Treatment Of Cerebral Palsy Research Articles

Mitochondrial Translocation of P66Shc Aggravates Cisplatin-induced AKI by Promoting Ferroptosis.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the regulatory mechanism between P66Shc and ferroptosis in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (CP-AKI). A CP-AKI model was constructed both in vivo and in vitro using C57BL/6 mice and HK-2 cells, respectively. Renal histopathological injury, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis were detected. Some parameters of ferroptosis (e.g. 4HNE and GPX4) and the expression of P66Shc/ P-P66Shc both in mitochondria and cytoplasm were tested. In in vitro studies, HK-2 cells were incubated with CP (50 uM); additionally, Fer1 and P66Shc siRNA were applied to explore the molecular regulatory mechanism of P66Shc in ferroptosis. The levels of mitochondrial ROS, apoptosis and the expression of 4HNE,GPX4, P66Shc, and P-P66Shc were tested. Furthermore, the mitochondrial translocation of P66Shc was detected. CP treatment caused elevation of Scr, BUN and renal MDA levels and decreased renal SOD, GSH-PX and GPX4 levels. CP enhanced the expression of 4HNE, P66Shc and P-P66Shc both in vivo and in vitro. Renal oxidative stress and apoptosis were significantly increased in CP-AKI mice. Electron microscopy examination indicated obvious mitochondria injury in renal tubular cells of CP-AKI mice. The level of ferroptosis and the translocation of P-P66Shc from the cytoplasm to mitochondria were significantly increased in HK-2 cells under CP condition, and these effects were obviously blocked by P66Shc siRNA treatment. Conversely, pretreatment with the ferroptosis inhibitor (Fer1) had no effect on the expression and mitochondria translocation of PP66Shc under CP condition. Mitochondrial translocation of P66Shc could result in mitochondrial injury and lipid peroxide accumulation, which ultimately led to ferroptosis and aggravated CPinduced AKI.

Chronic prostatitis and sclerosis of prostate. Predisposing factors for surgical complications

Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis category III/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is detected in 90-95% of patients and depending on the disorders of proteolytic processes in the blood and prostate is subdivided into inflammatory (category IIIA) and non-inflammatory (category IIIB). The treatment of patients with chronic prostatitis must be complex, strictly differentiated and must provide for action on all etiological links and methods of treatment of CP. The paper determined the efficiency of entomological medication in chronic nonbacterial prostatitis and the contribution in preventing compli- cations in this category of patients. It has been found that the administration of adenoprosine in combination with the standard complex physiotherapy of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis category IIIA and B (inflammatory and non-inflam- matory) of the entomological preparation significantly increases the efficacy of the applied treatment, prevents or stops the evolution of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis consequences.

Impact of in-package cold plasma treatment on the physicochemical properties and shelf life of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)

Button mushrooms are perishable due to microbial spoilage and browning. The effect of in-package cold plasma CP treatment on the quality and shelf life of button mushrooms is presented. Samples were sealed inside a package with different gas combinations [80% O2 + 10% CO2 + 10% N2, 10% O2 + 10% CO2 + 80% N2, and 10% O2 + 80% CO2 + 10% N2], treated with CP for 15 min at 28 kV and stored at 4 °C for 7 days. Microbiological and physicochemical properties of button mushrooms (control, samples treated with direct cold plasma (DCP), and those packed in three different modified atmospheric packing (MAP) compositions) were analyzed on days 1, 4, and 7 after treatment. Following DCP and in-package CP treatment, the total bacterial count was reduced by 0.93 and 1.14 log CFU/g, while the yeast and mold count was reduced by 1.07 and 1.24 log CFU/g, respectively. In-package CP reduced PPO activity by 29%. Changes in physicochemical properties of button mushrooms were insignificant on day 1. MAP with high oxygen showed larger microbial reductions than the other two gas combinations. At the end of storage, all in-package CP treated button mushrooms maintained significantly (p < 0.05) better quality characteristics than control and DCP-treated mushrooms. The samples treated with CP and kept in a high O2 gas concentration exhibited better quality characteristics. Therefore, in-package CP technology with high O2 concentration can be used as a potential tool for the decontamination and shelf-life extension of button mushrooms.

