Alterations of β-γ coupling of scalp electroencephalography during epilepsy / 生物医学工程学杂志

Uncovering the alterations of neural interactions within the brain during epilepsy is important for the clinical diagnosis and treatment. Previous studies have shown that the phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) can be used as a potential biomarker for locating epileptic zones and characterizing the transition of epileptic phases. However, in contrast to the θ-γ coupling widely investigated in epilepsy, few studies have paid attention to the β-γ coupling, as well as its potential applications. In the current study, we use the modulation index (MI) to calculate the scalp electroencephalography (EEG)-based β-γ coupling and investigate the corresponding changes during different epileptic phases. The results show that the β-γ coupling of each brain region changes with the evolution of epilepsy, and in several brain regions, the β-γ coupling decreases during the ictal period but increases in the post-ictal period, where the differences are statistically significant. Moreover, the alterations of β-γ coupling between different brain regions can also be observed, and the strength of β-γ coupling increases in the post-ictal period, where the differences are also significant. Taken together, these findings not only contribute to understanding neural interactions within the brain during the evolution of epilepsy, but also provide a new insight into the clinical treatment.

Clinical applications of neurolinguistics in neurosurgery / 医学前沿

The protection of language function is one of the major challenges of brain surgery. Over the past century, neurosurgeons have attempted to seek the optimal strategy for the preoperative and intraoperative identification of language-related brain regions. Neurosurgeons have investigated the neural mechanism of language, developed neurolinguistics theory, and provided unique evidence to further understand the neural basis of language functions by using intraoperative cortical and subcortical electrical stimulation. With the emergence of modern neuroscience techniques and dramatic advances in language models over the last 25 years, novel language mapping methods have been applied in the neurosurgical practice to help neurosurgeons protect the brain and reduce morbidity. The rapid advancements in brain-computer interface have provided the perfect platform for the combination of neurosurgery and neurolinguistics. In this review, the history of neurolinguistics models, advancements in modern technology, role of neurosurgery in language mapping, and modern language mapping methods (including noninvasive neuroimaging techniques and invasive cortical electroencephalogram) are presented.

Clinical and Immunological Factors Associated with Postpartum Hepatic Flares in Immune-Tolerant Pregnant Women with Hepatitis B Virus Infection Treated with Telbivudine

Background/Aims@#To investigate postpartum hepatic flares and associated factors in highly viremic pregnant patients in the immune tolerance phase who adopted telbivudine (LdT) treatment in the last trimester to reduce vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus. @*Methods@#Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive, highly viremic pregnant women were recruited for this prospective study. Treatment with LdT was started from 28 weeks of gestation. Virological and biochemical markers were examined before LdT treatment, antepartum and postpartum. Serial blood samples at the same time were collected to detect cytokines and cortisol (COR). @*Results@#Fifty-six of 153 patients (36.6%) had postpartum hepatic flares, defined as a 2-fold increase in alanine aminotransferase 6 weeks after delivery. Age and the antepartum alanine aminotransferase and postpartum HBeAg levels were independent influencing factors of postpartum hepatic flares. Cytokines showed no regularity during or after pregnancy. Compared with the patients with no postpartum flares, the patients with flares had lower baseline interferon γ and COR levels (p=0.022 and p=0.028) and higher postpartum interferon γ levels (p=0.026). @*Conclusions@#A high proportion of highly viremic and immune-tolerant pregnant patients treated with LdT in the last trimester had postpartum hepatic flares, which implied that these patients entered the immune clearance phase after delivery. Thus, this may create an appropriate opportunity for re-antiviral therapy.

