Ultrafast Synthesis of Transition Metal Phosphides in Air via Pulsed Laser Shock.

Transition metal phosphide nanoparticles (TMP NPs) represent a promising class of nanomaterials in the field of energy; however, a universal, time-saving, energy-efficient, and scalable synthesis method is currently lacking. Here, a facile synthesis approach is first introduced using a pulsed laser shock (PLS) process mediated by metal-organic frameworks, free of any inert gas protection, enabling the synthesis of diverse TMP NPs. Additionally, through thermodynamic calculations and experimental validation, the phase selection and competition behavior between phosphorus and oxygen have been elucidated, dictated by the redox potential and electronegativity. The resulting composites exhibit a balanced performance and extended durability. When employed as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting, the as-constructed electrolyzer achieves a low cell voltage of 1.54 V at a current density of 10 mA cm-2. This laser method for phosphide synthesis provides clear guidelines and holds potential for the preparation of nanomaterials applicable in catalysis, energy storage, biosensors, and other fields.

(Z)-Selective Isomerization of 1,1-Disubstituted Alkenes by Scandium-Catalyzed Allylic C-H Activation.

The isomerization of 1,1-disubstituted alkenes through 1,3-hydrogen shift is an atom-efficient route for synthesizing trisubstituted alkenes, which are important moieties in many natural products, pharmaceuticals, and organic materials. However, this reaction often encounters regio- and stereoselectivity challenges, typically yielding E/Z-mixtures of the alkene products or thermodynamically favored (E)-alkenes. Herein, we report the (Z)-selective isomerization of 1,1-disubstituted alkenes to trisubstituted (Z)-alkenes via the regio- and stereospecific activation of an allylic C-H bond. The key to the success of this unprecedented transformation is the use of a sterically demanding half-sandwich scandium catalyst in combination with a bulky quinoline compound, 2-tert-butylquinoline. Deuterium-labeling experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have revealed that 2-tert-butylquinoline not only facilitates the C═C bond transposition through hydrogen shuttling but also governs the regio- and stereoselectivity due to the steric hindrance of the tert-butyl group. This protocol enables the synthesis of diverse (Z)-configured acyclic trisubstituted alkenes and endocyclic trisubstituted alkenes from readily accessible 1,1-disubstituted alkenes. It offers an efficient and selective route for preparing a new family of synthetically challenging (Z)-trisubstituted alkenes with broad substrate scope, 100% atom efficiency, high regio- and stereoselectivity, and an unprecedented reaction mechanism.

Coffee intake leads to preeclampsia-like syndromes in susceptible pregnant rats.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, and there is an increasing concern of the health risk of coffee consumption in pregnancy. Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy disease that causes elevated blood pressure and proteinuria in pregnant women and growth restriction of fetuses due to poorly developed placental vasculature. The aim of our study is to investigate the possible effect of coffee intake during pregnancy in rats with potential underlying vasculature conditions. The endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(gamma)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) at a high dose (125 mg/kg/d) was used to induce PE in pregnant rats, which were used as the positive control group. In addition, low-dose L-NAME (10 mg/kg/d) was used to simulate the compromised placental vasculature function in pregnant rats. Coffee was given together with low-dose L-NAME to the pregnant rats from gestational day 10.5-18.5. Our results show that the pregnant rats treated with low-dose L-NAME + coffee, but not low-dose L-NAME alone, developed PE symptoms such as prominent fetal growth restriction, hypertension, and proteinuria. Therefore, our findings suggest that coffee intake during pregnancy may cause an increased risk of PE in susceptible women.

