Search results for “brain”

The Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential: A Reinterpretation of its Electrogenesis

Depending upon the species, the brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) consists of four or five major high frequency components. According to longstanding doctrine, each wave represents the sequential activation of successively higher nuclei and tracts from the 8th (auditory) nerve to the midbrain (inferior colliculus). Although this conceptual framework has acquired the status of near dogma, surprisingly little evidence exists in support. In the present analysis, a new interpretation of the electrogenesis of the BAEP is proposed which is simpler although it retains skeletal elements of the older explanation. The revised model is mostly derived from two distinct sources. In the first, the timing of the BAEP waves is compared with that of cortical activity for a range of mammals including humans, monkeys, cats, rats and guinea pigs. It is demonstrated that for each of these, the conduction time of the acoustic signal to the cortex from the putative midbrain component (wave IV or V) is so unrealistically long that it implies that the entire waveform must arise in the peripheral pathways of the auditory system. In the second, a retrospective analysis is made of click repetition rates on the BAEP using extradural electrodes. It was shown that at high rates of stimulation (about 100/sec), the behavior of the waveform is almost totally at variance with the expectations of the conventional model. The essence of the revised conception is that all BAEP waves are just variations of the compound action potential of the 8th nerve, albeit generated or regenerated via separate routes and different methods. Such an explanation would thereby account for their near uniform sharp morphology as well as creating the impression of a composite neuronal response. More specifically, in the case of a four component BAEP, wave I is assumed to be generated by the normal air conduction route in an identical manner to the conventional explanation. In contrast, wave ll is assumed to be generated via bone conduction in the temporal skull thereby bypassing the transduction process in the middle ear. Wave lll is assumed to be generated by the first echo of the bone-conducted sound wave. Likewise, the second rebound within the temporal bone serves as the stimulation to evoke wave lV. As the energy of the auditory stimulus gradually dissipates, it may still continue to generate a train of lower amplitude potentials. It is concluded that the BAEP may contain little or no brainstem or midbrain activity and therefore the term BAEP may be a misnomer. A more appropriate epithet might therefore be the auditory nerve evoked potential or ANEP.

Effects of a Novelty Virtual Interactive Brain Atlas on Student Perception of Neuroanatomy

The instructional techniques in neuroanatomy laboratories continue to evolve to incorporate online interactive resources to improve student experience and outcomes. This study aims to design an “all in one”Virtual Interactive Brain Atlas (VIBA) that provides students with an educational resource that will improve their knowledge of neuroanatomy while in the brain lab and provide them with lab resources they can self-study and self-test. Coronal, midsagittal, whole brain, and horizontal brain slices were used to create detailed descriptions, interactive features, and quiz assessments to create VIBA. Upper level undergraduate and optometry students taking a neuroanatomy one-semester course were provided with VIBA for use during the semester. A paper survey was distributed after completing the course to determine student perception. No significant difference was indicated between the student groups regarding their self-reported understanding prior to the brain lab (p= 0.194) and after the brain lab (p= 0.308). There was a significant difference between the student populations when stating that they strongly agreed that the online brain atlas improved their understanding of neuroanatomy (p= 0.032) and that the VIBA tool was easy to navigate (p=0.048). There was a significant difference between the two student groups that strongly agreed that the online brain atlas quality was sufficient (p= 0.015). This online interactive brain atlas was created in a time-efficient manner from readily available models and was well received by experienced neuroanatomy faculty and students.

Chemotherapy after whole-brain radiotherapy: a prognostic factor for metastatic breast cancer

Background and Aim Breast cancer is the second most common cause of brain metastases after lung cancer. However, the incidence of cerebral metastases from breast cancer has increased during the last years. The purpose of this study is to determine the prognostic value of chemotherapy after whole-brain radiotherapy for patients with brain metastases from breast cancer. Methods We analyzed retrospectively 63 records of patients diagnosed with brain metastases from breast cancer and treated in the radiotherapy department at the Salah Azaiz Institute of oncology over a 5-year period between 2007 and 2011. All patients received whole-brain radiotherapy. Only 4 patients had surgical resection of the metastases before radiotherapy and 36.5% of patients received systemic treatment after irradiation. Results Overall survival was 19% at 1-year and median survival was 4,5 months. Univariate analysis indicated that systemic treatment after irradiation was correlated significantly with longer survival. (p=0,046). Conclusion Determining prognostic factors might help optimize individual treatment for metastatic breast cancer. The results of our study suggest that chemotherapy is more effective on brain metastases after irradiation. This can be explained by the fragilization of the blood-brain barrier by radiation and subsequently a better passage of cytotoxic agents.

Outcome of traumatic brain injury and its associated factors among pediatrics patients treated in Amhara national regional state comprehensive specialized hospitals, Ethiopia 2022.

Background Traumatic brain injury in pediatrics is one of the commonest causes of morbidity, disability and mortality worldwide. In low- and middle-income countries Study showed that death of pediatrics from traumatic brain injury was 7.3%. However, there is limited data towards the outcome of traumatic brain injury and its associated factors in Ethiopia. Objective To assess the outcome of traumatic brain injury and associated factors among pediatrics patients in Amhara National Regional State Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals, Ethiopia. Methods An institution based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 pediatrics patients from January 1, 2019 to December 30, 2021, and data extraction period was from May 16 to June15, 2022. Systematic random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Data were collected from patient charts and registry books by using a data extraction tool. Data were entered into the Epi-info version 7 and analysis was done by SPSS Version 25. Both Bi-variable and multi-variable analyses were employed to identify factors associated with outcome of traumatic brain injury. Result From 423 sampled study participant charts 404 of them had complete information with response rate of 95.5% and included in the final analysis. The overall unfavorable outcome of traumatic brain injury at discharge was found that 12.13% (95% CI: 9.1% - 15.7 %). Sever traumatic brain injury (AOR: 5.11(CI :1.8-14.48), moderate traumatic brain injury (AOR:2.44(CI:1.07-5.58), Hyperglycemia (AOR: 3.01 (CI:1.1-8.04), sign of increased intracranial pressure (AOR:7.4(CI:3.5-15.26), and medical comorbidity (AOR: 2.65(CI:1.19-5.91) were predicted of unfavorable outcome of traumatic brain injury pediatrics patient. Conclusion and recommendations twelve present of traumatic brain injury results unfavorable outcome. Sever and moderate form of traumatic brain injury, hyperglycemia, signs of increased intracranial pressure, and medical comorbidity were factors associated with unfavorable outcome of traumatic brain injury in children. Therefore, it is preferable to improve accesses to acute and post-acute care services to lower the unfavorable outcome of traumatic brain injury in children.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Biofield Energy Treated Proprietary Test Formulation in Brain Tissues in Cecal Slurry, LPS and E. Coli-Induced Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) in Sprague Dawley Rats

Evolutionary Conservation of Hox Genes in Vertebrate Brain Development

Hox genes, their conserved derivatives, and the pathways responsible for their expression have been extensively studied in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster;the experimentation done in the Drosophila model system has given developmental biologists tools to better understand the role and significance of Hox genes and their derivatives in anterior-posterior axis determination in the Drosophila embryo. Along with this, Drosophila research opened up the door to investigation on the conservation of Hox genes between vertebrates and invertebrates. Comparative embryology in mice, chickens, pufferfish, and zebrafish have shown conserved Hox gene expression patterns specifically along the anterior-posterior axis. Recently, comparative analysis performed on dorsal-ventral axis formation showed that patterning and segmentation of the spinal cord is influenced by the action of Hox genes as well. This review will briefly consider the evolution of the vertebrate brain and the evolution and conservation of Hox genes in regulating hindbrain patterning and spinal cord development.

Feasibility of Detecting Brain Areas Involved in Extreme Breath-Hold Diving

A feasibility study explores neuroimaging approaches to identify brain regions engaged during extreme breath‑hold diving. Methods, safety considerations, and preliminary activation patterns are summarized to motivate further controlled studies.

Adopting High Fat Diets for Fat Loss and Improving Brain Health.

With an increased intake of processed carbohydrates and refined sugars, the obesity rate has shot up in the past decade giving rise to mental and physical health problems. These individuals are also the most vulnerable to a number of other diseases including the current pandemic of Covid-19. This paper aims to address the knowledge gap that is required to promote a healthy lifestyle for mental and physical wellbeing. The paper also analyses a number of different studies conducted and helps in understanding obesity as a strong risk factor to various disorders. Despite constant recommendations from healthcare organisations to address the importance of weight regulation, the process to do so often remains uncertain to the general population. The paper analyses the effects of the ketogenic diet for fat loss as well as treating mental illnesses and aims to address the influence of high carbohydrate diets on mental illnesses.

Factors Affecting Traumatic Brain Injury Outcome Among Patients Treated for Head Injury at Surgical Side, in Nekemte Referral Hospital, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Background Traumatic brain injury is an expanding major public health problem and the leading cause of death of the young and productive part of the world’s population. Research is mainly done in high-income countries where only a small proportion of the worldwide fatalities occur. Only few studies have examined prognostic factors of traumatic brain injury outcome in developing countries including Ethiopia. This study was aimed at defining the peculiar demographic and other associated factors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) outcome among patients treated for head injury at Nekemte Referral Hospital. Objective The main purpose of this study was to describe the magnitude of TBI outcome and assess factors associated with unfavourable outcome of TBI among patients treated for head injury at the surgical side in Nekemte Referral Hospital from July 8, 2016 to July 7, 2018. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional document review was conducted among TBI patients treated for head injury from July 8, 2016 to July 7, 2018 at Nekemte Referral Hospital. Data were collected using a pre-tested data collection format. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics were computed and association between the dependent and independent variables were assessed by using logistic regression. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were computed. Significant association was declared when the p value was <0.05. Results In this study, out of 378 cases 95 (25.1%) were discharged with unfavourable outcome of which 37(9.8%) were neurologic deficits and 58 were deaths giving overall mortality rate of 15.3%. Patient age>60years (AOR: 15.13; 95%CI: 3.575-64.028), time interval from injury to treatment (AOR: 16.054; 95%CI: 5.832-44.194), low GCS (AOR: 18.224; 95%CI: 4.167, 79.695), conservative management (AOR: 20.774; 95%CI: 6.106-70.681), pupils abnormality (AOR: 9.078; 95%CI: AOR: 2.996-27.509) were associated with unfavourable outcome. Conclusions A quarter of patients treated for TBI at Nekemte Referral Hospital are discharged with unfavourable outcomes. Old age, delayed presentation to the hospital, low GCS, conservative management, and pupillary abnormality increase the odds of unfavourable outcome. Timely management of TBI before patients develop secondary brain injury and use of surgical intervention based on CT scan diagnosis will reduce the occurrence of unfavourable outcome.

Caffeine Components Empower the Brain Potentiality

The brain requires certain fuels to function in high level. Literally, nutritional components can modulate the brain productivity. One of the right nutrition to enhance the brain power is dietary component of caffeine. Caffeine as a component of coffee, tea and chocolate is very popular. Although, depending on the dietary demands or conventional habits some people do not consume caffeine-containing substances (i.e. foods or beverage). Nonetheless, caffeine constituents maximize the brain potential via promoting the central nervous system (CNS) through blocking an inhibitory neurotransmitter (adenosine) and releasing some other specific neurotransmitters (noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin) in brain. The chemistry of caffeine in a standard dose in fact can affect the brain intelligence.

COVID-19 and New Forms of Acute Pneumonia. It's Time for A Brainstorming Session

This perspective calls for cross‑disciplinary brainstorming on novel COVID‑19 pneumonia phenotypes. It discusses hypotheses on immune dysregulation, microvascular injury, and tailored respiratory strategies.

Concomitant in Vivo Voltammetric and Electrophysiological Analysis Indicate that Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ Affects Dopamine and then Serotonin Activities in Brain Substancia Nigra.

Nociceptin/orphanin-FQ (NOCI) together with its receptor NOP are widely expressed in cortical and subcortical motor areas and it is known that NOCI acts as an anxiolytic attenuating the behavioral inhibition of animals acutely exposed to stressful/anxiogenic conditions. Influence of NOCI upon the dopaminergic system has been observed in the ventral tegmental area and in the nucleus accumbens as well as an inhibitory action of NOCI is described upon serotoninergic mechanisms at cells and terminal levels. In particular, it is known that serotoninergic fibers from the raphe system project to the substancia nigra (SN) and that this modulation is behaviourally relevant. In the present work, the effect of exogenous NOCI injected into the SN upon DA and 5-HT levels have been analyzed by means of differential pulse voltammetry and nafion-carbon fiber microelectrodes. Electrophysiological monitoring of multicell activity was concomitantly performed with the same microsensor. It appeared that both levels of these biogenic amines were specularly altered, with possibly a driving influence of the DA activity upon the serotoninergic function(s).

Reduction of Side Effects by Segmented Electrodes in Case of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson Disease: A Case Report.

Patients suffering treatment resistant Parkinson´s disease (PD) are potential candidates for deep brain stimulation (DBS). Commonly most implanted electrodes have a cylindrical shape with quadripolar electrode contacts and generate a symmetrical stimulation field around the lead. To reduce side effects through activation of neighboring fibers a new electrode design with segmented contacts was developed and enables a better adaption of the field of stimulation as well as a multi-target stimulation to improve therapeutic benefits. We report about a 51-year-old male patient with a 15-year history of treatment-refractory PD, who was implanted with bilateral segmented electrodes in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) with St. Jude Medical Infinity™ DBS System (Abbott/St. Jude Medical, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA). Despite a clear mood-enhancing effect, stimulation with ring electrodes caused motor side effects including rigor and speech disorder. With segmented electrodes an effective and gentle stimulation was achieved. The stimulation of the anterior segments in the central position of the electrode in the STN showed no side-effects and allowed a reduction of initial symptoms in an low stimulation amplitude. Despite precise preoperatively planning and intraoperative trial stimulation, side effects of STN stimulation are very common. The application of segmented electrodes permits more options to reduce side effects rather than using ring electrodes. Studies with larger sample sizes are needed to establish the optional DBS electrode.

