Exploring the protective effect and mechanism of icariside II on the bladder in a rat model of radiation cystitis based on transcriptome sequencing.

Purpose: Radiation cystitis (RC) is a complex and common complication after radiotherapy for pelvic cancer. Icariside II (ICAII) is a flavonoid compound extracted from Epimedium, a traditional Chinese medicine, with various pharmacological activities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cysto-protective effects of ICAII in RC rats and its possible mechanisms.

Role of mechanotransduction mediated by YAP/TAZ in the treatment of neurogenic erectile dysfunction with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound.

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and weakness of the penis are processes related to hemodynamic alteration. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), as a new mechanical modality for the treatment of ED, deserves to be explored in depth for the biomechanical mechanisms it exerts.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the role of YAP/TAZ-mediated mechanotransduction in mechanical therapy for the treatment of neurogenic erectile dysfunction (NED).

Therapeutic effect and mechanism of combination therapy with ursolic acid and insulin on diabetic nephropathy in a type I diabetic rat model.

This work aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of ursolic acid (UA) plus insulin (In) on diabetic nephropathy (DN) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T1DM rats. The experimental groups and operational details are as follows: A total of thirty-two SD rats were divided into four groups: the DN model group (DN, = 8), DN + In treatment group (DN + In, = 8), DN + In + UA administration group (DN + In + UA, = 8), and negative control group (control, = 8). After 8 weeks, changes in renal function indices and pathological damage were assessed.

[Preventive and therapeutic effects of Icariside Ⅱ on radiation injury-induced erectile dysfunction in rats].

Objective: To explore the preventive and therapeutic effects of Icariside Ⅱ (ICAⅡ) on radiation injury-induced ED (Ri-ED) in rats.

Methods: Twenty-four 10-week-old male SD rats received exposure of the prostate to single X-ray irradiation of 20 Gy, and were randomly equally divided into an Ri-ED group (6 survived and 6 died) and a treatment group treated with ICAⅡ at 4.5 mg/kg/d (9 survived and 3 died).

[Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound versus low-energy shock wave in the treatment of neurogenic penile erectile dysfunction].

Objective: To investigate the effect and safety of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) versus low-energy shock wave (LESW) in the treatment of neurogenic penile ED in male SD rats.

Methods: Twenty-four 12-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups of an equal number: sham operation, bilateral cavernous nerves injury (BCNI), LIPUS (300 mW /cm2, 3 times a week for 2 weeks), and LESW (300 strokes once, 3 times a week for 2 weeks). At 28 days after intervention, the erectile function of the rats was assessed by comparing the ratio of maximum intracavernous pressure to mean arterial pressure (ICPmax/MAP), and the histopathological changes in the corpus cavernosum of the penis were observed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, and Masson trichromatic staining.

Encapsulated three-dimensional bioprinted structure seeded with urothelial cells: a new construction technique for tissue-engineered urinary tract patch.

Background: Traditional tissue engineering methods to fabricate urinary tract patch have some drawbacks such as compromised cell viability and uneven cell distribution within scaffold. In this study, we combined three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting and tissue engineering method to form a tissue-engineered urinary tract patch, which could be employed for the application on Beagles urinary tract defect mode to verify its effectiveness on urinary tract reconstruction.

Methods: Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) were dropped into smooth muscle differentiation medium to generate induced microtissues (ID-MTs), flow cytometry was utilized to detect the positive percentage for CD44, CD105, CD45, and CD34 of hADSCs.