Effect of Topical Application of an NSAID Lateral to the Incision on Postoperative Pain Following Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: How to minimize postoperative pain following knee replacement surgery has been a great challenge. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of applying a topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) lateral to the incision for postoperative pain following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). METHODS: The randomized controlled trial enrolled 100 patients from August 2023 to January 2024. One hundred patients who underwent UKA were randomized into two groups. The intervention group received a topical NSAID lateral to the incision postoperatively, and the control group received a placebo lateral to the incision postoperatively. The primary outcome measures were the amount of opioid consumption and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score (12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h after operation) for pain. The secondary outcome measures were the American Knee Society Score (AKSS, preoperation and 1-month follow-up after operation), the time of first analgesic demand, side effects of opioids, operation time, postoperative stay, surgery-related complications, and postoperative incision healing grade. Independent sample t test and paired sample t test were used to compare continuous data. Chi-square test and Fisher's precision probability tests were used to analyze the categorical data. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients (intervention group, 48 patients; control group, 50 patients) were analyzed. Opioid consumption was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group during the first 12 h, 12 to 24 h, and 24 to 48 h postoperatively (p < 0.05). The VAS score for pain within 72 h postoperatively was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the AKSS, operation time, postoperative stay, complications, or postoperative incision healing grade between the two groups. The time of first analgesic demand for patient-controlled analgesia was significantly later in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). There were fewer side effects of opioids in the intervention group (8.3%) than in the control group (18.0%). CONCLUSION: Postoperative application of topical NSAIDs lateral to the incision is an effective and safe method for pain management after UKA, helping to decrease the pain score and reduce opioid consumption postoperatively with no increase in side effects.

Health-related quality of life after total knee arthroplasty and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for unicompartmental osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: While previous research has demonstrated potential advantages of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) over total knee arthroplasty (TKA), particularly in terms of clinical outcomes such as function and pain relief, the specific impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to address this gap by comparing HRQOL outcomes between UKA and TKA, providing valuable insights for clinical decision-making. METHODS: We conducted a literature search in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science databases up to July 15, 2023. Eligible studies assessed HRQOL using EQ-5D, SF-36, or SF-12 and were assessed for methodological quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). RESULTS: Seven eligible studies were included, comprising a total of 64,585 patients with 35,809 undergoing TKA and 28,776 undergoing UKA. Patient age ranged from 52.0 to 67.7 years with an average BMI ranging from 27.2 to 31.0 kg/m2. Follow-up periods ranged from 6 months to 10 years. Five studies (63,829 patients) that evaluated HRQOL using EQ-5D showed significantly better outcomes for UKA compared to TKA (MD -0.04, 95% CI -0.05 to -0.02). Two studies (756 patients) that evaluated HRQOL using SF-36 showed no significant difference between TKA and UKA. Five studies (63,286 patients) that evaluated functional outcomes using Oxford Knee Score (OKS) showed significantly better functional scores for UKA compared to TKA (MD -1.29, 95% CI -1.86 to -0.72). Four studies (24,570 patients) that reported patient satisfaction showed no statistically significant difference between TKA and UKA (MD 0.97, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.05). Further subgroup analysis did not affect the conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggests that UKA is associated with better HRQOL and knee function, as well as similar patient satisfaction, compared to TKA for patients with unicompartmental osteoarthritis.

Deterministic reprogramming of neutrophils within tumors.

Neutrophils are increasingly recognized as key players in the tumor immune response and are associated with poor clinical outcomes. Despite recent advances characterizing the diversity of neutrophil states in cancer, common trajectories and mechanisms governing the ontogeny and relationship between these neutrophil states remain undefined. Here, we demonstrate that immature and mature neutrophils that enter tumors undergo irreversible epigenetic, transcriptional, and proteomic modifications to converge into a distinct, terminally differentiated dcTRAIL-R1+ state. Reprogrammed dcTRAIL-R1+ neutrophils predominantly localize to a glycolytic and hypoxic niche at the tumor core and exert pro-angiogenic function that favors tumor growth. We found similar trajectories in neutrophils across multiple tumor types and in humans, suggesting that targeting this program may provide a means of enhancing certain cancer immunotherapies.

Downregulation of Roundabout guidance receptor 2 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by interacting with Y-box binding protein 1.

