Publications by authors named "Lucy He"

Plasticity of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) nociceptors in the peripheral nervous system requires new protein synthesis. This plasticity is believed to be responsible for the physiological changes seen in DRG nociceptors in animal models of chronic pain. Experiments in human DRG (hDRG) neurons also support this hypothesis, but a direct observation of nascent protein synthesis in response to a pain promoting substance, like interleukin-6 (IL-6), has not been measured in these neurons.

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Diabetic neuropathic pain is associated with elevated plasma levels of methylglyoxal (MGO). MGO is a metabolite of glycolysis that causes mechanical hypersensitivity in mice by inducing the integrated stress response (ISR), which is characterized by phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (p-eIF2α). Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins that neutralize MGO.

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Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a challenging condition to treat, and arises due to severe, dose-limiting toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs such as paclitaxel. This often results in debilitating sensory and motor deficits that are not effectively prevented or alleviated by existing therapeutic interventions. Recent studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of Meteorin, a neurotrophic factor, in reversing neuropathic pain in rodent models of peripheral nerve injury induced by physical trauma.

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We aimed to investigate a sexually dimorphic role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in rodent models of pain. Based on findings in migraine where CGRP has a preferential pain-promoting effect in female rodents, we hypothesized that CGRP antagonists and antibodies would attenuate pain sensitization more efficaciously in female than male mice and rats. In hyperalgesic priming induced by activation of interleukin 6 signaling, CGRP receptor antagonists olcegepant and CGRP both given intrathecally, blocked, and reversed hyperalgesic priming only in females.

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With sharp increasing in biological sequences, the traditional sequence alignment methods become unsuitable and infeasible. It motivates a surge of fast alignment-free techniques for sequence analysis. Among these methods, many sorts of feature vector methods are established and applied to reconstruction of species phylogeny.

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Background: The configuration of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA) complex is important in the endovascular treatment of AcomA complex aneurysms. In cases of codominant anterior cerebral arteries (ACA), coil embolization may result in inadvertent occlusion of the contralateral ACA due to poor visualization. A second diagnostic catheter in the contralateral carotid artery may help with visualization of this angiographic blind spot.

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Background: In an era of continued advancements in endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms, novel developments concerning microsurgical clipping are sparse. The Lazic aneurysm clip system represents such an advancement. The applier has a malleable shaft and is designed to minimally obstruct the view of the surgical field.

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Background: To date, the use of the flow-diverting Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) for small intracranial aneurysms (≤ 7 mm) has been reported only in single-center series.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the PED in a multicenter cohort.

Methods: Five major academic institutions in the United States provided data on patient demographics, aneurysm features, and treatment characteristics of consecutive patients with aneurysms ≤ 7 mm treated with a PED between 2009 and 2015.

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OBJECTIVE The success of endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization may have associations with age, etiology of hydrocephalus, previous shunting, cisternal scarring, and possibly aqueduct patency. This study aimed to measure interrater reliability among surgeons in identifying cisternal scarring and aqueduct patency. METHODS Using published definitions of cistern scarring and aqueduct patency, 7 neuroendoscopists with training from Dr.

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Silent pituitary corticotroph carcinomas are rare, with only six previously described cases in the literature. We report a patient with a silent pituitary corticotroph adenoma treated with multiple trans-sphenoidal resections. Twelve years after her initial presentation, she returned with leptomeningeal metastases to the posterior fossa, foramen magnum, and numerous other subarachnoid locations involving the spine.

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Curative transarterial embolization of noncavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) is challenging. We sought to evaluate the role of the middle meningeal artery (MMA) in endovascular treatment of these lesions. We performed a retrospective cohort study on patients who underwent transarterial Onyx embolization of a noncavernous sinus dAVFs with contribution from the MMA at a major academic institution in the United States from January 2009 to January 2015.

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OBJECTIVE Contemporary treatment for paraophthalmic artery aneurysms includes flow diversion utilizing the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED). Little is known, however, about the potential implications of the anatomical relationship of the ophthalmic artery (OA) origin and aneurysm, especially in smaller aneurysms. METHODS Four major academic institutions in the United States provided data on small paraophthalmic aneurysms (≤ 7 mm) that were treated with PED between 2009 and 2015.

