Research on robust adaptive control of strong nonlinear complex large power grids.

In this paper, a Multi-Index Nonlinear Robust Adaptive Control (MINRAC) method was proposed for ultra-complex multi-input multi-output power systems with uncertain parameter factors and external disturbances. The controller designed by this method has excellent static and dynamic characteristics. Under the condition of the uncertainty of system parameters and external disturbance at the same time, the MINRAC method can ensure that the multiple indexes concerned by ultra-complex power systems can be controlled at their expected values. The simulation results showed that the control mechanism of MINRAC method was consistent in both single-machine infinite bus system and multi-machine interconnected coupling system. The output function chooses power angle, angular frequency and terminal voltage as constraints. When the system has parameter uncertainty and external interference, the uncertain parameter values are adjusted by adaptive control to force these indicators to tend to the given expected value. For three-phase short circuit, which is the most serious fault in power system, the use of multi index nonlinear robust controller can ensure that the system is stable in a wide range and has better dynamic performance.

High-performance laser power converters with resistance to thermal annealing.

High-performance laser power converters are crucial for laser wireless power transmission systems. Through the optimization of the resistive thermal annealing temperature applied to the laser power converter, the conversion efficiency reaches 55.0%. For 830 nm laser irradiation, the conversion efficiency further elevates to 59.3%. The potential for improvement remains substantial, with an anticipated increase to 63.8% achievable through the optimization of current matching at this specific wavelength. Moreover, the reliability of the laser power converter is demonstrated by its ability to 1,000 hours of operation at an elevated temperature of 180°C.

InP-based tunnel junctions for ultra-high concentration photovoltaics.

To enhance the performance of multi-junction photovoltaics, we investigated three different InP-based tunnel junction designs: p++-InGaAs/n++-InP tunnel junction, p++-InGaAs/i-InGaAs-/n++-InP tunnel junction, and p++-InGaAs/i-InGaAs/n++-InGaAs tunnel junction. The p++-InGaAs/i-InGaAs/n++-InGaAs tunnel junction demonstrated a peak tunneling current density of 495 A/cm2 and a resistivity of 9.3 × 10-4 Ωcm2, allowing the tunnel junction device to operate at a concentration over 30000 suns. This was achieved by inserting an undoped InGaAs quantum well at the p++-InGaAs/n++InGaAs junction interfaces, which enhanced its stability within the operating temperature range of multi-junction solar cells. Moreover, the p++-InGaAs/i-InGaAs/n++-InGaAs tunnel junction exhibited the lowest resistance.

Fibromodulin overexpression drives oral squamous cell carcinoma via activating downstream EGFR signaling.

Accumulating evidence has shown that fibromodulin (FMOD) plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, the biological function of FMOD in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains largely unclear to date. In this study, we confirmed that FMOD was overexpressed and showed a significant association with malignant progression and lymph node metastasis in OSCC. Depletion of FMOD inhibited OSCC proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing, western blotting, and rescue assays verified that FMOD exerted oncogenic roles in OSCC via activation of EGFR signaling. In addition, FMOD was proved to be a putative target gene of miR-338-3p. Taken together, FMOD overexpression due to the reduced level of miR-338-3p promotes OSCC by activating EGFR signaling. Our findings provide direct evidence that targeting FMOD could be a promising therapeutic strategy for OSCC patients.

High-performance laser power converts for wireless information transmission applications.

Laser Power Converters (LPCs) are components of the laser wireless power transmission (LWPT) system receiving laser power. This paper proposes a comprehensive test method that employs continuous, pulse-pause, and short-time techniques to evaluate the performance of six-junction GaAs LPCs operating with an optical input at 808 nm. Additionally, we investigate the performance of LPCs with different areas and achieve a conversion efficiency over 60%. Furthermore, we apply LPCs with varying areas to wireless information transmission and successfully achieve a response time of 1.7 µs.

Identification of a key locus, qNL3.1, associated with seed germination under salt stress via a genome-wide association study in rice.

