Hair shaft miRNA‐221 levels as a new tumor marker of malignant melanoma

miRNA‐221 (miR‐221) is known to be abnormally expressed in many human cancers. The serum levels of miR‐221 have been reported as a tumor marker for malignant melanoma (MM). We hypothesized that the hair shaft miR‐221 levels may be increased in patients with MM. We therefore assessed the possibility that hair shaft miR‐221 levels could be a marker for MM. The hair shaft miR‐221 levels were significantly higher in patients with MM than controls. The rates of increased hair shaft miR‐221 levels above the cut‐off value were comparable to those of serum 5‐S‐CD, which is a tumor marker commonly used for MM. Measurements of the hair shaft miR‐221 levels could have potential clinical value in the detection of MM. This is the first report investigating the hair shaft levels of an miRNA in patients with MM. Our investigations offer new insight into the relationship between miR‐221 and MM, and may provide a new, non‐invasive way to screen for melanoma.     

个体化假体复合组织工程技术修复兔下颌骨缺损

目的研究快速成型（RP）技术辅助下制作的个体化假体复合珊瑚羟基磷灰石（CHA）、重组人骨形成蛋白2（rhBMP-2）修复兔下颌骨缺损的成骨效果。 方法以27只新西兰大白兔为实验对象，随机数字表法平均分成3组（每组9只），全部建立下颌骨连续性缺损模型，并在兔下颌骨缺损区分别植入个体化假体+自体骨（A组）、个体化假体+CHA（B组）、个体化假体+CHA+rhBMP-2（C组）。分别于术后4、12、24周3个时间点处死动物取材，进行大体标本观察，以及骨钙素（OC）、Ⅰ型胶原（COL-1）的免疫组化观察，分别比较各组修复骨缺损的能力，并对实验数据进行重复测量设计资料的单因素方差分析。 结果术后24周各组实验兔外形均对称，通过OC及COL-1的吸光度检测，骨缺损区均有大量新骨形成，A组（0.537 ± 0.010）、C组（0.530 ± 0.010）可见大量骨小梁及编织骨结构，缺损区的新骨OC、COL-1的免疫组化观察基本一致，差异无统计学意义（t = 0.007，P>0.05）；但A组强于B组（0.415 ± 0.009，t = 0.122，P<0.001）；C组也强于B组（t = 0.121，P<0.001），差异均有统计学意义。 结论在兔下颌骨缺损修复中，通过RP技术和组织工程技术相结合，CHA复合rhBMP-2后成骨能力明显增强，成骨效能肯定，为后期的临床应用提供可靠的实验基础。     

Low bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy? A systematic review

Purpose: Non-ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy are prone to low bone mineral density. In ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy, bone mineral density deficits are expected to be small or absent, but a consensus conclusion is lacking. In this systematic review bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification Scales I–III) was studied.

Materials and methods: Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. According to international guidelines, low bone mineral density was defined as Z-score?≤??2.0. In addition, we focused on Z-score?≤??1.0 because this may indicate a tendency towards low bone mineral density.

Results: We included 16 studies, comprising 465 patients aged 1–65?years. Moderate and conflicting evidence for low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??2.0) was found for several body parts (total proximal femur, total body, distal femur, lumbar spine) in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scales II and III. We found no evidence for low bone mineral density in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scale I or adults, although there was a tendency towards low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??1.0) for several body parts.

Conclusions: Although more high-quality research is needed, results indicate that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with cerebral palsy.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Although more high-quality research is needed, including adults and fracture risk assessment, the current study indicates that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with CP.

• Health care professionals should be aware that optimal nutrition, supplements on indication, and an active lifestyle, preferably with weight-bearing activities, are important in ambulatory people with CP, also from a bone quality point-of-view.

• If indicated, medication and fall prevention training should be prescribed.

     

Absence of FGFR3–TACC3 rearrangement in hematological malignancies with numerical chromosomal alteration

FGFR–TACC, found in different tumor types, is characterized by the fusion of a member of fibroblast grown factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) family to a member of the transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) proteins. Because chromosome numerical alterations, hallmarks of FGFR–TACC fusions are present in many hematological disorders and there are no data on the prevalence, we studied a series of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome who presented numerical alterations using cytogenetic traditional analysis. None of the analyzed samples showed FGFR3–TACC3 gene fusion, so screening for this mutation at diagnosis is not recommended.     

Recipient hypertonic saline infusion prevents cardiac allograft dysfunction

Objective

Hypertonic saline (HTS) has potent immune and vascular effects. We assessed recipient pretreatment with HTS on allograft function in a porcine model of heart transplantation and hypothesized that HTS infusion would limit endothelial and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction following transplantation.