Pilot Study of Acute Behavioral Effects of Pallidal Burst Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Burst-patterned pallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) in an animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD) yields significantly prolonged therapeutic benefit compared to conventional continuous DBS, but its value in patients remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aims were to evaluate the safety and tolerability of acute (<2 hours) burst DBS in PD patients and to evaluate preliminary clinical effectiveness relative to conventional DBS. METHODS: Six PD patients were studied with DBS OFF, conventional DBS, and burst DBS. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS-III) and proactive inhibition (using stop-signal task) were evaluated for each condition. RESULTS: Burst and conventional DBS were equally tolerated without significant adverse events. Both stimulation patterns provided equivalent significant UPDRS-III reduction and increased proactive inhibition relative to DBS OFF. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study supports the safety and tolerability of burst DBS, with acute effects similar to conventional DBS. Further larger-scale studies are warranted given the potential benefits of burst DBS due to decreased total energy delivery. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

The potential beneficial effects of Lactobacillus plantarum GM11 on rats with chronic unpredictable mild stress- induced depression.

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of the present study was to assess the beneficial effect of Lactobacillus plantarum GM11 (LacP GM11), screened from Sichuan traditional fermented food, in depressive rats induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). METHODS: Male SPF SD rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: the control group, CUMS group and CUMS + LacP GM11 group (n = 10). The rats in the CUMS and LacP GM11 groups received CUMS stimulation for 42 d. The behavioral tests and levels of monoamine neurotransmitter, glucocorticoid hormone and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the serum and hippocampus were measured. The effects of LacP GM11 on the mRNA and protein expression of BDNF and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus were also investigated. RESULTS: After supplementation for 21 d, LacP GM11 was associated with alleviation of depressive-like behavior, not anxiety-like behavior, in depressive rats. LacP GM11 increased the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and BDNF and decreased the level of cortisol (CORT) in the serum and hippocampus in depressed rats. In addition, treatment with LacP GM11 also increased the mRNA and protein expression of BDNF and CREB in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: This work has revealed that LacP GM11 has potential beneficial effects on depression. This effect might be related to alleviating monoamine neurotransmitter deficiency, HPA axis hyperfunction and CREB-BDNF signaling pathway downregulation. This study demonstrates that LacP GM11 could be a potential therapeutic approach to treat depression and other mental health problems.

[Design and validation of a novel knee biomechanical test method].

A novel structural dynamics test method and device were designed to test the biomechanical effects of dynamic axial loading on knee cartilage and meniscus. Firstly, the maximum acceleration signal-to-noise ratio of the experimental device was calculated by applying axial dynamic load to the experimental device under unloaded condition with different force hammers. Then the experimental samples were divided into non-specimen group (no specimen loaded), sham specimen group (loaded with polypropylene samples) and bovine knee joint specimen group (loaded with bovine knee joint samples) for testing. The test results show that the experimental device and method can provide stable axial dynamic load, and the experimental results have good repeatability. The final results confirm that the dynamic characteristics of experimental samples can be distinguished effectively by this device. The experimental method proposed in this study provides a new way to further study the biomechanical mechanism of knee joint structural response under axial dynamic load.

The beneficial effects of genetically engineered Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 in obese C57BL/6J mice.

BACKGROUND: Genetically modified probiotics have potential for use as a novel approach to express bioactive molecules for the treatment of obesity. The objective of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effect of genetically modified Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN-GM) in obese C57BL/6J mice. METHODS: First, an obesity model in C57BL/6J mice was successfully established. Then, the obese mice were randomly assigned into three groups: obese mice (OB), obese mice + EcN-GM (OB + EcN-GM), and obese mice + orlistat (OB + orlistat) (n = 10 in each group). The three groups were gavaged with 0.3 ml of 1010 CFU/ml control EcN, EcN-GM (genetically engineered EcN) and 10 ml/kg orlistat. Body weight, food consumption, fat pad and organ weight, hepatic biochemistry and hepatic histopathological alterations were measured. The effects of EcN-GM on the levels of endocrine peptides and the intestinal microbiota were also analyzed. RESULTS: After supplementation for 8 weeks, EcN-GM was associated with decreases in body weight gain, food intake, fat pad and liver weight, and alleviation hepatocyte steatosis in obese mice. EcN-GM also increased the level of GLP-1 in serum and alleviated leptin and insulin resistance. Moreover, supplementation with EcN-GM increased the α-diversity of the intestinal microbiota but did not significantly influence the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that EcN-GM, a genetically modified E. coli strain, may be a potential therapeutic approach to treat obesity. The beneficial effect of EcN-GM may be independent of the alteration of the diversity and composition of the intestinal microbiota in obese mice.

