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Sludge treatment wetlands (STWs) have recently been used to treat surplus sludge. However, the distribution of antibiotics involved in the process has not been comprehensively investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the fate of two antibiotics, i.e., ciprofloxacin (CIP) and azithromycin (AZM) in STWs during the treatment of surplus sludge. Three pilot-scale STWs units—S1 with aeration tubes, S2 with aeration tubes and reed planting, and S3 with reed planting—were constructed and operated under feeding followed by resting periods. The results showed that antibiotic content in residual sludge decreased over time and unit S2 performed the best in terms of antibiotic removal. Planting reed considerably improved the antibiotic removal performance of the STWs. Biodegradation and absorption resulted in removal of most of the antibiotics in the test units. Less than 2% of the antibiotics was taken up by plants, whereas <5% of the influent antibiotics left the STW units through the drainage discharge. Overall, STW units contributed to effectively decrease CIP and AZM to 41–72% and 49–84%, respectively. Unlabelled Image • Sludge treatment wetlands (STWs) contribute to antibiotic removal from sludge. • Antibiotic removal is mainly due to biodegradation and substrate adsorption. • Plants significantly improved the ability of STWs to remove antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between board interlocks and corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been much debated, and the limited understanding of the heterogeneity of board interlocks is considered a significant reason. Based on resource dependency theory, this study aims to investigate the impact of the heterogeneity resulting from interlocked directors' presence in different industries on CSR. This study used a sample of Chinese-listed companies from 2012 to 2019 and employed multivariate regression analysis models. The empirical results suggested that the industry heterogeneity of board interlocks positively impacts CSR. Furthermore, the impact of industry heterogeneity is more significant in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) or companies that receive greater media attention in the Chinese context. This study contributed to the literature by confirming the importance of industry heterogeneity of board interlocks and provided some managerial implications for companies to promote CSR by selecting specific directors. [Display omitted] • The industry heterogeneity of board interlocks is positively associated with corporate social responsibility. • Ownership nature moderates the industry heterogeneity and corporate social responsibility relationship. • The positive impact of industry heterogeneity of board interlocks on CSR among state-owned enterprises is reinforced. • Media attention positively moderates the industry heterogeneity and corporate social responsibility relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of novel electrolytes for next-generation high voltage lithium ion battery is of primary importance. In this work, a fluorinated phosphazene derivative, ethoxy-(pentafluoro)-cyclotriphosphazene (PFN), is proposed as a novel electrolyte additive for improving the electrochemical performance and safety of lithium nickel manganese oxide (LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 ) cathode. With the addition of PFN, the electrolyte can be preferentially oxidized and decomposed, thus producing some linear polymers, multi-ring polymers, LiNO 3 , RONO 2 Li (RONO 2 : nitrate ester functional group, with R standing for any organic residue), Li 3 PO 4 , and ROPO 3 Li (ROPO 3 : monoester phosphate) simultaneously. These as-generated materials form a dense, uniform, and thin protective layer on the surface of the cathode material, which suppresses the decomposition of electrolyte and electrode corrosion, correspondingly protecting the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 from structural destruction. Due to the coverage by the protective film and corrosion suppression, charge and discharge tests demonstrate that PFN is effective for improving the cycling stability of LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 . The discharge capacity of a battery with 5 wt% PFN is 124.4 mAh g −1 and 99.8 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles at the current rates of 0.2 C and 1 C, respectively, which is much better than the performance without PFN. Meanwhile, because of the combined structure of the nonflammable cyclophosphazene and fluorine, the PFN creates a highly synergistic flame retardant effect, and a low content of PFN can almost completely extinguish burning electrolyte, leading to excellent safety performance for the lithium ion battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification has increased crop productivity but simplified production and reduced cropping system diversity. In recent decades, the intensified wheat–maize rotation in the North China Plain has sharply decreased the groundwater table, with associated environmental