To Activate the Brain, Activate the Body First

The brain is the most complex organ which governs almost all activities in human body. Thus, the mental fitness has high level of importance in every day workouts. The good activities for long-term brain health include performing regular exercises such as a simple walking for 10 min at each day. More importantly having good level of diet can keep the brain workouts in an ideal situation. Indeed, taking enough rest can enhance the brain performances. Listening to the desirable sound of music could also enhance concentration and improve the mood. In overall, these aforementioned life style modifications significantly can easily boost the brain power and its healthy function through different aspects in daily life.

Brain Fatigue is a Critical Issue

The brain is one of the most complicated body segments which processes almost all activities in human body. Excessive physical and mental overloads can cause brain fatigue and may put the brain health at risk of various disorders. Strategies such as reducing the workloads and performing mediation and walking provide opportunities for brain to relax and reconstruct its capability again.

Brain Hemodynamics and Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Patients with Tension-Type Headache

Introduction: Tension-type headache (TTH) is very common, with a lifetime prevalence in the general population ranging in different studies between 30% and 78%. TTH, divided into episodic and chronic types, introduced in the manual "International Classification of Headache Disorders"(ICHD-I), is of practical importance. Infrequent episodic headaches (no more than once a month) may not require drug therapy, but, on the contrary, frequent forms may require expensive treatment. Objective: To study the state of cerebral hemodynamics and cerebrovascular reactivity in patients with Tension-type headache and evaluate the efficacy of treatment with Phenibite using Doppler ultrasound. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the results of ultrasound dopplerography of the anterior, middle and posterior cerebral arteries (ACA, MCA and PCA), Vertebral and Basal (VA, BA) arteries was performed in 188 patients with TTH. Among them are infrequent episodic TTH - 68 (36,2%) patients, frequent episodic TTH - 64 (34,0%) patients, chronic TTH - 56 (29,8%) patients. The age of the subjects was 18-45 years, among them 85 (45.2%) men and 103 (54.8%) women. The maximum systolic velocity (Vs), the end diastolic velocity (Vd), the resistance and pulsativity indexes (RI, PI) in all vessels were determined. Patients were given consent to participate in the study. Results: Infrequent episodic (IFE) TTH were recorded in 86.4% of cases, frequent episodic (FE) — in 88.9%, and chronic (Ch) TTH — in 81.6% of cases. Bilateral TTH was noted in 39.2%, frontal localization - in 35.6%, in the occipital region - in 25–7% of cases. The asymmetry of the maximum systolic blood flow velocity (Vs) in the paired arteries within 20-30% was considered a violation of cerebral hemodynamics, which was detected in 38.7% of patients. An increase in Vs was noted in all cerebral vessels, especially in patients with FE TTH and chronic Ch TTH compared with the control group. In patients with IFE TTH the average value of RcFMt was 1.24±0.03, in patients with FE TTH - 1.25±0.02, in patients with Ch TTH - 1.27±0.03. In patients with TTH, hyper-responsiveness to hypercapnic test was detected: RcCO2 was 1.43±0.05 in the group with FE TTH; 1.39±0.07 in the group of Ch TTH and 1.37±0.04 in the group of IFE TTH, which indicates a tendency for the tension of the vasodilator regulation mechanism even in clinically insignificant forms of TTH. In the study of reactivity to the O2-test, a hyporeactive response was observed in the groups with FE TTH and Ch TTH (0.38±0.04 and 0.35±0.05, respectively. The treatment with Phenibut carried out in a step-by-step manner - during the first week the drug was applied at a dose of 250 mg 2 times a day, over the next 6 weeks the dose increased to 500 mg 2 times a day, then the dose was reduced back to 250 mg 2 times a day. Among patients with FE TTH, the frequency of headache decreased from 5.7±2.3 to 3.6±2.1 days/month, and in patients with Ch TTH - from 22.8±1.7 to 17.7±1,3 days/month (P<0,05). Influence of the drug was manifested at the initially increased RcFMt and RcCO2. A decrease in initially elevated RcCO2 was noted in all (FE TTH, ChTTH, IFETTH) clinical groups. However, this decrease was not statistically significant. Conclusion: In patients with TTH, an increase in the Vs is more often recorded, their asymmetry in the middle cerebral artery. Hyperreactivity on CO2-load is typical for patients with chronic TTH, and reflects the mobilization of metabolic regulation of cerebral blood flow. Conducting FMt was the most informative method for detecting autoregulatory disorders mainly in patients with IFE TTH. FE TTH in patients is characterized by the presence of a hyperactive reaction to hypercapnic and orthostatic tests, probably due to mobilization of humoral-metabolic and neurogenic links of regulation. In the group of patients with chronic TTH prevails hyporeactivity for hyperventilation test, reflecting the depletion of vasoconstriction reserve. The use of Phenibut(Noophen® (JSC Olainfarm Latvia in the treatment of TTH is accompanied by a decrease in the frequency of pain, and of pericranial muscle tone, most pronounced in patients with FE TTH. It's effectiveness is evident in the normalization of the coefficients of cerebrovascular reactivity in a patients with chronic TTH. The minimal statistical significance was observed on the dynamics of blood flow only in the VA.

Short-Term Outcomes of Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease - Pilot Study

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) provides efficient treatment for the alleviation of motor signs in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but more studies about gait and functionality are needed. We aimed to understand whether short-term DBS treatment will can relieve the symptoms of PD patients, specifically we examined its effect on motor-cognitive-complication parameters, fine motor skills and daily living activity (DLA) of these patients. Method: Ten patients from Mustafa Kemal University Neurosurgery Department were recruited. The assessments were made twice, first time preoperatively, which was within one week prior to the surgery, second time postoperatively, which was 55-65 days post treatment. The motor scores, DLA scores, mental scores and complication scores were measured with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), fine motor skills measured with The nine-hole peg test (9-HPT), balance measured with Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and falling risk measured with Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). Results: 10 patients (5 female, 5 male) aged between 40-60 (mean=49.44±6.69 years) were included in the study. Duration of the disease’s mean was 5.60 years. We found significant difference between pre-op and post-op results in UPDRS DLA, UPDRS motor, UPDRS complication, UPDRS total score and TUG tests (Table 2). There was no significant difference between preop-postop assessment in UPDRS mental, BBS and 9-HPT results (p>0.05). Discussion: Balance, walk and fine motor impairment occurs almost always in Parkinson’s disease and resulting in difficulties with daily living activities. We found that DBS has positive effect on PD complications, balance and walking abilities. PD patients that have falling risk and multiple motor symptoms may have benefit from DBS.

Lipid Components in the Dynamin Fraction Prepared from Rat Brain

Membrane dynamics in the presynaptic region of the neuron is a key process of neuronal signal transduction. Dynamin plays a central part during endocytosis participating in the deformation of membrane structure and constriction. During the study of molecular interaction of presynaptic proteins, we found that dynamin fraction prepared from brain extract contains several lipid components. Fractionation of lipids with thin layer chromatography and mass-analysis showed the presence of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, cerebroside, cholesterol and its-derivatives, and triacylglycerol. Since the GTPase activity of bacterially expressed dynamin was activated by the extracted lipid fraction, lipid components that affect the GTPase activity of dynamin was screened and cerebroside, hydroxycholesterols, cholesterol, and triacylglycerol were found to activate the GTPase activity. This result not only suggests the possibility that several neutral lipids participate in the membrane dynamics, but also revealed the possibility that a protein fraction contains lipid components even if its purity was confirmed with SDS-PAGE.

Humans Chromosome 1 Fractal Periods Signature is Highly Correlated with Intelligence and Brain Evolution

DUF1220 proteins regions show the largest Homo-Sapiens lineage-specific increase in copy number of any protein-coding region in the human genome and map principally to 1q21.1. DUF1220 deletions have been associated with microcephaly and macrocephaly, respectively. DUF1220 copy number has been linked to both brain size in humans and brain evolution among primates.  Remarkably, dosage variations involving DUF1220 sequences have now been linked to human brain expansion, autism severity, total IQ, and cognitive and mathematical aptitude scores. We analyzed in chromosome 1q a total of 245 DUF1220 proteins. Finally the method is extended analysing the long 1q21 region from 7 other close primates like Neanderthal, great apes : chimp, gorilla, orangutan and monkeys : macaque, marmoset, vervet. This remarkable property is confirmed by comparing these primates to other mammals such as mice, rabbit, cow, dolphin and Elephant. We then show four classes of multi-periodic fractal structures for all 19 DUF1220 regions and 19 NBPF genes studied cases. The analysis of these spectra of fractal periods1 reveals a simple linear interdependence, hierarchization and unification between the numerical sequences of each of these 4 spectra and the sequences of Fibonacci and Lucas. Given the evidence of this numerical relationship, we suggest that this discovery may be one of the major causes of a cognitive development of man superior to that of the great primates. Finally the mathematical roots of this whole numbers resonance patterns is discussed.

Statistical Analysis of Malignant Brain Neoplasms (ICD-10: C71) in the Lower Silesia Region of Poland in the Years 2006-2012

It is crucial for the society, the government and the medical community to retrieve the full and reliable statistical information on malignant brain neoplasms (C71-C71.9 ICD-10) to adjust the medical financing, staff and equipment properly. In order to retrieve information useful for public health policies, data from the years 2006-2012 concerning relevant cases registered by the Polish public healthcare insurance provider Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia in Lower Silesia region of Poland (NFZ) and by the Polish national neoplasms registry Krajowy Rejestr Nowotworow (KRN) were analyzed. The number of new malignant brain neoplasms cases registered by the KRN has risen slightly in the years 2006-2012. At the same time the number of cases reported by the NFZ rose dynamically, which means a significant increase in medical care intensity, and thus also workload on the medical facilities and stuff associated with the care for grossly the same amount of brain malignant neoplasms patients and, supposedly, their longer survival times. It indicates that the level of public financing of the malignant neoplasms of brain treatment shall be adjusted adequately. The study revealed growing popularity among reporting Polish physicians of the least specific malignant neoplasms of brain ICD-10 categories, despite the rapid diagnostic techniques development and availability. It is alarming since the medical statistics data quality in the field of malignant brain neoplasms is deteriorating that way and proper evaluation of treatment costs and planning future financial allocations by both the public healthcare insurance provider NFZ and the Polish government becomes difficult.

Changes in Statistics of Malignant Neoplasms of Central Nervous System Excluding Brain (ICD-10: C70, C72) In the Lower Silesia Region of Poland in the Years 2006-2012

Epidemiological data concerning malignant neoplasms of meninges and central nervous system parts other than brain in Poland are reported to many medical databases run by various institutions and are incongruent with each other which makes their practical interpretation highly difficult. Data on registered cases of malignant neoplasms of meninges (C70-C70.9 ICD-10) and of spinal cord, cranial nerves and parts of central nervous system other than brain (C72-C72.9 ICD-10) in the years 2006-2012, made available by public healthcare insurance provider Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia in Lower Silesia region of Poland (NFZ) and data on new cases from Polish national neoplasms registry Krajowy Rejestr Nowotworow (KRN), were analyzed. The study revealed that those neoplasms are rare in Lower Silesia region of Poland population, number of new cases dropped in the analyzed period, but the NFZ/KRN cases ratio increased significantly especially in case of malignant neoplasms of central nervous system parts other than brain or meninges, which suggests big, and increasing with time, amount of medical procedures needed by those patients. It points at the need of respective adjustment of the level of public financing of treatment of malignant neoplasms of meninges and other central nervous system parts than brain. The study results indicate also that epidemiological reporting system in Poland shall be improved as there is growing number of Polish physicians who report mainly unspecific broad ICD-10 categories and there are year-to-year alternations of reported numbers of cases that do not have any explanation other than formal shifting in reported ICD-10 categories.

Psychopathology of Brain Frontal Lobe Tumors : When the Neurosurgery Meets Psychiatry

Brain tumors occur when abnormal cells form within the brain.There are two main types of tumors: malignant and benign tumors. Then, tumors can be divided into primary that start within the brain, and secondary tumors that have spread from somewhere else, known as brain metastasis tumors. Secondary brain tumors occur in approximately 15 % of cancer patients with about half of metastases coming from lung cancer. Primary brain tumors occur in around 250,000 people a year globally, making up less than 2% of whole body tumors. According to American Brain Tumor Association the most common types of primary tumors are gliomas, representing 74,6 % of all malignant tumors and meningiomas ( 36,6% ) while more affected region is frontal lobe, about 22 % . Particularly, prefrontal cortex ( PFC ), the anterior part of the frontal lobe that is highly developed in humans plays a role in the regulation of personality, emotional, and behavioral functioning, leading to serious cognitive impairments 1. These are the psychological signs of frontal lobe tumors, in addition to other functions such as the expressive language of Broca's area or those relating to voluntary movement, linked to frontal cortical motor areas. It relates to the so-called higher nervous functions, concerning the life of relationship and communication. The PFC physiology explains the psychological mechanisms of its associated functions: connections with the limbic cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia and other subcortical areas.The regions of the PFC at the base of the psychophysiological mechanisms involved are basically the dorso-lateral, the ventro-medial, the orbito-frontal establishing contacts primarily with limbic structures, such as the cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, amygdala.

