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Three-phase crystallization (TPC) was introduced in this study to purify L-menthol from menthol enantiomer mixtures in consideration of the formation of solid solutions. TPC is a new separation technology, which combines melt crystallization and vaporization to result in the desired crystalline product from a liquid mixture along with the unwanted components vaporized via the three-phase transformation by reducing temperature and pressure. The three-phase transformation conditions for the liquid menthol enantiomer mixtures were determined based on the thermodynamic calculations to direct the TPC experiments. A new model was proposed based on the mass and energy balances in consideration of the formation of the solid solutions to predict the yield and purity of the final L-menthol product during TPC. The yield and purity obtained from the TPC experiments were compared with those predicted by the model.

In this study, we employed a chemical solution method to grow zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods on SnO2:F (FTO) substrates as photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The influence of varying ZnO nanorod dimensions on cell performance was investigated. Specifically, we explored the effects of nanorod length and diameter on dye adsorption capacity and photovoltaic conversion efficiency. Characterization techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were utilized to analyze the ZnO nanorods. Our results demonstrate that the sequential growth technique allows for control over the length and diameter of ZnO nanorods, thereby modulating their optoelectronic properties. XRD and FE-SEM analyses revealed that the surface morphology of the ZnO nanorods impacts dye adsorption capacity and photovoltaic conversion efficiency. EIS measurements further indicated a significant influence of dye adsorption on the electron lifetime of ZnO nanorods. Overall, this study highlights the potential of multi-step growth of ZnO nanorods to optimize the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by tuning their morphology and surface properties.

Abstract Chronic ketamine abuse is associated with bladder dysfunction and cystitis. However, the effects of ketamine abuse on the urinary proteome profile and the correlations among urinary proteins, urinary ketamine (and metabolites) and clinicopathological features of ketamine-induced bladder dysfunction remain to be established. Here, we recruited 56 ketamine abusers (KA) and 40 age-matched healthy controls (HC) and applied the iTRAQ-based proteomics approach to unravel quantitative changes in the urine proteome profile between the two groups. Many of the differentially regulated proteins are involved in the complement and coagulation cascades and/or fibrotic disease. Among them, a significant increase in APOA1 levels in KA relative to control samples (392.1 ± 59.9 ng/ml vs. 13.7 ± 32.6 ng/ml, p

In Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells, it is crucial to suppress the generation of and remove the SnS2 secondary phase to improve the solar cell characteristics, as the SnS2 secondary phase affects the barrier for carrier collection and diode characteristics of the device. In this study, the nano-metallic precursor was modified to effectively suppress the generation of the SnS2 secondary phase on the surface and simultaneously improve the uniformity and quality of the thin film. The CZTS bifacial solar cells prepared via the proposed method exhibited significantly improved junction-rectifying characteristics, as the efficiency was improved to 1.59%. The proposed method to figurremove SnS2 is effective, simple, and environmentally friendly.

Background: We investigated the use of a standardized reporting system to study perioperative complications and oncologic outcomes after radical cystectomy in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with bladder cancer. Methods: We reviewed retrospective outcomes in 141 ESRD patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy between 2004 and 2015. Complications were graded using the Clavien–Dindo classification system with 0–2 classified as “No Major Complications” and Clavien 3–5 as “Major Complications”. Low-volume surgeons were classified as those performing fewer than nine cases during the study. Fisher’s exact test along with the chi-squared test, two-tailed t tests, logistic regression, and the Cox proportional hazard model were used to evaluate all clinically meaningful covariates. Results: Ninety-nine (99, 70.2%) patients had no major complications, and forty-two (29.8%) patients had major complications. Patients in the major complications group were older, had a higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), and had a longer hospitalization duration than those in the no major complications group (all, p < 0.05). Major complications were also more common when the procedure was performed by low-volume surgeons (p = 0.003). In multivariate logistic regression models, CCI ≥ 5 (p = 0.006) and low-volume surgeon (p = 0.004) were independent predictors of major complications. According to multivariate analysis with the Cox hazards regression, male sex, age > 70 years, CCI ≥ 5, bladder cancer stage ≥ 3, lymphovascular invasion, and experiencing major complications were significant poor prognostic factors for overall survival (all, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Accurate reporting of complications is necessary for preoperative counseling, identifying modifiable risk factors, and planning risk mitigation strategies. High comorbidity and low-volume surgeons were interrelated as notable risk factors for major complications. In addition to tumor-related factors, male sex, older age, and major complications significantly influence overall survival.

