Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy with Ureter Catheter: A Safe and Effective form of mPCNL Offers Better Quality of Life.

Objective: To compare outcomes and postoperative quality of life (QoL) among patients with kidney stone who received mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPCNL), partial tubeless mPCNL or mPCNL with ureter catheter in a prospective randomized clinical trial.

Methods: From May 2017 to December 2017, 60 patients with kidney stone who underwent mPCNL were randomized into 3 groups: Group I (mPCNL), Group II (partial tubeless mPCNL), Group III (mPCNL with ureter catheter). We evaluated perioperative characteristics, stone clearance, analgesic requirements and QoL by using the Wisconsin Stone QOL questionnaire.

Investigation on degradation behavior of dissolved effluent organic matter, organic micro-pollutants and bio-toxicity reduction from secondary effluent treated by ozonation.

The environmental risk of secondary effluent has caused increasing attention in recent years, the negative effect of dissolved effluent organic matters (dEfOM) and organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) was a hot research point. In this research, the degradation behavior of dEfOM and fourteen OMPs in the ozonation was revealed using spectroscopic and chromatographic tools. Ozonation was effective for reducing UV, but had limited effect in dissolved organic carbon reduction.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0074362 Promotes Glioma Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion by Attenuating the Inhibition of miR-1236-3p on HOXB7 Expression.

As a novel type of noncoding RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been acknowledged as pivot effectors in multiple physiological and pathological processes, including cancer. Although an increasing number of circRNAs are gradually discovered, their function and mechanism in tumorigenesis remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified hsa_circ_0074362 as an oncogene in glioma.

Effects of ecological restoration measures on the distribution of Dicranopteris dichotoma at the microscale in the red soil hilly region of China.

Little is known about the evaluation of ecological restoration measures using species distribution models (SDMs) at the microscale. This study investigated the effect of arbor-bush-herb mixed plantation (ABHMP) on the potential distribution of D. dichotoma using SDMs in the typical microtopographies of the red soil hilly region of China.

Iron chelator-induced up-regulation of Ndrg1 inhibits proliferation and EMT process by targeting Wnt/β-catenin pathway in colon cancer cells.

Di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), as the novel iron chelator, has been reported to inhibit the tumorigenesis and progression of various cancer cells. However, whether Dp44mT has anticancer effects in colon cancer cells is still unknown. Here, we investigated the antitumor action of Dp44mT in colon cancer and its underlying mechanisms, and the connections between Dp44mT and N-myc downstream-regulated genes 1(Ndrg1).

A Computational Cardiac Model for the Adaptation to Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in the Rat.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) imposes pressure overload on the right ventricle (RV), leading to RV enlargement via the growth of cardiac myocytes and remodeling of the collagen fiber architecture. The effects of these alterations on the functional behavior of the right ventricular free wall (RVFW) and organ-level cardiac function remain largely unexplored. Computational heart models in the rat (RHMs) of the normal and hypertensive states can be quite valuable in simulating the effects of PAH on cardiac function to gain insights into the pathophysiology of underlying myocardium remodeling.

A Colorimetric Sensor for the Visual Detection of Azodicarbonamide in Flour Based on Azodicarbonamide-Induced Anti-Aggregation of Gold Nanoparticles.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) in flour products can be converted into carcinogenic biurea and semicarbazide hydrochloride after baking. Thus, it is mandatory to determine ADA in flour. We herein developed a colorimetric method for the rapid and visual detection of ADA in flour based on glutathione (GSH)-induced gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) aggregation and specific reaction between ADA and GSH.

Effect of Yikou-Sizi powder hot compress on gastrointestinal functional recovery in patients after abdominal surgery: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (PGD) is a common complication of patients who have undergone surgery. The clinical manifestations cause great discomfort to postoperative patients and can severely affect postoperative recovery. However, although various pharmacologic agents have been explored for several years, success has been limited.

[Reduction of Wastewater Organic Micro-pollutants and Genotoxicity in a Hybrid Process Involving Anaerobic-anoxic-oxic and Ozonation Treatments].

In recent years, researchers have drawn greater attention to the occurrence, fate, and risk of organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) in the environment. Effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are an important source for the release of OMPs into aquatic environment and should be monitored and controlled. The migration and transformation of 14 selected OMPs and their reduction of genotoxicity after treatment by a hybrid process of anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (AAO) and ozonation were investigated.

In-situ synthesis of AgNbO/g-CN photocatalyst via microwave heating method for efficiently photocatalytic H generation.

This paper is designed for elevating the photocatalytic H-evoultion performance of g-CN through the modification of AgNbO nanocubes. Via the microwave heating method, g-CN was in-situ formed on AgNbO surface to fabricate a close contact between the two semiconductors in forty minutes. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experiments were performed to confirm the binary structure of the synthesized AgNbO/g-CN composite.

A new symbiotic nanoarchaeote (Candidatus Nanoclepta minutus) and its host (Zestosphaera tikiterensis gen. nov., sp. nov.) from a New Zealand hot spring.

Three thermophilic Nanoarchaeota-Crenarchaeota symbiotic systems have been described. We obtained another stable anaerobic enrichment culture at 80°C, pH 6.0 from a New Zealand hot spring.

Ascorbic Acid Supplements and Kidney Stones Incidence Among Men and Women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The relationship of ascorbic acid (AA) supplements and risk of kidney stones among men and women is controversial. This systematic evaluation was performed to obtain comprehensive evidence about the relationship of AA supplements and risk of kidney stones among men and women.

Material And Methods: A systematic search of Pubmed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase was performed to identify studies that exhibited the relationship of AA supplements and risk of kidney stones among men and women were published up to Mar 2017.

High temperature thermally conductive nanocomposite textile by "green" electrospinning.

