Impact of specific electromagnetic radiation on wakefulness in mice.

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in the environment, particularly in the microwave range, may constitute a public health concern. Exposure to 2.4 GHz EMR modulated by 100 Hz square pulses was recently reported to markedly increase wakefulness in mice. Here, we demonstrate that a similar wakefulness increase can be induced by the modulation frequency of 1,000 Hz, but not 10 Hz. In contrast to the carrier frequency of 2.4 GHz, 935 MHz EMR of the same power density has little impact on wakefulness irrespective of modulation frequency. Notably, the replacement of the 100 Hz square-pulsed modulation by sinusoidal-pulsed modulation of 2.4 GHz EMR still allows a marked increase of wakefulness. In contrast, continuous sinusoidal amplitude modulation of 100 Hz with the same time-averaged power output fails to trigger any detectable change of wakefulness. Therefore, alteration of sleep behavior by EMR depends upon not just carrier frequency but also frequency and mode of the modulation. These results implicate biological sensing mechanisms for specific EMR in animals.

Self-Assembly Method for Synthesizing High-Dimensional EMOFs with High Stability and Laser Response.

Dimension and solvent molecules affect the performance of energetic metal-organic frameworks (EMOFs). High-dimensional EMOFs are usually characterized by high stability and low sensitivity due to their complex network structure. However, solvent molecules affect the detonation performance of EMOFs, and these molecules may be removed at low temperatures, resulting in structural collapse and affecting the stability of EMOFs. In this work, zero-dimensional (0D) Co(AFTO)2·(H2O)2 (EMOF 1) and Ni(AFTO)2·(H2O)2 (EMOF 2) with coordinated water molecules and [Co(AFTO)2]n·EtOH (EMOF 3) and [Ni(AFTO)2]n (EMOF 4) (AFTO = 5-(4-amino-furazan-3-yl)-1-hydroxytetrazole) with high-dimensional structure were synthesized using hydrothermal and self-assembly methods in ethanol, respectively. Structural and performance tests show that EMOF 3 and 4 exhibit remarkable thermal stability and low mechanical sensitivity. This method is a simple, effective, and green technique for synthesizing high-dimensional EMOFs with high stability through self-assembly in ethanol solution. In addition, EMOF 3 and 4 can be used as primary green laser explosives.

Specific electromagnetic radiation in the wireless signal range increases wakefulness in mice.

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in the environment has increased sharply in recent decades. The effect of environmental EMR on living organisms remains poorly characterized. Here, we report the impact of wireless-range EMR on the sleep architecture of mouse. Prolonged exposure to 2.4-GHz EMR modulated by 100-Hz square pulses at a nonthermal output level results in markedly increased time of wakefulness in mice. These mice display corresponding decreased time of nonrapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). In contrast, prolonged exposure to unmodulated 2.4-GHz EMR at the same time-averaged output level has little impact on mouse sleep. These observations identify alteration of sleep architecture in mice as a specific physiological response to prolonged wireless-range EMR exposure.

TIGAR Protects Against Adenine-Induced Ferroptosis in Human Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells by Activating the mTOR/S6KP70 Axis.

TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) acts as a switch for nephropathy, but its underlying mechanism is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential biological significance and underlying mechanism of TIGAR in modulating adenine-induced ferroptosis in human proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells. HK-2 cells under- or overexpressing TIGAR were challenged with adenine to induce ferroptosis. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), iron, malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) were assayed. Expression of ferroptosis-associated solute carrier family seven-member 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) at the level of mRNA and protein were measured by quantitative real-time-PCR and western blotting. The phosphorylation levels of proteins in the mTOR/S6KP70 pathway were determined by western blotting. Adenine overload triggered ferroptosis in HK-2 cells, as evidenced by reduced levels of GSH, SLC7A11, and GPX4, and increased levels of iron, MDA, and ROS. TIGAR overexpression repressed adenine-induced ferroptosis and induced mTOR/S6KP70 signaling. Inhibitors of mTOR and S6KP70 weakened the ability of TIGAR to inhibit adenine-induced ferroptosis. TIGAR inhibits adenine-induced ferroptosis in human proximal tubular epithelial cells by activating the mTOR/S6KP70 signaling pathway. Therefore, activating the TIGAR/mTOR/S6KP70 axis may be a treatment for crystal nephropathies.