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) refers to the nonmalignant enlargement of the transition zone of the prostate gland. While holmium laser enucleation of the prostate and open simple prostatectomy are effective in the management of patients with large prostates, they have some limitations. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of the sandwich method of bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (B-TURP) and GreenLight photoselective vaporization of the prostate (GLPVP) in patients with large prostates. Patients diagnosed with BPH who underwent the sandwich method with B-TURP and GLPVP from 2015 to 2020 were included. Efficacy analyses included the change in the uroflowmetry results in both group A (prostate volume < 80 g) and group B (prostate volume ≥ 80 g), and complication analyses included perioperative complications, early postoperative complications at three months and late postoperative complications at 12 months. The cohort comprised 188 and 44 patients in groups A and B, respectively. The prostate volume of groups A and B were 50.83 ± 14.14 g and 102.03 ± 19.36 g (p < 0.001), respectively. The peak (Qmax) and average (Qavg) flow rates were comparable between the two groups. The only significant difference noted was in the postoperative post-void residual (PVR) urine. Improvement was seen in all the variables including the Qmax, Qavg and PVR urine in each group. No patient experienced perioperative complications. Analysis of the overall one-year complication rate showed no significant difference between the two groups. The sandwich method of B-TURP and GLPVP may be feasible for the management of patients with large prostate.

We conducted a phase IV, pre/post multi-center study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injection in patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO, n = 119) or overactive bladder (OAB, n = 215). Patients received either 200U (i.e., NDO) and 100U (i.e., OAB) of onabotulinumtoxinA injection into the bladder, respectively. The primary endpoint for all patients was the change in the PPBC questionnaire score at week 4 and week 12 post-treatment compared with baseline. The secondary endpoints were the changes in subjective measures (i.e., questionnaires: NBSS for patients with NDO and OABSS for those with OAB) at week 4 and week 12 post-treatment compared with baseline. Adverse events included symptomatic UTI, de novo AUR, gross hematuria and PVR > 350mL were recorded. The results showed that compared with baseline, PPBC (3.4 versus 2.4 and 2.1, p < 0.001) and NBSS (35.4 versus 20.4 and 18.1, p < 0.001) were significantly improved at 4 weeks and 12 weeks in NDO patients. In addition, compared with baseline, PPBC (3.5 versus 2.3 and 2.0, p < 0.001) and OABSS (9.1 versus 6.2 and 5.7, p < 0.001) were significantly improved at 4 weeks and 12 weeks in OAB patients. Eight (6.7%) had symptomatic UTI and 5 (4.2%) had de novo AUR in NDO patients. Twenty (9.3%) had symptomatic UTI but no de novo AUR in OAB patients. In conclusion, we found that intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injections were safe and improved subjective measures related to NDO or OAB in our cohort.

In this study, a radio-frequency magnetron sputter system was used to deposit Al2O3 doped ZnO (AZO) thin films at room temperature, and the soda lime glass (SLG) substrates were placed at different zones relative to the center of the sample holder under the target. The samples were then analyzed using an X-ray diffractometer, Hall-effect measurement system, UV-visible spectrophotometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the electrical, structural, and optical properties of AZO films strongly depend on the target racetrack. The AZO thin film grown at a location outside the racetrack not only has the most suitable figure of merit for transparent conductive films, but also retains the least residual stress, which makes it the most suitable candidate for use as a CZTSe transparent conductive layer. When applied to CZTSe solar cells, the photoelectric efficiency is 3.56%.

In this study, we report the catalyst-free growth of n-type wurtzite InN, along with its optical properties and carrier dynamics of different surface dimensionalities. The self-catalyzed epitaxial growth of InN nanorods grown by metal–organic molecular-beam epitaxy on GaN/Al2O3(0001) substrates has been demonstrated. The substrate temperature is dominant in controlling the growth of nanorods. A dramatic morphological change from 2D-like to 1D nanorods occurs with decreasing growth temperature. The InN nanorods have a low dislocation density and good crystalline quality, compared with InN films. In terms of optical properties, the nanorod structure exhibits strong recombination of Mahan excitons in luminescence, and an obvious spatial correlation effect in phonon dispersion. The downward band structure at the nanorod surface leads to the photon energy-dependent lifetime being upshifted to the high-energy side.

In this study, we report the optical properties and carrier dynamics of different surface dimensionality n-type wurtzite InN with various carrier concentrations using photoluminescence (PL) and an energy-dependent, time-resolved photoluminescence (ED-TRPL) analysis. Experimental results indicated that the InN morphology can be controlled by the growth temperature, from one-dimensional (1D) nanorods to two-dimensional (2D) films. Moreover, donor-like nitrogen vacancy (VN) is responsible for the increase in carrier concentration due to the lowest formation energies in the n-type InN samples. The PL results also reveal that the energies of emission peaks are higher in the InN samples with 2D features than that with 1D features. These anomalous transitions are explained as the recombination of Mahan excitons and localized holes, and further proved by a theoretical model, activation energy and photon energy-dependent lifetime analysis.

