Autoimmune paranodopathy (APN) has emerged as an independent rare disease,which is medicated by autoimmune antibodies against the essential complex of paranodal region of Ranvier. The antibodies include anti-neurofascin 155 antibody, anti-contactin-1 antibody and anti-contactin-associated protein 1 antibody. Although there are many similarities between APN and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), patients with APN have relatively unique clinical features, pathogenesis, histopathological results and responses to intravenous immune globulin, distinguishing from typical CIDP. The predominant subclass of IgG among pathogenic antibodies is IgG4, meanwhile, other subclasses have been rarely reported. Early detecting the APN related antibodies and their subclasses not only helps to clarify the diagnosis, but also provides valuable clinical information for the selection of precise treatment and prognosis.

Objective:To explore the effectiveness of 18F-deuterated-Florbetapir (D3FSP) PET/CT imaging in detecting β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition in the brain and its correlation with plasma biomarkers. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 79 patients (32 males, 47 females; age(66±7)years) who underwent 18F-D3FSP PET/CT imaging from June 2022 to November 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, as a part of the Greater Bay Area Healthy Aging Brain Longitudinal Cohort Study (GHABS). Based on the Alzheimer′s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort standard protocol, patients were categorized into cognitively unimpaired (CU) group, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) group, and Alzheimer′s disease (AD) group. Brain regions were segmented using the AW workstation and the SUV ratio (SUVR) was calculated with the cerebellum as the reference region. One-way analysis of variance, Bonferroni correction and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze data. The ROC curve analysis was used to analyze the cut-off value and the diagnostic efficacy of SUVR. Results:There were 48, 15 and 16 cases in CU, MCI and AD groups respectively. During the transition from CU to MCI and then to AD, there was a rising trend in SUVR ( F values: 11.15-22.38, all P<0.001) across the whole brain and various brain regions (bilateral frontal lobes, bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus, bilateral precuneus, bilateral parietal lobes, bilateral lateral temporal lobes, and bilateral occipital lobes). SUVRs of the right anterior cingulate gyrus and bilateral precuneus were different between the CU and MCI groups (all P<0.017), and those of bilateral frontal lobes, right precuneus, bilateral parietal lobes, bilateral lateral temporal lobes, and bilateral occipital lobes were different between the MCI and AD groups (all P<0.017). SUVRs of brain regions were negatively correlated with cognitive scale scores ( r values: from -0.57 to -0.37, all P<0.001), and were positively correlated with plasma phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181, r values: 0.50-0.61, all P<0.001). The ROC curve analysis suggested that the cut-off value of SUVR in the precuneus for distinguishing CU from AD was 1.20, with the AUC, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 0.85, 12/16, 91.7%(44/48)and 87.5%(56/64), respectively. Conclusion:18F-D3FSP PET/CT imaging has good clinical application value in assessing the deposition sites and the extent of Aβ in the brain, which is related to clinical cognition and plasma p-tau181 level.

Ommaya reservoir implantation is generally used in the treatment of hydrocephalus and intraventricular drug administration. Ommaya reservoir implantation in the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord for the intrathecal drug administration has not been carried out in China, and only several reports can be retrieved from PubMed. About 60%-90% of untreated patients with spinal muscular atrophy type 2 (SMA2) who survive to adulthood often have complex scoliosis and joint deformities. Nusinersen is an effective drug for the treatment of SMA2. And the route of administration is intrathecal injection, which is difficult for patients with severe scoliosis. This article summarizes the process of Ommaya reservoir implantation and postoperative drug administration in a patient with complex scoliosis type SMA2, which provides a new method for clinical treatment of this disease.

