Erratum to: ’Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a patient-initiated botulinum toxin treatment model for blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm compared to standard care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial’.

Blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm are debilitating conditions that significantly impact on patient quality of life. Cyclical treatment with botulinum toxin injections offers temporary relief, but the duration of treatment efficacy is variable. The standard model of patient care defines routine fixed-time based scheduled treatment cycles which may lead to unnecessarily frequent treatment for some patients and experience of distressing symptoms in others, if symptoms return before the scheduled follow-up period

Cognitive Dysfunction in Adult Chd With Different Structural Complexity

OBJECTIVE: We carried out a cross-sectional study to assess cognitive function in a sample of adult CHD patients, within the Functioning in Adult Congenital Heart Disease study London. The association between cognitive functioning and disease complexity was examined. METHODS: A total of 310 patients participated in this study. Patients were classified into four structural complexity groups – tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries, single ventricle, and simple conditions. Each patient underwent neuropsychological assessment to evaluate cognitive function, including memory and executive function, and completed questionnaires to assess depression and anxiety. RESULTS: Among all, 41% of the sample showed impaired performance (>1.5 SD below the normative mean) on at least three tests of cognitive function compared with established normative data. This was higher than the 8% that was expected in a normal population. The sample exhibited significant deficits in divided attention, motor function, and executive functioning. There was a significant group difference in divided attention (F=5.01, p=0.002) and the mean total composite score (F=5.19, p=0.002) between different structural complexity groups, with the simple group displaying better cognitive function. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that many adult CHD patients display impaired cognitive function relative to a healthy population, which differs in relation to disease complexity. These findings may have implications for clinical decision making in this group of patients during childhood. Possible mechanisms underlying these deficits and how they may be reduced or prevented are discussed; however, further work is needed to draw conclusive judgements

Smoking Comorbidity in Alcoholism: Neurobiological and Neurocognitive Consequences

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65249/1/j.1530-0277.2006.00034.x.pd

Comparison of Influenza and SIV Specific CD8 T Cell Responses in Macaques

Macaques are a potentially useful non-human primate model to compare memory T-cell immunity to acute virus pathogens such as influenza virus and effector T-cell responses to chronic viral pathogens such as SIV. However, immunological reagents to study influenza CD8+ T-cell responses in the macaque model are limited. We recently developed an influenza-SIV vaccination model of pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina) and used this to study both influenza-specific and SIV-specific CD8+ T-cells in 39 pigtail macaques expressing the common Mane-A*10+ (Mane-A01*084) MHC-I allele. To perform comparative studies between influenza and SIV responses a common influenza nucleoprotein-specific CD8+ T-cell response was mapped to a minimal epitope (termed RA9), MHC-restricted to Mane-A*10 and an MHC tetramer developed to study this response. Influenza-specific memory CD8+ T-cell response maintained a highly functional profile in terms of multitude of effector molecule expression (CD107a, IFN-γ, TNF-α, MIP-1β and IL-2) and showed high avidity even in the setting of SIV infection. In contrast, within weeks following active SIV infection, SIV-specific CD8+ effector T-cells expressed fewer cytokines/degranulation markers and had a lower avidity compared to influenza specific CD8+ T-cells. Further, the influenza specific memory CD8 T-cell response retained stable expression of the exhaustion marker programmed death-marker-1 (PD-1) and co-stimulatory molecule CD28 following infection with SIV. This contrasted with the effector SIV-specific CD8+ T-cells following SIV infection which expressed significantly higher amounts of PD-1 and lower amounts of CD28. Our results suggest that strategies to maintain a more functional CD8+ T-cell response, profile may assist in controlling HIV disease

Cancer cell sensitivity to bortezomib is associated with survivin expression and p53 status but not cancer cell types

