Prognostic role of MUCIN family and its relationship with immune characteristics and tumor biology in diffuse-type gastric cancer.

The main component of O-glycoproteins, mucin, is known to play important roles in physiological conditions and oncogenic processes, particularly correlated with poor prognosis in different carcinomas. Diffuse-type gastric cancer (DGC) has long been associated with genomic stability and unfavorable clinical outcomes. To investigate further, we obtained clinical information and the RNA-seq data of the TCGA-STAD cohort. Through the use of unsupervised clustering methods and GSEA, we identified two distinct clusters, characterized by higher and lower expression of MUC2 and MUC20, denoted as cluster 1 and cluster 2, respectively. Subsequently, employing CIBERSORT, it was determined that cluster 2 exhibited a higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) and a greater abundance of CD8+ T cells and activated CD4+ memory T cells, in addition to immune checkpoints (ICPs). On the other hand, cluster 1 showed a lower TIDE score estimation, indicating a higher probability of tumor immune escape. Furthermore, overexpression of MUC15 and MUC20 was confirmed through qPCR and Western blotting, and their specific roles in mediating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of GC cells (SNU484 and Hs746t) were validated via CCK-8 assay and wound healing assay in vitro. These findings highlight the potential prognostic value of MUC20 and offer insights into the prospects of immunotherapy for DGC by targeting MUC20.

Clinical characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying bladder cancer in individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Patients with spinal cord injury have a relatively high risk for bladder cancer and often complicated with bladder cancer in advanced stages, and the degree of aggressiveness of malignancy is high. Most of the literature is based on disease clinical features while, our study reviews the clinical characteristics and molecular mechanisms of spinal cord injury patients with bladder cancer, so that it might help clinicians better recognize and manage these patients. METHOD: We searched PubMed, Web of Science and Embase, using retrieval type like ("Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction" OR "Spinal cord injury" OR "Spinal Cord Trauma") AND ("bladder cancer" OR "bladder neoplasm" OR "bladder carcinoma" OR "Urinary Bladder Neoplasms" OR "Bladder Tumor"). In Web of Science, the retrieval type was searched as "Topic", and in PubMed and Embase, as "All Field". The methodological quality of eligible studies and their risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. This article is registered in PROSPERO with the CBD number: CRD42024508514. RESULT: In WOS, we searched 219 related papers, in PubMed, 122 and in Embase, 363. Thus, a total of 254 articles were included after passing the screening, within a time range between 1960 and 2023. A comprehensive analysis of the data showed that the mortality and incidence rates of bladder cancer in spinal cord injury patients were higher than that of the general population, and the most frequent pathological type was squamous cell carcinoma. In parallel to long-term urinary tract infection and indwelling catheterization, the role of molecules such as NO, MiR 1949 and Rb 1. was found to be crucial pathogenetically. CONCLUSION: This review highlights the risk of bladder cancer in SCI patients, comprehensively addressing the clinical characteristics and related molecular mechanisms. However, given that there are few studies on the molecular mechanisms of bladder cancer in spinal cord injury, further research is needed to expand the understanding of the disease.

The emerging role of deubiquitylating enzyme USP21 as a potential therapeutic target in cancer.

Although certain members of the Ubiquitin-specific peptidases (USPs) have been recognized as promising therapeutic targets for various diseases, research progress regarding USP21 has been relatively sluggish in its early stages. USP21 is a crucial member of the USPs subfamily, involved in diverse cellular processes such as apoptosis, DNA repair, and signal transduction. Research findings from the past decade demonstrate that USP21 mediates the deubiquitination of multiple well-known target proteins associated with critical cellular processes relevant to both disease and homeostasis, particularly in various cancers.This reviewcomprehensively summarizes the structure and biological functions of USP21 with an emphasis on its role in tumorigenesis, and elucidates the advances on the discovery of tens of small-molecule inhibitors targeting USP21, which suggests that targeting USP21 may represent a potential strategy for cancer therapy.

Clinical Observation of 10-mm Endoscopic Minimally Invasive Interlaminar Decompression in the Treatment of Ossified Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.