Objective To investigate the effect of Liangxue Jiedu decoction on intestinal flora in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods The patients who were hospitalized and diagnosed with HBV-ACLF in Beijing Ditan Hospital from October 2018 to October 2019 were enrolled, and healthy individuals were enrolled as HP group. High-throughput sequencing was used to screen for the differences in bacterial diversity and species between HBV-ACLF patients and healthy individuals, and differentially expressed bacteria between the two groups were screened out at the phylum and genus levels. With the help of in vitro simulated fermentation experiment, fecal samples were collected from the patients with HBV-ACLF and were then cultured in the medium containing different concentrations of Liangxue Jiedu decoction (0, 10%, 50%, and 100%) for 24 hours, and the changes in intestinal flora were analyzed and compared between the HBV-ACLF treatment group, the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group, and the HP group at the genus level. The t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. Results A total of 10 HBV-ACLF patients were enrolled, with 5 in the HBV-ACLF treatment group and 5 in the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group, and there were 15 individuals in the HP group. Compared with the HP group, the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group had significant reductions in the diversity and abundance of intestinal flora. At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were mainly observed in the samples of the HP group, while the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group had a significant reduction in Bacteroidetes and significant increases in Fusobacteria , Proteobacteria , and Fibrobacteres. At the genus level, compared with the HP group, the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group had significant reductions in Ruminococcus, Blautia , and Eubacterium and significant increases in Parabacteroides, Lactobacillus, Fusobacterium , and Streptococcus . The in vitro fermentation experiment showed that compared with the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group, the HBV-ACLF treatment group had significant increases in Ruminococcus, Lachnospira, Bacteroides , and Genusgenus and significant reductions in Fusobacterium and Proteobacteria (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Liangxue Jiedu decoction can regulate intestinal flora disturbance, restore the diversity of intestinal flora, increase dominant bacteria, and reduce pathogenic bacteria, which may be one of its important mechanisms of action in the treatment of HBV-ACLF.

Objective To investigate the characteristic of sleep disorders in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) through polysomnography and subjective questionnaires. Methods Eighteen FLE patients (FLE group) and 15 healthy subjects (control group) were recruited to our study. Two groups were evaluated by whole-night polysomnography, included total time in bed (TIB), total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE), sleep latency (SL), rapid eye movement (REM) latency (RL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), the percentage of non-REM (NREM) 1, 2, 3 stages and the percentage of REM occupied TST, the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), hypopnea index, mean oxygen saturation (SpO2) and nadir oxygen saturation, periodic leg movements (PLMs) index and PLMs index of REM sleep, sleep stage shifts (SSS) and sleep stage shifts per hour (SSS/h), wake, NREM1, NREM2, NREM3 and REM sleep stage shifts (abbreviated as N1, N2, N3, REM, W) and their proportions of SSS (abbreviated as N1/SSS, N2/SSS, N3/SSS, REM/SSS, W/SSS). Data of depress and fatigue degrees, sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness were assessed by subjective questionnaires. Results Compared with control group, TIB [(503.22±62.33) min], WASO[(54.11±18.97) min], SSS (161.17±56.83), SSS/h (22.60±6.25), N1(42.56± 15.26) and N2 (57.28 ± 26.57), number of wake stage (25.33 ± 10.97) were significantly increased in FLE group. Meanwhile, scores of depression (9.33±5.01) and fatigue (5.72±3.36) were increased in FLE group compared with those of control group. Conclusion The sleep disorders can be found in FLE, which are related with depression and FLE seizure frequency.

Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy of high-flow nasal cannulae oxygen (HFNC) in patients with respiratory failure.Methods Computerized PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, CBM, VIP, Wanfang Database up to March 31st, 2017, all published available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cohort studies about HFNC therapy for patients with respiratory failure were searched. The control group was treated with face mask oxygen therapy (FM) or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), while the experimental group was treated with HFNC. The main outcomemeasurements included endotracheal intubation rate, patient comfort, and the secondary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The quality of the literature was completed by two professionally trained evidence-based medical students, and meta-analysis was performed on quality-compliant literature. Funnel plot was used to analyze the publication bias.Results A total of 17 articles were enrolled including 15 RCTs and 2 cohort studies. There were 3909 patients enrolled, 1907 patients in HFNC group, and 2002 in control group (1068 patients with FM, and 934 with NIPPV). Meta-analysis showed that HFNC had a significant advantage over FM in reducing the tracheal intubation rate of patients with respiratory failure [odds ratio (OR) = 0.51, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.29-0.89,P = 0.02], but there was no significant difference as compared with that of NIPPV (OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.54-1.17,P = 0.25). It was shown by pooled analysis of two subgroups that compared with FM/NIPPV, HFNC had a significant advantage in reducing tracheal intubation rate in patients with respiratory failure (pooledOR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.47-0.94, P = 0.02). Compared with FM, patients with respiratory failure were more likely to receive HFNC for comfort [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.41, 95%CI = -0.56 to -0.26,P < 0.00001]. There was no significant difference in hospital mortality between HFNC and FM (OR = 0.82, 95%CI = 0.55-1.24,P = 0.35) or NIPPV (OR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.37-1.17, P = 0.16). The results of pooled analysis of two subgroups were still unchanged (pooledOR = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.54-1.05, P = 0.09). It was shown by the funnel analysis that there was a bias in the study of tracheal intubation rate in the literature, while the bias of patient comfort and hospital mortality was low.Conclusions Compared with FM, HFNC could reduce the rate of tracheal intubation in patients with respiratory failure, but no difference was found as compared with NIPPV. Compared with FM, HFNC made patients more comfortable, and it was easier to be accepted and tolerated. However, there was no difference in hospital mortality among FM, NIPPV, and HFNC.

In recent years, extensive studies have been conducted on the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the action of mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in NAFLD has become a new research topic. TCM has achieved good clinical efficacy in the treatment of NAFLD, with the advantages of specific, flexible, multilevel, and multi-target treatment. This article introduces the role of TCM in improving insulin, regulating lipid metabolism, preventing lipid peroxidation, regulating cytokines, regulating and maintaining the dynamic balance of factors involved in lipid metabolism, and maintaining the balance of intestinal microflora, and analyzes the major problems in TCM research.

Epilepsy is one of the nervous system diseases,which is correlated with multiple pathogenic factors and caused by repeated discharge of neurons.Currently,there are more than 50 million people worldwide suffering from epilepsy with an average annual increase of 100 000 cases.The prevalence rate of sleep disorders in epilepsy patients is high,by up to two times than that of healthy subjects.Common sleep disorders in epilepsy patients include insomnia,sleep apnea,restless legs syndrome and parasomnias.The characteristics of sleep abnormalities have differences with the epilepsy syndromes.The relationship between epilepsy and sleep is complex and interactive.The mechanism of combined sleep disorders in epilepsy patients is still unclear.In this paper,the relationship between epilepsy and sleep disorders in epilepsy patients was summarized,which involves multiple aspects such as the possible mechanism of combined sleep disorders,the common features of sleep disorders,the possible mechanism of sleep abnormalities in different epilepsy syndromes and the characteristics of sleep structure,the effect of antiepileptic drugs on sleep architecture abnormalities and its role in combined sleep disorders.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effects of metacarpus and phalanx traction on correction of scar contracture of hand after burn on the palm side retrospectively.

