Efficacy of istradefylline for gait disorders with freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease: A single-arm,open-label,prospective, multicenter study

Background: Gait disorders are common in Parkinson’s disease patients who respond poorly to dopaminergic treatment. Blockade of adenosine A_2A receptors is expected to improve gait disorders. Istradefylline is a first-in-class selective adenosine A_2A receptor antagonist with benefits for motor complications associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Research design and methods: This multicenter, open-label, single-group, prospective interventional study evaluated changes in total gait-related scores of the Part II/III Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG-Q) in 31 Parkinson’s disease patients treated with istradefylline. Gait analysis by portable gait rhythmogram was performed.

Results: MDS-UPDRS Part III gait-related total scores significantly decreased at Weeks 4–12 from baseline with significant improvements in gait, freezing of gait, and postural stability. Significant decreases in MDS-UPDRS Part II total scores and individual item scores at Week 12 indicated improved daily living activities. At Week 12, there were significant improvements in FOG-Q, new FOG-Q, and overall movement per 48 h measured by portable gait rhythmogram. Adverse events occurred in 7/31 patients.

Conclusions: Istradefylline improved gait disorders in Parkinson’s disease patients complicated with freezing of gait, improving their quality of life. No unexpected adverse drug reactions were identified.

Trial registration: UMIN-CTR (UMIN000020288).     

An ultrasonographic monitoring of skin condition in patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancers

Radiodermatitis is one of the commonest side effects of radiotherapy. They are usually assessed by semi‐quantitative clinical scores, which are not validated and may be subject to inter‐observer variability. A few previous studies suggested that high‐frequency ultrasonography (HF‐USG) is useful in the assessment of the acute phase of radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients. (a) To monitor skin changes by HF‐USG during the course of radiotherapy due to head and neck cancers, and (b) to determine whether there is any connection between skin sonograms and the skin scoring criteria. This prospective, observational study includes patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers, treated with radiotherapy or concomitant chemoradiation. The final analysis includes six patients. In every patient, the HF‐USG as well as dermatological assessment (target lesion score—TLS and CACE v. 4.0) were performed 4×: before, in the middle, day after, and 3 months after radiotherapy. There were significant differences between non‐irradiated skin thickness and thickness of skin with clinically obvious radiodermatitis (TLS grade 1‐4; P < .0001), as well as between irradiated, unchanged skin thickness (TLS grade 0) and thickness of skin with clinically obvious radiodermatitis (TLS grade 1‐4; P = .0002). There was no significant difference between non‐irradiated and irradiated, unchanged skin thickness (TLS grade 0; P = .9318). In four patients, we demonstrated subepidermal low echogenic band (SLEB). HF‐USG can be useful tool to noninvasive and objective assessment of skin changes during radiotherapy.     

Ventilatory support in the intensive care unit

This article focuses on the functional features of positive-pressure ventilators, the modes of invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and the main ventilator settings. It also highlights the potential complications of mechanical ventilation, the basic principles of weaning, and the pathophysiological basis of patient-ventilator dyssynchrony.     

建设世界一流科技期刊的策略——基于Nature、Science、The Lancet和Cell的分析

【目的】 探索建设世界一流科技期刊的策略,以助力中国科技期刊冲刺世界一流水平。【方法】 通过研读相关政策和研究文献,结合对Nature、Science、The Lancet、Cell等不同类型的世界一流科技期刊的分析,解析世界一流科技期刊的概念及内涵,探讨建设世界一流科技期刊的充分条件和必要条件,提出建设世界一流科技期刊的建议。【结果】 卓越的办刊理念、全方位的国际化水平、世界一流的人才队伍、先进的经营管理水平以及汇聚一流前沿成果、卓著的科学声望是建设世界一流科技期刊的必要条件。“高、精、尖”和“稳、准、狠”的办刊策略,是建设世界一流科技期刊的充分条件。建设世界一流科技期刊要理性且准确地认知其内涵,始终坚持卓越的办刊理念、国际化战略、人才战略、质量战略和集群化战略。【结论】 中国科技期刊既要扎根祖国大地,又要学习世界一流期刊的成功经验,从办刊的硬实力和软实力方面吸收借鉴,才能探索出具有中国特色的世界一流科技期刊建设路径。     