PURPOSE: This study aims to observe the safety and effectiveness of 10-mm endoscopic minimally invasive interlaminar decompression in the treatment of ossified lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: The clinical data of 50 consecutive patients with ossified lumbar spinal stenosis were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent minimally invasive interlaminar decompression with 10-mm endoscope. Patient demographics, perioperative data, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Visual analog scale scores, Oswestry disability index scores, and modified Macnab criteria were used to assess clinical outcomes. The lateral recess angle, real spinal canal area, and effective intervertebral foramen area were used to assess the effect of decompression. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 59.0 ± 12.3 years. The mean operative time and intraoperative blood loss were 43.7 ± 8.7 minutes and <20 ml, respectively. Two years after surgery, the leg pain Visual analog scale score decreased from 7.4 ± 1.0 to 1.6 ± 0.6 (P < 0.05) and the Oswestry disability index score decreased from 63.8 ± 7.6 to 21.7 ± 3.4 (P < 0.05). The lateral recess angle, real spinal canal area and effective intervertebral foramen area were significantly larger than before surgery (P < 0.05). The overall excellent and good rate at the last follow-up was 92.0% according to the modified Macnab criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The 10-mm endoscopic minimally invasive interlaminar decompression can safely and effectively remove the ossification in the spinal canal and achieve adequate decompression in patients with ossified lumbar spinal stenosis.

Development and Validation of a Deep Learning Model to Reduce the Interference of Rectal Artifacts in MRI-based Prostate Cancer Diagnosis.

Purpose To develop an MRI-based model for clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) diagnosis that can resist rectal artifact interference. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 2203 male patients with prostate lesions who underwent biparametric MRI and biopsy between January 2019 and June 2023. Targeted adversarial training with proprietary adversarial samples (TPAS) strategy was proposed to enhance model resistance against rectal artifacts. The automated csPCa diagnostic models trained with and without TPAS were compared using multicenter validation datasets. The impact of rectal artifacts on the diagnostic performance of each model at the patient and lesion levels was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC). The AUC between models was compared using the DeLong test, and the AUPRC was compared using the bootstrap method. Results The TPAS model exhibited diagnostic performance improvements of 6% at the patient level (AUC: 0.87 vs 0.81, P < .001) and 7% at the lesion level (AUPRC: 0.84 vs 0.77, P = .007) compared with the control model. The TPAS model demonstrated less performance decline in the presence of rectal artifact-pattern adversarial noise than the control model (ΔAUC: -17% vs -19%, ΔAUPRC: -18% vs -21%). The TPAS model performed better than the control model in patients with moderate (AUC: 0.79 vs 0.73, AUPRC: 0.68 vs 0.61) and severe (AUC: 0.75 vs 0.57, AUPRC: 0.69 vs 0.59) artifacts. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the TPAS model can reduce rectal artifact interference in MRI-based csPCa diagnosis, thereby improving its performance in clinical applications. Keywords: MR-Diffusion-weighted Imaging, Urinary, Prostate, Comparative Studies, Diagnosis, Transfer Learning Clinical trial registration no. ChiCTR23000069832 Supplemental material is available for this article. Published under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Electroacupuncture Promotes Angiogenesis in Mice with Cerebral Ischemia by Inhibiting miR-7.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the angiogenesis effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Shuigou acupoint (GV 26) in the treatment of cerebral ischemia, and explore the value of miRNA-7 (miR-7) in it. METHODS: First, 48 mice were randomly divided into sham operation, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, and EA treatment groups. Then 9 mice were divided into carrier control group, miR-7 knockout group and miR-7 overexpression group (n=3 each group). Finally, 20 mice were divided into model and carrier control group, model and miR-7 knockout group, EA treatment and carrier control group and EA treatment and miR-7 overexpression group, with 3-6 mice in each group. The MCAO model was established in the MCAO and EA groups. Neurological deficit score and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining were used to evaluate the severity of cerebral ischemia. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to describe basic pathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify cerebral microvessel density. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of miR-7 and its downstream target genes Krüppel-like factor 4/vascular endothelial growth factor (KLF4/VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) in the ischemic cerebral cortex. RESULTS: After EA, neurological deficit scores and infarction volumes decreased, and the density of cerebral microvessels increased. In the MCAO group, miR-7 expression was higher than that in the sham group (P<0.01). After EA at GV 26, miR-7 expression decreased (P<0.01) and the expression of downstream target genes KLF4/VEGF and ANG-2 increased as compared with the MCAO group (P<0.01). After EA combined with overexpression of miR-7, the expression of downstream target genes KLF4/VEGF and ANG-2 decreased compared to the control EA group (P<0.01). After miR-7 knockdown, the expression of KLF4/VEGF and ANG-2 increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: EA could promote angiogenesis in MCAO mice likely by inhibiting the expression of miR-7 and relieving inhibition of downstream target genes KLF4/VEGF and ANG-2.

