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Ji-Wei Wang,1 Zhi-Qi Yang,1 Cong Liu,1 Si-Jia Chen,1 Qian Shen,1 Tian-Rui Zhang,1 Nancy S Partike,2 Zheng-Ping Yuan,3 Jin-Ming Yu1 1School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Public Health, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA; 3Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Background: In the People’s Republic of China, both western medicine (WM) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are the main treatment and rehabilitation options for cancer patients. This study aimed to explore cancer survivors’ perspectives and experience of treatment and rehabilitation, in order to promote patient-centered activities of treatment and rehabilitation.Methods: Using a qualitative research approach, 68 cancer survivors were recruited from eight community cancer rehabilitation organizations in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Eight focus group interviews were conducted. All these interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the data were analyzed by theme analysis.Results: WM was the main choice in treatment phase though study participants noted more side effects. TCM was primarily used in the recovery phase. The lack of communication between doctors and cancer patients appears to affect treatment adherence and impair the doctor–patient relationship. WM was expensive for diagnostic procedures and treatment, while the cumulative costs of frequent use of TCM in the long rehabilitation period were also high. Both treatment options created significant perceived economic burden on patients. Conflicting information about dietary supplements tended to make cancer survivors confused.Conclusion: Improving the communication between doctors and cancer patients helps to ameliorate cancer patient adherence and the effect of treatments. It is essential to educate cancer patients about the effect and cost of both WM and traditional TCM. Meanwhile, marketing management and guidance to consumers regarding use of dietary supplements in the cancer rehabilitation field are also necessary. Keywords: preference, adherence, cancer survivor education, focus group interview