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Survivin is known playing a role in drug resistance. However, its role in bortezomib-mediated inhibition of growth and induction of apoptosis is unclear. There are conflicting reports for the effect of bortezomib on survivin expression, which lacks of a plausible explanation. Methods: In this study, we tested cancer cells with both p53 wild type and mutant/null background for the relationship of bortezomib resistance with survivin expression and p53 status using MTT assay, flow cytometry, DNA fragmentation, caspase activation, western blots and RNAi technology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that cancer cells with wild type p53 show a low level expression of survivin and are sensitive to treatment with bortezomib, while cancer cells with a mutant or null p53 show a high level expression of survivin and are resistant to bortezomib-mediated apoptosis induction. However, silencing of survivin expression utilizing survivin mRNA-specific siRNA/shRNA in p53 mutant or null cells sensitized cancer cells to bortezomib mediated apoptosis induction, suggesting a role for survivin in bortezomib resistance. We further noted that modulation of survivin expression by bortezomib is dependent on p53 status but independent of cancer cell types. In cancer cells with mutated p53 or p53 null, bortezomib appears to induce survivin expression, while in cancer cells with wild type p53, bortezomib downregulates or shows no significant effect on survivin expression, which is dependent on the drug concentration, cell line and exposure time.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings, for the first time, unify the current inconsistent findings for bortezomib treatment and survivin expression, and linked the effect of bortezomib on survivin expression, apoptosis induction and bortezomib resistance in the relationship with p53 status, which is independent of cancer cell types. Further mechanistic studies along with this line may impact the optimal clinical application of bortezomib in solid cancer therapeutics.</p

The Maastricht Ultrasound Shoulder pain trial (MUST): Ultrasound imaging as a diagnostic triage tool to improve management of patients with non-chronic shoulder pain in primary care

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Subacromial disorders are considered to be one of the most common pathologies affecting the shoulder. Optimal therapy for shoulder pain (SP) in primary care is yet unknown, since clinical history and physical examination do not provide decisive evidence as to the patho-anatomical origin of the symptoms. Optimal decision strategies can be furthered by applying ultrasound imaging (US), an accurate method in diagnosing SP, demonstrating a clear relationship between diagnosis and available therapies. Yet, the clinical cost-effectiveness of applying US in the management of SP in primary care has not been studied. The aim of this paper is to describe the design and methods of a trial assessing the cost-effectiveness of ultrasound imaging as a diagnostic triage tool to improve management of primary care patients with non-chronic shoulder pain.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>This randomised controlled trial (RCT) will involve 226 adult patients with suspected subacromial disorders recruited by general practitioners. During a Qualification period of two weeks, patients receive care as usual as advised by the Dutch College of General Practitioners, and patients are referred for US. Patients with insufficient improvement qualify for the RCT. These patients are then randomly assigned to the intervention or the control group. The therapies used in both groups are the same (corticosteroid injections, referral to a physiotherapist or orthopedic surgeon) except that therapies used in the intervention group will be tailored based on the US results. Ultrasound diagnosed disorders include tendinopathy, calcific tendinitis, partial and full thickness tears, and subacromial bursitis. The primary outcome is patient-perceived recovery at 52 weeks, using the Global Perceived Effect questionnaire. Secondary outcomes are disease specific and generic quality of life, cost-effectiveness, and the adherence to the initial applied treatment. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, 13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks after inclusion. An economic evaluation will be performed from both a health care and societal perspective with a time horizon of 52 weeks.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The results of this trial will give unique evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of US as a diagnostic triage tool in the management of SP in primary care.</p

The DAC system and associations with multiple myeloma

Despite the clear progress achieved in recent years in the treatment of MM, most patients eventually relapse and therefore novel therapeutic options are still necessary for these patients. In this regard, several drugs that target specific mechanisms of the tumor cells are currently being explored in the preclinical and clinical setting. This manuscripts offers a review of the rationale and current status of the antimyeloma activity of one of the most relevant examples of these targeted drugs: deacetylase inhibitors (DACi). Several studies have demonstrated the prooncogenic activity of deacetylases (DACs) through the targeting not only of histones but also of non histone proteins relevant to tumor progression, such as p53, E2F family members, Bcl-6, Hsp90, HIF-1α or Nur77. This fact together with the DACs overexpression present in several tumors, has prompted the development of some DACi with potential antitumor effect. This situation is also evident in the case of MM as two mechanisms of DACi, the inhibition of the epigenetic inactivation of p53 and the blockade of the unfolded protein response, through the inhibition of the aggressome formation (by targeting DAC6) and the inactivation of the chaperone system (by acetylating HSP-90), provides the rationale for the exploration of the potential antimyeloma activity of these compounds. Several DACi with different chemical structure and different selectivity for targeting the DAC families have been tested in MM. Their preclinical activity in monotherapy has been quite exciting and has been described to be mediated by various mechanisms: the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest mainly by the upregulation of p21; the interferece with the interaction between plasma cells and the microenvironment, by reducing the expression and signalling of several cytokines or by inhibiting angiogenesis. Finally they also have a role in protecting murine models from myeloma bone disease. Neverteless, the clinical activity in monotherapy of these drugs in relapsed/refractory MM patients has been very modest. This has prompted the development of combinations such as the one with bortezomib or lenalidomide and dexamethasone, which have already been taken into the clinics with positive preliminary results

