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Aims: Comorbid anxiodepressive‐like symptoms (CADS) in chronic pain are closely related to the overactivation of the lateral habenula (LHb). Hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐gated (HCN) channels have been implicated to play a key role in regulating neuronal excitability. However, the role of HCN channels in the LHb during CADS has not yet been characterized. This study aimed to investigate the effect of HCN channels in the LHb on CADS during chronic pain. Methods: After chronic neuropathic pain induction by spared nerve injury (SNI), mice underwent a sucrose preference test, forced swimming test, tail suspension test, open‐field test, and elevated plus maze test to evaluate their anxiodepressive‐like behaviors. Electrophysiological recordings, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, pharmacological experiments, and virus knockdown strategies were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Results: Evident anxiodepressive‐like behaviors were observed 6w after the SNI surgery, accompanied by increased neuronal excitability, enhanced HCN channel function, and increased expression of HCN2 isoforms in the LHb. Either pharmacological inhibition or virus knockdown of HCN2 channels significantly reduced LHb neuronal excitability and ameliorated both pain and depressive‐like behaviors. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the LHb neurons were hyperactive under CADS in chronic pain, and this hyperactivation possibly resulted from the enhanced function of HCN channels and up‐regulation of HCN2 isoforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of 2D nitrogen-rich nanopolymers has been synthesized by the cross-linking reaction of triaminoguanidine nitrate (TAGN) with glyoxal at various designated experimental conditions. These nanopolymers could be used as ligands of insensitive energetic complexes as well as the desensitizing agents of nitramines. It is quite important to investigate the structural dependence of this material on its thermal reactivity. The results showed that the obtained polymer so-called TAGP has a nanolayered 2D network-type structure with a diameter of roughly 10 nm scale defects. In particular, the TAGP samples with a higher molecular weight could be obtained by increasing the reaction temperature and the TAGN concentration. It is worth noting that the nitramine crystals constrained with TAGP layers with higher molecular weight have a higher energy density. Significantly, the control of activation energy (Ea) and kinetic models for TAGP samples can be achieved by adjusting the reaction conditions. The Ea of the resulting TAGP samples decreases with the increase in their cross-linking concentration. Specifically, the TAGP obtained from the TAGN/DMSO solution with the lowest concentration exhibits the highest Ea value of 134.1 kJ·mol–1, which corresponds to the F1 decomposition model. Conversely, the TAGP obtained from the highest concentration has a significantly lower Ea value of only 81.0 kJ·mol–1, following an A2 model. The TAGP samples with intermediate concentrations conform to the random chain scission (L2) model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-coking wastewater contains a rich source of toxic and refractory compounds. Three-dimensional electro-Fenton (3D/EF) process used CuFe2O4 as heterocatalyst and activated carbon (AC) as particle electrode was constructed for degrading semi-coking wastewater greenly and efficiently. CuFe2O4 nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS). Factors like dosage of CuFe2O4, applied voltage, dosage of AC and pH, which effect COD removal rate of semi-coking waste water were studied. The results showed that COD removal rate reached to 80.9% by 3D/EF process at the optimum condition: 4 V, 0.3 g of CuFe2O4, 1 g of AC and pH = 3. Trapping experiment suggesting that hydroxyl radical (•OH) is the main active radical. The surface composition and chemical states of the fresh and used CuFe2O4 were analyzed by XPS indicating that Fe, Cu, and O species are involved into the 3D/EF process. Additionally, anode oxidation and the adsorption and catalysis of AC are also contributed to the bleaching of semi-coking waste water. The possible mechanisms of 3D/EF for degrading semi-coking waste water by CuFe2O4 heterocatalyst were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High energy density is always a key goal in the development of energy storage or energetic materials (EMs). Apart from exploring novel EMs with high chemical energy, it is also desirable for traditional EMs to be assembled at a higher density. It has been shown that a molecular level compression effect occurs due to the stacking of 2D triaminoguanidine–glyoxal polymer (TAGP) layers, resulting in a higher density packing of HMX molecules with changed conformation (qy-HMX). The qy-HMX crystal formed under compression in the solvent has a unit cell parameter very close to that of a reported system observed under a pressure of 0.2 GPa. This shows that the qy-HMX molecules are trapped in the TAGP layers, resulting in a higher density (e.g. 2.13 g cm−3), heat of formation and better stability. Certain types of constrained qy-HMX crystals are free from defects, where no polymorphic transition and melting point are observed upon heating. Experiments and relevant calculations show that the best resulted hybrid HMX crystal has a detonation velocity of 10.40 km s−1 and pressure of 53.9 GPa, respectively. Its ground specific impulse reaches about 292 s, much better than that of CL-20, making it a promising propellant component for use in future space explorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stable multi domain wall states containing two or more domain walls can be obtained based on our microscopic model. • A novel hybrid st ate consisting of two domain walls and one centered vortex tends to emerge as the zero field ground state of the rectangular system. • Complex coreless skyrmionic states with different enclosed structures of