Insulin resistance levels predicted metabolic improvement and weight loss after metabolic surgery in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The causes for failure of metabolic improvement and inadequate weight loss after metabolic surgery (MS) in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have not been fully elucidated. The effect of insulin resistance (IR) on the outcome of T2D, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obesity after MS in Chinese patients with T2D and a body mass index (BMI) of 25-32.5 kg/m2 warrants further study. OBJECTIVES: Patients with T2D and a BMI of 25-32.5 kg/m2 who underwent MS between July 2019 and June 2021 were included. SETTING: University hospital, China. METHODS: IR levels were evaluated with the glucose disposal rate (GDR). Improvement of T2D, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia was assessed with the composite triple endpoint (CTEP), and weight loss was assessed with the percent of total weight loss (%TWL). Partial correlation analysis, binary logistic regression analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, and subgroup analysis were used to analyze the relationship between the CTEP, %TWL at 1 year postoperative, and GDR preoperative. RESULTS: This study analyzed the data of 51 patients with T2D and a BMI of 25-32.5 kg/m2 (30 men and 21 women) with a mean preoperative GDR of 3.72 ± 1.48 mg/kg/min. Partial correlation coefficients between CTEP, %TWL, and GDR were .303 (P = .041) and .449 (P = .001), respectively. The preoperative GDR was significantly positively correlated with CTEP (OR = 1.610, P = .024) and %TWL (ß = 1.38, P = .003). The preoperative GDR predicted cutoff values of 4.36 and 5.35 mg/kg/min for CTEP attainment and %TWL ≥ 20%, respectively. CONCLUSION: IR levels predicted metabolic improvement and weight loss 1 year after MS in Chinese patients with T2D and a BMI of 25-32.5 kg/m2.

Clinical factors associated with remission of obese acanthosis nigricans after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acanthosis nigricans (AN) involves skin hyperpigmentation in body folds and creases. Obesity-associated AN (OB_AN) is the most common type of AN. The skin condition of obese patients with AN can be improved through bariatric surgery, such as laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), after weight loss. However, the contributing factors to the remission of AN after surgery are still not fully determined. The authors aimed to assess the metabolic and pathological factors associated with remission of AN following LSG in obese individuals. METHODS: The study included 319 obese patients who underwent LSG at our hospital. The subjects were divided into obesity (OB) only (OB, n =178) or OB with AN (OB_AN, n =141) groups. The basic clinical and metabolic indices and the dermatological features via reflectance confocal microscopy and histology were collected from patients prior to and after LSG. RESULTS: OB_AN patients had higher fasting plasma glucose, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and testosterone levels than OB patients. LSG could significantly improve the biochemical and histopathological features of OB_AN patients. The remissive rate of OB_AN patients was about 86.5% (122 out of 141) after surgery. The remission of OB_AN skin lesions was positively correlated with testosterone levels ( P <0.01). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between changes in AN scores and epidermal thickness and skin pigmentation scores after surgery ( P <0.01). CONCLUSION: The remissive rate of OB_AN after LSG is associated with improved testosterone levels and reduced epidermal thickness and skin pigmentation levels.

Sex-Specific Changes in Body Composition Following Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Are Associated with the Remission of Metabolic Syndrome.

PURPOSE: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective treatment for metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the mechanism of MetS remission after MBS remains unclear. We aimed to explore the relationship between sex differences, body composition, and the remission of MetS after MBS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 80 patients with obesity and MetS who underwent MBS with case-control design. The International Diabetes Federation criteria were used to define MetS. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and 1 year after the operation. In addition to calculating changes in MetS and its prevalence, we performed a multiple logistic regression to determine predictors of MetS remission. RESULTS: There were significant differences in body composition between males and females after MBS. Both males and females had significant improvements in the overall prevalence of MetS, decreasing from 100 to 21.74% (P <0.001) and from 100 to 35.29% (P <0.001), respectively. A higher percentage of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) reduction tends to be associated with a higher chance of MetS remission in men. In females, the MetS nonremission subgroup had a higher %Trunk lean body mass (LBM), and %Android LBM reduction than the remission subgroup, but the multiple logistic regression analysis result was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: After MBS, reduced VAT might be related to MetS reversibility in males, while reduced LBM may result in MetS nonremission in females.

