Regulating Functional Groups Enhances the Performance of Flexible Microporous MXene/Bacterial Cellulose Electrodes in Supercapacitors.

Ultrathin MXene-based films exhibit superior conductivity and high capacitance, showing promise as electrodes for flexible supercapacitors. This work describes a simple method to enhance the performance of MXene-based supercapacitors by expanding and stabilizing the interlayer space between MXene flakes while controlling the functional groups to improve the conductivity. Ti3C2Tx MXene flakes are treated with bacterial cellulose (BC) and NaOH to form a composite MXene/BC (A-M/BC) electrode with a microporous interlayer and high surface area (62.47 m2 g-1). Annealing the films at low temperature partially carbonizes BC, increasing the overall electrical conductivity of the films. Improvement in conductivity is also attributed to the reduction of -F, -Cl, and -OH functional groups, leaving -Na and -O functional groups on the surface. As a result, the A-M/BC electrode demonstrates a capacitance of 594 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 in 3 M H2SO4, which represents a ∼2× increase over similarly processed films without BC (309 F g-1) or pure MXene (298 F g-1). The corresponding device has an energy density of 9.63 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 250 W kg-1. BC is inexpensive and enhances the overall performance of MXene-based film electrodes in electronic devices. This method underscores the importance of functional group regulation in enhancing MXene-based materials for energy storage.

Tackling Energy Loss in Organic Solar Cells via Volatile Solid Additive Strategy.

The energy loss induced open-circuit voltage (VOC) deficit hampers the rapid development of state-of-the-art organic solar cells (OSCs), therefore, it is extremely urgent to explore effective strategies to address this issue. Herein, a new volatile solid additive 1,4-bis(iodomethyl)cyclohexane (DIMCH) featured with concentrated electrostatic potential distribution is utilized to act as a morphology-directing guest to reduce energy loss in multiple state-of-art blend system, leading to one of highest efficiency (18.8%) at the forefront of reported binary OSCs. Volatile DIMCH decreases radiative/non-radiative recombination induced energy loss (ΔE2/ΔE3) by rationally balancing the crystallinity of donors and acceptors and realizing homogeneous network structure of crystal domain with reduced D-A phase separation during the film formation process and weakens energy disorder and trap density in OSCs. It is believed that this study brings not only a profound understanding of emerging volatile solid additives but also a new hope to further reduce energy loss and improve the performance of OSCs.

Robust reactive oxygen species modulator hitchhiking yeast microcapsules for colitis alleviation by trilogically intestinal microenvironment renovation.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by chronic inflammatory processes of the intestinal tract of unknown origin. Current treatments lack understanding on how to effectively alleviate oxidative stress, relieve inflammation, as well as modulate gut microbiota for maintaining intestinal homeostasis synchronously. In this study, a novel drug delivery system based on a metal polyphenol network (MPN) was constructed via metal coordination between epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and Fe3+. Curcumin (Cur), an active polyphenolic compound, with distinguished anti-inflammatory activity was assembled and encapsulated into MPN to generate Cur-MPN. The obtained Cur-MPN could serve as a robust reactive oxygen species modulator by efficiently scavenging superoxide radical (O2•-) as well as hydroxyl radical (·OH). By hitchhiking yeast microcapsule (YM), Cur-MPN was then encapsulated into YM to obtain CM@YM. Our findings demonstrated that CM@YM was able to protect Cur-MPN to withstand the harsh gastrointestinal environment and enhance the targeting and retention abilities of the inflamed colon. When administered orally, CM@YM could alleviate DSS-induced colitis with protective and therapeutic effects by scavenging ROS, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and regulating the polarization of macrophages to M1, thus restoring barrier function and maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Importantly, CM@YM also modulated the gut microbiome to a favorable state by improving bacterial diversity and transforming the compositional structure to an anti-inflammatory phenotype as well as increasing the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) (such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid). Collectively, with excellent biocompatibility, our findings indicate that synergistically regulating intestinal microenvironment will be a promising approach for UC.