Recently, thermally regulating textiles have attracted wide interest owing to their ability to realize personal cooling and provide thermal comfort. However, most of the thermally conductive textiles cannot afford higher temperatures (>200 °C), which restricts their further applications in aviation, fire extinguishing or military requiring high temperature heat spreaders. Here, we report a high temperature thermally conductive nanocomposite textile consisting of amino functional boron nitride (FBN) nanosheets and polyimide (PI) nanofibers.

Enhanced organics and Cu removal in electroplating wastewater by bioaugmentation.

With the improvement of electroplating process and products requirement, refractory organics, heavy metals or even heavy metal nanoparticles (NP) exist simultaneously in electroplating wastewater inevitably, makes electroplating wastewater treatment effluent difficult to meet the discharge standard. In order to improve the organics removal under the exposure of CuO NP, strains (designated as L1-L5) that have both organics degradation and Cu tolerance capacities were isolated and employed in the electroplating wastewater bioaugmentation treatment using a hydrolytic/anoxic/oxic-membrane bioreactor. The Cu adsorption process followed pseudo-second order kinetics and the isotherms fit well to Langmuir isotherm model.

[Inhibitory effect of polyphyllin Ⅰ on the proliferation of prostate cancer PC3 cells via ERK1/2/P65/DNMT1 and its molecular mechanism].

Objective: To explore the inhibitory effect of polyphyllin Ⅰ (PPⅠ) on the proliferation of castration-resistant prostate cancer PC3 cells and its molecular mechanism.

Methods: We cultured human prostate cancer PC3 cells in vitro and treated them with PPⅠ at the concentrations of 0 (blank group), 0.4, 0.

Identification of compound CA-5f as a novel late-stage autophagy inhibitor with potent anti-tumor effect against non-small cell lung cancer.

Currently, particular focus is placed on the implication of autophagy in a variety of human diseases, including cancer. Discovery of small-molecule modulators of autophagy as well as their potential use as anti-cancer therapeutic agents would be of great significance. To this end, a series of curcumin analogs previously synthesized in our laboratory were screened.

Draft genome of Glyptosternon maculatum, an endemic fish from Tibet Plateau.

Background: Mechanisms for high-altitude adaption have attracted widespread interest among evolutionary biologists. Several genome-wide studies have been carried out for endemic vertebrates in Tibet, including mammals, birds, and amphibians. However, little information is available about the adaptive evolution of highland fishes.

Plasma Modification and Synthesis of Membrane Materials-A Mechanistic Review.

Although commercial membranes are well established materials for water desalination and wastewater treatment, modification on commercial membranes is still necessary to deliver high-performance with enhanced flux and/or selectivity and fouling resistance. A modification method with plasma techniques has been extensively applied for high-performance membrane production. The paper presents a mechanistic review on the impact of plasma gas and polymerization, at either low pressure or atmospheric pressure on the material properties and performance of the modified membranes.

Bleomycin-enhanced alternative splicing of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition in lung fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an important public health problem, and it has few treatment options given its poorly understood etiology; however, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pneumocytes has been implicated as a factor. Herein, we aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms of lung fibrosis mediated by EMT, with a focus on the alternative splicing of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2), using bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrotic and transgenic mouse models. We employed BLM-induced and surfactant protein C (SPC)-Cre and LacZ double transgenic mouse models.

Single step synthesis of Janus nano-composite membranes by atmospheric aerosol plasma polymerization for solvents separation.

Solvent permeation across membranes is limited due to physical resistance to diffusion from the selective layer within the membrane and to plasticizing effects generated by the solvent molecules onto the polymeric macromolecular matrix. Nano-composite thin film membranes provide promising routes to generate controlled microstructural separation materials with higher selectivities and permeabilities. Here, the fabrication of nano-composite based on octamethyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane - hexamethyldisiloxane thin film membranes is demonstrated by aerosol assisted atmospheric plasma deposition onto pre-formed nano-porous membrane supports for the first time.

Effect of sodium chloride on polyhydroxyalkanoate production from food waste fermentation leachate under different organic loading rate.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production integrated with anaerobic digestion is promising for food waste recycle. However, effect of salinity and high organic load in waste fermentation leachate (FWFL) on PHA production is unknown. Effects of sodium chloride (NaCl, 0, 5.

hsa_circ_0000177-miR-638-FZD7-Wnt Signaling Cascade Contributes to the Malignant Behaviors in Glioma.

As a new member of the noncoding RNA family, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated as critical regulators in various physiological and pathological processes, such as tumorigenesis. However, the role of circRNAs has not been well understood until now. In our study, we found that circRNA hsa_circ_0000177 was upregulated in glioma tissues and cell lines.

Efficacy of Hydroxy-L-proline (HYP) analogs in the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria in Drosophila Melanogaster.

Background: Substrate reduction therapy with analogs reduces the accumulation of substrates by inhibiting the metabolic pathways involved in their biosynthesis, providing new treatment options for patients with primary hyperoxalurias (PHs) that often progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This research aims to evaluate the inhibition efficacy of Hydroxy-L-proline (HYP) analogs against calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation in the Drosophila Melanogaster (D. Melanogaster) by comparing them with Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6).

[Removal of Chlortetracycline and Morphological Changes in Heavy Metals in Swine Manure Using the Composting Process].

The widespread use of antibiotics and heavy metals in livestock farms results in large residues of antibiotics and heavy metals in the livestock manure. Composting technology can biodegrade residual antibiotics and solidify heavy metals. A pilot composting reactor was used to analyze the characteristics of chlortetracycline (CTC) removal at different antibiotic concentrations[0 mg·kg (CK), 10 mg·kg (T1), and 50 mg·kg (T2)].