Designing transition metal-based porous architectures for supercapacitor electrodes: a review.

Over the past decade, transition metal (TM)-based electrodes have shown intriguing physicochemical properties and widespread applications, especially in the field of supercapacitor energy storage owing to their diverse configurations, composition, porosity, and redox reactions. As one of the most intriguing research interests, the design of porous architectures in TM-based electrode materials has been demonstrated to facilitate ion/electron transport, modulate their electronic structure, diminish strain relaxation, and realize synergistic effects of multi-metals. Herein, the recent advances in porous TM-based electrodes are summarized, focusing on their typical synthesis strategies, including template-mediated assembly, thermal decomposition strategy, chemical deposition strategy, and host-guest hybridization strategy. Simultaneously, the corresponding conversion mechanism of each synthesis strategy are reviewed, and the merits and demerits of each strategy in building porous architectures are also discussed. Subsequently, TM-based electrode materials are categorized into TM oxides, TM hydroxides, TM sulfides, TM phosphides, TM carbides, and other TM species with a detailed review of their crystalline phase, electronic structure, and microstructure evolution to tune their electrochemical energy storage capacity. Finally, the challenges and prospects of porous TM-based electrode materials are presented to guide the future development in this field.

Stability of Multivalent Ruthenium on CoWO4 Nanosheets for Improved Electrochemical Water Splitting with Alkaline Electrolyte.

Engineering low-cost electrocatalysts with desired features is vital to decrease the energy consumption but challenging for superior water splitting. Herein, we development a facile strategy by the addition of multivalence ruthenium (Ru) into the CoWO4 /CC system. During the synthesis process, the most of Ru3+ ions were insinuated into the lattice of CoWO4 , while the residual Ru3+ ions were reduced to metallic Ru and further attached to the interface between carbon cloth and CoWO4 sheets. The optimal Ru2 (M)-CoWO4 /CC exhibited superior performance for the HER with an overpotential of 85 mV@10 mA cm-2 , which was much better than most of reported electrocatalysts, regarding OER, a low overpotential of 240 mV@10 mA cm-2 was sufficient. In comparison to Ru2 (0)-CoWO4 /CC with the same Ru mass loading, multivalence Ru2 (M)-CoWO4 /CC required a lower overpotential for OER and HER, respectively. The Ru2 (M)-CoWO4 /CC couple showed excellent overall water splitting performance at a cell voltage of 1.48 V@10 mA cm-2 for used as both anodic and cathodic electrocatalysts. Results of the study showed that the electrocatalytic activity of Ru2 (M)-CoWO4 /CC was attributed to the in-situ transformation of Ru/Co sites, the multivalent Ru ions and the synergistic effect of different metal species stimulated the intrinsic activity of CoWO4 /CC.

Mechanism of ligusticum cycloprolactam against neuroinflammation based on network pharmacology and experimental verification.

Ligustilide, a natural phthalide mainly derived from chuanxiong rhizomes and Angelica Sinensis roots, possesses anti-inflammatory activity, particularly in the context of the nervous system. However, its application is limited because of its unstable chemical properties. To overcome this limitation, ligusticum cycloprolactam (LIGc) was synthesized through structural modification of ligustilide. In this study, we combined network pharmacological methods with experimental verification to investigate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects and mechanisms of ligustilide and LIGc. Based on our network pharmacology analysis, we identified four key targets of ligustilide involved in exerting an anti-inflammatory effect, with the nuclear factor (NF)-κB signal pathway suggested as the main signalling pathway. To verify these results, we examined the expression of inflammatory cytokines and inflammation-related proteins, analysed the phosphorylation level of NF-κB, inhibitor of κBα (IκBα) and inhibitor of κB kinase α and ß (IKKα+ß), and evaluated the effect of BV2 cell-conditioned medium on HT22 cells in vitro. Our results, demonstrate for the first time that LIGc can downregulate the activation of the NF-κB signal pathway in BV2 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide, suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines and reduce nerve injury in HT22 cells mediated by BV2 cells. These findings suggest that LIGc inhibits the neuroinflammatory response mediated by BV2 cells, providing strong scientific support for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs based on natural ligustilide or its derivatives. However, there are some limitations to our current study. In the future, further experiments using in vivo models may provide additional evidence to support our findings.

Targeting p53 for neuroinflammation: New therapeutic strategies in ischemic stroke.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is characterized by high incidence, high recurrence, and high mortality and places a heavy burden on society and families. The pathological mechanisms of IS are complex, among which secondary neurological impairment mediated by neuroinflammation is considered to be the main factor in cerebral ischemic injury. At present, there is still a lack of specific therapies to treat neuroinflammation. The tumor suppressor protein p53 has long been regarded as a key substance in the regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis in the past. Recently, studies have found that p53 also plays an important role in neuroinflammatory diseases, such as IS. Therefore, p53 may be a crucial target for the regulation of the neuroinflammatory response. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the potential of targeting p53 in the treatment of neuroinflammation after IS. We describe the function of p53, the major immune cells involved in neuroinflammation, and the role of p53 in inflammatory responses mediated by these cells. Finally, we summarize the therapeutic strategies of targeting p53 in regulating the neuroinflammatory response after IS to provide new directions and ideas for the treatment of ischemic brain injury.

