Photocatalytic titanium dioxide reduces postharvest decay of nectarine fruit packaged in different materials through modulating central carbon and energy metabolisms.

The capacity of titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysis photocatalytic reactor to prevent and control pathogen infection in nectarine fruit packed in laminated nylon/LDPE, low density polyethylene and microperforated LDPE films was evaluated. Results showed that TiO2 combined with microperforated LDPE packaging (TPL) exhibited superior inhibition of microbial growth, reducing total viable counts by 4.18 log CFU g-1 and yeast and mold counts by 3.20 log CFU g-1, compared to microperforated LDPE packaging alone. TiO2 photocatalysis primed the defense systems in nectarine fruit packed in microperforated LDPE, improving the activity of defense-related enzymes. Metabolomics analysis indicated that l-aspartate, oxaloacetate, and succinic acid involved in central carbon metabolism including the glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways, were significantly upregulated by TPL. TiO2 increased the activity of energy metabolism-related enzymes, adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, and energy charge levels to provide adequate energy, thus reducing fruit decay.

Rational design of one-dimensional skin-core multilayer structure for electrospun carbon nanofibers with bicontinuous electron/ion transport toward high-performance supercapacitors.

The fast transport of electrons and ions within electrodes is crucial to the final electrochemical properties. Herein, we have developed a unique ultra-long one-dimensional (1D) skin-core multilayer structure based on electrospun carbon nanofibers mainly through a facile Stöber method combined with resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, which not only achieves bicontinuous electron/ion transport during the charge/discharge process, but also provides large surface area for ion adsorption. Particularly, controlling the number of active layers as well as regulating the active sites in layer both can obviously improve capacitive properties. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of the desirable architecture, such the rational-designed skin-core structural carbon nanofibers as supercapacitor electrode can deliver a high specific capacitance up to 255 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, favorable rate capability with 89% capacitance retention of initial capacitance at 8 A g-1, and excellent cycling stability with nearly 93% capacity retention after 10,000 cycles at 2 A g-1. Furthermore, the as-assembled symmetric supercapacitor devices also present a maximum energy density of 8.77 Wh kg-1 at 0.25 kW kg-1 and a maximum power density of 3.70 kW kg-1 at 6.74 Wh kg-1. Such skin-core carbon nanofibers provide an effective strategy to design high-performance supercapacitor electrode for the next-generation energy storage devices.

Scattered beam control of encoded metasurface based on near-field coupling effects of elements.

The coupling effect between the element structures of the traditional Huygens metasurface is easy to cause the efficiency of the designed functional devices to be reduced. In order to eliminate or reduce the coupling effect between the element structures, a border-type Huygens metasurface element structure is proposed. In order to confirm that the bounding element structure can significantly reduce the coupling effect, the near-field distribution and far-field properties of two Huygens metasurfaces with and without bounding are compared. Through comparative analysis, we find that the bounding Huygens element structure can significantly reduce the coupling effect between the element structures, and the far-field scattering angle is more consistent with the theoretical calculation value. In order to realize the free regulation of the far-field scattering angle of THz waves, we introduce the Fourier convolution principle in digital signal processing, and operate the element sequence of Huygens metasurface on the addition principle to realize the free regulation of scattered beams. In addition, we performed functional addition operations on the bounding and unbounding coding sequences. The bounding code structure can accurately achieve the synthesis of functions.

Contribution of zeolite to nitrogen retention in chicken manure and straw compost: Reduction of NH3 and N2O emissions and increase of nitrate.

Co-composting of chicken manure, straw and zeolite was investigated in a water bath heating system to estimate the effect of zeolite on physicochemical properties and metabolic functions related to nitrogen conversion. The results indicated that NH3 catches by zeolite was concentrated in the early stage and zeolite with 10 % addition reduced 28 % NH3 and 55 % N2O emissions as compost ended. The nitrate content in 10 % zeolite group was 17 % higher than that in control group. There was no significant increase of NO2- in zeolite group. More NO2- formed NH3, rather than being converted to NOx through denitrification. The abundance of nitrification genes amoA and hao increased except nxrA in zeolite groups. Denitrification was the most obvious at 20 d and zeolite decreased the abundance of denitrification genes narG, nirK and nosZ at this time.

Effects of different national standards and driving conditions on pollutants and persistent free radicals in diesel engine exhaust particles.