Topical Ozone Accelerates Diabetic Wound Healing by Promoting Re-Epithelialization through the Activation of IGF1R-EGFR Signaling.

Ozonated oil increases the healing of chronic diabetic wounds, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated the effect of topical ozonated oil on wound healing in mice with diabetes with diet-induced obesity and further elucidated the role of EGFR and IGF1R signaling in diabetic wound healing. We found that topical ozonated oil accelerated wound healing; increased phosphorylation of IGF1R, EGFR, and VEGFR; and improved vascularization at the wound leading edge in mice with diabetes with diet-induced obesity. Exposure of normal epidermal keratinocytes to ozonated medium (20 µM for 2 hours daily) increased cell proliferation and migration distance by increasing phosphorylation of IGF1R and EGFR and downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase, protein kinase B, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. These findings shed light on the mechanism for topical ozone action in chronic wounds and support its potential therapeutic application.

Effects of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Patients with Obesity and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) on patients with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify relevant studies published prior to December 2, 2022. Meta-analysis was performed on menstrual irregularity, total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), glucolipid metabolism indicators, and body mass index (BMI) following SG. RESULTS: Six studies and 218 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Following SG, menstrual irregularity significantly decreased (odds ratio [OR] 0.03; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 0.00-0.24; P=0.001). Additionally, SG can lower total testosterone levels (MD -0.73; 95% CIs -0.86-0.60; P< 0.0001), as well as BMI (MD -11.59; 95% CIs -13.10-10.08; P<0.0001). A significant increase was observed in the levels of SHBG and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) after SG. In addition to reducing fasting blood glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein levels, SG significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein levels as well. CONCLUSIONS: Following SG, we firstly demonstrated significant improvements in menstrual irregularity, testosterone and SHGB levels, glycolipid metabolism indicators, and BMI. Therefore, SG may be considered as a new option for the clinical treatment of patients with obesity and PCOS.

Ozonated oil alleviates dinitrochlorobenzene-induced allergic contact dermatitis via inhibiting the FcεRI/Syk signaling pathway. / 医用臭氧油通过抑制FcεRI/Syk信号通路缓解DNCB诱导的变应性接触性皮炎（英文）.

OBJECTIVES: Ozone is widely applied to treat allergic skin diseases such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis. However, the specific mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of ozonated oil on treating 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and the underling mechanisms. METHODS: Besides the blank control (Ctrl) group, all other mice were treated with DNCB to establish an ACD-like mouse model and were randomized into following groups: a model group, a basal oil group, an ozonated oil group, a FcεRI-overexpressed plasmid (FcεRI-OE) group, and a FcεRI empty plasmid (FcεRI-NC) group. The basal oil group and the ozonated oil group were treated with basal oil and ozonated oil, respectively. The FcεRI-OE group and the FcεRI-NC group were intradermally injected 25 µg FcεRI overexpression plasmid and 25 µg FcεRI empty plasmid when treating with ozonated oil, respectively. We recorded skin lesions daily and used reflectance confocal microscope (RCM) to evaluate thickness and inflammatory changes of skin lesions. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, real-time PCR, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), and immunohistochemistry were performed to detct and analyze the skin lesions. RESULTS: Ozonated oil significantly alleviated DNCB-induced ACD-like dermatitis and reduced the expressions of IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and other related inflammatory factors (all P<0.05). RNA-seq analysis revealed that ozonated oil significantly inhibited the activation of the DNCB-induced FcεRI/Syk signaling pathway, confirmed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry (all P<0.05). Compared with the ozonated oil group and the FcεRI-NC group, the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and other inflammatory genes in the FcεRI-OE group were significantly increased (all P<0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression levels of FcεRI and Syk were significantly elevated in the FcεRI-OE group as well (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ozonated oil significantly improves ACD-like dermatitis and alleviated DNCB-induced ACD-like dermatitis via inhibiting the FcεRI/Syk signaling pathway.

