Objective:To study the clinical value of SpyGlass direct visualization system-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with biliary stent implantation in the treatment of malignant biliary stricture.Methods:Clinical data of 29 patients with advanced malignant biliary stricture without surgical resectability who received palliative endoscopic treatment in Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School and Wuxi No.2 People’s Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including 20 males and 9 females, aged (70.3±11.5) years. Patients were divided into two groups: the SpyGlass-guided biliary RFA combined with biliary stent implantation treatment group (combined group, n=14) and the simple biliary stent treatment group (simple stent group, n=15). The age, gender, body mass index (BMI), the total bilirubin, jaundice remission, postoperative complications, stent patency time and survival period were compared between the two groups. Results:Among 29 cases, 20 were cholangiocarcinoma (69.0%), 4 were hepatocellular carcinoma (13.8%), 3 were carcinoma of gallbladder (10.3%), and 2 were ampullary carcinoma (6.9%). There were no statistically significant difference in age, male proportion, primary tumor proportion, BMI and total bilirubin between the groups (all P>0.05). The postoperative total bilirubin of the combined group was 41.5(29.8, 52.5)μmol/L, and that of the stent group was 55.4(31.5, 107.1)μmol/L ( Z=1.18, P=0.247). There were 11 cases of jaundice remission in the combined group and 10 in the stent group ( χ2=0.51, P=0.474). The stent patency time in the combined group was 90 (77, 250) days, and that in the stent group was 100 (60, 190) days ( Z=0.28, P=0.793). There was no significant difference in cumulative survival rates and incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:SpyGlass-guided biliary RFA combined with biliary stent implantation neither improves the treatment efficacy nor prolongs stent patency time in patients with malignant biliary strictures.

Objective:To investigate the role of miR-144-3p in cisplatin resistance of bladder cancer.Methods:Bladder cancer T24 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into blank group (untreated), mimetic control group, miR-144-3p mimetic transfection group, inhibitor control group, and miR-144-3p inhibitor transfection group. Real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the transfection effect, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method was used to detect the survival rate of cells treated with cisplatin in each group, and Western blot was used to detect the expression of the target protein. The targeting relationship between miR-144-3p and nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) was validated using dual fluorescence reporter gene experiments. Furthermore, Nrf2 was knocked out in each group of cells, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of HO-1, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot in each group of cells.Results:Compared with the control group, bladder cancer cells in the miR-144-3p mimetic transfection group were more sensitive to cisplatin, while the miR-144-3p inhibitor transfection group had the opposite effect; The miR-144-3p simulant transfection group can effectively inhibit the mRNA and protein expression level of Nrf2 in bladder cancer cells (all P<0.05), while the miR-144-3p inhibitor transfection group can up regulate the mRNA and protein level of Nrf2 (all P<0.05). The miR-144-3p mimetic transfection group showed significant downregulation of mRNA and protein expression of HO-1 and Bcl-2, while the expression of Caspase-3 was upregulated (all P<0.05), while the miR-144-3p inhibitor transfection group showed the opposite results. The luciferase results confirmed that miR 144 3p can directly bind to the 3′- UTR region of Nrf2, reducing the mRNA level of Nrf2. When Nrf2 was knocked out, whether miR-144-3p mimetic transfection group or miR-144-3p inhibitor transfection group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of HO-1, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 did not change significantly, and miR-144-3p lost the ability to regulate the cisplatin sensitivity of bladder cancer cells. Conclusions:miR-144-3p targets to regulate the sensitivity of Nrf2 to cisplatin in bladder cancer, and miR-144-3p is expected to become a new target for the treatment of cisplatin resistant or refractory bladder cancer.

