A Network Meta-analysis to Explore the Effectiveness of the Different Treatment Modalities in Acne Scars.

BACKGROUND: Multiple treatments are used to treat acne scars, but comparing the effectiveness of these treatments have not been studied yet. This research aimed to conduct a complete analysis of the effectiveness of commonly used therapies in acne scars. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library (Cochrane Center Register of Controlled Trials) databases were searched through May 2023. We used patient satisfaction score as the primary outcome and Goodman Baron qualitative scar grading system as the secondary outcome to evaluate the effectiveness of different commonly used therapies for acne scarring, including laser, microneedling (MN), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), autologous fat grafting and combined therapies. RESULTS: Herein, 495 patients from 13 studies were included. Our results showed that PRP combined with laser was the most effective among therapies in treating acne scars. Ranking of effectiveness by the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve for patient satisfaction score was as following: PRP + laser (96.2%) > laser (71.2%) > MN (45.5%) > MN + PRP (42.0%) > autologous fat grafting (24.5%) > PRP (20.5%). Additionally, ranking of effectiveness by the SUCRA curve for Goodman Baron qualitative scar grading system was as following: PRP + laser (86.3%) > laser (64.2%) > MN + PRP (54.2%) > MN (37.2%) > PRP (8.1%). CONCLUSION: This network meta-analysis indicated that the combined therapy of PRP and laser might be the most effective. Additionally, more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to verify our findings. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors   www.springer.com/00266 .

Charge Storage Mechanism and Structural Evolution of Viologen Crystals as the Cathode of Lithium Batteries.

Although organic ionic crystals represent an attractive class of active materials for rechargeable batteries owing to their high capacity and low solubility in electrolytes, they generally suffer from limited electronic conductivity and moderate voltage. Furthermore, the charge storage mechanism and structural evolution during the redox processes are still not clearly understood. Here we describe ethyl viologen iodide (EVI2 ) and ethyl viologen diperchlorate (EV(ClO4 )2 ) as cathode materials of lithium batteries which crystallize in a monoclinic system with alternating organic EV2+ layers and inorganic I- /ClO4 - layers. The EVI2 electrode exhibits a high initial discharge plateau of 3.7 V (vs. Li+ /Li) because of its anion storage ability. When I- is replaced by ClO4 - , the obtained EV(ClO4 )2 electrode displays excellent rate performance with a theoretical capacity of 78 % even at 5 C owing to the good electron conductivity of ClO4 - layers. EVI2 and EV(ClO4 )2 also show excellent cycling stability (capacity retention >96 % after 200 cycles).

Proton Insertion Chemistry of a Zinc-Organic Battery.

Proton storage in rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) is attracting extensive attention owing to the fast kinetics of H+ insertion/extraction. However, it has not been achieved in organic materials-based ZIBs with a mild electrolyte. Now, aqueous ZIBs based on diquinoxalino [2,3-a:2',3'-c] phenazine (HATN) in a mild electrolyte are developed. Electrochemical and structural analysis confirm for the first time that such Zn-HATN batteries experience a H+ uptake/removal behavior with highly reversible structural evolution of HATN. The H+ uptake/removal endows the Zn-HATN batteries with enhanced electrochemical performance. Proton insertion chemistry will broaden the horizons of aqueous Zn-organic batteries and open up new opportunities to construct high-performance ZIBs.

Proton Intercalation/De-Intercalation Dynamics in Vanadium Oxides for Aqueous Aluminum Electrochemical Cells.

Understanding cation (H+ , Li+ , Na+ , Al3+ , etc.) intercalation/de-intercalation chemistry in transition metal compounds is crucial for the design of cathode materials in aqueous electrochemical cells. Here we report that orthorhombic vanadium oxides (V2 O5 ) supports highly reversible proton intercalation/de-intercalation reactions in aqueous media, enabling aluminum electrochemical cells with extended cycle life. Empirical analyses using vibrational and x-ray spectroscopy are complemented with theoretical analysis of the electrostatic potential to establish how and why protons intercalate in V2 O5 in aqueous media. We show further that cathode coatings composed of cation selective membranes provide a straightforward method for enhancing cathode reversibility by preventing anion cross-over in aqueous electrolytes. Our work sheds light on the design of cation transport requirements for high-energy reversible cathodes in aqueous electrochemical cells.

