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Objectives. There is much evidence suggesting that inflammation contributes majorly to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-induced cerebral vasospasm and brain injury. miRNAs have been found to modulate inflammation in several neurological disorders. This study investigated the effect of miR-195-5p on SAH-induced vasospasm and early brain injury in experimental rats. Methods. Ninety-six Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly and evenly divided into a control group (no SAH, sham surgery), a SAH only group, a SAH + NC-mimic group, and a SAH + miR-195-5p group. SAH was induced using a single injection of blood into the cisterna magna. Suspensions containing NC-mimic and miR-195-5p were intravenously injected into rat tail 30 mins after SAH was induced. We determined degree of vasospasm by averaging areas of cross-sections the basilar artery 24h after SAH. We measured basilar artery endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-k B), phosphorylated NF-k B (p-NF-k B), inhibitor of NF-k B (Ik Bα) and phosphorylated-Ik Bα (p-Ik Bα). Cell death assay was used to quantify the DNA fragmentation, an indicator of apoptotic cell death, in the cortex, hippocampus, and dentate gyrus. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels were measured using sample protein obtained from the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and dentate gyrus. Results. Prior to fixation by perfusion, there were no significant physiological differences among the control and treatment groups. SAH successfully induced vasospasm and early brain injury. MiR-195-5p attenuated vasospasam-induced changes in morphology, reversed SAH-induced elevation of iNOS, p-NF-k B, NF-k B, and p-Ik Bα and reversed SAH-induced suppression of eNOS in the basilar artery. Cell death assay revealed that MiR-195-5p significantly decreased SAH-induced DNA fragmentation (apoptosis) and restored TNF-α level in the dentate gyrus. Conclusion. In conclusion, MiRNA-195-5p attenuated SAH-induced vasospasm by upregulating eNOS, down-regulating iNOS and inhibiting the NF-k B signaling pathway. It also protected neurons by decreasing SAH-induced apoptosis-related cytokine TNF-α expression in the dentate gyrus. Further study is needed to elucidate the detail mechanism underlying miR-195-5p effect on SAH-induced vasospasm and cerebral injury. We believe that MiR-195-5p can potentially be used to manage SAH-induced cerebral vasospasm and brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The antinociceptive effect of an aqueous extract from the leaves of Toona sinensis (TS, [A. Juss., M. Roem.]) was studied using the writhing test in mice. Methods: Different extraction fractions from TS leaf extracts (TSL1 to TSL5) were administered orally 1 h before intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid. Results: After treatment with TSL1, TSL2, TSL3, TSL4, and TSL5 at a dose of 1 g/kg, the respective writhing responses were 39.9% (P < 0.001), 19.9% (P < 0.05), 11.7% (P = 0.052), 8.1% (P = 0.188), and 11.4% (P = 0.057) lower than the control group. Mice treated with TSL1 at 1 g/kg (39.9%, P < 0.001), 0.3 g/kg (38.0%, P < 0.001), 0.1 g/kg (46.9%, P < 0.001), and 0.03 g/kg (31.1%, P < 0.001) had significantly lower writhing responses compared with control mice. A time-course experiment was performed, which involved oral administration of TSL1 (0.1 g/kg) at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 6 h before acetic acid intraperitoneal injection. The most effective dose of TSL1 was 0.1 g/kg orally, with the effect beginning 30 min before treatment and persisting until 6 h. Conclusions: This study showed that TS has anti-visceral pain properties comparable with those of rofecoxib (a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor) and diclofenac, which suggests promise for the treatment of intractable visceral pain in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral vasospasm is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). However, the mechanism and adequate treatment of vasospasm are still elusive. In the present study, we evaluate the effect and possible mechanism of progesterone on SAH-induced vasospasm in a two-hemorrhage rodent model of SAH. Progesterone (8mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected in ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats one hour after SAH induction. The degree of vasospasm was determined by averaging the cross-sectional areas of basilar artery 7 days after first SAH. Expressions of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and phosphorylated Akt (phospho-Akt) in basilar arteries were evaluated. Prior to perfusion fixation, there were no significant differences among the control and treated groups in physiological parameters recorded. Progesterone treatment significantly (P < 0.01) attenuated SAH-induced vasospasm. The SAH-induced suppression of eNOS protein and phospho-Akt were relieved by progesterone treatment. This result further confirmed that progesterone is effective in preventing SAH-induced vasospasm. The beneficial effect of progesterone might be in part related to upregulation of expression of eNOS via Akt signaling pathway after SAH. Progesterone holds therapeutic promise in the treatment of cerebral vasospasm following SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The aims of this study were to evaluate the predictive value of admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, duration of unconsciousness, neurosurgical intervention, and countercoup lesion on the impairment of memory and processing speed functions six months after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on a structural equation modeling. Methods. Thirty TBI patients recruited from Neurosurgical Department at the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital were administered the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III processing speed index to evaluate the memory and processing speed functions. Results. The study showed that GCS scores accounted for 40% of the variance in memory/processing speed. No significant predictive effects were found for the other three variables. GCS classification at the time of TBI seems to correspond moderately to the severity of memory/processing speed dysfunctions. Conclusions. The present study demonstrated that admission GCS score is a robust predictor of memory/processing speed dysfunctions after TBI. The results should be replicated with a large sample of patients with TBI, or be extended by examining other potential clinical predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary A very rare case of a giant nondural-based cauda equina meningioma with multiple cysts was presented. Spinal meningioma most commonly occurs in the thoracic or cervical region and typically adheres to the dura. Only six cases of nondural-based meningioma have been reported in English literature. All occurred in the cauda equina region. These patients were predominantly female and younger than those with typical intraspinal meningioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]