The effect of lovastatin on cognition impairment induced by bilateral electrical lesion of nucleus basalis magnocellularis in the Alzheimerâs disease model in adult male rats

Background: Statins, inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, are widely used as medication to lower cholesterol levels in human patients. Much evidence indicates that statins can also exert neuroprotective actions. So, this study aimed at examining the effect of lovastatin on cognition deficit induced by bilateral electrical lesion of nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) in the Alzheimer’s disease model in adult male rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male wistar rats were divided into 8 groups (n=7): control (intact), NBM lesion group (which received electrically- induced lesion 0.5 mA in 3s), sham group (the electrode was impaled into the NBM with no lesion(, lovastatin groups (lesion+1, 5, 10, 20 mg/kg) and DMSO 5 group (NBM lesion +DMSO 5). Acquisition and retention testing was done by using an eight-radial arm maze in which the patterns of arm entries were recorded for calculating working memory errors, reference memory error and latency in each group. Results: The bilateral NBM lesion resulted in significant reduction of spatial memory in acquisition and retention tests in the form of increased working and reference memory errors compared to the control group (P<0.05). Post-lesion treatment with lovastatin improved the parameters of spatial memory errors in the acquisition and retention tasks compared to the lesion group. Conclusion: The electrical NBM lesion can reduce spatial memory function and the lovastatin therapy after brain injury improved cognitive disorders. It seems that lovastatin by reducing the activity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme and increasing acetylcholine transferase enzyme activity can cause improvement in learning and memory capability

Drawing Boundaries

In “On Drawing Lines on a Map” (1995), I suggested that the different ways we have of drawing lines on maps open up a new perspective on ontology, resting on a distinction between two sorts of boundaries: fiat and bona fide. “Fiat” means, roughly: human-demarcation-induced. “Bona fide” means, again roughly: a boundary constituted by some real physical discontinuity. I presented a general typology of boundaries based on this opposition and showed how it generates a corresponding typology of the different sorts of objects which boundaries determine or demarcate. In this paper, I describe how the theory of fiat boundaries has evolved since 1995, how it has been applied in areas such as property law and political geography, and how it is being used in contemporary work in formal and applied ontology, especially within the framework of Basic Formal Ontology

Reasoning mechanism for cardinal direction relations

In the classical Projection-based Model for cardinal directions [6], a two-dimensional Euclidean space relative to an arbitrary single-piece region, a, is partitioned into the following nine tiles: North-West, NW(a); North, N(a); North-East, NE(a); West, W(a); Neutral Zone, O(a);East, E(a); South-West, SW(a); South, S(a); and South-East,SE(a). In our Horizontal and Vertical Constraints Model [9], [10] these cardinal directions are decomposed into sets corresponding to horizontal and vertical constraints. Composition is computed for these sets instead of the typical individual cardinal directions. In this paper, we define several whole and part direction relations followed by showing how to compose such relations using a formula introduced in our previous paper [10]. In order to develop a more versatile reasoning system for direction relations, we shall integrate mereology, topology, cardinal directions and include their negations as well. © 2010 Springer-Verlag

Inconsistent boundaries

Research on this paper was supported by a grant from the Marsden Fund, Royal Society of New Zealand.Mereotopology is a theory of connected parts. The existence of boundaries, as parts of everyday objects, is basic to any such theory; but in classical mereotopology, there is a problem: if boundaries exist, then either distinct entities cannot be in contact, or else space is not topologically connected (Varzi in Noûs 31:26–58, 1997). In this paper we urge that this problem can be met with a paraconsistent mereotopology, and sketch the details of one such approach. The resulting theory focuses attention on the role of empty parts, in delivering a balanced and bounded metaphysics of naive space.PostprintPeer reviewe

Effect of Aging-Induced Dioxolane Polymerization on the Electrochemistry of Carbon-Coated Lithium Sulfide

Lithium sulfide-based materials have been considered as potential positive electrodes for the next generation batteries. Lithium sulfide is the fully lithiated form of sulfur, i.e., they share the same high theoretical capacity. However, it has the benefit of already containing lithium, which allows making cells with lithium-free negative electrodes. Lithium sulfide, however, shares with sulfur the polysulfide dissolution drawback upon cycling. One possible solution to this problem is to envelop the active material particles with carbonaceous materials. In this work, we investigate the effect of a nitrogen-rich carbon coating on lithium sulfide particles. The effect of such coating on the surface properties and electrochemistry of lithium sulfide cathodes is investigated in details, in particular, regarding its interaction with fresh vs. aged electrolyte. The polymerization of dioxalane (DOL) due to aging is found to affect the electrochemistry of lithium sulfide and, interestingly, to improve the cycling performance

A perspective on the role of anions in highly concentrated aqueous electrolytes

Highly concentrated aqueous electrolytes enable a wider electrochemical stability window and, thus, higher energy batteries compared to conventional dilute aqueous solutions. Multiple properties of the electrolyte, e.g., ionic interactions, solvation structure, ion transport, tendency to hydrolyze, and capability to form a solid electrolyte interphase, distinctly change when the salt concentration is increased and highly depend on the salt anion. This work aims at reviewing, discussing and rationalizing the role of the salt anion in these physical and chemical properties in order to provide perspective guidelines for future developments

The Emergence of Aqueous Ammonium-Ion Batteries

Aqueous ammonium-ion (NH4+) batteries (AAIB) are a recently emerging technology that utilize the abundant electrode resources and the fast diffusion kinetics of NH$_{4}$$^{+}$ to deliver an excellent rate performance at a low cost. Although significant progress has been made on AAIBs, the technology is still limited by various challenges. In this Minireview, the most recent advances are comprehensively summarized and discussed, including cathode and anode materials as well as the electrolytes. Finally, a perspective on possible solutions for the current limitations of AAIBs is provided

Challenges and prospects of the role of solid electrolytes in the revitalization of lithium metal batteries

The scientific community is continuously committed to the search for new high energy electrochemical storage devices. In this regard, lithium metal batteries, due to their very high electrochemical energy storage capacity, appear to be a highly appealing choice. Unfortunately, the use of lithium metal as the anode may lead to some safety hazards due to its uneven deposition upon charging, resulting in dendrite growth and eventual shorting of the battery. This issue may be successfully addressed by using intrinsically safer electrolytes capable of establishing a physical barrier at the electrode interface. The most promising candidates are solid electrolytes, either polymeric or inorganic. The main purpose of this review is to describe the present status of worldwide research on these electrolyte materials together with a critical discussion of their transport properties and compatibility with metallic lithium, hoping to provide some general guidelines for the development of innovative and safe lithium metal batterie

Electrolyte Measures to Prevent Polysulfide Shuttle in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li−S) batteries are recognized as one of the most promising technologies with the potential to become the next-generation batteries. However, to ensure Li−S batteries reach commercialization, complex challenges remain, among which the tailoring of an appropriate electrolyte is the most important. This review discusses the role of electrolytes in Li−S batteries, focusing on the main issues and solutions for the shuttle mechanism of polysulfides and the instability of the interface with lithium metal. Herein, we present a background on Li−S chemistry followed by the state-of-the-art electrolytes highlighting the different strategies undertaken with liquid and solid electrolytes