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Background: Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) refers to severe damage to the ischemic myocardium following the restoration of blood flow, and it is a major complication of reperfusion therapy for myocardial infarction. Notably, drugs such as metoprolol have been utilized to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. Tanshinone IIA is a major constituent extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. Recently, tanshinone IIA has been studied extensively in animal models for controlling MIRI. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis on the application of tanshinone IIA in rat models with MIRI to evaluate the therapeutic effects of tanshinone IIA., Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, the Wanfang database, and the Chinese Scientific Journal Database to gather studies on tanshinone IIA intervention in rat models with MIRI.We employed SYRCLE's risk of bias tool to assess study quality. The primary outcome indicators were superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Myocardial infarction area was a secondary outcome indicator. This study was registered at PROSPERO (registration number CRD 42022344447)., Results: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 eligible studies were selected from 295 initially identified studies. In rat models with MIRI, tanshinone IIA significantly increased SOD levels while reducing MDA levels and myocardial infarction area. Moreover, the duration of myocardial ischemia influenced the effectiveness of tanshinone IIA. However, additional high-quality research studies are needed to establish the efficacy and definitive guidelines for the use of tanshinone IIA. Animal studies demonstrated that tanshinone IIA exerted a significant therapeutic effect when the ischemia duration was less than 40 minutes. Tanshinone IIA was found to be more effective when administered via intravenous, intraperitoneal, and intragastric routes at doses above 5 mg/kg. Additionally, treatment with tanshinone IIA at all stages-prior to myocardial ischemia, after ischemia but before reperfusion, prior to ischemia and after reperfusion, and after reperfusion-showed satisfactory results., Conclusions: Tanshinone IIA enhanced SOD activity and reduced MDA levels, thereby ameliorating oxidative stress damage during MIRI. Additionally, it reduced the myocardial infarction area, indicating its effectiveness in mitigating MIRI-induced damage in rats and demonstrating a myocardial protective effect. These findings contribute valuable insights for developing MIRI treatment strategies., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Zhang et al.)

Objective: Post-stroke dysphagia is a common swallowing disorder that occurs after a stroke, leading to an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition. There is a pressing need for effective and safe interventions for its rehabilitation. This review aims to answer two key scientific questions: (1) What is the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the rehabilitation of post-stroke dysphagia? (2) Is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation a safe intervention for post-stroke dysphagia?, Data Sources: A comprehensive search was conducted across four electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase. The search aimed to identify relevant studies concerning our topic of interest and was completed on 28 May 2024., Review Methods: In accordance with the PRISMA checklist, a comprehensive search of four databases was conducted, which identified 13 relevant systematic reviews. The inclusion criteria were systematic reviews that evaluated the efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia. Exclusion criteria were reviews that did not focus on post-stroke dysphagia or did not evaluate repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as a therapeutic intervention. The quality, bias, reporting, and overall evidence quality of these reviews were assessed using validated tools, including the AMSTAR 2 tool for assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews, the ROBIS tool for assessing the risk of bias, and the GRADE approach for evaluating the overall quality of evidence. This rigorous approach ensures that our review provides a comprehensive and reliable overview of the current state of knowledge on the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia., Results: The sample sizes for the individual studies included in the systematic reviews/meta-analyses ranged from 66 to 555. The total number of participants across all studies included in the overall analyses was 752. The evidence was limited by the methodological flaws and heterogeneity of the systematic reviews. The quality of the evidence varied from high to low, with most outcomes having moderate quality. Future research should adopt more rigorous, standardized, and comprehensive designs to confirm the efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia. The main reason for downgrading the evidence quality was the small sample size and high heterogeneity of the primary studies., Conclusion: This overview synthesized research on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for dysphagia, aiming to inform clinical and policy decisions. However, the current evidence does not conclusively establish the safety and efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia rehabilitation. The studies reviewed varied in quality, and many were of poor quality. Therefore, while some studies suggest potential benefits of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, these findings should be interpreted with caution. There is a pressing need for more rigorous, high-quality research to validate the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia rehabilitation. The implications of these findings for clinical practice and policy will be clearer once we have more robust, evidence-based recommendations., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), characterized by heightened neural density, presents a challenging prognosis primarily due to perineural invasion. Recognized for their crucial roles in neural support and myelination, Schwann cells (SCs) significantly influence the process of tumorigenesis. This review succinctly outlines the interplay between PDAC and neural systems, positioning SCs as a nexus in the tumor-neural interface. Subsequently, it delves into the cellular origin and influencers of SCs within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, emphasizing their multifaceted roles in tumor initiation, progression, and modulation of the neural and immune microenvironment. The discussion encompasses potential therapeutic interventions targeting SCs. Lastly, the review underscores pressing issues, advocating for sustained exploration into the diverse contributions of SCs within the intricate landscape of PDAC, with the aim of enhancing our understanding of their involvement in this complex malignancy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) is an obligate intracellular protozoan that can elicit a robust immune response during infection. Macrophage cells have been shown to play an important role in the immune response against T. gondii . In our previous study, the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A) gene of T. gondii was found to influence the invasion and replication of tachyzoites. In this study, the recombinant protein of T. gondii eIF-5A (r Tg eIF-5A) was incubated with murine macrophages, and the regulatory effect of Tg eIF-5A on macrophages was characterized. Immunofluorescence assay showed that Tg eIF-5A was able to bind to macrophages and partially be internalized. The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) level and chemotaxis of macrophages stimulated with Tg eIF-5A were reduced. However, the phagocytosis and apoptosis of macrophages were amplified by Tg eIF-5A. Meanwhile, the cell viability experiment indicated that Tg eIF-5A can promote the viability of macrophages, and in the secretion assays, Tg eIF-5A can induce the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) from macrophages. These findings demonstrate that eIF-5A of T. gondii can modulate the immune response of murine macrophages in vitro, which may provide a reference for further research on developing T. gondii vaccines.

