Differentiating ictal/subclinical spikes and waves in childhood absence epilepsy by spectral and network analyses: A pilot study

ObjectiveChildhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a disease with distinct seizure semiology and electroencephalographic (EEG) features. Differentiating ictal and subclinical generalized spikes and waves discharges (GSWDs) in the EEG is challenging, since they appear to be identical upon visual inspection. Here, spectral and functional connectivity (FC) analyses were applied to routine EEG data of CAE patients, to differentiate ictal and subclinical GSWDs.MethodsTwelve CAE patients with both ictal and subclinical GSWDs were retrospectively selected for this study. The selected EEG epochs were subjected to frequency analysis in the range of 1–30 Hz. Further, FC analysis based on the imaginary part of coherency was used to determine sensor level networks.ResultsDelta, alpha and beta band frequencies during ictal GSWDs showed significantly higher power compared to subclinical GSWDs. FC showed significant network differences for all frequency bands, demonstrating weaker connectivity between channels during ictal GSWDs.ConclusionUsing spectral and FC analyses significant differences between ictal and subclinical GSWDs in CAE patients were detected, suggesting that these features could be used for machine learning classification purposes to improve EEG monitoring.SignificanceIdentifying differences between ictal and subclinical GSWDs using routine EEG, may improve understanding of this syndrome and the management of patients with CAE.     

Patterns in metabolite profile are associated with risk of more aggressive prostate cancer: A prospective study of 3,057 matched case–control sets from EPIC

Metabolomics may reveal novel insights into the etiology of prostate cancer, for which few risk factors are established. We investigated the association between patterns in baseline plasma metabolite profile and subsequent prostate cancer risk, using data from 3,057 matched case–control sets from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). We measured 119 metabolite concentrations in plasma samples, collected on average 9.4 years before diagnosis, by mass spectrometry (AbsoluteIDQ p180 Kit, Biocrates Life Sciences AG). Metabolite patterns were identified using treelet transform, a statistical method for identification of groups of correlated metabolites. Associations of metabolite patterns with prostate cancer risk (OR_1SD) were estimated by conditional logistic regression. Supplementary analyses were conducted for metabolite patterns derived using principal component analysis and for individual metabolites. Men with metabolite profiles characterized by higher concentrations of either phosphatidylcholines or hydroxysphingomyelins (OR_1SD = 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.66–0.89), acylcarnitines C18:1 and C18:2, glutamate, ornithine and taurine (OR_1SD = 0.72, 0.57–0.90), or lysophosphatidylcholines (OR_1SD = 0.81, 0.69–0.95) had lower risk of advanced stage prostate cancer at diagnosis, with no evidence of heterogeneity by follow-up time. Similar associations were observed for the two former patterns with aggressive disease risk (the more aggressive subset of advanced stage), while the latter pattern was inversely related to risk of prostate cancer death (OR_1SD = 0.77, 0.61–0.96). No associations were observed for prostate cancer overall or less aggressive tumor subtypes. In conclusion, metabolite patterns may be related to lower risk of more aggressive prostate tumors and prostate cancer death, and might be relevant to etiology of advanced stage prostate cancer.     

基于小波能量谱的先天或风湿性心脏病异常心音分类算法研究

目的为解决先天性心脏病或风湿性心脏病异常心音分辨问题,应用离散小波频带能量对异常心音分类算法进行研究。方法采集22人的正常心音和116人的异常心音,对心音信号做离散小波变换,根据病理性心杂音在频域内的分布范围划分5层频带,计算得到各层频带的能量占比,根据单因素方差分析方法,提出了基于小波能量谱的心音分类指标。结果对正常心音和异常心音的4个听诊区域进行了分类,最优分类准确率为92%。区分动脉导管未闭和其余异常心音的最优分类准确率为81.9%。结论基于小波能量谱的心音分类算法无需对心音信号进行分割,提取特征值少,可准确有效地对心音信号进行分类,相较于传统的心音听诊,算法的引入能够在异常心音临床诊断中提供参考数据。     

