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We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of MR elastography (MRE) using a transpelvic approach. Thirty-one patients who underwent prostate MRE and had a pathological diagnosis were included in this study. MRE was obtained using a passive driver placed at the umbilicus and iliac crests. The shear stiffness, clinical data, and conventional imaging findings of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were compared. Inter-reader agreements were evaluated using the intraclass coefficient class (ICC). Prostate MRE was successfully performed for all patients (100% technical success rate). Nineteen cancer and 10 BPH lesions were visualized on MRE. The mean shear stiffness of cancer was significantly higher than that of BPH (5.99 ± 1.46 kPa vs. 4.67 ± 1.54 kPa, p = 0.045). One cancer was detected on MRE but not on conventional sequences. Six tiny cancer lesions were not visualized on MRE. The mean size of cancers that were not detected on MRE was smaller than that of cancers that were visible on MRE (0.8 ± 0.3 cm vs. 2.3 ± 1.8 cm, p = 0.001). The inter-reader agreement for interpreting MRE was excellent (ICC = 0.95). Prostate MRE with transpelvic vibration is feasible without intracavitary actuators. Transpelvic prostate MRE is reliable for detecting focal lesions, including clinically significant prostate cancer and BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In Hunner-type interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), it is unclear whether suburothelial afferents underlying normal-appearing background areas contribute to symptom development. We examined whether adding hydrodistension (HD) to transurethral fulguration (TUF) of Hunner lesions, for the purpose of treating the background areas, is superior to TUF alone. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included 52 patients with Hunner-type IC/BPS allocated at a 1:1 (TUF:TUF+HD) ratio. HD was performed at 80 cmH2O for 8 min before TUF in the TUF+HD group. Thirty-three patients remained until the end of the 6-month observational period. The primary endpoint was the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score at 1 month. Major secondary endpoints were the treatment-failure rate, VAS pain scores at ≥ 2 months, and frequency-volume chart parameters. Results: Both TUF and TUF+HD showed significant improvement in VAS pain score at 1 month (95% confidence interval [CI]: − 1.62 to 0.16, P = 0.106). VAS pain scores were significantly lower in TUF+HD than TUF at 2 (95% CI: − 1.97 to − 0.28, P = 0.011), 4 (95% CI: − 2.83 to − 0.72, P = 0.002), and 6 (95% CI: − 3.11 to − 0.07, P = 0.040) months. Treatment-failure rate was higher in TUF (36.4%) than TUF+HD (17.4%), without significance (odds ratio: 2.714, 95% CI: 0.68 to 10.84, P = 0.189). Functional capacity and urgency were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion: The addition of HD to TUF tended to be superior to TUF monotherapy for controlling pain in Hunner-type IC/BPS. This indicates that not only Hunner lesions but also normal-appearing background areas may have a role in the pain of IC/BPS. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03987594, date of registration: 2019-06-17 (retrospectively registered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endosomal trafficking of cell surface receptors is essential to their function. Integrins are transmembrane receptors that integrate adhesion to the extracellular matrix with engagement of the cytoskeleton. Ligated integrins mediate diverse signals that regulate matrix assembly, cell survival, cell morphology, and cell motility. Endosomal trafficking of integrins modulates these signals and contributes to cell motility and is required for cancer cell invasion. The phosphoprotein PEA-15 modulates integrin activation and ERK MAP Kinase signaling. To elucidate novel PEA-15 functions we utilized an unbiased proteomics approach. We identified several binding partners for PEA-15 in the endosome including clathrin and AP-2 as well as integrin β1 and other focal adhesion complex proteins. We confirmed these interactions using proximity ligation analysis, immunofluorescence imaging, pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation. We further found that PEA-15 is enriched in endosomes and was required for efficient endosomal internalization of α5β1 integrin and cellular migration. Importantly, PEA-15 promotion of migration was dependent on PEA-15 phosphorylation at serines 104 and 116. These data support a novel endosomal role for PEA-15 in control of endosomal trafficking of integrins through an association with the β1 integrin and clathrin complexes, and thereby regulation of cell motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen permeability and oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) characteristics of a 30 vol.% NiFe2O4-70 vol.