LAT-1 functions as a promotor in gastric cancer associated with clinicopathologic features

L-type amino-acid transporter 1 (LAT-1) is a member of system L-type transporters, essential for cells maintenance and proliferation. However, the role of LAT-1 remains illegible in gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we found that LAT-1 was aberrantly up-regulated in both GC cell lines (MKN-45, MGC-803 and CRL-5974) and human GC specimens. The expression characteristic of LAT-1 in GC was significantly associated with clinicopathologic features such as tumor size, lymph node metastasis, local invasion and TNM stage. By suppressing the expression of LAT-1 in MKN-45 cells, the cell cycle was arrested in G0/G1 phase, and the ability of cell proliferation was significantly decreased in vitro. Moreover, the cell migration and invasion of MKN-45 cells was significantly impaired by knocking down LAT-1. Thus, our results suggest that LAT-1 may function as an oncogene in GC, which provides us a new biomarker in GC and perhaps a potential target for GC prevention, diagnose and therapeutic treatment.     

The effect of immunosuppressive regimens on the recurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis after liver transplantation

Recurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been described in liver transplant recipients. Type of immunosuppression has been reported to influence the frequency of recurrence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the occurrence and pattern of recurrent PBC in our liver transplant recipients and determine any association of immunosuppressive agents with its recurrence. Patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for PBC were identified from the University of Chicago Liver Transplant Database. Recurrent PBC was diagnosed based on specific pathological criteria. Of 46 patients who underwent OLT for PBC between 1984 and 2000, a total of 7 patients (15%) were diagnosed with recurrent PBC at a median of 78 months (range, 27 to 120 months) after OLT. Forty-three percent of patients were administered cyclosporine, whereas 57% were administered tacrolimus before disease recurrence. Rates of recurrence were not different between patients maintained on cyclosporine therapy (16%) compared with those maintained on tacrolimus therapy (18%; P = 1.0). There also was no difference in frequency of rejection episodes or duration of corticosteroid therapy between those who did and did not have recurrent PBC. In conclusion, recurrent PBC developed in a small number of patients 2 years or longer after OLT. In our population, there was no difference in recurrence rates between those administered cyclosporine or tacrolimus for immunosuppression. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:733-736.)     

Cognate Th2–B Cell Interaction is Essential for the Autoantibody Production in Pemphigus Vulgaris

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a Th2-dominant autoimmune skin disease. We showed that indeed active PV patients had a biased Th2 response and specific IgG4 autoantibodies were dominant. To further investigate the role of antigen-specific Th2 cells in the regulation of pathogenic Dsg3-IgG antibody production, we used recombined Dsg3 protein to immunize wild-type C57BL/6 mice with aluminum hydroxide or complete Freund’s adjuvant as adjuvant. CD4⁺ T cells from Dsg3-immunized mice were adoptively transferred into TCR-β chain deficient mice. The transferred CD4⁺ T cells were readily seen in the peripheral blood and spleen, and interacted with B cells, resulting in B-cell activation. Furthermore, transferred CD4⁺ T cells from mice immunized with Dsg3 plus Alum with Th2 phenotype were able to render unprimed B cells to secrete Dsg3-specific IgG1 antibody in vivo. Taken together, these results provide the first demonstration of direct role of Dsg3-reactive CD4⁺ T (Th2) cells in the regulation of pathologic anti-Dsg3 antibody production.     

肛裂切除黏膜下移术治疗陈旧性肛裂的前瞻性多中心随机对照试验

背景：肛裂是常见肛肠科疾病之一,约10%陈旧性肛裂患者最终需要手术治疗。如何通过技术改良减轻手术痛苦和预防功能损伤是肛肠外科医师关注的热点。目的：评价肛裂切除黏膜下移术治疗陈旧性肛裂的疗效和安全性。设计、场所、对象和干预措施：采用前瞻性、多中心、随机、对照临床试验设计方案,纳入2009年1月～2010年4月来自上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院和上海市中医医院、上海交通大学医学院附属第九人民医院肛肠科住院的陈旧性肛裂患者120例,采用各分中心随机分层,随机分为试验组（肛裂切除黏膜下移术）和对照组（肛裂切除术）各60例。两组均采取手术治疗,术后观察期为2周,短期随访6周。主要结局指标：以治愈率、创面愈合时间和临床症状为主要观察指标,观察术后并发症以及手术前后肛管张力变化进行安全性评价。结果：3例患者（试验组1例,对照组2例）因术后1周内提早出院而退出试验。术后第6周,试验组疗效优于对照组（P〈0.05）。试验组创面愈合时间为（17.22±4.41）d,对照组为（21.24±7.44）d,两组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。术后第3天、第14天和第6周时试验组肛门疼痛程度轻于对照组（P〈0.05）;术后第3天和第14天,试验组肛门出血情况优于对照组（P〈0.05）,术后6周试验组与对照组出血情况比较,差异无统计学意义（P=0.051）。术后两组肛管张力比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。术后2周内两组患者并发症（排尿障碍、创缘水肿、术后发热、术后感染、肛门失禁、肛门变形）比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。两组均随访6周,所有随访患者未见术后并发症,未见复发。结论：陈旧性肛裂患者采用肛裂切除黏膜下移术能提高手术疗效,缩短疗程,改善患者术后痛苦,同时具有较好的安全性。     

Evaluation of coronary artery in-stent restenosis with prospectively ECG-triggered axial CT angiography versus retrospective technique: a phantom study

Purpose

This study compared the performance of prospectively electrocardiographically (ECG)-triggered axial computed tomography (CT) angiography with retrospective technique in evaluating coronary artery stent restenosis by 64-slice CT.

