Scale‐free functional brain dynamics during recovery from sport‐related concussion

Studies using blood‐oxygenation‐level‐dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI) have characterized how the resting brain is affected by concussion. The literature to date, however, has largely focused on measuring changes in the spatial organization of functional brain networks. In the present study, changes in the temporal dynamics of BOLD signals are examined throughout concussion recovery using scaling (or fractal) analysis. Imaging data were collected for 228 university‐level athletes, 61 with concussion and 167 athletic controls. Concussed athletes were scanned at the acute phase of injury (1–7 days postinjury), the subacute phase (8–14 days postinjury), medical clearance to return to sport (RTS), 1 month post‐RTS and 1 year post‐RTS. The wavelet leader multifractal approach was used to assess scaling ( c₁ ) and multifractal ( c₂ ) behavior. Significant longitudinal changes were identified for c₁ , which was lowest at acute injury, became significantly elevated at RTS, and returned near control levels by 1 year post‐RTS. No longitudinal changes were identified for c₂ . Secondary analyses showed that clinical measures of acute symptom severity and time to RTP were related to longitudinal changes in c₁ . Athletes with both higher symptoms and prolonged recovery had elevated c₁ values at RTS, while athletes with higher symptoms but rapid recovery had reduced c₁ at acute injury. This study provides the first evidence for long‐term recovery of BOLD scale‐free brain dynamics after a concussion.     

Complete or ultraconservative removal of decayed tissue in unfilled teeth

Background : The treatment of deep dental decay has traditionally involved removal of all the soft demineralized dentine before a filling is placed. However, this has been challenged in three groups of studies which involve sealing soft caries into the tooth. The three main groups either remove no caries and seal the decay into the tooth, remove minimal (ultraconservative) caries at the entrance to a cavity and seal the remaining caries in, or remove caries in stages over two visits some months apart to allow the pulp time to lay down reparative dentine (the stepwise excavation technique). Objectives : To test the null hypothesis of no difference in the incidence of damage or disease of the nerve of the tooth (pulp), progression of decay and longevity of restorations irrespective of whether the removal of decay had been minimal (ultraconservative) or complete. Search strategy : The Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched. The reference lists in relevant papers were checked. Selection criteria : Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials comparing minimal (ultraconservative) caries removal with complete caries removal in unrestored permanent and deciduous teeth. Data collection and analysis : Outcome measures recorded were exposure of the nerve of the tooth (pulp) during caries removal, patient experience of symptoms of pulpal inflammation or necrosis, progression of caries under the filling, time until the filling was lost or replaced. Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies the overall estimate of effect was calculated using a random‐effects model. Main results : Four studies met the inclusion criteria; two stepwise excavation studies and two ultraconservative caries removal studies. Partial caries removal in symptomless, primary or permanent teeth reduces the risk of pulp exposure. We found no detriment to the patient in terms of pulpal symptoms in this procedure and no reported premature loss or deterioration of the restoration. Authors' conclusions : The results of this systematic review reject the null hypothesis of no difference in the incidence of damage or disease of the nerve of the tooth (pulp) irrespective of whether the removal of decay had been minimal (ultraconservative) or complete and accepts the null hypothesis of no difference in the progression of decay and longevity of restorations. However, the number of included studies is small and differ considerably. Partial caries removal is therefore preferable to complete caries removal in the deep lesion, in order to reduce the risk of carious exposure. However, there is insufficient evidence to know whether it is necessary to re‐enter and excavate further but studies that have not re‐entered do not report adverse consequences. Plain language summary : A systematic review of the literature revealed four studies comparing complete and minimal (ultraconservative) caries removal. It was found that partial caries removal in symptomless, primary or permanent teeth reduces the risk of pulp exposure. We found no detriment to the patient in terms of pulpal symptoms in this procedure. Therefore, partial caries removal is preferable to complete caries removal in the deep lesion, in order to reduce the risk of carious exposure. However, there is insufficient evidence to know whether it is necessary to re‐enter and excavate further but studies that have not re‐entered do not report adverse consequences.     

Cancer-promoting effect of Taiwan betel quid in hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cancer-promoting effect of Taiwan betel quid in hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-two non-inbred mate adult Syrian golden hamsters were randomly divided into six groups, each containing forty-two animalS. A treatment regimen over a 14-week experimental period was employed with six animals per group being killed at seven different periods (every 2 weeks). The right buccal pouch of each animal was painted three times a week with various combinations of 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), Taiwan betel quid extract, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and mineral oil.
RESULT: Both the number and size of tumors in animals concurrently treated with DMBA and betel quid were significantly higher than those in animals treated with DMBA alone in each killing period of 8, 10, 12 and 14 weekS. No visible tumors but hyperkeratosis and acanthosis were observed in pouches treated with betel quid alone for all killing periods.
CONCLUSION: Our results indicate Taiwan betel quid may be a co-carcinogen in human oral carcinogenesis, if extrapolation can be made from the current animal study.     

Treatment of Felty's syndrome with the haemopoietic growth factor granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)

Felty's syndrome (FS) (rheumatoid arthritis with neutropenia and splenomegaly) has a poor prognosis, largely because of the high risk of severe infection. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is an emerging treatment for chronic neutropenia. We prospectively monitored its use in eight patients with recurrent infections or who required joint surgery. Significant side-effects were documented in five, including nausea, malaise, generalized joint pains, and in one patient, a vasculitic skin rash. In two patients treatment had to be stopped, and in these cases G-CSF had been started at full vial dosage (300 micrograms/ml filgrastim or 263 micrograms/ml lenograstim) alternate days or daily. G-CSF treatment was continued in three patients by restarting at reduced dose, and changing the proprietary formulation. G- CSF raised the neutrophil count, reduced severe infection, and allowed surgery to be performed. A combined clinical and laboratory index suggested that long-term treatment (up to 3.5 years) did not exacerbate the arthritis. Once on established treatment, it may be possible to use smaller weekly doses of G-CSF to maintain the same clinical benefit. One of the three patients whose FS was associated with a large granular T-cell lymphocytosis showed a reduction in this subset of lymphocytes during G-CSF treatment.      