Characterization and quantification of silver complexes with dissolved organic matter by size exclusion chromatography coupled to ICP-MS.

The fate and behavior of silver in aquatic systems is intricately determined by its interactions with dissolved organic matter (DOM). In this study, we have introduced a method for identification and quantification of silver-DOM complexes using size exclusion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SEC-ICP-MS). Our findings revealed that silver(I) was weakly bound to Suwannee River humic acid, fulvic acid, and natural organic matter (SRHA, SRFA, and SRNOM) in various media, resulting in facile dissociation during chromatographic separation. Suitable chromatographic conditions were determined for the elution of Ag-DOM complexes, involving the use of 0.5 mM ammonium acetate (pH 7) as the mobile phase and silver-aged column (pre-absorbing 0.1-0.7 µg silver(I)). SEC-UV and SEC-ICP-MS chromatograms revealed that Ag-binding fractions of DOM were dominated by its aromatic compounds. The quantification of silver-DOM complexes was achieved by SEC-ICP-MS combination with on-line isotope dilution. Silver at concentrations below 20 µg L-1 was mainly present in the form of organic complexes in low salinity water. These measurements aligned well with the results obtained using the equilibrium dialysis method. Species analyses of Ag-DOM complexes provide a deeper understanding of the reactivity, transport, and fate of silver in aquatic environments. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Ionic silver is highly toxic to aquatic organisms such as fish and zooplankton. The complexation of silver with binding sites within DOM significantly influences its speciation, mobility, and toxicity. Despite the complex and unknown structure of silver-DOM complexes, this study provided a SEC-ICP-MS method to identify and quantify these complexes in a range of media. By uncovering the formation of silver-DOM complexes across diverse media, this work enhances the comprehension of silver transformation processes and associated environmental risks in aquatic environments.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease increases hepatocellular carcinoma risk in chronic hepatitis B patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The combined effect of hepatitis B virus infection and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk remains unclear. The current study sought to elucidate the impact of MASLD on HCC progression in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Method: This retrospective cohort study included CHB patients who had undergone liver biopsy and abdominal imaging at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine between 2013 and 2019. We investigated the correlation between MASLD and HCC risk, and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to adjust for patient characteristics. Results: A total of 1,613 patients were included, and 483 (29.9%) were diagnosed with MASLD. Over a median follow-up period of 5.02 years, 36 (2.2%) developed HCC, comprising 4.8% (23/483) of those with MASLD and 1.2% (13/1,130) of those without. Those with MASLD had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of HCC than those without (p < 0.001). The presence of MASLD was associated with a higher risk of HCC (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 3.996; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.007-7.959; p < 0.001). After adjustment using IPTW, the patients with MASLD retained a higher cumulative incidence of HCC (p < 0.001). Moreover, MASLD was found to be an independent risk factor for the development of HCC (adjusted HR, 10.191; 95% CI, 4.327-24.002; p < 0.001). However, among patients with MASLD, there were no significant differences in the cumulative risk of HCC between patients with and without overweight, between those with <2 and ≥2 cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs), between those with <3 and ≥3 CMRFs, or between those with <4 and ≥4 CMRFs (p = 0.110, p = 0.087, p = 0.066, and p = 0.490, respectively). Conclusion: The presence of MASLD is associated with a higher risk of HCC in patients with CHB. Notably, this higher risk is present in patients with MASLD, irrespective of the presence or absence of overweight or the number of CMRFs they have.

Internal Fixation of Redistributed Orbital Fat in Transconjunctival Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty.

SUMMARY: Fat redistribution combined with release of the tear trough ligament in transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty is widely performed to correct lower eyelid bags and tear trough deformities, but suturing the released fat in such a narrow, dissected space remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to introduce a new surgical technique of internal fixation that advances and sutures the pedicled orbital fat firmly to the midcheek through premaxillary and prezygomatic spaces. Twenty-two patients (age range, 22 to 39 years) with predominant orbital fat prolapse and tear trough deformity without noticeable lower eyelid skin laxity were treated with this method, all of whom had impressive correction of the eyelid bags and tear trough deformities and were pleased with the aesthetic results during an average follow-up of 11.8 months (range, 10 to 14 months). No patient had postoperative hematoma, ectropion, or midface numbness. The maneuver of internal fixation of redistributed orbital fat provides a novel and safe approach to correct eyelid bags and tear trough deformities without additional percutaneous sutures in transconjunctival lower eyelid blepharoplasty. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Surgical Treatment for Extensive Postburn Facial Deformity Using Tube Flap and Cervicofacial Flap.