Clinical study on liver function, virology, serological changes and the safety of drug withdrawal in pregnant women who are chronic HBV carriers during pregnancy and postpartum / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective@#To observe the changes of liver function, virology and serology and the safety of drug withdrawal in pregnant women who are chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers.@*Methods@#A prospective clinical cohort was established to enroll pregnant women who are chronic HBV carriers and they were divided into the nucleoside/nucleotide analogs (NAs) intervention group and the non-NAs intervention group according to patients' wishes. Liver function, HBV DNA and HBV serological markers were detected at gestation, postpartum 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 36 weeks and 48 weeks.@*Results@#351 patients were enrolled, 320 in the NAs intervention group and 31 in the non-NAs intervention group. The proportion of postpartum hepatitis flares in both groups was higher than that in pregnancy (39.4% vs 12.5%, P < 0.001; 38.7% vs 3.2%, P = 0.001). Six weeks postpartum was the peak period of hepatitis flares, and 96.0% (121/126) of the hepatitis flares occurred within 24 weeks postpartum. At 6 weeks postpartum, there were 6 cases of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≥ 10 times upper limit of normal (ULN) in the NAs intervention group. The rate of the hepatitis flare after drug withdrawal was 16.7% (34/203).@*Conclusion@#Regardless of the presence or absence of NAs intervention, pregnant women who are chronic HBV carriers have a certain proportion of hepatitis flares during pregnancy and postpartum, and the hepatitis flare even have a tendency to be severe. Therefore, drug withdrawal after delivery is not always safe, which requires close observation and classification. At 6 weeks postpartum, the incidence of hepatitis flares was high, and those who meet the treatment indications can get better therapeutic effects if given appropriate treatment. The vast majority (96%) of postpartum hepatitis flares occur within 24 weeks, so it is recommended to follow up to at least 24 weeks postpartum after discontinuation.

Combination of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and ¹¹C-Methionine Positron Emission Tomography for the Accurate Diagnosis of Non-Enhancing Supratentorial Glioma

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the combination of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and 11C-methionine positron emission tomography (11C-MET PET) could increase accurate diagnostic sensitivity for non-enhancing supratentorial gliomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between February 2012 and December 2017, 109 patients with non-enhanced supratentorial lesions on contrast-enhanced MRI were enrolled. Each patient underwent MRS and 11C-MET PET before treatment. A lesion was considered to be a glioma when either the MRS or 11C-MET PET results reached the diagnostic threshold. The radiological diagnosis was compared with the pathological diagnosis or medical diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity were 60.0% and 50.0% for MRS and 75.8% and 50.0% for 11C-MET PET, respectively. Upon combining the two modalities, the sensitivity and specificity of the imaging-based diagnosis prior to surgery reached 89.5% and 42.9%, respectively. Statistically significant differences in the sensitivities were observed between the combined and individual approaches (MRS alone, 89.5% vs. 60.0%, p < 0.001; 11C-MET PET alone, 89.5% vs. 75.8%, p = 0.001). However, no significant differences in specificity were observed between the combined and individual modalities. CONCLUSION: The combination of MRS and 11C-MET PET findings significantly increases accurate diagnostic sensitivity for non-enhancing supratentorial gliomas without significantly lowering the specificity. This finding suggests the potential of the combined MRS and 11C-MET PET approach in clinical applications.

