Microscopic internal spermatic-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis for treating left varicocele.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of microscopic internal spermatic-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis in the treatment of left varicocele and compare it with microscopic spermatic vein ligation for the same condition. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 74 patients with left varicocele between July 2020 and July 2022 was performed. The patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical method used. Group A consisted of 37 patients who underwent microscopic internal spermatic-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis, while Group B consisted of 37 patients who underwent microscopic spermatic vein ligation. Comparison of preoperative and postoperative semen quality, reproductive hormone levels, scrotal ultrasound results, duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, postoperative recurrence rate, and occurrence of complications with a follow-up time of 12 mo between two groups. RESULTS: Both groups showed significant improvements in semen quality and serum reproductive hormone levels. The Group A demonstrated significantly improved sperm forward motility compared to Group B, but had longer operation times and hospital stays (P < 0.05). After 1 year of follow-up, 8 partners in Group A and 6 partners in Group B achieved natural conception, with no significant difference between the two groups. There were no recurrences observed in either group during the follow-up period, and no significant statistical differences were found in other postoperative observation indicators. CONCLUSIONS: Both microscopic internal spermatic-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis and microscopic spermatic vein ligation are effective surgical methods for treating left varicocele. Anastomosis surgery provides greater improvement in sperm motility, although it is associated with longer operation times and hospital stays.

Controlled-release hydrogel loaded with magnesium-based nanoflowers synergize immunomodulation and cartilage regeneration in tendon-bone healing.

Tendon-bone interface injuries pose a significant challenge in tissue regeneration, necessitating innovative approaches. Hydrogels with integrated supportive features and controlled release of therapeutic agents have emerged as promising candidates for the treatment of such injuries. In this study, we aimed to develop a temperature-sensitive composite hydrogel capable of providing sustained release of magnesium ions (Mg2+). We synthesized magnesium-Procyanidin coordinated metal polyphenol nanoparticles (Mg-PC) through a self-assembly process and integrated them into a two-component hydrogel. The hydrogel was composed of dopamine-modified hyaluronic acid (Dop-HA) and F127. To ensure controlled release and mitigate the "burst release" effect of Mg2+, we covalently crosslinked the Mg-PC nanoparticles through coordination bonds with the catechol moiety within the hydrogel. This crosslinking strategy extended the release window of Mg2+ concentrations for up to 56 days. The resulting hydrogel (Mg-PC@Dop-HA/F127) exhibited favorable properties, including injectability, thermosensitivity and shape adaptability, making it suitable for injection and adaptation to irregularly shaped supraspinatus implantation sites. Furthermore, the hydrogel sustained the release of Mg2+ and Procyanidins, which attracted mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells, alleviated inflammation, and promoted macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype. Additionally, it enhanced collagen synthesis and mineralization, facilitating the repair of the tendon-bone interface. By incorporating multilevel metal phenolic networks (MPN) to control ion release, these hybridized hydrogels can be customized for various biomedical applications.

Fibromodulin overexpression drives oral squamous cell carcinoma via activating downstream EGFR signaling.

Accumulating evidence has shown that fibromodulin (FMOD) plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, the biological function of FMOD in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains largely unclear to date. In this study, we confirmed that FMOD was overexpressed and showed a significant association with malignant progression and lymph node metastasis in OSCC. Depletion of FMOD inhibited OSCC proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing, western blotting, and rescue assays verified that FMOD exerted oncogenic roles in OSCC via activation of EGFR signaling. In addition, FMOD was proved to be a putative target gene of miR-338-3p. Taken together, FMOD overexpression due to the reduced level of miR-338-3p promotes OSCC by activating EGFR signaling. Our findings provide direct evidence that targeting FMOD could be a promising therapeutic strategy for OSCC patients.

Improvement and Performance Evaluation of a Dual-Probe Heat Pulse Distributed Temperature Sensing Method Used for Soil Moisture Estimation.

Large-scale measurements of soil moisture play a critical role in many fields, such as agriculture, hydrology, and engineering. The distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technology, based on a dual-probe heat pulse (DPHP), is a novel approach to realizing large-scale soil moisture estimation. However, the application of the method is limited by the complex optical cable layout, calculation algorithm, and lack of standardized heating strategy. In this paper, an improved DPHP-DTS method considering the soil bulk density was proposed. The measurement accuracy of the DPHP-DTS method under different heating strategies was studied in laboratory experiments, and its long-term stability in regard to the monitoring of soil moisture during natural evaporation in different soils was tested. The results show that the improved DPHP-DTS method can accurately measure the soil moisture, and the fitting algorithm can reduce the error caused by the accuracy of the DTS temperature measurement under the low-power heating strategy. Its measurement accuracy increases with the increase in the heating strength and duration. In addition, the improved DPHP-DTS method can describe soil evaporation in both sand and loess with good reliability and stability.

