Utilization of 2D materials in aqueous zinc ion batteries for safe energy storage devices.

Aqueous rechargeable battery has been an intense topic of research recently due to the significant safety issues of conventional Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Amongst the various candidates of aqueous batteries, aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) hold great promise as a next generation safe energy storage device due to its low cost, abundance in nature, low toxicity, environmental friendliness, low redox potential, and high theoretical capacity. Yet, the promise has not been realized due to their limitations, such as lower capacity compared to traditional LIB, dendrite growth, detrimental degradation of electrode materials structure as ions intercalate/de-intercalate, and gas evolution/corrosion at the electrodes, which remains a significant challenge. To address the challenges, various 2D materials with different physiochemical characteristics have been utilized. This review explores fundamental physiochemical characteristics of widely used 2D materials in AZIBs, including graphene, MoS2, MXenes, 2D metal organic framework, 2D covalent organic framework, and 2D transition metal oxides, and how their characteristics have been utilized or modified to address the challenges in AZIBs. The review also provides insights and perspectives on how 2D materials can help to realize the full potential of AZIBs for next-generation safe and reliable energy storage devices.

[A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast in a patient with Crohn's disease taking azathioprine].

Azathioprine (AZA) treatment in transplant or autoimmune patients and subsequent appearance squamous cell carcinomas at various sites, particularly skin and cervix, has shown a close relationship. However, it remains uncertain whether this is true for the patients with Crohn's disease. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast occurred in a 35-year-old female with Crohn's disease taking AZA. She was first diagnosed with Crohn's disease 10 years ago and has taken AZA with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) on regular follow up in gastrointestinal department for 9 years. She had no family history of breast cancer. She visited breast cancer clinic due to incidentally found right breast mass. A mastectomy on the right breast was performed and 6.3×5.5 cm mass was removed. The mass was microscopically proven to be poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with focal keratin pearl formation. At age of 25, she was first diagnosed with active Crohn's disease. 5-ASA and corticosteroid induced remission. Then, steroid was tapered off and AZA was maintained at 1 mg/kg due to leukopenia at higher dose. She stopped taking AZA at her discretion during her two pregnancies and reported total of 67 months of AZA medication on her breast cancer diagnosis.

[A case of steroid-induced hyperinfective strongyloidiasis with bacterial meningitis].

Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil transmitted intestinal nematode that is endemic in the tropical and subtropical regions. In most individuals who are infected, chronic, usually asymptomatic, gastrointestinal infection persists. But, in immunocompromized hosts or in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, autoinfection of S. stercoralis may result in the dissemination of larvae, leading to fatal hyperinfection and increased rate of complications. We report a case of hyperinfective strongyloidiasis with bacterial meningitis in a patient receiving steroid therapy. Strongyloidiasis was diagnosed by the presence of filariform larvae of S. stercoralis in the bronchoalveolar lavage cytology and upper gastrointestinal endoscopic biopsy specimen. Her clinical symptoms had progressively aggravated and developed bacterial meningitis during treatment. She died despite aggressive antibiotic and antihelminthic therapy.

[A case of lower esophageal muscular ring presenting with dysphagia].

There are diverse ring-like narrowings in the lower esophagus: mucosal ring, muscular ring, ring-like annular peptic stricture. Esophageal muscular ring is extremely rare and generally asymptomatic. It occurs at the proximal border of the esophageal vestibule that corresponds to the upper end of the lower esophageal sphincter. We experienced a case of lower esophageal muscular ring with a symptom of intermittent mild dysphagia for 40 years and report the findings with a review of the literature.

A case of Mallory-Weiss syndrome complicating pregnancy in a patient with scleroderma.

The majority of patients with scleroderma have gastrointestinal involvement, and a few experience gastrointestinal hemorrhage, however, gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to Mallory-Weiss syndrome is very rare. We report upon a 24-year-old pregnant woman with scleroderma who had gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to Mallory-Weiss syndrome.

A case of relapsing polychondritis associated with myelodysplastic syndrome with erythroid hypoplasia/aplasia.

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystem disorder. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with erythroid hypoplasia/aplasia is a rare form of myelodysplasia. Several cases of RP associated with MDS have recently been described. However, RP associated with MDS with erythroid hypoplasia/aplasia has never been reported. There was only one case report of polymyalgia rheumatica associated with MDS with erythroid hypoplasia/aplasia. In this study, we report a 79-year-old patient with RP, who developed MDS subtype refractory anemia (RA) with erythroid hypoplasia/aplasia, a very characteristic subtype of MDS.