CT-guided radiofrequency ablation of facial and mandibular nerves in the treatment of compound Meige's syndrome.

This retrospective study examined the clinical outcomes and complications in 6 cases of compound Meige's syndrome, presenting with blepharospasm and masticatory muscle spasm, following treatment with CT-guided radiofrequency ablation targeting bilateral facial nerves and mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve. After the operation, the symptoms of eyelid spasm and masticatory muscle spasm resolved, but mild facial paralysis and numbness of mandibular nerve innervation persisted. Follow-up for 4-28 months showed that the symptoms of facial paralysis resolved within 2-5 (3.17 ± 0.94) months after the operation, whereas the numbness in the mandibular region persisted, accompanied by a decrease in masticatory function. During the follow-up period, none of the 6 patients experienced a recurrence of Meige's syndrome. These findings suggest that CT-guided radiofrequency ablation of the bilateral facial nerve and mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve may offer a promising approach to treating compound Meige's syndrome.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis Detected by Neutrophilic Crown-Like Structures in Morbidly Obese Patients: A Multicenter and Clinicopathological Study.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is the progressive form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and closely associated with a high risk of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Although enhanced neutrophil infiltration of the liver is a histological hallmark of MASH, the morphological pattern of hepatic neutrophils and their relevance to the definition of MASH remain unknown. This clinicopathological study aimed to determine the association of neutrophilic crown-like structures (CLSs) in liver biopsies and evaluate their relevance to the histological diagnosis of MASH. A total of 483 morbidly obese adults who underwent bariatric surgery were recruited. Neutrophilic CLSs in liver biopsies were detected by immunohistochemistry for neutrophil elastase and proteinase 3. All participants were classified into 4 histological subgroups: no MASLD (118, 24.4%), MASLD (76, 15.7%), borderline MASH (185, 38.3%), and definite MASH (104, 21.5%). In the discovery cohort (n = 379), the frequency of neutrophilic CLSs increased in line with the severity of liver disease. The number of neutrophilic CLSs was positively correlated with established histological characteristics of MASH. At a cutoff value of <0.3 per 20× microscopic field, the number of neutrophilic CLSs yielded a robust diagnostic accuracy to discriminate no MASLD and MASLD from borderline MASH and definite MASH; a cutoff at >1.3 per 20× microscopic field exhibited a statistically significant accuracy to distinguish definite MASH from other groups (no MASLD, MASLD, and borderline MASH). The significance of neutrophilic CLSs in identifying borderline MASH and definite MASH was confirmed in an external validation cohort (n = 104). The frequency of neutrophilic CLSs was significantly higher than that of macrophagic CLSs. In conclusion, neutrophilic CLSs in the liver represent a typical histological characteristic of MASH and may serve as a promising indicator to improve the diagnostic accuracy of MASH during histological assessment of liver biopsies.

Specific Small-Molecule Detection Using Designed Nucleic Acid Nanostructure Carriers and Nanopores.

In the realm of nanopore sensor technology, an enduring challenge lies in achieving the discerning detection of small biomolecules with a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio. This study introduces a method for reliably quantifying the concentration of target small molecules, utilizing tetrahedral DNA nanostructures as surrogates for the captured molecules through a magnetic-bead-based competition substitution mechanism. Magnetic Fe3O4-DNA tetrahedron nanoparticles (MNPs) are incorporated into a nanopore electrochemical system for small-molecule sensing. In the presence of the target, the DNA tetrahedron, featuring an aptamer tail acting as a molecular carrier, detaches from the MNPs due to aptamer deformation. Following removal of the MNPs, the DNA tetrahedron bound to the target traversed the nanopore by applying a positive potential. This approach exhibits various advantages, including heightened sensitivity, selectivity, an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and robust anti-interference capabilities. Our findings demonstrate that this innovative methodology has the potential to significantly enhance the sensing of various small-molecule targets by nanopores, thereby advancing the sensitivity and dynamic range. This progress holds promise for the development of precise clinical diagnostic tools.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the HAK/KUP/KT gene family in Moso bamboo.

