OBJECTIVETo assess the value of preoperative serum albumin level in predicting the survival of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT).

METHODSTwo hundred and sixteen newly diagnosed patients with NMIBC who underwent TURBT between January, 2007 and April, 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were categorized into low albumin (<40 g/L) and normal albumin (≥40 g/L) groups. The patient survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional analyses were used to determine the hazard ratios (HRs) for the overall survival (OS).

RESULTSOf the patients with available data, 82 (39%) and 127 (61%) patients were classified into low albumin (<40 g/L) and normal albumin (≥40 g/L) groups, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significantly worse 5-year OS in low albumin group than in normal albumin group (P=0.017). In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding variables, the preoperative albumin level remained as an independent predictor for 5-year OS (HR: 3.102, 95%CI: 1.200-8.020, P=0.020).

CONCLUSIONA low preoperative albumin level predicts a poor 5-year OS in patients with NMIBC who underwent TURBT. Preoperative serum albumin can be a good prognostic factor for predicting survival of the patients with NMIBC treated with TURBT.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of infiltrating mast cells on neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) and docetaxel sensitivity of prostate cancer (PCa) cells in vitro.

METHODSHuman PCa cell lines (LNCaP and C4-2) were co-cultured with human mast cell line (HMC-1) in Transwell chambers. Androgen receptor (AR) was silenced in C4-2 cells using sh-AR lentivirus, and p21 was knocked down and overexpressed by transfecting C4-2 cells with pLKO.1-sh-p21 and pCMV-p21, respectively. The morphological changes of LNCaP and C4-2 cells were observed. MTT assay and colony formation assay were used to assess the proliferation of LNCaP and C4-2 cells. CCK8 assay was used to detect the cell viability of C4-2 cells following docetaxel trreatment. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were performed to determine the mRNA and protein expressions of neuroendocrine markers, AR and p21 in the cells.

RESULTSCo-culture with HMC-1 cells enhanced the neuroendocrine phenotypes, inhibited the proliferation and up-regulated the expression of p21 in LNCaP and C4-2 cells. P21 positively regulated NED through a non-AR-dependent signaling pathway, while p21 knockdown partially reversed NED promoted by the mast cells. PCa cells co-cultured with HMC-1 cells showed increased resistance to docetaxel, and silencing p21 partially reversed docetaxel resistance in PCa cells.

CONCLUSIONInfiltrating mast cells up-regulates p21 to promote NED and increase docetaxel resistance in PCa cells in vitro.

OBJECTIVETo compare the perioperative, functional and oncologic outcomes of patients with prostate cancer receiving laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) using three-dimensional (3D) versus two-dimensional (2D) imaging systems.

METHODSFrom February, 2014 to January 2016, 72 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent LRP with 2D or 3D imaging systems performed by a single experienced surgeon. The baseline characteristics, perioperative data, and functional and oncologic outcomes of the patients were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSThirty-six patients underwent 3D LRP and the other 36 patients underwent 2D LRP. Compared with 2D LRP group, 3D LRP group had a significantly shorter operative time (167 vs 218 min, P<0.001), a smaller volume of intraoperative blood loss (86.11 vs 177.78 mL, P<0.001) and a better early urinary continence outcome (88.89% vs 63.89%, P=0.026). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of complications, potency outcome or biochemical recurrence-free rate.

CONCLUSIONCompared with 2D LRP, 3D LRP shortens the operative time, reduces intraoperative blood loss and is associated with a better early urinary continence outcome in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the antioxidation and the regulation on the Extracellular Regulated Protein Kinases (ERK) signaling pathway are involved in the protective effects of blueberry on central nervous system.

METHODS30 Senescence-accelerated mice prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were divided into three groups and treated with normal diet, blueberry extracts (200 mg/kg•bw/day) and cyaniding-3-O-galactoside (Cy-3-GAL) (50 mg/kg•bw/day) from blueberry for 8 weeks. 10 SAMR1 mice were set as control group. The capacity of spatial memory was assessed by Passive avoidance task and Morris water maze. Histological analyses on hippocampus were completed. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity and the expression of ERK were detected.

RESULTSBoth Cy-3-GAL and blueberry extracts were shown effective functions to relieve cellular injury, improve hippocampal neurons survival and inhibit the pyramidal cell layer damage. Cy-3-GAL and blueberry extracts also increased SOD activity and reduced MDA content in brain tissues and plasma, and increased hippocampal phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) expression in SAMP8 mice. Further more, the passive avoidance task test showed that both the latency time and the number of errors were improved by Cy-3-GAL treatment, and the Morris Water Maze test showed significant decreases of latency were detected by Cy-3-GAL and blueberry extracts treatment on day 4.

CONCLUSIONBlueberry extracts may reverse the declines of cognitive and behavioral function in the ageing process through several pathways, including enhancing the capacity of antioxidation, altering stress signaling. Cy-3-GAL may be an important active ingredient for these biological effects.

Aging ; drug effects ; Animals ; Anthocyanins ; pharmacology ; Avoidance Learning ; Blueberry Plants ; chemistry ; Dietary Supplements ; Galactosides ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Maze Learning ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Animals ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; Selenium ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Th1 Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; Thyroid Gland ; drug effects ; immunology ; pathology ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Trace Elements ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of post-discharge formula (PDF) for preterm infants, breast milk (BM) and term infant formula (TF) on increase rates of body weight, length and head circumference in preterm and low-birth-weight infants (PLBWIs) from discharge to 3 months after birth, and to provide a reference for the choice of feeding pattern for PLBWIs.

