Acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north on executive function and sleep structure in patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony. / æ³»å—è¡¥åŒ—æ³•é’ˆåˆºå¯¹å¿ƒè‚¾ä¸äº¤åž‹æ ¢æ€§å¤±çœ éšœç¢æ‚£è€ æ‰§è¡ŒåŠŸèƒ½åŠç¡çœ ç»“æž„çš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the efficacy of acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north on executive function, sleep structure and sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony were randomized into an acupuncture group (50 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a western medication group (50 cases, 2 cases dropped out). Acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north was applied at Baihui (GV 20) and bilateral Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenmai (BL 62), Zhaohai (KI 6), Xinshu (BL 15), Shenshu (BL 23) in the acupuncture group, once a day, 5 days a week. Lorazepam tablet was given orally in the western medication group, 0.5-1 mg a time, once a day. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The Stroop color-word test (SCWT) indexes (the time consuming and the correct number of card A, B, C and the Stroop interference effect [SIE]), sleep structure indexes (total sleep time [TST], sleep latency [SL], wake after sleep onset [WASO], sleep efficiency [SE], non-rapid eye movement period 1 [N1], non-rapid eye movement period 2 [N2], non-rapid eye movement period 3 [N3], rapid eye movement period [REM]) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the time consuming of card B and C, the time consuming and the correct number of SIE, SL, WASO, N1, N2, as well as the sub-item scores and total score of PSQI were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the correct number of card A, B and C, TST, SE, N3 and REM were increased (P<0.01) compared with those before treatment in the acupuncture group; the time consuming of card C and SIE, the correct number of card A and SIE, TST, SE, REM were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), SL, WASO, N1, as well as the sub-item scores of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, daytime function and total score of PSQI were decreased (P<0.01) compared with those before treatment in the western medication group. After treatment, in the acupuncture group, the time consuming of card C, the time consuming and the correct number of SIE, N1, N2, as well as the sub-item scores of sleep quality, sleep dysfunction, daytime function and total score of PSQI were lower than those in the western medication group (P<0.01), the correct number of card B and C, N3, REM were higher than those in the western medication group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north can improve the executive function of patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony, adjust the sleep structure, and improve the night sleep quality and daytime body function.

Drivers of natural gas use in U.S. residential buildings.

Natural gas is the primary fuel used in U.S. residences, yet little is known about its consumption patterns and drivers. We use daily county-level gas consumption data to assess the spatial patterns of the relationships and the sensitivities of gas consumption to outdoor air temperature across U.S. households. We fitted linear-plus-plateau functions to daily gas consumption data in 1000 counties, and derived two key coefficients: the heating temperature threshold (Tcrit) and the gas consumption rate change per 1°C temperature drop (Slope). We identified the main predictors of Tcrit and Slope (like income, employment rate, and building type) using interpretable machine learning models built on census data. Finally, we estimated a potential 2.47 million MtCO2 annual emission reduction in U.S. residences by gas savings due to household insulation improvements and hypothetical behavioral change toward reduced consumption by adopting a 1°C lower Tcrit than the current value.

Carbon Monitor Europe near-real-time daily CO2 emissions for 27 EU countries and the United Kingdom.

With the urgent need to implement the EU countries pledges and to monitor the effectiveness of Green Deal plan, Monitoring Reporting and Verification tools are needed to track how emissions are changing for all the sectors. Current official inventories only provide annual estimates of national CO2 emissions with a lag of 1+ year which do not capture the variations of emissions due to recent shocks including COVID lockdowns and economic rebounds, war in Ukraine. Here we present a near-real-time country-level dataset of daily fossil fuel and cement emissions from January 2019 through December 2021 for 27 EU countries and UK, which called Carbon Monitor Europe. The data are calculated separately for six sectors: power, industry, ground transportation, domestic aviation, international aviation and residential. Daily CO2 emissions are estimated from a large set of activity data compiled from different sources. The goal of this dataset is to improve the timeliness and temporal resolution of emissions for European countries, to inform the public and decision makers about current emissions changes in Europe.

