Fascia lata preservation during inguinal lymphadenectomy for penile cancer: rationale and outcome.

Objective: To investigate local groin recurrence and morbidity associated with fascia lata preservation during inguinal lymphadenectomy (LAD) for penile carcinoma.

Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2011, 201 inguinal dissections with preservation of the fascia lata were performed in 104 patients with clinical disease staged at ≤N2. The dissection boundaries were the same as those for radical inguinal LAD.

Overexpression of YAP 1 contributes to progressive features and poor prognosis of human urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Background: Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP 1), the nuclear effector of the Hippo pathway, is a key regulator of organ size and a candidate human oncogene in multiple tumors. However, the expression dynamics of YAP 1 in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) and its clinical/prognostic significance are unclear.

Methods: In this study, the methods of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were utilized to investigate mRNA/ protein expression of YAP 1 in UCBs.

[Efficacy analysis of three therapeutic modes on clinical stage Ia nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors].

Objectives: To investigate the oncologic outcomes of surveillance, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) and primary chemotherapy in patients with clinical stage Ia nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors (CS Ia NSGCT) and to analyze risk factors for relapse.

Methods: Patients with CS Ia NSGCT were retrospectively reviewed. Totally 72 patients were enrolled and grouped according to three different treatment after orchiectomy, among them 33 cases in surveillance group, 24 cases in RPLND group and 15 cases in primary chemotherapy group.

ESR1 Gene Polymorphisms and Prostate Cancer Risk: A HuGE Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Many published data on the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ESR1 gene and prostate cancer susceptibility are inconclusive. The aim of this Human Genome Epidemiology (HuGE) review and meta-analysis is to derive a more precise estimation of this relationship.

Methods: A literature search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Chinese Biomedical (CBM) databases was conducted from their inception through July 1st, 2012.

Age-specific effect of gender on upper tract urothelial carcinoma outcomes.

The research is to evaluate the age-specific differential effects of gender on outcomes in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Between August 1998 and October 2010, we retrospectively reviewed the data from 285 (67.7%) men and 136 (32.

Clinical outcomes in patients with stage I non-seminomatous germ cell cancer.

This study assesses the long-term outcomes in Han Chinese patients with clinical stage I non-seminomatous germ cell testicular cancer (CSI NSGCT) treated with surveillance, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) and adjuvant chemotherapy. We retrospectively evaluated 89 patients with a mean age of 26.5 years.

Intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin in locally advanced or recurrent penile squamous cell carcinoma.

The prognosis of locally advanced or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis after conventional treatment is dismal. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin on locally advanced or recurrent SCC of the penis. Between April 1999 and May 2011, we treated 5 patients with locally advanced penile SCC and 7 patients with recurrent disease with intraarterial chemotherapy.

Graphene based dots and antidots: a comparative study from first principles.

Graphene based quantum dots and antidots are two nanostructures of primary importance for their fundamental physics and technological applications, particularly in the emerging field of graphene-based nanoelectronics and nanospintronics. Herein, based on first principles density functional theory calculations, we report a comparative study on the electronic structure of these two structurally complementary entities, where the bandgap opening, edge magnetism and the role of hydrogenation are investigated. Our results show the diversity of electronic structures of various dots and antidots, whose properties are sensitive to the edge detailed geometry (including size and shape and edge type).

[Treatment of hepatic cancer in mice by beta-elemene combined DC/Dribble vaccine: an immune mechanism research].

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects of beta-elemene combined DC/Dribble vaccine in treating mice with hepatic cancer, thus exploring their anti-tumor mechanisms.

Methods: Dentritic cells were derived from Balb/c mice's spleen and their phenotypes were identified. Using hepatic cancer cell line BNL1MEA.

Enhanced expression of MYF5 and MYOD1 in fibroblast cells via the forced expression of bos taurus MYF5.

The formation of vertebrate skeletal muscles widely thought to be under the control of hierarchy of regulatory genes. MYF5 is one of the myogenic determination gene expressed in the developing mouse dermomyotome which control skeletal muscle differentiation. In the current work, we had obtained the cDNA sequence including the full coding region of the bos taurus myogenic factor MYF5 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

DTF1 is a core component of RNA-directed DNA methylation and may assist in the recruitment of Pol IV.

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark in many eukaryotic organisms. De novo DNA methylation in plants can be achieved by the RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway, where the plant-specific DNA-dependent RNA polymerase IV (Pol IV) transcribes target sequences to initiate 24-nt siRNA production and action. The putative DNA binding protein DTF1/SHH1 of Arabidopsis has been shown to associate with Pol IV and is required for 24-nt siRNA accumulation and transcriptional silencing at several RdDM target loci.

Evaluation of anatomic and morphologic nomogram to predict malignant and high-grade disease in a cohort of patients with small renal masses.