Evidence that N-acetylaspartylglutamate is the Astrocyte-Targeted Neurovascular Coupling Agent that Regulates Slow Tonic Control of Brain Blood Flow

N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) is the highest concentration dipeptide present in brain. It is found primarily in neurons but its function is unclear. NAAG is synthesized by neurons from N-acetylaspartate and glutamate (Glu), maintained at mM concentrations and is released non-synaptically to extracellular fluid (ECF). NAAG is a non-excitatory form of Glu, and is targeted to the metabotropic group II Glu receptor 3 (mGluR3) on the surface of astrocytes. After docking with the receptor, Glu is released by the action of NAAG peptidase. Previously, it was shown for the first time that an NAAG-peptidase inhibitor reduced global cerebral blood flow (CBF) in mouse brain but did not affect their physical performance. Recently, it has been demonstrated that there are two separate systems involved in neurovascular coupling by astrocytes, one is a rapid focal phasic response providing energy for stimulation-induced neuronal activity, and the other a slower global tonic response providing energy for ongoing metabolic activities. Many neurovascular coupling mechanisms are known that regulate phasic changes in CBF, but how the brain accomplishes tonic control is unknown. In this paper we bring together two separate lines of inquiry, the decades’ long search for the function of NAAG, and the more recent search for the mechanism of tonic neurovascular control. Herein, we present evidence that NAAG is the neurovascular coupling agent that regulates tonic changes in CBF via the astrocyte mGluR3-NAAG peptidase connection.

Search for New Targets of Deep Brain Stimulation for Epilepsy Treatment

Although clinical trials in refractory epilepsy are currently carried out, the field of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in epilepsy is still at its initial stage. Little is known about where, when and how to stimulate and what would be the short and long consequences. Animal studies might provide clinicians with new ideas regarding targets for DBS. Here an overview is given regarding old and new targets in rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy. The evidence from animal models showed that stimulation of the subiculum – either in responsive or scheduled manner - is anticonvulsant in different seizure and epilepsy models, indicating that the subiculum might be a promising candidate for DBS targets. For the rest, the antiepileptic effects of low frequency stimulation were established mostly in kindling models. The presence of a critical time window in which stimulation was effective following after discharges on kindling acquisition, demonstrates that timing of DBS is an important factor for the anticonvulsant effects of DBS. 

The Human Soul as a Manifestation of Quantum-Like Fields

It is proposed that the human soul is a manifestation of a soul field consisting of a collection of quantum-like fields. The soul field interacts with the electromagnetic field, manifested by photons interacting with the quanta of the soul field. Evidence for this comes from near-death experiences where reported events that could not have been seen through the eyes of the individual are verified. Since bioelectric fields are a type of electromagnetic field, bioelectric fields may also interact with the soul field. This could result in the transfer of information on working memory content to the soul via interactions with bioelectric fields produced by neural ensembles in the human brain. The soul field may also affect neurons on the molecular level in the brain through interactions with bioelectric fields and the recently proposed mechanism of cytoelectric coupling. The human soul is coupled to the body through its interactions with bioelectric fields in the body. Manifestations of the quantum-like fields comprising the soul field may carry out different functions such as encoding memories and experiences, representing emotion states, and defining personal identity. Interactions of these fields and their quanta could produce emergent properties such as self-awareness and consciousness.

Iatrogenic Extra-Capsular Extension of Knee Septic Arthritis Via Intra-Articular Joint Injection

Background Septic arthritis is a potentially limb or life-threatening joint infection that requires prompt recognition and intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality. While intra-articular joint injections are commonly performed for osteoarthritis and other arthropathies, they carry a rare but significant risk of iatrogenic infection, particularly when performed in the presence of unrecognized joint or periarticular infection. Case Presentation We report a case of a 52-year-old female with a history of traumatic brain injury and chronic right knee pain who developed severe knee swelling, pain, and systemic symptoms following an intra-articular corticosteroid injection performed without ultrasound evaluation/guidance. Post-procedure, she presented with fever, elevated inflammatory markers, and purulent knee effusion. Operative washout revealed a purulent tract extending from the knee joint capsule to the lateral thigh. Cultures from joint aspiration and intraoperative samples grew Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Blood cultures were negative. The patient reported frequent cat scratches to the affected knee and described an unusual sensation of the injection needle tracking laterally during the joint injection. She was treated with surgical drainage and a four-week course of amoxicillin, with full clinical recovery. Discussion This case highlights an unusual presentation of septic arthritis with extra-capsular extension likely due to iatrogenic needle tracking during joint injection. The causative organism, S. dysgalactiae, is an uncommon pathogen in septic arthritis, and the presumed source was contiguous spread from untreated cellulitis, possibly related to cat scratches/bites. The absence of predisposing comorbidities and negative blood cultures further support a local rather than hematogenous source. The case emphasizes the importance of thorough clinical evaluation and consideration of infection prior to joint injections, as well as the potential benefits of ultrasound guidance to minimize procedural complications. Conclusion Careful history, physical examination, and appropriate imaging are essential prior to joint interventions to avoid iatrogenic complications. This case illustrates the rare but serious risk of extra-capsular extension of septic arthritis following intra-articular injection and emphasizes the need for vigilance in identifying underlying infection before proceeding with invasive procedures.

The Relationship Between Abnormal Sleeping Patterns and ADHD

The objective of this focused literature review includes establishing and explaining the high correlation between sleep issues and ADHD. Through a systematic review of sources, a high correlation between sleep issues in those with ADHD was established with multiple theories lending explanation to this comorbidity. Neurological pathways in the brain already afflicted by the disorder of ADHD may cause direct effect on sleep pathways in their dysfunction. Other comorbid sleep conditions were found to occur in high frequency with ADHD however, a common etiology of these issues is yet to be established. The major conclusion of this study includes that there are multiple mechanisms through which sleep disturbances may be caused in ADHD patients, all of which must be considered in future research.

The Role of Cerebral Hypercarbia in the Induction of the Near-Death Experience

The near-death experience (NDE) is an altered state of consciousness which arises when a person is critically ill or injured and possibly clinically dead. It should not be conflated with other mental events such as the deathbed vision or the fear or anticipation of death. Many believe that the NDE represents a genuine paranormal phenomenon providing a glimpse of an otherworldly existence and proof of an afterlife. Those who are skeptical of such a survivalist or supernatural interpretation have long pointed out that the core components of the NDE can be readily simulated with a variety of states, conditions and agents. In this conception, the NDE is reduced to no more or less than an extraordinarily complex hallucination. Since its rediscovery in the 1970s, multiple, often ingenious, attempts have been made to account for the NDE in such naturalistic or neuroscientific terms. None has so far proven completely satisfactory. One of the oldest, least considered but still promising is the CO2 theory which argues that a hypercarbic brain is a necessary precursor for the induction of a NDE. Supportive evidence that CO2 does play a pivotal role in the generation of the NDE can be gathered from diverse sources. These include: 1. measurement of blood gases; 2. Meduna’s now abandoned CO2 therapy; 3. analysis of the very limited number of pathophysiological conditions underlying the NDE; 4. recent discoveries of the role of 5-HT neurons in the central respiratory system. A model is proposed in which CO2 molecules are considered to be functionally equivalent to those of the classical hallucinogens (LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine). These agents can mimic the phenomenology of the NDE with remarkable fidelity. What is still missing from any such explanation is the long-sought transduction mechanism which converts physical events into mental ones. This is a generic problem which confronts all attempts to explain the neurogenesis of mystical, psychedelic or visionary activity.

Creation of Music-Induced Analgesia in Chronic Pain Patients through Endogenous Opioid Production: A Narrative Review

Chronic pain affects over 30% of the global population, and reliance on external drugs for treatment has led to major issues, including the present opioid epidemic. A healthier option is necessary, which is why music therapy’s analgesic effects have been extensively studied within the last 20 years. Not only is music relatively harmless but given that chronic pain patients require repeated treatment, musical intervention is far more accessible and economical. While the mechanisms underlying music-induced analgesia are relatively unclear, the production of endogenous opioids while listening to music through both the descending pain modulatory circuit and the limbic system, is postulated to play this role. This review describes the brain regions and pathways by which music may trigger the release of endogenous opioids such as enkephalins, endorphins, and dynorphins. More importantly, it discusses the cellular mechanisms through which these neuropeptides are thought to mediate pleasure-induced analgesia in chronic pain patients.

Dynamic Network Analysis of Functional Connectivity in Dementia: Unraveling Temporal Patterns and Therapeutic Implications

Exploring the dynamic dimension of functional connectivity in dementia, this article departs from traditional static studies to capture the ever-changing brain networks. Investigating temporal connectivity patterns yields valuable insights into disease progression, individualized treatment, and early intervention. Additionally, the concept of cognitive reserve, therapeutic interventions, and machine learning integration are pivotal in revolutionizing dementia research and care.

RETRACTED: A Microglia Initiated Target Therapy in Neuroinflammation for Alzheimer’s Patients

This article has been retracted on 20 March 2025. VIEW THE RETRACTION NOTICE (https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2998-4211.jalr-25-5855) The research is focused on neuroinflammation a normal physiological process which is known to be associated with neurodegenerative diseases could be the potential targeted therapy via the microglia cells, it starts with defining Alzheimer’s; a neurodegenerative disease which causes deposition of Aβ (amyloid beta) protein in the cerebral cortex as well as NFT (neurofibrillary tangles) in the hippocampus and basal ganglia. The paper then describes process of neuroinflammation, microglia’s role, apolipoprotein E4 gene in relation to Alzheimer’s, which leads to different stem cell research and how pruning microglia as well as targeting microglia receptors in the brain is being used in current research trials, we included multiple meta-analysis showing microglia receptors being targeted currently by emerging drugs like propofol, antibodies CSF1R inhibitor etc, which are currently under trial phase, the research ends with concluding potential diagnostic markers like sirt1 considered to be an anti-aging protein which can be used as therapeutic interventions and Lps effect on Sirt 1. A Microglia initiated target therapy in Neuroinflammation for Alzheimer’s Patients.

RETRACTED: Leap into Fetal Surgery; In Utero Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy, A Contemporary Approach to Treating Myelomeningocele

This article has been retracted on April 10, 2025. VIEW THE RETRACTION NOTICE (https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2997-2086.jfs-25-5857) Myelomeningocele (MMC), a class of spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year approximately 1,400 babies born in the United States have spina bifida. The disease manifests with the lack of skin and bone covering the caudal part of the spinal cord. The patient developing such a condition often develops lifelong impaired lower limb mobility accompanied by hydrocephalus, and urinary and bowel incontinence. The available interventions include prenatal and postnatal surgery to fuse the dura. Prenatal surgery performed before 26 weeks of gestation reduces the risk of death or the need for ventriculoperitoneal shunting. It also enhanced results on a comprehensive index for mental and motor function. When compared to postnatal surgery, prenatal surgery reduces the manifestation of several secondary outcomes, including the degree of hindbrain herniation seen in the Chiari II malformation. Stem cell therapy for MMC on animal models of chick, ovine, and rodents with reported cases 15/63, 15, and 136, respectively, using human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs), Neural Stem Cells (NSCs), Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) showed significant coverage of MMC defect and slight neurogenesis was also observed. With an understanding of medical literature about in-utero regenerative capacity, it is to be appreciated that placental stem cells surgically seeded within a biocompatible scaffold of the cell patches can play a part in alleviating the spinal cord manifestation associated with MMC. Documented animal studies show that incorporating Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cells in prenatal surgery has reported improved neurogenesis and lower limb mobility. In an ovine myelomeningocele model, the development of in-utero myelomeningocele repair with human Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cells seeded onto an extracellular matrix (PMSC-ECM) enhances motor findings. The clinical trial for the first stem cell therapy on human subjects known as the “CuRe Trial: Cellular Therapy for In Utero Repair of Myelomeningocele.” is expected to be finished by 2030. So far, the cases undergoing treatment have shown significant leg movement and a greater degree of bowel and urinary control. This FDA-approved clinical trial is envisioned to be the future of treating MMC.

Challenges in Diagnosis of Neurosarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is granulomatous autoinflammatory autoimmune remitting relapsing disease affecting every organ in the body, it is the most difficult disease to diagnose in the absence of serum or imaging biomarker. Differential diagnosis is broad which included inflammatory, infective, neurodegenerative and neoplastic, histological biopsy is the only confirmative marker, and even histological confirmation is not robust as infection, malignancy and some drugs can induce granuloma, the most common organs affected are lung, lymph nodes, skin, eyes, liver, and less commonly pituitary gland, bones, brain, peripheral nerves, and heart, causing bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, granulomatous lymphadenitis.

