Safety and Validity of Anterior Cervical Disc Replacement for Single-level Cervical Disc Disease: Initial Two-year Follow-up of the Prospective Observational Post-marketing Surveillance Study for Japanese Patients.

Anterior cervical disc replacement (ACDR) using cervical artificial disc (CAD) has the advantage of maintaining the range of motion (ROM) at the surgical level, subsequently reducing the postoperative risk of adjacent disc disease. Following the approval for the clinical use in Japan, a post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study was conducted for two different types of CAD, namely, Mobi-C (metal-on-plastic design) and Prestige LP (metal-on-metal design). The objective of this prospective observational multicenter study was to analyze the first 2-year surgical results of the PMS study of 1-level ACDR in Japan.

Fully automatic REM sleep stage-specific intervention systems using single EEG in mice.

Sleep stage-specific intervention is widely used to elucidate the functions of sleep and their underlying mechanisms. For this intervention, it is imperative to accurately classify rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. However, the proof of fully automatic real-time REM sleep classification in vivo has not been obtained in mice.

Pathophysiology and surgical treatment of spinal adhesive arachnoid pathology: patient series.

Background: Spinal adhesive arachnoid pathology is a rare cause of myelopathy. Because of rarity and variability, mechanisms of myelopathy are unknown. The authors retrospectively analyzed patients to understand pathophysiology and provide implications for surgical treatment.

Ischemic complications in the neurosurgical and endovascular treatments of craniocervical junction arteriovenous fistulas: a multicenter study.

Objective: A recent comparative analysis between neurosurgical and endovascular treatments for craniocervical junction (CCJ) arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) revealed better treatment outcomes in the neurosurgery group than in the endovascular group. This finding was attributed to the higher than expected rate of ischemic complications in the endovascular group than in the neurosurgery group (26% vs 7.7%, p = 0.

Neurosurgical versus endovascular treatment of craniocervical junction arteriovenous fistulas: a multicenter cohort study of 97 patients.

Objective: Craniocervical junction (CCJ) arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are treated using neurosurgical or endovascular options; however, there is still no consensus on the safest and most effective treatment. The present study compared the treatment results of neurosurgical and endovascular procedures for CCJ AVFs, specifically regarding retreatment, complications, and outcomes.

Methods: This was a multicenter cohort study authorized by the Neurospinal Society of Japan.

Real-time, automatic, open-source sleep stage classification system using single EEG for mice.

We developed a real-time sleep stage classification system with a convolutional neural network using only a one-channel electro-encephalogram source from mice and universally available features in any time-series data: raw signal, spectrum, and zeitgeber time. To accommodate historical information from each subject, we included a long short-term memory recurrent neural network in combination with the universal features. The resulting system (UTSN-L) achieved 90% overall accuracy and 81% multi-class Matthews Correlation Coefficient, with particularly high-quality judgements for rapid eye movement sleep (91% sensitivity and 98% specificity).

Nitrate-Responsive Suppression of Dimethyl Sulfoxide Respiration in a Facultative Anaerobic Haloarchaeon, Haloferax volcanii.

Haloferax volcanii is a facultative anaerobic haloarchaeon that can grow using nitrate or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a respiratory substrate under anaerobic conditions. Comparative transcriptome analysis of denitrifying and aerobic cells of H. volcanii indicated extensive changes in gene expression involving the activation of denitrification, suppression of DMSO respiration, and conversion of the heme biosynthetic pathway under denitrifying conditions.

Remapping of Adult-Born Neuron Activity during Fear Memory Consolidation in Mice.

The mammalian hippocampal dentate gyrus is a unique memory circuit in which a subset of neurons is continuously generated throughout the lifespan. Previous studies have shown that the dentate gyrus neuronal population can hold fear memory traces (i.e.

Metabolic fingerprints of fear memory consolidation during sleep.

Metabolites underlying brain function and pathology are not as well understood as genes. Here, we applied a novel metabolomics approach to further understand the mechanisms of memory processing in sleep. As hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons are known to consolidate contextual fear memory, we analyzed real-time changes in metabolites in the dentate gyrus in different sleep-wake states in mice.

Calcium imaging of adult-born neurons in freely moving mice.

Adult-born neurons (ABNs) in the dentate gyrus bestow unique cellular plasticity to the mammalian brain. We recently found that the activity of ABNs during sleep is necessary for memory consolidation. Here, we describe our method for Ca imaging of ABN activity using a miniaturized fluorescent microscope and sleep recordings.

Secondary Chiari malformation due to enlarged spinal arachnoid villi-like structure: illustrative case.

Background: Secondary Chiari malformation can be caused by various disorders associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage at the spinal level. In this report, the authors describe a rare case of secondary Chiari malformation caused by excessive CSF absorption through the enlarged spinal arachnoid villi-like structure.

