Search Results (446)

With the rapid development of wireless communication systems, the electromagnetic environment in subway stations has become increasingly complex, raising concerns about the long-term safety of station attendants who are chronically exposed to radiofrequency (RF) fields. At present, multiphysics analyses specifically addressing RF antenna exposure scenarios for subway attendants remain limited. To assess occupational electromagnetic exposure risks, this paper establishes a comprehensive electromagnetic–thermal coupling simulation model incorporating RF antennas, station-platform structures, and a realistic human model with organs including the brain, heart, and liver. Using the finite-element software COMSOL Multiphysics (v.6.3), numerical simulations are performed to calculate the specific absorption rate (SAR) in the trunk and major organs of the subway station attendant at RF antennas frequencies of 900 MHz, 2600 MHz, and 3500 MHz, as well as the temperature rise distribution of the human trunk and important tissues and organs under different initial temperatures of the environment. The results show that among the three frequencies, the maximum SAR of 5.55 × ${10}^{-4}$ W/kg occurs in the trunk at 3500 MHz. Tissue temperatures reach thermal steady state after 30 min of exposure, with the maximum temperature rises occurring in the brain at an ambient temperature of 18 °C and an operating frequency of 900 MHz, reaching 0.2123 °C. Across all simulated scenarios, both SAR values and temperature rises remain significantly below the occupational exposure limits established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These findings indicate that RF radiation generated by antennas in the subway station environment poses low health risks to female station attendants of similar physical characteristics to the Ella model. This study provides a scientific reference for the occupational RF protection of subway personnel and contributes data for the development of electromagnetic exposure standards in rail transit systems. Full article

Early diagnosis of heat load in beef cattle remains a challenge due to the limited understanding of behaviour-based indicators. This preliminary longitudinal study aimed to validate behavioural and physiological responses previously identified as heat load indicators. Black Angus steers were exposed to high environmental temperatures expected to cause heat load in the following sequence: an initial thermoneutral period, a hot period, and a recovery period. Changes in the positioning of key body parts, feeding behaviour, body maintenance, respiratory dynamics, and eye temperature were monitored. In the hot period, cattle increased their respiration rate, panting, and infrared eye temperature. Increased stepping by their left limbs suggested involvement of the right brain hemisphere in a stress response to high environmental temperatures. Cattle also held their heads more downward, ears backward, and their tail vertical, and reduced eating, grooming, and scratching during the hot period. Cattle responses to hot conditions were persistent in the recovery period, reflecting diagnostic relevance of the head, ear, and tail movements, stepping, especially by left limbs, and infrared eye temperature as non-invasive tools to identify heat load condition in cattle. The study reinforces our understanding of the specific behavioural and physiological responses to heat load condition, especially those involving left-limb stepping, ear and tail posture, and infrared eye temperature, are reliable indicators for identifying cattle experiencing high environmental temperature. Full article

Tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) significantly affects tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and eggplant (Solanum melongena) crops worldwide, with its feeding patterns being closely associated with its gut microbiota. We aimed to compare the cultivable gut bacteria of T. absoluta larvae fed on tomato and eggplant to investigate their role in host adaptation. Gut bacteria were cultivated on Luria–Bertani broth, nutrient agar, and Brain Heart Infusion media under different temperature conditions, followed by morphology- and 16S rRNA-based identification. Notably, both feeding groups revealed distinct gut bacterial community structures. Tomato-fed larvae harbored bacteria spanning eight species, five genera, four families, and two phyla. In contrast, eggplant-fed larvae exhibited greater microbial diversity, encompassing 15 species, 10 genera, 9 families, and 3 phyla, including unique genera such as Pseudomonas and Pectobacterium, which was attributed to the host plant contribution. Enterococcus mundtii was the most dominant bacterium, and species such as Bacillus wiedmannii and Micrococcus luteus were most thermotolerant. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of multi-condition culture approaches for thoroughly characterizing insect gut microbiota and underscore the role of host plants in pest adaptability by modulating gut microbial communities, providing new insights for developing sustainable control strategies utilizing “plant–insect–microorganism” interactions. Full article

