BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:This study compared the efficacy and safety of En-Bloc and standard techniques in laser enucleation, providing an evidence-based basis for surgical decision-making in the management of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). METHODS:Relevant studies were systematically identified through searches of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases up to May 2025. Data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. RESULTS:Data from 15 studies containing 9,397 participants were reviewed. The En-Bloc technique was associated with a reduction in enucleation time (mean difference [MD] - 8.43, 95% CI -13.0 to -3.91, p < 0.001), an increase in enucleation efficiency (MD 0.21, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.36, p = 0.004), a decrease in operative time (MD -4.70, 95% CI -8.81 to -0.60, p = 0.02), and a lower rate of major complications (odds ratio 0.62, 95% CI 0.42-0.90, p = 0.01) than the standard technique. No significant differences in postoperative short-term functional outcomes were found. CONCLUSIONS:The updated evidence suggests that the En-Bloc technique is associated with improved perioperative performance and a lower rate of major complications compared to the conventional approach, while preserving comparable functional outcomes. These findings suggest potential clinical benefits of En-Bloc enucleation in the surgical management of BPO.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is a highly promising sustainable strategy for water purification. However, practical deployment still suffers from inadequate solar utilization, suboptimal thermal management, and limited activation of interfacial water. To address these challenges, we construct an aerogel based interfacial evaporator composed of a photothermal layer and a water transport layer operating synergistically. A photothermal layer of hydrophobic Cu2-xS@Ag plasmonic hollow double-shelled microspheres (GCA) is integrated with a hydrophilic reduced graphene oxide water transport layer featuring hierarchical pore channels. In the hollow core-shell architecture, the interplay of core-shell phonon scattering and localized surface plasmon resonance induces near field enhancement and spatial heat localization. This promotes electron-phonon coupling and nonradiative relaxation processes, thereby improving the photothermal conversion efficiency. The hierarchically porous rGO aerogel not only provides interconnected micronscale pathways for continuous capillary water supply and salt backflow, but also offers nanoscale 2D confined spaces that restructure the hydrogen bond network of water, thereby lowering the apparent evaporation enthalpy. GCA achieves 96.5% ultrabroadband solar absorption, reaching a surface temperature of 62.5 °C under 1 sun. It delivers an evaporation rate of 4.40kg·m-2·h-1, about 15 times that of bulk water, successfully reducing the evaporation enthalpy to 1406J·g-1. No noticeable salt crystallization occurs over multiple evaporation and water replenishment cycles, and efficient photo and photothermal synergistic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics is achieved under visible light. Overall, by coupling a dual-plasmonic hollow core-shell structure with a hierarchical porous graphene transport network, the GCA integrates enhanced light absorption, energy buffering, and interfacial water structure regulation, offering a generalizable materials and structural design strategy for multifunctional solar desalination and water purification systems.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is one of the most common urological diseases in middle-aged and elderly men worldwide. The most effective treatment is surgery, and multiple surgical approaches, including traditional electroprostatectomy, laser vaporization, or steam ablation, have already been widely applied in clinical practice. However, few studies summarizing and reporting the comprehensive outcomes of whether different prostate resection volumes affect the efficacy of benign prostatic hyperplasia surgery exist. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis involving cohort studies and randomized controlled trials to compare the postoperative influence of different residual prostate volumes in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) to explore the best surgical treatment and minimize the recurrence rate and other complications. A total of 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2,164 patients who underwent prostate surgery were included in our analysis. In summary, compared with patients who had a smaller resected prostate volume, patients with more resected prostate tissue were more likely to have a lower International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), a lower postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), a higher quality of life (QoL) and maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), and a decreased risk of bladder neck construction. However, patients with less resected prostate volume had advantages in terms of decreasing catheterization time, hospital stay, irrigation time, and the rates of blood transfusion and retrograde ejaculation. Moreover, the resected prostate volume was not correlated with the incidence of other complications. Given the limitations existing in our study, more primary studies are still needed in the future.