Effect of secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor on early tendon-to-bone healing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a rat model.

AIMS: To verify whether secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) can promote early tendon-to-bone healing after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: In vitro: the mobility of the rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) treated with SLPI was evaluated by scratch assay. Then the expression levels of osteogenic differentiation-related genes were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) to determine the osteogenic effect of SLPI on BMSCs. In vivo: a rat model of ACL reconstruction was used to verify the effect of SLPI on tendon-to-bone healing. All the animals of the SLPI group and the negative control (NC) group were euthanized for histological evaluation, micro-CT scanning, and biomechanical testing. RESULTS: SLPI improved the migration ability of BMSCs and upregulated the expression of genes related to osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro. In vivo, the SLPI group had higher histological scores at the tendon-bone interface by histological evaluation. Micro-CT showed more new bone formation and bone ingrowth around the grafted tendon in the SLPI group. Evaluation of the healing strength of the tendon-bone connection showed that the SLPI group had a higher maximum failure force and stiffness. CONCLUSION: SLPI can effectively promote early tendon-to-bone healing after ACL reconstruction via enhancing the migration and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(7):503-512.

Analysis of Vehicle Collision on an Assembled Anti-Collision Guardrail.

Traffic accidents such as vehicle collisions with bridge guardrails occur frequently. These accidents cause damage to the driver and the vehicle as well as the bridge. A new type of assembled anti-collision guardrail is proposed in this study. LS-DYNA is a nonlinear display dynamic analysis software used to evaluate the safety of a new type of assembled anti-collision guardrail. A specific, numerically analyzed model of vehicle-guardrail collision is established using LS-DYNA. The energy distribution-time curve of the vehicle collision process is obtained. After comparison with measured data from the vehicle collision test, the model of vehicle-guardrail collision is verified as being correct. Based on this, we analyze the process of a vehicle collision on the assembled anti-collision guardrail. The result shows that the assembled anti-collision guardrail proposed in this paper can better change the trajectory of a moving vehicle and can prevent the vehicle from falling off the bridge. From the car body collision results, the assembled anti-collision guardrail for bridges proposed in this paper can reduce vehicle damage and can protect the driver effectively. From the analysis of the main girder stress on the bridge, an anti-collision guardrail installed on an existing bridge will not cause damage to the main girder during a collision. In order to study the influence of the four parameters on the anti-collision effect, we carried out a comparative calculation of multiple working conditions. The results show that the new type of assembled anti-collision guardrail has good protective performance under different working conditions.

Influence Factors of Sexual Intercourse Frequency in Infertile Couples without Sexual Dysfunction in Southwest China: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the sexual intercourse frequency (SIF) of infertile couples without sexual dysfunction and analyze its related influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of a total number of 4,923 infertile couples without sexual dysfunction who received treatment in our assisted reproductive center from October 2016 to October 2018. Both partners of couples were inquired about their information of demographic statistics, occupations, lifestyles, education backgrounds, psychological characteristics, and testostrone levels of male patients. The multivariable linear regression analysis was applied to evaluate the influence of various variables on SIF. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) SIF of infertile couples without sexual dysfunction was 7 (6.5-8) times per month. Lower academic qualification and younger age were predictive of increased SIF in both partners. The SIF of Chinese Han women and Chinese Zang women is higher than that of other ethnic groups. Men with lower testosterone (<10 nmol/L) were associated with lower SIF. The BMI, occupation, alcohol consumption, races of both partners of couples, and smoking status of males were not associated with SIF. Multivariable linear regression analysis indicated that only the age and the education level of men played an important role in SIF, and educational level of men had the greatest impact, followed by men's age. CONCLUSION: In our study, we analyzed demographics data, occupational characteristics, and lifestyle behaviors of both partners, as well as men's testosterone levels; we also reported the related SIF. According to our research, men's education level was the most important factor in predicting SIF, followed by men's age. Testosterone levels of men do not appear to play a substantial role in predicting SIF in infertile couples.

