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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain thousands of proteins and nucleic acids, playing an important role in cell-cell communications. Sertoli cells have been essential in the testis as a "nurse cell". However, EVs derived from human Sertoli cells (HSerCs) have not been well investigated.EVs were isolated from HSerCs via ultracentrifugation and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, tunable resistive pulse sensing, and Western blotting. The cargo carried by HSerCs-EVs was measured via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and GeneChip miRNA Arrays. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to reveal potential functions of HSerCs-EVs.A total of 860 proteins with no less than 2 unique peptides and 88 microRNAs with high signal values were identified in HSerCs-EVs. Biological processes related to molecular binding, enzyme activity, and regulation of cell cycle were significantly enriched. Specifically, many proteins in HSerCs-EVs were associated with spermatogenesis and regulation of immune system, including Septins, Large proline-rich protein BAG6, Clusterin, and Galectin-1. Moreover, abundant microRNAs within HSerCs-EVs (miR-638, miR-149-3p, miR-1246, etc.) had a possible impact on male reproductive disorders such as asthenozoospermia and oligozoospermia.Our study has shown that HSerCs-EVs contain diverse components such as proteins and microRNAs. Further research is required to evaluate HSerCs-EVs in spermatogenesis, which are underutilized but highly potent resources with particular promise for male infertility.

This study aimed to investigate the value and feasibility of combining fractional anisotropy (FA) values from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and total kidney volume (TKV) for the assessment of kidney function in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Fifty-one patients were included in this study. All MRI examinations were performed with a 3.0 T scanner. DTI was used to measure FA values, and TKV was obtained from DTI and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). Patients were divided into three groups (mild, moderate, severe) according to eGFR, which was calculated with serum creatinine. Differences in the FA values of the cortex and medulla were analysed among the three groups, and the relationships of FA values, TKV, and the product of the FA values and TKV with eGFR were analysed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to compare the diagnostic efficiency of the FA values, TKV, and the product of the FA values and TKV for kidney function in different CKD stages. Medullary FA values (m-FA), TKV, and the product of the m-FA values and TKV (m-FA-TKV) were significantly correlated with eGFR (r = 0.653, 0.685, and 0.797, respectively; all P

PurposeTo assess the diverse cell populations of human corpus cavernosum in patients with severe erectile dysfunction (ED) at the single-cell level.MethodsPenile tissues collected from three patients were subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing using the BD Rhapsody™ platform. Common bioinformatics tools were used to analyze cellular heterogeneity and gene expression profiles from generated raw data, including the packages Seurat, Monocle, and CellPhoneDB.ResultsDisease-related heterogeneity of cell types was determined in the cavernous tissue such as endothelial cells (ECs), smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells. Reclustering analysis of ECs identified an arteriole ECs subcluster and another one with gene signatures of fibroblasts. The proportion of fibroblasts was higher than the other cell populations and had the most significant cellular heterogeneity, in which a distinct subcluster co-expressed endothelial markers. The transition trajectory of differentiation from smooth muscle cells into fibroblasts was depicted using the pseudotime analysis, suggesting that the expansion of corpus cavernosum is possibly compromised as a result of fibrosis. Cell-cell communications among ECs, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages were robust, which indicated that inflammation may also have a crucial role in the development of ED.ConclusionsOur study has demonstrated a comprehensive single-cell atlas of cellular components in human corpus cavernosum of ED, providing in-depth insights into the pathogenesis. Future research is warranted to explore disease-specific alterations for individualized treatment of ED.

This over 7-year case study is the first to compare the results of laparoscopic Glissonian pedicle approach hemihepatectomy (LGAH) and laparoscopic hilar dissection approach hemihepatectomy (LHAH) in a randomized controlled trial (RCT).Patients who had undergone laparoscopic hemihepatectomy, either LGAH or LHAH, between March 2012 and December 2019 at our center were prospectively enrolled and assigned to the LGAH or LHAH group. Both groups were stratified and compared, and the preoperative and follow-up outcomes were analyzed. The primary endpoint was total operative time.The groups were equally matched for age, sex, HBsAg, Child-Pugh class, benign disease, malignancy, liver cirrhosis, tumor diameter and type of resection. Ninety-six patients had undergone LGAH and 94 had undergone LHAH. No preoperative death occurred in the two groups. LGAH did not enhance the postoperative overall complication rates (P = .465) or intraoperative blood loss (P = .535) compared with LHAH. However, the overall operative time (P = .014) and hilar dissection time (P = .000) were significantly shorter in the LGAH group than in the LHAH group. No significant differences were found between the groups regarding the 1-year (P = .384), 3-year (P = .332), and 5-year overall survival rates (P = .662) or 1-year (P = .856), 3-year (P = .348), and 5-year disease-free survival rates (P = .573).LGAH and LHAH are both effective procedures for treating the hilar structures in selected patients. LGAH has advantages over LHAH in reducing total operation time under the condition where both procedures can be used. LGAH for selected patients is worthy of promotion owing to its simplicity and convenience.NCT01567631 (http://www.gov).

The paracaval portion of the caudate lobe is located in the core of the liver. Lesions originating in the paracaval portion often cling to or even invade major hepatic vascular structures. The traditional open anterior hepatic transection approach has been adopted to treat paracaval-originating lesions. With the development of laparoscopic surgery, paracaval-originating lesions are no longer an absolute contraindication for laparoscopic liver resection. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic anterior hepatic transection for resecting paracaval-originating lesions. This study included 15 patients who underwent laparoscopic anterior hepatic transection for paracaval-originating lesion resection between August 2017 and April 2020. The perioperative indicators, follow-up results, operative techniques and surgical indications were retrospectively evaluated. All patients underwent laparoscopic anterior hepatic transection for paracaval-originating lesion resection. The median operation time was 305 min (220–740 min), the median intraoperative blood loss was 400 ml (250–3600 ml), and the median length of postoperative hospital stay was 9 days (5–20 days). No conversion to laparotomy or perioperative deaths occurred. Six patients had Clavien grade III–IV complications (III/IV, 5/1). Two patients developed tumor recurrence after 13 months and 8 months. Although technically challenging, laparoscopic anterior hepatic transection is still a safe and feasible procedure for resecting paracaval-originating lesions in select patients.

Paracaval-originating cancers have been considered a contraindication for laparoscopic liver resection (LLR). This study aimed to explore the safety and feasibility of LLR in the treatment of paracaval-originating cancers. This study included 11 patients who underwent LLR and 20 who underwent open liver resection (OLR) for paracaval-originating cancers between May 2010 and November 2020. The outcomes of the procedures were retrospectively analyzed. There were no cases of perioperative death or conversion to laparotomy. The LLR group had an earlier postoperative feeding time, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower total bilirubin levels on the first day after surgery. No significant differences in the incidence of overall postoperative complications were noted between the LLR and OLR groups, but the incidence of grade IIIa complications was significantly higher in the LLR group than in the OLR group. Tumor recurrence occurred in 4 of 11 patients in the LLR group and in 11 of 20 patients in the OLR group. LLR for the treatment of paracaval-originating cancers is safe and feasible in selected patients.

