[Transperineal targeted prostate puncture combined with rapid pathological examination in the diagnosis of prostate cancer]

Exploring the clinical value of multiparametric magnetic resonance (Mp-MRI)-cognitive fusion method of targeted transperineal prostate puncture combined with rapid pathological diagnosis. Patients with suspected prostate cancer admitted to our hospital from 2022.01 to 2023.05 were selected as the study subjects, and Mp-MRI was performed and the suspected lesions were scored by the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS). The enrolled patients were randomly divided into the transperineal prostate targeted puncture plus rapid pathology group (experimental group) and the transperineal prostate systematic combined targeted puncture plus conventional pathology group (control group), and the positive puncture rate, pathological findings, and complications were analyzed to compare the differences between the two groups. A total of 100 patients were enrolled, 53 in the experimental group [age 55-89 years, (73.17±7.79) years; tPSA 7.01-100 μg/L, mean 21.34 (12.38, 44.42) μg/L]and 47 in the control group [age 60-87 years, (71.96±7.07) years; tPSA 6.11-98.82 μg/L, mean 18.77 (9.04, 38.09) μg/L], and there was no significant difference between the two groups in the diagnostic positivity rate of overall PCa and clinically significant PCa (P>0.05); there was no significant difference in the highest Gleason score of pathological tissues between the two groups (P>0.05); the number of cases of medically induced sarcoid hematuria in the experimental group were significantly reduced compared with the control group (P<0.05). In terms of biopsy pain score (VAS), patients in the experimental group experienced less pain than those in the control group (P<0.05). The Mp-MRI-cognitive fusion method of transperineal targeted prostate puncture combined with rapid frozen section pathological examination can provide rapid and accurate pathological results, reduce the chance of post-puncture complications, and alleviate the pain caused by puncture sampling, which has high clinical value.

[Design and clinical application of goal-oriented retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy]

Objective: To investigate the goal-oriented retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy and report the initial experiment. Methods: A total of 102 patients were selected to our clinic experiment, and performed retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy with the new method. including adrenal cortex adenoma 76 cases, phaochromocytoma 12 cases, adrenal cyst 6 cases, myelolipoma 4 cases, gangliocytoma 1 case and corticohyperplassia 3 cases. The mean diameter of the tumors was 2.8 cm (0.5-5.8 cm). The operative procedure was briefly described as such, with ultrasound guiding, a needle was punched percutaneously up to the adrenal mass or the renal upper pole from lateral to posterior axillary line just below the inferior border of the 12th rib. labeled the pathway of the needle with methylene blue. Along the way of the needle, a 12 mm port was introduced into the retroperitoneal space with closed method, and the laparoscope with a working tunnel was introduced to make a tunnel along the label up to the adrenal for finally removing it. Additional port should be used when it was needed in the procedure. Results: The procedures of all patients were successful, and 10 patients were performed with only one port, 81 patients with two ports, 11 patients with three ports. The operative duration was 49 (31-115) min, the average blood loss was 38 (0-260) ml. There was no transition to open surgery and no perioperative complications. The length of postoperative hospital stay was 4.1 d (2-7 d). 98 patients were available for follow-up of 16.5 months (1-38 months), no complication was found. Conclusions: The new method of retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy is feasible and safe for renal masses, and compared to the conventional method, it may be less trauma to the abdominal wall and retropertoneal tissue, and it was also better on cosmetics.

B-type natriuretic peptide and cirrhosis progression

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is used as a marker of cardiac dysfunction to predict heart failure mortality. The significance of the prognostic ability of BNP for liver cirrhosis remains unknown, although the levels of BNP seen in cirrhosis are high. We aimed to determine whether the BNP level is related to the stage of cirrhosis and could serve as a prognostic marker of cirrhosis (predict the 1-year all-cause mortality). We recruited 92 patients at different stages of cirrhosis and 81 controls matched by age and gender for this study. At admission, cardiac physical examination and BNP measurements were performed. Upon discharge, the 89 patients were followed up for 12 months. The median BNP levels of patients with cirrhosis were 167.0 pg/mL, which were significantly higher than those of the control group (167.0 vs 34.8 pg/mL, P = 0.001). Serum BNP levels were positively correlated with the Child score, the grade of esophageal varices, a history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and the presence of ascites and collateral circulation. BNP levels above the median were associated with an increased occurrence of death within 12 months of discharge (log rank P = 0.025), as determined by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Esophageal varices, large/medium volume ascites, and BNP levels were related to the clinical outcome (P = 0.034, 0.030, and 0.025, respectively). Together, these results suggested that serum BNP levels are significantly correlated with the stage of cirrhosis, suggesting that BNP levels might serve as a significant predictor for 1-year all-cause mortality.

