This report describes a 23-year old female with a right-back old neurofibroma without von Recklin... more This report describes a 23-year old female with a right-back old neurofibroma without von Recklinghausen's disease undergoing malignant change. The patient complained of abdominal pain for several months. Serial survey demonstrated 2 masses located in the right thorax and paraspinal space. These masses were excised completely and the malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) was verified pathologically. This was a rare case of progressive malignant transformation of a neurofibroma without von Recklinghausen's disease.
Background: To determine the clinical roles of metallic airway stents emplaced via rigid bronchos... more Background: To determine the clinical roles of metallic airway stents emplaced via rigid bronchoscopy in patients with malignant airway lesion caused by esophageal cancer. Method: Seventeen patients with malignant airway lesions caused by esophageal cancer were treated by placement of 23 expandable stents (19 airway, 4 esophagus). The clinical evaluations and assessments were completed in all patients. Result: The procedures were successful in 16 cases. Improvements in dyspnea were achieved in 88% of the patients (15 of 17 patients). The 30-day mortality rate was 18% (3 of 17 patients). The mean survival times were 85 days (5 to 262 days). Seven patients died due to hemoptysis and 9 died with pneumonia and respiratory failure. Conclusion: The placement of the expandable nitinol stent via rigid bronchoscopy is feasible and effective in achieving a patent airway, relieving dyspnea, and improving the quality of life.
Atlas of Uniportal Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery
Uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was first reported in the mid-2000s. Since th... more Uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was first reported in the mid-2000s. Since then, it has become an increasingly popular surgical technique for most thoracic surgery, and it has similar treatment outcomes that are comparable with those of traditional multiport VATS techniques. Unfortunately, postoperative wound discomfort and intercostal neuralgia have been found in a significant portion of patients [1–4].
Background: Oxygen therapy is necessary to preterm infants with respiratory distress. However, hy... more Background: Oxygen therapy is necessary to preterm infants with respiratory distress. However, hyperoxia may cause bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity due to suppression of vasogenesis and increase of cell death. Ginsenoside-Rg1, one of the active components of Ginsen, is shown as a proangiogenic factor of vascular endothelial cells. We evaluated whether application of Ginsenoside-Rg1 is able to improve hyperoxic-induced vascular endothelium injury.Materials and methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured under room air and 60% oxygen for 72 hours, respectively. Gensenoside-Rg1 was added to the medium at 0, 75, 150, 300nM. HUVECs proliferation, oxidative stress and apoptosis under normoxic and hyperoxic conditions were assayed by Western Blot.Results: Under hyperoxia (60% O2), HUVECs proliferation and levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly decreased after ginsenoside-Rg1 treatment. Interestingly, both l...
BACKGROUND Shear stress caused by arteriovenous fistula (AVF) enhances endothelium-dependent rela... more BACKGROUND Shear stress caused by arteriovenous fistula (AVF) enhances endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) but oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox- LDL) counteracts its effect. Probucol, a lipid soluble antioxidant, may preserve EDR of AVF by limiting oxidation of LDL. METHODS Twenty New Zealand rabbits, fed with 2% cholesterol chow for 4 weeks, underwent AVF. They were then divided into two groups: continuing with 2% cholesterol chow alone (group I) and 2% cholesterol chow with 1% probucol supplement (group II). Another 10, fed regular chow, were assigned to the control (group III). The levels of cholesterol and LDL were measured. Segments of the AVF afferent arteries were harvested to check intimal thickness, and endothelium-dependent and independent relaxations, after 4 weeks dietary treatment had been completed. RESULTS Both cholesterol and LDL levels were significantly elevated after 4 weeks of cholesterol feeding. These profiles reached higher levels at 8 weeks in group I ...
Introduction The catheter is the only intravascular portion of an implanted port and plays a cruc... more Introduction The catheter is the only intravascular portion of an implanted port and plays a crucial role in catheter related complications. Both polyurethane and silicone are biocompatible materials which are utilized for catheter manufacturing, but their correlation to complications remains controversial. The aim of this study was to try to analyze the relationship between catheter materials and complications. Materials and methods A total of 3144 patients who underwent intravenous port implantation between March 2012 and December 2018 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan were recruited. Of these, 1226 patients received silicone catheter port implantation and 1679 received polyurethane catheter ports. Case matching was done prior to analysis and catheter related complications and cumulative complication incidence for each group were compared. Results Intergroup differences were identified in entry vessel (p = 0.0441), operation year (p < 0.0001), operation method (p ...