Camrelizumab combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and sorafenib or lenvatinib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter, retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We initiated this study to explore the efficacy of camrelizumab combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus sorafenib or lenvatinib versus TACE plus sorafenib or Lenvatinib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 2019 to November 2022, 127 advanced HCC patients were retrospectively analyzed in this study. This consisted of 44 patients that received camrelizumab plus TACE plus sorafenib or lenvatinib (triple therapy group) and 83 patients that received TACE plus sorafenib or lenvatinib (double treatment group). The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) were compared between the two patient groups. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrated that patients received the triple therapy exhibited superior median OS (15.8 vs. 10.3 months, P=0.0011) and median PFS (7.2 vs. 5.2 months, P=0.019) compared to the double treatment group. In addition, the triple therapy group exhibited better 6-month (93.5% vs. 66.3%), 12-month (67.2% vs. 36.3%), and 24-month (17.2% vs. 7.6%) survival rates than the double treatment group. However, the ORR (43.2% vs. 28.9%, P = 0.106) and DCR (93.2% vs. 81.9%, P = 0.084) of the two groups were similar. Subgroup analysis showed that compared with the double treatment group, the triple therapy group had a better mOS for HCC with HBV (15.8 vs. 9.6 months, P = 0.0015) and tumor diameter ≥ 5cm (15.3 vs. 9.6 months, P = 0.00055). CONCLUSIONS: Camrelizumab plus TACE and sorafenib or lenvatinib may be a promising treatment approach for the clinical management of unresectable HCC patients.

Synthesis, characterization and anticancer, antibacterial activities of pentacyclic triterpenoid glycoside derivatives.

As a kind of glycoside, pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins have good biological activities, such as anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral and hypoglycemic effects [1]. In this paper, twenty-four pentacyclic triterpenoid derivatives, including twelve monosaccharide derivatives, were designed and synthesized. The anticancer effect and antibacterial activities of all compounds were evaluated. It is noteworthy that compound UA-2b has the strongest inhibitory effect on the growth of A549, Hela and HepG2 cancer cells (IC50 = 5.37 ± 0.22 µM, 5.82 ± 0.25 µM and 5.47 ± 0.06 µM, respectively). Compounds OA-2b, OA-6a, OA-6b, UA-2b and UA-6a have the best activity against Escherichia coli 1924 (MIC = 16 µg/ml).

Agreement of lymphocyte subsets detection permits reference intervals transference between flow cytometry systems: direct validation using established reference intervals.

OBJECTIVES: With the increasing demand and application of lymphocyte subsets detection in clinical laboratories, different single-platform flow cytometer (FCM) systems have been developed. There is an urgent need to establish the reference intervals (RIs) for different single-platform FCMs and transferring them from one FCM system to another provides a much more feasible and convenient approach. This study aimed to explore the transferability of RIs for lymphocyte subsets across different flow cytometry platforms. METHODS: We first conducted the pairwise method comparison across four FCM platforms, including NovoCyte, BriCyteE6, DxFLEX, and FACSCantoII systems. Next, the transferability of RIs of lymphocyte subsets was evaluated. Furthermore, we conducted the RIs transference based on the FACSCantoII system, BriCyteE6 system and DxFLEX system, except for NK cells. The transferred RIs were further verified by calculating the bias (CV) between the established ones. RESULTS: The results of lymphocyte subsets detection based on the NovoCyte, BriCyteE6, DxFLEX, and FACSCantoII systems were comparable and it was feasible to transfer the RIs of lymphocyte subsets detected by the four FCM systems. The RIs of lymphocyte subsets detection using FACSCantoII, DxFLEX, and BriCyteE6 systems were established. Upon transferring the RIs of lymphocyte subsets from the FACSCantoII system to the BriCyteE6 system, and DxFLEX system except for NK cells, the CV between the transferred RIs and the established ones was below 20 % for all parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The present study illustrated that the RIs of lymphocyte subsets could be transferred across different flow cytometry systems except for NK cells with different definition strategies.

Development Status of Solar-Driven Interfacial Steam Generation Support Layer Based on Polymers and Biomaterials: A Review.

