Switch From Twice-daily Tacrolimus to Once-daily,Prolonged-release Tacrolimus in Kidney Transplantation: Long-term Outcome

Background

One daily dose of tacrolimus (QDT) improves adherence in kidney transplant (KT) recipients. A switch from twice-daily tacrolimus (BDT) to QDT showed similar efficacy and safety.

Glimepiride prevents paraquat‐induced Parkinsonism in mice: involvement of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation

There is a growing number of epidemiological and molecular studies which suggest that diabetes is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). Hence, in this study, the effect of glimepiride (GPD), a sulphonylurea (antidiabetic) on paraquat (PQT)‐induced Parkinsonism was evaluated in mice. Thirty‐six mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6) and treated orally for 21 consecutive days as follows: Group 1: vehicle (10 mL/kg), Group 2: PQT (10 mg/kg, i.p., twice per week for 3 weeks), Group 3–5: GPD (1, 2 or 4 mg/kg) + PQT (10 mg/kg, i.p., twice per week for 3 weeks), Group 6: GPD (4 mg/kg, p.o.). The effects of the treatment on motor coordination were evaluated using the rotarod performance, bar and open field tests while working memory was assayed using Y‐maze test. Paraquat injection induced significant decrease in falling time, number of crosses and percentage alternation behaviour with a concomitant increase in the duration of cataleptic behaviour in the rotarod, open field, Y‐maze and bar tests, respectively, which was ameliorated by GPD treatment. PQT also increased lipid peroxidation, peroxynitrite and TNF‐α generations as well as deficit in superoxide dismutase and GSH activities in the midbrain. PQT‐induced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation was attenuated by GPD treatment. Findings from this study showed that GPD prevents PQT‐induced motor dysfunction, memory impairment, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation through enhancement of antioxidant defense system and inhibition of pro‐inflammatory cytokine release. Thus, GPD could be a potential adjunct in the management of Parkinsonism.     

Prediction of Oncotype Dx recurrence score using clinical parameters: A comparison of available tools and a simple predictor based on grade and progesterone receptor

Objective/BackgroundThe Oncotype Dx test is a genomic test currently used in clinical practice to predict the risk of disease recurrence in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer patients with axillary lymph node-negative or micrometastatic disease. The test is one of several similar genomically based tests available. Although it has a good predictive value, it is expensive and thus constitutes a significant financial burden for health systems. Thus, several attempts have been made to devise low-cost tools that could predict the recurrence score derived from the genomic evaluation using easily obtainable clinical parameters.MethodsTwo previously proposed predictive tools were evaluated in a cohort of 201 patients that had undergone the Oncotype Dx test for their efficacy in predicting the Oncotype Dx Recurrence Score (RS). A simple predictor, named GR-PR, based on two available pathologic parameters, grade and progesterone receptor status was devised and also evaluated.ResultsThe sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of all three tools were compared and found to be similar for all cutoff points of Oncotype Dx RS. The accuracy of GR-PR was comparable to the best performing of the two other prediction tools for all four cutoff points.ConclusionThe simple GR-PR predictor proposed in this study seems to be at least as accurate as more complex tools and should be the preferred tool for the prediction of Oncotype Dx RS from clinicopathologic parameters when the Oncotype Dx test is not available.     

健脾益肾方对非小细胞肺癌细胞体外增殖凋亡作用的实验研究

目的:探讨健脾益肾方对非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)细胞体外增殖凋亡的作用。方法:人NSCLC细胞系A549分为四组:空白对照组(仅加入细胞培养液)、阴性对照组(加入细胞,不进行中药处理)、实验组(加细胞加中药处理)。荧光定量PCR和Western blot分别检测Survivin、Bcl-2和Caspase-3的mRNA和蛋白表达。MTT检测细胞增殖;流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡。结果:与空白对照组相比,阴性对照组细胞在24、48、72 h的吸光度值明显升高,细胞凋亡率下降,Survivin和Bcl-2 mRNA和蛋白相对表达量上调,Caspase-3 mRNA和蛋白相对表达量下调,组间比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);而健脾益肾方处理的实验组24、48、72 h的吸光度值均显著降低,细胞凋亡率显著上升,Survivin和Bcl-2 mRNA和蛋白相对表达量下调,Caspase-3 mRNA和蛋白相对表达量上调,与空白对照组相比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:健脾益肾方可通过下调Survivin和Bcl-2、上调Caspase-3表达诱导NSCLC细胞凋亡,并抑制肿瘤细胞的增殖,进而抑制NSCLC的发展。     

