经皮内镜腰椎间盘摘除术中后颈部疼痛与腰段硬膜外腔压力的相关性

目的探讨经皮内镜腰椎间盘摘除术(percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy,PELD)中后颈部疼痛与腰段硬膜外腔压力(lumbar epidural pressure,LEP)的相关性。方法本研究采用前瞻性设计,选择择期经椎板间隙入路PELD患者86例,男46例,女40例,年龄19~71岁,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级。采用腰段硬膜外麻醉,并经硬膜外导管接换能器连续监测LEP,记录手术开始前LEP基础值(LEPbase)、后颈部开始疼痛时LEP(LEPpain)和术中LEP最大值(LEP_(max)),采用趋势卡方检验分析LEP_(max)与后颈部疼痛发生率的关系。结果有30例(34.9%)患者术中出现后颈部疼痛。LEP_(max)最低为31.0mm Hg,最高为77.0mm Hg。后颈部疼痛患者LEP_(max)为(60.6±8.8)mm Hg,明显高于无疼痛患者的(50.7±9.5)mm Hg(P0.01)。后颈部疼痛的发生与LEP_(max)呈显著正相关(P0.01)。结论经皮内镜腰椎间盘摘除术中腰段硬膜外腔压力最大值越高的患者,后颈部疼痛发生的可能性越大。     

术中自体血回输在腰椎后路减压融合内固定术应用的初步分析

目的 探讨术中自体血液回输在腰椎后路减压融合内固定术中的应用.方法 对2010年1月至2013年12月行腰椎后路减压融合内固定术的患者,根据术中出血量分为2组,A组(自体血回输组)术中出血量≥300 ml,术中进行自体血回输;B组(非自体血回输组)术中出血量＜ 300 ml,不进行自体血回输.对2组患者手术时间、术中估计失血量、输血量及手术前后血红蛋白水平进行对比,分析术中出血原因及使用血液回收装置的必要性.结果 共220例患者纳入本研究,A组169例,B组51例,A组患者中使用自体血回输后仅13例(7.7％)需要行同种异体输血,B组未使用同种异体血.其中A组行多节段(3个及以上)减压融合术的患者中,4例(22.2％)输同种异体血,明显高于1～2个节段手术的患者异体输血比例(P＜0.05).A组和B组比较,A组患者平均手术时间f(173.0±44.7)min vs.(135.9±45.6)min,P=0.0000]和术中出血量[(628.9±306.9)mlvs.(287.6±203.4)ml,P=0.0000]明显增高.结论 术中自体血回输基本满足腰椎后路减压融合内固定手术的输血要求,明显减少异体输血.     

椎管内肿瘤行半椎板入路显微手术的护理

目的 探讨椎管内肿瘤行半椎板入路显微手术围手术期的护理要点。方法 回顾性分析2013~2016年安徽医科大学第一附属医院神经外科收治的34例椎管内肿瘤行半椎板入路显微手术切除的患者临床资料,对术前评估,针对性健康指导及心理护理措施,术后的病情观察、功能锻炼以及并发症的预防和护理进行总结分析。结果 本组34例患者中32例行肿瘤全部切除,2例大部切除。术后有3例患者肢体功能障碍较术前加重,经积极治疗并给予循序渐进的功能锻炼,症状得到了改善;2例患者出现切口脑脊液漏,经治疗护理后切口愈合良好,所有患者未出现护理并发症,全部康复出院,达到预期效果。结论 对于椎管内肿瘤行半椎板入路显微手术的患者,术前培养良好的心理状态,组织有效的功能训练是手术顺利进行的基础,术后认真的病情观察和悉心的护理,为预防并发症发生和促进患者康复提供了有力的保障。     

股骨近端解剖锁定钢板治疗外侧壁危险型股骨粗隆间骨折

目的  浅议股骨粗隆间骨折外侧壁危险型的特点及意义,评价股骨近端解剖锁定钢板治疗外侧壁危险型股骨粗隆间骨折的临床疗效。方法  选取2012年1月-2013年7月,采用切开复位、股骨近端解剖锁定钢板内固定治疗外侧壁危险型股骨粗隆间骨折的20例。根据术后髋关节功能、站立及行走等恢复情况评价临床效果。结果  20例获得随访,随访时间12～18个月,根据评定标准,优17例,良3例,优良率100%。结论  股骨近端解剖锁定钢板治疗外侧壁危险型股骨粗隆间骨折安全可靠、疗效良好,具有一定的临床优势,尤其适合于需切开复位以及条件有限的基层医院。

     