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of low-dose rabbit anti-human thymocyte globulin (rATG) for induction therapy of kidney transplantation (KT) in children.Methods:From October 2018 to May 2021, clinical data were reviewed retrospectively for 77 pediatric KT recipients on a low-dose rATG induction protocol.Recipient/graft survival rate, renal function recovery, acute rejection (AR) and adverse reactions were observed at 1 year post-operation.The postoperative changes of renal function were examined by Friedman’s test; According to the preoperative baseline data, Pearson’s Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was utilized for examining the influencing factors of postoperative AR.Results:A total of 16(20.78%) recipients had AR within the first 6 months post-operation.The incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) was 14.29%(11/77); The incidence of severe infection post-transplantation 18.18%(14/77), the infection rate of BK virus 25.97%(20/77) and the incidence of neutropenia 32.47%(25/77).The recipient/graft survival rate at 1 year post-operation was 97.40%(75/77) and 94.81%(73/77) respectively.Chi-square test indicated that the incidence of postoperative infection in children with body weight ≤30 kg and height ≤138 cm was 28.95%(11/38) and 27.50%(11/40) respectively, Both were higher than 7.69%(3/39) and 8.11%(3/37) of children with body weight >30 kg and height>138 cm.The difference between groups was statistically significant ( P=0.016 and 0.028). Conclusions:Low-dose rATG is generally excellent in preventing AR in pediatric KT recipients.And the risk of related AR may be lower.The infection rate of recipients with decent preoperative development is low.

Objective:To determine a relationship between ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) and pathological lessions of renal tissues in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods:It was a cross-sectional observational study, involving children admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January to December 2021 with definite pathological diagnosis through kidney biopsy. The SWE was used to determine the Young's modulus (elastic modulus) of the cortex and medulla of the upper, middle, and lower poles of the kidney. The renal histopathology was classified or graded. The statistical method was used to analyze the relationship between Young's modulus of the inferior polar cortex (YM cor) and medulla (YM med) of the right kidney and renal pathology. Results:The study included 110 children with definite pathological diagnosis through renal biopsy, aged (10.1±3.4) years old (2-17 years old), with 55 males (50.0%). The body mass index was (20.6±2.4) kg/m 2, and mean arterial pressure was (95±24) mmHg. There were 94 patients (85.4%) with CKD stage 1, 8 patients (7.3%) with CKD stage 2, and 8 patients (7.3%) with CKD stage 3. There was no significant difference of YM cor and YM med in the upper and middle poles of the right kidneys, and YM med in the lower poles of right kidneys in CKD patients with different stages (all P>0.05). Both YM cor [(15.75±3.36) kPa] and YM med [(13.50±2.43) kPa] of CKD stage 3 patients were significantly higher than those of CKD stage 1 patients [(12.94±2.45) kPa, (11.88±2.23) kPa](both P<0.05). There was no significant difference of YM cor and YM med in the lower poles of right kidneys between stage 1 and stage 2 CKD patients (both P>0.05). YM cor[(17.93±3.23) kPa] and YM med [(15.50±1.48) kPa] in patients with crescentic glomerulonephritis were higher than those in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis [(12.71±2.42) kPa, (11.57±2.63) kPa] and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis [(12.73±2.04) kPa, (11.48±2.10) kPa](all P<0.05). There was no significant difference of YM cor and YM med between focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (both P>0.05). YM cor [(16.30±2.63) kPa] and YM med [(15.54±1.59) kPa] of Lee's Ⅳ grade of IgA nephropathy were higher than those of Lee's Ⅲ grade [(13.32±2.70) kPa, (12.57±2.50) kPa](both P<0.05), while the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children grade of purpura nephritis had no significant correlation with YM cor and YM med (both P>0.05). YM cor [(15.41±2.37) kPa] and YM med [(13.82±2.59) kPa] of interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (T1/T2) group of IgA nephropathy mixed with purpura nephritis were significantly higher than those of T0 group's [(12.99±2.40) kPa, (11.79±2.05) kPa] (both P<0.05). Moreover, crescent formation (C1) group had a higher YM cor [(14.21±2.77) kPa] and YM med [(12.80±2.47) kPa] than those in C0 group [(12.73±2.15) kPa, (11.59±1.97) kPa] (both P<0.05), while YM cor and YM med were unrelated to the mesangial hypercellularity (M), endocapillary cellularity (E), segmental sclerosis or adhesion (S) indicators (all P>0.05). In lupus nephritis patients, YM cor ( r=0.744, P=0.035) and YM med ( r=0.728, P=0.009) were favorably linked with the chronic index, but not with the activity index (both P>0.05). Conclusions:Renal interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy and crescentic development are connected with YM cor and YM med at the lower pole of the kidney as measured by SWE. SWE can be used to assess the chronic renal lesions in children with CKD in the early and middle stages. It may develop into a new noninvasive way to assess renal pathology.