Background: The TRIANGLE operation benefits patients with pancreatic cancer; however, the Heidelberg triangle, where the operation occurs, contains vessels that can impact safety, especially in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) with the TRIANGLE operation. This study aimed to identify Heidelberg triangle vessel types and their implications in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD)., Methods: Retrospective collection of radiographic data was performed from January 2017 to April 2023. Three-dimensional (3D) CT reconstructions were performed on patients. Vascular types in the Heidelberg triangle were classified based on named vessels crossing its interior. The impact of these types on surgical outcomes and complications in PD with the TRIANGLE operation was assessed., Results: Preoperative CT reconstruction was conducted on 184 pancreatic surgery patients. The findings revealed 99 patients (53.8%) with the type I Heidelberg triangle, lacking named vessels crossing the interior. Type II (n = 85, 46.2%), with named vessels crossing the interior, was identified. Among reconstructed patients who underwent PD with the TRIANGLE operation (n = 103), they were categorized as type I (n = 57) or type II (n = 46). The results showed that LPD patients with type II had significantly higher median intraoperative blood loss (300 mL vs. 200 mL, P = 0.030) and mean examined lymph nodes (17.2 ± 7.6 vs. 13.4 ± 5.2, P = 0.019) compared to those with type I. No significant differences were found in operative time or postoperative complications., Conclusion: The presence of named vessels crossing the interior of the Heidelberg triangle was associated with increased intraoperative bleeding during LPD combined with the TRIANGLE operation. Therefore, targeted preoperative planning is required before the operation, thus improving the safety of the TRIANGLE operation in minimally invasive surgery., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: With the change of lifestyle, the occurrence of coronary artery disease presents a younger trend, increasing the medical and economic burden on the family and society. To reduce the burden caused by this disease, this study applied LASSO Logistic Regression and Random Forest to establish a risk prediction model for premature coronary artery disease(PCAD) separately and compared the predictive performance of the two models., Methods: The data are obtained from 1004 patients with coronary artery disease admitted to a third-class hospital in Liaoning Province from September 2019 to December 2021. The data from 797 patients were ultimately evaluated. The dataset of 797 patients was randomly divided into the training set (569 persons) and the validation set (228 persons) scale by 7:3. The risk prediction model was established and compared by LASSO Logistic and Random Forest., Result: The two models in this study showed that hyperuricemia, chronic renal disease, carotid artery atherosclerosis were important predictors of premature coronary artery disease. A result of the AUC between the two models showed statistical difference (Z = 3.47, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Random Forest has better prediction performance for PCAD and is suitable for clinical practice. It can provide an objective reference for the early screening and diagnosis of premature coronary artery disease, guide clinical decision-making and promote disease prevention., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Angiogenesis plays an important role in the repair of urethral injury, and stem cells and their secretomes can promote angiogenesis. We obtained pediatric urethral mesenchymal stem-like cells (PU-MSLCs) in an earlier study. This project studied the pro-angiogenic effect of PU-MSLC-derived small extracellular vesicles (PUMSLC-sEVs) and the underlying mechanisms., Materials and Methods: PUMSLCs and PUMSLC-sEVs were cultivated and identified. Then, biological methods such as the ethynyl deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, scratch wound assay, Transwell assay, and tube formation assay were used to study the effect of PUMSLC-sEVs on the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We explored whether the proangiogenic effect of PUMSLC-sEVs is related to CD73 and whether adenosine (ADO, a CD73 metabolite) promoted angiogenesis. GraphPad Prism 8 software was used for data analysis., Results: We observed that PUMSLC-sEVs significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and tube-forming abilities of HUVECs. PUMSLC-sEVs delivered CD73 molecules to HUVECs to promote angiogenesis. The angiogenic ability of HUVECs was enhanced after treatment with extracellular ADO produced by CD73, and PUMSLC-sEVs further promoted angiogenesis by activating Adenosine Receptor A2A (A2AR)., Conclusions: These observations suggest that PUMSLC-sEVs promote angiogenesis, possibly through activation of the CD73/ADO/A2AR signaling axis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Globally, oral diseases are common, pose an economic burden, and significantly decline the quality of life of affected individuals. Recently, researchers have substantially highlighted the effect of depression on oral disease incidence and development. In this study, we elucidated the correlation between depression and oral diseases., Methods: Using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR), the association between depression and the risk of 17 oral diseases was evaluated. Three methods were used to perform MR analysis: the inverse variance-weighted, weighted median, and MR-Egger methods. Furthermore, Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier test, and leave-one-out analysis were performed to analyze sensitivity., Results: After implementing multiple test corrections, we observed that genetic susceptibility to depression was associated with an increased risk of mouth ulcers, toothache, loose teeth, bleeding gums, painful gums, chronic periodontitis, chronic tonsil and adenoid diseases, peritonsillar abscess, and excessive tooth attrition. However, a causal relationship between depression and other oral diseases was not observed. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results., Conclusions: We confirmed the causal relationship between depression and several oral diseases, thereby providing a novel viewpoint on the prevention and treatment of oral diseases. Our findings suggest the integration of depression control into routine clinical care to enhance the effectiveness of oral disease treatment.

