A total of 104 consecutive patients with acute stroke were treated with mechanical thrombectomy using the Solitaire stent as a first-line intra-arterial treatment. We retrospectively reviewed data from 26 of these patients who presented with acute stroke attributable to intracranial ICA occlusion. Rescue treatments in cases of failed

Solitaire thrombectomy included intra-arterial urokinase, angioplasty, and forced suction thrombectomy. Successful recanalization was defined as thrombolysis in cerebral ischemia grades 2b to 3. Outcome measure was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2 at 3 months.

Successful recanalization was achieved in 77 % (20/26) of patients. Recanalization was achieved with the Solitaire stent alone in 69 % (18/26) of patients. Ten patients (39 %) had a good clinical outcome (mRS score of 0-2) at 3 months. There was a good outcome in 50 % of patients PS-341 (10/20) with recanalization and no good outcome in patients (0/6) without recanalization (P = 0.027). None of eight patients who received rescue treatments showed a good outcome. No symptomatic intracerebral

hemorrhage occurred. Mortality was 8 % (2/26) at 3 months.

Mechanical thrombectomy using the Solitaire stent can achieve a high rate of successful recanalization and a very low rate of symptomatic hemorrhage and thus improve a clinical outcome in patients with acute intracranial ICA occlusion.”
“Background: Lack of social support Selleck AZD9291 and social exclusion are associated with adverse effects for mental and

physical health. Additionally, JNJ-64619178 women appear to be more vulnerable to social triggers of health disturbances. Activity of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal-axis (HPA-axis) might play a key role in this context as it has been shown both to be associated with psychosocial conditions and health outcomes and to respond differentially depending on gender. To test this hypothesis we thus investigated the effects of social exclusion on cortisol release in women. To experimentally vary social exclusion we employed a highly standardized paradigm (Cyberball) which already has been shown to affect subjective well-being and some physiological parameters.

Methods: Healthy women (n = 89) were randomly assigned to one of the three Cyberball conditions: social exclusion, inclusion and technical default, respectively. Salivary cortisol and subjective mood were assessed as primary outcome variables immediately prior to and every 15 min after Cyberball.

Results: Social exclusion had no effect on cortisol secretion though significant effects on mood were observed.

Conclusions: These results indicate that the Cyberball social exclusion paradigm alone though affecting psychological well-being does not affect HPA-axis functioning. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.