This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please enable JavaScript to view this page correctly When Lisha Astorga first bought her five-acre property in Sky Valley there wasn’t much on it aside from sandy soil and sparse plants she transformed it into a little piece of paradise I’ve always loved gardening,” Astorga said More unique than her straw-bale insulated house might be her gardens a hands-on project that boasts a collection of native plants water features and a circular swimming pool But maybe the best part of her garden is that finances were never a problem As dwindling water resources became a hot topic around the valley more people are removing grass and tropical plants Introducing desert-friendly plants to an area has many benefits and with a little ingenuity and a fearless attitude a desert landscape can be easily achieved Plants that are adapted to the dry conditions require little water which in turn helps reduce household bills the president of the Desert Horticultural Society These low-water gardens are also more sustainable for the area and are ideal for part-time residents who need a yard that requires little maintenance said Daniel Clemens is limited because of the harsh conditions of the Mojave desert Clemens recommends investing a little bit of money into big-statement specimen plants like agaves or barrel cacti Filler plants can be used to to surround and accentuate the bigger pieces “[Specimen plants] anchor a yard,” Clemens said it just looks like a lot of little stuff.” Other plants that thrive in the hot conditions are chuperosa While these plants may not have the recognizable blossoms of a petunia or daisy these plants do bloom lending their own unique beauty to a garden Plants can be purchased at local nurseries or even big box stores A more economical way is to simply take a walk Dried seed pods can be plucked from bushes or flowers and simply replanted into the garden a branch can be removed and transplanted into the earth Clemens offers a quick tip for lovers of agave or cacti: Plant them away from heavily trafficked areas Many people love the look of spiny agaves or the look of a regal barrel cactus but the thorns can spell trouble for little fingers or pets The desert offers a blank canvas and yards can be as full or as sparse as a gardens allows “The more plants you have on your property regardless of their ability to adapt to their surroundings Aloes or agaves aren’t found in the outlying desert Many species are brought in from other states or even as far as Africa Native is more a relative term to describe what can successfully grow in the area “That’s why a desert landscape means so many different things to so many different people,” Smith explained you’re going to see plants that people don’t want in their yard.” A benefit to transitioning to a desert landscape is how it allows more adept plants to reclaim their territory “Desert plants have an amazing capacity to reseed themselves,” said Wehrli the desert plants will thrive on their own.” both Wehrli and Astorga have seen native plants reseed themselves throughout their garden If they don’t like where a plant chooses to grow Like tropical plants or grasses that become invasive to the area plants within a garden can also become meddlesome Stemming from her own experiences with mint who is associated with Desert Master Gardeners out of Indio had to deal with a weed that was not only taking control of her garden This need for lush green lawns stems from many people wanting something more familiar “We all come with our favorite aesthetic from our last residence,” explained Wehrli “It’s really imperative to become comfortable with the new aesthetic.” It may not be the savings that has been drawing more people to this unique landscape Clemens believes as more people rediscover the stark lines and simplistic beauty of the modernist period “People see all these modern homes and they’re not like Hawaii,” Clemens said “They’re stark with very minimalist interiors and exteriors It’s all about minimalism and desert landscaping fits that perfectly.” Certain species of grass can be removed with the help of an outside crew or by the homeowner however the former is more labor intensive is more of a challenge because the roots burrow deep into the soil The only remedy Smith knows for this invasive grass is for a homeowner to use a pesticide it’s all about research and thinking outside the box Astorga was resourceful with her garden needs traded with locals and even rescued a few plants and decorative items from the roadside Many of her plants came from plant exchanges or plant sales at local nurseries above-ground pool that was simply repurposed The surfboards hanging around her backyard were castoffs from a surfer Doing the landscape without the help of an experienced crew can be difficult and take time but Astorga recommends tackling the project in small increments Once piece of the yard is finished before she moves on to another aspect Astorga does the minimum and lets nature take care of the rest her trimming is minimal to allow for more shade for her house and the critters that venture to her water feature she “whacks it all back and what’s going to live She has an easy attitude when it comes to maintenance for her garden because it’s through experiences that she learns the most about her plants She’s prepared that some projects will fail “This is what being an amateur gardener is about,” Astorga explained “You can do as much research as you can and figure out as much as you can Cuban middleweight Yoenli Hernández showcased his dominance once again stopping Mexico’s Ángel Ruiz Astorga in the fifth round to successfully defend his WBA Continental Latin America title The bout took place this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas serving as the lead-up to the highly anticipated clash between David Benavidez and David Morrell Ruiz Astorga showcased remarkable durability but struggled to mount any meaningful resistance with uppercuts proving to be his most punishing weapon repeatedly snapping Ruiz Astorga’s head back backing against the ropes and absorbing punishment without offering much in return The fourth round saw Ruiz Astorga in dire straits visibly hurt but managing to stay on his feet stepping in to halt the contest and award Hernández the technical knockout victory Hernández improves to a flawless 7-0 record further cementing his status as the mandatory challenger in the WBA rankings where fellow Cuban Erislandy Lara currently reigns The World Boxing Association (WBA) has officially opened online registration.. Usage of Content   Confidentiality Clause Enzo Astorga thinks as he spells a word during round one of the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee preliminaries May 28 in National Harbor, Md. Astorga was eliminated in the first round and placed 192nd. (Photo provided by Craig Hudson/Scripps National Spelling Bee) BELPRE – Belpre City Schools fifth-grader Enzo Astorga participated in the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of May and had a great time, though he didn’t win. Astorga, 11, won the 43rd annual Marietta Times Regional Spelling Bee in March by spelling “languish” correctly to earn a spot along with 244 others in the national spelling bee that was held in Oak Harbor, Md., May 28 to June 3. He was one of only 18 fifth graders and 26 11-year-olds to compete in the national bee. According to the spelling bee’s website, Astorga finished 192nd along with 50 other spellers, all of whom were eliminated in the first round. He went out on the word “chopine” spelling it c-h-a-p-e-e-n. According to Merriam Webster’s website, a “chopine” is a type of woman’s shoe from the 16th and 17th centuries. Astorga’s mother, Stacey Schimke, went with him to the national bee. She said even though he went out in the first round they had a good time. “We still had a really good time and enjoyed it,” Schimke said. Belpre City Schools student Enzo Astorga, 11, smiles as he participates in round one of the preliminaries on May 28 during the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Md. Astorga placed 192nd after being eliminated during the first round. (Photo provided by Craig Hudson/Scripps National Spelling Bee) She said the bee went well and that it was very organized and impressive. According to Schimke, she and Astorga went on a trolley tour of Washington, D.C., went to the International Spy Museum, saw the Capitol and visited other monuments and museums. “He had a really good time,” she said. According to Schimke, Astorga is thankful he got to go to the national bee even though he didn’t win. Astorga agreed with his mother that he enjoyed the national bee and said it was really fun. “I didn’t get that far, but I was able to do good in the (Marietta Times Regional Spelling Bee),” Astorga said of his performance in the national bee. According to Astorga, his favorite part of the national bee was Bee Week, where participants got to eat food, collect signatures from each other, and more. Astorga liked seeing the museums in Washington and definitely has a favorite. “My favorite was the Museum of Illusions,’ he said. Astorga said the museum was full of illusions that “trick your brain.” According to its website, the Museum of Illusions has exhibits featuring holograms, stereograms, optical illusions, and immersive rooms. Astorga is not planning on letting his first-round loss stop him. He said he plans on participating in spelling bees next year to try to get back to the national bee because he heard they are doing something special for their 100th anniversary. He also said he wants to get farther in the national bee next year. Copyright © 2025 Eastern Ohio Newspapers, Inc. | https://www.mariettatimes.com | 740-373-2121 Some records are meant to be broken. Mayan Smith-Gobat and Libby Sauter knew that the women`s speed record for the ascent of The Nose on El Capitan was theirs for the taking in fall 2014. They set two speed records in a short period when they climbed The Nose in 5:02 and then 4:43. They took more than 1.5 hours off the old record of 7:26 which Smith-Gobat and Chantel Astorga set during a sub-24-hour link-up of The Nose and the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. That record was in turn nearly three hours faster than the previous women’s speed mark, set by Quinn Brett and Jes Meiris. Smith-Gobat described the technique they used to increase speed as “pretty risky… if I fall off, I’m hopefully not going