Roundabout guidance receptor 2 (Robo2) is closely related to malignant tumors such as pancreatic cancer and liver fibrosis, but there is no relevant research on the role of Robo2 in HCC. The study will further explore the function and mechanism of Robo2 and its downstream target genes in HCC. Firstly, Robo2 protein levels in human HCC tissues and paired adjacent normal liver tissues were detected. Then we established HepG2 and Huh7 hepatoma cell lines with knock-down Robo2 by transfection with lentiviral vectors, and examined the occurrence of EMT, proliferation and apoptosis abilities in HCC cells by western blot, flow cytometry, wound healing assay and TUNEL staining. Then we verified the interaction between Robo2 and its target gene by Co-IP and immunofluorescence co-staining, and further explored the mechanism of Robo2 and YB-1 by rescue study. The protein expression level of Robo2 in HCC was considerably higher than that in the normal liver tissues. After successfully constructing hepatoma cells with knock-down Robo2, it was confirmed that down-regulated Robo2 suppressed EMT and proliferation of hepatoma cells, and accelerated the cell apoptosis. High-throughput sequencing and validation experiments verified that YB-1 was the downstream target gene of Robo2, and over-expression of YB-1 could reverse the apoptosis induced by Robo2 down-regulation and its inhibitory effect on EMT and proliferation. Robo2 deficiency inhibits EMT and proliferation of hepatoma cells and augments the cell apoptosis by regulating YB-1, thus inhibits the occurrence of HCC and provides a new strategy for the treatment of HCC.

Knockdown of HNRNPM inhibits the progression of glioma through inducing ferroptosis.

PURPOSE: Ferroptosis acts as an important regulator in diverse human tumors, including the glioma. This study aimed to screen potential ferroptosis-related genes involved in the progression of glioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Differently expressed genes (DEGs) were screened based on GSE31262 and GSE12657 datasets, and ferroptosis-related genes were separated. Among the important hub genes in the protein-protein interaction networks, HNRNPM was selected as a research target. Following the knockdown of HNRNPM, the viability, migration, and invasion were detected by CCK8, wound healing, and transwell assays, respectively. The role of HNRNPM knockdown was also verified in a xenograft tumor model in mice. Immunohistochemistry detected the expression levels of HNRNPM and Ki67. Moreover, the ferroptosis was evaluated according to the levels of iron, glutathione peroxidase (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the expression of PTGS2, GPX4, and FTH1. RESULTS: Total 41 overlapping DEGs relating with ferroptosis and glioma were screened, among which 4 up-regulated hub genes (HNRNPM, HNRNPA3, RUVBL1, and SNRPPF) were determined. The up-regulation of HNRNPM presented a certain predictive value for glioma. In addition, knockdown of HNRNPM inhibited the viability, migration, and invasion of glioma cells in vitro, and also the tumor growth in mice. Notably, knockdown of HNRNPM enhanced the ferroptosis in glioma cells. Furthermore, HNRNPM was positively associated with SMARCA4 in glioma. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of HNRNPM inhibits the progression of glioma via inducing ferroptosis. HNRNPM is a promising molecular target for the treatment of glioma via inducing ferroptosis. We provided new insights of glioma progression and potential therapeutic guidance.

Traditional Medicine Pien Tze Huang Suppresses Colorectal Tumorigenesis Through Restoring Gut Microbiota and Metabolites.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Pien Tze Huang (PZH) is a well-established traditional medicine with beneficial effects against inflammation and cancer. We aimed to explore the chemopreventive effect of PZH in colorectal cancer (CRC) through modulating gut microbiota. METHODS: CRC mouse models were established by azoxymethane plus dextran sulfate sodium treatment or in Apcmin/+ mice treated with or without PZH (270 mg/kg and 540 mg/kg). Gut barrier function was determined by means of intestinal permeability assays and transmission electron microscopy. Fecal microbiota and metabolites were analyzed by means of metagenomic sequencing and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, respectively. Germ-free mice or antibiotic-treated mice were used as models of microbiota depletion. RESULTS: PZH inhibited colorectal tumorigenesis in azoxymethane plus dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice and in Apcmin/+ mice in a dose-dependent manner. PZH treatment altered the gut microbiota profile, with an increased abundance of probiotics Pseudobutyrivibrio xylanivorans and Eubacterium limosum, while pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas veronii, Campylobacter jejuni, Collinsella aerofaciens, and Peptoniphilus harei were depleted. In addition, PZH increased beneficial metabolites taurine and hypotaurine, bile acids, and unsaturated fatty acids, and significantly restored gut barrier function. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that PZH inhibited PI3K-Akt, interleukin-17, tumor necrosis factor, and cytokine-chemokine signaling. Notably, the chemopreventive effect of PZH involved both microbiota-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Fecal microbiota transplantation from PZH-treated mice to germ-free mice partly recapitulated the chemopreventive effects of PZH. PZH components ginsenoside-F2 and ginsenoside-Re demonstrated inhibitory effects on CRC cells and primary organoids, and PZH also inhibited tumorigenesis in azoxymethane plus dextran sulfate sodium-treated germ-free mice. CONCLUSIONS: PZH manipulated gut microbiota and metabolites toward a more favorable profile, improved gut barrier function, and suppressed oncogenic and pro-inflammatory pathways, thereby suppressing colorectal carcinogenesis.

