Clinical efficacy of Baijin pills in the treatment of generalized tonicclonic seizure epilepsy with cognitive impairment

BACKGROUND The generalized tonic-clonic seizure(GTCS)is the most usual variety of epileptic seizure.It is mainly characterized by strong body muscle rigidity,loss of consciousness,a disorder of plant neurofunction,and significant damage to cognitive function.The effect of antiepileptic drugs on cognition should also be considered.At present,there is no effective treatment for patients with epilepsy,but traditional Chinese medicine has shown a significant effect on chronic disease with fewer harmful side effects and should,therefore,be considered for the therapy means of epilepsy with cognitive dysfunction.AIM To investigate the clinical efficacy of Baijin pills for treating GTCS patients with cognitive impairment.METHODS This prospective study enrolled patients diagnosed with GTCS between January 2020 and December 2023 and separate them into two groups(experimental and control)using random number table method.The control group was treated with sodium valproate,and the experimental group was Baijin pills and sodium valproate for three months.The frequency and duration of each seizure,the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale(MoCA),and the Quality of Life Rating Scale(QOLIE-31)were recorded before and after treatment.RESULTS There were 85 patients included(42 in the control group and 43 in the experimental group).After treatment,the seizure frequency in the experimental group was significantly reduced(P<0.05),and seizure duration was shortened(P<0.01).The total MoCA score in the experimental group significantly increased compared to before treatment(P<0.01),and the sub-item scores,except naming and abstract generalization ability,significantly increased(P<0.05),whereas the total MoCA score in the control group significantly decreased after treatment(P<0.05).The QOLIE-31 score of the experimental group increased significantly after treatment compared to before treatment(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Baijin pills have a good clinical effect on epilepsy with cognitive dysfunction.

Impact of B-mode-ultrasound-guided transhepatic and transperitoneal cholecystostomy tube placement on laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND B-mode-ultrasound-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy(PC)may be performed by a transhepatic or transperitoneal approach,called percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage(PHGD)and percutaneous transperitoneal gallbladder drainage(PPGD),respectively.We compared the impact of PC related to the route of catheter placement on subsequent laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC).AIM To compare the impact of PC related to the route of catheter placement on subsequent LC.METHODS We retrospectively studied 103 patients with acute calculous cholecystitis who underwent scheduled LC after PC between January 2010 and January 2019.Group I included 58 patients who underwent scheduled LC after PHGD.Group II included 45 patients who underwent scheduled LC after PPGD.Clinical outcomes were analyzed according to each group.RESULTS Baseline demographic characteristics did not differ significantly between both groups(P>0.05).Both PHGD and PPGD were able to quickly resolve cholecystitis sepsis.Group I showed significantly higher efficacy than group II in terms of lower pain score during puncture(3.1 vs 4.5;P=0.001)and at 12 h follow-up(1.5 vs 2.2;P=0.001),lower rate of fever within 24 h after PC(13.8%vs 42.2%;P=0.001),shorted operation duration(118.3 vs 139.6 min;P=0.001),lower amount of intraoperative bleeding(72.1 vs 109.4 mL;P=0.001)and shorter length of hospital stay(14.3 d vs 18.0 d;P=0.001).However,group II had significantly lower rate of local bleeding at the PC site(2.2%vs 20.7%;P=0.005)and lower rate of severe adhesion(33.5%vs 55.2%;P=0.048).No significant differences were noted between both groups regarding the conversion rate to laparotomy,rate of subtotal cholecystectomy,complications and pathology.CONCLUSION B-mode-ultrasound-guided PHGD is superior to PPGD followed by LC for treatment of acute calculous cholecystitis,with shorter operating time,minimal amount of intraoperative bleeding and short length of hospital stay.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of high-K^+-induced epileptiform discharges in hippocampal slice and the effects of valproate

The epileptic seizure is a dynamic process involving a rapid transition from normal activity to a state of hypersynchronous neuronal discharges. Here we investigated the network properties of epileptiform discharges in hippocampal slices in the presence of high K ＋ concentration （8.5 mmol/L） in the bath, and the effects of the anti-epileptic drug valproate （VPA） on epileptiform discharges, using a microelectrode array. We demonstrated that epileptiform discharges were predominantly initiated from the stratum pyramidale layer of CA3a-b and propagated bi-directionally to CA1 and CA3c. Disconnection of CA3 from CA1 abolished the discharges in CA1 without disrupting the initiation of discharges in CA3. Further pharmacological experiments showed that VPA at a clinically relevant concentration （100 μmol/L） suppressed the propagation speed but not the rate or duration of high-K＋-induced discharges. Our findings suggest that pacemakers exist in the CA3a-b region for the generation of epileptiform discharges in the hippocampus. VPA reduces the conduction of such discharges in the network by reducing the propagation speed.

