OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical application of transurethral steam thermal ablation of the prostate as an ultra-minimally invasive treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: We treated 18 BPH patients by transurethral steam thermal ablation of the prostate in our hospital, and followed them up for 6－12 months after operation. We obtained the IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), IIEF-5 scores, Male Sexual Health Questionnaire-Ejaculatory Dysfunction-Short Form (MSHQ-EjD-SF) scores and quality of life (QOL) scores from the patients and compared them before and after surgery. RESULTS: Operations were successfully completed in all the cases, with no intraoperative complications, and all the patients were discharged on the second day after surgery. At the 6-month follow-up after surgery, the Qmax increased from (10.08 ± 2.06) ml/s before surgery to (7.51 ± 3.21) ml/s, the IPSS decreased from 23.72 ± 1.87 to 8.06 ± 1.39, and the QOL score decreased from 5.11 ± 0.58 before surgery to 1.28 ± 0.46. The differences in these indicators were statistically significant (P<0.05). And these is no significant difference in the MSHQ-EjD-SF and IIEF-5 score(P>0.05). CONCLUSION Transurethral steam thermal ablation of the prostate is a safe, effective and almost non-invasive surgical strategy for the treatment of BPH, with a good prospect of clinical application.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/surgery* ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Steam ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate/methods* ; Quality of Life

Background Mercury, as a global heavy metal pollutant, poses a serious threat to human health. The toxicity of mercury depends on its chemical form. Distinguishing the forms of mercury in the environment is of great significance for mercury management and reducing human mercury exposure risks. Objective To establish a non-targeted metallomics method based on synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SRXRF) spectroscopy combined with machine learning to screen inorganic mercury (IHg) or methylmercury (MeHg) exposed rice plants. Methods Rice seeds were exposed to ultra-pure water (control group), 0.1 mg·L⁻¹ IHg (IHg group) or MeHg (MeHg group) solutions, respectively. After germination, the seedlings were cultured for 21 d, and rice leaves were collected, dried, weighed, and pressed. The content of metallome in rice leaves was determined by SRXRF. Machine learning models including soft independent modeling cluster analysis (SIMCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and logistic regression (LR) were used to classify the SRXRF full spectra of different groups and find the best model to distinguish rice exposed to IHg or MeHg. Besides, characteristic elements were selected as input parameters to optimize the model by improving computing speed and reducing model calculation. Results The SRXRF spectral intensities of the control group, IHg group, and MeHg group were different, indicating that exposure to IHg and MeHg can interfere the homeostasis of metallome in rice leaves. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) of SRXRF spectra showed that the control group could be well distinguished from the mercury exposed groups, but the IHg group and the MeHg group were mostly overlapped. The accuracy rates of the three models (PLS-DA, SIMCA, and LR) were higher than 98% for the training set, higher than 95% for the validation set, and higher than 94% for the cross-validation set. Besides, the accuracy of the LR model was higher than that of the PLS-DA model and the SIMCA model. Furthermore, the accuracy was 92.05% when using characteristic elements K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn selected by LR to distinguish the IHg group and the MeHg group. Compared with the full spectra model, although the prediction accuracy of the characteristic spectral model decreased, the input parameters of the model decreased by 99.51%, and precision, recall, and F1 score were above 84.48%, indicating that the model could distinguish rice exposed to different mercury forms. Conclusion Non-targeted metallomics method based on SRXRF and machine learning can be applied for high-throughput screening of rice exposed to different forms of mercury and thus decrease the risks of people being exposed to mercury.

