The future of artificial hibernation medicine:protection of nerves and organs after spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is a serious disease of the central nervous system involving irreversible nerve injury and various organ system injuries.At present,no effective clinical treatment exists.As one of the artificial hibernation techniques,mild hypothermia has preliminarily confirmed its clinical effect on spinal cord injury.However,its technical defects and barriers,along with serious clinical side effects,restrict its clinical application for spinal cord injury.Artificial hibernation is a futureoriented disruptive technology for human life support.It involves endogenous hibernation inducers and hibernation-related central neuromodulation that activate particular neurons,reduce the central constant temperature setting point,disrupt the normal constant body temperature,make the body adapt"to the external cold environment,and reduce the physiological resistance to cold stimulation.Thus,studying the artificial hibernation mechanism may help develop new treatment strategies more suitable for clinical use than the cooling method of mild hypothermia technology.This review introduces artificial hibernation technologies,including mild hypothermia technology,hibernation inducers,and hibernation-related central neuromodulation technology.It summarizes the relevant research on hypothermia and hibernation for organ and nerve protection.These studies show that artificial hibernation technologies have therapeutic significance on nerve injury after spinal co rd injury through inflammatory inhibition,immunosuppression,oxidative defense,and possible central protection.It also promotes the repair and protection of res pirato ry and digestive,cardiovascular,locomoto r,urinary,and endocrine systems.This review provides new insights for the clinical treatment of nerve and multiple organ protection after spinal cord injury thanks to artificial hibernation.At present,artificial hibernation technology is not mature,and research fa ces various challenges.Neve rtheless,the effort is wo rthwhile for the future development of medicine.

Network pharmacology and subsequent experimental validation reveal the synergistic myocardial protection mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.and Carthamus tinctorius L.

Objective:To reveal the molecular mechanism underlying the compatibility of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge(S.miltiorrhiza,Dan Shen)and C.tinctorius L.(C.tinctorius,Hong Hua)as an herb pair through network pharmacology and subsequent experimental validation.Methods:Network pharmacology was applied to construct an active ingredient-efficacy target-disease protein network to reveal the unique regulation pattern of s.miltiorrhiza and C.tinctorius as herb pair.Molecular docking was used to verify the binding of the components of these herbs and their potential targets.An H9c2 glucose hypoxia model was used to evaluate the efficacy of the components and their synergistic effects,which were evaluated using the combination index.Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of these targets.Results:Network pharmacology analysis revealed 5 pathways and 8 core targets of s.miltiorrhiza and C.tinctorius in myocardial protection.Five of the core targets were enriched in the hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1)signaling pathway.S.miltiorrhiza-C.tinctorius achieved vascular tone mainly by regulating the target genes of the HIF-1 pathway.As an upstream gene of the HIF-1 pathway,STAT3 can be activated by the active ingredients cryptotanshinone(Ctan),salvianolic acid B(Sal.B),and myricetin(Myric).Cell experiments revealed that Myric,Sal.B,and Ctan also exhibited synergistic myocardial protective activity.Molecular docking verified the strong binding of Myric,Sal.B,and Ctan to STAT3.Western blot further showed that the active ingredients synergistically upregulated the protein expressionof STAT3.Conclusion:The pharmacodynamic transmission analysis revealed that the active ingredients of S.miltiorrhiza and C.tinctorius can synergistically resist ischemia through various targets and pathways.This study provides a methodological reference for interpreting traditional Chinese medicine compatibility.

