Polyvinyl Chloride-Based Luminescent Downshifting Film with High Flame Retardancy and Excellent UV Resistance for Silicon Solar Cells.

Solar power generation, as a clean energy source, has significant potential for development. This work reports the recent efforts to address the challenge of low power conversion efficiency in photovoltaic devices by proposing the fabrication of a luminescence downshifting layer using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with added fluorescent dots to enhance light utilization. A photoluminescent microsphere (HCPAM) is synthesized by cross-linking hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene, 2-iminobenzimidazoline, and polyethyleneimine. Low addition of HCPAM can improve the fire safety of PVC films, raising the limiting oxygen index of PVC to 32.4% and reducing the total heat release and smoke production rate values by 14.5% and 42.9%, respectively. Additionally, modified PVC film remains a transparency of 88% and shows down-conversion light properties. When the PVC+1%HCPAM film is applied to the solar cell, the short-circuit current density increases from 42.3 to 43.8 mA cm-2, resulting in a 7.0% enhancement in power conversion efficiency. HCPAM also effectively delays the photooxidative aging of PVC, particularly at a 3% content, maintaining the surface morphology and optical properties of PVC samples during ultraviolet aging. This study offers an innovative strategy to enhance the fire and UV-resistant performance of PVC films and expand their applications in protecting and efficiently utilizing photovoltaic devices.

Water-Oil Interfacial Synthesis of Two-Dimensional Colloidal Lead-Iodide Perovskites with Enhanced Efficiency and Stability.

Two-dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites L2PbI4 (L = alkylammonium cation) (RPPs) have attracted significant attention due to their unique excitonic characteristics. However, their ultrafast reaction dynamics exacerbates the structural distortion of the inorganic framework, leading to severe deterioration in photoluminescence. Here, we propose a water-oil interfacial synthesis approach to achieve controlled growth of the RPPs nanosheets. By segregating Pb and I precursors in two immiscible solvents, the nucleation and growth of RPPs are prolonged to the minute level. L2PbI4 nanosheets terminated with various alkylammonium are synthesized, and the factors influencing the growth kinetics of RPPs nanosheets are investigated. The resulting (PEA)2PbI4 nanosheets exhibit a 3.6-time enhancement in quantum efficiency and 3.2-time improvement photostability compared to those synthesized using the classical recrystallization method. A white light-emitting diode based on (HDA)2PbI4 nanosheets is fabricated, achieving a color gamut of 119.7% of the NTSC display standards. This innovative approach offers a new method for the controlled growth of 2D RPPs with improved optical quality and stability.

Polyfluorinated Organic Diammonium Induced Lead Iodide ​ Arrangement for Efficient Two-Step-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells.

The inefficient conversion of lead iodide to perovskite has become one of the major challenges in further improving the performance of perovskite solar cells fabricated by the two-step method. Herein, the discontinuous lead iodide layer realized by introduction of a polyfluorinated organic diammonium salt, octafluoro-([1,1'-biphenyl]-4,4'-diyl)-dimethanaminium (OFPP) iodide which does not form low-dimensional perovskites, can enable the satisfactory conversion of lead iodide into perovskite, leading to meliorated crystallinity and enlarged grains in the OFPP modulated perovskite (OFPP-PVK) film. Combined with the effective defect passivation, the OFPP-PVK films show enhanced charge mobility and suppressed charge recombination. Accordingly, the OFPP-based perovskite solar cells exhibit a champion efficiency of 24.76% with better device stability. Moreover, a superior efficiency of 21.04% was achieved in a large-area perovskite module (100 cm2). Our work provides a unique insight into the function of organic diammonium additive in boosting photovoltaic performance.

Recursive Deformable Pyramid Network for Unsupervised Medical Image Registration.

