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A Systematic Structure-Function Characterization of a Human Mutation in Neurexin-3α Reveals an Extracellular Modulatory Sequence That Stabilizes Neuroligin-1 Binding to Enhance the Postsynaptic Properties of Excitatory Synapses

2024-10Journal of Neuroscience, v.44, no.41

α-Neurexins are essential and highly expressed presynaptic cell-adhesion molecules that are frequently linked to neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite their importance, how the elaborate extracellular sequences of α-neurexins contribute to synapse function is poorly understood. We recently characterized the presynaptic gain-of-function phenotype caused by a missense mutation in an evolutionarily conserved extracellular sequence of neurexin-3α (A687T) that we identified in a patient diagnosed with profound intellectual disability and epilepsy. The striking A687T gain-of-function mutation on neurexin-3α prompted us to systematically test using mutants whether the presynaptic gain-of-function phenotype is a consequence of the addition of side-chain bulk (i.e., A687V) or polar/hydrophilic properties (i.e., A687S). We used multidisciplinary approaches in mixed-sex primary hippocampal cultures to assess the impact of the neurexin-3αA687 residue on synapse morphology, function and ligand binding. Unexpectedly, neither A687V nor A687S recapitulated the neurexin-3α A687T phenotype. Instead, distinct from A687T, molecular replacement with A687S significantly enhanced postsynaptic properties exclusively at excitatory synapses and selectively increased binding to neuroligin-1 and neuroligin-3 without changing binding to neuroligin-2 or LRRTM2. Importantly, we provide the first experimental evidence supporting the notion that the position A687 of neurexin-3α and the N-terminal sequences of neuroligins may contribute to the stability of α-neurexin-neuroligin-1 trans-synaptic interactions and that these interactions may specifically regulate the postsynaptic strength of excitatory synapses. Copyright © 2024 the authors.

Bidirectional Control of Emotional Behaviors by Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons in the Orbitofrontal Cortex

2024-10Experimental Neurobiology, v.33, no.5, pp.225 - 237

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) plays a crucial role in mood disorders; however, its specific role in the emotional behaviors of mice remains unclear. This study investigates the bidirectional control of emotional behaviors using population calcium dynamics and optogenetic manipulation of OFC neurons. Fiber photometry of OFC neurons revealed that OFC excitatory neurons consistently responded to the onset and offset of aversive conditions, showing decreased activation in response to anxiogenic and stressful stimuli, including tail suspension, restraint stress, and exposure to the center of the open field. The selective activation of excitatory neurons in the OFC reduced the time spent in the center of the open field, whereas optogenetic activation of inhibitory neurons in the OFC induced the opposite behavioral changes. We also provided a brain-wide activation map for OFC excitatory and inhibitory neuron activation. Our findings demonstrate that excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the OFC play opposing roles in the regulation of emotional behaviors. These results provide new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying emotional control and suggest that targeting these specific neuronal populations may offer novel therapeutic strategies for emotional disorders.

AdaLo: Adaptive learning rate optimizer with loss for classification

2025-02Information Sciences, v.690

Gradient-based algorithms are frequently used to optimize neural networks, with various methods developed to enhance their performance. Among them, the adaptive moment estimation (Adam) optimizer is well-known for its effectiveness and ease of implementation. However, it suffers from poor generalization without a learning rate scheduler. Additionally, it has the disadvantage of a large computational burden because of individual learning rate term, as known as second-order moments of gradients. In this study, we propose a novel gradient descent algorithm called AdaLo, which stands for Adaptive Learning Rate Optimizer with Loss. AdaLo addresses two problems using its adaptive learning rate (ALR). Firstly, the proposed ALR adjusts the learning rate, based on the model's training progress, specifically the loss value. Therefore AdaLo's ALR effectively replaces traditional learning rate schedulers. Secondly, the ALR is a scalar global learning rate, reducing the computational burden. In addition, the stability of the proposed method is analyzed from the perspective of the learning rate. The superiority of AdaLo was proven by non-convex functions. Simulation results indicated that the proposed optimizer outperformed the Adam, AdaBelief, and diffGrad with regard to the training error and test accuracy. © 2024 Elsevier Inc.

The Impact of Odor Category Similarity on Multimedia Experience

2024-10Experimental Neurobiology, v.33, no.5, pp.238 - 250

Although we have multiple senses, multimedia mainly targets vision and olfaction. To expand the senses impacted by multimedia, olfactory stimulation has been used to enhance the sense of reality. Odors are primarily matched with objects in scenes. However, it is impractical to select all odors that match all objects in a scene and offer them to viewers. As an alternative, offering a single odor in a category as representative of other odors belonging to that category has been suggested. However, it is unclear whether viewers’ responses to videos with multiple odors (e.g., rose, lavender, and lily) from a category (e.g., flowers) are comparable. Therefore, we studied whether odors belonging to a given category could be similar in behavioral congruency and in the five frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) of electroencephalogram (EEG) data collected while viewers watched videos. We conducted questionnaires and EEG experiments to understand the effects of similar odors belonging to categories. Our results showed that similar odors in a specific odor category were more congruent with videos than those in different odor categories. In our EEG data, the delta and theta bands were mainly clustered when odors were offered to viewers in similar categories. The theta band is known to be primarily related to the neural signals of odor information. Our studies showed that choosing odors based on odor categories in multimedia can be feasible.

