Retraction of: "Risk factors for poor ovarian response in patients receiving in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer".

The paper entitled "Risk factors for poor ovarian response in patients receiving in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer" by Chen et al., which was published in Minerva Surgery 2023 June;78(3):303-4, has been retracted by the Publisher upon the authors' request; they asked for a retraction because the paper contains faulty data.

Balancing Pd-H Interactions: Thiolate-Protected Palladium Nanoclusters for Robust and Rapid Hydrogen Gas Sensing.

The transition toward hydrogen gas (H2) as an eco-friendly and renewable energy source necessitates advanced safety technologies, particularly robust sensors for H2 leak detection and concentration monitoring. Although palladium (Pd)-based materials are preferred for their strong H2 affinity, intense palladium-hydrogen (Pd-H) interactions lead to phase transitions to palladium hydride (PdHx), compromising sensors' durability and detection speeds after multiple uses. In response, this study introduces a high-performance H2 sensor designed from thiolate-protected Pd nanoclusters (Pd8SR16), which leverages the synergistic effect between the metal and protective ligands to form an intermediate palladium-hydrogen-sulfur (Pd-H-S) state during H2 adsorption. Striking a balance, it preserves Pd-H binding affinity while preventing excessive interaction, thus lowering the energy required for H2 desorption. The dynamic adsorption-dissociation-recombination-desorption process is efficiently and highly reversible with Pd8SR16, ensuring robust and rapid H2 sensing at parts per million (ppm). The Pd8SR16-based sensor demonstrates exceptional stability (50 cycles; 0.11% standard deviation in response), prompt response/recovery (t90 = 0.95 s/6 s), low limit of detection (LoD, 1 ppm), and ambient temperature operability, ranking it among the most sensitive Pd-based H2 sensors. Furthermore, a multifunctional prototype demonstrates the practicality of real-world gas sensing using ligand-protected metal nanoclusters.

Synergistic ferrate(VI) and chlorine for reclaimed water disinfection: Microbial control and chlorine decay mitigation.

Chlorination is the most widely used disinfection technology due to its simplicity and continuous disinfection ability. However, the drawbacks of disinfection by-products and chlorine-resistant bacteria have gained increasing attention. Nowadays, ferrate (Fe(VI)) is a multifunctional and environmentally friendly agent which has great potential in wastewater reclamation and reuse. This study investigated synergistic Fe(VI) and chlorine technology for reclaimed water disinfection in terms of microbial control and chlorine decay mitigation. Specifically, synergistic disinfection significantly improved the inactivation efficiency on total coliform, Escherichia coli and heterotrophic bacteria compared to sole chlorination. Synergistic disinfection also exhibited superior performance on controlling the relative abundance of chlorine-resistant bacteria and pathogenic bacteria. In addition, the decay rate of residual chlorine was relatively lower after Fe(VI) pretreatment, which was beneficial for microbial control during the reclaimed water distribution process. Technical and economic analyses revealed that synergistic Fe(VI) and chlorine disinfection was suitable and feasible. Results of this study are believed to provide useful information and alternative options on the optimization of reclaimed water disinfection.

Update: The Role of Epigenetics in the Metabolic Memory of Diabetic Complications.

Diabetes, a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, is associated with significantly accelerated complications, including diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which increase morbidity and mortality. Hyperglycemia and other diabetes-related environmental factors such as overnutrition, sedentary lifestyles and hyperlipidemia can induce epigenetic changes. Working alone or with genetic factors, these epigenetic changes, that occur without alterations in the underlying DNA sequence, can alter the expression of pathophysiological genes and impair functions of associated target cells/organs, leading to diabetic complications like DKD. Notably, some hyperglycemia-induced epigenetic changes persist in target cells/tissues even after glucose normalization, leading to sustained complications despite glycemic control, so called metabolic memory. Emerging evidence from in-vitro, in-vivo animal models and clinical trials with diabetes subjects identified clear associations between metabolic memory and epigenetic changes including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin structure, and noncoding RNAs at key loci. Targeting such persistent epigenetic changes and/or molecules regulated by them can serve as valuable opportunities to attenuate, or erase metabolic memory, which is crucial to prevent complication progression. Here, we review these cell/tissue-specific epigenetic changes identified to-date as related to diabetic complications, especially DKD, and the current status on targeting epigenetics to tackle metabolic memory. We also discuss limitations in current studies, including the need for more (epi)genome-wide studies, integrative analysis using multiple epigenetic marks and Omics datasets, and mechanistic evaluation of metabolic memory. Considering the tremendous technological advances in epigenomics, genetics, sequencing, and availability of genomic datasets from clinical cohorts, this field is likely to see considerable progress in the upcoming years.

