Objective To study the effects of the intelligent hearing-assistive system incorporated in Nuro-tron cochlear implants(CI),including the autonomic acoustic scene recognition(ASR),intelligent strategy config-uration as well as the objective and subjective hearing improvements on recipients.Methods ① To evaluate the per-formance of the ASR matule,in a sound-proof room,the preset five kinds of test audios,including speech,noise,speech in noise,pure music(without human voice)and non-pure Music(with human voice)were played.Each type of scenes included 6 to 9 5 min test files.The prediction accuracy and scene switching times were calculated.② In order to evaluate the noise-reduction performance of the ABeam technology in the speech enhancement module,13 Nurotron? CI recipients were recruited and their speech recognition rate when ABeam was"ON"and"OFF"with noise coming from 90°,180°or 270°were tested,individually.Also,their subjective hearing feedback was evaluated through visual analogue scale(VAS)evaluation.Results The ASR module achieved high prediction performance,with prediction accuracy 99％±4％,96％±9％,94％±12％,94％±15％,92％±13％for speech,noise,noisy speech,pure music and non-pure music,respectively.The scene transation times for each individual scene were 1.1 ±0.3,1.4±0.7,1.3±0.5,1.4±0.8 and 1.3±0.5,indicating that the prediction was also stable.When noise came from the sides and behind of recipients and speech signal from the front,the adaptive dual microphone noise re-duction algorithm ABeam significantly increased the speech recognition score(SRS)in 5 dB signal-to-noise(SNR)environment(P＜0.001),with an average increase of 15.92％.Especially when the noise came from 180 degree backward,the SRS increased 28.68％when ABeam was"0N",which was significantly higher than when ABeam was"OFF"(P＜0.01).Conclusion The intelligent hearing-assistive system can help CI recipients automatically configure appropriate SPSs under different environments,improving the speech intelligibility and hearing comfort.

Lipotoxicity is a pivotal factor that initiates and exacerbates liver injury and is involved in the development of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, there are few reported lipotoxicity inhibitors. Here, we identified a natural anti-lipotoxicity candidate, HN-001, from the marine fungus Aspergillus sp. C1. HN-001 dose- and time- dependently reversed palmitic acid (PA)-induced hepatocyte death. This protection was associated with IRE-1α-mediated XBP-1 splicing inhibition, which resulted in suppression of XBP-1s nuclear translocation and transcriptional regulation. Knockdown of XBP-1s attenuated lipotoxicity, but no additional ameliorative effect of HN-001 on lipotoxicity was observed in XBP-1s knockdown hepatocytes. Notably, the ER stress and lipotoxicity amelioration was associated with PLA2. Both HN-001 and the PLA2 inhibitor MAFP inhibited PLA2 activity, reduced lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) level, subsequently ameliorated lipotoxicity. In contrast, overexpression of PLA2 caused exacerbation of lipotoxicity and weakened the anti-lipotoxic effects of HN-001. Additionally, HN-001 treatment suppressed the downstream pro-apoptotic JNK pathway. In vivo, chronic administration of HN-001 (i.p.) in mice alleviated all manifestations of MAFLD, including hepatic steatosis, liver injury, inflammation, and fibrogenesis. These effects were correlated with PLA2/IRE-1α/XBP-1s axis and JNK signaling suppression. These data indicate that HN-001 has therapeutic potential for MAFLD because it suppresses lipotoxicity, and provide a natural structural basis for developing anti-MAFLD candidates.

Malacoplakia is a rare granuloma disease mainly occurred in the urinary system, it is even rarer for renal malacoplakia invading the descending colon complicated with bladder malacoplakia. In this study, one such case was reported. Imaging examination suggested that the left kidney was a large patchy mixed density shadow, and enhancement scan lesion was uneven enhancement. CT guided renal puncture biopsy was performed, and postoperative pathology suggested renal malacoplakia. Transurethral cystoscopy was performed, and postoperative pathology confirmed that it was malacoplakia of the bladder. The effect of conservative antibiotic treatment was not good. The patient underwent radical nephrectomy + left hemicolectomy under general anesthesia, and postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of renal malacoplakia, which involved the mucosa of the intestinal tube and the entire muscular layer. The patient was followed up for 6 months after surgery, and no recurrence was seen on CT.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS)on sleep disorder in patients with Parkinson's disease(PD).Methods From July 2021 to July 2023,patients with PD and sleep disorders in the Department of Neurosurgery of the Second People's Hospital of Guangdong Province were selected.The enrolled patients were divided into sham stimulation group(n=28)and true stimulation group(tDCS)(n=29)according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.MDS-UPDRS,PDSS and other rating scales were used to evaluate the patients.Before and after tDCS treatment,MS-11 was used for intelligent sleep monitor-ing.The baseline and improvement of sleep disorders in the two groups before and after treatment were analyzed.Results Before tDCS treatment,there was no significant difference in general conditions and scale scores between the two groups(P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in polysomnographic monitoring results between the two groups before treatment(P＞0.05).Compared with pre-treatment,there was no significant difference in sleep monitoring results in the sham stimulation group(P＞0.05),while the sleep duration and sleep efficiency signifi-cantly increased,the nighttime awakening duration,nighttime awakening frequency,MDS-UPDRS-Ⅲ score,and LEDD dose significantly decreased in the true stimulation group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).Conclusion Pharmacological treatment combined with tDCS treatment is effective for sleep disorders and motor function in patients with PD,which could increase the sleep duration and sleep efficiency of PD patients with sleep disorders to a certain extent,reduce the nighttime awakening duration and frequency,thereby improving the fatigue symp-toms during the daytime,and improving the efficacy of conventional pharmacological treatment for PD.

