Fast Interfacial Defluorination Kinetics Enables Stable Cycling of Low-Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries.

The development of low-temperature lithium metal batteries (LMBs) encounters significant challenges because of severe dendritic lithium growth during the charging/discharging processes. To date, the precise origin of lithium dendrite formation still remains elusive due to the intricate interplay between the highly reactive lithium metal anode and organic electrolytes. Herein, we unveil the critical role of interfacial defluorination kinetics of localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) in regulating lithium dendrite formation, thereby determining the performance of low-temperature LMBs. We investigate the impact of solvation structures of LHCEs on low-temperature LMBs by employing tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) as comparative solvents. The combination of comprehensive characterizations and theoretical simulations reveals that the THF-based LHCE featured with a strong solvation strength exhibits fast interfacial defluorination reaction kinetics, thus leading to the formation of an amorphous and inorganic-rich solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) that can effectively suppress the growth of lithium dendrites. As a result, the highly reversible Li metal anode achieves an exceptional Coulombic efficiency (CE) of up to ∼99.63% at a low temperature of -30 °C, thereby enabling stable cycling of low-temperature LMB full cells. These findings underscore the crucial role of electrolyte interfacial reaction kinetics in shaping SEI formation and provide valuable insights into the fundamental understanding of electrolyte chemistry in LMBs.

Breaking Low-Strain and Deep-Potassiation Trade-Off in Alloy Anodes via Bonding Modulation for High-Performance K-Ion Batteries.

Alloy anode materials have garnered unprecedented attention for potassium storage due to their high theoretical capacity. However, the substantial structural strain associated with deep potassiation results in serious electrode fragmentation and inadequate K-alloying reactions. Effectively reconciling the trade-off between low-strain and deep-potassiation in alloy anodes poses a considerable challenge due to the larger size of K-ions compared to Li/Na-ions. In this study, we propose a chemical bonding modulation strategy through single-atom modification to address the volume expansion of alloy anodes during potassiation. Using black phosphorus (BP) as a representative and generalizing to other alloy anodes, we established a robust P-S covalent bonding network via sulfur doping. This network exhibits sustained stability across discharge-charge cycles, elevating the modulus of K-P compounds by 74%, effectively withstanding the high strain induced by the potassiation process. Additionally, the bonding modulation reduces the formation energies of potassium phosphides, facilitating a deeper potassiation of the BP anode. As a result, the modified BP anode exhibits a high reversible capacity and extended operational lifespan, coupled with a high areal capacity. This work introduces a new perspective on overcoming the trade-off between low-strain and deep-potassiation in alloy anodes for the development of high-energy and stable potassium-ion batteries.

Clinicopathological features and prognosis of IgA vasculitis nephritis with nephrotic-range proteinuria in children.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical features, kidney pathology, treatment regimens, and clinical outcomes of IgA vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN) with nephrotic-range proteinuria in children. METHODS: A retrospective review of children diagnosed with IgAVN between January 2019 and December 2022 was conducted. Participants were divided into two groups based on their urine protein/creatinine (UPCR) levels. Biodata, clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, pathologic features, treatment regimens, and outcomes were abstracted from case records and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 255 children were identified, 94 with nephrotic-range proteinuria (UPCR ≥ 200 mg/mmol) and 161 with non-nephrotic proteinuria (UPCR < 200 mg/mmol). Patients in the nephrotic-range proteinuria group were significantly younger and had worse grades of glomerular and acute tubulointerstitial injury compared to those in the non-nephrotic proteinuria group. Higher levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), D-dimer (DD), and fibrin degradation products (FDP), and lower levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), urine creatinine (Cr), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), IgG, CD3 + cells, and CD4 + cells were found in patients in the nephrotic-range proteinuria group. Clinical outcome of patients with nephrotic-range proteinuria was significantly associated with ISKDC grading, proportion of glomerular crescents and severity of acute tubulointerstitial injury. CONCLUSIONS: Children with nephrotic-range proteinuria exhibit more severe disordered immunologic function, hypercoagulability, glomerular and tubulointerstitial pathological damage, and have worse outcomes than those with lower proteinuria levels. Clinicians should pay great attention to the kidney injury and more extensive studies are required to identify optimal treatment regimens to improve outcomes in patients.

