An electron-insulating Li2O protection layer endowing a Li-Cu-Zn ternary alloy composite anode with high performance.

We report an electron-insulating layer of Li2O nanoparticles passivating a Li-rich Li-Cu-Zn ternary alloy as an advanced Li anode. The insulating layer ensures Li deposition below the top protective layer and inhibits side reactions effectively. Additionally, the ternary alloy framework offers superior lithiophilicity and robust mechanical stability. Galvanostatic measurements demonstrate a prolonged lifespan of symmetric cells for over 1200 h at 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mA h cm-2.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Improves Clinical Symptoms of Fibromyalgia: An open-label, Randomized, Nonplacebo-Controlled Study.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex and poorly understood disorder characterized by chronic and widespread musculoskeletal pain, of which the etiology remains unknown. Now, the disorder of the gut microbiome is considered as one of the main causes of FM. This study was aimed to investigate the potential benefits of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with FM. A total of 45 patients completed this open-label randomized, nonplacebo-controlled clinical study. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores in the FMT group were slightly lower than the control group at 1 month (P> 0.05), and they decreased significantly at 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment (P < 0.001). Besides, compared with the control group, the Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity (SS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were significantly lower in the FMT group at different time points (P < 0.001). After 6 months of treatment, there was a significant increase in serotonin (5-HT) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels (P < 0.001), while glutamate levels significantly decreased in the FMT group (P < 0.001). The total effective rate was higher in the FMT group (90.9%) compared to the control group (56.5%) after 6 months of treatment (P < 0.05). FMT can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of FM. With the close relations between the changes of neurotransmitters and FM, certain neurotransmitters may serve as a diagnostic marker or potential target for FM patients. PERSPECTIVE: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a novel therapy that aims to restore the gut microbial balance and modulate the gut-brain axis. It is valuable to further explore the therapeutic effect of FMT on FM. Furthermore, certain neurotransmitters may become a diagnostic marker or a new therapeutic target for FM patients.

Single-cell transcriptome reveals a novel mechanism of C-Kit+-liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in NASH.

AIM: To understand how liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) respond to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). METHODS: We profiled single-LSEC from livers of control and MCD-fed mice. The functions of C-Kit+-LSECs were determined using coculture and bone marrow transplantation (BMT) methods. RESULTS: Three special clusters of single-LSEC were differentiated. C-Kit+-LSECs of cluster 0, Msr1+-LSECs of cluster 1 and Bmp4+Selp+-VECs of cluster 2 were revealed, and these cells with diverse ectopic expressions of genes participated in regulation of endothelial, fibrosis and lipid metabolism in NASH. The number of C-Kit+-primary LSECs isolated from MCD mice was lower than control mice. Immunofluorescence co-staining of CD31 and C-KIT showed C-Kit+-LSECs located in hepatic sinusoid were also reduced in NASH patients and MCD mice, compared to AIH patients and control mice respectively. Interestingly, lipotoxic hepatocytes/HSCs cocultured with C-Kit+-LSECs or the livers of MCD mice receipting of C-Kit+-BMCs (bone marrow cells) showed less steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis, higher expression of prolipolytic FXR and PPAR-α, lower expression of TNF-α and α-SMA. Furthermore, coculturing or BMT of C-Kit+-endothelial derived cells could increase the levels of hepatic mitochondrial LC3B, decrease the degree of mitochondrial damage and ROS production through activating Pink1-mediated mitophagy pathway in NASH. CONCLUSIONS: Hence, a novel transcriptomic view of LSECs was revealed to have heterogeneity and complexity in NASH. Importantly, a cluster of C-Kit+-LSECs was confirmed to recovery Pink1-related mitophagy and NASH progression.

Gradient three-dimensional current collector with lithiophilic nanolayer regulation for efficient lithium metal anode construction.