KEY MESSAGE: Two causal OsTTL and OsSAPK1 genes of the key locus qNL3.1 significantly associated with seed germination under salt stress were identified via a genome-wide association study, which could improve rice seed germination under salt stress. Rice is a salt-sensitive crop, and its seed germination determines subsequent seedling establishment and yields. In this study, 168 accessions were investigated for the genetic control of seed germination under salt stress based on the germination rate (GR), germination index (GI), time at which 50% germination was achieved (T50) and mean level (ML). Extensive natural variation in seed germination was observed among accessions under salt stress. Correlation analysis showed significantly positive correlations among GR, GI and ML and a negative correlation with T50 during seed germination under salt stress. Forty-nine loci significantly associated with seed germination under salt stress were identified, and seven of these were identified in both years. By comparison, 16 loci were colocated with the previous QTLs, and the remaining 33 loci might be novel. qNL3.1, colocated with qLTG-3, was simultaneously identified with the four indices in two years and might be a key locus for seed germination under salt stress. Analysis of candidate genes showed that two genes, the similar to transthyretin-like protein OsTTL and the serine/threonine protein kinase OsSAPK1, were the causal genes of qNL3.1. Germination tests indicated that both Osttl and Ossapk1 mutants significantly reduced seed germination under salt stress compared to the wild type. Haplotype analysis showed that Hap.1 of OsTTL and Hap.1 of OsSAPK1 genes were excellent alleles, and their combination resulted in high seed germination under salt stress. Eight accessions with elite performance of seed germination under salt stress were identified, which could improve rice seed germination under salt stress.

The Treatment of Keloid Scars via Modulating Heterogeneous Gelatin-Structured Composite Microneedles to Control Transdermal Dual-Drug Release.

Keloid scarring is an abnormal scar disease characterised by excessive proliferation of fibroblasts and over-deposition of collagen during wound healing. Although various treatments for keloid scars have been developed, preventive medicine is believed to be a promising strategy. The skin barrier limits the gentle topical administration of medicaments such as creams and hydrogel dressings, resulting in reduced therapeutic efficacy. In recent years, microneedles (MNs) have been regarded as an appreciable device for topical administration without inducing side effects, and they are painless and do not cause bleeding. In this study, an MN patch with controlled transdermal dual-drug release was developed to achieve combinatory treatment of keloid scars using a heterogeneous gelatin-structured composite MN. Gelatin hydrogel was used as a substrate to load gallic acid (GA) and quercetin-loaded amphiphilic gelatin nanoparticles to fabricate dual-drug heterogeneous composite MNs. The results of the insertion test and mechanical properties of the MNs showed that the heterogeneous composite MN patches could be self-pressed into the stratum corneum and control dual-drug release at different time periods. GA was released at an earlier stage to retard the proliferation of fibroblasts, and quercetin was released at a later stage as a strong antioxidant to erase the generation of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction data indicated that the gene expression of fibroblasts (such as Col I and III) was downregulated in the dual-drug system. The above results demonstrate that using heterogeneous composite MNs with the combination of dual-drug pharmacology is beneficial for preventing keloid scar formation.

A Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals the Prognostic and Immunotherapeutic Value of Stanniocalcin-2 (STC2).

Background: Stanniocalcin-2 (STC2) is a secreted glycoprotein which plays an important role in regulating the homeostasis of calcium, glucose homeostasis, and phosphorus metastasis. Accumulating evidence suggests that STC2 is implicated in cancer mechanisms. However, the effects of STC2 on cancer development and progression across pan-cancer are not yet completely known. Methods: Data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database to obtain differentially expressed genes significantly associated with prognosis (key genes). A gene was selected for subsequent correlation studies by integrating the significance of prognosis and the time-dependent ROC curve. Gene expression of different tumor types was analyzed based on the UCSC XENA website. Furthermore, our study investigated the correlation of STC2 expression between prognosis, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint genes (ICGs), mismatch repair genes (MMRs), tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and drug sensitivity in various malignant tumors. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted for correlated genes of STC2 to explore potential mechanisms. Results: A total of 3,429 differentially expressed genes and 397 prognosis-related genes were identified from the TCGA database. Twenty-six key genes were found by crossing the former and the latter, and the highest risk gene, STC2, was selected for subsequent correlation studies. STC2 had good diagnostic performance for HNSCC, and was closely related to the survival status and clinicopathological stage of HNSCC patients. In pan-cancer analysis, STC2 was upregulated in 20 cancers and downregulated in seven cancers. STC2 overexpression was overall negatively correlated with overall survival, disease-free survival, disease-specific survival, and progress-free survival. STC2 was profoundly correlated with the tumor immune microenvironment, including immune cell infiltration, ICGs, MMRs, TMB, and MSI. Moreover, STC2 was significantly negatively correlated with the sensitivity or resistance of multiple drugs. Conclusion: STC2 was a potential prognostic biomarker for pan-cancer and a new immunotherapy target.

