Hypoxia impairs urothelial barrier function by inhibiting the expression of tight junction proteins in SV-HUC-1 cells.

Hypoxia plays an important role in the pathological process of bladder outlet obstruction. Previous research has mostly focused on the dysfunction of bladder smooth muscle cells, which are directly related to bladder contraction. This study delves into the barrier function changes of the urothelial cells under exposure to hypoxia. Results indicated that after a 5-day culture, SV-HUC-1 formed a monolayer and/or bilayer of cell sheets, with tight junction formation, but no asymmetrical unit membrane was observed. qPCR and western blotting revealed the expression of TJ-associated proteins (occludin, claudin1 and ZO-1) was significantly decreased in the hypoxia group in a time-dependent manner. No expression changes were observed in uroplakins. When compared to normoxic groups, immunofluorescent staining revealed a reduction in the expression of TJ-associated proteins in the hypoxia group. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) revealed a statistically significant decrease in resistance in the hypoxia group. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated dextran assay was inversely proportional to the results of TEER. Taken together, hypoxia down-regulates the expression of TJ-associated proteins and breaks tight junctions, thus impairing the barrier function in human urothelial cells.

Radiation-induced bystander effects impair transplanted human hematopoietic stem cells via oxidative DNA damage.

Total body irradiation (TBI) is commonly used in host conditioning regimens for human hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation to treat various hematological disorders. Exposure to TBI not only induces acute myelosuppression and immunosuppression, but also injures the various components of the HSC niche in recipients. Our previous study demonstrated that radiation-induced bystander effects (RIBE) of irradiated recipients decreased the long-term repopulating ability of transplanted mouse HSCs. However, RIBE on transplanted human HSCs have not been studied. Here, we report that RIBE impaired the long-term hematopoietic reconstitution of human HSCs as well as the colony-forming ability of human hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). Our further analyses revealed that the RIBE-affected human hematopoietic cells showed enhanced DNA damage responses, cell-cycle arrest, and p53-dependent apoptosis, mainly because of oxidative stress. Moreover, multiple antioxidants could mitigate these bystander effects, though at different efficacies in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these findings suggest that RIBE impair human HSCs and HPCs by oxidative DNA damage. This study provides definitive evidence for RIBE on transplanted human HSCs and further justifies the necessity of conducting clinical trials to evaluate different antioxidants to improve the efficacy of HSC transplantation for the patients with hematological or nonhematological disorders.

Replacement of long-segment ureteral defect with tapered demucosalized ileum: medium-term outcomes of 4 patients.

PURPOSE: Repair of long-segment ureteral defect (LSUD) is challenging. Currently available procedures carry some potential complications. We modified the ileal graft by tapering the wall and stripping the mucosa to combat associated pitfalls and first reported the medium-term outcomes of 4 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From September 2019 to October 2020, tapered demucosalized ileum (TDI) was used for LSUD reconstruction in 4 patients on the right (2 males and 2 females). Two patients were with panureteral avulsion and 2 with high-risk urothelial carcinoma in the distal ureter. TDI was made by tapering 1/2-2/3 of the antimesenteric ileal wall and stripping the mucosa with a blunt/blunt operating scissor. Follow-up modalities included serum creatinine, electrolytes, ultrasonography, CT urogram, renal scintigraphy, and ureteroscopy. RESULTS: Mean operation time was 443 min (range 360-550) and blood loss was negligible. The mean follow-up period was 29 months (range 23-36). Vesicoureteral reflux and related pyelonephritis occurred in 1 patient, necessitating a repair operation (Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb). No strictures, obstructions, metabolic disorders, or electrolyte imbalances were observed in the remaining patients. In carcinoma patients, ureteroscopy in month 18 post-operation revealed ileal mucosal regrowth in the form of dwarf isolated islands. All renal units maintained adequate drainage and function during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Ileal wall tapering and mucosa stripping confined to the muscularis mucosae level will not result in shrinkage, fibrosis, or stricture formation of the ileal ureter. The present work provides evidence for further application of TDI in the replacement of LSUD in patients.

Endovascular Treatment Failure of Renal Arteriovenous Malformation due to an Extrarenal Feeding Artery: A Case Report.