Metallic lithium (Li) is highly desirable for Li battery anodes due to its unique advantages. However, the growth of Li dendrites poses challenges for commercialization. To address this issue, researchers have proposed various three-dimensional (3D) current collectors. In this study, the selective modification of a 3D Cu foam scaffold with lithiophilic elements was explored to induce controlled Li deposition. The Cu foam was selectively modified with Ag and Sn to create uniform Cu foam (U-Cu) and gradient lithiophilic Cu foam (G-Cu) structures. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations revealed that Ag exhibited a stronger binding energy with Li compared to Sn, indicating superior Li induction capabilities. Electrochemical testing demonstrated that the half cell with the G-Cu@Ag electrode exhibited excellent cycling stability, maintaining 550 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 97.35%. This performance surpassed that of both Cu foam and G-Cu@Sn. The gradient modification of the current collectors improved the utilization of the 3D scaffold and prevented Li accumulation at the top of the scaffold. Overall, the selective modification of the 3D Cu foam scaffold with lithiophilic elements, particularly Ag, offers promising prospects for mitigating Li dendrite growth and enhancing the performance of Li batteries.

Supraglottic jet oxygenation and ventilation improves oxygenation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Hypoxia is one of the most frequent adverse events under deep sedation in the semiprone position. We hypothesized that supraglottic jet oxygenation and ventilation (SJOV) via Wei nasal jet tube (WNJ) can reduce the incidence of hypoxia in patients under deep sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). METHODS: A total of 171 patients were divided into three groups: N group, supplementary oxygen via a nasopharyngeal airway (4-6 L/min); W group, supplementary oxygen via WNJ (4-6 L/min); WS group, SJOV via WNJ. The primary outcome was the incidence of adverse events, including sedation-related adverse events [SRAEs, hypoxemia (SpO2 = 75-89% lasted less than 60 s); severe hypoxemia (SpO2 < 75% at any time or SpO2 < 90% lasted more than 60 s] and subclinical respiratory depression (SpO2 = 90-95%). Other intraoperative and post-operative adverse events were also recorded as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with the N group, the incidence of hypoxemia and subclinical respiratory depression in the WS group was significantly lower (21% vs. 4%, P = 0.005; 27% vs. 6%, P = 0.002). Compared with Group W, the incidence of hypoxemia and subclinical respiratory depression in Group WS was also significantly less frequent (20% vs. 4%, P = 0.009; 21% vs. 6%, P = 0.014). No severe hypoxia occurred in the group WS, while four and one instances were observed in the group N and group W respectively. There were no significant differences in other adverse events among the three groups. CONCLUSION: SJOV can effectively improve oxygenation during ERCP in deeply sedated semiprone patients.

Dendrite-Free Dual-Phase Li-Ba Alloy Anode Enabled by Ordered Array of Built-in Mixed Conducting Microchannels.

The development and application of lithium (Li) anode is hindered by volumetric variation, dendritic Li growth, and parasitic reactions. Herein, a dual-phase Li-barium (Ba) alloy with self-assembled microchannels array is synthesized through a one-step thermal fusion method to investigate the inhibition effect of lithiophilic composite porous array on Li dendrites. The Li-rich Li-Ba alloy (BaLi24) as composite Li electrode exhibits an ordered porous structure of BaLi4 intermetallic compound after delithiation, which acts as a built-in 3D current collector during Li plating/striping process. Furthermore, the lithiophilic BaLi4 alloy scaffold is a mixed conductor, featuring with Li+ ions diffusion capability, which can efficiently transport the reduced Li to the interior of the electrode structure. This unique top-down growth mode can effectively prohibit Li dendrites growth and improve the space utilization of 3D electrode structure. The spin-polarized density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the absorption capability of BaLi4 benefits the deposition of Li metal. As a result, the cell performance with the dual-phase Li-Ba alloy anode is significantly improved.

Spatially isolating Li+ reduction from Li deposition via a Li22Sn5 alloy protective layer for advanced Li metal anodes.

