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•A thermoelectric (TE) generator was prepared on commercially available silk fabric.•The silk fabric-based TE generator could convert thermal energy into electricity.•Applications of ...the TE generator for human body heat harvesting were demonstrated.
The development of flexible thermoelectric (TE) power generators for harvesting energy from the human body has attracted significant interest in recent years. However, thus far, a wearable TE power generator based on commercially available fabrics has not been realized. In this study, nanostructured Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 were synthesized and deposited on both sides of a silk fabric to form TE columns. These TE columns were connected with silver foils to fabricate a prototype integrating an array of 12 thermocouples. The generator could effectively convert thermal energy into electricity in the temperature difference (ΔT) range of 5–35K. The maximum voltage and power outputs were ∼10mV and ∼15nW, respectively, with no significant change in both, during 100cycles of bending and twisting. Different voltage output profiles were collected from an arm-attached generator before and after 30min of walking, to highlight the immense potential of the silk fabric-based TE generator. This study provides a new approach for developing fabric-based TE power generators for practical applications in wearable electronics.
Thalamocortical dysrhythmia is a key pathology of chronic neuropathic pain, but few studies have investigated thalamocortical networks in chronic low back pain (cLBP) given its non-specific etiology ...and complexity. Using fMRI, we propose an analytical pipeline to identify abnormal thalamocortical network dynamics in cLBP patients and validate the findings in two independent cohorts. We first identify two reoccurring dynamic connectivity states and their associations with chronic and temporary pain. Further analyses show that cLBP patients have abnormal connectivity between the ventral lateral/posterolateral nucleus (VL/VPL) and postcentral gyrus (PoCG) and between the dorsal/ventral medial nucleus and insula in the less frequent connectivity state, and temporary pain exacerbation alters connectivity between the VL/VPL and PoCG and the default mode network in the more frequent connectivity state. These results extend current findings on thalamocortical dysfunction and dysrhythmia in chronic pain and demonstrate that cLBP pathophysiology and clinical pain intensity are associated with distinct thalamocortical network dynamics.
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•CeO2 nanoparticles were immobilized on silk surface for the first time.•The coating does not significantly change the original color of silk.•CeO2 nanoparticle-coated silk possesses ...good thermal stability.•Antibacterial and UV-shielding properties of the coated silk were demonstrated.
To endow silk with UV-shielding ability and antibacterial activity, CeO2 nanoparticles were immobilized on silk surface via a dip-coating approach without changing silk structure. Surface density of the nanoparticles could be easily adjusted by controlling the number of dip-coating cycle. Enhanced thermal stability of the modified silk is exhibited in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTG). The excellent UV-protection ability and antibacterial property of the CeO2 nanoparticle-coated silk are demonstrated in UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and colony-forming capability test, respectively. Based on the data, it can be concluded that CeO2 nanoparticles could be used as a very promising coating material to modify silk for UV-protection and antibacterial applications.
The transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad3 signaling pathway has a central role in pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. In the present study, we investigated if all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) could ...attenuate fibrosis in bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis in rats through regulating TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling. Beginning on day 14 after BLM administration, the ATRA I and II groups of rats received daily oral administration of ATRA for 14 days. All rats were killed on day 28. Lung tissue sections were prepared and subject to histological assessment, and expression levels of proteins involved in the TGF-β1 signaling cascade and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot procedure, and immunohistochemical or immunofluorescence staining. BLM significantly increased the alveolar septum infiltrates, inflammatory cell infiltrates, and collagen fibers. These BLM-induced changes were significantly ameliorated by ATRA treatment. In addition, BLM significantly increased levels of lung fibrosis markers α-SMA, hydroxyproline (Hyp), collagen I, Snail, and Twist, whereas significantly decreased E-cadherin expression. ATRA treatment largely reversed BLM-induced changes in these lung fibrosis markers. ATRA also blocked BLM-induced activation of the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway in lung tissues, including expression of TGF-β1, Smad3, p-Smad3, zinc-finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 and 2 (ZEB1 and ZEB2), and the high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2). Our results suggest that ATRA may have potential therapeutic value for lung fibrosis treatment.
