胸腺肽α1对转移性黑色素瘤患者有效

胸腺肽α1（Tα1）为一种免疫调节多肽,可增强效应T细胞反应。此项大型随机试验主要评价了Tα1与达卡巴嗪（DTIC）和干扰素α（IFN—α）对于转移性黑色素瘤患者的疗效和安全性。     

Clinical “case series”: a concept analysis

Objectives

To analyze the concept of “case series” in the medical literature compared with case reports.

Methods

A PubMed search for articles published during 2009 which had “case series” in their title was performed. A total number of 621 articles were retrieved. 586 papers were included in the analysis and 35 were excluded (18 were commentary letters, 5 were not in English, and twelve could not be retrieved by our Library). The number of patients and category of these articles were analyzed.

Results

The median (range) of the number of cases of articles having “case series” in their title was 7 (1–6432) cases. 186/ 586 articles had less than 5 cases (31.7%, 95% CI (28.3–35.1%)). The median (range) of the number of cases of articles having “case report” as their publication type was 4 (1–178) cases. Out of the 219 articles categorized as case reports 114 (52.1%, 95% CI (45.6–58.6%)) had less than five cases.

Conclusions

The concept of “case series” is not well defined in the literature and does not reflect a specific research design. We suggest that a case series should have more than four patients while four paitents or less should be reported individually as case reports.     

Combination of ECMO and cytokine adsorption therapy for severe sepsis with cardiogenic shock and ARDS due to Panton–Valentine leukocidin—positive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis> pneumonia and H1N1

Sepsis-induced cardiogenic shock in combination with severe acute respiratory failure represents a life-threatening combination that is often refractory to the conventional methods of treatment. We describe the case of a 33-year-old patient who developed acute cardiovascular collapse and ARDS secondary to superinfection of Panton–Valentine leukocidin—positive Staphylococcus aureus and H1N1 pneumonia who underwent successful combination therapy for severe sepsis-related cardiomyopathy and respiratory failure using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and cytokine adsorption therapy.     

Inflammation and adipose tissue: effects of progressive load training in rats

Introduction

Cytokines (IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) are increased after exhaustive exercise in the rat retroperitoneal (RPAT) and mesenteric adipose tissue (MEAT) pads. On the other hand, these cytokines show decreased expression in these depots in response to a chronic exercise protocol. However, the effect of exercise with overload combined with a short recovery period on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression is unknown. In the present study, we investigated the regulation of cytokine production in the adipose tissue of rats after an overtraining-inducing exercise protocol.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Control (C), Trained (Tr), Overtrained (OT) and recovered overtrained (R). Cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10) levels and Toll Like Receptor 4 (TLR4), Nuclear Factor kBp65 (NF-kBp65), Hormone Sensitive Lipase (HSL) and, Perilipin protein expression were assessed in the adipose tissue. Furthermore, we analysed plasma lipid profile, insulin, testosterone, corticosterone and endotoxin levels, and liver triacylglycerol, cytokine content, as well as apolipoprotein B (apoB) and TLR4 expression in the liver.

Results

OT and R groups exhibited reduced performance accompanied by lower testosterone and increased corticosterone and endotoxin levels when compared with the control and trained groups. IL-6 and IL-10 protein levels were increased in the adipose tissue of the group allowed to recover, in comparison with all the other studied groups. TLR-4 and NF-kBp65 were increased in this same group when compared with both control and trained groups. The protein expression of HSL was increased and that of Perilipin, decreased in the adipose in R in relation to the control. In addition, we found increased liver and serum TAG, along with reduced apoB protein expression and IL-6 and IL-10 levels in the of R in relation to the control and trained groups.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have shown that increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the adipose tissue after an overtraining protocol may be mediated via TLR-4 and NF-kBp65 signalling, leading to an inflammatory state in this tissue.     

Health state preferences associated with weight status in children and adolescents

Background  

Childhood obesity is a substantial public health problem. The extent to which health state preferences (utilities) are related to a child's weight status has not been reported. The aims of this study were (1) to use a generic health state classification system to measure health related quality of life and calculate health utilities in a convenience sample of children and adolescents and (2) to determine the extent to which these measures are associated with weight status and body mass index (BMI).     

249 TP53 mutation has high prevalence and is correlated with larger and poorly differentiated HCC in Brazilian patients

Background  

Ser-249 TP53 mutation (249^Ser) is a molecular evidence for aflatoxin-related carcinogenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and it is frequent in some African and Asian regions, but it is unusual in Western countries. HBV has been claimed to add a synergic effect on genesis of this particular mutation with aflatoxin. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of 249^Ser mutation in HCC from patients in Brazil.     

Long-term outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane removal in diabetic macular edema

PURPOSE: To report the long-term visual results and anatomical outcome as assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with removal of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) in diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS: Medical records of 27 eyes of 27 patients who underwent PPV with ILM removal for DME attributable to diffuse leakage were reviewed. This retrospective study included eyes that underwent PPV with ILM removal at our institution with preoperative and postoperative OCT assessment of DME. None of the eyes had OCT evidence of anteroposterior vitreomacular traction. Main outcome measures were foveal thickness and visual acuity changes. RESULTS: Foveal thickness decreased by at least 20% in 22 eyes (81.4%) and increased by at least 20% in 3 eyes (11.1%) with PPV and ILM removal (mean follow-up +/- SD, 27.6 +/- 7.2 months; range, 12-38 months). Mean foveal thickness decrease +/- SD was 178 +/- 164 microm (43.6%), with a mean preoperative foveal thickness +/- SD of 408 +/- 121 microm compared with a mean postoperative foveal thickness +/- SD of 230 +/- 74 microm (P < 0.001). Recurrence of DME was observed at postoperative month 24 in 2 eyes and postoperative month 30 in 1 eye. Visual acuity improved by > or =2 lines in 10 eyes (37%) and decreased by > or =2 lines in 3 eyes (11.1%). Mean best-corrected logMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) visual acuity +/- SD was 0.75 +/- 0.35 preoperatively and 0.63 +/- 0.33 postoperatively (P = 0.033). CONCLUSION: PPV with ILM removal appears to be effective in reducing DME and improving visual acuity, and its effectiveness is maintained in the long term. Recurrence of DME may be observed in the late postoperative period.