New Phenanthro[9,10-d]oxazole-Based Fluorophores with Hybridized Local and Charge-Transfer Characteristics for Highly Efficient Blue Non-Doped OLEDs with Negligible Efficiency Roll-Off.

It is vital to develop highly efficient non-doped blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with high color purity and low-efficiency roll-off for applications in display and lighting. Herein, two blue D-A fluorophores TPA-PO and TPA-DPO are designed and synthesized, in which phenanthro[9,10-d]oxazole (PO) acts as the acceptor and triphenylamine as the donor. TPA-PO and TPA-DPO display good thermal stability and efficient luminescence efficiency in neat film. Results based on photophysical property and theoretical calculation demonstrate that TPA-PO and TPA-DPO possess the hybridized local and charge-transfer (HLCT) feature, which can utilize the triplet exciton to achieve highly efficient electroluminance (EL). The non-doped OLEDs with TPA-PO/TPA-DPO as pure emissive layer show the uniform EL emission peak at 468 nm, corresponding to CIE coordinates of (0.168, 0.187) and (0.167, 0.167), respectively. The TPA-DPO-based non-doped OLEDs provide the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7.99 % and high exciton utility efficiency of 48.4 %~72.6 %. Moreover, the TPA-DPO-based device exhibits low-efficiency roll-off, still maintaining the EQE of 6.03 % at the high luminance of 5000 cd m-2. Those findings state clearly that PO is a promising building block of blue fluorophore with a potential HLCT feature to be applied in non-doped OLEDs.

Arenarialins A-F, Anti-inflammatory Meroterpenoids with Rearranged Skeletons from the Marine Sponge Dysidea arenaria.

Six new sesquiterpene quinone/hydroquinone meroterpenoids, arenarialins A-F (1-6), were isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea arenaria collected from the South China Sea. Their chemical structures and absolute configurations were determined by HRMS and NMR data analyses coupled with DP4+ and ECD calculations. Arenarialin A (1) features an unprecedented tetracyclic 6/6/5/6 carbon skeleton, whereas arenarialins B-D (2-4) possess two rare secomeroterpene scaffolds. Arenarialins A-F showed inhibitory activity on the production of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages with arenarialin D regulating the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway.

Measurement technology based on a Stokes parametric polarization system.

Structured light measurement systems often use polarization filters to reduce image interference from highly reflective areas. This method can be effective, but it may also reduce the brightness of specific areas, particularly overly dark portions, which can affect the accuracy of the measurement results. This paper proposes a measurement method for a polarization system based on Stokes parameters to solve the problem. After adjusting the polarization filter to angles of 0°, 45°, and 90°, the camera captures an image of the object and calculates the corresponding Stokes parameters to generate the expected polarization angle histogram. Then, based on the detailed information on the angle distribution, the accurate mathematical model is used to screen the interval, and the optimal polarization angle is determined by orthogonal processing while ensuring the signal-to-noise ratio and image quality. Finally, an image fusion technology synthesizes a set of fringe projection images with the preferred polarization angles. Experiments have shown that this new method effectively addresses the issue of interference in the highlighted region when using conventional polarization filters. Additionally, it significantly improves the quality of the fringe pattern. The polarization angle selection in the experimental process is made more rapid and accurate through the quantitative mathematical model calculation of the polarization angle, significantly improving the system's measurement efficiency.

Effects of Ca2+ signal on the activities of key enzymes and expression of related genes in yeast ethanol metabolism and mitochondrial function during high sugar fermentation.

BACKGROUND: During high sugar fermentation, yeast is mainly affected by high sugar stress in the early stage. It becomes jointly affected by high sugar and ethanol stress as ethanol accumulates during fermentation. Ca2+, as the second messenger of the cell, mediates various metabolic processes. In this study, the effects of the Ca2+ signal on the activities of key enzymes, expression of related genes of ethanol metabolism, and mitochondrial function were investigated. RESULTS: The results showed a significant increase in the activities of enzymes related to ethanol metabolism in yeast cells under a high sugar environment. Ca2+ significantly promoted the activities of enzymes related to mitochondrial respiratory metabolism and regulated the carbon flow between ethanol metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The high sugar environment affected the expression of genes related to carbon metabolism, while the addition of Ca2+ stabilized the expression of related genes. CONCLUSION: Ca2+ signal participated in ethanol and mitochondrial metabolism and regulated the key enzymes and related gene expression to enhance the resistance of yeast to stress during high sugar fermentation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Study of the effect of calcium signal participating in the antioxidant mechanism of yeast under high-sugar environment.

BACKGROUND: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is susceptible to high-sugar stress in the production of bioethanol, wine and bread. Calcium signal is widely involved in various physiological and metabolic activities of cells. The present study aimed to explore the effects of Ca2+ signal on the antioxidant mechanism of yeast during high-sugar fermentation. RESULTS: Compared to yeast without available Ca2+, yeast in the high glucose with Ca2+ group had higher dry weight, higher ethanol output at 12 and 24 h and higher glycerol output at 24 and 36 h. During the whole growth process, the trehalose synthesis capacity of yeast in the high glucose with Ca2+ group was lower and intracellular reactive oxygen species content was higher compared to yeast without available Ca2+. Intracellular malondialdehyde content of yeast under high glucose with Ca2+ was significantly lower than yeast under high glucose without available Ca2+ except for 6 h. The superoxide dismutase and catalase activities of yeast and glutathione content were higher in the high glucose with Ca2+ group compared to yeast in high glucose without available Ca2+. The expression levels of SOD1, GSH1, GPX2 genes were higher for high glucose without available Ca2+ at 6 h, while yeast in the high glucose with Ca2+ group had a higher expression of antioxidant-related genes except SOD1 and CTT1 at 12 h. The expression levels of antioxidant-related genes of yeast for high glucose with Ca2+ were higher at 24 h, and those of genes except SOD1 of yeast in the high glucose with Ca2+ group were higher at 36 h. CONCLUSION: High-glucose stress limited the growth of yeast, while a moderate extracellular Ca2+ signal could improve the antioxidant capacity of yeast in a high-glucose environment by regulating protectant metabolism and enhancing the antioxidant enzyme activity and expression of antioxidant genes in a high-sugar environment. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Application of a new position in endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery: modified prone split-leg position.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) is well established as a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of multiple urolithiasis. The position is the key to the perfect combination of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia (GMSV) and prone split-leg positions are widely used. However, both positions have their own advantages and disadvantages. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ECIRS in the treatment of multiple urolithiasis in the modified prone split-leg position. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 96 patients with multiple urolithiasis underwent ECIRS in modified prone split-leg position from September 2017 to January 2021. Relevant demographic and clinical data were analysed retrospectively. Clinical outcomes, such as the stone free rate, complications and postoperative hospital stay were evaluated. The chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables and Student's t test was applied for continuous variables of the treatment groups. RESULTS: The mean renal stone size was 32.5 ± 10.7 mm and renal stone surface area was 712.2 ± 264.8 mm2. The mean ureteral stones size was 24.8 ± 12.3 mm. The mean surgical time was 82.2 ± 38.3 min. The incidence of complications was 16.7%, and they were mainly grade 1 and grade 2. No complications occurred above grade 3. The stone was completely removed in 75 (78.1%) patients in a single operation. The risk factors affecting the stone-free rate of ECIRS were analysed, and only the number of involved calyces by stone was found to be significant (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: ECIRS is safe and effective in the treatment of multiple renal calculi or multiple renal calculi with ipsilateral ureteral calculi in the modified prone split-leg position. The modification of the prone split-leg position makes the retrograde operation more convenient, which is conducive to the combination of RIRS and PCNL.

Pelvic mass causing hematospermia: splenosis.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with splenosis have no clinical symptoms and do not need intervention. Hematospermia and testicular pain occurred in this patient, which was considered to be related to the huge pelvic implantation of the spleen, which was relatively rare in clinical practice, so we hereby report this case. CASE PRESENTATION: A 28-year-old male patient with a history of splenectomy was admitted to the Urology Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University with the chief complaint of "Hematospermia for 1 month and testicular pain for 2 days". Preoperative imaging examination indicated pelvic mass. Combined with the patient's history of splenectomy for splenic rupture in childhood, the possibility of pelvic spleen implantation was considered. Laparoscopic pelvic exploration was performed. During the operation, multiple grayish-brown nodular tissues were observed in the space between the posterior bladder and rectum, and a lobulated grayish-brown mass with a diameter of about 9 cm was observed in the posterior upper part of the prostate gland and seminal vesicle at the pelvic floor. Two nodular tissues were removed intraoperatively and sent for quick frozen pathology, which was reported as spleen tissue. Further resection of the huge mass was performed, and the postoperative pathological results were consistent with the diagnosis of splenosis. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of splenosis presenting with hemospermia and testicular pain.

