Objectives
To evaluate the effect of peri-prostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) measurements using preoperative MRI on the prediction of prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness in men undergoing radical ...prostatectomy (RP).
Methods
We performed a retrospective study on 179 consecutive patients receiving RP from June 2016 to October 2018. Clinical characteristics were collected. PPAT measurements including peri-prostatic fat area (PPFA) and peri-prostatic fat area to prostate area (PA) ratio (PPFA/PA) were calculated by MRI. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of PCa lymph node metastasis (LNM). The predictive performance was estimated through ROC curves. Nomograms were created based on the predictors.
Results
Pathologic Gleason score positively correlated with digital rectal examination (DRE), PSA, PPFA/PA, P504S, and Ki-67 (all
P
< 0.05). ROC curves revealed that high PPFA and high PPFA/PA were associated with LNM (both
P
< 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that high PPFA/PA, pathologic Gleason score, pT stage, and Ki-67 were independently predictive of LNM. The nomograms were created and the C-index was 0.945.
Conclusions
PPFA/PA is an independent predictor for LNM along with Gleason score, pT stage, and Ki-67. PPFA/PA may help predict LNM in men undergoing RP, thus providing adjunctive information for therapeutic strategy and prognosis.
The economic and man-made resources that sustain human wellbeing are not distributed evenly across the world, but are instead heavily concentrated in cities. Poor access to opportunities and services ...offered by urban centres (a function of distance, transport infrastructure, and the spatial distribution of cities) is a major barrier to improved livelihoods and overall development. Advancing accessibility worldwide underpins the equity agenda of 'leaving no one behind' established by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This has renewed international efforts to accurately measure accessibility and generate a metric that can inform the design and implementation of development policies. The only previous attempt to reliably map accessibility worldwide, which was published nearly a decade ago, predated the baseline for the Sustainable Development Goals and excluded the recent expansion in infrastructure networks, particularly in lower-resource settings. In parallel, new data sources provided by Open Street Map and Google now capture transportation networks with unprecedented detail and precision. Here we develop and validate a map that quantifies travel time to cities for 2015 at a spatial resolution of approximately one by one kilometre by integrating ten global-scale surfaces that characterize factors affecting human movement rates and 13,840 high-density urban centres within an established geospatial-modelling framework. Our results highlight disparities in accessibility relative to wealth as 50.9% of individuals living in low-income settings (concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa) reside within an hour of a city compared to 90.7% of individuals in high-income settings. By further triangulating this map against socioeconomic datasets, we demonstrate how access to urban centres stratifies the economic, educational, and health status of humanity.
Aims: To investigate roles of quorum‐sensing (QS) system in Acinetobacter sp. strain DR1 and rifampicin‐resistant variant (hereinafter DR1R).
Methods and Results: The DR1 strain generated three ...putative acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), while the DR1R produced only one signal and QS signal production was abrogated in the aqsI (LuxI homolog) mutant. The hexadecane‐degradation and biofilm‐formation capabilities of DR1, DR1R, and aqsI mutants were compared, along with their proteomic data. Proteomics analysis revealed that the AHL lactonase responsible for degrading QS signal was highly upregulated in both DR1R and aqsI mutant, also showed that several proteins, including ppGpp synthase, histidine kinase sensors, might be under the control of QS signalling. Interestingly, biofilm‐formation and hexadecane‐biodegradation abilities were reduced more profoundly in the aqsI mutant. These altered phenotypes of the aqsI mutant were restored via the addition of free wild‐type cell supernatant and exogenous C12‐AHL.
Conclusions: The QS system in strain DR1 contributes to hexadecane degradation and biofilm formation.
Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report to demonstrate that a specific QS signal appears to be a critical factor for hexadecane degradation and biofilm formation in Acinetobacter sp. strain DR1.
