Spin-parity analysis of pp¯ mass threshold structure in J/ψ and ψ(3686) radiative decays

A partial wave analysis of the pp¯ mass-threshold enhancement in the reaction J/ψ→γpp¯ is used to determine its J(PC) quantum numbers to be 0(-+), its peak mass to be below threshold at M=1832(-5)(+19)(stat)(-17)(+18)(syst)±19(model) MeV/c(2), and its total width to be Γ<76 MeV/c(2) at the 90% C.L. The product of branching ratios is measured to be BR[J/ψ→γX(pp¯)]BR[X(pp¯)→pp¯]=[9.0(-1.1)(+0.4)(stat)(-5.0)(+1.5)(syst)±2.3(model)]×10(-5). A similar analysis performed on ψ(3686)→γpp¯ decays shows, for the first time, the presence of a corresponding enhancement with a production rate relative to that for J/ψ decays of R=[5.08(-0.45)(+0.71)(stat)(-3.58)(+0.67)(syst)±0.12(model)]%.

ROCK1 induces ERK nuclear translocation in PDGF-BB-stimulated migration of rat vascular smooth muscle cells

It has been known that Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) signaling regulates the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, the isoform-specific roles of ROCK and its underlying mechanism in VSMC migration are not well understood. The current study thus aimed to investigate the roles of ROCK1/2 and their relationship to the MAPK signaling pathway in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced rat aorta VSMC migration by manipulating ROCK gene expression. The results revealed that ROCK1 small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) rather than ROCK2 siRNA decreased PDGF-BB-generated VSMC migration, and upregulation of ROCK1 expression via transfection of constructed pEGFP-C1/ROCK1 plasmid further increased the migration of PDGF-BB-treated VSMCs. In PDGF-treated VSMCs, ROCK1 siRNA did not affect the phosphorylation levels of ERK and p38 in the cytoplasm, but decreased the level of ERK phosphorylation in the nucleus. These findings demonstrate that activated ROCK1 can promote VSMC migration through facilitating phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of ERK protein.

Endovascular treatment of ruptured and unruptured vertebral artery aneurysms

This paper analyzes the success of endovascular management of ruptured and unruptured vertebral artery aneurysms. Sixty-three patients with 65 vertebral (both acute dissection and chronic larger aneurysms are included) treated at our hospital form the basis of the analysis. Clinical outcome was evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale. Angiographic follow-up data was obtained for 44 patients (69.8%) for periods ranging from three to 16 months (mean, eight months). Based on the Hunt and Hess grading scale, the patient population included 34 patients (54.0%) with unruptured aneurysms, 28 (44.4%) with Grade 1 aneurysms, one (1.6%) with Grade 2 aneurysms. The locations of the aneurysms included 25 (38.5%) at the distal to posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA), 22 (33.8%) at the proximal to PICA and 18 (27.7%) at the vertebral artery-posterior inferior cerebellar artery (VA-PICA). Of the 63 patients, 12 (19%) were women and 51 (81%) were men. The mean age at treatment was 41.7 years (range, six-77 yrs). Follow-up angiograms were obtained in 44 (69.8%) out of 63 patients. Complete or virtually complete thrombosis was confirmed on early posttreatment angiography in 39 (88.6%) out of 44 patients. A slight reduction in the size of the lesion was noted in three patients and there was a significant residual lesion in two (4.5%) patients. Clinical follow-up revealed 90.5% patients in the mRS 0-2 category, 4.8% patients in the mRS>2 category, and 4.8% patients had died (mRS 6). Three patients died of rebleeding (n=1) or progressive mass effect/brainstem ischemia (n=2). Ruptured and unruptured aneurysms of the vertebral artery can be well treated using endovascular techniques, overall long-term results were good in 90.5% of patients.

