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Imide electrolyte salts have received increasing interest in lithium-sulfur battery (LSB) research due to their oxidation capacity, thermal stability, and cycling stability. Although the ionic conductivity of imide electrolytes is moderate, a LSB with imide electrolyte salts exhibits improved charge-discharge (CD) cycling capacity and Coulombic efficiency. Here, we applied an effective strategy to suppress polysulfide dissolution by using a micelle-structured fluorinated ether-based additive (F4EO2) with lithium bis(trifluorosulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) electrolyte salts. In contrast to the LiFSI electrolyte, the LiTFSI imide electrolyte with F4EO2 additive shows a superior performance in terms of its compatibility with the lithium (Li)-metal anode, electrochemical stability, cycling stability, and high specific discharge capacity of ca. 1331 mAh/g using the sulfur/carbon (S/C) composite//electrolyte//Li-metal battery configuration at 0.1C. The LSB performance is enhanced with an increase of the concentration of the F4EO2 additive in the electrolyte solution. The results demonstrate that the electrolyte solution with the F4EO2 additive and LiTFSI salt improves the LSB performance by suppressing polysulfide dissolution and forming a favorable passivation layer on the Li-metal anode, leading to a specific discharge capacity of ca. 1221 mAh/g after 20 cycles and 950 mAh/g after 100 cycles (for T5FDLiTFSI), respectively, with a Coulombic efficiency of ca. 99.98% and 99.99% after 20 and 100 CD cycles, respectively.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) power virtually all modern portable devices and electric vehicles, and their ubiquity continues to grow. With increasing applications, however, come increasing challenges, especially when operating conditions deviate from room temperature. While high-temperature performance and degradation has been extensively studied in LIBs, sub-zero Celsius performance has received less attention, despite being critical for batteries in transportation roles. Although many individual processes contribute to the capacity loss commonly observed in LIBs at low temperatures, most of them are governed to some extent by the non-aqueous liquid electrolyte present throughout the cell interior. Therefore, electrolyte engineering presents an unparalleled opportunity to study and address the fundamental causes of low-temperature failure. In this review, we first briefly cover the various processes that determine lithium-ion performance below 0 °C. Then, we outline recent literature on electrolyte-based strategies to improve said performance, including various additives, solvents and lithium salts. Finally, we summarize these findings and provide some perspectives on the current state of the field, including promising new areas of investigation.

Non-aqueous electrolyte liquids such as carbonate solvents have been widely employed in the commercial lithium-ion batteries and in the development of next-generation rechargeable batteries. The decomposition products of the organic electrolyte and additive molecules contribute to the formation of solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) on the electrode surface, which have key impacts on battery's electrochemical performance. The rational engineering of electrolyte systems demands precise understanding of the electrochemical reaction pathways as well as the decomposition products of the electrolytes. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a well-established molecular analytical approach that can provide critical information for unambiguous structure assignment based on its mass-resolving power. In recent years, the application of MS for battery research has been expanding rapidly, providing valuable insights about the chemical species generated during battery operation and electrolyte evolution. This review aims to summarize the recent advances of MS technique-based analysis of electrolyte decomposition products as well as SEIs, and thus to demonstrate the high utility of MS methods for characterization of battery systems.

Owing to the negative impact of the extensive utilization of batteries on the environment, sustainability of the cells needs to be included in the systemic research of batteries. Herein, a dissolvable ionic crosslinked polymer (DICP) is exploited as a binder for lithium–sulfur batteries by crosslinking the polyacrylic acid and polyethyleneimine through carboxy-amino ionic interaction. This interaction is pH-controlled, and therefore, the crosslinked binder network can be readily dissociated under basic conditions, providing a facile strategy enabling valuable components recycled through a convenient washing method. The sulfur cathode prepared using the recycled carbon–sulfur composite can deliver comparable capacity as that of fresh electrode. In addition, evidence from cell performance and characterizations, such as in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, in situ UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculation, confirms that DICP is a more effective binder than its commercial counterpart on suppressing polysulfide dissolution in the electrolyte. Exploiting reversible crosslinked polymer binder for recyclable Li–S batteries with ameliorated electrochemical performance, this study illuminates sustainable development for large-scale energy storage systems.

