Ultrafast two-dimensional x-ray imager with temporal fiducial pulses for laser-produced plasmas

It is challenging to make an ultrafast diagnosis of the temporal evolution of small and short-lived plasma in two dimensions. To overcome this difficulty, we have developed a well-timed diagnostic utilizing an x-ray streak camera equipped with a row of multi-pinhole arrays. By processing multiple sets of one-dimensional streaked image data acquired from various pinholes, we are capable of reconstructing high-resolution two-dimensional images with a temporal resolution of 38 ps and a spatial resolution of 18 μm. The temporal fiducial pulses accessed from external sources can advance the precise timing and accurately determine the arrival time of the laser. Moreover, it can correct the nonlinear sweeping speed of the streak camera. The effectiveness of this diagnostic has been successfully verified at the Shenguang-II laser facility,providing an indispensable tool for observing complex physical phenomena, such as the implosion process of laser-fusion experiments.

Hydrogen-rich water protects against acetaminopheninduced hepatotoxicity in mice

AIM: To investigate the hepatoprotective effects and mechanisms of hydrogen-rich water(HRW) in acetaminophen(APAP)-induced liver injury in mice.METHODS: Male mice were randomly divided into the following four groups: normal saline(NS) control group, mice received equivalent volumes of NS intraperitoneally(ip); HRW control group, mice were given HRW(same volume as the NS group); APAP + NS group, mice received NS ip for 3 d(5 mL /kg body weight, twice a day at 8 am and 5 pm) after APAP injection; APAP + HRW group, mice received HRW for 3 d(same as NS treatment) after APAP challenge.In the first experiment, mice were injected ip with a lethal dose of 750 mg/kg APAP to determine the 5-d survival rates.In the second experiment, mice were injected ip with a sub-lethal dose of 500 mg/kg.Blood and liver samples were collected at 24, 48, and 72 h after APAP injection to determine the degree of liver injury.RESULTS :Treatment with HRW resulted ina significant increase in the 5-d survival rate compared with the APAP + NS treatment group(60% vs 26.67%, P < 0.05).HRW could significantly decrease the serum alanine aminotransferase level(24 h: 4442 ± 714.3 U/L vs 6909 ± 304.8 U/L, P < 0.01; 48 h: 3782 ± 557.5 U/L vs 5111 ± 404 U/L, P < 0.01; and3255 ± 337.4 U/L vs 3814 ± 250.2 U/L, P < 0.05, respectively) and aspartate aminotransferase level(24 h: 4683 ± 443.4 U/L vs 5307 ± 408.4 U/L, P < 0.05; 48 h: 3392 ± 377.6 U/L vs 4458 ± 423.6 U/L, P < 0.01; and 3354 ± 399.4 U/L vs 3778 ± 358 U/L, respectively) compared with the APAP treatment group.The alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase levels had the same result.Seventy-two hours after APAP administration, liver samples were collected for pathological examination and serum was collected to detect the cytokine levels.The liver index(5.16% ± 0.26% vs 5.88% ± 0.073%, P < 0.05) and percentage of liver necrosis area(27.73% ± 0.58% vs 36.87% ± 0.49%, P < 0.01) were significantly lower in the HRW-treated animals.The malonyldialdehyde(MDA) contents were significantly reduced in the HRW pretreatment group, but they were increased in the APAP-treated group(10.44 ± 1.339 nmol/mg protein vs 16.70 ± 1.646 nmol/mg protein, P < 0.05).A decrease in superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity in the APAP treatment group and an increase of SOD in the HRW treatment group were also detected(9.74 ± 0.46 U/mg protein vs 12.1 ± 0.67 U/mg protein, P < 0.05).Furthermore, HRW could significantly increase the glutathione(GSH) contents(878.7 ± 76.73 mg/g protein vs 499.2 ± 48.87 mg/g protein) compared with the APAP treatment group.Meanwhile, HRW could reduce the inflammation level(serum TNF-α: 399.3 ± 45.50 pg/L vs 542.8 ± 22.38 pg/L, P < 0.05; and serum IL-6: 1056 ± 77.01 pg/L vs 1565 ± 42.11 pg/L, P < 0.01, respectively).In addition, HRW could inhibit 4-HNE, nitrotyrosine formation, JNK phosphorylation, connexin 32 and cytochrome P4502 E expression.Simultaneously, HRW could facilitate hepatocyte mitosis to promote liver regeneration.CONCLUSION: HRW has significant therapeutic potential in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation and promoting liver regeneration.

A small electron beam ion trap/source facility for electron/neutral-ion collisional spectroscopy in astrophysical plasmas

Spectra are fundamental observation data used for astronomical research,but understanding them strongly depends on theoretical models with many fundamental parameters from theoretical calculations.Different models give different insights for understanding a specific object.Hence,laboratory benchmarks for these theoretical models become necessary.An electron beam ion trap is an ideal facility for spectroscopic benchmarks due to its similar conditions of electron density and temperature compared to astrophysical plasmas in stellar coronae,supernova remnants and so on.In this paper,we will describe the performance of a small electron beam ion trap/source facility installed at National Astronomical Observatories,Chinese Academy of Sciences.We present some preliminary experimental results on X-ray emission,ion production,the ionization process of trapped ions as well as the effects of charge exchange on the ionization.

Nucleolar protein 6 promotes cell proliferation and acts as a potential novel prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background:Nucleolar protein 6(NOL6)is a nucleolar RNA-associated protein that is highly conserved between species.It has been proved to be associated with the prognosis of liver cancer.However,the underlying mechanism has not been fully established.This study aimed to assess the relationship between NOL6 and liver cancer prognosis.Methods:We constructed anNOL6-short hairpin RNA(shRNA)-expressing lentivirus.Through viral transfection,cell growth assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting,we evaluated the effect of shRNA-mediatedNOL6 knockdown on the proliferation,colony formation,and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells.The relationship betweenNOL6 expression and HCC patient survival has been established through bioinformatics analysis.We also explored the downstream molecular regulatory network ofNOL6 in HCC by performing an Ingenuity Pathway Analysis in the database.Results:IncreasedNOL6 expression was detected in HCC cells compared to normal controls;HCC patients with highNOL6 expression had poorer prognoses than those with low expression.NOL6 knockdown inhibited HCC cell proliferation,apoptosis,and colony formation.Also,MAPK8,CEBPA,andFOSL1 were selected as potential downstream genes ofNOL6.Conclusions:NOL6 up-regulates HCC cell proliferation and affects downstream expression of related genes.Moreover,NOL6 is considered to be associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients.

Laboratory astrophysics with laser-driven strong magnetic fields in China

In this paper, the recent studies of laboratory astrophysics with strong magnetic fields in China have been reviewed.On the Shenguang-II laser facility of the National Laboratory on High-Power Lasers and Physics, a laser-driven strong magnetic field up to 200 T has been achieved. The experiment was performed to model the interaction of solar wind with dayside magnetosphere. Also the low beta plasma magnetic reconnection(MR) has been studied. Theoretically, the model has been developed to deal with the atomic structures and processes in strong magnetic field. Also the study of shock wave generation in the magnetized counter-streaming plasmas is introduced.