A rapid and reliable procedure to localize subdural electrodes in presurgical evaluation of patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a novel method for localization of subdural electrodes in presurgical assessment of patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. METHODS: We studied eight consecutive patients with posterior epilepsy in whom subdural electrodes were implanted for presurgical evaluation. Electrodes were detected on post-implantation brain CT scans through a semiautomated procedure based on a MATLAB routine. Then, post-implantation CT scans were fused with pre-implantation MRI to localize the electrodes in relation to the underlying cortical structures. The reliability of this procedure was tested by comparing 3D-rendered MR images of the electrodes with electrode position as determined by intraoperative digital photography. RESULTS: In each patient, all electrodes could be correctly localized and visualized in a stereotactic space, thus allowing optimal surgery planning. The agreement between the procedure-generated images and the digital photographs was good according to two independent raters. The mean mismatch between the 3D images and the photographs was 2 mm. CONCLUSIONS: While our findings need confirmation on larger samples including patients with anterior epilepsy, this procedure allowed to localize subdural electrodes and to establish the spatial relationship of each electrode to the underlying brain structure, either normal or damaged, on brain convessity, basal and medial cortex. SIGNIFICANCE: Being simple, rapid, unexpensive, and reliable, this procedure holds promise to be useful to optimize epilepsy surgery planning.     

Sensitive skin: correlation with skin surface microrelief appearance

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Sensitive skin is a condition associated with reduced tolerance to environmental factors and/or the application of topical products, such as cosmetics. Its pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated and few data are available on its prevalence. The aim of this study was to investigate possible correlation between objective sensitivity and skin surface microrelief. METHODS: During an epidemiological survey conducted for a campaign promoted by International Society of Plastic Dermatology in Italy, 243 adult healthy subjects of both sexes with no evident dermatological disorder but positive to the lactic acid stinging test, were submitted to cyanoacrylate stratum corneum stripping from the volar forearm for the determination of the irregularity of the skin surface microrelief (irregularity skin index (ISI)). RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between intensity of symptoms in stingers and ISI (r(s)=-0.47; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Sensitive skin is common in the healthy population. ISI can contribute towards the identification of subjects with sensitive skin and the development of more specific skin treatments for this prevalent condition.     

Sensitivity and specificity of a self-administered questionnaire for familial screening of adult-onset dystonia.

We developed a self-administered questionnaire for screening the most common adult-onset dystonias. It was tested in 90 first-degree relatives of 22 adult-onset dystonia patients, yielding 79% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Simulation of a case-finding procedure based on serial application of the questionnaire and clinical examination of both subjects screening positive and subjects screening negative who had < 8 years of schooling increased sensitivity to 95% and specificity to 100%. This questionnaire may be an important screening resource for familial aggregation studies to be used in the context of a complex case-finding procedure.     

Do phonologic and rapid automatized naming deficits differentially affect dyslexic children with and without a history of language delay? A study of Italian dyslexic children.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to verify whether phonologic and rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficits are present and associated in Italian dyslexic children and whether they differentially affect dyslexics with and without a history of previous language delay (LD). BACKGROUND: According to the phonologic core deficit hypothesis, dyslexia may stem from impairment of the representation and manipulation of phonemes and may be closely associated with oral language deficits. However, deficits in tasks not requiring fine-grained phonologic representations, such as RAN, have also been described in dyslexic children. METHODS: Thirty-seven children were selected on the basis of a reading deficit and were assigned to 2 groups according to whether or not they had a history of early LD as determined retrospectively by parental report. A battery of reading and writing, verbal working memory, metaphonologic, RAN, and visual search tests were administered. RESULTS: RAN deficits were shared by most dyslexics (with and without a history of LD), whereas phonologic deficits were mainly associated with a previous LD. This last condition did not result in a more profound impairment of reading and writing decoding skills. CONCLUSION: In a shallow orthography such as Italian, RAN, not phonologic deficits, may represent the main cognitive marker of developmental dyslexia.     

Bone and joint alterations in acromegaly

Growth hormone (GH) is fundamental for the maintenance of bone mass and metabolism both during childhood and in adulthood. This effect is due to a complex interaction between circulating GH and IGF-I produced peripherally. In vitro data and experimental animal models have clarified many of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the characteristic skeletal changes occurring in acromegaly. This review focuses on the effects of GH excess on bone metabolism and mass in acromegalic patients and, in particular, on the influence of factors such as hypogonadism, gender, age and therapy on bone metabolism and arthropathy.     

Plasma levels of neuropeptides in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: In the central nervous system, several neuropeptides are believed to be involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Indeed, previous studies have documented that glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) possesses neurotropic properties and can reduce amyloid-beta peptide levels in the brain in vivo. Moreover, the concentrations of neuropeptide Y (NPY) seem to be altered in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with AD and in subjects with major depression. Finally, among the modifications induced by aging, a dysregulation of the ghrelin-growth hormone (GH) system has been reported. METHODS: We investigated the plasma concentrations of these neuropeptides in 14 subjects with AD. Data obtained from these patients were compared with data from an age- and weight-matched healthy group. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the two groups in relation to plasma levels of GLP-1, NPY, ghrelin and GH. Peripheral NPY concentrations were positively correlated with ghrelin levels in both groups, and with plasma GLP-1 concentration only in controls. CONCLUSION: On the basis of our results, peripheral levels of these neuropeptides seem not to serve as biochemical markers of AD.     

糖化血红蛋白及糖化血清蛋白与糖尿病肾功能衰竭患者的血糖监测

糖化血红蛋白(Hb)A1c是血糖监测的苇要指标,反映检测前2～3个月的平均血糖水平.慢性肾功能衰竭(CRF)患者存在贫血、酸中毒、氧化应激、胰岛素抵抗、血液透析及促红细胞生成素(EPO)的应用等因素,对HbA1c的测定会造成影响.糖化血清蛋白(GSP)反映检测前2～3周的平均血糖水平,仅受血浆蛋白的影响,几乎不受血红蛋白和EPO治疗等以上因素的影响,且对短时间内的血糖变化更为敏感.将GSP作为糖尿病肾功能衰竭患者血糖监测指标可能比HbA1c更理想.     

Intracranial tumors of the first year of life

The introduction of new diagnostic tools for neuroimaging has resulted in the early recognition of congenital brain tumors. In the present report we describe a personal series of 39 children and an International Multicenter Series of 876 children with brain tumors, in whom the diagnosis was obtained during the first 12 months of life. Most of the tumors were located within the supratentorial compartment. In spite of a relatively high operative mortality, surgery still appears to be the more effective therapy. Radiotherapy in this age group is of a scarce value, due to the vulnerability of the infantile brain. At the present time, chemotherapy still plays a controversial role.