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common malignancies in men, and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is widely used for localized and selected locally advanced disease. However, balancing oncological control with urinary continence, erectile function, and neurovascular preservation remains challenging. This tension between technical capability and biological uncertainty has driven interest in artificial intelligence (AI) as structured support across the RARP workflow. This review summarizes AI applications in preoperative risk stratification, three-dimensional AI–driven augmented reality (3D-AI-AR) guidance, surgical video intelligence, predictive analytics, and performance assessment, with emphasis on clinical translation rather than technical novelty. Current evidence suggests that AI can support side-specific risk assessment, intraoperative orientation, outcome prediction, and objective feedback. In the prospective randomized RIDERS trial, 3D-AI-AR guidance during nerve-sparing RARP reduced residual positive surgical margins after selective excisional biopsies at preserved neurovascular bundles (22% vs. 39%) and postoperative radiotherapy (18% vs. 35%), and improved 12-month zero-pad continence recovery (91% vs. 71%), while potency and short-term biochemical recurrence (BCR) were similar between groups. Prediction models have reported an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.77 for side-specific extraprostatic extension and an external-validation AUC of 0.89 for early BCR. Nevertheless, the field remains limited by retrospective designs, heterogeneous endpoints, limited external validation, cross-platform generalizability, workflow integration, and regulatory uncertainty. AI in RARP should therefore be regarded as assistive rather than substitutive. Routine implementation will require prospective multicenter validation, standardized reporting, calibrated clinical endpoints, and trustworthy human-centered deployment.

Environmental pollution poses a major hurdle to sustainable development, and harnessing solar energy for water treatment has emerged as a promising solution. In this study, flexible, macroporous photocatalytic membranes were developed by combining photocatalysis with membrane separation technology and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), aiming to improve the degradation efficiency of tetracycline (TC). The g-C3N4/BaTiO3/PVDF photo-catalytic membranes were fabricated using a phase inversion method, which successfully addressed challenges such as catalyst agglomeration and recovery difficulties, surpassing traditional membrane separation methods. Additionally, the g-C3N4/BaTiO3 photocatalyst exhibited excellent compatibility with PVDF. Under 120 min of xenon lamp irradiation, the membranes achieved a TC degradation efficiency of 90.63 %. These membranes also demonstrated remarkable permeability, and they maintained high stability and reusability after five degradation cycles, showcasing their promising potential for photocatalytic water treatment applications.

Mesoporous materials have demonstrated ext- ensive application potential in adsorption, catalysis, and sensing due to their unique porous structures. However, their synthesis typically relies on templating techniques, which involve intricate processes for the removal of templates. In this study, a template-free synthesis strategy was proposed to successfully prepare mesoporous x%Fe-ZnO [triethylamine (TEA)] nanozyme with an average pore diameter of 14 nm through high-temperature activation of metal-organic framework (MOFs) precursors. TEA served as a key factor in regulating the pore size of x%Fe-ZnO (TEA). By adjusting the concentration of TEA, the particle size and pore size of the MOFs precurs could be precisely controlled, thereby achieving the formation of mesoporous structures during the high-temperature activation process of MOFs. The regulatory role of TEA was attributed to its function as a base that reacted with acidic ligands to promote ligand deprotonation, which aided in the rapid formation and growth of MOFs nuclei, thus controlling the particle size and pore size of MOFs. The 5%Fe-ZnO (TEA) catalyst exhibited optimal peroxidase-like activity due to the abundant Fe active sites and mesoporous structure, making it suitable for constructing a highly sensitive colorimetric sensor for detecting toxic and ecologically harmful sulfides (S2-) in environmental water samples. The sensor had a detection limit for S2- as low as 500 nM, which was below the World Health Organization limit of 15 mu M, demonstrating significant potential in environmental monitoring. The results of this study emphasized the controllable preparation of mesoporous structured metal oxides through a template-free synthesis strategy, opening up new avenues in the preparation of mesoporous structured nanomaterials.

