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Objective To retrospectively analyze the effect of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) on the progression free survival (PFS) of advanced gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Method We retrospectively collected all the HIPEC data of GC and CRC in the Chongqing University Cancer Hospital from August 2018 to April 2023. Data were extracted from inpatient records and outpatient examination records. The IBM SPSS statistics 23.0 software was used to analyze the data. We mainly compared the PFS of HIPEC cases with that of non-HIPEC cases (both from our center and from the literature). PFS was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method. Log Rank (Mantel Cox), Breslow (Generalized Wilcoxon), and Tarone-Ware were used for univariate analyses. Result A total of 342 HIPEC cases were analyzed in this study. Stage IV GC and CRC accounted for 48.5% of the total number of cases. Abdominal pain and distension (47.4%) were the most common side effects from HIPEC. Serious complications were rare (1.8%, including bleeding, perforation, obstruction, and death). The PFS and disease-free survival (DFS) of abdominal malignancy treated with HIPEC were significantly associated with the TNM stage, but not HIPEC numbers nor HIPEC drugs. In stage IV HIPEC cases, adding adjuvant chemotherapy after HIPEC resulted in better PFS. In addition, the association between peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) and PFS of stage IV HIPEC cases was close to significant. Compared with the 33 stage IV (with peritoneal metastases) GC cases without HIPEC in our center from the last 15 years, the PFS of the 56 stage Ⅳ GC cases with HIPEC was not improved significantly (median PFS: 6 ± 2.92 months vs 7 ± 1.63 months for with vs without HIPEC in stage IV GC, respectively; P ≥ 0.05). Compared with the 58 stage IV (with peritoneal metastases) CRC cases without HIPEC in our center from the last 15 years, the PFS of the 86 stage IV CRC cases with HIPEC was not improved significantly either (median PFS: 7 ± 1.68 months vs 7 ± 0.62 months for with vs without HIPEC in stage IV CRC, respectively; P ≥ 0.05). When comparing our HIPEC data with the non-HIPEC data reported by other scholars for the PFS of advanced GC and CRC, the negative results were similar. Conclusion The PFS/DFS of HIPEC cases was associated with the TNM stage, but not with the HIPEC numbers or HIPEC drugs. PCI may be related to the PFS of stage IV HIPEC cases. Adding chemotherapy or targeted therapy after HIPEC may improve the PFS of stage IV cases. HIPEC did not significantly improve the PFS of stage IV GC or CRC cases in our center.

Natriuretic peptide receptor-C (NPR-C) is highly expressed in adipose tissues and regulates obesity-related diseases; however, the detailed mechanism remains unknown. In this research, we aimed to explore the potential role of NPR-C in cold exposure and high-fat/high-sugar (HF/HS) diet-induced metabolic changes, especially in regulating white adipose tissue (WAT) mitochondrial function. Our findings showed that NPR-C expression, especially in epididymal WAT (eWAT), was reduced after cold exposure. Global Npr3 (gene encoding NPR-C protein) deficiency led to reduced body weight, increased WAT browning, thermogenesis, and enhanced expression of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis. RNA-sequencing of eWAT showed that Npr3 deficiency enhanced the expression of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex genes and promoted mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in response to cold exposure. In addition, Npr3 KO mice were able to resist obesity induced by HF/HS diet. Npr3 knockdown in stromal vascular fraction (SVF)-induced white adipocytes promoted the expression of proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC1α), uncoupling protein one (UCP1), and mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes. Mechanistically, NPR-C inhibited cGMP and calcium signaling in an NPR-B-dependent manner but suppressed cAMP signaling in an NPR-B-independent manner. Moreover, Npr3 knockdown induced browning via AKT and p38 pathway activation, which were attenuated by Npr2 knockdown. Importantly, treatment with the NPR-C-specific antagonist, AP-811, decreased WAT mass and increased PGC-1α, UCP1, and mitochondrial complex expression. Our findings reveal that NPR-C deficiency enhances mitochondrial function and energy expenditure in white adipose tissue, contributing to improved metabolic health and resistance to obesity.

Key Clinical Message Abnormal traffic between the left atrium (LA) and inferior vena cava (IVC) in the database is currently rare. Herein, we present a unique case of abnormal traffic between the LA and the IVC, which was diagnosed using transesophageal echocardiography and confirmed by computed tomography angiography. This case substantiates the superiority of transesophageal echocardiography over transthoracic echocardiography in detecting specific site lesions.

This study provides detailed description of a newly-discovered Callicarpa yongshunensis Wen B. Xu, Xiao D. Li & Yan Ling Liu (Lamiaceae) species from Hunan, China. The species shares similarities in the inflorescence, glandular colour and leaf shape features with C. luteopunctata H. T. Chang and C. giraldii Hesse ex Rehd., while its white fruits are similar to those of C. longifolia Lamk. However, its procumbent, evergreen shrub and white fruits are distinctly different from those of C. luteopunctata and C. giraldii, while its procumbent, scarless nodes and stellate pubescence free fruits distinguishes it from C. longifolia. Images, distribution, morphological features, molecular phylogenetic classification and conservation assessment of this new Callicarpa species are explored.

Abstract Background Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) have become a global health concern, which can lead to diabetic foot infection (DFI), lower leg amputation, and even mortality. Though the standard of care (SOC) practices have been recognized as the “gold standard” for DFU care, SOC alone may not be adequate to heal all DFUs and prevent their recurrence. The use of dermal matrix has emerged as an adjuvant treatment to enhance DFU healing. The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of dermal matrix application as an adjuvant treatment to the SOC. Methods The databases of PubMed, Embase and CENTRAL were independently searched by two authors, with the following key terms: “diabetic foot ulcer”, “acellular dermal matrix”, “wound healing”, and so on. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluated the efficacy and safety of dermal matrix in the treatment of DFUs were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcomes analyzed included time to complete healing and complete healing rate at the final follow-up, while secondary outcomes included wound area, ulcer recurrence rate, amputation risk and complication risk. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effect or fixed-effect models, based on the heterogeneity test. Results This study included a total of 15 RCTs with a total of 1524 subjects. Of these, 689 patients were treated with SOC alone, while 835 patients received SOC plus dermal matrix. Compared to the SOC group, significantly shorter time (MD = 2.84, 95%CI: 1.37 ~ 4.32, p

