Comparative and phylogenetic analysis of the complete chloroplast genomes of ten Pittosporum species from East Asia.

Pittosporum (Pittosporaceae) is famous as the ornamental and medical values, which is distributed tropical and subtropical regions of Eastern Hemisphere. The few phylogenetic studies have included samples from the Pacific Island, but the phylogenetic relationships of Asian species has not been studied. Here, the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of ten Pittosporum species from East Asia were first sequenced and compared with those of the published species of this genus. Our results indicated that cp genomes of these species had a typical and conserved quadripartite structure. 131 genes were identical in order and orientation and no changes of inverted repeat (IR) occurred. However, the comparative analysis of cp genomes suggested that sequence divergence mainly appeared in non-coding or intergenic regions, in which several divergence hotspots were identified. By contrast, protein-coding genes showed the lowest variance under strong purifying selection. Phylogenetic analysis based on the cp genome sequences showed that the tested Pittosporum species were clustered into two major clades, in which the Asian species formed Clade I and the remaining species from Australia and New Zealand formed Clade II with high support values, which was consistent with the results of ITS data with low support values. These results suggested that cp genome is a robust phylogenetic indicator for deep nodes in the phylogeny of Pittosporum. Meanwhile, these results will provide the valuable information to better understand the phylogeny and biogeography of Pittosporum.

The Application of CT Radiomics in the Diagnosis of Vein Wall Invasion in Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma Combined With Tumor Thrombus.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the application of radiomics combined with machine learning to establish different models to assist in the diagnosis of venous wall invasion in patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous tumor thrombus and to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 169 patients in Peking University Third Hospital from March 2015 to January 21, who was diagnosed as renal mass with venous invasion. According to the intraoperative findings, 111 patients were classified to the venous wall invasion group and 58 cases in the non-invasion group. ITK-snap was used for tumor segmentation and PyRadiomics 3.0.1 package was used for feature extraction. A total of 1598 features could be extracted from each CT image. The patients were divided into training set and testing set by time. The elastic-net regression with 4-fold cross-validation was used as a dimension-reduction method. After feature selection, a support vector machines (SVM) model, a logistic regression (LR) model, and an extra trees (ET) model were established. Then the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of each model on the testing set. RESULTS: Patients before September 2019 were divided into the training set, of which 88 patients were in the invasion group and 42 patients were in the non-invasion group. The others were in the testing set, of which 32 patients were in the invasion group and 16 patients were in the non-invasion group. A total of 34 radiomics features were obtained by the elastic-net regression. The SVM model had an AUC value of 0.641 (95% CI, 0.463-0.769), a sensitivity of 1.000, and a specificity of 0.062. The LR model had an AUC value of 0.769 (95% CI, 0.620-0.877), a sensitivity of 0.913, and a specificity of 0.312. The ET model had an AUC value of 0.853 (95% CI, 0.734-0.948), a sensitivity of 0.783, and a specificity of 0.812. Among the 3 models, the ET model had the best diagnostic effect, with a good balance of sensitivity and specificity. And the higher the tumor thrombus grade, the better the diagnostic efficacy of the ET model. In inferior vena cava tumor thrombus, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and AUC of ET model can be improved to 0.889, 0.800, 0.857, 0.878 (95% CI, 0.745-1.000). CONCLUSION: Machine learning combined with radiomics method can effectively identify whether venous wall was invaded by tumor thrombus and has high diagnostic efficacy with an AUC of 0.853 (95% CI, 0.734-0.948).

Metabolic adaptation following gastric bypass surgery: results from a 2-year observational study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Metabolic adaptation is the lowering of basal metabolic rate (BMR) beyond what is predicted from changes in fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) and may hamper weight-loss progression. It is unclear whether metabolic adaptation occurs following gastric bypass surgery (GBP) and if it persists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reduction in BMR that is not explained by changes in body composition in patients following GBP compared to a weight-stable comparator group. SUBJECTS: Thirty-one patients [77.4% female; mean BMI 45.5(SD 7.0) kg/m2; age 47.4(11.6)y] who underwent GBP, and 32 time-matched comparators [50% female; BMI 27.2(4.6) kg/m2; age 41.8(13.6)y) were evaluated at 1-month pre-surgery, 3-, 12- and 24-months post-surgery. METHODS: BMR was measured under standardised residential conditions using indirect calorimetry and body composition using DXA. Linear regression analyses assessed metabolic adaptation post-surgery. RESULTS: After surgery, patients lost a quarter of their body weight [-25.6%(1.8%); p < 0.0001] consisting mainly of FM (4:1 FM to FFM loss ratio) at 24-months post-surgery. Absolute BMR (MJ/d) reduced by 25.7% at 24-months post-surgery with values becoming similar to the comparator group from 3-months post-surgery. Positive associations were observed between changes in BMR and changes in FFM and FM (P < 0.03). Metabolic adaptation was present in patients during the 1) rapid weight loss phase (6.9 kg/month at 3-months post-surgery) (p = 0.011), 2) slower weight loss phase (1.6 kg/month from 3 to 12-months post-surgery) (p < 0.0001), and, 3) weight maintenance phase (24-months post-surgery) (p = 0.00073). However, the degree of metabolic adaptation observed in GBP patients was similar to the weight-stable comparator group (no metabolic adaptation) from 12-months post-surgery onwards (3-months; p = 0.01, 12-months; p = 0.26, 24-months post-surgery; p = 0.70). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that there is a potential biological mechanism of surgery that attenuates the expected postoperative downregulation in BMR thus helping GBP patients maintain weight loss.

