Microchannel percutaneous nephrolithotomy versus flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy for the treatment of 1-2 cm high hardness single upper ureteral stones: a propensity score-matched study.

The objective of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of microchannel percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (MPCNL) with flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FURL) in the treatment of single upper ureteral stones with a diameter of 1-2 cm and high hardness. This study retrospectively analyzed 89 patients diagnosed with a single upper ureteral stone with a 1-2 cm diameter and a computed tomography value > 1000 Hounsfield units. A propensity score matching system matched this study with factors to minimize the effect of baseline differences between patients. Ultimately, 29 patients in each of the two groups were successfully matched. The stone-free rate was marginally higher in the MPCNL group than in the FURL group (93.10% vs. 86.21%), although the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.666). Furthermore, the mean operative time in the MPCNL group, although slightly longer than that in the FURL group, did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference (P = 0.833). However, patients in the MPCNL group exhibited a significantly more substantial decrease in hemoglobin than those in the FURL group (P < 0.001) and a substantially more extended postoperative hospital stay (P < 0.001). Regarding perioperative complications, the incidence of moderate pain was higher in the MPCNL group than in the FURL group (P = 0.037). The difference in overall complication rates between the two groups did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.108). MPCNL and FURL are efficacious surgical procedures for treating single upper ureteral stones with a 1-2 cm diameter and high hardness.

Association of seminal plasma zinc levels with human semen quality and its toxic effects on sperm motility.

Infertility has become one of the most common chronic diseases among reproductive- aged individuals, and male factors account for about 50 %. Zinc is a trace element that is essential for sperm quality and male reproductive system. Although several current studies with small sample sizes have investigated this relationship, the conclusions have been still controversial. Here, using a large population sample involved 25,915 participants from Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, we revealed an inverted "U"-shaped trend between seminal plasma zinc concentrations and sperm motility PR/PR + NP (PR, progressive motility; NP, non-progressive motility). The results showed that the highest values of sperm PR/PR + NP observed in the group with intermediate concentrations of zinc (Group 2, 0.25-2.11 mmol/L). The mean values were 43.17 ± 19.03 % and 56.64 ± 20.28 %, respectively. And the lowest values came out in the highest zinc levels group (Group 4, > 3.04 mmol/L). In vitro cell experiments also showed that zinc caused dose-dependent cytotoxicity for GC-2 cells at a threshold value. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that high concentrations of zinc exerted toxic effects on GC-2 cells through immune injury. Taken together, our findings suggested that moderate amounts of zinc are crucial for human reproduction and excessive concentrations may have adverse effects on male fertility.

Molecular Characterization of the First Partitivirus from a Causal Agent of Salvia miltiorrhiza Dry Rot.

Root rot as a result of Salvia miltiorrhiza is a common root disease caused by Fusarium spp., which has become one of the main diseases affecting the production of S. miltiorrhiza. Currently, several hypovirulence-related mycoviruses have been identified in many phytopathogenic fungi, including Fusarium spp., which show potential as biological controls. In this study, we report a new mycovirus, Fusarium oxysporum partitivirus 1 (FoPV1), isolated from F. oxysporum strain FCR51, which is a causal agent of S. miltiorrhiza dry rot. The FoPV1 genome contains two double-stranded RNA segments (dsRNA1 and dsRNA2). The size of dsRNA1 is 1773 bp, and it encodes a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The dsRNA2 is 1570 bp in length, encoding a putative capsid protein (CP). Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses based on the amino acid sequences of the RdRp and the CP proteins indicated that FoPV1 appears to be a new member of the family Partitiviridae that is related to members of the genus Gammapartitivirus. Pathogenicity assay showed that FoPV1 confers hypervirulence to its host, F. oxysporum. This is the first report of a partitivirus infecting F. oxysporum and the first hypovirulence-related mycovirus from the causal agent of S. miltiorrhiza dry rot.

Molecular characterization of a novel victorivirus isolated from the phytopathogenic fungus Phaeobotryon rhois.

Phaeobotryon rhois is an important pathogenic fungus that causes dieback and canker disease of woody hosts. A novel mycovirus, tentatively named "Phaeobotryon rhois victorivirus 1" (PrVV1), was identified in P. rhois strain SX8-4. The PrVV1 has a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) genome that is 5,224 base pairs long and contains two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2), which overlap at a AUGA sequence. ORF1 encodes a polypeptide of 786 amino acids (aa) that contains the conserved coat protein (CP) domain of victoriviruses, while ORF2, encodes a large polypeptide of 826 aa that contains the conserved RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domain of victoriviruses. Our analysis of genomic structure, homology, and phylogeny indicated that PrVV1 is a novel member of the genus Victorivirus in the family Totiviridae. This is the first report of the complete genome sequence of a victorivirus that infects P. rhois.

