Speech after radial forearm free flap reconstruction of the tongue: A longitudinal acoustic study of vowel and diphthong sounds

The purpose of this study was to use acoustic analyses to describe speech outcomes over the course of 1 year after radial forearm free flap (RFFF) reconstruction of the tongue. Eighteen Canadian English-speaking females and males with reconstruction for oral cancer had speech samples recorded (pre-operative, and 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year post-operative). Acoustic characteristics of formants (F1, F2), fundamental frequency (F0), and duration of 699 vowel and diphthong tokens were analysed. Furthermore, the changes in size of the vowel space area were studied, as well as the effects of radiation therapy (RT) and inclusion of the floor of the mouth (FOM) in the reconstruction. RFFF reconstruction was found to affect several characteristics in males, and a minimal number of variables in females. General signs of reduced ability to articulate were not observed. RT and FOM had no differing effects compared to non-RT or non-FOM. There were individual differences between patients.     

游离中鼻甲粘膜瓣在经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术切除垂体腺瘤后鞍底重建中的应用…

目的 探讨游离中鼻甲粘膜瓣在经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术治疗垂体腺瘤鞍底重建中的方法及应用价值。方法 回顾性分析2017年6月至 2018年6月经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术治疗的45例直径1~2.5 cm的垂体腺瘤的临床资料。经单鼻孔手术25例（单鼻孔组）,双鼻孔手术20例（双鼻孔组）。术中均采用游离中鼻甲粘膜瓣重建鞍底。结果 肿瘤均全切除。术后随访 6个月,两组均未出现脑脊液漏和颅内感染,均无鼻腔干燥、异味等鼻部并发症;单鼻孔组术后嗅觉障碍发生率（16.0%,4/25）明显低于双鼻孔组（90.00%,18/20;P<0.05）。结论 对于直径1~2.5 cm的垂体腺瘤,经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术中鞍底缺损直径约2 cm,采用游离中鼻甲粘膜瓣进行鞍底重建,可有效预防脑脊液漏、颅内感染,单鼻孔组术后嗅觉障碍发生率较双鼻孔组低。     

Microsurgical free flaps for skull base reconstruction following tumor resection: Available techniques and complications

IntroductionResection of malignant tumors located in the anterior and middle fossae of the skull base requires thorough anatomical knowledge, as well as experience regarding the possible reconstructive options to resolve the resulting defects. The anatomical and functional relevance of the region, the complexity of the defects requiring reconstruction and the potential complications that can occur, represent a true challenge for the surgical team. The goal of this study is to describe the microsurgical reconstructive techniques available, their usefulness and postoperative complications, in patients with malignant tumors involving the skull base.Materials and methodThis observational, retrospective study, included all patients who underwent surgery for malignant craniofacial tumors from January 1st, 2009 to January 1st, 2019 at a University Hospital in Argentina. Only patients who required reconstruction of the resulting defect with a free flap were included.ResultsTwenty-four patients required reconstruction with FF; 14 were male (58.3%) and mean age was 54.9 years. Sarcoma was the most frequent tumor histology. Free flaps used were the following: anterolateral thigh, rectus abdominis, radial, latissimus dorsi, iliac crest and fibular. Complications occurred in 6 cases and no deaths were reported in the study group.ConclusionFree flaps are considered one of the preferable choices of treatment for large skull base defects. In spite of the complexity of the technique and the learning curve required, free flaps have shown to be safe, with a low rate of serious complications. For these patients, the surgical resolution should be performed by a multidisciplinary team.     