and biodiversity issues. Understanding whether increasing cropping system diversity stabilizes productivity, improves resilience, and reduces adverse environmental impacts is critical. This study quantified the water requirements of nine staple crops from 1960 to 2020, established 15 alternative crop rotations, and evaluated the resilience of each rotation in the Cangzhou area, a typical groundwater deletion funnel area. The results showed that reducing cropping density (harvests per year) from 2 to 1.5 decreased the average annual water requirement and irrigation demand by 14 % and 33 %, respectively. Summer soybean alternated with maize and rotated with wheat did not reduce groundwater use but increased profitability and protein production. Spring mung bean–summer millet-based multi-rotations had higher precipitation coupling degrees (8 % in wet years, 17 % in normal years, and 56 % in dry years) and profitability (1.1–2.4 times) than the wheat–maize rotation. The spring potato–summer millet rotation in one year had the greatest profitability, the highest equivalent yield to wheat, and the highest water use efficiency (WUE), while spring maize rotated with winter wheat–summer soybean performed best for protein content, energy output, and WUEs. This study identified 11 alternative rotations with a higher comprehensive evaluation index than the conventional wheat–maize rotation based on entropy-TOPSIS considering 12 indicators. Spring mungbean is not suitable for inclusion in the crop rotation when solely cultivated in one year due to mismatched rainfall. Beyond wheat and maize, soybean, millet, and potato are promising crops for innovative multi-year multi-crop rotations to enhance crop diversification, maximize system outputs, and minimize groundwater and energy depletion. This study's analysis could be extended to develop robust and diverse crop rotations with multiple co-benefits in other water-stressed agricultural regions. • Water requirements of nine staple crops from 1960 to 2020 was quantified. • 15 diversified crop rotations were redesigned and established. • Multi-dimensional outcomes of each rotation were evaluated for synergies and tradeoff. • Reducing cropping density mitigated groundwater table decline. • Wheat-maize rotations involving soybean, millet and potato achieved multiple co-benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel frequency beam-scanning leaky-wave antenna (LWA) based on a composite half-mode substrate integrated waveguide/spoof surface plasmon polariton (HMSIW/SSPP) waveguide. The new composite HMSIW/SSPP waveguide is accomplished by embedding periodical symmetric subwavelength grooves on both copper surfaces of the HMSIW, which owns flexible transmission characteristics attributed to its features from both HMSIW and SSPP. The conversion of propagating slow-wave mode to radiation mode is devised by a double-sided symmetric sinusoidal modulation method with a π/2 displacement between the top- and bottom-surface. This double-sided modulation method not only offers a compact structure but also effectively eliminates the open stopband. A prototype of the proposed antenna is fabricated and measured to verify the predicted performance from simulation. Experimental results show that the proposed antenna achieves a continuous wide scanning range of 125° from backward to forward for lateral unidirectional radiation with an average peak gain level of 9.1 dBi from 6.3 to 9.7 GHz. And the compact antenna volume of 0.40 × 8.0 × 0.013 λ 0 3 offers a well scanning rate (36.8°/GHz) and a very high gain value per unit volume (219 dBi/ λ 0 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment-induced neuroprotection remains unclear. In this study, we found that neuronal Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) expression was increased and peaked at 48 h and 72 h after ischemia/reperfusion. After specific knockdown of TREM2 in excitatory neurons, neurological function was damaged, and the infarct volume was enlarged. Furthermore, the expression of LC3II/LC3I and Beclin1 was decreased, while the expression of p62 was increased. EA pretreatment enhanced TREM2, LC3II/LC3I and Beclin1 expression while reducing p62 in the ischemic penumbra area. The EA-induced neuroprotective effects and improvements in autophagic flux were abolished by specific knockdown of TREM2 in excitatory neurons. Taken together, our findings provide novel mechanistic insight into EA-induced ischemic tolerance and suggest a promising therapeutic strategy of targeting neuronal TREM2 to treat brain ischemia. • TREM2 expression on excitatory neurons play a role in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. • Electroacupuncture pretreatment enhanced TREM2 expression and autophagic flux. • Neuronal TREM2 knockdown abolished EA-induced neuroprotective effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A method has been developed to incorporate multiple hydrophobic CdSe/Cd x Zn1−x S QDs into SiO2 beads by a two-step microemulsion process and retain the high photoluminescence (PL) efficiencies of the QDs. In step 1, the QDs were silanized