Interocular asymmetry of retinal change in Parkinson's disease.

PURPOSE: To investigate interocular asymmetry (IA) of retinal structure and vessel density in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and normal controls (NC). METHODS: Seventy-eight subjects including 40 PD patients and 38 NC had completed optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and neurological examinations for three rating scales (UPDRS-III, MMSE and MoCA). The IA was calculated by the absolute value of difference in right and left eyes. The IA of thickness in macular ganglion cell inner-plexiform layer (GCIPL), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), and vessel density of superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) were obtained from OCTA. RESULTS: The motor-symptom-onset side of eyes showed lower vessel density in parafovea of SCP (51.09 ± 3.46 vs 49.81 ± 4.16, P = 0.03) and superior hemi of perifovea DCP (49.55 ± 5.81 vs 47.33 ± 5.71, = 0.04). The PD patients showed larger IA in thickness of superior half of pRNFL (5.27 [2.67, 10.87] vs 3.08 [1.62, 5.61], P = 0.02) and parafovea GCIPL (2.40[1.25, 6.35] vs 1.40[0.50, 2.45], P = 0.02). No significant interocular asymmetry was found in vessel density between PD and NC. A higher UPDRS-III scale was associated with larger IA in GCIPL (ß = 0.093, P = 0.001) and smaller IA in DCP (ß = -0.065, P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: The motor-symptom-onset side of eyes showed more severe loss of macular vessel density than the other side of eyes. The PD patients showed asymmetrical structural change in GCIPL and pRNFL, which showed the potential as the diagnostic biomarker for PD.

Green infrastructure layout based on a dynamic operation feature of drainage systems.

Increasingly frequent urban floods strain the traditional grey infrastructure, overwhelming the capacity of drainage networks and causing challenges in managing stormwater. The heavy precipitation leads to flooding and damage to drainage systems. Consequently, efficient mitigation strategies for flooding have been researched deeply. Green infrastructure (GI) has proved to be effective in responding the increasing risk of flood and alleviate pressure on drainage systems. However, as the primary infrastructure of stormwater management, there is still a lack of attention to the dynamic operation feature of urban sewer systems during precipitation events. To fill this gap, we proposed a novel approach that integrates hydraulic characteristics and the topological structure of a sewer network system. This approach aims to identify influential nodes, which contribute to the connectivity of the sewer network amidst dynamic changes in inflow during precipitation events. Furthermore, we adopted rain barrels to serve as exemplars of GI, and 14 GI layout schemes are produced based on the different ranks of influential nodes. Implementing GI measures on both poorly performing and well-performing nodes can yield distinct benefits in mitigating node flooding. This approach provides a new perspective for stormwater management, establishing effective synergy between GI and the drainage system.

Surprise!-Clarifying the link between insight and prediction error.

The AHA experience, a moment of deep understanding during insightful problem-solving involving feelings of certainty, pleasure, and surprise, has captivated psychologists for more than a century. Recently, a new theoretical framework has proposed a link between the AHA experience and prediction error (PE), a popular concept in decision-making and reinforcement learning. This framework suggests that participants maintain a meta-cognitive prediction about the time it takes to solve a problem and the AHA experience arises when the problem is solved earlier than expected, resulting in a meta-cognitive PE. In our preregistered online study, we delved deeper into this idea, investigating whether prediction errors also pertain to participants' predictions regarding the solvability of the problem itself, and which dimension of the AHA experience aligns with the meta-cognitive PE. Utilizing verbal insight problems, we found a positive association between the AHA experience and the meta-cognitive PE, specifically in regards to problem solvability. Specifically, the element of surprise, a critical AHA dimension, emerged as a key indicator of the meta-cognitive PE, while other dimensions-such as pleasure, certainty, and suddenness-showed no signs for similar relationships, with suddenness exhibiting a negative correlation with meta-cognitive PE. This new finding provides further evidence that aspects of the AHA experience, surprise in particular, correspond to a meta-cognitive PE. The finding also underscores the multifaceted nature of this phenomenon, linking insights with learning theories and enhancing our understanding of this intriguing phenomenon.

Selective oxidation behavior based on iron-doped MOF derived carbon-based catalysts: Active site regulation and degradation mechanism analysis.