A longitudinal acoustic study of the effects of the radial forearm free flap reconstruction on sibilants produced by tongue cancer patients

Acoustic properties of 980 tokens of sibilants /s, z, ∫/ produced by 17 Canadian English-speaking female and male tongue cancer patients were studied. The patients had undergone tongue resection and tongue reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap (RFFF). The spectral moments (mean, skewness) and frication duration were analysed in connected speech samples produced before the tongue resection, and 1, 6 and 12 months after the surgery. The effects of radiation therapy (RT) and inclusion of the floor of the mouth (FOM) were also studied. Acoustic changes were observed only on alveolar sibilants /s, z/ such that speech was found to improve towards normal over the 1-year period. The reduction of acoustic distinction between /s, z/ and /∫/ was short term. A history of RT and involvement of the FOM had no differing effects on outcomes compared with non-RT or non-FOM. Variability between individuals was found, accentuating the speaker-specific abilities for adaptation, compensation and relearning after oral reconstruction.     

Synchronization of single motor units during voluntary contractions in the upper and lower extremities.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate motor unit synchronization in the time and frequency domains and compare the amount and nature of this synchronization between upper and lower extremity muscles in human subjects. METHODS: A total of 120 motor unit pairs from biceps brachii (BB), first dorsal interosseous (1DI), vastus medialis (VM), and tibialis anterior (TA) on the dominant side were analyzed and compared. Pairs of motor unit spike trains were recorded from two concentric needle electrodes inserted within these muscles in healthy volunteers. Subjects were instructed to maintain a weak isometric contraction of these muscles so that an individual motor unit recorded from each concentric needle discharged at a steady rate of approximately 10 impulses/s. Pairs of motor unit spike trains were cross-correlated in the time domain, and coherence analysis in the frequency domain was performed on the same spike train data. RESULTS: Synchronization was seen in all the muscles studied. Strength of motor unit synchronization, expressed as synchronization index (SI), was greater in 1DI muscles compared to other muscles (P<0.01). Coherence analysis revealed significant association between motor unit firings in the 1--5 and 25--30 Hz frequency ranges in all the muscles studied. The incidence of 25--30 Hz coherence peaks were found to be greater for 1DI muscles compared to other muscles. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest a possible role for corticospinal projections in producing pre-synaptic inputs responsible for synchronization of motor unit firings and 25--30 Hz coherence peaks.     

出血性卒中患者下肢深静脉血栓形成风险预测模型的构建与验证

目的构建下肢深静脉血栓形成(DVT)的风险预测模型,以评估和预防出血性卒中患者的下肢DVT。方法采用便利抽样法收集2018年7月至2020年7月天津医科大学总医院神经外科重症监护病房收治的547例出血性卒中患者的临床资料。547例患者分为建模组(447例)和外部验证组(100例),采用彩色多普勒超声确诊下肢DVT。采用单因素和多因素logistic回归分析法判断发生下肢DVT的危险因素,并构建下肢DVT风险预测模型;绘制受试者工作特征曲线并计算曲线下面积(AUC)以及采用Hosmer-Lemeshow拟合优度检验评价风险预测模型的效能;应用外部验证法检验模型的灵敏度、特异度和一致性。结果建模组纳入的447例患者中,共112例(25.1%)确诊为下肢DVT。单因素分析结果显示,年龄、格拉斯哥昏迷评分、全身麻醉手术、镇静镇痛药物、降温毯物理降温、糖尿病史、高血压病史、下肢肌力分级及血浆D-二聚体水平是出血性卒中患者发生下肢DVT的影响因素(均P<0.05)。进一步行多因素logistic回归分析结果显示,年龄(OR=1.063,95%CI:1.036~1.092,P<0.001)、镇静镇痛药物(OR=5.115,95%CI:2.620~9.986,P<0.001)、降温毯物理降温(OR=34.991,95%CI:14.009~87.396,P<0.001)、高血压病史(OR=2.671,95%CI:1.275~5.594,P=0.009)、血浆D-二聚体水平(OR=7.026,95%CI:3.324~14.851,P<0.001)是出血性卒中患者发生下肢DVT的危险因素。风险预测模型的检验结果显示,P=0.648,AUC=0.912,约登指数最大值为0.714,对应的灵敏度为91.4%,特异度为80.0%,截断值为0.226。外部验证组100例患者的数据分析结果显示,该模型的灵敏度为91.4%,特异度为80.0%,一致性指数为0.84。结论基于临床参数所构建的下肢DVT风险预测模型简单、便捷,具有较高的特异性,可为出血性卒中患者下肢DVT风险的预防、评估及诊疗提供参考。     

Human limb-specific and non-limb-specific brain representations during kinesthetic illusory movements of the upper and lower extremities

Sensing movements of the upper and lower extremities is important in controlling whole-body movements. We have shown that kinesthetic illusory hand movements activate motor areas and right-sided fronto-parietal cortices. We investigated whether illusions for the upper and lower extremities, i.e. right or left hand or foot, activate the somatotopical sections of motor areas, and if an illusion for each limb engages the right-sided cortices. We scanned the brain activity of 19 blindfolded right-handed participants using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they experienced an illusion for each limb elicited by vibrating its tendon at 110 Hz (ILLUSION). As a control, we applied identical stimuli to the skin over a nearby bone, which does not elicit illusions (VIBRATION). The illusory movement (ILLUSION vs. VIBRATION) of each immobile limb activated limb-specific sections of the contralateral motor cortex (along with somatosensory area 3a), dorsal premotor cortex (PMD), supplementary motor area (SMA), cingulate motor area (CMA), and the ipsilateral cerebellum, which normally participate in execution of movements of the corresponding limb. We found complex non-limb-specific representations in rostral parts of the bilateral SMA and CMA, and illusions for all limbs consistently engaged concentrated regions in right-sided fronto-parietal cortices and basal ganglia. This study demonstrated complete sets of brain representations related to kinesthetic processing of single-joint movements of the four human extremities. The kinesthetic function of motor areas suggests their importance in somatic perception of limb movement, and the non-limb-specific representations indicate high-order kinesthetic processing related to human somatic perception of one's own body.     

干细胞在组织工程技术修复重建下尿路疾病中的应用

应用组织工程技术进行泌尿系统重建的研究开展已有多年,但取材不便,细胞材源不足等问题始终未得以解决,从而限制了其进一步向临床推广。干细胞由于具备的自我更新及定向分化潜能,及对供区较小创伤等优势,为今后的研究工作提供了新的可能。研究者尝试以干细胞与脱细胞基质复合构建组织工程膀胱,适当诱导环境下,骨髓间充质干细胞能够向内胚层起源尿路上皮细胞分化。干细胞在尿道组织工程的研究中尚无相关动物模型的报道,但考虑到尿道与膀胱在组织结构及体内诱导环境上的相似性,推断干细胞在体内尿道组织中可能具有与膀胱间质中相似的分化能力。尿道超声引导下尿道周黏膜下层、横纹肌括约肌内注射自体肌源性干细胞、成纤维细胞是一种治疗压力性尿失禁的有效方法。间充质干细胞在海绵体组织中具有分化潜能外,还可促使一氧化氮分泌以改善勃起功能,并在内皮型一氧化氮合酶转染情况下,可通过进一步提高一氧化氮水平达到治疗勃起功能障碍的目的。     

健侧颈7神经移位术治疗中枢性上肢痉挛性偏瘫的初步临床观察

目的初步观察采用健侧颈7神经移位术治疗中枢性上肢痉挛性偏瘫患者的疗效。方法回顾性研究2018年11月至2019年3月滨州医学院附属医院神经外科采用健侧颈7神经移位术治疗的6例中枢性上肢痉挛性偏瘫患者的临床资料。术后所有患者均给予综合康复治疗。观察手术相关并发症和疗效.:采用Fugl-Meyer(FM)运动功能评分量表和Brunnstrom偏瘫功能恢复分期量表评估运动功能的变化,采用改良Ashworth分级标准评估肌张力的变化,采用运动诱发电位(MEP)评估移位神经生长的效果。结果6例患者术中均未发生血管、神经的损伤。术后健侧上肢出现不同程度的一过性肌力减退和感觉麻木,均于术后1~3个月恢复正常。术后随访时间为(17.3±1.4)个月(15~19个月)。术后1,12个月偏瘫侧FM运动功能评分、Brunnstrom偏瘫功能恢复分期及改良Ashworth分级显示患者的运动功能和肌张力均呈逐渐改善的趋势,与术前比较,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.01)。6例患者中,术前指总伸肌MEP检查显示5例患侧未引出波形的患者,术后12个月均可以引出波形。1例患者术前指总伸肌MEP检查显示潜伏期为29.7 ms,波幅为0.8 mV;术后12个月潜伏期为22.0 ms,波幅为1.9 mV。结论初步临床观察显示,健侧颈7神经移位术治疗中枢性上肢痉挛性偏瘫的手术并发症少,术后在联合康复治疗的基础上疗效好。     

