Objective:To explore the learning curve of primary urologists mastering Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate for the treatment of large volume benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Methods:The clinical data of 92 patients with larger volume BPH who received HoLEP performed by a urologist in Beijing Friendship Hospital Pinggu Campus, Capital Medical University were retrospectively reviewed. 92 patients were divided into group A (1-23 cases, n=23), group B (24-46 cases, n=23), group C (47-69 cases, n=23), and group D (70-92 cases, n=23) based on the sequence of surgery. The clinical characteristics, including prostate volume, operation time, enucleation efficiency, indwelling catheter time, decrease value of hemoglobin, intraoperative blood transfusion, perioperative complications, and international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL) score, Qmax, and postvoid residual urine (PVR) at 3 months postoperatively were compared between the four groups. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation ( ± s), one-way analysis of variance was used for comparisons among multiple groups, and t-test was used for comparisons between two groups. Count data were expressed as the cases and percentage, and the Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. Results:There were significant differences among the four groups in terms of operation time [(94.43±8.26) min, (86.39±5.89) min, (70.70±5.64) min, (64.70±4.23) min, P=0.001], enucleation efficiency [(0.90±0.08) mL/min, (1.01±0.07) mL/min, (1.23±0.12) mL/min, (1.34±0.12) mL/min, P=0.001], decrease value of hemoglobin [(25.98±1.39) g/L, (23.27±1.49) g/L, (20.03±1.07) g/L, (18.49±0.96) g/L, P=0.001] and indwelling catheter time [(5.91±1.54) d, (5.35±1.27) d, (3.39±0.72) d, (3.04±0.64) d, P=0.001]. Compared with group C and group D, the operation time was longer, the enucleation efficiency was lower, the decrease value of hemoglobin before and after the operation was higher, and the indwelling catheter time was longer, the above differences were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference between group A and group B, or group C and group D ( P>0.05). Among the 92 patients, only 3 patients received blood transfusion during operation, including 2 patients in group A and 1 patient in group B. 2 patients underwent surgical complications during the perioperative period. Among them, 1 patient suffered bladder wall injury due to improper operation of the tissue pulverizer in group A, and 1 patient developed prostatic capsule perforation in group B. Furthermore, after 56 cases of operation, a primary urologist can perform HoLEP surgery quickly and safely. Conclusion:The learning curve of a primary urologist mastering HoLEP for larger volume (≥ 80 mL) BPH was 56 procedures, and the operation efficiency and safety were significantly improved.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: Recombination events are common and serve as the primary driving force of diverse human adenovirus (HAdV), particularly in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs). Therefore, continual monitoring of these events is essential for effective viral surveillance and control. METHODS: Respiratory specimens were collected from children with ARIs between January 2022 and December 2023. The penton base, hexon, and fiber genes were amplified from HAdV-positive specimens and sequenced to determine the virus type. In cases with inconsistent typing results, genes were cloned into the pGEM-T vector to detect recombination events. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed to characterize the recombinant HAdV genomes. RESULTS: Among 6,771 specimens, 277 (4.09%, 277/6,771) were positvie for HAdV, of which 157 (56.68%, 157/277) were successfully typed, with HAdV-B3 being the dominant type (91.08%, 143/157), and 14 (5.05%, 14/277) exhibited inconsistent typing results, six of which belonged to species B. The penton base genes of these six specimens were classified as HAdV-B7, whereas their hexon and fiber genes were classified as HAdV-B3, resulting in a recombinant genotype designated P7H3F3, which closely resembled HAdV-B114. Additionally, a partial gene encoding L1 52/55 kD was identified, which originated from HAdV-B16. CONCLUSION A novel recombinant, P7H3F3, was identified, containing sequences derived from HAdV-B3 and HAdV-B7, which is similar to HAdV-B114, along with additional sequences from HAdV-B16.