Understanding High-Rate K+ -Solvent Co-Intercalation in Natural Graphite for Potassium-Ion Batteries.

Graphite shows great potential as an anode material for rechargeable metal-ion batteries because of its high abundance and low cost. However, the electrochemical performance of graphite anode materials for rechargeable potassium-ion batteries needs to be further improved. Reported herein is a natural graphite with superior rate performance and cycling stability obtained through a unique K+ -solvent co-intercalation mechanism in a 1 m KCF3 SO3 diethylene glycol dimethyl ether electrolyte. The co-intercalation mechanism was demonstrated by ex situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and in situ X-ray diffraction. Moreover, the structure of the [K-solvent]+ complexes intercalated with the graphite and the conditions for reversible K+ -solvent co-intercalation into graphite are proposed based on the experimental results and first-principles calculations. This work provides important insights into the design of natural graphite for high-performance rechargeable potassium-ion batteries.

Theoretical study on lithiation mechanism of benzoquinone-based macrocyclic compounds as cathode for lithium-ion batteries.

Benzoquinone (BQ)-based macrocyclic compounds have shown great potential as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their high redox potential and specific capacity. However, such materials usually have complex structures, which impede the investigation of lithiation mechanisms. Herein, we take Calix[4]quinone (C4Q) molecule as an example to develop a viable mechanism investigation method for such materials. The lithiation profile of C4Q is determined by condensed Fukui function which provides the reaction sites and orders. A correction of redox potential is proposed by leaving out the ion-transfer effect during the redox reaction based on Gibbs free energy change. The redox potential obtained by this approach shows high consistency with the experimental results. Moreover, this method can also be well extended to study the lithiation mechanism of another BQ-based macrocyclic compound (Pillar[5]quinone). Our results are promising to more deeply understand the reaction mechanism and predict the redox potential of new BQ-based macrocyclic compounds for LIBs.

Cyclohexanehexone with Ultrahigh Capacity as Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Organic carbonyl compounds show potential as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) but the limited capacities (<600 mA h g-1 ) and high solubility in electrolyte restrict their further applications. Herein we report the synthesis and application of cyclohexanehexone (C6 O6 ), which exhibits an ultrahigh capacity of 902 mA h g-1 with an average voltage of 1.7 V at 20 mA g-1 in LIBs (corresponding to a high energy density of 1533 Wh kg-1 C 6 O 6 ). A preliminary cycling test shows that C6 O6 displays a capacity retention of 82 % after 100 cycles at 50 mA g-1 because of the limited solubility in high-polarity ionic liquid electrolyte. Furthermore, the combination of DFT calculations and experimental techniques, such as Raman and IR spectroscopy, demonstrates the electrochemical active C=O groups during discharge and charge processes.

The structure-electrochemical property relationship of quinone electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Quinones are promising electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but their structure-electrochemical property relationship remains unclear. The aim of this study is to unravel the structural influence on the electrochemical properties of different quinones in LIBs. Through density functional theory calculations, redox potentials of 20 parent quinone isomers were examined, which revealed an increasing order of redox potentials as para-quinones < discrete-quinones < ortho-quinones. Two new methods were introduced to calculate and design organic electrode materials rationally. One is the vertical electron affinity in consideration of solvation effect, which was used to estimate the number of electron accommodation for quinones during lithiation. The other is a new index denoted as ΔA2Li used in para- and ortho-quinones, which was introduced to reveal the relationship between aromaticity and redox potential, establishing the theoretical basis for the design of analogous high-voltage organic electrode materials of LIBs.

