In this study, we investigated whether gongjin-dan improves functional recovery and has neuroprotective effects on reducing the infarct volume after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). ...Infarct volume was measured using TTC staining and glucose utilization by F-18 FDG PET. Functional improvement was evaluated with the Rota-rod, treadmill, Garcia score test, and adhesive removal test. At 14 days after MCAo, neuronal cell survival, astrocytes expansion, and apoptosis were assessed by immunohistofluorescence staining in the peri-infarct region. Also, the expression of neurotrophic factors and inflammatory cytokines such as VEGF, BDNF, Cox-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-1α was measured in ischemic hemisphere regions. The gongjin-dan-treated group showed both reduced infarct volume and increased glucose utilization. Behavior tests demonstrated a significant improvement compared to the control. Also in the gongjin-dan treated group, NeuN-positive cells were increased and number of astrocytes, microglia, and apoptotic cells was significantly decreased compared with the control group in the ischemic peri-infarct area. Furthermore, the expression of VEGF and BDNF was increased and level of Cox-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-1α was decreased. These results suggest that gongjin-dan may improve functional outcome through the rapid restoration of metabolism and can be considered as a potential neuroprotective agent.
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•Surface of Me-N-C catalysts (Me = Co, Mn and Fe) was oxidized by H2O2 treatment.•Oxidized Me-N-C catalysts promoted a 2e−-pathway in oxygen reduction reactions.•Dissociation of OO ...bond was suppressed by the introduced oxygen functionalities.•Among the three metal candidates, Co-N-C showed the highest H2O2 selectivity.
The electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can provide an attractive alternative to the current anthraquinone redox process, as it combines on-site chemical and electricity productions. A major challenge in the electrochemical H2O2 synthesis is the catalyst design which leads to a selective two-electron pathway in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) without dissociation of the OO bond. In the present work, we report that the partial oxidation of metal-nitrogen-carbon catalysts (Me-N-C, Me = iron, cobalt and manganese) can modify their ORR mechanisms from a four- to a two-electron pathway. Spectroscopic measurements reveal that ex situ H2O2 treatment introduces abundant oxygen functionalities on the Me-N-C surface without considerable changes to their bulk properties, such as crystallinity, degree of defects, surface area, and metal contents. Decreased H2O2 reduction kinetics on the oxidized catalysts confirm that the dissociation of the OO bond is strongly suppressed by the newly introduced oxygen functionalities. Among the three central metal candidates, the cobalt-nitrogen-carbon catalyst shows the highest H2O2 selectivity of >85%. This work provides a new simple guideline for designing Me-N-C catalysts for the efficient electrochemical synthesis of H2O2.
Huntingtin is a ubiquitous cytoplasmic protein. Mutant huntingtin causes Huntington’s disease and its intranuclear inclusion is associated with cytotoxicity. Nuclear localization of normal huntingtin ...is detected in the oocyte up to 2.5 days post coitum. Therefore, huntingtin is expected to reside in the nucleus even before fertilization. The present study determined normal huntingtin distribution during spermatogenesis. Testicles from an adult male Sprague–Dawley rat were stained with anti-huntingtin antibody and nuclear counterstaining was performed with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. Concerning nuclear localization, huntingtin was detected in the spermatids, whereas predominant cytoplasmic localization of it was evident in the spermatogonia. Between the primary and secondary spermatocytes, huntingtin appeared to be delocalized in the nuclei when meiosis occurred. The findings provide evidence that normal huntingtin is transported to the nuclear compartment during the meiotic stage of spermatogenesis.
Electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value-added products offers a new paradigm for a sustainable carbon economy. For active CO2 electrolysis, the single-atom Ni catalyst has been proposed as ...promising from experiments, but an idealized Ni–N4 site shows an unfavorable energetics from theory, leading to many debates on the chemical nature responsible for high activity. To resolve this conundrum, here we investigated CO2 electrolysis of Ni sites with well-defined coordination, tetraphenylporphyrin (N4–TPP) and 21-oxatetraphenylporphyrin (N3O–TPP). Advanced spectroscopic and computational studies revealed that the broken ligand-field symmetry is the key for active CO2 electrolysis, which subordinates an increase in the Ni redox potential yielding NiI. Along with their importance in activity, ligand-field symmetry and strength are directly related to the stability of the Ni center. This suggests the next quest for an activity–stability map in the domain of ligand-field strength, toward a rational ligand-field engineering of single-atom Ni catalysts for efficient CO2 electrolysis.