Humans ; Adenoviruses, Human/isolation & purification* ; Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology* ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Recombination, Genetic ; Male ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Infant ; Female ; Phylogeny ; Adenovirus Infections, Human/epidemiology* ; Acute Disease ; Genome, Viral

The AP2/ERF transcription factor family is a class of transcription factors widely present in plants, playing a crucial role in regulating flowering, flower development, flower opening, and flower senescence. Based on transcriptome data from flower, leaf, and stem samples of two Lonicera macranthoides varieties, 117 L. macranthoides AP2/ERF family members were identified, including 14 AP2 subfamily members, 61 ERF subfamily members, 40 DREB subfamily members, and 2 RAV subfamily members. Bioinformatics and differential gene expression analyses were performed using NCBI, ExPASy, SOMPA, and other platforms, and the expression patterns of L. macranthoides AP2/ERF transcription factors were validated via qRT-PCR. The results indicated that the 117 LmAP2/ERF members exhibited both similarities and variations in protein physicochemical properties, AP2 domains, family evolution, and protein functions. Differential gene expression analysis revealed that AP2/ERF transcription factors were primarily differentially expressed in the flowers of the two L. macranthoides varieties, with the differentially expressed genes mainly belonging to the ERF and DREB subfamilies. Further analysis identified three AP2 subfamily genes and two ERF subfamily genes as potential regulators of flower development, two ERF subfamily genes involved in flower opening, and two ERF subfamily genes along with one DREB subfamily gene involved in flower senescence. Based on family evolution and expression analyses, it is speculated that AP2/ERF transcription factors can regulate flower development, opening, and senescence in L. macranthoides, with ERF subfamily genes potentially serving as key regulators of flowering duration. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for further research into the specific functions of the AP2/ERF transcription factor family in L. macranthoides and offer important theoretical insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying floral phenotypic differences among its varieties.
Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Transcription Factors/chemistry* ; Lonicera/classification* ; Flowers/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Multigene Family

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-associated death globally. Liver transplantation (LT) has emerged as a key treatment for patients with HCC, and the Milan criteria have been adopted as the cornerstone of the selection policy. To allow more patients to benefit from LT, a number of expanded criteria have been proposed, many of which use radiologic morphological characteristics with larger and more tumors as surrogates to predict outcomes. Other groups developed indices incorporating biological variables and dynamic markers of response to locoregional treatment. These expanded selection criteria achieved satisfactory results with limited liver supplies. In addition, a number of prognostic models have been developed using clinicopathological characteristics, imaging radiomics features, genetic data, and advanced techniques such as artificial intelligence. These models could improve prognostic estimation, establish surveillance strategies, and bolster long-term outcomes in patients with HCC. In this study, we reviewed the latest findings and achievements regarding the selection criteria and post-transplant prognostic models for LT in patients with HCC.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-associated death globally. Liver transplantation (LT) has emerged as a key treatment for patients with HCC, and the Milan criteria have been adopted as the cornerstone of the selection policy. To allow more patients to benefit from LT, a number of expanded criteria have been proposed, many of which use radiologic morphological characteristics with larger and more tumors as surrogates to predict outcomes. Other groups developed indices incorporating biological variables and dynamic markers of response to locoregional treatment. These expanded selection criteria achieved satisfactory results with limited liver supplies. In addition, a number of prognostic models have been developed using clinicopathological characteristics, imaging radiomics features, genetic data, and advanced techniques such as artificial intelligence. These models could improve prognostic estimation, establish surveillance strategies, and bolster long-term outcomes in patients with HCC. In this study, we reviewed the latest findings and achievements regarding the selection criteria and post-transplant prognostic models for LT in patients with HCC.