Effect of glucose levels on carbon flow rate, antioxidant status, and enzyme activity of yeast during fermentation.

BACKGROUND: The physiological metabolism of yeast has a significant impact on the quality of fermentation products. The present study aimed to investigate yeast metabolism in response to a changing glucose content environment, especially in fermentation products, as well as the change of carbon flow rate, antioxidant status, and yeast enzyme activity. RESULTS: Yeast in a 0 g L-1 glucose level was subjected to carbon starvation stress, cell growth retardation and cell proliferation was significantly inadequate; in the logarithmic growth stage of yeast, at a 30 g L-1 glucose level, the carbon source mainly flowed to tricarboxylic acid cycle and pentose phosphate metabolism, cell division, proliferation, and increased cell growth. In later logarithmic growth period and stable period, carbon flowed into glycerol and trehalose metabolism, to cope with the environmental stress; yeast in 60 and 150 g L-1 glucose levels faced high glucose stress at the beginning, the content of reactive oxygen increased, malondialdehyde content increased, cell damage was reduced through the regulation of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme activities, and most of the carbon flowed into the metabolic pathway of ethanol, glycerol, and trehalose to cope with high glucose stress, the pentose phosphate pathway showed a large late influx, and NADPH also started to increase rapidly after 24 h. CONCLUSION: Yeast was stressed in a high-sugar environment and ensured the activity of yeast by preferentially increasing the metabolic intensity of trehalose, glycerol, and glycolytic metabolism, weakening tricarboxylic acid metabolism, and first weakening and then increasing pentose phosphate metabolism. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Long-term vitamin D deficiency promotes renal fibrosis and functional impairment in middle-aged male mice.

Renal fibrosis is common especially in the elderly population. Recently, we found that vitamin D deficiency caused prostatic hyperplasia. This study aimed to investigate whether vitamin D deficiency promotes renal fibrosis and functional impairment. All mice except controls were fed with vitamin D-deficient (VDD) diets, beginning from their early life. The absolute and relative kidney weights on postnatal week 20 were decreased in VDD diet-fed male pups but not in female pups. A mild pathological damage was observed in VDD diet-fed male pups but not in females. Further analysis showed that VDD-induced pathological damage was aggravated, accompanied by renal dysfunction in 40-week-old male pups. An obvious collagen deposition was observed in VDD diet-fed 40-week-old male pups. Moreover, renal α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and Tgf-ß mRNA were up-regulated. The in vitro experiment showed that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 alleviated transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)-mediated down-regulation of E-cadherin and inhibited TGF-ß1-evoked up-regulation of N-cadherin, vimentin and α-SMA in renal epithelial HK-2 cells. Moreover, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 suppressed TGF-ß1-evoked Smad2/3 phosphorylation in HK-2 cells. These results provide experimental evidence that long-term vitamin D deficiency promotes renal fibrosis and functional impairment, at least partially, through aggravating TGF-ß/Smad2/3-mediated EMT in middle-aged male mice.