Materials and methods

A pulsing cardiac phantom with artificial coronary artery in-stent restenosis was examined by CT angiography with different types of scan modes. The visibility of in-stent restenosis was evaluated with a three-point score. Artificial lumen narrowing [(inner stent diameter-measured lumen diameter)/inner stent diameter], lumen attenuation increase ratio [(in-stent attenuation-coronary artery lumen attenuation)/coronary artery lumen attenuation], measurement error of restenosis percent [(known restenosis percent-measured restenosis percent)/known restenosis percent] and imaging noise were analysed.

Results

Prospective acquisition showed better visibility than retrospective acquisition (p<0.05): 61% of in-stent restenoses had good visibility on the prospective acquisition compared with 17% on the retrospective acquisition. Furthermore, the effective dose was 6.2±0.3 mSv for the prospective technique compared with 18.8±1.1 mSv for the retrospective technique. Artificial lumen narrowing (mean 40%), lumen attenuation increase ratio (mean 33%) and measurement error of restenosis percent were not different between types of CT acquisitions.

Conclusions

Compared with the traditional retrospective technique, prospective coronary CT angiography offers improved image quality and reduces effective radiation dose in evaluating in-stent restenosis.     

Primary choroid plexus papilloma in the pituitary fossa: case report and literature review

Choroid plexus papillomas are rare tumors of the central nervous system and are usually confined to the ventricular system. We illustrated a primary choroid plexus papilloma in the pituitary fossa. A 31-year-old female presented with amenorrhea and intermittent galactorrhoea, with no visual complaints in the last 2 years. Endocrine testing showed no hormone excess or deficiency of the pituitary and target glands, except for a higher prolactin level (56 ng/ml). A sharply circumscribed regular mass in the sellar region occupying the entire sella turcica and extending into the suprasellar cistern was demonstrated on MR imaging with gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid. The patient underwent an endonasal trans-sphenoidal approach. Complete microsurgical excision and complete preservation of the normal pituitary gland was achieved, with normal prolactin level. The histopathology showed that the lesion was a choroid plexus papilloma. Theories of the origin, the differential diagnosis, and treatment of the rare tumor are discussed.     

Relation between dynamic changes of platelet counts and 30-day mortality in severely burned patients

Thrombocytopenia is a common event in severely burned patients and associated with adverse outcome. The underlying relationship between the dynamic changes of platelet counts and mortality has not been well defined. We performed a 6-year retrospective chart of adult patients with a burn index of 50 or greater admitted to two burn centers and collected data on patient demographics, laboratory results, and patient outcomes. The mean daily increase in the platelet count (?PC/?t) from day 3 to day 10 was calculated, and 30-day mortality was determined. For the study, 141 survivors and 65 nonsurvivors were enrolled. The sequential changes in PCs presented a biphasic pattern after admission, with a slump to the nadir during the first 3 days and a subsequent recovery. With respect to 30-day mortality, compared with the AUC of APACHE-Ⅱ score (0.841), no significant difference was noted between ΔPC/ΔT and APACHE-Ⅱ score (p = 0.0648). The ΔPC/ΔT associated with the best discrimination between survivors and nonsurvivors was 20.57 × 10⁹/L due to the cutoff with optimal Youden index (0.453). By multiple logistic regression, ΔPC/ΔT ＜ 20.57 × 10⁹/L was one of the prognostic predictors of 30-day mortality. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier estimates of hospital survival according to the size of ΔPC/ΔT revealed that a blunted increase with ΔPC/ΔT ＜ 20.57 × 10⁹/L was associated with increased 30-day mortality. A blunted daily increase in PCs, especially ΔPC/ΔT < 20.57 × 10⁹/L, is associated with increased 30-day mortality, which provides prognostic information for mortality risk assessment in severely burned patients.     

Ten-Year Risk-Prediction Equations for Incident Heart Failure Hospitalizations in Chronic Kidney Disease: Findings from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

BackgroundHeart failure (HF) is a leading contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the population with chronic kidney disease (CKD). HF risk prediction tools that use readily available clinical parameters to risk-stratify individuals with CKD are needed.MethodsWe included Black and White participants aged 30–79 years with CKD stages 2–4 who were enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study and were without self-reported cardiovascular disease. We assessed model performance of the Pooled Cohort Equations to Prevent Heart Failure (PCP-HF) to predict incident hospitalizations due to HF and refit the PCP-HF in the population with CKD by using CRIC data-derived coefficients and survival from CRIC study participants in the CKD population (PCP-HF_CKD). We investigated the improvement in HF prediction with inclusion of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) into the PCP-HF_CKD equations by change in C-statistic, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement index (IDI). We validated the PCP-HF_CKD with and without eGFR and UACR in Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants with CKD.ResultsAmong 2328 CRIC Study participants, 340 incident HF hospitalizations occurred over a mean follow-up of 9.5 years. The PCP-HF equations did not perform well in most participants with CKD and had inadequate discrimination and insufficient calibration (C-statistic 0.64-0.71, Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino (GND) chi-square statistic P value < 0.05), with modest improvement and good calibration after being refit (PCP-HF_CKD: C-statistic 0.61–0.78), GND chi-square statistic P value > 0.05). Addition of UACR, but not eGFR, to the refit PCP-HF_CKD improved model performance in all race-sex groups (C-statistic [0.73–0.81], GND chi-square statistic P value > 0.05, delta C-statistic ranging from 0.03–0.11 and NRI and IDI P values < 0.01). External validation of the PCP-HF_CKD in MESA demonstrated good discrimination and calibration.ConclusionsRoutinely available clinical data that include UACR in patients with CKD can reliably identify individuals at risk of HF hospitalizations.