Investigating the association of receipt of seasonal influenza vaccine with occurrence of anesthesia/paresthesia and severe headaches,Canada 2012/13–2016/17, the Canadian Vaccine Safety Network

BackgroundConcern about adverse events following immunization is frequently cited by both those who receive or decline vaccines. Neurological adverse events are especially concerning.ObjectivesOur aim was to detect associations between seasonal influenza vaccination and the occurrence of severe anesthesia/paresthesia or severe headaches.MethodsData were analyzed from the Canadian National Vaccine Safety network. Events occuring on days 0–7 were self-reported and prevented daily activity, led to school or work absenteeism, or required medical attention. Controls were the previous year’s vaccinees; events in controls were collected prior to the start of the influenza vaccination program of each year (2012/13 through 2016/17). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between seasonal influenza vaccination and the occurrence of anesthesia/paresthesia or severe headaches.ResultsThe total sample was 107,565 for investigating anesthesia/paresthesia and 97,420 for investigating severe headaches. Anesthesia/paresthesia was reported by 104/107,565 (0.10%) participants; 63/69,129 (0.09%) vaccinees and 41/38,436 (0.11%) controls (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.60, 1.32). Severe headaches were reported by 1361/97,420 (1.40%) participants; 907/61,463 (1.48%) vaccinees and 454/35,957 (1.26%) controls (aOR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.08, 1.36). No specific vaccine product was associated with severe headaches.ConclusionsOur study found no association between severe anesthesia/paresthesia and seasonal influenza vaccination. While there was an association with severe headaches as an adverse event following influenza vaccination, the rates of these events are similar to rates reported from clinical trials and are not a cause for additional concern.     

Incorporating Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) into Predoctoral Trainee Curriculum to Evaluate Student‐Generated Hypotheses

As part of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute predoctoral TL1 training program at the Pennsylvania State University, a multidisciplinary team of predoctoral trainees representing the Chemistry, Neurosurgery, Nutritional Sciences, and Public Health Sciences departments were introduced to the NIH‐sponsored Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) database to test the following student‐generated hypothesis: children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are at increased risk of attention deficit‐hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children aged 4–12 and 4–17 years were categorized into IDA and control groups. De‐identified medical records from the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (HMC) and the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (VCUMC) were used for the analysis. Overall, ADHD prevalence at each institution was lower than 2011 state estimates. There was a significant association between IDA and ADHD in the 4–17‐year‐old age group for all children (OR: 1.902 [95% CI: 1.363–2.656]), Caucasian children (OR: 1.802 [95% CI: 1.133–2.864]), and African American children (OR: 1.865 [95% CI: 1.152–3.021]). Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) infrastructure is particularly useful for trainees to answer de novo scientific questions with minimal additional training and technical expertise. Moreover, projects can be expanded by collaborating within the CTSA network.     

Chirurgie bariatrique : complications neurologiques

The number of bariatric surgery procedures is increasing. Neurological complications of such procedures are being more and more reported. They may result from mechanical, inflammatory mechanisms, but mainly from nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin B12, folate, thiamine, vitamin D and vitamin E are the most frequent deficiencies. At an early stage, immediate peripherical nerve injury, Wernicke encephalopathy, and polyradiculoneuropathy are the more frequent. Late complications include optic neuropathy, myelopathy, peripherical neuropathy, and myopathy.     

A modality-specific somatosensory evoked potential test protocol for clinical evaluation: A feasibility study

ObjectiveWe aimed to establish an objective neurophysiological test protocol that can be used to assess the somatosensory nervous system.MethodsIn order to assess most fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system, repetitive stimuli of seven different modalities (touch, vibration, pinprick, cold, contact heat, laser, and warmth) were synchronized with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and applied on the cheek and dorsum of the hand and dorsum of the foot in 21 healthy subjects and three polyneuropathy (PNP) patients. Latencies and amplitudes of the modalities were assessed and compared. Patients received quantitative sensory testing (QST) as reference.ResultsWe found reproducible evoked potentials recordings for touch, vibration, pinprick, contact-heat, and laser stimuli. The recording of warm-evoked potentials was challenging in young healthy subjects and not applicable in patients. Latencies were shortest within Aβ-fiber-mediated signals and longest within C-fibers. The test protocol detected function loss within the Aβ-fiber and Aδ-fiber-range in PNP patients. This function loss corresponded with QST findings.ConclusionIn this pilot study, we developed a neurophysiological test protocol that can specifically assess most of the somatosensory modalities. Despite technical challenges, initial patient data appear promising regarding a possible future clinical application.SignificanceEstablished and custom-made stimulators were combined to assess different fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system using modality-specific evoked potentials.     