The K+ uptake permease/high-affinity K+/K+ transporter (KUP/HAK/KT) family is the most prominent group of potassium (K+) transporters, playing a key role in K+ uptake, transport, plant growth and development, and stress tolerance. However, the presence and functions of the KUP/HAK/KT family in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis (Carriere) J. Houzeau), the fastest-growing plant, have not been studied. In this study, we identified 41 KUP/HAK/KT genes (PeHAKs) distributed across 18 chromosomal scaffolds of the Moso bamboo genome. PeHAK is a typical membrane protein with a conserved structural domain and motifs. Phylogenetic tree analysis classified PeHAKs into four distinct clusters, while collinearity analysis revealed gene duplications resulting from purifying selection, including both tandem and segmental duplications. Enrichment analysis of promoter cis-acting elements suggested their plausible role in abiotic stress response and hormone induction. Transcriptomic data and STEM analyses indicated that PeHAKs were involved in tissue and organ development, rapid growth, and responded to different abiotic stress conditions. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that PeHAKs are predominantly expressed at the cell membrane. In-situ PCR experiments confirmed that PeHAK was mainly expressed in the lateral root primordia. Furthermore, the involvement of PeHAKs in potassium ion transport was confirmed by studying the potassium ion transport properties of a yeast mutant. Additionally, through homology modeling, we revealed the structural properties of HAK as a transmembrane protein associated with potassium ion transport. This research provides a solid basis for understanding the classification, characterization, and functional analysis of the PeHAK family in Moso bamboo.

Adipose-derived stem cells promote glycolysis and peritoneal metastasis via TGF-ß1/SMAD3/ANGPTL4 axis in colorectal cancer.

Peritoneal metastasis, the third most common metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC), has a poor prognosis for the rapid progression and limited therapeutic strategy. However, the molecular characteristics and pathogenesis of CRC peritoneal metastasis are poorly understood. Here, we aimed to elucidate the action and mechanism of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), a prominent component of the peritoneal microenvironment, in CRC peritoneal metastasis formation. Database analysis indicated that ADSCs infiltration was increased in CRC peritoneal metastases, and high expression levels of ADSCs marker genes predicted a poor prognosis. Then we investigated the effect of ADSCs on CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. The results revealed that CRC cells co-cultured with ADSCs exhibited stronger metastatic property and anoikis resistance, and ADSCs boosted the intraperitoneal seeding of CRC cells. Furthermore, RNA sequencing was carried out to identify the key target gene, angiopoietin like 4 (ANGPTL4), which was upregulated in CRC specimens, especially in peritoneal metastases. Mechanistically, TGF-ß1 secreted by ADSCs activated SMAD3 in CRC cells, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that SMAD3 facilitated ANGPTL4 transcription by directly binding to ANGPTL4 promoter. The ANGPTL4 upregulation was essential for ADSCs to promote glycolysis and anoikis resistance in CRC. Importantly, simultaneously targeting TGF-ß signaling and ANGPTL4 efficiently reduced intraperitoneal seeding in vivo. In conclusion, this study indicates that tumor-infiltrating ADSCs promote glycolysis and anoikis resistance in CRC cells and ultimately facilitate peritoneal metastasis via the TGF-ß1/SMAD3/ANGPTL4 axis. The dual-targeting of TGF-ß signaling and ANGPTL4 may be a feasible therapeutic strategy for CRC peritoneal metastasis.

Advancements in the synthesis of carbon dots and their application in biomedicine.

As a sort of fluorescent carbon nanomaterial with a particle size of less than 10 nm, carbon dots (CDs) have their own merits of good dispersibility in water, stable optical properties, strong chemical inertness, stable optical properties, and good biosecurity. These excellent peculiarities facilitated them like sensing, imaging, medicine, catalysis, and optoelectronics, making them a new star in the field of nanotechnology. In particular, the development of CDs in the fields of chemical probes, imaging, cancer therapy, antibacterial and drug delivery has become a hot topic in current research. Although the biomedical applications in CDs have been demonstrated in many research articles, a systematic summary of their role in biomedical applications is scarce. In this review, we introduced the basic information of CDs in detail, including synthesis approaches of CDs as well as their favorable properties including photoluminescence and low cytotoxicity. Subsequently, the application of CDs in the field of biomedicine was emphasized. Finally, the main challenges and research prospects of CDs in this field were proposed, which might provide some detailed information in designing new CDs in this promising biomedical field.

Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation versus surgical sympathectomy in palmar hyperhidrosis.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) comparative efficacy of treatments using video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) in the long term remains uncertain in patients with palmar hyperhidrosis (PHH). This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of RFA and VATS in patients with PHH. We recruited patients aged ≥ 14 years with diagnosed PHH from 14 centres in China. The treatment options of RFA or VATS were assigned to two cohort in patients with PHH. The primary outcome was the efficacy at 1-year. A total of 807 patients were enrolled. After propensity score matching, the rate of complete remission was lower in RFA group than VATS group (95% CI 0.21-0.57; p < 0.001). However, the rates of palmar dryness (95% CI 0.38-0.92; p = 0.020), postoperative pain (95% CI 0.13-0.33; p < 0.001), and surgery-related complications (95% CI 0.19-0.85; p = 0.020) were lower in RFA group than in VATS group, but skin temperature rise was more common in RFA group (95% CI 1.84-3.58; p < 0.001). RFA had a lower success rate than VATS for the complete remission of PHH. However, the symptom burden and cost are lower in patients undergoing RFA compared to those undergoing VATS.Trial Registration: ChiCTR2000039576, URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx .

Persistent Fatigue in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Radiation therapy has attracted much attention in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the association between radiotherapy-related fatigue and HCC has been examined in only a few studies. PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the change over time in fatigue in patients with HCC treated with radiotherapy and related factors. METHODS: One hundred patients were enrolled in this prospective longitudinal study using convenience sampling at a medical center in northern Taiwan. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue scale, the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, and the psychological subscale of Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form were used to assess the symptoms at five time points: before radiotherapy (T0), during treatment (T1), and at 1 month (T2), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T4) after radiotherapy. The generalized estimating equations method was used to determine the changes in fatigue and the influencing factors. RESULTS: Fatigue levels at T1, T2, T3, and T4 were significantly higher than that at T0. Higher fatigue was significantly associated with lower income and poorer functional status. Having worse pain levels and psychological symptoms were both associated with higher fatigue. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results indicate fatigue does not recover to the baseline (pretherapy) level by 6 months after radiotherapy. Thus, fatigue in patients with HCC receiving radiotherapy should be regularly and effectively assessed, and patients experiencing pain and psychological symptoms should be given greater attention from clinicians.

Theoretical Understanding of Nonlinear Optical Properties in Solids: A Perspective.

Nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals have become a hot topic in chemical science and material physics, due to their essential role in laser technology, optical information, optoelectronics, and precision measurements. In this Perspective, we provide an overview of recent advances in second-order nonlinear optics, with a focus on two critical topics: second harmonic generation (SHG) and the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE). For SHG, we discuss recent progress in deep-ultraviolet (DUV) materials, highlighting their structural characteristics and nonlinear groups that contribute to their exceptional performance. For BPVE, we concentrate on the emerging field of low-dimensional materials, emphasizing their potential in a shift current. Additionally, we discuss the development of regulation approaches for NLO materials, which is vital for their practical application. Finally, we address the outlook for the field, including the challenges that must be overcome to further advance NLO materials research.

Quality of life in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving IMRT vs IMPT: a multicenter prospective longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients may experience symptom distress and depression during and after radiation therapy, which negatively impacts quality of life (QOL). We sought to identify trajectories of symptom distress, depression, social support, and QOL in patients with NPC receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) vs intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT). METHODS: A multicenter prospective longitudinal study recruited NPC patients from two leading medical centers in Taiwan. The 121 NPC patients were followed from before RT (T0), at 4 weeks after beginning RT (T1), at 6 weeks of RT or the end of treatment (T2), and at 4 weeks post-RT (T3). Generalized estimating equation analysis was used to identify the factors related to QOL. RESULTS: Patients' symptom distress and depression increased from T0, peaked at T2, and decreased at T3. Physical-QOL and psychosocial-QOL decreased from T0 to T2, then increased by T3. Patients who had early-stage cancer, received a lower RT dose, had less symptom distress, and had less depression were more likely to have better QOL. Greater physical-QOL was associated with IMPT receipt, higher education level, early cancer stage, lower radiation dose, less symptom distress, and less depression. Patients who had good physical performance, received a lower radiation dose, had less symptom distress, and had less depression were more likely to have better psychosocial-QOL. CONCLUSION: Radiation dose, symptom distress, and depression were the most important factors affecting QOL in patients with NPC. Understanding the factors associated with the trajectory of QOL can guide care during radiation treatment.