Exhaust pollutants from diesel vehicles constitute an important portion of air pollution. In addition to conventional pollutants such as carbon and nitrogen oxides, persistent free radicals (PFRs) exist on exhaust particles could also pose a health risk by inducing oxidative stress. However, recently there is a dearth of comprehensive studies addressing this concern. In this study, the exhaust particles emitted by tractors adhering to two prominent emission standards, namely GB III and GB I, that currently hold the largest tractor stocks, were collected under various working conditions. For the first time, this study dynamically monitored the characteristics of PFRs in exhaust particles emitted by internal combustion engines using biodiesel as fuel during driving on rural actual roads. Due to the stricter emission standard of GB III, which resulted in lower particle emissions, the concentration of PFRs emitted under the same fuel consumption was ultimately reduced. Noteworthily, while advancements like fuel atomization under engine electronic control unit (ECU) and the utilization of oxidation catalysts with low ignition temperature successfully decreased polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission by altering combustion in the engine, they also resulted in heightened carbon structure defects, leading to a higher concentration of PFRs emitted per unit mass of particles. Additionally, compared to non-plowing driving conditions, localized hypoxia during plowing that could cause excessive fuel injection and uneven formation of fuel-air mixture resulted in the emission of a significant amount of carbon-containing substances with unstable structures. Consequently, this scenario led to an increased concentration of PFRs during plowing conditions. The results of this study demonstrated that the stricter emission standards and optimized technology could better reduce the concentration and types of PFRs in exhaust particles, reducing the environmental risk of exhaust particle, which is also of great significance for the realization of pollution reduction and carbon reduction goals.

Disrupted synaptic homeostasis and partial occlusion of associative long-term potentiation in the human cortex during social isolation.

Social isolation often occurs in the military mission of soldiers but has increased in the general population since the COVID-19 epidemic. Overall synaptic homeostasis along with associative plasticity for the activity-dependent refinement of transmission across single synapses represent basic neural network function and adaptive behavior mechanisms. Here, we use electrophysiological and behavioral indices to non-invasively study the net synaptic strength and long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity of humans in social isolation environments. The theta activity of electroencephalography (EEG) signals and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) intensity to elicit a predefined amplitude of motor-evoked potential (MEP) demonstrate the disrupted synaptic homeostasis in the human cortex during social isolation. Furthermore, the induced MEP change by paired associative stimulation (PAS) demonstrates the partial occlusion of LTP-like plasticity, further behavior performances in a word-pair task are also identified as a potential index. Our study indicates that social isolation disrupts synaptic homeostasis and occludes associative LTP-like plasticity in the human cortex, decreasing behavior performance related to declarative memory.

Challenges and opportunities for the production, utilization and effects of biochar in cold-region agriculture.

Cold regions are part of the earth's system characterized by the presence of snow and ice for at least part of the year. Many biochar applications in cold-regions agricultural sectors have been reported in China, Canada, Demark, Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, etc. The objective of this study was thus to comprehensively examine the previous studies of cold-region biochar technologies and their socio-economic and environmental benefits. This literature review showed that woody biochar from pine and spruce were common feedstocks with pyrolysis temperature of 550- 600 °C. 1 % and 28 t ha-1 biochar in field showed better results of promoting yield enhancement. It displayed a long-term benefit with massive economic gains and ecosystem. Moreover, the mechanism and effect of biochar were studied that instead of short-term application, a long-term application of biochar gradually improved the soil condition and generated long-term benefits due to the biochar-assisted enhancement of local ecosystem, such as improved cold-resistance of microbes and plants, promoted N uptakes, stimulated biological activities, and facilitated rhizosphere interactions. However, it should not be ignored that a short-term application could cause decline in nutrient uptake, decrease in immobilization, and trivial soil enhancement, showing an insignificant or harmful influence on the field. Though biochar generally had positive long-term effects on the field, possible influences need to be further explored to generate a best view for cold-region application of biochar with the consideration of impacts from short-term and long-term effects.

Porous polypyrrole with a vesicle-like structure for efficient removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from water: Crucial role of porosity and morphology.

