Association between serum cotinine levels and urinary incontinence in adults in the United States: a population-based cross-sectional analysis.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure has been shown to be associated with a variety of diseases, but evidence regarding the association between it and urinary incontinence (UI) is limited. Cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine in the human body, can more accurately quantify the level of human exposure to tobacco smoke. The study utilized data from seven survey cycles (2007-March 2020 Pre-pandemic) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program. Weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, interaction tests, smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect models were used to analyze the relationship between serum cotinine and UI. Additionally, a 1:1 nearest neighbor propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed to minimize the impact of confounding factors. Before and after PSM, serum cotinine levels were higher in individuals with UI than those without (P < 0.05). Both before and after PSM, UI was positively correlated with serum cotinine levels, with a significantly increased risk of urinary incontinence when serum cotinine levels were in the Q3 range (before PSM: OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.59-2.24; after PSM: OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.28-2.00). Smooth curve fitting before and after PSM showed an approximate J-shaped non-linear dose-response relationship between log-transformed serum cotinine levels and UI. This study indicates that among American adults, there is a positive relationship between serum cotinine levels and UI, which is also significant in self-reported non-smoking populations. Therefore, reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (e.g., avoiding second-hand smoke) in work and daily life may help alleviate the occurrence of UI, and serum cotinine levels have the potential to be a tool for predicting the degree of risk of developing UI.

Emulsion-Directed Synthesis of Poly-Porphyrin Nanoparticles as Heterogeneous Photocatalysts for PET-RAFT Polymerization.

Heterogeneous photocatalysts have attracted extensive attention in photo-induced electron transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization due to their remarkable advantages such as easy preparation, tunable photoelectric properties, and recyclability. In this study, zinc (II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)porphyrin (ZnTAPP)-based poly-porphyrin nanoparticles (PTAPP-Zn) are constructed by an emulsion-directed approach. It is investigated as a heterogeneous photocatalyst for PET-RAFT polymerization of various methacrylate monomers under visible light exposure, and the reactions show refined polymerization control with high monomer conversions. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the PTAPP-Zn nanoparticles with the larger pore size enhance photocatalytic activity in PET-RAFT polymerization. In addition, the capabilities of oxygen tolerance and temporal control are demonstrated and PTAPP-Zn particles can be easily recycled and reused without an obvious decrease in catalytic efficiency.

Effects of different fermentation synergistic chemical treatments on the performance of wheat straw as a nursery substrate.

Wheat straw is rich in organic matter and nutrients and has the potential to replace peat as the primary raw material in organic nurseries. Using straw as a peat substitute can also aid in reducing the CO2 emissions that result from peat mining. Furthermore, this can avoid resource wastage and eliminate the practice of burning wheat straw, thereby causing pollution. The conventional composting treatment has a long cycle and inability to control substrate properties in a targeted manner. Thus, this study analyzed the physicochemical properties, material science properties, and biological toxicity of straw substrate at the end of fermentation to achieve rapid and targeted regulations of the substrate's overall performance. Wheat straw treated with two types of fermentation (aerobic/anaerobic) and five chemical conditioners (1% CH3COOH, 1% H2SO4, 1% NaOH, 1% K2CO3, and H2O) under different temperature conditions was used. Adjusting the pH of straw substrate to acidic levels (4.47-6.51) reduced the organic matter consumption by 0.27-5.82% under anaerobic digestion than under aerobic composting. Meanwhile, aerobic composting retained more nitrogen (0.12-8.23 mg/g) than anaerobic digestion. The co-fermentation of wheat straw pretreated with 1% H2SO4 resulted in 14.18-46.12% hemicellulose degradation. Co-aerobic straw composting with H2SO4 and K2CO3 at 35 °C reduced the crystallinity of the straw substrate by 6.66 and 7.33%, respectively, as compared to other conditioning agents. CH3COOH lowered the electrical conductivity values of the straw substrate at the end of fermentation (2.33-3.49 mS/cm). Overall, the findings revealed that CH3COOH-cooperative aerobic composting pretreatment at 35 °C is a suitable replacement for the traditional composting process as a method of utilizing straw substrate.

RAFT Polymerization of Semifluorinated Monomers Mediated by a NIR Fluorinated Photocatalyst.

