摘要： The article features the journal's editors and members of the editorial board.

关键词： HIV   HAND   NSS  

摘要： HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) include asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI), mild neurocognitive disorder (MND) and HIV-associated dementia. Early recognition of HAND is crucial, and usually requires thorough neuropsychological testing. Neurological soft signs (NSS), i.e. minor motor and sensory changes, a common feature in severe psychiatric disorders, may facilitate early diagnosis. NSS were examined using the Heidelberg NSS Scale in 18 patients with ANI, 21 with MND, 28 HIV positive patients without HAND, and 39 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and education. The highest NSS scores were obtained in the MND patients (13.3 +/- 10.0, p < 0.0001) followed by those with ANI (11.7 +/- 10.6), the HIV positive subjects without neurocognitive deficits (8.0 +/- 4.1) and the healthy controls (3.8 +/- 3.2). This result was confirmed when age and years of school education were entered as covariates. No significant correlations between NSS and CD4 counts or any other clinical variables were found among the HIV positive groups. Our results demonstrate that NSS are frequently found in both ANI and MND but not HIV positive patients without neurocognitive deficits. NSS may facilitate the screening of HIV positive patients for ANI and MND as an easier and less expensive clinical tool.

关键词： TRACHEOTOMY   CARDIAC arrest   ARTIFICIAL respiration   RESPIRATORY insufficiency   HOSPITAL admission & discharge  

关键词： ADHD   Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder   CNS   Central nervous system   CSF   Cerebrospinal fluid   GABHS   Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal   IVIG   Intravenous immunoglobulin   OCD   Obsessive-compulsive disorder   PANDAS   Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection   PANS   Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome   SC   Sydenham chorea  

关键词： MiR-21   Spinal cord injury   Mouse   Signaling pathway  

摘要： To assess the therapeutic effects of microRNA-21 (miR-21) knockdown (KD) for acute thoracic spinal cord contusion using a mouse model. Forty C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: mice in the sham-operated (Sham) group received surgical procedure without spinal cord contusion;the spinal cord injury (SCI) group mice underwent spinal cord contusion without treatment;mice in the miR-21 KD group underwent spinal cord contusion followed by a single dose subdural injection of miR-21 KD vectors (1 x 10(7) TU);and the negative control (NC) group mice were given subdural injection of comparable amount of NC vectors (1 x 10(7) TU) after spinal cord contusion. The Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) was employed to assess hindlimb motor functions. Hematoxylin-eosin and Luxol fast blue staining were performed to evaluate pathologic changes in spinal cord tissues. Peripheral blood serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and mRNA expression of Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Western blotting was performed to analyze the AKT signaling pathway. KD of miRNA-21 effectively improved the BMS scores at day 14 post-surgery compared with the SCI group (p < 0.01). The spinal cord tissue in the miR-21 KD group displayed the most overt histologic signs of recovery, with axonal regeneration and the recovery of neuronal morphology at day 14 post-surgery. Significantly alleviation of TGF-beta 1, TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta was also found in sera from the miR-21 inhibition group in comparison to others, whereas BDNF gene expression was upregulated following miR-21 KD (p < 0.01). Further, significantly decreased AKT phosphorylation activity was illustrated in the miR-21 KD group (p < 0.001). The data suggest that miR-21 KD significantly reduces the inflammatory respo

关键词： Neurological disorder   Neurodegenerative disorder   RIT2   Ras   Parkinson's disease   Autism   Bipolar disorder   Schizophrenia  

摘要： RIT2 gene was recently introduced as a susceptibility gene in neurological disorders, a group of major problems in human society affecting millions of people worldwide. Several variants, including single nucleotide polymorphisms and CNVs, have been identified and studied in different populations. In this review, we have summarized the studies relevant to the RIT2 gene and its related disorders, including Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and autism. The protein product of RIT2 is a member of the Ras superfamily that plays important roles in many vital cellular functions, such as differentiation and survival. We have also investigated the protein network of the RIT2 protein and the diseases related to members of this network so as to obtain some clues for future studies by identifying the molecular pathophysiology of neurological disorders and revealing new possible disorders related to RIT2.

