Huddling behavior, a typical social interaction among animals, has the benefits of obtaining social support and adapting environment. Huddling behavior is determined by social (social hierarchy), environmental factors (stress events), and the neuroendocrine system. Nevertheless, the huddling behavior of different social hierarchies and the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, acute 2-methyl-2-thiazoline (2 MT) can induce huddling behavior and significantly increase serum levels of testosterone (T) in mice; and the increased T level was positively correlated with huddling behavior. Further, the T treatment significantly increased the huddling behavior in mice under 2 MT exposure condition. More interestingly, T can quickly promote dominant individuals to occupy safe positions when huddling together under predator odor. Collectively, T can rapidly regulate the individual’s adaptive response to threats in a social rank-dependent manner, which provides a new perspective for the in-depth study of the influencing factors and underlying mechanisms of huddling behavior.

Circular RNA (circRNA) plays an important role in diverse stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety and cognitive disorders. Here, using a circRNA microarray, we found that circSYNDIG1, an unreported circRNA, was significantly downregulated in the hippocampus of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mice and further validated this finding in corticosterone (CORT) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mice by qRT-PCR, and it was negatively correlated with depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors of these three stressed mice. Furthermore, the interaction of miR-344-5p and circSYNDIG1 was confirmed by in situ hybridization (FISH) assay in hippocampus and dual luciferase reporter assay in 293 T cells. And miR-344-5p mimics could simulate the dendritic spine density reduction, depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors and memory impairment induced by CUMS. Overexpression of circSYNDIG1 in hippocampus significantly ameliorated these abnormal changes induced by CUMS or miR-344-5p. It indicated that circSYNDIG1 functions as an miR-344-5p sponge to inhibit miR-344-5p impact, resulting in the increase of dendritic spine density and the subsequent amelioration of the abnormal behaviors. Therefore, the downregulation of circSYNDIG1 in hippocampus participates in CUMS-induced depressive and anxiety-like behavior of mice though miR-344-5p. These findings represent the first evidence for the involvement of circSYNDIG1 and its coupling mechanism in depression and anxiety, suggesting that circSYNDIG1 and miR-344-5p might be new targets for the treatment of stress-related disorder.

Depression is a complex psychiatric disorder that has substantial implications for public health. The lateral habenula (LHb), a vital brain structure involved in mood regulation, and the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) within this structure are known to be associated with depressive behaviors. Recent research has identified transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) as a crucial transcription factor in the Wnt signaling pathway, influencing diverse neuropsychiatric processes. In this study, we explore the role of TCF7L2 in the LHb and its effect on depressive-like behaviors in mice. By using behavioral tests, AAV-mediated gene knockdown or overexpression, and pharmacological interventions, we investigated the effects of alterations in TCF7L2 expression in the LHb. Our results indicate that TCF7L2 expression is reduced in neurons within the LHb of male ICR mice exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS), and neuron-specific knockdown of TCF7L2 in LHb neurons leads to notable antidepressant activity, as evidenced by reduced immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). Conversely, the overexpression of TCF7L2 in LHb neurons induces depressive behaviors. Furthermore, the administration of the NMDAR agonist NMDA reversed the antidepressant activity of TCF7L2 knockdown, and the NMDAR antagonist memantine alleviated the depressive behaviors induced by TCF7L2 overexpression, indicating the involvement of NMDAR. These findings offer novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of depression, highlighting the potential of TCF7L2 as both a biomarker and a therapeutic target for depression. Exploring the relationship between TCF7L2 signaling and LHb function may lead to innovative therapeutic approaches for alleviating depressive symptoms.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between work passion and research ability in male nurses from China. Background: Male nurses are vital to global nursing, yet face severe shortages, occupational stress, and research constraints. While work passion significantly impacts job performance across fields, its role in shaping male nurses’ research ability remains underexplored. Filling this gap is critical for addressing systemic barriers and fostering their academic contributions, ultimately advancing nursing science. The advancement of the nursing discipline heavily relies on frontline nursing researchers. However, the global shortage of nursing staff is particularly severe among male nurses and their participation in research is limited. Existing studies focus on female nurses, neglecting systemic barriers like funding, mentorship, and stereotypes that hinder male nurses’ academic growth. This study addresses this gap by examining how work passion shapes male nurses’ research ability, offering insights to foster their professional development and scientific contributions. Methods: This multicenter cross‐sectional study, supported by the Provincial Nursing Association by using a convenience sampling method, surveyed 438 male nursing staff across 87 provincial hospitals from Hebei Province, including 39 tertiary levels A hospitals and 7 medical college‐affiliated hospitals. Data collection involved demographic information, the Work Passion Scale (WPS), and the Nursing Research Capability Scale (NRCS). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, T ‐tests, and one‐way ANOVA. Results: Results show that the primary barrier to scientific research identified was difficulty in selecting research topics. Positive correlations were found between both dimensions of work passion (harmonious and obsessive) and all dimensions of nursing research ability. Male nurses with higher work passion scores demonstrated significantly higher research ability compared with those with lower work passion. Conclusion: This study highlights the significant challenges faced by male nurses in the 87 provincial hospitals surveyed in a scientific research, such as difficulties in topic selection, writing skills, financial support, and mentorship. Our findings reveal that reduced work passion negatively impacts their research development. Hospital managers should implement targeted policies to enhance work passion, such as providing research training, financial support, and mentorship programs. By addressing these issues, we can foster a more supportive environment that promotes both the scientific research ability and the overall professional development of male nurses.