Circulating angiogenic biomolecules at rest and in response to upper-limb exercise in individuals with spinal cord injury

Objective

Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) show structural and functional vascular maladaptations and muscle loss in their lower limbs. Angiogenic biomolecules play important roles in physiological and pathological angiogenesis, and are implicated in the maintenance of muscle mass. This study examined the responses of angiogenic molecules during upper-limb aerobic exercise in patients with SCI and in able-bodied (AB) individuals.

Methods

Eight SCI patients with thoracic lesions (T₆–T₁₂, ASIA A) and eight AB individuals performed an arm-cranking exercise for 30 minutes at 60% of their VO_2max. Plasma concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A₁₆₅), VEGF receptor 1 (sVEGFr-1), VEGF receptor 2 (sVEGFr-2), metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), and endostatin were measured at rest, after exercise, and at 1.5 and 3.0 hours during recovery.

Results

The two-way analysis of variance showed non-significant main effects of “group” and significant main effects of “time/exercise” for all angiogenic biomolecules examined (P < 0.01–0.001). The arm-cranking exercise significantly increased plasma concentrations of VEGF, sVEGFr-1, sVEGFr-2, MMP-2, and endostatin in both groups (P < 0.001–0.01). The magnitude of the increase was similar in both patients with SCI and AB individuals, as shown by the non-significant group × time interaction for all angiogenic parameters.

Conclusions

Upper-limb exercise (arm-cranking for 30 minutes at 60% of VO_2max) is a sufficient stimulus to trigger a coordinated circulating angiogenic response in patients with SCI. The response of angiogenic molecules to upper-limb aerobic exercise in SCI appears relatively similar to that observed in AB individuals.     

The role of the facial nerve latency test in the prognosis of Bell's Palsy

Eighty patients with idiopathic facial nerve palsy were evaluated by the facial nerve latency test. Depending on the latency time, the patients were classified into the following four groups: group A patients had normal latency times (3.25 msec); group B patients had slightly extended latency times (4 to 7 msec) and a mean of 5.6 msec; group C patients had extended latency times (10 to 14 msec) and a mean of 10.2 msec; and group D patients displayed complete disappearance of evoked compound muscle action potential (no responses). Under the same therapeutic regimen, it was determined that, when the latency time was normal or close to normal, the functional recovery of the nerve was complete or almost complete, and the recovery time was short. When the latency time was extended or there was no response, the functional recovery of the nerve was either incomplete or absent.     

Expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma in non-small cell lung carcinoma: correlation with histological type and grade

For the metastasis and invasion of cancer cells, destruction of extracellular matrix is essential. In this process, collagen is broken down by some matrix metalloproteinases. Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) is able to cleave type IV collagen, and membrane-type-1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) induces activation of proMMP2. We investigated the expressions of MT1-MMP and MMP2 and their relation to both clinicopathologic parameters and clinical outcome in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). Eighty-nine specimens of NSCLC were examined using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Each metalloproteinase was expressed within the cytoplasm of tumor cells with or without stromal cells in NSCLC. Tumors in which tumor cells strongly stained for MT1-MMP mRNA or protein made up more than 50% of the tumor area were found in 44 and 26% of cases, respectively. The corresponding values for MMP-2 mRNA and protein, were 51 and 26%. Our analysis of clinicopathological findings revealed a significant positive relationship between MT1-MMP mRNA and p-M. The correlation between MMP2 protein-staining status and overall survival rate reached significance in the univariate analysis. However, an association was not demonstrated in the multivariate analysis. The detection of MT1-MMP and MMP2 is likely to be of limited value in informing the prognosis in NSCLC.     

Treatment of severe lithium poisoning and dialysis-induced hypophosphatemia with phosphorus-enriched hemodialysis: a case report

Severe lithium intoxication requires intensive and prolonged hemodialysis as a definitive therapeutic measure. Such an aggressive stand is often needed to prevent the post-dialytic rebound in plasma lithium levels as a result of the drug's relatively slow equilibration across cellular membranes.     

Evaluation of a quantitative diagnostic sacroiliac bone scan index in cases of chronic low back pain in young male adults

Quantitative bone scan of the sacroiliac joints has long been an established diagnostic method in cases of chronic low back pain (LBP), though its value has been questioned due to the significant overlap of the numerical values between patients with inflammatory sacroiliitis and healthy controls. In an effort to solve this dissent, 133 young male adults aged 18-36 years were studied. We thus aimed to have a relatively homogenous population sample that would include the age that many sacroiliac diseases appear. Thirty-two of our patients had chronic, inflammatory disease of non-infectious origin, as tested by clinicolaboratory procedures (Group A), 29 had mechanical (non-inflammatory type) LBP (Group B), and 72 had been scintiscanned for reasons irrelevant to spine disease (Group C). The members of each group were also classified in three subgroups (a, b and c) according to age. The protocol of planar static multispot bone scan was applied to all three Groups. Three regions of interest (ROI), two on the sacroiliac joints plus one over the L4 vertebra were drawn and finally a non-dimensional numerical parameter called "lambda" was extracted by the equation lambda=total counts/total pixels of the "hottest" of the two sacroiliac joints area divided by the counts/pixels corresponding to the L4 values (lambda=SI/L4). The statistical analysis showed negative correlation of lambda with age in all three groups (P~0.04 for Group A, P~0.012 for Group B and P~0.05 for Group C). When all Groups were examined regardless of age, lambda appeared significantly different (P<0.0005) between Groups A and C, as well as between Groups A and B (P~0.002) but there was no difference between Groups B and C (P~0.12). When the members of each group were analyzed according to age, the paired difference of lambda stirred with remarkable vagueness along the whole spectrum of statistical significance. Conclusively, lambda seems to decrease with ageing at ages ranging from 18 to 36 years (P相似文献   

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Retroclival epidural hematoma secondary to a longitudinal clivus fracture

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