A SRC-slug-TGFß2 signaling axis drives poor outcomes in triple-negative breast cancers.

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) subtype remain limited and the outcome for patients with advanced TNBC is very poor. The standard of care is chemotherapy, but approximately 50% of tumors develop resistance. METHODS: We performed gene expression profiling of 58 TNBC tumor samples by microarray, comparing chemosensitive with chemoresistant tumors, which revealed that one of the top upregulated genes was TGFß2. A connectivity mapping bioinformatics analysis predicted that the SRC inhibitor Dasatinib was a potential pharmacological inhibitor of chemoresistant TNBCs. Claudin-low TNBC cell lines were selected to represent poor-outcome, chemoresistant TNBC, for in vitro experiments and in vivo models. RESULTS: In vitro, we identified a signaling axis linking SRC, AKT and ERK2, which in turn upregulated the stability of the transcription factors, Slug and Snail. Slug was shown to repress TGFß2-antisense 1 to promote TGFß2 signaling, upregulating cell survival via apoptosis and DNA-damage responses. Additionally, an orthotopic allograft in vivo model demonstrated that the SRC inhibitor Dasatinib reduced tumor growth as a single agent, and enhanced responses to the TNBC mainstay drug, Epirubicin. CONCLUSION: Targeting the SRC-Slug-TGFß2 axis may therefore lead to better treatment options and improve patient outcomes in this highly aggressive subpopulation of TNBCs.

In our study, we focused on a particular subtype of aggressive breast cancer called Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). We investigated a complex series of events that contribute to poor outcomes in this disease and uncovered a crucial signaling cascade driving tumor growth and progression.At the core of this signaling cascade are three key proteins: SRC, AKT, and ERK2. Together, they form a pathway that activates a transcription factor called Slug. Transcription factors act like molecular switches, controlling the expression of genes. Once Slug is activated, it strongly suppresses genes that would normally restrict cell growth and cell spread.One of the genes downregulated by Slug is TGFB2-AS1. This product of the TGFB2-AS1 gene normally controls levels of its target protein called TGF-beta2 (TGFB2), a protein which has roles in cell growth, cell migration and differentiation. Slug downregulation of TGFB2-AS1 results in higher TGFB2 levels, and this in turn contributes to the uncontrolled growth and spread of cancer cells. TGFB2, and other proteins in this pathway (SRC, AKT, ERK2, and a Slug interactor called LSD1) all maintain the stability of Slug, meaning that Slug levels remain high and drive the aggressive features of this subtype of breast cancer.Overall, our research sheds light on the intricate molecular mechanisms driving aggressive TNBC. It also identifies potential targets for future therapies, aimed at disrupting this harmful signaling pathway and potentially improving patient outcomes for this disease.

Factors predicting indistinct plane of surgical capsule in patients underwent HoLEP procedures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate factors that effectively predict indistinct plane (IP) in patients who underwent holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). METHODS: Data of 208 consecutive patients from our HoLEP database were reviewed and analyzed. IP was defined in 107 cases, as the plane could be identified only depending on endoscopic beak dissection rather than laser dissection in the initial stage of HoLEP, whereas the control group consisted of 101 cases. Variables including age, body mass index, prostatic volume (PV), intravesical prostatic protrusion, prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific antigen density, bladder stones, urinary tract infection, microscopic hematuria, prior biopsy (PB), diabetes, hypertension, history of acute urinary retention, 5-alpha reductase inhibitor treatment, catheter dependency, residual urine, region, smoking, and alcohol consumption were compared between the two groups. The risk factors for predicting the presence of IP were determined using a multivariable binary logistic regression model using a forward selection approach with a focus on improvement in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: The incidence of IP was 51.4% (107/208). PV (OR = 0.977, p < 0.001) and PB (OR = 0.297, p = 0.028) were identified as the independent predictors of capsule plane status. PV with a cutoff of 54 ml had the best predictive effectiveness for IP based on AUC (0.727; 95% CI 0.659-0.795). The specificity and sensitivity of this cutoff were 82.2% and 53.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: PV is the most reliable factor to predict IP during HoLEP procedures. There is a high possibility of IP in patients with a PV less than 54 ml.

