Regeneration of Antifog Performance of Laser-Induced Copper-Based Micro-Nano Structured Surfaces by Rapid Thermal Treatment.

In this investigation, the laser marker ablation technique was employed on Cu-coated glass to fabricate micro-nanostructured antifog glass. The resulting surfaces exhibited a quasi-periodic micron hillock-hollow structure with dispersed nanoparticles distributed throughout, which played a role in the antifog property and superhydrophilicity. However, airborne organic pollutant deposition degraded the superhydrophilicity of ablated glass surfaces and, therefore, their antifog performance, which cannot be circumvented. Conventionally, furnace annealing for at least 1 h was used to decompose the organic pollutants and restore the superhydrophilicity, limiting the throughput and application scenario. Remarkably, the rapid regeneration of this property was achieved through either a 5 min rapid thermal treatment at 400 °C or a 1 s flame treatment. These are interventions that are hitherto unreported. Such short and simple treatment methods underscore the potential of laser-ablated glass for diverse practical applications.

Medium acidosis drives cardiac differentiation during mesendoderm cell fate specification from human pluripotent stem cells.

Effective lineage-specific differentiation is essential to fulfilling the great potentials of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). In this report, we investigate how modulation of medium pH and associated metabolic changes influence mesendoderm differentiation from hPSCs. We show that daily medium pH fluctuations are critical for the heterogeneity of cell fates in the absence of exogenous inducers. Acidic environment alone leads to cardiomyocyte generation without other signaling modulators. In contrast, medium alkalinization is inhibitory to cardiac fate even in the presence of classic cardiac inducers. We then demonstrate that acidic environment suppresses glycolysis to facilitate cardiac differentiation, while alkaline condition promotes glycolysis and diverts the differentiation toward other cell types. We further show that glycolysis inhibition or AMPK activation can rescue cardiac differentiation under alkalinization, and glycolysis inhibition alone can drive cardiac cell fate. This study highlights that pH changes remodel metabolic patterns and modulate signaling pathways to control cell fate.

Microwave Radiation Caused Dynamic Metabolic Fluctuations in the Mammalian Hippocampus.

To investigate the dynamic changes in hippocampal metabolism after microwave radiation using liquid chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and to identify potential biomarkers. Wistar rats were randomly assigned to a sham group and a microwave radiation group. The rats in the microwave radiation group were exposed to 2.856 GHz for 15 min for three times, with 5 min intervals. The rats in the sham group were not exposed. Transmission electron microscope revealed blurring of the synaptic cleft and postsynaptic dense thickening in hippocampal neurons after microwave radiation. Metabolomic analysis revealed 38, 24, and 39 differentially abundant metabolites at 3, 7, and 14 days after radiation, respectively, and the abundance of 9 metabolites, such as argininosuccinic acid, was continuously decreased. After microwave radiation, the abundance of metabolites such as argininosuccinic acid was successively decreased, indicating that these metabolites could be potential biomarkers for hippocampal tissue injury.

Inactivation efficacy and mechanism of 9.375 GHz electromagnetic wave on coronavirus.

Epidemics caused by pathogenic viruses are a severe threat to public health worldwide. Electromagnetic waves are a type of noncontact and nonionizing radiation technology that has emerged as an effective tool for inactivating bacterial pathogens. In this study, we used a 9.375 GHz electromagnetic wave to study the inactivation effect and mechanism of electromagnetic waves on MHV-A59, a substitute virus for pathogenic human coronavirus, and to evaluate the inactivation efficiency on different surface materials. We showed that 9.375 GHz electromagnetic waves inactivate MHV-A59 by destroying viral particles, envelopes, or genomes. We also found that 9.375 GHz electromagnetic waves can decrease the infectivity of viruses on the surface of inanimate materials such as plastic, glass, cloth, and wood. In conclusion, our results suggested that the 9.375 GHz electromagnetic wave is a promising disinfection technique for preventing the spread and infection of pathogenic viruses.

Complexin-1 enhances ultrasound neurotransmission in the mammalian auditory pathway.

