A longitudinal evaluation of oxidative stress - mitochondrial dysfunction - ferroptosis genes in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Antineoplastic medications, including doxorubicin, idarubicin, and epirubicin, have been found to adversely affect the heart due to oxidative stress - mitochondrial dysfunction - ferroptosis (ORMFs), which act as contributing attributes to anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. To better understand this phenomenon, the time-resolved measurements of ORMFS genes were analyzed in this study. METHODS: The effect of three anthracycline drugs on ORMFs genes was studied using a human 3D cardiac microtissue cell model. Transcriptome data was collected over 14 days at two doses (therapeutic and toxic). WGCNA identified key module-related genes, and functional enrichment analysis investigated the biological processes quantified by ssGSEA, such as immune cell infiltration and angiogenesis. Biopsies were collected from heart failure patients and control subjects. GSE59672 and GSE2965 were collected for validation. Molecular docking was used to identify anthracyclines's interaction with key genes. RESULTS: The ORMFs genes were screened in vivo or in vitro. Using WGCNA, six co-expressed gene modules were grouped, with MEblue emerging as the most significant module. Eight key genes intersecting the blue module with the dynamic response genes were obtained: CD36, CDH5, CHI3L1, HBA2, HSD11B1, OGN, RPL8, and VWF. Compared with control samples, all key genes except RPL8 were down-regulated in vitro ANT treatment settings, and their expression levels varied over time. According to functional analyses, the key module-related genes were engaged in angiogenesis and the immune system pathways. In all ANT-treated settings, ssGSEA demonstrated a significant down-regulation of angiogenesis score and immune cell activity, including Activated CD4 T cell, Immature B cell, Memory B cell, Natural killer cell, Type 1 T helper cell, and Type 2 T helper cell. Molecular docking revealed that RPL8 and CHI3L1 show significant binding affinity for anthracyclines. CONCLUSION: This study focuses on the dynamic characteristics of ORMFs genes in both human cardiac microtissues and cardiac biopsies from ANT-treated patients. It has been highlighted that ORMFs genes may contribute to immune infiltration and angiogenesis in cases of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. A thorough understanding of these genes could potentially lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

miR-20a: a key regulator of orthodontic tooth movement via BMP2 signaling pathway modulation.

AIM: In this study, we aimed to establish a rat tooth movement model to assess miR-20's ability in enhancing the BMP2 signaling pathway and facilitate alveolar bone remodeling. METHOD: 60 male SD rats had nickel titanium spring devices placed between their left upper first molars and incisors, with the right side serving as the control. Forces were applied at varying durations (18h, 24h, 30h, 36h, 42h, 1d, 3d, 5d, 7d, 14d), and their bilateral maxillary molars and surrounding alveolar bones were retrieved for analysis. Fluorescent quantitative PCR was conducted to assess miR-20a, BMP2, Runx2, Bambi and Smad6 gene expression in alveolar bone, and western blot was performed to determine the protein levels of BMP2, Runx2, Bambi, and Smad6 after mechanical loading. RESULT: We successfully established an orthodontic tooth movement model in SD rats and revealed upregulated miR-20a expression and significantly increased BMP2 and Runx2 gene expression and protein synthesis in alveolar bone during molar tooth movement. Although Bambi and Smad6 gene expression did not significantly increase, their protein synthesis was found to decrease significantly. CONCLUSION: MiR-20a was found to be involved in rat tooth movement model alveolar bone remodeling, wherein it promoted remodeling by reducing Bambi and Smad6 protein synthesis through the BMP2 signaling pathway.

Nomogram predicting the efficacy of transurethral surgery in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the efficacy of transurethral surgery in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. METHODS: Patients with BPH who underwent transurethral surgery in the West China Hospital and West China Shang Jin Hospital were enrolled. Patients were retrospectively involved as the training group and were prospectively recruited as the validation group for the nomogram. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to generate nomogram for predicting the efficacy of transurethral surgery. The discrimination of the nomogram was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration plots were applied to evaluate the calibration of the nomogram. RESULTS: A total of 426 patients with BPH who underwent transurethral surgery were included in the study, and they were further divided into a training group (n = 245) and a validation group (n = 181). Age (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.15, P < 0.01), the compliance of the bladder (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.20-4.67, P < 0.01), the function of the detrusor (OR 5.92, 95% CI 2.10-16.6, P < 0.01), and the bladder outlet obstruction (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.07-4.54, P < 0.01) were incorporated in the nomogram. The AUC of the nomogram was 0.825 in the training group, and 0.785 in the validation group, respectively. CONCLUSION: The nomogram we developed included age, the compliance of the bladder, the function of the detrusor, and the severity of bladder outlet obstruction. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were confirmed by internal and external validation.

