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1.
Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi ; 61(4): 322-327, 2023 Apr 02.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37011977

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and the risk factors of severe human metapneumovirus (hMPV)-associated community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. Methods: A retrospective case summary was conducted. From December 2020 to March 2022, 721 children who were diagnosed with CAP and tested positive for hMPV nucleic acid by PCR-capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis of nasopharyngeal secretions at the Yuying Children's Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were selected as the research objects. The clinical characteristics, epidemiological characteristics and mixed pathogens of the two groups were analyzed. According to CAP diagnostic criteria, the children were divided into the severe group and the mild group. Chi-square test or Mann-Whitney rank and contrast analysis was used for comparison between groups, while multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the risk factors of the severe hMPV-associated CAP. Results: A total of 721 children who were diagnosed with hMPV-associated CAP were included in this study, with 397 males and 324 females. There were 154 cases in the severe group. The age of onset was 1.0 (0.9, 3.0) years, <3 years old 104 cases (67.5%), and the length of hospital stay was 7 (6, 9) days. In the severe group, 67 children (43.5%) were complicated with underlying diseases. In the severe group, 154 cases (100.0%) had cough, 148 cases (96.1%) had shortness of breath and pulmonary moist rales, and 132 cases (85.7%) had fever, 23 cases (14.9%) were complicated with respiratory failure. C-reactive protein (CRP) was elevated in 86 children (55.8%), including CRP≥50 mg/L in 33 children (21.4%). Co-infection was detected in 77 cases (50.0%) and 102 strains of pathogen were detected, 25 strains of rhinovirus, 17 strains of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 15 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 12 strains of Haemophilus influenzae and 10 strains of respiratory syncytial virus were detected. Six cases (3.9%) received heated and humidified high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy, 15 cases (9.7%) were admitted to intensive care unit, and 2 cases (1.3%) received mechanical ventilation. In the severe group, 108 children were cured, 42 children were improved, 4 chlidren were discharged automatically without recovery and no death occurred. There were 567 cases in the mild group. The age of onset was 2.7 (1.0, 4.0) years, and the length of hospital stay was 4 (4, 6) days.Compared with the mild group, the proportion of children who age of disease onset <6 months, CRP≥50 mg/L, the proportions of preterm birth, congenital heart disease, malnutrition, congenital airway malformation, neuromuscular disease, mixed respiratory syncytial viruses infection were higher (20 cases (13.0%) vs. 31 cases (5.5%), 32 cases (20.8%) vs. 64 cases (11.3%), 23 cases (14.9%) vs. 44 cases (7.8%), 11 cases (7.1%) vs. 18 cases (3.2%), 9 cases (5.8%) vs. 6 cases (1.1%), 11 cases (7.1%) vs. 12 cases (2.1%), 8 cases (5.2%) vs. 4 cases (0.7%), 10 cases (6.5%) vs. 13 cases (2.3%), χ2=0.42, 9.45, 7.40, 4.94, 11.40, 8.35, 3.52, 6.92, all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age<6 months (OR=2.51, 95%CI 1.29-4.89), CRP≥50 mg/L (OR=2.20, 95%CI 1.36-3.57), prematurity (OR=2.19, 95%CI 1.26-3.81), malnutrition (OR=6.05, 95%CI 1.89-19.39) were the independent risk factors for severe hMPV-associated CAP. Conclusions: Severe hMPV-associated CAP is most likely to occur in infants under 3 years old and has a higher proportion of underlying diseases and co-infection. The main clinical manifestations are cough, shortness of breath and pulmonary moist rales, fever. The overall prognosis is good. Age<6 months, CRP≥50 mg/L, preterm birth, malnutrition are the independent risk factors for severe hMPV-associated CAP.


