OBJECTIVES: As early as the Apollo 11 mission, astronauts experienced ocular, skin, and upper airway irritation after lunar dust (LD) was brought into the return cabin, drawing attention to its potential biological toxicity. However, the biological effects of LD exposure through the digestive system remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of digestive exposure to lunar dust simulant (LDS) on gut microbiota and on the intestine, liver, kidney, lung, and bone in mice. METHODS: Eight-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were used. LDS was used as a substitute for lunar dust, and Shaanxi loess was used as Earth dust (ED). Mice were randomly divided into a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group, an ED group (500 mg/kg), and a LDS group (500 mg/kg), with assessments at days 7, 14, and 28. Mice were gavaged once every 3 days, with body weight recorded before each gavage. At sacrifice, fecal samples were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing; inflammatory cytokine expression [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)] in intestinal, liver, and lung tissues was measured by real-time reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR); hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed on lung, liver, and intestinal tissues; Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was used to assess the integrity of the intestinal mucus barrier, and immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate the expression of mucin-2 (MUC2). Serum biochemical tests assessed hepatic and renal function. Femoral bone mass was analyzed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT); osteoblasts and osteoclasts were assessed by osteocalcin (OCN) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining. Bone marrow immune cell subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: At day 10, weight gain was slowed in ED and LDS groups. At days 22 and 28, body weight in both ED and LDS groups was significantly lower than controls (both P<0.05). LDS exposure increased microbial species richness and diversity at day 7. Compared with the PBS and ED groups, mice in the LDS group showed increased relative abundance of Deferribacterota, Desulfobacterota, and Campylobacterota, and decreased Firmicutes, with increased Helicobacter typhlonius and reduced Lactobacillus johnsonii and Lactobacillusmurinus. HE and PAS staining of the colon showed that mucosal structural disruption and goblet cell loss were more severe in the LDS group. In addition, immunohistochemistry revealed a significant downregulation of MUC2 expression in this group (P<0.05). No obvious pathological alterations were observed in liver HE staining among the 3 groups, and none of the groups exhibited notable hepatic or renal dysfunction. HE staining of the lungs in the ED and LDS groups showed increased perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration (both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS LDS exposure via the digestive route induces gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier disruption, pulmonary inflammation, bone loss, and bone marrow immune imbalance. These findings indicate that LD exposure poses potential health risks during future lunar missions. Targeted restoration of beneficial gut microbiota may represent a promising strategy to mitigate LD-related health hazards.
Animals ; Dust ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Dysbiosis/etiology* ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Moon ; Liver/metabolism* ; Digestive System/microbiology* ; Lung/metabolism* ; Kidney

OBJECTIVES: Due to prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation and meteorite impacts, lunar surface dust forms nanoscale angular particles with strong electrostatic adsorption properties. These dust particles pose potential inhalation risks, yet their pulmonary toxicological mechanisms remain unclear. Given the need for dust exposure protection in future lunar base construction and resource development, this study established an acute exposure model using lunar soil simulant (LSS) and used Earth soil (ES; Loess from Shaanxi, China) as a comparison to investigate lung injury mechanisms. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups: Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), LSS, and ES, with 5 to 7 mice per group. Mice in the LSS and ES groups received a single intratracheal instillation to induce acute inhalation exposure. Body weight was monitored for 28 days. Mice were euthanized at days 3, 7, 14, and 28 post-exposure, and peripheral blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissues were collected. Immune cell subsets in BALF were analyzed using flow cytometry. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining assessed lung structure and inflammation; periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining evaluated airway mucus secretion; Masson staining examined collagen deposition. Real-time reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and epithelial barrier genes (Occludin, Cadherin-1, and Zo-1). Lung tissues at day 7 were subjected to transcriptomic sequencing, followed by immune infiltration and pathway enrichment analyses to determine immunoregulatory mechanisms. RESULTS: Body weight in the ES group progressively declined after day 18 (all P<0.05), while the LSS group showed no significant changes compared with the control group. HE staining showed both LSS and ES induced inflammatory cell infiltration around airways and vasculature, which persisted for 28 days but gradually lessened over time. PAS staining revealed marked mucus hypersecretion in the LSS group at day 3, followed by gradual recovery; no significant mucus changes were observed in the ES group. Masson staining indicated no obvious pulmonary fibrosis in either group within 28 days. Real-time RT-PCR demonstrated significant upregulation of IL-1β and TNF-α in both LSS and ES groups, peaking on day 7, accompanied by downregulation of epithelial barrier genes (Occludin, Cadherin-1, and Zo-1)(all P<0.05). Transcriptomic analysis showed that both LSS and ES activated chemokine-related pathways and enriched leukocyte migration and neutrophil recruitment pathways. Further validation revealed upregulation of CXCL2 and MMP12 in the LSS group, whereas CXCL3 and MMP12 were predominantly elevated in the ES group. CONCLUSIONS Both LSS and ES can induce sustained lung injury and neutrophil infiltration in mice, though the underlying molecular mechanisms differ. Compared with ES, exposure to LSS additionally triggers a transient eosinophilic response, suggesting that lunar dust particles possess stronger immunostimulatory potential and higher biological toxicity.
Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Soil ; Lung Injury/etiology* ; Dust ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Moon ; Lung/pathology* ; Inhalation Exposure/adverse effects* ; Male

