Follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience A Web of Science-based literature analysis

OBJECTIVE: To identify global research trends of follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience. DATA RETRIEVAL: We performed a bibliometric analysis of studies from 2002 to 2011 on follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience, which were retrieved from the Web of Science, using the follicle stem cell or melanocyte stem cell, and neural, neuro or nerve. SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: (a) peer-reviewed published articles on follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience, which were indexed in the Web of Science; (b) original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial material, and news items. Exclusion criteria: (a) articles that required manual searching or telephone access; (b) documents that were not published in the public domain; and (c) a number of corrected papers from the total number of articles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Distribution of publications on follicle and melanocyte stem cells by years, journals, countries, institutions, institutions in China, and most cited papers. (2) Distribution of publications on the application of follicle and melanocyte stem cells in neuroscience by years, journals, countries, institutions, and most cited papers. RESULTS: Of the 348 publications from 2002 to 2011 on follicle and melanocyte stem cells, which were retrieved from the Web of Science, more than half were from American authors and institutes. The most prolific institutions in China for publication of papers on follicle and melanocyte stem cells were the Fourth Military Medical University and Third Military Medical University. The most prolific journals for publication of papers on follicle and melanocyte stem cells were the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research. Of the 63 publications from 2002 to 2011 on the application of follicle and melanocyte stem cells in neuroscience, which were retrieved from the Web of Science, more than half were from American authors and institutes, and no papers were from Chinese authors and institutes. The most prolific journals for publication of papers on the application of follicle and melanocyte stem cells in neuroscience were the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research. CONCLUSION: Based on our analysis of the literature and research trends, we found that follicle stem cells might offer further benefits in neural regenerative medicine.     

Correlation between X-ray cross-complementing group 1 polymorphisms and the onset risk of glioma A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the association of X-ray cross-complementing group 1(XRCC1)Arg399Gln,Arg194Trp and Arg280His polymorphisms with the risk of glioma.DATA SOURCES:A systematic literature search of papers published from January 2000 to August2012 in PubMed,Embase,China National Knowledge Infrastructure database,and Wanfang database was performed.The key words used were"glioma","polymorphism",and"XRCC1 or X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1".References cited in the retrieved articles were screened manually to identify additional eligible studies.STUDY SELECTION:Studies were identified according to the following inclusion criteria:case-control design was based on unrelated individuals;and genotype frequency was available to estimate an odds ratio(OR)and 95%confidence interval(CI).Meta-analysis was performed for the selected studies after strict screening.Dominant and recessive genetic models were used and the relationship between homozygous mutant genotype frequencies and mutant gene frequency and glioma incidence was investigated.We chose the fixed or random effect model according to the heterogeneity to calculate OR and 95%CI,and sensitivity analyses were conducted.Publication bias was examined using the inverted funnel plot and the Egger’s test using Stata 12.0 software.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Association of XRCC1 Arg399Gln,Arg194Trp,and Arg280His polymorphisms with the risk of glioma,and subgroup analyses were performed according to different ethnicities of the subjects.RESULTS:Twelve articles were included in the meta-analysis.Eleven of the articles were concerned with the Arg399Gln polymorphism and glioma onset risk.Significantly increased glioma risks were found only in the dominant model(Gln/Gln+Gln/Arg versus Arg/Arg:OR=1.26,95%CI=1.03-1.54,P=0.02).In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity,significantly increased risk was found in Asian subjects in the recessive(OR=1.46,95%CI=1.04-2.45,P=0.03)and dominant models(OR=1.40,95%CI=1.10-1.78,P=0.007),and homozygote contrast(OR=1.69,95%CI=1.17-2.45,P=0.005),but not in Caucasian subjects.For association of the Arg194Trp(eight studies)and Arg280His(four studies)polymorphisms with glioma risk,the meta-analysis did not reveal a significant effect in the allele contrast,the recessive genetic model,the dominant genetic model,or homozygote contrast.CONCLUSION:The XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism may be a biomarker of glioma susceptibility,especially in Asian populations.The Arg194Trp and Arg280His polymorphisms were not associated with overall glioma risk.     