Low-levels of HBsAg quantification at 48-week in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients are the advantageous population for HBsAg clearance / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective@#To analyze the therapeutic effect on HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients treated with Peg-IFNα-2a combined with NAs to obtain the influencing factors for predicting HBsAg clearance.@*Methods@#A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the effect of pegylated interferon alpha-2a combined with nucleoside analogues (lamivudine/adefovir dipivoxil) on HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. The treatment course was 96 weeks. Patients were followed up 120 weeks after the treatment. HBsAg clearance at 120 weeks was taken as the objective of the study. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis screened the related factors affecting HBsAg clearance. χ 2 test was used to compare count data.@*Results@#111 patients were treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a combined with nucleoside analogues, and 107 patients completed the scheduled course of treatment and follow-up. HBsAg clearance rate at120 week was 29.0% (31/107). The influencing factors for analysis were: (1) gender had no effect on HBsAg clearance rate; age and baseline levels of HBV DNA and alanine aminotransferase had no significant effect on HBsAg clearance; low baseline level of HBsAg (< 3.023 lgIU/ml) was beneficial to HBsAg clearance. The area under the working characteristic curve of the subjects was 0.746, the positive predictive value was 44.4%, and the negative predictive value was 86.8%. (2) HBsAg quantification or decline in 24 weeks and 48 weeks of treatment had a good predictive effect on HBsAg clearance, and the 48 weeks predicted value was higher than 24 weeks. When the HBsAg quantification was≤2.070 lgIU/ml at 48 weeks, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.931, the positive predictive value was 52.8%, and the negative predictive value was 94.4%. When HBsAg decreased from baseline to≥0.991 lgIU/ml, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.888, the positive predictive value was 50.8%, and the negative predictive value was 97.9%. (3) The analysis of HBsAg subgroup levels at 48 weeks suggested that the "interval analysis" can forecast HBsAg clearance more exactly than "nodal analysis" .The final HBsAg clearance rate of 100 IU/ml < HBsAg≤1 000 IU/ml, 10 IU/ml < HBsAg≤100 IU/ml and HBsAg≤10 IU/ml groups reached 6.7%, 31.8% and 67.7%, respectively. (4) The ALT abnormal group in the course of treatment obtained a higher HBsAg clearance rate (48.0%, 12/25).@*Conclusion@#96-weeks long-term treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha -alpha-2a combined with nucleoside analogues for HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B has a good predictive value for HBsAg clearance at baseline and during treatment. The "interval level" of HBsAg at 48-weeks is more accurate in predicting HBsAg clearance, suggesting that HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with low HBsAg levels at 48-weeks are the advantageous populations with HBsAg clearance. These patients are worthy of prolonged treatment to pursue "clinical cure".

The changes on expression of IL-1βand IL-13 mRNA in lung tissue and serum after drowning rats / 中国法医学杂志

Objective To observe the change in IL-1β,IL-13mRNA expression in drowning rat lungs and serum,so as to investigate the significance of IL-1β and IL-13 mechanism in the development of drowning.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into control group,drowning group.Then using TaqMan probe method to determine the expression of IL-1β and IL-13 mRNA in Right lower lobe of lung tissue and the serum of right ventricle,which were extracted respectively from each group of rats.Results (1) The lung tissue morphological changes:Typical appearance signs and anatomy of drowning group meet ante-mortem drowning feature.(2) The expression of IL-1β,IL-13 in lung tissue:compared with the control group,the expression of IL-1β and IL-13 were slightly decreased,which has no statistical significance.(3) The expression of IL-1β and IL-13 in serum:compared with the control group,the expression of IL-1β and IL-13 were significant increased,both of which has statistical significance.Conclusion (1)The expression of IL-1β and IL-13 were decreased in lung tissue may be due to drowned rats present compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome which causes immune incompetent performance.(2) The expression of IL-1β and IL-13 were significant increased in serum may be relate to drown stress and drowning associated acute lung injury after traumatic stress.

The efficacy and safety of antiviral treatment in inactive hepatitis B surface antigen carriers / 中华传染病杂志

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and safety profile of pegylated-interferonα-2a (Peg IFNα-2a) combined with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) in inactive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers (IHC).Methods This was a single center, prospective and open-label study.IHC were divided into therapeutic group (T, 112 subjects) and control group (C, 72 subjects) according to personal willingness.Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA<20 IU/mL were treated with Peg IFNα-2a monotherapy, and those with HBV DNA ≥20-<2 000 IU/mL were treated with Peg IFNα-2a combined with ADV.Total therapy duration was 96 weeks.For patients who achieved HBsAg seroconversion and continued consolidation treatment for 24 weeks, the treatment duration could be less than 96 weeks.t test was used for continuous variable comparison between the two groups, while chi-square test or Fisher′s exact probability method was used for counting data analysis.The related factors affecting HBsAg clearance was analyzed by univariate or multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results A total of 194 patients were enrolled with 112 in therapeutic group and 72 in control group.The HBsAg clearance rate and seroconversion rate at week 48 in therapeutic group were 30.8% (32/104) and 26.0% (27/104), respectively.The rates at week 96 increased to 45.2% (47/104) and 38.5% (40/104), respectively.The HBsAg clearance rates at weeks 48 and 96 in control group were both 1.5% (1/68).HBsAg seroconversion was not achieved in control group.The HBsAg clearance rate in treatment group was significantly higher than that in control group (χ2=39.066, P<0.01).The quantitative HBsAg levels at baseline (OR=2.313, 95%CI: 1.258-4.251, P=0.007), week 12 (OR=3.159, 95%CI: 1.826-5.466, P<0.01) and week 24 (OR=3.347, 95%CI: 2.050-5.465, P<0.01), the decline of HBsAg at week 12 (OR=5.343, 95%CI: 2.085-13.689, P<0.01), and week 24 (OR=4.855, 95%CI: 2.380-9.902, P<0.01), and alanine transaminase (ALT) elevation at week 12 (OR=3.520, 95%CI: 1.369-9.052, P=0.009) were independent predictors for HBsAg clearance.Conclusions Peg IFNα-2a-based treatment for IHC could achieve higher HBsAg clearance rate and seroconversion rate, and has a safety profile.Decline of HBsAg at week 12 and week 24 with ALT elevation at week 12 could predict a higher HBsAg clearance rate.