With the increasing shortage of water resources and the aggravation of water pollution, solar-driven interfacial steam generation (SISG) technology has garnered considerable attention because of its low energy consumption, simple operation, and environmental friendliness. The popular multi-layer SISG evaporator is composed of two basic structures: a photothermal layer and a support layer. Herein, the support layer underlies the photothermal layer and carries out thermal management, supports the photothermal layer, and transports water to the evaporation interface to improve the stability of the evaporator. While most research focuses on the photothermal layer, the support layer is typically viewed as a supporting object for the photothermal layer. This review focuses on the support layer, which is relatively neglected in evaporator development. It summarizes existing progress in the field of multi-layer interface evaporators, based on various polymers and biomaterials, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, mainly polymer-based support layers are reviewed, including polymer foams, gels, and their corresponding functional materials, while biomaterial support layers, including natural plants, carbonized biomaterials, and other innovation biomaterials are not. Additionally, the corresponding structure design strategies for the support layer were also involved. It was found that the selection and optimal design of the substrate also played an important role in the efficient operation of the whole steam generation system. Their evolution and refinement are vital for advancing the sustainability and effectiveness of interfacial evaporation technology. The corresponding potential future research direction and application prospects of support layer materials are carefully presented to enable effective responses to global water challenges.

Compressed cerebro-cerebellar functional gradients in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Both cortical and cerebellar developmental differences have been implicated in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recently accumulating neuroimaging studies have highlighted hierarchies as a fundamental principle of brain organization, suggesting the importance of assessing hierarchy abnormalities in ADHD. A novel gradient-based resting-state functional connectivity analysis was applied to investigate the cerebro-cerebellar disturbed hierarchy in children and adolescents with ADHD. We found that the interaction of functional gradient between diagnosis and age was concentrated in default mode network (DMN) and visual network (VN). At the same time, we also found that the opposite gradient changes of DMN and VN caused the compression of the cortical main gradient in ADHD patients, implicating the co-occurrence of both low- (visual processing) and high-order (self-related thought) cognitive dysfunction manifesting in abnormal cerebro-cerebellar organizational hierarchy in ADHD. Our study provides a neurobiological framework to better understand the co-occurrence and interaction of both low-level and high-level functional abnormalities in the cortex and cerebellum in ADHD.

ß-Ga2O3 Nanoribbon with Ultra-High Solar-Blind Ultraviolet Polarization Ratio.

Solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) detection plays a critical role in imaging and communication due to its low-noise background, high signal-to-noise ratio, and strong anti-interference capabilities. Detecting the polarization state of UV light can enhance image information and expand the communication dimension. Although polarization detection is explored in visible and infrared light, and applied in fields such as astrophysics and submarine seismic wave detection, solar-blind UV polarization detection remains largely unreported. This is primarily due to the challenge of creating UV polarizers with high transmittance, high extinction ratio, and strong resistance to UV radiation. In this study, it is discovered that the space symmetry breaking of the ß-Ga2O3's b-c plane results in a significant optical absorption dichroic ratio. Leveraging ß-Ga2O3's high solar-blind UV response, a lensless solar-blind UV polarization-sensitive photodetector, circumventing the challenges associated with solar-blind UV polarizers is designed. This photodetector exhibits an exceptionally high intrinsic polarization ratio under 254 nm linearly polarized light, approximately two orders of magnitude higher than other reported nanomaterial-based polarization-sensitive photodetectors. Additionally, it demonstrates significant advantages in solar-blind UV imaging and light communication. This work introduces a novel strategy for solar-blind ultraviolet polarization detection and offers a promising approach for solar-blind light communication.

Electroactive Nanomaterials for the Prevention and Treatment of Heart Failure: From Materials and Mechanisms to Applications.