Despite unprecedented disconnection from nature and increased urbanisation, the brain still shows an affinity for nature. However, biophilia lacks a neuroscience foundation despite growing evidence of how the brain changes in response to the contrasting influences of urban and natural environments. To address this timely gap, this paper establishes Neurobiophilia through four objectives. First, it identifies seven neuro-needs (7NNs) and establishes their hierarchical order and interconnected outcomes. Second, it maps how natural environments fulfil each of the brain’s 7NNs. Third, it explores whether climate change is turning nature into a harmful environment for the brain, specifically with respect to temperature extremes. Fourth, it examines how built environments vary in their enrichment with respect to the 7NNs. This paper highlights critical environmental enrichment challenges in natural environments caused by climate change and in built environments. The novel Neurobiophilia framework established herein identifies these gaps and provides recommendations to achieve neurosustainability through environmental enrichment that sustains adaptive brain responses throughout the lifespan. Full article

Pair housing has been proven to improve calves’ welfare during the pre-weaning phase, potentially promoting positive emotions. Based on the emotional valence hypothesis, according to which positive emotions are mainly processed in the left brain hemisphere, infrared thermography (IRT) may detect changes in eye temperature, particularly thermal asymmetries. This study aimed to evaluate whether pair-housed calves presented ocular thermal asymmetry, compared to individually housed calves during the pre-weaning phase. Fifty-six Friesian female calves from two commercial dairy farms were enrolled and housed either individually or in pairs from birth until 8 weeks of age. IRT images of the lacrimal caruncle of both eyes were collected at 7, 21, 35, and 56 days of age. A linear mixed model tested the effects of housing, farm, year, and timepoint. No significant effect of pair housing on ocular asymmetry emerged, while absolute eye temperatures were significantly higher in pair-housed calves. Moreover, eye temperature declined over time, suggesting reduced arousal and habituation with age. Although the lateralization hypothesis was not confirmed, the study offers insights into IRT for assessing calf emotions and supports further investigation in positive contexts to better explore links between housing, emotional valence, and brain activity. Full article

Background/Objectives: The poultry industry faces severe heat-stress challenges that threaten both economic sustainability and animal welfare. Embryonic thermal manipulation (ETM) has been proposed as a thermal programming strategy to enhance chick heat tolerance, yet its efficacy in layers requires verification, and its effects on growth performance and neurodevelopment remain unclear. Methods: White Leghorn embryos at embryonic days 13 to 18 (ED 13–18) were exposed to 39.5 °C (ETM). Hatch traits and thermotolerance were recorded, and morphometric and histopathological analyses were performed on brain sections. Transcriptome profiling of the whole brains and hypothalami was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Representative pathway genes responsive to ETM were validated by RT-qPCR. Results: ETM reduced hatchability, increased deformity rate, and decreased hatch weight and daily weight gain. During a 37.5 °C challenge, ETM chicks exhibited delayed panting and lower cloacal temperature. Histopathology revealed impaired neuronal development and myelination. Transcriptomic analysis of ED18 whole brains showed DEGs enriched in neurodevelopment, stimulus response, and homeostasis pathways. RT-qPCR confirmed hypothalamic sensitivity to ETM: up-regulation of heat-shock gene HSP70, antioxidant gene GPX1, the inflammatory marker IL-6, and apoptotic genes CASP3, CASP6, CASP9; elevated neurodevelopmental marker DCX, indicative of a stress-responsive neuronal state; and reduced orexigenic neuropeptide AGRP. Conclusions: ETM improves heat tolerance in layers but compromises hatching performance and brain development, with widespread perturbation of hypothalamic stress responses and neurodevelopmental gene networks. These findings elucidate the mechanisms underlying ETM and provide a reference for enhancing thermotolerance in poultry. Full article

