Atopy patch test with house dust mite in Chinese patients with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: The atopy patch test (APT) has been defined as an important tool in the diagnosis of cutaneous hypersensitivity caused by house dust mites in atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the APT to mite allergens by comparing its positive results with those of the skin prick test (SPT) and serum specific IgE test in Chinese AD patients. METHODS: The APT, SPT and serum specific IgE test with Dermatophagoiodes pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farina were performed on a total of 120 patients with atopic dermatitis. RESULTS: Overall, 37.5% of the patients showed a positive APT reaction to mite allergens. A statistically significant association was observed between positive APT results and air-exposed eczema pattern. The positive APT results were not significantly associated with SCORAD scores and accompanied atopic respiratory disorders in AD patients. A higher frequency of APT positive reactions to mite allergens was observed in adolescent and adult patients. There was no significant difference in APT positivity between extrinsic patients (40.7%) and intrinsic patients (27.6%). CONCLUSION: This study identified house dust mite induced cutaneous hypersensitivity in Chinese patients with AD by APT, especially in air-exposed distribution patterns or adolescent and adult patients. Both intrinsic and extrinsic AD patients showed positive APT reactions to house dust mite.

Isolated congenital left ventricular diverticulum.

Isolated congenital left ventricular diverticulum is a rare malformation and fewer than 50 cases have been reported to date. We report here on a patient with the symptoms of atypical chest pain and distress, who had a successful surgical intervention for this malformation.

gamma -Secretase cleavage and nuclear localization of ErbB-4 receptor tyrosine kinase.

ErbB-4 is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that regulates cell proliferation and differentiation. After binding of its ligand heregulin (HRG) or activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), the ErbB-4 ectodomain is cleaved by a metalloprotease. We now report a subsequent cleavage by gamma-secretase that releases the ErbB-4 intracellular domain from the membrane and facilitates its translocation to the nucleus. gamma-Secretase cleavage was prevented by chemical inhibitors or a dominant negative presenilin. Inhibition of gamma-secretase also prevented growth inhibition by HRG. gamma-Secretase cleavage of ErbB-4 may represent another mechanism for receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated signaling.

Cardiac troponin I: a biomarker for detection and risk stratification of minor myocardial damage.

Myocardial infarction has long been a subject of research in cardiology and biochemistry. Within the past few years, a number of new phrases, micro-infarction, minor cardiac damage and non-ischemic cardiac damage have been frequently used and discussed since cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was introduced. Using this sensitive and specific biomarker it is now possible to detect minor cardiac damage occurring in different clinical settings: spontaneous, trauma, thermal injury, septic shock, or during cardiovascular surgery. The advent of this marker also opens a subject on the pathophysiologic aspect of non-ischemic cardiac damage that has not yet been fully understood and verified. This article reviews current knowledge of cTnI and its relationship with unstable angina and non-ischemic cardiac damage. The clinical implication of recent research findings on cTnI is also discussed.

Fast-track surgery improves postoperative recovery in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy for primary liver cancer: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Fast-track surgery (FTS), combining several techniques with evidence-based adjustments, has shown its effectiveness to accelerate recovery, reduce morbidity and shorten hospital stay in many operations. This randomized controlled study was carried out aiming to compare the short-term outcomes of partial hepatectomy for liver cancer managed with FTS or with conventional surgery (CS). METHODS: To compare the short-term effects between FTS and CS, a randomized controlled trial was carried out for liver cancer patients undergoing partial hepatectomy from September 2010 to June 2012. RESULTS: Patients with liver cancers before receiving partial hepatectomy were randomized into the FTS group (n = 80) and the CS group (n = 80). Compared with the CS group, the FTS group had significantly less complications (P < 0.05), shorter durations of nausea/vomiting, paralytic ileus and hospital stay, higher general comfort questionnaire measures (GCQ) by Kolcaba Line (all P < 0.05), and lower serum levels of C-reactive protein on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5. CONCLUSIONS: FTS was safe and efficacious. It lessened postoperative stress reactions and accelerated recovery for patients undergoing partial hepatectomy for liver cancer.