Rbm45 Phylogenetics, Protein Domain Conservation, and Gene Architecture in Clade Metazoa

Mammalian Rbm45 is predominately expressed in neuronal tissue and is integral in brain development and neuronal differentiation under physiological conditions. Dysregulation of Rbm45 has been strongly associated with neurodegenerative disorders in humans and can drive hepatocellular carcinoma through reprogramming lipid metabolism. Intriguingly, Rbm45 is an ancient protein, evolutionarily conserved throughout metazoans, including in sponges which lack a nervous system. Curiously, the evolution of Rbm45 gene structure and protein domain conservation across kingdom Animalia is largely unknown. We performed phylogenetic analysis of Rbm45 nucleotide and amino acid sequences from 36 species representing 9 phyla: Porifera, Cnidaria, Priapulida, Mollusca, Brachiopoda, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Hemichordata, and Chordata. While the tree from Rbm45 nucleotide sequence data resulted in clades Protostomia and Deuterostomia showing paraphyly, the phylogeny derived from Rbm45 amino acid sequence largely recapitulated known monophyletic relationships among metazoans. Human RBM45 protein structure includes three RNA-binding domains (RBD), a homo-oligomerization association (HOA) domain, a nuclear localization sequence (NLS), and a nuclear export sequence (NES). Multiple sequence alignment across the same 36 taxa used for phylogenetic analysis revealed conservation of all three RBDs, the HOA, and NLS; in contrast the NES was only detected in clade Craniata and not in clades Ambulacraria and Protostomia. Rbm45 gene structure analysis revealed increasing gene complexity concomitant with increasing evolutionary complexity. Rbm45 from non-bilaterian taxa had from 2 to 4 large exons, while bilaterian taxa had between 6 to17 small exons. These findings demonstrate that Rbm45 is an ancient, highly conserved gene among metazoans suggesting a function in a breadth of neural/sensory systems.

Cosmic Surgery: Development of a New Non-Invasive Technique in Modern Surgery.

Cosmic surgery is a non-invasive operation developed by applying modern astronomical discoveries to surgical science. Scientific cosmology is the study of the universe through physics and astronomy. Religious cosmology explains the universe based on religious scriptures. According to religious cosmology, the universe consists of hell, heaven, and earth. Earth is surrounded by hell, and hell is surrounded by heaven. Astronomers explored the universe and found billions of galaxies of stars all around the earth made of hellish fire. The location of the stars and hells in the universe and their characteristics are identical. Comparative study shows that all the stars in the visible galaxies of the universe are religious hells. The discovery of hells in the lower universe confirms the existence of heavens in the inaccessible upper universe that has been predicted in the Holy Scriptures. This astronomical discovery is not only a message to mankind but also a recombinant cosmic signal all over the world, which is generated for the exploration of the cosmos by prophets and astronomers. According to the supernatural theory of disease, supernatural virus infects the prefrontal cortex of the human brain and disrupts the normal spirit of executive functions including reasoning, planning, motivation, and problem solving that leads people to a delusional lifestyle and behavior and alters the dynamic equilibrium between man and environment, and causes all physical, mental, social, and spiritual disorders, national, international, and inter-religious conflicts and wars in the world. Cosmic surgery is a non-invasive operation applying above mentioned cosmic signal to the human brain to sterilize the whole world from the supernatural virus that can change our sick world into a healthier, happier, and prosperous world like a terrestrial paradise.

A 5 years old female child recovered from Moyamoya Disease with Unani formulation: A Case Report

Moyamoya disease is a very rare chronic circulatory occlusive disorder of the blood vessels of the brain, in which patients complain of headache, seizure, weakness, and sometimes paralysis. A 5 years old female child with a complaint of headache and seizure was admitted elsewhere and during the treatment, she was diagnosed with Moyamoya disease. Further, she went to AIIMS Patna, where the neurosurgeon advised Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and after the final diagnosis, they suggest the surgical intervention of the brain. During the search for an alternative treatment, they consulted my center for Unani treatment. We advised a semiliquid Unani polyherbal formulation containing Gule Banafsha (Viola odorata), Ustukhuddoos(Lavandula stoechas), and Nilofer (Nymphaea alba Linn) for three months. After the completion of the treatment schedule, she went for DSA again in Patna AIIMS and they find that there is no sign of occlusion in the blood vessels of the brain. The patient has no complaints and the report also showed that she gets improved. 

CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Radiation Source for Magnetic Resonance Biospectroscopy in Metabolic and Molecular Imaging and Diagnosis of Cancer

Molecular imaging is a new method in examining physiological studies in molecular dimensions. Among the various methods that have been introduced for this purpose, the magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) method has made it possible to more accurately study the activities of the brain region as well as tumors in different parts of the body. MRS imaging is a type of non– invasive imaging technique that is used to study metabolic changes in the brain, stroke, seizure disorders, Alzheimer's disease, depression and also metabolic changes in other parts of the body such as muscles. In fact, since metabolic changes in the human body appear faster than anatomical and physiological changes, the use of this method can play an important role in the early detection and diagnosis of cancers, infections, metabolic changes and many other diseases. (Graphical Abstract) Graphical Abstract. CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) radiation source for magnetic resonance biospectroscopy in metabolic and molecular imaging and diagnosis of cancer.

Tay-Sachs Disease: From Molecular Characterization to Ethical Quandaries and the Possibility of Genetic Medicine

Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the HEXA gene, which encodes the ɑ subunit of the enzyme β-hexosaminidase A. Lacking this key enzyme in GM2 ganglioside catabolism, individuals who are homozygous for HEXA mutations suffer from abnormal accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in brain and nerve cells, ultimately resulting in the progressive deterioration of the central nervous system. TSD is one of three disorders characterized by β-hexosaminidase deficiency; Sandhoff disease (SD) and the AB variant arise by mutations in the HEXB and GM2A genes respectively, which disrupt other points of GM2 ganglioside degradation. Characterized by developmental delay and stagnation, muscular weakness, coordination deficits, seizures, and eventual hearing and vision loss, these three disorders are clinically indistinguishable and occur in three forms defined by age of onset. While there is a much higher incidence of TSD in the Ashkenazi Jewish population, community carrier screening and counseling initiatives have reduced disease prevalence to about the equivalent of non-Jewish populations; however, such efforts have raised ethical concerns in the Jewish community that are increasingly relevant in light of scientific and medical advancements. Currently, treatments for TSD and its related disorders focus on symptom management, with gene therapies and the application of modified CRISPR-Cas-9 technology being explored.

Late Onset Meningitis in Post Traumatic Temporal Meningoencephalocele

Temporal lobe meningoencephalocele is an uncommon anomaly in the face. As brain tissue herniate through the dural imperfection, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or a mass will appear in the mastoid, middle ear or the both. Here we present a 10 years old boy with right lobe temporal meningoencephalocele which results in CSF leakage and manifested with bacterial meningitis. He had a history of head trauma and bone fracture 3 years ago. In surgery the defect repaired and the patient showed improvement.

Expression of Concern: Potential Risks and Unknown Effects of mRNA Vaccines on Population Health (6th Rev). Damages Are Being Materialized

Several mRNA vaccines are used on the population in the U.S. I started predicting the dangers of mRNA vaccines before March 2021 and update my findings periodically. My prior model study enabled me to identify many flaws in clinical trials, side-effect evaluation methods and mechanism studies, and I also considered consistent failure in predicting drug side effects in the past and systematic failure of FDA in keeping out dangerous drugs from market. I found that the risks of vaccination cannot be determined by experiments alone and must be determined by using a combination of methods. By studying mRNA expression dynamics and kinetics, I predict that vaccination with mRNA vaccines may increase cancer risks, multiple organ failure risks, earlier death risks, genome alteration speeds by one or more mechanisms, alter the normal selection process for viral evolution resulting in more virulent viruses, and aggravate chronic diseases or cause healed diseases to relapse. Two root problems are practical inability to control expression sites and severe adverse reactions from repeated vaccination. Based on mRNA bio-distribution, the mRNA mainly strikes the liver and other vital organs, and poses grave dangers to persons whose vascular functional reserves are relatively small, or whose vascular systems are temporarily burdened by other causes such as viral infections or life activities. If an mRNA vaccine is administered on a pregnant woman by second or booster shots, spike protein synthesis in fetus brain disrupts the highly regulated protein synthesis processes, resulting in potential brain damages. In less than a year, most of my early predicted damages are being materialized or are on the track to hit the population. In this update, I present a benefits-and-risks map to show how the number of deaths caused by mRNA vaccines is grossly underestimated and why claimed benefits like 95% effectiveness rate and 90% death rate reduction are meaningless and misleading.

Post-Covid-19 Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) in a 27-year-old girl: Case Report

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a monophasic, multifocal, demyelinating, autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It usually occurs after a systemic infection, usually viral, including certain coronavirus infections. A 27-year-old girl presented with complaints of left interscapular pain, paresthesias and weakness in the ipsilateral upper limb. These symptoms followed paresthesias on the fingertips of her right hand the day before her admission. she was treated two weeks earlier for pneumonia with COVID-19. Her clinical pattern resulted in a moderate weakness of the left limbs associated with tactil and algic hypoesthesia in the lower left limb ascending until the C4 level in the left side. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord showed diffuse spontaneous hypersignals on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images at the cerebral level and on T2-weighted images at the spinal level. These imaging lesions coupled with the medical history of a recent COVID-19 infection led to the diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) post covid-19. The clinical condition improved rapidly with intravenous (IV) corticosteroid therapy and IV immunoglobulin combined with physiotherapy. ADEM is a demyelinating autoimmune disease which is increasingly reported during this current corona virus pandemic.

New Approach in Treatment of Cancer & Viral Infection by Apis Mellifera L Venom Extracts (Honeybees Venom)

Cancer cells need strong drug to be eliminated. Cancer lesions cure could achieve by topical application of crude bee venom. Bee venom medication used to prevent malignancies in groups most at risk (predisposing factors). Bee venom crosses the blood brain barriers because its components are very small. However, Bee venom contraindicated administered by intravenous injection because it’s hemolytic substance, mellitin which is powerful anticoagulant. However, the cationic peptides mellitin govern the mode of action of bee venom as anticancer and antiviral in vivo; 1 there is a negative charge on cancer cells, viral infected cells, diseased cells, and generally any cells that contain toxins or damage, and viruses are carrying negative charge even when it is outside the living body. 2Bee venom component (melittin) carries a positive charge, it destruct negatively charged cancer cells. 3 The role that the herpes virus is likely to play in increasing the severity of cancerous diseases, worsen the conditions: herpes viruses are opportunistic viruses that strike the body whose immunity is weakened for any reason. Therefore, the role of herpes virus must be neutralized when you planning to treat a cancer patient. Fortunately, bee venom is a powerful antiviral, and thus we hit three birds with one stone, that is, we kill cancer cells, kill opportunistic viruses, and improve tissue immunity to participate in the fight against cancer and get rid of toxic exudates more efficiently.

Cerebrovascular Infarction Presenting as Bilateral Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia in a 75 y/o Patient

Objective To present a case of Bilateral Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia in a 75yo patient Case Description A 75 year old, Filipino, male, known hypertensive for 10 years, but not compliant to medications, presented with a sudden onset binocular horizontal, diplopia and bilateral exotropia associated with dizziness. No other symptoms like slurring of speech, body weakness, numbness were noted. Primary gaze exotropia, abduction nystagmus, gaze evoked vertical nystagmus were also noted. Imaging was done which revealed hypodense focus in the subcortical region of the right centrum semiovale extending to the right corona radiata, with unremarkable orbits, midbrain and pons findings. WEBINO was still considered even without the presence of a pontine lesion in the imaging. The patient was advised patching and was asked to follow up after a month.

Protective Role of Quercetin Against Rotenone- Induced Hepato and Nephrotoxicity in Swiss Albino Mice

Rotenone is well known environmental neurotoxin used to induce Parkinson’s disease (PD) model. Numerous studies are investigated its toxicity on the brain but few studies are available that examined its toxicity on the liver and kidney. Therefore, the main aim of the present work was to explore the toxicity of rotenone on the liver and kidney and its protection through quercetin. Administration of rotenone orally at the dose of (5mg/kg b.w daily for 60 days) caused a significant increase in the levels of liver function and renal function biomarkers as compared to controls. A significant increase in the level of lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and decrease in the levels of reduced glutathione, reduction in the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase were observed in the liver and kidney as compared to control. The histopathological and SEM study in rotenone-treated mice showed alteration and signs of inflammation in the liver and kidney. While co-treatment of quercetin orally (30 mg/kg b.w for 60 days) together with rotenone, reversed the above parameters. In conclusion, rotenone significantly damages the liver and kidney, and the administration of quercetin along with rotenone shown a protective role. This study provides a new insight into where rotenone-induced liver and kidney dysfunction could be successfully protected by quercetin.  

Antioxidant Activity of Biofield Treated Proprietary Test Formulation Supplemented with Vitamins and Minerals in Vitamin D3 Deficiency Diet (VDD) Induced Sprague Dawley Rats

A proprietary formulation was designed that consisted minerals (zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, selenium, and copper), vitamins (pyridoxine HCl, cyanocobalamin, ascorbic acid, and cholecalciferol), Panax ginseng extract, and cannabidiol isolate. The study was aimed to assess the potential of the novel test formulation (blessed) and per se to the animals with the Trivedi Effect® in male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, fed with vitamin D3 deficiency diet (VDD). The test formulation consisted above mentioned ingredients was divided into two parts. One part was left aside as the untreated test formulation without any Biofield Treatment, while the other part was defined as the Biofield Energy Treated sample, which received the Biofield Treatment by renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Mr. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi. The level of lipid peroxidation end product malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tissues was significantly reduced by 34.59%, 34.91%, and 65.81% (p≤0.001) in test formulation treated with Biofield Energy (G5), Biofield Treated test formulation from day -15 (G7), Biofield Treatment per se with Biofield Treated test formulation from day -15 (G8) groups, respectively as compared to the disease control group (G2). Moreover, level of catalase enzyme in liver tissues was also increased by 8.64% in the G7 group as compared to the G2 group. Besides, in brain homogenate the level of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was significantly increased by 433.94%, 266.97%, 133.94%, 467.89%, and 489.86% in the G5, Biofield Energy Treatment per se to animals from day -15 (G6), G7, G8, and Biofield Treatment per se animals plus untreated test formulation (G9) groups, respectively than G2. Antioxidant enzyme like superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly (p≤0.001) increased by 14.16% in the G9 group as compared to the G2 group. Allover, results signified that the Biofield Treated test formulation significantly increased antioxidative parameters, could be able to give support against oxidative stress induced by free radical and to maintain a good human health.

