A continuous covalent organic framework membrane as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase for lithium metal anodes.

Lithium (Li) metal is a promising next-generation anode material, but it suffers from dendrite growth and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). We developed a robust and continuous self-standing covalent organic framework (COF) membrane using a same-phase synthesis method and utilized the membrane as an artificial SEI. The membrane suppressed dendrite growth and enhanced the stability and longevity of Li metal anode cycling.

Anti-Wrinkle and Skin Moisture Efficacy of 7-MEGA: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Comparative Clinical Trial.

7-MEGA is a food product made from purified Alaska pollack fish oil containing palmitoleic acid (16:1), commonly referred to as omega-7. We sought to quantitatively evaluate whether this substance inhibits skin aging. A total of 101 middle-aged females were randomly allocated to the intervention ( = 50) or placebo group ( = 51).

The anti-obesity effect of mulberry leaf (Mori Folium) extracts was increased by bioconversion with Pectinex.

Mulberry leaf (Mori Folium) extract (MLE) is known to have anti-obesity effects. In this study, the enhanced effects of MLE after bioconversion treatment using Pectinex (BMLE) on obesity were explored, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated using the active components, neochlorogenic acid (5-CQA) and cryptochlorogenic acid (4-CQA), whose amounts were increased by bioconversion of MLE. Both MLE and BMLE inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes without cytotoxicity and suppressed the expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Migraine Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

: Migraine headaches are chronic neurological diseases that reduce the quality of life by causing severe headaches and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, such as facial flushing, nasal stuffiness, and sweating. Their major treatment methods include medication and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT has been used for pain treatment and various psychogenic neurological diseases by reducing pain, disability, and emotional disorders caused by symptoms of mental illness and improving the understanding of mental health.

A rare case of numerous thoracolithiasis with chest discomfort.

Thoracolithiasis is a rare benign condition with mobile free bodies in the pleural cavity. It is asymptomatic and mostly found incidentally. Up to our knowledge there is no report of symptomatic numerous thoracolithiasis.

Radiometallic Complexes of DO3A-Benzothiazole Aniline for Nuclear Medicine Theranostics.

To develop a radioactive metal complex platform for tumor theranostics, we introduced three radiopharmaceutical derivatives of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-trisacetic acid-benzothiazole aniline (DO3A-BTA, L1) labeled with medical radioisotopes for diagnosis (Ga/Cu) and therapy (Lu). The tumor-targeting ability of these complexes was demonstrated in a cellular uptake experiment, in which Lu-L1 exhibited markedly higher uptake in HeLa cells than the Lu-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid complex. According to in vivo positron emission tomography imaging, high accumulation of Ga-L1 and Cu-L1 was clearly visualized in the tumor site, while Lu-L1 showed therapeutic efficacy in therapy experiments.

Ipsilateral pleural recurrence after diagnostic transthoracic needle biopsy in pathological stage I lung cancer patients who underwent curative resection.

Objectives: The relationship between transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) and pleural recurrence of cancer after curative lung resection remains unclear. We aimed to assess whether TTNB increases the ipsilateral pleural recurrence (IPR) rate and identify other potential risk factors for pleural recurrence after surgery.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 392 patients with p-stage I non-small cell lung cancer with solid or part-solid nodules after curative lung resection in 2009-2010.

Gadolinium Complex of 1,4,7,10-Tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-trisacetic Acid (DO3A)-Ethoxybenzyl (EOB) Conjugate as a New Macrocyclic Hepatobiliary MRI Contrast Agent.

We report the synthesis of a macrocyclic Gd chelate based on a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-trisacetic acid (DO3A) coordinationn cage bearing an ethoxybenzyl (EOB) moiety and discuss its use as a T hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. The new macrocyclic liver agent shows high chelation stability and high r relaxivity compared with linear-type Gd chelates, which are the current clinically approved liver agents. Our macrocyclic, liver-specific Gd chelate was evaluated in vivo through biodistribution analysis and liver MRI, which demonstrated its high tumor detection sensitivity and suggested that the new Gd complex is a promising contrast agent for liver cancer imaging.

Manganese Complex of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)-Benzothiazole Aniline (BTA) Conjugate as a Potential Liver-Targeting MRI Contrast Agent.

