Laser ablation of hard tissue allows very precise pre-programmed incisions with complete free geometry and it has advantage of leaving no tissue damages. Those disadvantages of thermal side effects and low cutting rates had been overcome by introducing ultra-short pulses and ultra-power laser systems. This review highlights the recent advances in the laser ablation of hard tissues.

Chest?regional recurrence and metastasis are the main modes of treatment failure after surgery for patients with esophageal cancer. As one of the primary approaches for local therapy, radiotherapy has a satisfactory efficacy in the reduction of postoperative chest?regional recurrence in patients with esophageal cancer. Right now, the value of postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients with positive lymph nodes has been widely recognized by clinicians. Postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy has become a standard treatment mode. However, there is no consensus on whether adjuvant radiotherapy should be performed in patients with negative lymph nodes. To determine whether patients with stage pN0 esophageal cancer should receive postoperative adjuvant therapy, this paper reviews the current research advances in possible evidence for the necessity of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with stage pN0 esophageal cancer, current related reports, and the effects of different surgical methods on treatment outcomes of postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Ojective To study the diagnosis and treatment of upper extremity edema after radical mastectomy. Methods Diagnosis depended on B type ultrasoundgraphy, CT, lymphography, venography, biopsy and axilla exploration. Lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) with microsurgery technology was used for the treatment of simple lymphoedema. Results In 40 cases of lymphoedma after radical mastectomy, 7 patients were diagnosed as metastasis of cancer. 3 patients were diagnosed obstrcution of lymphatic and vein. 30 patients with simple lymphedema were treated with LVA. Short term efficacy was observed in all patients.The efficacy at 3～12 years was 83.3%. Conclusion The diagnosis of upper limb edema after radical mastectomy is essential. Metastasis and obstruction of vein are the causes. Biopsy conducted under high frequency B type ultrasoundgraphy may be a good method for the diagnsosis of matastasis, but a few patients were diagnosed only by axilla exploration. LVA may be given first priority to the theraphy of lymphedema after radical mastectomy.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic values of direct lymphangiography for the thoracic duct outlet obstruction.Methods The image data of direct lymphangiography were retrospectively analyzed in 124 patients with lymphedema,Chylothorax,chylous ascites,chyluria and intestinal lymphangiectasis,and compared with the results of neck thoracic duct surgical exploration,2 radiologists reviewed DLG DSA images in a double blind manner.The number of neck stem,subclavian stem,bronchialmediastinal stem and TD terminal into blood obstruction on the operation side showed by DLG were assessed using Kappa analysis.Results Of 124 patients,80 patients had the left cervical lymphatic stem reflux on DLG,75 patients with the left subclavian lymphatic stem reflux,30 patients with the left bronchial-mediastinal lymphatie stem reflux,118 patients showed the thoracic duct outlet barrier into the blood.The consistency rate of DLG were 89.9％ (80/89),92.6％ (75/81),90.9％ (30/33) and 95.2％ (118/124) compared with the neck thoracic duct surgical exploration.Tow radiologists had a high degree of diagnostic consistency (K =0.82,P ＜ 0.05).In addition,114 patients (91.9％) had tortuous,dilated waist lymphatic stem,only 10 patients (8.1％) were normal.The cisterna chyli reflux were found in 92 patients (74.2％),intestinal stem reflux in 16 patients (12.9％),reflux to the kidney area in 11 patients (8.9％),to the pericardium reflux in 5 patients (4.0％),vaginal lymphatic leakage in 7 patients (5.6％),retroperitoneal lymph leakage in 2 patients (1.6％),pleural lymphatic leakage in 3 patients (2.4％),tracheal lymph leakage in 1 patient (0.8％).Conclusion Direct lymphangiography has a high consistency with the cervical thoracic duct surgical exploration in displaying thoracic duct outlet obstruction.