Near-infrared (NIR) light plays an increasingly important role in the field of photoinduced electron/energy transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization due to its unique properties. Yet, the NIR photocatalyst with good stability for PET-RAFT polymerization remains promising. Here, a strategy of NIR PET-RAFT polymerization of semifluorinated monomers using fluorophenyl bacteriochlorin as a photocatalyst with strong absorption at the NIR light region (710-780 nm) is reported. In which, the F atoms are used to modify reduced tetraphenylporphyrin structure with enhanced photostability of photocatalyst. Under the irradiation of NIR light (λmax = 740 nm), the PET-RAFT polymerization of semifluorinated methylacrylic monomers presents living/control characteristics and temporal modulation. By the PET-RAFT polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) strategy, stable fluorine-containing micelles are constructed in various solvents. In addition, the fluorinated hydrophobic surface is fabricated via a surface-initiated PET-RAFT (SI-PET-RAFT) polymerization using silicon wafer bearing RAFT agents with tunable surface hydrophobicity. This strategy not only enlightens the application of further modified compounds based on porphyrin structure in photopolymerization, but also shows promising potential for the construction of well-defined functional fluoropolymers.

NIR-Activated Polymeric Nanoplatform with Upper Critical Solution Temperature for Image-Guided Synergistic Photothermal Therapy and Chemotherapy.

Premature and incomplete drug release is the typical bottleneck of drug release in traditional chemotherapy. Synergistic therapies are highly desirable in medicine and biology because they can compensate for the drawbacks of single therapy and significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy. Herein, a novel near infrared (NIR)-activated polymeric nanoplatform with upper critical solution temperature (UCST) was constructed for image-guided synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy. UCST-responsive amphiphilic block copolymers were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and then co-assembled with IR780 and cabazitaxel (Cab) to form spherical nanoparticles (NPs). IR780/Cab dual-loaded UCST polymeric NPs can produce local heating upon NIR laser irradiation and further lead to the dissociation of cargo-loaded NPs and controlled release of Cab. IR780 plays the role of both a heating generator and an activator for "on-demand" drug release. The investigation of in vivo fluorescence and photothermal imaging clearly demonstrated tumor targeting. Notably, both in vitro and in vivo studies illustrated that the synergistic PTT and chemotherapy presented better anticancer efficacy than that of PTT and chemotherapy simplely combined. Thus, the well-defined polymeric nanoplatform opens a versatile and effective path to develop image-guided synergistic therapies for tumor treatment.

Fabrication of a Dual-Stimuli-Responsive Supramolecular Micelle from a Pillar[5]arene-Based Supramolecular Diblock Copolymer for Photodynamic Therapy.

A pH and thermo dual-responsive supramolecular diblock copolymer is constructed by host-guest recognition of pillar[5]arene and viologen salt. The host polymer, poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) bearing pillar[5]arene as the terminal group (P[5]A-PDMAEMA) is synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Guest polymer, ethyl viologen-ended poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (EV-PNIPAM) is prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The supramolecular diblock copolymer can be self-assembled into stable supramolecular nanoparticles in aqueous solution at 40 °C, which show excellent pH and thermo responsiveness. The nanoparticles are further applied in the encapsulation of photosensitizers (pyropheophorbide-a, PhA) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The dual-responsive nanoparticles can efficiently release PhA in acidic environment at 25 °C. Based on the result of cell experiments, PhA-loaded nanomicelles exhibit excellent PDT efficacy and low dark toxicity toward A549 cells. Thus, this supramolecular diblock copolymer enriches the methodology of constructing stimuli-responsive drug carriers and presents a great potential in PDT.

Mendelian randomization analyses explore the effects of micronutrients on different kidney diseases.

