Trending Articles
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Comparative Study
Up-regulation of P2X4 receptors in spinal microglia after peripheral nerve injury mediates BDNF release and neuropathic pain.
ATP is a known mediator of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. However, the mechanisms by which specific purinergic receptors contribute to chronic pain states are still poorly characterized. Here, we demonstrate that in response to peripheral nerve injury, P2X(4) receptors (P2X(4)R) are expressed de novo by activated microglia in the spinal cord. ⋯ Furthermore, ATP stimulation is unable to stimulate BDNF release from P2X(4)-deficient mice microglia in primary cultures. These results indicate that P2X(4)R contribute to chronic pain through a central inflammatory pathway. P2X(4)R might thus represent a potential therapeutic target to limit microglia-mediated inflammatory responses associated with brain injury and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Comparative Study
A comparison of liquid and solid culture for determining relapse and durable cure in phase III TB trials for new regimens.
Tuberculosis kills more people than any other infectious disease, and new regimens are essential. The primary endpoint for confirmatory phase III trials for new regimens is a composite outcome that includes bacteriological treatment failure and relapse. Culture methodology is critical to the primary trial outcome. Patients in clinical trials can have positive cultures after treatment ends that may not necessarily indicate relapse, which was ascribed previously to laboratory cross-contamination or breakdown of old lesions. Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium was the previous standard in clinical trials, but almost all current and future trials will use the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) system due to its simplicity and consistency of use, which will affect phase III trial results. LJ was used for the definition of the primary endpoint in the REMoxTB trial, but every culture was also inoculated in parallel into the MGIT system. The data from this trial, therefore, provide a unique opportunity to investigate and compare the incidence of false 'isolated positives' in liquid and solid media and their potential impact on the primary efficacy results. ⋯ Laboratory cross-contamination was a likely cause of isolated positive MGIT cultures which were clustered in some laboratories. Certain patients had repeated positive MGIT cultures that did not meet the definition of a relapse. This pattern was too common to be explained by cross-contamination only, suggesting that host factors were also responsible. We conclude that MGIT can replace LJ in phase III TB trials, but there are implications for the definition of the primary outcome and patient management in trials in such settings. Most importantly, the methodologies differ in the incidence of isolated positives and in their capacity for capturing non-tuberculosis mycobacteria. It emphasises the importance of effective medical monitoring after treatment ends and consideration of clinical signs and symptoms for determining treatment failure and relapse.
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Middle East J Anaesthesiol · Feb 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparative study between ultrasound determination and clinical assessment of the lumbar interspinous level for spinal anesthesia.
The aim of the current study is to compare the accuracy of the ultrasound (US) versus clinical assessment for determination of the spinal level, using X-ray as the Gold Standard for control. ⋯ Ultrasound examination of the spine is recommended in patients planned for spinal anesthesia, as it is superior to clinical assessment in identification of the interspinous levels. This will decrease the hazard of spinal cord trauma.
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Zhongguo Wei Zhong Bing Ji Jiu Yi Xue · Jul 2011
Randomized Controlled Trial[Effect of Xuebijing injection on T helper 17 and CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells in patients with sepsis].
To study the level and significance of T helper 17 (Th17) and CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood of patients with sepsis and to evaluate the effects of Xuebijing injection on them. ⋯ The expression of Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg was increased in sepsis patients and was positively correlated with severity of sepsis, suggesting that they may play an important role in pathogenesis of sepsis. Xuebijing injection could decrease the abnormal expression of Th17 and CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg and tend to decrease the fatality rate of sepsis.