Analysis of predictors of adherent perinephric fat and its impact on perioperative outcomes in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: a retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Adherent perinephric fat (APF), characterized by inflammatory fat surrounding the kidney, can limit the isolation of renal tumors and increase the operative difficulty in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN). The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of APF and its impact on perioperative outcomes during LPN. METHODS: A total of 215 consecutive patients undergoing LPN for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from January 2017 to June 2019 at our institute were included. We divided these patients into two groups according to the presence of APF. Radiographic data were retrospectively collected from preoperative cross-sectional imaging. The perioperative clinical parameters were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the predictive factors of APF. RESULTS: APF was identified in 41 patients (19.1%) at the time of LPN. Univariate analysis demonstrated that APF was significantly correlated with the male gender (P = 0.001), higher body mass index (P = 0.002), lower preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (P = 0.004), greater posterior perinephric fat thickness (P < 0.001), greater perinephric stranding (P < 0.001), and higher Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) score (P < 0.001). The MAP score (P < 0.001) was the only variable that remained an independent predictor for APF in multivariate analysis. We found that patients with APF had longer operative times (P < 0.001), warm ischemia times (P = 0.001), and greater estimated blood loss (P = 0.003) than those without APF. However, there were no significant differences in surgical approach, transfusion rate, length of postoperative stay, complication rate, or surgical margin between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Several specific clinical and radiographic factors including the MAP score can predict APF. The presence of APF is associated with an increased operative time, warm ischemia time, and greater estimated blood loss but has no impact on other perioperative outcomes in LPN.

ROS-mediated genotoxic stress is involved in NaAsO2-induced cell cycle arrest, stemness enhancement and chemoresistance of prostate cancer cells in a p53-independent manner.

Several epidemiological studies reported that chronic arsenic exposure increased risk of prostate cancer. This study aimed to investigate whether chronic NaAsO2 exposure elevates stemness and chemoresistance in prostate cancer cells. DU145 (wild-type p53) and PC-3 (p53-null) cells were exposed to NaAsO2 (2 µmol/L) for 30 generations. IC50s to docetaxel and cisplatin were increased in NaAsO2-exposed DU145 and PC-3 cells. The number of tumor spheres was elevated in NaAsO2-exposed DU145 and PC-3 cells. Nanog, SOX-2 and ALDH1A1, three markers of cancer stemness, were upregulated in NaAsO2-exposed PC-3 spheres. Moreover, NaAsO2-exposed DU145 and PC-3 cells were arrested in G2/M phase. Histone H2AX phosphorylation on Ser139, an indicator for DNA double-strand break, was upregulated in NaAsO2-exposed DU145 and PC-3 cells. ATM phosphorylation on Ser1981, a key sensor of genotoxic stress, was rapidly elevated in NaAsO2-exposed DU145 cells. Phosphor-p53, a downstream molecule of ATM signaling, and p21, a direct target of p53, were upregulated in NaAsO2-exposed DU145 cells. Unexpectedly, p21 was also elevated in NaAsO2-exposed p53-null PC-3 cells. Antioxidant NAC alleviated NaAsO2-induced ATM phosphorylation, cell cycle arrest, and subsequent stemness enhancement and chemoresistance in both DU145 and PC-3 cells. These results suggest that ROS-mediated genotoxic stress is involved in NaAsO2-induced cell cycle arrest, stemness enhancement and chemoresistance of prostate cancer cells in a p53-independent manner.

Calcitriol inhibits migration and invasion of renal cell carcinoma cells by suppressing Smad2/3-, STAT3- and ß-catenin-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Low vitamin D status is associated with progression in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The present study found that vimentin, a mesenchymal marker, was accordingly upregulated, and E-cadherin, an epithelial marker, was downregulated in RCC patients with low vitamin D status. Thus, we investigated the effects of calcitriol or vitamin D3, an active form of vitamin D, on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in RCC cells. RCC cells were treated by two models. In model 1, three RCC cell lines, ACHN, 786-O and CAKI-2, were incubated with either LPS (2.0 µg/mL) or transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 (10 ng/mL) in the presence or absence of calcitriol (200 nmol/L). In model 2, two RCC cell lines, ACHN and CAKI-2, were incubated with calcitriol (200 nmol/L) only. Calcitriol inhibited migration and invasion not only in TGF-ß1-stimulated but also in TGF-ß1-unstimulated RCC cells. Moreover, calcitriol suppressed E-cadherin downregulation and vimentin upregulation not only in TGF-ß1-stimulated but also in TGF-ß1-unstimulated ACHN and CAKI-2 cells. Calcitriol attenuated LPS-induced upregulation of MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MMP-26 and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) in ACHN cells. In addition, calcitriol blocked TGF-ß1-induced nuclear translocation of ZEB1, Snail and Twist1 in ACHN and CAKI-2 cells. Mechanistically, calcitriol suppressed EMT through different signaling pathways: (i) calcitriol suppressed Smad2/3 phosphorylation by reinforcing physical interaction between vitamin D receptor (VDR) and Smad3 in TGF-ß1-stimulated RCC cells; (ii) calcitriol inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 activation in LPS-stimulated RCC cells; (iii) calcitriol inhibited ß-catenin/TCF-4 activation by promoting integration of VDR with ß-catenin in TGF-ß1-unstimulated RCC cells. Taken together, calcitriol inhibits migration and invasion of RCC cells partially by suppressing Smad2/3-, STAT3- and ß-catenin-mediated EMT.

