Significance of MRI/Transrectal Ultrasound Fusion Three-Dimensional Model-Guided, Targeted Biopsy Based on Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Systematic Biopsy in Prostate Cancer Detection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: To assess MRI/Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) fusion three-dimensional model-guided targeted biopsy (3D-Tb) versus TRUS-guided systematic biopsy (Sb) in detecting overall and high-Gleason-score (≥7) prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: Pubmed and Web of science were searched. Studies with men having a suspicious lesion on MRI were included, which were divided into initial biopsy, previous negative biopsy, and mixed groups in meta-analysis. RESULTS: Totally 13 cohorts in 12 studies, with 3,225 men were included. In total population, 3D-Tb and Sb did not differ significantly in the PCa detection rate (43.1 vs. 42.6%, p = 0.36), but after excluding initial biopsy group, the superiority of 3D-Tb became significant (p = 0.01); 3D-Tb had a significantly higher detection rate of high-Gleason-score PCa compared to Sb (30.0 vs. 24.1%, p < 0.05); 3D-Tb plus Sb significantly improved the PCa detection rate based on Sb alone (52.7 vs. 42.6%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In men with increased serum PSA and/or abnormal DRE and suspicious lesion on MRI but non-previous evidence of PCa, 3D-Tb plus Sb improves the PCa detection rate based on Sb alone. 3D-Tb alone has better performance in detecting high-Gleason-score PCa, and tends to have a higher PCa detection rate in population with previous negative biopsy compared to Sb.

Short-term efficacy and safety of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy in erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The role of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LI-ESWT) in erectile dysfunction (ED) is not clearly determined. The purpose of this study is to investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of LI-ESWT for ED patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant studies were searched in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG and VIP databases. Effective rate in terms of International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function Domain (IIEF-EF) and Erectile Hardness Score (EHS) at about 1month after LI-ESWT was extracted from eligible studies for meta-analysis to calculate risk ratio (RR) of effective treatment in ED patients treated by LI-ESWT compared to those receiving sham-treatment. RESULTS: Overall fifteen studies were included in the review, of which four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were for meta-analysis. Effective treatment was 8.31 [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.88-17.78] times more effective in the LI-ESWT group (n=176) than in the sham-treatment group (n=101) at about 1 month after the intervention in terms of EHS, while it was 2.50 (95% CI: 0.74-8.45) times more in the treatment group (n=121) than in the control group (n=89) in terms of IIEF-EF. Nine-week protocol with energy density of 0.09mJ/mm2 and 1500 pluses seemed to have better therapeutic effect than five-week protocol. No significant adverse event was reported. CONCLUSION: LI-ESWT, as a noninvasive treatment, has potential short-term therapeutic effect on patients with organic ED irrespective of sensitivity to PDE5is. Owing to the limited number and quality of the studies, more large-scale, well-designed and long-term follow-up time studies are needed to confirm our analysis.

Apolipoprotein A1 -75 G/A and +83 C/T polymorphisms and renal cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) is the major apoprotein constituent of high-density lipoprotein that can play important roles in tumor invasion and metastasis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association of two genetic variants (-75 G/A and +83 C/T) of APOA1 with predisposition to renal cancer. METHODS: A total of 432 subjects, including 216 pathologically-proven renal cancer cases and 216 age- and gender-matched healthy controls, were recruited into this hospital-based case-control study. Genotyping of the APOA1 was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) combined with gel electrophoresis, and then confirmed by direct sequencing. RESULTS: Patients with renal cancer had a significantly higher frequency of APOA1 -75 AA genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18, 3.75; P = 0.01] and APOA1 -75 A allele (OR =1.40, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.87; P = 0.02) than controls. When stratifying by the distant metastasis status, patients with distant metastasis had a significantly higher frequency of APOA1 -75 AA genotype genotype (OR =2.20, 95% CI = 1.04, 4.68; P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: This study is, to our knowledge, the first to examine prospectively an increased risk role of APOA1 -75 AA genotype and APOA1 -75 A allele in renal cancer susceptibility.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards urinary system stones among the Chengdu population.

