Design and optical performance research of a fully customizable collimating lens based on total internal reflection.

An optical design method of a fully customizable collimating lens is proposed. The initial model of the complete lens is constructed by two parts. One part is calculated by the total internal reflection algorithm; the other part is constructed by trial-and-error method. The lens is further optimized by normal vector correction and high- and low-angle compensation. The optical performance of the fully customizable collimating lens is studied. It is proven to have good collimation performance with a divergence angle of 1.8° at 50% of the maximum luminous intensity; the uniformity is as high as 98.4%.

Up-regulation of miR-124 inhibits invasion and proliferation of prostate cancer cells through mediating JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway.

Since this article has been suspected of research misconduct and the corresponding authors did not respond to our request to prove originality of data and figures, "Up-regulation of miR-124 inhibits invasion and proliferation of prostate cancer cells through mediating JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway, by Z. Wu, W. Huang, B. Chen, P.-D. Bai, X.-G. Wang, J.-C. Xing, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21 (10): 2338-2345-PMID: 28617558" has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/12802.

[Clinical research about needle-tract assisted standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy for the treatment of complicated upper urinary tract calculi].

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of needle-tract assisted standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for the treatment of complicated upper urinary tract calculi. Methods: The clinical data of 1 562 patients with complicated upper urinary calculi who received standard PCNL from December 2013 to December 2017 at Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University were retrospectively analyzed. There were large residual stones in 256 patients through B-ultrasound exploration after standard PCNL, could't be detected with nephoscope in standard PCNL tracts. 16 F mini PCNL tract were established in 120 cases for treatment of residual stones, while needle-tract were established in order to guide nephroscope to find residual stones in 126 cases. Needle-tract were transferred to 16 F mini PCNL tract for treatment of residual stones in 10 patients if these residual stones could't be detected through needle-tract. Operation time, change of hemoglobin level after operation, incidence of postoperative complications, time of hospitalization and rate of stone clearance were measured in two groups. The statistical methods used included t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and χ2 test. Results: There were 1 to 3 mini tracts (M(QR): 1(1)) established in the mini tracts group and 1 to 7 needle-tracts (M(QR): 3(2)) established in the needle-tract group (Z=-10.57, P=0.000). Compared with mini tract group, the operation time ((62.0±18.0) minutes vs. (84.0±15.5) minutes, t=10.242, P=0.000), hospitalization time ((4.40±0.86) days vs. (5.20±0.81) days, t=7.570, P=0.049), hemoglobin dropped ((1.31±0.47) g/L vs. (2.74±0.63) g/L, t=20.12, P=0.000), and incidence of postoperative complications (7.9% (10/126) vs. 19.2% (23/120), χ2=6.674, P=0.01) of needle-tract group were lower, while postoperative stone clearance rate was higher (89.7% vs. 76.7%, χ2=7.497, P=0.006). No perioperative severe complications such as pleural injury, pneumatothorax, perforation of renal, trauma of abdominal organ occurred in two groups. Conclusion: Needle-tract assisted standard PCNL for the treatment of complicated upper urinary calculi can significantly improve stone clearance rate, reduce operation time, decrease risk of kidney and surrounding organs damage.

Up-regulation of miR-124 inhibits invasion and proliferation of prostate cancer cells through mediating JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is an important protein in Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT signaling pathway, and can facilitate expression of Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 gene, thus playing a role in tumor pathogenesis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed targeted binding sites between mircroRNA-124 (miR-124) and 3'-UTR of STAT3 mRNA. This study aims to investigate the role of miR-124 in regulating STAT3 expression and proliferation, cycle, apoptosis and invasion of prostate cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dual luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated targeted correlation between miR-124 and STAT3. Expression of miR-124, STAT3, p-STAT3, Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 was compared between normal human prostate epithelial cell RWPE-1 and prostate cancer cell DU145. In vitro cultured DU145 cells were treated with miR-124 mimic and/or si-STAT3, to compare expression of STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Cyclin D1. Flow cytometry detected cell apoptosis and cycle, followed by clonal formation and transwell assay to test malignant proliferation and cell invasion. RESULTS: Targeted regulation existed between miR-124 and STAT3. Comparing to RWPE-1, DU145 cells had lower miR-124 expression, G0/G1 phase ratio, or cell apoptosis, plus higher expression of STAT3, p-STAT3, Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1, ratio of S or G2/M phase. Transfection of miR-124 mimic and/or si-STAT3 remarkably decreased gene expression, weakened clonal formation, cell invasion, ratio of S and G2/M phase, cell apoptosis and increased G0/G1 ratio. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-124 up-regulation significantly suppresses STAT3, pSTAT3 and downstream Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 expression, weakens cell invasion or malignant proliferation potency, induces G0/G1 phase arrest, and facilitates cell apoptosis.

Bipolar plasmakinetic transurethral resection of the prostate vs. transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate: pre- and postoperative comparisons of parameters used in assessing benign prostatic enlargement.

INTRODUCTION: Transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate (TUERP) may offer a better treatment for benign prostatic enlargement. We compared the perioperative parameters and outcome following bipolar plasmakinetic transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and TUERP. METHODS: Data from two independent institutions were reviewed retrospectively. 50 and 45 consecutive patients were enrolled in the TURP and TUERP groups, respectively. Pre- and postoperative parameters, including prostatic specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume (PV), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL) score, uroflowmetry and prostate volume (PV), were compared. RESULTS: Age at surgery, preoperative PSA (5.8 +/- 4.0 versus 7.6 +/- 5.9 ng/ml) and PV (55.8 +/- 31.6 versus 53.2 +/- 26.8 g) showed no significant difference (p-value greater than 0.05). However, postoperative PSA (2.8 +/- 3.0 versus 0.8 +/- 0.4 ng/ml; p-value less than 0.05) and PV (15.2 +/- 7.7 versus 10.5 +/- 5.4 g; p-value less than 0.01) differed significantly between the TURP and TUERP groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in IPSS, QOL and Qmax between the two groups during follow-up (p-value is 0.62, 0.68 and 0.13, respectively). However, for the TUERP group, the postoperative post-void residual urine volume (PVR) was significantly better (13.8 +/- 19.5 versus 25.2 +/- 18.7 ml; p-value less than 0.01). CONCLUSION: The TUERP technique achieved more complete resection than TURP, with a smaller post procedure PV and lower PSA and PVR after surgery. This may predict better long-term results for patients who had TUERP.