Advances of triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators toward continuous monitoring and multimodal applications in the new era

2025-02International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, v.7, no.1

Benefiting from the widespread potential applications in the era of the Internet of Thing and metaverse, triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators (TENG & PENG) have attracted considerably increasing attention. Their outstanding characteristics, such as self-powered ability, high output performance, integration compatibility, cost-effectiveness, simple configurations, and versatile operation modes, could effectively expand the lifetime of vastly distributed wearable, implantable, and environmental devices, eventually achieving self-sustainable, maintenance-free, and reliable systems. However, current triboelectric/piezoelectric based active (i.e. self-powered) sensors still encounter serious bottlenecks in continuous monitoring and multimodal applications due to their intrinsic limitations of monomodal kinetic response and discontinuous transient output. This work systematically summarizes and evaluates the recent research endeavors to address the above challenges, with detailed discussions on the challenge origins, designing strategies, device performance, and corresponding diverse applications. Finally, conclusions and outlook regarding the research gap in self-powered continuous multimodal monitoring systems are provided, proposing the necessity of future research development in this field.

Self-powered flexible sensors: from fundamental mechanisms toward diverse applications

2025-02International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, v.7, no.1

Today, energy is essential for every aspect of human life, including clothing, food, housing and transportation. However, traditional energy resources are insufficient to meet our modern needs. Self-powered sensing devices emerge as promising alternatives, offering sustained operation without relying on external power sources. Leveraging advancements in materials and manufacturing research, these devices can autonomously harvest energy from various sources. In this review, we focus on the current landscape of self-powered wearable sensors, providing a concise overview of energy harvesting technologies, conversion mechanisms, structural or material innovations, and energy storage platforms. Then, we present experimental advances in different energy sources, showing their underlying mechanisms, and the potential for energy acquisition. Furthermore, we discuss the applications of self-powered flexible sensors in diverse fields such as medicine, sports, and food. Despite significant progress in this field, widespread commercialization will necessitate enhanced sensor detection abilities, improved design factors for adaptable devices, and a balance between sensitivity and standardization.

Insights into an indolicidin-derived low-toxic anti-microbial peptide's efficacy against bacterial cells while preserving eukaryotic cell viability

ACCEPTBioFactors

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a current solution to combat antibiotic resistance, but they have limitations, including their expensive production process and the induction of cytotoxic effects. We have developed novel AMP candidate (peptide 3.1) based on indolicidin, among the shortest naturally occurring AMP. The antimicrobial activity of this peptide is demonstrated by the minimum inhibitory concentration, while the hemolysis tests and MTT assay indicate its low cytotoxicity. In optical diffraction tomography, red blood cells treated with peptide 3.1 showed no discernible effects, in contrast to indolicidin. However, peptide 3.1 did induce cell lysis in E. coli, leading to a reduced potential for the development of antibiotic resistance. To investigate the mechanism underlying membrane selectivity, the structure of peptide 3.1 was analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Peptide 3.1 is structured with an increased distinction between hydrophobic and charged residues and remained in close proximity to the eukaryotic membrane. On the other hand, peptide 3.1 exhibited a disordered conformation when approaching the prokaryotic membrane, similar to indolicidin, leading to its penetration into the membrane. Consequently, it appears that the amphipathicity and structural rigidity of peptide 3.1 contribute to its membrane selectivity. In conclusion, this study may lead to the development of Peptide 3.1, a promising commercial candidate based on its low cost to produce and low cytotoxicity. We have also shed light on the mechanism of action of AMP, which exhibits selective toxicity to bacteria while not damaging eukaryotic cells. © 2024 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Curvature-Specific Coupling Electrode Design for a Stretchable Three-Dimensional Inorganic Piezoelectric Nanogenerator

ACCEPTACS Nano

Structures such as 3D buckling have been widely used to impart stretchability to devices. However, these structures have limitations when applied to piezoelectric devices due to the uneven distribution of internal strain during deformation. When strains with opposite directions simultaneously affect piezoelectric materials, the electric output can decrease due to cancellation. Here, we report an electrode design tailored to the direction of strain and a circuit configuration that prevents electric output cancellation. These designs not only provide stretchability to piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) but also effectively minimize electric output loss, achieving stretchable PENGs with minimal energy loss. These improvements were demonstrated using an inorganic piezoelectric material (PZT thin film) with a high piezoelectric coefficient, achieving a substantial maximum output power of 8.34 mW/cm3. Theoretical modeling of the coupling between mechanical and electrical properties demonstrates the dynamics of energy harvesting, emphasizing the electrode design. In vitro and in vivo experiments validate the device’s effectiveness in biomechanical energy harvesting. These results represent a significant advancement in stretchable PENGs, offering robust and efficient solutions for wearable electronics and biomedical devices.

