Cell Transplantation for Repair of the Spinal Cord and Prospects for Generating Region-Specific Exogenic Neuronal Cells.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with currently irreversible consequences in several functional components of the central nervous system. Despite the severity of injury, there remains no approved treatment to restore function. However, with a growing number of preclinical studies and clinical trials, cell transplantation has gained significant potential as a treatment for SCI.

Sensitivity to the initial rewarding effects of alcohol: Influence of age, sex, and β-endorphin.

Background: Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are widespread, devastating and complex. About 20% of people who consume alcohol develop problem use, accounting for over 5% of worldwide deaths. While numerous animal models have facilitated understanding of the consequences of excessive drinking, translational models allow for experimental manipulation of factors thought to contribute to AUD liability.

β-Endorphin and sex differentially modulate the response to EtOH in a site-specific manner.

The effects of alcohol are multifaceted, involving brain circuits regulating reward, motivation, and stress, frequently via the endogenous opioid, beta-endorphin (β-E). It is currently unknown how alcohol affects neural circuit activation in females and how β-E affects ethanol's ability to induce neuronal activation. Therefore, we investigated the impact of acute alcohol treatment on neuronal activation in reward- and stress-related brain circuitry in a sex- and β-E dependent manner.

Stage IV Neuroblastoma with Metastatic Spread to the Mandible in a Young Child: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Background: Infants and young children with neuroblastoma (NB) may present with metastases. The primary tumor most commonly originates in the abdomen and metastasizes to lymph nodes, liver, and bone marrow. Infants and young children presenting with multiple skull metastases are rare.