Near infrared imaging system for preventing blood vision obstruction in endoscopy.

Spinal endoscopy procedure is commonly used in the diagnosis and treatment of various health problems and is effective. Bleeding is one of the most common complications of spinal endoscopy procedures. Blood vision obstruction (BVO), that is, obstruction of the endoscopic camera lens caused by the accumulation of blood in the surgical field, is a serious problem in endoscopic procedures.

Neuroplasticity of peripheral axonal properties after ischemic stroke.

Objective: This study investigated how peripheral axonal excitability changes in ischemic stroke patients with hemiparesis or hemiplegia, reflecting the plasticity of motor axons due to corticospinal tract alterations along the poststroke stage.

Methods: Each subject received a clinical evaluation, nerve conduction study, and nerve excitability test. Nerve excitability tests were performed on motor median nerves in paretic and non-paretic limbs in the acute stage of stroke.

Domain-Specific Cognitive Prosthesis for Face Memory and Recognition.

The present study proposes a cognitive prosthesis device for face memory impairment as a proof-of-concept for the domain-specific cognitive prosthesis. Healthy subjects (n = 6) and a patient with poor face memory were enrolled. An acquaintance face recognition test with and without the use of cognitive prosthesis for face memory impairment, face recognition tests, quality of life, neuropsychological assessments, and machine learning performance of the cognitive prosthesis were followed-up throughout four weeks of real-world device use by the patient.

Current and Potential Pharmacologic Therapies for Traumatic Brain Injury.

The present article reviewed the pharmacologic therapies of traumatic brain injury (TBI), including current and potential treatments. Pharmacologic therapies are an essential part of TBI care, and several agents have well-established effects in TBI care. In the acute phase, tranexamic acid, antiepileptics, hyperosmolar agents, and anesthetics are the mainstay of pharmacotherapy, which have proven efficacies.

Altered sensory nerve excitability in fibromyalgia.

Background/purpose: To investigate nerve excitability changes in patients with fibromyalgia and the correlation with clinical severity.

Methods: We enrolled 20 subjects with fibromyalgia and 22 sex and age-matched healthy subjects to receive nerve excitability test and nerve conduction study to evaluate the peripheral axonal function.

Results: In the fibromyalgia cohort, the sensory axonal excitability test revealed increased superexcitability (%) (P = 0.

Immune-mediated axonal dysfunction in seropositive and seronegative primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective: The present study investigates the peripheral neuropathy in Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) using the nerve excitability test to further elucidate how peripheral nerves are affected by the autoantibodies.

Methods: Each patient received clinical evaluation, examination for anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies titer, paired motor and sensory nerve excitability test, thermal quantitative sensory test (QST), and nerve conduction study (NCS).

Results: A total of 40 pSS patients wasenrolled.

Novel Insights into the Pathogenesis of Spinal Sarcopenia and Related Therapeutic Approaches: A Narrative Review.

Spinal sarcopenia is a complex and multifactorial disorder associated with a loss of strength, increased frailty, and increased risks of fractures and falls. In addition, spinal sarcopenia has been associated with lumbar spine disorders and osteoporosis, which renders making decisions on treatment modalities difficult. Patients with spinal sarcopenia typically exhibit lower cumulative survival, a higher risk of in-hospital complications, prolonged hospital stays, higher postoperative costs, and higher rates of blood transfusion after thoracolumbar spine surgery.

Early sensory neurophysiological changes in prediabetes.

Aims/introduction: To elucidate whether axonal changes arise in the prediabetic state and to find a biomarker for early detection of neurophysiological changes.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled asymptomatic diabetes patients, as well as prediabetic and normoglycemic individuals to test sensory nerve excitability, and we analyzed those findings and their correlation with clinical profiles.

Results: In nerve excitability tests, superexcitability in the recovery cycle showed increasing changes in the normoglycemic, prediabetes and diabetes cohorts (-19.

Elucidating Unique Axonal Dysfunction Between Nitrous Oxide Abuse and Vitamin B12 Deficiency.

Abuse of nitrous oxide (NO) has an unusually high lifetime prevalence in developed countries and represents a serious concern worldwide. Myeloneuropathy following the inhalant abuse is commonly attributed to the disturbance of vitamin B12 metabolism, with severe motor deficits are often noted. The present study aims to elucidate its underlying pathophysiology.

Uncovering sensory axonal dysfunction in asymptomatic type 2 diabetic neuropathy.

This study investigated sensory and motor nerve excitability properties to elucidate the development of diabetic neuropathy. A total of 109 type 2 diabetes patients were recruited, and 106 were analyzed. According to neuropathy severity, patients were categorized into G0, G1, and G2+3 groups using the total neuropathy score-reduced (TNSr).

Sensory axonal dysfunction in cervical radiculopathy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in sensory axonal excitability in the distal nerve in patients with cervical radiculopathy.

Methods: The patients were classified by the findings of cervical MRI into two subgroups: 22 patients with C6/7 root compression and 25 patients with cervical cord and root compression above/at C6/7. Patients were investigated using conventional nerve conduction studies (NCS) and nerve excitability testing.

Early identification of 'acute-onset' chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Distinguishing patients with acute-onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy from acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy prior to relapse is often challenging at the onset of their clinical presentation. In the present study, nerve excitability tests were used in conjunction with the clinical phenotype and disease staging, to differentiate between patients with acute-onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and patients with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy at an early stage, with the aim to better guide treatment. Clinical assessment, staging and nerve excitability tests were undertaken on patients initially fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy soon after symptom onset and their initial presentation.

Updates on current advances in gene therapy.

Gene therapy is the attempt to treat diseases by means of genetic manipulation. Numerous challenges remain to be overcome before it becomes available as a safe and effective treatment option. Retroviruses and adenoviruses are among the most commonly used viral vectors in trials.

Recent progressions in stem cell research: breakthroughs achieved and challenges faced.

Stem cell studies have been conducted to study characteristics of stem cells, to develop better techniques for patient-specific stem cell lines generation, and to explore the therapeutic potential of stem cells. Techniques that enable efficient generation of new stem cell lines would facilitate research and allow generation of patient-specific stem cell lines for transplantation therapy. Somatic-Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), which involves injection of donor cell nucleus into enucleated ovum, is the standard technique for new embryonic stem (ES) cell lines generation; presently its efficiency is low.