Unlike megabats, which rely on well-developed vision, microbats use ultrasonic echolocation to navigate and locate prey. To study ultrasound perception, here we compared the auditory cortices of microbats and megabats by constructing reference genomes and single-nucleus atlases for four species. We found that parvalbumin (PV)+ neurons exhibited evident cross-species differences and could respond to ultrasound signals, whereas their silencing severely affected ultrasound perception in the mouse auditory cortex. Moreover, megabat PV+ neurons expressed low levels of complexins (CPLX1-CPLX4), which can facilitate neurotransmitter release, while microbat PV+ neurons highly expressed CPLX1, which improves neurotransmission efficiency. Further perturbation of Cplx1 in PV+ neurons impaired ultrasound perception in the mouse auditory cortex. In addition, CPLX1 functioned in other parts of the auditory pathway in microbats but not megabats and exhibited convergent evolution between echolocating microbats and whales. Altogether, we conclude that CPLX1 expression throughout the entire auditory pathway can enhance mammalian ultrasound neurotransmission.

Mechanism of Microwave Radiation-Induced Learning and Memory Impairment Based on Hippocampal Metabolomics.

The brain is complex and metabolically active, and the detection of metabolites plays an important role in brain development and diseases. Currently, there is a lack of research on the metabolic spectrum changes in learning and memory impairment, and hippocampal damage induced by microwave radiation from the metabolic perspective. Aiming to provide sensitive indicators for microwave radiation-induced brain damage and establish a foundation for understanding its injury mechanisms, this study employed non-targeted metabolomics to investigate metabolic fluctuations and key metabolic pathway alterations in rats' hippocampal tissue after microwave radiation. The memory and spatial exploration abilities of rats decreased after radiation. The postsynaptic densities were thickened in the MW group. The cholesterol sulfate, SM(d16:1/24:1(15Z)), and linoelaidylcarnitine were significantly increased after radiation, whereas etrahydrocorticosterone, L-phenylalanine, and histamine were significantly decreased after radiation. These metabolites were enriched in signaling pathways related to the inflammatory mediator regulation of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis. These findings indicate that microwave radiation causes spatial learning and memory dysfunction in rats and structural damage to hippocampal tissue.

[Pollution Characteristics and Source Analysis of Soil Heavy Metal in Coal Mine Area near the Yellow River in Shandong].

To explore the pollution characteristics and source of soil heavy metal in a coal mine area near the Yellow River in Shandong, the geo-accumulation index method and improved Nemerow pollution index method were used to evaluate the pollution characteristics of soil heavy metal. The absolute principal component-multiple linear regression model (APCS-MLR) was used to quantitatively analyze the source of soil heavy metal, and the spatial distribution of Hg and Cd were analyzed using the Kriging spatial difference method in ArcGIS. The result accuracy of the APCS-MLR model was further verified. The results showed that:The measured contents of soil heavy metal Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, As, and Hg all exceeded the normal site, among which, Hg and Cd exceeded the background values of soil elements in Shandong. The coefficient of variation (CV) of Hg was higher than 0.500, indicating significant spatial heterogeneity. Moreover, the correlation between Hg and other heavy metals was generally low, and the possibility of the same pollution source was small. The results of the geo-accumulation index and improved Nemerow pollution index showed that the overall soil heavy metal pollution was at a moderate level, among which the Hg pollution level was the highest, and its maximum value was at a slanted-heavy pollution level; Cu, Cd, and As in soil caused local pollution, which were at a slanted-light pollution level. Soil heavy metal pollution was closely related to mining activities, rehabilitation, and engineering construction in the coal mine area. The two major pollution sources of soil heavy metal in the research area were the compound source of the parent material and industrial and mining transportation sources (known source 1) and the compound source of atmospheric sedimentation and coal production (known source 2), the contribution rates of which were 76.705% and 16.171%, respectively. The results of the APCS-MLR model were shown to be reliable by analyzing the content distribution of Hg and Cd using the Kriging space difference mode. This research can provide scientific basis for the precise control and improvement of soil heavy metal pollution, ensuring the safety of food and agricultural products and improving the quality of the ecological environment in the coal mine area in the Shandong section of the Yellow River Basin.