A Li alloy based artificial coating layer can improve the cyclic performance of Li metal anodes. However, the protective mechanism is not well clarified due to multiple components of the artificial layer and complicated interface in liquid electrolytes. Herein, a single-component Li22Sn5 alloy layer buffered Li anode is paired with a solid-state polymer electrolyte, where a metallic Sn film is sputtered onto the Li anode and the subsequent alloying reaction leads to the formation of a Li22Sn5 phase. During the striping/plating process, the thickness and composition of the Li-Sn alloy passivation layer remain unchanged. Meanwhile, Li+ ions are reduced on the top surface of the Li22Sn5 layer, then the reduced Li atoms immediately pass through the alloy layer, and finally dense Li deposition occurs beneath the protective layer, realizing spatial isolation of the electrochemical reduction of Li+ from Li nucleation/growth. This unique protection mechanism can principally avoid the formation of Li dendrites and efficiently mitigate irreversible reactions between the Li anode and the polymer electrolyte. The synergistic effects lead to a clean and flat surface of the protected Li electrode, enabling a prolonged cycle lifetime over 1300 h at 25 °C at 0.1 mA cm-2 and 0.1 mA h cm-2 in a configuration of symmetrical cells.

A hybrid polymer protective layer with uniform Li+ flux and self-adaption enabling dendrite-free Li metal anodes.

Lithium (Li) metal is considered as an ideal negative electrode material for next-generation secondary batteries; however, the hideous dendrite growth and parasitic reactions hinder the practical applications of Li metal batteries. Herein, a hybrid polymer film composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) is adopted as an artificial protective layer to inhibit the dendritic formation and side reactions in Li metal anodes. PVA with large quantities of polar functional groups can induce even distribution of Li ions (Li+). Alternatively, PAA can in situ react with Li metal to form highly elastic and ionic conducting lithium polyacrylic acid (LiPAA), thereby enabling tight contact and flexible self-adaption with Li metal anodes. Therefore, such a rationally designed functional composite layer, with good binding ability and relatively high Li+ conductivity, as well as excellent capability of homogenizing Li+ flow, accordingly enables Li metal anodes to reveal dendrite-free plating/stripping behaviours and minimum volume variation. As a result, the PVA-PAA modified Li metal anode delivered stable cycling for 700 and 250 h, respectively, at current densities of 1 and 3 mA cm-2 under an areal capacity of 1 mA h cm-2, in a carbonate ester-based electrolyte without any additive, exhibiting boosted cycling and rate performances. The Li anode with a functional PVA-PAA hybrid interlayer can maintain the dense and smooth texture without dendrite formation after long cycles. The full cell of Li|LiFeO4 with our modified Li anode and a cathode with a high areal capacity of 2.45 mA h cm-2 delivers, change to achieved a long-term lifespan of 180 cycles at 1.0 C, with a capacity retention of 96.7%. This work demonstrates a simple and effective strategy of designing multi-functional artificial protective layers, targeting dendrite-free Li anodes.

The Pillar Effect of Large-Size Alkaline Ions on the Electrochemical Stability of Sodium Manganese Hexacyanoferrate for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium manganese hexacyanoferrate (NaMnHCF) is an attractive candidate as a cathode material for sodium-ion batteries due to its low cost and high energy density. However, its practical application is hindered by poor electrochemical stability caused by the Jahn-Teller effect of Mn and the unstable structure of NaMnHCF. Here, this paper aims to address this issue by introducing highly stable AMnHCF (where A = K, Rb, or Cs) through a facile method to composite with NaMnHCF. The findings reveal that all AMnHCFs have a "pillar effect" on the crystal structure of NaMnHCF. It is observed that the degree of pillar effect varies depending on the specific AMnHCF used. The less electrochemically inactive the alkaline ion is and the greater the degree of compositing with NaMnHCF, the more dramatic the pillar effect. KMnHCF shows limited pillar effect due to its rough composition with NaMnHCF and the loss of K+ upon (de)intercalation. RbMnHCF has lower electrochemical activity and can be better composited with NaMnHCF. On the other hand, CsMnHCF exhibits the strongest pillar effect due to the inactivation of Cs+ and the excellent coherent structure formed by CsMnHCF and NaMnHCF. This research provides a new perspective on stabilizing NaMnHCF with other alkaline elements.

