ABSTRACT
Li-S batteries have received significant attention owing to their high energy density, nontoxicity, low cost, and eco-friendliness. However, the dissolution of lithium polysulfide during the charge/discharge process and its extremely low electron conductivity hinder practical applications of Li-S batteries. Herein, we report a sulfur-infiltrated carbon cathode material with a spherical morphology and conductive polymer coating. The material was produced via a facile polymerization process that forms a robust nanostructured layer and physically prevents the dissolution of lithium polysulfide. The thin double layer composed of carbon and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) provides sufficient space for sulfur storage and effectively prevents the elution of polysulfide during continuous cycling, thereby playing an essential role in increasing the sulfur utilization rate and significantly improving the electrochemical performance of the battery. Sulfur-infiltrated hollow carbon spheres with a conductive polymer layer demonstrate a stable cycle life and reduced internal resistance. The as-fabricated battery demonstrated an excellent capacity of 970 mA h g-1 at 0.5 C and a stable cycle performance, exhibiting â¼78% of the initial discharge capacity after 50 cycles. This study provides a promising approach to significantly improve the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries and render them as valuable and safe energy devices for large-scale energy storage systems.
ABSTRACT
SoxD transcription factor subfamily includes three members, Sox5, Sox6, and Sox13. Like other Sox genes, they contain the High-Mobility-Group (HMG) box as the DNA binding domain but in addition feature the subgroup-specific leucine zipper motif. SoxD genes are expressed in diverse cell types in multiple organs during embryogenesis and in adulthood. Among the cells expressing them are those present in the developing nervous system including neural stem (or progenitor) cells as well as differentiating neurons and oligodendrocytes. SoxD transcription factors do not contain distinct activator or repressor domain, and they are believed to function in modulation of other transcription factors in promoter- specific manners. This brief review article will attempt to summarize the latest studies on the function of SoxD genes in embryogenesis with a particular emphasis on the regulation of neural development.
Subject(s)
Female , Pregnancy , DNA , Embryonic Development , Leucine Zippers , Nervous System , Neural Stem Cells , Neurons , Oligodendroglia , SOXD Transcription Factors , Transcription FactorsABSTRACT
A 36-year-old primivida, at 29 weeks of pregnancy with no smoking history, was admitted to the hospital complaining of cough for 3 days. Chest X-rays revealed atelectasis of the right upper lobe, and a transbronchial lung biopsy confirmed primary lung adenocarcinoma. After consulting with obstetricians and neonatologists, we wanted to deliver the child and treat the mother with chemoradiotherapy. But as she was adamantly opposed to treatment until fetal lung maturation was complete, we planned to delay the birth until 34 weeks, deliver the baby by caesarian section, and then treat the mother. However, maternal hypoxia and fetal distress resulted in an emergency delivery at 30 weeks. After delivery, we treated the mother's brain metastases with radiation therapy and systemic cisplatin-pemetrexed, but she deteriorated and expired 95 days after the diagnosis. Lung cancer during pregnancy is a rare disease and raises many medical and ethical issues in deciding the best course of therapy. We describe our clinical approach and review the potentially challenging features of managing a pregnant patient with lung cancer.
Subject(s)
Adult , Child , Humans , Pregnancy , Adenocarcinoma , Hypoxia , Biopsy , Brain , Chemoradiotherapy , Cough , Emergencies , Fetal Distress , Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Mothers , Neoplasm Metastasis , Parturition , Pulmonary Atelectasis , Rare Diseases , Smoke , Smoking , ThoraxABSTRACT
A 36-year-old primivida, at 29 weeks of pregnancy with no smoking history, was admitted to the hospital complaining of cough for 3 days. Chest X-rays revealed atelectasis of the right upper lobe, and a transbronchial lung biopsy confirmed primary lung adenocarcinoma. After consulting with obstetricians and neonatologists, we wanted to deliver the child and treat the mother with chemoradiotherapy. But as she was adamantly opposed to treatment until fetal lung maturation was complete, we planned to delay the birth until 34 weeks, deliver the baby by caesarian section, and then treat the mother. However, maternal hypoxia and fetal distress resulted in an emergency delivery at 30 weeks. After delivery, we treated the mother's brain metastases with radiation therapy and systemic cisplatin-pemetrexed, but she deteriorated and expired 95 days after the diagnosis. Lung cancer during pregnancy is a rare disease and raises many medical and ethical issues in deciding the best course of therapy. We describe our clinical approach and review the potentially challenging features of managing a pregnant patient with lung cancer.