Brain circuits for retching-like behavior.

Nausea and vomiting are important defensive responses to cope with pathogens and toxins that invade the body. The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is important for initiating these responses. However, the molecular heterogeneities and cellular diversities of the NTS occlude a better understanding of these defensive responses. Here, we constructed the single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of NTS cells and found multiple populations of NTS neurons that may be involved in these defensive responses. Among these, we identified Calbindin1-positive (Calb1+) NTS neurons that are molecularly distinct from Tac1+ neurons. These Calb1+ neurons are critical for nausea and retching induced by cereulide; an emetic toxin secreted by Bacillus Cereus. Strikingly, we found that cereulide can directly modulate vagal sensory neurons that innervate Calb1+ NTS neurons, a novel mechanism distinct from that for nausea and retching induced by Staphylococcal enterotoxin A. Together, our transcriptomic atlas of NTS neurons and the functional analyses revealed the neural mechanism for cereulide-induced retching-like behavior. These results demonstrate the molecular and cellular complexities in the brain that underlie defensive responses to the diversities of pathogens and toxins.

Baloxavir marboxil use for critical human infection of avian influenza A H5N6 virus.

BACKGROUND: Recent outbreaks of avian influenza and ongoing virus reassortment have drawn focus on spill-over infections. The increase in human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N6 virus and its high fatality rate posed a potential threat, necessitating the search for a more effective treatment. METHODS: Longitudinal clinical data and specimens were collected from five H5N6 patients after admission. All patients received antiviral treatment of either sequential monotherapy of oseltamivir and baloxavir or the two drugs in combination. Severity of illness; viral load in sputum, urine, and blood; and cytokine levels in serum and sputum were serially analyzed. FINDINGS: All patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and viral sepsis within 1 week after disease onset. When delayed oseltamivir showed poor effects, baloxavir was administered and rapidly decreased viral load. In addition, levels of IL-18, M-CSF, IL-6, and HGF in sputum and Mig and IL-18 in serum that reflected ARDS and sepsis deterioration, respectively, were also reduced with baloxavir usage. However, three patients eventually died from exacerbation of underlying disease and secondary bacterial infection. Nonsurvivors had more severe extrapulmonary organ dysfunction and insufficient H5N6 virus-specific antibody response. CONCLUSIONS: For critical human cases of H5N6 infection, baloxavir demonstrated effects on viral load and pulmonary/extrapulmonary cytokines, even though treatment was delayed. Baloxavir could be regarded as a first-line treatment to limit continued viral propagation, with potential future application in avian influenza human infections and poultry workers exhibiting influenza-like illness. FUNDING: This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81761128014).