Renal arteriovenous malformation (RAVM) is a rare pathology. It may present with heamturia, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the standard diagnostic choice, and endovascular embolization is a preferred procedure of management in most cases. The feeding branches of RAVM are reported to originate from renal arteries. In this report, a 43-year-old female with recurrent massive hematuria and left flank pain was described. Renal angiography revealed double renal arteries supplying the left kidney and multiple renal arteriovenous fistula formation around the renal pelvis. Embolization with coils and gelfoam was performed after which her hematuria subsided. One month later, the patient was readmitted to our hospital due to the relapse of massive hematuria following heavy physical activities. DSA found another feeding artery of the RAVM originating from the aorta around the 4th lumbar vertebra. After embolization of this arterial feeder, hematuria settled. There was no recurrence during a 10-month follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the first case of RAVM with an extrarenal feeding artery, and omission of this scenario can lead to treatment failure.

Hem-o-Lok clip migration into renal pelvis and stone formation as a long-term complication following laparoscopic pyelolithotomy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Hem-o-Lok clips (HOLCs) are widely used in minimal access urological operations due to the advantage of vascular control and suture stabilization. In rare cases, however, they can develop problems themselves. Migration of HOLCs into the collecting system is a fairly rare complication after laparoscopic pyelolithotomy. To date, only two cases were reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: This article describes a case of 51-year-old man with a complaint of left flank pain. He had a medical history of ipsilateral retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyelolithotomy at another hospital 8 years ago. Non-contrast CT scan demonstrated a renal stone in the left ureteropelvic junction complicated by mild hydronephrosis. A straight foreign body was found near the renal pelvis, with part of it wedging into renal pelvic wall. A percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) was performed for this patient. After some fragmentation, a HOLC was found in the kernel of the stone. With an alligator plier, the clip was totally removed out of the collecting system. The postoperative period and follow-up were uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: HOLC migration into renal pelvis is a rare complication following laparoscopic pyelolithotomy. It could act as nidus for stone formation under extended exposure to urine. Using HOLCs to stabilize the anastomotic suture near renal pelvis should be avoided to prevent this complication. Instead, knotting is a better choice under such condition. The secondary calculi and dislodged HOLCs can be removed through PNL by an alligator plier after laser lithotripsy.

Incidental diagnosis of nonfunctional bladder paraganglioma: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Nonfunctional bladder paragangliomas is a rare urological disease. It may present clinical, radiology and pathological features similar to bladder cancer, Only scarce reports have been reported. Urologist must identify this generally benign neuroendocrine neoplasm to avoid misdiagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 62-year-old female presented the outpatient department of our hospital with the symptoms of stomachache, frequent micturition, and urination pain for 20 days. Diagnosed with high blood pressure 1 year ago, administered Amlodipine besylate tablets 5 mg po qd occasionally, did not check blood pressure; denied any tumor observation in the family history. Color ultrasound of the urinary system showed a 38 mm × 34 mm hypoechoic mass on the right side of the bladder, CDFI: in the masses, blood supply was sufficient. Cystoscope showed bladder occupying lesion. Biopsy diagnosis: papillary polypoid cystitis was suspected as a malignant change (Fig. 3a). Then, the patient was admitted to our urological department. Further, computer tomography urography considered bladder cancer. Cystoscopy and biopsy failed to define the nature of the lesions in our outpatient department, which prompted a transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. histopathological and immunohistochemical results were diagnosed as bladder paragangliomas. For the reason, the tumor was removed by partial resection of the bladder. The postoperative recovery and follow-up were uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: Nonfunctional bladder paragangliomas are occasionally found on imaging studies with the symptoms of urinary tract infection or/and intermittent painless hematuria. It may present clinical, radiology and pathological features similar to bladder cancer, so knowledge of this generally benign neuroendocrine neoplasm is of great importance to avoid misdiagnosis. It should be accompanied by the clinical and pathological characteristics of the patient and image changes. Partial resection of the bladder can effectively treat this disease.

