Multifunctional Heterostructured Fe3 O4 -FeTe@MCM Electrocatalyst Enabling High-Performance Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Via Built-in Electric Field.

The development of capable of simultaneously modulating the sluggish electrochemical kinetics, shuttle effect, and lithium dendrite growth is a promising strategy for the commercialization of lithium-sulfur batteries. Consequently, an elaborate preparation method is employed to create a host material consisting of multi-channel carbon microspheres (MCM) containing highly dispersed heterostructure Fe3 O4 -FeTe nanoparticles. The Fe3 O4 -FeTe@MCM exhibits a spontaneous built-in electric field (BIEF) and possesses both lithophilic and sulfophilic sites, rendering it an appropriate host material for both positive and negative electrodes. Experimental and theoretical results reveal that the existence of spontaneous BIEF leads to interfacial charge redistribution, resulting in moderate polysulfide adsorption which facilitates the transfer of polysulfides and diffusion of electrons at heterogeneous interfaces. Furthermore, the reduced conversion energy barriers enhanced the catalytic activity of Fe3 O4 -FeTe@MCM for expediting the bidirectional sulfur conversion. Moreover, regulated Li deposition behavior is realized because of its high conductivity and remarkable lithiophilicity. Consequently, the battery exhibited long-term stability for 500 cycles with 0.06% capacity decay per cycle at 5 C, and a large areal capacity of 7.3 mAh cm-2 (sulfur loading: 9.73 mg cm-2 ) at 0.1 C. This study provides a novel strategy for the rational fabrication of heterostructure hosts for practical Li-S batteries.

Outcomes following KRASG12C inhibitor treatment in patients with KRASG12C-mutated solid tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of FDA-approved KRASG12C inhibitors in patients with KRASG12C-mutated solid tumors. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and major international conferences for clinical trials published in English up to March 6, 2023. Clinical trials investigating sotorasib or adagrasib and reporting the clinical outcomes of the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), or incidence rate of grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs) were eligible. The primary endpoint was the ORR. Secondary endpoints included the DCR, incidence rate of grade ≥ 3 AEs, and odds ratio (OR) of the ORR between patients with or without co-mutation. The Random-effects model was applied for the outcomes of interest. RESULTS: 18 studies with 1224 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled ORR, DCR, and incidence rate of grade ≥ 3 AEs were 31 % (95 % CI, 25-37 %), 86 % (95 % CI, 82-89 %), and 29 % (95 % CI, 23-36 %), respectively. KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC patients with a co-mutation of KEAP1 exhibited a worse ORR than those with wild-type KEAP1 (OR: 0.35, 95 % CI: 0.16-0.77). CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the efficacy and safety of KRASG12C inhibitors in treating solid tumors and identified KEAP1 mutation as a potential predictive biomarker of inferior response in patients treated with KRASG12C inhibitors. These findings may assist in the design of future clinical trials for identifying populations that may benefit from KRASG12C inhibitor treatment.

Efficacy and safety of esophagectomy via left thoracic approach versus via right thoracic approach for middle and lower thoracic esophageal cancer: a multicenter randomized clinical trial (NST1501).

Background: Left thoracic approach (LTA) has been a favorable selection in surgical treatment for esophageal cancer (EC) patients in China before minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) is popular. This study aimed to demonstrate whether right thoracic approach (RTA) is superior to LTA in the surgical treatment of middle and lower thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC). Methods: Superiority clinical trial design was used for this multicenter randomized controlled two-parallel group study. Between April 2015 and December 2018, cT1b-3N0-1M0 TESCC patients from 14 centers were recruited and randomized by a central stratified block randomization program into LTA or RTA groups. All enrolled patients were followed up every three months after surgery. The software SPSS 20.0 and R 3.6.2. were used for statistical analysis. Efficacy and safety outcomes, 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated and compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Results: A total of 861 patients without suspected upper mediastinal lymph nodes (umLN) were finally enrolled in the study after 95 ineligible patients were excluded. 833 cases (98.7%) were successfully followed up until June 1, 2020. Esophagectomies were performed via LTA in 453 cases, and via RTA in 408 cases. Compared with the LTA group, the RTA group required longer operating time (274.48±78.92 vs. 205.34±51.47 min, P<0.001); had more complications (33.8% vs. 26.3% P=0.016); harvested more lymph nodes (LNs) (23.61±10.09 vs. 21.92±10.26, P=0.015); achieved a significantly improved OS in stage IIIa patients (67.8% vs. 51.8%, P=0.022). The 3-year OS and DFS were 68.7% and 64.3% in LTA arm versus 71.3% and 63.7% in RTA arm (P=0.20; P=0.96). Conclusions: Esophagectomies via both LTA and RTA can achieve similar outcomes in middle or lower TESCC patients without suspected umLN. RTA is superior to LTA and recommended for the surgical treatment of more advanced stage TESCC due to more complete lymphadenectomy. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02448979.

Rational construction of a CNTs@VO2 nanosheets modified separator for enhancing the performance of lithium-sulfur batteries.