Complicated deformation problems are frequently encountered in medical image registration tasks. Although various advanced registration models have been proposed, accurate and efficient deformable registration remains challenging, especially for handling the large volumetric deformations. To this end, we propose a novel recursive deformable pyramid (RDP) network for unsupervised non-rigid registration. Our network is a pure convolutional pyramid, which fully utilizes the advantages of the pyramid structure itself, but does not rely on any high-weight attentions or transformers. In particular, our network leverages a step-by-step recursion strategy with the integration of high-level semantics to predict the deformation field from coarse to fine, while ensuring the rationality of the deformation field. Meanwhile, due to the recursive pyramid strategy, our network can effectively attain deformable registration without separate affine pre-alignment. We compare the RDP network with several existing registration methods on three public brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets, including LPBA, Mindboggle and IXI. Experimental results demonstrate our network consistently outcompetes state of the art with respect to the metrics of Dice score, average symmetric surface distance, Hausdorff distance, and Jacobian. Even for the data without the affine pre-alignment, our network maintains satisfactory performance on compensating for the large deformation. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/ZAX130/RDP.

Mesoscopic model and flow characteristics of sequential double chord grid wires.

The crushing of beneficiation plants will produce a large amount of dust containing hot air flow, seriously polluting the atmospheric environment if discharged directly without treatment. The key to control is to dust and cool the exhaust. In order to improve the efficiency of the device, the airflow disturbance between the chord grid should be enhanced to promote the collision probability between the dust and the droplet and the surface of the chord grid. Based on the above analysis, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is used to simplify the chord grid wire into an infinitely long cylinder structure, and a mesoscopic model is established to explore the flow characteristics of the airflow through the wet chord grid wires. The results show that there is a critical flow direction spacing ratio of L/D = 2.5; when the critical spacing is exceeded, vortex shedding occurs on the upstream cylinder, the boundary layer is separated, and the time-average drag coefficient Cd-M on the cylinder surface changes sharply, when the spacing ratio is less than this critical ratio, the downstream cylinder is immersed in the near wake region of the upstream cylinder. The gap flows smoothly from the downstream cylinder gap. The sequential double-chord grid wires show the flow characteristics around a single blunt body, and the time-average drag coefficient of the cylinder surface changes smoothly. According to the research results, the wet chord grid wires purification and heat dissipation device is applied to the beneficiation plants. The parameter design is carried out to make the flow direction spacing ratio (FDSR) L/D ≥ 3.5 to ensure that the development and migration of vortices in the wake of the upstream cylinder are not inhibited by the downstream cylinder. The longitudinal spacing ratio (LSR) is 1.35≤W/D ≤ 2.5 to ensure that the velocity ratio behind the upstream cylinder is u/u0 ≥ 0.5 to promote the mixing of the fluid. The test results show that when the concentration of exhaust dust in the beneficiation plants is 38.27 mg/m3, the dust concentration of outlet air will be reduced to 0.39 mg/m3 after the wet chord grid wires purification and heat treatment, the total dust removal efficiency is 98.98%, the inlet air temperature is 32 °C, and the outlet air temperature is about 27 °C. The maximum temperature drop is 5 °C, and the air quality meets environmental emission standards.

Tethered Small-Molecule Acceptor Refines Hierarchical Morphology in Ternary Polymer Solar Cells: Enhanced Stability and 19% Efficiency.

Polymer solar cells (PSCs) are promising for efficient solar energy conversion, but achieving high efficiency and device longevity within a bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) structure remains a challenge. Traditional small-molecule acceptors (SMAs) in the BHJ blend show thermodynamic instability affecting the morphology. In contrast, tethered SMAs exhibit higher glass transition temperatures, mitigating these concerns. Yet, they might not integrate well with polymer donors, causing pronounced phase separation and overpurification of mixed domains. Herein, a novel ternary device is introduced that uses DY-P2EH, a tethered dimeric SMA with conjugated side-chains as host acceptor, and BTP-ec9, a monomeric SMA as secondary acceptor, which respectively possess hypomiscibility and hypermiscibility with the polymer donor PM6. This unique combination affords a parallel-connected ternary BHJ blend, leading to a hierarchical and stable morphology. The ternary device achieves a remarkable fill factor of 80.61% and an impressive power conversion efficiency of 19.09%. Furthermore, the ternary device exhibits exceptional stability, retaining over 85% of its initial efficiency even after enduring 1100 h of thermal stress at 85 °C. These findings highlight the potential advantage of tethered SMAs in the design of ternary devices with a refined hierarchical structure for more efficient and durable solar energy conversion technologies.