Heart failure (HF) represents a cardiovascular disease that significantly threatens global well-being and quality of life. Electroactive nanomaterials, characterized by their distinctive physical and chemical properties, emerge as promising candidates for HF prevention and management. This review comprehensively examines electroactive nanomaterials and their applications in HF intervention. It presents the definition, classification, and intrinsic characteristics of conductive, piezoelectric, and triboelectric nanomaterials, emphasizing their mechanical robustness, electrical conductivity, and piezoelectric coefficients. The review elucidates their applications and mechanisms: 1) early detection and diagnosis, employing nanomaterial-based sensors for real-time cardiac health monitoring; 2) cardiac tissue repair and regeneration, providing mechanical, chemical, and electrical stimuli for tissue restoration; 3) localized administration of bioactive biomolecules, genes, or pharmacotherapeutic agents, using nanomaterials as advanced drug delivery systems; and 4) electrical stimulation therapies, leveraging their properties for innovative pacemaker and neurostimulation technologies. Challenges in clinical translation, such as biocompatibility, stability, and scalability, are discussed, along with future prospects and potential innovations, including multifunctional and stimuli-responsive nanomaterials for precise HF therapies. This review encapsulates current research and future directions concerning the use of electroactive nanomaterials in HF prevention and management, highlighting their potential to innovating in cardiovascular medicine.

Affibody-based molecular probe 99mTc-(HE)3ZHER2:V2 for non-invasive HER2 detection in ovarian and breast cancer xenografts.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the biodistribution and bioactivity of the affibody molecular probe 99mTc-(HE)3ZHER2:V2, prepared by genetic recombination, and to investigate its potential for targeted human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) imaging in SKOV3 ovarian cancer and MDA-MB-361 breast cancer xenografts. Methods: Affibody molecules were generated through genetic recombination. The radiochemical purity of the 99mTc-labeled HER2 affibody was determined using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Evaluation of HER2 affinity in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells and MDA-MB-361 breast cancer cells (HER2-positive) was conducted by calculating equilibrium dissociation constants. Biodistribution of the 99mTc-labeled affibody molecular probe was assessed in Balb/c mice bearing SKOV3 tumors. Tumor targeting specificity was evaluated in Balb/c mice using SKOV3, MDA-MB-361, and AT-3 (HER2-negative) xenografts. Results: Affibody (HE)3ZHER2:V2, generated through recombinant gene expression, was successfully labeled with 99mTc, achieving a radiochemical purity of (96.0 ± 1.7)% (n = 3) as determined by RP-HPLC. This molecular probe exhibited specific binding to HER2-positive SKOV3 cells, demonstrating intense radioactive uptake. Biodistribution analysis showed rapid accumulation of 99mTc-(HE)3ZHER2:V2 in HER2-positive tumors post-administration, primarily clearing through the urinary system. Single-photon emission computed tomography imaging conducted 1-3 h after intravenous injection of 99mTc-(HE)3ZHER2:V2 into HER2-positive SKOV3 and MDA-MB-361 nude mouse models confirmed targeted uptake of the molecular probe by the tumors. Conclusions: The molecular probe 99mTc-(HE)3ZHER2:V2 developed in this study effectively targets HER2 for imaging HER2-positive SKOV3 and MDA-MB-361 xenografts in vivo. It exhibits rapid blood clearance without evident toxic effects, suggesting its potential as a valuable marker for detecting HER2 expression in tumor cells.

Construction of thyroid cancer classification and iodine metabolism related diagnostic model using thyroid differentiation score and bioinformation.

To more accurately diagnose and treat patients with different subtypes of thyroid cancer, we constructed a diagnostic model related to the iodine metabolism of THCA subtypes. THCA expression profiles, corresponding clinicopathological information, and single-cell RNA-seq were downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases. Genes related to thyroid differentiation score were obtained by GSVA. Through logistic analyses, the diagnostic model was finally constructed. DCA curve, ROC curve, machine learning, and K-M analysis were used to verify the accuracy of the model. qRT-PCR was used to verify the expression of hub genes in vitro. There were 104 crossover genes between different TDS and THCA subtypes. Finally, 5 genes (ABAT, CHEK1, GPX3, NME5, and PRKCQ) that could independently predict the TDS subpopulation were obtained, and a diagnostic model was constructed. ROC, DCA, and RCS curves exhibited that the model has accurate prediction ability. K-M and subgroup analysis results showed that low model scores were strongly associated with poor PFI in THCA patients. The model score was significantly negatively correlated with T cell follicular helper. In addition, the diagnostic model was significantly negatively correlated with immune scores. Finally, the results of qRT-PCR corresponded with bioinformatics results. This diagnostic model has good diagnostic and prognostic value for THCA patients, and can be used as an independent prognostic indicator for THCA patients.

