A comprehensive analysis-based study of triphenyl phosphate-environmental explanation of glioma progression.

As BFRs have gradually been banned recently, organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) have been manufactured and used in their place. Although OPFRs are considered the better alternatives to BFRs, many studies have discovered that OPFRs may be associated with various cancers, including prostate cancer, bladder cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer. However, few studies have examined the relationship between OPFRs and gliomas. This study investigated the relationship between triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and glioma using bioinformatics analysis approaches. The comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were accessed for TPP-related genes and gene expression data from glioma patients. The Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses show that TPP might be closely related to many pathways. Further, the analysis of protein-protein interactions revealed strong intrinsic relationships between TPP-related genes. In addition, the TPP-based prognostic prediction model demonstrated promising results in predicting the prognosis of patients with gliomas. Several TPP-related genes were closely related to glioma patients' overall survival rates. The proliferation and migration abilities of glioma cells were further demonstrated to be significantly enhanced by TPP. In a bioinformatics analysis, we also discovered that melatonin is highly correlated with the presence of TPP and gliomas. According to the cell proliferation and migration assays, exposure to melatonin and TPP inhibited the ability of glioma cells to invade compared with the TPP group.

Predicting the risk of postsplenectomy thrombosis in patients with portal hypertension using computational hemodynamics models: A proof-of-concept study.

BACKGROUND: The high incidence of thrombosis in the portal venous system following splenectomy (a frequently adopted surgery for treating portal hypertension in patients with splenomegaly and hypersplenism) is a critical clinical issue. The aim of this study was to address whether quantification of postsplenectomy hemodynamics has potential value for assessing the risk of postsplenectomy thrombosis. METHODS: Computational models were constructed for three portal hypertensive patients treated with splenectomy based on their preoperative clinical data to quantify hemodynamics in the portal venous system before and after splenectomy, respectively. Each patient was followed up for three or five months after surgery and examined with CT to screen potential thrombosis. FINDINGS: The area ratio of wall regions exposed to low wall shear stress was small before splenectomy in all patients, which increased markedly after splenectomy and exhibited enlarged inter-patient differences. The largest area ratio of low wall shear stress and most severe flow stagnation after splenectomy were predicted for the patient suffering from postsplenectomy thrombosis, with the wall regions exposed to low wall shear stress corresponding well with the CT-detected distribution of thrombus. Further analyses revealed that postoperative hemodynamic characteristics were considerably influenced by the anatomorphological features of the portal venous system. INTERPRETATION: Postoperative hemodynamic conditions in the portal venous system are highly patient-specific and have a potential link to postsplenectomy thrombosis, which indicates that patient-specific hemodynamic studies may serve as a complement to routine clinical assessments for refining risk stratification and postoperative patient management.

The effects of primary realignment or suprapubic cystostomy on prostatic displacement in patients with pelvic fracture urethral injury: a clinical study based on MR urethrography.

BACKGROUND: To provide direct evidence of whether primary realignment (PR) or suprapubic cystostomy (SPC) had different effects on the prostatic displacement and prognosis in patients with pelvic fracture urethral injury who needed delay anastomotic urethroplasty based on Magnetic Resonance (MR) urethrography. METHODS: We screened the urethral stenosis database of our single institution from January 2016 to June 2020. Patients who underwent delayed anastomotic urethroplasty with a preoperative MR urethrography and no treatment history of urethra were included. We compared the urethral gap length and prostatic displacement between the PR and SPC group based on MR urethrography. The terminal outcomes such as stenosis-free rate, urinary continence and erectile function were also analyzed between two groups. RESULTS: 66 patients were included in this retrospective study in which 36 were in PR group and 30 in SPC group. Mean follow-up time was 15.1 months (3-38 months). One and two patients experienced recurrence of stenosis after urethroplasty in two groups (p = 1.000). No difference of erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence was found between two groups. Based on MR urethrography, the urethral gap length was 17.4 mm and 23.3 mm (p = 0.008) which presented a significant decrease in PR group. The superior prostatic displacement was similar in two groups (9.8 mm vs. 13.8 mm, p = 0.081). The numbers and distance of displacement on lateral aspect showed no difference, either. However, PR group had less anterior-posterior prostatic displacement (p = 0.005). Besides, the erectile function was significantly related to the lateral prostatic displacement (p = 0.030/0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Based on MR urethrography, patients in PR group showed shorter urethral gap distance and slighter anterior-posterior prostatic displacement without extra erectile dysfunction or incontinence. Besides, patients' erectile function might be significantly related to the lateral prostatic displacement.

Chronic kidney disease correlates with MRI findings of cerebral small vessel disease.

Objective: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be part of a multisystem small-vessel disorder. Since the kidney and brain share unique susceptibilities to vascular injury, kidney impairment may be predictive of the presence and severity of CSVD. This study explored the relationship between CSVD and CKD. Methods: Between December 2015 and December 2017 (follow-up 10-20 months) 52 patients with chronic nephritis and CKD were classified into a progressive group (n = 17) and stable group (n = 35). Age, gender, hypertension, diabetes and smoking were matched between groups. CSVD features of both groups, including enlarged Virchow-Robin spaces (VRS), white matter lesions (WML), lacunar infarcts (LI), and cerebral microbleeds (CMB) were evaluated by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Results: WML and CMB in the progressive group were exacerbated at follow-up compared to initial exam (p = 0.004 and 0.041, respectively). There was no significant change in VRS, WML, LI, or CMB in the stable group at follow-up compared to initial exam. CMB were significantly different between the progressive group and stable group at follow-up.etimtaed Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was significantly correlated with VRS, WML, and CMB at follow-up (p = 0.037, 0.041, and 0.009, respectively). Conclusions: Patients with progressive CKD have a higher prevalence and severity of CSVD, which correlates with deterioration of renal function as assessed by decreased eGFR. Thus EGFR may also be of value in the prediction of cerebral small vessel disease.

