High expression of centromere protein A and its molecular mechanism and clinical significance in prostate cancer: A study based on data mining and immunohistochemistry.

The progression of prostate cancer (PCa) leads to poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of PCa is still not completely clear. This study aimed to elucidate the important role of centromere protein A (CENPA) in PCa. Large numbers of bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data and in-house immunohistochemistry data were used in analysing the expression level of CENPA in PCa and metastatic PCa (MPCa). Single-cell RNA-seq data was used to explore the expression status of CENPA in different prostate subpopulations. Enrichment analysis was employed to detect the function of CENPA in PCa. Clinicopathological parameters analysis was utilised in analysing the clinical value of CENPA. The results showed that CENPA was upregulated in PCa (standardised mean difference [SMD] = 0.83, p = 0.001) and MPCa (SMD = 0.61, p = 0.029). CENPA was overexpressed in prostate cancer stem cells (CSCs) with androgen receptor (AR) negative compared to epithelial cells with AR positive. CENPA may influence the development of PCa through affecting cell cycle. Patients with nodal metastasis had higher expression level of CENPA. And patients with high CENPA expression had poor disease-free survival. Taken together, Overexpression of CENPA may influence the development of PCa by regulating cell cycle and promoting metastasis.

Early-stage NiCrMo oxidation revealed by cryo-transmission electron microscopy.

Hydroxide formation at the surface of corroded alloys is critical for understanding early-stage oxidation of many corrosion-resistant alloys. Many hydroxides are unstable in an ambient environment and are electron-beam sensitive, limiting the use of conventionally-prepared specimens for transmission electron microscopy characterization of these alloy-water interfaces. In order to avoid sample dehydration, NiCrMo alloys corroded in a Cl--containing electrolyte solution were cryo-immobilized by plunge freezing. A cryo-focused ion beam microscope was used to thin the sample to electron transparency, while preserving the alloy-water interface, and the sample was then cryo-transferred to a transmission electron microscope for imaging and diffraction. The presence of rocksalt Ni1-xCr2x/3O and ß-Ni1-xCr2x/3(OH)2 phases and their orientational relationship to the underlying alloy were observed with electron diffraction, confirming the preservation of the surface structure through the fully-cryogenic sample preparation and analysis.

Nonequilibrium Solute Capture in Passivating Oxide Films.

We report experimental results on the composition and crystallography of oxides formed on NiCrMo alloys during both high-temperature oxidation and aqueous corrosion experiments. Detailed characterization using transmission electron microscopy and diffraction, aberration-corrected chemical analysis, and atom probe tomography shows unexpected combinations of composition and crystallography, far outside thermodynamic solubility limits. The results are explained using a theory for nonequilibrium solute capture that combines thermodynamic, kinetic, and density functional theory analyses. In this predictive nonequilibrium framework, the composition and crystallography are controlled by the rapidly moving interface. The theoretical framework explains the unusual combinations of composition and crystallography, which we predict will be common for many other systems in oxidation and corrosion, and other solid-state processes involving nonequilibrium moving interfaces.

Association between Recreational Physical Activity and the Risk of Upper Urinary Calculi.

OBJECTIVE: Upper urinary calculi (UUC) is considered to be a comprehensive disease associated with many risk factors, but the role of physical activity (PA) is undefined. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate this relationship in Asian populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with UUC were the subjects of study and those who participated in a health examination in local medical center were included as controls. Information was collected through the same standard questionnaire. A metabolic equivalent score (METs) was measured for each kind of activity. OR of UUC in categories of PA were determined by logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 1,782 controls and 1,517 cases were enrolled. People who took higher PA (5-9.9, 10-19.9, 20-29.9 and >30 METs/wk) weekly were associated with lower risks of UUC than those took lower PA (<4.9 METs/wk) after adjusting for age, ethnicity, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, water intake, history of gout, history of diabetes mellitus, history of supplemental calcium use and history of hypertension (adjusted OR 0.11, 0.32, 0.24, 0.34; 95% CI 0.08-0.15, 0.23-0.43, 0.15-0.40, 0.22-0.53, respectively; p value <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In our cross-sectional study, PA was associated with UUC.

