Repeated Baclofen treatment ameliorates motor dysfunction,suppresses reflex activity and decreases the expression of signaling proteins in reticular nuclei and lumbar motoneurons after spinal trauma in rats

The interruption of supraspinal input to the spinal cord leads to motor dysfunction and the development of spasticity. Clinical studies have shown that Baclofen (a GABA_B agonist), while effective in modulating spasticity is associated with side-effects and the development of tolerance. The aim of the present study was to assess if discontinued Baclofen treatment and its repeated application leads antispasticity effects, and whether such changes affect neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the brainstem, nNOS and parvalbumin (PV) in lumbar α-motoneurons and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. Adult male Wistar rats were exposed to Th9 spinal cord transection. Baclofen (30 mg/b.w.) diluted in drinking water, was administered for 6 days, starting at week 1 after injury and then repeated till week 4 after injury. The behavior of the animals was tested (tail-flick test, BBB locomotor score) from 1 to 8 weeks. Our results clearly indicate the role of nitric oxide, produced by nNOS in the initiation and the maintenance of spasticity states 1, 6 and 8 weeks after spinal trauma. A considerable decrease of nNOS staining after Baclofen treatment correlates with improvement of motor dysfunction. The findings also show that parvalbumin and astrocytes participate in the regulation of ion concentrations in the sub-acute phase after the injury.     

MACVIA-LR,Reference site of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) in Languedoc Roussillon

The Région Languedoc-Roussillon is the umbrella organisation for an interconnected and integrated project on AHA covering the 3 pillars of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. All sub-activities (A1: electronic pharmaceutical file, A2: falls prevention initiative, A3: frailty, B3: chronic respiratory diseases, chronic diseases with comorbidities, oral health and hepatitis virus C chronic infection, C2 and D4 active and independent living and handicap) are included in MACVIA-LR that has a strong political commitment and includes all stakeholders (public, private, patients, policy makers). It is one of the Reference Sites of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing built around chronic diseases, ageing and handicap. The framework of MACVIA-LR has the vision that the prevention and management of CDs is essential for AHA promotion and for the reduction of handicap. The main objective of MACVIA-LR is to develop innovative solutions for a network of Living Labs in order to improve the care of patients affected by CDs in the Languedoc-Roussillon area and to disseminate the innovation.     

Increased Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Thromboembolism in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: A Nationwide Cohort Prospective Study

Background

We investigated the effect of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) by conducting a nationwide longitudinal cohort study.

Methods

We studied the entire hospitalized population in Taiwan for the 1998–2008 period, with a follow-up period extending to the end of 2010. We identified SCI patients using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), and selected a cohort that was 1:4 frequency-matched by age (5-y span), sex, and index year from the general population. We analyzed the risks of DVT and PE using Cox proportional-hazards regression models, which included the demographic variables of sex, age, and comorbidities.

Results

A total of 47,916 SCI patients (62.7% men, mean age of 50.0 y) and 191,664 controls were followed for 308,266 and 1,341,169 person-years, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of DVT and PE development was 2.46-fold and 1.57-fold among the SCI patients, respectively. The highest risk of DVT and PE developed within 3 months after an SCI occurred (HR: 16.9 and 3.64, respectively). The adjusted HR of DVT and PE rose markedly with increasing age. The adjusted HR of DVT was highest among C-spine SCI patients, and the adjusted HR of PE was highest among T-spine SCI patients.

Conclusion

This nationwide prospective cohort study demonstrated that the risk of DVT and PE increased significantly in SCI patients compared with that of the general population. The highest risk of DVT and PE developed within 3 months after an SCI occurred.     

A combination therapy of neural and glial restricted precursor cells and chronic quipazine treatment paired with passive cycling promotes quipazine-induced stepping in adult spinalized rats

Abstract

Introduction

In order to develop optimal treatments to promote recovery from complete spinal cord injury (SCI), we examined the combination of: (1) a cellular graft of neural and glial restricted precursor (NRP/GRP) cells, (2) passive exercise, and (3) chronic quipazine treatment on behavioral outcomes and compared them with the individual treatment elements. NRP/GRP cells were transplanted at the time of spinalization.