A two-year retrospective study on traumatic dental injury in the primary dentition.

The aim of this study was to analyze the causes, clinical characteristics, social factors, and current status of treatment of traumatic dental injury (TDI) in the primary dentition. A retrospective analysis was performed on 144 children (213 teeth) with TDI in the primary dentition from our hospital between December 2017 and June 2020. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test and the Mann-Withney-Wilcoxon test. Boys accounted for 68.1% (98/144) and girls for 31.9% (46/144) of all 144 children with TDI in the primary dentition, with a boy-girl ratio of 2.13:1. The primary age of TDI in deciduous teeth was 2 to 4 years old, accounting for 59% of all cases. Collision with others and fall were the 2 main causes of trauma to the deciduous teeth, making up 52.1% and 44.4% of all causes, respectively. Crown fracture injury was the most common type of TDI in the primary dentition, accounting for 37% of all cases (53/144). Of the 144 cases, 17.4% (25/144) was accompanied by soft tissue laceration, while 22.2% (32/144) by swelling or contusion of tissue. Maxillary teeth (92.4%) were more vulnerable to injury than mandibular teeth (7.5%), with maxillary incisor being the most vulnerable 1 (91.5%). The percentage of children arrived at the hospital for treatment 24 hours after the injury was the highest (57.0%, 82/144). After the hospital visit, 74.3% of children received treatment for the dental trauma. In terms of the treatment modalities, extraction of the traumatized teeth (27.1%) and pulpectomy + resin filling (or preformed crown) restoration were predominant. Approximately 28.5% (41/144) of cases were reviewed within 2 years, with the proportion of children with pulpitis or periapical infection being the highest (29.3%, 12/41). Age, gender, collision, and fall are the factors linked to a higher risk of TDI in the primary dentition in children under the age of 7. Resin filling (or preformed crown) restoration and pulpectomy are effective in preserving the affected tooth and controlling infection. However, the preservation of the affected tooth and the prevention of infection may be hampered by late visits and low follow-up rates.

Melatonin alleviates cisplatin-induced mice spermatogenesis defects.

Cisplatin (CDDP) is a chemotherapeutic drug that is used to treat many different types of tumors. However, it also has significant adverse effects on male reproduction, which are partially mediated oxidative damage. Melatonin (MLT) is a promising antioxidant that can be used for reproductive protection. In this paper, we investigated the effect of CDDP on spermatogenesis, as well as MLT's potential role in reproductive protection. CDDP (5 mg/kg BW) significantly reduced male mice testosterone levels and decreased sperm vitality and progressive motility. Additionally, a lower percentage of stage VII and VIII seminiferous tubules were observed in CDDP-treated mice. MLT administration significantly alleviated CDDP-induced testicular damages, CDDP-induced lowered male fertility in vivo, and enhanced in vitro embryonic development of two cells and blastocysts. These changes may be due to CDDP-mediated spermatogenesis defects in germ cell and Leydig cell proliferation, which are reflected in abnormal PCNA, SYCP3, and CYP11A1 expression levels and can be improved by MLT. CDDP treatment significantly decreased the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), as well as SOD and GSH levels, and increased MDA levels in mice testis, leading to increased apoptosis of germ cells and increased BAX/BCL2 ratios in mice testis. MLT treatment may reduce germ cell apoptosis by reducing oxidative damage in mice testis. This study demonstrated that CDDP affects sperm fertility by altering germ cell and Leydig cell proliferation via increased oxidative damage and that MLT can attenuate these damages. Our work provides potential information for further research on the toxic effects of CDDP and the protective effects of MLT on male reproduction.

