J-Shaped Relationship of Serum Uric Acid with Unfavorable Short-Term Outcomes among Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

(1) Background: The role of uric acid in stroke outcomes remains inconclusive. (2) Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 3370 patients with acute ischemic stroke. (3) Results: Uric acid level was higher in men than in women.

Comparison of Clinical Features, Immune-Inflammatory Markers, and Outcomes Between Patients with Acute In-Hospital and Out-of-Hospital Ischemic Stroke.

Purpose: We investigated the differences of clinical features, four immune-inflammatory markers, namely neutrophil counts, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), as well as outcomes between patients with in-hospital ischemic stroke (IHIS) and out-of-hospital ischemic stroke (OHIS).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 72 patients with IHIS and 3330 patients with OHIS.

Results: IHIS accounted for 2% of all patients with ischemic stroke and occurred more often in cardiology and orthopedic surgery wards.

Association of a High Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio with Hyperdense Artery Sign and Unfavorable Short-Term Outcomes in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Purpose: Immune-inflammatory processes are involved in all the stages of stroke. This study investigated the association of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with the hyperdense artery sign (HAS) observed on brain computed tomography (CT) and with clinical features in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 2903 inpatients with acute ischemic stroke from May 2010 to May 2019.

Impact of code stroke on thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke at a secondary referral hospital in Taiwan.

Background: Efficacy of thrombolytic therapy decreases with time elapsed from symptom onset. We sought to identify the impact of code stroke on the thrombolytic therapy.

Methods: Code stroke is activated by the emergency physician when a patient is eligible for thrombolytic therapy.

Common Neurological Disorders Involving Inpatient Liaisons at a Secondary Referral Hospital in Taiwan: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background And Purpose: The requirement for neurology liaison is increasing in accordance with the growing health care demands associated with aging populations. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature of neurological inpatient liaisons (NILs) to help plan for the appropriate use of neurology resources.

Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of NILs in a secondary referral hospital over a 12-month period.

Infectious Mononucleosis Complicated with Acute Cerebral Infarction: A Case Report.

Purpose: Infectious mononucleosis (IM) complicated with a neurological manifestation, including acute cerebellar ataxia, Guillain-Barre syndrome, meningitis, encephalitis, cranial nerve palsies, optic neuritis or transverse myelitis, has been rarely reported; however, IM complicated with acute cerebral infarction has never been reported in the literature.

Case Report: A 49-year-old man with diabetic mellitus suffered from IM with fever, pharyngitis, parotiditis with lymphadenopathies, thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly. After two weeks of conservative treatment, left upper limb paresis and left hemihypesthesia occurred.

Neurological complications of acute intermittent porphyria.

Background: Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an inherited disorder of heme biosynthesis, the clinical manifestations of which are incompletely understood. In this report, we describe 12 cases of AIP, focusing on the neurological manifestations.

Methods: Twelve patients were diagnosed with AIP on the basis of characteristic clinical findings, erythrocyte porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) activity, and molecular genetics.

Acute ischemic stroke in low-voltage electrical injury: A case report.

Background: Acute stroke is not a common complication of electrical injury, and only a few cases of acute stroke have been reported for lightning or high-voltage injuries.

Case Report: We present the case of a man who suffered from a low-voltage electrical injury followed by ischemic stroke. Magnetic resonance angiography showed segmental narrowing of the right internal carotid artery and right middle cerebral artery.

New 3beta,5alpha,6beta-trihydroxysteroids from the octocorals Bebryce sp. (Plexauridae) and Carijoa sp. (Clavulariidae).

A new 3beta,5alpha,6beta-trihydroxysteroid, bebryceoid A (1), has been isolated from an octocoral Bebryce sp. In addition, an octocoral Carijoa sp. yielded two new 3beta,5alpha,6beta-trihydroxysteroids, carijoids A (2) and B (3).

Carijoside A, a bioactive sterol glycoside from an octocoral Carijoa sp. (Clavulariidae).

A new bioactive sterol glycoside, 3beta-O-(3',4'-di-O-acetyl-beta-D-arabinopyranosyl)-25xi-cholestane-3beta,5alpha,6beta,26-tetrol-26-acetate) (carijoside A, 1), was isolated from an octocoral identified as Carijoa sp. The structure of glycoside 1 was established by spectroscopic methods and by comparison with spectral data for the other known glycosides. Carijoside A (1) displayed significant inhibitory effects on superoxide anion generation and elastase release by human neutrophils and this compound exhibited moderate cytotoxicity toward DLD-1, P388D1, HL-60, and CCRF-CEM tumor cells.

VKORC1 haplotypes in five East-Asian populations and Indians.

