Microglia are brain resident macrophages originated from primitive progenitor cells in the yolk sac. Microglia can be activated within hours and recruited to the lesion site. Traditionally, microglia ...activation is considered to play a deleterious role in ischemic stroke, as inhibition of microglia activation attenuates ischemia induced brain injury. However, increasing evidence show that microglia activation is critical for attenuating neuronal apoptosis, enhancing neurogenesis, and promoting functional recovery after cerebral ischemia. Differential polarization of microglia could likely explain the biphasic role of microglia in ischemia. We comprehensively reviewed the mechanisms involved in regulating microglia activation and polarization. The latest discoveries of microRNAs in modulating microglia function are discussed. In addition, the interaction between microglia and other cells including neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and stem cells were also reviewed. Future therapies targeting microglia may not exclusively aim at suppressing microglia activation, but also at modulating microglia polarization at different stages of ischemic stroke. More work is needed to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of microglia polarization under ischemic environment. The roles of microRNAs and transplanted stem cells in mediating microglia activation and polarization during brain ischemia also need to be further studied.
The transport sector is recognized as one of the largest carbon emitters. To achieve China’s carbon peak commitment in the Paris Agreement on schedule, it is indispensable to explore the peak carbon ...emissions and mitigation strategies in the transport sector. Many researches in the past have contextualized in China’s total emissions peak, while the study about forecasting China’s transport CO
2
emissions peak seldom appeared, especially the application of intelligent prediction model. To further investigate the determinants and forecast the peak of transport CO
2
emissions in China accurately, a novel bio-inspired prediction model is proposed in this paper, namely, the extreme learning machine (ELM) optimized by manta rays foraging optimization (MRFO), hereafter referred as MRFO-ELM. Adhering to this hybrid model, the mean impact value (MIV) method is then employed to evaluate and differentiate the importance of thirteen influencing factors. Additionally, three scenarios are set to conduct prediction of China’s transport CO
2
emissions. The empirical results indicate that the proposed MRFO-ELM has excellent performance in terms of the optimization searching velocity and prediction accuracy. Simultaneously the level of vehicle electrification is verified to be one of the emerging major factors affecting China’s transport CO
2
emissions. The transport CO
2
emissions in China would peak in 2039 under the baseline model scenario, while the plateau would occur in 2035 or 2043 under sustainable development mode and high growth mode, respectively. The peak years imply much pressure on China’s transport carbon emissions abatement currently, whereas active policy adjustments can effectively urge the earlier occurrence of the emission peak. These new findings suggest that it is essential for China to improve the energy mix and encourage the electric energy replacement in line with urbanization pace, so as to achieve CO
2
emissions mitigation in the transport industry.
Artificial photosynthesis of high-valued chemicals is a promising route to alleviate global warming and energy crisis. Herein, a layered hybrid heterojunction of TiO2/Ti3C2 was synthesized by a ...facile hydrothermal oxidation method. The TiO2/Ti3C2 heterojunction was further functionalized by imine ligands and Pd nanoparticles, and used as a photocathode in CO2 reduction for the first time. These layered TiO2/Ti3C2 heterojunction materials have narrow band gap (2.1 eV), which contributes to the absorption of visible light. In the artificial photosynthetic cell of Pd/N-TiO2/Ti3C2||BiVO4, some hydrocarbon, such as formate, methanol and ethanol, were generated efficiently. The evolution rate of total hydrocarbon was as high as 73.6 μM cm−2 h−1 (36.8 mM h−1 g−1). The hydrogen gas can be evolved in the photoelectrocatalysis cell when the external voltage provided by Si solar cell is as low as − 0.4 V, due to the high activity of the heterojunction structure. The highest apparent light quantum efficiency of artificial photosynthesis cell was 1.78% at − 1.0 V. The carbon source of products was derived from CO2, which was verified by 13CO2 labeling experiments. The experimental results suggest that the in-situ formed TiO2/Ti3C2 heterojunction materials can be employed as candidates for efficiently photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to chemical fuels.
Display omitted
•In-situ grown TiO2/Ti3C2 heterojunction was firstly synthesized, functionalized and used as a photocathode in CO2 reduction.•The heterojunction benefits to the transfer of charge carries and the visible light absorption.•This APS cell of Pd/N-TiO2/Ti3C2||BiVO4 can generate formate, methanol and ethanol in a evolution rate of 36.8 mM h−1g−1.•The highest apparent light quantum efficiency was up to 1.78 % that is 4 times of plants.
To investigate whether respiratory muscle training is capable of reducing the occurrence of respiratory complications and improving dysphagia (swallowing or cough function) after stroke.