to die, but I’m going to fall a hell of a long way before I hit the end of that rope… the main difference between us and the guys who are climbing it in 2:30, is that they simulclimb more of the upper half of the route, where we are short-fixing more to keep it within the safety margin we are happy with.” A post shared by Chantel Astorga (@chantel.astorga) Get the digital edition of Gripped for your chosen platform: A Turlock man was sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was convicted of arson and domestic violence was sentenced on Friday for the crimes that happened Sept neighbors at an apartment complex contacted police stating they heard a man assaulting a woman in one of the units Turlock Police officers conducted a security check at the unit identified by neighbors and located the victim She had sustained injuries resulting from the assault by Astorga according to the district attorney’s office The children were present during the domestic violence but were physically unharmed who was the father of the victim’s two children Astorga went looking for the victim at her relative’s home in a nearby apartment complex in the 1100 block of Colorado Avenue he threatened to burn down the relative’s apartment Astorga used an accelerant and started a vehicle fire in the carport area of the complex The initial call reported one vehicle on fire under a carport and was upgraded to a potential structure fire as the first engine from the Turlock Fire Department was dispatched to the call Very quickly the call was upgraded to a working structure fire as the flames raged from one vehicle to another and raced over the carport to the roofline of the single-story duplex and into the attic The Turlock Fire Department had every engine Squad 32 and a battalion chief responding to the scene one quint and additional battalion chiefs from other agencies The flames and smoke could be seen from a distance and several explosions rattled neighbors some of whom decided to leave the immediate area There were no injuries reported from the fire The blaze did displace six people from their apartments and burned eight cars The Turlock Police Department closed down Colorado Avenue between Hawkeye Avenue and Main Street and Escondido Avenue during the incident The officers setting up the traffic control were approached by some of the residents from the duplex who said they believed the fire started under their vehicle and that it was an intentional act The residents told the officers that Astruga was the ex-boyfriend of a relative and had come to the duplex looking for his ex-girlfriend he said he was leaving and it was in the immediate aftermath that the fire started Officers went to Astruga’s last known residence and found him there He attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended He was booked into Stanislaus County Jail on suspicion of domestic violence and 11 arson-related charges Doorbell cameras helped investigators determine it was an arson fire The Stanislaus County Fire Investigative Unit investigated the arson Deputy District Attorney Vita Palazuelos prosecuted this case on behalf of the People Belgium and Switzerland are synonymous with European chocolate ... but Spain's chocolate tradition is just as vast. The public understanding of Spanish chocolate often surfaces via churros dipped in hot chocolate sauce Spain is equally known for a solid version of the treat the region of Castilla y León epitomizes the unique nature of Spanish chocolate thanks to a history that's as rich as any dark chocolate It's not necessarily a chocolate recipe that distinguishes the city's — and all the stories and legends that trace the treat's origins legend has it that explorer Hernán Cortés brought Aztec and Mayan chocolate to Spain circa the 1500s after his daughter married the future Marquis of Astorga "the first document attesting to the presence of chocolate in Astorga dates back to 1636," Roberto Prieto Centeno "It appears in an inventory of the belongings of the city's Marquise which includes: 'A vessel from India for drinking chocolate.'" Regardless of its exact origin with more than 400 manufacturers to date registered in Astorga alone Nearly four centuries of history means that Spain's chocolatiers have had ample time to perfect their craft — and its taste the longstanding history of Spanish chocolate materializes in its quality of taste dozens of chocolate factories cropped up across Astorga transforming the city with chocolate production and along with meticulous care and attention to detail throughout the production process are hallmarks of Astorga chocolate," explained Astorga's Roberto Prieto Centeno For even more proof that quality of cocoa defines Spanish chocolate consider once again the treat's history in Castilla y León several Astorga chocolatiers supplied their products to the Spanish Royal Household and some won awards for their high quality at international exhibitions," said Centeno you'll find no shortage of factories — and samples — across the city no matter whether you take a sip or a bite Belpre City Schools fifth-grader Enzo Astorga spells a word during the the 43rd annual Marietta Times Regional Spelling Bee while second-place finisher Switzerland of Ohio Schools student Charlee Harper watches Astorga won the regional bee and will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee which takes place May 28-30 Spellers from around the country and even the world including Belpre City Schools fifth-grader Enzo Astorga are gearing up for the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee next week According to a Scripps National Spelling Bee media release 245 children ranging in age from 8 to 15 advanced through local and regional spelling bees to earn the chance to compete May 28 to May 30 in the bee at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor The bee’s website said the spellers hail from all 50 states Astorga earned his spot in the national bee by winning the 43rd annual Marietta Times Regional Spelling Bee beating out students from 12 school districts when he correctly spelled two words “languish” and “abject” and second place finisher Charlee Harper of Switzerland of Ohio Schools incorrectly spelled “chastise.” Scripps National Spelling Bee Executive Director Corrie Loeffler said in the release that each year she is moved by the stories she reads about spellers in the leadup to the national bee philanthropists and authors – they are multi-faceted young people,” Loeffler said “The thing they have in common is a shared love of language and the empowerment that comes from having the words to make connections and express their ideas.” Astorga fits the mold of a multi-faceted youth According to the Scripps National Spelling Bee website he is an 11-year-old with several hobbies including video games swimming and stargazing with his telescope The website said his favorite subject is science he likes cats of which he has two and he is the oldest of four children The release said that more than 73% or 180 spellers this year are competing for the first time in the Scripps National Spelling bee Astorga’s mother Stacy Schimke said that she and Enzo are doing “pretty good” in the lead up to the national spelling bee “We’ve been studying his words,” she said She said her mother has also been helping Astorga study the words too “I’m studying some parts of the week “They’re pretty hard words.” Schimke said that Astorga is excited and nervous about the national spelling bee “I think he’s nervous too because this is probably one of the biggest events he’s ever been to,” she said She also said she thinks Astorga is nervous because there will be cameras at the national spelling bee Schimke and Astorga have plans to enjoy some of the attractions that the Washington She said that the Scripps National Spelling Bee provided free tickets for a trolley tour and that they will see the Smithsonian Institution and the National Air and Space Museum “He’s excited to see (the museums) and play at a ‘goofy golf’ place,” Schimke said about her son “He’s excited because the resort has a pool.” Astorga agreed that he is “a little bit excited” about the spelling bee and said he wants to see the museums “They have a planetarium,” Astorga said Scripps Company Vice President of Communications Michael Perry the Scripps National Spelling Bee semifinals will be broadcast on ION from 8-10 p.m May 29 and the finals will air from 8-10 p.m To learn what other rounds will be broadcast and on what channels they will air | https://www.mariettatimes.com | 740-373-2121 or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading or sign up for a new account to continue reading We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content no promotional deals were found matching that code plans on opening in April 2025 at the Higgins Corner location in south Nevada County off of Highway 49 and Combie Road The family run restaurant takes pride in quality meals and ‘toasting’ to the blessings of each new day owner of the five locations of Mario’s Early Toast Mimosa Bar and Eatery sits with customers in his Granite Bay location A new location in South County is set to open in April 2025 sits with friends during breakfast at an Early Toast location in Rocklin Astorga wants people to know that his restaurants are not a franchise or chain and patrons will always be treated with care Mario’s Early Toast is opening a new location in South County Hours of operation are expected to be 6 a.m Two suites in the Higgins Corner shopping center await the construction of Mario’s Early Toast kitchen and dinning areas that will include both indoor and outdoor seating adjacent to the new Holiday Market Mario’s Early Toast Mimosa House and Eatery is expected to open in April 2025 The name or the restaurant’s name has meaning for the founder — to ‘toast’ to all the blessings God shares in his grace each day employees wear uniforms with the words ‘Love people’ on the back “We firmly believe that in today’s society it is so important to make sure that our patrons leave feeling loved so that they can continue to spread the warmth and kindness that they received in our restaurant to the rest of the community,” according to the owner of the family run restaurants The decor and lighting in the currently operating locations of Early Toast restaurants like this one at 8425 Sierra College Boulevard in Roseville bright and offers both indoor and outdoor seating A thriving breakfast and lunch restaurant called