The value of magnetic resonance imaging geometric parameters in pre-assessing the surgical approaches of pelvic fracture urethral injury.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the correlation between the magnetic resonance urethrography and the surgical approach and complexity for the patients with pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) by combining the geometry with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Forty-three male patients with PFUI (part of the patients complicated with rectal injury) from January 2016 to December 2018 were analyzed in this retrospective research. All the patients underwent a delayed anastomotic urethroplasty and were divided into 2 groups according to the approaches (simple perineal approach or inferior pubectomy). For magnetic resonance urethrography, we measured and calculated the geometric parameters such as the gap distance between two urethral ends, the pubourethral vertical distance (PUVD), and the rectourethral median distance (RUMD). RESULTS: Of the 43 patients, 16 underwent inferior pubectomy and 27 underwent simple perineal approach. The numbers of patients with and without rectal injury history were 17 and 26, respectively. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss was significantly higher in the inferior pubectomy group. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that gap distance and PUVD were independent factors of the surgical approaches. The accuracies were 83.7% and 67.4% respectively in the ROC curve analysis. In addition, the RUMD was significantly shorter in the patients with rectal injury history (1.4, 1.8 cm). CONCLUSIONS: Longer gap distance and shorter PUVD were the two independent factors of the inferior pubectomy approach. Furthermore, among the patients with rectal injury history, the tissue posterior to the urethra was often weaker and should be carefully handled during the surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This research has been registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The registration number is ChiCTR2000030573.

[Effects of Omphalia lapidescens and Praziquantel on the Infectivity and Ultrastructure of Spirometra erinacei Plerocercoids].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Omphalia lapidescens and praziquantel on the infectivity and ultrastructure of Spironetra erinacei plerocercoids. METHODS: The plerocercoids were taken from frogs (Rana nigromaculata). A total of 168 mice were divided into 21 groups (8 mice per group), each of them was orally infected with 5 plerocercoids. The mice in group 1-9 were inoculated with plerocercoids cultured in media respectively containing different concentrations of O. lapidescens suspension (20, 40 or 80 mg/ml) for 4, 12 or 24 h, respectively. The mice in group 10-18 were inoculated with plerocercoids cultured in media respectively containing different concentrations of praziquantel (20, 80 or 320 µg/ml) for 4, 12 or 24 h, respectively. The mice in group 19-21 were inoculated with plerocercoids cultured in normal culture fluid for 4, 12 or 24 h, respectively, and served as controls. One week after infection, the mice were sacrificed to collect the plerocercoids. Worm reduction rate was calculated. The ultrastructure changes of plerocercoids were observed under transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. RESULTS: The average number of plerocercoids detected from mice infected by pleroceroids treated with 40, 80 mg/ml O. lapidescens suspension for 4, 12 or 24 h were 1.6, 1.0, and 0.3; 0.3, 0, and 0, respectively, and significantly lower than that of the infected controls (4.1, 3.5 and 3.3) (P < 0.05); the worm reduction rates were 60.0%, 71.4%, and 90.1%; 92.7%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The average number of pleroceroids detected from mice infected with pleroceroids treated with 320 µg/ml praziquantel for 4, 12, or 24 h were 1.9, 1.3, and 0.4, and significantly lower than that of the infected controls (P < 0.05); the worm reduction rates were 53.7%, 62.9%, and 87.9%, and lower than that of 20 µg/ml praziquantel group (14.6%, 2.9%, and 6.1%) and 80 µg/ml praziquantel group (24.4%, 17.1%, and 24.2%) (P < 0.05). The ultrastructure of plerocercoids cultured in 20 mg/ml O. lapidescens suspension, 20 or 80 µg/ml praziquantel for 4, 12 or 24 h had no significant difference compared with control groups. The plerocercoids cultured in 40 mg/ml O. lapidescens for 4 h or 320 µg/ml praziquantel for 4 or 12 h, showed mild contracture. The pleroceroids cultured in 40 mg/ml O. lapidescens for 12-24 h showed: agglutinate, fusion, fracture or abscission of microtriches, breakdown of plasma membrane, excretion of calcareous corpuscles, and tegument tissue damages. After cultured in 80 mg/ml of O. lapidescens for 24 h, the tissues of plerocercoid were damaged seriously. After cultured in 320 µg/ml praziquantel for 24 h, the plerocercoids showed: obvious contracture in the anterior end of plerocercoid, edema and bulge of plasma membrane, morphological changes of calcareous corpuscles, increase of secretory granules, glycogen depletion, and chromatin compaction in flame cells. CONCLUSION: The infectivity of Spironetra erinacei plerocercoids decreases along with the time of culture and the increase of drug concentration. Omphalia lapidescens and praziquantel can cause extensive tissue damage to the plerocercoids in vitro, and the effect of 0. lapidescens on the infectivity and ultrastructure of plerocercoid is more considerable than that of praziquantel.