Attenuation of pathological tremors by functional electrical stimulation II: Clinical evaluation

In this study we evaluated a technique for tremor suppression with functional electrical stimulation (FES), the technical details of which were described in the previous paper. Three groups of patients were investigated: those with essential tremor, parkinsonian tremor, and cerebellar tremor associated with multiple sclerosis. In each group, tremor was attenuated by significant amounts (essential tremor: 73%; parkinsonian tremor: 62%; cerebellar tremor: 38%). These attenuations were in good accord with predictions based on the dynamic analyses and filter designs derived in the previous paper. With filters “tuned” to the lower mean tremor frequency encountered in the cerebellar patients, more attenuation was possible in this group as well. We identified some practical limitations in the clinical application of the technique in its present form. The most important was that in daily use, only one antagonist pair of muscles can realistically be controlled. At first sight, this restricts the usefulness of the system to patients with single-joint tremors. However, the concomitant use of mechanical orthoses may broaden the scope of application.     

Associated coronary anomalies in 135 Iranian patients with tetralogy of Fallot

Coronary artery anomalies are common among patients with tetralogy of Fallot. One hundred and thirty-five patients (80 males and 55 females) with tetralogy of Fallot who underwent repair between 1995 and 2002 were studied to determine the incidence of coronary anomalies in Iranian patients. Eight (5.9%) patients (4 males and 4 females) had a surgically relevant coronary artery anomaly: single coronary ostium in 5, origin of the left anterior descending artery from the right coronary artery in 2, and origin of the right coronary artery from the left coronary artery in 1. The surgical technique in 3 of these patients was repair of the ventricular septal defect with a transverse incision on the right ventricle, without damage to the coronary arteries. In another patient, an allograft aortic valve cylinder was inserted. In the other 4 patients with a single coronary ostium, placement of a limited transannular patch was adequate. Consideration of these anomalies during primary repair could decrease the risk of operation in such patients. However, it seems that the presence of anomalous coronary arteries does not affect incremental risk after surgical repair.     

Interaction of Blood Manganese Concentrations with GSTT1 in Relation to Autism Spectrum Disorder in Jamaican Children

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Using data from 266 age- and sex-matched pairs of Jamaican children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) controls...     

Reconstruction of Chest Wall Using a Two-Layer Prolene Mesh and Bone Cement Sandwich

Wide surgical resection is the most effective treatment for the vast majority of chest wall tumors. This study evaluated the clinical success of chest wall reconstruction using a Prolene mesh and bone cement prosthetic sandwich. The records of all patients undergoing chest wall resection and reconstruction were reviewed. Surgical indications, the location and size of the chest wall defect, diaphragm resection, pulmonary performance, postoperative complications, and survival of each patient were recorded. From 1998 to 2008, 43 patients (27 male, 16 female; mean age of 48 years) underwent surgery in our department to treat malignant chest wall tumors: chondrosarcoma (23), osteosarcoma (8), spindle cell sarcoma (6), Ewing''s sarcoma (2), and others (4). Nine sternectomies and 34 antero-lateral and postero-lateral chest wall resections were performed. Postoperatively, nine patients experienced respiratory complications, and one patient died because of respiratory failure. The overall 4-year survival rate was 60 %. Chest wall reconstruction using a Prolene mesh and bone cement prosthetic sandwich is a safe and effective surgical procedure for major chest wall defects.     

Association of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Gene Polymorphism with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Iranian Azeri Turkish Patients

Background/Aim:

Previous studies have shown the association of some genetic factors, such as Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G polymorphism, with the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to study this polymorphism as a risk factor in IBD patients in this cohort.

Patients and Methods:

One hundred and fifteen IBD patients and 95 healthy controls were selected from Iranian Azeri Turks and -6754G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene was tested by polymerase chain reaction using allele-specific primers confirmed by sequencing.

Results:

There was no significant difference of PAI-1 polymorphism between IBD patients and the control group (P > 0.05). Furthermore, these data showed no significant difference between Crohn''s disease and ulcerative colitis patients. However, 4G/4G homozygotes have reduced probability to progression of loss of appetite, whereas 5G/5G genotypes have increased risk for development of chronic diarrhea without blood, nausea, and loss of appetite.

Conclusions:

Although our study showed no significant association of PAI-1 polymorphism between patients and control group, the carriers of 4G/4G genotype and 4G allele had reduced risk for the progression of IBD features in this cohort.     

Seafood Consumption and Blood Mercury Concentrations in Jamaican Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorders

Mercury is a toxic metal shown to have harmful effects on human health. Several studies have reported high blood mercury concentrations as a risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), while other studies have reported no such association. The goal of this study was to investigate the association between blood mercury concentrations in children and ASDs. Moreover, we investigated the role of seafood consumption in relation to blood mercury concentrations in Jamaican children. Based on data for 65 sex- and age-matched pairs (2?C8 years), we used a General Linear Model to test whether there is an association between blood mercury concentrations and ASDs. After controlling for the child??s frequency of seafood consumption, maternal age, and parental education, we did not find a significant difference (P = 0.61) between blood mercury concentrations and ASDs. However, in both cases and control groups, children who ate certain types of seafood (i.e., salt water fish, sardine, or mackerel fish) had significantly higher (all P < 0.05) geometric means blood mercury concentration which were about 3.5 times that of children living in the US or Canada. Our findings also indicate that Jamaican children with parents who both had education up to high school are at a higher risk of exposure to mercury compared to children with at least one parent who had education beyond high school. Based on our findings, we recommend additional education to Jamaican parents regarding potential hazards of elevated blood mercury concentrations, and its association with seafood consumption and type of seafood.     

On the learning of addictive behavior: Sensation-seeking propensity predicts dopamine turnover in dorsal striatum

Brain Imaging and Behavior - We asked if sensation-seeking is linked to premorbid personality characteristics in patients with addictive disorders, or the characteristics follow the...     

Application of [68Ga]PSMA PET/CT in Diagnosis and Management of Prostate Cancer Patients

Molecular Imaging and Biology - The early and accurate diagnosis of locoregional recurrence or metastasis in prostate cancer (PC) has a significant impact on treatment options. Prostatic-specific...