Constructing a Stable Conductive Network for High-Performance Silicon-Based Anode in Lithium-Ion Batteries

The application of carbon nanotubes to silicon nanoparticles has been used to improve the electrical conductivity of silicon-carbon anodes and prevent agglomeration of silicon nanoparticles during cycling. In this study, the composites are synthesized through an uncomplicated technique that involves the ultrasonication mixing of pyrene derivatives and carbon nanotubes and the formation of complexes with silicon nanoparticles in ultrasonic dispersion and magnetic stirring and then treated under vacuum. When the prepared composites are applied as lithium-ion battery anodes, the Si@(POH-AOCNTs) electrode displays a high reversible capacity of 3254.7 mAh g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1. Furthermore, it exhibits excellent cycling stability with a specific capacity of 1195.8 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at 1.0 A g-1. The superior electrochemical performance may be attributed to a large π-conjugated electron system of pyrene derivatives, which prompts the formation of a homogeneous CNTs conductive network and ensures the effective electron transfer, while the interaction between hydroxyl functional groups of hydroxypyrene and binder synergizes with CNTs network to further enhance the cycling stability of the composite.

A Freestanding 3D Skeleton with Gradationally Distributed Lithiophilic Sites for Realizing Stable Lithium Anodes

Lithium (Li) metal anodes are drawing considerable attention owing to their ultrahigh theoretical capacities and low electrochemical reduction potentials. However, their commercialization has been hampered by safety hazards induced by continuous dendrite growth. These issues can be alleviated using the ZnO-modified 3D carbon-based host containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon felt (CF) fabricated by electroplating in the present study (denoted as ZnO/CNT@CF). The constructed skeleton has lithiophilic ZnO that is gradationally distributed along its thickness. The utilization of an inverted ZnO/CNT@CF-Li anode obtained by flipping over the carbon skeleton after Li electrodeposition is also reported herein. The synergistic effect of the Li metal and lithiophilic sites reduces the nucleation overpotential, thus inducing Li+ to preferentially deposit inside the porous carbon-based scaffold. The composite electrode compels Li to grow away from the separator, thereby significantly improving battery safety. A symmetric cell with the inverted ZnO/CNT@CF-Li electrode operates steadily for 700 cycles at 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2 . Moreover, the ZnO/CNT@CF-Li|S cell exhibits an initial areal capacity of 10.9 mAh cm-2 at a S loading of 10.4 mg cm-2 and maintains a capacity of 3.0 mAh cm-2 after 320 cycles.

Challenges of Treating Lung Cancer Patients at MR-Linac Using MR-Based Synthetic CT Calculation in the Adaptive Workflow

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Magnetic Resonance guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRgART) allows plan adaptation according to the new patient anatomy; the contours of the structures are adjusted based on the patient's daily MRI, and in the adapt to shape (ATS) workflow, the adapted plan is recalculated on the MRI-based synthetic CT (sCT) generated by bulk density assignment. For sites where there is a high electronic density (ED) gradient between the target and surrounding tissues, such as in lung cancer treatments, the assignment of an average ED may not be able to reproduce an accurate dose calculation. This study evaluates the accuracy of the sCT adapted plan calculation for lung cancer patients and assesses whether the assignment of an optimized ED can reduce dosimetric differences should they arise MATERIALS/METHODS: Nine lung cancer patients treated at Unity 1.5 MR-Linac were selected for this retrospective study. The patient's target and organs at risk (OARs) were contoured, and a CT reference plan containing the ED bulk assignment information i.e., the contours to use in the ATS workflow, and their corresponding average ED was generated. To assess the accuracy of the dosimetry of the adapted plan calculated on the sCT, the plan was recalculated on an ideal sCT (sCTref) obtained from the reference CT by forcing the drawn contours to the average ED as defined on the CT reference plan. Targets and OARs dose-volume histogram (DVH) of the CT and sCTref plans and the dose distributions using gamma (γ) analysis with 2%-2mm criteria were compared. In the case of a discrepancy between the DVHs, the average Eds used for the recalculation on the sCTref were adjusted by several attempts to obtain a sCT optimized (sCTopt) for which a superposition of DVHs on CT and sCTopt was achieved.

