OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of nucleolar pre-rRNA processing protein NIP7 (NIP7) in maintaining the malignant phenotype of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) and its molecular mechanisms. METHODS: NIP7 expression in ATC tissues and its gene knock-out effects in ATC cells were analyzed using gene expression microarray (GSE33630), proteome database (IPX0008941000) and the Dependency Map database, respectively. Expression and localization of NIP7 in normal thyroid cells, papillary thyroid cancer cells, and ATC cells were detected by Western blotting. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was transfected into ATC cells, and the knockdown efficiency of NIP7 was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 assay, colony formation was evaluated by colony formation assay, and tumor growth was assessed by xenograft tumor model in nude mice. SUnSET (surface sensing of translation) assay combined with co-immunoprecipitation were employed to evaluate the effect of NIP7 silencing on ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 C (UBE2C) translation. Finally, gene set enrichment analysis was used to identify shared pathways of NIP7 and UBE2C, which were validated by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with normal tissues and papillary thyroid cancer, NIP7 was significantly upregulated in ATC tissues, and had a gene knock-out fitness effect on different ATC cell lines. The relative protein levels of NIP7 in ATC cells were significantly higher than those in normal thyroid follicular cells, and the protein was mainly expressed in the nucleus. NIP7 silencing significantly inhibited cell proliferation and reduced colony formation. Xenograft tumor model showed that NIP7 knockdown significantly slowed down the growth of ATC xenograft, and the tumor volume and weight were significantly lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). NIP7 silencing downregulated the protein level of UBE2C, but did not affect the expression of UBE2C mRNA. Compared to the control group, UBE2C silencing significantly inhibited ATC cells proliferation (P<0.01) and colony formation (P<0.05). UBE2C overexpression reversed the proliferation-inhibitory effect induced by NIP7 silencing (P<0.01). Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that NIP7 and UBE2C were both involved in DNA replication. NIP7 or UBE2C silencing could significantly downregulate the expression levels of DNA polymerase epsilon, catalytic subunit 2 and replication factor C4 in DNA replication pathway. CONCLUSIONS NIP7 promotes ATC tumor growth by upregulating UBE2C to mediate DNA replication.
Humans ; Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes/genetics* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/genetics* ; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic/genetics* ; Animals ; Mice, Nude ; Mice ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Up-Regulation ; RNA, Small Interfering/genetics* ; Nuclear Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic

The endoscopic thyroidectomy by gasless unilateral axillary approach (GUA) represents a significant advancement in the field of endoscopic thyroid surgery, offering notable aesthetic and clinical therapeutic benefits. This paper reviewed the current clinical application, core technological innovations, quality control systems, and future developmental directions of GUA. Research indicated that GUA achieved surgical outcomes comparable to traditional open surgery in the treatment of benign thyroid tumors and thyroid cancer, while substantially enhancing cosmetic results and patient satisfaction. By optimizing the surgical approach design, enhancing cavity construction equipment, and standardizing the operational process, GUA markedly reduced the incidence of postoperative complications, preserved the anterior cervical functional area, and improved patients' postoperative quality of life. Furthermore, multidisciplinary collaboration and thorough pre-operative evaluation were fundamental to surgical success, while intraoperative quality control measures and a comprehensive postoperative follow-up system ensured the safety and efficacy of the procedure. In the future, the integration of robotic technology and advancements in single-site devices are anticipated to enhance the role of GUA in endoscopic thyroid surgery, thereby offering patients more minimally invasive and aesthetically favorable treatment options.