Determination of the coefficient of thermal expansion of ultra-low-expansion glass using an ultrasonic immersion testing method.

The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of ultra-low-expansion (ULE) glass is critical to the development of precision optical systems. Herein, an ultrasonic immersion pulse-reflection method is proposed to characterize the CTE of ULE glass. The ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity of ULE-glass samples with significantly different CTE values was measured using a correlation algorithm combined with moving-average filtering, which can achieve 0.2 m/s precision with a contribution to the ultrasonic CTE measurement uncertainty of 0.47 ppb/°C. Furthermore, the established ultrasonic CTE measurement model predicted the 5°C-35°C mean CTE with a root-mean-square error of 0.9 ppb/°C. Notably, a complete uncertainty analysis methodology was established in this paper, which can provide directional guidance for the subsequent development of higher-performance measurement devices and the improvement of relevant signal processing procedures.

Expression and Activity of the Transcription Factor CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein ß (C/EBPß) Is Regulated by Specific Pulse-Modulated Radio Frequencies in Oligodendroglial Cells.

The rapid growth of wireless electronic devices has raised concerns about the harmful effects of leaked electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on human health. Even though numerous studies have been carried out to explore the biological effects of EMR, no clear conclusions have been drawn about the effect of radio frequency (RF) EMR on oligodendrocytes. To this end, we exposed oligodendroglia and three other types of brain cells to 2.4 GHz EMR for 6 or 48 h at an average input power of 1 W in either a continuous wave (CW-RF) or a pulse-modulated wave (PW-RF, 50 Hz pulse frequency, 1/3 duty cycle) pattern. RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and Western blot were used to examine the expression of C/EBPß and its related genes. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used to examine the levels of expression of C/EBPß-interacting proteins. Our results showed that PW-RF EMR significantly increased the mRNA level of C/EBPß in oligodendroglia but not in other types of cells. In addition, the expression of three isoforms and several interacting proteins and targeted genes of C/EBPß were markedly changed after 6-h PW-RF but not CW-RF. Our results indicated that RF EMR regulated the expression and functions of C/EBPß in a waveform- and cell-type-dependent manner.

Controllable Structural Modulation: Assembling Variable Dimension Energetic Metal-Organic Frameworks via Free Protons.

Herein, we provide an efficient strategy for constructing three-dimensional (3D) energetic coordination polymers (ECPs), namely, metal-organic frameworks (EMOFs), avoiding solvent coordination without changing the organic ligands or metal nodes. Three ECPs with the same ligand and metal center, namely, two-dimensional (2D) layer ECP [Pb(HOBTT)(H2O)2]n (1), 3D solvent-free EMOFs [Pb(HOBTT)]n (2), and dense [Pb3(OBTT)2]n (3) (H3OBTT = 4,5-bis(1-hydroxytetrazol-5-yl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole), were rationally designed and synthesized via free protons. As expected, the theoretical density of 3 (4.080 g·cm-3) is greater than those of 2 (3.299 g·cm-3) and 1 (3.055 g·cm-3). Thermal stabilities indicate that their decomposition temperature exceeds 300 °C. Theoretical calculations show that the detonation performance of 3 is better than that of 1 and 2. The detonation performance of 1-3 was further proven by laser irradiation.

Broadband devices for a polarization converter based on optical metasurfaces.

Devices employed for optical polarization conversion are widely used in the areas of optical focusing, optical imaging, and microscopy. To circumvent the problems of traditional optical polarization conversion devices, such as a narrow bandwidth, bulky size, and integration difficulties, a linear-radial polarization converter (LRPC) method based on optical metasurfaces is proposed. For a visible wavelength, i.e., λ=632.8nm, an all-dielectric half-wave plate and a LRPC with a size of 40λ (25.312 µm) are designed. The simulated results demonstrate that the LRPC creates a radially polarized wave from a linearly polarized wave in the wavelength range of 620-680 nm. In addition, a cylindrical vectorial wave with different polarizations can be generated via an adjustment of the polarization direction of the incident wave. These types of polarization converters have the important advantage of high transmittance, while also being ultra-thin and easy to integrate. They are expected to be suitable for miniaturized and integrated optical devices.

Terahertz sensor based on a three-dimensional double I-type metamaterial integrated microfluidic channel.