Research Advances in Stem Cell Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common clinical condition that mainly affects men aged over 40 years. Various causes contribute to the progression of ED, including pelvic nerve injury, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, age, Peyronie's disease, smoking, and psychological disorders. Current treatments for ED are limited to symptom relief and do not address the root cause. Stem cells, with their powerful ability to proliferate and differentiate, are a promising approach for the treatment of male ED and are gradually gaining widespread attention. Current uses for treating ED have been studied primarily in experimental animals, with most studies observing improvements in erectile quality as well as improvements in erectile tissue. However, research on stem cell therapy for human ED is still limited. This article summarizes the recent literature on basic stem cell research on ED, including cavernous nerve injury, aging, diabetes, and sclerosing penile disease, and describes mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of various stem cell therapies in experimental animals. Stem cells are also believed to interact with host tissue in a paracrine manner, and improved function can be supported through both implantation and paracrine factors. To date, stem cells have shown some preliminary promising results in animal and human models of ED.

Quality of life after pancreatic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic surgery is challenging owing to the anatomical characteristics of the pancreas. Increasing attention has been paid to changes in quality of life (QOL) after pancreatic surgery. AIM: To summarize and analyze current research results on QOL after pancreatic surgery. METHODS: A systematic search of the literature available on PubMed and EMBASE was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Relevant studies were identified by screening the references of retrieved articles. Studies on patients' QOL after pancreatic surgery published after January 1, 2012, were included. These included prospective and retrospective studies on patients' QOL after several types of pancreatic surgeries. The results of these primary studies were summarized inductively. RESULTS: A total of 45 articles were included in the study, of which 13 were related to pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), seven to duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR), nine to distal pancreatectomy (DP), two to central pancreatectomy (CP), and 14 to total pancreatectomy (TP). Some studies showed that 3-6 months were needed for QOL recovery after PD, whereas others showed that 6-12 months was more accurate. Although TP and PD had similar influences on QOL, patients needed longer to recover to preoperative or baseline levels after TP. The QOL was better after DPPHR than PD. However, the superiority of the QOL between patients who underwent CP and PD remains controversial. The decrease in exocrine and endocrine functions postoperatively was the main factor affecting the QOL. Minimally invasive surgery could improve patients' QOL in the early stages after PD and DP; however, the long-term effect remains unclear. CONCLUSION: The procedure among PD, DP, CP, and TP with a superior postoperative QOL is controversial. The long-term benefits of minimally invasive versus open surgeries remain unclear. Further prospective trials are warranted.

Preoperative controlling nutritional status as an optimal prognostic nutritional index to predict the outcome for colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score effectively reflects a patient's nutritional status, which is closely related to cancer prognosis. This study investigated the relationship between the CONUT score and prognosis after radical surgery for colorectal cancer, and compared the predictive ability of the CONUT score with other indexes. AIM: To analyze the predictive performance of the CONUT score for the survival rate of colorectal cancer patients who underwent potentially curative resection. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 217 patients with newly diagnosed colorectal. The CONUT score was calculated based on the serum albumin level, total lymphocyte count, and total cholesterol level. The cutoff value of the CONUT score for predicting prognosis was 4 according to the Youden Index by the receiver operating characteristic curve. The associations between the CONUT score and the prognosis were performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Using the cutoff value of the CONUT score, patients were stratified into CONUT low (n = 189) and CONUT high groups (n = 28). The CONUT high group had worse overall survival (OS) (P = 0.013) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.015). The predictive performance of CONUT was superior to the modified Glasgow prognostic score, the prognostic nutritional index, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Meanwhile, the predictive performances of CONUT + tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage for 3-year OS [area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) = 0.803] and 3-year RFS (AUC = 0.752) were no less than skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) + TNM stage. The CONUT score was negatively correlated with SMI (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: As a nutritional indicator, the CONUT score could predict long-term outcomes after radical surgery for colorectal cancer, and its predictive ability was superior to other indexes. The correlation between the CONUT score and skeletal muscle may be one of the factors that play a predictive role.

