Association between Whole Grain Intake and Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between whole grain intake and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between whole grain intake and risk of CKD in Chinese adults. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study used data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey conducted in 2009. Whole grain intake was measured using 3 consecutive 24-h dietary recalls and a household food inventory. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of CKD. In addition, a restricted cubic spline was used to investigate the dose‒response relationship between whole grain and risk of CKD. RESULTS: A total of 6747 participants were included, 728 of whom had CKD. Compared with those in the lowest whole grain intake group, those in the higher grain intake group had an inverse association with risk of CKD (Q2: adjusted OR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.89; Q3: adjusted OR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.69; and Q4: adjusted OR 0.29, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.41). The association between whole grain intake and CKD seems to be stronger for individuals who were male (P for interaction = 0.008) or smokers (P for interaction = 0.013). In addition, the restricted cubic spline suggested an obvious L-shaped correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Increased whole grain intake was associated with a decreased risk of CKD in Chinese adults.

Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery composed of micro-perc and retrograde intrarenal surgery in the treatment of complex kidney stones in children.

OBJECTIVE: This research aims to explore the efficiency and safety of endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (Micro-ECIRS) composed of micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (Micro-perc) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) in the Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia (GMSV) position for a single session for the treatment of complex nephrolithiasis in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed patients aged < 18 years who underwent Micro-ECIRS in the GMSV position for renal stones larger than 2 cm under ultrasound guidance between August 2020 to May 2022 at our institution. RESULTS: A total of 13 patients (8 males and 5 females) received Micro-ECIRS for renal stones under ultrasound guidancewhile adopting the GMSV position. The average stone size was 2.7 cm (range: 2.1-3.7 cm). Among them, 6 patients had left kidney stones, 5 patients had right kidney stones, and 2 patients had bilateral kidney stones. The mean operative time was 70.5 min (range: 54-93 min). The mean hospital stay was 6.4 days (range: 4-9 days). The mean hemoglobin decrease was 8.2 g/L (range: 5.1-12.4 g/L). The total number of kidneys that had complete stone clearance was 8 kidneys at 48 h postoperatively, 11 kidneys at 2 weeks postoperatively, and 14 kidneys at 1 month postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that Micro-ECIRS while patients are in the GMSV position is a safe and effective method for the treatment of complex children nephrolithiasis. However, all children made three hospital visits and received anesthesia three times. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Associations between whole grains intake and new-onset hypertension: a prospective cohort study.

IMPORTANCE: Epidemiological evidences regarding the association between whole grain intake and the risk of new-onset hypertension are still controversial. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between whole grain intake and new-onset hypertension and examine possible effect modifiers in the general population. METHODS: A total of 10,973 participants without hypertension from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were enrolled, with follow-up beginning in 1997 and ending in 2015. Whole grain intake was assessed by 3 consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with a household food inventory. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression model after adjusting for potential risk factors. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 7.0 years, 3,733 participants developed new-onset hypertension. The adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were as follows: for quartile 2 (HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47-0.57), quartile 3 (HR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.42-0.51), and quartile 4 (HR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.31-0.38), compared with quartile 1. Different types of whole grain types, including wheat (adjusted HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.32-0.39), maize (adjusted HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.42-0.59), and millet (adjusted HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.30-0.48), showed significant associations with a reduced risk of hypertension. The association between whole grain intake and new-onset hypertension was stronger in individuals with older age (P for interaction < 0.001) and higher BMI (P for interaction < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Higher consumption of whole grains was significantly associated with a lower risk of new-onset hypertension. This study provides further evidence supporting the importance of increasing whole grain intake for hypertension prevention among Chinese adults.

Single-center experience of micro-perc in the treatment of children with 1.0-2.0 cm sized kidney stones in the Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia position.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the applicability and safety of micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (micro-perc) in the treatment of children with kidney stones in the Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia (GMSV) position under the guidance of whole-course ultrasound. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were aged < 18 years in the GMSV position who underwent micro-perc for kidney stones under ultrasound guidance between August 2020 and May 2022 at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients, 15 males and 8 females, received micro-perc. The average stone size was 1.6 cm (range 1.1-2.0 cm). Among them, 12 patients had left kidney stones, 10 patients had right kidney stones, and 1 patient had bilateral kidney stones. The mean operative time was 55.3 min (range 35-86 min). The mean hospital stay was 2.9 days (range 2-4 days). The mean hemoglobin decrease was 1.7 g/L (range 0.9-3.2 g/L). A total of 17 patients had complete stone clearance at 48 h postoperatively. A total of 22 patients had complete stone clearance at 2 weeks postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that micro-perc under ultrasound guidance is a safe and effective method for the treatment of children with kidney stones in the GMSV position. Further research is warranted to confirm these results.