Effects of low‐pressure radio‐frequency cold plasma on the biochemical parameters and fatty acid profile of wheat flours

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesCold plasma (CP) treatment is a promising way to remove mycotoxins from cereal kernels, although its effects on nutrient contents remain unclear. This study evaluates the biochemical parameters, gelatinization properties, and fatty acid profile of Chinese hard‐white wheat flour treated with low‐pressure radio‐frequency (RF) CP (13.56 MHz, 140 Pa, helium or oxygen, 120 W, 0–180 s, 70 g sample).Findings120 W oxygen and helium plasma respectively required 90 and 120 s treatment to remove 50% deoxynivalenol (DON) from hard‐white wheat flour samples with 1.22 μg/g DON. A General Linear Model–Univariate analysis shows that oxygen and helium plasma both significantly increased water absorption rate, conductivity, and contents of reducing sugars, amylose, soluble protein, and saturated fatty acids in wheat flours but decreased the contents of soluble amino acids, total, unsaturated, mono‐unsaturated and poly‐unsaturated fatty acids, and enthalpy of gelatinization, and kept gelatinization peak temperature. At the same treatment time, helium plasma induced a higher water absorption rate, conductivity, and contents of pentosan and sulfhydryl groups in wheat flours than oxygen plasma. Oxygen plasma induced more reductions in mono‐ and poly‐unsaturated fatty acids in wheat flours than helium plasma. Compared with the untreated samples, helium plasma increased the values of water SRC, NaHCO3 SRC, and sucrose SRC, but decreased the lactic acid SRC, suggesting that the flour functional polymers were modified by helium plasma treatment, but oxygen plasma kept these four SRC values and did not significantly alter the functional polymers in wheat flour.ConclusionThe treatment with low‐pressure RF CP can increase hydrophilicity, and unsaturated fatty acid oxidation in wheat flours while kept starch gelatinization, and helium plasma can modify the flour's functional polymers.Significance and NoveltyThe suitable helium CP treatment (low‐pressure RF, 120 W, and 90–120 s) is a promising way to reduce the contaminants of wheat flours and improve their functional properties.

Surgical strategies for chronic pancreatitis in a 1,327- patient Scandinavian Baltic pancreatic Club (SBPC) register

BackgroundChronic pancreatitis (CP) may cause intermittent or continuous pain and complications requiring invasive interventions. No specific recommendations for surgical interventions have been presented. Our aim was to determine the surgical treatment strategies for the treatment of CP in the Scandinavian and Baltic countries. MethodsThis multi-centre cross sectional study included 1327 CP patients from eight centres. The data was gathered from the Scandinavian Baltic Pancreatic Club (SBPC) database. Patients who underwent pancreatic surgery were analysed. The baseline CP population from the eight centres was used as a reference. The information registered included comorbidities, pancreatic function, previous interventions, time and type of surgery and the EORTC-30 quality of life (QOL) questionnaire. ResultsOverall, 95/1327 (7%) patients underwent pancreatic surgery. Fifty-one (54%) of these underwent pancreatic surgery for chronic pain (PSCP) and formed the final study group. Median follow-up time was two (range 0–8) years after surgery and seven (1–46) years after diagnosis. The most common surgical procedures were pancreatic resection combined with drainage (54%) followed by pancreatic resections (32%) and drainage procedures (14%). Postoperatively, 47% of the patients were pain free with or without pain medication while 16% had chronic pain episodes, this did not differ from the base CP population. In QOL questionnaires, PSCP patients reported the same QOL but worse social functioning and more symptoms compared to the CP population. ConclusionsPancreatic surgery for CP is rare: surgical procedures were performed on only 7% of the CP patients in the SBPC database. In half of the patients the indication was pain. Most of these patients underwent endoscopic procedures before surgery. Half of the patients reported being pain-free after surgery.

Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for children with cerebral palsy: An overview of systematic reviews

