Morphological changes in the biliary mucosa in pediatric patients with congenital biliary dilatation are more influenced by the duration of amylase exposure than by amylase levels in the gallbladder.

PURPOSE: We investigated the relationship between bile amylase (AMY) levels and biliary epithelial changes in pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM), a congenital anomaly characterized by pancreaticobiliary reflux due to duct fusion outside the duodenal wall. METHODS: We enrolled 43 children with congenital biliary dilatation (CBD) of Todani types Ia, Ic, and IVa who underwent surgery at the Hokkaido Medical Center for Child Health and Rehabilitation between November 2007 and June 2023. We defined total AMY exposure in bile as bile AMY levels multiplied by the patient's age (months), representing amount of estimated AMY exposure until surgery. We retrospectively investigated the relationships between bile AMY levels and clinicopathological findings. RESULTS: All patients exhibited hyperplasia in the gallbladder and bile duct epithelium, with dysplasia observed in 13 cases, but no carcinoma. Exposure to bile AMY ≥ 662,400 IU/L × months was an independent risk factor for dysplasia. CONCLUSION: The amount of estimated AMY exposure in bile rather than AMY levels in the bile is an independent risk factor for dysplasia in the biliary mucosa.

Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Type 2 Diabetic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Induce Endothelial Mesenchymal Transition under High Glucose Conditions Through the TGFß/Smad3 Signaling Pathway.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with endothelial dysfunction, which results in delayed wound healing. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a vital role in supporting endothelial cells (ECs) and promoting wound healing by paracrine effects through their secretome-containing extracellular vesicles. We previously reported the impaired wound healing ability of adipose tissue-derived MSC from T2DM donors; however, whether extracellular vesicles isolated from T2DM adipose tissue-derived MSCs (dEVs) exhibit altered functions in comparison to those derived from healthy donors (nEVs) is still unclear. In this study, we found that nEVs induced EC survival and angiogenesis, whereas dEVs lost these abilities. In addition, under high glucose conditions, nEV protected ECs from endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), whereas dEV significantly induced EndMT by activating the transforming growth factor-ß/Smad3 signaling pathway, which impaired the tube formation and in vivo wound healing abilities of ECs. Interestingly, the treatment of dEV-internalized ECs with nEVs rescued the induced EndMT effects. Of note, the internalization of nEV into T2DM adipose tissue-derived MSC resulted in the production of an altered n-dEV, which inhibited EndMT and supported the survival of T2DM db/db mice from severe wounds. Taken together, our findings suggest the role of dEV in endothelial dysfunction and delayed wound healing in T2DM by the promotion of EndMT. Moreover, nEV treatment can be considered a promising candidate for cell-free therapy to protect ECs in T2DM.

Successful Antimicrobial Therapy of Esophageal Stenosis Because of Actinomycosis.

Esophageal stenosis can cause vomiting or dysphagia in children and is commonly treated with esophageal balloon dilation. However, surgery may be required if the stenosis does not respond to dilation. Although esophageal actinomycosis can cause severe esophageal strictures and be refractory to balloon dilation, it has been reported to respond effectively to antimicrobial therapy in adults. However, the course of the disease and appropriate treatment strategies in children are not well understood. We present a case of a previously healthy 2-year-old boy diagnosed with esophageal stenosis because of actinomycosis. The patient was treated with intravenous penicillin G, followed by oral amoxicillin for 8 weeks and 6 months, respectively. After completion of the antimicrobial treatment, the patient showed improvement in symptoms and endoscopic findings. At the 1-year follow-up, the patient showed consistent weight gain and normal growth without further intervention. This case highlights the importance of considering esophageal actinomycosis as a potential cause of esophageal stenosis in children and the potential effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy in avoiding surgical intervention.

