The Effects Of Minocycline On The Hippocampus In Lithium-Pilocarpine Induced Status Epilepticus In Rat: Relations With Microglial/Astrocytic Activation And Serum Mob Level

AIM: To investigate possible correlations between serum S100B levels and microglial/astrocytic activation in status epilepticus (SE) in lithium-pilocarpine-exposed rat hippocampi and whether serum S100B levels linearly reflect neuroinflammation. Additionally, to assess the effects of minocycline (M), an inhibitor of neuroinflammation. MATERIAL and METHODS: Rats were divided into 4 groups (6/group), namely, control (C), sham, SE, and SE+M. Animals were exposed to lithium-pilocarpine to induce SE in the SE and SE+M groups. Cardiac blood was collected to measure S100B levels, and coronal brain sections including the hippocampus were prepared to examine microglial/astrocytic activation and to evaluate neuroinflammation at day 7 of SE. RESULTS: Serum S100B levels, OX42 (+) microglia in CA1, and GFAP (+) astrocytes in both CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) were higher in the SE+M group than in the C group. Most importantly, highly positive correlations were found between S100B levels and microglial activation in CA1, apart from astrocytic activation in CA1 and DG. Unexpectedly, microglial activation in CA1 and astrocytic activation in DG were also enhanced in the SE+M group compared with the C group. Moreover, M administration reversed the neuronal loss observed in DG during SE. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that serum S100B is a candidate biomarker for monitoring neuroinflammation and that it may also help predict diagnosis and prognosis.WoSScopu

Influence of Iron on the Structural Evolution of LiNi0.4Fe0.2Mn1.4O4LiNi_{0.4}Fe_{0.2}Mn_{1.4}O_{4} during Electrochemical Cycling Investigated by in situ Powder Diffraction and Spectroscopic Methods

The cathode materials LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 and LiNi0.4Fe0.2Mn1.4O4 were synthesized using a citric acid-assisted solgel method with a final calcination temperature of 1000 °C. An impurity phase exists in LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 powders, which can be eliminated by substituting some of the Ni2+ and Mn4+ ions with Fe3+. The substitution of Fe into the spinel structure was confirmed by NMR and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The initial capacity of LiNi0.4Fe0.2Mn1.4O4 powder synthesized at 1000 °C (LNFMO) is slightly higher than that of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 powder synthesized at 1000 °C (LNMO). Additionally, its capacity retention of 92% at room temperature after 300 cycles at C/2 charging-discharging rate between 3.5–5.0 V is higher than that of the Fe-free sample (79.5%) under same conditions which could arise from the difference in their cycling mechanisms. In order to understand the structural evolution of these materials during electrochemical cycling, in situ studies under real operating conditions were performed. Measurements of initial powders in capillaries and in situ experiments during the first galvanostatic cycle were carried out by high resolution powder diffraction using synchrotron radiation

Improving the rate capability of high voltage lithium-ion battery cathode material LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 by ruthenium doping

The citric acid-assisted solegel method was used to produce the high-voltage cathodes LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4and LiNi0.4Ru0.05Mn1.5O4 at 800 C and 1000 C final calcination temperatures. High resolution powderdiffraction using synchrotron radiation, inductively coupled plasma e optical emission spectroscopy andscanning electron microscopy analyses were carried out to characterize the structure, chemicalcomposition and morphology. X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies were conducted to confirm Rudoping inside the spinel as well as to compare the oxidation states of transition metals. The formation ofan impurity LixNi1xO in LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 powders annealed at high temperatures (T 800 C) can besuppressed by partial substitution of Ni2þ by Ru4þ ion. The LiNi0.4Ru0.05Mn1.5O4 powder synthesized at1000 C shows the highest performance regarding the rate capability and cycling stability. It has an initialcapacity of ~139 mAh g1 and capacity retention of 84% after 300 cycles at C/2 chargingedischarging ratebetween 3.5 and 5.0 V. The achievable discharge capacity at 20 C for a charging rate of C/2 is~136 mAh g1 (~98% of the capacity delivered at C/2). Since the electrode preparation plays a crucial roleon parameters like the rate capability, the influence of the mass loading of active materials in the cathodemixture is discussed.© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved