Nomogram to predict the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with residual stones following percutaneous nephrolithotomy

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the risk factors associated with adverse outcomes in patients with residual stones after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and to establish a nomogram to predict the probability of adverse outcomes based on these risk factors. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 233 patients who underwent PCNL for upper urinary tract calculi and had postoperative residual stones. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether adverse outcomes occurred, and the risk factors for adverse outcomes were explored by univariate and multivariate analyses. Finally, we created a nomogram for predicting the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with residual stones after PCNL. Results: In this study, adverse outcomes occurred in 125 (53.6%) patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the independent risk factors for adverse outcomes were the diameter of the postoperative residual stones (P < 0.001), a positive urine culture (P = 0.022), and previous stone surgery (P = 0.004). The above independent risk factors were used as variables to construct the nomogram. The nomogram model was internally validated. The calculated concordance index was 0.772. The Hosmer- Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was performed (P > 0.05). The area under the ROC curve of this model was 0.772. Conclusions: Larger diameter of residual stones, positive urine culture, and previous stone surgery were significant predictors associated with adverse outcomes in patients with residual stones after PCNL. Our nomogram could help to assess the risk of adverse outcomes quickly and effectively in patients with residual stones after PCNL

Dynamic changes of volatile components in Forsythia suspensa at different harvest periods based on GC-MS and chemometrics analysis / 中国中药杂志

Forsythiae Fructus is the dried fruit of Forsythia suspensa and the volatile compounds are its main bioactive components. According to the different harvest periods, F. suspensa can be divided into Qingqiao(mature F. suspensa) and Laoqiao(ripe F. suspensa). To investigate dynamic changes of volatile components in Qingqiao and Laoqiao samples collected at different periods, the present study extracted and analyzed the total volatile oils in Qingqiao and Laoqiao samples(four harvest periods for Qingqiao and two for Laoqiao) by steam distillation method. The results indicated that the content of volatile oils in F. suspensa samples at different harvest periods was significantly different. The content of volatile oils in Qingqiao samples(except those harvested in the first period) was higher than that of Laoqiao, and the content of volatile oils in both Qingqiao and Laoqiao increased with the harvest period. Furthermore, volatile compounds in F. suspensa were qualitatively analyzed by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS), and 28 volatile compounds were identified. Chemometrics analyses including principal component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were further applied to explore differential markers and dynamic changes of volatile components in Qingqiao and Laoqiao samples at different harvest periods. Finally, four volatile compounds, including α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, and 4-terpenol were selected as potential differential markers. The relative content of α-pinene and 4-terpenol was consistent with that of total volatile oils in the changing trend.

Untargeted contrast-enhanced ultrasound versus contrast-enhanced computed tomography: a differential diagnostic performance (DDP) study for kidney lesions

OBJECTIVES: Histopathology is the 'gold standard' for diagnosing renal cell carcinoma but is limited by sample size. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound can differentiate malignant and benign lesions, but the Chinese guidelines on the management of renal cell carcinoma do not include this method. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic parameters of contrast-enhanced ultrasound against those of contrast-enhanced computed tomography for detecting kidney lesions, with histopathology considered the reference standard. METHODS: Patients with suspected kidney lesions from prior grayscale ultrasonography and computed tomography were included in the analysis (n=191). The contrast-enhanced ultrasound, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, and histopathology data were collected and analyzed. A solid, enhanced mass was considered a malignant lesion, and an unenhanced mass or cyst was considered a benign lesion. The Bosniak criteria were used to characterize the lesions. RESULTS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography both detected that 151 patients had malignant tumors and 40 patients had benign tumors. No significant differences in the tumors and their subtypes were reported between contrast-enhanced ultrasound and histopathology (p=0.804). Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma was detected through contrast-enhanced computed tomography (n=1), but no such finding was reported by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. A total of 35 cases of papillary renal cell carcinoma were reported through contrast-enhanced ultrasound while 32 were reported through histopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound might be safe and as accurate as histopathology in diagnosing kidney lesions, especially renal cell carcinoma. Additionally, this study provides additional information over histopathology and has an excellent safety profile. Level of evidence: III.