Objective:To investigate the optimal delay time in the quantitative assessment of myocardial fibrosis based on dual-energy CT extracellular volume fraction (DECT-ECV), using MRI as a reference.Methods:Thirty patients with confirmed or suspected of cardiomyopathy were prospectively enrolled in this study. All the patients underwent both cardiac DECT and MRI examination within one week. According to the imaging features of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on MRI, myocardial segments were classified into 3 types: ischemic LGE segments, non-ischemic LGE segments and negative LGE segments. According to the DECT delay time, the whole and segmental myocardium were divided into 3 groups: delay of 3 min (Group A), delay of 5 min (Group B) and delay of 7 min (Group C). Correlation and agreement between CT-ECV and MRI-ECV were performed on a basis of overall myocardium and segmental myocardium. Pearson or Spearman test was used for correlation analysis and Bland-Altman test was used for consistency analysis.Results:Thirty patients with 480 segments were finally included in our study. In the analysis based on overall myocardium, MRI-ECV was 33.12%±4.29%, and CT-ECV were 35.81%±4.48%, 36.02%±4.56%, and 36.58%±4.69% in Group A, B, and C, respectively. The agreement between DECT-ECV and MRI-ECV results was good, with the correlation coefficients of 0.878 (group A), 0.955 (Group B) and 0.947 (Group C) (all P<0.001). In the analysis based on segmental myocardium, as for the ischemic LGE myocardial segments, MRI-ECV was 34.60%(31.70%,39.40%), and CT-ECV were 37.50 (34.20, 41.90), 38.20%(36.20%, 40.60%)and 39.40%(35.50%,42.40%)in Group A, B, and C, respectively. The agreement between DECT-ECV and MRI-ECV results was good, with the correlation coefficients of 0.559, 0.695 and 0.682 (all P<0.001) for groups A, B and C, and as for non-ischemic LGE myocardial segments, MRI-ECV was 35.10% (32.68%, 38.70%), and CT-ECV were 38.15% (35.13%, 41.75%), 39.25% (35.78%, 42.20%) and 39.60% (35.88%,42.90%) in Group A, B, and C. The correlation coefficients of CMR-ECV and DECT-ECV of groups A, B and C were 0.531, 0.772 and 0.744 (all P<0.001), showing good agreement; as for negative LGE myocardial segments, MRI-ECV and CT-ECV of Group A, Group B, Group C were 28.50%(27.00%, 30.10%), 31.10%(28.70%, 34.60%), 31.30%(28.40%, 33.80%), 31.30%(29.20%, 34.80%). The correlation coefficients between MRI-ECV and DECT-ECV of group A, B and C were 0.273, 0.508 and 0.425 (all P<0.001), which also showed good agreement. Conclusions:DECT-ECV can be used for quantitative evaluation of myocardial histological features. DECT-ECV with a 5 min and 7 min delay shows good correlation and agreement with MRI-ECV. In order to make this technology more well-known and improve its application capability, our recommendation for clinical practice is a 5 min delay after contrast administration in clinical practice.

