Neurology Commons^™

Histogram Analysis Of Adc In Brain Tumor Patients, Debrup Banerjee, Jihong Wang, Jiang Li, Norbert J. Pelc (Ed.), Ehsan Samei (Ed.), Robert M. Nishikawa (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

At various stage of progression, most brain tumors are not homogenous. In this presentation, we retrospectively studied the distribution of ADC values inside tumor volume during the course of tumor treatment and progression for a selective group of patients who underwent an anti-VEGF trial. Complete MRI studies were obtained for this selected group of patients including pre- and multiple follow-up, post-treatment imaging studies. In each MRI imaging study, multiple scan series were obtained as a standard protocol which includes T1, T2, T1-post contrast, FLAIR and DTI derived images (ADC, FA etc.) for each visit. All scan series (T1, T2, FLAIR, …

Eeg Artifact Removal Using A Wavelet Neural Network, Hoang-Anh T. Nguyen, John Musson, Jiang Li, Frederick Mckenzie, Guangfan Zhang, Roger Xu, Carl Richey, Tom Schnell, Thomas E. Pinelli (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper we developed a wavelet neural network. (WNN) algorithm for Electroencephalogram (EEG) artifact removal without electrooculographic (EOG) recordings. The algorithm combines the universal approximation characteristics of neural network and the time/frequency property of wavelet. We compared the WNN algorithm with the ICA technique and a wavelet thresholding method, which was realized by using the Stein's unbiased risk estimate (SURE) with an adaptive gradient-based optimal threshold. Experimental results on a driving test data set show that WNN can remove EEG artifacts effectively without diminishing useful EEG information even for very noisy data.

Prediction Of Brain Tumor Progression Using Multiple Histogram Matched Mri Scans, Debrup Banerjee, Loc Tran, Jiang Li, Yuzhong Shen, Frederic Mckenzie, Jihong Wang, Ronald M. Summers (Ed.), Bram Van Ginneken (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In a recent study [1], we investigated the feasibility of predicting brain tumor progression based on multiple MRI series and we tested our methods on seven patients' MRI images scanned at three consecutive visits A, B and C. Experimental results showed that it is feasible to predict tumor progression from visit A to visit C using a model trained by the information from visit A to visit B. However, the trained model failed when we tried to predict tumor progression from visit B to visit C, though it is clinically more important. Upon a closer look at the MRI scans …

Acetate Causes Alcohol Hangover Headache In Rats, Christina R. Maxwell, Rebecca Jay Spangenberg, Jan B. Hoek, Stephen D. Silberstein, Michael L. Oshinsky

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Background

The mechanism of veisalgia cephalgia or hangover headache is unknown. Despite a lack of mechanistic studies, there are a number of theories positing congeners, dehydration, or the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde as causes of hangover headache.

Methods

We used a chronic headache model to examine how pure ethanol produces increased sensitivity for nociceptive behaviors in normally hydrated rats.

Results

Ethanol initially decreased sensitivity to mechanical stimuli on the face (analgesia), followed 4 to 6 hours later by inflammatory pain. Inhibiting alcohol dehydrogenase extended the analgesia whereas inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase decreased analgesia. Neither treatment had nociceptive effects. Direct administration of acetate …

Stem Cells For Spinal Cord Regeneration: Current Status, Zain A. Sobani, Syed A. Quadri, Ather Enam

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: Nearly 11,000 cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) are reported in the United States annually. Current management options give a median survival time of 38 years, however, no rehabilitative measures are available. Stem cells have been under constant research given their ability to differentiate into neural cell lines replacing non functional tissue. Efforts have been made to establish new synapses and provide a conducive environment, by grafting cells from autologous and fetal sources, including embryonic or adult stem cells, Schwann cells, genetically modified fibroblasts, bone stromal cells, and olfactory ensheathing cells and combinations/ variants thereof.
Methods: In order to …

Microdiscectomy For Lumbosacral Disc Herniation And Frequency Of Failed Disc Surgery, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Maria Adnan Parekh, Muhammad Ehsan Bari, Ather Enam, Faraz Khursheed

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: Microdiscectomy for lumbosacral disc herniations is one of the most commonly performed neurosurgical procedures. The Patient demographics, symptomatology, and recovery are highly variable, and surgical outcomes depend on several factors, including Patient demographics. Failed disc surgery refers to failure of improvement in Patient's symptoms following microdiscectomy, and has been observed to occur in up to 12% of Patients. To date, no study form Pakistan has looked into Patient demographics and failed disc surgery rates within the local context.
Objective:The aim of this study was to review the demographics of the Patient population presenting for surgical treatment of lumbosacral …

Acetate Causes Alcohol Hangover Headache In Rats., Christina R Maxwell, Rebecca Jay Spangenberg, Jan B Hoek, Stephen D Silberstein, Michael L Oshinsky

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of veisalgia cephalgia or hangover headache is unknown. Despite a lack of mechanistic studies, there are a number of theories positing congeners, dehydration, or the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde as causes of hangover headache.