Evaluation of Vitamin D3 metabolite (25-OH Vit D3), Neurotransmitter (ACh), and the Expression of Proinflammatory Cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) in Tissue Homogenate after Administration of Biofield Energy Healing-based Novel Proprietary Test Formulation and Biofield Treatment per se to the Animals in Vitamin D3 Deficiency Diet (VDD)-induced Sprague Dawley Rats

A novel proprietary test formulation was designed which included minerals, vitamins, β-carotene, cannabidiol isolate,and Panax ginseng extract. This present study was evaluated the impact of the Trivedi Effect® on novel proprietary test formulation in male Sprague Dawley rats, fed with vitamin D3 deficiency diet (VDD). The novel test formulation was divided into two parts; one part was defined as untreated test formulation, while the other part was defined as the Biofield Energy Treated sample, which received the Biofield Energy Healing Treatment by renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Mr. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi. The level of 25-OH Vit. D3 was measured in brain homogenate, which was found to be increased by 20.13%, 24.12%, 45.86%, 14.79%, and 29.96% in the G5 group treated with Biofield Treated test formulation, Biofield Energy Treatment per se to the animals (G6), 15 days pre-treatment of Biofield Energy Treated test formulation (G7), Biofield Energy Treatment per se plus Biofield Energy Treated test formulation from day -15 (G8), and untreated test formulation to the Biofield Energy Treated animals (G9) groups respectively, as compared with the disease control (G2) group. Brain acetylcholine (ACh) level was increased by 61.33% in the G7 group as compared with the untreated test formulation (G4) group. The expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was significantly reduced by 43.44% (p≤0.01), 30.93%, 21.42%, 45.99% (p≤0.01), and 60.85% (p≤0.01), respectively as compared with the G4. Lung pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) level was significantly reduced in the G5, G6, G7, and G8 by 24.86%, 32.55% (p≤0.01), 30.12% (p≤0.01), and 42.69% (p≤0.01), respectively, as compared with the G4 group. Altogether, the Biofield Treated test formulation and/or per se treatment to the animals significantly improved the levels of active form of vitamin D3 metabolite (25-OH Vit D3) and neurotransmitter (ACh); consequently significantly lowered the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α). Therefore, the energized test formulation or per se treatment could be effectively useful against neuronal damage and inflammation for the management of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementias, brain cancer, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, mental disorders, and Parkinson’s. Thus, the results showed a significant slowdown of disease progression and all other disease-related complications/symptoms in the preventive Biofield Energy Treatment group per se and the Biofield Energy Treated Test formulation groups (viz. G6, G7, G8, and G9) as compared to the disease control group.

Favourable Outcome in Pediatric Neurosurgery for Extra Dural Hematoma in Sub Sahara Africa: Report of Parakou University Hospital in the Benin Republic

Introduction The extra dural hematoma is a blood collection between the cranial vault and the dura mater. It is a neurosurgical emergency whose statistical data are poorly known in the Republic of Benin. Objective The aims of this study are to assess epidemiology, therapeutic and outcome of traumatic extra dural hematomas for children admitted to the surgical department of CHUD-B/A from 2012 to 2017. Methods This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and retrospective study over a period from January 1st, 2012 to December 31st, 2017. Results One hundred and seventy-eight cases of children aged between 0-15 years were examined for brain traumatic injury. Twenty-seven 27 (15.2%) cases of extra dural hematomas were retained. The most represented age group was between 11-15 years with a frequency of 42.1%. The male sex was more represented (78.9%). Road traffic accidents were the main aetiology (57.9%). 52.6% had a mild head injury, 26.3% had a moderate head injury and 21.1% had a severe head injury. On brain scan the frequently observed location was temporo-parietal (31.6%). Acute anemia was observed in 16 children. Seventeen children were operated on. The operation involved evacuation of extra dural hematoma by cranial bone flap with suspension of the dura mater. There were no deaths. Conclusion The availability of brain CT makes the diagnosis of extra dural hematoma easier. Its management is neurosurgical with a favourable post-operative evolution in all cases in this series.

Quercetin Attenuates Manganese-Induced Neurotoxicity in Mice Hippocampus by Regulation of Oxidative Stress and Tumour Necrosis factor Alpha Expression 

The hippocampus is involved in learning and memory processes, an integral component of cognitive function. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of quercetin on manganese-induced neurotoxicity in the hippocampus of the adult mice. In this study, 40 adult mice of average weight of 18 –29g were randomly distributed into five groups of eight each. The brain was harvested and the region of the hippocampus was grossed for histological and immunohistochemical analysis. The results revealed a significant increased level of oxidative stress markers of manganese treated mice when compared with the normal control and quercetin treated animals (p<0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis also showed a decrease expression of Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) with quercetin treated animals when compared with manganese treated animals indicating its neuroprotective function. In addition, quercetin treated animals all had an improved working spatial memory in Y-maze test. The histological results also revealed a degeneration of pyramidal cells with a characteristic pyknotic activities at the granular layer of the hippocampus leading to neuronal integrity damage following chronic exposure to manganese but normal architectural design was however maintained with quercetin. Conclusively, exposure to manganese in excess may have adverse effect on extensive neuronal degeneration that could affect the learning, memory and possibly spatial navigation ability of miceand quercetin attenuates this induced neurotoxicity via inhibition of oxidative stress and reduction of TNF expression.

Analysis of Isotopic Abundance Ratio of Consciousness Energy Healing Treated Metronidazole Using LC-MS and GC-MS Spectrometry

Metronidazole is an antibiotic and useful for the antibacterial and antiprotozoal medication. This study was performed to investigate the impact of the Trivedi Effect®-Biofield Energy Healing Treatment on the structural properties and the isotopic abundance ratio of metronidazole using LC-MS and GC-MS spectroscopy. Metronidazole sample was divided into two parts, one part of metronidazole was considered as control (no Biofield Energy Treatment was provided), while the second part was treated with the Trivedi Effect®-Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment remotely by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Alice Branton and termed as a treated sample. The LC-MS spectra of both the samples of metronidazole at the retention time (Rt) 2.61 minutes exhibited the mass of the protonated molecular ion peak at m/z 172 M+H+ (calculated for C6H10N3O3+, 172.07). The LC-MS based isotopic abundance ratio of PM+1/PM (2H/1H or 13C/12C or 15N/214N or 17O/16O) in the treated metronidazole was significantly increased by 8.24% compared with the control sample. Thus,13C, 2H, 15N,and17O contributions from (C6H10N3O3)+ to m/z 173 in the treated sample were significantly increased compared with the control sample. The GC-MS based isotopic abundance ratio of PM+1/PM in the treated metronidazole was significantly increased by 5.92% compared with the control sample. Hence,13C, 2H, 15N, and217O contributions from (C6H9N3O3)+ to m/z 172 in the Biofield Energy Treated sample were significantly increased compared with the control sample. However, the isotopic abundance ratio of PM+2/PM in the treated metronidazole was significantly decreased by 18.2% compared with the control sample. Hence,18O contributions from (C6H9N3O3)+ to m/z 173 in the treated sample were significantly decreased compared with the control sample. The isotopic abundance ratio of PM+1/PM (2H/1H or 13C/12C or 15N/14N or 17O/16O) and PM+2/PM (18O/16O) in the treated metronidazole was significantly altered compared to the control sample. From the results, it can be hypothesized that the changes in isotopic abundance and mass peak intensities could be due to changes in nuclei possibly through the interference of neutrino particles via the Trivedi Effect® - Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment. The new form of treated metronidazole would be better designing novel pharmaceutical formulations that might offer better therapeutic response against bacterial and protozoal infection in the vagina (bacterial vaginosis), stomach (giardiasis, trichomoniasis, pseudomembranous colitis), joints (pelvic inflammatory disease), liver, skin, brain, and respiratory tract, aspiration pneumonia, rosacea, intra-abdominal infections, lung abscess, fungating wounds, periodontitis, amoebiasis, oral infections, etc.

Reversible Posterior Encephalopathy Syndrome and Related Factors: Clinical Cases Study

Background Reversible posterior encephalopathy syndrome (RPE) is a clinical and radiological entity characterized by the acute or subacute fitting of symptoms covering headache, vomiting, visual disturbances, seizures and impairment of consciousness. The pathophysiology of RPE syndrome is poorly described. RPE syndrome is characterized by a reversible cerebral edema of often posterior topography in magnetic resonance imagery (MRI). Cases Presentation We consider RPE syndrome four cases under various conditions that are known as airplane flight, hypertension, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, pregnancy and oldness with several pathologies. The RPE was described with several symptoms like headaches, vomiting, focal motor deficit, paresthesia, seizures, disorders of consciousness and photophobia. The imagery findings were varying from cortical hypersignals in Flair sequences to edema of both cortex and sub cortex. The outcome was good with a complete regression of symptoms and imagery lesions. Conclusion The pathophysiological mechanism of RPE syndrome remains unknown. High blood pressure, renal failure and drugs (anti-depressants, NSAIDs, immunosuppressants) are the most etiological factors. The diagnosis is based on clinical arguments and brain MRI. The main location is posterior. The clinical outcome was good with all the patients in our study, no recurrence was noted.

The Effect of Food Intakes on Musculoskeletal Pains

Some certain foods or drinks have specific effects on musculoskeletal frameworks in time of pain. For instance, the extra intake of salt declines muscular spams (or cramps) in different limbs. The regular consumptions of milk products reduce the upper or lower musculature weakness and pain. The hot drinks and foods as other examples can help to mitigate the abdominal pains. Indeed, warm drinks boost memory through lowering the pressures in different brain ‘sections (or lobs) in fatigue time. Some plant - based diets assist to the better digestion through faster and more smooth facilitation of food transformation in stomach areas. The plant – based dietary also can decline the heart muscle shocking impulse. However, some people for different reasons (i.e. cultural) do not consume some specific foods and drinks that can be kind of disadvantages for musculature system. Nonetheless, increasing the knowledge of daily food intakes can significantly help to improve musculoskeletal health in different individual in an uncertain condition.

Prevention of Aging and Improvement of Longevity and Life-Span in D-Galactose Induced Aging Rats After Treatment with the Biofield Energy Per Se and Biofield Treated Proprietary Test Formulation

The study was aimed to investigate the potential benefits of the Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment (the Trivedi Effect®) per se and Biofield Energy Healing treated novel test formulation in male Sprague Dawley rats for their antiaging activity by monitoring aging biomarkers such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), silent information regulator-1 (SIRT-1), and klotho protein. The test formulation was distributed into two parts. First part did not provide any Biofield Energy Treatment was denoted as the untreated sample, however the second part was received Biofield Energy Healing Treatment by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Mr. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi and defined as the Biofield Energy Treated sample. In this experiment, nine groups (n=10) were assigned, in which four were preventive maintenance groups. Among them, three groups of animals were also received Biofield Energy Healing Treatment per se (at day -15). BDNF was significantly increased by 25.83%, 19.35%, and 14.67% in the Biofield Energy Treated test formulation (G5), Biofield Energy Treatment per se at day -15 (G6), and Biofield Energy Treatment per se to animals plus Biofield Treated test formulation from day -15 (G8), respectively as compared to the disease control (G2) group. Moreover, expression of SIRT-1 protein was increased by 14.63% in the G5 group than the untreated test formulation (G4) group. Additionally, SIRT-1 activity was increased by 39.7%, 32.5%, 15.9%, and 136% in the G6, Biofield Energy Treated test formulation at day -15 (G7), G8, and Biofield Treatment per se (day -15) to animals plus untreated test formulation (G9) groups, respectively than the G4 group, while it was increased by 57.3% in the G9 group as compared to the G2 group. Besides, Klotho protein in kidney homogenate was significantly increased by 16.67% in the G5 group as compared to the G2 group. Altogether, the results showed a significant improvement of longevity mediators and antiaging biomarkers in the preventive maintenance groups. Therefore, results envisaged the significant slowdown of aging-related disorders and other complications in the preventive Biofield Energy Treatment group per se and/or Biofield Energy Treated Test formulation groups (viz. G6, G7, G8, and G9) comparatively with the disease control group and could be utilized against various aging-related disorders like Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, cataracts, type 2 diabetes, cancer, etc. along with it could be used to extend the life-span, stress and immune-related disorders.

