AIM:To measure the difference of intraoperative central macular thickness(CMT)before,during,and after membrane peeling and investigate the influence of intraoperative macular stretching on postoperative best corrected...AIM:To measure the difference of intraoperative central macular thickness(CMT)before,during,and after membrane peeling and investigate the influence of intraoperative macular stretching on postoperative best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)outcome and postoperative CMT development.METHODS:A total of 59 eyes of 59 patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery for epiretinal membrane was analyzed.Videos with intraoperative optical coherence tomography(OCT)were recorded.Difference of intraoperative CMT before,during,and after peeling was measured.Pre-and postoperatively obtained BCVA and spectral-domain OCT images were analyzed.RESULTS:Mean age of the patients was 70±8.13y(range 46-86y).Mean baseline BCVA was 0.49±0.27 log MAR(range 0.1-1.3).Three and six months postoperatively the mean BCVA was 0.36±0.25(P=0.01 vs baseline)and 0.38±0.35(P=0.08 vs baseline)log MAR respectively.Mean stretch of the macula during surgery was 29%from baseline(range 2%-159%).Intraoperative findings of macular stretching did not correlate with visual acuity outcome within 6mo after surgery(r=-0.06,P=0.72).However,extent of macular stretching during surgery significantly correlated with less reduction of CMT at the fovea centralis(r=-0.43,P<0.01)and 1 mm nasal and temporal from the fovea(r=-0.37,P=0.02 and r=-0.50,P<0.01 respectively)3mo postoperatively.CONCLUSION:The extent of retinal stretching during membrane peeling may predict the development of postoperative central retinal thickness,though there is no correlation with visual acuity development within the first 6mo postoperatively.展开更多
AIM:To study secretion patterns of proand anti-in-flammatory cytokines, and activation of various cellular subsets of leukocytes in peripheral blood.METHODS: We have conducted a prospective obser-vational study. One h...AIM:To study secretion patterns of proand anti-in-flammatory cytokines, and activation of various cellular subsets of leukocytes in peripheral blood.METHODS: We have conducted a prospective obser-vational study. One hundred and eight patients with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and onset of the disease within last 72 h were included in this study. The mRNA expression of 25 different types of cytokines in white blood cells was determined by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Levels of 8 different cytokines in blood serum were measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. Clinical data and cytokine expression results were subjected to statistical analysis.RESULTS: Severe and necrotizing acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by the significant depletion of circulating lymphocytes. Severe acute pancreatitis is as-sociated with a typical systemic inflammatory response syndrome and over-expression of pro-inflammatory cy-tokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)]. Serum IL-6 and MIF concentra-tions are the best discriminators of severe and necrotiz-ing AP as well as possible fatal outcome during the early course of the disease. CONCLUSION: Deregulation of cellular immune sys-tem is a key event leading to severe and necrotizing AP. IL-6 and MIF could be used as early predictors of complications.展开更多
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a dismal disease with a median survival below 6 months and a 5 year survival rate below 1%. High mortality is due to early lymphatic and hematogenic dissemination. Effective therapi...Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a dismal disease with a median survival below 6 months and a 5 year survival rate below 1%. High mortality is due to early lymphatic and hematogenic dissemination. Effective therapies for local advanced or metastatic tumors are missing and curative resected patients relapse in over 80% of the cases. Together this findings reflects the aggressive biology of the disease. Here we describe molecular mechanisms leading to unrestrained proliferation, insensitivity to growth inhibitory signals, evasion of apoptosis, limitless replicative potential, tissue invasion, metastasis and sustained angiogenesis.展开更多
Background:Alterations in the expression of human kallikrein-related peptidases(KLKs)have been described in patients with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).We elucidated the suitability of KLK6,KLK8 and KLK10 to distinguish AD...Background:Alterations in the expression of human kallikrein-related peptidases(KLKs)have been described in patients with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).We elucidated the suitability of KLK6,KLK8 and KLK10 to distinguish AD from NC and explored associations with established AD biomarkers.Methods:KLK levels in cerebrospinal fluid(CSF),as determined by ELISA,were compared between 32 AD patients stratified to A/T/(N)system with evidence for amyloid pathology and of 23 normal controls with normal AD biomarkers.Associations between KLK levels and clinical severity,CSF and positron emission tomography(PET)based AD biomarkers were tested for.Results:Levels of KLK6 and KLK10 were significantly increased in AD.KLK6 differed significantly between AD A+/T+/N+and AD A+/T−/N+or NC with an AUC of 0.922.CSF pTau and tTau levels were significantly associated with KLK6 in AD.Conclusions:KLK6 deserves further investigations as a potential biomarker of Tau pathology in AD.展开更多