Selective removal of target organic pollutants in complex water quality of municipal sewage is extremely important for the deep treatment of water quality. Here, energetic MOF and Fe-MOF are doped in electrostatic spinning process to adjust the structure and composition of the catalysts, active oxygen species (ROSs), realizing the selective removal of organic pollutants. Non-azo and azo pollutants are selected as target pollutants. Catalysts PCFe-8 with Fe nanoclusters, EPCFe-8 with Fe-Nx, and EPC-8 without Fe doping are used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for degrading pollutants. The results show that the PCFe-8/PMS system can produce the most SO4- and exhibit superior removal of azo pollutants, whereas the degradation behavior of non-azo pollutants is more inclined to occur in the EPCFe-8/PMS system and the EPC-8/PMS system. This work provides a reference for elucidating the relationship between catalyst structure and components, types of ROSs, and selective degradation of pollutants.

Glutathione-mediated copper sulfide nanoplatforms with morphological and vacancy-dependent photothermal catalytic activity for multi-model tannic acid assays.

Interface engineering and vacancy engineering play an important role in the surface and electronic structure of nanomaterials. The combination of the two provides a feasible way for the development of efficient photocatalytic materials. Here, we use glutathione (GSH) as a coordination molecule to design a series of CuxS nanomaterials (CuxS-GSH) rich in sulfur vacancies using a simple ultrasonic-assisted method. Interface engineering can induce amorphous structure in the crystal while controlling the formation of porous surfaces of nanomaterials, and the formation of a large number of random orientation bonds further increases the concentration of sulfur vacancies in the crystal structure. This study shows that interface engineering and vacancy engineering can enhance the light absorption ability of CuxS-GSH nanomaterials from the visible to the near-infrared region, improve the efficiency of charge transfer between CuxS groups, and promote the separation and transfer of optoelectronic electron-hole pairs. In addition, a higher specific surface area can produce a large number of active sites, and the synergistic and efficient photothermal conversion efficiency (58.01%) can jointly promote the better photocatalytic performance of CuxS-GSH nanomaterials. Based on the excellent hot carrier generation and photothermal conversion performance of CuxS-GSH under illumination, it exhibits an excellent ability to mediate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through peroxide cleavage and has excellent peroxidase activity. Therefore, CuxS-GSH has been successfully developed as a nanoenzyme platform for detecting tannic acid (TA) content in tea, and convenient and rapid detection of tannic acid is achieved through the construction of a multi-model strategy. This work not only provides a new way to enhance the enzyme-like activity of nanomaterials but also provides a new prospect for the application of interface engineering and vacancy engineering in the field of photochemistry.

Thin Copper Plate Defect Detection Based on Lamb Wave Generated by Pulsed Laser in Combination with Laser Heterodyne Interference Technique.

Thin copper plate is widely used in architecture, transportation, heavy equipment, and integrated circuit substrates due to its unique properties. However, it is challenging to identify surface defects in copper strips arising from various manufacturing stages without direct contact. A laser ultrasonic inspection system was developed based on the Lamb wave (LW) produced by a laser pulse. An all-fiber laser heterodyne interferometer is applied for measuring the ultrasonic signal in combination with an automatic scanning system, which makes the system flexible and compact. A 3-D model simulation of an H62 brass specimen was carried out to determine the LW spatial-temporal wavefield by using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. The characteristics of the ultrasonic wavefield were extracted through continuous wavelet transform analysis. This demonstrates that the A0 mode could be used in defect detection due to its slow speed and vibrational direction. Furthermore, an ultrasonic wave at the center frequency of 370 kHz with maximum energy is suitable for defect detection. In the experiment, the size and location of the defect are determined by the time difference of the transmitted wave and reflected wave, respectively. The relative error of the defect position is 0.14% by averaging six different receiving spots. The width of the defect is linear to the time difference of the transmitted wave. The goodness of fit can reach 0.989, and it is in good agreement with the simulated one. The experimental error is less than 0.395 mm for a 5 mm width of defect. Therefore, this validates that the technique can be potentially utilized in the remote defect detection of thin copper plates.

Assessment of safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization combined with camrelizumab and donafenib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma at BCLC stage C: A study of 20 cases.