As human deep space exploration enters a practical phase, ensuring astronaut health and safety has become a critical determinant of mission success. The cerebrovascular system, essential for maintaining brain function, is highly sensitive to environmental changes. Cerebrovascular diseases represent one of the characteristic adverse effects of deep space conditions such as microgravity and high-energy radiation, and have emerged as a frontier challenge in space medicine. Based on experiences from manned space missions, major research challenges persist, particularly the lack of experimental data specific to the lunar environment and the unclear threshold for low-dose radiation-induced injury. Elucidating the mechanisms and multifactorial interactions by which deep space environments impact cerebrovascular structure and function, and summarizing the key risk factors, pathological processes, and recent advances in monitoring and early-warning technologies for cerebrovascular diseases in lunar astronauts, and of crucial importance. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between deep space environmental stressors and cerebrovascular injury, as well as the development of personalized prevention and intervention strategies, will provide both theoretical and practical foundations for safeguarding cerebrovascular health in future Chinese deep space missions, while promoting progress in related biomedical research, technological innovation, and international collaboration.
Humans ; Astronauts ; Cerebrovascular Disorders/etiology* ; Space Flight ; Weightlessness/adverse effects* ; Risk Factors ; Moon

Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cervix Uteri ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Female ; Hardness ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Jupiter ; Labor Presentation ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Premature Birth ; Reproducibility of Results ; Uterine Artery

Due to technological advances and the establishment of evidence-based medicine, radiological examinations are playing a crucial role in modern medicine, as a result of which they have been steadily increasing, and the rate of increase has intensified in the 2000s. Although this is a global phenomenon, the increase of radiological examinations in Korea is also high due to the introduction of the National Health Insurance Coverage Expansion Policy, so-called Moon Jae-in Care, for ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. For accurate and rapid diagnosis of diseases, it is necessary for doctors to order appropriate radiological studies. However, the increase in radiological examination has created many problems, such as increased medical costs, decreased diagnostic accuracy due to radiologist burnout, and increased patient exposure to radiation. To reduce unnecessary imaging studies, a number of measures could be deployed including the development of clinical guidelines to select appropriate radiological examinations for each clinical situation.
Diagnosis ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; History, Modern 1601- ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Moon ; National Health Programs ; Ultrasonography

Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) is recognized as a feasible and low risk alternative to surgery to treat dysfunctional right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) in usually pluri-operated patients. Evolving technology allowed to develop different kind of prosthesis and to go from an initial treatment exclusively of stenotic conduit to an actual approach extended also to wide native RVOT. The Melody transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) and the Edwards Sapien valve are nowadays the most commonly implanted prostheses. However, other devices have been developed to treat large RVOT (i.e., the Venus p-valve, the Medtronic Harmony TPV, the Alterra Adaptive Prestent, and the Pulsta valve). Indications for PPVI are the same as for surgical interventions on pulmonary valve, with limits related to the maximum diameter of the available percutaneous prosthesis. Therefore, an accurate preoperative evaluation is of paramount importance to select patients who could benefit from this procedure. The overall periprocedural mortality incidence is around 1.4%, while freedom from RVOT reintervention ranges from 100% at 4 months to 70% at 70 months, according to the different published studies.
Freedom ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Prostheses and Implants ; Pulmonary Valve ; Venus

