Allium stent placement after ureteral avulsion repair

International Urology and Nephrology -     

Brain stimulation: a therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurological disorders

Brain stimulation has become one of the most acceptable therapeutic approaches in recent years and a powerful tool in the remedy against neurological diseases. Brain stimulation is achieved through the application of electric currents using non-invasive as well as invasive techniques. Recent technological advancements have evolved into the development of precise devices with capacity to produce well-controlled and effective brain stimulation. Currently, most used non-invasive techniques are repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), whereas the most common invasive technique is deep brain stimulation (DBS). In last decade, application of these brain stimulation techniques has not only exploded but also expanded to wide variety of neurological disorders. Therefore, in the current review, we will provide an overview of the potential of both non-invasive (rTMS and tDCS) and invasive (DBS) brain stimulation techniques in the treatment of such brain diseases.     

Bone Microenvironment-Suppressed T Cells Increase Osteoclast Formation and Osteolytic Bone Metastases in Mice

Immunotherapies use components of the immune system, such as T cells, to fight cancer cells, and are changing cancer treatment, causing durable responses in some patients. Bone metastases are a debilitating complication in advanced breast and prostate cancer patients. Approved treatments fail to cure bone metastases or increase patient survival and it remains unclear whether immunotherapy could benefit patients. The bone microenvironment combines various immunosuppressive factors, and combined with T cell products could increase bone resorption fueling the vicious cycle of bone metastases. Using syngeneic mouse models, our study revealed that bone metastases from 4T1 breast cancer contain tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TILs) and their development is increased in normal mice compared to immunodeficient and T-cell depleted mice. This effect seemed caused by the TILs specifically in bone, because T-cell depletion increased 4T1 orthotopic tumors and did not affect bone metastases from RM-1 prostate cancer cells, which lack TILs. T cells increased osteoclast formation ex vivo and in vivo contributing to bone metastasis vicious cycle. This pro-osteoclastic effect is specific to unactivated T cells, because activated T cells, secreting interferon γ (IFNγ) and interleukin 4 (IL-4), actually suppressed osteoclastogenesis, which could benefit patients. However, non-activated T cells from bone metastases could not be activated in ex vivo cultures. 4T1 bone metastases were associated with an increase of functional polymorphonuclear and monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), potent T-cell suppressors. Although effective in other models, sildenafil and zoledronic acid did not affect MDSCs in bone metastases. Seeking other therapeutic targets, we found that monocytic MDSCs are more potent suppressors than polymorphonuclear MDSCs, expressing programmed cell death receptor-1 ligand (PD-L1)⁺ in bone, which could trigger T-cell suppression because 70% express its receptor, programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1). Collectively, our findings identified a new mechanism by which suppressed T cells increase osteoclastogenesis and bone metastases. Our results also provide a rationale for using immunotherapy because T-cell activation would increase their anti-cancer and their anti-osteoclastic properties. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).     

Sonographic and Doppler imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of gestational trophoblastic disease: a 12-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical utility of sonography with Doppler examination in the diagnosis and treatment of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 355 cases of GTD seen over a 12-year period in 2 large university referral hospitals in China was performed. Clinical appearances, sonographic findings, Doppler waveforms, and patient outcomes were reviewed. Sonographic and Doppler examinations were performed to diagnose the presence of molar tissue, detect invasive disease, assess disease recurrence, and monitor the efficacy of chemotherapy. Doppler waveforms of 13 patients with normal early pregnancies were also examined for comparison. RESULTS: Of the 355 patients with GTD, 106 had a classic hydatidiform mole (CHM), 33 had a partial hydatidiform mole (PHM), 184 had an invasive hydatidiform mole (IHM), and 32 had choriocarcinoma. Sonography showed abnormal molar tissue confined to the endometrial cavity in all cases of CHM. In cases of IHM and choriocarcinoma, soft tissue invasion and cystic vascular spaces within the myometrium were shown. Cases of PHM had a thickened, hydropic placenta with a concomitant fetus. Doppler waveforms showed resistive indices of 0.55 (SD, 0.06) for CHM, 0.56 (SD, 0.04) for PHM, 0.28 (SD, 0.06) for IHM, 0.25 (SD, 0.05) for choriocarcinoma, and 0.66 (SD, 0.04) for normal pregnancies. The abnormal sonographic and Doppler findings in invasive disease resolved when chemotherapy was successful. CONCLUSIONS: Sonography and Doppler imaging were helpful in diagnosing GTD, in determining whether invasive disease was present, in detecting recurrence of disease, and in following the effectiveness of chemotherapy.     

Custom designed radial forearm free flap for reconstruction of nasomaxillary defects: Report of two cases

Nasal amputation and nasomaxillary defects, need to reconstruct the internal lining, osteochondral structure, and external coating of the nose. Authors report a 70-year-old male and a 65-year-old female treated for nasomaxillary defects (Brown JS, Shaw RJ. The Lancet Oncology 2010;11:1001–1008) due to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) where the tip of the nose was preserved. A new custom design of the radial forearm free flap (RFFF) consisting on a subcutaneous tissue (SCT) component, a skin paddle for the internal nasal vault lining, and a skin paddle for the external nasal skin coating was raised to treat both total thickness nasal defects. The dimension of each skin paddle corresponds to the defect measurements. The skin incisions of the custom design correspond to those of a conventional RFFF. The SCT component was harvested in a subcutaneous plane continuously with the skin island for the internal nasal lining which is drawn on the ulnar skin of the forearm. The component for the external nasal coating was drawn on the radial skin area of the flap. No postoperative complications and a satisfactory outcome was reported after 1 year of follow-up. This new custom design of the RFFF is described for reconstruction of nasomaxillary defects when the tip of the nose is preserved.