Formation of visual memories controlled by gamma power phase-locked to alpha oscillations

Neuronal oscillations provide a window for understanding the brain dynamics that organize the flow of information from sensory to memory areas. While it has been suggested that gamma power reflects feedforward processing and alpha oscillations feedback control, it remains unknown how these oscillations dynamically interact. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data was acquired from healthy subjects who were cued to either remember or not remember presented pictures. Our analysis revealed that in anticipation of a picture to be remembered, alpha power decreased while the cross-frequency coupling between gamma power and alpha phase increased. A measure of directionality between alpha phase and gamma power predicted individual ability to encode memory: stronger control of alpha phase over gamma power was associated with better memory. These findings demonstrate that encoding of visual information is reflected by a state determined by the interaction between alpha and gamma activity

Polypoid Endobronchial Lung Cyst with Bronchoscopic Removal : A Case Report

Pulmonary bronchogenic cyst in adults is rare and the typical appearance is a sharply circumscribed, round or oval nodule or mass, usually in the medial third of the lungs. Bronchial polyps are rare histopathologically distinct nonneoplastic endobronchial lesions and are classified as multiple papillomas, solitary papillomas, and inflammatory polyps. We herein report a patient with polypoid endobronchial lung cyst. A 68-yr-old woman presented with a discomfort and pain in the right upper chest of four weeks??duration. Chest radiography revealed a cystic lesion in the right upper lung. Computed tomography revealed a 4×5 cm sized large cyst. Neither enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes nor extrabronchial involvements were observed. Flexible bronchoscopy revealed a peduncular polyp about 2 cm in length originating from the anterior segment of right upper lung. After bronchoscopic removal of polyp, cystic lesion of the right upper lung disappeared

Diverse clinical presentation of primary spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with pectus excavatum

ObjectivePatients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) tend to be young, tall, and thin, as do those with pectus excavatum (PE). Notably, the Haller index, which measures the severity of PE, tends also to be higher in patients with PSP, further suggesting a potential predisposing factor for the development of PSP in individuals with PE. This study aimed to share clinical experiences with case series of concomitant PSP and PE and to emphasize the importance of evaluating these two conditions together.MethodsIn this single-center study, we conducted a retrospective records review to identify patients who were diagnosed and treated (including surgical or conservative treatment and follow-up observation) for the diagnosis of PE between July 2011 and February 2023. From these, we selected patients who were diagnosed with both PE and PSP and analyzed their clinical presentations.ResultsAmong a total of 139 patients with PE, there were 8 (5.76%) who had concurrent diagnoses of PE and PSP and who underwent surgery for PSP, PE, or both. The average age of these 8 patients (male:female = 7:1) was 19.38 years. The 8 patients were grouped into four categories based on their clinical scenarios. Group A had 1 patient with PE diagnosed first, followed by the discovery of PSP during evaluation; Group B included 2 patients initially presenting with PSP and subsequently diagnosed with PE during evaluation; Group C consisted of 1 patient who had PSP before undergoing surgical PE correction; and Group D comprised 4 patients who developed PSP after PE correction.ConclusionsThe incidence of PSP in patients with PE was 5.76% (8 out of 139 patients), indicating the importance of vigilant monitoring for PSP prior to PE surgery, and vice versa. Furthermore, the authors recommend close observation for PSP independent of PE surgery, even in the absence of postoperative complications

Seizure-Like Activities during Head-Up Tilt Test-Induced Syncope

Purpose: Some patients with neurally mediated reflex syncope may be misdiagnosed as epilepsy because myoclonic jerky movements are observed during syncope. The seizure-like activities during the head-up tilt test (HUT) have been rarely reported. The purpose of this study was to assess the characteristics of these seizure-like activities and evaluate whether there are differences in the clinical characteristics and hemodynamic parameters of patients with neurally mediated reflex syncope with and without seizure-like activities during HUT-induced syncope. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 1,383 consecutive patients with a positive HUT were retrospectively reviewed, and 226 patients were included in this study. Results: Of 226 patients, 13 (5.75%) showed seizure-like activities, with 5 of these (2.21%) having multifocal myoclonic jerky movements, 5 (2.21%) having focal seizurelike activity involving one extremity, and 3 (1.33%) having upward deviation of eye ball. Comparison of patients with and without seizure-like activities revealed no significant differences in terms of clinical variables and hemodynamic parameters during HUT. Conclusion: Seizure-like activities occurred occasionally during HUTinduced syncope in patients with neurally mediated reflex syncope. The seizure-like activities during HUT might not be related to the severity of the syncopal episodes or hemodynamic changes during HUT. Key Words: Neurally mediated reflex syncope, seizure-like activities, head-up tilt tes

Glutaric Aciduria Type 1 in Korea: Report of Two Novel Mutations

Glutaric aciduria type I (GA I) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase. Although over 400 patients confirmed as GA I have been reported, reports from the Asian population had contributed to the minor proportion. We recently diagnosed two cases of GA I confirmed with mutational analysis. Here, we present their rather atypical clinical presentations with genetic characteristics for the first time in Korea. Profound developmental delay from birth, association of hearing loss, and neurological improvement after surgical intervention, were considered to be different clinical features from most reported cases. One patient was a compound heterozygote for p.Ser139Leu and p.Asp220Tyr, and the other for p.Ser139Leu and Glu160X. The mutations of the two alleles (p.Asp220Tyr and p.Glu160X) were novel and reports of p.Ser139Leu were rare both in Western and other Asian populations. These might suggest different genetic spectrum of Korean GA I patients