Successful endoscopic ultrasound-guided overstenting biliary drainage through a pre-existing proximal migrated metal biliary stent

Biliary endoscopic drainage using metallic self-expanded stents has become a well-established method for palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. However, its occlusion, mainly by tumor overgrowth, is still the main complication without a standard treatment. We here describe a new method of treatment for biliary metallic stent occlusion, through the echo guided biliary drainage. We present a 68-year-old patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer previously treated for jaundice with ERCP and self-expandable metallic stent insertion. Four weeks later, the patient developed jaundice and symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction. A new ERCP confirmed obstruction of the second portion of the duodenum, due to diffuse tumor growth. EUS was performed, and the previous metal biliary stent was seen occluded at the distal portion in the common bile duct. A EUS-guided choledocododenostomy was performed and then, an overlapping self-expanding metal enteral stent was placed through the malignant obstruction. There were no early complications and the procedure was also clinically effective in relieving jaundice and gastric outlet obstruction symptoms. If ERCP fails in the management of occluded biliary metallic stents, EUS biliary drain can provide effective biliary decompression and should be considered an alternative to other endoscopic techniques.     

International Headache Society classification: interobserver reliability in the diagnosis of primary headaches

We assessed interobserver reliability of the International Headache Society (IBIS) classification for diagnosis of primary headaches. The study was performed on 103 patients consecutively seen at two Headache Centres. Each patient was given a structured interview recorded on videotape. Four experienced clinicians then reviewed the interviews separately and made a diagnosis of headache according to IHS criteria at the one- and two-digit levels. At both the one- and the two-digit level the agreement was substantial (Kappa = 0.74 and 0.65, respectively). The analysis of reliability for each of nine items necessary for diagnosis showed an agreement ranging from substantial (Kappa = 0.69) to almost perfect (Kappa = 0.89). Our results indicate that the IHS classification has a good reliability for the diagnosis of primary headaches at the one- and two-digit levels.     

不同处理方法对经尿道前列腺电切术患者寒战反应的预防效果分析

目的比较不同的处理方法对减少经尿道前列腺电切术中患者寒战的效果。方法收集320例择期行经尿道前列腺电切术患者，随机分成Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组、Ⅳ组各80例，全部采用蛛网膜下隙阻滞硬膜外联合麻醉，经尿道行前列腺电切术，对4组患者分别采用不同的预防和护理方法，观察4组患者寒战发生情况。结果寒战的发生率Ⅰ组和Ⅲ组较Ⅳ组显著降低，差异有统计学意义。结论物理升温及曲马多静脉注射可降低经尿道前列腺电切术中患者寒战的发生率。     

