Pelvic floor ultrasound versus urodynamics in evaluating insensible urinary incontinence: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Insensible Urinary Incontinence (IUI) is a situation when you complain of urinary incontinence but are unaware of how it occurred. Therefore, it is necessary to apply highly specific diagnostic methods to promote accuracy in the diagnosis of IUI, including pelvic floor ultrasound (PFU) and urodynamic studies (UDS). METHODS: A total of 41 women with IUI were retrospectively included. Patients were categorized into two groups: the urodynamic urinary incontinence group (UUI group, n=20) and the non-urodynamic urinary incontinence group (NUUI group, n=21), according to the urine leakage during UDS. The baseline clinical characteristics, UDS results, and PFU parameters were collected. RESULTS: Compared with the NUUI group, the UUI group had a smaller maximum cystometric capacity (P=0.008), lower maximum urethral closure pressure (P=0.005), shorter functional urethral length (FUL) (P=0.01), more bladder neck funneling (BNF) (P=0.02), greater BNF depth (P=0.04), and larger BNF area (P=0.01). The area and depth of BNF were negatively correlated with maximum urethral closure pressure (r=-0.42, P=0.01), FUL (r=-0.36, P=0.02 versus r=-0.39, P=0.01), and maximum cystometric capacity (r=-0.35, P=0.03), but positively correlated with maximum urinary flow rate (r=0.33, P=0.04 versus r=0.36, P=0.02). The canonical correlation analysis of the ultrasound parameters and UDS parameters shows that the first pair of canonical variables was statistically significant (r1=0.9, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The PFU is associated with UDS in evaluating IUI. It has the advantages of low cost and high comfort, thus should be used as an auxiliary examination for IUI.

[Cellular immunity evaluation of five mycobacterium tuberculosis recombinant proteins and their compositions].

Objective: The cellular immunity of 5 Mycobacterium tuberculosis recombinant proteins and their compositions was evaluated. Method: A total of 88 fresh venous blood from peripheral heparin anticoagulant population, 42 of which were from tuberculosis patients treated by The Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment Center of Changping District, Beijing, and 46 of healthy volunteers were provided by the Infection Diseases of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy volunteers without a history of tuberculosis exposure and any clinical signs and symptoms. Using the Mycobacterium tuberculosis standard strain H37Rv DNA as a template, complete genes of the selected 5 recombinant proteins Rv3874, Rv3875, Rv2031c, Rv1411c and Rv3418c by PCR amplified; 5 recombinant proteins were cloned, expressed and purified as stimulants by genetic recombination and protein purification techniques, and the effector T cell enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) was used to detect cellular immunity in the population. Results: The recombinant proteins Rv3874, Rv3875, Rv2031c, Rv1411c and Rv3418c were successfully cloned, expressed and purified; And the sensitivities were 50.00%, 71.43%, 69.04%, 73.81% and 76.19%, and the specificities were 86.96%, 76.09%, 71.74%, 39.13% and 36.96%. In addition, the positive predictive value, negative predictive value, area under the curve and Youden index were 52.46% to 77.78%, 62.96% to 74.47%, 0.511 to 0.754 and 0.129 to 0.475, respectively. Except for Rv1411c and Rv3418c, the number of spot-forming cell (SFC) detected by Rv3874, Rv3875 and Rv2031c in tuberculosis patients was higher than healthy volunteers, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). Among the 26 compositions composed of 5 recombinant proteins, the sensitivity was 80.95% to 95.24%, and the specificity was 68.89% to 24.44%. As the number of recombinant proteins in the composition increases, the sensitivity gradually increased, but the specificity decreased. Conclusion: The recombinant proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3874, Rv3875 and Rv2031c have strong ability to stimulate T cells to produce immune response, and have certain antigenicity. The efficacy of Rv1411c and Rv3418c alone as diagnostic antigens is not ideal, and the composition composed of multi-component antigens has certain application value. This article provides experimental evidence for the immune diagnosis of tuberculosis and the preparation of new anti-tuberculosis vaccines.

MiR-593-5p inhibited proliferation and migration of lung adenocarcinoma by targeting ICAM-1.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of microRNA-593-5p (miR-593-5p) in the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression level of miR-593-5p in LA tissues and cell lines was detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot were performed to evaluate the interaction between miR-593-5p and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Furthermore, the effects of the miR-593-5p/ICAM-1 axis on A549 cells were determined by MTS, colony formation assay, and transwell assay, respectively. RESULTS: MiR-593-5p was significantly downregulated in both clinical samples and cell lines. The bioinformatics analysis predicted that miR-593-5p could complementarily bind to the 3'-UTR of ICAM-1. Luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that ICAM-1 was the direct target of miR-593-5p. Western blot results demonstrated that miR-593-5p could effectively reduce the protein expression of ICAM-1 in cells. In vitro experiments indicated that the proliferation and migration of A549 cells were significantly inhibited by miR-593-5p transfection. However, the overexpression of ICAM-1 could effectively reverse the inhibitory effects of miR-593-5p in vitro. These results indicated that the inhibitory effects of miR-593-5p on LA were achieved by regulating ICAM-1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-593-5p/ICAM-1 axis might be a potential therapeutic target for the diagnosis and treatment of LA.

