University of Southern California and buck institute nathan shock center: multidimensional models of aging.

The USC-Buck Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Biology of Aging is a new and fully integrated multi-institutional center focused on training the next generation of geroscientists and providing access to cutting-edge geroscience technologies to investigators across the nation. The USC-Buck NSC is devoted to forging a deeper understanding of how and why aging processes cause disease in order to advance the translation of basic research on aging into effective preventions and therapies. Including more than 61 NIA-supported investigators, six NIA-funded research centers, four NIA T32s, and several additional aging research centers of excellence, the USC-Buck NSC constitutes one of the largest collections of leaders in geroscience research within the USA; the unique nature of the USC-Buck NSC research infrastructure ensures an integrated organization that is representative of the wide breadth of topics encompassed by the biology of aging field. By leveraging the 25-year-long relationship, current collaborations and joint administrational activities of the University of Southern California and the Buck Institute for Aging Research, the USC-Buck NSC aims to enhance and expand promising research in the biology of aging at both at the and to make a positive impact across California, the nation and throughout the world. Specialized cores provide services to all Shock Center members, as well as provide support for services to the community at large.

Epidural Lysis of Adhesions

As our population ages and the rate of spine surgery continues to rise, the use epidural lysis of adhesions (LOA) has emerged as a popular treatment to treat spinal stenosis and failed back surgery syndrome. There is moderate evidence that percutaneous LOA is more effective than conventional ESI for both failed back surgery syndrome, spinal stenosis, and lumbar radiculopathy. For cervical HNP, cervical stenosis and mechanical pain not associated with nerve root involvement, the evidence is anecdotal. The benefits of LOA stem from a combination of factors to include the high volumes administered and the use of hypertonic saline. Hyaluronidase has been shown in most, but not all studies to improve treatment outcomes. Although infrequent, complications are more likely to occur after epidural LOA than after conventional epidural steroid injections.

Effects of priming with pancuronium or rocuronium on intubation with rocuronium in children

Rocuronium is a non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent which has a rapid onset and intermediate duration of action. The goal of this study was to compare the neuromuscular blocking actions of rocuronium with and without a priming dose of pancuronium or rocuronium in children. Thirty patients were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Ten patients received a single dose of 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium (Group I). The others received either 0.015 mg/kg pancuronium (Group II) or 0.06 mg/kg rocuronium (Group III) 3 minutes before an intubating dose of 0.54 mg/kg rocuronium was given. Neuromuscular blockade was measured via accelerographic response to single stimulations (1 Hz) of the ulnar nerve until maximal twitch depression was reached followed by train-of-four (TOF) stimuli (2 Hz) at 15 second intervals for the remainder of recovery. Groups were compared with regard to onset time, duration and recovery indices. The onset time and duration of block did not differ significantly between groups. However, the time to recovery in group II (24.5 +/- 9.9 min) was significantly prolonged compared to that in group I (12.7 +/- 3.1 min) or group III (12.7 +/- 3.9 min). We concluded that the use of rocuronium with a preceding dose of either pancuronium or rocuronium provided no advantage for intubation in children.