Selenium intake and multiple health-related outcomes: an umbrella review of meta-analyses.

Selenium is an essential trace metalloid element that is associated with fundamental importance to human health. Our umbrella review aimed to evaluate the quality of evidence, validity, and biases in the relationship between selenium intake and health-related outcomes according to published systematic reviews with pooled data and meta-analyses. Selenium intake is associated with a decreased risk of digestive system cancers, all-cause mortality, depression, and Keshan disease, when in children reduce the risk of Kashin-Beck disease. Additionally, selenium supplementation can improve sperm quality, polycystic ovary syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease, and infective outcomes. Selenium supplementation also has relationship with a decreased concentration of serum lipids including total cholesterol and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, no evidence has shown that selenium is associated with better outcomes among patients in intensive care units. Furthermore, selenium intake may be related with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and non-melanoma skin cancers. Moreover, most of included studies are evaluated as low quality according to our evidence assessment. Based on our study findings and the limited advantages of selenium intake, it is not recommended to receive extra supplementary selenium for general populations, and selenium supplementation should not be continued in patients whose selenium-deficient status has been corrected.

Prognostic nutritional index before surgical treatment may serve as a prognostic biomarker for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This meta-analysis aims to assess whether the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) score before treatment can be an independent biomarker of the prognosis of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Materials and methods: We systematically search PubMed, Embase, Scopus database, and Cochrane Library, and the search time is up to April 2021. Use STATA 16.0 software for data processing and statistical analysis. Results: Six studies, including seven cohorts, were eventually included in our meta-analysis. The meta-analysis results showed that low PNI scores are associated with worse OS (HR: 1.92; 95% CI 1.60 to 2.30; P < 0.01), DFS/RFS/PFS (HR: 1.57; 95% CI 1.33 to 1.85; P < 0.01), and CSS/DSS (HR: 1.79; 95% CI 1.49 to 2.16; P < 0.01), which supported the PNI score as an independent prognostic biomarker for survival outcomes. The subgroup analysis and Begg's test showed that the results were stable. Conclusion: Based on current evidence, this meta-analysis proves that the PNI score of UTUC patients before treatment is an independent prognostic biomarker. It performs well on OS, DFS/RFS/PFS, and CSS/DSS. This conclusion needs to be verified by a prospective cohort study with larger sample size and a more rigorous design. Systematic review registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022338503], identifier [CRD42022338503].

Endogenous MicroRNA Accurate Diagnostics to Guide Photothermal Therapy.

Developing an intelligent theranostic nanoplatform with satisfied diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficiency holds great promise for personalized nanomedicine. Herein, we constructed a smart nanodevice for the accurate diagnosis of endogenous cancer microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers and efficient photothermal therapy (PTT). The nanodevice was composed of polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized CuS nanosheets (CuS@PDA NSs) and three elaborate DNA hairpin probes (TDHPs). The CuS@PDA NSs acted as efficient delivery vehicles and photothermal agents. They provided a large surface area available for an efficient and facile loading of TDHPs and a high-fluorescence (FL) quenching performance to achieve an ultralow background signal. The intracellular miRNA triggered TDHPs to assemble into three-arm branched junction structures for a strong fluorescence recovery as output signals to discriminate cancer cells from normal cells with an excellent sensitivity. The CuS@PAD NSs showed a good photothermal conversion efficiency in the near-infrared II (NIR II) region to mediate a good photothermal performance to kill cancer cells. A remarkable antitumor therapeutic effect was achieved in vivo. This work integrated highly sensitive detection to endogenous cancer biomarkers and valid therapeutic potency to tumor-bearing mice, indicating its promising biomedical applications.

pH-Responsive Antimicrobial Peptide with Selective Killing Activity for Bacterial Abscess Therapy.

The unusual acidic pH of the abscess milieu is an adverse factor that decreases the therapeutic efficacy of traditional antibiotics. Moreover, avoiding both the undesired killing of commensal bacteria and the development of drug resistance remains difficult during abscess therapy. Hence, we synthesized a series of pH-responsive antimicrobial peptides equipped with efficient bacterial killing activity at pH 6.5 and inactivity at pH 7.4. Among the peptides, F5 exhibited outstanding pH-responsive antimicrobial activity and low toxicity. Fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy illustrated that F5 killed bacteria via a membrane-disruptive mechanism at acidic pH values. Mouse cutaneous abscesses revealed that F5 was equipped with excellent therapeutic ability to reduce the bacterial load and cytokines without causing skin toxicity. In summary, this study reveals a strategy for selectively killing bacteria under the pathologic conditions of abscess sites while avoiding the elimination of commensal bacteria under normal physiological pH levels.

