Identification of particle distribution pattern in vertical profile via unmanned aerial vehicles observation.

Below the boundary layer, the air pollutants have been confirmed to present the decreasing trend with the height in most situaitons. However, the disperiosn rate of air pollutants in the vertical profile is rarely investigated in detail, especially through in-situ measurement. With this consideration, we employed an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with portable monitoring equipments to scrutinize the vertical distribution of PM2.5. Based on the original data, we found that PM2.5 concentration decreases gradually with altitude below the boundary layer and demonstrated an obvious linear correlation. Therefore, the vertical distribution of PM2.5 was quantified by representing the distribution of PM2.5 with the slope of PM2.5 vertical distribution. We used backward trajectories to reveal the causes of outliers (PM2.5 increasing with altitude), and found that PM2.5 in the high altitude came from the southwest. Besides, the relationship between the vertical distribution of PM2.5 and various meteorological factors was investigated using stepwise regression analysis. The results show that the four meteorological factors most strongly correlated with the slope values are: (a) the difference in relative humidity between the ground and the air; (b) the difference in temperature between the ground and the air; (c) the height of the boundary layer; and (d) the wind speed. The slope values increase with increasing the difference in relative humidity between ground and air and the difference in temperature between the ground and the air, and decrease with increasing boundary layer height and wind speed. According to the Random Forest calculations, the ground-to-air relative humidity difference is the most important at 0.718; the wind speed is the least important at 0.053; and the ground-to-air temperature difference and boundary layer height are 0.140 and 0.088, respectively.

Effect of Preoperative Double-J Ureteral Stenting before Flexible Ureterorenoscopy on Stone-free Rates and Complications.

The effect of preoperative Double-J (DJ) ureteral stenting before flexible ureterorenoscopy (FURS) in the treatment for urinary stones was evaluated. We retrospectively enrolled 306 consecutive patients who underwent FURS from Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2017. All the patients were classified into two groups according to whether they had DJ ureteral stenting before FURS. Baseline characteristics (age, sex, stone location, stone size, surgical success rate, operation time, stone-free rate of the first day after surgery, stone-free rate of the first month after surgery, total complication rate) were compared using Chi-square test for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables. In total, 306 patients were included in this study. The group of DJ stenting before FURS included 203 (66.3%) patients, and non-DJ stenting before FURS was observed in 103 (33.7%) patients. The group of DJ stenting before FURS was significantly associated with a shorter operation time (53.8 vs. 59.3 min, P<0.001), a higher stone-free rate of the first day after surgery (69.0% vs. 51.5%, P=0.003). However, statistical significant differences were not found in the age, sex, stone location, stone size, surgical success rate, stone-free rate of the first month after surgery (89.2% vs. 81.6%, P=0.065) and total complication rate (5.4% vs. 9.7%, P=0.161) between the two groups. Preoperative DJ ureteral stenting before FURS could reduce the operation time and increase stone-free rate of the first day after surgery. However, it might not benefit the stone-free rate of the first month after surgery and reduce the complication rate. Preoperative DJ stenting should be not routinely performed.

[Effects of PI3K/Akt-eNOS signaling pathway on total flavones in Clematis filamentosa post-conditioning alleviated of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats].

The aim of this paper was to study the effect of total flavones of Clematis filamentosa Dunn(TFCD) post-conditioning against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and the role of PI3K/Akt-eNOS signaling pathway. Forty male SD rats were divided randomly into five groups: Sham group, model group (I/R), TFCD post-conditioning group (TFCD), TFCD post-condition-ing+LY294002 (a PI3K/Akt signaling pathway inhibitor) group (TFCD+LY), and LY294002 group (LY). At the end of reperfusion, hemodynamic parameters were recorded, morphology changes of myocardial tissue were evaluated by using HE staining, and myocardial infarct size were observed, blood samples were obtained to determine plasma activation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) nitric oxide (NO), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), maleic dialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). The expressions of Akt, p-Akt, eNOS and p-eNOS proteins were assessed by using Western blot, and eNOS and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. The results showed that, compared with the model group, TFCD post-conditioning remarkably improved hemodynamics function and myocardial structure, reduced myocardial infarct size and enhanced the contents of NO, eNOS, SOD and GSH-Px, and decreased the contents of LDH, CK and MDA, increased the levels of phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS protein expression, eNOS and iNOS mRNA expression significantly(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). These effects were inhibited by LY294002, a blocker of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The above experiments indicated that TFCD post-conditioning could significantly reduce MIRI in rats, the mechanism of which may be associated with increasing antioxidation, scavenging oxygen free radicals, regulating NO generation and activating PI3K/Akt-eNOS signaling pathway.

[Epidemiology and clinical features of renal tuberculosis: 239 cases report].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in the status of genitourinary tuberculosis, especially in renal tuberculosis. METHODS: In the study, 239 cases of renal tuberculosis from 2000 to 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients with 3 or more than 3 kinds of common clinical manifestations of genitourinary tuberculosis were regarded as typical group (145 cases), and otherwise, as atypical group (94 cases). RESULTS: The cases of renal tuberculosis constituted 0.89% of the urological inpatients in a duration of 11 years from 2000 to 2010. The incidence rates were higher in the 40-60 years old patients (45.61%). 48% of the patients were farmers or the unemployed. The most common clinical manifestations included frequency (151 cases), urgency (124 cases), odynuria (120 cases), flank pain (97 cases), and hematuria (76 cases). However, flank pain (34.04%) turned into the main complaint of the atypical group. We found that 125 cases had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis or an abnormal chest radiography, 30 patients were diagnosed as contracted bladder (typical group/atypical group: 26/4, P<0.05), and 20 patients (8.4%) were diagnosed as contralateral hydronephrosis. And 198 cases were examined by acid-fast stain, with a positive diagnostic rate of 47.98%. Also 202 cases of the 205 patients who had an ultrasonography had an abnormal outcome and 135 cases of them were definitively diagnosed. Surgical treatments were performed among almost all the patients, while 21 cases only had antituberculosis drugs. CONCLUSION: Socio-economic issues still affect the status of genitourinary tuberculosis. The history of pulmonary tuberculosis or an abnormal outcome of chest radiography can provide an important clue during the diagnostic process. Acid-fast stain and ultrasonography remain as effective screening tests. Though the treatment with antituberculosis drugs has become the "mainstream", the surgical treatment is needed for advanced renal tuberculosis.

[Multiple urethral metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma after radical prostatectomy: a case report and literature review].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism and management of multiple urethral metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma after radical prostatectomy. METHODS: We summed up the experience in the management of a case of multiple urethral metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma after radical prostatectomy and reviewed relevant literature. The patient was a 79-year-old male, who had received radical prostatectomy for prostate adenocarcinoma 13 years before, and presented with macrohematuria and dysuria in the past 2 weeks. A nodule (1.0 x 0.5 cm) was found in the urethral meatus. Cystourethroscopy revealed multiple tumors in the urethra and biopsy indicated them to be metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma. The preoperative level of PSA was 3.01 microg/L. As treatment, we performed radical urethrectomy and cystostomy. RESULTS: Postoperative pathology showed multiple metastases of prostate adenocarcinoma to the urethra, involving the urethral sphincter and corpus spongiosum. Immunohistochemistry revealed PSA (+), PsAP(+), AR(+) and CK 7(-). The surgical margin was negative. The patient recovered well postoperatively, with a PSA level of 1.00 microg/L. CONCLUSION: Urethral metastasis of prostate adenocarcinoma after radical prostatectomy is rarely seen clinically. For the treatment of multiple urethral metastases, surgery is the first choice and radical urethrectomy is an appropriate management.