HIF-1α Induces HECTD2 Up-Regulation and Aggravates the Malignant Progression of Renal Cell Cancer via Repressing miR-320a.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a frequent malignancy of the urinary system. It has been found that hypoxia mediates the malignant evolvement of RCC. Here, we probe the impact and potential mechanism of HECT domain E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase 2 (HECTD2) and HIF-1α on regulating RCC evolvement. RCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected, and the association between the expression profiles of HECTD2 and HIF-1α and the clinicopathological features was analyzed. Additionally, we constructed HECTD2/HIF-1α overexpression and knockdown models in RCC cell lines to ascertain the impacts of HECTD2 and HIF-1α on RCC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and growth in vivo. We applied bioinformatics to predict the upstream miRNA targets of HECTD2. Meanwhile, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and the dual-luciferase reporter assays were employed to clarify the targeting association between HECTD2 and miR-320a. The effect of miR-320a on HECTD2-mediated RCC progression was investigated. The results suggested that both HIF-1α and HECTD2 were up-regulated in RCC (compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues), and they had positive relationship. Moreover, higher level of HECTD2 and HIF-1α is associated with poorer overall survival of RCC patients. HECTD2 overexpression heightened RCC cell proliferation and migration, and weakened cell apoptosis. On the other hand, the malignant phenotypes of RCC cells were signally impeded by HECTD2 or HIF-1α knockdown. Moreover, miR-320a targeted the 3'-untranslated region of HECTD2 and suppressed HECTD2 expression. The rescue experiments showed that miR-320a restrained HECTD2-mediated malignant progression in RCC, while up-regulation of HIF-1α hampered miR-320a expression. Collectively, HIF-1α mediated HECTD2 up-regulation and aggravated RCC progression by attenuating miR-320a.

Long Non-Coding RNA TUG1 Promotes Cell Proliferation and Inhibits Cell Apoptosis, Autophagy in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma via MiR-31-5p/FLOT1 Axis.

PURPOSE: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common urological carcinoma in adults. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) has been reported to be involved in the progression of diverse human cancers, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, the biological mechanism of TUG1 was rarely reported in ccRCC. METHODS: The levels of TUG1, microRNA miR-31-5p and flotillin 1 (FLOT1) in ccRCC tissues and cells were detected by qRT-PCR. The interactions between miR-31-5p and TUG1 or FLOT1 were predicted by starBase v2.0 and TargetScan, respectively, which were further validated by RIP assay and RNA pull-down assay. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry and Western blot were used to assess the effects of TUG1 on cell viability, apoptosis rate and the relative protein expression levels in ccRCC cells. In addition, the xenograft tumor assay was conducted to further verify the functions of TUG1 in ccRCC in vivo. RESULTS: TUG1 was dramatically up-regulated in ccRCC tissues and cells. TUG1 silencing inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis, autophagy in 786-0 and A498 cells. In addition, TUG1 depletion repressed tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, miR-31-5p was validated as a direct target of TUG1, and microRNA miR-31-5p inhibitor mitigated the effects of TUG1 knockdown on ccRCC progression. Furthermore, FLOT1 was verified to be negatively interacted with miR-31-5p. FLOT1 overexpression attenuated miR-31-5p-mediated inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and promotion effects on cell apoptosis, autophagy. The restoration experiment implicated that TUG1 positively modulated FLOT1 expression by sponging miR-31-5p. CONCLUSION: All data demonstrated that TUG1 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis and autophagy in ccRCC by miR-31-5p/FLOT1 axis, which may provide a therapeutic target for ccRCC patients.

Microsurgical gonadal-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis to treat the nutcracker phenomenon with left gonadal vein varices with reflux.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of microsurgical gonadal-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis for the treatment of the nutcracker phenomenon (NCP) associated with left gonadal vein varices with reflux. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with NCP associated with left gonadal vein varices with reflux diagnosed in our hospital from June 2016 to June 2018 were included. All patients underwent a shunt operation consisting of microsurgical gonadal-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis, and the patients were followed up for 1 year. RESULTS: All patients were successfully operated on, with an average operation time of 96.5 ± 12.3 min. After a 1-year follow-up, the symptom of gross hematuria disappeared in 3 patients (including 1 woman). For the other 32 patients, the sperm concentration (27.43 ± 8.68 × 106/ml) and motility (33.06 ± 4.27%) postoperatively were significantly higher than that preoperatively (16.21 ± 6.43 × 106/ml and 23.48 ± 4.43%, respectively) (P < 0.05); among these patients, 2 had natural pregnancies with their spouses. The peak velocity (PV) at the aortomesenteric portion of the left renal vein (LRV) and the PV ratio between the aortomesenteric and hilar portion of the LRV significantly decreased after surgery (117.9 ± 30.4 cm/s vs 76.6 ± 18.5 cm/s; 7.3 ± 0.7 vs 4.1 ± 0.4). Two patients had complications of mild hydroceles requiring no intervention, and no major complications were observed during and after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the microsurgical gonadal-inferior epigastric vein anastomosis is both effective and safe to treat patients with gonadal varicose veins caused by the nutcracker phenomenon.