Background: The impact of micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, on different kidney diseases has been reported in some observational studies; however, their causal relationship remains uncertain. We aimed to ascertain the causal genetic relationships between micronutrients and different kidney diseases using the Mendelian randomization (MR) method. Methods: Instrumental variables (IVs) for genetically predicting calcium (Ca), iron (Ir), Zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), copper (Cu), vitamin D (Vit D), and vitamin C (Vit C) levels in humans were obtained, and a bidirectional two-sample MR was used to examine potential associations between the levels of these seven micronutrients and the risk of seven different kidney diseases including hypertensive renal disease, diabetic nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, cystic nephropathy, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and chronic tubulo-interstitial nephritis. Five different MR analyses were conducted, with the main method being the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method. Moreover, sensitivity analyses were performed to assess heterogeneity and potential pleiotropy. Results: The IVW method revealed that Ca levels were associated with a decreased risk of hypertensive renal disease (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40-0.93, p-value = 0.022), and Se levels were associated with a decreased risk of hypertensive renal disease (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.53-0.99, p-value = 0.040), diabetic nephropathy (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73-0.93, p-value = 0.002), and CKD (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.77-0.99, p-value = 0.028). Conversely, Vit D levels were associated with an increased risk of polycystic kidney disease (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.15-2.69, p-value = 0.0095). In addition, no potential causal relationship was found between vitamin C levels, iron levels, zinc levels, and copper levels and different kidney diseases. Meanwhile, inverse Mendelian randomization showed no potential causal relationship between different chronic kidney diseases and micronutrients. The Cochrane's Q test, MR-Egger regression, and MR-PRESSO did not suggest heterogeneity and pleiotropy, providing evidence of the validity of the MR estimates. Conclusion: Our results indicate a cause-and-effect connection between micronutrients and certain kidney diseases, but additional study is required to provide more conclusive evidence. This research has the potential to assist clinicians in managing the consumption of specific micronutrients among individuals with chronic kidney diseases, as well as in promoting disease prevention among both healthy populations and those who are susceptible to chronic underlying conditions.

Association between circulating inflammatory proteins and benign prostatic disease: a Mendelian randomization study.

Previous research has suggested that circulating inflammatory proteins are associated with benign prostatic disease (BPD). This Mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted to further investigate the causal relationship between 91 inflammatory proteins and BPD. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summarized data of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis were obtained from the FinnGen Biobank. The latest study offered the GWAS data on 91 proteins related to inflammation. We performed a bidirectional MR to investigate the causal association between inflammatory proteins and BPD. The outcomes of the IVW method indicated that decreased levels of circulating interleukin-17 C (IL-17 C) (OR = 0.92, 95%CI = 0.85-0.99, p-value = 0.0344) were suggestively associated with a higher risk of BPH and elevated levels of interleukin-10 receptor subunit alpha (IL-10RA) (OR = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.05-1.47, p-value = 0.0132) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) (OR = 1.13, 95%CI = 1.00-1.28, p-value = 0.0421) were suggestively related to a higher risk of prostatitis. Furthermore, reverse MR revealed that BPH may promote the expression of circulating factors, including natural killer cell receptor 2B4 (CD244) (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.01-1.13, p-value = 0.0192), T-cell surface glycoprotein CD6 isoform (CD6) (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.01-1.13, p-value = 0.0192), and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIF-R) (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.01-1.15, p-value = 0.0163). Moreover, the results of sensitivity analyses indicate that heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy are unlikely to distort the findings. The results of this study indicate a potential association between circulating inflammatory proteins and BPD, which may become new diagnostic indicators or drug targets for clinical application in the prevention and treatment of BPD. However, further investigation is required.

Association between periodontal disease and schizophrenia: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

The connection between periodontal disease (PD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) has been reported in observational studies, but it remains unclear. This research aims to examine the bidirectional causal impacts between PD and SCZ. The FinnGen consortium supplied summarized data on PD for 346,731 individuals (87,497 cases and 259,234 controls) of Finnish ancestry, and information on SCZ was acquired from the OpenGWAS repository, encompassing 127,906 individuals (52,017 cases and 75,889 controls) of European ancestry. Next, we conducted Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to establish a causal inference relationship between PD and SCZ. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was utilized as the primary analysis. Additionally, some sensitivity analyses were utilized to verify the stability of the results. The analysis of IVW results indicated no impact of PD on SCZ (IVW OR = 1.10, 95% CI 0.97-1.24, P = 0.14). Nevertheless, the inverse relationship between PD and SCZ was identified through reverse MR analysis (IVW OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05, P = 0.002). The findings from MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode approaches aligned with the outcomes of the IVW method. Based on sensitivity analyses, horizontal pleiotropy is unlikely to distort causal estimates. This study presented the initial proof of a genetic causal relationship between SCZ and PD, albeit with a minimal impact. Further exploration is needed to gain a deeper understanding of this relationship. Furthermore, no genetic causal relationship between PD and SCZ was identified.

Ovotesticular disorder of sexual development manifested as hematospermia: a case report and literature review.