domain walls c an appear in the rectangular sample. In the framework of the microscopic Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory, we investigate the topological defect states in mesoscopic chiral p -wave superconducting rectangles. In the absence of applied magnetic field, stable multi-domain-wall states containing two or more domain walls can be obtained with the increase of the aspect ratio of the rectangle at zero temperature. When the external field is applied, the multi-domain-wall state can only be found as the ground state at finite flux. Interestingly, a hybrid state consisting of two domain walls and one centered vortex tends to emerge as the zero-field ground state of the rectangular system. For enlarged applied flux, several coreless skyrmionic states with different enclosed structures of domain walls as well as the half-quantum vortex-antivortex pair can appear in the present sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantitative evaluation method has been developed to study the effects of nanoadditives on thermal decomposition mechanisms of energetic compounds using the conventional thermogravimetry coupled with mass spectrometry (TG/MS) technique. The decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) under the effect of several energetic catalysts has been investigated as a demonstration. In particular, these catalysts are transition metal (Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+) complexes of triaminoguanidine (TAG), using graphene oxide (GO) as dopant. They have been well-compared in terms of their catalytic effects on the concentration of the released gaseous products of AP. These detailed quantitative analyses of the gaseous products of AP provide a proof that the proton transfer between ∙O and O2 determines the catalytic decomposition pathways, which largely depend on the type of reactive centers of the catalysts. This quantitative method could be applied to evaluate the catalytic effects of any other additives on the thermal decomposition of various energetic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactones, caroguaianolide A–E ( 1 – 5 ), along with nine known sesquiterpene lactones ( 6 – 14 ) were isolated from the whole plant of Carpesium abrotanoides L. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic date, HRESIMS analysis, and comparison of experimental and calculated ECD data. All isolated compounds ( 1 – 14 ) were tested in vitro for their cytotoxic activities against the MDA-MB-231, HGC-27 cancer cell lines, of which compounds 1 – 3 , 6 , 7 , 11 and 12 showed significant cytotoxic activities with IC 50 values ranging from 2.67 to 12.34 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA (miR)-210 in the development of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Human nucleus pulposus (NP) samples were collected from patients with scoliosis and IDD (n=12 each) as the scoliosis control and IDD groups, respectively. The expression levels of miR-210 were detected using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In vitro overexpression and knockdown of miR-210 in human NP cells were achieved by transfection of NP cells with lentiviral pre-miR-210 and antagomiR-210, respectively. The protein expression levels of homeobox A9 (HOXA9) were then detected in NP cells with modulated miR-210 using western blot analysis. Flow cytometry with allophycocyanin-Annexin V/7 and 7-aminoactinomycin D staining was also used to detect the proportion of NP cells with modulated miR-210 undergoing apoptosis. The current study revealed that the miR-210 expression was decreased in patients with IDD compared with that of the scoliosis control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the upregulation of miR-210 with pre-miR-210 led to the repression of HOXA9. The HOXA9 level was significantly lower in these cells compared with that of NP cells treated with a corresponding negative sequence (P<0.05). Knockdown of miR-210 with antagomiR-210 resulted in upregulation of HOXA9 in NP cells, determined as the level of HOXA9 was significantly higher than that of NP cells treated with a negative sequence (P<0.05). The proportion of apoptotic NP cells also significantly decreased following treatment with pre-miR-210 compared with the scoliosis control group (12.1±1.43 vs. 23.8±1.22%, respectively; P<0.05). In conclusion, downregulation of miR-210 may promote Fas-mediated apoptosis in human IDD by regulating the expression of HOXA9. This indicates that miR-210 may be closely associated with the development of IDD and may act as a novel target in IDD treatment.

Spinal cord injury (SCI)‑induced osteoporosis may cause mild trauma to bone and increase the risk of bone fracture. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of coenzyme Q (CoQ10) on SCI‑induced osteoporosis in rats. SCI was induced by surgical transection of the cord at the T10‑12 level. Animals were treated with CoQ10 (10 mg/kg; intragastrically) daily from 12 h after the surgery and over 10 subsequent days. At the end of the experimental period, blood was collected from the animals and femurs and tibiae were removed for evaluation using biochemical assays. Treatment with CoQ10 prevented SCI‑induced bone loss by rescuing the decreased levels of bone mineral density and bone mineral content observed in the SCI rats. Furthermore, CoQ10 administration reduced bone malondialdehyde levels with a concomitant increase in superoxide dismutase levels, thus alleviating SCI‑induced oxidative injury. In addition, serum inflammatory cytokine levels were markedly increased in rats post‑SCI, which was attenuated by treatment with CoQ10. Finally, the osteoclast‑specific genes receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa‑B ligand and cathepsin K were significantly upregulated and the osteoblast‑specific gene core‑binding factor alpha 1 in the femur was downregulated following SCI, which was effectively restored following treatment with CoQ10. The results suggested that CoQ10 treatment may be effective in attenuating SCI‑induced osteoporosis.