RESULTS

For 7 of the 9 patients CT and sCTref target DVHs were not comparable, with a mean dosimetric difference of 5.55% (range 2.35%-7.46%) in the target volume receiving the prescription dose (VDpre), while OARs DVH dose differences remained below 1% for the nine patients. The adjustment of the ED of the homolateral lung in the sCTopt, reduced the mean target VDpre dosimetric difference between CT and sCTopt to 0.66% (range 0.17%-1.64%). In addition, the results of the gamma analysis increased from values ranging between 39.5%-70.3% to 88.5%-93.2%, as shown in the Table.

CONCLUSION

Dosimetric errors in the use of the sCT calculation for targets in high ED gradient areas may arise; the use of optimized ED for sCT calculation may be a promising strand to investigate in order to proceed with MR-based sCT plan adaptation for lung cancer treatment.

Standard Therapy vs. Individualized Therapy in Elderly Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Real-World Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with/without induction chemotherapy has been the standard therapy (ST) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). However, most patients supporting these clinical trials were younger than 65 years of age. For the toxicity of CRT and the poor tolerance of elderly patients, it is still controversial whether ST could bring the most promising survival benefits for elderly NPC compared with individualized therapy (IT). Thus, in this real-world study we compared the survival and safety of ST with IT in elderly LA-NPC to explore an effective and tolerable treatment strategy for elderly LA-NPC.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 109 newly diagnosed elderly LA-NPC (>65 years old) from Jan. 2013-Jul. 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the ST group and IT group according to the original treatment tendency. ST refers to CRT with/without induction chemotherapy. IT group included patients not suitable for CRT and were given individualized treatment fully discussed by at least two oncologists from our head and neck team. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) generated a matched cohort of ST and IT. The survivals and treatment related toxicities were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were 46 cases in the ST group and 63 cases in the IT group. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate, cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate, progression- free survival (PFS) rate, local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rate and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rate were 68.64%, 76.42%, 73.69%, 85.67% and 86.82%, respectively. By 1:1PSM, 35 cases in each group were matched. No significant differences of OS, CSS, PFS, LRFS and DMFS were found between ST and IT groups in the PSM-matched cohorts (P = 0.87, P = 0.79, P = 0.51, P = 0.81 and P = 0.24, respectively). Compared with patients in the ST group, cases received IT were associated with less severe acute toxicities including anemia, leucopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia.

CONCLUSION

For elderly LA-NPC, IT had similar survivals while less severe toxicities compared with ST, which revolutionarily challenged the role of ST for elderly LA-NPC. In the future, more studies are need to explore a less toxic treatment modality with noninferior efficacy for elderly LA-NPC.

A Bifunctional Fluorine-Free Electrolyte Additive for Realizing Dendrite-Free Lithium Anodes

Owing to the strong energy advantage of lithium anodes, the development of lithium-metal batteries has become an inevitable trend. However, plagued by the instability of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) films, lithium metal anodes face challenges such as lithium dendrite formation and volume expansion. Studies have proven that modulating the composition and structure of SEI films by using electrolyte additives is a convenient and valid method. Currently, it is widely accepted that fluoride is an effective additive but, based on the high cost of fluoride production and environmental concerns, the development of fluoride-free additives is of great significance. In this work, the bifunctional additive N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) is proposed, which can build up a SEI layer that is rich in SiO_x and Li₃ N on the surface of the lithium anode to control the deposition behavior of lithium and clean the electrolyte of HF to protect the electrode. The experimental results indicate that BSA suppresses the generation of lithium dendrites and controls the volume expansion of lithium anodes. Moreover, compared with the commonly used carbonate electrolytes, the battery containing BSA has the best overall performance. Methodologically, the results can be extended to other additives containing Si-O functional groups to replace the same type of fluorine-containing additives.

