Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT examination in the differential diagnosis of gastric cancer and primary gastric lymphoma / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To explore the value of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (i8 F-FDG) PET/CT examination in the differential diagnosis of the gastric cancer and primary gastric lymphoma (PGL).Methods The clinical data of 80 patients with gastric cancer (60 with non-mucinous adenocarcinoma and 20 with mucinous adenocarcinoma) and 47 patients with PGL [22 with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) and 25 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)] who were admitted to the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from June 2006 to May 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.Spiral CT scan was first done and then followed by PET.The CT value of the lesions,maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of patients and maximal gastrointestinal wall thickness (THKmax) were analyzed by the ANOVA test.The SUVmax comparison between groups was evaluated with the Student-Newman-Keuls.The lesions type was analyzed by the chi-square test.The THKmax and SUVmax among groups were analyzed by the Pearson correlation analysis.Results 18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging of patients with gastric cancer and PGL showed different types of gastric wall thickening,segmental and limited thickening of gastric wall were the main features of gastric cancer and diffuse and segmental thickening of gastric wall were the main features of PGL.The type Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ of lesions were detected in 12,21 and 27 of 60 patients with nonmucinous adenocarcinoma,in 2,7 and 11 of 20 patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma,in 8,8 and 6 of 22 patients with MALT and in 13,7 and 5 of 25 patients with DLBCL respectively.There were significant differences in the 4 pathological types of lesions among all the patients (x2 =14.849,P ＜ 0.05).The lymph nodes beneath the renal hilum and at the retroperitoneum were involved in 16 patients with gastric cancer and in 10 patients with PGL,and 7 patients with gastric cancer and 12 patients with PGL were complicated with splenomegalia,respectively,showing a significant difference in the splenomegalia between patients with PGL and gastric cancer (x2=7.506,P ＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the metastasis of lymph nodes beneath the renal hilum and at the retroperitoneum between patients with PGL and gastric cancer (x2=0.178,P ＞0.05).Among 80 patients with gastric cancer,positive 18F-FDG was detected in 79 patients and negative 18F-FDG in 1 patient with T3 stage of mucinous adenocarcinoma.Among 47 patients with PGL,positive 18 F-FDG was detected in 46 patients and negative 18F-FDG in 1 patient with stage Ⅰ of MALT.The CT value of the lesion,SUVmax and THKmax in patients with non-mucinous adenocarcinoma,mucinous adenocarcinoma,MALT and DLBCL were (40 ± 8)HU,(39±11)HU,(41±11)HU,(38±9)HU and 9.9 ±6.6,5.6±1.9,4.6 ±2.9,18.3±7.6 and (2.1 ± 1.2) cm,(1.9 ± 0.9) cm,(1.3 ± 1.1) cm and (2.6 ± 1.5) cm,respectively,showing significant differences in the SUVmax among all the groups (F =26.920,P ＜ 0.05).In the pairwise comparisons,there were no significant difference between the MALT group and mucinous adenocarcinoma group (P ＞ 0.05),and significant differences among the other groups (P ＜ 0.05).The CT value of the lesions and THKmax among all the patients were compared,with no significant differences (F =0.578,4.510,P ＞ 0.05).There were no significant differences in the SUVmax and THKmax among all the patients (r =0.055,0.346,0.226,0.133,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions There is an important diagnosis value of PET/CT examination in patients with gastric cancer and PGL.The pathological types of the lesions in patients with gastric cancer and PGL are different.The occurrence of splenomegalia in patients with PGL is easier than that with gastric cancer.SUVmax of patients with DLBCL is higher than those with gastric cancer and MALT.FDG uptake in patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma and MALT are not enough,and these may lead to false negative result of PET/CT examination.