Harness High-Temperature Thermal Energy via Elastic Thermoelectric Aerogels

Despite notable progress in thermoelectric(TE)materials and devices,developing TE aerogels with high-temperature resistance,superior TE performance and excellent elasticity to enable self-powered high-temperature monitoring/warning in industrial and wearable applications remains a great challenge.Herein,a highly elastic,flame-retardant and high-temperature-resistant TE aerogel,made of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/single-walled carbon nanotube(PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT)composites,has been fabricated,displaying attractive compression-induced power factor enhancement.The as-fabricated sensors with the aerogel can achieve accurately pressure stimuli detection and wide temperature range monitoring.Subsequently,a flexible TE generator is assembled,consisting of 25 aerogels connected in series,capable of delivering a maximum output power of 400μW when subjected to a temperature difference of 300 K.This demonstrates its outstanding high-temperature heat harvesting capability and promising application prospects for real-time temperature monitoring on industrial high-temperature pipelines.Moreover,the designed self-powered wearable sensing glove can realize precise wide-range temperature detection,high-temperature warning and accurate recognition of human hand gestures.The aerogel-based intelligent wearable sensing system developed for firefighters demonstrates the desired self-powered and highly sensitive high-temperature fire warning capability.Benefitting from these desirable properties,the elastic and high-temperature-resistant aerogels present various promising applications including self-powered high-temperature monitoring,industrial overheat warning,waste heat energy recycling and even wearable healthcare.

Self-actuating protection mechanisms for safer lithium-ion batteries

Safety issue is still a problem nowadays for the large-scale application of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)in electric vehicles and energy storage stations.The unsafe behaviors of LIBs arise from the thermal run-away,which is intrinsically triggered by the overcharging and overheating.To improve the safety of LIBs,various protection strategies based on self-actuating reaction control mechanisms(SRCMs)have been proposed,including redox shuttle,polymerizable monomer additive,potential-sensitive separator,thermal shutdown separator,positive-temperature-coefficient electrode,thermally polymerizable addi-tive,and reversible thermal phase transition electrolyte.As build-in protection mechanisms,these meth-ods can sensitively detect either the temperature change inside battery or the potential change of the electrode,and spontaneously shut down the electrode reaction at risky conditions,thus preventing the battery from going into thermal runaway.Given their advantages in enhancing the intrinsic safety of LIBs,this paper overviews the research progresses of SRCMs after a brief introduction of thermal runaway mechanism and limitations of conventional thermal runaway mitigating measures.More importantly,the current states and issues,key challenges,and future developing trends of SRCTs are also discussed and outlined from the viewpoint of practical application,aiming at providing insights and guidance for developing more effective SRCMs for LIBs.

Synergistic effect of Zr and Mo on precipitation and high-temperature properties of Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys

This study focuses on finding a solution to the sharp decline in mechanical properties of Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys due to rapid coarsening of traditional intermediate phases at high temperature.A new type of modified al oy,to be used in automobile engines at high temperatures,was prepared by adding Zr and Mo into Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloy.The synergistic effects of Zr and Mo on the microstructure evolution and high-temperature mechanical properties were studied.Results show that the addition of Zr and Mo generates a series of intermetallic phases dispersed in the alloy.They can improve the strength of the alloy by hindering dislocation movement and crack propagation.In addition,some nano-strengthened phases show coherent interfaces with the matrix and improve grain refinement.The addition of Mo greatly improves the heat resistance of the alloy.The extremely low diffusivity of Mo enables it to improve the thermal stability of the intermetallic phases,inhibit precipitation during aging,reduce the size of the precipitates,and improve the heat resistance of the alloy.

HZSM-5 zeolites undergoing the high-temperature process for boosting the bimolecular reaction in n-heptane catalytic cracking

High-temperature treatment is key to the preparation of zeolite catalysts.Herein,the effects of hightemperature treatment on the property and performance of HZSM-5 zeolites were studied in this work.X-Ray diffraction,N2physisorption,27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance(MAS NMR),and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia results indicated that the hightemperature treatment at 650℃ hardly affected the inherent crystal and texture of HZSM-5zeolites but facilitated the conversion of framework Al to extra-framework Al,reducing the acid site and enhancing the acid strength.Moreover,the high-temperature treatment improved the performance of HZSM-5 zeolites in n-heptane catalytic cracking,promoting the conversion and light olefins yield while inhibiting coke formation.Based on the kinetic and mechanism analysis,the improvement of HZSM-5 performance caused by high-temperature treatment has been attributed to the formation of extra-framework Al,which enhanced the acid strength,facilitated the bimolecular reaction,and promoted the entropy change to overcome a higher energy barrier in n-heptane catalytic cracking.

