Dabigatran-induced chronic progressive immune hemolytic anemia: A case report.

Dabigatran is an orally active direct thrombin inhibitor, initially approved by FDA for the prophylaxis of stroke and systemic embolism in the setting of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Major bleeding is its most common adverse event which is of great concern. However, other types of adverse events such as esophagitis, esophageal ulcer, exanthem and pustular eruptions were reported increasingly in recent years. We present a case of immune hemolytic anemia (IHA) due to dabigatran use in a 72-year-old male with NVAF. This new and rare reported type of adverse event associated with dabigatran suggests that dabigatran may be a new cause of drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHI).

Telmisartan attenuates hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in differentiated PC12 cells.

The present study investigated the protective actions of telmisartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARBs), against the cell apoptosis induced by exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in differentiated PC12 cells. Preincubation of PC12 cells with telmisartan prevented H2O2-induced cytotoxicity as indicated by increased MTT (3,(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) reduction, decreased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and improved morphological changes. Hoechst 33,258 staining showed that telmisartan markedly reduced shrunken nuclei of the cells, and Western blot analysis indicated that telmisartan significantly attenuated caspase-3 activity, as indicated by decreased ratio of cleaved Caspase-3 to its precursor and increased ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. The present findings showed that telmisartan protected against cellular oxidative damages by inhibiting apoptotic response.

Typical Application of Sound Field in Wastewater Treatment with Fluidized Bed Photocatalytic Reactor.

The effect of a sound field on wastewater treatment with a fluidized bed photocatalytic reactor (FBPR) was investigated. With Alizarin Green (AG) being the sole infectant, the Fe-doped TiO2 catalyst prepared was used as the fluidized media. According to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, the photocatalytic degradation follows the pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics with respect to the concentration of AG. Sound field application allowed the fluidization of the fine powder at high liquid flow rates; thus, the mass transfer rate between organic pollutant and particle photocatalyst was enhanced and the efficiency of degradation was increased. As expected, the degradation rate constant increased with increasing sound pressure level, as well as increased with increasing sound frequency ranging from 50 to 100 Hz, then further decreased with increasing sound frequency from 100 to 200 Hz. In addition, Fe doping is also responsible for the enhanced photocurrent response of the Fe-doped TiO2 nanoparticle in FBPR relative to pure TiO2.

Telmisartan treatment ameliorates memory deficits in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice via attenuating cerebral amyloidosis.

Telmisartan, an angiotensin II type 1-receptor blocker (ARBs), has been reported to exert beneficial effects on the central nervous system (CNS). However, the effect of telmisartan on cognitive impairment associated with type 1 diabetes is not well known. Here, we examined the possibility that telmisartan could improve memory function in a type 1 diabetic mouse model, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. STZ-induced diabetic mice subjected to the Morris Water Maze (MWM) task exhibited a significant decline of spatial learning and memory. Oral administration of telmisartan at two nonhypotensive doses (0.7 or 0.35 mg/kg) significantly improved memory deficits in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Telmisartan treatment markedly reduced Aß42, APP, BACE1, RAGE, and NF-κB p65 of the hippocampus and cortex, but did not beneficially affect hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia in the STZ-induced diabetic mice compared with untreated diabetic mice. Taken together, our findings suggest that telmisartan ameliorates memory deficits in type 1 diabetic mice, at least partly because of attenuation of amyloidosis in the brain.

3-(4-Carb-oxy-5-carboxyl-ato-1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridin-1-ium monohydrate.

In the zwitterionic mol-ecule of the title compound, C(10)H(7)N(3)O(4)·H(2)O, one carboxyl group is deprotonated and the pyridine N atom is protonated. The pyridinium and imidazole rings form a dihedral angle of 5.23 (1)°. An intramolecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. In the crystal, inter-molecular N-H⋯O, O-H⋯N and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the zwitterions and water mol-ecules into sheets parallel to (102).