The current concept of facial unit reconstruction has evolved from simple coverage of defects to the reconstruction of the 3-dimensional structure and delicate features. The reshaping of the middle third of the face, including the nose and cheek, remains a challenge for plastic surgeons due to its complex structure and the dynamic relationship between each part. In this article, the authors describe a clinical report of extensive facial burns with skin lesions in the middle third of the face. The 30-year-old female patient sustained burns throughout the full thickness of the skin burns on the entire nose and left cheek with hypertrophic scar. The authors performed an expanded cervical-facial flap and tube flap of the upper extremity to reconstruct the entire nasal and cheek region. The patient underwent 8 stages of the operation successively resulting in a satisfactory level of appearance and function.

Plant-Derived Vesicle-Like Nanoparticles: Clinical Application Exploration and Challenges.

The utilization of plant-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles (PDVLNs) has shown effectiveness in the prevention/treatment of inflammatory-mediated diseases, malignancies, and immune-related diseases, such as acute liver injury, allergic asthma, gastric cancer and so on. This highlights the promising potential of PDVLNs as biotherapeutics. Furthermore, it should be noted that PDVLNs possess the ability to function as both natural and engineered drug carriers, making them an appealing option. This review aims to present the appropriate extraction methods of PDVLNs, summarize the applications of PDVLNs in different diseases, and provide an outlook on the prospects of PDVLNs. At the same time, the authors also express their discussion on the current limitations of PDVLNs.

Customization of Soft Tissue Expanders: Improving Safety, Accuracy, and Efficiency for Treatment of Large and Complicated Skin Lesions.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue expansion is a common technique for restoring large skin defects. Fixed-type expanders may be inappropriate for the following reasons: (1) the shapes and sizes of the defects vary in different patients; and (2) the bulged base of the fixed-type expander does not fit the curve of the human body, which may induce complications such as concave deformities or nerve palsy from continuous mechanical compression. The customized expander adjusts better to the shape and the topography of the expansion site compared with the fixed-type expander. It improves expansion efficiency and reduces complications caused by compression. METHODS: Between 2016 and 2022, customized soft tissue expansion was performed in 38 patients with skin lesions, including giant congenital melanocytic nevi and postburn scars. This series of patients included patients with a specific donor site shape that is unsuitable for fixed-type expanders. An expander was customized according to the shape of the donor site and then implanted in the subcutaneous pocket. After the expander reached a sufficient volume, the expander was removed, and the extra expanded skin flap was transferred to resurface the skin lesion. In the follow-up, the outcome and the complications were recorded. RESULTS: All the customized expanders fit not only the dimension but also the topography of the donor site. During expansion, 2 patients experienced leakage of the expander, and 3 patients suffered a skin rupture. In the remaining 33 patients, the expansion was successfully completed, and the expanded flaps restored the skin lesions as designed. The color and texture of the skin flaps remained satisfactory after long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike fixed-type expanders, our customized expanders make it possible for "accurate" expansion, irrespective of the dimension and topography of the donor area. Customization of the expander helps increase efficiency and reduce complications caused by undue compression.

Research landscape and frontiers of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma: a bibliometric and visual analysis.

