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Vinciguerra C, Iacono S, Bevilacqua L, Landolfi A, Piscosquito G, Ginanneschi F, Schirò G, Di Stefano V, Brighina F, Barone P, Balistreri CR. Sex differences in neuromuscular disorders. Mech Ageing Dev 2023; 211:111793. [PMID: 36806604 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence, onset, pathophysiology, and clinical course of many neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) may significantly differ between males and females. Some NMDs are more frequently observed in females, and characterized to show a higher grade of severity during or after the pregnancy. Meanwhile, others tend to have an earlier onset in males and exhibit a more variable progression. Prevalently, sex differences in NMDs have a familiar character given from genetic inheritance. However, they may also influence clinical presentation and disease severity of acquired NMD forms, and are represented by both hormonal and genetic factors. Consequently, to shed light on the distinctive role of biological factors in the different clinical phenotypes, we summarize in this review the sex related differences and their distinctive biological roles emerging from the current literature in both acquired and inherited NMDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Vinciguerra
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Iacono
- Neurology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Liliana Bevilacqua
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
| | - Annamaria Landolfi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Piscosquito
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
| | - Federica Ginanneschi
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Schirò
- Neurology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Stefano
- Neurology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Filippo Brighina
- Neurology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Paolo Barone
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
| | - Carmela Rita Balistreri
- Cellular and Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo
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Biomarkers of Redox Balance Adjusted to Exercise Intensity as a Useful Tool to Identify Patients at Risk of Muscle Disease through Exercise Test. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14091886. [PMID: 35565853 PMCID: PMC9105000 DOI: 10.3390/nu14091886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The screening of skeletal muscle diseases constitutes an unresolved challenge. Currently, exercise tests or plasmatic tests alone have shown limited performance in the screening of subjects with an increased risk of muscle oxidative metabolism impairment. Intensity-adjusted energy substrate levels of lactate (La), pyruvate (Pyr), β-hydroxybutyrate (BOH) and acetoacetate (AA) during a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) could constitute alternative valid biomarkers to select “at-risk” patients, requiring the gold-standard diagnosis procedure through muscle biopsy. Thus, we aimed to test: (1) the validity of the V’O2-adjusted La, Pyr, BOH and AA during a CPET for the assessment of the muscle oxidative metabolism (exercise and mitochondrial respiration parameters); and (2) the discriminative value of the V’O2-adjusted energy and redox markers, as well as five other V’O2-adjusted TCA cycle-related metabolites, between healthy subjects, subjects with muscle complaints and muscle disease patients. Two hundred and thirty subjects with muscle complaints without diagnosis, nine patients with a diagnosed muscle disease and ten healthy subjects performed a CPET with blood assessments at rest, at the estimated 1st ventilatory threshold and at the maximal intensity. Twelve subjects with muscle complaints presenting a severe alteration of their profile underwent a muscle biopsy. The V’O2-adjusted plasma levels of La, Pyr, BOH and AA, and their respective ratios showed significant correlations with functional and muscle fiber mitochondrial respiration parameters. Differences in exercise V’O2-adjusted La/Pyr, BOH, AA and BOH/AA were observed between healthy subjects, subjects with muscle complaints without diagnosis and muscle disease patients. The energy substrate and redox blood profile of complaining subjects with severe exercise intolerance matched the blood profile of muscle disease patients. Adding five tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates did not improve the discriminative value of the intensity-adjusted energy and redox markers. The V’O2-adjusted La, Pyr, BOH, AA and their respective ratios constitute valid muscle biomarkers that reveal similar blunted adaptations in muscle disease patients and in subjects with muscle complaints and severe exercise intolerance. A targeted metabolomic approach to improve the screening of “at-risk” patients is discussed.
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3
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Malformations of cerebral development and clues from the peripheral nervous system: A systematic literature review. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2022; 37:155-164. [PMID: 34535379 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Clinical manifestations of malformations of cortical development (MCD) are variable and can range from mild to severe intellectual disability, cerebral palsy and drug-resistant epilepsy. Besides common clinical features, non-specific or more subtle clinical symptoms may be present in association with different types of MCD. Especially in severely affected individuals, subtle but specific underlying clinical symptoms can be overlooked or overshadowed by the global clinical presentation. To facilitate the interpretation of genetic variants detailed clinical information is indispensable. Detailed (neurological) examination can be helpful in assisting with the diagnostic trajectory, both when referring for genetic work-up as well as when interpreting data from molecular genetic testing. This systematic literature review focusses on different clues derived from the neurological examination and potential further work-up triggered by these signs and symptoms in genetically defined MCDs. A concise overview of specific neurological findings and their associations with MCD subtype and genotype are presented, easily applicable in daily clinical practice. The following pathologies will be discussed: neuropathy, myopathy, muscular dystrophies and spastic paraplegia. In the discussion section, tips and pitfalls are illustrated to improve clinical outcome in the future.