STAT2/Caspase3 in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a classic chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease characterized by skin inflammation and abnormal biological behaviour of keratinocytes. Although Signal Transducer And Activator Of Transcription 2 (STAT2) was found to play an important role in the Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT signalling pathway and contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis, its exact role in psoriasis remains unclear. METHODS: Using bioinformatics analysis, we identified the key pathways that significantly impacted psoriatic lesions. After identifying the critical molecule gene differentially expressed in multiple public databases using the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, clinical samples were collected to validate the gene's significance. Its functions and underlying mechanism were also investigated in vitro. Lastly, we evaluated the diagnostic and therapeutic power of the target gene using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), and gene association was assessed using Spearman correlation. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between cysteine-aspartic acid protease3 (Caspase3) and STAT2, and functional enrichment analysis revealed that they were both significantly up-regulated in psoriatic skin lesions compared to non-lesional tissues. Functional analysis revealed that Caspase3 functioned downstream of STAT2 in psoriasis. Lastly, we found that Caspase3 and STAT2 could be potential biomarkers for diagnosing and treating psoriasis. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, STAT2 overexpression contributes to psoriasis progression by regulating Capase3 phosphorylation to induce excessive apoptosis of keratinocytes. Meanwhile, STAT2 and Capase3 were identified as promising biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis and could be used for individualized treatments.

Protective roles of tRNA-derived small RNA tRF-Ile-AAT-019 in pathological progression of psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease that is characterized by abnormal proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes (KCs), angiogenesis and skin inflammation. Transfer RNA fragments (tRFs) are tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), which possess regulatory functions in many diseases. Their potential roles in the pathological development of psoriasis have not been established. We first identified differentially expressed (DE) tRFs from psoriatic skin lesions using small RNA sequencing, and collected additional clinical samples for validation. Then, we investigated the function and mechanism of target tRFs in vitro. As a result of our investigation: we identified 234 DE transcripts in psoriatic skin lesions compared with normal controls. Further functional analysis showed the downregulation of tRF-Ile-AAT-019 in psoriatic lesions plays a critical role in pathogenesis since it could target 3'UTR of the serine protease serpin protein E1 (SERPINE1) gene. We next demonstrated that tRF-Ile-AAT-019 could suppress SERPINE1, thus leading to decreased expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor but increased expressions of keratinocytes (KCs) differentiation markers including Keratin1 and Involucrin. In conclusion, tRF-Ile-AAT-019 plays a protective role in the pathological progression of psoriasis via targeting SERPINE1, resulting in regulation of KCs differentiation and vascular proliferation biomarkers and providing a potential novel targeting pathway for the disease treatment.

A bibliometric and visual analysis of obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome from 2012 to 2022.

Background: Obesity is associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We aimed to elucidate the research status and explore research trends and future directions of research on obesity and PCOS. Methods: A bibliometric analysis of the published papers in the field of obesity and PCOS between 2012 and 2022 was conducted on the basis of the Web of Science Core Collection database. The collaboration networks, research trends, literature sources, citation analysis, co-citation analysis, and keywords analysis were statistically analyzed and visualized using the VOSviewer software. Results: We retrieved 2843 records from 681 journals by 12307 authors from 2942 institutes in 99 countries. The number of published papers and citations had a roughly increasing trend annually. The United States and China contributed the majority of the records. Monash University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Karolinska Institute, University of São Paulo, and Tehran University of Medical Sciences were the biggest nodes in their cluster of the collaboration network map, and Moran LJ, Teede HJ, Joham AE, Escobar-Morreale HF, and Macut D were prolific authors. Research trends and hotspots were identified and visualized in the field of obesity and PCOS. Research hotspots in this field focused on insulin resistance (IR), metabolic syndrome, metformin, and inflammation. Bariatric surgery, mitochondrial dysfunction, binding globulins, and comorbidities may be the frontiers of future research. Conclusions: We concluded the research status and trends in the field of obesity and PCOS. A better understanding of collaboration patterns, research hotspots, and frontiers may be useful for researchers.