Background: Due to the widespread prevalence of caloric excess and sedentary behavior on a global scale, there is a growing body of epidemiological evidence indicating that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has rapidly become a leading aetiology underlying of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In light of the escalating incidence of NASH-associated HCC (NASH-HCC), it is imperative to mitigate the impending burden. While there has been an increase in global awareness regarding this issue, it has yet to be examined from a bibliometric standpoint. Therefore, this study seeks to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to characterize the evolution of this field. Method: The present study utilized the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) to identify publications pertaining to NASH-HCC over the past 2 decades. Employing Vosviewer 1.6.19, CiteSpace 6.2.R2, and the Analysis Platform of Bibliometrics, the study conducted an analysis of various dimensions including the quantity of publications, countries, institutions, journals, authors, co-references, keywords, and trend topics in this field. Results: A comprehensive analysis of 3,679 publications pertaining to NASH-HCC, published between 1 January 2002 and 1 April 2023, was conducted. The field in question experienced a rapid increase in publications, with the United States serving as the central hub. Collaboration between institutions was more extensive than that between countries. Notably, HEPATOLOGY (n = 30,168) emerged as the most impactful journal, and Zobair M. Younossi (n = 10,025) as the most frequently cited author in co-citations. The most commonly cited references were KLEINER DE, 2005, HEPATOLOGY (n = 630), followed by YOUNOSSI ZM, 2016, HEPATOLOGY (n = 493). The author keywords were categorized into three distinct clusters, namely, Cluster 1 (Mechanism), Cluster 2 (Factors), and Cluster 3 (Diagnosis). Analysis of high-frequency co-occurring keywords and topical trends revealed emphasis on molecular mechanisms in current research. "macrophages" and "tumor microenvironment" were active research hotspots at present in this field. Conclusion: A bibliometric analysis was performed for the first time on publications pertaining to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-hepatocellular carcinoma, uncovering co-research networks, developmental trends, and current research hotspots. The emerging frontiers of this field focused on the macrophages and tumor microenvironment, especially the tumor-associated macrophages, offering a fresh perspective for future research directions.

Protein-encapsulated doxorubicin reduces cardiotoxicity in hiPSC-cardiomyocytes and cardiac spheroids while maintaining anticancer efficacy.

The chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) detrimentally impacts the heart during cancer treatment. This necessitates development of non-cardiotoxic delivery systems that retain DOX anticancer efficacy. We used human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), endothelial cells (hiPSC-ECs), cardiac fibroblasts (hiPSC-CFs), multi-lineage cardiac spheroids (hiPSC-CSs), patient-specific hiPSCs, and multiple human cancer cell lines to compare the anticancer efficacy and reduced cardiotoxicity of single protein encapsulated DOX (SPEDOX-6), to standard unformulated (UF) DOX. Cell viability assays and immunostaining in human cancer cells, hiPSC-ECs, and hiPSC-CFs revealed robust uptake of SPEDOX-6 and efficacy in killing these proliferative cell types. In contrast, hiPSC-CMs and hiPSC-CSs exhibited substantially lower cytotoxicity during SPEDOX-6 treatment compared with UF DOX. SPEDOX-6-treated hiPSC-CMs and hiPSC-CSs maintained their functionality, as indicated by sarcomere contractility assessment, calcium imaging, multielectrode arrays, and RNA sequencing. This study demonstrates the potential of SPEDOX-6 to alleviate cardiotoxic side effects associated with UF DOX, while maintaining its anticancer potency.

Promotion effect of ultraviolet light on graphene oxide aggregation in the presence of different climatic zone's humic and fulvic acid.

Aggregation of graphene oxide (GO) is significantly affected by dissolved organic matter (DOM) in natural waters, while DOM's climate zone and light irradiation is seldom considered. This study investigated the effect of humic/fulvic acid (HA/FA) from various climate zones of China on aggregation of small (200 nm) and large (500 nm) GO under 120-h UV irradiation. GO aggregation was promoted by HA/FA because UV irradiation decreased hydrophilicity of GO and steric forces among particles. GO generated electron and hole pair under UV irradiation, which reduce GO with more hydrophilic oxygen-containing functional group (C-O) to rGO with high hydrophobicity and oxidize DOM into organic matter with smaller molecular weight. Most severe GO aggregation was observed with Makou HA from Subtropical Monsoon climate zone and Maqin FA from Plateau and Mountain climate zone, which was primarily because HA/FA's high molecular weight and aromaticity dispersed GO initially that facilitated UV penetration. GO aggregation ratio was positively correlated with graphitic fraction content (R2 = 0.82-0.99) and negatively correlated with C-O group content (R2 = 0.61-0.98) in the presence of DOM under UV irradiation. This work highlights different dispersity of GO during photochemical reactions in various climate zones, providing new insight into the environmental implications of nanomaterial release.