To study the heavy metal accumulation and its impact on insect exterior and chromosome morphology, and reveal the molecular mechanism of insects adapting to long-term heavy metal compound pollution habitats, this study, in the Diaojiang river basin, which has been polluted by heavy metals(HMs) for nearly a thousand years, two Eucriotettix oculatus populations was collected from mining and non-mining areas. It was found that the contents of 7 heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Sn, Sb) in E. oculatus of the mining area were higher than that in the non-mining 1–11 times. The analysis of morphology shows that the external morphology, the hind wing type and the chromosomal morphology of E. oculatus are significant differences between the two populations. Based on the heavy metal accumulation，morphological change, and stable population density, it is inferred that the mining area population has been affected by heavy metals and has adapted to the environment of heavy metals pollution. Then, by analyzing the transcriptome of the two populations, it was found that the digestion, immunity, excretion, endocrine, nerve, circulation, reproductive and other systems and lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum and other cell structure-related gene expression were suppressed. This shows that the functions of the above-mentioned related systems of E. oculatus are inhibited by heavy metal stress. However, it has also been found that through the significant up-regulation of genes related to the above system, such as ATP2B, pepsin A, ubiquitin, AQP1, ACOX, ATPeV0A, SEC61A, CANX, ALDH7A1, DLD, aceE, Hsp40, and catalase, etc., and the down-regulation of MAPK signalling pathway genes, can enhanced nutrient absorption, improve energy metabolism, repair damaged cells and degrade abnormal proteins, maintain the stability of cells and systems, and resist heavy metal damage so that E. oculatus can adapt to the environment of heavy metal pollution for a long time.

Abstract Backgrounds Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) exhibits a close association with osteoporosis. This work aims to assess the potential effects of NAFLD on the progression of osteopenia in animal models. Methods Forty-eight C57BL/6 female mice were randomly divided to wild-type (WT) group and high-fat diet (HFD) group. The corresponding detections were performed after sacrifice at 16, 24 and 32 weeks, respectively. Results At 16 weeks, an remarkable increase in body weight and lipid aggregation in the hepatocytes of HFD group was observed compared to the WT group, while the bone structure parameters showed no significant difference. At 24 weeks, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in NAFLD mice were significantly increased, while the level of osteoprotegerin mRNA in bone tissue was decreased, and the level of receptor activator of nuclear factor Kappa-B ligand mRNA was increased. Meanwhile, the function of osteoclasts was increased, and the bone microstructure parameters showed significant changes. At 32 weeks, in the HFD mice, the mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), runt-related transcription factor 2, and osterix mRNA were reduced, while the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) level was increased. Simultaneously, the osteoblast function was decreased, and the differences of bone structure parameters were more significant, showing obvious osteoporosis. Conclusions The bone loss in HFD mice is pronounced as NAFLD progresses, and the changes of the TNF-α, IL-6, IGF-1, and IGFBP-1 levels may play critical roles at the different stages of NAFLD in HFD.

Abstract Objective To explore the influence of postoperative body mass index (BMI) change on postoperative quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) plus modified single stoma cutaneous ureterostomy (MSSCU) or ileal conduit (IC). Methods Patients were divided into two groups according to different BMI change patterns: patients experiencing an elevated postoperative BMI level, along with a clinically significant increase in their BMI (an increase of more than 10%) were categorized as Group 1, while patients experiencing a decrease postoperative BMI level, along with a clinically significant reduction in their BMI (a decrease of more than 5%) were categorized as Group 2. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the correlations between quality‐of‐life scores and postoperative clinical parameters. Results Spearman correlation analysis showed that postoperative BMI, late complications and catheter‐free state were significantly associated with postoperative global QoL and symptom scale in MSSCU and postoperative global QoL and physical scale in IC patients. Additionally, postoperative BMI, catheter‐free state and the use of adjuvant therapy were associated with bad performance in many scales of QoL like body image, future perspective, social scale, future perspective (MSSCU), and abdominal bloating (IC) (Table 2, p

The genus Scelimena Serville (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) from China is reviewed. One species, Scelimena spicupennis Zheng & Ou, 2003 (China: Yunnan) is redescribed, and a new record of Scelimena discalis (Hancock, 1915) from China is given. An annotated identification key for Chinese species of the genus Scelimena is provided. Mitochondrial genes of S. spicupennis and S. discalis were sequenced and annotated. The sizes of the two sequenced mitogenomes are 17,552 bp (S. discalis), and 16,069 bp (S. spicupennis), respectively. All of the PCGs started with the typical ATN (ATT, ATC or ATG) or TTG codon and most ended with complete TAA or TAG codon, with the exception of the ND5 gene, which terminated with an incomplete T. The mitochondrial genomes for these two recorded species are provided, and the constructed phylogenetic tree supports their morphological taxonomic classification. The topology of the phylogenetic tree showed that three species of Scelimena were clustered into one branch and formed a monophyletic and a holophyletic group.

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is characterized by painful and occasionally disfiguring cutaneous manifestations with sepsis-like systemic symptoms, and is a rare severe variant of psoriasis. Currently, there is no standard treatment for GPP. Here, we report a case of a female patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and mild scalp psoriasis, who developed GPP and alopecia following three courses of adalimumab therapy. The patient’s condition gradually improved following cessation of adalimumab and treatment with secukinumab and acitretin. After eight weeks of treatment, the patient achieved almost complete clearance of her psoriasis, her alopecia improved, and her AS was relieved. Therefore, we believe that a combination of secukinumab with acitretin may be a rational approach for the treatment of severe GPP.

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is widely expressed in multiple tissues and has a vital role in several key human disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and tumorigenesis. However, the role of BChE in human disorders has not been investigated. Thus, to quantitatively detect and visualize dynamical variations in BChE activity is essential for exploring the biological roles of BChE in the progression of a number of human disorders. Herein, based on the substrate characteristics of BChE, we customized and synthesized three near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe substrates with cyanine-skeleton, and finally selected a NIR fluorescence probe substrate named CYBA. The CYBA demonstrated a significant increase in fluorescence when interacting with BChE, but mainly avoided AChE. Upon the addition of BChE, CYBA could be specifically hydrolyzed to TBO, resulting in a significant NIR fluorescence signal enhancement at 710 nm. Systematic evaluation revealed that CYBA exhibited exceptional chemical stability in complex biosamples and possessed remarkable selectivity and sensitivity towards BChE. Moreover, CYBA was successfully applied for real-time imaging of endogenous BChE activity in two types of nerve-related living cells. Additionally, CYBA demonstrated exceptional stability in the detection of complex biological samples in plasma recovery studies (97.51%–104.01%). Furthermore, CYBA was used to construct a high-throughput screening (HTS) method for BChE inhibitors using human plasma as the enzyme source. We evaluated inhibitory effects of a series of natural products and four flavonoids were identified as potent inhibitors of BChE. Collectively, CYBA can serve as a practical tool to track the changes of BChE activity in complicated biological environments due to its excellent capabilities.