Exosomes have been suggested as promising targets for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases, including schizophrenia (SCZ), but the potential role of exosome-derived metabolites in these diseases was rarely studied. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we performed the first metabolomic study of serum-derived exosomes from patients with SCZ. Our sample comprised 385 patients and 332 healthy controls recruited from 3 clinical centers and 4 independent cohorts. We identified 25 perturbed metabolites in patients that can be used to classify samples from patients and control participants with 95.7% accuracy (95% CI: 92.6%–98.9%) in the training samples (78 patients and 66 controls). These metabolites also showed good to excellent performance in differentiating between patients and controls in the 3 test sets of participants, with accuracies 91.0% (95% CI: 85.7%–96.3%; 107 patients and 62 controls), 82.7% (95% CI: 77.6%–87.9%; 104 patients and 142 controls), and 99.0% (95% CI: 97.7%–100%; 96 patients and 62 controls), respectively. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that these metabolites were enriched in pathways implicated in SCZ, such as glycerophospholipid metabolism. Taken together, our findings support a role for exosomal metabolite dysregulation in the pathophysiology of SCZ and indicate a strong potential for exosome-derived metabolites to inform the diagnosis of SCZ.

This retrospective 10-year case study evaluated the perioperative results and long-term efficacy of laparoscopic middle-hepatic-vein-guided hemihepatectomy (L-MHV-H) and traditional anatomical hemihepatectomy (TAH) in the treatment of hepatolithiasis (HL). From January 2010 to December 2019, 99 patients with regional HL underwent laparoscopic anatomical hemihepatectomy (LAH) at our centre, including 43 patients in the L-MHV-H group and 56 patients in the TAH group. All patients in both groups were Child–Pugh grade A before operation. No significant between-group differences in general information, stone distribution, comorbidities, history of previous abdominal surgery or co-occurrence of gallstones and common bile duct stones were observed. The L-MHV-H group exhibited a higher intraoperative stone clearance rate (95.3% vs. 75.0%, p = 0.014) and a lower postoperative complication rate (10.1% vs. 48.2%, p = 0.005) compared with the TAH group. In the median follow-up time of 60 months (range 6–125 months), the L-MHV-H group had lower stone recurrence (2.3% vs. 19.6%, p = 0.013) and cholangitis recurrence (2.3% vs. 17.9%, p = 0.034) rates. No significant between-group differences in the other results were observed. L-MHV-H is safe and feasible for HL with certain advantages over TAH in improving the intraoperative stone clearance rate, reducing postoperative complication incidence and reducing stone and cholangitis recurrence rates.

It has been suggested that dysregulation of hormones is associated with schizophrenia (SCZ). This study aimed to measure the serum levels of progesterone and testosterone in 125 SCZ patients at different stages of treatment and 96 healthy control (HC) subjects. Our results showed that first-episode drug-free SCZ patients had significantly increased testosterone levels when compared with HC subjects, and chronic medication, but not short-term medication, further increased the serum testosterone levels in the patients. Further analysis suggested that the sex of the patients did not affect testosterone levels. In contrast, serum progesterone levels did not show significant differences between first-episode, drug-free SCZ patients and controls, and the antipsychotics increased progesterone levels in the male SCZ patients, but not female patients. Interestingly, our analyses demonstrated that the serum progesterone levels were negatively correlated with PANSS total score and PNASS positive score, suggesting a correlation between blood hormone levels and disease severity in SCZ patients. Taken together, our data showed differential changes in serum testosterone and progesterone levels in SCZ patients with or without antipsychotics, and our results suggest that increased sex hormone levels may be a defensive response to protect the human body under stress.

Genetic variants conferring risk for schizophrenia (SCZ) have been extensively studied, but the role of posttranscriptional mechanisms in SCZ is not well studied. Here we performed the first genome-wide microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling in serum-derived exosome from 49 first-episode, drug-free SCZ patients and 46 controls and identified miRNAs and co-regulated modules that were perturbed in SCZ. Putative targets of these SCZ-affected miRNAs were enriched strongly for genes that have been implicated in protein glycosylation and were also related to neurotransmitter receptor and dendrite (spine) development. We validated several differentially expressed blood exosomal miRNAs in 100 SCZ patients as compared with 100 controls by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The potential regulatory relationships between several SCZ-affected miRNAs and their putative target genes were also validated. These include hsa-miR-206, which is the most upregulated miRNA in the blood exosomes of SCZ patients and that previously reported to regulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression, which we showed reduced mRNA and protein levels in the blood of SCZ patients. In addition, we found 11 miRNAs in blood exosomes from the miRNA sequence data that can be used to classify samples from SCZ patients and control subjects with close to 90% accuracy in the training samples, and approximately 75% accuracy in the testing samples. Our findings support a role for exosomal miRNA dysregulation in SCZ pathophysiology and provide a rich data set and framework for future analyses of miRNAs in the disease, and our data also suggest that blood exosomal miRNAs are promising biomarkers for SCZ.

Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor are involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the roles of other neurotrophic factors in SCZ remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the blood levels of FGF2 and ADNP in first-episode, drug-free SCZ patients compared with healthy control subjects. 20 SCZ patients, and 20 age and sex matched controls were recruited in this study. Serum FGF2 and ADNP protein levels were measured by ELISA assay, and the results showed that FGF2 levels were significantly increased in patients with SCZ when compared with controls, whereas ADNP protein levels did not significantly associated with SCZ. However, we found that blood ADNP mRNA levels were significantly increased in the patients with SCZ when compared with controls. In addition, subgroup analyses suggested that FGF2 levels were significantly increased in female patients of SCZ, but not in male patients of SCZ. Correlation analyses suggested that age and disease severity (PANSS score) did not have moderating effects on the serum FGF2 levels. Taken together, our results for the first time demonstrated that blood FGF2 was up-regulated in first-episode, drug free-SCZ patients, therefore enhancing the knowledge of neurotrophic factor profile in patients with SCZ.

To compare the reproducibility and performance of quantitative metrics between ZOOMit and conventional intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of early- and mid-stage Sjögren's syndrome (SS).Twenty-two patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 52.0 ± 10.8 years; male:female, 2:20) with early- or mid-stage SS and 20 healthy controls (46.9 ± 14.6 years; male:female, 7:13) were prospectively enrolled in our study. ZOOMit IVIM and conventional IVIM MRI were performed simultaneously in all individuals using a 3T scanner. Quantitative IVIM parameters - including tissue diffusivity (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (DInter- and intra-observer reproducibility was better with ZOOMit imaging than with conventional IVIM imaging (ZOOMit vs. conventional, intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.897-0.941 vs. 0.667-0.782 for inter-observer reproducibility and 0.891-0.968 vs. 0.814-0.853 for intra-observer reproducibility). Significant differences in ZOOMit f, ZOOMit DConsidering its better reproducibility and performance, ZOOMit IVIM may be preferred over conventional IVIM MRI, and may subsequently improve the ability to diagnose early- and mid-stage SS.

