Two-dimensional monolayer C5-10-16: a metallic carbon allotrope as an anode material for high-performance sodium/potassium-ion batteries.

Carbonaceous materials are promising candidates as anode materials for non-lithium-ion batteries (NLIBs) due to their appealing properties such as good electrical conductivity, low cost, and high safety. However, graphene, a classic two-dimensional (2D) carbon material, is chemically inert to most metal atoms, hindering its application as an electrode material for metal-ion batteries. Inspired by the unique geometry of a four-penta unit, we explore a metallic 2D carbon allotrope C5-10-16 composed of 5-10-16 carbon rings. The C5-10-16 monolayer is free from any imaginary frequencies in the whole Brillouin zone. Due to the introduction of a non-sp2 hybridization state into C5-10-16, the extended conjugation of π-electrons is disrupted, leading to the enhanced surface activity toward metal ions. We investigate the performance of C5-10-16 as the anode for sodium/potassium-ion batteries by using first-principles calculations. The C5-10-16 sheet has high theoretical specific capacities of Na (850.84 mA h g-1) and K (743.87 mA h g-1). Besides, C5-10-16 exhibits a moderate migration barrier of 0.63 (0.32) eV for Na (K), ensuring rapid charging/discharging processes. The average open-circuit voltages of Na and K are 0.33 and 0.62 V, respectively, which are within the voltage acceptance range of anode materials. The fully sodiated (potassiated) C5-10-16 shows tiny lattice expansions of 1.4% (1.3%), suggesting the good reversibility. Moreover, bilayer C5-10-16 significantly affects both the adsorption strength and the mobility of Na or K. All these results show that C5-10-16 could be used as a promising anode material for NLIBs.

Regulation of "Right Ankle Dorsiflexion" Motor Imagery on Brain Function of Spinal Cord Injury: A FOCA-Based Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Motor dysfunction is the main functional disability after spinal cord injury (SCI), seriously affecting the life and work of patients. In addition to spinal cord damage, the brain undergoes structural and functional plastic changes. This study explored brain function remodeling in patients with SCI and the effect of right ankle dorsiflexion motor imagery task on brain function. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 11 patients with SCI and dyskinesia of the right lower limb and 12 healthy subjects at the General Hospital of Western Theater Command PLA (January 2015 to December 2016). They underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the resting state and the "right ankle dorsiflexion" motor imagery task state. Four-dimensional (spatiotemporal) concordance (FOCA) of local neuronal activity was used for fMRI image analysis. The differences between SCI patients and healthy subjects were compared using the two-sample t-test. RESULTS: In the resting state, compared with healthy subjects, patients with SCI showed decreased FOCA in the left putamen, right caudate nucleus, and right superior occipital gyrus and increased FOCA in the left precentral gyrus. In the right ankle dorsiflexion motor imagery task state, FOCAs in the right inferior temporal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule were decreased in patients with SCI. CONCLUSIONS: After SCI, a series of changes in the structure and function of the brain occur. Research on brain plasticity after SCI might help explore the central mechanisms underlying functional recovery after treatments, providing more therapeutic strategies for SCI.

Degradation of trimethoprim in aqueous by persulfate activated with nanosecond pulsed gas-liquid discharge plasma.

The persulfate activation by nanosecond pulsed gas-liquid discharge (NPG-LD) is employed to degrade the trimethoprim (TMP) in water. The results show that persulfate addition enhances the degradation of TMP by NPG-LD through an obvious synergetic effect. With treatment time of 50 min, the high removal efficiency and energy yield reach 94.6% and 0.57 gkWh-1 in air NPG-LD with the addition of persulfate, respectively, which is 13.5% and 0.09 gkWh-1 higher than that in solo air NPG-LD, respectively. Correspondingly, the calculated synergetic factor achieves 1.62, indicating the synergetic effect is established. The activation mechanism of persulfate by NPG-LD is analyzed by the measurement of reactive species and the effects of radical scavenger addition on TMP removal. It is found that the synergetic effect between NPG-LD and persulfate is attributed to the increased production of OH, H2O2, and . Besides, the TMP degradation by NPG-LD and persulfate synergetic system is influenced by discharge working gas, pulse voltage, addition dosage of persulfate, initial TMP concentration, and initial pH value. Subsequently, the degradation pathway of TMP is analyzed using LC-MS/MS.

