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The electrochemical behavior of Li2O in KCl-LiCl molten salt has been studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry. The diffusion coefficient D=0.5×10-5 cm2/s of O2- in KCl-LiCl molten salt at 923 K has been calculated by convolutional voltammetry. Gd2O3, Nd2O3, Sm2O3 and Dy2O3 were used as cathodes to conduct electrolysis in KCl-LiCl-Li2O(w=1%) molten salt(constant voltage 3.40 V, electrolysis temperature 923 K, electrolysis time 25 h). By XRD analysis, it was confirmed that the rare earth oxides are partially reduced to metals, and the possible reactions during the electrolysis process were analyzed. At the same time, the PRS model was used to analyze the electrolytic reduction models of these rare earth oxides, and the optimal porosity(Popt) of Gd2O3, Nd2O3, Sm2O3 and Dy2O3 are 18.7%, 24.2%, 30.6%,16.7%, respectively. The minimum electrolysis time of them are 133, 157, 143, and 119 h, respectively, which are compared with the results of the electrolytic experiment, it is found that the porosity and electrolysis time of the cathode do not meet the requirements for complete reduction of metal oxides, and the corresponding explanation is given.

Thermodynamic evaluation for the employment of Au/Pt/Ag noble metals as reactive electrodes for the reduction and extraction of lanthanides (Ln) from LiF-BeF2 melt is systematically considered in this study. The standard reduction potential of the typical lanthanides Nd/Pr/Gd/Sm/Eu and their most stable intermetallics with Au/Pt/Ag noble metals and Ni/Cu/Al non-noble metals is calculated using the data from the literature or HSC6.0 software. The results indicate that the depolarization effect on the reduction of lanthanides is in the order of Au ≈ Pt ≫; Al > Ni ≈ Cu > Ag. The noble metals Au and Pt possess excellent capability for the extraction of nearly all species of lanthanides from the LiF-BeF2 melt. The results are confirmed by experimental investigation of a typical LiF-BeF2-LnF3 molten salt system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermodynamic evaluation for the employment of Au/Pt/Ag noble metals as reactive electrodes for the reduction and extraction of lanthanides (Ln) from LiF-BeF2 melt is systematically considered in this study. The standard reduction potential of the typical lanthanides Nd/Pr/Gd/Sm/Eu and their most stable intermetallics with Au/Pt/Ag noble metals and Ni/Cu/Al non-noble metals is calculated using the data from the literature or HSC6.0 software. The results indicate that the depolarization effect on the reduction of lanthanides is in the order of Au ≈ Pt ≫; Al > Ni ≈ Cu > Ag. The noble metals Au and Pt possess excellent capability for the extraction of nearly all species of lanthanides from the LiF-BeF2 melt. The results are confirmed by experimental investigation of a typical LiF-BeF2-LnF3 molten salt system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteoporosis is a multifactorial bone disease in which lipid metabolism plays an important role. Bone Mineral Density (BMD) measured by Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is a critical indicator for diagnosing osteoporosis. The cardiometabolic index (CMI) is a novel metric that combines two quantitative indicators of blood lipids-triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). This study explores the association between CMI and BMD and seeks to elucidate the role of lipid metabolism in the context of bone health., Methods: Based on the data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-March 2020-pre-pandemic, weighted multiple linear regression and smooth curve fitting were used to study the relationship between CMI and femoral BMD. Stratified analyses were also conducted for age, gender, BMI, ethnicity, diabetes and hypertension status. And, the saturation threshold effect of CMI was further analyzed using a two-stage linear regression model., Result: This study enrolled a total of 1,650 participants (48.7% males), with an average age of 63.0 ± 8.6 years. After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, CMI was positively correlated with total femur BMD, trochanter BMD, and intertrochanter BMD, while the correlation with femur neck BMD was not statistically significant. In the fully adjusted model, each unit increase in CMI was associated with a 0.026 (g/cm 2 ) increase in total femur BMD, a 0.022 (g/cm 2 ) increase in trochanter BMD, and a 0.034 (g/cm 2 ) increase in intertrochanter BMD. Subjects in the highest quartile of CMI had a 0.034 (g/cm 2 ) increase in total femur BMD, a 0.035 (g/cm 2 ) increase in trochanter BMD, and a 0.039 (g/cm 2 ) increase in intertrochanter BMD in the fully-adjusted model compared to those in the lowest quartile. In addition, saturation was observed between CMI and total femur BMD, trochanter BMD and intertrochanter BMD, with saturation thresholds of 1.073, 1.431 and 1.073, respectively., Conclusion: CMI is strongly associated with BMD, indicating its potential relevance in bone metabolism. However, the role of CMI in the context of bone health, especially regarding osteoporosis risk, requires further investigation in large-scale prospective studies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wu, Jin, Xu, She, Li and Mao.)

