Exciplex-Forming Cohost Systems with 2,3-Dicyanopyrazinophenanthrene-based Acceptors to Achieve Efficient Near Infrared OLEDs.

Two new 2,3-dicyanopyrazinophenanthrene-based acceptors (A) p-QCN and m-QCN were synthesized to blend with a donor (D) CPTBF for the exciplex formation. The energy levels of p-QCN and m-QCN are modulated by the peripheral substituents 4- and 3-benzonitrile, respectively. Exciplex-forming blends were identified by the observation of the red-shifted emissions from various D : A blends with higher ratios of donor for suppressing the aggregation of acceptor. The two-component relaxation processes observed by time-resolved photoluminescence support the thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) character of the exciplex-forming blends. The device employing CPTBF : p-QCN and (2 : 1) and CPTBF : m-QCN (2 : 1) blend as the emitting layer (EML) gave EQEmax of 1.76 % and 5.12 %, and electroluminescence (EL) λmax of 629 nm and 618 nm, respectively. The device efficiency can be further improved to 4.32 % and 5.57 % with CPTBF : p-QCN and (4 : 1) and CPTBF : m-QCN (4 : 1) as the EML, which is consistent with their improved photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs). A new fluorescent emitter BPBBT with photoluminescence (PL) λmax of 726 nm and a high PLQY of 67 % was synthesized and utilized as the dopant of CPTBF : m-QCN (4 : 1) cohost system. The device employing CPTBF : m-QCN (4 : 1): 5 wt.% BPBBT as the EML gave an EQEmax of 5.02 % and EL λmax centered at 735 nm, however, the weak residual exciplex emission remains. By reducing the donor ratio, the exciplex emission can be completely transferred to BPBBT and the corresponding device with CPTBF : m-QCN (2 : 1): 5 wt.% BPBBT as the EML can achieve EL λmax of 743 nm and EQEmax of 4.79 %. This work manifests the high efficiency near infrared (NIR) OLED can be realized by triplet excitons harvesting of exciplex-forming cohost system, followed by the effective energy transfer to an NIR fluorescent dopant.

Influence of preoperative body mass index on prognosis for patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma treated with radical nephroureterectomy.

PURPOSE: The impact of body mass index (BMI) on patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) is controversial. Increasing evidence suggests an age-dependent relationship between obesity and outcomes for some solid organ tumors. Herein, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of preoperative BMI in UTUC patients treated with RNU in Taiwan. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center study of 468 UTUC patients undergoing RNU during January 2010-December 2017, with preoperative BMI classification and subgroup analysis based on ages of < or ≥ 70 years. All UTUC patients underwent RNU and bladder cuff excision. Overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival, and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed. Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 36 months. Patients with higher versus lower BMI (cutoff: 25 kg/m2) showed no differences in OS; older patients had poor OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-2.40; p < 0.001). Older age was an independent predictor of poor OS in multivariate Cox regression analysis (p = 0.001). Younger patients with higher BMI (p = 0.02) had better DFS than older patients with no BMI-related survival differences. Higher BMI was an independent predictor of favorable DFS in younger patients in multivariate Cox regression analysis (HR, 0.53; 95% CI 0.28-0.99; p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Younger UTUC patients with higher BMI were independently associated with a favorable DFS.

Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 induces gastric cancer progression and resistance to cisplatin and oxaliplatin via ß-catenin dysregulation.