Background:The frequency of Taenia solium,a zoonotic helminth,is increasing in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa,where the prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)is also high.However,little is known abo...Background:The frequency of Taenia solium,a zoonotic helminth,is increasing in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa,where the prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)is also high.However,little is known about how these two infections interact.The aim of this study was to compare the proportion of HIV positive(+)and negative(−)individuals who are infected with Taenia solium(TSOL)and who present with clinical and neurological manifestations of cysticercosis(CC).Methods:In northern Tanzania,170 HIV+individuals and 170 HIV–controls matched for gender,age and village of origin were recruited.HIV staging and serological tests for TSOL antibodies(Ab)and antigen(Ag)were performed.Neurocysticercosis(NCC)was determined by computed tomography(CT)using standard diagnostic criteria.Neurological manifestations were confirmed by a standard neurological examination.In addition,demographic,clinical and neuroimaging data were collected.Further,CD4^(+)cell counts as well as information on highly active antiretroviral treatment(HAART)were noted.Results:No significant differences between HIV+and HIV–individuals regarding the sero-prevalence of taeniosis-Ab(0.6%vs 1.2%),CC-Ab(2.4%vs 2.4%)and CC-Ag(0.6%vs 0.0%)were detected.A total of six NCC cases(3 HIV+and 3 HIV–)were detected in the group of matched participants.Two individuals(1 HIV+and 1 HIV–)presented with headaches as the main symptom for NCC,and four with asymptomatic NCC.Among the HIV+group,TSOL was not associated with CD4+cell counts,HAART duration or HIV stage.Conclusions:This study found lower prevalence of taeniosis,CC and NCC than had been reported in the region to date.This low level of infection may have resulted in an inability to find cross-sectional associations between HIV status and TSOL infection or NCC.Larger sample sizes will be required in future studies conducted in that area to conclude if HIV influences the way NCC manifests itself.展开更多
As one of the tumors with substantial treatment difficulties,brain tumors have a high mortality rate and high treatment costs.Furthermore,surgical rection of deep-seated tumors or tumors involving eloquent areas is st...As one of the tumors with substantial treatment difficulties,brain tumors have a high mortality rate and high treatment costs.Furthermore,surgical rection of deep-seated tumors or tumors involving eloquent areas is still a challenge for neurosurgeons.Therefore,accurate and early tumor diagnosis,selection of treatment options,and prediction of prognosis are important to improve patients’outcomes.Recently,with the rapid development of computational technology,the frequency of its application in clinical work has increased enormously and the acquisition of medical data has become more convenient and efficient.Furthermore,with the advancement of artificial intelligence(AI)—particularly,machine and deep learning—the applications of AI in medicine and especially neuro-oncology have enhanced diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis prediction of brain tumors topreviously unachievable levels.This article presents an overview of the applications of AI in neuro-oncology for diagnosis,prognosis,surgical treatment,and education.Furthermore,the advantages,perspectives,and challenges of AI for clinical applications in neuro-oncology are discussed.展开更多
文摘AIM:To measure the difference of intraoperative central macular thickness(CMT)before,during,and after membrane peeling and investigate the influence of intraoperative macular stretching on postoperative best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)outcome and postoperative CMT development.METHODS:A total of 59 eyes of 59 patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery for epiretinal membrane was analyzed.Videos with intraoperative optical coherence tomography(OCT)were recorded.Difference of intraoperative CMT before,during,and after peeling was measured.Pre-and postoperatively obtained BCVA and spectral-domain OCT images were analyzed.RESULTS:Mean age of the patients was 70±8.13y(range 46-86y).Mean baseline BCVA was 0.49±0.27 log MAR(range 0.1-1.3).Three and six months postoperatively the mean BCVA was 0.36±0.25(P=0.01 vs baseline)and 0.38±0.35(P=0.08 vs baseline)log MAR respectively.Mean stretch of the macula during surgery was 29%from baseline(range 2%-159%).Intraoperative findings of macular stretching did not correlate with visual acuity outcome within 6mo after surgery(r=-0.06,P=0.72).However,extent of macular stretching during surgery significantly correlated with less reduction of CMT at the fovea centralis(r=-0.43,P<0.01)and 1 mm nasal and temporal from the fovea(r=-0.37,P=0.02 and r=-0.50,P<0.01 respectively)3mo postoperatively.CONCLUSION:The extent of retinal stretching during membrane peeling may predict the development of postoperative central retinal thickness,though there is no correlation with visual acuity development within the first 6mo postoperatively.
文摘AIM:To study secretion patterns of proand anti-in-flammatory cytokines, and activation of various cellular subsets of leukocytes in peripheral blood.METHODS: We have conducted a prospective obser-vational study. One hundred and eight patients with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and onset of the disease within last 72 h were included in this study. The mRNA expression of 25 different types of cytokines in white blood cells was determined by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Levels of 8 different cytokines in blood serum were measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. Clinical data and cytokine expression results were subjected to statistical analysis.RESULTS: Severe and necrotizing acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by the significant depletion of circulating lymphocytes. Severe acute pancreatitis is as-sociated with a typical systemic inflammatory response syndrome and over-expression of pro-inflammatory cy-tokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)]. Serum IL-6 and MIF concentra-tions are the best discriminators of severe and necrotiz-ing AP as well as possible fatal outcome during the early course of the disease. CONCLUSION: Deregulation of cellular immune sys-tem is a key event leading to severe and necrotizing AP. IL-6 and MIF could be used as early predictors of complications.