AIM: To observe the clinical features of acute macular neuroretinopathy(AMN)induced by Omicron.METHODS: A retrospective study. A total of 9 patients(18 eyes)diagnosed with AMN from December 2022 to January 2023 in the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included. Patients underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT), fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), fundus photography, autofluorescence(AF), infrared reflectance(IR), optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)and multicolor, etc. Furthermore, they were followed up for 1～3mo and observed the prognosis.RESULTS: The initial symptom of the Omicron-induced AMN was the sudden onset of central/paracentral scotoma in the eyes with or without impaired vision and metamorphopsia, and the scotoma could persist for at least 3mo. The image features of AMN are as follows. First, the SD-OCT examination showed the rupture of outer retinal layers, scattered hyperreflective lesions, and atrophy of outer retinal layers. In severe cases, hyperreflective lesions were seen in the inner nuclear layer(INL)or with microcystic cavities under the retinal pigment epithelium(RPE). Second, the OCTA examination demonstrated the decreased blood flow density of the deep capillary plexus(DCP)of the macula. Third, the IR examination showed the weak reflection of lesion areas. Fourth, the fundus photography demonstrated the localized brown wedge-shaped lesion.CONCLUSIONS: The Omicron-induced AMN is mostly found in young females, and the characteristic manifestation of fundus is damage to the outer retinal layers. The extent of fundus lesions is related to the systemic inflammatory response and ocular microcirculatory changes after infection. The multimodal fundus image examination and a history of Omicron infection are helpful to diagnose the Omicron-induced AMN.

The process of papain assisted hot water (WP), cellulase assisted hot water (WC), papain mixed cellulase assisted hot water (WPC), ultrasonic assisted papain (PU), and ultrasonic assisted cellulase (CU) for Patriniae polysaccharides (HPs) extraction were optimized using the indicate of polysaccharide yield, respectively. Then, the physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of HPs were compared, with an additional correlation analysis between the characteristics and activities of HPs. The results showed that CU demonstrated the highest extraction rate at 30.50 % among all methods. Compared to previous hot water extraction (HW), the enzyme-assisted extraction increased molecular weight, reducing sugar, mannose, and glucose content of HPs, while ultrasound-assisted extraction lowered mannose and glucose content of HPs, and increased reducing sugar content of HPs. All HPs showed concentration-dependent hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. Correlation analysis revealed that HPs with moderate galactose content, higher reducing sugar, protein, glucose, mannose, xylose, and molecular weight polysaccharide content would exhibit superior hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities, with CU-HPs expressing these excellent characteristics. Together with the exceptional polysaccharide yield, CU was a promising strategy to extract HPs, whose optimum process were: enzyme addition 2.5 %, solid–liquid ratio 1:25, ultrasonic power 150 W, ultrasonic time of 50 min.

Abstract Objective To investigate the predictive value of body composition parameters for biochemical response to abiraterone acetate (AA) in metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients with prior chemohormonal therapy. Methods We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathologic information of 132 mCRPC cases receiving AA treatment after chemohormonal therapy at hormone‐sensitive stage from July 2018 to June 2021. All patients were divided into AA responders and non‐responders according to the biochemical response to AA (prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) reduction ≥50% than pretreatment). Multivariate Logistic analysis was used to determine the independent predictors and develop predictive model of biochemical response to AA. Cox regression analysis was utilized to investigate the prognostic factors for time to biochemical progression (TTBP), radiological progression‐free survival (rPFS), failure‐free survival (FFS), and overall survival (OS) after AA treatment. Results There were 57 AA responders and 75 AA non‐responders. Periprostatic fat area/prostate area (PPFA/PA) was decreased and skeletal muscle index (SMI) was increased in AA responders compared with AA non‐responders. Multivariable logistic analysis demonstrated that ADT duration ≥12 months, bone metastasis only, high SMI and low PPFA/PA were independent predictors of biochemical response to AA treatment. The FFS, TTBP, rPFS, and OS of patients with lower SMI or higher PPFA/PA was decreased compared with that of patients with higher SMI or lower PPFA/PA, respectively. Combining SMI, PPFA/PA, ADT duration and metastatic sites performed well in differentiating AA responders from non‐responders. Conclusions High SMI and low PPFA/PA could predict biochemical response to AA treatment and preferable prognosis in mCRPC patients with prior chemohormonal therapy at hormone‐sensitive stage.

The pygmy grasshopper, Zhengitettix transpicula, is a Chinese endemic species with an exceedingly limited distribution and fragile population structure, rendering it vulnerable to extinction. We present a high-continuity, chromosome-scale reference genome assembly to elucidate this species’ distinctive biology and inform conservation. Employing an integrated sequencing approach, we achieved a 970.40 Mb assembly with 96.32% coverage across seven pseudo-chromosomes and impressive continuity (N50 > 220 Mb). Genome annotation achieves identification with 99.2% BUSCO completeness, supporting quality. Comparative analyses with 14 genomes from Orthoptera-facilitated phylogenomics and revealed 549 significantly expanded gene families in Z. transpicula associated with metabolism, stress response, and development. However, genomic analysis exposed remarkably low heterozygosity (0.02%), implying a severe genetic bottleneck from small, fragmented populations, characteristic of species vulnerable to extinction from environmental disruptions. Elucidating the genetic basis of population dynamics and specialization provides an imperative guideline for habitat conservation and restoration of this rare organism. Moreover, divergent evolution analysis of the CYP305m2 gene regulating locust aggregation highlighted potential structural and hence functional variations between Acrididae and Tetrigidae. Our chromosomal genomic characterization of Z. transpicula advances Orthopteran resources, establishing a framework for evolutionary developmental explorations and applied conservation genomics, reversing the trajectory of this unique grasshopper lineage towards oblivion.