Model-based process intensification of dilute acid pre-hydrolysis of oil palm empty fruit bunch biomass for pretreatment and furfural production.

A novel process for simultaneous production of furfural and pretreatment of oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) by dilute acid pre-hydrolysis was developed based on non-isothermal kinetic modeling. Mass transfer analysis suggested that the internal diffusion could be neglected as diffusion time of sulfuric acid in EFB particles was significantly shorter than the pre-hydrolysis period, whereas the heating stage could not be neglected due to a significant part of xylan was solubilized at the stage. A strategy for increasing furfural yield was developed by intermittent discharging of steam, resulting in 71.4 % furfural yield. The pretreated solids showed good enzymatic digestibility. 136.3 g/L glucose corresponding to 81.6 % yield was obtained by high-solid loading hydrolysis. 95.4 g furfural and 212 g glucose could be obtained from 1 kg dry EFB. Therefore, non-isothermal effects on polysaccharide hydrolysis and pentose decomposition should be considered carefully for an efficient process design of EFB biorefining.

Nanomaterials and Technology Applications for Hydraulic Fracturing of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoirs: A State-of-the-Art Review of Recent Advances and Perspectives.

The application of hydraulic fracturing stimulation technology to improve the productivity of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs is a well-established practice. With the increasing exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas resources, the associated geological conditions and physical properties are gradually becoming more and more complex. Therefore, it is necessary to develop technologies that can improve the development benefits to meet these challenges. In recent years, improving the effect of hydraulic fracturing stimulation in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs through the use of nanomaterials and technologies has attracted increasing attention. In this paper, we review the current status and research progress of the application of nanomaterials and technologies in various aspects of hydraulic fracturing in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, expound the mechanism and advantages of these nanomaterials and technologies in detail, and provide future research directions. The reviewed literature indicates that nanomaterials and technologies show exciting potential applications in the hydraulic fracturing of unconventional reservoirs; for example, the sand-carrying and rheological properties of fracturing fluids can be significantly enhanced through the addition of nanomaterials. The use of nanomaterials to modify proppants can improve their compressive strength, thus meeting the needs of different reservoir conditions. The fracturing flowback fluid treatment efficiency and purification effect can be improved through the use of nanophotocatalysis and nanomembrane technologies, while degradable fracturing completion tools developed based on nanomaterials can effectively improve the efficiency of fracturing operations. Nanorobots and magnetic nanoparticles can be used to more efficiently monitor hydraulic fracturing and to accurately map the hydraulic fracture morphology. However, due to the complex preparation process and high cost of nanomaterials, more work is needed to fully investigate the application mechanisms of nanomaterials and technologies, as well as to evaluate the economic feasibility of these exciting technologies. The main research objective of this review is to comprehensively summarize the application and research progress of nanomaterials and technologies in various aspects of hydraulic fracturing in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, analyze the existing problems and challenges, and propose some targeted forward-looking recommendations, which may be helpful for future research and applications.