Visual cortex activation in kinesthetic guidance of reaching

The purpose of this research was to determine the cortical circuit involved in encoding and controlling kinesthetically guided reaching movements. We used ¹⁵O-butanol positron emission tomography in ten blindfolded able-bodied volunteers in a factorial experiment in which arm (left/right) used to encode target location and to reach back to the remembered location and hemispace of target location (left/right side of midsagittal plane) varied systematically. During encoding of a target the experimenter guided the hand to touch the index fingertip to an external target and then returned the hand to the start location. After a short delay the subject voluntarily moved the same hand back to the remembered target location. SPM99 analysis of the PET data contrasting left versus right hand reaching showed increased (P < 0.05, corrected) neural activity in the sensorimotor cortex, premotor cortex and posterior parietal lobule (PPL) contralateral to the moving hand. Additional neural activation was observed in prefrontal cortex and visual association areas of occipital and parietal lobes contralateral and ipsilateral to the reaching hand. There was no statistically significant effect of target location in left versus right hemispace nor was there an interaction of hand and hemispace effects. Structural equation modeling showed that parietal lobe visual association areas contributed to kinesthetic processing by both hands but occipital lobe visual areas contributed only during dominant hand kinesthetic processing. This visual processing may also involve visualization of kinesthetically guided target location and use of the same network employed to guide reaches to visual targets when reaching to kinesthetic targets. The present work clearly demonstrates a network for kinesthetic processing that includes higher visual processing areas in the PPL for both upper limbs and processing in occipital lobe visual areas for the dominant limb.     

Pyruvate slows disease progression in a G93A SOD1 mutant transgenic mouse model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by selective motor neuron death, and currently no effective treatment is available for ALS. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of pyruvate, which acts as an anti-oxidant and as an energy source. We treated G93A SOD1 transgenic mice with pyruvate (from 70 days of age, i.p., at 1000 mg/kg/week), and found that it prolonged average lifespan by 12.3 days (10.5%), slowed disease progression, and improved motor performance, but did not delay disease onset. Pyruvate treatment was also associated with reduced nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity, gliosis, and increased Bcl-2 expression in the spinal cords of G93A SOD1 transgenic mice. These results suggest that pyruvate treatment may be a potential therapeutic strategy in ALS.     

Modular architecture of the T4 phage superfamily: a conserved core genome and a plastic periphery

Among the most numerous objects in the biosphere, phages show enormous diversity in morphology and genetic content. We have sequenced 7 T4-like phages and compared their genome architecture. All seven phages share a core genome with T4 that is interrupted by several hyperplastic regions (HPRs) where most of their divergence occurs. The core primarily includes homologues of essential T4 genes, such as the virion structure and DNA replication genes. In contrast, the HPRs contain mostly novel genes of unknown function and origin. A few of the HPR genes that can be assigned putative functions, such as a series of novel Internal Proteins, are implicated in phage adaptation to the host. Thus, the T4-like genome appears to be partitioned into discrete segments that fulfil different functions and behave differently in evolution. Such partitioning may be critical for these large and complex phages to maintain their flexibility, while simultaneously allowing them to conserve their highly successful virion design and mode of replication.     

Direct contact in inviting high-risk members of hereditary colon cancer families to genetic counselling and DNA testing

Background

Identification of hereditary predisposition to cancer has limited significance if not followed by efficient cancer prevention in the family. Probands are traditionally left to inform their relatives about the increased risk, but distant relatives may remain uninformed. An approach to contacting directly at‐risk persons assumed to be unaware of their increased cancer risk was taken. With cancer prevention as the ultimate goal, the study was aimed at investigating attitudes towards and psychosocial consequences of this novel strategy.

Methods

In families with hereditary non‐polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome), 286 healthy adult relatives with a 50% risk of a predisposing mutation were contacted by letter. Of these, 112 participated in counselling and predictive testing. Baseline information and information obtained 1 month after the test for 73 respondents were compared with 299 corresponding subjects, approached via the proband (family‐mediated approach in our previous study) in these families.

Results

After the contact letter, 51% consented to the study. Of these, 92% approved of the direct contact and 33% had tried to seek information. In 34% of the mutation carriers, neoplasia was identified in the first post‐test colonoscopy. Although post‐test fear of cancer increased among the mutation carriers and decreased among noncarriers, almost all participants were satisfied with their decision to participate, independently of their test results, parallel to the family‐mediated approach.

Conclusion

In this large‐scale study, relatives in cancer families were actively contacted to inform them of the condition and genetic counselling. Their attitudes were encouraging, and the psychosocial consequences were similar to the family‐mediated approach. Our results suggest the appropriateness of direct contact as an alternative method of contact in cases of life‐threatening treatable disease.     

Telemedicine for Facio-Scapulo-Humeral Muscular Dystrophy: A multidisciplinary approach to improve quality of life and reduce hospitalization rate?

Background

Facio-Scapulo-Humeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by a variable and asymmetric involvement of facial, trunk, upper and lower extremity muscles. Although respiratory weakness is a relatively unknown feature of FSHD, it is not rare. Telemedicine has been used in a variety of health care fields, but only recently, with the advent of sophisticated technology, its interest among health professionals became evident, even in such diseases.