Percutaneous nephrostomy versus retrograde ureteral stent for acute upper urinary tract obstruction with urosepsis.

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the efficacy of percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) versus retrograde ureteric stent (RUS) for acute upper urinary tract obstruction with urosepsis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a random study, comparing PCN to RUS, for the treatment of patients requiring emergency drainage due to acute upper urinary tract obstruction with urosepsis between January 2019 to March 2020. Data collected included patient characteristics, stone material, microbiological characteristics, and laboratory data. Statistical analysis was performed by the student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test or chi-squared test and Fisher exact test. RESULTS: At first, a total of 75 patients were eligibly assessed for enrollment. Among them, 3 cases were excluded for declining to participate and 7 cases were failed treated with RUS. At last, 35 PCN (53.85%) and 30 RUS (46.15%) patients were analyzed. There were 24 (36.92%) men and 41 (63.08%) women. The median age was 65 years. Emergency decompression was achieved by PCN in 35 (53.85%) patients and by RUS in 30 (46.15%). Urine culture was positive in 32 (49.23%) patients, of which 17 (53.13%) had E. coli. Postoperative C-reactive protein value and normal temperature recovery time in the PCN group were significantly lower than in the RUS group(P < .05). CONCLUSION: PCN had a better outcome than RUS in emergency drainage with urosepsis, especially for patients with severe inflammation and fever.

Co-expression gene modules involved in cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy according to sensitivity, status, and severity.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is among the most disabling and frustrating problems for cancer survivors. The neurotoxicity caused by cisplatin varies greatly among patients, and few predictors of appearance, duration of symptoms, susceptibility, or severity are available. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying individual differences in status, severity, or sensitivity in response to cisplatin treatment is therefore required. By analyzing the GSE64174 gene expression profile and constructing a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) network, we screened gene modules and hub genes related to CIPN status, severity and sensitivity. We first identified the transcriptome profile of mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) samples and transformed their genes to human DRG counterparts. We then constructed WGCNA gene modules via optimal soft-threshold power-identification and module-preservation analysis. Comprehensive analysis and identification of module hub genes were performed via functional-enrichment analysis and significant common hub genes were identified, including "Cytoscape_cytoHubba," "Cytoscape_MCODE," and "Metascape_MCODE." Brown, green, and blue modules were selected to represent CIPN sensitivity, status, and severity, respectively, via trait-module correlational analysis. Additionally, functional enrichment analysis results indicated that these three modules were associated with some crucial biological functions, such as neutrophil migration, chemokine-mediated signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. We then identified seven common hub genes via three methods, including CXCL10, CCL21, CCR2, CXCR4, TLR4, NPY1R, and GALR2, related to CIPN status, severity and sensitivity. Our results provide possible targets and mechanism insights into the development and progress of CIPN, which can guide further transformation and pre-clinical research.

1000 fps computational ghost imaging using LED-based structured illumination.

Single-pixel imaging uses a single-pixel detector, rather than a focal plane detector array, to image a scene. It provides advantages for applications such as multi-wavelength, three-dimensional imaging. However, low frame rates have been a major obstacle inhibiting the use of computational ghost imaging technique in wider applications since its invention one decade ago. To address this problem, a computational ghost imaging scheme, which utilizes an LED-based, high-speed illumination module is presented in this work. At 32 × 32 pixel resolution, the proof-of-principle system achieved continuous imaging with 1000 fps frame rate, approximately two orders larger than those of other existing ghost imaging systems. The proposed scheme provides a cost-effective and high-speed imaging technique for dynamic imaging applications.

