Increased parietal operculum functional connectivity following vestibular rehabilitation in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients with residual dizziness: a randomized controlled resting-state fMRI study.

Introduction: Residual dizziness (RD) is common in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) after successful canalith repositioning procedures. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of vestibular rehabilitation (VR) on BPPV patients experiencing RD, and to explore the impact of VR on functional connectivity (FC), specifically focusing on the bilateral parietal operculum (OP) cortex.

Methods: Seventy patients with RD were randomly assigned to either a four-week VR group or a control group that received no treatment.

Aberrant cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity in patients with vestibular migraine: a resting-state ASL and fMRI study.

Background: Prior neuroimaging studies on vestibular migraine (VM) have extensively certified the functional and structural alterations in multiple brain regions and networks. However, few studies have assessed the cerebral blood flow (CBF) in VM patients using arterial spin labeling (ASL). The present study aimed to investigate CBF and functional connectivity (FC) alterations in VM patients during interictal periods.

Blocking postsynaptic density-93 binding to C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1 promotes microglial phenotypic transformation during acute ischemic stroke.

We previously reported that postsynaptic density-93 mediates neuron-microglia crosstalk by interacting with amino acids 357-395 of C X3 C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CX3CL1) to induce microglia polarization. More importantly, the peptide Tat-CX3CL1 (comprising amino acids 357-395 of CX3CL1) disrupts the interaction between postsynaptic density-93 and CX3CL1, reducing neurological impairment and exerting a protective effect in the context of acute ischemic stroke. However, the mechanism underlying these effects remains unclear.

Single-atom gold oxo-clusters prepared in alkaline solutions catalyse the heterogeneous methanol self-coupling reactions.

In an effort to obtain the maximum atom efficiency, research on heterogeneous single-atom catalysts has intensified recently. Anchoring organometallic homogeneous catalysts to surfaces creates issues with retaining mononuclearity and activity, while the several techniques developed to prepare atomically dispersed precious metals on oxide supports are usually complex. Here we report a facile one-pot synthesis of inorganometallic mononuclear gold complexes formed in alkaline solutions as robust and versatile single-atom gold catalysts.

Mild oxidation of methane to methanol or acetic acid on supported isolated rhodium catalysts.

An efficient and direct method of catalytic conversion of methane to liquid methanol and other oxygenates would be of considerable practical value. However, it remains an unsolved problem in catalysis, as typically it involves expensive or corrosive oxidants or reaction media that are not amenable to commercialization. Although methane can be directly converted to methanol using molecular oxygen under mild conditions in the gas phase, the process is either stoichiometric (and therefore requires a water extraction step) or is too slow and low-yielding to be practical.

Low-Temperature Transformation of Methane to Methanol on Pd O Single Sites Anchored on the Internal Surface of Microporous Silicate.

Direct conversion of methane to chemical feedstocks such as methanol under mild conditions is a challenging but ideal solution for utilization of methane. Pd O single-sites anchored on the internal surface of micropores of a microporous silicate exhibit high selectivity and activity in transforming CH to CH OH at 50-95 °C in aqueous phase through partial oxidation of CH with H O . The selectivity for methanol production remains at 86.

Catalysis on singly dispersed bimetallic sites.

A catalytic site typically consists of one or more atoms of a catalyst surface that arrange into a configuration offering a specific electronic structure for adsorbing or dissociating reactant molecules. The catalytic activity of adjacent bimetallic sites of metallic nanoparticles has been studied previously. An isolated bimetallic site supported on a non-metallic surface could exhibit a distinctly different catalytic performance owing to the cationic state of the singly dispersed bimetallic site and the minimized choices of binding configurations of a reactant molecule compared with continuously packed bimetallic sites.

Understanding complete oxidation of methane on spinel oxides at a molecular level.

It is crucial to develop a catalyst made of earth-abundant elements highly active for a complete oxidation of methane at a relatively low temperature. NiCo2O4 consisting of earth-abundant elements which can completely oxidize methane in the temperature range of 350-550 °C. Being a cost-effective catalyst, NiCo2O4 exhibits activity higher than precious-metal-based catalysts.

Conversion of methane to methanol with a bent mono(μ-oxo)dinickel anchored on the internal surfaces of micropores.

The oxidation of methane to methanol is a pathway to utilizing this relatively abundant, inexpensive energy resource. Here we report a new catalyst, bent mono(μ-oxo)dinickel anchored on an internal surface of micropores,which is active for direct oxidation. It is synthesized from the direct loading of a nickel precursor to the internal surface of micropores of ZSM5 following activation in O2.