METHODS: We used a chronic headache model to examine how pure ethanol produces increased sensitivity for nociceptive behaviors in normally hydrated rats.

RESULTS: Ethanol initially decreased sensitivity to mechanical stimuli on the face (analgesia), followed 4 to 6 hours later by inflammatory pain. Inhibiting alcohol dehydrogenase extended the analgesia whereas inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase decreased analgesia. Neither treatment had nociceptive effects. Direct administration of acetate …

Is The Quality Of Neurosurgical Literature Improving?, James Harrop, Md, Mitchell Maltenfort, Phd

JHN Journal

Introduction:

The advent of evidence-based medicine has resulted in higher quality journal manuscripts in numerous medical disciplines. However, the impact in the neurosurgical literature has not been reported.

Objective:

To quantify the impact of evidence-based medicine on the quality of articles published in the Neurosurgery literature.

Methods:

Articles published in the journal Neurosurgery (founded in 1977) were reviewed for 1978, 1988, 1998, and 2008. Each decade’s sample was classified as therapeutic, diagnostic and prognostic based on a published system for determining level of evidence.

Results:

438 articles were reviewed. Articles not considered included any published under the heading “Case Report” …

What Are The Current Therapeutic Options For Haemorrhagic Strokes?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

What Are The Current Therapeutic Options For Haemorrhagic Strokes?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Controversies Of Treatment Modalities For Cerebral Venous Thrombosis, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Mohammad Wasay

Department of Medicine

Cerebral vein thrombosis has been well recognized for nearly two centuries. However, therapeutic options for the condition are limited due to lack of large randomized trials. The various modalities reportedly used include antiplatelets, anticoagulation, fibrinolysis, and mechanical thrombectomy. Of these, antiplatelets are the least studied, and there are only anecdotal reports of aspirin use. Anticoagulation is the most widely used and accepted modality with favorable outcomes documented in two randomized controlled trials. Various fibrinolytic agents have also been tried. Local infusions have shown more promise compared to systemic agents. Similarly, mechanical thrombectomy has been used to augment the effects of …

Intracranial Cavernous Angiomas, Syed Faraz Kazim, Atta-Ul-Aleem Bhatti, Ather Enam

Section of Neurosurgery

Objective: To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of patients presenting with intracranial cavernous angiomas (CAs) at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.
Study Design: Case series. Place and Duration of Study: Section of Neurosurgery, The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, from January 1990 to September 2008.
Methodology: A retrospective case note review of all patients diagnosed with intracranial CAs at AKUH during the study period. The studied variables included patient demographics, clinical presentation, family history of intracranial CAs or other space occupying lesions, modality of diagnosis, management, and outcome. Results were described as frequency percentages.
Results: During …

Ms4a4b, A Cd20 Homologue In T Cells, Inhibits T Cell Propagation By Modulation Of Cell Cycle., Hui Xu, Yaping Yan, Mark S Williams, Gregory B Carey, Jingxian Yang, Hongmei Li, Guang-Xian Zhang, Abdolmohamad Rostami

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

MS4a4B, a CD20 homologue in T cells, is a novel member of the MS4A gene family in mice. The MS4A family includes CD20, FcεRIβ, HTm4 and at least 26 novel members that are characterized by their structural features: with four membrane-spanning domains, two extracellular domains and two cytoplasmic regions. CD20, FcεRIβ and HTm4 have been found to function in B cells, mast cells and hematopoietic cells respectively. However, little is known about the function of MS4a4B in T cell regulation. We demonstrate here that MS4a4B negatively regulates mouse T cell proliferation. MS4a4B is highly expressed in primary T cells, natural …

Acute Administration Of Rt-Pa For Acute Stroke In Pakistani Patients--What Does The Available Evidence Teach Us?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

Acute Administration Of Rt-Pa For Acute Stroke In Pakistani Patients--What Does The Available Evidence Teach Us?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Research-Retreat-Recovery: A Potential Model For Organization And Completion Of Research Projects. Experience From A Neurosurgery Department In A Developing Country, Saniya Siraj Godil, Syed Faraz Kazim, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim

Medical College Documents

Background: In the current era of biomedical research, it is imperative that every research study at an institution is properly organized, and frequently audited to streamline efforts and maintain standards. Recently, a research retreat was organized by the Section of Neurosurgery at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, and following that a recovery team was made with the aim of recovering "lost in translation" research projects. In the realm of our experience, the current model is being proposed as a means for organization of departmental research.
Methods: The "research" component of the model comprised compilation of an abstract book of …

Neural Coding And Decoding, Alexander Dimitrov

Systems Science Friday Noon Seminar Series

Methods based on Rate Distortion theory have been successfully used to cluster stimuli and neural responses in order to study neural codes at a level of detail supported by the amount of available data. They approximate the joint stimulus-response distribution by quantizing paired stimulus-response observations into smaller reproductions of the stimulus and response spaces. An optimal quantization is found by maximizing an information-theoretic cost function subject to both equality and inequality constraints, in hundreds to thousands of dimensions. This analytical approach has several advantages over other current approaches:

