Amyloid PET imaging in cardiac amyloidosis: a pilot study using 18F-flutemetamol positron emission tomography

Annals of Nuclear Medicine - Cardiac amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by amyloid heart deposits and is usually a part of systemic amyloidosis, in relation to systemic light chain (AL)...     

Proteases and their inhibitors as prognostic factors for high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most lethal malignancies, but only very few prognostic biomarkers are known. The degradome, comprising proteases, protease non-proteolytic homologues and inhibitors, have been involved in the prognosis of many cancer types, including ovarian carcinoma. The prognostic significance of the whole degradome family has not been specifically studied in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. A targeted DNA microarray known as the CLIP-CHIP microarray was used to identify potential prognostic factors in ten high-grade serous ovarian cancer women who had early recurrence (<1.6 years) or late/no recurrence after first line surgery and chemotherapy. In women with early recurrence, we identified seven upregulated genes (TMPRSS4, MASP1/3, SPC18, PSMB1, IGFBP2, CFI – encoding Complement Factor I – and MMP9) and one down-regulated gene (ADAM-10). Using immunohistochemistry, we evaluated the prognostic effect of these 8 candidate genes in an independent cohort of 112 high-grade serous ovarian cancer women. Outcomes were progression, defined according to CA-125 criteria, and death. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were done to estimate the associations between each protein and each outcome. High ADAM-10 expression (intensity of 2–3) was associated with a lower risk of progression (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.29-0.87). High complement factor I expression (intensity 2–3) was associated with a higher risk of progression (adjusted HR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.17–4.53) and death (adjusted HR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.72–6.79). Overall, we identified the prognostic value of two proteases, ADAM-10 and complement factor I, for high-grade serous ovarian cancer which could have clinical significance.     

Hernias de la incisión de asistencia tras resección colorrectal laparoscópica. Influencia de la localización de la incisión y del uso de una malla profiláctica

Objectives

To determine the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) in the extraction incision (EI) in colorectal resection for cancer. To analyze whether the location of the incision has any relationship with the incidence of hernias and whether mesh could be useful for prevention in high-risk patients.

Lysophosphatidylcholine‐induced cytotoxicity and protection by heparin in mouse brain bEND.3 endothelial cells

A pathological feature in atherosclerosis is the dysfunction and death of vascular endothelial cells (EC). Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), known to accumulate in the atherosclerotic arterial walls, impairs endothelium‐dependent relaxation and causes EC apoptosis. A major bioactive ingredient of the oxidized LDL is lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which at higher concentrations causes apoptosis and necrosis in various EC. There is hitherto no report on LPC‐induced cytotoxicity in brain EC. In this work, we found that LPC caused cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload, mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, p38 activation, caspase 3 activation and eventually apoptotic death in mouse cerebral bEND.3 EC. In contrast to reported reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by LPC in other EC, LPC did not trigger ROS formation in bEND.3 cells. Pharmacological inhibition of p38 alleviated LPC‐inflicted cell death. We examined whether heparin could be cytoprotective: although it could not suppress LPC‐triggered Ca²⁺ signal, p38 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential drop, it did suppress LPC‐induced caspase 3 activation and alleviate LPC‐inflicted cytotoxicity. Our data suggest LPC apoptotic death mechanisms in bEND.3 might involve mitochondrial membrane potential decrease and p38 activation. Heparin is protective against LPC cytotoxicity and might intervene steps between mitochondrial membrane potential drop/p38 activation and caspase 3 activation.     