Subject(s)
Adult , Child , Humans , Pregnancy , Adenocarcinoma , Hypoxia , Biopsy , Brain , Chemoradiotherapy , Cough , Emergencies , Fetal Distress , Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Mothers , Neoplasm Metastasis , Parturition , Pulmonary Atelectasis , Rare Diseases , Smoke , Smoking , ThoraxABSTRACT
Typhlitis is a necrotizing colitis that usually occurs in neutropenic patients and develops most often in patients with hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma. Typhlitis may proceed to bowel perforation, peritonitis and sepsis, which requires immediate treatment. Irinotecan is a semisynthetic analogue of the natural alkaloid camptothecin which prevents DNA from unwinding by inhibition of topoisomerase I. It is mainly used in colon cancer and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), of which the most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal toxicities. To the best of our knowledge, no case of typhlitis after chemotherapy with a standard dose of irinotecan in a solid tumor has been reported in the literature. We, herein, report the first case of typhlitis developed after chemotherapy combining irinotecan and cisplatin in a patient with SCLC.
Subject(s)
Humans , Camptothecin , Cisplatin , Colitis , Colonic Neoplasms , DNA , DNA Topoisomerases, Type I , Hematologic Neoplasms , Leukemia , Lymphoma , Peritonitis , Sepsis , Small Cell Lung Carcinoma , TyphlitisABSTRACT
Cardiac conduction system impairment is a rare clinical manifestation of Behcet's disease. We report a patient who showed 1st degree atrioventricular block at first presentation, and showed aggravated finding of 3rd degree atrioventricular block on five months later. His cardiac manifestation finally developed to acute severe aortic regurgitation on six months later from his first cardiac manifestation. We observed this rapid progression during 6 months and successfully improved symptom and disease severity of the patient with treatment targeting Behcet's disease.
Subject(s)
Humans , Aortic Valve , Aortic Valve Insufficiency , Atrioventricular BlockABSTRACT
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is occasionally accompanied by hematological malignancies such as myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myelogenous leukemia, or multiple myeloma. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder associated with Philadelphia chromosome and is usually treated with imatinib, which inhibits tyrosine kinases. Although there have been reports of CML cases accompanied by several rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Behcet's disease, systemic sclerosis, or undifferentiated spondylopathy, no studies have reported a case of CML with AS. We experienced a 50-year-old male patient who presented with buttock and low back pain and was diagnosed with both AS and CML. Magnetic resonance imaging showed sacroiliitis along with abnormal marrow infiltration, and a bone marrow biopsy confirmed the CML diagnosis. He was treated with imatinib, which was effective for the CML but not for the AS. This is the first case report of AS accompanied by CML.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Arthritis, Rheumatoid , Benzamides , Biopsy , Bone Marrow , Buttocks , Hematologic Neoplasms , Imatinib Mesylate , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Low Back Pain , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Multiple Myeloma , Myelodysplastic Syndromes , Myeloproliferative Disorders , Philadelphia Chromosome , Phosphotransferases , Piperazines , Pyrimidines , Rheumatic Diseases , Sacroiliitis , Scleroderma, Systemic , Spondylitis, Ankylosing , TyrosineABSTRACT
A traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst is a rare complication of blunt thoracic trauma. The clinical symptoms and signs are similar to other respiratory diseases, such as pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, a trauma history with the resulting radiologic and clinical findings is important for making a diagnosis. A 26-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to cough for 3 days. The chest x-ray revealed diffuse infiltrations and a cavitary lesion at the left lung. His left chest had hit a tree as a result of motorcycle accident one day before admission. Initially, it was assumed that his symptoms and chest X-ray might be due to a tuberculosis infection. However, bronchoscopy revealed old blood clots at both lungs, particularly in the left lower lobe bronchus. A transbronchial lung biopsy showed alveolar hemorrhage. A traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst was diagnosed from his trauma history and these findings. Computed tomography of the chest performed 4 months later showed regression of the cavitary lesion.