Aims: Warfarin, a widely prescribed oral anticoagulant, is used for the prevention of thromboembolism. Several polymorphisms in VKORC1 have been shown to be associated with warfarin dose requirements. The frequencies of these VKORC1 polymorphisms display population differences; however, this has not been examined in many populations.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma masquerading as Tolosa-Hunt syndrome: a case report.

Painful ophthalmoplegia due to extramedullary plasmacytoma is a rare initial manifestation of multiple myeloma. The present report describes a 48-year-old man who suffered an acute onset of retro-orbital pain, left abducens palsy and left facial hypoesthesia. In addition, he exhibited an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and partial responsiveness to corticosteroid treatment, all of which resemble the features of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome.

Toluene disrupts synaptogenesis in cultured hippocampal neurons.

Prenatal toluene exposure may lead to significant developmental neurotoxicity known as fetal solvent syndrome. Emerging evidence suggests that toluene embryopathy may arise from an elusive deviation of the neurogenesis process. One key event during neural development is synaptogenesis, which is essential for the progression of neuronal differentiation and the establishment of neuronal network.

Posterior communicating artery hypoplasia as a risk factor for acute ischemic stroke in the absence of carotid artery occlusion.

Posterior communicating artery (PCoA) hypoplasia is a fetal variant of the Circle of Willis. According to angiograms and autopsy reports, this congenital variation is found in 6-21% of the general population. PCoA hypoplasia only becomes a risk factor for ischemic stroke in the presence of ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion.

Intragenic microdeletion of RUNX2 is a novel mechanism for cleidocranial dysplasia.

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD; MIM 119600) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by facial, dental, and skeletal malformations. To date, rearrangement and mutations involving RUNX2, which encodes a transcription factor required for osteoblast differentiation on 6p21, has been the only known molecular etiology for CCD. However, only 70% patients were found to have point mutations, 13% large/contiguous deletion but the rest of 17% remains unknown.

Effect of sacral neuromodulation on the spinal nociceptive reflex of patients with idiopathic overactive bladder.

Objectives.   Sacral root stimulation (SRS) is a technique to restore the idiopathic overactive bladder (IOB). However, its mechanism of action is yet to be elucidated.

Toward a further elucidation: role of vertebral artery hypoplasia in migraine with aura.

A higher frequency of hypoplastic vertebral artery (VA) in patients with migraine with aura than in normal controls has been documented. However, the role of a hypoplastic VA in a migraine attack remains unclear. The aim of our work was to measure the net VA flow volume and related spectral parameters in patients with migraine with aura and a hypoplastic VA.

Brainstem excitability is increased in subjects with palmomental reflex.

Background/purpose: The palmomental reflex (PMR) is a brief contraction of the mentalis muscles caused by a scratch over the thenar eminence, i.e. a brainstem reflex to afferents of upper limb.

Pharmacoeconomics of therapy for Guillain-Barré syndrome: plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute neuropathy and a clinical syndrome that includes a number of pathological and electrophysiological subtypes. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and plasma exchange (PE) are both equally efficacious for the treatment of GBS; however, the cost of IVIG may be lower for both the patient and the healthcare system. To compare the pharmacoeconomics of PE and IVIG in GBS, a retrospective study was done from 1999 to 2004, which included a total of 24 patients with GBS who were admitted to Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

Anterior cerebral artery A1 segment hypoplasia may contribute to A1 hypoplasia syndrome.

Anterior cerebral artery A1 segment hypoplasia is an uncommon fetal variant of the circle of Willis. The frequency of this congenital variation is 1-13% as derived from angiograms and autopsy reports. Impaired collateral blood flow through the circle of Willis is a recognized risk factor for ischemic stroke.

Efficacy of botulinum toxin type a in the relief of Carpal tunnel syndrome: A preliminary experience.

Background And Objectives: Botulinum toxin type A has been shown to relieve primary headaches, myofascial pain and various neuropathic pains. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common disorder resulting from median nerve compression at the wrist. As reports of botulinum toxin A in the treatment of CTS were limited, this study set out to evaluate the safety and tolerability of botulinum toxin A and its effects on the relief of nerve entrapment and pain in patients with CTS.

Mentalis muscle responses to median nerve stimulation.

Electrical stimulation may produce excitation or inhibition of the motor neurons, as represented the blink reflex and masseter silent period in response to trigeminal nerve stimulation. Clinically, a light touch on the palm may evoke a mentalis muscle response (MMR), i.e.

Hydrocephalus associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

A 68-year-old man developed progressive four-limb weakness and areflexia 17 days after an influenza vaccination. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), and remained ventilator dependent and bed-bound for 3 months, despite plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin infusion. However, cognitive impairment, excessive daytime sleepiness, and motor disability were still present, even when he was no longer ventilator dependent.