The data on the prevalence of kidney stones in mainland China are still lacking. We performed the present meta-analysis to assess the stone prevalence in mainland China from 1990 through 2016. A total of 18 articles were included. The pooled overall prevalence was 7.54% (95% CI, 5.94–9.15). The prevalence in age groups of <20 years, 20–29 years, 30–39 years, 40–49 years, 50–59 years, and 60 years and older was 0.27%, 3.15%, 5.96%, 8.18%, 9.14%, and 9.68%, respectively, showing that it increased with age. Moreover, the prevalence was 10.34% in males and 6.62% in females, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.63 [95% CI: 1.51–1.76], indicating that males are more likely to suffer from this disease than females. However, urban areas (6.03%, 95% CI: 3.39–8.68) and rural areas (7.48%, 95% CI: 3.39–11.57) did not differ in the stone prevalence rate (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.42–1.68). The prevalence in the year groups of 1991–2000, 2001–2010, and 2011 to date was 5.95%, 8.86%, and 10.63%, respectively, which indicated an increasing trend. Further high-quality surveys throughout mainland China are needed to confirm these findings.

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Liver transplantation (LT) has been shown to be a feasible treatment in patients with severe forms of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). Because of a sufficient extrahepatic enzyme activity in non‐MSUD individuals, the organ of MSUD patients can be used as a domino graft. We performed a retrospective data collection of all LTs for MSUD carried out at the University Medical Center Hamburg‐Eppendorf (2016‐2018). Moreover, data from all consecutive domino LTs of the MSUD grafts either transplanted at our institution or allocated to other transplant centers were analyzed. During the study period, 15 LTs in MSUD patients were performed (12 children, 3 adults; median age, 10.9 years; range, 0.3‐26.1 years). Biliary complications occurred in 20%, and 13.3% suffered from bleeding complications. No further surgical problems occurred. At present, all MSUD patients are alive with a well‐functioning liver graft and on an unrestricted diet. In total, 14 consecutive domino LTs were performed. No surgical complications requiring intervention occurred. One patient died because of HCC relapse, and all other patients are alive with good liver graft function. In conclusion, the use of MSUD livers as domino grafts is safe and allows application of LT in MSUD patients without net extraction of a liver graft from the limited donor pool.

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Aberrant sialylation and altered sialyltransferase (ST) expressions are frequently found in many types of cancer. In this study, we examined the expressions of α 2,3-linked sialic acid residues and STs mRNA in human gastric cancer tissues. The relationship between the levels of α 2,3-linked sialic acid residues and the expression of STs mRNA was also analyzed. Maackia amurensis leukoagglutinin (MAL) specific for α 2,3-linked sialic acid was used for immunohistochemical staining. All gastric cancer tissues were positive for MAL staining, whereas adjacent normal tissues were negative. The extent of MAL staining was significantly correlated with the behavior of gastric cancer. The expression of STs mRNA was examined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. The levels of ST3Gal IV and ST6GalI in gastric cancer tissues were significantly increased compared with those in adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.05), whereas the levels of ST3Gal I, ST3Gal III, and ST3Gal VI were not increased. Furthermore, the high expression of ST3Gal IV was closely related to the extent of MAL staining (P < 0.05) unlike that of ST6Gal I. These results indicated that gastric cancer tissues expressed high levels of α 2,3-linked sialic acid residues, ST3Gal IV, and ST6Gal I. The high expression of ST3Gal IV may contribute to the expression of α 2,3-linked sialic acid residues, which is associated with the malignant behavior of gastric cancer cells.

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ObjectivesTo determine if urinary biomarkers of effect and potential harm are elevated in electronic cigarette users compared with non-smokers and if elevation correlates with increased concentrations of metals in urine.Study design and settingThis was a cross-sectional study of biomarkers of exposure, effect and potential harm in urine from non-smokers (n=20), electronic cigarette users (n=20) and cigarette smokers (n=13). Participant’s screening and urine collection were performed at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and biomarker analysis and metal analysis were performed at the University of California, Riverside.ResultsMetallothionein was significantly elevated in the electronic cigarette group (3761±3932 pg/mg) compared with the non-smokers (1129±1294 pg/mg, p=0.05). 8-OHdG (8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine) was significantly elevated in electronic cigarette users (442.8±300.7 ng/mg) versus non-smokers (221.6±157.8 ng/mg, p=0.01). 8-Isoprostane showed a significant increase in electronic cigarette users (750.8±433 pg/mg) versus non-smokers (411.2±287.4 pg/mg, p=0.03). Linear regression analysis in the electronic cigarette group showed a significant correlation between cotinine and total metal concentration; total metal concentration and metallothionein; cotinine and oxidative DNA damage; and total metal concentration and oxidative DNA damage. Zinc was significantly elevated in the electronic cigarette users (584.5±826.6 µg/g) compared with non-smokers (413.6±233.7 µg/g, p=0.03). Linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between urinary zinc concentration and 8-OHdG in the electronic cigarette users.ConclusionsThis study is the first to investigate biomarkers of potential harm and effect in electronic cigarette users and to show a linkage to metal exposure. The biomarker levels in electronic cigarette users were similar to (and not lower than) cigarette smokers. In electronic cigarette users, there was a link to elevated total metal exposure and oxidative DNA damage. Specifically, our results demonstrate that zinc concentration was correlated to oxidative DNA damage.

A simple and sensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was developed for determining human chromogranin A (CgA) -like immunoreactivity (IR) with use of synthetic human CgA (344-374) as antigen. In the development of the present EIA system, purposely designed N"-biotinylated glycylglycyl-human CgA (344-374), which was synthesized, was proved to be a useful biotinylated derivative. Typical standard curves ranged from 13.7 fmol/mL to 10 pmol/mL of CgA-like IR. In the present EIA, the curves for dilution of human plasma, urine, and saliva paralleled the standard curve for synthetic human CgA (344-374). The intraassay coefficient of variation for measurement of human plasma CgA was from 2.6% to 8.5%, indicating that reliable determinations can be performed for human plasma. The levels of CgA-like IR were 0.34i0.08 pmol/mL (meaniSD, n: 10) in fasting normal plasma, 0.181: 0.05 pmol/mL (n=8) in urine, and 0.1 1350.05 pmol /mL (n:8) in saliva in the morning are comparable with the respective values in RIA reported in the previous papers.