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Water evaporation-induced electricity generation is a promising technology for renewable energy harvesting. However, the output power of some reported two-dimensional (2D) nanofluidic films is still restricted by the relatively weak water–solid interactions within the tortuous nanochannels. To further enhance the comprehension and utilization of water–solid interactions, it is of utmost importance to conduct an in-depth investigation and propose a regulatory concept encompassing ion transport. Herein, we propose tortuosity regulation of 2D nanofluidic titanium oxide (Ti0.87O2) films to optimize the ion transport within the interlayer nanochannel for enhanced efficiency in water evaporation-induced electricity generation for the first time. The significance of tortuosity in ion transport is elucidated by designing three 2D nanofluidic films with different tortuosity. Tortuosity analysis and in situ Raman measurement demonstrate that low tortuosity can facilitate the formation of efficient pathways for hydrated proton transport and promote water–solid interactions. Consequently, devices fabricated with the optimized 2D nanofluidic films exhibited a significantly enhanced output power density of approximately 204.01 µW·cm−2, far exceeding those prepared by the high-tortuosity 2D nanofluidic films. This work highlights the significance of the construction of low tortuosity channels for 2D nanofluidic films with excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reveal the continuous change of information dynamics patterns in anyonic-PT symmetric systems that originates from the continuity of anyonic-PT symmetry. We find there are three information dynamics patterns for anyonic-PT symmetric systems: damped oscillations with an overall decrease (increase) and asymptotically stable damped oscillations, which are three-fold degenerate and are distorted using the Hermitian quantum Rényi entropy or distinguishability. It is the normalization of the non-unitary evolved density matrix that causes the degeneracy and distortion. We give a justification for non-Hermitian quantum Rényi entropy being negative. By exploring the mathematics and physical meaning of the negative entropy in open quantum systems, we connect negative non-Hermitian quantum Rényi entropy and negative quantum conditional entropy, paving the way to rigorously investigate negative entropy in open quantum systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of graphene, layered bimetallic hydroxides (LDHs) and graphene compounded LDHs on the physical properties, thermal oxygen aging resistance and ultraviolet oxygen aging resistance of SBS modified asphalt were studied, and the change of chemical structure of the modified asphalts before and after aging was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the high-temperature and anti-aging properties of SBS modified asphalt could be improved by adding graphene, LDHs and graphene compounded LDHs. Compared with graphene and LDHs, graphene compounded LDHs could simultaneously reduce the changes of softening point and viscosity of SBS modified asphalt before and after thermal-oxidative and ultraviolet-oxidative aging, and increase the ductility and penetration retention. FTIR analysis showed that the carbonyl index change rate and carbon-carbon double bonds index change rate of SBS modified asphalt mixed with graphene compounded LDHs were the smallest before and after aging, indicating that graphene compounded LDHs had a better effect on improving the aging resistance of SBS modified asphalt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inevitable dissolution in aqueous electrolytes, intrinsically low electrical conductivity, and sluggish reaction kinetics have significantly hampered the zinc storage performance of vanadium oxide‐based cathode materials. Herein, core–shell N‐doped carbon‐encapsulated amorphous vanadium oxide arrays, prepared via a one‐step nitridation process followed by in situ electrochemical induction, as a highly stable and efficient cathode material for aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) are reported. In this design, the amorphous vanadium oxide core provides unobstructed ions diffusion routes and abundant active sites, while the N‐doped carbon shell can ensure efficient electron transfer and greatly stabilize the vanadium oxide core. The assembled AZIBs exhibit remarkable discharge capacity (0.92 mAh cm−2 at 0.5 mA cm−2), superior rate capability (0.51 mAh cm−2 at 20 mA cm−2), and ultra‐long cycling stability (≈100% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 0.5 mA cm−2 and 97% capacity retention after 10 000 cycles at 20 mA cm−2). The working mechanism is further validated by in situ X‐ray diffraction combined with ex situ tests. Moreover, the fabricated cathode is highly flexible, and the assembled quasi‐solid‐state