注意缺陷多动障碍患儿药物治疗前后microRNA表达量与临床症状的关系

目的 探讨注意缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）儿童药物治疗前后microRNA表达量与临床症状的关系。方法 选取2017年5月至2018年10月初诊为ADHD儿童80例为研究对象，将愿意接受药物治疗的儿童随机分为盐酸哌甲酯治疗组（n=31）和盐酸托莫西汀治疗组（n=33），不愿接受治疗的作为未治疗组（n=16），随访中盐酸哌甲酯组脱落10例，盐酸托莫西汀组脱落13例。另随机选取同时期行健康体检儿童60例作为健康对照组。ADHD儿童在首诊、随访3个月、6个月时进行SNAP-V评分，并采集ADHD及健康对照组儿童血清样本以荧光定量PCR法检测miR-4655-3p和miR-7641的相对表达量。结果 重复测量方差分析结果显示，注意力不足症状SNAP-V评分在两治疗组和未治疗组中，以及两种miRNA相对表达量在两治疗组和健康对照组中均存在分组与时间因素差异，且分组与时间因素均存在交互作用（P < 0.05）。多动冲动症状SNAP-V评分在两治疗组和未治疗组中存在时间因素差异（P < 0.05），而分组因素差异无统计学意义，且时间因素与分组因素无交互作用（P > 0.05）。经药物治疗的ADHD儿童注意力不足症状SNAP-V评分与miRNA-4655-3p和miRNA-7641相对表达量均呈负相关（分别r=-0.314、-0.495，P < 0.05）。结论 药物治疗可显著改善ADHD儿童的临床症状；血清中miR-4655-3p和miR-7641的表达水平可能作为ADHD的诊断及疗效评估的分子指标。     

血糖变异性与重症脑出血患者神经功能恢复的相关性

目的 探讨血糖变异性对重症急性脑出血患者神经功能恢复的影响及血糖变异性在重症脑出血患者发病时间轴上的表现特点。方法 选取2018年1月1日-2019年7月1日收入河南科技大学第一附属医院重症外科的脑出血患者,根据患者入院30 d后改良Rankin(Modified Rankin scale,mRS)评分将患者分为神经功能恢复良好组(mRS≤2分),和神经功能恢复不良组(mRS>2分)(残疾/死亡),比较2组入院时高血糖、平均血糖、血糖标准差、入院24 h内血糖变异性(CV1)、入院1～3 d血糖变异性(CV2)、入院3～7 d血糖变异性(CV3)、入院7 d内血糖平均变异性(CV7)、最低血糖水平以及其他临床资料,应用多变量logistic回归分析确定入院30 d后神经功能恢复的独立预测因素。结果 单因素分析显示年龄、CV1、CV3、CV7、最低血糖水平、血糖标准差是影响重症脑出血患者神经功能恢复的相关因素(P<0.05); 多因素logistic逐步回归模型分析显示血糖标准差、CV1、CV3、CV7、最低血糖水平能独立预测重症脑出血患者神经功能的恢复情况; 神经功能恢复良好组和神经功能恢复不良组患者的血糖变异性在入院24 h内、入院1～3 d和入院3～7 d时间轴上的变化特点不同(F=5.000,P=0.029),进一步分析可以看出神经功能恢复不良组的血糖变异性平均幅度较神经功能恢复良好组高,但2组在时间轴上的变化趋势基本相同,均在急性期(入院1～3 d)呈线性上升趋势,之后趋于下降; 组内效应显示患者的血糖变异性在3个时间段上的变化具有显著差异(F=11.663,P<0.001)。结论 血糖标准差、CV1、CV3、CV7、最低血糖水平是影响重症脑出血患者神经功能恢复的独立危险因素; 在重症脑出血患者超急性期、急性期、亚急性期过程中血糖变异性的变化具有显著差异,临床工作中重症脑出血患者应在入院早期密切监测血糖,并积极干预,减小血糖波动范围,以期减少不良预后的发生。     