INTRODUCTION: Gastric cancer is the 5th most common cancer and 3rd leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. There are three main ways to treat gastric cancer: surgical resection, radiation therapy, and drug therapy. Furthermore, combinations of two to three regimens can improve survival. However, the survival outcomes of chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer patients are still unsatisfactory. Unfortunately, no widely useful biomarkers have been verified to predict the efficacy of chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: An MTT assay was used to determine the cell viability after cisplatin or oxaliplatin treatment. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were utilized to examine the sFRP4 level and associated signaling pathways. Immunofluorescence staining was utilized to analyze the location of ß-catenin. Colony formation and Transwell assays were used to analyze the functions related with cisplatin, oxaliplatin and sFRP4. RESULTS: We have found that gastric cancer patients treated with combinations of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin regimens have better survival rates than those treated with 5-FU-based chemotherapy alone. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) was selected as a potential target from stringent analysis and intersection of 5-FU and cisplatin resistance-related gene sets. sFRP4 was shown to be overexpressed in clinical gastric tumor tissues and positively correlated with a worse survival rate. In addition, sFRP4 and ß-catenin were upregulated in cisplatin-resistant and oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells compared to parental cells. Immunofluorescence staining and nuclear fractionation showed that ß-catenin translocated from the cytosol into the nucleus. Moreover, sFRP4 was detected in the conditioned medium of these resistant cells, which indicates that sFRP4 might have an extracellular role in chemotherapy resistance. Increased migration capacity and dysregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers, which might result from the dysregulation of sFRP4, were observed in cisplatin-resistant and oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: In summary, sFRP4 might play a critical role in resistance to cisplatin and oxaliplatin, cell metastasis and poor prognosis in gastric cancer via the Wnt-ß-catenin pathway. Investigations of the molecular mechanism underlying sFRP4-modulated cancer progression and chemotherapeutic outcomes can provide additional therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer.

Modeling and Stiffness-based Continuous Torque Control of Lightweight Quasi-Direct-Drive Knee Exoskeletons for Versatile Walking Assistance.

State-of-the-art exoskeletons are typically limited by low control bandwidth and small range stiffness of actuators which are based on high gear ratios and elastic components (e.g., series elastic actuators). Furthermore, most exoskeletons are based on discrete gait phase detection and/or discrete stiffness control resulting in discontinuous torque profiles. To fill these two gaps, we developed a portable lightweight knee exoskeleton using quasi-direct drive (QDD) actuation that provides 14 Nm torque (36.8% biological joint moment for overground walking). This paper presents 1) stiffness modeling of torque-controlled QDD exoskeletons and 2) stiffness-based continuous torque controller that estimates knee joint moment in real-time. Experimental tests found the exoskeleton had high bandwidth of stiffness control (16 Hz under 100 Nm/rad) and high torque tracking accuracy with 0.34 Nm Root Mean Square (RMS) error (6.22%) across 0-350 Nm/rad large range stiffness. The continuous controller was able to estimate knee moments accurately and smoothly for three walking speeds and their transitions. Experimental results with 8 able-bodied subjects demonstrated that our exoskeleton was able to reduce the muscle activities of all 8 measured knee and ankle muscles by 8.60%-15.22% relative to unpowered condition, and two knee flexors and one ankle plantar flexor by 1.92%-10.24% relative to baseline (no exoskeleton) condition.

Risk factors of acute renal impairment after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Acute renal impairment (ARI) is a major complication after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for cancer patients with peritoneal metastases. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and identify the risk factors of post-HIPEC creatinine increased. METHODS: From April 2015 to December 2019, demographic and perioperative data of 169 patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC with a preoperative creatinine level <1.5 mg/dL were retrospectively reviewed. Renal impairment was defined according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) version 5.0. The risk factors of creatinine increased were analyzed using univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Among the 169 enrolled patients, 21 (12.4%) had postoperative creatinine increased (ARI group) and 148 (87.6%) did not (non-ARI group). Significantly more of the ARI group received a cisplatin HIPEC regimen than the non-ARI group (71.4 vs. 37.8%, p = 0.004). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the patients who received a cisplatin HIPEC regimen (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 11.38, p < 0.001) and peritoneal dialysis solution as HIPEC perfusate (AOR = 7.07, p = 0.002) were more likely to develop post-HIPEC creatinine increased. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the risk factors of post-HIPEC creatinine increased can help to improve patient selection, a dose of HIPEC regimens modification and perioperative care. We also identified the detrimental renal effect of peritoneal dialysis solution as HIPEC perfusate. More prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Quasi-Direct Drive Actuation for a Lightweight Hip Exoskeleton with High Backdrivability and High Bandwidth.