: Evidence on the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for cerebral palsy (CP) is inconsistent, and methodological quality has not been comprehensively assessed in systematic reviews (SRs) or meta-analyses (MAs). This overview aims to integrate the evidence from SRs, summarize the safety issues, and comprehensively assess the methodological quality. : 11 databases were searched for SRs/MAs. Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included SRs. The quality of the reporting was determined according to The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of acupuncture (PRISMA-A). Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was applied to assess the quality of evidence for the primary outcomes. Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) evaluated the risk of bias of included SRs. Network meta-analysis(NMA) for comparing the relative effectiveness of different acupuncture treatments for CP. : 9 SRs/MAs included 107 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 9744 patients. Evidence suggests that acupuncture can increase the total effective rate and improve motor function, independence, and activities of daily living without serious adverse events. NMA indicated that needle acupuncture showed a slight statistical difference in improving the overall effectiveness of CP. : Evidence from SRs and NMA suggests that acupuncture for CP is promising and safe. Needle acupuncture is expected to be the best treatment for CP; however, the clinical differences may not be significant. The low methodological quality and the slight overlap of SRs limit the conclusions of this overview. 1 1 1. AMSTAR-2: Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 2. PRISMA-A: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of acupuncture 3. GRADE: Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation 4. ROBIS: Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews 5. CP: Cerebral palsy 6. SRs: Systematic reviews 7. MAs: Meta-analysis 8. SCPE: The Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe 9. RCTs: Randomized controlled trials 10. EBM: Evidence-based medicine 11. GMFM: Gross Motor Function Scale 12. MAS: Modified Ashworth Scale 13. ADL: Activities of Daily Living Scale 14. CFADC: Comprehensive Function Assessment for Disabled Children 15. NMA: Network meta-analysis 16. CCA: Corrected covered area 17. IF: Inconsistency factors 18. SMD: Standardized Mean Difference 19. WMD: Weighted Mean Difference 20: OR: Odds ratio 21. RR: Relative risk 22. CI: 95% credible intervals

Cerebral palsy: review of epidemiology, etiology, clinical features, classification and prevention

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a neurodevelopment disorder caused by improper brain development or harm to the developing brain and is the underlying cause of the most common motor disability in children. The clinical symptoms vary between subjects because the etiology is complex and can affect a variety of anatomical structures and each of these can lead to a different symptom. The motor dysfunction is often associated with sensory, perceptual, cognitive, communication and behaviour impairments as well as epilepsy and secondary musculoskeletal disorders which have a significant influence on the child’s quality of life, activity, and participation. The risk of developing CP is present in infants born preterm, but these children sum up less than 50% of cases. The factors that cause CP in children born at term are grouped in antenatal, perinatal, neonatal, some of them can be modified like alcohol consumption, maternal smoking, infections, but others like genetic factor cannot be modified. CP can be classified in different ways depending on the clinical manifestation. Throughout time classification was based on the type and distribution of motor anomalies, which often corresponded to the area of injury. Spastic subtypes, dyskinetic subtypes, and ataxic subtypes are the three basic forms of motor dysfunction. The most common conditions associated with CP are pain, intellectual disability, speech disorder, bladder control problems, epilepsy, and behaviour disorders. Early intervention is thought to be the most effective treatment for CP. As soon as the diagnosis is determined, rehabilitation treatment should begin. The earlier a rehabilitation intervention begins, the better the prospects of improving the child’s functional abilities and independence.

Synergistic electrocoagulation–precipitation process using magnesium electrodes for denim wastewater treatment: Bifunctional support electrolyte effect

The textile industry is one of the most polluting activities since its processes handle >8000 different types of chemical products. It consumes a significant volume of water, for example, a denim dying process requires from 30 to 50 L/kg. The goal of this study was to determine the synergistic effect of the electrocoagulation–chemical precipitation treatment (EC–CP) on real textile wastewater from the denim industry. MgCl2, CaCl2, and MgSO4 were tested for CP, and CaCl2 exhibited the best results: 77, 76, and 77 % of COD, color, and turbidity were removed, respectively. EC batch treatment was performed with an anode of Mg and a cathode of Fe at a pH of 4.5, treatment time was 29 min, and current density 144.7 A/m2 (1.7 A). The optimal conditions were obtained by using a Box–Behnken model, with removal efficiencies of 93, 87, and 93 % for COD, color, and turbidity, respectively. The main contribution and conclusion of this work were the bifunctional effect of the electrolyte (CaCl2) improves the conductivity and precipitates the pollutants. The Mg anode removes efficiently the organic matter and the nutrients (N and P) by complexation, the synergistic EC–CP achieved removal efficiencies were 91, 93, and 94 % for COD, color, and turbidity, respectively. The energetic costs for EC and EC–CP treatments were 1.82 and 0.25 US$/m3, respectively.

