Revitalizing zinc-ion batteries with advanced zinc anode design.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have attracted significant attention in large-scale energy storage systems due to their unique merits, such as intrinsic safety, low cost, and relatively high theoretical energy density. However, the dilemma of the uncontrollable Zn dendrites, severe hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and side reactions that occur on the Zn anodes have hindered their commercialization. Herein, a state-of-the-art review of the rational design of highly reversible Zn anodes for high-performance AZIBs is provided.

Thermal-Stable Separators: Design Principles and Strategies Towards Safe Lithium-Ion Battery Operations.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are momentous energy storage devices, which have been rapidly developed due to their high energy density, long lifetime, and low self-discharge rate. However, the frequent occurrence of fire accidents in laptops, electric vehicles, and mobile phones caused by thermal runaway of the inside batteries constantly reminds us of the urgency in pursuing high-safety LIBs with high performance. To this end, this Review surveyed the state-of-the-art developments of high-temperature-resistant separators for highly safe LIBs with excellent electrochemical performance.

Dual-Regulation Strategy to Improve Anchoring and Conversion of Polysulfides in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The sluggish reaction kinetics at the cathode/electrolyte interface of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries limits their commercialization. Herein, we show that a dual-regulation system of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) and octafluoronaphthalene (OFN) decorated on graphene (Gh), denoted as Gh/FePc+OFN, accelerates the interfacial reaction kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). Multiple spectroscopy techniques and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with density functional theory calculations demonstrate that FePc acts as an efficient anchor and scissor for the LiPSs through Fe···S coordination, mainly facilitating their liquid-liquid transformation, whereas OFN enables Li-bond interaction with the LiPSs, accelerating the kinetics of the liquid-solid nucleation and growth of LiS.

Titanium silicalite as a radical-redox mediator for high-energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are receiving intense interest owing to their high energy densities, cost effectiveness, and the natural abundance of sulfur. However, practical applications are still limited by rapid capacity decay caused by multielectron redox reactions and complex phase transformations. Here, we include commercially available titanium silicalite-1 (TS-1) in carbon/sulfur cathodes, to introduce strong chemical interactions between the lithium polysulfides (LiPS) and TS-1 in a working Li-S battery.

Interfacial Molecule Mediators in Cathodes for Advanced Li-S Batteries.

The complicated reactions at the cathode-electrolyte interface in Li-S batteries are a large barrier for their successful commercialization. Herein, we developed a molecular design strategy and employed three small molecules acting as interfacial mediators to the cathodes of Li-S batteries. The theoretical calculation results show that the incorporation of tris(4-fluorophenyl)phosphine (TFPP) has a strong binding performance.

3D CNTs/Graphene-S-AlNi Cathodes for High-Sulfur-Loading and Long-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries suffer from poor cycling stability at high areal sulfur loadings (ASLs) mainly because of the infamous shuttle problem and the increasing diffusion distance for ions to diffuse along the vertical direction of the cathode plane. Here, a carbon nanotube (CNT)/graphene (Gra)-S-AlNi cathode with 3D network structure is designed and prepared. The 3D network configuration and the Al in the AlNi provide an efficient channel for fast electron and ion transfer in the three dimensions, especially along the vertical direction of the cathode.

KIR 2D (L1, L3, L4, S4) and KIR 3DL1 protein expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Nature killer (NK) cells are the immune system's first line of defense against both viral infections and tumors. Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are associated with susceptibility to different types of cancers. We investigated KIR 2D (L1, L3, L4, S4) and KIR 3DL1 protein expression and their association with survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Hepatic Metastases is Associated with Poor Efficacy of Erlotinib as 2nd/3rd Line Therapy in Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-mediated mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition factor (MET) gene amplification is a common mechanism for acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). MET gene amplification has also been associated with hepatic metastases in patients with lung cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hepatic metastases are associated with decreased efficacy of erlotinib in patients with adenocarcinoma.

Fifth-generation digital immunoassay for prostate-specific antigen by single molecule array technology.

Background: Measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer patients following radical prostatectomy (RP) has been hindered by the limit of quantification of available assays. Because radical prostatectomy removes the tissue responsible for PSA production, postsurgical PSA is typically undetectable with current assay methods. Evidence suggests, however, that more sensitive determination of PSA status following RP could improve assessment of patient prognosis and response to treatment and better target secondary therapy for those who may benefit most.

Clinical evaluation of a novel method for the measurement of prostate-specific antigen, AccuPSA(TM) , as a predictor of 5-year biochemical recurrence-free survival after radical prostatectomy: results of a pilot study.

Study Type - Diagnostic (validating cohort) Level of Evidence 1b What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Nadir Ultrasensitive PSA levels has some value for predicting BCR following RD. AccuPSA assays lower limit of PSA quantification of <0.01 pg/ml greatly enhances sensitivity and specificity of nadir PSA to predict BCR following RP.

Expanding pediatric orthopaedic trauma volume at a pediatric level 1 trauma hospital.

Background: Trauma continues to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children. There is a perception among pediatric orthopaedists that the volume of pediatric orthopaedic trauma care is increasing. We hypothesized that the change in trauma volume was greater than the local and regional population change.

Potent activity of indolequinones against human pancreatic cancer: identification of thioredoxin reductase as a potential target.

The indolequinone ES936 {5-methoxy-1,2-dimethyl-3-[(4-nitrophenoxy)methyl]indole-4,7-dione} was previously developed in our lab as an antitumor agent against pancreatic cancer. The objective of this study was to identify indolequinones with improved potency against pancreatic cancer and to define their mechanisms of action. Pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2, and BxPC-3 were used in in vitro assays [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) and clonogenic assays]; indolequinones displayed potent cytotoxicity against all three cell lines, and two specific classes of indolequinone were particularly potent agents.

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition predicts gefitinib resistance in cell lines of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma.

The modest response of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) to epithelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as gefitinib and erlotinib indicates the need for the development of biomarkers to predict response. We determined gefitinib sensitivity in a panel of HNSCC cell lines by a 5-day 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and confirmed these responses with analysis of downstream signaling by immunoblotting and cell cycle arrest. Basal gene expression profiles were then determined by microarray analysis and correlated with gefitinib response.

Prevention and early detection of ovarian cancer: mission impossible?

Epithelial ovarian cancer is neither a common nor a rare disease. In the United States, the prevalence of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women (1 in 2,500) significantly affects strategies for prevention and detection. If chemoprevention for ovarian cancer were provided to all women over the age of 50, side effects would have to be minimal in order to achieve an acceptable ratio of benefit to risk.

ZD1839, a selective epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, alone and in combination with radiation and chemotherapy as a new therapeutic strategy in non-small cell lung cancer.

The epidermal growth factor receptor is overexpressed in a majority of non-small cell lung cancers and has been associated with a poor prognosis. Preclinical studies have shown that ZD1839, an oral anilinoquinazoline, targets the epidermal growth factor receptor-associated tyrosine kinase, reversibly inhibiting critical downstream signaling and resulting in cancer cell growth arrest. Potent antitumor effects have been observed in human lung tumor xenograft models.