Alveolar Microdynamics during Tidal Ventilation in Live Animals Imaged by SPring-8 Synchrotron.

It is self-evident that our chests expand and contract during breathing but, surprisingly, exactly how individual alveoli change shape over the respiratory cycle is still a matter of debate. Some argue that all the alveoli expand and contract rhythmically. Others claim that the lung volume change is due to groups of alveoli collapsing and reopening during ventilation.

Type-Independent 3D Writing and Nano-Patterning of Confined Biopolymers.

Biopolymers are essential building blocks that constitute cells and tissues with well-defined molecular structures and diverse biological functions. Their three-dimensional (3D) complex architectures are used to analyze, control, and mimic various cells and their ensembles. However, the free-form and high-resolution structuring of various biopolymers remain challenging because their structural and rheological control depend critically on their polymeric types at the submicron scale.

Live Streaming of a Single Cell's Life over a Local pH-Monitoring Nanowire Waveguide.

Spatiotemporal pH monitoring of single living cells across rigid cell and organelle membranes has been challenging, despite its significance in understanding cellular heterogeneity. Here, we developed a mechanically robust yet tolerably thin nanowire waveguide that enables in situ monitoring of pH dynamics at desired cellular compartments via direct optical communication. By chemically labeling fluorescein at one end of a poly(vinylbenzyl azide) nanowire, we continuously monitored pH variations of different compartments inside a living cell, successfully observing organelle-exclusive pH homeostasis and stimuli-selective pH regulations.

Flexibility: beyond the buzzword-practical findings from a systematic literature review.

Objective: The goal was to identify practical, cost-effective, design-related strategies for "future-proofing" the buildings of a major Australian health department.

Background: Many health buildings become obsolete before the end of their effective physical lives, requiring extensive reconfiguration or replacement. This study sought to move beyond the oft-used buzzword flexibility to seek effective strategies to accommodate future change (future-proofing) that could be further explored in Australia and other developed countries.