First Report of Ageratum yellow vein virus Causing Tobacco Leaf Curl Disease in Fujian Province, China

A leaf curling disease was observed on 7% of tobacco plants during December 2005 in research plots in the Cangshan District of Fuzhou, Fujian, China. Tobacco plants were infested with Bemisia tabaci, suggesting begomovirus etiology. To identify possible begomoviruses, total DNA was extracted from four symptomatic leaf samples (F1, F2, F3, and F4). The degenerate primers PA and PB were used to amplify part of the intergenic region and AV2 gene of DNA-A-like molecules (3). A 500-bp DNA fragment was amplified by PCR from all four samples. The PCR products were cloned and sequenced (GenBank Accession Nos. EF531601-EF531603 and EF527823). Alignment of the 500-bp sequences for the four isolates indicated that they shared 98.5 to 99.6% nt identity, suggesting that the plants were all infected by the same virus. Overlapping primers TV-Full-F (5'-GGATCCTCTTTTGAACGAGTTTCC-3') and TV-Full-R (5'-GGATCCCACATGTTTAAAATAATAC-3') were then designed to amplify the full-length DNA-A from sample F2. The sequence was 2,754 nucleotides long (GenBank Accession No. EF527823). A comparison with other begomoviruses indicated the F2 DNA-A had the highest nucleotide sequence identity (95.7%) with Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV; GenBank Accession No. X74516) from Singapore. To further test whether DNAβ was associated with the four viral isolates, a universal DNAβ primer pair (beta 01 and beta 02) was used (4). An amplicon of approximately 1.3 kb was obtained from all samples. The DNAβ molecule from F2 was then cloned and sequenced. F2 DNAβ was 1,345 nucleotides long (GenBank Accession No. EF527824), sharing the highest nucleotide sequence identity with the DNAβ of Tomato leaf curl virus (97.2%) from Taiwan (GenBank Accession No. AJ542495) and AYVV (88.8%) from Singapore (GenBank Accession No. AJ252072). The disease agent was transmitted to Nicotiana tabacum, N. glutinosa, Ageratum conyzoides, Oxalis corymbosa, and Phyllanthus urinaria plants by whiteflies (B. tabaci) when field infected virus isolate F2 was used as inoculum. In N. tabacum and N. glutinosa plants, yellow vein symptoms were initially observed in young leaves. However, these symptoms disappeared later during infection and vein swelling and downward leaf curling symptoms in N. tabacum and vein swelling and upward leaf curling in N. glutinosa were observed. In A. conyzoides, O. corymbosa, and P. urinaria plants, typical yellow vein symptoms were observed. The presence of the virus and DNAβ in symptomatic plants was verified by PCR with primer pairs TV-Full-F/TV-Full-R and beta 01/beta 02, respectively. The above sequence and whitefly transmission results confirmed that the tobacco samples were infected by AYVV. In China, Tobacco leaf curl Yunnan virus, Tobacco curly shoot virus, and Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus were reported to be associated with tobacco leaf curl disease (1,3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of AYVV infecting tobacco in China. A. conyzoides is a widely distributed weed in south China and AYVV was reported in A. conyzoides in Hainan Island, China (2). Therefore, this virus may pose a serious threat to tobacco production in south China. References: (1) Z. Li et al. Phytopathology 95:902, 2005. (2) Q. Xiong et al. Phytopathology 97:405, 2007. (3) X. Zhou et al. Arch. Virol. 146:1599, 2001. (4) X. Zhou et al. J. Gen. Virol. 84:237, 2003.