Dielectric relaxation and conduction behaviors of Aurivillius Na_(0.5)Bi_(4.5)Ti_(4)O_(15) ceramics with Na doping

Aurivillius Na_(0.5)Bi_(4.5)Ti_(4)O_(15) and Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12)compounds were synthesized via solid-state reaction technique.X-ray powder diffraction study confirmed monophasic four-layered Na_(0.5)Bi_(4.5)Ti_(4)O_(15) and three-layered Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12) ceramics.Dielectric relaxation and conduction behaviors of Na-contained Na_(0.5)Bi_(4.5)Ti_(4)O_(15)ceramics were thoroughly investigated in a large scale of temperature of 30-650℃ and frequency of 40 Hz^(-1) MHz.In addition,comparative studies of both the compounds were discussed.Impedance and modulus analyses revealed a single relaxation behavior in Na_(0.5)Bi_(4.5)Ti_(4)O_(15) compound which was originated from the grain’s interior with grain resistance of 2.189×10^(5)Ω and capacitance of 4.268×10^(-10) F at 570℃.While in Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12) ceramic the relaxation was due to the contributions of grain and grain boundaries.Alternating current(AC)conductivity analysis revealed the presence of two different conduction regions in both the compounds.Activation energies for the two different conduction mechanisms,i.e.,in low-temperature region and in high-temperature region were calculated to be~0.23 and~1.27 eV at 1 kHz for Na_(0.5)Bi_(4.5)Ti_(4)O_(15) compound and~0.43 eV and~0.97 eV at 1 kHz for Bi_(4)Ti_(3)O_(12) compound,respectively.The present study of dielectric relaxation and conduction behaviors would be helpful for further investigations of Na_(0.5)Bi_(4.5)Ti_(4)O_(15)-related Aurivillius compounds.

Temperature dependent conductivity of Bi_4Ti_3O_(12) ceramics induced by Sr dopants

Bi_4Ti_3O_(12) is an important lead-free ferroelectric material.Doping modification of Bi_4Ti_3O_(12)has attracted great attention to improving its performances.In this work,the effect of Sr dopants on the microstructure,dielectric,and conductivity of Bi_4Ti_3O_(12) ceramic was investigated by XRD,SEM,and AC impedance spectroscopy.Substitution of 1 at%Sr for Bi decreased the grain size,suppressed the dielectric dispersion of Bi_4Ti_3O_(12) ceramic at room temperature,and resulted in different effects on the conductivity of grains and grain boundaries.The conductivity of grains in Bi_4Ti_3O_(12) ceramic was increased by the small amount of Sr dopants in the whole experimental temperature range.While the grain boundaries of 1 at%Sr-doped Bi_4Ti_3O_(12) exhibited lower conductivity than pure Bi_4Ti_3O_(12) below～380℃and higher conductivity above～380℃.The experimental phenomena were interpreted in term of compensating defects for Sr dopants.

Bimetal nanoparticles hybridized with carbon nanotube boosting bifunctional oxygen electrocatalytic performance

Developing bifunctional oxygen catalysts with high efficiency and low cost to replace platinum-group metal catalysts commonly utilized in metal-air batteries is critically desired.In this article,a convenient method to synthesis NiFe nanoparticles hybridized with N-doped carbon nanotube(NiFe@N-CNTs)is reported.Electrocatalytic performance analysis indicates that Ni_(x)Fc_(1-x)@N-CNTs offers favorable oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)kinetics(onset potential(E_(onset))is 0.87 V and half-wave potential(E_(1/2))is0.84 V),together with excellent oxygen evolution reaction(OER)performance(an overpotential of 270 mV to drive10 mA·cm^(-2)).Contributed by the synergetic effect between NiFe alloy and N-CNTs,when being utilized as air cathode,rechargeable Zn-air batteries present superior cycling stability for over 150 h.This research provides a universal strategy to synthesize the hybrids of intertwined carbon nanotube matrix loaded with alloy nanoparticles.