肝癌组织LncRNA TINCR表达水平对术后长期生存的影响

目的 探讨肝癌组织中LncRNA TINCR 表达水平对术后长期生存的影响。方法 回顾性分析2013 年4 月～2016 年2 月间在本院接受手术治疗的157 例肝细胞肝癌患者的临床资料。RT-PCR 法检测肝癌标本内LncRNA TINCR 表达水平，采用ROC 曲线和Kaplan-Meier 法分析LncRNA TINCR 表达水平对肝癌术后长期生存的影响。结果 肝癌组织LncRNA TINCR 表达水平对术后长期生存预测的曲线下面积（AUC）为0.812，特异度为73.77%，灵敏度为79.17%，最佳判读值为1.89（P＜0.0001）。根据ROC 曲线分析结果，将肝癌组织LncRNA TINCR 相对表达水平大于1.89 的93 例（59.24%）患者纳入高表达组，而肝癌组织LncRNA TINCR 相对表达水平小于或等于1.89的64 例（40.76%）患者纳入低表达组。Kaplan－Meier 法生存分析发现高表达组术后3 年内有76 例患者死亡，3 年总生存率为18.28%（17/93）；低表达组术后3 年内有20 例患者死亡，3 年总生存率为68.75%（44/64），低表达组3 年总生存率明显优于高表达组（P＜0.0001，两组间死亡风险比为3.7534，95%可信区间为2.5158～5.6000）。结论 肝癌组织LncRNA TINCR 表达水平与肝癌术后长期生存显著相关，LncRNA TINCR 表达水平升高则预示着预后不佳。     

Long-term results in the treatment of menorrhagia and hypermenorrhea with a thermal balloon endometrial ablation technique.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of long-term results using a thermal balloon endometrial ablation technique to treat menorrhagia and hypermenorrhea, considered dysfunctional uterine bleedings. METHODS: A single-arm, prospective study with long-term follow-up of 48 months at the department of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Kiel, Germany. Following hysteroscopic evaluation of the uterine cavity and fractionated curettage, the Cavaterm endometrial thermal ablation technique was performed on 70 patients over the age of 40 with menorrhagia and hypermenorrhea in whom medical treatment had previously failed. The study included a group of 10 patients with adenomyosis and uterine fibroids. RESULTS: In 65 patients, a complete 48-month follow-up evaluation was possible: 58% of patients reported amenorrhea and 33% hypomenorrhea. Nine percent of patients remained eumenorrheic. Fifty percent of the small group with failed indications for the procedure had to undergo a hysterectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The Cavaterm thermal coagulation system in the earlier mode of application (15 minutes at a temperature of 70 degrees C and a pressure of 200 mm Hg) is a safe and highly effective method of endometrial ablation resulting in a minimal amount of posttreatment menstrual bleeding.     

Early neonatal inflammation affects adult pain reactivity and anxiety related traits in mice: genetic background counts

Protracted or recurrent pain and inflammation in the early neonatal period may cause long-lasting changes in central neural function. However, more research is necessary to better characterize the long-term behavioral sequelae of such exposure in the neonatal period. Objectives: (1) to study whether timing of postnatal exposure to persistent inflammation alters responsiveness to thermal pain in the adult animal; (2) to assess whether animals experiencing early postnatal chronic inflammation display altered anxiety related behavior; (3) to study the importance of genetic background. Newborn mice (outbred strain, CD1 and F1 hybrid strain, B6C3F1) received an injection of Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) or saline on either postnatal day 1 or 14 (PND1; PND14) into the left hind paw. Pain to radiant heat and anxiety were examined in 12-week-old adult animals. Adult baseline PWL was significantly decreased in CD1 mice exposed to CFA on PND 1 and 14 as compared to their saline treated counterparts. B6C3F1 mice exposed to CFA on PND14 showed markedly reduced baseline PWL compared to the PND14 saline group. Persistent inflammation experienced by B6C3F1 mice on PND1 failed to affect baseline adult thermal responsiveness. Adult mice, CD1 and B6C3F1, displayed low anxiety traits only if they had been exposed to persistent inflammation on PND1 and not on PND14. Our research suggests a role for genetic background in modulating long-term behavioral consequences of neonatal persistent inflammation: the data support the hypothesis that pain experienced very early in life differentially affects adult behavioral and emotional responsiveness in outbred (CD1) and hybrid mice (B6C3F1).     

