Traumatic axonal injury of the cingulum in patients with mild traumatic brain injury: a diffusion tensor tractography study

The cingulum, connecting the orbitofrontal cortex to the medial temporal lobe, involves in diverse cognition functions including attention, memory, and motivation. To investigate the relationship between the cingulum injury and cognitive impairment in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury, we evaluated the integrity between the anterior cingulum and the basal forebrain using diffusion tensor tractography in 73 patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury(39 males, 34 females, age 43.29 ± 11.42 years) and40 healthy controls(22 males, 18 females, age 40.11 ± 16.81 years). The patients were divided into three subgroups based on the integrity between the anterior cingulum and the basal forebrain on diffusion tensor tractography: subgroup A(n = 19 patients)-both sides of the anterior cingulum were intact; subgroup B(n= 36 patients)-either side of the anterior cingulum was intact; and subgroup C(18 patients)-both sides of the anterior cingulum were discontinued. There were significant differences in total Memory Assessment Scale score between subgroups A and B and between subgroups A and C. There were no significant differences in diffusion tensor tractography parameters(fractional anisotropy, apparent diffusion coefficient, and fiber volume) between patients and controls. These findings suggest that the integrity between the anterior cingulum and the basal forebrain, but not diffusion tensor tractography parameter, can be used to predict the cognitive function of patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury. This study was approved by Yeungnam University Hospital Institutional Review Board(approval No. YUMC-2014-01-425-010) on August 16, 2017.     

江苏省儿童专科夜间门诊诊察费定价政策成效分析

2019年5月20日,江苏省医保局推出调整了儿童专科夜间门诊诊察费收费标准举措。文章以江苏省某三甲综合医院为样本,围绕上述政策实施后儿科诊疗工作量、病人满意度、医院收入影响等方面进行了调查,结果表明,上述政策可满足儿科病人就诊差异化需求,合理分流病人,保障急诊优先的诊疗秩序。     

Effect of corneal stromal pocket irrigation in small-incision lenticule extraction

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of corneal stromal pocket irrigation after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) on visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal parameters and complications after surgery.MethodsA total of 242 eyes of 121 patients undergoing SMILE were enrolled in this prospective controlled study, and it was designed for one eye to randomly undergo SMILE with balanced salt solution irrigation of the corneal stromal pocket, while the other eye was not. The uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and slit lamp examination were recorded at 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month. Postoperative corneal density, corneal biomechanical, corneal endothelial cell number, and anterior OCT images were compared at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month.ResultsCompared with the nonirrigation group, the irrigation group showed significantly higher UDVA at 1 day postoperatively (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference during the rest of the postoperative period (1 hour, 1 week, and 1 month). In addition, no significant differences were found in IOP, corneal density, corneal biomechanics, corneal endothelial cells, and corneal morphology. No visual decline or severe postoperative complications were found in the patients in this study.ConclusionsInterlamellar irrigation did not affect IOP, corneal parameters, morphology, complications, or UDVA at 1 hour, 1 week, and 1 month after the operation, but it may promote UDVA 1 day after the operation.Subject terms: Refractive errors, Outcomes research, Surgery     

Subscapularis Transthoracic Versus Posterolateral Approaches in the Surgical Management of Upper Thoracic Tuberculosis: A Prospective,Randomized Controlled Study

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes of a subscapularis transthoracic surgical approach and a posterolateral surgical approach with debridement, bone graft fusion, and internal fixation for the treatment of upper thoracic tuberculosis.There is currently debate over the best surgical approach for the treatment of upper thoracic tuberculosis. Traditionally, the subscapularis transthoracic approach has been preferred; however, the posterolateral approach has gained popularity in the past few years.A prospective, consecutive cohort of 43 upper thoracic tuberculosis patients with a mean age of 39 years (range: 20–52 years) was followed up for a minimum of 12 months (range: 12–60 months). Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A (n = 21) was treated by the subscapularis transthoracic approach and group B (n = 22) was treated by the posterolateral approach. All cases were evaluated for clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes. Intraoperative blood loss, operative duration, intraoperative and postoperative complications, hospital stay, the cure rate, fusion time, and the Frankel scale were used for clinical and functional evaluation, whereas the kyphosis angle was used for radiological evaluation.Grafted bones were fused by 10 months in all cases. There was no statistically significant difference between groups before surgery in terms of gender, age, segmental tuberculosis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Frankel scale, or Cobb''s angle (P > 0.05). The average operative duration for Group B was lower than that of Group A. There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative complications, hospital stay, grafted bone fusion time, or cure rate between groups (P > 0.05). The Cobb''s angle correction rate for group B (68.5%) was significantly better than that of group A (30.9%). The neurological score showed significant postoperative improvement in both groups, with no significant difference between the groups.The subscapularis transthoracic approach and the posterolateral approach with debridement, bone graft fusion, and internal fixation are both sufficient and satisfactory for the surgical treatment of upper thoracic tuberculosis. However, the posterolateral approach is superior to the subscapularis transthoracic approach in terms of surgical trauma, operative time, and kyphosis correction.     

膝骨关节炎患者关节滑液中IL-17水平与疾病严重程度的相关性

目的 探讨膝骨美节炎(KOA)患者美节滑液中IL 17的水平与疾病严重程度的相关性，为临床诊治KOA 提供新思路及新方法。方法 选取2017年1月?2018年12月南充市中心医院康复科收治的15。例膝骨美节炎患者作 为实验组，同时纳入30例健康志愿者作为对照组。实验组釆用视觉模拟量表(VAS)评价膝关节的疼痛程度，采用膝关 节学会评分系统(KSS)评价膝关节的功能及采用Kellgren Lawrence (KL)分级系统评价膝关节X线严重程度，通过 ELISA试验检测两组膝关节滑液中IL17的水平。采用Spearman相关分析KOA患者关节滑液中IL 17水平与膝关节 疼痛程度、膝关节功能及X线严重程度的相关性。结果 实验组关节滑液中IL17的水平明显高于对照组(P <0. 05). IL 17水平在滕美节炎KL分级之间比较，差异无统计学差异(P>0. 05)。IL 17的水平与膝关节VAS评分呈正相关 (P=0. 914,P<0.01),IL 17的水平与KSS呈负相关(P=—0. 847,P<0. 01), IL 17的水平与KL分级无相关性(r = 0.050,P= 0.545)。结论 IL 17可反应膝骨关节炎患者疼痛程度及功能损伤程度，但不能反映疾病的X线严重程度。 IL 17可作为一个生化指标反应膝关节炎疼痛程度及膝关节功能，临床通过减少关节滑液中IL 17,可能会减轻膝骨关 节炎患者的临床症状。