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Neurologia I Neurochirurgia Polska Jun 2024Paragangliomas are neuroendocrine tumours commonly located in the abdomen, thorax, head and neck. The definitive treatment for these tumours is surgical resection, which...
INTRODUCTION
Paragangliomas are neuroendocrine tumours commonly located in the abdomen, thorax, head and neck. The definitive treatment for these tumours is surgical resection, which in some cases can be very challenging due to the involvement of critical neurovascular structures and their high vascularity. Therefore, pre-operative embolisation may be performed to reduce the risk of complications. This study aimed to present our experience with endovascular embolisation of head and neck paragangliomas (HNP).
MATERIAL AND METHODS
In this single-centre study, we reviewed data from consecutive patients with HNP who underwent pre-operative embolisation from 2017 to 2023. The efficacy of embolisation, the method of embolisation, as well as the rate of complications, were noted.
RESULTS
A total of 27 patients (15 females) with an average age of 47 years underwent selective embolisation of HNP. Satisfactory embolisation, defined as occlusion of > 75% of the blood supply, was achieved in 22/27 cases (81.5%). The most commonly used embolic agents included coils and microspheres. With the exception of minor vessel dissections in two patients and embolic agent migration in two patients causing reversible occlusion of the intracranial vessels, there were no other complications associated with embolisation. No neurological deficits occurred in relation to the endovascular procedure.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study indicate that endovascular embolisation of HNP prior to surgical resection is a safe and efficacious procedure, with a relatively low complication rate and associated morbidity.
PubMed: 38916492
DOI: 10.5603/pjnns.99637 -
ACS Omega Jun 2024Uranium microstructured materials with controlled size and shape are relevant to the nuclear industry and have found applications as targets for medical isotope...
Uranium microstructured materials with controlled size and shape are relevant to the nuclear industry and have found applications as targets for medical isotope production, fuels for nuclear reactors, standards for nuclear forensics, and energy sources for space exploration. Until now, most studies at the microscale have focused on uranium microspheres (oxides, nitrides, carbides, and fluorides), while micromaterials of uranium halides, carbides, and pnictides with other morphologies are largely unknown. A promising method to shape the morphology of uranium micromaterials is the replacement of O by F atoms in oxide materials using a solid-gas reaction. Here, with the aim to elaborate unexplored uranium fluoride micromaterials, the fluorination of uranium oxide (UO and UO) microspheres (ms), microrods (mr), and microplates (mp) in an autoclave at 250 °C with HF (produced from the thermal decomposition of silver bifluoride (SBF)) and with ammonium bifluoride (ABF) was evaluated. We show that the reactions between UO mr and UO mp and SBF provided the most efficient way to elaborate mr and mp UOF micromaterials in a high yield (∼90%). The resulting UOF mr (length: 3-20 μm) and UOF mp (width: 1-7.5 μm) exhibited a well-defined geometry that was identical to that of the UO precursors. Agglomerated (NH)UOF and UOF ms (2-3.5 μm) were prepared from the reaction of UO ms with ABF. It is noted that the reaction of UO ms with SBF and ABF did not provide any uranium fluoride micromaterials. The successful preparation of uranium fluoride microstructures (ms, mr, and mp) developed here opens the way to novel actinide fluoride micromaterials.
PubMed: 38911810
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02554 -
ACS Omega Jun 2024Nanostructured iron disulfide (FeS) was uniformly deposited on regenerated cellulose (RC) and oxidized carbon nanotube (CNT)-based composite films using a simple...
Iron Sulfide Microspheres Supported on Cellulose-Carbon Nanotube Conductive Flexible Film as an Electrode Material for Aqueous-Based Symmetric Supercapacitors with High Voltage.
