Microvascular decompression by interposition method for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia due to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia: a retrospective single-center study

Neurosurgical Review - Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) due to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) is a rare disease that can be challenging to treat. The objectives of this study are to investigate the...     

益肾降浊汤加减联合坦索罗辛治疗前列腺增生症疗效观察

目的:观察益肾降浊汤加减联合坦索罗辛治疗前列腺增生症的疗效。方法:122例随机分为两组各61例,两组均用坦索罗辛治疗,观察组加用益肾降浊汤加减。结果:总有效率观察组高于对照组(P<0.05),观察组Qmax高于对照组(P<0.05)、RV及PV均低于对照组(P<0.05),观察组IPSS评分低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:益肾降浊汤加减方联合坦索罗辛治疗前列腺增生症效果较好。     

Effects of ozone oxidative preconditioning on nitric oxide generation and cellular redox balance in a rat model of hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Many studies indicate that oxygen free-radical formation after reoxygenation of liver may initiate the cascade of hepatocellular injury. It has been demonstrated that controlled ozone administration may promote an oxidative preconditioning or adaptation to oxidative stress, preventing the damage induced by reactive oxygen species and protecting against liver ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. AIMS: In the present study, the effects of ozone oxidative preconditioning (OzoneOP) on nitric oxide (NO) generation and the cellular redox balance have been studied. Methods: Six groups of rats were classified as follows: (1). sham-operated; (2). sham-operated+l-NAME (N(omega)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester); (3). I/R (ischaemia 90 min-reperfusion 90 min); (4). OzoneOP+I/R; (5). OzoneOP+l-NAME+I/R; and (6). l-NAME+I/R. The following parameters were measured: plasma transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase) as an index of hepatocellular injury; in homogenates of hepatic tissue: nitrate/nitrite as an index of NO production; superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione levels as markers of endogenous antioxidant system; and finally malondialdehyde+4-hydroxyalkenals (MDA+4-HDA) and total hydroperoxides (TH) as indicators of oxidative stress. Results: A correspondence between liver damage and the increase of NO, CAT, TH, glutathione and MDA+4-HDA concentrations were observed just as a decrease of SOD activity. OzoneOP prevented and attenuated hepatic damage in I/R and OzoneOP+l-NAME+I/R, respectively, in close relation with the above-mentioned parameters. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that OzoneOP protected against liver I/R injury through mechanisms that promote a regulation of endogenous NO concentrations and maintenance of cellular redox balance. Ozone treatment may have important clinical implications, particularly in view of the increasing hepatic transplantation programs.     

应激性溃疡的发生及川芎嗪的防治效应

本实验观察了家兔创伤后胃粘膜损伤情况及川芎嗪的防治效应。发现动物创伤后目粘膜损伤严重．出现应激性溃疡．同时血浆和胃粘膜组织中脂质过氧化物商二醇含量增加，且胃粘膜细胞有明显的钙积聚。而应用川芎嗪防治的动物．脂质过氧化反应被明显地抑制，钙超载现象显著减轻．胃粘膜损伤轻微。提示，应激性溃疡的发生与自由基反应和细胞内钙超载有关，川芎嗪对应激性溃疡具有防治作用。     

Pro-inflammatory cytokines favor the emergence of ETV6-RUNX1-positive pre-leukemic cells in a model of mesenchymal niche

ETV6-RUNX1 (E/R) fusion gene, arising in utero from translocation t(12;21)(p13:q22), is the most frequent alteration in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, E/R is insufficient to cause overt leukemia since it generates a clinically silent pre-leukemic clone which persists in the bone marrow but fails to out-compete normal progenitors. Conversely, pre-leukemic cells show increased susceptibility to transformation following additional genetic insults. Infections/inflammation are the most accredited triggers for mutations accumulation and leukemic transformation in E/R⁺ pre-leukemic cells. However, precisely how E/R and inflammation interact in promoting leukemia is still poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that IL6/TNFα/ILβ pro-inflammatory cytokines cooperate with BM-MSC in promoting the emergence of E/R⁺ Ba/F3 over their normal counterparts by differentially affecting their proliferation and survival. Moreover, IL6/TNFα/ILβ-stimulated BM-MSC strongly attract E/R⁺ Ba/F3 in a CXCR2-dependent manner. Interestingly, E/R-expressing human CD34⁺IL7R⁺ progenitors, a putative population for leukemia initiation during development, were preserved in the presence of BM-MSC and IL6/TNFα/ILβ compared to their normal counterparts. Finally, the extent of DNA damage increases within the inflamed niche in both control and E/R-expressing Ba/F3, potentially leading to transformation in the apoptosis-resistant pre-leukemic clone. Overall, our data provide new mechanistic insights into childhood ALL pathogenesis.     

Endoscopic mask innovation and protective measures changes during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic: Experience from a Chinese hepato-biliary-pancreatic unit

Endoscopy is widely used as a clinical diagnosis and treatment method for certain hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. However, due to the distinctive epidemiological characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus causing coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), healthcare providers are exposed to the patient's respiratory and gastrointestinal fluids, rendering endoscopy a high risk for transmitting a nosocomial infection. This article introduces preventive measures for endoscopic treatment enacted in our medical center during COVID-19, including the adjustment of indications, the application of endoscope protective equipment, the design and application of endoscopic masks and splash-proof films, and novel recommendations for bedside endoscope pre-sterilization.     

Association of stressful life events with accelerated bone loss in older men: the osteoporotic fractures in men (MrOS) study

Summary

Prior studies suggest an association between stressful life events and fractures that may be mediated by BMD. In the current study, risk of accelerated hip BMD loss was higher in older men with any type of stressful life event and increased with the number of types of stressful life events.

Introduction

Prior studies suggest that stressful life events may increase adverse health outcomes, including falls and possibly fractures. The current study builds on these findings and examines whether stressful life events are associated with increased bone loss.

Methods

Four thousand three hundred eighty-eight men aged ≥65 years in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men study completed total hip bone mineral density (BMD) measures at baseline and visit 2, approximately 4.6 years later, and self-reported stressful life events data mid-way between baseline and visit 2, and at visit 2. We used linear regression to model the association of stressful life events with concurrent annualized total hip BMD loss, and log binomial regression or Poisson regression to model risk of concurrent accelerated BMD loss (>1 SD more than mean annualized change).

Results

Men (75.3 %) reported ≥1 type of stressful life event, including 43.3 % with ≥2 types of stressful life events. Mean annualized BMD loss was ?0.36 % (SD 0.88), and 13.9 % of men were categorized with accelerated BMD loss (about 5.7 % or more total loss). Rate of annualized BMD loss increased with the number of types of stressful life events after adjustment for age (p?p?=?0.07). Multivariable-adjusted risk of accelerated BMD loss increased with the number of types of stressful life events (RR, 1.10 [95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.04–1.16]) per increase of one type of stressful life event). Fracture risk was not significantly different between stressful life event-accelerated bone loss subgroups (p?=?0.08).

Conclusions

In these older men, stressful life events were associated with a small, dose-related increase in risk of concurrent accelerated hip bone loss. Low frequency of fractures limited assessment of whether rapid bone loss mediates any association of stressful life events with incident fractures. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and to investigate the mechanism that may underlie this association.