AZIBs present stable electrochemical performance under large deformations. This work offers insights into the development of high‐performance amorphous vanadium oxide‐based cathodes for AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image super-resolution reconstruction technology can boost image resolution and aid in the discovery of PCB flaws. The traditional SRGAN algorithm produces reconstructed images with great realism, but it also has the disadvantages of insufficient feature information extraction ability, a large number of model parameters, as well as a lack of fine-grained image reconstruction impact. To that end, this paper proposes an SRGAN-based super-resolution reconstruction algorithm for PCB defect images that is the first to add a VIT network to the generation network to extend the perceptual field and improve the model's ability to extract high-frequency information. The high-frequency feature extraction module is then used to enhance the generator's extraction of high-frequency information from the feature map while reducing the complexity of the model network. Finally, the inverted residual module and VIT network are combined to form the discriminator's backbone network, which extracts and summarizes shallow features while synthesizing global features for higher-level features, allowing the discriminator effect to be achieved with less spatial complexity. On the test set, the improved algorithm increases the PSNR by 0.82 and the SSIM by 0.03, and the SRVIT algorithm's number of discriminator model parameters and model space size are decreased by 2.01 M and 7.5 MB, respectively, when compared to the SRGAN algorithm. Moreover, the improved PCB defect image super-resolution reconstruction algorithm not only enhances the image reconstruction effect but also lowers model space complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban logistics is vital to the development and operation of cities, and its optimization is highly beneficial to economic growth. The increasing customer needs and the complexity of urban systems are two challenges for current logistics optimization. However, little research considers both, failing to balance efficiency and cost. In this study, we propose a hybrid sparrow search algorithm (SA-SSA) by combining the sparrow search algorithm with fast computational speed and the simulated annealing algorithm with the ability to get the global optimum solution. Wuhan city was selected for logistics optimization experiments. The results show that the SA-SSA can optimize large-scale urban logistics with guaranteed efficiency and solution quality. Compared with simulated annealing, sparrow search, and genetic algorithm, the cost of SA-SSA was reduced by 17.12, 18.62, and 14.72%, respectively. Although the cost of SS-SSA was 11.50% higher than the ant colony algorithm, its computation time was reduced by 99.06%. In addition, the simulation experiments were conducted to explore the impact of spatial elements on the algorithm performance. The SA-SSA can provide high-quality solutions with high efficiency, considering the constraints of many customers and complex road networks. It can support realizing the scientific scheduling of distribution vehicles by logistics enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation enteritis (RE) is a prevalent complication of radiotherapy for pelvic malignant tumors, characterized by severe intestinal epithelial destruction and progressive submucosal fibrosis. However, little is known about the pathogenesis of this disease, and so far, there is no specific targeted therapy. Here, we report that CXCL16 is upregulated in the injured intestinal tissues of RE patients and in a mouse model. Genetic deletion of Cxcl16 mitigates fibrosis and promotes intestinal stem cell‐mediated epithelial regeneration after radiation injury in mice. Mechanistically, CXCL16 functions on myofibroblasts through its receptor CXCR6 and activates JAK3/STAT3 signaling to promote fibrosis and, at the same time, to transcriptionally modulate the levels of BMP4 and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in myofibroblasts. Moreover, we find that CXCL16 and CXCR6 auto‐ and cross‐regulate themselves in positive feedback loops. Treatment with CXCL16 neutralizing monoclonal antibody attenuates fibrosis and improves the epithelial repair in RE mouse model. Our findings emphasize the important role of CXCL16 in the progression of RE and suggest that CXCL16 signaling could be a potential therapeutic target for RE. © 2022 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and synthesis of ultra-small-sized Pt-based catalyst with specific effects for enhancing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an effective way to improve the utilization of Pt. Herein, Pt-Pd-Ni octahedra nanoparticles characterized by the ultra-small size of 4.71 nm were synthesized by a Pd