Observational studies have reported some associations between thyroid disease and gout, but the causal relationship between the 2 is not clear. We used Mendelian randomization (MR) Analysis to investigate the causal association between some thyroid diseases (autoimmune hypothyroidism, autoimmune hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules, and thyroid cancer) and gout. GWAS data were used for analysis. The exposure factors were autoimmune hypothyroidism, autoimmune hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, and the outcome variables were gout. IVW, MR-Egger, Weighted median and Weighted mode were used for MR analysis. Cochran Q test MR-PRESSO and MR-Egger intercept analysis were used to detect heterogeneity and multi directivity. Autoimmune hypothyroidism has a causal effect on gout, IVW results show (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.03-1.21, PFDR = 0.0336); Autoimmune hyperthyroidism has a causal effect on gout, IVW results show (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01-1.12, PFDR = 0.0314); Thyroid cancer has no causal effect on gout, IVW results show (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.98-1.09, PFDR = 0.297); Thyroid nodules has no causal effect on gout, IVW results show (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.98-1.08, PFDR = 0.225); Reverse MR Studies show that gout have no causal effect on the above thyroid diseases. Autoimmune hypothyroidism and autoimmune hyperthyroidism increase the risk of gout., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Introduction: This overview of systematic reviews (SRs) systematically collected, evaluated, and combined the evidence for migraine treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)., Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in various databases, such as PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP, and China Biomedical Literature. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality, and strength of evidence of the included studies using AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, the PRISMA checklist, and the GRADE system., Results: We performed an overview of 7 relevant SRs, of which 4 were of moderate quality and 3 were of low quality according to AMSTAR 2. All SRs had low risk of bias in Phase 1 (Assessing relevance), Domain 1 (Study eligibility criteria), and Domain 4 (Synthesis and findings) as evaluated by ROBIS. In Domain 2 (Identification and selection of studies), 4 SRs (57.1%) had low risk of bias, while in Domain 3 (data collection and study appraisal) and Risk of Bias in the Review Phase 3, 4 SRs (57.1%) had low risk of bias. The PRISMA reporting standards were generally comprehensive, but some limitations were observed in the assessments, pooled results, evidence reliability, registration and protocols, and funding sources. The GRADE levels ranged from moderate to low, with 10 outcomes of moderate quality and 6 outcomes of low quality. The main reason for the low quality of evidence was the small sample size and high heterogeneity of the available studies., Conclusion: TMS may improve migraine severity and frequency, but the evidence is limited due to methodological flaws and heterogeneity. Future studies should standardize use, assess side effects, and compare with other treatments., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Shen et al.)

The impairment of antibody-mediated immunity is a major factor associated with fatal cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). By collating the clinical diagnosis reports of 30 SFTS cases, we discovered the overproliferation of monoclonal plasma cells (MCP cells, CD38 + cLambda + cKappa - ) in bone marrow, which has only been reported previously in multiple myeloma. The ratio of CD38 + cLambda + versus CD38 + cKappa + in SFTS cases with MCP cells was significantly higher than that in normal cases. MCP cells presented transient expression in the bone marrow, which was distinctly different from multiple myeloma. Moreover, the SFTS patients with MCP cells had higher clinical severity. Further, the overproliferation of MCP cells was also observed in SFTS virus (SFTSV)-infected mice with lethal infectious doses. Together, SFTSV infection induces transient overproliferation of monoclonal lambda-type plasma cells, which have important implications for the study of SFTSV pathogenesis, prognosis, and the rational development of therapeutics., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are important seed cells for cell therapy and tissue engineering because of their multidirectional differentiation potential, high proliferative capacity, low immunogenicity, and immunomodulatory ability. In this study, we successfully isolated and cultured a population of mesenchymal stem-like cells from pediatric urethra (PU-MSLCs). The cells had a spindle-shaped fibroblast-like morphology, similar to MSCs derived from other tissues. The PU-MSLCs highly expressed MSC surface markers CD29, CD73, CD90, and CD105 but were negative for leukocyte common antigen CD45, and MHC class II-encoded molecule HLA-DR. After in vitro induction, the PU-MSLCs had the potential to differentiate into adipocytes, osteocytes, and chondrocytes. The PU-MSLCs maintained a normal karyotype and showed no tumorigenicity during long-term cultivation. We thus demonstrated that the mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-like population obtained from pediatric urethra tissue is capable of self-renewal and multidirectional differentiation, has promising application prospects for cell therapy and tissue engineering, and is expected to contribute to urethral tissue reconstruction., (© 2022. The Society for In Vitro Biology.)

Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are the main functional component of urethral tissue, but are difficult to proliferate in vitro . Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEV) have been shown to promote tissue repair by regulating the proliferation and migration of different types of cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived sEV (UCMSC-sEV) on the proliferation and migration of pediatric urethral smooth muscle cells (PUSMCs) and the mechanism by which sEV regulates the function of PUSMCs. We observed that UCMSC-sEV can significantly promote the proliferation and migration of PUSMCs in vitro . UCMSC-sEV exerted proliferation and migration promotion effects by carrying the CD73 to PUSMCs and catalyzing the production of adenosine. Conversely, the effect of UCMSC-sEV on the proliferation and migration of PUSMCs were no longer observed with addition of the PSB12379 as a CD73 inhibitor. It was found that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway in PUSMCs was activated by adenosine or UCMSC-sEV intervention. In summary, UCMSC-sEV promoted proliferation and migration of PUSMCs in vitro by activating CD73/adenosine signaling axis and downstream PI3K/AKT pathway. Thus, we concluded that UCMSC-sEV may be suggested as a new solution strategy for the urethral tissue repair., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhang, Li, Li, Xie, He, Ling, Li, Wu, Li and Zheng.)

Background: Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) in the majority of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is caused by various factors such as maternal age, embryo quality, endometrial receptivity (ER), and immunity. The incidence of RIF is usually between 5 and 10%. Previous studies have shown that herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel is one of the treatment methods of acupuncture with a positive effect on pregnancy. However, its application in the treatment of RIF has not been reported. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safeness of herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel in improving the outcome of frozen embryo transfer (FET) in patients with RIF., Methods: This study conducts a randomized controlled trial (RCT). It is planned to recruit 210 patients undergoing RIF for FET from Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and randomly divide them into the treatment group and the control group in a ratio of 1:1. The patient of the treatment group will be treated with herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel once a week for three consecutive menstrual cycles. No intervention will be used in the control group for 3 menstrual cycles. In the fourth menstrual cycle, all patients will undergo artificial cycle to prepare the endometrium for FET. The pregnancy outcomes will be recorded after a 3-month follow-up. Primary outcome will be assessed as the ongoing pregnancy rate compared with the control group. Secondary outcomes include the endometrial type, resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) of the bilateral uterine artery, endometrial blood flow, serum estradiol (E 2 ), progesterone (P), biochemical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy rate., Discussion: If the results show that the herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel can improve IVF-ET outcomes in patients with RIF, it will be recommended in clinical practice., Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) ChiCTR2100043954 . Registered on 8 July 2021., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To explore the application value of perioperative nursing for patients with brain tumors with epilepsy symptoms under the cortical electrocorticography (EEG) monitoring., Methods: A total of 86 patients with brain tumor complicated with epilepsy admitted to the department of brain surgery of our hospital from January 2018 to December 2019 were selected as the research objects, and all underwent resection under cortical EEG monitoring. According to different nursing methods, they were divided into the control group and observation group, each with 43 cases. The control group was given perioperative basic nursing, and the observation group was given perioperative comprehensive nursing. The EEG image of the patient during the operation was observed by a portable EEG monitor. Anxiety and depression were assessed by self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores. The self-made satisfaction questionnaire was used to investigate the nursing satisfaction. A visual analogue (VAS) score is used to assess pain degree. A multiparameter monitor was used to detect the patient's heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The quality of life was assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-30). The complication rate and recurrence rate were also counted., Results: Eighty-six patients with epileptic brain tumor developed spikes in 35 cases, including 7 meningiomas, 22 gliomas, and 6 cholesteatomas; 27 cases of sharp waves, including 14 meningiomas, 12 gliomas, and 1 case of cholesteatomas; and 24 cases of complex wave, including 9 cases of meningioma, 13 cases of glioma, and 2 cases of cholesteatoma. There was no significant difference in the scores of SAS, SDS, VAS, HR, SBP, DBP, and quality of life between the two groups at T0. The VAS score increased at T1 and T2, and the increase in the control group was greater than that in the observation group. At T3 and T4, the SAS, SDS, and VAS scores of the two groups decreased, and the observation group decreased more than the control group. HR, SBP, and DBP of the two groups showed an upward trend at T1 and T2, and the increase in the control group was more significant than that in the observation group. At T3, the three indicators of the two groups decreased, and the observation group decreased more significantly than the control group. At T4, the scores of all indicators of the quality of life of the two groups increased, and the observation group increased more significantly than the control group. The nursing satisfaction of the observation group was higher than that of the control group. The complication rate and recurrence rate in the observation group were decreased compared with the control group., Conclusion: Perioperative comprehensive nursing intervention for patients with epileptic brain tumor undergoing resection under cortical EEG monitoring can reduce or even eliminate the recurrence rate of epilepsy, reduce the patient's pain and stress response, and improve the patient's quality of life. It can also reduce the occurrence of complications, improve nursing satisfaction, thereby improving patient compliance, and has a high clinical application value., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Shouduo Jiang et al.)

According to the latest clinical data, cardiovascular diseases have ranked first in prone diseases, causing 40% of the premature deaths of China's population. This study aimed to investigate the influence of Toll-like receptor 2- (TLR2-) mediated inflammation on the occurrence and development of familial hypertension combined with hyperlipemia and its related mechanism. Blood specimens from 66 patients undergoing coronary atherosclerosis were collected and grouped, including 22 patients into the control group, 25 into the familial hypertension group, and 19 into familial hypertension combined with hyperlipemia group. In this study, ELISA was conducted for determining the levels of four inflammatory factors of TLR2 and IL-1 β , IL-6, TNF- ɑ , and CCL2 in serum and the levels of relevant indicators in mice. C57Bl/6j and genetically engineered C.129(B6)-Tlr2tm1Kir/J mice were given subcutaneous injection of normal saline (wild-saline group), 8-week 40% high-fat diet (wild-high-fat group), and subcutaneous Alzet-implanted angiotensin II micropump supplemented with the research diet (wild-high fat-Ang II group, Tlr2 -/- -high fat-Ang II group). Blood pressure in mice was recorded consecutively with a noninvasive hemopiezometer for eight weeks. TLR2 and IL-1 β , IL-6, TNF- ɑ , and CCL2 in serum of patients with familial hypertension combined with hyperlipemia and the hypertension combined with hyperlipemia mouse model were higher than those in the normal group. Under combined intervention of Ang II and the research diet, mRNA expression related to blood pressure, blood lipid, and fat metabolism in Tlr2 -/- genetically engineering mice was significantly lower than that in the wild-high fat-Ang II group. The phosphorylation levels of AKT, IKK, and p65 in mice with hypertension combined with hyperlipidemia were significantly higher than those in normal group. The levels of blood pressure and blood lipid in mice after blocking the AKT or NF- κ B pathway were significantly downregulated compared with those in the wild-high fat-Ang II group, with statistically significant differences (both P < 0.05). In conclusion, TLR2 regulates inflammation through Akt-NF- κ B pathway, thus inducing the occurrence and development of familial hypertension combined with hyperlipemia., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Jia Liu et al.)