Background: Ovotesticular disorder of sexual development (OT-DSD) is a rare sexual development disorder defined by the simultaneous existence of testicular and ovarian tissues (including follicular) in the same- or opposite-sex glands of an individual, with an incidence rate of about 1 in 100 000. Aim: This report aims to supplement the clinical presentation, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of OT-DSD and to improve the diagnostic ability of clinicians for modified disease. Methods: This article is a retrospective analysis of a case of OT-DSD at our institution. Additionally, a comprehensive search of the PubMed database with the keywords "ovotesticular disorder of sexual development" or "true hermaphroditism" was conducted between 1956 and 2024, resulting in approximately 250 cases, and the results of the search are summarized. Results: The patient, a 44-year-old male, sought treatment at our hospital on February 6, 2023, primarily due to "intermittent hematospermia for over a month." He stated that it was discovered during infancy that his right scrotum was empty and lacking a testicle. Due to the low local medical services and the low-income family's economic conditions, he did not seek further diagnosis and treatment. After admission, the patient underwent computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging and decided to undergo robot-assisted pelvic mass resection, which was pathologically confirmed as OT-DSD. Outcomes: The patient's definitive diagnosis was provided by postoperative pathology, and although the patient ultimately had a favorable outcome, diagnosis and treatment were delayed due to his atypical clinical presentation. Strengths and Limitations: This is a single case report; however, uncommon clinical presentations of rare diseases were identified, and a literature review was conducted. Unfortunately, there are some important missing data in the patient's medical history, including hormone assessment (testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone), tumor marker examination, semen analysis, scrotal ultrasound, and chromosomal analysis. Conclusion: Patients with OT-DSD have diverse types of gonads, chromosomal karyotypes, and phenotypes of external genitalia, and further exploration and research are needed for early diagnosis and treatment. In addition, cases of OT-DSD with fertility and no ambiguous genitalia are even rarer. This case guides us for adult patients with no ambiguous genitalia: if there is an inability to palpate 1 or both gonads and there is intermittent hematospermia, the possibility of OT-DSD should be suspected.

The relationship between complete blood cell count-derived inflammatory biomarkers and benign prostatic hyperplasia in middle-aged and elderly individuals in the United States: Evidence from NHANES 2001-2008.

BACKGROUND: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common health disorder of the male genitourinary system with a high prevalence, especially among middle-aged and older adults, which seriously affects men's quality of life. Inflammatory markers derived from complete blood cell count (CBC) have previously been considered a prognostic indicator for various diseases, but little is known about their relationship with BPH. This study evaluated the relationship between complete blood cell count (CBC)-derived inflammatory biomarkers and BPH. METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study were gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2008. Using multiple logistic regressions, the study examined the association between benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) and Inflammatory biomarkers derived from blood cell counts such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI) and Systemic Immunoinflammatory Index (SII). RESULTS: 3,919 participants were included, with a median age of 61.00 (52.00-71.00) years old. Among them, 609 participants had benign prostatic hyperplasia, with a prevalence of 15.54%. Upon accounting for confounding factors, the study revealed a positive correlation between the plurality of BPH PLR and SII. However, MLR, NLR, and SIRI did not significantly correlate with the prevalence of BPH (p>0.05). In contrast to the lowest quartile, higher quartiles of PLR (OR = 1.93[1.38-2.69]) and SII (OR = 1.71[1.22-2.40]) were linked to an elevated risk of BPH. Interaction tests showed that age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and drinking had no significant effect on this positive correlation (p for interaction>0.05). In addition, we found a roughly linear association between SII, PLR, and BPH using smoothed curve fitting. CONCLUSIONS: According to our research, high levels of PLR and SII are positively linked with an increased risk of BPH in middle-aged and elderly individuals in the United States. The results compensate for previous studies that still need to be validated with larger prospective cohorts.

Periprostatic Adipose Tissue: A New Perspective for Diagnosing and Treating Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common tumor of the male genitourinary system. It will eventually progress to fatal metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, for which treatment options are limited. Adipose tissues are distributed in various parts of the body. They have different morphological structures and functional characteristics and are associated with the development of various tumors. Periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) is the closest white visceral adipose tissue to the prostate and is part of the PCa tumor microenvironment. Studies have shown that PPAT is involved in PCa development, progression, invasion, and metastasis through the secretion of multiple active molecules. Factors such as obesity, diet, exercise, and organochlorine pesticides can affect the development of PCa indirectly or directly through PPAT. Based on the mechanism of PPAT's involvement in regulating PCa, this review summarized various diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for PCa with potential applications to assess the progression of patients' disease and improve clinical outcomes.