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Deschenes MR, Patek LG, Trebelhorn AM, High MC, Flannery RE. Juvenile Neuromuscular Systems Show Amplified Disturbance to Muscle Unloading. Front Physiol 2021; 12:754052. [PMID: 34759841 PMCID: PMC8573242 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.754052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscle unloading results in severe disturbance in neuromuscular function. During juvenile stages of natural development, the neuromuscular system experiences a high degree of plasticity in function and structure. This study aimed to determine whether muscle unloading imposed during juvenile development would elicit more severe disruption in neuromuscular function than when imposed on fully developed, mature neuromuscular systems. Twenty juvenile (3 months old) and 20 mature (8 months old) rats were equally divided into unloaded and control groups yielding a total of four groups (N = 10/each). Following the 2 week intervention period, soleus muscles were surgically extracted and using an ex vivo muscle stimulation and recording system, were examined for neuromuscular function. The unloading protocol was found to have elicited significant (P ≤ 0.05) declines in whole muscle wet weight in both juvenile and mature muscles, but of a similar degree (P = 0.286). Results also showed that juvenile muscles displayed significantly greater decay in peak force due to unloading than mature muscles, such a finding was also made for specific tension or force/muscle mass. When examining neuromuscular efficiency, i.e., function of the neuromuscular junction, it again was noted that juvenile systems were more negatively affected by muscle unloading than mature systems. These results indicate that juvenile neuromuscular systems are more sensitive to the effects of unloading than mature ones, and that the primary locus of this developmental related difference is likely the neuromuscular junction as indicated by age-related differences in neuromuscular transmission efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Deschenes
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States.,Program in Neuroscience, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Leah G Patek
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Audrey M Trebelhorn
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Madeline C High
- Program in Neuroscience, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Rachel E Flannery
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
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5
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Tran A, Walsh CJ, Batt J, Dos Santos CC, Hu P. A machine learning-based clinical tool for diagnosing myopathy using multi-cohort microarray expression profiles. J Transl Med 2020; 18:454. [PMID: 33256785 PMCID: PMC7708151 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02630-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myopathies are a heterogenous collection of disorders characterized by dysfunction of skeletal muscle. In practice, myopathies are frequently encountered by physicians and precise diagnosis remains a challenge in primary care. Molecular expression profiles show promise for disease diagnosis in various pathologies. We propose a novel machine learning-based clinical tool for predicting muscle disease subtypes using multi-cohort microarray expression data. MATERIALS AND METHODS Muscle tissue samples originating from 1260 patients with muscle weakness. Data was curated from 42 independent cohorts with expression profiles in public microarray gene expression repositories, which represent a broad range of patient ages and peripheral muscles. Cohorts were categorized into five muscle disease subtypes: immobility, inflammatory myopathies, intensive care unit acquired weakness (ICUAW), congenital, and chronic systemic disease. The data contains expression data on 34,099 genes. Data augmentation techniques were used to address class imbalances in the muscle disease subtypes. Support vector machine (SVM) models were trained on two-thirds of the 1260 samples based on the top selected gene signature using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The model was validated in the remaining samples using area under the receiver operator curve (AUC). Gene enrichment analysis was used to identify enriched biological functions in the gene signature. RESULTS The AUC ranges from 0.611 to 0.649 in the observed imbalanced data. Overall, using the augmented data, chronic systemic disease was the best predicted class with AUC 0.872 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.824-0.920). The least discriminated classes were ICUAW with AUC 0.777 (95% CI: 0.668-0.887) and immobility with AUC 0.789 (95% CI: 0.716-0.861). Disease-specific gene set enrichment results showed that the gene signature was enriched in biological processes including neural precursor cell proliferation for ICUAW and aerobic respiration for congenital (false discovery rate q-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION Our results present a well-performing molecular classification tool with the selected gene markers for muscle disease classification. In practice, this tool addresses an important gap in the literature on myopathies and presents a potentially useful clinical tool for muscle disease subtype diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Tran
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chris J Walsh
- Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jane Batt
- Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Room 4-008, Toronto, ON, M5B 1WB, Canada
| | - Claudia C Dos Santos
- Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Room 4-008, Toronto, ON, M5B 1WB, Canada.
| | - Pingzhao Hu
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0J9, Canada.
- Research Institute in Oncology and Hematology, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
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6
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Peristeri E, Aloizou AM, Keramida P, Tsouris Z, Siokas V, Mentis AFA, Dardiotis E. Cognitive Deficits in Myopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113795. [PMID: 32471196 PMCID: PMC7312055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Myopathies represent a wide spectrum of heterogeneous diseases mainly characterized by the abnormal structure or functioning of skeletal muscle. The current paper provides a comprehensive overview of cognitive deficits observed in various myopathies by consulting the main libraries (Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar). This review focuses on the causal classification of myopathies and concomitant cognitive deficits. In most studies, cognitive deficits have been found after clinical observations while lesions were also present in brain imaging. Most studies refer to hereditary myopathies, mainly Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and myotonic dystrophies (MDs); therefore, most of the overview will focus on these subtypes of myopathies. Most recent bibliographical sources have been preferred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Peristeri
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, PC 41110 Larissa, Greece; (E.P.); (A.-M.A.); (P.K.); (Z.T.); (V.S.)