N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide as an Effective Interface Film Additive on Lithium Anodes

Lithium anodes have attracted much attention because of their high energy density, but the existence of lithium dendrites tremendously limits their practical application. Herein, it is creatively proposed to employ N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) as an electrolyte additive to stabilize the solid electrolyte interface. BSTFA is reduced on the lithium anode surface prior to other components to form a passivation layer composed of LiF, Li₃N, and SiO_x, which not only significantly prevents the continuous consumption of the electrolyte and reduces side reactions but also effectively promotes the uniform deposition of lithium ions with fast Li⁺ transmission, thereby solving the problem of lithium dendrites. Electrochemical results indicate that BSTFA can obviously reduce polarization in a Li||Li battery at a current density of 1 mA cm^-2. Besides, an excellent cycling performance (107 mA h g^-1) and Coulombic efficiency (99%) can be obtained for a Li||LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ (NCM622) battery with 0.5 wt % BSTFA at 2 C after 200 cycles, even at a high NCM622 loading of 6 mg cm^-2.

Characterization of serum adiponectin and leptin in healthy perinatal dairy cows or cows with ketosis, and their effectson ketosis involved indices

We investigated changes in concentrations of ADP (adiponectin), LEP (leptin), BHBA (beta-hydroxybutyric acid), NEFA (non-esterified fatty acid), Glucose (Glu) and INS (insulin) in serum of healthy perinatal dairy cows and cows with ketosis. Twenty-one healthy cows and seventeen cows with ketosis from a herd of a total 60 Holstein cows (near dry period i.e. 56 days antepartum) were selected. Blood was collected through the tail vein every 7 days, from 56 day antepartum to 56 day postpartum. Serum ADP, LEP, BHBA, NEFA, Glu, and INS concentrations were determined, and ketosis was diagnosed through serum BHBA (≥1.2 mmol/L). We showed the concentration of serum adipokines and energy balancing indices were stable during antepar- tum period. However, ADP concentration increased while LEP decreased, and there were a significant increase in cows with ketosis compared to that of in healthy cows. Serum BHBA and NEFA concentrations increased significantly at first, and then gradually decreased in both healthy cows and cows with ketosis. However, cows with ketosis showed higher concentrations of BHBA and NEFA which restored later. The serum concentration of Glu in both healthy dairy cows and cows with ketosis showed a decreasing trend. INS concentration in healthy cows was decreased while it was increased in cows with ketosis. The results reflect the extent of hypo- glycemia and lipid mobilization postpartum, suggest IR exists in cows with ketosis while serum ADP and LEP might play roles in the development of ketosis.

Keratinocytes: innate immune cells in atopic dermatitis

The skin is a unique immune organ that constitutes a complex network of physical, chemical and microbiological barriers against external insults. Keratinocytes are the most abundant cell type in the epidermis. These cells form the physical skin barrier and represent the first line of the host defense system by sensing pathogens via innate immune receptors, initiating anti-microbial responses and producing various cytokines, chemokines and anti-microbial peptides, which are important events in immunity. A damaged epidermal barrier in atopic dermatitis allows the penetration of potential allergens and pathogens to activate keratinocytes. Among the dysregulation of immune responses in atopic dermatitis, activated keratinocytes play a role in several biological processes that contribute to the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the innate immune functions of keratinocytes in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, with a special emphasis on skin-derived anti-microbial peptides and atopic dermatitis-related cytokines and chemokines in keratinocytes. An improved understanding of the innate immunity mediated by keratinocytes can provide helpful insight into the pathophysiological processes of atopic dermatitis and support new therapeutic efforts.