Apoptotic body-inspired nanotherapeutics efficiently attenuate osteoarthritis by targeting BRD4-regulated synovial macrophage polarization.

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is the most well-studied BET protein that is important for the innate immune response. We recently revealed that targeting BRD4 triggers apoptosis in tumor-associated macrophages, but its role in synovial macrophages and joint inflammation is largely unknown. Herein, we demonstrated that BRD4 was highly expressed in the iNOS-positive M1 macrophages in the human and mouse osteoarthritis (OA) synovium, and conditional knockout of BRD4 in the myeloid lineage using Lyz2-cre; BRD4flox/flox mice significantly abolished anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)-induced M1 macrophage accumulation and synovial inflammation. Accordingly, we successfully constructed apoptotic body-inspired phosphatidylserine-containing nanoliposomes (PSLs) loaded with the BRD4 inhibitor JQ1 to regulate inflammatory macrophages. JQ1-loaded PSLs (JQ1@PSLs) exhibited a higher cellular uptake by macrophages than fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) in vitro and in vivo, as well as the reduction in proinflammatory M1 macrophage polarization. Intra-articular injections of JQ1@PSLs showed prolonged retention within the joint, and remarkably reduced synovial inflammation and joint pain via suppressing M1 polarization accompanied by reduced TRPA1 expression by targeted inhibition of BRD4 in the macrophages, thus attenuating cartilage degradation during OA development. The results show that BRD4-inhibiting JQ1@PSLs can targeted-modulate macrophage polarization, which opens a new avenue for efficient OA therapy via a "Trojan horse".

Dipsacus Asperoides-Derived Exosomes-Like Nanoparticles Inhibit the Progression of Osteosarcoma via Activating P38/JNK Signaling Pathway.

Introduction: Osteosarcoma is a prevalent and highly malignant primary bone tumor. However, current clinical therapeutic drugs for osteosarcoma are not suitable for long-term use due to significant side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new drugs with fewer side effects. Dipsacus asperoides C. Y. Cheng et T. M. Ai, a traditional Chinese medicine, is commonly used for its anti-inflammatory, anti-pain, bone fracture healing, and anti-tumor effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of exosome-like nanoparticles derived from Dipsacus asperoides (DAELNs) on osteosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Methods: DAELNs were isolated and purified from Dipsacus asperoides and their physical and chemical properties were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The cellular uptake of DAELNs in osteosarcoma cells was analyzed by PKH26 staining. The proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells were assessed using CCK8 assay, EdU assay, colony-formation assay, transwell assay, wound healing assay, and mitochondrial membrane potential measurement, respectively. The regulatory mechanism of DAELNs inhibiting the progression of osteosarcoma via activating P38/JNK signaling pathway was investigated using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Moreover, the therapeutic effects of DAELNs were evaluated using in vivo small animal imaging assay, HE staining, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Our results showed that DAELNs inhibited the proliferation, invasion, migration, and fostered the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in vitro and suppressed the tumor growth of osteosarcoma cells in a xenograft nude mouse model. Furthermore, the bio-distribution of DiD-labeled DAELNs showed preferential targeting of osteosarcoma tumors and excellent biosafety in histological analysis of the liver and kidney. Mechanistically, DAELNs activated the P38/JNK signaling pathway-induced apoptosis. Conclusion: Taken together, DAELNs are novel, natural, and osteosarcoma-targeted agents that can serve as safe and effective therapeutic approaches for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

A novel polysaccharide isolated from Coriolus versicolor polarizes M2 macrophages into an M1 phenotype and reversesits immunosuppressive effect on tumor microenvironment.