A novel manganese(II) complex based on an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) coordination cage bearing a benzothiazole aniline (BTA) moiety (Mn-EDTA-BTA) was designed and synthesized for use as a liver-specific MRI contrast agent with high chelation stability. In addition to forming a hydrophilic, stable complex with Mn, this new Mn chelate was rapidly taken up by liver hepatocytes and excreted by the kidneys and biliary system. The kinetic inertness and R relaxivity of the complex were much higher than those of mangafodipir trisodium (MnDPDP), a clinically approved liver-specific MRI contrast agent.

Synthesis of nanoparticle CT contrast agents: and studies.

Water-soluble and biocompatible D-glucuronic acid coated NaWO and BaCO nanoparticles were synthesized for the first time to be used as x-ray computed tomography (CT) contrast agents. Their average particle diameters were 3.2 ± 0.

Gadolinium Nanoparticles Conjugated with Therapeutic Bifunctional Chelate as a Potential T1 Theranostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Agent.

This work is directed toward the synthesis of two types of gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (Gd-oxide NPs), abbreviated as Gd@SiO2-DO3A and Gd@SiO2-DO2A-BTA, with diameters of 50-60 nm. The synthesis involves sequential coating of Gd-oxide NPs with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES), followed by functionalization of the aminopropylsilane group with 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) or 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-trisacetic acid conjugates of benzothiazoles (DO3A-BTA). Gd@SiO2-DO3A and Gd@SiO2-DO2A-BTA exhibit high water solubility and colloidal stability.

Synthesis, Magnetic Properties, Map Images, and Water Proton Relaxivities of D-Glucuronic Acid Coated Ln2O3 Nanoparticles (Ln = Ho and Er).

T2 MRI contrast agents cannot be synthesized by using molecules but nanoparticles because appreciable magnetic moments at room temperature are needed. Recently, some of lanthanide (Ln) oxide nanoparticles have shown decent magnetic moments at room temperature and even at ultrasmall particle diameters. In this study, we explored D-glucuronic acid coated Ln2O3 nanoparticles (Ln = Ho and Er) with ultrasmall particle diameters.

Dual-mode T1 and T2 magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent based on ultrasmall mixed gadolinium-dysprosium oxide nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and in vivo application.

A new type of dual-mode T1 and T2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent based on mixed lanthanide oxide nanoparticles was synthesized. Gd(3+) ((8)S7/2) plays an important role in T1 MRI contrast agents because of its large electron spin magnetic moment resulting from its seven unpaired 4f-electrons, and Dy(3+) ((6)H15/2) has the potential to be used in T2 MRI contrast agents because of its very large total electron magnetic moment: among lanthanide oxide nanoparticles, Dy2O3 nanoparticles have the largest magnetic moments at room temperature. Using these properties of Gd(3+) and Dy(3+) and their oxide nanoparticles, ultrasmall mixed gadolinium-dysprosium oxide (GDO) nanoparticles were synthesized and their potential to act as a dual-mode T1 and T2 MRI contrast agent was investigated in vitro and in vivo.

Characterization of gastrointestinal disorders in patients with parkinsonian syndromes.

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) compared with those in patients with other parkinsonian disorders, and to characterize parkinsonian motor and non-motor correlates for GI dysfunction.

Methods: Consecutive patients with PD, atypical parkinsonism (P-plus) and vascular parkinsonism (VP) were enrolled in this multicenter systematic survey. Data for weight loss, appetite loss, sialorrhea, dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and constipation were simultaneously collected using symptom-specific, structured questionnaires.

Improved tumor-targeting MRI contrast agents: Gd(DOTA) conjugates of a cycloalkane-based RGD peptide.

Two new MRI contrast agents, Gd-DOTA-c(RGD-ACP-K) (1) and Gd-DOTA-c(RGD-ACH-K) (2), which were designed by incorporating aminocyclopentane (ACP)- or aminocyclohexane (ACH)-carboxylic acid into Gd-DOTA (gadolinium-tetraazacyclo dodecanetetraacetic acid) and cyclic RGDK peptides, were synthesized and evaluated for tumor-targeting ability in vitro and in vivo. Binding affinity studies showed that both 1 and 2 exhibited higher affinity for integrin receptors than cyclic RGDyK peptides, which were used as a reference. These complexes showed high relaxivity and good stability in human serum and have the potential to improve target-specific signal enhancement in vivo MR images.

Cyclic RGD Peptides Incorporating Cycloalkanes: Synthesis and Evaluation as PET Radiotracers for Tumor Imaging.