Preparation of astaxanthin-loaded composite micelles with coaxial electrospray technology for enhanced oral bioavailability and improved antioxidation capability.

BACKGROUND: Astaxanthin (AST) is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a safe dietary supplement for humans. As a potent lipid-soluble keto-carotenoid, it is widely used in food, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical industry. However, its low solubility limits its powerful biological activity and its application in these fields. This study aims to develop a delivery system to address the low solubility and bioavailability of AST and to enhance its antioxidant capacity. RESULTS: Astaxanthin-loaded composite micelles were successfully prepared via coaxial electrospray technology. Astaxanthin existed in the amorphous state in the electro-sprayed formulation with an approximate particle size of 186.28 nm and with a polydispersity index of 0.243. In this delivery system, Soluplus and copovidone (PVPVA 64) were the main polymeric matrix for AST, which then released the drug upon contact with aqueous media, resulting in an overall increase in drug solubility and a release rate of 94.08%. Meanwhile, lecithin, and Polyethylene glycol-grafted Chitosan (PEG-g-CS) could support the absorption of AST in the gastrointestinal tract, assisting transmembrane transport. The relative bioavailability reached about 308.33% and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging efficiency of the formulation was 44.10%, which was 1.57 times higher than that of free astaxanthin (28.10%) when both were at the same concentration level based on astaxanthin. CONCLUSION: Coaxial electrospray could be applied to prepare a composite micelles system for the delivery of poorly water-soluble active ingredients in functional food, cosmetics, and medicine. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Constructing lignin based nanoparticles towards flame retardant thermoplastic polyurethane composites with improved mechanical and oxidation resistant properties.

A multifunctional lignin derivative nanoparticle (C-P-Lignin) was synthesized by grafting phenyl dichloro sphosphineoxid and 1, 4-dimethoxyacetylene stepwise on the lignin, then it was applied to prepare the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite with improved mechanical properties, oxidation resistance, and flame retardancy. The tensile strength, the elongation at break, and the toughness of the TPU/2C-P-Lignin sample reached 28.3 MPa, 941 %, and 139.0 MJ/m2 respectively, which were increased by 39.0 %, 3.4 %, and 33.9 % respectively compared with that of the control TPU sample. The anti-fatigue property was also improved. More importantly, the mechanism of the improved mechanical properties was also calculated and simulated by FTIR and Materials Studio software. The TPU/2C-P-Lignin sample exhibited superior oxidation resistance during the process of photoaging and thermal oxidative aging. Furthermore, the peak heat release rate and the smoke production rate for theTPU/2C-P-Lignin sample was reduced by 50.0 % and 53.8 % compared with that of the control TPU. The reason was that the C-P-Lignin is conducive to the formation of uniformly distributed carbon layers. It is expected that this work can provide a new method for expanding the utilization of waste wood as a multifunctional lignin-based filler to improve fire safety and extend the service life of TPU polymers.

Geometry design of tethered small-molecule acceptor enables highly stable and efficient polymer solar cells.

With the power conversion efficiency of binary polymer solar cells dramatically improved, the thermal stability of the small-molecule acceptors raised the main concerns on the device operating stability. Here, to address this issue, thiophene-dicarboxylate spacer tethered small-molecule acceptors are designed, and their molecular geometries are further regulated via the thiophene-core isomerism engineering, affording dimeric TDY-α with a 2, 5-substitution and TDY-ß with 3, 4-substitution on the core. It shows that TDY-α processes a higher glass transition temperature, better crystallinity relative to its individual small-molecule acceptor segment and isomeric counterpart of TDY-ß, and a more stable morphology with the polymer donor. As a result, the TDY-α based device delivers a higher device efficiency of 18.1%, and most important, achieves an extrapolated lifetime of about 35000 hours that retaining 80% of their initial efficiency. Our result suggests that with proper geometry design, the tethered small-molecule acceptors can achieve both high device efficiency and operating stability.

