米诺环素对缺氧缺血脑损伤未成熟新生大鼠TLR4、NF—κBp65和TNF—α表达的影响

目的观察米诺环素（Minocycline,MN）对缺氧缺血脑损伤（hypoxic-ischemic brain damage,HIBD）未成熟新生大鼠Toll样受体4（Toll-1ike receptor4,TLR4）、核因子-κB（nuclear factor-kappa B,NF—κB）p65和TNF．仪表达的影响,探索米诺环素脑保护作用机制。方法将160只生后2d（P2）Sprague—Dawley（SD）新生大鼠随机分成正常对照组、假手术组、HIBD组、HIBD加MN组。通过结扎左侧颈总动脉及8％氮氧混合气缺氧4h,制备未成熟新生大鼠缺氧缺血性脑损伤模型。HIBD加MN组大鼠缺氧后予腹腔注射1次MN45mg／kg,HIBD组予腹腔注射等剂量的无菌PBS（pH7．4）。HI后24h、48h、72h取材,Westernblotting检测TLR4、NF．KBp65和TNF—Ot蛋白表达,HI后72h、4周行脑组织HE染色及病理评分,HI后4周行行为学检测。结果HI后72h、4周HIBD加MN组脑组织病理损伤较HIBD组减轻,HIBD加MN组半定量病理评分低于HIBD组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。Western blotting显示HI后24、48和72hHIBD加MN组TLR4、NF—KBp65和TNF-α的表达低于HIBD组,较正常组及假手术组升高。HI后4周,在悬吊试验及斜坡试验中,HIBD加MN组与正常组、假手术组差异无统计学意义（Jp〉0．05）。旷场试验中,HIBD加MN组与正常组、假手术组对比,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;与HIBD组比较,P=0．375,差异无统计学意义（P〉O．05）。圆筒实验中HIBD加MN组左侧上肢触壁百分比较HIBD组降低（P〈0．05）,与正常组、假手术组差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;右侧触壁百分比的比较中,HIBD加MN组与正常组、假手术组、HIBD组差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论米诺环素对缺氧缺血脑损伤近期及远期具有良好的保护作用,其对缺氧缺血脑损伤的保护作用机制可能与抑制TLR4．NF—κBp65-TNF-α信号途径的激活有关。     

Evaluation of 3-Dimensional Exoscopes in Brain Tumor Surgery

ObjectiveThough the operating microscope (OM) has been the standard optical system in neurosurgery, a new technology called three-dimensional (3D) exoscope has emerged as an alternative. Herein, two types of 3D exoscopes for brain tumor surgery are presented. In addition, the advantages and limitations compared with the OM are discussed. MethodsIn the present study, 3D exoscope VOMS-100 or VITOM 3D was used in 11 patients with brain tumor who underwent surgical resection; the Kinevo 900 OM was used only in emergency. After completion of all surgeries, the participants were surveyed with a questionnaire regarding video image quality on the display monitor, handling of equipment, ergonomics, educational usefulness, 3D glasses, and expectation as a substitute for the OM. ResultsAmong 11 patients, nine patients underwent neurosurgical resection with only 3D exoscope; however, two patients required additional aid with the OM due to difficulty in hemostasis. Regarding video image quality, VITOM 3D was mostly equivalent to the OM, but VOMS-100 was not. However, both 3D exoscopes showed advantages in accessibility of instruments in the surgical field and occupied less space in the operating theater. Differences in ergonomics and educational usefulness between the exoscopes were not reported. Respondents did not experience discomfort in wearing 3D glasses and thought the exoscopes could be currently, and in the future, used as a substitute for the OM. ConclusionAlthough many neurosurgeons are not familiar with 3D exoscopes, they have advantages compared with the OM and similar image quality. Exoscopes could be a substitute for OM in the future if some limitations are overcome.     