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding urinary system stones among the general public in Chengdu, China. Conducted between January and June 2023, this research targeted individuals undergoing physical examinations at the Health Management Center of Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital. Structured questionnaires were administered to collect demographic information and assess KAP related to urinary system stones. Following meticulous scrutiny, 1014 valid questionnaires were retained for analysis. The computed scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 9.36 ± 4.23 (possible score range 0-17), 37.75 ± 7.20 (possible score range 11-55), and 30.77 ± 4.00 (possible score range 10-50), respectively. These outcomes suggested insufficient knowledge and moderately positive attitudes and practices among the participants. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis revealed a direct impact of knowledge on attitude (ß = 0.967, P < 0.001), with attitude subsequently exerting a direct influence on practice (ß = 0.167, P < 0.001). This indicated an indirect impact of knowledge on practice. Additionally, there was a direct effect of knowledge on practice (ß = 0.167, P < 0.001). In conclusion, the general populace in Chengdu exhibited insufficient knowledge and moderate attitudes and practices concerning urinary stones. These findings underscore the imperative for targeted educational interventions aimed at enhancing public awareness and fostering positive attitudes and practices toward urinary stone prevention and management.

A prognostic model constructed by ferroptosis-associated genes (FAGs) in papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) and its association with tumor mutation burden (TMB) and immune infiltration.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the prognostic-related differentially expressed ferroptosis-associated genes (DEFAGs) in papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). METHODS: Data encompassing simple nucleotide variation, transcriptome profiles, and relevant clinical information of PRCC patients were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The expression matrix of ferroptosis-associated genes (FAGs) was analyzed using the "limma" package in R to identify differentially expressed DEFAGs. Lasso regression analysis, along with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regressions, was employed to identify independent prognostic-related DEFAGs and formulate a nomogram. Additionally, we examined potential independent survival-related clinical risk factors and compared immune cell infiltration and tumor mutation burden (TMB) differences between high- and low-risk patient groups. RESULTS: A cohort of 321 patients were analyzed, revealing twelve FAGs significantly influencing the overall survival (OS) of PRCC patients. Among them, two mRNAs (GCLC, HSBP1) emerged as independent prognostic-related DEFAGs. Smoking status, tumor stage, and risk score were identified as independent clinical risk factors for PRCC. Furthermore, notable disparities in immune cell infiltration and function were observed between high- and low-risk groups. GCLC and HSBP1 were associated with various immune cells and functions, TMB, and immune evasion. CONCLUSION: This finding revealed two independent prognostic-related DEFAGs in PRCC and established a robust prognostic model, offering potential therapeutic targets and promising insights for the management of this disease.

HECTD2/TNFAIP1 Axis Regulating the p38/JNK Pathway to Promote an Inflammatory Response in Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The underlying processes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), one of the deadliest malignancies of the urinary system, are still poorly understood. HECT domain E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 2 (HECTD2) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase implicated in the pulmonary inflammatory response. This study investigated the impact of HECTD2 on regulating inflammation in RCC cells and its potential mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HECTD2 expression in RCC tissues was examined. Immunoprecipitation and western blot (WB) analysis confirmed that HECTD2 up-regulated euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2) protein degradation. ChIP experiments validated tumor necrosis factor α Inducing protein 1 (TNFAIP1) as a direct target of EHMT2. qRT-PCR determined HECTD2 and TNFAIP1 expression in RCC cells. Cell viability was assayed via CCK-8. ELISA was employed to measure the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-1ß. WB analysis was conducted to test p38/JNK pathway-related protein (p38, p-p38, JNK, and p-JNK) expression. RESULTS: HECTD2 and TNFAIP1 were significantly up-regulated in RCC patient tissues and cells. Subsequent investigations revealed that HECTD2 promoted an inflammatory response in RCC cells. Additionally, HECTD2 up-regulated TNFAIP1 expression, and high TNFAIP1 expression could reverse the repressive impact of low HECTD2 expression on the inflammatory response in RCC cells. Rescue experiments demonstrated that the addition of p38/JNK pathway inhibitors attenuated the impact of TNFAIP1 overexpression on the RCC inflammatory response. CONCLUSION: Our findings establish a new mechanism by which HECTD2 exerts a pro-inflammatory role in RCC cells and present a prospective method for an anti-inflammatory intervention targeting the HECTD2/TNFAIP1 axis in malignancies.