Clear cell and non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma in young adults: clinicopathological features, survival outcomes and prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVES: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is infrequent among young adults. Few studies reported the outcome of RCC in young adults by pathological subtypes. The purpose of this study was to explore the clinicopathological features, survival outcomes and prognostic factors of young adult patients with clear cell (CCRCC) and non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (NCCRCC). METHODS: This study included young adult patients aged 18-40 years who were diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma (RCC) between 2012 and 2022 at Peking University Third Hospital. All patients underwent either partial nephrectomy or radical nephrectomy, and some received adjuvant therapy. A comparative analysis was performed to investigate the differences in clinicopathological characteristics between the cohort of CCRCC and NCCRCC. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was utilized to plot survival curves for young adults with RCC. The univariate and multifactorial prognostic analyses were conducted using the log-rank test and COX proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A total of 300 RCC patients aged 18-40 years were performed, of which 201 were diagnosed with CCRCC (67%) and 99 were diagnosed with NCCRCC(33%). The NCCRCC included 29 cases (9.7%) of chromophobe RCC, 28 cases (9.3%) of MiT family translocation RCC, 22 cases (7.3%) of papillary RCC, 11 cases (3.7%) of low malignant potential multifocal cystic RCC, and 6 cases of unclassified RCC (2.0%), 2 cases of mucinous tubule and spindle cell carcinoma (0.7%), and 1 case of FH-deficient RCC (0.3%).The mean age was 33.4 ± 6.1 years old. The overall and progression free 5-year survival rate was 99.1 and 95.3%, respectively. The NCCRCC cohort demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in progression-free survival (PFS) rate when compared to the CCRCC cohort (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference observed in overall survival (OS) (p = 0.069). Pathological stage was a significant independent predictor for OS (p = 0.045). Pathological stage and nuclear grade were both independent predictors for PFS (p = 0.020; p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical and pathological features of young adults diagnosed with CCRCC exhibit notable distinctions from those of NCCRCC patients. The survival outcome was significantly influenced by the pathological stage, while both the nuclear grade and pathological stage had a significant impact on tumor progression. This study offered significant contributions to the understanding of the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic determinants of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in young adults.

Influence of tumor thrombus morphology on the surgical complexity in renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus: a single-center, large-sample study from China.

BACKGROUND: The morphology of tumor thrombus varies from person to person and it may affect surgical methods and tumor prognosis. However, studies on the morphology of tumor thrombus are limited. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the impact of tumor thrombus morphology on surgical complexity. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 229 patients with renal cell carcinoma combined with inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus who underwent surgical treatment at Peking University Third Hospital between January 2014 and December 2021. The patients were divided into floating morphology (107 patients) and filled morphology (122 patients) tumor thrombi groups. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Postoperative complications were evaluated using the Clavien-Dindo surgical complication classification method. RESULTS: Patients with filled morphology tumor thrombus required more surgical techniques than those with floating morphology tumor thrombus, which was reflected in more open surgeries (P < 0.001), more IVC interruptions (P <0.001), lesser use of the delayed occlusion of the proximal inferior vena cava (DOPI) technique (P < 0.001), and a greater need for cut-off of the short hepatic vein (P < 0.001) and liver dissociation (P = 0.001). Filled morphology significantly increased the difficulty of surgery in patients with renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus, reflected in longer operation time (P < 0.001), more surgical blood loss (P <0.001), more intra-operative blood transfusion (P < 0.001), and longer postoperative hospital stay (P < 0.001). Filled morphology tumor thrombus also led to more postoperative complications (53% vs. 20%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Compared with floating morphology thrombus, filled morphology thrombus significantly increased the difficulty of surgery in patients with renal cell carcinoma with IVC tumor thrombus.

Dipole-multipole plasmonic coupling between gold nanorods and titanium nitride nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal conversion.

The plasmonic photothermal conversion efficiency can be enhanced by coupling among plasmonic atoms or plasmonic molecules due to the amplified local electric field and extinction cross-section. Recently, it has been theoretically proved that hybridization between dipolar modes and higher order modes can provide higher enhancement than that among dipolar modes in terms of both near- and far-field, which may lead to a higher photothermal conversion rate. In this work, we systematically investigated the photothermal conversion enhancement of plasmonic coupling between a dipolar mode of a titanium nitride nanoparticle (TiN NP) and a higher order mode of a gold nanorod (Au NR), which was compared to that of coupling among TiN NPs' dipolar modes. We evaluated the photothermal conversion efficiency of dipole-dipole coupling and dipole-multipole coupling in the nanocluster under the illumination of a monochromatic laser of 808 nm wavelength and simulated solar light, respectively. Both experimental tests and numerical simulations suggested that the plasmonic dipole-multipole coupling exhibited higher enhancement in photothermal conversion than dipole-dipole plasmonic coupling.