Highly lithiophilic and structurally stable Cu-Zn alloy skeleton for high-performance Li-rich ternary anodes.

Lithium (Li)-rich ternary alloy, comprising a multi-alloy phase as the built-in three-dimensional (3D) framework and a Li metal phase as a reversible Li reservoir, is a promising high-energy-density anode for rechargeable Li metal batteries. The introduction of metal/metalloid components to the alloy can effectively regulate Li deposition and maintain the dimensional integrity of the Li anode. Herein, the lithium-copper-zinc (Li-Cu-Zn) ternary alloy, as a new type of alloy anode, is synthesized via a facile thermal melting method. The fully delithiated 3D scaffold comprised two Cu-Zn alloy phases named CuZn and CuZn5. These alloy phases exhibit higher lithiophilicity and structural stability than Li-Zn and Li-Cu alloys. Moreover, the CuZn phase is electrochemically inert, ensuring the geometric stability of the anode, while the CuZn5 phase can readily undergo alloying reaction with Li to form the LiZn phase, thereby facilitating uniform Li nucleation and deposition. The hybridized multiphase alloy structure and specific energy storage mechanism of the Cu-Zn based alloy scaffold in the ternary alloy anode facilitate dendrite-free Li deposition and prolonged cycle lifetime. The Li metal full battery based on lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cathode exhibits high cycling stability with high-capacity retention of 95.4% after 1000 cycles at 1C.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy makes acid reflux symptoms worse or better?: a prospective short-term observational study in patients with morbid obesity.

BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux symptom (GERS) occur frequently in obese patients. Although some surgeons avoid laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in these patients for fear of postoperative exacerbation of GERS, this notion is not supported by sufficient medical evidence. OBJECTIVES: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of LSG on GERS. SETTING: Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai, China. METHODS: Seventy-five LSG candidates were enrolled between April 2020 and October 2021. Only patients with completed preoperative and 6-month postoperative evaluation of GERS with the Reflux Symptom Score (RSS) and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life index were included. Each patient's characteristics, including sex, age, drinking and smoking history, body mass index (BMI) at the time of surgery, recent BMI, comorbidities, glucose and lipid metabolism-related laboratory results, and uric acid and sex hormone levels were obtained. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients (33.8 ± 9.1 years) were finally included in our study. The mean preoperative BMI was 36.4 ± 6.8 kg/m2. Preoperative GERS were reported in 32 (49.2%) patients (RSS > 13), and 26 of them (81.3%) had dramatic remission at 6 months postoperatively. Four patients (12.1%) developed de novo GERS postoperatively, which were well-controlled with oral proton pump inhibitors. Furthermore, GERS were significantly correlated with preoperative BMI; the risk of developing new or worsening GERS postoperatively was positively associated with preoperative insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: A low incidence of de novo GERS and significant alleviation in preoperative GERS occurred in most obese patients after LSG. A patient with preoperative insulin resistance may not be suitable for LSG surgery owing to the increased risk of new or worsening of GERS postoperatively.

Ultrathin Li-rich Li-Cu alloy anode capped with lithiophilic LiC6 headspace enabling stable cyclic performance.

Li-rich dual-phase Li-Cu alloy is a promising candidate toward practical application of Li metal anode due to its in situ formed unique three-dimensional (3D) skeleton of electrochemical inert LiCux solid-solution phase. Since a thin layer of metallic Li phase appears on the surface of as-prepared Li-Cu alloy, the LiCux framework cannot regulate Li deposition efficiently in the first Li plating process. Herein, a lithiophilic LiC6 headspace is capped on the upper surface of the Li-Cu alloy, which can not only offer free space to accommodate Li deposition and maintain dimensional stability of the anode, but also provide abundant lithiophilic sites and guide Li deposition effectively. This unique bilayer architecture is fabricated via a facile thermal infiltration method, where the Li-Cu alloy layer with an ultrathin thickness around 40 µm occupies the bottom of a carbon paper (CP) sheet, and the upper part of this 3D porous framework is reserved as the headspace for Li storage. Notably, the molten Li can quickly convert these carbon fibers of the CP into lithiophilic LiC6 fibers while the CP is touched with the liquid Li. The synergetic effect between the LiC6 fibers framework and LiCux nanowires scaffold can ensure a uniform local electric field and stable Li metal deposition during cycling. As a consequence, the CP capped ultrathin Li-Cu alloy anode demonstrates excellent cycling stability and rate capability.