Correlation between LIFG and autonomic activation during stressful tasks: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) study / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

It remains unclear whether language tasks in one's first (L1) or second (L2) language can cause stress responses and whether frontal, autonomic and behavioral responses to stressful tasks are correlated. In this study, we studied 22 Chinese subjects whose L2 was English and measured the cerebral blood oxygenation in their frontal lobe by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) as participants engaged in a mental arithmetic task (MAT) and verbal fluency tasks (VFTs) in L1 (Chinese) and L2 (English). To examine the activated cortical areas, we estimated the channel location based on Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) standard brain space by using a probabilistic estimation method. We evaluated heart rate (HR) changes to analyze autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning. We found that the MAT and VFTs induced greater increases in HR than did the control (Ctrl) task. Furthermore, subjects developed greater increases in HR in the MAT and VFTL2 than they did in the VFTL1. Compared with the Ctrl task, the MAT and both VFTL1 and VFTL2 produced robust and widespread bilateral activation of the frontal cortex. Interestingly, partial correlation analysis indicated that the activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) [Brodmann's area (BA) 47] was consistently correlated with the increases in HR across the three tasks (MAT, VFTL2, and VFTL1), after controlling for the performance data. The present results suggested that a VFT in L2 may be more stressful than in L1. The LIFG may affect the activation of the sympathetic system induced by stressful tasks, including MATs and VFTs.

Electrical response grading versus House-Brackmann scale for evaluation of facial nerve injury after Bell's palsy: a comparative study / 中西医结合学报

There are no convenient techniques to evaluate the degree of facial nerve injury during a course of acupuncture treatment for Bell's palsy. Our previous studies found that observing the electrical response of specific facial muscles provided reasonable correlation with the prognosis of electroacupuncture treatment. Hence, we used the new method to evaluate the degree of facial nerve injury in patients with Bell's palsy in comparison with the House-Brackmann scale. The relationship between therapeutic effects and prognosis was analyzed to explore an objective method for evaluating Bell's palsy.

Correlation between LIFG and autonomic activation during stressful tasks: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) study / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

It remains unclear whether language tasks in one's first (L1) or second (L2) language can cause stress responses and whether frontal, autonomic and behavioral responses to stressful tasks are correlated. In this study, we studied 22 Chinese subjects whose L2 was English and measured the cerebral blood oxygenation in their frontal lobe by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) as participants engaged in a mental arithmetic task (MAT) and verbal fluency tasks (VFTs) in L1 (Chinese) and L2 (English). To examine the activated cortical areas, we estimated the channel location based on Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) standard brain space by using a probabilistic estimation method. We evaluated heart rate (HR) changes to analyze autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning. We found that the MAT and VFTs induced greater increases in HR than did the control (Ctrl) task. Furthermore, subjects developed greater increases in HR in the MAT and VFTL2 than they did in the VFTL1. Compared with the Ctrl task, the MAT and both VFTL1 and VFTL2 produced robust and widespread bilateral activation of the frontal cortex. Interestingly, partial correlation analysis indicated that the activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) [Brodmann's area (BA) 47] was consistently correlated with the increases in HR across the three tasks (MAT, VFTL2, and VFTL1), after controlling for the performance data. The present results suggested that a VFT in L2 may be more stressful than in L1. The LIFG may affect the activation of the sympathetic system induced by stressful tasks, including MATs and VFTs.

Electrical response grading versus House-Brackmann scale for evaluation of facial nerve injury after Bell's palsy: a comparative study / 中西医结合学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>There are no convenient techniques to evaluate the degree of facial nerve injury during a course of acupuncture treatment for Bell's palsy. Our previous studies found that observing the electrical response of specific facial muscles provided reasonable correlation with the prognosis of electroacupuncture treatment. Hence, we used the new method to evaluate the degree of facial nerve injury in patients with Bell's palsy in comparison with the House-Brackmann scale. The relationship between therapeutic effects and prognosis was analyzed to explore an objective method for evaluating Bell's palsy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The facial nerve function of 68 patients with Bell's palsy was assessed with both electrical response grading and the House-Brackmann scale before treatment. Then differences in evaluation results of the two methods were compared. All enrolled patients received electroacupuncture treatment with disperse-dense wave at 1/100 Hz for 4 weeks. After treatment, correlation analysis was conducted to find the relationship between electrical response and therapeutic effects or prognosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Checking consistency between electrical response grading and House-Brackmann scale: Kappa value 0.028 (P = 0.578). Correlation analysis: the two methods were correlated with the prognosis, and electrical response grading (rER = 0.789) was better than the House-Brackmann scale (rHB = 0.423).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electrical response grading is superior to the House-Brackmann scale in efficacy and reliability, and can conveniently assess the degree of facial nerve injury. The House-Brackmann scale is suitable for the patients with mild facial nerve injury, but its evaluation quality for severe facial nerve injury is poor.</p>