Observations: A 20-year-old woman presented with progressive severe headache and posterior neck pain.

Sparse Activity of Hippocampal Adult-Born Neurons during REM Sleep Is Necessary for Memory Consolidation.

The occurrence of dreaming during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep prompts interest in the role of REM sleep in hippocampal-dependent episodic memory. Within the mammalian hippocampus, the dentate gyrus (DG) has the unique characteristic of exhibiting neurogenesis persisting into adulthood. Despite their small numbers and sparse activity, adult-born neurons (ABNs) in the DG play critical roles in memory; however, their memory function during sleep is unknown.

Memory consolidation during sleep and adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

In anticipation of the massive burden of neurodegenerative disease within super-aged societies, great efforts have been made to utilize neural stem and progenitor cells for regenerative medicine. The capacity of intrinsic neural stem and progenitor cells to regenerate damaged brain tissue remains unclear, due in part to the lack of knowledge about how these newly born neurons integrate into functional circuitry. As sizable integration of adult-born neurons naturally occurs in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus, clarifying the mechanisms of this process could provide insights for applying neural stem and progenitor cells in clinical settings.

Options of Management of the Patient with Mild Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.

Surgical management of patients with mild degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is controversial. This article reviews 84 subjects with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) who underwent surgical treatment. Nine had mild myelopathy: 6 CSM and 3 OPLL.

Double Crush of L5 Spinal Nerve Root due to L4/5 Lateral Recess Stenosis and Bony Spur Formation of Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebra Pseudoarticulation: A Case Report and Review.

We present a case of double-crushed L5 nerve root symptoms caused by inside and outside of the spinal canal with spur formation of the lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV). A 78-year-old man presented with 7-year history of moderate paresis of his toe and left leg pain when walking. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed spinal stenosis at the L3/4 and 4/5 spinal levels and he underwent wide fenestration of both levels.

Chronic Spinal Subdural Hematoma Associated with Antiplatelet Therapy.

Background: Spinal subdural hematoma is a rare clinical entity marked by the onset of pain and paralysis, which is usually associated with hemorrhagic disorders, trauma, and iatrogenic causes such as lumbar puncture or epidural anesthesia.

Case Description: A 71-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with 2 weeks' history of bilateral lower leg pain, dysesthesia, paraparesis, and urinary disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging showed characteristic findings at the thoracolumbar spine, and surgical evacuation successfully treated this condition.

Surgical Outcome of Children and Adolescents with Tethered Cord Syndrome.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: To compare long-term results of surgery with the outcomes of symptomatic and asymptomatic tethered cord syndrome (TCS) in children and adolescents and to assess the surgery duration for those with TCS.

Overview Of Literature: Pediatric patients with TCS continue to pose significant diagnostic and management challenges.

Clinical Factors for Prognosis and Treatment Guidance of Spinal Cord Astrocytoma.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Purpose: To obtain information useful in establishing treatment guidelines by evaluating baseline clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with spinal cord astrocytoma (SCA).

Overview Of Literature: The optimal management of SCA remains controversial, and there are no standard guidelines.

Methotrexate-associated EBV-positive vasculitis in the skin: a report of two cases simulating rheumatoid vasculitis.

Rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) is one of the most serious extra-articular complications of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), generally treated with a high dose of immunosuppressive drugs. Recently, we encountered two cases of ulcerative vasculitis in methotrexate (MTX)-prescribed RA patients, which simulated RV; however, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNA in situ hybridization on their skin biopsies revealed many EBV-positive lymphocytes (over 50 cells/high-power field) within the vessel walls and perivascular stroma, which led us to the diagnosis of EBV-related vasculitis instead of RV. Subsequently, both ulcers regressed after the discontinuation of MTX and no recurrence was noted during the follow-up period.

Surgical Outcomes of High-Grade Spinal Cord Gliomas.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain useful information for establishing the guidelines for treating high-grade spinal cord gliomas.

Overview Of Literature: The optimal management of high-grade spinal cord gliomas remains controversial.

Cervical spinal cord injuries associated with resuscitation from fatal circulatory collapse.

Introduction: Fatal cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) associated with collapse of the circulatory and/or respiratory system usually consists of high cervical SCI caused by high-energy trauma. As the elderly population grows, however, the etiology of fatal SCI may be changing. The aim of the present study was to understand the current clinical features of fatal SCI.

NKp46 regulates the production of serine proteases and IL-22 in human mast cells in urticaria pigmentosa.

NKp46 (natural cytotoxic receptor 1/CD335) is expressed on natural killer cells and Th2-type innate lymphocytes. However, NKp46 expression in human mast cells has not yet been reported. Here, we explored the expression of, and possible role played by, NKp46 in such cells.