Blueprinting extendable nanomaterials with standardized protein blocks.

A wooden house frame consists of many different lumber pieces, but because of the regularity of these building blocks, the structure can be designed using straightforward geometrical principles. The design of multicomponent protein assemblies, in comparison, has been much more complex, largely owing to the irregular shapes of protein structures1. Here we describe extendable linear, curved and angled protein building blocks, as well as inter-block interactions, that conform to specified geometric standards; assemblies designed using these blocks inherit their extendability and regular interaction surfaces, enabling them to be expanded or contracted by varying the number of modules, and reinforced with secondary struts. Using X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy, we validate nanomaterial designs ranging from simple polygonal and circular oligomers that can be concentrically nested, up to large polyhedral nanocages and unbounded straight 'train track' assemblies with reconfigurable sizes and geometries that can be readily blueprinted. Because of the complexity of protein structures and sequence-structure relationships, it has not previously been possible to build up large protein assemblies by deliberate placement of protein backbones onto a blank three-dimensional canvas; the simplicity and geometric regularity of our design platform now enables construction of protein nanomaterials according to 'back of an envelope' architectural blueprints.

Dynamic spatial progression of isolated lithium during battery operations.

The increasing demand for next-generation energy storage systems necessitates the development of high-performance lithium batteries1-3. Unfortunately, current Li anodes exhibit rapid capacity decay and a short cycle life4-6, owing to the continuous generation of solid electrolyte interface7,8 and isolated Li (i-Li)9-11. The formation of i-Li during the nonuniform dissolution of Li dendrites12 leads to a substantial capacity loss in lithium batteries under most testing conditions13. Because i-Li loses electrical connection with the current collector, it has been considered electrochemically inactive or 'dead' in batteries14,15. Contradicting this commonly accepted presumption, here we show that i-Li is highly responsive to battery operations, owing to its dynamic polarization to the electric field in the electrolyte. Simultaneous Li deposition and dissolution occurs on two ends of the i-Li, leading to its spatial progression toward the cathode (anode) during charge (discharge). Revealed by our simulation results, the progression rate of i-Li is mainly affected by its length, orientation and the applied current density. Moreover, we successfully demonstrate the recovery of i-Li in Cu-Li cells with >100% Coulombic efficiency and realize LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 (NMC)-Li full cells with extended cycle life.

Dual-domain mean-reverting diffusion model-enhanced temporal compressive coherent diffraction imaging.

Temporal compressive coherent diffraction imaging is a lensless imaging technique with the capability to capture fast-moving small objects. However, the accuracy of imaging reconstruction is often hindered by the loss of frequency domain information, a critical factor limiting the quality of the reconstructed images. To improve the quality of these reconstructed images, a method dual-domain mean-reverting diffusion model-enhanced temporal compressive coherent diffraction imaging (DMDTC) has been introduced. DMDTC leverages the mean-reverting diffusion model to acquire prior information in both frequency and spatial domain through sample learning. The frequency domain mean-reverting diffusion model is employed to recover missing information, while hybrid input-output algorithm is carried out to reconstruct the spatial domain image. The spatial domain mean-reverting diffusion model is utilized for denoising and image restoration. DMDTC has demonstrated a significant enhancement in the quality of the reconstructed images. The results indicate that the structural similarity and peak signal-to-noise ratio of images reconstructed by DMDTC surpass those obtained through conventional methods. DMDTC enables high temporal frame rates and high spatial resolution in coherent diffraction imaging.

Association between dietary intake of α-tocopherol and cadmium related osteoporosis in population ≥ 50 years.