Application of graft-derived cell-free DNA for solid organ transplantation.

Monitoring the status of grafts and the occurrence of postoperative complications, such as rejection, is crucial for ensuring the success and long-term survival of organ transplants. Traditional histopathological examination, though effective, is an invasive procedure and poses risks of complications, making frequent use impractical. In recent years, graft-derived cell-free DNA (gd-cfDNA) has emerged as a promising non-invasive biomarker. It not only provides early warnings of rejection and other types of graft injury but also offers important information about the effectiveness of immunosuppressive therapy and prognosis. gd-cfDNA shows potential in the monitoring of organ transplants. The early, real-time information on graft injury provided by gd-cfDNA facilitates timely individualized treatment and improves patient outcomes. However, the progress of research on gd-cfDNA varies across different organs. Therefore, this article will comprehensively review the application and findings of gd-cfDNA in monitoring various solid organs, discussing the advantages, limitations, and some future research directions to aid in its clinical application.

Optimizing biochar addition strategies in combined processes: Comprehensive assessment of earthworm growth, lignocellulose degradation and vermicompost quality.

The sustainable management of agricultural waste is essential for curtailing environmental contamination. To address the shortcomings of single treatment methods, this study evaluated the feasibility of combining membrane-covered composting (MC) with vermicomposting. Based on this, the integrated effects of different biochar addition strategies on the combined process were investigated. The aim was to improve the efficiency of vermicomposting while eliminating the negative effects of biochar on earthworms. Addition of biochar before membrane-covered composting increased total earthworm biomass by 25.6 - 31.4 % and reproduction rate by 13.4 - 23.9 %. Specifically, the electrical conductivity (EC) (1061.0 - 1112.0 uS/cm) of the vermicompost was significantly reduced, while the total nutrient content (42.3 - 42.6 mg/g) and germination index (GI) (103.9 - 108.4 %) were maximized. Additionally, reductions in the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and volatile content were observed. Overall, combination process is a promising approach to improve the quality of vermicomposting. The study's results offer a novel perspective on the value-added treatment of agricultural waste.

Addition of plantation waste to the bioconversion of pig manure by black soldier fly larvae: Effects on heavy metal content and bioavailability.

During the conversion of pig manure by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), the accumulation and speciation changes of heavy metals (HMs) have adverse effects on the environment. In this study, corn straw, rice straw, bamboo chips (BC), wood chips, and rice husk char were added to a bioconversion system to study the accumulation, migration, speciation changes, and microbial correlations of HMs. The results indicated that the addition of BC was most beneficial for the accumulation of HMs (47-72 %) in the BSFL body. In the BC group, the accumulation effect of the BSFL body on zinc (Zn) and arsenic (As) was the most evident (72 and 71 %, respectively). The results of linear fitting (R2 > 0.90) and redundancy analysis (RDA; 90 %) indicated that the bacterium Bacillaceae (Bacillus) was beneficial for increasing the larval weight (LW) of BSFL, and a higher LW accumulated HMs. The addition of BC helped reduce the total amount (6-51 %) of available states (weak acid extraction and reducible states) in the BSFL residue. The RDA results indicated that bacteria (55-92 %) affected the transformation of HM speciation. For example, Zn and cadmium were mainly affected by Firmicutes, whereas copper and chromium were affected by Bacteroidetes. Proteobacteria and Pseudomonas formosensis affected the conversion of lead and As. This study provides important insights into the adsorption of HMs from pig manure by BSFL.

Biotransformation of Pb and As from sewage sludge and food waste by black soldier fly larvae: Migration mechanism of bacterial community and metalloregulatory protein scales.

The accumulation and transformation of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) during the digestion of sewage sludge (SS) by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) remain unclear. In this study, we used 16 s rRNA and metagenomic sequencing techniques to investigate the correlation between the microbial community, metalloregulatory proteins (MRPs), and Pb and As migration and transformation. During the 15-day test period, BSFL were able to absorb 34-48 % of Pb and 32-45 % of As into their body. Changes in bacterial community abundance, upregulation of MRPs, and redundancy analysis (RDA) results confirmed that ZntA, EfeO, CadC, ArsR, ArsB, ArsD, and ArsA play major roles in the adsorption and stabilization of Pb and As, which is mainly due to the high contribution rates of Lactobacillus (48-59 %) and Enterococcus (21-23 %). Owing to the redox reaction, the regulation of the MRPs, and the change in pH, the Pb and As in the BSFL residue were mainly the residual fraction (F4). The RDA results showed that Lactobacillus and L.koreensis could significantly (P < 0.01) reduce the reducible fraction (F2) and F4 of Pb, whereas Firmicutes and L.fermentum can significantly (P < 0.05) promote the transformation of As to F4, thus realizing the passivation Pb and As. This study contributes to the understanding of Pb and As in SS adsorbed by BSFL and provides important insights into the factors that arise during the BSFL-mediated migration of Pb and As.