An oncogenic role of miR-142-3p in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) by targeting glucocorticoid receptor-α and cAMP/PKA pathways

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of 19-24 nucleotide non-coding RNAs with posttranscriptional regulatory functions. The involvement of miRNAs in normal hematopoiesis implies that deregulated miRNAs might contribute to leukemogenesis. To date, although certain miRNAs have been established a clear oncogenic role in hematological malignancies, other individual miRNAs potentially involved in human leukemogenesis still remain elusive. In this report, we showed that miR-142-3p was upregulated in human T-leukemic cell lines and primary T-leukemic cells isolated from T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients and its expressive levels were correlated with patients' prognosis. Such an oncogenic role of miR-142-3p could be explained by its targeting cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) and glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GRα). High levels of miR-142-3p resulted in low levels of cAMP and weak activity of PKA, thus relieving the inhibitory effect of PKA on T-leukemic cell proliferation. Meanwhile, miR-142-3p decreased GRα protein expression by directly targeting the 3'-untranslational region of GRα mRNA, leading to glucocorticoid resistance. Transfection of the miR-142-3p inhibitor effectively converted glucocorticoid resistance, because of the resultant increase of GRα expression and PKA activity. These findings suggest that miR-142-3p is critical in T-cell leukemogenesis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target in T-ALL patients.

Expression and clinical significance of glucose transporter 1 mRNA in bronchial brushing liquid-based cytology specimens from patients with and without lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) mRNA expression in bronchial brushing specimens from patients with lung cancer.

METHODS

GLUT1 mRNA levels were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in SurePath(TM) liquid-based cytology bronchial brushing specimens from patients with lung cancer (n=76) and benign lung disease (n=154).

RESULTS

Compared with patients with benign disease and compared with cytology, GLUT1 mRNA was found significantly more frequently in patients with all carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas and small cell carcinomas, as well as central, peripheral and diffuse carcinomas (P<0.01). Minor differences were noted in GLUT1 mRNA and cytology results between histological types and tumour location but were not statistically significant. The diagnostic performance of RT-PCR analysis of GLUT1 mRNA was significantly higher than cytology in terms of sensitivity (97.4 ± 3.6% versus 65.8 ± 10.7) and negative predictive value (98.6 ± 1.9%, versus 85.6 ± 5.1%) but specificity (90.9 ± 4.5%) and positive predictive value (84.1 ± 7.6%) were lower than cytology (100%).

CONCLUSIONS

Using liquid-based cytology, RT-PCR can be performed on bronchial brushing specimens to detect GLUT1 mRNA expression, and may be a useful adjunct to cytology diagnosis. It was more sensitive than cytology but its lower specificity should be taken into account.

A p1 aneurysm and diabetes insipidus caused by traumatic brain injury

We describe a patient with a P1 aneurysm of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) with diabetes insipidus (DI) caused by traumatic brain injury. A 21-year-old woman presented with epidural hematoma, left temporal contusion and subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by head trauma. DI occurred with normal anterior hypophyseal function on the second day after admission and cerebral angiography demonstrated an aneurysm at the right P1 portion after one month. DI was treated with administration of desmopressin and the aneurysm and P1 portion of the right PCA were occluded completely. After three months, her DI recovered and decompressin was discontinued. The six month follow-up angiogram confirmed cure of the P1 aneurysm. P1 aneurysm and DI can be caused by traumatic brain injury. Cranial DI caused by head injury with perturbations in water balance may be transitory and resolve.

Endovascular treatment for cerebral aneurysms using stents

Endovascular stent placement combined with coil embolization is an established procedure for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. We describe lesion outcome using stents for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Sixty-nine patients (30 females and 39 males; age range 12-78 years) treated with stent placement at Beijing Tiantan Hospital over a six-year period. Seventy- six cerebral aneurysms were encountered and 74 lesions were treated with 79 stents. Outcome was evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score during a mean follow-up period of 32 months. Of the 74 stented aneurysms, 34 (45.9%) were located in the anterior circulation and 40 (54.1%) in the posterior circulation. Forty-eight (64.9%) aneurysms were small and 26 (35.1%) were large or giant. In 67 (90.5%) aneurysms embolization was completed by packing the aneurysm sac with platinum coils. In five small fusiform and four saccular aneurysms, the stent was used alone. Six procedure-related complications were observed and a cause of death in 7.2% of the patients. Follow-up angiography obtained at three months to one year in 68 (91.9%) aneurysms demonstrated complete occlusion in 43 aneurysms with a progressive thrombosis rate of 19.4% (six out of 31 aneurysms). Aneurysm recurrence occurred in four (5.8%) patients, three were treated with coil embolization and one with placement of another stent. Overall long-term outcome was good (GOS Score 4 or 5) in 92.8%, and fatal (GOS Score 1) in 7.2% of the patients. Intracranial stents can be a useful addition to coil embolization for complex broad-based aneurysms. Favorable overall long-term outcome can be achieved in 92.8% of patients when using endovascular stent placement techniques.

