Causal effects of immune cell surface antigens and functional outcome after ischemic stroke: a Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: While observational studies link immune cells with post-stroke functional outcome, the underlying immune mechanisms are not well understood. Immune cell surface antigens are actively involved in the biological behavior of immune cells, investigating immune cell surface antigens could deepen our comprehension of their role and biological processes in stroke recovery. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the immunological basis of stroke outcome by exploring the causal relationship between immune cell surface antigens and functional outcome after ischemic stroke in a Mendelian randomization study. Methods: Genetic variants related to immune cell surface antigens and post-stroke functional outcome were selected for two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. 389 fluorescence intensities (MFIs) with surface antigens were included. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) modeling was used as the primary MR method to estimate the causal effect of exposure on the outcome, followed by several alternative methods and sensitivity analyses. Additional analysis of the association between immune cell surface antigens and risk of ischemic stroke for assessment of collider bias. Results: We found that suggestive associations between CD20 on switched memory B cell (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01-1.34, p = 0.036) and PDL-1 on monocyte (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.04-1.66, p = 0.022) and poor post-stroke functional outcome, whereas CD25 on CD39+ resting Treg (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62-0.96, p = 0.017) was suggestively associated with good post-stroke functional outcome. Conclusion: The elevated CD20 on switched memory B cell, PDL-1 on monocyte, and CD25 on CD39+ resting Treg may be novel biomarkers and potential causal factors influencing post-stroke functional outcome.

Unraveling a Concerted Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Pathway in Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters.

Metal nanoclusters (MNCs) represent a promising class of materials for catalytic carbon dioxide and proton reduction as well as dihydrogen oxidation. In such reactions, multiple proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes are typically involved, and the current understanding of PCET mechanisms in MNCs has primarily focused on the sequential transfer mode. However, a concerted transfer pathway, i.e., concerted electron-proton transfer (CEPT), despite its potential for a higher catalytic rate and lower reaction barrier, still lacks comprehensive elucidation. Herein, we introduce an experimental paradigm to test the feasibility of the CEPT process in MNCs, by employing Au18(SR)14 (SR denotes thiolate ligand), Au22(SR)18, and Au25(SR)18- as model clusters. Detailed investigations indicate that the photoinduced PCET reactions in the designed system proceed via an CEPT pathway. Furthermore, the rate constants of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have been found to be correlated with both the size of the cluster and the flexibility of the Au-S framework. This newly identified PCET behavior in AuNCs is prominently different from that observed in semiconductor quantum dots and plasmonic metal nanoparticles. Our findings are of crucial importance for unveiling the catalytic mechanisms of quantum-confined metal nanomaterials and for the future rational design of more efficient catalysts.

Optimizing Salt Leakage Mitigation and Comparing Sorption-Desorption Characteristics of Polyacrylamide-Based Hydrogels.

Solid hygroscopic materials are extensively utilized in diverse fields, including adsorption heat transfer, adsorption heat storage, atmospheric water harvesting (AWH), and air conditioning dehumidification. The efficacy and energy efficiency of these materials in practical applications are significantly influenced by their adsorption and desorption properties. Yet, the introduction of inorganic salts to boost adsorption performance can result in issues like salt leakage. In this research, we prepared a polyacrylamide hydrogel through free radical polymerization, and its water-absorbing capabilities were improved by incorporating the hygroscopic salt lithium chloride. We compared it to a salt-based porous adsorbent, AlFum-LiCl, which also exhibited strong water adsorption properties and the potential for large-scale production. While AlFum-LiCl suffered from limited pores and salt leakage during high water uptake, the optimized PAM-LiCl displayed superior water sorption capabilities, showing no salt leakage even at water uptake of up to 3.5 g/g. At 25 °C, PAM-LiCl achieved equilibrium water uptake of 1.26 g/g at 30% RH and 3.15 g/g at 75% RH. In this context, utilizing 20 g of PAM-LiCl for the AWH experiment yielded daily water outputs of 8.34 L/kg at 30% RH and 16.86 L/kg at 75% RH. The salt-optimized PAM-LiCl hydrogel offers the benefit of application in higher relative humidity environments without the risk of deliquescence, underscoring its promise for atmospheric water harvesting.