双清平化方对代谢综合征大鼠骨骼肌自噬通路蛋白表达的影响

目的 观察双清平化方对代谢综合征大鼠Lee''s指数、血糖、血脂及骨骼肌哺乳动物雷帕霉素靶蛋白(mammalian target of rapamycin,mTOR)、自噬效应蛋白1(Beclin1)、微管相关蛋白1轻链3(microtubule-associated protein1 light chain 3,LC3)蛋白表达的影响,探讨其改善糖脂代谢的作用机制。方法 大鼠给予高脂饲料加10%果糖水溶液喂养,并联合应用N-硝基-L-精氨酸甲酯(N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester,L-NAME)及链脲佐菌素(streptozotocin,STZ)诱导代谢综合征模型。代谢综合征大鼠给予双清平化方或二甲双胍干预8周,实验前后定期测量大鼠体质量、体长、腹围、血压、糖耐量、糖化血红蛋白(glycated hemoglobin,GHb)、胰岛素(insulin,INS)、总胆固醇(total cholesterol,TC)、三酰甘油(triglyceride,TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,HDL-C),计算葡萄糖曲线下面积(OGTT-AUC)和胰岛素抵抗指数(HOMA-IR);采用苏木素-伊红(HE)染色观察骨骼肌组织病理形态学变化;采用Masson染色观察骨骼肌纤维形态变化;采用免疫组化法检测骨骼肌组织中LC3蛋白表达;采用Western blotting检测骨骼肌组织中mTOR、Beclin1和LC3蛋白表达。结果 与对照组比较,模型组大鼠空腹血糖(fasting blood glucose,FBG)、餐后2 h血糖(2 h postprandial glucose,PG2h)、OGTT-AUC、HOMA-IR、INS、GHb、TC、TG及LDL-C水平均显著升高(P<0.01),HDL-C水平显著降低(P<0.01);骨骼肌组织中mTOR蛋白表达显著上调(P<0.01),Beclin1、LC3蛋白表达显著下调(P<0.01)。与模型组比较,双清平化方组FBG、PG2h、OGTT-AUC、HOMA-IR、INS、GHb、TC、TG及LDL-C水平均显著降低(P<0.05、0.01),HDL-C水平显著升高(P<0.01);骨骼肌组织中mTOR蛋白表达水平显著上调(P<0.01),Beclin1和LC3蛋白表达显著下调(P<0.01)。结论 双清平化方可以改善代谢综合征大鼠胰岛素抵抗,改善糖脂代谢水平,抑制骨骼肌病理变化,其作用机制可能与调节骨骼肌自噬,激活骨骼肌组织自噬通路中mTOR、Beclin1、LC3蛋白表达有关。     

Baroreflex Sensitivity as a Cardiac and Arrhythmia Mortality Risk Stratifier

The last two decades have provided clear evidence for the tight and casual relation existing between arrhythmic mortality and the autonomic nervous system, particularly with imbalances characterized by decreases in vagal and/or increases in sympathetic activity. A series of compelling experimental results has represented the driving force for the clinical evaluation of the potential prognostic value of baroreflex sensitivity (BBS), a measure that can provide information on the capability to augment vagal activity. This article reviews the methodology more commonly used to quantify the clinical evaluation of this parameter, and then focuses on the key clinical studies highlighting those performed in postmyocardial infarction patients. Among them the most informative is ATRAMI, a multicenter prospective study involving almost 1300 patients. The main conclusion is that both heart rate variability and BRS are strong and independent risk factors for post-infarction mortality, thus demonstrating the clinical usefulness of autonomic markers.     

Global vascular expression of murine CD34, a sialomucin-like endothelial ligand for L-selectin

Extravasation of leukocytes into organized lymphoid tissues and into sites of inflammation is critical to immune surveillance. Leukocyte migration to peripheral lymph nodes (PLN), mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and Peyer's patches (PP) depends on L-selectin, which recognizes carbohydrate-bearing, sialomucin-like endothelial cell surface glycoproteins. Two of these ligands have been identified at the molecular level. One is the potentially soluble mucin, GlyCAM 1, which is almost exclusively produced by high endothelial venules (HEV) of PLN and MLN. The second HEV ligand for L-selectin is the membrane-bound sialomucin CD34. Historically, this molecule has been successfully used to purify human pluripotent bone marrow stem cells, and limited data suggest that human CD34 is present on the vascular endothelium of several organs. Here we describe a comprehensive analysis of the vascular expression of CD34 in murine tissues using a highly specific antimurine CD34 polyclonal antibody. CD34 was detected on vessels in all organs examined and was expressed during pancreatic and skin inflammatory episodes. A subset of HEV-like vessels in the inflamed pancreas of nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice are positive for both CD34 and GlyCAM 1, and bind to an L-selectin/immunoglobulin G (IgG) chimeric probe. Finally, we found that CD34 is present on vessels of deafferentiated PLN, despite the fact that these vessels are no longer able to interact with L-selectin or support lymphocyte binding in vitro or trafficking in vivo. Our data suggest that the regulation of posttranslational carbohydrate modifications of CD34 is critical in determining its capability to act as an L-selectin ligand. Based on its ubiquitous expression, we propose that an appropriately glycosylated form of vascular CD34 may act as a ligand for L-selectin-mediated leukocyte trafficking to both lymphoid and nonlymphoid sites.