High-performance actuators are crucial to enable mechanical versatility of wearable robots, which are required to be lightweight, highly backdrivable, and with high bandwidth. State-of-the-art actuators, e.g., series elastic actuators (SEAs), have to compromise bandwidth to improve compliance (i.e., backdrivability). We describe the design and human-robot interaction modeling of a portable hip exoskeleton based on our custom quasi-direct drive (QDD) actuation (i.e., a high torque density motor with low ratio gear). We also present a model-based performance benchmark comparison of representative actuators in terms of torque capability, control bandwidth, backdrivability, and force tracking accuracy. This paper aims to corroborate the underlying philosophy of "design for control", namely meticulous robot design can simplify control algorithms while ensuring high performance. Following this idea, we create a lightweight bilateral hip exoskeleton to reduce joint loadings during normal activities, including walking and squatting. Experiments indicate that the exoskeleton is able to produce high nominal torque (17.5 Nm), high backdrivability (0.4 Nm backdrive torque), high bandwidth (62.4 Hz), and high control accuracy (1.09 Nm root mean square tracking error, 5.4% of the desired peak torque). Its controller is versatile to assist walking at different speeds and squatting. This work demonstrates performance improvement compared with state-of-the-art exoskeletons.

Malnutrition associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications following hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the nutritional risk factors for postoperative complications following hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The preoperative nutritional status of patients with HCC who underwent hepatic resection was evaluated using the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). The perioperative variables were compared between well-nourished and malnourished patients. Regression analysis was employed to identify the risk factors for postoperative complications. RESULTS: The overall operative mortality and morbidity of 287 patients who underwent resection for HCC were 1.7% and 44.3%, respectively. Upon admission, 96 (33.4%) study participants were malnourished, which was associated with a significantly higher PG-SGA score (P < 0.001), higher frequency of comorbidity (P < 0.001), more postoperative complications (P < 0.001) and a longer length of hospital stay (P < 0.001). In addition, major complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ IIIa) occurred significantly more frequently in the malnourished group (P < 0.01). Age ≥70 years (risk ratio [RR] = 2.50, P = 0.008) and PG-SGA score ≥ 4 ([RR] = 9.85, P < 0.001) were significant risk factors for postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: The PG-SGA score is an effective tool for predicting postoperative complications in patients with HCC following hepatic resection.

Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal malignancy: preliminary results of a multi-disciplinary teamwork model in Asia.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) is an emerging surgical procedure for peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). CRS/HIPEC is a complicated treatment that requires multi-disciplinary teamwork (MDT), which may be lacking when establishing a CRS/HIPEC programme. Herein, we report our preliminary treatment outcomes with the early implementation of an MDT model for CRS/HIPEC. METHODS: From April 2015 to December 2016, 45 patients with a diagnosis of PC who received CRS/HIPEC were reviewed retrospectively in a single institution in Taiwan. RESULTS: Among the 45 patients, CRS was mainly performed by laparotomy (n = 42), and only three patients with limited PC underwent laparoscopic CRS. The first 13 patients received treatment before the MDT had been established (group 1), and the other 32 patients were treated after the MDT had been established (group 2). The highest peri-HIPEC body temperature in group 2 was significantly lower than that in group 1 (36.8 °C vs. 37.5 °C, p < 0.001). Overall, eight patients experienced major complications. The trend of a lower major complication rate was observed after the MDT model had been implemented (30.7% in group 1 vs. 12.4% in group 2, p = 0.202). Pre-CRS/HIPEC abdominal pain significantly increased the risk of post-operative major complications (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Our experience suggests that the early implementation of an MDT model when establishing a CRS/HIPEC programme at a single institution may result in a higher complete cytoreduction rate and lower major complication rate, and also shorten the learning curve of this complicated procedure.

Central Hepatectomy Still Plays an Important Role in Treatment of Early-Stage Centrally Located Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Surgical management of centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma (CL-HCC) poses a great challenge. Major hepatectomy (MH) might compromise future remnant liver volume (FRLV), while the long-term benefits of central hepatectomy (CH) had not been well demonstrated. METHODS: Consecutive patients with early-stage CL-HCC who underwent liver resection were enrolled. Fifteen patients underwent CH, while thirty-three were subjected to MH. All relevant clinicopathological variables were analyzed. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of both groups were compared. RESULTS: There were no differences between CH and MH in terms of predisposing liver disease, tumor size, blood loss, complication rate and vascular invasion. Mean FRLV increased from 40.9 to 69.2% by using CH resection lines. The parenchymal transection time is longer in CH. There were no differences of DFS between two groups. The 5-year OS rates of CH and MH were 93.3 and 62.6%, respectively. MH was a poor prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: CH is a relatively time-consuming and technique-demanding procedure, but excellent long-term survival could be achieved. CH could increase liver volume preservation without compromising intra-hepatic recurrence. In an endemic area of hepatitis and cirrhosis, CH should still play an important role in surgical treatment of CL-HCC.

