The magnetoelastic generator (MEG) is a fundamentally new platform technology to convert mechanical motions into electrical signals for sensing, therapeutics, and energy applications. Here, we present a protocol for fabricating and characterizing the MEG for personalized muscle physiotherapy when integrated into a wearable textile patch. We describe the steps for fabricating such a textile MEG, including the magnetomechanical coupling (MC) and magnetic induction (MI) layers, and characterizing their magnetoelastic and electrical properties. We then detail procedures for monitoring muscle biomechanical activities and muscle physiotherapy application. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Xu et al.1.

Mesoscale to nanoscale three-dimensional (3D) fabrication mostly requires complicated industry processing techniques. Here, we present a protocol for 3D shaping control by solidifying a water-based TiO2 nanofluid drop on a polygonal wettability-patterned surface. We detail the steps for preparing stable TiO2 nanofluid and wettability-patterned surfaces. We then describe the experimental procedure to obtain various and precise 3D morphologies by adjusting the deposited TiO2 nanofluid drop volume. This protocol provides a promising technique for future 3D manufacturing. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Jiang et al.1.

Cyclic-phospholipids-based vesicles can play a role in facilitating the chemical evolution of protocells from the structurally simple to the functionally more complex form. Here, we present a protocol for preparing decanoic acid-derived cyclic phospholipid and glyceryl-diester phosphate-containing vesicles. We describe steps for sample preparation, equilibration, and image acquisition using confocal microscopy. This protocol has the potential for preparing a wide variety of these phospholipid-based artificial cell constructs. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Pulletikurti et al.1.

Detection of nitrative stress is crucial to understanding redox signaling and pathophysiology. Dysregulated nitrative stress, which generates high levels of peroxynitrite, can damage lipid membranes and cause activation of proinflammatory pathways associated with pulmonary complications. Here, we present a protocol for implementing a peroxynitrite-sensing phospholipid to investigate nitrative stress in murine cells and lung tissue. We detail procedures for sensing ONOO- in stimulated cells, both ex vivo and in vivo, using murine models of acute lung injury (ALI). For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Gutierrez and Aggarwal et al.1.

Nitrates can cause severe ecological imbalances in aquatic ecosystems, with considerable consequences for human health. Therefore, monitoring this inorganic form of nitrogen is essential for any water quality management structure. This research was conducted to develop a novel Nitrate Portable Measurement System (NPMS) to monitor nitrate concentrations in water samples. NPMS is a reagent-free ultraviolet system developed using low-cost electronic components. Its operation principle is based on the Beer-Lambert law for measuring nitrate concentrations in water samples through light absorption in the spectral range of 295-315 nm. The system is equipped with a ready-to-use ultraviolet sensor, light emission diode (LED), op-amp, microcontroller, liquid crystal display, quartz cuvette, temperature sensor, and battery. All the components are assembled in a 3D-printed enclosure box, which allows a very compact self-contained equipment with high portability, enabling field and near-real-time measurements. The proposed methodology and the developed instrument were used to analyze multiple nitrate standard solutions. The performance was evaluated in comparison to the Nicolet Evolution 300, a classical UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The results demonstrate a strong correlation between the retrieved measurements by both instruments within the investigated spectral band and for concentrations above 5 mg NO3-/L.

The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a species often affected by natural and man-made disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills, as well as general human activities; that subsequently receives medical care and rehabilitation. During rehabilitation, blood may be collected for various tests to help with diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. Reference intervals for this species are limited, dated, and typically from small sample sizes. Seventy-one presumed healthy brown pelicans were sampled as part of their pre-release examination from rehabilitation at the Wildlife Center of Texas after a large volume stranding from December 2014 to January 2015, and various venous analytes were measured to establish updated reference intervals for brown pelicans. Fibrinogen was measured via heat precipitation and the Abaxis VSPro equine fibrinogen cartridge to determine reference intervals and in an attempt to validate the VSPro for use in avian species. Abaxis VS2 Avian/Reptile Chemistry panel, iSTAT CG4+, and iSTAT Chem8+ results, in addition to body condition score, spun PCV, cloacal temperature, and fibrinogen were measured. Proposed reference intervals for brown pelicans are presented. Fibrinogen results were not comparable between the gold standard method and the VSPro, indicating that the VSPro is not appropriate for use in brown pelicans.