• it yields the most informative approximation of the encoding scheme given the …

A New Frontier For Headache., Stephen Silberstein

Department of Jefferson Headache Center Papers and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Pontine Haemorrhage Due To Chondrosarcoma Of The Skull Base, Maliha Iqbal Jumani, Roomasa Channa, Sayed Nabeel Zafar, Ather Enam

Section of Neurosurgery

A young adult presented with acute weakness of right side of body and slurring of speech. An initial brain CT scan showed a pontine haemorrhage, however MRI done a few days later revealed a mass in the left parapharyngeal space. Histopathology of the mass revealed that it was a chondrosarcoma. Subsequently the patient was initially treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy and later surgery. Skull base chondrosarcomabe is to be included in the differentials of a young patient presenting with signs consistent with pontine haemorrhage.

Clinical And Diagnostic Features Of Patients With Compound Heterozygous A467t/W748s Polg1 Mutations: A Case Report And Review Of Previous Cases, David Roshal, D.O., Andro Zangaladze, Md, Phd

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Introduction

Mutations in the POLG1 gene are considered to be the most common gene defect identified in autosomal recessive mitochondrial DNA depletion disorders. POLG1 is a gene encoding the 195kDa catalytic (alpha) subunit of the mitochondrial (gamma) DNA polymerase, located on chromosome 15q25 and is responsible for mtDNA replication. Mutations in POLG1 are associated with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO). Other genes that have been implicated in causing syndromic and non-syndromic mitochondrial disorders have been found on both mtDNA (3243A>G, 8344A>G, 8993T>G, and 11778A>G) and nDNA (SURF1, POLG1, TWINKLE, and ANT1).

We report a patient with …

What Is The Best First Agent To Give To A Patient With Acute Ischaemic Stroke? Aspirin, Heparin, Clopidogrel, Cilostazol Or Dipyridamole?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

What Is The Best First Agent To Give To A Patient With Acute Ischaemic Stroke? Aspirin, Heparin, Clopidogrel, Cilostazol Or Dipyridamole?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Medical Ethics: A Slow But Sustained Revolution In Pakistan’S Healthcare, Muhammad Shahid Shamim, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim

Section of Neurosurgery

No abstract provided.

What Is The Best Antiplatelet Agent For Prevention Of Recurrent Stroke In Pakistani Patients? Do Combinations Offer Significant Advantages In The South Asian Context?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

What Is The Best Antiplatelet Agent For Prevention Of Recurrent Stroke In Pakistani Patients? Do Combinations Offer Significant Advantages In The South Asian Context?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Y-Aminobutyric Acid Inhibits Synergistic Interleukin-6 Release And Increases Intracellular Cytokine Content In C6 Astrocytoma Cells In Vitro, Daniella Sandoval, Becky M. Hess, Bryan L. Spangelo

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by memory loss and is the most common cause of dementia. It is has been hypothesized that pro-inflammatory cytokines induce the inflammation that is believed to be the cause of the neuronal death that is associated with AD. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the Central Nervous System possessing membrane hyperpolarization or depolarization activities. A decline in GABA may enhance cytokine release in Alzheimer’s disease resulting in neuroinflammation. Therefore, we investigated the GABA-mediated suppression of the synergistic release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) induced by interleukin 1- (IL-1) and …

Effect Of Acute Administration Of Angiopoietin-1 In Experimental Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Magnetic Resonance Imaging And Neurobehavioral Studies, Chirag B. Patel

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition that affects people in the prime of their lives. A myriad of vascular events occur after SCI, each of which contributes to the evolving pathology. The primary trauma causes mechanical damage to blood vessels, resulting in hemorrhage. The blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB), a neurovascular unit that limits passage of most agents from systemic circulation to the central nervous system, breaks down, resulting in inflammation, scar formation, and other sequelae. Protracted BSCB disruption may exacerbate cellular injury and hinder neurobehavioral recovery in SCI.

In these studies, angiopoietin-1 (Ang1), an agent known to reduce …

How Should Physicians Practically Approach Symptomatic And Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

How Should Physicians Practically Approach Symptomatic And Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis?, Maria Khan, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Craniocerebral Aspergillosis: A Review Of Advances In Diagnosis And Management, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Ather Enam, Rushna Ali, Saleha Anwar

Section of Neurosurgery

Craniocerebral aspergillosis is a rare but dangerous central nervous system infection. The infection has a spectrum of presenting features, mostly affecting immunocompromised individuals. The incidence appears to be on the rise that has been especially observed in the immunocompetent population. A high index of suspicion, a comprehensive understanding of the infectious process and advanced laboratory and radiological diagnostic techniques, allow early diagnosis. Surgery, followed by systemic antifungal medications, remains the cornerstone of management. Early administration of empirical anti-fungal agents along with immunomodulators may further improve prognosis. Immunocompetent patients tend to have better outcomes as compared to those who are immunocompromised. …