INTRODUCTION: To analyze the association between α-tocopherol intake and cadmium (Cd) exposure and osteoporosis in population ≥ 50 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sociodemographic data, physical examination, and laboratory indicators including serum Cd level and dietary α-tocopherol intake of 8459 participants were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database in this cross-sectional study. The associations between α-tocopherol intake, serum Cd levels and osteoporosis were evaluated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, with the estimated value (ß), odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We further explored the impact of α-tocopherol intake on Cd exposure and the bone mineral density (BMD) in total femur and femur neck. RESULTS: A total of 543 old adults suffered from osteoporosis. The serum Cd level (0.52 µg/L vs. 0.37 µg/L) and α-tocopherol intake (5.28 mg vs. 6.50 mg) were statistical different in osteoporosis group and non-osteoporosis group, respectively. High level of Cd exposure was related to the increased risk of osteoporosis [OR = 1.60, 95% CI (1.15-2.21)]. In the total femur, α-tocopherol intake may improve the loss of BMD that associated with Cd exposure [ß = - 0.047, P = 0.037]. Moreover, high α-tocopherol intake combined with low Cd exposure [OR = 0.54, 95% CI (0.36-0.81)] was linked to the decreased risk of osteoporosis comparing with low α-tocopherol intake combined with high Cd exposure. CONCLUSION: High α-tocopherol intake may improve the Cd-related osteoporosis and loss of BMD that could provide some dietary reference for prevention of osteoporosis in population ≥ 50 years old.

Analysis of the expression and significance of lymphocyte ratio in different stages and clinical types of COVID-19.

This study aimed to analyze the expression of lymphocyte ratio (LY%) in different stages and clinical staging of COVID-19 and explore the relationship between peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) ratio and COVID-19 severity to provide reference for early intervention. For this purpose, a total of 125 patients with COVID-19 admitted to Hebei Provincial People's Hospital from February 1, 2020, to March 1, 2022, were reviewed and divided into moderate, severe, and critical groups by the severity to analyze and compare peripheral lymphocyte ratios of patients with different clinical typing. Results showed that lymphocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, CD3+ T-lymphocyte count, CD4+ T-lymphocyte count, and CD8+ T-lymphocyte count all decreased gradually with increasing severity (F = 27.84, P<0.05; F = 15.28, P<0.05; F = 46.12, P<0.05; F = 34.65, P<0.05); the absolute numbers of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells in peripheral blood were higher in the recovery phase than in the acute phase (P<0.05). In conclusion, COVID-19 may cause a decrease in the number of lymphocytes, and the decrease in the number of lymphocytes and T-lymphocyte subsets may predict the severity of the disease. The fewer lymphocytes there are, the more likely they are to progress to the severe type and the worse the prognosis.

Underpotential lithium plating on graphite anodes caused by temperature heterogeneity.

Rechargeability and operational safety of commercial lithium (Li)-ion batteries demand further improvement. Plating of metallic Li on graphite anodes is a critical reason for Li-ion battery capacity decay and short circuit. It is generally believed that Li plating is caused by the slow kinetics of graphite intercalation, but in this paper, we demonstrate that thermodynamics also serves a crucial role. We show that a nonuniform temperature distribution within the battery can make local plating of Li above 0 V vs. Li0/Li+ (room temperature) thermodynamically favorable. This phenomenon is caused by temperature-dependent shifts of the equilibrium potential of Li0/Li+ Supported by simulation results, we confirm the likelihood of this failure mechanism during commercial Li-ion battery operation, including both slow and fast charging conditions. This work furthers the understanding of nonuniform Li plating and will inspire future studies to prolong the cycling lifetime of Li-ion batteries.

IL-34 was high in serum of women with polycystic ovary syndrome and may function as potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most prevalent endocrine disorders in females of reproductive age, with a prevalence of 20%-33% in the general population. Interleukin (IL)-34 is a recently explored proinflammatory cytokine and is an important modulator in different disease types. However, the function of IL-34 in PCOS has yet to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the IL-34 serum level in women with PCOS and to compare it to that of a relatively healthy control group. Focusing on its relationship with IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, blood samples were obtained from 100 women with PCOS and 100 healthy control women for the purpose of estimating their serum levels of IL-34, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. RESULTS: Serum levels of IL-34, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß were all higher in PCOS women than in healthy controls, and the difference was highly statistically significant. Serum IL-34 concentration was positively correlated with IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß concentration. Additionally, serum concentrations of IL-34 were positively correlated with HOMA-IR, triglyceride, and LDL-C. CONCLUSION: When compared to normal women, IL-34, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß levels were highly statistically significant in PCOS, and these high levels were associated with other cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß), HOMA-IR, triglyceride, and LDL-C.

