrovascular reactivity. We investigated whether regional fractional ALFF (fALFF) differs between 2054 hypertensives and 1724 normotensives using data from the UK Biobank dataset.