Autoantibodies against bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein in patients with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder, is characterized by chronic pulmonary infection/inflammation which leads to respiratory failure. The presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) has previously been observed in the sera of patients with CF. In view of the known relationship of ANCA with primary vasculitis and of their putative pathogenetic role in these disorders, we studied the presence, specificity and isotype of ANCA and their clinical associations in 66 adult CF patients. None of the 66 CF samples had autoantibodies to the major ANCA antigens, proteinase 3 or myeloperoxidase. However, 60/66 (91%) CF samples contained IgG and 55/66 (83%) IgA, autoantibodies to bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI), a recently characterized ANCA specificity. All the IgA anti-BPI-positive samples were also IgG anti-BPI-positive. The autoantibody specificity was confirmed by inhibition assay and immunoblotting of CF sera against a neutrophil granule preparation. Furthermore, in this cross-sectional study, anti-BPI levels were inversely correlated with the observed reductions in FEV1 and FVC (IgA anti-BPI and FEV1: r = 0.508, <it>p</it> &lt; 0.0001), and both IgG and IgA anti-BPI levels were higher in CF patients with secondary vasculitis (<it>n</it> = 6) than in those without (<it>p</it> &lt; 0.05). ANCA with specificity for BPI were present in the majority of CF sera in this study and autoimmune processes may be associated with the development of pulmonary injury in CF.      

Direct quantitation of IgG subclasses 1, 2, and 3 bound to red cells by Rh1 (D) antibodies

The authors developed quantitative radioimmunoassays to allow direct measurement of total human IgG and individual IgG subclasses among antibodies bound to cell surfaces. The assays use four mouse monoclonal radioiodinated antibodies, one that reacts equally well with all four human IgG subclasses and three that are specific for human IgG subclasses 1, 2, or 3. The assays were used to analyze IgG subclass composition in 21 high-titer anti-D samples from Rh-negative volunteers immunized for Rh immunoglobulin production. Anti-D activity was restricted primarily to the IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses. Eleven of 21 sera demonstrated red cell antibodies with a marked predominance of IgG1 (87 +/- 3.6% of total IgG antibody, +/- SEM) and low levels of IgG3 (1.4 +/- 0.73%). In the remaining 10 sera, IgG3 made up a greater proportion of total IgG antibody (32 +/- 3.8%), although IgG1 was still predominant (61 +/- 4.1%). This observed dichotomy in the IgG subclass profiles of different anti-D sera may be a consideration in the selection of anti-D sera for the production of the immunoglobulin used in the prophylaxis of Rh-incompatible pregnancies.     

临床疑似TTP-HUS患者血浆置换治疗引起的并发症

由于采用血浆置换(PE)治疗血栓性血小板减少性紫癜溶血性尿毒综合征(TTP HUS)频率的增加,PE引起的并发症也成为制定治疗方案时需要考虑的因素。由于TTP HUS的诊断常常是不确定的,掌握PE治疗利弊之间的平衡已成为制定适当治疗方案的焦点。之前,我们于1996年～2002年间曾两次报道     

高能体外冲击波治疗慢性足底筋膜炎

目的:观察高能体外冲击波对慢性足底筋膜炎的临床治疗效果。方法:选择2004-12/2005-12在深圳市第六人民医院疼痛科门诊就诊的足底筋膜炎患者167例,均自愿参加观察。按奇偶序列随机分为2组,治疗组84例,对照组83例。①治疗组采用HKSW-O冲击波治疗机进行标准治疗,工作电压7～10V,冲击波频率60次/min,治疗时间15min。②对照组除机器探头未与治疗部位充分有效接触外,定位及治疗参数设置同治疗组。两组患者均治疗3次,间隔5d治疗1次。①治疗前及治疗结束3个月后对两组患者进行简式McGill疼痛问卷测评:包括感觉类评分(0～33分)、情感类评分(0～12分)、疼痛总分(0～45分)、目测类比疼痛评分(0～10分)及现有疼痛强度评分(0～5分),以上各项分值越高,表示疼痛强度越大。②治疗后3个月对两组患者进行疗效评估:显效为疼痛明显减轻;好转为疼痛略减轻;无效为症状较治疗前无改变或加重。③患者治疗后第3天复诊时进行副作用观察,包括皮肤发红、疼痛、肿胀及其他(如恶心、眩晕、异感等)。结果:167例足底筋膜炎患者全部进入结果分析,无脱落。①两组患者治疗前及治疗3个月后简式McGill疼痛问卷评分比较:治疗3个月后,治疗组感觉类、情感类、疼痛总分、目测类比疼痛评分及现有疼痛强度评分均显著低于治疗前(t=2.639～3.416,P<0.01)。除现有疼痛强度评分外,治疗3个月后治疗组患者的感觉类、情感类、疼痛总分及目测类比疼痛评分均显著低于对照组(t=2.467～3.487,P<0.01)。②治疗3个月后两组患者的临床疗效比较:治疗组患者的显效率显著高于对照组(χ2=112.33,P<0.01)。③治疗后第3天复诊时治疗组患者的副作用发生情况:治疗组患者有少部分病例会出现皮肤发红和局部疼痛,而肿胀和其他副作用几乎不出现。结论:高能体外冲击波对慢性足底筋膜炎的临床治疗效果确切,具有安全、有效、简易和快速等特点。