Compositional analyses reveal correlations between taxon-level gut bacterial abundance and peripheral T cell marker expression in African infants

ABSTRACT

Although exclusive breastfeeding has been linked to lower rates of postnatal HIV transmission compared to nonexclusive breastfeeding, mechanisms underlying this are unclear. Across a longitudinally sampled cohort of South African infants, we showed that exclusively breastfed (EBF) infants had altered gut bacterial communities when compared to nonexclusively breastfed (NEBF) infants, as well as reduced peripheral CD4 + T cell activation and lowered chemokine and chemokine receptor expression in the oral mucosa. We further demonstrated that the relative abundance of key taxa was correlated with peripheral CD4 + T cell activation. Here, we supplement those findings by using compositional data analyses to identify shifts in the abundance of several Bifidobacteria strains relative to select strains of Escherichia, Bacteroides, and others that are associated with the transition to NEBF. We illustrate that the abundance ratio of these taxa is tightly correlated with feeding modality and is a strong predictor of peripheral T cell activation. More broadly, we discuss our study in the context of novel developments and explore future directions for the field.     

Altered supraspinal motor networks in survivors of poliomyelitis: A cortico-muscular coherence study

ObjectivePoliomyelitis results in changes to the anterior horn cell. The full extent of cortical network changes in the motor physiology of polio survivors has not been established. Our aim was to investigate how focal degeneration of the lower motor neurons (LMN) in infancy/childhood affects motor network connectivity in adult survivors of polio.MethodsSurface electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) were recorded during an isometric pincer grip task in 25 patients and 11 healthy controls. Spectral signal analysis of cortico-muscular (EEG-EMG) coherence (CMC) was used to identify the cortical regions that are functionally synchronous and connected to the periphery during the pincer grip task.ResultsA pattern of CMC was noted in polio survivors that was not present in healthy individuals. Significant CMC in low gamma frequency bands (30–47 Hz) was observed in frontal and parietal regions.ConclusionThese findings imply a differential engagement of cortical networks in polio survivors that extends beyond the motor cortex and suggest a disease-related functional reorganisation of the cortical motor network.SignificanceThis research has implications for other similar LMN conditions, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). CMC has potential in future clinical trials as a biomarker of altered function in motor networks in post-polio syndrome, SMA, and other related conditions.     

未担任临床工作的医院药学人员成为临床药师的必要性与可行性分析

目的： 目前我国临床药师数量短缺现象较为严重，医疗机构中未担任临床工作的药学人员成为临床药师可能是改善我国临床药师人力资源储备的措施之一。本研究旨在分析未担任临床工作的医院药学人员成为临床药师的必要性与可行性。方法： 通过文献研究的方法分析我国未担任临床工作的医院药学人员成为临床药师的必要性与可行性。结果： 医院药学向临床转型是目前的趋势，未担任临床工作的医院药学人员成为临床药师具有药学知识充足、熟悉医院药学工作流程、转型便捷高效等优势，能够弥补临床药学专业教育在人才输送方面存在的不足，具有很强的必要性。此外，未担任临床工作的医院药学人员由于已满足基本的学历要求，且对于成为临床药师的意愿较强，人才来源有保障，加之我国临床药师的培训模式逐渐完善，为我国临床药师培养提供了有利条件，未担任临床工作的医院药学人员成为临床药师具有可行性。结论： 未担任临床工作的医院药学人员成为临床药师具有可行性与必要性，为了促进未担任临床工作的医院药学人员转型成为临床药师，本研究提出了几点建议为政策制定者与医院管理者提供参考。     

Cortical mechanisms underlying variability in intermittent theta-burst stimulation-induced plasticity: A TMS-EEG study

ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) variability depends on the ability to engage specific neurons in the primary motor cortex (M1).MethodsIn a sham-controlled interventional study on 31 healthy volunteers, we used concomitant transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG). We compared baseline motor evoked potentials (MEPs), M1 iTBS-evoked EEG oscillations, and resting-state EEG (rsEEG) between subjects who did and did not show MEP facilitation following iTBS. We also investigated whether baseline MEP and iTBS-evoked EEG oscillations could explain inter and intraindividual variability in iTBS aftereffects.ResultsThe facilitation group had smaller baseline MEPs than the no-facilitation group and showed more iTBS-evoked EEG oscillation synchronization in the alpha and beta frequency bands. Resting-state EEG power was similar between groups and iTBS had a similar non-significant effect on rsEEG in both groups. Baseline MEP amplitude and beta iTBS-evoked EEG oscillation power explained both inter and intraindividual variability in MEP modulation following iTBS.ConclusionsThe results show that variability in iTBS-associated plasticity depends on baseline corticospinal excitability and on the ability of iTBS to engage M1 beta oscillations.SignificanceThese observations can be used to optimize iTBS investigational and therapeutic applications.     

不同产地药材牛膝的红外光谱及红外导数光谱鉴别研究

目的 建立不同产地牛膝的红外光谱和红外导数光谱并对其差异性进行分析,为牛膝药材的快速鉴别提供依据。方法 运用傅里叶红外光谱技术结合二阶导数光谱对不同产地的牛膝药材进行鉴别,采用聚类分析和主成分分析对红外光谱数据进行统计分析。结果 牛膝的红外吸收峰主要在3 289、2 975、2 890、1 723、1 630、1 403、1 321、1 241、1 018、927、814、773 cm-1附近,虽然不同产地牛膝所含化学成分具有相似性,但不同产地牛膝红外吸收峰的位置和相对强度存在一定差异;并且在二阶导数红外图谱的1 800~800 cm-1波段中有更加明显差别,可以为其鉴别提供更准确的依据。聚类分析显示不同批次间相似度很高,主成分分析结果表明在1 723、1 630、927、814、651 cm-1等处的吸收峰对区分不同产地牛膝药材的贡献较大,内蒙古自治区赤峰市和河南省焦作市武陟县的牛膝药材综合评分较高。结论 红外光谱法与二阶导数光谱相结合不仅可以提供中药材所含化学成分的相关信息,还可以对其不同产地进行区分,实现对牛膝的快速鉴别。     

基于红外光谱法的云南重楼及其近缘种的亲缘关系研究

目的傅里叶变换红外光谱(fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,FTIR)结合化学计量学方法分析云南重楼Paris polyphylla var.yunnanensis及其近缘种的亲缘关系,为重楼属药用植物资源的开发利用提供理论依据。方法采集云南重楼、白花重楼Paris polyphylla var.alba、毛重楼Paris mairei、南重楼Paris vietnamensis、五指莲Paris axialis var.axialis共50份样品的红外光谱信息,对光谱数据进行自动基线校正、自动平滑、纵坐标归一化、多元散射校正、二阶求导等预处理,采用主成分分析(principal component analysis,PCA)、偏最小二乘判别分析(partial least squares discriminant analysis,PLS-DA)及系统聚类分析(hierarchical cluster analysis,HCA)分析光谱数据。结果原始红外光谱中,1 653、1 156、1 082、1 021、925、851、759、572、524 cm~(-1)等为重楼属植物的共有峰,主要归属为黄酮、淀粉和糖苷类成分的吸收峰;毛重楼和五指莲分别在1 535和1 369 cm~(-1)附近有特征吸收峰,可与另外3种重楼属植物相区分。以全波段光谱数据进行PLS-DA和PCA,PLS-DA对重楼属植物分类效果优于PCA,能够准确区分5种野生重楼属植物。系统聚类分析(HCA)及向量夹角余弦相关性分析能够反映5个重楼属植物的亲缘关系,云南重楼与白花重楼和南重楼的亲缘关系较近,与毛重楼和五指莲的关系较远。结论 FTIR结合化学计量学方法,能够快速区分不同种类重楼属植物,明确云南重楼及其近缘种之间的亲缘关系,为重楼属植物亲缘关系研究提供一种快速、有效的方法,同时为重楼种质资源开发和利用提供理论基础。