How to Make Reliable, Washable, and Wearable Textronic Devices.

In this paper, the washability of wearable textronic (textile-electronic) devices has been studied. Two different approaches aiming at designing, producing, and testing robust washable and reliable smart textile systems are presented. The common point of the two approaches is the use of flexible conductive PCB in order to interface the miniaturized rigid (traditional) electronic devices to conductive threads and tracks within the textile flexible fabric and to connect them to antenna, textile electrodes, sensors, actuators, etc. The first approach consists in the use of TPU films (thermoplastic polyurethane) that are deposited by the press under controlled temperature and pressure parameters in order to protect the conductive thread and electrical contacts. The washability of conductive threads and contact resistances between flexible PCB and conductive threads are tested. The second approach is focused on the protection of the whole system-composed of a rigid electronic device, flexible PCB, and textile substrate-by a barrier made of latex. Three types of prototypes were realized and washed. Their reliabilities are studied.

Respiratory Rate Estimation by Using ECG, Impedance, and Motion Sensing in Smart Clothing.

The needs for light-weight and soft smart clothing in homecare have been rising since the past decade. Many smart textile sensors have been developed and applied to automatic physiological and user-centered environmental status recognition. In the present study, we propose wearable multi-sensor smart clothing for homecare monitoring based on an economic fabric electrode with high elasticity and low resistance. The wearable smart clothing integrated with heterogeneous sensors is capable to measure multiple human biosignals (ECG and respiration), acceleration, and gyro information. Five independent respiratory signals (electric impedance plethysmography, respiratory induced frequency variation, respiratory induced amplitude variation, respiratory induced intensity variation, and respiratory induced movement variation) are obtained. The smart clothing can provide accurate respiratory rate estimation by using three different techniques (Naïve Bayes inference, static Kalman filter, and dynamic Kalman filter). During the static sitting experiments, respiratory induced frequency variation has the best performance; whereas during the running experiments, respiratory induced amplitude variation has the best performance. The Naïve Bayes inference and dynamic Kalman filter have shown good results. The novel smart clothing is soft, elastic, and washable and it is suitable for long-term monitoring in homecare medical service and healthcare industry.

Gastric IgG4-related disease mimicking a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a child: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Gastric IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is rarely encountered in clinical practice, and especially more so among pediatric patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report of IgG4-RD presenting as a calcifying gastric mass in a child. We describe how this entity was difficult to differentiate from a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) imaging-based approaches. Therefore, this case highlights the importance of considering IgG4-RD in the differential diagnosis of gastric tumor before performing surgical resection, especially to distinguish it from malignancy to avoid unnecessary surgery. CASE SUMMARY: The patient suffered from epigastric pain for several days. Panendoscopy and computed tomography scan revealed a submucosal tumor. Differential diagnoses included GIST, leiomyoma, teratoma, and mucinous adenocarcinoma. However, laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy allowed for the definitive diagnosis of IgG4-related stomach disease. CONCLUSION: We emphasize the importance of considering IgG4-RD in the differential diagnosis of gastric submucosal tumors before performing surgical resection.

Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System-Containing the Poorly Absorbed Drug - Valsartan in Post-Bariatric Surgery.