Major specialized natural products from the endangered plant Heptacodium miconioides, potential medicinal uses and insights into its longstanding unresolved systematic classification.

A comprehensive phytochemical investigation of the flower buds and leaves/twigs of Heptacodium miconioides, a cultivated ornamental plant native to China and categorized as 'vulnerable', has led to the isolation of 45 structurally diverse compounds, which comprise 18 phenylpropanoids (1-4, 7-20), 11 pentacyclic triterpenoids (5, 6, 21-29), eight secoiridoid glycosides (30-37), three quinic acid derivatives (38-40), and a few miscellaneous components (41-45). Among them, (+)-α-intermedianol (1), (+)-holophyllol A (2), and (-)-pseudolarkaemin A (3) represent previously unreported enantiomeric lignans, while (+)-7'(R)-hydroxymatairesinol (4) is an undescribed naturally occurring lignan. Heptacoacids A (5) and B (6) are undescribed 24-nor-urs-28-oic acid derivatives. Their chemical structures were determined by 2D-NMR, supplemented by evidence from specific rotations and circular dichroism spectra. Given the uncertainty surrounding the systematic position of Heptacodium, integrative taxonomy (ITA), a method utilized to define contentious species, is applied. Chemotaxonomy, a vital aspect of ITA, becomes significant. By employing hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and syntenic pattern analysis methods, a taxonomic examination based on the major specialized natural products from the flower buds of H. miconioides and two other Caprifoliaceae plants (i.e., Lonicera japonica and Abelia × grandiflora) could offer enhanced understanding of the systematic placement of Heptacodium. Additionally, compounds 39 and 40 displayed remarkable inhibitory activities against ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), with IC50 values of 0.11 and 1.10 µM, respectively. In summary, the discovery of medical properties and refining systematic classification can establish a sturdy groundwork for conservation efforts aimed at mitigating species diversity loss while addressing human diseases.

The Role of FAPI PET Imaging in Pancreatic Cancer: A Meta-analysis Compared with 18F-FDG PET.

PURPOSE: Fibroblast activating protein is a promising target for tumor molecular imaging and therapy. Studies showed that fibroblast activating protein inhibitor (FAPI) radioactive tracers presented superiority over 18F-FDG PET/CT in the evaluation of various cancer types, including pancreatic cancer (PC). Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate and analyze the differences between 68Ga/18F-FAPI and 18F-FDG in PC, in order to provide evidence for the clinical application of FAPI PET imaging. METHODS: In the current meta-analysis, original studies published as of January 1, 2024 were analyzed using radiolabeled FAPI as a diagnostic radioactive tracer and compared to 18F-FDG for PET in PC. Databases searched included pubmed and web of science, and subject headings searched included PC and FAPI. The quality of the enrolled studies was evaluated by Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2, and the meta-analysis was conducted using R language. RESULTS: A total of seven studies including 322 patients compared the diagnostic performance of FAPI PET imaging and 18F-FDG PET/CT in PC. Overall, FAPI PET imaging showed higher pooled sensitivity (0.99 [95% CI: 0.97-1.00] vs. 0.84 [95% CI: 0.70-0.92]) and area under the curve (0.99 [95% CI: 0.98-1.00] vs. 0.91 [95% CI: 0.88-0.93]) than 18F-FDG PET/CT. The evidence showed that FAPI PET imaging is superior to 18F-FDG in pooled sensitivity to primary tumor, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. Moreover, FAPI PET imaging improved TNM staging in 25% of PC patients and changed clinical management in 11.7% of PC patients compared to 18F-FDG. CONCLUSION: FAPI PET imaging is superior to that of 18F-FDG in the detection of primary PC, nodal and distant metastases, TNM staging and clinical management.