AIM To investigate the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) treatment on allergic colitis (AC) and gut microbiota (GM). METHODS We selected a total of 19 AC infants, who suffered from severe diarrhea/hematochezia, did not relieve completely after routine therapy or cannot adhere to the therapy, and were free from organ congenital malformations and other contraindications for FMT. Qualified donor-derived stools were collected and injected to the AC infants via a rectal tube. Clinical outcomes and follow-up observations were noted. Stools were collected from ten AC infants before and after FMT, and GM composition was assessed for infants and donors using 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. RESULTS After FMT treatment, AC symptoms in 17 infants were relieved within 2 d, and no relapse was observed in the next 15 mo. Clinical improvement was also detected in the other two AC infants who were lost to follow-up. During follow-up, one AC infant suffered from mild eczema and recovered shortly after hormone therapy. Based on the 16S rDNA analysis in ten AC infants, most of them (n = 6) had greater GM diversity after FMT. As a result, Proteobacteria decreased (n = 6) and Firmicutes increased (n = 10) in post-FMT AC infants. Moreover, Firmicutes accounted for the greatest proportion of GM in the patients. At the genus level, Bacteroides (n = 6), Escherichia (n = 8), and Lactobacillus (n = 4) were enriched in some AC infants after FMT treatment, but the relative abundances of Clostridium (n = 5), Veillonella (n = 7), Streptococcus (n = 6), and Klebsiella (n = 8) decreased dramatically. CONCLUSION FMT is a safe and effective method for treating pediatric patients with AC and restoring GM balance.

Prenatal administration of mitotoxin methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) in rats produces behavioral, pharmacological, and anatomical abnormalities once offspring reach adulthood, thus establishing a widely used neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. However, the molecular aspects underlying this disease model are not well understood. Therefore, this study examines epigenetic and transcriptional dysregulation in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of MAM rats as these are brain regions closely associated with schizophrenia pathogenesis. Upon sequencing messenger and microRNA (mRNA and miRNA, respectively), differential expression was revealed in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus between MAM- and saline-treated rats; sequencing data were validated by qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Bioinformatic analyses demonstrated that the differentially expressed (DE) genes were strongly enriched in interactive pathways related to schizophrenia, including chemical synaptic transmission, cognition, and inflammatory responses; also, the potential target genes of the DE miRNAs were enriched in pathways related to synapses and inflammation. The blood of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls was further analyzed for several top DE mRNAs: DOPA decarboxylase, ret proto-oncogene, Fc receptor-like 2, interferon lambda receptor 1, and myxovirus (influenza virus) resistance 2. The results demonstrated that the expression of these genes was dysregulated in patients with schizophrenia; combining these mRNAs sufficiently differentiated schizophrenia patients from controls. Taken together, this study suggests that the MAM model has the potential to reproduce hippocampus and prefrontal cortex abnormalities, relevant to schizophrenia, at the epigenetic and transcriptional levels. These data also provide novel targets for schizophrenia diagnoses and treatments.

Aim: Blocking lipogenesis could significantly inhibit the progression of pancreatic cancer. Exploring the regulatory mechanisms of lipogenesis by lncRNA SNHG16 might be of great significance to control the development of pancreatic cancer. Methods: The proliferation, migration, invasion and lipogenesis were determined with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, wound healing, transwell and Oil Red O staining assays, respectively. The interactions among lncRNA SNHG16, miR-195 and SREBP2 were analyzed by dual luciferase reporter assays. Results: Both the knock down of lncRNA SNHG16 and SREBP2 and overexpression of miR-195 suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion and lipogenesis in pancreatic cancer cells. LncRNA SNHG16 directly sponged miR-195 to modulate the lipogenesis via regulating the expression of SREBP2. Conclusion: LncRNA SNHG16 accelerated the development of pancreatic cancer and promoted lipogenesis via directly regulating miR-195/SREBP2 axis.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders, and studies have shown BDNF aberrations in major psychiatric diseases including schizophrenia (SCZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, data from clinical studies were inconsistent. In this study, we recruited 34 patients with MDD, 77 patients with SCZ and 65 healthy control (HC) subjects to clarify the circulating BDNF levels in MDD and SCZ patients, and to assess whether serum BDNF levels were associated with the disease severity. Our results showed that serum BDNF levels were significantly decreased in the patients with SCZ (Mean difference = -4.517, 95%CI of difference = -7.854 to -1.180, p 0.01) and MDD (Mean difference = -5.699, 95%CI of difference = -9.892 to -1.506, p 0.01) when compared with HC subjects. Sub-group analyses suggested that BDNF levels were significantly reduced in the female SCZ (Mean difference = -5.700, 95%CI of difference = -10.21 to -1.189, p 0.01) and MDD (Mean difference = -5.840, 95%CI of difference = -10.66 to -1.019, p 0.05) patients, but not in male patients. Further analyses indicated that serum BDNF levels were not correlated with disease severity of MDD and SCZ. In addition, the transcriptional expression of TrkB was significantly down-regulated in the blood of MDD patients, but not in SCZ patients. However, there was no significant correlation between BDNF concentrations and TrkB mRNA levels. Taken together, our results revealed differential changes of BDNF-TrkB signaling in MDD and SCZ patients, therefore contributed to a better understanding of MDD and SCZ pathophysiology.

Approximately 20% of Graves' disease (GD) patients may result eventually in hypothyroidism in their natural course. Uterus globulin-associated protein 1 (UGRP1) was associated with GD in our previous study. Here we investigated the role of UGRP1 in the development of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). The results showed that UGRP1 was expressed in the thyrocytes of most Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) patients and a proportion of GD patients (293 HT and 198 GD). The pathologic features of UGRP1-positive thyrocytes resembled "Hurthle cells", and were surrounded by infiltrated leukocytes. The positivity rate of TPOAb in UGRP1-positive GD patients was much higher than that in -negative GD patients. Moreover, UGRP1 was co-expressed with Fas and HLA-DR in the thyrocytes of AITD patients. We also found IL-1β but not Th1 or Th2 cytokines was able to upregulate the expression of UGRP1. Our findings indicated that UGRP1 may be a novel marker in thyrocytes to predict GD patients who develop hypothyroidism.

Hypertension (HTN) and osteoporosis are associated with the development and progress of atherosclerosis. However, little research has been conducted to examine the relationship between arterial stiffness and bone mineral density (BMD) in men with HTN. This cross‐sectional study recruited 355 men with HTN and 353 control patients without HTN. Brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and BMD measurements were performed. BMD was decreased and baPWV was elevated in patients with HTN compared with control patients (femoral neck [FN] BMD in the HTN and control groups were 0.662±0.195 g/cm(2) and 0.713±0.204 g/cm(2), respectively [P=.001], and baPWV in the HTN and control groups were 1403.3±156.8 cm/s and 1354.8±136.0 cm/s, respectively [P

Oxidative stress has been suggested to be involved in schizophrenia, but studies have demonstrated inconsistent results on oxidative stress marker level/activity in patients with schizophrenia. In order to clarify the circulating oxidative stress marker level/activity in patients with schizophrenia, this study recruited 80 schizophrenia patients (40 first-episode, drug-free and 40 chronically medicated patients) and 80 controls to analyze serum activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and levels of lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA) in schizophrenia patients, and whether they associate with the severity of the disease. We showed that only serum GSH-Px activity was significantly reduced in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia when compared with control subjects, whereas the other three analyzed oxidative stress markers did not show significant differences between cases and controls. Moreover, our results demonstrated that chronic medication increased GSH-Px activity and MDA levels in patients with schizophrenia, but reduced SOD activity in the patients. We also found that short-term antipsychotic treatments on the patients with schizophrenia reduced the SOD activity. Correlation analyses indicated that the oxidative stress marker activity/level is not significantly associated with the severity of schizophrenia, except that SOD level correlated with PANSS positive score significantly. Taken together, the data from the present study suggested that the dysfunctions of oxidative stress markers in patients with schizophrenia were mainly caused by antipsychotics, emphasizing increased oxidative stress as a potential side effect of antipsychotics on the patients.