Successful replantation of amputated facial tissues by supermicrosurgery.

BACKGROUND: Although replantation of amputated facial segments remains challenging in reconstructive surgery, it offers excellent aesthetic and functional outcomes. METHODS: From May 2004 to October 2019, 12 patients underwent replantation of amputated facial tissues by supermicrosurgery. The case details, such as the rationale for replantation, the operation method, and postoperative therapy, are described. Four cases are discussed to demonstrate the replantation of different facial parts. RESULTS: Facial tissue replantation was successful in all 12 patients without secondary surgery. The cases included the nose (1 patient), ears (8 patients), lips (2 patients), and one of the soft tissue segments surrounding the lower jaw. Venous congestion occurred in three patients who received a solitary arterial repair and were treated with bloodletting. All patients expressed satisfaction with the cosmetic and functional results at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Supermicrosurgical facial tissue replantation is a promising and effective procedure for providing patients with the best aesthetic and functional outcomes.

Exploring pharmaphylogeny from multiple perspectives: a case study on Lithospermeae.

Lithospermeae Dumort., a tribe under the subfamily Boraginoidae, is a perennial herb containing approximately 470 species under 26 genera, primarily distributed in temperate and tropical regions. To gain a deeper understanding of the medicinal plants of Lithospermeae and better protect and develop plant medicinal resources, the phytochemistry, pharmacology, and traditional use of Lithospermeae with medicinal value were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out based on the internal transcribed spacer sequence. Through spatial analysis and the species distribution model, the spatial distribution pattern of Lithospermeae medicinal plants was analyzed. Meanwhile, the relevant targets and pathways involved in the pharmacological effects of commonly used medicinal plants were predicted using network pharmacology to further explore the genetic origin of Lithospermeae and enrich the pharmaphylogeny of medicinal plants. In this study, the chemical composition, traditional efficacy, and modern pharmacological activity of Lithospermeae were collected for the first time and analyzed in combination with the geographical distribution model, molecular phylogeny, and network pharmacology. Based on our findings, the pharmaphylogeny of Lithospermeae was preliminarily discussed, providing the scientific basis for basic research regarding Lithospermeae. Concurrently, this study explored the relationship between the development of the regional medicinal plant industry and the protection of biodiversity. Furthermore, our findings provide direction and theoretical guidance for the study of the phylogenetic relationships in medicinal plants and the development of Lithospermeae medicinal plant resources.

Tissue expansion techniques in reconstructive surgery: a 10-year bibliometric analysis.

Background: Tissue expansion (TE) has attracted significant attention from researchers over the past decade. However, there are currently no bibliometric analyses in this field. We aimed to quantitatively and visually analyze the literature to explore the hotspots and frontiers in TE research. Methods: We extracted all the documents on this topic published from the Web of Science Core Citation (WOSCC) database between 2012 and 2021. CiteSpace (version 5.8 R3) and VOSviewer (version 1.6.18) were used to perform the visualization analysis. Results: A total of 1,085 documents were included in the analysis. The publication trend fluctuated over time. The United States led the research, and Harvard University was the most productive institution. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery published the largest number of documents and had the most citations. Kim JYS was the most prolific and most cited author. The high-frequency keywords were "complications", "breast reconstruction", "outcomes", "tissue expander", "mastectomy", and "acellular dermal matrix" (ADM). "Surgical site infection", "tissue expander/implant", "bilateral prophylactic mastectomy", and "activated controlled expansion" were the keywords with the strongest citation bursts until 2021. Conclusions: This study provided a complete analysis of the research on TE. The effect of ADM on the complication rates after breast reconstruction is the current hotspot of TE research in surgery. Patient-activated controlled expansion might be a promising future research direction for TE.