Camrelizumab, donafenib, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) are recommended for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but their combined efficacy remains unclear. From July 2021 to January 2023, 20 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C HCC patients were prospectively enrolled. Inclusion criteria were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, Child-Pugh Score ≤ 7, and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer B or C. Surgical candidates were excluded. The treatment included TACE, camrelizumab, and donafenib. Endpoints were median overall survival, progression-free survival, and adverse events (AEs) related to donafenib. Among 20 patients, 85% experienced AEs from targeted therapy and programmed cell death protein-1, with 40% having grade 3 AEs. No grade 4 or 5 AEs occurred. Median follow-up was 9 months, with 15% achieving complete response, 65% partial response, and 15% stable disease. Disease control rate was 90%. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 9 and 14 months, respectively. TACE, camrelizumab, and donafenib combination therapy in Chinese advanced HCC patients show effectiveness in extending survival with low severe AEs incidence.

Role of low-molecular-weight organic compounds on photochemical formation of Mn(III)-ligands in aqueous systems: Implications for BPA removal.

Aqueous trivalent manganese [Mn(III)], an important reactive intermediate, is ubiquitous in natural surface water containing humic acid (HA). However, the effect of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) on the formation, stability and reactivity of Mn(III) intermediate is still unknown. In this study, six LMWOAs, including oxalic acid (Oxa), salicylic acid (Sal), catechol (Cat), caffeic acid (Caf), gallic acid (Gal) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), were selected to investigate the effects of LMWOAs on the degradation of BPA induced by in situ formed Mn(III)-L in the HA/Mn(II) system under light irradiation. The chromophoric constituents of HA could absorb light radiation and generate superoxide radical to promote the oxidation of Mn(II) to form Mn(III), which was further involved in transformation of BPA. Our results implied that different LMWOAs did significantly impact on Mn(III) production and its degradation of BPA due to their different functional group. EDTA, Oxa and Sal extensively increased the Mn(III) concentration from 50 to 100 µM compared to the system without LMWOAs, following the order of EDTA > Oxa > Sal, and also enhanced the degradation of BPA with the similar patterns. In contrast, Cat, Caf and Gal had an inhibitory effect on the formation of Mn(III), which is likely because they consumed the superoxide radicals generated from irradiated HA, resulting in the inhibition of Mn(II) oxidation and further BPA removal. The product identification and theoretical calculation indicated that a single electron transfer process occurred between Mn(III)-L and BPA, forming BPA radicals and subsequent self-coupling products. Our results demonstrated that the LMWOAs with different structures could alter the cycling process of Mn via complexation and redox reactions, which would provide new implications for the removal of organic pollutants in surface water.

Cambium Reactivation Is Closely Related to the Cell-Cycle Gene Configuration in Larix kaempferi.

Dormancy release and reactivation in temperate trees are mainly controlled by temperature and are affected by age, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we explored the effects of low temperatures in winter and warm temperatures in spring on dormancy release and reactivation in Larix kaempferi. Further, we established the relationships between cell-cycle genes and cambium cell division. The results showed that chilling accelerated L. kaempferi bud break overall, and the longer the duration of chilling is, the shorter the bud break time is. After dormancy release, warm temperatures induced cell-cycle gene expression; when the configuration value of the cell-cycle genes reached 4.97, the cambium cells divided and L. kaempferi reactivated. This study helps to predict the impact of climate change on wood production and provides technical support for seedling cultivation in greenhouses.

Preliminary analysis of stimulation parameters for sacral neuromodulation in different indications: a multicenter retrospective cohort study from China.

BACKGROUND: Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is an effective approach for treating lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), and stimulation programming is essential for successful treatment. However, research on SNM programming for various indications is limited. Thus, the authors aimed to determine whether there were differences in the stimulation parameters for different SNM indications and the appropriate programming recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical data were retrospectively collected from patients with LUTD who underwent SNM and completed internal pulse generator implantation. The parameters with the highest patient satisfaction or the most symptom improvement during the test period were considered optimal and used to set the programming after internal pulse generator implantation. RESULTS: After screening, 282 patients were enrolled and categorized into four groups based on the following indications: refractory overactive bladder (OAB) ( n =61), neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (nLUTD) ( n =162), interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/BPS) ( n =24), and idiopathic nonobstructive urinary retention (NOUR) ( n =35). When analyzing the optimal stimulus parameters, disparities in the stimulation amplitude and pulse frequency were noted among the four groups. The stimulation amplitude in the nLUTD group was higher than that in the idiopathic NOUR group ( P =0.013). Differences in pulse frequency were observed between the refractory OAB and nLUTD groups ( P <0.001) and between the refractory OAB and idiopathic NOUR groups ( P =0.001). No differences in the electrode configuration or pulse width settings existed among the four groups. CONCLUSIONS: The stimulation parameters for SNM varied among the different indications. For the initial programming of stage I, most patients are recommended to start with stimulation amplitudes below 2 V, although patients with nLUTD may benefit from higher amplitudes. A standard pulse width of 210 µs is recommended for all patients. However, for individuals experiencing nLUTD or idiopathic NOUR, the pulse frequency can begin above the standard 14 Hz but not exceed 50 Hz.