BDNF as a potential predictive biomarker for patients with pediatric cerebral palsy

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in children, which is instigated by damage to the developing brain that affects the ability to control the muscles. The main types of CP are spastic CP, dyskinesia CP and mixed CP. The aim of this work was to estimate the concentrations of complete blood count (CBC), erythrocytic sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in children with CP compared to the control group. Methods: A total of 75 Egyptian children were enrolled in this study, 45 had CP and 30 were controls. CBC, ESR, CRP, BDNF, and TNF-α were assessed. Results: The ESR, CRP and TNF-α levels showed statistically significant increases in cases compared with controls. While the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and the BDNF levels were significantly lower in CP compared with the controls. When comparing the different groups of CP with each other; there were no significant differences. Regarding the correlation of BDNF and different studied parameters, our study showed a positive correlation between BDNF and TNF levels only within the group with spastic CP. Conclusions: BDNF may be considered as a biomarker or treatment target for CP to avoid further complications as still there is insufficient progress in the prediction, early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of CP. Furthermore, searching for novel strategies to increase BDNF levels may open a new opportunity for the treatment of CP.

Food preservation by cold plasma from dielectric barrier discharges in agri-food industries.

Cold plasma (CP) can be defined as partially or wholly ionized gas carrying myriads of highly reactive products, such as electrons, negative ions, positive ions, free radicals, excited or non-excited atoms, and photons at ambient temperature. It is generated at 30-60°C under atmospheric or reduced pressure (vacuum). In contrast to thermal plasma, it requires less power, exhibits electron temperatures much higher than the corresponding gas (macroscopic temperature), and does not present a local thermodynamic equilibrium. Dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) are one of the most convenient and efficient methods to produce CP. Cold plasma technology has the potential to replace traditional agri-food processing purification methods because of its low energy requirements and flexible system design. CP technology works by reducing bacteria levels and removing pests and mycotoxins from your produce at harvest. It can also catalyze physiological and biochemical reactions and modify materials. It can meet microbial food safety standards, improve the physical, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of the products, preserve unstable bioactive compounds, and modulate enzyme activities. This manuscript also discusses the quality characteristics of food components before/after CP treatment. In the past decade, CP treatments of food products have experienced increased popularity due to their potential contributions to non-thermal food processing. There is no doubt that CP treatment is a flexible approach with demonstrated efficacy for controlling many risks across food and agricultural sustainability sectors. In addition, CP technologies also can be applied in food-related areas, including modification of chemical structures and desensitization treatments. There is a need to fully assess the benefits and risks of stand-alone CP unit processes or their integration as a processing chain as soon as the economic, ecological, and consumer benefits and acceptability are considered.

Porous adsorbent derived from acid activation of food waste biochar: A sustainable approach for novel removal chlorophenol in wastewater

In this study, porous biochar (PBC) was prepared by acid activation of biochar derived from food waste (FWBC) and used as a suitable approach for the removal of 4-chlorophenol (CP) in wastewater. The characterization of PBC and the influent of different experimental conditions are determined. After the acid activation process, the surface area, porosity, and functional groups of PBC were developed. The removal performances of CP (1 mg/L) by PBC and FWBC were archived at 97.8 and 82.1%, respectively. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms of CP were followed by the second-order and Langmuir models, respectively. The maximum capacities of CP uptake onto mono-layer of FWBC and PBC based on the Langmuir model were determined at 79.8 and 108.7 mg/g, respectively. Besides, PBC could remove more than 89% CP from wastewater within 45 min of reaction time and it is suitable to reuse 8 times with over 60% adsorption efficiency of CP. In addition, the adsorption mechanism and environmental impact were discussed in detail. This work could bring a sustainable approach to the treatment of CP in wastewater as well as the management of food waste in Vietnam.

Hydroethanolic extract of Ixora coccinea leaves inhibits testicular and epididymal toxicity associated with antitumor drug Cisplatin in rats

Cisplatin (Cp) is one of the most effective chemotherapy antineoplastic drugs. Nevertheless, it causes numerous injurious effects on numerous organs, precisely the testes. Ixora coccinea (IC) is a well-known medicinal herb and has a long history of medicinal use as a tonic to promote health. This study revealed the inhibitory effects of hydroethanolic extract of IC leaves (HEICL) on CP-induced testicular damage in male Wistar rats. Thirty (30) adult male Wistar rats were used and divided into six groups of five rats. These groups were treated as followed: Group 1(control group) and 2 were administered (0.9% saline) and CP (10 mg/kg. b.wt) intraperitoneal (IP) route respectively, and groups 3 and 4 were administered HEICL at 150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg and 5 and 6 were co-treated with Cp + HEICL (150 and 300 mg/kg) respectively. The treatment duration was 28 days. Spermatological profiles and testicular histopathology were assessed. Cp-treated rats showed a significant (p&lt;0.05) reduction in relative organ weight and sperm parameters. On the other hand, Cp treatment increased the percentage of sperm abnormalities relative to the control and the groups administered HEICL only. These results were confirmed by histopathological analysis. Contrarily, there were modulations in cp-induced spermiotoxic and testicular damage following the HEICL pretreatment. Our research showed that CP treatment exerts damaging consequences on sperm parameters, testicular tissues, and accessory sex organs in rats. Pre-treatment with HEICL for 26 days at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg bodyweight had a protective role against testicular damage brought on by CP.