The Li-S battery is a promising next-generation technology due to its high theoretical energy density (2600 Wh kg-1) and low active material cost. However, poor cycling stability and coulombic efficiency caused by polysulfide dissolution have proven to be major obstacles for a practical Li-S battery implementation. In this work, we develop a novel strategy to suppress polysulfide dissolution using hydrofluoroethers (HFEs) with bi-functional, amphiphlic surfactant-like design: a polar lithiophilic "head" attached to a fluorinated lithiophobic "tail." A unique solvation mechanism is proposed for these solvents whereby dissociated lithium ions are readily coordinated with lithiophilic "head" to induce self-assembly into micelle-like complex structures. Complex formation is verified experimentally by changing the additive structure and concentration using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). These HFE-based electrolytes are found to prevent polysulfide dissolution and to have excellent chemical compatibility with lithium metal: Li||Cu stripping/plating tests reveal high coulombic efficiency (>99.5%), modest polarization, and smooth surface morphology of the uniformly deposited lithium. Li-S cells are demonstrated with 1395 mAh g-1 initial capacity and 71.9% retention over 100 cycles at >99.5% efficiency-evidence that the micelle structure of the amphiphilic additives in HFEs can prohibit polysulfide dissolution while enabling facile Li+ transport and anode passivation.

Objective: Recent studies have found a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), especially B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (B‐NHL). However, most studies did not classify it and analyze the correlation between HBV and its various subtypes. Methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed 1424 patients with lymphoma. Differences in the prevalence of HBV infection in patients with different pathological types of lymphoma were analyzed. The clinical characteristics, progression‐free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) of HBV‐positive and negative B‐NHL subtypes were compared according to HBV infection. Results: The HBV infection rate in NHL patients was 7.65%, which was higher than that in HL patients (2.59%, p < 0.05). The HBV infection rate in the B‐NHL was higher than that in the T‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (T‐NHL) (8.14% vs. 4.95%). The HBV infection rate in the aggressive B‐NHL was similar to that of the indolent B‐NHL (8.30% vs. 7.88%), and the highest HBV infection rates were found in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, but no significant differences in clinical characteristics, PFS, and OS were seen between HBV‐positive and negative patients in the two subtypes. Conclusions: There was an association between HBV infection and the development of NHL and HBV infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of B‐NHL, but not T‐NHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High theoretical charge capacity (3,860 mAh g−1) and low redox potential (−3.04 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode) make lithium metal a promising anode for next‐generation high energy density battery. However, the practical implementation of Li‐metal anode is still elusive due to poor coulombic efficiency and cycling performance as well as safety concerns caused by lithium dendrite formation and poor compatibility of liquid electrolyte with lithium. In this work, we developed a strategy to control lithium deposition and growth by using surface modified electrodes coated by a conductive chelate compound tris‐(8‐hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) onto copper current collector. As a result, Alq3 exhibits good conductivity and electrochemical stability verified by cyclic voltammetry test. The Alq3 can modulate lithium metal growth on Cu surface, in addition, it demonstrates morphology control of deposited lithium by tuning variables such as current density and coating thickness. Optimal cycling stability and stable coulombic efficiency over 300 cycles are observed on the Li||Alq3/Cu cell at 50 nm coating thickness – an evidence shows controlled lithium deposition by this simple but effective surface modified electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follicular lymphoma (FL) has a high degree of heterogeneity both clinically and molecularly. Early treatment failure (ETF), progression or relapse within 24 months of frontline immunochemotherapy is associated with a poor prognosis in FL. However, the clinical utility of ETF at diagnosis is limited. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) is a metabolic parameter for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT); nevertheless, the relationship between SUVmax and ETF remains unclear. Thus, identifying early biomarkers that incorporate SUVmax and other clinical correlative variables could be helpful in identifying patients at high risk of ETF. A nomogram consisted of three independent variables, including SUVmax ≥ 12, beta-2 microglobulin > 3 mg/L, and Ki67 > 40%, was established to predict ETF in 127 patients with grade 1, 2, or 3a FL from the First Hospital of Jilin University (training cohort) and was validated using data from the Duke University Medical Center (validation cohort, n=95). The nomogram demonstrated prognostic accuracy in predicting ETF (sensitivity 70.8% and specificity 83.5% in the training cohort; sensitivity 84.2% and specificity 68.4% in the validation cohort). The patients were stratified into three groups: low-, intermediate-, and high-risk. In the training cohort, the corresponding 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 81.7%, 73.4%, and 34.9%, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 97.4%, 87.4%, and 62.3%, respectively. In the validation cohort, the 5-year PFS rates were 77.7%, 52.9%, and 34.8%, and the 5-year OS rates were 96.4%, 94.1%, and 73.7%, respectively. This was the first study to use a nomogram with SUVmax to predict ETF in FL to identify a subset of patients who might benefit from individualized targeted therapy., Competing Interests: None., (AJCR Copyright © 2022.)

