针刺干预对单眼视觉剥夺模型大鼠视皮层方位柱“漂移”和异常重组的调节作用及其脑功能机制

探讨针刺干预对大鼠单眼视觉剥夺后视皮层方位柱“漂移”和通道重组的影响，初步阐明其作用机制。     

Dyskinesia and FAB score predict future falling in Parkinson's disease

A growing body of research highlights the importance of cognition for prediction of falls in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a previously proposed prediction model for future near falls and falls in PD, which includes history of near falls, tandem gait, and retropulsion, was developed without considering cognitive impairment. Therefore, by using a sample of 64 individuals with relatively mild PD and not excluding those with impaired cognition we aimed to externally validate the previously proposed model as well as to explore the value of additional predictors that also consider cognitive impairment. Since this validation study failed to support the proposed model in a PD sample including individuals with impaired global cognition, extended analyses generated a new model including dyskinesia (item 32 of Unified PD Rating Scale) and frontal lobe impairment (Frontal Assessment Battery—FAB) as significant independent predictors for future near falls and falls in PD. The discriminant ability of this new model was acceptable (AUC, 0. 80; 95% CI 0.68‐0.91). Replacing the continuous FAB scores by a dichotomized version of FAB with a cut‐off score ≤14 yielded slightly lower but still acceptable discriminant ability (AUC, 0. 79; 95% CI 0.68‐0.91). Further studies are needed to test our new model and the proposed cut‐off score of FAB in additional samples. Taken together, our observations suggest potentially important additions to the evidence base for clinical fall prediction in PD with concomitant cognitive impairment.     

Near‐infrared photoimmunotherapy through bone

Near‐infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR‐PIT) is a molecularly targeted cancer phototherapy that is based on injecting a conjugate of a silicon‐phthalocyanine derivative, IRdye 700DX (IR700), and a monoclonal antibody that targets an expressed antigen on the cancer cell surface. Subsequent local exposure to NIR light results in the rapid and highly selective immunogenic cell death of targeted cancer cells. Because many cancers grow in bones through which light does not penetrate well, the goal of this study was to determine if NIR‐PIT can effectively treat cancers in bone. A bovine rib was used as a bone sample. Because the sample’s NIR light transmittance was shown to be approximately 4.52% in preliminary tests, it was hypothesized that a maximum radiation dosage of 128 and 1500 J/cm² would be sufficient to induce cell death in in vitro target cells and in vivo mouse tumor models, respectively. Cell viability was measured through bioluminescence studies comparing relative luciferase activity, as well as a cytotoxicity assay. In the in vitro model, tumor cell viability was significantly decreased after 64 and 128 J/cm² NIR light irradiation through the bone. An in vivo mouse tumor model also showed that 1500 J/cm² NIR light irradiation through the bone significantly reduced tumor viability at both 24 and 48 hours posttreatment compared to the control group (P = .026 and .040 respectively). Therefore, despite limitations in light transmission, NIR‐PIT nevertheless is capable of effectively treating cancers within bone.     

Oxyhemoglobin changes in the prefrontal cortex in response to cognitive tasks: a systematic review

Purpose of the study: the aim of this study was to synthesize PFC fNIRS outcomes on the effects of cognitive tasks compared to resting/baseline tasks in healthy adults from studies utilizing a pre/post design.

Material and methods: original research studies were searched from seven databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, SCOPUS, PEDro and PubMed). Subsequently, two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts followed by full-text reviews to assess the studies' eligibility.

Results: eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and had data abstracted and quality assessed. Methodology varied considerably and yet cognitive tasks resulted in the ΔO₂Hb increasing in 8 of the 11 and ΔHHb decreasing in 8 of 8 studies that reported this outcome. The cognitive tasks from 10 of the 11 studies were classified as “Working Memory” and “Verbal Fluency Tasks”.

Conclusions: although, the data comparison was challenging provided the heterogeneity in methodology, the results across studies were similar.