关键词： chronic pain   demyelination   FENS-Kavli   neural plasticity  

摘要： The FENS-Kavli winter symposium was held in December, 2017 at the Institute of Science and Technology, Austria. This short report reviews the session on neurological disorders, which included presentations on recent research into chronic pain, demyelinating disease, Alzheimer's disease and autism spectrum disorder. Key advances, emerging themes and major challenges remaining in the field are discussed.

关键词： Alzheimer disease   amyotrophic lateral sclerosis   HERV-K   HERV-W   humoral immunity   multiple sclerosis  

摘要： Background and purposeHuman endogenous retroviruses (HERV) K/W seem to play a role in fostering and exacerbation of some neurological diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Given these findings, the immunity response against HERV-K and HERV-W envelope surface (env-su) glycoprotein antigens in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was investigated for ALS, multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer's disease patients and in healthy controls. MethodsFour antigenic peptides derived respectively from HERV-K and HERV-W env-su proteins were studied in 21 definite or probable ALS patients, 26 possible or definite relapsing-remitting MS patients, 18 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 39 healthy controls. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was set up to detect specific antibodies (Abs) against env-su peptides. ResultsAmongst the measured levels of Abs against the four different HERV-K peptide fragments, only HERV-K env-su(19-37) was significantly elevated in ALS compared to other groups, both in serum and CSF. Instead, amongst the Abs levels directed against the four different HERV-W peptide fragments, only HERV-W env-su(93-108) and HERV-W env-su(248-262) were significantly elevated, in the serum and CSF of the MS group compared to other groups. In ALS patients, the HERV-K env-su(19-37) Abs levels were significantly correlated with clinical measures of disease severity, both in serum and CSF. ConclusionsIncreased circulating levels of Abs directed against the HERV-W env-su(93-108) and HERV-W env-su(248-262) peptide fragments could serve as possible biomarkers in patients with MS. Similarly, increased circulating levels of Abs directed against the HERV-K env-su(19-37) peptide fragment could serve as a possible early novel biomarker in patients with ALS.

关键词： Acute CO poisoning   Charcoal-burning   Delayed neurological sequelae   Persistent neurological sequelae  

摘要： Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning has recently become a serious health problem in some Asian countries, including Taiwan. The aims of this study are to evaluate the changing trend of CO poisoning and to demonstrate the association between myocardial injury and neurological sequelae of CO poisoning in Taiwan between 1990 and 2011. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all eligible patients with acute CO poisoning reported to the Taiwan National Poison Control Center during the study period. The changing trend of CO poisoning and its impacts on the primary outcomes, i.e., persistent neurological sequelae (PNS) and delayed neurological sequelae (DNS), were then assessed. Results: 786 CO poisoned cases were reported. Among them, 467 cases were intentional. Intentional CO exposure started to become the major cause of CO poisoning in Taiwan in 2002. Increase in the number of intentional CO poisoning significantly correlated with the increase in the overall number of CO poisoning (r = 0.972, p < 0.001). Patients who took tranquilizer (OR = 3.89;95% CI:1.94-7.77), had myocardial injury (OR = 1.70;95% CI:1.03-2.82), had been stayed in intensive care unit (OR = 2.03;95% CI:1.13-3.62), presented with GCS less than 9 (OR = 4.05;95% CI:2.32-7.08) and had abnormal brain image (OR = 14.46;95% CI:5.83-35.83) had a higher risk of PNS. Moreover, patients who were older age (OR = 1.04;95% CI:1.02-1.07), had psychiatric disorder history (OR = 2.82;95% CI:1.35-5.89), had myocardial injury (OR = 1.33;95% CI:1.16-1.53), and presented with GCS less than 9 (OR = 3.23;95% CI:1.65-6.34) had a higher risk of DNS. Conclusion: The pattern of CO poisoning had changed markedly during the study period, with a significant increase in both the numbers of intentional and overall CO poisoning. Moreover, intentional CO poisoning was associated with a higher risk of neurological sequelae, which was mediated by various indicators of poisoning severity such as myocardial injury and GCS