An all-natural, bioinspired, biodegradable electrical insulating composite based on lignocellulose and mica tailings.

The rapid development of modern electrical engineering puts forward urgent demand for high-performance electrical insulating materials. In this study, inspired by the layered structure of natural nacre, we present a novel biomimetic composite insulating film (referred to as M/C film) that is derived from agricultural waste corncobs and industrial waste mica tailings through a sol-gel-film transformation process. The novel insulating film has excellent tensile strength (94 MPa), high dielectric strength (68 kV mm-1), low dielectric loss, good heat resistance (T0 = 235 °C), and excellent UV shielding properties. Meanwhile, the M/C film presents environmental impacts much lower than those petrochemical-based plastic film as it can be 100 % recycled in a closed-loop recycling process and easily biodegraded in the environment (lignocellulose goes back to the carbon cycle and the mica return to the geological cycle). It is a potential alternative for petrochemical plastics and provides a possible way to utilize agricultural waste and mica tailings.

A cell wall-targeted organic-inorganic hybrid nano-catcher for ultrafast capture and SERS detection of invasive fungi.

Due to the extended culture period and various inconveniences in vitro culture, the detection of invasive fungi is rather difficult, leading to high mortality rates of the diseases caused by them. It is, however, crucial for clinical therapy and lowering patient mortality to quickly identify invasive fungus from clinical specimens. A promising non-destructive method for finding fungi is surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), however, its substrate has a low level of selectivity. Clinical sample components can obstruct the target fungi's SERS signal on account of their complexity. Herein, an MNP@PNIPAMAA hybrid organic-inorganic nano-catcher was created by using ultrasonic-initiated polymerization. The caspofungin (CAS), a fungus cell wall-targeting drug, is used in this study. We investigated MNP@PNIPAMAA-CAS as a technique to rapidly extract fungus from complex samples under 3 s. SERS could subsequently be used to instantly identify the fungi that were successfully isolated with an efficacy rate of about 75%. The entire process took just 10 min. This method is an important breakthrough that might be advantageous in terms of the rapid detection of invasive fungi.

Cell-Type-Specific Signalling Networks Impacted by Prostate Epithelial-Stromal Intercellular Communication.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in males. A greater understanding of cell signalling events that occur within the prostate cancer tumour microenvironment (TME), for example, between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and prostate epithelial or cancer cells, may identify novel biomarkers and more effective therapeutic strategies for this disease. To address this, we used cell-type-specific labelling with amino acid precursors (CTAP) to define cell-type-specific (phospho)proteomic changes that occur when prostate epithelial cells are co-cultured with normal patient-derived prostate fibroblasts (NPFs) versus matched CAFs. We report significant differences in the response of BPH-1 benign prostate epithelial cells to CAF versus NPF co-culture. Pathway analysis of proteomic changes identified significant upregulation of focal adhesion and cytoskeleton networks, and downregulation of metabolism pathways, in BPH-1 cells cultured with CAFs. In addition, co-cultured CAFs exhibited alterations in stress, DNA damage, and cytoskeletal networks. Functional validation of one of the top differentially-regulated proteins in BPH-1 cells upon CAF co-culture, transglutaminase-2 (TGM2), demonstrated that knockdown of this protein significantly reduced the proliferation and migration of prostate epithelial cells. Overall, this study provides novel insights into intercellular communication in the prostate cancer TME that may be exploited to improve patient management.

Health literacy and fatigue, anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma from West China: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients are associated with excellent prognosis but impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL) by initial and subsequent therapy. Health literacy plays a pivotal role in public health and medical settings, but data on its relationship with DTC patients' HRQOL are insufficient and equivocal. This study was designed to explore the relationship between health literacy and HRQOL in patients with DTC from West China areas. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a descriptive correlational design was conducted. 126 patients with DTC were recruited between 2020 and 2021. Levels of health literacy and HRQOL (including fatigue level, anxiety/depression status, and somatoform symptoms) were assessed by questionnaires. Pearson product-moment correlation and Stepwise multiple regression were used to examined the adjusted association of health literacy with HRQOL. Results: Health literacy and receiving DTC-related education together explained 16.2% of the variance in fatigue level. Patients who had higher health literacy, received more DTC-related education were currently employed and less fatigue. Health literacy, fatigue level and DTC-related education together explained 31.0% of the variance in anxiety and depression of DTC patients. Patients who had higher health literacy, received more DTC-related education and less fatigue level were less anxious and depressive. Age explained 8.3% of the variance in DTC patients' somatoform symptoms. Older patients complained more somatoform symptoms. Conclusion: Health literacy was positively associated with HRQOL in DTC patients regarding to fatigue level and anxiety/depression status across the entire sample. Interventions to improve HRQOL should take the patients' health literacy into account.