Ferroptosis boosted oral cancer photodynamic therapy by carrier-free Sorafenib-Ce6 self-assembly nanoparticles.

Oral cancer is a disease with high morbidity and mortality worldwide and greatly impacts the quality of life, especially in patients with advanced stages. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one of the most effective clinical treatments for oral cancers. However, most clinically applied photosensitizers have several deficiencies, including oxygen dependence, poor aqueous solubility, and a lack of tumor-targeting ability. Herein, the carrier-free multifunctional Sorafenib (Sor), chlorin e6 (Ce6), and Fe3+ self-assembly co-delivery nanoparticles (Sor-Ce6 NPs) were constructed via combining a ferroptosis inducer Sor and a photosensitizer Ce6 for synergetic therapy. The as-synthesized Sor-Ce6 NPs presented excellent colloidal stability and water dispersity with good in vivo tumor-targeting ability. More significantly, the low dose of Sor-Ce6 NPs had little dark toxicity but produced significantly enhanced ROS and supplied O2 sustainably to increase phototoxicity through ferroptosis pathway. Notably, the Sor-Ce6 NPs showed significantly higher in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor efficacy than the Sor/Ce6 mixture due to the improvement of cellular uptake and the incorporation of foreign Fe ions in the system, which also confer the T1 magnetic resonance-guided imaging ability to the formed Sor-Ce6 NPs. Our study demonstrates a promising self-assembled strategy for overcoming hypoxia-related PDT resistance for oral cancer treatment.

Diabetes-induced male infertility: potential mechanisms and treatment options.

Male infertility is a physiological phenomenon in which a man is unable to impregnate a fertile woman during a 12-month period of continuous, unprotected sexual intercourse. A growing body of clinical and epidemiological evidence indicates that the increasing incidence of male reproductive problems, especially infertility, shows a very similar trend to the incidence of diabetes within the same age range. In addition, a large number of previous in vivo and in vitro experiments have also suggested that the complex pathophysiological changes caused by diabetes may induce male infertility in multiple aspects, including hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis dysfunction, spermatogenesis and maturation disorders, testicular interstitial cell damage erectile dysfunction. Based on the above related mechanisms, a large number of studies have focused on the potential therapeutic association between diabetes progression and infertility in patients with diabetes and infertility, providing important clues for the treatment of this population. In this paper, we summarized the research results of the effects of diabetes on male reproductive function in recent 5 years, elaborated the potential pathophysiological mechanisms of male infertility induced by diabetes, and reviewed and prospected the therapeutic measures.

Cyclometalated gold(III)-hydride under oriented external electric fields: a new strategy to modulate its reactivity?

Selected gold complexes have been regarded as promising anti-cancer agents because they can bind with protein targets containing thiol or selenol moieties, but their clinical applications were hindered by the unbiased binding towards off-target thiol-proteins. Recently, a novel gold(III)-hydride complex (abbreviated as 1) with visible light-induced thiol reactivity has been reported as potent photo-activated anticancer agents (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2020, 132, 11139). To explore new strategies to stimuli this potential antitumor drug, the effect of oriented external electric fields (OEEFs) on its geometric structure, electronic properties, and chemical reactivity was systematically investigated. Results reveal that imposing external electric fields along the Au-H bond of 1 can effectively activate this bond, which is conducive to its dissociation and the binding of Au site to potential targets. Hence, this study provides a new OEEF-strategy to activate this reported gold(III)-hydride, revealing its potential application in electrochemical therapy. We anticipate this work could promote the development of more electric field-activated anticancer agents. However, further experimental research should be conducted to verify the conclusions obtained in this work.

A General Synthesis of Nanostructured Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks from Insulating MOF Precursors for Supercapacitors and Chemiresistive Sensors.