Pomegranate-Like Structured Si@SiOx Composites With High-Capacity for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon anodes with an extremely high theoretical specific capacity of 4,200 mAh g^-1 have been considered as one of the most promising anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, the large volume expansion during lithiation hinders its practical application. In this work, pomegranate-like Si@SiO_x composites were prepared using a simple spray drying process, during which silicon nanoparticles reacted with oxygen and generated SiO_x on the surface. The thickness of the SiO_x layer was tuned by adjusting the drying temperature. In the unique architecture, the SiO_x which serves as the protection layer and the void space in pomegranate-like structure could alleviate the volume expansion during repeated lithium insertion/extraction. As a lithium-ion battery anode, pomegranate-like Si@SiO_x composites dried at 180°C delivered a high specific capacity of 1746.5 mAh g^-1 after 300 cycles at 500 mA g^-1.

Incidence and Risk Factors of In-Stent Restenosis for Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

In-stent restenosis affects long-term outcome in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

PURPOSE

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of in-stent restenosis.

DATA SOURCES

All literature that reported in-stent restenosis was searched on PubMed, Ovid EMBASE and Ovid MEDLINE data bases.

STUDY SELECTION

Original articles about stents for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis were selected.

DATA ANALYSIS

Meta-analysis was conducted to derive the pooled in-stent restenosis using a random-effects model. Meta-regression was performed to explore the risk factors predisposing to in-stent restenosis.

DATA SYNTHESIS

In total, 51 studies with 5043 patients were included. The pooled incidence rate of in-stent restenosis was 14.8% (95% CI, 11.9%-17.9%). Among the lesions with in-stent restenosis, 28.8% of them led to (95% CI, 22.0%-36.0%) related neurologic symptoms. The series in the United States had a higher in-stent restenosis rate (27.0%; 95% CI, 20.6%-33.9%) compared with those from Asia (13.6%; 95% CI, 10.3%-17.2%) and other regions as a whole (7.6%; 95% CI, 1.1%-18.1%) (P < .01). Multiregression analysis revealed that younger patient age was related to high in-stent restenosis rates (P = .019), and vertebrobasilar junction location (P = .010) and low residual stenosis (P = .018) were 2 independent risk factors for symptomatic in-stent restenosis rate.

LIMITATIONS

The heterogeneity of most outcomes was high.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed promising results of in-stent restenosis for symptomatic atherosclerotic stenosis. Studies are needed to further expatiate on the mechanisms by which younger patient age, vertebrobasilar junction location, and low residual stenosis could increase in-stent restenosis and symptomatic in-stent restenosis, respectively.

Relationship of adiponectin, leptin, visfatin and IGF-1 in cow's venous blood and venous cord blood with calf birth weight

The Intrauterine fetal development process is complicated and affected by many regulating factors such as maternal nutritional status, transcription factors and adipokines. Adipokines are kinds of active substances secreted by adipose tissue, including more than 50 kinds of molecules. To explore the correlation between calf birth weights and adipokines including adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and IGF-1 in cows venous and venous cord blood. Fifty-four healthy multiparous Chinese Holstein cows were used; in which, cows with a calf weight less than 40 kg were included in group A (n=9); those with a calf weight between 40 kg~45 kg were included in group B (n=25) and ≥45 kg were included in group C (n=20), venous blood and cord venous blood was collected. An ELISA kit was used to evaluate the concentration of adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and IGF-1, correlations between index-index and index-calf birth weight were analysed. In both cows venous and cord venous blood, adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and IGF-1 levels were significantly correlated with each other (p⟨0.01), and levels of these adipokines in venous blood were significantly higher than cord venous blood (p⟨0.01). Adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and IGF-1 in venous cord blood were positively correlated with calf birth weights, and significantly correlated with calf birth weights respectively (p⟨0.01). Our study showed that adiponectin, leptin, and IGF-1 were found in venous blood and cord venous blood, and adiponectin, leptin, and IGF-1 in venous and cord venous blood potentially inter-regulated each other; adiponectin, leptin, and IGF-1 in venous blood were not significantly correlated with calf birth weights, while adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and IGF-1 in venous cord blood were significantly correlated with calf birth weights, respectively.