There are few reports on outcomes following surgical repair of recurrent rectal prolapse. The purpose of this study was to examine surgical outcomes for recurrent rectal prolapse.
We conducted a ...multicenter retrospective study of patients who underwent surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse. This study used data collected by the Korean Anorectal Physiology and Pelvic Floor Disorder Study Group.
A total of 166 patients who underwent surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse were registered retrospectively between 2011 and 2016 in 8 referral hospitals. Among them, 153 patients were finally enrolled, excluding 13 patients who were not followed up postoperatively. Median follow-up duration was 40 months (range, 0.2-129.3 months). Methods of surgical repair for recurrent rectal prolapse included perineal approach (n = 96) and abdominal approach (n = 57). Postoperative complications occurred in 16 patients (10.5%). There was no significant difference in complication rate between perineal and abdominal approach groups. While patients who underwent the perineal approach were older and more fragile, patients who underwent the abdominal approach had longer operation time and admission days (P < 0.05). Overall, 29 patients (19.0%) showed re-recurrence after surgery. Among variables, none affected the re-recurrence.
For the recurrent rectal prolapse, the perineal approach is used for the old and fragile patients. The postoperative complications and re-recurrence rate between perineal and abdominal approach were not different significantly. No factor including surgical method affected re-recurrence for recurrent rectal prolapse.
Epitaxially grown III-nitride alloys are tightly bonded materials with mixed covalent-ionic bonds. This tight bonding presents tremendous challenges in developing III-nitride membranes, even though ...semiconductor membranes can provide numerous advantages by removing thick, inflexible, and costly substrates. Herein, cavities with various sizes were introduced by overgrowing target layers, such as undoped GaN and green LEDs, on nanoporous templates prepared by electrochemical etching of n-type GaN. The large primary interfacial toughness was effectively reduced according to the design of the cavity density, and the overgrown target layers were then conveniently exfoliated by engineering tensile-stressed Ni layers. The resulting III-nitride membranes maintained high crystal quality even after exfoliation due to the use of GaN-based nanoporous templates with the same lattice constant. The microcavity-assisted crack propagation process developed for the current III-nitride membranes forms a universal process for developing various kinds of large-scale and high-quality semiconductor membranes.
Sodium ozagrel (SO) prevents platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction in the cerebral ischemia. It plays an important role in the prevention of brain damage induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. ...Recently, many animal studies have suggested that the Panax ginseng (PG) has neuroprotective effects in the ischemic brain. In this study, we assessed the neuroprotective effects that come from a combination therapy of SO and PG in rat models with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Animals with MCAO were assigned randomly to one of the following four groups: (1) control (Con) group, (2) SO group (3 mg/kg, intravenously), (3) PG group (200 mg/kg, oral feeding), and (4) SO + PG group. The rats were subjected to a neurobehavior test including adhesive removal test and rotarod test at 1, 3, 7, 10, and 15 days after MCAO. The cerebral ischemic volume was quantified by Metamorph imaging software after 2-3-5-triphenyltetrazolium (TTC) staining. The neuronal cell survival and astrocytes expansion were assessed by immunohistofluorescence staining. In the adhesive removal test, the rats of PG or SO + PG group showed significantly better performance than those of the control group (Con: 88.1±24.8, PG: 43.6±11, SO + PG: 11.8±7, P<.05). Notably, the combination therapy group (SO + PG) showed better performance than the SO group alone (SO: 56±12, SO + PG: 11.8±7, P<.05). In TTC staining for infarct volume, cerebral ischemic areas were also significantly reduced in the PG group and SO + PG group (Con: 219±32, PG: 117±8, SO + PG: 99±11, P<.05). Immunohistofluorescence staining results showed that the group which received SO + PG group therapy had neuron cells in the normal range. They also had a low number of astrocytes and apoptotic cells compared with the control or SO group in the peri-infarction area. During astrocytes staining, compared to the SO + PG group, the PG group showed only minor differences in the number of NeuN-positive cells and quantitative analysis of infarct volume. In conclusion, these studies showed that in MCAO rat models, the combination therapy with SO and PG may provide better neuroprotective effects such as higher neuronal cell survival and inhibition of astrocytes expansion than monotherapy with SO alone.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
