Prognostic value of the sarcomatoid component in bladder cancer: A propensity score matching study.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the bladder is rare, and little is known about the prognostic impact of the proportion of sarcomatoid components of the bladder. The present study aimed to assess the prognostic value of the proportion of sarcomatoid components with regard to death and recurrence rates in patients with bladder cancer (BC), and to validate the worse survival results of sarcomatoid carcinomas of the bladder using propensity score matching. Patients with sarcomatoid carcinoma of the bladder who were treated at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between August 2010 and May 2021 were included in the study. A 1:2 propensity score matching system based on age, sex and pathological T stage was used for sarcomatoid and non-sarcomatoid carcinoma matching. Finally, 114 patients with BC were included. Patients with sarcomatoid carcinoma had worse 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) (69.1 vs. 86.9%; log-rank P=0.008) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (64.1 vs. 83.6%; log-rank P=0.001) rates compared with patients with non-sarcomatoid carcinoma, as had the subgroup with muscle invasion. Multivariate analysis revealed sarcomatoid carcinoma as an independent prognostic factor. Patients with a low proportion of sarcomatoid components (1-50%) had a better prognosis than patients with a high proportion (>50%), and no significant difference was found compared with the non-sarcomatoid group. Overall, a proportion of sarcomatoid components >50% was a predictor of CSS and RFS. Sarcomatoid components markedly increased the risk of death and recurrence in muscle-invasive BC, but not in non-muscle-invasive BC. A higher proportion of sarcomatoid components was significantly associated with poorer survival.

MiR429 expression level in renal cell cancer and its correlation with the prognosis of patients.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that miR429 expression in renal cancer patients is increased and plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. METHODS: Twenty-seven renal cancer patients admitted to our hospital from May 2014 to May 2015 were enrolled as the study group, and 28 non-cancer patients were selected during the same period as the control group. Renal biopsy and serum samples were used to detect miR429 expression levels, and the patient histories were obtained to make relevant associations to clinical outcomes. In addition, the renal cancer cell line SK458 was used for overexpressing or knocking out miR429 in in vitro experiments to observe changes in proliferation and apoptosis rates. RESULTS: The expression levels of miR429 in renal tissues and serum of renal cancer patients were significantly higher compared with control patients (p<0.05). In addition, a correlation was found between the levels of miR429 in the serum of renal cell cancer patients and their clinical outcome after conventional treatment, with patients expressing lower miR429 levels showing better clinical outcomes. Finally, experiments with renal cancer cells revealed that the proliferation of cells overexpressing miR429 was increased and their apoptosis rate was significantly reduced, while the opposite was true in miR429-knockout cells. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that miR429 can inhibit normal apoptosis rates and lead to high proliferation rates. Accordingly, the higher serum miR429 level in renal cancer patients suggests that it plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease, while the differential miR429 levels according to the patients' clinical outcomes after treatment suggest that miR429 may be useful as a marker for prognosis.

Synthetic chalcones with potent antioxidant ability on H2O2-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells.

Chalcone derivatives (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one and (E)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one (Compounds 1 and 2) have been demonstrated to be potent anti-inflammatory agents in our previous study. In light of the relationship of intracellular mechanisms between anti-inflammatories and antioxidants, we further designed and synthesized a series of chalcone derivatives based on 1 and 2, to explore their antioxidant efficacy. The majority of the derivatives exhibited strong protective effects on PC12 (PC12 rat pheochromocytoma) cells exposed to H2O2, and all compounds were nontoxic. A preliminary structure-activity relationship was proposed. Compounds 1 and 1d ((E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl) phenyl acrylate) exerted the action in a good dose-dependent manner. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis showed that 1 and 1d significantly improve the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent antioxidant genes g-Glutamylcysteine Ligase Catalytic Subunit (GCLC) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and their corresponding proteins (γ-glutamyl cysteine synthase (γ-GCS) and HO-1) in PC12 cells. Inhibition of GCLC and HO-1 by specific inhibitors, L-buthionine-S-sulfoximine (BSO) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), respectively, partially reduce the protective effect of 1 and 1d. These data present a series of novel chalcone analogs, especially compounds 1 and 1d, as candidates for treating oxidative stress-related disease by activating the Nrf2-antioxidant responsive element (ARE) pathway.