A dual amplified gold nanoparticle-based biosensor for ultrasensitive and selective detection of fibrin.

Ultrasensitive, selective, and non-invasive detection of fibrin in human serum is critical for disease diagnosis. So far, the development of high-performance and ultrasensitive biosensors maintains core challenges for biosensing. Herein, we designed a novel ribbon nanoprobe for ultrasensitive detection of fibrin. The probe contains gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that can not only link with homing peptide Cys-Arg-Glu-Lys-Ala (CREKA) to recognize fibrin but also carry long DNA belts to form G-quadruplex-based DNAzyme, catalyzing the chemiluminescence of luminol-hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) reaction. Combined with the second amplification procedure of rolling circle amplification (RCA), the assay exhibits excellent sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.04 fmol L-1 fibrin based on the 3-sigma. Furthermore, the biosensor shows high specificity on fibrin in samples because the structure of antibody-fibrin-homing peptide was employed to double recognize fibrin. Altogether, the simple and inexpensive approach may present a great potential for reliable detection of biomarkers.

Progress and Perspectives on the Development of Pouch-Type Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) are the "holy grail" in the energy storage field due to their high energy density (theoretically >500 Wh kg-1 ). Recently, tremendous efforts have been made to promote the research & development (R&D) of pouch-type LMBs toward practical application. This article aims to provide a comprehensive and in-depth review of recent progress on pouch-type LMBs from full cell aspect, and to offer insights to guide its future development. It will review pouch-type LMBs using both liquid and solid-state electrolytes, and cover topics related to both Li and cathode (including LiNix Coy Mn1-x-y O2 , S and O2 ) as both electrodes impact the battery performance. The key performance criteria of pouch-type LMBs and their relationship in between are introduced first, then the major challenges facing the development of pouch-type LMBs are discussed in detail, especially those severely aggravated in pouch cells compared with coin cells. Subsequently, the recent progress on mechanistic understandings of the degradation of pouch-type LMBs is summarized, followed with the practical strategies that have been utilized to address these issues and to improve the key performance criteria of pouch-type LMBs. In the end, it provides perspectives on advancing the R&Ds of pouch-type LMBs towards their application in practice.

Development of a synthetic transcription factor-based S-adenosylmethionine biosensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM) is a crucial small-molecule metabolite widely used in food and medicine. The development of high-throughput biosensors for SAM biosynthesis can significantly improve the titer of SAM. This paper constructed a synthetic transcription factor (TF)-based biosensor for SAM detecting in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The synthetic TF, named MetJ-hER-VP16, consists of an Escherichia coli-derived DNA-binding domain MetJ, GS linker, the human estrogen receptor binding domain hER, and the viral activation domain VP16. The synthetic biosensor is capable of sensing SAM in a dose-dependent manner with fluorescence as the output. Additionally, it is tightly regulated by the inducer SAM and ß-estradiol, which means that the fluorescence output is only available when both are present together. The synthetic SAM biosensor could potentially be applied for high-throughput metabolic engineering and is expected to improve SAM production.

Molecular evolutionary process of advanced gastric cancer during sequential chemotherapy detected by circulating tumor DNA.

