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Background: This report describes the oncologic outcomes for patients with advanced ovarian cancer who had bowel surgery performed by gynecologic oncologists (GOs) and compares the outcomes with those for bowel surgery performed by general surgeons (GSs) during maximal cytoreductive surgery. Methods: Patients from six academic institutions who had FIGO stage III or IV ovarian cancer and underwent any bowel surgeries during maximal cytoreductive surgery were eligible for the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether bowel surgery was performed by a GO or a GS. In both groups, the GOs were mainly involved in extra bowel debulking procedures. Perioperative and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: The 761 patients in this study included 113 patients who underwent bowel surgery by a GO and 648 who had bowel surgery by a GS. No discernible differences were observed in age, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score, FIGO stage, histologic type, timing of cytoreductive surgery (primary or interval debulking surgery), or complications between the two groups. The GO group exhibited a shorter operation time than the GS group. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed no survival differences between the two groups. In the Cox analysis, non-serous cell types and gross residual diseases were associated with adverse effects on overall survival. However, performance of bowel surgery by a GO did not have an impact on survival. Conclusion: Performance of bowel surgery by a GO during maximal cytoreductive surgery is both feasible and safe. These results should be reflected in the training system for GOs regarding bowel surgery, and further research is needed to confirm that GOs can play a more leading role in performing extra-uterine procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful synthesis of finely tuned Ni1.5Sn nanoalloy phases containing ZnO catalyst with a small particle size (6.7 nm) from a mixed‐metal zeolitic imidazolate framework (MM‐ZIF) is investigated. The catalyst was evaluated for the efficient production of 1,2‐propanediol (1,2‐PDO) from crude glycerol and comprehensively characterized using several analytical techniques. Among the catalysts, 3Ni1Sn/ZnO (Ni/Sn=3/1) showed the best catalytic performance and produced the highest yield (94.2 %) of 1,2‐PDO at ~100 % conversion of glycerol; it also showed low apparent activation energy (15.4 kJ/mol) and excellent stability. The results demonstrated that the synergy between Ni−Sn alloy, finely dispersed Ni metallic sites, and the Lewis acidity of SnOx species‐loaded ZnO played a pivotal role in the high activity and selectivity of the catalyst. The confirmation of acetol intermediate and theoretical calculations verify the Ni1.5Sn phases provide the least energetic pathway for the formation of 1,2‐PDO selectively. The reusability of solvent for successive ZIF synthesis, along with the excellent recyclability of the ZIF‐derived catalyst, enables an overall sustainable process. We believe that the present synthetic protocol that uses MM‐ZIF for the conversion of various biomass‐derived platform chemicals into valuable products can be applied to various nanoalloy preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the risk factors for failure of first‐line poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) maintenance therapy in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Method: Patients with stage III‐IV epithelial ovarian cancer who received first‐line PARPi maintenance therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathologic factors were compared between two groups—recur/progression of disease (PD) and non‐recur/PD. Results: In total, 191 patients were included. Median follow‐up was 9.9 months, and recurrence rate was 20.9%. BRCA mutations were found in 63.4% patients. Postoperative residual tumor (60.5% vs. 37.8%), non‐high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) (15.0% vs. 6.0%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) (55.0% vs. 35.8%), and pre‐PARPi serum CA‐125 levels ≥23.5 U/mL (35.9% vs. 15.2%) were more frequently observed in the recur/PD group. Multivariate Cox‐regression analysis revealed pre‐PARPi serum CA‐125 levels ≥23.5 U/mL (HR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.03–4.57; p = 0.042), non‐HGSC (3.28; 1.20–8.97; p = 0.021), NAC (2.11; 1.04–4.26; p = 0.037), and no BRCA mutation (2.23; 1.12–4.44; p = 0.023) as independent risk factors associated with poor progression‐free survival (PFS). A subgroup analysis according to BRCA mutation status showed that pre‐PARPi serum CA‐125 levels ≥26.4 U/mL were the only independent risk factor for poor PFS in women with BRCA mutations (2.75; 1.03–7.39; p = 0.044). Non‐HGSC (5.05; 1.80–14.18; p = 0.002) and NAC (3.36; 1.25–9.04; p = 0.016) were independent risk factors in women without BRCA mutations. Conclusion: High pre‐PARPi serum CA‐125 levels, non‐HGSC histology, NAC, and no BRCA mutation might be risk factors for early failure of first‐line PARPi maintenance therapy. In women with BRCA mutations, high pre‐PARPi serum CA‐125 levels, which represent a large tumor burden before PARPi, were the only independent risk factor for poor PFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease characterized by the growth of endometrial-like tissues containing endometrial stromal cells and glandular epithelium outside the uterine