Objective:To compare the safety and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) for the treatment of biliary obstruction at different locations.Methods:From January 2016 to June 2021 data of 82 patients with obstructive jaundice treated with EUS-HGS in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were reviewed in this retrospective cohort study. According to the location of biliary obstruction,patients were divided into hilar biliary obstruction group ( n=30) and distal biliary obstruction group ( n=52). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted adjusting covariates to compare the technical success rate, the clinical success rate, the adverse reaction incidence, hospital stay and cost of the two groups. Results:The technical success rates were 93.3% (28/30) and 94.2% (49/52) in the hilar biliary obstruction group and the distal biliary obstruction group with no significant difference between the two groups ( P=0.870, OR=1.17, 95% CI: 0.18-7.41). The clinical success rates were 83.3% (25/30) and 88.5% (46/52) in the hilar biliary obstruction group and the distal biliary obstruction group with no significant difference between the two groups ( P=0.514, OR=1.53, 95% CI: 0.43-5.53). The incidence of adverse events in hilar biliary obstruction group was 10.0% (3/30), including cholangitis 3.3% (1/30), biliary fistula 6.7% (2/30), biliary peritonitis 6.7% (2/30). The incidence of adverse events in patients with distal biliary obstruction was 17.3% (9/52), including cholangitis 9.6% (5/52), biliary fistula 7.7% (4/52) and biliary peritonitis 5.8% (3/52). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:There is no significant difference in safety or efficacy of EUS-HGS for hilar biliary obstruction and distal biliary obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, the research results regarding the bilateral temporomandibular joint symmetry in patients at different ages with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) are still controversial. In this study, the position of condyle in the articular fossa and morphology of condyle in UCLP patients at different developmental stages was measured and analyzed to explore the asymmetry difference, which can provide a new theoretical basis for the sequential therapy. METHODS: A total of 90 patients with UCLP were divided into a mixed dentition group (31 cases), a young permanent dentition group (31 cases) and an old permanent dentition group (28 cases) according to age and dentition development. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were imported into Invivo5 software for 3D reconstruction, and the joint space, anteroposterior diameter, medio-lateral diameter, and height of condylar were measured, and its asymmetry index was calculated. RESULTS: The asymmetry index of condylar height and anteroposterior diameter among the 3 groups, from small to large, was the mixed dentition groupP<0.05). There was no significant difference in condylar anteroposterior diameter and asymmetry index between the mixed dentition group and the young permanent dentition group (both P>0.05), all of them were lower than those in the old permanent dentition group (both P<0.05). Compared with the normal side, the height of fracture condyle was smaller among the 3 groups (all P<0.05), and the anterior joint space was smaller (P<0.05) and the posterior joint space was larger (P<0.05) in the mixed dentition group. CONCLUSIONS In patients with UCLP, the asymmetry of condylar morphology increases with age, but the condylar position tends to normal. These results suggest that early treatment has important clinical significance for the morphologic development of temporomandibular joint in UCLP patients.