seed-inducing-growth route. Initially, Pd nanocubes were synthesized under solvothermal conditions; subsequently, Pt-Ni was deposited in the Pd seed solution. The Pd seeds were oxidized into Pd2+ and combined with Pt2+ and Ni2+ in the solution and finally formed the ternary alloy small-sized octahedra. In the synthesis process of the ultra-small Pt-Pd-Ni octahedra, Pd nanocube seed played an important role. In addition, the size of the Pt-Pd-Ni octahedra could be regulated by adjusting the concentration rate of Pt-Ni. The ultra-small Pt-Pd-Ni octahedra formation by depositing Pt-Ni with a feeding ratio of 2:1 showed good ORR activity, and the high half-wave potential was 0.933 V. In addition, the Pt-Pd-Ni octahedra showed an enhanced mass activity of 0.93 A mg−1 Pt+Pd in ORR, which was 5.81 times higher than commercial Pt/C. The theoretical calculation shows that compared to Pt/C, the small-sized ternary alloy octahedra had an obvious contraction strain effect (contraction rate: 3.49%). The alloying effect affected the d-band center of the Pt negative shift. In the four-electron reaction, Pt-Pd-Ni ultra-small octahedra exhibited the lowest overpotential, resulting in the adsorption performance to become optimized. Therefore, the Pd seed-inducing-growth route provides a new idea for exploring the synthesis of small-sized nanoparticle catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Since transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) was introduced, it has become an important topic in rectal cancer treatment. Many previous studies reported positive relevant short-term results, histopathological results, and associated complications. Recently, concerns regarding the oncological safety of taTME have been raised due to reports showing high local recurrences (LR) rates. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the 3-year outcomes between taTME and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (laTME) for mid-low rectal cancer. Methods: A total of 104 patients who underwent taTME were matched with 208 patients treated by laTME. The primary endpoint was 3-year LR rate; secondary endpoints in this matched-cohort study included the perioperative outcomes and histopathological outcomes. Results: taTME was associated with lower permanent ostomy rate (1% vs 13.5%) and lower conversion rate (0% vs 3.4%) compared to laTME. A similar quality of resected specimens was detected for each group. In both groups, the local recurrence rate was 3.8%. Within 3 years after surgery, the disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 78.8% in the taTME group and 76.9% in the laTME group (P = 0.640), while the overall survival (OS) rates were 93.3% in the taTME group and 89.9% in the laTME group (P = 0.327). Conclusion: No significant differences regarding 3-year local recurrence rate (3.8%) were observed in the taTME group compared to laTME group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) performs a wide range of biological functions in organisms. Here, we report for the first time that FGF-21 suppresses thrombus formation with no notable risk of bleeding. Prophylactic and therapeutic administration of FGF-21 significantly improved the degree of vascular stenosis and reduced the thrombus area, volume and burden. We determined the antithrombotic mechanism of FGF-21, demonstrating that FGF-21 exhibits an anticoagulant effect by inhibiting the expression and activity of factor VII (FVII). FGF-21 exerts an antiplatelet effect by inhibiting platelet activation. FGF-21 enhances fibrinolysis by promoting tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) expression and activation, while inhibiting plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) expression and activation. We further found that FGF-21 mediated the expression and activation of tPA and PAI-1 by regulating the ERK1/2 and TGF-β/Smad2 pathways, respectively. In addition, we found that FGF-21 inhibits the expression of inflammatory factors in thrombosis by regulating the NF-κB pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades when biological agents have flourished, a part of patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have received the treatment of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors or IL-1 antibodies. This study aims to investigate the anti-colitis effects of bispecific antibody (FL-BsAb1/17) targeting IL-1β and IL-17A comparing with TNF-α soluble receptor medicine etanercept. IBD model in mice was established by drinking 3% DSS (dextran sulfate sodium salt). On the first day of drinking DSS, treatments with etanercept (5 mg/kg) or different doses of FL-BsAb1/17 (1 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, and 10 mg/kg) were started by intraperitoneal injection every other day. The results demonstrated that FL-BsAb1/17 treatment was more effective than etanercept at the same dose (5 mg/kg) in