Risk Factors for Relapse of Prostate Cancerafter Radical Prostatectomy in Chinese Population.

PURPOSE: To analyze the risk factors for the relapse of prostate cancer (PC) after radical prostatectomy (RP) and build a nomogram as a predictive model.  Materials andMethods: The patients who underwent PR from March 2019 to February 2022 were retrospectively enrolled in our hospital's case system. During the follow-up process, two consecutive prostate-specific antigens (PSA) ≥0.2 µg/L were performed. And needle biopsy was performed to further determine whether the patient had prostate cancer recurrence. According to the follow-up results, the patients were divided into non-relapsed and relapsed groups.The related parameters of the two groups were collected. Independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence were determined using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Statistical software, R, was used to build nomograms. R software was used to construct a nomogram, and the prediction effect of the nomogram was evaluated by the calibration curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC). RESULTS: Among the 367 patients who underwent RP, 112 (30.52%) had, and 255 (69.48%) did not have relapses after surgery. Cox multivariableregression analysis revealed that preoperative Gleason score, preoperative PSA, pathological staging, positive margin, and seminal vesicle invasion, were the risk factors for postoperative recurrence after RP (all P < 0.05). Verification of the predictive model by ROC curve demonstrated that the AUC of the ROC curves for patients' relapses 3 and 5 years after RP was 0.986 (95%CI0.975-0.998) and 0.974 (95%CI0.961-0.987), respectively. This model validation showed that the results of the predictive model were basically consistent with the actual results, suggesting that the nomogram was able to accurately predict a patient's relapse. CONCLUSION: The nomogram of this study was a good predictor of postoperative recurrence of PC after RP, which will help doctors provide personalized treatment and follow-up strategies for patients.

Brevilin A shows an anti-tumor role in prostate cancer via the lncRNA H19/miR-194/E2F3 signaling pathway.

Brevilin A, a natural sesquiterpene lactone extracted from Centipeda minima, has been found with antitumor properties. Our study probed the functions of Brevilin A in prostate cancer cells and the mechanisms among Brevilin A, lncRNA H19, miR-194, and E2F3 on the biological behaviors of the cells. CCK8, Transwell, and TUNEL staining assays examined the impact of Brevilin A on prostate cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis, respectively. qRT-PCR and western blot determined lncRNA H19, miR-194, and E2F3 profiles. The influence of Brevilin A on the profiles of lncRNA H19, miR-194, and E2F3 was measured. A xenograft model of prostate cancer nude mice was taken to confirm the impact of Brevilin A and lncRNA H19 on cancer cell growth. Consequently, Brevilin A dampened prostate cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, suppressed the expressions of lncRNA H19 and E2F3, and enhanced miR-194 level. LncRNA H19 and E2F3 were uplifted, whereas miR-194 was abated in prostate cancer cells and tissues. LncRNA H19 targeted miR-194 to positively modulate E2F3 expression, boosted DU145 cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, and curbed apoptosis. In the xenograft model, Brevilin A repressed tumor growth, whereas lncRNA H19 fostered tumor growth. Brevilin A suppressed the promotive effect of lncRNA H19 in PC cell growth in vivo. To conclude, Brevilin A modulates the biological behaviors of prostate cancer cells via the lncRNA H19/miR-194/E2F3 axis. Brevilin A exerts an anti-tumor function in prostate cancer.

Kosakonia radicincitans with hypervirulent lON genes causes human bloodstream infections.

Kosakonia radicincitans is a species within the new genus Kosakonia, which is typically a plant pathogen, with rare reports of human infection. The number of human infections may be underestimated because this new genus is under-represented among diagnostic tools. This report describes a case of bloodstream infection caused by K. radicincitans. The pathogen was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-TOF mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The hypervirulent human pathogenicity gene LON, which has not been described before, was detected in the bacterial genome by gene annotation. Thus, this discovery provides a new reference for studying the pathogenic mechanism of this rare pathogen.

Development and Verification of Prognostic Nomogram for Penile Cancer Based on the SEER Database.