Nanostructured iron disulfide (FeS) was uniformly deposited on regenerated cellulose (RC) and oxidized carbon nanotube (CNT)-based composite films using a simple chemical bath deposition method to form RC/CNT/FeS composite films. The RC/CNT composite film served as an ideal substrate for the homogeneous deposition of FeS microspheres due to its unique porous architecture, large specific surface area, and high conductivity. Polypyrrole (PPy), a conductive polymer, was coated on the RC/CNT/FeS composite to improve its conductivity and cycling stability. Due to the synergistic effect of FeS with high redox activity and PPy with high stability and conductivity, the RC/CNT/FeS/PPy composite electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical performance. The RC/CNT/0.3FeS/PPy-60 composite electrode tested with NaSO aqueous electrolyte could achieve an excellent areal capacitance of 6543.8 mF cm at a current density of 1 mA cm. The electrode retained 91.1% of its original capacitance after 10,000 charge/discharge cycles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the ion transfer channels with a pore diameter of 5-30 μm were formed in the RC/CNT/0.3FeS/PPy-60 film after a 10,000 cycle test. A symmetrical supercapacitor device composed of two identical pieces of RC/CNT/0.3FeS/PPy-60 composite electrodes provided a high areal capacitance of 1280 mF cm, a maximum energy density of 329 μWh cm, a maximum power density of 24.9 mW cm, and 86.2% of capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at 40 mA cm when tested at a wide voltage window of 1.4 V. These results demonstrate the greatest potential of RC/CNT/FeS/PPy composite electrodes for the fabrication of high-performance symmetric supercapacitors with high operating voltages.
PubMed: 38911739
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c03232 -
ACS Applied Nano Materials May 2024Glass microspheres have gained significant attention over the years in the field of photonics due to their application in whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonator...
Glass microspheres have gained significant attention over the years in the field of photonics due to their application in whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonator platforms. However, the synthesis of glass spheres in the micro regime remains challenging, while it relies mostly on complicated synthetic methods or sol-gel chemistry. Herein, we demonstrate the controlled formation of phosphate glass microspheres by means of a simple, fast, low-temperature, post-glass melting thermal treatment of previously quenched glass. Moreover, we report on the simultaneous formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the surface of glass spheres upon the same treatment. The formation of metal nanoparticles onto the glass spheres induces attractive optical and plasmonic properties, believed to be suitable for WGM resonator-based applications, as well as a wide range of optoelectronic, photonic, and sensing applications.
PubMed: 38910963
DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.4c00652 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2024Cytokines and cell subsets are important components of the tumor microenvironment. Previous research has revealed that there are differences in cytokines and cell...
OBJECTIVE
Cytokines and cell subsets are important components of the tumor microenvironment. Previous research has revealed that there are differences in cytokines and cell subsets in the peripheral blood of lung cancer (LCA) patients before and after eradication. The purpose of this study is to explore the monitoring value of cytokines and cellular subpopulations as biomarkers in post-immunotherapy monitoring of patients with LCA after surgery.
METHODS
We conducted a case-control study using double-antibody sandwich magnetic microsphere flow cytometry with immunofluorescence technology and fluorescent monoclonal antibody multiparameter flow cytometry to detect differences in peripheral blood cytokines and cell subsets between LCA patients after immunotherapy and healthy controls.
RESULTS
Our research results show that there are differences in the levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF-α in the peripheral blood of LCA patients (n=70) after immunotherapy compared to the healthy controls (n=55) (), and there are differences in 10 cell subgroups including DP T Cells, AT cells, and NLR in the peripheral blood compared to the healthy controls (n=35) (). Further analysis revealed significant differences in the detection data of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, CD56 NK cells, Total B cells, Total NE cells, CD15M cells, and NLR between LCA deceased patients (n=25) and LCA surviving patients (n=27) during the same period (). The continuous monitoring of cytokines and cell subsets is far more valuable than a single-time test, as abnormal fluctuations in the data of cytokines and cell subsets are often associated with poor prognosis. In addition, IL-6 and NLR showed the strongest discriminative ability between postoperative immunotherapy-treated LCA patients and healthy controls, with AUC values of 0.840 and 0.822, respectively. There was a significant association between IFN-γ and distant metastasis in LCA (), as well as between CD56 NK cells and lymph node infiltration ().