HISTONE DEACETYLASE6 Acts in Concert with Histone Methyltransferases SUVH4, SUVH5, and SUVH6 to Regulate Transposon Silencing.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play important roles in regulating gene expression. In yeast and animals, HDACs act as components of multiprotein complexes that modulate transcription during various biological processes. However, little is known about the interacting proteins of plant HDACs. To identify the plant HDAC complexes and interacting proteins, we developed an optimized workflow using immunopurification coupled to mass spectrometry-based proteomics in Arabidopsis thaliana We found that the histone deacetylase HDA6 can interact with the histone methyltransferases SUVH4, SUVH5, and SUVH6 (SUVH4/5/6). Domain analysis revealed that the C-terminal regions of HDA6 and SUVH5 are important for their interaction. Furthermore, HDA6 interacts with SUVH4/5/6 and coregulates a subset of transposons through histone H3K9 methylation and H3 deacetylation. In addition, two phosphorylated serine residues, S427 and S429, were unambiguously identified in the C-terminal region of HDA6. Phosphomimetics (amino acid substitutions that mimic a phosphorylated protein) of HDA6 resulted in increased enzymatic activity, whereas the mutation of S427 to alanine in HDA6 abolished its interaction with SUVH5 and SUVH6, suggesting that the phosphorylation of HDA6 is important for its activity and function.

Comparison of high-flow nasal cannula with conventional oxygen therapy for preventing postoperative hypoxemia in patients with lung resection surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in patients extubated after lung resection surgery remains inconclusive. Our objective was to execute a meticulous systematic meta-analysis to accurately assess the advantages of HFNC compared to conventional oxygen therapy (COT) for patients extubated after lung resection surgery, by examining postoperative hypoxemia and other patient-focused outcomes. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to July 2023. We employed the revised Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool (2.0) to evaluate the RoB of the included studies, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) method to ascertain the certainty of the pooled effect estimates. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative hypoxemia. Results: Five RCTs (n=564) were included in the ultimate analysis. Utilizing HFNC rather than COT did not reduce the risk of postoperative hypoxemia [relative risk (RR), 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.30-1.49; low certainty]. Compared to COT, HFNC may significantly enhance oxygenation index within first 12 hours after extubation in patients with lung resection. There were no significant differences in reintubation rate (RR, 0.25; 95% CI: 0.04-1.54; high certainty), escalation of respiratory support (RR, 0.35; 95% CI: 0.11-1.08; high certainty), change in partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) within first 24 hours after extubation, hospital length of stay [mean difference (MD), -0.19; 95% CI: -0.44 to 0.06; moderate certainty], and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (MD, 0.02; 95% CI: -0.16 to 0.19; high certainty). Conclusions: Our meta-analysis suggests that preemptive use of HFNC, instead of COT, in extubated patients following lung resection surgery may not significantly impact postoperative hypoxemia incidence, reintubation rate, escalation of respiratory support, postoperative PaCO2 difference, hospital and ICU length of stay. However, HFNC may significantly enhance the oxygenation index within the first 12 hours post-extubation following lung resection surgery. To verify the effect of HFNC on this population, additional large-scale, multicenter studies are essential.

