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Acta Dermato-venereologica May 2024Registers recording only 1 tumour per patient do not enable assessment of the real burden of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. To investigate recent changes in the...
Registers recording only 1 tumour per patient do not enable assessment of the real burden of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. To investigate recent changes in the incidence and characteristics of tumours, a retrospective 15-year patient cohort study was performed in Finland. Histopathological diagnoses of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas diagnosed between 2016 and 2020 were obtained from the pathology database and clinical data from patient medical records and combined with previously collected data for the years 2006-2015. Altogether 1,472 patients with 2,056 tumours were identified. The crude incidence increased from 19/100,000 persons in 2006 to 42 in 2020 (p < 0.001), increasing most in people aged over 80 years. The percentage of tumours located on the trunk increased from 5.3% during the first 5-year period, 2006-2010, to 9.0% in 2016-2020. Also, the location of tumours was significantly different between men and women, as men had more tumours on the scalp and ears, and women on the lower limbs. A slight change in the tumours from poorly to well differentiated and a decrease in the invasion depth were noted between 2006 and 2020. As the burden of tumours continues to increase, more attention should be paid to their prevention.
Topics: Humans; Skin Neoplasms; Finland; Retrospective Studies; Male; Female; Incidence; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Middle Aged; Adult; Time Factors; Sex Distribution; Age Distribution; Young Adult; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Adolescent; Child
PubMed: 38813742
DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v104.39891 -
Frontiers in Neuroinformatics 2024At the intersection of neural monitoring and decoding, event-related potential (ERP) based on electroencephalography (EEG) has opened a window into intrinsic brain...
BACKGROUND
At the intersection of neural monitoring and decoding, event-related potential (ERP) based on electroencephalography (EEG) has opened a window into intrinsic brain function. The stability of ERP makes it frequently employed in the field of neuroscience. However, project-specific custom code, tracking of user-defined parameters, and the large diversity of commercial tools have limited clinical application.
METHODS
We introduce an open-source, user-friendly, and reproducible MATLAB toolbox named EPAT that includes a variety of algorithms for EEG data preprocessing. It provides EEGLAB-based template pipelines for advanced multi-processing of EEG, magnetoencephalography, and polysomnogram data. Participants evaluated EEGLAB and EPAT across 14 indicators, with satisfaction ratings analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired t-test based on distribution normality.
RESULTS
EPAT eases EEG signal browsing and preprocessing, EEG power spectrum analysis, independent component analysis, time-frequency analysis, ERP waveform drawing, and topological analysis of scalp voltage. A user-friendly graphical user interface allows clinicians and researchers with no programming background to use EPAT.
CONCLUSION
This article describes the architecture, functionalities, and workflow of the toolbox. The release of EPAT will help advance EEG methodology and its application to clinical translational studies.
PubMed: 38812743
DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2024.1384250 -
Journal of Integrative Neuroscience May 2024Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) often occurs in individuals engaged in contact sports, particularly boxing. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of...
BACKGROUND
Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) often occurs in individuals engaged in contact sports, particularly boxing. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of rmTBI on phase-locking value (PLV)-based graph theory and functional network architecture in individuals with boxing-related injuries in five frequency bands by employing resting-state electroencephalography (EEG).
METHODS
Twenty-fore professional boxers and 25 matched healthy controls were recruited to perform a resting-state task, and their noninvasive scalp EEG data were collected simultaneously. Based on the construction of PLV matrices for boxers and controls, phase synchronization and graph-theoretic characteristics were identified in each frequency band. The significance of the calculated functional brain networks between the two populations was analyzed using a network-based statistical (NBS) approach.
RESULTS
Compared to controls, boxers exhibited an increasing trend in PLV synchronization and notable differences in the distribution of functional centers, especially in the gamma frequency band. Additionally, attenuated nodal network parameters and decreased small-world measures were observed in the theta, beta, and gamma bands, suggesting that the functional network efficiency and small-world characteristics were significantly weakened in boxers. NBS analysis revealed that boxers exhibited a significant increase in network connectivity strength compared to controls in the theta, beta, and gamma frequency bands. The functional connectivity of the significance subnetworks exhibited an asymmetric distribution between the bilateral hemispheres, indicating that the optimized organization of information integration and segregation for the resting-state networks was imbalanced and disarranged for boxers.
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to investigate the underlying deficits in PLV-based graph-theoretic characteristics and NBS-based functional networks in patients with rmTBI from the perspective of whole-brain resting-state EEG. Joint analyses of distinctive graph-theoretic representations and asymmetrically hyperconnected subnetworks in specific frequency bands may serve as an effective method to assess the underlying deficiencies in resting-state network processing in patients with sports-related rmTBI.