Promotion of myofibroblast apoptosis is a potential therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis. This study investigated the antifibrotic effect of astaxanthin on the promotion of myofibroblast ...apoptosis based on dynamin‐related protein‐1 (Drp1)‐mediated mitochondrial fission in vivo and in vitro. Results showed that astaxanthin can inhibit lung parenchymal distortion and collagen deposition, as well as promote myofibroblast apoptosis. Astaxanthin demonstrated pro‐apoptotic function in myofibroblasts by contributing to mitochondrial fission, thereby leading to apoptosis by increasing the Drp1 expression and enhancing Drp1 translocation into the mitochondria. Two specific siRNAs were used to demonstrate that Drp1 is necessary to promote astaxanthin‐induced mitochondrial fission and apoptosis in myofibroblasts. Drp1‐associated genes, such as Bcl‐2‐associated X protein, cytochrome c, tumour suppressor gene p53 and p53‐up‐regulated modulator of apoptosis, were highly up‐regulated in the astaxanthin group compared with those in the sham group. This study revealed that astaxanthin can prevent pulmonary fibrosis by promoting myofibroblast apoptosis through a Drp1‐dependent molecular pathway. Furthermore, astaxanthin provides a potential therapeutic value in pulmonary fibrosis treatment.
Intracranial epidermoid cysts (ECs) are encapsulated lesions lined by squamous cell epithelium and the most location is the cerebellopontine angle and appears with cerebrospinal fluid-like irregular ...mass. Occasionally, ECs present as high-density masses on computed tomography and atypical features in magnetic resonance images in the unusual area, which makes the diagnosis difficult. Here, we report a case of a female subject who complained of episodic left facial convulsions for more than 3 months. Computed tomography plain scan revealed a large hyperdense parasellar mass with atypical magnetic resonance findings. In this report, we analyzed retrospectively the radiological characteristics and histopathology of the parasellar EC, thus increasing awareness about this unusual image features.
Dapoxetine is considered a first-line treatment for patients with lifelong premature ejaculation (PE), and current researches have showed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that ...patients with lifelong PE might have abnormal brain function, but differences in brain function before and after administration have not been reported.
The aim of this study was to determine some objective differences in brain function between patients with lifelong PE before and after administration and healthy individuals.
In this study, 17 patients with lifelong PE and 11 healthy controls underwent clinical assessments and resting-state fMRI examination. After 4 weeks of treatment with dapoxetine 30 mg as needed, patients with PE underwent the same fMRI examination again 3 hours after dapoxetine administration.
The data were preprocessed using a data processing assistant for resting-state fMRI, and voxelwise amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) maps was calculated to identify abnormal neural activity in the brain.
(a) The ALFF of patients with PE was significantly lower in the bilateral hippocampus and thalamus and higher in the left fusiform and lingual gyrus than that of healthy controls; (b) decreased and increased ALFF in patients with PE recovered after dapoxetine administration.
We preliminarily identified the relevant sites by analyzing changes in the ALFF in patients with lifelong PE. Analyzing ALFF changes in the brain by resting-state fMRI is an effective method to study PE, and it might provide a reference for disease diagnosis and future research.
Yubo M, Lianjia H, Cuiping M, et al. Changes in the Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation in Patients With Lifelong Premature Ejaculation by Resting-State Functional MRI. Sex Med 2021;9:100287
A reduction in gray matter volume is common in patients with chronic back pain, and different types of pain are associated with gray matter abnormalities in distinct brain regions. To examine ...differences in brain morphology in patients with low back pain or neck and upper back pain, we investigated changes in gray matter volume in chronic back pain patients having different sites of pain using voxel-based morphometry. A reduction in cortical gray matter volume was found primarily in the left postcentral gyrus and in the left precuneus and bilateral cuneal cortex of patients with low back pain. In these patients, there was an increase in subcortical gray matter volume in the bilateral putamen and accumbens, right pallidum, right caudate nucleus, and left amygdala. In upper back pain patients, reduced cortical gray matter volume was found in the left precentral and left postcentral cortices. Our findings suggest that regional gray matter volume abnormalities in low back pain patients are more extensive than in upper back pain patients. Subcortical gray matter volume increases are found only in patients with low back pain.
A Box-Behnken design （BBD） of response surface methodology （RSM） was used to optimize the preparation of the Zn-Sm antibacterial white carbon black by the sol-gel method. The statistical analysis of ...the results showed that the particle size of the Zn-Sm antibacterial white carbon black was significantly affected by the reaction time, reaction temperature and the stirring speed. According to analysis of variance （ANOVA）, the values of the determination coefficient （R2=0.9821） and the ＂Pred R-Squared＂ of 0.8227 were in reasonable agreement with the ＂Adj R-Squared＂ of 0.9591. It was indicated that this model could be used to navigate the design space. The optimized reaction time, temperature and the stirring speed were 0.88 h, 87.83 ℃, and 473.45 r/rain, respectively. In addition, the bacteriostasis rate of the product was about 97.92%.
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