A HALP score-based prediction model for survival of patients with the upper tract urothelial carcinoma undergoing radical nephroureterectomy

The combination of hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score has been confirmed as an important risk biomarker in several cancers. Hence, we aimed at evaluating the prognostic value of the HALP score in patients with non-metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). We retrospectively enrolled 533 of the 640 patients from two centers (315 and 325 patients, respectively) who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for UTUC in this study. The cutoff value of HALP was determined using the Youden index by performing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The relationship between postoperative survival outcomes and preoperative HALP level was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. As a result, the cutoff value of HALP was 28.67 and patients were then divided into HALP<28.67 group and HALP≥28.67 group. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test revealed that HALP was significantly associated with overall survival (OS) (P<0.001) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that lower HALP score was an independent risk factor for OS (HR=1.54, 95%CI, 1.14-2.01, P=0.006) and PFS (HR=1.44, 95%CI, 1.07-1.93, P=0.020). Nomograms of OS and PFS incorporated with HALP score were more accurate in predicting prognosis than without. In the subgroup analysis, the HALP score could also stratify patients with respect to survival under different pathologic T stages. Therefore, pretreatment HALP score was an independent prognostic factor of OS and PFS in UTUC patients undergoing RNU

One-pot synthesis of polyaniline/Fe

One-pot synthesis of polyaniline/Fe3O4 nanocomposite in 1-methyl-3-alkylcarboxylic acid imidazolium chloride ([CMMIm]Cl) ionic liquid (IL) was introduced for the first time in this work. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), four probes method and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were used to explore the influence of IL on the structure, conductivity and magnetic properties of polyaniline/Fe3O4 composite. Compared with Fe3O4 particles prepared in water, the results show that Fe3O4 particles prepare in imidazolium-based ionic liquid were more regular in shape and dispersed uniformly. So the Fe3O4 nanoparticles prepared in IL can easier serve as cores to form the polyaniline/Fe3O4 nanocomposite via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline molecule. The saturation magnetization of polyaniline/Fe3O4 nanocomposite prepared in ionic liquid shows about 2 times higher than polyaniline/Fe3O4 composite prepared in water. And the conductivities of PANI/Fe3O4 composite prepared in IL decreased and the saturated magnetization increased with the increasing amount of Fe3O4

Comparison of the clinical efficacy between single-agent and dual-agent concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a multicenter retrospective analysis

Abstract Background Some Chinese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinomaare often treated with single-agent concurrent chemoradiotherapy. However, no results have been reported from randomized controlled clinical trials comparing single-agent with double-agent concurrent chemoradiotherapy. It therefore remains unclear whether these regimens are equally clinically effective. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed and compared the therapeutic effects of single-agent and double-agent concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods This study enrolled 168 patients who received definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced unresectable esophageal squamous carcinoma at 10 hospitals between 2010 and 2015. We evaluated survival time and toxicity. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival data. The log-rank test was used in univariate analysis A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to conduct a multivariate analysis of the effects of prognostic factors on survival. Results In this study, 100 (59.5%) and 68 patients (40.5%) received single-agent and dual-agent combination chemoradiotherapy, respectively. The estimate 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate of dual-agent therapy was higher than that of single-agent therapy (52.5% and 40.9%, 78.2% and 60.7%, respectively), but there were no significant differences (P = 0.367 and 0.161, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that sex, age,and radiotherapy dose had no significant effects on OS or PFS. Only disease stage was associated with OS and PFS in the multivariable analysis (P = 0.006 and 0.003, respectively). In dual-agent group, the incidence of acute toxicity and the incidence of 3 and4 grade toxicity were higher than single-agent group. Conclusion The 5-year PFS and OS rates of dual-agent therapy were higher than those of single-agent concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; however, there were no significant differences in univariate analysis and multivariable analysis. Single-agent concurrent chemotherapy had less toxicity than a double-drug regimen. Therefore, we suggest that single therapis not inferior to dual therapy y. In the future, we aim to confirm our hypothesis through a prospective randomized study

Shape Reconstruction from Commercial Pt/C to High-Index Pt/C for Advanced Electrocatalysts

Pt-based materials with high-index facets (HIFs) are highly regarded as efficient electrocatalysts, because of their abundant active step sites. Nevertheless, it is still a significant challenge to control the size to match that of commercial Pt/C (∼4 nm). Here, Pt THH(210)/C with an average size of ∼6 nm is successfully synthesized by employing bismuth (Bi) as a structural modulator to reshape commercial Pt/C. In-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS) with formic acid and CO probes demonstrate that Bi is effectively removed from tetrahexahedral (THH) PtBi/C. The Pt THH(210)/C possesses a high density of stepped atoms (dstep), exhibiting a great area activity of 1.232 mA/cm2 at 0.571 V toward ethanol oxidation, which is three times than that of commercial Pt/C (0.464 mA/cm2 at 0.594 V). Furthermore, a descriptor based on the charge density for oxygen adsorption was proposed to measure dstep on HIF-Pt catalysts