Serum nesfatin-1 is associated with testosterone and the severity of erectile dysfunction.

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate serum nesfatin-1 concentrations in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). Patients with ED were selected from the Department of Urology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) was used to evaluate the severity of ED. Serum nesfatin-1 and gonadal hormone levels, including luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone were measured. The IIEF-5 scores (t = -21.034, p < .001) and nesfatin-1 levels (t = -7.043, p < .001) in patients with ED were significantly lower than in healthy controls. Moreover, patients with ED showed decreased testosterone levels (t = -3.478, p = .001), whereas there were no significant differences in serum levels of FSH (t = -0.088, p = .930) and LH (t = 1.114, p = .270) between the two groups. Furthermore, positive relationships were found between serum nesfatin-1 and testosterone concentrations (r = .742, p = .001) and IIEF-5 scores (r = .395, p = .009) in ED patients. Additionally, based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under curve for nesfatin-1 was 0.884 with 83.3% sensitivity and 81.4% specificity in discriminating ED patients from healthy controls. The decrease in serum nesfatin-1 level may be related to testosterone and the severity of ED.

Illness perceptions are a potential predictor of psychological distress in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a 12-month prospective, longitudinal, observational study.

Depressive and anxiety symptoms are common psychiatric disorders among cancer patients. Among the 137 patients with NMIBC (Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder cancer), 101 patients who provided answers to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) completed the 12-month longitudinal study. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the interactions between psychiatric problems and illness perceptions (IPs). Patients with NMIBC displayed less positive IPs and more negative IPs. IPs have explained 42.0% and 39.5% of the variance in anxiety at 3 and 12 months of follow-up. IPs have explained 41.4% and 45.5% of the variance in depressive symptoms at 3 and 12 months of follow-up. The results demonstrated IPs are significantly associated with psychological distress and taken as the potential predictor of psychological distress in patients with NIMBC. Interventions focusing on the modification of poor IPs may be feasible and effective in improving psychiatric disorders and quality of life among patients with NIMBC.

Depressive symptoms are found to be potential adverse effects of androgen deprivation therapy in older prostate cancer patients: A 15-month prospective, observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and depression and to identify the risk factors for depressive symptoms among prostate cancer (PCa) patients who received ADT. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, controlled study and assessed 3 groups of older patients: the ADT group (men who were presented with maximum androgen block); the radical prostatectomy (RP) group (PCa control group: men who underwent RP without ADT); and the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) group (men who had BPH). All patients completed the demographic questionnaire at baseline and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) at pretreatment baseline, 1 month, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months and 15 months. RESULTS: A total of 146 patients completed the study during the 15-month follow-up. The Self-Rating Depression Scale scores of the 3 groups showed significant differences at 1 month (P < .001), 6 months (P = .009), 9 months (P < .001), 12 months (P < .001), and 15 months (P < .001). At 9 months, 12% of the men in the ADT group, 4.3% in the RP group, and 2% in the BPH group showed depressive symptoms, and there were no significant differences (P = .095). However, there were significant differences among the 3 groups relative to the incidence of depressive symptoms at 12 and 15 months (P < .001, P = .007, respectively). The analysis of the ADT subgroup indicated that alcohol consumption (odds ratio = 6.868; P = .046; 95% CI, 1.038-45.443) and smoking (odds ratio = 13.661; P = 0.013; 95% CI, 1.722-108.386) increased the risk for developing depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Androgen deprivation therapy use does significantly increase the depressive scores and enhance the incidence of depression among PCa patients who received ADT. Smoking and alcohol consumption are associated with depressive symptoms among PCa patients receiving ADT.