A Microporous Covalent-Organic Framework with Abundant Accessible Carbonyl Groups for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

A key challenge faced by organic electrodes is how to promote the redox reactions of functional groups to achieve high specific capacity and rate performance. Here, we report a two-dimensional (2D) microporous covalent-organic framework (COF), poly(imide-benzoquinone), via in situ polymerization on graphene (PIBN-G) to function as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Such a structure favors charge transfer from graphene to PIBN and full access of both electrons and Li+ ions to the abundant redox-active carbonyl groups, which are essential for battery reactions. This enables large reversible specific capacities of 271.0 and 193.1 mAh g-1 at 0.1 and 10 C, respectively, and retention of more than 86 % after 300 cycles. The discharging/charging process successively involves 8 Li+ and 2 Li+ in the carbonyl groups of the respective imide and quinone groups. The structural merits of PIBN-G will trigger more investigations into the designable and versatile COFs for electrochemistry.

A Porous Network of Bismuth Used as the Anode Material for High-Energy-Density Potassium-Ion Batteries.

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) are plagued by a lack of materials for reversible accommodation of the large-sized K+ ion. Herein we present, the Bi anode in combination with the dimethoxyethane-(DME) based electrolyte to deliver a remarkable capacity of ca. 400 mAh g-1 and long cycle stability with three distinct two-phase reactions of Bi↔ KBi2 ↔K3 Bi2 ↔K3 Bi. These are ascribed to the gradually developed three-dimensional (3D) porous networks of Bi, which realizes fast kinetics and tolerance of its volume change during potassiation and depotassiation. The porosity is linked to the unprecedented movement of the surface Bi atoms interacting with DME molecules, as suggested by DFT calculations. A full KIB of Bi//DME-based electrolyte//Prussian blue of K0.72 Fe[Fe(CN)6 ] is demonstrated to present large energy density of 108.1 Wh kg-1 with average discharge voltage of 2.8 V and capacity retention of 86.5 % after 350 cycles.

An Insoluble Benzoquinone-Based Organic Cathode for Use in Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Application of organic electrode materials in rechargeable batteries has attracted great interest because such materials contain abundant carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen elements. However, organic electrodes are highly soluble in organic electrolytes. An organic electrode of 2,3,5,6-tetraphthalimido-1,4-benzoquinone (TPB) is reported in which rigid groups coordinate to a molecular benzoquinone skeleton. The material is insoluble in aprotic electrolyte, and demonstrates a high capacity retention of 91.4 % (204 mA h g-1 ) over 100 cycles at 0.2 C. The extended π-conjugation of the material contributes to enhancement of the electrochemical performance (155 mA h g-1 at 10 C). Moreover, density functional theory calculations suggest that favorable synergistic reactions between multiple carbonyl groups and lithium ions can enhance the initial lithium ion intercalation potential. The described approach may provide a novel entry to next-generation organic electrode materials with relevance to lithium-ion batteries.

Electric fields reverse the differentiation of keratinocyte monolayer by down-regulating E-cadherin through PI3K/AKT/Snail pathway.

Re-epithelialization is an important step in skin wound healing, referring to the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of keratinocytes around the wound. During this process, the edges of the wound begin to form new epithelial cells, which migrate from the periphery of the wound towards the center, gradually covering the entire wound area. These newly formed epithelial cells proliferate and differentiate, ultimately forming a protective layer over the exposed dermal surface. Wound endogenous electric fields (EFs) are known as the dominant factor to facilitate the epidermal migration to wound center. However, the precise mechanisms by which EFs promote epidermal migration remains elusive. Here, we found that in a model of cultured keratinocyte monolayer in vitro, EFs application reversed the differentiation of cells, as indicated by the reduction of the early differentiation markers K1 and K10. Genetic manipulation confirmed that EFs reversed keratinocyte differentiation through down-regulating the E-cadherin-mediated adhesion. By RNA-sequencing analysis, we screened out Snail as the transcription suppressor of E-cadherin. Snail knockdown abolished the down-regulation of E-cadherin and the reversal of differentiation induced by EFs. KEGG analysis identified PI3K/AKT signaling for Snail induction under EFs. Inhibition of PI3K by LY294002 diminished the EFs-induced AKT activation and Snail augmentation, largely restoring the level of E-cadherin reduced by EFs. Finally, in model of full-thickness skin wounds in pigs, we found that weakening of the wound endogenous EFs by the direction-reversed exogenous EFs resulted in an up-regulation of E-cadherin and earlier differentiation in newly formed epidermis in vivo. Our research suggests that electric fields (EFs) decrease E-cadherin expression by suppressing the PI3K/AKT/Snail pathway, thereby reversing the differentiation of keratinocytes. This discovery provides us with new insights into the role of electric fields in wound healing. EFs intervene in intracellular signaling pathways, inhibiting the expression of E-cadherin, which results in a lower differentiation state of keratinocytes. In this state, keratinocytes exhibit increased migratory capacity, facilitating the migration of epidermal cells and wound reepithelialization.