Insights into remediation effects and bacterial diversity of different remediation measures in rare earth mine soil with SO4 2- and heavy metals.

The increased demand for rare earth resources has led to an increase in the development of rare earth mines (REMs). However, the production of high-concentration leaching agents (SO4 2-) and heavy metals as a result of rare earth mining has increased, necessitating the removal of contaminants. Here, a series of experiments with different remediation measures, including control (CK), sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) alone (M), chemicals (Ca(OH)2, 1.5 g/kg) plus SRB (CM-L), chemicals (Ca(OH)2, 3.0 g/kg) plus SRB (CM-M), and chemicals (Ca(OH)2, 4.5 g/kg) plus SRB (CM-H), were conducted to investigate the removal effect of SO4 2-, Pb, Zn, and Mn from the REM soil. Then, a high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to explore the response of bacterial community diversity and functions with different remediation measures. The results indicated that CM-M treatment had a more efficient removal effect for SO4 2-, Pb, Zn, and Mn than the others, up to 94.6, 88.3, 98.7, and 91%, respectively. Soil bacterial abundance and diversity were significantly affected by treatments with the inoculation of SRB in comparison with CK. The relative abundance of Desulfobacterota with the ability to transform SO4 2- into S2- increased significantly in all treatments, except for CK. There was a strong correlation between environmental factors (pH, Eh, SO4 2-, Pb, and Zn) and bacterial community structure. Furthermore, functional prediction analysis revealed that the SRB inoculation treatments significantly increased the abundance of sulfate respiration, sulfite respiration, and nitrogen fixation, while decreasing the abundance of manganese oxidation, dark hydrogen oxidation, and denitrification. This provides good evidence for us to understand the difference in removal efficiency, bacterial community structure, and function by different remediation measures that help select a more efficient and sustainable method to remediate contaminants in the REM soil.

Reactive oxygen species-responsive nanocarrier ameliorates murine colitis by intervening colonic innate and adaptive immune responses.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic or relapsing inflammatory disease with limited therapeutic outcomes. Pterostilbene (PSB) is a polyphenol-based anti-oxidant that has received extensive interest for its intrinsic anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. This work aims to develop a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive, folic acid (FA)-functionalized nanoparticle (NP) for efficient PSB delivery to treat UC. The resulting PSB@NP-FA had a nano-scaled diameter of 231 nm and a spherical shape. With ROS-responsive release and ROS-scavenging properties, PSB@NP could effectively scavenge H2O2, thereby protecting cells from H2O2-induced oxidative damage. After FA modification, the resulting PSB@NP-FA could be internalized by RAW 264.7 and Colon-26 cells efficiently and preferentially localized to the inflamed colon. In dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis models, PSB@NP-FA showed a prominent ROS-scavenging capacity and anti-inflammatory activity, therefore relieving murine colitis effectively. Mechanism results suggested that PSB@NP-FA ameliorated colitis by regulating dendritic cells (DCs), promoting macrophage polarization, and regulating T cell infiltration. Both innate and adaptive immunity were involved. More importantly, the combination of the PSB and dexamethasone (DEX) enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of colitis. This ROS-responsive and ROS-scavenging nanocarrier represents an alternative therapeutic approach to UC. It can also be used as an enhancer for classic anti-inflammatory drugs.

Rational design of flower-like MnO2/Ti3C2Txcomposite electrode for high performance supercapacitors.

Combining the new two-dimensional conductive MXene with transition metal oxide to build composite structure is a promising path to improve the conductivity of metal oxide. However, a critical challenge still remains in how to achieve a good combination of MXene and metal oxide. Herein, we develop a facile hydrothermal route to synthesize the MnO2/Ti3C2Txcomposite electrode for supercapacitors by synergistically coupling MnO2nanowires with Ti3C2TxMXene nanoflakes. Compared with the pure MnO2electrode, the morphology of the MnO2/Ti3C2Txcomposite electrode changes from nanowires to nanoflowers. Moreover, the overall conductivity and electrochemical performance of the composite electrode are greatly improved due to an addition of Ti3C2TxMXene. The specific capacitance of the MnO2/Ti3C2Txcomposite electrode achieves 210.8 F·g-1at a scan rate of 2 mV·s-1, while that of the pure MnO2electrode is only 55.2 F·g-1. Furthermore, the specific capacitance of the MnO2/Ti3C2Txcomposite electrode still can remain at 97.2% even after 10 000 charge-discharge cycles, revealing an excellent cycle stability. The synthesis strategy of this work can pave the way for the research and practical application of the electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Deficient mismatch repair is detected in large-to-giant congenital melanocytic naevi: providing new insight into aetiology and diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The aetiologies of large-to-giant congenital melanocytic naevi (LGCMN) remain ambiguous. A previous study discovered signatures associated with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) in patients with LGCMN. However, a screening diagnostic immunohistochemistry (IHC) panel of dMMR in patients with LGCMN has not been performed to date. OBJECTIVES: To identify the MMR status and aetiologies of LGCMN. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with CMN, including 30 giant CMN, 30 large CMN, 30 medium CMN and 20 small CMN, underwent diagnostic IHC (for MSH6, MSH2, PMS2 and MLH1) screening of dMMR. The control group comprised normal skin samples from 20 healthy people. MMR proteins with little effect (MSH3 and PMS1) on the MMR system were stained in all samples. The surgical procedures conducted on each patient were noted because they might alter the behaviour of CMN and confound the results. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed between the phenotypic data and MMR status to identify associations. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on the main naevi, satellite naevi and normal skin tissues of four patients to detect variants. Mutational signature analyses were conducted to explore the aetiologies of LGCMN. RESULTS: dMMR was detected in 37% (11 of 30) of giant, 23% (7 of 30) of large and 7% (2 of 30) of medium CMNs, but were not identified in small CMNs or normal skin tissues. Moreover, multiple LGCMNs had a much higher dMMR rate than did single LGCMNs. The regression analyses showed that MMR status was significantly associated with CMN size and the presence of satellites, but was not correlated with age, sex, location, satellite diversity or tissue expansion. Notably, the pattern of protein loss in LGCMN mainly consisted of PMS2 loss. Mutational signature analyses detected dMMR-related signatures in patients with LGCMN. Additionally, rare deleterious germline mutations in DNA repair genes were detected in LGCMN, mainly in MSH6, ATM, RAD50, BRCA1 and ERCC8. These germline mutations were single-patient variants with unknown significance. CONCLUSIONS: dMMR is one of the aetiologies underlying LGCMN, particularly in patients with giant main lesions and multiple satellite lesions. Further studies are necessary to investigate the role of the DNA repair system, particularly MMR, in LGCMN.

Advances in Face-Lift Surgical Techniques: 2016-2021.

BACKGROUND: Face-lift surgery is the most crucial and constantly evolving technique of facial rejuvenation. Periodic reviews synthesizing the latest face-lift techniques may help surgeons sharpen their surgical procedures. METHODS: A literature search was conducted of the PubMed databases using the search term "face lift" and "rhytidectomy." Articles reporting rhytidectomy of the forehead/brow, midface, lower face, and neck were included. Sixty-nine articles were selected after independent screening by three of the authors. The Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine scale was used for evaluating evidence level. RESULTS: Of the 69 candidate articles, 10 studies (15%) reported techniques of neck lifting; 10 studies (15%) introduced techniques of endoscopic brow lifting; 7 studies (10%) pertained to brow lifting without endoscopic techniques. The most frequently reported locations of rhytidectomy were the brow/forehead (20%), neck (19%), and face-neck (17%). Additionally, articles regarding Asian face-lifts (14%) have been increasing. The evidence level of the articles was generally low, with only 10 articles assessed as level 1-3 with 59 articles as level 4-5. CONCLUSIONS: Face-lift articles with high-level evidence are still lacking. Prominently, forehead lifting and neck lifting have become upward trends of rhytidectomy in recent years, and the techniques of short-scar face-lift have been more valued. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: 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 .