Enhanced oral bioavailability of capsaicin-loaded microencapsulation complex via electrospray technology: Preparation, in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

The purpose of this work was to fabricate the microencapsulation of capsaicin using electrospray technology and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K30 as a carrier. The morphological characteristics of capsaicin-PVP electrosprayed microencapsulation complex under different processing parameters were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), while the best process was determined, wherein it comprised of 10 KV (voltage), 0.8 ml·h-1 (solution flow rate), 0.9 mm (the inner diameter of the needle), and 10 cm (receiving distance). The X-ray diffraction results of the electrosprayed complex showed that capsaicin was present in the carrier in an amorphous form. The drug release properties of capsaicin powder and electrosprayed complex in different media were investigated. The results showed that in vitro release rates of the capsaicin complex in different media were much higher than that of capsaicin powder, with correspondingly improved bioavailability, defined by intravenous and oral dosing in rats in vivo, for the electrosprayed complex compared to that of capsacin powder. The dose absorbed of the electrosprayed complex was 2.2-fold that of the capsaicin powder. In short, electrospray technology can be used to prepare capsaicin-loaded electrosprayed microencapsulation complex. This technique can improve the solubility and bioavailability of capsaicin, and provide a new idea for the solubilization of other insoluble drugs.

Preparation and evaluation of astaxanthin-loaded 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin and Soluplus® nanoparticles based on electrospray technology.

BACKGROUND: Astaxanthin is a type of food-derived active ingredient with antioxidant, antidiabetic and non-toxicity functions, but its poor solubility and low bioavailability hinder further application in food industry. In the present study, through inclusion technologies, micellar solubilization and electrospray techniques, we prepared astaxanthin nanoparticles before optimizing the formulation to regulate the physical and chemical properties of micelles. We accomplished the preparation of astaxanthin nanoparticle delivery system based on single needle electrospray technology through use of 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin and Soluplus® to improveme the release behavior of the nanocarrier. RESULTS: Through this experiment, we successfully prepared astaxanthin nanoparticles with a particle size of approximately 80 nm, which was further verified with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the encapsulation of astaxanthin molecules into the carrier nanoparticles was verified via the results of attenuated total reflectance intensity and X-ray powder diffraction techniques. The in vitro release behavior of astaxanthin nanoparticles was different in media that contained 0.5% Tween 80 (pH 1.2, 4.5 and 6.8) buffer solution and distilled water. Also, we carried out a pharmacokinetic study of astaxanthin nanoparticles, in which it was observed that astaxanthin nanoparticle showed an effect of immediate release and significant improved bioavailability. CONCLUSION: 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin and Soluplus® were used in the present study as a hydrophilic nanocarrier that could provide a simple way of encapsulating natural function food with repsect to improving the solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble ingredients. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

A biomimetic structured bio-based flame retardant coating on flexible polyurethane foam with low smoke release and antibacterial ability.

Flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) is widely used in our life, but it is inherent flammable. The demand for environmental-friendly multi-functional FPUF has been increasing rapidly in the last decade. In this work, a novel bio-based flame retardant coating was constructed by chemically reacting sodium alginate (OSA) and polydopamine (PDA) on the FPUF, followed by depositing nanorod-like ß-FeOOH molecules through complexation reaction to form a biomimetic structure. The limiting oxygen index of the coated FPUF samples reached 25.5%. The peak heat release rate was reduced by 45.0%, and the smoke density of the coated sample was decreased by 69.1% compared to that of the control FPUF sample. It was proposed that the OSA-PDA-ß-FeOOH decomposed during combustion to promote the formation of compact crosslinked char and released inert gases to dilute the combustible gases, and the ß-FeOOH transferred to Fe2O3 to settled the smoke particles reducing the smoke release. Furthermore, the coating with shark skin like structure endowed FPUF antibacterial ability because of its good superoleophobicity underwater. This work provided a novel strategy to construct a biomimetic multifunctional coating on the FPUF.