Adapting the Quesant Nomad atomic force microscope for biology and patch-clamp atomic force microscopy

The Quesant Nomad atomic force microscope (AFM) was modified to produce a reliable patch-clamp AFM for demanding biologic applications. The AFM's laser optics forms the basis of a condenser that allows simultaneous Köhler illumination and AFM imaging on an inverted optical microscope. The original AFM scan head was replaced with plastic and glass to make it biologically inert. A bevel cut in the new scan head permits clearance for patch clamp pipets. Cantilevers are attached to the scan head with a quick setting silicone rubber that is readily removable. Software was developed to (a) automate a gentle approach and set a specific feedback force, (b) provide a mouse-driven control of the X-Y position of the probe tip and recall of saved locations, and (c) measure force-distance curves over user defined paths. Additional modifications were made to minimize mechanical noise. The patch-clamp AFM achieves 600 fA (3 kHz bandwidth) and 1 A RMS noise levels (10 kHz bandwidth). The correlation of electrical and mechanical information allows signal averaging and measures sub-Angstrom, sub-millisecond electromotile responses from cells.

Comparison of histology between recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy

To elucidate the aetiology of tonsillar hypertrophy and recurrent tonsillitis, it is important to determine whether a difference exists between these two conditions in microanatomical architecture. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in follicle size and numbers in tonsils for patients with tonsillar hypertrophy and recurrent tonsillitis using an image analysis method. Our results showed that there was no significant difference in the mean follicle numbers per counting field (40x magnification) between recurrent tonsillitis (4.5 +/- 2.1) and tonsillar hypertrophy (3.8 +/- 0.5). However, the mean follicle area in the tonsillar hypertrophy group (0.23 +/- 0.02 mm2) is significantly (P < 0.01) larger than in the recurrent tonsillitis group (0.15 +/- 0.02 mm2). Our study demonstrates that tonsillar hypertrophy is characterized histologically by an enlargement of follicles compared with chronic tonsillitis, indicating a hyperplastic condition of lymphoid cells in the germinal centres. It may also explain the difference in aetiology and/or immune defence mechanism underlying these two conditions.

[Chemical constituents from the leaves of crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br]

AIM

To study the chemical constituents in the leaves of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br..

METHODS

Compounds were isolated by using porous resin, silica gel, polyamide chromatographic techniques etc. Their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods.

RESULTS

Eight compounds were identified as pinnatifin I (1), quercetin (2), 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl quercetin (3), 3-O-beta-D-galacopyranosyl quercetin (4), 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (6-->1)-alpha-L-rhamnosyl quercetin (5), 3-O-beta-D-galacopyranosyl (6-->1)-alpha-L-rhamnosyl quercetin (6), kaempferol (7), 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnosyl-3-O-beta-D- glucopyranosyl kaempferol (8).

CONCLUSION

Compound 1 is a new compound. Compound 8 was isolated from this plant for the first time.

Evaluation of nasal cavity by acoustic rhinometry in Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnic groups

Acoustic rhinometry (AR) evaluates the geometry of the nasal cavity by measuring the minimum cross-sectional area (MCA) and nasal volume (V) by means of acoustic reflection. Understanding the normal and pathologic conditions of the internal nasal cavity using AR is important in the diagnosis of structural abnormalities in patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the normal range of AR parameters in healthy volunteers from three ethnic groups in Singapore: Chinese, Malay and Indian. We also attempted to evaluate the role of these measurements in the documentation of structural abnormalities in the nose. A total of 189 Singaporeans, aged > or = 18 years, were recruited from a nationwide survey study. They comprised 83 Chinese, 35 Malays and 71 Indians. Eighty-nine subjects had a rhinoscopically normal nose (Group 1), 77 had significant septal deviation (Group 2) and 23 had inferior turbinate hypertrophy (Group 3). AR was performed to measure the MCA at the anterior 1-5 cm from the nostril and the volume (V) between points at the nostril and 5 cm into the nose. A mean MCA (mMCA; equal to (L + R)/2) and a total volume (Vt; equal to L + R) were then calculated for each subject, where L and R refer to the measurements made for the left and right nostrils, respectively. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in mMCA (p = 0.80) and Vt (p = 0.60) among the three ethnic subgroups of Group 1. Statistically significant differences were found only between Groups 1 and 3 (p < 0.001 for both mMCA and Vt) and between Groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.001 for mMCA and p = 0.013 for Vt). Although there was no significant difference between Groups 1 and 2, significant differences in MCA (p = 0.001) and V (p = 0.040) were found between the narrower sides (smaller volume) and the wider sides in Group 2, indicating volume compensation between the nasal cavities. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that there is no significant difference in the normal range of AR measurements among Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnic groups. AR is able to determine the structural abnormality of the internal nasal cavity caused by septal deviation and inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