Converting M2 macrophages into an M1 phenotype in the tumor microenvironment, provides a new direction for tumor treatment. Here, we further report CVPW-1, a new polysaccharide of 1.03 × 106 Da that was isolated from Coriolus versicolor. Its monosaccharide was composed of mannose, glucose, and galactose at a ratio of 1.00:8.73:1.68. The backbone of CVPW-1 was composed of (1 â†’ 3)-linked α-D-Glcp residues and (1 â†’ 3,6)-linked α-D-Glcp residues that branched at O-6. The branch consisted of (1 â†’ 6)-linked α-D-Glcp residues and (1 â†’ 4)-linked α-D-Glap, and some branches were terminated with (1→)-linked ß-D-Manp residues according to the results of HPLC, FT-IR, GC-MS, 1D and 2D NMR. Meanwhile, CVPW-1 could polarize M2 macrophages to M1 phenotypein vitro by binding to TLR4 and inducing the activation of Akt, JNK and NF-κB. This process involved reversing the functional inhibition of CD8+ T lymphocytes by inhibiting the expression of TREM2 in M2 macrophages. The in vivo experiments showed that oral administration of CVPW-1 could inhibit the growth of tumor in mice and polarize TAMs to M1 phenotype. Thus, the novel polysaccharide CVPW-1 from Coriolus versicolor might activate a variety of immune cells and then play an anti-tumor role. These results demonstrated that CVPW-1 could be developed as a potential immuno-oncology treatment reagent.

Divarasib plus cetuximab in KRAS G12C-positive colorectal cancer: a phase 1b trial.

KRAS G12C mutation is prevalent in ~4% of colorectal cancer (CRC) and is associated with poor prognosis. Divarasib, a KRAS G12C inhibitor, has shown modest activity as a single agent in KRAS G12C-positive CRC at 400 mg. Epidermal growth factor receptor has been recognized as a major upstream activator of RAS-MAPK signaling, a proposed key mechanism of resistance to KRAS G12C inhibition in CRC. Here, we report on divarasib plus cetuximab (epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor) in patients with KRAS G12C-positive CRC (n = 29) from arm C of an ongoing phase 1b trial. The primary objective was to evaluate safety. Secondary objectives included preliminary antitumor activity. The safety profile of this combination was consistent with those of single-agent divarasib and cetuximab. Treatment-related adverse events led to divarasib dose reductions in four patients (13.8%); there were no treatment withdrawals. The objective response rate was 62.5% (95% confidence interval: 40.6%, 81.2%) in KRAS G12C inhibitor-naive patients (n = 24). The median duration of response was 6.9 months. The median progression-free survival was 8.1 months (95% confidence interval: 5.5, 12.3). As an exploratory objective, we observed a decline in KRAS G12C variant allele frequency associated with response and identified acquired genomic alterations at disease progression that may be associated with resistance. The manageable safety profile and encouraging antitumor activity of divarasib plus cetuximab support the further investigation of this combination in KRAS G12C-positive CRC.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04449874.

Two undescribed benzopyran derivatives from Ranunculus sceleratus L. with their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 cells.

Previous studies on Ranunculus sceleratus L. have shown the existence of coumarins and their anti-inflammatory effect. Phytochemical work was conducted to investigate the bioactive compounds, leading to the isolation of two undescribed benzopyran derivatives, namely ranunsceleroside A (1) and B (3), together with two known coumarins (2, 4) from the whole plant of R. sceleratus L. All compounds were structurally identified by extensive spectroscopic analysis and then investigated for their inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, repectively. As a result, compound 1-4 presented inhibitory effects on the production of NO, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in a concentration-dependent manner, which provides a potential chemical basis for the traditional use of R. sceleratus L. as an anti-inflammatory plant.

METTL3 regulates the proliferation, metastasis and EMT progression of bladder cancer through P3H4.