Ionic Polymerization-Based Synthesis of Bioinspired Adhesive Hydrogel Microparticles with Tunable Morphologies from Microfluidics.

Shape-anisotropic hydrogel microparticles have attracted considerable attention for drug-delivery applications. Particularly, nonspherical hydrogel microcarriers with enhanced adhesive and circulatory abilities have demonstrated value in gastrointestinal drug administration. Herein, inspired by the structures of natural suckers, we demonstrate an ionic polymerization-based production of calcium (Ca)-alginate microparticles with tunable shapes from Janus emulsion for the first time. Monodispersed Janus droplets composed of sodium alginate and nongelable segments were generated using a coflow droplet generator. The interfacial curvatures, sizes, and production frequencies of Janus droplets can be flexibly controlled by varying the flow conditions and surfactant concentrations in the multiphase system. Janus droplets were ionically solidified on a chip, and hydrogel beads of different shapes were obtained. The in vitro and in vivo adhesion abilities of the hydrogel beads to the mouse colon were investigated. The anisotropic beads showed prominent adhesive properties compared with the spherical particles owing to their sticky hydrogel components and unique shapes. Finally, a novel computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM) coupling simulation was used to evaluate particle migration and contact forces theoretically. This review presents a simple strategy to synthesize Ca-alginate particles with tunable structures that could be ideal materials for constructing gastrointestinal drug delivery systems.

The Long Non-Coding RNA SNHG1 Predicts Severity of Acute Pancreatitis and Stimulates Pancreatic Cell Apoptosis and Inflammatory Response.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common digestive emergency, needs early prediction and recognition. The study examined the clinical value of long non-coding RNA SNHG1 in AP, and explored its related mechanism for AP. A total of 288 AP cases and 150 healthy persons were recruited, the AP patients were grouped based on AP severity. AR42J cells were treated with 100nM caerulein to stimulate AP in vitro. qRT-PCR was performed for mRNA detection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn for diagnostic significance evaluation. The relationship of SNHG1 and miR-140-3p was verified via luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. AP cases had high expression of SNHG1, and it can differentiate AP cases from healthy people with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.899. Severe AP cases had high values of SNHG1, which was independently related to AP severity. SNHG1 knockdown relieved caerulein-induced AR42J cell apoptosis and inflammatory response. miR-140-3p interacted with SNHG1, and reversed the role of SNHG1 in caerulein-induced AR42J cell injury. RAB21 was a candidate target of miR-140-3p, and was at high expression in AP cell models. SNHG1 may be a promising biomarker for the detection of AP, and serves as a potential biological marker for further risk stratification in the management of AP. SNHG1 knockdown can relieve inflammatory responses and pancreatic cell apoptosis by absorbing miR-140-3p.

Study on the occurrence state of main components of phosphogypsum dihydrate and its impurity distribution.

The dihydrate phosphoric acid process is the mainstream technique. However, the phosphogypsum (PG) produced contains high levels of impurities such as phosphorus and fluorine, severely constraining its valorization. In order to elucidate the occurrence patterns of phosphorus and fluorine impurities in PG, this study employed analytical methods including XRF, XRD, AMICS (Automated Mineralogy Integrated with Chemistry System), XPS, and chemical element balance analysis. We investigated the occurrence states of phosphorus, fluorine, silicon, iron, and aluminum elements in PG from wet-process phosphoric acid production, as well as the distribution characteristics of phosphorus and fluorine impurities. Additionally, we utilized Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to determine the binding energies of major minerals with water-soluble phosphate and fluoride groups, and analyzed the zeta potentials of gypsum and quartz mineral surfaces. The results indicate that the main mineral phases in PG are gypsum, quartz, potassium silicate minerals, aluminosilicate minerals, and hematite, predominantly occurring in monomineralic forms. Phosphorus impurities primarily exist in calcium silicate and hematite minerals, while fluorine is mainly associated with gypsum and potassium silicate minerals. DFT calculations demonstrate strong binding energies between calcium silicate and hematite minerals with PO4 3-, as well as between gypsum and quartz minerals with F-. The acidic conditions in the separation tank during wet-process phosphoric acid production may contribute to the distinctive distribution characteristics of phosphorus and fluorine impurities in PG.