Instrumented strength assessment in typically developing children and children with a neural or neuromuscular disorder: A reliability, validity and responsiveness study.

The aim of this study was to determine the clinimetric properties, i.e., reliability, validity and responsiveness of an instrumented strength assessment in typically developing (TD) children and children with cerebral palsy (CP) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Force (N), torque (Nm) and normalized torque (Nm/kg) were defined for maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) of the lower limb muscles using a pre-established protocol. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) of TD children (n = 14), children with CP (n = 11) and DMD (n = 11) were used to evaluate intra-rater reliability for the three cohorts and the inter-rater intersession as well as inter-rater intrasession reliability for TD children. Construct validity was assessed by comparing MVICs in TD children (n = 28) to children with CP (n = 26) and to children with DMD (n = 30), using the Kruskal Wallis and post-hoc Mann-Whitney U tests. Responsiveness was investigated by assessing changes in MVICs following a strength intervention in CP (n = 26) and a 1 and 2year follow-up study in DMD (n = 13 and n = 6, respectively), using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. The overall intra-rater reliability, was classified as good to excellent for 65.1%, moderate for 27.0% and poor for 7.9% of the measures (47.6%, 76.2%, and 66.7% good-excellent; 28.6%, 23.8%, and 33.7% moderate; 23.8%, 0%, and 0% poor in TD, CP, and DMD, respectively), while ICC values for TD children were slightly lower for inter-rater intrasession reliability (38.1% good-excellent, 33.3% moderate and 26.6% poor) and for inter-rater intersession reliability (47.6% good-excellent, 23.8% moderate and 28.6% poor). Children with CP and DMD were significantly weaker than TD children (p < 0.001) and the majority of these strength differences exceeded the MDC. Children with CP significantly improved strength after training, with changes that exceeded the SEMs, whereas only limited strength decreases over time were observed in the DMD cohort. In conclusion, the investigated instrumented strength assessment was sufficiently reliable to confirm known-group validity for both cohorts and could detect the responsiveness of children with CP after a strength intervention. However, more research is necessary to determine the responsiveness of this assessment in children with DMD regarding their natural decline.

A case series assessing relationship between active motions and stereognosis in cerebral palsy

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is an umbrella term used to describe a permanent disability resulting from non-progressive damage to the brain, specifically the corticospinal tract, of a developing fetus or infant. CP is believed to be caused by a malformation of the brain during its development and is a common pediatric disorder with about two to three cases occurring out of every thousand births. Children with CP experience a range of impairments including muscle weakness, sensory deficits, increased muscle spasticity, and upper limb dysfunction [1]. All of these interfere with a child’s motor function resulting in a reduction in their ability to interact effectively with their environment, decreases in the child’s daily self-care activities, as well as developmental nonuse, especially of the upper limbs [2]. In the past, treatment for unilateral CP has had a strong focus on correcting motor impairments such as muscle weakness and/or spasticity [3]. Recently, a shift in focus towards investigating the effects of assessing and improving tactile dysfunction in the upper limbs since findings have reported that the prevalence of sensory processing impairments in children with hemiplegia are up to 75% or more [4]. To date, there is a lack of research assessing the relationship between Active Range of Motion (AROM) and sensory processing (tactile discrimination) deficits. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between active AROM and tactile discrimination for children previously diagnosed with unilateral CP.