BACKGROUND: Efficacy of conventional sequential chemotherapy paradigm for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients has largely plateaued. Dynamic molecular changes during and after sequential chemotherapy have not been fully delineated. We aimed to profile the molecular evolutionary process of AGC patients during sequential chemotherapy by next generation sequencing (NGS) of plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). METHODS: A total of 30 chemo-naïve patients who were diagnosed with unresectable advanced or metastatic stomach adenocarcinoma were enrolled. All patients received sequential chemotherapy regimens following the clinical guideline. One hundred and eight serial peripheral blood samples were collected at baseline, radiographical assessment and disease progression. Plasma ctDNA was isolated and a customized NGS panel was used to detect the genomic features of ctDNA including single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and gene-level copy number variations (CNVs). KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed. RESULTS: Platinum-based combination chemotherapy was administrated as first-line regimen. Objective response rate was 50% (15/30). Patients with higher baseline values of copy number instability (CNI), CNVs and variant allel frequency (VAF) were more sensitive to platinum-based first-line regimens. Tumor mutation burden (TMB), CNI and CNV burden at partial response and stable disease were significantly lower than those at baseline, where at progressive disease they recovered to baseline levels. Dynamic change of TMB (ΔTMB) was correlated with progression-free survival of first-line treatment. Fluctuating changes of SNVs and gene-level CNVs could be observed during sequential chemotherapy. Under the pressure of conventional chemotherapy, the number of novel gene-level CNVs were found to be higher than that of novel SNVs. Such novel molecular alterations could be enriched into multiple common oncologic signaling pathways, including EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance and platinum drug resistance pathways, where their distributions were found to be highly heterogenous among patients. The impact of subsequent regimens, including paclitaxel-based and irinotecan-based regimens, on the molecular changes driven by first-line therapy was subtle. CONCLUSION: Baseline and dynamic changes of genomic features of ctDNA could be biomarkers for predicting response of platinum-based first-line chemotherapy in AGC patients. After treatment with standard chemotherapy regimens, convergent oncologic pathway enrichment was identified, which is yet characterized by inter-patient heterogenous gene-level CNVs.

Immune-related lncRNA signature delineates an immune-excluded subtype of liver cancer with unfavorable clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in immune regulation and, therefore, may be closely related to the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, there are few studies regarding the relationship between the lncRNAs and the TME in liver cancer. METHODS: Firstly, we constructed a lncRNA signature based on the top 10 immune-inversely related lncRNAs obtained from the ImmLnc database and performed disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) analyses for the patients included in the Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) stratified by the lncRNA signature. Then, we explored the relationship between the lncRNA signature with distinct mutation profiles and the tumor microenvironment (TME). RESULTS: The lncRNA signature was successfully constructed and verified by survival analysis. The high lncRNA signature was correlated with a decreased DFS and OS in liver cancer and other two gastrointestinal cancers. The mutation profiles showed that the Lnc_high group had a higher number of mutations on many genes, mostly enriched in p53 and WNT pathways. The TME results showed that the Lnc_high group had the highest proportion (51%) of lymphocyte depletion-characterized immune subtype, and a higher expression of immune checkpoint molecules such as LAG3, PD-L1, CTLA4. On the contrary, in the Lnc_low group, infiltrating immune-cell proportions were significantly higher, and a significant enhancement of four axes of the cancer immunity cycle immunogram was observed in this group. CONCLUSIONS: The lncRNA signature we constructed identified an immune-excluded subtype of liver cancer with unfavorable clinic outcomes, which could be tested as a biomarker for immunotherapy in the future.

Intrinsic Nonflammable Ether Electrolytes for Ultrahigh-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Chlorine Functionality.

The issues of inherent low anodic stability and high flammability hinder the deployment of the ether-based electrolytes in practical high-voltage lithium metal batteries. Here, we report a rationally designed ether-based electrolyte with chlorine functionality on ether molecular structure to address these critical challenges. The chloroether-based electrolyte demonstrates a high Li Coulombic efficiency of 99.2 % and a high capacity retention >88 % over 200 cycles for Ni-rich cathodes at an ultrahigh cut-off voltage of 4.6 V (stable even up to 4.7 V). The chloroether-based electrolyte not only greatly improves electrochemical stabilities of Ni-rich cathodes under ultrahigh voltages with interphases riched in LiF and LiCl, but possesses the intrinsic nonflammable safety feature owing to the flame-retarding ability of chlorine functional groups. This study offers a new approach to enable ether-based electrolytes for high energy density, long-life and safe Li metal batteries.