cavity. An insufficient response to progesterone contributes to disease progression and systemic inflammation during the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Patients with endometriosis usually experience painful symptoms, dysmenorrhea, and infertility, which contribute to a significant reduction in their quality of life. To determine the possible molecular mechanisms of endometriosis and explore novel therapeutic targets, we derived primary human ovarian endometriotic stromal cells (hOESCs) from a patient of reproductive age with ovarian endometriosis. In this study, we successfully established immortalized human ovarian endometriotic stromal cell lines (ihOESCs) using primary stromal cells obtained from endometriotic lesions to overcome short lifespan and growth inhibition. Immortalization of hOESCs with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) transfection led to cells that maintained a proliferative state under passage culture conditions without mutagenesis during cellular senescence. The morphology and karyotype of ihOESCs were unchanged compared with those of hOESCs. Moreover, ihOESCs were continuously positive for vimentin and negative for E-cadherin expression. Following decidual stimuli and inflammatory responses, both hOESCs and ihOESCs sensitively express decidualization markers and proinflammatory cytokines. Collectively, we characterized ihOESCs to maintain their phenotypic and functional properties with a longer lifespan and normal physiological responses than those of hOESCs. These immortalized cells could aid in a detailed understanding of the pathological mechanisms of endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinetic modeling of the hydrogenolysis of glycerol was performed; a chromium-free Ni–Cu–SiO2 nanocomposite catalyst was used to produce 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) at a low hydrogen-to-glycerol ratio. Kinetic data were produced in a fixed-bed reactor under a variety of temperatures, hydrogen-to-glycerol ratios, and space velocities. The reaction rates were developed based on the two-step reaction mechanism (the production of 1,2-PDO via acetol) and the reaction pathways for the byproducts observed in the experimental study. The kinetic parameters were estimated by fitting kinetic data, and the validity of the developed model was corroborated. Further analysis using the model showed that the reaction at a high temperature and a low space velocity could accomplish 95% conversion of glycerol; However, the low temperature was preferred to minimize the production of unwanted species (intermediate and byproducts) at the slight expense of conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though rotational intraperitoneal pressurized aerosol chemotherapy (RIPAC) has been developed to improve the distribution and penetration depth of anti-cancer agents by pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC), the optimal nozzle position and patient's posture have not been investigated. Thus, we used nine pigs weighing 50–60 kg, and sprayed 150 mL of 1% methylene blue as an aerosol through the nozzle, DreamPen® (Dreampac Corp., Wonju, Republic of Korea), with a flow rate of 0.6 ml/min under a pressure of 140 to 150 psi for RIPAC in six and three pigs with supine and Trendelenburg positions, respectively. When we evaluated its distribution and penetration depth, even distribution among 13 regions of the abdomen was observed in three pigs with Trendelenburg position regardless of the depth of the nozzle. Regarding penetration depth, the numbers of regions with maximal penetration depth were high in the 2 cm depth of the nozzle with supine position (n = 5) and the 4 cm depth with Trendelenburg position (n = 3). Conclusively, even distribution and maximal penetration of anti-cancer agents can be expected during RIPAC in the medium depth (4 cm) between the nozzle inlet and the visceral peritoneum located on the opposite side of it and the Trendelenburg position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software Testing is an established activity in the software development process to ensure and improve the quality of a software. Consequently, there exists a wide range of literature, popular information, and even multiple ISO standards covering this topic. However, we found that testing very large database management systems (DBMS) requires special adaptations of the generally available guidance for software testing and requires to solve specific challenges that may not be relevant for other areas or smaller software projects. We therefore discuss the testing of SAP HANA, a very large software project with millions of lines of code, to share insights about our approach, best practices, and unsolved challenges that are open for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear α-olefins (LAOs) such as 1-heptene and 1-octene are in high demand in the petrochemical industry. The increasing concerns about the environment and resource depletion have raised the importance of new technologies for producing LAOs from sustainable resources. We report for the first time the direct production of 1-octene from biomass-derived octanoic acid using a dual-bed catalyst system of RuSn/SiO2 and Al2O3. In this new catalyst system, the catalyst bed configuration and reaction temperature profile were found to be critical factors in controlling the 1-octene yield and purity. We obtained an unprecedented high 1-octene yield of 69.4% with 83.9% purity after optimization of the dual-bed catalyst system. Based on the experimental results, simulation models were developed to analyze the mass flow and energy efficiency of the new catalytic process that can convert 283 t per d of octanoic acid into 152 t per d of 1-octene. Life cycle assessment results proved that the newly-developed dual-bed catalyst system for 1-octene production from bio-based octanoic acid could be a key technology for producing environmentally sustainable LAOs with 56% lower CO2 emissions than conventional petroleum-based LAOs (6.51 vs. 14.95 kg CO2 eq.