文摘Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a dismal disease with a median survival below 6 months and a 5 year survival rate below 1%. High mortality is due to early lymphatic and hematogenic dissemination. Effective therapies for local advanced or metastatic tumors are missing and curative resected patients relapse in over 80% of the cases. Together this findings reflects the aggressive biology of the disease. Here we describe molecular mechanisms leading to unrestrained proliferation, insensitivity to growth inhibitory signals, evasion of apoptosis, limitless replicative potential, tissue invasion, metastasis and sustained angiogenesis.
基金This work was supported by the German Research Foundation(DFG)and the Technical University of Munich(TUM)in the framework of the Open Access Publishing Program.
文摘Background:Alterations in the expression of human kallikrein-related peptidases(KLKs)have been described in patients with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).We elucidated the suitability of KLK6,KLK8 and KLK10 to distinguish AD from NC and explored associations with established AD biomarkers.Methods:KLK levels in cerebrospinal fluid(CSF),as determined by ELISA,were compared between 32 AD patients stratified to A/T/(N)system with evidence for amyloid pathology and of 23 normal controls with normal AD biomarkers.Associations between KLK levels and clinical severity,CSF and positron emission tomography(PET)based AD biomarkers were tested for.Results:Levels of KLK6 and KLK10 were significantly increased in AD.KLK6 differed significantly between AD A+/T+/N+and AD A+/T−/N+or NC with an AUC of 0.922.CSF pTau and tTau levels were significantly associated with KLK6 in AD.Conclusions:KLK6 deserves further investigations as a potential biomarker of Tau pathology in AD.
基金This study was funded by the DFG(German Research Foundation)within the research grant(BR3752/1-1)“Neurocysticercosis in sub-Saharan Africa”.
文摘Background:The frequency of Taenia solium,a zoonotic helminth,is increasing in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa,where the prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)is also high.However,little is known about how these two infections interact.The aim of this study was to compare the proportion of HIV positive(+)and negative(−)individuals who are infected with Taenia solium(TSOL)and who present with clinical and neurological manifestations of cysticercosis(CC).Methods:In northern Tanzania,170 HIV+individuals and 170 HIV–controls matched for gender,age and village of origin were recruited.HIV staging and serological tests for TSOL antibodies(Ab)and antigen(Ag)were performed.Neurocysticercosis(NCC)was determined by computed tomography(CT)using standard diagnostic criteria.Neurological manifestations were confirmed by a standard neurological examination.In addition,demographic,clinical and neuroimaging data were collected.Further,CD4^(+)cell counts as well as information on highly active antiretroviral treatment(HAART)were noted.Results:No significant differences between HIV+and HIV–individuals regarding the sero-prevalence of taeniosis-Ab(0.6%vs 1.2%),CC-Ab(2.4%vs 2.4%)and CC-Ag(0.6%vs 0.0%)were detected.A total of six NCC cases(3 HIV+and 3 HIV–)were detected in the group of matched participants.Two individuals(1 HIV+and 1 HIV–)presented with headaches as the main symptom for NCC,and four with asymptomatic NCC.Among the HIV+group,TSOL was not associated with CD4+cell counts,HAART duration or HIV stage.Conclusions:This study found lower prevalence of taeniosis,CC and NCC than had been reported in the region to date.This low level of infection may have resulted in an inability to find cross-sectional associations between HIV status and TSOL infection or NCC.Larger sample sizes will be required in future studies conducted in that area to conclude if HIV influences the way NCC manifests itself.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81472354).
文摘As one of the tumors with substantial treatment difficulties,brain tumors have a high mortality rate and high treatment costs.Furthermore,surgical rection of deep-seated tumors or tumors involving eloquent areas is still a challenge for neurosurgeons.Therefore,accurate and early tumor diagnosis,selection of treatment options,and prediction of prognosis are important to improve patients’outcomes.Recently,with the rapid development of computational technology,the frequency of its application in clinical work has increased enormously and the acquisition of medical data has become more convenient and efficient.Furthermore,with the advancement of artificial intelligence(AI)—particularly,machine and deep learning—the applications of AI in medicine and especially neuro-oncology have enhanced diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis prediction of brain tumors topreviously unachievable levels.This article presents an overview of the applications of AI in neuro-oncology for diagnosis,prognosis,surgical treatment,and education.Furthermore,the advantages,perspectives,and challenges of AI for clinical applications in neuro-oncology are discussed.