by using partially hydrolyzed tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) via replacing oleic acid (OA) on the surface of QDs. In step 2, these silanized QDs were transferred into aqueous phase in the reverse micelle solution by adding a small amount of water and stirring for a few hours. Then these silanized QDs assembled and subsequently encapsulated in a SiO2 shell by a reverse micelle synthesis. The initial silanization plays an important role for the QDs to be coated within a homogeneous SiO2 shell and retain a high PL efficiency in water. Single QDs were coated into silica beads by this two-step microemulsion process without water addition before ammonia and TEOS addition and pre-stirring for a certain time. The number of QDs incorporated into the silica beads can be controlled by adjusting the stirring time. More QDs can be incorporated into silica spheres by partially hydrolyzed 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysiliane (MPS) or 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APS) functionalization at step 1. An improvement in the PL efficiency (up to 35%) of silica spheres was obtained after APS functionalization of QDs. The silica coating shows a bit blueshift for the PL peak wavelength of the QDs. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of PL spectra was decreased 4nm after silica coating of the QDs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Manganese pyrophosphate, Mn2P2O7 was synthesized by a simple solvothermal method using Mn metal powder and P2S5 in ethylene glycol medium at 190–220°C. Morphology and crystalline structure of the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The flower-like microspheres with diameters of about 2–5 μm are composed of a number of nanoplatelets with thickness of 20–40nm. The effect of reaction temperature and reaction time on the microstructure of Mn2P2O7 was investigated. The samples were used as active anode materials for lithium-ion battery and their electrochemical properties were examined by constant current charge–discharge cycling. The Mn2P2O7 electrodes exhibited initial reversible capacities of 440–330mAhg−1 depending on the synthetic conditions. From these results, a possible reaction mechanism of Mn2P2O7 with lithium was proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cervical anatomy limits the use of transcervical intrauterine artificial insemination (TC AI) in sheep. We have developed an instrument to cope atraumatically with the cervix; although this instrument has not affected fertilization rate or pregnancy rate through Day 3, the effects on sperm transport and pregnancy after Day 3 are not known. The objective of the present study was to determine whether our TC AI instrument affected sperm transport, pregnancy rates, or lambing rate. In Experiment 1, ewes were assigned to two treatments: TC AI using the new TC AI instrument (n=10) or AI via laparotomy using a laparoscopic AI instrument (n=10). Twenty hours after artificial insemination, the uterine horns and oviducts were recovered and flushed to collect spermatozoa. Sperm transport did not differ (P>0.05) between the two treatments. In Experiment 2, ewes were assigned to three treatments: TC AI using the new TC AI instrument+sham intrauterine AI via laparotomy (n=29); sham TC AI+intrauterine AI via laparotomy using a laparoscopic AI instrument (n=29); and sham TC AI+intrauterine AI via laparotomy using the new TC AI instrument (n=30). On Day 14 after AI, uteri were collected and flushed to recover blastocysts. Transcervical deposition of semen reduced (P<0.05) Day 14 pregnancy rate (17.2% versus 61%), but intrauterine deposition of semen using the TC AI instrument via midventral laparotomy increased (P<0.05) Day 14 pregnancy rate (76.6% versus 44.8%). In Experiment 3, ewes were assigned to two treatments: sham cervical manipulation (n=40) or cervical manipulation to mimic TC AI (n=40). Immediately after treatment, each ewe was mated with a ram and watched until the ram mounted and ejaculated into the ewe. Treatment did not affect Day 30 or 50 pregnancy rate (67.5 and 66.2%, respectively), determined ultrasonically, or lambing rate (62.5%). The differences between Days 30 and 50 pregnancy rates and lambing rate were not significant. In Experiment 4, ewes were assigned to two treatments: TC AI (n=99) or laparoscopic AI (n=99). Transcervical AI reduced (P<0.01) Day 30 (TC AI versus laparoscopic AI; 5.0% versus 46.0%) and Day 50 pregnancy rates (4.0% versus 41.0%), determined ultrasonically, and lambing rate (4.0% versus 41.0%). Although the TC AI procedure significantly reduced pregnancy and lambing rates, large numbers of spermatozoa deposited at natural insemination seemed to compensate. Because our TC AI procedure has all but eliminated any visual evidence of trauma, and because the procedure does not seem to affect sperm transport or embryonal survival until Day 3, we speculate that cervical manipulation associated with TC AI may activate pathways that interrupt pregnancy between Days 3 and 14. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The genetic sequence of the ovine prion protein (PrP) gene between codons 102 and 175 with emphasis on ovine PrP gene codons 136 and 171 was determined, and the polymorphic distribution of the ovine PrP gene in the scrapie-exposed Suffolk embryo donors and offspring from these donors that were transferred to scrapie-free recipient ewes was investigated in this study. The most common genotype was AA136QQ171 (70% and 63% in the donor and offspring flocks, respectively), which is considered a high risk genotype in US Suffolk sheep. Although embryos were collected from scrapie-positive donors and many embryos had the high risk genotype, no scrapie occurred in the resulting offspring. Based upon the results of this study, we conclude that vertical transmission of scrapie can be circumvented using embryo transfer procedures even when the offspring have the high risk genotype. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Rosmarinic acid (a- O -caffeoyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenyllacticacid, RA) is one of the most potent polyphenols. Which is commercially available with high (>96%) purification and much less expensive compared to other polyphenol compounds. • RA administration alleviated neurological deficits and reduced infarct volume. • The results revealed RA treatment alleviated the post-stroke depressive behaviors. Rosmarinic acid (RA), a natural polyphenol, possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. To evaluate the ability of RA to cure ischemic stroke and post-stroke depression (PSD), rats were treated with various doses of RA after cerebral ischemia. Neurological deficits and infarct volume of the brain were measured. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) were examined at different time points. In addition, a forced swimming test and sucrose preference test were performed to detect the anti-depressive effects of RA. Our results revealed RA administration significantly alleviated neurological deficits and reduced infarct volumes. RA attenuated the decrease of SOD, CAT activities and GSH levels in the ischemic penumbra of the brain. Most importantly, RA treatment alleviated the depression behaviors. Increased expression of Nrf2 was also induced by RA, while down regulation Nrf2 by Nrf2-short-hairpin RNA sequences reversed the increasing activity of SOD and CAT induced by RA, as well as the protection against PSD. The present study indicates that RA exerts a potent neuroprotective effect against stroke and PSD, which could be a promising therapeutic intervention for stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • De novo lipogenesis is activated in astrocytes during subacute phase of stroke. • Lipogenesis is necessary for BBB repair and functional recovery after stroke. • IL-33 increases during subacute phase of stroke and is modulated by lipogenesis. • rIL-33 reverses BBB damage and functional decline in lipogenesis-deficient mice. Astrocytes experience significant metabolic shifts in the "sensitive period" of neurological function recovery following cerebral ischemia. However, the changes in astrocyte lipid metabolism and their implications for neurological recovery remain unknown. In the present study, we employed a mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion model to investigate the changes in de novo lipogenesis and interleukin-33 (IL-33) production in astrocytes and elucidate their role in blood–brain barrier (BBB) repair in the subacute phase of cerebral ischemia. Neurological behavior evaluation was used to assess functional changes in mice. Pharmacological inhibition and astrocyte-specific downregulation of fatty acid synthase (FASN) were used to evaluate the role of de novo lipogenesis in brain injury. Intracerebroventricular administration of recombinant IL-33 was performed to study the contribution of IL-33 to BBB disruption. Extravasation of Evans blue dye, dextran and IgG were used to assess BBB integrity. Western blotting of tight junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-5 were performed at defined time points to evaluate changes in BBB. It was found that de novo lipogenesis was activated, and IL-33 production increased in astrocytes at the subacute stage of cerebral ischemia injury. Inhibition of lipogenesis in astrocytes decreased IL-33 production in the peri-infarct area, deteriorated BBB damage and interfered with neurological recovery. In addition, supplementation of IL-33 alleviated BBB destruction and improved neurological recovery worsened by lipogenesis inhibition. These findings indicate that astrocyte lipogenesis increases the production of IL-33 in the peri-infarct area, which promotes BBB repair in the subacute phase of cerebral ischemia injury and improves long-term functional recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of Zn(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O with an unsymmetrical Schiff base ligand 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde nicotinoylhydrazone (H 2 dbp) gave [Zn(dbp)(H 2 O)·2DMF] n ( 1 ), while the reaction of Ni(Ac) 2 ·4H 2 O with H 2 dbp in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline generated [Ni(dbp)(phen)·2CH 3 OH·0.5H 2 O] n ( 2 ) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). X-ray single-crystal analyses reveal that 1 contains a 2D layer with 1D open channel, while 2 shows 1D ladder-like chain, which are extended into 2D supramolecular sheet. Furthermore, the photocatalysis properties of 1 – 2 for degradation of the methyl violet (MV) and Rhodamine B (RhB) have been examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, tin dioxide with vacancies (SnO x) was compounded with three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (3D RGO) to obtain SnO x /3D RGO. The morphology, optical properties and structural composition of SnO x /3D RGO were analyzed by a series of techniques, and the photoconductive properties of the SnO x /3D RGO composites with different mass fractions of RGO were investigated. The photocurrent density of SnO x /3D RGO at 3D RGO mass fraction of 1.5 % reached a maximum value of 2.77 × 10−4 A/cm2, which was about twice and 1.2 times as large as that of SnO x and SnO x /2D RGO (two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide), respectively. In the linear scanning voltammetry and Mott-Schottky analysis results, SnO x /3D RGO exhibited the highest photocurrent (6.34 × 10−3 A/cm2) intensity at 1.0 V bias and the largest carrier density (2.61 × 1021cm−3). This was due to the fact that RGO played a charge transfer role in the composite material in both 2D and 3D structures. In contrast, the porous 3D RGO could connect separate lamellae, which prevented the aggregation of layers and enhanced the electron transfer, thus exhibiting superior performance than 2D graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fenton reagent significantly reduced ARGs and MGEs abundance. • Addition of Fenton reagent restricted the late-phase resurgence of ARGs. • MGEs were responsible for variations in the ARG profiles in C treatment. • Acinetobacter, Corynebacterium, and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 were the key hosts of ARGs. Livestock manure harbors antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and aerobic composting (AC) is widely adopted for waste management. However, mitigating ARG resurgence in later stages remains challenging. This work aims to curb ARGs rebounding through a Fenton-like reaction during food waste and swine manure co-composting. Results revealed that 0.025 % zerovalent iron (ZVI) + 0.5 % hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) facilitated maximum ARG, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and 16 s rRNA removal with reductions of 2.68, 2.69, and 1.4 logs. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed Fenton-like reaction and cell apoptosis analysis indicated that 0.025 % ZVI and 0.5 % H 2 O 2 treatment had the maximum early apoptosis, least observed, and normal cells on day 30. Redundancy analysis highlighted the influence of bacterial communities and physicochemical properties on ARGs, with MGEs playing a crucial role in Fenton treatments. Our findings suggest incorporating ZVI and H 2 O 2 in composting can significantly reduce ARGs and enhance waste management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A sizing method considering the joint effect of T a and RH was developed. • A capacity design correction factor (K) was proposed and evaluated. • Frosting caused the outdoor air design temperature for space heating to drop by 1.8–3.5 °C. • Maximum decrease rates of output heating capacity caused by frosting was 43.8–50.0% • A cloud picture was given by using the values of K in 278 Chinese cities. In cities, there are thousands of wastewater treatment plants. The treated tail water drained from them is clean relatively, and has a stable flow rate. Extracting heat from it through tail water source heat pumps (TWSHP) for space heating can decrease the building heating energy consumption significantly. Besides, by integrating with thermal energy storage (TES), it can realize the goal of peak load shifting, especially in commercial buildings. However, there is few reports on its experimental investigations or engineering applications till now. To promote the application of TWSHP integrated with TES system, it was designed for the space heating of a technology park in Beijing, and a control method was proposed to decrease the operating cost by using the valley electricity. Then, utilizing its operating parameters in the heating season of 2021–2022, its heating performance was analyzed. Results indicate that the proposed system has good heating performance. The average COPs of TWSHP units and the system in the heating season are 7.08 and 4.41, respectively. Compared with gas-fired boiler, its carbon emission decreased by 62.53%. By using the TES system, the power consumption during valley period of power grid increases by 581.23%, realizing the goal of peak load shifting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) rod-like carbon micro-structures derived from natural ramie fibers and two-dimensional (2D) carbon nanosheets derived from corncobs have been fabricated by heat treatment at 700 °C under argon atomsphere. The structure and morphology of the as-obtained ramie fiber carbon (RFC) and corncob carbon (CC) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. The electrochemical performances of the biomass carbon-based anode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) were investigated. When tested as anode material for lithium ion batteries, both the RFC microrods and CC nanosheets exhibited high capacity, excellent rate capability, and stable cyclability. The specific capacity were still as high as 489 and 606 mAhg −1 after 180 cycles when cycled at room temperature in a 3.0–0.01 V potential (vs. Li/Li + ) window at current density of 100 mAg −1 , respectively, which are much higher than that of graphite (375 mAhg −1 ) under the same current density. Although the anodes in sodium ion batteries showed poorer specific capability than that in lithium-ion batteries, they still achieve a reversible sodium intercalation capacity of 122 and 139 mAhg −1 with similar cycling stability. The feature of stable cycling performance makes the biomass carbon derived from natural ramie fibers and corncobs to be promising candidates as electrodes in rechargeable sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precursors of ZnMn 2 O 4 were synthesized by different methods (the rheological phase reaction method or the mixed solvothermal method). The precursors were heat-treated at a suitable temperature to obtain the expected product (ZnMn 2 O 4 ). The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of the samples were also investigated. The results show that ZnMn 2 O 4 was synthesized successfully. The particles of ZnMn 2 O 4 were irregular quasi-spheres with sizes of about 50 nm. The ZnMn 2 O 4 nanoparticles synthesized through the mixed solvothermal method were clustered together to form microspheres about 1 μm in diameter. The electrochemical testing results showed that the ZnMn 2 O 4 synthesized through the mixed solvothermal method featured higher reversible capacity and better cycling performance than the sample synthesized by the rheological phase reaction method. The ZnMn 2 O 4 synthesized through the mixed solvothermal method could be a promising anode material for lithium ion battery application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A VO x /C nanofiber composite has been synthesized by using the electrospinning method and studied as an anode material for lithium ion batteries. The VO x /C nanofibers mainly are composed of VO2, V2O5, and carbon. The VO x /C nanofibers exhibited excellent electrochemical performance. A high discharge capacity of 850mAhg−1 can be retained after 100 cycles at the current density of 40mAg−1. A discharge capacity of 550mAhg−1 still can be delivered after 100 cycles, when the current density is increased to 1000mAg−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Breviscapine injection is a Chinese herbal medicine standardized product extracted from Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand.-Mazz. It has been widely used for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, the therapeutic time window and the action mechanism of breviscapine are still unclear. The present study was designed to investigate the therapeutic time window and underlying therapeutic mechanism of breviscapine injection against cerebral ischemic/reperfusion injury. Materials and methods: Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2h followed by 24h of reperfusion. Experiment part 1 was used to investigate the therapeutic time window of breviscapine. Rats were injected intravenously with 50mg/kg breviscapine at different time-points of reperfusion. After 24h of reperfusion, neurologic score, infarct volume, brain water content and serum level of neuron specific enolase (NSE) were measured in a masked fashion. Part 2 was used to explore the therapeutic mechanism of breviscapine. 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), 8-hydroxyl-2′- deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and the antioxidant capacity of ischemia cortex were measured by ELISA and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, respectively. Immunofluorescence and western blot analysis were used to analyze the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Results: Part 1: breviscapine injection significantly ameliorated neurologic deficit, reduced infarct volume and water content, and suppressed the levels of NSE in a time-dependent manner. Part 2: breviscapine inhibited the increased levels of 4-HNE and 8-OHdG, and enhanced the antioxidant capacity of cortex tissue. Moreover, breviscapine obviously raised the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins after 24h of reperfusion. Conclusion: The therapeutic time window of breviscapine injection for cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury seemed to be within 5h after reperfusion. By up-regulating the expression of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway might be involved in the therapeutic mechanism of breviscapine injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]