Experimental animal models of pancreatic carcinogenesis and metastasis

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease characterized by early metastasis, local invasion, and resistance to conventional therapies. To understand its etiology and eventually make prevention of it possible and effective, appropriate carcinogenesis models will certainly help us understand the effects of environmental and genetic elements on pancreatic carcinogenesis. The development of new treatment strategies to control cancer metastasis is of immediate urgency. Fulfillment of this task relies on our knowledge of the cellular and molecular biology of pancreatic cancer metastasis and the availability of biologically and clinically relevant model systems. Many of the existing pancreatic cancer carcinogenesis and metastasis animal models are described in this review. The advantages and disadvantages of each model and their clinical implications are discussed, and special attention is focused on experimental therapeutic strategies targeting pancreatic cancer metastasis.     

Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in acute respiratory infections.

Levels of the soluble form of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (sTREM)-1 are elevated in severe sepsis. However, it is not known whether sTREM-1 measurements can distinguish milder bacterial infections from noninfectious inflammation. The present authors studied whether serum sTREM-1 levels differ in community-acquired pneumonia, exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and controls, and whether sTREM-1 may be used as a surrogate marker for the need for antibiotics. Serum sTREM-1 levels in 150 patients with pneumonia, COPD and asthma exacerbations and 62 healthy controls were measured. Serum sTREM-1 levels were significantly elevated in pneumonia (median 295.2 ng x mL(-1)), COPD (280.3 ng x mL(-1)) and asthma exacerbations (184.0 ng x mL(-1)) compared with controls (83.1 ng x mL(-1)). Levels were higher in pneumonia and Anthonisen type 1 COPD exacerbations than in type 2 and 3 COPD and asthma exacerbations. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for sTREM-1 as a surrogate marker for the need for antibiotics was 0.77. Serum levels of the soluble form of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 were elevated predominantly in pneumonia and Anthonisen type 1 COPD exacerbations versus type 2 and 3 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, asthma and controls. Serum levels of the soluble form of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 has moderate but insufficient accuracy as a surrogate marker for the need for antibiotics in lower respiratory tract infections.     

Pick’s disease with Pick bodies combined with progressive supranuclear palsy without tuft‐shaped astrocytes: A clinical,neuroradiologic and pathological study of an autopsied case

We report clinical, neuroradiologic features, and neuropathologic findings of a 76‐year‐old man with coexistent Pick’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. The patient presented with loss of recent memory, abnormal behavior and change in personality at the age of 60. The symptoms were progressive. Three years later, repetitive or compulsive behavior became prominent. About 9 years after onset, he had difficulty moving and became bed‐ridden because of a fracture of his left leg. His condition gradually deteriorated and he developed mutism and became vegetative. The patient died from pneumonia 16 years after the onset of symptoms. Serial MRI scans showed progressive cortex atrophy, especially in the bilateral frontal and temporal lobes. Macroscopic inspection showed severe atrophy of the whole brain, including cerebrum, brainstem and cerebellum. Microscopic observations showed extensive superficial spongiosis and severe neuronal loss with gliosis in the second and third cortical layers in the frontal, temporal and parietal cortex. There were Pick cells and argyrophilic Pick bodies, which were tau‐ and ubiquitin‐positive in neurons of layers II–III of the above‐mentioned cortex. Numerous argyrophilic Pick bodies were observed in the hippocampus, especially in the dentate fascia. In addition, moderate to severe loss of neurons was found with gliosis and a lot of Gallyas/tau‐positive globus neurofibrillary tangles in the caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, thalamus, substantia nigra, locus coeruleus and dentate nucleus. Numerous thorned‐astrocytes and coiled bodies but no‐tuft shaped astrocytes were noted in the basal ganglion, brainstem and cerebellar white matter. In conclusion, these histopathological features were compatible with classical Pick’s disease and coexistence with progressive supranuclear palsy without tuft‐shaped astrocytes.     

