Polymorphism of CLOCK gene rs 4580704 C > G is associated with susceptibility of Alzheimer's disease in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association of polymorphism of circadian locomotor output cycle kaput (CLOCK) gene rs 4580704 C/G with susceptibility of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was examined in the present study. METHODS: This was a case/control study and investigated the association of polymorphism of CLOCK gene rs 4580704 C/G with susceptibility of AD. Genotypes of apolipoprotein E (APOE) and CLOCK gene rs 4580704 C/G were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) detection method. RESULTS: This study was comprised of 296 unrelated AD patients and 423 controls. We performed an analysis the association of polymorphism of CLOCK gene rs 4580704 C/G with susceptibility of AD. In the whole sample or APOEε4 noncarriers, prevalence of C carriers in CLOCK gene rs 4580704 in AD patients was significantly higher than in controls (in the whole sample: χ(2) = 13.773, p <0.0001; in APOEε4 noncarriers: χ(2) = 51.588, p <0.0001). However, among APOEε4 carriers, prevalence of C carriers in CLOCK gene rs 4580704 between patients and controls was not statistically significant (χ(2) = 0.753, p = 0.386). CONCLUSIONS: Among APOEε4 noncarriers, C carriers in CLOCK gene rs 4580704 were associated with a high susceptibility of AD; however, among APOEε4 carriers the functional polymorphism of clock gene rs 4580704 C/G was not associated with AD susceptibility.

The circadian rhythm of arterial blood pressure in Alzheimer disease (AD) patients without hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: The circadian rhythm (CR) of arterial blood pressure (ABP) in Alzheimer disease (AD) patients was examined in a case-control clinical study. METHODS: This study was constructed using the case-control method and investigates non-hypertensive AD patients, compared with normotensive controls from a primary care setting. Twenty-four-hour ABP was measured with an automatic oscillometric device and recorded every 30 min throughout the day and night. Extreme dipper, dipper, non-dipper and reverse-dipper patterns were defined as those individuals with > 20%, 10-20%, < 10% and no fall in nocturnal ABP relative to daytime values. RESULTS: There were significant differences in ABP dipper status between cases and controls (cases - 16.15%, 60.00%, 17.70% and 6.15% vs controls - 3.19%, 31.9 2%, 42.02% and 22.88% for reverse dipper, non-dipper, dipper and extreme dipper, respectively, df = 3, χ(2) = 56.76, p < 0.001). Compared with normal controls, AD patients had significantly higher 24-h mean blood pressure, 24-h mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), night mean SBP, night mean pulse pressure (PP) and 24-h mean PP. There were no significant differences in 24-h mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP), daytime mean DBP or night-time mean DBP, and no significant differences in daytime mean SBP. CONCLUSIONS: The circadian rhythm of ABP in AD patents differed from normal controls, perhaps from higher night SBP in AD patents.

Surgical excision of extensive sacrococcygeal chordomas assisted by occlusion of the abdominal aorta.

OBJECT: An extensive sacrococcygeal chordoma is considered a challenge for neurosurgeons. Because of the complex anatomy of the sacral region, the risk of uncontrollable intraoperative hemorrhage, and the typically large tumor size at presentation, complete resections are technically difficult and the tumor recurrence rate is high. The aim of this study was to assess the value of using occlusion of the abdominal aorta by means of a balloon dilation catheter and electrophysiological monitoring when an extensive sacrococcygeal chordoma is removed. METHODS: Between 2004 and 2008, 9 patients underwent resection of extensive sacrococcygeal chordomas in the authors' department with the aid of occlusion of the abdominal aorta and electrophysiological monitoring. All of these operations were performed via the posterior approach. The records of the 9 patients were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Wide resections were performed in 6 cases and marginal excisions in the other 3. Five patients underwent postoperative radiotherapy. Intraoperative hemorrhage was controlled at 100-400 ml. Postoperatively, none of the patients had any new neurological dysfunction, and 2 patients regained normal urinary and bowel function. The mean follow-up period was 31.4 months (range 10-57 months). No patient developed local recurrence or had metastatic spread of tumor during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Occlusion of the abdominal aorta and electrophysiological monitoring are useful methods for assisting in resection of sacrococcygeal chordoma. They can reduce intraoperative hemorrhage and entail little chance of tumor cell contamination. They can also help surgeons to protect the organs in the pelvic cavity and neurological function. Use of these methods could give patients better quality of life.

Diagnosis and microsurgical treatment of intramedullary hemangioblastoma in cervical spinal cord / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective To investigate the diagnosis and the microsurgical treatment of intramedullary hemangioblastoma in cervical spinal cord.Methods The signs of MRI,and the results of operations were analysed in 26 patients with the tumors.Rusults The tumors can be classified into two types:Solid type (14 cases)and cystic type(12 eases).All the tumors underwent total removal and were all hemangioblastoma confirmed by histopathologic examinations.Postoperatively,neurological status were improved in 17 patients, remained in 7 cases and worse in 2 cases.Conclusion For intrameduUary hemangioblastoma of cervical spinal cord MRI is of significant importance in the diagnosis of localization and the nature of the tumors which is conductive to selecting appropriate operative methods.There is high risk in operating at cervical section,but microsurgical total resection is the optimal method to stop the development of the clinical presentation.Opera- tive methods varied with the different typer of the tumor.It is the most important principal that dissection is performed along the correct interface and the tumor should be removed en bloc after it is devascularized.