Paxillin/HDAC6 regulates microtubule acetylation to promote directional migration of keratinocytes driven by electric fields.

Endogenous electric fields (EFs) have been demonstrated to facilitate wound healing by directing the migration of epidermal cells. Despite the identification of numerous molecules and signaling pathways that are crucial for the directional migration of keratinocytes under EFs, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain undefined. Previous studies have indicated that microtubule (MT) acetylation is linked to cell migration, while Paxillin exerts a significant influence on cell motility. Therefore, we postulated that Paxillin could enhance EF-induced directional migration of keratinocytes by modulating MT acetylation. In the present study, we observed that EFs (200 mV/mm) induced migration of human immortalized epidermal cells (HaCaT) towards the anode, while upregulating Paxillin, downregulating HDAC6, and increasing the level of microtubule acetylation. Our findings suggested that Paxillin plays a pivotal role in inhibiting HDAC6-mediated microtubule acetylation during directional migration under EF regulation. Conversely, downregulation of Paxillin decreased microtubule acetylation and electrotaxis of epidermal cells by promoting HDAC6 expression, and this effect could be reversed by the addition of tubacin, an HDAC6-specific inhibitor. Furthermore, we observed that EFs also mediated the polarization of Paxillin and acetylated α-tubulin, which is critical for directional migration. In conclusion, our study revealed that MT acetylation in EF-guided keratinocyte migration is regulated by the Paxillin/HDAC6 signaling pathway, providing a novel theoretical foundation for the molecular mechanism of EF-guided directional migration of keratinocytes.

CD9 negatively regulates collective electrotaxis of the epidermal monolayer by controlling and coordinating the polarization of leader cells.

Background: Endogenous electric fields (EFs) play an essential role in guiding the coordinated collective migration of epidermal cells to the wound centre during wound healing. Although polarization of leadercells is essential for collective migration, the signal mechanisms responsible for the EF-induced polarization of leader cells under electrotactic collective migration remain unclear. This study aims to determine how the leader cells are polarized and coordinated during EF-guided collective migration of epidermal cell sheets. Methods: Collective migration of the human epidermal monolayer (human immortalized keratinocytes HaCaT) under EFs was observed via time-lapse microscopy. The involvement of tetraspanin-29 (CD9) in EF-induced fibrous actin (F-actin) polarization of leader cells as well as electrotactic migration of the epidermal monolayer was evaluated by genetic manipulation. Blocking, rescue and co-culture experiments were conducted to explore the downstream signalling of CD9. Results: EFs guided the coordinated collective migration of the epithelial monolayer to the anode, with dynamic formation of pseudopodia in leader cells at the front edge of the monolayer along the direction of migration. F-actin polarization, as expected, played an essential role in pseudopod formation in leader cells under EFs. By confocal microscopy, we found that CD9 was colocalized with F-actin on the cell surface and was particularly downregulated in leader cells by EFs. Interestingly, genetic overexpression of CD9 abolished EF-induced F-actin polarization in leader cells as well as collective migration in the epidermal monolayer. Mechanistically, CD9 determined the polarization of F-actin in leader cells by downregulating a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17/heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor/epidermal growth factor receptor (ADAM17/HB-EGF/EGFR) signalling. The abolished polarization of leader cells due to CD9 overexpression could be restored in a co-culture monolayer where normal cells and CD9-overexpressing cells were mixed; however, this restoration was eliminated again by the addition of the HB-EGF-neutralizing antibody. Conclusion: CD9 functions as a key regulator in the EF-guided collective migration of the epidermal monolayer by controlling and coordinating the polarization of leader cells through ADAM17/HB-EGF/EGFR signalling.