Herein, a vesicle-like and porous polypyrrole (pPPy) was fabricated by in suit self-template method to efficiently capture per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the important role of porosity and morphology in PFAS removal was explored. Compared to solid PPy (sPPy), the porosity and vesicle-like morphology of pPPy endowed it with excellent properties such as large specific surface area (108.9 m2/g vs. 22.3 m2/g), suitable pore sizes (17.4 nm), dispersity, and high hydrophilicity, which facilitated mass transfer and enhanced PFAS sorption performance. The estimated sorption capacities of pPPy for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) were 509 mg/g and 532 mg/g, respectively, which were ∼2 times higher than sPPy. Furthermore, pPPy demonstrated PFAS removal of ≥ 90% across a wide pH range (3-9) and varying humic acid concentrations (0-50 mg/L). In actual water matrices, pPPy efficiently removed 12 short-chain (C-F number: 3-6) and long-chain PFASs (>90% removal for major PFASs), outperforming sPPy by ∼1.2-2.5 times. Notably, the enlarged porosity and regular morphology of pPPy significantly enhanced the removal of short-chain PFASs by ∼2 times. The spent pPPy could be regenerated and reused over 5 times. This research provides valuable insights for designing efficient PFAS sorbents by emphasizing control over porosity and morphology.

Microbially driven Fe-N cycle: Intrinsic mechanisms, enhancement, and perspectives.

The iron­nitrogen (FeN) cycle driven by microbes has great potential for treating wastewater. Fe is a metal that is frequently present in the environment and one of the crucial trace elements needed by microbes. Due to its synergistic role in the microbial N removal process, Fe goes much beyond the essential nutritional needs of microorganisms. Investigating the mechanisms behind the linked Fe-N cycle driven by microbes is crucial. The Fe-N cycle is frequently connected with anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox), nitrification, denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), Feammox, and simultaneous nitrification denitrification (SND), etc. Although the main mechanisms of Fe-mediated biological N removal may vary depending on the valence state of the Fe, their similar transformation pathways may provide information on the study of certain element-microbial interactions. This review offers a thorough analysis of the facilitation effect and influence of Fe on the removal of nitrogenous pollutants in various biological N removal processes and summarizes the ideal Fe dosing. Additionally, the synergistic mechanisms of Fe and microbial synergistic N removal process are elaborated, covering four aspects: enzyme activity, electron transfer, microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion, and microbial community interactions. The methods to improve biological N removal based on the intrinsic mechanism were also discussed, with the aim of thoroughly understanding the biological mechanisms of Fe in the microbial N removal process and providing a reference and thinking for employing Fe to promote microbial N removal in practical applications.

Mo(VI) removal from water by aluminum electrocoagulation: Cost-effectiveness analysis, main influencing factors, and proposed mechanisms.

Mo(VI) (MoO42-) removal by aluminum electrocoagulation (Al EC) with Al as anodes and cathodes was studied for the first time. At the initial Mo concentrations of 0.3 - 150 mg/L, kinetic analysis and effects of main factors (electrode connection modes, current density (CD), initial pH, and electrolytes) were examined, and potential mechanism of Mo(VI) removal were elucidated. Results showed that CD had significant impacts on anode weight loss, cathode weight loss, and total electrode weight loss (p value < 0.05). Cathode weight loss was higher than anode weight loss. XRD analysis results showed lower crystallinity of scums than that of precipitates. Boehmite was the most prevalent oxide in scums. An appropriate amount of NaCl was beneficial for enhancing the Mo(VI) removal efficiency and reducing the energy consumption of the Al EC process. Electrostatic attraction, surface complexation, hydroxyl exchange, flocculation, and coprecipitation were the main mechanisms involved in the Mo(VI) removal process by Al EC. Al EC outperformed conventional chemical coagulation in terms of Mo(VI) removal at the same dosage of Al. The Mo(VI) removal efficiencies in two real water samples (lake water and river water) reached up to 89.2% and 71.2%, respectively. This study provides novel insights into the strategies for the removal of oxoanionic metal pollutants and reduction of operating cost by Al EC technology.

An injectable carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel scaffold formed via coordination bond for antibacterial and osteogenesis in osteomyelitis.

The intricate, hostile, and diverse nature of osteomyelitis (OM) poses a challenge for complete bacterial eradication and osteogenesis promotion via conventional treatment. Recently, functional hydrogels exhibiting antibacterial and osteogenic properties emerge as a promising avenue for OM wound healing in clinical practice. However, the preparation procedures and associated costs on cytokine and cell therapies for certain functional hydrogels can be complex and prohibitively expensive. In our research, a hybrid hydrogel dressing has been formulated utilizing carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) as the base material, and designed with inherent antibacterial, adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation characteristics, showing promise as a candidate for eradicating infection and promoting bone regeneration. The hybrid hydrogel is composed of interconnected networks of Fe3+-induced self-assembled CMCS and the antibacterial drug ciprofloxacin (CIP), resulting in excellent injectability and moldability. Notably, the CMCS/Fe3+/CIP hybrid hydrogel is capable of regulating antibacterial responses and stimulating osteogenesis in infected microenvironments without additional additives. This injectable antibacterial and osteogenic-promoting hydrogel establish a high-potential platform for low-cost, safe and effective treatment of OM by expediting the initial stages of infected bone wound repair.