Methods

Daily passive exercise began 1 week after injury to give sufficient time for the animals to recover. Chronic quipazine administration began 2 weeks after spinalization to allow for sufficient receptor upregulation permitting the expression of its behavioral effects. Behavioral measures consisted of the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor score and percent of weight-supported steps and hops on a treadmill.

Results

Rats displayed an increased response to quipazine (BBB ≥ 9) beginning at 8 weeks post-injury in all the animals that received the combination therapy. This increase in BBB score was persistent through the end of the study (12 weeks post-injury).

Conclusion

Unlike the individual treatment groups which never achieved weight support, the combination therapy animals were able to perform uncoordinated weight-supported stepping without a body weight support system while on a moving treadmill (6.5 m per minute) and were capable of supporting their own weight in stance during open field locomotion testing. No regeneration of descending serotonergic projections into and through the lesion cavity was observed. Furthermore, these results are a testament to the capacity of the lumbar spinal cord, when properly stimulated, to sustain functioning locomotor circuitry following complete SCI.     

大鼠脊髓全横断损伤后神经源性膀胱模型的建立及评估

目的 建立理想的脊髓损伤(SCI)后神经源性膀胱(NB)动物模型并评估脊髓及膀胱状态.方法 16只SD大鼠分为对照组(假手术)6只,实验组(T9脊髓全横断损伤大鼠模型)1O只,记录每日实验组大鼠手法排尿量等情况以评估SCI后NB恢复情况,术后2周使用尿流动力学方法检测并比较两组大鼠膀胱内压以评估大鼠膀胱状态.结果 实验组大鼠术后1d、5d、1Od、13d、14d时尿量均明显高于对照组大鼠(P＜0.05),术后16d实验组大鼠尿量与对照组无差异(P＞0.05).术后一周内,大鼠手法辅助排尿量逐渐增加并达到最大.术后一周后,大鼠辅助排尿量逐渐减低并于两周时渐渐稳定.对照组及实验组大鼠在最大膀胱压、膀胱基础压、排尿阈、收缩间隔、膀胱容量、排尿效率的参数值分别为26.60士4.31 mmH2O、21.66±2.56 mmH2O;11.66士1.33 mmH2O、14.72士2.65 mmH2O;20.46±0.52 mmH2O、16.99±0.81 mmH2O;1.36士1.58 min、2.02±0.36 min;0.82士0.15 mL、2.20士0.24 mL;92.67％±1.97％、25.33％士4.46％,差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 采用T9水平脊髓全横断损伤制作的NB大鼠模型可操作性强,易量化、可重复,在正确积极的术后护理下并发症少、死亡率低.使用术后SCI大鼠手法排尿量的变化判断脊髓恢复情况,并以尿流动力学方法检测大鼠在膀胱连续灌注下的膀胱压力变化来评价其膀胱状态客观可行.     

SCI论文的撰写与发表

SCI论文是目前评价教育界和学术界成就的主要考核指标之一,发表SCI论文是广大临床与基础研究人员追求的目标之一.本文主要介绍SCI论文撰写和发表的体会,针对论文的语言基础、构思、准备、撰写、投稿、修改等步骤展开讨论,抛砖引玉,以期对广大科研人员有所启迪和帮助.     

SCI与高校科研评价

针对第四军医大学以发表SCI论文作为全校科研评价的一系列标准在校内带来的争议，文章从什么是SCI及其影响因子，第四军医大学为什么要以SCI作为科研评价指标，如何正确看待SCI及其影响因子，如何撰写SCI论文等方面进行了详尽论述，指出在医学科学领域重视发表SCI论文并将其作为高等医学院校科研评价的必要性，肯定其对提高医学院校整体科研水平的积极意义。