Two groundbreaking papers published in 1954 laid out the theory of the mechanism of muscle contraction based on force-generating interactions between myofilaments in the sarcomere that cause filaments to slide past one another during muscle contraction. The succeeding decades of research in muscle physiology have revealed a unifying interest to understand the multiscale processes-from atom to organ-that govern muscle function. Such an understanding would have profound consequences for a vast array of applications, from developing new biomimetic technologies to treating heart disease. However, connecting structural and functional properties that are relevant at one spatiotemporal scale to those that are relevant at other scales remains a great challenge. Through a lens of multiscale dynamics, we review in this article current and historical research in muscle physiology sparked by the sliding filament theory.Sampling and genomic efforts over the past decade have revealed an enormous quantity and diversity of life in Earth's extreme environments. This new knowledge of life on Earth poses the challenge of understandingits molecular basis in such inhospitable conditions, given that such conditions lead to loss of structure and of function in biomolecules from mesophiles. In this review, we discuss the physicochemical properties of extreme environments. We present the state of recent progress in extreme environmental genomics. We then present an overview of our current understanding of the biomolecular adaptation to extreme conditions. As our current and future understanding of biomolecular structure-function relationships in extremophiles requires methodologies adapted to extremes of pressure, temperature, and chemical composition, advances in instrumentation for probing biophysical properties under extreme conditions are presented. Finally, we briefly discuss possible future directions in extreme biophysics.Biofilms are structured communities formed by a single or multiple microbial species. Within biofilms, bacteria are embedded into extracellular matrix, allowing them to build macroscopic objects. Biofilm structure can respond to environmental changes such as the presence of antibiotics or predators. By adjusting expression levels of surface and extracellular matrix components, bacteria tune cell-to-cell interactions.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/unc5293.html  One major challenge in the field is the fact that these components are very diverse among different species. Deciphering how physical interactions within biofilms are affected by changes in gene expression is a promising approach to obtaining a more unified picture of how bacteria modulate biofilms. This review focuses on recent advances in characterizing attractive and repulsive forces between bacteria in correlation with biofilm structure, dynamics, and spreading. How bacteria control physical interactions to maximize their fitness is an emerging theme.There is increasing concern about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown's social and economic consequences on gender-based violence. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender-based violence by comparing the prevalence of spousal violence against women before and during the COVID-19 related lockdown periods. This study was conducted in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq using a self-administered online questionnaire survey after the COVID-19 lockdown period in June 2020. Data were collected from a sample of 346 married women about the occurrence, frequency, and forms of spousal violence before and during the lockdown period. Significant increases in violence were observed from the pre-lockdown period to the lockdown period for any violence (32.1% to 38.7%, p = .001), emotional abuse (29.5% to 35.0%, p = .005), and physical violence (12.7% to 17.6%, p = .002). Regarding emotional abuse, humiliation (24.6% to 28.3%, p = .041) and scaring or intimidation (14.2% to 21.4%, p less then .001) significantly increased during the lockdown. For physical violence, twisting the arm or pulling hair (9.0% to 13.0%, p = .004) and hitting (5.2% to 9.2%, p = .003) significantly increased during the lockdown. Forcing to have sexual intercourse also significantly increased during lockdown (6.6% to 9.5%., p = .021). The concerned authorities and women's rights organizations should collaborate to enhance the prevention of violence against women. An effective prevention strategy should emphasize recognizing and acknowledging the extent of the problem, raising awareness about the problem and the available resources to address it, and ensuring social and economic stability. Lessons learned about the increased prevalence of spousal violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to adopt appropriate strategies to prevent and address it will be valuable for similar future crises.Significance Glutathione (GSH) represents the most abundant and the main antioxidant in the body with important functions in the brain related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent Advances Oxidative stress is one of the central mechanisms in AD. We and others have demonstrated the alteration of GSH levels in the AD brain, its important role in the detoxification of advanced glycation end-products and of acrolein, a by-product of lipid peroxidation. Recent in vivo studies found a decrease of GSH in several areas of the brain from control, mild cognitive impairment, and AD subjects, which are correlated with cognitive decline. Critical Issues Several strategies were developed to restore its intracellular level with the l-cysteine prodrugs or the oral administration of γ-glutamylcysteine to prevent alterations observed in AD. To date, no benefit on GSH level or on oxidative biomarkers has been reported in clinical trials. Thus, it remains uncertain if GSH could be considered a potential preventive or therapeutic approach or a biomarker for AD. Future Directions We address how GSH-coupled nanocarriers represent a promising approach for the functionalization of nanocarriers to overcome the blood/brain barrier (BBB) for the brain delivery of GSH while avoiding cellular toxicity. It is also important to address the presence of GSH in exosomes for its potential intercellular transfer or its shuttle across the BBB under certain conditions. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 35, 270-292.