Nanoscaled Oxygen Carrier-Driven Chemical Looping for Carbon Neutrality: Opportunities and Challenges.

ConspectusClimate change poses unprecedented challenges, demanding efforts toward innovative solutions. Amid these efforts, chemical looping stands out as a promising strategy, attracting attention for its CO2 capture prowess and versatile applications. The chemical looping approach involves fragmenting a single reaction, often a redox reaction, into multiple subreactions facilitated by a carrier, frequently a metal oxide. This innovative method enables diverse chemical transformations while inherently segregating products, enhancing process flexibility, and fostering autothermal properties. An intriguing facet of this novel technique lies in its capacity for CO2 utilization in processes like dry reforming and gasification of carbon-based feeds such as natural gas and biomass. Central to the success of chemical looping technology is a profound understanding of the intricacies of redox chemistry within these processes. Notably, nanoscaled oxygen carriers have proven effective, characterized by their extensive surface area and customizable structure. These carriers hold substantial promise, enabling reactions under milder conditions.This Account offers a concise overview of the mechanisms, benefits, opportunities, and challenges associated with nanoscaled carriers in chemical looping applications, with a focus on CO2 utilization. We delve into the nuances of redox chemistry, shedding light on ionic diffusion and oxygen vacancy─two key elements that are crucial in designing oxygen carriers. This discussion extends to nanospecific factors such as the particle size effect and gas diffusivity. Through the application of density functional theory simulations, insights are drawn regarding the impact of nanoparticle size on syngas production in chemical looping. Interestingly, nanosized iron oxide (Fe2O3) carriers exhibit elevated syngas selectivity and constrained CO2 formation at the nanoscale. Moreover, the reactivity enhancement of mesoporous SBA-16 supported Fe2O3 over mesoporous SBA-15 supported Fe2O3 is elucidated through Monte Carlo simulations that emphasize the superiority of the 3-dimensional interconnected porous network of SBA-16 in enhancing gas diffusion, thereby amplifying reactivity compared to the 2-dimensional SBA-15. Furthermore, we explore prevalent nanoscaled carriers, focusing on their amplified performance in CO2 utilization schemes. These encompass the integration of nanoparticles with mesoporous supports to enhance surface area, the adoption of nanoscale core-shell architectures to enhance diffusion, and the dispersion of nanoscaled active sites on microsized carriers to accelerate reactant activation. Notably, our mesoporous-supported Fe2O3 nanocarrier facilitates methane dissociation and oxidation by reducing energy barriers, thereby promoting methane conversion. The Account proceeds to outline key challenges and prospects for nanoscaled carriers in chemical looping, concluding with a glance into future research directions. We also shine a spotlight on our research group's efforts in innovating oxygen carrier materials, supplemented by discussions on indispensable elements that are essential for successful scale-up deployment.

Observation on the Clinical Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Non-Drug Therapy in the Treatment of Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on Computer Artificial Intelligence System.

