Dendrite-free lithium metal battery enabled by mesoporous silica host layer mediated cellulose/PVDF Janus separator.

The commercialization of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is encountering significant challenges due to the electrolyte incompatibility and poor mechanical properties of polyolefin separators, as well as the hazardous growth of lithium dendrites at the anode. Simultaneously, the development of safe and environmentally-friendly separators has become a central focus in rechargeable battery technology. In this study, we introduce a novel Janus separator (CP@SiO2), featuring a composite structure with cellulose paper (CP) as the base layer and electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers as the top layer. The nanofibers are uniformly coated with mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles through hydrogen bonding. The CP@SiO2 separator leverages its three-dimensional lithium-ion channels and rigid ceramic particles to enhance electrolyte retention and stabilize lithium metal anodes (LMA). Shielded by this separator, LMA exhibits an impressive cycling performance, enduring a current density of 2 mA cm-2 for 350 h without short-circuiting, effectively doubling the cycle life compared to conventional PP separators. Furthermore, the Li/LiFePO4 cell utilizing the CP@SiO2 separator demonstrates a high capacity of 101 mAh·g-1 at 5C, with 90 % capacity retention after 1000 cycles. This outstanding electrochemical performance is attributed to the compatible anode/separator interface and the effective inhibition of lithium dendrite growth. The research presented in this work capitalizes on a synergistic configuration design, offering a promising pathway towards the development of high-safety and advanced lithium-ion separators.

Cerebral Gray Matter Volume Changes in Patients with Neuropathic Pain from Total Brachial Plexus Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Total brachial plexus injury not only significantly affects the motor and sensory function of the affected upper limbs but also causes further physical and mental damage to patients with long-term intractable pain. Previous studies mainly focused on the surgical treatment, while only a few paid attention to the intractable neuropathic pain caused by this injury. Changes in the volume of gray matter in the brain are thought to be associated with chronic neuropathic pain. METHODS: Voxel-based morphometry analysis was used to compare the difference in cerebral gray matter volume between total brachial plexus injury patients with neuropathic pain and healthy controls. Correlations between pain duration, pain severity, and GM changes were analyzed. RESULTS: The volume of cerebral gray matter in the patient group was decreased significantly in multiple regions, including the parahippocampal gyrus, paracentric lobule, inferior frontal gyrus, auxiliary motor cortex, middle occipital gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, while it was increased in the insular, pons, middle frontal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, bilateral thalamus, and globus pallidus. There were no significant correlations between pain duration and rGMV changes, while a positive correlation was observed between pain severity and rGMV changes in one specific region, involving the anterior cingulate cortex. CONCLUSION: Total brachial plexus injury patients with chronic pain have widespread regions of gray matter atrophy and hypertrophy. The only positive correlation was observed between pain severity and rGMV changes in one specific region, suggesting that nociceptive stimuli trigger a variety of nonpain-specific processes, which confirms the multidimensional nature of pain.

Long-term follow-up of one-stage artificial dermis reconstruction surgery for fingertip defects with exposed phalanx.

Fingertip injuries are among the most common injuries of the hand. Although numerous treatment methods have been described in detail in the literature, there are a few alternatives that require exploration. We analyzed 24 patients who underwent one-stage artificial dermis (Pelnac®) reconstruction surgery between 2012 and 2016 to assess the effectiveness of this alternative reconstruction method for extensive fingertip injury with exposed phalanx. There were 16 males and 8 females, with ages ranging from 2 to 75 years. There were 16 type III injuries, 6 type IV, and 2 type II on the Allen classification. Complete epithelialization was achieved by the 4th week in 19 cases and by the 6th week in 5. The wounds of all patients healed completely, without infection. All the injured fingers developed various levels of hooked nail and length shortening except for the 2 type II injuries. There was nail spicule formation in 1 case. There were no cases of cold intolerance, but 2 cases of hypersensitivity and 5 of numbness. Overall 2-point discrimination ceased improving by the 2nd postoperative year. This technique is simple, allows spontaneous healing of the fingertips, and is mostly free from the major complications associated with other treatment methods.

Dolabellane and Clerodane Diterpenoids from the Twigs and Leaves of Casearia kurzii.

