Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Effects of 0.1 Sub-Terahertz Irradiation in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Mice.

The primary emphasis of photoimmunology is the impact of nonionizing radiation on the immune system. With the development of terahertz (THz) and sub-terahertz (sub-THz) technology, the biological effects of this emerging nonionizing radiation, particularly its influence on immune function, remain insufficiently explored but are progressively attracting attention. Here, we demonstrated that 0.1 sub-THz radiation can modulate the immune system and alleviate symptoms of arthritis in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice through a nonthermal manner. The application of 0.1 sub-THz irradiation led to a decrease in proinflammatory factors within the joints and serum, reducing the levels of blood immune cells and the quantity of splenic CD4+ T cells. Notably, 0.1 sub-THz irradiation restored depleted Treg cells in CIA mice and re-established the Th17/Treg equilibrium. These findings suggested that sub-THz irradiation plays a crucial role in systemic immunoregulation. Further exploration of its immune modulation mechanisms revealed the anti-inflammatory properties of 0.1 sub-THz on LPS-stimulated skin keratinocytes. Through the reduction in NF-κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, 0.1 sub-THz irradiation effectively decreased the production of inflammatory factors and immune-active substances, including IL-1ß and PGE2, in HaCaT cells. Consequently, 0.1 sub-THz irradiation mitigated the inflammatory response and contributed to the maintenance of immune tolerance in CIA mice. This research provided significant new evidence supporting the systemic impacts of 0.1 sub-THz radiation, particularly on the immune system. It also enhanced the field of photoimmunology and offered valuable insights into the potential biomedical applications of 0.1 sub-THz radiation for treating autoimmune diseases.

Machine learning-based comparison of factors influencing estimated glomerular filtration rate in Chinese women with or without non-alcoholic fatty liver.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) has increased recently. Subjects with NAFLD are known to have higher chance for renal function impairment. Many past studies used traditional multiple linear regression (MLR) to identify risk factors for decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). However, medical research is increasingly relying on emerging machine learning (Mach-L) methods. The present study enrolled healthy women to identify factors affecting eGFR in subjects with and without NAFLD (NAFLD+, NAFLD-) and to rank their importance. AIM: To uses three different Mach-L methods to identify key impact factors for eGFR in healthy women with and without NAFLD. METHODS: A total of 65535 healthy female study participants were enrolled from the Taiwan MJ cohort, accounting for 32 independent variables including demographic, biochemistry and lifestyle parameters (independent variables), while eGFR was used as the dependent variable. Aside from MLR, three Mach-L methods were applied, including stochastic gradient boosting, eXtreme gradient boosting and elastic net. Errors of estimation were used to define method accuracy, where smaller degree of error indicated better model performance. RESULTS: Income, albumin, eGFR, High density lipoprotein-Cholesterol, phosphorus, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and sleep time were all lower in the NAFLD+ group, while other factors were all significantly higher except for smoking area. Mach-L had lower estimation errors, thus outperforming MLR. In Model 1, age, uric acid (UA), FEV1, plasma calcium level (Ca), plasma albumin level (Alb) and T-bilirubin were the most important factors in the NAFLD+ group, as opposed to age, UA, FEV1, Alb, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and Ca for the NAFLD- group. Given the importance percentage was much higher than the 2nd important factor, we built Model 2 by removing age. CONCLUSION: The eGFR were lower in the NAFLD+ group compared to the NAFLD- group, with age being was the most important impact factor in both groups of healthy Chinese women, followed by LDH, UA, FEV1 and Alb. However, for the NAFLD- group, TSH and SBP were the 5th and 6th most important factors, as opposed to Ca and BF in the NAFLD+ group.

