Ultrafast Intramolecular Proton Transfer Reaction of 1,2- Dihydroxyanthraquinone in the Excited State

1,2-Dihydroxyanthraquinone (alizarin) shows an ultrafast intramolecular proton transfer in the excited states between the adjacent hydroxyl and carbonyl groups. Due to the ground and electronic structure of locally excited and proton-transferred tautomers, alizarin shows dual emission bands with strong Stokes shifts. The energy barriers between the locally excited (LE) and proton-transferred (PT) tautomers in the excited state are strongly dependent on the solvent polarity and thus alizarin shows complicated photophysical properties including solvent and excitation dependences. The excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of alizarin was monitored in time-resolved stimulated Raman spectroscopic investigation, where the instantaneous structural changes of anthraquinone backbone in 70~80 fs were captured. Two major vibrational modes of alizarin, ν(C=C) and ν(C=O) represent the proton transfer reaction in the excited state, which then leads to the vibrational relaxation of the product and the restructuring of solvent molecules. Ultrafast changes in solvent vibrational modes of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were also investigated for the solvation dynamics including hydrogen bond breaking and reformation

Association between Socioeconomic Status and 30-Day and One-Year All-Cause Mortality after Surgery in South Korea

Preoperative socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with outcomes after surgery, although the effect on mortality may vary according to region. This retrospective study evaluated patients who underwent elective surgery at a tertiary hospital from 2011 to 2015 in South Korea. Preoperative SES factors (education, religion, marital status, and occupation) were evaluated for their association with 30-day and one-year all-cause mortality. The final analysis included 80,969 patients who were ≥30 years old, with 30-day mortality detected in 339 cases (0.4%) and one-year mortality detected in 2687 cases (3.3%). As compared to never-married patients, those who were married or cohabitating (odds ratio (OR): 0.678, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.462–0.995) and those divorced or separated (OR: 0.573, 95% CI: 0.359–0.917) had a lower risk of 30-day mortality after surgery. Similarly, the risk of one-year mortality after surgery was lower among married or cohabitating patients (OR: 0.857, 95% CI: 0.746–0.983) than it was for those who had never married. Moreover, as compared to nonreligious patients, Protestant patients had a decreased risk of 30-day mortality after surgery (OR: 0.642, 95% CI: 0.476–0.866). The present study revealed that marital status and religious affiliation are associated with risk of 30-day and one-year all-cause mortality after surgery

Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes, Opioid Use, and Complications after Esophageal Cancer Surgery

Effective and adequate opioid use and prevention of postoperative complications are important for enhanced recovery after surgery. We examined the effects of postoperative opioid use and postoperative complications on overall survival and recurrence-free survival after esophageal cancer surgery. This retrospective cohort study analyzed the records of patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer who underwent the Ivor Lewis operation between January 2005 and December 2011. We collected data on total opioid use for 8 days postoperatively, as well as information on postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification). One hundred and twenty-one patients were included in the final analysis. Total opioid use was not significantly associated with overall survival (p = 0.520) and recurrence-free survival (p = 0.818). In contrast, the hazard ratio of postoperative overall survival was significantly higher with respect to Clavien-Dindo classification 1–2 (hazard ratio: 2.009, p = 0.046), 3a–3b (hazard ratio: 5.759, p < 0.001), and 4a–5 (hazard ratio: 3.982, p = 0.020) complications compared to no complications. Additionally, the hazard ratio of the recurrence-free survival was significantly higher in class 1–2 complications (hazard ratio: 2.336, p = 0.028) compared to none. Our study demonstrates that postoperative opioid use is not associated with survival and recurrence-free survival after esophageal cancer surgery, while postoperative complications may increase the hazard ratio for survival and recurrence-free survival