Associations between aging and second molar diseases in patients having adjacent impacted third molar extraction.

PURPOSE: There is limited evidence available regarding when the best time to extract impacted lower third molars (iLM3). Thus, the current study is aimed to examine the association between the age of patients during the time of extraction of their iLM3 and the sequelae of their adjacent second molar (LM2) in order to find a better time to remove iLM3. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study was conducted with a total of 15,432 patients from ages 16-45 years old who had their first surgical extraction of iLM3. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate variables in association with the sequalae of LM2. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were calculated to show the influence of the age of patients by multivariate regression model. RESULTS: Patients who had iLM3 extraction over 22 years of age had a significantly higher risk of having LM2 pulpal disease (AOR: from 2.84 in 23-25 age to 11.58 in >35 age). Significantly higher risk of having LM2 periodontal conditions was found in individuals over 31 years of age (AOR: 1.47 in 31-35 age, 1.90 in >35 age), with prior periodontitis (AOR: 1.97) or complicated odontectomy (AOR: 1.43). The risk of LM2 being extracted due to an untreatable condition was highest in patients more than 35 years old (AOR: 14.38). CONCLUSION: The age of patients having iLM3 extracted was independently associated with various LM2 sequelae. We suggest that patients can have their iLM3 extracted in their college/university age (19-22-year-old) to minimize complications on the adjacent LM2.

Enabling High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries by Manipulating Solvation Structure in Ester Electrolyte.

Lithium metal is an ideal electrode material for future rechargeable lithium metal batteries. However, the widespread deployment of metallic lithium anode is significantly hindered by its dendritic growth and low Coulombic efficiency, especially in ester solvents. Herein, by rationally manipulating the electrolyte solvation structure with a high donor number solvent, enhancement of the solubility of lithium nitrate in an ester-based electrolyte is successfully demonstrated, which enables high-voltage lithium metal batteries. Remarkably, the electrolyte with a high concentration of LiNO3 additive presents an excellent Coulombic efficiency up to 98.8 % during stable galvanostatic lithium plating/stripping cycles. A full-cell lithium metal battery with a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide cathode exhibits a stable cycling performance showing limited capacity decay. This approach provides an effective electrolyte manipulation strategy to develop high-voltage lithium metal batteries.

Crystal Chemistry, Raman Spectra, and Bond Characteristics of Trirutile-Type Co0.5Ti0.5TaO4 Microwave Dielectric Ceramics.

A novel trirutile-type Co0.5Ti0.5TaO4 ceramic was reported here for the first time. The correlations between the sintering behavior, crystal structure, chemical bond, and dielectric properties were investigated. Pure Co0.5Ti0.5TaO4 ceramic was synthesized in the temperature range of 1000-1100 °C. A trirutile structure and refined parameters of a = b = 4.71163 Å, c = 9.13586 Å, and Vcell = 202.811 Å3 could be obtained (1075 °C). According to the P-V-L chemical bond theory, majority contributions to the dielectric constant originated from Ta-O bonds, owing to its largest bond ionicity and bond susceptibility values. The experimental dielectric constant is close to the theoretical values calculated via the P-V-L chemical bond theory and Clausius-Mossotti relationship. The Ta-O bonds that present the largest lattice energy are also the main factors influencing the intrinsic loss. The τf value is consistent with the oxygen distortions of the octahedron. More importantly, variations of the densification, average grain size, and grain boundary are crucial factors for development of the microwave dielectric properties. The Raman spectra and group theory were analyzed together, and the results indicated that the A1g mode at 687.45 cm-1, which reflects the stretching vibrations of the O anions, dominates the Raman vibrations. Typical microwave dielectric properties of Co0.5Ti0.5TaO4 ceramics were obtained when sintered at 1075 °C: εr = 40.69, Qf = 17291 GHz, and τf = 114.54 ppm/°C.