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of three intraoral scanners along the complete dental arch and evaluate the feasibility of the assessment methodology for further in vivo analysis.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A specific measurement pattern was fabricated and measured using a coordinate measuring machine for the assessment of control distances and angles. Afterwards, the pattern was placed and fixed in replica of an upper jaw for their subsequent scans (10 times) using 3 intraoral scanners, namely iTero Element1, Trios 3, and True Definition. 4 reference distances and 5 angles were measured and compared with the controls. Trueness and precision were assessed for each IOS: trueness, as the deviation of the measures from the control ones, while precision, as the dispersion of measurements in each reference parameter. These measurements were carried out using software for analyzing 3-dimensional data. Data analysis software was used for statistical and measurements analysis (α=.05).RESULTS: Significant differences (P<.05) were found depending on the intraoral scanner used. Best trueness values were achieved with iTero Element1 (mean from 10 ± 7 µm to 91 ± 63 µm) while the worst values were obtained with Trios3 (mean from 42 ± 23 µm to 174 ± 77 µm). Trueness analysis in angle measurements, as well as precision analysis, did not show conclusive results.CONCLUSION: iTero Element1 was more accurate than the current versions of Trios3 and True Definition. Importantly, the proposed methodology is considered reliable for analyzing accuracy in any dental arch length and valid for assessing both trueness and precision in an in vivo study.
Dental Arch ; Jaw ; Jupiter ; Methods ; Pilot Projects ; Statistics as Topic

This study examines how Choe Han-gi (崔漢綺, 1803–1879) developed his medical discourse which integrated the concepts of traditional Chinese medicine with modern Western anatomy, based on the philosophy of Seo Gyeong-deok (徐敬德, 1489–1546), a scholar of the Neo-Confucianism of Joseon (1392–1910). Seo emphasized gi (氣, C. qi, vital, material force) rather than yi (理, C. li, the principle of things) as a way of understanding the world. Since Choe's early academic interests pertained to Neo-Confucianism, it is reasonable to examine his philosophy in this context. Similar to Seo, Choe assumed that the most essential component of the world was the intrinsic and mysterious gi. Although Seo spoke of gi as a damil cheongheo ji gi (湛一淸虛之氣, the gi which is profound, uniform, clear, invisible, and empty), Choe preferred to use the word singi (神氣, C. shenqi, the intrinsic, invisible, and mysterious gi). He believed that the earth, moon, and stars operated through the action of singi and that all creatures could only exist by relying on it. Singi was the most important premise in Choe's medical discourse, a fact demonstrating that although he could be very critical of traditional Chinese medicine, his perspective was part of that tradition. He believed that singi integrated and operated the entire human body and that it perceived external objects. He also emphasized the role of hyeongjil (形質, C. xingzhi, a visible object with a form and quality; here it means all human bodies). This was the medium through which singi could appear in reality. Choe thought that singi could not reveal itself in reality without hyeongjil, and that hyeongjil became a dead thing without singi. His perception of the role of hyeongjil was expressed in his interest in modern Western anatomy, an interest that complemented his focus on singi. In light of his understanding of the singi-hyeongjil relationship, Choe criticized both modern Western anatomy and traditional Chinese medicine. He thought that modern Western anatomy lacked awareness of singi and that traditional Chinese medicine lacked accurate knowledge of human anatomy. Although he was not completely sympathetic toward any forms of medicine, he was open to ideas from both Western and Chinese medicine. Choe could not accept Western anatomy as fully as Japanese intellectuals did. The study of anatomy in Japan had developed in relation to the idea of Ancient Learning (古學, C. guxue), which denied such theories of systematic correspondence as Yin and Yang and the Five Elements (陰陽 五行, C. yinyang wuxing) and tended to focus on the action of hyeongjil itself. Because Choe accepted modern Western anatomy without accepting Ancient Learning, his perspective was unique in the history of East Asian anatomy. From a medical history perspective, how does Choi Han-gi's medical discourse distinguish itself from other medical discourses, and what are its characteristics? In addition to other explanations, focusing on the political imagination associated with medicine can help illuminate the differences between the medical discourse of Choe and those of others. Discussion of medicine and the human body was tied to political thought, manifesting the political imagination of the society in which that discussion took place. The development of Western and Japanese anatomy reflected a vertical and hierarchical political order, exemplified by the belief that the brain was the center of the body. However, Choe doubted that organs like the brain or heart dominated the body. In his view, the singi ruled the body; it was not a specific organ, and it was equally inherent in all people. His political thought also emphasized the horizontal and equal order among people. His view of singi simultaneously influenced both his perspective on medicine and his perspective on society. Choe Han-gi's belief in this horizontal and equal political order was inherent in his singi-centered medical discourse.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Brain ; Clothing ; Complement System Proteins ; Heart ; Human Body ; Humans ; Imagination ; Japan ; Learning ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Moon ; Philosophy ; Qi