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen has become widely recognized as a game changer in the era of climate change and stringent carbon reduction targets. For countries with inadequate distributions of renewable energy, a comprehensive evaluation of potential national and international routes for green hydrogen supply networks is imperative. This study examines the economic and environmental aspects of green hydrogen supply routes for hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) in the Republic of Korea. Three supply routes are evaluated in this work: Case (1) hydrogen production via catalytic cracking of imported green ammonia, Case (2) domestic green hydrogen production at a centralized location in Korea, and Case (3) on-site hydrogen production via water electrolysis at HRS powered by solar electricity from the city grid. The levelized costs of hydrogen (LCOH) were calculated as $9.74, $17.32, and $13.97 per kg for Cases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The results of sensitivity analysis indicate that the capital cost related to the provision of green ammonia (Case 1), solar electricity, and the electrolyzer were the main contributors to LCOH. Based on projected cost reductions, LCOHs would decrease to $8, $11.76, and $10 per kg for Cases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Life cycle assessment (LCA) shows that Case 3 is the favored environmental alternative owing to reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 44% and 12% compared with Cases 1 and 2, respectively. The results of LCA sensitivity analysis depict that by 2030, with the increase in the distance of transportation, Case 2 can show the highest increase of 58% for GHG emissions, while an increase of about 8% can be expected for Case 1. However, in Case 3, further work on policy design and infrastructure development is required to make solar electricity provisions in the city grid profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the synthesis approach of 3Ni1Sn/ZnO catalysts derived from a mixed-metal zeolitic imidazolate framework (MM-ZIF) for the conversion of biomass-derived crude glycerol into 1,2-propanediol. This process is important in biorefinery for the production of renewable value-added chemicals. The catalyst's high activity and selectivity are attributed to the synergy between the Ni-Sn alloy, finely dispersed Ni metallic sites, and the Lewis acidity of SnOx species-loaded ZnO. The article provides more information on this topic and can be found in the Research Article by Y. K. Hwang and co-workers. [Extracted from the article]

We report for the first time the selective production of mannitol, a low‐calorie sweetener and an important pharmaceutical ingredient, from fructose using Cu−SiO2 nanocomposite as catalyst and 1‐butanol as solvent. When compared with water and ethanol, a lower fructose solubility was achieved in 1‐butanol, which caused a lower fructose conversion and higher mannitol selectivity by reducing formation of side products. Among various Cu‐based catalysts in 1‐butanol, Cu(80)−SiO2 nanocomposite gave an unprecedented mannitol (83 %) and sorbitol (15 %) yield at 120 °C, 35 bar H2, and 10 h reaction time. More importantly, this catalyst did not show any Cu leaching and its physicochemical properties were maintained after liquid‐phase fructose hydrogenation whereas other Cu‐based catalysts such as Cu(32)−Cr2O and Cu(66)−ZnO did show significant leaching of Cu and Cr. Thus, Cu(80)−SiO2 nanocomposite and 1‐butanol are regarded as a robust and highly efficient catalytic system for the selective hydrogenation of fructose to mannitol. Also, density functional theory calculations supported that in addition to the stable initial structure of adsorbed fructose, the mannitol pathway was more thermodynamically favorable than the sorbitol pathway. Notably, the highly pure mannitol (99 %) could be recovered from the sorbitol‐containing 1‐butanol solution by simple filtration. Therefore, the present protocol is a novel and effective method to produce pure mannitol from fructose in both an environmental and an industrial context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactide, a six-membered dimeric cyclic ester of lactic acid, is a key building block of polylatic acid, a representative bio-based biodegradable polymer. As an alternative to the conventional lactide production process of a two-step polymerization and depolymerization from lactic acid, we developed a novel continuous and one-step synthesis of optically pure lactide from lactic acid under atmospheric conditions with SnO2-SiO2 nanocomposites as heterogeneous catalyst. In this catalytic process, lactide was obtained in vapor phase together with water vapor and the unreacted lactic acid. After optimization of crystallization process using ethanol solvent, lactide crystals with 99 wt% purity and