This study investigated the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the motor pathway in the transient ischemic rat brain that were transplanted through the carotid artery, measuring ...motor-evoked potential (MEP) in the four limbs muscle and the atlantooccipital membrane, which was elicited after monopolar and bipolar transcortical stimulation. After monopolar stimulation, the latency of MEP was significantly prolonged, and the amplitude was less reduced in the BMSC group in comparison with the control group (P<.05). MEPs induced by bipolar stimulation in the left forelimb could be measured in 40% of the BMSC group and the I wave that was not detected in the control group was also detected in 40% of the BMSC group. Our preliminary results imply that BMSCs transplanted to the ischemic rat brain mediate effects on the functional recovery of the cerebral motor cortex and the motor pathway.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
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•Fe-N-C catalyst was prepared for electrochemical oxygen reduction reactions.•Wetting with water and drying treatments introduced non-negligible activity loss.•Extend of the activity ...loss was affected by the treatment conditions.•Subtle changes in Fe-N-C surface were observed after the treatments.
The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is a core component of low-temperature fuel cells. The first step of MEA manufacturing is the preparation of a catalyst ink suspension in which the catalyst powder is homogeneously dispersed in a liquid solvent through mechanical or sonic agitation. In this work, we have studied the effects of catalyst dispersion in water or alcohol solutions and subsequent drying processes on the physicochemical properties of Fe-N-C catalysts and their electrocatalytic oxygen reduction activities. We find that dispersing the model Fe-N-C catalyst comprising only FeNxCy moieties in water and subsequent drying treatment change neither its bulk structure nor surface composition, as indicated by various spectroscopic measurements before and after treatment. However, zeta potential measurements, which are very sensitive to the chemistry of functionalities present on the carbon surface, reveal that the Fe-N-C catalyst becomes slightly more acidic, and that the change in their acido-basicity is magnified with a) increasing treatment temperature and b) repetitions of a same wetting/drying treatment. This small change in the surface acido-basicity of the Fe-N-C catalyst results in a measurable and reproducible decrease in its electrocatalytic activity, which shows a positive correlation with the zeta potential changes measured at pH = 1. Observed on the Fe-N-C catalyst but not on Pt/C, it is surmised that the electrocatalytic activities of the oxygen-reducing FeNxCy moieties are influenced by the surface chemistry of the carbonaceous support. Since catalyst wetting and drying processes are essential for MEA fabrication for fuel cells, these results suggest that careful attention should be paid to the conditions employed to prepare and dry catalytic inks for the family of Fe-N-C catalysts in order to obtain their highest possible ORR activity.
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor （INT） of the stomach in adults is extremely rare, with unpredictable prognosis. We present a 55-year-old woman with a gastric IMT. She experienced sudden abdominal ...pain 4 d previously. Physical examination showed mild abdominal tenderness in the hypogastrium, but no palpable abnormal abdominal mass. Abdominal CT showed a mass of approximately 8 cm in the gastrocolic ligament. On laparoscopic exploration, unexpected hemoperitoneum of approximately 1.5 L of blood was found, and an exophytic gastric mass of approximately 10 cm, appeared from the anterior wall of the gastric body along the greater curvature. Laparoscopy further showed that non- clotting blood in the abdominal cavity seemed to be from the gastric tumor. After conversion to open surgery for more precise evaluation of the cause of hemoperitoneum and the large friable tumor, gastric wedge resection, including the tumor, was conducted. The final diagnosis was consistent with IMT that originated from the gastric wall.
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