Extracellular vesicles derived from SARS-CoV-2 M-protein-induced triple negative breast cancer cells promoted the ability of tissue stem cells supporting cancer progression.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection increases the risk of worse outcomes in cancer patients, including those with breast cancer. Our previous study reported that the SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein (M-protein) promotes the malignant transformation of triple-negative breast cancer cells (triple-negative BCC). Methods: In the present study, the effects of M-protein on the ability of extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from triple-negative BCC to regulate the functions of tissue stem cells facilitating the tumor microenvironment were examined. Results: Our results showed that EV derived from M-protein-induced triple-negative BCC (MpEV) significantly induced the paracrine effects of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ATMSC) on non-aggressive BCC, promoting the migration, stemness phenotypes, and in vivo metastasis of BCC, which is related to PGE2/IL1 signaling pathways, in comparison to EV derived from normal triple-negative BCC (nEV). In addition to ATMSC, the effects of MpEV on endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), another type of tissue stem cells, were examined. Our data suggested that EPC uptaking MpEV acquired a tumor endothelial cell-like phenotype, with increasing angiogenesis and the ability to support the aggressiveness and metastasis of non-aggressive BCC. Discussion: Taken together, our findings suggest the role of SARS-CoV-2 M-protein in altering the cellular communication between cancer cells and other non-cancer cells inside the tumor microenvironment via EV. Specifically, M-proteins induced the ability of EV derived from triple-negative BCC to promote the functions of non-cancer cells, such as tissue stem cells, in tumorigenesis.

Establishment of a measurement system to evaluate breast milk transfer of biological agents using dry filter paper: A multi-institutional study.

AIMS: Information on breastfeeding and safety of biologics in infants is lacking due to difficulties in case collection. We evaluated methods for determining the concentration of biologics in breast milk using a dry filter method that can simplify the collection, storage and transport of breast milk. METHODS: To generate dried filter paper (DFP) samples, approximately 30 µL of breast milk was placed onto a Whatman 903 card and punched out. After extraction, the supernatant was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Three concentrations of each drug were prepared in liquid breast milk (LBM) and DFP samples to determine their stability up to 28 days after storage at 2-8°C or -20°C for LBM and 25 ± 5°C for DFP. LBM and DFP samples were also provided by nursing mothers using biologics during lactation, and drug concentrations in both samples were compared. The agreement between the two measurement methods was confirmed by Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: Breast milk was provided by 12 mothers who used biologics (tocilizumab, abatacept, etanercept, golimumab, sarilumab and belimumab). The coefficients of variation for within-run and between-run precision for the six drugs were within 15% for both LBM and DFP, and accuracy was within 90%-110% of the quality controls. After 28 days, concentrations remained at more than 90%. The difference between the values obtained by each method was within the acceptable range of error (-12.1 to +16.6 ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS: A method for determining the concentration of biologics using DFP is expected to help improve pharmacotherapy for lactating women.

Long-QT Syndrome with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Causing Fatal Ventricular Arrhythmia after Delivery.

Although rare, long QT syndrome (LQTS) and peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) are the major causes of maternal cardiovascular death. We herein present a case study of a 23-year-old woman with LQTS, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and PPCM. During the postpartum period, her left ventricular systolic function had severely decreased, requiring the administration of loop diuretics. Diuretics cause several changes in the circulating blood volume, electrolyte balance, and hormonal status during pregnancy, delivery, and the peripartum period. Extreme QTc prolongation and fatal ventricular arrhythmia require frequent defibrillation. For the patient in this study, we corrected her electrolyte abnormality, and eventually, we controlled the arrhythmia by administering a ß-blocker and Na-channel blocker. Although the arrhythmia subsided, she continued on medication after discharge to prevent the recurrence of fatal arrhythmia. In conclusion, close attention should be paid to patients with LQTS, especially when some changes that may lead to QTc prolongation could occur during the peripartum period.

Assessment of Alcohol Exposure From Alcohol-Based Disinfectants Among Premature Infants in Neonatal Incubators in Japan.

