Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.

Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.

Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.

Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.

Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.

The 30th annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (JSHBPS) was held in Yokohama,Japan between June 7 and 9,2018.The latest research trends and advances in biliary tract cancer from this meeting were summarized and shared in this paper.The main content includes:history of biliary cancer surgery for recent 30 years and the future of HBP surgery for malignancies,establish of worldwide prospective database of biliary cancer and identify the optimal treatment for early gallbladder cancer,clinical research of neoadjuvant / adjuvant therapy,and progress in basic research of biliary malignancies.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of TCM Bufei Yishen method combined with conventional western medicine for patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presenting lung-kidney deficiency.Methods Sixty six COPD patients with lung-kidney deficiency admitted from January 2014 to December 2015 were randomly divided into Bufei Yishen (BY) group (n=34) and control group (n=32).Patients in control group treated with conventional western medicine and those in BY group were treated with TCM Bufei Yishen recipe combined with conventional western medicine.The pulmonary function and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score were evaluated before and after treatment,and after 3 month-following up.Results In BY group the pulmonary function parameters FEV1 and FEV1/FVC after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (69.91±8.15 vs.51.56 ± 8.33,t=4.435,P< 0.01;57.33 ± 9.86 vs.49.89 ± 8.89,t=3.526,P<0.05,respectively);the FEV1 and FEV1/FVC after 3-momth follow up were significantly higher than those before treatment (65.68±9.54 vs.51.56±8.33,t=3.993,P<0.05;59.08±8.49 vs.49.89±8.89,t=3.668,P<0.05,respectively).In control group the FEV1 and FEV1/FVC after 3-momth follow up were significantly higher than those before treatment (63.94±8.76 vs.50.98±8.08,t=4.475,P<0.05;59.12±9.55 vs.50.35±9.06,t=3.614,P<0.05,respectively).The pulmonary function parameters FEV1 of BY group was significantly better than that of control group (69.91±8.15 vs.62.02±8.91,t=3.745,P<0.05) after 3-months of follow-up.After treatment,the CAT score in both group was decreased (BY group: 27.35±2.93 vs.30.36±3.19,t=3.548,P<0.05;control group: 29.06±2.67 vs.30.51±2.99,t=1.832,P<0.05);however,the CAT score was decreased more markedly in BY group than that in control group (t=2.658,P<0.05).Conclusion TCM Bufei Yishen method combined with conventional western medicine can improve the pulmonary function and quality of life of patients with stable COPD presenting lung-kidney deficiency.

[Summary] A total of 128 individuals with type 2 diabetes underwent continuous glucose monitoring for 3 consecutive days.The dawn phenomenon was defined by three different parameters according to the previous research:(1)the absolute increase of glucose level from nocturnal nadir to prebreakfast value(?G) above 20 mg/dl;(2)?G above 10 mg/dl;( 3 ) insulin requirement increased at least 20%.The participants were secondarily separated by presence/absence of a dawn phenomenon based on the definitions above.The impact on blood glucose fluctuation of different groups was assessed according to the standard deviation of blood glucose( SDBG) , the area under curve above 10 mmol/L ( AUC ) , and the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions ( MAGE ) , etc.The frequencies of dawn phenomenon were 64.8%(?G≥20mg/dl), 85.2%(?G≥10 mg/dl), and 59.4%(rise in insulin requirement≥20%)respectively.The impacts on SDBG, AUC, MAGE, and MODD were without statistical difference(P>0.05) between the presence and absence of the dawn phenomenon patients when?G≥10 mg/dl.However, the differences reached statistical significance(P<0.05) when ?G≥20 mg/dl and the increase in insulin requirement≥20%. Besides, the incidence of dawn phenomenon was positively correlated with HOMA-IR, HbA1C , and free C-peptide.Dawn phenomenon is a very frequent event in type 2 diabetes and not only impacts the overall glycemic control but also exaggerates glucose fluctuation.To be clinically relevant, ?G≥20mg/dl should be taken as the quantitative criterion of the dawn phenomenon.

[Summary] To investigate the association between sleep disorder and ambulatory blood pressure rhythm in patients with type 2 diabetes. 418 patients with type 2 diabetes were divided into two groups according to Pittsburgh sleep quality index ( PSQI):patients without sleep disorder and patients with sleep disorder. Oral glucose tolerance test, insulin releasing test, and C-peptide releasing test were performed to investigate the differences in the β-cell function, the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, and blood pressure variation between the two groups after fasting and glucose-load. The correlation and regression analysis were performed between PSQI and other indicators. (1)The level of HbA1C , fasting plasma insulin, area under curve of insulin, fasting plasma C-peptide, area under curve of C-peptide, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance ( HOMA-IR) were significantly higher in patients withsleepdisordercomparedtothoseinpatientswithoutsleepdisorder[(8.2±2.1)% vs(7.4±1.8)%,(13.42± 4.55vs11.86±4.52)mU/L,(8.51±0.54vs8.38±0.51)mU·L-1·min,(2.42±1.25vs1.79±0.73)ng/ml, (6.59±0.39vs6.49±0.43)μg·L-1·min,4.63±1.12vs3.86±0.97,allP<0.05]. Insulinsensitivityindex (ISI) was lower in patients with sleep disorder than that in patients without sleep disorder(-4. 26 ± 0. 78 vs-4. 05 ± 0.62,P<0.05). (2)Thelevelof24hmeansystolicanddiastolicbloodpressure,nocturalsystolicanddiastolicblood pressure, and systolic blood pressure during daytime and nighttime were significantly higher in patients with type 2 diabetes who were suffering from sleep disorder. The blood pressure variation was more marked in patients with sleep disorder. (3)Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that PSQI score was positively related to area under curve of C-peptide, HOMA-IR, 24 h mean systolic blood pressure, and noctural systolic blood pressure (β=0. 242, 0. 293, 0. 352, 0. 413, all P<0. 05), and negatively related to ISI and decreasing ratio of noctural systolic blood pressure (β=-0. 124 and -0. 226, both P<0. 05). Sleep disorder may cause abnormal circadian rhythm of blood pressure through various mechanisms. Improving sleep disorder may help to ameliorate insulin resistance and restore normal circadian rhythm of blood pressure.

BACKGROUND:The role of minocycline hydrochloride in adjuvant therapy of chronic periodontitis and
periodontal abscess has been widely reported, but detailed study of minocycline hydrochloride for combined periodontal-endodontic lesions is rare at present.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of minocycline hydrochloride in the treatment of combined periodontal-endodontic lesions.
METHODS:A total of 68 teeth with combined periodontal-endodontic lesions were treated with periodontal mechanical treatment and root canal therapy. According to the patient’s wiling, 68 patients were divided into experimental group (n=24; local injection of minocycline hydrochloride after periodontal mechanical treatment), positive control group (n=24; local injection of iodine glycerol after periodontal mechanical treatment), and
negative control group (n=20; no injection after periodontal mechanical treatment). These three groups were reviewed 1 month after periodontal mechanical treatment, and the differences before and after treatment were compared, including periodontal probing depth, attachment loss and gingival bleeding index.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Probing depth, attachment loss and gingival bleeding index in three groups were significantly improved after 1 month of periodontal mechanical treatment (P< 0.05); both probing depth and
sulcus bleeding index in experimental group and positive control group were better than that of the negative
control group (P < 0.05), and probing depth and sulcus bleeding index in experimental group were better than that
of positive control group (P < 0.05). Experimental findings indicate that, in the clinical treatment of combined
periodontal-endodontic lesions, in addition to periodontal mechanical treatment and root canal therapy, local application of minocycline hydrochloride can effectively reduce the depth of periodontal pocket, improve gingival inflammatory
conditions and consolidate curative effect.