Enlarged high frequency oscillations of the median nerve somatosensory evoked potential and survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ObjectiveA large N20 and P25 of the median nerve somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) predicts short survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We investigated whether high frequency oscillations (HFOs) over N20 are enlarged and associated with survival in ALS.MethodsA total of 145 patients with ALS and 57 healthy subjects were studied. We recorded the median nerve SEP and measured the onset-to-peak amplitude of N20 (N20o-p), and peak-to-peak amplitude between N20 and P25 (N20p-P25p). We obtained early and late HFO potentials by filtering SEP between 500 and 1 kHz, and measured the peak-to-peak amplitude. We followed up patients until endpoints (death or tracheostomy) and analyzed the relationship between SEP or HFO amplitudes and survival using a Cox analysis.ResultsPatients showed larger N20o-p, N20p-P25p, and early and late HFO amplitudes than the control values. N20p-P25p was associated with survival periods (p = 0.0004), while early and late HFO amplitudes showed no significant association with survival (p = 0.4307, and p = 0.6858, respectively).ConclusionsThe HFO amplitude in ALS is increased, but does not predict survival.SignificanceThe enlarged HFOs in ALS might be a compensatory phenomenon to the hyperexcitability of the sensory cortex pyramidal neurons.     

参芪润肠通便汤治疗小儿便秘的临床疗效

目的观察参芪润肠通便汤治疗小儿便秘的临床疗效。方法选定麻城市人民医院中医儿科门诊治疗的小儿便秘患儿80例,研究时段自2017年2月—2019年1月,按照治疗方式进行分组,分对照组(40例,常规药物治疗)、试验组(40例,参芪润肠通便汤治疗),回顾分析患儿临床资料,比较临床疗效、症状积分。结果试验组临床总有效率(95.00%)显著较对照组(77.50%)高,P<0.05;试验组治疗前1 d大便全程干燥、腹部胀满、胃纳减退评分与对照组相比存在差异,但P<0.05,治疗2周后两组上述评分均降低,且试验组较对照组低,P<0.05。结论针对小儿便秘患儿,参芪润肠通便汤可改善患者症状,促进其病情恢复,患儿整体状态得以改善,值得借鉴。     

直丝弓矫治器和Begg矫治器治疗安氏Ⅱ类1分类错[牙合]畸形疗效比较

目的:对比不同矫治器对错[牙合]畸形患者面高度及前后牙咬合关系的影响。方法:选取于笔者医院接受矫治的83例错[牙合]畸形患者,根据患者矫治器类型分为直丝弓组和Begg组,分别为42例和41例。比较并分析两组患者治疗前后牙咬合关系、硬组织、磨牙及面高度的变化情况。结果:矫治后,两组患者OJ-PPV、OB-PP、LMA-MPV、LMA-MPV均降低,Begg矫治组OJ-PPV水平显著高于直丝弓矫治组,OB-PP、LMA-MPV、LMA-MPV水平显著低于直丝弓矫治组,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组患者LAFH、LAFH/TAFH、PFH/TAFH水平均升高,其中Begg矫治组患者LAFH水平显著低于直丝弓矫治组,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组患者LMA-MP、LMC-MP水平均升高,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);矫治前后,两组患者SNA、SNA、ANB水平均无统计学差异(P>0.05)。结论:两种矫治器对错[牙合]畸形患者硬组织变化均无明显影响,其中Begg矫治对患者前后牙咬合关系改善作用更强,直丝弓对患者面高度的改善能力更强。     

疏肝健脾法治疗腹泻型肠易激综合征1例

肠易激综合征（IBS）是一种常见的功能性疾病，中医病名为"肠郁"。郭朋教授根据IBS生理、病理特点，以疏肝健脾法调和肝脾，辨证施治，取得良好疗效。文章从病因病机、辨证论治及经典案例介绍等几个方面对郭教授治疗IBS经验进行系统阐述，以期为中医药治疗IBS提供理论和方法学参考。     

基于调控肠道菌群探讨中药防治脑卒中

肠道菌群是一个独特的生态系统,被称为人体"被遗忘的器官",被誉为人类的"第二基因组"。肠道菌群失调与许多中枢神经系统疾病相关,例如帕金森病、阿尔茨海默症、精神分裂症及多发性硬化等。脑卒中具有高的发病率、复发率、死亡率和致残率的特点。肠道菌群在脑卒中的发生、发展中起着关键的作用,可通过影响机体的吸收、代谢、血压、血糖、血脂及动脉粥样斑块等因素,进一步影响脑卒中的发病。中医认为脾胃气血流注失度、阴阳盛衰失衡,机体生理功能失调,化生"风、火、痰、虚、瘀"等病理产物,可致中风的发生。脾胃主腐熟运化水谷,肠道菌群影响饮食的消化吸收,现代研究的肠道菌群功能与中医之脾胃功能失调相关。因此,调整肠道菌群的稳态,可作为一个潜在的干预靶点预防和治疗缺血性脑卒中。中药干预脑卒中已经取得了很好的疗效,是否与调节肠道菌群有关,值得未来做进一步的研究。同时对中药有效成分(小檗碱、黄芩苷、白藜芦醇等),中药单方(丹参、红景天等)和中药组方(补阳还五汤、脑心通胶囊、补中益气汤等)防治脑缺血的研究进展进行综述,为缺血性脑卒中的预防和开发提供新的途径和思路。     

Dynamic Indicators That Impact the Outcomes of Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in Complicated Type B Aortic Dissection

PurposeTo investigate dynamic variables obtained from retrospective computed tomography angiography for ability to predict thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) outcomes in patients with complicated type B aortic dissection (cTBAD).Materials and MethodsSeventy-nine patients with cTBAD who received TEVAR from March 2009 to June 2018 were retrospectively enrolled. Relative true lumen area (r-TLA) was computed at the level of tracheal bifurcation every 5% of all R-R intervals. Parameters that reflect the state of intimal motion were evaluated, including difference between maximum and minimum r-TLA (D-TLA) and true lumen collapse. The endpoints comprised early (≤ 30 days) and late (> 30 days) outcomes after intervention.ResultsOverall early mortality rate was 13.9% (11/79), and early adverse events rate was 24.1% (19/79). Patients who received TEVAR within 2 days of symptom onset demonstrated the worst outcomes. A longer time of r-TLA < 25% in 1 cardiac cycle (P = .049) and larger D-TLA (P < .001) were correlated to an increased early death. In addition, D-TLA was an independent predictor of early mortality. Area under the curve of D-TLA was 0.849 (95% confidence interval 0.730–0.967) for predicting early mortality and 0.742 (95% CI 0.611–0.873) for predicting early adverse events. Survival and event-free survival rates during follow-up were decreased in the D-TLA > 21.5% group compared with the D-TLA ≤ 21.5% group (all P < .001).ConclusionsLarger D-TLA is correlated with worse postoperative outcomes and might be a crucial parameter for future risk stratification in patients with cTBAD.     

The discrepancy between verbal and visuoperceptual IQ in children with a specific learning disorder: An analysis of 1624 cases

Children with a specific learning disorder (SLD) are often characterized by marked intellectual strengths and weaknesses. In the last few years, research has focused on a common discrepancy between low working memory and processing speed on the one hand, and high verbal and visuoperceptual intelligence on the other. SLD profiles featuring a specific discrepancy between verbal and visuoperceptual abilities have been only marginally considered, however, and their systematic comparison vis-à-vis typically-developing (TD) populations has yet to be conducted. The present study examined a dataset of 1624 WISC-IV profiles of children with a diagnosis of SLD. It emerged that the proportion of children with a Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) at least 1.5 SD (22 standardized points) lower than their scores on the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) was larger than the proportion of SLD children with the opposite discrepant profile; it was also larger than the same proportion found among TD children. Comparing the two discrepant profiles revealed that the children also differed by type of learning difficulty, gender, and performance in the WISC-IV Symbol search task. Further examination suggested that children who were discrepant and also distinctly poor in visuoperceptual intelligence were particularly slow in general processing.     

张立平教授治疗消化道术后胃肠功能紊乱经验

消化道术后胃肠功能紊乱影响着患者们的生活质量。张立平教授认为术后胃肠功能紊乱，证属本虚标实，临床治疗当从调理中焦-脾胃肝为切入点，强调"脾胃为本""中焦一体"的治疗思路，总结出脾胃虚弱、肝郁脾虚两个证型，临证时以培土达木为基本治疗原则，辨证论治，临床疗效显著。     

Surgery of the spleen

The spleen is a solid organ located beneath the left hemidiaphragm. Indications for surgical resection include trauma (blunt or penetrating), haematological diseases, abscesses, hydatid disease, oncological resection or immunosuppression. Surgical approaches include open, laparoscopic and, more recently, robotic; the complications of operative intervention will also be discussed. In patients with an absent spleen there is a significant increased risk of developing overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI). It is therefore essential to protect patients from infection due to encapsulated organisms through vaccination. This requires a combination of vaccinations, antibiotic prophylaxis and good education.