Assessment of Autologous Blood marker localIzation and intraoperative coLonoscopy localIzation in laparoscopic colorecTal cancer surgery (ABILITY): a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic colorectal surgery has been proved to have similar oncological outcomes with open surgery. Due to the lack of tactile perception, surgeons may have misjudgments in laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Therefore, the accurate localization of a tumor before surgery is important, especially in the early stages of cancer. Autologous blood was thought a feasible and safe tattooing agent for preoperative endoscopic localization but its benefits remain controversial. We therefore proposed this randomized trial to the accuracy and safety of autogenous blood localization in small, serosa-negative lesion which will be resected by laparoscopic colectomy. METHODS: The current study is a single-center, open-label, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial. Eligible participants would be aged 18-80 years and diagnosed with large lateral spreading tumors that could not be treated endoscopically, malignant polyps treated endoscopically that required additional colorectal resection, and serosa-negative malignant colorectal tumors (≤ cT3). A total of 220 patients would be randomly assigned (1:1) to autologous blood group or intraoperative colonoscopy group. The primary outcome is the localization accuracy. The secondary endpoint is adverse events related to endoscopic tattooing. DISCUSSION: This trial will investigate whether autologous blood marker achieves similar localization accuracy and safety in laparoscopic colorectal surgery compared to intraoperative colonoscopy. If our research hypothesis is statistically proved, the rational introduction of autologous blood tattooing in preoperative colonoscopy can help improve identification of the location of tumors for laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, performing an optimal resection, and minimizing unnecessary resections of normal tissues, thereby improving the patient's quality of life. Our research data will also provide high quality clinical evidence and data support for the conduction of multicenter phase III clinical trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05597384. Registered 28 October 2022.

Atrazine promotes breast cancer development by suppressing immune function and upregulating MMP expression.

There is evidence that the triazine herbicide atrazine, which is used extensively, is present in both surface water and groundwater, and its interfering effect on immune systems, endocrine systems, and tumours has been reported by laboratory and epidemiological studies. This study explored how atrazine affected 4T1 breast cancer cell development in vitro and in vivo. The obtained results showed that after exposure to atrazine, the cell proliferation and tumour volume were significantly increased and the expression of MMP2, MMP7, and MMP9 was upregulated. The thymus and spleen indices, the CD4 + and CD3 + lymphocyte percentages which from the spleen and inguinal lymph nodes, and the CD4 + /CD8 + ratio were noticeably lower than they were in the control group. Importantly, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes such as CD4 + , CD8 + , and NK cells were decreased while Treg cells were increased. Moreover, IL-4 was increased and IFN-γ and TNF-α were decreased in the serum and tumour microenvironment. These results suggested that atrazine can suppress systemic as well as local tumour immune function and upregulate MMPs to promote breast tumour development.

Machine learning classifiers for screening nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in general adults.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of major causes of end-stage liver disease in the coming decades, but it shows few symptoms until it develops into cirrhosis. We aim to develop classification models with machine learning to screen NAFLD patients among general adults. This study included 14,439 adults who took health examination. We developed classification models to classify subjects with or without NAFLD using decision tree, random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and support vector machine (SVM). The classifier with SVM was showed the best performance with the highest accuracy (0.801), positive predictive value (PPV) (0.795), F1 score (0.795), Kappa score (0.508) and area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) (0.712), and the second top of area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) (0.850). The second-best classifier was RF model, which was showed the highest AUROC (0.852) and the second top of accuracy (0.789), PPV (0.782), F1 score (0.782), Kappa score (0.478) and AUPRC (0.708). In conclusion, the classifier with SVM is the best one to screen NAFLD in general population based on the results from physical examination and blood testing, followed by the classifier with RF. Those classifiers have a potential to screen NAFLD in general population for physician and primary care doctors, which could benefit to NAFLD patients from early diagnosis.