Assessment of Target Volume Definition for Radiosurgery of Atypical Meningiomas with Multimodality Imaging

Objective Meningiomas are most common intracranial benign tumors comprising around one third of all intracranial neoplasms, and typically have benign and indolent nature with slow-growing behaviour. Benign meningiomas are slow growing tumors typically following an indolent disease course. Nevertheless, atypical or anaplastic meningiomas may follow a more aggressive disease course with invasion of critical structures and recurrences. In the current study, we evaluate the incorporation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for radiosurgery treatment planning of atypical meningiomas. Materials and Methods Atypical meningioma radiosurgery target volume determination with and without incorporation of MRI has been evaluated. Ground truth target volume used as the reference has been outlined by the board-certified group of radiation oncologists after comprehensive assessment, thorough collaboration and consensus. Results Target volume definition by use of Computed Tomography (CT)-only imaging and by CT-MR fusion based imaging has been comparatively evaluated in this study for linear accelerator (LINAC)-based radiosurgical management of atypical meningioma. Ground truth target volume defined by the board-certified radiation oncologists after detailed evaluation, collaboration, colleague peer review and consensus has been found to be identical to target determination by use of CT-MR fusion based imaging. Conclusion Despite significant progress in neurosurgical techniques over the years, complete surgical resection may not be feasible in the presence of meningiomas located at eloquent brain areas in close association with important neurovascular structures. RT may have a role in multidisciplinary management of meningiomas. Incorporation of MRI into treatment planning for radiosurgery of atypical meningiomas may improve target definition despite the need for further supporting evidence.

Practical Methods to Improve Client Compliance in General Medicine

There is a gap between theoretical knowledge about strategies and the techniques or methods to apply in the practice of the consultation to improve compliance. Within the framework of these strategies, a number of techniques to be used in certain situations can be cited: 1) Assessing readiness to change, importance and confidence; 2) Instruments for decision support; 3) Technique of the "pros and cons"; 4) Auto-monitoring techniques; 5) Technique of "information exchange"; 6) Feedback technique; 7) Brainstorming; 8) The “typical day”; and 9) Practical reminder systems for taking medication. A certain technique is not a universal procedure, but it is usually refined by trial and error, based on past experiences, and their choice and design are the responsibility of the general practitioner.

Effect of the Biofield Energy Treated Proprietary Test Formulation for Sleep Biomarkers in the Unpredictable Chronic Stress (UCS) Animal Model 

Sleep biomarkers in brain such as melatonin, BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor), PGD2 (Prostaglandin D2), leptin, orexin-A, and acetylcholine were evaluated in the unpredictable chronic stress (UCS) rodent model in the presence of Consciousness Energy Healing Treated (the Trivedi Effect®) novel test formulation in male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats using ELISA assay. The test formulation was consisted of minerals (Zn, Fe, Cu, Se, Ca, Mg), vitamins (C, E, B6, B12, D3), β-carotene, ginseng, and cannabidiol isolate. The test formulation constituents were divided into two parts, one part of each ingredient was distinct as the untreated test formulation, while the other portion of the test formulation and a group of animals received Biofield Energy Healing Treatment by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Mr. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi. The level of melatonin in groups viz. G5 (Biofield Energy Treated Test formulation) and G7 (15-days pre-treatment of Biofield Energy Treated Test formulation) was significantly increased by 17.6% (p≤0.01) and 16%, respectively as compared with the disease control group (G2). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in brain was increased by 5.2% in G7 group as compared with the G4. Prostaglandins D2 (PGD2) level was significantly (p≤0.001) increased by 12.7%, 18.1%, 23.7%, and 30.7% in the G6, G7, G8 (15 days pre-treatment of Biofield Energy Treated Test formulation to the Biofield Energy Treatment per se rats), and G9 (untreated test formulation to the Biofield Energy Treatment per se to the rats) groups, respectively as compared with the G2. The level of leptin after Biofield Energy Treatment and with the test formulation was altered. However, orexin-A level was significantly decreased by 37.1% (p≤0.05), 32.6%, 40.5% (p≤0.05), 44.4% (p≤0.05), and 28.2% in the G5, G6, G7, G8, and G9 groups respectively, as compared with the G2. Similarly, acetylcholine (Ach) level was significantly (p≤0.001) decreased by 42.5%, 49.2%, 40.1%, 47.9%, and 45% in the G5, G6, G7, G8, and G9 groups, respectively as compared with the G2. Overall, the results showed the significant slowdown the stress-related disease progression and its complications/symptoms in the preventive in the Biofield Energy Treatment group per se and/or Biofield Energy Treated Test formulation groups (viz. G6, G7, G8, and G9) comparatively with the disease group. The Trivedi Effect® showed increased level of melatonin and decreased levels of insomnia related brain biomarkers which might be helpful to induce better sleep in human.

Resting-State Functional Connectivity Predicts Emotional Conflict Control

Emotional conflict control refers to the ability to select task-relevant emotional information and ignore task-irrelevant emotional distractors. Previous fMRI studies provide some evidence about brain structure and function related to emotional conflict control. Yet, the underlying resting-state functional connectivity was largely unknown. Here, this is the first study to explore the resting-state functional connectivity related to emotional conflict. According to the literature which used the whole-brain analysis to investigate the key brain area associated with emotional conflict, we select the amygdala (AMY) as the seed region. We then investigated the association between emotional conflict and functional connectivity between amygdala (AMY) and another brain region in a large sample. We found the emotional conflict effect was positively correlated with functional connectivity strength between AMY (the seed ROI) and right supplementary motor area (SMA). This finding implied that the functional connectivity between AMY and SMA was linked to emotional conflict and that AMY was the key region which plays a crucial role in emotional conflict.

Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Cancer Prevention and Cure (Part 1)

Many lay people along with some so called “key opinion leaders” have a common slogan “There's no answer for cancer”. Again, mistake delays proper treatment and make situation worse, more often. Compliance is crucial to obtain optimal health outcomes, such as cure or improvement in QoL. Patients may delay treatment or fail to seek care because of high out-of- pocket expenditures. Despite phenomenal development, conventional therapy falls short in cancer management. There are two major hurdles in anticancer drug development: dose-limiting toxic side effects that reduce either drug effectiveness or the QoL of patients and complicated drug development processes that are costly and time consuming. Cancer patients are increasingly seeking out alternative medicine and might be reluctant to disclose its use to their oncology treatment physicians. But there is limited available information on patterns of utilization and efficacy of alternative medicine for patients with cancer. As adjuvant therapy, many traditional medicines shown efficacy against brain, head and neck, skin, breast, liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder, prostate, colon and blood cancers. The literature reviews non-pharmacological interventions used against cancer, published trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

MRI Study and Psychological Assessment in Children and Youth with Deviation Behaviour

Objective Antisocial behavior (ASB) in children and youth is public health problem in Georgia. Nevertheless, there has been no systematic study the risk factors for ASB that could counteract on ASB development. To prevent ASB development and acceleration the understanding of biological (assessment of Brain morphology using MRI) and psychological (assessment using Freiburg Personality Inventory) risk factors is critical. This was the aim of this study. Method The children/youth with ASB tendency (AST) were identified by the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FBI). The biological and psychosocial factors contributing to AST were evaluated using a semi-structured clinical interview. Brain anatomy and morphology was studied using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results Children/youth with AST had significant abnormalities in most axial elements of the DSM multi-axial system but not in brain anatomy measured by MRI. Conclusion Early identification of ASB tendencies and a provide correlationship between specific psychiatric, medical and family stress factors will likely reduce the number of children/youth with ASB and will promote their integration into society.

“Prevention of Death Anxiety by Familiarity with the Concept of Death”

Objectives Death is the only definitive phenomenon in life, and everyone is sure that it will happen in the future. Based on the philosophical perspective, the concept of death differs in different cultures. The purpose of this study was “explaining the difference between the concept of death from the perspective of theology and empirical science”. Methods In this qualitative evolutionary study, a targeted review was conducted to answer the question “what is the difference between the concept of death from the perspective of theology and empirical science?” Articles published between 1990 and 2018 were extracted from the PubMed, science direct, google scholar, SID, and Cochrane databases. At the same time, Islamic religious evidence (Quran and Hadiths) was investigated for understanding the concept of the death in Islam. The “Shia Seminary” research methodology was used to avoid interpretations of the Quran verses and to ensure the authenticity of the Hadiths. Findings Empirical sciences consider death as a biological phenomenon, which results from irreversible damage to cerebral hemispheres and brain stem (brain death) that causes grief process, fear, anxiety, and sadness. From the perspective of Islam, death is an existential phenomenon, the transfer of the soul from one world to another. Death is the complete reception of the soul from the body by the angels and the beginning of another life, in the "world of grief. Conclusion Given that in Islam, death does not mean destruction. It is imperative that the spiritual counselors teach the patient and the family about the life after death and the blessings of paradise. In pastoral care at the end of life, reducing patients’ anxiety and fear of death, with hope in God's mercy is necessary.

Impact of Biofield Energy Treatment Based Test Formulation on Vital Organ Health Specific Biomarkers Using Cell Line Study

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome or failure is one of the major concerns against healthcare services in order to maintain the normal function. The present study aimed to explore the impact of the Biofield Energy Treated test formulation on the function of vital organs such as bones, heart, liver, lungs, and brain using standard activity parameters in specific cell-based assays. The test formulation and cells medium was divided into two parts, one untreated (UT) and other part received the Biofield Energy Treatment remotely by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Ariadne Esmene Afaganis, Canada and was labeled as the Biofield Treated (BT) test formulation/media. The test formulation was tested for cell viability, and the data suggested that the test formulation was found safe and non-toxic against all the cell lines. Cytoprotective activity among the experimental groups showed a significant improved activity by 94.4% at 1 µg/mL in untreated medium (UT-Med) + Biofield Treated Test Item (BT-TI) group in human cardiac fibroblasts cells (HCF) cells, while 84.4% at 10 µg/mL in BT-Med + BT-TI groups in human hepatoma cells (HepG2), and 124% increased cytoprotective action at 1 µg/mL in UT-Med + BT-TI group in adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549) cells as compared with the untreated test group. ALP activity in MG-63 cells was significantly increased by 85.9% at 10 µg/mL in the UT-Med + BT-TI group, while in Ishikawa cells showed maximum increased ALP activity by 59.2% at 0.1 µg/mL in BT-Med + BT-TI groups as compared to the untreated group. The percent protection of HCF (heart) cells (decreased of LDH activity) was significantly increased by 53% and 40.5% at 1 and 10 µg/mL concentrations respectively, in UT-Med + BT-TI group, while BT-Med + UT-TI group showed increased protection by 68.5%, 70.7%, and 16.8% at 0.1, 1, and 10 µg/mL respectively, and 86.5%, 62.5%, and 34.2% improved cellular protection at 0.1, 1, and 10 µg/mL respectively, in BT-Med + BT-TI group as compared to the untreated test group. The percent protection of HepG2 (liver) cells (decreased of ALT activity) was reported by 33.5%, 63.2%, and 99.2% at 10 µg/mL in the UT-Med + BT-TI, BT-Med + UT-TI, and BT-Med + BT-TI groups, respectively compared to the untreated group. Cellular protection of A549 (lungs) cells (increased of SOD activity) in terms of percentage was increased by increased by 39.8% (at 10 µg/mL), 44% (at 25.5 µg/mL), and 59.7% (at 25.5 µg/mL) in the UT-Med + BT-TI, BT-Med + UT-TI, and BT-Med + BT-TI groups, respectively compared to untreated group. Serotonin level was significantly increased by 59.2% (at 0.1 µg/mL), 190.3% (at 0.1 µg/mL), and 201% (at 1 µg/mL) in the UT-Med + BT-TI, BT-Med + UT-TI, and BT-Med + BT-TI groups, respectively compared to untreated in human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y). However, the relative quantification (RQ) of vitamin D receptor (VDR) was significantly increased by 159.1% (at 50 µg/mL), 212.7% (at 1 µg/mL), and 278.3% (at 10 µg/mL) in the UT-Med + BT-TI, BT-Med + UT-TI, and BT-Med + BT-TI groups, respectively as compared to the untreated in MG-63 cells. Thus, the present data concluded that the overall multiple organ health using various standard biomarkers in specific cell lines were significantly improved with respect to health of bones, heart, liver, lungs, and brain after treatment with the Biofield Energy treated test formulation (The Trivedi Effect®). Thus, it can be used as a complementary and alternative therapy approach against many multiple organ disorders such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, cirrhosis, liver cancer, hemochromatosis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, osteoporosis, etc.

Research Status and Application Prospect of Epigenetic Regulation of BDNF Gene Expression in Chronic Pain 

The rise of epigenetics provides a new idea for studying the regulation of chronic pain-related genes and synaptic plasticity. External environmental stimuli can regulate BDNF genes through different epigenetic modifications. The epigenetic changes of the BDNF gene can affect the expression of its mRNA and protein and participate in the development of chronic pain. By reviewing the literature, this paper reviews the mechanism of epigenetic regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in chronic pain, which provides some new directions and targets for the treatment of chronic pain.

On the Role of Cholecystokinin (CCK) in Fear and Anxiety: A Review and Research Proposal

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is found in high concentrations in cortical and limbic structures including the amygdala of rodents, and evidence has been gathered supporting a role for CCK in the neurobiology of anxiety. A variety of animal models have been used to study a central state of fear or anxiety, state that appears to produce a complex pattern of behaviors highly correlated with each other. It is now well established that the amygdala in particular is a critical link in the pathway through which sensory stimuli come to acquire fear evoking properties. The purpose of the proposed experiments is to study the role of the putative neurotransmitter CCK in fear and anxiety in vivo by means of a methodology coupling electrochemical and electrophysiological measurements in various brain areas. Indeed, the association of in vivo differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) with in vivo extracellular single unit recording could be able to provide concomitant physiological and neurochemical indications and to relate them to behavioral events. To further study and support the initial observations pharmacological experiments will also be performed by means of CCK receptor agonists and antagonists. This may eventually lead to development of more effective pharmacological strategies for treating clinical anxiety disorders.

