A previous study found that combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) could evoke significantly larger activation on a range of cortical and subcortical brain regions than the numerical summation of tDCS and taVNS effects. In this study, two within-subject experiments were employed to investigate its effects on working memory (WM). In experiment 1, the WM modulatory effects of tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), taVNS, and simultaneous joint simulation of tDCS over the left DLPFC and taVNS (SJS-L) were compared among 60 healthy subjects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorking memory (WM) is one of the core components of higher cognitive functions. There exists debate regarding the extent to which current techniques can enhance human WM capacity. Here, we examined the WM modulation effects of a previously less studied technique, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: When redox balance is lost in the brain, oxidative stress can cause serious damage that leads to neuronal loss, in congruence with neurodegenerative diseases. Aucubin (AU) is an iridoid glycoside and that is one of the active constituents of Eucommia ulmoides, has many pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammation, anti-liver fibrosis, and anti-atherosclerosis.
Purpose: The present study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of AU on cell oxidative stress against hydrogen peroxide (HO)-induced injury in SH-SY5Y cells in vitro.
TPN729 is a novel phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. Our previous study shows that the plasma exposure of metabolite M3 (N-dealkylation of TPN729) in humans is much higher than that of TPN729. In this study, we compared its metabolism and pharmacokinetics in different species and explored the contribution of its main metabolite M3 to pharmacological effect.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStretchable superhydrophobic film was fabricated by casting silicone rubber polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on a SiO nanoparticle-decorated template and subsequent stripping. PDMS endowed the resulting surface with excellent flexibility and stretchability. The use of nanoparticles contributed to the sustained roughening of the surface, even under large strain, offering mechanically durable superhydrophobicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHypoxic exposure activates hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) to up-regulate the expression of its target genes. These genes encode glucose metabolism related proteins, such as glucose transporters (GLUTs) and glycolysis related enzymes, including lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and aldolase A (ALDA). Therefore, HIFs participate in oxygenolysis of glucose and play an important role in mediating hypoxia response and weight loss.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this paper, the single arm external fixation of intertrochanteric fracture healing process after surgery was simulated to obtain a postoperative fracture healing and stress distribution in the external fixator. Firstly CT images of intertrochanteric fracture are reconstructed into the femur solid model. Then based, the external fixator is installed on the model, which lastly formed a finite element model of unilateral external fixation for intertrochanteric fracture.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Acetoin is an important bio-based platform chemical. However, it is usually existed as a minor byproduct of 2,3-butanediol fermentation in bacteria.
Results: The present study reports introducing an exogenous NAD+ regeneration sysytem into a 2,3-butanediol producing strain Klebsiella pneumoniae to increse the accumulation of acetoin.
Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Ligularia macrophylla.
Methods: Isolation and purification were carried out on repeated silica gel column chromatography. The structures of the compounds were identified by physico-chemical properties and spectral analyses.