Importance: The risk of premature infants in neonatal incubators exposed to evaporated alcohol from alcohol-based disinfectants (ABDs) is unknown. Objective: To assess alcohol concentrations in the peripheral blood of premature infants and neonatal incubators. Design, Setting, and Participants: A quality improvement study comparing 2 different populations before and after introduction of ABD practice (ABD-PRAC) was conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit of a single tertiary hospital in Japan. Participants included premature infants who were born before 34 weeks of gestational age and received medical care in neonatal incubators. The study consisted of 3 periods: (1) September 1, 2020, to August 1, 2021 (prospective observation of pre-ABD-PRAC, (2) August 2 to August 22, 2021 (introduction of ABD-PRAC to medical staff and parents in the neonatal intensive care unit), and (3) August 23, 2021, to March 31, 2022 (prospective observation of post-ABD-PRAC). No follow-up studies were initiated. Interventions: An ABD-PRAC that aimed to reduce alcohol evaporation from ABDs inside neonatal incubators was instituted: (1) place alcohol preps in the incubator just before use and remove them from the incubator as soon as possible and (2) withhold placing hands into the incubators until 60 seconds after using ABDs for disinfection (applied only to family members). Main Outcomes and Measures: Blood alcohol concentration and evaporated alcohol concentrations in neonatal incubators. Results: Disinfectant practice was assessed among 28 infants during the pre-ABD-PRAC (17 infants [10 girls]; median gestational age at birth, 29.4 [IQR, 26.3-30.3] weeks) and post-ABD-PRAC (11 infants [3 girls]; median gestational age at birth, 30.0 [IQR, 25.3-32.2] weeks) study periods. The median blood alcohol concentration was 7.0 (IQR, 5.4-9.3) mg/dL pre-ABD-PRAC and 4.2 (IQR, 2.5-7.2) mg/dL post-ABD-PRAC. The median evaporated alcohol concentration inside neonatal incubators during pre-ABD-PRAC during the day was 23.6 (IQR, 15.9-36.5) ppm and, at night, was 13.2 (IQR, 8.9-19.4) ppm; during post-ABD-PRAC, the concentration was 9.4 (IQR, 6.0-16.0) ppm during the day and 5.7 (IQR, 3.6-9.7) ppm at night. The introduction of ABD-PRAC at 22 weeks' corrected gestational age was associated with a lower blood alcohol concentration in premature infants: regression coefficient value, -8.3 (95% CI, -12.0 to -4.7). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, alcohol evaporated from ABDs was absorbed by premature infants in neonatal incubators. The findings suggest that introduction of ABD-PRAC was associated with lower alcohol concentrations in neonatal incubators and in the blood of premature infants.

Association between Heated Tobacco Product Use during Pregnancy and Fetal Growth in Japan: A Nationwide Web-Based Survey.

Combustible cigarette smoking impacts fetal growth during pregnancy. However, the risk associated with heated tobacco products (HTPs) remains unclear. This nationwide cross-sectional study investigated whether HTP use during pregnancy is associated with small for gestational age (SGA) outcomes among 5647 post-delivery women with singleton pregnancies, which were divided into four groups: lifetime never-smokers, former smokers before pregnancy, and current smokers for each of the tobacco products during pregnancy (sole HTP and sole combustion smokers). Information on the prevalence of SGA, defined as birth weight and height below the 10th percentile, was retrieved from the Maternal and Child Health Handbooks of post-delivery women. Using logistic regression, the association between sole HTP smokers during pregnancy and SGA, adjusted for covariates, with lifetime never-smokers as reference, was investigated. The prevalence was: current sole HTP smokers during pregnancy, 1.8% (102/5647); and SGA, 2.9% (164/5647). Sole HTP smokers during pregnancy had a higher prevalence of SGA (5.9% [6/102] vs. 2.7% [111/4144]) with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.50 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-6.05) than lifetime never-smokers. Among sole combustion smokers, the adjusted OR for SGA was 1.95 (95% CI, 0.81-4.67). In Japan, HTP smoking during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk for SGA.

Transformed extracellular vesicles with high angiogenic ability as therapeutics of distal ischemic tissues.