Ultrathin, Mechanically Robust Quasi-Solid Composite Electrolyte for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Herein, we present the preparation and properties of an ultrathin, mechanically robust, quasi-solid composite electrolyte (SEO-QSCE) for solid-state lithium metal battery (SLB) from a well-defined polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer (SEO), Li6.75La3Zr1.75Ta0.25O12 nanofiller, and fluoroethylene carbonate plasticizer. Compared with the ordered lamellar microphase separation of SEO, the SEO-QSCE displays bicontinuous phases, consisting of a Li+ ion conductive poly(ethylene oxide) domain and a mechanically robust framework of the polystyrene domain. Therefore, the 12 µm-thick SEO-QSCE membrane exhibits an exceptional ionic conductivity of 1.3 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 30 °C, along with a remarkable tensile strength of 5.1 MPa and an elastic modulus of 2.7 GPa. The high mechanical robustness and the self-generated LiF-rich SEI enable the SEO-QSCE to have an extraordinary lithium dendrite prohibition effect. The SLB of Li|SEO-QSCE|LiFePO4 reveals superior cycling performances at 30 °C for over 600 cycles, maintaining an initial discharge capacity of 145 mAh g-1 and a remarkable capacity retention of 81% (117 mAh g-1) after 400 cycles at 0.5 C. The high-voltage SLB of Li|SEO-QSCE|LiNi0.5Co0.3Mn0.2O2 displays good cycling stability for over 150 cycles at 30 °C. Moreover, the exceptional robustness of SEO-QSCE enables the high-voltage solid-state pouch cell of Li|SEO-QSCE|LiNi0.5Co0.3Mn0.2O2 with high flexibility and excellent safety features. The current investigation delivers a promising and innovative approach for preparing quasi-solid electrolytes with features of ultrathin design, mechanical robustness, and exceptional electrochemical performance for high-voltage SLBs.

Insight into Multiple Intermolecular Coordination of Composite Solid Electrolytes via Cryo-Electron Microscopy for High-Voltage All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Polymer/ceramic-based composite solid electrolytes (CSE) are promising candidates for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (SLBs), benefiting from the combined mechanical robustness of polymeric electrolytes and the high ionic conductivity of ceramic electrolytes. However, the interfacial instability and poorly understood interphases of CSE hinder their application in high-voltage SLBs. Herein, a simple but effective CSE that stabilizes high-voltage SLBs by forming multiple intermolecular coordination interactions between polyester and ceramic electrolytes is discovered. The multiple coordination between the carbonyl groups in poly(ε-caprolactone) and the fluorosulfonyl groups in anions with Li6.5La3Zr1.5Ta0.5O12 nanoparticles is directly visualized by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and further confirmed by theoretical calculation. Importantly, the multiple coordination in CSE not only prevents the continuous decomposition of polymer skeleton by shielding the vulnerable carbonyl sites but also establishes stable inorganic-rich interphases through preferential decomposition of anions. The stable CSE and its inorganic-rich interphases enable Li||Li symmetric cells with an exceptional lifespan of over 4800 h without dendritic shorting at 0.1 mA cm-2. Moreover, the high-voltage SLB with LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 cathode displays excellent cycling stability over 1100 cycles at a 1C charge/discharge rate. This work reveals the underlying mechanism behind the excellent stability of coordinating composite electrolytes and interfaces in high-voltage SLBs.

Regulating Electrolyte Solvation Structures via Diluent-Solvent Interactions for Safe High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries.

Local high concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) have been proved to be one of the most promising systems to stabilize both high voltage cathodes and Li metal anode for next-generation batteries. However, the solvation structures and interactions among different species in LHCEs are still convoluted, which bottlenecks the further breakthrough on electrolyte development. Here, it is demonstrated that the hydrogen bonding interaction between diluent and solvent is crucial for the construction of LHCEs and corresponding interphase chemistries. The 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl trifluoromethane sulfonate (TFSF) is selected as diluent with the solvent dimethoxy-ethane (DME) to prepare a non-flammable LHCE for high voltage LMBs. This is first find that the hydrogen bonding interaction between TFSF and DME solvent tailors the electrolyte solvation structures by weakening the coordination of DME molecules to Li+ cations and allows more participation of anions in the first solvation shell, leading to the formation of aggregates (AGGs) clusters which are conducive to generating inorganic solid/cathodic electrolyte interphases (SEI/CEIs). The proposed TFSF based LHCE enables the Li||NCM811 (LiNi0.8 Mn0.1 O2 ) batteries to realize >80% capacity retention with a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% for 230 cycles under aggressive conditions (NCM811 cathode: 3.4 mAh cm-2 , cut-off voltage: 4.4 V, and 20 µm Li foil).

0.263 terahertz irradiation induced genes expression changes in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The biosafety of terahertz (THz) waves has emerged as a new area of concern with the gradual application of terahertz radiation. Even though many studies have been conducted to investigate the influence of THz radiation on living organisms, the biological effects of terahertz waves have not yet been fully revealed. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was used to evaluate the biological consequences of whole-body exposure to 0.263 THz irradiation. The integration of transcriptome sequencing and behavioral tests of C. elegans revealed that high-power THz irradiation damaged the epidermal ultrastructures, inhibited the expression of the cuticle collagen genes, and impaired the movement of C. elegans. Moreover, the genes involved in the immune system and the neural system were dramatically down-regulated by high-power THz irradiation. Our findings offer fresh perspectives on the biological impacts of high-power THz radiation that could cause epidermal damage and provoke a systemic response.

