Analysis of retinal vasculature changes in indirect traumatic optic neuropathy using optic coherence tomography angiography

AIM: To assess the retinal vasculature alterations in indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (ITON) patients following craniofacial trauma by optic coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS: Patients diagnosed of monocular ITON were recruited from August 2016 to May 2020. OCTA was performed using the AngioVue OCT-A system for two cube scans centered at the optic nerve head and fovea. OCTA data included thicknesses of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC), as well as proportion of capillary perfusion and data were analyzed for correlation with post-injury timepoints: within 7, 8-30, 31-90, and 91-365d. RESULTS: A total of 73 ITON patients were studied. Significant thinning of RNFL and GCC layers and attenuation of microvascular perfusion were observed in ITON eyes as compared to contralateral unaffected eyes (for most of the analyzed sectors and quadrants, P<0.05). Without respect to surgical intervention and vision recovery, the decrease in retinal layer thicknesses and microvascular perfusion was time-dependent, and most significant within three months (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: ITON presents with time-dependent thinning of retinal layers and attenuation of microvasculature, indicating possible degeneration of retinal ganglion cells due to reduced retinal blood supply.     

Parkinsonism in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome--case report and literature review

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is identified as the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) in patients with vascular thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity (including fetal death, premature birth and habitual abortion). Neurological manifestations in patients with APS are common, whereas movement disorders are rarely seen. We report an extremely rare case of APS presented with parkinsonism and review the literature to address the clinical profile and possible pathophysiologic mechanism of this disorder.     

A clinical study of Hirayama disease in Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to review the clinical manifestations of 40 patients who fulfilled the clinical criteria for Hirayama disease (juvenile muscular atrophy of distal upper extremities), identified in our neuromuscular clinic between February 1995 and December 2005. Of these 40 patients, 87.5% were male. The mean age at onset was 16.8 years, which was 4.5 years later than the peak age of the normal growth curve. Progressive muscle weakness and wasting were characteristic and occurred predominantly in the distal part of the right upper limb. Neurogenic symptoms ceased to progress within 5 years in most patients (92.5%). About one third of patients had participated frequently in heavy physical activity before onset of muscle symptoms. Reduced amplitude of the compound muscle action potential of the ulnar nerve was the most prominent finding in nerve conduction studies. Electromyography showed acute or chronic neurogenic changes, most frequently in muscles supplied by the C7-T1 segments. Magnetic resonance imaging showed anterior shifting of the posterior dura and engorged posterior venous plexus at the cervical level in 95% of patients. Our results support the belief that Hirayama disease is a self-limited, focal lower motor neuron disease involving the lower cervical segments. Disproportionate growth between the vertebral column and the contents of the spinal canal may be the underlying cause, and strenuous physical activity may be a precipitating factor.     

In vivo assessment of macrophage CNS infiltration during disruption of the blood�Cbrain barrier with focused ultrasound: a magnetic resonance imaging study

Focused ultrasound has been discovered to locally and reversibly increase permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). However, inappropriate sonication of the BBB may cause complications, such as hemorrhage and brain tissue damage. Tissue damage may be controlled by selecting optimal sonication parameters. In this study, we sought to investigate the feasibility of labeling cells with superparamagnetic iron oxide particles to assess the inflammatory response during focused-ultrasound-induced BBB opening. We show that infiltration of phagocytes does not occur using optimal parameters of sonication. Taken together, the results of our study support the usefulness and safety of focused-ultrasound-induced BBB opening for enhancing drug delivery to the brain. These findings may have implications for the optimization of sonication parameters.     

Relationship between medial plica and medial femoral condyle—a three-dimensional dynamic finite element model

BackgroundMany researches reported that the pathologic medial plica impinges on the facing medial femoral condyle during knee motion and leads to erosive changes of the articular cartilage. The purpose of this study was to construct a simplified three-dimensional dynamic finite element human knee model to evaluate the dynamics behaviour between different types of medial plicae with the facing medial femoral condyles during knee motion.MethodsA three-dimensional dynamic finite element model composed of femur, tibia, covering cartilage and medial plica was developed. The kinematics of this simulation model was verified by previous findings during arthroscopic examination. The validated model was used to investigate and compare the magnitudes of the cyclic pressures acting on the cartilage of the medial femoral condyles by three different types of medial plicae with various Young’s moduli.FindingsAll types of plicae remained in contact with the medial femoral condyles and shifted medially when the knees moved from extension to flexion. The contact pressures were positively correlated with the Young’s moduli of the medial plicae. During the whole range of motion, the maximum contact pressures of all simulation scenarios occurred when the knees moved beyond 50° of flexion. When the Young’s moduli of medial plicae were set greater than 60 MPa, all types of medial plicae would elicit contact pressures greater than 10 MPa on the medial femoral condyles.InterpretationThe close relationship and possible high contact pressure between fibrotic medial plica and medial femoral condyle during knee motion might be a cause of cartilage damage on the medial femoral condyle and warrants further investigation.     

河南省2012-2016年乙型肝炎监测试点数据分析

目的 规范河南省乙型肝炎（乙肝）病例报告方法,提高乙肝病例监测工作质量。方法 选取郑州市新郑市、安阳市林州市、焦作市山阳区、漯河市召陵区、商丘市永城市和信阳市平桥区6个乙肝监测试点（监测点）,通过国家法定传染病报告系统,2012-2016年河南省报告的乙肝病例作为研究对象,2011年数据作为对照数据,分别对不同年份报告法定传染病报告系统的乙肝病例分类情况、HBsAg阳性时间、ALT值报告情况等进行描述性统计分析,对疑似急性乙肝病例进行抗-HBc IgM检测。以2016年监测点数据为基础,估算河南省2016年急性乙肝报告发病率。结果 河南省6个监测点乙肝报告病例从2011年的17 436例下降到2016年2 632例,下降了84.90%（14 804/17 436）;乙肝未分类病例从36.87%（6 370/17 275）下降至0.08%（2/2 632）。2012-2016年,河南省CDC共收到初筛抗-HBc IgM阳性血清777份,经过复核,29.34%（228/777）的疑似急性乙肝病例血样抗-HBc IgM阳性。依据2016年6个监测点急性乙肝报告发病率,估算河南省急性乙肝报告发病率为1.13/10万（95% CI：0.81/10万~1.45/10万）。结论 2012-2016年河南省监测点乙肝病例报告质量和临床诊断病例的准确性均不断提高。监测点应该进一步提高急性乙肝报告病例的血样采集率,改进检测方法。     

Humanized anti‐CD19 chimeric antigen receptor‐T cell therapy is safe and effective in lymphoma and leukemia patients with chronic and resolved hepatitis B virus infection

Chimeric antigen receptor‐T (CAR‐T) cell therapy is a promising treatment for CD19⁺ B‐cell malignancies. However, elimination of B cells by anti‐CD19 CAR‐T cells may lead to the reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and related hepatitis in patients with HBV infection. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of humanized anti‐CD19 CAR‐T (hCAR‐T) therapy in B‐cell malignancies with HBV infection. Twenty relapsed/refractory (r/r) diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients with HBV infection were treated with hCAR‐T therapy. Among them, five hepatitis B antigen‐positive patients who received antiviral prophylaxis did not develop HBV reactivation, including two patients who received both hCAR‐T and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT). Among 15 patients with resolved HBV infection, two received antiviral prophylaxis, and the other 13 did not experience HBV reactivation without antiviral prophylaxis. One patient with resolved HBV infection experienced HBV reactivation 6 months after hCAR‐T therapy and sequential allo‐HSCT. Moreover, HBV infection did not affect in vivo expansion of hCAR‐T cells or increase the risk of severe cytokine release syndrome. In conclusion, hCAR‐T therapy is safe and effective in DLBCL and ALL patients with chronic and resolved HBV infection under proper antiviral prophylaxis.     

NKG2D defines tumor-reacting effector CD8+ T cells within tumor microenvironment

For successful immunotherapy for cancer, it is important to understand the immunological status of tumor antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells in the tumor microenvironment during tumor progression. In this study, we monitored the behavior of B16OVA-Luc cells in mice immunized with a model tumor antigen ovalbumin (OVA). Using bioluminescence imaging, we identified the time series of OVA-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses during tumor progression: initial progression, immune control, and the escape phase. As a result of analyzing the status of tumor antigen-specific CD8⁺ cells in those 3 different phases, we found that the expression of NKG2D defines tumor-reacting effector CD8⁺ T cells. NKG2D may control the fate and TOX expression of tumor-reacting CD8⁺ T cells, considering that NKG2D blockade in OVA-vaccinated mice delayed the growth of the B16OVA-Luc2 tumor and increased the presence of tumor-infiltrating OVA-specific CD8⁺ T cells.     

胸腔镜手术患者术前使用肝素防治血栓的安全性研究

目的探讨胸腔镜手术患者术前运用低分子量肝素（LMWH）预防血栓的安全性。 方法选择2018年1月至2018年6月在浙江大学医学院附属第一医院接受胸腔镜手术的76例患者，采用简单随机法分为病例组（38例）和对照组（38例）。其中，每组各6例患者转为开放手术，最终每组各纳入32例。病例组在入院后正确启动12 500 IU LMWH进行预防，1次/d，并持续至出院；对照组从术后第1天开始皮下注射12 500 IU LMWH，1次/d，一直持续到出院。比较两组患者的一般资料、术后LMWH持续时间、操作时间、术中出血、术后血小板计数、术后国际标准化比率（INR）、术后引流时间及每日平均排水量等指标。 结果胸腔镜手术患者中，病例组患者术前LMWH持续时间为（2.8 ± 1.3）d，对照组术前不给予LMWH。病例组及对照组患者术后LMWH持续时间[（4.3 ± 1.7）d vs.（4.5 ± 2.2）d]、操作时间[（164 ± 107）min vs.（133 ± 69）min]、术中出血[（131 ± 86）mL vs.（96 ± 88）mL]、术后血小板计数[（188 ± 69）× 10⁹/L vs.（169 ± 31）× 10⁹/L]、术后INR [（1.03 ± 0.11）vs.（1.00 ± 0.09）]、术后引流时间[（3.6 ± 1.6）d vs.（3.8 ± 1.8）d]及每日平均排水量[（256 ± 89）mL vs.（204 ± 104）mL]比较，差异均无统计学意义（t = 0.988、5.026、4.187、1.288、0.597、0.492、3.479，P = 0.629、0.398、0.256、0.261、0.277、0.472、0.145）。 结论对于胸腔镜手术的患者，术前应用LMWH进行血栓预防是安全可行的。