Serum levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 are associated with coronary atherosclerotic plaque progression in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Lp-PLA2 is linked to cardiovascular diseases and poor outcomes, especially in diabetes, as it functions as a pro-inflammatory and oxidative mediator. OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to explore if there is a connection between the serum levels of Lp-PLA2 and the progression of coronary plaques (PP) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and those without the condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum Lp-PLA2 levels were measured in 137 T2DM patients with PP and 137 T2DM patients with no PP, and in 205 non-diabetic patients with PP and 205 non-diabetic patients with no PP. These individuals met the criteria for eligibility and underwent quantitative coronary angiography at the outset and again after about one year of follow-up. The attributes and parameters of the participants at the outset were recorded. RESULTS: Increased serum levels of Lp-PLA2 were closely associated with coronary artery PP, and also significantly correlated with change of MLD, change of diameter stenosis and change of cumulative coronary obstruction in both diabetic and non-diabetic groups, with higher correlation coefficients in diabetic patients as compared with non-diabetic patients. Moreover, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum Lp-PLA2 level was an independent determinant of PP in both groups, with OR values more significant in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of serum Lp-PLA2 show a significant association with the progression of coronary atherosclerotic plaque in patients with T2DM and those without, especially among individuals with diabetes.

A nomogram predicting intraoperative adverse events during minimally invasive radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: To define the incidence and independent predictive factors of intraoperative adverse events (IOAEs) after minimally invasive radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy (RNAT) and to determine the impact of intraoperative adverse events on oncological outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 294 patients underwent minimally invasive RNAT from January 2010 to December 2023 in our center were included. IOAEs are defined as any deviation from the normal surgical procedure during the operation course. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent predictive factors of IOAEs. The Kaplan-Meier curves was used to compare overall survival and cancer-specific survival between patients with IOAEs or not. RESULTS: Seventy-four IOAEs occurred in 57 of 294 patients (19.4%) and the most frequent IOAEs were conversion to open surgery (42/74, 56.7%), followed by excessive hemorrhage (20/74, 27.0%). In multivariate logistic analysis, side (OR 0.0929; 95%Cl 0.0367-0.2160; p < 0.001), operation approach (OR 0.1762; 95%Cl 0.06828-0.4109; p < 0.001), and Mayo grade (OR 6.321; 95%Cl 3.846-11.13; p < 0.001) were independent predictive predictors of IOAEs during minimally invasive RNAT. IOAEs (OR 2.713; 95%Cl 1.242-5.897; p = 0.012) was an independent risk factor of the occurrence of postoperative complications. Between the patients with IOAEs or not, neither overall survival (OS) nor cancer-specific survival (CSS) showed statistical differences. Patients with postoperative complications show shorter OS and CSS. CONCLUSION: We found that the independent predictive factors of  minimally invasive RNAT were side, operation approach and Mayo grade, and it is a risk factor of the occurrence of postoperative complications. In addition, the occurrence of IOAEs had no effect on long-term oncological outcomes.

The key role of major and trace elements in the formation of five common urinary stones.

BACKGROUND: Urolithiasis has emerged as a global affliction, recognized as one of the most excruciating medical issues. The elemental composition of stones provides crucial information, aiding in understanding the causes, mechanisms, and individual variations in stone formation. By understanding the interactions between elements in various types of stones and exploring the key role of elements in stone formation, insights are provided for the prevention and treatment of urinary stone disease. METHODS: This study collected urinary stone samples from 80 patients in Beijing. The chemical compositions of urinary stones were identified using an infrared spectrometer. The concentrations of major and trace elements in the urinary stones were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. The data were processed using correlation analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) methods. RESULTS: Urinary stones are categorized into five types: the calcium oxalate (CO) stone, carbonate apatite (CA) stone, uric acid (UA) stone, mixed CO and CA stone, and mixed CO and UA stone. Ca is the predominant element, with an average content ranging from 2.64 to 27.68% across the five stone groups. Based on geochemical analysis, the high-content elements follow this order: Ca > Mg > Na > K > Zn > Sr. Correlation analysis and PCA suggested significant variations in the interactions between elements for different types of urinary stones. Trace elements with charges and ionic structures similar to Ca may substitute for Ca during the process of stone formation, such as Sr and Pb affecting the Ca in most stone types except mixed stone types. Moreover, the Mg, Zn and Ba can substitute for Ca in the mixed stone types, showing element behavior dependents on the stone types. CONCLUSION: This study primarily reveals distinct elemental features associated with five types of urinary stones. Additionally, the analysis of these elements indicates that substitutions of trace elements with charges and ion structures similar to Ca (such as Sr and Pb) impact most stone types. This suggests a dependence of stone composition on elemental behavior. The findings of this study will enhance our ability to address the challenges posed by urinary stones to global health and improve the precision of interventions for individuals with different stone compositions.