CONCLUSION
This research results support peripheral blood cytokines and cell subsets as biomarkers for monitoring the postoperative immune status and predicting the prognosis of LCA patients after immunotherapy. The continuous monitoring of cytokines and cell subsets is far more valuable than a single-time detection.
PubMed: 38903721
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1342624 -
Applied Radiation and Isotopes :... Jun 2024The research team has developed new plastic scintillators in the form of microspheres, called PSm, by combining styrene, 9-vinylcarbazole (VK), and 4-vinylbenzyl...
The research team has developed new plastic scintillators in the form of microspheres, called PSm, by combining styrene, 9-vinylcarbazole (VK), and 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC). The primary objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of incorporating the fluorescent solute (VK) into the polymer structure to prevent its leaching out when PSm are utilized in liquid flow through detection systems or organic solvents. The secondary aim was to examine the impact of adding the chlorine functional group to the scintillation polymer, with the intention of replacing it with an extractant in the future to create covalently linked PSresins. The findings of the study reveal that the homopolymer of polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) performs poorly while used as a unitary scintillator system for plastic scintillation measurements. However, the incorporation of monomers in the form of copolymers with styrene has a more significant impact on scintillation properties compared to the mixture of homopolymers. In the case of 9-vinylcarbazole (VK), its presence at a weight proportion of 10% leads to an increase in scintillation efficiencies, although it is still inferior to the classical PS. Conversely, the situation is different for 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC), where the chlorine in the copolymer results in higher quenching, and the polymer is also less resistant to organic solvents due to the formation of short polymer chains. For VBC, the mixture of polymers yields better results and enables the production of covalently linked PSresins.
PubMed: 38897114
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2024.111409 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Due to the volume expansion effect during charge and discharge processes, the application of transition metal oxide anode materials in lithium-ion batteries is limited....
Due to the volume expansion effect during charge and discharge processes, the application of transition metal oxide anode materials in lithium-ion batteries is limited. Composite materials and carbon coating are often considered feasible improvement methods. In this study, three types of TiO@FeO@C microspheres with a core-double-shell structure, namely TFCS (TiO@FeO@C with 0.0119 g PVP), TFCM (TiO@FeO@C with 0.0238 g PVP), and TFCL (TiO@FeO@C with 0.0476 g PVP), were prepared using PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) as the carbon source through homogeneous precipitation and high-temperature carbonization methods. After 500 cycles at a current density of 2 C, the specific capacities of these three microspheres are all higher than that of TiO@FeO with significantly improved cycling stability. Among them, TFCM exhibits the highest specific capacity of 328.3 mAh·g, which was attributed to the amorphous carbon layer effectively mitigating the capacity decay caused by the volume expansion of iron oxide during charge and discharge processes. Additionally, the carbon coating layer enhances the electrical conductivity of the TiO@FeO@C materials, thereby improving their rate performance. Within the range of 100 to 1600 mA·g, the capacity retention rates for TiO@FeO, TFCS, TFCM, and TFCL are 27.2%, 35.2%, 35.9%, and 36.9%, respectively. This study provides insights into the development of new lithium-ion battery anode materials based on Ti and Fe oxides with the abundance and environmental friendliness of iron, titanium, and carbon resources in TiO@FeO@C microsphere anode materials, making this strategy potentially applicable.
PubMed: 38893808
DOI: 10.3390/ma17112543 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Polymer microspheres with temperature and salt resistance were synthesized using the anti-suspension polymerization method, incorporating the functional monomers AMPS,...