Scientific progress regarding neural regeneration in the Web of Science A 10-year bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND： Neural regeneration following nerve injury is an emerging field that attracts ex- tending interests all over the world. OBJECTIVE： To use bibliometric indexes to track studies focusing on neural regeneration, and to investigate the relationships among geographic origin, countries and institutes, keywords in the published articles, and especially focus on the region distribution, institution distribution, as well as collaborations in Chinese papers indexed in the Web of Science. METHODS： A list of neural regeneration studies was generated by searching the database of the Web of Science-Expanded using the term ＂Neural Regenera＊＂. Inclusive criteria： （1） articles in the field of neural regeneration; （2） fundamental research on animals, clinical trials and case reports; （3） article types： article, review, proceedings paper, note, letter, editorial material, discussion, book chapter; （4） year of publication： 2003-2012; and （5） citation database： Science Citation Index-Expanded. Exclusive criteria： （1） articles requiring manual searching or with access only by telephone; （2） unpublished articles; and （3） corrections. RESULTS： A total of 4 893 papers were retrieved from the Web of Science published between 2003 and 2012. The papers covered 65 countries or regions, of which the United States ranked first with 1 691 papers. The most relevant papers were in the neurosciences and cell biology, and the key- word ＂stem cell＂ was the most frequent. In recent years, China showed a great increase in the number of papers. Over the entire 10 years, there were 922 Chinese papers, with Jilin University ranking first with 58 articles. Chinese papers were published in connection with many countries, in- cluding the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Among the connections, the papers published by the Chinese and the American are 107, with the highest rate. With regard to funding, 689 articles were funded from various projects, occupying 74.72% of the total amount. In these projects, National Foundation and Science and Technology programs were the majority. CONCLUSION： Our bibliometric analysis provides a historical perspective on the progress of neural regeneration research. At present, the number of articles addressing neural regeneration is increasing rapidly; however, through analysis of citations it is clear that there is a long way to go to improve the academic quality.     

Transplantation of neural stem cells, Schwann cells and olfactory ensheathing cells for spinal cord injury A Web of Science-based literature analysis

OBJECTIVE: To identify global research trends in transplantation of neural stem cells, Schwann cells and olfactory ensheathing cells for spinal cord injury. DATA RETRIEVAL: We performed a bibliometric analysis of studies on transplantation of neural stem cells, Schwann cells and olfactory ensheathing cells for spinal cord injury published from 2002 to 2011 and retrieved from the Web of Science, using the key words spinal cord injury along with either neural stem cell, Schwann cell or olfactory ensheathing cell. SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: (a) peer-reviewed published articles on neural stem cells, Schwann cells or olfactory ensheathing cells for spinal cord injury indexed in the Web of Science; (b) original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial materials and news items; and (c) published between 2002 and 2011. Exclusion criteria: (a) articles that required manual searching or telephone access; (b) documents that were not published in the public domain; and (c) corrected papers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Annual publication output, distribution by journal, distribution by institution and top-cited articles on neural stem cells; (2) annual publication output, distribution by journal, distribution by institution and top-cited articles on Schwann cells; (3) annual publication output, distribution by journal, distribution by institution and top-cited articles on olfactory ensheathing cells. RESULTS: This analysis, based on articles indexed in the Web of Science, identified several research trends among studies published over the past 10 years in transplantation of neural stem cells, Schwann cells and olfactory ensheathing cells for spinal cord injury. The number of publications increased over the 10-year period examined. Most papers appeared in journals with a focus on neurology, such as Journal of Neurotrauma, Experimental Neurology and Glia. Research institutes publishing on the use of neural stem cells to repair spinal cord injury were mostly in the USA and Canada. Those publishing on the use of Schwann cells were mostly in the USA and Canada as well. Those publishing on the use of olfactory ensheathing cells were mostly in the UK, the USA and Canada. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the large number of studies around the world, cell transplantation has proven to be the most promising therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury.     

Olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation for spinal cord injury An 18-year bibliometric analysis based on the Web of Science