Irisin Attenuates Apoptosis Following Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through Improved Mitochondria Dynamics and ROS Suppression Mediated Through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Axis.

Irisin is a muscle-derived hormone that promotes the survival of motor neurons and enhances muscle size following injury. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects and mechanism(s) of action of irisin in response to cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). Right-middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) models were generated in C57BL/6 J mice. Mouse neuronal cell lines (NSC-34) were used to confirm the molecular mechanisms of the protection afforded by irisin in response to CIRI. We found that irisin (250 µg/kg) improved cerebral function and reduced the cerebral infarct volume following CIRI. Irisin also protected neuronal cells against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) induced apoptosis, assessed via TUNEL, and cleaved Caspase-3 staining. Western blotting of neuronal tissue from irisin treated I/R mice showed lower expression of pro-apoptotic Bax and caspase-9 (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01) and increased levels of the pro-survival protein Bcl-2 (P < 0.01 & P < 0.001 vs. I/R). Irisin also reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) characterized through malondialdehyde (MDA) assays. Irisin was found to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis through the suppression of mitochondrial fission-linked dynamin-related protein 1 in CIRI mice (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 v. I/R cohort). Moreover, mitochondrial fusion-related protein (Mfn2) and Opa1 expression were rescued following irisin treatment (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01 v. I/R cohort). Cell-based assays showed that irisin activates PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in the neurons of CIRI mice. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of irisin on NSC-34 cell-survival, mitochondrial function, and ROS generation were reversed by VS-5584, a highly specific PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitor. Collectively, these data highlight the ability of irisin to alleviate CIRI in vivo and in vitro. The mechanisms of action of irisin include the attenuation of apoptosis through the prevention of mitochondrial fission and increased mitochondrial fusion and the alleviation of oxidative stress through activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis. We therefore identify irisin as a much-needed therapeutic for CIRI.

Rab11-mediated recycling endosome role in nervous system development and neurodegenerative diseases.

STUDY: Membrane trafficking process is significant for the complex and precise regulatory of the nervous system. Rab11, as a small GTPase of the Rab superfamily, controls endocytic vesicular trafficking to the cell surface after sorting in recycling endosome (RE), coordinating with its receptors to maintain neurological function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This article reviewed the literature of Rab11 in nervous system. RESULTS: Rab11-positive vesicles targeted transport growth-related molecules, such as integrins, protrudin, tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) A/B receptor and AMPA receptor (AMPAR) to membrane surface to promote the regeneration capacity of axon and dendrites and maintain synaptic plasticity. In addition, many studies have shown that the expression of Rab11 is decreased in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, which is highly correlated with the process of production, transport and clearance of disease-related pathological proteins. And overexpression or increased activity of Rab11 can greatly improve the defect of membrane trafficking and slow down the disease process. CONCLUSION: With increasing research efforts on Rab11-dependent membrane trafficking mechanisms, a potential target for nerve regeneration and neurodegenerative diseases will be provided.

Rodent models for intravascular ischemic cerebral infarction: a review of influencing factors and method optimization.

Rodent models for cerebral infarction are useful for studying human focal ischemic cerebral infarction, by simulating etiological and pathophysiological mechanisms. However, differences in the selection of anesthetic drugs, surgical methods and other factors may affect the extent to which preclinical models reflect the human condition. This review summarizes these factors. We searched pertinent literature from the MEDLINE and Web of Science databases, and reviewed differences in rodent strain, anesthesia method, sex, surgical method, timing of surgery, and factors influencing postoperative evaluation. In particular, circadian rhythm was found to have a significant impact on the outcome of cerebral infarction in rodent models. This information will enable researchers to quickly and clearly select appropriate modeling methods, acquire reliable quantitative experimental results, and obtain basic data for fundamental mechanism research.

Mechanisms of Inhibition of Excessive Microglial Activation by Melatonin.

As the innate immune cells that permanently reside in the central nervous system (CNS), microglia play an increasingly important role in maintaining brain function. Normally, microglia act as resting phenotype, which can be activated by various types of stimuli and release a variety of inflammatory mediators. Melatonin is an endogenous rhythmic hormone secreted principally by the pineal gland. Increasing evidence suggests that melatonin can detoxify reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevent microglia from over-activation. This review summarizes the mechanisms of melatonin in inhibiting excessive activation of microglia and demonstrates the feasibility of melatonin in the treatment of diseases related to microglial over-activation.

Effects of Peroxiredoxin 2 in Neurological Disorders: A Review of its Molecular Mechanisms.