Objective: Bladder neck contracture and vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis are difficult to manage endoscopically, and open repair is associated with high rates of incontinence. In recent years, there have been increasing reports of robotic-assisted bladder neck reconstruction in the literature. However, existing studies are small, heterogeneous case series. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of robotic-assisted bladder neck reconstruction to better evaluate patency and incontinence outcomes., Methods: We performed a systematic review of PubMed from first available date to May 2023 for all studies evaluating robotic-assisted reconstructive surgery of the bladder neck in adult men. Articles in non-English, author replies, editorials, pediatric-based studies, and reviews were excluded. Outcomes of interest were patency and incontinence rates, which were pooled when appropriate., Results: After identifying 158 articles on initial search, we included only ten studies that fit all aforementioned criteria for robotic-assisted bladder neck reconstruction. All were case series published from March 2018 to March 2022 ranging from six to 32 men, with the median follow-up of 5-23 months. A total of 119 patients were included in our analysis. A variety of etiologies and surgical techniques were described. Patency rates ranged from 50% to 100%, and pooled patency was 80% (95/119). De novo incontinence rates ranged from 0% to 33%, and pooled incontinence was 17% (8/47). Our findings were limited by small sample sizes, relatively short follow-ups, and heterogeneity between studies., Conclusion: Despite limitations, current available evidence suggests comparable patency outcomes and improved incontinence outcomes for robotic bladder neck reconstruction compared to open repair. Additional prospective studies with longer-term follow-ups are needed to confirm these findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Editorial Office of Asian Journal of Urology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Dietary restriction (DR) is a potential intervention for ameliorating ageing-related damages. Mitochondrial quality control is the key mechanism for regulating cellular functions in skeletal muscle. This study aimed to explore the effect of age and DR on the homeostasis of mitochondrial quality control in skeletal muscle. To study the effect of age on mitochondrial homeostasis, young (3 months old) male C57BL/6J mice were fed ad libitum (AL) until 7 (Young), 14 (Middle), and 19 months (Aged) of age. For the DR intervention, 60% of AL intake was given to the mice at 3 months of age until they reached 19 months of age (16 months). The quadriceps femoris muscle was collected for further analysis. Significant changes in the skeletal muscle were noticed during the transition between middle age and the elderly stages. An accumulation of collagen was observed in the muscle after middle age. Compared with the Middle muscle, Aged muscle displayed a greater expression of VDAC, and lower expressions of mitochondrial dynamic proteins and OXPHOS proteins. The DR intervention attenuated collagen content and elongated the sarcomere length in the skeletal muscle during ageing. In addition, DR adjusted the abnormalities in mitochondrial morphology in the Aged muscle. DR downregulated VDAC expression, but upregulated OPA1 and DRP1 expressions. Taken together, greater pathological changes were noticed in the skeletal muscle during ageing, especially in the transition between middle age and the elderly, whereas early-onset DR attenuated the muscular ageing via normalising partial functions of mitochondria., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Metallic zinc is a promising anode material for rechargeable aqueous multivalent metal-ion batteries due to its high capacity and low cost. However, the practical use is always beset by severe dendrite growth and parasitic side reactions occurring at anode/electrolyte interface. Here we demonstrate dynamic molecular interphases caused by trace dual electrolyte additives of D-mannose and sodium lignosulfonate for ultralong-lifespan and dendrite-free zinc anode. Triggered by plating and stripping electric fields, the D-mannose and lignosulfonate species are alternately and reversibly (de-)adsorbed on Zn metal, respectively, to accelerate Zn 2+ transportation for uniform Zn nucleation and deposition and inhibit side reactions for high Coulombic efficiency. As a result, Zn anode in such dual-additive electrolyte exhibits highly reversible and dendrite-free Zn stripping/plating behaviors for >6400 hours at 1 mA cm -2 , which enables long-term cycling stability of Zn||Zn x MnO 2 full cell for more than 2000 cycles., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: Sexual health is critical to overall health, yet sexual history taking is challenging. LGBTQ+ patients face additional barriers due to cis/heteronormativity from the medical system. We aimed to develop and pilot test a novel sexual history questionnaire called the Sexual Health Intake (SHI) form for patients of diverse genders and sexualities., Methods: The SHI comprises four pictogram-based questions about sexual contact at the mouth, anus, vaginal canal, and penis. We enrolled 100 sexually active, English-speaking adults from a gender-affirming surgery clinic and urology clinic from November 2022 to April 2023. All surveys were completed in the office. Patients also answered five feedback questions and 15 questions from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sexual Function and Satisfaction (PROMIS-SexFS) survey as a validated comparator., Results: One hundred patients aged 19-86 years representing an array of racial/ethnic groups, gender identities, and sexuality completed the study. Forms of sexual contact varied widely and included all possible combinations asked by the SHI. Feedback questions were answered favorably in domains of clinical utility, inclusiveness of identity and anatomy, and comprehensiveness of forms of sexual behavior. The SHI captured more positive responses than PROMIS-SexFS in corresponding questions about specific types of sexual activity. The SHI also asks about forms of sexual contact that are not addressed by PROMIS-SexFS, such as penis-to-clitoris., Conclusions: SHI is an inclusive, patient-directed tool to aid sexual history taking without cisnormative or heteronormative biases. The form was well received by a diverse group of participants and can be considered for use in the clinical setting., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article. Part of this study was completed with a grant from the French Foundation., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and lethal clinical subtype and lacks effective targeted therapies at present. Isobavachalcone (IBC), the main active component of Psoralea corylifolia L., has potential anticancer effects. Herein, we identified IBC as a natural sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) inhibitor and characterized the potential mechanisms underlying the inhibition of TNBC. Molecular dynamics analysis, enzyme activity assay, and cellular thermal shift assay were performed to evaluate the combination of IBC and SIRT2. The therapeutic effects, mechanism, and safety of IBC were analyzed in vitro and in vivo using cellular and xenograft models. IBC effectively inhibited SIRT2 enzyme activity with an IC 50 value of 0.84 ± 0.22 μM by forming hydrogen bonds with VAL233 and ALA135 within its catalytic domain. In the cellular environment, IBC bound to and stabilized SIRT2, consequently inhibiting cellular proliferation and migration, and inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by disrupting the SIRT2/α-tubulin interaction and inhibiting the downstream Snail/MMP and STAT3/c-Myc pathways. In the in vivo model, 30 mg/kg IBC markedly inhibited tumor growth by targeting the SIRT2/α-tubulin interaction. Furthermore, IBC exerted its effects by inducing apoptosis in tumor tissues and was well-tolerated. IBC alleviated TNBC by targeting SIRT2 and triggering the reactive oxygen species ROS/β-catenin/CDK2 axis. It is a promising natural lead compound for future development of SIRT2-targeting drugs., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: Weight cycling is a phenomenon characterized by fluctuating body weight that is commonly observed in individuals employing intentional weight loss methods. Despite its prevalence, the impact of weight cycling on health remains equivocal. The current investigation aimed to examine the effects of weight cycling on liver health., Methods: The weight cycling model was established by switching the feeding method of mice between ad libitum (AL) and restricted intake (DR or 60% of AL) of the breeding diet to cause weight gain and weight loss, respectively. The weight cycling model comprised two and a half cycles, with one group terminating the experience during the weight-gain period (S-AL) and the other during the weight-loss period (S-DR). Liver tissue was collected to investigate morphology alterations, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial homeostasis., Results: The results demonstrated that the termination point of weight cycling affected body weight and hepatic steatosis. All parameters examined in the S-DR mice exhibited a comparable trend to those observed in the DR mice. Notably, S-AL mice showed a significant increase in lipid metabolism-related proteins in the liver compared to AL-fed mice, along with reduced lipid droplets. Moreover, hepatic apoptosis and fibrosis were exacerbated in the S-AL mice compared to AL mice, whereas mitochondrial fusion, biogenesis, and mitophagy were decreased in the S-AL mice., Conclusion: Weight cycling ending in weight gain exacerbated hepatic fibrosis, potentially by inducing apoptosis or disrupting mitochondrial homeostasis. Conversely, weight cycling ending in weight loss demonstrated beneficial effects on hepatic health., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Objective: To compare clinically significant prostate cancer detection with TP-TBx utilizing software vs cognitive fusion. It is established that MRI prior to prostate biopsy improves detection of clinically significant cancer (csPCa, Grade Group ≥2). MRI/US fusion targeted biopsy via a transperineal approach (TP-TBx) is increasing in utilization due to the clean percutaneous approach that greatly reduces postbiopsy infection. However, the comparative effectiveness of formal software fusion over cognitive fusion remains under studied., Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective multicenter study from June 2020 to July 2022 including age, race, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, PI-RADS, lesion size(s), number of cores sampled, indication (elevated PSA, prior negative, active surveillance) and anesthesia type. Surgeon preference determined use of cognitive (PrecisionPoint) vs software fusion techniques. Multivariable logistic regression determined factors associated with TP-TBx detection of csPCa., Results: We identified 490 patients (201 cognitive, 289 software fusion) who underwent TP-TBx. Patient age, PSA, number of targets, and PI-RADS were similar (all P > .05). Software fusion TP-TBx had 4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3-5] more (estimated median difference) systematic cores sampled. csPCa was detected in 44% of all patients. In adjusted analysis, cognitive vs software fusion was similar in detection of csPCa (odds ratio 1.46, 95% CI 0.82-2.58)., Conclusion: Cognitive vs software fusion TP-TBx has similar csPCa detection, despite fewer systematic cores taken with cognitive fusion. The expense, additional time requirement, and similar outcomes of software fusion platforms confers higher value to cognitive TP-Bx., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of gender-affirming phalloplasty and postoperative complications in a large population-based dataset., Methods: Retrospective cohort study was done using the California Department of Health Care Access and Information datasets which include patient-level data from all licensed hospitals, emergency departments, and ambulatory surgery facilities in California. Adult patients 18 years or older undergoing gender-affirming phalloplasty in California from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019 were included. We examined phalloplasty-related complications using International Classification of Disease diagnosis and procedure codes and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Unique record linkage number identifiers were used to follow patients longitudinally. Statistical analysis included Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis., Results: We identified 766 patients who underwent gender-affirming phalloplasty in 23 facilities. Of 475 patients with record linkage numbers, 253 (55.3%) had subsequent re-presentations to the inpatient, emergency department, and ambulatory surgery settings related to phalloplasty complications. Survival analysis indicated that 50% of patients re-presented by 1year post-phalloplasty. Asian/Pacific Islander patients had lower risk of complications, and California residents had higher risk of complications., Conclusion: This population-based study confirms that gender-affirming phalloplasty has a high complication rate, and demonstrates for the first time an association with high rates of return to hospitals, emergency departments, and ambulatory surgery centers. These findings provide additional higher-level evidence that may aid patient counseling, shared surgical decision-making, and institutional and government policy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have no conflict of interest to report., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: There is insufficient evidence on the oncologic risks of testosterone therapy for men with prostate cancer managed with active surveillance. We carried out a retrospective study to assess the effect of testosterone therapy on oncologic outcomes for men on active surveillance for prostate cancer., Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked data were used to identify men diagnosed with prostate cancer from 2008 to 2017 who were managed with active surveillance and received testosterone ( n  = 167) or no testosterone ( n  = 6658) therapy. Outcomes included conversion from active surveillance to active treatment (radical prostatectomy, cryotherapy, radiation, or androgen deprivation therapy), prostate cancer-specific mortality, and overall mortality. Statistically significant factors on univariable analysis were included in a Cox proportional-hazards regression model for multivariable analysis., Key Findings and Limitations: The median age was 71 yr (interquartile range [IQR] 68-74) in the testosterone group and 72 yr (IQR 69-75) in the no-testosterone group, with corresponding median follow-up after prostate cancer diagnosis of 5.2 yr (IQR 3.4-7.8) and 4.7 yr (IQR 3.2-6.9). There were no prostate cancer-specific deaths in the testosterone group and 39 (0.6%) in the no-testosterone group. Testosterone therapy was not associated with conversion to active treatment (hazard ratio [HR] 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-0.97; p  = 0.033) or overall mortality (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.68-1.53; p  > 0.9)., Conclusions and Clinical Implications: In the first population-based, nationally representative study of testosterone therapy for men on active surveillance for prostate cancer, testosterone therapy did not increase the risk of conversion to active therapy or worsen mortality. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings., Patient Summary: For men on active surveillance for prostate cancer, we assessed the effect of testosterone therapy. We found that testosterone therapy did not increase the risk of proceeding to active therapy or of death from prostate cancer., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Count Me In (CMI) was launched in 2015 as a patient-driven research initiative aimed at accelerating the study of cancer genomics through direct participant engagement, electronic consent and open-access data sharing. It is an example of a large-scale direct-to-patient (DTP) research project which has since enrolled thousands of individuals. Within the broad scope of 'citizen science', DTP genomics research is defined here as a specific form of 'top-down' research endeavour developed and overseen by institutions within the traditional human subjects research context; in novel ways, it engages and recruits patients with defined diseases, consents them for medical information and biospecimens sharing, and stores and disseminates genomic information. Importantly, these projects simultaneously aim to empower participants in the research process while increasing sample size, particularly in rare disease states. Using CMI as a case study, this paper discusses how DTP genomics research raises new questions in the context of traditional human subjects research ethics, including issues surrounding participant selection, remote consent, privacy and return of results. It aims to demonstrate how current research ethics frameworks may be insufficient in this context, and that institutions, institutional review boards and investigators should be aware of these gaps and their role in ensuring the conduct of ethical, novel forms of research together with participants. Ultimately, a broader question is raised of whether the rhetoric of participatory genomics research advocates for an ethic of personal and social duty for contributing to the advancement of generalisable knowledge about health and disease., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: Historically, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy is accompanied by an inpatient hospital admission. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a transition to same-day discharge robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy in some centers to free up critically needed inpatient beds. This study aims to compare complications, total health care costs, and patient satisfaction for same-day discharge vs inpatient robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy., Materials and Methods: We compared 392 consecutive robotic-assisted radical prostatectomies performed as same-day discharge (n = 206) vs inpatient (n = 186) from February 2020 to November 2022 at 2 academic medical centers. We utilized propensity score analysis to assess the impact of same-day discharge vs inpatient robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy on 30-day complications (primary outcome). Time-driven activity-based costing analysis was applied to compare total costs of robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy care, and we administered a validated Patient Satisfaction Outcome Questionnaire to compare satisfaction scores., Results: Inpatient robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy patients were more likely to be older, self-reported Black race or Hispanic ethnicity, and have higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification. Complication rates were nonsignificantly lower for same-day discharge vs inpatient robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.35 to 2.21; P = .8). Same-day discharge vs inpatient robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy demonstrated a $2106 (19%) overall cost reduction. Median satisfaction survey scores were similar, and a clinically significant difference can be excluded., Conclusions: Same-day discharge robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy is cost-effective and should be the preferred approach in appropriately selected patients.