OBJECTIVE:Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation is a promising new approach for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI),and an increasing number of scientific publications are devoted to this treatment strategy.This bibliometric analysis was conducted to assess global research trends in OEC transplantation for SCI.DATA SOURCE:All of the data in this study originate from the Web of Science maintained by the Institute for Scientific Information,USA,and includes SCI-EXPANDED,SSCI,A&HCI,CPCI-S,CPCI-SSH,BKCI-S,BKCI-SSH,CCR-EXPANDED and IC.The Institute for Scientific Information’s Web of Science was searched using the keywords "olfactory ensheathing cells" or "OECs" or "olfactory ensheathing glia" or "OEG" or "olfactory ensheathing glial cells" or "OEGs" and "spinal cord injury" or "SCI" or "spinal injury" or "spinal transection" for literature published from January 1898 to May 2012.DATA SELECTION:Original articles,reviews,proceedings papers and meeting abstracts,book chapters and editorial materials on OEC transplantation for SCI were included.Simultaneously,unpublished literature and literature for which manual information retrieval was required were excluded.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:All selected literatures addressing OEC transplantation for SCI were evaluated in the following aspects:publication year,document type,language,author,institution,times cited,Web of Science category,core source title,countries/territories and funding agency.RESULTS:In the Web of Science published by the Institute for Scientific Information,the earliest literature record was in April,1995.Four hundred and fourteen publications addressing OEC transplantation for SCI were added to the data library in the past 18 years,with an annually increasing trend.Of 415 records,405 publications were in English.Two hundred and fifty-nine articles ranked first in the distribution of document type,followed by 141 reviews.Thirty articles and 20 reviews,cited more than 55 times by the date the publication data were downloaded by us,can be regarded as the most classical references.The journal Experimental Neurology published the most literature (32 records),followed by Glia.The United States had the most literature,followed by China.In addition,Yale University was the most productive institution in the world,while The Second Military Medical University contributed the most in China.The journal Experimental Neurology published the most OEC transplantation literature in the United States,while Neural Regeneration Research published the most in China.CONCLUSION:This analysis provides insight into the current state and trends in OEC transplantation for SCI research.Furthermore,we anticipate that this analysis will help encourage international cooperation and teamwork on OEC transplantation for SCI to facilitate the development of more effective treatments for SCI.     

Therapies for children with cerebral palsy A Web of Science-based literature analysis

OBJECTIVE: To identify global research trends in three therapies for children with cerebral palsy. DATA RETRIEVAL: We performed a bibliometric analysis of studies on therapies for children with cerebral palsy from 2002 to 2011 retrieved from Web of Science. SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: (a) peer-reviewed published articles on botulinum toxin, constraint-induced movement therapy, or acupuncture for children with cerebral palsy indexed in Web of Science; (b) original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial material, and news items; and (c) publication between 2002 and 2011. Exclusion criteria: (a) articles that required manual searching or telephone access; (b) documents that were not published in the public domain; and (c) a number of corrected papers from the total number of articles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Number of publications on the three therapies; (2) annual publication output, distribution by journals, distribution by institution, and top-cited articles on botulinum toxin; (3) annual publication output, distribution by journal, distribution by institution, and top-cited articles on constraint-induced movement therapy; (4) annual publication, distribution by journal, distribution by institution, and top-cited articles on acupuncture. RESULTS: This analysis, based on Web of Science articles, identified several research trends in studies published over the past 10 years of three therapies for children with cerebral palsy. More articles on botulinum toxin for treating children with cerebral palsy were published than the articles regarding constraint-induced movement therapy or acupuncture. The numbers of publications increased over the 10-year study period. Most papers appeared in journals with a focus on neurology, such as Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology and Journal of Child Neurology.Research institutes publishing on botulinum toxin treatments for this population are mostly in the Netherlands, the United States of America, and Australia; those publishing on constraint-induced movement therapy are mostly in Australia and the United States of America; and those publishing on acupuncture are mostly in China, Sweden and the United States of America.CONCLUSION: Analysis of literature and research trends indicated that there was no one specific therapy to cure cerebral palsy. Further studies are still necessary.     

Research progress in hepatic encephalopathy in recent 10 years A Web of Science-based literature analysis