伴有LADD综合征的角膜缘干细胞缺乏

泪管-耳-牙-指（趾）（LADD）综合征是一种具有多种表现的常染色体显性遗传疾病。最初在1967年由Levy报道。1例双侧泪液系统缺失、杯状耳、干嘴，以及牙、手臂和指（趾）异常的单发病例。之后一些新发现的临床表现，如肾脏异常、唾液腺缺乏、先天性髋脱位、先天性裂孔疝和横膈疝、感觉性耳聋和传导性耳聋、牙发育不全、四肢异常、口腔干燥和眼干都被报道与此综合征有关。     

Die Behandlung der Apophysenabrissverletzung des Epicondylus ulnaris im Kindesalter

OBJECTIVE: Surgical reduction and retention of apophyseal avulsion injuries at the medial epicondyle to prevent joint instability, lasting malalignment, or pseudarthrosis. INDICATIONS: Absolute: intraarticular apophyseal dislocation of the medial epicondyle, complete lesion of the ulnar nerve. Relative: dislocation of the apophysis (> 4 mm) in children > 5 years of age; the need for intervention increases in children as the degree of dislocation, age, and athletic activity increase. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Dislocation of the medial epicondyle (< or = 4 mm) in children < 5 years of age, provided the fragment location is not intraarticular. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Open reduction of the apophysis through a medial approach. Identification of the ulnar nerve. In young children or with small fragments fixation with Kirschner wire. Screw fixation in older children or for larger fragments. POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT: Long upper-arm plaster cast until wound healing is achieved. Subsequently, upper-arm plaster cast for 3 weeks. Removal of Kirschner wires after 4-6 weeks, screw removal after 8-12 weeks. Physiotherapy only if marked reduction of elbow mobility is found 6 weeks after cast removal. RESULTS: From January 1, 1994 to December 31, 2003, 25 children with an average age of 12 years suffering from medial epicondylar avulsion fractures were operated on using open reduction and Kirschner wire fixation. An average of 3 years after the injury 14 of these children underwent follow-up examination using a procedure that took subjective, clinical and radiologic parameters into account. Two children showed a slight reduction in overall strength of the injured extremity when compared with the contralateral extremity. One child had a flexion deficit of 10 degrees, all other children showed movement limitations of < or = 5 degrees compared to the contralateral extremity. In all the cases available to follow-up, there was a slight increase in valgus alignment of the elbow joint compared with the uninjured side (3 degrees on average). All fractures consolidated within 6 weeks.     

慢性心衰患者电话干预的随机试验：DIAL试验

目的:明确集中的电话干预能否降低慢性心衰门诊患者死亡或因心衰加重而住院的发生率。设计:多中心、随机对照试验。地点:阿根廷的51个中心(包括公立、私立的医院及流动设施)。参与者:1518例患有稳定的慢性心衰且已接受最佳药物治疗方案治疗的门诊患者,由心脏科主治医师分层后随机分为电话干预组和常规治疗组。干预:在常规治疗的基础上,由一个中心通过护士频繁的电话随访对患者进行教育、辅导和监督。主要观察指标:全因死亡或由于心衰加重而住院。结果:99.5%的患者完成了全部随访。常规治疗组758例患者中由于心衰加重而住院或死亡的比例(235…     

Diterpenoids from the Roots of Agastache rugosa

从土藿香根中得到两个二萜化合物，藿香酚（２）及异藿香酚（３）。经光谱解析（ＩＲ，ＵＶ，ＨＲＭＳ及ＮＭＲ谱），确定它们的结构分别为１１，１４ｄｉｈｙｄｒｏｘｙ１２ｍｅｔｈｏｘｙ１９（４→３）ａｂｅｏａｂｉｅｔａ４，（１８），８，１１，１３ｔｅｔｒａｅｎ７ｏｎｅ（２）和１１，１４ｄｉｈｙｄｒｏｘｙ１２ｍｅｔｈｏｘｙ１９（４→３）ａｂｅｏａｂｉｅｔａ３，８，１１，１３ｔｅｔｒａｅｎ７ｏｎｅ（３）藿香酚（２）为一新的化合物，而异藿香酚（３）系首次从天然界分离得到，二者为一对异构体。     

Evidence that the Receptor for Soluble CD14:LPS Complexes may not be the Putative Signal-Transducing Molecule Associated with Membrane-Bound CD14

Membrane-bound CD14 acts as a receptor for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils. Studies have suggested that the activation of monocytes/macrophages by the binding of LPS to membrane-bound CD14 may require the association of a signal-transducing molecule with membrane-bound CD14. The observation that non-CD14 expressing cells, such as endothelial cells, can nevertheless be activated by a complex of LPS and a soluble form of CD14 (sCD14) suggests that the receptor for this complex may be identical to the signal transducing molecule associated with membrane-bound CD14. The studies described show that two CD14-specific MoAb are able to block the LPS-induced activation of endothelial cells but do not affect the response of monocytes to LPS. This suggests that the interaction of the sCD14:LPS complex with endothelial cells is distinct from the interaction of membrane-bound CD14 with its putative signal-transducing molecule.