Jieduquyuziyin prescription enhances CD11a and CD70 DNA methylation of CD4+ T cells via miR-29b-sp1/DNMT1 pathway in MRL/lpr mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Jieduquyuziyin prescription (JP) is a traditional Chinese medicine utilized to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Its efficacy has been confirmed through clinical trials and empirical evidence, leading to its authorized use in Chinese hospitals. The development of JP exemplifies the integration of traditional wisdom and scientific approaches, demonstrating the interdisciplinary essence of ethnopharmacology. These results emphasize the potential value of traditional medicine in addressing autoimmune disorders. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to address the effect of JP in MRL/lpr mice and elucidate the pharmacological mechanism by which JP targets CD11a and CD70 DNA methylation via the miR-29b-sp1/DNMT1 pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRL/lpr mice were divided into three groups: the model group (received distilled water), the positive group (administered AAV/miR-29b-3p inhibitor), and the JP group (treated with JP decoction). C57BL/6 mice were constituted as a control group. Through ELISA assay, serum and urine samples were assessed for anti-dsDNA, TNF-α, TGF-ß, IL-2, and UP. HE and Masson staining were conducted to reveal renal pathology. Genome DNA was extracted from CD4+ T cells of mice spleens to evaluate methylation level. The methylation of CD11a, CD70, and CD40L promoter regions was analyzed by targeted bisulfate sequencing. Their expression at the mRNA and protein levels was examined using quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining of kidney tissues. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of the miR-29b-sp1/DNMT1 pathway by JP were explored with Jurkat cells transfected with miR-inhibitors or miR-mimics. RESULTS: Mice treated with JP exhibited a significant decrease in anti-dsDNA, TNF-α, TGF-ß, and UP, accompanied by a significant increase in IL-2. HE staining revealed JP effectively mitigated renal inflammatory response, while Masson staining indicated a reduction in collagen fiber content. In addition, JP exhibited a significant impact on the global hypomethylation of SLE, as evidenced by the induction of high methylation levels of CD11a and CD70 promoter regions, mediated through the miR-29b-sp1/DNMT1 pathway. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate JP exerts a protective effect against spontaneous SLE development, attenuates renal pathological changes, and functions as a miRNA inhibitor to enhance CD11a and CD70 DNA methylation through the modulation of the miR-29b-sp1/DNMT1 pathway.

Acupuncture Based on Regulating Autonomic Nerves for the Prevention of Migraine Without Aura: A Prospective, Double-Dummy, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Migraine without aura (MWoA) is a nervous system disease, which is closely related to autonomic nerves dysfunction. As a popular non-pharmacological alternative treatment for preventing migraine, it remains unclear whether the acupuncture can prevent MWoA. Thus, this trial aims to evaluate the preventive effect and safety of the acupuncture method of stimulating acupoints that regulate autonomic nerves in MWoA patients. Methods: This is a single-center, prospective, double-dummy, randomized controlled clinical trial. A total of ninety-six patients with MWoA are randomly allocated to acupuncture combined with the placebo group and sham acupuncture combined with the medication group in a 1:1 ratio. All subjects will receive intervention for 8 weeks and follow-up assessments three times (one month, three months, and six months in follow-up visiting). The frequency of acupuncture in both groups is three times a week for eight weeks. The primary outcome will be evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) and the number of migraine attacks per four weeks. The secondary outcome measures will include the migraine-specific quality of life (MSQOL) scale and headache needs assessment survey (HANA) questionnaire scale. Results: The acupoint selection of this clinical trial is based on the combination of traditional Chinese medicine theory with modern medicine, thereby evaluating the efficacy and safety of the acupuncture method of stimulating acupoints that regulate autonomic nerves in the prevention of MWoA. The results may provide evidence of the beneficial effects of acupuncture on the prevention of MWoA by regulating autonomic nerves dysfunction. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04766762.