Recurrent Neural Network Based Link Quality Prediction for Fluctuating Low Power Wireless Links.

One of the main methods for link quality prediction is to predict the physical layer parameters first, and then evaluate the link quality based on the mapping models between such parameters and packet reception ratio (PRR). However, existing methods often ignore the temporal correlations of physical layer parameter series and rarely consider the influence of link fluctuations, which lead to more errors under moderate and sudden changed links with larger fluctuations. In view of these problems, this paper proposes a more effective link quality prediction method RNN-LQI, which adopts Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) to predict the Link Quality Indicator (LQI) series, and then evaluates the link quality according to the fitting model of LQI and PRR. This method accurately mines the inner relationship among LQI series with the help of short-term memory characteristics of RNN and effectively deals with link fluctuations by taking advantage of the higher resolution of LQI in the transitional region. Compared with similar methods, RNN-LQI proves to be better under different link qualities. Especially under moderate and sudden changed links with larger fluctuations, the prediction error reduces at least by 14.51% and 13.37%, respectively. Therefore, the proposed method is more suitable for low power wireless links with more fluctuations.

Designing a Nanoscale Three-phase Electrochemical Pathway to Promote Pt-catalyzed Formaldehyde Oxidation.

Gas-phase heterogeneous catalysis is a process spatially constrained on the two-dimensional surface of a solid catalyst. Here, we introduce a new toolkit to open up the third dimension. We discovered that the activity of a solid catalyst can be dramatically promoted by covering its surface with a nanoscale-thin layer of liquid electrolyte while maintaining efficient delivery of gas reactants, a strategy we call three-phase catalysis. Introducing the liquid electrolyte converts the original surface catalytic reaction into an electrochemical pathway with mass transfer facilitated by free ions in a three-dimensional space. We chose the oxidation of formaldehyde as a model reaction and observed a 25000-times enhancement in the turnover frequency of Pt in three-phase catalysis as compared to conventional heterogeneous catalysis. We envision three-phase catalysis as a new dimension for catalyst design and anticipate its applications in more chemical reactions from pollution control to the petrochemical industry.

The correlation between CT features and insulin resistance levels in patients with T2DM complicated with primary pulmonary tuberculosis.

The aim is to investigate the correlation between computed tomography (CT) features and insulin resistance levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with primary pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Nearly, 268 untreated PTB patients complicated with T2DM were divided into two groups according to the optimal cutoff value of HOMA-IR score for the Chinese population: HOMA-IR ≤ 2.69 (Group I: 74 patients), >2.69 (Group II: 194 patients). The basic characteristics and changes of CT manifestations were analyzed. In the two groups, the detection rate of large segmented leafy shadow was 39.2% and 78.9%; the air bronchogram sign detection rate was 40.5% and 80.9%; the discovery rate of mouth-eaten cavity was 33.8% and 73.7%; the thin-walled cavity detection rate was 2.7% and 16.0%; the rate of multiple cavities was 35.1% and 69.6%; and bronchial tuberculosis was found in 4.1% and 35.6%, respectively. The detection rates of lesions in Group II were significantly higher than in Group I (p < .05). HOMA-IR was found independently associated with large segmented leafy shadow, air bronchial sign, thin-walled cavity, and bronchial tuberculosis. The level of insulin resistance can effectively reflect the severity of PTB patients with T2DM. CT scan can directly provide image information in clinics. These two examinations can guide clinicians to accurately formulate subsequent treatment plans.

Wrinkled Graphene Cages as Hosts for High-Capacity Li Metal Anodes Shown by Cryogenic Electron Microscopy.