Controlling Phase Transition toward Future Low-Cost and Eco-friendly Printing of Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have grown increasingly popular over the past few years and are considered to be game-changers in the energy conversion market. It has became vital to transfer the deep understanding of the perovskite film formation process during lab-scale fabrication to large-scale production. Complex phase transition during film formation has been revealed by in situ strategies. However, there is still debate which phase transition is the right route for a future scalable approach. Herein, we briefly summarize perovskite crystallization during scalable printing processes. The critical information about the intermediates involved in phase transition from precursors to perovskite crystals are discussed because it deeply impacts the morphology of printed films. Finally, important strategies to control phase transition and challenges toward future low-temperature and eco-friendly printing of perovskite solar cells are proposed. The information provided by this Perspective will assist the screening and development of the perovskite phase transition for future cost-efficient printed perovskite panels.

Astragaloside IV inhibits the progression of liver cancer by modulating macrophage polarization through the TLR4/NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway.

AIM: The purpose of the present research was to investigate the effect and mechanism of Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) on liver cancer progression in vivo and in vitro. Since M1 macrophages play an essential role in suppressing tumors, while M2 macrophages can accelerate the incidence and progression of tumors by promoting angiogenesis, increasing tumor cell invasion and inhibiting tumor immune response, the effect and mechanism of AS-IV on macrophage polarization and their role in the development of HCC was explored. METHODS: The effects of different concentrations of AS-IV (0, 50, 80, 100, 120, and 150 µM) on the capacity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells to proliferate, migrate, and invade were detected. THP-1 cells were subjected to incubation in PMA for the purpose of stimulating differentiation into M0 macrophages. These macrophages were treated using LPS, IFN-γ, and PMA to produce M1 macrophages or treated using PMA, IL-13, and IL-4 to produce M2 macrophages. HCC cells and M1 or M2 macrophages were co-cultured for 48 hours, then the cell proliferation and migration were measured. The MTT assay was employed to determine cell viability. The capability of the cells to migrate and invade was investigated utilizing the Transwell assay and the wound healing assay. The expression of the M2 macrophage CD206 in macrophages treated with AS-IV was evaluated by flow cytometry. The expression of p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphorylated (p)-NF-κB, and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in macrophages was measured after treatment with AS-IV and M2 induction. To verify the function of the TLR4/NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway, TLR4 expression was knocked down in M2 macrophages, then the proliferation and migration and the M2 macrophage markers of HCC cells were measured. The effect of AS-IV on HCC in vivo was confirmed by a subcutaneous tumor mouse model. AS-IV was 2 was administered by gavage (0, 40, 80, and 100 mg/kg) for every 3 days. The tumor volume and weight were recorded. RESULTS: AS-IV suppressed the capacities of HCC cells to proliferate, migrate, and invade in a dose-dependent way. M2 macrophages could promote the proliferative, migratory, and invasive ability of Huh-7 cells, which were suppressed by AS-IV. AS-IV directly attenuated the expression of M2 macrophage markers, indicating that AS-IV can inhibit macrophage M2 polarization. M2 macrophages stimulated the expression of p-STAT3, p-NF-κB, and TLR4, while AS-IV decreased the expression compared to the M2 group, indicating that AS-IV can regulate the TLR4/NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway. TLR4 small interfering RNA (siRNA/si) inhibited the proliferation of Huh-7 cells. The tumor volume, as well as weight of mice, was significantly reduced by AS-IV, indicating the antitumor impact of AS-IV in vivo. CONCLUSION: AS-IV can inhibit the proliferative, invasive, and migratory ability of liver cancer through the suppression of the M2 polarization of macrophages, and the mechanism may involve the TLR4/NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway. The present study indicates that AS-IV could be an alternative drug to treat liver cancer, and the polarization of macrophages may be a novel treatment target for HCC.

Schisandrin B targets cannabinoid 2 receptor in Kupffer cell to ameliorate CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by suppressing NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathway.