Subject(s)
Coinfection , Community-Acquired Infections , Malnutrition , Metapneumovirus , Pneumonia, Viral , Premature Birth , Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human , Infant , Male , Female , Humans , Child , Infant, Newborn , Child, Preschool , Retrospective Studies , Cough , Respiratory Sounds , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Community-Acquired Infections/epidemiology , Risk Factors , Dyspnea
2.
J Vasc Res ; 48(2): 171-83, 2011.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20938208

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by sustained elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance resulting from endothelial and smooth muscle cell dysfunction and collagen deposition in pulmonary vascular walls. In this study, we investigated the role of the adenosine A(2A) receptor (A(2A)R) in the development of PAH by determining the effect of genetic inactivation of A(2A)Rs on pulmonary vascular remodeling in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: We characterized hemodynamic, histological and ultrastructural changes in pulmonary vascular remodeling in A(2A)R knockout (KO) mice compared with their wild-type (WT) littermates after exposure to normoxia and hypoxic conditions. After exposure to normoxia, compared to WT mice, A(2A)R KO mice displayed: (1) increased right ventricular systolic pressures and an elevated ratio of the right ventricle over left ventricle plus septum (Fulton index), (2) increased wall area and thickness as well as enhanced smooth muscle actin immunoreactivity in pulmonary resistance vessels, (3) increased proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells in pulmonary resistance vessels and (4) increased smooth muscle cells hypertrophy and collagen deposition in the adventitia of pulmonary arteriole walls as revealed by electron microscope. By contrast, histological analysis revealed no features of hypertensive nephropathy in A(2A)R KO mice and there was no significant difference in systemic blood pressure, and left ventricular masses among the 3 genotypes. Furthermore, following chronic exposure to hypoxia, A(2A)R KO mice exhibited exacerbated elevation in right ventricular systolic pressure, hypertrophy of pulmonary resistance vessels and increased cell proliferation in pulmonary resistance vessels, compared to WT littermates. Thus, genetic inactivation of A(2A)Rs selectively produced PAH and associated increased smooth muscle proliferation and collagen deposition. CONCLUSIONS: Extracellular adenosine acting at A(2A)Rs represents an important regulatory mechanism to control the development of PAH and pulmonary vascular remodeling.


Subject(s)
Pulmonary Artery/metabolism , Receptor, Adenosine A2A/metabolism , Animals , Blood Pressure/physiology , Cell Proliferation , Disease Models, Animal , Endothelium/metabolism , Endothelium/ultrastructure , Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension , Fibroblasts/metabolism , Fibroblasts/ultrastructure , Heart Ventricles/metabolism , Heart Ventricles/physiopathology , Hypertension, Pulmonary/etiology , Hypertension, Pulmonary/metabolism , Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular/metabolism , Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular/pathology , Hypoxia/metabolism , Hypoxia/physiopathology , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism , Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/pathology , Pulmonary Artery/pathology , Receptor, Adenosine A2A/genetics , Renal Artery/metabolism , Renal Artery/pathology , Vascular Resistance
3.
J Fish Dis ; 33(2): 161-9, 2010 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19925591

ABSTRACT

Establishment and characterization of two cobia, Rachycentron canadum, cell lines derived from cobia brain (CB) and cobia fin (CF) are described. Caudal fin and brain from juvenile cobia were dissociated for 30 and 10 min, respectively, in phosphate-buffered saline containing 0.25% trypsin at 25 degrees C. The optimal culture condition for both dissociated cells (primary cell culture) was at 28 degrees C in Leibovitz-15 medium containing 10% foetal bovine serum. The cells have been sub-cultured at a ratio of 1:2 for more than 160 passages over a period of 3 years. Origin of the cultured cells was verified by comparison of their sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I genes (cox I) with the cox 1 sequence from cobia muscle tissue. The cell lines showed polyploidy. No mycoplasma contamination was detected. Susceptibility to grouper iridovirus was observed for the CB cell line but not the CF cell line. Both cell lines expressed green fluorescent protein after being transfected with green fluorescent reporter gene driven by the cytomegalovirus promoter.


Subject(s)
Brain/cytology , Fish Diseases/virology , Iridovirus/physiology , Nodaviridae/physiology , Perciformes/virology , Animals , Cattle , Cell Line , Chromosomes , Culture Media/chemistry , DNA Virus Infections/veterinary , Disease Susceptibility/veterinary , Disease Susceptibility/virology , RNA Virus Infections/veterinary , Temperature , Transfection
4.
Dis Aquat Organ ; 46(3): 165-72, 2001 Oct 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11710550