Early Prediction of Alzheimer’s Disease Using OCT Imaging Technique

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one amongst the overwhelming types of dementia that distresses the brain nerve cells leading to a perpetual loss in memory and creating a lot of difficulties for the family members in caretaking. The prediction of the disease at an earlier stage is a common problem. The most prevalent imaging modalities used for diagnosing AD are Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). They can provide valuable information regarding the changes in internal and external brain regions and activities for diagnosing AD. But the relevant studies made on retina reveals that in addition to brain changes there are some variations on the retina layers of the AD patients. Therefore, the retina can be used as a biomarker for diagnosing AD. There are different techniques available for an eye examination. Most noticeable of them are Fundus Imaging and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). In this paper, we have focused on OCT retinal images of AD patients for the early diagnosis of AD.

Neurobiological Differences Between Aggression and Agitation in Persons with Dementia

Background Controversy exists about definition of agitation and especially about inclusion of aggression as a part of agitation in people with dementia. Methods Papers describing neurobiological indices related to behavioral symptoms of dementia were reviewed. Papers comparing indices in persons exhibiting aggression and persons exhibiting agitation were selected for this review. Results The survey found seven papers which compared neuroanatomical indices and three papers which compared neurochemical indices. The neuroanatomical indices differentiating agitation and aggression included changes in brain perfusion, sizes of brain areas, distribution of neurofibrillary tangles, and white matter changes. The neurochemical indices differentiating agitation and aggression included relationships with neurotransmitter variables and the cell count in the locus coeruleus. Conclusion Despite the small number of papers and some methodological problems, the presented information clearly indicates that aggression and agitation are two distinct unrelated syndromes in persons with dementia.

Retinal and Cortical Contributions to Excessive V1 Neuron Firing Rate Variability in Schizophrenia: A Computational Modeling Analysis

Excessive variability in behavioral performance and neuronal activation is a common finding in studies of schizophrenia. Recent evidence suggests that this may be due to an imbalance in the ratio of excitation to inhibition in brain function, or E/I imbalance. We used computational modeling of visual system activity to determine whether different potential causes of E/I imbalance would generate effects resembling those reported in schizophrenia. Three major findings emerged. First, reductions in retinal and lateral geniculate nucleus signaling initially led to increases in firing rate variability within the context of reduced V1 activation; however, with prolonged adaptation to weakened sensory signaling, compensatory hyper-activation in V1 neurons occurred, but variability was no longer increased. Second, direct increases in V1 excitation, or decreases in inhibition, led to the highest levels of initial activation but not variability; however, with prolonged inhibitory adaptation to increased excitation, overall activity was no longer elevated, but an increase in firing rate variability was observed. Third, the greatest fluctuation in firing rate variability, in response to the same stimulus across increasing contrast levels, was observed with reductions in sensory signaling, but only immediately after model perturbations; with prolonged adaption, the largest fluctuations were associated with increased excitation or reduced inhibition within V1. Implication of these findings are that schizophrenia-related increases in neuronal response variability may arise from at least two sources: 1) weakened sensory signaling and its associated low signal-to-noise ratio; and 2) compensatory but incomplete inhibitory responses to continuous increases in cortical excitation.

Robust Sampling of Defective Pathways in Parkinson Disease

Discrimination of case-control status based on gene expression differences has potential to identify novel pathways relevant to neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this paper we applied two different novel algorithms to predict dysregulated pathways of gene expression across several different regions of the brain in PD and controls. The Fisher’s ratio sampler uses the Fisher’s ratio of the most discriminatory genes as prior probability distribution to sample the genetic networks and their likelihood (accuracy) was established via Leave-One-Out-Cross Validation (LOOCV). The holdout sampler finds the minimum-scale signatures corresponding to different random holdouts, establishing their likelihood using the validation dataset in each holdout. Phenotype prediction problems have by genesis a very high underdetermined character. We used both approaches to sample different lists of genes that optimally discriminate PD from controls and subsequently used gene ontology to identify pathways affected by disease. Both algorithms identified common pathways of Insulin signaling, FOXA1 Transcription Factor Network, HIF-1 Signaling, p53 Signaling and Chromatin Regulation/Acetylation. This analysis provides new therapeutic targets to treat PD.

How Knowledge on Microbiota may be Helpful to Establish an Optimal Diet for Health Maintenance

In the last few years, gut microbiota has been identified to be an essential mediator in health and disease. In fact, it interacts with various organs and systems in the body, including brain, lung, liver, bone, cardiovascular system, and others. Microbiota-derived metabolites such as the short chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate are primary signals, which link the gut microbiota and physiology. Then, the findings on the roles of microbiota profoundly change not only the key concepts of biology and medicine, but also of nutrition. In fact, it is currently evident how the main task of nutrition is not to nourish us, but to maintain a comfortable environment for the intestinal microbiota. In this way, it works in symbiosis with us, correctly controlling the functioning of the organs, the physiological parameters and the cellular regenerative processes. It is also evident that the strength of reparative processes correlates with the ability of digestive system to process complex foods, which increases during weaning, a period of time in which the diversity of bacterial strains increases. Therefore, a task of food is to keep trained the digestive system, to which it corresponds an high microbiota diversity. Elderly leads to reduced microbiota diversity to which corresponds an intestinal frailty, responsible for the frailty of the elderly. In conclusion, a correct diet may not only keep us in good health but may also guarantee us longer longevity.

The Pineal Hypothesis for Drug Dependence

The pineal gland constitutes a major neuroendocrine organ in the brain. By mean of its neurohormone melatonin it transduces exogenous signals such as circadian and seasonal variations of light and temperature into proper hormonal changes which adjust and adapt internal endocrine functions. Alteration of circadian rhythms has been associated with affective disorders, psychosomatic diseases and cancer. It has been observed that light deprivation, which stimulates (the enzymes responsible for) melatonin production in the pineal, enhances the animal's ethanol preference. Similarly, administration of the pineal hormone to rats maintained under normal conditions of constant photoperiod also induced ethanol drinking. Our hypothesis is that in normal conditions melatonin might be acting as a cerebral "pacemaker", sensitive to endogenous as well as exogenous stimuli in the attempt to maintain an equilibrate circadian interaction between the cerebral activities of endogenous aminergic and opiates systems. Abnormal states (i.e. drug abuse) could result in altered pineal activity, then in rhythmically altered functions of cerebral opiates and/or monoamine neurotransmitters. This may led to the development of a “reward - urge for drug rhythm” resulting in craving, ending in addiction.

Genetic Polymorphisms in Patients with Epilepsy: A Mini Review.

Epilepsy comprises a series of chronic neurological disorders characterized by recurrent seizures. Over 50 million people are affected by epilepsy worldwide. In addition, genetic components capable of predicting epilepsy predisposition and antiepileptic drugs response would lead to the development of promising treatment and a better prognosis of the disease. Several genes and their variants have been investigated whether they could affect the onset of epilepsy. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene, the ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member and the cytochrome P450 are the most common polymorphic genes related to epilepsy. Early identification of risk factors for epilepsy should optimize treatment and prognosis. The characterization of genetic polymorphism contribute to the selection of the most promising antiepileptic therapy and avoidance of drug resistance. The development of biomarkers to estimate the risk of epilepsy and drug resistance would have a clinical impact on the treatment of the disease and on anti-epileptic drug therapy.

Newborns’ Cranial Vault: Clinical Anatomy and Authors’ Perspective

Cranial vault is the case surrounding the brain. Its structure differs in newborns than in adults in some aspects. Such differences should be clear for both health and family members. Moreover, the anatomy and embryology of fetal skull take a little attention in the previous literature and textbooks. Therefore, this short review aimed to clarify some aspects of anatomy and clinical importance of cranial vault features in newborns. The newborn vault is formed of multiple separate flat bones connected by fibrous tissues with wide soft gaps called fontanelles. Development of bones of skull vault is closely correlated with the expanding growth of the underlying brain. Such brain shouldn't be struggled by continuous tightening of the newborns' vault. Also, the newborn skull could be affected even by a fixed sleeping position.

The Efficacy of Behavior Management for Depression in Dementia Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Overview: Dementia is a serious brain disease that impacts negatively in several areas of patient’s functioning. Depression has a strong link with dementia and is part of the behavior and psychological symptoms (BPSD). Behavior management for depression is recommended as a first-line psychological treatment for dementia patients. However, there are no systematic reviews examining the efficacy of behavior management for depression in dementia. Objective: To examine the efficacy of behavior management (BM) for depression in dementia patients. Methods: Five electronic databases were searched (1999 to 2015) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which were selected according to eligibility criteria. Data was pooled, quality assessment was completed, and a meta-analysis was performed. Results: This review included ten randomized controlled trials. In the four studies where behavior management was a focused intervention, no significant treatment effect was observed (standardized mean difference SMD -0.20; 95 % CI -0.96 to 0.56). In the remaining six studies in which behavior treatment was involved as a component, the analysis showed a trend favored the intervention, but it was not significant (SMD -0.12; 95 % CI -0.25 to 0.01). Conclusion: There is no evidence for behavior management alleviating depression in dementia patients. Future research examining the efficacy of specific behavior management techniques for milder forms of dementia and multimodal interventions are recommended.

Human Proteome Project and Current Bioinformatics Status in Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

Human proteome project was revolutionized about 40 years ago with purpose of summarizing whole proteomic data at one place. It was launched after human genome project to map and observe all proteins. The goal related proteomic study is to draft the entire human proteome in disease diagnosis by using bioinformatics tools. Pillars of human proteome project provide different databases related to proteins at transcriptional and translational level. Human proteome organization(HUPO) published biology disease HUPO whose aim is to measure protein and proteome by life and processes related to human diseases. Different human organ like plasma, liver, brain and diabetic base project are used to characterize human disease and health. Major data resources accumulated in databases like peptides Atlas, GPMDB and neXtProt for proteins. Matrices of human proteome project identify and characterize the protein products as Post translational modification (PTM), splice various isoforms from 20,300 proteins. Matrices related to different years make proteomes counterpart by magnify the research biomedical community with high output of instruments and specimen pre-analytical protocols. CALIPHO multidisciplinary group provides information about protein complexities, interactions, function and structure complexities after Uniport and Swissprot. Different bioinformatics tools are used for structural and functional annotations of protein, disease diagnosis and mutations due to protein. Extensive study of human proteome project has been proved helpful in disease treatment at translational and post- translational levels. In future, human proteome project along with bioinformatics will include protein profiling, biomarkers, Mass spectrophotometer technique and cross analysis of different proteome projects.

The Initial Result Of The First Living Donor Lung Transplantation Case In Vietnam

Lung transplantation is an established treatment option for patients of end-stage lung diseases. Leading indica­tions include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and bronchiectasis, pulmonary arterial hypertension. Living donor lung transplantation (LDLT) was indicated for patients who experience a decline in physical condition and have limited life expectancy and had the better result than from brain dead. The first case of LDLT in Vietnam is 7 year olds boy with difuse congenital bronchiectasis, chronic respiratory failure and cor pulmonale. The right and left lower lobes from father and relative uncle are implanted in a recipient in place of whole right and left lung. The initial result of this recipient showed that lung function recuperated quickly and had no early complications. After 12 months surgery, the recipient had normal physical exercise capacity, subclinical tests in normal limits and no respiratory symptoms, opportunistic infection.

The Therapeutic Effect of Bilateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile Form Technology on the Stress Response

The application of bilateral alternating stimulation in tactile (BLAST) form technology, a non-invasive, somatosensory-based method, has been shown to modulate the electrical activity of brain networks that mediate the stress response, resulting in a stress-reducing effect in individuals with high reported levels of anxiety, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study, we examined archival data from a heterogeneous group of users (n = 1109) of BLAST technology via Touchpoints, a novel BLAST-based treatment modality, all of whom had high self-reported levels of stress and anxiety. Ratings of levels of emotional stress and bodily distress on a scale of 0 (no stress/distress) to 10 (worst stress/distress of one's life) before and after the application of Touchpoints for 30 seconds were entered into an app. Results showed a statistically significant reduction in the levels of both emotional stress and bodily distress, 62.26% and 50.502%, respectively, after 30 seconds of BLAST technology was applied. This demonstrates a clear benefit of BLAST on the stress response, reducing both emotional stress and disturbing body sensations. Recent work examining EEG changes after BLAST technology is applied suggests that BLAST may reduce sympathetic activation by reducing the electrical activity of key areas of the salience network. Further work will more precisely characterize the effects of BLAST, its potential clinical uses, and the mechanisms of actions behind it’s apparent stress-reducing effects.

Anti-DPPX-Encephalitis in A Patient with Cerebral Vasculitis and Connective Tissue Disease

Since the first description in 2013, 39 cases of anti-DPPX-encephalitis have been described. Main features of this autoimmune encephalitis characterized by antibodies against the potassium-channel-associated regulatory protein DPPX are gastrointestinal symptoms, cognitive dysfunction and signs of CNS hyperexcitability. While the majority of patients responds to immunotherapy relapses are frequent and often successfully treated with rituximab. Here we report another case of anti-DPPX-encephalitis presenting with the above mentioned triad. However, this is the first case of anti-DPPX-encephalitis in the context of a connective tissue disease combined with cerebral arteriopathy along with brain parenchymal lesions that we interpreted as a secondary, CTD-associated cerebral vasculitis. While the latter resolved under immunosuppressive treatment, comprising glucocorticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, rituximab and plasmapheresis, deterioration of the CTD and multiple infectious complications finally led to the patient's death. As histological evidence for cerebral vasculitis is lacking, other differential diagnoses for the observed cerebral arteriopathy, especially reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, have to be considered.