Objective To evaluate the prognostic significance of 3 clinical stage system in 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods From January 2004 to August 2007, 179 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were treated with 3DCRT.Before radiation, each patient was staged with UICC 2003 TNM stage, stage of Chinese esophageal cancer cooperation group (cooperation group' stage), and Zhu's clinical stage respectively. Concordance of each clinical stage and prognosis was analyzed with SPSS 11.5. Results In 179 cases of esophageal cancer,Concordance was better in T stage ( Kappa = 0. 271 ) than in TNM stage ( Kappa = 0. 167 ) between cooperation group' stage and Zhu's stage. Among them, 98 cases was staged with UICC stage, concordance of T stage was better between UICC-T and cooperation group' T stage (Kappa =0. 261 ) than between UICCT and Zhu's T stage (Kappa = 0. 045 ) ;concordance of TNM stage was better between UICC-TNM and Zhu's TNM stage ( Kappa = 0. 597 ) than between UICC-TNM and cooperation group' TNM stage ( Kappa =0. 299 ). With multivariate analysis, T ( χ2 value is 11.58, 26. 00 and 51.05, all P ＜ 0. 01 ), N ( χ2 value is 15.28, 16. 10 and 16. 10,all P＜0. 01), M (χ2 value is 5.59, 27.78 and 27.78,all P＜0. 01), and TNM (χ2 value is 15.77, 34,35 and 51. 10,all P＜0. 01 ) stage in 3 kinds of clinical stage were independent prognostic factors. In UICC stage, T1-T3 was difficult to definite and the prognosis was not significantly different in T1 -T3 stage. Conclusions In this study, 3 kinds of clinical stage could evaluate prognosis of esophageal cancer after radiotherapy;cooperation group' stage and Zhu's stage need further application, with further accuracy needed.

Objective To investigate the neural mechanism of inhibitory control in sensation seeking by using the event-related potential(ERP) technique. Methods High and low sensation seekers( 16 people in each group ), who were selected according to their sensation seeking scores, performed a Go/Nogo task in which the stimuli possessed two levels of difficulty. Electro- encephalogram(EEG) signals were recorded continuously by a set of 32 Ag/AgCI electrodes. Results For two types of stimuli ( Congruent, Incongruent) :( 1 )The amplitude(FCZ) of Nogo N2 and Nogo P3 were( (1.61 ±4.25)μV,(-2.32±4.55)μV)and((16.44±5.74)μV,(17.00±5.71)μV). (2)There was no significant main effects of group for the Nogo N2 amplitude( F (1.30) =0.31, P=0. 59,η2=0. 01;F(1.30) =0.07,P=0.80,η2=0.002) ,the N2d amplitude( F(1.30) =1.18,P=0.29,η2=0.04;F(1.30) =0.004, P=0.95, η2 ＜ 0.001 ) ,the Nogo P3 amplitude( F (1.30) =0.13, P=0.72, η2 =0.004;F(1.30)=0.28, P=0.60, η2 =0.009) and the P3d amplitude( F(1.30) =0.08, P=0.50, η2 =0.02; F (1.30) =0.56,P=0.46, η2 =0.02). (3)Neither of main effects for the N2 and P3 latency was significant (P＞0.05). Conclusion The inhibitory control is similar across high and low sensation seeking groups,indicating that there is no relationship between the sensation seeking behaviors and the individual inhibitory control.

Objective To investigate the differences of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF)in the resting state between short-term heroin and methamphetamine abusers after withdrawal.Methods Sixteen male short-term heroin abusers and fourteen male short-term methamphetamine abusers were performed the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).The differences of ALFF be-tween the two groups were performed with preprocessing softwares.Threshold was set to 0.05.Results Compared with metham-phetamine-dependent patients,heroin-dependent patients showed increased ALFF in the left side of the lingual gyrus and the left ton-sil of cerebellum and decreased ALFF in the left side of the brain stem,midbrain and the left side of the cerebellar vermis.Conclusion There are differences between the short-term heroin and methamphetamine abusers in the function of the brain,mainly involving the brain regions associating with cognition and affection.