Is liver involvement overestimated in COVID-19 patients? A meta-analysis.

Background: Considering transaminase more than the upper limit of normal value as liver injury might overestimate the prevalence of liver involvement in COVID-19 patients. No meta-analysis has explored the impact of varied definitions of liver injury on the reported prevalence of liver injury. Moreover, few studies reported the extent of hypertransaminasemia stratified by COVID-19 disease severity. Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Embase. The pooled prevalence of liver injury and hypertransaminasemia was estimated. Results: In total, 60 studies were included. The overall prevalence of liver injury was 25%. Compared to subgroups with the non-strict definition of liver injury (33%) and subgroups without giving detailed definition (26%), the subgroup with a strict definition had a much lower prevalence of liver injury (9%). The overall prevalence of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevation was 19% and 22%. The prevalence of elevated ALT and AST were significantly higher in severe COVID-19 cases compare to non-severe cases (31% vs 16% and 44% vs 11%). In critically ill and fatal cases, no difference was found in the prevalence of elevated ALT (24% vs 30%) or AST (54% vs 49%). Sensitivity analyses indicated that the adjusted prevalence of ALT elevation, AST elevation, and liver injury decreased to 14%, 7%, and 12%. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of liver injury and hypertransaminasemia in COVID-19 patients might be overestimated. Only a small fraction of COVID-19 patients have clinically significant liver injury. The prevalence of hypertransaminasemia was significantly higher in severe COVID-19 cases compare to non-severe cases. Hence, in severe COVID-19 patients, more attention should be paid to liver function tests.

SIRT2, a direct target of miR-212-5p, suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells.

The aberrant expression of human sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) has been detected in various types of cancer; however, the biological roles, underlying mechanisms and clinical significance of SIRT2 dysregulation in human colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. The results of this study demonstrate that compared with paired normal tissues, SIRT2 expression is significantly decreased in CRC tissues. SIRT2 loss has been correlated with clinicopathological characteristics, including distant metastasis, lymph node metastasis and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage; this loss serves as an independent factor that indicates a poor prognosis for patients with CRC. Further gain- and loss-of-function analyses have demonstrated that SIRT2 suppresses CRC cell proliferation and metastasis both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, miR-212-5p was identified to directly target the SIRT2 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR), leading to SIRT2 down-regulation. The ectopic expression of SIRT2 reverses the effect of miR-212-5p overexpression on CRC cell colony formation, invasion, migration and proliferation. Clinically, an inverse correlation was found between miR-212-5p and SIRT2 expression. High miR-212-5p expression has been found to result in a poor prognosis and aggressive clinicopathological characteristics in patients with CRC. Taken together, these results suggest that SIRT2, targeted by miR-212-5p, acts as a tumour suppressor in CRC and that the miR-212-5p/SIRT2 axis is a promising prognostic factor and potential therapeutic target in CRC.

LncRNA CCAT1 Protects Astrocytes Against OGD/R-Induced Damage by Targeting the miR-218/NFAT5-Signaling Axis.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a grievous neurology-related disorder that causes many devastating symptoms. Emerging roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been shown to play critical roles in multiple neurological diseases. This research planned to dig the function and latent molecular mechanisms of the lncRNA CCAT1 on OGD/R-disposed injury in astrocytes. We observed that CCAT1 expression was diminished and miR-218 expression was elevated in astrocytes during OGD/R. Additionally, an abundance of CCAT1 obviously amplified cell viability and restrained OGD/R-triggered apoptosis in astrocytes, as characterized by reduced levels of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and C-caspase-3, concomitant with elevated level of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Furthermore, administration of CCAT1 remarkably mitigated OGD/R injury-induced neuro-inflammatory responses, reflected in a reduction of inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6. In action, CCAT1 served as an endogenous sponge effectively downregulating miR-218 expression by binding directly to it, and a negative regulatory relationship between miR-218 and NFAT5. Mechanistically, introduction of miR-218 reversed the inhibitory effects of CCAT1 on OGD/R-induced apoptosis and inflammation damage, which directly resulted from the inhibition of miR-218 and its targeting of NFAT5. Collectively, our study illuminated a new CCAT1/miR-218/NFAT5 regulatory axis in which CCAT1 served as a competing endogenous RNA by sponging miR-218, effectively upregulating NFAT5 expression, thereby alleviating apoptosis and inflammation damage under OGD/R condition. CCAT1 is, therefore, a putative therapeutic target for SCI, based on the results of this study and the potential application of CCAT1 as a neuroprotective agent.