Two-dimensional conjugated metal-organic frameworks (2D c-MOFs) are emerging as a unique subclass of layer-stacked crystalline coordination polymers that simultaneously possess porous and conductive properties, and have broad application potential in energy and electronic devices. However, to make the best use of the intrinsic electronic properties and structural features of 2D c-MOFs, the controlled synthesis of hierarchically nanostructured 2D c-MOFs with high crystallinity and customized morphologies is essential, which remains a great challenge. Herein, we present a template strategy to synthesize a library of 2D c-MOFs with controlled morphologies and dimensions via insulating MOFs-to-c-MOFs transformations. The resultant hierarchically nanostructured 2D c-MOFs feature intrinsic electrical conductivity and higher surface areas than the reported bulk-type 2D c-MOFs, which are beneficial for improved access to active sites and enhanced mass transport. As proof-of-concept applications, the hierarchically nanostructured 2D c-MOFs exhibit a superior performance for electrical properties related applications (hollow Cu-BHT nanocubes-based supercapacitor and Cu-HHB nanoflowers-based chemiresistive gas sensor), achieving over 225 % and 250 % improvement in specific capacity and response intensity over the corresponding bulk type c-MOFs, respectively.

Theoretical prediction of superatom WSi12-based catalysts for CO oxidation by N2O.

Catalytic conversion of N2O and CO into nonharmful gases is of great significance to reduce their adverse impact on the environment. The potential of the WSi12 superatom to serve as a new cluster catalyst for CO oxidation by N2O is examined for the first time. It is found that WSi12 prefers to adsorb the N2O molecule rather than the CO molecule, and the charge transfer from WSi12 to N2O results in the full activation of N2O into a physically absorbed N2 molecule and an activated oxygen atom that is attached to an edge of the hexagonal prism structure of WSi12. After the release of N2, the remaining oxygen atom can oxidize one CO molecule via overcoming a rate-limiting barrier of 28.19 kcal mol-1. By replacing the central W atom with Cr and Mo, the resulting MSi12 (M = Cr and Mo) superatoms exhibit catalytic performance for CO oxidation comparable to the parent WSi12. In particular, the catalytic ability of WSi12 for CO oxidation is well maintained when it is extended into tube-like WnSi6(n+1) (n = 2, 4, and 6) clusters with energy barriers of 25.63-29.50 kcal mol-1. Moreover, all these studied MSi12 (M = Cr, Mo, and W) and WnSi6(n+1) (n = 2, 4, and 6) species have high structural stability and can absorb sunlight to drive the catalytic process. This study not only opens a new door for the atomically precise design of new silicon-based nanoscale catalysts for various chemical reactions but also provides useful atomic-scale insights into the size effect of such catalysts in heterogeneous catalysis.

Metalloborospherenes with a Stabilized Classical Fullerene-like Borospherene B40 Act as Nonlinear Optical Switches, Electron Reservoirs, Molecular Capacitors, and Molecular Reactors.

Using a new method of η5-Li and η6-Mg atoms capping the faces of the classical fullerene-like borospherene Td B40, we theoretically predict an exohedral metalloborospherene Td Mg10Li12&B40 molecule. Remarkably, a newfangled endoexo cage isomerism is proposed. Further, embedding Mg atoms in the Td B40 cage forms endohedral derivatives. Due to the intramolecular pull-push electron transfer relay, these obtained molecules possess unequal multilayered and alternant spherical charge distribution. The outer is an excess electron layer, bringing a molecular nonlinear switch character and an electron reservoir behavior with strong electron-donating and -accepting abilities. The middle (Mg2+)10(Li+)12 and the outer layers together constitute an electric double layer, presenting the behavior of a molecular capacitor where the electronic charge-discharge process occurs in the outer excess electron layer. The inner part is an empty cage B4026- with a strong negative electric field. The valence electrons of the embedded Mg atoms are transformed into new excess electrons and added in the outer excess electron layer, also exhibiting the charging behavior of the molecular capacitor. Considering the chemical reaction in the inner cage, the embedded Mg atom is ionized, forming an Mg2+ cation and 2e under the strong negative electric field; meanwhile, 2e is powerfully pushed into the outer excess electron layer. This chemical process shows a generalized Coulomb explosion, and thus the exohedral metalloborospherene molecules with cage B4026- may act as molecular reactors. The new species mark the genesis of classical fullerene-like borospherene chemistry and stimulate their applications in molecular nonlinear optical and nanoelectronics.