Purpose: Morbid obesity and its related metabolic syndrome are an important health issue. Recently, sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) have accounted for the most popular bariatric surgeries. Valsartan (VST) is a common hypertension drug, and nano-carriers can increase its solubility and bioavailability. This study aims to explore the nano-VST formula in bariatric surgery subjects. Methods: High-fat fed animals were used as obese models. Operations were performed according to a standardized protocol. The drug was administrated by gavage, and blood samples were taken by serial tail vein sampling. Caco-2 cells were used for examining cell viability and drug uptake. A self-nano-emusifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) formula was composed of sefsol-218, RH-40 and propylene glycol by a specified ratio, while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for determining drug concentrations. Results: Post-operatively, subjects that underwent RYGB lost more body weight compared to the SG group. The SNEDDS did not exhibit cytotoxicity after adequate dilution, and the cytotoxicity was not related to VST dose. A better cellular uptake of SNEDDS was observed in vitro. The SNEDDS formula achieved a diameter of 84 nm in distilled water and 140 nm in simulated gastric fluid. In obese animals, the maximum serum concentration (Cmax) of VST was increased 1.68-folds by SNEDDS. In RYGB with SUS, the Cmax was reduced to less than 50% of the obese group. SNEDDS increased the Cmax to 3.5 folds higher than SUS and resulted in 3.28-folds higher AUC0-24 in the RYGB group. Fluorescence imaging also confirmed a stronger signal of SNEDDS in the gastrointestinal mucosa. SNEDDS accumulated a higher drug concentration than suspension alone in the liver of the obese group. Conclusion: SNEDDS could reverse the VST malabsorption in RYGB. Further studies are mandatory to clarify post-SG change of drug absorption.

Risk factors for hemorrhagic complications following robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the risk factors for hemorrhagic complications in patients who underwent robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 260 patients who underwent robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy. Hemorrhagic complications were defined as bleeding, hematoma, or arteriovenous fistula requiring hemostatic medication, blood transfusion, or therapeutic intervention. Hemorrhagic complications were graded according to the modified Clavien classification system, and the hemorrhagic complication group comprised only those complications with Clavien grade II or higher. Thereafter, we investigated the presence of any relevant association between perioperative factors and hemorrhagic complications. RESULTS: Of 260 patients included in the study, 32 (12.3%) had hemorrhagic complications. The postoperative hemoglobin level was significantly lower in the hemorrhagic complication group than in the group without complications. The hemorrhagic complication group had significantly more essential blood loss and a significantly longer length of hospital stay. In the univariate analysis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, Radius-scores tumor size as maximal diameter exophytic/endophytic properties of the tumor nearness of the deepest portion of the tumor to the collecting system or renal sinus anterior (a)/posterior (p) descriptor location relative to the polar line., sum of the renal size plus renal sinus involvement in the PADUA score is a simple anatomical system that can be used to predict the risk of surgical and medical perioperative complications in patients undergoing open NSS, prolonged console time (>180 minutes), prolonged warm ischemic time (>25 minutes), and method of pedicle control were statistically significant risk factors. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, warm ischemic time >25 minutes was the only significant risk factor for hemorrhagic complications (odds ratio, 3.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-9.59; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients who undergo robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy with a warm ischemic time >25 minutes are significantly more likely to have hemorrhagic complications and should hence receive careful perioperative follow-up.

Artificial Neural Network-Based Activities Classification, Gait Phase Estimation, and Prediction.

Gait patterns are critical to health monitoring, gait impairment assessment, and wearable device control. Unrhythmic gait pattern detection under community-based conditions is a new frontier in this area. The present paper describes a high-accuracy gait phase estimation and prediction algorithm built on a two-stage artificial neural network. This work targets to develop an algorithm that can estimate and predict the gait cycle in real time using a portable controller with only two IMU sensors (one on each thigh) in the community setting. Our algorithm can detect the gait phase in unrhythmic conditions during walking, stair ascending, and stair descending, and classify these activities with standing. Moreover, our algorithm is able to predict both future intra- and inter-stride gait phases, offering a potential means to improve wearable device controller performance. The proposed data-driven algorithm is based on a dataset consisting of 5 able-bodied subjects and validated on 3 different able-bodied subjects. Under unrhythmic activity situations, validation shows that the algorithm can accurately identify multiple activities with 99.55% accuracy, and estimate ([Formula: see text]: 6.3%) and predict 200-ms-ahead ([Formula: see text]: 8.6%) the gait phase percentage in real time, which are on average 57.7 and 54.0% smaller than the error from the event-based method in the same conditions. This study showcases a solution to estimate and predict gait status for multiple unrhythmic activities, which may be deployed to controllers for wearable robots or health monitoring devices.