Aged animals or humans are more susceptible to permanent brain damage from status epilepticus (SE), making the selection of antiseizure medication even more crucial. This study compared the antiseizure and neuroprotective efficacy of midazolam with that of tezampanel combined with caramiphen in treating soman-induced SE in aged rats. A substantial proportion of soman-exposed aged rats did not develop SE, allowing us to also study this noSE group. SE duration within 24 h post-exposure was significantly longer in the midazolam than the tezampanel + caramiphen group, which was reflected in the EEG power integral. Spectral density analysis showed sustained increase in gamma-band power in the noSE group. Increased delta power in the SE groups lasted longer after midazolam. Body temperature decreased substantially only in the noSE and tezampanel + caramiphen groups. The midazolam group displayed severe neuropathology in the hippocampus and the amygdala 7 days to 6 months post-exposure, whereas the noSE and tezampanel + caramiphen groups exhibited only delayed amygdala damage. Thus, tezampanel + caramiphen has far superior neuroprotective efficacy than midazolam in aged rats. Increased gamma power is associated with seizure resistance; however, even in the absence of SE, delayed neuropathology can develop after a single acute organophosphate exposure. Full article

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels play critical roles in animals in sensing diverse stimuli, especially environmental temperature. The teleost fish Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cannot tolerate cold temperatures. In this study, we identified a total of 32 TRP genes in the tilapia genome. Based on analyses of gene structure and phylogenetic relationship, all tilapia TRP genes could be classified into six subfamilies, namely, TRPA, TRPC, TRPM, TRPV, TRPP, and TRPML. Comparative analysis showed that three TRP subfamilies—TRPC, TRPM, and TRPML—underwent an expansion in tilapia and other teleost fishes following three or four rounds of whole-genome duplication. In addition, expression profiling revealed that a large number of TRP genes were expressed in at least one tissue in adult tilapia. Notably, compared with normal growth temperature (28 °C), cold stress (10 °C) altered the expression of several TRPs in multiple tissues in adult tilapia, especially upregulating TRPC5 in the brain and TRPM7 in the gill. Collectively, these findings provide new insight into the phylogeny of TRP genes in animals and lay the foundation for further investigation into the roles of TRP channels in cold sensitivity in tilapia. Full article

Quantum sensing with nitrogen vacancy (NV) defects in diamond enables detection of extremely small changes in temperature, host material strain, and magnetic and electric fields. Action potential detection has previously been demonstrated with cardiac tissue and whole organisms using NV defects in bulk diamond crystals. Nanodiamonds (NDs) with NV defects were previously used as effective fluorescent markers, as they do not bleach under laser illumination like conventional fluorescent dyes. Subcellular-level action potential recording with NDs is yet to be demonstrated. Here, we report our results on the confocal imaging of NDs and the feasibility of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) experiments with Cath.-a-differentiated (CAD) mouse brain cells. 10 nm and 60 nm NDs were shown to diffuse into cells within 30 min with no additional surface modification, as confirmed with confocal imaging. In contrast, 100 nm and 140 nm NDs were observed to remain localized on the cell surface. ND photoluminescence (PL) signals did not bleach over the course of 5 h long imaging studies. ODMR technique was used to detect externally applied millitesla-level magnetic fields with NDs in cell solutions. In summary, NDs were shown to be effective, non-bleaching fluorescent markers in mouse brain cells, with further potential for use in action potential recording at the subcellular level. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by pathological changes in the substantia nigra, which in its early stages may manifest as structural and functional asymmetries between the two hemispheres. Microwave imaging has recently emerged as a promising non-invasive tool to detect subtle dielectric variations. In the context of Parkinson’s disease, such contrasts are expected to arise from the underlying physiological alterations in brain tissue, although their magnitude has not yet been fully characterized. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of differential microwave imaging, where detection is based on permittivity contrasts, through a controlled phantom study. A simple two-dimensional head phantom was constructed using a 3D-printed cylindrical container filled with water, incorporating a Teflon tube to represent the substantia nigra. The tube was filled with hot water, whose gradual cooling emulated small dielectric changes. Since the dielectric properties of water vary linearly with temperature over 0.5–3 GHz, we first validated this dependence through both numerical analysis and experimental measurements. Four antennas were then employed in a differential imaging configuration, with image reconstruction performed via the multi-frequency bi-focusing algorithm. The results show that the system can successfully detect a dielectric contrast corresponding to a temperature variation as small as 0.4 °C, equivalent to approximately 0.17% in relative permittivity. While the exact dielectric changes associated with PD remain to be determined, these results demonstrate that the proposed approach is sensitive to very small contrasts, supporting the potential of differential microwave imaging as a candidate tool for future investigations into Parkinson’s disease detection. Full article