Specific Cognitive Deficits in ADHD: A Diagnostic Concern in Differential Diagnosis

We present a critical account of existing tools used to diagnose children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and to make a case for the assessment of cognitive impairments as a part of diagnostic system. Surveys have shown that clinicians rely almost entirely upon subjective reports or their own clinical judgment when arriving at diagnostic decisions relating to this prevalent disorder. While information from parents and teachers should always be carefully considered, they are often influenced by a host of emotional and perceptual factors. It increases the possibility for misdiagnosis of a condition like ADHD. Recent experimental literature on ADHD has identified unique underlying cognitive dysfunction, specific to ADHD. Therefore, we propose that there is a need to incorporate information on cognitive mechanisms underlying ADHD and inculcate such information in the diagnostic system, which will provide a more sensitive as well as specific tool in differential diagnosis of ADHD

Prostate Cancer Cell Lines under Hypoxia Exhibit Greater Stem-Like Properties

Hypoxia is an important environmental change in many cancers. Hypoxic niches can be occupied by cancer stem/progenitor-like cells that are associated with tumor progression and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, it has not yet been fully elucidated how hypoxia influences the stem-like properties of prostate cancer cells. In this report, we investigated the effects of hypoxia on human prostate cancer cell lines, PC-3 and DU145. In comparison to normoxia (20% O2), 7% O2 induced higher expressions of HIF-1α and HIF-2α, which were associated with upregulation of Oct3/4 and Nanog; 1% O2 induced even greater levels of these factors. The upregulated NANOG mRNA expression in hypoxia was confirmed to be predominantly retrogene NANOGP8. Similar growth rates were observed for cells cultivated under hypoxic and normoxic conditions for 48 hours; however, the colony formation assay revealed that 48 hours of hypoxic pretreatment resulted in the formation of more colonies. Treatment with 1% O2 also extended the G0/G1 stage, resulting in more side population cells, and induced CD44 and ABCG2 expressions. Hypoxia also increased the number of cells positive for ABCG2 expression, which were predominantly found to be CD44bright cells. Correspondingly, the sorted CD44bright cells expressed higher levels of ABCG2, Oct3/4, and Nanog than CD44dim cells, and hypoxic pretreatment significantly increased the expressions of these factors. CD44bright cells under normoxia formed significantly more colonies and spheres compared with the CD44dim cells, and hypoxic pretreatment even increased this effect. Our data indicate that prostate cancer cells under hypoxia possess greater stem-like properties

Meta-Profiles of Gene Expression during Aging: Limited Similarities between Mouse and Human and an Unexpectedly Decreased Inflammatory Signature

Background: Skin aging is associated with intrinsic processes that compromise the structure of the extracellular matrix while promoting loss of functional and regenerative capacity. These processes are accompanied by a large-scale shift in gene expression, but underlying mechanisms are not understood and conservation of these mechanisms between humans and mice is uncertain. Results: We used genome-wide expression profiling to investigate the aging skin transcriptome. In humans, age-related shifts in gene expression were sex-specific. In females, aging increased expression of transcripts associated with T-cells, B-cells and dendritic cells, and decreased expression of genes in regions with elevated Zeb1, AP-2 and YY1 motif density. In males, however, these effects were contrasting or absent. When age-associated gene expression patterns in human skin were compared to those in tail skin from CB6F1 mice, overall human-mouse correspondence was weak. Moreover, inflammatory gene expression patterns were not induced with aging of mouse tail skin, and well-known aging biomarkers were in fact decreased (e.g., Clec7a, Lyz1 and Lyz2). These unexpected patterns and weak human-mouse correspondence may be due to decreased abundance of antigen presenting cells in mouse tail skin with age. Conclusions: Aging is generally associated with a pro-inflammatory state, but we have identified an exception to this pattern with aging of CB6F1 mouse tail skin. Aging therefore does not uniformly heighten inflammatory status across all mouse tissues. Furthermore, we identified both intercellular and intracellular mechanisms of transcriptome aging, including those that are sex- and species-specific