[Penile necrosis resulting from post-circumcision microwave diathermy: A report of 9 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathogenesis and treatment of penile necrosis resulting from microwave diathermy following circumcision. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about 9 cases of penile necrosis resulting from postoperative microwave diathermy following circumcision. The 9 males, aged 20 - 39 (mean 26) years, underwent traditional circumcision for redundant prepuce or phimosis in other hospitals, followed by microwave diathermy for 30 - 60 minutes daily, which resulted in penile necrosis. With no response to conservative therapy, the patients were referred to our hospital at 3 -30 days postoperatively. Of the 9 patients, 5 presented with dry gangrene and 4 with moist gangrene. Six of the patients underwent partial penectomy, including 1 that received penis lengthening.3 months later, while the other 3 underwent total penectomy for total penile necrosis followed by penile reconstruction 3 months later, with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps and by implantation of the 12th costal cartilage in 2 cases and with epigastric groin island flaps and by urethroplasty in the other. RESULTS: The patients were followed up for 2 - 8 years, and all could urinate smoothly in the standing position. Of the 6 men treated by partial penectomy, 1 received penis lengthening and achieved a penile length of 7 cm and 5 had the remaining penile length of 3 -5 cm, 4 with erectile function and the other 2 capable of sexual intercourse. The 3 men treated by total penectomy achieved nearly normal external appearance of the penis, with a finalized length of (11.7 ± 1.3) cm, a circumference of (11.4 ± 2.1) cm, and a normal feel of the skin. Of the 3 cases of penile reconstruction, 2 achieved sufficient erectile hardness of the penis (grade 3) for sexual intercourse, while the other 1 remained impotent. CONCLUSION: Post-circumcision microwave diathermy may result in penile necrosis, for the management of which, early debridement is necessitated and penile lengthening or reconstruction can be performed according to the severity of the lesion and needs of the patient.

Visualization of the degradation of long-acting microneedles and correlation of drug release in vivo based on FRET mechanism.

This study introduces a live imaging technique for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of drug release from long-acting microneedles using FRET (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer). Employing Cy5.5 and Cy7 as FRET pairs and levonorgestrel as the model drug, we fabricated microneedles with varying PLGA molecular weights, demonstrating distinct release profiles. The FRET-PLGA-10-MN demonstrated a rapid drug release profile, reaching nearly complete release within a two-day period, while FRET-PLGA-30-MN showed a sustained release over four days. Sensitized Emission FRET (SE-FRET) optimized the imaging process, providing a robust correlation between FRET signals and drug absorption. This method surpasses traditional pharmacokinetic studies by offering a more efficient and comprehensive analysis of microneedle release dynamics in vivo, paving the way for enhanced long-acting microneedle design and therapeutic outcomes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1. FRET technology was applied to microneedle drug delivery system for the first time, which realized real-time, quantitative and non-invasive monitoring of drug release process. 2. The long-term microneedle technique was combined with sensitized emission method, and the FRET remaining ratio was innovatively used to investigate the FRET characteristics of microneedles, and the fluorescence ratio of FRET and donor double-channel was quantitatively calculated. 3. The correlation between visual fluorescence images of FRET effect and semi-quantitative calculation results based on fluorescence intensity and drug release in vivo with drug-loaded microneedles was analyzed.

Quantification of Microsphere Drug Release by Fluorescence Imaging with the FRET System.

Accurately measuring drug and its release kinetics in both in vitro and in vivo environments is crucial for enhancing therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing potential side effects. Nevertheless, the real-time visualization of drug release from microspheres to monitor potential overdoses remains a challenge. The primary objective of this investigation was to employ fluorescence imaging for the real-time monitoring of drug release from microspheres in vitro, thereby simplifying the laborious analysis associated with the detection of drug release. Two distinct varieties of microspheres were fabricated, each encapsulating different drugs within PLGA polymers. Cy5 was selected as the donor, and Cy7 was selected as the acceptor for visualization and quantification of the facilitated microsphere drug release through the application of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) principle. The findings from the in vitro experiments indicate a correlation between the FRET fluorescence alterations and the drug release profiles of the microspheres.

Visualization and correlation of drug release of risperidone/clozapine microspheres in vitro and in vivo based on FRET mechanism.

This study addresses the challenging task of quantitatively investigating drug release from PLGA microspheres after in vivo administration. The objective is to employ Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to visualize drug-encapsulated microspheres in both in vitro and in vivo settings. The primary goal is to establish a quantitative correlation between FRET fluorescence changes and microsphere drug release. The study selects drugs with diverse structures and lipid solubility to explore release mechanisms, using PLGA as the matrix material. Clozapine and risperidone serve as model drugs. FRET molecules, Cy5 and Cy5.5, along with Cy7 derivatives, create FRET donor-acceptor pairs. In vitro results show that FRET fluorescence changes align closely with microsphere drug release, particularly for the Cy5.5-Cy7 pair. In vivo experiments involve subcutaneous administration of microspheres to rats, tracking FRET fluorescence changes while collecting blood samples. Pharmacokinetic studies on clozapine and risperidone reveal in vivo absorption fractions using the Loo-Riegelman method. Correlating FRET and in vivo absorption data establishes an in vitro-in vivo relationship (IVIVR). The study demonstrates that FRET-based fluorescence changes quantitatively link to microsphere drug release, offering an innovative method for visualizing and monitoring release in both in vitro and in vivo settings, potentially advancing clinical applications of such formulations.