Analysis of gastric microbiome reveals three distinctive microbial communities associated with the occurrence of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric microbial dysbiosis were reported to be associated with gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to explore the variation, diversity, and composition patterns of gastric bacteria in stages of gastric carcinogenesis based on the published datasets. METHODS: We conducted a gastric microbial analysis using 10 public datasets based on 16S rRNA sequencing, including 1270 gastric biopsies of 109 health control, 183 superficial gastritis (SG), 135 atrophic gastritis (AG), 124 intestinal metaplasia (IM), 94 intraepithelial neoplasia (IN), 344 GC, and 281 adjacent normal tissues. And QIIME2-pipeline, DESeq2, NetMoss2, vegan, igraph, and RandomForest were used for the data processing and analysis. RESULTS: We identified three gastric microbial communities among all the gastric tissues. The first community (designate as GT-H) was featured by the high abundance of Helicobacter. The other two microbial communities, namely GT-F, and GT-P, were featured by the enrichment of phylum Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, respectively. The distribution of GC-associated bacteria, such as Fusobacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Streptococcus, and Veillonella were enriched in tumor tissues, and mainly distributed in GT-F type microbial communities. Compared with SG, AG, and IM, the bacterial diversity in GC was significantly reduced. And the strength of microbial interaction networks was initially increased in IM but gradually decreased from IN to GC. In addition, Randomforest models constructed in in GT-H and GT-F microbial communities showed excellent performance in distinguishing GC from SG and precancerous stages, with varied donated bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified three types of gastric microbiome with different patterns of composition which helps to clarify the potential key bacteria in the development of gastric carcinogenesis.

Transitional premonocytes emerge in the periphery for host defense against bacterial infections.

Circulating Ly6Chi monocytes often undergo cellular death upon exhaustion of their antibacterial effector functions, which limits their capacity for subsequent macrophage differentiation. This shrouds the understanding on how the host replaces the tissue-resident macrophage niche effectively during bacterial invasion to avert infection morbidity. Here, we show that proliferating transitional premonocytes (TpMos), an immediate precursor of mature Ly6Chi monocytes (MatMos), were mobilized into the periphery in response to acute bacterial infection and sepsis. TpMos were less susceptible to apoptosis and served as the main source of macrophage replenishment when MatMos were vulnerable toward bacteria-induced cellular death. Furthermore, TpMo and its derived macrophages contributed to host defense by balancing the proinflammatory cytokine response of MatMos. Consequently, adoptive transfer of TpMos improved the survival outcome of lethal sepsis. Our findings hence highlight a protective role for TpMos during bacterial infections and their contribution toward monocyte-derived macrophage heterogeneity in distinct disease outcomes.

The hsa_circRNA_102049 mediates the sorafenib sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating Reelin gene expression.

A growing body of research has illuminated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) plays an important role in the development of drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The expression profiles of differential expressed genes (DEGs) and ncRNAs related to the sorafenib resistance in HCC cells were analyzed according to the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataSets and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. Bioinformatics technology was used to construct the interaction network of DEGs and ncRNAs. Cell transfection, dual-luciferase reporter assay, Western blot, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) were used to study the mechanism of sorafenib resistance in HepG2 cells and Huh-7 cells. The expression of reelin (RELN) and secretagogin (SCGN) were the only down-regulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. The results showed that RELN gene demethylation reversed the cytotoxic of sorafenib on HepG2 cells and Huh-7 cells. Hsa_circRNA_102049 over-expression promoted the sensitivity of HepG2 cells and Huh-7 cells to sorafenib, hsa_circRNA_102049 up-regulated the expression of RELN gene by sponging hsa-miR-214-3p. The resistance to sorafenib in RELN knockout HepG2 cells and Huh-7 cells could be reverted by has-circRNA_102049. These findings support targeting of hsa_circRNA_102049 and RELN in sorafenib-treated HCC cells as a novel intervention, which is expected to overcome sorafenib resistance of HCC cells.

A proposed scoring system for facial port-wine stain evaluation: Facial port-wine stain area and severity index.

BACKGROUND: Port-wine stain (PWS) is a congenital capillary malformation that often occurs on the face. Feasible and quantitative evaluation of facial port-wine stain (FPWS) can significantly impact its clinical management and aid in future research. AIM: To develop and validate an easy-to-use scoring system for FPWS evaluation. METHODS: A facial port-wine stain area and severity index (FSASI) scoring system was proposed. To determine the FSASI score, the face was divided into four regions: forehead, right malar, left malar, and perioral. The severity of FPWS in each region was evaluated by three factors: percentage of the area affected, lesion color, and thickness. To evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of FSASI, two separate FSASI assessments on 111 clinical pictures were conducted by each rater in a one-week interval, and the results from 6 independent raters at different time points were compared. Validity of the FSASI scores was assessed by comparing it with physician global assessment (PGA) and traditional classification data. Validity of the area and color elements of FSASI was also determined. The changes in FSASI scores after vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (V-PDT) were analyzed to evaluate the treatment effect. RESULTS: The FSASI scoring system showed good intra- and inter-rater reliability (ICC >0.75, p < 0.001) and was found to be comparable to PGA scores (Spearman's r = 0.752-0.907, p < 0.001) and traditional classification data (Spearman's r = 0.426-0.662, p < 0.001). Efficacy analysis indicated that FSASI scores decreased after V-PDT treatment. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated the reliability and validity of FSASI, which may be applied to assess the severity of FPWS and to evaluate treatment effects in clinical practice and research.

