Recurrent skin opening induced by chronic sternal osteomyelitis caused by a bite wound in a cat: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Chronic sternal osteomyelitis is a rare condition in felines, with limited reported cases to date. OBJECTIVES: We report the case of a 2-year-old castrated male, domestic shorthair cat, weighing 4.68 kg, that presented with skin openings every 3-4 months, despite skin debridement and reconstruction. METHODS: A subcutaneous dead space larger than the skin defect was detected. Haematological analysis revealed elevated levels of inflammatory markers. Thoracic radiography revealed sternal deformation and suspected osteomyelitis. Computed tomography revealed a fistula extending from the third to the fourth sternebrae. RESULTS: Bone and soft tissue debridement and abscess flushing were performed along with long-term antibiotic therapy. The cat remained recurrence-free throughout an 18-month post-surgery follow-up period. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of chronic osteomyelitis occurring in a cat's sternebrae and represents the first successful case of its treatment. This case showcases the potential for improved treatment outcomes in similar cases. Understanding and successful treatment of such cases can pave the way for better management of feline osteomyelitis.

Kv 11.1 Expression Is Associated With Malignancy of Canine Mammary Gland Tumors.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The expression level of the voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv 11.1 was shown to be associated with the clinicopathological features, aggressiveness, and prognosis of human breast cancer. Canine mammary gland tumor (cMGT) is the most common tumor type in intact female dogs; however, the significance of Kv 11.1 in cMGT is unknown. The aim of this study was to identify Kv 11.1 expression in 57 benign and malignant cMGT tissues from dogs and to investigate the correlation of Kv 11.1 expression with the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of cMGT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 57 samples were collected from cMGTs surgically resected at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Seoul National University and subjected to immunohistochemistry assay using rabbit anti-Kv 11.1 polyclonal antibody. Immunohistochemical staining results were evaluated as the sum of intensity and percentage scores. The correlation between immunohistochemistry scores and clinicopathological parameters was investigated. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Kv 11.1 immunoreactivity was higher in benign cMGTs than in malignant cMGTs. Kv 11.1 expression was significantly associated with tumor malignancy (p<0.001), tumor size (p<0.001), histological grade (p<0.05), and age at the time of mastectomy (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study presents the first evidence of Kv 11.1 expression in cMGTs and indicates an inverse correlation between Kv 11.1 expression and tumor malignancy. Kv 11.1 expression can be used as a prognostic biomarker and a tool for the management of cMGTs.

An evaluation of the physiological uptake range of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose in normal ovaries of seven dogs using positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

Introduction: This study evaluated the physiological uptake range of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) in the normal ovaries of seven dogs using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Materials and methods: The dogs were subjected to general anesthesia and were positioned in ventral recumbency for PET/CT scans. The dosage of 18F-FDG ranged from 0.14 to 0.17 mCi/kg and was administered intravenously followed by 0.9% NaCl flushing; PET/CT images of each dog were obtained precisely 60 min after the injection of 18F-FDG. The regions of interest were drawn manually, and standardized uptake values (SUV) were calculated to evaluate the 18F-FDG uptake in each ovary. The maximum and mean SUVs (SUV max and SUV mean) for all the ovaries of the dogs were then computed. Results: The range of SUV max and SUV mean of the normal ovaries of the dogs were 1.28-1.62 and 1.07-1.31 (mean ± standard deviation), respectively. Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the normal 18F-FDG uptake baseline data of normal canine ovaries using PET/CT scans. These data will help clinicians in identifying malignant tumors before anatomical changes in the ovary through PET/CT scans.

Usability of serum hedgehog signalling proteins as biomarkers in canine mammary carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The hedgehog signalling pathway has been implicated in tumourigenesis and progression of many tumour types. This pathway has recently emerged as a therapeutic target, and inhibitors of hedgehog signalling have gained considerable attention. In dogs, the roles of hedgehog signals in several types of tumours have been investigated, but their relationship with canine mammary gland tumours (MGTs) has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of sonic hedgehog (SHH) and glioma-associated oncogene 1 (GLI-1) in the serum and mammary tumour tissues of dogs. RESULTS: SHH and GLI-1 protein expression levels were significantly higher in MGT tissues than in normal mammary gland tissues, as well as in malignant MGT specimens than in benign MGT specimens. Serum levels of SHH and GLI-1 were higher in MGT patients than in healthy controls (p < .001 and .001, respectively). Serum SHH level showed a statistically significant relationship with metastatic status (p = .01), and serum GLI-1 level showed a statistically significant relationship with histologic grade (p = 0.048) and metastatic status (p = 0.007). Serum hedgehog signalling protein levels were not significantly associated with breed size, sex, tumour size, or histologic type. CONCLUSIONS: Hedgehog signalling protein expression in canine MGT tissue and serum differed according to the histological classification (benign and malignant) and metastatic status, indicating a relationship between the hedgehog signalling pathway and canine MGT. Thus, the hedgehog signalling pathway may serve as a new biomarker and therapeutic target in canine MGT patients.