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are closely related to the pathological processes of neurological disorders. Peroxiredoxin 2 (Prdx2) is an abundant antioxidant enzyme in the central nervous system. Prdx2 reduces the production of reactive oxygen species and participates in regulating various signaling pathways in neurons by catalyzing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), thereby protecting neurons against oxidative stress and an inflammatory injury. However, the spillage of Prdx2, as damage-associated molecular patterns, accelerates brain damage after stroke by activating an inflammatory response. The post-translational modifications of Prdx2 also affect its enzyme activity. This review focuses on the effects of Prdx2 and its molecular mechanisms in various neurological disorders.

Straw mulch as an alternative to plastic film mulch: Positive evidence from dryland wheat production on the Loess Plateau.

A large body of research has emphasized how plastic mulching can benefit crop yields in dryland areas. However, this practice's pollution of the soil, air and environment has only recently attracted attention. We conducted a five-year field experiment with winter wheat as a test crop to evaluate whether plastic mulching can be replaced with straw mulching in dryland areas of the Loess Plateau in China. The obtained results showed that straw mulching (SM) resulted in similar grain yields that were comparable with plastic mulching. More specifically, ridge-furrow plastic mulching plus furrow seeding (RM+FS), whole field plastic mulching (PM) and SM treatments resulted in average yields of 5950, 6447 and 6246kgha-1, respectively. No soil water storage difference was observed at harvest, but SM retained more water during summer fallow and then stored more water prior to seeding, 26mm and 27mm higher that of PM, and 44mm and 46mm higher that of RM+FS, respectively. None of the three treatments caused soil nitrate-N leaching. Furthermore, because straw is a potential source of slow-releasing N, the SM 0-200cm soil profile contained significantly more nitrate-N than the corresponding RM+FS and PM soil profiles. The SM treatment decreased greenhouse gas emissions intensity (GHGI) by 47% and 40% and increased economic return by 13% and 27% when compared to the PM and RM+FS treatments, respectively. Therefore, an optimized SM system is a viable alternative for increasing crop yields in dryland wheat production that avoids the negative impacts of the increasingly popular plastic mulching approach.

New Diterpenes from Arenga pinnata (Wurmb.) Merr. Fruits.

Three new ent-kauran-type diterpenes (1⁻3), named arenterpenoids A⁻C, and five known ones (4⁻8) were isolated and identified from Arenga pinnata (Wurmb.) Merr. Fruits. The structures of these compounds were established by 1D and 2D NMR spectra and HR-ESI-MS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scientific report of diterpenes from Arenga genus.

Enhancing organic and inorganic carbon sequestration in calcareous soil by the combination of wheat straw and wood ash and/or lime.

Increasing organic carbon sequestration in agricultural soils is important for improving soil fertility and mitigating climate change. Wood ash is generally applied as a potassium fertilizer, but the effects of simultaneous incorporation of wood ash and crop straw on the turnover of soil organic carbon (SOC) and inorganic carbon (SIC) are not well understood. In this study, a 118-day lab incubation experiment was conducted using a calcareous soil (with 10 years of continuous maize cropping history) to study the effects of adding wheat straw, wood ash and lime. Our study showed that straw addition led to an increase in both SOC (19%) and SIC (3%). Wood ash and lime addition decreased CO2 emission by 182 and 1210 mg kg-1 and increased SIC by 125 and 1001 mg kg-1 during the incubation, respectively, which was due to supply of CaO from wood ash and lime. The increase of SOC content was 2.4% due to the addition of lime. In addition to straw addition enhanced straw-derived OC content, the addition of lime also increased straw-derived OC content by 34.5%. This study demonstrated that lime was more effective in reducing CO2 emission and and enhancing SOC than wood ash. In conclusion, adding lime to calcareous soil might be an effective method of enhancing carbon sequestration and slowing climate change.

Evaluation of hardboard manufacturing process wastewater as a feedstream for ethanol production.

Waste streams from the wood processing industry can serve as feedstream for ethanol production from biomass residues. Hardboard manufacturing process wastewater (HPW) was evaluated on the basis of monomeric sugar recovery and fermentability as a novel feedstream for ethanol production. Dilute acid hydrolysis, coupled with concentration of the wastewater resulted in a hydrolysate with 66 g/l total fermentable sugars. As xylose accounted for 53 % of the total sugars, native xylose-fermenting yeasts were evaluated for their ability to produce ethanol from the hydrolysate. The strains selected were, in decreasing order by ethanol yields from xylose (Y p/s, based on consumed sugars), Scheffersomyces stipitis ATCC 58785 (CBS 6054), Pachysolen tannophilus ATCC 60393, and Kluyveromyces marxianus ATCC 46537. The yeasts were compared on the basis of substrate utilization and ethanol yield during fermentations of the hydrolysate, measured using an HPLC. S. stipitis, P. tannophilus, and K. marxianus produced 0.34, 0.31, and 0.36 g/g, respectively. The yeasts were able to utilize between 58 and 75 % of the available substrate. S. stipitis outperformed the other yeast during the fermentation of the hydrolysate; consuming the highest concentration of available substrate and producing the highest ethanol concentration in 72 h. Due to its high sugar content and low inhibitor levels after hydrolysis, it was concluded that HPW is a suitable feedstream for ethanol production by S. stipitis.