Development and preclinical evaluation of multifunctional hydrogel for precise thermal protection during thermal ablation.

Image-guided thermal ablation (TA), which is less invasive, has been widely applied for treating various kinds of tumors. However, TA still poses the potential risk of thermal damage to sensitive tissue nearby. Therefore, an adjunctive thermoprotective hydrodissection technique with constant injection of 5% glucose (5% Glu) has currently been adopted for clinical application, but this may be hazardous to humans. In this study, a multifunctional hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel (HA-Dc) was developed for hydrodissection. Compared with 5% Glu (the most clinically used solution) and the previously reported F127 hydrogel, the HA-Dc hydrogel was studied in vitro in a porcine liver model and in vivo in a rabbit model and showed good injectability and better tissue retention, stability, and thermoprotective properties throughout the TA procedure. Furthermore, in the preclinical evaluation in a Macaca fascicularis (M. fascicularis) model, HA-Dc showed excellent performance in terms of stricter neuroprotection compared with 5% Glu. In addition, the HA-Dc hydrogel with good biocompatibility and controllable degradation behavior in vivo could be a promising platform for thermal protection during clinical TA procedures.

Anti-aging formula protects skin from oxidative stress-induced senescence through the inhibition of CXCR2 expression.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The skin is affected by endogenous and exogenous factors, which are the intuitive consequence expression of aging. Aging not only affects the aesthetics of the skin but also causes the decline of skin functions, leading to many skin diseases and even skin cancer. Anti-aging formula (AAF) has various biological effects such as antioxidants, regulation of intestinal flora metabolism, anti-aging, and memory improvement. However, it is not clarified whether it could be anti-aging of the skin and the anti-aging mechanism. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate whether AAF could prevent skin from oxidative stress-induced senescence and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mouse skin oxidative stress aging model was established based on ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and parameters such as skin water content, melanogenesis, wrinkle production, pathological changes, and aging marker proteins were measured to elucidate whether AAF has an anti-aging effect on the skin. Subsequently, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to identify target genes. An in vitro cellular senescence model was established to assess the role of AAF against cellular oxidative stress senescence by detecting senescence-related markers, while the specific mechanism of action of AAF in delaying skin senescence was elucidated by silencing or overexpression of targets. RESULTS: In vivo experiments demonstrated that AAF significantly increased skin water content, reduced skin sensitivity and melanin content, slowed wrinkles, improved UV-induced epidermal thickening, increased collagen fiber content, improved elastic fiber morphology, and reduced the expression of senescence proteins P21 and P16 in skin tissues. The RNA-Seq results identified chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) as one of the potential targets for delaying skin senescence. In vitro experiments showed that AAF markedly improved the aging phenotype, and knockdown or overexpression experiments verified the essential role of CXCR2 in the skin senescence process. Mechanistic studies suggested that AAF inhibited the P38/P53 pathway by reducing CXCR2 expression, which improved the aging phenotype, reduced oxidative damage, and ultimately delayed cellular senescence. CONCLUSION: The results reveal that AAF protects skin from oxidative stress-induced senescence by regulating the expression of critical target CXCR2, reducing P38 protein phosphorylation, and inhibiting P53 pathway activation. These discoveries implicate the potential of AAF in the protection of skin aging disease.

Graphene/silicon heterojunction for reconfigurable phase-relevant activation function in coherent optical neural networks.

Optical neural networks (ONNs) herald a new era in information and communication technologies and have implemented various intelligent applications. In an ONN, the activation function (AF) is a crucial component determining the network performances and on-chip AF devices are still in development. Here, we first demonstrate on-chip reconfigurable AF devices with phase activation fulfilled by dual-functional graphene/silicon (Gra/Si) heterojunctions. With optical modulation and detection in one device, time delays are shorter, energy consumption is lower, reconfigurability is higher and the device footprint is smaller than other on-chip AF strategies. The experimental modulation voltage (power) of our Gra/Si heterojunction achieves as low as 1 V (0.5 mW), superior to many pure silicon counterparts. In the photodetection aspect, a high responsivity of over 200 mA/W is realized. Special nonlinear functions generated are fed into a complex-valued ONN to challenge handwritten letters and image recognition tasks, showing improved accuracy and potential of high-efficient, all-component-integration on-chip ONN. Our results offer new insights for on-chip ONN devices and pave the way to high-performance integrated optoelectronic computing circuits.