Comparison of Radiofrequency Ablation and Craniotomy Microvascular Decompression for Treatment of Hemifacial Spasm.

BACKGROUND: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is distinguished by sudden and involuntary spasms of the facial muscles, predominantly on one side of the face. Microvascular decompression (MVD) is an efficacious surgical technique for treating HFS; however, MVD may occasionally lead to noteworthy postoperative complications. Previously, we reported the successful utilization of an innovative awake computed tomography-guided percutaneous puncture of the stylomastoid foramen for administering radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy in the treatment of HFS. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical research study. SETTING: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medical Center, Ningbo, China. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare and contrast the clinical outcomes and adverse reactions associated with attempts to use RFA and MVD to manage primary HFS. METHODS: Three hundred patients received either RFA or MVD treatment (Group R and Group M). We tracked and recorded each patient's cure rate, remission rate, intraoperative and postoperative complications, short-term and long-term therapeutic outcomes, hospitalization duration, hospitalization expenses, and operation time. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients were placed in the R group, and 142 patients were sorted into the M group. In the R group, 87.34% of patients showed improvement, 9.49% experienced relief, and 3.16% experienced treatment failure. Similarly, in the M group, 85.92% of patients showed improvement, 10.56% experienced relief, and 3.52% experienced treatment failure. The difference in therapeutic efficacy between the 2 groups was not significant. However, the M group had significantly lower recurrence rates at 3 months, 6 months, and one year post-operation than the R group did. Notably, the M group also experienced a higher rate of postoperative complications. Among the complications reported in the M group were 25 cases of dizziness or headache (17.6%) following the operation, 22 cases of hearing damage, including one case of complete hearing loss on the side involved, and 28 cases of peripheral nerve injury with abnormal skin sensation. Postoperative facial paralysis occurred in 15 patients, including 10 cases of moderate to severe facial paralysis that were relieved to grade II after one year. In comparison, the R group had 40 cases of grade II and 53 cases of grade III, and no cases of more severe facial paralysis were found. There were also 13 cases of peripheral nerve injury, such as local skin numbness and tenderness. Importantly, there were no cases of facial hematoma, intracranial hemorrhage, infection, or any other complications in either group, and no fatalities occurred during the study period. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study are the exclusion of transient postoperative complications, the lack of in-person follow-up with patients, and the potential underestimation of certain complications. CONCLUSION: The short-term outcome was found to be comparable between the 2 treatment modalities. Notably, RFA demonstrates both safety and efficacy as a method for managing primary HFS; however, the procedure may lead to mild facial paralysis. In situations during which surgery is contraindicated, especially among elderly or high-risk surgical patients, percutaneous facial nerve RFA at the stylomastoid foramen may be considered as an alternative therapeutic approach.

Distributed global output-feedback formation control without velocity measurement for multiple unmanned surface vehicles.

This article studies the distributed formation control problem for multiple unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) considering uncertain coefficient matrixes, unmeasurable velocities, and time-varying disturbances. The main contributions are as follows: First, a global coordinate translation is proposed to partially linearize the nonlinear dynamic model equipped with the unmeasurable velocity. Second, based on the global coordinate translation, a novel type of fixed-time extended two-state observer (FTETSO) is developed to estimate unmeasurable velocities and total disturbances for each vehicle. Wherein, the estimation errors will converge to zero within a fixed time. Meanwhile, considering estimation accuracy, a two-state extension is proposed to replace a single-state extension. Third, using a sliding model-based control technique, an FTETSO-based distributed global output-feedback fixed-time formation controller (GOFFC) is elaborately developed. Based on the proposed controller, the fixed-time convergence of the closed-loop system is ensured. Finally, the validity and stability of the proposed control approach are verified by simulations.