PURPOSE: Comparing the accuracy of casts produced from digital workflow to that of casts produced from conventional techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Whole arch alginate (ALG) and polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impressions were taken with stock trays and custom trays, respectively. The ALG impressions were poured with type III dental stone, while the PVS impressions were poured with type IV dental stone. For the digital workflow, IOS impressions were taken and physical casts were produced by 3D printing. In addition, 3D printed casts were produced from images obtained from a laboratory scanner (LS). For each technique, a total of 10 casts were produced. The accuracies of the whole arch and separated teeth were virtually quantified. RESULTS: Whole arch cast accuracy was more superior for PVS followed by LS, ALG, and IOS. The PVS and ALG groups were inferior in the areas more susceptible to impression material distortion, such as fossae and undercut regions. The LS casts appeared to have generalized errors of minor magnitude influencing primarily the posterior teeth. The IOS casts were considerably more affected at the posterior region. On the contrary, the IOS and LS casts were more superior for single tooth accuracy followed by PVS and ALG. CONCLUSION: For whole arch accuracy, casts produced from IOS were inferior to those produced from PVS and ALG. The inferior outcome of IOS appears to be related to the span of scanning. For single tooth accuracy, IOS showed superior accuracy compared to conventional impressions.
Jupiter ; Polyvinyls ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Siloxanes ; Tooth

The neuronal activity-dependent change in the manner in which light is absorbed or scattered in brain tissue is called the intrinsic optical signal (IOS), and provides label-free, minimally invasive, and high spatial (~100 µm) resolution imaging for visualizing neuronal activity patterns. IOS imaging in isolated brain slices measured at an infrared wavelength (>700 nm) has recently been attributed to the changes in light scattering and transmittance due to aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-dependent astrocytic swelling. The complexity of functional interactions between neurons and astrocytes, however, has prevented the elucidation of the series of molecular mechanisms leading to the generation of IOS. Here, we pharmacologically dissected the IOS in the acutely prepared brain slices of the stratum radiatum of the hippocampus, induced by 1 s/20 Hz electrical stimulation of Schaffer-collateral pathway with simultaneous measurement of the activity of the neuronal population by field potential recordings. We found that 55% of IOSs peak upon stimulation and originate from postsynaptic AMPA and NMDA receptors. The remaining originated from presynaptic action potentials and vesicle fusion. Mechanistically, the elevated extracellular glutamate and K⁺ during synaptic transmission were taken up by astrocytes via a glutamate transporter and quinine-sensitive K2P channel, followed by an influx of water via AQP-4. We also found that the decay of IOS is mediated by the DCPIB- and NPPB-sensitive anion channels in astrocytes. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the functional coupling between synaptic activity and astrocytic transient volume change during excitatory synaptic transmission is the major source of IOS.
Action Potentials ; alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid ; Amino Acid Transport System X-AG ; Astrocytes ; Brain ; Electric Stimulation ; Glutamic Acid ; Hippocampus ; Jupiter ; Neurons ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; Synaptic Transmission ; Water