The Role of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Supplementation in Psoriasis Treatment.

Psoriasis is one of several chronic inflammatory skin diseases with a high rate of recurrence, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), as an important precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), has been reported to be a promising agent in treating various diseases, its positive effects including those induced via its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. For this reason, we have aimed to explore the possible role of NMN in the treatment of psoriasis. Psoriasis models were constructed with imiquimod (IMQ) stimulation for 5 days in vivo and with M5 treatment in keratinocyte cell lines in vitro. NMN treatment during the IMQ application period markedly attenuated excess epidermal proliferation, splenomegaly, and inflammatory responses. According to GEO databases, Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) levels significantly decreased in psoriasis patients' lesion tissues; this was also the case in the IMQ-treated mice, while NMN treatment reversed the SIRT1 decline in the mouse model. Moreover, NMN supplementation also improved the prognoses of the mice after IMQ stimulation, compared to the untreated group with elevated SIRT1 levels. In HEKa and HaCaT cells, the co-culturing of NMN and M5 significantly decreased the expression levels of proinflammation factors, the phosphorylation of NF-κB, stimulator of interferon genes (STING) levels, and reactive oxygen species levels. NMN treatment also recovered the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and respiration ability and reduced mtDNA in the cytoplasm, leading to the inhibition of autoimmune inflammation. The knockdown of SIRT1 in vitro eliminated the protective and therapeutic effects of NMN against M5. To conclude, our results indicate that NMN protects against IMQ-induced psoriatic inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction by activating the SIRT1 pathway.

Beyond LiF: Tailoring Li2O-Dominated Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries.

The components and structures of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) are critical for stable cycling of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). LiF has been widely studied as the dominant component of SEI, but Li2O, which has a much lower diffusion barrier for Li+, has rarely been investigated as the dominant component of SEI. The effect of Li2O-dominated SEI on electrochemical performance still remains elusive. Herein, an ultrastrong coordinated cosolvation diluent, 2,3-difluoroethoxybenzene (DFEB), is designed to modulate solvation structure and tailor Li2O-dominated SEI for stable LMBs. In the DFEB-based LHCE (DFEB-LHCE), DFEB intensively participates in the first solvation shell and synergizes with FSI- to tailor an Li2O-dominated inorganic-rich SEI which is different from the LiF-dominated SEI formed in conventional LHCE. Benefiting from this special SEI architecture, a high Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.58% in Li||Cu half cells, stable voltage profiles, and dense and uniform lithium deposition, as well as effective inhibition of Li dendrite formation in the symmetrical cell, are achieved. More importantly, the DFEB-LHCE can be matched with various cathodes such as LFP, NCM811, and S cathodes, and the Li||LFP full cell using DFEB-LHCE possesses 85% capacity retention after 650 stable cycles with 99.9% CE. Especially the 1.5 Ah practical lithium metal pouch cell achieves an excellent capacity retention of 89% after 250 cycles with a superb average CE of 99.93%. This work unravels the superiority of the Li2O-dominated SEI and the feasibility of tailoring SEI components through modulation of solvation structures.

Spectral Characteristics and Functional Responses of Phospholipid Bilayers in the Terahertz Band.

Understanding the vibrational information encoded within the terahertz (THz) spectrum of biomolecules is critical for guiding the exploration of its functional responses to specific THz radiation wavelengths. This study investigated several important phospholipid components of biological membranes-distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE), dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), sphingosine phosphorylcholine (SPH), and lecithin bilayer-using THz time-domain spectroscopy. We observed similar spectral patterns for DPPC, SPH, and the lecithin bilayer, all of which contain the choline group as the hydrophilic head. Notably, the spectrum of DSPE, which has an ethanolamine head group, was different. Interestingly, density functional theory calculations confirmed that the absorption peak common to DSPE and DPPC at approximately 3.0 THz originated from a collective vibration of their similar hydrophobic tails. Accordingly, the cell membrane fluidity of RAW264.7 macrophages with irradiation at 3.1 THz was significantly enhanced, leading to improved phagocytosis. Our results highlight the importance of the spectral characteristics of the phospholipid bilayers when studying their functional responses in the THz band and suggest that irradiation at 3.1 THz is a potential non-invasive strategy to increase the fluidity of phospholipid bilayers for biomedical applications such as immune activation or drug administration.

