BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the first cohort of people in China treated with a responsive neurostimulation system (Epilcure TM , GenLight MedTech, Hangzhou, China) for focal drug-resistant epilepsy in this study. METHODS: This multicenter, before-and-after self-controlled study was conducted across 8 centers from March 2022 to June 2023, involving patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who were undergoing responsive neurostimulation (RNS). The study was based on an ongoing multi-center, single-blind, randomized controlled study. Efficacy was assessed through metrics including median seizure count, seizure frequency reduction (SFR), and response rate. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationships of basic clinical factors and intracranial electrophysiological characteristics with SFR. The postoperative quality of life, cognitive function, depression, and anxiety were evaluated as well. RESULTS: The follow-up period for the 19 participants was 10.7 ± 3.4 months. Seizure counts decreased significantly 6 months after device activation, with median SFR of 48% at the 6th month (M6) and 58% at M12 ( P  <0.05). The average response rate after 13 months of treatment was 42%, with 21% ( n  = 4) of the participants achieving seizure freedom. Patients who have previously undergone resective surgery appear to achieve better therapeutic outcomes at M11, M12 and M13 ( β  <0, P  <0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in patients' scores of quality of life, cognition, depression and anxiety following stimulation when compared to baseline measurements. No serious adverse events related to the devices were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary findings suggest that Epilcure TM exhibits promising therapeutic potential in reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures. However, to further validate its efficacy, larger-scale randomized controlled trials are required. REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR2200055247).
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Drug Resistant Epilepsy/therapy* ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; China ; Adolescent ; Treatment Outcome ; Quality of Life ; Single-Blind Method ; Seizures ; Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods*

Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide. Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) accounts for up to a third of these cases, and neuro-inflammation is thought to play a role in such cases. Despite being a long-debated issue in the field of DRE, the mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation have yet to be fully elucidated. The pro-inflammatory microenvironment within the brain tissue of people with DRE has been probed using single-cell multimodal transcriptomics. Evidence suggests that inflammatory cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the nervous system can lead to extensive biochemical changes, such as connexin hemichannel excitability and disruption of neurotransmitter homeostasis. The presence of inflammation may give rise to neuronal network abnormalities that suppress endogenous antiepileptic systems. We focus on the role of neuroinflammation and brain network anomalies in DRE from multiple perspectives to identify critical points for clinical application. We hope to provide an insightful overview to advance the quest for better DRE treatments.
Humans ; Drug Resistant Epilepsy/metabolism* ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/immunology* ; Animals ; Brain/pathology* ; Nerve Net/pathology*

Alzheimer disease(AD)and Parkinson disease(PD)are both common neurodegenerative disorders,which can manifest as cognitive impairments.AD and PD have overlapping and distinct features in cognition-related metabolic pathways,potentially reflecting different underlying mechanisms.MRI can indirectly assess structural and functional changes in metabolic pathways,while PET can evaluate cerebral metabolic activity and functional connectivity.Integration of MRI and PET may provide complementary insights into neural structure and function.This review summarized research progresses in the application of MRI and PET for neuroimaging studies of cognitive impairment in neurodegenerative diseases.

Alzheimer disease(AD)and Parkinson disease(PD)are both common neurodegenerative disorders,which can manifest as cognitive impairments.AD and PD have overlapping and distinct features in cognition-related metabolic pathways,potentially reflecting different underlying mechanisms.MRI can indirectly assess structural and functional changes in metabolic pathways,while PET can evaluate cerebral metabolic activity and functional connectivity.Integration of MRI and PET may provide complementary insights into neural structure and function.This review summarized research progresses in the application of MRI and PET for neuroimaging studies of cognitive impairment in neurodegenerative diseases.