M3 receptor modulates extracellular matrix synthesis via ERK1/2 signaling pathway in human bladder smooth muscle cells.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation plays a key role in the progression of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). Muscarinic receptors have been widely reported to serve as pivotal regulators in lung tissue remodeling. However, the influence of them on human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBSMCs) and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not yet been evaluated. The purposes of the present study are to investigate the effect of muscarinic receptors on the synthesis of ECM in HBSMCs and the involvement of intracellular signal transducers. The results indicated that M1 -M5 muscarinic receptors were all encoded in HBSMCs. The expression rank order was M2 > M1 > M5 > M3 > M4 . The gene and protein expression of collagen I (COL1), TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 was carbachol (CCH) concentration-dependently enhanced. The synthesis of COL1 in the supernatant of cell culture medium was significantly elevated by exposure to CCH. The CCH-induced protein expression of COL1, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2, however, was obviously reduced by the pretreatment of muscarinic receptor antagonists, atropine, and M3 -preferring antagonist (1,1-dimethyl-4-diphenyl-acetoxypiperidinium iodide [4-DAMP]). Furthermore, ERK1/2 was activated by 100 µM CCH when compared with the control group and the pretreatment of ERK1/2 inhibitor significantly suppressed the synthesis of COL1 induced by 100 µM CCH. Besides, CCH-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was remarkably restrained by the pretreatment of 4-DAMP. All in all, these findings demonstrated that M3 receptor can modulate extracellular matrix synthesis via the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, which may provide potential novel therapeutic targets for BOO.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0005909 modulates osteosarcoma progression via the miR-936/HMGB1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone malignant tumor in children, youth, and adolescents. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0005909 (circ_0005909) is involved in the progression of OS. Nevertheless, there are few reports on the role and mechanism of circ_0005909 in OS. METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was executed to examine the expression of circ_0005909, miR-936, and High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) mRNA in OS tissues and cells. Cell viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), cell colony formation, or transwell assays. Cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and HMGB1 protein levels were assessed through western blot analysis. The role of circ_0005909 on tumor growth in vivo was verified by xenograft assay. The relationship between circ_0005909 or HMGB1 and miR-936 was confirmed with the dual-luciferase reporter or RNA pull-down assays. RESULTS: Circ_0005909 level was upregulated in OS tissues and cells. OS patients with high circ_0005909 expression had a lower survival rate. Circ_0005909 inhibition reduced tumor growth in vivo and constrained cell viability, colony formation, migration, invasion, and EMT of OS cells in vitro. Furthermore, circ_0005909 served as a sponge for miR-936 and the repressive impacts of circ_0005909 silencing on malignant behaviors of OS cells were abolished by miR-936 inhibitors. Also, HMGB1 acted as a target for miR-936 and was modulated by circ_0005909 via miR-936. Additionally, HMGB1 overexpression restored the inhibitory influence on the malignant behaviors of OS cells mediated by circ_0005909 inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: Circ_0005909 inhibition impeded the progression of OS via downregulating HMGB1 via sponging miR-936.

Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Modified with Akt1 Ameliorates Acute Liver GVHD.

BACKGROUND: Liver injury associated with acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a frequent and severe complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and remains a major cause of transplant-related mortality. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) has been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach for aGVHD. However, the therapeutic effects are not always achieved. In this study, we genetically engineered C57BL/6 mouse BM-MSCs with AKT1 gene and tested whether AKT1-MSCs was superior to control MSCs (Null-MSCs) for cell therapy of liver aGVHD. RESULTS: In vitro apoptosis analyses showed that, under both routine culture condition and high concentration interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (100ng/mL) stimulation condition, AKT1-MSCs had a survival (anti-apoptotic) advantage compared to Null-MSCs. In vivo imaging showed that AKT1-MSCs had better homing capacity and longer persistence in injured liver compared to Null-MSCs. Most importantly, AKT1-MSCs demonstrated an enhanced immunomodulatory function by releasing more immunosuppressive cytokines, such as IL-10. Adoptive transfer of AKT1-MSCs mitigated the histopathological abnormalities of concanavalin A(ConA)-induced liver injury along with significantly lowered serum levels of ALT and AST. The attenuation of liver injury correlated with the decrease of TNF-α and IFN-γ both in liver tissue and in the serum. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, BM-MSCs genetically modified with AKT1 has a survival advantage and an enhanced immunomodulatory function both in vitro and in vivo and thus demonstrates the therapeutic potential for prevention and amelioration of liver GVHD and other immunity-associated liver injuries.

Acupuncture Reduces Apoptosis of Granulosa Cells in Rats with Premature Ovarian Failure Via Restoring the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway.