The association between histological prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia: a single-center retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between histological prostatitis (HP) and clinical parameters related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in male. METHOD: The clinical data of 196 BPH patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate were collected. According to the results of hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining of prostate tissue, patients were divided into two groups: BPH with HP group and BPH without HP group. Differences in acute urinary retention (AUR), prostate volume (PV), serum sex hormones, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) related parameters, and systemic inflammation indicators were compared between the two groups. SPSS software v.25 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the BPH without HP group, the BPH with HP group had greater AUR rate, PV, total IPSS, and IPSS-storage in BPH with HP group (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in IPSS-voiding, post-void residual volume, maximum urinary flow rate, serum sex hormones, and systemic inflammation indicators between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that patients with HP have larger PV, more severe LUTS, and a higher risk of AUR. HP is closely related to BPH and may be a key factor in the occurrence and clinical progress of BPH.

Comparison of enucleation between thulium laser and holmium laser for benign prostatic hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of Thulium laser enucleation of prostate (ThuLEP) and Holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP). We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases within a period from the date of database establishment to October 2020. RevMan 5.4. was used for calculation and statistical analyses. 8 studies of 2125 patients were included. ThuLEP provided less hemoglobin decrease (MD: -0.37, 95%CI -0.61 to -0.14, P = 0.002) and shorter length of hospital stay (MD: -0.41, 95%CI -0.72 to -0.10, P = 0.01). During the postoperative follow-ups, statistically significant differences only were found in IPSS (MD: -0.96; 95%CI -1.27 to -0.65; P < 0.00001) at the 3rd month. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that ThuLEP, compared with HoLEP, has better security, faster improvement of symptoms. However, our conclusions still require a larger sample size, multi-center, and longer follow-up randomized controlled trials to verify.

Holmium laser enucleation versus bipolar transurethral enucleation for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, which one is better?

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the overall efficacy and safety between holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and bipolar transurethral enucleation of the prostate (B-TUEP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHOD: We systematically searched electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) to identify eligible comparative studies as of July 2021. The parameters including perioperative results, complications, and functional outcomes were evaluated. RevMan version 5.4 was used for the analysis. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies involving 1725 patients were included. HoLEP had lower operative time (p = .03), shorter catheterization time (p = .007), lower bladder irrigation time (p = .01), and higher enucleation weight (p = .01) compared with B-TUEP. However, there were no significant differences between the techniques regarding the length of stay (LOS), hemoglobin drop, transfusion rates, and complications. Furthermore, no significant differences were also observed in postoperative functional outcomes at 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: HoLEP has more advantages in perioperative parameters compared with B-TUEP, but no significant differences are found regarding functional outcomes and complications. Large-scale studies with long-term follow-up are required to compare the outcomes of these two techniques.

Controlling Nutritional Status Score Before Receiving Treatment as a Prognostic Indicator for Patients With Urothelial Cancer: An Exploration Evaluation Methods.

INTRODUCTION: This meta-analysis aims to assess whether the Controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score before treatment can be an independent predictor of the prognosis of patients with urothelial cancer (UC). METHODS: The system searches Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Cochrane Library, and the search time is up to April 2021. Use STATA 16.0 and Engauge Digitizer 4.1 software for data processing and statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 8 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis results show that compared with the low CONUT group, the high CONUT group has worse over survival (OS) [HR=1.58, 95%CI (1.34, 1.86), P=0.001], cancer-specific survival (CSS) [HR=2.03, 95%CI (1.25-3.29), P=0.04] and recurrence-free survival (RFS) [HR=1.97, 95%CI (1.15, 3.40), P=0.014]; for progression-free survival (PFS), or disease-free survival (DFS), the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant [HR=2.30, 95%CI (0.72, 7.32), P=0.158]. According to different carcinoma types, cut-off value, and region, subgroup analysis of OS was performed, and similar results were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Based on current evidence, this meta-analysis proves that the CONUT score of UC patients before treatment is an independent prognostic predictor. It performs well on OS, CSS, and RFS, but the conclusions on DFS/PFS need to be treated with caution. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021251890, identifier CRD42021251890.

Pyrroloquinoline quinone inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines via the SIRT1/NF-κB signal pathway in weaned piglet jejunum.