TyG Index Performs Better Than HOMA-IR in Chinese Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with a BMI < 35 kg/m2: A Hyperglycemic Clamp Validated Study

Background and objectives: Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients are characterized by a low body mass index (BMI), and significant insulin resistance (IR). The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index has not been studied as a means of assessing IR in Chinese T2DM patients with a BMI < 35 kg/m2. Materials and Methods: An open-label cross-sectional study recruited 102 Chinese T2DM patients with a BMI < 35 kg/m2. The hyper-insulinemic euglycemic clamp, homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), and TyG index were used to determine the level of IR. Based on Pearson's correlations, glucose disposal rate (GDR), TyG index, and HOMA-IR were analyzed. HOMA-IR and TyG index for IR were evaluated using multiple linear regression and multivariate logistic regression analyses. On the basis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cut-off value of HOMA-IR and the TyG index were determined. Results: The mean values of GDR, HOMA-IR, and TyG index were 4.25 ± 1.81, 8.05 ± 7.98, and 8.12 ± 0.86 mg/kg/min, respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient was −0.418 between GDR and TyG index and −0.324 between GDR and HOMA-IR. ROC curve analysis showed that, among both sexes, the TyG index was a better discriminator of IR than HOMA-IR. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the TyG index (0.785, 0.691−0.879) was higher than that of HOMA-IR (0.73, 0.588−0.873) in all genders. The optimal cut-off values of the TyG index and HOMA-IR were 7.99 and 3.39, respectively. Conclusions: The TyG index showed more effectiveness in identifying IR in Chinese T2DM patients with a BMI < 35 kg/m2 compared to HOMA-IR.

Bariatric Surgery Improves Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Bariatric surgery has been uncovered to relieve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with obesity, while current studies have neutral or opposite results. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of bariatric surgery on NAFLD in patients with obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central, and Web of Science databases were performed to obtain publications containing comparison results of liver biopsy before and after bariatric surgery in obesity. Primary outcomes were biopsy-confirmed remission of NAFLD and NAFLD activity scores. Secondary outcomes were liver function. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021240346. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies were included. After bariatric surgery, a biopsy-confirmed resolution of steatosis was improved in 56% of patients, ballooning degeneration in 49%, inflammation in 45%, and fibrosis in 25%. Bariatric surgery significantly decreased mean NAFLD activity scores. RYGB achieved the most obviously improvements in steatosis, and SG attained the most notably ameliorations in fibrosis. The percentage of patients with improved steatosis and hepatic fibrosis in Asian countries was higher than non-Asian countries. The reduction of ALT and AST was 11.95U/L and 6.44 U/L after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our study has revealed that bariatric surgery brought out significantly resolution of NAFLD in individuals with obesity. RYGB and SG have been proved to be of benefit to many hepatic parameters, and the improvement of liver steatosis and fibrosis, particularly in Asian countries. It is strongly suggested that bariatric surgery should be considered as a novel treatment for NAFLD.

Increased IRF9-STAT2 Signaling Leads to Adaptive Resistance toward Targeted Therapy in Melanoma by Restraining GSDME-Dependent Pyroptosis.