OBJECTIVE: To analyze international research trends in hepatic encephalopathy and examine the role of neuroelectrophysiology and neuroimaging in diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy. DATA RETRIEVAL: We performed a bibliometric analysis of studies on hepatic encephalopathy published during 2002-2011 retrieved from Web of Science. SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: (1) peer-reviewed published articles on hepatic encephalopathy; (2) original article, review, meeting abstract, proceedings paper, book chapter, editorial material, news items, and (3) published during 2002-2011. Exclusion criteria: (1) articles that required manual searching or telephone access; (2) documents that were not published in the public domain; and (3) corrected papers from the total number of articles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Annual publication output; (2) type of publication; (3) publication by research field; (4) publication by journal; (5) publication by author; (6) publication by institution; (7) publication by country; (8) publication by institution in China; (9) most-cited papers. RESULTS: A total of 3 233 papers regarding hepatic encephalopathy were retrieved during 2002-2011. The number of papers gradually increased over the 10-year study period and was highest in 2010. Most papers appeared in journals with a focus on gastroenterology and hepatology. Among the included journals, Hepatology published the greatest number of papers regarding hepatic encephalopathy, and the published studies were highly cited. Thus, Hepatology appears to represent a key journal publishing papers on hepatic encephalopathy. Regarding distribution by country for publications on hepatic encephalopathy indexed in Web of Science during 2002-2011, the United States published highest number of papers, with China ranked ninth. As per distribution by institute for publications, the University of Montreal in Canada published the highest number of papers (n=111). Among the Chinese institutes, Zhejiang University in China was the most prolific institute with 15 papers. CONCLUSION: The present bibliometric analysis on hepatic encephalopathy provides an overview of research progress, as well as identifying the most active institutes and experts in this research field during 2002-2011. Research into hepatic encephalopathy has revealed changes in neural injury and regeneration in hepatic encephalopathy. Neuroelectrophysiological and neuroimaging examinations are important for determining clinical classifications and disease severity of hepatic encephalopathy, providing a foundation for further research.     

Use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction in the last 10 years A Scopus-based literature analysis

OBJECTIVE: To identify global research trends in the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction. DATA RETRIEVAL: We performed a bibliometric analysis of studies on the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction published during 2002-2011, retrieved from Scopus, using the Key Words of acupuncture and cerebral infarction or ischemic stroke. SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed articles on the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction indexed in Scopus and published between 2002 and 2011; types of publications were original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial material, and news items. Exclusion criteria: articles that required manual searching or telephone access; documents that were not published in the public domain; and corrected papers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (a) Annual publication output; (b) language of publication; (c) type of publication; (d) key words of publication; (e) publication by research field; (f) publication by journal; (g) publication by country and institution; (h) publication by author; (i) most-cited papers between 2002 and 2006; and (j) most-cited papers between 2007 and 2011. RESULTS: A total of 160 publications on the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction from 2002-2011 were retrieved from Scopus. The number of publications increased gradually over the 10-year study period; most were written in Chinese or English. Articles and reviews constituted the major types. The most frequent key word used was acupuncture. The most prolific journals in this area were Zhongguo Zhen Jiu and the Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation. Of the 160 publications retrieved, half came from Chinese authors and institutions. Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine was the most prolific research institute. Two papers were cited 30 times; they were published in 2002 and 2009, respectively. CONCLUSION: In the field of neuroscience, there is little literature on acupuncture for cerebral infarction. The most-cited papers were cited 30 times in the past 3 years. We believe that, with advances in the study of mechanisms in neurobiology, research on acupuncture will also advance and will become the concern of more scholars.     

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for hallucination in schizophrenia spectrum disorders A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE:This study assessed the efficacy and tolerability of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of auditory hallucination of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.DATA SOURCES:Online literature retrieval was conducted using PubMed,ISI Web of Science,EMBASE,Medline and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases from January1985 to May 2012.Key words were"transcranial magnetic stimulation","TMS","repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation",and"hallucination".STUDY SELECTION:Selected studies were randomized controlled trials assessing therapeutic efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for hallucination in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Experimental intervention was low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in left temporoparietal cortex for treatment of auditory hallucination in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Control groups received sham stimulation.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The primary outcome was total scores of Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale,Auditory Hallucination Subscale of Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale,Positive and Negative Symptom Scale-Auditory Hallucination item,and Hallucination Change Scale.Secondary outcomes included response rate,global mental state,adverse effects and cognitive function.RESULTS:Seventeen studies addressing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders were screened,with controls receiving sham stimulation.All data were completely effective,involving 398 patients.Overall mean weighted effect size for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation versus sham stimulation was statistically significant(MD=–0.42,95%CI:–0.64 to–0.20,P=0.000 2).Patients receiving repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation responded more frequently than sham stimulation(OR=2.94,95%CI:1.39 to 6.24,P=0.005).No significant differences were found between active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and sham stimulation for positive or negative symptoms.Compared with sham stimulation,active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation had equivocal outcome in cognitive function and commonly caused headache and facial muscle twitching.CONCLUSION:Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is a safe and effective treatment for auditory hallucination in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.     