This research investigated the contamination level,distribution of drug-resistant strains,and molecular epidemiologi-cal characteristics of Campylobacter,and further explored transmission pathways and prevention strategies.Cecum,chicken carcass,chicken product,and environmental samples,as well as swabs from workers'hands,were collected from a slaughterhouse in a large broiler group in the Jiaodong area between August 2023 and July 2024.Quantitative contamination assessment of Campylobacter in chicken carcasses and chicken products was performed.After microbial mass spectrometry identification,the representative strains of different links were selected for drug resistance testing and whole genome sequencing(WGS).On the basis of the sequencing results,the resistance genes,virulence genes,multilocus sequence typing(MLST),and phylogenetic characteristics of representative strains were analyzed.Homology comparisons were performed between isolates and strains from patients with diarrhea in the NCBI database.A total of 297 Campylobacter strains were isolated from 806 samples,and the overall detection rate was 36.85%.The detection rate of Campylobacter was highest in the evisceration process(47.33%),followed by the cutting process(35.64%).Overall,the Campylo-bacter detection rate first increased,then decreased,and subsequently increased.Drug sensitivity testing revealed that 90 isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin,and 94.97%of isolates were resistant to tetracycline.WGS showed that both Campylo-bacter jejuni(C.jejuni)and Campylobacter coli(C.coli)carried many drug resistance and virulence genes.ST-14176 of C.jejuni was isolated for the first time herein.The predominant ST-8261 strain of C.jejuni and ST-860,ST-829,and ST-1586 strains of C.coli are known to cause human diarrhea.LOS expression genes associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome(GBS)were detected in both C.jejuni isolates from the slaughter chain and patients with GBS.Some strains exhibited close genetic relatedness to human-derived Campylo-bacter strains from the NCBI database.The detection rate of Campylobacter in the slaughterhouse first increased,then decreased,and subsequently increased,and the quantitative contamination level of each link was similar to the detection rate.Quantitative analysis of chicken carcasses/products revealed that the average bacterial load was highest in eviscerated carcasses(102.80 cfu/g),and the high-est amount of Campylobacter in chicken products reached 451.80 cfu/g.Abundant drug resistance genes and virulence genes were iden-tified,and the drug resistance genes were highly correlated with the drug resistance rate.Therefore,surveillance intensity and control measures for Campylobacter in slaughter processes should be strengthened.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-associated death globally. Liver transplantation (LT) has emerged as a key treatment for patients with HCC, and the Milan criteria have been adopted as the cornerstone of the selection policy. To allow more patients to benefit from LT, a number of expanded criteria have been proposed, many of which use radiologic morphological characteristics with larger and more tumors as surrogates to predict outcomes. Other groups developed indices incorporating biological variables and dynamic markers of response to locoregional treatment. These expanded selection criteria achieved satisfactory results with limited liver supplies. In addition, a number of prognostic models have been developed using clinicopathological characteristics, imaging radiomics features, genetic data, and advanced techniques such as artificial intelligence. These models could improve prognostic estimation, establish surveillance strategies, and bolster long-term outcomes in patients with HCC. In this study, we reviewed the latest findings and achievements regarding the selection criteria and post-transplant prognostic models for LT in patients with HCC.

Objective To investigate the relationship between platelet distribution width(PDW)and coronary artery calcification(CAC)in overweight and obese populations.Methods Clinical and chest CT data of 10 838 subjects with overweight or obesity(body mass index[BMI]≥24 kg/m2)were retrospectively analyzed.The subjects were divided into CAC group(n=4 237)and non-CAC group(n=6 601)based on CAC scores obtained from chest CT.The relationship between PDW and CAC in overweight and obese populations was analyzed after controlling confounding variables.A threshold effect analysis was conducted using a two-stage logistic model to find the non-linear inflection point.Subgroup analyses and interaction tests were conducted to validate the stability of the relationship between PDW and CAC.Results Non-linear relationship was observed between PDW and CAC risk in overweight and obese populations.The risk of CAC decreased with the increase of PDW which ≤17.80％(OR=0.82),but increased with the increase of PDW(OR=1.04)which＞17.80％.Subgroup analysis showed that the relationship between PDW and CAC remained stable in subgroups of different genders,BMI(＜28 kg/m2,≥28 kg/m2)and hypertension(all P＞0.05).Compared with aged＜40 years or ≥60 years subgroups,under the same PDW,aged≥40 and＜60 years subgroups had higher risk of CAC(interaction P=0.015).Conclusion Nonlinear relationship existed between PDW and CAC in overweight and obese populations.Both excessively high and low PDW were risk factors of CAC.