Background: Ureteroscopy is widely applied in pregnant women with renal colic, but such patients are easy to experience uterine contraction after surgery. There are many factors which may affect uterine contraction, this study aims to explore the risk factors of uterine contraction triggered by ureteroscopy in pregnant women with renal colic., Methods: One hundred and one pregnant women were retrospectively analyzed, the patients were hospitalized because of severe renal colic. All patients received ureteroscopy during which double J catheters were inserted into ureters for drainage. Patients received other medical treatments individually according to their condition and uterine contractions were detected by EHG within 12 h after operation. Patients were classified as group A (uterine contraction) and group B (no uterine contraction) according to the presence or absence of continuously regular uterine contraction. Clinical characteristics were collected for further analysis, including history of childbirth, anesthesia method, application of phloroglucinol or not, operation time, Oxygen inhalation or not, pain relief or not after surgery, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) occurred or not. A binary logistic regression analysis model was established to explore whether such clinical characteristics were relevant to uterine contraction after ureteroscopy., Results: Continuously regular uterine contraction presented in 46 pregnant women within 12 h after ureteroscopy, making the incidence of uterine contraction as high as 45.54%. The presence of uterine contraction was related to the following factors(P < 0.05): history of childbirth (primipara versus multipara)(OR 6.593, 95% CI 2.231-19.490), operation time (each quarter additional) (OR 2.385, 95% CI 1.342-4.238), application of phloroglucinol (yes versus not) (OR 6.959, 95% CI 1.416-34.194), pain relief after surgery(yes versus not)(OR 6.707, 95% CI 1.978-22.738), SIRS occurred after surgery (yes versus not) (OR 0.099, 95% CI 0.014-0.713)., Conclusion: Continuously regular uterine contraction is easy to occur within 12 h after ureteroscopy in pregnant women. SIRS occurred after surgery is a risk factor for uterine contraction; on the contrary, no history of childbirth, shorter operation time, application of phloroglucinol, pain relief after surgery are protective factors., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: The efficacy of color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and alpha-fetoprotein heterogeneity (AFP-L3) in the diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma was evaluated., Methods: Seventy-nine patients with primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC group) and 50 patients with benign liver lesions (benign control group) admitted in Yantaishan Hospital (Yantai, China) from January 2016 to December 2018 were selected. The liver was scanned by color Doppler ultrasound and multiple multislice spiral CT. The serum AFP and AFP-L3 levels were detected by electrochemiluminescence. The value of color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with serum AFP and AFP-L3 in diagnosis of primary liver cancer was retrospectively analyzed., Results: The color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) showed a high-speed and high-resistance spectrum. The serum AFP and AFP-L3 levels of patients with primary hepatic carcinoma were significantly higher than those of the benign control group were (U=138.000 and 155.500, P =0.000 and 0.000), P <0.01. The sensitivity, accuracy and negative predictive value of color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with serum AFP and AFP-L3 examinations for diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma were 96.20, 90.70 and 93.18%, which was significantly improved compared with each single examination (X 2 =27.888, 17.511 and 16.202, P =0.000, 0.002 and 0.003), P <0.01., Conclusion: Color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with AFP and AFP-L3 examination could significantly improve the diagnosis efficiency of primary hepatic carcinoma, which was beneficial to early clinical diagnosis and early treatment., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Zhao et al. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: The proliferative stage (tachyzoite) of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is critical for its transmission and pathogenesis, and a proto-oncogene eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF-5A) plays an important role in various cellular processes such as cell multiplication., Methods: We performed a proteomic study to evaluate the specific roles of eIF-5A involved in invasion and replication of T. gondii, and both in vivo and in vitro trials using eIF-5A-interfered and wild tachyzoites were performed to verify the proteomic results., Results: The results of our study showed that T. gondii eIF-5A affected tachyzoite growth and also participated in the synthesis of proteins through regulation of both ribosomal and splicing pathways. Inhibition of eIF-5A in T. gondii resulted in the downregulated expression of soluble adhesions, such as microneme protein 1 (MIC1) and MIC4, which in turn decreased the parasite population that adhered to the surface of host cells. The reduced attachment, combined with lower expression of some rhoptry proteins (ROPs) and dense granule antigens (GRAs) involved in different stages of T. gondii invasion such as ROP4 and GRA3, ultimately reduce the invasion efficiency. These processes regulated by eIF-5A eventually affect the replication of tachyzoites., Conclusions: Our findings showed that eIF-5A influenced tachyzoite survival and was also involved in the process of parasite invasion and replication. These results will provide new clues for further development of targeted drugs to control T. gondii infection.

Objectives: To investigate the pathogens and potential risk factors for urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with retained double-J catheters (DJCs)., Methods: In total, 107 infants and young children with DJCs were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were included in the infection group (n = 30) or non-infection group (n = 77), according to UTI presence or absence. The species and characteristics of pathogens were investigated, and the clinical features of the patients were recorded for further analysis., Results: Gram-negative bacilli were the most common causative pathogens (69.2%), among which Escherichia coli was most frequent (38.5%). The second most common causative pathogens were Gram-positive cocci (28.2%), among which Enterococcus faecalis was most frequent (10.3%). UTIs among patients in this study were associated with the following factors: catheter retention (long-term) (odds ratio [OR] = 2.514, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.176-5.373), sex (male) (OR = 2.966, 95% CI = 1.032-8.529), DJC retention (long-term) (OR = 1.869, 95% CI = 1.194-2.926), and DJC number (unilateral) (OR = 0.309, 95% CI = 0.103-0.922)., Conclusions: Infants and young children with DJCs were likely to experience UTIs, mainly caused by Gram-negative bacilli. Long-term catheter retention or DJC retention, male sex, and bilateral DJC retention were risk factors for UTI.

Recent research evidence documents that lncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs lncRNAs) play a pivotal role in the tumorigenesis and development of tumors. LncRNA SNGH3 (small nucleolar RNA host gene 3) is highly expressed in numerous forms of cancer, serving as an oncogene in cancer progression. Nonetheless, the clinical relationship, along with the mechanism of SNGH3 in bladder cancer, have not been studied. Herein, the findings exhibited upregulation of SNGH3 in bladder cancer tissues, along with the cell lines. Furthermore, overexpressed SNGH3 was positively linked to the TNM stage, as well as the histological grade of bladder cancer. Moreover, the silencing of SNGH3, using CRISPR-dCas9, suppressed cell growth along with migration, but elevated bladder cancer cell apoptosis. In summary, we established that SNGH3 serves as a bladder cancer oncogene and could be employed as a prospective diagnostic marker for clinical use, and is also a therapeutic target for CRISPR-mediated gene therapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Cao, Hu, Zhang, Li, Guo, Wei, Zhang, Wang and Li.)