Fumigant toxicity and biochemical properties of (α + β) thujone and 1, 8-cineole derived from Seriphidium brevifolium volatile oil against the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

ABSTRACT The excessive use of chemical insecticides has led to negative effects on human health and the environment. Volatile oils are one of the possible potential alternatives to chemical insecticides. Traditionally Seriphidium brevifolium (Wall. ex DC.) Ling & Y.R.Ling, Asteraceae, powder from its leaves is used to treat gastric problems and expel intestinal worms by local peoples, but yet there is no literature available regarding its insecticidal activity. In this study fumigant toxicity and enzyme inhibition activities of the S. brevifolium volatile oil collected from the highlands of Skardu Baltistan, Pakistan, was evaluated against the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta. The phytochemical studies indicated that monoterpenes were the most abundant constituents, accounting for 88% of the total oil. The major dominant constituents were 2-bornanone (28.2%), 1,8-cineole (19.9%), α-thujone (7.5%), β-thujone (6.7%) which accounts for 62.3% of total constituents identified, with volatile oil yield of 4.11% (w/w). The fumigation assay indicated that the volatile oil was acutely toxic to fire ants, with an LC50 of 16.47 µl/l. Among the constituents tested, only (α + β) thujone and 1,8-cineole were toxic, with LC50 of 17.68 and 30.66 µl/ after 12 h of exposure. The volatile oil, (α + β) thujone and 1, 8-cineole showed strong fumigant activity against the red imported fire ant workers in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The volatile oil caused 100% mortality of the red imported fire ant workers, even at the lowest concentration of 20 µl/l after 24 h of exposure. In addition, the volatile oil and 1,8-cineole inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity, while (α + β) thujone inhibited carboxylesterase activity in the fire ant workers. It has been concluded that the volatile oil and some of the compounds from S. brevifolium might be developed as eco-friendly approaches for the control of red imported fire ants.

The effect of heavy metal contamination on the bacterial community structure at Jiaozhou Bay, China

Abstract In this study, determination of heavy metal parameters and microbiological characterization of marine sediments obtained from two heavily polluted sites and one low-grade contaminated reference station at Jiaozhou Bay in China were carried out. The microbial communities found in the sampled marine sediments were studied using PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) fingerprinting profiles in combination with multivariate analysis. Clustering analysis of DGGE and matrix of heavy metals displayed similar occurrence patterns. On this basis, 17 samples were classified into two clusters depending on the presence or absence of the high level contamination. Moreover, the cluster of highly contaminated samples was further classified into two sub-groups based on the stations of their origin. These results showed that the composition of the bacterial community is strongly influenced by heavy metal variables present in the sediments found in the Jiaozhou Bay. This study also suggested that metagenomic techniques such as PCR-DGGE fingerprinting in combination with multivariate analysis is an efficient method to examine the effect of metal contamination on the bacterial community structure.

Expression of RAS protein in glioma and its effect on the growth of human glioma cells / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of RAS protein in human glioma tissues and its influence on tumor growth.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RAS protein expression in glioma tissues was determined by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Subsequently, MTT cell proliferation assay, flow cytometry and Western blotting were used to assay U251 cells with reduced RAS expression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of RAS in glioma was increased and strongly correlated with pathological grade. Downregulation of RAS resulted in glioma cells growth suppression and increased apoptosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression level of RAS protein in human glioma was increased. Downregulation of RAS can inhibit glioblastoma cell growth through the RAS signal pathway.</p>