Topics: Humans; Male; Electroencephalography; Adult; Young Adult; Nerve Net; Brain Concussion; Boxing; Brain Waves; Female; Brain
PubMed: 38812391
DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2305102 -
Journal of Integrative Neuroscience May 2024The alterations of the functional network (FN) in anti-N-methyl-Daspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis have been recognized by functional magnetic resonance imaging...
OBJECTIVE
The alterations of the functional network (FN) in anti-N-methyl-Daspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis have been recognized by functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. However, few studies using the electroencephalogram (EEG) have been performed to explore the possible FN changes in anti-NMDAR encephalitis. In this study, the aim was to explore any FN changes in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
METHODS
Twenty-nine anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients and 29 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) were assessed using 19-channel EEG examination. For each participant, five 10-second epochs of resting state EEG with eyes closed were extracted. The cortical source signals of 84 Brodmann areas were calculated using the exact low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA) inverse solution by LORETA-KEY. Phase Lag Index (PLI) matrices were then obtained and graph and relative band power (RBP) analyses were performed.
RESULTS
Compared with healthy controls, functional connectivity (FC) in the delta, theta, beta 1 and beta 2 bands significantly increased within the 84 cortical source signals of anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients ( < 0.05) and scalp FC in the alpha band decreased within the 19 electrodes. Additionally, the anti-NMDAR encephalitis group exhibited higher local efficiency and clustering coefficient compared to the healthy control group in the four bands. The slowing band RBP increased while the fast band RBP decreased in multiple-lobes and some of these changes in RBP were correlated with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients.
CONCLUSIONS
This study further deepens the understanding of related changes in the abnormal brain network and power spectrum of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. The decreased scalp alpha FC may indicate brain dysfunction, while the increased source beta FC may indicate a compensatory mechanism for brain function in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. These findings extend understanding of how the brain FN changes from a cortical source perspective. Further studies are needed to detect correlations between altered FNs and clinical features and characterize their potential value for the management of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
Topics: Humans; Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis; Female; Male; Adult; Electroencephalography; Young Adult; Nerve Net; Brain Waves; Adolescent; Brain; Connectome
PubMed: 38812385
DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2305099 -
Nature Communications May 2024Electrical stimulation can regulate brain activity, producing clear clinical benefits, but focal and effective neuromodulation often requires surgically implanted...
Electrical stimulation can regulate brain activity, producing clear clinical benefits, but focal and effective neuromodulation often requires surgically implanted electrodes. Recent studies argue that temporal interference (TI) stimulation may provide similar outcomes non-invasively. During TI, scalp electrodes generate multiple electrical fields in the brain, modulating neural activity only at their intersection. Despite considerable enthusiasm for this approach, little empirical evidence demonstrates its effectiveness, especially under conditions suitable for human use. Here, using single-neuron recordings in non-human primates, we establish that TI reliably alters the timing, but not the rate, of spiking activity. However, we show that TI requires strategies-high carrier frequencies, multiple electrodes, and amplitude-modulated waveforms-that also limit its effectiveness. Combined, these factors make TI 80 % weaker than other forms of non-invasive brain stimulation. Although unlikely to cause widespread neuronal entrainment, TI may be ideal for disrupting pathological oscillatory activity, a hallmark of many neurological disorders.
Topics: Animals; Neurons; Brain; Action Potentials; Macaca mulatta; Male; Electrodes, Implanted; Electric Stimulation; Primates
PubMed: 38811618
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48962-2 -
Dermatology Practical & Conceptual Apr 2024Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease with multiple skin manifestations, and in case of lesions affecting the genital area, sexual health impairment and...
A Real-Life 208 Week Single-Centred, Register-Based Retrospective Study Assessing Secukinumab Survival and Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Among Greek Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis, Including Difficult-to-Treat Manifestations Such as Genitals and Scalp.
INTRODUCTION
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease with multiple skin manifestations, and in case of lesions affecting the genital area, sexual health impairment and psychological distress can furthermore impair the patients quality of life. Secukinumab is a fully humanized immunoglobulin G1 kappa antagonist of IL-17A and is indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis, since it shows a significant efficacy in clinical outcomes, with rapid onset of remission, prolonged treatment response rate, advantageous safety profile and a valuable improvement of the patients quality of life.
OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted in order to gather retrospective real-world data regarding the efficacy of secukinumab in treating patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Greece. To fill the relevant literature gap, we included difficult-to-treat manifestations in our analysis, specifically regarding the efficacy in the genital area and on the skin folds where relevant data are missing both from the drug clinical program as well as from the real-world setting.
