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Abstract High body mass index (high BMI, obesity) is a serious public health problem, and “obesity‐induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and cancer” have become modern epidemic diseases. We carried out this study to explore a functional beverage that may protect against obesity‐induced diseases. The Engleromyces goetzei Henn herbal tea is such a candidate. For this study, we carried out LC–MS analysis of E. goetzei Henn aqueous extract (EgH‐AE); then used the Caco‐2 cell line for the model cells and treated the cells with t‐BHP to form an oxidative stress system. An MTT assay was used for testing the biocompatibility and cytoprotective effects; reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde determination was used for evaluating the antioxidative stress effect; TNF‐α and IL‐1β were used for observing the anti‐inflammatory effect, and 8‐OHdG for monitoring anticancer activity. The results of this study demonstrate that the EgH‐AE has very good biocompatibility with the Caco‐2 cell line and has good cytoprotective, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer properties. It is clear that EgH‐AE, a kind of ancient herbal tea, may be used to develop a functional beverage that can be given to people with a high BMI to protect against obesity‐induced diseases.

This study assessed the potential effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility of a tailored mindfulness-based intervention (MBI, REMIND 2.0) for personal recovery among people with mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this pilot mixed methods randomized controlled trial, participants were assigned to either the MBI (n = 14) or the relaxation training (RT) (n = 14). Quantitative measures were used to assess primary outcomes, including personal recovery, mindfulness, self-compassion, resilience, and secondary outcomes, including depression, stress, anxiety, positive and negative moods, quality of life and general health at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1) and one-month follow-up (T2). Quantitative interviews were conducted to explore the experiences and perceptions toward the MBI. Results indicated significant group and time interactions for all outcomes except anxiety and stress. MBI participants showed significant improvements in all outcomes at T1, which were maintained at T2, except for positive mood. RT participants showed a significant decline in resilience but significant improvements in all secondary outcomes at T1, but all outcomes significantly declined at T2, except for anxiety and stress. MBI participants were receptive toward the programme in all aspects of personal recovery. The tailored MBI is a potentially effective, feasible and acceptable approach to facilitate personal recovery among people with mental illness. Differences between MBI and RT are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional computer-aided design (CAD) tools based on keyboard and mouse interactions present challenges to efficiency and quality in terms of free creation, iteration efficiency, and operational experience. This paper proposes a multimodal interactive guiding grammar framework for virtual-reality modeling scenarios. In studies on the characteristics of multimodal combinations, the present heuristic method leads to a high cognitive load and experimental cost, and the heuristic is difficult. Therefore, we propose a two-stage heuristic method. Subsequently, we use this method to decompose the interaction task into two stages: modalities and interactive operations. A clearer and more specific reference for multimodal selection is provided for the interaction design phase, based on the two dimensions of modality and task. This can reduce the heuristic cost and difficulty of users in completing tasks in multimodal interaction scenarios. Finally, the proposed virtual modeling platform which is used for experimental verification, and the results shows that, compared with traditional modeling, the interactive modeling method built according to the results of modal interaction in this study can better satisfy users in terms of emotional experience. In the index evaluation, high scores are achieved, with an average score of 5 points (1 and 7 are the lowest and highest scores of the evaluation index, respectively), and the large-area distribution of high scores also shows a good user experience. To a certain extent, this method improves the interaction mode of the previous 3D modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell in the central nervous system and occupy a wide range of roles that are essential for brain function. Over the past few years, evidence has emerged that astrocytes exhibit cellular and molecular heterogeneity, raising the possibility that subsets of astrocytes are functionally distinct and that transcriptional mechanisms are involved in encoding this prospective diversity. In this review, we focus on three emerging areas of astrocyte biology: region-specific circuit regulation, molecular diversity, and transcriptional regulation. This review highlights our nascent understanding of how molecular diversity is converted to functional diversity of astrocytes through the lens of brain region–specific circuits. We articulate our understanding of how transcriptional mechanisms regulate this diversity and key areas that need further exploration to achieve the overarching goal of a functional taxonomy of astrocytes in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth with mental illness face many challenges in educational attainment, including a high school dropout rate. Objectives: This study aims to explore the feasibility of a supported education program for youth with mental illness in Hong Kong. Research Method : Mixed research method was conducted. The quantitative study adopted one group pre- and posttest design involving 34 participants, while the qualitative study involved conducting in-depth semistructured individual interviews for seven participants who completed all training courses. Results: A dropout rate of 23.5% was reported, and more than one-third of participants achieved open employment or educational attainment during the 24-month follow-up period. Qualitative content analysis revealed that all participants benefited from the supported education by enjoying a positive learning environment and achieving personal growth. Conclusion. The results of both quantitative and qualitative studies support the feasibility and efficacy of the supported education for youth with mental illness in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication between neurons and glia has an important role in establishing and maintaining higher-order brain function1. Astrocytes are endowed with complex morphologies, placing their peripheral processes in close proximity to neuronal synapses and directly contributing to their regulation of brain circuits2–4. Recent studies have shown that excitatory neuronal activity promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation5–7; whether inhibitory neurotransmission regulates astrocyte morphogenesis during development is unclear. Here we show that inhibitory neuron activity is necessary and sufficient for astrocyte morphogenesis. We found that input from inhibitory neurons functions through astrocytic GABAB receptor (GABABR) and that its deletion in astrocytes results in a loss of morphological complexity across a host of brain regions and disruption of circuit function. Expression of GABABR in developing astrocytes is regulated in a region-specific manner by SOX9 or NFIA and deletion of these transcription factors results in region-specific defects in astrocyte morphogenesis, which is conferred by interactions with transcription factors exhibiting region-restricted patterns of expression. Together, our studies identify input from inhibitory neurons and astrocytic GABABR as universal regulators of morphogenesis, while further revealing a combinatorial code of region-specific transcriptional dependencies for astrocyte development that is intertwined with activity-dependent processes.Inhibitory neuron activity is necessary and sufficient for astrocyte morphogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]