The efficacy and safety of axitinib, a potent and selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1–3 inhibitor, combined with best supportive care (BSC) was evaluated in a global, randomized, ...placebo-controlled phase II trial in patients with locally advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Patients with HCC and Child–Pugh Class A who progressed on or were intolerant to one prior antiangiogenic therapy were stratified by tumour invasion (presence/absence of extrahepatic spread and/or vascular invasion) and region (Asian/non-Asian) and randomized (2:1) to axitinib/BSC (starting dose 5 mg twice-daily) or placebo/BSC. The primary end point was overall survival (OS).
The estimated hazard ratio for OS was 0.907 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.646–1.274; one-sided stratified P = 0.287 for axitinib/BSC (n = 134) versus placebo/BSC (n = 68), with the median (95% CI) of 12.7 (10.2–14.9) versus 9.7 (5.9–11.8) months, respectively. Results of prespecified subgroup analyses in Asian versus non-Asian patients or presence versus absence of tumour invasion were consistent with the overall population. Improvements favouring axitinib/BSC (P < 0.01) were observed in secondary efficacy end point analyses progression-free survival (PFS), time to tumour progression (TTP), and clinical benefit rate (CBR), and were retained among Asian patients in the prespecified subgroup analyses. Overall response rate did not differ significantly between treatments and patient-reported outcomes favoured placebo/BSC. Most common all-causality adverse events with axitinib/BSC were diarrhoea (54%), hypertension (54%), and decreased appetite (47%). Baseline serum analyses identified potential new prognostic (interleukin-6, E-selectin, interleukin-8, angiopoietin-2, migration inhibitory factor, and c-MET) or predictive (E-selectin and stromal-derived factor-1) factors for survival.
Axitinib/BSC did not improve OS over placebo/BSC in the overall population or in stratification subgroups. However, axitinib/BSC resulted in significantly longer PFS and TTP and higher CBR, with acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced HCC.
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01210495.
Dietary cholesterol causes atherosclerosis along with a reduction of copper concentrations in the atherosclerosis wall. This study was to determine the relationship between aorta copper ...concentrations and the severity of atherosclerotic lesions as well as copper homeostasis in multiple organs in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Male New Zealand white rabbits, 10-week-old and averaged 2.0 kg, were fed a diet containing 1% (w/w) cholesterol or the same diet without cholesterol as controls. Twelve weeks after the feeding, aortic atherosclerotic lesions, serum cholesterol, and multiple organ copper concentrations were measured. Compared to controls, rabbits fed cholesterol-supplemented diet displayed higher serum cholesterol levels and developed atherosclerosis. Copper concentrations in the cholesterol-fed rabbits were increased in the serum and kidney but decreased in the atherosclerosis wall and multiple organs, including heart, liver, spleen, and lung. Furthermore, aorta copper concentrations negatively correlated, respectively, with the severity of the atherosclerotic lesion (
r
= − 0.64,
p
= 0.01), the microscope atherosclerotic lesion area (
r
= − 0.60,
p
= 0.02), and the stenosis of the lumen (
r
= − 0.54,
p
= 0.04). Dietary cholesterol not only causes atherosclerosis but also disturbs copper homeostasis in multiple organ systems. The negative correlation between aorta copper concentrations and the severity of atherosclerotic lesions suggests a vicious cycle between copper reduction and the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. These changes in copper homeostasis would be additive to atherosclerosis as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in humans.