Objective: Insomnia is a common and frequently occurring disease affecting the health of the population, which can seriously affect the work and life of patients. Drug treatment of insomnia has a rapid onset of action but has a large adverse reaction incidence rate. Traditional external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) belongs to a type of non-drug therapy, the treatment of insomnia has a long history, but the methods of non-drug treatment of TCM are diverse, and the efficacy is also different. This study investigated the efficacy of TCM non-drug therapy in the treatment of insomnia by means of literature search and meta-analysis. Methods: We searched Embase, Pubmed, OVid, WOS, CNKI, and CBM for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of TCM as a non-drug treatment for primary insomnia. After doing a literature search according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we used Cochrane rob v2.0 to assess the potential for bias in the studies that were included, and we did a combined analysis and assessment of the effectiveness of the therapy. Results: 16 articles were included in this study for quantitative analysis, and a total of 1285 patients participated in the study, including 643 patients in the intervention group and 642 patients in the control group. Meta-analysis showed that non-drug therapy of TCM could improve the treatment response rate of insomnia patients [OR = 6.88, 95%CI (4.40,10.74), Z = 8.48, P < 0.0001], reduce post-treatment PSQI total score [MD = -3.42, 95%CI (-4.62, -2.22), Z = -5.60, P < 0.0001], and improved patient anxiety [SMD = -1.25, 95%CI (-2.13, -0.37), Z = -2.78, P=0.01] and degree of depression [SMD = -1.53, 95%CI (-2.84, -0.21), Z = -2.28, P=0.02]. The heterogeneity survey showed that treatment time was one of the sources of heterogeneity. Meta-regression analysis revealed that publication year, patient age, sample size, and intervention characteristics were not specific factors affecting the combined results. Discussion. TCM non-drug therapy (acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, and auricular point pressing beans) can significantly improve the PSQI score of patients after treatment and improve the degree of anxiety and depression of patients, with significant effect, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Comparison of Needle-Warming Moxibustion and Other Physical Therapies for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Meta-analysis.

Background: Needle-warming moxibustion (NWM) demonstrates a controversial effect on lumbar disc herniation (LDH). This study is aimed at comparing the efficacy of NWM and conventional acupuncture or other physical therapies on LDH through a meta-analysis. Methods: Potentially eligible literatures were retrieved and screened from electronic databases. The subject of the literature was a comparison of NWM and conventional acupuncture or other physical therapies for LDH. The methodological quality was evaluated by the Jadad scale. The chi-square test was used for the heterogeneity test. Subgroup analysis was used to explore the source of heterogeneity. Risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to describe the effect size. The publication bias was evaluated by Egger's test. Results: The effective rate of NWM in the treatment of LDH was significantly higher than that of conventional acupuncture (RR = 1.27, 95%CI [1.18, 1.36], P < 0.00001) and lumbar traction (RR = 1.12, 95%CI [1.06, 1.18], P < 0.0001) There was no significant difference in the effective rate between NWM and electric acupuncture for LDH (RR = 1.06, 95%CI [0.98, 1.14], P = 0.17). VAS of LDH patients treated with NWM was lower than conventional acupuncture (MD = -1.51, 95%CI [-1.70, -1.31], P < 0.00001) and lumbar traction (MD = -2.64, 95%CI [-2.79, -2.49], P < 0.00001) but statistically insignificant with electric acupuncture (MD = -0.31, 95%CI [-0.72, 0.09], P = 0.13). JOA scores of LDH patients treated with NWM were higher than those with conventional acupuncture (MD = 2.24, 95%CI [1.04, 3.45], P = 0.0003) and lumbar traction (MD = 10.76, 95%CI [10.45, 11.07], P < 0.00001) but statistically insignificant with electric acupuncture (MD = 0.25, 95%CI [-0.95, 1.45], P = 0.69). The long-term effective rate of NWM on LDH was higher than that of conventional acupuncture (MD = 3.13, 95%CI[2.12, 4.61], P < 0.00001). In this study, no heterogeneity (P > 0.10, I 2 < 50%) and publication bias (P > 0.05) among the literature were noted. Conclusion: The effect of NWM on LDH was superior to traction therapy and conventional acupuncture therapy, but similar to electric acupuncture for LDH. High-quality randomized controlled trials were still needed to confirm the results.

Curcumin alleviates neuroinflammation, enhances hippocampal neurogenesis, and improves spatial memory after traumatic brain injury.