Mario’s Early Toast is expected to open in South Nevada County in April of next year The location has potential according to the founder and president of the five restaurants named after him The address of the newest Mario’s Early Toast is 10130 and 10140 Woodridge Drive in Auburn but most people know the growing area as Higgins Corner the gateway to South Nevada County along Highway 49 and off of Combie Road The breakfast menu is expected to include pro-fitness and gluten free options The lunch items pull from Astorga’s Mexican-American background and are made from a healthy balance of local ingredients and salads are available in good-sized portions because after all the full name for Astorga’s restaurant is Mario’s Early Toast: Mimosa House and Eatery The hours of operation at the current locations in Granite Bay One location will require approximately 100 employees and Cone and Astorga plan on holding a job fair when the time is right The interiors of each restaurant are fresh with spacious tables and booths available for inside or outside dining and breakfast and lunch plates are consistent from location to location and when the location at Higgins Corner opens in April according to CEO of Mario’s Early Toast Amanda Cone The restaurants are popular and successful “People need to know what the principles and morals of ownership are nowadays,” Astorga said “Because we’re not a corporate type of restaurant We are a community restaurant that is family owned Astorga says Early Toast is not an Applebee’s or a Denny’s or a TGI Fridays and that his cooks crack real eggs and use fresh ingredients cooked as he would for his own family or friends “Amanda (Cone) and I made a decision that when the day comes that we can’t manage our restaurants properly then we shouldn’t be opening more restaurants,” Astorga said “As long as we can manage the quality of our product like they say — It’s better to have quality than quantity.” Quality of service is also important to Astorga whose employees wear a uniform T-shirt that reads “Love people” on the back “We also want to have the quality of the service and the love that we’re showing because if we franchise our company We don’t want to lose all that,” Astorga said Astorga and Cone do not intend on opening more restaurants outside of the Placer Astorga recently purchased a home near the Dark Horse Golf Course community and his children attend a local Christian school “We like where we’re at because of the type of community that we have Astorga and Cone both agree that the balance in their partnership is part of their success “I believe that our restaurants are a platform for God’s word,” Astorga said “I’d rather represent God than anything else in my life.” Astorga said that Cone has strengths that balance out his weaknesses when it comes to business “If I didn’t put my pride to the side and say I need you to use your strengths for my weaknesses,’ then we can’t succeed,” Astorga said “We have to learn to acknowledge what our weaknesses are and what we can do to improve.” Astorga admits he has seen failure in business He thanks his mother for her strong advice and God’s grace for allowing him to heed it “I came to the Sacramento area with a team called the Sacramento Knights in the 90s,” Astorga said but had a lot of failures — failure after failure.” but he made a lot of bad choices and that he was taking a lot for granted the things God was giving to him “For a long time I took it for granted,” Astorga said of his blessings “So I think that’s where God came into my life and said but I want you to notice what’s happening in your life right now.’” Astorga said that he did not keep his priorities or balance between his family and his businesses “I was so afraid of failing in life that I was failing with my family at home — zero attention to the family and 100 percent attention to the restaurant business Life began to change around 2016 for Astorga when Cone came into his life as an employee for the first small Early Toast location in Granite Bay about the time he said he began to prioritize God in his life as well as the sad news that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer “I remember what God did from that point on; it was like He opened my eyes and He said ‘This is what I do for you.’ And he started changing my whole life As I did that our life started changing,” Astorga said In the short period of time of about five years now and Astorga says that he continues to walk with the Lord Early Toast was opened up with the intention of cheering to the blessing of each day “Let’s cheer to the good start to the day,” Astorga said You can toast with a glass of orange juice everybody has obstacles to overcome… but we all need each other.” Astorga tells his employees that the message on the back of their uniforms some people can’t afford to go out and have breakfast Some people only go out once a month,” Astorga said “Please make sure that those people feel like they’re being treated special Astorga and Cone say that as business people they choose the location for their restaurants carefully “I believe the Auburn location — where we’re about to open — is almost like a godsend… It hasn’t been easy We have had all kinds of obstacles against us but that was almost like a godsend spot for us to open there.” To find out more about Early Toast, go to their website at https://mariosearlytoast.com/ To contact Staff Writer Marianne Boll-See, email mboll-see@theunion.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Aurelia Astorga Acosta,82 of Palmyra passed away peacefully on Saturday  She was born in Mexico on November 25,1941 to Galdina and Dolores (nee: Astorga) Acosta  Aurelia lived most of her life in El Paso Texas where she was a nanny for the Lipson family and also worked as a nurse’s aide Robert and Nadia Lipson and their children Malcom and Hilary were very special to Aurelia and they remained close lifelong friends  Aurelia will be remembered as a loving mother Galdino (Kelly) Acosta and Emilio (Victoria) Fileto  She is the dear sister of Roberto Acosta and Guadalupe Shanklin; special aunt of Maria Dolores (Felipe) Martinez Francisco “Poncho” (Cheryl) Lazcano A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday March 27,2024 at Southminster Presbyterian Church Wi 53189 at 4:00 PM with a memorial service and reception to follow.  Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: Check out our preview of tonight's episode of NBC's Melissa Roxburgh-starring The Hunting Party Season 1 Episode 8: "Denise Glenn." and Sara Garcia-starring The Hunting Party asset to be unleashed across our screens tonight we have a look at what's to come in S01E08: "Denise Glenn." Bex (Roxburgh) and the team are facing a very different yet still very deadly threat when an escaped serial killer looks to pay their bloody respects to another inmate's killing style and official image gallery for this week's chapter: The Hunting Party Season 1 Episode 8: "Denise Glenn" – The student becomes the master when an escaped serial killer from the Pit decides to adopt another inmate's style of killing as a way of paying homage to them with a screenplay by Keto Shimizu and David Loong This dynamic and suspenseful thrill ride of a crime procedural follows a small team of investigators led by former FBI profiler Rebecca "Bex" Henderson (Melissa Roxburgh) They've been assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous serial killers the world has ever seen all of whom have just escaped from the Pit – a top-secret government prison that's not supposed to exist As Bex races to catch these killers before it's too late she discovers the one thing more twisted than the dangerous fugitives she's chasing is the prison itself that they just escaped from – because the Pit wasn't just a prison… Series creator and co-showrunner JJ Bailey and co-showrunner Jake Coburn write and executive produce NBC's The Hunting Party. Thor Freudenthal is the director and executive producer, and Keto Shimizu is the writer and executive producer. The series is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Enjoyed this? Please share on social media! Volume 15 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1341701 Nature exhibits an enormous diversity of organisms that thrive in extreme environments From snow algae that reproduce at sub-zero temperatures to radiotrophic fungi that thrive in nuclear radiation at Chernobyl extreme organisms raise many questions about the limits of life Is there any environment where life could not “find a way” Although many individual extremophilic organisms have been identified and studied there remain outstanding questions about the limits of life and the extent to which extreme properties can be enhanced we compile the current knowledge on the bioengineering of extremophile microbes We summarize what is known about the basic mechanisms of extreme adaptations compile synthetic biology’s efforts to engineer extremophile organisms beyond what is found in nature and highlight which adaptations can be combined The basic science of extremophiles can be applied to engineered organisms tailored to specific biomanufacturing needs such as growth in high temperatures or in the presence of unusual solvents This will require microbes that are well adapted to chemically unusual feedstocks derived in part from highly oxidized Moon regolith or perchlorate-containing Mars regolith in extreme bioprocessing conditions can enable robust and low-cost synthesis of biological products We aim to not just understand the basic science of extremophile biology but also how that basic science supports current and future extremophilic bioengineering The table below summarizes the current understanding of how each category of extremophile adaptation works, and whether there is precedent for deliberately endowing a new organism with this adaptation through bioengineering (Table 1) such as low or high temperature and high radiation and are mechanistically quite well understood Other extremes require more complex equipment to simulate most notably altered gravity and high and low pressure This presents a substantial barrier for experimentation but more research is needed to replicate and interpret results Low gravity is an especially challenging extreme to study due to the cost and technical complexity of conducting experiments. Low gravity eliminates convection, which may substantially alter the function of microorganisms in ways that may be difficult to simulate on the