CRISPR-CasRx technology provides a new and powerful method for studying cellular RNA in human cancer. Herein, the pattern of expression of long noncoding RNA 00341 (LINC00341) as well as its biological function in bladder cancer were studied using CRISPR-CasRx. qRT-PCR was employed to quantify the levels of expression of LINC00341 in tumor tissues along with the matched non-tumor tissues. sgRNA targeting LINC00341 or the sgRNA negative control were transiently transfected into the T24 as well as 5,637 human bladder cancer cell lines. CCK-8, ELISA as well as wound healing methods were employed to explore cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration, respectively. The tumorigenicity experiment in nude mice also performed to detect cell proliferation. The expression of p21, Bax as well as E-cadherin were assayed using western blot. The results demonstrated that LINC00341 was overexpressed in bladder cancer in contrast with the healthy tissues. The LINC00341 expression level in high-grade tumors was higher in contrast with that in low-grade tumors. The expression of linc00341 was higher relative to that of non-invasive tumors. In T24 as well as 5637-cell lines harboring LINC00341-sgRNA, inhibition of cell proliferation ( in vitro and in vivo ), elevated apoptosis rate and diminished migration ability. Moreover, silencing LINC00341 upregulated the expressions of p21, Bax as well as E-cadherin. Knockout of these genes could eliminate the phenotypic changes caused by sgRNA targeting LINC00341. Our data demonstrate that LINC00341 has a carcinogenic role in human bladder cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Li, Cao, Zhang, Li, Wang, Zhou, Wei, Guo, Liu, Liu, Zhang and Liu.)

Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) is the most common zoonotic protozoa and has infected about one-third of the population worldwide. Recombinant epitopes encapsulated in nanospheres have advantages over traditional T. gondii vaccines. For an efficient delivery system, poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and chitosan are the most frequently used biodegradable polymeric nanospheres with strong safety profiles. In the present study, we first expressed and purified histone H2A1 of T. gondii using the prokaryotic expression system. The effects of recombinant TgH2A1 on the functions of murine macrophages were then studied. Purified recombinant TgH2A1 was then encapsulated in nanospheres with PLGA and chitosan. After subcutaneous vaccination in mice, the immune response was evaluated by double antibody sandwich ELISA kits. The results from this study showed that PLGA and chitosan loaded with rTgH2A1 could trigger a stronger Th1 oriented immune response and prolong the survival time of mice effectively. In conclusion, PLGA and chitosan nanospheres loaded with histone H2A1 are an effective method for the development of vaccines against T. gondii . Further studies should focus on evaluating the regulatory mechanism of TgH2A1, vaccine potency, and cellular response in chronic T. gondii infections.

This paper propose a direct generalization quantile regression estimation method (DGQR estimation) for quantile regression with varying-coefficient models with interval censored data, which is a direct generalization for complete observed data. The consistency and asymptotic normality properties of the estimators are obtained. The proposed method has the advantage that does not require the censoring vectors to be identically distributed. The effectiveness of the method is verified by some simulation studies and a real data example., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The long-lasting infection of high-risk type (type 16 or type 18) human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of gynecological and urinary malignancies. Given the high mortality rate after surgery, the development of a new molecular therapy would be of value to clinicians. The aim of the present study was to achieve targeted inactivation of the viral E6 gene in keratinocytes using the reprogrammed CRISPR-Cas13a system. To accomplish this, a reprogrammed CRISPR-Cas13a system, targeting both the HPV16/18 E6 genes was constructed using a guide RNA expressing vector. The expression levels of E6 protein were measured using western blot analysis after transfection of the vector into E6-transformed keratin oocytes. Cell proliferation was analyzed using CCK-8 assays and cell apoptosis was evaluated using Hoechst 33258 staining and ELISAs examining caspase-3 levels. The results indicated that both the HPV16/18 E6 genes can be inactivated using the CRISPR-Cas13a system. Furthermore, silencing E6 inhibited cell proliferation (14±1.8% on average) and induced apoptosis (80.2±3.2% on average) in E6-transformed keratinocytes but not in normal keratinocytes. In conclusion, results of the present study demonstrate that the reprogrammed CRISPR-Cas13a system has the potential for inactivating HPV E6 gene functions., (Copyright © 2020, Spandidos Publications.)

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4-1 (IGFBP4-1), a new long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), has been reported to contribute to tumorigenesis and has been suggested to be a poor prognostic marker in human lung cancer. However, there still lacks basic studies that investigated the biological role of IGFBP4-1 in bladder urothelial carcinoma to date. In this study, we investigated the relationship between IGFBP4-1 expression and prognosis in patients with bladder cancer. Cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis assays were performed to assess IGFBP4-1 function by up-regulating or down-regulating IGFBP4-1 in bladder cancer cells. A xenograft mice model was used to validate the in vitro results. Blockade of Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway (JAK/STAT) was used to evaluate JAK/STAT signaling activity. The results showed that IGFBP4-1 was overexpressed in bladder cancer tissues compared with that in normal bladder tissues, and its expression level was positively correlated with poor prognosis in bladder cancer patients. Overexpression of IGFBP4-1 markedly promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle progression, and inhibited cell apoptosis, while knockdown of IGFBP4-1 notably suppressed the proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Mechanistically, we revealed that IGFBP4-1 promotes the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway in bladder cancer cells. Moreover, the JAK/STAT inhibitor dramatically blocked the tumor-promoting activity of IGFBP4-1. Tumor growth in vivo was also suppressed by knocking down of IGFBP4-1. In conclusion, IGFBP4-1 promoted bladder cancer progression by activating the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. These findings suggest that IGFBP4-1 exhibits an oncogenic role in the development of human bladder cancer., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