Use of nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair A Web of Science-based literature analysis

OBJECTIVE: To identify global research trends in the use of nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair. DATA RETRIEVAL: Numerous basic and clinical studies on nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair were performed between 2002-2011. We performed a bibliometric analysis of the institutions, authors, and hot topics in the field, from the Web of Science, using the key words peripheral nerve and conduit or tube. SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed published articles on nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair, indexed in the Web of Science; original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial material, and news items. Exclusion criteria: articles requiring manual searching or telephone access; documents not published in the public domain; and several corrected papers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (a) Annual publication output; (b) publication type; (c) publication by research field; (d) publication by journal; (e) publication by funding agency; (f) publication by author; (g) publication by country and institution; (h) publications by institution in China; (i) most-cited papers. RESULTS: A total of 793 publications on the use of nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair were retrieved from the Web of Science between 2002-2011. The number of publications gradually increased over the 10-year study period. Articles constituted the main type of publication. The most prolific journals were Biomaterials, Microsurgery, and Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A. The National Natural Science Foundation of China supported 27 papers, more than any other funding agency. Of the 793 publications, almost half came from American and Chinese authors and institutions. CONCLUSION: Nerve conduits have been studied extensively for peripheral nerve regeneration; however, many problems remain in this field, which are difficult for researchers to reach a consensus.     

A meta-analysis of Chinese herbal medicines for vascular dementia

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of patients with vascular dementia. DATA RETRIEVAL: We retrieved publications from Cochrane Library (2004 to July 2011), PubMed (1966 to July 2011), the Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database (1977 to July 2011), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (1979 to July 2011), Google Scholar (July 2011), and the Chinese Biomedical Database (1977 to July 2011) using the"Chinese medicine OR Chinese herbal medicine" and "vascular dementia OR mild cognition impair OR multi-infarct dementia OR small-vessel dementia OR strategic infarct dementia OR hypoperfusion dementia OR hemorrhagic dementia OR hereditary vascular dementia". SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials comparing Chinese herbal medicines with placebo/western medicine in the treatment of patients with vascular dementia were included. Diagnostic standards included Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Association Internationale pour la Recherché et l’Enseignement en Neurosciences. Two participants independently conducted literature screening, quality evaluation and data extraction. The quality of each trial was assessed according to the Cochrane Reviewers’ Handbook 5.0. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effective rate, Mini-Mental State Examination scores, Hasegawa Dementia Scale scores, and incidence of adverse reactions. RESULTS: We identified 1 143 articles discussing the effects of Chinese medicine on vascular dementia. Thirty-one of these were included in the analysis. These studies involved a total of 2 868 participants (1 605 patients took Chinese medicine decoctions (treatment group); 1 263 patients took western medicine or placebo). The results of our meta-analysis revealed that Chinese herbal remedies in the treatment group were more efficacious than the control intervention (relative risk (RR)=1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18-1.38, P<0.01). Mini-Mental State Examination scores were higher in patients taking Chinese herbal medicines than in those in the control group (weighted mean difference (WMD)=2.83; 95%CI: 2.55-3.12, P<0.01). Patients in the treatment group showed better disease amelioration than those in the control group (Hasegawa Dementia Scale scores; WMD=2.41, 95%CI: 1.48-3.34, P<0.01). There were also considerably fewer adverse reactions among those in the treatment group compared with those in the control group (RR=0.20, 95%CI: 0.08-0.47, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Chinese herbal medicine appears to be safer and more effective than control measures in the treatment of vascular dementia. However, the included trials were generally low in quality. More well-designed, high-quality trials are needed to provide better evidence for the assessment of the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicines for vascular dementia.     

Highly cited publications in pediatric neurosurgery

Object

The number of citations a publication receives can be used as a surrogate for the impact that article has made on its discipline. This study identifies and characterizes the most cited articles in pediatric neurosurgical journals as of April 2013.

Methods

We examined four clinical pediatric neurosurgery journals. The 100 most cited articles in the overall literature and the top 50 articles from 2002 to 2012 were examined. The following information was recorded for each article: number of authors, country of origin, citation-count adjusted for number of years in print, topic, and level of evidence.