Scale‐free brain dynamics under physical and psychological distress: Pre‐treatment effects in women diagnosed with breast cancer

Stressful life events are related to negative outcomes, including physical and psychological manifestations of distress, and behavioral deficits. Patients diagnosed with breast cancer report impaired attention and working memory prior to adjuvant therapy, which may be induced by distress. In this article, we examine whether brain dynamics show systematic changes due to the distress associated with cancer diagnosis. We hypothesized that impaired working memory is associated with suppression of “long‐memory” neuronal dynamics; we tested this by measuring scale‐free (“fractal”) brain dynamics, quantified by the Hurst exponent (H). Fractal scaling refers to signals that do not occur at a specific time‐scale, possessing a spectral power curve ; they are “long‐memory” processes, with significant autocorrelations. In a BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we scanned three groups during a working memory task: women scheduled to receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy and aged‐matched controls. Surprisingly, patients' BOLD signal exhibited greater H with increasing intensity of anticipated treatment. However, an analysis of H and functional connectivity against self‐reported measures of psychological distress (Worry, Anxiety, Depression) and physical distress (Fatigue, Sleep problems) revealed significant interactions. The modulation of (Worry, Anxiety) versus (Fatigue, Sleep Problems, Depression) showed the strongest effect, where higher worry and lower fatigue was related to reduced H in regions involved in visuospatial search, attention, and memory processing. This is also linked to decreased functional connectivity in these brain regions. Our results indicate that the distress associated with cancer diagnosis alters BOLD scaling, and H is a sensitive measure of the interaction between psychological versus physical distress. Hum Brain Mapp 36:1077–1092, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Corticomotor excitability of arm muscles modulates according to static position and orientation of the upper limb

Objective

We investigated how multi-joint changes in static upper limb posture impact the corticomotor excitability of the posterior deltoid (PD) and biceps brachii (BIC), and evaluated whether postural variations in excitability related directly to changes in target muscle length.

Methods

The amplitude of individual motor evoked potentials (MEPs) was evaluated in each of thirteen different static postures. Four functional postures were investigated that varied in shoulder and elbow angle, while the forearm was positioned in each of three orientations. Posture-related changes in muscle lengths were assessed using a biomechanical arm model. Additionally, M-waves were evoked in the BIC in each of three forearm orientations to assess the impact of posture on recorded signal characteristics.

Results

BIC-MEP amplitudes were altered by shoulder and elbow posture, and demonstrated robust changes according to forearm orientation. Observed changes in BIC-MEP amplitudes exceeded those of the M-waves. PD-MEP amplitudes changed predominantly with shoulder posture, but were not completely independent of influence from forearm orientation.

Conclusions

Results provide evidence that overall corticomotor excitability can be modulated according to multi-joint upper limb posture.

Significance

The ability to alter motor pathway excitability using static limb posture suggests the importance of posture selection during rehabilitation aimed at retraining individual muscle recruitment and/or overall coordination patterns.     

