经直肠超声引导前列腺靶向活检的应用进展

超声引导下系统性活检为目前前列腺癌诊断的金标准，然而由于系统性穿刺难以定位病灶，因此阴性率较高。近年来，随着新技术的发展，前列腺靶向穿刺活检越来越多的应用于临床。本文就前列腺靶向活检的临床应用进展做一综述。     

Application of neuroendoscopic surgical techniques in the assessment and treatment of cerebral ventricular infection

Cerebral ventricular infection(CVI) is one of the most dangerous complications in neurosurgery because of its high mortality and disability rates. Few studies have examined the application of neuroendoscopic surgical techniques(NESTs) to assess and treat CVI. This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted using clinical data of 32 patients with CVI who were assessed and treated by NESTs in China. The patients included 20 men and 12 women with a mean age of 42.97 years. NESTs were used to obliterate intraventricular debris and pus, fenestrate or incise the intraventricular compartment and reconstruct cerebrospinal fluid circulation, and remove artificial material. Intraventricular irrigation with antibiotic saline was applied after neuroendoscopic surgery(NES). Secondary hydrocephalus was treated by endoscopic third ventriculostomy or a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Neuroendoscopic findings of CVI were used to classify patients into Grade I(n = 3), Grade II(n = 13), Grade III(n = 10), and Grade IV(n = 6) CVI. The three patients with grade I CVI underwent one NES,the 23 patients with grade II/III CVI underwent two NESs, and patients with grade IV CVI underwent two(n = 3) or three(n = 3) NESs.The imaging features and grades of neuroendoscopy results were positively related to the number of neurosurgical endoscopic procedures.Two patients died of multiple organ failure and the other 30 patients fully recovered. Among the 26 patients with secondary hydrocephalus,18 received ventriculoperitoneal shunt and 8 underwent endoscopic third ventriculostomy. There were no recurrences of CVI during the 6-to 76-month follow-up after NES. Application of NESTs is an innovative method to assess and treat CVI, and its neuroendoscopic classification provides an objective, comprehensive assessment of CVI. The study trial was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China.     

Dynamic changes in miR-124 levels in patients with acute cerebral infarction

Objective: To investigate the changes in serum miR-124 levels in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) and elucidate the underlying mechanism by a dynamic monitor.

Methods: Fifty-four patients with ACI and 51 healthy controls were included in our study. Baseline characteristics and blood samples were collected for further analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the serum miR-124 levels. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to evaluate the effect of miR-124 on iASPP, a protein that inhibits apoptosis stimulating proteins in the p53 family.

Results: Compared with normal controls, the miR-124 levels in the ACI group rapidly decreased at phase 1 (within 24?h after ischemia) (p?<?0.001) and then gradually increased at phase 2 (48?～?72?h after ischemia) (p?<?0.001) and phase 3 (the 7th day after ischemia) (p?<?0.001). The dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-124 down-regulates iASPP expression in 293T cells.

Conclusion: The miR-124 levels are down-regulated in ACI patients. The dynamic changes of miR-124 might provide a possible method for the detection of ischemic stroke.

• Highlights

• The difference in miR-124 expression levels between ACI patients and normal controls.

• Dynamic changes of miR-124 expression levels in ACI patients.

• The down-regulation of miR-124 upon iASPP expression.

     

Double‐chambered left ventricle diagnosis by 2D and 3D echocardiography: From fetus to birth

Double‐chambered left ventricle (DCLV) is a rare cardiac anomaly and is characterized by the division of the left ventricle by abnormal muscle and/or fiber bundles into two chambers. We hereby report a fetus which was diagnosed with DCLV in utero by 2D and 3D Fetal echocardiography and the findings were confirmed after birth.     

Improvements in epidermal function prevent relapse of psoriasis: a self‐controlled study

While therapeutic approaches for psoriasis are widely available, preventive regimens are lacking. We aimed to determine whether improvements in epidermal function could prevent psoriasis relapse. Two self‐controlled cohort studies were designed, enrolling two cohorts of patients with psoriasis (n = 30 and n = 60) to be treated topically with an in‐house‐prepared emollient or ATOPALM^® cream applied twice daily to one forearm for 20 and 30 days, respectively, while the same sites on the contralateral arm served as the untreated control. Epidermal function on both arms was assessed prior to and at the end of the trials. Delayed relapse on the treated arm was seen in 54.5% and 71% of patients in the first and second cohort, respectively. The time of psoriatic relapse correlated with the extent of abnormalities in baseline epidermal function. These results suggest that improvements in epidermal function with topical emollients can prevent/attenuate the development of psoriasis.