Distributed finite-time bearing-based formation control for underactuated surface vessels with Levant differentiator.

In this paper, a distributed bearing-based formation control scheme with finite-time convergency is proposed for multiple underactuated surface vessels (USVs). By virtue of the guide point-based model transformation method, the dimension of underactuated tracking error dynamics can be reduced from three to two. This allows us to convert the actuator model to a fully form that matches dimension-reduced tracking error dynamics. Further, to reduce the computation complexity, a finite-time recruited filter is designed according to first-order Levant differentiator. At meanwhile, auxiliary error compensation signals are introduced to address unknowns stemming from filter process and system dynamics. Since merely relative-distances and inner bearings are utilized in the proposed bearing-based formation approaches, the proposed control scheme provides a feasible solution to achieve formation control under body-fixed frame. Finally, theoretical analysis and numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the efficacy.

LIBS combined with SG-SPXY spectral data pre-processing for cement raw meal composition analysis.

Rapid testing of cement raw meal plays a crucial role in the cement production process, so there is an urgent need for a fast and accurate testing method. In this paper, a method based on the Savitzky-Golay (SG) smoothing and sample set partitioning based on joint x-y distance (SPXY) spectral data pre-processing is proposed to improve the accuracy of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for quantitative analysis of cement raw meal components. Firstly, the spectral data is denoised by SG smoothing, which effectively reduces the noise and baseline variations in the spectra. Then, the denoised data is divided into sample sets by combining the SPXY sample division method, which improves the efficiency of data analysis. Finally, the delineated data set is modeled for quantitative analysis by a back-propagation (BP) neural network. Compared to the modeling effect of the four oxide contents of CaO, S i O 2, A l 2 O 3, and F e 2 O 3 in the Hold-Out method, the correlation coefficient (R) was improved by 26%, 10%, 17%, and 4%, respectively. The root mean square error (RMSE) was reduced by 47%, 33%, 43%, and 21%, respectively. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was reduced by 63%, 60%, 36%, and 51%, respectively. The results show that there is a significant improvement in the model effect, which can effectively improve the accuracy of quantitative analysis of cement raw meal composition by LIBS. This is of great significance for the real-time detection of cement raw meal composition analysis.

Concurrent Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab and High-Dose External Beam Radiotherapy for Highly Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (atezo-bev) has been recommended for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). High-dose external beam radiotherapy (RT) is recognized for its excellent local tumor control. The efficacy and safety of concurrent atezo-bev with RT for highly advanced HCC has been minimally explored. METHODS: In this preliminary retrospective study, we assessed patients with highly advanced HCC, characterized by Vp4 portal vein thrombosis or tumors exceeding 50% of liver volume, who received concurrent atezo-bev and RT (group A). Group A included 13 patients who received proton radiation at a dose of 72.6 GyE in 22 fractions, and one patient who received photon radiation at a dose of 54 Gy in 18 fractions. This group was compared with 34 similar patients treated atezo-bev alone as a control (group B). The primary objectives were to evaluate the objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, except for a higher incidence of Vp4 portal vein thrombosis in group A (78.6% vs. 21.4%, P = .05). Group A achieved a higher ORR (50.0% vs. 11.8%, P < .01) and a longer OS (not reached vs. 5.5 months, P = .01) after a median follow-up of 5.2 months. Multivariate analysis indicated that concurrent RT independently favored longer OS (hazard ratio: 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05-0.63, P < .01). Group A did not increase any grade adverse events (78.6% vs. 58.8%, P = .19) or severe adverse events of grade ≥ 3 (14.3% vs. 14.7%, P = .97) compared to group B. CONCLUSIONS: The concurrent high-dose external beam radiotherapy appears to safely enhance the effectiveness of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for highly advanced patients with HCC. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Numerical analyses for three-dimensional face stability of circular tunnels in purely cohesive soils with linearly increasing strength.

