Perioperative, functional, and oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy versus open partial nephrectomy for complex renal tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The primary aim of this present study is to undertake a comprehensive comparative analysis of the perioperative, functional, and oncologic outcomes associated with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) and open partial nephrectomy (OPN) as interventions for the treatment of complex renal tumors, defined as PADUA or RENAL score ≥ 7.

Methods: We systematically carried out an extensive search across four electronic databases, namely PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science. Our objective was to identify pertinent studies published in the English language up to December 2023, and encompassed controlled trials comparing LPN and OPN as interventions for complex renal tumors.

Integrative pharmacology reveals the mechanisms of Erzhi pills, A traditional Chinese formulation, stimulating melanogenesis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Erzhi pills (EZP), a traditional Chinese medicine formula prescribed for the treatment of vitiligo, has shown promising efficacy. However, the oral bioactive components and mechanisms underlying the promotion of melanogenesis by EZP remain unclear.

Aim Of The Study: This study aimed to investigate the pharmacological basis and mechanism of EZP in promoting melanogenesis.

Platelet abnormalities in autoimmune thyroid diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Some degree of platelet index abnormality has been found clinically in the autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), but the findings are not uniform.

Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for relevant articles published up to August 16th, 2022, with no restrictions on the language of the articles. Reference lists of eligible articles were also searched.

Targeting glycolysis in non-small cell lung cancer: Promises and challenges.

Metabolic disturbance, particularly of glucose metabolism, is a hallmark of tumors such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cancer cells tend to reprogram a majority of glucose metabolism reactions into glycolysis, even in oxygen-rich environments. Although glycolysis is not an efficient means of ATP production compared to oxidative phosphorylation, the inhibition of tumor glycolysis directly impedes cell survival and growth.

Tribulus terrestris L. extract ameliorates atherosclerosis by inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in ApoE mice and A7r5 cells via suppression of Akt/MEK/ERK signaling.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Atherosclerosis (AS) is one of major threatens of death worldwide, and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is an important characteristic in the progression of AS. Tribulus terrestris L. is a well-known Chinese Materia Medica for treating skin pruritus, vertigo and cardiovascular diseases in traditional Chinese medicine.

A familial cluster of COVID-19 infection in a northern Chinese region.

Objective: Currently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide and become a global health concern. Here, we report a familial cluster of six patients infected with severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a northern Chinese region and share our local experience with regard the control of COVID-19.

Methods: The demographic data, clinical features, laboratory examinations, and epidemiological characteristics of enrolled cases were collected and analyzed.

L. Extract Protects against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in RAW 264.7 Macrophage and Zebrafish via Inhibition of Akt/MAPKs and NF-B/iNOS-NO Signaling Pathways.

Inflammation response is a regulated cellular process and excessive inflammation has been recognized in numerous diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. L. (TT), also known as Bai Jili in Chinese, has been applied in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years while its anti-inflammatory activity and underlying mechanism are not fully elucidated.

Pharmacological Activity, Pharmacokinetics, and Toxicity of Timosaponin AIII, a Natural Product Isolated From Bunge: A Review.

Bunge is a famous Chinese Materia Medica and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than two thousand years. Steroidal saponins are important active components isolated from Bunge. Among which, the accumulation of numerous experimental studies involved in Timosaponin AIII (Timo AIII) draws our attention in the recent decades.

Monitoring the course of Brucella infection with qPCR-based detection.

Objectives: To determine blood Brucella DNA loads between brucellosis patients and those without brucellosis.

Methods: The patient group included 350 brucellosis patients. The control was composed of 200 subjects without brucellosis.

Non-linear scaling of a musculoskeletal model of the lower limb using statistical shape models.

Accurate muscle geometry for musculoskeletal models is important to enable accurate subject-specific simulations. Commonly, linear scaling is used to obtain individualised muscle geometry. More advanced methods include non-linear scaling using segmented bone surfaces and manual or semi-automatic digitisation of muscle paths from medical images.

The relationship between lateral meniscus shape and joint contact parameters in the knee: a study using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Introduction: The meniscus has an important role in force transmission across the knee, but a detailed three-dimensional (3D) morphometric shape analysis of the lateral meniscus to elucidate subject-specific function has not been conducted. The aim of this study was to perform 3D morphometric analyses of the lateral meniscus in order to correlate shape variables with anthropometric parameters, thereby gaining a better understanding of the relationship between lateral meniscus shape and its load-bearing function.

Methods: The lateral meniscus (LM) was manually segmented from magnetic resonance images randomly selected from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) non-exposed control subcohort.

3D Morphometric and posture study of felid scapulae using statistical shape modelling.

We present a three dimensional (3D) morphometric modelling study of the scapulae of Felidae, with a focus on the correlations between forelimb postures and extracted scapular shape variations. Our shape modelling results indicate that the scapular infraspinous fossa becomes larger and relatively broader along the craniocaudal axis in larger felids. We infer that this enlargement of the scapular fossa may be a size-related specialization for postural support of the shoulder joint.

Analysis of the complete hepatitis B virus genome in patients with genotype C chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C and the basic core promoter (BCP) mutations were reported to be associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study the full sequences of HBV genomes were analyzed in order to find the other predictors of HCC development. We determined the full sequences of HBV genomes in 24 genotype C carriers who developed HCC (HCC group) at the beginning of follow-up and at the time of HCC diagnosis, and 20 patients who did not develop HCC (non-HCC group) served as a control.

Analysis of the complete hepatitis B virus genome in patients with genotype C chronic hepatitis in relation to HBeAg and anti-HBe.

To investigate the relationship between viral factors and the development of chronic hepatitis B, the entire hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome of chronic carriers at different disease stages were analyzed. Eighty genotype C HBV carriers including 12 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive asymptomatic carriers (Group A), 49 HBeAg positive patients with chronic liver diseases (Group B) and 19 anti-HBe positive patients with chronic liver diseases (Group C) were studied. HBV nucleic acid from serum samples was sequenced directly and compared with GenBank reference sequences HBV X01587 and M12906.

Inhibition of subgenomic hepatitis C virus RNA replication in HeLa cells.

Background/aims: Antiviral therapy such as combination interferon and ribavirin can eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by up to 40-50%. However, many patients still remain non-responders to this treatment for various reasons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of interferon or ribavirin treatment on subgenomic HCV RNA replication in 'non-hepatic' HeLa cells.