Acupuncture is widely recognized as an effective therapy for premature ovarian failure (POF) in clinical, but information about its potential mechanisms is rarely explored. To investigate the mechanism, fifty SD female rats were randomly divided into normal group, POF group, POF+estradiol-valerate group (abbreviated as estradiol group), and POF+acupuncture group (abbreviated as acupuncture group). The estrous cycle of the rats was tracked by vaginal smears. Their ovaries morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The apoptotic level of granulosa cells was detected by in situ TUNEL fluorescence staining assay. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen (E2) levels were measured by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent-assay (ELISA). Protein and gene expression of PI3K, Akt, bcl-2, and bax were detected by Western blotting and qPCR. In the acupuncture and estradiol groups, compared with the POF group as controls, the apoptosis number of granulosa cells was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). FSH levels were decreased, while E2 levels were increased (p > 0.05). The gene and protein expression levels of PI3K, Akt, and bcl-2 were increased, while the expression levels of bax were decreased (p < 0.05), and the protein expression level of p-Akt increased. There was no significant difference between the acupuncture group and the estradiol group (p > 0.05). Acupuncture was able to regulate hormone levels in POF rats, up-regulate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and reduce the apoptosis of granulosa cells. This may be one of the mechanisms of acupuncture treating premature ovarian failure.

Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration Associated with Pelvic Liposarcoma: A Rare Case Report.

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is one of the most common paraneoplastic neurological syndromes characterized by the rapid development of severe cerebellar ataxia. In this report, a 23-year-old female with noticeable dizziness and gait instability was described. The enhanced CT scanning suggested the presence of a pelvic tumor. Then, PCD was established. Postoperative pathological result defined it as a liposarcoma (LS) with dedifferentiation. Interestingly, clinical symptoms disappeared after the surgical removal of the pelvic tumor. To our knowledge, this was the first case report with PCD due to LS.

Simulated physiological stretch increases expression of extracellular matrix proteins in human bladder smooth muscle cells via integrin α4/αv-FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of simulated physiological stretch on the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and the role of integrin α4/αv, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) in the stretch-induced ECM protein expression of human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBSMCs). METHODS: HBSMCs were seeded onto silicone membrane and subjected to simulated physiological stretch at the range of 5, 10, and 15% elongation. Expression of primary ECM proteins in HBSMCs was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Specificity of the FAK and ERK1/2 was determined by Western blot with FAK inhibitor and ERK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059). Specificity of integrin α4 and integrin αv was determined with small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) transfection. RESULTS: The expression of collagen I (Col1), collagen III (Col3), and fibronectin (Fn) was increased significantly under the simulated physiological stretch of 10 and 15%. Integrin α4 and αv, FAK, ERK1/2 were activated by 10% simulated physiological stretch compared with the static condition. Pretreatment of ERK1/2 inhibitor, FAK inhibitor, integrin α4 siRNA, or integrin αv siRNA reduced the stretch-induced expression of ECM proteins. And FAK inhibitor decreased the stretch-induced ERK1/2 activity and ECM protein expression. Integrin α4 siRNA or integrin αv siRNA inhibited the stretch-induced activity of FAK. CONCLUSION: Simulated physiological stretch increases the expression of ECM proteins in HBSMCs, and integrin α4/αv-FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway partly modulates the mechano-transducing process.

Comparison of Holmium: YAG Laser and Pneumatic Lithotripsy in the Treatment of Ureteral Stones: An Update Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Holmium YAG laser lithotripsy (LL) and pneumatic lithotripsy (PL) are the most commonly used procedures in the treatment of ureteral calculi. In a previous meta-analysis examining the treatment effect of the 2 modalities, the authors highlighted the need for large sample size and high quality trials to provide more uncovered outcome. Recently, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the same issue with larger patient number and more complicated data have been published. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to update and synthesize evidence on the efficacy and safety of the 2 procedures in the treatment of ureteral calculi. METHODS: The relevant studies were identified by searching Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Library Database from January 1990 to November 2015. RCTs assessing the efficacy and safety of Holmium YAG laser and PL for ureteral stones were included. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. RESULTS: A total of 8 studies were identified including 1,555 patients. Compared with PL, Holmium YAG LL significantly reduced the mean operative time (weighted mean difference = -11.52, 95% CI -17.06 to -5.99, p < 0.0001) and increased the early stone-free rate (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.91-3.78, p < 0.00001) and the delayed stone-free rate (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.40-3.21, p = 0.0004). However, a higher postoperative ureteral stricture rate (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.56-7.31, p = 0.002) was observed in LL group over PL group. There was no statistical significance in the ureteral perforation rate (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.65-2.16, p = 0.58), the stone migration rate (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.41-1.00, p = 0.05), the postoperative gross hematuria rate (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.40-1.25, p = 0.23) and the postoperative fever rate (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.50-1.09, p = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: Our data reconfirmed that Holmium LL for ureteral stones can achieve shorter mean operative time, better early and delayed stone-free rate with larger sample size and more high quality studies. And further trials are unlikely to considerably alter this conclusion. In terms of higher risk of postoperative ureteral stricture in LL group over PL group observed in our review, more high quality, multicenter RCTs with long-term follow-up outcome are warranted to better assess this issue.

