Objective To estimate the value of detection of Merkel cell carcinoma polyomavirus (MCPyV)in the diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).Methods Two cases of MCC were studied using light microscopy and immunohistochemistry.PCR was performed to detect DNA sequences encoding MCPyV large T antigen(LT)and viral protein 1 (VP1) in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from the two patients with MCC,five patients with T cell lymphoma,two normal human controls,as well as in two T cell lymphoma cell lines MAC 1 and MAC2.DNA sequencing was also carried out.Results Both of the patients with MCC were male.The patient 1 presented with a mass in the right anterior shin for more than one year,and the patient 2 had a mass in the left knee for more than six months.Skin examination revealed densely distributed pink nodules in the right anterior shin,with confluence into an indurated plaque which measured 10 cm × 8 cm with superficial erosion,exudates and crusts and was surrounded by multiple irregularly sized erythematous nodules with limited mobility in the patient 1,as well as a royal blue,hard,poorly marginated nodular mass measuring 5 cm × 4 cm in the left medial knee with limited mobility in the patient 2.Pathological manifestations were similar in the two patients.Tumor cells were uniform with large hyperchromatic nuclei,eosinophilic and sparse cytoplasm,and fine chromatin.Mitotic figures were easily seen.Immunohistochemistry revealed that the tumor cells stained positive for pan-cytokeratin,synuclein (Syn),neuron-specific enolase (NSE),chromogranin (CgA),CK20,and Ki-67 (＞ or =60％),but negative for S100 protein,HMB45,CD34,thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTT-1),CK7 and leukocyte common antigen (LCA).MCPyV DNA was detected in both MCC specimens,but absent in the other skin specimens or T cell lymphoma cell lines.Conclusions MCC has distinctive clinical and pathological appearance.Immunohistochemistry and detection of MCPyV DNA sequences using PCR may be beneficial to the definitive diagnosis of MCC.

To explore the effect of growth hormone releasing peptide (GHRP) on myocardial cell apoptosis in heart failure (HF) rats. Methods: Rat's HF model was established by the ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery induced ischemia. 40 male SD rats were randomly assigned into 4 groups: Normal control group, Sham operation group, HF group and GHRP treated HF group. n=10 in each group and the rats were fed for 4 weeks after the operation. Cardiac function was examined and myocardial cell morphology was observed; protein expressions of Smac/DIABL0 and Bcl-2 were measured by Western blot analysis; cell apoptosis was evaluated by FCM technique. The differences for above parameters were compared among groups to explore the effect of GHRP on myocardial cell apoptosis in HF rats. Results: Compared with HF group, GHRP treated HF group showed the less heart dilation, higher LVEF, lighter pathological changes in myocardial cells and decreased protein expression of Smac/DIABL0, all P<0.05. Bcl-2 level was lower in HF group than the other 3 groups, P<0.05. Compare with Normal control group, GHRP treated HF group had elevated Bcl-2 level, all P<0.05. Myocardial cell apoptosis index was different between HF group and GHRP treated HF group, P<0.05. Conclusion: The effect of GHRP on anti-HF should be via inhibiting myocardial cell apoptosis; the mechanism may partly be through promoting Bcl-2 protein expression and depressing Smac/DIABLO mediated mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis.

Objective:To summarize the clinical data and imaging characteristics of patients with PHACES syndrome treated with oral Propranolol.Methods:The clinical data of 4 cases of PHACES syndrome treated with oral Propranolol in Children′s Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from October 2018 to October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Relevant studies reporting the treatment of PHACES with Propranolol were retrieved in PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data.Results:Three cases of the 4 patients with PHACES syndrome treated with Propranolol obtained relieved symptoms of facial hemangioma, and 1 case died due to late treatment, complication of severe cardiovascular malformation, and treatment abandonment by parents.A total of 7 clinical studies on the use of Propranolol in the treatment of PHACES were retrieved, including 6 retrospective studies and 1 observational study.Most studies have shown that Propranolol is well tolerated in the treatment of PHACES syndrome, and most of cases have relieved facial hemangioma.The main factors affecting the prognosis are the degree of damage to middle and small arteries such at brain, aorta, chest and neck.Propranolol treatment can improve the prognosis.Conclusions:Oral Propranolol is currently the first-line treatment for PHACES syndrome, and most patients tolerate oral Propranolol well.