METHODSA total of 32 patients with 39 affected hands with scar contracture on the palm side after burn were hospitalized from May 2010 to December 2014. Method of treatment: scar contracture was conservatively released followed by skin grafting, which was referred to as method A; Kirschner wire was inserted into the middle or distal phalanx of finger with contracture and the corresponding metacarpus in the shape of U for 2 to 7 weeks' traction, which was referred to as method B; traction frame was built based on the traction pile and anchor formed by Kirschner wire inserted through the second to the fifth metacarpus and distal phalanx of finger with contracture, and then the affected fingers were pulled into a straight position with rubber bands for 2 to 6 months, which was referred to as method C. Method A was used in patients who would be treated with thorough release of scar followed by skin grafting routinely. Method B was used in patients who would be treated with intramedullary Kirschner wire fixation after release of scar contracture and skin transplantation routinely. Method C was further used in patients when methods A and B failed to accomplish the expected result. Method C was used in the first place followed by method A in whom there might be vascular decompensation or exposure of tendon and bone after scar release, and those who failed to meet the expectation were treated with method C in addition. Patients who were unwilling to undergo surgery were treated with method C exclusively. During the course of treatment, the presence or absence of infection and slipping of Kirschner wire or its slitting through soft tissue were observed. The presence or absence of tendency of recurrence of scar contracture within 1 to 2 weeks after treatment was observed. The length of palmar skin measuring from the root of finger with contracture to wrist crease was measured before treatment, at the termination of treatment, and 1 month after the termination of treatment. Scar condition was assessed with the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) before treatment and 1, 3, and 6 month(s) after the termination of treatment. Before treatment and 1 month after the termination of treatment, the range of motion was measured with the Total Active Movement (TAM) method; band function was evaluated by the Jebsen Test of Hand Function (JTHF), and the completion time was recorded. Data were processed with analysis of variance, LSD-t test, and t test.

RESULTSTwenty-four patients with 27 affected hands were treated with scheme A + B; 5 patients with 7 affected hands were treated with method C exclusively; 2 patients with 3 affected hands were treated with scheme A + B + C; 1 patient with 2 affected hands were treated with scheme C + A + C. During the course of treatment, no complication such as infection or slicing of tissue was observed, but there was a slight shifting of U-shaped Kirschner wire in 14 affected hands of 13 patients. Tendency of recurrence of scar contracture was observed in 11 affected hands of 10 patients, but the scar contracture did not reoccur after treatment with orthosis. The skin length of palmar side was respectively (131.8 ± 9.8) and (127.6 ± 7.5) mm at the termination of treatment and 1 month after, and they were both significantly longer than that before treatment [(114.5 ± 2.4) mm, with values respectively 10.71 and 10.39, P values below 0.001]. The score of VSS was respectively (9.8 ± 2.4), (9.7 ± 1.7), (9.3 ± 0.8), and (7.7 ± 0.5) points before treatment and 1, 3, and 6 month(s) after the termination of treatment. Only the score at 6 months after the termination of treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment (t = 3.28, P < 0.01). The ratio of excellent and good results according to method TAM was respectively 2.6% (1/39) and 94.9% (37/39) before treatment and 1 month after the termination of treatment. The time for JTHF measurement was (13.9 ± 4.1) min before treatment, and it was shortened to (11.0 ± 2.8) min 1 month after the termination of treatment (t = 3.65, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSSingle application of metacarpus and phalanx traction or its combination with skin transplantation after scar release in correcting scar contracture of the palm of hand after burn can lengthen the contracted tissue, and it is beneficial for the restoration of function and appearance of affected hand.

Burns ; rehabilitation ; therapy ; Cicatrix ; therapy ; Contracture ; surgery ; Hand Injuries ; rehabilitation ; therapy ; Humans ; Metacarpus ; Orthotic Devices ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Skin Transplantation ; Tendons ; Time ; Traction ; Treatment Outcome

A sensitive and selective method based on gas chromatography hyphenated to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed and validated for the determination of atractylon in rat plasma. Plasma samples were processed by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate-n-hexane (1:1, v/v) using acetophenone as an internal standard (IS). Analytes were determined in selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode using target ions at m/z 108.1 for atractylon and m/z 105.1 for acetophenone. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range of 10-1000 ng/mL with lower limit of quantification of 10 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision variations were not more than 10.4% and 9.6%, respectively, whilst accuracy values ranged from -6.5% to 4.9%. Extraction recovery of the assay was satisfactory. This method was suc-cessfully applied to quantification and pharmacokinetic study of atractylon in rat plasma after in-tragastric administration of Atractylodis extract.