Aim: We aimed to establish a prognostic nomogram for penile cancer (PC) patients based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database. Methods: Data from 1643 patients between 2010 and 2015 were downloaded and extracted from the SEER database. They were randomly divided into the development group (70%) and the verification group (30%), and then, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression, respectively, was used to explore the possible risk factors of PC. The factors significantly related to overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were used to establish the nomogram, which was assessed via the concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and calibration curve. An internal validation was conducted to test the accuracy and effectiveness of the nomogram. Kaplan-Meier calculation was used to predict the further OS and CSS status of these patients. Results: On multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression, the independent prognostic risk factors associated with OS were age, race, marital status, N/M stage, surgery, surgery of lymph nodes, and histologic type, with a moderate C-index of 0.737 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.713-0.760) and 0.766 (95% CI: 0.731-0.801) in the development and verification groups, respectively. The areas under the ROC (AUC) of 3- and 5-year OS were 0.749 and 0.770, respectively. While marital status, N/M stage, surgery, surgery of lymph nodes, and histologic type were significantly linked to PC patients' CSS, which have better C-index of 0.802 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.771-0.833) and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.775-0.865) in the development and verification groups, and the AUC of 3- and 5-year CSS were 0.766 and 0.787. Both of the survival calibration curves of 3- and 5-year OS and CSS brought out a high consistency. Conclusion: Our study produced a satisfactory nomogram revealing the survival of PC patients, which could be helpful for clinicians to assess the situation of PC patients and to implement further treatment.

RIPK2 is an unfavorable prognosis marker and a potential therapeutic target in human kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.

Receptor Interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase 2 (RIPK2) is located on chromosome 8q21 and encodes a protein containing a C-terminal caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD), which is a component of signaling complexes in both the innate and adaptive immune pathways. To estimate the value of RIPK2 in evaluating the prognosis and guiding the targeted therapy for patients with kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), we analyzed total 526 KIRC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Our result showed that RIPK2 was upregulated in KIRC tumor samples compared with normal samples. Cox regression was performed to calculate the hazard ratio of RIPK2 expression as an unfavorable prognosis feature for overall survival. Moreover, RIPK2 expression was positively correlated to the high-risk clinical stage, and metastasis features. The upregulation of RIPK2 was strongly correlated with various immune signaling pathway dysregulations as well as immune phenotypes changes in KIRC patient's cohort. In addition, inhibition of RIPK2 activity by either shRNA-mediated knockdown or inhibitor significantly reduced kidney cancer cell viability, trans-migration in vitro, and impaired tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, elevated RIPK2 expression indicates a worse prognosis for KIRC patients and could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in kidney cancer.

Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis to Construct Competitive Endogenous RNA Network in Chromogenic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

AIM: This study is aimed at constructing the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC). METHODS: Clinical and RNA sequence profiles of patients with ChRCC, including messenger RNAs (mRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. "edgeR" and "clusterProfiler" packages were utilized to obtain the expression matrices of differential RNAs (DERNAs) and to conduct gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to screen the highly related RNAs, and miRcode, StarBase, miRTarBase, miRDB, and TargetScan datasets were used to predict the connections between them. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed in turn to elucidate prognosis-related mRNAs in order to construct the ceRNA regulatory network. RESULTS: A total of 1628 DElncRNAs, 104 DEmiRNAs, and 2619 DEmRNAs were identified. WGCNA showed significant correlation in 1534 DElncRNAs, 98 DEmiRNAs, and 2543 DEmRNAs, which were related to ChRCC. Fourteen DEmiRNAs, 113 DElncRNAs, and 43 DEmRNAs were screened. Nine mRNAs (ALPL, ARHGAP29, CADM2, KIT, KLRD1, MYBL1, PSD3, SFRP1, and SLC7A11) significantly contributed to the overall survival (OS) of patients with ChRCC (P < 0.05). Furthermore, two mRNAs (CADM2 and SFRP1) appeared to be independent risk factors for ChRCC. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed the molecular mechanism of ChRCC and potential therapeutic targets for the disease.

Increased expression of miR-155 correlates with abnormal allograft status in solid organ transplant patients and rat kidney transplantation model.