METHODSA total of 407 PLBWIs discharged from the newborn departments of ten hospitals in Guangzhou City and Foshan City in Guangdong Province, China were chosen for this study. According to feeding pattern, they were assigned to three groups: PDF-fed (n=258), BM-fed (n=58) and TF-fed (n=91). Their body weight, length and head circumference were measured at 3 months after birth, and the increase rates of growth indices relative to baseline values (at birth) were calculated and compared.

RESULTSAt 3 months after birth, the PDF-fed group had significantly greater body weight, length and head circumference than the BM-fed and TF-fed groups (P<0.05). The increase rates of body weight and length were significantly higher in the PDF-fed group than in the BM-fed and TF-fed groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with those fed with BM and TF after discharge, the PDF-fed PLBWIs have higher increase rates of body weight and length and show greater body weight and length at 3 months after birth. However, further study is needed to investigate the long-term effects.

Body Height ; Body Weight ; Breast Feeding ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Formula ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; growth & development ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; growth & development ; Male

OBJECTIVETo reveal the iodine status of pregnant women and its impact on thyroid function of neonates in high iodine area.

METHODSA total of 210 pregnant women were chosen from a hospital in Haixing county, Hebei province. Pregnant women's random urinary and neonates' cord blood were collected. The urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was examined by arsenic-cerium catalytic spectrophotometry. The levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and sensitive thyroid-stimulating hormone (sTSH) in serum were measured by chemiluminescence.

RESULTSThe age of 210 pregnant women was (27.69 +/- 4.73) years old, whose urinary iodine median (inter-quartile range ) was 1240.70 (1292.68) microg/L. 84.3% (177/210) of the pregnant women had excessive iodine intake (UIC > or = 500 microg/L), 13.8% (29/210) had more than adequate iodine intake( UIC within 250 - 499 microg/L), 0.5% (1/210) had adequate iodine intake (UIC within 150 - 249 microg/L) and 1.4% (3/210) had insufficient iodine intake (UIC < 150 microg/L). The average serum level of FT3, FT4 in neonates were (2.93 +/- 0.59), (15.03 +/- 1.92) pmol/L, respectively. The median (inter-quartile range) of serum sTSH in neonates were 7.33 (5.59) mU/L 78.1% (164/210) of the neonates' serum TSH were beyond 5 mU/L. There were no correlation between pregnant women's urinary iodine level and neonates' serum FT3 and sTSH level (P > 0.05), but there was a positive correlation between pregnant women's urinary iodine level and neonates' serum FT4 level (P < 0.01). Serum FT4 level of the neonates with whose mothers had insufficient iodine intake ((12.99 +/- 1.10) pmol/L) were statistically lower than those with their mothers had excessive iodine intake (15.16 +/- 1.83) pmol/L) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMost of the pregnant women in high iodine area were excessive for iodine nutrition, but still a few pregnant women had insufficient iodine nutrition. The level of neonates' serum sTSH were relatively high and monitoring of risk of hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism should be strengthened.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; epidemiology ; Infant, Newborn ; Iodine ; urine ; Nutritional Status ; Pregnancy ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyrotropin ; blood ; Thyroxine ; blood ; Topography, Medical ; Triiodothyronine ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo understand the level of thyroid function and the prevalence of the thyroid diseases of children in high water iodine areas.

METHODTwo primary schools were selected by purposive sampling from Haixing county, Hebei province in April 2010. A total of 371 children were selected from six classes by cluster sampling in the schools. Morning-urine and venous blood (5 ml) were collected to measure the levels of urinary iodine, free triiodothyronine (FT(3)), free thyroxine (FT(4)) and sensitive thyroid-stimulating hormone (sTSH) in serum and to evaluate the iodine status and thyroid function of children.

RESULTSThe median urinary iodine of the children was 1032.08 µg/L. Overall, 96.2% (357/371) of the children's urinary iodine were ≥ 300 µg/L and 68.5% (254/371) were ≥ 800 µg/L. The level of FT(3) and FT(4) were (6.28 ± 0.81) pmol/L and (16.37 ± 2.72) pmol/L, respectively. The median of sTSH was 4.01 mU/L. The FT(4) among boys ((16.63 ± 2.60) pmol/L) was significantly higher than that among girls ((15.99 ± 2.85) pmol/L) (P < 0.05). Overall, 44 subjects were diagnosed as thyroid disease (11.9%), 25 were subclinical hypothyroidism (57% of the total patients), 4 were hypothyroidism (9%), 10 were hyperthyroidism (23%) and 5 were subclinical hyperthyroidism (11%). In the urinary iodine of 200 - 799 µg/L, the prevalence of thyroid disease and hypothyroidism were 6.3% (7/111) and 14.6% (27/254), respectively. When urinary iodine ≥ 800 µg/L, the prevalence of thyroid diseases and hypothyroidism were 3.6% (4/111) and 8.3% (21/254), respectively.

CONCLUSIONMost of the children in high water iodine areas had excessive iodine intake. Levels of the children's thyroid hormone were within the normal range. The prevalence of thyroid disease were high, in these areas and the thyroid disease were mainly the subclinical hypothyroidism.

Adolescent ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; epidemiology ; Iodine ; analysis ; urine ; Male ; Prevalence ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Water ; chemistry