The treatment of inner ear disease is developing towards local drug delivery to avoid drawbacks of systemic approach.The cochlear implants with drug delivery functions,a newly developed method of drug delivery into inner ear for treatment,has become the focus of research in recent years.In this review,we will describe recent advances in characteristics,product developments and applications of different types of drug loaded cochlear implants for local therapy.

Hemangioma of the penile head is rare. This paper reported a patient, 16 years old, who was admitted to hospital due to the discovery of multiple masses on the head of the penis for more than two years. Physical examination showed that three vascular mass-like masses were distributed along the coronal sulcus at the 3, 9, and 12 points of the penile head, and the larger one was about 10 mm×5 mm size, blue-purple, soft, and painless. Ultrasound examination suggested that the patient had a penile head hemangioma. Surgical resection was performed, and the postoperative pathological diagnosis was penile head hemangioma.The follow-up of 3 months showed that the wound healed well without recurrence, and the penile head appearance was not obviously deform.

【Objective】 To investigate whether diosmetin has protective effects on renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice and explore the potential mechanism. 【Methods】 A total of 45 BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into the sham group, I/R group and diosmetin treatment group. The protective effects of diosmetin on the renal function of mice was evaluated by detecting blood biochemical indexes and renal tissue HE staining injury score. The expression of p-P65, a key molecule of NF-κB family, was detected with immunohistochemistry and western blotting, and the downstream inflammatory factors of NF-κB signaling pathway were detected with quantitative polymerace chain reaction (qPCR). 【Results】 Compared with the sham group, the I/R group had significantly increased levels of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen, significantly damaged morphological construction, and significantly increased expressions of p-P65 and inflammatory cytokines, while the diosmetin treatment group had decreased levels of serological indexes, improved structure of kidney tissue and reduced expressions of p-P65 and inflammatory cytokines. 【Conclusion】 Diosmetin can protect kidney from I/R-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting NF-κB pathway in mice.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of primary urethral cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 35 patients with primary urethral cancer admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2011 to April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 12 males (34.3%) and 23 females (65.7%). The average age was 61.1 ± 13.0 years old. The clinical symptoms included 13 cases of urethral obstruction (37.1%), 7 cases of hematuria (20.0%), 6 cases of urethral bleeding (17.1%), 5 cases of urinary tract irritation (14.3%), 1 case of Urinary incontinence (2.9%), 1 case of low back pain (2.9%), 1 case of scrotal ulcer (2.9%), and 1 case (2.9%) by self examination. All patients underwent cystourethroscopy and tissue biopsy. The biopsy pathology showed 16 cases of urothelial carcinoma, 7 cases of squamous carcinoma, 4 cases of adenocarcinoma, 3 cases of malignant melanoma, 1 case of urothelial carcinoma with squamous carcinoma, 1 case of Signet ring cell carcinoma, 1 case of sarcomatoid carcinoma, 1 case of embryonic Rhabdomyosarcoma, and 1 case of epithelioid angiosarcoma. The tumors were located in the proximal urethra in 13 cases (37.1%) and in the distal urethra in 22 cases (62.9%). There were 14 cases (40.0%) with a maximum diameter of less than 3 cm, 16 cases (45.7%) with a diameter of ≥ 3 cm, and 5 cases (14.3%) with mucosal abnormalities. There were 12 cases of T 1 stage, 9 cases of T 2 stage, 7 cases of T 3 stage, and 7 cases of T 4 stage in tumor staging. Imaging evaluation of lymph nodes showed 25 cases of N 0 stage, 2 cases of N 1 stage, and 8 cases of N 2 stage; A total of 11 cases of lymph node biopsy were performed (including 8 cases of intraoperative lymph node dissection and 3 cases of preoperative lymph node biopsy), of which 6 cases had lymph node metastasis, and 1 case was initially diagnosed with distant metastasis. Thirty-one cases underwent surgical treatment, of which 16 cases underwent radical urethrectomy, and 8 cases underwent intraoperative pelvic and bilateral inguinal lymph node dissection, 8 cases underwent resection of urethral tumors, and 7 cases underwent transurethral resection of tumors. Four cases did not undergo surgical treatment, while 1 case had epithelioid angiosarcoma and received radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy, 2 cases received chemotherapy with GC (Gemcitabine+ cisplatin) regimen, and 1 case received immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The risk factors that affected patient prognosis were analyzed. Results:All 35 cases in this group were followed up, with a median follow-up time of 22 (2, 122) months. Seventeen cases survived, 18 cases died, and the overall median survival duration was 23 (13 to not reached) months. The overall 5-year survival rate was 45%. The results of univariate analysis showed that clinical T-stage ( P=0.019), maximum tumor diameter ( P=0.016), and tumor location ( P=0.006) were independent risk factors affecting patient prognosis. Result of multivariate analysis showed that the maximum diameter of the tumor ≥ 3 cm ( HR=2.673, P=0.029) and the proximal location of the tumor ( HR=3.064, P=0.023) were independent risk factors affecting patient survival. Gender, age, treatment method, lymph node dissection, adjuvant radiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, clinical manifestations, pathological type, clinical N staging, and pathological N staging had no significant impact on patient survival rate ( P>0.05). Single factor analysis was conducted on female patients separately, and only tumor location was found to be a prognostic factor ( χ2=17.246, P<0.01). Conclusions:Primary urethral cancer is a rare disease with various symptoms and poor prognosis. The maximum diameter of the tumor ≥3 cm and the tumor located at the proximal end of the urethra are clinical risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with primary urethral cancer.