Objective To investigate temperature changes in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of heroin addicts with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).Methods 18 heroin addicts in the withdrawal state and 18 healthy volunteers (control group) were performed with MRS scan.First, resting-state MRS scan was performed on all subjects, and then did MRS scan again under visual stimulation while subjects were asked to carefully watch the heroin-related cue images.Measurements of NAA of the identified regions (the prefrontal cortex, bilateral hippocampus) were obtained from all subjects.Brain temperatures were calculated by the modified brain temperature-chemical shift equation.Results In resting state, the temperature of prefrontal cortex in heroin addicts group was higher than the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05),and the brain temperature was positively correlated with total dose of heroin (P<0.05).The prefrontal cortex/hippocampus temperature of heroin addicts group did not showed statistical significance between resting state and visual stimulation state (P>0.05).Conclusion MRS can be used to measure brain temperature noninvasively.Temperature change of brain may be helpful for exploring the mechanism of drug addiction and craving.

Objective To investigate the effects of inhibition of MDC1 protein expression on xenografted tumors in nude mice,and to observe the histopathological and cellular changes in nude mice.Methods Three pairs of effective and control short hairpin RNA targeting MDC1 mRNA were designed and cloned into the pSIH1-H1-copGFP vector.Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to determine the mRNA and protein expression of MDC1.After selection by copGFP reporter gene,cells were divided into negative transfection group (ECA109-N) and MDC1 transfection group (ECA109-M).The transfected cells were injected into nude mice.The mice were divided into ECA109 group,ECA109-N group,and ECA109-M group.Each group was divided into irradiation subgroup and non-irradiation subgroup.The changes in tumor size after irradiation were evaluated in each group.Western blot was used to measure the expression of CHK1,CHK2,and CHK2T68 in xenografted tumors.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis of tumor cells in nude mice.The variance analysis was used to compare the mean of multiple groups,and the SNK-q test was used in the two two groups.Results The pMDC1-shRNA plasmid was successfully constructed and used to transfect ECA109 cells.ECA109-M cells were obtained by stable transfection with the recombinant plasmid.All inoculated nude mice survived with visible xenografted tumors at the underside of the paw in about one week.There was no swelling and wound in inoculation sites.There was no significant difference in tumor size between different groups (P＞0.05).The tumor growth in the ECA109 group and the ECA109-N group significantly slowed down after irradiation with a dose of 15 Gy (P＜0.05).Compared with the other two groups,the ECA109-M group had a significant smaller tumor size,significantly slower relative tumor growth,and significantly higher growth inhibition (all P＜0.05).The q value of the ECA109-M group was 1.36.In the ECA109-M group,there were no significant changes in the protein expression of CHK1 and CHK2 after irradiation (P＞ 0.05);however,the phosphorylation of CHK2T68 protein was significantly reduced after irradiation (P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in cell cycle distribution or the proportion of apoptotic cells in tumor tissue between the three groups (P＞0.05).Conclusions Inhibition of MDC1 protein expression by RNA interference can effectively inhibit the growth of xenografted tumors after irradiation in the nude mice by increasing their radiosensitivity.

Objective To analyze the outcomes and prognostic factors of esophageal carcinoma treated with three-dimensional eonformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Methods From January 2001 to August 2007, 209 patients with esophageal carcinoma treated with 3DCRT were retrospectively analyzed. The local control rotes, the survival rates and the related prognostic factors were evaluated with SPSS 11.5 software. Results The follow-up rate was 98. 1% by December 2008. The number of patients followed up for 1,3, 4 and 5 years was 209,131,95 and 56, respectively. The 1-, 3- and 4-year local control rates were 74. 9%, 50. 4% and 45. 8%, respectively. The 1-, 3-and 4-year overall survival rates were 64. 6%, 30. 8% and 23.6%, respectively, with a median survival time of 18 months. Univariate analysis showed that the significant prognostic factors included the degree of dysphagia, tumor site, lesion length in barium esophagogram and CT image, the largest diameter of lesion in CT image, T stage, N stage, clinical TNM stage, short term effect, and degree of acute esophagitis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the degree of dysphagia, primary tumor site, clinical stage, and radiotherapy technique (3DCRT or late half course 3DCRT) were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions Three-dimensional conformai radiotherapy is effective and feasible in the treatment of esophageal cancer. The degree of dysphagia, primary tumor site, and clinical stage are independent prognostic factors for survival of patients treated with 3DCRT.