Introduction: The therapeutic effects of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in neovascularization have been suggested; however, to date, few studies have been conducted on the ability of EPC-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) to rescue the ischemic tissues. In order to examine the functional sources of EV for cell-free therapy of ischemic diseases, we compared the functions of EPC-EV and those of Wharton's Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cell (WJ-EV) in the flap mouse model. Results and conclusion: Our results demonstrated that in the intravenous injection, EPC-EV, but not WJ-EV, were uptaken by the ischemic tissues. However, EPC-EV showed poor abilities to induce neovascularization and the recovery of ischemic tissues. In addition, compared to EPC-EV, WJ-EV showed a higher ability to rescue the ischemic injury when being locally injected into the mice. In order to induce the secretion of high-functional EPC-EV, EPC were internalized with hypoxic pre-treated WJ-EV, which resulted in a transformed hwEPC. In comparison to EPC, hwEPC showed induced proliferation and upregulation of angiogenic genes and miRNAs and promoted angiogenic ability. Interestingly, hwEPC produced a modified EV (hwEPC-EV) that highly expressed miRNAs related to angiogenesis, such as miR-155, miR-183, and miR-296. Moreover, hwEPC-EV significantly induced the neovascularization of the ischemic tissues which were involved in promoting the proliferation, the expression of VEGF and miR-183, and the angiogenic functions of endothelial cells. Of note, hwEPC-EV were highly uptaken by the ischemic tissues and showed a greater effect with regard to inducing recovery from ischemic injury in the intravenous administration, compared to EPC-EV. Therefore, hwEPC-EV can be considered a functional candidate for cell-free therapy to treat the distal ischemic tissues.

Glucocorticoids increase the risk of preterm premature rupture of membranes possibly by inducing ITGA8 gene expression in the amnion.

INTRODUCTION: Maternal glucocorticoid exposure increases the risk of preterm delivery; however, the association between glucocorticoids and preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM)-a direct cause of preterm delivery-has rarely been investigated. METHODS: To examine this association, we evaluated the clinical data of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Mechanism analysis was performed in both human amnion-derived mesenchymal cells (as a model for fetal membranes) and the amnion from SLE patients. We characterized the effects of glucocorticoids on the amnion in both models through comprehensive gene expression profiling and by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing in the mesenchymal cells. RESULTS: The average glucocorticoid dose in cases with pPROM (13.3 mg/day, n = 10) was significantly higher than in those without pPROM (8.5 mg/day, n = 65; P < 0.01) among pregnant patients with well-controlled SLE (SLEDAI <4, n = 75); however, we did not observe a statistically significant difference in it between cases with or without chorioamnionitis. Glucocorticoid-treated human amnion mesenchymal cells showed decreased electric resistance between cells, indicating increased permeability. Differentially expressed genes upon glucocorticoid treatment were significantly enriched with cell adhesion-related genes. Among them, ITGA8 was strikingly induced in both the amnion mesenchymal cells and in amnion derived from patients with SLE. DISCUSSION: We observed an association between glucocorticoids and pPROM with non-infectious etiology. Our findings indicate that glucocorticoids increase amnion permeability and modulate cell-adhesion related genes. ITGA8 represents a primary molecule that triggers pPROM through fibrotic remodeling and preventing resealing of the rupture site in fetal amnion.

Extracellular vesicles derived from Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells inhibit the tumor environment via the miR-125b/HIF1α signaling pathway.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with worse outcomes and results in high mortality; therefore, great efforts are required to find effective treatment. In the present study, we suggested a novel strategy to treat TNBC using mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) to transform the behaviors and cellular communication of TNBC cells (BCC) with other non-cancer cells related to tumorigenesis and metastasis. Our data showed that, BCC after being internalized with EV derived from Wharton's Jelly MSC (WJ-EV) showed the impaired proliferation, stemness properties, tumorigenesis and metastasis under hypoxic conditions. Moreover, these inhibitory effects may be involved in the transfer of miRNA-125b from WJ-EV to BCC, which downregulated the expression of HIF1α and target genes related to proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis. Of note, WJ-EV-internalized BCC (wBCC) showed transformed behaviors that attenuated the in vivo development and metastatic ability of TNBC, the angiogenic abilities of endothelial cells and endothelial progenitor cells and the generation of cancer-associated fibroblasts from MSC. Furthermore, wBCC generated a new EV with modified functions that contributed to the inhibitory effects on tumorigenesis and metastasis of TNBC. Taken together, our findings suggested that WJ-EV treatment is a promising therapy that results in the generation of wBCC to interrupt the cellular crosstalk in the tumor environment and inhibit the tumor progression in TNBC.

Obstetric venous thromboembolism: Evaluation of prophylactic approach based on risk scores, D-dimer levels, and ultrasonography findings in a tertiary hospital in Japan.

