Cigarette smoking and associated risk of multiple sclerosis in the Iranian population

Exposure to cigarette smoke is emerging as an environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated the possible association between environmental tobacco smoke, its cumulative exposure, and MS risk. We used data from the Iranian Multiple Sclerosis Registry to identify a case-control of 662 patients who had MS and a comparison group of 394 patients. Information regarding current smoking status, including the number of cigarettes smoked per day, duration, and smoking pack-years indicative of cumulative dose of tobacco smoked was obtained. We analyzed the incidence of MS among ever–smokers who had been smokers during their disease course and prior to disease onset in comparison with never–smokers who had never been exposed by calculating the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) employing logistic regression. Of the 662 MS patients, there were 523 women (79.0%) and 139 men (21.0%), with a mean age of 31 ± 10.0 years at disease onset. The risk for MS was increased among ever–smokers (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.22–2.59, p = 0.03) compared to never–smokers. As compared with never smokers, the OR for patients with 6–10 pack years was 2.91 for men (95% CI = 1.11–9.47, p = 0.03) and 1.69 for women (95% CI = 1.02–6.45, p = 0.04). Our results demonstrate that cigarette smoking is significantly associated with an increased risk for MS. The risk effects of smoking were more noticeable in male patients and at higher tobacco doses.     

由中华神经科杂志相关文献总结中国内地临床神经病理的发展与成就

目的 认识中国内地55年来临床神经病理领域的发展与成就.方法 回顾性查阅中华神经科杂志自1955年创刊至2009年12月期间与临床神经病理相关的文献;统计不同时期神经疾病及临床神经病理文献总数,并计算临床神经病理文献所占百分比;统计不同时期尸检与活体组织检查病理文献比例;统计各时期神经病理文献前5位疾病类型;并与JNNP(J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry)同期相关文献进行比较.结果 (1)1955-1959年、1960-1969年、1970-1979年、1980-1989年、1990-1999年、2000-2009年临床神经病理文献占同期中华神经科杂志文献总数百分比分别为18.11％ (65/359)、20.81％(103/495)、17.05％ (22/129)、15.50％(230/1484)、11.58％(176/1520)、16.04％ (309/1927),其变化趋势差异有统计学意义(趋势x2=7.977,P=0.005);但与JNNP同期临床神经病理文献百分比变化趋势相比差异无统计学意义.(2)1955-2009年不同时期尸检病理文献占同期临床神经病理文献总数的百分比呈逐渐下降趋势;1980-2009年中华神经科杂志刊载的尸检神经病理文献的百分比较JNNP逐渐减少,变化趋势差异有统计学意义.(3)不同时期神经病理文献中排前的疾病类型是:1955-1989年为肿瘤、感染性疾病及脑血管病;1990-2009年肌肉疾病则成为神经病理文献的主要疾病类型;与JNNP刊载的临床神经病理文献比较,中华神经科杂志刊载的疑难罕见疾病和神经变性疾病的临床病理文献相对较少.结论 神经病理研究在临床神经科学中占有重要地位,中国内地临床神经病理的主要发展成就在于对肿瘤、脑血管病、感染性疾病以及肌病等常见疾病有了较深入地研究与认识.但近年来尸检病理的匮乏制约了我们对神经变性疾病和一些疑难罕见神经疾病的深入研究与认识.     

儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎的术后长期疗效观察

目的总结儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎手术后的长期疗效和生活质量。方法回顾性分析31例儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎病人的临床资料,行标准前颞叶切除术26例,扩大前颞叶切除术2例,前颞叶切除术＋软化灶切除术2例,颞后顶下致癎灶切除术1例。评估术后癫癎发作改善情况及认知、生活质量等。结果术后随访5年以上,其中癫癎发作消失、达到EngelⅠ级26例,EngelⅡ级1例,EngelⅢ级2例,EngelⅣ级2例。术后病理示：海马组织硬化13例,皮质发育异常伴胶质增生9例,皮质发育异常伴海马组织硬化6例,神经元胶质肿瘤2例,继发性瘢痕脑回形成1例。术后并发症多数可恢复。结论儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎术后长期疗效良好,生活质量提高。     

A cross-over randomised clinical trial of eccentric occlusion in complete dentures

The objective of this study is to compare the effects of canine guidance (CG) and bilateral balanced occlusion (BBO) on denture satisfaction and kinesiographic parameters of complete denture wearers, by means of a cross-over trial. Fifty edentulous patients received new maxillary and mandibular complete dentures. After the intra-oral adjustments and adaptation period, 44 participants were enrolled in the trial and randomly received a sequence of occlusal schemes: BBO followed by CG, or CG followed by BBO. Outcomes were assessed after 30 days of each occlusal scheme. Participants answered a denture satisfaction questionnaire and a kinesiograph instrument recorded mandibular physiologic movements and pattern of maxillary denture movement during chewing. Wilcoxon test and paired sample t-test were used to compare satisfaction levels and kinesiographic data for each occlusal scheme, respectively (α=0.05). The results showed no differences between occlusal schemes on participant's satisfaction and in any of the kinesiographic parameters studied, except for the vertical intrusion of the maxillary complete denture during chewing, which was lower with CG. It can be concluded that the occlusal scheme did not influence on satisfaction and kinesiographic parameters evaluated, as long as volume and resilience of residual edentulous ridges of the participants were normal. Clinical Trial Registration Identifier: NC.T01420536.     

125I seeds implantation for treating residual hepatocellular carcinoma located beneath the diaphragm after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

PurposeThe effect of ¹²⁵I seed implantation for the treatment of local residual tumor of hepatocellular carcinoma located beneath the diaphragm (HCC-LBD) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has not yet been reported. This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ¹²⁵I seeds implantation (ISI) for the treatment of residual HCC-LBD after TACE.Methods and MaterialsA total of 18 patients treated with ISI between August 2012 and March 2018 for residual HCC-LBD after single or multiple TACE were enrolled. Local control, survival, and postoperative complications were analyzed retrospectively. Overall followup time was displayed by survival curves.ResultsThe 18 patients received a total of 20 ISI treatments. The total number of seeds implanted was 650, with a mean of 36 ± 13 seeds per patients (range, 20–70). Mean D90 was 123 Gy. Complete response + partial response (CR + PR) was documented in 14, 16, and 16 of patients at 3, 6, and 12 months after implantation, respectively. In four patients, seeds implantation was performed through the diaphragm; two of these patients developed small pneumothoraces. Pulmonary compression of pneumothorax is less than 30% combined with a little blood in sputum, no chest tightness, shortness of breath, all symptoms subsided without interventions, and the patients were discharged after observation for 2 days. After the procedure, routine blood examination and liver and kidney function were normal.ConclusionThe combination of TACE with ISI appears to be a safe and efficient treatment for residual HCC-BLD.Implications for PracticeThis study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and short-term efficacy of ISI for local residual tumor of hepatocellular carcinoma located beneath the diaphragm (HCC-LBD) after TACE. Results suggest that residual tumor of HCC after TACE located in the posterosuperior part of the liver (segments seven and eight), laparoscopic liver resection, and alblation is difficult to perform and that as a supplement treatment, ¹²⁵I seeds implantation is safe and easy accessible. TACE combined with ¹²⁵I seeds has excellent local control effectiveness, and long-term efficacy and survival benefit still need to be more comprehensively evaluated.     

Newborn and infant discrimination: revisiting footprints

Formal registration of newborns and infants is a necessity to secure their rights for health care or education and to support law enforcement agencies in the fight against the trafficking of children or their illegal adoption. Ideally, all these requirements can be met using a newborn and infant biometric. Difficulties arise due to the small size and fragility of the infants’ physical structures and the effects of rapid physical growth. We review the literature for suitable biometrics and investigate the footprint; asking (a) if there is a time frame shortly after birth when the friction ridge skin pattern of a newborn can be reliably captured; and (b) if the footprint crease pattern is a suitable newborn and infant biometric. For (a), we were unable to confirm the existence of such a time frame. For (b), we performed automatic verification experiments on a small test set of 20 pairs of crease patterns, and then a larger test set, achieving EERs of 22.22% and 46.39%, respectively. The comparison of two dizygotic twins did not show any noteworthy performance difference. Based on these results we do not recommend the foot crease pattern as a newborn or infant biometric for automatic verification.     

自组织神经网络在长寿基因研究设计中的应用：巢式病例对照研究样本选择

目的应用自组织神经网络为长寿研究选择对照组, 以改进长寿基因研究设计。方法本研究基于2013年中国慢性病及其危险因素监测与全国死因监测数据融合形成的自然人群队列, 纳入年龄≥90岁的老年人或年龄<80岁且已死亡的汉族人群(对照组), 排除死于伤害、传染病、寄生虫病和恶性肿瘤的个案, 利用自组织神经网络方法, 通过多次迭代和自组织聚类, 选取人口学特征、患病、生活习惯、社会行为、精神心理等多方面因素相似的≥90岁老年人和对照组, 开展全基因组测序。研究采用PLINK 1.9软件评估测序数据质量, 开展常染色体上的单核苷酸多态性(SNPs)和长寿的logistic回归, 用Q-Q图可视化SNPs与长寿关联的P值。结果研究从基线177 099例调查对象中筛选出1 019例人群基因组样本开展全基因组测序, 其中长寿组517例、对照组502例。长寿组和对照组在吸烟、饮酒、饮食、睡眠时长、血脂水平和自评口腔健康状况总体相似, 在社会经济状况、身体活动时间、BMI和自评健康状况差异较大。全基因组测序结果经质控, 4 618 216个SNPs进入关联分析。长寿组相关SNPs分析结果P值的Q-Q图...