Integrative characterisation of secreted factors involved in intercellular communication between prostate epithelial or cancer cells and fibroblasts.

Reciprocal interactions between prostate cancer cells and carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) mediate cancer development and progression; however, our understanding of the signalling pathways mediating these cellular interactions remains incomplete. To address this, we defined secretome changes upon co-culture of prostate epithelial or cancer cells with fibroblasts that mimic bi-directional communication in tumours. Using antibody arrays, we profiled conditioned media from mono- and co-cultures of prostate fibroblasts, epithelial and cancer cells, identifying secreted proteins that are upregulated in co-culture compared to mono-culture. Six of these (CXCL10, CXCL16, CXCL6, FST, PDGFAA, IL-17B) were functionally screened by siRNA knockdown in prostate cancer cell/fibroblast co-cultures, revealing a key role for follistatin (FST), a secreted glycoprotein that binds and bioneutralises specific members of the TGF-ß superfamily, including activin A. Expression of FST by both cell types was required for the fibroblasts to enhance prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration, whereas FST knockdown in co-culture grafts decreased tumour growth in mouse xenografts. This study highlights the complexity of prostate cancer cell-fibroblast communication, demonstrates that co-culture secretomes cannot be predicted from individual cultures, and identifies FST as a tumour-microenvironment-derived secreted factor that represents a candidate therapeutic target.

Identification of biological pathways and processes regulated by NEK5 in breast epithelial cells via an integrated proteomic approach.

Specific members of the Nima-Related Kinase (NEK) family have been linked to cancer development and progression, and a role for NEK5, one of the least studied members, in breast cancer has recently been proposed. However, while NEK5 is known to regulate centrosome separation and mitotic spindle assembly, NEK5 signalling mechanisms and function in this malignancy require further characterization. To this end, we established a model system featuring overexpression of NEK5 in the immortalized breast epithelial cell line MCF-10A. MCF-10A cells overexpressing NEK5 exhibited an increase in clonogenicity under monolayer conditions and enhanced acinar size and abnormal morphology in 3D Matrigel culture. Interestingly, they also exhibited a marked reduction in Src activation and downstream signalling. To interrogate NEK5 signalling and function in an unbiased manner, we applied a variety of MS-based proteomic approaches. Determination of the NEK5 interactome by Bio-ID identified a variety of protein classes including the kinesins KIF2C and KIF22, the mitochondrial proteins TFAM, TFB2M and MFN2, RhoH effectors and the negative regulator of Src, CSK. Characterization of proteins and phosphosites modulated upon NEK5 overexpression by global MS-based (phospho)proteomic profiling revealed impact on the cell cycle, DNA synthesis and repair, Rho GTPase signalling, the microtubule cytoskeleton and hemidesmosome assembly. Overall, the study indicates that NEK5 impacts diverse pathways and processes in breast epithelial cells, and likely plays a multifaceted role in breast cancer development and progression. Video Abstract.

Proteomic characterisation of prostate cancer intercellular communication reveals cell type-selective signalling and TMSB4X-dependent fibroblast reprogramming.