A spotlight on dosage and subject selection for effective neuroprotection: exploring the central role of mitochondria

Neurons are notoriously vulnerable cell types.Even the slightest change in their internal and/or external environments will cause much distress and dysfunction,leading often to their death.A range of pathological conditions,including stroke,head trauma,and neurodegenerative disease,can generate stress in neurons,affecting their survival and proper function.In most neural pathologies,mitochondria become dysfunctional and this plays a pivotal role in the process of cell death.The challenge over the last few decades has been to develop effective interventions that improve neuronal homeostasis under pathological conditions.Such interventions,often referred to as disease-modifying or neuroprotective,have,however,proved frustratingly elusive,at both preclinical and,in particular,clinical levels.In this perspective,we highlight two factors that we feel are key to the development of effective neuroprotective treatments.These are:firstly,the choice of dose of intervention and method of application,and secondly,the selection of subjects,whether they be patients or the animal model.

Enhancing Identity Protection in Metaverse-Based Psychological Counseling System

Non-face-to-face psychological counseling systems rely on network technologies to anonymize information regard-ing client identity.However,these systems often face challenges concerning voice data leaks and the suboptimal communication of the client’s non-verbal expressions,such as facial cues,to the counselor.This study proposes a metaverse-based psychological counseling system designed to enhance client identity protection while ensuring efficient information delivery to counselors during non-face-to-face counseling.The proposed systemincorporates a voicemodulation function that instantlymodifies/masks the client’s voice to safeguard their identity.Additionally,it employs real-time client facial expression recognition using an ensemble of decision trees to mirror the client’s non-verbal expressions through their avatar in the metaverse environment.The system is adaptable for use on personal computers and smartphones,offering users the flexibility to access metaverse-based psychological counseling across diverse environments.The performance evaluation of the proposed system confirmed that the voice modulation and real-time facial expression replication consistently achieve an average speed of 48.32 frames per second or higher,even when tested on the least powerful smartphone configurations.Moreover,a total of 550 actual psychological counseling sessions were conducted,and the average satisfaction rating reached 4.46 on a 5-point scale.This indicates that clients experienced improved identity protection compared to conventional non-face-to-face metaverse counseling approaches.Additionally,the counselor successfully addressed the challenge of conveying non-verbal cues from clients who typically struggled with non-face-to-face psychological counseling.The proposed systemholds significant potential for applications in interactive discussions and educational activities in the metaverse.

A Novel Fracturing Fluid with High-Temperature Resistance for Ultra-Deep Reservoirs

Ultra-deep reservoirs play an important role at present in fossil energy exploitation.Due to the related high temperature,high pressure,and high formation fracture pressure,however,methods for oil well stimulation do not produce satisfactory results when conventional fracturing fluids with a low pumping rate are used.In response to the above problem,a fracturing fluid with a density of 1.2~1.4 g/cm^(3)was developed by using Potassium formatted,hydroxypropyl guanidine gum and zirconium crosslinking agents.The fracturing fluid was tested and its ability to maintain a viscosity of 100 mPa.s over more than 60 min was verified under a shear rate of 1701/s and at a temperature of 175℃.This fluid has good sand-carrying performances,a low viscosity after breaking the rubber,and the residue content is less than 200 mg/L.Compared with ordinary reconstruction fluid,it can increase the density by 30%~40%and reduce the wellhead pressure of 8000 m level reconstruction wells.Moreover,the new fracturing fluid can significantly mitigate safety risks.

Wood By-Products as UV Protection:A Consequence Review

In recent decades,the ozone layer has suffered considerable damage,increasing the entry of ultraviolet(UV)light into the atmosphere and reaching the earth’s surface,negatively affecting life.Accordingly,researchers aimed to solve this problem by synthesizing advanced UV-shielding materials.On the other hand,developing an easy and green strategy to prepare functional materials with outstanding properties based on naturally abundant and environmentally friendly raw materials is highly desirable for sustainable development.Because biomass-derived materials are sustainable and biodegradable,they present a promising substitute for petroleum-based polymers.The three main structural constituents of the plant biomass-based materials that are naturally available are cellulose,hemicellulose,and lignin.This review details current developments using wood-based products such as cellulose,hemicellulose,and lignin in UV-shielding applications.It will start with assembling the structure and chemistry of cellulose,hemicellulose,and lignin,followed by their contributions to preparing UV-shielding materials.Finally,it will briefly discuss the different processing methods for the design of UV-shielding materials.The wood by-products offer additional opportunities to use the whole tree harvest.