Background:Bladder cancer (BC) prognosis remains challenging to predict accurately with conventional tools. Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has emerged as a promising biomarker reflecting the tumor microenvironment. However, existing studies are limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneous designs, and inconsistent endpoints. This updated meta-analysis aims to comprehensively evaluate the association between high SII and key survival outcomes in BC patients. Methods:We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane up to August 2025. Cohort studies reporting hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), or cancer-specific survival (CSS) comparing high vs. low SII groups in histologically confirmed BC were included. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled HRs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses by pathological type (NMIBC vs. MIBC) and sensitivity analyses were performed. Publication bias was evaluated via funnel plots and Egger's test. Results:Sixteen cohort studies involving 2,352 patients were analyzed. Meta-analysis revealed that elevated SII was significantly associated with worse OS (HR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.30-2.12, P < 0.0001) and RFS (HR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.28-1.76, P < 0.00001), with substantial heterogeneity (OS: I² = 81%; RFS: I² = 59%). Subgroup analysis showed significant predictive value of SII for RFS in both NMIBC (HR=1.55, 95% CI: 1.27-1.89, P < 0.0001; heterogeneity reduced to I² = 37%) and MIBC (HR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.01-1.26, P=0.03). However, OS subgroup associations for NMIBC (HR=1.15, P=0.50) and MIBC (HR=1.92, P=0.07) were non-significant. No significant associations were found for PFS (HR=1.55, 95% CI: 0.92-2.60, P=0.10, I² = 68%) or CSS (HR=1.50, 95% CI: 0.95-2.37, P=0.08, I² = 69%), likely due to limited study numbers (4 and 3, respectively). Significant publication bias was detected for OS and RFS. Conclusion:Elevated SII is significantly associated with poorer overall and recurrence-free survival in bladder cancer patients, particularly highlighting its potential predictive value for recurrence risk in NMIBC. However, significant heterogeneity, publication bias, and retrospective design limitations necessitate caution in interpretation. Future large-scale, prospective studies with standardized SII measurement and dynamic monitoring are crucial to validate its clinical utility and define optimal cut-offs for integration into risk-stratified management strategies. Systematic review registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251145769, Prospero identifier, CRD420251145769.

The Z-scheme heterojunctions have garnered significant attention in photocatalysis due to their enhanced charge carrier separation and transport capabilities. In this study, a novel Z-scheme heterojunction composed of phosphorus-doped carbon nitride (P-C3N4) and manganese-doped carbon nitride (Mn-C3N4) was constructed via a simple and efficient ball milling method. Compared to the pristine g-C3N4, P-C3N4, and Mn-C3N4, the P-C3N4/ Mn-C3N4 Z-scheme heterojunction demonstrated a substantial improvement in photocatalytic performance. This enhancement is attributed to the optimized energy band alignment and intimate interface contact between the two components, which promote efficient charge carrier separation, accelerate electron transport, and improve interface stability. Experimental results showed that the P-C3N4/Mn-C3N4 system achieved complete degradation (100 %) of Rhodamine B (RhB) and 91.1 % degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) within 60 min. Additionally, the system retained over 80 % of its catalytic activity after five cycles, suggesting its promising potential for industrial applications. This study provides a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly approach, offering valuable insights for the design of Z-scheme heterojunctions and innovative C3N4-based photocatalysts.

5-Methylcytosine (m 5 C) is one of the posttranscriptional modifications in mRNA and is involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases. However, the capacity of existing assays for accurately and comprehensively transcriptome-wide m 5 C mapping still needs improvement. Here, we develop a detection method named DRAM (deaminase and reader protein assisted RNA methylation analysis), in which deaminases (APOBEC1 and TadA-8e) are fused with m 5 C reader proteins (ALYREF and YBX1) to identify the m 5 C sites through deamination events neighboring the methylation sites. This antibody-free and bisulfite-free approach provides transcriptome-wide editing regions which are highly overlapped with the publicly available bisulfite-sequencing (BS-seq) datasets and allows for a more stable and comprehensive identification of the m 5 C loci. In addition, DRAM system even supports ultralow input RNA (10 ng). We anticipate that the DRAM system could pave the way for uncovering further biological functions of m 5 C modifications.

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) is usually limited by the weak adsorption capacity of the catalyst for CO2 as well as the low product selectivity. In this paper, the electronic properties and catalytic reactive sites of CdIn2S4 surface atoms are modulated by Cu doping. Experimental and theoretical calculations show that the coordination environment around the Cd atoms changes due to the charge balance effect after Cu doping, which induces the formation of sulfur vacancies. The sulfur vacancies not only enhanced the adsorption capacity of CO2, but also acted as charge—enriched centres to provide electrons to the Cu reactive sites and stabilized the reaction intermediates, which led to the highly selective generation of CH4. Cu-doped CdIn2S4 catalysts exhibited excellent performance in photocatalytic reduction of CO2, and the CH4 yield of 47.01 μmol·g–1·h–1 with a selectivity of 97.8

Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a prevalent urological malignancy, accounting for approximately 1.6% of all cancer-related deaths in 2022. While endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been implicated as risk factors for ccRCC, the toxicological profiles and immune mechanisms underlying Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure in ccRCC progression remain inadequately understood. Materials and Methods: Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and visualization were performed on overlapping genes between ccRCC and BPA exposure. This was followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses to elucidate potential underlying mechanisms. Subsequently, 108 distinct machine learning algorithm combinations were evaluated to identify the optimal predictive model. An integrated CoxBoost and Ridge regression model was constructed to develop a prognostic signature, the performance of which was rigorously validated across two independent external datasets. Finally, molecular docking analyses were employed to investigate interactions between key genes and BPA. Results: A total of 114 overlapping targets associated with both ccRCC and BPA were identified. GO and KEGG analyses revealed enrichment in cancer-related pathways, including pathways in cancer, endocrine resistance, PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint signaling, T-cell receptor signaling, endocrine function, and immune responses. Machine learning algorithm selection identified the combined CoxBoost-Ridge approach as the optimal predictive model (achieving a training set concordance index (C-index) of 0.77). This model identified eight key genes (CHRM3, GABBR1, CCR4, KCNN4, PRKCE, CYP2C9, HPGD, FASN), which were the top-ranked by coefficient magnitude in the prognostic model. The prognostic signature demonstrated robust predictive performance in two independent external validation cohorts (C-index = 0.74 in cBioPortal; C-index = 0.81 in E-MTAB-1980). Furthermore, molecular docking analyses predicted strong binding affinities between BPA and these key targets (Vina scores all <-6.5 kcal/mol), suggesting a potential mechanism through which BPA may modulate their activity to promote renal carcinogenesis. Collectively, These findings suggested potential molecular mechanisms that may underpin BPA-induced ccRCC progression, generating hypotheses for future experimental validation. Conclusions: These findings enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which BPA induces ccRCC and highlight potential targets for therapeutic intervention, particularly in endocrine and immune-related pathways. This underscores the need for collaborative efforts to mitigate the impact of environmental toxins like BPA on public health.

Establishing interfacial bonds and vacancies plays a crucial role in achieving efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction. However, precisely controlling the directional and robust electron transfer processes remains a significant challenge. In this study, we constructed a Bi2S3/ZnIn2S4 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst featuring sulfur vacancies (Sv) and interfacial Bi-S-In bonds via a simple hydrothermal method. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that the S-scheme electron transfer effectively suppresses carrier recombination while maintaining strong redox capabilities. The interfacial Bi-S-In bonds accelerate charge transport through atomiclevel channels, acting as electron bridges to facilitate charge transfer and optimize electron density distribution, thereby further enhancing carrier separation efficiency. Additionally, the introduced Sv not only improves visible-light absorption but also promotes CO2 adsorption and activation through electron-rich sites. Simultaneously, Sv reduces the C-C coupling energy barrier by stabilizing key OCCO intermediates, guiding the reaction pathway toward C2H4 production. The optimized 40 %-Bi2S3/ZnIn2S4 exhibited superior photocatalytic performance under visible light, achieving a C2H4 production rate of 56.4 mu mol g-1h-1 with 96 % selectivity and excellent cycling stability. This study provides a novel strategy for directional CO2 conversion into high-value multi-carbon products through synergistic design of Sv, heterojunctions, and interfacial chemical bonds, offering significant scientific implications for advancing solar-driven carbon cycle technologies.

The reliance on platinum-based hydrogen catalysts in proton-exchange membrane water electrolysers compromises cost efficiency. Here we develop a non-platinum catalyst composite featuring a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) core encapsulated by a thin ruthenium phosphide (RuP2) shell, rapidly synthesized by a flame-assisted process. This core-shell catalyst demonstrates good performance towards hydrogen evolution in acidic media, achieving an overpotential of 16 mV at 10 mA cm-2 at a low loading of 5.5 wt%. Mechanistic studies and density functional theory show that the RuO2/RuP2 core-shell structure optimizes interfacial-water organization, enhancing proton transfer at the reaction interface and boosting hydrogen evolution activity. We further demonstrate the scalable synthesis of this Ru catalyst via colloidal milling, enabling bulk production of this catalyst (tens of grams per batch) under mild conditions. When integrating Ru catalyst prepared at this scale into a practical proton-exchange membrane electrolyser (2 × 100 cm-2), it sustains 200 A (1 A cm-2) at a moderate cell voltage (1.8 V) with a stability over 1,500 h. Our results suggest a possible cost-effective alternative for proton-exchange membrane electrolysis.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an age-related condition in men with a poorly defined etiology. Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to BPH progression; however, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to elucidate the role of a TNF-α-induced inflammatory microenvironment in regulating BPH progression. We demonstrated that TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in patients with BPH and positively correlated with key clinical characteristics. In vitro, TNF-α promoted the proliferation of prostatic cells. Mechanistically, TNF-α induced the overexpression of SOX4, which subsequently activated the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling axis, thereby enhancing cellular proliferation, promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and exacerbating fibrosis. Importantly, metformin (Met) treatment reduced the expression levels of relevant inflammatory cytokines in the serum of BPH rats. Further analysis confirmed that Met inhibited the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway by downregulating the expression of SOX4, thus suppressing cell proliferation, reversing EMT, alleviating fibrosis, and ultimately exerting anti-BPH effects. Collectively, our findings suggest that TNF-α promotes BPH progression via activation of the SOX4/TGF-β/Smad2/3 axis, while Met exerts therapeutic effects by targeting this pathway. These results highlight SOX4 as a potential therapeutic target for BPH and support the clinical potential of Met in BPH management.