The Analysis of Trajectory Control of Non-holonomic Mobile Robots Based on Internet of Things Target Image Enhancement Technology and Backpropagation Neural Network.

The trajectory tracking and control of incomplete mobile robots are explored to improve the accuracy of the trajectory tracking of the robot controller. First, the mathematical kinematics model of the non-holonomic mobile robot is studied. Then, the improved Backpropagation Neural Network (BPNN) is applied to the robot controller. On this basis, a mobile robot trajectory tracking controller combining the fuzzy algorithm and the neural network is designed to control the linear velocity and angular velocity of the mobile robot. Finally, the robot target image can be analyzed effectively based on the Internet of Things (IoT) image enhancement technology. In the MATLAB environment, the performances of traditional BPNN and improved BPNN in mobile robots' trajectory tracking are compared. The tracking accuracy before and after the improvement shows no apparent differences; however, the training speed of improved BPNN is significantly accelerated. The fuzzy-BPNN controller presents significant improvements in tracking speed and tracking accuracy compared with the improved BPNN. The trajectory tracking controller of the mobile robot is designed and improved based on the fuzzy BPNN. The designed controller combining the fuzzy algorithm and the improved BPNN can provide higher accuracy and tracking efficiency for the trajectory tracking and control of the non-holonomic mobile robots.

Comparison of Drug-Eluting and Bare Metal Stents in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Drug-eluting stents (DESs) and bare metal stents (BMSs) are both recommended to improve coronary revascularization and to treat coronary artery disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the potential superiority of DESs over BMSs for reducing the incidence of long-term major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality in CKD patients has not been established, and the results remain controversial. We aimed to systematically assess and quantify the total weight of evidence regarding the use of DESs versus BMSs in CKD patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this systematic review and conventional meta-analysis, electronic studies published in any language until May 20, 2016, were systematically searched through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We included randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing outcomes in CKD patients with DESs versus BMSs and extracted data in a standard form. Pooled odd ratios and 95% CIs were calculated using random- and fixed-effects models. Finally, 38 studies involving 123 396 patients were included. The use of DESs versus BMSs was associated with significant reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events (pooled odds ratio 0.75; 95% CI, 0.64-0.88; P<0.001), all-cause mortality (odds ratio 0.81; 95% CI, 0.73-0.90; P<0.001), myocardial infarction, target-lesion revascularization, and target-vessel revascularization. The superiority of DESs over BMSs for improving clinical outcomes was attenuated in randomized controlled trials. CONCLUSIONS: The use of DESs significantly improves the above outcomes in CKD patients. Nevertheless, large-sized randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine the real effect on CKD patients and whether efficacy differs by type of DES.

[Characteristic wavelengths analysis for remote sensing reflectance on water surface in Taihu Lake].

The research on characteristic wavelengths analysis of reflectance spectrum is a very important and basic task for remote sensing of inland-water color. The present paper analyzed remote sensing reflectances of 312 samples measured in Taihu Lake between 2006 and 2009, and these reflectances were separated into three classes by chlorophyll-a concentrations. The reflectance spectra smoothed by Savitzky-Golay algorithm were calculated by first- and second-order derivatives. Then, zero values were located in the derivatives and counted at all wavelengths. Thus the frequency distribution of zeros at each wavelength was got. At which wavelength a local maximum of the frequencies appears a characteristic wavelength will most likely be there. These characteristic wavelengths are corresponding to maximum, minimum, from-concave-to-convex inflection point and from-convex-to-concave inflection point of a spectrum curve. At last the paper provided the characteristic wavelengths for Taihu Lake water at the spectral coverage from 350 to 900 nm, which are 359, 440, 464, 472, 552, 566, 583, 628, 636, 645, 660, 676, 689, 706, 728, 791, 806, and 825 nm. In addition, these wavelengths we found were explained by absorption of phytoplankton pigments and components of water in Taihu Lake. Being able to distinguish overlaps between peaks and vales at the same wavelength in different measurements, the method to analyze characteristic wavelengths is universally applicable to various spectrum curves. The characteristic wavelengths chosen by the paper are helpful to improving some algorithms of retrieval of water quality parameters.