Purpose::Vibrio vulnificus ( V. Vulnificus) infection is characterized by rapid onset, aggressive progression, and challenging treatment. Bacterial resistance poses a significant challenge for clinical anti-infection treatment and is thus the subject of research. Enhancing host infection tolerance represents a novel infection prevention strategy to improve patient survival. Our team initially identified cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) as an important target owing to its negative modulation of the body's infection tolerance. This study explored the superior effects of the CYP1A1 inhibitor bergamottin compared to antibiotic combination therapy on the survival of mice infected with multidrug-resistant V. Vulnificus and the protection of their vital organs. Methods::An increasing concentration gradient method was used to induce multidrug-resistant V. Vulnificus development. We established a lethal infection model in C57BL/6J male mice and evaluated the effect of bergamottin on mouse survival. A mild infection model was established in C57BL/6J male mice, and the serum levels of creatinine, urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate the effect of bergamottin on liver and kidney function. The morphological changes induced in the presence of bergamottin in mouse organs were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining of liver and kidney tissues. The bacterial growth curve and organ load determination were used to evaluate whether bergamottin has a direct antibacterial effect on multidrug-resistant V. Vulnificus. Quantification of inflammatory factors in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the expression levels of inflammatory factors in liver and kidney tissues by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were performed to evaluate the effect of bergamottin on inflammatory factor levels. Western blot analysis of IκBα, phosphorylated IκBα, p65, and phosphorylated p65 protein expression in liver and kidney tissues and in human hepatocellular carcinomas-2 and human kidney-2 cell lines was used to evaluate the effect of bergamottin on the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway. One-way ANOVA and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results::In mice infected with multidrug-resistant V. Vulnificus, bergamottin prolonged survival ( p = 0.014), reduced the serum creatinine ( p = 0.002), urea nitrogen ( p = 0.030), aspartate aminotransferase ( p = 0.029), and alanine aminotransferase ( p = 0.003) levels, and protected the cellular morphology of liver and kidney tissues. Bergamottin inhibited interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression in serum (IL-1β: p = 0.010, IL-6: p = 0.029, TNF-α: p = 0.025) and inhibited the protein expression of the inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α in liver (IL-1β: p = 0.010, IL-6: p = 0.011, TNF-α: p = 0.037) and kidney (IL-1β: p = 0.016, IL-6: p = 0.011, TNF-α: p = 0.008) tissues. Bergamottin did not affect the proliferation of multidrug-resistant V. Vulnificus or the bacterial load in the mouse peritoneal lavage fluid ( p = 0.225), liver ( p = 0.186), or kidney ( p = 0.637). Conclusion::Bergamottin enhances the tolerance of mice to multidrug-resistant V. Vulnificus infection. This study can serve as a reference and guide the development of novel clinical treatment strategies for V. Vulnificus.

Overweight and obesity have emerged as a significant public health concern globally.While factors such as genetics,diet,and physical activity are insufficient to fully account for the rise in overweight and obesity,recent studies have indicated a link between environmental pollutants and the development of obesity.Microplastics,a novel type of environmental pollutant,are pervasive in various environmental media and daily life,entering organisms through multiple pathways including the digestive tract,respiratory tract,skin,among others.Evidence from studies has revealed the presence of microplastics in human tissues,organs,and biological samples,suggesting potential health risks to humans.This review outlines the pathways and distribution of microplastics within the human body while summarizing current research progress in relation to obesity.This article aims to raise awareness within society regarding the detrimental effects of microplastics and provide a theoretical foundation for medical professionals addressing public health issues.

Objective Tissue uptake and distribution of nano-/microplastics was studied at a single high dose by gavage in vivo.Methods Fluorescent microspheres (100 nm, 3 μm, and 10 μm) were given once at a dose of 200 mg/(kg·body weight). The fluorescence intensity (FI) in observed organs was measured using the IVIS Spectrum at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h after administration. Histopathology was performed to corroborate these findings.Results In the 100 nm group, the FI of the stomach and small intestine were highest at 0.5 h, and the FI of the large intestine, excrement, lung, kidney, liver, and skeletal muscles were highest at 4 h compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the 3 μm group, the FI only increased in the lung at 2 h (P < 0.05). In the 10 μm group, the FI increased in the large intestine and excrement at 2 h, and in the kidney at 4 h (P < 0.05). The presence of nano-/microplastics in tissues was further verified by histopathology. The peak time of nanoplastic absorption in blood was confirmed.Conclusion Nanoplastics translocated rapidly to observed organs/tissues through blood circulation;however, only small amounts of MPs could penetrate the organs.