Melanoma is the leading cause of cutaneous malignancy death. BRAF inhibitors (BRAFis) have been developed as target therapies because nearly half of patients with melanoma have activating alterations in the BRAF oncogene. However, the fast-developed resistance to BRAFis limits their treatment efficacy. Understanding the molecular mechanism of resistance is vital to increase the success of clinical treatment. We searched three datasets (GSE42872, GSE52882, and GSE106321) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, which analyzed the mRNA expression profile of melanoma cells under BRAFis treatment, and the differentially expressed genes were identified. Among all the differentially expressed genes, the increased expression of IRF9 and STAT2 was prominent and verified to be upregulated in BRAFis-treated melanoma cells. Furthermore, IRF9 or STAT2 overexpression led to less sensitivity, whereas IRF9 or STAT2 knockdown increased sensitivity to BRAFis treatment. In a subcutaneous xenograft tumor model, we showed that IRF9 or STAT2 overexpression slowed BRAFis-induced tumor shrinking, but IRF9 or STAT2 knockdown led to BRAFis-induced tumor shrinking more quickly. Interestingly, we discovered that IRF9-STAT2 signaling controlled GSDME-dependent pyroptosis by restoring GSDME transcription. These results suggest that targeting IRF9/STAT2 may lead to more promising effective treatments to prevent melanoma resistance to BRAFis by inducing pyroptosis.

Preoperative circulating peroxiredoxin 1 levels as a predictor of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease remission after laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity and insulin resistance and can be improved after bariatric surgery. Circulating Peroxiredoxin 1 (Prdx1) protein was reported to regulate energy metabolism and inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the roles of serum prdx1 in NAFLD patients with obesity undergoing LSG and to develop a prognostic model to predict the remission of severe NAFLD. Methods: The data of 93 participants from a tertiary hospital were assessed. Before laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and three months after LSG, anthropometric parameters, laboratory biochemical data, and abdominal B-ultrasound results were collected, and their hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) were calculated. A NAFLD improvement (NAFLD-I) nomogram prediction model was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multiple regression, and its predictive ability was verified in a validation cohort. Results: The baseline Prdx1 (OR: 0.887, 95% CI: 0.816-0.963, p=0.004), preoperative TyG (OR: 8.207, 95% CI: 1.903-35.394, p=0.005) and HSI (OR: 0.861, 95% CI: 0.765-0.969, p=0.013) levels were independently associated with NAFLD-I at three months after LSG in NAFLD patients with obesity. In the primary and validation cohorts, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) of the developed nomogram model was 0.891 and 0.878, respectively. The preoperative circulating Prdx1 levels of NAFLD patients with obesity were significantly reduced after LSG (25.32 [18.99-30.88] vs. 23.34 [15.86-26.42], p=0.001). Prdx1 was related to obesity and hepatic steatosis based on correlation analysis. Conclusion: The nomogram based on preoperative serum prdx1, HSI and TyG could be an effective tool for predicting remission of severe NAFLD after LSG.

Insulin Resistance Remission Following Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Chinese Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients With a Body Mass Index of 27.5-32.5 kg/m2.

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) is closely associated with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, remission of insulin sensitivity after bariatric surgery in patients with T2DM and a body mass index (BMI) of 27.5-32.5 kg/m2 has not been fully elucidated. Methods: Thirty-six T2DM patients with a BMI of 27.5-32.5 kg/m2 were prospectively consecutively recruited for laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and other indicators were tested at baseline and 6 months postoperative. Glucose disposal rate (GDR), time to reach euglycemia, homeostatic model assessment of IR, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, 30-min insulinogenic index (IGI30), and disposition index (DI) were calculated at baseline and 6 months after surgery. The criterion for remission in T2DM patients was the achievement of the triple composite endpoint. Results: Anthropometric and glucolipid metabolism parameters significantly improved following surgery. The GDR increased significantly from baseline to 6 months after LRYGB (from 4.28 ± 1.70 mg/kg/min to 8.47 ± 1.89 mg/kg/min, p < 0.0001) and LSG (from 3.18 ± 1.36 mg/kg/min to 7.09 ± 1.69 mg/kg/min, p < 0.001). The TyG index decreased after surgery (RYGB group, from 9.93 ± 1.03 to 8.60 ± 0.43, p < 0.0001; LSG group, from 10.04 ± 0.79 to 8.72 ± 0.65, p = 0.0002). There was a significant reduction in the IGI30 (RYGB group, from 2.04 ± 2.12 to 0.83 ± 0.47, p = 0.005; LSG group, from 2.12 ± 1.73 to 0.92 ± 0.66, p = 0.001). The mean DI significantly increased from 1.14 ± 1.35 to 7.11 ± 4.93 in the RYGB group (p = 0.0001) and from 1.25 ± 1.78 to 5.60 ± 4.58 in the LSG group (p = 0.003). Compared with baseline, HOMR-IR, QUICKI, area under the curve-C-peptide release test (AUC-CRT), and AUC-OGTT were significantly changed at 6 months postoperative. Overall, 52.63% of patients in the LRYGB group versus 29.41% of patients in the LSG group achieved the triple composite endpoint. Conclusion: Both LRYGB and LSG effectively induced remission of IR in patients with T2DM and a BMI of 27.5-32.5 kg/m2.

