Gum polysaccharide/nanometal hybrid biocomposites in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Biopolymers are of prime importance among which gum polysaccharides hold an eminent standing owing to their high availability and non-toxic nature. Gum biopolymers offer a greener alternative to synthetic polymers and toxic chemicals in the synthesis of metal nanostructures. Metal nanostructures accessible via eco-friendly means endow astounding characteristics to gum-based biocomposites in the field of diagnosis and therapy towards cancer diseases. In this review, assorted approaches for the assembly of nanomaterials mediated by gum biopolymers are presented and their utility in cancer diagnosis and therapy, e.g., bioimaging, radiotherapy, and phototherapy, are deliberated to provide a groundwork for future stimulative research.

Can Acupuncture Improve Chronic Spinal Pain? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of chronic spinal pain. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, the WHO Clinical Trial Registry, and the US National Library of Medicine clinical trial registry were searched from January 1, 2000, to November 1, 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving patients with chronic spinal pain treated by acupuncture versus sham acupuncture, no treatment, or another treatment were included. RESULTS: Data was extracted from 22 RCTs including 2588 patients. Pooled analysis revealed that acupuncture can reduce chronic spinal pain compared to sham acupuncture (weighted mean difference [WMD] -12.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] -15.86 to -8.24), mediation control (WMD -18.27, 95% CI -28.18 to -8.37), usual care control (WMD -9.57, 95% CI -13.48 to -9.44), and no treatment control (WMD -17.10, 95% CI -24.83 to -9.37). In terms of functional disability, acupuncture can improve physical function at immediate-term follow-up (standardized mean difference [SMD] -1.74, 95% CI -2.04 to -1.44), short-term follow-up (SMD -0.89, 95% CI -1.15 to -0.62), and long-term follow-up (SMD -1.25, 95% CI -1.48 to -1.03). CONCLUSION: In summary, compared to no treatment, sham acupuncture, or conventional therapy such as medication, massage, and physical exercise, acupuncture has a significantly superior effect on the reduction in chronic spinal pain and function improvement. Acupuncture might be an effective treatment for patients with chronic spinal pain and it is a safe therapy.

Loss of function of NCOR1 and NCOR2 impairs memory through a novel GABAergic hypothalamus-CA3 projection.

Nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCOR1) and NCOR2 (also known as SMRT) regulate gene expression by activating histone deacetylase 3 through their deacetylase activation domain (DAD). We show that mice with DAD knock-in mutations have memory deficits, reduced anxiety levels, and reduced social interactions. Mice with NCOR1 and NORC2 depletion specifically in GABAergic neurons (NS-V mice) recapitulated the memory deficits and had reduced GABAA receptor subunit α2 (GABRA2) expression in lateral hypothalamus GABAergic (LHGABA) neurons. This was associated with LHGABA neuron hyperexcitability and impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation, through a monosynaptic LHGABA to CA3GABA projection. Optogenetic activation of this projection caused memory deficits, whereas targeted manipulation of LHGABA or CA3GABA neuron activity reversed memory deficits in NS-V mice. We describe de novo variants in NCOR1, NCOR2 or HDAC3 in patients with intellectual disability or neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings identify a hypothalamus-hippocampus projection that may link endocrine signals with synaptic plasticity through NCOR-mediated regulation of GABA signaling.