Novel Method for Evaluating the Aging of Aviation Turbine Engine Oils via High-Temperature Bearing Deposit Tests

Aviation turbine engine oils require excellent thermal-oxidative stability because of their high-temperature environments.High-temperature bearing deposit testing is a mandatory method for measuring the thermal-oxidative performance of aviation lubricant oils,and the relevant apparatus was improved in the present study.Two different commercial aviation turbine engine oils were tested,one with standard performance(known as the SL oil)and the other with high thermal stability,and their thermal-oxidative stability characteristics were evaluated.After 100 h of high-temperature bearing testing,the SL oil was analyzed by using various analytical techniques to investigate its thermal-oxidative process in the bearing test,with its thermal-oxidative degradation mechanism also being discussed.The results indicate that the developed high-temperature bearing apparatus easily meets the test requirements of method 3410.1 in standard FED-STD-791D.The viscosity and total acid number(TAN)of the SL oil increased with the bearing test time,and various deposits were produced in the bearing test,with the micro-particles of the carbon deposits being sphere-like,rod-like,and sheet-like in appearance.The antioxidant additives in the oil were consumed very rapidly in the first 30 h of the bearing test,with N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine being consumed faster than dioctyldiphenylamine.Overall,the oil thermal-oxidative process involves very complex physical and chemical mechanisms.

Formation and ecological response of sand patches in the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway,China

The development of bare patches typically signifies a process of ecosystem degradation.Within the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway,the extensive emergence of bare sand patches poses a threat to both stability and sustainability.However,there is limited knowledge regarding the morphology,dynamic changes,and ecological responses associated with these sand patches.Therefore,we analyzed the formation and development process of sand patches within the protection system and its effects on herbaceous vegetation growth and soil nutrients through field observation,survey,and indoor analysis methods.The results showed that sand patch development can be divided into three stages,i.e.,formation,expansion,and stabilization,which correspond to the initial,actively developing,and semi-fixed sand patches,respectively.The average dimensions of all sand patch erosional areas were found to be 7.72 m in length,3.91 m in width,and 0.32 m in depth.The actively developing sand patches were the largest,and the initial sand patches were the smallest.Throughout the stage of formation and expansion,the herbaceous community composition changed,and the plant density decreased by more than 50.95%.Moreover,the coverage and height of herbaceous plants decreased in the erosional area and slightly increased in the depositional lobe;and the fine particles and nutrients of soils in the erosional area and depositional lobe showed a decreasing trend.In the stabilization phases of sand patches,the area from the inlet to the bottom of sand patches becomes initially covered with crusts.Vegetation and 0-2 cm surface soil condition improved in the erosional area,but this improvement was not yet evident in the depositional lobe.Factors such as disturbance,climate change,and surface resistance to erosion exert notable influences on the formation and dynamics of sand patches.The results can provide evidence for the future treatment of sand patches and the management of the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway.

Redundant Data Detection and Deletion to Meet Privacy Protection Requirements in Blockchain-Based Edge Computing Environment

With the rapid development of information technology,IoT devices play a huge role in physiological health data detection.The exponential growth of medical data requires us to reasonably allocate storage space for cloud servers and edge nodes.The storage capacity of edge nodes close to users is limited.We should store hotspot data in edge nodes as much as possible,so as to ensure response timeliness and access hit rate;However,the current scheme cannot guarantee that every sub-message in a complete data stored by the edge node meets the requirements of hot data;How to complete the detection and deletion of redundant data in edge nodes under the premise of protecting user privacy and data dynamic integrity has become a challenging problem.Our paper proposes a redundant data detection method that meets the privacy protection requirements.By scanning the cipher text,it is determined whether each sub-message of the data in the edge node meets the requirements of the hot data.It has the same effect as zero-knowledge proof,and it will not reveal the privacy of users.In addition,for redundant sub-data that does not meet the requirements of hot data,our paper proposes a redundant data deletion scheme that meets the dynamic integrity of the data.We use Content Extraction Signature(CES)to generate the remaining hot data signature after the redundant data is deleted.The feasibility of the scheme is proved through safety analysis and efficiency analysis.