Androgen deprivation therapy with chemotherapy or abiraterone for patients with metastatic hormone-naive prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Patients with metastasis prostate cancer underwent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in the considering of the leading role of androgen receptor pathway. However, the resistance occurred within 1 year or more. The combination of cytotoxic chemotherapy and abiraterone for ADT therapy was performed in recent randomized controlled trials. The meta-analysis was focused on the treatment comparisons between additional treatment with ADT and ADT alone. A significant difference was observed that the overall survival benefit of early and active additional treatment with ADT in patients with hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer. However, a great proportion of patients with metastatic disease have metastases after receiving ADT. It will be important to further improve the treatment options.

Grafting and Dental Implantation in Patients With Jawbone Cavitation: Case Series and 3-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: Jawbone cavitation (BC) is not uncommon and is considered to be related to some cases of unexpected implant displacement into deep jawbone space. Here, a series of cases with BC is described, in which the lesions were accidentally found and successfully treated by bone grafting and dental implantation. METHODS: Thirty-four partially edentulous patients who were found to have BC during dental implant surgeries were included in this study. Alloplast bone substitute (ß-tricalcium phosphate) grafting with immediate or staged locking-taper implant placement was performed. Bone filling and implants on BC were followed up to 36 months, and they were evaluated clinically and radiographically to verify treatment outcome. RESULTS: A total of 41 BCs were found at premolar and molar regions, which involved one or more teeth breadth. Nearly most of the lesions occurred in the mandible (95.1%, 39/41). Histologically, they were compatible with focal osteoporotic marrow defects. Fifty-two locking-taper implants and final restorations were delivered on 38 BCs. One implant failed due to loss of integration. The overall cumulative 3-year implant survival rate was 98.1%. CONCLUSION: By carefully examining and managing the surgical bed, the current treatment modality was shown to yield a satisfactory outcome for restoration of edentulous ridge with underneath BC.

Botulinum Toxin A Might Be an Alternative or Adjunct Therapy for the Treatment of Trigeminal and Postherpetic Neuralgia.

ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: The efficacy of botulinum toxin for the treatment of trigeminal and postherpetic neuralgia: A systematic review with meta-analyses. Shackleton T, Ram S, Black M, Ryder J, Clark GT, Enciso R. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2016;122(1):61-71. SOURCE OF FUNDING: Information not available TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

MicroRNA-183 functions as the tumor suppressor via inhibiting cellular invasion and metastasis by targeting MMP-9 in cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNAs have been reported to play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of cervical cancer. miR-183 was found to inhibit or promote the invasion and metastasis of multiple solid tumors. However, the roles of miR-183 in cervical cancer are unclear. METHODS: In this study, miR-183 expression levels were measured in 53 cervical cancer and 13 normal cervical tissues by qRT-PCR. The effects of forced expression of miR-183 on cervical cancer cells invasion and metastasis were investigated using Transwell uncoated or coated with growth factor-reduced Matrigel for migration or invasion assays, respectively. RESULTS: We found that miR-183 expression levels were significantly down-regulated in cervical cancer tissues compared with normal tissues (0.15±0.011 to 0.86±0.049). Ectopic expression of miR-183 resulted in the suppression of invasion and migration of cervical cancer cell lines, siha and Hela cells (p<0.0001). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that MMP-9 was the potential target of miR-183 and it was found that MMP-9 was remarkably up-regulated in cervical cancer. Furthermore, a dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that MMP-9 as a target of miR-183 (p<0.0001). The invasion and metastasis ability of siha and Hela was suppressed when MMP-9 was down-regulated in vitro (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study revealed that miR-183 might be a tumor suppressor via inhibiting the invasion and metastasis of cervical cancer cells through targeting MMP-9, indicating that miR-183 may be a novel potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer.