Abstract PD8-11: APOBEC3 contributes to mutational load in breast cancer

Breast cancer results in large part from the accumulation of multiple mutations in premalignant cells, which provide a molecular basis for genetic diversity. This genetic diversity in premalignant cells allows selection for increased proliferation and survival and ultimately leads to invasion, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Recent genome-wide sequencing data showed that APOBEC3B (A3B) contributes to mutational load in breast cancer. A3B, a DNA cytosine deaminase, is overexpressed in more than 50% of breast tumors and more than 75% of breast cancer cell lines. Its overexpression and aberrant activation lead to unexpected clusters of mutations in the majority of breast cancers. This phenomenon of clustered mutations, termed kataegis (shower in Greek) forms a unique mutation signature in breast cancer. On the basis of the finding that A3B is a key molecular determinant of the mutator phenotype in breast cancer, the goal of our research is to utilize informatics tools to systematically characterize genetic alterations of APOBEC3 family proteins in breast cancer genomic data and define the molecular impact of altered APOBEC3 family proteins on mutability and anti-tumor immunity.

Our data showed that the mutation rate and copy number amplification/deletion of APOBEC3 genes are low. The levels of APOBEC3A (A3A) and A3B are highly correlated and are highest in Basal subtype and lowest in Luminal A tumors, in concordance with the proliferation of subtypes. Additionally, A3A and A3B are significantly correlated with total mutational load as well as with TP53 mutation, and with somatic copy number alterations (SCNA), especially focal SCNA. Among APOBEC3 genes, A3B is significantly associated DNA replication, DNA damage repair, cell cycle and proteasome signatures, and shows predictive and prognostic capacity in ER-positive patients. Interestingly, A3G expression is strongly associated with immune response signature genes in all breast tumors. Consequently, A3G is highly associated with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast and several other disease types.

In summary, our data demonstrate distinct expression pattern of APOBEC3 genes in different breast cancer subpopulations. Overexpression of different APOBEC3 family members leads to distinct molecular consequences. These data provide new molecular insights into pathophysiological functions of APOBEC3 genes in breast cancer and provide therapeutic opportunities for the breast cancer patients whose tumors have altered APOBEC3 expression levels and potentially are driven by APOBEC3 genes. Importantly, APOBEC3G is associated with evidence of immune activation that may signal responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Citation Format: Zhao W, Peng Y, Mills GB, Peng G. APOBEC3 contributes to mutational load in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD8-11.

Inhibition of DNA2 nuclease as a therapeutic strategy targeting replication stress in cancer cells

Replication stress is a characteristic feature of cancer cells, which is resulted from sustained proliferative signaling induced by activation of oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressors. In cancer cells, oncogene-induced replication stress manifests as replication-associated lesions, predominantly double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). An essential mechanism utilized by cells to repair replication-associated DSBs is homologous recombination (HR). In order to overcome replication stress and survive, cancer cells often require enhanced HR repair capacity. Therefore, the key link between HR repair and cellular tolerance to replication-associated DSBs provides us with a mechanistic rationale for exploiting synthetic lethality between HR repair inhibition and replication stress. DNA2 nuclease is an evolutionarily conserved essential enzyme in replication and HR repair. Here we demonstrate that DNA2 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancers, one of the deadliest and more aggressive forms of human cancers, where mutations in the KRAS are present in 90–95% of cases. In addition, depletion of DNA2 significantly reduces pancreatic cancer cell survival and xenograft tumor growth, suggesting the therapeutic potential of DNA2 inhibition. Finally, we develop a robust high-throughput biochemistry assay to screen for inhibitors of the DNA2 nuclease activity. The top inhibitors were shown to be efficacious against both yeast Dna2 and human DNA2. Treatment of cancer cells with DNA2 inhibitors recapitulates phenotypes observed upon DNA2 depletion, including decreased DNA double strand break end resection and attenuation of HR repair. Similar to genetic ablation of DNA2, chemical inhibition of DNA2 selectively attenuates the growth of various cancer cells with oncogene-induced replication stress. Taken together, our findings open a new avenue to develop a new class of anticancer drugs by targeting druggable nuclease DNA2. We propose DNA2 inhibition as new strategy in cancer therapy by targeting replication stress, a molecular property of cancer cells that is acquired as a result of oncogene activation instead of targeting currently undruggable oncoprotein itself such as KRAS.

