Standard Needle Magnetization for Ultrasound Needle Guidance: First Clinical Experiences in Fine‐Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thyroid Nodules

Fine‐needle aspiration cytology using a novel ultrasound needle guidance system on the basis of standard needle magnetization was consecutively performed in 30 (15 in‐plane and 15 out‐of‐plane) suspicious thyroid nodules. Nondedicated, commercially available needles were used. The technical effectiveness and safety of the system were satisfying; system failures were observed in 2 cases. The needle tip could be (at least occasionally) visualized inside the thyroid nodule in 96%, and the subjective procedure ratings were excellent in 57%. The out‐of‐plane technique was significantly superior in both respects (P = .021 and .027, respectively). Standard needle magnetization ultrasound needle guidance was easy to apply and cost‐effective and has the potential to improve fine‐needle aspiration cytology performance.     

泪腺良性淋巴上皮病变的病理特点及IgG4和C3的表达

目的　探讨IgG4和C3在泪腺良性淋巴上皮病变发生发展中的作用。方法　收集2010年7月至2018年5月就诊于承德医学院附属医院眼科、解放军总医院眼科15例（15眼）泪腺良性淋巴上皮病变患者的泪腺肿物为试验组，10例（10眼）因其他疾病而行眶内容物摘除术的正常泪腺组织标本为对照组。采用HE染色法观察2组泪腺病理形态学变化及其组织病理学特点，采用免疫组织化学染色法检测2组泪腺组织中IgG4、C3的表达，并对二者表达相关性进行分析。结果　HE染色结果显示，对照组泪腺由正常腺泡及导管组成，导管上皮细胞排列整齐，细胞结构清晰，其间有少量的淋巴细胞；试验组泪腺组织中可见大量淋巴细胞、浆细胞浸润，淋巴滤泡形成，其间可见上皮-肌上皮岛结构改变，同时伴有不同程度纤维化。IgG4在试验组阳性表达面积为（30 934.80±16 057.17）像素，对照组阳性表达面积为（325.42±204.43）像素，试验组中明显高于对照组（t=-7.38，P=0.000）；C3在试验组阳性表达面积为（43 169.49±33 206.60）像素，对照组阳性表达面积为（323.24±271.29）像素，试验组中明显高于对照组，差异有统计学意义（t=-5.00，P=0.000）。试验组中IgG4与C3表达无相关性（r=-0.137，P=0.671）。结论　泪腺良性淋巴上皮病变患者的泪腺发生了明确的病理改变，这可能与IgG4和C3在泪腺中的高表达有关。     

吲哚菁绿荧光成像技术在甲状腺外科的应用进展

目前，在甲状腺外科手术中困扰临床医生的主要难题仍然是手术范围的选择和术后甲状旁腺功能减退症的发生。而吲哚菁绿作为一种近红外荧光成像剂，利用其实时荧光成像技术可显示组织器官血流灌注情况，进行区域淋巴结显影，精准定位病灶范围，在外科手术中优势显著，已广泛应用于眼科、乳腺外科等临床科室。近年来在甲状腺外科也开展了相关的基础和临床研究，本文复习相关文献，就吲哚菁绿在甲状腺手术中的应用进展作一综述。     

Terapia de luz pulsada intensa regulada: un tratamiento complementario prometedor para la enfermedad de ojo seco