Upconversion luminescence nanosensor for detection of Fe3+ and phosphate ion based on the inner-filter effect.

In this work, an upconversion luminescence (UCL) nanosensor for fast detection of ferric ion (Fe3+) and phosphate ion (Pi) is developed based on the inner-filter effect (IFE) between NaYF4:Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and Fe3+-hypocrellin B (HB) complex. Fe3+-HB complex has strong absorption band (450-650 nm), which overlaps with the green emission peak of UCNPs at 545 nm. By adding Fe3+ and Pi, the UCNPs-HB system produces the red-shift change of absorption spectrum, which leads to the "on-off-on" process of IFE. So, with the specific recognition ability of HB for Fe3+ and the competitive complexation of Pi for Fe3+, the proposed nanosensor utilizes the UCL change to achieve the detection of the targets. For the detections of Fe3+, the linear range is 10-600 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.62 µM, and for Pi, the linear range is 5-100 µM with a LOD of 1.25 µM. The results for selectivity, precision, and recovery test are also satisfactory. Furthermore, the real sample detection shows that the proposed nanaosensor has a great potential in environmental and biological systems. An upconversion luminescence (UCL) nanosensor based on the inner-filter effect (IFE) between upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and Fe3+-hypocrellin B (HB) complex for the detection of Fe3+ and phosphate ion has been proposed, which is promising to be a convenient and sensitive assay for monitoring Fe3+ and phosphate ion in different environments and biological systems.

Behavioral assessment scale of consciousness for nonhuman primates: A Delphi study.

OBJECTIVE: Nonhuman primates (NHPs) are suitable for being model animals in the study of consciousness and loss of consciousness (LoC) with a similar brain structure and function to humans. However, there is no effective consciousness assessment scale for them. This study aimed to develop a behavioral assessment scale of consciousness for NHPs. METHODS: We constructed an initial indicator framework based on the clinical consciousness disorder assessment scales and the physiological characteristics, consciousness, and arousal behavior of NHPs. A two-round online Delphi method was conducted by a multidisciplinary expert panel to construct a behavioral assessment scale of consciousness for NHPs. The indicators and descriptions were revised according to the experts' feedback and then sent out for repeated consultations along with a summary of the results of the previous round of consultations. The accepted competencies of indicators were established with mean scores in two scoring criteria (importance and feasibility) ≥4.0, agreement rate with a rating of importance or essential ≥70.0%, and a coefficient of variation ≤0.25, as well as discussions of the research group. RESULTS: Consensus was achieved after the second round of consultations, which was completed by 28 experts who specialized in rehabilitation, neuroscience, psychology, neurosurgery, and neurology. A new behavioral assessment scale of consciousness for NHPs, including 37 items organized hierarchically within seven dimensions including visual function, auditory function, motor function, orofacial movements, arousal, brainstem reflexes, and respiration, was developed in this study. CONCLUSIONS: This study has successfully developed a behavioral assessment scale for measuring the conscious state of NHPs or NHP models with LoC. This tool is expected to facilitate future research into the underlying mechanisms of consciousness by providing a detailed and comprehensive means of measurement.

Computational screening of metalloporphyrin-based drug carriers for antitumor drug 5-fluorouracil.