Efficient Decomposition of Perfluoroalkyl Substances by Low Concentration Indole: New Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent organic pollutants known as "forever chemicals". Currently, the hydrated electron-based advanced reduction process (ARP) holds promise for the elimination of PFAS. However, the efficiency of ARP is often challenged by an oxygen-rich environment, resulting in the consumption of hydrated electron source materials in exchange for the high PFAS decomposition efficiency. Herein, we developed a ternary system constructed by indole and isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and the addition of IPA significantly enhanced the PFOA degradation and defluorination efficiency in the presence of low-concentration indole (<0.4 mM). Meanwhile, opposite results were obtained with a higher amount of indole (>0.4 mM). Further exploring the molecular mechanism of the reaction system, the addition of IPA played two roles. On one hand, IPA built an anaerobic reaction atmosphere and improved the yield and utilization efficiency of hydrated electrons with a low concentration of indole. On the other hand, IPA suppressed the attraction between indole and PFOA, thus reducing the hydrated electron transfer efficiency, especially with more indole. In general, the indole/PFAS/IPA system significantly improved the PFAS destruction efficiency with a small amount of hydrated electron donors, which provided new insights for development of simple and efficient techniques for the treatment of PFAS-contaminated wastewater.

Remote programming in stage I sacral neuromodulation: a multicentre prospective feasibility study.

OBJECTIVE: Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) has emerged as an effective therapy for refractory lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). Remote programming holds promise in addressing the time and economic burdens associated with outpatient programming, especially for patients in the observation period following Stage I implant surgery (where the lead is implanted first without the pulse generator). The study aimed to explore the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of remote programming for Stage I SNM patients, and analyze the benefits patients gain from remote programming. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted at multiple high-level clinical SNM centres in China. Patients requiring SNM implantation were enroled and divided into two groups based on patient preference: remote programming (RP) group and outpatient control (OC) group. Patient attitudes toward RP were assessed through questionnaires, and the degree of symptom improvement was compared between the two groups to explore the usability of RP. RESULTS: A total of 63 participants from 6 centres were included in the study, with 32 belonging to the RP group. The remote programming system presents a high level of usability (98%) and willingness (satisfaction rate: 96.83%) in result of questionnaire. RP showed a significant advantage in improving patients' score of ICSI/ICPI (medianΔICSI/ICPI RP vs. OC= -13.50 vs -2, P =0.015). And slightly ameliorate urinary symptoms such as pain (medianΔVAS RP vs. OC= -1 vs 0, P = 0.164) and urgency (medianΔOBASS -2.5 vs. -1, P = 0.,229), but the difference was not statistically significant. RP did not significantly impact the quality of life of patients ( P =0.113), so do the rate of phase-two conversion ( P = 0.926) or programming parameters. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, the presented study is the first multicenter research focusing on the remote programming of Stage I SNM patients. Through the clinical implementation and patient feedback, we demonstrate that remote programming is not inferior to in-person programming in terms of success rate, effectiveness, safety, and patient satisfaction.

Exploiting Topological Darkness in Photonic Crystal Slabs for Spatiotemporal Vortex Generation.

Spatiotemporal optical vortices (STOVs) with swirling phase singularities in space and time hold great promise for a wide range of applications across diverse fields. However, current approaches to generate STOVs lack integrability and rely on bulky free-space optical components. Here, we demonstrate routine STOV generation by harnessing the topological darkness phenomenon of a photonic crystal slab. Complete polarization conversion enforced by symmetry enables topological darkness to arise from photonic bands of guided resonances, imprinting vortex singularities onto an ultrashort reflected pulse. Utilizing time-resolved spatial mapping, we provide the first observation of STOV generation using a photonic crystal slab, revealing the imprinted STOV structure manifested as a curved vortex line in the pulse profile in space and time. Our work establishes photonic crystal slabs as a versatile and accessible platform for engineering STOVs and harnessing the topological darkness in nanophotonics.