AIM: Pulmonary embolism remains a leading cause of maternal mortality in developed countries despite developments in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach involving risk-scoring, D-dimer level assessment, and ultrasonography for obstetric venous thromboembolism. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included women who delivered at 22-41 weeks of gestation in The University of Tsukuba Hospital, Japan between January and December 2020. Venous thromboembolism risk (determined according to Japanese guidelines) and D-dimer levels were evaluated within 20 weeks of gestation, 30-34 weeks of gestation, and during the pre-delivery period (36 weeks of gestation or any time before preterm delivery). Compression and color Doppler ultrasonography for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis were performed if D-dimer levels were ≥3.2 µg/mL (for those undergoing cesarean delivery, 1.0 µg/mL). RESULTS: Of 1026 women, 6 women had deep vein thrombosis during pregnancy and 1 during the puerperium period. Pulmonary embolism was not observed. The D-dimer screening result was positive for 8 women (2%) within 20 weeks of gestation (deep vein thrombosis was confirmed in 3 of them), 87 women (10%) (no deep vein thrombosis) at 30-34 weeks of gestation, and 367 women (36%) during the pre-delivery period (asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis in one). Based on the Japanese guidelines, 1%, 11%, 33%, and 55% of women had high, intermediate, low, and no postpartum risk factors, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our approach appears useful for antenatal venous thromboembolism screening in the first trimester. For postpartum prophylaxis, more cost-effective strategies are needed.

Prevalence of common aneuploidy in twin pregnancies.

The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in twin pregnancies is not well-studied. In this retrospective study, we investigated the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in twin pregnancies and compared the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in dichorionic diamniotic (DD) and monochorionic diamniotic (MD) twins. We used data from 57 clinical facilities across Japan. Twin pregnancies of more than 12 weeks of gestation managed between January 2016 and December 2018 were included in the study. A total of 2899 and 1908 cases of DD and MD twins, respectively, were reported, and the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in one or both fetuses was 0.9% (25/2899) and 0.2% (4/1908) in each group (p = 0.004). In this study, the most common chromosomal abnormality was trisomy 21 (51.7% [15/29]), followed by trisomy 18 (13.8% [4/29]) and trisomy 13 (6.9% [2/29]). The incidence of trisomy 21 in MD twins was lower than that in DD twins (0.05% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.007). Trisomy 21 was less common in MD twins, even when compared with the expected incidence in singletons (0.05% vs. 0.3%, RR 0.15 [95% CI 0.04-0.68]). The risk of chromosomal abnormality decreases in twin pregnancies, especially in MD twins.

The Prevalence of COVID-19 Vaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy in Pregnant Women: An Internet-based Cross-sectional Study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Reluctance of people to receive recommended vaccines is a growing concern, as distribution of vaccines is considered critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little information regarding pregnant women's views toward coronavirus vaccination in Japan. Therefore, we investigated the vaccination rate and reasons for vaccination and vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women in Japan. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 1,791 pregnant women using data from the Japan "COVID-19 and Society" Internet Survey, conducted from July to August 2021, and valid response from 1,621 respondents were analyzed. We defined participants with vaccine hesitancy as those who identified with the statement "I do not want to be vaccinated" or "I want to 'wait and see' before getting vaccinated." Multivariate Poisson regression analysis was used to investigate the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. RESULTS: The prevalence of vaccination and vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women was 13.4% (n = 217) and 50.9% (n = 825), respectively. The main reasons for hesitancy were concerns about adverse reactions and negative effects on the fetus and breastfeeding. Vaccine hesitancy was significantly associated with the lack of trust in the government (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.54). Other factors, such as age, educational attainment, and state of emergency declaration, were not associated with vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccination is not widespread among pregnant women in Japan, although many vaccines have been shown to be safe in pregnancy. Accurate information dissemination and boosting trust in the government may be important to address vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women.

Perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with or without scoliosis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children with scoliosis. METHODS: Data of consecutive patients with GERD who underwent LF from January 2015 to December 2020 at a single pediatric institution were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] body weight was 9.3 [7; 14] kg. Seventy-five patients were neurologically impaired (91%), and other comorbidities included scoliosis (n = 33), lung disease (n = 39), and cardiac disease (n = 14). The median (IQR) operative time including the creation of the gastrostomy and volume of bleeding were 160 [143; 190] min and 2 [1; 5] mL, respectively. There were no significant differences between patients with and those without scoliosis (p = 0.17 and p = 0.90, respectively). Patients with cardiac disease had a longer operative time (167 [161; 193] vs. 157 [141; 190] min, p = 0.01). There were three post-operative complications in children with neurological impairment; however, there was no clear relationship between the severity of scoliosis and complications. CONCLUSION: Severity of scoliosis did not correlate with perioperative results and post-operative complications. This suggests that the same LF technique can be used regardless of the presence or absence of scoliosis in children.

Rectoperineal Fistula Presented 5 Months After Repair of Severe Obstetric Perineal Laceration: A Case Report.

Introduction: Obstetric severe perineal laceration can frequently occur as a surgical site infection (SSI), which sometimes leads to rectovaginal fistula after repair. We encountered a rare case of a rectoperineal fistula 5 months after repair of a severe perineal laceration. Case presentation: The patient was a 39-year-old woman who underwent repair of a fourth-degree perineal laceration after vaginal delivery. Five months after primary repair, she presented with perineal swelling and pain followed by uncontrollable flatulence or passage of feces at the perineum, which was finally diagnosed as a rectoperineal fistula. Transperineal repair with fistulous tract excision was performed for the rectoperineal fistula. Closure of the rectum, perineal body, and vagina was performed layer-by-layer constructing a thick perineum to prevent anal dysfunction. The fistula was successfully closed, and the patient did not show any symptoms of fecal incontinence 6 months after surgery. Discussion: As the rectoperineal fistula might have resulted in SSI at the primary repair of the obstetric injury, the delayed occurrence of the rectoperineal fistula was unusual. A perineal approach should be performed for complete fistulous tract excision, reconstruction of a robust perineal structure, and preservation of anal sphincter function.

The evidence of a macrophage barrier in the xenotransplantation of human hematopoietic stem cells to severely immunodeficient rats.

BACKGROUND: The human-to-rat hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) model is rare, unlike its human-to-mouse counterpart. The rat models are desired, especially in areas of physiology, toxicology, and pharmacology. In addition to lymphocytes, macrophages are also considered to be important for xenotransplantation. We generated a rat xenotransplantation model to prove the role of macrophages as a xenotransplantation barrier. METHODS: Immunodeficiency in SRG rats, which are Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats lacking Rag2 and Il2rg, was confirmed by flow cytometry and spleen immunostaining. Human umbilical cord blood was collected after scheduled cesarean section at the University of Tsukuba Hospital. Cord blood mononuclear cells (CB-MNCs) were transplanted into the SRG rats administered several injections of clodronate liposome (CL), which cause macrophage depletion. Survival of human cells was observed by flow cytometry. Rat macrophage phagocytosis assay was performed to check the species-specific effects of rat macrophages on injected human/rat blood cells. RESULTS: SRG rats were deficient in T/B/NK cells. Without CL pretreatment, human CB-MNCs were removed from SRG rats within 7 hours after transplantation. The rats pretreated with CL could survive after transplantation. Prolonged survival for more than 4 weeks was observed only following a one-time CL injection. Rat macrophages had a species-specific potential for the phagocytosis of human blood cells in vivo. CONCLUSION: In human-to-rat HSCT, the short period of early macrophage control, leading to macrophage immunotolerance, is important for engraftment. The generated model can be useful for the creation of future xenotransplantation models or other clinical research.

Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Reduce SARS-CoV2-Induced Inflammatory Cytokines Under High Glucose and Uremic Toxin Conditions.

