Electophysiology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to present a case study illustrating the importance of electrophysiological investigation in the diagnosis and serial monitoring of isolated congenital nystagmus. RESULTS: Serial electophysiological monitoring was undertaken in the male proband over a 9-year period commencing with initial assessment at 12 weeks of age: Skin electroretinograms (sERGs) were initially absent but subsequently revealed low-amplitude responses, electronegative morphologies and notched flicker responses suggestive of incomplete congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB2), but with an absent dark-adapted rod-specific response, while flash visual evoked potentials (fVEPs) demonstrated persistent crossed asymmetry, typical of albinoid misrouting of the optic nerves...

AIMS: The main cause of atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation is pulmonary vein reconnection. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyse the electophysiological findings in patients undergoing repeat procedures after an index cryoballoon ablation (CB-A) and presenting with permanency of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in all veins. In addition, we sought to compare the latter with a similar group of patients with reconnected veins at the redo procedure. METHODS: A total of 132 patients (81 men, 60...

AIMS: The main cause of atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation is pulmonary vein reconnection. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyse the electophysiological findings in patients undergoing repeat procedures after an index cryoballoon ablation (CB-A) and presenting with permanency of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in all veins. In addition, we sought to compare the latter with a similar group of patients with reconnected veins at the redo procedure. METHODS: A total of 132 patients (81 men, 60...

Oral rehydration solutions (ORSs) is the key treatment of acute diarrhea in children, as it restores the electrolyte balance by stimulating the intestinal sodium/glucose transporter SGLT1 to induce fluid absorption. The World Health Organization (WHO) and The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) proposed ORSs with different chemical compositions. The main agent of childhood acute gastroenteritis is rotavirus (RV). We evaluate the effects of ORS with different concentration of glucose and sodium on RV induced secretion...

Entrapment of posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) can be due to fracture dislocation of elbow, fibrous arcade of Frohse, neoplasms (lipoma, schwannoma), ganglion cysts and rheumatoid synovitis. Parosteal lipomas are extremely rare. These tumors grow slowly and as they grow, they can compress a nearby nerve producing sensory and motor disturbances. Till date less than 50 cases of PIN entrapment due to parosteal lipoma have been reported in literature. However, to the best of our knowledge, none was bilobed. A 54-year-old female patient presented with progressive weakness of the right-hand extensors including thumb for the last 5 months with no sensory loss...

Pulmonary vein antrum isolation is the most effective rhythm control strategy in patients with paroxysmal AF. However, catheter ablation of non-paroxysmal AF has a lower success rate, even when persistent isolation of pulmonary veins (PVs) is achieved. As a result of arrhythmia-related electophysiological and structural changes in the atria, sites other than the PVs can harbour triggers. These non-PV triggers contribute to AF relapse. In this article, we summarise the rationale and current evidence supporting the arrhythmogenic role of non-PV triggers and our ablation approach to patients with non-paroxysmal AF...

We have recently revealed that the proprioceptive signal from jaw-closing muscle spindles (JCMSs) is conveyed to the dorsal part of granular insular cortex rostroventrally adjacent to the rostralmost part of secondary somatosensory cortex (dGIrvs2) via the caudo-ventromedial edge (VPMcvm) of ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPM) in rats. However, it remains unclear to which cortical or subcortical structures the JCMS proprioceptive information is subsequently conveyed from the dGIrvs2. To test this issue, we injected an anterograde tracer, biotinylated dextranamine, into the electophysiologically identified dGIrvs2, and analyzed the resultant distribution profiles of labeled axon terminals in rats...

A 26-year-old man presented to our syncope service with debilitating daily palpitations, shortness of breath, presyncope and syncope following a severe viral respiratory illness 4 years previously. Mobitz type II block had previously been identified, leading to a permanent pacemaker and no further episodes of frank syncope. Transthoracic echocardiography, electophysiological study and repeated urine metanepherines were normal. His palpitations and presyncope were reproducible on deep inspiration, coughing, isometric hand exercise and passive leg raises...

Phycodnaviruses are dsDNA viruses, which infect algae. Their large genomes encode many gene products, like small K(+) channels, with homologs in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Screening for K(+) channels revealed their abundance in viruses from fresh-water habitats. Recent sequencing of viruses from marine algae or from salt water in Antarctica revealed sequences with the predicted characteristics of K(+) channels but with some unexpected features. Two genes encode either 78 or 79 amino acid proteins, which are the smallest known K(+) channels...

OBJECTIVE: The role of resting state functional networks in epilepsy is incompletely understood. While some pathologic diagnoses have been shown to have maintained but altered resting state connectivity, others have implicated resting state connectivity in disease progression. However little is known about how these resting state networks influence the behavior of a focal neocortical seizure. METHODS: Using data taken from invasively monitored patients with intractable focal neocortical epilepsy, we evaluated network connectivity (as determined by oscillatory covariance of the slow cortical potential (<0...

