Argon Inhalation for 24 h After Closed-Head Injury Does not Improve Recovery, Neuroinflammation, or Neurologic Outcome in Mice.

Background/objective: In recent years, the noble gas argon (Ar) has been extensively studied for its organ protection properties. While mounting in vitro and in vivo evidence indicates that argon provides neuroprotection in ischemic brain injury, its neuroprotective potential in traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not been evaluated in vivo. We tested the hypothesis that prolonged inhalation of 70% or 79% argon for 24 h after closed-head injury (CHI) improves neurologic outcome and overall recovery at 36 days post-injury.

A novel 8.7-kb mitochondrial genome deletion accurately detects endometriosis in the plasma of symptomatic women.

To evaluate an 8.7-kb mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion as a potential biomarker of endometriosis. We tested the diagnostic accuracy of the 8.

Argon Inhalation for 24 Hours After Onset of Permanent Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats Provides Neuroprotection and Improves Neurologic Outcome.

Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that prolonged inhalation of 70% argon for 24 hours after in vivo permanent or temporary stroke provides neuroprotection and improves neurologic outcome and overall recovery after 7 days.

Design: Controlled, randomized, double-blinded laboratory study.

Setting: Animal research laboratories.

Noninvasive Neurological Monitoring in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Optimal neurologic monitoring methods have not been characterized for patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We assessed the feasibility of noninvasive multimodal neuromonitoring (NMN) to prognosticate outcome. In this prospective observational study, neurologic examinations, transcranial Doppler (TCD), electroencephalography (EEG), and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) were performed at prespecified intervals.

Mitochondrial DNA deletions accurately detect endometriosis in symptomatic females of child-bearing age.

Aim: Accurate noninvasive diagnostic aids for endometriosis are needed. We evaluated mitochondrial DNA deletions as potential biomarkers for endometriosis.

Methods: The diagnostic accuracy of deletions was evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) using well-characterized clinical specimens from all subtypes and stages of endometriosis in a case-control format (n = 182).

A single mitochondrial DNA deletion accurately detects significant prostate cancer in men in the PSA 'grey zone'.

Purpose: To determine the clinical performance of a blood-based test for clinically significant (CS) prostate cancer (PCa) (grade group ≥ 2) intended for use in men with prostate serum antigen levels in the 'grey zone' (PSA < 10 ng/ml). The test quantifies a previously described 3.4 kb mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion.

Early withdrawal of non-anesthetic antiepileptic drugs after successful termination of nonconvulsive seizures and nonconvulsive status epilepticus.

Purpose: Multiple antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are often necessary to treat nonconvulsive seizures (NCS) and nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). AED polypharmacy places patients at risk for adverse side effects and drug-drug interactions. Identifying the likelihood of seizure relapse when weaning non-anesthetic AEDs may provide guidance in the critical care unit.

Mitochondria, prostate cancer, and biopsy sampling error.

Mitochondria and their associated genome are emerging as sophisticated indicators of prostate cancer biology. Alterations in the mitochondrial genome (mtgenome) have been implicated in cell proliferation, metastatic behavior, androgen independence, as a signal for apoptosis, and as a predictor of biochemical recurrence. Somatic mutation patterns in complete mtgenomes are associated with prostate specific antigen levels (PSA) in prostate cancer patients and a large-scale mtgenome deletion (3.

Paired ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive breast cancer lesions in the D-loop of the mitochondrial genome indicate a cancerization field effect.

Alterations in the mitochondrial genome have been chronicled in most solid tumors, including breast cancer. The intent of this paper is to compare and document somatic mitochondrial D-loop mutations in paired samples of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive breast cancer (IBC) indicating a potential breast ductal epithelial cancerization field effect. Paired samples of these histopathologies were laser-captured microdissected (LCM) from biopsy, lumpectomy, and mastectomy tissues.

Concussive brain trauma in the mouse results in acute cognitive deficits and sustained impairment of axonal function.

Concussive brain injury (CBI) accounts for approximately 75% of all brain-injured people in the United States each year and is particularly prevalent in contact sports. Concussion is the mildest form of diffuse traumatic brain injury (TBI) and results in transient cognitive dysfunction, the neuropathologic basis for which is traumatic axonal injury (TAI). To evaluate the structural and functional changes associated with concussion-induced cognitive deficits, adult mice were subjected to an impact on the intact skull over the midline suture that resulted in a brief apneic period and loss of the righting reflex.

Titanic's unknown child: the critical role of the mitochondrial DNA coding region in a re-identification effort.