Adipokines such as leptin play important roles in the regulation of energy metabolism, particularly in the control of appetite. Here, we describe a hormone, mimecan, which is abundantly expressed in adipose tissue. Mimecan was observed to inhibit food intake and reduce body weight in mice. Intraperitoneal injection of a mimecan-maltose binding protein (-MBP) complex inhibited food intake in C57BL/6J mice, which was attenuated by pretreatment with polyclonal antibody against mimecan. Notably, mimecan-MBP also induced anorexia in Ay/a and db/db mice. Furthermore, the expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 was up-regulated in the hypothalamus by mimecan-MBP, as well as in N9 microglia cells by recombinant mouse mimecan. Taken together, the results suggest that mimecan is a satiety hormone in adipose tissue, and that mimecan inhibits food intake independently of leptin signaling by inducing IL-1β and IL-6 expression in the hypothalamus.

Objective To evaluate the performance of a convolutional neural network (CNN) model that can automatically detect and classify rib fractures, and output structured reports from computed tomography (CT) images. Materials and methods This study included 1079 patients (median age, 55 years; men, 718) from three hospitals, between January 2011 and January 2019, who were divided into a monocentric training set (n = 876; median age, 55 years; men, 582), five multicenter/multiparameter validation sets (n = 173; median age, 59 years; men, 118) with different slice thicknesses and image pixels, and a normal control set (n = 30; median age, 53 years; men, 18). Three classifications (fresh, healing, and old fracture) combined with fracture location (corresponding CT layers) were detected automatically and delivered in a structured report. Precision, recall, and F1-score were selected as metrics to measure the optimum CNN model. Detection/diagnosis time, precision, and sensitivity were employed to compare the diagnostic efficiency of the structured report and that of experienced radiologists. Results A total of 25054 annotations (fresh fracture, 10089; healing fracture, 10922; old fracture, 4043) were labelled for training (18584) and validation (6470). The detection efficiency was higher for fresh fractures and healing fractures than for old fractures (F1-scores, 0.849, 0.856, 0.770, respectively, p = 0.023 for each), and the robustness of the model was good in the five multicenter/multiparameter validation sets (all mean F1-scores > 0.8 except validation set 5 [512 × 512 pixels; F1-score = 0.757]). The precision of the five radiologists improved from 80.3% to 91.1%, and the sensitivity increased from 62.4% to 86.3% with artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis. On average, the diagnosis time of the radiologists was reduced by 73.9 seconds. Conclusion Our CNN model for automatic rib fracture detection could assist radiologists in improving diagnostic efficiency, reducing diagnosis time and radiologists' workload.

Objectives Poor nutritional status is associated with osteoporosis (OP) in postmenopausal women. Moreover, recent studies documented that prealbumin is the best and most widely used parameter to monitor nutrition intervention and is a sensitive predictor of short-term outcome compared with albumin. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the association of prealbumin levels with bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with OP. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited 664 women. Prealbumin levels and BMD at femoral neck and lumbar spine were measured. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the correlation between prealbumin and BMD. Results Results of this study found that prealbumin levels dropped gradually as BMD decreased. Furthermore, partial correlation analysis revealed that prealbumin was correlated with BMD after adjusting for confounders. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that prealbumin is a significant factor for reduced BMD in women (for BMD at spine L2–4, β = 0.186, P P Conclusion Prealbumin was significantly correlated with BMD after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Further prospective research is warranted to further enhance our understanding of the important role of prealbumin in OP.

BACKGROUND: Low bone mineral density (BMD) and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function are associated with heart failure. However, little is known about the association between BMD and LV diastolic function. HYPOTHESIS: BMD is independently related to LV diastolic function in women. METHODS: We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 432 women. Brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and BMD measurements were performed. LV diastolic function and structure were assessed by echocardiographic examination. RESULTS: BaPWV and the percentage of LV diastolic dysfunction increased with progressive bone loss. Moreover, partial correlation analysis demonstrated that BMD at spine L2–4 and at femoral neck were correlated with baPWV and LV diastolic function parameters after adjusting covariates. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that osteoporosis was independently associated with LV diastolic dysfunction in women. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporosis is independently associated with LV diastolic dysfunction in women. A prospective study is needed to elucidate the effects of BMD on cardiac function in women.

Osteoporosis (OP) has been associated with cardiovascular disease. More specifically, osteoporosis was found to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality. Recent studies revealed that platelets play a critical role in bone remodeling. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an early marker of platelet activation, which is involved in the pathophysiology of coronary heart disease. However, little research has been conducted to investigate the relationship between MPV and OP. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationship between platelet count, MPV, and bone mineral density (BMD) in 410 subjects in the geriatric department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin, China. Different biochemical parameters, platelet count, and MPV were determined, and bone mineral density (BMD) (g/cm(2)) was measured in the osteoporosis, osteopenia, and normal BMD groups. Mean age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and MPV increased gradually, and body mass index (BMI), decreased as BMD decreased. A negative correlation was present between MPV and the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck BMD after adjusting other risk factors. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis showed that MPV was significantly associated with lumbar spine L2-L4 BMD and femoral neck BMD (β = -0.285, P 0.001 for lumbar spine L2-L4 BMD; β = -0.207, P 0.001 for femoral neck BMD in multivariate model). The findings show that MPV is negatively correlated with BMD. Further studies on the involvement of MPV in osteoporosis may contribute to the evaluation of thrombotic risk in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

Various vascular risk factors such as smoking, obesity, and diabetes mellitus are associated with hyper- viscosity and lumbar disc herniation (LDH). However, the changes of viscosity in LDH have not been examined. AIMS: The present study was to elucidate 1) the rheological parameter levels in patients with LDH, 2) the risk factors that were related to rheological parameters. METHODS: Our study evaluated the rheological parameters in 307 cases with LDH and in 307 control subjects. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the significant factors for whole blood viscosity (WBV) at low shear rate. RESULTS: LDH patients had markedly lower physical activity and significantly higher WBV 3 s -1 compared with non-LDH subjects (p < 0.001). Moreover, WBV (3 s -1 ) tended to increase as physical activity decreased. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that reduced physical activity was a significant factor contributing to elevated WBV (3 s -1 ). CONCLUSIONS: WBV (3 s -1 ) is elevated in patients with LDH. In addition, reduced physical activity is a significant factor for WBV (3 s -1 ). Further studies are warranted to determine the role of WBV (3 s -1 ) in LDH.

