Endovascular Repair Blunt Thoracic Aortic Injury in Adolescent: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) is a rare occurrence in adolescents, yet it is associated with a high mortality rate necessitating immediate treatment. Although endovascular repair has become the preferred treatment for such injuries in adults, its effectiveness in adolescents remains uncertain. CASE SUMMARY: Blunt traumatic aortic injury typically presents with concomitant injuries to other organs and carries a high perioperative mortality rate with operative repair (OR). In this report, we describe the treatment of 3 clinical cases of BTAI in adolescents using thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). These cases contribute pertinent evidence supporting the efficacy of intravascular repair for BTAI. CONCLUSION: Operative repair (OR) remains the gold standard for treating BTAI in adolescents. Nevertheless, TEVAR therapy presents a viable alternative for patients with multiple injuries in whom anticoagulation is contraindicated. Further long-term observation is necessary to assess the lasting effects of TEVAR therapy. CLINICAL IMPACT: This study has provided insights into endovascular repair for adolescent BTAT, offering clinicians significant reference material for choosing treatment strategies for adolescent BTAT. The study aims to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of endovascular repair treatments in a series of clinical cases involving adolescent BTAI.

Differentiation between alcohol-associated cirrhosis and hepatitis B-associated cirrhosis based on hepatic complications and psychological symptoms.

Background: The prognosis of and occurrence of complications in patients with different clinical features of cirrhosis differ, and cirrhosis with different etiologies has varying clinical characteristics. The aim of this study was to describe the liver function markers, hepatic complications, and psychological features differentiating patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection-related and alcohol-related cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective and observational study that analyzed the medical data of inpatients with alcohol-related or HBV infection-related cirrhosis from May 2014 to May 2020. Markers of liver function, portal hypertension, and psychological symptoms were compared between the two groups. Results: Patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis showed higher Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores and prevalence of hypoproteinemia, fatty liver, and depression than those with HBV infection-related cirrhosis (all P < 0.05). After adjustment for potential confounders, patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis also showed higher risks of increased total cholesterol (odds ratio [OR] =2.671, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.160-6.151, P = 0.021), increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (OR = 2.714, 95% CI: 1.009-7.299, P = 0.048), and fatty liver (OR = 2.713, 95% CI: 1.002-7.215, P = 0.048); however, splenomegaly and splenectomy were significantly associated with HBV infection-related cirrhosis (OR = 2.320, 95% CI: 1.066-5.050, P = 0.034). Conclusion: Patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis were more likely to develop hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, and psychological symptoms, whereas those with HBV-related cirrhosis had a higher risk of splenomegaly.

Intraluminal Diverticular Duodenal Duplication With Recurrent Abdominal Pain: A Case Report.

Duodenal duplication is a rare congenital anomaly and may manifest as pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, perforation, and obstruction. Here, we present a case of intraluminal diverticular duodenal duplication (IDDD) in a child with recurrent abdominal pain caused by a large hole-like structure in the duodenal bulb. This condition has rarely been reported. An 11-year-old boy presented with recurrent attacks of abdominal pain. Upper endoscopy examination and barium swallowing led to an initial diagnosis of IDDD; this diagnosis was confirmed by operative findings and histopathological signs. He underwent a subtotal excision and duodenal anastomosis. No serious complications occurred following treatment. The patient was followed up for 8 months, and his condition improved without symptoms.

Comparison of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT and multiparametric MRI for the detection of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT for detection of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa), high-risk PCa in comparison with mpMRI, respectively, and to determine which of low- and intermediate-risk PCa are more likely to be detected by 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who had undergone a prostate biopsy and/or radical prostatectomy and who were scanned with 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI between June 2019 and March 2021. The mpMRI images were scored with the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System Version 2.1 (PI-RADS) and were classified as either negative (PI-RADS 1-3) or positive (PI-RADS 4-5). Suspicious 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT lesions were reviewed for each relevant patient and classified by double-trained board-certified nuclear medicine physicians. The results were evaluated with the histopathological outcome. All patients were classified according to the D'Amico classification, and the clinical data were combined for stratified analysis. RESULT: A total of 101 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with PCa were analyzed. Of the 101 patients, 88 (80.6%) patients presented with a pathologic mpMRI, and 85 (79.1%) with a pathologic 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. In the high-risk PCa cohort, 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT was positive in 64/66 (97.0%) patients and yielded a higher detection rate than that for the mpMRI patients (58/66, 87.9%; p < 0.05). However, mpMRI provided superior diagnostic confidence in identifying low- and intermediate-risk PCa (30/35, 85.7% vs. 21/35, 60.0%; p < 0.05). When the age threshold exceeded 62.5 years and the serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) threshold exceeded 9.4 ng/ml, a higher uptake of PSMA was more likely to occur in the lesions of low- and intermediate-risk PCa. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic performance of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT was superior to that of mpMRI in the high-risk PCa cohort, which was consistent with prior studies. Furthermore, in the initial diagnosis of low- and intermediate-risk PCa, we found that mpMRI showed a higher diagnostic accuracy than 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT did. Low- and intermediate-risk PCa patients with a PSA ≥ 9.4 ng/ml and age ≥ 62.5 years were more likely to have a positive 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT result.

