Reduced length of intensive care unit stay and early mechanical ventilator weaning with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in free fibula flap surgery.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program on postoperative recovery of patients who underwent free fibula flap surgery for mandibular reconstruction. This retrospective study included 188 patients who underwent free fibula flap surgery for complex mandibular and soft tissue defects between January 2011 and December 2022. We divided them into two groups: the ERAS group, consisting of 36 patients who were treated according to the ERAS program introduced from 2021 to 2022. Propensity score matching was used for the non-ERAS group, which comprised 36 cases selected from 152 patients between 2011 and 2020, based on age, sex, and smoking history. After propensity score matching, the ERAS and non-ERAS groups included 36 patients each. The primary outcome was the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay; the secondary outcomes were flap complications, unplanned reoperation, 30-day readmission, postoperative ventilator use length, surgical site infections, incidence of delirium within ICU, lower-limb comorbidities, and morbidity parameters. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics of the patients. However, the ERAS group showed the lower length of intensive care unit stay (ERAS vs non-ERAS: 8.66 ± 3.90 days vs. 11.64 ± 5.42 days, P = 0.003) and post-operative ventilator use days (ERAS vs non-ERAS: 1.08 ± 0.28 days vs. 2.03 ± 1.05 days, P < 0.001). Other secondary outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups. Additionally, patients in the ERAS group had lower postoperative morbidity parameters, such as postoperative nausea, vomiting, urinary tract infections, and pulmonary complications (P = 0.042). The ERAS program could be beneficial and safe for patients undergoing free fibula flap surgery for mandibular reconstruction, thereby improving their recovery and not increasing flap complications and 30-day readmission.

PNU-74654 Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Inhibits EMT Progression in Pancreatic Cancer.

Background and Objectives: PNU-74654, a Wnt/ß-catenin pathway inhibitor, has an antiproliferative effect on many cancer types; however, its therapeutic role in pancreatic cancer (PC) has not yet been demonstrated. Here, the effects of PNU-74654 on proliferation and cell cycle phase distribution were studied in PC cell lines. Materials and Methods: The cancer-related molecular pathways regulated by PNU-74654 were determined by a proteome profiling oncology array and confirmed by western blotting. Results: The cell viability and proliferative ability of PC cells were decreased by PNU-74654 treatment. G1 arrest was observed, as indicated by the downregulation of cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and the upregulation of p27. PNU-74654 inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as determined by an increase in E-cadherin and decreases in N-cadherin, ZEB1, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α). PNU-74654 also suppressed cytoplasmic and nuclear ß-catenin and impaired the NF-κB pathway. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that PNU-74654 modulates G1/S regulatory proteins and inhibits the EMT, thereby suppressing PC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The synergistic effect of PNU-74654 and chemotherapy or the exclusive use of PNU-74654 may be therapeutic options for PC and require further investigation.

Human Papillomavirus Infections and Increased Risk of Incident Osteoporosis: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Patients with viral infections are susceptible to osteoporosis. This cohort study investigated the correlation between human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and the risk of osteoporosis via 12,936 patients with new-onset HPV infections and propensity score-matched non-HPV controls enrolled in Taiwan. The primary endpoint was incident osteoporosis following HPV infections. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine the effect of HPV infections on the risk of osteoporosis. Patients with HPV infections presented with a significantly high risk of osteoporosis (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.06-1.65) after adjusting for sex, age, comorbidities and co-medications. Subgroup analysis provided that populations at risk of HPV-associated osteoporosis were females (aHR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.04-1.71), those aged between 60 and 80 years (aHR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.01-2.08 for patients aged 60-70; aHR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.07-2.12 for patients aged 70-80), and patients with long-term use of glucocorticoids (aHR = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.11-4.22). HPV-infected patients who did not receive treatments for HPV infections were at a greater risk (aHR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.09-1.80) of osteoporosis, while the risk of osteoporosis in those who received treatments for HPV infections did not reach statistical significance (aHR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.78-1.66). Patients with HPV infections presented with a high risk of subsequent osteoporosis. Treatments for HPV infections attenuated the risk of HPV-associated osteoporosis.

Topical Prevention of Radiation Dermatitis in Breast Cancer Patients: A Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Radiation dermatitis is a common complication of radiation therapy in breast cancer patients. Severe dermatitis may alter treatment schedules and clinical outcomes. The topical prevention strategy is the widely used option to prevent radiation dermatitis. However, the comparison between the current topical prevention strategies is insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the topical prevention efficacy of radiation dermatitis in patients with breast cancer through a network meta-analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study followed The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Network Meta-Analyses guidelines. A random effects model was used to compare different treatments. The treatment modality ranking was evaluated using the P-score. I2 and Cochran's Q test were used to evaluate the heterogeneity among studies. RESULTS: Forty-five studies were analyzed in this systematic review. A total of 19 studies were finally included in this meta-analysis for grade 3 or higher radiation dermatitis, which included 18 treatment arms and 2,288 patients. The forest plot showed that none of the identified regimens were superior to standard care. CONCLUSION: A more effective regimen than standard care for the prevention of grade 3 or higher radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients was not identified. Our network meta-analysis showed that current topical prevention strategies are similarly efficacious. However, since preventing severe radiation dermatitis is an important clinical challenge, further trials should be conducted to address this issue.

Pediatric Mandibular Reconstruction With Free Serratus Anterior-Rib Composite Flap: A Case Report.