Objective To study the effect of endovenous laser ablation combined with subfascial endoscopy therapy for venous ulcer of the lower limbs.Methods Clinical data of 112 patients undergoing endovenous laser ablation combined with subfascial endoscopy therapy for venous ulcer of the lower limbs from Oct 2011 to Feb 2016 was retrospectively evaluated.Results Patients had average 2-6 perforating veins in their affected lower limbs.Procedures were successful in all the patients,all the superficial varicose veins disappeared after 1 month and 1 year of ultrasound follow-up,perforating veins closed,ulcer healed,and chromatosis alleviated.Conclusion Endovenous laser ablation combined with subfascial endoscopy therapy for venous ulcer of the lower limbs is effective,safe and quick recovery.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of mesorectal excision in gasless transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy.Methods Clinical data of 75 patients who underwent gasless unilateral transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy from May 2020 to November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.A total of 40 cases were treated with mesorectal excision(observation group),and 35 cases were treated with thyroid resection followed with central lymph node resection(control group).The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative hospital stay,number of lymph nodes dissected,and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.Results All the patients successfully completed the operation.As compared with the control group,the observation group had shorter operation time[(91.8±19.7)min vs.(110.4±19.3)min,t =-4.133,P =0.000]and more lymph nodes dissected[(6.5±2.5)vs.(4.6±2.0),t = 3.610,P = 0.001].There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the amount of intraoperative bleeding,recurrent laryngeal nerve injury,and the postoperative hospital stay.There was no hypoparathyroidism,postoperative bleeding,or wound infection in both groups.Conclusion Mesorectal excision is safe and feasible in endoscopic thyroidectomy via axillary approach,with more thorough lymph node dissection in the central region and better protection of recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Objective To explore the learning curve of endoscopic mesothyroid excision via gasless axillary approach.Methods Clinical data of 44 patients who underwent endoscopic mesothyroid excision via gasless axillary approach between May 2020 and December 2022 by the same surgical team were retrospectively analyzed.Taking operation time as index,the learning curve of the operation was studied with the cumulative sum method(CUSUM).The cut-off value of the learning curve was regarded as the dividing line of different stages.The general data,operation time,intraoperative blood loss,hospital stay,number of lymph node dissection,and postoperative complications were compared between the different phases of the learning curve.Results The operations were successfully completed in all the 44 patients without conversion to open surgery.The cumulative sum fitting curve reached the top at the 21st case,which was used as the boundary to divide the learning curve into learning improvement stage and mature stable period.There was no statistically significant difference between the two stages in general data(P>0.05).The operation time in the learning improvement stage was significantly longer than in the mature stable period[(124.5±9.9)min vs.(82.0±8.8)min,t =15.166,P =0.000].The incidence of postoperative sternocleidomastoid muscle swelling and stiffness in patients in the learning improvement stage was higher than that in the mature stable period,but the difference was not statistically significant[6 cases(28.6%)vs.1 case(4.3%),χ2 =3.174,P =0.075].There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of intraoperative bleeding,hospital stay,number of lymph node dissection,and other postoperative complications(all P>0.05).Conclusion To proficiently master the endoscopic mesothyroid excision via the gasless axillary approach,21 cases need to be completed.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME) -mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of facial port-wine stains (PWS) in children with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) .Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted based on the clinical data from SWS children treated with HMME-PDT at the Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from December 2020 to January 2022. HMME was intravenously injected at a dose of 5 mg/kg, followed by the irradiation of SWS lesions with a 532-nm light-emitting diode light source, and the treatment interval was 8 weeks. The efficacy of HMME-PDT for SWS was evaluated based on the subsidence of erythema and changes in the number and density of blood vessels under a dermoscope before and after treatment; adverse events after treatment were recorded. Fisher's exact test was used to analyze differences in efficacy.Results:A total of 15 children with SWS were included, comprising 7 males and 8 females, with an average age of 4.74 years (range, 1 - 14 years). There were 10 cases of clinical phenotype Ⅰ and 5 cases of type Ⅱ; 10 patients were accompanied by glaucoma, 6 by epilepsy, and 10 showed abnormalities on craniocerebral imaging. After HMME-PDT treatment, 4 out of 15 patients achieved complete remission of SWS lesions, 3 showed marked improvement, and 5 achieved improvement. Among 8 cases receiving 2 sessions of treatment, 1 achieved marked improvement and 4 showed improvement; among 7 cases receiving 3 or more sessions of treatment, 4 achieved complete remission, 2 achieved marked improvement, and 1 showed improvement; the proportions of patients achieving complete remission and marked improvement were significantly higher among those receiving 3 or more sessions of treatment than those receiving 2 sessions (both P < 0.05). Among 7 patients with pink-type PWS, 1 recovered completely, 2 achieved marked improvement, and 4 showed improvement; among 4 patients with purplish-red-type PWS, 3 recovered completely and 1 showed marked improvement; among 4 patients with thickened-type PWS, 1 achieved improvement; there was a significant difference in the proportions of patients achieving marked improvement or improvement among the patients with different types of PWS (both P < 0.05). Among 14 patients with lesions involving the central face region, 4 achieved marked improvement and 2 showed improvement; among 15 with lesions involving the lateral face region, 5 recovered completely, 3 achieved marked improvement, and 4 showed improvement; the recovery rate of lesions was higher in the lateral face region than in the central face region ( P < 0.05). Under a dermoscope, the skin lesions showed 4 vascular patterns: short rod-shaped vessels in 3 cases, linear vessels in 4, reticular vessels in 5, and mixed-type vessels in 3. The 3 patients with short rod-shaped vessels all recovered completely; among the 4 patients with linear vessels, 2 achieved marked improvement, and 2 showed improvement; among the 5 patients with reticular vessels, 1 recovered completely, 1 achieved marked improvement, and 3 showed improvement; the 3 patients with mixed-type vessels all showed poor response to the treatment; the proportions of patients who recovered completely and those who achieved improvement significantly differed among the patients with 4 different vascular patterns (both P < 0.05). All the children experienced varying degrees of pain, swelling, purpura, and crusting after treatment, but none exhibited exacerbation of ocular or neurological complications. Conclusion:HMME-PDT was safe and effective in the treatment of PWS in children with SWS, and its efficacy was related to the number of treatment sessions, lesion types and locations.