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Effects of Increased Intra-Abdominal Pressure with and without Dexmedetomidine in Anesthetized Dogs.

Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) elevation during capnoperitoneum can cause adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects. This study aimed to determine if a sequentially increased IAP affects cardiovascular and respiratory variables in anesthetized dogs and evaluate the effects of the constant-rate infusion of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on cardiovascular and respiratory variables with increased IAP. Five dogs were anesthetized and instrumented, and a Veress needle was equipped to adjust the IAP using a carbon dioxide insufflator. Stabilization was conducted for 1 h, and physiological variables were measured at IAPs of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mmHg and after desufflation. After the washout period, the dogs underwent similar procedures along with a constant-rate infusion of dexmedetomidine. The cardiovascular effects of increased IAP up to 20 mmHg were not significant in healthy beagle dogs and those administered with dexmedetomidine. When comparing the control and dexmedetomidine groups, the overall significant effects of dexmedetomidine were noted on heart rate, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance during the experiment. Respiratory effects were not observed during abdominal insufflation when compared between different IAPs and between the two groups. Overall, an increased IAP of up to 20 mmHg did not significantly affect cardiovascular and respiratory variables in both the control and dexmedetomidine groups. This study suggests that the administration of a dexmedetomidine infusion is applicable in laparoscopic procedures in healthy dogs.

Case report:18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography image findings of a dog with gossypiboma.

A 13-year-old, spayed, female mixed breed dog that had previously undergone mastectomy and ovariohysterectomy was referred for evaluation of metastasis after surgery. 18F-deoxy-2-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET-CT) was performed and a soft-tissue mass was observed in the abdominal cavity. The characteristics of the abdominal mass were assessed and screening for metastasis was done with follow-up 18F-FDG PET scans. Uptake of 18F-deoxy-2-D-glucose was higher in the peripheral region and lower in the center of the abdominal mass. Exploratory laparotomy was performed, and the removed abdominal mass was consistent with a gossypiboma, which is a retained surgical sponge composed of non-absorbable material with cotton matrix. This case report describes the characteristics of 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging in a dog with an abdominal gossypiboma, which has not been reported in the veterinary literature before.

Evaluating Disease Patterns of Military Working Dogs in the Republic of Korea: A Retrospective Study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate disease patterns among military working dogs (MWDs) at the Armed Forces Medical Research Institute (AFMRI) to provide basic medical data on Korean MWDs. The medical records of procedures performed at AFMRI between November 2017 and March 2021 were reviewed. Physical examination, diagnostic imaging, and laboratory tests were performed according to the status of each dog. A total of 353 MWDs (215 males and 138 females; mean age, 6 ± 3 years) were analyzed in this study. Among Korean MWDs, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are the most frequently diagnosed, followed by dental and musculoskeletal disorders. Foreign body (FB) ingestion had the highest prevalence of GI disorders, with the most common FB being a leather collar or leash. General and dental surgeries, including removal of gastric FB and tooth extraction, were routinely performed at the AFMRI. Preventative care focusing on dental disease and FB ingestion may be helpful for effective performance and good quality of life in MWDs, with the regular assessment and prevention of environmental factors that may contribute to behavioral problems such as FB ingestion, coprophagy, and anorexia.

Reduced Klotho expression and its prognostic significance in canine hepatocellular carcinoma.