Polymer microspheres with temperature and salt resistance were synthesized using the anti-suspension polymerization method, incorporating the functional monomers AMPS, AM, and AA. To enhance their self-gelling properties, the microspheres were designed with a core-shell structure. The shell is composed of a polymeric surfactant, fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether methacrylate (AEOMA), which serves as a thermosensitive crosslinking agent, enabling self-crosslinking upon shell decomposition, addressing compatibility with reservoir pore throat dimensions. Comprehensive characterizations including infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and laser particle size analysis were conducted. The microspheres exhibited successful synthesis, a nanoscale size, and regular spherical morphology. They demonstrated excellent temperature and salt resistance, making them suitable for high-temperature, high-salinity reservoir profile control. With a stable three-dimensional network structure, the microspheres displayed good expansion behavior due to hydrophilic groups along the polymer chains, resulting in favorable water affinity. Even after aging, the microspheres maintained their gelling state with a distinct and stable microscopic network skeleton. They exhibited superior plugging performance in low-permeability reservoirs, while effectively improving water absorption profiles in reservoirs with permeability contrasts of 10 to 80, thereby enhancing oil recovery.
PubMed: 38893472
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112596 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Advanced oxidation processes, including photocatalysis, have been proven effective at organic dye degradation. Tailored porous materials with regulated pore size, shape,...
Advanced oxidation processes, including photocatalysis, have been proven effective at organic dye degradation. Tailored porous materials with regulated pore size, shape, and morphology offer a sustainable solution to the water pollution problem by acting as support materials to grafted photocatalytic nanoparticles (NPs). This research investigated the influence of pore and particle sizes of photocatalytic MICROSCAFS on the degradation of methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution (10 mg/L). Photocatalytic MICROSCAFS are made of binder-less supported P25 TiO NPs within MICROSCAFS, which are silica-titania microspheres with a controlled size and interconnected macroporosity, synthesized by an adapted sol-gel method that involves a polymerization-induced phase separation process. Photocatalytic experiments were performed both in batch and flow reactors, with this latter one targeting a proof of concept for continuous transformation processes and real-life conditions. Photocatalytic degradation of 87% in 2 h (batch) was achieved, using a calibrated solar light simulator (1 sun) and a photocatalyst/pollutant mass ratio of 23. This study introduces a novel flow kinetic model which provides the modeling and simulation of the photocatalytic MICROSCAFS performance. A scavenger study was performed, enabling an in-depth mechanistic understanding. Finally, the transformation products resulting from the MO photocatalytic degradation were elucidated by high-resolution mass spectrometry experiments and subjected to an in silico toxicity assessment.
Topics: Catalysis; Water Purification; Titanium; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Porosity; Sunlight; Azo Compounds; Microspheres; Silicon Dioxide; Photolysis; Kinetics; Photochemical Processes
PubMed: 38892146
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115958 -
Polymers May 2024Sample pretreatment is a key step for qualitative and quantitative analysis of trace substances in complex samples. Cis-dihydroxyl (cis-diol) group-containing substances...
Sample pretreatment is a key step for qualitative and quantitative analysis of trace substances in complex samples. Cis-dihydroxyl (cis-diol) group-containing substances exist widely in biological samples and can be selectively bound by boronate affinity adsorbents. Based on this, in this article, we proposed a simple method for the preparation of novel spherical three-dimensionally ordered macropore (3DOM) materials based on a combination of the boronate affinity technique and colloidal crystal template method. The prepared 3DOM materials were characterized using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermo-gravimetric analysis, and results showed that they possessed the characteristics of a high specific surface area, high porosity, and more boronic acid recognition sites. The adsorption performance evaluation results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of the boron affinity 3DOMs on ovalbumin (OVA) could reach to 438.79 mg/g. Kinetic and isothermal adsorption experiments indicated that the boronate affinity 3DOM material exhibited a high affinity and selectivity towards OVA and adenosine. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the proteins in egg whites was conducted and proved that the glycoprotein in the egg whites could be separated and enriched with a good performance. Therefore, a novel boronate affinity 3DOM material a with highly ordered and interconnected pore structure was prepared and could be applied in the separation and enrichment of molecules with cis-diol groups from complex samples with a good selectivity, efficiency, and high throughput.
PubMed: 38891485
DOI: 10.3390/polym16111539