Ethnic differences in the age-related distribution of serum prostate-specific antigen values: A study in a Taiwanese male population.

This study investigates age-specific prostate-specific antigen (PSA) distributions in Taiwanese men and recommends reference ranges for this population after comparison with other studies. From January 1999 to December 2016, a total of 213,986 Taiwanese men aged above 19 years old without history of prostate cancer, urinary tract infection, or prostate infection were recruited from the Taiwan MJ cohort, an ongoing prospective cohort of health examinations conducted by the MJ Health Screening Center in Taiwan. Participants were divided into seven age groups. Simple descriptive statistical analyses were carried out and quartiles and 95th percentiles were calculated for each group as reference ranges for serum PSA in screening for prostate cancer in Taiwanese men. Serum PSA concentration correlated with age (r = 0.274, p<0.001). The median serum PSA concentration (5th to 95th percentile) ranged from 0.7 ng/ml (0.3 to 1.8) for men 20-29 years old (n = 6,382) to 1.6 ng/ml (0.4 to 8.4) for men over 79 years old (n = 504). The age-specific PSA reference ranges are as follows: 20-29 years, 1.80 ng/ml; 30-39 years, 1.80 ng/ml; 40-49 years, 2.0 ng/ml; 50-59 years, 3.20 ng/ml; 60-69 years, 5.60 ng/ml; 70-79 years, 7.40 ng/ml; over 80 years, 8.40 ng/ml. Almost no change occurred in the median serum PSA value in men 50 years old or younger, while a gradual increase was observed in men over 50. Taiwanese men aged 60 years above showed higher 95th percentile serum PSA values compared to Caucasian men and men in other Asian countries but were closer to those of Asian American and African American men. Results indicate significantly different PSA levels correlating to different ethnicities, suggesting that Oesterling's age-specific PSA reference ranges might not be appropriate for Taiwanese men. Our results should be further studied to validate the age-specific PSA reference ranges for Taiwanese men presented in this study.

Fundamentals of the Cathode-Electrolyte Interface in All-solid-state Lithium Batteries.

All-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSBs) enabled by solid-state electrolytes (SEs) including oxide-based and sulfide-based electrolytes have gained worldwide attention because of their intrinsic safety and higher energy density over conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, despite the high ionic conductivity of advanced SEs, ASSBs still exhibit high overall internal resistance, the most significant contributor of which can be ascribed to the cathode-SE interfaces. This review seeks to clarify the critical issues regarding the cathode-SE interfaces, including fundamental principles and corresponding solutions. First, major issues concerning electro-chemo-mechanical instability between cathodes and SEs and their formation mechanisms are discussed. Then, specific problems in oxides and sulfides and various solutions and strategies toward interfacial modifications are highlighted. Efforts toward the characterization and analysis of cathode-SE interfaces with advanced techniques are also summarized. Finally, perspectives are offered on several problems demanding urgent solutions and the future development of SE applications and ASSBs.

Roll-To-Roll Fabrication of Zero-Volume-Expansion Lithium-Composite Anodes to Realize High-Energy-Density Flexible and Stable Lithium-Metal Batteries.

The lithium (Li)-metal anode offers a promising solution for high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). However, the significant volume expansion of the Li metal during charging results in poor cycling stability as a result of the dendritic deposition and broken solid electrolyte interphase. Herein, a facile one-step roll-to-roll fabrication of a zero-volume-expansion Li-metal-composite anode (zeroVE-Li) is proposed to realize high-energy-density LMBs with outstanding electrochemical and mechanical stability. The zeroVE-Li possesses a sandwich-like trilayer structure, which consists of an upper electron-insulating layer and a bottom lithiophilic layer that synergistically guides the Li deposition from the bottom up, and a middle porous layer that eliminates volume expansion. This sandwich structure eliminates dendrite formation, prevents volume change during cycling, and provides outstanding flexibility to the Li-metal anode even at a practical areal capacity over 3.0 mAh cm-2 . Pairing zeroVE-Li with a commercial NMC811 or LCO cathode, flexible LMBs that offer a record-breaking figure of merit (FOM, 45.6), large whole-cell energy density (375 Wh L-1 , based on the volume of the anode, separator, cathode, and package), high-capacity retention (> 99.8% per cycle), and remarkable mechanical robustness under practical conditions are demonstrated.