Improved repair of rabbit calvarial defects with hydroxyapatite/chitosan/polycaprolactone composite scaffold-engrafted EPCs and BMSCs.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) expressing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) expressing endogenous bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) play the important role in new bone formation. This study investigated the effects of a porous hydroxyapatite (HA)/chitosan (CS)/polycaprolactone (PCL) composite scaffold-engrafted EPCs and BMSCs on the expression of BMP-2, VEGF, and PDGF in the calvarial defect rabbit model in vivo. It showed that a three-dimensional composite scaffold was successfully constructed by physical interaction with a pore size of 250 µm. The HA/CS/PCL scaffold degraded slowly within 10 weeks and showed non-cytotoxicity. By X-ray, micro-CT examination, and H&E staining, compared with the HA/CS/PCL group, HA/CS/PCL + EPCs, HA/CS/PCL + BMSCs, and HA/CS/PCL + EPCs + BMSCs groups performed a more obvious repair effect, and the dual factor group presented particularly significant improvement on the percentages of bone volume at week 4 and week 8, with evident bone growth. Osteogenesis marker (BMP-2) and vascularization marker (VEGF and PDGF) expression in the dual factor group were much better than those of the HA/CS/PCL control group and single factor groups. Collectively, the HA/CS/PCL composite scaffold-engrafting EPCs and BMSCs is effective to repair calvarial defects by regulating endogenous expression of BMP-2, VEGF, and PDGF. Thus, this study provides important implications for the potential clinical application of biomaterial composite scaffold-engrafted engineering cells.

Periodontitis Is Associated With Heart Failure: A Population-Based Study (NHANES III).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between periodontitis and heart failure using the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Methods: Participants who had received a periodontal examination were included and investigated for the occurrence of heart failure. The included participants were divided into no/mild periodontitis and moderate/severe periodontitis groups according to their periodontal status. Weighted prevalence of heart failure was calculated, and weighted logistic regressions models were used to explore the association between periodontitis and heart failure. Possible influencing factors were then explored through subgroup analysis. Results: Compared with that of the no/mild periodontitis group, the incidence of heart failure in participants with moderate/severe periodontitis was 5.72 times higher (95% CI: 3.76-8.72, p < 0.001). After adjusting for gender, age, race, body mass index, poverty income ratio, education, marital status, smoking status, drinking status, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and asthma, the results showed that the incidence of heart failure in the moderate/severe group was 3.03 times higher (95% CI: 1.29-7.13, p = 0.012). Subgroup analysis showed that criteria, namely, male, 40-60 years old, non-Hispanic white, body mass index >30, poverty income ratio ≥1, not more than 12 years of education, currently drinking, stroke but no diabetes, or asthma supported moderate/severe periodontitis as a risk factor for heart failure (p < 0.05). Conclusion: According to data from this nationally representative sample from the United States, periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of heart failure.

OsHIPL1, a hedgehog-interacting protein-like 1 protein, increases seed vigour in rice.

The cultivation of rice varieties with high seed vigour is vital for the direct seeding of rice, and the molecular basis of regulation of seed vigour remains elusive. Here, we cloned a new gene OsHIPL1, which encodes hedgehog-interacting protein-like 1 protein as a causal gene of the major QTL qSV3 for rice seed vigour. OsHIPL1 was mainly localized in the plasma membrane and nucleus. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that the ABA-related genes were involved in the OsHIPL1 regulation of seed vigour in rice. The higher levels of endogenous ABA were measured in germinating seeds of OsHIPL1 mutants and NIL-qsv3 line compared to IR26 plants, with two up-regulated ABA biosynthesis genes (OsZEP and OsNCED4) and one down-regulated ABA catabolism gene OsABA8ox3. The expression of abscisic acid-insensitive 3 (OsABI3), OsABI4 and OsABI5 was significantly up-regulated in germinating seeds of OsHIPL1 mutants and NIL-qsv3 line compared to IR26 plants. These results indicate that the regulation of seed vigour of OsHIPL1 may be through modulating endogenous ABA levels and altering OsABIs expression during seed germination in rice. Meanwhile, we found that OsHIPL1 interacted with the aquaporin OsPIP1;1, then affected water uptake to promote rice seed germination. Based on analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphism data of rice accessions, we identified a Hap1 haplotype of OsHIPL1 that was positively correlated with seed germination. Our findings showed novel insights into the molecular mechanism of OsHIPL1 on seed vigour.