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Nitrogen doped carbon materials have been studied as catalyst support for ammonia decomposition. There are 4 different types of nitrogen environments (graphitic, pyrrolic, pyridinic and nitrogen oxide) on the amorphous support identified. In this paper, we report a 5%Ru on MgCO3 pre-treated nitrogen doped carbon catalyst with high content of edge nitrogen-containing sites which displays an ammonia conversion rate of over 90% at 500°C and WHSV = 30,000 mL gcat -1 h-1. It also gives an impressive hydrogen production rate of 31.3 mmol/(min gcat) with low apparent activation energy of 43 kJ mol-1. Fundamental studies indicate that the distinct average Ru-N4 coordination site on edge regions is responsible for such high catalytic activity. Ammonia is stepwise decomposed via a Ru-N(H)-N(H)-Ru intermediate. This associative mechanism circumvents the direct cleavage of energetic surface nitrogen from metal to form N2 hence lowering the activation barrier for the decomposition over this catalyst.

BACKGROUND: Conioselinum anthriscoides (H. Boissieu) Pimenov & Kljuykov, also known as Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. is a perennial Umbelliferae herb, whose dried rhizome commonly called Chuanxiong Rhizoma. Chuanxiong Rhizoma is widely used in TCM, especially for cardiocerebrovascular and gynecological diseases. However, these studies are scattered and there is no review that can centralize the results of these studies. The authors summarized this review by collecting research results on the chemical, pharmacological, and toxicological of Chuanxiong Rhizoma published in various publications over the past 20 years.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review is to summarize the current experimental studies on Chuanxiong Rhizoma and explore its mechanism of action.
METHODS: Web of Science, PubMed, CBM, CNKI, Medline, Embase, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley Online Library, Scholar, and other databases were searched, and nearly one hundred experimental studies were collected to summarize this review.
CONCLUSIONS: Chuanxiong Rhizoma is composed of essential oil, terpenes, alkaloids, polysaccharide, organic acids, ceramides, and cerebrosides. It has the functions of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, antibacterial, antiviral, and calming the mind to sleep. Now it can be used to treat cardiocerebrovascular and gynecological diseases, neurodegenerative disease, psoriasis, rectal cancer, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis.
CONCLUSIONS: In the past 20 years, a large number of research data have confirmed that Chuanxiong Rhizoma contains rich effective metabolites, has huge medicinal potential, and has a wide range of effective treatments.

Causal mechanistic reasoning is a thinking strategy that can help students explain complex phenomena using core ideas commonly emphasized in separate undergraduate courses, as it requires students to identify underlying entities, unpack their relevant properties and interactions, and link them to construct mechanistic explanations. As a crossdisciplinary group of biologists, chemists, and teacher educators, we designed a scaffolded set of tasks that require content knowledge from biology and chemistry to construct nested hierarchical mechanistic explanations that span three scales (molecular, macromolecular, and cellular). We examined student explanations across seven introductory and upper-level biology and chemistry courses to determine how the construction of mechanistic explanations varied across courses and the relationship between the construction of mechanistic explanations at different scales. We found non-, partial, and complete mechanistic explanations in all courses and at each scale. Complete mechanistic explanation construction was lowest in introductory chemistry, about the same across biology and organic chemistry, and highest in biochemistry. Across tasks, the construction of a mechanistic explanation at a smaller scale was associated with constructing a mechanistic explanation for larger scales; however, the use of molecular scale disciplinary resources was only associated with complete mechanistic explanations at the macromolecular, not cellular scale.