Global warming has been associated with various adverse effects on human physiology, yet its potential impact on brain structure remains largely unexplored. The present pilot study investigated the relationship between core body temperature and whole-brain gray matter volume (GMV) in healthy adults. Twenty-seven participants (19 males, 8 females; mean age = 38.6 ± 10.3 years) underwent MRI scanning and core temperature assessment. Correlation and partial correlation analyses were performed to examine the association between core body temperature and GMV, controlling for demographic and physiological covariates summarized by the first principal component. Core body temperature showed a significant negative correlation with whole-brain GMV (r = −0.496, p = 0.009; 95% CI = −0.737 to −0.143) and a trend-level significant partial correlation after covariate adjustment (r = −0.373, p = 0.060; 95% CI = −0.660 to 0.008). These trends remained after correction for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate. Exploratory analyses across 116 AAL regions identified the left Fusiform gyrus as showing a significant negative correlation with core body temperature (r = −0.643, p < 0.001). Given the modest sample size, these findings should be interpreted cautiously as preliminary, hypothesis-generating evidence. They suggest that even subtle variations in body temperature within the normal physiological range may relate to differences in global brain structure. Possible mechanisms include heat-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and increased metabolic load on neural tissue. Understanding how individual differences in body temperature relate to brain morphology may provide insights into the neural health consequences of rising environmental temperatures. Full article

Reproductive seasonality in birds represents a key ecological adaptation that ensures synchronization between breeding activity and optimal environmental conditions for offspring survival and development. Photoperiod is the primary cue regulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis, through brain photoreceptors and pineal melatonin secretion. Increasing day length induces thyroid hormone activation by hypothalamic type 2 deiodinase (DIO2), stimulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion, and promotes gonadal growth, whereas prolonged exposure to long days triggers photorefractoriness, which has been linked to increased hypothalamic type 3 deiodinase (DIO3) expression in several studies, although the causal role of this enzyme remains under investigation. Secondary environmental modulators, such as temperature, food supply, precipitation, and social interactions, also play crucial roles in fine-tuning reproductive timing. Moreover, anthropogenic factors like artificial light at night can disrupt circadian and seasonal regulation, causing mismatches between breeding and food availability. Evidence from diverse species, including passerines, galliforms, waterfowl, and raptors, demonstrates both conserved mechanisms and ecological plasticity, with tropical and urban species showing more opportunistic breeding strategies. These findings highlight the multifactorial and flexible nature of avian reproductive cycles, underlining their vulnerability to climate change and habitat anthropization. Considering this, this review aimed to understand the neuroendocrine and environmental control of seasonality and to offer an integrative perspective on how light, hormones, and environmental factors interact to shape seasonal reproduction in wild birds. Full article

