RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical trajectories and identify risk factors linked to post-enucleation urinary incontinence (UI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective study (April 2020 to March 2022) at a single institution, 316 consecutive patients receiving endoscopic enucleation due to benign prostatic enlargement were included. Patient information and perioperative details were collected. Follow-ups, from 1 to 6 months, assessed postoperative UI using International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form and a four-item pad questionnaire, classified per International Continence Society definitions. Logistic regression analysed predictors at 1 week, while generalised estimating equation assessed risk factors from 1 to 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Patients with a median prostate volume of 57 mL underwent enucleation, with 22.5% experiencing postoperative UI at 1 week, 5.6% at 3 months, decreasing to 1.9% at 6 months. Multivariable analysis identified age (>80 years), specimen weight (>70 g), en bloc with anteroposterior dissection, and anal tone (Digital Rectal Examination Scoring System score <3) as potential factors influencing UI. Subgroup analysis revealed that specimen weight was associated with both continuous and stress UI. Anal tone was related to both other types and stress UI, while overactive bladder symptoms were associated with urge UI. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study elucidates transient risk factors contributing to temporary post-enucleation UI after prostatectomy. Informed decisions and personalised interventions can effectively alleviate concerns regarding postoperative UI.
RESUMO
The application of biomarkers to study the molecular composition of soil organic matter (SOM) can be used to analyze the source and degradation of SOM and reveal the stability mechanism of soil organic carbon (SOC) at the molecular level. In order to further clarify the effects of different land use patterns (farmland, grassland, and forest) on the molecular composition of SOM, the changes in molecular composition of organic matter (free lipids, cutin, suberin, and lignin) on a global scale were studied using a meta-analysis method. The results showed that there were significant differences in the molecular composition of organic matter under different land use patterns. The contents of free lipids (n-alkanes, n-alkanols, n-alkanoic acids, and cyclic lipids), cutin, and lignin phenols in forest soil were significantly higher than those in grassland and farmland. There was no significant difference in the content of suberin between grassland and forest soil. The ratio of suberin to cutin in grassland was the highest, with an average of 2.96, and the averages of farmland and forest were 1.68 and 2.21, respectively. The ratio of syringic acid to syringaldehyde (Ad/Al)S and the ratio of vanillic acid to vanillin (Ad/Al)V of farmland soil were the largest, which were 1.25 and 1.58, respectively, and were significantly higher than those in grassland (0.46 and 0.69) and forest (0.78 and 0.7). The results of correlation analysis showed that in farmland soil, suberin was significantly correlated with mean annual precipitation (MAP) and clay; cutin was significantly correlated with clay; and lignin was significantly correlated with mean annual temperature (MAT), MAP, sand, and bulk density. In grassland soil, total free lipids were significantly correlated with MAP and bulk density; suberin and cutin were significantly correlated with MAT and MAP; and lignin was significantly correlated with MAP, pH, sand, and bulk density. However, only lignin was significantly correlated with MAP and sand in forest soils. Overall, the contents of SOC and molecular components in forest soil were higher under the three land use practices, and the contribution of plant roots to SOM in grassland soil was greater. In farmland soil, the degradation of lignin was accelerated due to human farming activities. Future research should focus on the regulation of soil physicochemical properties and climatic conditions on the molecular composition of SOM.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Melanogenesis is the process of melanin maturation which not only protects skin from UV radiation but also plays an important role in antigenicity of melanomas. Imiquimod (IMQ) is a toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonist that exhibits antiviral and anticancer activity. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether IMQ could induce melanogenesis in melanoma cells. METHODS: The mouse melanoma cell line B16F10, the mouse immortalized melanocyte Melan-A, and human melanoma cell lines MNT-1, C32 and A375 were utilized in this study. The pigmented level was observed by the centrifuged cell pellet. The intracellular and extracellular melanin levels were examined in the absorbance in NaOH-extracted cell lysate and cell-cultured medium, respectively. The expression of melanogenesis related proteins was examined by immunoblotting. The intracellular cyclic AMP amount was evaluated by the cAMP Glo assay kit. The activity of phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) was investigated by CREB reporter assay with overexpressed PDE4B or not. RESULTS: We demonstrated that a low dose of IMQ could trigger melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. IMQ induced microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) nuclear translocation, upregulated the expression of melanogenesis-related proteins, increased tyrosinase (TYR) activity, and led to pigmentation in B16F10 cells. Next, we found that IMQ-induced melanogenesis was activated by excessive intracellular cAMP accumulation, which was regulated through IMQ-mediated PDE4B inhibition. Finally, IMQ-induced ROS production was found to be involved in melanogenesis by its control of PDE4B activity. CONCLUSIONS: Low dose of IMQ could activate melanogenesis through the ROS/PDE4B/PKA pathway in melanoma cells.