Objective: To determine surgical outcomes in a large of cohort men undergoing robotic-assisted posterior urethroplasty (RPU), which has been described in small series as a viable option., Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all 105 men who underwent RPU from October 2014 to August 2022 at a single institution. We evaluated postoperative outcomes, including complications; surgical success defined as no need for reintervention; and incontinence requiring artificial urinary sphincter placement. We performed descriptive statistics and chi-square testing to determine if outcomes were associated with certain posterior urethral disease etiologies., Results: Mean follow-up time was 18.7months. Over half of patients (57.1%) received prior pelvic radiation. The most common reconstructive techniques were excision and primary anastomosis (n = 45, 30.0%), resitting of the bladder neck (n = 26, 24.8%), Y-V plasty (n = 21, 20.0%), and buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty (n = 14, 13.3%). Forty-one patients (39.0%) required a combined abdominoperineal approach. Seven patients (6.7%) had ≥CD grade 3 complications within 30days. Thirty patients (28.6%) developed incontinence with subsequent artificial urinary sphincter placement. One-quarter (24.8%) of patients required at least one subsequent surgical reintervention., Conclusion: In the largest RPU cohort to date, surgical success rates were similar and continence rates were improved compared to open surgery and align with existing robotic series, adding to the growing body of evidence demonstrating advantages of RPU., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None declared.

Liver fibrosis is one of the most common and highly prevalent chronic liver diseases caused by multiple pathogenic factors, and there is still no effective therapeutic drugs up to now. The activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) are the main executor in liver fibrosis, and the autophagy plays a key role in the proliferation and differentiation of aHSCs, which promotes the development of liver fibrosis. However, autophagy has the opposite effect on the different kinds of liver cells in the development of liver fibrosis, and the clinical treatment has been limited by the poor selectivity and inefficient drug delivery to aHSCs. Therefore, in this study, a liposome (Lip) and exosome (Exo) two-membrane hybrid nanobiomimetic delivery system HCQ@VA-Lip-Exo was designed, which was modified by vitamin A (VA) to target the aHSCs and carried the autophagy inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). The experimental results in vitro and in vivo revealed that the constructed aHSC-targeted hybrid delivery system HCQ@VA-Lip-Exo combined with the benefits of HCQ and exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. HCQ@VA-Lip-Exo had good aHSC-targeted delivery ability, effective autophagy inhibition, and synergistical anti-liver fibrosis performance, thus reducing the production and deposition of the extracellular matrix to inhibit the liver fibrosis. This combined strategy provided a potential idea for the construction and clinical application of a two-membrane hybrid delivery system as an effective targeted therapy of liver fibrosis.