Results

The 100 most cited articles appeared in three of the four journals: Child’s Brain, Pediatric Neurosurgery and Child’s Nervous System. Publication dates ranged from 1975 to 2006; 21 were prospective studies, 64 were retrospective, and 81 were either class 4 evidence (case series, n?=?70) or review articles (n?=?11). Citations ranged from 65 to 193 (mean of 90); average adjusted citation count per year was 4.5. The 50 most cited articles from 2002 to 2012 appeared in Child’s Nervous System, Pediatric Neurosurgery, and JNS: Pediatrics. Four were prospective studies, 25 were retrospective, and 38 of the total (76 %) were either class 4 evidence (n?=?24) or review articles (n?=?14). Citations ranged from 41 to 125 (mean of 54); average adjusted citation count per year was 6.3.

Conclusion

An original paper in pediatric neurosurgery having a total citation count of 50 or more, and an average citation count of 5 per year or more can be considered a high impact publication.     

Meta analysis of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation promoting functional recovery of motor nerves in rats with complete spinal cord transection

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation on functional recovery of rats with complete spinal cord transection.DATA SOURCES: A computer-based online search of Medline(1989–2013),Embase(1989–2013),Cochrane library(1989–2013),Chinese Biomedical Literature Database(1989–2013),China National Knowledge Infrastructure(1989–2013),VIP(1989–2013),Wanfang databases(1989–2013) and Chinese Clinical Trial Register was conducted to collect randomized controlled trial data regarding olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation for the treatment of complete spinal cord transection in rats.SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials investigating olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation and other transplantation methods for promoting neurological functional recovery of rats with complete spinal cord transection were included in the analysis.Meta analysis was conducted using Rev Man 4.2.2 software.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Basso,Beattie and Bresnahan scores of rats with complete spinal cord transection were evaluated in this study.RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials with high quality methodology were included.Meta analysis showed that Basso,Beattie and Bresnahan scores were significantly higher in the olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation group compared with the control group(WMD = 3.16,95% CI(1.68,4.65); P 0.00001).CONCLUSION: Experimental studies have shown that olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation can promote the functional recovery of motor nerves in rats with complete spinal cord transection.     

Early filiform needle acupuncture for poststroke depression: a meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled clinical trials

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of filiform needle acupuncture for poststroke depression, and to compare acupuncture with the therapeutic efficacy of antidepressant drugs. DATA RETRIEVAL: We retrieved data from the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure(1979–2012), Wanfang(1980–2012), VIP(1989–2012), Chinese Biomedical Literature(1975–2012), PubMed(1966–2012), Ovid Lww(–2012), and Cochrane Library(–2012) Database using the internet. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials on filiform needle acupuncture versus antidepressant drugs for treatment of poststroke depression were included. Moreover, the included articles scored at least 4 points on the Jadad scale. Exclusion criteria: other acupuncture therapies as treatment group, not stroke-induced depression patients, score 4 points, non-randomized controlled trials, or animal trials. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: These were the Hamilton Depression Scale scores, clinical effective rate, Self-Rating Depression Scale scores, Side Effect Rating Scale scores, and incidence of adverse reaction and events. RESULTS: A total of 17 randomized controlled clinical trials were included. Meta-analysis results displayed that after 4 weeks of treatment, clinical effective rate was better in patients treated with filiform needle acupuncture than those treated with simple antidepressant drugs [relative risk = 1.11, 95% confidence interval(CI): 1.03–1.21, P = 0.01]. At 6 weeks, clinical effective rate was similar between filiform needle acupuncture and antidepressant drug groups. At 2 weeks after filiform needle acupuncture, Hamilton Depression Scale(17 items) scores were lower than in the antidepressant drug group(mean difference =-2.34, 95%CI:-3.46 to-1.22, P 0.000,1). At 4 weeks, Hamilton Depression Scale(24 items) scores were similar between filiform needle acupuncture and antidepressant drug groups. Self-Rating Depression Scale scores were lower in filiform needle acupuncture group than in the antidepressant drug group. Side Effect Rating Scale was used in only two articles, and no meta-analysis was conducted. Safety evaluation of the 17 articles showed that gastrointestinal tract reactions such as nausea and vomiting were very common in the antidepressant drug group. Incidence of adverse reaction and events was very low in the filiform needle acupuncture group. CONCLUSION: Early filiform needle acupuncture for poststroke depression can perfectly control depression. Filiform needle acupuncture is safe and reliable. Therapeutic effects of filiform needle acupuncture were better than those of antidepressant drugs.     

Highly cited publications in pediatric neurosurgery: part 2

Purpose

Citation counting can be used to evaluate the impact an article has made on its discipline. This study characterizes the most cited articles related to clinical pediatric neurosurgery as of July 2013.