ABSTRACT

In a survey of 27 Penaeus monodon culture ponds stocked with postlarvae (approximately PL10) at medium density (approximately 40 shrimp m(-2)), single-step nested white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) PCR was used to measure the WSSV infection rates in the shrimp populations within 1 mo after stocking. Seven ponds were initially WSSV-free, and the shrimp in 5 of these were harvested successfully. In the ponds (n = 6) where detection rates were higher than 50%, mass mortality occurred during the growth period, and none of these ponds was harvested successfully. In a subsequent study, P. monodon brooders were classified into 3 groups according to their WSSV infection status before and after spawning: brooders that were WSSV-positive before spawning were assigned to group A; spawners that became WSSV-positive only after spawning were assigned to group B; and group C consisted of brooders that were still WSSV-negative after spawning. WSSV screening showed that 75, 44 and 14%, respectively, of group A, B and C brooders produced nauplii that were WSSV-positive. Most (57%; 16/28) of the brooders in group A produced nauplii in which the WSSV prevalence was high (>50%). When a pond was stocked with high-prevalence nauplii from 1 of these group A brooders, an outbreak of white spot syndrome occurred within 3 wk and only approximately 20% of the initial population survived through to harvest (after 174 d). By contrast, 2 other ponds stocked with low-prevalence and WSSV-negative nauplii (derived respectively from 2 brooders in group B), both had much higher survival rates (70 to 80%) and yielded much larger (approximately 3x by weight) total harvests. We conclude that testing the nauplii is an effective and practical screening strategy for commercially cultured P. monodon.


Subject(s)
DNA Viruses/isolation & purification , DNA, Viral/analysis , Oocytes/virology , Penaeidae/virology , Animals , Aquaculture , DNA Viruses/genetics , Disease Outbreaks/veterinary , Larva , Penaeidae/growth & development , Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , Prevalence , Reproducibility of Results , Reproduction , Sensitivity and Specificity , Survival Analysis
6.
Blood ; 98(3): 667-73, 2001 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11468165

ABSTRACT

Thrombin, the terminal serine protease in the coagulation cascade, is a proinflammatory molecule in vivo and induces endothelial activation in vitro. The cellular signaling mechanisms involved in this function are unknown. The role of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in thrombin-induced chemokine production was studied. Phosphorylation of both p38 MAPK and its substrate, ATF-2, was observed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated with thrombin, with a maximum after 5 minutes of stimulation. Using the selective p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580, there was a significant decrease in thrombin-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) protein production and messenger RNA steady-state levels. In addition, SB203580 decreased IL-8 and MCP-1 production induced by the thrombin receptor-1 agonist peptide (TRAP), suggesting functional links between the thrombin G protein-coupled receptor and the p38 MAPK pathway. Furthermore, endothelial activation in the presence of SB203580 decreased the chemotactic activity of thrombin-stimulated HUVEC supernatant on neutrophils and monocytic cells. In contrast, the p42/p44 MAPK pathway did not appear to be involved in thrombin- or TRAP-induced endothelial chemokine production, because there was no reduction in the presence of the p42/p44-specific inhibitor PD98059. These results demonstrate that the p38 rather than p42/44 MAPK signaling pathway plays an important role in thrombin-induced endothelial proinflammatory activation and suggest that inhibition of p38 MAPK may be an interesting target for anti-inflammatory strategies in vascular diseases combining thrombosis and inflammation. (Blood. 2001;98:667-673)


Subject(s)
Chemokines/biosynthesis , Chemotaxis, Leukocyte/drug effects , Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/physiology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Thrombin/pharmacology , Cells, Cultured , Chemokine CCL2/biosynthesis , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Endothelium, Vascular/cytology , Humans , Inflammation/metabolism , Interleukin-8/biosynthesis , Kinetics , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Phosphorylation/drug effects , Umbilical Veins/cytology , p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
8.
Childs Nerv Syst ; 17(1-2): 71-5, 2001 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11219628

ABSTRACT

OBJECTS: We wished to find whether there was any difference in the postoperative seizure outcome between patients with bisynchronous anterior-dominant and those with posterior-dominant EDs after anterior callosotomy. METHODS: Seizure outcomes after anterior callosotomy in 7 patients with bisynchronous posterior-dominant epileptiform discharges and in 54 patients with anterior-dominant seizures were compared. All 61 cases had been followed up for more than 2 years after operation. One patient (14.3%) had become seizure free. Two patients (28.6%) had more than 50% reduction in seizure frequency, but 4 patients (57.2%) showed no improvement at all. The percentage of cases with significant improvement (more than 50% reduction of seizure frequency) was 43% (3 in 7), which is lower than in the patients with bisynchronous anterior-dominant EDs (64.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results suggest that anterior partial callosotomy could still be helpful in cases with bisynchronous posterior-dominant epileptiform discharges but the prognosis may be less optimistic than for those with anteriorly located discharges.