Reference intervals established using indirect method for serum ferritin assayed on Abbott Architect i2000SR analyzer in Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: Serum ferritin (SF) test has been widely used in clinical practice. However, its reference intervals (RIs) vary depending on the analytical method and ethnic origin. This study was to establish the RIs using indirect method for SF in Chinese adults. METHODS: SF was assayed on Abbott i2000SR analyzer. The SF test results of all health examinees (8913 males aged 18-93 years and 5397 females aged 18-90 years) between December 2010 and April 2019 were obtained from our laboratory information system. After Box-Cox transformation of raw data and exclusion of outliers, parametric and non-parametric approaches were used to calculate 95% RIs. The correlation between SF levels and ages, and the differences in SF levels between subgroups were also analyzed. RESULTS: SF levels in females were significantly different from those in males (Z = 88.96, Z* = 23.17; Z > Z*) and showed a weak positive correlation with age (r = .466, P < .0001). The RIs based on parametric approach in males were 66.12-561.58 µg/L, whereas in all females were 3.59-269.59 µg/L, females aged <50 years 3.26-148.02 µg/L and those aged ≥50 years 17.28-303.27 µg/L. The RIs based on non-parametric approach in males were 65.00-571.37 µg/L whereas in all females were 4.00-254.00 µg/L, females aged <50 years 4.00-152.00 µg/L and those aged ≥50 years 16.00-304.05 µg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Our indirect RIs for SF were markedly different from the manufacturer's recommended RIs and might be more suitable for Chinese adults, which would be helpful in interpreting laboratory data and clinical decision-making.

Angiogenic and inflammatory biomarker levels in aqueous humor and vitreous of neovascular glaucoma and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

PURPOSE: To explore the relationships between the aqueous and vitreous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), interleukin-8 (IL-8), placental growth factor (PlGF) and erythropoietin (EPO) in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and neovascular glaucoma (NVG). METHODS: Aqueous and vitreous samples were obtained from patients with PDR and NVG during surgery. Aqueous and vitreous concentrations of VEGF-A, IL-8, PlGF and EPO were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: No correlation between the aqueous and vitreous levels of VEGF-A, IL-8, PlGF or EPO was found in both the PDR and the NVG eyes. Aqueous VEGF-A was significantly higher in the NVG group (317.55 ± 36.25 pg/ml, n = 15) than that in the PDR group (256.23 ± 46.11 pg/ml, n = 17, P < 0.001). The level of VEGF-A in aqueous (317.55 ± 36.25 pg/ml, n = 15) was significantly higher than that in vitreous (224.74 ± 60.32 pg/ml, n = 15, P < 0.001) in NVG patients. The level of IL-8 in aqueous (76.55 ± 10.88 pg/ml, n = 17) was significantly higher than that in vitreous (63.55 ± 10.74 pg/ml, n = 17, P = 0.001) in PDR patients. The level of EPO in aqueous (18.62 ± 2.87 mIU/ml, n = 15) was significantly higher than that in vitreous (15.97 ± 3.11 mIU/ml, n = 15, P = 0.022) in NVG patients. The ratio of aqueous versus vitreous for VEGF-A was significantly higher in the NVG group (1.475 ± 0.289, n = 15) than that in the PDR group (0.996 ± 0.227, n = 17, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Aqueous levels of VEGF-A, IL-8, PlGF and EPO do not correlate with vitreous levels of those proteins. The relationship between protein levels in aqueous humor and vitreous might be dependent on different disease status or protein types investigated.