Objective:To preliminarily explore the zoning of inflammatory lesions in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) based on the peripancreatic membrane anatomy, and its impact on treatment outcome of ANP.Methods:Clinical data of 197 patients with ANP treated at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 133 males and 64 females, aged (47.2±13.3) years old. Basic information, characteristics of pancreatitis, and imaging data were collected. The inflammatory lesions were partitioned based on the peripancreatic membrane anatomy. Patients were followed-up via outpatient visits or telephone reviews. According to the prognosis, patients were divided into the poor-prognosis group ( n=93), including patients with postoperative multi-organ failure, severe local complications, and death; and the non-poor-prognosis group ( n=104), including patients without these adverse outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing prognosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to assess the predictive power of the number of involved regions for poor prognosis. Results:The inflammatory lesions of pancreas were divided into 13 regions: the lesser sac, pancreatic head and duodenum, left anterior renal, right anterior renal, left posterior renal, right posterior renal, left perirenal fat sac, right perirenal fat sac, left lateral abdominal wall, right lateral abdominal wall, left pelvic wall, right pelvic wall, and other regions. Significant differences were observed between the poor-prognosis group and the non-poor-prognosis group in terms of body mass index (BMI), pancreatic necrosis area, and the number of inflammatory lesion regions (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high BMI ( OR=1.723, 95% CI: 1.457-2.038, P<0.001), pancreatic necrosis area ≥50% ( OR=3.221, 95% CI: 1.073-9.668, P=0.037), and a higher number of inflammatory lesion regions ( OR=1.388, 95% CI: 1.110-1.735, P=0.004) were associated with a higher risk of poor prognosis in patients with ANP. Based on the number of inflammatory lesion regions, the ROC curve analysis revealed that the optimal cut-off value was 5.5 for predicting poor prognosis in patients with ANP, with an area under the curve of 0.747(95% CI: 0.680-0.815) and a sensitivity and specificity of 0.387 and 0.962, respectively. Conclusion:The peripancreatic membrane anatomy facilitates a relatively fixed partitioning of inflammatory lesions in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis, and the number of inflammatory lesion regions is associated with poor prognosis.

Pancreatic cancer is also known as the " king of cancer" . It is difficult to diagnose and has a high degree of malignancy. Most patients are in advanced stage when they are found. The prognosis is very poor. Early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer are very important to improve survival rate and prognosis. In recent years, with the continuous popularization of laparoscopic technology, as well as the updating and iteration of related equipment such as 3D visualization and 4K high-definition laparoscopy, and the continuous maturity of surgical technology, laparoscopic surgery for pancreatic tumors has also made unprecedented progress. This review will discuss the application and development of laparoscopic pancreatic surgery as a treatment strategy for pancreatic cancer based on the existing research progress.

Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal plain scan and contrast-enhanced multi-slice CT after orally diluted iodide in time segment(Post-ODI ANCCE-MSCT)for gastrointestinal fistula(GIF)secondary to acute pancreatitis(AP).Materials and Methods A total of 108 patients with late AP in the prospective and continuously collected database of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2017 to December 2022 were retrospectively extracted.Their demographic information and clinical features were recorded and GIF were screened by Post-ODI ANCCE-MSCT.The comprehensive clinical diagnosis results within 5 days thereafter were used as reference standards.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy of Post-ODI ANCCE-MSCT for diagnosing GIF secondary to AP were calculated using a four-cell table,and the consistency of the two methods was evaluated by Kappa test and McNemar's test.Results Sensitivity was 91.5%(95%CI 78.7%-97.2%),specificity was 98.4%(95%CI 90.0%-99.9%),positive predictive value was 97.7%(95%CI 86.5%-99.9%),negative predictive value was 93.8%(95%CI 84.0%-98.0%),and the accuracy was 95.4%(95%CI 91.4%-99.3%),respectively.The Kappa value was 0.905,and P value was 0.375 via McNemar's test.Conclusion Post-ODI ANCCE-MSCT can diagnose GIF secondary to AP in a simple,non-invasive,rapid and accurate way,and provide earlier,more accurate and reliable image basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease has become the most important chronic liver disease in China.Its mechanism is not completely clear.Professor Sheng Guoguang examines the symptoms and seek the cause,treats the disease by stages from the perspective of"earth-obstructing and wood-stagnation,phlegm and blood stasis",summarizes the core pathogenesis of each stage,and prescribes drugs for the pathogenesis.In the early stage,the disease is mainly caused by earth-obstructing and wood-stagnation and phlegm and blood stasis and the corresponding treatment method should be activating spleen to eliminate depression,relieving phlegm and promoting blood circulation,with common use of modified Sizhu Decoction combined with Erchen Decoction.In the middle stage,phlegm and blood stasis transform into heat are the main pathogenesis,and the appropriate treatment is clearing liver and purging fire,and relieving phlegm and promoting blood circulation,with common use of modified Xiaochaihu Decoction combined with Erchen Decoction.In the late stage,weakness of the internal organs is the main pathogenesis,and it is appropriate to nourish liver and fortify the spleen,tonifying the kidney and consolidate the root,supplementing with reducing phlegm and activating blood circulation,with common use of modified Yiguan Decoction combined with Liujunzi Decoction in modification,which has achieved confirmed clinical efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Extreme temperature events, including extreme cold, are becoming more frequent worldwide, which might be harmful to pregnant women and cause adverse birth outcomes. We aimed to investigate the association between exposure to low ambient temperature in pregnant women and adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth, and to summarize the evidence herein. METHODS: Relevant studies were searched in PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase electronic databases until November 2021. Studies involving low ambient temperature, preterm birth, birth weight, and stillbirth were included. The guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses were followed to conduct this study risk of bias and methods for data synthesis. RESULTS: A total of 34 studies were included. First, pregnant women exposed to low ambient temperature had an increased risk of preterm birth (risk ratio [RR] 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.13). Subgroup analyses revealed that exposure during late pregnancy was more likely to induce preterm birth. In addition, only pregnant women exposed to <1st percentile of the mean temperature suffered increased risk of preterm birth. Moreover, pregnant women living in medium or hot areas were more prone to have preterm births than those in cold areas when exposed to low ambient temperatures. Asians and Blacks were more susceptible to low ambient temperatures than Caucasians. Second, pregnant women exposed to low ambient temperature had an increased risk of low birth weight (RR 1.07; 95% CI 1.03-1.12). Third, pregnant women had an increased risk of stillbirth while exposed to low ambient temperature during the entire pregnancy (RR 4.63; 95% CI 3.99-5.38). CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to low ambient temperature during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes. Pregnant women should avoid exposure to extremely low ambient temperature (<1st percentile of the mean temperature), especially in their late pregnancy. This study could provide clues for preventing adverse outcomes from meteorological factors. REGISTRATION No. CRD42021259776 at PROSPERO ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ).
Pregnancy ; Infant, Newborn ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Premature Birth/epidemiology* ; Stillbirth/epidemiology* ; Temperature ; Pregnancy Complications

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of modified open necrosectomy (MON) and small incision combined with nephroscopic operation (SINO) in the "one-step" treatment for infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN).Methods:The clinical data of 28 patients with IPN undergoing " one-step" surgery in Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from December 2012 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 17 males and 11 females, aged (53.2±13.0) years old. The general information, characteristics of pancreatitis and other clinical data of patients were collected. The white blood cell count, neutrophil count, hematocrit, C-reactive protein (CRP) and other laboratory indicators were compared before and 7 days after surgery. Patients were followed up by outpatient or telephone review.Results:Among the patients, 16 were treated with MON and 12 with SINO. All procedures were successfully completed. Compared to preoperative data, white blood cell count [9.6(6.7, 12.6)×10 9/L vs. 12.7(8.2, 16.6)×10 9/L] and CRP 48.0(25.5, 86.4) mg/L vs. 60.0(23.6, 86.8) mg/L] decreased after surgery (both P<0.05). In MON group, three patients could tolerate fat diet, nine restored physical self-maintenance, and nine returned to occupation after surgery. In SINO group, three patients could tolerate fat diet, six restored physical self-maintenance, and three returned to occupation after surgery. The mortality of 28 patients was 10.7% (3/28). None of patients had incisional hernia. No major complications occurred in MON group. In SINO group, one patient developed new organ failure, two suffered postoperative bleeding requiring intervention, and four suffered new hollow visceral perforation or gastrointestinal fistula. Conclusion:Both MON and SINO are safe and feasible for one-step treatment in patients with IPN.