Imaging findings of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of sigmoid colon: literature review and case report.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an intermediate tumor composed of differentiated myofibroblastic spindle cells with inflammatory cell infiltration. It can occur in all parts of the body, with the lungs being the most common, while the tissues outside the lungs, including the sigmoid colon, are rare. Herein, we present a case of a 10-year-old girl with sigmoid IMT who presented to our hospital with abdominal pain. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a well-defined, slightly low-density mass in her lower abdomen that was not clearly demarcated from the sigmoid colon. The mass showed significant uneven enhancement on contrast-enhanced CT and increased fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET). Moreover, a systematic review of the published literature on sigmoid IMT was conducted and its clinical and radiographic features were summarized to increase the understanding of this rare disease.

Enhancing biodegradation efficiency of PLA/PBAT-ST20 bioplastic using thermophilic bacteria co-culture system: New insight from structural characterization, enzyme activity, and metabolic pathways.

The rising utilization of PLA/PBAT-ST20 presents potential ecological risks stemming from its casual disposal and incomplete degradation. To solve this problem, this study investigated the degradation capabilities of PLA/PBAT-ST20 by a co-culture system comprising two thermophilic bacteria, Pseudomonas G1 and Kocuria G2, selected and identified from the thermophilic phase of compost. Structural characterization results revealed that the strains colonized the PLA/PBAT-ST20's surface, causing holes and cracks, with an increase in the carbonyl index (CI) and polydispersity index (PDI), indicating oxidative degradation. Enzyme activity results demonstrated that the co-culture system significantly enhanced the secretion and activity of proteases and lipases, promoting the breakdown of ester bonds. LC-QTOF-MS results showed that various intermediate products were obtained after degradation, ultimately participating in the TCA cycle (ko00020), further completely mineralized. Additionally, after 15-day compost, the co-culture system achieved a degradation rate of 72.14 ± 2.1 wt% for PBAT/PLA-ST20 films, with a decrease in the abundance of plastic fragments of all sizes, demonstrating efficient degradation of PLA/PBAT-ST20 films. This study highlights the potential of thermophilic bacteria to address plastic pollution through biodegradation and emphasizes that the co-culture system could serve as an ideal solution for the remediation of PLA/PBAT plastics.

Metastasis of ovarian dysgerminoma in a postmenopausal patient: a rare case report.

Ovary dysgerminoma is one of the most good prognosis malignant tumor, which has a 5-year overall survival rate exceeding to 90%. Generally, the incidence of ovarian dysgerminoma (OD) is relatively low, accounting for ~0.6% of all ovarian tumors. Usually, it mainly occurs in very young women, about 85% of patients under 30 years old and is rare in middle-aged especially in elderly ones. This ovary dysgerminoma case report presents a 58-year-old menopausal postmenopausal woman which has a poor prognosis. Therefore, there may be differences between the elderly and young women in clinical characteristic that require separate management. This case reports a postmenopausal woman who was diagnosed with ovary dysgerminoma. After surgery, the patient was treated chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) according to the treatment guidelines. Unusually, the patient developed bone marrow suppression and lymph node metastasis in final. This report explored the clinical characteristic in postmenopausal woman dysgerminoma. Changes in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) throughout the course of the disease are closely related to the progression. The patient had a disease progression when treated with the conventional treatment (BEP). The applicability of this treatment protocol to postmenopausal patients requires further research. Postmenopausal woman dysgerminoma is rare but rapid progress. Whether BEP is suitable for OD in middle-aged and elderly people remains to be further validated in the future. LDH may be a potential biomarker for monitoring the progression of OD in the elderly.