Members of the genus Aeromonas are opportunistic pathogen of a variety of aquatic animals that exhibits multidrug resistance, phenotypes, virulence genes and virulence. The present study described ...the species distribution and the potential pathogenicity of Aeromonas isolated from healthy Northern snakehead (Channa argus) in China. Molecular identification revealed that A. veronii biovar veronii (69/167; 41·3%) and A. hydrophila (41/167; 24·6%) were the most common species found in Northern snakehead intestine based on sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and DNA gyrase subunit B protein. The distribution of seven virulence factors including aer (84·4%), act (80·8%), ser (40·1%), Aha (27·5%), lip (23·4%), exu (15·0%) and LuxS (12·6%) were determined exclusively in Aeromonas isolates. All the seven virulence genes were present in 9·6% (16/167), among which 11 strains were identified as A. veronii biovar veronii. For the strains harbouring seven virulence genes, the 50% lethal doses (LD50) of isolates were lower compared to the isolates carrying two virulence genes. The challenge tests revealed that isolate W31 had the lowest lethal dose, causing 50% mortality at 4·5 × 103 colony‐forming units (CFU) per ml. Furthermore, histopathology of Northern snakehead infected with Aeromonas strains showed necrosis and congestion in liver, spleen and kidney and also damage to the intestine. This study confirms that the Aeromonas strains isolated from healthy Northern snakehead may be a cause of concern for public health.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Aeromonas species are widely distributed in aquatic environments and have considerable virulence potential. The aim of this study was to identify Aeromonas strains isolated from healthy Northern snakehead, and to investigate if Aeromonas species isolated from healthy fish potential pathogenicity with special reference to virulence and epidemiology studies.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Aeromonas species are widely distributed in aquatic environments and have considerable virulence potential. The aim of this study was to identify Aeromonas strains isolated from healthy Northern snakehead, and to investigate if Aeromonas species isolated from healthy fish potential pathogenicity with special reference to virulence and epidemiology studies.
•Zn-GSH significantly enhances survival rates and reduces recovery time from alcohol-induced intoxication in mice, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent against alcohol-related ...damage.•Zn-GSH effectively reduces liver steatosis and preserves the integrity of the intestinal barrier, indicating its dual protective mechanism against alcohol-induced damage to organs.•Zn-GSH was shown to modulate the expression and protein abundance of key intestinal zinc transporters, suggesting a novel approach to restoring zinc homeostasis disrupted by alcohol consumption.•The research provides insight into the mechanistic actions of Zn-GSH, emphasizing its role in maintaining intestinal barrier function and mitigating hepatic inflammation through zinc transporter modulation.
Long-term alcohol overconsumption impairs intestinal and hepatic structure and function, along with dysregulation of zinc homeostasis. We previously found that zinc-glutathione (Zn-GSH) complex effectively suppressed alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that Zn-GSH suppresses alcohol-induced liver injury by modulating intestinal zinc transporters. Mice were subjected to long-term ethanol feeding, as per the NIAAA model, with groups receiving either an ethanol diet alone or an ethanol diet supplemented with Zn-GSH. Treatment groups were carefully monitored for alcohol consumption and subjected to a final binge drinking exposure. The results showed that Zn-GSH increased the survival rate and decreased the recovery time from binge drinking-induced drunkenness. Histopathological analyses demonstrated a reduction in liver steatosis and the preservation of intestinal integrity by Zn-GSH. It was observed that Zn-GSH prevented the reduction of Zn and GSH levels while increasing alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase in both liver and intestine. Importantly, the expression and protein abundance of zinc transporters ZnT-1, ZIP-1, ZIP-4, ZIP-6, and ZIP-14, all of which are critically involved in intestinal zinc transport and homeostasis, were significantly increased or preserved by Zn-GSH in response to alcohol exposure. This study thus highlights the critical role of Zn-GSH in maintaining intestinal zinc homeostasis by modulating zinc transporters, thereby preventing alcohol-induced intestinal and hepatic injury.
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LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 powders were synthesized from co-precipitated spherical metal hydroxide, (Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)(OH)2. The preparation of metal hydroxide was significantly dependent on synthetic ...conditions, such as pH, amount of chelating agent, stirring speed, etc. The optimized condition resulted in (Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)(OH)2, of which the particle size distribution was uniform and the particle shape was spherical, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. Calcination of the uniform metal hydroxide with LiOH at higher temperature led to a well-ordered layer-structured LiNi1/ 3Co1/3Mn1/3O2, as confirmed by Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern. Due to the homogeneity of the metal hydroxide, (Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)(OH)2, the final product, LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2, was also significantly uniform, i.e., the average particle size was of about 10 mum in diameter and the distribution was relatively narrow. As a result, the corresponding tap-density was also high approximately 2.39 g cm-3, of which the value is comparable to that of commercialized LiCoO2. In the voltage range of 2.8-4.3, 2.8-4.4, and 2.8-4.5 V, the discharge capacities of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 electrode were 159, 168, and 177mAhg-1, respectively. For elevated temperature operation (55 DGC), the resulted capacity was of about 168 mAhg-1 with an excellent cyclability.
