Time-frequency analysis of event-related brain recordings: Effect of noise on power.

In neuroscience, time-frequency analysis is widely used to investigate brain rhythms in brain recordings. In event-related protocols, it is applied to quantify how the brain responds to a stimulation repeated over many trials. We here focus on two common measures: the power of the transform for each single trial averaged across trials, avgPOW; and the power of the transform of the average evoked potential, POWavg.

Time-Frequency Analysis of Event-Related Brain Recordings: Connecting Power of Evoked Potential and Inter-Trial Coherence.

Objective: In neuroscience, time-frequency analysis has been used to get insight into brain rhythms from brain recordings. In event-related protocols, one applies it to investigate how the brain responds to a stimulation repeated over many trials. In this framework, three measures have been considered: the amplitude of the transform for each single trial averaged across trials, avgAMP; inter-trial phase coherence, ITC; and the power of the evoked potential transform, POWavg.

The Flipside of Eradicating a Disease; Human African Trypanosomiasis in a Woman in Rural Democratic Republic of Congo: A Case Report.

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a neglected disease caused by the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei and transmitted by tsetse flies that progresses in two phases. Symptoms in the first phase include fever, headaches, pruritus, lymphadenopathy, and in certain cases, hepato- and splenomegaly. Neurological disorders such as sleep disorder, aggressive behavior, logorrhea, psychotic reactions, and mood changes are signs of the second stage of the disease.

Astonishing Evolution in Oropharyngeal Cancer with Immunotherapy: A Case Report.

Head and neck cancer is particular due to its infiltrative nature and lymphatic extension, with multidisciplinary treatment. Immunotherapy may be a brand-new therapeutic approach. We report a case of patient with advanced head and neck cancer resistant to cytotoxic treatment, with astonishing response to antibodies anti Programmed Death 1 (PD1).

Prognostic Factors From an Epidemiologic Evaluation of Fibrous Dysplasia of Bone in a Modern Cohort: The FRANCEDYS Study.

Fibrous dysplasia of bone (FD) is a rare genetic but sporadic bone disease that can be responsible for bone pain, fracture, and bone deformity. The prognosis may be difficult to establish because of the wide spectrum of disease severity. We have analyzed the data from the French National Reference center for FD.

Indolent CD8-positive lymphoid proliferation of the ear: a distinct primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma?

The authors report 4 cases of cutaneous lymphoproliferation unusual by their histology and their clinical presentation. Each presented with a history of a slow growing nodule on the ear. Despite the indolent clinical evolution, the histology suggested a high-grade lymphoma.

Cytokine--chemokine and apoptotic signatures in patients with hepatitis C.

Cytokines and chemokines are proteins that play a critical role in the regulation of immunity and inflammation in patients with chronic Hepatitis C. The aim of our study was to correlate serum cytokines, chemokines and apoptosis in non-treated chronic hepatitis C patients with various degrees of inflammation and fibrosis. We studied 778 patients: 59 had low Knodell fibrosis score and low Knodell histological activity index; 372 had mild fibrosis and low histological activity index; 270 had moderate fibrosis and moderate histological activity index; and, 77 had high fibrosis and high histological activity index on their biopsy.

Role of cytokines in the assessment of the severity of chronic hepatitis C and the prediction of response to therapy.

Aims: (i) To characterize serum levels of pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines in non-cirrhotics with hepatitis C; (ii) to correlate levels of these cytokines with degree of disease at baseline; and (iii) to characterize the immuno-modulatory effects of therapy with response.

Methods: We studied 103 patients that were part of randomized, controlled, clinical trials. Serum cytokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha and transforming growth factor-beta levels in chronic hepatitis C patients are immunomodulated by therapy.

Our aims were: (i) to characterize serum levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in non-cirrhotics with hepatitis C; (ii) to correlate levels of theses cytokines with degree of disease at baseline; (iii) to characterize the immunomodulatory effects of therapy with response and (iv) to compare profiles of cytokines in patients treated with pegylated-interferon alpha-2b monotherapy (PMT) vs its combination with ribavirin (PCT1-low dose ribavirin and PCT2-high dose ribavirin). We studied 56 patients that were part of two randomized, controlled, clinical trials. At baseline, high TNF-alpha levels paralleled the degree of inflammation as determined by histology.

Kinetics of serum cytokines reflect changes in the severity of chronic hepatitis C presenting minimal fibrosis.