Purpose: We sought to determine whether preoperative stricture length measurement affected the choice of procedure performed, its correlation to intraoperative stricture length, and postoperative outcomes., Methods: The Collaborative of Reconstructive Robotic Ureteral Surgery (CORRUS) database was queried for patients undergoing robotic ureteral reconstructive surgery from 2013 to 2021 who had surgical stricture length measurement. From this cohort, we identified patients with and without preoperative stricture length measurement via retrograde pyelogram or antegrade nephrostogram. Outcomes evaluated included intraoperative complications, 30-day complications greater than Clavien-Dindo grade II, hardware-free status, and need for additional procedures., Results: Of 153 patients with surgical stricture length measurements, 102 (66.7%) had preoperative radiographic measurement. No repair type was more likely to have preoperative measurement. The Pearson correlation coefficient between surgical and radiographic stricture length measurements was + 0.79. The average surgical measurement was 0.71 cm (± 1.52) longer than radiographic assessment. Those with preoperative imaging waited on average 5.0 months longer for surgery, but this finding was not statistically significant (p = 0.18). There was no statistically significant difference in intraoperative complications, 30-day complication rates, hardware-free status at last follow-up, or need for additional procedures between patients with and without preoperative measurement. The only significant predictive factor was preoperative stricture length on 30-day postoperative complications., Conclusions: Despite relatively high prevalence of preoperative radiographic stricture length measurement, there are few measures where it offers clinically meaningful diagnostic information towards the definitive surgical management of ureteral stricture disease., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Practice patterns around the use of urodynamic evaluation (UDS) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery are largely undefined. As such, we investigated factors associated with the use of UDS for BPH., Methods: We used American Board of Urology case log data from 2008 to 2020, to compare patient- and surgeon-sided factors associated with UDS utilization and BPH surgeries. We performed logistic regression models to identify factors independently associated with UDS usage for BPH., Results: Among urologists performing UDS, the majority (80%) self-identified as general urologists and practiced in a private practice group (69%). Compared with urologists who performed no UDS, urologists who performed any UDS for BPH were more likely to be from the Mid-Atlantic (20.3% vs. 10.6%, p < 0.01) and practice in regions with populations of >1 000 000 (34.7% vs. 28.5%, p < 0.01). Overall, UDS utilization declined over time (odds ratio [OR]: 0.95 year-to-year, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-0.99). In adjusted analyses, the odds of performing UDS was higher among male (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.17-4.09), older (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03-1.06), and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery subspecialty (OR: 3.23, 95% CI: 2.01-5.2) urologists. Additionally, performing UDS for BPH was associated with higher BPH surgical case volume (OR: 1.004, 95% CI: 1.001-1.008)., Conclusion: There is a significant practice variation in use of UDS for BPH. Although overall BPH surgeries are increasing, urologists are increasingly less likely to perform UDS for BPH. Specifically, urologists who perform UDS have significantly higher BPH case volume than those who do not perform UDS, suggesting that UDS usage may not factor into BPH surgery decision-making., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Since the US Food and Drug Administration first approved robotic surgery for clinical use in 2000, it has gained widespread adoption across multiple surgical domains. While pediatric surgery has had a relatively slower adoption rate, robotic surgery has nonetheless grown in this context. This work traces the historical and regulatory aspects of pediatric robotic surgery, showing how it incorporated an existing robotic surgical system developed for adults; situates the technology within ethical frameworks for analyzing surgical innovation; and advocates for combined surgeon self-regulation and institutional oversight. Finally, the argument is made that there are key unmet technological needs pertaining to instrument size and adaptability secondary to pediatric robotic surgery's smaller market share and that clinicians and producers of robotic surgical systems should work to address these needs., (Copyright 2023 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.)

Purpose: Multimodal therapy has improved survival in genitourinary rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare pediatric cancer. However, little is reported regarding postoperative complications and long-term urinary and sexual function and quality of life., Materials and Methods: We reviewed records from 1970-2018 to identify patients with genitourinary rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder, prostate, pelvis, vagina, and uterus. We assessed modes of therapy, and if surgical, the type of resection, reconstruction, and reoperation. Primary outcomes included urinary continence, urinary tract infection occurrence, and stone formation. We also surveyed patients older than 18 years for urinary and sexual function., Results: Fifty-one patients were identified for the post-treatment outcomes cohort. All received chemotherapy, 46 (90.2%) underwent surgery, and 34 (67%) received radiation. Twenty-nine patients (56.9%) received trimodal therapy, 17 (33.3%) received chemotherapy/surgery, and 5 (9.8%) received chemotherapy/radiation. Twenty-six had up-front radical surgery (with staged continence mechanism creation); these patients had higher rates of continence, similar rates of urinary tract infection, and higher rates of stone formation compared to those who were organ-spared. A third (4/12) of organ-spared patients underwent additional corrective surgery. Thirty patients with genitourinary rhabdomyosarcoma were surveyed and 14 responded to questionnaires. Overall, urinary complaints were mild, but both male and female respondents reported significant sexual dysfunction., Conclusions: Organ-sparing treatment was more likely to predispose patients to high rates of additional reconstructive surgery due to compromised urological function. In survey results, both men and women reported poor sexual function, but the majority of patients remained satisfied with their urinary function.