ABSTRACT: Reconstruction of children's mandibles after mandibular resection for benign or malignant tumors is challenging. Microvascular flap reconstruction is a common treatment option for restoring mandibular continuity after the resection of oral cavity neoplasms.We presented 2 cases of childhood mandibular reconstruction after tumor wide excision and segmental mandibulectomy, one for malignant cancer and one for benign ossifying fibroma, with serratus-rib composite free flap. All 2 patients had a favorable facial profile, functional outcome, and dental occlusion at the last follow-up. The development of children's mandible and donor site needs to be considered compared with adult's mandibular reconstruction. Given its reliability and utility, this flap can be an alternative for pediatric mandibular reconstruction compared with the free fibular flap and other candidates.

Immune Responses to COVID-19 Vaccines in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Lead Exposure.

Literature data regarding the response rate to COVID-19 vaccination in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients remain inconclusive. Furthermore, studies have reported a relationship between lead exposure and susceptibility to viral infections. This study examined immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines in patients with CKD and lead exposure. Between October and December 2021, 50 lead-exposed CKD patients received two doses of vaccination against COVID-19 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Patients were stratified into two groups based on the median blood lead level (BLL): upper (≥1.30 µg/dL, n = 24) and lower (<1.30 µg/dL, n = 26) 50th percentile. The patients were aged 65.9 ± 11.8 years. CKD stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 accounted for 26.0%, 20.0%, 22.0%, 8.0% and 24.0% of the patients, respectively. Patients in the lower 50th percentile of BLL had a lower proportion of CKD stage 5 than patients in the upper 50th percentile BLL group (p = 0.047). The patients in the lower 50th percentile BLL group also received a higher proportion of messenger RNA vaccines and a lower proportion of adenovirus-vectored vaccines than the patients in the upper 50th percentile BLL group (p = 0.031). Notably, the neutralizing antibody titers were higher in the lower 50th percentile than in the upper 50th percentile BLL group. Furthermore, the circulating levels of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, interleukin-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α were higher in the upper 50th percentile than in the lower 50th percentile BLL group. Therefore, it was concluded that lead-exposed CKD patients are characterized by an impaired immune response to COVID-19 vaccination with diminished neutralizing antibodies and augmented inflammatory reactions.

Topical Prevention of Radiation Dermatitis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Network Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Head and neck cancer is a major malignancy worldwide. The treatment strategy for head and neck cancer usually involves radiotherapy. The main side effect of radiotherapy is radiation dermatitis. Thus, determining the most effective topical regimen for the prevention of radiation dermatitis in head and neck cancer patients is a critical issue. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PRISMA-NMA guidelines were used in this network meta-analysis. We included only randomized control trials. A random effects model was used. Heterogeneity was evaluated by I2 and Cochran's Q tests. RESULTS: We included a total of 1,304 patients in the network meta-analysis. Among them, olive oil was the only effective regimen when compared with usual care (OR=0.18, 95%CI=0.03-0.95). The I2 value was 56%. The test of heterogeneity yielded a p-value of 0.10. CONCLUSION: Olive oil was the most effective regimen for the prevention of radiation dermatitis.

Chidamide and mitomycin C exert synergistic cytotoxic effects against bladder cancer cells in vitro and suppress tumor growth in a rat bladder cancer model.

Intravesical instillation (IVI) of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) can prevent bladder cancer recurrence, but this agent has been out of stock in recent years. IVI of other agents, like chidamide, a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, may have the potential to exert a therapeutic effect against bladder cancer by modifying the gene expression profiles associated with histone modifications that occur during cancer tumorigenesis. Here, we investigated the in vitro therapeutic effect of chidamide and/or mitomycin C in bladder cancer cell lines and screened related molecular pathways using an antibody array. We also quantitatively analyzed the synergistic effect of IVI of chidamide and mitomycin C in vivo in an N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat bladder cancer model. The synergistic cytotoxic effect of chidamide plus mitomycin C was confirmed in both T24 and UMUC3 cells, with significantly greater induction of apoptosis elicited with chidamide plus mitomycin C than with either drug alone. The antibody array identified the Axl signaling pathway as the key target of the synergistic effect. Expression of Axl and its related downstream molecules, including claspin and survivin, was significantly suppressed. In the rat bladder cancer model, IVI of chidamide plus mitomycin C reduced tumor burden (Ki67 index) to a greater extent than either drug alone. Our results suggest that chidamide and mitomycin act synergistically to reduce MNU-induced bladder cancer. These findings provide new insights into a new and potentially effective approach to treating bladder cancer.

Effects of Electropolishing on Mechanical Properties and Bio-Corrosion of Ti6Al4V Fabricated by Electron Beam Melting Additive Manufacturing.

Electron beam melting (EBM) has become one of the most promising additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. However, EBM tends to result in products with rougher surfaces due to the melt pool which causes adjacent powder particles to be sintered to the surface without being melted. Hence, it is necessary to improve the surface quality by post processing. The current study evaluates the tensile response of Ti6Al4V EBMed samples subject to various electropolishing (EP) treatments. The surface roughness Ra readings can be improved from over 24 µm down to about 4.5 µm by proper EP, resulting in apparent tensile elongation improvement from 7.6% to 11.6%, or a tensile plasticity increment of 53%, without any loss of elastic modulus or tensile strength. Moreover, the in-vitro bio-corrosion test in simulating body fluid (SBF) of the as-EBMed and EP-processed samples is also conducted. The potentiodynamic polarization reveals that the bio-corrosion resistance is improved by the lower Ra through proper EP treatments. This is due to the formation of a denser and more completely passivated oxide layer with less defects after proper EP duration. But when the EBMed samples are over-electropolished, nano pitting would induce a degraded bio-corrosion performance.