In this paper, the irradiation damage of graphite sheets and monolayer graphene on Cu and Ni substrates after the proton irradiation with High Intensity D-T Fusion Neutron Generator (HINEG) were studied. The microstructure evolution of graphite sheets and monolayer graphene on different substrates was analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results showed that the peak area ratio of carbon-oxides (C-O, C[double bond, length as m-dash]O) in graphene was reduced after irradiation. 2-50 nm nanopores were produced in monolayer graphene on both Cu and Ni substrates. The results of Raman spectroscopy showed that the relationship between D and G peak intensity ratios ( I D / I G ) of irradiated graphene on diverse substrates was I D / I G(Cu) < I D / I G(Ni) < I D / I G(graphite) , which indicated that the proton irradiation damage of graphene on the Cu substrate was the lightest. The reason for this could be speculated to be that different substrates had different damage self-repairing capabilities., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty (RLP) is 1 method for treating ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in children, but reports are more common in children than in infants younger than 2 years old. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of RLP for infants with UPJO.From January 2015 to December 2017, a retrospective analysis of 22 infants aged 2 to 24 (11.95 ± 6.00) months with UPJO who were treated with RLP in our hospital was performed. During the same period, 14 infants who underwent conventional transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty (TLP) were compared with those who underwent RLP. Postoperative recovery and complications, including bleeding, infection, urinary leakage and anastomotic stenosis, postoperative resumption of oral feeding, postoperative hospitalization time and surgical success rate were evaluated. Drainage and function were assessed with isotope scan at 6 months and later during the yearly follow-up and by intravenous urography (IVU) and mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) renography.Both groups underwent successful surgery. The operative time in the RLP group was 88 to 205 (120.59 ± 24.59) min, and there was no significant difference compared with the TLP group (P = .767). The estimated intraoperative blood loss was 2 to 10 (3.75 ± 1.59) ml, which was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .386). In the RLP group, the mean postoperative resumption of oral feeding was faster than that in the TLP group (3.55 ± 0.74 vs 5.50 ± 0.85 hour, P < .001), and the postoperative hospitalization time was shorter in the TLP group than in the RLP group (6.59 ± 0.50 vs 7.07 ± 0.47 day, P = .007 < .05). Follow-up lasted from 6 months to 3 years, and there was a significant reduction in postoperative hydronephrosis in both groups (P < .05, respectively).RLP is a safe procedure for infants. This procedure is associated with relatively little trauma, a quick recovery and good cosmetic effects. RLP also has the advantages of relatively little interference with the abdominal cavity and sufficient operating space; thus, this technique is worth promoting.

Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) are two critical signal transducers in toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway. In the present study, we identified and characterized the homologues of MyD88 and TRAF6 in Qihe crucian carp Carassius auratus, termed as CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6, respectively, and examined their roles during pathogenic infection. Full-length cDNA of CaMyD88 was 2463 bp, including a 191 bp 5'-untranslated region (UTR), a 1417 bp 3'-UTR, and an 855 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding for a putative protein with 284 amino acids. Full-length cDNA of CaTRAF6 was identified to be 2555 bp, consisting of a 52 bp 5'-UTR, an 871 bp 3'-UTR, and a 1632 bp ORF encoding a protein of 543 amino acids. Deduced amino acid sequences of CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 contained the typical domains (CaMyD88: death domain and TIR domain; CaTRAF6: one RING-type zinc finger domain, two TRAF-type zinc finger domains, one coiled-coil region, and one conserved C-terminal meprin and TRAF homology domain) as in other fish. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that both CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 were ubiquitously expressed throughout the development stages and appeared to be developmentally regulated. In addition, CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 had a broadly distribution of expression in all examined eleven tissues of healthy fish, although the transcript levels varied among the different tissues. Moreover, it was found that mRNA expressions of CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 were generally up-regulated after stimulation by polyI:C, flagellin, and Aeromonas hydrophila in spite of the down-regulation appeared at some time points or tissues. These results indicated that CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 play the critical roles in the immune defense of Qihe crucian carp against pathogenic invasion. The present findings will provide the valuable information for understanding the innate immune responses of Qihe crucian carp and contribute to develop the preventive way against pathogens., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: Previous studies have found that impairment of the circadian clock appears to contribute to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level showed a diurnal cycle. A recent study reported that a lower FSH level was associated with NAFLD. However, the effects of the diurnal rhythm of FSH on NAFLD have not been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the diurnal rhythm of FSH was associated with NAFLD in an elderly population., Study Design: We performed a cross-sectional study among 71 elderly patients between August 2015 and November 2015 at Fujian Provincial Hospital. Anthropometrics and tests for laboratory were performed for each patient. FSH was determined by radioimmunoassay. The FSH receptor (FSHR) expression was identified in liver and ovary tissue by immunohistochemical staining. NAFLD was diagnosed by sonographic features., Results: Of the 71 patients, 33 (42.9%) had NAFLD on their ultrasound. There were no significant differences between subjects with NAFLD and those without NAFLD in terms of age, sex, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting plasma glucose, postload plasma glucose, liver enzyme, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Both the serum FSH levels of 8AM and 0AM showed no differences between the groups. The proportion of the 'normal' diurnal rhythm of FSH was higher among the patients with NAFLD (78.1% vs. 52.6%, P = .027). After adjusting for all potential confounders, the fully adjusted odds ratios (OR) of diurnal rhythm of FSH for NAFLD was 3.86 (95%CI: 1.01, 14.81, P = .049). Immunohistochemical staining showed that the FSHR protein was detected in human ovarian and hepatic tissues., Conclusions: These results suggest that the 'normal' diurnal rhythm of FSH was independently associated with NAFLD in an elderly population. This study provides a novel insight into the diurnal rhythm of FSH in the pathogenesis of NAFLD., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ovarian follicular cysts are anovulatory follicular structures that lead to infertility. Hormones play key roles in the formation and persistence of cysts. Inhibins are heterodimeric gonadal glycoprotein hormones that belong to the transforming growth factor-β superfamily. These hormones suppress the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone. In this report, partial fragment of inhibin-α (INHA) subunit gene of Large White pig was detected from the genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction. The sequence showed a 283 bp fragment insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in INHA subunit gene. A total of 49 Large White sows with cystic follicles and 152 normal sows were screened for this polymorphism. The relationship of INHA I/D polymorphisms with follicular cysts was investigated. The distribution of I/D was significantly different between cystic and normal sows, thereby suggesting that the INHA subunit gene might be a potential biological marker for breeding programs in pig.

Frog egg-like bodies (FELBs), novel somatic embryogenesis (SE) structures first observed in Solanum nigrum, were induced in Rorippa indica. NaCl-mediated salt and mannitol-mimicked drought stresses induced FELBs in R. indica, which is very different from the induction by plant growth regulators (PGRs) under low light condition that was used in S. nigrum FELB induction. It demonstrated that NaCl or mannitol supplements alone could induce FELBs in R. indica, but with low induction rates, while the synergy of NaCl and mannitol significantly increased the FELB induction rates. For the combination of 5.0 g/L mannitol and 10.0 g/L NaCl the highest FELB induction rate (100%) was achieved. It suggests that the synergy of drought and salt stresses can replace PGRs to induce FELBs in R. indica. On medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L gibberellic acid all the inoculated in vitro FELBs developed into multiple plantlets. Morphological and histological analyses confirmed the identity of FELBs induced in R. indica and revealed that FELBs originate from root cortex cells.

Background: Although the application of ureteroscopy in the treatment of ureteral calculi during pregnancy has been on the rise, for persistent renal colic patients without ultrasound-detected ureteral calculi, it may represent a clinical dilemma due to the potential risks for both mother and fetus., Objective: The aim of the present study is to present our experience with the application of the ureteroscope in the emergency treatment of persistent renal colic patients during pregnancy., Methods: From March 2009 to September 2014, a total of 117 pregnant women who received ureteroscopy for persistent renal colic were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups according to duration of the persistent renal colic: Group A (within 12 hours; 24 cases); Group B (12 to 24 hours; 76 cases); and Group C (more than 24 hours; 17 cases). The stone-free rate, complications, and other qualitative data were analyzed., Results: Of the 117 patients, 31 patients who were found not to have renal or ureteral calculi received ureteroscopic double-J (DJ) stent insertion, whereas 86 patients who were found with ureteral calculi received ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) and DJ stent insertion. Among them, 24 patients (27.9%) were found with ureteral calculi by ureteroscopy rather than ultrasound. In addition, 73 patients (84.9%) had complete fragmentation of calculi; 12 patients (10.3%) had a threatened abortion (the rates of threatened abortion in Groups A, B and C were 8.3% vs. 6.5% vs. 29.4%; Group C compared with Groups A and B, p<0.05), and one patient (1.2%) had urosepsis (in Group C). However, these complications were cured with conservative treatment, without postpartum infant and maternal complications., Conclusion: For pregnant patients with persistent renal colic/ureteral calculi and hydronephrosis, ureteroscopic DJ stent insertion and URSL are effective and safe options when conservative treatment fails, even if no urinary calculi were found by ultrasound. At the same time, for patients with persistent renal colic during pregnancy, early application of ureteroscopy may reduce the risk of preterm birth.

Inhibins, as members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily, downregulate the synthesis and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in an endocrine manner. The role of inhibin/betaglycan in the ovary regulation recently gained attention. To date, no data exist on the function of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan in cystic follicles. In this study, the expressions of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan in cystic follicles were investigated using immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Both inhibin α subunit and betaglycan immunoreactivities were mainly localized in the granulosa cells of follicles. Expression of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan was inferior in cystic follicles compared with that in normal large follicles. However, the result of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed no significant difference in the decreasing in concentration of inhibin α subunit in cystic follicular fluid compared with the control (P>0.05). In this study, we explored the effects of FSH on betaglycan expression in granulosa cells in vitro. As expected, a significant increase in the expressions of betaglycan mRNA and protein in granulosa cells was observed in response to exogenous FSH (30 ng/ml) (P<0.05) compared with the control. Consequently, this study provides evidence that the expressions of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan are inferior in cystic follicles, and this may be caused by the decrease in FSH in the presence of a cystic follicle.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between PGAM1 and spermatogenic dysfunction and to evaluate the effect of expression of PGAM1 on the function of germ cells., Methods: Expression of PGAM1 was detected in 40 cases of infertile males with definite pathological diagnosis and 12 cases of mouse models with spermatogenic dysfunction by immunohistochemistry. Then, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration were evaluated when expression of PGAM1 was knocked down by a specific small interfering RNA in GC1 and TM4 cells., Results: The positive rates of PGAM1 in patients with normal spermatogenesis, mild hypospermatogenesis, severe hypospermatogenesis, and Sertoli cell-only syndrome were 90%, 80%, 10%, 100%, respectively, and the difference was significant (P < .001). Meanwhile, expression of PGAM1 was found to be significantly decreased in mouse models with spermatogenic dysfunction. Moreover, when expression of PGAM1 was knocked down in GC1 cells, the proliferation and migration were significantly inhibited, but the rate of apoptosis was significantly increased. Furthermore, PGAM1 downregulation in TM4 cells significantly inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis but didn't affect migration., Conclusion: PGAM1 correlates with spermatogenic distinction and affects the function of cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Objective: This study is aimed to evaluate the expression of phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) in normal kidney and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC), also to evaluate the correlation between PGAM1 expression and clinicopathological features in CCRCC., Methods: PGAM1 expression was detected in 80 cases of normal kidney and 192 cases of CCRCC by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Meanwhile, PGAM1 expression measured in 8 cases of CCRCC and matched normal kidney tissues by Western blot. Then, the correlation between PGAM1 expression and clinicalpathological features was analyzed in CCRCC., Results: IHC results exhibited that the high-expression rate of PGAM1 in CCRCC tissues was 45.8%, which was significantly higher than those in normal kidney tissues (32.5%, P=0.044). Meanwhile, PGAM1 expression in CCRCC was significantly greater compared with those in normal kidney by Western blot. Moreover, PGAM1 expression was significantly associated with age, tumor size and T stage in CCRCC., Conclusion: PGAM1 is highly expressed in CCRCC and correlated with clinicalpathological features, which may contribute to tumor formation and progression.