Comparison of stone-free rate between percutaneous nephrolithotomy and retrograde intrarenal surgery.

BACKGROUND: The management of urolithiasis in the kidney has been drastically changed in the era of endourology, mainly consisting of three surgical procedures: extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). Since ESWL is usually less invasive via ambulatory clinic routes, this study aimed to examine the stone-free rate (SFR) between PCNL and RIRS. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who had renal stones and were treated with either PCNL or RIRS from June 2016 to June 2018. Staghorn stones, stones with diameters <1 cm, and stones with diameters >2 cm were excluded. Patients who underwent multiple surgeries for bilateral renal stones and those with graft kidney stones were excluded from the study. X-ray, sonography, and/or computed tomography (CT) were used to calculate the size of the stones. Follow-up was evaluated by the same image examination within three months after surgery. Stone-free was defined as no residual stone or the presence of asymptomatic calculi <4 mm. The operation time was defined as a skin-to-skin interval. RESULTS: Following exclusion criteria, there were 39 patients in each arm, with no difference in age, sex, or any other demographic data. The average stone size in the PCNL and RIRS groups was 16.3 and 14.0 mm, respectively ( p = 0.009). There was no significant difference in SFR (71.8% vs 61.5%, p = 0.337); the operation time was significant longer ( p < 0.001), and the hospital stay was significantly shorter ( p < 0.001) in the RIRS group. CONCLUSION: PCNL and RIRS are both feasible options for managing kidney stones. However, the initial stone size might affect the selection of operation. The SFR in the PCNL group was numerically but not statistically higher. The RIRS group, on the other hand, had a longer operation time but a shorter hospital stays.

Is Robotic Superior to Laparoscopic Approach for Radical Nephroureterectomy with Bladder Cuff Excision in Treating Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma?

Background: Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) has become popular in treating upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and an emerging trend was observed in robotic approaches. Therefore, we compared robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy (RANU) and LNU for the treatment of UTUC. Materials and Methods: This observational and retrospective case-series study included UTUC patients who underwent LNU or RANU. A pure laparoscopic approach was adopted in the LNU treatment group, and bladder cuff excision (BCE) was performed mostly with the open approach. Either the da Vinci Si or Xi surgical system was used for RANU. Extravesical BCE was performed, and bladder defects were closed intracorporeally. Perioperative and oncologic outcomes were compared between the LNU and RANU groups. Results: A total of 231 patients who underwent RANU (n = 87) or LNU (n = 144) were included. No significant differences were noted between the groups in terms of demographics, tumor characteristics, operative time, catheter time, or complications. Compared with LNU, RANU had a lower intraoperative blood loss (30 vs. 150 mL, p < 0.001) and shorter postoperative hospital stay (8 vs. 9 days, p = 0.009). The 5-year overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and bladder recurrence-free survival were comparable between the groups. Conclusion: Compared with LNU, RANU had similar perioperative and oncologic outcomes but was superior in terms of intraoperative blood loss and postoperative length of hospital stay. However, considering the potential biases owing to the heterogeneity of our cases, the interpretation of the results must be very cautious.

Combining prostate health index and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging may better predict extraprostatic extension after radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: In patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PCa), preoperative prediction of extraprostatic extension (EPE) can facilitate patient selection for nerve-sparing procedures. Since both multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and prostate health index (PHI) have shown promise for the diagnosis and prognostication of PCa, we investigated whether a combination of mpMRI and PHI evaluations can improve the prediction of EPE after RP. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with PCa and treated with RP were prospectively enrolled between February 2017 and July 2019. Preoperative blood samples were analyzed for PHI (defined as [p2PSA/fPSA] × âˆštPSA), and mpMRI examinations were performed and interpreted by a single experienced uroradiologist retrospectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine the performance of mpMRI, PHI, and their combination in predicting EPE after RP. RESULTS: A total of 163 patients were included for analysis. The pathological T stage was T3a or more in 59.5%. Overall staging accuracy of mpMRI for EPE was 72.4% (sensitivity and specificity: 73.2% and 71.2%, respectively). The area under the ROC of the combination of mpMRI and PHI in predicting EPE (0.785) was higher than those of mpMRI alone (0.717; p = 0.0007) and PHI alone (0.722; p = 0.0236). mpMRI showed false-negative non-EPE results in 26 patients (16%), and a PHI threshold of >40 could avoid undiagnosed EPE before RP in 21 of these 26 patients. CONCLUSION: The combination of PHI and mpMRI may better predict the EPE preoperatively, facilitating preoperative counseling and tailoring the need for nerve-sparing RP.