Burst and Tonic Spinal Cord Stimulation Both Activate Spinal GABAergic Mechanisms to Attenuate Pain in a Rat Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain.

BACKGROUND: Experimental and clinical studies have shown that tonic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) releases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the spinal dorsal horn. Recently, it was suggested that burst SCS does not act via spinal GABAergic mechanisms. Therefore, we studied spinal GABA release during burst and tonic SCS, both anatomically and pharmacologically, in a well-established chronic neuropathic pain model. METHODS: Animals underwent partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL). Quantitative immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of intracellular GABA levels in the lumbar L4 to L6 dorsal spinal cord was performed after 60 minutes of burst, tonic, or sham SCS in rats that had undergone PSNL (n = 16). In a second pharmacological experiment, the effects of intrathecal administration of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline (5 µg) and the GABAB antagonist phaclofen (5 µg) were assessed. Paw withdrawal thresholds to von Frey filaments of rats that had undergone PSNL (n = 20) were tested during 60 minutes of burst and tonic SCS 30 minutes after intrathecal administration of the drugs. RESULTS: Quantitative IHC analysis of GABA immunoreactivity in spinal dorsal horn sections of animals that had received burst SCS (n = 5) showed significantly lower intracellular GABA levels when compared to sham SCS sections (n = 4; P = 0.0201) and tonic SCS sections (n = 7; P = 0.0077). Intrathecal application of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline (5 µg; n = 10) or the GABAB antagonist phaclofen (5 µg; n = 10) resulted in ablation of the analgesic effect for both burst SCS and tonic SCS. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our anatomical and pharmacological data demonstrate that, in this well-established chronic neuropathic animal model, the analgesic effects of both burst SCS and tonic SCS are mediated via spinal GABAergic mechanisms.

Active Recharge Burst and Tonic Spinal Cord Stimulation Engage Different Supraspinal Mechanisms: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study in Peripherally Injured Chronic Neuropathic Rats.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the supraspinal working mechanisms of the burst spinal cord stimulation (SCS) mode, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in chronic neuropathic rats. We hypothesized that active recharge burst SCS would induce a more profound blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal increase in areas associated with cognitive-emotional aspects of pain, as compared to tonic SCS. METHODS: Sprague Dawley rats (n = 17) underwent a unilateral partial sciatic nerve ligation, which resulted in chronic neuropathic pain. Quadripolar SCS electrodes were epidurally positioned on top of the dorsal columns at Th13. Isoflurane-anesthetized (1.5%) rats received either tonic SCS (n = 8) or burst SCS (n = 9) at 66% of motor threshold. BOLD fMRI was conducted before, during, and after SCS using a 9.4-T horizontal bore scanner. RESULTS: Overall, both tonic and burst SCS induced a significant increase of BOLD signal levels in areas associated with the location and intensity of pain, and areas associated with cognitive-emotional aspects of pain. Additionally, burst SCS significantly increased BOLD signal levels in the raphe nuclei, nucleus accumbens, and caudate putamen. Tonic SCS did not induce a significant increase in BOLD signal levels in these areas. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, active recharge burst and tonic SCS have different effects on the intensity and localization of SCS-induced activation responses in the brain. This work demonstrates that active recharge burst is another waveform that can engage brain areas associated with cognitive-emotional aspects of pain as well as areas associated with location and intensity of pain. Previous studies showing similar engagement used only passive recharge burst.

