Physiological synchrony refers to the temporal alignment of bodily signals, such as heart rate variability, between two or more individuals during social interaction. It reflects implicit, often unconscious processes that arise when people share attention, emotions, or behavioral rhythms in close physical proximity. Because these coordinated physiological patterns are linked to social cohesion, rapport, and effective communication, physiological synchrony provides a valuable window into the quality and dynamics of social interaction. Here, we study physiological synchrony during virtual interaction where interaction partners are not physically co-located but remotely connected via technology. This allows us to capture aspects of social connectedness that are not accessible through self-report or behavior alone, making it a powerful tool for understanding how people engage and collaborate across different media. In our study, triads of participants performed a collective creativity task in one of three conditions: face-to-face (F2F) collaboration, remote collaboration using video conferencing (Video), or remote collaboration using immersive Virtual Reality (VR). To quantify social interaction quality, we measured creative group performance, social presence, and heart rate variability synchrony (HRVS) as a marker of social cohesion. As expected, creative group performance and social presence were highest in the F2F condition and significantly reduced in the VR and Video conditions. However, we observed strong HRV synchrony in the VR and F2F conditions and significantly weaker HRV synchrony in the Video condition. Our study supports the idea that VR (unlike video conferencing) supports physiological synchronization processes important for social interactions. Future studies need to identify the underlying physiological and psychological processes.

Aims: This study introduces and evaluates a virtual reality (VR) prototype designed for the Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM) to support
mental health rehabilitation and relaxation in clinical contexts. The aims include the co-creation of a VR-based mindfulness experience with
clinical experts and the evaluation of its usability, user experience, and short-term effects on relaxation, affect, and self-compassion.

Methods: Following a design thinking and co-creation approach, the VR-based LKM experience was developed iteratively with input from
clinicians and computer scientists. The final prototype was implemented for the Meta Quest 3 and included five immersive scenes
representing phases of the LKM and transition scenes guided by a professionally narrated audio track. Eleven participants (M = 36.5 years,
SD = 14.6) experienced the 12-minute session. Pre- and post-session measures included relaxation, positive and negative affect schedule,
and self-compassion, complemented in the end by the Igroup Presence Questionnaire, usability measures and a semi-structured qualitative
interview.

Results: Participants reported significant decreases in negative affect (t(10) = -2.512, p = .0307, d = -1.037) and stress (t(10) = -3.318, p = .007,
d = -1.328), as well as increases in relaxation (t(10) = 5.487, p < .0001, d = 2.471) and self-compassion (t(10) = 2.231, p = .0497, d = 0.283).
Usability was rated as excellent (M = 92.5), and presence as good (M = 4.0, SD = 0.43). Qualitative feedback described the experience as
calming, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to engage with, highlighting the falling leaves and pulsating orb as effective design elements.

Conclusion: The co-designed VR-LKM prototype was perceived as highly usable and beneficial for inducing relaxation and self-compassion,
suggesting its potential as a supportive tool for clinical mindfulness interventions. The results indicate that immersive VR can effectively
facilitate engagement and emotional regulation, providing a foundation for future clinical trials and broader implementation in therapeutic
and wellness settings.

With the emergence of new technologies, numerous options for stress management are becoming available. One promising approach to support individuals in coping with stress is virtual reality (VR). A variety of relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery and breathing meditation, have recently been translated into virtual environments, providing easily accessible alternatives to traditional approaches. As studies suggest that VR interventions are effective in reducing stress, the consortium project AI4Coping aims to develop a toolbox for individually adaptive, digitally supported coping strategies. Furthermore, the project evaluates the efficacy of VR interventions across various application fields and addresses the societal, ethical, and economic dimensions that determine its use in the general population.

To address the issue of plastic pollution, biodegradable plastics have been developed as an alternative to conventional
non-biodegradable plastics. Nitrogen(N)-fixing bacteria have been shown to play a pivotal role in the
microbial degradation of biodegradable plastics. However, little is known about how N-fixing bacteria respond to
plastic degradation in agricultural practice. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) provide insights into the N-fixing
bacteria associated with biodegradable plastics during the early stage of degradation (after 60 days of exposure),
and (ii) examine the impact of agricultural practices and climate simulations on the enrichment of N-fixing
bacteria across various plastic types: poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT),
and polyethylene (PE) as a reference. Our findings revealed that N-fixing bacterial genera, particularly Sphingomonas,
Hymenobacter, Massilia, and Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum, outcompete other N-fixing bacteria in the
plastisphere at the early degradation stage, while they are almost absent in the initial soils. These bacterial
groups have been previously linked to plastic degradation and the production of plastic-degrading enzymes.
Moreover, our results indicate that agricultural practices and climate conditions did not significantly affect the
enrichment of N-fixing bacteria. Instead, this study explored the enrichment of these bacteria on biodegradable
plastics, particularly PBAT and PBS, under changing climate and land use conditions during the early degradation
phase. Additionally, we identified soil-associated minor N-fixing bacteria that dominate these N-poor
plastics in both conventional and organic farming systems. Identifying plastic-preferring microbial groups is
crucial for understanding the microbial plastic degradation process under the real world’s scenario.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by persistent inflammation and tubulointerstitial fibrosis leading to end-stage renal disease. Transient receptor potential canonical 6 (TRPC6) channel inhibition mitigates tubular injury and renal fibrosis in murine models of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and 2-month chronic post-ischemia-reperfusion injury (2m post-I/R). Through integrated analysis of single-cell-RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq) data from UUO mice treated with the selective TRPC6 inhibitor SH045, here the renoprotective cell composition and cell type-specific transcriptional programs are defined. We explored translational aspects by conducting an in-depth scRNA-Seq analysis of kidney samples from patients with CKD. These results reveal global transcriptional shifts with a dramatic diversification of inflammatory cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Notably, a distinct subpopulation of novel endothelial cells is delineated, which is termed ECRIN, that regulate inflammatory networks implicating VEGF and GAS signaling pathways. The data also indicates that inhibition of TRPC6 channels triggers a Prnp transcription factor regulatory network, which contributes to the alleviation of renal fibrosis. The key findings are supported at the protein level by immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. We observed similar patterns in the chronic 2m postI/R injury model. These findings provide novel insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of TRPC6 inhibition in CKD.