BACKGROUND: Lignans, the major bioactive components of Schisandra chinensis, displays an anti-liver fibrosis effect. However, which one is the most effective lignan and what is its molecular mechanisms are still unclear. PURPOSE: This research aimed to screen the most effective components of lignans, identify and verify its pharmacological target, and investigate its molecular mechanism against liver fibrosis. METHODS: First, the most effective lignans were screened by a comprehensive RAW264.7/CMC system and LPS-induced RAW264.7. Second, the potential targets were predicted by a liver fibrosis domain-specific chemo-genomics knowledgebase and further verified by competition binding assay. Third, the effect of anti-liver fibrosis was evaluated by employing RAW264.7, co-cultured hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and CCl4-induced liver fibrosis CB2-/- mice. The qPCR, ELISAs, western blot analyses, and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate the expression of main inflammatory factors and key proteins in NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathway. RESULTS: Schisandrin B was identified as the most effective component for attenuating liver fibrosis, and CB2 was proven to be a potential target for anti-liver fibrosis. The in vitro and in vivo assays indicated that schisandrin B ameliorated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis through suppressing NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathway in Kupffer cells by targeting CB2 receptor CONCLUSION: Schisandrin B targets CB2 receptor to inhibit Kupffer cell polarization by downregulating the NF-κB and p38 MAPK signaling pathways for ameliorating liver fibrosis.

Biopharmaceutical and Pharmacokinetic Activities of Oxymatrine Determined by a Sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS Method.

BACKGROUND: Oxymatrine is known as one of the most promising alkaloids from Sophora flavescens for its excellent pharmacological effects. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to assess the biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic activities of oxymatrine and clarify its mechanisms of absorption and metabolism. METHODS: The biological characteristics of oxymatrine were systematically investigated by UHPLC-MS/MS. The mechanisms of absorption and metabolism of oxymatrine were further clarified through incubation in rat liver microsomes and transport across the Caco-2 monolayer cell absorption model. RESULTS: It was found that the absolute oral bioavailability of oxymatrine was 26.43%, and the pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax, Tmax, and t1/2 were 605.5 ng/mL, 0.75 h, and 4.181 h after oral administration, indicating that oxymatrine can be absorbed quickly. The tissue distribution tests showed that oxymatrine distributed throughout all the organs, with the small intestine accumulating the highest level, followed by the kidney, stomach, and spleen. The Papp in Caco-2 cell line absorption model was over 1 × 10-5 and PDR 1.064, and t1/2 of oxymatrine in rat liver microsome in vitro was 1.042 h, indicating that oxymatrine can be absorbed easily through passive diffusion and CYP450 enzymes could be involved in its metabolism. The plasma protein binding rate of oxymatrine was 2.78 ± 0.85%. CONCLUSION: Oxymatrine can be absorbed into blood easily through passive diffusion, mainly distributed in the intestine, stomach, liver, and spleen in vivo, and CYP450 enzymes in the liver could be involved in its metabolism.

The Assembly and Jamming of Nanoparticle Surfactants at Liquid-Liquid Interfaces.

Using the interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) and polymeric ligands to generate nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) at the liquid-liquid interface, the binding energy of the NP to the interface can be significantly increased, irreversibly binding the NPSs to the interface. By designing a simplified NPS model, where the NP size can be precisely controlled and the characteristic fluorescence of the NPs be used as a direct probe of their spatial distribution, we provide new insights into the attachment mechanism of NPSs at the liquid-liquid interface. We find that the binding energy of NPSs to the interface can be reduced by competitive ligands, resulting in the dissociation and disassembly of NPSs at the interface, and allowing the construction of responsive, reconfigurable all-liquid systems. Smaller NPSs that are loosely packed (unjammed) and irreversibly bound to the interface can be displaced by larger NPSs, giving rise to a size-dependent assembly of NPSs at the interface. However, when the smaller size NPSs are densely packed and jam at the interface, the size-dependent assembly of NPSs at the interface can be completely suppressed.

[Superiority of motor imagery acupuncture in improving muscle tension for patients with upper limb hemiplegia of stroke in early stage].