BACKGROUND: In prostate cancer, the tumour microenvironment (TME) represents an important regulator of disease progression and response to treatment. In the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a key role in tumour progression, however the mechanisms underpinning fibroblast-cancer cell interactions are incompletely resolved. Here, we address this by applying cell type-specific labelling with amino acid precursors (CTAP) and mass spectrometry (MS)-based (phospho)proteomics to prostate cancer for the first time. METHODS: Reciprocal interactions between PC3 prostate cancer cells co-cultured with WPMY-1 prostatic fibroblasts were characterised using CTAP-MS. Signalling network changes were determined using Metascape and Enrichr and visualised using Cytoscape. Thymosin ß4 (TMSB4X) overexpression was achieved via retroviral transduction and assayed by ELISA. Cell motility was determined using Transwell and random cell migration assays and expression of CAF markers by indirect immunofluorescence. RESULTS: WPMY-1 cells co-cultured with PC3s demonstrated a CAF-like phenotype, characterised by enhanced PDGFRB expression and alterations in signalling pathways regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cytoskeletal organisation and cell polarisation. In contrast, co-cultured PC3 cells exhibited more modest network changes, with alterations in mTORC1 signalling and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. The expression of the actin binding protein TMSB4X was significantly decreased in co-cultured WPMY-1 fibroblasts, and overexpression of TMSB4X in fibroblasts decreased migration of co-cultured PC3 cells, reduced fibroblast motility, and protected the fibroblasts from being educated to a CAF-like phenotype by prostate cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the potential of CTAP-MS to characterise intercellular communication within the prostate TME and identify regulators of cellular crosstalk such as TMSB4X.

Novel Therapeutic Targets and Biomarkers Associated with Prostate Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs).

Despite advances in treatment, prostate cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While the vast majority of prostate cancer research has centered on malignant epithelial cells, the tumor mi croenvironment (TME) has recently become increasingly recognized as an important regulator of tumor progression and response to treatment. Among the diverse cell types within the TME, stromal fibroblasts, in particular cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), play an important role in prostate cancer progression. This is highlighted by the prognostic value of CAF markers in prostate cancer, which can predict disease recurrence, metastasis, and patient survival. There are also an increasing number of studies that demonstrate the critical role of CAFs in mediating response to specific therapies and CAF signaling pathways as potential therapeutic targets. However, further investigation into the mechanisms that underpin the interactions between cancer cells and CAFs are required to develop novel therapeutic approaches and identify predictive and prognostic biomarkers in CAFs. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of CAF-dependent regulatory pathways in prostate tumorigenesis and their prognostic and therapeutic potential. Furthermore, we explore the emerging models and technologies that are likely to progress this field of research in terms of discovery and translation to the clinic.

A SERS Platform for Rapid Detection of Drug Resistance of Non-Candida albicans Using Fe3O4@PEI and Triangular Silver Nanoplates.

Purpose: Candida infection has a high mortality rate, and the increasing prevalence of non-Candida albicans drug resistance in recent years poses a potential threat to human health. Non-Candida albicans has long culture cycles, and its firm cell walls making it difficult to isolate DNA for sequencing. Materials and Methods: Fe3O4@PEI (PEI, polyvinyl imine) was mixed with clinical samples to form Fe3O4@PEI@non-Candida albicans and enriched them with magnets. Triangular silver nanoplates enhanced the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal. SERS was used to detect the fingerprint spectrum of non-Candida albicans. Then, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to analyze the drug resistance of non-Candida albicans. Results: SERS combined with OPLS-DA could well analyze the drug resistance of non-Candida albicans. Through 10-fold-cross validation, the accuracy of training and test data is greater than 99%, indicating that the model has good classification ability. We used SERS for the first time to detect the drug resistance of non-Candida albicans directly. Conclusion: This approach can be utilized without causing damage to the cell wall and can be accomplished in as little as 90 minutes. It can provide timely guidance for the treatment of patients with good clinical application potential.

Probiotics: Potential Novel Therapeutics Against Fungal Infections.

The global infection rate of fungal diseases is increasing year by year, and it has gradually become one of the most serious infectious diseases threatening human health. However, the side effects of antifungal drugs and the fungal resistance to these drugs are gradually increasing. Therefore, the development of new broad-spectrum, safe, and economical alternatives to antibacterial drugs are essential. Probiotics are microorganisms that are beneficial for human health. They boost human immunity, resist pathogen colonization, and reduce pathogen infection. Many investigations have shown their inhibitory activity on a wide range of pathogenic fungi. However, their antibacterial mechanism is still a secret. This article reviews the progress of probiotics as a new method for the treatment of fungal diseases.