Hypoxic preconditioning promotes galvanotaxis of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells through NF-κB pathway.

Angiogenesis plays an important role in wound healing, especially in chronic wound. The directional migration of the human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs) is the key regulation of angiogenesis. The wound healing can be regulated by numerous microenvironment factors including the electric fields, hypoxia and chemotaxis. During wound repair, the electric fields mediates the directional migration of cells and the hypoxia, which occurs immediately after injury, acts as an early stimulus to initiate the healing process. However, the mechanism of hypoxia and the endogenous electric fields coordinating to promote angiogenesis remain elusive. In this study, we observed the effect of hypoxia on the directional migration of HDMECs under electric fields. The galvanotaxis of HDMECs under the electric fields (200 mV/mm) was significantly improved, and the expression of VEGF/VEGFR2 was up-regulated after 4h of hypoxic preconditioning. In addition, the knockdown of VEGFR2 reversed the directivity of HDMECs promoted by hypoxia in the electric fields. Moreover, knockdown of VEGFR2 inhibited the migration directionality of HDMECs in the electric field after hypoxic preconditioning. Hypoxia decreased the activation of NF-κB in HDMECs. Activated NF-κB by fusicoccin decreased the expression of VEGFR2/VEGF and negatively regulated the migration direction of HDMECs in the electric fields. Enhancing the galvanotaxis response of cells might therefore be a clinically attractive approach to induce improved angiogenesis.

N,N-dimethylformamide tailors solvent effect to boost Zn anode reversibility in aqueous electrolyte.

Rechargeable aqueous Zn batteries are considered as promising energy-storage devices because of their high capacity, environmental friendliness and low cost. However, the hydrogen evolution reaction and growth of dendritic Zn in common aqueous electrolytes severely restrict the application of Zn batteries. Here, we develop a simple strategy to suppress side reactions and boost the reversibility of the Zn electrode. By introducing 30% (volume fractions) N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to the 2 M Zn(CF3SO3)2-H2O electrolyte (ZHD30), the preferential hydrogen-bonding effect between DMF and H2O effectively reduces the water activity and hinders deprotonation of the electrolyte. The ZHD30 electrolyte improves the Zn plating/stripping coulombic efficiency from ∼95.3% to ∼99.4% and enhances the cycles from 65 to 300. The Zn-polyaniline full battery employing the ZHD30 electrolyte can operate over a wide temperature range from -40°C to +25°C and deliver capacities of 161.6, 127.4 and 65.8 mAh g-1 at 25, -20 and -40°C, respectively. This work provides insights into the role of tuning solvent effects in designing low-cost and effective aqueous electrolytes.

Two-Phase Transition Induced Amorphous Metal Phosphides Enabling Rapid, Reversible Alkali-Metal Ion Storage.

Metal phosphides as anode materials for alkali-metal ion batteries have captured considerable interest due to their high theoretical capacities and electronic conductivity. However, they suffer from huge volume expansion and element segregation during repetitive insertion/extraction of guest ions, leading to structure deterioration and rapid capacity decay. Herein, an amorphous Sn0.5Ge0.5P3 was constructed through a two-phase intermediate strategy based on the elemental composition modulation from two crystalline counterparts and applied in alkali-metal ion batteries. Differing from crystalline P-based compounds, the amorphous structure of Sn0.5Ge0.5P3 effectively reduces the volume variation from above 300% to 225% during cycling. The ordered distribution of cations and anions in the short-range ensures the uniform distribution of each element during cycles and thus contributes to durable cycling stability. Moreover, the long-range disordered structure of amorphous material shortens the ion transport distance, which facilitates diffusion kinetics. Benefiting from the aforementioned effects, the amorphous Sn0.5Ge0.5P3 delivers a high Na storage capacity of 1132 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 over 100 cycles. Even at high current densities of 2 and 10 A g-1, its capacities still reach 666 and 321 mAh g-1, respectively. As an anode for Li storage, the Sn0.5Ge0.5P3 similarly also exhibits better cycling stability and rate performance compared to its crystalline counterparts. Significantly, the two-phase transition strategy is generally applicable to achieving other amorphous metal phosphides such as GeP2. This work would be helpful for constructing high-performance amorphous anode materials for alkali-metal ion batteries.