To investigate the efficacy of ileal ureteric replacement in the treatment of iatrogenic long segment ureteric injuries.The hospital records of 9 cases with iatrogenic long segment ureteric injuries during Aug. 2010 to Sept. 2014 treated with ileal ureteric replacement were retrospectively reviewed and followed-up postoperatively. The patients included 3 males and 6 females with a median age of 40 years. The length of injury segment was 13-25 cm (median 20 cm). The etiology of the iatrogenic injury was urological surgery (n=6), gynecological surgery (n=2) and general surgery (n=1), respectively. The ureter stent was removed in 1-2 month postoperatively in all the 9 cases.All the operations were successful. The operation time was 203-394 min, with the average of (278.1±68.8) min. The bleeding volume was 10-1 000 mL, with the median of 200 mL. The mean length of hospital stay was (16.8±7.5) days. Four minor complications (Grade I-II) developed, including 3 ileus (33.3%) and 1 proximal anastomotic leakage (11.1%). The median follow-up time was 11 months, serum creatinine decreased or remained stable in 8 patients (88.9%). Three patients (33.3%) developed mild hydronephrosis and short-time urinary tract infection was seen in 1 patient (11.1%). Metabolic acidosis was not detected during the follow-up.Ileal ureteric replacement is a safe and effective method in patients with complex or difficult iatrogenic long segment ureteric injuries.

To identify the risk factors that would aid in the identification of patients at the greatest risk of developing postoperative paralytic ileus.In the retrospective study, 749 patients who received radical cystectomy from January 2005 to August 2014 were reviewed, of whom, 9 who received orthotopic ileal neobladder were excluded. Of the 740 patients, 82 (11.1%) developed postoperative paralytic ileus. The correlation between the clinical characters and the occurrence of post-operative paralytic ileus was identified.The postoperative paralytic ileus was significantly correlated with the patient's age (68 vs. 67, P=0.025), body mass index (23.0 kg/m2 vs.24.1 kg/m2, P=0.008), different urinary diversion reconstruction methods [13.2% (66/500) for ileal conduit and 7.3%(16/240) for cutaneous ureterostomy, P=0.008] and pelvic lymph node dissection [12.2% (77/632) vs.4.6% (5/108), P=0.021].The postoperative paralytic ileus caused a prolonged hospital stay and delayed recovery (24 d vs. 17 d, P=0.000). There was no significant correlation between the postoperative paralytic ileus and the patients' gender, previous abdominal operations, preoperative hemoglobin and creatinine, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, operative time, estimated blood loss, transfusion requirement, laparoscopic and open surgery, ICU admission or tumor staging. On multivariate analysis, age (hazard ratio 1.185, 95% confidence interval 1.036-1.355, P=0.013), body mass index (hazard ratio 0.605, 95% confidence interval 0.427-0.857, P=0.005), different urinary diversion reconstruction methods (hazard ratio 2.422, 95% confidence interval 1.323-4.435, P=0.004) and pelvic lymph node dissection (hazard ratio 2.798, 95% confidence interval 1.069-7.322, P=0.036) were significantly correlated with the presence of the postoperative paralytic ileus.Increasing age, decreasing BMI, ileal conduiturinary diversion and pelvic lymph node dissection were significantly correlated with the presence of postoperative paralytic ileus in patients undergoing radical cystectomy.

The relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of interleukin-17 (IL-17A), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), as well as its receptor (TGFR-β2) and susceptibility to intracerebral hemorrhage in patients with brain arteriovenous malformation (BAVM) was investigated in the present study. A total of 53 patients with BAVM and 120 healthy controls were recruited, all of whom were Han Chinese from South China. There were no statistically significant differences in the IL-17A-197 guanine/adenine (G/A) or TGF-β1-509 cytosine/thymine (C/T) genotypes or gene frequencies between BAVM patients and controls (p>0.05), but the gene frequency of the TGFR-β2-875 A/G genotype in patients with BAVM was significantly higher (p

To study the characteristics of histopathologic features of small renal carcinoma.This retrospective study collected the data of renal cell carcinoma from the patients who underwent surgery from January 2002 to June 2012. They were all preoperatively diagnosed as renal cancer by CT scan, and pathologically diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma after surgery with the diameter ≤ 4 cm. We recorded and analyzed the tumor size, histologic subtype, Fuhrman grading, TNM stage, the existence of tumor vascular invasion, sarcomatoid differentiation, and whether it was multifocal, and then grouped them for comparison.A total of 1 276 patients were included in the study and were analyzed, of whom 306 (24.0%) had small renal cell carcinoma less than 2.0 cm, 526 (41.2%) 2.0-3.0 cm, and 444 (34.8%) bigger than 3.0 cm. Of all the subjects, 1 158 (90.7%) suffered from clear cell carcinoma, 49 (3.8%) papillary carcinoma, 32 (2.5%) chromophobe cell carcinoma, whose distribution was not related with tumor size. Of the ≤ 2.0 cm and2.0 cm groups, Furmann grades of G3/4 were 15 (4.9%), 98 (10.1%), respectively (P=0.007). T3a + stage and above were 1 (0.3%), and 32 (3.3%), respectively (P=0.004). Synchronous distant metastases occurred in 6 patients, all in group2.0 cm. Tumor sarcomatoid differentiation (0.3% vs. 0.9%), vascular invasion (0.6% vs. 2.1%) and multifocal (1.3% vs. 2.7%) had no significant difference between the two groups.Small renal cell carcinoma with diameter over 2.0 cm are more aggressive, suggesting that renal cancer bigger than 2.0 cm in diameter should not select a non-surgical treatment.

Systemic inflammation may be a common mechanism for the development of osteoporosis (OP) and atherosclerosis. Elevated arterial stiffness is an index of subclinical atherosclerosis. Recent studies found that neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), is a useful marker of cardiovascular disease and a more powerful predictor than any other leukocyte subtypes. However, little research has been conducted to investigate the relationship between NLR and arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between NLR and baPWV in 512 subjects.Compared to the control subjects, NLR and baPWV increased in patients with OP. Partial correlation analysis revealed that there was a significant correlation between NLR and baPWV after adjusting for confounding factors in OP. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that NLR was a significant factor for increased baPWV in patients with OP (β=0.249, p0.001). However, there was no association between NLR and baPWV in control subjects.NLR and baPWV are elevated in OP. Moreover, NLR is independently associated with baPWV. Further studies are warranted to investigate whether anti-inflammatory treatment could improve arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with OP.