[Effect of dihydroartemisinin combined irradiation on the apoptosis of human lung cancer GLC-82 cells and its mechanism study].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) combined irradiation on the apoptosis of human lung cancer GLC-82 cells and to study its mechanism. METHODS: The growth inhibition rate of GLC-82 cells acted by different concentrations DHA was detected using MTT assay at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Clone forming test was used. With multi-target single-hit model, the radiosensitization effect was assessed by calculating sensitizing enhancement ratio (SER).The effect of DHA combined irradiation on the apoptosis of GLC-82 cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. The protein expression of p53, p21, Bcl-2, and Bax were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Different concentrations DHA (4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 µg/mL) had cytotoxicity on GLC-82 cells. The IC50 for 24, 48, and 72 h was 38.25,20.58, and 10.36 µg/mL, respectively, in obvious dose- and time-dependent manner. The growth inhibition rate was more significantly increased than that of the blank control group (P < 0.01, P<0.05). DHA had sensitization enhancement effect on GLC-82 cells, with SER of 1.4. DHA combined irradiation could obviously change the structure of GLC-82 cells cell cycle and induce apoptosis (with the apoptosis rate of 21.5%), which was significantly different from that of the blank control group (P < 0.05). Western blot showed the expression of p53 and p21 protein could be increased by DHA combined irradiation, and the expression of Bcl-2 protein down-regulated (P <0.01, P <0. 05). CONCLUSIONS: DHA had stronger cytotoxicity and radiosensitization on GLC-82 cells. Its mechanisms might lie in making the arrest of GLC-82 cells' growth at G0/G1 phase, decreasing the ratio of cells at S phase, restoring the function of p53, decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 protein, and inducing apoptosis in GLC-82 cells.

Use of Extracorporeal Physical Vibration Lithecbole Through Greater Sciatic Foramen for Treatment of Distal Ureteral Calculi.

Introduction: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of performing extracorporeal physical vibrational lithecbole (EPVL) through greater sciatic foramen (GSF) for distal ureteral calculi (DUC) treatment. Materials and Methods: All patients with a diagnosis of DUC (6-10 mm in diameter) were enrolled in this study from October 2018 to May 2020. Patients were randomly divided into three groups receiving EPVL through GSF (Group A, n = 58), or abdominal (Group B, n = 60), or combined with oral use of tamsulosin at 0.4 mg daily (Group C, n = 63). Results: There was no significant difference observed in terms of demographic characteristics or size of stones among the three groups (p > 0.05). Compared with the Groups B and C, patients of the Group A displayed a significantly higher score of comfort, with a significantly decreased number of renal colic attacks or analgesics required (p < 0.01). The stone-free rate also significantly increased after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment (p < 0.01), despite such a significant difference among these groups vanishing after 4 weeks of treatment. Conclusion: EPVL in the prone position uses the GSF as the path and is a safe and effective approach to treat the distal ureteral calculi.

Effect of the External Physical Vibration Lithecbole on the Discharge of Upper Urinary Stones: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The external physical vibration lithecbole (EPVL) is a new device that accelerates the discharge of urinary stones by changing the patient's body position and providing multi-directional simple harmonic waves. It is clinically employed to improve the stone-free rate (SFR). However, it is not widely accepted in clinical practice due to the lack of high-level evidentiary support and a standard protocol. The present meta-analysis aims at the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of EPVL treatment in improving the SFR. METHODS: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Medline, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as recent as April 2020 that evaluated the efficacy and safety of EPVL treatment for patients with stones/residual stones in the upper urinary tract. RESULTS: In total, 7 prospective studies with 1414 patients were included. Compared with patients in the control group, patients treated with an EPVL (the intervention group) had higher SFRs (95% CI: 0.59-0.86, RR = 0.71, P = .0004) and lower complication rates (95% CI: 1.37-3.12, RR = 2.07, P = .0006). In a subgroup analysis based on previous surgery (ESWL, RIRS), the intervention group had an improved SFR as compared to the control group (95% CI: 0.59-0.95, RR = 0.75, P = .02; 95% CI: 0.56-0.73, RR = 0.64, P < .00001, respectively). In a subgroup analysis based on stone location, the SFRs for stones in the upper/middle/lower calyx and renal pelvis were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group: for residual stones in the upper and middle calyx, 95% CI: 0.63-0.98, RR = 0.79, and P = .03; for residual stones in the lower calyx, 95% CI: 0.54-0.75, RR = 0.64, and P < .00001; for residual stones in the renal pelvis, 95% CI: 0.47-0.79, RR = 0.61, and P = .0002. However, the SFRs for ureter stones were not significantly different between groups (95% CI: 0.82 -1.05, RR = 0.93, P = .23). CONCLUSION: The external physical vibration lithecbole can effectively improve the SFR after ESWL and RIRS without significant side effects, especially for residual stones in the upper/middle/lower calyx and renal pelvis.