Survival analysis of wide dental implant: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Wide-diameter implants are frequently placed in molar sites to obtain appropriate restoration profiles, to rescue implants that lack stability, and to engage bone in extraction sites. However, studies of wide-diameter implant placement have provided conflicting evidence regarding clinical outcomes. This systematic review aims to analyze survival rates of wide-diameter implants (platform diameter ≥5 mm) and assess clinical variables potentially affecting failure rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Electronic search was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and EMBASE from January 1980 to October 2014. Publication screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed. Failure rate per implant-year was analyzed using mix-effects Poisson regression model to obtain summary estimates of the 5-year survival rate. Relative risk (RR) was calculated to evaluate the association of different clinical variables with estimated failure rates. RESULTS: Eleven retrospective studies and eight prospective studies having at least 1-year follow-up period were included in the analysis. The estimated 5-year survival rate was 92.67% (95% confidence interval: [79.60, 97.50]) in the retrospective studies and 97.76% (Confidence interval: [93.25, 99.27]) in the prospective studies. Implant surface and implant diameter were significantly associated with the failure events in the retrospective studies. CONCLUSIONS: Placement of wide-diameter implants demonstrated a promising survival rate during 5-year follow-up. Further controlled trials with the control group and longer follow-up period are needed to provide the direct evidence comparing survival rates of wide implants with survival rates of narrower implants.

[Clinical implications of the concentration and EGFR/KRAS mutations of plasma cell free DNA of patients with lung cancer and esophageal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between the concentration of plasma cell free DNA (cfDNA) of patients with lung cancer or esophageal cancer and clinical features, and to assess the coincidence rate of the EGFR/KRAS mutations between the cfDNA and tumor tissue DNA. METHODS: A total of 30 cases lung cancer and esophageal cancer (including 15 lung cancer, 15 esophageal cancer) were enrolled in this study. The tumor tissue and plasma sample of patients were collected. The tumor tissue DNA and plasma cfDNA were extracted. The EGFR/KRAS mutations of the tumor tissue DNA and plasma cfDNA were detected by fluorescence PCR. RESULTS: The concentration of cfDNA of patients with lung cancer (5.0 ± 1.4) µg/L and esophageal cancer (7.0 ± 0.8) µg/L were positively correlated with tumor size (r = 0.574, P = 0.01). There was no significant correlation between the concentration of cfDNA and TNM stage of tumor, gender, and age of patients. There was no EGFR/KRAS gene mutations in tumor tissue DNA and plasma cfDNA of esophageal cancer. A total of 6 tumor tissue samples of lung cancer patients were detected EGFR mutation, and 1 tumor tissue sample was detected KRAS mutation. Meanwhile, 4 plasma cfDNA samples of lung cancer patients were detected EGFR mutation, and 1 plasma cfDNA sample was detected KRAS mutation. CONCLUSION: The concentration of cfDNA of patients with lung cancer and esophageal cancer was positively correlated with tumor burden. There was high coincidence rate of the EGFR/KRAS mutations between the cfDNA and tumor tissue DNA.

TGF-ß1 mediates estrogen receptor-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in some tumor lines.

More and more studies have reported that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) involved in the process of cancer development and progression occurs. The EMT also plays an important role in the movement and transfer of the tumors. Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) could induce the EMT in some cancer cell types. However, the mechanism underlying this transition process has also not been entirely clarified. In this study, the results indicated that TGF-ß1-mediated EMT in the tumor was associated with the estrogen receptor (ER). The decreased expression of vimentin and snail resulted in the decrease of the ER expression by small interfering RNA-mediated silencing and preventing the TGF-ß-induced EMT. In conclusion, our results indicated that TGF-ß1 is an estrogen receptor signaling and essential novel downstream targets and could act as an important factor in the TGF-ß-induced EMT.