Terahertz metamaterial sensors have received extensive attention in biosensing applications. However, sensitivity toward terahertz frequencies emitted by liquid samples remains challenging because of the strong absorption of terahertz waves by water. Here, we present a highly sensitive terahertz sensor based on a three-dimensional double I-type metamaterial integrated microfluidic channel. The designed sensor produces an inductive-capacitive (LC) resonance with a high quality factor of approximately 72, while demonstrating a maximum sensitivity of 832 GHz/RIU. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between the resonance frequency and ethanol concentration. These findings would promote the application of terahertz technology in label-free and rapid biomedical sensing as well as substance detection.

Generation of subdiffraction longitudinal bifoci by shaping a radially polarized wave.

Lenses with two or more foci along the longitudinal direction exhibit immense potential in several optical applications. In this study, we propose an approach for generating subdiffraction longitudinal bifoci by binary-phase bifocal super-oscillatory lenses (SOLs), which are realized by simple AND operation between two single-foci SOLs with different focal lengths. Three bifocal SOLs with radiusRlens=70λ are designed at an operating wavelength of λ=118.8µm. Simulation results demonstrate that the minimum full width at half maximum (FWHM) is 0.397λ, and the maximum FWHM is 0.449λ, which is still smaller than the Abbe diffraction limit of 0.510λ, while all the sidelobe ratios are small (<15.1%). By properly choosing the focal length of the single-foci SOLs in the design process, the distance between the two foci can be easily controlled. Significantly, the generated bifoci with relatively uniform intensity contain a strong longitudinal electric field, which indicates their excellent prospects in optical imaging, particle acceleration, and other optical applications. In addition, the proposed bifoci-SOLs are based on the binary phase modulation, which facilitates easy fabrication compared with other approaches. These outstanding properties indicate the wide application prospects of bifocal SOLs.

Precise Identification and Analysis of Micro/Nano-Sized Pore Structure in Shale with Fe3O4/Au Hybrid Nanocomposite.

Analysis and characterization of micro/nano-sized pore structure are critical issues in shale geology and engineering. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging is one of the most widespread methods for the analysis of the micro/nano-sized pores in shale, but precise identification of the ultrafine pore structure in shale is still a big challenge because shale is so complex that some components may have overlap with pores based on the simple discrimination of gray scale under SEM microscopy. Here, Fe3O4/Au nanocomposite with magnetic properties is synthesized, characterized, and introduced as a novel pore-marker to improve SEM identification and quantitation of micro/nano-sized pores in shale. Due to the superparamagnetic property, the nanomarker is conveniently controlled by an external magnetic field to fill into pores and offers a sharp contrast imaging between matrix of shale (various gray) and pores (bright), which makes the identification of micro/nano-sized pores in shale much more straightforward and reliable. Furthermore, because gold, as a noble metal, is particularly rare in shale, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping of Au is delicately used to precisely calculate area porosity in shale. Combining with the aforementioned merits of the nanomarker, a precise and practical technique is proposed to promote characterization of micro/nano-sized pores in shale.

[Research on the Method of Improving Terahertz Frequency Resolution Based on Empirical Mode Decomposition].

Terahertz frequency resolution is an important factor affecting substance identification, but the presence of the device reflection within the terahertz time domain spectroscopy systems, causes the presence of a plurality of reflection peaks in the reference and measurement signals with low frequency resolution, because of the length truncation of time domain signal. In order to remove the influence of the reflection peak, this paper proposes a method based on empirical mode decomposition to remove the time domain reflection peak, to improve the terahertz frequency resolution. The time domain reflection peaks are positioned by correlation with the real terahertz peak, calculating the reflection peak upper and lower envelope and an average, obtaining intrinsic mode functions, and alternating reflection peaks with intrinsic mode functions, the effective length of the time domain signal is increased to improve the terahertz frequency resolution. Water vapor in the air terahertz transmission spectroscopy results show that this method can self adaptively remove a plurality of reflection peaks and has good repairing effect on the terahertz time-domain signal; the frequency resolution is increased by 12 times; and the useful information of absorption spectrum is not lost; the absorption peak position and the number is consistent with real spectrum; the terahertz spectrum ability to identify is well preserved.

[Absorption Characteristics and Simulation of LLM-105 in the Terahertz Range].