Iridoids rich fraction from Valeriana jatamansi Jones promotes axonal regeneration and motor functional recovery after spinal cord injury through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Valeriana jatamansi Jones (VJJ), renowned for its extensive history in traditional Chinese medicine and ethnomedicine within China, is prevalently utilized to alleviate ailments such as epigastric distension and pain, gastrointestinal disturbances including food accumulation, diarrhea, and dysentery, as well as insomnia and other diseases. Moreover, the Iridoid-rich fraction derived from Valeriana jatamansi Jones (IRFV) has demonstrated efficacy in facilitating the recuperation of motor functions after spinal cord injury (SCI). This study is aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of IRFV on SCI and its underlying mechanism. Initially, a rat model of SCI was developed to assess the impact of IRFV on axonal regeneration. Subsequently, employing the PC12 cell model of oxidative damage, the role and mechanism of IRFV in enhancing axonal regeneration were explored using the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002. Ultimately, the same inhibitor was administered to SCI rats to confirm the molecular mechanism through which IRFV promotes axonal regeneration by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The results showed that IRFV significantly enhanced motor function recovery, reduced pathological injury, and facilitated axonal regeneration in SCI rats. In vitro experiments revealed that IRFV improved PC12 cell viability, augmented axonal regeneration, and activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Notably, the inhibition of this pathway negated the therapeutic benefits of IRFV in SCI rats. In conclusion, IRFV promote promotes axonal regeneration and recovery of motor function after SCI through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Effects of a lower limb walking exoskeleton on quality of life and activities of daily living in patients with complete spinal cord injury: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, lower limb walking exoskeletons have been widely used in the study of spinal cord injury (SCI). OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of a lower limb walking exoskeleton on quality of life and functional independence in patients with motor complete SCI. METHODS: This was a multi-center, single blind, randomized controlled trial. A total of 16 SCI patients were randomly assigned to either the exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) group (n= 8) or the conventional group (n= 8). Both groups received conventional rehabilitation training, including aerobic exercise and strength training. The EAW group additionally conducted the exoskeleton-assisted walking training using an AIDER powered robotic exoskeleton for 40-50 minutes, 5 times/week for 8 weeks. World Health Organization quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM-III) were used for assessment before and after training. RESULTS: There was an increasing tendency of scores in the psychological health, physical health, and social relationships domain of WHOQOL-BREF in the EAW group after the intervention compared with the pre-intervention period, but there was no significant difference (P> 0.05). SCIM-III scores increased in both groups compared to pre-training, with only the conventional group showing a significant difference after 8 weeks of training (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: A lower limb walking exoskeleton may have potential benefits for quality of life and activities of daily living in patients with motor complete SCI.

Effects of exoskeleton-assisted walking on bowel function in motor-complete spinal cord injury patients: involvement of the brain-gut axis, a pilot study.

Evidence has demonstrated that exoskeleton robots can improve intestinal function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unelucidated. This study investigated the effects of exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) on intestinal function and intestinal flora structure in T2-L1 motor complete paraplegia patients. The results showed that five participants in the EAW group and three in the conventional group reported improvements in at least one bowel management index, including an increased frequency of bowel evacuations, less time spent on bowel management per day, and less external assistance (manual digital stimulation, medication, and enema usage). After 8 weeks of training, the amount of glycerol used in the EAW group decreased significantly (p <0.05). The EAW group showed an increasing trend in the neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) score after 8 weeks of training, while the conventional group showed a worsening trend. Patients who received the EAW intervention exhibited a decreased abundance of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia, while Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were upregulated. In addition, there were decreases in the abundances of Bacteroides, Prevotella, Parabacteroides, Akkermansia, Blautia, Ruminococcus 2, and Megamonas. In contrast, Ruminococcus 1, Ruminococcaceae UCG002, Faecalibacterium, Dialister, Ralstonia, Escherichia-Shigella, and Bifidobacterium showed upregulation among the top 15 genera. The abundance of Ralstonia was significantly higher in the EAW group than in the conventional group, and Dialister increased significantly in EAW individuals at 8 weeks. This study suggests that EAW can improve intestinal function of SCI patients in a limited way, and may be associated with changes in the abundance of intestinal flora, especially an increase in beneficial bacteria. In the future, we need to further understand the changes in microbial groups caused by EAW training and all related impact mechanisms, especially intestinal flora metabolites. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/.

[Optical diagnosis of large area homogenous dielectric barrier discharge in nitrogen at atmospheric pressure].

In the present study, dielectric barrier homogenous discharge in nitrogen was obtained between large plate electrodes (150 x 300 mm) at atmospheric pressure and the emission spectra of N2 (C3pi(u) --> B3 pi(g)) and N2+ (B2 sigma(u)+ --> X2 sigma(g)+ 0-0 391.4 nm) were recorded. It was found that both the emission intensities of N2 (C3 pi(u) --> B3 pi(g) and N2+ (B2 sigma(u)+ --> X2 sigma(g)+ 0-0 391.4 nm) increase with the rising of the applied voltage and the driving frequency, respectively. The main physicochemical formation mechanism of N2+ (B2 sigma(u)+) in N2 and He+N2 mixtures homogenous discharge was discussed, and the penning ionization was proved to be the dominant formation mechanism.

Mechanism of Valeriana Jatamansi Jones for the treatment of spinal cord injury based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterized by high rates of disability and death. Valeriana jatamansi Jones (VJJ), a Chinese herbal medicine, has been identified to improve motor function recovery in rats with SCI. The study aimed to analyze the potential molecular mechanisms of action of VJJ in the treatment of SCI. The main ingredients of VJJ were obtained from the literature and the SwissADME platform was used to screen the active ingredients. The Swiss TargetPrediction platform was used to predict the targets of VJJ, and the targets of SCI were obtained from the GeneCards and OMIM databases. The intersecting genes were considered potential targets of VJJ in SCI. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database and the hub genes of VJJ for SCI treatment were screened according to their degree values. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed using the Metascape database. Cytoscape software was used to construct the "herb-ingredient-target-pathway" network. Preliminary validation was performed using molecular docking via Auto Dock Vina software. A total of 56 active ingredients of VJJ, mainly iridoids, were identified. There were 1493 GO items (P < .01) and 173 signaling pathways (P < .01) obtained from GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment, including the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 signaling pathway, and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway. Molecular docking revealed that 12 hub genes enriched in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway had a high binding affinity for the active ingredient of VJJ. VJJ may exert its therapeutic effects on SCI through the iridoid fraction, acting on signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, CASP3, AKT1, tumor necrosis factor, mammalian target of rapamycin, interleukin 6, and other hub genes, which may be related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Clinical studies on treatment of earthquake-caused posttraumatic stress disorder using electroacupuncture.

The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in 138 patients with earthquake-caused PTSD using Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). 138 cases enrolled were randomly assigned to an electro-acupuncture group and a paroxetine group. The electro-acupuncture group was treated by scalp electro-acupuncture on Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenting (GV 24), and Fengchi (GB 20), and the paroxetine group was treated with simple oral administration of paroxetine. The efficacy and safety of the electro-acupuncture on treatment of 69 PTSD patients were evaluated using Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) according to clinical data. The total scores of CAPS, HAMD, and HAMA in the two groups after treatment showed significant efficacy compared to those before treatment. The comparison of reduction in the scores of CAPS, HAMD, and HAMA between the two groups suggested that the efficacy in the treated group was better than that in the paroxetine group. The present study suggested that the electro-acupuncture and paroxetine groups have significant changes in test PTSD, but the electro-acupuncture 2 group was more significant.

Dietary Restriction May Attenuate the Expression of Cell Death-Related Proteins in Rats with Acute Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: There is currently no effective treatment for spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Previous studies have shown that every-other-day fasting (EODF), a dietary restriction method, can reduce SCI size and promote motor function recovery, making it a potential novel treatment. However, the mechanism that underlies the positive impact of EODF on SCI remains unclear. Caspase-dependent apoptosis and necroptosis, which involve receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK), drive the loss of nerve cells and restrict motor function recovery after SCI. Dietary restriction has a significant inhibitory effect on Caspase and RIPK expression. This study aimed to investigate whether the EODF diet achieves a neuroprotective effect by inhibiting Caspase-dependent apoptosis and RIPK-dependent necroptosis after SCI. METHODS: The model rats underwent EODF for 4 weeks before SCI or started EODF diet immediately after SCI. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analyses were used to assess the impact of the intervention on protein expression. Apoptosis in the spinal cord was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling. RESULTS: Immunoblotting analysis results revealed that the levels of both RIPK1 and RIPK3 proteins in the injury zone were reduced at 6, 12, and 24 hours and at 3 and 7 days after SCI, respectively. Immunohistochemistry results showed that EODF reduced the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax proteins, while prophylactic EODF decreased the rate of apoptosis detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling within 3 days after SCI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the mechanism by which EODF exerts neuroprotective effects may be related to the simultaneous inhibition of apoptosis and necroptosis in SCI.

The effect of Iridoids effective fraction of Valeriana jatamansi Jones on movement function in rats after acute cord injury and the related mechanism.

OBJECTIVES: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a disastrous central nervous system (CNS) disorder, which was intimately associated with oxidative stress. Studies have confirmed that Iridoids Effective Fraction of Valeriana jatamansi Jones (IEFV) can scavenge reactive oxygen species. This study aimed to confirm the efficacy of IEFV in ameliorating SCI. METHODS: For establish the SCI model, the Sprague-Dawley rats underwent a T10 laminectomy with transient violent oppression by aneurysm clip. Then, the rats received IEFV intragastrically for 8 consecutive weeks to evaluate the protective effect of IEFV on motor function, oxidative stress, inflammation and neurotrophic factors in SCI rats. RESULTS: Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scores, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and transmission electron microscopy experiments found IEFV protected motor function and alleviated neuron damage. Meanwhile, IEFV treatment decreased the release of malondialdehyde, interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α. Moreover, IEFV treatment elevated the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor of SCI rats. Finally, administration of IEFV significantly inhibited the expression of p-p65 and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that IEFV could attenuate the oxidative stress and inflammatory response of the spinal cord after SCI, which was associated with inhibition of the TLR4/nuclear factor-kappaB signaling pathway.