Developing novel nanoscale carriers for drug delivery is of great significance for improving treatment efficiency and reducing side effects of antitumor drugs. In view of the good biocompatibility and special affinity of porphyrin (PP) molecule to cancer cells, it was used to construct a series of metal-doped M@PP (M = Ca âˆ¼ Zn) materials for the delivery of anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) in this work. Our results reveal that 5-Fu is tightly adsorbed on M@PP (M = Ca âˆ¼ V, Mn âˆ¼ Co, and Zn) by chemisorption, but is physically adsorbed by M@PP (M = Cr, Ni, and Cu). The calculated electronic properties show that all these 5-Fu@[M@PP] (M = Ca âˆ¼ Zn) complexes have both high stability and solubility. Among these 5-Fu@[M@PP] complexes, the chemical bond formed between 5-Fu and Ti@PP has the strongest covalent characteristic, resulting in the largest adsorption energy of -19.93 kcal/mol for 5-Fu@[Ti@PP]. In particular, 5-Fu@[Ti@PP] has the proper recovery time under the near-infrared light at body temperature, which further suggests that Ti@PP is the best drug carrier for 5-Fu. This study not only reveals the interaction strength and nature between 5-Fu and M@PP, but also confirmed the intriguing potential of Ti@PP as nano-carrier for drug delivery. However, further experimental research should be conducted to verify the conclusion obtained in this work.

Enhanced Water Sorption Performance of Polyacrylamide & Glass Fiber Paper Composites: Investigation and Comparison of Application in Desiccant Wheels.

The water sorption and desorption properties of solid adsorbent materials are crucial in rotary dehumidification systems. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and hydrogels are mostly at the laboratory stage due to factors like the synthesis process and yield. In this study, we utilized an eco-friendly and large-scale synthesis method to prepare polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogels (yielding approximately 500 mL from a single polymerization). Subsequently, PAM was then coated onto glass fiber paper (GFP), which serves as a commonly employed substrate in desiccant wheels. By incorporating the hygroscopic salt LiCl and optimizing the content of each component, the water sorption performance of the composite was notably improved. The water sorption and desorption performances, as well as cycling stability, were evaluated and compared with composites containing aluminum fumarate, LiCl, and GFP (AlFum-LiCl&GFP). The results revealed that PAM-LiCl&GFP outperformed AlFum-LiCl&GFP in terms of sorption capacity throughout various relative humidity (RH) levels. It achieved a water uptake of 1.06 g·g-1 at 25 °C and 30% RH, corresponding to a water sorption rate coefficient K of 15.32 × 10-4 s-1. Furthermore, the lower desorption temperature (60 °C) resulting in a desorption ratio of 82.6%, along with the excellent cycling stability and effective performance as a desiccant wheel module, provide evidence for the potential application of PAM-LiCl&GFP in desiccant wheels.

Global research trends and prospects on the first-generation college students from 2002 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis via CiteSpace.

Objectives: To review literature related to first-generation college students, the paper aims to outline the research direction, identify prominent research topics and frontiers, report on current research trends, and offer valuable insights and fresh perspectives for future advancements in the field, utilizing CiteSpace. Methods: CiteSpace is a citation visualization software designed to analyze the scholarly literature and uncover potential knowledge within it. This study retrieved articles related to first-generation college students from 2002 to 2022 from Web of Science Core Collection database. After collecting the data, CiteSpace V.6.1.R3 (64-bit) was used to perform analyses on various aspects, including annual publication output, top cited journals, country and institutional affiliations, prominent authors, cited references, and keywords. The data was visualized using tools such as knowledge maps, collaborative network analysis, cluster analysis, and strongest citation burst analysis. Results: We obtained a total of 471 articles on first-generation college students. The number of publications annually is increasing, and the number of publications generally shows an upward trend, especially in 2017-2021 with a sharp growth. The United States has the most articles on this topic (395 articles), and it is also the most authoritative and influential country (with a centrality of 0.93). Followed by South Africa (14 articles) and Germany (14 articles), The top 10 cited journals and institutions are predominantly from the United States. When analyzing the top cited references and authors, the research consistently highlights the academic achievement and engagement of first-generation college students. Conclusion: This study analyzed the current situation of first-generation college students field via CiteSpace, then identify the research hotspots and frontiers on first-generation college students. Current global trends in first-generation college students researches and the growing public awareness of academic performance and equality suggest that first-generation college students researches will grow in popularity with further breakthroughs.