INTRODUCTION: Laminoplasty has been proposed as a treatment for cervical stenotic myelopathy (CSM) as an alternative to standard laminectomy as this has been considered directly associated with an increased risk of postoperative deformity. METHODS: We retrospective reviewed postoperative results of open door laminoplasty (unilateral approach technique) compared with laminectomy in terms of clinical/electophysiological results (somatosensory evoked potentials - SSEP, and motor evoked potentials - MEP); in addition the rate of subsequent spinal deformities was analyzed in both techniques...

OBJECTIVE: Methomyl-alphamethrin is a mixture of carbamate and pyrethroid insecticides. Carbamate insecticides function as reversible cholinesterase inhibitors, which may produce life-threatening cholinergic syndrome. Cortical blindness and delayed neuropathy were rarely reported complications of carbamate insecticide exposures. Here we reported a case of intentional methomyl-alphamethrin ingestion. CASE REPORT: A 41-year-old woman attempted suicide by drinking 200 mL of methomyl-alphamethrin insecticide and soon presented with unconsciousness, hypothermia, and shock...

We report a 70-year-old man, who developed painful involuntary muscle contraction of the left leg after the lumbar discectomy, which exacerbated after a vertebral fracture of Th12. This involuntary movement was accompanied with the abnormal position of left leg simulating triple flexion response, and was induced by active or passive movement of his left knee and foot joints. Several drugs including benzodiazepines and dantrolene were ineffective, although treatment with baclofen or carbamazepine was effective...

BACKGROUND: A number of prostaglandins (PGs) sensitize dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and contribute to inflammatory hyperalgesia by signaling through specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). One mechanism whereby PGs sensitize these neurons is through modulation of "thermoTRPs," a subset of ion channels activated by temperature belonging to the Transient Receptor Potential ion channel superfamily. Acrid, electrophilic chemicals including cinnamaldehyde (CA) and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), derivatives of cinnamon and mustard oil respectively, activate thermoTRP member TRPA1 via direct modification of channel cysteine residues...

INTRODUCTION: No guideline is available for the long-term therapeutic management of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). STATE OF THE ART: Efficacy of corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins and plasma exchanges has been shown in trials conducted on short periods. Only experts'recommendations are available for management of patients after initiation of these treatments. For corticosteroids, decrease must be very slow on one or two years...

BACKGROUND: Nifekalant may prevent atrial fibrillation (AF) and possibly be useful in treatment of atrial tachyarrhythmia in patients with severe heart failure. This study investigated the electophysiologic effect of nifekalant on the acute atrial remodeling in rapid atrial pacing (RAP) model of canine. METHODS: Twelve mongrel dogs subjected to rapid stimulation (400 beats/min) at left atrial appendage (LAA) for 24 hours, were randomized into the control group (rapid pacing only, n = 6) and the nifekalant group (intravenous nifekalant therapy immediately after RAP, n = 6)...

Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disease involving the malabsorption of copper by the body. The most common characteristic sign is the presence of Kayser-Fleischner ring surrounding the cornea. Other systemic and motor signs have been documented as well as MRI changes within the brain and brainstem. This rare case illustrates the potential importance of audiometric assessment for patients with Wilson's disease who complain of hearing loss, tinnitus and intra-aural pressure. Unilateral findings were significant for retrocochlear neural transmission delays...

Circadian photoentrainment is the process by which the brain's internal clock becomes synchronized with the daily external cycle of light and dark. In mammals, this process is mediated exclusively by a novel class of retinal ganglion cells that send axonal projections to the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the region of the brain that houses the circadian pacemaker. In contrast to their counterparts that mediate image-forming vision, SCN-projecting RGCs are intrinsically sensitive to light, independent of synaptic input from rod and cone photoreceptors...

BACKGROUND: Fecal incontinence stands for inability in maintaining the control of defecation to a socially acceptable and adequate time and place, resulting in unwanted release of gas, liquid or solid stool. The diagnosis needs multiple exams. Anorectal manometry is mandatory for this study. The correlation between manometry with electophysiological studies and symptoms is not yet clear in the literature. AIMS: Correlate values of anal manometry, pudental nerve terminal motor latency and co morbidity in fecal incontinence patients...

We invented an efficiently approach to building whole-heart electrophysiological model with cellular automata style massive parallel computing. In this paper, we introduce the simulation facilities of a model we built and the potential application of such model. The first use is to solve the forward problem of electrocardiogram. Simulating arrhythmia ECG and accurately interpreting the significance of various irregular waveforms will be the key goal. Investigating the dynamic property of cardioelectrical activity at cellular and channel levels is the second application, aiming at revealing the mechanism of the generation and sustentation of arrhythmia...