Tuning local chemistry of P2 layered-oxide cathode for high energy and long cycles of sodium-ion battery.

Layered transition-metal oxides have attracted intensive interest for cathode materials of sodium-ion batteries. However, they are hindered by the limited capacity and inferior phase transition due to the gliding of transition-metal layers upon Na+ extraction and insertion in the cathode materials. Here, we report that the large-sized K+ is riveted in the prismatic Na+ sites of P2-Na0.612K0.056MnO2 to enable more thermodynamically favorable Na+ vacancies. The Mn-O bonds are reinforced to reduce phase transition during charge and discharge. 0.901 Na+ per formula are reversibly extracted and inserted, in which only the two-phase transition of P2 ↔ P'2 occurs at low voltages. It exhibits the highest specific capacity of 240.5 mAh g-1 and energy density of 654 Wh kg-1 based on the redox of Mn3+/Mn4+, and a capacity retention of 98.2% after 100 cycles. This investigation will shed lights on the tuneable chemical environments of transition-metal oxides for advanced cathode materials and promote the development of sodium-ion batteries.

Molecular Design Strategy for High-Redox-Potential and Poorly Soluble n-Type Phenazine Derivatives as Cathode Materials for Lithium Batteries.

The n-type phenazine (PZ) derivatives represent an emerging class of cathode materials in lithium batteries for low-cost and sustainable energy storage. However, their low redox potential (<2 V) and high solubility hinder their application to battery systems. To explore and solve such problems in lithium batteries, we investigate the redox characteristics of 13 n-type PZ derivatives and their dissolution behavior in seven organic electrolytes systematically by using DFT calculations. Two decisive factors are observed to tune the redox potentials for these molecules: the first is the electron density around the N active sites and the second is the chelation on lithium by both the active N and the substituent group. Specific approaches that include the reduction of aromatic rings and the introduction of functional groups at ß sites in n-type PZ derivatives can improve the redox potential to approximately 3 V. In addition, we develop a new index denoted as Ediff to investigate the solubility of n-type PZ derivatives. The most effective way to reduce the dissolution of electrodes in solvents is to improve intermolecular attraction between the electrode molecules by introducing π-π stacking and hydrogen bonds. Such all-around guidelines should promote the application of n-type PZ-based organic cathodes with a high redox potential and low electrode solubility for lithium batteries.

Nitrogen-rich covalent organic frameworks with multiple carbonyls for high-performance sodium batteries.

Covalent organic frameworks with designable periodic skeletons and ordered nanopores have attracted increasing attention as promising cathode materials for rechargeable batteries. However, the reported cathodes are plagued by limited capacity and unsatisfying rate performance. Here we report a honeycomb-like nitrogen-rich covalent organic framework with multiple carbonyls. The sodium storage ability of pyrazines and carbonyls and the up-to twelve sodium-ion redox chemistry mechanism for each repetitive unit have been demonstrated by in/ex-situ Fourier transform infrared spectra and density functional theory calculations. The insoluble electrode exhibits a remarkably high specific capacity of 452.0 mAh g-1, excellent cycling stability (~96% capacity retention after 1000 cycles) and high rate performance (134.3 mAh g-1 at 10.0 A g-1). Furthermore, a pouch-type battery is assembled, displaying the gravimetric and volumetric energy density of 101.1 Wh kg-1cell and 78.5 Wh L-1cell, respectively, indicating potentially practical applications of conjugated polymers in rechargeable batteries.