Subject(s)
Corpus Callosum/physiopathology , Corpus Callosum/surgery , Epilepsy/surgery , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Severity of Illness Index , Treatment Outcome
9.
Fish Shellfish Immunol ; 10(6): 505-14, 2000 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11016585

ABSTRACT

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of beta-1,3-glucan derived from Schizophyllum commune in enhancing shrimp survival as well as haemocyte phagocytosis and superoxide anion production in brooder Penaeus monodon. Pond-reared P. monodon adults (135 +/- 25 g) stocked in outdoor or indoor tanks were fed either a test diet containing beta-1,3-glucan (2.0 g kg(-1) or a glucan-free control diet for 40 days. Their survival was compared. The brooders reared in indoor tanks were analysed at days 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 30 and 40 for their haemocyte phagocytic activity and superoxide anion production. The results showed that regardless of indoor or outdoor rearing the survival rate of shrimp fed the glucan diet was significantly higher (P<0.001) than that of the control group. The brooders showed enhanced haemocyte phagocytic activity, cell adhesion and superoxide anion production when glucan was administered in their diets. The immunostimulatory enhancement peaked at day 24 after starting the dietary exposure and subsequently decreased to the pre-feeding level at the end of the 40 days feeding trial.


Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage , Glucans/administration & dosage , Penaeidae/immunology , beta-Glucans , Animals , Cell Adhesion , Female , Hemocytes , Indicators and Reagents/chemistry , Male , Microscopy, Fluorescence/veterinary , Microspheres , Nitroblue Tetrazolium/chemistry , Penaeidae/growth & development , Phagocytosis
10.
Epilepsia ; 41(9): 1162-6, 2000 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10999555

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The efficacy and safety of topiramate (TPM) as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of adult Chinese patients with refractory partial epilepsy were investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. METHODS: A total of 46 patients who had four or more complex partial seizures with or without secondary generalization within an 8-week baseline phase were enrolled. Patients were assigned randomly to receive TPM (n = 23) or placebo (n = 23). TPM or placebo was titrated to target doses of 300 mg/d for 6 weeks and maintained at stabilized levels for another 8 weeks. Concomitant antiepileptic drugs remained at constant previous levels during the trial. RESULTS: In all, 41 patients completed the trial (TPM group, n = 20; placebo group, n = 21). The proportion of patients with a > or =50% reduction from baseline in complex partial seizures was 11 of 23 (47.8%) in the TPM group and 3 of 23 (13.0%) in the placebo group (p = 0.01). In addition, patients treated with TPM had significantly better investigator (p = 0.014) and patient (p = 0.0005) global assessment scores than patients in the placebo group. Adverse events were mostly mild and transient, with no significant differences between treatment groups. Two patients with TPM therapy complained of weight loss. Routine blood cell counts and other laboratory results showed no significant changes from baseline in either treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: TPM 300 mg/d is effective and well tolerated as treatment for refractory partial epilepsy in adults.


Subject(s)
Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Epilepsies, Partial/drug therapy , Fructose/analogs & derivatives , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Anticonvulsants/adverse effects , Dizziness/chemically induced , Dizziness/epidemiology , Double-Blind Method , Female , Fructose/adverse effects , Fructose/therapeutic use , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Placebos , Topiramate , Treatment Outcome , Weight Loss
11.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) ; 63(8): 598-604, 2000 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10969445

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Problem-based learning (PBL) in small-group tutorials has been a trend in medical education. Chinese students are known to be reserved and passive; thus, they may not be adaptable to PBL. Neuroanatomy, important to clinical neurology, is difficult to learn. We incorporated clinical neurology with PBL, complementary to the traditional neuroanatomy curriculum, to evaluate the feasibility of PBL for Chinese students in Taiwan. METHODS: Forty-two second-year medical students and seven tutors participated in the clinical neurology PBL small-group tutorials. Twelve case reports were discussed weekly beginning in February, 1999. Each case was designed to meet the progressive curriculum of the neuroanatomy course. The tutors evaluated the students by the degree of their preparation, participation, key-point comprehension and interaction. All tutors and students filled out questionnaires at the end of each session. RESULTS: The majority of the students and tutors agreed that the case materials were clearly written. Ninety percent of the students agreed that the case materials matched the traditional content of neuroanatomy. Eighty-five percent of students and 71% of tutors were satisfied and found the class rewarding. Ninety-one percent of students and 74% of tutors were in favor of PBL being continued. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary PBL, small-group tutorial learning in clinical neurology showed satisfactory results and was, indeed, complementary to a traditional neuroanatomy course. The students, as early as during the second year of their medical school education, were able to learn through the PBL. More integration of basic and clinical sciences by PBL may be considered in future curricula designs.