Liguzinediol对阿霉素诱导的慢性心衰大鼠心功能的影响

目的 通过阿霉素（Dox）复制大鼠慢性心力衰竭（CHF）模型，观察Liguzinediol对CHF大鼠心功能的影响。方法 通过血流动力学观察Liguzinediol对Dox（腹腔注射，2 mg/kg）诱导的CHF大鼠左心室内压最大上升/下降速率(±dp/dt_max)、左心室内压(LVSP)、动脉收缩压(ASP)、动脉舒张压(ADP)和心率(HR)的变化；观察Liguzinediol对血清一氧化氮（NO）、一氧化氮合成酶（NOS）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和白细胞介素-6（IL-6）以及血浆中丙二醛（MDA）的影响。结果 Liguzinediol能增加LVSP、+dp/dt_max、ASP、ADP、AP、HR，降低-dp/dt_max(P<0.05~0.01)；降低NO、iNOS以及MDA的浓度，同时增强了SOD的活性(P<0.05~0.01)；抑制IL-6和TNF-α的生成(P<0.05~0.01)。结论 Liguzinediol可明显改善Dox诱导的CHF大鼠血流动力学指标，减少模型大鼠炎症因子的释放以及抑制氧自由基的生成。      

Food-grade titanium dioxide decreases hematocrit and hemoglobin and increases compulsive-like behavior in male mice

Food-grade titanium dioxide (E171) is widely used as a food additive, and it is known that after oral consumption, E171 is translocated into the bloodstream reaching the highest titanium level at 6 h. E171 is accumulated in some organs triggering toxicity, but the effects on the blood parameters after oral consumption have been less studied. Recently, evidence shows that oral exposure to E171 induces behavioral signs of anxiety and depression. The relation between blood alterations and psychiatric disorders has been previously demonstrated. However, the oral exposure to E171 effects on alterations in blood parameters and effects linked to alterations in animal behavior has not been explored. In this short communication, we aimed to investigate the effects of E171 on specific blood parameters (hematocrit, hemoglobin, number of erythrocytes, and leukocytes) and anxiety and compulsive-like behavior in males and females orally exposed to ~5 mg/kg for 4 weeks. The results showed that E171 decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin in male but not in female mice while leukocyte and erythrocyte count remained unaltered. Oral consumption of E171 decreased the levels of anxiety-like behavior in females but not in male mice, while compulsive-like behavior was increased in both male and female mice.     

医科大学医学生健康教育培训需求度和满意度现状分析

目的 了解医学生学习《健康教育》课程的满意度、需求度现状及差异，为《健康教育》课程优化提供参考。方法 以某医科大学在校临床医学生为研究对象，分析医学生对课程内容的需求度和满意度及二者差异。课程内容包括服药依从性、戒烟干预、合理膳食、心理压力管理、中医康复技术、慢性传染病健康教育、急性传染病健康教育、移动健康技术教育、运动康复指导及健康促进理论。采用频数和构成比指标进行统计描述，采用卡方检验进行健康教育课程学习情况与专业/ 学制之间、相关课程内容学习的需求度与学制的差异，相关课程内容学习需求度与满意度的关联比较采用秩和检验。以P ＜ 0.05 为差异具有统计学意义。结果 戒烟干预、合理膳食、心理压力管理、中医康复技术、慢性传染病健康教育、急性传染病健康教育、移动健康技术教育及健康促进理论八项的学习需求度在长学制医学生与五年制医学生中的总体分布位置不同（U ＝ 2.4、2.2、2.5、2.3、2.4、2.4、2.3、2.0，P 均＜ 0.05）；服药依从性、戒烟干预、合理膳食、心理压力管理、慢性传染病健康教育、急性传染病健康教育、移动健康技术教育及运动康复指导八项的满意度与需求度之间的总体位置分布不同（U ＝ 6.2、5.2、7.2、9.2、5.9、6.1、2.1、3.2，P 均＜ 0.05）；不同学制的医学生对于慢性病人、老年人、孕产妇、传染病人、高危人群和职业暴露人群的健康教育重点关注人群侧重有所不同，其差异具有统计学意义（χ2 ＝ 8.9、14.2、9.9、6.9、23.9、17.8，P 均＜ 0.05）；在教学方式上，不同学制的医学生对于教师课堂讲授和小组讨论的偏好上的差异具有统计学意义（χ2=6.3、9.5，P 均＜ 0.05）。结论 当前健康教育课程的教学内容和结构未能完全满足不同学制、年级医学生的学习需求，需要对课程教学内容、教学方式和开设时间进行进一步的优化设计。