2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105), a novel explosive with high energy and low sensibility. In order to study the molecular structure characteristics of the explosive, the absorption spectra of LLM-105 in the frequency range of 0.2-2.4 THz were detected by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The results showed that a number of characteristic absorption peaks with different intensity located at 1.27, 1.59, 2.00, 2.08, 2.20, 2.29 THz. The article also simulated the absorption spectra of LLM-105 molecular crystal within 0.2-2.5 THz region by using Materials Studio 6.0 software based on density functional theory (DFT), and the simulated results agreed well with the experimental data except for the peak at 2.29 THz, which verified theoretically the accuracy of the experimental data. In addition, the vibrational modes of the characteristic peaks in the experimental absorption spectra were analyzed and identified, the results showed that the forming of the characteristic absorption peaks and the molecular vibration were closely related, which further provided important laboratory and technology support for the study of the transformation of molecule structure of LLM-105. There was no simulated frequency agreed with the experimental absorption peak at 2.29 THz, which may be caused by the vibration of the crystal lattice or other reasons.

[Acidity and temperature effect on the fluorescence characteristics of hydraulic oils and lubricants].

By analyzing HyJet V phosphate ester hydraulic oil environmental impacts (oil, etc.) and confounding factors (pH, temperature, etc.), the feasibility was studied for the fluorescence detection of aircraft hydraulic oil leaks. By using the fluorescence spectrophotometer at various acidities and temperatures, the fluorescence properties of HyJet V phosphate ester hydraulic oil, Jet Oil II lubricant and 2197 lubricant were gained. The experimental results are shown as following: The fluorescence peaks of HyJet V phosphate ester hydraulic oil, Jet Oil II lubricant and 2197 lubricant are at 362, 405 and 456 nm, respectively. The impact of temperature on HyJet V phosphate ester hydraulic oil is less effective; Jet Oil II lubricant and 2197 lubricant fluorescence intensity decreases with increasing temperature. When acidity increases, the fluorescence peak of HyJet V phosphate ester hydraulic oil gradient shifts from 370 to 362 nm, and the fluorescence intensity decreases; the fluorescence peak of Jet Oil II lubricant is always 405 nm, while the fluorescence intensity decreases; the fluorescence peak of 2197 lubricant at 456 nm red shifts to 523 nm, and double fluorescence peaks appeare. The results are shown as following: under the influence of the environment and interference factors, the fluorescence characteristics of HyJet V phosphate ester hydraulic oil remain unchanged, and distinguish from Jet Oil II lubricant and 2197 lubricant. Therefore, the experiments indicate that the detection of HyJet V phosphate ester hydraulic oil leak is feasible by using fluorescence method.

The independent storage mechanisms of visual and vibrotactile working memory.

Whether information in working memory (WM) is stored in a domain-independent or domain-specific system is still the subject of intense debate. This study used the delayed match-to-sample paradigm, the dual-task paradigm, and the selective interference paradigm to investigate the mechanism of cross-modal storage in visual and vibrotactile WM. We postulated that WM may store cross-modal data from haptics and vision independently, and we proposed domain-specific WM storage. According to the findings, the WM can store cross-modal information from vision and haptics independently, and the storage of visual and tactile WM may be domain-specific. This study provides early support for the hypothesis that haptic and visuospatial sketchpads are dissociated. In addition, the current study provides evidence to elucidate the mechanisms by which WM stores and processes data from different modalities and content. The results also indicate that a cross-modal approach can broaden the cognitive processing bandwidth of WM.

The relationship between self-stigma and quality of life in long-term hospitalized patients with schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate self-stigma's influence on schizophrenia patients' quality of life and its mediated impact by various factors. Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional design and randomly selected 170 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia for evaluation. The assessment tools included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS), and Coping Questionnaire for Schizophrenia Patients (CQSP), among others. Correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation analysis were used to test the correlation and mediation effects. Results: Self-stigma had a significant impact on quality of life (T = 8.13, p = 0.00). When self-stigma is used as a mediator, the problem-solving factor in coping strategies has an indirect effect on quality of life, which is significant (AB = -0.16, P = 0.02), while the avoidance factor in coping strategies has a direct effect on quality of life, which is significant (C' = 0.54, p < 0.001), and an indirect effect, which is also significant (AB = 0.25, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The study highlights the significant impact of self-stigma on the quality of life of schizophrenia patients, emphasizing the crucial roles of self-esteem and coping strategies. These findings suggest clinical interventions to improve quality of life should focus on reducing self-stigma, especially enhancing self-esteem and promoting adaptive coping strategies. By addressing these factors, we can better support the mental health and well-being of those with schizophrenia, offering an effective approach to rehabilitation.