A large congenital and solitary intrahepatic arterioportal fistula in an old woman.

Arterioportal fistula (APF) is a rare cause of portal hypertension and may lead to death. APF can be congenital, post-traumatic, iatrogenic (transhepatic intervention or biopsy) or related to ruptured hepatic artery aneurysms. Congenital APF is a rare condition even in children. In this case report, we describe a 73-year-old woman diagnosed as APF by ultrasonography, computed tomography, and hepatic artery selective arteriography. The fistula was embolized twice but failed, and she still suffered from alimentary tract hemorrhage. Then, selective arteriography of the hepatic artery was performed again and venae coronaria ventriculi and short gastric vein were embolized. During the 2-year follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic. We therefore argue that embolization of venae coronaria ventriculi and short gastric vein may be an effective treatment modality for intrahepatic APF with severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

[The product specificity evolution of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase: problems and challenges].

Cyclodextrin glucanotransferase, the essential enzyme for the production of cyclodextrins, has become the focus of scientific research nowadays. Although many related enzyme properties are well known, the crucial factors in product specificity determination remain to be answered. Here, the recent research progresses of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase, especially those about the evolution of product specificity, were reviewed, and the scientific problems were discussed.

Yangxueqingnao particles inhibit rat vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation induced by lysophosphatidic acid.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Yangxueqingnao particles on rat vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation induced by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). METHODS: The amount of (3)H-TdR ((3)H-thymidine) admixed in cultured rat VSMC was measured and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity and lipid peroxidation end product malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the VSMC were assayed. RESULTS: 1x10(-9), 1x10(-8), 1x10(-7) mol/L LPA in a concentration dependent manner, induced the amount of (3)H-TdR admixed, MAP kinase activity, and MDA content of the cultured rat VSMC to increase. However, 5%, 10%, and 15% Yangxueqingnao serum preincubation resulted in a decrease of 23.0%, 42.0%, and 52.0% (P<0.01) respectively in the amount of (3)H-TdR admixed, a decline in VSMC MAP kinase activity of 13.9% (P<0.05), 29.6% (P<0.01), and 48.9% (P<0.01) respectively, and also, a decrease in MDA content of VSMC of 19.4%, 24.7%, and 43.2% (P<0.01) respectively, in the 1x10(-7) mol/L LPA-treated VSMC. CONCLUSIONS: LPA activates the proliferation and lipid peroxidation of VSMC in a concentration dependent manner. The LPA-induced VSMC proliferation is related to the activity of MAP kinases, enzymes involved in an intracellular signalling pathway. The results of the present study showed that Yangxueqingnao particles can effectively inhibit LPA-induced VSMC proliferation, MAP kinase activation, and reduce lipid peroxidative lesion.

[The diagnostic application of bedside measurement of plasma brain natriuretic in patients with heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate differential diagnoses value of ultra-rapid bedside measurement of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with dyspnea. METHODS: Plasma BNP concentration were measured with immunofluorescence assay in 103 patients with dyspnea. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were determined by echocardiography and Swan-Ganz catheter in these patients on the same time, respectively. RESULTS: (1) Plasma BNP levels in the patients with heart failure were higher than those in the non-heart failure patients [(716 +/- 86 vs 46 +/- 7) ng/L, P < 0.01]. (2) The sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive values of Plasma BNP levels > or = 100 pg/ml for predicting heart failure were 95.2% (60/63), 93.0% (40/43) and 97.1% (100/103), respectively. (3) Plasma BNP levels were positively related to PCWP, and negatively related to LVEF (r = -0.56, both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Bedside BNP assay is sensitive and specific for diagnosing heart failure, and is useful in evaluating dyspnea in emergency care.