relieving the typical symptom of ulcerative colitis induced by DSS (such as the severity score and intestinal shortening), and down-regulating the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-17A, IL-6, IL-12, IL-22, IL-1β, IL-23, TNF-α) in the serum and colon. FL-BsAb1/17 could also reduce the degree of intestinal fibrosis. The same dose of FL-BsAb1/17 (5 mg/kg) performed better than etanercept in down-regulating MDA and up-regulating SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), and T-AOC (total antioxidant capacity) in serum. Both FL-BsAb1/17 and etanercept could reduce the transcription of Bax and increase the transcription of Bcl-2 and slow down apoptosis in colitis colon tissue. We conclude that the blocking of IL-1β and IL-17A can inhibit DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and FL-BsAb1/17 may have potential to become a new dual-target candidate for colitis treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the design and experimental verification of a 200-kW Q-band gyrotron traveling wave tube (gyro-TWT) amplifier are presented. A low-velocity spread magnetic injection electron gun (MIG), a new type of multichannel TE01 mode input coupler, and a broadband double-disk output window are adopted in the design to improve the performance of the gyro-TWT. At the same time, the lossy ceramic ring-loaded high-frequency interaction circuit is constructed to provide the required loss for stable operation, and the potential oscillations are effectively suppressed. Saturated peak power of 208 kW and 12.5-kW average output power are measured at 47 GHz by hot test, corresponding to a saturated gain of 50.2 dB, an efficiency of 29.4%, and a −3-dB bandwidth of 5.5 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic degenerative autoimmune disease is hallmarked by tenacious inflammation of synovial membranes causing cartilage destruction and bone erosion. The search for effective therapies to mitigate its degenerative conditions remains partly elusive. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is known to modulate inflammation, playing a significant role in immune-mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Here, we histopathologically evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of FGF21 in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice. CIA mice were subcutaneously treated with FGF21 (3 mg/kg) for three consecutive weeks. Arthritic severity was scored followed by histopathological evaluation of the joints and immunohistochemistry using rabbit ant-cathepsin K, IL-10, MMP1, and 3 antibodies. Our data revealed that FGF21 significantly mitigated the severity of arthritis. Histopathologically, the articular structure was considerably enhanced by FGF21 through the reduction in the expression of cathepsin K and MMP3 whiles upregulating the expression of IL-10. Taken together, our findings suggest that FGF21 preserves the integrity of the articular structure thereby preventing cartilage and bone destruction in CIA mice. FGF21, therefore, has therapeutic prospects in the treatment of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) is a member of the family of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). FGF21 (synthesized by many organs) has been studied extensively for its role in the regulation of energy homeostasis. FGF21 came into the spotlight after its beneficial metabolic effects in reducing blood glucose, and weight in obesity were identified. Since then, FGF21 has been extensively exploited for therapeutic purposes and clinical applications with significant achievements. Its therapeutic roles in diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, fibrosis, cancer and aging among others have been studied over the last decade with significant strides making it a promising candidate for the management of chronic diseases. Here we review the therapeutic prospects of FGF21 with emphasis on the management of chronic diseases, and breakthroughs in its shortfalls. The future of FGF21 as a therapeutic agent is auspicious and will help revolutionize the world of medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological dysfunction, one of the consequences of acute liver failure (ALF), and also referred to as hepatic encephalopathy (HE), contributes to mortality posing challenges for clinical management. FGF21 has been implicated in the inhibition of cognitive decline and fibrogenesis. However, the effects of FGF21 on the clinical and molecular presentations of HE has not been elucidated. HE was induced by fulminant hepatic failure using thioacetamide (TAA) in male C57BL/6J mice while controls were injected with saline. For two consecutive weeks, mice were treated intraperitoneally with FGF21 (3 mg/kg) while controls were treated with saline. Cognitive, neurological, and activity function scores were recorded. Serum, liver, and brain samples