Lithium (Li) metal has long been considered the "holy grail" of battery anode chemistry but is plagued by low efficiency and poor safety due to its high chemical reactivity and large volume fluctuation, respectively. Here we introduce a new host of wrinkled graphene cage (WGC) for Li metal. Different from recently reported amorphous carbon spheres, WGC show highly improved mechanical stability, better Li ion conductivity, and excellent solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) for continuous robust Li metal protection. At low areal capacities, Li metal is preferentially deposited inside the graphene cage. Cryogenic electron microscopy characterization shows that a uniform and stable SEI forms on the WGC surface that can shield the Li metal from direct exposure to electrolyte. With increased areal capacities, Li metal is plated densely and homogeneously into the outer pore spaces between graphene cages with no dendrite growth or volume change. As a result, a high Coulombic efficiency (CE) of ∼98.0% was achieved under 0.5 mA/cm2 and 1-10 mAh/cm2 in commercial carbonate electrolytes, and a CE of 99.1% was realized with high-concentration electrolytes under 0.5 mA/cm2 and 3 mAh/cm2. Full cells using WGC electrodes with prestored Li paired with Li iron phosphate showed greatly improved cycle lifetime. With 10 mAh/cm2 Li metal deposition, the WGC/Li composite anode was able to provide a high specific capacity of ∼2785 mAh/g. With its roll-to-roll compatible fabrication procedure, WGC serves as a highly promising material for the practical realization of Li metal anodes in next-generation high energy density secondary batteries.

MiR-34c-5p plays a protective role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease via targeting CCL22.

Objective: To study the role of miR-34c-5p targeting CCL22 in affecting the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to verify the targeting relationship of miR-34c-5p and CCL22. The rats were randomly assigned into Control, COPD, COPD + empty plasmids, COPD + agomir, COPD + CCL22 shRNA and COPD + agomir + CCL22 groups. COPD model was built by using cigarette smoke exposure and LPS instillation. After 28 days, the pulmonary function was examined. ELISA method was used to detect TNF-α and IL-8 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), HE staining and Masson staining to observe the pathomorphological changes of lung tissues, qRT-PCR and/or Western blot to determine miR-34c-5p and CCL22 levels, and immunohistochemical staining to measure the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1. Results: MiR-34c-5p could target CCL22 to down-regulate its expression. Both miR-34c-5p agomir and CCL22 shRNA could reduce breathing frequency (f), airway resistance (RI), and the levels of IL-8 and TNF-α in BALF of COPD rats with increased Cydn (dynamic lung compliance) and PIF (peak inspiratory flow). Besides, the inflammatory cell infiltration, rupture of partial alveolus, enlarged alveolar cavity, and increased deposition of collagen fibers were observed in COPD rat tissues, with rise in mean linear intercept (MLI) and reduction in mean alveolar number (MAN), which could be reversed by miR-34c-5p agomir or CCL22 shRNA. Conclusion: MiR-34c-5p may promote inflammation response and maintain the protease-antiprotease balance via targeting CCL22, which provides scientific basis for the clinical treatment of COPD.

In Situ Investigation on the Nanoscale Capture and Evolution of Aerosols on Nanofibers.

Aerosol-induced haze problem has become a serious environmental concern. Filtration is widely applied to remove aerosols from gas streams. Despite classical filtration theories, the nanoscale capture and evolution of aerosols is not yet clearly understood. Here we report an in situ investigation on the nanoscale capture and evolution of aerosols on polyimide nanofibers. We discovered different capture and evolution behaviors among three types of aerosols: wetting liquid droplets, nonwetting liquid droplets, and solid particles. The wetting droplets had small contact angles and could move, coalesce, and form axisymmetric conformations on polyimide nanofibers. In contrast, the nonwetting droplets had a large contact angle on polyimide nanofibers and formed nonaxisymmetric conformations. Different from the liquid droplets, the solid particles could not move along the nanofibers and formed dendritic structures. This study provides an important insight for obtaining a deep understanding of the nanoscale capture and evolution of aerosols and benefits future design and development of advanced filters.

Thermal Management in Nanofiber-Based Face Mask.

Face masks are widely used to filter airborne pollutants, especially when particulate matter (PM) pollution has become a serious concern to public health. Here, the concept of thermal management is introduced into face masks for the first time to enhance the thermal comfort of the user. A system of nanofiber on nanoporous polyethylene (fiber/nanoPE) is developed where the nanofibers with strong PM adhesion ensure high PM capture efficiency (99.6% for PM2.5) with low pressure drop and the nanoPE substrate with high-infrared (IR) transparency (92.1%, weighted based on human body radiation) results in effective radiative cooling. We further demonstrate that by coating nanoPE with a layer of Ag, the fiber/Ag/nanoPE mask shows a high IR reflectance (87.0%) and can be used for warming purposes. These multifunctional face mask designs can be explored for both outdoor and indoor applications to protect people from PM pollutants and simultaneously achieve personal thermal comfort.

Roll-to-Roll Transfer of Electrospun Nanofiber Film for High-Efficiency Transparent Air Filter.

Particulate matter (PM) pollution in air has become a serious environmental issue calling for new type of filter technologies. Recently, we have demonstrated a highly efficient air filter by direct electrospinning of polymer fibers onto supporting mesh although its throughput is limited. Here, we demonstrate a high throughput method based on fast transfer of electrospun nanofiber film from roughed metal foil to a receiving mesh substrate. Compared with the direct electrospinning method, the transfer method is 10 times faster and has better filtration performance at the same transmittance, owing to the uniformity of transferred nanofiber film (>99.97% removal of PM2.5 at ∼73% of transmittance). With these advantages, large area freestanding nanofiber film and roll-to-roll production of air filter are demonstrated.

[Correlations between lipid ratio/oxidative stress status in COPD patients and pulmonary hypertension as well as prognosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlations between lipid ratio/oxidative stress status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and pulmonary hypertension as well as the prognosis.
 Methods: A total of 120 patients with COPD were randomly selected and served as the COPD group and 30 healthy persons were selected as the control group. The ratios of low density lipoprotein (LDL)/high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG)/HDL and total cholesterol (TC)/HDL were measured. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) level in the control group and COPD patients were detected. Pulmonary hypertension incidence and 3-year survival rate for COPD patients were statistically analyzed. Spearman rank correlation method was used to analyze relationship between lipid ratio /oxidative stress status and pulmonary hypertension.
 Results: Compared with control group, the ratios of LDL/HDL, TG/HDL and TC/HDL, and the serum MDA level in the COPD group were increased, while the serum SOD and T-AOC level in the COPD group were decreased; compared with stable period, lipid ratios and MDA levels in the acute period were elevated, while serum SOD and T-AOC levels were reduced (P<0.05). Pulmonary hypertension incidence and 3-year survival rates in the COPD group were 56.67% and 81.67% respectively; the lipid ratios and serum MDA levels in COPD patients with pulmonary hypertension were elevated compared with that in COPD patients without pulmonary hypertension; the serum SOD and T-AOC levels in COPD patients with pulmonary hypertension were reduced compared with that in patients without pulmonary hypertension (P<0.05). Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that ratios of LDL/HDL, TG/HDL and TC/HDL, and the serum MDA levels in COPD patients were positively correlated with 3-years pulmonary hypertension incidence (r=0.752, 0.748, 0.752, 0.748; P<0.05), and negatively correlated with 3-years survival rate (r=-0.722, -0.751, -0.736, -0.748; P<0.05); serum SOD and T-AOC levels in COPD patients were negatively correlated with 3-years pulmonary hypertension (r=-0.711, -0.734; P<0.05), and positively correlated with 3-year survival rate (r=0.726, 0.733; P<0.05). 
 Conclusion: Blood lipid ratio and oxidative stress levels in COPD patients are elevated while antioxidant abilities were attenuated. The lipid ratio and oxidative stress status in COPD patients is closely related to the prognosis of pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, blood lipid ratio and oxidative stress status may be used in evaluation of pulmonary hypertension and prognosis for COPD patients.

The N-silylation of sulfoximines.