Neighborhood disadvantage and longitudinal brain-predicted-age trajectory during adolescence

Neighborhood disadvantage has consistently been linked to alterations in brain structure; however, positive environmental (e.g., positive parenting) and psychological factors (e.g., temperament) may buffer these effects. We aimed to investigate associations between neighborhood disadvantage and deviations from typical neurodevelopmental trajectories during adolescence, and examine the moderating role of positive parenting and temperamental effortful control (EC). Using a large dataset (n = 1313), a normative model of brain morphology was established, which was then used to predict the age of youth from a longitudinal dataset (n = 166, three time-points at age 12, 16, and 19). Using linear mixed models, we investigated whether trajectories of the difference between brain-predicted-age and chronological age (brainAGE) were associated with neighborhood disadvantage, and whether positive parenting (positive behavior during a problem-solving task) and EC moderated these associations. We found that neighborhood disadvantage was associated with positive brainAGE during early adolescence and a deceleration (decreasing brainAGE) thereafter. EC moderated this association such that in disadvantaged adolescents, low EC was associated with delayed development (negative brainAGE) during late adolescence. Findings provide evidence for complex associations between environmental and psychological factors, and brain maturation. They suggest that neighborhood disadvantage may have long-term effects on neurodevelopment during adolescence, but high EC could buffer these effects.     

Is there any incremental benefit to conducting neuroimaging and neurocognitive assessments in the diagnosis of ADHD in young children? A machine learning investigation

Given the negative trajectories of early behavior problems associated with ADHD, early diagnosis is considered critical to enable intervention and treatment. To this end, the current investigation employed machine learning to evaluate the relative predictive value of parent/teacher ratings, behavioral and neural measures of executive function (EF) in predicting ADHD in a sample consisting of 162 young children (ages 4–7, mean age 5.55, 82.6 % Hispanic/Latino). Among the target measures, teacher ratings of EF were the most predictive of ADHD. While a more extensive evaluation of neural measures, such as diffusion-weighted imaging, may provide more information as they relate to the underlying cognitive deficits associated with ADHD, the current study indicates that measures of cortical anatomy obtained in research studies, as well cognitive measures of EF often obtained in routine assessments, have little incremental value in differentiating typically developing children from those diagnosed with ADHD. It is important to note that the overlap between some of the EF questions in the BRIEF, and the ADHD symptoms could be enhancing this effect. Thus, future research evaluating the importance of such measures in predicting children’s functional impairment in academic and social areas would provide additional insight into their contributing role in ADHD.     

Leveraging big data to map neurodevelopmental trajectories in pediatric anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric condition among youth, with symptoms commonly emerging prior to or during adolescence. Delineating neurodevelopmental trajectories associated with anxiety disorders is important for understanding the pathophysiology of pediatric anxiety and for early risk identification. While a growing literature has yielded valuable insights into the nature of brain structure and function in pediatric anxiety, progress has been limited by inconsistent findings and challenges common to neuroimaging research. In this review, we first discuss these challenges and the promise of ‘big data’ to map neurodevelopmental trajectories in pediatric anxiety. Next, we review evidence of age-related differences in neural structure and function among anxious youth, with a focus on anxiety-relevant processes such as threat and safety learning. We then highlight large-scale cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that assess anxiety and are well positioned to inform our understanding of neurodevelopment in pediatric anxiety. Finally, we detail relevant challenges of ‘big data’ and propose future directions through which large publicly available datasets can advance knowledge of deviations from normative brain development in anxiety. Leveraging ‘big data’ will be essential for continued progress in understanding the neurobiology of pediatric anxiety, with implications for identifying markers of risk and novel treatment targets.     

Miswiring the brain: Human prenatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol use associated with altered fetal hippocampal brain network connectivity

Increasing evidence supports a link between maternal prenatal cannabis use and altered neural and physiological development of the child. However, whether cannabis use relates to altered human brain development prior to birth, and specifically, whether maternal prenatal cannabis use relates to connectivity of fetal functional brain systems, remains an open question. The major objective of this study was to identify whether maternal prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) is associated with variation in human brain hippocampal functional connectivity prior to birth. Prenatal drug toxicology and fetal fMRI data were available in a sample of 115 fetuses [43 % female; mean age 32.2 weeks (SD = 4.3)]. Voxelwise hippocampal connectivity analysis in a subset of age and sex-matched fetuses revealed that PCE was associated with alterations in fetal dorsolateral, medial and superior frontal, insula, anterior temporal, and posterior cingulate connectivity. Classification of group differences by age 5 outcomes suggest that compared to the non-PCE group, the PCE group is more likely to have increased connectivity to regions associated with less favorable outcomes and to have decreased connectivity to regions associated with more favorable outcomes. This is preliminary evidence that altered fetal neural connectome may contribute to neurobehavioral vulnerability observed in children exposed to cannabis in utero.     

