Spinal NF-κB and chemokine ligand 5 expression during spinal glial cell activation in a neuropathic pain model.

BACKGROUND: The NF-κB pathway and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) are involved in pain modulation; however, the precise mechanisms of their interactions in chronic neuropathic pain have yet to be established. METHODS: The present study examined the roles of spinal NF-κB and CCL5 in a neuropathic pain model after chronic constriction injury (CCI) surgery. CCI-induced pain facilitation was evaluated using the Plantar and von Frey tests. The changes in NF-κB and CCL5 expression were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses. RESULTS: Spinal NF-κB and CCL5 expression increased after CCI surgery. Repeated intrathecal infusions of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, a NF-κB inhibitor) decreased CCL5 expression, inhibited the activation of microglia and astrocytes, and attenuated CCI-induced allodynia and hyperalgesia. Intrathecal injection of a CCL5-neutralizing antibody attenuated CCI-induced pain facilitation and also suppressed spinal glial cell activation after CCI surgery. However, the CCL5-neutralizing antibody did not affect NF-κB expression. Furthermore, selective glial inhibitors, minocycline and fluorocitrate, attenuated the hyperalgesia induced by intrathecal CCL5. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibition of spinal CCL5 expression may provide a new method to prevent and treat nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain.

[Review of the developmental history of robotic surgery].

The evolution of minimally invasive surgery has gradually lead to the stage of robotic surgery with unprecedented controllability and precision, little trauma, mild tenderness, rapid recovery, short hospitalization, cosmetic appearance, and prominent superiority. It is now extensively and gradually applied in general surgery, cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, urinary surgery, gynecology and obstetric surgery, orthopedic and ophthalmology surgery, etc. Since the introduction of surgical robots into China at the beginning of the 21(st) century, robotic surgery has been developing steadily.

[The evolution of the origin and connotation of the word Ma Zhui ("anesthesia")].

It has been a long time since people recognized the word "Ma Zhui (anesthesia)" which was also recorded in the medical literature of past generations, for example: anesthesia powder, the magic prescription of toad powder of Huatuo, magic sleeping powder, 'knock-out' drops etc. In 1846, etherization was applied in clinic successfully, since then modern anesthesiology has had a process of more than 150 years during which the concept of the word "anesthesia" changed constantly. Reviewing the evolution of the origin and the concept of the word "anesthesia" can be of benefit to recognize and understand the concept and nature of "anesthesia" to improve clinical anesthesia.

[The cognition and denomination of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome].

The surgical field had put forward the concept of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in 1970' s of 20th century. This concept developed from the original sequential organ failure to multiple system organ failure, and then to multiple organ failure, at last to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Although this developmental process lasted for several decades, the concept of MODS still have many deficiencies and shortcomings until today and need to make further exploration and research.