Targeting lysine demethylase 6B ameliorates ASXL1 truncation-mediated myeloid malignancies in preclinical models.

ASXL1 mutation frequently occurs in all forms of myeloid malignancies and is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. ASXL1 recruits Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) to specific gene loci to repress transcription through tri-methylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27me3). ASXL1 alterations reduce H3K27me3 levels, which results in leukemogenic gene expression and the development of myeloid malignancies. Standard therapies for myeloid malignancies have limited efficacy when mutated ASXL1 is present. We discovered up-regulation of lysine demethylase 6B (KDM6B), a demethylase for H3K27me3, in ASXL1-mutant leukemic cells, which further reduces H3K27me3 levels and facilitates myeloid transformation. Here, we demonstrated that heterozygous deletion of Kdm6b restored H3K27me3 levels and normalized dysregulated gene expression in Asxl1Y588XTg hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). Furthermore, heterozygous deletion of Kdm6b decreased the HSPC pool, restored their self-renewal capacity, prevented biased myeloid differentiation, and abrogated progression to myeloid malignancies in Asxl1Y588XTg mice. Importantly, administration of GSK-J4, a KDM6B inhibitor, not only restored H3K27me3 levels but also reduced the disease burden in NSG mice xenografted with human ASXL1 mutant leukemic cells in vivo. This preclinical finding provides compelling evidence that targeting KDM6B may be a therapeutic strategy for myeloid malignancies with ASXL1 mutations.

A single site ruthenium catalyst for robust soot oxidation without platinum or palladium.

The quest for efficient non-Pt/Pd catalysts has proved to be a formidable challenge for auto-exhaust purification. Herein, we present an approach to construct a robust catalyst by embedding single-atom Ru sites onto the surface of CeO2 through a gas bubbling-assisted membrane deposition method. The formed single-atom Ru sites, which occupy surface lattice sites of CeO2, can improve activation efficiency for NO and O2. Remarkably, the Ru1/CeO2 catalyst exhibits exceptional catalytic performance and stability during auto-exhaust carbon particle oxidation (soot), rivaling commercial Pt-based catalysts. The turnover frequency (0.218 h-1) is a nine-fold increase relative to the Ru nanoparticle catalyst. We further show that the strong interfacial charge transfer within the atomically dispersed Ru active site greatly enhances the rate-determining step of NO oxidation, resulting in a substantial reduction of the apparent activation energy during soot oxidation. The single-atom Ru catalyst represents a step toward reducing dependence on Pt/Pd-based catalysts.

Variation of Ferroptosis-Related Markers in HaCaT Cell Photoaging Models Induced by UVB.

Objective: To investigate the variation of ferroptosis-related markers in HaCaT cell photoaging models induced by ultraviolet-B (UVB). Methods: UVB-treated HaCaT cells served as the model (UVB group) for cellular photoaging, whereas untreated HaCaT cells served as the control group. HaCaT cells were exposed to UVB and the ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) as part of the UVB+Fer-1 group, and co-cultured with the ferroptosis inducer Erastin as part of the UVB+Erastin group. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection kit and senescence-related ß galactosidase (SA-ß-gal) staining were used to evaluate the senescence of HaCaT cells. Lipid reactive oxygen species were detected by C11 BODIPY581/591 probe and mitochondrial morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The mRNA expressions of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and ferroptosis-suppressor-protein 1 (FSP1) were detected by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-RCP), and the level of GPX4 protein was measured by immunofluorescence assay. Results: The UVB group had considerably greater levels of ROS, SA-ß-gal, and lipid reactive oxygen species than the control group. The UVB group's mitochondrial volume was reduced, the membrane density increased, and the mitochondrial crest decreased or even disappeared. GPX4 and FSP1 expression levels were similarly found to be lower in the UVB group. Furthermore, the positive rate of SA-ß-gal and lipid reactive oxygen species in the UVB+Fer-1 group was much lower than in the UVB group, but it was reverse in the UVB+Erastin group. This study showed that induced ferroptosis can aggravate aging, and vice versa. Conclusion: According to the findings, ferroptosis may be linked to UVB-induced skin photoaging, which could be attenuated by inhibition of ferroptosis.