Although lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries possess great potential to become the next generation of energy storage technology due to their fivefold higher energy density than commercial lithium-ion batteries, their practical application is still hindered by their poor cycling stability, especially resulting from the disturbing shuttle effect of soluble intermediates. In this study, vanadium dioxide (VO2) nanosheets were successfully grown onto CNTs to form CNTs@VO2 through hydrothermal and calcining processes. The hollow structure of the high conductive CNTs offers internal space and mesopores to accommodate the electrolyte combined with the polar metal oxide VO2 nanosheets providing the chemical anchoring. The hollow binary core-shell host acting as the nanoreactor that serves as the modifier of the separator results in the intensive physical and chemical dual adsorption of lithium polysulfide species (LiPSs), promoting the conversion of long-chain LiPSs to alleviate the shuttle effect significantly and boosting the performance. In addition, the CNTs enhance the electronic conductivity and the electrolyte infiltration of the separator. Notably, the modified separator demonstrates a high initial discharge capacity of 1397 mA h g-1 at 0.2C and retains a stable cycling ability with a reversible capacity of 965 mA h g-1 over 200 cycles at 1C. Even for the high sulfur loading of 7.4 mg cm-2, it can deliver a high areal capacity of 5.4 mA h cm-2 at 0.5C.

Mo2C Electrocatalysts for Kinetically Boosting Polysulfide Conversion in Quasi-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) suffer from sluggish reaction kinetics of sulfur-containing species and loss of soluble polysulfides (PSs) during cycling, especially in the case of liquid electrolytes. Here, we improve the kinetics of sulfur species by decorating Mo2C nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the host for sulfur active mass. In addition, by use of gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) derived from in situ polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) to mitigate the diffusion of PSs and improve the stability of Li stripping/plating. As a result, the sulfur cathodes are endowed with enhanced initial specific capacity and suppressed dissolution of sulfur species. The cells with CNT/Mo2C/S cathodes and GPE exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. The anodes cycled with GPE show remarkably enhanced lithium plating-stripping behavior. Benefitting from the synergistic effect, LSBs with higher energy density and improved durability are obtained, demonstrating a new approach for developing high-performance quasi-solid-state Li metal batteries.

[Correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation index with semen parameters].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of sperm DNA fragmenation index (DFI) with semen parameters and assess its application value in the evaluation of semen quality. METHODS: A total of 9 694 semen samples were collected and examined for sperm DFI and high DNA stainability (HDS) by flow cytometry-assisted sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA). According to the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (5th Ed), the samples were divided into a normal group and abnormal groups A (sperm concentration ï¼»SCï¼½: ï¼»11.3－14.0ï¼½ ×106/ml, total sperm motility ï¼»TSMï¼½: 30%－39%, progressively motile sperm ï¼»PMSï¼½: 24%－31%), B (SC: ï¼»7.5－11.2ï¼½ ×106/ml, TSM: 20%－29%, PMS: 16%－23%), C (SC: ï¼»3.8－7.4ï¼½ ×106/ml, TSM: 10%－,19% PMS: 8%－15%) and D (SC: ï¼»0－3.7ï¼½×106/ml, TSM: 0－9%, PMS: 0－7%), and also into three sperm DFI groups (DFI <15%, 15%－30% and >30%). The correlation between sperm DFI and seminal parameters was analyzed by Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: DFI was dramatically lower in the normal than in the abnormal groups (P < 0.01), and increased in proportion to the decrease of semen parameters in the abnormal groups A, B, C and D (P < 0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that DFI was correlated positively with age (r = 0.15, P < 0.01), abstinence time (r = 0.10, P < 0.01), semen volume (r = 0.05, P < 0.01) and HDS (r = 0.15, P < 0.01), but negatively with semen pH (r = －0.06, P < 0.01), SC (r = －0.27, P < 0.01), TSM (r = －0.53, P < 0.01), PMS (r = －0.52, P < 0.01) and morphologically normal sperm (r = －0.16, P < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that TSM, SC, age, abstinence time and semen pH were five important variables associated with DFI, with standardized regression coefficients of －0.47, －0.19, 0.12, 0.07, and －0.04, respectively (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There is a moderate correlation between sperm DFI and semen parameters, which can be used synergistically for the assessment of semen quality.

Dental Caries in Chinese Elderly People: Findings from the 4th National Oral Health Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dental caries status and related factors in Chinese elderly people, using data from the 4th National Oral Health Survey of China. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a multistage, cluster strategy was used to recruit 4,431participants (2,222 male and 2,209 female) aged 65 to 74 years from all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of the mainland of China. The survey was performed according to the diagnostic standard proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Socio-demographic information was collected with a closed questionnaire. RESULTS: The caries prevalence in 65 to 74-year-olds was rather high; the report shows it was 98.0% (DMFT ≥ 1) among elderly people in China. The mean DMFT, DT, MT and FT was 13.33 ± 9.32, 3.33 ± 4.17, 9.50 ± 8.66 and 0.49 ± 1.41, respectively. The filling rate was very low, assessed as 12.8%. The number of DMFT related to gender, residential district type, educational level, level of annual household income, toothbrushing frequency, consumption frequency of desserts, attitudes to oral health and oral health-related knowledge. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of dental caries in Chinese elderly people is rather high and a lot of decayed teeth still need to be filled and suitable prevention and treatment for this group is urgently needed.