Genetically predicted major depression causally increases the risk of temporomandibular joint disorders.

Objective: Observational studies have reported that mental disorders are comorbid with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). However, the causal relationship remains uncertain. To clarify the causal relationship between three common mental illnesses and TMD, we conduct this Mendelian Randomization (MR) study. Methods: The large-scale genome-wide association studies data of major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia were retrieved from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. The summary data of TMD was obtained from the Finn-Gen consortium, including 211,023 subjects of European descent (5,668 cases and 205,355 controls). The main approach utilized was inverse variance weighting (IVW) to evaluate the causal association between the three mental disorders and TMD. Five sensitivity analyses including MR-Egger, Maximum Likelihood, Weighted median, MR. RAPS and MR-PRESSO were used as supplements. We conducted heterogeneity tests and pleiotropic tests to ensure the robustness. Results: As shown by the IVW method, genetically determined major depression was associated with a 1.65-fold risk of TMD (95% CI = 1.10-2.47, p < 0.05). The direction and effect size remained consistent with sensitivity analyses. The odds ratios (ORs) were 1.51 (95% CI = 0.24-9.41, p > 0.05) for MR-Egger, 1.60 (95% CI = 0.98-2.61, p > 0.05) for Weighted median, 1.68 (95% CI = 1.19-2.38, p < 0.05) for Maximum likelihood, 1.56 (95% CI = 1.05-2.33, p < 0.05) for MR. RAPS, and 1.65 (95% CI = 1.10-2.47, p < 0.05) for MR-PRESSO, respectively. No pleiotropy was observed (both P for MR-Egger intercept and Global test >0.05). In addition, the IVW method identified no significant correlation between bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and TMD. Conclusion: Genetic evidence supports a causal relationship between major depression and TMD, instead of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These findings emphasize the importance of assessing a patient's depressive status in clinical settings.

Deciphering glycosylation-driven prognostic insights and therapeutic prospects in glioblastoma through a comprehensive regulatory model.

The oncogenesis and development of glioblastoma multiforme have been linked to glycosylation modifications, which are common post-translational protein modifications. Abnormal glycosyltransferase development leads to irregular glycosylation patterns, which hold clinical significance for GB prognosis. By utilizing both single-cell and bulk data, we developed a scoring system to assess glycosylation levels in GB. Moreover, a glycosylation-based signature was created to predict GB outcomes and therapy responsiveness. The study led to the development of an glyco-model incorporating nine key genes. This risk assessment tool effectively stratified GB patients into two distinct groups. Extensive validation through ROC analysis, RMST, and Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis emphasized the model's robust predictive capabilities. Additionally, a nomogram was constructed to predict survival rates at specific time intervals. The research revealed substantial disparities in immune cell infiltration between low-risk and high-risk groups, characterized by differences in immune cell abundance and elevated immune scores. Notably, the glyco-model predicted diverse responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors and drug therapies, with high-risk groups exhibiting a preference for immune checkpoint inhibitors and demonstrated superior responses to drug treatments. Furthermore, the study identified two potential drug targets and utilized Connectivity Map analysis to pinpoint promising therapeutic agents. Clofarabine and YM155 were identified as potent candidates for the treatment of high-risk GB. Our well-crafted glyco-model effectively discriminates patients by calculating the risk score, accurately predicting GB outcomes, and significantly enhancing prognostic assessment while identifying novel immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic strategies for GB treatment.

Interfamily Grafted Hybrids Vitis vinifera/Schisandra chinensis Resulted in Transcriptomic, Phenotypic, and Metabolic Changes.