Objective: To evaluate a nomogram using the RENAL Nephrometry Score (RENAL-NS) that was developed to characterize masses as benign vs. malignant and high vs. low grade in our patients with small renal masses treated with partial nephrectomy (PN).

[Preliminary study of HCT-CI score system for prognosis prediction in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia after chemotherapy].

Objective: To investigate the value of the HCT-CI score in chemotherapy risk assessment and prognosis of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Methods: The clinical data of 116 AML patients older than 60 years in the department of Hematology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2000 to December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients received cytarabine-based regimens, including protocol DA, MA, IA, AA or CAG, followed by cytarabine-based postremission treatment.

[Clinical manifestation and autoantibody profile in 123 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis].

Objective: To investigate the autoantibody profile and its clinical implication in the patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Methods: During the period of 2008 to 2010,123 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in our hospital were enrolled in this study, of whom, 70 patients were with cirrhosis and 53 without cirrhosis, The autoantibody profile was tested for each patient by using immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence.

Results: Of the 123 PBC patients with liver cirrhosis, 49% were positive with serum ANA positive; 47%, 51%, 54%, 31% and 49% were positive with serum anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-mitochondrial antibodies-M2 (AMA-M2), anti-promyelocytic leukemia (anti-PML), anti-sp100 antibodies (anti-sp100), anti-Ro-52 antibody (anti-52KD), respectively.

A low energy beam transport system for proton beam.

A low energy beam transport (LEBT) system has been built for a compact pulsed hadron source (CPHS) at Tsinghua University in China. The LEBT, consisting of two solenoids and three short-drift sections, transports a pulsed proton beam of 60 mA of energy of 50 keV to the entrance of a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ). Measurement has shown a normalized RMS beam emittance less than 0.

Treatment of posthepatitic cirrhosis by Fuzheng Huayu Tablet for reinforcing qi and resolving stasis.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Fuzheng Huayu Tablet FZHYT), which is used to reinforce qi and resolve stasis in patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis (PHC).

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted in 180 patients with PHC. The patients were randomly assigned using random numbers to a treatment group treated with FZHYT and a placebo group; the treatment course was 6 months for both groups.

Selenium attenuates adriamycin-induced cardiac dysfunction via restoring expression of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in rats.

The possible mechanism of adriamycin (ADR) and/or selenium (Se) deficiency-induced cardiac dysfunction, and cardioprotective effects of Se against ADR-induced cardiac toxicity were investigated in this study. Cardiac function was evaluated by plasma brain natriuretic peptide level and echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters. Cardiac glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was assessed spectrophotometrically.

The risk factors for the presence of pelvic lymph node metastasis in penile squamous cell carcinoma patients with inguinal lymph node dissection.

Objective: To evaluate factors in penile squamous cell carcinoma predictive of pelvic lymph node metastasis and survival.

Materials And Methods: Data were collected and analyzed retrospectively in 146 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of penis who underwent bilateral inguinal lymph node dissection in our center between January 1998 and April 2011. Variables recorded included serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen, primary tumor p53 immunoreactivity, histological grade, pathological tumor stage, lymphatic or vascular invasion, absent/unilateral or bilateral inguinal lymph node involvement, number of metastatic inguinal lymph nodes, presence of extracapsular growth and lymph node density.

Piercing associated perichondritis of the pinna: are we treating it correctly?

Objective: This paper reports a series of patients with sporadic pinna perichondritis who presented to a district general hospital over a period of 10 years. The data examined included the causative organism, risk factors and pattern of antibiotic use.

Method: A retrospective analysis of diagnosed cases of pinna perichondritis from 2001 to 2012 was performed.

Hydrogen sulfide donor regulates alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis in rats with acute lung injury.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common syndrome associated with high morbidity and mortality in emergency medicine. Cell apoptosis plays a key role in the pathogenesis of ALI. Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) plays a protective role during acute lung injury.

Prognostic significance of tumor location and superficial urothelial bladder carcinoma history in patients with ureteral urothelial carcinoma treated with radical nephroureterectomy.

Purpose: To investigate the significance of tumor location and superficial urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) history on oncological outcomes in patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for ureteral urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Methods: One hundred and thirty-two patients treated with RNU for ureteral UC between January 1999 and July 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Recurrence probabilities and survival rates were analyzed, stratified by tumor location and superficial UBC history.

Risk factors for relapse in patients with clinical stage I testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.

Prediction of oncological outcomes facilitates individualized risk-adapted management for clinical stage I testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (CS I NSGCTs). We investigated risk factors for relapse following orchidectomy, with particular focus on patients with active surveillance. Patients with CS I NSGCTs treated by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), chemotherapy, or surveillance between January 1997 and December 2009 were identified.