双源CT结合多平面重建与容积再现三维重建技术评价肋骨骨折

背景：依靠胸部摄片诊断肋骨骨折常导致误诊和漏诊。 目的：分析双源CT结合三维重建技术在肋骨骨折中的应用价值。 方法：使用双源CT对65例肋骨骨折患者进行薄层扫描,将数据发送至工作站行多平面重建、容积再现技术,得到肋骨骨折高清晰度的三维图像后,从不同角度观察骨折线走行、骨折移位及成角情况。 结果与结论：双源CT结合三维重建图像清晰显示65例患者286根骨折,其中52例保守治疗,其余13例行切开复位、内固定治疗。制定手术方案时均参考了三维重建图像,所显示的骨折部位、移位、成角等情况与术中所见一致。提示双源CT能明确诊断肋骨骨折,多平面重建和容积再现技术互相补充对诊断肋骨骨折及指导治疗方案有明显的优势。     

人-环境-作业模式促进脑卒中后手和上肢功能的康复

一侧肢体功能障碍是脑卒中后的典型症状,其中手和上肢功能障碍严重影响着作业表现,使患者的生活受到不同程度的限制。本文基于人-环境-作业(personenvironment-occupation,PEO)模式,从人、环境、作业活动和作业表现等方面,探讨脑卒中患者手和上肢功能的康复治疗,以期提升人们对中国脑卒中患者作业治疗内涵的理解。通过作业治疗,可以改善患者的行为表现,减轻功能受限程度,增强日常生活的活动能力,从而提高患者的生活质量。     

预制自体组织皮管在尿道修复与重建中的应用

目的：总结预制自体组织皮管治疗尿道狭窄、尿道下裂、尿道下裂术后严重并发症的效果。 方法：选择24例应用自体阴囊、阴茎包皮、睾丸鞘膜缝合预制形成的皮管,原位包埋,治疗尿道狭窄、尿道下裂、尿道下裂术后严重并发症的男性患者,年龄5~56岁,平均14岁。应用预置包皮皮管二期尿道成形术11例,应用预制鞘膜管治疗尿道下裂术后严重并发症9例,应用预制阴囊皮管治疗前尿道长段狭窄4例。观察应用预制自体组织皮管治疗尿道狭窄、尿道下裂、尿道下裂术后并发症。 结果：全部病例获得随访,随访6~12个月。预置包皮皮管二期尿道成形术11例,并发尿道口狭窄1例,吻合口轻度狭窄1例,经扩张后治愈;预制鞘膜管治疗尿道下裂术后严重并发症9例,阴茎略显臃肿2例;预制阴囊皮管治疗前尿道长段狭窄4例,并发吻合口轻度狭窄1例。其余均排尿通畅,尿流率达到或接近同龄人水平,无尿瘘、尿道憩室发生。 结论：借鉴整形外科手术经验,应用临近尿道的阴茎包皮、睾丸鞘膜、阴囊皮肤组织预置成皮管,二期转移成形或修复缺损的尿道,恢复尿道功能,尿瘘、尿道狭窄并发症少,是重建及修复尿道的较好方法。     

Efficacy and safety of higher doses of botulinum toxin type A NT 201 free from complexing proteins in the upper and lower limb spasticity after stroke

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) represents the gold standard therapy for focal spasticity after stroke, with low prevalence of complications, reversibility, and efficacy in reducing spastic hypertonia. Current guidelines suggest the employment of a dosage up to 600 units (U) of BTX-A to treat spasticity after stroke, to avoid important adverse effects and the development of antibodies against the neurotoxin. In recent years, NT 201, a new BTX-A free of complexing proteins, has been used for treating several movement disorders, showing safety and efficacy in upper limb spasticity. In a prospective, non-randomized, open-label study, we studied the efficacy and safety of higher doses of BTX-A NT 201 (up to 840 U) in 25 consecutive patients with upper and lower limb spasticity after stroke, evaluated at 30 and 90 days after injections. Before and after the treatment, the grade of spasticity, the disability, and spasticity-related pain were extensively measured. After 30 days of follow-up, a great reduction of spasticity and pain with improvement of disability was observed. The effects were still present at 90 days of follow-up. No major adverse events were observed. Higher doses of BTX-A NT 201 appeared to be safe and efficacious in patients with upper and lower limb spasticity after stroke. However, further investigations are needed to determine its reproducibility in larger case series or randomized clinical trials and to observe the absence of antibodies against the neurotoxin also after repeated injections.     

