Treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum

Critical to the proper management of pyoderma gangrenosum are correct diagnosis, identification and treatment of any underlying disorder, and the proper choice of topical and systemic therapy. Many agents are available for the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum. We review the current therapeutic options, their efficacy and side effects, and we offer some guidelines for their proper selection.     

Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Induces Apoptosis through Down-Regulation of c-mycGene and Overexpression of p27Protein in Cervical Carcinoma

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is known to be a potent growth inhibitor for many cell types, including most epithelial cells. In skin keratinocytes, TGF-β1 has been shown to inhibit growth and to rapidly reduce c-mycexpression. However, the molecular mechanism of TGF-β1 action on cell growth of cervical carcinoma has not yet been elucidated. We thus assessed the effect of TGF-β1 on the growth of cervical carcinoma cell lines. Two cervical squamous carcinoma cell lines, CUMC-3 and CUMC-6, were incubated with varying concentrations of TGF-β1, and growth inhibition was evaluated with tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay. After culture in TGF-β1 for 24 h, inhibition of growth was detected in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of 0.1–10 ng/ml in both cell lines. This effect of TGF-β1 on cultured carcinoma cells was associated with apoptotic process including oligonucleosomal ladder DNA and apoptotic body formations. Northern blot analysis revealed c-mycmRNA expression was suppressed by 10 ng/ml of TGF-β1 following 3 h of treatment in both cell lines. Western blot analysis showed that the level of p27^Kip1protein was increased after TGF-β1 treatment in both cell lines. These results suggest that the mechanisms by which TGF-β1 inhibits the growth of cervical carcinoma are complex and may include effects on down-regulation of c-mycgene, and overexpression of p27^Kip1protein.     

Apolipoprotein E—associated risk for Alzheimer's disease in the African-American population is genotype dependent

As a part of our ongoing study on Alzheimer's disease (AD) in elderly African Americans, we obtained clinical assessment and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype data on 288 individuals (including 60 with AD). The ApoE σ4 allele frequency was significantly increased in AD patients compared with controls. The age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for AD in σ4 homozygotes was 4.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.71–13.64) compared with the σ3/σ3 genotype, but the OR for AD with the σ3/σ4 genotype did not reach significance (1.20; 95% CI, 0.58–2.45). These findings suggest that the association between ApoE σ4 and AD is weaker in African Americans than in whites.     

Efficacy of radical neck dissection for the control of cervical metastasis after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Fifty-one patients who had persistent or recurrent neck disease from nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy underwent radical neck dissection. The follow-up period ranged from 0.5 to 9 years (median: 2 years). Multiple cervical lymph node involvement was present in 51% of the patients (26 of 51). Malignant cells were detected in 88% of the resected specimens (45 of 51). The clinical sign of fixation of lymph node is the only factor that affects the successful control of neck disease (p = 0.04). Extracapsular extension of the nodal disease was present, and 35% of the lymph nodes were adherent to surrounding structures at operation (18 of 51). There was one hospital mortality and the overall morbidity was minimal. The actuarial survival at 5 years was 38%, and the probability of control of neck disease was 66%. Radical neck dissection is effective in controlling post-irradiation cervical metastasis from nasopharyngeal carcinoma.     

有效控制与控制不佳的MRI阴性的GTCS病人发作间期SPECT对照研究

目的:利用单光子发射计算机断层摄影(SPECT)半定量分析有效控制与控制不良的MRI阴性的全面性强直阵挛发作癫(GTCS)病人的局部脑血流差异,探讨脑血流灌注与其预后的关系.材料和方法:对29例有效控制的和12例控制不佳的MRI阴性的GTCS病人进行发作间期99mTc-ECD-SPECT脑血灌流显像,10例年龄匹配的健康人作对照,用感兴趣区(ROI)的不对称指数(%AI)进行半定量分析.将SPECT分析结果与病人的临床表现与EEG相比较.结果:①控制不佳组与有效控制组在丘脑和基底节区的%AI存在显著性差异(P<0.05);②控制不佳组SPECT脑显像的异常率(83.3%,10/12)明显高于有效控制组的异常率(17.2%,5/29),两组具有显著性差异(P<0.01);而两组病人的EEG异常率分别为58.3%、44.8%(7/12、13/29),无显著性差异(P>0.05).结论:控制不佳的MRI阴性的GTCS病人往往存在发作间期的低血流灌注脑区,提示癫的难治性;而控制良好的病人多无明显异常发现,可能预后较好.     

Carotid intima-media thickness in Parkinson's disease.

There have been a few studies and inconsistent results regarding the coincidence of Parkinson's disease (PD) and atherosclerotic diseases, such as cerebrovascular disease. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is a known marker for subclinical atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the carotid IMT between PD patients and controls. We studied 43 patients with PD and 86 matched controls. The carotid IMT in PD patients was significantly smaller than in controls (0.796 +/- 0.179 mm vs. 0.913 +/- 0.237 mm, P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the carotid IMT was inversely associated with the duration of levodopa medication and the severity of PD. These results suggest that PD patients have a lower risk of atherosclerosis.     

咽旁间隙原发性肿块流行病学分析

目的：对咽旁间隙原发性肿块进行流行病学分析。方法：对咽旁间隙原发性239例肿块进行统计分析。结果：原发良性肿瘤患病比为61．09％，其中上皮源性肿瘤患病比最高，占19.25％；神经源性肿瘤第二位，占17．57％。原发性恶性肿瘤的患病比为35．15％，其中上皮源性恶性肿瘤的患病比最高，占21.76％；恶性淋巴瘤第2位，占7．95％。炎症的患病比为3．77％，其中淋巴结反应性增生最高。结论：咽旁间隙原发性肿块良性肿瘤的患病比最高，恶性肿瘤次之，炎症居第3位，比例约为17：9：1。