Methods

A list of search terms was computed using Thomson Reuters Web of Science® (WOS) to capture the 100 most cited articles in the overall literature and the top 50 articles from 2002 to 2012 related to clinical pediatric neurosurgery from non-dedicated pediatric neurosurgical journals. The following information was recorded for each article: number of authors, country of origin, citation count adjusted for number of years in print, topic, and level of evidence.

Results

The 100 most cited articles appeared in 44 journals. Publication dates ranged from 1986 to 2008; two were class 1 evidence, nine class 2, 26 class 3, and 52 class 4. Citations ranged from 90 to 321 (mean?=?131); average time-adjusted citation count was 10. The 50 most cited articles from 2002 to 2012 appeared in 31 journals; four were class 2 evidence, 15 class 3, and 21 class 4. Citations ranged from 68 to 245 (mean?=?103); average time-adjusted citation count was 13.

Conclusion

Overall, papers from non-pediatric neurosurgical journals had higher citation counts and improved level of evidence grades compared to articles from pediatric neurosurgical periodicals. An original paper related to clinical pediatric neurosurgery in a non-pediatric neurosurgical journal having a total citation count of 100–150 or more and an average citation count of 10–15 per year or more can be considered a high-impact publication.     

In vivo Tracking of Transplanted Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Murine Model of Stroke by Bioluminescence Imaging

Objective

This study was designed to validate the cell trafficking efficiency of the in vivo bioluminescence image (BLI) study in the setting of transplantation of the luciferase expressing bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC), which were delivered at each different time after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in a mouse model.

Methods

Transplanting donor BMSC were prepared by primary cell culture from transgenic mouse expressing luciferase (LUC). Transient focal infarcts were induced in 4-6-week-old male nude mice. The experiment mice were divided into five groups by the time of MSC transplantation : 1) sham-operation group, 2) 2-h group, 3) 1-day group, 4) 3-day group, and 5) 1- week group. BLI for detection of spatial distribution of transplanted MSC was performed by detecting emitted photons. Migration of the transplanted cells to the infarcted area was confirmed by histological examinations. Differences between groups were evaluated by paired t-test.

Results

A focal spot of bioluminescence was observed at the injection site on the next day after transplantation by signal intensity of bioluminescence. After 4 weeks, the mean signal intensities of 2-h, 1-day, 3-day, and 1-week group were 2.6×10⁷ ± 7.4×10⁶, 6.1×10⁶ ± 1.2×10⁶, 1.7×10⁶ ± 4.4×10⁵, and 8.9×10⁶ ± 9.5×10⁵, respectively. The 2-h group showed significantly higher signal intensity (p < 0.01). The engrafted BMSC showed around the infarct border zones on immunohistochemical examination. The counts of LUC-positive cells revealed the highest number in the 2-h group, in agreement with the results of BLI experiments (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

In this study, the results suggested that the transplanted BMSC migrated to the infarct border zone in BLI study and the higher signal intensity of LUC-positive cells seen in 2 hrs after MSC transplantation in MCAO mouse model. In addition, noninvasive imaging in real time is an ideal method for tracking stem cell transplantation. This method can be widely applied to various research fields of cell transplantation therapy.     

Awareness of neurocysticercosis: A study from northwest India

Background:

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy in developing countries. In order to plan and implement prevention programs, it is essential to study the awareness of NCC.

Objective:

To study the awareness of NCC among patients with NCC and compare with age- and gender-matched controls without NCC.

Setting and Design:

Hospital based case–control study.

Materials and Methods:

Two hundred and fourteen subjects were studied (109 NCC patients, and 105 age- and gender-matched controls without NCC). The participants were selected from neurology and medical wards of a tertiary referral hospital in northwest India. They were interviewed by trained medical interns using a questionnaire.

Results:

64.2% of the NCC patients and 19% of control group had heard about NCC (P < 0.001). Knowledge regarding organ affected by NCC in the NCC group was 61.4% and in the control group was 80% (P = 0.09). Only 12.9% of the NCC group and none in the control group identified tape worm as a causative agent for NCC (P = 0.092). Negative effects of NCC on marriage and social life were more often cited by the NCC group but in the control group it was towards education (P = 0.004).

Conclusions:

The awareness of NCC was poor in both the groups. Educational programs are needed to improve the awareness about NCC among the patients and the public.     

