Prolonged electrical stimulation causes no damage to sacral nerve roots in rabbits

Previous studies have shown that, anode block electrical stimulation of the sacral nerve root can produce physiological urination and reconstruct urinary bladder function in rabbits. However, whether long-term anode block electrical stimulation causes damage to the sacral nerve root re- mains unclear, and needs further investigation. In this study, a complete spinal cord injury model was established in New Zealand white rabbits through T9_10 segment transection. Rabbits were given continuous electrical stimulation for a short period and then chronic stimulation for a longer period. Results showed that compared with normal rabbits, the structure of nerve cells in the anterior sacral nerve roots was unchanged in spinal cord injury rabbits after electrical stimu- lation. There was no significant difference in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax, Caspase-3, and Bcl-2. Experimental findings indicate that neurons in the rabbit sacral nerve roots tolerate electrical stimulation, even after long-term anode block electrical stimulation.

Insight into the structure-capacity relationship in biomass derived carbon for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

Carbonaceous materials are the most promising candidates as the anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), however, they still suffer from low electric conductivity and sluggish sodium ion (Na+) reaction kinetics. Appropriate composition modulation using heteroatoms doping and structure optimization is highly desired. A basic empirical understanding of the structure-capacity relationship is also urgent in tackling the above problems. Herein, multi-functional nitrogen (N) doped carbon micro-rods with enlarged interlayer spacing are synthesized and investigated as the anode in SIBs, showing an ultra-stable capacity of 161.5 mAh g^(−1) at 2 A g^(−1) for over 5000 cycles. Experimental investigations and first-principle calculations indicate that the enlarged interlayer spacing can facilitate Na+ intercalation and N doping can guarantee the high electric conductivity and favorable electrochemical active sites. Additionally, pyridinic N is theoretically proved to be more effective to enhance Na+ adsorption than pyrrolic N due to the lower adsorption energy and stronger binding energy with Na+. Full SIBs show a high capacity and cyclability, making the biomass-derived carbon micro-rods to be a promising anode for practical SIBs applications.

Air-promoted selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone at low temperature over Pd-based nanocatalysts

Attaining high activity with high selectivity at low temperature is challenging in the selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone due to its high activation energy(E_a, 55–70 kJ/mol). Here we report a simple and efficient strategy for phenol hydrogenation catalyzed by Pd in aqueous phase at 30 °C by introducing air to promote the catalysis. With the assistance of air, >99% conversion and >99% selectivity were achieved over Pd(111)/Al_2O_3 with an overall turnover frequency(TOF) of621 h^(-1), ~80 times greater than that of the state-of-art Pd catalyst at 30 °C. Mechanism studies revealed that phenol was activated to generate phenoxyl radicals. The radicals were yielded from the reaction between phenol and hydroxyl radicals in the presence of hydrogen, oxygen and protic solvent on Pd. The phenoxyl pathway resulted in a low apparent E_a(8.2 kJ/mol) and thus high activity. More importantly, this strategy of activating substrate by air can be adapted to other Pd based catalysts, offering a new thinking for the rational design of cyclohexanone production in industry.