AIMS: Increasing evidence has shown the diagnostic value of miR-155 in organ transplantation. The dysregulation of miR-155 is reported to be associated with development of acute or chronic complications in solid organ transplant recipients. Here, we summarized related evidence to explore the correlation between the dysregulation of miR-155 and various allograft dysfunction in transplant recipients, and verified the dynamic change of miR-155 level in acute rejection (AR) using a rat renal transplantation model. MAIN METHODS: Eligible studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. A meta-analysis method was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-155 in transplant recipients. Furthermore, the F344-Lewis rat renal transplantation model was established to validate the dynamic change of miR-155 expression during AR. KEY FINDINGS: A total of 275 transplant patients, including renal, heart, and lung transplantation from 6 studies were analysed. The pooled SEN of miR-155 was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.78-0.93), the pooled SPE was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.63-0.85), the pooled PLR was 3.6 (95% CI, 2.2-5.8), the pooled NLR was 0.17 (95% CI, 0.09-0.31), the pooled DOR was 17.31 (95% CI, 7.20-41.65) and pooled AUC was 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86-0.92). The rat renal transplantation model (n = 24) and control model (n = 15) were successfully established. Expression of miR-155 in plasma was significantly increased in 7 d and 9 d post-transplantation compared to the control group (P < 0.05), and was consistent with the dynamic change of AR degree. SIGNIFICANCE: miR-155 is a potential biomarker for monitoring the abnormal allograft status in solid organ transplantation.

Radiocolloid-based dynamic sentinel lymph node biopsy in penile cancer with clinically negative inguinal lymph node: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: More literatures regarding radiocolloid-based dynamic sentinel lymph node biopsy (DSNB) in penile cancer with clinically negative groin (cN0) have been published since previous meta-analysis in 2012. This updated meta-analysis was to assess the accuracy of the procedure in penile cancer with cN0 disease and explore its relative factors on the basis of current evidences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a review of PubMed, Ovid/Embase, and the Cochrane Library in March 2016 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Study quality was evaluated by the use of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2). A random effects model was used for statistical pooling. Publication bias was evaluated by the use of funnel plot and Egger's test. Meta-regression, subgroup and sensitivity analysis were conducted to explore the sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 27 articles were included. Two articles had two different cohorts and each cohort was considered a separate study. Overall 29 studies were used for sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and NPV was 88 % (95 % CI 84-90 %) and 99 % (98-99 %), respectively. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis revealed that the use of preoperative ultrasonic scan (USS) ± fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), surgical exploration of wound for suspicious lymph nodes (LN), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and extensive experience were significantly associated with the improved sensitivity of DSNB. CONCLUSIONS: Radiocolloid-based DSNB is a promising staging modality to detect inguinal micrometastasis in penile cancer without clinically positive inguinal LN. Preoperative USS ± FNAC and surgical exploration are effective supplements to exclude potentially clinical involvement, and IHC makes the diagnosis of occult metastasis in SLN more likely. The multidisciplinary and multistep procedure should be performed by skilled teams in specialized centers.

Short-term efficacy and safety of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy in erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Aim: The role of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LI-ESWT) in erectile dysfunction (ED) is not clearly determined. The purpose of this study is to investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of LI-ESWT for ED patients. Materials and Methods: Relevant studies were searched in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG and VIP databases. Effective rate in terms of International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function Domain (IIEF-EF) and Erectile Hardness Score (EHS) at about 1XSmonth after LI-ESWT was extracted from eligible studies for meta-analysis to calculate risk ratio (RR) of effective treatment in ED patients treated by LI-ESWT compared to those receiving sham-treatment. Results: Overall fifteen studies were included in the review, of which four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were for meta-analysis. Effective treatment was 8.31 [95°/o confidence interval (CI): 3.88-17.78] times more effective in the LI-ESWT group (n=176) than in the sham-treatment group (n= 101) at about 1 month after the intervention in terms of EHS, while it was 2.50 (95% CI: 0.74-8.45) times more in the treatment group (n= 121) than in the control group (n=89) in terms of IIEF-EF. Nine-week protocol with energy density of 0.09mJ/mm2 and 1500 pluses seemed to have better therapeutic effect than five-week protocol. No significant adverse event was reported. Conclusion: LI-ESWT, as a noninvasive treatment, has potential short-term therapeutic effect on patients with organic ED irrespective of sensitivity to PDE5is. Owing to the limited number and quality of the studies, more large-scale, well-designed and longterm follow-up time studies are needed to confirm our analysis.