A photomicroscopic growth apparatus was used to study the growth rates of calcium oxalate crystals in a new synthetic urine without inhibitors and with various inhibitors, including magnesium ions, citrate ions, chondroitin sulfate ions, and phytate ions. The dependence of growth rates on supersaturation at different temperatures without inhibitors was investigated using a power law model in terms of the Arrhenius form. The effects of various inhibitors on the growth rates of calcium oxalate indicated that the inhibition of growth rates increases in the order magnesium ions < citrate ions < chondroitin sulfate ions < phytate ions. The polymorphic forms of calcium oxalate crystals without inhibitors and with various inhibitors were examined by scanning electron microscopy.

In this study, zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) were produced using a chemical solution method, which was applied to the surfaces of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film photovoltaic cells as an anti-reflective layer (ARL). ZnO NRs of different lengths were grown on Si substrates by controlling the growth time. They were then analyzed using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), UV-vis spectrometer, and field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), thereby obtaining the optimal growth conditions for ZnO NRs. The optimal growth parameters were applied to the surface of a-Si:H thin-film photovoltaic cells. The results show that the short-circuit current density increased from 6.23 mA/cm2 to 8.05 mA/cm2, and the efficiency increased from 3.49% to 4.51%, an increase of approximately 29%. In addition, ZnO NRs growing on the surfaces of a-Si:H thin-film photovoltaic cells can reduce the hydrophilicity. The experimental results show that ZnO NRs have great application potential, not only for improving the conversion efficiency, but also for protecting the devices from external environmental influences.

The surface reflectivity of a material will vary as light passes through interfaces with different refractive indices. Therefore, the optical loss and reflection of an optical-electronic component can be reduced by fabricating nanostructures on its surface. In the case of a solar cell, the presence of nanostructures can deliver many different advantages, such as decreasing the surface reflectivity, enhancing the light trapping, and increasing the efficiency of the carrier collection by providing a shorter diffusion distance for the photogenerated minority carriers. In this study, an approximately 50-nm thick seed layer was first prepared using spin coating. Zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO-NRs) were then grown using a chemical solution method (CSM). The ZnO-NRs were approximately 2 μm in height and 100 nm in diameter. After applying them to amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells, the short-circuit current density increased from 8.03 to 9.24 mA/cm2, and the photovoltaic conversion efficiency increased by 11.24%.

Background: Trichomoniasis and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) shared similar risk factors, age distribution and overlapping symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) in women with recurrent UTIs, attending a urology clinic in a medical center, in order to inform screening and treatment policies. Methods: Women with recurrent UTIs, defined as the presence of lower urinary tract symptoms (dysuria, frequency and urgency) and three positive urine cultures on voided urine specimens in the previous year, were enrolled prospectively from January 2013 to April 2014. Urine samples were collected for culture and tested for TV using immunochromatographic strip. Outpatient follow-up was arranged to diagnose any symptomatic UTI recurrence. Results: Sixty-five women were recruited. Mean age was 57.4 ± 14.3 year-old and follow-up duration was 9.5 ± 4.0 months. The prevalence of TV was 16.9% (11/65). Eight women had UTI recurrence in the follow-up period. Recurrence rate did not differ in patients with and without concomitant TV infection. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of TV, we suggest that testing for TV should be considered in women with recurrent UTIs. Further larger studies are needed to evaluate the potential benefit of treating TV in this group of patients. Keywords: Prevalence, Trichomonas vaginalis, Urinary tract infection, Women

Objective: Evaluate the difference in the subjective pain of using different probes for transrectal ultrasound of prostate. Materials and Methods: From July 2014 to December 2014, patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) of prostate were randomly divided into two groups and using two different probes. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate subjective perception of pain in these patients. Results: A significant difference was found in VAS between the two groups. The patient felt less pain during TRUS examination when using a microconvex transducer. Additionally, patients with external hemorrhoid, longer prostate sagittal length, image artifacts caused by stool, and deeper probe insertion depth were all found to be associated with more pain. The usage of a microconvex transducer can help reduce pain for patients with external hemorrhoids, whereas there was no difference in pain perception when the patient had previous rectal surgery or image artifacts caused by stool. Conclusion: We identified the factors of pain associated with TRUS. The microconvex transducer caused less TRUS-associated pain as compared to using a biplaned linear transducer.