Synergistic Effects of Boron Nitride (BN) Nanosheets and Silver (Ag) Nanoparticles on Thermal Conductivity and Electrical Properties of Epoxy Nanocomposites.

Polymer composites, with both high thermal conductivity and high electrical insulation strength, are desirable for power equipment and electronic devices, to sustain increasingly high power density and heat flux. However, conventional methods to synthesize polymer composites with high thermal conductivity often degrade their insulation strength, or cause a significant increase in dielectric properties. In this work, we demonstrate epoxy nanocomposites embedded with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and modified boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs), which have high thermal conductivity, high insulation strength, low permittivity, and low dielectric loss. Compared with neat epoxy, the composite with 25 vol% of binary nanofillers has a significant enhancement (~10x) in thermal conductivity, which is twice of that filled with BNNSs only (~5x), owing to the continuous heat transfer path among BNNSs enabled by AgNPs. An increase in the breakdown voltage is observed, which is attributed to BNNSs-restricted formation of AgNPs conducting channels that result in a lengthening of the breakdown path. Moreover, the effects of nanofillers on dielectric properties, and thermal simulated current of nanocomposites, are discussed.

Saccharothrix deserti sp. nov., an actinomycete isolated from desert soil.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic actinomycete, designated strain BMP B8144T, was isolated from desert soil, in Xinjiang province, northwest China. The isolate produced scanty aerial mycelium and fragmented substrate mycelium on most tested media. Cell-wall hydrolysates contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, galactose and mannose. The diagnostic phospholipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylhydroxylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylinositol mannosides. The major fatty acids included iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1 ω8c and iso-C15 : 0. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H4) and MK-10(H4). The DNA G+C content was 70.4 mol% (genome). Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis on EzBioCloud server, strain BMP B8144T showed the closest similarities to Saccharothrix lopnurensis YIM LPA2hT (98.9 %) and 'Saccharothrix yanglingensis' Hhs.015 (98.6 %). However, it can be distinguished from the closest strains based on the low levels of DNA-DNA relatedness (59.3±1.8 and 47.9±2.3 %, respectively). A combination of morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain BMP B8144T represents a novel species of the genus Saccharothrix, for which the name Saccharothrix deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BMP B8144T (=CGMCC 4.7490T=KCTC 49001T).

Proteomic Profiling of Human Prostate Cancer-associated Fibroblasts (CAF) Reveals LOXL2-dependent Regulation of the Tumor Microenvironment.

In prostate cancer, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) exhibit contrasting biological properties to non-malignant prostate fibroblasts (NPF) and promote tumorigenesis. Resolving intercellular signaling pathways between CAF and prostate tumor epithelium may offer novel opportunities for research translation. To this end, the proteome and phosphoproteome of four pairs of patient-matched CAF and NPF were characterized to identify discriminating proteomic signatures. Samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with a hyper reaction monitoring data-independent acquisition (HRM-DIA) workflow. Proteins that exhibited a significant increase in CAF versus NPF were enriched for the functional categories "cell adhesion" and the "extracellular matrix." The CAF phosphoproteome exhibited enhanced phosphorylation of proteins associated with the "spliceosome" and "actin binding." STRING analysis of the CAF proteome revealed a prominent interaction hub associated with collagen synthesis, modification, and signaling. It contained multiple collagens, including the fibrillar types COL1A1/2 and COL5A1; the receptor tyrosine kinase discoidin domain-containing receptor 2 (DDR2), a receptor for fibrillar collagens; and lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2), an enzyme that promotes collagen crosslinking. Increased activity and/or expression of LOXL2 and DDR2 in CAF were confirmed by enzymatic assays and Western blotting analyses. Pharmacological inhibition of CAF-derived LOXL2 perturbed extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and decreased CAF migration in a wound healing assay. Further, it significantly impaired the motility of co-cultured RWPE-2 prostate tumor epithelial cells. These results indicate that CAF-derived LOXL2 is an important mediator of intercellular communication within the prostate tumor microenvironment and is a potential therapeutic target.

Decomposition Characteristics of SF6 under Flashover Discharge on the Epoxy Resin Surface.