[Design and application of auxiliary isolation device of cupping therapy for cross-infection prevention].

An auxiliary isolation device of cupping therapy for cross-infection prevention is designed to reduce the disinfection steps and be against cross transmission. This device is composed of a disposable isolation unit made of fire proof plastic material and a disposable cup-mouth fixator made of elastic material. The disposable isolation unit includes two parts, the cup neck isolation unit and the inner isolation unit of fire cup. These two parts connect with the disposable cup-mouth fixator. All of those three sections of the device are center-connected ring-like structure. This device can well prevent the direct contact of fire cup with the patient's skin surface, characterized as safety protection, simple operation and saving time and manpower.

Comparative effect of electroacupuncture with different frequency on headache attacks in migraine outpatients: study protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Headache attacks severely impaired life quality and increase the economic burden of migraineurs. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been used worldwidely to treat several pain-related diseases including migraines. However, whether EA with low or high frequency exerts a distinct analgesic effect remains unknown and needs further study. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a randomised, single-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with three parallel arms. A total of 144 migraine outpatients will be randomly allocated to the 2 Hz EA group, 100 Hz EA group and placebo control group. The duration of the trial is 20 weeks, including a 4-week-long baseline assessment period (weeks - 4-0), a 4-week-long treatment period (weeks 1-4) and a 12-week-long follow-up period (weeks 5-16). Twelve treatment sessions will be performed over a 4-week period (weeks 1-4). The primary outcome will be measured by the frequency of migraine attacks in the past 4 weeks at the end of week 4 post-randomisation. The secondary outcome will be measured by the frequency of migraine attacks in the past 4 weeks at the end of weeks 8, 12 and16 post-randomisation; number of days with migraine; dosage of ibuprofen; the scores of visual analogue scale (VAS); Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS); Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS); and Migraine Specific Quality of Life questionnaire (MSQ) in the past 4 weeks at the end of weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 post-randomisation. Safety assessment, compliance and blinding evaluation will be carried out at the end of week 16 post-randomisation. DISCUSSION: The recruitment will be started on 1 June 2021 and expected to finish on 31 May 2023. We aimed to clarify the dominant frequency of EA on headache attacks in a migraineur. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-1800017259 . Registered on 20 July 2018.

Concentrations and Long-Term Temporal Trends of Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDD) in Lake Trout and Walleye from the Great Lakes.

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) is a hazardous, persistent, bioaccumlative brominated flame retardant. To investigate how its use has affected the Great Lakes, total HBCDD (∑HBCDD) concentrations and temporal trends in homogenized whole fish samples from the Great Lakes region (1978 to 2016) were determined. ∑HBCDD concentrations (ng/g ww) for each lake are Erie (0.49-2.60), Ontario (3.12-8.90), Michigan (3.91-9.01), Superior (5.69-13.1), and Huron (5.57-13.7). Early years (1978 to 1992) showed no significant trend. However, recent trends (2004 to 2016) suggest concentrations are increasing in Lakes Erie and Ontario, decreasing in Lakes Superior and Michigan, and not changing in Lake Huron. Decreasing trends for Lakes Superior and Michigan are likely the result of decreased usage of the compound globally, regionally, and locally. For the other lakes, increasing or zero trends are consistent with food web changes due to invasive species and climate change, which has caused more intense storms and less ice cover leading to increased sediment resuspension.

Comparative analysis of surface water quality prediction performance and identification of key water parameters using different machine learning models based on big data.