Our aims were to measure the kinetics of serum tumour necrosis alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) levels as markers of progression of disease in nontreated chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with minimal or no fibrosis and minimal histology activity index (HAI) scores. Our study group consisted of 56 patients diagnosed with minimal (1) or no fibrosis (0) and minimal HAI (0-1) on their first biopsy as defined by Knodell and METAVIR scores. We compared their initial (entry of study) cytokine levels with a group of 103 HCV controls with minimal (0-1) to mild fibrosis (0-3) and mild HAI (5.

Haemobilia causing acute pancreatitis after percutaneous liver biopsy: diagnosis by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) has received much attention as a non-invasive alternative to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, primarily for investigation of choledocholithiasis, but also for evaluation of less common biliary anomalies. We present a case of haemobilia causing acute pancreatitis after percutaneous liver biopsy in which the diagnosis could be made clearly by MRCP, thus avoiding endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and sphincterotomy.

Cytokines as predictors for sustained response and as markers for immunomodulation in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Objectives: (i) To characterize serum cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin 6 (IL 6), IL 8 and IL 12 in non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C, (ii) to correlate the levels of these cytokines with the degree of the disease at the basal level, (iii) to correlate these levels with the response to therapy, (iv) to compare profiles of cytokines in monotherapy (MT) versus combination therapy (CT), and (v) to compare the immunomodulatory effects of MT versus CT.

Design And Methods: 47 patients were enrolled in the study. The controls were 120 volunteers (recruited from students and staff) that did not present HCV RNA positive and were not known to suffer any other metabolic disease.

Wilson's disease with severe hepatic insufficiency: beneficial effects of early administration of D-penicillamine.

Background: Wilson's disease, heralded by severe hepatic insufficiency, is a rare disorder for which emergency liver transplantation is considered to be the only effective therapy.

Aims: To report the features of Wilson's disease with severe hepatic insufficiency in a series of 17 patients and, during the second period of the study, to assess the efficacy of a policy consisting of early administration of D-penicillamine.

Patients: Seventeen consecutive patients with Wilson's disease were studied.

[Acute intracranial hypertension and anicteric cholestasis revealing Whipple's disease without digestive involvement].

Whipple's disease is a rare infectious disease with potential central nervous system manifestations and a poor prognosis. We report the case of a young woman who presented with acute intracranial hypertension associated with cholestasis which revealed Whipple's disease without digestive involvement. The diagnosis was supported by the presence of PAS-diastase positive hepatic granulomas.

Hepatic granulomas and hepatic sarcoidosis.

The causes of hepatic granulomas are numerous and their identification can be difficult. Sarcoidosis is a main cause of hepatic granulomas. The mechanisms that initiate the formation of sarcoid granulomas are unknown.

[Primary sclerosing cholangitis].

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is an uncommon disease, characterized by the progressive destruction of intra and extrahepatic bile ducts. The disease mainly affects males below 40 years of age. Main consequences of the disease are cholestasis, cholangitis, intrahepatic lithiasis, and secondary biliary cirrhosis.

A pilot study of recombinant interferon beta-1a for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

Aims: Interferon alpha monotherapy induces a sustained response in less than 20% of patients treated for chronic hepatitis C. Interferon beta represents a potential therapeutic alternative for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of recombinant interferon beta-la administered subcutaneously.

What should the clinician know about the cytochrome P450 system?

The cytochromes P450 are a superfamily of enzymes which catalyse mono-oxidation, thus transforming fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble metabolites which are excreted in urine. Cytochromes P450 are mainly located in the liver, they play a major role in hepatotoxicity. The toxins (or the drugs) can be in part transformed into reactive metabolites which destroy intrahepatocytic proteins (metabolite-related hepatotoxicity) or form an immune complex that induces immune reactions (immune-related hepatotoxicity).

Predictors of sustained response to alpha interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

Objectives: To utilize cytokine levels to predict sustained response (SR) to alpha interferon (IFN alpha) therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients, and to determine the relationship between serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin (IL) IL 6, IL 8, IL 12, transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta 1) and the degree of liver damage as reflected by traditional markers.

Design And Methods: Serum cytokine levels were assessed using ELISA in 18 patients included in a controlled clinical trial of IFN alpha.

Results: Of the 18 patients, 27% were sustained responders (SR), 27% were response and relapse responders (RR), and 46% were non-responders (NR).