Micro-RNA 205-5p is Involved in the Progression of Gastric Cancer and Targets Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) in SGC-7901 Human Gastric Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the role of micro-RNA 205-5p (miR-205-5p) in the progression of gastric cancer, and the target of miR-205-5p in human gastric cancer cells in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS Expression of miR-205-5p and PTEN in gastric cancer tissue samples and adjacent normal gastric tissue from 35 patients was studied using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. SGC-7901 human gastric cancer cells included a normal control (NC) group, a group transfected with empty vector (Vector), a group treated with miR-205-5p inhibitor (miR-inhibitor), and a group treated with miR-205-5p inhibitor and small interfering PTEN mRNA (miR-inhibitor+si-PTEN). Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) measured miR-205-5p expression, cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay, cell apoptosis by flow cytometry, transwell and wound healing assays measured cell migration, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed ultrastructural changes in SGC-7901 cells. PTEN, AKT and p-AKT protein expression were measured using Western blot. The correlation between miR-205-5p and PTEN was analyzed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS Increased expression of miR-205-5p and PTEN in gastric cancer tissues were correlated with tumor stage. In SGC-7901 cells, miR-205-5p mRNA expression in the miR-inhibitor and miR-inhibitor+si-PTEN groups was significantly lower than that in the NC group (P<0.001). In the miR-inhibitor group, cell proliferation was significantly decreased, and apoptosis was significantly increased (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS In gastric cancer, increased expression of miR-205-5p was associated with tumor stage, and in SGC-7901 cells PTEN was a target gene for miR-205-5p.

Dependence of c-fos Expression on Amplitude of High-Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation in a Rodent Model.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical high-frequency spinal cord stimulation (hfSCS) (>250 Hz) applied at subperception amplitudes reduces leg and low back pain. This study investigates, via labeling for c-fos-a marker of neural activation, whether 500 Hz hfSCS applied at amplitudes above and below the dorsal column (DC) compound action potential (CAP) threshold excites dorsal horn neurons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DC CAP thresholds in rats were determined by applying single biphasic pulses of SCS to T12 -T13 segments using pulse widths of 40 or 200 µsec via a ball electrode placed over the left DC and increasing amplitude until a short latency CAP was observed on the L5 DC and sciatic nerve. The result of this comparison allowed us to substitute sciatic nerve CAP for DC CAP. SCS at T12 -T13 was applied continuously for two hours using: sham or hfSCS at 500 Hz SCS, 40 µsec pulse width, and 50, 70, 90, or 140% CAP threshold. Spinal cord slices from T11 -L1 were immunolabeled for c-fos, and the number of c-fos-positive cells was quantified. RESULTS: 500 Hz hfSCS applied at 90 and 140% CAP threshold produced substantial (≥6 c-fos + neurons on average per slice per segment) c-fos expression in more segments between T11 and L1 than did sham stimulation (p < 0.025, 90% CAP; p < 0.001, 140% CAP, Fisher's Exact Tests) and resulted in more c-fos-positive neurons on average per slice per segment ipsilateral to than contralateral to the SCS electrode at 70, 90, and 140% CAP threshold (p < 0.01, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests). CONCLUSIONS: The finding of enhanced c-fos expression in the ipsilateral superficial dorsal horn provides evidence for activation/modulation of neuronal circuitry associated with subperception hfSCS.

Conventional-SCS vs. Burst-SCS and the Behavioral Effect on Mechanical Hypersensitivity in a Rat Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain: Effect of Amplitude.

OBJECTIVE: Various spinal cord stimulation (SCS) modes are used in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain disorders. Conventional (Con) and Burst-SCS are hypothesized to exert analgesic effects through different stimulation-induced mechanisms. Preclinical electrophysiological findings suggest that stimulation intensity is correlated with the effectiveness of Burst-SCS. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relation between amplitude (charge per second) and behavioral effects in a rat model of chronic neuropathic pain, for both Conventional Spinal Cord Stimulation (Con-SCS) and biphasic Burst-SCS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animals (n = 12 rats) received a unilateral partial sciatic nerve ligation, after which they were implanted with quadripolar electrodes in the epidural space at thoracic level 13. Mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed using paw withdrawal thresholds (WTs) to von Frey monofilaments, at various SCS intensities (amplitudes) and multiple time points during 60 minutes of stimulation and 30 minutes post stimulation. RESULTS: Increasing amplitude was shown to improve the efficacy of Con-SCS, whereas the efficacy of Burst-SCS showed a non-monotonic relation with amplitude. Con-SCS at 66% MT (n = 5) and Burst-SCS at 50% MT (n = 6) were found to be equally effective in normalizing mechanical hypersensitivity. However, in the assessed time period Burst-SCS required significantly more mean charge per second to do so (p < 0.01). When applied at comparable mean charge per second, Con-SCS resulted in a superior behavioral outcome (p < 0.01), compared with Burst-SCS. CONCLUSION: Biphasic Burst-SCS requires significantly more mean charge per second in order to achieve similar pain relief, as compared with Con-SCS, in an experimental model of chronic neuropathic pain.

