Electrochemical Actuators with Multicolor Changes and Multidirectional Actuation.

Electrochemical (EC) actuators have garnered significant attention in recent years, yet there are still some critical challenges to limit their application range, such as responsive time, multifunctionality, and actuating direction. Herein, an EC actuator with a back-to-back structure is fabricated by stacking two membranes with bilayer V2 O5 nanowires/single-walled carbon nanotubes (V2 O5 NWs/SWCNTs) networks, and shows a synchronous high actuation amplitude (about ±9.7 mm, ±28.4°) and multiple color changes. In this back-to-back structure, the inactive SWCNTs layer is used as a conductive current collector, and the bilayer network is attached to a porous polymer membrane. The dual-responsive processes of V2 O5 nanowires (V2 O5 NWs) actuation films and actuators are also deeply investigated through in situ EC X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the EC actuation of the V2 O5 NWs/SWCNTs film is highly related to the redox behavior of the pseudocapacitive V2 O5 NWs layer. At last, both V2 O5 NWs and W18 O49 nanowires (W18 O49 NWs)-based EC actuators are constructed to demonstrate the multicolor changes and multidirectional actuation induced by the opposite lattice changes of V2 O5 NWs and W18 O49 NWs during ionic de-/intercalation, guiding the design of multifunctional EC actuators in the future.

[Senile insomnia treated with integrated acupuncture and medication therapy: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy difference in the treatment of senile insomnia among western, medication, acupuncture and the integrated therapy of acupuncture and western medication. METHODS: Ninety-eight patients of senile insomnia were randomized into a western medication group (30 cases), an acupuncture group (35 cases) and an integrated acupuncture and medication group (35 cases). In the western medication group, estazolam 1mg was prescribed, taken 30 min before going to bed, oryzanol 20 mg, oral administration, three times a day, for 4 weeks totally. In the acupuncture group, the simple acupuncture therapy was applied at Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Anmian (Extra), Baihui (GV 20) and Sishencong (EX-HN 1), as well as the supplementary points selected according to the differentiation. The acupuncture treatment was given once a day, 5 treatments a week, for 4 weeks totally. In the integrated acupuncture and medication group, the western medication was combined with acupuncture. The dosage and usage of western medication were same as those in the western medication group; and acupoints in acupuncture treatment were same as those in the acupuncture group. The treatment lasted for 4 weeks in the three groups. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and clinical efficacy were observed before treatment, after 4 weeks' treatment and in 4 weeks after discontinuity of treatment in the three groups. RESULTS: Four weeks after treatment, the clinical curative rates were 3. 3% (1/30), 21. 2% (7/33) and 25. 7% (9/35) in the western medication group, the acupuncture group and the integrated acupuncture and medicines group separately. The total effective rates were 70. 0%(21/30), 93. 9%(31/33) and 97. 1%(34/35) in the three groups separately. The curative rates and the total effective rates in the integrated acupuncture and medication group and the acupuncture group were higher than those in the western medication group separately (all, P<0. 01). PSQI scores after 4 Weeks' treatment were all improved as compared with those before treatment in the three groups (all P<0. 05). PSQI score in either the integrated acupuncture and medication group or the acupuncture group was lower than that in the western medication group, indicating the significant difference (both P< 0. 05). Four weeks after discontinuity of treatment, the efficacy was stable in the acupuncture group and the integrated acupuncture and medication group. PSQI score did not change as compared with that in the 4th week of treatment. The score in the western medication group ran back, close to that before treatment (P>0. 05). During the treatment, a few patients had dry mouth in the western medication group. The adverse reactions were not discovered in the other two groups. CONCLUSION: The integrated therapy of acupuncture and medication achieves the quick efficacy on senile insomnia and rapidly relieves the symptoms, with quite high clinical curative rate and total effective rate obtained. The long-term efficacy is better than that of western medication. The integrated therapy is the first option among the three therapeutic programs.

A Strontium-Modified Titanium Surface Produced by a New Method and Its Biocompatibility In Vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To present a new and effective method of producing titanium surfaces modified with strontium and to investigate the surface characteristics and in vitro biocompatibility of titanium (Ti) surfaces modified with strontium (Sr) for bone implant applications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sr-modified Ti surfaces were produced by sequential treatments with NaOH, strontium acetate, heat and water. The surface characteristics and the concentration of the Sr ions released from the samples were examined. Cell adhesion, morphology and growth were investigated using osteoblasts isolated from the calvaria of neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats. Expression of osteogenesis-related genes and proteins was examined to assess the effect of the Sr-modified Ti surfaces on osteoblasts. RESULTS: The modified titanium surface had a mesh structure with significantly greater porosity, and approximately5.37±0.35at.% of Sr was incorporated into the surface. The hydrophilicity was enhanced by the incorporation of Sr ions and water treatment. The average amounts of Sr released from the Sr-modified plates subjected to water treatment were slight higher than the plates without water treatment. Sr promoted cellular adhesion, spreading and growth compared with untreated Ti surfaces. The Sr-modified Ti plates also promoted expression of osteogenesis-related genes,and expression of OPN and COL-І by osteoblasts. Ti plates heat treated at 700°C showed increased bioactivity in comparison with those treated at 600°C. Water treatment upregulated the expression of osteogenesis-related genes. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that Sr-modification of Ti surfaces may improve bioactivity in vitro. Water treatment has enhanced the response of osteoblasts. The Sr-modified Ti heat-treated at 700°C exhibited better bioactivity compared with that heated at 600°C.

[Apatite-forming ability of pure titanium implant after micro-arc oxidation treatment].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the apatite forming ability of pure titanium implant after micro-arc oxidation treatment in simulated body fluid (SBF) and obtain implants with calcium phosphate (Ca-P) layers. METHODS: The implants were immersed in (SBF) after micro-arc oxidation treatment for different time lengths, and their apatite forming ability and the morphology and constituents of the Ca-P layers formed on the sample surface were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and energy dispersive electron probe. RESULTS: After immersion in SBF, large quantities of Ca-P layers were induced on the surface of the samples. The Ca-P layers were composed of octacalcium phosphate and carbonated hydroxyapatite, and the crystals showed a plate-like morphology with an oriented growth. CONCLUSION: The implants with micro-arc oxidation treatment show good apatite forming ability on the surface with rich calcium and phosphorus elements. The formed layers are composed of bone-like apatite including octacalcium phosphate and carbonated hydroxyapatite.