Subject(s)
Education, Medical , Neurology/education , Humans , Taiwan
12.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) ; 63(6): 503-11, 2000 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10925543

ABSTRACT

Recently, three patients with hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome who underwent callosotomy were monitored for more than four years. All patients had atrophy of the right brain hemisphere with left hemiparesis and seizures. Two cases were probably the result of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage and one was due to an unknown cause. Wada tests were done in cases 1 and 2, which showed spared motor function of the atrophic hemisphere, supporting the choice of callosotomy instead of hemispherectomy. Patient 1 had atypical absence seizures and asymmetric generalized tonic seizures before surgery, the latter of which decreased by about 60% after callosotomy. Patient 2 had simple partial seizures of the motor type and complex partial seizures, the latter of which were also induced by touch (somatosensory-induced reflex epilepsy). This patient's complex partial seizures disappeared completely, but the simple partial seizures remained unchanged. Patient 3 had generalized tonic seizures, simple partial seizures of the sensory type and complex partial seizures. After surgery, the frequency of the generalized tonic seizures decreased more than 90%. The simple partial seizures of the sensory type remained unchanged. There were two new types of seizures after surgery, simple partial seizures of the motor type and brief generalized myoclonic jerks. All patients had significant reductions in numbers of seizures of more than 50%.


Subject(s)
Corpus Callosum/surgery , Epilepsy/surgery , Hemiplegia/surgery , Seizures/surgery , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Syndrome
13.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) ; 63(5): 418-23, 2000 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10862453

ABSTRACT

A 22-year-old female patient with epilepsy for more than six years who had prominent psychiatric manifestations, including paranoia, delusions and hallucinations, after a series of major seizure attacks caused by sudden withdrawal of anticonvulsant medication was monitored. This reported episode of psychosis occurred eight hours after the last seizure attack and lasted for two weeks. The psychosis gradually disappeared after administration of lorazepam. The electroencephalogram (EEG) performed during the period of psychosis showed intermittent slow activity in the bilateral frontal regions of the brain. There were active bisynchronous epileptiform discharges bisynchronously in both frontotemporal regions after the resolution of the psychotic episode. The clinical picture and course were consistent with the diagnosis of "postictal psychosis", and the transient near normal EEG during psychosis was most likely a phenomenon known as "forced normalization". The patient has not had a similar psychotic attack since the one reported here.


Subject(s)
Electroencephalography , Epilepsy/complications , Psychotic Disorders/physiopathology , Adult , Female , Humans , Psychotic Disorders/etiology
14.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) ; 63(4): 316-21, 2000 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10820911

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Flickering light and color patterns, reading, language, movement, decision making, eating, tapping and touching, hot water immersion and auditory stimulation can induce seizures in some patients. This is known as "reflex epilepsy". The mechanism of reflex epilepsy is not clear. Recently, we cared for 12 patients (11 men and 1 woman, age 41-74 years; mean age = 63.1 years) whose seizures were induced by playing mah-jong, with mean age at seizure onset of 48.7 years. Nine of the 12 patients had seizures exclusively while playing mah-jong. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 12 epileptic patients who visited our neurologic clinic from 1987 to 1999, with the chief complaint of mah-jong induced seizures. All patients underwent examinations including electroencephalography, brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, analysis of clinical manifestation of seizures, family history and past medical history. All were given anticonvulsant therapy for preventing seizures. RESULTS: Clinically, 10 patients had generalized tonic-clonic seizures and two patients had partial seizures with secondary generalization. Interictally, normal results on EEG were found in six patients, three had focal temporal spikes, and three had intermittent slow activity in the frontotemporal regions. Neuroimaging studies of the brain were normal in seven patients, two had lacunar infarctions, one had generalized atrophy and one had focal left parietal lesions of an unclear nature. Only one patient had a family history of epilepsy. All 12 patients received anticonvulsant therapy, and of these, nine had good epilepsy control. CONCLUSIONS: "Mah-jong epilepsy," a new reflex epilepsy, is probably related to thinking and decision making while playing mah-jong. The easy control of seizures induced by mah-jong suggests a benign nature. In addition to anticonvulsant therapy, avoiding playing mah-jong may be essential in preventing seizures.