Prediction of Proximal Ureteral Stones Clearance after Shock Wave Lithotripsy Using an Artificial Neural Network.

PURPOSE: The cumulative effect of measurable parameters on proximal ureteral stone clearance followed by the shock wave lithotripsy was assessed via the application of an artificial neural network. METHODS AND PATIENTS: From January 2015 to January 2020, 1182 patients with upper ureteral stone underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) with supine position. The corresponding significance of each variable inputted in this network was determined by means of Wilk's generalized likelihood ratio test. If the connection weight of a given variable can be set to zero while maximizing the accuracy of the network classification, the variable is not considered an important predictor of stone removal. RESULTS: A total of 1174 cases (excluding 8 cases) were randomly assigned into a training group (813 cases), testing group (270 cases), and keeping group (91 cases). We evaluated artificial neural network analysis to the stone clearance rate of the training group, with a predictive accuracy of 93.2% (482/517 cases). While the predictive accuracy of the stone clearance rate of the training group was 75.3% (223 cases/296 cases). The order of importance of independent variables was stone length > course (d) > patient's age > Stone Width > PH value. CONCLUSION: The neural network possess a huge prediction potential for the invalidation of ESWL.

Identification of CDC5L as bridge gene between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung adenocarcinoma.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the genetic and epigenetic similarities between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Materials & methods: We mainly used Weighted correlation network analysis, protein-protein interaction network and pivot analysis to identify hub modules, bridge regulators, bridge genes and hub-driving genes in both diseases and carried out verifying using external datasets. Results: We identified eight bridge regulators, 19 key molecules in the COPD model and ten key molecules in the LUAD model. Moreover, we validated that CDC5L could be a reliable biomarker in COPD and may regulate cell proliferation and metastasis in LUAD via promoter methylation. Conclusion: Our results might form a theoretical foundation for future study at an epigenetic level.

Synchrotron Radiation-Based Three-Dimensional Visualization of Angioarchitectural Remodeling in Hippocampus of Epileptic Rats.

Characterizing the three-dimensional (3D) morphological alterations of microvessels under both normal and seizure conditions is crucial for a better understanding of epilepsy. However, conventional imaging techniques cannot detect microvessels on micron/sub-micron scales without angiography. In this study, synchrotron radiation (SR)-based X-ray in-line phase-contrast imaging (ILPCI) and quantitative 3D characterization were used to acquire high-resolution, high-contrast images of rat brain tissue under both normal and seizure conditions. The number of blood microvessels was markedly increased on days 1 and 14, but decreased on day 60 after seizures. The surface area, diameter distribution, mean tortuosity, and number of bifurcations and network segments also showed similar trends. These pathological changes were confirmed by histological tests. Thus, SR-based ILPCI provides systematic and detailed views of cerebrovascular anatomy at the micron level without using contrast-enhancing agents. This holds considerable promise for better diagnosis and understanding of the pathogenesis and development of epilepsy.

ORAI channels are critical for receptor-mediated endocytosis of albumin.

Impaired albumin reabsorption by proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) has been highlighted in diabetic nephropathy (DN), but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here we find that ORAI1-3, are preferentially expressed in PTECs and downregulated in patients with DN. Hyperglycemia or blockade of insulin signaling reduces the expression of ORAI1-3. Inhibition of ORAI channels by BTP2 and diethylstilbestrol or silencing of ORAI expression impairs albumin uptake. Transgenic mice expressing a dominant-negative Orai1 mutant (E108Q) increases albuminuria, and in vivo injection of BTP2 exacerbates albuminuria in streptozotocin-induced and Akita diabetic mice. The albumin endocytosis is Ca2+-dependent and accompanied by ORAI1 internalization. Amnionless (AMN) associates with ORAIs and forms STIM/ORAI/AMN complexes after Ca2+ store depletion. STIM1/ORAI1 colocalizes with clathrin, but not with caveolin, at the apical membrane of PTECs, which determines clathrin-mediated endocytosis. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of protein reabsorption and potential targets for treating diabetic proteinuria.