Identifying profiles of brain structure and associations with current and future psychopathology in youth

Brain structure is often studied as a marker of youth psychopathology by examining associations between volume or thickness of individual regions and specific diagnoses. However, these univariate approaches do not address whether the effect of a particular region may depend on the structure of other regions. Here, we identified subgroups of individuals with distinct profiles of brain structure and examined how these profiles were associated with concurrent and future youth psychopathology. We used latent profile analysis to identify distinct neuroanatomical profiles of subcortical region volume and orbitofrontal cortical thickness in the ABCD study (N = 9376, mean age = 9.91, SD = 0.62). We identified a five-profile solution consisting of a reduced subcortical volume profile, a reduced orbitofrontal thickness profile, a reduced limbic and elevated striatal volume profile, an elevated orbitofrontal thickness and reduced striatal volume profile, and an elevated orbitofrontal thickness and subcortical volume profile. While controlling for age, sex, and intracranial volume, profiles exhibited differences in concurrent psychopathology measured dimensionally and categorically and in psychopathology at 1-year follow-up measured dimensionally. Results show that profiles of brain structure have incremental validity for associations with youth psychopathology beyond intracranial volume.     

头颅MRI与B超在早产儿脑损伤诊断中的对比研究

目的通过头颅MRI与B超在早产儿脑损伤诊断中的对比研究,探讨头颅MRI、B超对早产儿脑损伤的诊断价值。方法对2010年1月至2011年12月期间,南方医院新生儿科收治的152例早产儿,住院期间行头颅MRI、B超检查,用配对χ2检验比较两种检查方法有无差异,比较各自诊断的准确性与敏感性。结果头颅MRI、B超对早产儿脑损伤的诊断存在显著差异（χ2=27．119,P〈0．001）,MRI与B超诊断的准确性分别为94．1％、67．1％,敏感性分别为90．0％、44．4％,对IVH诊断一致率为85．16％,新生儿缺氧缺血性脑（HIE）诊断一致率47．83％,脑白质软化（PVL）诊断一致率为33．3％,B超未能发现蛛网膜下腔出血（SAH）、硬膜下出血（SDH）、小脑出血（ICEH）。结论头颅B超显示IVH强于MRI,但B超对HIE、PVL的诊断逊于MRI,B超容易漏诊合并有SAH、SDH、ICEH的脑损伤．B超只可作为初诊、随访追踪的方法。     

Methodology to determine skull bone and brain responses from ballistic helmet-to-head contact loading using experiments and finite element analysis

The objective of the study was to obtain helmet-to-head contact forces from experiments, use a human head finite element model to determine regional responses, and compare outputs to skull fracture and brain injury thresholds. Tests were conducted using two types of helmets (A and B) fitted to a head-form. Seven load cells were used on the head-form back face to measure helmet-to-head contact forces. Projectiles were fired in frontal, left, right, and rear directions. Three tests were conducted with each helmet in each direction. Individual and summated force- and impulse-histories were obtained. Force-histories were inputted to the human head–helmet finite element model. Pulse durations were approximately 4 ms. One-third force and impulse were from the central load cell. 0.2% strain and 40 MPa stress limits were not exceeded for helmet-A. For helmet-B, strains exceeded in left, right, and rear; pressures exceeded in bilateral directions; volume of elements exceeding 0.2% strains correlated with the central load cell forces. For helmet-A, volumes exceeding brain pressure threshold were: 5–93%. All elements crossed the pressure limit for helmet-B. For both helmets, no brain elements exceeded peak principal strain limit. These findings advance our understanding of skull and brain biomechanics from helmet–head contact forces.