A visualization analysis of hotspots and global trends on pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer is the major cause of cancer-related mortalities in women globally. It constitutes one of the life-threatening conditions for women in developing countries. The popularization of cervical cancer screening and the improvement of treatment levels has caused the mortality rate of cervical cancer to decrease gradually, but pelvic floor dysfunction before and after cervical cancer treatment has become prominent and attracted more and more attention. Bibliometric analysis has been carried out in this research. The main goal of this research is to provide a comprehensive insight into the knowledge structure and global research hotspots about pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer. METHODS: Literature related to cervical cancer and pelvic floor dysfunction as of May 2023 was searched on the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The visualization and bibliometric analyses of the number and contents of publications were performed to analyze the temporal trends, spatial distribution, collaborative networks, influential references, keyword co-occurrence, and clustering. RESULTS: There were 870 publications from 74 countries or regions, with the U.S. publications in a leading position. Since 2020, the number of publications has rapidly increased with the emphasis on the quality of life of cervical cancer patients. Although pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer mainly occurs in developing countries, developed countries have made great contributions to this disease. However, in developing countries such as China and India, the quality of publications needs to be improved. In this field, the studies focused on the sexual dysfunction or urinary incontinence of cervical cancer patients, and the most cited papers discussed the effect of cervical cancer treatment on the sexual activities of females. The frontier keywords were represented by pelvic radiotherapy and risk factors. CONCLUSION: This study provides an objective and comprehensive analysis of the literature available on pelvic floor dysfunction in cervical cancer and identifies future trends and current hotspots. It can provide a valuable reference for researchers in this field.

Amino acid-mediated amorphous copper sulphide with enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency for antibacterial application.

Pathogenic bacteria in daily life, such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), often seriously affect human life and health. The extensive use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, so it is urgent to develop efficient and non-drug-resistant sterilization methods. Here, we use small-molecule cysteine (Cys) as an auxiliary agent to synthesize spherical porous amorphous CuS-Cysteine (CuS-C) nanoparticles, which have good dispersion in aqueous solutions, and explore the reaction mechanism of Cys-induced CuS synthesis. The synthesized composite nanomaterials have strong near-infrared light absorption ability and efficient photothermal conversion ability and can effectively ablate pathogenic bacteria under the irradiation of an 808 nm laser. In addition, antibacterial experiments showed that CuS-C composites had no bactericidal effect without near-infrared light, but they had a good photothermal bactericidal effect on S. aureus and E. coli under radiation conditions. Considering the simple synthesis process, strong photothermal conversion ability, low cost, and suitability for large-scale production, CuS-C nanocomposites, as a promising antibacterial material, will provide a feasible scheme for the treatment of drug-resistant pathogens.

LncRNA KTN1-AS1 facilitates esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression via miR-885-5p/STRN3 axis.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignancies and frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play regulatory roles and serve as biomarkers of multiple cancers, including ESCC. Our previous studies have confirmed that lncRNA Kinectin 1 antisense RNA 1 (KTN1-AS1) is highly expressed in ESCC and exerts oncogene function through RBBP4/HDAC1 complex. OBJECTIVE: Our present study focused on exploring a novel molecular mechanism of KTN1-AS1 in ESCC. METHODS: In this study, qRT-PCR assay, Western blot assay, Luciferase reporter assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation assay were conducted. RESULTS: We found that KTN1-AS1 could bind to miR-885-5p in ESCC cells, and miR-885-5p was low expressed in ESCC. Overexpression of miR-885-5p inhibited esophageal cancer cells proliferation and invasion in vitro. Mechanistic analysis demonstrated that miR-885-5p specifically targeted striatin 3 (STRN3), and KTN1-AS1/miR-885-5p promoted the EMT process by Hippo pathway in STRN3/YAP1 dependent manner. CONCLUSION: To sum up, KTN1-AS1 facilitates ESCC progression by acting as a ceRNA for miR-885-5p to regulate STRN3 expression and the Hippo pathway, and KTN1-AS1 maybe used as a promising therapeutic target for ESCC.