High-performance and robust high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes with moderate microphase separation by implementation of terphenyl-based polymers

Acid loss and plasticization of phosphoric acid(PA)-doped high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes(HT-PEMs)are critical limitations to their practical application in fuel cells.To overcome these barriers,poly(terphenyl piperidinium)s constructed from the m-and p-isomers of terphenyl were synthesized to regulate the microstructure of the membrane.Highly rigid p-terphenyl units prompt the formation of moderate PA aggregates,where the ion-pair interaction between piperidinium and biphosphate is reinforced,leading to a reduction in the plasticizing effect.As a result,there are trade-offs between the proton conductivity,mechanical strength,and PA retention of the membranes with varied m/p-isomer ratios.The designed PA-doped PTP-20m membrane exhibits superior ionic conductivity,good mechanical strength,and excellent PA retention over a wide range of temperature(80–160°C)as well as satisfactory resistance to harsh accelerated aging tests.As a result,the membrane presents a desirable combination of performance(1.462 W cm^(-2) under the H_(2)/O_(2)condition,which is 1.5 times higher than that of PBI-based membrane)and durability(300 h at 160°C and 0.2 A cm^(-2))in the fuel cell.The results of this study provide new insights that will guide molecular design from the perspective of microstructure to improve the performance and robustness of HT-PEMs.

Recent Advances in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Protection and Therapy

For preterm infants, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is usually caused by abnormal lung development due to various factors during prenatal and postnatal process. One of the reasons for death and bad prognosis of preterm infants is to have BPD. Up to now, there are no unified strategies or drugs to treat BPD. In clinical, many intervention treatments have been applied to achieve BPD therapy, mainly including preterm protection, protective ventilation strategies, and delivery of corticosteroids, pulmonary vasodilators, and antioxidants. This review summarizes the current advances in BPD protection and treatment, and notes that gut microbiota and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be the promising strategy for protecting and treating BPD in the future.

Comprehensive Overview and Analytical Study on Automatic Bird Repellent Laser System for Crop Protection

Birds are a huge hazard to agriculture all around the world,causing harm to profitable field crops.Growers use a variety of techniques to keep them away,including visual,auditory,tactile,and olfactory deterrents. This study presents a comprehensive overview of current bird repellant approaches used in agricultural contexts,as well as potential new ways. The bird repellent techniques include Internet of Things technology,Deep Learning,Convolutional Neural Network,Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,Wireless Sensor Networks and Laser biotechnology. This study’s goal is to find and review about previous approach towards repellent of birds in the crop fields using various technologies.

Advancements in enhancing corrosion protection of Mg alloys:A comprehensive review on the synergistic effects of combining inhibitors with PEO coating

Magnesium(Mg)alloys are lightweight materials with excellent mechanical properties,making them attractive for various applications,including aerospace,automotive,and biomedical industries.However,the practical application of Mg alloys is limited due to their high susceptibility to corrosion.Plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO),or micro-arc oxidation(MAO),is a coating method that boosts Mg alloys'corrosion resistance.However,despite the benefits of PEO coatings,they can still exhibit certain limitations,such as failing to maintain long-term protection as a result of their inherent porosity.To address these challenges,researchers have suggested the use of inhibitors in combination with PEO coatings on Mg alloys.Inhibitors are chemical compounds that can be incorporated into the coating or applied as a post-treatment to further boost the corrosion resistance of the PEO-coated Mg alloys.Corrosion inhibitors,whether organic or inorganic,can act by forming a protective barrier,hindering the corrosion process,or modifying the surface properties to reduce susceptibility to corrosion.Containers can be made of various materials,including polyelectrolyte shells,layered double hydroxides,polymer shells,and mesoporous inorganic materials.Encapsulating corrosion inhibitors in containers fully compatible with the coating matrix and substrate is a promising approach for their incorporation.Laboratory studies of the combination of inhibitors with PEO coatings on Mg alloys have shown promising results,demonstrating significant corrosion mitigation,extending the service life of Mg alloy components in aggressive environments,and providing self-healing properties.In general,this review presents available information on the incorporation of inhibitors with PEO coatings,which can lead to improved performance of Mg alloy components in demanding environments.