The mediating role of AKT/ERK/JNK signaling on the malignant phenotype of microcystin-LR in gastric adenocarcinoma cells.

Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR), a widely distributed and highly toxic environmental pollutant, plays crucial roles in cancer malignancy by activating characteristically toxic signaling pathways. Traditional animal-based toxicity evaluation methods have proven insufficient for identifying the specific role of these signaling pathways. Therefore, this study aimed to uncover the regulatory relationship between the toxic pathways and the progression of gastric cancer (GC). The findings provide novel avenues for conducting in vitro toxicity tests based on the investigated pathways. We found that MC-LR promoted the migration and invasion of SGC-7901 cells while simultaneously inhibiting their apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. This observed cytotoxicity was primarily mediated through the AKT, JNK, and ERK signaling pathways. By using a mediation analysis model, we determined that AKT and ERK exhibited competitive effects in MC-LR-treated GC malignancy, while AKT and JNK acted independently from one another. This study establishes an in vitro toxicity test model of MC-LR based on toxicity-related pathways and underscores the pivotal roles of AKT, ERK, and JNK signaling in MC-LR toxicity. The findings offer a novel, fundamental framework for conducting chemical toxicity risk assessment.

Preparation and characterization of a novel composite acellular matrix/hyaluronic acid thermosensitive hydrogel for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Bladder mucosa damage that causes harm to the interstitium is a recognized pathogenesis of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). The intravesical instillation of drugs is an important second-line therapy, but it is often necessary to use drugs repeatedly in the clinic because of their short residence time in the bladder cavity, which alters the therapeutic effect. To overcome this drawback, this study developed a novel composite acellular matrix/hyaluronic acid (HA) thermosensitive hydrogel (HA-Gel) using rabbit small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix (ECM) as the thermosensitive material and HA as the drug component and examined its composition, microstructure, thermodynamic properties, temperature sensitivity, rheological properties, biocompatibility, drug release, hydrogel residue, and bacteriostatic properties. The study showed HA-Gel was liquid at temperatures of 15-37.5°C and solid at 37.5-50°C, its swelling rate decreased with increasing temperature, and its lower critical solution temperature occurred at approximately 37.5°C. This property made the hydrogel liquid at room temperature convenient for intravesical perfusion and turned into a solid about 1 min after entering the body and rising to body temperature to increase its residence time. Subsequent experiments also proved that the gel residue time of HA-Gel in vivo and the drug release time of HA in vivo could reach more than 5 days, which was significantly higher than that of HA alone, and it had good biocompatibility and antibacterial properties. Therefore, this hydrogel possesses the proper characteristics to possibly make it an ideal dosage form for IC/BPS intravesical instillation therapy.

A novel nomogram based on body composition and nutritional indicators to predict the prognosis of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic significance of body composition and nutritional indicators in patients undergoing radical cystectomy with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and to develop a novel nomogram that accurately predicts overall survival (OS). METHODS: From December 2010 to December 2020, we retrospectively collected clinical and pathological data from 373 MIBC patients who underwent radical cystectomy at our hospital. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) images were used to measure the skeletal muscle index (SMI), subcutaneous adipose index (SAI), visceral adipose index (VAI), skeletal muscle density (SMD), subcutaneous adipose density (SAD), visceral adipose density (VAD), and visceral adipose to subcutaneous adipose area ratio (VSR). The clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated using LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression, and a nomogram was constructed to predict 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival. The concordance index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves (t-ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the discriminative ability, calibration, and clinical practicality of the nomogram. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses demonstrated that pT stage, lymph node status, LVI, SMD, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) are independent prognostic factors for OS. Additionally, a nomogram was created. The nomogram's C-index was 0.714 (95% CI: 0.695-0.733). The area under the t-ROC curve of 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival corresponding to the model was 0.726, 0.788, and 0.785, respectively. The calibration curve demonstrated excellent agreement between the predicted and observed outcomes. The DCA revealed that patients with MIBC could benefit from the nomogram. CONCLUSION: Based on body composition and nutritional indicators, we developed a novel nomogram with excellent predictive accuracy and reliability for predicting the prognosis of MIBC patients undergoing RC.