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Many central nervous system (CNS) disorders lack approved treatment options. Previous research demonstrated that peptide CAQK can bind to chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) in the extracellular matrix of the CNS. In vivo studies have investigated CAQK conjugated to nanoparticles containing therapeutic agents with varying methodologies/outcomes. This paper presents the first systematic review assessing its properties, applications, and outcomes secondary to its use. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was performed across multiple databases. Studies utilizing CAQK as a therapeutic agent/homing molecule in animal/human models were selected. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Mice and rats were the predominant animal models. All studies except one used CAQK to deliver a therapeutic agent. The reviewed studies mostly included models of brain and spinal cord injuries. Most studies had intravenous administration of CAQK. All studies demonstrated various benefits and that CAQK conjugation facilitated localization to target tissues. No studies directly evaluated the effects of CAQK alone. The data are limited by the heterogeneity in study methodologies and the lack of direct comparison between CAQK and conjugated agents. Overall, these findings present CAQK utilization to deliver a therapeutic agent as a promising targeting strategy in the management of disorders where CSPGs are upregulated.

BackgroundLaminectomy with fusion (LF) and laminoplasty (LP) are common posterior decompression procedures used to treat multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). There is debate on their relative efficacy and safety for treatment of DCM. The goal of this study is to examine outcomes and costs of LF and LP procedures for DCM.MethodsThis is a retrospective review of adult patients (.05). Patients were successfully weaned off opioids at similar rates (LF: 88%, LP: 86%). Fixed and variable costs respectively with LF cases hospital were higher, 15.7% and 25.7% compared to LP cases (p=.03 and p

Pressure control cam dislocation is a rare finding in patients with a programmable shunt valve that should be considered when evaluating patients with signs and symptoms of shunt malfunction. The objective of this paper is to review the mechanism, clinical presentation, and radiographic findings associated with pressure control cam (PCC) dislocation, in addition to presenting a novel case to add to the scarce literature on this topic. A systematic review of the literature were performed using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane from database inception. PCC dislocation is exceedingly rare and can present with no symptoms, positional headache, neck pain, nausea, or vomiting. Skull x-ray findings demonstrate a clear black X at the distal end of the valve, due to the PCC disarticulation from atop the base plate of the plastic valve housing. Intraoperatively, a Y-shaped crack atop the plastic valve housing may be present and the PCC may be fully separated from the shunt or found at the distal end of the plastic valve housing. Prior reports of dislocation of the PCC have occurred 7-9 years after implantation, with inciting events including direct trauma, programmable valve adjustment, and utilization 3-Tesla magnetic resonance image scan.

Back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the prevalence and morbidity of lower back pain, we still lack a gold-standard treatment that restores the physiological function of degenerated intervertebral discs. Recently, stem cells have emerged as a promising strategy for regenerative therapy for degenerative disc disease. In this study, we review the etiology, pathogenesis, and developing treatment strategies for disc degeneration in low back pain with a focus on regenerative stem cell therapies. A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE/Embase/Clinical Trials.gov databases was conducted for all human subject abstracts or studies. There was a total of 10 abstracts and 11 clinical studies (1 RCT) that met the inclusion criteria. The molecular mechanism, approach, and progress of the different stem cell strategies in all studies are discussed, including allogenic bone marrow, allogenic discogenic cells, autologous bone marrow, adipose mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), human umbilical cord MSC, adult juvenile chondrocytes, autologous disc derived chondrocytes, and withdrawn studies. Clinical success with animal model studies is promising; however, the clinical outcomes of stem cell regenerative therapy remain poorly understood. In this systematic review, we found no evidence to support its use in humans. Further studies on efficacy, safety, and optimal patient selection will establish whether this becomes a viable, non-invasive therapeutic option for back pain.

The most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction is degenerative cervical myelopathy. It manifests as spinal cord compression and neurological impairment. Since the spinal cord is complex and works with many organs, it is challenging to measure spinal cord function in patients with DCM. mJOA is widely used to assess DCM but is problematic due to comorbidities and interobserver bias.

Damage to the spinal cord (SC) can arise from either traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) [...].

Malignant melanoma of the rectum is an exceedingly rare type of cancer with an aggressive presentation, comprising up to 4% of all anorectal cancers. Presentation of this cancer tends to occur in individuals in their late 80s, with nonspecific symptoms such as anal pain or rectal bleeding. Diagnosing rectal melanoma, especially in early stages, is difficult due to its amelanotic presentation and lack of pigmentation, which results in poor remission rates and prognosis. Furthermore, surgical treatment is difficult as these types of malignant melanomas tend to spread along submucosal planes; thus, complete resections are impractical, especially if caught later. In this case report, we present the radiological and pathological features as seen in a 76-year-old man diagnosed with rectal melanoma. Based on his presentation of a heterogeneous bulky anorectal mass with extensive local invasion, initial impressions were colorectal carcinoma. However, surgical pathology found the mass to be a c-KIT+ melanoma, with positive SOX10, Melan-A, HMB-45, and CD117 biomarkers. While the patient was treated with imatinib, the melanoma was too widespread and aggressive, leading to progression and ultimately death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]