Objectives: To explore the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on intestinal flora in the rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) based on 16S rDNA technique., Methods: Ten rats were randomized from 58 SPF-grade male SD rats to be the blank group. The remained 48 rats were prepared to be IBS-D models by the modified method of acetic acid enema combined with binding tail-clip stress. Forty successfully-modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group, an acupuncture group, a moxibustion group and a western medication group, with 10 rats in each one. In the acupuncture group, the needle was inserted at bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) and remained for 15 min in each rat. In the moxibustion group, the suspending moxibustion was delivered at bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 15 min. The rats in the western medication group were given pinaverium bromide suspension (10 mL/kg) by intragastric administration. The above interventions were performed once daily for consecutive 14 days. The body mass and the score of fecal trait were compared before and after modeling, as well as after intervention in each group. Fecal water content, diarrhea index and colon transit time (CTT) were measured after modeling and intervention in the rats of each group separately. After intervention, the colonic morphology of rats in each group was observed, and using 16S rDNA technique, the intestinal flora was detected., Results: After modeling, compared with the blank group, the body mass and CTT were reduced ( P <0.01); fecal trait scores, fecal water contents and diarrhea index increased ( P <0.01) in the other 4 groups. After intervention, the body mass and CTT of the rats decreased ( P <0.01), and fecal trait score, fecal water content and diarrhea index increased ( P <0.01) in the model group compared with those in the blank group. In the acupuncture group, the moxibustion group and the western medication group, when compared with the model group, the body mass and CTT were elevated ( P< 0.01), while fecal trait scores, fecal water contents and diarrhea index declined ( P <0.01). Compared with the western medication group, fecal water content decreased in the acupuncture group and the moxibustion group ( P< 0.05), while CTT increased in the acupuncture group ( P <0.01), the body mass increased and fecal trait score was dropped in the moxibustion group ( P <0.05). The colonic mucosa structure was clear and complete, and there was no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in the blank group. The mild interstitial edema of intestinal mucosa was presented with the infiltration of few inflammatory cells in the model group. There was the infiltration of few inflammatory cells in the mucosa of the acupuncture group, the moxibustion group and the western medication group. Compared with the blank group, the indexes of Richness, Chao1, ACE and Shannon decreased in the model group ( P <0.05). Indexes of Richness, Chao1 and ACE increased in the acupuncture group and the moxibustion group ( P <0.05), and the Richness index in the western medication group increased ( P< 0.05) when compared with those in the model group. The relative abundance of Bacteroidetes , Proteobacteria and Prevotella increased ( P <0.05), and that of Firmicutes and Muribaculaceae decreased ( P <0.05) in the model group compared with those in the blank group. When compared with the model group, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes , Proteobacteria and Prevotella was reduced ( P <0.05), while that of Firmicutes and Muribaculaceae increased ( P <0.05) in the acupuncture group, the moxibustion group and the western medication group; and that of Actinobacteria and Bifidobacterium increased in the acupuncture group and the moxibustion group ( P <0.05). Compared with the blank group, the relative abundance of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis was elevated ( P <0.05), and that of folate biosynthesis, lipoic acid metabolism, zeatin biosynthesis, ubiquinone and other terpenoid quinone biosynthesis decreased ( P <0.05) in the model group. The relative abundance of LPS biosynthesis was dropped ( P <0.05), and that of folate biosynthesis, lipoic acid metabolism, zeatin biosynthesis, ubiquinone and other terpenoid quinone biosynthesis increased ( P <0.05) in the acupuncture group, the moxibustion group and the western medication group compared with those of the model group., Conclusions: Either acupuncture or moxibustion can relieve the symptoms of IBS-D and protect intestinal mucosa, which may be associated with regulating the structure of intestinal flora and promoting nutrient metabolism and biosynthesis.