Orthodontic status of children with cerebral palsy in Arkhangelsk

Relevance. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common disease, which causes early disability in children and affects their dental status. The absence of malocclusion prevalence situational analysis precludes good planning of orthodontic care in the comprehensive rehabilitation of children and adolescents with CP. The study aimed to assess the orthodontic status in Arkhangelsk children and adolescents with primary, mixed and permanent dentition to ground the inclusion of an orthodontist in a multidisciplinary team. Materials and methods. In 2021, the study examined 110 children and adolescents aged 11 months to 17 years with confirmed CP undergoing treatment at the Arkhangelsk Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Center. We performed an oral examination, interviewed parents (guardians) on bad habits in children and adolescents, objectively examined and assessed the orthodontic status and functional impairment (chewing, swallowing, breathing). Results. The prevalence of malocclusion in children and adolescents with CP is 100%. Malocclusion was detected in primary, mixed and permanent dentitions. We diagnosed distal occlusion (75.4%), open bite in primary teeth (66.6%), deep overbite in permanent dentition (60.1%), severe overjet (71.8%) and unilateral crossbite (3.6%). Conclusion. The results suggest reconsidering approaches to dental pathology prevention and treatment in spastic CP. Early diagnosis of initial malocclusion and customized preventive measures are essential in comprehensive treatment and prevention programs.

Improvement of Gait after Robotic-Assisted Training in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Are We Heading in the Right Direction?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive congenital neurological disorder that affects different physical and cognitive functions in children. In addition to standard rehabilitation, advanced robotic gait devices are novel tools that are becoming progressively more common as part of the treatment of CP. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Lokomat training, in addition to conventional rehabilitation, on the motor function and quality of life of children with ataxic-spastic CP (ASCP). Ten children with ASCP who attended the Robotic Rehabilitation OutClinic of the IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", from April to June 2019, were enrolled in this study. They received twenty-four robotic rehabilitation sessions, twice a week for three months, each session lasting about 45 min. They were also provided with conventional physical and occupational therapy. After the innovative training, we found significant changes in the children's outcomes, i.e., in GMFM (p < 0.001), with significant improvements in sitting (p < 0.03) and walking (p < 0.03). Moreover, the quality of life of the young patients, evaluated by their parents, significantly improved (p < 0.005). The use of robotic systems could be considered to be an effective complementary treatment to improve gait, as well as quality of life, in children with CP.

Efficacy of focused shock-wave therapy in the treatment of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men

Introduction. Chronic prostatitis / Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP / CPPS) is an extremely common condition for which no effective treatment has been found yet. Focused shockwave therapy (fSWT) is a safe method of physical intervention that could potentially be effective in CP / CPPS treating.Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and quality of life of patients after treatment of CP / CPPS with fSWT.Materials and methods. A prospective cohort study included 48 patients diagnosed with CP / CPPS. The patients attended the clinic three times a week for 4 weeks (12 sessions). Each time, patients received fSWT therapy sessions by “Chronic pelvic pain” protocol. One month after the last therapy session, the men completed the validated NIH-CPSI, IPSS, and QoL questionnaires.Results. The mean age of the patients was 40 ± 9 years. After the course of therapy, the score of Domain I “Pain” from 10.0 ± 4.7 to 6.3 ± 1.9 (p &lt; 0.001). At the same time, no statistically significant decrease was obtained in Domain II 'Urination' scores ((5,88 ± 2,40 vs 5,42 ± 1,64; p = 0,11). By the end of therapy for Domains III and IV, the scores had changed from 4.42 ± 0.90 and 4.04 ± 1.27 to 4.48 ± 1.01 and 3.08 ± 1.22, respectively (p &lt; 0,001). It is noted that the mean IPSS questionnaire score showed no statistically significant change over the treatment period (17,2 ± 4,8 vs 17,8 ± 4,8; p = 0,074)). QoL changed from 4.48 ± 0.99 to 2.46 ± 1.03 (p &lt; 0.001).Conclusion. The study demonstrated the efficacy of fSWT as a standalone method in the treatment of CP / CPPS.

Comparison of high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation and uterine artery embolization in the management of cervical pregnancy.