Enhanced capacitive performance by improving the graphitized structure in carbon aerogel microspheres.

Herein, good electrical conductivity and high specific surface area carbon aerogel (CA) microspheres were synthesized by a facile and economical route using a high temperature carbonization and CO2 activation method. The electroconductive graphitized structure of the CA microspheres could be easily improved by increasing the carbonization temperature. Then the CA microspheres were activated with CO2 to increase the specific surface area of the electrode material for electric double layer capacitors (EDLC). The sample carbonized at 1500 °C for 0.5 h and CO2 activated at 950 °C for 8 h showed an acceptable specific surface area and excellent cycle performance and rate capability for EDLC: 98% of the initial value of the capacitance was retained after 10 000 cycles, a specific capacitance of 121 F g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 and 101 F g-1 at 2 A g-1.

Characterization of Laser-Resistant Port Wine Stain Blood Vessels Using In Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Port wine stain (PWS) is a congenital vascular malformation of the human skin. Laser is the treatment of choice for PWS. Laser-resistant PWS is one crucial factor accounting for inadequate treatment outcome, which needs to be fully characterized. This study aims to quantitatively characterize the morphology of laser-resistant PWS blood vessels in the upper papillary dermis using in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 42 PWS subjects receiving laser treatment from August 2016 through July 2018 were enrolled into this study. Thirty-three subjects had facial PWS; nine had extremity PWS. All subject's PWS received multiplex 585/1,064 nm laser treatment. RCM images were taken before and after treatment. The density, diameter, blood flow, and depth of PWS blood vessels were analyzed. RESULTS: We found 44.4% PWS on the extremities (four out of nine subjects) were laser-resistant, which was significantly higher (P < 0.001) when compared with those PWS on the face (15.2%, 5 out of 33 subjects). The laser-resistant facial PWS blood vessels had significantly higher blood flow (1.35 ± 0.26 U vs. 0.89 ± 0.22 U, P < 0.001), larger blood vessel diameters (109.60 ± 18.24 µm vs. 84.36 ± 24.04 µm, P = 0.033) and were located deeper in the skin (106.01 ± 13.87 µm vs. 87.82 ± 12.57 µm, P < 0.001) in the skin when compared with laser-responsive PWS on the face. The average PWS blood vessel density (17.01 ± 4.63/mm2 vs. 16.61 ± 4.44/mm2 , P = 0.857) was not correlated to the laser resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Laser-resistant PWS blood vessels had significantly higher blood flow, larger diameters, and were located deeper in the skin. RCM can be a valuable tool for a prognostic evaluation on laser-resistant lesions before treatment, thereby providing guidance for tailored laser treatment protocols, which may improve the therapeutic outcome. The limitations for this study include relative small sample size and acquisitions of different blood vessels before and after 2 months of treatment. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhanced Photothermal Effect in Ultralow-Density Carbon Aerogels with Microporous Structures for Facile Optical Ignition Applications.