Klotho is an anti-ageing gene and is known to act as a tumour suppressor in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). According to a previous study, Klotho is present in normal canine mammary glands, and down-expression in tumours is positively associated with negative prognosis. However, the presence and significance of Klotho in canine HCC has not yet been reported. This study aimed to confirm Klotho expression in normal canine liver tissues using western blotting and immunohistochemistry, and whether the expression differed in non-neoplastic liver disease and HCC. Furthermore, correlation between clinicopathologic features and expression of Klotho was evaluated. All of the normal liver tissues showed the presence of Klotho, and Klotho expression was significantly decreased in the HCC tissue as compared to the non-neoplastic hepatic tissue. Additionally, Klotho expression was significantly associated with tumour size (P = .045), liver enzyme (alanine aminotransferase (ALT)) (P = .018), and metastasis (P = .024). Analysis of the survival curve revealed that reduced Klotho expression was significantly associated with poor disease-free survival (P = .041) in HCC. These results show that Klotho expression is present in normal canine liver tissue and that reduced Klotho expression is associated with poor prognosis in canine HCC. Thus, Klotho was presumed to be a potential clinical prognostic marker for canine HCC.

Network analysis for estimating standardization trends in genomics using MEDLINE.

BACKGROUND: Biotechnology in genomics, such as sequencing devices and gene quantification software, has proliferated and been applied to clinical settings. However, the lack of standards applicable to it poses practical problems in interoperability and reusability of the technology across various application domains. This study aims to visualize and identify the standard trends in clinical genomics and to suggest areas on which standardization efforts must focus. METHODS: Of 16,538 articles retrieved from PubMed, published from 1975 to 2020, using search keywords "genomics and standard" and "clinical genomic sequence and standard", terms were extracted from the abstracts and titles of 15,855 articles. Our analysis includes (1) network analysis of full phases (2) period analysis with five phases; (3) statistical analysis; (4) content analysis. RESULTS: Our research trend showed an increasing trend from 2003, years marked by the completion of the human genome project (2003). The content analysis showed that keywords related to such concepts as gene types for analysis, and analysis techniques were increased in phase 3 when US-FDA first approved the next-generation sequencer. During 2017-2019, oncology-relevant terms were clustered and contributed to the increasing trend in phase 4 of the content analysis. In the statistical analysis, all the categories showed high regression values (R2 > 0.586) throughout the whole analysis period and phase-based statistical analysis showed significance only in the Genetics terminology category (P = .039*) at phase 4. CONCLUSIONS: Through comprehensive trend analysis from our study, we provided the trend shifts and high-demand items in standardization for clinical genetics.

Down-expression of klotho in canine mammary gland tumors and its prognostic significance.

Since the discovery of klotho as an anti-aging gene, its association with tumors has been studied. Several previous studies have reported the down-expression of klotho in various human cancers, and much of its mechanism has been revealed. Nonetheless, the significance of klotho in canine mammary gland tumors is not yet known. This study aimed to determine whether klotho is expressed within normal canine mammary glands and whether the expression changes in benign and malignant tumors. Using immunohistochemistry, the experiment was conducted on eight normal canine mammary gland tissues and 55 mammary gland tumor samples. Additionally, the correlation between the Ki-67 proliferation index and clinicopathological features, such as age, tumor size, tumor grade, histologic type, and metastasis, was evaluated. All eight normal mammary gland tissues showed immunohistochemistry expression of klotho, and the expression significantly decreased as malignancy increased. Among the samples, 11% (3/28) of benign tumors and 26% (7/27) of malignant tumors showed negative klotho expression. Furthermore, higher Ki-67 expression, higher grades, and metastasis were confirmed to be associated with the negative klotho expression. Analysis of the survival curve for dogs with malignant tumors revealed that negative klotho expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival and disease-free survival. These results indicate that klotho is expressed in normal canine mammary glands and that negative klotho expression in canine mammary gland tumors is positively correlated with poor prognosis.

Expression and prognostic value of TRPM7 in canine mammary tumours.

Canine mammary gland tumour (CMTs) are one of the most commonly found tumours in intact female dogs. A previous study on canine mammary glands demonstrated the presence of the transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) ion channels in healthy canine mammary tissues. However, the significance of TRPM7 in CMT is not yet known. TRPM7 is a Ca2+ and Mg2+ permeable cation channel that contains a protein kinase domain. The aim of this study was to determine TRPM7 expression in 57 benign and malignant CMT tissues of dogs using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and evaluate its correlation with clinicopathological features and explore the potential prognostic value of TRPM7 in a prospective survival study. IHC analysis shows that TRPM7 was expressed in the cytoplasm of neoplastic epithelial cells. Moreover, TRPM7 expression was significantly associated with tumour malignancy (P = .027), Ki-67 index (P < .0001) and metastasis (P < .0001). Survival curve analysis indicates that high TRPM7 expression was significantly associated with poor disease-free (P = .035) and overall survival (P = .011) in malignant CMTs. Our results demonstrate that TRPM7 is expressed in CMTs and that its expression is positively correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Thus, TRPM7 was assumed to be a potential prognostic factor for CMTs.