a lactide yield of 78 wt% were obtained. Based on these results, an integrated process for high-yield polymer-grade lactide production from aqueous lactic acid could be constructed by combination of the heterogeneous catalysis and crystallization with ethanol, which is more environmentally friendly as compared to the conventional two-step prepolymer process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report for the first time an integrated process for the selective production of 2,5-dihydroxymethylfuran (DHMF) from fructose via a two-step reaction in 1-butanol (BuOH). Fructose was initially dehydrated to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in ＞95% yield using Amberlyst-15, and the resulting solution was directly transformed into DHMF in ＞97% yield by liquid-phase hydrogenation over a Cu(50)–SiO2 nanocomposite. This nanocomposite catalyst was demonstrated to be highly stable, with no Cu leaching or catalyst deactivation observed. The obtained DHMF/BuOH mixture was then transformed successfully into poly(2,5-furandimethylene succinate) by reaction with succinic acid. Thus, from both environmental and industrial perspectives, this protocol is a novel and effective method for producing a biomass-derived polymer from fructose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a continuous one-step reaction pathway for optically pure lactide under atmospheric conditions based on a novel SnO2–SiO2 nanocomposite catalyst. The new heterogeneous catalytic system gave a record high lactide yield of 94% with almost 100% enantioselectivity and long-term stability (＞2500 h) from l-lactic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of highly crystalline, porous, zirconium-based metal–organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs) with different ligand functionalities and porosities were applied for catalytic transfer hydrogenation of ethyl levulinate (EL) to form γ-valerolactone (GVL), using isopropanol as a hydrogen donor. The roles of the ligand functionality and the metal center of the Zr-MOFs were identified and reaction parameters optimized, for selective production of GVL. The maximum yield of GVL (up to 92.7%) was achieved in 2 h at 200 °C with UiO-66(Zr). Interestingly, zirconium trimesate (MOF-808) emerged as the most suitable candidate, with the highest GVL formation rate (94.4 μmol g−1 min−1) among the catalysts tested at 130 °C. It was also found to be effective in conversion of EL to GVL in an open system using the solvent refluxing method. Both the catalysts (UiO-66(Zr) and MOF-808) were recycled at least five times under their specified reaction conditions without a notable change in catalytic activity and product selectivity. Fresh and recycled catalysts were characterized in detail using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to understand the stability and structural changes that occurred in the catalysts. Finally, a plausible reaction mechanism was presented on the basis of active sites present in catalysts confirmed by characterization results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass and biomass-derived carbohydrates have a high extent of functionality, unlike petroleum, which has limited functionality. In biorefinery applications, the development of methods to control the extent of functionality in final products intended for use as fuels and chemicals is a challenge. In the chemical industry, heterogeneous catalysis is an important tool for the defunctionalization of functionalized feedstocks and biomass-derived platform chemicals to produce value-added chemicals. Herein, we review the recent progress in this field, mainly of vapor phase chemical conversion of biomass-derived C4-C6 carboxylic acids and esters using copper-silica nanocomposite catalysts. We also demonstrate that these nanocomposite catalysts very efficiently convert biomass-derived platform chemicals into cyclic compounds, such as lactones and hydrofurans, with high selectivities and yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,5-Dimethylfuran was successfully produced in 92% overall yield from fructose in 1-butanol through a combination of dehydration over Amberlyst-15 and hydrogenolysis over the Ru–Sn/ZnO catalyst. The environmental favorability of this process, and its unprecedented efficiency, makes it promising from both a green chemistry and an industrial perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic hydrogenation of organic carboxylic acids and their esters, for example, cellulosic ethanol from fermentation of acetic acid and hydrogenation of ethyl acetate is a promising possibility for future biorefinery concepts. A hybrid conversion process based on selective hydrogenation of butyric acid combined with fermentation of glucose has been developed for producing biobutanol. ZnO-supported Ru-Sn bimetallic catalysts exhibits unprecedentedly superior performance in the vapor-phase hydrogenation of biomass-derived butyric acid to n-butanol (>98 % yield) for 3500 h without deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous graphene oxide (GO)-based catalysts with sulfonic acid (SO3H) functional groups (GO–SO3H) were used for the selective decomposition of the hexose sugars, glucose and fructose into levulinic acid (LA), which has been used as a platform chemical for various value-added derivatives. The GO–SO3H catalysts gave high yields of around 78% for LA and showed good reuse compatibility with reliable performance. The chemical