The water quality prediction performance of machine learning models may be not only dependent on the models, but also dependent on the parameters in data set chosen for training the learning models. Moreover, the key water parameters should also be identified by the learning models, in order to further reduce prediction costs and improve prediction efficiency. Here we endeavored for the first time to compare the water quality prediction performance of 10 learning models (7 traditional and 3 ensemble models) using big data (33,612 observations) from the major rivers and lakes in China from 2012 to 2018, based on the precision, recall, F1-score, weighted F1-score, and explore the potential key water parameters for future model prediction. Our results showed that the bigger data could improve the performance of learning models in prediction of water quality. Compared to other 7 models, decision tree (DT), random forest (RF) and deep cascade forest (DCF) trained by data sets of pH, DO, CODMn, and NH3-N had significantly better performance in prediction of all 6 Levels of water quality recommended by Chinese government. Moreover, two key water parameter sets (DO, CODMn, and NH3-N; CODMn, and NH3-N) were identified and validated by DT, RF and DCF to be high specificities for perdition water quality. Therefore, DT, RF and DCF with selected key water parameters could be prioritized for future water quality monitoring and providing timely water quality warning.

Legacy Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) Trends in Top Predator Fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes (GL) from 1979 to 2016: Will Concentrations Continue to Decrease?

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were widely used as fire retardants and have been detected throughout the Great Lakes (GL) ecosystem. The concentration trends (after fish age normalization) of PBDEs in top predator fish (lake trout and walleye) of the GLs were determined from 1979 to 2016, which includes most of the period when PBDEs were manufactured and used in this region. The fish samples were collected by two national (U.S. and Canada) long-term monitoring and surveillance programs. Trends in total concentrations (age-normalized) of the five major PBDE congeners (BDE-47, 99, 100, 153, and 154) found in fish across all five lakes have varied over time. Significant increases were observed from 1990 to 2000 (16.3% per year). Rapidly decreasing concentrations (-19.5% per year) were found from 2000 to 2007. Since 2007, the decreasing trend has become smaller (less than -5.5% per year) and relatively unchanged from 2011 to 2015. BDE-47, the congener with the highest concentrations in lake trout, has decreased continuously (ranging from -6.7% to -16.2% per year) in all lakes except Lake Erie. This decrease can be associated with the voluntary and regulatory phase out of production and/or usage of PBDEs since 2000. However, it has been offset by recent (since 2007) increasing trends of the other four higher brominated BDE congeners, especially BDE-100 and 154. Production and usage of commercial penta- and octa- BDE mixtures containing primarily the five major PBDE congeners was discontinued in 2004 in the U.S.A. and 2008 in Canada. These results indicate increasing fish uptake and bioaccumulation of higher brominated BDE congeners may be related to the transformation of BDE-209 to lower brominated BDE compounds in the GL environment or food web. Considering the abundance of BDE-209 in existing products and sediment in GL region, the duration of the unchanging total PBDE concentration trend in GL fish could be longer than expected.

Spatial and Temporal Trends (2004-2016) of Selected Alternative Flame Retardants in Fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes.

Following the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) flame retardants (FRs) from North American markets, the use of alternative FRs has increased. In this study the occurrence and spatiotemporal distributions of 18 dechlorane analogues (collectively referred to as DECs) and 20 alternative brominated FRs (referred to as ABFRs, i.e., brominated FRs other than PBDEs and HBCDD) were investigated in top predator fish megacomposites (i.e., a composite of all 50 fish) collected yearly from each of the Great Lakes from 2004 to 2016. Frequently detected substances include dechlorane 602, 603, 604 Component B, anti- and syn-dechlorane plus, and chlordene plus, as well as several brominated benzene FRs (i.e., hexabromobenzene, pentabromotoluene, and tetrabromo- o-chlorotoluene). Concentrations of ΣDECs and ΣABFRs ranged from 0.33-31.9 ng/g lipid weight (lw) (0.01-8.3 ng/g wet weight or ww) and 0.91-54.7 ng/g lw (0.09-7.1 ng/g ww), respectively. Flame retardant contamination exhibited chemical-specific spatial variations across the five lakes. Concentrations of ΣABFRs in Lake Erie fish were generally lower than those from other lakes. By contrast, fish ΣDEC concentrations were highest in Lake Ontario and the composition of dechlorane analogues differed significantly between Lake Ontario and the other lakes, indicating likely point-source influences. Temporal analyses revealed declining trends of ΣDECs and ΣABFRs in most lakes except Lake Erie, with age corrected trend slopes of -13.5% to -8.8% and -20.1% to -7.0% per year, respectively.