Influencing factor of whole-body scan imaging on radioactive io-dine treatment for lung metastases of differentiated thyroid carci-noma / 中国肿瘤临床

Objective: Lung metastases are common in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Post-therapeutic 131I-whole-body scan (WBS) was conventionally administered after the radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) of DTC lung metastases. This study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of WBS imaging on the RAI of DTC lung metastases. Methods:DTC patients (n=60) with lung metastases treated with 131I were retrospectively included. Before treatment, the thyroid function was assessed. Neck and chest computed tomography (CT) was performed, and WBS was inspected. Patients with lung metastases were classified into negative and positive subgroups according to the imaging of 131I WBS, and the relative influencing factors were analyzed. Results:Univariate analy-sis showed that age and chest CT imaging, which revealed pulmonary fibrosis, calcification, and patchy shadows, were related to WBS imaging. Binary variable logistic regression analysis revealed that pulmonary fibrosis (OR=0.175, P<0.001) and calcification (OR=0.088, P<0.05) went against the development of WBS. Conclusion:WBS imaging on RAI of lung metastases was not obvious in the el-derly. The fibrosis, calcification, and patchy shadows of the lung were not conducive for WBS imaging. The fibrosis and calcification of the lung were the main factors that affect WBS imaging.

Application of grading evaluation on facial nerve function of Bell's palsy treated with electroacupuncture / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the correlation of facial nerve injury degree with facial contraction degree induced by electric stimulation in the treatment of Bell's palsy with electroacupuncture, and the significance in elec tric reaction grading evaluation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-eight cases of Bell's palsy were enrolled. The positive and negative electrodes of the acupuncture treatment apparatus were attached to the needle handles at the 3 groups of points, named Taiyang (EX-HN 5)-Yangbai(GB 14), Xiaguan (ST 7)-Quanliao (SI 18) and Heliao (LI 19)-Jiachengjiang (Extra). The disperse-dense wave was applied. According to the severity of local muscle contraction after needling, the electric reaction was divided into 4 grades, named superior, moderate, poor and no reaction. After acupuncture and electroacupuncture, the efficacy was evaluated in accordance with the different electric reaction grades.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The curative rate was 100.0% (44/44) in patients with superior electric reaction, was 100.0% (7/7) in patients with moderate electric reaction, was 18.2% (2/11) in patients with poor electric reaction and was 0 (0/6) in patients with noelectric reaction. The difference was significant statistically in comparison of 4 groups (P<0.01). The superiority correlation presented between the efficacy and electric reaction grade (P< 0.001). The higher the superiority of electric reaction grade was, the better the efficacy was. The difference in the efficacy among different electric reaction grades was significant statistically (P<0.001). And the course of treatment was the shortest for those with the high superiority of electric reaction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The reaction grade of electric stimulation is conform to the facial nerve injury grading in Bell's palsy. The contraction degree of facial mimetic muscle induced by electroacupuncture stimulation is closely correlated with severity of disease. Based on the electric reaction, the facial nerve injury severity can be understood generally and the prognosis be judged.</p>

Modeling and simulation activities to design sampling scheme for population pharmacokinetic study on amlodipine / 药学学报