Comparison of Hematological and Biochemical Results Derived from Arterial and Venous Blood Samples in Post-Anesthetic Dogs.

Collecting blood from an indwelling arterial catheter may reduce stress from repeated venipuncture in patients requiring serial monitoring, but the use of arterial blood for hematological and biochemical testing remains understudied. Here, we compared hematological and biochemical results of arterial and venous blood and evaluated their clinical interchangeability. Blood samples from dogs who had recovered from anesthesia, collected by both arterial catheterization and venipuncture, were analyzed. To assess clinical acceptance between paired samples, the limit of agreement between the values derived from the arterial and venous blood samples was compared with the allowable total error (TEa) recommended for each parameter. We found no significant differences between the arterial and venous sample results for red/white blood cell and platelet counts and hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen, phosphate, total protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, sodium, potassium, and chloride levels, whereas hemoglobin, glucose, creatinine, and calcium levels differed significantly (p < 0.05). Moreover, only gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and potassium exceeded the recommended TEa. Hematological and biochemical results derived from venous and arterial blood samples are clinically interchangeable in post-anesthetic dogs, with the exception of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and potassium; thus, these values should be used with caution.

The Presence and Distribution of TRPM7 in the Canine Mammary Glands.

The transient receptor potential melastatin-subfamily member 7 (TRPM7) cation channel is a bifunctional ion channel with intrinsic kinase activity and is ubiquitously expressed in the animal/human body. Accumulated knowledge of TRPM7 suggests that it plays an essential role in normal physiological processes, including the development, survival, proliferation, differentiation, and migration of cells. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the presence and expression patterns of TRPM7 in normal canine mammary glands using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Normal mammary gland tissue samples were obtained from five female beagle dogs. RT-PCR and sequencing of the amplified PCR products demonstrated the presence of TRPM7 mRNA in normal mammary glands, and the presence of TRPM7 protein was confirmed by Western blotting. Immunohistochemical investigations demonstrated the expression of TRPM7 in the apical membrane of acinar and ductal epithelial cells in the canine mammary glands. These results provide the first evidence of the presence and distribution of TRPM7 in the canine mammary gland and could help explain the physiological and pathological roles of TRPM7 in the canine mammary gland; however, additional studies are required to elucidate these roles.

Ectopic Cushing's syndrome associated with a pheochromocytoma in a dog: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ectopic Cushing's syndrome (ECS) associated with malignant tumors, such as small cell lung carcinoma, bronchial carcinoids, and pheochromocytoma, has been reported in human medicine. However, ECS related to pheochromocytoma has not been reported in dogs. CASE PRESENTATION: An 11-year-old castrated, male Scottish terrier was diagnosed with a left adrenal mass. Cushing's syndrome was suspected based on clinical signs, including pot belly, polyuria, polydipsia, bilateral alopecia, recurrent pyoderma, and calcinosis cutis. Cushing's syndrome was diagnosed on the basis of consistent clinical signs and repeated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation tests. In addition, tests for fractionated plasma metanephrine/normetanephrine suggested a pheochromocytoma. Unilateral adrenalectomy was performed after medical management with trilostane and phenoxybenzamine. Histopathology confirmed a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma without cortical lesions. After surgery, fractionated metanephrine/normetanephrine and the findings of low-dose dexamethasone suppression and ACTH stimulation tests were within the normal ranges without any medication. There were no clinical signs or evidence of recurrence and metastasis on thoracic and abdominal X-rays and ultrasonography up to 8 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Pheochromocytoma should be considered a differential diagnosis for dogs with Cushing's syndrome with an adrenal tumor. A good prognosis can be expected with prompt diagnosis and surgical intervention.

Cardiopulmonary changes induced by retroperitoneal insufflation in healthy dogs in sternal recumbency with the abdomen unsupported.

