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Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is pivotal in the field of major depressive disorder treatment. Due to its unsatisfied response rate, an increasing number of researchers have turned their attention towards optimizing TMS site localization. Since the influence of TMS in reducing heart rate (HR) offers insights into its regulatory impact on the autonomic nervous system, a novel approach, called neurocardiac‐guided TMS (NCG–TMS), has been proposed to pinpoint the brain region eliciting the maximal individual reduction in HR as a personalized optimal stimulation target. The present study intends to systematically explore the effects of stimulation frequency, left and right hemispheres, stimulation positions, and individual differences on HR modulation using the NCG–TMS method. In experiment 1, low‐frequency TMS was administered to 30 subjects, and it was found that low‐frequency NCG–TMS significantly downregulated HR, with more significant effects in the right hemisphere than in the left hemisphere and the prefrontal cortex than in other brain areas. In experiment 2, high‐frequency NCG–TMS stimulation was administered to 30 subjects, showing that high‐frequency NCG–TMS also downregulated HR and had the greatest modulatory effect in the right prefrontal region. Simultaneously, both experiments revealed sizeable individual variability in the optimal stimulation site, which in turn validated the feasibility of the NCG–TMS method. In conclusion, the present experiments independently replicated the effect of NCG–TMS, provided an effect of high‐/low‐frequency TMS stimulation to downregulate HR, and identified a right lateralization of the HR modulation effect. This study independently validated the neuro‐cardiac‐guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technique through high‐frequency and low‐frequency TMS. The findings not only unveiled the group‐level heart rate regulatory effects of the right prefrontal cortex but also uncovered individual differences in regulatory responses. These results offer novel theoretical support for the personalized clinical application of TMS in modulating the autonomic nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a hydrogen‐bonded cobalt porphyrin framework is presented that can efficiently host iodine and serve as an electrocatalyst for aqueous zinc‐iodine (Zn‐I2) organic batteries. The Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Density functional theory (DFT) results demonstrate that hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) possess excellent adsorption properties for iodine species. In situ Raman spectroscopy illustrates that the redox mechanism of Zn‐I2 battery depends on the redox reaction of I/I−, with I3−/I5− serving as intermediary products. The in situ Ultraviolet‐visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy further reveals that HOFs restrict polyiodide solubilization. The aqueous Zn‐I2 organic batteries with I2@PFC‐72‐Co cathodes exhibit excellent rate capability, achieving 134.9 mAh g−1 at 20 C. Additionally, these batteries demonstrate long‐term cycle stability, enduring > 5000 cycles at 20 C. The impressive electrochemical performance of I2@PFC‐72‐Co can be attributed to the cooperative Co single‐atom (CoSA) electrocatalyst in the HOF‐Co structure. Moreover, the benzene ring structure and the carboxyl functional group of HOFs possess a strong ability to adsorb iodine and iodide. Owing to these synergistic effects, the aqueous Zn‐I2 batteries with the I2@PFC‐72‐Co cathode exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aminated sodium lignosulfonate (AELS) was prepared through a Mannich reaction and characterized via FT-IR, TG, SEM and XPS in this study. Subsequently, the adsorption capacity of AELS for methyl blue (MB) was evaluated under various conditions such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial concentration and temperature. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics of AELS for methyl blue were investigated and analyzed. The results were found to closely adhere to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting a single-molecular-layer adsorption process. Notably, the maximum adsorption capacity of AELS for methyl blue (153.42 mg g−1) was achieved under the specified conditions (T = 298 K, MAELS = 0.01 g, pH = 6, VMB = 25 mL, C0 = 300 mg L−1). The adsorption process was determined to be spontaneous and endothermic. Following five adsorption cycles, the adsorption capacity exhibited a minimal reduction from 118.99 mg g−1 to 114.33 mg g−1, indicating good stability. This study contributes to the advancement of utilizing natural resources effectively and sustainably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose-based carbon (CBC) is widely known for its porous structure and high specific surface area and is liable to adsorb gas molecules and macromolecular pollutants. However, the application of CBC