Reasonable sampling scheme is the important basis for establishing reliable population pharmacokinetic model. It is an effective method for estimation of population pharmacokinetic parameters with sparse data to perform population pharmacokinetic analysis using the nonlinear mixed-effects models. We designed the sampling scheme for amlodipine based on D-optimal sampling strategy and Bayesian estimation method. First, optimized sample scenarios were designed using WinPOPT software according to the aim, dosage regimen and visit schedule of the clinical study protocol, and the amlodipine population model reported by Rohatagi et al. Second, we created a NONMEM-formatted dataset (n = 400) for each sample scenario via Monte Carlo simulation. Third, the estimation of amlodipine pharmacokinetic parameters (clearance (CL/F), volume (V/F) and Ka) was based on the simulation results. All modeling and simulation exercises were conducted with NONMEM version 7.2. Finally, the accuracy and precision of the estimated parameters were evaluated using the mean prediction error (MPE) and the mean absolute error (MAPE), respectively. Among the 6 schemes, schemes 6 and 3 have good accuracy and precision. MPE is 0.1% for scheme 6 and -0.6% for scheme 3, respectively. MAPE is 0.7% for both schemes. There is no significant difference in MPE and MAPE of volume among them. Therefore, we select scheme 3 as the final sample scenario because it has good accuracy and precision and less sample points. This research aims to provide scientific and effective sampling scheme for population pharmacokinetic (PK) study of amlodipine in patients with renal impairment and hypertension, provide a scientific method for an optimum design in clinical population PK/PD (pharmacodynamics) research.

Correlation between facial nerve functional evaluation and efficacy evaluation of acupuncture treatment for Bell's palsy / 中西医结合学报

To assess and grade facial nerve dysfunction according to the extent of facial paralysis in the clinical course of acupuncture treatment for Bell's palsy, and to observe the interrelationship between the grade, the efficacy and the period of treatment, as well as the effect on prognosis.

Neurotomy of the tibial nerve for treatment of the talipes equinovarus / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore indication and approaches of neurotomy of tibial nerve for the treatment of the talipes equinovarus and spastic paralysis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>A total of 25 patients including 15 patients with cerebral paralysis and other 10 patients were diagnosed with clear etiology, spastic muscles with supplied nerves were analyzed in detail, neurotomy of the tibial nerve was performed under microscope, during operation, motor nerve was lovated with electronic stimuli and monitored with induced electromyography. The surgical results were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 36 of 37 (97%) neurotomy of the tibial nerve were improved with dorsum flex of ankle at 10 - 45 degree, and 22 of 24 (85%) talipes equinovarus improved clinically. Of 37 feet with surgery, 24 feet (65%) were in normal position and could touch ground completely, 9 feet (24%) had 10 degree with ground or could contact ground with external one third of the feet, 4 feet (11%) were abnormal. Of 25 patents, 21 (84%) had improvement of motor activity at discretion, 5 patients (20%) improved dramatically. All the 4 patients failed after the operation were cerebral paralysis, and were presumably related to disorders of spinal function, abnormal reflex and the disappearance of inhibitory reflex.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Neurotomy is an effective method to treat talipes equinovarus, and can improve the motor activity of low extremity.</p>

Causes of ineffectiveness of microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study causes of ineffectiveness of microvascular decompression (MVD) in treatment of hemifacial spasm (HFS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Reoperative MVD was performed in 23 HFS patients with previous ineffective MVD. In the patients, the main causes of ineffectiveness included misjudgment of compressing vessels (7 patients), improper insertion of decompressing grafts (9), improper selection of grafts (5) and small grafts (2).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Symptoms of HFS disappeared immediately after the second MVD in 21 patients and delayed in 2 patients (after 2 weeks, 6 weeks). No recurrence of HFS was noted during the follow-up period of 1.0 - 6.0 years (mean 3.4 years).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MVD is an effective microsurgical method for treating HFS. Accurate judgement of compressing vessels and proper decompression are the key to surgical effectiveness.</p>