PI-RADS v2.1 evaluation of prostate "nodule in nodule" variants: clinical, imaging, and pathological features.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the correlation among the imaging features of prostate "nodule in nodule," clinical prostate indices, and pathology results. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the prostate images from 47 male patients who underwent MRI scans and pathological biopsy from January 2022 to July 2023. Two radiologists (R1/R2) evaluated the morphology and signal intensity of the "nodule in nodule" in a double-blind manner and calculated the PI-RADS v2.1 score, which was compared with clinical prostate indices and pathological results. RESULTS: 34.04% (16/47) of patients were pathologically diagnosed with clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). Total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), free/t PSA, PSA density (PSAD), and prostate gland volume (PGV) were significantly different between csPCa patients and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with prostate "nodule in nodule". R1/R2 detected 17/17 prostate "nodule in nodule" pathologically confirmed as csPCa on MRI; 10.60% (16/151) (R1) and 11.11% (17/153) (R2) had diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) PI-RADS v2.1 score of 4, and 0.66% (1/151) (R1) had a score of 3. The percentages of encapsulated, circumscribed, and atypical nodules and obscured margins were 0.00% (0/151), 0.00% (0/151), 5.96% (9/151), and 5.30% (8/151), respectively, for R1, and 0.00% (0/153), 0.00% (0/153), 5.88% (9/153), and 4.58% (7/153) for R2. CONCLUSION: When the inner nodules of "nodule in nodule" lesions in PI-RADS v2.1 category 1 in the TZ show incomplete capsulation or obscured margins, they are considered atypical nodules and might be upgraded to PI-RADS v2.1 category 3 if they exhibit marked diffusion restriction. However, further validation is needed. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: This study first analyzed the relationship between clinical and pathological findings and the size, margin, and multimodal MRI manifestations of the prostate "nodule in nodule." These findings could improve the diagnostic accuracy of PI-RADS v2.1 for prostate lesions. KEY POINTS: • The margin of the prostate inner nodules affects the PI-RADS v2.1 score. • The morphology of prostate "nodule in nodule" is related to their pathology. • The PI-RADS v2.1 principle requires consideration of prostate "nodule in nodule" variants.

Morphology Control and Mechanism of Different Bath Systems in Cu/SiCw Composite Electroplating.

With the rapid development of electronic technology and large-scale integrated circuit devices, it is very important to develop thermal management materials with high thermal conductivity. Silicon carbide whisker-reinforced copper matrix (Cu/SiCw) composites are considered to be one of the best candidates for future electronic device radiators. However, at present, most of these materials are produced by high-temperature and high-pressure processes, which are expensive and prone to interfacial reactions. To explore the plating solution system suitable for SiCw and Cu composite electroplating, we tried two different Cu-based plating solutions, namely a Systek UVF 100 plating solution of the copper sulfate (CuSO4) system and a Through Silicon Via (TSV) plating solution of the copper methanesulfonate (Cu(CH3SO3)2) system. In this paper, Cu/SiCw composites were prepared by composite electrodeposition. The morphology of the coating under two different plating liquid systems was compared, and the mechanism of formation of the different morphologies was analyzed. The results show that when the concentration of SiCw in the bath is 1.2 g/L, the surface of the Cu/SiCw composite coating prepared by the CuSO4 bath has more whiskers with irregular distribution and the coating is very smooth, but there are pores at the junction of the whiskers and Cu. There are a large number of irregularly distributed whiskers on the surface of the Cu/SiCw composite coating prepared with the copper methanesulfonate (Cu(CH3SO3)2) system. The surface of the composite is flat, and Cu grows along the whisker structure. The whisker and Cu form a good combination, and there is no pore in the cross-section of the coating. The observation at the cross-section also reveals some characteristics of the toughening mechanism of SiCw, including crack deflection, bridging and whisker pull-out. The existence of these mechanisms indicates that SiCw plays a toughening role in the composites. A suitable plating solution system was selected for the preparation of high-performance Cu/SiCw thermal management materials with the composite electrodeposition process.

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the sensitivity to punishment and sensitivity to reward questionnaire-revised and its psychometric evaluation among Chinese person with substance use disorder.

The Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ) is a self-report tool widely used to assess individuals' level of reinforcement sensitivity. Drug addiction is strongly associated with reinforcement sensitivity, but there is a lack of measurement tools to assess reinforcement sensitivity in drug users, necessitating the revision and application of the SPSRQ among drug users. This study recruited 819 drug users (mean age = 34.74; 56.41% female) from five compulsory rehabilitation centers in Hunan Province, China. The applicability of the SPSRQ among person with substance use disorder was assessed by conducting reliability analyses and validity analyses, with retesting performed by 127 individuals after 6 weeks. Exploratory factor analysis for the SPSRQ showed a stable two-factor structure in person with substance use disorder. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable goodness of fit indexes for the two-factor structure. The SPSRQ also demonstrated good reliability and convergent and discriminant validity evidence. The two-factor structure of the SPSRQ also demonstrated measurement invariance across gender. Further comparative analysis found that the degree of reward sensitivity was higher for males than for females. Generally, the SPSRQ has shown evidence of good reliability and validity in Chinese drug-dependent populations, and it is suitable for research and application with Chinese person with substance use disorder. These findings about the personality traits of people with substance use disorder provide a solid basis for further research.

Inhibitory effects and reactions of gallic acid, catechin, and procyanidin B2 with nitrosation under stomach simulating conditions.

Nitrite widely exists in meat products, and has the functions of bacteriostasis, antisepsis, and color development. However, in an acidic environment, nitrite will react with amines, and further generate nitrosamines with carcinogenic and teratogenic effects. Polyphenols have good antioxidant and nitrite-scavenging effects. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of gallic acid, catechin, and procyanidin B2 on the nitrosation reaction under stomach simulating conditions and discuss the potential inhibitory mechanism. The nitrite scavenging rate and nitrosamine synthesis blocking rate of gallic acid, catechin, and procyanidin B2 under different reaction times and contents was determined by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The possible products of the reaction of the three polyphenols with nitrite were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) to reveal the mechanism of inhibiting nitrification. The results showed that the scavenging rate of the three polyphenols on nitrite and the blocking rate of nitrosamine synthesis increased with the increase of the content and reaction time. The ability of the three polyphenols to inhibit nitrosation was catechin > procyanidin B2 > gallic acid. HPLC-MS analysis showed that under simulated gastric juice conditions, the three phenolics were oxidized by nitrous acid to form their semiquinone radicals as the intermediates and nitrosated derivatives, while nitrite might be converted to ˙NO. These results suggested that gallic acid, catechin, and procyanidin B2 could inhibit nitrosation reactions in an acidic environment and may be used as food additives to reduce nitrite residues and nitrosamines in food.

"Two-in-One" PtPdCu Trimetallic Multifunctional Nanoparticles-Mediated Dual-Signal-Integrated Aptasensor for Ultradetection of Enrofloxacin.

Balancing the accuracy and simplicity of aptasensors is a challenge in their construction. This study addresses this issue by leveraging the remarkable loading capacity and peroxidase-like catalytic activity of PtPdCu trimetallic nanoparticles, which reduces the reliance on precious metals. A dual-signal readout aptasensor for enrofloxacin (ENR) detection is designed, incorporating DNA dynamic network cascade reactions to further amplify the output signal. Exploiting the strong loading capacity of PtPdCu nanoparticles, they are self-assembled with thionine (Thi) to form a signal label capable of generating signals in two independent modes. The label exhibits excellent enzyme-like catalytic activity and enhances electron transfer capabilities. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV) are employed to independently read signals from the oxidation-reduction reaction of Thi and the catalytic oxidation of hydroquinone (HQ) to benzoquinone (BQ) by H2O2. The introduced DNA dynamic network cascade reaction modularizes sample processing and electrode surface signal generation, avoiding electrode contamination and efficiently increasing the output of the catalyzed hairpin assembly (CHA) cycle. Under optimized conditions, the developed aptasensor demonstrates detection limits of 0.112 (DPV mode) and 0.0203 pg/mL (SWV mode). Additionally, the sensor successfully detected enrofloxacin in real samples, expanding avenues for designing dual-mode signal amplification strategies.