[Analysis of clinical presentation and genetic characteristics of malignant infantile osteopetrosis].

Objective: To investigate the clinical presentation and genetic characteristics of malignant infantile osteopetrosis. Methods: This was a retrospective case study. Thirty-seven children with malignant infantile osteopetrosis admitted into Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2013 to September 2022 were enrolled in this study. According to the gene mutations, the patients were divided into the CLCN7 group and the TCIRG1 group. Clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and prognosis were compared between two groups. Wilcoxon test or Fisher exact test were used in inter-group comparison. The survival rate was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-Rank test was used to compare the difference in survival between groups. Results: Among the 37 cases, there were 22 males and 15 females. The age of diagnosis was 0.5 (0.2, 1.0) year. There were 13 patients (35%) and 24 patients (65%) with mutations in CLCN7 and TCIRGI gene respectively. Patients in the CLCN7 group had an older age of diagnosis than those in the TCIRGI group (1.2 (0.4, 3.6) vs. 0.4 (0.2, 0.6) years, Z=-2.60, P=0.008). The levels of serum phosphorus (1.7 (1.3, 1.8) vs. 1.1 (0.8, 1.6) mmol/L, Z=-2.59, P=0.010), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) (457 (143, 610) vs. 56 (37, 82) U/L, Z=-3.38, P=0.001) and the level of neutrophils (14.0 (9.9, 18.1) vs. 9.2 (6.7, 11.1) ×109/L, Z=-2.07, P=0.039) at diagnosis were higher in the CLCN7 group than that in the TCIRG1 group. However, the level of D-dimer in the CLCN7 group was lower than that in the TCIRGI group (2.7 (1.0, 3.1) vs. 6.3 (2.5, 9.7) µg/L, Z=2.83, P=0.005). After hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, there was no significant difference in 5-year overall survival rate between the two groups (92.3%±7.4% vs. 83.3%±7.6%, χ²=0.56, P=0.456). Conclusions: TCIRGI gene mutations are more common in children with osteopetrosis. Children with TCIRGI gene mutations have younger age, lower levels of phosphorus, CK-MB, and neutrophils and higher level of D-dimer at the onset. After hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, patients with CLCN7 or TCIRGI gene mutations have similar prognosis.

[Comparison of efficacy and safety of transurethral thulium laser vapoenucleation of prostate and transurethral thulium laser enucleation of prostate in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia].

Objective: To compare early outcomes between transurethral thulium laser vapoenucleation of prostate and transurethral thulium laser enucleation of prostate for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 1 638 BPH patients admitted to the Department of Urology of Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2018 to December 2021. There were 916 patients underwent transurethral thulium laser vapoenucleation of prostate (ThuVEP group) and 722 patients underwent transurethral thulium laser enucleation of prostate (ThuLEP group). The operation time, eliminated tissue weight, surgical complications, duration of post-operative catheter implantation were compared between the two groups. The improvement of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life Index (QoL), maximum uroflow rate (Qmax) and post-void residual urine volume (PVR) at 1 month after operation was compared between the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences in age, preoperative and 1-month postoperative prostate volume, IPSS score, QoL score, Qmax, and PVR between the ThuVEP and ThuLEP group (all P>0.05). There were no significant differences in perioperative indicators such as operation time, cutting or enucleation time, tissue crushing time, tissue weight, hemoglobin change, catheter indwelling time, and postoperative hospital stay between ThuVEP group and ThuLEP group (all P>0.05). The incidence of minor gross hematuria after extubation in the ThuVEP group was 7.8% (56/916), which was lower than 9.4% (65/722) in the ThuLEP group (P=0.026); the incidence of temporary incontinence at 1 month after surgery was 5.2% (38/916) in ThuVEP group, lower than 11.9% (86/722) in ThuLEP group (P<0.001). A total of 3 patients (0.4%) in ThuLEP group required operative intervention for severe post-operation bleeding, but none of ThuVEP group suffered from this kind of surgical complications. Conclusions: ThuVEP has similar efficacy with ThuLEP for the treatment of BPH. ThuVEP can significantly reduce the incidence of post-operation temporary urine incontinence, and has much superiority in stanching bleeding.

[A clinical study of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of pediatric patients with acquired severe aplastic anemia: single center experience].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of haplotype hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of acquired severe aplastic anemia (SAA) in children. Methods: The clinical characteristics of 59 pediatric patients with SAA, including 26 cases VSAA, 37males and 22 females, 47 cases typeⅠ and 12 cases typeⅡ, undrerwent haplo-HSCT in our hospital between December 1st, 2011 and December 1st, 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Among 59 patients, 56 patients with a median age of 4.5 (1.2-14.8) years and median weight of 43 (12-80) kg underwent their first HSCT and 3 patients underwent their second HSCT. All patients received the following conditioning regimen: busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and rabbit ATG or Bu (-, CTX) , fludarabineand rabbit ATG. The prophylaxis of acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) was cyclosporine (CsA) , MMF and methotrexate. All patients received bone marrow transfusion on day 01 and peripheral stem cell transfusion on day 02 from haploid donor. The median dose of donor mononuclear cell counts was 15.60 (7.74-21.04) ×108/kg of recipient weight and CD34+ cell counts was 4.86 (3.74-7.14) ×106/kg of recipient weight. Results: Neutrophils and platelets of all 59 children were implanted. The median implantation time of granulocytes and platelets were 13 (10-19) d, 19 (9-62) d, respectively. The incidence of grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ aGVHD was 45.76% (27 cases) and grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ 13.56% (8 cases) , The incidence of chronic GVHD was 8.47% (5 cases) , The incidences of CMV and EBV viremia were 59.32% (35 cases) and 28.81% (17 cases) , respectively. The median follow-up was 30 (8-80) months, 57 patients survived with disease free, 2 patients died of GVHD. Both of the estimated 5-year OS and DFS rates were (96.4±2.5) %. Conclusion: Haplo-HSCT could improve the outcomes of SAA children.

A sub-megavolt anti-scattering grid: Fabrication, testing, and Monte Carlo simulation.

X-ray flash radiography is an effective diagnostic in implosive research. While scattering reduces the contrast of radiography, the anti-scattering grids can effectively intercept the scattered radiation and acquire better images. A focused sub-megavolt grid is elaborately manufactured with the combination of lithography, etching, and laser drilling. The consistency of Monte Carlo simulations and radiographic experiments suggests a transmission of about 36% and a 1000 times improvement for the signal to scatter ratio of the grid.