Long-distance transfer of genetic material and metabolites between rootstock and scions is well documented in homo-grafted hybrids but has rarely been reported in genetically-distant grafts where the rootstock and scion belong to different families. In this study, we grafted Vitis vinifera scions onto Schisandra chinensis stocks and obtained 20 vegetative hybrids, Vitis vinifera/Schisandra chinensis (Vs). After 25 years of growth, we found that the phenotypes of the leaves, internodes, and fruits of the Vs hybrids above the graft union resembled an intermediate phenotype between V. vinifera and S. chinensis, and the new traits were stable when propagated vegetatively. We further analyzed genetic differences between Vv plants and Vs hybrids using high-throughput sequencing, while metabolomes were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We found a total of 2113 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs enriched mainly in oxidation-reduction and metabolic processes. Seventy-nine differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) containing 27 known miRNAs and 52 novel miRNAs were identified. A degradation analysis detected 840 target genes corresponding to 252 miRNAs, of which 12 DEMs and their corresponding target gene expression levels were mostly negatively correlated. Furthermore, 1188 differential metabolic compounds were identified. In particular, in Vs hybrids, the abundance of the metabolites schizandrin and gomisin as the main medicinal ingredients in S. chinensis were down-regulated and up-regulated, respectively. Our data demonstrated the effects of interfamily grafts on the phenotype, transcript profile and metabolites of the scion, and also provided new insight into the genetic, phenotypic, and metabolic plasticity associated with genetically distant grafted hybrids.

Multifunctional hydrogels based on photothermal therapy: A prospective platform for the postoperative management of melanoma.

Preventing the recurrence of melanoma after surgery and accelerating wound healing are among the most challenging aspects of melanoma management. Photothermal therapy has been widely used to treat tumors and bacterial infections and promote wound healing. Owing to its efficacy and specificity, it may be used for postoperative management of tumors. However, its use is limited by the uncontrollable distribution of photosensitizers and the likelihood of damage to the surrounding normal tissue. Hydrogels provide a moist environment with strong biocompatibility and adhesion for wound healing owing to their highly hydrophilic three-dimensional network structure. In addition, these materials serve as excellent drug carriers for tumor treatment and wound healing. It is possible to combine the advantages of both of these agents through different loading modalities to provide a powerful platform for the prevention of tumor recurrence and wound healing. This review summarizes the design strategies, research progress and mechanism of action of hydrogels used in photothermal therapy and discusses their role in preventing tumor recurrence and accelerating wound healing. These findings provide valuable insights into the postoperative management of melanoma and may guide the development of promising multifunctional hydrogels for photothermal therapy.

Active manipulation for Goos-Hänchen shift of guided-wave via a metasurface of silicon-nanoscale semi-spheres on SOI waveguide.

Goos-Hänchen shift of total internal reflection (TIR) is the light beam movement without external driving, so envisioned to have potential manipulation of optical beams. In this article, with a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide corner structure, a variable equivalent permittivity of guided wave is modelled, and then the equivalent electric polarizabilities and the Goos-Hänchen shift of guided wave are modelled. Consequently, with a 2.0-µm SOI waveguide corner structure and an abrupt phase change of ∼0.5π caused by a vertically inserted metasurface of nanoscale semi-spheres having a 450-nm radius can reach the GH shifts of 2.1 µm for TE- and TM-mode, respectively, which are verified by both the FDTD simulation results of 1.93 µm with a reflectivity of about 62% and the experimental results of 2.0 µm with ∼60%. Therefore, this work has efficiently modelled the optical feature response of semi-sphere metasurface to guided wave and the active manipulation for the GH shifts of guided-wave, opening more opportunities to develop the new functionalities and devices for Si-based photonic integrated circuit (PIC) applications.

Grating-based metasurfaces for ultra-narrow near-infrared bandpass filtering with wide out-of-band suppression.

Here, we present a straightforward strategy for designing silicon grating-based metasurfaces tailored for narrow near-infrared bandpass filtering. By selecting appropriate structural parameters for the grating and including periodic groove perturbations within each grating slit, transverse guided mode resonances (GMRs) propagating perpendicular and parallel to the grating slit are created to provide wide out-of-band suppression and high-Q filter responses, respectively. The destructive and constructive interference between radiations from groove perturbations are then introduced to eliminate all GMRs except one, producing a single-band bandpass filter. Simply adjusting the period of the groove perturbations allows precise tuning of the passband's central wavelength across the operational spectral range from 1350 nm to 1750nm, throughout which the passband exhibits a Q-factor exceeding 9,000 and the attenuation level outside the passband remains below 1%. Furthermore, our proposed narrow bandpass filters are found to be robust against the potential fabrication imperfections, such as variations in groove size and position.