MiR-20a promotes osteogenic differentiation in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells and bone repair of the maxillary sinus defect model in rabbits.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine whether miR-20 promoted osteogenic differentiation in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs) and accelerated bone formation in the maxillary sinus bone defect model in rabbits. Methods: BMSCs were transfected with miR-20a or anti-miR-20a for 12 h, followed by detection of RUNX2, Sp7 mRNA, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), and RUNX2 protein expression. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and Alizarin Red S staining were used to detect calcified nodule deposition. In the rabbit maxillary sinus bone defect model, miR-20a loaded with AAV and BMP2 protein were mixed with Bio-Oss bone powder for filling the bone defect. At 4 weeks and 8 weeks, bone density was detected by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and new bone, osteoblasts, and collagen type 1 were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Results: Overexpression of miR-20a enhanced the mRNA and protein levels of BMP2, RUNX2, and SP7, the activity of ALP, and the levels of matrix mineralization, whereas the levels and activity of the aforementioned factors were decreased by anti-miR-20a treatment of BMSCs. Furthermore, miR-20a significantly increased the bone density, the number of osteoblasts, and the secretion of collagen type 1 in bone defects compared with Bio-Oss bone powder in the rabbit maxillary sinus bone defect model. Conclusion: Overall, miR-20a can induce osteogenic differentiation in BMSCs and accelerate bone formation of maxillary sinus defects in rabbits.

Stability of arsenic(â ¢, â ¤) in galvanized steel pipe scales coexisting with colloidal polystyrene microplastics under drinking water conditions.

The stability of metalloid arsenic (As(Ⅲ)) and As(V) in corrosion scales of drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) is closely related to drinking water safety. The effects of colloidal microplastics entering the DWDS on the stability of As(Ⅲ) and As(V) have not been understood. This study investigated the migration and transformation behaviors of As (Ⅲ) and As(V) in the galvanized steel pipe scales employing speciation simulation and sequential extraction methods. The stability of As(Ⅲ) and As(V) in the pipe scales coexisting with colloidal polystyrene microplastics (CPMPs) under drinking water conditions was studied for the first time from the release behaviors and form distributions. Finally, the optimum water quality conditions for As(Ⅲ) and As(V) fixation were summarized. The existing forms of As(Ⅲ) and As(V) under different pH conditions, the competitive action of anions, and the hydrolysis of cations all would significantly affect the stability of As(Ⅲ) and As(V). Sequential extraction method results revealed that the content of As fractions increased in different forms after the pipe scales adsorbed As(Ⅲ) and As(V). The contents of As and iron (Fe) in the form of residual fractions increased in the presence of CPMPs. The effect of three cations on the stability of As(Ⅲ) and As(V) was Fe3+ > Zn2+ > Ca2+. Neutral to weak alkalescence, proper Cl- and cation concentrations were conducive to the fixation of As in DWDS. Notably, the presence of CPMPs could increase the stability of As(Ⅲ) and As(V) in corrosion scales, thus reducing the risk of metalloid As release in DWDS.