Background: Expert consensus recommends treatment of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-visible prostate cancer (PCa). Outcomes of partial-gland ablation (PGA) for MRI-invisible PCa remain unknown., Objective: To compare recurrence-free survival, adverse events, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes following cryoablation of MRI-visible vs invisible PCa., Design Setting and Participants: We analyzed data for 75 men who underwent cryoablation therapy between January 2017 and January 2022. PCa identified on MRI-targeted and/or adjacent systematic biopsy cores was defined as MRI-visible, whereas PCa identified on systematic biopsy beyond the targeted zone was defined as MRI-invisible., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: The primary outcome was recurrence at 12 mo after PGA, defined as the presence of clinically significant PCa (grade group [GG] ≥2) on surveillance biopsy. Adverse events were captured using the Clavien-Dindo classification and HRQoL was captured using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index-Clinical Practice (EPIC-CP) tool., Results and Limitations: Of the 58 men treated for MRI-visible and 17 treated for MRI-invisible lesions, 51 (88%) and 16 (94%), respectively, had at least one surveillance biopsy performed. There were no statistically significant differences in age, race, body mass index, biopsy GG, prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume, or treatment extent between the MRI-visible and MRI-invisible groups. Median follow-up was 44 mo (interquartile range 17-54) and did not significantly differ between the groups. The recurrence rate at 12 mo did not significantly differ between the groups (MRI-visible 39%, MRI-invisible 19%; p  = 0.2), and log-rank survival analysis demonstrated no significant difference in recurrence-free survival ( p  = 0.15). Adverse event rates did not significantly differ (MRI-visible 29%, MRI-invisible 53%; p  = 0.092); no man in the MRI-visible group had a Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III complication, while one subject in the MRI-invisible group had a Clavien-Dindo grade III complication. Median EPIC-CP urinary and sexual function scores were similar for the two groups at baseline and at 12 mo after PGA. Study limitations include the retrospective design and small sample size., Conclusions: We observed similar cancer control, adverse event, and HRQoL outcomes for MRI-visible versus MRI-invisible PCa in the first comparison of partial-gland cryoablation. Longer follow-up and external validation of our findings are needed to inform patient selection for PGA for MRI-invisible PCa., Patient Summary: Patients with prostate cancer lesions that are not visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans who undergo partial gland ablation may have similar treatment outcomes compared to patients with cancer lesions that are visible on MRI., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Introduction: Approximately one million prostate biopsies are performed annually in the USA, and most are performed using a transrectal approach under local anaesthesia. The risk of postbiopsy infection is increasing due to increasing antibiotic resistance of rectal flora. Single-centre studies suggest that a clean, percutaneous transperineal approach to prostate biopsy may have a lower risk of infection. To date, there is no high-level evidence comparing transperineal versus transrectal prostate biopsy. We hypothesise that transperineal versus transrectal prostate biopsy under local anaesthesia has a significantly lower risk of infection, similar pain/discomfort levels and comparable detection of non-low-grade prostate cancer., Methods and Analysis: We will perform a multicentre, prospective randomised clinical trial to compare transperineal versus transrectal prostate biopsy for elevated prostate-specific antigen in the first biopsy, prior negative biopsy and active surveillance biopsy setting. Prostate MRI will be performed prior to biopsy, and targeted biopsy will be conducted for suspicious MRI lesions in addition to systematic biopsy (12 cores). Approximately 1700 men will be recruited and randomised in a 1:1 ratio to transperineal versus transrectal biopsy. A streamlined design to collect data and to determine trial eligibility along with the two-stage consent process will be used to facilitate subject recruitment and retention. The primary outcome is postbiopsy infection, and secondary outcomes include other adverse events (bleeding, urinary retention), pain/discomfort/anxiety and critically, detection of non-low-grade (grade group ≥2) prostate cancer., Ethics and Dissemination: The Institutional Review Board of the Biomedical Research Alliance of New York approved the research protocol (protocol number #18-02-365, approved 20 April 2020). The results of the trial will be presented at scientific conferences and published in peer-reviewed medical journals., Trial Registration Number: NCT04815876., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: To use American Board of Urology (ABU) case log data to elucidate practice patterns for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery. Several surgical modalities have been introduced in recent decades causing significant practice variation., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed ABU case logs from 2008-2021 to assess trends in BPH surgery. We created logistic regression models to identify surgeon-sided factors associated with utilization of each surgical modality., Results: We identified 6,632 urologists who logged 73,884 surgeries for BPH. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was the most commonly performed BPH surgery in all but 1 year, and odds of performing a TURP increased year-over-year (OR 1.055, 95% CI [1.013,1.098], P = .010). The use of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) did not change over time. HoLEP was more likely to be performed by urologists with higher BPH surgical volume (OR 1.017, CI [1.013, 1.021], P < .001) and with endourology subspecialization (OR 2.410, CI [1.45, 4.01], P = .001). Prostatic urethral lift (PUL) utilization increased significantly since its introduction in 2015 (OR 1.663, CI [1.540, 1.796], P < .001). PUL currently comprises over one third of all BPH surgeries logged., Conclusion: In the face of newer technologies, TURP remains the most common surgery for BPH in the United States. PUL has been rapidly adopted while HoLEP comprises a consistent minority of cases. Surgeon age, patient age, and urologist subspecialization were associated with use of certain BPH surgical approaches., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The efficient sensing of amino acids, especially the distinction of their chiral enantiomers, is important for biological, chemical, and pharmaceutical research. In this work, a THz phase shift sensing method was performed for amino acid detection based on a polarization-dependent electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) metasurface. More importantly, a method for binding the specific amino acids to the functional proteins modified on the metasurface was developed based on the isoelectric point theory so that the specific recognition for Arginine (Arg) was achieved among the four different amino acids. The results show that via high- Q phase shift, the detection precision for L-Arg is 2.5 × 10 -5  g /ml, much higher than traditional sensing parameters. Due to the specific electrostatic adsorption by the functionalized metasurface to L-Arg, its detection sensitivity and precision are 22 times higher than the other amino acids. Furthermore, by comparing nonfunctionalized and functionalized metasurfaces, the D- and L-chiral enantiomers of Arg were distinguished due to their different binding abilities to the functionalized metasurface. Therefore, this EIT metasurface sensor and its specific binding method improve both detection precision and specificity in THz sensing for amino acids, and it will promote the development of THz highly sensitive detection of chiral enantiomers., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement.)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induces electric fields that depolarise or hyperpolarise neurons. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a patterned form of TMS that is delivered at the theta frequency (~5 Hz), induces neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, a brain region that is implicated in memory and learning. One form of plasticity that is unique to the hippocampus is adult neurogenesis; however, little is known about whether TMS or iTBS in particular affects newborn neurons. Here, we therefore applied repeated sessions of iTBS to male and female mice and measured the extent of adult neurogenesis and the morphological features of immature neurons. We found that repeated sessions of iTBS did not significantly increase the amount of neurogenesis or affect the gross dendritic morphology of new neurons, and there were no sex differences in neurogenesis rates or aspects of afferent morphology. In contrast, efferent properties of newborn neurons varied as a function of sex and stimulation. Chronic iTBS increased the size of mossy fibre terminals, which synapse onto Cornu Ammonis 3 (CA3) pyramidal neurons, but only in males. iTBS also increased the number of terminal-associated filopodia, putative synapses onto inhibitory interneurons but only in male mice. This efferent plasticity could result from a general trophic effect, or it could reflect accelerated maturation of immature neurons. Given the important role of mossy fibre synapses in hippocampal learning, our results identify a neurobiological effect of iTBS that might be associated with sex-specific changes in cognition., (© 2022 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