% Gd0.1Ce0.9O2-δ (NFO-GDC) composite membrane were systematically investigated by varying operational conditions for oxygen permeation and OCM experiments. The NFO-GDC membrane showed the maximum oxygen permeation flux of 2.24 mL∙cm−2∙min−1 under an Air/He gradient at 900 °C, and flux increased with increasing oxygen partial pressure gradient in the order He < CH4 < H2. The maximum OCM yield and C2H4/C2H6 ratio were observed at 900 °C and for CH4 flowing at 12.5 mL∙min-1, respectively, and the yield and ratio both increased with increasing temperature in the range 700–900 °C. The overall coupling yield was notably enhanced by applying a Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst to the permeate side of the composite membrane. The NFO-GDC membrane with the Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst exhibited the maximum yield and a C2H4/C2H6 ratio of 8.6% and 3.21, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a 17.6 wt% hydrogen content, ammonia is a non-carbon-emitting, easy to store and transport, carrier of hydrogen energy. In this study, an anion-exchange-membrane-based (AEM-based) electrochemical cell was used to electrochemically synthesize ammonia from water and nitrogen under ambient conditions. The electrochemical cell was fabricated by attaching Pt/C to both sides of the AEM, and ammonia was generated by supplying nitrogen gas to the cathodic chamber of the cell. AC impedance and current-voltage (I-V) properties were analyzed in relation to the externally applied voltage, and ammonia-formation rates and faradaic efficiencies were determined. The maximum ammonia-formation rate was 1.96×10−11 mol·s−1·cm−2 at an applied voltage of 2V, with a faradaic efficiency of 0.18%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) has been widely explored for developing silicon (Si)-based energy and optical devices with its benefits for low-cost and large-area fabrication of Si nanostructures of high aspect ratios. Surface structures and properties of Si nanostructures fabricated through MACE are significantly affected by experimental and environmental conditions of etchings. Herein, we showed that surfaces and interfacial energy states of fabricated Si nanowires can be critically affected by oxidants of MACE etching solutions. Surfaces of fabricated Si nanowires are porous and their tips are fully covered with lots of Si nano-sized grains. Strongly increased photoluminescence (PL) intensities, compared to that of the crystalline Si substrate, are observed for MACE-fabricated Si nanowires due to interfacial energy states of Si and SiOx of Si nano-sized grains. These Si grains can be completely removed from the nanowires by an additional etching process of the anisotropic chemical etching (ACE) of Si to taper the nanowires and enhance light trapping of the nanowires. Compared with the MACE-fabricated Si nanowires, ACE-fabricated tapered Si nanowires have similar Raman and PL spectra to those of the crystalline Si substrate, indicating the successful removal of Si grains from the nanowire surfaces by the ACE process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) is characterized by a large number of genetic alterations. DNA from urine is a promising source for liquid biopsy in urological malignancies. We aimed to assess the availability of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and exosomal DNA (exoDNA) in urine as a source for liquid biopsy in UBC. We included 9 patients who underwent surgery for UBC and performed genomic profiling of tumor samples and matched urinary cfDNA and exoDNA. For mutation analysis, deep sequencing was performed for 9 gene targets and shallow whole genome sequencing (sWGS) was used for the detection of copy number variation (CNV). We analyzed whether genetic alteration in tumor samples was reflected in urinary cfDNA or exoDNA. To measure the similarity between copy number profiles of tumor tissue and urinary DNA, the Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated. We found 17 somatic mutations in 6 patients. Of the 17 somatic mutations, 14 and 12 were identified by analysis of cfDNA and exoDNA with AFs of 56.2% and 65.6%, respectively. In CNV analysis using sWGS, although the mean depth was 0.6X, we found amplification of MDM2, ERBB2, CCND1 and CCNE1, and deletion of CDKN2A, PTEN and RB1, all known to be frequently altered in UBC. CNV plots of cfDNA and exoDNA showed a similar pattern with those from the tumor samples. Pearson’s correlation coefficients of tumor vs. cfDNA (0.481) and tumor vs. exoDNA (0.412) were higher than that of tumor vs. normal (0.086). We successfully identified somatic mutations and CNV in UBC using urinary cfDNA and exoDNA. Urinary exoDNA could be another source for liquid biopsy. Also, CNV analysis using sWGS is an alternative strategy for liquid biopsy, providing data from the whole genome at a low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]