Labial mucosal grafting onlay ureteroplasty without omental wrap for ureteral stricture with occlusion: initial results.

Background: The treatment of complex ureteral stricture has always been a hot and difficult topic in urology. The aim of our study is to investigate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of labial mucosal graft (LMG) onlay ureteroplasty without omental wrap for ureteral stricture with occlusion and present our initial experience.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed perioperative and follow-up data of 12 patients admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University who underwent the LMG ureteroplasty with ureteral occlusion from April 2022 to September 2023.

Integrative analysis of pan-cancer single-cell data reveals a tumor ecosystem subtype predicting immunotherapy response.

Tumor ecosystem shapes cancer biology and potentially influence the response to immunotherapy, but there is a lack of direct clinical evidence. In this study, we utilized EcoTyper and publicly available scRNA-Seq cohorts from ICI-treated patients. We found a ecosystem subtype (ecotype) was linked to improved responses to immunotherapy.

Pan-cancer dissection of vasculogenic mimicry characteristic to provide potential therapeutic targets.

Introduction: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) represents a novel form of tumor angiogenesis that is associated with tumor invasiveness and drug resistance. However, the VM landscape across cancer types remains poorly understood. In this study, we elucidate the characterizations of VM across cancers based on multi-omics data and provide potential targeted therapeutic strategies.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone hydrogel coating for ureteral stent: Safety and performance evaluation.

Background: Ureteral stents are commonly used in urology. However, complications such as encrustation and infection on the surface of the stent, and injury to the ureteral mucosa can occur after implantation, causing discomfort for patients.

Objective: We intend to confirm the biosafety of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) hydrophilic coating and its lubrication properties for surface modification of ureteral stents to reduce friction and improve patient comfort.

Manipulating Coupled Field Enhancement in Slot-under-Groove Nanoarrays for Universal Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an ultrasensitive spectroscopic technique that can identify materials and chemicals based on their inelastic light-scattering properties. In general, SERS relies on sub-10 nm nanogaps to amplify the Raman signals and achieve ultralow-concentration identification of analytes. However, large-sized analytes, such as proteins and viruses, usually cannot enter these tiny nanogaps, limiting the practical applications of SERS.

Advances in 3D Printed Electronics: Materials, Processes, Properties and Applications.

The current Special Issue entitled "Advances in 3D printed electronics: materials, processes, properties and applications" aims to discuss the latest developments in the field of the AM of structures or components with reinforcements [...

Plasmonic Cavity for Self-Powered Chemical Detection and Performance Boosted Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection.

With the popularization of the Internet of Things, the application of chemical sensors has become more and more extensive. However, it is difficult for a single functional sensor to meet multiple needs at the same time. For the next generation of chemical sensors, in addition to rapid qualitative and quantitative detection, it is also necessary to solve the problem of a distributed sensor power supply.

Spontaneous Redox-Reaction-Driven Growth of Ag Nanoparticles on Co(OH) Nanoflower Arrays for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

A simple and reliable method is developed to fabricate Ag-nanoparticle-decorated Co(OH) nanoflowers grafted on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanopillar arrays as uniform and sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. First, Co(OH)-nanosheet-assembled nanoflowers are achieved on the highly uniform PAN nanopillar arrays via electrochemical deposition. Then, Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are decorated onto the Au-nanoparticle-precoated Co(OH) nanoflowers based on a spontaneous redox reaction (SRR) between the silver ions and Co(OH) nanosheets at room temperature.

Single-cell multi-omics analysis reveals dysfunctional Wnt signaling of spermatogonia in non-obstructive azoospermia.

Background: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the most severe type that leads to 1% of male infertility. Wnt signaling governs normal sperm maturation. However, the role of Wnt signaling in spermatogonia in NOA has incompletely been uncovered, and upstream molecules regulating Wnt signaling remain unclear.

Screen printing and laser-induced flexible sensors for the simultaneous sensitive detection of uric acid, tyrosine, and ascorbic acid in sweat.

A wearable sweat sensor, which could continuously monitor biomolecules related to the human physiological state, is emerging as a promising piece of health surveillance equipment. However, current sensors cannot simultaneously achieve a detection performance that equates to that of traditional sensors and satisfactory mechanical strength. Herein, a wearable sweat sensor with excellent detection performance and mechanical stability is designed and fabricated.

Cu-Sn Aerogels for Electrochemical CO Reduction with High CO Selectivity.

This work reports the synthesis of CuSn alloy aerogels for electrochemical CO reduction catalysts. An in situ reduction and the subsequent freeze-drying process can successfully give CnxSny aerogels with tuneable Sn contents, and such aerogels are composed of three-dimensional architectures made from inter-connected fine nanoparticles with pores as the channels. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the introduction of Sn in Cu aerogels inhibits H evolution reaction (HER) activity, while the accelerated CO desorption on the catalyst surface is found at the same time.

Cell-cell communications shape tumor microenvironment and predict clinical outcomes in clear cell renal carcinoma.