Neoadjuvant stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy combined with surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus: a prospective pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus (TT) is difficult, and the postoperative complication rate is high. This study aimed to explore the safety and oncologic outcomes of neoadjuvant stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) combined with surgical treatment for RCC and IVC-TT. METHODS: Patients with RCC and IVC-TTs were enrolled in this study. All patients received neoadjuvant SABR focused on the IVC at a dose of 30 Gy in 5 fractions, followed by 2 ~ 4 weeks of rest. Then, radical nephrectomy and IVC tumor thrombectomy were performed for each patient. Adverse effects, perioperative outcomes, and long-term prognoses were recorded. RESULTS: From June 2018 to January 2019, 8 patients were enrolled-4 with Mayo grade II TT and 4 with Mayo grade III TT. Four (50%) patients had complicated IVC wall invasion according to CT/MRI. All patients received neoadjuvant SABR as planned. Short-term local control was observed in all 8 patients. Only Grade 1-2 adverse events were reported. In total, 3 (37.5%) laparoscopic surgeries and 5 (62.5%) open surgeries were performed. The median operation time was 359 (IQR: 279-446) min, with a median intraoperative bleeding volume of 750 (IQR: 275-2175) ml. The median postoperative hospital stay was 7 (5-10) days. With a 26-month (range: 5-41) follow-up period, the estimated mean overall survival was 30.67 ± 5.38 months. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first preoperative radiotherapy study in Asia that focused on patients with TT. This study revealed the considerable safety of neoadjuvant SABR for RCC with IVC-TT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry on 2018-03-08 (ChiCTR1800015118). For more information, please see the direct link ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=25747 ).

[Clinical diagnosis and treatment of renal angiomyolipoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with renal angiomyolipoma (RAML) combined with inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus, and to explore the feasibility of partial nephrectomy and thrombectomy in this series of patients. METHODS: The clinical data of patients diagnosed with RAML combined with IVC tumor thrombus in the Department of Urology of the Peking University Third Hospital from April 2014 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and demographic and perioperative data of RAML patients with IVC tumor thrombus were recorded and collected from Electronic Medical Record System, including age, gender, surgical methods, and follow-up time, etc. The clinical characteristics between classic angiomyolipoma (CAML) patients with IVC tumor thrombus and epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML) patients with IVC tumor thrombus were compared to determine the clinical characteristics of these patients. RESULTS: A total of 11 patients were included in this study, including 7 patients with CAML with IVC tumor thrombus and 4 patients with EAML with IVC tumor thrombus. There were 9 females (9/11, 81.8%) and 2 males (2/11, 18.2%), with an average age of (44.0±17.1) years. 9 patients (9/11, 81.8%) experienced clinical symptoms, including local symptoms including abdominal pain, hematuria, abdominal masses, and systemic symptoms including weight loss and fever; 2 patients (2/11, 18.2%) with RAML and IVC tumor thrombus did not show clinical symptoms, which were discovered by physical examination. Among the 11 patients, 10 underwent radical nephrectomy with thrombectomy, of whom, 3 underwent open surgery (3/10, 30.0%), 2 underwent laparoscopic surgery (2/10, 20.0%), and 5 underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (5/10, 50.0%). In addition, 1 patient underwent open partial nephrectomy and thrombectomy. The patients with EAML combined with IVC tumor thrombus had a higher proportion of systemic clinical symptoms (100% vs. 0%, P=0.003), more intraoperative bleeding [400 (240, 3 050) mL vs. 50 (50, 300) mL, P =0.036], and a higher proportion of tumor necrosis (75% vs. 0%, P=0.024) compared to the patients with CAML combined with IVC tumor thrombus. However, there was no statistically significant difference in operation time [(415.8±201.2) min vs. (226.0±87.3) min, P=0.053] between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with the patients with CAML and IVC tumor thrombus, the patients with EAML and IVC tumor thrombus had a higher rate of systemic symptoms and tumor necrosis. In addition, in the selected patients with CAML with IVC tumor thrombus, partial nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy could be performed to better preserve renal function.