Cochrane ...Library, Excerpta Medical Database (EMBASE), PUBMED, and Web of Science were searched for studies published in English; the China Biology Medicine (CBM), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Database were searched for studies published in Chinese up to August 10, 2021.
Eleven randomized control trials (RCTs) (N=523) met the inclusion criteria were included in this systematic review.
Data and information were extracted by two reviewers independently and disagreements was resolved by consensus with a third coauthor. Primary outcome was the occurrence of respiratory complications, secondary outcomes would be represented by swallowing and cough function. The quality of each included RCT were assessed by Cochrane risk-of-bias criteria and the GRADE evidence profile was provided to present information about the body of evidence and judgments about the certainty of underlying evidence for each outcome.
Respiratory muscle training reduced the risk of respiratory complications (relative risk, 0.51; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.28-0.93; I2=0%; P=.03; absolute risk difference, 0.068; number need to treat, 14.71) compared with no or sham respiratory intervention. It also decreased the liquid-type Penetration-Aspiration Scale scores by 0.81 (95% CI, –1.19 to –0.43; I2=39%; P<.0001). There was no significant association between respiratory muscle training and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores, cough function: increased FOIS scores by 0.47 (95% CI, –0.45 to 1.39; I2=55%; P=.32), decreased peak expiratory cough flow of voluntary cough by 18.70 L per minute (95% CI, –59.74 to 22.33; I2=19%; P=.37) and increased peak expiratory cough flow of reflex cough by 0.05 L per minute (95% CI, –40.78 to 40.87; I2=0%; P>.99).
This meta-analysis provided evidence that respiratory muscle training is effective in reducing the risk of respiratory complications and improving dysphagia by reducing penetration or aspiration during swallowing liquid bolus after stroke. However, there was no sufficient evidence to determine that respiratory muscle training improves cough function. Additional multicenter studies using larger patient cohorts are required to validate and support these findings. Furthermore, long-term follow-up studies should be performed to measure outcomes, while avoiding bias due to confounding factors such as heterogeneity of the etiologies of dysphagia.
The pathological role of reactive gliosis in CNS repair remains controversial. In this study, using murine ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke models, we demonstrated that microglia/macrophages and ...astrocytes are differentially involved in engulfing synapses in the reactive gliosis region. By specifically deleting MEGF10 and MERTK phagocytic receptors, we determined that inhibiting phagocytosis of microglia/macrophages or astrocytes in ischemic stroke improved neurobehavioral outcomes and attenuated brain damage. In hemorrhagic stroke, inhibiting phagocytosis of microglia/macrophages but not astrocytes improved neurobehavioral outcomes. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that phagocytosis related biological processes and pathways were downregulated in astrocytes of the hemorrhagic brain compared to the ischemic brain. Together, these findings suggest that reactive microgliosis and astrogliosis play individual roles in mediating synapse engulfment in pathologically distinct murine stroke models and preventing this process could rescue synapse loss.
This article is a new attempt to apply the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a qualitative analytical framework for examining the possible roles played by multilateral platforms in facilitating ...cross-border transport infrastructural projects at regional/continental scale. Given its magnitude, diversity and uniqueness, the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, as a multi-country platform along the contemporary Eurasia trade routes, underpins our diagnoses. The Chinese government posited B&R Initiative as an economic prescription which is premised on the provision of infrastructural connectivity across the Eurasia continent. By treating human and non-human elements symmetrically, ANT possesses wide scope elasticity that helps describe the dynamic interrelationships among various actors/actants, including the ways how government and state-controlled actors rationalized cross-border infrastructure projects by anchoring discourses about the thriving B&R network. Based on the analyses of three case studies, we argue that B&R Initiative has been a catalyst and obligatory passage point (OPP) for facilitating transnational transport infrastructure projects in garnering required resources and supports, though its efficacy might be subdued by other factors such as political contentions.
The photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction is an attracting research field in chemistry, materials, environment and energy science. In this paper, a heterojunction TiO2@ZnO was in-situ fabricated onto ...the FTO glass. The multi-functionalized heterojunctions of M-TiO2@ZnO/FTO (M = Pd, Pt, Ni and Au) were used as photocathodes in the photoelectrocatalytic cell of dye/M-TiO2@ZnO/FTO|KHCO3|BiVO4. The working electrodes of dye/M-TiO2@ZnO/FTO were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, EPR, UV–vis, and FT-IR spectra. These photoelectrocatalytic cells convert efficiently CO2 to hydrocarbons at voltage of −0.6 ∼ − 1.0 V under simulated sunlight irradiation. The conduction band potential of heterojunction TiO2@ZnO/FTO was adjusted by metal deposition, including Pd, Pt, Ni and Au, which can basically affect the process of CO2 reduction and give different selectivity for hydrocarbons, such as, methanol, ethanol, formic acid and acetic acid. The M-TiO2@ZnO/FTO photocathodes, possessing lower conduction band (CB) than − 0.38 V of standard reduction for methanol, can produce hydrocarbons due to the action of photons. On the other hand, the high electron charge transfer and active Ti3+ cations of TiO2@ZnO/FTO heterojunction could augment the activity of photoelectrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide, yielding total hydrocarbons in a formation rate of 62.4 μM cm−2 h−1.