METHODS
All adult patients receiving 300 mg secukinumab and attending follow-up visits on a regular basis, according to routine medical practice were included. The timeline of the study was from 2015 to 2020. Primary endpoint of the study was the percentage of patients who achieved a psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) 75 response rate at week 16 and week 52 post baseline. Secondary endpoints were the evaluation at baseline (week 0), week 4 (±1), week 16 (±1), week52 (±1), and week 104 (±1), week 156 (±1), week 208 (±1) of clinical outcomes, incidence of adverse events and potential predictive variables influencing response rate.
RESULTS
Ninety-nine patients were included in the study population, from whom sixty six patients (66.67%) were bio-naive, whereas 33 patients had never received systemic treatment. Regarding difficult-to-treat manifestations, we recorded scalp involvement in 74.74% (74/99) of our patients, genital psoriasis in 27.27% (27/99) and skin folds involvement (psoriasis inversa) in 17% (17/99). At week 16, PASI75/PASI90/PASI100 were observed in 87.5%/69.8%/49%, respectively. At week 4 lesions affecting the genital area and patients with skin fold involvement experienced a rapid regression and 84.1% of patients achieved sPGA 0/1 (Physician Global Assessment). Treatment with secukinumab during the 208 weeks of observation did not reveal any major adverse event or systemic infection and generally it was well tolerated.
CONCLUSIONS
According to our outcomes secukinumab is an effective treatment choice for treating chronic plaque psoriasis, but, additionally, it can be efficacious in the subgroups of patients with difficult-to-treat manifestations, as our patients experienced great improvement starting even 5 weeks after treatment initiation. This real-life study offers information about clinical efficacy, retention and safety profile of secukinumab in patients from everyday clinical practice over a long-term, 4-year, follow-up period in Greece.
PubMed: 38810083
DOI: 10.5826/dpc.1402a119 -
Dermatology Practical & Conceptual Apr 2024
PubMed: 38810075
DOI: 10.5826/dpc.1402a110 -
Dermatology Practical & Conceptual Apr 2024
PubMed: 38810040
DOI: 10.5826/dpc.1402a143 -
Cureus Apr 2024Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer. As ultraviolet exposure represents an important risk factor, SCC commonly occurs on the...
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer. As ultraviolet exposure represents an important risk factor, SCC commonly occurs on the face, lips, scalp, hands, and heels. The foot is an unusual location to manifest SCC. In this report, we present a case of a 44-year-old woman with severe local recurrence of SCC in the right heel, four years after an initial excision of a primary, small lesion. For various reasons, the patient did not visit the clinic for follow-up assessment during this period. Considering the extent of the lesion and infection risk, the affected leg was amputated at one-third of the lower leg. This case report underlines the importance of educating patients about the risk of SCC and assisting them in attending follow-up visits. In addition, adequate attention should be given to foot lesions with suspicious appearance. Early detection would minimize systemic risks, including metastasis and infection, and maximize preserved function after surgical intervention.
PubMed: 38803760
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59087 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024T (), commonly known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection affecting the scalp and hair. Among the causative agents, () stands out, often transmitted from cats to...
BACKGROUND
T (), commonly known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection affecting the scalp and hair. Among the causative agents, () stands out, often transmitted from cats to humans (). In this study, we investigated the efficacy of (), fruit extract against dermatophytes, particularly , both and . Additionally, we aimed to identify the active compounds responsible for suppressing fungal growth and assess the toxicity of on human cells.
METHODOLOGY
It conducted in two parts. First, Study include the preparation of fruit extract using methanol as the solvent, Phytochemical analysis of the plant extract including Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was conducted, Cytotoxicity assays were performed using HUH-7 cells, employing the MTT assay (1-(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide), Antimicrobial activity against was evaluated, including: Zone of inhibition (ZI), Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), cell alterations were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Second, , Albino Wistar male rats were included.
RESULTS
The phytochemical analysis of the methanolic extract from papaya revealed several functional groups, including hydroxyl, ammonia, alkane, carbonate, and alcohol. Additionally, the GC-MS analysis identified 15 compounds, with xanthosine and decanoic acid being the predominant components. The methanolic extract of papaya fruits demonstrated potent antifungal activity: ZI = 37 mm, MIC = 1,000 μg/mL, MFC = 1900 μg/mL, MTT results indicated lower cytotoxicity of the fruit extract at concentrations of 20 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, 100 μg/mL, 150 μg/mL, and 200 μg/mL, The IC50 revealed a significant decrease in cell viability with increasing extract concentration. Notably, papaya extract induced considerable alterations in the morphology of hyphae and spores. In animal tissue, improvements were observed among the group of rats which treated with Papaya extract. This study highlights the potential of fruits as a natural antifungal agent, warranting further exploration for clinical applications.
PubMed: 38803379
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1399671