Management of urinary incontinence after radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder: A scoping review of international practices.

OBJECTIVES: To identify and describe international practice in incontinence management after radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic scoping review following the methodology of the Joanne Briggs Institute was conducted in which the application searched 15 data sources to identify papers published in English, from 1979 to 2022. RESULTS: Of the 16 papers that met the eligibility criteria, articles in Eastern countries mainly focus on the effect of conservative treatment, while in Western countries, more attention is paid to the effect of surgical treatment. Clinical characteristics of patients included conservative treatment failure, duration of post-operative intervention and unique differential treatment of male and female patients. Reported factors influencing the achievement of urinary incontinence (UI) include lack of evidence to guide management practice, limited value of conservative treatment, high risk of surgical treatment and uncertainty of efficacy; currently, early behavioural research and multimodal rehabilitation training have good results. CONCLUSIONS: UI in neobladder patients is a distressing condition that is difficult to treat and often requires high-quality rehabilitation guidance and surgical intervention. Further research to address current knowledge gaps is important to inform practice.

Dietary Tomato Consumption and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Several epidemiological studies have linked tomato products consumption with prostate cancer risk; however, the findings yielded inconsistent results. The aim of the present meta-analysis is to summary the evidence on this association based on eligible cohort studies. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search of articles was performed in March 2021 using PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus databases. A random-effects model was used to calculate the combined relative risks (RRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity across studies was assessed using Cochran's Q statistic and the I 2 score. Results: A total of 10 prospective studies were finally included in our meta-analysis. There was no evidence of a significant association between tomato products consumption and prostate cancer risk (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.79-1.03, P = 0.138). Subgroup meta-analyses were performed by tomato types, geographical region, publication year, study quality and number of cases. No significant associations were observed in any subgroups (all P > 0.05). No significant publication bias was observed using Begg's test (P = 0.602) or Egger's test (P = 0.957). Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis indicated that tomato consumption was not related with the risk of prostate cancer. Further prospective large-scale cohort studies are still warranted to verify our findings.

Genetic Mapping of Prince Rupprecht's Larch (Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr) by Specific-Locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing.

A high-density genetic linkage map is essential for plant genetics and genomics research. However, due to the deficiency of genomic data and high-quality molecular markers, no genetic map has been published for Prince Rupprecht's larch (Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr), a conifer species with high ecological and commercial value in northern China. In this study, 145 F1 progeny individuals from an intraspecific cross between two elite clones of L. principis-rupprechtii and their parents were employed to construct the first genetic map in this important tree species using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq). After preprocessing, the procedure yielded 300.20 Gb of raw data containing 1501.22 M pair-end reads. A total of 324,352 SNP markers were detected and 122,785 of them were polymorphic, with a polymorphism rate of 37.86%. Ultimately, 6099 SNPs were organized into a genetic map containing 12 linkage groups, consistent with the haploid chromosome number of larch and most other species in the Pinaceae family. The linkage map spanned 2415.58 cM and covered 99.6% of the L. principis-rupprechtii genome with an average of 0.4 cM between adjacent markers. To the best of our knowledge, this map is the first reference map for L. principis-rupprechtii, as well as the densest one obtained in larch species thus far. The genome-wide SNPs and the high-resolution genetic map will provide a foundation for future quantitative trait loci mapping, map-based cloning, marker-assisted selection, comparative genomics, and genome sequence assembly for larch trees.

Surgical treatment of a rare case of penile squamous cell carcinoma in a 65-year-old man.

Penile squamous cell carcinoma has been commonly reported in the past decades. We describe a rare case of a huge squamous cell carcinoma of the penis in a 65-year-old patient with a 4-year history of tumor growth, for which total penectomy, perineal urethrostomy and bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy were carried out. We suggest that aggressive surgical intervention should be recommended for those with well-differentiated penile carcinoma regardless of the size of the tumor.

[Prevention and treatment of the complications of inflatable penile prosthesis implantation].

OBJECTIVE: To report the amelioration of the three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) implantation and the prevention of its complications. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with moderate to severe erectile dysfunction (ED) irresponsive to conservative treatments received the implantation of the three-piece IPP. The surgical techniques were ameliorated in the course of operation. The patients were guided in using the IPP after operation. The effects and complications of the implantation were observed based on IIEF of the patients before and after operation. RESULTS: Sexual life was resumed and no complication was found in 28 of the patients. The complications that developed in the other 4 were pump failure (2 cases), urethral perforation (1 case), and penis contraction (1 case). The former 3 achieved normal sexual intercourse after the second operation. Comparison between the IIEF scores before and after operation showed a very remarkable difference (P < 0.01). The occurrence rate of complications was 12.5%. The satisfaction rate of sexual intercourse was 87.5% and the total satisfaction rate of sexual life was 84.4%. CONCLUSION: The complications of the three-piece IPP implantation were obviously reduced by ameliorating operation techniques. The implantation of the three piece-IPP is safe and effective for advanced ED patients.