[Clinical effects of transesophageal echocardiography in different surgical methods for nephrectomy combined with Mayo â ¢-â £ vena tumor thrombectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical effects of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in different surgical methods for nephrectomy combined with Mayo Ⅲ-Ⅳ inferior vena cave (IVC) tumor thrombectomy. METHODS: In the study, 28 patients who did surgery of nephrectomy and Mayo Ⅲ-Ⅳ IVC thrombectomys in Peking University Third Hospital from 2022 January to 2024 February were included. Of the 28 patients, 16 patients did robotic surgery, 2 patients did laparoscopic surgery, and 10 patients did open surgery. All patients' clinical data were collected. RESULTS: Intra-operative TEE was used in 9 robotic surgeries, of which 7 cases showed image changes compared with preoperative image results. Intraoperative TEE indicated that tumor thrombus entered the right atrium in 2 cases, showed that tumor thrombus grade rose from Mayo Ⅲ to Mayo Ⅳ in 2 cases, and indicated that tumor thrombus adhered to IVC wall in 3 cases. All of these surgical plans were timely adjusted. Intra-operative TEE was used in 6 cases of open surgery, and 4 cases of them showed Mayo grade changes compared with preoperative image results. Intraoperative TEE indicated that tumor thrombus adhered to the IVC wall in 3 cases, and tumor thrombus adhered to the IVC wall with thrombus in one case. The surgical plans were adjusted, and the tumor thrombus was left or segmentally removed. Laparoscopic surgery did not use intraoperative TEE. The effects of intraoperative TEE included: the combination of exploration and TEE monitoring was used in open surgery, and tumor thrombus removal process was fully monitored by intraoperative TEE in the robotic surgery. Intraoperative TEE real-time monitored circulatory status and cardiac function changes. CONCLUSION: In different surgical methods for nephrectomy combined with Mayo Ⅲ-Ⅳ tumor thrombectomy, intraoperative TEE can re-determine the tumor thrombus grade and degree of tumor thrombus adhered to IVC, track the tumor thrombus removal process in real-time, and monitor circulatory status and cardiac function changes. Intraoperative TEE plays an important role in different surgical methods, but its clinical application is still insufficient. Intraoperative TEE is recommended to such type of surgeries.

[Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential and compare the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential who underwent different surgical methods. METHODS: Clinicopathological data and prognosis of patients admitted to Peking University Third Hospital from January 2010 to September 2023 were collected. Patients who underwent radical nephrectomy or nephron-sparing surgery and were pathologically diagnosed with multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential were identified. Based on the surgical methods, the patients were divided into radical nephrectomy group and nephron-sparing surgery group. The clinicopathological characteristics of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 35 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age at diagnosis was 53.0 (39.0-62.0) years. Among the 35 patients, 23 were males (65.7%) and 12 were females (34.3%). Nine patients underwent radical nephrectomy (25.7%), while 26 patients underwent nephron-sparing surgery (74.3%). The clinical T-stage of 35 patients did not exceed T2a stage. The median operation time was 145.0 min, and the median estimated intraoperative blood loss was 20.0 mL. The median postoperative hospitalization days was 6.0 d. The postoperative pathological results did not indicate renal sinus invasion, sarcomatous change, adrenal invasion or lymph node invasion. Based on the surgical methods, the patients were divided into a radical nephrectomy group and a nephron-sparing surgery group. There was no significant difference in clinicopathological charac-teristics between the two groups. Except for one patient who was lost to the follow-up, all the other patients were followed up for 8-111 months, with a median follow-up time of 70.5 months. Only one patient died from non-cancer-specific reasons, other patients had no tumor metastasis or recurrence. CONCLUSION: Patients with multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential have a good prognosis. There is no significant difference in clinicopathological characteristics of patients between nephron-sparing surgery group and radical nephrectomy group for multilocular cystic renal neoplasm of low malignant potential.

[Well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumour of the tunica vaginalis: A case report].

The mesothelium, which consists of a monolayer of mesothelial cells, extends over the surface of the serosal cavities (pleura, pericardium, peritoneum and tunica vaginalis). Mesothelial tumours of the tunica vaginalis is rare compared with those arise from pleura or peritoneum. According to World Health Organization 2022 Classification of Urinary and Male Genital Tumours (5th edition), mesothelial tumours of the tunica vaginalis were categorized into adenomatoid tumour, well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumour (WDPMT) and mesothelioma. Since WDPMT of tunica vaginalis was rare, there was no consensus concerning the treatment of it. In this case report, a 29-year-old man who had endured intermittent right scrotal pain for 8 months, aggravating scrotal pain for 2 weeks was admitted. No symptoms, such as frequent, urgent, or painful urination were shown. Physical examination revealed the enlargement and tenderness of right scrotum, with no signs of lifting pain. The most recent scrotal ultrasonography before surgery revealed right hydrocele with maximum depth of 4 centimeters and poor blood flow of right testis. Under the circumstance of patient' s chronic history of testicular hydrocele, he underwent an emergency operation of right scrotal exploration and hydrocelectomy under epidural anesthesia. After opening the vagina tunic cavity, spot-like bleeding was observed on the right testicle, epididymis and vaginalis surface. The vaginalis was obviously thickened and the inner and outer walls were smooth. The post-operative histopathology revealed a grayish-brown tissue with a thickness of 0.3-0.5 cm, smooth inner and outer walls, and a suspected WDPMT with a diameter of 1. 5 cm. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive for Calretinin, BAP1, WT-1, CK5/6, D2-40 and P16，which confirmed the diagnosis of WDPMT. To sum up, the purpose of this case report was to raise awareness of a rare disease WDPMT, which was usually asymptomatic and could be diagnosed by pathology and immunohistochemistry. The disease should be differentiated from testicular torsion, epididymitis, orchitis and oblique inguinal hernia in symptoms, and from malignant mesothelioma and adenomatoid tumour in pathology. Because of the rarity of the cases, there was no unified standard for the treatment of WDPMT at present. The common treatment methods reported in literature included orchidectomy and vaginectomy. Due to the lack of understanding of this disease, postoperative follow-up was still recommended for at least 5 years.