舌三针为主治疗脑卒中后吞咽功能障碍的临床研究

目的观察舌三针为主治疗脑卒中后吞咽功能障碍的临床疗效及其对脑神经机制的影响。方法将130例脑卒中后吞咽功能障碍患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,每组65例。对照组采用康复训练配合低频脉冲电刺激治疗,治疗组在对照组基础上采用舌三针治疗。观察两组治疗前后吞咽功能(洼田饮水试验评分)、精神状态[汉密尔顿焦虑量表(HAMA)评分、汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)评分]及表面肌电图各项指标[平均振幅值(AEMG)、持续时间(t)]的变化情况。结果两组治疗后洼田饮水试验评分、HAMA评分及HAMD评分与同组治疗前比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组治疗后洼田饮水试验评分、HAMA评分及HAMD评分与对照组比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组治疗后空吞咽时及吞咽5 mL水时sEMG各项指标(颏下肌群及舌骨下肌群的AEMG和t)与同组治疗前比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组治疗后空吞咽时及吞咽5 mL水时sEMG各项指标与对照组比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组治疗后误吸及肺部感染的发生率分别为16.1%和17.7%,对照组分别为36.2%和32.8%,两组比较差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论舌三针配合康复训练及低频脉冲电刺激能有效改善脑卒中患者的吞咽功能。     

当归龙荟片联合普芦卡必利治疗慢性功能性便秘的临床研究

目的探讨当归龙荟片联合普芦卡必利治疗慢性功能性便秘的临床疗效。方法选取2018年5月-2019年5月在北京市肛肠医院治疗的慢性功能性便秘患者122例,根据用药的差别分为对照组(61例)和治疗组(61例)。对照组口服琥珀酸普芦卡必利片,2mg/次,1次/d;治疗组在对照组基础上口服当归龙荟片,4片/次,2次/d。两组患者均经4周治疗。观察两组患者临床疗效,同时比较治疗前后两组患者临床症状评分、PAC-QOL积分、结肠传输试验积分、Bristol和SF-36评分,及血清5-羟色胺(5-HT)、血管活性肠肽(VIP)、P物质(SP)和一氧化氮(NO)水平。结果治疗后,对照组和治疗组临床有效率分别为80.33%和96.72%,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。经治疗,两组症状积分均明显降低(P<0.05),且治疗组比对照组降低更明显(P<0.05)。经治疗,两组患者PAC-QOL积分和结肠传输试验积分明显降低(P<0.05),而Bristol和SF-36评分明显升高(P<0.05),且治疗组患者明显好于对照组(P<0.05)。经治疗,两组患者血清SP、5-HT水平均显著升高(P<0.05),而VIP和NO水平均明显降低(P<0.05),且治疗组患者SP、5-HT、VIP和NO水平明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。结论当归龙荟片联合普芦卡必利治疗慢性功能性便秘可有效改善患者临床症状,促进患者生活质量改善,具有一定的临床推广应用价值。     

基于微信平台的医学检验教学的应用

目的通过研究基于微信平台的教学模式来提升医学检验专业学生们的学习能力。方法对某高校医学检验专业学生2014-2016三级学生共170人进行对照实验分析,对照组83人,实验组87人。对照组使用传统教学方式教授医学检验专业,实验组使用基于微信平台的课堂教学方式,教授医学检验专业。教学后,比较两组学生的学习状况和学习成绩。结果实验组在应试结果、课堂参与积极性、课堂学习兴趣、课前是否预习、课后是否复习等指标上分数明显高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。且实验组成绩明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论设置医学检验专业的高校应积极寻找医学检验课程教学改革的方向和切入点,以微信平台为落脚点的互联网教学模式可以被广泛应用到现在医学检验专业课程教学过程中。     

Developing a Brief Neuropsychological Battery for Early Diagnosis of Cognitive Impairment

ObjectivesEarly diagnosis of cognitive impairment is increasingly emphasized in the literature to facilitate timely preventive interventions. Although bedside cognitive tests such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) are widely used for such early diagnostic purposes, they may not have comparable performance to a full neuropsychological battery (FNB) in diagnosing early cognitive impairment. This study investigated whether a small subset of neuropsychological tests can be added on to MoCA to match its performance to that of the FNB in discriminating mild cognitive impairment and dementia (MCI/dementia) from normal cognition.DesignCross-sectional diagnostic study.SettingAlzheimer's Disease Centers across the United States.ParticipantsOlder participants (≥50 years) who completed MoCA and the FNB (N = 9187).MeasuresThe study sample was split into two: the derivation sample (n = 1837) was used to develop a brief neuropsychological battery that best discriminated MCI/dementia (using the best-subset approach with 10-fold cross-validation); while the validation sample (n = 7350) verified its actual performance in discriminating MCI/dementia.ResultsA 3-item neuropsychological battery was identified, comprising MoCA, Benson Complex Figure Recall, and Craft Story 21 Delayed Recall. It had excellent performance in discriminating MCI/dementia from normal cognition (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC] 90.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 89.2%-90.7%), which was comparable to that of the FNB (AUROC 88.4%, 95% CI 87.6%-89.2%). By contrast, MoCA alone had significantly worse AUROC (86.9%, 95% CI 86.0%-87.7%) than that of the FNB.Conclusions/ImplicationsUsing rigorous methods, this study developed a brief neuropsychological battery that maintained the brevity of a bedside cognitive test, while rivaling the diagnostic performance of an FNB in early cognitive impairment. This brief battery offers a viable alternative when the FNB is needed but cannot be feasibly administered in nonspecialty clinics. It can have a wider health systems effect of improving patients’ access to accurate diagnosis in early cognitive impairment and facilitating timely interventions to delay the progression of cognitive impairment.