Effect of acoustic stimulation on GABAergic neurons in limbic structures of Krushinskii-Molodkina rats

Quantitative study of GABAergic and main cells in the hippocampus and piriform cortex of Krushinskii-Molodkina rats was performed 1 month after the incidence of seizure activity evoked by acoustic stimulation. The number of neurons significantly decreased in both regions and, particularly, in the hippocampus and central area of the piriform cortex. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 4, pp. 375–377, April, 2008     

Clinical application of decellularized and lyophilized human amnion/chorion membrane grafts for closing post‐laryngectomy pharyngocutaneous fistulas

Background and Objectives

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common pathological type among the cancers of the larynx. Standard treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx is the combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and laryngectomy. Pharyngocutaneous fistula is a common complication of laryngectomy. We hypothesized that decellularized and lyophilized human amnion/chorion membrane can be an effective, non‐invasive method of treating pharyngocutaneous fistula.

Methods

A total of 67 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed after treatment in a prospective trial. After preoperative chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and total or extended laryngectomy, primary wound healing occurred in 42 (62.7%) patients. Pharyngocutaneous fistula developed in 8 (11.9%) patients. Decellularized and lyophilized human amnion/chorion membrane grafts were used to reconstruct the fistulas.

Results

The average time for the full healing of the wound in all patients after transplantation of these grafts was 18 days.

Conclusion

The advantages of using these grafts over other existing methods of pharyngocutaneous fistula treatment are that they are non‐invasive, prevent donor morbidity, and enable management of the wound without using classical wound gauze. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:538–543. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Surgical Oncology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Dynamic imaging of coherent sources

Electric source imaging allows localization of sources in the brain underlying frequency-associated EEG patterns detected on the scalp EEG. New algorithms have substantially improved the localization power of the EEG. Dynamic imaging of coherent sources (DICS) is one of these solutions. This algorithm uses a spatial filter to map power and coherence estimates of oscillatory brain activity. In this focus article, we explain the DICS method and summarize studies representing the ability of DICS to detect cortical and subcortical electric sources and neuronal networks associated with absence seizures, photoparoxysmal responses and hypsarrhythmia. By applying renormalized partial directed coherence (RPDC), the information flow between 2 sources can be described, which contributes to a better understanding of networks underlying different forms of epilepsy.     

Bildgebung bei epileptischen Enzephalopathien

Epileptic encephalopathies (EE) belong to the group of epilepsies which are associated with expressed cognitive and behavioral disturbances subsequent to epileptic activity. Despite the great importance of EE in the development and psychosocial adaptation of affected children, the mechanisms of cognitive deficits in EE have so far been insufficiently investigated. This review article summarizes the various neuroimaging studies which have tried to describe specific neuronal networks in EE. The results show that although epileptic activity in EE can be generated in different brain regions, specific propagation pathways and networks exist which are very characteristic for each different form of encephalopathy. In some forms of EE the epileptic activity seems to impair the integrity of the default mode network and possibly to interfere with cognitive function through this mechanism. Furthermore, there are further mechanisms underlying EE, e.g. abnormal connectivity patterns between brain regions which participate in the control of cognitive functions and impairment of the connections and activities in the thalamocortical network.     

Synthesis of polyureas by polycondensation of diamines with active derivatives of carbonic acid

New polycondensation reactions of active diphenyl carbonates and diphenyl carbamate with diamines were developed for the synthesis of high-molecular-weight polyureas. The kinetics and mechanism of carbonic acid active esters aminolysis model reactions were studied. Possible side reactions including nucleophilic substitution reaction were investigated as well. It is shown that novel methods advantageously distinguish from traditional methods of polyureas synthesis by low tendency to side reactions and facilitate the synthesis of linear polyureas and copolyureas. It is found that N,N′-bis(trimethylsilylated) diamines and salts of diamines as monomers can be successfully used in these reactions. Bioanalogous polymers promising for biomedical application — polyureas based on L -lysine — were synthesized using novel polycondensation reactions.