| | - Athina-Maria Aloizou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, PC 41110 Larissa, Greece; (E.P.); (A.-M.A.); (P.K.); (Z.T.); (V.S.)
| | - Paraskevi Keramida
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, PC 41110 Larissa, Greece; (E.P.); (A.-M.A.); (P.K.); (Z.T.); (V.S.)
| | - Zisis Tsouris
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, PC 41110 Larissa, Greece; (E.P.); (A.-M.A.); (P.K.); (Z.T.); (V.S.)
| | - Vasileios Siokas
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, PC 41110 Larissa, Greece; (E.P.); (A.-M.A.); (P.K.); (Z.T.); (V.S.)
| | - Alexios-Fotios A. Mentis
- Public Health Laboratories, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, PC 11521 Athens, Greece;
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, PC 41110 Larissa, Greece
| | - Efthimios Dardiotis
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, PC 41110 Larissa, Greece; (E.P.); (A.-M.A.); (P.K.); (Z.T.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.:+ 30-241-350-1137
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7
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Cai C, Anthony DC, Pytel P. A pattern-based approach to the interpretation of skeletal muscle biopsies. Mod Pathol 2019; 32:462-483. [PMID: 30401945 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-018-0164-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The interpretation of muscle biopsies is complex and provides the most useful information when integrated with the clinical presentation of the patient. These biopsies are performed for workup of a wide range of diseases including dystrophies, metabolic diseases, and inflammatory processes. Recent insights have led to changes in the classification of inflammatory myopathies and have changed the role that muscle biopsies have in the workup of inherited diseases. These changes will be reviewed. This review follows a morphology-driven approach by discussing diseases of skeletal muscle based on a few basic patterns that include cases with (1) active myopathic damage and inflammation, (2) active myopathic damage without associated inflammation, (3) chronic myopathic changes, (4) myopathies with distinctive inclusions or vacuoles, (5) biopsies mainly showing atrophic changes, and (6) biopsies that appear normal on routine preparations. Each of these categories goes along with certain diagnostic considerations and pitfalls. Individual biopsy features are only rarely pathognomonic. Establishing a firm diagnosis therefore typically requires integration of all of the biopsy findings and relevant clinical information. With this approach, a muscle biopsy can often provide helpful information in the diagnostic workup of patients presenting with neuromuscular problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Cai
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Douglas C Anthony
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Neurology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Peter Pytel
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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8
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Paoletti M, Pichiecchio A, Cotti Piccinelli S, Tasca G, Berardinelli AL, Padovani A, Filosto M. Advances in Quantitative Imaging of Genetic and Acquired Myopathies: Clinical Applications and Perspectives. Front Neurol 2019; 10:78. [PMID: 30804884 PMCID: PMC6378279 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become fundamental for the diagnosis and monitoring of myopathies given its ability to show the severity and distribution of pathology, to identify specific patterns of damage distribution and to properly interpret a number of genetic variants. The advances in MR techniques and post-processing software solutions have greatly expanded the potential to assess pathological changes in muscle diseases, and more specifically of myopathies; a number of features can be studied and quantified, ranging from composition, architecture, mechanical properties, perfusion, and function, leading to what is known as quantitative MRI (qMRI). Such techniques can effectively provide a variety of information beyond what can be seen and assessed by conventional MR imaging; their development and application in clinical practice can play an important role in the diagnostic process and in assessing disease course and treatment response. In this review, we briefly discuss the current role of muscle MRI in diagnosing muscle diseases and describe in detail the potential and perspectives of the application of advanced qMRI techniques in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Paoletti
- Neuroradiology Department, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Pichiecchio
- Neuroradiology Department, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Cotti Piccinelli
- Unit of Neurology, Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Tasca
- Neurology Department, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Invecchiamento, Neurologiche, Ortopediche e della Testa-Collo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Padovani
- Unit of Neurology, Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Filosto
- Unit of Neurology, Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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9
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Salajegheh MK, Domingo-Horne RM. The Reply. Am J Med 2018; 131:e485. [PMID: 30392646 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Kian Salajegheh
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Neurology ServiceDivision of Neuromuscular MedicineHarvard Medical School Boston, Mass..
| | - Rose M Domingo-Horne
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Neurology ServiceDivision of Neuromuscular Medicine Boston, Mass..
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10
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Sargsyan Z. Importance of Aminotransferase Elevation in Detecting Myopathy. Am J Med 2018; 131:e483. [PMID: 30392645 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zaven Sargsyan
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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11
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Ambikapathy B, Kirshnamurthy K, Venkatesan R. Assessment of electromyograms using genetic algorithm and artificial neural networks. EVOLUTIONARY INTELLIGENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12065-018-0174-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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