As the kidneys age, gradual changes in the structures and functions of mitochondria occur. Dietary restriction (DR) can play a protective role in ageing-associated renal decline, however the exact mechanisms involved are still unclear. This study aims to clarify the beneficial effects of long-term DR on renal ageing and to explore the potential mechanisms of mitochondrial homeostasis. Eight-week-old C57BL/6 male mice (n = 30) were randomly divided into three groups, Young-AL (AL, ad libitum), Aged-AL, and Aged-DR (60% intake of AL). Mice were sacrificed at age of 7 months (Young) or 22 months (Aged). Heavier body and kidney weights were associated with ageing, but DR reduced these increases in aged mice. Ageing caused extensive tubulointerstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis in the kidney. Giant mitochondria with looser and irregular crista were observed in Aged-AL kidneys. DR retarded these morphological alterations in aged kidneys. In addition, DR reversed the increase of MDA caused by ageing. Renal ATP level was elevated by DR treatment. Mitochondrial-related proteins were analysed to elucidate this association. Ageing downregulated the renal levels of VDAC, FOXO1, SOD2, LC3I and II, and upregulated the renal levels of MFN2 and PINK1. In contrast, DR elevated the levels of VDAC, FOXO1, and LC3I and reduced the ratio of LC3II to LC3I in aged kidneys. To conclude, impaired mitochondria, increased oxidative stress, and severe fibrosis were noticed in the aged kidneys, and DR improved these changes by increasing functional mitochondria and promoting autophagic clearance., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

As a prescription for treating lung inflammation and intestinal diseases, Xuanbai Chengqi Decoction (XBCQD) in clinical practice can effectively treat COPD with excessive heat in the lung and fu-organs, which is characterized by phlegm-heat accumulation in the lung and constipation. This study aims to find the potential biomarkers of COPD with excessive heat in the lung and fu-organs from two aspects of lung and intestine based on metabolomics and microbiota analysis, and to evaluate the efficacy of XBCQD as well as to explore the mechanism of drug function according the regulating effect of drugs on these markers. The HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, 16SrDNA technology and multiple statistical methods were used to trace the process of disease and curative effect with XBCQD. Results showed that the onset and development of disease was associated with the imbalance of 41 differential metabolites in plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and feces and 82 bacteria at the levels of phylum, class, order, family and genus from lung and intestine, including Escherichia-Shigella. However, after treatment with XBCQD, 30 differential metabolites mainly involving in the metabolism of linoleic acid, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, biosynthesis of primary bile acids, tryptophan metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism and 65 pulmonary and intestinal bacteria at all levels were reversed in the drug group. In addition, the results of the correlation analysis showed that specific microbiota from lung and intestine and reversed differential metabolites had a significant correlation, and they could affect each other in the course of disease occurrence and treatment. This study preliminarily confirmed that XBCQD can be used to treat COPD with excessive heat in the lung and fu-organs through lung-intestine simultaneous treatment. It also provided new strategies for the treatment of lung diseases or intestinal diseases, and new research ideas for the evaluation of drug efficacy., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tumoral calcinosis (TC) is a rare disease characterized by periarticular soft tissue calcification. Some cases were reported in Africa and the Middle East. We report an 11-year-old Chinese girl presenting with recurrent multiple subcutaneous masses around the right elbow and hip regions. Although we found abnormalities in FGF23, a protein associated with phosphate metabolism, no positive results were observed in gene sequencing and analysis. The imaging features, laboratory examination, and pathology results confirmed our diagnosis. By using oral phosphorus-lowering drugs (acetazolamide) combined with complete surgical excision, good results were achieved, and no recurrence was reported during the follow-up of 18 months. We report a case of primary hyperphosphatemic TC. The combined use of oral phosphorus-lowering drugs (acetazolamide) and complete surgical excision produced good results, and no recurrence was reported during the follow-up of 18 months., (© 2021. International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury is the main cause of increased mortality and disability in cardiovascular diseases. The injury involves many pathological processes, such as oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis imbalance, inflammation, and energy metabolism disorders, and these pathological stimuli can activate endoplasmic reticulum stress. In the early stage of ischemia, endoplasmic reticulum stress alleviates the injury as an adaptive survival response, but the long-term stress on endoplasmic reticulum amplifies oxidative stress, inflammation, and calcium overload to accelerate cell damage and apoptosis. Therefore, regulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress may be a mechanism to improve ischemia/reperfusion injury. Chinese herbal medicine has a long history of clinical application and unique advantages in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases. This review focuses on the effect of Chinese herbal medicine on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury from the perspective of regulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress., Competing Interests: All the authors claim no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this review., (Copyright © 2021 Wu-Lin Liang et al.)

Angiogenesis is the process of growing endothelial capillary cells. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that are rich in miRNAs. Studies have shown that exosomes can carry communication between cells and various tissues by delivering miRNAs to their target organs and cells. It has been repeatedly proven that miRNAs regulate the expression of growth factors and other proteins in endothelial cells through paracrine signalling and participate in the physiological and pathological processes of angiogenesis. In the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, exosome-derived microRNAs can play important roles as biomarkers and drug carriers. In this review, we introduce the characteristics of miRNAs and exosomes and their interactions. Then, we specifically summarize the exosome-derived miRNAs related to angiogenesis, and we discuss the potential uses of exosome-derived miRNAs for diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases. Graphical abstract., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Hippocampal plasticity is hypothesized to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of depression and the antidepressant effect of medications. One form of plasticity that is unique to the hippocampus and is involved in depression-related behaviors in animal models is adult neurogenesis. While chronic electroconvulsive shock (ECS) strongly promotes neurogenesis, less is known about its acute effects and little is known about the neurogenic effects of other forms of stimulation therapy, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Here, we investigated the time course of acute ECS and rTMS effects on markers of cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus. Mice were subjected to a single session of ECS, 10 Hz rTMS (10-rTMS), or intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Mice in both TMS groups were injected with BrdU 2 days before stimulation to label immature cells. One, 3, or 7 days later, hippocampi were collected and immunostained for BrdU + cells, actively proliferating PCNA + cells, and immature DCX + neurons. Following ECS, mice displayed a transient increase in cell proliferation at 3 days post-stimulation. At 7 days post-stimulation there was an elevation in the number of proliferating neuronal precursor cells (PCNA + DCX +), specifically in the ventral hippocampus. iTBS and rTMS did not alter the number of BrdU + cells, proliferating cells, or immature neurons at any of the post-stimulation time points. Our results suggest that neurostimulation treatments exert different effects on hippocampal neurogenesis, where ECS may have greater neurogenic potential than iTBS and 10-rTMS.