The Clinical Features of Spinal Leptomeningeal Dissemination from Malignant Gliomas

Objective

The incidence of leptomeningeal dissemination from malignant glioma is rare, so the clinical features of this are not well documented yet. We attempted to determine the clinical features of leptomeningeal dissemination from malignant gliomas.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 11 cases of leptomeningeal dissemination of malignant glioma, who were treated at our institution between 2006 and 2009. We investigated the clinical features of these patients by considering the following factors : tumor locations, the events of ventricular opening during surgery and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profiles, including the cytology.

Results

The group was composed of 9 males and 2 females. The histological diagnosis of their initial intracranial tumors were 4 primary glioblastoma, 3 anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 anaplastic oligoastrocytoma, 2 ganglioglioma and 1 pleomorphic xanthoastrocyotma with anaplastic features. The mean age of the patients at the time of the initial presentation was 42.8±10.3 years. The mean time between surgery and the diagnosis of spinal dissemination was 12.3±7.9 (3-28) months. The mean overall survival after dissemination was 2.7±1.3 months. All our patients revealed a history of surgical opening of the ventricles. Elevated protein in the CSF was reported for eight patients who had their CSF profiles checked.

Conclusion

We propose that in the malignant gliomas, the surgical opening of ventricles can cause the spinal leptomeningeal dissemination and the elevated protein content of CSF may be a candidate marker of leptomeningeal dissemination.     

Effects of cilostazol on the progression and regression of symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis:it reduces the risk of ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of cilostazol on the progression and regression of symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis.DATA RETRIVAL: We searched the main databases for eligible trials including Medline(from 1966 to June 2014), Embase(from 1980 to June 2014), Cochrane Library(Issue 6, 2014), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure(from 1995 to June 2014), Current Controlled Trials(http://controlled-trials.com), Clinical Trials.gov(http://clinicaltrials.gov), and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(http://www.chictr.org). All studies regarding prevention and treatment of symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis by cilostazol were collected. The Mesh or text keywords were the English words: "cilostazol, phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor, atherosclerosis, and ischemic stroke." No restrictions were put on publications or publication language.SELECTION CRITERIA: Grade A or B randomized controlled trials were selected according to the quality of evaluation criteria from the Cochrane Collaboration, in which cilostazol and aspirin were used to evaluate the effects of cilostazol in the treatment of patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis. The quality of study methodology was evaluated based on criteria described in Cochrane Reviewer's Handbook 5.0.1. Rev Man 5.2 software was used for data analysis.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical efficacy and safety of cilostazol in stopping progression and promoting regression of symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis were measured by magnetic resonance angiography and transcranial Doppler.RESULTS: Two randomized controlled trials with a total of 203 patients were included in this study. The results showed that while cilostazol was associated with a significantly reduced progression of intracranial artery stenosis(OR = 0.21, 95%CI: 0.09–0.47, P 0.01), it had no beneficial effect on symptom regression(OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 0.80–2.51, P = 0.24). During the follow-up period, although some adverse effects developed, including headache, gastrointestinal disturbance, and dizziness, incidences of bleeding were lower than in aspirin-treated patients.CONCLUSION: Cilostazol may prevent the progression of symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis, which could reduce the incidence of ischemic stroke.     

Quality of life in Wilson's disease

Background:

Assessment of Quality of life (QoL) is fast assuming significance as the measure of health in many disorders.

Aim:

To correlate clinical severity and QoL in patients with Wilson''s disease (WD).

Materials and Methods:

We evaluated patients of WD on regular follow up for at least two years and aged over 18 years using Neurological Symptom Score (NSS) for clinical severity and WHO-BREF for QoL at a university teaching hospital. Patients with inability to respond to the questionnaire due to behavioral problems, low IQ or other disease related factors were excluded. These 30 patients (M:F:: 23:7) had a mean age of 27.97 ± 11.16 years at evaluation and the mean duration of treatment of 9.2 ± 6.4 years.

Results:

All four domains of WHO-QoL-BREF viz., Physical, Psychological, Social and Environmental correlated well with each other (p < 0.01). The NSS correlated inversely with the physical domain (p < 0.02), while the duration of treatment had a positive correlation with the physical domain (p < 0.01). None of the other features of QoL showed any significant correlation with age, NSS or duration of treatment.

Conclusion:

QoL is complementary to formal neurological assessment and should be routinely incorporated in the evaluation of outcome of patients with WD and other chronic neurological disorders.