Primary alveolar soft part sarcoma arising from the cerebellopontine angle

Introduction

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS), a rare soft tissue malignant neoplasm, frequently metastasizes to the brain. However, primary intracranial ASPS is extremely rare. We present a case of primary intracranial ASPS arising from the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) without demonstrable systemic lesions.

Case report

An 11-year-old girl presented with a recurrent tumor in the right CPA after a partial resection and radiation therapy (RT). Near-total resection with a minimal tumor left in the jugular foramen was performed. The pathological diagnosis was ASPS. There was no evidence of primary extracranial tumors. She underwent adjuvant chemotherapy and gamma knife surgery. At 29 months after the second surgery, magnetic resonance imaging revealed multifocal enhancing lesions at the prepontine cistern, right CPA and medulla oblongata, despite intensive treatment. However, extracranial metastasis was not noted. This case suggested a poor outcome of primary intracranial ASPS, similar to extracranial ASPS.     

Usefulness of contrast enhanced FLAIR imaging for predicting the severity of meningitis

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether contrast enhanced fluid attenuated inversion recovery (CE-FLAIR) imaging can be used to predict the severity of meningitis based on leptomeningeal enhancement (LE) score and cerebrospinal fluid signal intensity (CSF-SI) on CE-FLAIR. We retrospectively analyzed data collected from 43 consecutive patients admitted to our hospital due to meningitis. Clinical factors including initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, CSF glucose ratio, log CSF protein, log CSF WBC, and prognosis were evaluated. The LE score was semi-quantitatively scored, and we evaluated CSF-SI ratio at the interpeduncular or quadrigerminal cisterns on CE-FLAIR. We evaluated the differences in clinical variables, LE scores and CSF-SI ratios between the recovery and the complication group. We assessed the correlation between clinical variables, LE scores and CSF-SI ratios. The values of log CSF protein, CSF-SI ratio, and LE score were significantly higher in the complication group (p value <0.05). GCS score and CSF glucose ratio were significantly lower in the complication group (p value <0.01). The LE scores had significant negative correlation with GCS scores and CSF glucose ratios (p value <0.001). The LE score was significantly positively correlated with the value of log CSF protein and CSF-SI ratio (p value <0.01). The CSF-SI ratio was negatively correlated with GCS score and CSF glucose ratio (p value <0.01). The CSF-SI ratio was positively correlated with the value of log CSF protein (p value <0.05). Our results suggest that LE score and CSF-SI ratio are well correlated with clinical prognostic factors. We may predict the clinical severity of meningitis by using LE scores and CSF-SI ration on CE-FLAIR imaging.     

Acoustical enrichment during early postnatal development changes response properties of inferior colliculus neurons in rats

The structure and function of the auditory system may be influenced by acoustic stimulation, especially during the early postnatal period. This study explores the effects of an acoustically enriched environment applied during the third and fourth week of life on the responsiveness of inferior colliculus neurons in rats. The enrichment comprised a spectrally and temporally modulated complex sound reinforced with several target acoustic stimuli, one of which triggered a reward release. The exposure permanently influenced neuronal representation of the sound frequency and intensity, resulting in lower excitatory thresholds at neuronal characteristic frequency, an increased frequency selectivity, larger response magnitudes, steeper rate–intensity functions and an increased spontaneous activity. The effect was general and non‐specific, spanning the entire hearing range – no changes specific to the frequency band of the target stimuli were found. The alterations depended on the activity of animals during the enrichment – a higher activity of rats in the stimulus–reward paradigm led to more profound changes compared with the treatment when the stimulus–reward paradigm was not used. Furthermore, the exposure in early life led to permanent changes in response parameters, whereas the application of the same environment in adulthood influenced only a subset of the examined parameters and had only a temporary effect. These findings indicate that a rich and stimulating acoustic environment during early development, particularly when reinforced by positive feedback, may permanently affect signal processing in the subcortical auditory nuclei, including the excitatory thresholds of neurons and their frequency and intensity resolution.     

家庭肠内营养对改善晚期胃癌患者生活质量的应用价值

目的研究家庭肠内营养（HEN）对晚期胃癌患者改善生活质量的意义。方法回顾性分析浙江省人民医院胃肠外科2010年6月1日至2012年6月1日连续收治的60例无法手术切除及复发转移的晚期胃癌患者的病历资料,根据是否进行HEN分为肠内营养（EN）组（25例）和对照组（35例）。EN组营养支持方式包括经空肠造瘘管EN、经鼻胃肠管完全或部分EN;对照组中存在胃癌伴梗阻的患者进行全肠外营养（TPN）,其余患者完全经口饮食。在持续1年的随访过程中,分别于第1、3、6和12月进行Kamofsky评分和Spitzer指数测定。第6月时行EORTCQLQ—c30评分。全组患者均接受FLOFOX4方案（奥沙利铂、四氢叶酸钙、氟尿嘧啶）静脉化疗。结果两组患者在基线资料方面差异无统计学意义。1年随访期间,两组共有53例患者死亡,其中EN组21例,对照组32例。KamoHky评分结果显示,EN组在第3、6、12月的评分结果分别为平均57．4、39．6和28．2,明显优于对照组的平均45．3、29．2和20．1（分别为P=0．041、P=0．012和P=0．015）。Spitzer评分结果显示,EN组在第3、6、12月的评分结果分别为5．12、4．04和2．54,也明显优于对照组的4．32、3．21和1．97（分别为P=0．048、P=0．035和P=0．024）。EROTCQLQ-30评分结果显示,EN组在功能量表方面同样均明显优于对照组（均P〈0．05）,“呼吸费力”、“疼痛”和“疲劳”阳性症状较对照组轻（分别为P=0．025、P=0．044和P=0．016）;但“腹泻”症状较对照组明显（P=0．047）。结论HEN作为一项营养干预措施,能在有限的生存期内改善晚期胃癌患者的生活质量。     

Long-term seizure outcome after stereotactic amygdalohippocampectomy

Background

The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term seizure outcome and complications after stereotactic radiofrequency amygdalohippocampectomy (SAHE) performed for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE).

Methods

The article describes the cases of 61 patients who were treated at our institution during the period 2004–2010. Mean post-operative follow-up was 5.3 years.

Results

At the last postsurgical visit, 43 (70.5 %) patients were Engel Class I, six (9.8 %) Class II, nine (14.8 %) Class III and three (4.9 %) Class IV. The surgery was complicated by four intracranial haematomas. One of them caused acute hydrocephalus and was treated by shunting and resolved without sequelae. After SAHE, we performed open epilepsy surgery and re-thermo lesions in three and two patients, respectively (8.2 %). There were two cases of meningitis which required antibiotic treatment. In six patients psychiatric disorders developed and one of these committed suicide due to postoperative depression.

Conclusions

Our results provide preliminary evidence for good long-term seizure outcomes after SAHE. SAHE could be an alternative therapy for MTLE.     

Immunosuppressive Activity of Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Rat Model of Hind Limb Allotransplantation

Many reports have shown that bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells exhibit immunosuppressive effects in allogeneic transplantation. However, few reports have evaluated the immunosuppressive properties of adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we investigated the immunosuppressive characteristics of ASCs, and investigated whether ASCs originating from donor rats prolong allotransplant survival in a rat hind limb allotransplantation model. T-cell proliferation stimulated by allogeneic stimuli or mitogen with or without ASCs originating from the donor was assessed in vitro. The effects of cellular contact or soluble factors on the inhibition of T-cell proliferation were also evaluated. In the in vivo study, cultured ASCs (1 × 10⁵) that originated from the donor were injected into recipient animals intravenously immediately after operation, followed by 1 dose per day for 3 consecutive days post-transplantation. When immune rejection occurred, the survival time of allotransplants was determined and rejected tissue was histologically and immunochemically assessed for determining regulatory T-cell infiltration. ASCs inhibited the T-cell proliferation stimulated by alloantigen or mitogen in a dose-dependent manner, and recipient T cells proliferated less in animals treated with ASCs than in controls. Although ASCs were separated from T cells, ASCs persisted to elicit a suppressive effect. ASC culture supernatants did not inhibit T-cell proliferation; however, supernatants obtained from the mixed lymphocyte reaction in the presence of ASCs suppressed T-cell proliferation. ASCs prolonged allotransplant survival time, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, and induced regulatory T cells. In conclusion, ASCs can exhibit in vitro immunosuppressive properties and prolong allotransplant survival time in a rat hind limb composite tissue allotransplantation model, possibly through the induction of regulatory T cells.     

Delay in the Recovery of Normal Sleep-Wake Cycle after Disruption of the Light-Dark Cycle in Mice: A Bipolar Disorder-Prone Animal Model?

Objective

Disruption of the circadian rhythm is known as a provoking factor for manic episodes. Individual differences exist in the recovery rate from disruption in the general population. To develop a screening method to detect individuals vulnerable to bipolar disorder, the authors observed the relationship between the recovery of the normal sleep-wake cycle after switching the light-dark (LD) cycle and quinpirole-induced hyperactivity in mice.

Methods

Sixteen male mice (age of 5 weeks, weight 28-29 gm) were subjected to a circadian rhythm disruption protocol. Sleep-wake behaviors were checked every 5 min for a total duration of 15 days, i.e., 2 days of baseline observations, 3 days of LD cycle changes, and 10 days of recovery. During the dark cycle on the 16th experimental day, their general locomotor activities were measured in an open field for 120 minutes after an injection of quinpirole (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.).

Results

The individual differences in the recovery rate of the baseline sleep-wake cycle were noted after 3 days of switching the LD cycle. Fifty percent (n=8) of the mice returned to the baseline cycle within 6 days after normalizing the LD cycle (early recovery group). The locomotor activities of mice that failed to recover within 6 days (delayed recovery group) were significantly higher (mean rank=12.25) than those of the early recovery group (mean rank=4.75, u=62.0, p=0.001, Mann-Whitney U test).

Conclusion

Given that the quinpirole-induced hyperactivity is an animal model of bipolar disorder, our results suggest individuals who have difficulties in recovery from circadian rhythm disruption may be vulnerable to bipolar disorder.     

正常阴囊及其内容物的超声应用解剖

器官和组织的病理解剖是超声诊断疾病的客观基础。了解阴囊、睾丸、附睾的正常解剖特征和血管分布特点，是超声诊断这类器官疾病的必要条件。文中指出，睾丸大小形态、血管分布、动脉血流速度和阻力指数、附睾的大小、形态以及阴囊壁厚度等等都是诊断和鉴别诊断的主要线索，同时以大量的图片辅助说明。此外还阐述了应用彩色多普勒超声检查阴囊时如何提高仪器灵敏度，尽可能发现更细微、更全面的病变信息的技术要领。