Rescuing Canavan Disease by Redirecting Metabolic Processing: Support for the Astrocyte Hypothesis of Canavan Disease Generation and A Possible Human Cure

Canavan disease (CD) is a globally occurring but rare human spongiform leukodystrophy that is associated with inborn errors affecting the activity of aspartoacylase (ASPA), an enzyme highly expressed in oligodendrocytes that hydrolyzes N-acetylaspartate (NAA). Lack of ASPA activity is associated with the inability of oligodendrocytes to build or maintain axon-enveloping myelin sheaths. The primary source of NAA in brain is neurons, cells that synthesize but cannot catabolize it. Neurons also synthesize N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) from NAA and glutamate but cannot catabolize this substance as well. For their metabolism, these substances are released to extracellular fluid and are metabolized by oligodendrocyte ASPA and astrocyte NAAG peptidase respectively. A hypothesis developed suggested that the cause of the leukodystrophy component in CD was due to release of NAAG by neurons at white matter nodes of Ranvier, its catabolism by astrocytes forming NAA and increased osmotic-hydrostatic pressure as a result of its buildup at these nodes due to the lack of ASPA activity. In this communication, we provide evidence supporting this hypothesis and comment on the cause and possible cure for human CD.

Prediction of Discharge Disposition in Geriatric Women after Traumatic Injury

Background: Discharge disposition planning begins at admission and is frequently one of the first questions posed to healthcare providers by patients and families. We hypothesized that pre-injury functional status would predict discharge disposition. Methods: We linked prospective data from the Worcester, MA cohort of the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis (GLOW) study and the UMassMemorial Level 1 Trauma Center Registry to determine predictors of discharge disposition for female geriatric (over the age of 55) trauma patients using bivariate comparisons and multivariable modeling. Results: 154 women of 5,091 in the Worcester GLOW cohort were evaluated for traumatic injury at UMassMemorial and were discharged alive either to their home (n=30) or to rehabilitation, skilled nursing, or nursing home facilities (n=124). The mean age was 79 years and the majority (99%) was white. There were no statistically significant differences in comorbidities or injury severity score between the groups. All women with femur fractures were discharged to a facility. The most common injury among women discharged home was traumatic brain injury. While univariate analysis revealed differences in pre-injury activity status, only age remained statistically different in a logistic regression model predicting discharge to facility (OR 2.61 per additional 10 years of age, 95% CI 1.62 to 4.19, p<0.0001). Conclusions: The majority of elderly women are not discharged home after injury. Pre-injury activity status was not associated with discharge disposition when accounting for other factors. It appears that physical function, which deteriorates with age, is a proxy for aging in older women at risk for osteoporosis.

Outcome in Patients with Spontaneous Primary Intracranial Hemorrhage who underwent Craniotomy Affiliation

Background: Spontaneous primary intracranial hemorrhage or known as intracerebral hypertensive hemorrhage consist of 15 to 20% of all stroke, is one of the major health problems among healthy and productive workforce in any countries. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a dedicated Neurosurgical Centre at the Hospital Sungai Buloh, Malaysia. The study was conducted for admission within a year period, in the year 2013 with 6 months follow-up. A total of 35 patients were studied. Results: The mean age was 52.8 years old (31-77 years old). A total of 29 patients (82.9%) were presented with basal ganglia hemorrhage, 4 with cerebral lobar hemorrhage (11.4%) and 2 with cerebellar hemorrhage (5.7%). The surgical mortality rate was 40%. For the 6 months follow-up, 31.4% patients improved to Glasgow Outcome score (GOS) of 4, while 22.9% and 5.7% patients improved to only GOS of 3 and 2 respectively. There were several factors identified in the study to be important predictors of survival. There were statistically significance of higher mortality rate among patients with pre-operative GCS of 5 and below (p=0.015), pre-operative CT scan brain showing acute hydrocephalus (p=0.046) and residual post-operative hematoma above 5% of pre-operative clots volume (p=0.006). Other factors such as age, sex, size of pre-operative hematomas, presence of intraventricular hemorrhage, underlying medical illness were not statistically significant in predicting the surgical outcome of those patients. Conclusions: Outcome predictors such as pre-operative GCS and CT scan brain findings helps treating neurosurgeons to determine the prognosis of patients presented with spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage.

In Vitro Cytoprotection of Resveratrol against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress and Injury in Astrocytes

Oxidative stress mediated neural cell death is thought to be involved in the progression of secondary cell injury following brain trauma. Agents that can block oxidative stress-related injury could be potential therapies for TBI. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in plants and red wine, is cytoprotective due to its potent antioxidant activities. To further understand how resveratrol could affect oxidative stress-induced injury, we hypothesized that the cytoprotective activities of resveratrol could be dose-dependent. In this study, resveratrol-induced cytoprotection was evaluated in cultured astrocytes. Primary rat astrocytes were cultured in T-75 flasks to a confluence of 80% before being plated onto 96-well plates. After 24 hours of acclimation, astrocytes were treated with various doses of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 µM) and resveratrol (25, 50, 75, 100 µM), respectively. Cell viability was determined 24 hours later using Alamar Blue Assay. Treatment of astrocytes with 0.5 mM H2O2, left 65% of astrocytes non-viable whereas treatment of astrocytes with 0.1 mM H2O2 had no effect on astrocytes viability; whereas 1 mM, H2O2 caused total loss of astrocyte viability. Resveratrol treatment at 75 µM and 100 µM has reduced 0.5 mM H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in astrocytes by 50%. Immunostaining with GFAP also confirmed these findings about the cytoprotective effects of resveratrol in astrocytes exposed to H2O2. These results suggest that resveratrol could be a potential neuroprotective agent in TBI due to its antioxidant properties. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long- term effects of resveratrol in animal models of TBI.

Biocompatible Scaffolds for Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Transplantation and Modeling Post-Stroke Recovery in Three-Dimensional Neural Cell Culture

Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (HiPSCs) demonstrate promise in their ability to differentiate into neural cells and ultimately replace the cell types and thereby brain tissue damaged by stroke. This may diminish cognitive impairment due to stroke. Prior to transplantation, an appropriate scaffold must be determined to allow for heightened accuracy by facilitating proper adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation, increasing the likelihood of success, as will be defined in this review, in vivo. This paper aims to provide a review of available biocompatible scaffolds and their efficacy, to provide insight for future research utilizing clinical trials to study stem cell therapy as a form of post-stroke recovery. A systematic review of scaffolds outlined in full-text, peer-reviewed articles with unique experimental data, available on PubMed, will be conducted to determine an ideal scaffold, based on article and scaffold selection criteria best suited for the transplantation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells.

Prevalence Features and Early Predictors of Symptomatic Lacunar Infarction in Villages and Towns in Northern China

Background: A higher incidence of symptomatic lacunar infarction (LI) was confirmed in metropolitan areas. The aim of this study was to determinethe prevalence characteristics and early predictors of LI in a population of elderly outpatients in northern China. Methods: From February 2011 to March 2012, a retrospective cohort of new patients was selected for study, all registered neurologic outpatients of the tertiary teaching hospital in northern China. A total of 453 outpatients, clinically only having had an initial visit and a magnetic resonance imaging study of the brain, were enrolled. The prevalence characteristics and vascular risk factors of LI were assessed. Results: Of 453 symptomatic outpatients, 258(57.0%) patients had symptomatic LI. We found that the main types of symptomatic LI were nonfocal symptoms, such as dizziness and headache, dizziness/vertigo, and migraine/headache. Age, BMI, smoking, history of hypertension, duration of hypertension, existing hypertension, headache and dizziness, pure motor hemiparesis, blood glucose, hypercholesterolemia, systolic blood pressure, and ABCD2 score, were significantly higher in patients with LI than in those without LI (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression confirmed that hypertension ≥3years in duration (odds ratio=1.092; 95% CI, 1.019 -1.170) and a median mABCD2 score ≥4 (odds ratio=3.912; 95% CI, 2.955- 5.180) were independent, early predictors of symptomatic LI.   Conclusions: The incidence of LI in Northern China was located at the higher end of range in northern China, and common type of symptomatic LI was nonfocal symptoms. Hypertension of long duration and high-risk ABCD2 scores are early predictors of symptomatic LI.

Why Music in Neurology?

In the last years we could find many uses of music in different clinical settings, also in the field of neurology. In this field empirical results, but also scientific studies, showed the efficacy of music interventions on psychological, cognitive and motor aspects. This is consistent with strong effects of music on brain areas. Music can stimulate and modulate/regulate cognitive functions, behaviors, movements and emotions. Music plays an important role also from a psychological point of view, increasing motivation and promoting relationships and communication. Literature has showed how music interventions can improve behavioral, cognitive, motor, psychological, relational and emotional outcomes in different neurological pathologies. Significant results are present in particular in dementia, stroke and Parkinson's disease. We can find also minor results and qualitative research approaches in multiple sclerosis and in other brain injury such as vegetative and minimally conscious state. More rigorous methodologies and criteria of research are needed to support and strengthen the therapeutic value of music.

RETRACTED: In-Stent Thrombosis in the Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA): A Case Report

This article has been retracted on November 20, 2015. VIEW THE RETRACTION NOTICE (https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2470-5020.jnrt-25-5846) In-stent thrombosis (IST) is a complication of angioplasty and stenting, especially in the vessels with smaller diameter. We present a case of subacute IST after stenting treatment of an isolated higher stenosis of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA). Analysis of clinical features and emergent brain image helped to indicate the pathophysiological mechanism underlining the symptoms of this patient. Emergent Transcranial Doppler (TCD) helped to evaluate the compensatory collateral circulation and provided good supporting evidence in deducing the mechanism of IST. Slightly larger size of the implanted stent that caused dissection or vascular endothelium injury was presumed in this patient. Persistent evidence of inflammatory factors might also contribute to IST in this patient.

Diagnostics of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy in a Patient with Concomitant Lymphoma Infiltration of Central Nervous System During R-CHOP Chemotherapy- A Case Presentation and Review of the Literature.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare complication associated, inter alia, with rituximab-based lymphoma treatment. PML diagnosis is made easier with the criteria recently published by the American Academy of Neurology. Unambiguous diagnosis of PML can be achieved by demonstration of the histopathological triad comprising:(1) demyelination, (2) bizarre astrocytes and (3) enlarged oligodendroglial nuclei together with detection of viral particles by electron microscopy. However, symptoms of PML may be similar to those observed during lymphoma progression into the central nervous system (CNS). Here we report the case of a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with R-CHOP who developed clinical signs indicating PML. Intravital diagnostic methods failed to yield an unequivocal diagnosis of PML or lymphoma progression in the CNS. However, a post-mortem examination of brain biopsy specimens performed by electron microscopy demonstrated lesions typical for PML and the presence of viral particles. In addition, immunohistochemical assays identified a massive infiltration of lymphoma cells. The case thus suggests either the extremely rare coexistence of two complications: lymphoma CNS infiltration and PML or induction structural CNS lesions by lymphoma infiltration indistinguishable from PML. The presented findings thus highlight the need for a further review of the current diagnostic criteria for PML.

Effect of Nonionic Surfactants and HPMC F4M on the Development of Formulations of Neuro-EPO as a Neuroprotective Agent

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cremophor RH-40 and polysorbate 80 with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) F4M on the development of formulations of intranasal erythropoietin with low sialic acid content (Neuro-EPO) as a neuroprotective agent. Parameters such as pH, osmolality, apparent viscosity, and protein concentration were controlled for minimizing the differences between formulations. All Neuro-EPO formulations showed similar behaviour in the physicochemistry quality control. However significant differences between formulations were observed in the permanent unilateral ischemia model. The formulations and the vehicles containing cremophor RH-40 showed higher neurotoxicity levels than those containing polysorbate 80 as a nonionic surfactant. Formulations containing HPMC F4M at 0.6% as a bioadhesive polymer showed higher levels of survival and better neurological status than those without the polymer. The formulations with polysorbate 80 and HPMC F4M showed a higher index of survival, smaller incidence of clinical signs of stroke, and similar behavior in the learning and the memory to the false injured animals used as control. These findings suggest that the intranasal pathway constitutes a safe and alternative route of access of the Neuro-EPO to the brain.

Quantitative Proteomics Using 15N SILAC Mouse

In biomedical research the use of mammalian tissues is crucial to increase our understanding of complex human diseases. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach has become the most powerful tool of studying large-scale protein expression profiles in mammalian tissues. To perform global proteome analysis quantification of mammalian tissues, we generated 15N SILAC mice to obtain tissue-matched labeled peptide libraries for mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic analysis. We developed a new labeling protocol to circumvent adverse effects of introducing 15N labeled diet to mice, and showed that the new labeling scheme has no significant effect on the fertility and reproduction of C57/BL6 mice. Using labeled tissues from these mice, we compared the reproducibility of mass spectrometry-based quantification with or without 15N labeled internal standards among biological replicates of young and old brains. We found that labeled-based quantification is less susceptible to variations from instrument conditions and produces more consistent quantifications among biological replicates than label-free quantification. Lastly, we showed that over 60% of peptides from the human brain are quantifiable with internal standards from 15N labeled mouse brain and therefore present a promising alternative of quantifying human tissues that do not have existing cell lines available for SILAC labeling.