Upregulation of microRNA-191 can serve as an independent prognostic marker for poor survival in prostate cancer.

MicroRNA-191 (miR-191) has been identified as being upregulated in several types of cancers, and plays the role of oncogene. The expression of miR-191 has been found to be upregulated in prostate cancer tissues as well as cell lines. In this study, we analyzed the correlation of miR-191 expression with clinicopathologic factors and prognosis in prostate cancer.Prostate cancer tissue samples and adjacent normal prostate tissue samples were collected from 146 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy between April 2013 and March 2018. Student two-tailed t-test was used for comparisons of 2 independent groups. The relationships between miR-191 expression and different clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated using the Chi-squared test. Kaplan-Meier survival plots and log-rank tests were used to assess the differences in overall survival of the different subgroups of prostate cancer patients.miR-191 expression was significantly higher in prostate cancer tissues compared with normal adjacent prostate tissues (P < .001). miR-191 expression was observed to be significantly correlated with Gleason score (P < .001), pelvic lymph node metastasis (P = .006), bone metastases (P < .001), and T stage (P = .005). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with higher levels of miR-191 had significantly poorer survival than those with lower expression of this miRNA in prostate cancer patients (log rank test, P = .011). Multivariate analysis revealed that miR-191 expression (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.311, 95% confidence interval, [CI]: 1.666-9.006; P = .027) was independently associated with the overall survival of prostate cancer patients.Our results demonstrated that miR-191 might serve as an independent prognostic indicator for prostate cancer patients.

Association between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy: a meta-analysis in the Chinese population.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Although a number of studies have been conducted on the association between plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in Chinese population, this association remains elusive and controversial. To further assess the effects of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism on the risk of DN, a meta-analysis was performed in the Chinese population. METHODS: Relevant studies were identified using PubMed, Springer Link, Ovid, Chinese Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Biology Medicine through November, 2015. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the associations. RESULTS: This meta-analysis identified nine studies, including 777 DN cases, 413 healthy controls, and 523 DM controls. In the total analyses, a significantly elevated risk of DN was associated with variants of PAI-1 4G/5G when compared with the healthy group (4G vs. 5G, OR 2.46, 95 % CI 1.45-4.16; 4G/4G vs. 5G/5G, OR 4.32, 95 % CI 1.79-10.39; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G +5G/5G, OR 2.96, 95 % CI 1.59-5.53; 4G/4G +4G/5G vs. 5G/5G, OR 2.78, 95 % CI 1.34-5.75) and DM group (4G vs. 5G, OR 1.93, 95 % CI 1.28-2.92; 4G/4G vs. 5G/5G, OR 2.99, 95 % CI 1.44-6.21; 4G/4G vs. 4G/5G +5G/5G, OR 2.84, 95 % CI 1.77-4.54). In the subgroup analyses stratified by ethnicity and geographic areas, it revealed the significant results in Chinese Han, in North and South China. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that the PAI-1 4G/4G variant, 4G allele might be risk alleles for DN susceptibility in the Chinese population, and further studies in other ethic groups are required for definite conclusions.

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic upper-pole nephroureterectomy for duplex kidney anomalies in adult patients.

OBJECTIVES: To present our surgical techniques and experience with retroperitoneal laparoscopic upper pole nephroureterectomy for a duplex kidney in adult patients without vesicoureteral reflux. METHODS: A total of 32 adult patients with a duplex kidney underwent laparoscopic upper pole nephroureterectomy. A 3-port, finger- and balloon-dissecting, retroperitoneal approach was used. The upper pole renal parenchyma was divided circumferentially between the upper and lower poles using a harmonic scalpel, maintaining a margin around the upper pole parenchyma to avoid any possible injury to the lower pole functioning moiety. The urothelium of the remnant upper pole parenchyma was stripped off, and the edges of the remnant upper pole parenchyma were approximated with figure-of-8 stitches. The distal upper pole ureter was mobilized and transected at the point at which the ureter crossed anterior to the iliac vessels. Intravenous urography and renal ultrasonography were performed at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: All laparoscopic operations were performed successfully without conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time was 83 minutes. The mean blood loss was 18 mL. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 7 days. No intraoperative or major postoperative complications occurred. The intravenous urography and renal ultrasound findings 3 and 6 months postoperatively demonstrated normal pyelography findings and renal function of the preserved lower pole in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic upper pole nephroureterectomy is a safe and effective procedure and an excellent minimally invasive treatment option for the adult patient with a duplex kidney.