KNL1 is a prognostic and diagnostic biomarker related to immune infiltration in patients with uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma.

Background: The incidence and mortality of uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) are increasing yearly. There is currently no screening test for UCEC, and progress in its treatment is limited. It is important to identify new biomarkers for screening, diagnosing and predicting the outcomes of UCEC. A large number of previous studies have proven that KNL1 is crucial in the development of lung cancer, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer, but there is a lack of studies about the role of KNL1 in the development of UCEC. Methods: The mRNA and protein expression data of KNL1 in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and UALCAN databases and related clinical data were used to analyze the expression differences and clinical correlations of KNL1 in UCEC. A total of 108 clinical samples were collected, and the results of bioinformatics analysis were verified by immunohistochemistry. KNL1 and its related differentially expressed genes were used to draw a volcano map, construct a PPI protein interaction network, and perform gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and immune infiltration analysis to predict the function of KNL1 during UCEC progression. The prognostic data of TCGA and 108 clinical patients were used to analyze the correlation of KNL1 expression with the survival of patients, and KM survival curves were drawn. The UCEC cell lines Ishikawa and Hec-1-A were used to verify the function of KNL1. Results: KNL1 is significantly overexpressed in UCEC and is associated with a poor prognosis. KNL1 overexpression is closely related to cell mitosis, the cell cycle and other functions and is correlated with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, histological grade and other characteristics of UCEC patients. Knockdown of KNL1 expression in UCEC cell lines can inhibit their proliferation, invasion, metastasis and other phenotypes. Conclusion: KNL1 is a prognostic and diagnostic biomarker associated with immune evasion in patients with UCEC.

LncRNA LINC01871 sponging miR-142-3p to modulate ZYG11B promotes the chemoresistance of colorectal cancer cells by inducing autophagy.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumor in the digestive tract. Increasing evidence indicated that chemoresistance leads to a poor prognosis of CRC. Herein, we aimed to uncover the potential mechanism by which long intergenic noncoding RNA-1871 (LINC01871) affects the chemoresistance of CRC cells. METHODS: Relative level of LINC01871 in CRC tissues was assessed by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to determine the relevance of LINC01871 and the prognosis of CRC patients. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assay were used to evaluate the proliferation of SW480 cells. Expression levels of proteins and their genes were assessed by western blot, immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR. In addition, the interaction of LINC01871, miR-142-3p and protein zyg-11 homolog B (ZYG11B) were analyzed via dual-luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS: LINC01871 was low-expressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. Patients with a low level of LINC01871 showed significantly lower survival rate. pcDNA-LINC01871 significantly reduced the viability of SW480 cells ( P < 0.01), elevated SW480 cells sensitivity to 5-FU ( P < 0.01), reduced LC3 punctate aggregates ( P < 0.01) and downregulated the relative mRNA expression level of autophagy related protein 9A, autophagy related protein 4B and high mobility group box 1 ( P < 0.01) in SW480 cells. Moreover, LINC01871 was found to sponge miR-142-3p, and ZYG11B was the target of miR-142-3p. MiR-142-3p mimic significantly recovered the effect of pcDNA-LINC001871, whereas pcDNA-ZYG11B reversed the recovery effect of the miR-142-3p mimic. CONCLUSION: LINC01871/miR-142-3p/ ZYG11B axis regulates the chemoresistance of CRCs by inducing autophagy.

Stabilization of the Li metal anode through constructing a LiZn alloy/polymer hybrid protective layer towards uniform Li deposition.