The gut microbiota, a complex ecosystem integral to host wellbeing, is modulated by environmental triggers, including exposure to heavy metals such as chromium. This study aims to comprehensively explore chromium-induced gut microbiota and metabolomic shifts in the quintessential lepidopteran model organism, the silkworm (Bombyx mori). The research deployed 16S rDNA sequence analysis and LC/MS metabolomics in its experimental design, encompassing a control group alongside low (12 g/kg) and high (24 g/kg) feeding chromium dosing regimens. Considerable heterogeneity in microbial diversity resulted between groups. Weissella emerged as potentially resilient to chromium stress, while elevated Propionibacterium was noted in the high chromium treatment group. Differential analysis tools LEfSe and random forest estimation identified key species like like Cupriavidus and unspecified Myxococcales, offering potential avenues for bioremediation. An examination of gut functionality revealed alterations in the KEGG pathways correlated with biosynthesis and degradation, suggesting an adaptive metabolic response to chromium-mediated stress. Further results indicated consequential fallout in the context of metabolomic alterations. These included an uptick in histidine and dihydropyrimidine levels under moderate-dose exposure and a surge of gentisic acid with high-dose chromium exposure. These are critical players in diverse biological processes ranging from energy metabolism and stress response to immune regulation and antioxidative mechanisms. Correlative analyses between bacterial abundance and metabolites mapped noteworthy relationships between marker bacterial species, such as Weissella and Pelomonas, and specific metabolites, emphasizing their roles in enzyme regulation, synaptic processes, and lipid metabolism. Probiotic bacteria showed robust correlations with metabolites implicated in stress response, lipid metabolism, and antioxidant processes. Our study reaffirms the intricate ties between gut microbiota and metabolite profiles and decodes some systemic adaptations under heavy-metal stress. It provides valuable insights into ecological and toxicological aspects of chromium exposure that can potentially influence silkworm resilience.

Reactive combustion catalysts (RCCs) are emerging materials for the combustion control of ammonium perchlorate (AP)-based propellants owing to their unique ability to control burning rates, high atomic utilization, and high-energy output. This paper reported that the combustion of AP-based propellants can be greatly enhanced by applying vanadium carbide (V2C) MXene as RCCs because of its combined advantages of unique reactivity and high chemical energy storage. The decomposition of AP in the presence of V2C MXene involves both direct reaction decomposition and catalytic decomposition. V2C MXene preferentially reacts with AP as fuel, releasing its chemical energy in the form of heat and forming VOx/C nanosheets. The VOx/C nanosheets formed in situ can serve as catalysts to promote thermal decomposition of the remaining AP. Unlike other combustion catalysts, the direct redox reaction between V2C MXene and AP dominates the decomposition of AP. Compared with other RCCs that mainly work through catalytic decomposition, V2C MXene exhibits a greatly increased burning rate, a shorter to-steady-state-combustion time, and greater energy release.

Transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)is a multifunctional biologic factor involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, immune function and inflammatory response of the body. TGF-β signaling pathway-mediated myofibroblast transformation and overaccumulation of extracellular matrix(ECM)leads to retinal tissue contraction and impaired function. Various cytokine signals are involved in the fibrotic response in retinal tissue, but TGF-β is the most critical factor affecting the pathogenesis of retinal fibrotic disease. In terms of the eye, pathological fibrotic diseases such as corneal opacities, submacular fibrosis and proliferative retinal diseases cause visual impairment and blindness in millions of people worldwide, and this remains one of the major areas of unmet clinical need in ophthalmology. Therefore, this article focuses on the research progress related to the pathogenesis and therapeutic prospects of TGF-β in proliferative retinal diseases, with a view to provide more molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of proliferative retinal diseases and offer new ideas for the research of new drugs.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of preoperative ureteral stenting on the treatment of renal or upper ureteral calculi with flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy. Methods From October 2018 to July 2021, 256 patients who had undergone flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy for renal or upper ureteral calculi in Beijing Haidian Hospital were retrospectively selected. According to whether the patients accepted preoperative ureteral stenting or not, the patients were divided into experimental group (n=192) and control group (n=64), and the experimental group was further divided into long-(14 d, n=64) and short-term (7 d, n=128) group according to the time of preoperative ureteral stenting. The differences in success rate of surgery, operative time, amounts of intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital-stay, incidence of postoperative complications and stone-free rate were analyzed to evaluate the therapeutic effects. Results The operative time and intraoperative blood loss of the control group were significantly higher than that of the experimental group, there was significant difference between the two groups(P＜0.001). The long-term group had longer hospital-stay time (P＜0.001), shorter operative time and less amounts of blood loss (P＜0.001). The success rate of surgery and stone-free rate of the control group were lower than that of the experimental group (P＜0.05), while incidence of postoperative complications was higher than experimental group (P＜0.001). There was no significant difference between the short- and long-term group in the stone-free rate, while the postoperative complications of the short-term group was higher than the experimental group (P＜0.05). Conclusions Preoperative ureteral stenting improves the success rate of surgery operation and the stone-free rate, reduces the postoperative complications and intraoperative blood loss, shorten the operative time.

Abstract Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a major type of bladder cancer with a high incidence worldwide, resulting in a great disease burden. Treatment and surveillance are the most important part of NIMBC management. In 2018, we issued “Treatment and surveillance for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in China: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline”. Since then, various studies on the treatment and surveillance of NMIBC have been published. There is a need to incorporate these materials and also to take into account the relatively limited medical resources in primary medical institutions in China. Developing a version of guideline which takes these two issues into account to promote the management of NMIBC is therefore indicated. We formed a working group of clinical experts and methodologists. Through questionnaire investigation of clinicians including primary medical institutions, 24 clinically concerned issues, involving transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), intravesical chemotherapy and intravesical immunotherapy of NMIBC, and follow-up and surveillance of the NMIBC patients, were determined for this guideline. Researches and recommendations on the management of NMIBC in databases, guideline development professional societies and monographs were referred to, and the European Association of Urology was used to assess the certainty of generated recommendations. Finally, we issued 29 statements, among which 22 were strong recommendations, and 7 were weak recommendations. These recommendations cover the topics of TURBT, postoperative chemotherapy after TURBT, Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy after TURBT, combination treatment of BCG and chemotherapy after TURBT, treatment of carcinoma in situ, radical cystectomy, treatment of NMIBC recurrence, and follow-up and surveillance. We hope these recommendations can help promote the treatment and surveillance of NMIBC in China, especially for the primary medical institutions.

Foreground removal presents a significant obstacle in both current and forthcoming intensity-mapping surveys. While numerous techniques have been developed that show promise in simulated data sets, their efficacy often diminishes when they are applied to real-world data. A primary issue is the frequency-dependent variations in the instrumental response. In this paper, we propose a novel approach utilizing the internal cross correlation among different frequencies to calibrate the beam’s frequency fluctuations. Using a simulated data set that incorporates frequency-dependent random fluctuations into the beam model, we illustrate that our method can achieve considerable improvements over traditional techniques. Our results represent a step forward in enhancing the precision and reliability of foreground removal in intensity-mapping surveys.