Objective:To predict the gastrointestinal side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs using healthy murine colon organoids.It aimed to identify safer alternative treatments for patients intolerant to certain chemotherapy regimens and demonstrate the potential clinical ap-plications of organoids in predicting gastrointestinal side effects.Methods:Healthy mouse colonic crypt cells were cultured in 3D.Paraffin sections of colon tissues and organoids were subsequently prepared,followed by haematoxylin and eosinand immunohistochemical staining(CDX2,Ki67,and CK19).The colonic organoids were treated with five chemotherapeutic drugs,and cell activity was assessed to determine their intestinal toxicity.The consistency of the incidence of gastrointestinal side effects observed in this study and in clinical practice were analyzed by comparing the results to the published literature.Results:The histological characteristics of the colon organoids were highly consistent with those of the original colon tissues.The tolerance of normal colon organoids to different chemotherapeutic drugs was vari-able.Capecitabine had the least cytotoxic effect on mouse colon organoids,whereas paclitaxel liposomes showed the strongest cytotoxic ef-fect when IC50 was the only consideration.Considering clinical drug concentrations,a significant difference was observed in the organoid in-hibition rates between albumin paclitaxel and liposomal paclitaxel.Statistical analysis of clinical trial data showed that the incidence of gradeⅢ/Ⅳ diarrhea caused by albumin paclitaxel,epirubicin,capecitabine,and cyclophosphamide was consistent with the corresponding or-ganoid inhibition rates.Conclusions:Combining clinical drug doses,we recommend prioritizing albumin paclitaxel and avoiding the use of liposomal paclitaxel to improve chemotherapy tolerance.This study demonstrates that normal colon organoids can effectively predict the occurrence of severe diarrhea associated with most chemotherapeutic drugs.

Bone organoids can simulate the complex structure and function of the bone tissues, which makes them a frontier technology in organoid researches. Bone organoids show a tremendous potential of applications in bone disease modeling, bone injury repair, and medicine screening. Although advancements have been made so far in constructing bone organoids with functional structures like mineralization, bone marrow, trabecular bone, callus, woven bone, etc, the researches in this field are confronted with numerous challenges such as lack of standardized construction strategies and unified evaluation criteria, which limits their further promotion and application. To standardize researches in bone organoids, the Orthopedic Expert Committee of Geriatric Branch of Chinese Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, the Youth Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Association, the Osteoporosis Group of Orthopedic Surgeon Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and the Osteoporosis Committee of Shanghai Association of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine organized related experts to formulate Expert consensus on the construction, evaluation, and application of bone organoids ( version 2024) based on an evidence-based approach. A total of 17 recommendations were put forth, aiming to standardize researches and clinical applications of bone organoids and enhance their value in scientific research and clinical practice.

Objective:To analyze the equality of health resource allocation in functional areas of Beijing from 2012 to 2022, so as to provide reference for optimizing the allocation of health resources during the 14th Five-Year Plan and long-term planning.Methods:According to the new urban master plan and the functional positioning of the capital, 16 districts in Beijing were divided into 4 functional regions(capital core area, urban functional expansion area, urban development new area, and ecological conservation area). Based on the analysis of permanent population, the levels of health resources in each region and each administrative district were compared, and the equity of health resources was measured by using the Dagum Gini coefficient.Results:In 2022, the Gini coefficients of medical and health resources in Beijing, including the number of beds, number of health technicians, and number of practicing(assistant) physicians, were 0.71, 0.65, and 0.63, respectively, with no significant change compared to 2012. While the Gini coefficient for equipment priced over 10 000 yuan was 0.75, slightly lower than 0.79 in 2012. The differences in resource allocation mainly came from different regions. The Gini coefficient of the above four indicators in the urban functional expansion area was the lowest, followed by the capital core area, and the Gini coefficient of the ecological conservation area was the highest. The Dagum Gini coefficient of the four indicators of urban development new area showed a decreasing trend year by year.Conclusions:In recent years, there has been no significant change in the overall equality of medical and health resource allocation in Beijing. Only the Gini coefficient of urban development new area has shown a downward trend. It is necessary to further promote the fair and reasonable allocation of medical and health resources among functional areas in Beijing.