Subject(s)
Epilepsy, Reflex/etiology , Adult , Aged , Decision Making , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged
15.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) ; 63(3): 240-6, 2000 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10746422

ABSTRACT

Flickering light and color patterns, reading, language, movement, decision making, eating, tapping and touching, hot water immersion and auditory stimulation can induce seizures in some epileptic patients. These are known as the "reflex epilepsies". The mechanism of reflex epilepsy is not clear. Recently, we performed anterior two-thirds corpus callosotomies in two reflex epilepsy patients (ages 12 and 14 years), with follow-up for more than three years. Patient 1 had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome with auditory-induced generalized atonic or tonic seizures (startle epilepsy), which decreased by 60% after callosotomy. Patient 2 had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome with somatosensory-induced generalized tonic seizures (tap epilepsy). He was seizure-free for one year immediately after callosotomy, but his seizures recurred with the same degree and frequency as before surgery. The nonsignificant postoperative seizure outcome suggests that the corpus callosum only plays a partial role in seizure generation. Our report also discusses the possible mechanisms of generation of reflex seizures.


Subject(s)
Corpus Callosum/surgery , Epilepsy, Reflex/etiology , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Adolescent , Child , Epilepsy, Reflex/therapy , Humans , Male
16.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) ; 63(2): 153-7, 2000 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10677928

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a 36-year-old Chinese man with a history of complex partial seizure of temporal lobe origin since the age of 12 years, superimposed by myasthenia gravis since the age of 27 years and psoriasis vulgaris since the age of 29 years. With an eight-year follow-up, the above three diseases remained without complete remission. Anticonvulsant therapy (phenytoin and trimethadione) caused drug-induced myasthenia gravis, which should gradually disappear after discontinuing the drugs. However, the myasthenic symptoms and serum acetylcholine receptor antibody persisted following the discontinuation of phenytoin in our patient. Myasthenia gravis and psoriasis are both autoimmune diseases and correlate with specific human histocompatibility antigens. This suggests a close connection between these two diseases. The coexistence of epilepsy, myasthenia gravis and psoriasis vulgaris has not been previously reported, and to the best of our knowledge, our patient is the first reported case. The relationship among these three diseases requires further investigation.


Subject(s)
Epilepsy/complications , Myasthenia Gravis/complications , Psoriasis/complications , Adult , Humans , Male
17.
Microsurgery ; 20(2): 77-84, 2000.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10702741

ABSTRACT

We investigated the microcirculatory changes of ischemia/reperfusion injury in the diabetic rat cremaster muscle as well as the therapeutic effect of insulin. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were maintained hyperglycemic for up to 8 weeks or were treated with insulin in the diabetic period. The rat cremaster muscle was prepared as an island flap and subjected to 2-h clamp ischemia followed by 1-h reperfusion. In nonischemic conditions, effective concentrations for 50% response (EC50) of serial orders of arterioles to norepinephrine were higher in diabetic muscles. Ischemia/reperfusion insult significantly decreased the EC50 of arterioles in the normal group, but not in the diabetic group. Light microscopy showed that the diabetic cremasters had more collapsed capillaries and smooth muscle-disarranged arterioles. Insulin therapy showed significant improvement in the diabetes-caused reduction of perfused capillary density, but not in the contractility of the diabetic arterioles. These results indicate that diabetes mellitus may damage the skeletal muscle microvasculature irreversibly and make it less responsive to autonomic regulation. Insulin therapy can improve capillary perfusion, but not the microvascular reactivity of diabetic muscles.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/physiopathology , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Insulin/therapeutic use , Muscle, Skeletal/blood supply , Reperfusion Injury/physiopathology , Animals , Arterioles/drug effects , Arterioles/physiology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Male , Microcirculation , Norepinephrine/pharmacology , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Vasoconstriction , Vasoconstrictor Agents/pharmacology
18.
Childs Nerv Syst ; 16(2): 87-92, 2000 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10663813

