Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have important roles in diverse biological processes, including transcriptional regulation, cell growth and tumorigenesis. The present study aimed to investigate whether lncRNA-growth arrest-specific (GAS)5 regulated bladder cancer progression via regulation of chemokine (C-C) ligand (CCL)1 expression. The viability of BLX bladder cancer cells was detected using a Cell Counting kit-8 assay, and cell apoptosis was assessed by annexin V-propidium iodide double-staining. The expression levels of specific genes and proteins were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. In addition, cells were transfected with small interfering (si)RNAs or recombinant GAS5 in order to silence or overexpress GAS5, respectively. The results of the present study demonstrated that knockdown of GAS5 expression promoted bladder cancer cell proliferation, whereas overexpression of GAS5 suppressed cell proliferation. Furthermore, knockdown of GAS5 resulted in an increased percentage of cells in S and G2 phase, and a decreased percentage of cells in G1 phase. In addition, the present study performed a hierarchical cluster analysis of differentially expressed lncRNAs in bladder cancer cells and detected that CCL1 overexpression resulted in an upregulation of GAS5, which may improve the ability of cells to regulate a stress response in vitro. Furthermore, knockdown of GAS5 expression increased the mRNA and protein expression of CCL1 in bladder cancer cells. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies demonstrated that GAS5 was able to inhibit bladder cancer cell proliferation, at least in part, by suppressing the expression of CCL1. The results of the present study demonstrated that GAS5 was able to suppress bladder cancer cell proliferation, at least partially, by suppressing the expression of CCL1. The results of the present study may provide a basis for developing novel effective treatment strategies against bladder cancer.

Preoperative clopidogrel exposure increased bleeding and transfusion requirements in patients receiving on-pump CABG. Tranexamic acid reduced this risk and provided extra protection selectively in the patients with persistent clopidogrel exposure within 7 days before surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATIONL clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01060163.

CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling plays important roles in tumor cell metastasis in many types of cancers, and CXCR4 is the key regulator of cell motility in bladder cancer. Emerging evidence suggests that transcription-3 (Stat3) activation is associated with bladder cancer cell growth and survival, while the relationship between CXCL12/CXCR4 signal and Stat3 activation remains unclear. In this study, expression analysis of bladder cancer and adjacent normal tissues showed that higher CXCR4 expression was associated with Stat3 phosphorylation. CXCR4 knockdown in bladder cancer T24 cells impaired CXCL12-induced cell invasion and Stat3 activation. Furthermore, blocking Stat3 activity with the chemical inhibitor Stattic inhibited CXCL12-triggered Stat3 phosphorylation and cell invasion in T24 cells, suggesting that Stat3 activation is required for CXCL12 function in the mobility of bladder cancer. Taken together, CXCR4 is necessary for CXCL12 signal transduction in bladder cancer, and CXCL12/CXCR4 promotes invasion of bladder cancer cells through activation of Stat3 transcriptional activity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of the PolyScope™ endoscope system in the treatment of upper urinary calculi with a diameter of <2 cm. A total of 86 patients hospitalized with upper urinary tract calculi were included. The patients were placed under general or spinal anesthesia and in a lithotomy position. Following the dilation of the ureter, a guide wire was inserted under the direct vision of an F8/9.8 rigid ureteroscope, and an F12/14 flexible ureteral access sheath was positioned along the guide wire. Holmium laser lithotripsy was subsequently performed, using an F8.0 ‘PolyScope’ modular flexible ureteroscope. Plain film of the kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB) was performed 1 day subsequent to the surgery, in order to determine the result of the lithotripsy and the position of the double-J stent which was inserted after after holmium laser lithotripsy. In addition, in certain patients, KUB radiography was performed 2–4 weeks subsequent to the surgery, and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) was performed if the diameter of the residual stones was >6 mm. Lithotripsy was successful in 77 patients and the duration of the surgery ranged between 25 and 80 min (mean duration, 42 min). Little bleeding was observed. Three patients presented with a slight fever following the surgery; however, no ureteral perforation, high fever or septicemia was observed among the patients following anti-inflammatory treatment. The stone-free rate (SFR) of the single-pass lithotripsy was 89.5% (77/86) and the SFR with ESWL was 96.5% (83/86). The study demonstrated that the F8 modular flexible ureteroscope was safe, convenient and effective for the lithotripsy of upper-tract calculi.

In Chinese patients pretreated with dexmedetomidine, T was consistent with that published, but T, V and Cl were lower. It was unnecessary to consider the mutation when developing the precision regimen of dexmedetomidine.

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A 22-year-old female suffering from idiopathic long-QT syndrome complicated by frequent syncope, torsade-de-pointes-type ventricular tachycardia, and asthma, was successfully treated by video-assisted extensive left second and third thoracic sympathetic ganglionectomy, instead of left stellate and first thoracic ganglio-nectomy, to avoid postoperative Horner's syndrome. The QT interval was significantly shortened from 0.6 to 0.43 seconds four days after the surgery. It remained at 0.43 seconds during a 3-month follow-up with no recurrence of tachycardia or syncope.

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