Mutations in genes encoding amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilins (PSs) cause familial forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder strongly associated with aging. It is currently unknown whether and how AD risks affect early brain development, and to what extent subtle synaptic pathology may occur prior to overt hallmark AD pathology. Transgenic mutant APP/PS1 over-expression mouse lines are key tools for studying the molecular mechanisms of AD pathogenesis. Among these lines, the 5XFAD mice rapidly develop key features of AD pathology and have proven utility in studying amyloid plaque formation and amyloid β (Aβ)-induced neurodegeneration. We reasoned that transgenic mutant APP/PS1 over-expression in 5XFAD mice may lead to neurodevelopmental defects in early cortical neurons, and performed detailed synaptic physiological characterization of layer 5 (L5) neurons from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of 5XFAD and wild-type littermate controls. L5 PFC neurons from 5XFAD mice show early APP/Aβ immunolabeling. Whole-cell patch-clamp recording at an early post-weaning age (P22-30) revealed functional impairments; although 5XFAD PFC-L5 neurons exhibited similar membrane properties, they were intrinsically less excitable. In addition, these neurons received smaller amplitude and frequency of miniature excitatory synaptic inputs. These functional disturbances were further corroborated by decreased dendritic spine density and spine head volumes that indicated impaired synapse maturation. Slice biotinylation followed by Western blot analysis of PFC-L5 tissue revealed that 5XFAD mice showed reduced synaptic AMPA receptor subunit GluA1 and decreased synaptic NMDA receptor subunit GluN2A. Consistent with this, patch-clamp recording of the evoked L23>L5 synaptic responses revealed a reduced AMPA/NMDA receptor current ratio, and an increased level of AMPAR-lacking silent synapses. These results suggest that transgenic mutant forms of APP/PS1 overexpression in 5XFAD mice leads to early developmental defects of cortical circuits, which could contribute to the age-dependent synaptic pathology and neurodegeneration later in life.
Mice ; Animals ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/metabolism* ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/metabolism* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Receptors, AMPA/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

Objective:To explore the feasibility and safety of robotic-assisted living donor left lateral segmentectomy (LDLLS) in a large pediatric liver transplant program.Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed for clinical data of 45 LDLLS donors and recipients from June 2021 to September 2022.Traditional open donor liver resection (n=30) and robotic-assisted segmentectomy (n=15) were performed.Two groups were compared with regards to operative duration, intraoperative hemorrhage, postoperative healing and postoperative complications.SPSS 21.0 was utilized for statistical analysis.Independent sample T, paired sample T, Wilcoxon rank sum and Chi-square tests were performed for examining the inter-group differences.Results:Operative duration of robot-assisted surgery group was substantially longer than that of traditional open surgery group ( P<0.001). Intraoperative blood loss was less in robot-assisted surgery group was less than that in traditional open surgery group[(106.0±39.8) vs.(251.0±144.8) ml, P=0.001]. Postoperative hospital stay of robot-assisted surgery group was shorter than that of traditional open surgery group[6.0(6.0, 6.0) vs.7.0(6.0, 9.0), P<0.05]. Two cases of postoperative biliary leakage were observed in donor of traditional open surgery group.Among 2 cases of abdominal infection, one was due to biliary leakage from liver section and secondary surgery was then performed.One case of incisional infection and another case of thrombosis occurred in donor of traditional open surgery group.In robot-assisted surgery group, only one donor had amylase elevation.In traditional open surgery group, there were one case of local thrombosis in middle hepatic vein and one case of bile duct stricture.No long-term complications occurred in robot-assisted surgery group during a follow-up period of over 6 months.Finally recipient data analysis indicated that no significant inter-group differences existed in operative duration, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay or postoperative abdominal infection ( P=0.634, P=0.180, P=0.86 and P=0.153). Conclusions:Robotic-assisted LDLLS proves to be be a safe and reliable option for living donor segmentectomy.It is superior to conventional LDLLS in terms of shorter hospital stay, less intraoperative blood loss and fewer postoperative complications.