Efficient removal of pathogenic bacteria and viruses by multifunctional amine-modified magnetic nanoparticles.

A novel amine-functionalized magnetic Fe3O4-SiO2-NH2 nanoparticle was prepared by layer-by-layer method and used for rapid removal of both pathogenic bacteria and viruses from water. The nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, FT-IR, BET surface analysis, magnetic property tests and zeta-potential measurements, respectively, which demonstrated its well-defined core-shell structures and strong magnetic responsivity. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses are often needed to be removed conveniently because of a lot of co-existing conditions.

A large-scale screen for coding variants predisposing to psoriasis.

To explore the contribution of functional coding variants to psoriasis, we analyzed nonsynonymous single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) across the genome by exome sequencing in 781 psoriasis cases and 676 controls and through follow-up validation in 1,326 candidate genes by targeted sequencing in 9,946 psoriasis cases and 9,906 controls from the Chinese population. We discovered two independent missense SNVs in IL23R and GJB2 of low frequency and five common missense SNVs in LCE3D, ERAP1, CARD14 and ZNF816A associated with psoriasis at genome-wide significance. Rare missense SNVs in FUT2 and TARBP1 were also observed with suggestive evidence of association.

Restructuring transition metal oxide nanorods for 100% selectivity in reduction of nitric oxide with carbon monoxide.

Transition metal oxide is one of the main categories of heterogeneous catalysts. They exhibit multiple phases and oxidation states. Typically, they are prepared and/or synthesized in solution or by vapor deposition.

WGS catalysis and in situ studies of CoO(1-x), PtCo(n)/Co3O4, and Pt(m)Co(m')/CoO(1-x) nanorod catalysts.

Water-gas shift (WGS) reactions on Co3O4 nanorods and Co3O4 nanorods anchoring singly dispersed Pt atoms were explored through building correlation of catalytic performance to surface chemistry of catalysts during catalysis using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS), and environmental TEM. The active phase of pure Co3O4 during WGS is nonstoichiometric cobalt monoxide with about 20% oxygen vacancies, CoO0.80.

The role of copper in catalytic performance of a Fe-Cu-Al-O catalyst for water gas shift reaction.

A Fe-Cu-Al-O water gas shift catalyst with a Fe : Cu atomic ratio of 4 : 1 upon pretreatment at 350 °C in H2 exhibits a conversion higher than a physical mixture of Fe-Al-O and Cu-Al-O by ~40% over a temperature range of 300 °C-450 °C. In situ ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies suggest that the surface region of Fe-Cu-Al-O was restructured into a double-layer structure consisting of a surface layer of Fe3O4 and a metallic Cu layer below it upon pretreatment at 350 °C. The strong metal (Cu)-oxide (Fe3O4) interface effect of this double layer structure enhances the catalytic activity of Fe3O4 in WGS.

Employing a cylindrical single crystal in gas-surface dynamics.

We describe the use of a polished, hollow cylindrical nickel single crystal to study effects of step edges on adsorption and desorption of gas phase molecules. The crystal is held in an ultra-high vacuum apparatus by a crystal holder that provides axial rotation about a [100] direction, and a crystal temperature range of 89 to 1100 K. A microchannel plate-based low energy electron diffraction/retarding field Auger electron spectrometer (AES) apparatus identifies surface structures present on the outer surface of the cylinder, while a separate double pass cylindrical mirror analyzer AES verifies surface cleanliness.

Identification of hydroxyl on Ni(111).

Hydroxyl (OH) is identified and characterized on the Ni(111) surface by high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. We find clear evidence of stretching, bending, and translational modes that differ significantly from modes observed for H(2)O and O on Ni(111). Hydroxyl may be produced from water by two different methods.

Co-adsorption of water and hydrogen on Ni(111).

We have studied the surface coverage dependence of the co-adsorption of D and D(2)O on the Ni(111) surface under UHV conditions. We use detailed temperature-programmed desorption studies and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy to show how pre-covering the surface with various amounts of D affects adsorption and desorption of D(2)O. Our results show that the effects of co-adsorption are strongly dependent on D-coverage.

The interaction of water with Ni(111) and H/Ni(111) studied by TPD and HREELS.

We have used temperature-programmed desorption in combination with specular and off-specular high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy to study the interaction of H(2)O and D(2)O with the bare and hydrogen-covered Ni(111) surface. Our results for the bare metal surface agree with previous reports and we are able to relate two prominent features in vibrational spectra to nuclear motions at the surface. Pre-covering Ni(111) with hydrogen alters both adsorption and desorption of water significantly.