ground. Low gravity simulation devices can prevent sedimentation but do not eliminate convection (Vroom et al., 2022) and it remains unknown the extent to which these devices are a good proxy for low gravity microbial growth To reliably investigate low gravity conditions experiments must be done on experimental platforms in space Studies of organisms growing on solid media under low pressure may clarify some of these issues This is one of the examples where genetic parts from one species can improve survival for another These strains differ in pH homeostatic mechanisms and growth pH range though their cytoplasmic pH ranges share a common alkaline limit Microbes can survive conditions too extreme for growth A visualization of the thriving and survival limits of organisms For a list of citations for each organism in each condition Graphs indicate the limits of thriving and survival in extreme conditions of temperature and salinity (% NaCl) for each of the five organisms Extremophile bioengineering studies should separately characterize the contribution of gene reregulation and the contribution of genome-level changes Root causes of stress under extreme conditions There are several essential cellular functions that are frequently the proximal cause of disruption in extreme conditions (A) it can lead to disruption of other essential functions Resistance mechanisms can protect against multiple extremes with the same root cause (C) and stressors with opposite root causes can be easier to tolerate together than separately (D) This may demonstrate a fundamental limit for microbial metabolism or it may be a reflection of evolution in environments with limited variation in pH and temperature and relative efficiency between known adaptations will improve design and bioengineering of microbes with extremophilic traits Some trade-offs may be a reflection of the chosen selective conditions Extremophile engineering can combine strategies logically (Figure 3). If there are known genes with known functions conferring resistance to the target extreme condition, they can be used as a starting point for engineering and directed evolution. If no usable sequence-function relationships are known, metagenomic screens and functional genomics can discover new genes with the desired function (Mirete et al., 2016) Adaptive laboratory evolution can be used to further integrate refine and evolve the transferred genes within the original genome Polyextremophiles bioengineering approaches This graph sketches the current approaches taken to evolve microorganisms which can be combined in series to maximize the resilience achieved Our consistently improving understanding of extremophiles and their mechanisms of adaptation provide new opportunities to actively engineer new extremophilic capabilities extremophile properties that are simple to simulate in the lab (especially high temperature tolerance and salt tolerance) are thoroughly studied and the ability to deliberately engineer these properties in target microbes has been explored To expand our capacity to engineer biology scientists need new tools to identify and culture unusual extremophile microbes under stringent growth conditions Climate scientists and the biomanufacturing industry can provide the essential insights to identify the best opportunities for the engineering of extreme biology As the field shifts to focus toward bioengineering so too will the vocabulary — the reporting for studies must focus more directly on measuring rates of biomass or protein production under extreme conditions rather than simply reporting binary survival or death Unanswered questions remain about the extent to which extremophile properties can be combined we know enough about the root causes of stress under extreme conditions to deliberately equip microbes with adaptations that are likely to enhance performance in a new extreme environment natural organisms continue to surprise us with new mechanisms for adaptation making it valuable to continue to sample and study new wildtype organisms from extreme environments Further study into the fundamental limits of life and new methods for systematic probes of these limits will allow us to engineer custom microbes designed to thrive in the exotic artificial niches encountered in the future JM: Writing – review & editing DS: Writing – review & editing UN: Writing – review & editing SP: Writing – review & editing LV: Writing – review & editing PS: Writing – review & editing AH: Writing – review & editing CC: Writing – review & editing The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research and ED were supported by the Francis Crick Institute which receives its core funding from Cancer Research UK (CC2239) and a Steel Perlot Early Investigator Grant UN and ED are supported by funding from The Astera Institute AH is supported by Medical Research Council core funding (MC-A658-5TY40) The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher The Supplementary material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1341701/full#supplementary-material High-temperature fermentation: how can processes for ethanol production at high temperatures become superior to the traditional process using mesophilic yeast Multivalent binding of the tardigrade Dsup protein to chromatin promotes yeast survival and longevity upon exposure to oxidative damage Non-enzymatic depurination of nucleic acids: factors and mechanisms Exploitation of microbial activities at low pH to enhance planetary health The first acidobacterial laccase-like multicopper oxidase revealed by metagenomics shows high salt and thermo-tolerance Microbial biomanufacturing for 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Erika DeBenedictis, ZXJpa2FAcGlvbmVlci1sYWJzLm9yZw== Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church Americans Chantel Astorga and Jim Morrison have made the first ski descent of Great Trango Tower (6,286 m) in Pakistan The famous peak is located in the Trango massif next to Nameless Tower They followed a meandering line down the glaciated west face in what is now one of the greatest descents in ski mountaineering since the dawn of the sport The trio spent nearly a month at base camp waiting for the right conditions then spent four nights at their high camp before skiing down edge of the world kinda shit,” said Lusti Lusti and Morrison attempted to ski Great Trango Tower last spring with Nick McNutt, but they were forced back just below the summit. “To be up there in the flow climbing, and skiing was real life magic,” said Lusti. “I am proud.” A post shared by The North Face (@thenorthface) Enzo Astorga felt good leaving the stage Friday night after winning the 43rd annual Marietta Times Regional Spelling Bee at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theater correctly spelled “languish,” besting Charlee Harper of the Switzerland of Ohio School district for first place Astorga said he participated in the spelling bee because he wanted to see how it was and winning felt good “I just wanted to try it out,” Astorga said Astorga’s mother Stacey Shimke said it is awesome that he won the regional spelling bee “I am very proud of him,” Shimke said Astorga will go to the Scripps National Spelling Bee which takes place from May 28 to June 3 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor Students from 12 local school districts competed Friday in the 43rd annual Marietta Times Regional Spelling Bee at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theater The theater was filled with students and their supporters to watch the showdown between the area’s best spellers from Marietta City Schools Miller was the pronouncer and The Marietta Times staffer Candice Black was a judge The Marietta Times Executive Editor Christina Myer emceed the bee Marietta College has been involved in the spelling bee for years who said he was honored to be a part of it “I think things like the spelling bee are crucial for young people to stay engaged in learning.” Group A participated in the first round and Group B participated in the second round The top four from the first and second rounds went to the third round to compete for the $100 grand prize The first round spellers were tripped by words like “financier,” “anglophile,” “meteor” and “reprieve.” It took several turns to get down to the top four spellers in round one Mary and Kayley Scheider of Switzerland of Ohio made it to the third and final round The second round of spellers grappled with words like “nervily,” “cinematic,” “serenade” and ‘inflammable.’ Charee Harper from St Mica Mondo from Veritas and Ojaswi Gautam from Marietta advanced to the third and final round The third round saw participants trying to spell “refrigerant,” “quittance” and “cabaret.” At the end of the third round the only two left standing were Astorga and Harper They spelled back and forth for about a half an hour sometimes getting several words right in a row To win one child had to get a word wrong and the other had to correctly spell two in a row That happened with Astorga correctly spelling “languish,” then Harper misspelling “chastise.” Astorga then correctly spelled “abject,” making him the winner of the 43rd annual Marietta Times Regional Spelling Bee The students who placed were: Enzo Astorga Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting ! 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Volume 18 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnana.2024.1348032 The brain contains thousands of millions of synapses synapses can be classified into two primary morphological types: Gray’s type I and type II corresponding to Colonnier’s asymmetric (AS) and symmetric (SS) synapses AS and SS have a thick and thin postsynaptic density since most AS are excitatory (glutamatergic) and proportion of the two major cortical types of synapses is critical not only to better understand synaptic organization in terms of connectivity several technical challenges complicate the study of synapses Potassium ferrocyanide has been utilized in recent volume electron microscope studies to enhance electron density in cellular membranes becomes more challenging as the postsynaptic densities become thinner with increasing concentrations of potassium ferrocyanide Here we describe a protocol employing Focused Ion Beam Milling and Scanning Electron Microscopy for studying brain tissue The focus is on the unequivocal identification of AS and SS types To validate SS observed using this protocol as GABAergic experiments with immunocytochemistry for the vesicular GABA transporter were conducted on fixed mouse brain tissue sections This material was processed with different concentrations of potassium ferrocyanide aiming to determine its optimal concentration We demonstrate that using a low concentration of potassium ferrocyanide (0.1%) improves membrane visualization while allowing unequivocal identification of synapses as AS or SS These compounds facilitate the reconstruction of cellular processes and the automatic segmentation of electron microscope images To confirm that the SS observed with our FIB-SEM protocol (which includes potassium ferrocyanide) were indeed GABAergic we conducted a series of experiments with different concentrations of potassium ferrocyanide aiming to determine the optimal concentration The main equipment used to set up the technique was as follows: Vibratome (Leica VT 1200S); Variable Wattage Microwave (PELCO BioWave Pro 36,500–230); Ultramicrotome (Leica EM UC6); Diamond Knive (Diatome Histo #5961); Sputter Coater (Quorum Emitech SC7620); and Focused Ion Beam – Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM; Zeiss 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PB): the solution contains 2.65 g of sodium di-hydrogen phosphate 1-hydrate (PanReac #131965) and 14 g of di-potassium hydrogen phosphate (PanReac #121512) in 1 L of distilled H2O; pH 7.4 Perfusion fixation solution: 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA; Electron Microscopy Sciences #15714-S) in PB The solution must be prepared just before use in a fume hood Sectioning solution: 10% sucrose (PanReac #57501) in PB Cryoprotection solution: 30% sucrose in PB Preincubation solution: 3% bovine serum albumin (BSA; Sigma #A4503-50G) in PB Primary antibody solution: rabbit anti-Vesicular GABA Transporter Antibody (VGAT; Synaptic Systems #131003; 1:2000) and 3% BSA in PB Positive control of primary antibody solution: rabbit anti-parvoalbumin (PV; ABCAM #AB11427; 1:1000) and 3% BSA in PB Secondary antibody solution: biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody (Vector Laboratories #BA-1000; 1:200) and 3% BSA in PB Avidin-Biotin Complex (ABC)-based detection method: the solution contains 0.008% reagent A (Avidin; ABC Elite) and 0.008% reagent B (biotinylated HRP ABC Elite) from the ABC kit (Vector Laboratories #PK-6100) in PB Preincubation solution of 3,3′-Diaminobenzidine (DAB): 0.05% DAB (Sigma #D5905) in PB Prepare immediately before use in a fume hood and protect from light Filter with a syringe filter (Acrodisc 0.2 μm Incubation solution of DAB: immediately before use add 0.01% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2; Merck # 1.07209.1000) to the DAB solution described above and mix well Second postfixation solution: freshly prepared 4% PFA and 0.003% calcium chloride (CaCl2; Sigma #C-2661) in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer (Sigma #C0250) Microwave postfixation solution: freshly prepared 2% PFA and 0.003% CaCl2 in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer First osmium solution — prepared with or without potassium ferrocyanide: 1% OsO4 (Sigma #O5500) 0.1% or 1% potassium ferrocyanide (Probus #23345) and 0.003% CaCl2 in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer Always handle osmium and potassium ferrocyanide in a fume hood Second osmium solution: 1% OsO4 and 0.003% CaCl2 in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer Uranyl acetate solution for en bloc staining: the solution contains 1% uranyl acetate (Electron Microscopy Sciences #22400) in 50 Silver paint (Electron Microscopy Sciences 8 weeks old) for the technique outlined in this study Two of these mice were utilized to assess various concentrations of potassium ferrocyanide The remaining two mice were dedicated to VGAT validation — one with potassium ferrocyanide (0.1%) and the other without potassium ferrocyanide All animal handling procedures were conducted in accordance with the guidelines for animal research outlined in the European Community Directive 2010/63/EU and all procedures were approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) anesthetize the animals with an intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital (40 mg/kg) and then intracardially perfuse with 100 mL of freshly prepared fixation solution (4% PFA in 0.1 M PB) Postfix the brains for 6 to 16 h (overnight) in the postfixation solution (4% PFA in 0.1 M PB) cut the brains into sections (150 μm thick) using a vibratome and collect them in a sectioning solution (sucrose 10% in 0.1 M PB) in 24-well flat-bottom plates This part of the procedure was carried out as follows: (1) Postfix the sections for 48 h at 4°C in the second postfixation solution (4% PFA 0.2% GA and 0.003% CaCl2 in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer) 10 min each) in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer (3) Perform microwave postfixation by placing the sections in the microwave postfixation solution (2% PFA and 0.003% CaCl2 in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer) for 1 min at 50°C using the variable wattage microwave at 150 W power Carefully add the fixative using a plastic Pasteur pipette without agitating the sections to prevent curling or folding This step should be conducted in a fume hood (4) Wash the sections three times in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer (5) Osmicate the sections for 1 h in the first osmium solution in a fume hood Slowly add and remove the osmium solution using a plastic Pasteur pipette to avoid folding or breaking the sections sections become brittle and should be handled with care (6) Wash the sections three times in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer (7) Osmicate the sections again for 1 h with the second osmium solution in a fume hood Using a variable wattage microwave at 50°C dehydrate the sections in a series of uranyl acetate solutions starting with 50% ethanol and continue with a solution of 1% uranyl acetate in increasing ethanol concentrations (50–70%-90–100%) finishing with absolute ethanol and clear three times in acetone (40 s each step) with a variable wattage microwave (under vacuum conditions at 70°C 1 part acetone — followed by a solution of 4 parts Araldite and 1 part acetone and finishing with a 3-step embedding with pure Araldite Store the sections embedded in pure Araldite at 4°C for 8–16 h (overnight) Temper the sections for 30 min at room temperature Change the Araldite to a freshly prepared mixture and leave the sections to rest for three to 4 h Flat-embed each section by placing them between two silicone coater slides covered with a transparent film for 48 h at 60°C To ensure that the flat-embedding is homogenous the flat-embedded sections must be examined and photographed under an optical microscope to select the region of interest trim and glue the region of interest (in this case: the primary somatosensory cortex) with cyanoacrylate onto a blank Araldite block Use a microtome and a diamond knife to obtain serial semithin sections Photograph the surface of the block to establish landmarks (such as blood vessels or other morphological features) which will later be used to precisely locate the area to be imaged with the FIB-SEM Once the region of interest has been selected in the Araldite block mount it on an SEM specimen stub with a conductive carbon sticker (Electron Microscopy Sciences the block must be covered with silver paint It is important not to cover or spill silver droplets on the upper surface of the block where the specimen is located the base of the block must be carefully painted to ensure electrical continuity between the Araldite block and the specimen stub Allow the paint to dry for at least 24 h in a vacuum desiccator Charge dissipation from the upper surface of the block is achieved by gold–palladium sputter-coating for 60 s or other metals are also suitable for sputter coating but care must be taken not to cover the specimen with a layer that is too thick as this might obscure surface details The surface of the block is then photographed with the SEM using the secondary electron detector The landmarks in the section that were previously identified with the optical microscope (mainly small blood vessels) are also visible with the SEM so the region of interest can be precisely located A viewing trench is then excavated with the FIB using a 7 nA milling current to provide visual access to the region that we plan to image The front face of this trench must be located close enough to the target to allow its identification The ion beam and the electron beam can be used simultaneously so it is possible to monitor the progression of the trench as it is being excavated We then use a smaller FIB current (700 pA) to progressively mill the front face of the trench in steps of 20 nm we remove 20 nm of material with the FIB and then use the SEM to take a microphotograph of the freshly milled surface the angle between the SEM and the FIB is 54° so the angle of incidence of the SEM on the surface to be imaged is 36° The resulting perspective deformation is automatically corrected by the microscope software during acquisition (SmartSEM 6.02; Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd.) so no distortion is present in the final images Since the milling/imaging cycle can be fully automated, serial images of the target are obtained. We routinely use a milling step of 20 nm (equivalent to section thickness) and a resolution in the X-Y plane of 5 nm/pixel, so the actual voxel size is 5 nm × 5 nm × 20 nm (Merchán-Pérez et al., 2009) Other resolutions and milling steps can also be used and the length of the series of sections can be selected according to the researcher’s needs we primarily use synaptic membrane densities for synapse counting especially when accompanied by synaptic vesicles near the presynaptic density irrespective of the angle of section through which the synaptic junctions are viewed (i.e. whether a synaptic cleft is evident or not) the identification of synapses relies on examining all serial sections where each individual synapse is visible the 3D course of the axons can be followed within stacks of sections to confirm the nature (AS or SS) of the synapses established in all their synaptic contacts We conducted pre-embedding immunocytochemical labeling of VGAT in fixed brain tissue sections and subsequently processed the tissue for FIB/SEM with the following modifications to investigate the synaptic contacts established by VGAT-positive boutons 150 μm-thick sections are cryoprotected using sucrose 30% in 0.1 M PB overnight Permeabilize sections using liquid nitrogen Place two to three brain sections in 5 mL Eppendorf tubes remove the remaining sucrose solution and ensure that the sections are distributed along the Eppendorf tube surface Immerse the Eppendorf tubes in the liquid nitrogen solution for 2 or 3 s Immediately after the cryopermeabilization Once the sections return to their usual transparent appearance slowly add 0.1 M PB (4°C) to the Eppendorf tube and store again at 4°C Carefully place the permeabilized section in 24-well flat-bottom plates filled with 0.1 M PB 10 min each) in 0.1 M PB pre-incubate the sections with the preincubation solution (3% BSA in 0.1 M PB) for 2 h under agitation at room temperature Incubate with the primary antibody incubation solution (rabbit anti-Vesicular GABA Transporter Antibody in 3% BSA - 500 μL/section) for 48 h under agitation at 4°C A positive control is recommended to exclude any possible miscoupling during the antibody reaction Allow the sections to temper for 10–15 min at room temperature Incubate the sections with the secondary biotinylated antibody solution (biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody for 2 h under agitation at room temperature 10 min each) with 0.1 M PB Incubate the sections with the Avidin-Biotin Complex (ABC)-based detection kit to amplify the secondary antibody signal for 1 h under agitation at room temperature Wash three times in 0.1 M PB at room temperature pre-incubate the sections in DAB solution without H2O2 incubate in DAB solution with H2O2 for 1 min so visually monitor the color of the sections until the precipitate has reached the desired intensity This can also be checked using an optical microscope Stop the reaction by washing the sections three times (10 min each) in 0.1 M PB follow the processing procedure for electron microscopy: postfixation and osmication are performed as described above but adding 7% glucose (Merck #1.08337.0250 in the first and second osmium solutions to avoid excessive darkening of the sections) The first osmium solution contains 0.1% potassium ferrocyanide en bloc staining and embedding are performed as described above the quality of the EM images remained excellent and AS and SS could be clearly distinguished through serial sections we unambiguously identified 88 SS and 836 AS Images obtained by FIB/SEM showing the neuropil of the somatosensory cortex of mice The sample was treated with 1% potassium ferrocyanide and not permeabilized with liquid nitrogen (A) Low-magnification FIB/SEM image from a stack to illustrate the good quality of the EM image (B–I) Various examples of synapses on different dendritic spines AS are challenging to identify because the postsynaptic densities are relatively thin Scale bar (in I) indicates 468 nm for (A) The sample was treated with 0.1% potassium ferrocyanide and not permeabilized with liquid nitrogen an example of a low-magnification FIB/SEM image from a stack highlights AS and SS synapses with green and red arrowheads (B–I) Various serial sections at higher magnification of the same SS (red arrow) (J–M) Various serial sections of the same AS (green arrow) from the image stack The section number is indicated in the top right-hand corner of each image Scale bar (in M) indicates 468 nm for (A) The red arrow indicates a VGAT-positive terminal forming an SS (magnified in C) AT indicates another VGAT-positive terminal (magnified in D) and double asterisks indicate neuropil magnified in E (C) Higher magnification of the VGAT-positive terminal forming an SS (red arrow) and the VGAT-positive terminal (1) forming an SS with the cell somata in further serial sections shown in B (D) Example of a VGAT-positive terminal in which the intensity of the staining decreases as the distance to the surface of the section increases (E) Example of a VGAT-negative terminal forming an AS Scale bar (in E) indicates 5 μm for (A) 800 nm for (B) and 370 nm for (C–E) These VGAT-positive terminals established SS, while VGAT-negative axon terminals established AS (Figure 4) AS (A) and SS (B) identification from FIB/SEM images in VGAT-immunostained tissue permeabilized with liquid nitrogen and treated with 0.1% potassium ferrocyanide Sequence of FIB-SEM serial images of an AS (C–J) and an SS (K–R) Numbers on the top right of each panel indicate the number of each section from the stack of FIB/SEM images Synapse classification was performed based on the thickness of the PSD and the VGAT-positive labeling of the presynaptic terminal through the examination of full sequences of serial images Green arrows indicate the beginning (C) and the end (J) of the AS Red arrows indicate the beginning (K) and the end (R) of the SS Note the VGAT-positive presynaptic staining on the SS Scale bar (in R) indicates 250 nm for (A,B) Identification of SS on neuronal soma from FIB/SEM images in VGAT-immunostained tissue permeabilized with liquid nitrogen and treated with 0.1% potassium ferrocyanide White asterisk indicates the neuronal soma (B–I) sequence of FIB-SEM serial images of an SS established on the neuronal soma Red arrows indicate the beginning (B) and the end (I) of the SS Scale bar (in I) indicates 520 nm for (A) We analyzed 266 serial images in the neuropil within the penetration zone of immunostaining, corresponding to 4,184 μm3, and identified 265 AS and 23 SS. All SS (8% of total synapses) were formed by VGAT-positive terminals, while all AS (92%) were established by VGAT-negative terminals (Figure 6) Identification and segmentation of synapses (A–D) Screenshots of the EspINA software user interface the sections are viewed through the xy plane (as obtained by FIB/SEM microscopy) are also shown in adjacent windows (on the right) (B) 3D view showing the three orthogonal planes and the 3D reconstruction of AS (green) and SS (red) segmented synaptic junctions (C) 3D reconstructed synaptic junctions of both AS and SS (D) 3D reconstructed synaptic junctions of SS Scale bar (in D) indicates 2 μm for (B–D) This aligns with the findings of Turégano-López et al. (2021), who studied VGAT-positive boutons using FIB/SEM without the use of potassium ferrocyanide. As depicted in Figure 7, the morphology of the synaptic junctions formed by VGAT-positive boutons in this material (without potassium ferrocyanide) is similar to those observed in brain sections using 0.1% potassium ferrocyanide (Figure 4) it is recommended to use the latter concentration of potassium ferrocyanide after the first fixation in paraformaldehyde sections are postfixed in solutions containing glutaraldehyde synaptic organization datasets with incorrect assumptions regarding SS identification could introduce an important source of bias The fact that only VGAT-positive boutons establish SS corroborates the widely accepted correspondence between SS and inhibitory synapses as well as between AS and excitatory synapses in the cerebral cortex The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary material further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author The animal study was approved by the European Community Directive 2010/63/EU and the Local Ethics Committee of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) The study was conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research This work was supported by the following Grants: PID2021-127924NB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033; CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform - Cajal Blue Brain (PTI-BLUEBRAIN; Spain); and CIBERNED Research Fellowships funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 for NC-A We would like to thank Nick Guthrie for his excellent editorial assistance The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision The Supplementary material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnana.2024.1348032/full#supplementary-material Alonso-Nanclares Cortical synapses of the world's smallest mammal: an FIB/SEM study in 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) *Correspondence: Javier DeFelipe, ZGVmZWxpcGVAY2FqYWwuY3NpYy5lcw== †These authors have contributed equally to this work You must be logged in to post a comment SUBSCRIBE › Chantel Astorga takes a stoked selfie during her solo ascent of Denali’s Cassin Ridge Chantel Astorga became the first woman to solo the Cassin Ridge on Denali (20,310′) completing the route in just 14 hours and 39 minutes whittling the time down to 8:07 in the summer of 2018 That time alone in the mountains has always been powerful for me in ways I can’t explain I guess I simply just wanted to feel what it was like to be alone on a technical route in the big mountains and the Cassin Ridge seemed like a perfect fit.” her initial plan was to spend a few weeks at the 14,000-foot camp on the West Buttress of Denali Originally she intended to make two trips from there to the West Buttress summit ridge Astorga carried a 2.5-pound lightweight bivy kit a single fuel canister and a lightweight rescue beacon She also brought a 40-meter piece of 5mm rope and two ice screws in case of retreat she climbed in a pair of lightweight ski-mountaineering boots with extra-warm liners Astorga left 14K Camp and ascended 2,000 feet to the West Rib Then she made the first recorded ski descent of the Seattle Ramp blue ice and crevasses that pushed Astorga to the edge of her comfort zone Astorga drops in to greet some friends: “I skied into the ‘schrund to say hello after descending the Seattle Ramp and then continued on my way,” she said Astorga can be seen as a tiny dot on the flanks of Denali “I arrived at the base of the climb in the early afternoon as the clouds gave way to sunshine and slept until 4 a.m I woke up in go-mode and things were feeling right mixed climbing through the Japanese Couloir and the First and Second Rock Bands the same party that had come down the Seattle Ramp had also put in a nice boot pack on the lower slopes of the route snow had blown in and she had to route find again She had been on the upper slopes in years past once via the Denali Diamond and once via the Slovak Direct She went into cruise control and punched it for the top she quickly made her way back to 14K Camp in 2.5 hours via the West Buttress “I think Chantel’s solo ascent is very cool,” Haley said “It is the first female solo of arguably the most iconic alpine climb on the continent A route that requires a real big-mountain skillset to solo It’s