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Hydrogenation–Disproportionation–Desorption–Recombination (HDDR) Nd2Fe14B particles have excellent magnetic properties, but the magnetic properties of powder are not uniform across different particle sizes. The remanence and maximum magnetic energy products of samples with a particle size of 120 μm are 14.0 kGs and 41.35 MGOe, while the products of samples with a particle size of 60 μm are only 13.3 kGs and 36.31 MGOe. The macroscopic morphology of HDDR Nd2Fe14B particles and the gradient distribution of microstructures in different micro-regions were observed. By modifying the macroscopic morphology of the particles, the poorly oriented clusters on the surface of the particles were precisely eliminated, and the remanence and maximum magnetic energy products of the particles increased to 14.5 kGs and 45 MGOe, respectively. Compared with the original particles, the samples after mechanical grinding had better grain arrangement. The effects of the nanocrystalline c-axis and field misalignment angle θ on the magnetic properties of HDDR Nd2Fe14B particles were investigated through micromagnetic simulation. The targeted removal of macroscopic defects on the particle surface contributed to a 3.6% increase in remanence and an 8.8% increase in the maximum magnetic energy product, offering a promising approach to enhance the microstructure of high-performance HDDR Nd2Fe14B particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Electroacupuncture (EA) at the Lianquan (CV23) could alleviate swallowing dysfunction. However, current knowledge of its neural modulation focused on the brain, with little evidence from the periphery. Transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily 1 (TRPV1) is an ion channel predominantly expressed in sensory neurons, and acupuncture can trigger calcium ion (Ca2+) wave propagation through active TRPV1 to deliver signals. The present study aimed to investigate whether TRPV1 mediated the signal of EA to the primary sensory cortex (S1) during regulation of swallowing function. Methods: Blood perfusion was evaluated by laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and neuronal activity was evaluated by fiber calcium recording and c‐Fos staining. The expression of TRPV1 was detected by RNA‐seq analysis, immunofluorescence, and ELISA. In addition, the swallowing function was assessed by in vivo EMG recording and water consumption test. Results: EA treatment potentiated blood perfusion and neuronal activity in the S1, and this potentiation was absent after injecting lidocaine near CV23. TRPV1 near CV23 was upregulated by EA‐CV23. The blood perfusion at CV23 was decreased in the TRPV1 hypofunction mice, while the blood perfusion and the neuronal activity of the S1 showed no obvious change. These findings were also present in post‐stroke dysphagia (PSD) mice. Conclusion: The TRPV1 at CV23 after EA treatment might play a key role in mediating local blood perfusion but was not involved in transferring EA signals to the central nervous system (CNS). These findings collectively suggested that TRPV1 may be one of the important regulators involved in the mechanism of EA treatment for improving swallowing function in PSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) tungsten disulfide (WS2) is attracting increasing attention because of its excellent physical properties. However, the phonon scattering mechanisms of 2D T′-phase WS2 (T′-WS2) are still poorly understood. In this paper, we systematically evaluate the phonon thermal transport properties of monolayer T′-WS2 under different biaxial tensile and compressive strain using first-principles calculations. The lattice thermal conductivity (kl) of monolayer T′-WS2 decreases monotonically with the increase in biaxial strain. The largest reductions are 97.84% (7% tensile strain) and 65.41% (−3% compressive strain). The kl of monolayer T′-WS2 is dominated by acoustic phonon modes and a portion of optical phonon modes (0–8 THz). Moreover, from the analysis of phonon behaviors, the reduction in the kl of monolayer T′-WS2 under biaxial tensile strain is attributed to the decrease in phonon heat capacity, phonon group velocity, and phonon lifetime. However, for the biaxial compressive strain, the reduction in the kl can be attributed to the interaction among the increased phonon heat capacity, relatively complex changes in the phonon group velocity, and the reduced phonon lifetime. Therefore, according to the variations in phonon phase space and Grüneisen parameters, it is evident that the biaxial tensile strain does not have a significant effect on the phase space of monolayer T′-WS2, whereas it has a significant effect on the Grüneisen parameter. This investigation offers valuable insight into the thermal conduction behavior of 2D monolayer T′-WS2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fixation device for experimental rat in moxibustion was developed. Using this device, the points for moxibustion can be fully exposed, and the temperature of moxibustion be relatively constant. This fixation device consists of three parts: fixation seat, fixation clip and moxa-stick holder; characterized as the flexible fixation and easy operation. The device is advantaged at simultaneous operation of moxibustion at many points and supports the point combinations. It makes up for the shortcomings of the existing fixation devices, reduces the workload of moxibustion in experimental rat and improves the work efficiency and experimental safety of experimenters.