Environmental and instrumental conditions can cause anomalies in astronomical images, which can potentially bias all kinds of measurements if not excluded. Detection of the anomalous images is usually done by human eyes, which is slow and sometimes not accurate. This is an important issue in weak lensing studies, particularly in the era of large-scale galaxy surveys, in which image qualities are crucial for the success of galaxy shape measurements. In this work we present two automatic methods for detecting anomalous images in astronomical data sets. The anomalous features can be divided into two types: one is associated with the source images, and the other appears on the background. Our first method, called the entropy method, utilizes the randomness of the orientation distribution of the source shapes and the background gradients to quantify the likelihood of an exposure being anomalous. Our second method involves training a neural network (autoencoder) to detect anomalies. We evaluate the effectiveness of the entropy method on the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS) and Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS DR3) data. In CFHTLenS, with 1171 exposures, the entropy method outperforms human inspection by detecting 12 of the 13 anomalous exposures found during human inspection and uncovering 10 new ones. In DECaLS DR3, with 17112 exposures, the entropy method detects a significant number of anomalous exposures while keeping a low false-positive rate. We find that although the neural network performs relatively well in detecting source anomalies, its current performance is not as good as the entropy method.

We investigate the feasibility of using the comoving Lagrangian acceleration ( COLA ) technique to efficiently generate galaxy mock catalogs that can accurately reproduce the statistical properties of observed galaxies. Our proposed scheme combines the subhalo abundance-matching (SHAM) procedure with COLA simulations, using only three free parameters: the scatter magnitude ( σ _scat ) in SHAM, the initial redshift ( z _init ) of the COLA simulation, and the time stride ( da ) used by COLA . In this proof-of-concept study, we focus on a subset of BOSS CMASS NGC galaxies within the redshift range z ∈ [0.45, 0.55]. We perform GADGET simulation and low-resolution COLA simulations with various combinations of ( z _init , da ), each using 1024 ^3 particles in an 800 h ^−1 Mpc box. By minimizing the difference between COLA mock and CMASS NGC galaxies for the monopole of the two-point correlation function (2PCF), we obtain the optimal σ _scat . We have found that by setting z _init = 29 and da = 1/30, we achieve a good agreement between COLA mock and CMASS NGC galaxies within the range of 4–20 h ^−1 Mpc, with a computational cost lower by 2 orders of magnitude than that of the GADGET N -body code. Moreover, a detailed verification is performed by comparing various statistical properties, such as anisotropic 2PCF, three-point clustering, and power spectrum multipoles, which shows a similar performance of the GADGET mock and COLA mock catalogs with the CMASS NGC galaxies. Furthermore, we assess the robustness of the COLA mock catalogs for different cosmological models, demonstrating consistent results in the resulting 2PCFs. Our findings suggest that COLA simulations are a promising tool for efficiently generating mock catalogs for emulators and machine-learning analyses to explore the large-scale structure of the Universe.

MicroRNAs(miRNAs)are micromolecule non-coding RNA that play a key role in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and are involved in regulating various biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation and metabolism.The expression of miRNAs varies significantly in the process of the occurrence and development of diabetic retinopathy(DR), many domestic and foreign studies have shown that miRNAs are closely related to the physiological and pathological mechanism of DR by regulating gene expression. Partial miRNAs that specifically expressed can regulate the level of oxidative stress and inflammatory response in the retina and affect the occurrence and development of DR. Therefore, the progression of DR can be delayed by enhancing or inhibiting these miRNAs. The combination of single or multiple miRNAs can serve as novel transcriptome biomarkers for DR, and it is also a potential effective target for future treatment of DR. Current detection of specific miRNAs in blood or body fluids is helpful for early intervention and follow-up of DR. Therefore, this review focuses on the research progress of miRNAs and their molecular mechanisms, therapeutic prospects and biomarkers involved in DR regulation.

Diabetic macular edema(DME)is a severe ocular complication of diabetes and one of the leading causes of vision loss in diabetic patients. The pathogenesis of DME is complicated, and the key to treatment is controlling the systemic factors that cause the deterioration of DME. The existing studies have shown that the increased risk of DME is related to many factors. In this paper, the risk factors of DME were reviewed to provide theoretical support for the research and prevention of DME.

MXene, a new type of two-dimensional materials, have been demonstrated as one of the best photothermal materials owing to their strong light-matter interaction and high photothermal conversion efficiency in recent years. Herein, we report the intriguing light-to-heat conversion property of vanadium carbide (V2C) MXene under irradiation of millisecond laser pulse. Unlike the typical photothermal materials, the V2C MXene not only converts the incident laser energy to heat by the physical photothermal effect, but also triggers the exothermic oxidation of the V2C MXene. The oxidation could be greatly promoted with addition of plasmonic Au nanorods (Au NRs) for light absorption enhancement. Owing to the unique light-to-heat conversion property, the Au NRs/V2C MXene membrane could serve as high temperature pulse (HTP) generators that is proposed for numerous applications with high demand for immediacy. As a proof-of concept application, Au NRs/V2C MXene membrane was applied for laser ignition of the high energy density materials, such as 2,4,6,8,10,12-(hexanitrohexaaza)cyclododecane (HNIW or CL-20). An improved ignition performance, in terms of lowered laser threshold, is achieved as compared to the state-of-the-art light-to-heat conversion materials.

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to explore the value of a digital management system based on micro digital imaging technology for the medical records of patients with cerebral hemorrhage.MethodsA total of 540 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage diagnosed and treated in the hospital from November 2016 to November 2019 were selected as the subjects of this study. A digital management system based on micro digital imaging technology was used to establish how to handle the medical records of these patients.ResultsThe medical record management process of patients with cerebral hemorrhage comprises five modules: medical record editing, medical record querying, medical record borrowing management, statistical analysis, and system maintenance. The purpose of these is to manage and store digitalised medical records for patients, present the most useful information on the first page of the medical records, monitor the safety of the medical records, and enable real-time data sharing.ConclusionEstablishing a digital management system based on micro digital imaging technology for the medical records of patients with cerebral hemorrhage can effectively enable the preservation and use of these documents. It improves information management, such as data sharing, security, and the overall level of information. This is worth promoting.