Humans ; Cleft Lip/diagnostic imaging* ; Cleft Palate/diagnostic imaging* ; Temporomandibular Joint/diagnostic imaging* ; Clinical Relevance

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of vascular interventional therapy in children with transplantation renal artery stenosis(TRAS).Methods:From January 2013 to September 2021, retrospective analysis was performed for clinical data of 238 TRAS children.Peak systolic velocity(PSV)of transplant renal artery, interlobular artery PSV, transplant renal artery PSV/ interlobular artery PSV(post PSV ratio)and serum creatinine level before and after vascular interventional therapy and at the last follow-up were compared.Results:Six pediatric kidney transplantation recipients were diagnosed as TRAS.The median operative age was 12(9-17)years, the median postoperative time to diagnosing TRAS 4(1.7-18.0)months and the median follow-up period 6.6(2.5-8.0)years.All of them received vascular interventional therapy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty(PTA, n=5)and stent angioplasty( n=1). The serum creatinine pre-treatment with vascular interventional therapy was significantly higher than baseline serum creatinine level at discharge(200.8±88.5)vs(75.2±27.9)μmol/L, P=0.025 and decreased to(103.8±44.7)μmol/L at Month 1 post-treatment( P=0.196)and(98.7±30.2)μmol/L at the last follow-up( P=0.115). Comparing with internal diameter of grafted renal artery anastomosis site(2.6±0.6 mm)pre-treatment with vascular interventional therapy, significant changes occurred at 24 h post-treatment(3.8±0.5 mm)and at the last follow-up(4.1±0.8 mm)(all P=0.027). In addition, PSV and post PSV ratio of transplanted renal artery at 24 h post-treatment(163±45.0 cm/s, 6.5±2.2)and at the last follow-up(184.7±80.8 cm/s, 5.4±2.0)were significantly lower than that before vascular interventional therapy(356.5±77.9 cm/s, 18.0±5.8)and interlobular artery PSV was significantly higher than that before vascular interventional therapy( P=0.024, P=0.032, respectively). During follow-ups, no restenosis or thrombosis occurred in transplanted renal arteries. Conclusions:PTA or stent angioplasty for TRAS children is technically feasible with low restenosis rate and relatively satisfactory mid/long-term outcomes.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of preoperative blood parameters on the efficacy of microscopic varicocele ligation in the treatment of infertility patients with varicocele.Methods:The clinical data of 110 patients with varicocele admitted to Xi′an People′s Hospital and Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University from June 2016 to January 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. Successful operation was defined as the restoration of all semen parameters (sperm concentration, forward motility, morphology, etc.) to normal values 6 months after operation. The patients were divided into effective treatment group (group A, 78 cases) and ineffective treatment group (group B, 32 cases). The blood parameters of the two groups were compared before operation. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between blood parameters [neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV)] and the success of microscopic varicocele ligation. The predictive value of blood parameters (NLR and MPV) to the success of microscopic varicocele ligation was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:There was no significant difference in clinical characteristics, and sex hormone levels between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05); There were statistically significant differences in NLR and MPV in blood parameters between the two groups (both P<0.05), and there was no significant differences in other blood parameters (both P>0.05). There was no significant difference in semen parameters between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05). After operation, the semen volume, semen concentration, forward movement and sperm morphology of patients in group A were significantly improved compared with those before operation (all P<0.05), while the parameters of patients in group B had no significant difference compared with those before operation (all P>0.05). There was a negative correlation between preoperative NLR and the success rate of spermatic vein ligation ( r=-0.719, P<0.01), and a positive correlation between MPV and the success rate of spermatic vein ligation ( r=0.522, P<0.01). The ROC curve was used to analyze the threshold of predictive variables for the success of spermatic vein ligation. The optimal critical value of NLR was 2.01 ( P<0.01), and the optimal critical value of MPV was 11.45 ( P<0.01). Conclusions:Low NLR (<2.01) and high MPV (>11.45) may be useful preoperative predictive tools for identifying the group of infertile varicocele patients who would benefit most from microscopic spermatic vein ligation.

Objective:To investigate the safety and long-term outcomes of fully covered self-expanding metal stent (FCSEMS) placement in patients with benign refractory pancreatic stenosis.Methods:Data of 18 patients with benign refractory pancreatic stenosis who underwent endoscopic treatment with FCSEMS in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between March 2013 and July 2020 were collected. The technical success, clinical success, adverse events and long-term outcomes were analyzed.Results:FCSEMS placement was successful in all 18 patients, with technical success rate of 100.0% (18/18). After stenting, the visual analogue scale (VAS) significantly decreased [2.00 (1.75, 3.00) VS 6.00 (5.00, 7.00), Z=-3.572, P<0.001]. The VAS decreased by more than 50% in 15 cases, and the clinical success rate was 83.3% (15/18). Stent-related adverse events included intolerable pain in 3 patients, stented-induced de novo stricture in 2 patients, and distal migration of stent in 2 patients. The stents were successfully removed in all patients after 137.5 (59.0, 417.0) days. There was significant reduction in terms of decreased upstream ductal dilatation after stent removal [9.1 (6.7, 14.1) mm VS 11.0 (7.6, 16.2) mm, Z=10.508, P<0.001]. After stent removal, 10 of the 14 patients maintained the response to pancreatic stenting and 4 recurred during the follow-up of 37-1 246 days. Conclusion:FCSEMS placement appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of benign refractory pancreatic stenosis and can provide persistent improvement in the stricture.