Objectives: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Neiguan"(PC6) on cardiac function, cardiac morphology and transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) protein expressions in myocardial tissue of mice with myocardial hypertrophy, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of myocardial hypertrophy., Methods: Forty-five male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control, model and EA groups (15 mice/group). The myocardial hypertrophy model was established by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol hydrochloride (15 mg·kg -1 ·d -1 ) for 14 days. The mice of the control group received subcutaneous injection of same amount of normal saline. The mice of the EA group received EA stimulation (frequency of 2 Hz, intensity of 1 mA) of bilateral PC6 for 20 min each time, once a day for 14 consecutive days. After the intervention, the body weight, tibia length and heart weight were measured. The left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening index (FS), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVEV), left ventricular end-systolic internal diameter (LVID) and left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPW) were measured by using echocardiography for evaluating the cardiac function. The mean number and surface area of myocardial cells was detected by wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining, and changes of the cardiac morphology were observed under light microscopy after HE staining. The expression levels of TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC4 and TRPC6 (TRPC1/3/4/6) in the myocardial tissue were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot, separately., Results: Compared with the control group, the heart-body weight ratio( P <0.05) and heart-weight-to-tibia-length ratio ( P <0.01), LVEV and LVID levels, the relative surface area, left ventricular area ratio, and the expression levels of cardiac TRPC1/3/4/6 were significantly increased ( P <0.01, P <0.05), while the EF, FS, LVPW, number of cardiomyocytes, and the left ventricular posterior wall ratio were obviously decreased ( P <0.01, P <0.05) in the model group. In comparison with the model group, the heart/body weight ratio, heart-weight-to-tibia-length ratio, LVEV and LVID levels, relative surface area, left ventricular area ratio, and the expression levels of cardiac TRPC1/3/4/6 were significantly decreased ( P <0.01, P <0.05), while the EF, FS, LVPW, number of cardiomyocytes and left ventricular posterior wall ratio were significantly increased ( P <0.01, P <0.05) in the EA group. H.E. staining showed disordered arrangement of cardiomyocytes and obvious myocardial interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration in the model group, and evident reduction of degree of cardiac fibrosis and interstitial edema in the EA group., Conclusions: EA of PC6 can improve the cardiac function and cardiac morphology in mice with myocardial hypertrophy, which may be related to its functions in down-regulating the expression of transient receptor potential channels.

The epidermis of a deep burn wound is entirely absent and the dermal tissue sustains significant damage, accompanied by a substantial amount of tissue exudate. Due to the excessively humid environment, the formation of a scab on the wound becomes challenging, leaving it highly vulnerable to external bacterial invasion. In this work, a core-shell dual-drug-loaded nanofiber dressing was prepared by electrospinning technology for the synergistic treatment of a deep burn. The shell layer consists of polycaprolactone and chitosan encapsulating asiaticoside, with the core layer comprising the clathrate of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and curcumin. Upon application to the wound, the dual-drug-loaded nanofiber dressing exhibited rapid release of asiaticoside, stimulating collagen deposition and promoting tissue repair. The core-shell structure and clathrate configuration ensured sustained release of curcumin, providing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory functions for the wound. The mechanical strength, broad-spectrum antibacterial ability, cell proliferation, and adhesion ability of the nanofiber dressing showed its potential as a medical dressing. This dressing also exhibited excellent wound healing promoting effects in the SD rat burn model. This paper provides a strategy for burn wound healing.

On-chip micro-ring resonators (MRRs) with low loss and large free spectral ranges (FSRs) are important for photonic devices. So far, ultra-low-loss silicon-nitride (Si3N4) waveguides are primarily fabricated in laboratories, as they often demand special processes to reduce transmission losses. While, Si3N4 waveguides fabricated by the standard multi-project wafer (MPW)-based processes often suffer from significant sidewall scattering, resulting in high scattering losses. Here, we present an innovative approach to photonics by introducing a compact and multi-mode structure. This approach significantly reduces the contact between the optical field and the rough sidewalls in the high-confinement Si3N4 waveguide. By incorporating modified Euler bends, and a weakly tapered gap directional coupler, adiabatic transmission with simultaneous ultra-low loss and compact size is achieved even in 7-µm wide waveguide. Results show that the intrinsic quality factor Qi of MRR is (6.8 ± 0.4) × 10 6 at the wavelength of 1550 nm, which is approximately four times higher than the previously reported by the same fabrication process. An ultra-low loss of 0.051 ± 0.003 dB/cm is achieved based on the standard LIGENTEC-AN800 technology. This accomplishment addresses a critical challenge in high-confinement waveguides. Our work provides new insights into the low propagation loss in Si3N4 waveguides and provides a broader prospect for integrated photonics in the ultra-high-Q regime.