The small intestine is an important digestive organ and plays a vital role in the life of a pig. In this study, we explored the regulatory role and molecular mechanism of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) on intestinal health and to discussed the interaction between PQQ and vitamin C (VC). A total of 160 healthy piglets weaned at 21 d were randomly divided into four treatment groups according to 2 × 2 factoring. The results showed that dietary PQQ could significantly decrease the levels of plasma globulin, albumin/globulin (A/G), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CREA) (P < 0.05 for each), total bilirubin, (TBIL) (P < 0.01), diamine oxidase (DAO) (P < 0.01) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) (P < 0.0001) and increase the levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) (P < 0.0001) in the plasma of weaned piglets. Similarly, dietary VC could significantly decrease the levels of plasma globulin, A/G, DAO (P < 0.05 for each) and IgG (P < 0.0001) and increase the levels of IgA and IgM (P < 0.0001) in the plasma of weaned piglets. In addition, dietary PQQ increased (P < 0.05) the mRNA levels of antioxidant genes (NQO1, UGT1A1, and EPHX1), thereby enhancing (oxidized) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) concentration and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activity in tissues. However, the addition of 200 mg kg-1 VC to the diet containing PQQ reduced most of the effects of PQQ. We further show that PQQ reduced (P < 0.05) the expression of inflammation-related genes (IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2) via the SIRT1/NF-κB deacetylation signaling. In conclusion, our data reveals that PQQ exerts a certain protective effect on the intestines of piglets, but higher concentrations of VC react with PQQ, which inhibits the regulatory mechanism of PQQ.

Comparison Between Minimally Invasive Simple Prostatectomy and Open Simple Prostatectomy for Large Prostates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Comparative Trials.

Background: Although previous studies have compared the minimally invasive simple prostatectomy (MISP) with open simple prostatectomy (OSP) for large prostates, there is still controversy. This study aims to provide the latest evidence for clinical practice. Materials and Methods: We systematically searched Science, EMBASE, PubMed, and Clinicalkey databases for articles comparing MISP and OSP for large prostates. Result parameters including International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), maximum urine flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), operative time (OT), estimated blood loss (EBL), irrigation time (IT), catheterization time (CT), length of hospital stay (LOS), transfusion rate (TR), and complications were evaluated using RevMan 5.3. Results: A total of 995 patients were included in 10 studies. No statistically significant differences were found between two groups in IPSS (weighted average difference [WMD] = -0.36, p = 0.26), QoL (WMD = -0.22, p = 0.05), Qmax (WMD = 0.46, p = 0.62), and PVR (WMD = -2.14, p = 0.65). The MISP group had similar IT (WMD = -1.52, p = 0.06), lesser EBL (WMD = -292.22, p < 0.001), shorter CT (WMD = -1.89, p < 0.0001), shorter LOS (WMD = -2.52, p < 0.001), lower TR (odds ratio [OR] = 0.21, p < 0.001), and lower complications (OR = 0.49, p < 0.001) compared with OSP group. However, the OT (WMD = 43.07, p < 0.001) of MISP was longer than that of OSP. Conclusions: The present results demonstrated that MISP provided similar efficacy to those of OSP while maintaining a better security. Our findings imply that MISP is a feasible and effective alternative to the OSP.

The Anti-Allergic Rhinitis Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shenqi by Regulating Mast Cell Degranulation and Th1/Th2 Cytokine Balance.

Shenqi is a traditional Chinese polyherbal medicine has been widely used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-allergic rhinitis activity of Shenqi and explore its underlying molecular mechanism. Ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis rat model was used to evaluate the anti-allergic rhinitis effect of Shenqi. The effect of Shenqi on IgE-mediated degranulation was measured using rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells. Primary spleen lymphocytes were isolated to investigate the anti-allergic mechanism of Shenqi by detecting the expression of transcription factors via Western blot and the level of cytokines (IL-4 and IFN-γ) via ELISA. In OVA-induced AR rat models, Shenqi relieved the allergic rhinitis symptoms, inhibited the histopathological changes of nasal mucosa, and reduced the levels of IL-4 and IgE. The results from the in vitro study certified that Shenqi inhibited mast cell degranulation. Furthermore, the results of GATA3, T-bet, p-STAT6, and SOCS1 expression and production of IFN-γ and IL-4 demonstrated that Shenqi balanced the ratio of Th1/Th2 (IFN-γ/IL-4) in OVA-stimulated spleen lymphocytes. In conclusion, these results suggest that Shenqi exhibits an obvious anti-allergic effect by suppressing the mast cell-mediated allergic response and by improving the imbalance of Th1/Th2 ratio in allergic rhinitis.

Exploring an animal model of amodiaquine-induced liver injury in rats and mice.