Effects of Rate on Analgesia in Kilohertz Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation: Results of the PROCO Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The PROCO RCT is a multicenter, double-blind, crossover, randomized controlled trial (RCT) that investigated the effects of rate on analgesia in kilohertz frequency (1-10 kHz) spinal cord stimulation (SCS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were implanted with SCS systems and underwent an eight-week search to identify the best location ("sweet spot") of stimulation at 10 kHz within the searched region (T8-T11). An electronic diary (e-diary) prompted patients for pain scores three times per day. Patients who responded to 10 kHz per e-diary numeric rating scale (ED-NRS) pain scores proceeded to double-blind rate randomization. Patients received 1, 4, 7, and 10 kHz SCS at the same sweet spot found for 10 kHz in randomized order (four weeks at each frequency). For each frequency, pulse width and amplitude were titrated to optimize therapy. RESULTS: All frequencies provided equivalent pain relief as measured by ED-NRS (p ≤ 0.002). However, mean charge per second differed across frequencies, with 1 kHz SCS requiring 60-70% less charge than higher frequencies (p ≤ 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The PROCO RCT provides Level I evidence for equivalent pain relief from 1 to 10 kHz with appropriate titration of pulse width and amplitude. 1 kHz required significantly less charge than higher frequencies.

Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation in Peripherally Injured Chronic Neuropathic Rats: A Delayed Effect.

OBJECTIVE: Two well-known spinal cord stimulation (SCS) paradigms, conventional (Con) and burst SCS, are hypothesized to exert their antinociceptive effects through different stimulation-induced mechanisms. We studied the course of the behavioral antinociceptive effect during 60 minutes of SCS and 30 minutes post-SCS in a rat model of chronic neuropathic pain. METHODS: Animals underwent a unilateral partial sciatic nerve ligation, after which quadripolar electrodes were implanted into the epidural space at vertebral level T13 (n = 43 rats). While receiving either Con SCS or biphasic burst SCS, the pain behavior of the rats was assessed by means of paw withdrawal thresholds (WTs) in response to the application of von Frey monofilaments. RESULTS: After 15 minutes of Con SCS (n = 21), WTs significantly differed from baseline (P = 0.04), whereas WTs of the burst SCS group (n = 22) did not. After 30 minutes of SCS, WTs of the Con SCS and burst SCS groups reached similar levels, both significantly different from baseline, indicating a comparable antinociceptive effect for these SCS paradigms. Yet, the WTs of the burst SCS group were still significantly increased compared with baseline at 30 minutes post-stimulation, whereas the WTs of the Con SCS group were not. CONCLUSIONS: To conclude, biphasic burst SCS results in a delayed antinociceptive effect after onset of the stimulation, as compared with Con SCS, in a chronic neuropathic pain model. Furthermore, biphasic burst SCS seems to exhibit a delayed wash-out of analgesia after stimulation is turned off.

Impacts of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury on Expressions of Hepatic Cytochrome P450 1A2, 2B1, 2D1, and 3A2 in Rats.

The hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme superfamily is one of the most important drug-metabolizing enzyme systems, which is responsible for the metabolism of a large number of clinically relevant medications used in traumatic brain injury (TBI) therapy. Modification of CYP450 expression may have important influences on drug metabolism and lead to untoward effects on those with narrow therapeutic windows. However, the impact of blast-induced TBI (bTBI) on the expression of CYP450 has received little attention. The subfamilies of CYP1A, 2B, 2D, and 3A account for about 85 % of all human drug metabolism of clinical significance. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the expressions of hepatic CYP1A2, CYP2B1, CYP2D1, and CYP3A2 in rats suffering bTBI. Meanwhile, we also measured some important cytokines in serum after injury, and calculated the correlation between these cytokines and the expressions of CYP1A2, CYP2B1, CYP2D1, and CYP3A2. The results showed that bTBI could significantly reduce mRNA expressions of CYP1A2, CYP2D1, and CYP3A2 at the early stage and induce the expressions from 48 h to 1 week after injury. The protein expressions of these CYP450s had all been downregulated from 24 to 48 h post- injury, and then began to elevate at 48 h after bTBI. The cytokines, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α, increased significantly in the early phase, and began to reduce at the delayed phase of bTBI. The serum levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α but not IL-2 were significantly negative correlated with the mRNA expressions of CYP2B1 and CYP2D1 and the proteins expressions of CYP1A2, CYP2B1, CYP2D1, and CYP3A2. In conclusion, our work has, for the first time, indicated that bTBI has significant impact on the expressions of CYP1A2, CYP2B1, CYP2D1, and CYP3A2, which may be related to the cytokines induced by the injury.