ABSTRACT

From September 1989 to August 1996, we performed anterior corpus callosotomy in 83 patients. Unfortunately, 9 patients were lost to follow-up. Among the remaining 74 patients, 59 had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (evolved from infantile spasms in 22), 9 had complex partial seizures with or without secondary generalized seizures, 1 had multifocal independent epileptogenic foci (MISF) syndrome, 3 had hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy (HHE), and 2 had infantile spasms. All cases were followed up for at least 2 years after surgery. The highest rate of significant improvement (more than 50% reduction in seizure frequency) was noted in the patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures, 82.1% of whom experienced significant improvement, followed by those with generalized tonic seizures (76. 7%), atonic seizures (72.7%), myoclonic seizures (64.9%), atypical absences (58.6%), and complex partial seizure with or without secondary generalization (61.5%). Complete freedom from seizures was noted in 14 cases (18.9%). One patient had the anterior half of his right palm amputated following radial artery thrombosis complicated by insertion of an arterial line during anesthesia. Otherwise, there were no major postoperative complications except for brief mutism and multifocal jerks in some patients during the 1st postoperative week. Thus, we conclude that corpus callosotomy is a safe alternative treatment for all kinds of medically intractable seizures, especially generalized epilepsy.


Subject(s)
Corpus Callosum/surgery , Epilepsy/surgery , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Corpus Callosum/physiopathology , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Monitoring, Physiologic , Postoperative Complications/physiopathology , Taiwan , Treatment Outcome
19.
FEBS Lett ; 461(3): 323-8, 1999 Nov 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10567720

ABSTRACT

Activated p38gamma MAP kinase exhibited significant basal ATPase activity in the absence of a kinase substrate, and addition of a phosphoacceptor substrate increased k(cat)/K(m)20-fold. AMP-PCP was competitive with ATP binding and non-competitive with phosphoacceptor substrate binding. The nucleotide binding site affinity label 5'-(p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl)adenosine (FSBA) bound stoichiometrically at Lys-56 in the ATP site of both unphosphorylated and activated p38gamma. AMP-PCP only protected the activated enzyme from FSBA inactivation, implying that AMP-PCP does not bind unphosphorylated p38gamma. Basal ATPase activities were also observed for activated p38alpha, ERK2 and JNK3 suggesting that the enzymatic mechanism may be similar for all classes of MAP kinases.


Subject(s)
Adenosine Triphosphatases/metabolism , Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Adenosine/analogs & derivatives , Adenosine/metabolism , Adenosine Triphosphatases/chemistry , Adenosine Triphosphate/analogs & derivatives , Affinity Labels , Allosteric Site , Animals , Base Sequence , Binding Sites , Binding, Competitive , Enzyme Activation , Kinetics , MAP Kinase Signaling System , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/metabolism , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 10 , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/chemistry , Molecular Sequence Data , Phosphorylation , Protein Processing, Post-Translational , Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism , p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
20.
Eur Neurol ; 42(4): 235-9, 1999.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10567822

ABSTRACT

We report 3 cases presenting ictal vomiting during partial seizures of temporal lobe origin. Two patients had complex partial seizures accompanying vomiting characteristics. Ictal vomiting occurred early in the course of the seizure when rhythmic discharges involved predominantly the left hemisphere, the language dominance hemisphere. The other patient had ictal vomiting in simple partial seizures which originated from the right temporal lobe or the language nondominant side. All 3 patients underwent anterior temporal lobectomy with promising outcomes. Pathologic diagnosis included hippocampal sclerosis in 2 patients and astrocytoma in 1 patient. In our patients, ictal vomiting does not lateralize temporal lobe epilepsy and is not specific to pathology.


Subject(s)
Astrocytoma/complications , Brain Diseases/complications , Brain Neoplasms/complications , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/etiology , Hippocampus/pathology , Vomiting/etiology , Adolescent , Adult , Astrocytoma/diagnosis , Astrocytoma/surgery , Brain Diseases/diagnosis , Brain Diseases/surgery , Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Brain Neoplasms/surgery , Diagnosis, Differential , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/surgery , Female , Hippocampus/surgery , Humans , Male , Sclerosis , Temporal Lobe/surgery , Treatment Outcome
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