Alpha rhythm slowing in temporal lobe epilepsy across scalp EEG and MEG.

EEG slowing is reported in various neurological disorders including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Epilepsy. Here, we investigate alpha rhythm slowing in individuals with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy compared with healthy controls, using scalp EEG and magnetoencephalography. We retrospectively analysed data from 17 (46) healthy controls and 22 (24) individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy who underwent scalp EEG and magnetoencephalography recordings as part of presurgical evaluation.

Plant-Derived and Synthetic Nicotine in E-Cigarettes: Is Differentiation with NMR Spectroscopy Possible?

To circumvent regulatory frameworks, many producers start to substitute plant-derived nicotine (tobacco-derived nicotine, TDN) by synthetic nicotine (tobacco-free nicotine, TFN) in e-cigarette products. Due to the higher costs of enantiomeric synthesis and purification of TFN, there is a need to develop an analytical method that clearly distinguishes between the two sources. To trace nicotine's origin, its enantiomeric purity can be postulated by H NMR spectroscopy using ()-(-)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl hydrogen phosphate (BNPPA) as a chiral complexing agent.

Diminished circadian and ultradian rhythms of human brain activity in pathological tissue in vivo.

Chronobiological rhythms, such as the circadian rhythm, have long been linked to neurological disorders, but it is currently unknown how pathological processes affect the expression of biological rhythms in the brain. Here, we use the unique opportunity of long-term, continuous intracranially recorded EEG from 38 patients (totalling 6338 hours) to delineate circadian (daily) and ultradian (minute to hourly) rhythms in different brain regions. We show that functional circadian and ultradian rhythms are diminished in pathological tissue, independent of regional variations.

The influence of temperature and genomic variation on intracranial EEG measures in people with epilepsy.

Heatwaves have serious impacts on human health and constitute a key health concern from anthropogenic climate change. People have different individual tolerance for heatwaves or unaccustomed temperatures. Those with epilepsy may be particularly affected by temperature as the electroclinical hallmarks of brain excitability in epilepsy (inter-ictal epileptiform discharges and seizures) are influenced by a range of physiological and non-physiological conditions.

Brain gray matter changes in children at risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

Background: Potential failing adult brain sites, stratified by risk, mediating Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) have been described, but are unknown in children.

Methods: We examined regional brain volumes using T1-weighted MRI images in 21 children with epilepsy at high SUDEP risk and 62 healthy children, together with SUDEP risk scores, calculated from focal seizure frequency. Gray matter tissue type was partitioned, maps normalized, smoothed, and compared between groups (SPM12; ANCOVA; covariates, age, sex, and BMI).

Immune checkpoint regulation is critically involved in canine cutaneous histiocytoma regression.

Introduction: Canine cutaneous histiocytoma (CCH) is a benign tumor frequently occurring in young dogs which is derived from Langerhans cells (LC). Distinguishing features of this tumor are its spontaneous regression following a rapid tumor growth. Impaired control of immune checkpoints during tumor development and progression is a widespread phenomenon which may result in an absent or ineffective immune response.

Quantitative cellular pathology of the amygdala in temporal lobe epilepsy and correlation with magnetic resonance imaging volumetry, tissue microstructure, and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy risk factors.

Objective: Amygdala enlargement can occur in temporal lobe epilepsy, and increased amygdala volume is also reported in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Apnea can be induced by amygdala stimulation, and postconvulsive central apnea (PCCA) and generalized seizures are both known SUDEP risk factors. Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) has recently provided additional information on altered amygdala microstructure in SUDEP.

Edible insects as a novel source of lecithin: Extraction and lipid characterization of black soldier fly larvae and yellow mealworm.

Edible insects with high fat and phosphorus content are a potential novel source of lecithin, however, studies on their minor lipids are limited. In this study, lecithin was extracted from black soldier fly larvae and yellow mealworm. Herein, the effects of lecithin extraction method, matrix and ultrasound pretreatment were explored based on the fatty acid composition and phospholipid profile with soy lecithin as a reference.

Wake slow waves in focal human epilepsy impact network activity and cognition.

Slow waves of neuronal activity are a fundamental component of sleep that are proposed to have homeostatic and restorative functions. Despite this, their interaction with pathology is unclear and there is only indirect evidence of their presence during wakefulness. Using intracortical recordings from the temporal lobe of 25 patients with epilepsy, we demonstrate the existence of local wake slow waves (LoWS) with key features of sleep slow waves, including a down-state of neuronal firing.

Interictal magnetoencephalography abnormalities to guide intracranial electrode implantation and predict surgical outcome.

Intracranial EEG is the gold standard technique for epileptogenic zone localization but requires a preconceived hypothesis of the location of the epileptogenic tissue. This placement is guided by qualitative interpretations of seizure semiology, MRI, EEG and other imaging modalities, such as magnetoencephalography. Quantitative abnormality mapping using magnetoencephalography has recently been shown to have potential clinical value.

Complementary structural and functional abnormalities to localise epileptogenic tissue.

Background: When investigating suitability for epilepsy surgery, people with drug-refractory focal epilepsy may have intracranial EEG (iEEG) electrodes implanted to localise seizure onset. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) may be acquired to identify key white matter tracts for surgical avoidance. Here, we investigate whether structural connectivity abnormalities, inferred from dMRI, may be used in conjunction with functional iEEG abnormalities to aid localisation of the epileptogenic zone (EZ), improving surgical outcomes in epilepsy.

Altered amygdala volumes and microstructure in focal epilepsy patients with tonic-clonic seizures, ictal, and post-convulsive central apnea.

Objectives: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a leading cause of death for patients with epilepsy; however, the pathophysiology remains unclear. Focal-to-bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS) are a major risk factor, and centrally-mediated respiratory depression may increase the risk further. Here, we determined the volume and microstructure of the amygdala, a key structure that can trigger apnea in people with focal epilepsy, stratified by the presence or absence of FBTCS, ictal central apnea (ICA), and post-convulsive central apnea (PCCA).

Multicomponent analysis of dietary supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin: comparative low- and high-field NMR spectroscopic study.

With the prevalence of glucosamine- and chondroitin-containing dietary supplements for people with osteoarthritis in the marketplace, it is important to have an accurate and reproducible analytical method for the quantitation of these compounds in finished products. NMR spectroscopic method based both on low- (80 MHz) and high- (500-600 MHz) field NMR instrumentation was established, compared and validated for the determination of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine in dietary supplements. The proposed method was applied for analysis of 20 different dietary supplements.

Intracranial EEG Structure-Function Coupling and Seizure Outcomes After Epilepsy Surgery.

Background And Objectives: Surgery is an effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy, which modifies the brain's structure and networks to regulate seizure activity. Our objective was to examine the relationship between brain structure and function to determine the extent to which this relationship affects the success of the surgery in controlling seizures. We hypothesized that a stronger association between brain structure and function would lead to improved seizure control after surgery.

Ambient Pressure Ir@Hal-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Aryl Aldehydes, Ketones, and Phenol.

A reliable method for encapsulation of iridium nanoparticles (6-8 nm particles) in halloysite Ir@Hal has been developed. The Ir@Hal nanocomposite was found to be a highly efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of the carbonyl group of aryl aldehydes, aryl ketones, and aliphatic ketones to afford alcohols in high yields. In addition, phenol could be hydrogenated to furnish cyclohexanol (93-95% yield) at ambient pressure at 50 °C.

Brain Connectivity Correlates of Breathing and Cardiac Irregularities in SUDEP: A Resting-State fMRI Study.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the leading cause of premature mortality among people with epilepsy. Evidence from witnessed and monitored SUDEP cases indicate seizure-induced cardiovascular and respiratory failures; yet, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. SUDEP occurs often during the night and early morning hours, suggesting that sleep or circadian rhythm-induced changes in physiology contribute to the fatal event.

Temporal stability of intracranial electroencephalographic abnormality maps for localizing epileptogenic tissue.

Objective: Identifying abnormalities on interictal intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG), by comparing patient data to a normative map, has shown promise for the localization of epileptogenic tissue and prediction of outcome. The approach typically uses short interictal segments of approximately 1 min. However, the temporal stability of findings has not been established.

Interictal MEG abnormalities to guide intracranial electrode implantation and predict surgical outcome.

Intracranial EEG (iEEG) is the gold standard technique for epileptogenic zone (EZ) localisation, but requires a preconceived hypothesis of the location of the epileptogenic tissue. This placement is guided by qualitative interpretations of seizure semiology, MRI, EEG and other imaging modalities, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG). Quantitative abnormality mapping using MEG has recently been shown to have potential clinical value.

A framework for focal and connectomic mapping of transiently disrupted brain function.

The distributed nature of the neural substrate, and the difficulty of establishing necessity from correlative data, combine to render the mapping of brain function a far harder task than it seems. Methods capable of combining connective anatomical information with focal disruption of function are needed to disambiguate local from global neural dependence, and critical from merely coincidental activity. Here we present a comprehensive framework for focal and connective spatial inference based on sparse disruptive data, and demonstrate its application in the context of transient direct electrical stimulation of the human medial frontal wall during the pre-surgical evaluation of patients with focal epilepsy.

Volumetric and microstructural abnormalities of the amygdala in focal epilepsy with varied levels of SUDEP risk.

Although the mechanisms of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) are not yet well understood, generalised- or focal-to-bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (TCS) are a major risk factor. Previous studies highlighted alterations in structures linked to cardio-respiratory regulation; one structure, the amygdala, was enlarged in people at high risk of SUDEP and those who subsequently died. We investigated volume changes and the microstructure of the amygdala in people with epilepsy at varied risk for SUDEP since that structure can play a key role in triggering apnea and mediating blood pressure.