Epidemiological characteristics of Chinese paediatric traumatic brain injury inpatients.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of paediatric inpatients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in China. RESEARCH DESIGN: The Chinese Trauma Database (CTD), a nationwide register system based on hospital admission data, contains diagnosis and treatment information for trauma inpatients in over 200 military-managed public-service hospitals in China. Using the ICD-9 coding, the data for children with TBI aged 0-17 years between 2001 and 2007 were retrieved. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The demographic characteristics, admission time, injury cause, severity and treatment outcomes of paediatric inpatients with TBI were analysed. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: A total of 26,028 paediatric inpatients with TBI (69.52% male, 30.48% female) were included in the CTD. Motor vehicle traffic (MVT) accidents, falls and assaults were the primary causes of injury. Falls were the leading cause of TBI in children aged 0-4 years, and MVT was the leading cause of TBI in children aged 5-17 years. According to the abbreviated injury scale, 37.20% of the TBI cases were mild, 25.15% were moderate, 24.81% were severe and 12.84% were critically severe. CONCLUSION: Chinese authorities should develop targeted measures to reduce children injuries based on the leading causes of TBI in the different age groups, particularly MVT, falls and assaults.

Surgical management of 142 cases of split cord malformations associated with osseous divide.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the key surgical points in treating split cord malformations associated with osseous divide and scoliosis (SCM-OD-S). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The surgical options and methods of a total of 142 SCM-OD-S cases were retrospectively analyzed, and the surgical precautions and imaging diagnosis were also discussed. RESULTS: The 142 patients were performed osseous divide resection plus dural sac molding, which achieved good results and no serious complication such as spinal cord and nerve injury occurred; certain symptoms such as urination-defecation disorders, muscle strength subsidence, Pes Cavus, and toe movement disorder in partial patients achieved various degrees of relief, and it also created good conditions for next-step treatment against scoliosis. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of SCM-OD mainly depended on imaging inspection, routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with computed tomography (CT) 3D reconstruction, which can comprehensively evaluate the types and features of diastematomyelia as well as other concomitant diseases. SCM alone needed no treatment, but surgery will be the only means of treating SCM-OD. Intraoperatively removing osseous divide step-by-step, as well as carefully freeing the spinal cord and remodeling the dural sac, can lay good foundations for relieving tethered cord, improving neurological symptoms, and further scoliosis orthomorphia, thus particularly exhibiting importance for the growth and development of adolescents.

Myocyte enhancer factor 2D promotes tumorigenicity in malignant glioma cells.

The prognosis of patients with malignant glioma is always quite poor, and this poor prognosis is probably due to our incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying malignant glioma. It is known that myocyte enhancer factor-2D (MEF2D) plays an oncogenic role in hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes the survival of various types of cells. However, little is known about the expression profile and function of MEF2D in malignant glioma. In this study, we investigated the function and expression of MEF2D in malignant glioma. We found that in malignant glioma, there is an aberrantly high expression of MEF2D, which leads to poor prognosis of malignant glioma. The downregulation of MEF2D suppresses the proliferation of malignant glioma cell lines by inducing delay of S and G2/M phases of cell cycle and promoting apoptosis. Furthermore, the overexpression of MEF2D in astrocytes accelerates cell proliferation by regulating cell cycle progression. Furthermore, a mouse malignant glioma model demonstrated that MEF2D deficiency blocks malignant glioma formation in vivo. We conclude that MEF2D may act as a potential oncogene in malignant glioma and thus serve as a candidate target for malignant glioma therapy.