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer (BC), accounts for 10%-20% of all BC cases. TNBC, which occurs more frequently in young women, is characterized by high rates of cell proliferation and metastasis and poor prognosis. Chemotherapy is the primary systemic therapeutic strategy for TNBC. However, chemotherapy is largely unsuccessful, and effective targeted therapies for TNBC have not been established. Therefore, it is a matter of great urgency to identify precise molecular targets for the promising prognosis of patients with TNBC. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), which are a type of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), are abundantly expressed in the eukaryotic cells and exhibit diverse cellular functions. The roles of circRNAs are to sponge microRNA or RNA-binding proteins, regulate gene expression, and serve as templates for translation. Here, we review the current findings on the potential of circRNAs as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarker for TNBC. However, further studies are essential to elucidate the functions of circRNAs in TNBC. This review also discusses the current limitations and future directions of TNBC-associated circRNAs, which can facilitate the translation of experimental research into clinical application., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Brachytherapy (BT) delivers integrated boost doses to the central tumor while sparing the surrounding organs at risk (OARs) efficiently. It's a mandatory treatment component for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) because it results in excellent overall survival and local control compared with other dose boosting modalities. Currently, BT is undergoing a transition from 2-dimensional (2D) to 3-dimensional (3D) treatment planning. Imaging-guided BT (IGBT) employing computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide exact individual delineation of target and OARs meanwhile prescribe the dose to the target volume instead of "point A" for X-ray-based BT. There are three main techniques for BT: intracavitary (IC), interstitial (IS), and intracavitary/interstitial (IC/IS) combination. The applicator choice depends on the specific tumor extension. The real-time transabdominal ultrasound (US)-guided applicator placement technique is strongly recommended to ensure ideal applicator positioning. MRI is the ideal standard imaging for BT owing to its superior soft tissue visualization than CT. However, CT-based BT is more often performed because of the availability. In developing countries, US-based BT can be adopted. For treatment planning, the applicator reconstruction is easier on CT than on MRI, because the applicator image is more clearly visible. Individual treatment planning should be performed for every single applicator insertion to ensure dose accuracy. In this review article, we explain the main clinical process and common techniques, including the applicator choice and placement, imaging techniques, target delineation, and treatment planning; asthose will help to improve the efficiency of 3D BT., Competing Interests: None., (AJCR Copyright © 2020.)

A compelling set of links between chemotherapy- or radiation-induced intestinal inflammation and microbial dysbiosis has emerged. It is the proportional imbalance between pathogenic and beneficial bacteria that aggravates intestinal mucositis. Bacteria that ferment fibers and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), (such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate) are typically reduced in the mucosa and feces of patients undergoing cancer therapy. In contrast, increasing lipopolysaccharide-producing bacteria result in proinflammatory events by interacting with Toll-like receptors. A collective acceptance is that bacterial metabolites are critical in recovering intestinal homeostasis. We herein review evidence supporting the positive roles carried out by SCFAs. SCFAs, acting as signaling molecules, directly activate G-coupled-receptors and inhibit histone deacetylases. Thus, SCFAs are able to strengthen the gut barrier and regulate immunomodulatory functions. Furthermore, it is possible to reverse intestinal microbial dysbiosis and subsequently suppress the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by directly applying SCFA-producing bacteria. In addition, anticancer effects of SCFAs have proved in the colorectal cancer. In this review, we discuss microbial dysbiosis and its impact on chemotherapy- or radiation-induced intestinal mucositis. Moreover, we summarize the mechanisms of SCFA production and its effects on intestinal mucositis. This review suggests the therapeutic potential of SCFAs for the management of chemotherapy- or radiation-induced intestinal inflammation., Competing Interests: None., (AJCR Copyright © 2020.)

During human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after umbilical cord blood or HLA-matched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a population of NKG2C-expressing natural killer (NK) cells expand and persist. The expanded NK cells express high levels of inhibitory killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) specific for self-HLA and potently produce IFNγ. However, it remains unknown whether similar events would occur after haploidentical HSCT (haplo-HSCT). Here, we demonstrated that IFNγ-producing NK cells were expanded in haplo-HSCT patients with CMV reactivation. We then identified these expanded cells as a subset of CD56dim NK cells that expressed higher levels of both NKG2C and KIR, but lower level of NKG2A. Functionally, the subset of NK cells expressing NKG2C and self-KIR in patients with CMV reactivation accounted for IFNγ production in response to K562 cells. However, these phenomena were not observed in patients without CMV reactivation. We therefore characterized a subset of NK cells with the CD56dim, NKG2C+, and self-KIR+ phenotype that expanded and were responsible for IFNγ production during CMV infection after haplo-HSCT. Together, these findings support a notion that CMV reactivation induces expansion of more mature NK cells with memory-like features, which contributes to long-term control of both CMV infection and leukemia relapse after haplo-HSCT.