Silencing essential meiotic endonuclease 1 inhibits the proliferation of liver cancer cells： A study of related mechanisms / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of essential meiotic endonuclease 1 （EME1） in liver cancer tissue and its effect on the biological behavior of hepatoma cells. MethodsThe TCGA database was used to identify the differentially expressed genes between liver cancer tissue and paracancerous tissue. Immunohistochemistry and Western Blot were used to measure the expression abundance of EME1 in liver cancer tissue. A lentivirus was constructed by short hairpin RNA， and BEL-7404 cells were transfected with the lentivirus to interfere with the expression of the EME1 gene； the cells were divided into silencing group （shEME1 group） and control group （shCtrl group）. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western Blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of EME1； Celigo Image Cytometer and MTT assay were used to measure cell proliferation rate； flow cytometry was used to observe cell cycle； Caspase 3/7 activity was used to measure cell apoptosis. The independent-samples t-test was used for comparison between two groups. ResultsTCGA results showed that the mRNA expression level of EME1 in liver cancer tissue was 18.9 times that in paracancerous tissue （t=5.00， P<0.001）， and the protein expression level of EME1 in liver cancer tissue was 7.0 times （based on immunohistochemistry： 8.4±2.6 vs 1.2±0.4， t=7.55， P<0.001） or 2.5 times （based on Western Blot： 249.0%±35.5% vs 100.0%±77.8%， t=3.02， P<0.05） that in paracancerous tissue. After lentivirus infection， compared with the shCtrl group， the shEME1 group had an mRNA expression level of EME1 reduced by 29.9% （29.9%±0.9% vs 100.0%±3.6%， t=32.82， P<0.001）， a protein expression level of EME1 reduced by 35.7% （35.7%±14.9% vs 100.0%±28.9%， t=3.42， P<0.05）， and a level of cell counting reduced by 45.1% （4 053±167 vs 8 988±477， t=16.91， P<0.001）， as well as a level of cell activity reduced to 66.9% （0.518±0.046 vs 0.774±0.022， t=8.74， P<0.001） and a level of colony forming ability reduced to 29.0% （75±6 vs 260±9， t=28.92， P<0.001）. Compared with the shCtrl group， the shEME1 group had a significant increase in the proportion of cells in G1 phase （49.9% vs 44.0%， t=8.96， P<0.001） and significant reductions in the proportion of cells in G2/M phase （15.9% vs 17.9%， t=9.13， P<0.001） and S phase （34.2% vs 38.1%， t=6.91， P<0.001）， while Caspase 3/7 activity was enhanced by 1.5 times （145.8%±5.9% vs 100.0%±2.3%， t=12.50， P<0.001）. ConclusionEME1 is highly expressed in liver cancer tissue， and silencing the EME1 gene can inhibit the proliferation of hepatoma cells and promote cell apoptosis.

No Incidence of Liver Cancer Was Observed in A Retrospective Study of Patients with Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the risk of aristolochic acid (AA)-associated cancer in patients with AA nephropathy (AAN).@*METHODS@#A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with AAN at Peking University First Hospital from January 1997 to December 2014. Long-term surveillance and follow-up data were analyzed to investigate the influence of different factors on the prevalence of cancer. The primary endpoint was the incidence of liver cancer, and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of urinary cancer during 1 year after taking AA-containing medication to 2014.@*RESULTS@#A total of 337 patients diagnosed with AAN were included in this study. From the initiation of taking AA to the termination of follow-up, 39 patients were diagnosed with cancer. No cases of liver cancer were observed throughout the entire follow-up period, with urinary cancer being the predominant type (34/39, 87.17%). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, follow-up period, and diabetes were potential risk factors, however, the dosage of the drug was not significantly associated with urinary cancer.@*CONCLUSIONS@#No cases of liver cancer were observed at the end of follow-up. However, a high prevalence of urinary cancer was observed in AAN patients. Establishing a direct causality between AA and HCC is challenging.

Spatiotemporal transcriptome atlas reveals the regional specification of the developing human brain.

Different functional regions of brain are fundamental for basic neurophysiological activities. However, the regional specification remains largely unexplored during human brain development. Here, by combining spatial transcriptomics (scStereo-seq) and scRNA-seq, we built a spatiotemporal developmental atlas of multiple human brain regions from 6-23 gestational weeks (GWs). We discovered that, around GW8, radial glia (RG) cells have displayed regional heterogeneity and specific spatial distribution. Interestingly, we found that the regional heterogeneity of RG subtypes contributed to the subsequent neuronal specification. Specifically, two diencephalon-specific subtypes gave rise to glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, whereas subtypes in ventral midbrain were associated with the dopaminergic neurons. Similar GABAergic neuronal subtypes were shared between neocortex and diencephalon. Additionally, we revealed that cell-cell interactions between oligodendrocyte precursor cells and GABAergic neurons influenced and promoted neuronal development coupled with regional specification. Altogether, this study provides comprehensive insights into the regional specification in the developing human brain.

Cross-species comparison illuminates the importance of iron homeostasis for splenic anti-immunosenescence.