notable how quickly she climbed the route She did it faster than the Mugs Stump record that stood for nearly 20 years.” noted that Astorga’s ascent “is one of the most impressive things done in the Alaska Range.” When asked what the highlights from the climb were “I think just being alone was amazing for me It’s not something I’d want to do often as I really enjoy sharing those experiences with a good friend Current IssueSubscribeAlpinist App  PodcastAboutSubmission GuidelinesContact UsPrivacy PolicyUser Agreement Find Alpinist in your local shop Tel: 802-644-6606contact@alpinist.com HEIGHT OF LAND PUBLICATIONSAlpinist • Backcountry • Cross Country Skier • Mountain Flyer and Chantel Astorga successfully completed the first-ever ski descent of Great Trango Towers in Pakistan on May 9 The vertical faces of Trango Towers are among the world’s tallest cliffs and the climb is considered one of the world’s hardest The team around Jim Morrison attempted the descent on skis last year but had to abandon the quest after three failed attempts The Trango Towers lie on a northwest to southeast-running ridge in Pakistan Two glaciers enclose the range: Trango Glacier to the west and the Dunge Glacier to the east The team around Morrison climbed the Great Trango massif which has three peaks The mountain range was first climbed in 1977 but the majority of succesful ascents occured in the late 1980s and early 1990s The expedition under Jim Morrison’s leadership was sponsored by The North Face “We sent it,” the American ski mountaineer shared on Instagram “I shared this summit view of the Karakoram’s highest and most prolific peaks with two amazing women Christina Lustenberger and Chantel Astorga It’s not lost on me that these two badass women were big inspirations to Hilaree and I felt her spirit strongly as we climbed onto the precarious summit.” Morrison had lost his life partner Hilaree Nelson during their ski descent of Manaslu in 2022 The pair had been the first people to ski from the 27,940-foot summit of Lhotse in 2018 About | Privacy Policy | Advertising| Editorial | Contact Us Subscribe | Login and optimistic individual seeking better ways to do business.” I used to pretend play to be a banker: I would put on my blazer (the only one I had) along with my most professional-looking shorts grabbed an empty cardboard box to use as a desk and served my only imaginary customer – Ms Vortex (inspired by a character from the Jimmy Neutron cartoon show) Most Recent Employer and Job Title: In-house lawyer (young professional program) at Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) what are the first things that come to mind How have your experiences with the Mendoza program thus far reinforced or upended these early impressions Mendoza is a strong believer in the good in business motivating each of the students to go beyond what the business customs might be to find better ways – often through collaboration and teamwork – to have a stronger positive impact in the local and global communities The school offers core and elective courses related to ethical and inspirational business leadership creating a sense of camaraderie within the cohort Incorporating a multi-cultural and multi-background learning team from day one the program is able to shape competent leaders with a global vision who maximize well-being to all the stakeholders of a business what was the key part of the Mendoza MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you In addition to the variety of majors available to the MBA students to choose from Mendoza’s focus on experiential learning was a key driver of my decision the possibility to participate in the Business on the Frontlines course to understand the real-world effects of business decisions and the international immersion experience to see business from a different perspective are important aspects of a well-rounded leadership formation program club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Mendoza The course I have enjoyed the most so far due to its different approach to leadership is Leading People and Teams with Professor Colquitt The course features a series of reading assignments on scientific research that offer strong evidence of the science behind leadership Through this and lectures that provide insights on how to apply leadership principles to the organizational context the course grants powerful tools that can be used to leverage human resources capabilities in the best possible way I have truly enjoyed the learn-by-doing approach of the courses in Mendoza: The in-class group problems in courses like Managerial Economics and Financial Accounting and online marketplace simulations in Marketing Management are the most useful way to learn complex conceptual and theoretical aspects of the lectures Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: During my time at a development bank I had the opportunity to lead a pilot program funded by an important multilateral organization that would grant credit loans for technological improvement on small and mid-sized farms accompanied by technical assistance to implement better farming practices we achieved outstanding results for this program that would open channels for similar programs in the future: The program had more than 3,000 beneficiaries with an average loan of six-thousand dollars significant improvement of productivity indicators and a default rate lower than the average in the national financial system for the industries financed Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far As someone with no finance education background – and someone who was honestly afraid of how I would perform in this subject area – being able to obtain the highest letter grade possible for the Finance and Financial Accounting courses and receiving emails from professors congratulating me on my performance in the finals is something that I’m very proud of It motivates me to keep working as hard as I can to succeed in every challenge I might encounter in my academic and professional life Mendoza is known as a purpose-driven MBA program that asks students to “Grow the good in business.” What is your mission and how has Mendoza been helping you realize it I have seen first-hand from past and current experiences in my home country how businesses determine the faith of a society (for better or for worse) This motivated me to do good business – not only in terms of profitability but also in terms of contribution to employees although I knew what I wanted to do and what my life-purpose was I didn’t know how to put my ideas into practice; thanks to the Mendoza program I have been able to understand how businesses impact society what better practices can be implemented in the business setting to make everyone better off by the existence of your business and how to get other people as motivated as you are about an idea What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Mendoza MBA program Explore and try to define what your purpose is and how Mendoza fits in that purpose; if you are able to prove that you know who you are and have a clear goal in mind for your career path Mendoza will be more than willing to help you build the necessary skills for your professional life DON’T MISS: MEET NOTRE DAME MENDOZA’S MBA CLASS OF 2023 Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available District Attorney Gerald Byers will not prosecute the man who stopped a fatal attack on a Las Cruces Police officer Issiah Astorga, 29, shot and killed Armando Silva during the attack on Las Cruces Police Officer Jonah Hernandez Feb who was responding to a report of a trespasser in the 300 block of South Valley Drive investigators presented facts of the case to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office on Feb More: In wake of slain Las Cruces Police officer, Mayor Eric Enriquez prioritizes outreach court Astorga is represented by Luis Robles, an Albuquerque attorney. A news release from the Las Cruces Police Department said Astorga made the decision to intervene in Silva's attack on Hernandez when he witnessed the altercation According to a statement from Astorga that was released on Thursday he saw that Silva had control over the officer That prompted him to use a personal handgun that was in his vehicle and run toward the altercation "Due to the severe bleeding from the officer I knew that the individual approaching me had a weapon I fired my handgun," Astorga said in a released statement I tried my best to aid the injured officer." The woman Astorga is referring to was not identified by police More: LCPD Officer Jonah Hernandez to be buried in El Paso Feb. 21 called for help while he attempted to aid the officer after shooting Silva a tragedy occurred that should have never happened," Astorga said in a statement had the burden of being a part of that tragedy "I truly wish that the events that happened that day never occurred If I could go back in time and prevent any of this from happening and every single person who has been affected we can help each other to prevent anything like this from ever happening again." Astorga called the incident a "traumatic event" and asked for privacy to focus on his mental health and to move forward "Please understand that me and my girlfriend need time to cope with what happened and heal from it," Astorga said in the statement "I know that there will always be questions that come from a situation like this." Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story read Astorga's statement in a Facebook post on Thursday Watch the full statement here. Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @jussGREAT. Send help right to the people and causes you care about Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee The summit of Great Trango Tower was bleeding close Christina “Lusti” Lustenberger and Chantel Astorga would only be halfway to their goal — to make a historic first ski descent of this revered granite tower at the top of the ridge leading to the summit and Nick McNutt’s first attempt to ski the hanging glacier on Great Trango This time, however, The North Face athletes would not be stopped so close to their goal and organizing logistics; they had traveled across the world and waited at high camp for 4 days for the perfect weather window When the athletes reached the high crevasse — the point that had turned them around a year prior — it was clear they would make it past They crossed over and continued up to the final obstacle Lustenberger and Astorga belayed him across and watched as he climbed to the peak “Watching him reach the summit was pretty amazing,” Lustenberger told GearJunkie and it was uplifting to see him stand on top after so much hard behind him.” Lustenberger and Astorga then followed Morrison across But they hadn’t done anything historic yet Many have climbed Pakistan’s Great Trango Tower over the years no one had successfully skied from the peak’s lofty summit These athletes had come a long way to change that Great Trango Tower’s imposing granite cliffs and technical pitches might look unskiable to the average onlooker Why wouldn’t you want to ski it?” Lustenberger said when asked what inspired them to pursue this first descent “Some wild terrain just draws you in with such immense curiosity.” she and Morrison almost immediately started planning their second and the duo filled his spot on the team with another TNF athlete “I’ve always wanted to ski something beautiful in the Greater Ranges of the world,” Astorga said “When I saw a photo of the ski line [Morrison and Lustenberger] had dreamt up I was immediately drawn to the beauty of it.” straight down the gut of the Trango Tower’s massive hanging glacier threading a narrow ridgeline over stomach-churning cliffs It would be well over 4,000 feet of vertical descent It took the athletes days to reach the base of the mountain and prepared to make the historic first descent Lustenberger said she had stomach sickness and started feeling symptoms of HAPE The three alpinists took the same approach most climbers use to access Great Trango Tower But they wouldn’t ascend the sheer rock wall with all their ski equipment So they followed the same route up that they’d descend and breaking trail through waist-deep snow the crevasse wasn’t as severe of an obstacle this second time around there wasn’t much to stop them from reaching the top “The most exciting moment for me was when we climbed toward the summit and I realized we were going to pull it off,” said Morrison. “It had been such a long time in both planning and training mixed with so many failed attempts that the success of making it to the top felt really sweet.” Morrison said he reserved the full celebration for later Their mission wasn’t in the bag yet; they still had to ski down it was late afternoon on top of Great Trango and it was almost golden hour in the Karakoram mountain range Morrison and Lustenberger slashed their first few turns from the 20,623-foot summit in what Morrison described as “sun-affected powder,” while Astorga chose to rappel down the first section they carefully navigated the glacier’s narrow summit ridge on their skis and crusty as they descended — but it was stable the whole way “The ski descent was amazing,” Lustenberger said Morrison and Astorga agreed — it was a really good run at the end of a very long day A post shared by The North Face (@thenorthface) When they finally arrived back at high camp Morrison said it was close to midnight when they’d finished eating dinner — and the next morning they still had a 20-mile hike out to look forward to The Great Trango Tower had officially been skied for the first time in human history all three athletes are already looking forward to the future — toward new adventures They all want to continue pushing their sports forward and testing their limits an alpine skier who considers herself more of a climber said this mission inspired and motivated her to grow in new ways as a skier “I knew skiing with Lusti and Jim in the bigger mountains would likely open my mind to new ideas While she acknowledges that this was Lustenberger and Morrison’s vision she was grateful to have had her part in it For Lustenberger, the most powerful part of this journey was watching her friend, Morrison, who lost his climbing and life partner, Hilaree Nelson, in a tragic ski accident in the Himalayas last year make such a triumphant return to the top of the world for him to have that and to hold Hilaree’s spirit with him up there,” Lustenberger said All three athletes have new adventures lined up already for summer and fall Astorga will be going to India to do more alpine climbing Lustenberger is already dreaming up her next ice and mixed climbing adventure And Morrison is excited to continue skiing in the world’s highest and most remote places “I’ll just embrace summer and walk uphill a lot.” Hilaree Nelson and team climb and ski Baffin Island and professional misfit based out of the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado Will grew up on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains reenacting “Survivorman” episodes and studying books like “Hatchet,” “The Monkey Wrench Gang,” and “Into the Wild.” He’s written on topics ranging from cannabis to local news If he’s not banging stories out on his computer you’ll probably find Will skiing or mountain biking (depending on the season) — or drinking beer at some remote craft brewery Be one of the first to try our new activity feed Chantel Astorga and Anne Gilbert Chase’s ascent of the Slovak Direct—from June 2 to 5—marks the first female ascent of the 9,000-foot route and the second time an all-female team has climbed an Alaska Grade VI Alaska—On day two of their four-day ascent of Denali’s Slovak Direct (5.9 X M6 WI6+ Chantel Astorga and Anne Gilbert Chase needed to stop and rest They aimed for a small perch—right before the route’s technical crux—where one maybe two teams had previously spent the night When they finally reached the bivy spot at 15,200 feet they found it was merely a steep ramp that they had to hack out with their ice tools for hours; even then there was barely enough space for them to sit on the slanting bench under continual dusk so bright it blended out the stars They passed the time sitting upright and sharing a single sleeping bag with a tent wrapped over them as they looked out over the Alaska Range “We had to stay clipped in as we were sliding downhill,” Chase said That night winds increased above them on the mountain we were able to warm up and wait for the winds to die down,” Astorga said After breakfast Astorga led the crux pitch a long finger-width crack on a vertical wall where she used a combination of free climbing and pulling on cams to ascend a crack “It would probably go at 5.11 fingers if you were in rock shoes,” she says “but it’s very difficult at 15,000 feet with ice tools and crampons.” with thin overhanging ice where it was hard to get good gear placements and you just had to climb through it.” After the technical climbing on the Slovak Direct ended at 16,500 feet Astorga and Chase un-roped and followed the Cassin Ridge for another 4,000 feet to reach the summit was at 13,400 feet where they took shelter in a bergschrund near a hanging glacier on the lower-angle Cassin Ridge; it was there that Astorga put a hole in her sleeping pad their faces were puffy from a combination of exhaustion Chase remembers Astorga nodding off for 30-second “power naps” every few minutes This is the route’s ninth ascent and first all-female ascent Chase says of the nearly two-mile-long route: “It’s extremely steep with a lot of mixed climbing and a bit of everything There is also a lot of water ice up to WI6 and difficult rock.” She says much of the route has M5 and M6 terrain “Though not extremely hard off on the ground climbing at 16,000 feet with runouts and with a pack on added to the challenge.” and in 2010 she’d skied from the summit down the West Ridge Chase had summited the mountain four times Astorga guided on Denali from 2008 to 2011 and Chase guided Denali from 2010 to 2012 their ascent of the Slovak Direct marks only the third time they’d climbed together Today Astorga works as an avalanche forecaster in Lowman Idaho; Chase is a registered nurse in Bozeman Their first climb together was an attempt on the Slovak Direct in June 2017 where they made it 3,000 feet up before retreating minus 20 [Fahrenheit] at 14,000 feet,” Chase said “the weather fully shut down and we were hit with snow and spindrift.” Because they left so much of their rack bailing down the enormous route their trip was over; they skied out and caught a plane Their next climb was from September 29 to October 2 when they made the first ascent of Obscured Perception (1,400m VI WI5 M6 A0 70° snow) on 6,596-meter Nilkanth in India’s Central Garhwal Himalaya they partnered with Chase’s husband Jason Thompson Chase and Astorga’s ascent marks the second time an Alaska Grade VI (a high-commitment route with hard sustained climbing over 14,000 feet) has been climbed by an all-female team The first female team to attempt an Alaska Grade VI was when Sue Nott and Karen McNeill attempted the Infinite Spur on 5,303-meter Mount Foraker (VI 5.9 M5 AI4; Lowe Astorga and Jewell Lund became the first women to climb an Alaska Grade VI when they made a five-day ascent of the Denali Diamond (Alaska Grade 6 and František Korl made the first ascent of the Slovak Direct over 11 days in 1984 could we pitch our tent; on all other nights we had to hack out bivouac shelves,” Blažej Adam wrote in the American Alpine Journal Authoring the climb required 40 ice pitons and 150 rock pitons Kevin Mahoney and Ben Gilmore made the second ascent over seven days in 2000 and Mark Twight climbed the Slovak Direct over 60 hours making 15 starts including the first of his career in the season opener on August 31 versus Indianapolis Astorga’s lone goal of the season came as the game-winner on September 10 versus Marygrove while he also added a pair of assists on the season 2016: Finished the season in a three-way tie for fourth on the team with five points (2g-1a) Named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept 27 after leading the Wildcats to wins over No 12 Tiffin and Findlay; he netted the game-winning goal in both games and also notched an assist Before NMU: Astorga played for Lexington High School his freshman and sophomore years reaching the state quarterfinals and winning a district title as a freshman He moved to Central Township High School for his last two seasons earning athletic scholar accolades both years and finishing third on the team in goal scoring as a senior Astorga captained his International Soccer Academy team in 2013 and his Chicago Fire Juniors South squad in 2015 He helped International Soccer Academy win three-straight league titles between 2011 and 2013; his International Soccer Academy placed third in the Illinois State Cup in 2012 and second in 2013 Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.