To investigate the characteristics and related influence factors of lymph node metastases in patients undergoing radical cystectomy and lymph node dissection for bladder cancer.The data of 522 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection at Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital from 1998 to 2012, were retrospectively collected, and the lymph node mapping was performed in all the patients to determine the location of metastatic lymph nodes.For the 522 patients with bladder cancer, lymph node metastasis occurred in 99 patients, and the incidence of lymph node metastasis was 19.0%. The incidence at different tumor stages was: 3.7% in T1 (6/164), 10.5% in T2 (17/160), 36.7% in T3(40/107), and 41.9% in T4 (36/86). The most common involved lymph nodes were hypogastric/obturator lymph nodes (77/99, 77.8%) and external iliac lymph nodes (35/99, 35.4%). The mean number of lymph nodes dissected was 11.6 (1-51). The lymph node density (number of lymph nodes involved/number of lymph nodes removed) was 44.1%. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was statistical related to tumor stage (P0.01, OR 2.71,95% CI 2.13-3.44) and tumor grade (P0.01, OR 3.81,95% CI 1.66-8.74), while age, gender, smoke history, and weight had no statistical significance.Lymph node metastasis is the most common metastasis route of bladder cancer. The incidence of lymph node tumor involvement is correlated with increasing tumor stage and tumor grade. The most common involved lymph nodes are hypogastric/obturator lymph nodes and external iliac lymph nodes. Radical cystectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph nodes dissection are of great significance in the treatment of bladder cancer.

To determine whether the extruded irrigation solution bag during passage of rigid cystoscope will reduce the patient's discomfort.In the study, 378 male patients undergoing rigid cystoscopies were randomized into "Institute of Urology Peking University (IUPU)" technique group (n = 193) and routine manipulation group (n = 185). All the patients had received 10 mL oxybuprocaine gel before manipulation. In the IUPU technique group, irrigation solution bag was connected with cystoscope sheath and obturator. As the scope passed through the bulbar urethra, a nurse was instructed to extrude the irrigating fluid bag. A 10-point visual analog pain scale assessment was completed by the patient after the procedure.The visual analog pain score was 2 (1-2) in the IUPU technique group and 4 (3-6) in the routine manipulation group (P0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). All the procedure indications had no effect on the findings.This study has shown that a simple IUPU technique can significantly reduce the patient's discomfort during outpatient rigid cystoscopy. We strongly recommend this technique for all male patients undergoing rigid cystoscopy.

To explore the technique of vascular control in transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy.From May 2010 to September 2013, 191 consecutive transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomies were performed by a single surgeon. The operations included 116 radical nephrectomies, 57 nephroureterectomies, and 18 simple nephrectomies. Improved 4-trocar method was applied. Through lifting up inferior pole of the kidney by an assistant, and observing renal vascular from the bottom or back of the kidney, the exposure of renal vessels were improved. The renal vessels were managed with Hem-o-lock or Endo GIA. For tumors of stage ≥ T2, ipsilateral lymph node dissection of renal hilus was performed.Of the entire 191 cases,190 were performed successfully, only 1 converted to open surgery because of the difficulty in separating the tumor from the invaded colon. The average time of operation was 171.5 min (74-352). The blood loss was 5-1 000 mL with an average of 94.8 mL. The complications included vascular injuries (5 cases), cerebral infarction accompanied by acute renal injury (1 case), and pulmonary infection (2 cases). The mean postoperative hospital stay was 5.6 days (2-19 days). No perioperative death occurred.The reformative technique of vascular control could improve the exposure of renal vessels, increase surgery safety, and shorten the time of transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy.

This paper focuses on a novel modified technique about the treatment of adult obstructed megaureter by the transperitoneal laparoscopic procedure. With the improvement of the laparoscopic surgery, many urological surgeries can be safely and effectually performed by laparoscopic approach. The previously reported laparoscopic methods for treatment of adult obstructed megaureter were complex and time-consuming. To simplify the method, we modified the laparoscopic approach based on the previous methods. The innovative points of our novel technique are the extracorporeal tailoring of ureter and nipple ureteroneocystostomy. By this modified procedure, the time of operation can be obviously reduced while the procedure is effective. We hope this modified procedure will be accepted by more urologists.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects memory, and its prevalence is rising. Increasing evidence suggests that dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may be involved in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we report that the permeability of the BBB is increased and that AD-like alterations are present in Slit-2 overexpressing transgenic mice. We found that behavioral change and the corresponding molecular diagnostic markers of AD, such as hippocampal neuron apoptosis, amyloid-β (Aβ) protein deposition, and acetylcholinesterase expression, were increased in the Slit-2 transgenic mice. Moreover, the endothelial cells were dysfunctional, the size of the lateral ventricle cavity increased, and the permeability of the BBB increased. Additionally, there was an increased serum level of glutamate indicating that the BBB is related to AD. Finally, histopathological analysis of other organs in the Slit-2 overexpressing mice did not show any marked abnormalities. These findings demonstrate that Slit2 overexpression may be responsible for AD-like alterations and the increased BBB permeability in these mice. Our study provides a potential novel mechanism for the development of AD.

To summarize more than thirty years of experience with urachal carcinoma and to discuss the clinical features of urachal carcinoma.The clinical data of 22 patients with urachal carcinoma, 18 males and 4 females, their median age at diagnosis was 52 years (range: 31-77 years), were analyzed retrospectively.Twenty-one cases were urachal adenocarcinoma, and 1 was small cell carcinoma. The first common symptom was gross hematuria in the urachal carcinoma patients (20/22, 90.9%), and CT showed calcification in 18.75% of them (3/16). The cystoscopic finding was a mass seen at the dome of the bladder or anterior wall in all. Twenty cases were followed up (90.9%), with the median follow-up 28 months (range: 3-184 months). The overall 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was 49.5%. It was significantly different in survival between T2 and T3 or more in the urachal carcinoma patients by survival analysis (P=0.026).The results indicate that the most important predictor of prognosis is tumor stage, and it is critical for diagnosis of urachal carcinoma by CT scan and cystoscopy. Extended partial cystectomy is the main surgery of patients with urachal carcinoma. Active multimodal treatments may improve the survival of patients with recurrent and metastatic disease.

To investigate the pathological feature, therapy and prognosis of bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma.The data of 59 bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma patients diagnosed from Apr. 1986 to Dec. 2009 were collected. We retrospectively analyzed the treatment, pathological features, long term survival and prognosis factors of the disease.We found 59 patients with bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the database diagnosed from Apr. 1986 to Dec. 2009. The median age was 56 years. Of all the cases, 37 were bilateral synchronous sporadic renal cell carcinoma and 22 bilateral metachronous sporadic renal cell carcinoma. Forty-three patients underwent bilateral surgeries, 11 unilateral surgery, and 5 no treatment. There were 122 masses in the 59 patients and 109 masses had pathological reports. All the 59 cases were RCC, and clear cell carcinomas was the main subtype (96.6%). The median follow-up time was 62.1 months (range 4-277 months). Thirty-nine patients (66.1%) survived without tumor recurrence, 4 survived with tumors recurrence, and 16 (27.1%) died. Kaplan-Meier curve revealed that the 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 83.5% and 81.1%, respectively; the 3-year and 5-year cancer special survival rates were 73.1% and 64.8%, respectively. The disease-free survival rates of bilateral synchronous and bilateral metachronous RCC were similar. Multivariate regression suggested that post-operative application of interferon-α and bilateral surgeries were related with a better prognosis.The main subtype of bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma was clear cell carcinoma (96.6%). Bilateral synchronous and bilateral metachronous RCC both had a long time disease-free survival. Interferon-α application after surgery and bilateral surgeries were related with a better prognosis.