Enhanced recovery after surgery in transurethral surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) measures have not been systematically applied in transurethral surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study was performed on patients with BPH who required surgical intervention. From July 2019 to June 2020, the ERAS program was applied to 248 patients, and the conventional program was applied to 238 patients. After 1 year of follow-up, the differences between the ERAS group and the conventional group were evaluated. The ERAS group had a shorter time of urinary catheterization compared with the conventional group (mean ± standard deviation [s.d.]: 1.0 ± 0.4 days vs 2.7 ± 0.8 days, P < 0.01), and the pain (mean ± s.d.) was significantly reduced through postoperative hospitalization days (PODs) 0-2 (POD 0: 1.7 ± 0.8 vs 2.4 ± 1.0, P < 0.01; POD 1: 1.6 ± 0.9 vs 3.5 ± 1.3, P < 0.01; POD 2: 1.2 ± 0.7 vs 3.0 ± 1.3, P < 0.01). No statistically significant difference was found in the rate of postoperative complications, such as postoperative bleeding (P = 0.79), urinary retention (P = 0.40), fever (P = 0.55), and readmission (P = 0.71). The hospitalization cost of the ERAS group was similar to that of the conventional group (mean ± s.d.: 16 927.8 ± 5808.1 Chinese Yuan [CNY] vs 17 044.1 ± 5830.7 CNY, P =0.85). The International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) and quality of life (QoL) scores in the two groups were also similar when compared at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after discharge. The ERAS program we conducted was safe, repeatable, and efficient. In conclusion, patients undergoing the ERAS program experienced less postoperative stress than those undergoing the conventional program.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) exposure induces sperm quality and functional defects in mice.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) harms mammalian testis development, yet the specific mechanism of its effect on sperm quality and function is unclear. In this study, male mice were administrated DEHP (200 mg/kg/day) via intragastric (i.g.) injection for 35 days. The sperm quality and function of DEHP-exposed mice were evaluated. DEHP exposure reduced the relative testis weight and serum testosterone levels. In addition, sperm count and motility parameters decreased significantly, which led to reduced sperm fertility characterized by reduced acrosome reaction rate, sperm-egg binding capacity and blastocyte formation. DEHP exposure decreased anti-oxidant indicators and the expressions of Cat, Sod1, Prdx6 and Sirt1 in the testis. DEHP-exposure also resulted in decreased proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in mice testis, as well as the dose-dependent inhibition of the proliferation of GC-1 and GC-2 cells. These phenotypes may be related to increased cell apoptosis characterized by BAX/BCL2 and P53 up-regulation. DEHP exposure resulted in the down-regulation of SIRT1 and p-AKT in mice testis and decreased levels of GC-1and GC-2 cells. DEHP co-incubation with sperm in vitro resulted in decreased tyrosine phosphorylation and progressive motility, as well as p-AKT expression in capacitated sperm. Differential sperm proteomics identified 495 differentially expressed proteins, including 257 proteins down-regulated in the DEHP-exposure group. Bioinformatics analysis showed that proteins involved in sperm-egg interaction and fertilization processes were significantly down-regulated. Pathway analysis demonstrated that the adhesion pathway was enriched in down-regulated proteins, while the pathway associated with ribosomes was enriched in up-regulated proteins. Conclusively, DEHP exposure impaired male fertility by affecting sperm quality and function, and a pathway mediating the DEHP-induced decline in sperm quality and function was identified. The study provides additional information for understanding the molecular mechanisms of DEHP exposure and its effects on male reproduction.

Down-regulated expression of CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 suggests a poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients.

Purpose: The relationship between the CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 expression and the prolonged outcomes of patients who underwent gastric cancer (GC) surgery was investigated. Methods: Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), unsupervised clustering and other methods were used to verify the relationship between CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 in GC through public databases. Additionally, CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 expression in cancerous and paracancerous tissues of GC was analysed in the context of patient prognosis. Results: CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 expression was downregulated synchronously, the interaction was observed between the two proteins, and UFM1 and CDK5RAP3 expression was found to be inversely associated to AKT pathway activation. Prognostic analysis showed that the prognosis is poorer for low CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 patients, than for high CDK5RAP3 and/or UFM1 (p<0.001) patients, and this expression pattern was an independent predictor for overall survival of GC. Coexpression of CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 combined with TNM staging can improve the accuracy of prognosis prediction for patients (p <0.001). Conclusions: It is confirmed in our findings that a combination of CDK5RAP3 and UFM1 can produce a more precise prediction model for GC patients' survival.

The relationship between exposure to phthalate metabolites and adult-onset hypogonadism.

Objective: Adult-onset hypogonadism (AOH) is a common disease for males >40 years old and is closely associated with age-related comorbidities. Phthalates are compounds widely used in a number of products with endocrine-disrupting effects. However, little is known about the association between exposure to phthalates and the risk of AOH. Thus, we conducted this study to explore the potential association using the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Method: Data on AOH and urinary phthalate metabolites were collected, and univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were adapted to evaluate the association. The concentrations of each metabolite were calculated and grouped according to their quartiles for the final analysis. Result: Finally, we found that the odds ratio (OR) increased with increased concentrations of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites, including mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP). Simultaneously, a significant dose-dependent effect was also observed. The OR for the fourth quartile was highest among all three groups. Specifically, the ORs for the third quartile and fourth quartile were 1.774 and 1.858, respectively, in the MECPP group. For the MEHHP group, the OR increased from 1.580 for the second quartile to 1.814 for the fourth quartile. Similarly, the OR for the higher three quartiles varied from 1.424 to 1.715 in the MEOHP group. Conclusion: This study first revealed that there was a positive association between exposure to DEHP metabolites and the risk of AOH. These findings add limited evidence to study this topic, while further studies are needed to explain the potential molecular mechanisms.

Protective effect of melatonin on alleviating early oxidative stress induced by DOX in mice spermatogenesis and sperm quality maintaining.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective chemotherapy drug, but its clinical use has adverse effects on male reproduction. However, there are few studies about the specific biological processes related to male reproduction or strategies for improving fertility protection. In this paper, we examined the effects of DOX on spermatogenesis and sperm function, and tested the possible protective role of melatonin (MLT) against DOX's reproductive toxicity. DOX-treated mice showed signs of significantly impaired spermatogenesis, including vacuolated epithelial cells, decreased testis weights, and lowered sperm counts and motility. DOX also reduced germ cell proliferation (PCNA) and meiosis-related proteins (SYCP3), but this effect could be partially improved with MLT administration. HSPA2 expression was maintained, which indicated that although MLT did not improve sperm motility, it did have a significant protective effect on elongated sperm. IVF results showed that MLT could partially promote two-cell and blastocyte development that was restricted by DOX. MLT reversed DOX-driven changes in the testes, including the antioxidant indices of SOD1, CAT and PRDX6, and the apoptotic indices of BAX and Caspase3. These results suggest that MLT effectively prevents DOX-induced early reproductive toxicity, and increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying DOX's effects on male reproduction and the protective mechanism of MLT.

Characteristics of vanadium release from layered steel pipe scales to bulk, steady, and occluded water in drinking water distribution systems.

The release of vanadium (V) from drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) can endanger water quality and human health. Therefore, in this study, the physicochemical characteristics of old steel pipe scales were analyzed, and dynamic pipeline devices were constructed. Subsequently, static release experiments were conducted to find an optimum scale-water ratio and investigate the release behaviors of V in lumpy pipe scales. Besides, the release behaviors of V from layered pipe scales to bulk, steady, and occluded water under the combined effect of multiple water quality conditions were studied for the first time. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was adopted to explain the release behaviors of V in the dynamic pipeline. Results revealed that the adsorption performance of the layered scales decreased in the order of surface layer > porous core layer > hard shell-like layer. The release behaviors of V in the lumpy pipe scales were mainly divided into rapid desorption and colloidal agglomeration stages. The Double constant and Weber-Morris models can suitably describe release stage I (R2 > 0.919) and release stage II (R2 > 0.948), respectively. Notably, the release of V was aggravated by low pH, high temperature, and high SO42- concentration, and the release amount of V in the pipeline was more significant than the layered pipe scales. Steady water in the gaps of scales contained more V than bulk water, and the malignant occluded water encased in scales contained relatively low V concentrations. In short, the main mechanism of V release was competitive adsorption in the early stage, and pH was the main influencing factor in the later stage. The above results are of great significance for revealing the release behaviors of V and reducing its release in DWDS.

Family care and subjective well-being of coronary heart disease patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: Mediating effects of coping strategies.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the correlations between family care, coping strategies and the subject well-being (SWB) of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: From November 2019 to October 2020, 264 CHD patients who had undergone PCI were enrolled in this questionnaire survey. The research tools applied included General Information Questionnaire, the Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and the General Well-being Schedule. SPSS 24.0 and Amos 23.0 software packages were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean scores for family care, confrontation, avoidance, acceptance-resignation and SWB, were 7.59 ± 2.24, 20.03 ± 3.78, 16.49 ± 2.70, 10.42 ± 2.01, and 73.31 ± 11.63, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that the path coefficient between family care and subjective well-being was higher in males than females. Family care was directly related to coping strategies. The coping strategies were directly related to SWB, while family care showed an indirect association with SWB via coping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Family care can improve CHD patients' SWB post-PCI, and coping strategies are important for the link between family care and SWB. Also, men received more family care than women. Based on a patient's characteristics, healthcare providers can promote patients' positive coping strategies, increase their perceived family care, and improve the patient's SWB.

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in water supply systems: In water and pipe scales.

Microplastic (MP) pollution has received widespread attention; however, its occurrence and distribution in water supply systems, particularly in pipe scales, remains unclear. In this study, MPs were observed in water and pipe scale samples from the drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) and distribution system (DWDS), respectively. The MP concentrations ranged from 13.23 to 134.79 n/L and 569.99 to 751.73 n/kg in the water and pipe scale samples, respectively. The predominant particles in the pipe scales (50-100 µm) were smaller than those in the water samples (> 200 µm). Overall, MP fragments were the most abundant. Of all the identified MPs, nylon and polyvinyl chloride were predominant in the water and pipe scale samples, respectively. Furthermore, the DWTP and DWDS both prevented MPs from entering the tap water, thereby reducing their risk. The results of this study provide direct evidence for the strong adsorption of MPs onto pipe scales, indicating that pipe scale stability may play a role in improving water quality and security. However, the abundance of MPs in pipe scales cannot be ignored. Additionally, the results provide valuable background information on MP pollution in water supply systems.

Expression Profile and Ligand Screening of a Putative Odorant-Binding Protein, AcerOBP6, from the Asian Honeybee.

Olfaction is essential in some behaviors of honeybee, such as nursing, foraging, attracting a mate, social communication, and kin recognition. OBPs (odorant binding proteins) play a key role in the first step of olfactory perception. Here, we focused on a classic OBP with a PBP-GOBP domain from the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana cerana. Beyond that, the mRNA expression profiles and the binding affinity of AcerOBP6 were researched. According to qRT-PCR analysis, AcerOBP6 transcripts were mainly expressed in the antennae of forager bees. In addition, we found that the expression level of AcerOBP6 was higher than that of AmelOBP6. The fluorescence competitive binding assay indicated that the AcerOBP6 protein had binding affinity with most of the tested odors, including queen pheromone, worker pheromone, and floral volatiles, among which the strongest one was linolenic acid (with a Ki value of 1.67). However, AcerOBP6 was not sensitive to the brood pheromones. A further study based on EAG assay revealed that the antennae had the strongest response to 2-heptanone. The EAG recording values of the selected ligands were all reduced after AcerOBP6 was silenced, with 8 of 14 declining significantly (p < 0.01) given that these odors could specifically bind to AcerOBP6. As revealed in our current study, AcerOBP6 might be a crucial protein involved in olfactory recognition for foraging. Overall, the research provides a foundation for exploring the olfactory mechanism of A. cerana cerana.

Primary Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma of the Urinary Tract: A Population-Based Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common histopathological type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which may arise from various extranodal sites. Little is known about the clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of primary DLBCL of the urinary tract (UT). Thus, we conducted this study to explore the independent prognostic factors of patients with UT-DLBCL using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for the data of patients diagnosed with UT-DLBCL between 1975 and 2016. Data, including demographic tumour stage and therapeutic strategies, such as surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, were collected. The impact of these factors on survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS), was analysed using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Four-hundred and eighty-nine patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the data analysis. The median age was 69 years old. Most cases of UT-DLBCL (72.39%) originated from the kidney, followed by the urinary bladder (24.95%). Both surgical resection and chemotherapy can significantly improve OS and DSS. Patients older than 75 years had the worst survival outcomes. Stage IV DLBCL may be a poor prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest population-based study of UT-DLBCL. Advanced age, male gender, lack of surgical resection or chemotherapy, and stage IV DLBCL were poor prognostic factors.

Retroperitoneal or transperitoneal approach in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy, which one is better?

PURPOSE: To systematically assess the perioperative outcomes of retroperitoneal (RP) and transperitoneal (TP) approaches in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN), we conducted an updated meta-analysis. METHODS: A literature retrieval of multi-database including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI was performed to identify eligible comparative studies from the inception dates to January 2021. Perioperative outcomes included operative time (OT), estimated blood loss (EBL), warm ischemia time (WIT), postoperative length of stay (PLOS), positive surgical margin (PSM), and complications (major complications and overall complications). Outcomes of data were pooled and analyzed with Review Manager 5.4.1. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies involving a total of 2482 RP and 3423 TP approach RAPN patients met the inclusion criteria. Operating time (OT) (weighted mean difference [WMD] -16.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] -23.08, -10.12; p < 0.01) and PLOS (WMD -0.46 days; 95% CI -0.69, -0.23; p < 0.01) were shorter in RP-RAPN. Besides, lower EBL (WMD -21.67; 95% CI -29.74, -13.60; p < 0.05) was also found in RP-RAPN. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found in other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: RP-RARN was superior to TP-RAPN in patients undergoing RAPN in terms of OT, PLOS, and estimated blood loss. Besides these two approaches have no significant differences in PSMs or perioperative complications.

The circular RNA circSlc7a11 promotes bone cancer pain pathogenesis in rats by modulating LLC-WRC 256 cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Treatment of bone cancer pain (BCP) caused by bone metastasis in advanced cancers remains a challenge in clinical oncology, and the underlying mechanisms of BCP are poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the pathogenic roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in regulating cancer cell proliferation and BCP development. Eight differentially expressed circRNAs in the rat spinal cord were validated by agarose gel electrophoresis and Sanger sequencing. Expression of circRNAs and mRNAs was detected by quantitative RT-PCR. MTS assay and flow cytometry were performed to analyze cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. Differentially expressed mRNA profiles were characterized by deep RNA sequencing, hierarchical clustering, and functional categorization. The interactions among circRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and mRNAs were predicted using TargetScan. Additionally, western blot was performed to determine the protein levels of Pax8, Isg15, and Cxcl10. Multiple circRNAs were differentially expressed in the spinal cords of BCP model rats; of these, circSlc7a11 showed the greatest increase in expression. The overexpression of circSlc7a11 significantly promoted cell proliferation and repressed apoptosis of LLC-WRC 256 and UMR-106 cells, whereas circSlc7a11 silencing produced the opposite effects. Altered expression of circSlc7a11 also induced substantial changes in the mRNA expression profiles of LLC-WRC 256 cells; these changes were linked to multiple apoptotic processes and signaling pathways, such as the chemokine signaling pathway, and formed a complex circRNA/miRNA/mRNA network. Additionally, Pax8, Isg15, and Cxc110 protein level in LLC-WRC 256 cells was consistent with the mRNA results. The circRNA circSlc7a11 regulates rat BCP development by modulating LLC-WRC 256 cell proliferation and apoptosis through multiple-signaling mechanisms.

Retrospective analysis of the changes in the surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia during an 11-year period: a single-center experience.

The present study aimed to determine whether the number of patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who preferred surgery decreased during the past 11 years at our center (West China Hospital, Chengdu, China), and whether this change affected the timing of surgery and the physical condition of surgical patients. This retrospective study included 57 557 patients with BPH treated from January 2008 to December 2018. Of these, 5427 patients were treated surgically. Surgical patients were divided into two groups based on the time of treatment (groups 8-13 and groups 13-18). The collected data comprised the percentage of all patients with BPH who underwent surgery, baseline characteristics of surgical patients, rehabilitation time, adverse events, and hospitalization costs. The surgery rates in groups 8-13 and groups 13-18 were 10.5% and 8.5% (P < 0.001), respectively. The two groups did not clinically differ regarding patient age and prostate volume. The rates of acute urinary retention and renal failure decreased from 15.0% to 10.6% (P < 0.001) and from 5.2% to 3.1% (P < 0.001), respectively. In groups 8-13 and groups 13-18, the mean catheterization times were 4.0 ± 1.7 days and 3.3 ± 1.6 days (P < 0.001), respectively, and the mean postoperative hospitalization times were 5.1 ± 2.4 days and 4.2 ± 1.8 days (P < 0.001), respectively. The incidences of unplanned second surgery and death reduced during the study period. The surgery rate decreased over time, which suggests that medication was chosen over surgery. However, the percentage of late complications of BPH also decreased over time, which indicates that the timing of surgery was not delayed.