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Objectives: The effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) treatment on wound healing and macrophage polarization was investigated in vivo. Animal models of oral ulcers were simulated through chemically induced oral ulcers in rats. Materials and Methods: PBM treatment using an infrared pulsed laser was used to treat oral ulcers in the animal models. Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups depending on set absorbed energy: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (30 J), Group 3 (60 J), and Group 4 (100 J). Laser treatment was performed every other day for 8 days after ulcer confirmation. Parameters used were as follows: wavelength 808 nm, power output 50 mW, spot size 10 mm, frequency 10 Hz, and pulse duration 1 millisecond. Ulcers were measured to determine the effect of the treatments over time. Histology, immunostaining, and real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of PBM treatment on macrophage-related (IL-6/IL-10) and wound-healingrelated (TNF-α/TGF-β/MMP-2) cytokine expression. Results: Histological examinations indicate that the PBM treatment stimulated a higher level of wound recovery after 8 days of treatment at 60 J absorbed energy compared to other treatment groups. Analyses of relative gene expression of proinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and tissue remodeling cytokines indicate that the macrophages in the tissue samples were predominantly characterized as M2 subtypes (alternatively activated), which possibly accounts for the accelerated tissue repair in the animal model of oral ulcer. Conclusion: This preliminary study stands as a proof of concept regarding the potential use of infrared laser PBM treatment for oral ulcers which have not been previously investigated upon. PBM treatment affects macrophage polarization and enhances wound healing. Further experimentation will be conducted to expand the understanding of how PBM treatment affects the healing mechanism of ulcers.

Purpose: Among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), those with intracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO) should undertake endovascular treatment (EVT) based on mechanical thrombectomy. Although the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification system has been used in overall population of patients with AIS, especially for secondary prevention. In the current study, a new classification system for the LVO population is proposed.Methods: The classic TOAST and Stop Stroke Study TOAST (SSS TOAST) were applied to the LVO population. Based on discordance with those systems, a new LVO classification system was developed and applied to the LVO population. The new system comprised extracranial atherosclerosis (ECAS), intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS), cardioembolism (CE), cryptogenic embolism, stroke of undetermined etiology (SUE; two or more etiologies), and stroke of other determined etiology (SOE) where small artery occlusion was removed.Results: The LVO classification system comprised 43 ECAS (6.52%), 141 ICAS (21.36%), 303 CE (45.91%), 75 cryptogenic embolism (11.36%), 75 SUE (11.36%; cardioembolic source in 98.67%), and 23 SOE (3.48%) patients. The ICAS group had a significantly longer median onset-to-puncture time than the other groups. In the ICAS group, 102 of 141 (72.34%) remained partial recanalization after EVT.Conclusion: The LVO classification system differentiating ECAS and ICAS in patients with large artery atherosclerosis and classifying cryptogenic embolism is more suitable for patients with EVT for intracranial LVO. Further studies for predicting underlying ICAS and planning treatment strategy should be performed.

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