The present study aimed to determine the optimal posterior tibial plateau inclination for fixed-platform unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) using finite element analysis (FEA). These findings provided a theoretical basis for selecting an appropriate posterior inclination of the tibial plateau during surgery. The present study utilized the FEA method to create models of fixed-platform UKA with tibial plateau posterior inclinations of 3, 6 and 9˚. The stress changes in the internal structures of each model after knee flexion motion were then compared. During knee flexion from 0 to 90˚, the contact and Von Mises equivalent stresses of the femoral condyle prosthesis and tibial platform pad revealed consistent trends of 3˚ posterior inclination, >6˚ posterior inclination and >9˚ posterior inclination. The present study established the first quasi-dynamic fixed-platform UKA model of the knee joint under load-bearing conditions. From a theoretical perspective, it was found that controlling the posterior inclination of UKA between 6 and 9˚ may be more beneficial for the survival of the tibial platform pad than between 3 and 6˚. It is also more effective in reducing pad wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is one of the chronic microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus in the eye, leading to an increasing incidence of visual quality loss and even blindness in diabetic patients. However, so far, the mechanism of pathological changes leading to DR is very complex and not completely elucidated, and clinical treatment is mostly based on different stages of DR with symptomatic treatment, such as retinal laser photocoagulation, anti-vascular endothelial factor treatment, vitreous excision and membrane peeling surgery, etc. There is still a lack of safe and effective treatment methods, and it is therefore necessary to find new targets for diagnosis and treatment. With the development of molecular biology analysis technology, circular RNA(circRNA)has become one of the important research hotspots at present. It is reported that under the stimulation of various factors, the regulated expression of genes-circRNA regulates the development of DR by regulating the functions of retinal microvascular pericytes, retinal microvascular endothelial cells, and retinal pigment epithelial cells, which are involved in the pathological processes such as retinal basement membrane thickening, vascular leakage, apoptosis, inflammatory response and neovascularization. Therefore, this paper focuses on the research progress of cyclic RNA, competitive endogenous RNA and microRNA in the molecular mechanism of DR pathological alterations and therapeutic prospects, in order to provide some reference for clinical and basic research.

The core-shell 2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane/2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (CL-20/TNT) composite was prepared by spray-drying method in which sensitive high energy explosive (CL-20) was coated with insensitive explosive (TNT). The structure and properties of different formulations of CL-20/TNT composite and CL-20/TNT mixture were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Laser particle size analyzer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), impact sensitivity test and detonation performance. The results of SEM, TEM, XPS and XRD show that ϵ-CL-20 particles are coated by TNT. When the ratio of CL-20/TNT is 75/25, core-shell structure is well formed, and thickness of the shell is about 20–30 nm. And the analysis of heat and impact show that with the increase of TNT content, the TNT coating on the core-shell composite material can not only catalyze the thermal decomposition of core material (CL-20), but also greatly reduce the impact sensitivity. Compared with the CL-20/TNT mixture (75/25) at the same ratio, the characteristic drop height of core-shell CL-20/TNT composite (75/25) increased by 47.6% and the TNT coating can accelerate the nuclear decomposition in the CL-20/TNT composites. Therefore, the preparation of the core-shell composites can be regarded as a unique means, by which the composites are characterized by controllable decomposition rate, high energy and excellent mechanical sensitivity and could be applied to propellants and other fields.

Abstract Background Urinary tract infections (UTI), urolithiasis, and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are three of the most common nonmalignant conditions in urology. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive and updated epidemiological data. This study aimed to investigate the disease burden of UTI, urolithiasis, and BPH in 203 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. Methods Data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2019, including incident cases, deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and corresponding age-standardized rate (ASR) from 1990 to 2019. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) were calculated to evaluate the trends of ASR. The associations between disease burden and social development degrees were analyzed using a sociodemographic index (SDI). Results Compared with 1990, the incident cases of UTI, urolithiasis, and BPH increased by 60.40%, 48.57%, and 105.70% in 2019, respectively. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of UTI increased (EAPC = 0.08), while urolithiasis (EAPC = − 0.83) and BPH (EAPC = − 0.03) decreased from 1990 to 2019. In 2019, the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of UTI and urolithiasis were 3.13/100,000 and 0.17/100,000, respectively. BPH had the largest increase (110.56%) in DALYs in the past three decades, followed by UTI (68.89%) and urolithiasis (16.95%). The burden of UTI was mainly concentrated in South Asia and Tropical Latin America, while the burden of urolithiasis and BPH was recorded in Asia and Eastern Europe. Moreover, the ASIR and SDI of urolithiasis in high-SDI regions from 1990 to 2019 were negatively correlated, while the opposite trend was seen in low-SDI regions. In 2019, the ASIR of UTI in females was 3.59 times that of males, while the ASIR of urolithiasis in males was 1.96 times higher than that in females. The incidence was highest in the 30–34, 55–59, and 65–69 age groups among the UTI, urolithiasis, and BPH groups, respectively. Conclusion Over the past three decades, the disease burden has increased for UTI but decreased for urolithiasis and BPH. The allocation of medical resources should be based more on the epidemiological characteristics and geographical distribution of diseases.

Abstract Background The burden of kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers has changed in recent decades. This study aims to investigate the global and regional burden of, and attributable risk factors for genitourinary cancers during the past 30 years. Methods We extracted data of kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database, including incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and attributable risk factors from 1990 to 2019. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) were calculated to assess the changes in age-standardized incidence rate, age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR). The associations between cancers burden and socio-demographic index (SDI) were also analyzed. Results Compared with 1990, the global incident cases in 2019 were higher by 154.78%, 123.34%, and 169.11% for kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers, respectively. During the 30-year study period, there was a downward trend in ASMR and ASDR for bladder cancer (EAPC = − 0.68 and − 0.83, respectively) and prostate cancer (EAPC = − 0.75 and − 0.71, respectively), but an upward trend for kidney cancer (EAPC = 0.35 and 0.12, respectively). Regions and countries with higher SDI had higher incidence, mortality, and DALYs for all three types of cancers. The burden of bladder and prostate cancers was mainly distributed among older men, whereas the burden of kidney cancer increased among middle-aged men. Smoking related mortality and DALYs decreased, but high body mass index (BMI) and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) related mortality and DALYs increased among kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers during the study period. Conclusions Kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers remain major global public health challenges, but with distinct trend for different disease entity across different regions and socioeconomic status. More proactive intervention strategies, at both the administrative and academic levels, based on the dynamic changes, are needed.

BackgroundAnoikis is a form of programmed cell death or programmed cell death(PCD) for short. Studies suggest that anoikis involves in the decisive steps of tumor progression and cancer cell metastasis and spread, but what part it plays in bladder cancer remains unclear. We sought to screen for anoikis-correlated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) so that we can build a risk model to understand its ability to predict bladder cancer prognosis and the immune landscape.MethodsWe screened seven anoikis-related lncRNAs (arlncRNAs) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and designed a risk model. It was validated through ROC curves and clinicopathological correlation analysis, and demonstrated to be an independent factor of prognosis prediction by uni- and multi-COX regression. In the meantime, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, immune infiltration, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration prediction (IC50) were implemented with the model. Moreover, we divided bladder cancer patients into three subtypes by consensus clustering analysis to further study the differences in prognosis, immune infiltration level, immune checkpoints, and drug susceptibility.ResultWe designed a risk model of seven arlncRNAs, and proved its accuracy using ROC curves. COX regression indicated that the model might be an independent prediction factor of bladder cancer prognosis. KEGG enrichment analysis showed it was enriched in tumors and immune-related pathways among the people at high risk. Immune correlation analysis and drug susceptibility results indicated that it had higher immune infiltration and might have a better immunotherapy efficacy for high-risk groups. Of the three subtypes classified by consensus clustering analysis, cluster 3 revealed a positive prognosis, and cluster 2 showed the highest level of immune infiltration and was sensitive to most chemistries. This is helpful for us to discover more precise immunotherapy for bladder cancer patients.ConclusionIn a nutshell, we found seven arlncRNAs and built a risk model that can identify different bladder cancer subtypes and predict the prognosis of bladder cancer patients. Immune-related and drug sensitivity researches demonstrate it can provide individual therapeutic schedule with greater precision for bladder cancer patients.

The nano-mesoporous material SBA (Santa Barbara Amorphous)-15 was synthesized using the hydrothermal method. Hg2+ was adsorbed by SBA-15 and then the S2− in the aqueous phase by (SBA-15)-Hg(II), with the hope that materials with better S2− adsorption properties can be obtained. The relevant materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, 77 K nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and related product characteristics were determined. In this work, the adsorption conditions of S2− onto (SBA-15)-Hg(II) were optimized. Adsorption efficiency reached about 92% and the adsorption capacity 55.02 mg/g. Studies of the system's adsorption kinetics showed that the pseudo-second-order equation applies. The thermodynamic results indicated that ΔG0 < 0, ΔH0 = −28.56 kJ/mol, ΔS0 = −81.136 J/(mol·K), and that adsorption is exothermic, enthalpy decreases and the reaction is spontaneous. This accords with the Freundlich isothermal adsorption equation. HIGHLIGHTS Under the optimized adsorption conditions, the adsorption rate of S2− reached 92% and the adsorption capacity reached 55.02 mg/g.; The adsorption process of S2− by the (SBA-15)-Hg(II) is in accordance with the quasi-second-order kinetic equation in kinetic aspect, and the adsorption isotherm is in accordance with the Freundlich model.;

Abstract Background The liver fluke Fasciola gigantica secretes excretory-secretory proteins during infection to mediate its interaction with the host. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of a recombinant tegumental calcium-binding EF-hand protein 4 of F. gigantica (rFg-CaBP4) on goat monocytes. Methods The rFg-CaBP4 protein was induced and purified by affinity chromatography. The immunogenic reaction of rFg-CaBP4 against specific antibodies was detected through western blot analysis. The binding of rFg-CaBP4 on surface of goat monocytes was visualized by immunofluorescence assay. The localization of CaBP4 within adult fluke structure was detected by immunohistochemical analysis. The cytokine transcription levels in response to rFg-CaBP4 were examined using ABI 7500 real-time PCR system. The expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-II molecule (MHC-II) in response to rFg-CaBP4 protein was analyzed using Flow cytometry. Results The isopropyl-ß-D-thiogalactopyranoside-induced rFg-CaBP4 protein reacted with rat sera containing anti-rFg-CaBP4 polyclonal antibodies in a western blot analysis. The adhesion of rFg-CaBP4 to monocytes was visualized by immunofluorescence and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Immunohistochemical analysis localized native CaBP4 to the oral sucker, pharynx, genital pore, acetabulum and tegument of adult F. gigantica. Co-incubation of rFg-CaBP4 with concanavalin A-stimulated monocytes increased the transcription levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, interferon gamma and transforming growth factor-β. However, a reduction in the expression of IL-10 and no change in the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α were detected. Additionally, rFg-CaBP4-treated monocytes exhibited a marked increase in the expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-II molecule (MHC-II) and a decrease in MHC-I expression, in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions These findings provide additional evidence that calcium-binding EF-hand proteins play roles in host-parasite interaction. Further characterization of the immunomodulatory role of rFg-CaBP4 should expand our understanding of the strategies used by F. gigantica to evade the host immune responses. Graphical abstract

Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (HBNNSs) have huge potential in the field of coating materials owing to their remarkable chemical stability, mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. Thin-layer hBNNSs were obtained by a liquid-phase exfoliation of h-BN powders and incorporated into EVA coatings for improving the safety performance of 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX). HBNNSs and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) were introduced to HMX by a solvent-slurry process. For comparison, the HMX/EVA and HMX/EVA/graphene (HMX/EVA/G) composites were also prepared by a similar process. The morphology, crystal form, surface element distribution, thermal decomposition property and impact sensitivity of HMX/EVA/hBNNSs composites were contrastively investigated. Results showed that as prepared HMX/EVA/hBNNSs composites were well coated with hBNNSs and EVA, and exhibited better thermal stability and lower impact sensitivity than that of HMX/EVA and HMX/EVA/G composites, suggesting superior performance of desensitization of hBNNSs in explosives.

Abstract Expression of kinesin family member 18B (KIF18B), an ATPase with key roles in cell division, is deregulated in many cancers, but its involvement in prostate cancer (PCa) is unclear. Here, we investigated the expression and function of KIF18B in human PCa specimens and cell lines using bioinformatics analyses, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence microscopy, and RT-qPCR and western blot analyses. KIF18B was overexpressed in PCa specimens compared with paracancerous tissues and was associated with poorer disease-free survival. In vitro, KIF18B knockdown in PCa cell lines promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibited cell apoptosis, while KIF18B overexpression had the opposite effects. In a mouse xenograft model, KIF18B overexpression accelerated and promoted the growth of PCa tumors. Bioinformatics analysis of control and KIF18B-overexpressing PCa cells showed that genes involved in the PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathway were significantly enriched among the differentially expressed genes. Consistent with this observation, we found that KIF18B overexpression activates the PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathway in PCa cells both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our results suggest that KIF18B plays a crucial role in PCa via activation of the PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathway, and raise the possibility that KIF18B could have utility as a novel biomarker for PCa.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are vesicle-like substances released by eukaryotic cells. Based on their origin and size, EVs are mainly divided into exosomes, microvesicles and apoptotic bodies, and they are secreted by eukaryotic cells under physiological and pathological conditions. EVs are enriched with nucleic acids, proteins and other factors. EVs can regulate the function of adjacent and distant cells, and they are even involved in the pathogenesis of diseases. They contain proteins associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as the α-synuclein (α-syn) and tau proteins, which suggest potential roles for EVs as biomarkers and carriers of drugs and other therapeutic molecules that can cross the blood–brain barrier to treat NDs. In this review, we summarized the function of EVs in the pathogenesis of different NDs and related advances in EVs as diagnostic biomarkers and treatments for diseases.