Bladder cancer, the most common malignant tumor in the urinary system, exhibits significantly up-regulated expression of P3H4, which is associated with pathological factors. The objective of this study was to elucidate the underlying mechanism of P3H4 in bladder cancer. Initially, we analyzed P3H4 gene expression using the TCGA database and evaluated P3H4 levels in clinical samples and various bladder cell lines. P3H4 was found to be markedly overexpressed in bladder cancer samples. Subsequently, bladder cancer cells were transfected with shRNA targeting P3H4 (sh-P3H4), sh-METTL3, and P3H4 overexpression vectors (P3H4 OE). Viability, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cells were assessed using CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell assays. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the levels of EMT-associated proteins, while RNA stability assays determined the half-life of P3H4. Knockdown of P3H4 resulted in inhibition of bladder cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT progression. Mechanistically, METTL3 was found to regulate the mRNA stability of P3H4 in bladder cancer. Moreover, overexpression of P3H4 reversed the inhibitory effects of METTL3 knockdown on bladder cancer cell behaviors. Stable cell lines were established by infecting EJ cells with lentiviral vectors containing sh-METTL3 or P3H4 OE. These cells were then implanted into the skin of BALB/c nude mice, and IHC analysis was used to analyze the expression levels of EMT-associated proteins. In vivo studies demonstrated that inhibition of METTL3 suppressed bladder cancer growth and EMT through P3H4. In conclusion, our findings suggest that METTL3 regulates the proliferation, metastasis, and EMT progression of bladder cancer through P3H4, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.

Dietary fish oil enriched in very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid reduces cardiometabolic risk factors and improves retinal function.

Very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs; C24-38) constitute a unique class of PUFA that have important biological roles, but the lack of a suitable dietary source has limited research in this field. We produced an n-3 C24-28-rich VLCPUFA-oil concentrated from fish oil to study its bioavailability and physiological functions in C57BL/6J mice. The serum and retinal C24:5 levels increased significantly compared to control after a single-dose gavage, and VLCPUFAs were incorporated into the liver, brain, and eyes after 8-week supplementation. Dietary VLCPUFAs resulted in favorable cardiometabolic changes, and improved electroretinography responses and visual performance. VLCPUFA supplementation changed the expression of genes involved in PPAR signaling pathways. Further in vitro studies demonstrated that the VLCPUFA-oil and chemically synthesized C24:5 are potent agonists for PPARs. The multiple potential beneficial effects of fish oil-derived VLCPUFAs on cardiometabolic risk and eye health in mice support future efforts to develop VLCPUFA-oil into a supplemental therapy.

Laparoscopic vs. open surgery: A comparative analysis of wound infection rates and recovery outcomes.

As medical technology continues to evolve, it becomes crucial to distinguish the outcomes of traditional versus modern surgical techniques. This was a retrospective cohort study, conducted to compare the wound infection rates and recovery outcomes between laparoscopic and open surgery (OS) in 180 patients. Participants were divided into laparoscopic (n = 105) and OS (n = 75) groups. Comprehensive data, including demographics, surgical details, and postoperative outcomes, were extracted. Wound infection rates, as measured by Wound Asepsis Score, were prioritized alongside recovery indicators such as duration of hospital stay and postoperative pain. The laparoscopic group had a mean operative time of 57.19 minutes, while the OS group required 85.10 ± 15.18 minutes (p < 0.05). Laparoscopic surgeries resulted in an average blood loss of 120.76 ± 13.3 mL compared to 170.01 ± 17.19 mL for OS (p < 0.05). The laparoscopic group had significantly reduced (p < 0.05) average hospital stays (2.1 ± 1.1 days) than the OS group (4.4 ± 2.1 days). Although the laparoscopic group had lower incidence of surgical site infection (4.76%) than the OS group (9.33%), this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). On postoperative days 1, 3, and 7, the Visual Analog Scale assessment of pain in the laparoscopic group revealed significantly reduced pain (p < 0.05). Laparoscopic surgery appeared to offer distinct advantages over conventional open surgery, especially in terms of operative durations, recovery rates, and postoperative pain management. This study highlighted the potential of laparoscopic approaches for specific surgical interventions, as well as the importance of patient-specific surgical strategy decision-making.

[Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Dust Fall Around Reservoirs in Typical Ecologically Fragile Areas and Traceability Based on APCS-MLR Model].