脑梗死患者血清miR-497,TNF-α表达水平变化及其临床意义

目的 探讨急性脑梗死(Acute cerebral infarction,ACI)患者血清微小RNA-497(MicroRNA-497,miR-497)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(Tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)的表达水平变化及其临床意义。方法 选取2016年1月-2019年11月本院收治的96例ACI患者,称ACI组,并选取本院同期98例体检健康者,称对照组; 采用实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR,qRT-PCR)法检测所有研究对象血清miR-497表达水平; 采用酶联免疫吸附法(Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)检测所有研究对象血清肿瘤坏死因子-α水平; 评估ACI患者神经功能缺损程度、计算脑梗死体积,比较不同神经功能缺损程度/脑梗死体积的ACI患者血清miR-497、TNF-α水平; Pearson法分析ACI患者血清miR-497、TNF-α水平与神经功能缺损程度评分(National institutes of health stroke scale,NIHSS)、脑梗死体积的关系; 采用受试者工作特征曲线(Receiver operating characteristic curve,ROC)评价血清miR-497、TNF-α对ACI的诊断价值。结果 ACI组血清miR-497、TNF-α水平均明显高于对照组(P<0.05); ACI患者血清miR-497、TNF-α水平随神经功能缺损程度加重、脑梗死体积增加均呈递增趋势(P均<0.05); ACI患者血清miR-497、TNF-α水平与脑梗死体积、NIHSS评分均呈正相关(r=0.423,0.514,0.542,0.399,P均<0.05); 血清miR-497、TNF-α对ACI诊断的曲线下面积(Area under curve,AUC)为0.848、0.806,截断值分别为1.29、1.27,相应灵敏度分别为82.3%、81.3%,特异度分别为76.5%、77.6%; 两者联合诊断ACI的AUC为0.907,其灵敏度、特异度分别为81.3%、90.8%。结论 miR-497、TNF-α在ACI患者血清中表达均上调,且与神经功能缺损程度、脑梗死体积有关,均可能在ACI进展中起一定作用,两者联合可有效提高ACI的诊断效能,有助于诊断、评估ACI患者的病情。     

Characterization of a Parkinson’s disease rat model using an upgraded paraquat exposure paradigm

Animal models of human diseases are crucial experimental tools to investigate the mechanisms involved in disease pathogenesis and to develop new therapies. In spite of the numerous animal models currently available that reproduce several neuropathological features of Parkinson disease (PD), it is challenging to have one that consistently recapitulates human PD conditions in both motor behaviors and biochemical pathological outcomes. Given that, we have implemented a new paradigm to expose rats to a chronic low dose of paraquat (PQ), using osmotic minipumps and characterized the developed pathologic features over time. The PQ exposure paradigm used lead to a rodent model of PD depicting progressive nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration, characterized by a 41% significant loss of dopaminergic neuron in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), a significant decrease of 18% and 40% of dopamine levels in striatum at week 5 and 8, respectively, and a significant 1.5‐fold decrease in motor performance. We observed a significant increase of microglia activation state, sustained levels of α‐synucleinopathy and increased oxidative stress markers in the SNpc. In summary, this is an explorative study that allowed to characterize an improved PQ‐based rat model that recapitulates cardinal features of PD and may represent an attractive tool to investigate several mechanisms underlying the various aspects of PD pathogenesis as well as for the validation of the efficacy of new therapeutic approaches that targets different mechanisms involved in PD neurodegeneration.     

Gender differences in NIH grant funding in neurological surgery

Research productivity is a vital component to an academic neurosurgeon’s career. We sought to evaluate gender differences in NIH funding among faculty in neurological surgery departments. NIH funding awarded to PIs of neurological surgery departments from 2014 to 2019 were obtained and analyzed for gender differences in funding trends, with attention to terminal degree and academic rank, as well as publication range in length of years and h-index. 79.4% of all NIH grants were awarded to male PIs, with the remaining 20.5% given to their female counterparts. Mean of the total NIH grants awarded to men was significantly higher at $1,796,684 (± Standard Error of Mean (SEM) $155,849, IQR: $1,759,250) compared to women at $1,151,968 (± SEM $137,914, IQR: $1,388,538) (P = 0.022). Mean NIH funding per grant for men was $365,760 (± SEM: $39,592, IQR: $189,692) and for women was $292,912 (± SEM: 28,239, IQR: $283,177). Differences in mean NIH funding per grant approached but did not reach statistical significance between men and women (P = 0.122). When stratified for academic rank, there was a significant difference in mean NIH funding per grant between men and women on the associate professor level (p < 0.005), with women exceeding men in funding at this academic level, with other academic ranks remaining non-significant. Overall, male neurosurgeons receive significantly more total NIH grant funding than their female counterparts, except at the level of associate professor where women were found to surpass men.