Endobronchial metastasis secondary to renal clear cell carcinoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Endobronchial metastases (EBMs) are tumours that metastasise from a malignant tumour outside the lungs to the central and subsegmental bronchi, and are visible under a bronchofibrescope. Most EBMs are formed by direct invasion or metastasis of intrathoracic malignant tumours, such as lung cancer, oesophageal cancer or mediastinum tumours. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), accounting for 2% to 3% of all tumours, is a common malignant tumour of the urinary system. Renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC) constitutes the predominant pathological subtype of RCC, comprising approximately 70% to 80% of all RCC cases. RCCC can spread and metastasise through arterial, venous and lymphatic circulation to almost all organs of the body. Moreover, lung, bone, liver, brain and local recurrence are the most common metastatic neoplasms of RCCC. However, EBM from RCCC has a low complication rate and is often misdiagnosed as primary lung cancer. CASE SUMMARY: A 71-year-old male patient who had undergone radical left nephrectomy 7 years prior due to RCCC was referred to our hospital due to a 1-mo history of productive cough. The results of an enhanced chest CT scan indicated the presence of a soft tissue nodule in the upper lobe of the left lung, and flexible bronchoscopy revealed a hypervascular lesion in the bronchus of the left lung's superior lobe. Therefore, the patient underwent thoracoscopic left superior lobe wedge resection, and pathology confirmed EBM from the RCCC. CONCLUSION: EBM from RCCC has a low incidence and no characteristic clinical manifestations in the early stage. If a bronchial tumour is found in a patient with RCCC, the possibility of bronchial metastatic cancer should be considered.

The compositional and functional imbalance of the gut microbiota in CKD linked to disease patterns.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the rise, posing a significant public health challenge. Although gut microbiome dysbiosis has been implicated in the impairment of kidney functions, the existence of pathological subtypes-linked differences remains largely unknown. We aimed to characterize the intestinal microbiota in patients with membranous nephropathy (MN), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), minimal change disease (MCD), and ischemic renal injury (IRI) in order to investigate the intricate relationship between intestinal microbiota and CKD across different subtypes. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 94 patients with various pathological patterns of CKD and 54 healthy controls (HCs). The clinical parameters were collected, and stool samples were obtained from each participant. Gut microbial features were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing and taxon annotation to compare the HC, CKD, MN, IgAN, MCD, and IRI groups. RESULTS: The CKD subjects exhibited significantly reduced alpha diversity, modified community structures, and disrupted microbial composition and potential functions compared to the control group. The opportunistic pathogen Klebsiella exhibited a significant enrichment in patients with CKD, whereas Akkermansia showed higher abundance in HCs. The study further revealed the presence of heterogeneity in intestinal microbial signatures across diverse CKD pathological types, including MN, IgAN, MCD, and IRI. The depression of the family Lachnospiraceae and the genus Bilophila was prominently observed exclusively in patients with MN, while suppressed Streptococcus was detected only in individuals with MCD, and a remarkable expansion of the genus Escherichia was uniquely found in cases of IRI. The study also encompassed the development of classifiers employing gut microbial diagnostic markers to accurately discriminate between distinct subtypes of CKD. CONCLUSIONS: The dysregulation of gut microbiome was strongly correlated with CKD, exhibiting further specificity towards distinct pathological patterns. Our study emphasizes the significance of considering disease subtypes when assessing the impact of intestinal microbiota on the development, diagnosis, and treatment of CKD.

Aqueous colloid flow batteries with nano Prussian blue.

Flow battery is a safe and scalable energy storage technology in effectively utilizing clean power and mitigating carbon emissions from fossil fuel consumption. In the present work, we demonstrate an aqueous colloid flow battery (ACFB) with well-dispersed colloids based on nano-sized Prussian blue (PB) cubes, aiming at expanding the chosen area of various nano redox materials and lowering the cost of chemicals. Taking advantage of the two redox pairs of PB, the developed all-PB cell employing a low-cost dialysis membrane with the synthesized PB on both sides displays an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.74 V. Moreover, when paired with an organic tetra pyridine macrocycle the cell with PB as positive electrolyte exhibits an OCV of 1.33 V and a capacity fade rate of 0.039 %/cycle (0.8 %/day). Redox-active colloids exhibit enduring physicochemical stability, with no evident structural or morphological changes after extensive cycling, highlighting their potential for cost-effective and reliable ACFB energy storage.