This study assessed the effects of retroperitoneal carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation on cardiopulmonary variables and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in mechanically ventilated dogs in sternal recumbency with the abdomen unsupported, following placement of a positioning kit and towels under the pectoral and pelvic regions. General anesthesia was induced in eight healthy adult male Beagles. A Swan-Ganz catheter was placed in the pulmonary artery via the jugular vein for cardiac output measurements. A Foley urethral catheter was placed to monitor transvesical IAP. A 10 mm balloon blunt-tip trocar was inserted into the retroperitoneal space. With a fixed respiratory rate and tidal volume by mechanical ventilation, insufflation pressure was sequentially increased from 0 to 10 mmHg in 5 mmHg increments, followed by desufflation. All variables were measured before insufflation, 5 min after the establishment of each insufflation pressure, and after desufflation. At 10 mmHg, the IAP was nearly equal to insufflation pressure. Cardiopulmonary function was not compromised at any point, although the cardiac index (CI), heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and mean pulmonary arterial pressure increased within normal ranges. End-tidal CO2 concentration, arterial CO2 partial pressure, and oxygen delivery index (DO2I) increased, whereas pH decreased, at 10 mmHg. CI, MAP, and DO2I did not recover to baseline after decompression. Thus, retroperitoneal CO2 insufflation up to 10 mmHg is well tolerated by mechanically ventilated dogs positioned in sternal recumbency with the abdomen unsupported, although sympathetic changes may occur with an insufflation pressure increase.

Changes in pre- and postoperative serum leptin concentrations in dogs with gallbladder mucocele and cholelithiasis.

BACKGROUND: Leptin has been shown to have various physiological and pathological roles in the canine gallbladder. In this study, we performed pre- and postoperative short-term follow-up analyses to confirm changes in serum leptin levels before and after cholecystectomy due to gallbladder mucocele (GBM) or cholelithiasis in dogs. RESULTS: Twenty-six cholecystectomized dogs (GBM: n = 14; cholelithiasis: n = 12) for prophylactic or clinical symptom relief were enrolled in the present study. Dogs were subgrouped according to clinical symptoms and prognosis after surgery as follows: 1) asymptomatic group (n = 13), 2) recovery group (n = 8), and 3) death group (n = 5). Liver enzymes, total bilirubin, lipid profiles, and leptin concentrations were determined from sera on the pre-operative day and at 1, 3, and 7 days postoperation. Serum leptin concentrations were gradually but significantly decreased in the asymptomatic group (p = 0.008, 0.004, and 0.004 on days 1, 3, and 7, respectively, compared with that before surgery) and the recovery group (p = 0.048 and 0.048 on days 3 and 7, respectively, compared with that before surgery). However, in the death group, leptin concentrations did not differ significantly over time (p = 0.564). Additionally, serum leptin levels in the recovery group (p = 0.006) and death group (p = 0.021) were significantly higher than those in the asymptomatic group. Liver enzymes and total bilirubin (T-Bil) were significantly decreased only in the recovery group, particularly on day 7. In the asymptomatic group, liver enzymes and T-Bil were not changed significantly over time, and in the death group, only T-Bil was significantly decreased on day 7. Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not significantly decreased over time in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that leptin is a potential biomarker reflecting the severity and prognosis of GBM and cholelithiasis both before and after cholecystectomy in dogs.

Mobile Health Management Platform-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Prospective Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer patients experience various symptoms during treatment. Although pulmonary rehabilitation is an effective way to improve these symptoms, a medical environment of limited availability makes it difficult to provide seamless and adequate rehabilitation for lung cancer patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a personalized pulmonary rehabilitation program using real-time mobile patient health data for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: We conducted a prospective clinical trial in 64 patients with non-small cell lung cancer aged between 20 and 80 years at a large tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. A 12-week personalized pulmonary rehabilitation program, called efil breath, was administered to determine the effectiveness of the newly developed rehabilitation app. Participants were randomly allocated to the fixed exercise or fixed-interactive exercise group (which received the personalized program). We measured changes in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and dyspnea (modified Medical Research Council [mMRC] score) at 6 weeks; and quality of life and service satisfaction at 12 weeks. We used the paired t test to analyze the variables. RESULTS: Patients used the newly developed mobile health pulmonary rehabilitation app and a real-time patient monitoring website. In all participants, significant changes were observed in 6MWD at 12 weeks from a mean of 433.43m (SD 65.60) to 471.25m (SD 75.69; P=.001), and mMRC from a mean score of 0.94 (0.66) to 0.61 (SD 0.82; P=.02). The intervention significantly improved their quality of life (EuroQol-visual analog scale [EQ-VAS]) compared with baseline (mean score 76.05, SD 12.37 vs 82.09, SD 13.67, respectively; P=.002). CONCLUSIONS: A personalized mobile health-based pulmonary rehabilitation app for recording and monitoring real-time health data of patients with non-small cell lung cancer can supplement traditional health care center-based rehabilitation programs. This technology can encourage improvement of physical activity, dyspnea, and quality of life.