Although immunosenescence may result in increased morbidity and mortality, many mammals have evolved effective immune coping strategies to extend their lifespans. Thus, the immune systems of long-lived mammals present unique models to study healthy longevity. To identify the molecular clues of anti-immunosenescence, we first built high-quality reference genome for a long-lived myotis bat, and then compared three long-lived mammals (i.e., bat, naked mole rat, and human) versus the short-lived mammal, mouse, in splenic immune cells at single-cell resolution. A close relationship between B:T cell ratio and immunosenescence was detected, as B:T cell ratio was much higher in mouse than long-lived mammals and significantly increased during aging. Importantly, we identified several iron-related genes that could resist immunosenescence changes, especially the iron chaperon, PCBP1, which was upregulated in long-lived mammals but dramatically downregulated during aging in all splenic immune cell types. Supportively, immune cells of mouse spleens contained more free iron than those of bat spleens, suggesting higher level of ROS-induced damage in mouse. PCBP1 downregulation during aging was also detected in hepatic but not pulmonary immune cells, which is consistent with the crucial roles of spleen and liver in organismal iron recycling. Furthermore, PCBP1 perturbation in immune cell lines would result in cellular iron dyshomeostasis and senescence. Finally, we identified two transcription factors that could regulate PCBP1 during aging. Together, our findings highlight the importance of iron homeostasis in splenic anti-immunosenescence, and provide unique insight for improving human healthspan.

Role of Cx43 in iPSC-CM Damage Induced by Microwave Radiation.

The heart is one of the major organs affected by microwave radiation, and these effects have been extensively studied. Previous studies have shown that microwave-radiation-induced heart injury might be related to the abnormal expression and distribution of Cx43. In order to make the research model closer to humans, we used iPSC-CMs as the cell injury model to investigate the biological effect and mechanism of iPSC-CM injury after microwave radiation. To model the damage, iPSC-CMs were separated into four groups and exposed to single or composite S-band (2.856 GHz) and X-band (9.375 GHz) microwave radiation sources with an average power density of 30 mW/cm2. After that, FCM was used to detect cell activity, and ELISA was used to detect the contents of myocardial enzymes and injury markers in the culture medium, and it was discovered that cell activity decreased and the contents increased after radiation. TEM and SEM showed that the ultrastructure of the cell membrane, mitochondria, and ID was damaged. Mitochondrial function was aberrant, and glycolytic capacity decreased after exposure. The electrical conduction function of iPSC-CM was abnormal; the conduction velocity was decreased, and the pulsation amplitude was reduced. Wb, qRT-PCR, and IF detections showed that the expression of Cx43 was decreased and the distribution of Cx43 at the gap junction was disordered. Single or composite exposure to S- and X-band microwave radiation caused damage to the structure and function of iPSC-CMs, primarily affecting the cell membrane, mitochondria, and ID. The composite exposure group was more severely harmed than the single exposure group. These abnormalities in structure and function were related to the decreased expression and disordered distribution of Cx43.

Observational Study of the Natural Growth History of Peripheral Small-Cell Lung Cancer on CT Imaging.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the natural growth history of peripheral small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) using CT imaging. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 27 patients with peripheral SCLC who underwent at least two CT scans. Two methods were used: Method 1 involved direct measurement of nodule dimensions using a calliper, while Method 2 involved tumour lesion segmentation and voxel volume calculation using the "py-radiomics" package in Python. Agreement between the two methods was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Volume doubling time (VDT) and growth rate (GR) were used as evaluation indices for SCLC growth, and growth distribution based on GR and volume measurements were depicted. We collected potential factors related to imaging VDT and performed a differential analysis. Patients were classified into slow-growing and fast-growing groups based on a VDT cut-off point of 60 days, and univariate analysis was used to identify factors influencing VDT. RESULTS: Median VDT calculated by the two methods were 61 days and 71 days, respectively, with strong agreement. All patients had continuously growing tumours, and none had tumours that decreased in size or remained unchanged. Eight patients showed possible growth patterns, with six possibly exhibiting exponential growth and two possibly showing Gompertzian growth. Tumours deeper in the lung grew faster than those adjacent to the pleura. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral SCLC tumours grow rapidly and continuously without periods of nongrowth or regression. Tumours located deeper in the lung tend to grow faster, but further research is needed to confirm this finding.