Endovascular treatment accounts for a change in brain arteriovenous malformation natural history risk

This study estimated the risk and rates of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in patients harbor-ing brain arteriovenous malformation (BAVM) after endovascular embolization. One hundred and forty-four consecutive patients with BAVM treated with endovascular embolization between 1998 and 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. The risk of ICH subsequent to endovascular embolization was studied using Kaplan-Meier curves. We reviewed 144 patients with BAVM treated with endovascular embolization. Two hundred and sixty-nine procedures were performed, 69 were performed with silk sutures, 18 with coils, 137 with NBCA and 36 with Onyx18. Twenty-three (16.0%) patients were treated with additional gamma-knife radiosurgery and one (0.7%) with additional surgical AVM excision. Complete obliteration of BAVMs was achieved in 20 patients (13.9%). During a mean follow-up of 5.9 years for the ICH group and 6.9 years for the non-ICH group, hemorrhages occurred in 11 (17.7%) of the ICH patients and in nine (11%) of the non-ICH group (p>0.1). The annual risk of hemorrhage was 3.0% and 1.6%, respectively. In the multivariate regression model, the adjusted relative risk (RR) for hemorrhage at initial presentation was 1.6 (95% CI 1.2-3.2; p>0.1). Deep venous drainage, male sex, age or AVM size were not significantly associated with subsequent hemorrhage. ICH and non-ICH groups did not differ in progression to subsequent ICH after endovascular embolization (log-rank X (2) =1.339, p>0.1) in survival analyses. The overall annual hemorrhage risk for all patients after endovascular embolization was 2.1%. Endovascular embolization alone or combined with gamma-knife radiosurgery or surgical treatment are able to decrease ICH occurrence compared to abstention.

Dipyridodiazepinone analogs as human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: an overview

According to World Health Organization (WHO)/Joint United Nations Programme on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) (UNAIDS) Report in 2007, 33.2 million people are living with HIV, 2.5 million ones have been newly infected with HIV, and 2.1 million ones died from AIDS, including 330,000 children. Therefore, HIV/AIDS still remains a public health emergency and a leading cause of mortality worldwide. It is believed that reverse transcriptase (RT) is a crucial enzyme in the life cycle of HIV-1, and thereby RT has been the important drug target for antiretroviral (ARV) chemotherapy against AIDS. To our knowledge, dipyridodiazepinone analogs have been considered as one class of potential non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), especially the structurally and chemically related nevirapine (Viramune(R)), which was the first NNRTI approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection for adults in 1996 and for children in 1998. This review mainly highlights the progress of synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of dipyridodiazepinone analogs; in the meantime, the mechanism of action is also presented. It will pave the way for the design and development of novel dipyridodiazepinone analogs as NNRTIs in AIDS chemotherapy in the future.

A Poorly Treated Carotid-Cavernous Fistula Rescued by Coils through a PComA Approach. A Case Report

SUMMARY

This study describes a case of traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula poorly treated with balloons and rescued by coils through a PComA approach. A six-year-old boy suffered a left temporal bone puncture wound. Digital subtraction angiography disclosed a left carotid cavernous fistula. Five balloons were implanted into the cavernous sinus and the parent artery was sacrificed unwillingly, but the residual fistula retro-engorged by the ophthalmic artery communicated with the maxillary artery and the post circle through the PComA.We finally occluded the residual fistula through the PComA with coils. Once the parent artery was sacrificed and the distal residual fistula still retro-engorged, another patent communicating artery may be a rescue approach.

Imaging the effects of propofol on human cerebral glucose metabolism using positron emission tomography

The effects of propofol on glucose metabolism in different cerebral regions were observed, using positron emission tomography (PET) technology, to determine a possible cerebral target region. Seven healthy volunteers were injected with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose developing agent for PET scanning whilst awake (control group T1), during sedation (induced by 1.5 microg/ml propofol administered by target controlled injection [TCI], group T2) and when unconsciousness (induced by 2.5 microg/ml propofol administered by TCI, group T3). Whole brain glucose metabolism was reduced during propofol anaesthesia; this was initially observed in the cortical areas at the lower dose of propofol (group T2) but extended to the subcortical regions, especially the thalamus and hippocampus, at the higher dose (group T3). This suggests that these regions of the brain might be important targets that are susceptible to propofol.