Objective To enhance the standardization of surgical operations,shorten the learning curve,and reduce surgical complications by summarizing common errors and proposing solutions for beginners during pre-study of cavity construction in non-inflatable axillary approach laparoscopic thyroid surgery.Methods A retrospective analysis was made on 210 patients who underwent noninflatable axillary approach luminal thyroid surgery at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery,Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital,between January 2022 and June 2023.Among them,150 patients were luminalized by the practitioners in the practice group,while 60 patients were luminalized by the practitioners in the skilled group.The occurrence of nine common errors during cavity construction,such as supraclavicular nerve injury and scapulohumeral muscle injury,was assessed and compared between the two groups.Results There was no statistically significant difference in age,gender,tumor diameter,tumor location or pathology type between the two groups(P＞0.05).The staff in the practice group had a significant difference in supraclavicular cutaneous nerve injury(19.33％vs.3.33％),scapulohumeral muscle injury or disarticulation(16.00％vs.0),anterior cervical band of free excess(24.00％vs.3.33％),pectoralis major muscle and supraclavicular fascia injury(16.00％vs.5.00％),external jugular vein and genuine branch injury(8.00％vs.0),excessive freeing of the sternoclavicular joint(7.33％vs.0),and incorrect entry of the sternocleidomastoid muscle gap(8.67％vs.0)were significantly higher in incidence than the employees in the skilled group(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference between employees in the practice group and those in the skilled group in terms of injury to the internal jugular vein and its geniculate branches(4.00％vs.0),and incorrect entry of the anterior cervical strap muscles into the hierarchy(2.00％vs.0)(P＞0.05).Conclusion The incidence of damage to the surrounding tissue was significantly higher in the novice group than in the expert group during endoscopic thyroid surgery for space construction.A solid anatomical foundation and proficient endoscopic surgical technique serve as fundamental prerequisites for achieving a successful space system construction.By summarizing common challenges and providing corresponding solutions encountered during endoscopic thyroid surgery,this study further enhances and refines the learning system for total endoscopic thyroid procedures.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of prospective ECG-gated high-pitch protocol scanning of third generation DSCT in the diagnosis of pediatric congenital heart disease (CHD).Methods:A total of 243 children with confirmed CHD who were expected to undergo surgical treatment were prospectively collected and randomly divided evenly into 3 groups, with first group for prospective ECG-gated high-pitch scanning in third generation DSCT (Flash 3rd), second group for prospective ECG-gated high-pitch scanning in second generation DSCT (Flash 2nd) and third group for prospective sequential scanning in third generation DSCT (Sequence 3rd). The SD value and SNR of aortic root and pulmonary artery of each child were recorded. The 5-point system is adopted with subjective scoring. Based on the result of operation, the diagnosis accuracy in 3 groups was analyzed. Results:The E values in Flash 3rd, Flash 2nd and Sequence 3rd group were 0.24 (0.19, 0.27), 0.11 (0.10, 0.14) and 0.44 (0.39, 0.48) mSv ( H=207.04, P<0.05), respectively. Subjective scores of group Flash 3rd and Sequence 3rd were significantly higher than that of group Flash 2nd [4 (4, 4) vs. 4(3, 4) vs. 3(3, 3), H=124.05, P<0.05] and no difference between these two groups. SD value of aortic root and pulmonary artery of group Flash 3rd and Sequence 3rd were significantly lower than that of group Flash 2nd( H= -40.27-33.38, P<0.05). SNR of aortic root and pulmonary artery of group Flash 3rd was significantly higher than that of group Flash 2nd and Sequence 3rd ( H=-0.90-51.42, P<0.05). Diagnosis accuracy of intracardiac malformation for group Flash 2nd was significantly lower than that of Flash 3rd and Sequence 3rd (77.7%, 90.9%, 88.9%, K=9.36, P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the latter two groups. There was no difference in diagnosis accuracy of extracardiac malformation among 3 groups (88.6%, 94.8%, 92.2%, K=3.11, P=0.21). Conclusions:The prospective ECG-gated high-pitch scanning in third generation DSCT can take into account radiation dose and image quality, which has important clinical value in the diagnosis of CHD.

Objective:To investigate the effectiveness, safety, and advantages of modified radical neck dissection by gasless unilateral axillary approach (GUA-MRND) in the surgical management of selected patients with papillary thyroid cancer.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed patients with papillary thyroid cancer who underwent GUA-MRND (endoscopic group, n=16) versus unilateral open modified radical neck dissection (MRND) (open group, n=32) during the period from Jan. 2019 to Jun. 2021, including the differences in surgical efficiency, complication rate, and incisional satisfaction.Results:Compared MRND with GUA-MRND, the patients were younger ( P<0.05) , operative time and postoperative drainage anterior ( P<0.01) were slightly inferior in the latter, but it had obvious advantages in cervical swallowing discomfort and incision satisfaction evaluation ( P<0.05) . There was no significant difference in the incidence of temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, hematoma, infection, lymphatic or chylous leakage and supraclavicular numbness after surgery ( P>0.05) . The number of dissected lymph nodes in area II in the GUA-MRND was lower ( P<0.05) , but it was significantly higher ( P<0.01) in area III. And the average regional cleaning efficiency in the GUA-MRND was level Ⅲ (35.5%) , level Ⅵ (28.59%) , level Ⅳ (23.21%) , level Ⅱ (7.18%) and level Ⅴ (7.12%) , suggested that GUA-MRND had higher efficacy for level III, level Ⅵ and Level IV. Conclusion:GUA-MRND is safe, effective, and has high cosmetic satisfaction in the treatment of selected patients with lateral cervical lymph node metastases from papillary thyroid cancer.

The incidence of thyroid tumors has been increasing recent years,the importance of quality of life has been more concerned in addition to radical treatment.Traditional open surgery has been unable to meet the needs of all patients.In recent years,the continuous innovation and vigorous development of minimally invasive techniques,including endoscopy,ablation,and robotics,have expanded the range of available surgical options.In this review,we summarized the advancements in minimally invasive surgery for thyroid tumors,focusing on how to select the most appropriate surgical approach based on the patient's condition and develop personalized treatment plans.