In this paper, the flashover discharging experiment was carried out on epoxy resin surface in an SF6 atmosphere under pin-plate electrodes, with the electrodes distance from 5 mm to 9 mm. The concentration of seven characteristic gases was detected, indicating that the concentration of SOF2 and CF4 was the two highest, followed by SO2, CO2, SO2F2, CS2, and H2S. Based on the changes in the concentration of the characteristic gases, a preliminary rule was proposed to predict the occurrence of flashover discharge on epoxy resin: When the concentration of SOF2 reaches twice of CF4 concentration, and the total concentration of both SOF2 and CF4 is much higher than that of H2S, a possible flashover discharge on the epoxy resin surface in SF6-infused electrical equipment occurs. Through the simulation of decomposition of epoxy resin, it has been revealed that H2O has different generation paths that can facilitate the formation of SOF2, finally influencing the concentration variation of the seven characteristic gases.

Thermal Decomposition Properties of Epoxy Resin in SF6/N2 Mixture.

As a promising alternative for pure SF6, the mixture of SF6/N2 appears to be more economic and environment-friendly on the premise of maintaining similar dielectric properties with pure SF6. But less attention has been paid to the thermal properties of an SF6/N2 mixture, especially with insulation materials overheating happening simultaneously. In this paper, thermal decomposition properties of epoxy resin in SF6/N2 mixture with different SF6 volume rates were studied, and the concentrations of characteristic decomposition components were detected based on concentrations change of some characteristic gas components such as CO2, SO2, H2S, SOF2, and CF4. The results showed that thermal properties of 20% SF6/N2 (volume fraction of SF6 is 20%) mixture has faster degradation than 40% SF6/N2 mixture. As ratio of SF6 content decreases, thermal stability of the system decreases, and the decomposition process of SF6 is exacerbated. Moreover, a mathematical model was established to determine happening of partial overheating faults on the epoxy resin surface in SF6/N2 mixture. Also thermal decomposition process of epoxy resin was simulated by the ReaxFF force field to reveal basic chemical reactions in terms of bond-breaking order, which further verified that CO2 and H2O produced during thermal decomposition of epoxy resin can intensify degradation of SF6 dielectric property.

[The Inhibitory Effect and Mechanism of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Prostate Cancer Metastasis].

OBJECTIVE: To test whether umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UMSCs) can inhibit the growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells, and to investigate the mechanism. METHODS: The UMSCs from human umbilical cord tissue were isolate by explant technique. After being co-cultured the UMSCs with LNCaP and PC-3 cells for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, LNCaP and PC-3 cells' proliferation were tested and the 72 h proliferation inhibitory rate (IR) was calculated. Transwell invasion assay was used to test the migration and invasion abilities of prostate cancer cells after being co-cultured with UMSCs for 48 h. The invasion IR were calculated. The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, MMP-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 in the 72 h co-culture supernatants were tested by MILLIPLEX®MAPmethod. RESULTS: The proliferation of prostate cancer cells was inhibited after being co-cultured with UMSCs. The proliferation rate of LNCaP was lower than control group at 72 h (P<0.05), and the proliferation IR was 37.21%. The proliferation rate of PC-3 was lower than control group at 48 h and 72 h (P<0.05), and the proliferation IR was 31.27% at 72 h. Transwell invasion assays showed that co-culturing 48 h with UMSCs inhibited the invasive abilities of LNCaP and PC-3, and the invasion IR were 48.35% (LNCaP) and 46.91% (PC-3). Co-culturing 72 h, the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were down-regulated (P<0.05) and the secretion of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were up-regulated (P<0.05) compared with control group. CONCLUSION: UMSCs can inhibit the proliferation and invasion abilities of prostate cancer cells by secreting TIMPs, the antagonist of MMPs, which suppressed the overexpression of MMPs.

Computational Thermomechanical Properties of Silica⁻Epoxy Nanocomposites by Molecular Dynamic Simulation.