Constructing an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer is an effective strategy for solving uncontrolled Li dendrite growth resulting from an unstable and heterogeneous Li/electrolyte interface. Herein, we develop a hybrid layer of a LiZn alloy and a polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymer to protect the Li metal anode for achieving a Li dendrite-free Li metal anode surface. The LiZn alloy is advantageous for fast Li+ transport, and is uniformly dispersed in the PEO matrix to regulate electronic and Li+ ion flux distributions homogeneously. Furthermore, the flexible PEO network can alleviate the volume change during cycling. The synergistic effect enables Li deposition underneath the hybrid film. Hence, the hybrid protection film results in significantly improved cycling stability with respect to the pristine Li metal anode. A symmetric Li/Li cell with a composite protective layer can be cycled for over 1000 h at a current density of 1 mA cm-2 with a fixed capacity of 1 mA h cm-2, and a full cell with a high areal capacity of the LiFePO4 (2.45 mA h cm-2) cathode exhibits an outstanding cycling performance.

Research hotspots and trends for axon regeneration (2000-2021): a bibliometric study and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Axons play an essential role in the connection of the nervous system with the rest of the body. Axon lesions often lead to permanent impairment of motor and cognitive functions and the interaction with the outside world. Studies focusing on axon regeneration have become a research field with considerable interest. The purpose of this study is to obtain an overall perspective of the research field of axonal regeneration and to assist the researchers and the funding agencies to better know the areas of greatest research opportunities. METHODS: We conducted a bibliometric analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) analysis of the global literature on axon regeneration based on the Web of Science (WoS) over the recent 22 years, to address the research hotspots, publication trends, and understudied areas. RESULTS: A total of 21,018 articles were included, which in the recent two decades has increased by 125%. Among the top 12 hotspots, the annual productions rapidly increased in some topics, including axonal regeneration signaling pathway, axon guidance cues, neural circuits and functional recovery, nerve conduits, and cells transplant. Comparatively, the number of studies on axon regeneration inhibitors decreased. As for the topics focusing on nerve graft and transplantation, the annual number of papers tended to be relatively stable. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of axon regrowth have not been completely uncovered. A lack of notable research on the epigenetic programs and noncoding RNAs regulation was observed. The significance of cell-type-specific data has been highlighted but with limited research working on that. Functional recovery from neuropathies also needs further studies. CONCLUSION: The last two decades witnessed tremendous progress in the field of axon regeneration. There are still a lot of challenges to be tackled in translating these technologies into clinical practice.

The influences of timing of urgent endoscopy in patients with acute variceal bleeding: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There has always been a debate on the optimal timing of endoscopy in patients with acute variceal bleeding (AVB). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the relation between the timing of endoscopy and the short-term outcomes of patients with AVB. METHODS: Patients with AVB who underwent endoscopy within 24 h after admission at our tertiary care center from 2014 to 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. The primary outcomes were the 6-week mortality and re-bleeding. The secondary outcomes included the total number of blood units transfused, the length of hospital stay, and the need for salvage therapy. We used Cox proportional hazards model to analyze the predictors of 6-week mortality in all patients as well as in those who were at high risk of further bleeding or death. RESULTS: A total of 312 patients were enrolled. Among them, 170 patients (54.49%) underwent urgent endoscopy (< 6 h), and 142 patients (45.51%) underwent early endoscopy (6-24 h). There were no significant differences between the urgent-endoscopy group and the early-endoscopy group, regarding the 6-week mortality (16.47% vs. 10.56%; P value = 0.132) and 6-week re-bleeding rate (11.2% vs. 16.2%; P value = 0.196). In multivariate analysis, time to endoscopy was independent of 6-week mortality (P value = 0.170), but the time between the beginning of bleeding and endoscopy (within 12 h) was significantly associated with low 6-week mortality (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.06-0.46; P value = 0.001). Time to endoscopy was still not associated with 6-week mortality in patients at high risk for further bleeding or death (Glasgow-Blatchford score ≥ 12, n = 138, P value = 0.902). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopy performed within 6 h of admission, rather than within 6 to 24 h, did not improve six-week clinical outcomes in patients in stable condition with AVB and even those who were at high risk of further bleeding and death.