Gastrointestinal Microbiota Changes in Patients With Gastric Precancerous Lesions.

Background: Gastric microbiota may be involved in gastric cancer. The relationship between gastrointestinal microbes and the risk of gastric cancer is unclear. This study aimed to explore the gastric and intestinal bacteria associated with gastritis and gastric precancerous lesions. We conducted a case-control study by performing 16S rRNA gene analysis of gastric biopsies, juices, and stool samples from 148 cases with gastritis or gastric precancerous lesions from Anhui and neighboring provinces, China. And we validated our findings in public datasets. Results: Analysis of microbial sequences revealed decreased bacterial alpha diversity in gastric bacteria during the progression of gastritis. Helicobacter pylori was the main contributor to the decreased microbial composition and diversity in the gastric mucosa and had little influence on the microbiota of gastric juice and feces. The gastric mucosal genera Gemella, Veillonella, Streptococcus, Actinobacillus, and Hemophilus had the higher degree of centrality across the progression of gastric precancerous lesions. And Acinetobacter may contribute to the occurrence of intraepithelial neoplasia. In addition, the microbial model of H. pylori-positive gastric biopsies and feces showed value in the prediction of gastric precancerous lesions. Conclusions: This study identified associations between gastric precancerous lesions and gastric microbiota, as well as the changes in intestinal microbiota, and explored their values in the prediction of gastric precancerous lesions.

Development and Validation of Nomograms to Predict Operative Link for Gastritis Assessment Any-Stage and Stages III-IV in the Chinese High-Risk Gastric Cancer Population.

Purpose: It is very essential to diagnose gastric atrophy in the area with high prevalence of gastric cancer. Operative link for gastritis assessment (OLGA) was developed to detect the severity of gastric atrophy. The aim of this study was to develop and validate nomograms for predicting OLGA any-stage and stages III-IV in the Chinese high-risk gastric cancer population. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 7,945 participants obtained by a multicenter cross-sectional study. We randomly selected 55% individuals (4,370 participants, training cohort) to analyze and generate the prediction models and validated the models on the remaining individuals (3,575 participants, validation cohort). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to select variables in the training cohort. The corresponding nomograms were developed to predict OLGA any-stage and stages III-IV, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves and the GiViTI calibration belts were used to estimate the discrimination and calibration of the prediction models. Results: There were 1,226 (28.05%) participants in the training sample and 970 (27.13%) in the validation sample who were diagnosed with gastric atrophy. The nomogram predicting OLGA any-stage had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.610 for the training sample and 0.615 for the validation sample, with favorable calibrations in the overall population. Similarly, the nomogram predicting OLGA stages III-IV had an AUC of 0.702 and 0.714 for the training and validation samples, respectively, with favorable calibrations in the overall population. Conclusions: The prediction model can early identify the occurrence of gastric atrophy and the severity stage of gastric atrophy to some extent.

Resident macrophages restrain pathological adipose tissue remodeling and protect vascular integrity in obese mice.

Tissue-resident macrophages in white adipose tissue (WAT) dynamically adapt to the metabolic changes of their microenvironment that are often induced by excess energy intake. Currently, the exact contribution of these macrophages in obesity-driven WAT remodeling remains controversial. Here, using a transgenic CD169-DTR mouse strain, we provide new insights into the interplay between CD169+ adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) and their surrounding WAT microenvironment. Using targeted in vivo ATM ablation followed by transcriptional and metabolic WAT profiling, we found that ATMs protect WAT from the excessive pathological remodeling that occurs during obesity. As obesity progresses, ATMs control not only vascular integrity, adipocyte function, and lipid and metabolic derangements but also extracellular matrix accumulation and resultant fibrosis in the WAT. The protective role of ATMs during obesity-driven WAT dysfunction supports the notion that ATMs represent friends, rather than foes, as has previously assumed.