Liver fibrosis refers to the process underlying the development of chronic liver diseases, wherein liver cells are repeatedly destroyed and regenerated, which leads to an excessive deposition and abnormal distribution of the extracellular matrix such as collagen, glycoprotein and proteoglycan in the liver. Liver fibrosis thus constitutes the pathological repair response of the liver to chronic injury. Hepatic fibrosis is a key step in the progression of chronic liver disease to cirrhosis and an important factor affecting the prognosis of chronic liver disease. Further development of liver fibrosis may lead to structural disorders of the liver, nodular regeneration of hepatocytes and the formation of cirrhosis. Hepatic fibrosis is histologically reversible if treated aggressively during this period, but when fibrosis progresses to the stage of cirrhosis, reversal is very difficult, resulting in a poor prognosis. There are many causes of liver fibrosis, including liver injury caused by drugs, viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver, fatty liver and autoimmune disease. The mechanism underlying hepatic fibrosis differs among etiologies. The establishment of an appropriate animal model of liver fibrosis is not only an important basis for the in-depth study of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis but also an important means for clinical experts to select drugs for the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. The present study focused on the modeling methods and fibrosis characteristics of different animal models of liver fibrosis, such as a chemical-induced liver fibrosis model, autoimmune liver fibrosis model, cholestatic liver fibrosis model, alcoholic liver fibrosis model and non-alcoholic liver fibrosis model. In addition, we also summarize the research and application prospects concerning new organoids in liver fibrosis models proposed in recent years. A suitable animal model of liver fibrosis and organoid fibrosis model that closely resemble the physiological state of the human body will provide bases for the in-depth study of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and the development of therapeutic drugs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Bao, Wang, Pan, Zhang, Chen, Xu, Mao and Li.)

The present study explored effects of L -glutamate (Glu) levels on growth, digestive and absorptive capability, and intestinal physical barrier functions of Jian carp ( Cyprinus carpio ). A total of 600 Jian carp (126.40 ± 0.21 g) were randomly distributed into 5 groups with 3 replicates each, fed diets containing graded levels of Glu (53.4 [control], 57.2, 60.6, 68.4, and 83.4 g/kg) for 63 d. Results showed compared with control diet, feed intake and percent weight gain (PWG) in fish fed 83.4 g of Glu/kg diet were increased and feed conversion ratio in fish fed 68.4 g of Glu/kg diet was decreased ( P  < 0.05). Similarly, body crude protein and lipid contents in fish fed 68.4 g of Glu/kg diet were higher ( P  < 0.05). The activities of trypsin and chymotrypsin in the hepatopancreas and intestine, and amylase, alkaline phosphatase (AKP), Na + , K + -ATPase (NKA), and creatine kinase (CK) in intestine were higher in fish fed 68.4 g of Glu/kg diet ( P  < 0.05). Dietary Glu (57.2 to 83.4 g/kg diet) decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO) contents in the intestine ( P  < 0.05). The activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in the hepatopancreas and intestine were higher in fish fed 60.6 and 68.4 g of Glu/kg diets ( P  < 0.05). Intestinal the glutathione reductase (GR) activity and glutathione (GSH) content in fish fed 60.6, 68.4, and 83.4 g of Glu/kg diet were increased ( P  < 0.05). The GPx1a, GST, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) mRNA expressions in the intestine were up-regulated in fish fed 60.6 and 68.4 g of Glu/kg diet ( P  < 0.05). The zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1), occludin1, and claudin3 mRNA expressions were also up-regulated in fish fed 83.4 g of Glu/kg diet ( P  < 0.05). Fish fed 68.4 g of Glu/kg diet had higher levels of claudin 2, claudin7, and protein kinase C (PKC) mRNA ( P  < 0.05). These results indicated that Glu improved fish growth, digestive and absorptive ability, and intestinal physical barrier functions. Based on the quadratic regression analysis of PWG, and MDA of the hepatopancreas and intestine, the optimal dietary Glu levels were estimated to be 81.97, 71.06, and 71.36 g/kg diet, respectively., (© 2020 Chinese Association of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.)

Angiogenesis refers to the formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels, including endothelial progenitor cells differentiation and cytokine regulation. Circular RNAs, a type of non-coding RNA, are a stable and conservative endogenous transcriptional product with a circular structure that is produced by the reverse and scrambled splicing of mRNA precursors. They can be used as microRNA sponges, are involved in transcription and protein translation, and regulate the pathophysiological processes of various diseases. Recent studies have shown that circRNAs can regulate angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial cell function. In this review, we summarize the angiogenic mechanism; the biogenesis, properties and biological function of circRNAs; and their roles in regulating angiogenesis. We also discuss their potential implications for clinical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests, and all authors can confirm the accuracy of this statement., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To investigate the role of the pannexin-1 (Panx1) protein in the invasion and migration of testicular cancer Tcam-2 cells and its possible action mechanism., Methods: Tcam-2 cells were treated with carbenoxolone (CBX) at 100 μmol/L and probenecid (PBN) 200 μmol/L. Then the intercellular fluorescence transmission was assessed by real-time fluorescence assay, the extracellular ATP concentration measured by chemi-luminescence immunoassay, the invasive and migratory abilities of the Tcam-2 cells detected by Transwell assay, and the expressions of the proteins Panx1, p-ERK1/2, ERK1/2, vimentin, MMP-9 and E-cadherin in the TM3 Leydig cells and testicular cancer Tcam-2 cells determined by Western blot., Results: Western blot showed that the expression of the Panx1 protein was significantly higher in the testicular cancer Tcam-2 cells than in the TM3 Leydig cells (2.79 ± 0.17 vs 1.00 ± 0.06, P<0.05). The rates of intercellular fluorescence transmission in the Tcam-2 cells treated with CBX and PBN were markedly decreased as compared with the blank control group (［61.54 ± 3.30］% and ［68.06 ± 4.03］% vs ［99.50 ± 3.12］%, P<0.01), and so were the extracellular ATP concentrations (［57.06 ± 5.80］% and ［56.42 ± 7.70］% vs ［110 ± 8.16］%, P<0.01). The numbers of migrated Tcam-2 cells in the CBX and PBN groups were significantly reduced in comparison with that in the control (11.5 ± 1.11 and 8.25 ± 1.23 vs 331.00 ± 30.80, P<0.05), and so were those of the invaded ones (11.75 ± 3.77 and 11.5 ± 3.5 vs 89.00 ± 13.09, P<0.01). CBX and PBN significantly down-regulated the expression of p-ERK1/2 as compared with that in the blank control group (0.538 ± 0.05 and 0.476 ± 0.02 vs 0.98 ± 0.03, P<0.05), as well as those of vimentin (0.541 ± 0.09 and 0.705 ± 0.07, P<0.01) and MMP-9 (0.439 ± 0.08 and 0.557 ± 0.065, P<0.01) but up-regulated that of E-cadherin (3.896 ± 0.06 and 3.551 ± 0.04, P<0.01)., Conclusions: The Panx1 protein is highly expressed in testicular cancer Tcam-2 cells. CBX and PBN can inhibit the function of the panneixn1 channel and reduce the invasive and migratory abilities of the Tcam-2 cells, which is associated with the decreased expression of the p-ERK1/2 protein.