Coccygectomy has a favorable effect on the intensity, manifestation, and characteristics of pain caused by coccygodynia: a retrospective evaluation of 34 patients followed for 3–18 years

Background  Coccygodynia can cause severe pain and disability in patients. There are contradictions in the literature regarding the final results of coccygectomy for coccygodynia. We evaluated the long-term effects of coccygectomy on the intensity, characteristics, and manifestation of pain caused by coccygodynia to determine the adequacy of operation among treatment modalities. Materials and methods  Thirty-four patients with coccygodynia were treated by coccygectomy. In 22 cases, trauma, and in one case childbirth was the cause. 11 cases were regarded as idiopathic. The intensity, characteristics of pain, and the most painful activities were evaluated at an average of 7.6 (3–18) years of follow-up time. Results  Before the operation, all 34 patients had pain while sitting, moreover, 26 of them had pain during standing, walking, at night or a combination of these. 21 patients had intolerable or very intensive, mainly acute, sharp or burning pain. 11 patients had dyschesia, 2 had dysuria and 6 had dyspareunia. At follow-up, 7 patients were completely free of pain, 15 others had moderate, 11 medium, and only one patient had severe, but none had intolerable pain. Only seven patients had acute, sharp or burning pain postoperatively. The decrease of average pain score from 8.0 to 3.2 was significant (P < 10⁻¹²). The number of the patients with dyschesia and dyspareunia decreased from 11 to 7 and from 6 to 3, respectively. Two patients had dysuria, but their complaints did not change after the operation. One of the two patients who needed reoperation had an excellent final result, while the other remained unchanged. 12 and 16 patients (together 82%) regarded the final result of the operation excellent and good, respectively. The condition of five others did not change, while one became worse. The patients with younger age, smaller body mass index, and less co-morbidities had better final result. There were no serious complications. Conclusion  Coccygectomy for coccygodynia is a safe method to decrease the intensity of pain and other complaints of the patients. The operation can be the choice of treatment if conservative measures fail.     

Anti-S-100 Serum blocks long-term potentiation in the hippocampal slice

S-100 is a calcium-binding, glial protein which has been shown to be involved in behavioral learning and memory tasks. Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus is a long-lasting enhancement of synaptic efficacy evoked by repetitive afferent stimulation. When anti-S-100 serum is applied by pressure ejection onto the stratum radiatum of area CA1 of the hippocampal slice, the amplitude of the extracellularly recorded population spike is not affected. However, repetitive stimulation of the afferents during S-100 application failed to produce LTP. At a distant site in the same slice, LTP occurs normally. Preimmune normal rabbit serum had no effect on the development of LTP. It appears that S-100 protein is involved in the establishment of LTP.     

A novel technique of ab interno glaucoma surgery: follow-up results after 24 months

Purpose It was the aim of this study to investigate the efficacy, longevity, and safety of a new ab interno intervention for the treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods The previously described method of radiofrequency-mediated “sclerothalamotomy ab interno” was applied in 53 eyes of consecutive patients with POAG between April 2002 and July 2002. Average preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 25.6±2.3 mmHg (range 18–48 mmHg). Sclerothalamotomies were carried out with a custom-made high-frequency dissection 19 G probe (tip 0.3×1 mm) applying bipolar current with a frequency of 500 kHz (tip temperature 130°C). Results After a follow-up period of 24 months, the average IOP was 15.0±1.6 mmHg (range 11–20 mmHg) (p<0.005). The average number of topical agents was 2.6±1.0 (range 1–5) preoperatively. Twenty-four months after surgery such agents were used in only five (9.6%) eyes and the average was 0.21±0.53 (range 0–2). Transient IOP elevation was observed in 12 of 53 eyes (22.6%) postoperatively. In all cases elevated IOP could efficiently be controlled with topical medication. In general, IOP dropped continuously over the course of the 6 months following surgery and then remained constant. Conclusions This study indicates that sclerothalamotomy ab interno is a safe and efficient surgical method for the treatment of POAG. Long-term results clearly demonstrate the longevity of IOP reduction.     

Long-term follow-up by video of cervical dystonia treated with botulinum toxin

We have analysed video recordings of 21 patients with cervical dystonia treated with botulinum toxin. Fourteen patients have a record both of their response shortly after injections were commenced and between four years five months and six years seven months later. Our analysis shows that the long term outcome is often better than the initial response. We suggest that chronic treatment with botulinum toxin allows different muscles to those initially injected to be identified as contributors to the dystonia. Subsequent injection of these muscles leads to further improvement. It implies that cervical dystonia is a more widespread disorder of motor control, rather than simply limited to a few muscles.