This report describes a re-examination of the remains of a young male child recovered in the Northwest Atlantic following the loss of the Royal Mail Ship Titanic in 1912 and buried as an unknown in Halifax, Nova Scotia shortly thereafter. Following exhumation of the grave in 2001, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable region 1 sequencing and odontological examination of the extremely limited skeletal remains resulted in the identification of the child as Eino Viljami Panula, a 13-month-old Finnish boy. This paper details recent and more extensive mitochondrial genome analyses that indicate the remains are instead most likely those of an English child, Sidney Leslie Goodwin.

Calpain as a therapeutic target in traumatic brain injury.

The family of calcium-activated neutral proteases, calpains, appears to play a key role in neuropathologic events following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Neuronal calpain activation has been observed within minutes to hours after either contusive or diffuse brain trauma in animals, suggesting that calpains are an early mediator of neuronal damage. Whereas transient calpain activation triggers numerous cell signaling and remodeling events involved in normal physiological processes, the sustained calpain activation produced by trauma is associated with neuron death and axonal degeneration in multiple models of TBI.

Cerebral oxygenation during repetitive apnea in newborn piglets.

This study examined the effect of repetitive apnea on brain oxygen pressure in newborn piglets. Each animal was given 10 episodes of apnea, initiated by disconnecting them from the ventilator and completed by reconnecting them to the ventilation circuit. The apneic episodes were ended 30 sec after the heart rate reached the bradycardic threshold of 60 beats per min.

Circulatory arrest and low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass alter CREB phosphorylation in piglet brain.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest followed by postbypass recovery on the phosphorylation state of transcription factor, cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate response element-binding protein (CREB), in the striatum of neonatal brain.

Methods: Neonatal piglets (1.4 to 2.

CREB phosphorylation following hypoxia and ischemia in striatum of newborn piglets: possible role of dopamine.

The goal of the present study was to determine the effects of hypoxia and ischemia and the role of dopamine on phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in striatum of newborn piglets. Piglets, with and without prior injection of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMT), an inhibitor of dopamine (DA) synthesis, were subjected to 1 h of hypoxia (decreased inspired oxygen pressure, FiO2, from 21 to 6%) or 1 h of ischemia (ligation of both carotid arteries and hemorrhage to reduce the systemic arterial pressure to about 40 mmHg), followed by 2 h recovery. Microvascular oxygen pressure in the cortex (pCO2) was measured by quenching of phosphorescence.

Comparison of low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest on brain oxygen and metabolism.

Background: In the neonatal brain we measured oxygen (Bo(2)), extracellular striatal dopamine (DA), and striatal tissue levels of ortho-tyrosine (o-tyr) during low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass (LFCPB) or deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and the post-bypass recovery period.

Methods: Newborn piglets were assigned to sham (n = 6), LFCPB (n = 8), or DHCA (n = 6) groups. Animals were cooled to 18 degrees C and underwent DHCA or LFCPB (20 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)) for 90 minutes.

Altered gene expression following cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest.

This study investigated the effects of normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and circulatory arrest (DHCA) on expression of specific genes in neonatal piglet brain. CPB was performed through the chest at 100 ml/kg/min for 2 hrs at 37 degrees C. In the second group of animals, CPB was begun as described above and then animals were cooled to a nasopharyngeal/brain temperature of 18 degrees C.

Tissue oxygen tension during regional low-flow perfusion in neonates.

Objective: We examined cerebral cortical and peripheral organ tissue Po(2) values in a neonatal piglet model of regional low-flow perfusion.

Methods: Twenty-one neonatal piglets were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass, were cooled to 18 degrees C, then underwent either deep hypothermic circulatory arrest or regional low-flow perfusion at 20 or 40 mL/(kg x min) for 90 minutes. Regional low-flow perfusion was carried out by advancing the aortic cannula into the proximal innominate artery.

Effect of perfusion flow rate on tissue oxygenation in newborn piglets during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: Our knowledge of the best perfusion flow rate to use during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in order to maintain tissue oxygenation remains incomplete. The present study examined the effects of perfusion flow rate and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) during normothermic CPB on oxygenation in several organ tissues of newborn piglets.

Methods: The experiments were performed on 12 newborn piglets: 6 with PDA ligation (PDA-L), and 6 without PDA ligation (PDA-NL).

Brain oxygenation during cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest.

Quantitative measurements of oxygen distribution in the microcirculation of the brain cortex of newborn piglets were made during different modes of cardiopulmonary bypass. Three groups of animals, anesthetized and mechanically ventilated, were studied. The first group of animals were maintained on normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) at a flow of 100 ml/kg/min, while the second and third groups underwent low flow hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (40 ml/kg/min at 18 degrees C) (LFCPB) and deep hypothermic (18 degrees C) circulatory arrest (DHCA), respectively.