Soft tissue defects resulting from head and neck tumor resection seriously impact the physical appearance and psychological well-being of patients. The complex curvature of the human head and neck poses a formidable challenge for maxillofacial surgeons to achieve precise aesthetic and functional restoration after surgery. To this end, a normal head and neck volunteer was selected as the subject of investigation. Employing Gaussian curvature analysis, combined with mechanical constraints and principal curvature analysis methods of soft tissue clinical treatment, a precise developable/non-developable area partition map of the head and neck surface was obtained, and a non-developable surface was constructed. Subsequently, a digital design method was proposed for the repair of head and neck soft tissue defects, and an in vitro simulated surgery experiment was conducted. Clinical verification was performed on a patient with tonsil tumor, and the results demonstrated that digital technology-designed flaps improved the accuracy and aesthetic outcome of head and neck soft tissue defect repair surgery. This study validates the feasibility of digital precision repair technology for soft tissue defects after head and neck tumor resection, which effectively assists surgeons in achieving precise flap transplantation reconstruction and improves patients' postoperative satisfaction.
Humans ; Plastic Surgery Procedures ; Surgical Flaps/surgery* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/surgery* ; Head/surgery* ; Neck/surgery*

Objective:To investigate the feasibility and safety of endoscopic thyroidectomy by gasless unilateral axillary approach.Methods:A matching study was conducted to analyze 21 patients with etgua of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital from Mar. 2019 to Sep. 2021, including 8 cases of bilateral radical thyroidectomy and 13 cases of unilateral radical thyroidectomy + contralateral lobectomy (benign) . At the same time, 23 patients who underwent conventional thyroidectomy were matched as controls, including 8 cases of bilateral radical thyroidectomy and 15 cases of unilateral radical thyroidectomy + contralateral lobectomy (benign) . The operation process was recorded, and the differences in operation safety, postoperative recovery and incision satisfaction between endoscopic group and open group were compared.Results:The operation time in the endoscopy group was longer than that in the open group. The postoperative drainage volume in the endoscopy group was larger than that in the open group. There was no significant difference in the amount of intraoperative bleeding, postoperative stay in hospital or the incidence of complications. The neck pain scores in the endoscopic group were lowter than those in the open group. In terms of postoperative cosmetic satisfaction, the endoscopic group was higher than the open group.Conclusion:Endoscopic bilateral thyroidectomy by gasless unilateral axillary approach is a safe and effective surgical method, and has high cosmetic satisfaction.

Objective:To compare the postoperative neck pain, discomfort and swallowing difficulty in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) after conventional open thyroidectomy (COT) and endoscopic thyroidectomy using the gasless unilateral axillary approach (ET-UA) .Methods:The study included 117 female patients with PTC who underwent unilateral thyroid lobectomy plus central neck dissection using COT ( n=68) or ET-UA ( n=48) performed by the same experienced surgeon. Subjective neck pain, discomfort and swallowing alterations were assessed by questionnaire 3 day and 6 months postoperatively. Surgical scar and cosmetic satisfaction evaluation were implemented 6 months postoperatively. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis, the rate or composition ratio was compared by the χ2 test or the exact probability method, and the significance test of the difference in sample means was tested by analysis of variance. Results:Three days after surgery, the neck pain scores of COT group and ET-UA group were (2.13±1.07) and (2.31±1.07) ( P=0.368) ; the neck injury index was (5.13±3.02) and (5.31±3.00) ( P=0.748) ; the dysphagia index was 5 (0.49±3.47) and (3.77±2.96) ( P=0.006) . At 6 months postoperatively, the neck pain scores in COT group and ET-UA group group were (0.52±0.61) and (0.60±0.74) ( P=0.510) ; the neck injury index was (2.10±1.71) and (2.38±2.35) ( P=0.467) ; the dysphagia index was (2.68±2.36) and (1.81±1.83) ( P=0.034) , respectively. Conclusion:Our preliminary study shows that there is no significant differences in postoperative neck pain or discomfort between COT groups and ET-UA group, whereas the impact of ET-UA on swallow function is relatively small than COT.