Silica⁻epoxy nanocomposite models were established to investigate the influence of silane coupling agent on the structure and thermomechanical properties of the nanocomposites through molecular dynamics simulation. Results revealed that incorporating silica nanoparticles into a polymer matrix could improve thermomechanical properties of the composites and increase their glass transition temperature and thermal conductivity. Their thermomechanical properties were further enhanced through silane coupling agent modification on the surface of fillers. Compared with that of pure epoxy, the glass transition temperatures of the silica⁻epoxy composites with grafting ratios of 5% and 10% increased by 17 and 28 K, respectively. The thermal conductivities of the two models at room temperature respectively increased by 60.0% and 67.1%. At higher temperature 450 K, thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite model with a high grafting ratio of 10% demonstrated a considerable increase of approximately 50% over the pure epoxy resin (EP) model. The elastic and shear modulus of the nanocomposite models decreased at temperatures below their glass transition temperatures. These observations were further addressed in the interpretation from three aspects: segmental mobility capability, radial distribution function, and free volume fraction. Our computational results are largely consistent with existing experimental data, and our simulation model got fully validated.

Theoretical Study on Decomposition Mechanism of Insulating Epoxy Resin Cured by Anhydride.

High temperatures caused by partial discharge results in the decomposition of insulating epoxy resins in electrical equipment. In this paper, the ReaxFF force field is used to investigate the decomposition process of epoxy resins cured by anhydride and the formation mechanisms of small-molecule gases. Results show that the initiation reaction is the cleavage of an ester bond linked with an epoxy resin. Produced by the decomposition of ester groups, CO2 is the first and most abundant product. Meanwhile, CH2O can be generated through three main ways, although the process still depends on the decomposition of epoxy functional groups. H2O is produced by free radical collision and dehydration. The production of small-molecule gases has the following sequence: CO2, CH2O, CO, and H2O. The produced gases have the following order according to amount: CO2, CH2O, H2O, and CO.

Gonadotropins facilitate potential differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into Leydig cells in vitro.

Infertility due to low testosterone levels has increased in recent years. This has impacted the social well-being of the patients. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential of gonadotropins in facilitating differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into Leydig cells in vitro. BMSCs were isolated, cultured, and their biological characteristics were observed. BMSCs were induced with gonadotropins in vitro and their ability to differentiate into Leydig cells was studied. The level of expression of 3-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ß-HSD) and secretion of testosterone were determined using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively, and the results were compared between the experimental and control groups. The cultured BMSCs showed a typical morphology of the fibroblast-like colony. The growth curve of cells formed an S-shape. After inducing the cells for 8-13 days, the cells in the experimental group increased in size and showed typical characteristics of Leydig cells, and the growth occurred in spindle or stellate shapes. Cells from the experimental group highly expressed 3ß-HSD, and there was a gradual increase in the number of Leydig cells. The control group did not express 3ß-HSD. The level of testosterone in the experimental group was higher than the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the cells in the experimental group secreted higher levels of testosterone with increased culture time. The expression of Leydig cell-specific markers in the experimental group was significantly higher (p < 0.05). With these findings, BMSCs can be considered a new approach for the treatment of patients with low androgen levels.

The impact of tumor location and multifocality on prognosis for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

There is lack of consensus regarding the prognostic significance of primary tumor location of upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC). We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of primary tumor location on prognosis in patients with UTUC who had undergone radical nephroureterectomy(RNU). We included eligible studies that reported hazard ratios(HRs) estimates with 95% confidence intervals(CIs) for the association between tumor location and recurrence-free survival(RFS) and cancer-specific survival(CSS) of UTUC. The local advanced tumors(pT3/4) and nodal positive(pN+) tumors in patients stratified by tumor location were also estimated. The review contained 17 studies including a total of 12094 patients were identified. Although it was not significant in univariable analysis, meta-analysis demonstrated that ureteral tumors had a worse prognosis than renal pelvic tumors on RFS and CSS in multivariable analysis after adjusted for all covariates. Multifocal tumors also showed a significantly association with both disease progression and cancer-specific mortality in univariable and multivariable analyses. However, no statistically significant differences were found between renal pelvic and ureteral tumors in presentation of pT3/4 and pN+ tumors. Our meta-analysis indicated that ureteral and multifocal tumors are independent prognosticators of disease progression and cancer-specific survival in patients with UTUC treated with RNU.