Cytokine storm is recognized as one of the factors contributing to organ failures and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Due to chronic inflammation, COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) or renal disease (RD) have more severe symptoms and higher mortality. However, the factors that contribute to severe outcomes of COVID-19 patients with DM and RD have received little attention. In an effort to investigate potential treatments for COVID-19, recent research has focused on the immunomodulation functions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, the correlation between DM and RD and the severity of COVID-19 was examined by a combined approach with a meta-analysis and experimental research. The results of a systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that the odd of mortality in patients with both DM and RD was increased in comparison to those with a single comorbidity. In addition, in the experimental research, the data showed that high glucose and uremic toxins contributed to the induction of cytokine storm in human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (Calu-3 cells) in response to SARS-CoV Peptide Pools. Of note, the incorporation of Wharton's jelly MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (WJ-EVs) into SARS-CoV peptide-induced Calu-3 resulted in a significant decrease in nuclear NF-κB p65 and the downregulation of the cytokine storm under high concentrations of glucose and uremic toxins. This clearly suggests the potential for WJ-EVs to reduce cytokine storm reactions in patients with both chronic inflammation diseases and viral infection.

Risk of preterm birth after the excisional surgery for cervical lesions: a propensity-score matching study in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: There is a paucity of data on the risk of preterm birth subcategorized by gestational age in pregnancies after the pre-pregnancy excisional treatment for cervical lesions. In addition, little is known about the effect of prophylactic cerclage on the risk of preterm birth. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of preterm birth stratified by gestational period and its reduction by the prophylactic cerclage in women with prior excisional surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of singleton pregnancies in the Japan Perinatal Registry Network Database (2013-2014, n = 307,001). Cases included pregnancies after the surgery (i.e. conization and loop electrosurgical excision procedure). Controls comprised the propensity-score matched pregnancies without pre-pregnancy surgery. The main outcome was the occurrence of preterm birth. The effect of prophylactic cervical cerclage on the risk of preterm birth after the excisional surgery was also examined using cases. RESULTS: In the propensity-score matched population (cases, n = 1389; controls, n = 1389), cases exhibited a higher risk of preterm birth and preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM), compared with controls (preterm birth: 25.3 versus 10.6%; preterm PROM: 14.0 versus 3.5%: both p < .0001). Odds ratios (OR; 95% confidence interval [CI]) for preterm birth at 22-27 weeks, 28-31 weeks, 32-33 weeks, and 34-36 weeks were 3.4 [1.8-6.5], 4.6 [2.7-7.7], 2.2 [1.4-3.5], and 2.1 [1.6-2.7], respectively. The association was stronger for preterm PROM at earlier gestational age (22-27 weeks, 28-31 weeks, 32-33 weeks, and 34-36 weeks: 5.2 [2.3-11.8], 7.1 [3.4-15.0], 3.8 [1.7-8.3], and 3.9 [1.8-4.6], respectively). In cases, 171 underwent the prophylactic cervical cerclage. The occurrence of preterm birth and preterm PROM was comparable between those with and without the cerclage (28.7 versus 24.2, and 12.9 versus 13.3%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-pregnancy excisional cervical surgery was associated with the increased risk of preterm birth, especially before 32 weeks of gestation. The prophylactic cerclage did not reduce the risk of preterm birth.

Efficacy and safety of controlled-release dinoprostone vaginal delivery system (PROPESS) in Japanese pregnant women requiring cervical ripening: Results from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dinoprostone vaginal insert (PROPESS) in pregnant post-term Japanese women requiring cervical ripening. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 114 pregnant Japanese women at term (41 weeks of gestation) requiring cervical ripening (baseline Bishop score (BS) ≤ 4). The primary end-point was the proportion of subjects with successful cervical ripening defined as BS ≥ 7 or vaginal delivery in 12 h. The secondary end-points were changes in BS, proportion of women with vaginal delivery, proportion of women receiving mechanical cervical ripening procedure and use of oxytocic drugs. RESULTS: PROPESS administration for a maximum of 12 h showed significantly higher successful cervical ripening rate (47.4% vs 14.3%, respectively; treatment contrast [TC]: 33.1%; P = 0.0002). The median time from administration to vaginal delivery was significantly shorter in the PROPESS group than in the placebo group (26.18 h vs 33.02 h; OR 2.51; 95% CI [1.60-3.92]; P < 0.0001). In the PROPESS group, the dosage of uterotonic drugs, such as oxytocin, decreased, and the number of patients who used these drugs also decreased. CONCLUSION: PROPESS administration for a maximum of 12 h was an effective and well-tolerated treatment for pregnant Japanese women post-term requiring cervical ripening.