Cognitive decline is one of the most obvious symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Previous studies have demonstrated that cognitive decline is related to substantially increased neuroinflammation and decreased neurogenesis in the hippocampus in a rat model of TBI. Using this model, we explored the role of curcumin (Cur) in ameliorating TBI-impaired spatial memory because Cur has been shown to exhibit anti-chronic-neuroinflammatory, neurogenesis-promoting, and memory-improving properties. Animals received daily Cur or vehicle treatment for 28 days after TBI and also received 50-bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU) for the first 7 days of the treatment for assaying neurogenesis. An optimal Cur dose of 30 mg/kg, selected from a range of 10-50 mg/kg, was used for the present study. Neuroinflammation was evaluated by astrocyte hypertrophy, activated microglia, and inflammatory factors in the hippocampus. Behavioral water-maze studies were conducted for 5 days, starting at 35-day post-TBI. The tropomyosin receptor kinase B (Trkb) inhibitor, ANA-12, was used to test the role of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/ TrkB/Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway in regulating inflammation and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Treatment with Cur ameliorated the spatial memory of TBI rats, reduced TBI-induced chronic inflammation, typified by diminished astrocyte hypertrophy, reduction in activated microglia, declined inflammatory factors, and increased neurogenesis in the hippocampus. We also found that BDNF/Trkb/PI3K/Akt signaling was involved in the effects of Cur in TBI rats. Thus, Cur treatment can ameliorate the spatial memory in a murine model of TBI, which may be attributable to decreased chronic neuroinflammation, increased hippocampal neurogenesis, and/or BDNF/Trkb/PI3K/Akt signaling.

Effect of acupuncture therapy on patients with low back pain: a Meta-analysis / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To systematically review the clinical efficacy of acupuncture on the patients with low back pain (LBP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about pure acupuncture therapy versus other treatments in treating LBP were electronically searched in PubMed, CBM, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data from January 2004 to May 2014. The observed index on the results were the changed scores of VAS, ODI, JOA and RMDQ. Two reviewers independently screened the literatures according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, as well as the extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality. The results of Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.2 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ten RCTs involved 751 patients were finally included. The results of Meta-analysis indicated that the role of pure acupuncture group in improving the VAS score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -.32, 95% CI (-1.41, -1.22); Z=27.28, P<0.00001; the role of pure acupuncture group in improving the ODI score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -5.07, 95% CI (-7.50, -2.65); Z=4.10, P<0.0001; the role of pure acupuncture group on improved JOA score was better than that of the control group and the combined effect size was RR=2.83, 95% CI (2.02, 3.63), Z=6.90, P<0.00001. The role of pure acupuncture group in improving the RMDQ score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -2.80, 95% CI (-3.49, -2.11), Z=7.95, P<0.00001.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The result of meta-analysis demonstrates that pure acupuncture may have a favorable effect on self-reported pain and functional limitations in LBP patients.</p>

National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Americal Society of Clinical Oncology and Oncology Nursing Society in the guide nursing enlightenment to our country related content / 中国实用护理杂志

We aimed to make comprehensive cancer care guidelines of China according to American guidelines of National Comprehensive Cancer Network,Ametican Society of Clinical Oncology and Oncology Nursing Society,and to guide clinical nurses to study and draw lessons from foreign latest guidelines,and combined with the actual situation in our country.The results of study and application were advantageous to the nursing profession,the security and interests of the patients.We should develop comprehensive cancer care guidelines of our country,eventually make nursing practice guide system of China constantly improve and perfect.

Designing reverse-flow packed bed reactors for stable treatment of volatile organic compounds.

Reverse-flow packed bed reactors can be used to treat gaseous pollutants from chemical plants. This article describes the design and operation of a modified reverse-flow reactor (MRFR) which has a recuperator on each end of the reactor and a reaction zone in the middle. The recuperators have low thermal dispersion and the reaction zone has a high thermal dispersion, obtained by placing metal inserts into the bed, parallel with the gas flow. Performance of the MRFR during extended lean and rich conditions is determined with analytical analysis and compares well with numerical simulations of CO oxidation; however, the theory is expected to be useful for any reaction kinetics. A major advantage of this MRFR design is an extended time for the reactor to extinguish during lean conditions. This work also describes MRFR performance with internal reactor cooling, which can be used as a control mechanism to maintain reactor temperature for proper removal of volatile organic compounds.