MicroRNA-7 regulates glioblastoma cell invasion via targeting focal adhesion kinase expression / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Invasion growth is the most characteristic biological phenotype of glioblastoma, but the molecular mechanism in glioma cell invasion is poorly understood. Recent data have showed that microRNA plays an essential role in tumor invasion. Our study aimed to explore the mechanism of miR-7 involved in the control of glioblastoma cell invasion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Glioma cell invasion was evaluated by transwell and scratch assays after up-regulation of miR-7 using miR-7 mimics in U87 and U251 cells. Luciferase reporter assay was used to determine focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as a target of miR-7. The levels of miR-7, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 mRNA were detected by PCR assay, and the levels of FAK, MMP-2, MMP-9, total and phosphorylation serine/threonine kinase (AKT), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 were measured by Western blotting analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Over-expression of miR-7 inhibited the invasion and migration activity of U87 and U251 cells. And up-regulation of miR-7 reduced FAK protein expression, Further, luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-7 modulated FAK expression directly by binding 3'UTR of FAK mRNA. In addition, miR-7 repressed p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT level, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. Finally, the inverse relationship between FAK and miR-7 expression was certificated in human glioma tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>To our knowledge, these data indicate for the first time that miR-7 directly regulates cell invasion by targeting FAK in glioblastoma and that miR-7 could be a potential therapeutic target for glioblastoma intervention.</p>

Tratamento de trombose intravascular com ultra-som de baixa frequencia e microbolhas / low frequency ultrasound and intravenous microbubbles for the treatment of acute intravascular thrombi

Introdução: Estudos experimentais têm demonstrado que ultra-som terapêutico(UST) de baixa frequencia e microbolhas(MB) podem ser utilizados para dissolver trombos intravasculares. Recentemente novas modalidades de imagem de ultra-som diagnóstico(USD) que utilizam baixo índice mecânico foram desenvolvidas e permitem a detecção de pequenas quantidades de MB, sem causar sua destruição. Assim, a monitoração das MB dentro do trombo com USD tem o potencial de otimizar o processo de trombólise com UST. Objetivo: Estudar o valor do UST mais MB na recanalização de trombos arteriais e o papel do USD na otimização do tratamento em modelo experimental. Métodos: Em modelo canino de trombose de enxerto arteriovenoso agudo, foram aplicados três tipos randomizados de tratamentos: MB injetadas por via endovenosa com aplicação de UST (1 MHz) guiada pelo USD para determinar o momento de maior concentração de MB no trombo (n igual 12), MB injetadas por via endovenosa com aplicação de UST não guiada (n igual 6), e aplicação de UST sem MB (controle, n igual 6). O sucesso do tratamento foi definido como fluxo escore 3 no enxerto pela angiografia. Resultados: Sucesso do tratamento foi maior no grupo MB mais UST mais USD que nos demais grupos..

Detecção de disfunção endotelial com microbolhas. Papel do complemento no mecanismo fisiopatológico / Detection of endothelial dysfunction with microbubbles. Rule of complement in the pathophysiologic mechanism

Introdução: Recentemente demonstramos que a detecção de microbolhas de albumina aderidas à parede de artérias de grande calibre pode ser utilizada para detecção não-invasiva de disfunção endotelial. Objetivo: Estudar o papel do componente C3 do complemento no mecanismo de adesão de microbolhas às artérias com disfunção endotelial. Método: Ligação de C3 às microbolhas foi determinada in vitro por citometria de fluxo utilizando anticorpos monoclonais. Para avaliação in vivo, estudamos nove camundongos três wild-type, três wild-type nos quais depleção de C3 foi induzida com fator veneno de cobra (FVC), e três geneticamente modificados deficientes com C3 (DC3). Disfunção endotelial foi reduzida por hipertrigliceridemia e a adesão de microbolhas ao endotelio da aorta foi confirmada com microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Resultados: pelos estudos com citometria de fluxo, demonstramos ligação de C3 às microbolhas de albumina. A MEV demonstrou adesão de microbolhas ao endotelio da aorta em todos os camundongos wild-type durante hipertrigliceridemia. Somente isoladas microbolhas foram detectadas na aorta de camundongos tratados com FVC ou DC3. A quantificação foi de 19 mais ou menos 10 microbolhas/campo no grupo wild-type, 2 mais ou menos 1 microbolhas/campo no grupo pré-tratado com FVC e 1 mais ou menos 1 microbolhas/campo no grupo DC3 (p menor 0,001). Conclusão: C3 exerce papel fundamental no mecanismo de adesão de microbolhas ao endotelio arterial na presença de disfunção endotelial. Uma vez que as microbolhas aderidas, mantêm suas propriedades acústica, podem ser usadas como método não-invasivo de detecção de ativação de complemento e inflamação na superficie endotelial.