DHS和PFNA固定治疗老年股骨粗隆间骨折的疗效

目的对比动力髋螺钉(dynamic hip screw,DHS)治疗和股骨近端抗旋髓内钉(proximal femoral nail anti-rotation,PFNA)固定治疗老年股骨粗隆间骨折疗效。方法纳入本院收治的45例采用PFNA固定治疗的老年股骨粗隆间骨折患者作为研究组,研究时间为2017年11月-2018年11月;回顾性分析2016年11月-2017年11月在我院采用DHS治疗的45例老年股骨粗隆间骨折患者的临床资料,作为对照组。记录两组的相关手术指标,观察手术并发症情况。结果研究组的手术时间和骨折愈合时间均短于对照组,术中出血量明显少于对照组,术后疼痛VAS评分均明显低于对照组(P<0.05)。对照组的并发症发生率高于研究组(P<0.05)。结论PFNA固定治疗比DHS治疗老年股骨粗隆间骨折更加安全有效,值得临床借鉴和应用。     

儿童期创伤应对方式自动思维与大学生抑郁特质间的关系

目的探讨儿童期创伤与抑郁特质之间的中介和调节机制,为开展相关研究和干预提供参考。方法2017-2018年采用整群抽样的方法,抽取湖南某高校大一年级2 786名学生完成儿童期创伤问卷、状态特质抑郁问卷、自动思维问卷和特质应对方式问卷的调查。结果儿童期创伤、自动思维和消极应对对抑郁特质起正向的预测作用,积极应对对抑郁特质起负向的预测作用(β值分别为0.12,0.43,0.14,-0.33,P值均<0.05)。自动思维中介儿童期创伤与抑郁特质之间的关系(Bootstrapping法的95%CI为0.03~0.06)。消极应对分别调节了儿童期创伤与自动思维和儿童期创伤与抑郁特质之间的关系(P值均<0.05)。结论儿童期创伤影响抑郁特质,其关系受到应对方式和自动思维的影响。     

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??Objective    To observe the effects of lithium chloride pretreatment on cognitive ability of aged rats after oral and maxillofacial surgery. Methods    A total of 48 aged male SD rats??18 ~ 20 months old??weight 550 ~ 700 g?? were bought from the Experimental Animal Center of China Medical University . These rats were randomly divided into three groups??including the normal control group??group C??n=16????surgery and anesthesia group??group O??n=16????and lithium chloride preconditioning group??group L??n=16??.Rats in each group were randomly divided into two parts??one part was given Morris water maze test three days after the surgery and its characteristics of behavior tested. Another part was decapitated 24 h after the surgery and extracted and the hippocampus brain separated at the same time. Test expression content of IL-1β GSK-3β p-GSK-3β??ser9??in the hippocampus by Elisa and Western blotting detection method respectively. Results    Morris water maze test showed that??the first day after surgery??latencies of group L and O were significantly longer than group C??compared with group C in swimming distance?? latency and swim distances of group L were shorter than group O. With the comparison of multiple analysis of variance??differences were statistically significant??P??0.05??. Groups L and O in the second day were slightly shortened compared to the first day??on the third day after surgery it has also improved over the second day. Space exploration experiments in rats showed that??the dwell time of group C was significantly longer in the platform quadrant and the frequency of crossing the platform also increased compared with groups L and O. In addition??group L and group O were higher in IL-β levels than group C??the difference being statistically significant by analysis of variance??P??0.05????but group L was significantly lower compared with group O??the difference being statistically significant??P??0.05??. The content of GSK-3β of three groups were of no significant difference??P > 0.05????but p-GSK-3β??ser9??content was significantly lower in group L and O than in group C. The content of GSK-3β of group L was higher than in group O??the difference being statistically significant??P??0.05??. Conclusion    Pretreatment with lithium chloride in postoperative aged rats can inhibit the expression of inflammatory cytokines and increase GSK-3β phosphorylation in the hippocampus cells??so p-GSK-3β??ser9??upregulates and inhibites  the apoptosis of brain cells??thereby improved cognitive abilities after the cavity and maxillofacial surgery.