Background. LCZ696 (valsartan/sacubitril) therapy significantly reduced mortality in patients wit... more Background. LCZ696 (valsartan/sacubitril) therapy significantly reduced mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). Although a clinical trial (PARADISE-MI Trial) has been ongoing to examine the effects of LCZ696 in myocardial infarction (MI) patients, the effects of LCZ696 on remodeling of cardiac electrophysiology in animal models remain largely unclear. Methods. We performed coronary artery ligation to create MI in Sprague-Dawley rats. Echocardiography was performed one week after MI to confirm the development of HF with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%. MI rats were randomly assigned to receive medical therapy for 4 weeks: LCZ696, enalapril, or vehicle. The sham-operation rats received sham operation without MI creation. In vivo electrophysiological exams were performed under general anesthesia. Western blot analyses were conducted to quantify ion channel proteins. Results. The HF-vehicle group did not show significant changes in LVEF. Both enalapril and LCZ696 therapy...
Identification of serological biomarker is urgently needed for cancer screening, monitoring cance... more Identification of serological biomarker is urgently needed for cancer screening, monitoring cancer progression, treatment response, and surveillance for recurrence in lung cancer. Therefore, we try to find new serological biomarker that has more specificity and sensitivity for lung cancer diagnostics. In this study, the 2-D liquid phase fractionation system (PF2D) and mass spectrometry approach has been used for comparison the serum profiles between lung cancer patients and healthy individuals. Eight proteins were identified form PF2D and subsequently by mass spectrometry. Among these proteins, haptoglobin (HP) and apolipoprotein AI (APOA1) were chosen and validated with turbidimetric assay. We found that HP levels were significantly higher and APOA1 levels were significantly lower in lung cancer patients. However, after the participants were stratified by gender, the expression trends of HP and APOA1 in lung cancer patients existed only in men, which is gender specific phenomenon. ...
The pro-tumoral effects of CCL5 have been identified in numerous cancer types. We successfully cu... more The pro-tumoral effects of CCL5 have been identified in numerous cancer types. We successfully cultivated 4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines, including TWES-1, TWES-3 and a pair of cell lines derived from primary lesion (TWES-4PT) and metastatic lymph node (TWES-4LN) of the same patient. Whole genome screening showed that TWES-4LN expressed higher levels of CCL5 compared to that of TWES-4PT; quantification of protein secretion displayed comparable results, suggesting that CCL5 could be associated with lymph node metastasis in ESCC. CCL5 knockdown by siRNA significantly reduced basal growth rate, tumor migration and invasiveness in the paired cell lines; whereas this treatment induced cell apoptosis in TWES-1 and TWES-3. CCR5 antagonist maraviroc significantly inhibited tumor migration and invasion in the paired cell lines without affecting tumor growth. Collectively, these results suggest that CCL5 autocrine loop may promote ESCC progression; targeting the CCL5/C...
Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Jan 6, 2018
The best preservation solution for a free vascular graft prior to coronary artery bypass grafting... more The best preservation solution for a free vascular graft prior to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains controversial. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the microenvironment of the human saphenous vein graft when preserved in normal saline (NS) solution or autologous heparinized whole blood (AWB). Between January 2014 and December 2014, 21 patients who underwent CABG were enrolled and a total of 162 saphenous vein graft rings were collected. NS and AWB were used to investigate the influence of the microenvironment. The hypoxia, oxidative stress and vascular apoptosis were assayed by western blot, and endothelial integrity was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. The level of PaO2 in AWB was lower than that in NS (median: 100.5 mmHg vs 185.8 mmHg, P = 0.004). This hypoxic condition led to the production of more hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (median: 60.1% vs 15.1%, P = 0.008) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (median: 52.6% vs 25%, P = 0.046) within 30 min ...
Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE, Jan 21, 2018
Piceatannol, a grape-derived polyphenol, has been linked to pro-arrhythmic properties by aggravat... more Piceatannol, a grape-derived polyphenol, has been linked to pro-arrhythmic properties by aggravating inhomogeneous conduction delay in the ischemia-reperfusion (IR) zone to enhance arrhythmogenic alternans in heart failure (HF) rabbits. The underlying molecular mechanisms of piceatannol-induced conduction disturbance were unclear in this model. HF was induced by 4-weeks rapid ventricular pacing. IR injury was induced in vivo using a protocol of left coronary artery ligation and release. Left ventricular cardiomyocytes were isolated enzymatically for whole-cell patch-clamp studies. Piceatannol (10 μM) was administrated to test its inhibitory effect on sodium current (I ). Immunoblots studies and immunoenzymological staining were conducted in tissues sampled from the IR and remote zones. Peak I density was less in failing cardiomyocytes than control cardiomyocytes. IR injury further reduce peak I density in both groups. Piceatannol showed a greater I inhibitory effect in HF than contr...