Objective:To explore the clinicopathological features and prognosis of renal mucinous tubular spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC).Methods:The clinical data of 16 patients with MTSCC admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2013 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were six male cases and ten female cases. The mean age was (56.4±11.4) years old. Among them, 10 cases were asymptomatic, two complained of hematuria, three complained of lumbar pain, and one complained of lower limb pain. Twelve cases underwent preoperative enhanced CT examination, 6 cases of ultrasound examination, 3 cases of MRI examination, and 1 case of bone scan. Imaging manifestations showed that the masses were round or round-like with clear borders. Two cases combined with hemorrhage and three cases combined with calcification. Five cases showed exophytic growth, 10 cases partially exophytic, and 1 case completely endophytic. The maximum diameter of the tumor was (65.7±27.4) mm. The tumors were located in the left kidney in 11 cases and in the right kidney in 5 cases. The tumors were mildly delayed-enhancing under enhanced CT, long/short T1 signal mixed with long/short T2 signal under MRI, and diffusion-limited high signal under DWI. The tumors were hypoechoic masses without obvious blood flow signals under ultrasound. Twelve cases were diagnosed as renal occupying neoplasms, 2 cases were suggested as lack of blood supply renal tumor, and one was considered renal tumor rupture and bleeding. In one case, a bone scan suggested metastasis to the thoracic spine and pelvis. The metastatic renal tumor was diagnosed, and a renal puncture was performed to clarify the pathology. Eleven patients underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, and 4 patients underwent partial nephrectomy. One case was metastasized without surgery and treated with apatinib mesylate and zoledronic acid.Results:The postoperative pathological specimens showed grayish, grayish-yellow, or grayish-red masses with a soft or medium texture. No perinephric, ureteral, or adrenal invasion was seen in all tumors. Microscopically, the tumor cells were round and ovoid. The tumor cells were arranged in tubular and striated shapes, and mucus pools were locally visible. No sarcomatous component was seen in all tumors. There were 9 patients with pT 1N 0M 0, 6 patients with pT 2N 0M 0, and 1 patient with pT 1N 0M 1. After operation, 2 patients with pT 2N 0M 0, who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy were treated with pazopanib and sunitinib, respectively. All patients were followed up for a median of 50.7(25.8, 75.0)months, 15 patients were free of recurrent metastases, and 1 patient with pre-puncture metastasis died due to tumor progression of multiple pulmonary and bone metastases, with a survival of 16.9 months. Conclusions:Renal MTSCC is rare, mostly found on physical examination, with female patients predominantly, and imaging shows a lack of blood supply tumor. Surgery is the primary treatment method. Partial nephrectomy or radical nephrectomy could be chosen according to the tumor stage, kidney function, and patient's underlying condition, and patients have a good prognosis.

Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a transmembrane protein that is specifically overexpressed on the surface of hypoxic tumor cells. With the function of regulating the acidity of tumor cells both inside and outside, CAIX is closely related to tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Therefore, CAIX is a promising target for tumor imaging and therapy. Herein, we summarized recent advances in CAIX-based tumor imaging, therapy and theranostics, and prospected future applications of using CAIX as an anti-tumor target.
Carbonic Anhydrase IX ; Carbonic Anhydrases/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor