Research of the analgesic effects and central nervous system impact of electroacupuncture therapy in rats with knee osteoarthritis.

It aimed to observe the effects of TongDu TiaoShen (TDTS) electroacupuncture (EA) on the analgesia and central system of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rats and explore its mechanism. SD rats were rolled into the blank group, model group (KOA), control group (duloxetine 500 mg/kg/d, Ctrl), conventional EA group, and TDTS-EA group. Radiometric pain measurements and the Lequesne MG scale were used to evaluate the behavioral performance of the rats. Dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), ß-endorphin (ß-EP), and leucine-enkephalin (L-ENK) were detected in the midbrain and spinal cord of lumbar enlargement. Interleukin (IL)-1ß protein expression was detected by Western blot. The incubation period of thermal pain and foot contraction was decreased in the KOA group versus blank group, the Lequesne MG score was increased, DA, NE, 5-HT, ß-EP, and L-ENK in the midbrain and spinal cord were increased, and synovial tissue IL-1ß protein expression was increased (P < 0.05). EA group and TDTS-EA group had an increased incubation period of thermal pain contraction, decreased Lequesne MG score, decreased DA, NE, etc. In the midbrain, increased 5-HT and NE in the spinal cord, and decreased IL-1ß in the synovial tissue versus KOA group (P < 0.05). The Lequesne MG score and midbrain DA, NE, 5-HT, ß-EP, and synovial tissue IL-1ß expression were decreased in TDTS-EA group versus EA group (P < 0.05). EA can effectively improve the behavioral score of KOA and participate in central analgesia by regulating central DA, NE, 5-HT, ß-EP, and L-ENK.

Binder-Free Sodium Zinc Phosphate Protection Layer Enabled Dendrite-Free Zn Metal Anode.

Aqueous Zn battery has been a promising alternative battery in large-scale energy storage systems due to its cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and intrinsic safety. However, its cycle life is impeded by the dendrite formation, severe corrosion, and side reactions on the zinc metal anode. Most ex situ coatings on the zinc surface extend the life span of zinc anodes but have drawbacks in Zn2+ ion conductivity. Herein, a robust sodium zinc phosphate layer was in situ built on zinc metal foil anode (Zn@NZP) via facile electrodeposition. The Zn2+ ion conducting protection layer alleviates corrosion, suppresses zinc dendrites, and lowers the energy barrier of Zn2+ plating and stripping. As a result, the Zn@NZP anode renders dendrite-free plating/stripping with a small overpotential of about 44 mV and a 12-fold enhancement long-life span compared to the bare zinc. Furthermore, a full cell using the Zn@NZP anode shows much improved capacity and cycling stability. This work provides a promising anode candidate for dendrite-free aqueous zinc ion batteries.

Facile and Rapid Synthesis of Porous Hydrated V2O5 Nanoflakes for High-Performance Zinc Ion Battery Applications.

Hydrated V2O5 with unique physical and chemical characteristics has been widely used in various function devices, including solar cells, catalysts, electrochromic windows, supercapacitors, and batteries. Recently, it has attracted extensive attention because of the enormous potential for the high-performance aqueous zinc ion battery cathode. Although great progress has been made in developing applications of hydrated V2O5, little research focuses on improving current synthesis methods, which have disadvantages of massive energy consumption, tedious reaction time, and/or low efficiency. Herein, an improved synthesis method is developed for hydrated V2O5 nanoflakes according to the phenomenon that the reactions between V2O5 and peroxide can be dramatically accelerated with low-temperature heating. Porous hydrated V2O5 nanoflake gel was obtained from cheap raw materials at 40 °C in 30 min. It shows a high specific capacity, of 346.6 mAh/g, at 0.1 A/g; retains 55.2% of that at 20 A/g; and retains a specific capacity of 221.0 mAh/g after 1800 charging/discharging cycles at 1 A/g as an aqueous zinc ion battery cathode material. This work provides a highly facile and rapid synthesis method for hydrated V2O5, which may favor its applications in energy storage and other functional devices.

Association of Fatigue With Sleep Duration and Bedtime During the Third Trimester.

Purpose: To investigate the association between fatigue and sleep habits of pregnant women to further explore the effect of sleep duration and bedtime on fatigue during the third trimester. Materials and Methods: A total of 465 Chinese Han pregnant women in the third trimester (after 28 weeks) with a singleton gestation were recruited. Sleep habits (such as bedtime, sleep onset latency, and night sleep duration) and the 14-item Fatigue Scale scores (FS-14, used to assess fatigue) were collected. Results: The effects of sleep duration and bedtime on FS-14 physical and total scores were significant. FS-14 physical scores and total scores of the participants in the group of sleep before 23 o'clock (SBC) of short sleep duration (<7 h) were significantly higher as compared to the participants in the group of SBC of normal sleep duration, and those of the participants in the group of SBC of normal sleep duration were significantly lower than the participants in the group of sleep after 23 o'clock of normal sleep duration. There were negative correlations of sleep duration with FS-14 physical score and total score in the SBC of short sleep duration group. Conclusion: Sleep less than 7 h or bedtime after 23 o'clock was associated with increased fatigue levels of pregnant women in the third trimester. Therefore, it is necessary to develop good sleep habits (enough sleep duration and early bedtime) to keep fatigue at a low level for pregnant women in the third trimester.