Plasticity mechanisms in HfN at elevated and room temperature.

HfN specimens deformed via four-point bend tests at room temperature and at 2300 °C (~0.7 Tm) showed increased plasticity response with temperature. Dynamic diffraction via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed ⟨110⟩{111} as the primary slip system in both temperature regimes and ⟨110⟩{110} to be a secondary slip system activated at elevated temperature. Dislocation line lengths changed from a primarily linear to a curved morphology with increasing temperature suggestive of increased dislocation mobility being responsible for the brittle to ductile temperature transition. First principle generalized stacking fault energy calculations revealed an intrinsic stacking fault (ISF) along ⟨112⟩{111}, which is the partial dislocation direction for slip on these close packed planes. Though B1 structures, such as NaCl and HfC predominately slip on ⟨110⟩{110}, the ISF here is believed to facilitate slip on the {111} planes for this B1 HfN phase.

Grain Boundary Specific Segregation in Nanocrystalline Fe(Cr).

A cross-correlative precession electron diffraction - atom probe tomography investigation of Cr segregation in a Fe(Cr) nanocrystalline alloy was undertaken. Solute segregation was found to be dependent on grain boundary type. The results of which were compared to a hybrid Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation that predicted the segregation for special character, low angle, and high angle grain boundaries, as well as the angle of inclination of the grain boundary. It was found that the highest segregation concentration was for the high angle grain boundaries and is explained in terms of clustering driven by the onset of phase separation. For special character boundaries, the highest Gibbsain interfacial excess was predicted at the incoherent ∑3 followed by ∑9 and ∑11 boundaries with negligible segregation to the twin and ∑5 boundaries. In addition, the low angle grain boundaries predicted negligible segregation. All of these trends matched well with the experiment. This solute-boundary segregation dependency for the special character grain boundaries is explained in terms of excess volume and the energetic distribution of the solute in the boundary.

Bonding effects on the slip differences in the B1 monocarbides.

Differences in plasticity are usually attributed to significant changes in crystalline symmetry or the strength of the interatomic bonds. In the B1 monocarbides, differences in slip planes exist at low temperatures despite having the same structure and very similar bonding characteristics. Our experimental results demonstrate concretely that HfC slips on {110} planes while TaC slips on {111} planes. Density functional theory calculations rationalize this difference through the formation of an intrinsic stacking fault on the {111} planes, formation of Shockley partials, and enhanced metallic bonding because of the valence filling of electrons between these transitional metal carbides.

[Composition analyses of bilateral urinary tract calculis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the composition of bilateral urinary tract calculi so as to guide treatments. METHODS: A total of 126 patients with bilateral urinary calculi were recruited to undergo percutaneous nephrolithotomy or ureteroscopes lithotripsy. And 256 extracted stones were analyzed by infrared spectrophotometry. RESULTS: The components of these stones were mainly mixture. The compositions included calcium oxalate (n = 214, 85%), carbonate apatite (n = 113, 45%), phosphate (n = 43, 17%) and uric acid (n = 28, 11%). And 63 patients had the same stone composition in bilateral urinary stones and 26 of them were of pure calcium oxalate, 2 phosphate while another 36 mixture. Different compositions were present in 60 patients with bilateral urinary stones. CONCLUSION: The compositions of bilateral urinary stones are not always identical in a patient. The overall patient status should be considered if one side urinary stone is treated according to the composition analysis results of another side counterpart.

