High-frequency Oscillations and the Seizure Onset Zones in Neocortical Epilepsy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To study the characters of high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in the seizure onset zones (SOZ) and the nonseizure onset zones (NSOZ) in the electrocorticography (ECoG) of patients with neocortical epilepsy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Only patients with neocortical epilepsy who were seizure-free after surgery as determined with ECoG were included. We selected patients with normal magnetic resonance imaging before surgery in order to avoid the influence of HFOs by other lesions. Three minutes preictal and 10 min interictal ECoG as recorded in 39 channels in the SOZ and 256 channels in the NSOZ were analyzed. Ripples and fast ripples (FRs) were analyzed by Advanced Source Analysis software (ASA, The Netherlands). Average duration of HFOs was analyzed in SOZ and NSOZ separately.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For ripples, the permillage time occupied by HFOs was 0.83 in NSOZ and 1.17 in SOZ during the interictal period. During preictal period, they were 2.02 in NSOZ and 7.93 in SOZ. For FRs, the permillage time occupied by HFOs was 0.02 in NSOZ and 0.42 in SOZ during the interictal period. During preictal period, they were 0.03 in NSOZ and 2 in SOZ.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>High-frequency oscillations are linked to SOZ in neocortical epilepsy. Our study demonstrates the prevalent occurrence of HFOs in SOZ. More and more burst of HFOs, especially FRs, means the onset of seizures.</p>

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive technique used to alter cortex excitability that has been proposed as an efficient method for treating brain hyperexcitability or hypoexcitability disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate whether high-frequency rTMS could have any beneficial effects in restless legs syndrome (RLS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fourteen patients with RLS were given high-frequency rTMS (15 Hz, 100% motor threshold) to the leg representation motor cortex area of the frontal lobe for 14 sessions over 18 days. Patients were diagnosed according to the international criteria proposed by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group in 2003. The International RLS Rating Scale (IRLS-RS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale were used to evaluate the severity of RLS, sleep quality, anxiety and depression, respectively. The scale scores were evaluated at four-time points (baseline, end of the 14 th session, and at 1- and 2-month posttreatment). One-way analysis of variance was used to compare scale scores at different time points.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was significant improvement in the IRLS-RS (from 23.86 ± 5.88 to 11.21 ± 7.23, P < 0.05), PSQI (from 15.00 ± 4.88 to 9.29 ± 3.91, P < 0.05), and HAMA (from 17.93 ± 7.11 to 10.36 ± 7.13, P < 0.05) scale scores at the end of 14 th session, with ongoing effects lasting for at least 2 months.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>High-frequency rTMS can markedly alleviate the motor system symptoms, sleep disturbances, and anxiety in RLS patients. These results suggest that rTMS might be an option for treating RLS.</p>

Effects of angiotensin II on extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases signaling pathway in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells from Wistar-Kyoto rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats / 生理学报

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) on extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. VSMCs from SHR and WKY rats were treated with 1x10(-7) mmol/L Ang II for 24 h in the absence or presence of 30 min of pre-treatment of valsartan (1x10(-5) mmol/L) or PD98059 (1x10(-5)mmol/L), selective inhibitor of ERKs- dependent pathways, when they were cultured in 20% calf serum medium. VSMCs of SHR and WKY cultured in serum-free medium were used as control groups. Among the different treatments, VSMCs from the SHR and WKY were devided into four groups: (1) control, (2) Ang II, (3) Ang II + valsartan, (4) Ang II + PD98059. ERK activity in VSMCs was measured by immuno-precipitation. Proteins of total ERK (t-ERK), phosphorylated-ERK (p-ERK) and mitogen-activated protein kinases phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) in VSMCs were detected by Western blot. MKP-1 mRNA in VSMCs was measured by RT-PCR. In VSMCs from WKY or SHR rats, ERK activity, p-ERK, MKP-1 and MKP-1 mRNA in Ang II group were higher than those in control group (P<0.05). In both SHRs and WKYs, there were no significant differences in ERK activity, p-ERK, MKP-1 and MKP-1 mRNA among the control group, Ang II + valsartan group and Ang II + PD98059 group. ERK activity, p-ERK, MKP-1 and MKP-1 mRNA in SHRs were significantly higher than those in WKYs with same treatments (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in t-ERK among different groups and no difference in t-ERK between SHRs and WKYs (P>0.05). Our results show that Ang II activates VSMCs ERK signaling pathways via Ang II type 1 (AT(1)) receptors. Ang II increased ERK activity and p-ERK, but not t-ERK, accompanied by an increase in MKP-1 mRNA expression and protein. Among the different treatments, ERK activity and p-ERK were higher in SHR than in WKY. Valsartan and PD98059 blocked Ang II-stimulated ERK activation. These results suggest that ERK signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The effect of Ang II on SHR and WKY VSMCs' ERK signaling pathway may be mediated by AT(1) receptors, enhancing ERK activity and the amount of p-ERK, and then increasing MKP-1 mRNA and its expression.

ERK expression and activation in myocardial hypertrophy of spontaneously hypertensive rats with different ages / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) in myocardial hypertrophy of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with different ages.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SHRs and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were divided into 4 groups (5-, 8-,14-, 24-week old) respectively. The ratio of left ventricle weight to body weight (LVW/BW) was measured as the indicator of myocardial hypertrophy. The basal ERK expression (b-ERK) and phosphorylated-ERK (p-ERK) in myocardial tissue were examined by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The blood pressure of SHR was significantly higher than that of age-matched WKY rats from 8-week-old (P<0.001). The ratio of LVW/BW in SHR was increased significantly from 14-week-old (P<0.01). There was no significant difference of b-ERK expression between SHR and age-matched WKY rats. The p-ERK level of 5-week-old SHR was similar to that of 5-week-old WKY rats. The p-ERK level of SHR was significantly higher than that of age-matched WKY rats from 8-week-old to 24-week-old (P<0.01). The ratio of LVW/BW was positively related to p-ERK level but not related to b-ERK.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The activation of ERK may play an important role in the development of myocardial hypertrophy caused by hypertension.</p>