This report describes a 23-year old female with a right-back old neurofibroma without von Recklin... more This report describes a 23-year old female with a right-back old neurofibroma without von Recklinghausen's disease undergoing malignant change. The patient complained of abdominal pain for several months. Serial survey demonstrated 2 masses located in the right thorax and paraspinal space. These masses were excised completely and the malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) was verified pathologically. This was a rare case of progressive malignant transformation of a neurofibroma without von Recklinghausen's disease.
Background: To determine the clinical roles of metallic airway stents emplaced via rigid bronchos... more Background: To determine the clinical roles of metallic airway stents emplaced via rigid bronchoscopy in patients with malignant airway lesion caused by esophageal cancer. Method: Seventeen patients with malignant airway lesions caused by esophageal cancer were treated by placement of 23 expandable stents (19 airway, 4 esophagus). The clinical evaluations and assessments were completed in all patients. Result: The procedures were successful in 16 cases. Improvements in dyspnea were achieved in 88% of the patients (15 of 17 patients). The 30-day mortality rate was 18% (3 of 17 patients). The mean survival times were 85 days (5 to 262 days). Seven patients died due to hemoptysis and 9 died with pneumonia and respiratory failure. Conclusion: The placement of the expandable nitinol stent via rigid bronchoscopy is feasible and effective in achieving a patent airway, relieving dyspnea, and improving the quality of life.
Atlas of Uniportal Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery
Uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was first reported in the mid-2000s. Since th... more Uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was first reported in the mid-2000s. Since then, it has become an increasingly popular surgical technique for most thoracic surgery, and it has similar treatment outcomes that are comparable with those of traditional multiport VATS techniques. Unfortunately, postoperative wound discomfort and intercostal neuralgia have been found in a significant portion of patients [1–4].
Background: Oxygen therapy is necessary to preterm infants with respiratory distress. However, hy... more Background: Oxygen therapy is necessary to preterm infants with respiratory distress. However, hyperoxia may cause bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity due to suppression of vasogenesis and increase of cell death. Ginsenoside-Rg1, one of the active components of Ginsen, is shown as a proangiogenic factor of vascular endothelial cells. We evaluated whether application of Ginsenoside-Rg1 is able to improve hyperoxic-induced vascular endothelium injury.Materials and methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured under room air and 60% oxygen for 72 hours, respectively. Gensenoside-Rg1 was added to the medium at 0, 75, 150, 300nM. HUVECs proliferation, oxidative stress and apoptosis under normoxic and hyperoxic conditions were assayed by Western Blot.Results: Under hyperoxia (60% O2), HUVECs proliferation and levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly decreased after ginsenoside-Rg1 treatment. Interestingly, both l...
BACKGROUND Shear stress caused by arteriovenous fistula (AVF) enhances endothelium-dependent rela... more BACKGROUND Shear stress caused by arteriovenous fistula (AVF) enhances endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) but oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox- LDL) counteracts its effect. Probucol, a lipid soluble antioxidant, may preserve EDR of AVF by limiting oxidation of LDL. METHODS Twenty New Zealand rabbits, fed with 2% cholesterol chow for 4 weeks, underwent AVF. They were then divided into two groups: continuing with 2% cholesterol chow alone (group I) and 2% cholesterol chow with 1% probucol supplement (group II). Another 10, fed regular chow, were assigned to the control (group III). The levels of cholesterol and LDL were measured. Segments of the AVF afferent arteries were harvested to check intimal thickness, and endothelium-dependent and independent relaxations, after 4 weeks dietary treatment had been completed. RESULTS Both cholesterol and LDL levels were significantly elevated after 4 weeks of cholesterol feeding. These profiles reached higher levels at 8 weeks in group I ...
Introduction The catheter is the only intravascular portion of an implanted port and plays a cruc... more Introduction The catheter is the only intravascular portion of an implanted port and plays a crucial role in catheter related complications. Both polyurethane and silicone are biocompatible materials which are utilized for catheter manufacturing, but their correlation to complications remains controversial. The aim of this study was to try to analyze the relationship between catheter materials and complications. Materials and methods A total of 3144 patients who underwent intravenous port implantation between March 2012 and December 2018 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan were recruited. Of these, 1226 patients received silicone catheter port implantation and 1679 received polyurethane catheter ports. Case matching was done prior to analysis and catheter related complications and cumulative complication incidence for each group were compared. Results Intergroup differences were identified in entry vessel (p = 0.0441), operation year (p < 0.0001), operation method (p ...