ObjectiveTo propose the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy as a helpful supplementary treatment in patients with dry eye disease.Material and methodsRetrospective cross sectional design. Medical records of patients in whom dry eye disease symptoms were not satisfactorily controlled with medical therapy alone and who underwent additional IPL with at least three sessions completed. Data were analyzed before therapy and 3 weeks after its completion to asses improvement. Determination of symptoms, through a visual analog scale; tear film stability, through tear Break Up Time (tBUT); measurement of tear secretion, through Schirmer Test; and ocular surface staining with Van Bijsterveld score were evaluated. SPSS software and nonparametric analysis of repeated measures were used. The study was approved by the ethics committee.Results50 eyes from 25 subjects were reviewed. There were 9 males (36%) and 16 females (64%), with a median age of 59 years (IQR 52-64). The median of the symptoms scale was 8 (IQR 8-9) and 3 (IQR 2-4) before and after the therapy respectively (P < .05). The median of BUT was 4 (IQR 3-5) and 10 (IQR 8-11), Schirmer test was 13 (IQR 12-15) and 15 (IQR 13-20), and Van Bijsterveld score was 3 (RIC 3-4) and 2 (IQR 2-3) before and after the therapy respectively (P < .05, for all measurements).ConclusionIPL treatment has excellent results regarding both: dry eye disease symptoms improvement and in office objective tests such as tBUT, Schirmer test and Van Bijsterveld score; IPL could be considered as an effective adjunct for dry eye disease.     

Knockout model reveals the role of Nischarin in mammary gland development,breast tumorigenesis and response to metformin treatment

Previously, our lab discovered the protein Nischarin and uncovered its role in regulating cell migration and invasion via its interactions with several proteins. We subsequently described a role for Nischarin in breast cancer, in which it is frequently underexpressed. To characterize Nischarin's role in breast tumorigenesis and mammary gland development more completely, we deleted a critical region of the Nisch gene (exons 7–10) from the mouse genome and observed the effects. Mammary glands in mutant animals showed delayed terminal end bud formation but did not develop breast tumors spontaneously. Therefore, we interbred the animals with transgenic mice expressing the mouse mammary tumor virus-polyoma middle T-antigen (MMTV-PyMT) oncogene. The MMTV-PyMT mammary glands lacking Nischarin showed increased hyperplasia compared to wild-type animal tissues. Furthermore, we observed significantly increased tumor growth and metastasis in Nischarin mutant animals. Surprisingly, Nischarin deletion decreased activity of AMPK and subsequently its downstream effectors. Given this finding, we treated these animals with metformin, which enhances AMPK activity. Here, we show for the first time, metformin activates AMPK signaling and inhibits tumor growth of Nischarin lacking PyMT tumors suggesting a potential use for metformin as a cancer therapeutic, particularly in the case of Nischarin-deficient breast cancers.     

Dry eye signs and symptoms in aromatase inhibitor treatment and the relationship with pain

PurposeAromatase inhibitors (AIs) limit the synthesis of oestrogen in peripheral tissues thus lowering levels of oestrogen. The primary aim was to evaluate whether women treated with AIs have altered dry eye symptoms and signs. A sub-aim was to investigate whether symptoms of dry eye in postmenopausal women were associated with symptoms of non-eye pain, ocular pain and self-rated pain perception.MethodsThis cross-sectional, observational, single visit study recruited 56 postmenopausal women (mean age 64.1 + 7.9 years) and 52 undergoing AI treatment (mean age 66.6 + 9.0). Ocular symptoms (OSDI, MGD14) and pain questionnaires (PSQ, OPAS) were administered and signs of dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction were evaluated.ResultsAlmost half of each group reported dry eye symptoms, defined as OSDI>12 (48% control, 46% AI). The PSQ score was significantly higher in the AI group (p = 0.04). Neither frequency or severity of dry eye (or MGD) symptoms scores were significantly different between groups. In the AI group, meibomian gland expressibility score was worse (p = 0.003); there were no differences in any other signs. Higher OSDI scores were associated with higher OPAS eye-pain scores (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), but not OPAS non-eye pain (r = 0.09, p = 0.35). Pain perception (PSQ) showed a moderate positive association with OPAS eye-pain (r = 0.30, p = 0.003).ConclusionsIn this study elevated ocular symptoms were observed in both the AI treated and the untreated groups, with no difference between the groups. Women undergoing AI treatment for early stage breast cancer had worse meibum expressibility score and increased pain perception compared to an untreated group of women.