The copper-catalyzed N-silylation of sulfoximines was achieved in the presence of di-tert-butyl peroxide. Notably, alkyl, phenyl and alkoxyl silanes were all suitable reaction partners. Mechanistic studies revealed that N-silyl acetamide serves as the intermediate.

miR-221-3p is upregulated in acute pulmonary embolism complicated with pulmonary hypertension and promotes pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells proliferation and migration by inhibiting PTEN.

Pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) functions are associated with the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) which is a life-threatening complication of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). This study sought to explore the expression pattern of microRNA (miR)-221-3p in APE-PH patients and its role in PASMCs proliferation and migration. The clinical data and venous blood of APE-PH patients were collected. The expression levels of miR-221-3p and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in serum were determined, followed by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of miR-221-3p diagnostic efficacy. PASMCs were transfected with miR-221-3p mimics and PTEN-overexpressed vector, followed by assessment of cell viability, proliferation, and migration through cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, Transwell, and wound healing assays. The binding between miR-221-3p and PTEN 3'UTR region was testified by the dual-luciferase assay. miR-221 was upregulated in the serum of APE-PH patients and presented with good diagnostic efficacy with 1.155 cutoff value, 66.25% sensitivity, and 67.50% specificity. miR-221 was negatively correlated with PTEN in APE-PH patients. miR-221 overexpression facilitated PASMCs proliferation and migration in vitro. miR-221-3p bound to PTEN 3'UTR region to decrease PTEN protein levels. PTEN overexpression abolished the promotive role of miR-221-3p in PASMCs. Overall, miR-221-3p targeted PTEN to facilitate PASMC proliferation and migration.

Decay and Termite Resistance of Wood Modified by High-Temperature Vapour-Phase Acetylation (HTVPA), a Simultaneous Acetylation and Heat Treatment Modification Process.

High-temperature vapour-phase acetylation (HTVPA) is a simultaneous acetylation and heat treatment process for wood modification. This study was the first investigation into the impact of HTVPA treatment on the resistance of wood to biological degradation. In the termite resistance test, untreated wood exhibited a mass loss (MLt) of 20.3%, while HTVPA-modified wood showed a reduced MLt of 6.6-3.2%, which decreased with an increase in weight percent gain (WPG), and the termite mortality reached 95-100%. Furthermore, after a 12-week decay resistance test against brown-rot fungi (Laetiporus sulfureus and Fomitopsis pinicola), untreated wood exhibited mass loss (MLd) values of 39.6% and 54.5%, respectively, while HTVPA-modified wood exhibited MLd values of 0.2-0.9% and -0.2-0.3%, respectively, with no significant influence from WPG. Similar results were observed in decay resistance tests against white-rot fungi (Lenzites betulina and Trametes versicolor). The results of this study demonstrated that HTVPA treatment not only effectively enhanced the decay resistance of wood but also offered superior enhancement relative to separate heat treatment or acetylation processes. In addition, all the HTVPA-modified wood specimens prepared in this study met the requirements of the CNS 6717 wood preservative standard, with an MLd of less than 3% for decay-resistant materials.

Assessing the Long-Term Creep Behaviour of Hydrothermally Treated Japanese Cedar Wood Using the Short-Term Accelerated Stepped Isostress Method.

In this study, short-term accelerated creep tests were conducted using the stepped isostress method (SSM) to investigate the impact of hydrothermal treatment on the long-term creep behaviour of Japanese cedar wood and to determine optimal hydrothermal treatment conditions. The results showed that SSM can effectively predict the creep behaviour of hydrothermally treated wood. Among the treatment conditions tested, Japanese cedar wood treated hydrothermally at 180 °C for 4 h exhibited higher flexural strength retention (91%) and moisture excluding efficiency (MEE) (44%) and demonstrated superior creep resistance compared to untreated wood. When subjected to a 30% average breaking load (ABL) over 20 years, the specimen's creep compliance, instantaneous creep compliance, b value, activation volume, and improvement in creep resistance (ICR) were 0.17 GPa-1, 0.139 GPa-1, 0.15, 1.619 nm3, and 4%, respectively. The results indicate that subjecting Japanese cedar wood to hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C for 4 h has a negligible effect on its flexural properties but results in significant improvements in both dimensional stability and creep resistance.