Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that, despite its high global incidence, still lacks effective treatments capable of altering its course. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of photobiomodulation (PBM, 660 nm) in a three-dimensional (3D) neuronal model of AD induced by oxidative stress. We sought to determine whether PBM could attenuate cellular damage, reduce oxidative imbalance, and preserve neuronal morphology under AD-like conditions. A previously validated 3D neuronal model of AD, based on differentiated SH-SY5Y spheroids stressed with H2O2 (200 µM, 1 h), was used. Spheroids were assigned to four experimental groups (Control, PBM, H2O2, H2O2+PBM). PBM was performed by 660 nm LED irradiation (3 J/cm²). Cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and neuronal morphology were assessed. PBM increased cell viability in both control and H2O2-exposed spheroids, with partial recovery of metabolic activity following oxidative injury. Intracellular ROS levels were significantly reduced by PBM, indicating attenuation of the oxidative imbalance. Morphological evaluation showed partial preservation of neuronal architecture, with PBM reducing nuclear and structural disruptions characteristic of oxidative stress. PBM attenuated oxidative damage in a 3D model of AD, by increasing cell viability, reducing intracellular ROS, and partially preserving neuronal morphology. These findings support PBM as a promising adjuvant therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative conditions and reinforce the relevance of 3D neuronal spheroids as a platform for in vitro AD research.
We present a new empirical vertical drift model developed using ground-based magnetometer, radar, and satellite data over equatorial latitude regions. We first implement an algorithm relating magnetometer derived equatorial electrojet (EEJ) and vertical ion plasma drift (equivalent to vertical drift within magnetic latitudes of and altitudes of about 400-550 km) from the Communications and Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite at different longitude sectors. The relationship between EEJ and C/NOFS vertical drift is developed separately at different longitudes over the globe at coincidental times when both data sets are available. These relationships are then used to estimate continuous vertical drift at each epoch of EEJ observation over the respective longitude sectors during local daytime. The reconstructed vertical drift data are combined with global C/NOFS vertical drifts and JULIA data set to develop a global vertical drift model. Validation using Ion Velocity Meter (IVM) drifts from ICON satellite for January to August 2022 shows that our model improves vertical drift global modeling by over 20% compared to the current climatology representation.
Active galactic nuclei (AGNs), star formation (SF), and galaxy interactions can drive turbulence in the gas of the interstellar medium (ISM), which, in turn, plays a role in SF taking place within galaxies. The impact on molecular gas is of particular importance, as it serves as the primary fuel for SF. Our goal is to investigate the origin of turbulence and the emission of molecular gas, as well as low-and-intermediate-ionisation gas, in the inner few kpc of both AGN hosts and star-forming galaxies (SFGs). We used archival JWST MIRI/MRS observations of a sample consisting of 54 galaxies at z < 0.1. We present flux measurements for the H2 S(5)λ6.9091 μm, [ArII]λ6.9853 μm, [FeII]λ5.3403 μm, and [ArIII]λ8.9914 μm emission lines along with velocity dispersion estimated by the W80 parameter. For galaxies with coronal line emission, we included measurements of the [MgV]λ5.6098 μm line. We compared the line ratios to photoionisation and shock models to explore the origin of the gas emission. AGNs exhibit broader emission lines than SFGs, with the largest velocity dispersions observed in radio-strong (RS) AGNs. The H2 gas is less turbulent compared to ionised gas, while coronal gas presents higher velocity dispersions. The W80 values for the ionised gas show a decrease when going from the nucleus out to radii of approximately 0.5–1 kpc, followed by an outward increase up to 2–3 kpc. In contrast, the H2 line widths generally display increasing profiles with distance from the center. Correlations between the W80 parameter and line ratios such as H2S(5)/[Ar II] and [Fe II]/[Ar II] indicate that the most turbulent gas is associated with shocks, enhancing H2 and [Fe II] emissions. Based on the observed line ratios and velocity dispersions, the [FeII] emission is consistent with predictions of fast shock models, while the H2 emission is likely associated with molecules formed in the post-shock region. We speculate that these shocked gas regions are produced by AGN outflows and jet-cloud interactions in AGN-dominated sources; whereas in SFGs, they might be created through stellar winds and mergers. This shock-induced gas heating may be an important mechanism of AGN (or stellar) feedback, preventing the gas from cooling and forming new stars.
Electrospun polymeric wound dressings that integrate biomimetic structure with bioactive stimulation represent an effective approach for accelerating tissue repair. This study evaluates electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers crosslinked with citric acid (PVA-CA), with or without silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), applied alone or in combination with non-thermal plasma (NTP) for cutaneous wound healing in rats. The PVA-CA system provided a hydrophilic, porous scaffold with improved structural stability due to ester crosslinking. Thirty-six male Wistar rats with full-thickness dorsal skin wounds were distributed into six groups: Control, PVA-CA, PVA-CA + Ag, NTP, PVA-CA + NTP, and PVA-CA + Ag + NTP. Healing progression was evaluated macroscopically and histologically at 3, 7, and 14 days post-injury. The PVA-CA + NTP group showed the highest healing efficacy, achieving a 96.6% wound area reduction at Day 14, versus 89.7% for the control. Histological analyses demonstrated accelerated re-epithelialization, increased angiogenesis, and enhanced collagen deposition in this group, indicating advanced tissue remodeling. Although AgNP incorporation provided antimicrobial functionality, it did not further improve regeneration when combined with NTP. These results demonstrate that citric-acid-crosslinked electrospun PVA dressings synergistically potentiate the therapeutic effects of non-thermal plasma, offering a promising platform for advanced wound healing applications.
We analyse the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the eclipsing supersoft X-ray source CAL 87 covering wavelengths from X-rays to the near-infrared. Our study incorporates 26 data points across ultraviolet to near-infrared, sourced from published literature, unpublished data, and new observations. In addition, archival XMM-Newton spectra were used to represent the X-ray emission. Care was taken to use out-of-eclipse flux measurements when the irradiated side of the companion faces the observer. The SED model includes contributions from a central source, a reprocessed accretion disk, and an irradiated companion star atmosphere, resulting in a good match to the observed fluxes. The revised and new parameters for the disk and the central source align with previous studies and match expectations for such systems. The temperature of the irradiated side of the companion star was estimated based on its B-V colour during the secondary eclipse. This work highlights the importance of broad wavelength coverage for understanding the properties of supersoft X-ray sources.