Progress of clinical application of functional MRI in the localization of brain language area / 中华外科杂志

For surgical operation in the functional area in the brain, it's commonly demanded to resect the lesion to the maximal extent on the basis of preserve the normal neural function, thus the precise localization of functional area is extremely important. As for the advantages of being widely available, easy to grasp and non-invasive, the functional MRI (fMRI) has come into wide use, while the application of language fMRI is still in the initial stage. It's important to choose appropriate fMRI task according to the individual condition of the subject, the commonly-adopted tasks include verb generation, picture naming, word recognition, word generation, etc. However, the effectiveness of using fMRI to localize language area is not totally satisfactory, adopting multiple task is an effective approach to improve the sensitivity of this technique. The application of resting state fMRI in the localization of language area and the further research of the role of fMRI in localizing the Chinese language area are the important future directions.

Reconstruction method of language pathways in the preoperative planning of brain tumor surgery / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To propose a clinically practical and simple fiber tracking method for language pathways, and to explore its feasibility in preoperative planning for brain tumors adjacent to the language cortex.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Diffusion tensor imaging was examined in 18 healthy subjects and 13 patients with brain tumors adjacent to the language cortex between December 2013 and June 2014. The associated fibers of language pathways were reconstructed using a commercial software (Syngo workstation). Firstly, the feasibility of fiber tracking method for language pathways in healthy subjects were studied, and then its application was assessed in patients with brain tumors. The anatomic relationship between tumors and the associated fibers was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By selecting appropriate regions of interest, the associated fibers in the dorsal pathways (superior longitudinal fasciculus/arcuate fasciculus, including both direct and indirect pathways) and ventral pathways (uncinate fasciculus, middle longitudinal fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus and inferiorfronto-occipital fasciculus) were reconstructed in all 18 healthy subjects. In patients with brain tumors, the relationship between the tumors and adjacent associated fibers were divided into two types: adjacent associated fibers could be displaced or separated, and involved the superior longitudinal fasciculus/arcuate fasciculus (n=6), middle longitudinal fasciculus (n=4), uncinate fasciculus (n=3), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (n=3) and inferiorfronto-occipital fasciculus (n=2); alternatively, the adjacent associated fibers were infiltrated or destroyed, and involved the inferiorfronto-occipital fasciculus (n=10), uncinate fasciculus (n=8), middle longitudinal fasciculus (n=5), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (n=4) and superior longitudinal fasciculus/arcuate fasciculus (n=3).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The associated fibers of language pathways could be visualized rapidly and in real-time by fiber tracking technology based on diffusion tensor imaging. This is feasible for preoperative planning regarding brain tumors adjacent to the language cortex.</p>

Regular follow-up on physical growth and mental development of small and appropriate for gestational age preterm infants / 临床儿科杂志