Voltage-induced membrane movement

Thermodynamics predicts that transmembrane voltage modulates membrane tension and that this will cause movement. The magnitude and polarity of movement is governed by cell stiffness and surface potentials. Here we confirm these predictions using the atomic force microscope to dynamically follow the movement of voltage-clamped HEK293 cells in different ionic-strength solutions. In normal saline, depolarization caused an outward movement, and at low ionic strength an inward movement. The amplitude was proportional to voltage (about 1 nm per 100 mV) and increased with indentation depth. A simple physical model of the membrane and tip provided an estimate of the external and internal surface charge densities (-5 x 10(-3) C x m(-2) and -18 x 10(-3) C x m(-2), respectively). Salicylate (a negative amphiphile) inhibited electromotility by increasing the external charge density by -15 x 10(-3) C x m(-2). As salicylate blocks electromotility in cochlear outer hair cells at the same concentration, the role of prestin as a motor protein may need to be reassessed.

Five new diprenylated flavonols from the leaves of Broussonetia kazinoki

Five new diprenylated flavonols, broussonol A (1), broussonol B (2), broussonol C (3), broussonol D (4), and broussonol E (5), along with two known compounds, were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the leaves of Broussonetia kazinoki. Their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectral methods. Cytotoxic activities were evaluated against several different cell lines.

Flavonoid ketohexosefuranosides from the leaves of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br

Four flavonoid ketohexosefuranosides, pinnatifinoside A, pinnatifinoside B, pinnatifinoside C, and pinnatifinoside D were isolated from the leaves of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, MS and 1D, 2D NMR) and chemical evidence.

Two novel flavonoid glycosides from Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.var.major N.E.Br

Two novel natural products, namely pinnatifida C, pinnatifida D, were isolated from the leaves of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.var.major N.E.Br. Their structures were elucidated by the spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.

[The determination of DNA adducts in liver and lung of mice exposed to dimethylnitrosamine]

The purpose of this study was to assess the role of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in DNA lesions and to determine the levels of O6-methyl-guanine (O6-mGua) and N-7-methyl-guanine (m7-Gua). Mice were treated with 10 ppm DMN in drinking water for 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 days. The average dosage of DMN was 2 mg/kg/day, DNA was isolated from liver and lung specimens, and its purine bases separated by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The results showed the presence of O6-mGua and m7-Gua in the DNA following administration of DMN. The m7-Gua was found to be unsteady. O6-mGua decreased rapidly after 1 and 2 days treatment with DMN, but was raised after 32 days with continuous exposure. These findings suggest that damaged DNA would be repaired in vivo, but with continuous exposure to DMN, O6-mGua would accumulate in the DNA and this might be the cause of tumor induction.

Modified alkali digestion method for pulmonary asbestos fibre counts

In using the standard alkali digestion method for pulmonary asbestos fibre count, it was found that carbonaceous particles often obscured the presence of asbestos bodies (coated fibres) rendering their quantification inaccurate, particularly in lungs with a high soot particle content and a low fibre count. We applied the chloroform-ethanol separation technique from the bleaching agent digestion method to the alkali digestion method to remove the carbonaceous particles. It was found that coated fibres are much easier to visualize and count. The uncoated fibre count was nevertheless more accurate with the original method. The coated and uncoated fibre counts from 21 lung specimens were compared using both methods. The total fibre count was considered better derived from using both techniques.