Two new bicyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptides, c(RGD-ACP-K) (1a) and c(RGD-ACH-K) (1b), incorporating the aminocyclopentane (ACP) and aminocyclohexane (ACH) carboxylic acids, respectively, were synthesized by grafting the aminocycloalkane carboxylic acids onto the tetra-peptide RGDK sequence. These peptides and their conjugates with DO3A (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-trisacetic acid) (2a-b) exhibit high affinity toward U87MG glioblastoma cells. Their affinity is greater than that exhibited by c(RGDyK).

Effect of carbon black materials on the electrochemical properties of sulfur-based composite cathode for lithium-sulfur cells.

To investigate the effect of the electrode materials on the electrochemical performance of Li-S cells, sulfur cathodes were constructed using four types of carbon blacks: Ketjenblack EC-600JD (KB-600), Printex XE-2, Cabot BP-2000, and Super-P. It was found that the electrochemical performance of sulfur cathode was strongly dependent on the type of carbon black used. In the first discharge, the sulfur cathodes containing carbon blacks with a high surface area, KB-600 (SBET = 1270 m2/g), Printex XE-2 (SBET = 950 m2/g), or Cabot BP-2000 (SBET = 1487 m2/g), showed much higher discharge capacities (>1200 mA h/g) than the sulfur cathode (710 mA h/g) with Super-P (SBET = 62 m2/g).

Surface coated Eu(OH)3 nanorods: a facile synthesis, characterization, MR relaxivities and in vitro cytotoxicity.

The water-soluble and biocompatible D-glucuronic acid coated Eu(OH)3 nanorods (average thickness x average length = 9.0 x 118.3 nm) have been prepared in one-pot synthesis.

Mixed lanthanide oxide nanoparticles as dual imaging agent in biomedicine.

There is no doubt that the molecular imaging is an extremely important technique in diagnosing diseases. Dual imaging is emerging as a step forward in molecular imaging technique because it can provide us with more information useful for diagnosing diseases than single imaging. Therefore, diverse dual imaging modalities should be developed.

Gadolinium complex of DO3A-benzothiazole aniline (BTA) conjugate as a theranostic agent.

A gadolinium complex of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-trisacetic acid (DO3A) and benzothiazole-aniline (BTA) of the type [Gd(DO3A-BTA)(H2O)] has been prepared for use as a single molecule theranostic agent. The kinetic inertness and r1 relaxivity (= 3.84 mM(-1) s(-1)) of the complex compare well with those of structurally analogous Gd-DOTA.

Toxicity of magnetic resonance imaging agents: small molecule and nanoparticle.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents have been used routinely for more than 20 years in order to increase sensitivity and specificity of lesion detection. MRI contrast agents (CAs) are usually categorized according to their magnetic behavior, biodistribution, and effect on the MR image. Typically, small molecular-weight gadolinium based CAs are examples of T1 agents, while magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) based CAs are examples of T2 agents.

Gadolinium oxide nanoparticles as potential multimodal imaging and therapeutic agents.

Potentials of hydrophilic and biocompatible ligand coated gadolinium oxide nanoparticles as multimodal imaging agents, drug carriers, and therapeutic agents are reviewed. First of all, they can be used as advanced T1 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents because they have r1 larger than those of Gd(III)-chelates due to a high density of Gd(III) per nanoparticle. They can be further functionalized by conjugating other imaging agents such as fluorescent imaging (FI), X-ray computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emission tomography (SPECT) agents.

Gadolinium Complex of (125)I/(127)I-RGD-DOTA Conjugate as a Tumor-Targeting SPECT/MR Bimodal Imaging Probe.

The work describes the synthesis and in vivo application of [Gd(L)(H2O)]·xH2O, where L is a ((125)I/(127)I-RGD)- DOTA conjugate, as a tumor-targeting SPECT/MR bimodal imaging probe. Here, ((125)I/(127)I-RGD)-DOTA signifies a "cocktail mixture" of radioisotopic (1a, L = (125)I-RGD-DOTA) and natural (1b, L = (127)I-RGD-DOTA) Gd complexes. The two complexes are chemically equivalent as revealed by HPLC, and their cocktail mixture exhibits the integrin-specific tumor enhancement, demonstrating that they constitute essentially a single bimodal imaging probe.