Ambient mercury source identification at a New York State urban site: Rochester, NY.

Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particle-bound mercury (PBM) were measured continuously in Rochester, NY (NY43) from January 2012 to December 2014. Continuous measurements of ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM2.5), and meteorological data were also made at this site. A principal component analysis (PCA) of the resulting 15 variables showed that the ambient mercury in Rochester was primarily produced by non-local sources in contrast to earlier studies that showed that local sources were present. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of the atmospheric mercury and other pollutant species concentrations showed that transport and atmospheric processes have become the major source of mercury in Rochester. Conditional bivariate probability function (CBPF) and potential source contribution function (PSCF) were used to identify local and distant mercury sources. The results in this study showed that the closure of a coal-fired power plant and promulgation of several fuel quality policies reduced local mercury emissions making long-distance transport the major source of mercury in Rochester.

Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides concentration patterns and trends in top predator fish of Laurentian Great Lakes from 1999 to 2014.

Concentration patterns and temporal trends of legacy persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) contaminants were determined using the Great Lake Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP) top predator fish data from 1999 to 2014 and applying Kendall-Theil robust regression after cluster-based age normalization. For most Great Lakes sites, significant decreasing concentration trends ranging from -4.1% to -21.6% per year (with the only exception being mirex in Lake Erie walleye) were found for PBTs including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichloro-diphenyl-trichlorethane (DDTs), dieldrin, endrin, chlordane, oxychlordane, nonachlor, mirex, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) reflecting the successful historical and ongoing reduction of fugitive releases and remediation efforts in the U.S. and Canada including physical removal (dredging) coupled with sediment sequestration. Generally, lower concentrations and faster decreasing trends are observed in western/northern sampling sites compared to eastern/southern sites as the former sites are generally more remote from population centers and industrial activities. PCBs, which can be released from ongoing sources, have the highest concentration, the second slowest decreasing trend, and increasing mass fractions of the contaminants studied suggesting that they will continue to be the legacy contaminant of greatest concern into the future.

Mercury wet deposition and speciated mercury air concentrations at rural and urban sites across New York state: Temporal patterns, sources and scavenging coefficients.

Measurements of ambient speciated mercury (Hg) concentrations and Hg wet deposition were made at two urban sites (Bronx, NY and Rochester, NY) and one rural site (Potsdam, NY) in New York State in 2013 and 2014 to: 1) determine the factors influencing Hg wet deposition concentrations, 2) identify the contribution of gaseous oxidized Hg (GOM) and particulate bound Hg (PBM) scavenging to Hg wet deposition concentrations, and 3) identify potential source areas associated with high concentration events. The Bronx had the highest mean gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) and GOM concentrations, Rochester had the highest mean PBM and the lowest GOM concentrations, and Potsdam had the lowest mean GEM and PBM concentrations. The annual volume weighted mean (VWM) Hg concentrations and Hg wet deposition fluxes in the Bronx, Rochester, and Potsdam were significantly different with mean values of 10.3 ±â€¯8.16, 10.2 ±â€¯9.06, and 5.07 ±â€¯1.79 ngL-1 and 8.45 ±â€¯0.64, 6.65 ±â€¯0.21, and 5.25 ±â€¯0.49 µg/m2 year-1, respectively. Hg wet deposition flux and precipitation depth were positively correlated at all three sites as were Hg concentration in precipitation and weekly GOM concentrations at the Bronx and Potsdam sites. Scavenging coefficients (SC) of 680, 630, 850 for GOM and 410, 320, and 410 for PBM at Bronx, Rochester, and Potsdam, respectively, suggest GOM is responsible for most of the scavenged Hg. Measured GOM and PBM concentrations were relatively constant before precipitation events and Hg concentrations in precipitation did not vary significantly during precipitation events implying the scavenging process mainly occurred in clouds. VWM Hg concentrations, monthly accumulated Hg flux, and SCs for GOM and PBM were higher at the urban sites and significantly different for non-snow and snow events. Local sources appeared more important at the rural site while regional sources affected high urban concentrations.

Bioaccumulation and Spatiotemporal Trends of Polyhalogenated Carbazoles in Great Lakes Fish from 2004 to 2016.

Polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) were recently discovered in Great Lakes sediment and other aquatic systems. However, knowledge about their bioaccumulation and potential risks to fish and wildlife remains very limited. The present study investigated PHCZs in Great Lakes lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush) and walleye ( Sander vitreus; Lake Erie only) composites collected between 2004 and 2016. Median concentrations of ∑PHCZs by lake ranged from 54.7 to 154 ng/g lipid weight or lw (6.8-28.0 ng/g wet weight). Dominant congeners included 3,6-dichlorocarbazole, 1,3,6-tribromocarbazole, and 1,3,6,8-tetrachlorocarbazole. The highest ∑PHCZs concentrations were found in Lakes Michigan and Ontario fish, followed by Lake Huron, whereas Lakes Erie and Superior fish contained the lowest concentrations. Congener profiles of PHCZs also exhibited spatial variations. After age normalization to minimize fish age influence on bioaccumulation rates, fish ∑PHCZs' concentrations declined significantly over time in all lakes except Lake Erie, with slopes ranging from -10.24% to -3.85% per year. The median toxic equivalent (TEQ) of PHCZs due to their dioxin-like activity was determined to range from 8.7 to 25.7 pg/g lw in Great Lakes fish. This study provides the first insight into the bioaccumulation and spatiotemporal trends of PHCZs in Great Lakes and suggests the need for further research on this group of chemicals.

Mercury Temporal Trends in Top Predator Fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes from 2004 to 2015: Are Concentrations Still Decreasing?

Mercury (Hg) concentration trends in top predator fish (lake trout and walleye) of the Great Lakes (GL) from 2004 to 2015 were determined by Kendall-Theil robust regression with a cluster-based age normalization method to control for the effect of changes in lake trophic status. When data from the GLs (except Lake Erie) are combined, a significant decreasing trend in the lake trout Hg concentrations was found between 2004 and 2015 with an annual decrease of 4.1% per year, consistent with the decline in regional atmospheric Hg emissions and water Hg concentrations. However, a breakpoint was detected with a significant decreasing slope (-8.1% per year) before the breakpoint (2010), and no trend after the breakpoint. When the lakes are examined individually, Lakes Superior and Huron, which are dominated by atmospheric Hg inputs and are more likely than the lower lakes to respond to declining emissions from areas surrounding the GL, have significant decreasing trends with rates between 5.2 and 7.8% per year from 2004 to 2015. These declining trends appear to be driven by decreasing regional atmospheric Hg emissions although they may be partly counterbalanced by other factors, including increasing local emissions, food web changes, eutrophication, and responses to global climate change. Lakes Michigan, Erie and Ontario may have been more impacted by these other factors and their trends changed from decreasing to non-decreasing or increasing in recent years.

Structural Evolution of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) in Anoxic Co(2+) Solution: Interactional Performance and Mechanism.