Background: Cell-cell communications of various cell populations within tumor microenvironment play an essential role in primary tumor growth, metastasis evolution, and immune escape. Nevertheless, comprehensive investigation of cell-cell communications in the ccRCC (Clear cell renal carcinoma) microenvironment and how this interplay affects prognosis still remains limited.

Methods: Intercellular communications were characterized by single-cell data.

Comprehensive analysis of necroptosis-related long noncoding RNA to predict prognosis, immune status, and immunotherapeutic response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Necroptosis has been found to be associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, the prognostic effect of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with necroptosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is still unclear.

Methods: Pearson correlation analysis was used to identify necroptosis-related genes and lncRNAs obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA-KIRC) dataset.

CT Three-Dimensional Visualization Model in Diagnosis and Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: To study the clinical effect of stress urinary incontinence sling surgery based on CT 3-dimensional visualization model, and to explore the value of three-dimensional visualization model in the diagnosis and treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

Methods: Patients with stress urinary incontinence in our center from October 2020 to March 2022 were studied retrospectively. Among them, 16 cases received preoperative 3-dimensional visualization model construction, 18 cases did not use preoperative 3-dimensional model construction.

SERS spectral evolution of azo-reactions mediated by plasmonic Au@Ag core-shell nanorods.

The mechanism and application of localized surface plasmon resonance induced photocatalytic reactions remain an issue of interest. In this work, we used Au@Ag core-shell nanorods as a platform for plasmon-driven photocatalysis, which was investigated by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The -aminothiophenol (PATP) and -nitrothiophenol (PNTP) adsorbed on the nanorods were irradiated with different excitation wavelengths (633 nm, 785 nm) and transformed into 4,4'-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) as evidenced by the emerging Raman peaks at 1142 cm, 1390 cm, 1440 cm, and 1477 cm, corresponding to hot carrier dominated oxidation of PATP and reduction of PNTP.

Arrays of Ag-nanoparticles decorated TiO nanotubes as reusable three-dimensional surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates for molecule detection.

Three-dimensional surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates usually provide more hot spots in the excitation light beam and higher sensitivity when compared with the two-dimensional counterpart. Here a simple approach is presented for the fabrication of arrays of Ag-nanoparticles decorated TiO nanotubes. Arrays of ZnO nanorods were fabricated in advance by a hydrothermal method.

Effects of the cone angle on the SERS detection sensitivity of tapered fiber probes.

In this paper, we investigate the effects of taper angle on the SERS detection sensitivity using tapered fiber probes with single-layer uniform gold spherical nanoparticles (GSNs). We show that the photothermal damage caused by excessive excitation laser power is the main factor that restricts the improvement of detection sensitivity of tapered fiber probes. Only when the cone angle is appropriate can a balance be achieved between increasing the excitation laser power and suppression of the transmission and scattering losses of the nanoparticles on the tapered fiber surface, thereby obtaining the best SERS detection sensitivity.

Necroptosis of nucleus pulposus cells involved in intervertebral disc degeneration through MyD88 signaling.

Background Context: Low back pain, affecting nearly 40% of adults, mainly results from intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), while the pathogenesis of IVDD is still not fully elucidated. Recently, some researches have revealed that necroptosis, a programmed necrosis, participated in the progression of IVDD, nevertheless, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Purpose: To study the mechanism of necroptosis of Nucleus Pulposus (NP) cells in IVDD, focusing on the role of MyD88 signaling.

Exosomes derived from olfactory ensheathing cells provided neuroprotection for spinal cord injury by switching the phenotype of macrophages/microglia.

Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) has been demonstrated to be beneficial for spinal cord injury (SCI) by modulating neuroinflammation, supporting neuronal survival and promoting angiogenesis. Besides OECs, the conditioned medium (CM) from OECs has also been proved to have therapeutic effects for SCI, indicating that the bioactive substances secreted by OECs are essential for its protective effects. Nevertheless, there is still little information regarding the underlying mechanisms.

Case Report: Metastatic Signet-Ring-Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder From Breast Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Detected by Computed Tomography.

Secondary bladder tumors are relatively rare among all bladder tumors, while bladder metastases from breast cancer have been rarely reported. Furthermore, signet-ring differentiation may appear in the metastases from a breast invasive lobular carcinoma regardless of whether the primary breast tumor had signet-ring cells, which may cause diagnostic uncertainty. We report a case of a 55-year-old female patient with diffuse bladder thickening as the chief complaint and no specific clinical manifestations.

Efficient electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas by a cubic CuO film with predominant (111) orientation.

A (111) predominant cubic CuO film terminated with nanopyramids was electrodeposited on copper foam as the cathode for electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate. The nitrate removal efficiency reached 94.3% and the selectivity for nontoxic nitrogen gas was 49.

Determination of trans-fatty acids in food samples based on the precolumn fluorescence derivatization by high performance liquid chromatography.

Trans-fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids that are considered to have health risks. 1,3,5,7-Tetramethyl-8-butyrethylenediamine-difluoroboradiaza-s-indacene is a highly sensitive fluorescent labeling reagent for carboxylic acids developed by our lab. In this study, using this precolumn fluorescent derivatization reagent, a rapid and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection method was developed for the determination of two trans-fatty acids in food samples.