A pair of enantiomeric 15-nordolabellane diterpenoids, (-)- and (+)-caseadolabellols A (1a and 1b), three dolabellane diterpenoids, caseadolabellols B-D (2-4), two dolastane diterpenoids, caseadolastols A and B (5 and 6), 10 clerodane diterpenoids, caseakurzins A-J (7-16), and nine known diterpenoids (17-25) were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Casearia kurzii. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data, and those of compounds 1a, 1b, and 2 were verified by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. The enantiomers 1a and 1b were separated by chiral-phase HPLC. The absolute configurations were determined by experimental and calculated ECD data, the modified Mosher's method, or literature comparison. Compounds 1a and 5 showed significant quinone reductase-inducing activity in Hepa 1c1c7 cells, while 1b showed moderate activity. Molecular docking studies showed that 1a had greater binding affinity with Nrf2 protein (5FNQ) than 1b. The cytotoxic activity of compounds 1a, 1b, 2-12, 15, and 16 was evaluated, among which compounds 8 and 16 exhibited significant inhibitory activity against the A549 cell line. Compounds 8 and 16 induced the A549 cells to arrest at G2/M and S phases, respectively, and both compounds induced apoptosis in A549 cells.

Dehydrobruceine B enhances the cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity through regulation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in lung cancer A549 cells.

Dehydrobruceine B (DHB) is a quassinoid isolated from Brucea javanica. We have shown previously that DHB induced apoptosis on two kinds of lung cancer cell lines, A549 and NCI-H292. In the present study, we investigated the interactions of DHB and cisplatin (CDDP) on apoptotic-related cancer cell death. Synergistic effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis were observed when A549 cells were treated with DHB plus CDDP. DHB combined CDDP exposure increased depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytoplasm. The combination treatment also enhanced protein expression of Bax, reduced the protein levels of Bcl-xL and Bcl-2, and increased the cleavage of caspase-3, caspase-9 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). These results indicated that DHB sensitized A549 cells to cisplatin by regulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. High constitutive expression of Nrf2 was found in A549 cells, which enhance the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents including cisplatin. DHB reduced the protein levels of Nrf2 and its target genes, which may contribute to the increase of intracellular ROS level, consequently, induced mitochondria apoptosis. These results generated a rationale for further investigation of DHB combined with CDDP as a potential therapeutic strategy in lung cancer.

Apoptosis induction of dehydrobruceine B on two kinds of human lung cancer cell lines through mitochondrial-dependent pathway.

BACKGROUND: Brucea javanica is an effective traditional medicine listed in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. In China, the seed oil of B. javanica has long been used as commercially available drug for the treatment of tumor in clinic. Dehydrobruceine B (DHB) is a quassinoid isolated from B. javanica. PURPOSE: The aim of the present study is to investigate the apoptotic effects induced by DHB in human lung cancer A549 and NCI-H292 cells. The involvement of a mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway in the pro-apoptotic action of DHB was also investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry analysis. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was examined through JC-1 staining. The protein translocation in cells was examined by immunostaining. The expression levels of proteins which are closely related to mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway were measured by immunoblot analysis. RESULTS: Treatment with DHB decreased cell viability, induced apoptosis and blocked cell cycle at S phase. DHB-induced apoptosis was found to be mediated through mitochondrial intrinsic pathway, evidenced by the loss of MMP, the release of cytochrome c into cytosol, and the cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). CONCLUSION: DHB triggers apoptosis in A549 and NCI-H292 cells via mitochondrial pathway, making it a promising candidate as a therapeutic agent for lung carcinoma.

Particular Candida albicans strains in the digestive tract of dyspeptic patients, identified by multilocus sequence typing.

BACKGROUND: Candida albicans is a human commensal that is also responsible for chronic gastritis and peptic ulcerous disease. Little is known about the genetic profiles of the C. albicans strains in the digestive tract of dyspeptic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, diversity, and genetic profiles among C. albicans isolates recovered from natural colonization of the digestive tract in the dyspeptic patients. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Oral swab samples (n = 111) and gastric mucosa samples (n = 102) were obtained from a group of patients who presented dyspeptic symptoms or ulcer complaints. Oral swab samples (n = 162) were also obtained from healthy volunteers. C. albicans isolates were characterized and analyzed by multilocus sequence typing. The prevalence of Candida spp. in the oral samples was not significantly different between the dyspeptic group and the healthy group (36.0%, 40/111 vs. 29.6%, 48/162; P > 0.05). However, there were significant differences between the groups in the distribution of species isolated and the genotypes of the C. albicans isolates. C. albicans was isolated from 97.8% of the Candida-positive subjects in the dyspeptic group, but from only 56.3% in the healthy group (P < 0.001). DST1593 was the dominant C. albicans genotype from the digestive tract of the dyspeptic group (60%, 27/45), but not the healthy group (14.8%, 4/27) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest a possible link between particular C. albicans strain genotypes and the host microenvironment. Positivity for particular C. albicans genotypes could signify susceptibility to dyspepsia.