BackgroundCervical pregnancy (CP) is an uncommon type of ectopic pregnancy with a rising risk to life. Currently, there is no universal protocol for the safe and effective management of CP. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation (HIFU) vs. uterine artery embolization (UAE) in the management of CP to develop a standard for the treatment of CP.MethodsFrom January 2015 to October 2021, 36 patients with CP were diagnosed, treated, and followed up at the Department of Gynecology of Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. A total of 11 patients were treated with HIFU followed by suction curettage under hysteroscopic guidance, and 25 patients were treated with UAE followed by suction curettage under hysteroscopic guidance. Medical records and pregnancy outcomes were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsCompared to the UAE group, the HIFU group had a shorter interval time (1.5 ± 0.21 days vs. 2.6 ± 0.26 days), shorter duration of hospitalization (5.5 ± 0.31 days vs. 6.6 ± 0.21 days), shorter recovery time of menstruation (30.6 ± 7.09 days vs. 36.9 ± 5.54 days), fewer adverse reactions (0/11 vs. 9/25), and fewer postoperative complications (1/11 vs. 8/25). There were no significant differences in age, gravidity, parity, abortion, gestational age, cardiac pulsation, admission symptoms, hemoglobin level, largest diameter of the sac/mass, serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level at admission, hospitalization expenses, hospitalization days, blood loss during curettage, degree of hCG decline, residue after curettage, fertility requirement, and pregnancy outcomes.ConclusionBoth HIFU and UAE are safe and effective in the treatment of patients with CP. Compared to UAE, HIFU treatment for CP is a safer and more effective therapeutic schedule owing to the advantages of being more minimally invasive, shorter interval time, shorter hospitalization days and recovery time of menstruation, fewer adverse reactions, and fewer postoperative complications.

Evaluation of Rhesus Macaque Models for Cerebral Palsy.

Simple SummaryCerebral palsy (CP) is caused by a non-progressive injury that affects the central nervous system during early development. According to the World Health Organization, CP occurs in approximately 2–4 of 1000 newborns. Animal models, especially non-human primate models, have greatly assisted our understanding of CP, and have provided simulative objects for treatment. In this study, the rhesus macaque CP models were established by partial resection of the motor cortex and the intrathecal injection of bilirubin. We evaluated abnormal posture, motor dysfunction, gross and fine motor behavior, muscular tension of rhesus macaque CP models, and changes in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia, the last of which were observed using magnetic resonance imaging. This model evaluation methodology may guide researchers through the model building process. The findings serve as a reference for establishing and assessing non-human primate CP models.Animal models play a central role in all areas of biomedical research. The similarities in anatomical structure and physiological characteristics shared by non-human primates (NHPs) and humans make NHPs ideal models with which to study human disorders, such as cerebral palsy (CP). However, the methodologies for systematically evaluating NHP models of CP have rarely been assessed, despite the long history of using NHP models to understand CP. Such models should be evaluated using multidisciplinary approaches prior to being used to research the diagnosis and treatment of CP. In this study, we evaluated rhesus macaque CP models established by partial resection of the motor cortex and intrathecal injection of bilirubin. Abnormal posture, motor dysfunction, gross and fine motor behavior, and muscular tension were evaluated, and changes in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia were observed using 9.4 T magnetic resonance imaging. The results clearly demonstrated the utility of the established evaluation methodology for assessing CP models. This model evaluation methodology may guide researchers through the model building process.

TNAP-a potential cytokine in the cerebral inflammation in spastic cerebral palsy.

Objective: Several studies have shown the significance of neuroinflammation in the pathological progress of cerebral palsy (CP). However, the etiology of CP remains poorly understood. Spastic CP is the most common form of CP, comprising 80% of all cases. Therefore, identifying the specific factors may serve to understand the etiology of spastic CP. Our research aimed to find some relevant factors through protein profiling, screening, and validation to help understand the pathogenesis of cerebral palsy.Materials and methods: In the current study, related clinical parameters were assessed in 18 children with spastic CP along with 20 healthy individuals of the same age. Blood samples of the spastic CP children and controls were analyzed with proteomics profiling to detect differentially expressed proteins. On the other hand, after hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) was induced in the postnatal day 7 rat pups, behavioral tests were performed followed by detection of the differentially expressed markers and inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood and cerebral cortex of the CP model rats by Elisa and Western blot. Independent sample t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and the Pearson correlation were used for statistical analysis.Results: Through proteomic analysis, differentially expressed proteins were identified. Among them, tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), the gene expression product of alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), was downregulated in spastic CP. In addition, significantly lower TNAP levels were found in the children with CP and model rats. In contrast, compared with the sham rats, the model rats demonstrated a significant increase in osteopontin and proinflammatory biomarkers in both the plasma and cerebral cortex on the ischemic side whereas serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D and IL-10 were significantly decreased. Moreover, serum TNAP level was positively correlated with serum CRP and IL-10 in model rats.Conclusion: These results suggest that TNAP is the potential molecule playing a specific and critical role in the neuroinflammation in spastic CP, which may provide a promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of spastic CP.