Improved urinary melatonin level as the perspective indicator that leads to better sleeping quality in bladder cancer patients.

Background: Individuals with higher-than-average melatonin concentrations are less likely to develop cancer. In cancer patients, psychosomatic coping patterns and treatment side effects are important indicators of cancer prevention and immune system deterioration. This study focused on changes in the urinary melatonin concentration, life resilience, and sleep quality in bladder cancer patients before, and 3 months after, treatment.

Predictors for lower urinary tract symptoms and the urinary specific quality of life in prostate cancer patients: One-year follow-up.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is becoming a growing concern in global epidemiology. Quality of life of patients has become a major outcome for cancer care but limited study investigated quality of life of PCa patients. Our study is to investigate predictors for treatment outcomes of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), nocturia, and the urinary specific quality of life (uQoL) in PCa patients one year following treatment.

The Health Promoting Mindfulness or Qigong Educational Programs for Beneficial Lifestyle Changes of Cancer Survivors.

This study used heart rate variability (HRV) to monitor levels of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and quality of life (QOL) of cancer survivors subjected to program measures at different psychosomatic or functional levels. A longitudinal study was conducted at a cancer center in Taiwan. Fifty-two cancer survivals were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness group (n = 25) or the Qigong group (n = 27).

Nephroprotective effect of electrolyzed reduced water against cisplatin-induced kidney toxicity and oxidative damage in mice.

Background: Cisplatin is a potent chemotherapeutic drug for cancer therapy, but it has serious side effects in clinical treatment, particularly nephrotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) on renal injury caused by cisplatin.

Methods: Animals were divided into four groups as follows: normal control group, cisplatin control group, ERW control group and ERW + cisplatin group.

Associations between interventions for urolithiasis and urinary tract cancer among patients in Taiwan: The effect of early intervention.

The aim of this study was to investigate cancer risk in patients with a history of urolithiasis and to determine whether intervention for calculi attenuated the risk of subsequent urinary tract cancer (UTC).Using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan, we performed a nationwide cohort study enrolling participants (n = 42,732) aged > 30 years who were diagnosed with urinary tract calculi between 2000 and 2009. Age- and gender-matched insured individuals (n = 213,660) found in the health service records over the same period were recruited as the control group.

Broadband Enhancement of Spontaneous Emission in Two-Dimensional Semiconductors Using Photonic Hypercrystals.

The low quantum yield observed in two-dimensional semiconductors of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has motivated the quest for approaches that can enhance the light emission from these systems. Here, we demonstrate broadband enhancement of spontaneous emission and increase in Raman signature from archetype two-dimensional semiconductors: molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten disulfide (WS2) by placing the monolayers in the near field of a photonic hypercrystal having hyperbolic dispersion. Hypercrystals are characterized by a large broadband photonic density of states due to hyperbolic dispersion while having enhanced light in/out coupling by a subwavelength photonic crystal lattice.

Antiproliferation effect and apoptosis mechanism of prostate cancer cell PC-3 by flavonoids and saponins prepared from Gynostemma pentaphyllum.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the antiproliferation and apoptosis mechanism of saponin and flavonoid fractions from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino on prostate cancer cell PC-3. Both flavonoid and saponin fractions were isolated by a column chromatographic method with Cosmosil 75C(18)-OPN as adsorbent and elution solvents of ethanol-water (30:70, v/v) for the former and 100% ethanol for the latter, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

Activation of muscarinic M-1 cholinoceptors by curcumin to increase contractility in urinary bladder isolated from Wistar rats.

Curcumin is an active principle contained in rhizome of Curcuma longa, and it has been recently mentioned to show affinity to muscarinic M-1 cholinoceptors (M(1)-mAChR). In the present study, we found that curcumin caused a concentration-dependent increase of muscle tone in urinary bladder isolated from Wistar rats. This action was inhibited by pirenzepine at concentration enough to block M(1)-mAChR.

Expression of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 in gastric carcinoma cells is associated with enhanced tumorigenicity and reduced cisplatin sensitivity.

Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) is consistently expressed in all EBV-associated gastric carcinomas. We explored its biological effects in gastric carcinoma cells by expressing the protein in two Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative gastric carcinoma cell lines (SCM1 and TMC1). EBNA1-expressing SCM1 and TMC1 cells displayed no significant differences in growth rates, respectively, compared to those of vector-transfected SCM1 and TMC1 cells in vitro.

Activation of muscarinic M-1 cholinoceptors by curcumin to increase glucose uptake into skeletal muscle isolated from Wistar rats.

Curcumin, an active principle contained in rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been mentioned to show merit for diabetes through its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, we found that curcumin caused a concentration-dependent increase of glucose uptake into skeletal muscle isolated from Wistar rats. This action was inhibited by pirenzepine at concentration enough to block muscarinic M-1 cholinoceptor (M(1)-mAChR).

Dual degradation of aurora A and B kinases by the histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 induces G2-M arrest and apoptosis of renal cancer cells.

Purpose: This study is aimed at investigating antineoplastic efficacy of histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI) LBH589 on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and elucidating the novel molecular mechanisms involved in growth arrest and apoptosis by targeting the important nonhistone molecules.

Experimental Design: We analyzed the growth-inhibitory effect of LBH589 on RCC by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay in vitro and antitumor efficacy by xenograft experiments in vivo. To verify the associated molecular mechanisms involved in LBH589-mediated cell death and cell cycle progression by Western blotting and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis.

Ureteral injury due to blunt abdominal trauma.

Ureteral injury is usually due to abdominal penetrating trauma or surgical insult. It has seldom been reported in patients with blunt abdominal trauma. A 20-year-old man presented with left flank and inguinal area pain after blunt abdominal trauma sustained in a motor scooter accident.