Abstract. Increasing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are of vital importance for various biological processes, and dysregulation of lncRNAs is frequently associated with various diseases such as psoriasis. LncRNAs modulate gene expression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational levels; however, the specific regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in psoriasis remain largely unexplored. This review provides an overview of recent studies investigating mechanisms and functions of lncRNAs in psoriasis, especially focusing on the role of lncRNAs in keratinocytes, T cells, and dendritic cells.

Purpose: To determine the risk factors of intraoperative cyst rupture in partial nephrectomy (PN) for a cystic renal mass (CRM) and their effect on the prognosis of patients. Materials and methods: Patients who underwent partial nephrectomy for CRMs from January 2009 to January 2015 were included. Uni/multivariate Logistic/Cox analysis and Kaplan–Meier analysis were performed. Results: A total of 174 patients were included in this study. There were 27 (15.5%) intraoperative cyst ruptures. The median follow-up time was 60 months. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the E component (P = 0.018) and N component (P = 0.022) of the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score, Bosniak category III (P = 0.044), and surgeon's experience (P = 0.030) were risk factors associated with intraoperative cyst rupture in PN for CRMs. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-free survival (CFS) and overall survival (OS) were 92.7%, 90.32% and 94.4%, respectively, in 124 cases of malignant CRM. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that 5-year RFS and 5-year CFS in patients with cyst rupture was worse than those without cyst rupture (P = 0.006 and 0.003, respectively). Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that intraoperative cyst rupture was independent risk factor for 5-year RFS and 5-year CFS (P = 0.039 and 0.013, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in OS between the two groups (P = 0.275). Conclusions: The prevalence of intraoperative cyst rupture is relatively high. Higher E and N scores, Bosniak category III, and lacking surgical experience (

Abstract Objective To investigate lncRNAs and their roles in regulating the pulmonary inflammatory response under dexamethasone (Dex) treatment. Methods IL-1β (10 ng/mL) and LPS (1 μg/mL) was used to construct inflammatory cell models with A549 cells; IL-1β performed better against LPS. Different concentrations of Dex were used to attenuate the inflammation induced by IL-1β, and its effect was assessed via RT-PCR to detect inflammatory cytokine-related mRNA levels, including those of IKβ-α, IKKβ, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. Furthermore, ELISA was used to detect the levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8. RT-PCR was used to quantify the levels of lncRNAs, including lncMALAT1, lncHotair, lncH19, and lncNeat1. LncH19 was most closely associated with the inflammatory response, which was induced by IL-1β and attenuated by Dex. Among the lncRNAs, the level of lncH19 showed the highest increase following treatment with 1 and 10 μM Dex. Therefore, lncH19 was selected for further functional studies. LncH19 expression was inhibited by shRNA transduced with lentivirus. Cell assays for cell proliferation and apoptosis as well as RT-PCR, western blot, and ELISA for inflammatory genes were conducted to confirm the functions of lncH19. The predicted target miRNAs of lncH19 were hsa-miR-346, hsa-miR-324-3p, hsa-miR-18a-3p, hsa-miR-18b-5p, hsa-miR-146b-3p, hsa-miR-19b-3p, and hsa-miR-19a-3p. Following estimation via RT-PCR, hsa-miR-346, hsa-miR-18a-3p, and hsa-miR-324-3p showed consistent patterns in A549 NC and A549 shlncH19. An miRNA inhibitor was transfected into A549 NC and A549 shlncH19 cells, and the expression levels were determined via RT-PCR. hsa-miR-324-3p was inhibited the most compared with hsa-miR-346 and hsa-miR-18a-3p and was subjected to further functional studies. RT-PCR, ELISA, and western blotting for inflammatory gene detection were conducted to validate the functions of the target hsa-miR-324-3p. Results Treatment with 1 and 10 μM Dex could effectively attenuate the inflammatory response. During this process, lncH19 expression significantly increased (P

Abstract Background Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies; however, the present prognostic factors was deficient. This study aims to explore whether there is a relationship between tumor volume (TV) and oncological outcomes for localized ccRCC. Methods Seven hundred forty-nine localized ccRCC patients underwent surgery in our hospital. TV was outlined and calculated using a three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy planning system. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to identified optimal cut-off value. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were performed to explore the association between TV and oncological outcomes. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to estimate survival probabilities and determine the significance, respectively. Time-dependent ROC curve was utilized to assess the prognostic effect. Results Log rank test showed that higher Fuhrman grade, advanced pT classification and higher TV were associated with shortened OS, cancer-specific survival (CSS), freedom from metastasis (FFM) and freedom from local recurrence (FFLR). multivariable analysis showed higher Fuhrman grade and higher TV were predictors of adverse OS and CSS. The AUC of TV for FFLR was 0.822. The AUC of TV (0.864) for FFM was higher than that of pT classification (0.818) and Fuhrman grade (0.803). For OS and CSS, the AUC of TV was higher than that of Fuhrman grade (0.832 vs. 0.799; 0.829 vs 0.790). Conclusions High TV was an independent predictor of poor CSS, OS, FFLR and FFM of localized ccRCC. Compared with pT classification and Fuhrman grade, TV could be a new and better prognostic factor of oncological outcome of localized ccRCC, which might contribute to tailored follow-up or management strategies.

Chemotherapy is often used for female malignancies, but it can increase the risk of premature ovarian failure in women of reproductive age through different mechanisms. Therefore, how to protect ovarian function and preserve fertility has attracted great attention of oncologists and gynecologists. Recently, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) have been extensively studied in the field of regenerative medicine. Compared with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from other sources, UCMSCs have a broader application potential due to their properties of lower immunogenicity, fewer ethical issues, and non-invasive collection. Paracrine is one of the most important therapeutic mechanisms of UCMSCs, which can exert anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrosis, anti-oxidative stress, immune regulation, and other therapeutic effects. Studies in animal models have shown that UCMSCs can restore ovarian function after chemotherapy injury. However, most of the relevant researches are still in the preclinical stage. In this article, the mechanism of chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure will be overviewed, and the clinical application potential of UCMSCs in chemotherapeutic ovarian injury will be discussed.