Amodiaquine (AQ) is associated with a relatively high incidence of idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (IDILI) and agranulocytosis. A previous study reported that a combination of high dose AQ and glutathione (GSH) depletion led to liver injury. However, the characteristics of this toxicity were very different from AQ-induced liver injury in humans. We developed a model of AQ-induced liver injury with characteristics similar to the injury in humans by treating mice with lower doses of AQ for several weeks. In this study we found that not only did GSH depletion not increase AQ covalent binding to hepatic proteins at this lower dose, but also it paradoxically prevented the liver injury. We extended the model to rats and found AQ treatment led to a mild delayed onset liver injury that resolved despite continued treatment with AQ. Immunohistochemistry indicated the presence of Kupffer cell activation, apoptosis and hepatocyte proliferation in the liver. There was also an increase in serum IL-2, IL-5, IL-9, IL-12, MCP-1 and TGFß, but a decrease in leptin. Coincident with the elevated serum ALT, the number of liver CD4(+) T-cells, IL-17 secreting cells and TH17/Treg cells increased at Week 3 and decreased during continued treatment. Increases in NK1.1+ cells and activated M2 macrophages were also observed during liver injury. These results suggest that the outcome of the liver injury was determined by the balance between effector and regulatory cells. Co-treatment with cyclosporin prevented AQ-induced liver injury, which supports an immune mechanism. Retinoic acid (RA), which has been reported to enhance natural killer (NK) cell activity, exacerbated AQ-induced liver injury. These results suggest that AQ-induced IDILI is immune mediated and the subsequent adaptation appears to represent immune tolerance.

Ixodes pacificus ticks maintain embryogenesis and egg hatching after antibiotic treatment of Rickettsia endosymbiont.

Rickettsia is a genus of intracellular bacteria that causes a variety of diseases in humans and other mammals and associates with a diverse group of arthropods. Although Rickettsia appears to be common in ticks, most Rickettsia-tick relationships remain generally uncharacterized. The most intimate of these associations is Rickettsia species phylotype G021, a maternally and transstadially transmitted endosymbiont that resides in 100% of I. pacificus in California. We investigated the effects of this Rickettsia phylotype on I. pacificus reproductive fitness using selective antibiotic treatment. Ciprofloxacin was 10-fold more effective than tetracycline in eliminating Rickettsia from I. pacificus, and quantitative PCR results showed that eggs from the ciprofloxacin-treated ticks contained an average of 0.02 Rickettsia per egg cell as opposed to the average of 0.2 in the tetracycline-treated ticks. Ampicillin did not significantly affect the number of Rickettsia per tick cell in adults or eggs compared to the water-injected control ticks. We found no relationship between tick embryogenesis and rickettsial density in engorged I. pacificus females. Tetracycline treatment significantly delayed oviposition of I. pacificus ticks, but the antibiotic's effect was unlikely related to Rickettsia. We also demonstrated that Rickettsia-free eggs could successfully develop into larvae without any significant decrease in hatching compared to eggs containing Rickettsia. No significant differences in the incubation period, egg hatching rate, and the number of larvae were found between any of the antibiotic-treated groups and the water-injected tick control. We concluded that Rickettsia species phylotype G021 does not have an apparent effect on embryogenesis, oviposition, and egg hatching of I. pacificus.

Preparation of ceramic-corrosion-cell fillers and application for cyclohexanone industry wastewater treatment in electrobath reactor.

As new media, ceramic-corrosion-cell fillers (Cathode Ceramic-corrosion-cell Fillers - CCF, and Anode Ceramic-corrosion-cell Fillers - ACF) employed in electrobath were investigated for cyclohexanone industry wastewater treatment. 60.0 wt% of dried sewage sludge and 40.0 wt% of clay, 40.0 wt% of scrap iron and 60.0 wt% of clay were utilized as raw materials for the preparation of raw CCF and ACF, respectively. The raw CCF and ACF were respectively sintered at 400°C for 20 min in anoxic conditions. The physical properties (bulk density, grain density and water absorption), structural and morphological characters and toxic metal leaching contents were tested. The influences of pH, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and the media height on removal of COD(Cr) and cyclohexanone were studied. The results showed that the bulk density and grain density of CCF and ACF were 869.0 kg m(-3) and 936.3 kg m(-3), 1245.0 kg m(-3) and 1420.0 kg m(-3), respectively. The contents of toxic metal (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ba, Ni and As) were all below the detection limit. When pH of 3-4, HRT of 6h and the media height of 60 cm were applied, about 90% of COD(cr) and cyclohexanone were removed.