Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Child ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous ; enzymology ; etiology ; pathology ; virology ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; pathology ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo measure the levels of urinary prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with or without overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and determine whether urinary PGE2 can serve as a biomarker for BPH-related OAB.

METHODSThis study included 86 BPH patients and 34 male control subjects without lower urinary tract symptoms. Based on the OAB symptom scores (OABSS), the BPH cases were classified as BPH/OAB (n =49) and BPH/non-OAB (n = 37) to be treated orally with tamsulosin alone and tamsulosin + tolterodine-tartrate, respectively, for 12 weeks. We measured the urinary PGE2 levels of all the subjects by ELISA before and after medication, the total PGE2 level normalized to the concentration of the urinary creatinine (PGE2/Cr). We also obtained the residual urine volume, Qmax, prostate volume, PSA level, IPSS and OABSS of the BPH patients, and compared them among different groups.

RESULTSThe baseline PGE2/Cr level was significantly lower in the control than in the BPH/OAB and BPH/non-OAB groups (both P <0.05), and higher in the BPH/OAB than in the BPH/non-OAB patients (P <0.05). After 12 weeks'treatment, the urinary PGE2/Cr level was remarkably decreased with relief of the OAB symptoms in the BPH/OAB patients (P <0.05) , but not in the BPH/non-OAB group (P >0.05). The concentration of PGE2 was not correlated with the IPSS storage score and OABSS of the BPH/OAB patients (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONPatients with BPH/OAB have significantly higher urinary PGE2/Cr levels than those with BPH/non-OAB and normal controls, which tend to decrease with the alleviation of OAB symptoms. Our findings suggest that urinary PGE2 can be a potential biomarker for BPH/OAB.

Aged ; Biomarkers ; urine ; Case-Control Studies ; Dinoprostone ; urine ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; complications ; urine ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive ; complications ; urine

Torpor refers to a state in which the metabolic activity in the body of the living animal is greatly reduced during the period of reduced food supply, which is manifested as a substantial decrease in body temperature, metabolic level, and exercise level. Mammals have a strict body temperature regulation system to maintain a constant body temperature. When the energy supply is insufficient for a long time, some mammals will enter a hibernation state. Torpor is very similar to the hibernation state. The research on the mechanism of torpor state is of great significance in aerospace, military medicine and other fields. This review summarizes the specific mechanisms regulating the occurrence of torpor from four aspects: adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (adcyap) neurons, leptin, pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide (QRFP) neurons, and sympathetic nervous system, aiming to provide ideas for further research on the mechanism of torpor.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of extracapsular cataract extraction and implantation of intraocular lens combined with vitreoretinal surgery by samall incisionto to treat cataract merge vitreoretinal disease.Methods A retrospective study was managed on 18 cases(18eyes). Eyesight and complications after operation was study. Result Follow-up period was from 3 months to 18 months( the 8 months on average). The cases of corrected visual acuity less than 0. 02 was 2 eyes, among 0.02 to 0. 1 was 4 eyes, among 0. 2 to 0.3 was 8 eyes, then more than 0.3 was 4 eyes. The complications of surgery included tunicae uveae reaction, cornea reaction, ocular hypertension, vitreous hemorrhage,retinal detachment. Conclusion Extracapsular cataract extraction and implantation of intraocular lens combined with vitreoretinal surgery by small incision was safe and effective to treat Cataract combined with vitrcoretinal disease. The main factor affected the eyesight retrieval was posterior segment pathology.

Objective To evaluate the value of video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS)for penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries.Methods Under general anaesthesia and double-lumen tracheal intubation,VATS was carried out to examine patients with chest injuries.Those who had mild injuries received VATS combined with mini-incision surgery.Electrocoagulation or suturing was employed to control intraoperative bleeding,and then blood clots were removed.Injured diaphragm muscles were repaired,and organs with hemorrhage or ruptures were sutured or resected.The seriously injured cases underwent open surgery and intra-abdominal exploration instead.Results A total of 18 patients received the operations.Among them,15 patients underwent VATS combined with mini-incision surgery(repair of the diaphragm was performed on 15,controlling intercostal arterial bleeding on 8,repair of the lung on 2,wedge resection of the lung on 2,and coagulated hemothorax removal on 2),the other 3 were converted to open surgery for repairing the diaphragm(3),heart(1),or esophagus(1),or lobectomy(2).Abdominal surgery via the thorax were performed on 13 cases,including repair of the liver in 1,lienectomy in 1,gastrorrhaphy in 1,repair of diaphragmatic hernia in 3,and intra-abdominal exploration in 7.Five patients received open surgery(pancreatic neoplasty in 1,repair of the liver in 1,lienectomy in 1,gastrorrhaphy in 2,and repair of the caul and mesenterium in 3).One patient who had multi-organ penetrating injuries died of hemorrhagic shock,circulatory failure,and DIC after open thoracic and abdominal surgeries.The mean operation time in this series was(125?44)minutes(ranged from 45 to 220),and the mean blood loss was(1089?582)ml(500 to 10 000 ml).Twenty-four hours after the operation,the mean volume of chest drainage was(234?75)ml(100 to 350 ml)in the first 24 hours after the operation.The chest drainage tube was withdrawn 2.5(2 to 5)days postoperation.The patients expelled gas in 1 to 4 days(mean,2 days).Totally,12 patients were followed up for 3 to 12 months(mean,6 months),during which none of them had trauma-related complications.Conclusion VATS combined with mini-incision surgery is safe and effective for patients with thoracoabdominal injuries,if the cases were carefully selected.