The proliferation/migration ability mediated by CD151/PI3K/AKT pathway determines the therapeutic effect of hUC-MSCs transplantation on rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the underlying mechanism by which the proliferation and migration abilities of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) determine their therapeutic efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. METHODS: The DBA/1J mice were utilized to establish a collagen-induced RA (CIA) mouse model and to validate the therapeutic efficacy of hUC-MSCs transfected with CD151 siRNA. RNA-seq, QT-PCR and western blotting were utilized to evaluate the mRNA and protein levels of the PI3K/AKT pathway, respectively. RESULTS: IFN-γ significantly enhanced the proliferation and migration abilities of hUC-MSCs, up-regulating the expression of CD151, a gene related to cell proliferation and migration. Effective inhibition of this effect was achieved through CD151 siRNA treatment. However, IFN-γ did not affect hUC-MSCs differentiation or changes in cell surface markers. Additionally, transplantation of CD151-interfered hUC-MSCs (siRNA-CD151-hUC-MSCs) resulted in decreased colonization in the toes of CIA mice and worse therapeutic effects compared to empty vector treatment (siRNA-NC-hUC-MSCs). CONCLUSION: IFN-γ facilitates the proliferation and migration of hUC-MSCs through the CD151/PI3K/AKT pathway. The therapeutic efficacy of siRNA-CD151-hUC-MSCs was found to be inferior to that of siRNA-NC-hUC-MSCs.

Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in solid tumor patients combined with chronic coronary syndromes or its risk factor: a nationwide multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely applied in the therapy of malignant tumors, the efficacy and safety of ICIs in patients with tumors and pre-existing CAD, especially chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) or their risk factors (CRF), is not well identified. METHODS: This was a nationwide multicenter observational study that enrolled participants who diagnosed with solid tumors and received ICIs therapy. The main efficacy indicators were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), followed by objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Safety was assessed by describing treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) during ICIs therapy evaluated by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 5.0 (CTCAE 5.0). RESULTS: In the current research, we retrospectively analyzed the data of 551 patients diagnosed with solid tumors and received ICIs therapy, and these patients were divided into CCS/CRF group and non-CCS/CRF group. Patients with CCS/CRF had more favorable PFS and OS than patients without CCS/CRF (P < 0.001) and the pre-existing CCS/CRF was a protective factor for survival. The ORR (51.8% vs. 39.1%) and DCR (95.8% vs. 89.2%) were higher in CCS/CRF group than in non-CCS/CRF group (P = 0.003, P = 0.006). In this study, there was no significant difference in treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), including immune-related adverse events (irAEs), between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that ICIs appear to have better efficacy in malignant solid tumor patients with pre-existing CCS/CRF and are not accompanied by more serious irAEs.

Qingfei mixture mitigates immunosuppression of tumor microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer by blocking stat1/Ido1-mediated tryptophan-kynurenine pathway.

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) acts as a T cell checkpoint and is important in controlling T cell exhaustion. Blocking the intercommunication across PD-1 and PD-L1 is promising for advanced lung cancer treatment. However, the response rate requires being strengthened. This study aimed to determine whether the combination treatment of Qingfei mixture (QFM) and PD-1 inhibitor could improve the sensitivity of monoclonal antibody by regulating STAT1/IDO1-mediated tryptophan (Trp)-kynurenine (Kyn) pathway. The in vivo imaging system, immunofluorescence, hematoxylin-eosin staining, TUNEL, flow cytometry, HPLC, and ELISA were used to estimate the anti-tumor effects in LLC-luc tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice treated with QFM, PD-1 inhibitor, 2-NP (enhancer of STAT1 transcription), and FICZ (AhR agonist) alone or in combination. IFN-γ-mediated A549 and LLC cells were treated with QFM-containing serum and fludarabine (FLU, STAT1 inhibitor), and cell viability, apoptosis, and Kyn content were then evaluated using CCK-8 assays, flow cytometry, and HPLC assays, respectively. Additionally, the expressions of STAT1, IDO1, AhR, NFATc1, TRIP12, PD-1, and PD-L1 were measured in vivo and in vitro. We found QFM increased the anti-cancer actions of PD-1 inhibitors by increasing the CD8+IFNγ+ T cells infiltration and decreasing the ratio of Kyn/Trp. Besides, QFM-containing serum suppressed the proliferation and promoted apoptosis in A549 and LLC cells, meanwhile, FLU boosted the effects of QFM-containing serum. Moreover, the suppression of tumor growth in the combination therapy was attenuated in the mice receiving 2-NP or FICZ. The occurrence of the above results was accompanied by a decrease in STAT1, IDO1, AhR, PD-1, and PD-L1 expressions. Collectively, the findings suggested that QFM may increase the influences of PD-1 inhibitors at least partially by blocking the STAT1/IDO1-mediated tryptophan-kynurenine pathway in lung cancer.

