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Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of low‐intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) treatment on rapid relief of delayed‐onset muscle soreness (DOMS) triggered by high‐intensity exercise. Methods: A total of 16 healthy male college students were randomly divided into two groups: the LIFU group (n = 8) and the Sham group (n = 8). After the exercise protocol, the LIFU group received treatment, which parameters included that the power output was 2.5 W/cm2, the frequency was 1 MHz, and the treating time was 20 minutes. The Sham group was treated with LIFU without energy output. Visual analog scale was used to evaluate the level of DOMS in every participant. The activities of plasma creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and the plasma concentration were measured by spectrophotometry. Tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐6 of serum were analyzed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The visual analog scale of quadriceps femoris and/or calf muscles in the LIFU group decreased significantly at 24 hours (P < 0.01) and 48 hours (P <.01) after the exercise protocol. Both the accumulation of lactic acid (P <.01) in muscle and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (P <.01) reduced immediately after LIFU treatment. The activities of tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐6 24 hours lowered in the LIFU group (P <.01). Conclusions: LIFU treatment could relieve muscle soreness rapidly and effectively in the early stages of DOMS. The application of LIFU may provide a potential strategy for clinical treatment for DOMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythropoietin (EPO) has emerged as a versatile growth factor that has transcended its traditional role as a mediator of erythroid maturation to one that modulates stem cell development, cellular protection and angiogenesis in the brain. As a possible candidate for nervous system disorders, it becomes crucial to understand the cellular mechanisms that foster cytoprotection rather than cytotoxicity for EPO. EPO offers novel neuronal and vascular protection not only through the maintenance of cellular integrity, but also through the prevention of cellular inflammation. The protective and anti-inflammatory capacities of EPO originate with the Janus tyrosine kinase 2 protein and protein kinase B (Akt). Downstream cellular pathways include FOXO3a, GSK-3[beta], Bad, Bcl-xL, NF-[kappa]B, mitochondrial membrane permeability, APAF-1 and caspases. Further understanding of the cellular pathways that are susceptible to modulation by EPO will be crucial to foster the development of this agent as a robust and efficacious therapy for the brain.

In this study, novel ZnO/ZnWO4 nanocatalysts were synthesized for the removal of organic compounds under ultraviolet (UV) and visible-light irradiation. ZnO was prepared by a homogenous precipitation process followed by an impregnation technique for the formation of ZnO/ZnWO4 photocatalysts with different percentages of tungsten. The resulting photocatalysts formed a mesoporous network of ZnO nanoparticles, with a size of 18 nm, and modified by tungsten, according to X-ray diffraction and N2 sorption analyses. Their morphology and composition were studied by transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. According to optical studies, the absorption edge of the ZnO nanomaterials revealed that the red-shift with augmented tungsten concentration resulted in a decrease in the forbidden energy gap (Eg) from 3.25 eV to 2.95 eV. Therefore, the ZnO/ZnWO4 compound absorbed light in the visible-light region, which probably indicates that the developed photocatalysts may be active in this region. The presence of surface hydroxyl groups was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and these hydroxyl groups play a significant role in the photocatalytic activity of the compounds by catching the formed holes in the valence band under irradiation to create the hydroxyl radical, thus improving the photocatalytic property. Zn–ZnW0.2 showed the best photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB), with a rate constant Kapp = 0.095 min−1 (98.5% degradation) and Kapp = 0.04 min−1 (91% degradation) after 30 and 60 min of irradiation under UV and visible light, respectively. This improvement was rationalized by the effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole (e−/h+) pairs due to the formation of a heterojunction structure between ZnWO4 (ECB = +0.165 eV; EVB = 2.885 eV) and ZnO (ECB = −0.365 eV; EVB = 3.115 eV). In addition, results confirmed that holes (h+) and ˙OH radicals are the major reactive species involved in the photodegradation of RhB dye. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed for explaining the photodegradation of RhB over the ZnO/ZnWO4 photocatalyst. The Zn–ZnW0.2 photocatalyst retained its high photodegradation rate and good photostability over four consecutive cycles with no changes in its morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]