S doped NiCo2O4 nanosheet arrays by Ar plasma: An efficient and bifunctional electrode for overall water splitting.

Transition metal oxides show great potential as electrocatalysts, owing to the low cost and rich chemical states. However, the limited surface areas, low intrinsic activity and poor hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity greatly restrict the application for overall water splitting. Herein, we have constructed S doped NiCo2O4 nanosheet arrays by Ar plasma (Ar-NiCo2O4|S) to enhance active sites and boost catalytic kinetics. Consequently, the Ar-NiCo2O4|S shows the improved performances for HER and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Further, as bifunctional electrocatalysts, Ar-NiCo2O4|S exhibit a voltage of 1.63 V at 10 mA cm-2, as well as good stability.

[Characteristics of cognitive impairment of different infarct locations among patients after acute ischemic stroke].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of cognitive function changes of different infarct sites among patients after acute ischemic stroke, so as to provide theoretical basis for preventing and treating vascular cognitive dysfunction. METHODS: One hundred and five cases of acute ischemic stroke within fourteen days meeting the standard set were enrolled, and they were tested by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). And the characteristics of cognitive changes with different infarction sites were analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with acute stroke suffered cognitive impairment.The significantly impaired cognitive domains in MMSE were: graphics execution in patients with left hemisphere infarction (P=0.027); verbal repetition in frontal infarction (P=0.003); short memory (P=0.04) and verbal repetition (P=0.007) in parietal infarction.The significantly impaired cognitive domains in MoCA were: language (P=0.002), naming (P=0.011), attention (P=0.028) and time orientation (P=0.031) in frontal infarction; delayed memory (P<0.001), attention (P=0.041), language (P=0.049) and visual space and executive ability (P=0.049) in parietal infarction; attention in temporal infarction (P=0.045); language (P=0.009) and time orientation (P=0.026) in basal ganglia region infarction. CONCLUSION: Most ischemic stroke patients at acute phase suffered cognitive impairment and the characteristics of cognitive changes differed according to different infarction sites.Comprehensive assessment of cognitive impairment after acute stroke is of great importance.

TRANSPLANTATION OF HYPERTHERMIC PRECONDITIONING OLFACTORY ENSHEATHING CELLS COMBINED WITH NEURAL STEM CELLS IN THE TREATMENT OF CENTRAL NERVE INJURY.

This study aims to observe the effect of the transplantation of hyperthermic preconditioning (HPC) olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) at 40°C combined with neural stem cells (NSCs) in the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI), based on the OECs and NSCs taken from the olfactory bulbs and cerebral cortex of newborn rats. Forty-two female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into: control group, NSCs+OECs without HPC group and NSCs+HPC OECs group. Firstly, hemisected spinal cord injury model was established; the motor function recovery of the right lower limb of the rats was compared by Basso-Beatie-Bresnahan rating (BBB rating), climbing score and running time on a rotating platform during the whole experiment. At one day, two weeks and four weeks after transplantation, two rats were randomly selected from each group for section preparation. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed on the sections to observe and analyze the pathological changes of the spinal cord tissue, and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling was used to observe the distribution of transplanted cells. The results demonstrated that, BBB score of the rats that were treated by transplantation of NSCs combined with HPC OCEs was distinctly improved; a rapid increase of BBB score was found two weeks after transplantation, while BBB score had slightly increased six weeks later. BBB score of the control group and the NSCs+OECs without HPC group was found with a slight increase, especially in the control group. BBB score of NSCs+HPC OECs was significantly higher than in the control group and the NSCs+OECs without HPC group at the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 12th week after treatment (P<0.05). Climbing tests and detection of running time after 4 weeks and 6 weeks demonstrated that, the recovery of limb function of the NSCs+HPC OECs group was better than the other groups (P<0.05). HE staining results of NSCs+HPC OECs indicated that, cells of the spinal cord were neatly arranged, close to normal. BrdU labeling results revealed that, transplanted cells were found in injury tissue, indicating that they were involved in the spinal cord repair. This study proves that, the effect of NSCs combined with HPC OECs in the treatment of SCI is better than NSCs combined with OECs without HPC, and the ratio of NSCs differentiating to neuron after inducing HPC OECs supernate is higher than that after inducing OECs supernate without HPC.

Effect of fasudil hydrochloride on the post-thaw viability of cryopreserved porcine adipose-derived stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are of interest for regenerative medicine as they are isolated easily and can differentiate into multiple cell lineages. Recently, it was reported that a Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632 could enhance the post-thaw viability and physiological function of cryopreserved BMSC. OBJECTIVE: The present study is to investigate whether Fasudil hydrochloride (FH, a selective Rho-kinase inhibitor like Y-27632) can exert a similar beneficial effect on the post-thaw viability of cryopreserved ADSCs. METHODS: ADSCs were allotted in three cryopreservation solutions [I:10 % (v/v) (DMSO), 30 % (v/v) FBS (as a negative control); II:10µM FH, 10 % (v/v) DMSO, 30 % (v/v) FBS; III:10 µM Y-27632, 10 % (v/v) DMSO, 30 % (v/v) fetal bovine serum, All groups were frozen using a rapid freezing method and stored at -196 degree C in liquid nitrogen for 30 days.After thawing and being cultured 24h,viability of ADSCs were detected by MTT assay. RESULT: The MTT assay showed significant differences in the proportion of adherent viable cells over the concentration of Y-27632 and FH, Additionally, FH did not induce morphological changes in the frozen-thawed ADSCs like Y-27632 did. CONCLUSIONS: FH might represent a promising cryopreservation solution in enhancing the post-thaw viability and physiological function of cryopreserved ADSCs and did not chang the cell appearance.

Effect of glutathione and Y27632 on the viability of cryopreserved porcine adipose-derived stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Recently it has been reported that reduced glutathione (GSH) and/or Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibitor supplemented in cryopreservation solution could improve the viability of cells. OBJECTIVE: To identify the cryopreservation efficiency of GSH and ROCK inhibitor on porcine ADSCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Porcine ADSCs were separated and cultured. Cells at the 4th passage were suspended in cryopreservation solution supplemented with Y-27632 and GSH or both, and then frozen and thawed. The viability of cryopreserved ADSCs was compared using a MTT assay. RESULTS: The addition of GSH and Y-27632 to cryopreservation solution (dimethyl sulfoxide) and post-thaw culture medium significantly improves the post-thaw viability of ADSCs. CONCLUSION: GSH and Y-27632 are able to increase the survival of ADSCs, and they have an additive effect, as compared to GSH or Y27632 alone.