Role of Elective Nodal Irradiation in Patients With ypN0 After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Breast-Conserving Surgery (KROG 16-16)

Background

Given the lack of established indications for elective nodal irradiation (ENI) in ypN0 patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and breast-conserving surgery (BCS), we set out to investigate the role of ENI in ypN0 patients according to subtype and pathologic complete remission (pCR) status.

Lysophosphatidylcholine‐induced cytotoxicity and protection by heparin in mouse brain bEND.3 endothelial cells

A pathological feature in atherosclerosis is the dysfunction and death of vascular endothelial cells (EC). Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), known to accumulate in the atherosclerotic arterial walls, impairs endothelium‐dependent relaxation and causes EC apoptosis. A major bioactive ingredient of the oxidized LDL is lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which at higher concentrations causes apoptosis and necrosis in various EC. There is hitherto no report on LPC‐induced cytotoxicity in brain EC. In this work, we found that LPC caused cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload, mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, p38 activation, caspase 3 activation and eventually apoptotic death in mouse cerebral bEND.3 EC. In contrast to reported reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by LPC in other EC, LPC did not trigger ROS formation in bEND.3 cells. Pharmacological inhibition of p38 alleviated LPC‐inflicted cell death. We examined whether heparin could be cytoprotective: although it could not suppress LPC‐triggered Ca²⁺ signal, p38 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential drop, it did suppress LPC‐induced caspase 3 activation and alleviate LPC‐inflicted cytotoxicity. Our data suggest LPC apoptotic death mechanisms in bEND.3 might involve mitochondrial membrane potential decrease and p38 activation. Heparin is protective against LPC cytotoxicity and might intervene steps between mitochondrial membrane potential drop/p38 activation and caspase 3 activation.     

巩膜外黄斑外垫压术治疗硅油填充术后复发性超高度近视黄斑裂孔性视网膜脱离

目的　探讨巩膜外黄斑外垫压术治疗硅油填充术后复发性超高度近视黄斑裂孔性视网膜脱离（macular hole retinal detachment，MHRD） 的可行性及疗效。方法　回顾性分析 2016年6月至2018年1月玻璃体切割硅油填充术后的复发性超高度近视MHRD患者10例（10眼），所有患者均由同一术者行巩膜外黄斑外垫压术，将MEDPOR种植体+人造血管+环扎条带制成的“三明治加压块”固定垫压于黄斑区，术后行眼眶CT检查明确加压块位置。术后6~12个月取出硅油。术后随访18个月，观察并记录术后并发症、视网膜脱离复位、黄斑裂孔闭合情况、术后视力、眼轴长度等指标。结果　眼眶CT显示10眼加压块均位于黄斑区；末次随访 SD-OCT示10眼视网膜完全复位，7眼黄斑裂孔完全闭合，3眼黄斑裂孔部分闭合；9眼术后最佳矫正视力（best corrected visual acuity，BCVA）较术前提高，1眼提高不明显；术前患者 BCVA为（1.55±0.26）LogMAR，术后3个月BCVA为（0.99±0.05）LogMAR，与术前比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.001）；术前患者眼轴长度为（31.27±1.18）mm，术后3个月为（28.81±0.87）mm，与术前比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.001）。所有患眼均未发生眼底出血、眼内炎、涡静脉回流障碍、眼前部缺血综合征等并发症。结论　巩膜外黄斑外垫压术是治疗硅油填充术后复发性超高度近视MHRD安全有效的手术方法，能提高视网膜解剖复位率、黄斑裂孔闭合率和视力。     

糖尿病足溃疡复发因素及预防策略的研究进展

综述糖尿病足溃疡复发的影响因素包括足底压力、周围神经病变、周围血管病变、足部外伤、血糖控制不佳及其他(吸烟、日常活动负重、C-反应蛋白水平升高),预防复发的措施包括识别和筛查高危因素、卸载足部压力、选择合适的治疗鞋和鞋垫、手术卸载、自我护理、健康教育、信息化管理、依从性管理等,提出采取多种预防措施的综合性护理干预有助于减少糖尿病足溃疡的复发率。     