Effects of Washed Microbiota Transplantation on Serum Uric Acid Levels, Symptoms, and Intestinal Barrier Function in Patients with Acute and Recurrent Gout: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Gut dysbiosis has been reported to be closely associated with gout. Washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) is considered as an effective way to restore a healthy gut microbiota with less adverse events than the conventional fecal microbiota transplantation. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of WMT on serum uric acid levels, symptoms, and the intestinal barrier function in patients with acute and recurrent gout. METHODS: We performed a pilot study of WMT for acute and recurrent gout. The primary outcome was the changes in the serum uric acid level and gout symptoms. The secondary outcomes included the changes in levels of diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid, and endotoxin. RESULTS: Eleven patients received WMT treatment. The averaged serum uric acid levels in patients with gout reduced after WMT (p = 0.031), accompanied with a decrease in the frequency and duration time of acute gout flares (p < 0.01). The levels of DAO, D-lactic acid, and endotoxin were higher in patients than in healthy donors (p < 0.05). After WMT treatment, the levels of DAO and endotoxin decreased (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: WMT is effective for reducing serum uric acid levels and improving gout symptoms in patients with gout and contributes to improve their impaired intestinal barrier function.

Endovascular Repair of Persistent Sciatic Artery With Limb Ischemia: A Wrong Choice?

Objectives: Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a rare congenital malformation that could lead to serious complications such as lower extremity ischemiais. We report the treatment of a PSA patient combined with limb ischemia. Methods: A 64-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for intermittent claudication of the right lower limb. The right ankle-brachial index (ABI) was 0.5. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed the presence of an incomplete PSA with an absence superficial femoral artery. We performed catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) and stenting placement for the patient. Results: The vessels were successfully opened, and the claudication was resolved. However, half a year after the operation, the right PSA of the patient was occluded. Conclusion: The etiology, pathophysiology, and anatomic factors should be considered in the treatment of PSA. Endovascular treatment, bypass surgery, and drug therapy should be balanced. Improper choice of any treatment regimen may result in poor prognosis.

Combinational dual drug delivery system to enhance the care and treatment of gastric cancer patients.

Gastric cancer is a frequently occurring cancer with high mortality each year worldwide. Finding new and effective therapeutic strategy against human gastric cancer is still urgently required. Hence, we have established a new method to achieve treatment-actuated modifications in a tumor microenvironment by utilizing synergistic activity between two potential anticancer drugs. Dual drug delivery of gemcitabine (GEM) and Camptothecin-11 (CPT-11) exhibits a great anti-cancer potential, as GEM enhances the effect of CPT-11 treatment of human gastric cells by providing microenvironment stability. However, encapsulation of GEM and CPT-11 obsessed by poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based nanoparticles (NPs) is incompetent owing to unsuitability between the binary free GEM and CPT-11 moieties and the polymeric system. Now, we display that CPT-11 can be prepared by hydrophobic covering of the drug centers with dioleoylphosphatidic acid (DOPA). The DOPA-covered CPT-11 can be co-encapsulated in PLGA NPs alongside GEM to stimulate excellent anticancer property. The occurrence of the CPT-11 suggestively enhanced the encapsulations of GEM into PLGA NPs (GEM-CPT-11 NPs). Formation of the nanocomposite (GEM-CPT-11 NPs) was confirmed by FTIR and X-ray spectroscopic techniques. Further, the morphology of GEM NPs, CPT-11 NPs, and GEM-CPT-11 NPs and NP size was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Furthermore, GEM-CPT-11 NPs induced significant apoptosis in human gastric NCI-N87 and SGC-791 cancer cells in vitro. The morphological observation and apoptosis were confirmed by the various biochemical assays (AO-EB, nuclear staining, and annexin V-FITC). In addition, evaluation of the hemolysis assay with erythrocytes of human shows excellent biocompatibility of free GEM, free CPT-11, GEM NPs, CPT-11 NPs, and GEM-CPT-11 NPs. The results suggest that GEM-CPT-11 NPs are one of the promising nursing cares for human gastric cancer therapeutic candidates worthy of further investigations.

A new three-dimensional silver(I) coordination framework with a diamondoid topology constructed from 2-(pyridin-4-yl)-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid.

The title compound, poly[[µ4-5-carboxy-4-carboxylato-2-(pyridin-4-yl)-1H-imidazol-1-ido]disilver(I)], [Ag2(C10H5N3O4)]n, was synthesized by reacting silver nitrate with 2-(pyridin-4-yl)-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid (H3PyIDC) under hydrothermal conditions. The asymmetric unit contains two crystallographically independent Ag(I) cations and one unique HPyIDC(2-) anion. Both Ag(I) cations are three-coordinated in distorted T-shaped coordination geometries. One Ag(I) cation is coordinated by one N and two O atoms from two HPyIDC(2-) anions, while the other is bonded to one O and two N atoms from two HPyIDC(2-) anions. It is interesting to note that the HPyIDC(2-) group acts as a µ4-bridging ligand to link the Ag(I) cations into a three-dimensional framework, which can be simplified as a diamondoid topology. The thermal stability and photoluminescent properties of the title compound have also been studied.