Relationship between gut microbiota and lymphocyte subsets in Chinese Han patients with spinal cord injury.

This study is to investigate the changes of lymphocyte subsets and the gut microbiota in Chinese Han patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). We enrolled 23 patients with SCI and 21 healthy controls. Blood and fecal samples were collected. The proportion of lymphocyte subsets was detected by flow cytometry. 16S rDNA sequencing of the V4 region was used to analyze the gut microbiota. The changes of the gut microbiota were analyzed by bioinformatics. Correlation analysis between gut microbiota and lymphocyte subsets was performed. CD4 + cells, CD4 + /CD8 + ratio and CD4 + CD8 + cells in peripheral blood of SCI patients were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in B cells and CIK cells between the SCI group and the control group. The gut microbiota community diversity index of SCI patients was significantly higher than that of healthy controls. In SCI patients, the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae (related to lymphocyte subset regulation), Ruminococcaceae (closely related to central nervous system diseases), and Escherichia-Shigella (closely related to intestinal infections) increased significantly, while the butyrate producing bacteria (Fusobacterium) that were beneficial to the gut were dramatically decreased. Correlation analysis showed that the five bacterial genera of SCI patients, including Lachnospiraceae UCG-008, Lachnoclostridium 12, Tyzzerella 3, Eubacterium eligens group, and Rumencocciucg-002, were correlated with T lymphocyte subsets and NK cells. In the SCI group, the flora Prevotella 9, Lachnospiraceae NC2004 group, Veillonella, and Sutterella were positively correlated with B cells. However, Fusobacterium and Akkermansia were negatively correlated with B cells. Moreover, Roseburia and Ruminococcaceae UCG-003 were positively correlated with CIK cells. Our results suggest that the gut microbiota of patients with SCI is associated with lymphocyte subsets. Therefore, it is possible to improve immune dysregulation in SCI patients by modulating gut microbiota, which may serve as a new therapeutic method for SCI.

Prevalence and risk factors of anxiety and depression among patients with breast cancer: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with breast cancer often experience severe psychological distress, especially anxiety and depression, leading to poorer quality of life, shortened survival time and increased mortality.The objective of the review will be to summarise data on the prevalence and risk factors of anxiety and depression in patients with breast cancer. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers will be applied in seven databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Wan Fang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database), China National Knowledge Infrastructure and for studies on the prevalence and risk factors of depression in patients with breast cancer, which should be published from inception to Feb 2020 in English, Chinese, French and Spanish. The selection of studies, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be done independently by two reviewers. Data synthesis will be carried out using RevMan V.5.3 software. The heterogeneity will be determined by the I² test. Publication bias will be evaluated by generating a funnel plot and performing the Begg and Egger test. The quality of the systematic review will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Tool criteria. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is required. This protocol will not involve individual patient information and endangering participant rights. The results will be reported in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/D6A4P.

Safety of Every-Other-Day Fasting in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT: Every-other-day fasting is effective for a variety of major human diseases, but the safety of these interventions is uncertain for patients with spinal cord injury. A randomized controlled study was conducted to investigate the safety of every-other-day fasting in patients with spinal cord injury. Participants who met the diagnostic inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly divided into the control and every-other-day fasting groups. In the every-other-day fasting group, fasting lasted from 09:00 p.m. on day 1 to 06:00 p.m. on the following day (day 2). Dinner on day 2 was restricted to approximately 30% of the average daily calorie intake. The changes in plasma glucose were recorded daily for 2 days and every other day from the third day after every-other-day fasting intervention. The changes in albumin, prealbumin, plasma potassium, serum sodium, blood calcium, body weight, and body mass index were monitored at the baseline and at the end of the every-other-day fasting intervention. The results showed that compared with the control group, the mean blood glucose levels were significantly decreased from the second week after every-other-day fasting intervention. The body weight of patients in the every-other-day fasting group was notably reduced compared with that at baseline, whereas in body mass index, no obvious differences were observed before and after treatment with every-other-day fasting. In general, every-other-day fasting could be considered as a safe approach for individuals with spinal cord injury.