Gut microbiome: a novel preventive and therapeutic target for prostatic disease.

The human gut microbiome (GM) impacts various physiological processes and can lead to pathological conditions and even carcinogenesis if homeostasis is disrupted. Recent studies have indicated a connection between the GM and prostatic disease. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This review aims to provide a summary of the existing information regarding the connection between the GM and various prostatic conditions such as chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer (PCa). Furthermore, the review aims to identify possible pathogenic mechanisms and suggest potential ways of targeting GM to prevent and treat prostatic disease. Due to the complexity of the mechanism between GM and prostatic diseases, additional research is required to comprehend the association between the two. This will lead to more effective treatment options for prostatic disease.

Exploring the nexus between MYH9 and tumors: novel insights and new therapeutic opportunities.

The myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) gene, located on human chromosome 22, encodes non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NM IIA). This protein is essential to various cellular events, such as generating intracellular chemomechanical force and facilitating the movement of the actin cytoskeleton. Mutations associated with thrombocytopenia in autosomal dominant diseases first highlighted the significance of the MYH9 gene. In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated the pivotal roles of MYH9 in various cancers. However, its effects on cancer are intricate and not fully comprehended. Furthermore, the elevated expression of MYH9 in certain malignancies suggests its potential as a target for tumor therapy. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of literature summarizing MYH9's role in tumors and the therapeutic strategies centered on it, necessitating a systematic analysis. This paper comprehensively reviews and analyzes the pertinent literature in this domain, elucidating the fundamental structural characteristics, biological functions, and the nexus between MYH9 and tumors. The mechanisms through which MYH9 contributes to tumor development and its multifaceted roles in the tumorigenic process are also explored. Additionally, we discuss the relationship between MYH9-related diseases (MYH9-RD) and tumors and also summarize tumor therapeutic approaches targeting MYH9. The potential clinical applications of studying the MYH9 gene include improving early diagnosis, clinical staging, and prognosis of tumors. This paper is anticipated to provide novel insights for tumor therapy.

Association between cathepsins and benign prostate diseases: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Objectives: The relationship between cathepsins and prostate cancer (PCa) has been reported. However, there is a lack of research on cathepsins and benign prostate diseases (BPDs). This study investigated the potential genetic link between cathepsins and BPDs through the utilization of Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to determine if a causal relationship exists. Methods: Publicly accessible summary statistics on BPDs were obtained from FinnGen Biobank. The data comprised 149,363 individuals, with 30,066 cases and 119,297 controls for BPH, and 123,057 individuals, with 3,760 cases and 119,297 controls for prostatitis. The IEU OpenGWAS provided the Genome-wide association data on ten cathepsins. To evaluate the causal relationship between BPDs and cathepsins, five distinct MR analyses were employed, with the primary method being the inverse variance weighted (IVW) approach. Additionally, sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine the horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity of the findings. Results: The examination of IVW MR findings showed that cathepsin O had a beneficial effect on BPH (IVW OR=0.94, 95% CI 0.89-0.98, P=0.0055), while cathepsin X posed a threat to prostatitis (IVW OR=1.08, 95% CI 1.00-1.16, P=0.047). Through reverse MR analysis, it was revealed that prostatitis had an adverse impact on cathepsin V (IVW OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.80-0.99, P=0.035), while no favorable association was observed between BPH and cathepsins. The results obtained from MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode methods were consistent with the findings of the IVW approach. Based on sensitivity analyses, heterogeneity, and horizontal pleiotropy are unlikely to distort the results. Conclusion: This study offers the initial evidence of a genetic causal link between cathepsins and BPDs. Our findings revealed that cathepsin O was beneficial in preventing BPH, whereas cathepsin X posed a potential threat to prostatitis. Additionally, prostatitis negatively affected cathepsin V level. These three cathepsins could be targets of diagnosis and treatment for BPDs, which need further research.