Energy Level Engineering in Gold Nanoclusters for Exceptionally Bright NIR Electrochemiluminescence at a Low Trigger Potential.

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a widely used light output mechanism from electrochemical excitation. Understanding the intrinsic essence for ideal ECL generation remains a fundamental challenge. Here, based on the molecular orbital theory, we reported an energy level engineering strategy to regulate the ECL performance by using ligand-protected gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) as luminophores and N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) as a coreactant. The energy level matching between the AuNCs and DIPEA effectively promoted their electron transfer reactions, thus improving the excitation efficiency and reducing the trigger potential. Simultaneously, the narrow band gap of the AuNCs further enabled enhanced emission efficiency. Using the energy level engineering theory developed here, a dual-enhanced strategy was proposed, and ß-CD-AuNCs were designed to further verify this mechanism. The ß-CD-AuNCs/DIPEA system resulted in highly stable near-infrared ECL with an unprecedented ECL efficiency (145-fold higher than that of the classic Ru(bpy)32+/tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate system) and a low trigger potential of 0.48 V. A visual NIR-ECL based on this ECL system was successfully realized by an infrared camera. This work provides an original mechanistic understanding for designing efficient ECL systems, which promises to be a harbinger for broad applicability of this strategy for other ECL systems and ECL sensing platforms.

BAIAP2L2 is a novel prognostic biomarker related to migration and invasion of HCC and associated with cuprotosis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and its pathophysiological mechanisms remain unknown. IRSp53 family members, such as BAIAP2L1, participate in the progression of multiple tumors. However, the role of BAIAP2L2 in HCC remains unclear. This study comprehensively analyzed the potential role of BAIAP2L2 in HCC using bioinformatic techniques. The expression of BAIAP2L2 in HCC was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases and in vitro experiments. In addition, the prognostic value of BAIAP2L2 in HCC was analyzed using the TCGA database. TCGA and GEO database were used to analyze the role of BAIAP2L2 in immune features. We also explored the function of BAIAP2L2 in methylation and cuprotosis. The CellMiner database was used to analyze the relationship between BAIAP2L2 expression and drug sensitivity. Our study revealed that BAIAP2L2 is overexpressed in HCC and promotes the migration and invasion of HCC cells. BAIAP2L2 may affect the prognosis of HCC by regulating immunity, methylation, and cuprotosis. BAIAP2L2 is a novel HCC prognostic gene involved in immune infiltration associated with cuprotosis and may be a potential prognosis and therapeutic target for HCC.

In or on, a study of the influence of the binding site for TiO2 and MIL-101(Cr).