Metformin Ameliorates 2.856 GHz Microwave- Radiation-Induced Reproductive Impairments in Male Rats via Inhibition of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis.

The reproductive system has been increasingly implicated as a sensitive target of microwave radiation. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in microwave radiation -induced reproductive damage, though precise mechanisms are obscure. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic drug, has emerged as an efficient antioxidant against a variety of oxidative injuries. In the present study, we hypothesized that metformin can function as an antioxidant and protect the reproductive system from microwave radiation. To test this hypothesis, rats were exposed to 2.856 GHz microwave radiation for 6 weeks to simulate real-life exposure to high-frequency microwave radiation. Our results showed that exposure to 2.856 GHz microwave radiation elicited serum hormone disorder, decreased sperm motility, and depleted sperm energy, and it induced abnormalities of testicular structure as well as mitochondrial impairment. Metformin was found to effectively protect the reproductive system against structural and functional impairments caused by microwave radiation. In particular, metformin can ameliorate microwave-radiation-induced oxidative injury and mitigate apoptosis in the testis, as determined by glutathione/-oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), lipid peroxidation, and protein expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). These findings demonstrated that exposure to 2.856 GHz microwave radiation induces obvious structural and functional impairments of the male reproductive system, and suggested that metformin can function as a promising antioxidant to inhibit microwave-radiation-induced harmful effects by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Effect of Sonication and Ceria Doping on Nanoparticles Fabricated by Laser Marker Ablation of Ti in Water.

By employing the laser marker fast ablation technique in water, combined with the innovative inclusion of sonication, we successfully developed Ti-based nanoparticles with improved characteristics. sonication increased the nanoparticle concentration in the colloid, reduced nanoparticle size, and also narrowed size distribution. Our findings also provide valuable insights into the influence of laser parameters, such as wavelength and fluence, on nanoparticle properties. UV laser led to small nanoparticles compared with 1064 nm laser. Additionally, high laser fluence appeared to increase the ablated particle size until a plateau fluence at 28.5 J/cm2; at 38 J/cm2, the particle size decreased. Notably, all synthesized particles exhibited a regular spherical shape, as confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, which also indicated that the majority of Ti-based particles were in an oxidized state. Additionally, the presence of rutile TiO2 in the particles was further confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Ceria doping Titania nanoparticles was also attempted.

Hollow Starlike Ag/CoMo-LDH Heterojunction with a Tunable d-Band Center for Boosting Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalysis.

It is a challenging task to utilize efficient electrocatalytic metal hydroxide-based materials for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in order to produce clean hydrogen energy through water splitting, primarily due to the restricted availability of active sites and the undesirably high adsorption energies of oxygenated species. To address these challenges simultaneously, we intentionally engineer a hollow star-shaped Ag/CoMo-LDH heterostructure as a highly efficient electrocatalytic system. This design incorporates a considerable number of heterointerfaces between evenly dispersed Ag nanoparticles and CoMo-LDH nanosheets. The heterojunction materials have been prepared using self-assembly, in situ transformation, and spontaneous redox processes. The nanosheet-integrated hollow architecture can prevent active entities from agglomeration and facilitate mass transportation, enabling the constant exposure of active sites. Specifically, the powerful electronic interaction within the heterojunction can successfully regulate the Co3+/Co2+ ratio and the d-band center, resulting in rational optimization of the adsorption and desorption of the intermediates on the site. Benefiting from its well-defined multifunctional structures, the Ag0.4/CoMo-LDH with optimal Ag loading exhibits impressive OER activity, the overpotential being 290 mV to reach a 10 mA cm-2 current density. The present study sheds some new insights into the electron structure modulation of hollow heterostructures toward rationally designing electrocatalytic materials for the OER.