The hippocampus has been highly implicated in depression symptoms. Recent findings suggest that the expression and susceptibility of depression symptoms are related to the enhanced functioning of the hippocampus. We reasoned that hippocampal engrams, which represent ensembles of neurons with increased activity after memory formation, could underlie some contributions of the hippocampus to depression symptoms. Using the chronic social defeat stress model, we examined social defeat-related hippocampal engrams in mice that are either susceptible or resilient to the stressor. TetTag mice were used to label social defeat-related hippocampal ensembles by LacZ. Engram cells correspond to ensembles that were reactivated by the same stressor. Compared with resilient and nonstressed control mice, susceptible mice exhibited a higher reactivation of social defeat-related LacZ-labeled cells (i.e., engram cells) in both the dorsal and ventral hippocampal CA1 regions. The density of CA1 engram cells correlated with the level of social avoidance. Using DREADD and optogenetic approaches to activate and inactivate social defeat-related CA1 engram cells enhanced and suppressed social avoidance, respectively. Increased engram cells in susceptible mice could not be found in the dentate gyrus. Susceptible mice exhibited more negative stimuli-related, but not neutral stimuli-related, CA1 engram cells than resilient mice in the dorsal hippocampus. Finally, chronic, but not a short and subthreshold, social defeat protocol was necessary to increase CA1 engram cell density. The susceptibility to chronic social defeat stress is regulated by hippocampal CA1 engrams for negative memory. Hippocampal negative memory engrams may underlie the vulnerability and expression of cognitive symptoms in depression. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We provided evidence that negative memory hippocampal engrams contribute to the susceptibility to developing depression-related behavior after chronic social defeat stress. The activation of positive memory engrams has been shown to alleviate depression-related behaviors, while our findings reveal the pathological roles of negative memory engrams that could lead to those behaviors. Increased negative memory engrams could be a downstream effect of the reported high hippocampal activity in animal models and patients with depression. Unlike affective symptoms, we know much less about the cellular mechanisms of the cognitive symptoms of depression. Given the crucial roles of hippocampal engrams in memory formation, enhanced reactivation of negative memory engrams could be an important cellular mechanism that underlies the cognitive symptoms of depression., (Copyright © 2019 the authors.)

This work reports the in vivo uptake and translocation of PNPs in the one-year grown terrestrial plant, Murraya exotica ( M. exotica), as investigated by two-photon excitation and time-resolved (TPE-TR) optical imaging with a large field of view (FOV, 32 × 32 mm 2 ) in a noninvasive and real-time manner. The PNPs (⟨ R h ⟩ = 12 ± 4.5 nm) synthesized from poly(styrene- co-maleic anhydride) (SMA) were Eu-luminescence labeled (λ L ≈ 617 nm). On exposing the roots of living M. exotica plants to the colloidal suspension of SMA PNPs at different concentrations, the spatiotemporal evolution of SMA PNPs along plant stems (60 mm in length) were monitored by TPE-TR imaging, which rendered rich information on the uptake and translocation of PNPs without any interference from the autofluorescence of the plant tissues. The TPE-TR imaging combined with the high-resolution anatomy revealed an intercell-wall route in the lignified epidermis of M. exotica plants for SMA PNP uptake and translocation, as well as the similar accumulation kinetics at different positions along the plant stems. We modeled the accumulation kinetics with Gaussian distribution to account for the trapping probability of a SMA PNP by the lignified cell walls, allowing the statistical parameters, the average trapping time ( t m ) and its variance (σ), to be derived for the quantification of the PNP accumulation in individual plants. The TPE-TR imaging and the analysis protocols established herein will be helpful in exploring the mechanism of plant-PNP interaction under physiological condition.

In this study, a glutathione S-transferase gene (gst) from sensitive Physarum polycephalum was selected for its ability to detect nanosized TiO 2 (nTiO 2 ) exposure under dark conditions. The concentration of nTiO 2 (25, 40 and 60 nm) for subsequent assays was first determined (5-18 mg ml -1 ) and total GST enzyme activity of P. polycephalum was confirmed to be increased 6-44 fold in groups treated with nTiO 2 . Second, an RNA-seq study was performed to identify candidate gst genes before isolation of an optimum gst gene of P. polycephalum (Ppgst), which encoded 223 amino acids. Third, the transcriptional level of the Ppgst gene was further confirmed to be positively correlated with nTiO 2 exposure within the concentration range of (5-15 mg ml -1 ) by qPCR. In conclusion, these results indicated that the transcriptional level of Ppgst can reflect nTiO 2 exposure, suggesting that it may be employed as a new biomarker for nTiO 2 pollution under dark conditions., Significance and Impact of the Study: This study identifies a new gst gene for indicating nanosized TiO 2 under dark conditions and provides a new option for detection of nanosized TiO 2 pollution under dark conditions., (© 2018 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)