High-Density Horizontal Stacking of Chondrocytes via the Synergy of Biocompatible Magnetic Gelatin Nanocarriers and Internal Magnetic Navigation for Enhancing Cartilage Repair.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a globally occurring articular cartilage degeneration disease that adversely affects both the physical and mental well-being of the patient, including limited mobility. One major pathological characteristic of OA is primarily related to articular cartilage defects resulting from abrasion and catabolic and proinflammatory mediators in OA joints. Although cell therapy has hitherto been regarded as a promising treatment for OA, the therapeutic effects did not meet expectations due to the outflow of implanted cells. Here, we aimed to explore the repair effect of magnetized chondrocytes using magnetic amphiphilic-gelatin nanocarrier (MAGNC) to enhance cellular anchored efficiency and cellular magnetic guidance (MG) toward the superficial zone of damaged cartilage. The results of in vitro experiments showed that magnetized chondrocytes could be rapidly guided along the magnetic force line to form cellular amassment. Furthermore, the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif of gelatin in MAGNC could integrate the interaction among cells to form cellular stacking. In addition, MAGNCs upregulated the gene expression of collagen II (Col II), aggrecan, and downregulated that of collagen I (Col I) to reduce cell dedifferentiation. In animal models, the magnetized chondrocytes can be guided into the superficial zone with the interaction between the internal magnetic field and MAGNC to form cellular stacking. In vivo results showed that the intensity of N-sulfated-glycosaminoglycans (sGAG) and Col II in the group of magnetized cells with magnetic guiding was higher than that in the other groups. Furthermore, smooth closure of OA cartilage defects was observed in the superficial zone after 8 weeks of implantation. The study revealed the significant potential of MAGNC in promoting the high-density stacking of chondrocytes into the cartilage surface and retaining the biological functions of implanted chondrocytes for OA cartilage repair.

A smart injectable composite hydrogel with magnetic navigation and controlled glutathione release for promoting in situ chondrocyte array and self-healing in damaged cartilage tissue.

Injectable cell-based hydrogels allow surgical operation in a minimally invasive way for articular cartilage lesions but the chondrocytes in the injectable hydrogels are difficultly arrayed and fixed at the site of interest to repair the cartilage tissue. In this study, an injectable hyaluronic acid-polyacrylic acid (HA-pAA) hydrogel was first synthesized using hyaluronic acid-cyclodextrin (HA-CD) and polyacrylic acid-ferrocene (pAA-Fc) to provide cell-delivery and self-healing. To promote the cell fixation and alignment, porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) magnetic microcapsules (PPMMs) with glutathione (GSH) loaded and iron oxide nanoparticles (IO) located in the shell were designed. The GSH-loaded PPMMs with layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of hyaluronic acid (HA) and GSH (LbL-PPMMs) can provide a two-stage rapid and slow release of GSH to modulate the self-healing of the HA-pAA hydrogel at the injured site. Furthermore, the chondrocytes embedded in the HA-pAA hydrogel could be delivered through CD44 receptors on the HA polymer chains of LbL-PPMMs toward the surface of the damaged site by an internal magnetic force. The composite hydrogel system of chondrocytes/LbL-PPMMs/HA-pAA can provide the damaged cartilage with a more even and smooth surface than other groups in a rabbit model after 8 weeks of implantation. In addition, the chondrocytes in the deep zone tissue exhibit a columnar array, similar to the cell arrangement in normal cartilage tissue. Together with the cell navigation behavior and GSH release from the LbL-PPMM/HA-pAA hydrogel, a full closure of lesions on the cartilage tissue can be achieved. Our results demonstrate the highly promising potential of the injectable LbL-PPMM/HA-pAA system in cartilage tissue repair.

PEEK­biphasic bioceramic composites promote mandibular defect repair and upregulate BMP­2 expression in rabbits.