Facile fabrication of highly photothermal-effective albumin-assisted gold nanoclusters for treating breast cancer.

Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have been considered to be a promising candidate for hyperthermia-based anticancer therapy. Herein, we introduce albumin-assisted AuNCs composed of small gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, <6 nm) assembled with strands of polyallylamine (PAH), which exhibited strong surface plasmon resonance upon near-infrared (NIR, ∼808 nm) laser irradiation and good in vivo stability. Our albumin-assisted PAH-AuNCs (BSA/PAH-AuNCs) were facilely fabricated as a top-down process by a simple ultrasonication after the preparation of large nano-aggregates of PAH-AuNPs. Albumin played a critical role as a stabilizer and surfactant in making loosely associated large aggregates and thereby producing small gold nanoclusters (∼60 nm) of slightly negative charge upon ultrasonication. The prepared BSA/PAH-AuNCs displayed excellent hyperthermal effects (∼60 °C) in response to ∼808-nm NIR laser irradiation in a 4T1 cell system in vitro and in 4T1 cell tumor xenograft mice in vivo, indicating their remarkable potential to suppress breast cancer growth, without almost no significant toxicity in histology. Consequently, our gold nanoclusters should be considered as a promising photothermal agent that are easy to manufacture and exhibit marked anticancer effects in terms of tumor ablation.

An mHealth Management Platform for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (efil breath): Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the major morbidities in public health, and the use of mHealth technology for rehabilitation of patients with COPD can help increase physical activity and ameliorate respiratory symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation management platform to improve physical activity and quality of life in patients with COPD. METHODS: The study comprised the following 2 stages: (1) a pilot stage in which a prototype app was developed; and (2) a fully-fledged platform development stage in which 2 apps and 1 COPD patient monitoring website were developed. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of the apps developed in the second stage of the study. In addition, two 12-week exercise regimens (fixed and fixed-interactive) were tested for the trial. The clinical parameters of the respiratory function and patient global assessment (PGA) of the app were obtained and analyzed. Notably, Android was the chosen operating system for apps. RESULTS: We developed 2 COPD rehabilitation apps and 1 patient monitoring website. For the clinical trial, 85 patients were randomized into the following 3 groups: 57 were allocated to the 2 intervention groups and 28 to the control group. After 6 weeks, the COPD assessment test scores were significantly reduced in the fixed group (P=.01), and signs of improvement were witnessed in the fixed-interactive group. In addition, the PGA score was moderate or high in all aspects of the user experience of the apps in both intervention groups. CONCLUSIONS: A well-designed mobile rehabilitation app for monitoring and managing patients with COPD can supplement or replace traditional center-based rehabilitation programs and achieve improved patient health outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03432117; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03432117 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/71Yp0P64a).

Beta-carotene-bound albumin nanoparticles modified with chlorin e6 for breast tumor ablation based on photodynamic therapy.

Chlorin e6 (Ce6) has attracted considerable interest as a promising second-generation photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the in vivo availability of Ce6 is significantly restricted by its low water solubility and poor ability to target tumors. We sought to overcome the limitations of Ce6 by using albumin nanoparticles with nab™ (nanoparticle albumin-bound) technology. The fabricated albumin nanoparticles consisted of bovine serum albumin (BSA), Ce6-BSA, and beta-carotene as a carrier, photosensitizing agent, and cross-linker, respectively. These albumin nanoparticles (Ce6-BSA-BC-NPs) did not include any toxic chemotherapeutics but instead contained naturally safe beta-carotene and Ce6, which was activated only upon irradiation with 660-nm laser light. Ce6-BSA-BC-NPs were ∼120 nm in size and spherical, similar to Abraxane®, and showed good physicochemical stability. The nanoparticles showed significant cytotoxicity toward 4T1 cells as evaluated by MTT, Live/Dead, and TUNEL assays. In particular, results of the TUNEL assay demonstrated that cell death induced by Ce6-BSA-BC-NPs and light irradiation (660 nm) occurred through the apoptotic pathway. Ce6-BSA-BC-NPs displayed a remarkably enhanced tumor suppression effect when irradiated by 660-nm light compared with free Ce6 (tumor volume 90 ±â€¯39 versus 487 ±â€¯69 mm3 respectively). Overall, this improved in vivo antitumor efficacy seemed to be due to the targetability of albumin nanoparticles. We believe that our Ce6-BSA-BC-NPs with PDT offer a promising new potential therapeutic platform for breast cancer treatment.