How Root Caries Differs between Middle-aged People and the Elderly: Findings from the 4th National Oral Health Survey of China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences in distribution of root caries and related factors between middle-aged and elderly people in China. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a multistage, cluster strategy was used to recruit 4,410 participants (2,197 males and 2,213 females) aged 35 to 44 years and 4,431 participants (2,222 males and 2,209 females) aged 65 to 74 years from all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of the mainland of China. The survey was conducted according to the basic methods proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Sociodemographic information, oral health behaviour, attitude and knowledge, history of dental prophylaxis and general health condition were collected with a closed questionnaire. RESULTS: A great increase in the occurrence of root caries in Chinese adults from 35 to 44-year-old to 65 to 74-year-olds, with the prevalence (DFR ≥ 1) from 25.4% to 61.9% and with the mean DFR score from 0.54 ± 1.34 to 2.63 ± 3.75. Filling rates were also very low, only 1.8% and 3.0%, respectively. Females and residents of rural areas were more likely to suffer from root caries. In both the middle-aged group and the elderly group, root caries related to gender, education level, sweet food/drinks consumption, oral health knowledge and status of root surface explosion. In 35 to 44 year olds, toothbrushing is a significant protection factor (OR = 0.88, 95%CI 0.81 ~ 0.96), while using toothpicks is a risk factor (OR = 1.06, 95%CI 1.02 ~ 1.10). In 65 to 74 year olds, not having dental had scaling in the past 12 months is a risk factor (OR = 1.66, 95%CI 1.09 ~ 2.53). CONCLUSION: Root caries among middle-aged people and elderly people in China have different risk factors and need more attention in future research to develop proper prevention.

Socio-demographic factors, dental status and health-related behaviors associated with geriatric oral health-related quality of life in Southwestern China.

BACKGROUND: The aging of Chinese society has increased interest in improving the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the elderly, including their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study aims to evaluate the OHRQoL of elders living in Sichuan Province (China) and to explore the explanatory factors of their OHRQoL. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted in 2016 in the Sichuan Province analyzed data from 744 elders, aged 65 to 74 years (mean age 69.3, 51.3% female). Clinical examinations and questionnaires were completed to collect information on the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, dental status, subjective health conditions and General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) score. RESULTS: The mean GOHAI score was 48.23 (SD 7.62), and the median score was 49. After adjustment for age and gender, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that participants who were female, had fair or poor self-rated oral health, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) score ≥ 20, fair or poor self-rated general health, and ≥ 2 teeth with root caries had worse OHRQoL, and participants who were edentulous had better OHRQoL (F = 29.58, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The OHRQoL of the elders living in Sichuan Province was relatively good. The explanatory variables were gender; self-rated oral health; DMFT score; self-rated general health; number of natural teeth; and number of teeth with root caries. More attention should be paid to caries status and retention of healthy teeth to improve the OHRQoL of elders in Sichuan Province, preserving a healthy mouth contributes to better OHRQoL.

Genetic landscape of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the deadliest cancers. We performed exome sequencing on 113 tumor-normal pairs, yielding a mean of 82 non-silent mutations per tumor, and 8 cell lines. The mutational profile of ESCC closely resembles those of squamous cell carcinomas of other tissues but differs from that of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Genes involved in cell cycle and apoptosis regulation were mutated in 99% of cases by somatic alterations of TP53 (93%), CCND1 (33%), CDKN2A (20%), NFE2L2 (10%) and RB1 (9%). Histone modifier genes were frequently mutated, including KMT2D (also called MLL2; 19%), KMT2C (MLL3; 6%), KDM6A (7%), EP300 (10%) and CREBBP (6%). EP300 mutations were associated with poor survival. The Hippo and Notch pathways were dysregulated by mutations in FAT1, FAT2, FAT3 or FAT4 (27%) or AJUBA (JUB; 7%) and NOTCH1, NOTCH2 or NOTCH3 (22%) or FBXW7 (5%), respectively. These results define the mutational landscape of ESCC and highlight mutations in epigenetic modulators with prognostic and potentially therapeutic implications.

[Pathogenicity of several fungal species on Spodoptera litura].

The virulence test of five species of entomogenous fungi Beauveria brongniartii, Beauveria bassiana, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, Metarhizium anisopliae and Nomuraea rileyi to Spodoptera litura larvae showed that B. brongniartii and N. rileyi had evident pathogenic effects on S. litura, with the LT50 value to S. litura 2nd instars being 2.95 and 4.10 days, and the corrected accumulative mortality of the instars being 100% and 95.2%, respectively. The virulence of B. brongniartii and N. rileyi to the 3rd instars was lower than that of 2nd instars. The LT50 value to 3rd instars was 19.67 and 19.63 days, and the corrected accumulative mortality was 56.6% and 52.2%, respectively. Other two fungal species P. fumosoroseus and B. bassiana also had virulence to S. litura larvae. The LT50 value for the 2nd instars was 4.89 and 6.34 days, and the corrected accumulative mortality reached 85.7% and 71.4%, respectively.