Bio-inspired design of a self-aligning, lightweight, and highly-compliant cable-driven knee exoskeleton.

Powered knee exoskeletons have shown potential for mobility restoration and power augmentation. However, the benefits of exoskeletons are partially offset by some design challenges that still limit their positive effects on people. Among them, joint misalignment is a critical aspect mostly because the human knee joint movement is not a fixed-axis rotation. In addition, remarkable mass and stiffness are also limitations. Aiming to minimize joint misalignment, this paper proposes a bio-inspired knee exoskeleton with a joint design that mimics the human knee joint. Moreover, to accomplish a lightweight and high compliance design, a high stiffness cable-tension amplification mechanism is leveraged. Simulation results indicate our design can reduce 49.3 and 71.9% maximum total misalignment for walking and deep squatting activities, respectively. Experiments indicate that the exoskeleton has high compliance (0.4 and 0.1 Nm backdrive torque under unpowered and zero-torque modes, respectively), high control bandwidth (44 Hz), and high control accuracy (1.1 Nm root mean square tracking error, corresponding to 7.3% of the peak torque). This work demonstrates performance improvement compared with state-of-the-art exoskeletons.

Quercetin exerts anti-inflammatory effects via inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-α-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in normal human gastric epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Gastric injury is the most common digestive system disease worldwide and involves inflammation, which can lead to gastric ulcer or gastric cancer (GC). Matrix metallopeptidase-9 [MMP-9 (gelatinase-B)] plays an important role in inflammation and GC progression. Quercetin and quercetin-rich diets represent potential food supplements and a source of medications for treating gastric injury given their anti-inflammatory activities. However, the effects and mechanisms of action of quercetin on human chronic gastritis and whether quercetin can relieve symptoms remain unclear. AIM: To assess whether tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced MMP-9 expression mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin in normal human gastric mucosal epithelial cells. METHODS: The normal human gastric mucosa epithelial cell line GES-1 was used to establish a normal human gastric epithelial cell model of TNF-α-induced MMP-9 protein overexpression to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin. The cell counting Kit-8 assay was used to evaluate the effects of varying quercetin doses on cell viability in the normal GES-1 cell line. Cell migration was measured using Transwell assay. The expression of proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (c-Src), phospho (p)-c-Src, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2), p-ERK1/2, c-Fos, p-c-Fos, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB/p65), and p-p65 and the effects of their inhibitors were examined using Western blot analysis and measurement of luciferase activity. p65 expression was detected by immunofluorescence. MMP-9 mRNA and protein levels were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and gelatin zymography, respectively. RESULTS: qRT-PCR and gelatin zymography showed that TNF-α induced MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These effects were reduced by the pretreatment of GES-1 cells with quercetin or a TNF-α antagonist (TNFR inhibitor) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Quercetin and TNF-α antagonists decreased the TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of c-Src, ERK1/2, c-Fos, and p65 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Quercetin, TNF-α antagonist, PP1, U0126, and tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) reduced TNF-α-induced c-Fos phosphorylation and AP-1-Luciferase (Luc) activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with quercetin, TNF-α antagonist, PP1, U0126, or Bay 11-7082 reduced TNF-α-induced p65 phosphorylation and translocation and p65-Luc activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. TNF-α significantly increased GES-1 cell migration, and these results were reduced by pretreatment with quercetin or a TNF-α antagonist. CONCLUSION: Quercetin significantly downregulates TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression in GES-1 cells via the TNFR-c-Src-ERK1/2 and c-Fos or NF-κB pathways.