Active Center Size-Dependent Fenton-Like Chemistry for Sustainable Water Decontamination.

Accurately controlling catalytic activity and mechanism as well as identifying structure-activity-selectivity correlations in Fenton-like chemistry is essential for designing high-performance catalysts for sustainable water decontamination. Herein, active center size-dependent catalysts with single cobalt atoms (CoSA), atomic clusters (CoAC), and nanoparticles (CoNP) were fabricated to realize the changeover of catalytic activity and mechanism in peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based Fenton-like chemistry. Catalytic activity and durability vary with the change in metal active center sizes. Besides, reducing the metal size from nanoparticles to single atoms significantly modulates contributions of radical and nonradical mechanisms, thus achieving selective/nonselective degradation. Density functional theory calculations reveal evolutions in catalytic mechanisms of size-dependent catalytic systems over different Gibbs free energies for reactive oxygen species generation. Single-atom site contact with PMS is preferred to induce nonradical mechanisms, while PMS dissociates and generates radicals on clusters and nanoparticles. Differences originating from reaction mechanisms endow developed systems with size-dependent selectivity and mineralization for treating actual hospital wastewater in column reactors. This work brings an in-depth understanding of metal size effects in Fenton-like chemistry and guides the design of intelligent catalysts to fulfill the demand of specific scenes for water purification.

New Indole Derivative Heterogeneous System for the Synergistic Reduction and Oxidation of Various Per-/Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Insights into the Degradation/Defluorination Mechanism.

The hydrated electron (eaq-) system is typically suitable for degrading perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). To enhance eaq- utilization, we synthesized a new indole compound (DIHA) that forms stable nanospheres (100-200 nm) in water via a supramolecular assembly. Herein, the DIHA nanoemulsion system exhibits high degradation efficiencies toward a broad category of PFASs, regardless of the headgroup, chain length, and branching structure, under UV (254 nm) irradiation. The strong adsorption of PFAS on the DIHA surface ensures its effective degradation/defluorination. Quenching experiments further demonstrated that the reaction took place on the surface of DIHA nanospheres. This specific heterogeneous surface reaction unveiled novel PFAS degradation and defluorination mechanisms that differ from previously reported eaq- systems. First, the photogenerated surface electrons nonselectively attacked multiple C-F bonds of the -CF2- chain. This plays a dominant degrading/defluorinating role in the DIHA system. Second, abundant hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were also produced, leading to synergistic reduction (by surface electron) and oxidation (by surface •OH) in a single system. This facilitates faster and deeper defluorination of different structured PFASs through multiple pathways. The new mechanism inspires the design of innovative organo-heterogeneous eaq- systems possessing synergistic reduction and oxidation functions, thereby making them potentially effective for treating PFAS-contaminated water.

Development and validation of a nomogram based on geriatric nutritional risk index for predicting prognosis and postoperative complications in surgical patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in predicting oncological outcomes and postoperative complications in UTUC patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) and to develop a nomogram incorporating GNRI to predict outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 458 consecutive patients who underwent RNU in our center. According to nutritional scores, patients were divided into the following groups: low GNRI (GNRI ≤ 98) and high GNRI (GNRI > 98). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were performed to investigate the role of GNRI in predicting the perioperative complications. The survival was compared with Kaplan - Meier curve, and test by log-rank tests. Risk factors associated with cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression model and were integrated into a nomogram for individualized risk prediction. The calibration and discrimination ability of the model were evaluated by concordance index (C-index) and risk group stratification. RESULTS: When compared with high GNRI, low GNRI had significantly lower survival (CSS, p < 0.001; OS, p < 0.001). Across all patients, multivariable analyses revealed that low GNRI was an independent prognostic factor (CSS, p = 0.007; OS, p = 0.005). Nomograms for 1-, 3-, and 5 years of CSS and OS had good performance. Patients can be stratified into different groups based on the nomogram, with significant differences in OS and CSS. Further, GNRI was also found to be an independent risk factor for postoperative complications. The complication - prediction nomogram based on GNRI was also internally validated and showed good performance. CONCLUSIONS: The GNRI score is an independent predictor for the prognosis and postoperative complications of UTUC following RNU. This study presented a nomogram incorporating preoperative GNRI that might be used as a convenient tool to facilitate the preoperative individualized prediction of short- and long-term outcomes for patients with UTUC.