Comprehensive Analysis of SFRP Family Members Prognostic Value and Immune Infiltration in Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer globally. Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRP) are important elements associated with the Wnt signaling pathway, and its dysregulated expression is found in multiple cancers. However, the function of distinct SFRPs in GC remains poorly understood. We investigated the differential expression, prognostic value, and immune cell infiltration of SFRPs in gastric cancer patients from the Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotter, cBioPortal, STRING, Gene-MANIA, DAVID, MethSurv, and TIMER databases. We found that the expression levels of SFRP2 and SFRP4 were significantly increased in GC tissues, whereas the SFRP1 and SFRP5 expressions were reduced. SFRP1, SFRP2, and SFRP5 were significantly correlated with the clinical cancer stage in GC patients. Higher expression of SFRPs was associated with short overall survival (OS) in GC patients. Besides, high SFRPs methylation showed favorable OS in GC patients. The functions of SFRPs were primarily related to the Wnt signaling pathway, immune system development, and basal cell carcinoma. The expression of SFRPs was strongly correlated with immune infiltrating cells, including CD4+ T cells and macrophages in GC. Our study indicated that SFRPs could be potential targets of precision therapy and prognostic biomarkers for the survival of GC patients.

A Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser and Fractional Er:YAG Laser for the Treatment of Xanthelasma Palpebrarum: A Two-Center Randomized Split-Face Controlled Trial.

Background: Xanthelasma palpebrarum (XP) is a form of cutaneous xanthoma that presents as collections of yellowish papules or plaques around the eyelids or canthus, affecting patients cosmetically. Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser to that of fractional Er:YAG laser for the treatment of XP. Methods: Two centers recruited patients diagnosed with XP of bilaterally symmetrical lesions. The lesion on one side was randomly assigned to be treated with fractional CO2 laser while the lesion on the other side was treated with fractional Er:YAG laser. All subjects received up to five treatments, with a 4-week interval between each treatment. Results: Thirty-nine patients completed the study and a total of 82 lesions were available for final assessment. The percentage of "Excellent Improvement" on third and fourth visit was 60.98% versus 39.02% and 90.24% versus 63.41%, respectively, p < 0.05. In a follow-up for 12 to 25 months, the number of lesions recurred on the side treated with fractional CO2 laser and fractional Er:YAG laser are 9 (22%) and 10 (24%), respectively. Conclusions: In this study, fractional CO2 laser therapy appears superior since a fewer treatments are required for patients to show significant clinical improvement.

Epidermoid cyst removal with CO2 laser fenestration: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Epidermoid cyst (EC) is a common and benign tumor, which can occur anywhere on the skin. Surgical excision is usually considered as the first-line treatment. However, linear scars arising after excision for EC remain a cosmetic problem. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of EC removal assisted with CO2 laser fenestration. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with EC and treated with CO2 laser fenestration, content extrusion, and removal of the cyst wall between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018, were included in this study. After a follow-up period ranging from 6 to 27 months, scarring, recurrence, complications, and satisfaction were assessed and analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-three of the 47 patients have been cured by a single operation. The recurrence rate was 8.5%, which was not significantly correlated with tumor sizes or locations. 46.8% of the patients had no obvious scar after treatment. No infections or complications were observed in any of these cases. 89.4% of the patients were satisfied with the effectiveness of the treatment, while 95.7% and 87.2% were satisfied with the comfort and the cosmetic results, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CO2 laser fenestration-assisted removal procedure is effective for the treatment of ECs with good aesthetic outcome.

Reduced Kiss­1 expression is associated with clinical aggressive feature of gastric cancer patients and promotes migration and invasion in gastric cancer cells.

Gastric cancer (GC) causes high morbidity and mortality in patients largely due to its invasion and metastasis. Kiss­1 has been shown to be a metastasis suppressor in various malignancies. However, its clinical significance and biological functions in GC have not been thoroughly investigated. The present study investigated the association between Kiss­1 expression and its methylation status and clinicopathological features in GC. Kiss­1 expression was reduced in GC and its low expression was associated with poor histological grade, lymph node metastasis and TNM III+IV stage. Kiss­1 overexpression in AGS GC cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Kiss­1 knockdown promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of HGC­27 cells. In summary, the data demonstrated that a low expression of Kiss­1 played a suppressive role for the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells. Its expression and methylation levels were associated with the clinical progression of GC. Thus, Kiss­1 is a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker as well as a new target for the treatment of GC.