Effects of renal pelvic high-pressure perfusion on nephrons in a porcine pyonephrosis model.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of various renal pelvic pressure gradients on nephrons with purulent infection. Five miniature test pigs were selected. One side of the kidney was used to prepare the pyonephrosis model and the other side was used as the healthy control. A piezometer and a water fill tube were inserted into the renal pelvis through the ureter. Prior to perfusion, punctures were made on the healthy and purulent sides of the kidneys to obtain tissues (as controls). Subsequently, a puncture biopsy was conducted on the kidneys at five pressure levels: 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mmHg. Once the renal pelvic pressure had increased, the healthy and injured kidneys presented pathological changes, including dilation of the renal tubule and capsule and compression of the renal glomerulus. When the renal pelvic pressure exceeded 20 mmHg, the injured kidney presented more damage. Electron microscopy revealed that the increase in pressure resulted in the following: the podocyte gap widened, the epithelial cells of the renal capsule separated from the basement membrane, the basement membrane thickness became uneven, the continuity of the basement membrane was interrupted at multiple positions and the renal tubule microvillus arrangement became disorganised. The manifestations in the pyonephrosis model were more distinct compared with those in the healthy kidney. As the renal pelvic pressure exceeds 20 mmHg under a renal purulent infection status, the nephrons become damaged. The extent of the damage is aggravated as the pressure is increased.

[Transurethral plasmakinetic enucleation of prostate and suprapubic small cut in the treatment of high risk and senior patient with benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder stones].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficiency of transurethral plasmakinetic enucleation of prostate (TUPKEP) and suprapubic small cut in the treatment of high-risk and senior patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder stones. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted for 68 high-risk and senior patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder stones. All of them were treated by TUPKEP and suprapubic small cut. RESULTS: Operation was successfully performed in all 68 cases. And there was no instance of transurethral resection syndrome, shock, myocardial infarct, cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, permanent urinary incontinence or surgical site infection. Seven patients with temporal urinary incontinence recovered at a mean time of (9.48 ± 1.52) days post-operation. The mean operative duration was (48.63 ± 4.14) min and the mean volume of blood loss (50.97 ± 5.33) ml. The changes of maximum flow rate (Qmax), international prostatic symptom score (I-PSS) and quality-of-life (QOL) were statistically significant before and after operation. Qmax increased from (4.56 ± 0.35) to (18.82 ± 1.65) ml/s (P < 0.001), I-PSS decreased form (21.96 ± 1.89) to (11.23 ± 0.86) (P = 0.018) and QOL decreased from (4.94 ± 0.35) to (1.95 ± 0.32) (P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: The approach of TUPKEP and suprapubic small cut is both safe and effective in the treatment of high-risk and senior patient with benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder stones and should be widely applied.

[Treatment of calculous pyonephrosis with percutaneous nephrolithotomy via the standard access].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of treatment for calculous pyonephrosis with first stage percutaneous nephrolithotomy under the standard access. METHODS: Thirty-six cases of calculous pyonephrosis and 36 cases of urolithiasis with no pyonephrosis were treated by percutaneous nephrolithotomy. In the nephrostomy, the caliber was dilated to F24. All the operations were preformed through the EMS lithotrity system. The intrapelvic pressure was detected in the operation. The hemoculture before and after operation, the germi culture of urine, and the temperature and blood leucocyte changes after operation were recorded. All the patients were treated by antibiotics before and after the operation. RESULTS: All the patients were treated successfully. The average intrapelvic pressure were 23.2 cmH(2)O in non-pyonephrosis group and 22.8 cmH(2)O in pyonephrosis group. Both of the groups had 1 case of transient bacteremia after the operation. No significant difference was found in the other indices between the two groups. CONCLUSION: EMS lithotrity system is safe and feasible for treating calculous pyonephrosis with stage I percutaneous nephrolithotomy via the standard access.

[Sorting of spermatogonial stem cells in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To search for an effective method for enriching spermatogonial stem cells in mice. METHODS: Bilateral artificial cryptorchidism was performed on 20 six-week old male Kunming mice. Three months after the operation, the testes were removed and single cell suspension prepared by two-step enzyme digestion. FITC-conjugated anti-alpha6-integrin antibody and PE-conjugated anti-c-kit antibody were added for adequate time on ice. Then the cells with low side scatter light-scattering properties were sorted and positively stained for alpha6-integrin and negative c-kit expression. And the viability of the isolated cells was assessed by trypan blue exclusion. RESULTS: The sorted spermatogonial stem cells constitute 2.8% of the testis cells and over 95% of them were viable. CONCLUSION: FACS can be used to isolate quantities of viable spermatogonial stem cells.