The structures of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles evolving during reactions, and the reactions are influenced by the evolved structures. To understand the removal process in detail, it is important to investigate the relationships between the reactions and structural evolution. Using high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), typical evolved structures (sheet coprecipitation and cavity corrosion) of nZVI in anoxic Co(2+) solutions were revealed. The system pH (pH measured in mixture), which controls the stability of coprecipitation and the nZVI corrosion rate, were found to be the determining factors of structural evolutions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that the formation and dissolution of sheet structure impacts on the ratio of Fe(0) on the nZVI surface and the surface Co(2+) reduction. The cavity structure provides the possibility of Co migration from the surface to the bulk of nZVI, leading to continuous removal. Subacidity conditions could accelerate the evolution and improve the removal; the results of structurally controlled reactions further indicated that the removal was suspended by the sheet structure and enhanced by cavity structure. The results and discussion in this paper revealed the "structural influence" crucial for the full and dynamical understanding of nZVI reactions.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation regulates organ blood flow and apoptosis during controlled hypotension in dogs.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used in clinical practice for alleviating pains and physiological disorders. It has been reported that TENS could counteract the ischemic injury happened in some vital organs. To determine the protective effect of TENS on internal organs during CH in dogs, target hypotension was maintained for 60 min at 50% of the baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP). The perfusion to the brain, liver, stomach, and kidney was recorded and apoptosis within these organs was observed. Results showed that when arriving at the target MAP, and during the maintaining stage for 10 min, perfusion to the stomach and liver in the CH+TENS group was much higher than in the CH group (P<0.05). Perfusion to the cerebral cortex greatly declined in both the controlled pressure groups when compared with the general anesthesia (GA) group (P<0.05). After withdrawing CH, the hepatic blood flow in both the CH and CH+TENS groups, and the gastric and cerebral cortical blood flow in the CH+TENS group, were rapidly increased. By the end of MAP restoration, gastric blood flow in the CH group was still low. At 72 h after applying CH, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in stomach and kidney tissue from the CH group were significantly increased compared with those in the GA group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in TUNEL-positive cells in the liver and hippocampus among the three groups. Our results demonstrated that CH with a 50% MAP level could cause lower perfusion to the liver, stomach, cerebral cortex, and kidney, with apoptosis subsequently occurring in the stomach and kidney. TENS combined GA is able to improve the blood flow to the liver, stomach, and reduce the apoptosis in the stomach and kidney.

[Cardiac protective effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with general anesthesia for controlled hypotension].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effect and the mechanism of controlled hypotension induced by transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with general anesthesia. METHODS: Sixteen male Beagles were randomly divided into a group of controlled hypotension induced by simple general anesthesia (control group) and a group of controlled hypotension induced by TEAS combined with general anesthesia (observation group). All the animals were administered with combination of Isoflurane and Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) for controlled hypotension without TEAS until the arterial pressure was lowered to 30% basic mean arterial pressure (MAP) for 60 min. In the observation group, TEAS (2 Hz/100 Hz, 3-5 mA) was applied to "Hegu" (LI 4) "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Quchi" (LI 11) from the beginning of physiological conditions stability to the end of maintained low MAP for 60 min, but there was no TEAS in control group. The changes of MAP, the left intraventricular pressure (LIVP), T wave and ST-T segment of II lead electrocardiogram (ECG) were monitored with the physiological signal acquisition system, and myocardial apoptosis was detected by TUNEL method. RESULTS: All the animals could maintain stable required low blood pressure. At one hour after cease of controlled hypotension, MAP of (109.56 +/- 6.14) mmHg returned to the basic level in the observation group, while MAP of (84.91 +/- 6.36) mmHg was still lower than its basic MAP of (111.02 +/- 4.15) mmHg in the control group (P < 0.05), showing significant difference in MAP between the two groups (P < 0.05). -dp/dtmax of (3156.32 +/- 332.82) mmHg/s showed significant lower than its basic value of (4585.33 +/- 638.55) mmHg/s when blood pressure increased for 1 h in the control group (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in the observation group. When the objective low MAP maintaining for 60 min the ST segment was decreased significantly in the control group (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in the observation group. The numbers of positive apoptosis cardiocytes in the observation group were (24.67 +/- 2.45) cells/mm2, which were significantly fewer than (37.89 +/- 1.90) cells/mm2 in the control group (P < 0. 05). CONCLUSIONS: TEAS combined with general anesthesia for controlled hypotension can significantly shorten restoration time of MAP, help to improve myocardial ischemia and the cardiac functional recovery and reduce myocardial apoptosis so as to produce myocardial protection.