Molecular Pathophysiology of Congenital Long QT Syndrome

Ion channels represent the molecular entities that give rise to the cardiac action potential, the fundamental cellular electrical event in the heart. The concerted function of these channels leads to normal cyclical excitation and resultant contraction of cardiac muscle. Research into cardiac ion channel regulation and mutations that underlie disease pathogenesis has greatly enhanced our knowledge of the causes and clinical management of cardiac arrhythmia. Here we review the molecular determinants, pathogenesis, and pharmacology of congenital Long QT Syndrome. We examine mechanisms of dysfunction associated with three critical cardiac currents that comprise the majority of congenital Long QT Syndrome cases: 1) IKs, the slow delayed rectifier current; 2) IKr, the rapid delayed rectifier current; and 3) INa, the voltage-dependent sodium current. Less common subtypes of congenital Long QT Syndrome affect other cardiac ionic currents that contribute to the dynamic nature of cardiac electrophysiology. Through the study of mutations that cause congenital Long QT Syndrome, the scientific community has advanced understanding of ion channel structure-function relationships, physiology, and pharmacological response to clinically employed and experimental pharmacological agents. Our understanding of congenital Long QT Syndrome continues to evolve rapidly and with great benefits: genotype-driven clinical management of the disease has improved patient care as precision medicine becomes even more a reality.

The Influenza A Virus Non-structural Protein NS1 Upregulates The Expression of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 Protein

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection induces a strong immune response and regulates the expression of many host proteins. The collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) protein is a secreted protein that exhibits increased expression during the viral infection process. However, the regulatory function of IAV on CTHRC1 expression is obscure. In this study, we investigated the effect of IAV on CTHRC1 expression and its regulatory mechanism. A total of 106 serum specimens from healthy people and 80 serum specimens from patients infected with IAV were collected. The CTHRC1 levels in the sera from the IVA patients and healthy individuals were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the differences were statistically analysed. A549 cells were infected with the IAV or delNS1 virus. Additionally, A549 cells were cotransfected with a eukaryotic non-structural NS1 protein gene expression plasmid and the CTHRC1 gene promoter reporter plasmid (pCTHRC1-Luc), and, the luciferase activities were assessed. The CTHRC1 mRNA and protein expression were detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. The serum CTHRC1 level was significantly higher in the IAV patients than in the healthy individuals. IAV upregulated the CTHRC1 mRNA and protein expression. The non-structural NS1 protein specifically activated CTHRC1 gene promoter activity and upregulated CTHRC1 mRNA and protein expression. The activation function had a dose-dependent effect, indicating that influenza virus upregulated CTHRC1 expression through its NS1 protein.

Facile Fabrication of Ethoxy-Functional Polysiloxane Wrapped LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 Cathode with Improved Cycling Performance for Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery

Dealing with the water molecule on the surface of LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM) cathode and hydrogen fluoride in the electrolyte is one of the most difficult challenges in Li-ion battery research. In this paper, the surface polymerization of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) on NCM to generate ethoxy-functional polysiloxane (EPS) wrapped NCM (E-NCM) cathode under mild conditions and without any additions is utilized to solve this intractable problem. The differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that the formed amorphous coating can provide a protective shell to improve the NCM thermal stability, suppress the thickening of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, and scavenge HF in the electrolyte. The E-NCM composite with 2 mol % EPS delivers a high discharge capacity retention of 84.9% after 100 cycles at a 1 C discharge rate in the 2.8-4.3 V potential range at 55 °C. Moreover, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements reveal that the EPS coating could alleviate the impedance rise during cycling especially at an elevated temperature. Therefore, the fabricated E-NCM cathode with long-term cycling and thermal stability is a promising candidate for use in a high-energy Li-ion battery.