Would the one-stage combined approach lead to better long-term neurological outcomes than the posterior approach alone in multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy patients with T2-Weighted increased signal intensity? An 8-year follow-up results and propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: T2-weighted increased signal intensity (ISI) is commonly recognized as a sign of more severe spinal cord lesions, usually accompanied by worse neurological deficits and possibly worse postoperative neurological recovery. The combined approach could achieve better decompression and better neurological recovery for multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy (MDCM). The choice of surgical approach for MDCM with intramedullary T2-weighted ISI remains disputed. This study aimed to compare the neurological outcomes of posterior and one-stage combined posteroanterior approaches for MDCM with T2-weighted ISI. METHODS: A total of 83 consecutive MDCM patients with confirmed ISI with at least three intervertebral segments operated between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively enrolled. Preoperative demographic, radiological and clinical condition variables were collected, and neurological conditions were evaluated by the Japanese Orthopedic Assessment score (JOA) and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Propensity score matching analysis was conducted to produce pairs of patients with comparable preoperative conditions from the posterior-alone and combined groups. Both short-term and mid-term surgical outcomes were evaluated, including the JOA recovery rate (JOARR), NDI improvements, complications, and reoperations. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients were enrolled, of which 38 and 45 patients underwent posterior surgery alone and one-stage posteroanterior surgery, respectively. After propensity score matching, 38 pairs of comparable patients from the posterior and combined groups were matched. The matched groups presented similar preoperative clinical and radiological features and the mean follow-up duration were 111.6 ± 8.9 months. The preoperative JOA scores of the posterior and combined groups were 11.5 ± 2.2 and 11.1 ± 2.3, respectively (p = 0.613). The combined group presented with prolonged surgery duration(108.8 ± 28.0 and 186.1 ± 47.3 min, p = 0.028) and greater blood loss(276.3 ± 139.1 and 382.1 ± 283.1 ml, p<0.001). At short-term follow-up, the combined group presented a higher JOARR than the posterior group (posterior group: 50.7%±46.6%, combined group: 70.4%±20.3%, p = 0.024), while no significant difference in JOARR was observed between the groups at long-term follow-up (posterior group: 49.2%±48.5%, combined group: 59.6%±47.6%, p = 0.136). No significant difference was found in the overall complication and reoperation rates. CONCLUSIONS: For MDCM patients with ISI, both posterior and one-stage posteroanterior approaches could achieve considerable neurological alleviations in short-term and long-term follow-up. With greater surgical trauma, the combined group presented better short-term JOARR but did not show higher efficacy in long-term neurological function preservation in patients with comparable preoperative conditions.

A novel route for urea abatement in UPW production: Pre-chlorination/VUV/UV under acidic circumstances and its enhancement mechanisms.

Urea abatement has been a prominent challenge for UPW production. This research proposed a productive strategy combining pre-chlorination and VUV/UV processes under acidic conditions to settle this problem. This study first revealed the reaction kinetics between urea and free chlorine in a large pH range from 2.5 to 9.6, where the reaction constant rate varied from 0.06 to 0.46 M-1·s-1. Substitution reaction mediated by Cl2 was the dominant process at low pH (pH<3). The differences of dominant pathways resulted in the differences in reaction products: The detected concentration of dichloramine at pH 2.5 was twice that at pH 4.5 and 6.5. Further, this study found that pre-chlorination/VUV/UV process could achieve the thorough removal of 2-mg/L urea with chlorination of less than 5 min and VUV/UV irradiation of less than 200 mJ/cm2. Chloride ions, low pH, and higher chlorine dosage were found to be the positive factors to improve urea removal efficiency in pre-chlorination/VUV/UV process. The reaction rate constants between chlorourea with·OH and·Cl were calculated to be 3.62 × 107 and 2.26 × 109 L·mol-1·s-1, respectively.·Cl,·OH and photolysis contributed 60.5 %, 22.9 % and 16.6 % in chlorourea degradation, respectively. Pre-chlorination/VUV/UV achieved a DOC removal efficiency of 78.5 %. And nitrogen in urea was converted into inorganic nitrogenous compounds. Finally, compared with direct VUV/UV/chlorine and VUV/UV/persulfate processes, this process saved more than 70 % of energy in VUV/UV unit.