Background. LCZ696 (valsartan/sacubitril) therapy significantly reduced mortality in patients wit... more Background. LCZ696 (valsartan/sacubitril) therapy significantly reduced mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). Although a clinical trial (PARADISE-MI Trial) has been ongoing to examine the effects of LCZ696 in myocardial infarction (MI) patients, the effects of LCZ696 on remodeling of cardiac electrophysiology in animal models remain largely unclear. Methods. We performed coronary artery ligation to create MI in Sprague-Dawley rats. Echocardiography was performed one week after MI to confirm the development of HF with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%. MI rats were randomly assigned to receive medical therapy for 4 weeks: LCZ696, enalapril, or vehicle. The sham-operation rats received sham operation without MI creation. In vivo electrophysiological exams were performed under general anesthesia. Western blot analyses were conducted to quantify ion channel proteins. Results. The HF-vehicle group did not show significant changes in LVEF. Both enalapril and LCZ696 therapy...
Identification of serological biomarker is urgently needed for cancer screening, monitoring cance... more Identification of serological biomarker is urgently needed for cancer screening, monitoring cancer progression, treatment response, and surveillance for recurrence in lung cancer. Therefore, we try to find new serological biomarker that has more specificity and sensitivity for lung cancer diagnostics. In this study, the 2-D liquid phase fractionation system (PF2D) and mass spectrometry approach has been used for comparison the serum profiles between lung cancer patients and healthy individuals. Eight proteins were identified form PF2D and subsequently by mass spectrometry. Among these proteins, haptoglobin (HP) and apolipoprotein AI (APOA1) were chosen and validated with turbidimetric assay. We found that HP levels were significantly higher and APOA1 levels were significantly lower in lung cancer patients. However, after the participants were stratified by gender, the expression trends of HP and APOA1 in lung cancer patients existed only in men, which is gender specific phenomenon. ...
The pro-tumoral effects of CCL5 have been identified in numerous cancer types. We successfully cu... more The pro-tumoral effects of CCL5 have been identified in numerous cancer types. We successfully cultivated 4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines, including TWES-1, TWES-3 and a pair of cell lines derived from primary lesion (TWES-4PT) and metastatic lymph node (TWES-4LN) of the same patient. Whole genome screening showed that TWES-4LN expressed higher levels of CCL5 compared to that of TWES-4PT; quantification of protein secretion displayed comparable results, suggesting that CCL5 could be associated with lymph node metastasis in ESCC. CCL5 knockdown by siRNA significantly reduced basal growth rate, tumor migration and invasiveness in the paired cell lines; whereas this treatment induced cell apoptosis in TWES-1 and TWES-3. CCR5 antagonist maraviroc significantly inhibited tumor migration and invasion in the paired cell lines without affecting tumor growth. Collectively, these results suggest that CCL5 autocrine loop may promote ESCC progression; targeting the CCL5/C...
Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Jan 6, 2018
The best preservation solution for a free vascular graft prior to coronary artery bypass grafting... more The best preservation solution for a free vascular graft prior to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains controversial. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the microenvironment of the human saphenous vein graft when preserved in normal saline (NS) solution or autologous heparinized whole blood (AWB). Between January 2014 and December 2014, 21 patients who underwent CABG were enrolled and a total of 162 saphenous vein graft rings were collected. NS and AWB were used to investigate the influence of the microenvironment. The hypoxia, oxidative stress and vascular apoptosis were assayed by western blot, and endothelial integrity was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. The level of PaO2 in AWB was lower than that in NS (median: 100.5 mmHg vs 185.8 mmHg, P = 0.004). This hypoxic condition led to the production of more hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (median: 60.1% vs 15.1%, P = 0.008) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (median: 52.6% vs 25%, P = 0.046) within 30 min ...
Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE, Jan 21, 2018
Piceatannol, a grape-derived polyphenol, has been linked to pro-arrhythmic properties by aggravat... more Piceatannol, a grape-derived polyphenol, has been linked to pro-arrhythmic properties by aggravating inhomogeneous conduction delay in the ischemia-reperfusion (IR) zone to enhance arrhythmogenic alternans in heart failure (HF) rabbits. The underlying molecular mechanisms of piceatannol-induced conduction disturbance were unclear in this model. HF was induced by 4-weeks rapid ventricular pacing. IR injury was induced in vivo using a protocol of left coronary artery ligation and release. Left ventricular cardiomyocytes were isolated enzymatically for whole-cell patch-clamp studies. Piceatannol (10 μM) was administrated to test its inhibitory effect on sodium current (I ). Immunoblots studies and immunoenzymological staining were conducted in tissues sampled from the IR and remote zones. Peak I density was less in failing cardiomyocytes than control cardiomyocytes. IR injury further reduce peak I density in both groups. Piceatannol showed a greater I inhibitory effect in HF than contr...
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