应用钛镍合金－硅橡胶组合式人工食管研究食管重建

目的 探讨食管部分切除后,食管重建的过程及机制。方法 本实验以钛镍合金、硅橡胶作材料制成组合式人工食管,以普通家猪作动物实验,切除一段长约7cm的胸段食管,以人工食管替代,分别于术后第1、2、3、4、5、6、7、8周及3、4、6、8、10、12个月处死动物,动物尸体解剖,标本作连续切片病理观察,分析食管缺损部分重建情况,结果 1.1周时间人工食管周围形成假道,即“新生食管”,包绕人工食管;2.“新生食管”起初以肉芽组织为主(约2周),2周后代以纤维结缔组织;3. 约4周后,食管上皮细胞爬行并可完全覆盖“新生食管”内腔;4.本实验可观察到新生的平滑肌细胞,但未见到腺体再生;5. 人工食管脱落后“新生食管”中间段均见不同程度的狭窄,随着时间的增加（约6个月后）,狭窄段趋于稳定。结论 一定长度下的食管缺损可通过自身重建修复。     

Cortical disconnection of the ipsilesional primary motor cortex is associated with gait speed and upper extremity motor impairment in chronic left hemispheric stroke

Advances in neuroimaging have enabled the mapping of white matter connections across the entire brain, allowing for a more thorough examination of the extent of white matter disconnection after stroke. To assess how cortical disconnection contributes to motor impairments, we examined the relationship between structural brain connectivity and upper and lower extremity motor function in individuals with chronic stroke. Forty‐three participants [mean age: 59.7 (±11.2) years; time poststroke: 64.4 (±58.8) months] underwent clinical motor assessments and MRI scanning. Nonparametric correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationship between structural connectivity amid a subsection of the motor network and upper/lower extremity motor function. Standard multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between cortical necrosis and disconnection of three main cortical areas of motor control [primary motor cortex (M1), premotor cortex (PMC), and supplementary motor area (SMA)] and motor function. Anatomical connectivity between ipsilesional M1/SMA and the (1) cerebral peduncle, (2) thalamus, and (3) red nucleus were significantly correlated with upper and lower extremity motor performance (P ≤ 0.003). M1–M1 interhemispheric connectivity was also significantly correlated with gross manual dexterity of the affected upper extremity (P = 0.001). Regression models with M1 lesion load and M1 disconnection (adjusted for time poststroke) explained a significant amount of variance in upper extremity motor performance (R² = 0.36–0.46) and gait speed (R² = 0.46), with M1 disconnection an independent predictor of motor performance. Cortical disconnection, especially of ipsilesional M1, could significantly contribute to variability seen in locomotor and upper extremity motor function and recovery in chronic stroke. Hum Brain Mapp 39:120–132, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Representation of upper and lower primary teeth in the trigeminal sensory nuclear complex in the young dog

Transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase-wheat germ agglutinin conjugate entrapped in polyacrylamide gel was used to study the patterns of termination of primary afferents that innervate the upper and lower primary tooth pulps within the trigeminal sensory nuclear complex of the young dog. The lower and upper primary tooth pulp afferents projected to the subnucleus dorsalis of the principal nucleus, the rostrodorsomedial part and subnucleus dorsomedialios (Vo.dm) of the parts oralis, the nucleus of the intermediate plexus (Vi.ip) of the pars interpolaris, and laminae I, II and V of the caudalis. The lower and upper primary teeth were topographically represented in the Vo.dm, rostrocaudal mid-levels of Vi.ip and in laminae I/V of the caudal levels of the pars caudalis, whereas an extensive overlapped projection was seen in other subdivisions.