To assess the health risk status and pollution sources of heavy metals in the atmosphere of ecologically vulnerable areas, the surrounding area of Dahekou Reservoir in Xilingol League was selected as the study area. From 2021 to 2022, 12 monitoring points for atmospheric dust fall were collected for a period of one year. A total of 144 samples were collected to determine the contents of eight types of heavy metals, namely Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, As, and Cd. The potential ecological index (Eri) and health risk assessment model were used to assess the risk level of atmospheric heavy metals on ecological security and human health. The analysis of enrichment factors, principal components, and the model of absolute principal component multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) receptor were used to analyze the sources of heavy metal pollution qualitatively in the atmosphere of the study area. The results showed that:① the mean value of the comprehensive potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the annual atmospheric dust fall in the study area was at a high ecological risk, and only the Cd value was at a very high risk level among the heavy metals, whereas the remaining were at a slight risk. ② The results of the health risk showed that intake by hand, mouth, and skin contact were the main exposure routes, which led to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. Children were under non-carcinogenic and acceptable carcinogenic risks in different months. During those months, the main source of the risks was As. ③ Through enrichment factor analysis, principal component analysis, and APCS-MLR receptor model calculation, the results revealed that the proportion of wind-blown sources was the largest, accounting for 37.82%, and the contribution rates of coal combustion and traffic sources to Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn were 73.01%, 40.22%, 70.31%, and 32.82%, respectively. The contribution rate of mining activities to As was 42.59%, while that of industrial sources of Cd was 22.01%; the contributions of other human activity sources of Cd, As, Pb, and Zn were 21.12%, 34.40%, 23.04%, and 32.15%, respectively.

[Transurethral plasma resection of the prostate for acute urinary retention in patients with advanced prostate cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety of transurethral plasma resection of the prostate (TuPkRP) in the treatment of advanced PCa (APC)-related acute urinary retention (AUR) with that in the treatment of BPH-related AUR and investigate the oncologic characteristics of the PCa patient after TuPkRP. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we first compared the baseline data between the patients with APC-related AUR (group A, n = 32) and those with BPH-related AUR (group B, n = 45) as well as their surgical parameters, such as the operation time, pre- and post-operative hemoglobin levels, IPSS at 3 months after TuPkRP and length of postoperative hospital stay. Then, we observed possible TuPkRP-induced tumor progression by comparing the oncologic parameters, such as the PSA level and ECT-manifested bone metastasis, between the APC-AUR patients treated by androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) + TuPkRP and those treated by ADT only (group C, n = 24). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline data between the APC-AUR and BPH-AUR patients (P > 0.05). The operation time and postoperative hospital stay were significantly longer in the APC-AUR than in the BPH-AUR group (P < 0.05), but the decreases in the hemoglobin level and IPSS at 3 months after operation showed no significant differences between the two groups of patients (P > 0.05). Besides, no statistically significant differences were observed in the oncologic parameters between the APC-AUR patients treated by ADT + TuPkRP and those by ADT only (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The safety of TuPkRP was not significantly lower and the rates of postoperative complications and adverse events were not significantly higher in the patients with APC-related AUR than in those with BPH-related AUR. And this surgical strategy did not significantly improve the progression of APC.

Novel potential urinary biomarkers for effective diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of high-grade bladder cancer.

Background: High-grade bladder cancer (HGBC) has a higher malignant potential, recurrence and progression rate compared to low-grade phenotype. Its early symptoms are often vague, making non-invasive diagnosis using urinary biomarkers a promising approach. Methods: The gene expression data from urine samples of patients with HGBC was extracted from the GSE68020 dataset. The clinical information and gene expression data in tumor tissues of HGBC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Multivariate Cox analysis was used to predict the optimal risk model. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed via the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database and visualized using Cytoscape. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated in the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) online platform. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was also visualized using Cytoscape. The expression levels of specific genes were assessed through quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, co-expressed genes and potential biological functions related to specific genes were explored based on the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) database. Results: A total of 560 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified when comparing the urine sediment samples from HGBC patients with the benign ones. Using these urinary DEGs and the clinical information of HGBC patients, we developed an optimal risk model consisting of eight genes to predict the patient outcome. By integrating the node degree values in the PPI network with the expression changes in both urine and tissue samples, eighteen hub genes were selected out. Among them, DKC1 and SNRPG had the most prominent comprehensive values, and EFTUD2, LOR and EBNA1BP2 were relevant to a worse OS in bladder cancer patients. The ceRNA network of hub genes indicated that DKC1 may be directly regulated by miR-150 in HGBC. The upregulation of both SNRPG and DKC1 were detected in HGBC cells, which were also observed in various tumor tissues and malignant cell lines, displaying high correlations with other hub genes. Conclusions: Our study may provide theoretical basis for the development of effective non-invasive detection and treatment strategies, and further research is necessary to explore the clinical applications of these findings.