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Anxiety is a common comorbidity associated with chronic pain, which results in chronic pain complexification and difficulty in treatment. Electroacupuncture (EA) is commonly used to treat chronic pain and anxiety. However, the underlying mechanisms of the EA effect are largely unknown. Here, we showed that a circuitry underlying chronic pain induces anxiety disorders, and EA can treat them by regulating such circuitry. Using chemogenetic methods, we found that chemogenetic activation of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) glutamatergic output to the thalamus induced anxiety disorders in control rats. Then, chemogenetic inhibition of the rACC-thalamus circuitry reduced anxiety-like behavior produced by intraplantar injection of the complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). In this study, we examined the effects of EA on a rat model of CFA-mediated anxiety-like behaviors and the related mechanisms. We found that chemogenetic activation of the rACC-thalamus circuitry effectively blocked the effects of EA on chronic pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors in CFA rats. These results demonstrate an underlying rACC-thalamus glutamatergic circuitry that regulates CFA-mediated anxiety-like behaviors. This study also provides a potential mechanistic explanation for EA treatment of anxiety caused by chronic pain.

Neuropathic pain is a common cause of chronic pain and often accompanied by negative emotions, making it complex and difficult to treat. However, the neural circuit mechanisms underlying these symptoms remain unclear. Here, we present a novel pathway with comorbid chronic pain and anxiety. Using chemogenetic methods, we found that activation of glutamatergic projections from the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACCGlu) to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) induced both hyperalgesia and anxiety-like behaviors in sham mice. Inhibition of the rACCGlu -vlPAG circuit reduced anxiety-like behaviors and hyperalgesia in spared nerve injury (SNI) mice. Moreover, electroacupuncture (EA) could effectively alleviate hyperalgesia and anxiety-like behaviors in SNI mice, and the related mechanisms were investigated. We found that chemogenetic activation of the rACCGlu-vlPAG circuit effectively blocked the analgesic effect of EA in SNI mice but did not affect the anxiolytic effect of EA. In conclusion, we demonstrated a novel circuit mechanism in which the rACCGlu-vlPAG circuit plays an important role in SNI-induced hyperalgesia and anxiety-like behaviors. And this neural circuit is involved in the analgesic but not anxiolytic effects of EA.

Negative impacts such as unstable power supply and stranded coal power assets caused by coal phase-out have frequently occurred. As an important regulatory measure to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, whether carbon pricing can effectively deal with the negative impacts of coal phase-out has become a key issue of widespread concern. In this paper, a hybrid bottom-up real option (RO) and top-down system dynamic (SD) model is developed to assess the negative impacts of coal phase-out in China. The simulation results based on different carbon pricing mechanisms indicate that the total stranded coal power asset in China may range between 1.4 and 1.7 trillion yuan under all simulation scenarios. Regardless of the carbon pricing mechanisms adopted, China will probably encounter short-term electricity shortages before 2027. The aggressive carbon pricing mechanism may not necessarily decrease the value of stranded assets but could potentially escalate electricity shortage risk between 2033 and 2040. Compared with the altering initial carbon price or carbon price drift rate, the adjustment of the free carbon quota reduction rate may be a more feasible approach to achieving carbon neutrality target, and it will lead to a lower electricity shortage risk and stranded coal power assets in China.

Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively alleviate anxiety disorders and memory impairments caused by various neurodegenerative diseases; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying its neuroprotective effects are unclear. Previous studies have shown that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) comprises of two axes with mutual antagonism: the classical angiotensin converting enzyme/angiotensin II/angiotensin II type 1 receptor (ACE/Ang II/AT1R) axis and the protective angiotensin converting enzyme 2/angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor (ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR) axis. In this study, we observed that chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) mediated anxiety-like behavior and memory impairments in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) via upregulation of the hippocampal classical axis (ACE/Ang II/AT1R) and the partial hippocampal protective axis (ACE2/Ang-(1-7)). However, Ang II levels were much higher than those of Ang-(1–7), indicating that the ACE/Ang II/AT1R axis plays a dominant role in the comorbidity of CCH and hypertension. Moreover, candesartan cilexetil (Canc) and perindopril (Peril) were used as positive control drugs. We found that EA, Canc, and Peril attenuated CCH-induced anxiety-like behavior and memory impairments in SHR, potentially via downregulation of the hippocampal classical axis (ACE/Ang II/AT1R) and upregulation of the whole hippocampal protective axis (ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR). These results suggest that EA therapy for CCH with hypertension may be mediated by two hippocampal RAS axes.

Dyslipidemia due to renal insufficiency is a common complication in patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD), and a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular events. Atorvastatin (AT) is mainly used in the treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with CKD. However, response to the atorvastatin varies inter-individually in clinical applications. We examined the association between polymorphisms in genes involved in drug metabolism and transport, and plasma concentrations of atorvastatin and its metabolites (2-hydroxy atorvastatin (2-AT), 2-hydroxy atorvastatin lactone (2-ATL), 4-hydroxy atorvastatin (4-AT), 4-hydroxy atorvastatin lactone (4-ATL), atorvastatin lactone (ATL)) in kidney diseases patients. Genotypes were determined using TaqMan real time PCR in 212 CKD patients, treated with 20 mg of atorvastatin daily for 6 weeks. The steady state plasma concentrations of atorvastatin and its metabolites were quantified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography in combination with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC−MS/MS). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed the variant in ABCC4 (rs3742106) was associated with decreased concentrations of AT and its metabolites (2-AT+2-ATL: β = -0.162, p = 0.028 in the dominant model; AT+2-AT+4-AT: β = -0.212, p = 0.028 in the genotype model), while patients carrying the variant allele ABCC4-rs868853 (β = 0.177, p = 0.011) or NR1I2-rs6785049 (β = 0.123, p = 0.044) had higher concentrations of 2-AT+2-ATL in plasma compared with homozygous wildtype carriers. Luciferase activity was enhanced in HepG2 cells harboring a construct expressing the rs3742106-T allele or the rs868853-G allele ( p < 0.05 for each) compared with a construct expressing the rs3742106G or the rs868853-A allele. These findings suggest that two functional polymorphisms in the ABCC4 gene may affect transcriptional activity, thereby directly or indirectly affecting release of AT and its metabolites from hepatocytes into the circulation.

Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively modulate pain perception and pain-related negative affect; however, we do not know whether the effect of EA on sensation and affect is parallel, or dissociated, interactional. In this study, we observed the effects of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) lesion and the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) activation on pain perception, pain-related affection, and neural oscillation in S1. ACC lesions did not affect pain perception but relieved pain-paired aversion. S1 activation increased pain perception and anxious behavior. EA can mitigate pain perception regardless of whether there is an ACC lesion. Chronic pain may increase the delta and theta band oscillatory activity in the S1 brain region and decrease the oscillatory activity in the alpha, beta, and gamma bands. EA intervention may inhibit the oscillatory activity of the alpha and beta bands. These results suggest that EA may mitigate chronic pain by relieving pain perception and reducing pain-related affection through different mechanisms. This evidence builds upon findings from previous studies of chronic pain and EA treatment.

Passive fluidic thrust vectoring nozzles feature a simple structure and low energy consumption. However, traditional 2D passive fluidic thrust vectoring nozzle suffers from jump and control reversal in thrust angle. This study proposes a trailing-edge beveled passive fluidic thrust vectoring nozzle which weakens the jump in thrust vector angle and eliminates control reversal. Experiments were conducted to obtain force angle control characteristics and jet flow structures. Results show that trailing-edge bevel angle significantly affects jet deflection control characteristics: 0° (2D nozzle) and 15° nozzles have obvious thrust vector angle jumps and control reversal, while 30°, 45°, and 60° nozzles eliminate abrupt jumps and no control reversal. However, the maximum thrust vector angle decreases gradually with increasing bevel angle. Then 2D nozzle and typical 45° trailing-edge beveled nozzle were selected for investigation. For 2D nozzle, as secondary flow channel opening difference (δ) increases, all spanwise jets deflect synchronously at δ = 0.58, generating an uncontrolled jump and entering a supercritical state in thrust vector angle. In the range of δ = 0.58~1 the supercritical state diminishes, leading to control reversal. While for 45° beveled nozzle, at δ = 0.35, the jet deflects only at the short side, which weakens thrust vector angle jump. In the range of δ = 0.35~1, jet deflection region expands and produces normal force continuously, which eliminates the thrust vector angle control reversal. The jet deflection region of the beveled nozzle has a smaller spanwise proportion than that of the 2D nozzle, resulting in a reduced maximum vectoring angle. The results show the influence of trailing-edge beveling effect on the flow structure and jet deflection control characteristics under low-speed conditions, yielding valuable insights for the optimization of the design of passive FTVC nozzles.

Abstract Eliminating poverty is a worldwide problem, but China has recently made major achievements in poverty alleviation. By the end of 2020, 832 nationally designated poor counties had all been lifted out of poverty within five years. Why do some poor counties perform better in poverty alleviation? This paper leverages a unique county-level dataset of 832 nationally designated poor counties in China and uses discrete-time event history analysis to understand the relationship between political institutions and poverty alleviation. We find that the presence of a county party committee secretary concurrently holding a higher rank position above the county level significantly increases the odds ratio of accomplishing poverty alleviation tasks. Previous studies have emphasized the important role of empowering people in democracies for poverty reduction. This study shows that empowering key governmental actors in authoritarian regimes can help them increase their bargaining power and improve the performance of poverty alleviation. In addition, this paper echoes the research on political institutions of authoritarian systems and deepens the understanding of the importance of the higher-ranking institution of Chinese officials.

Our previous studies have confirmed that electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively intervene in pain memory, but the neural mechanism involved remains unclear. In this study, we observed the effects of EA in regulating pain memory-related behaviors and synchronous neural oscillations in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). During nociceptive behavioral testing, pain memory induced a nonpain stimulus that spurred a neural oscillatory reaction similar to that caused by pain stimuli in the rACC. After EA, nonpain stimuli did not induce decreased neural oscillatory activity in the rACC until the presentation of pain stimuli. During aversive behavioral testing, EA, through the downregulation of theta power, inhibited the retrieval of aversive memory and relieved pain memory-induced aversive behaviors. These changes of oscillatory activity may be the hallmarks of EA therapy for pain memory.

For airlines, a scientific and effective method for engine maintenance decision-making should be developed for the planning of aero engine maintenance and removal. The mathematical modelling method of maintenance decision-making for civil aero engines based on the currently widely used condition-based maintenance (CBM) strategy was mainly studied in this work, and the effects of multiple state parameters on the system operation were fully considered. Based on historical data for aero engine removal due to performance degradation, statistical regression modelling was used to establish a mathematical model of maintenance decision-making that can reflect a functional relationship between the engine state parameters and the time on wing. The model was based on the proportional hazards-proportional odds (PH-PO) model, combining two commonly used statistical regression models, the proportional hazards model (PHM) and the proportional odds model (POM), into a single new model form; as a result, the scope of application of the model was improved. Finally, the results of a case study of a specific example showed the high practical value of this method.