The present study aimed to investigate whether bone morphogenetic protein­2 (BMP­2) was involved in the repair of mandibular defects using polyether­ether­ketone biphasic bioceramic (PEEK­BBC) composites in rabbits. PEEK­BBC composites with abundant and interconnected pores were prepared by calcination and characterized by scanning electron microscope. A mandibular defect model in rabbits was established using dental grinder to produce a square hole. A total of 60 rabbits were divided into four groups: Control, sham, surgery, and PEEK. In the PEEK group, the holes were filled with the PEEK­BBC composite stents. In the surgery group, the holes were produced but not filled with the composite stents. In the sham group, only the molar grooves were exposed and grinding was not performed. Animals without any treatment served as the control group. The success rate of model establishment was 100%. At 4, 8, and 16 weeks after the model was established, samples were collected from the molding sites. Bone repair was evaluated by H&E staining and Goldner trichrome staining. Bone structures in both control and sham groups were intact. A small number of osteocytes were observed in the surgery group. However, in the PEEK group, osteocytes were already evidently present in the composites at 4 weeks after surgery. At 8 and 16 weeks, there were large numbers of osteocytes in the pores of the composites. The mRNA and protein expression levels of BMP­2 were determined by reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression levels of BMP­2 between the control and sham groups were similar and were continuously stable. However, following defect treatment, BMP­2 mRNA and protein expression was upregulated, which was enhanced by the PEEK­BBC composites. In conclusion, PEEK­BBC composites promoted the growth of osteocytes and repaired mandibular defects in rabbits, potentially via the upregulation of BMP­2 expression.

Novel Ag-doped glass frits for high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells.

Glass frits play an important role in the front contact electrodes of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells. In this work, we developed a novel glass frit by doping Ag into a glass frit in the process of high-temperature synthesis. When the Ag paste including this novel glass frit was used as the front contact electrode of silicon solar cells, the conversion efficiency of poly-crystalline silicon (pc-Si) solar cells was improved by 1.9% compared to the glass frit without Ag. Through SEM characterisation and calculation of series resistance, we further found that the interface between Ag and Si was improved and the contact resistance of Ag and Si was greatly reduced, which were believed to be responsible for the improvement of solar cell performance. This work shows great guidance significance to develop novel and highly efficient commercial glass frits applied in solar cells in the future.

The augmented prophylactic antibiotic could be more efficacious in patients undergoing transrectal prostate biopsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although frequent use of prophylactic antibiotics for patients undergoing transrectal prostate biopsy (TRPB), incidences of urinary tract infection (UTI) and bacterial resistance are still increasing. We evaluated the efficacy of augmented prophylactic antibiotics in patients undergoing TRPB. METHODS: A systematic search of Embase(®), PubMed(®), and the Cochrane Library was executed to identify all eligible studies that compared the effects of augmented antibiotic prophylaxis (combined drugs) with single antibiotic prophylaxis on behalf of patients undergoing TRPB. Outcomes qualified in this review included bacteriuria, bacteremia, drug-resistant bacteria on urine culture, drug-resistant bacteria on blood culture, fever, UTI, sepsis, and hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of eight publications were identified and included in the review, including three randomized controlled trials with 659 patients and five case-control studies involving 3404 patients. All outcomes, including bacteriuria [relative risk (RR) 4.25, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.96-9.22, P = 0.0003], bacteremia (RR 4.96, 95 % CI 2.31-10.67, P < 0.0001), drug-resistant bacteriuria (RR 3.52, 95 % CI 1.41-8.78, P = 0.007), drug-resistant bacteremia (RR 4.94, 95 % CI 2.17-11.24, P = 0.0001), fever (RR 2.75, 95 % CI 1.63-4.62, P = 0.0001), UTI (RR 3.76, 95 % CI 2.57-5.48, P < 0.00001), and hospitalization (RR 3.90, 95 % CI 2.64-5.75, P < 0.00001) significantly favored the augmented antibiotic use. CONCLUSIONS: One additional type of antibiotic (usually one single dose) added to the basic antibiotic prophylaxis modality, defined as augmented prophylaxis, could contribute to the reduction in severe infection and drug resistance, particularly in high-risk patients.

Tumor necrosis factor-α G-308A (rs1800629) polymorphism and aggressive periodontitis susceptibility: a meta-analysis of 16 case-control studies.

Association between tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) G-308A (rs1800629) polymorphism and susceptibility to aggressive periodontitis (AgP) were inconsistent, hence we performed this meta-analysis to clarify the association between them using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis v2.2 software. 16 case-control studies were searched from the PubMed, Embase and CNKI databases up to February 2, 2015. The meta-analysis showed a significantly increased risk in A vs. G (OR = 1.23, 95%CI = 1.04-1.44), AA vs. GG (OR = 2.07, 95%CI = 1.11-3.87), and AA vs. AG+GG genetic models (OR = 2.09, 95%CI = 1.13-3.86); however, the non-significantly increased risk was shown in AG vs. GG (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.85-1.32) and AA+AG vs. GG genetic models (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.85-1.31). Cumulative analysis showed that the association changed from non-significant to significant with new studies accumulated and the CIs became more and more narrow, sensitivity analysis indicated results were statistically robust. Stratified analyses of confirmed of HWE, Asians, Caucasians, and population-based controls obtained results similar to that of overall analysis. There was no evidence of publication bias. In summary, current evidence demonstrates that TNF-a G-308A polymorphism might be associated with AgP susceptibility, especially in Asians and Caucasians.