[Clinical study of single-dose of recombinant humanized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody injection in kidney transplant recipients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate short-term and long-term safety of using single-dose escalation of recombinant humanized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (OKT3) in kidney transplantation recipients. METHODS: A total of 29 recipients of cadaveric kidney transplant from June 2008 to December 2008 were sequently assigned to receive single-dose intravenous injection of OKT3 with different doses of 2.5 mg (n = 9), 5.0 mg (n = 10) and 10.0 mg (n = 10) at Days 7 - 14 post-operation. Meanwhile, a control group was established by selecting kidney transplant recipients, who did not participate in the trial in the same period. All patients were followed up for at least 2 years. During this period, liver function, kidney function, hemoglobin and other biochemical indicators were monitored and adverse events recorded over time. RESULTS: No obvious first dose effect was observed, except low heat (7/29), chills (4/29), mild liver damage (2/29), upper respiratory tract infection and headache (1/29) across all doses. Other adverse reactions were mild, unrelated with doses. The 2-year patients/grafts survival rates of treatment group and control group were 100%/100%, and 100%/97%, respectively. The incidence of acute rejection confirmed by renal biopsy was 6.9% (2/29) and 10.0% (3/30) in treatment group and control group, respectively. The incidence of lung infection was 10.3% (3/29) and 13.3% (4/30), respectively. The values of serum creatinine at 1 week and 3, 6, 12, 24 months showed no statistically significance in two groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: It is safe to use single-shot OKT3 intravenously in kidney transplant recipients. The recombinant humanized OKT3 may be an effective immunosuppressive agent with milder toxicity for solid organ transplantation.

[Imaging diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma with bone metastasis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical and imaging features of thyroid carcinoma with bone metastasis and evaluate the importance of the imaging diagnosis in such cases. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the results of X-ray and CT examinations of 10 pathologically confirmed patients (including 2 men and 8 women aged from 40 to 89 years with a mean age of 61 years) with thyroid carcinoma with bone metastasis. RESULTS: Thyroid carcinoma was latent in terms of its disease history. In these cases, the primary tumors were identified after the bone metastasis in 3 cases, and the bone metastasis occurred on the basis of the primary lesions or the thyroid gland nodules in 7 cases. Thyroid carcinoma with bone metastasis occurred mostly in the skeleton of the upper body, characterized mainly by cystic expansion of the bone tissue destruction causing extensive patchy map-like bone defects. CONCLUSION: Bone metastasis is common in thyroid carcinoma, manifested typically by bone lysis with occasional osteogenic metastasis.

Somatic mitochondrial DNA mutations in cortex and substantia nigra in aging and Parkinson's disease.

Oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) increases with age in the brain and can induce G:C to T:A and T:A to G:C point mutations. Though rare at any particular site, multiple somatic mtDNA mutations induced by oxidative damage or by other mechanisms may accumulate with age in the brain and thus could play a role in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. However, no prior study has quantified the total burden of mtDNA point mutation subtypes in the brain. Using a highly sensitive cloning and sequencing strategy, we find that the aggregate levels of G:C to T:A and T:A to G:C transversions and of all point mutations increase with age in the frontal cortex (FCtx). In the substantia nigra (SN), the aggregate levels of point mutations in young controls are similar to the levels in the SN or FCtx of elderly subjects. Extrapolation from our data suggests an average of 2.7 (FCtx) to 3.2 (SN) somatic point mutations per mitochondrial genome in elderly subjects. There were no significant differences between Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and age-matched controls in somatic mutation levels. These results indicate that individually rare mtDNA point mutations reach a high aggregate burden in FCtx and SN of elderly subjects.

[Mammographic findings of gynecomastia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the features of gynecomastia displayed by mammography. METHODS: Twelve patients with gynecomastia were examined with a high-performance GITTO-TECH mammograph (IMS Company, Italy), and the results were compared with those obtained from pathological examination. RESULTS: The 12 cases were pathologically confirmed as gynecomastia, 10 of which were also identified by mammography while 2 misdiagnosed as male breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of gynecomastia can be established when typical features are presented in mammography, and fine needle aspiration biopsy can be performed when possible for discrimination from male breast cancer.