Magnetoencephalography-derived oscillatory microstate patterns across lifespan: the Cambridge centre for ageing and neuroscience cohort.

The aging brain represents the primary risk factor for many neurodegenerative disorders. Whole-brain oscillations may contribute novel early biomarkers of aging. Here, we investigated the dynamic oscillatory neural activities across lifespan (from 18 to 88 years) using resting Magnetoencephalography (MEG) in a large cohort of 624 individuals. Our aim was to examine the patterns of oscillation microstates during the aging process. By using a machine-learning algorithm, we identify four typical clusters of microstate patterns across different age groups and different frequency bands: left-to-right topographic MS1, right-to-left topographic MS2, anterior-posterior MS3 and fronto-central MS4. We observed a decreased alpha duration and an increased alpha occurrence for sensory-related microstate patterns (MS1 & MS2). Accordingly, theta and beta changes from MS1 & MS2 may be related to motor decline that increased with age. Furthermore, voluntary 'top-down' saliency/attention networks may be reflected by the increased MS3 & MS4 alpha occurrence and complementary beta activities. The findings of this study advance our knowledge of how the aging brain shows dysfunctions in neural state transitions. By leveraging the identified microstate patterns, this study provides new insights into predicting healthy aging and the potential neuropsychiatric cognitive decline.

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Is Associated with Increased Risk of Depression, Anxiety, and Poor Life Quality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) seriously affects the reproductive health of women. Several studies have been conducted to show that POI appears to be associated with psychological and psychosocial problems, but whether POI increases the risk of mental health problems has not been identified. Therefore, this meta-analysis provides a preliminary systematic assessment of the studies published to date on the impact of POI on women's mental health. Methods: We implemented a systematic search for studies on this topic up to October 2022. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confident intervals (CIs) of prevalence were used to assess the impacts of POI on various psychological factors, and the publication bias was assessed by Egger's test. Results: A total of 15 articles comprising 5820 participants were included in this meta-analysis. POI was found to be related to higher risk of 13 psychological and psychosocial problems identified and classified into 3 domains: depression (OR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.11-2.33), anxiety (OR = 3.74; 95% CI: 1.78-7.87), and poor life quality (OR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.63-3.97). Conclusion: This meta-analysis reveals that women with POI have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and poor life quality. The marital status of POI may be a possible influencing factor for depression, meaning that the unmarried status in POI is at high risk of psychological and psychosocial problems. We should pay attention to the mental health of women with POI who were unmarried.

Modulation of T Cell Differentiation in Mice with COPD Combined with Lung Cancer Through Key Targets of PD-1 by Tao Hong Si Wu Tang.

The objective is to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of Tao Hong Si Wu Tang combined with anti-PD-1 in a mouse model of COPD combined with lung cancer, elucidating its mechanism through modulation of PD-1/PD-L binding, regulation of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg balance, inhibition of IL-4 and IL-17, and promotion of IFN-γ and TGF-ß levels in peripheral blood. One hundred male C57/BL6 mice were randomly allocated to five groups: A (blank control), B (model control), C (THSW), D (anti-PD-1), and E (THSW + anti-PD-1), with 20 mice in each group. The COPD model was induced using fumigation and LPS intra-airway drip, followed by the establishment of lung cancer by Lewis cell inoculation. Treatment groups received Tao Hong Si Wu Tang or/and PD-1 monoclonal antibody. Various indicators were assessed, including macroscopic observation, HE staining of lung tissue, ELISA for cytokines, flow cytometry for cell proportions, and immunohistochemistry/western blotting for protein expression. Lung tissue analysis revealed significant differences between groups, with marked tumor formation observed in groups B-E. Serum levels of IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-17, and TGF-ß were significantly altered, along with changes in CD4 + T/CD8 + T ratio and cytokine-producing cell populations. Expression levels of key proteins were also significantly affected across treatment groups. Tao Hong Si Wu Tang demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects comparable to anti-PD-1, potentially through modulation of PD-1/PD-L binding, correction of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg imbalance, and modulation of cytokine levels. These findings suggest a role for Tao Hong Si Wu Tang in ameliorating inflammation and immune dysregulation in COPD combined with lung cancer.