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Background And Purpose: Despite rapid advancements in intracranial aneurysm management, there is no evidence as of yet that this has translated into improvement in overall prognosis.

Methods: We compared 2 periods of aneurysm management, 1998 to 2003 (n=1023 aneurysms) and 2007 to 2013 (n=1499 aneurysms), at a single, high-volume neurovascular center. Our outcome of interest was low or moderate disability (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 4 or 5) at 6 months or more post treatment.

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We report a patient with non-dermatomal radiating neck pain without focal neurologic deficit. Traditional workup could not identify an anatomic or biomechanical cause. Imaging showed a deep cervical vessel centered in the region of pain.

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We report a patient with non-dermatomal radiating neck pain without focal neurologic deficit. Traditional workup could not identify an anatomic or biomechanical cause. Imaging showed a deep cervical vessel centered in the region of pain.

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Background And Purpose: The safety of using adult-sized neuroendovascular devices in the smaller pediatric vasculature is not known. In this study we measure vessel diameters in the cervical and cranial circulation in children to characterize when adult-approved devices might be compatible in children.

Methods: For 54 children without vasculopathy (mean age 9.

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OBJECT Paragangliomas are highly vascular head and neck tumors for which preoperative embolization is often considered to facilitate resection. The authors evaluated their initial experience using a dual-lumen balloon to facilitate preoperative embolization in 5 consecutive patients who underwent preoperative transarterial Onyx embolization assisted by the Scepter dual-lumen balloon catheter between 2012 and 2014. OBJECT The authors reviewed the demographic and clinical records of 5 patients who underwent Scepter-assisted Onyx embolization of a paraganglioma followed by resection between 2012 and 2014.

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Background And Objective: Adhesions and scarring of the subcutaneous tissue to the dura mater or dural substitute often complicate cranioplasty. We present our experience with epidural bovine pericardium as a barrier membrane to minimize adhesions and facilitate separation of tissue layers.

Methods: A cohort of patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy and subsequent cranioplasty at a major academic institution in the United States from August 2007 to October 2013 and had epidural bovine pericardium placed as a barrier membrane was retrospectively reviewed.

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Aneurysms associated with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are well represented in the literature. Their exact etiology is poorly understood, but likely global hemodynamic changes coupled with vascular wall pathology play into their formation. Flow-related and intranidal aneurysms, in particular, appear to have an increased risk for hemorrhagic presentation.

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Agents that promote tissue regeneration could be beneficial in a variety of clinical settings, such as stimulating recovery of the hematopoietic system after bone marrow transplantation. Prostaglandin PGE2, a lipid signaling molecule that supports expansion of several types of tissue stem cells, is a candidate therapeutic target for promoting tissue regeneration in vivo. Here, we show that inhibition of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), a prostaglandin-degrading enzyme, potentiates tissue regeneration in multiple organs in mice.

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Herniation, with possible embolization, of coils into the parent vessel following aneurysm coiling remains a frequent challenge. For this reason, balloon or stent assisted embolization remains an important technique. Despite the use of balloon remodeling, there are occasions where, on deflation of the balloon, some coils, or even the entire coil mass, may migrate.

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Herniation, with possible embolization, of coils into the parent vessel following aneurysm coiling remains a frequent challenge. For this reason, balloon or stent assisted embolization remains an important technique. Despite the use of balloon remodeling, there are occasions where, on deflation of the balloon, some coils, or even the entire coil mass, may migrate.

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A novel clustering method is proposed to classify genes and genomes. For a given DNA sequence, a binary indicator sequence of each nucleotide is constructed, and Discrete Fourier Transform is applied on these four sequences to attain respective power spectra. Mathematical moments are built from these spectra, and multidimensional vectors of real numbers are constructed from these moments.

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Background: Intraoperative bleeding is a significant risk in surgery for highly vascular spinal tumors, but preoperative embolization can safely decrease intraoperative blood loss in extrinsic spine tumors. Onyx, widely used for cerebrovascular embolization, has been increasingly used as an embolic agent for preoperative spinal tumor embolization. The Scepter catheter, a dual-lumen balloon catheter, may improve tumor parenchymal penetration without the danger and limitations of significant embolic reflux.

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