Ultra-high synergetic intensity for humic acid removal by coupling bubble discharge with activated carbon.

Humic acid (HA) removal research focuses on the global water treatment industry. In this work, efficient HA degradation with an ultra-high synergetic intensity is achieved by combined bubble discharge with activated carbon (AC). Adding AC to the discharge greatly improves HA removal efficiency and degradation speed; the synergetic intensity reaches 651.52% in the combined system, and the adsorption residual on AC is 4.52%. After 90 min of treatment, the HA removal efficiency reaches 98.90%, 31.29%, and 7.61% in the plasma-AC combined, solo bubble discharge, and solo AC adsorption systems, respectively. During the plasma process, the number of pore structures and active sites and the amount of oxygen-containing functional groups on the AC surface increase, resulting in a higher adsorption capacity to reactive species (H2O2 and O3) and HA and promoting interactions on the AC surface. For HA mineralization, the presence of AC greatly promotes the destruction of aromatic structures and chromophoric HA functional groups.

HDAC inhibition leads to age-dependent opposite regenerative effect upon PTEN deletion in rubrospinal axons after SCI.

Epigenetic changes associated with aging have been linked to functional and cognitive deficits in the adult CNS. Histone acetylation is involved in the control of the transcription of plasticity and regeneration-associated genes. The intrinsic axon growth capacity in the CNS is negatively regulated by phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten). Inhibition of Pten is an effective method to stimulate axon growth following an injury to the optic nerve, corticospinal tract (CST), and rubrospinal tract (RST). Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that the deletion of Pten in aged animals diminishes the regenerative capacity in rubrospinal neurons. We hypothesize that changes in the chromatin structure might contribute to this age-associated decline. Here, we assessed whether Trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibitor, reverses the decline in regeneration in aged Ptenf/f mice. We demonstrate that HDAC inhibition induces changes in the expression of GAP43 in both young and aged Ptenf/f mice. The regenerative capacity of the RST did not improve significantly in young mice, neither their motor function on the horizontal ladder or cylinder test after TSA treatment for 7 days. Interestingly, TSA treatment in the aged mice worsened their motor function deficits, suggesting that the systemic treatment with TSA might have an overall adverse effect on motor recovery after SCI in aged animals.

Acupoint catgut embedding for patients with migraine: A protocol for systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, acupoint catgut embedding is being used widely in the treatment of migraine. So far, there is no a systematic review has been conducted. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupoint catgut embedding on migraine. METHODS: We will search the following databases from their inception to May 2020: PubMed, Embase, Medline, EBSCO, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wan Fang Database, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, Cochrane Library. In addition, we will manually retrieve other resources including conference articles, and gray literature. The randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese associated with acupoint catgut embedding for migraines will be included. The data collection and analysis will be conducted independently by 2 reviewers. Meta-analysis will be performed using Rev Man V.5.3.5 statistical software. RESULTS: This study will provide a high-quality synthesis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupoint catgut embedding for patients with migraine. CONCLUSION: This systematic review will provide evidence to judge whether acupoint catgut embedding is an effective and safe intervention for patients with migraines. It will provide reliable evidence for its extensive application. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/RP9NW.

Scalp acupuncture for patients with vascular dementia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trails.

BACKGROUND: Vascular dementia (VD) is a kind of acquired intelligence impairment syndrome caused by a series of cerebrovascular factors leading to brain tissue damage. Scalp acupuncture is widely used to treating VD. However, there is no a systematic review has been used to assess the efficacy and safety of scalp acupuncture therapy for VD. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to systematically evaluate the effects of scalp acupuncture on VD. METHODS: We will search the following databases from their inception to July 2020: PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang Database, Embase, Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), EBSCO, Web of Science, Technology Periodical Database (VIP), the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Cochrane Library. At the same time, we will retrieve other resources including conference articles, and gray literature. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English or Chinese associated with scalp acupuncture for VD will be included. Our study data collection and analysis will be conducted independently by 2 reviewers, and Rev Man V.5.3.5 statistical software will be used to performing meta-analysis. RESULTS: This review research will provide a high-quality synthesis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of scalp acupuncture for patients with VD. CONCLUSION: This study will provide available evidence to judge whether scalp acupuncture is an effective and safe intervention for patients with VD. It also will provide reliable evidence for its widespread application. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review will provide convincing evidence for both patients and clinicians. It does not require ethical approval and the results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/7CYZR.