Objective To investigate the physical and mental development of small and appropriate for gestational age preterm infants in their early life. Methods This study recruited 220 preterm infants, who were discharged from our hospital and visited preterm following-up clinic at regular intervals from February 2009 to December 2012. All of those infants were divided into two groups based on whether their birth weight below 10th percentile for their gestational ages or not. Weights, lengths and head circumferences were measured up to seventh month age adjusted by gestational age. Meanwhile, mental tests were conducted by the professional staffs working on the children developmental assessment at their adjusted months of 5th, 6th or 7th. All of physical and mental scores were compared between the two groups. Results The SGA group was statistically less than the AGA group on the Z-score of weights from the ifrst to sixth month adjusted by gestational age (P0.05). The SGA group was statistically less than the AGA group on the Z-score of lengths from the ifrst to iffth month adjusted by gestational age (P0.05). The SGA group was statistically less than the AGA group on the Z-score of head circumferences from the ifrst to seventh month adjusted by gestational age (P<0.05). The SGA babies scored statistically less than the AGA babies with a mean development quotient score of 96.7 and 102.9, respectively (P<0.05). The scores of movement, cognitive, language in the SGA group were statistically less than those in the AGA group(P<0.05). Conclusions Preterm SGA could achieve satisfactory weight catch-up gain, with a decreasing difference from preterm AGA while they were getting older. But the length catch-up growth of preterm SGA seemed unsatisfactory with a big differece from preterm AGA. There was the worst catch-up on head circumference in those preterm SGA, backward in mental development, particularly in their movement, cognitive and language capacity.

A correlational analysis of histological chorioamnionitis and brain injury in preterm infants / 临床儿科杂志

Objective To explore the correlation between histological chorioamnionitis (HC) and brain injury in preterm infants. Methods Three hundred and forty-seven cases of infants at the gestational age of 28-31 weeks who were admitted to the neonatology department of our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into the HC group and the control group according to the pathological examination. Moreover, HC group was divided into FV group and non-FV group according to the pathological findings of fetal vasculitis (FV). Based on the findings of periodical ultrasonography, the incidences of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PVH-IVH), and the PVL+PVH-IVH were compared among groups. Results The incidences of PVL in the HC group and the control group were 17.9% and 10.3%respectively. The incidences of PVL+PVH-IVH in the two groups were 5.5%and 1.48%respectively, and the difference between two groups was signiifcant (P0.05). In the HC group, the incidences of PVL in FV group and non-FV group were 28.1%and 9.87%respectively, and the difference between two groups was signiifcant (P0.05). The incidences of PVL+PVH-IVH in FV group and non-FV group were 7.81%and 3.70%respectively, and the difference between the two groups was not have signiifcant (P>0.05). Conclusions HC may increase the ncidences of PVL and PVL+PVH-IVH in the preterm infants, while its effect is minimal on PVH-IVH. FV could increase the incidence of brain injury in preterm infants.

Clinical analysis of eight pediatric severe influenza A(H1N1)cases / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective To analyze the clinical feature of pediatric severe influenza A(H1N1)cases.Methods To summarize the clinical manifestation,diagnostic and therapeutic process of eight pediatric severe influenza A(H1N1)cases.Results All eight cases couldn't provide contact history.Four cases had fundamental diseases,which were nephrotic syndrome,congenital hypothyroidism,bronchial asthma and moderate anemia.All cases had cough and fever,which was productive cough and hyperpyrexia(5 cases).All cases had tachypnea,which presented at the course of 0.5～6 days and progressively aggravated to respiratory failure 3～24 hours later.Chest x-ray showed localized exudation,which was similar to mycoplasma pneumonia.Seven cases had increased percentages of neutrophil.Six cases had increased CRP.All cases had respiratory failure;two cases were complicated with toxic encephacopathy.Treatment included anti-virus and support therapy.All cases received immunoglobulin and some cases received glucocorticoid.Six patients received mechanicai ventilation.Time of mechanical ventilation was 3～6 days.No patients died.Conclusion Pediatric severe influenza A(H1N1)case is severe pneumonia with characteristic of severe hypoxemia.Acute respiratory distress syndrome and death can be prevented through effective and in-time therapy.