OBJECTIVE: To verify the superiority of motor imagery acupuncture in improving muscle tension for patients with upper limb hemiplegia in early stroke. METHODS: A total of 64 patients of stroke hemiplegia with upper limb flaccid paralysis were randomly divided into an observation group (32 cases, 1 case dropped off ) and a control group (32 cases, 4 cases dropped off ). The observation group was treated with motor imagery acupuncture (both acupuncture and motor imagery therapy at affected upper limb were performed).The control group was treated with acupuncture plus motor imagery therapy at affected lower limb, 2 h later after acupuncture, motor imagery therapy was applied to upper limb. Baihui (GV 20) to Taiyang (EX-HN 5) of healthy side, Fengchi (GB 20) and Jianyu (LI 15), Jianjing (GB 21), Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5) on the affected side, ect. were selected in both groups, once a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, 4, 8 weeks after treatment, the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) grade and Brunnstrom stage were compared in the two groups. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the muscle tension of shoulder, elbow and wrist each time point after treatment was increased in the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the proportion less than grade Ⅱ of elbow MAS grade in the observation group was higher than the control group (P<0.05); 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, the proportion less than grade Ⅱ of shoulder, elbow and wrist MAS grades in the observation group was higher than the control group (P<0.01). The Brunnstrom stage of arm and hand each time point after treatment was higher than the previous time point in the two groups (P<0.05), those in the observation group was higher than the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Motor imagery acupuncture could promote hemiplegia upper limb muscle tension recovery in patients of stroke hemiplegia with upper limb flaccid paralysis, make the patients gradually shift to the separate fine movement mode, inhibit and relieve the appearance and development of spasm.

Efficient organic solar cells with superior stability based on PM6:BTP-eC9 blend and AZO/Al cathode.

Although efficiency over 18% has been achieved, the real application of organic solar cells is still impeded by inferior stability because of degradation and limited studies. Here we report efficient normal structure organic solar cells delivering promising stability under different conditions, based on PM6:BTP-eC9 blend and AZO/Al cathode. The impact of cathode on device stability is systematically studied by screening the leading electron transporting layers i.e., AZO, PFN-Br, PDINN, and metal electrodes (Al and Ag). Strong correlation between cathode and stability is demonstrated. The optimal AZO/Al-cathode device delivers the best efficiency of 15.76%, with shelf-stability of T83 > 1,200 h, thermal stability of T60 > 300 h, and MPP operational stability of T87 > 500 h. As far as we know, this is the best stability achieved for PM6:Y6/derivative cells in literature so far, based on well-studied simple cathode system and without any tailoring/dopant for the active blend.

Uncovering the active components, prospective targets, and molecular mechanism of Baihe Zhimu decoction for treating depression using network pharmacology-based analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Baihe Zhimu decoction (BZD) is a classical traditional Chinese medicinal herbal formula. It consists of two herbal medicines, Rhizoma Anemarrhenae (Zhimu), the rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge. (Liliaceae), and Bulbus Lilii (Baihe), the bulbs of Lilium brownii var. Viridulum Baker (Liliaceae). BZD has been widely used in China to treat depression and verified to be effective without evident side effects. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to elucidate the active components, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of Baihe Zhimu decoction for treating depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this research, a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mice was first established to evaluate the pharmacological effects of BZD for treating depression. A component database was then constructed for BZD. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS) technique was used to identify the components in BZD and blood-absorbed components. Further screening and validation of protein targets were performed by molecule docking. The component-target binding affinity was validated by surface plasmon resonance analysis (SPR) assay. The related pathways were predicted by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Relative proteins in the predicted pathways were finally assessed by Western blot. RESULTS: The pharmacology evaluation experiment demonstrated that BZD could improve depressive-like behavior, inhibit the hippocampal secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce neuronal apoptosis in CUMS mice model. A component database containing 163 components and a target database covering 1286 proteins were constructed. HPLC-QTOF-MS assay identified twenty-six components from BZD and ten components absorbed into rat plasma after an intragastric treatment with BZD. Next, 56 underlying targets were screened out by a virtual high-throughput screening approach. Twenty-seven of them were further screened out and confirmed by molecular docking. Afterward, a component-target network was established, and the component-protein binding affinities were validated by SPR assays. By KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, two signaling pathways PI3K/Akt and MAPK were predicted as the potential signaling cascades. Finally, Western blot showed that BZD dramatically reversed the suppression of PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß pathway and the activation of MAPK pathway in CUMS mice model. CONCLUSIONS: BZD demonstrated a substantial pharmacological effect on CUMS mice model. Network pharmacology-based analysis predicted that ten blood-absorbed components can act on 27 target proteins. KEGG and Western blotting analysis suggested that BZD could exert antidepressant effects by regulating the PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways.