Objective To investigate the diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)and magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS)changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)and to study on the physiopathology of ALS.Methods Thirty-eight AIS patients,8 patients with pure lower motor neuron involvement and 5 patients with mixed-type cervical spondylosis and 34 healthy controls were enrolled and examined with the conventional brain MRI,DTI and 1H-MRS.Results T2-weighted and T2 FLAIR images revealed abnormal high signals in bilateral pyramidal tract positions in 21%(8/38)of ALS patients,which was higher than that in the coaex When compared with the control group,the values of FA in the precentral gyms(0.492±0.059 vs 0.552±0.045,F=17.150,P<0.01),the posterior limb of the internal capsule(0.679±0.048 vs 0.727 4-0.031.F=19.481.P<0.01)and the cerebral peduncle(1eft:0.740 4-0.038 vs 0.761 4±0.024.F=4.290;right:0.720 ±0.044 vs 0.746 ±0.034,F=3.264,both P<0.01)of the ALS group were decreased significantly.so were the values of NAA/Cr.And the FA reduction rate was 10.9%,6.6% and 2.8%-3.5% respectively.There was also a significant decrease in FA in the anterior limb of the internal capsule and the occipital lobe in the ALS group.Conclusion Not only does the application of DTI and MRS help to demonstrate upper motor neuron involvement in the brain and facilitate the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ALS,but also increases the understanding of the lesion distribution and physiopathology in ALS.

Objective To assess the utility of changes of muscle strength and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscle after the exercise test in diagnosis of hypokalaemic periodic paralysis during inter-attack period. Methods Exercise test was applied on 59 patients with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis and 38 control subjects during inter-attack period. The changes of CMAP amplitude, muscle strength and the range of abduction of ADM muscle at 120 minutes after exercise were calculated and compared between the two groups. Results At 120 minutes after exercise, the M50 (M25, M75 ) of decrease in amplitude of CMAP recorded in ADM muscles were 54. 1% ( 43.1%,66. 3% ) in patients with periodic paralysis and 11.1% (2. 0%, 21.3% ) in control subjects(Z =6. 731,P=0.000), M5o(M25,M75) of decrease in range of abduction of ADM muscles were 39.4% (26.3% ,48. 9% ) in patients with periodic paralysis and 7. 8% ( 1.3%, 13.7% ) in control subjects ( Z = 5. 519,P=0. 000). The muscle strength of ADM muscle was less than Ⅳ grade in 96. 3% (52/54) patients with periodic paralysis and 8.6% ( 3/35 ) in control subjects ( x2 = 68.2, P = 0. 000 ). The sensitivity and specificity for decrease in CMAP amplitude ( best cutoff = 30% ) in diagnosis of hypokalaemic periodic paralysis were 87.5% and 93.7%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for decrease in range of abduction of ADM muscle ( best cutoff = 20% ) were 87.5% and 90. 5%, respectively. Conclusion Exercise test is recommended to apply on patients with suspected hypokalaemic periodic paralysis during inter-attack period. The decrease in range of abduction of ADM muscle more than 20% at 120 minutes after exercise supports the diagnosis of hypokalaemic periodic paralysis.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of exsanguination band used in the lower extremity varicose vein operation.Methods A total of 158 cases of lower extremities varicose veins in this hospital served as the research subjects.All cases underwent the high ligation of great saphenous vein combined with punctate stripping operation.Among them,117 cases intraoperatively used the exsanguination band for blocking the lower limb blood flow (observation group),41 cases did not use the exsanguination band (control group).Then the intraoperative bleeding volume,operation time,pain degree and postoperative complications were observed in the two groups.Results Compared with the control group,the operation time,intraoperative blood loss,hematoma score,prothrombin time (PT) and fibrinogen (FIB) in the observation group were significantly decreased (P＜0.05),while activated partial thrombin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) were significantly increased(P＜0.05).The lower limb blood flow occlusion time in the observation group was 45-62 min with an average of (46.68-5.53) min.The sensory score and pain score at postoperative 2 weeks had no statistical difference between the two groups (P＞0.05).No arterial abnormalities and no obvious ischemic injury were found in the injured limbs of 2 groups.Conclusion Applying the exsanguination band for transiently blocking the blood flow can effectively shorten the operation time,reduces the intraoperative bleeding amount and decreases the subcutaneous hematoma formation risk with high safety.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the impact of platelet count on the prognosis of stage II-III colorectal cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

METHODSClinical and follow-up data of 286 patients with stage II-III colorectal cancer receiving adjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy from March 2003 to October 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. Associations of baseline blood platelet count before chemotherapy and nadir blood platelet count during chemotherapy with relapse and death after adjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed by ROC curve and the optimal cutoff was selected. The association of the blood platelet count and the prognosis was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression model.

RESULTSROC curve showed the baseline blood platelet count was associated with recurrence (AUC=0.588, P=0.034). The optimal cutoff affecting recurrence was 276×10(9)/L. Kaplan-Meier showed those with baseline platelet count >276×10(9)/L receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had worse disease free survival (DFS) than those with baseline platelet count ≤276×10(9)/L, whose 5-year disease free survival(DFS) was 66% and 80% respectively (P=0.013). Cox regression analysis revealed baseline platelet count >276×10(9)/L was an independent unfavorable factor for DFS of adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (HR=1.865, 95% CI: 1.108-3.141, P=0.019).

CONCLUSIONColorectal cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy with baseline platelet count >276×10(9)/L have worse prognosis.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Disease-Free Survival ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; Platelet Count ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

In recent years, the number of patients who have lost their mobility due to neurological diseases such as stroke and spinal cord injury has been increasing. Guidelines state that early and scientific rehabilitation training is essential to improve prognosis and quality of life. However, existing rehabilitation methods rely on therapists to train one-on-one or many-to-one, which is not sufficient to meet clinical needs. As a new technology, the exoskeleton robot provides a unique rehabilitation program for patients with lower limb movement disorders, which has become a hot research topic at home and abroad, and related clinical research is also being carried out rapidly. This review summarizes the clinical research progress of exoskeleton robots in patients with lower limb movement disorders caused by nervous system damage in the past ten years, and the prospect of research, development, and clinical promotion about exoskeleton robots.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of neural development-related genes LIS1and TSNAX with bipolar disorder in a Chinese Han population.

METHODSThree hundred and eight five patients (including 188 males and 197 females) from Guangzhou Brain Hospital with bipolar disorder meeting the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Bipolar Disorder (BDI) (Fourth Edition) criteria and 475 healthy controls from the local community were recruited. Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the LIS1 and TSNAX genes were genotyped by GoldenGate genotyping assay on an Illumina Beadstation 500 machine. Association analyses of SNPs and haplotypes were performed with Plink 1.07 software.

RESULTSAnalysis of the total sample has failed to find any association of SNP or haplotype of the two genes with BDI (P> 0.05). When patients were divided into subgroups with or without psychotic symptom, no significant association of the two genes was found with psychotic BDI or non-psychotic BDI (P> 0.05). No significant association was found between any SNP and haplotype of two genes and female BDI or male BDI, nor were significant association found between age of onset and LIS1 and TSNAX gene polymorphisms.

CONCLUSIONOur results indicated that LIS1 and TSNAX genes are not associated with susceptibility to bipolar I disorder in Chinese Han population.

1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Bipolar Disorder ; ethnology ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Young Adult