Integrated multi-scale approach combining global homogenization and local refinement for multi-field analysis of high-temperature superconducting composite magnets

Second-generation high-temperature superconducting(HTS)conductors,specifically rare earth-barium-copper-oxide(REBCO)coated conductor(CC)tapes,are promising candidates for high-energy and high-field superconducting applications.With respect to epoxy-impregnated REBCO composite magnets that comprise multilayer components,the thermomechanical characteristics of each component differ considerably under extremely low temperatures and strong electromagnetic fields.Traditional numerical models include homogenized orthotropic models,which simplify overall field calculation but miss detailed multi-physics aspects,and full refinement(FR)ones that are thorough but computationally demanding.Herein,we propose an extended multi-scale approach for analyzing the multi-field characteristics of an epoxy-impregnated composite magnet assembled by HTS pancake coils.This approach combines a global homogenization(GH)scheme based on the homogenized electromagnetic T-A model,a method for solving Maxwell's equations for superconducting materials based on the current vector potential T and the magnetic field vector potential A,and a homogenized orthotropic thermoelastic model to assess the electromagnetic and thermoelastic properties at the macroscopic scale.We then identify“dangerous regions”at the macroscopic scale and obtain finer details using a local refinement(LR)scheme to capture the responses of each component material in the HTS composite tapes at the mesoscopic scale.The results of the present GH-LR multi-scale approach agree well with those of the FR scheme and the experimental data in the literature,indicating that the present approach is accurate and efficient.The proposed GH-LR multi-scale approach can serve as a valuable tool for evaluating the risk of failure in large-scale HTS composite magnets.

Efficient unequal error protection for online fountain codes

In this paper,an efficient unequal error protection(UEP)scheme for online fountain codes is proposed.In the buildup phase,the traversing-selection strategy is proposed to select the most important symbols(MIS).Then,in the completion phase,the weighted-selection strategy is applied to provide low overhead.The performance of the proposed scheme is analyzed and compared with the existing UEP online fountain scheme.Simulation results show that in terms of MIS and the least important symbols(LIS),when the bit error ratio is 10-4,the proposed scheme can achieve 85%and 31.58%overhead reduction,respectively.

Influence of ecological function protection zone on the water conservation in Gansu-Qinghai Contiguous Region of the upper Yellow River

The implementation of Ecological Function Protection Zone(EFPZ)policy is significant for the ecological restoration and conservation of soil and water in the territory space.This manuscript analyzed and quantified the impact of EFPZ on the regional water conservation function,based on land use data from 2005,2008,2010,2015 and 2020,by conducting a counterfactual simulation along with the GeoSOS-FLUS model and the InVEST model.The results demonstrate that the delineation of EFPZ can significantly influence the water conservation.(1)From 2010 to 2020,as the EFPZ was implemented,the water conservation in the study area was increasing year by year,with a growth rate of 0.03×10^(8) m^(3)∙a^(-1).On the other hand,the simulated water conservation capacity without the implementation of EFPZ decreased year by year,with a decrease rate of 0.01×10^(8) m^(3)∙a^(-1).(2)The EFPZ accounts for only 23%of the total area,but the contribution rate of water conservation reaches 80%.The actual values of water conservation and average water yield per unit pixel in the EFPZ show an increasing trend both internally and externally,while the counterfactual simulation values exhibit a decreasing trend.(3)The water conservation is much higher within the EFPZ than without EFPZ.The implementation of EFPZ has a significant effect on the improvement of the water conservation capacity in Maqu EFPZ and Yellow River Source EFPZ.The protection effectiveness should be enhanced in Qilian Mountain EFPZ and afforestation activities need to be carefully considered in Loess Plateau EFPZ.