The assembly of different Metal organic framework (MOFs) into hybrid heterostructures has proven to be a promising strategy that can effectively break through the limited regulatory capacity of single metal sites. Here, an S-scheme heterostructure (Fe3Ni-MOF) based on homologous ligands (1,4-phthalic acid) of ultra-thin Ni-MOF and Fe-MOF nanoparticles with directional electron transport channels, was developed and used it for photoreduction of CO2. Under the S-scheme electric field mechanism, the photogenerated carrier can achieve efficient directional separation through Fe-O-Ni atomic bond, which significantly reduces the energy barrier of the rate-determining step. Results show that the performance of Fe3Ni-MOF (63.5 mu mol g-1) was 20 and 3.2 times higher than that of Ni-MOF and Fe-MOF, respectively, and exhibits excellent CO selectivity (96.4%) and stability. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed the two-molecular-layers structure of Ni-MOF and the micro-assembly structure of Fe3Ni-MOF, which can shorten the electron transport distance and increase the molecular mass transfer rate. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spin resonance and electron density difference calculations reveal that interfacial electric fields and atomic bonds work together to promote directional carrier separation, resulting in the accumulation of holes on Ni-MOF and electrons on Fe-MOF. The Gibbs free energy calculation and in-situ Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy validate that the micro-assembled S-scheme heterostructures with directional electron transport channels can significantly reduce the activation energy barrier of the reaction. This study not only proves the feasibility of constructing MOFs S-scheme heterostructures using homologous ligands, but also provides a new way to overcome the limitations of monometallic MOFs. This strategy is expected to open up a new avenue to design efficient photocatalysts. (c) 2025, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The complex synthesis and limited durability of cost-efficient heterostructure hydrogen catalysts have hindered the large-scale application of anion-exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis. Here, a facile flame-assisted method was developed to synthesize electron-rich Pt clusters supported on Ni(OH)2 (Ni (OH)2@Pt delta--NC) within 1 min, achieving a minimal Pt loading of 0.05 mg cm--2-2. The synergy between vacancy-rich Ni(OH)2 and electron-rich Pt clusters modulates intermediate adsorption-desorption processes, achieving ultralow overpotential of 9 mV at 10 mA cm--2 and outstanding long-term stability (2,400 h at 200 mA cm--2-2). Moreover, when employed as the cathode in an AEM electrolyzer, the catalyst achieves 1 A cm--2 at 1.74 V and 5 A cm--2 at 2.23 V. Furthermore, the flame-assisted strategy enables stable synthesis of the catalyst at a scale of 100 cm2. When integrated into an industrial-grade electrolyzer stack, the catalyst maintains a high current of 160 A for 1,000 h, demonstrating enormous potential for future industrial applications.

A differential fiber optic humidity sensor based on superhydrophilic SiO2/polyethylene glycol (PEG) composite film is presented. With exposure to humid air, the physical properties of SiO2/PEG composite film coated on the sensing region changes, disturbing transmission of evanescent wave of fiber and leading to change of the output light intensity of sensing fiber. The output light intensity of humidity sensor increases with the increase of relative humidity (RH), which is attributed to the expansion of polymeric film and less scattering of light. The sensor shows a linear response of the ratio of output light intensity of sensing fiber to that of reference fiber IS/IR to RH with a correlation coefficient of 0.991 in the range of 11-81 %RH. The ratio IS/IR is independent of the intensity of optical source, indicating that differential sensor structure enables humidity testing immune to instability of light source. In addition, the sensor possesses excellent reversibility, stability and repeatability.