The exact mechanism responsible for the phenomenon known as photoignition with an enhanced photothermal effect in high-surface-area carbon with the addition of a metal catalyst is an open issue. Here, we report the first successful flash ignition of a pure carbon material in ambient air microporous carbon aerogels (CAs) with ultralow density and high surface area. Under flash exposure, the CAs show a strong local heat confinement effect near microporous structures (0.6-2 nm), and the graphite crystallite structures existing in single carbon nanoparticles (∼15 nm) are damaged. The local heat confinement effects are mainly derived from the low gaseous thermal conductivity in micropores and low solid thermal conductivity in low-density CAs. In addition, the limiting effects of the microporous structure on the vibration amplitude of free-state electrons in low-density CAs result in a dramatic increase in optical absorption. Numerical simulations of unsteady temperature fields of CAs with different densities and thicknesses are also performed, and the calculated maximum temperature of a 17 µm-thick 20 mg/cm3 CA bed is 1782 °C. CAs with higher density can also give rise to enhanced photothermal response and ignition with the addition of metal Fe nanoparticles. The metal catalyst increases both the light absorption capacity in the visible-light range and the heat accumulation capacity. These results are important for understanding the mechanism of flash ignition, especially the local high temperature and effects of metal catalyst in carbon materials during the photothermal process.

Nitrogen-Doped Multi-Scale Porous Carbon for High Voltage Aqueous Supercapacitors.

Recently, "Water-in-salt" electrolyte has been reported to extend the working voltage of aqueous supercapacitor. However, this electrolyte needs the electrode materials possess some good features such as proper pore structure, high electron and ion conductivity. Herein, we fabricated the nitrogen-doped multi-scale porous carbon (NMC) by the simple enriching melamine-resorcinol-formaldehyde xerogels method with integrating triblock copolymer for micro-pores formation. All the results confirmed that our NMC is provided with a very high specific surface area (3,170 m2 g-1) and its monoliths are composed of multi-scale porous structure. By employing the nanostructured NMC as electrode materials, we have investigated the capability for high-voltage aqueous supercapacitor applications. The superconcentrated "Water-in-salt" electrolyte expand stability operating potential window of aqueous symmetric supercapacitor up to 2.4 V with a high energy density of 33 Wh kg-1 at power density of 0.3 kW kg-1. Our studies indicate that the NMC is potential materials for high performance over wider voltage range.

Fabrication of WO3·2H2O/BC Hybrids by the Radiation Method for Enhanced Performance Supercapacitors.

In this study, we described a facile process for the fabrication of tungsten oxide dihydrate/bamboo charcoal hybrids (WO3·2H2O/BC) by the γ-irradiation method. The structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of WO3·2H2O/BC hybrids were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The combination of BC (electrical double layer charge) and WO3·2H2O (pseudocapacitance) created a combined effect, which enhanced the specific capacitance and superior cyclic stability of the WO3·2H2O/BC hybrid electrode. The WO3·2H2O/BC hybrids showed the higher specific capacitance (391 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 over the voltage range from -1 to 0 V), compared with BC (108 F g-1) in 6 M KOH solution. Furthermore, the hybrid electrode showed superior long-term performance with 82% capacitance retention even after 10,000 cycles. The experimental results demonstrated that the high performance of WO3·2H2O/BC hybrids could be a potential electrode material for supercapacitors.

A Novel Radiation Method for Preparing MnO2/BC Monolith Hybrids with Outstanding Supercapacitance Performance.

A novel facile process for fabrication of amorphous MnO2/bamboo charcoal monolith hybrids (MnO2/BC) for potential supercapacitor applications using γ-irradiation methods is described. The structural, morphological and electrochemical properties of the MnO2/BC hybrids have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The combination of BC (electrical double layer charge) and MnO2 (pseudocapacitance) created a complementary effect, which enhanced the specific capacitance and good cyclic stability of the MnO2/BC hybrid electrodes. The MnO2/BC hybrids showed a higher specific capacitance (449 F g-1 at the constant current density of 0.5 A g-1 over the potential range from ⁻0.2 V to 0.8 V), compared with BC (101 F g-1) in 1 M of Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. Furthermore, the MnO2/BC hybrid electrodes showed superior cycling stability with 78% capacitance retention, even after 10,000 cycles. The experimental results demonstrated that the high performance of MnO2/BC hybrids could be a potential electrode material for supercapacitors.