In this work, TiO2 was formed in situ in the internal pores and on the surface of MIL-101(Cr). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the difference in the binding sites of TiO2 can be attributed to the different solvents used. The two composites were used to photodegrade methyl orange (MO), and the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2-in-MIL-101(Cr) (90.1% in 120 min) was much stronger than that of TiO2-on-MIL-101(Cr) (14% in 120 min). This is the first work to study the influence of the binding site of TiO2 and MIL-101(Cr). The results show that MIL-101(Cr) modification with TiO2 can promote electron-hole separation, and TiO2-in-MIL-101(Cr) has better performance. Interestingly, the two prepared composites have distinct electron transfer processes. For TiO2-on-MIL-101(Cr), radical trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies show that O2˙- is the main reactive oxygen species. Based on its band structure, it can be concluded that the electron transfer process of TiO2-on-MIL-101(Cr) conforms to that of a type II heterojunction. However, for TiO2-in-MIL-101(Cr), the EPR and DFT results show that 1O2 is the active substance that is formed from O2 through energy transfer. Therefore, the influence of binding sites should be considered for the improvement of MOF materials.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on postpartum depression: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a complex combination of physiological, emotional, and behavioral alterations associated with postpartum chemical, social, and psychological variations. It does harm to the relationship between family members that could potentially last for years. However, standard depression treatments are not ideal for PPD, and the outcomes of these treatments are debatable. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an emerging technology that could provide patients with PPD with a safe and non-pharmacological treatment. tDCS can relieve depression by directly stimulating the prefrontal cortex through the excitatory effect of the anode. It may also ease depression indirectly by promoting the production and release of the neurotransmitter GABA. The mechanism of tDCS makes it an ideal therapeutic approach to treat PPD, although it has not been widely used, and its effect has not been evaluated systematically and effectively. A double-blind, randomized controlled trial will be conducted involving 240 tDCS-naive patients with PPD, who will be randomly divided into two groups. One group will receive routine clinical treatment and care with active tDCS, and the other group will receive routine clinical treatment and care with sham tDCS. Each group of patients will receive a 3-week intervention during which they will receive 20 min of active or sham tDCS 6 days per week. The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale will be administered before the intervention as a baseline and on each weekend throughout the intervention phase. Before and after the intervention, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule will be evaluated. Side effects and abnormal reactions will be recorded during each treatment. As antidepressants are banned in the study, the results will not be affected by drugs and will therefore be more accurate. Nonetheless, this experiment will be conducted in a single center as a small sample experiment. Therefore, future studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of tDCS in treating PPD.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improves Some Neurophysiological Parameters but not Clinical Outcomes after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

BACKGROUND: Disorders of consciousness (DOC) are one of the clinical hallmarks of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). DOC impair patient life quality and increase the burden on their families and society. METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of routine rehabilitation combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in DOC patients after TBI. A total of 78 DOC patients were randomly divided after TBI into two groups: participants in the treatment group received routine rehabilitation combined with an active tDCS protocol. In contrast, participants in the control group received routine rehabilitation combined with a sham tDCS protocol. An anode was placed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and a cathode was placed over the right supraorbital area. The stimulation intensity was 2 mA. Both tDCS protocols lasted for eight consecutive weeks (20 minutes per day, six days per week). Patients were followed up for a further eight weeks. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), brainstem auditory evoked potentials, somatosensory evoked potentials and electroencephalogram were measured at weeks zero, two, four, six, eight and sixteen from the start of tDCS. RESULTS: Neither the GOS nor GCS scores differed significantly between the two groups, while brainstem auditory evoked potentials, somatosensory evoked potentials and electroencephalogram scores did. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that tDCS improves some neurophysiological parameters but not clinical outcomes of DOC patients after TBI. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800014808 (The version is V.1.0). Registered on February 7, 2018. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=25003.

Non-suicidal self-injury: A bibliometrics study and visualization analysis from 2002 to 2022.

Objective: To overview the research actuality and offer the hotspots and cutting-edge issues in the field of Non-suicidal Self-injury (NSSI) by using bibliometric analysis. Materials and methods: Publications related to NSSI from 2002 to 2022 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. CiteSpace V 6.1.R2 and VOSviewer 1.6.18 were used to visually analyzed institutions, countries, journals, authors, references, and keywords in research on NSSI. Results: A total of 799 studies about NSSI were analyzed via CiteSpace and VOSviewer. The number of annual publications related to NSSI is fluctuating growth. The USA and Harvard University are the most productive country and institutions. In the case of journals and co-cited journals, Psychiatry Research are the most productive journal and also ranked highest among co-cited journals. Furthermore, Michael Kaess has published the most publications, and Matthew K. Nock is the most cited author. An article published by Swannell SV et al. shows the highest citation counts. After analysis, the most common keywords are harm, adolescents and prevalence. The gender difference, diagnosis, and dysregulation are frontier areas of NSSI research. Conclusion: This study analyzed the research of NSSI from multiple perspectives, and provides valuable information for researchers to capture the current status, hot spots, and frontier trends of NSSI.