The aquaporin (AQP) gene family plays a critical role in water balance and osmotic regulation, yet its function and regulatory mechanisms in plateau reptiles remain poorly understood. In this study, we systematically identified 10 AQP genes in the Qinghai toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus vlangalii) based on whole-genome data, and conducted a comprehensive analysis of their physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, conserved domains, gene structures, and expression patterns. The results showed that the AQP genes of P. vlangalii are predicted to localize to the plasma membrane and exhibit significant tissue-specific expression, with the highest levels detected in the kidney and liver. Under low-temperature stress, multiple AQP genes displayed dynamic expression patterns during the stress and recovery phases. Specifically, AQP0, AQP2, and AQP5 were persistently downregulated in the liver, kidney, and brain, whereas AQP3, AQP7, and AQP9 were initially upregulated during early cold exposure but significantly downregulated during recovery, suggesting their coordinated roles in energy metabolism and water conservation. This study provides evidence supporting the involvement of the AQP gene family in the adaptation of P. vlangalii to the cold and arid plateau environment, providing new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of water metabolism in reptiles. Full article

Epileptic seizures in the neonatal brain induce oxidative stress and disrupt the blood–brain barrier (BBB), leading to long-term cerebrovascular and neurodevelopmental deficits. This study examined the protective effects of selective head cooling and NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibition on BBB integrity following seizures. Neonatal seizures were induced in newborn pigs with bicuculline under normothermic or selective head cooling conditions. BBB disruption was assessed by Evans Blue extravasation and quantification of circulating brain-derived endothelial cells (CD45⁻/CD146⁺/GluT1⁺). Seizures under normothermia caused marked BBB leakage, cerebrovascular apoptosis, and elevated endothelial biomarkers, whereas selective head cooling (cortical temperature ~25 °C, body ~35 °C) significantly reduced these effects. Pharmacological inhibition of NOX with setanaxib (5 mg/kg) or sulforaphane (0.4 mg/kg) also prevented BBB disruption during normothermia. In vitro, primary porcine and human brain endothelial cells exposed to glutamate or TNF-α showed increased NOX activity, ROS production, apoptosis, and barrier leakage, all attenuated by NOX inhibitors or moderate hypothermia (<30 °C). These findings identify endothelial NOX as a key mediator of seizure-induced BBB injury and demonstrate that both NOX inhibition and selective head cooling effectively preserve cerebrovascular integrity. Combined hypothermic and antioxidant therapy may offer a promising strategy to prevent cerebrovascular injury and BBB damage in neonatal epilepsy. Full article

Background/Objective: Cannabidiol (CBD) has gained increasing interest due to its multifaceted anticancer properties and favourable safety profile. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a highly aggressive brain tumour with limited treatment options, represents a compelling target for CBD-based therapies. In this study, we report the rational design of two distinct formulations of lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) co-encapsulating CBD and a chemotherapeutic agent, tailored for intracranial and systemic administration. Methods: The cytotoxicity of various CBD–chemotherapeutic combinations, including temozolomide, carmustine, doxorubicin, and paclitaxel (PTX), were screened in vitro in U-87 MG and U-373 MG human GBM cell lines and analyzed for chemical compatibility. Moreover, the efficacy and the anti-migratory effect of the selected combination was further assessed in ovo and in vitro, respectively. Lastly, two LNC formulations coloaded with the selected combination were prepared in two different sizes via the phase inversion temperature method. Results: First, CBD in solution exhibited potent cytotoxicity and significantly inhibited cell migration in both GBM cell lines. Among the CBD–chemotherapeutic combinations tested, only CBD + PTX demonstrated both additive/synergistic interaction and favourable chemical compatibility. Second, this enhanced effect was confirmed in ovo. Third, the CBD + PTX combination also exhibited anti-migratory effect. Finally, two co-loaded LNC formulations—51.2 ± 0.9 nm and 25.9 ± 0.3 nm in size—were developed for intracranial and systemic delivery, respectively. Both formulations exhibited high monodispersity, a slightly negative ζ-potential, and consistently maintained a 7.5:1 CBD:PTX mass encapsulation ratio across both particle sizes. Conclusions: CBD + PTX co-loaded LNCs represent a promising and versatile nanomedicine platform for GBM therapy. Full article