Factors Influencing Repair Outcomes of Vesicovaginal Fistula: A Retrospective Review of 139 Procedures.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to report the outcomes of patients undergoing vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repair to identify prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent VVF repair between January 2009 and October 2015 were reviewed. Primary outcome was fistula closure at 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients and 139 procedures of VVF repair were reviewed. The overall success rate was 85.6%. There were no significant differences in age (p = 0.476), etiology (p = 0.900), fistula duration (p = 0.491) and number of repairs (p = 0.509) between success and fail group. Moderate or severe perifistula fibrosis and multiple fistula were associated with failure in repair of fistula (70.8 vs. 93.4%, p < 0.001; 62.5 vs. 88.6%, p = 0.005). No difference was seen in success rate of vaginal and abdominal approaches (86.0 vs. 85.0%, p = 0.800). Logistic regression analysis identified fistula number (p = 0.003) and perifistula fibrosis (p = 0.002) as 2 independent prognostic factors. Medium/large fistulas were 3.2 times more likely to fail in repair than small fistulas (OR 3.2, 95% CI 0.95-10.6, p = 0.061). CONCLUSIONS: Fistula number and perifistula fibrosis were 2 independent prognostic factors for fistula repair. Unsuccessful closure was more likely in medium/large VVF.

Early plasma exchange for treating ricin toxicity in children after castor bean ingestion.

Plasma exchange (PE) for the treatment of ricin toxicity has not been previously reported. Here we describe the use of PE to treat children who experienced ricin toxicity after ingesting castor beans. Seven children (median age: 8.1 years) who consumed castor beans (median: 5 beans) were treated with PE. All had bradycardia and sinus arrhythmia, and most had experienced episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhea. PE settings were blood flow, 50-80 mL/min; PE rate, 600-800 mL/h; volume of exchange, 1440-1950 mL. Median time from ingestion to PE was 73 h. All clinical symptoms disappeared and vital signs rapidly returned to normal after PE; no severe organ dysfunction occurred. All children were discharged and recovered uneventfully. Concentrations of all serum biochemical parameters significantly decreased immediately after PE. Some, but not all, of these parameters were also significantly decreased at 48 and 72 h after PE compared with before PE. Our findings suggest that PE can be an effective early intervention in the treatment of ricin toxicity due to castor bean ingestion.

Significantly reduced radiation dose to operators during percutaneous vertebroplasty using a new cement delivery device.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous vertebroplasy (PVP) might lead to significant radiation exposure to patients, operators, and operating room personnel. Therefore, radiaton exposure is a concern. The aim of this study was to present a remote control cement delivery device and study whether it can reduce dose exposue to operators. METHODS: After meticulous preoperative preparation, a series of 40 osteoporosis patients were treated with unilateral approach PVP using the new cement delivery divice. We compared levels of fluoroscopic exposure to operator standing on different places during operation. group A: operator stood about 4 meters away from X-ray tube behind the lead sheet. group B: operator stood adjacent to patient as using conventional manual cement delivery device. RESULTS: During whole operation process, radiation dose to the operator (group A) was 0.10 ± 0.03 (0.07-0.15) µSv, group B was 12.09 ± 4.67 (10-20) µSv. a difference that was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.001) between group A and group B. CONCLUSION: New cement delivery device plus meticulous preoperative preparation can significantly decrease radiation dose to operators.

Application of artificial hibernation technology in acute brain injury.

Controlling intracranial pressure, nerve cell regeneration, and microenvironment regulation are the key issues in reducing mortality and disability in acute brain injury. There is currently a lack of effective treatment methods. Hibernation has the characteristics of low temperature, low metabolism, and hibernation rhythm, as well as protective effects on the nervous, cardiovascular, and motor systems. Artificial hibernation technology is a new technology that can effectively treat acute brain injury by altering the body's metabolism, lowering the body's core temperature, and allowing the body to enter a state similar to hibernation. This review introduces artificial hibernation technology, including mild hypothermia treatment technology, central nervous system regulation technology, and artificial hibernation-inducer technology. Upon summarizing the relevant research on artificial hibernation technology in acute brain injury, the research results show that artificial hibernation technology has neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and oxidative stress-resistance effects, indicating that it has therapeutic significance in acute brain injury. Furthermore, artificial hibernation technology can alleviate the damage of ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, and other diseases, providing new strategies for treating acute brain injury. However, artificial hibernation technology is currently in its infancy and has some complications, such as electrolyte imbalance and coagulation disorders, which limit its use. Further research is needed for its clinical application.