[Cloning expression and serological evaluation on Mycobacterium tuberculosis four new antigens].

Objective: To evaluate the serological diagnostic value of Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis four new antigens Rv0432, Rv0674, Rv1566c and Rv1547. Methods:Rv0432, Rv0674, Rv1566c and Rv1547 were amplified from M. tuberculosis strain H37Rv genomic DNA by using PCR, among which Rv1547 was divided into two segments for amplification (Rv1547-1 and Rv1547-2). The segments were cloned into expression vector PET-32a while the recombinant proteins were purified by affinity chromatography. Serums were incubated with BL21 (DE3) proteins. Antibodies IgG against M. tuberculosis were tested with 151 serum samples (41 healthy people and 110 TB patients) by using ELISA. The diagnostic efficiency of antigens was analyzed by means of receiver operating characteristic curve. Difference of the objective proteins in TB patients and healthy controls was compared by t-test. Results: Recombinant antigens Rv0432, Rv0674, Rv1566c, Rv1547-1 and Rv1547-2 were successfully expressed and purified. Results from ELISA showed that the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, Youden index and area under the curve of Rv0432, Rv0674, Rv1566c, Rv1547-1 and Rv1547-2, as 43.64%-92.73%, 80.49%-92.68%, 0.92-0.94, 0.38-0.80, 0.363-0.732 and 0.649-0.915. All the objective proteins showed significantly higher antibody levels in TB patients, when compared to the healthy controls (P<0.000 1). Conclusion: The newly identified antigens Rv0432, Rv0674, Rv1566c, Rv1547-1 and Rv1547-2 all performed well when being used for TB serological diagnosis, thus were expected to be new candidate antigens used for TB diagnosis.

[A preliminary study on the molecular characteristics of D-cycloserine resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between D-cycloserine resistance and the gene mutations of alrA, ddlA and cycA of Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis, as well as the association between D-cycloserine resistance and spoligotyping genotyping. Methods: A total of 145 M. tuberculosis strains were selected from the strain bank. D-cycloserine resistant phenotypes of the strains were determined by the proportion method and the minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by resazurin microtiter assay. PCR amplification and DNA direct sequencing methods were used for the analysis of gene mutations. Relationship between the resistance phenotype and genotype was analyzed by chi-square test. Results: Of the 145 clinically collected strains, 24 (16.6%) of them were D-cycloserine resistant and 121 (83.4%) were sensitive. There were only synonymous mutations noticed on alrA, ddlA and cycA in sensitive strains. Of the 24 D-cycloserine resistant strains, 3 (12.5%) isolates' cycA and 1 (4.2%) isolates' alrA happened to be non-synonymous mutations, in which the codes were 188, 318 and 508 of cycA, and 261 of alrA, respectively. Results on drug sensitivity tests confirmed the minimal inhibitory concentration of the mutant strains were all increased to some degrees. The D-cycloserine resistant rates of 88 Beijing genotype and 57 non-Beijing genotype strains were 20.5% and 10.5% , respectively, but with no statistically significant difference (χ(2) =2.47, P>0.05). Conclusions: The non-synonymous mutations of alrA and cycA might contribute to one of the mechanisms of M. tuberculosis D-cycloserine resistance. M. tuberculosis Beijing genotype or non-Beijing genotype was not considered to be associated with the D-cycloserine resistance.

Reaction of silver diamine [corrected] fluoride with hydroxyapatite and protein.

UNLABELLED: Silver diammine fluoride (SDF) is used as an anticaries agent; however, its mode of action is uncertain, whether chemical, physical, mechanical or antibacterial. As a preliminary study, the effect of SDF on hydroxyapatite (HAp) and gelatin (as a chemically-representative protein) was examined. METHODS: 2.5mg HAp powder specimens and 0.5mL 10% gelatin (Riedel-de Haën) (initially as a sol at ∼37°C), were mixed with 0.5mL of 38% SDF (J. Morita), 4% NaF (Sigma) or 40% AgNO(3) (Sigma) and tumbled in 1.5mL polypropylene tubes (Sarstedt) for 48h at ∼23°C, in two series: exposed to laboratory lighting, and kept dark at all times. The HAp specimens were separated by centrifugation and decanting, then these and one set of gelatin specimens were dried at 60°C in situ; a second parallel set of gelatin specimens were dried at ∼23°C. Each was washed with 1mL deionized water for 1min, 3 times. Treated materials were observed, before and after washing, with scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM); energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and electron diffraction (ED). RESULTS: SDF appeared to produce globular particles of CaF(2) on the surface of the HAp, but these disappeared on washing, whilst with AgNO(3) yellow cubic crystals of Ag(3)PO(4) formed which were not dissolved on washing, but which darkened, converting gradually to metallic silver, on exposure to light. NaF had no effect on gelatin, whilst with SDF and AgNO(3), particles of silver were produced which were resistant to washing. CONCLUSIONS: Both principal components of tooth tissue react with SDF; the solubility of the putative CaF(2) formed weakens the case for it exerting a caries-protective effect. The importance of the persistent silver needs further study.