Mechanisms of repigmentation induced by photobiomodulation therapy in vitiligo

Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy is based on the exposure of biological tissues to low‐level laser light (coherent light) or light‐emitting diodes (LEDs; noncoherent light), leading to the modulation of cellular functions, such as proliferation and migration, which result in tissue regeneration. PBM therapy has important clinical applications in regenerative medicine. Vitiligo is an acquired depigmentary disorder resulting from disappearance of functional melanocytes in the involved skin. Vitiligo repigmentation depends on available melanocytes derived from (a) melanocyte stem cells located in the bulge area of hair follicles and (b) the epidermis at the lesional borders, which contains a pool of functional melanocytes. Since follicular melanoblasts (MBs) are derived from the melanocyte stem cells residing at the bulge area of hair follicle, the process of vitiligo repigmentation presents a research model for studying the regenerative effect of PBM therapy. Previous reports have shown favourable response for treatment of vitiligo with a low‐energy helium‐neon (He‐Ne) laser. This review focuses on the molecular events that took place during the repigmentation process of vitiligo triggered by He‐Ne laser (632.8 nm, red light). Monochromatic radiation in the visible and infrared A (IRA) range sustains matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), improves mitochondrial function, and increases adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and O₂ consumption, which lead to cellular regenerative pathways. Cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria was reported to be the photoacceptor upon which He‐Ne laser exerts its effects. Mitochondrial retrograde signalling is responsible for the cellular events by red light. This review shows that He‐Ne laser initiated mitochondrial retrograde signalling via a Ca²⁺‐dependent cascade. The impact on cytochrome c oxidase within the mitochondria, an event that results in activation of CREB (cyclic‐AMP response element binding protein)‐related cascade, is responsible for the He‐Ne laser promoting functional development at different stages of MBs and boosting functional melanocytes. He‐Ne laser irradiation induced (a) melanocyte stem cell differentiation; (b) immature outer root sheath MB migration; (c) differentiated outer root sheath MB melanogenesis and migration; and (d) perilesional melanocyte migration and proliferation. These photobiomodulation effects result in perifollocular and marginal repigmentation in vitiligo.     

Cholecystectomy reduces subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk in choledocholithiasis patients undergoing endoscopic intervention

BACKGROUNDCholangiocarcinoma is a disease with a high mortality rate. Our previous study revealed that cholelithiasis patients who undergo endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES)/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation are at a higher risk for subsequent cholangiocarcinoma than cholelithiasis patients who undergo cholecystectomy.AIMTo clarify the relationship between recurrent biliary events and subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk in choledocholithiasis patients.METHODSFrom one million random cases in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database 2004–2011, we selected symptomatic choledocholithiasis patients older than 18 years who were admitted from January 2005 to December 2009 (study group). Cases for a control group were defined as individuals who had never been diagnosed with cholelithiasis, matched by sex and age in a 1:3 ratio. The study group was further divided into ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation, both ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation and cholecystectomy, and no intervention groups.RESULTSWe included 2096 choledocholithiasis patients without previous intervention or cholangiocarcinoma. A total of 12 (2.35%), 11 (0.74%), and 1 (1.00%) subsequent cholangiocarcinoma cases were diagnosed among 511 ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation patients, 1485 patients with no intervention, and 100 ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation and cholecystectomy patients, respectively. The incidence rates of recurrent biliary event were 527.79/1000 person-years and 286.69/1000 person-years in the subsequent cholangiocarcinoma and no cholangiocarcinoma group, showing a high correlation between subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk and recurrent biliary events.CONCLUSIONCholedocholithiasis patients who undergo further cholecystectomy after ES/endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation have decreased subsequent cholangiocarcinoma risk due to reduced recurrent biliary events.