Diagnostic performance and clinical impacts of metagenomic sequencing after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) is a rapid, non-culture-based, high-throughput technique for pathogen diagnosis. Despite its numerous advantages, only a few studies have investigated its use in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 404 mNGS tests performed on 264 patients after allo-HSCT. The tests were divided into three groups (Phase A, B, C) based on the time spent hospitalized post-transplantation, and we evaluated the analytical performance of mNGS in comparison with conventional microbiological tests (CMT), while also analyzing its clinical utility for clinical impacts. RESULTS: Metagenomic sequencing demonstrated a significantly higher rate of positive microbiological findings as compared to CMT (334/404 (82.7 %) vs. 159/404 (39.4 %), respectively, P < 0.001). The detection rates by both mNGS and CMT varied across the three-phase (mNGS: A-60/89 (67.4 %), B-147/158 (93.0 %), C-125/157 (79.6 %), respectively, P < 0.001; CMT: A-21/89 (23.6 %), B-79/158 (50.0 %), C-59/157 (37.6 %), respectively, P < 0.001). The infection sites and types of pathogens were also different across the three phases. Compared to non-GVHD cases, mNGS detected more Aspergillus spp. and Mucorales in GVHD patients (Aspergillus: 12/102 (11.8 %) vs. 8/158 (5.1 %), respectively, P = 0.048; Mucorales: 6/102 (5.9 %) vs. 2/158 (1.3 %), respectively, P = 0.035). Forty-five (181/404) percent of mNGS tests yielded a positive impact on the clinical diagnosis, while 24.3 % (98/404) of tests benefited the patients in antimicrobial treatment. CONCLUSION: mNGS is an indispensable diagnostic tool in identifying pathogens and optimizing antibiotic therapy for hematological patients receiving allo-HSCT.

Addition of ruxolitinib to standard graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis for allogeneic stem cell transplantation in aplastic anemia patients.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) offers rapid hematopoietic and immune reconstitution for aplastic anemia (AA). As a non-malignant disorder, attenuation of GVHD remains a clinical priority in AA patients. Our study sought to investigate the safety and efficacy of the prophylactic use of ruxolitinib in allogeneic HSCT. A total of 35 AA patients were retrospectively consecutively treated with allo-HSCT whereby ruxolitinib was added to the standard GVHD prophylaxis regimen (rux group). The addition of peri-transplant ruxolitinib did not impact the engraftment and graft function, while better recovery of CD4+ Tregs in the rux group was observed. Interestingly, the rux group demonstrated significantly lower incidence of bacterial/fungal infections (17.14% vs 45.71%). Compared to the control group, the rux group exhibited significantly lower incidence of moderate to severe aGVHD (17.1% vs 48.6%) with a trend toward lower severe aGVHD (8.6% vs 20%) and cGVHD (26.2 vs 38.3). The rux group also demonstrated a trend toward higher GVHD and failure-free survival (GFFS: 85.7% vs 68.6%) and lower TRM (2.9% vs 14.3%). Addition of ruxolitinib to standard GVHD prophylaxis regimen, thus, represents a safe and highly efficient method for the attenuation of GVHD with better outcome of allo-HSCT.

A case report of primary para-testicular spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma.

Para-testicular rhabdomyosarcoma (PTRMS) is a rare tumor, and it accounts for 7% of all rhabdomyosarcoma tumors. Among all the rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) types, the spindle cell RMS is extremely rare. The present study describes a case of a para-testicular spindle cell RMS that was treated with a radical inguinal orchiectomy (RIO) and right scrotal resection. A 17-year-old male patient presented with a half-year history of a rapidly growing, painless, right scrotal mass. His CT of the pelvic cavity showed a mixed-density mass in the right scrotum, and the maximum cross-sectional area was approximately 76.5 mm × 64.5 mm. An X-ray of the chest demonstrated no evidence of metastasis, and a local surgical excision was performed subsequently. The histopathological and immunohistochemical examination confirmed the final diagnosis of spindle cell RMS. As a newly diagnosed case, strict and regular follow-up is needed. This article focuses on the importance of prompt recognition, diagnosis, pathological features, and appropriate management of para-testicular spindle cell RMS.