The Differential Expression and Function of the Inflammatory Chemokine Receptor CXCR5 in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Chemokine and chemokine receptors could have played an important role in tumor angiogenesis and distant metastasis. The mechanism of inflammation, expression and function of chemokines and chemokine receptors in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) remain unclear. The purpose of present study is to detect differential expression and function of chemokines and chemokine receptors (CCRs) in BPH and PCa. METHODS: BPH-1 and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were co-cultured in Transwell chambers, and human normal prostate (NP) tissues, BPH tissues and PCa tissues were collected. CCR gene-chips were used to analyze and compare the differential expression of CCRs in BPH-1 cells, BPH-1 cells co-cultured with PBMCs, and LNCaP cells. The differential expression of CCRs was detected and validated using real-time PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence (IF). The proliferation of LNCaP cells was also investigated after the knockdown CXCR5. RESULTS: RESULTS of gene-chips indicated that there was low or no expression of CCR10, CXCR1, CXCR3 and CXCR5 in BPH-1 cells, whereas the expression of these receptors in BPH-1 cells was increased by PBMCs, and the expression was high in LNCaP cells. Furthermore, real-time PCR and western blotting confirmed the above mentioned results. IF verified no or low expression of CXCR1, CXCR3 and CXCR5 in NP tissues, low or moderate expression in BPH and high expression in PCa. However, CCR10 was not expressed at detectable levels in the three groups. The growth and proliferation of LNCaP cells was markedly inhibited after down-regulation of CXCR5. CONCLUSIONS: PCa cells expressed high levels of CCR10, CXCR1, CXCR3 and CXCR5. Although BPH cells did not express these factors, their expression was up-regulated when BPH-1 cells were incubated with inflammatory cells. Finally, down-regulation of CXCR5 inhibited the growth and proliferation of LNCaP cells.

[Radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy for high-risk prostate cancer: An update].

Recently, the D'Amico classification system is widely used for the risk stratification of prostate cancer (PCa) , although no consensus has been reached for the definition of high-risk PCa. This system defines high-risk PCa as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level > 20 ng/ml, a Gleason score of 8-10, or a clinical stage ≥ T2c. Because high-risk PCa is prone to recurrence and metastasis after treatment, a proper initial therapy plays a crucial role. Currently, radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy are considered to be two most important options for the initial treatment of high-risk PCa although it remains controversial which is better.

Prophylactic Antibiotics in Prostate Biopsy: A Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Despite frequent use of prophylactic antibiotics for patients undergoing transrectal prostate biopsy (TRPB), the incidences of urinary tract infection (UTI) and bacteria resistance are increasing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the current regimen of antimicrobial prophylaxis in TRPB. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed(®), Embase(®), and the Cochrane Library was performed to identify all randomized controlled trials (RCT) related to the effects of antibiotic prophylaxis for TRPB. The outcomes included bacteriuria, bacteremia, drug-resistant bacteria on urine/blood culture, fever, UTI, sepsis, and hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 22 RCTs with 3846 patients were identified and included. Nine trials analyzed antibiotics versus placebo/no treatment, with all outcomes substantially favoring antibiotic use (p<0.05), including bacteriuria (risk ratio [RR] 0.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.42), bacteremia (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.92), fever (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.23-0.64), UTI (RR 0.37, 95% CI 0.22-0.62), and hospitalization (RR 0.13, 95% CI 0.03-0.55). There were no substantial differences between long-course versus short-course treatment and single versus multiple dose respectively, except for a greater risk of bacteriuria for short-course treatment (RR 2.09, 95% CI 1.17-3.73, p=0.01) and single-dose treatment (RR 1.98, 95% CI 1.18-3.33, p=0.01). There were no substantial differences among the groups for bacteriuria, fever, UTI, and hospitalization, when comparing oral versus systemic administration of antibiotics. The efficacy of several classes of antibiotics was compared without any difference among them. Despite the lack of significance, the synthesized data of three RCTs indicated a trend towards the use of combined antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic antibiotics could be beneficial for the reduction of infective complications after TRPB. Single-dose or short-course oral administration with any type of antibiotic appears to be optimal. One additional type of antibiotic added to the basic antibiotic agent may contribute to the minimization of severe infection and drug resistance.