SCF and IL-31 rather than IL-17 and BAFF are potential indicators in patients with allergic asthma

BACKGROUND

Although the prevalence of allergic asthma increased quickly in the past decade, the diagnostic criteria have not been well established. The aim of the present study was to explore whether stem cell factor (SCF), B cell-activating factor (BAFF), and cytokines interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-31 are usable parameters for the diagnosis of allergic asthmatics.

METHODS

Blood samples were collected from patients with allergic asthma, control patients, and healthy control subjects. The serum concentrations of SCF, BAFF, IL-17, and IL-31 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The corresponding mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

A good correlation existed between protein levels of SCF and IL-31 and their mRNA levels (SCF: r = 0.6162; IL-31: r = 0.5463). The serum concentrations of SCF and IL-31 in allergic asthmatic patients, but not control patients, were significantly higher than those in normal control subjects (SCF: median 1.83 vs 0.85 ng/ml, P < 0.01; IL-31: 50.15 vs 10.01 pg/ml, P < 0.001). Consistently, the levels of SCF and IL-31 mRNAs in allergic asthmatic patients' PBMCs were also significantly higher than those in normal control subjects (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that allergic asthma is characterized by an elevation of cytokines SCF and IL-31 and the measurement of their expression at either protein level in serum or mRNA level in PBMCs will be a valuable parameter for the diagnosis of allergic asthma.

Endovascular treatment of huge dissecting aneurysms involving the basilar artery. Experience and lessons from two cases

SUMMARY

Dissecting aneurysms involving the basilar artery (BA) are lesions with significant morbidity and mortality. Their management is controversial and often difficult. There is no generally approved strategy. Two cases of huge dissections involving the BA presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage in one case and mass effect in both cases. The dissection of case 1 involved the upper two thirds of the BA distal to the anterior inferior cerebellar arteries (AICA). Another dissection of case 2 involved the bilateral vertebral arteries (VA) distal to bilateral PICA and extended to upper third of the BA. After making a basket with coils inside the pseudoaneursym, proximal dissection was totally occluded in case 1. Dissection on the bilateral VA distal to the bilateral PICA and proximal BA was occluded in case 2 with a small residual dissection on the left VA. Case 1 had an excellent recovery with a durable image and clinical result. But recanalization and regrowth occurred in case 2, which might have originated from the residual dissection on the left VA, induced acute mass effect and sudden coma six weeks after the initial treatment. The residual and regrown dissection had to be occluded in a second intervention. The patient died two days later. BA occlusion is safe and efficient for dissections involving the BA as in our case and the literature. Proximal occlusion might be enough for huge and long lesions like ours. It seems that completely dense packing of proximal dissection is the key point to prevent recanalization.

Trigeminocardiac reflex in embolization of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula

We report a case of immediate reproducible and reflexive response of asystole upon stimulation of Onyx injection during embolization of a tentorial dural arteriovenous fistula in a 53-year-old man. Upon recognition of the reflexive relationship between Onyx injection and increased vagal tone, the patient was given anticholinergic in an effort to block cholinergic hyperactivity. After atropine was given, no further dysrhythmias occurred.

Prevention of murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by in vivo expression of a novel recombinant immunotoxin DT390-RANTES

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Chemokine receptor CCR5 has been shown to be essential for the T-cell recruitment to the inflammatory site in EAE. In this study, we assumed that an immunotoxin directed at CCR5+ cells would be able to reduce the disease activity of EAE. A recombinant immunotoxin, DT390-RANTES-SRalpha, was constructed in an eukaryotic cell expression plasmid consisting of regulated on activation normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) as the targeting moiety and DT390 as the toxic moiety. DT390-RANTES was expressed in vitro and was highly toxic to activated mouse T cells with the inhibitory concentration 50 at 0.18 ng/ml. To evaluate whether DT390-RANTES was effective in preventing EAE, C57BL/6 mice were immunized with myelin basic protein, emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant and were treated by injecting cationic liposome-embedded plasmid DNA into the muscle of hind limbs. Mice treated with DT390-RANTES-SRalpha developed a much milder EAE compared to mice treated with phosphate-buffered saline or the empty plasmid DNA. Much less CCR5+-infiltrating cells were found in the central nervous system in DT390-RANTES-SRalpha-treated mice than in the control mice. This study indicates that recombinant immunotoxin can be expressed in vivo, and targeting CCR5 can attenuate the disease activity of EAE in mice.