Neural stem cells (NSCs) show therapeutic potential for ischemia in young-adult animals. However, the effect of aging on NSC therapy is largely unknown. In this work, NSCs were transplanted into aged ...(24-month-old) and young-adult (3-month-old) rats at 1 day after stroke. Infarct volume and neurobehavioral outcomes were examined. The number of differentiated NSCs was compared in aged and young-adult ischemic rats and angiogenesis and neurogenesis were also determined. We found that aged rats developed larger infarcts than young-adult rats after ischemia (P<0.05). The neurobehavioral outcome was also worse for aged rats comparing with young-adult rats. Brain infarction and neurologic deficits were attenuated after NSC transplantation in both aged and young-adult rats. The number of survived NSCs in aged rats was similar to that of the young-adult rats (P>0.05) and most of them were differentiated into glial fibrillary acidic protein+ (GFAP+) cells. More importantly, angiogenesis and neurogenesis were greatly enhanced in both aged and young-adult rats after transplantation compared with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) control (P<0.05), accompanied by increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Our results showed that NSC therapy reduced ischemic brain injury, along with increased angiogenesis and neurogenesis in aged rats, suggesting that aging-related microenvironment does not preclude a beneficial response to NSCs transplantation during cerebral ischemia.
Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have been shown in several studies to improve the motor recovery of the affected upper-limbs in stroke patients. This study aims to investigate whether or ...not cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (c-tDCS), combined with virtual reality (VR), is superior to VR alone in reducing motor impairment and improving upper limb function and quality of life in stroke patients.
Forty patients who suffered ischemic stroke between 2 weeks to 12 months were recruited for this single-blind randomized control trial. The patients were randomly assigned either to an experimental group who receiving c-tDCS and VR, or a control group receiving sham stimulation and VR. The cathodal electrode was positioned over the primary motor cortex (M1) of the unaffected hemisphere. The treatment session consisted of 20 min of daily therapy, for 10 sessions over a 2-week period. The outcome measures were the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FM-UE), the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and the Barthel Index (BI).
The two groups were comparable in demographic characteristic and motor impairment. After 2 weeks of intervention, both groups demonstrated significant improvement in FM-UE, ARAT and BI scores (P<0.05).The experiment group demonstrated more improvement in FM-UE than the control group (10.1 vs. 6.4, p = 0.003) and, ARAT (7.0 vs 3.6, p = 0.026) and BI (12.8 vs 8.5, p = 0.043).
The findings from our study support that c-tDCS, along with VR, can facilitate a stronger beneficial effect on upper limb motor impairment, function and quality of life than VR alone in patients with ischemic stroke.
The study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800019386) in November 8, 2018-Retrospectively registered.
In certain neurological disorders such as stroke, the impairment of upper limb function significantly impacts daily life quality and necessitates enhanced neurological control. This poses a ...formidable challenge in the realm of rehabilitation due to its intricate nature. Moreover, the plasticity of muscle synergy proves advantageous in assessing the enhancement of motor function among stroke patients pre and post rehabilitation training intervention, owing to the modular control strategy of central nervous system. It also facilitates the investigation of long-term alterations in remodeling of muscle functional performance among patients undergoing clinical rehabilitation, aiming to establish correlations between changes in muscle synergies and stroke characteristics such as type, stage, and sites. In this study, a three-week rehabilitation monitoring experiment was conducted to assess the motor function of stroke patients at different stages of rehabilitation based on muscle synergy performance. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the correlation between clinical scale scores, rehabilitation stages, and synergy performance in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of stroke patient recovery. The results of 7 healthy controls and 16 stroke patients showed that high-functioning patients were superior to low-functioning patients in terms of motor function plasticity towards healthy individuals. Moreover, there was a high positive correlation between muscle synergies and clinical scale scores in high-functioning patients, and the significance gradually emerged with treatment, highlighting the potential of muscle synergy plasticity as a valuable tool for monitoring rehabilitation progress. The potential of this study was also demonstrated for elucidating the physiological mechanisms underlying motor function reconstruction within the central nervous system, which is expected to promote the further application of muscle synergy in clinical assessment.
PDF
