An emerging role of inflammasomes in spinal cord injury and spinal cord tumor.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) and spinal cord tumor are devastating events causing structural and functional impairment of the spinal cord and resulting in high morbidity and mortality; these lead to a psychological burden and financial pressure on the patient. These spinal cord damages likely disrupt sensory, motor, and autonomic functions. Unfortunately, the optimal treatment of and spinal cord tumors is limited, and the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders are unclear. The role of the inflammasome in neuroinflammation in diverse diseases is becoming increasingly important. The inflammasome is an intracellular multiprotein complex and participates in the activation of caspase-1 and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18. The inflammasome in the spinal cord is involved in the stimulation of immune-inflammatory responses through the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby mediating further spinal cord damage. In this review, we highlight the role of inflammasomes in SCI and spinal cord tumors. Targeting inflammasomes is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of SCI and spinal cord tumors.

Sex-specific differences in ossification patterns of the atlas and axis: a computed tomography study.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the sex-specific differences in ossification patterns of the first two cervical vertebrae in Chinese children. METHODS: A retrospective computed tomography (CT) study was performed between June 2016 and December 2020. Patients younger than 16 years with cervical CT images acquired ≤ 1.5 mm slice thickness were included. All eligible patients were stratified into 2 sex groups and 16 age groups based on 1-year intervals. The ossification status of each synchondrosis and ossification variants were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 910 subjects (518 males and 392 females) were included in the study. For the C1 vertebra, the neurocentral synchondroses closed at a median age of 8 years in males and 6.3 years in females, and the posterior synchondrosis fused at 5.4 years in males and at 4.4 years in females. Multifocal anterior arch ossification centers were present in 74 of 411 (18%) subjects, whereas posterior arch variants were observed in 18 of 258 (7%) subjects. For the C2 vertebra, the sequence of complete fusion was as follows: posterior synchondrosis, neurocentral synchondroses, and dentoneural synchondrosis. Uniquely, a fusion line was observed in the dentocentral synchondrosis through adolescence. Anterior arch variants of the C2 vertebra occurred in 17 of 248 (6.9%) subjects. There was no significant difference between the sexes in ossification variants. CONCLUSIONS: All synchondroses of the first two cervical vertebrae fuse slightly earlier in females. The sequence of fusion follows a posterior-to-anterior and caudal-to-cephalad pattern in both sexes. Congenital variants are not rare and should not be confused with trauma.

Incidence and mortality trend of congenital heart disease at the global, regional, and national level, 1990-2017.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most commonly diagnosed congenital disorder in newborns. The incidence and mortality of CHD vary worldwide. A detailed understanding of the global, regional, and national distribution of CHD is critical for CHD prevention.We collected the incidence and mortality data of CHD from the Global Burden of Disease study 2017 database. Average annual percentage change was applied to quantify the temporal trends of CHD incidence and mortality at the global, regional, and national level, 1990-2017. A sociodemographic index (SDI) was created for each location based on income per capita, educational attainment, and fertility.The incidence of CHD was relatively high in developing countries located in Africa and Asia, while low in most developed countries. Between 1990 and 2017, the CHD incidence rate remained stable at the global level, whereas increased in certain developed countries, such as Germany and France. The age-standardized mortality rate of CHD declined substantially over the last 3 decades, regardless of sex, age, and SDI region. The decline was more prominent in developed countries. We also detected a significant positive correlation between CHD incidence and CHD mortality in both 1990 and 2017, by SDI.The incidence of CHD remained stable over the last 3 decades, suggesting little improvement in CHD prevention strategies and highlighting the importance of etiological studies. The mortality of CHD decreased worldwide, albeit the greatly geographical heterogeneity. Developing countries located in Africa and Asia deserve more attention and priority in the global CHD prevention program.