Probenecid protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting lysosomal and inflammatory damage in rats

Probenecid has been used for decades to treat gout, and recent studies have revealed it is also a specific inhibitor of the pannexin-1 channel. It has been reported that the pannexin-1 channel is involved in ischemic injury. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effect and the possible mechanisms of action of probenecid in global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Twenty minutes of transient global cerebral I/R injury was induced using the four-vessel occlusion (4-VO) method in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Different doses of probenecid were administered intravenously, intraperitoneally, or by gavage before or after reperfusion. Probenecid via all three routes protected against CA1 neuronal death when given before reperfusion. This protective effect continued when probenecid was given at 2h after reperfusion, but not at 6h. Interestingly, the protective effect regained if probenecid was given continuously for 7days after reperfusion. The release of cathepsin B and overexpression of calpain-1 after reperfusion were inhibited, while the upregulation of Hsp70 was strengthened by probenecid pre-treatment. Furthermore, the activation and proliferation of microglia and astrocytes after I/R injury were suppressed by continuous given for 7days, but only partly by a single dose at 6h of reperfusion. Thus, our data indicate that probenecid protects against transient global cerebral I/R injury probably by inhibiting calpain-cathepsin pathway and the inflammatory reaction.

Efficacy and Safety of Abacavir Plus Lamivudine Versus Didanosine Plus Stavudine When Combined with a Protease Inhibitor, a Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, or Both in HIV-1 Positive Antiretroviral-Naive Persons

PURPOSE

The combination of abacavir + lamivudine (ABC+3TC) versus didanosine + stavudine (ddI+d4T), each combined with other classes of antiretrovirals (ARVs) in ARV-naive patients, was compared for the combined endpoint of time to plasma HIV RNA >50 copies/mL (at or after the 8-month visit) or death (primary endpoint) in a nested substudy of an ongoing multicenter randomized trial.

METHOD

The substudy enrolled 182 patients; mean HIV RNA and CD4+ cell counts at baseline were 5.1 log10 copies/mL and 212 cells/mm3, respectively.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 28 months, rates of primary endpoint were 57.2 and 67.8 per 100 person-years for the ABC+3TC and ddI+d4T groups (hazard ratio [HR]=0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-1.14, p=.23).

CONCLUSION

There was a trend for treatments containing ABC+3TC to be better than treatments containing ddI+d4T with respect to HIV RNA decreases, CD4+ cell count increases, and tolerability.

Effects of functional groups of graphene oxide on the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries

Graphene oxide (GO) with different ratios of functional groups is prepared via low temperature directional thermal reduction and re-oxidization by nitric acid.

Benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide induced p53-independent necrosis via the mitochondria-associated pathway involving Bax and Bak activation

Benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) is a highly reactive DNA damage agent and can induce cell death through both p53-independent and -dependent pathways. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of p53-independent pathways in BPDE-induced cell death. To understand the p53-independent mechanisms, we have now examined BPDE-induced cytotoxicity in p53-deficient baby mouse kidney (BMK) cells. The results showed that BPDE could induce Bax and Bak activation, cytochrome c release, caspases activation, and necrotic cell death in the BMK cells. Bax and Bak, two key molecules of mitochondrial permeability transition pore, were interdependently activated by BPDE, with Bax and Bak translocation to and Bax/Bak homo-oligomerization in mitochondria, release of cytochrome c was induced. Importantly, cytochrome c release and necrotic cell death were diminished in BMK cells (Bax−/−), BMK cells (Bak−/−), and BMK cells (Bax−/−/Bak−/−). Furthermore, overexpression of Bcl-2 could ameliorate BPDE-induced cytochrome c release and necrosis. Together the findings suggested that BPDE-induced necrosis was modulated by the p53-independent pathway, which was related to the translocation of Bax and Bak to mitochondria, release of cytochrome c, and activation of caspases.