were taken for analysis of CCL5 and GABA by ELISA, and RT qPCR was used to measure the expressions of fibrotic and pro-inflammatory markers. We report significant improvement in both cognitive and neurological scores by FGF21 treatment after impairment by TAA. GABA and CCL5, key factors in the progression of HE were also significantly reduced in the treatment group. Furthermore, the expression of fibrotic markers such as TGFβ and Col1 were also significantly downregulated after FGF21 treatment. TNFα and IL-6 were significantly reduced in the liver while in the brain, TNFα and IL-1 were downregulated. However, both in the liver and the brain, IL-10 was significantly upregulated. FGF21 inhibits CXCR4/CCL5 activation and upregulates the production of IL-10 in the damaged liver stimulating the production pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells through the STAT3-SOCS3 pathway terminating the underlying fibrosis in HE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing disease. Treatment of UC would benefit from specific targeting of therapeutics to the intestine. Previous studies have demonstrated that bovine lactoferricin and lactoferrampin have bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Here, we investigated whether oral administration of a bovine lactoferricin–lactoferrampin (LFCA)-encoding Lactococcus lactis (LL-LFCA) strain could alleviate experimental colitis. LFCA derived from LL-LFCA inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. In mice, administration of LL-LFCA decreased the disease activity index and attenuated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)–induced body weight loss and colon shortening. LL-LFCA treatment also ameliorated DSS-induced colon damage, inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration, significantly decreased myeloperoxidase activity, and ameliorated DSS-induced disruption of intestinal permeability and tight junctions. In addition, 16S rDNA sequencing showed that LL-LFCA reversed DSS-induced gut dysbiosis. The production of proinflammatory mediators in serum and the colon was also reduced by administration of LL-LFCA. In vitro, LFCA derived from LL-LFCA decreased the messenger RNA expression of proinflammatory factors. The underlying mechanisms may involve inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. The results demonstrate that LL-LFCA ameliorates DSS-induced intestinal injury in mice, suggesting that LL-LFCA might be an effective drug for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In this study, we explored whether treatment with FGF-21 could prevent diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice.Methods& Results: Hepatoma was induced by injection of DEN every three days for 18 weeks. For the prophylactic experiment, mice were firstly injected with FGF-21 for 2 weeks, then FGF-21 was administered to the mice once daily in association with DEN injection till the end of the experiment. The hepatoma incidence of mice treated with FGF-21 was 13.3%, while the incidence of mice treated with saline was 61.5%. To understand the mechanisms, we compared the expression of βklotho (KLB) and oxidative stress level in the livers between the mice treated with FGF-21 and saline. We found that FGF-21 could suppress DEN-induced oxidative stress and up-regulate the expression of KLB in the livers. To confirm these results, we compared the expression of KLB in L02 cells stimulated with or without FGF-21. Besides, we established DEN-induced oxidative stress cell model to affirm the relationship between FGF-21 and DEN-induced oxidative stress in vitro. Results showed that FGF-21 increased the expression of KLB and diminished the DEN-induced oxidative stress in vitro in a dose dependent manner.Conclusion: Systemic administration of FGF-21 can prevent DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis via suppressing oxidative stress and increasing the expression of KLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broadband rectangular waveguide TE10–TE20 mode converter with high mode purity and conversion efficiency is designed, fabricated and measured in this Letter. Based on the broadband characteristic of ridged twist waveguide and its characteristic of polarisation direction torsion of electromagnetic wave, this mode converter achieves broadband and high-efficiency TE10–TE20 mode conversion. Simulation results reveal that the return loss of the proposed mode converter is >20 dB and insertion loss is <0.04 dB in whole Ka-band. Two prototype TE20 mode converters were fabricated. Back-to-back millimeter-wave measurements by vector network analyser were performed to verify the design. The measured performances show return loss of the proposed mode converter is >20 dB and insertion loss is <0.1 dB in whole Ka-band, the corresponding mode conversion efficiency is >97.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]