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- Hanauer, S., et al.
(author)
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Photothermal Conversion of Solar Infrared Radiation by Plasmonic Nanoantennas for Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric Hybrid Devices
- 2023
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In: Acs Applied Energy Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2574-0962. ; 6:4, s. 2128-2133
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Photovoltaics have become one of the low-cost options for electricity generation. However, the lack of absorption of the near-infrared and infrared solar spectrum intrinsically limits its efficiency. Here, we present an approach for photothermal conversion of solar infrared radiation in photovoltaic-thermoelectric systems using plasmonic nanoantennas. Through numerical calculations-driven shape engineering, we identified Ni diabolo nanoantennas as efficient solar infrared spectrum harvesters. Nanofabrication with electron-beam lithography further revealed its impact on nanoantenna optical properties at the single-nanoantenna level. In the large-scale low-cost approach, however, photothermal surfaces of nanocone plasmonic antennas, made with a simple and robust fabrication process, still deliver a significant 6.1 degrees C temperature increase under solar infrared illumination. The reported results pave the way toward the development of hybrid photovoltaic-thermoelectric systems with an optimal utilization of the solar spectrum.
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- DHaens, Geert, et al.
(author)
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Neuroimmune Modulation Through Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Inflammatory Activity in Crohns Disease Patients: A Prospective Open-label Study
- 2023
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In: Journal of Crohn's & Colitis. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 1873-9946 .- 1876-4479. ; 17:12, s. 1897-1909
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and Aims Crohns disease [CD] is a debilitating, inflammatory condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract. There is no cure and sustained clinical and endoscopic remission is achieved by fewer than half of patients with current therapies. The immunoregulatory function of the vagus nerve, the inflammatory reflex, has been established in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and biologic-naive CD. The aim of this study was to explore the safety and efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation in patients with treatment-refractory CD, in a 16-week, open-label, multicentre, clinical trial.Methods A vagus nerve stimulator was implanted in 17 biologic drug-refractory patients with moderately to severely active CD. One patient exited the study pre-treatment, and 16 patients were treated with vagus nerve stimulation [4/16 receiving concomitant biologics] during 16 weeks of induction and 24 months of maintenance treatment. Endpoints included clinical improvement, patient-reported outcomes, objective measures of inflammation [endoscopic/molecular], and safety.Results There was a statistically significant and clinically meaningful decrease in CD Activity Index at Week 16 [mean +/- SD: -86.2 +/- 92.8, p = 0.003], a significant decrease in faecal calprotectin [-2923 +/- 4104, p = 0.015], a decrease in mucosal inflammation in 11/15 patients with paired endoscopies [-2.1 +/- 1.7, p = 0.23], and a decrease in serum tumour necrosis factor and interferon-gamma [46-52%]. Two quality-of-life indices improved in 7/11 patients treated without biologics. There was one study-related severe adverse event: a postoperative infection requiring device explantation.Conclusions Neuroimmune modulation via vagus nerve stimulation was generally safe and well tolerated, with a clinically meaningful reduction in clinical disease activity associated with endoscopic improvement, reduced levels of faecal calprotectin and serum cytokines, and improved quality of life. Graphical Abstract
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- Siegel, Corey A., et al.
(author)
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Development of an index to define overall disease severity in IBD
- 2018
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In: Gut. - London, United Kingdom : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 0017-5749 .- 1468-3288. ; 67:2, s. 244-254
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and aim: Disease activity for Crohn's disease (CD) and UC is typically defined based on symptoms at a moment in time, and ignores the long-term burden of disease. The aims of this study were to select the attributes determining overall disease severity, to rank the importance of and to score these individual attributes for both CD and UC.Methods: Using a modified Delphi panel, 14 members of the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IOIBD) selected the most important attributes related to IBD. Eighteen IOIBD members then completed a statistical exercise (conjoint analysis) to create a relative ranking of these attributes. Adjusted utilities were developed by creating proportions for each level within an attribute.Results: For CD, 15.8% of overall disease severity was attributed to the presence of mucosal lesions, 10.9% to history of a fistula, 9.7% to history of abscess and 7.4% to history of intestinal resection. For UC, 18.1% of overall disease severity was attributed to mucosal lesions, followed by 14.0% for impact on daily activities, 11.2% C reactive protein and 10.1% for prior experience with biologics. Overall disease severity indices were created on a 100-point scale by applying each attribute's average importance to the adjusted utilities.Conclusions: Based on specialist opinion, overall CD severity was associated more with intestinal damage, in contrast to overall UC disease severity, which was more dependent on symptoms and impact on daily life. Once validated, disease severity indices may provide a useful tool for consistent assessment of overall disease severity in patients with IBD.
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