Effect of seepage conditions on the microstructural evolution of loess across north-west China.

Loess features metastable microstructure and is deemed susceptible to chemical contaminant permeation. However, studies on the loess permeability evolution under water and chemical environments are remarkably limited. In this study, the response of the loess to the water and sodium sulfate seepages was analyzed using the temporal relationship of cations concentration, X-ray diffraction and fluorescence (XRD and XRF), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests. The permeability evolution characteristics were identified, and its underlying mechanisms were revealed from aspects of the diffuse double layer (DDL) theory and physiochemical actions. The discharge of Mg2+ and precipitation of calcium carbonate, referred also to as the dedolomitization, degraded the macro permeability when subjected to the water seepage test. The salt-induced swelling, induced by the intrusion of Na+ into the DDL, caused an increase in the micropore fraction under the sodium sulfate seepage test, thereby increasing the macro permeability.

Continuous wave irradiation at 0.1 terahertz facilitates transmembrane transport of small molecules.

The bioeffects of terahertz (THz) radiation received growing attention because of its influence on the interactions between biomolecules. Our work aimed to investigate the effects of THz irradiation on cell membrane, especially cell membrane permeability. We found that 0.1 THz irradiation promoted the endocytosis of FM4-64-labeled cells and the inhibition of dynamin attenuated but did not fully abolish the THz promoted endocytosis. Moreover, 0.1 THz irradiation also promoted the transmembrane of the rhodamine, as well as the chemical compounds GDC0941 and H89, evidenced by the confocal microscope observation and the western blotting analysis, respectively. These findings demonstrated 0.1 THz irradiation facilitated the transmembrane transport of small molecules by promoting both the cellular endocytosis and the diffusion process. Our study provided direct evidence that THz could affect the cell membrane permeability, broadened the THz affected cellular physiological processes, and implied its potential application in regulating the cell membrane functions.

0.1 THz exposure affects primary hippocampus neuron gene expression via alternating transcription factor binding.

In recent years, many studies have been conducted to investigate the influence of terahertz (THz) radiation on the gene expression in various cell types, but the underling molecular mechanism has not yet been fully revealed. In this study, we explored the effects of 0.1 THz radiation on the gene expression in primary neuron cells through RNA-seq analysis. 111 up-regulated and 54 down-regulated genes were identified. Several biomolecule binding related categories such as "long-chain fatty acid binding", "tropomyosin binding", "BMP receptor binding", as well as "GTPase binding" and "phospholipid binding" were enriched by GO analysis. Moreover, the GSEA analysis indicated that genes encoding protein biosynthetic machinery ribosome were up-regulated by 0.1 THz irradiation. In addition, we demonstrated that the binding efficiency of a transcription factor (TF) AP-1 with its transcription factor binding site (TFBS) in DNA was reduced by THz irradiation, which suggested that THz irradiation might affect the interaction between TFs with DNA and consequently regulate the gene expression. Our results provide new insights into the biological effects of terahertz irradiation.

A wideband picosecond pulsed electric fields (psPEF) exposure system for the nanoporation of biological cells.

The effects and mechanisms of ultrashort and intense pulsed electric fields on biological cells remain some unknown. Especially for picosecond pulsed electric fields (psPEF) with a high pulse repetition rate, electroporation or nanoporation effects could be induced on cell membranes and intracellular organelle membranes. In this work, the design, implementation, and experimental validation of a wideband psPEF exposure system (WPES) is reported, comprising picosecond pulser and wideband biochip, for the in vitro exposure of suspended cells to high-intensity psPEF. Excited by repetitive picosecond pulses (the duration of 200 ps and the amplitude of a few kilovolts), the proposed biochip adopts grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) for a wide working bandwidth, which was fabricated with 160 µm thick electrodes for uniform distribution of psPEF in the cross-section. To ensure that only psPEF is generated in the biological medium containing cells except for ionic current, this work proposes to install capillary tubes in the electrode gaps for electrical insulation and cells delivery. By electrical measurements in the time domain and frequency domain, the exposure system is adapted for local generation of extremely high-intensity psPEF with the 3 dB bandwidth up to 4.2 GHz. Furthermore, biological experiments conducted on the developed exposure system verified its capability to permeabilize biological cells under the exposure of high-intensity psPEF.

Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Enhances BDNF Expression by Increasing H3K4me3 and Decreasing H2AK119ub in Hippocampal Neurons.

Neurological evidence suggests that beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) has positive effects on the central nervous system. Previous studies have explored the molecular mechanisms by which BHBA affects different brain functions, but the effects of BHBA on epigenetic modifications remain elusive. Here, we showed that BHBA enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression by increasing H3K4me3 and decreasing H2AK119ub occupancy at the Bdnf promoters I, II, IV, and VI in hippocampal neurons. Moreover, BHBA treatment induced the upregulation of H3K4me3 and downregulation of H2AK119ub on the global level, both of which were dependent on the L-type calcium channel. Additionally, the BHBA-activated L-type calcium channel subsequently triggered the activation of Ca2+/CaMKII/CREB signaling, and promoted the binding of p-CREB and CBP to Bdnf promoters. These results indicate that BHBA regulates cellular signaling and multiple histone modifications to cooperatively modulate BDNF, suggesting a wide range of regulatory effects of BHBA in the central nervous system.

Study of the effects of 3.1 THz radiation on the expression of recombinant red fluorescent protein (RFP) in E. coli.

In recent years, many studies have been conducted to investigate the non-thermal effects of THz radiation on different organisms, but further studies are needed to fully elucidate the effects, especially on the molecular level. In this study, we explored the effects of at 3.1 THz radiation on protein expression in Escherichia coli (E. coli) using red fluorescent protein as a reporter molecule. After 8 hours of continuous THz irradiation of bacteria on LB (Luria-Bertani) solid plates at an average power of 33 mW/cm2 and 10 Hz pulse repetition frequency, we found that the plasmid copy number, protein expression and fluorescence intensity of bacteria from the irradiated area were 3.8-, 2.7-, and 3.3 times higher than in bacteria from the un-irradiated area, respectively. These findings suggest that plasmid replication changed significantly in bacteria exposed to 3.1 THz radiation, resulting in increased protein expression as evidenced by increased fluorescence intensity of the RFP reporter.

500 Wh kg-1 Class Li Metal Battery Enabled by a Self-Organized Core-Shell Composite Anode.

Lithium (Li) metal offers the highest projected energy density as a battery anode, however its extremely high reactivity induces dendrite growth and dead Li formation during repeated charge/discharge processes, resulting in both poor reversibility and catastrophic failure. Approaches reported to date often seek to suppress dendrites formation at the expense of energy density. Here, a strategy that resolves the above conflict and achieves a dendrite-free and long-term reversible Li metal anode is reported. A self-organized core-shell composite anode, comprising an outer sheath of lithiated liquid metal (Lix LMy ) and an inner layer of Li metal, is developed, which posesses high electrical and ionic conductivity, and physically separates Li from the electrolyte. The introduction of Lix LMy not only prevents dendrite formation, but also eliminates the use of copper as an inert substrate. Full cells made of such composite anodes and commercially available LiNi0.6 Co0.2 Mn0.2 O2 (NCM622 ) cathodes deliver ultrahigh energy density of 1500 Wh L-1 and 483 Wh kg-1 . The high capacity can be maintained for more than 500 cycles, with fading rate of less than 0.05% per cycle. Pairing with LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 (NCM811 ) further raises the energy density to 1732 Wh L-1 and 514 Wh kg-1 .

Effects of acute exposure to ultra-wideband pulsed electromagnetic fields on the liver and kidneys of mice.

The biosafety of ultra-wideband (UWB) pulses, which are characterized by simultaneously high power and a high bandwidth ratio, has gained increasing attention. Although there is substantial prior literature on the biological effects of UWB pulses on both cells and animals, an explicit, unequivocal and definite pattern of the corresponding biological responses remains elusive, and the systemic secondary consequences are also still not fully understood. In this study, we found that exposing mice to UWB pulses resulted in the alteration of several biochemical blood parameters, which further prompted us to investigate changes in the liver and kidneys of mice exposed to UWB pulses with different field intensities and different durations. The data demonstrated that exposure to UWB pulses significantly increased the levels of ALT and AST, increased oxidative stress, and could even induce the accumulation of lipid droplets in hepatocytes. The total number of pulses under the tested acute exposure regiment contributed most to the observed hepatic and rental dysfunction. Notably, the physiological and molecular changes recovered approximately 72 hours after exposure. These results imply the potential risk of acute exposure to UWB pulses, and highlight the meaningful targets for further long-term study of chronic exposure.