Aim: To test the possible involvement of TRPC3 in agonist-induced relaxation and flow-induced vasodilation in rat small mesenteric arteries. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the present study. After 72 h-treatment of antisense oligo via tail vein injection, isometric tension and isobaric diameter measurement were carried out with isolated mesenteric artery segments by using either a Pressure Myograph or a Multi Myograph system. Endothelial [Ca 2+ ] i changes were measured with a MetaFluor imaging system in response to flow or to 30 nmol/L bradykinin. Results: Immunohistochemical study showed that the 72 h-treatment of antisense oligo via tail vein injection markedly decreased the TRPC3 expression in mesenteric arteries, indicating the effectiveness of the antisense oligo. Isometric tension and isobaric diameter measurement showed that, although the antisense oligo treatment did not affect histamine-, ATP-, and CPA-induced relaxation, it did reduce the magnitude of flow-induced vasodilation by approximately 13% and decreased bradykinin-induced vascular relaxation with its EC 50 value raised by nearly 3-fold. Endothelial [Ca 2+ ] i measurement revealed that treatment of the arteries with antisense oligos significantly attenuated the magnitude of endothelial [Ca 2+ ] i rise in response to flow and to 30 nmol/L bradykinin. Conclusion:The results suggest that TRPC3 is involved in flow-and bradykinininduced vasodilation in rat small mesenteric arteries probably by mediating the Ca 2+ influx into endothelial cells.

Background and PurposeThe objective of this study was to determine the performance of the Recognition Of Stroke In the Emergency Room (ROSIER) scale in risk-stratifying Chinese patients with suspected stroke in Hong Kong.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study in an urban academic emergency department (ED) over a 7-month period. Patients over 18 years of age with suspected stroke were recruited between June 2011 and December 2011. ROSIER scale assessment was performed in the ED triage area. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the impacts of diagnostic variables, including ROSIER scale, past history and ED characteristics.Findings715 suspected stroke patients were recruited for assessment, of whom 371 (52%) had acute cerebrovascular disease (302 ischaemic strokes, 24 transient ischaemic attacks (TIA), 45 intracerebral haemorrhages), and 344 (48%) had other illnesses i.e. stroke mimics. Common stroke mimics were spinal neuropathy, dementia, labyrinthitis and sepsis. The suggested cut-off score of>0 for the ROSIER scale for stroke diagnosis gave a sensitivity of 87% (95%CI 83–90), a specificity of 41% (95%CI 36–47), a positive predictive value of 62% (95%CI 57–66), and a negative predictive value of 75% (95%CI 68–81), and the AUC was 0.723. The overall accuracy at cut off>0 was 65% i.e. (323+141)/715.InterpretationThe ROSIER scale was not as effective at differentiating acute stroke from stroke mimics in Chinese patients in Hong Kong as it was in the original studies, primarily due to a much lower specificity. If the ROSIER scale is to be clinically useful in Chinese suspected stroke patients, it requires further refinement.

Diagnostic accuracy of emergency doctors with variable training levels and no access to advanced imaging in a Hong Kong hospital in detecting appendicitis in patients with acute abdominal pain is higher in male patients than in female patients, but lower than that achieved by CT scanning.

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