Comparing spiking and slow wave activity from invasive electroencephalography in patients with and without seizures

Seizures have long been defined as paroxysmal events typified by abnormally excessive or synchronous brain activity (Fisher et al., 2005). Seizures can occur in healthy brain, or can be the result of disease. By definition, epilepsy requires an increased probability of seizures. Seizure threshold is a clinically useful concept expressing a time-varying probability of seizures. Despite clinical relevance, there remains no clear way of quantitatively assessing seizure probability. As a result, epilepsy patients often undergo long therapy titrations or never have their therapy appropriately optimized.

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Interictal regional paroxysmal fast activity on scalp EEG is common in patients with underlying gliosis

The morphology and the distribution of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) on scalp EEG provide useful information about the syndromic diagnosis of epilepsy and its localization in cases of focal epilepsy (Niedermeyer, 1999). Traditionally, IEDs are considered to have a limited specificity with regard to the underlying etiology of epilepsy. However, certain EEG patterns in the form of continuous or semi-continuous rhythmic IEDs and interictal regional polyspikes on intraoperative electrocorticography and scalp EEG have been demonstrated more commonly in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) (Ferrier et al., 2006; Gambardella et al., 1996; Noachtar et al., 2008; Palmini et al., 1995; Rosenow et al., 1998).

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Intra-operative characterisation of subthalamic oscillations in Parkinson’s disease

There is growing interest in the nature of local field potential (LFP) activities recorded from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) undergoing neurosurgery for deep brain stimulation (DBS). This is fueled by the evidence that oscillatory activity in the beta frequency band is unduly synchronized and strong in these patients and that this relates to deficiency of dopamine in the basal ganglia (Hammond et al, 2007). Thus, the power of beta activity is correlated with the motor impairment in PD and the changes of power engendered by levodopa treatment or DBS correlate with improvements in bradykinesia and rigidity (Ray et al., 2008; Kühn et al., 2008 and 2009; Eusebio et al., 2011).

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Does Acute Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure Affect Visual Event-Related Potentials in Healthy Adults?

It is well established that waking electroencephalogram (EEG) power in the alpha (8-12 Hz) band (Croft et al., 2002; D'Costa et al., 2003; Curcio et al., 2005; Regel et al., 2007; Croft et al., 2010), and sleep EEG in the sleep spindle range (Borbely et al., 1999) are both affected by radio-frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure. These effects persist even after RF-EMF exposure cessation for sleep EEG (Huber et al., 2002; Loughran et al., 2005; Loughran et al., 2012), and also possibly for the waking EEG (Curcio et al., 2005).

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When Fear of Childbirth is Pathological: The Fear Continuum

Abstract

Objectives

Given that prepartum psychiatric symptoms have been reported to be associated with postpartum disorders, focusing on the prepartum period appears of prime importance. The aim of the current study was threefold: (a) to identify the prevalence rates of women suffering from fear of childbirth (FOC) and tokophobia (b) to explore the association between FOC, obstetrical and psychopathological variables and (c) to identify the independent predictors of the intensity of FOC symptoms, FOC and tokophobia.

Methods

at 36 weeks' gestation, 98 women completed questionnaires assessing FOC, pretraumatic stress, fear of pain, depressive and anxiety symptomatology as well as perceived social support. Socio-demographic and gynecological data were also gathered.

Results

22.45% of women reported a probable FOC and 20.41% suffered from a potential tokophobia. Epidural anesthesia (ß = 5.62, p < 0.05), and the intensity of pretraumatic stress symptoms (ß= 0.69, p < 0.05), were independently associated with the intensity of FOC symptoms. Planning a c-section was significantly related to FOC (β = 0.09, p = 0.03). Planning an epidural anesthesia was also an independent predictor of both FOC and tokophobia (β = 1.33, p = 0.03; β = 1.26, p = 0.04, respectively).

Conclusions

Given the high rates of FOC and tokophobia highlighted, developing an appropriate preparation to childbirth is of great relevance. Longitudinal studies should be developed in order to provide an in-depth examination of the course of prepartum psychiatric disorders, maintenance of symptoms and their impact on subsequent infant development.

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Foundational insights into the estimation of whole-body metabolic rate

Abstract

Since 2013, this journal has promoted the publication of thematic reviews (Taylor in Eur J Appl Physiol 113:1634, 2013), where leading groups were invited to review the critical literature within each of several sub-topics. The current theme is historically based, and is focussed on estimating the metabolic rate in humans. This review charts the development of our understanding of those methods, from the discovery of oxygen and carbon dioxide, to the introduction of highly sophisticated modern apparatus to examine the composition of expired gas and determine respiratory minute volume. An historical timeline links the six thematic vignettes on this theme. Modern advances have greatly enhanced data collection without significant decrements in measurement accuracy. At the same time, however, conceptual errors, particularly steady-state requirements, are too often ignored. Indeed, it is recognised that we often neglect the past, leading to errors in research design, experimental observations and data interpretation, and this appears to be increasingly prevalent within the open-access literature. Accordingly, the Editorial Board, in recognition of a widening gap between our experimental foundations and contemporary research, embarked on developing a number of thematic review series, of which this series is the first. The intent of each accompanying overview is to introduce and illuminate seminal investigations that led to significant scientific or intellectual breakthroughs, and to thereby whet the appetite of readers to delve more deeply into the historical literature; for it is only when the foundations are understood that we can best understand where we are now, and in which directions we should head.

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Design of a Shaping System for Stereolithography with High Solid Loading Ceramic Suspensions

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing , Vol. 0, No. 0.


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