Objective To evaluate the outcomes of thoracoscopy-assisted mini-incision procedure in patients with lung cancer.Methods From January 2003 to June 2003,66 patients with non-small cell lung cancer were treated in our hospital by lobectomy combined with mediastinal lymph node resection using thoracoscopy-assisted mini-incision(36 patients,VATS Group)or traditional surgery(30 patients,traditional group).The clinical and follow-up data of the two groups were compared after the operation.Results No significant difference was found in the operation time between the VATS and traditional groups(114.6?47.4)min vs(123.3?43.9)min,t=-0.768,P=0.449],while the postoperative hospital stay of the VATS group was significantly shorter than that in the traditional group (9.2?1.4)d vs(10.5?1.7)d,t=-3.408,P=0.001].Log-rank test showed that the survival curve in the two groups was comparable(?2=0.270,P=0.605).Cox regression model indicated that the pathological characteristics(risk ratio:3.912,P=0.000),TNM stage(risk ratio:3.737,P=0.000),and lymph node metastasis(risk ratio:15.495,P=0.000)were independent,unfavorable prognostic factors for the disease;whereas,no relation was detected between the thoracotomy incision and prognosis(P=0.414).Conclusions Thoracoscopy-assisted mini-incision procedure is a safe and reliable approach for patients with lung cancer with satisfying outcomes.

Point-of-care pulmonary ultrasound is a widely used tool for rapid diagnosis and monitoring treatment in emergency departments and intensive care units.Pulmonary ultrasound has high sensitivity,specificity and diagnostic accuracy in identification of pneumonia,pneumothorax,pulmonary-embolism,pleural effusion,alveolar interstitial syndrome,etc.Besides,it can assess the lung aeration from interstitial syndrome to lung consolidation.Additionally,it provides real-time information of treatment response.Lung ulrasound applications in pulmonary disease were reviewed in this article.

Objective To compare clinical effects of mini-incision pulmonary lobectomy with or without thoracoscopic assistance. Methods A total of 64 patients, in order of precedence of the operation, were divided into two groups according to a random numbers table. The Group A was given thoracoscopy-assisted mini-incision pulmonary lobectomy while the Group B underwent simple mini-incision lobectomy. Results The length of incision was significantly shorter in the Group A (5.3?0.6 cm) than in the Group B (8.9?0.5 cm) (t=-24.360,P=0.000); the intraoperative blood loss in the Group A (279.7?74.0 ml) was significantly less than that in the Group B (331.7?42.5 ml) (t=-3.330,P=0.002); the drainage volume at the first postoperative day was remarkably less in the Group A (162.5?47.4 ml) than in the Group B (202.0?49.2 ml) (t=-3.220,P=0.002). Complications were noted in 5 patients in the Group A and 11 patients in the Group B (?~2=4.099,P=0.043). The Group A presented a significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay (8.0?2.2 d) than the Group B (9.7?1.9 d) (t=-3.280,P=0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in the operating time between the two groups (t=-1.130,P=0.262). A follow-up observation was carried out in 57 patients for 6~12 months. Local recurrence was observed in 1 patient with stage Ⅲa lung squamous carcinoma at 6 months after operation in the Group A, whereas in the Group B, distant metastasis with local recurrence was found in 2 patients with stage Ⅲa small-cell lung carcinoma and in 1 patient with lung adenocarcinoma at 7~8 months after surgery. All the 4 patients died within 1 year. Three patients ended with other diseases unassociated with the surgery. No local recurrence or distant metastasis was found in the remaining 50 patients. Conclusions As compared with simple mini-incision pulmonary lobectomy, thoracoscopy-assisted mini-incision procedure provides less surgical invasion, fewer complications, and quicker postoperative recovery.

Objective To research the feasibility and superiority of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS) in the diagnosis and treatment of thoracic traumas.Methods Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was used in 40 patients with thoracic traumas,including thoracic exploration,repair of pulmonary laceration,and evacuation of clotted hemothorax.[WTHZ]Results All the 40 patients were cured,including simple VATS in 31 patients,thoracoscopy-assisted mini-incision surgery in 8 patients,and conversion to open surgery in 1 patient.The time of operation was 79.9?33.1 min.The amount of blood clots and noncondensing blood cleared was 567.5?177.8 ml.The closed thoracic drainage tube was removed at 24~48 h postoperatively,with a drainage volume of 220?45.6 ml.The length of hospital stay was 4~13 d(mean,8.7 d).The sutured wound healed by first intention in all the patients.No postoperative complications were observed.Follow-up reviews in 35 patients for 6~12 months(mean,8.6?2.6 months) revealed uneventful recovery and no trauma-related complications.Conclusions As compared with conventional open surgery,VATS has shown advantages of exact diagnosis,timely management,little invasion,and quick recovery for patients with thoracic traumas.