To evaluate the surgical management and long-term outcomes of patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous tumor thrombus.From Aug. 2000 to Dec. 2011, 140 patients underwent radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy in our hospital, of whom, 80 were with renal vein tumor thrombus, 41 with inferior vena caval (IVC), level I tumor thrombus (below hepatic vein), 13 with IVC level II tumor thrombus (above hepatic vein but below diaphragm) and 6 with IVC level III tumor thrombus (above diaphragm). The overall and cancer-specific survival rates were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival curve method.The follow-up information of the 114 patients was gained. The median follow-up period for all the patients was 20.5 months (1-96). In the last follow-up, 47 patients died. The median survival time for all the patients was 51 months. The median survival time for the patients with renal vein tumor thrombus and IVC level Ito III tumor thrombus were 57, 43, 40 and 27 months. The 5 year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates for all the patients were 40.1% and 47.2%, respectively. The survival time of the patients with early tumor thrombus (below hepatic vein) was significantly longer than that of the patients with advanced tumor thrombus (above hepatic vein) (54.1±4.8 months vs. 26.9±5.7 months, P=0.049).Radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy are effective therapies for RCC patients with venous extension. The patients can obtain a relatively promising long-term outcome, which is comparable to previous western studies. Long-term outcome of the early tumor thrombus patients is significantly better than that of the advanced tumor thrombus patients.

Sunitinib has been proved an effective new option for treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Analysis of clinical data of 22 patients, who were exposed to sunitinib for at least 1 year, was conducted to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of sunitinib for the treatment of mRCC.A total of 54 patients with mRCC were treated with sunitinib malate, 50 mg/d orally, on a 4-weeks-on and 2-weeks-off dosing schedule in Peking University First Hospital. Treatment continued until disease progression, unacceptable adverse events (AEs), or death. Among them, 22 patients continued treatment for at least 1 year. The clinical data of these 22 patients were prospectively collected for analysis. AEs were assessed according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, Version 3.0. Tumor response was evaluated in accordance with the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.Median progression-free survival was 19.5 months until last follow-up. The best efficacy results achieved were complete response, partial response, and stable disease for 2, 9, and 11 patients, respectively. Objective response rate was 50%. The most common AEs were hand-foot syndrome (95%) and hypertension (91%). Other common AEs were thyroid-stimulating hormone elevation (82%), platelet decrease (77%), and loss of appetite (77%). Only one patient withdrew from treatment for cardiac infarction. Another nine patients experienced dose modifications or short-term suspensions.Long-term exposure to sunitinib malate showed encouraging efficacy in the treatment of mRCC. At the same time, the tolerability was good.

To analyse the predictive factors for worse pathological outcome (muscle invasive pT2+, non-organ-confined pT3+ or N+ and histological Grade 3) of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in a Chinese population from a nationwide high-volume centre in China.Predictors were studied by retrospectively reviewing the clinicopathological data of 729 consecutive patients with UTUC treated in our centre from January 2002 to December 2010. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used.There were more female patients (56.4%) than males and more tumours were located in the ureter (52.7%) than in the pelvis. In multivariate analysis, male gender (hazard ratio [HR] 1.898, P = 0.001), sessile architecture (HR 3.249, P0.001), high grade (HR 5.007, P0.001), ipsilateral hydronephrosis (HR 4.768, P0.001), renal pelvis location (HR 2.620, P0.001) and tumour without multifocality (HR 1.639, P = 0.028) were predictive factors for muscle-invasive UTUC. Male gender (HR 2.132, P0.001), renal pelvis location (HR 3.466, P0.001), tumour without multifocality (HR 2.532, P = 0.001), sessile tumour architecture (HR 3.274, P0.001), and high grade (HR 3.019, P0.001) were predictive factors for non-organ-confined disease. Chronological old age (HR 1.047, P0.001), sessile tumour architecture (HR 25.192, P0.001), ipsilateral hydronephrosis (HR 1.689, P = 0.024), and positive urinary cytology (HR 1.997, P = 0.006) were predictive factors for histological Grade 3 UTUC.There was a predominance of female patients and ureteric tumours in UTUCs of this Chinese population. Male gender, sessile architecture, tumour location, tumour without multifocality, high histological grade and preoperative ipsilateral hydronephrosis were independent predictive factors for worse pathological outcome of UTUCs.

To investigate the clinical significance of preoperative aspects and dimensions used for anatomic (PADUA) and radius exophytic/endophytic nearness anterior/posterior location (RENAL) scoring systems for renal neoplasms in patients undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.A retrospective analysis was carried out on clinical data of 245 Chinese patients with renal neoplasms undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy from June 2008 to June 2012. The perioperative complications and variables, as well as PADUA and RENAL score, were compared.The PADUA and RENAL scoring systems were significantly associated with percent change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (P = 0.032 and P = 0.026 respectively), whereas the RENAL scoring system was also significantly associated with warm ischemia time (P = 0.032). On multivariate analysis, both scores were able to predict percent change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (PADUA, P = 0.011; RENAL, P = 0.028). There were no significant associations between the two scoring systems assessed and the occurrence of complications or tumor stage. The correlation between PADUA classification and RENAL nephrometry score was significant (P 0.0001). Fleiss' generalized kappa was 0.69-0.89 for the various components of the PADUA score and 0.67-0.89 for the RENAL nephrometry components.The PADUA classification and RENAL nephrometry score are comprehensive assessment tools for delineating renal tumor anatomy. The reproducibility of the PADUA and RENAL scores is substantial, but further research is required to evaluate its performance in more accurately predicting operative and patient-related outcomes.

To analyze the clinicopathologic features of 10 Chinese prostate adenocarcinoma patients under 50 years.Between January 2007 and April 2012, 10 cases of prostate adenocarcinoma patients under 50 years (age: 36-49) were diagnosed at our institution through prostate biopsy. The indications of biopsy were abnormal digital rectal examination (7 cases) and/or a total prostate specific antigen (PSA) over 4.0 μg/L (4 cases). The clinicopathological data of these patients were reviewed. The results of biopsy were 1 case with Gleason score (GS) 6, 4 cases with GS 7 and 5 cases with GS 9. In the study, 7 patients were diagnosed with cT4. Lymph node metastasis and bone metastasis were found in 5 and 4 cases, respectively. The treatments were hormonal therapy in 5 cases, radical prostatectomy in 2 cases and combination therapy in 3 cases.During the follow-up, 6 patients were in progression within 3 to 7 months, 1 patient died after 3 years, and 4 patients were lost of the follow-up.These findings suggest that the Chinese prostate adenocarcinoma patients with age under 50 years are likely to have more aggressive tumor and combination therapy might be appropriate.

