An aqueous solution of carbon nanotubes, treated by a concentrated nitric/sulfuric acid mixture to disentangle the nanotubes, was utilized as the working medium in a two-phase closed thermosyphon to investigate its performance. In comparison with the thermosyphon filled with a distilled water medium, the one filled with carbon nanotube suspension has a high evaporation section wall temperature, incipience temperature, and excursion, as well as thermal resistance. The carbon nantotubes’ nanofluid deteriorates the performance of the gravity-assisted heat pipe. Measurements employing the maximum bubble pressure method demonstrate that suspending carbon nanotubes in bulk water gives rise to increased surface tension. In addition, the contact angle of suspension obtained with the sessile drop method on a copper plate is much smaller than that of water. Alterations of solid-liquid-vapor interfacial properties, arising from the addition of carbon nanotubes, change the boiling mechanism and thus deteriorate the boiling heat transfer.

Curcumin and resveratrol are two natural products, which have been described as potential anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-oxidant molecules. The aims of the present study were to investigate the protective effect of curcumin and resveratrol on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice, in addition to understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms. In order to accomplish this, BALB/c mice received drinking water containing 3.5% DSS. Curcumin (50 mg/kg/day) or resveratrol (80 mg/kg/day) were administered orally for 7 days. Survival rate, body weight, disease activity index score, colon length, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the expression autophagy-associated proteins, and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were measured. Curcumin or resveratrol treatment prolonged the survival of mice with UC, reduced body weight loss and attenuated the severity of the disease compared with the DSS-treated mice. This effect was associated with a substantial clinical amelioration of the disruption of the colonic architecture and a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Furthermore, curcumin or resveratrol significantly downregulated the expression of autophagy-related 12, Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 II, and upregulated the expression of phosphorylated mTOR and SIRT1 in the colon tissue, compared with those in the DSS-treated group. These results suggest that curcumin and resveratrol exert protective effects on DSS-induced UC, partially through suppressing the intestinal inflammatory cascade reaction, reducing autophagy and regulating SIRT1/mTOR signaling.

To observe the clinical effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with conventional swallowing rehabilitation training on post-stroke dysphagia and explore its long-term efficacy. A total of 40 patients with dysphagia after the first stroke were randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 20) and a conventional group (n = 20). The treatment group received tDCS combined with conventional swallowing rehabilitation training, while the conventional group only received conventional swallowing rehabilitation training. The Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) Scale and the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) were used to assess dysphagia before and after treatment, at the end of 10 treatments, and at the 3-month follow-up. The changes in infection indicators [the white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT)], the oxygenation indicator [arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2)] and nutrition-related indicators [hemoglobin (Hb) and serum prealbumin (PAB)] were compared before and after treatment. The SSA and PAS scores were lower in both groups after treatment than before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The SSA and PAS scores of the treatment group were lower than those of the conventional group before and after treatment and during follow-up, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). A within-group comparison showed that WBC, CRP and PCT after treatment were lower than those before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The PaO2, Hb and serum PAB were higher after treatment than before treatment, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The WBC, CRP and PCT of the tDCS group were lower than those of the conventional group, and PaO2, Hb and serum PAB were higher in the treatment group than in the conventional group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). The tDCS combined with conventional swallowing rehabilitation training can improve dysphagia with a better effect than conventional swallowing rehabilitation training and has a certain long-term efficacy. In addition, tDCS combined with conventional swallowing rehabilitation training can improve nutrition and oxygenation and reduce infection levels.

With the recent developments in augmented reality (AR) technologies comes an increased interest in the use of smart glasses for hands-on training. Whether this interest is turned into market success depends at the least on whether the interaction with smart AR glasses satisfies users, an aspect of AR use that so far has received little attention. With this contribution, we seek to change this. The objective of the article, therefore, is to investigate user satisfaction in AR applied to three cases of practical use. User satisfaction of AR can be broken down into satisfaction with the interaction and satisfaction with the delivery device. A total of 142 participants from three different industrial sectors contributed to this study, namely, aeronautics, medicine, and astronautics. In our analysis, we investigated the influence of different factors, such as age, gender, level of education, level of Internet knowledge, and the roles of the participants in the different sectors. Even though users were not familiar with the smart glasses, results show that general computer knowledge has a positive effect on user satisfaction. Further analysis using two-factor interactions showed that there is no significant interaction between the different factors and user satisfaction. The results of the study affirm that the questionnaires developed for user satisfaction of smart glasses and the AR application performed well, but leave room for improvement.

Nickel-plated copper sphere is employed as the transient calorimeter to explore the boiling heat transfer characteristics of carbon nanotube (CNT) nanofluid. As compared to water, aqueous gum arabic (GA) solution has an enhanced critical heat flux (CHF), transition boiling, and minimum heat flux in film boiling (Leidenfrost point). CNT nanofluid has higher CHF than GA solution. Better wettability and deposits on the heating surface distort the characteristic boiling curve.