Spray-drying and the nanoscale Kirkendall diffusion process are used to prepare nickel sulfide hollow nanospheres/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite powders with excellent Na-ion storage ...properties. Metallic Ni nanopowder-decorated rGO powders, formed as intermediate products, are transformed into composite powders of nickel sulfide hollow nanospheres/rGO with mixed crystal structures of Ni3S2 and Ni9S8 phases by the sulfidation process under H2S gas. Nickel sulfide/rGO composite powders with the main crystal structure of Ni3S2 are also prepared as comparison samples by the direct sulfidation of nickel acetate-graphene oxide (GO) composite powders obtained by spray-drying. In electrochemical properties, the discharge capacities at the 150(th) cycle of the nickel sulfide/rGO composite powders prepared by sulfidation of the Ni/rGO composite and nickel acetate/GO composite powders at a current density of 0.3 A g(-1) are 449 and 363 mA h g(-1), respectively; their capacity retentions, calculated from the tenth cycle, are 100 and 87%. The nickel sulfide hollow nanospheres/rGO composite powders possess structural stability over repeated Na-ion insertion and extraction processes, and also show excellent rate performance for Na-ion storage.
The air-sea exchanges of CO2 in the world's 165 estuaries and 87 continental shelves are evaluated. Generally and in all seasons, upper estuaries with salinities of less than two are strong sources ...of CO2 (39 ± 56 mol C m-2 yr-1 , positive flux indicates that the water is losing CO2 to the atmosphere); mid-estuaries with salinities of between 2 and 25 are moderate sources (17.5 ± 34 mol C m-2 yr-1 ) and lower estuaries with salinities of more than 25 are weak sources (8.4 ± 14 mol C m-2 yr-1 ). With respect to latitude, estuaries between 23.5 and 50° N have the largest flux per unit area (63 ± 101 mmol C m-2 d-1 ); these are followed by lower-latitude estuaries (23.5-0° S: 44 ± 29 mmol C m-2 d-1 ; 0-23.5° N: 39 ± 55 mmol C m-2 d-1 ), and then regions north of 50° N (36 ± 91 mmol C m-2 d-1 ). Estuaries south of 50° S have the smallest flux per unit area (9.5 ± 12 mmol C m-2 d-1 ). Mixing with low-pCO2 shelf waters, water temperature, residence time and the complexity of the biogeochemistry are major factors that govern the pCO2 in estuaries, but wind speed, seldom discussed, is critical to controlling the air-water exchanges of CO2 . The total annual release of CO2 from the world's estuaries is now estimated to be 0.10 Pg C yr-1 , which is much lower than published values mainly because of the contribution of a considerable amount of heretofore unpublished or new data from Asia and the Arctic. The Asian data, although indicating high pCO2 , are low in sea-to-air fluxes because of low wind speeds. Previously determined flux values rely heavily on data from Europe and North America, where pCO2 is lower but wind speeds are much higher, such that the CO2 fluxes are higher than in Asia. Newly emerged CO2 flux data in the Arctic reveal that estuaries there mostly absorb rather than release CO2 . Most continental shelves, and especially those at high latitude, are undersaturated in terms of CO2 and absorb CO2 from the atmosphere in all seasons. Shelves between 0 and 23.5° S are on average a weak source and have a small flux per unit area of CO2 to the atmosphere. Water temperature, the spreading of river plumes, upwelling, and biological production seem to be the main factors in determining pCO2 in the shelves. Wind speed, again, is critical because at high latitudes, the winds tend to be strong. Since the surface water pCO2 values are low, the air-to-sea fluxes are high in regions above 50° N and below 50° S. At low latitudes, the winds tend to be weak, so the sea-to-air CO2 flux is small. Overall, the world's continental shelves absorb 0.4 Pg C yr-1 from the atmosphere.
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