in gas sensing has been little studied. In this paper, a ZnO/CBC heterojunction was formed by means of simple co-precipitation and high-temperature carbonization. As a new ammonia sensor, the prepared ZnO/CBC sensor can detect ammonia that the previous pure ZnO ammonia sensor cannot at room temperature. It has a great gas sensing response, stability, and selectivity to an ammonia concentration of 200 ppm. This study provides a new idea for the design and synthesis of biomass carbon–metal oxide composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has garnered increasing attention as a safe and effective peripheral neuromodulation technique in various clinical and cognitive neuroscience fields. However, there is ongoing debate about whether the commonly used earlobe control interferes with the objective assessment of taVNS regulatory effects. This study aims to further explore the regulatory effects of taVNS and earlobe stimulation (ES) on alertness levels and physiological indicators following 24 h of sleep deprivation (SD), based on previous findings that both taVNS and ES showed significant positive effects. The goal is to evaluate whether ES can serve as a neutral sham condition. Using a within-subject randomized experimental design involving 56 participants, we assessed alertness, heart rate variability (HRV), and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels in the morning of the first day. After 24 h of SD and 30 min of either taVNS or ES intervention, these indicators were re-evaluated, and the changes in both groups were analyzed. The results indicated that both taVNS and ES improved alertness levels following SD. However, taVNS significantly increased sAA levels, indicating activation of the LC-NE system, whereas ES significantly increased HR and reduced HRV, promoting sympathetic nervous activity. Additionally, the regulatory effect of taVNS on the alertness showed a higher correlation with SD impairment. Although taVNS and ES may involve different and separable neuromodulation mechanisms, both can enhance alertness following SD. Future studies should carefully consider the potential regulatory effects of ES when using it as a sham condition in taVNS research., (© 2024 Society for Psychophysiological Research.)

Background: In the face of inevitable declines in alertness and fatigue resulting from sleep deprivation, effective countermeasures are essential for maintaining performance. External trigeminal nerve stimulation (eTNS) presents a potential avenue for regulating alertness by activating the locus coeruleus and reticular activating system., Methods: Here, we conducted a within-subject study with 66 habitual nappers, subjecting them to afternoon nap-deprivation and applying either 20-minute of 120 Hz eTNS or sham stimulation. We compared participants' performance in PVT and N-back tasks, subjective fatigue level and alertness ratings, and changes in heart rate variability, cortisol, and salivary alpha-amylase before and after stimulation., Results: The results revealed a significant decline in PVT and N-back tasks performance, along with increased subjective fatigue levels in the sham stimulation group. In contrast, the eTNS stimulation group maintained behavioral performance, with lower post-stimulation fatigue levels than sham group. After stimulation, the eTNS group exhibited decreased mean R-R interval and elevated LF/HF ratios, i.e., a shift in autonomic nervous system activity towards sympathetic dominance, and a significant reduction in cortisol levels, indicating a state of relaxation alleviating drowsiness., Conclusion: These findings suggested that 120 Hz eTNS stimulation might induce a relaxing effect, and thereby alleviate fatigue while preserving alertness and cognitive performance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This research focused on utilizing banana peel as the primary material for producing mesoporous biomass charcoal through one-step potassium hydroxide activation. Subsequently, the biomass charcoal underwent high-temperature calcination with varying impregnation ratios of KOH : BC for different durations in tubular furnaces set at different temperatures. The resultant biomass charcoal was then subjected to hydrothermal treatment with FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O to produce biochar/iron oxide composites. The adsorption capabilities of these composites towards methylene blue (MB) were examined under various conditions, including pH (ranging from 3 to 12), temperature variations, and initial MB concentrations (ranging from 50 to 400 mg L -1 ). The adsorption behavior aligned with the Langmuir model and demonstrated quasi-secondary kinetics. After five adsorption cycles, the capacity decreased from 618.64 mg g -1 to 497.18 mg g -1 , indicating considerable stability. Notably, Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC exhibited exceptional MB adsorption performance., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)