[Discussion on the surgical timing of rupture and hemorrhage of renal angiomyolipoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different surgical timing on the surgical treatment of renal angiomyolipoma (RAML) with rupture and hemorrhage. METHODS: The demographic data and perioperative data of 31 patients with rupture and hemorrhage of RAML admitted to our medical center from June 2013 to February 2023 were collected. The surgery within 7 days after hemorrhage was defined as a short-term surgery group, the surgery between 7 days and 6 months after hemorrhage was defined as a medium-term surgery group, and the surgery beyond 6 months after hemorrhage was defined as a long-term surgery group. The perioperative related indicators among the three groups were compared. RESULTS: This study collected 31 patients who underwent surgical treatment for RAML rupture and hemorrhage, of whom 13 were males and 18 were females, with an average age of (46.2±11.3) years. The short-term surgery group included 7 patients, the medium-term surgery group included 12 patients and the long-term surgery group included 12 patients. In terms of tumor diameter, the patients in the long-term surgery group were significantly lower than those in the recent surgery group [(6.6±2.4) cm vs. (10.0±3.0) cm, P=0.039]. In terms of operation time, the long-term surgery group was significantly shorter than the mid-term surgery group [(157.5±56.8) min vs. (254.8±80.1) min, P=0.006], and there was no significant difference between other groups. In terms of estimated blood loss during surgery, the long-term surgery group was significantly lower than the mid-term surgery group [35 (10, 100) mL vs. 650 (300, 1 200) mL, P < 0.001], and there was no significant difference between other groups. In terms of intraoperative blood transfusion, the long-term surgery group was significantly lower than the mid-term surgery group [0 (0, 0) mL vs. 200 (0, 700) mL, P=0.014], and there was no significant difference between other groups. In terms of postoperative hospitalization days, the long-term surgery group was significantly lower than the mid-term surgery group [5 (4, 7) d vs. 7 (6, 10) d, P=0.011], and there was no significant difference between other groups. CONCLUSION: We believe that for patients with RAML rupture and hemorrhage, reoperation for more than 6 months is a relatively safe time range, with minimal intraoperative bleeding. Therefore, it is more recommended to undergo surgical treatment after the hematoma is systematized through conservative treatment.

[Experience in diagnosis and treatment of 6 cases of renal Ewing's sarcoma with venous thrombus].

OBJECTIVE: To review and analyze the clinical diagnosis and treatment of renal Ewing's sarcoma with venous tumor embolus, to follow up the survival and prognosis of the patients, and to provide help for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. METHODS: Clinical data (including general data, surgical data and postoperative pathological data) of patients diagnosed with renal Ewing's sarcoma with venous tumor embolus in Peking University Third Hospital from June 2016 to June 2022 were collected, and the prognosis of the patients was followed up to analyze the influence of diagnosis and treatment process on the prognosis of the disease. RESULTS: There were 6 patients, including 1 male and 5 females. There were 4 cases of left renal tumor and 2 cases of right renal tumor. The median age at diagnosis was 28 years (16-52 years). The imaging findings were all exogenous tumors with internal necrotic tissue and hemorrhage. The mean maximum tumor diameter was 12.6 cm, and the mean tumor thrombus length was 7.8 cm. Four patients underwent open surgery and 2 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery. The postoperative pathological results were renal Ewing sarcoma. Immunohistochemical results showed 3 cases of CD99 (+), 2 cases of FLI-1 (+), and 1 case of CD99, FLI-1 (-). 3 patients received chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine/ifosfamide, etoposide), 1 case received chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy, and 2 cases received no adjuvant therapy. The mean overall survival (OS) of the 6 patients was 37 months, and the mean OS of the 4 patients (47 months) who received chemotherapy was significantly higher than that of the 2 patients (16 months) who did not receive chemotherapy (P=0.031). CONCLUSION: Renal Ewing's sarcoma with venous tumor embolus is rare in clinic, and it is common in young female patients. The operation is difficult and the prognosis is poor. Surgical resection, adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy can improve the overall survival rate of the patients.