Objective: Postprostatectomy incontinence (PPI) is a major health problem that has substantial effects on health-related quality of life. In recent years, extracorporeal magnetic innervation (ExMI) has become a preferred treatment method for urinary incontinence. We evaluated the effects of ExMI on patients with PPI after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), specifically regarding health-related quality of life. Materials and methods: From September to December 2014, patients with post-RARP PPI were enrolled in the study. A 20-minute ExMI treatment session was provided twice a week for two months. Number of voids, incontinence and urgency episodes, and mean and maximum voided volume per micturition (mL) were recorded in a 3-day bladder diary. Quality of life was assessed using the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), and International Prostate Symptom Score quality-of-life questionnaire (IPSS-QoL). All assessments were conducted before and within 2 weeks after ExMI treatment. A favorable outcome was defined as an IPSS-QoL score 2-point decrease in the pretreatment score. Results: Thirteen patients with a mean age of 69.3 years were enrolled. After ExMI, the number of incontinence episodes/3 d decreased to 5.85 from 9.15 (p = 0.004). The mean number of voids/d also decreased to 9.17 from 10.45 (p = 0.036). Patients' functional bladder capacity increased from 243.46 to 289.23 (p = 0.007). Scores of both UDI-6 and IPSS-QoL improved from 7.15 to 5.31 (p = 0.024) and 4.00 to 2.77 (p = 0.007). Patients aged

A new synthetic urine was adopted in this work to study the nucleation kinetics of calcium oxalate using a batch crystallizer for various supersaturations at 37 °C. In the studied new synthetic urine, three additional components (urea, uric acid and creatinine) within the normal physiological ranges were added to the commonly-used synthetic urine to simulate human urine more closely. The interfacial energy for the nucleation of calcium oxalate was determined based on classical nucleation theory using the turbidity induction time measurements. The effects of various inhibitors, including magnesium, citrate, hydroxycitrate, chondroitin sulfate, and phytate, on the nucleation of calcium oxalate were investigated in detail. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the influences of these inhibitors on the preferential nucleation of the different hydrates of calcium oxalate crystals.

Objective: The toxicity of ketamine to genitourinary system not only involved in lower urinary tract, which include urinary frequency, urgency, suprapubic pain, dysuria and hematuria, but also upper urinary tracts. However, the reports of ketmaine-induced upper urinary tract damage were rare. Materials and methods: Herein, we reported nine ketamine abusers presented with moderate flank pain with hydronephrosis and lower urinary tract symptoms from three medical centers located around Taiwan. Results: All patients were diagnosed of hydronephrosis by sonography or abdominal computed tomography scans and 7 cases combined with acute kidney injury. They all receive ureteroscopy exam and double-J stenting. All of their flank pain and renal function impairment improved during follow up. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, currently there is no standard therapy for ketamine-induced nephropathy, we therefore supplied a therapeutic choice for those ketamine abuser combined with hydronephrosis and/or acute kidney injury.

Purpose: Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common disease affecting older males. As obesity becomes an increasing problem worldwide, its role in prostatic hypertrophy has been discussed recently. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between waist circumferences and prostatic hyperplasia in Taiwan. Methods: There were 539 men enrolled in the study who had health examinations at the Healthcare Center of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; 53 were excluded because of history of conditions affecting prostatic volume. Their anthropometry was measured and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels as well as lipid profiles were analyzed. Prostate volume was measured by transrectal ultrasonography performed by experienced urologists. Results: The mean prostate volume was 26.43 mL, whereas mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.27 kg/m2 and mean waist circumference (WC) was 90.81 cm. By age-adjusted logistic regression, PSA > 4 ng/mL, WC ≥ 90 cm, and BMI > 24 kg/m2 are associated with increased risk of developing prostatic hyperplasia; only WC ≥ 90 cm can be validated by multiple logistic regression. Further analysis of obesity patterns showed that abdominal overweight/obesity places patients at increased risk independently rather than high WC or high BMI alone. Conclusions: Study results showed that waist circumference ≥ 90 cm is an independent risk factor of prostatic hyperplasia in Taiwan. Men with abdominal overweight/obesity (WC ≥ 90 cm and BMI > 24 kg/m2) have a twofold risk of developing prostatic hyperplasia.

Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It inhibits the release of acetylcholine and other neurotransmitters from the nerve terminal. Botulinum toxin, specifically toxin type A (BoNT-A) has been used since the 1970s to reduce the muscular hypercontraction disorders. The application of BoNT-A in urology field started from intra-bladder injection for overactive bladder, which has been recognized as third line therapy in many countries. Since prostate gland as well as bladder is under the influence of autonomic innervation, theorectically, injection of BoNT-A into the prostate induces chemo-denervation and modulation of prostate function, and reduces lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). This article reviews the application of BoNT-A in patients with LUTS/ benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) from mechanisms of action to clinical results. BoNT-A has been shown to induce prostate apoptosis, downregulation of alpha 1A receptors, and reduce contractile function of prostate in animal studies. Open studies of intraprostate BoNT-A injection have demonstrated promising results of reducing LUTS and improvement of voiding function in human LUTS/BPH, however, intraprostatic BoNT-A injection did not perform better than the placebo group in recent publications of placebo controlled studies. We suggested that BoNT-A prostate injection might benefit selected population of BPH/LUTS, but it is unlikely to be an effective therapy for general population of male LUTS/BPH.