To investigate and analyze the treatment and Long-term follow-up results of adult Wilms' tumor.Medical records for diagnosed Wilms' tumor in patients aged more than 15 years from Jan. 1970 to Dec. 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical presentations, stages, operative details, pathologic findings, adjuvant therapies and outcomes were analyzed. All the patients received regular follow-up, and particular attention was paid to the median follow-up period and tumor specific survival time.The records revealed the 10 patients with a median age of 33.5 year. Male and female were each 5. Left was 4 and right was 6. In the study, 80% of the patients had clinical presentations, and 30% of the patients presented with abdominal mass, and 30% of the patients had distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis. The number of the patients with tumor stages I,II, III, and IV were 2, 1, 4, and 3. One patient just underwent fine needle biopsy due to advanced tumor stage, and the others underwent surgical operations. The range of the follow-up time was 12 to 187 months, and the median follow-up period was 20 months. One patient lost the follow up , 5 patients died, 2 patients survived with tumor recurrence, and 2 patients survived without tumor recurrence. The median survival period was 42 months, and one patient lost the follow-up.The Long-term follow-up data demonstrated the poor prognosis of adult Wilms' tumor. Early tumor stage and the combination of operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are key factors to improve the outcomes.

To investigate the clinical significance of R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score for renal neoplasms in patients undergoing nephron sparing surgery.A retrospective analysis was conducted of clinical data of 110 patients with renal neoplasms undergoing nephron sparing surgery, who were admitted to Peking University First Hospital from January 2010 to January 2012. The operation approaches, perioperative variables and perioperative complications as well as R.E.N.A.L. scores were compared.The R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score was significantly associated with the operation approach (P0.001), while there was no significant association between the scoring system and the occurrence of complications (P0.611). Meanwhile, it was associated with ischemia time (P0.023) and percentage change in the creatinine level (P0.025). Low complexity tumors had significantly shorter ischemia time and low percentage change in the creatinine level than high complexity tumors (P0.008, P0.010). Fleiss' generalized kappa was 0.52 to 0.89 for the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry components.The R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score is a comprehensive assessment tool for delineating renal tumor anatomy. The reproducibility of R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scores is substantial, but further research is required to evaluate its performance in predicting operative outcomes more accurately.

To evaluate the changes in perioperative outcomes that might refect progress along the learning curving by a single-surgeon's experience in our institution with laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC).This report was conducted between May 2004 and January 2012 in 60 patients (9 women and 51 men) who underwent LRC for bladder cancer. The mean patient age was (60.8±11.4) years, and mean BMI was (23.9±2.7) kg/m(2). We divided the patients into 3 groups (group A, group B, and group C; each group had twenty patients) by the time, and compared the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay among the three groups.The mean intraoperative blood loss was (799.2±717.8) mL, the mean operative time was (420.2±119.8) minutes, and the mean hospital stay was (15.7±11.0) d; There was no statistically significant difference in age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores and BMI among the three groups (P0.05). Their operative time was (497.5±131.2), (413.6±75.6) and (349.4±100.2) minutes, respectively, for each group, P0.001. The intraoperative blood loss was (1 080.0±1 028.8), (862.5±510.6) and (455.5±262.3) mL, for each group, P=0.018. The hospital stay was (20.8±13.5), (16.4±10.6) and (9.8±4.4) d, for each group, P=0.005. However, there was no statistically significant difference in postoperative complications among the three groups.Our experience of LRC appears to be favorable with reduction in blood loss, operative time and hospital stay with increasing experience. The curving shows a significant decline at 2 different breakpoints: after the first 20 cases, and after 40 cases.

To investigate the predictive value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason sum for results of radionuclide bone scintigraphy in prostate cancer patients, in order to determine when to perform a radionuclide bone scintigraphy in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 624 consecutive patients with a pathology diagnosis of prostate cancer hospitalized in Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital between Jan. 1994 and Dec. 2005, and evaluated the relationships between results of bone scintigraphy and serum tPSA, and between bone scintigraphy and Gleason sum. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were analyzed to determine the cut-off values of tPSA and Gleason sum for predicting positive results of bone scintigraphy.In the study, 443 patients underwent both a radionuclide bone scan and a serum PSA test prior to treatment, of whom, 216 (48.8%) got positive results, and 338 also possessed the Gleason sum for pathological evaluation. The serum tPSA levels were significantly higher in patients with positive results of the bone scan ( median: 71.00 μg/L; range: 1.30-2 400.00 μg/L) than those with negative results ( median: 60.00 μg/L; range: 0.60-201.00 μg/L; rank P0.001), and the Gleason sums were also significantly higher in positive-bone-scan patients than in negative-bone-scan patients (7.7±1.5 vs. 6.7±1.8, P0.001). Linear regression analysis suggested significant positive correlation between the results of the bone scan and the two afore-mentioned parameters, respectively (lg[PSA]: r=0.933, B=0.352, P=0.001; Gleason sum: r=0.971, B=0.096, P0.001). The incidence of a positive bone scan result was 9.0% in patients with tPSA10 μg/L and 3.8% in patients with Gleason sum5. When the indication for bone scan was established as tPSA15 μg/L or Gleason sum≥7,its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy for positive results were 97.5%, 24.7%, 54.4%, 91.5% and 60.0%, respectively.In patients with prostate cancer, their positive results of the bone scan are significantly positively correlated to their higher PSA levels and higher Gleason sums, respectively. Our analyses suggest that a patient with newly diagnosed prostate cancer would not need to undergo radionuclide bone scintigraphy when the PSA level is lower than 10 μg/L and Gleason sum is less than 5, and that a prostate cancer patient with tPSA15 μ g/L or Gleason sum≥7 should take a bone scintigraphy.

To discuss the clinical characteristics of idiopathic renal subcapsuler fluid collection and its treatment.From 2009 to 2012, 10 patients with idiopathic renal subcapsuler fluid collection were treated at Urology Department of Peking University First Hospital and retrospective analysis was performed.These patients' ages were 19-73 years, with an average age of 39.9 years. All the patients were female. Their tumors were excluded by image studies before any treatment. Eight cases were treated by percutaneous drainage, 1 by surgery, and 1 under active surveillance. The patients were followed up for 3-15 months, with a median follow-up of 7 months. Recurrence occurred in 1 patient who took percutaneous drainage, and later she took capsulectomy. All the other patients had satisfied results.Idiopathic renal subcapsular fluid collection is a rare condition, whose cause is still unknown. The aim of therapy is to relieve symptoms and release the compression to the kidney. Percutaneous drainage or capsulectomy are both therapy options with satisfied results.

To compare the costs and benefits of different thrombolytic strategies with urokinase (UK) and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in treating acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), with aim of providing optimal thrombolytic medication.Data from 156 patients with PTE from January 2006 to December 2011 in Tangshan Gongren Hospital was analyzed retrospectively. All patients were treated by thrombolysis, among them 104 patients were treated with 1×10(4) U/kg of UK and 52 patients were treated with 50 mg of rt-PA. The therapeutic effects of two methods were compared and the complication incidence rate and medical cost were also compared.There were no significant differences in the symptom remission rate, the recanalization rate, and the incidence of complications between UK group and rt-PA group (68.2% vs. 71.2%, 63.5% vs. 73.1%, 14.4% vs. 17.3%, all P0.05), but the treatment cost (yuan) of UK group was remarkably lower than that of rt-PA group (408 ± 120 vs. 6500 ± 634, P0.01).Different thrombolytic strategies with UK and rt-PA yield similar efficacy, however, the medical cost was significant decreased in UK group.