[Predicting the 3-year tumor-specific survival in patients with T3a non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To predict the 3-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients with non-metastatic T3a renal cell carcinoma after surgery. METHODS: A total of 336 patients with pathologically confirmed T3a N0-1M0 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital from March 2013 to February 2021 were retrospectively collected. The patients were randomly divided into a training cohort of 268 cases and an internal validation cohort of 68 cases at an 4 ∶ 1 ratio. Using two-way Lasso regression, variables were selected to construct a nomogram for predicting the 3-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the patients with T3aN0-1M0 RCC. Performance assessment of the nomogram included evaluation of discrimination and calibration ability, as well as clinical utility using measures such as the concordance index (C-index), time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [time-dependent area under the curve (AUC)], calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Risk stratification was determined based on the nomogram scores, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log-rank tests were employed to compare progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) among the patients in the different risk groups. RESULTS: Based on the Lasso regression screening results, the nomogram was constructed with five variables: tumor maximum diameter, histological grading, sarcomatoid differentiation, T3a feature, and lymph node metastasis. The baseline data of the training and validation sets showed no statistical differences (P>0.05). The consistency indices of the column diagram were found to be 0.808 (0.708- 0.907) and 0.903 (0.838-0.969) for the training and internal validation sets, respectively. The AUC values for 3-year cancer-specific survival were 0.843 (0.725-0.961) and 0.923 (0.844-1.002) for the two sets. Calibration curves of both sets demonstrated a high level of consistency between the actual CSS and predicted probability. The decision curve analysis (DCA) curves indicated that the column diagram had a favorable net benefit in clinical practice. A total of 336 patients were included in the study, with 35 cancer-specific deaths and 69 postoperative recurrences. According to the line chart, the patients were divided into low-risk group (scoring 0-117) and high-risk group (scoring 119-284). Within the low-risk group, there were 16 tumor-specific deaths out of 282 cases and 36 postoperative recurrences out of 282 cases. In the high-risk group, there were 19 tumor-specific deaths out of 54 cases and 33 post-operative recurrences out of 54 cases. There were significant differences in progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) between the low-risk and high-risk groups (P < 0.000 1). CONCLUSION: A nomogram model predicting the 3-year CSS of non-metastatic T3a renal cell carcinoma patients was successfully constructed and validated in this study. This nomogram can assist clinicians in accurately assessing the long-term prognosis of such patients.

[Prognostic factors of patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer with intermediate-to-high risk prostate cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic factors for all-cause mortality in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) with intermediate-to-high-risk primary prostate cancer. METHODS: From January 2012 to October 2023, the clinical data of the patients with MIBC with intermediate-to-high-risk primary prostate cancer in Peking University Third Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were monitored and the occurrence of all-cause death was documented as the outcome event in the prognostic study. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analysis models were implemented to search for independent influences on the prognosis of patients. For significant influencing factors (pathological T stage, M stage and perineural invasion of bladder cancer), survival curves were plotted before and after multifactorial Cox regression adjusting for confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients were included in this study. The mean age was (72.5±6.6) years; the median preoperative total prostate specific antigen (tPSA) was 6.68 (2.47, 6.84) µg/L; the mean preoperative creatinine was (95±36) µmol/L, and the median survival time was 65 months. The majority of the patients (87.5%) had high-grade bladder cancer, 53.1% had lymphatic invasion, and 31.3% had perineural invasion. Prostate involvement was observed in 25.0% of the cases, and the positive rate of soft-tissue surgical margin was 37.5%. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that preoperative creatinine level (HR=1.02, 95%CI: 1.01-1.04), pathological stage of bladder cancer T3 (HR=11.58, 95%CI: 1.38-97.36) and T4 (HR=19.53, 95%CI: 4.26-89.52) metastasis of bladder cancer (HR=9.44, 95%CI: 1.26-70.49) and perineural invasion of bladder cancer (HR=6.26, 95%CI: 1.39-28.27) were independent prognostic factors (P < 0.05). Survival curves with Log-rank test after adjusting for confounding factors demonstrated that bladder cancer pathology T3, T4, M1, and perineural invasion were unfavorable factors affecting the patients' survival prognosis (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with MIBC with intermediate-to-high risk primary prostate cancer generally portends a poor prognosis. High preoperative serum creatinine, T3 or T4 pathological stage of bladder cancer, metastasis of bladder cancer and bladder cancer perineural invasion are poor prognostic factors for patients with MIBC with intermediate-to-high risk primary prostate cancer.