The tunnel face stability in purely cohesive soils with linearly increasing strength was investigated using three-dimensional finite element limit analysis (FELA). Both the collapse (active failure) and blow-out (passive failure) of the tunnel face were considered in the analysis. The rigorous upper bound (UB) and lower bound (LB) solutions of the load factor were calculated with a wide range of ground conditions to cover a broad scope of practical application. The results showed that the whole surface of the face is at failure in the collapse case; while in the blow-out case, there exists a gradual evolution process from partial failure to global failure within the tunnel face with increasing buried depth. Later, based on 960 finite element limit analysis results, a series of practical equations were proposed for tunnel face stability analysis in purely cohesive soils. These equations can be employed to quickly calculate the UB and LB solutions of the limit support pressure and the stability number of a tunnel face in both the collapse and blow-out cases. Finally, the calculation results from these equations were compared with those from previous studies in detail. The comparisons showed that the proposed equations make an improvement over existing methods and can be used as an efficient tool in practical engineering.

Machine Learning Analysis Classifies Patients with Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma Using Abnormal Brain White Matter Function.

Objective: Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) is a globally prevalent, irreversible eye disease leading to blindness. Previous neuroimaging studies demonstrated that PACG patients were associated with gray matter function changes. However, whether the white matter(WM) function changes in PACG patients remains unknown. The purpose of the study is to investigate WM function changes in the PACG patients. Methods: In total, 40 PACG patients and 40 well-matched HCs participated in our study and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans. We compared between-group differences between PACG patients and HC in the WM function using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF). In addition, the SVM method was applied to the construction of the PACG classification model. Results: Compared with the HC group, ALFF was attenuated in right posterior thalamic radiation (include optic radiation), splenium of corpus callosum, and left tapetum in the PACG group, the results are statistically significant (GRF correction, voxel-level P < 0.001, cluster-level P < 0.05). Furthermore, the SVM classification had an accuracy of 80.0% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.86 for distinguishing patients with PACG from HC. Conclusion: The findings of our study uncover abnormal WM functional alterations in PACG patients and mainly involves vision-related regions. These findings provide new insights into widespread brain damage in PACG from an alternative WM functional perspective.

Interactions between electromagnetic radiation and biological systems.

Even though the bioeffects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) have been extensively investigated during the past several decades, our understandings of the bioeffects of EMR and the mechanisms of the interactions between the biological systems and the EMRs are still far from satisfactory. In this article, we introduce and summarize the consensus, controversy, limitations, and unsolved issues. The published works have investigated the EMR effects on different biological systems including humans, animals, cells, and biochemical reactions. Alternative methodologies also include dielectric spectroscopy, detection of bioelectromagnetic emissions, and theoretical predictions. In many studies, the thermal effects of the EMR are not properly controlled or considered. The frequency of the EMR investigated is limited to the commonly used bands, particularly the frequencies of the power line and the wireless communications; far fewer studies were performed for other EMR frequencies. In addition, the bioeffects of the complex EM environment were rarely discussed. In summary, our understanding of the bioeffects of the EMR is quite restrictive and further investigations are needed to answer the unsolved questions.

Accumulation of NMDA receptors in accumbal neuronal ensembles mediates increased conditioned place preference for cocaine after prolonged withdrawal.

Cue-induced cocaine craving gradually intensifies following abstinence, a phenomenon known as the incubation of drug craving. Neuronal ensembles activated by initial cocaine use, are critically involved in this process. However, the mechanisms by which neuronal changes occurring in the ensembles after withdrawal contribute to incubation remain largely unknown. Here we labeled neuronal ensembles in the shell of nucleus accumbens (NAcSh) activated by cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) training. NAcSh ensembles showed an increasing activity induced by CPP test after 21-day withdrawal. Inhibiting synaptic transmission of NAcSh ensembles suppressed the preference for cocaine paired-side after 21-day withdrawal, demonstrating a critical role of NAcSh ensembles in increased preference for cocaine. The density of dendritic spines in dopamine D1 receptor expressing ensembles was increased after 21-day withdrawal. Moreover, the expression of Grin1, a subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, specifically increased in the NAcSh ensembles after cocaine withdrawal in both CPP and self-administration (SA) mouse models. Targeted knockdown or dysfunction of Grin1 in NAcSh ensembles significantly suppressed craving for cocaine. Our results suggest that the accumulation of NMDA receptors in NAcSh ensembles mediates increased craving for cocaine after prolonged withdrawal, thereby providing potential molecular targets for treatment of drug addiction.