Multifarious astrocyte–neuron dialog in shaping neural circuit architecture

ACCEPTTrends in Cell Biology

Astrocytes are multifaceted glial cell types that perform structural, functional, metabolic, and homeostatic roles in the brain. Recent studies have revealed mechanisms underlying the diversity of bidirectional communication modes between astrocytes and neurons – the fundamental organizing principle shaping synaptic properties at tripartite synapses. These astrocyte–neuron interactions are critical for the proper functioning of synapses and neural circuits. This review focuses on molecular mechanisms that direct these interactions, highlighting the versatile roles of multiple adhesion-based paths that likely modulate them, often in a context-dependent manner. It also describes how astrocyte-mediated processes go awry in certain brain disorders and provides a timely insight on the pivotal roles of astrocyte–neuron interactions in synaptic integrity and their relevance to understanding and treating neurological disorders. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

Implementation of an FPGA-Based 3D Shape Measurement System Using High-Level Synthesis

2024-08Electronics, v.13, no.16, pp.1 - 14

Three-dimensional(3D) shape measurement using point clouds has recently gained significant attention. Phase measuring profilometry (PMP) is widely preferred for its robustness against external lighting changes and high-precision results. However, PMP suffers from long computation times due to complex calculations and its high memory usage. It also faces a 2π ambiguity issue, as the measured phase is limited to the 2π range. This is typically resolved using dual-wavelength methods. However, these methods require separate measurements of phase changes at two wavelengths, increasing the data processing volume and computation times. Our study addresses these challenges by implementing a 3D shape measurement system on a System-on-Chip (SoC)-type Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). We developed a PMP algorithm with dual-wavelength methods, accelerating it through high-level synthesis (HLS) on the FPGA. This hardware implementation significantly reduces computation time while maintaining measurement accuracy. The experimental results demonstrate that our system operates correctly on the SoC-type FPGA, achieving computation speeds approximately 11.55 times higher than those of conventional software implementations. Our approach offers a practical solution for real-time 3D shape measurement, potentially benefiting applications in fields such as quality control, robotics, and computer vision. © 2024 by the authors.

Unlocking solar energy: Photocatalysts design for tuning the CO2 conversion into high-value (C2+) solar fuels

2024-09EnergyChem, v.6, no.5

The carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion to useful chemicals is a promising technique to address global environmental issues and ensure a renewable energy supply. Despite the efforts to enhance product yield with different catalysts, most studies focused on improving efficiency with less emphasis on the selectivity of higher hydrocarbon (C2+) products. Hence, CO, CH4, and HCOOH are the commonly obtained products during CO2 photoreduction according to most literature. C2+ hydrocarbons have a higher market value compared to C1 products. Therefore, research on photocatalytic CO2-to-C2+ conversion has received significant attention in recent years. This review discusses the progress of CO2-to-C2+ photoconversions. First, the insights into CO2 reduction, kinetics, critical challenges, and underlying mechanisms involved in the conversion of CO2-to-C2+ are highlighted. Further, the progress on strategies such as defect engineering, heteroatom doping, cocatalysts deposition, single or dual-atom catalysts, heterostructured combinations, and morphological modulations to improve the selectivity of CO2 reduction towards C2+ formation has been discussed. Factors affecting the performance of CO2-to-C2+ are discussed throughout, focusing on aspects like the interaction of reactants with the catalyst surface, various reaction conditions, intermediate formation, *C1 stabilization, and C–C coupling. Finally, a summary and outlook on recent trends in CO2 utilization are discussed. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

Silver oxide integrated ionic polymer composite for wearable sensing and water purification

2024-11Chemical Engineering Journal Advances, v.20

Integrating metal nanoparticles (NPs) with ionic polymer blends/composites showed immense interest for their potential in wearable sensors, soft robotic arms, flexible man-machine interfaces of biomedical devices, and water purification applications. However, conventional NPs attached ionic polymer composites exhibit limitations such as low sensitivity (ΔR/R), low total dissolved solids (TDS) reduction, and low phosphate (PO4-P) removal rate. Herein, ionic polymer composites (IPCs) using flower-shaped silver oxide (Ag2O) attached Poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/ polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/ionic liquid (IL) were designed and developed for wearable sensing and water purification. The IPCs demonstrated remarkably high ΔR/R values of 50, 10, and 3.5 corresponding to the wrist movement of 50°, finger movement of 180°, and chin movements respectively. The Ag2O-based IPC recorded a significant reduction of TDS from sewage water from 3405 ppm to 1035 ppm, elevated the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the sewage water from 1.2 mg/l to 6.8 mg/l, and removed approximately 87.38 % phosphate from sewage water. Due to the uniform distribution of Ag2O within pores of IPC, it demonstrated enhanced performance for wearable and wastewater treatment applications. © 2024 The Author(s)