transformation patterns for hexose sugar decompositions are affected by the temperature, the density of acid sites, and the type of catalyst. The high catalytic performance of GO–SO3H was shown to result from the higher density of Brønsted acid sites in the GO, compared with the Lewis acid sites in other AC–SO3H catalysts. The morphology, surface characteristics, and other physiochemical properties were evaluated using several characterization techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ-Butyrolactone was produced highly selectively from biomass-derived 1,4-butanediol by vapor-phase dehydrocyclization over novel copper-silica nanocomposite catalyst. Compared with usual Cu(12)/SiO2, the highly Cu-loaded SiO2nanocomposite (80 wt%) exhibited high catalyst performance with 98% yield on 400 h stream without significant deactivation even in the absence of H2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ-Butyrolactone was produced highly selectively from biomass-derived 1,4-butanediol by vapor-phase dehydrocyclization over novel copper-silica nanocomposite catalyst. Compared with usual Cu(12)/SiO2, the highly Cu-loaded SiO2 nanocomposite (80 wt%) exhibited high catalyst performance with 98% yield on 400 h stream without significant deactivation even in the absence of H2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly donor-doped (110) layered perovskite materials, La2Ti2O7, with high surface areas were synthesized by the polymerizable complex (PC) method. Relative to La2Ti2O7 prepared by the solid state reaction (SSR) method, PC catalysts showed higher surface areas, crystallization at lower temperatures, higher phase purity, more uniform morphology and better-distributed nickel on the outer surface of La2Ti2O7. All these factors led to higher photocatalytic activity for overall water splitting under UV irradiation. The quantum yield of the reaction over La2Ti2O7 prepared by the PC method was as high as 27%, which was about twofold greater than that over La2Ti2O7 prepared by the SSR method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of substitution of Zr for Ti in KLaTiO4 with a layered perovskite structure has been studied on the photocatalytic decomposition of water under the UV light irradiation. Both the optical property and the crystallinity of KLaTiO4 were varied by the substitution of Zr for Ti. As Zr content was increased, the crystallinity of KLaZrxTi1-xO4 was increased, which had a positive effect on the photocatalytic activity in the water splitting reaction. However, the direct band gap property was lost gradually with increase of Zr content, which resulted in lowering the photocatalytic activity. As a result, the highest activity was obtained for KLaZr0.3Ti0.7O4. Although the absorption coefficients of photons for KLaZr0.1Ti0.9O4 and KLaTiO4 were higher than those for KLaZr0.3Ti0.7O4, the crystal structure was disordered, which resulted in lowering the activity. The nickel-loaded catalysts showed a higher activity than unloaded perovskites by a factor of greater than 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the interactions between nickel oxide and silica–alumina supports, which were applied to the catalytic oligomerization of ethylene by powder X-ray diffraction, UV diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, H2 temperature-programmed reduction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The catalytic activity was also correlated with the acidity of catalysts determined by NH3 temperature-programmed desorption and pyridine FT-IR spectroscopy. Although all the catalysts had similar Ni contents, their catalytic performances were strongly influenced by the strength of the metal oxide–support interaction. Strong interaction promoted the formation of nickel aluminate on the catalyst surface, and resulted in low catalytic activity due to reducing the amount of nickel oxide active sites. However, weak interaction favored the aggregation of nickel oxide species into larger particles, and thus resulted in low ethylene conversion and selectivity to oligomers. Eventually, the optimal activity was realized at the medium interaction strength, preserving a high amount of both active nickel oxides and acid sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study of a 45-year-old woman presented with massive vaginal bleeding is discussed. She had an 8-cm protruding tumour mass occupying the uterine cervix on pelvic examination. With a choriocarcinoma component in the uterine cervix, the tumor consisted of adenocarcinoma. It refers to primary non-gestational choriocarcinomas of the uterine cervix as extremely rare malignancies.

The Back Inside Cover picture shows an important method for the production of bioalcohols. The method relies on a hybrid conversion process that is based on the combination of selective hydrogenation of bio‐based organic carboxylic acids with the fermentation of biomass to the corresponding acids. A powerful strategy would be the use of direct hydrogenation of organic carboxylic acids without having to use additional esterification processes. To achieve this powerful strategy, it is necessary to adopt effective hydrogenation catalysts to produce yields of bioalcohols above 95% without deactivation of the catalyst. More details on this strategy can be found in the Communication by Jong‐San Chang on page 2998 (DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201402311). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]