A multi-body dynamics study on a weight-drop test of rat brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), induced by impact of an object with the head, is a major health problem worldwide. Rats are a well-established animal analogue for study of TBI and the weight-drop impact-acceleration (WDIA) method is a well-established model in rats for creating diffuse TBI, the most common form of TBI seen in humans. However, little is known of the biomechanics of the WDIA method and, to address this, we have developed a four-degrees-of-freedom multi-body mass-spring-damper model for the WDIA test in rats. An analytical expression of the maximum skull acceleration, one of the important head injury predictor, was derived and it shows that the maximum skull acceleration is proportional to the impact velocity but independent of the impactor mass. Furthermore, a dimensional analysis disclosed that the maximum force on the brain and maximum relative displacement between brain and skull are also linearly proportional to impact velocity. Additionally, the effects of the impactor mass were examined through a parametric study from the developed multi-body dynamics model. It was found that increasing impactor mass increased these two brain injury predictors.     

Neuron-glia communication: metallothionein expression is specifically up-regulated by astrocytes in response to neuronal injury

Recent data suggests that metallothioneins (MTs) are major neuroprotective proteins within the CNS. In this regard, we have recently demonstrated that MT-IIA (the major human MT-I/-II isoform) promotes neural recovery following focal cortical brain injury. To further investigate the role of MTs in cortical brain injury, MT-I/-II expression was examined in several different experimental models of cortical neuron injury. While MT-I/-II immunoreactivity was not detectable in the uninjured rat neocortex, by 4 days, following a focal cortical brain injury, MT-I/-II was found in astrocytes aligned along the injury site. At latter time points, astrocytes, at a distance up to several hundred microns from the original injury tract, were MT-I/-II immunoreactive. Induced MT-I/-II was found both within the cell body and processes. Using a cortical neuron/astrocyte co-culture model, we observed a similar MT-I/-II response following in vitro injury. Intriguingly, scratch wound injury in pure astrocyte cultures resulted in no change in MT-I/-II expression. This suggests that MT induction was specifically elicited by neuronal injury. Based upon recent reports indicating that MT-I/-II are major neuroprotective proteins within the brain, our results provide further evidence that MT-I/-II plays an important role in the cellular response to neuronal injury.     

牛磺酸对脑创伤大鼠的脑保护作用

目的:探讨牛磺酸(Tau)预处理对弥漫性脑创伤(TBI)大鼠脑皮层超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活力、丙二醛(MDA)含量、脑含水量(BWC)和脑皮层水孔通道蛋白4(AQP4)表达的影响。方法:复制大鼠TBI模型,分为假手术组(S组)、TBI组(T组)、低剂量Tau组(L组)和高剂量Tau组(H组),用比色法测定脑皮层匀浆液中SOD活力和MDA含量;干/湿法测定BWC;免疫组织化学检测脑皮层AQP4的表达。结果:T组大鼠脑皮层SOD活力显著低于S组,T组MDA含量、BWC和脑皮层AQP4的表达显著高于S组;H、L组脑皮层SOD活力显著高于T组,H、L组MDA含量、BWC和脑皮层AQP4的表达显著低于T组;H、L组之间差异无显著性。结论:Tau可能通过清除TBI后产生的的氧自由基、下调TBI大鼠脑皮层AQP4的表达减轻脑水肿,发挥其脑保护作用。     

Astrocytes in injury states rapidly produce anti-inflammatory factors and attenuate microglial inflammatory responses

Microglia are known to be a primary inflammatory cell type in the brain. However, microglial inflammatory responses are attenuated in the injured brain compared to those in cultured pure microglia. In the present study, we found that astrocytes challenged by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) or H(2) O(2) released soluble factor(s) and attenuated microglial inflammatory responses. Conditioned medium prepared from astrocytes treated with OGD (OGD-ACM) or H(2) O(2) (H(2) O(2) -ACM) significantly reduced the levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-induced microglial inflammatory mediators, including inducible nitric oxide synthase, at both the mRNA and protein levels. The anti-inflammatory effect of astrocytes appeared very rapidly (within 5min), but was not closely correlated with the extent of astrocyte damage. Both OGD-ACM and H(2) O(2) -ACM inhibited STAT nuclear signaling, as evidenced by a reduction in both STAT-1/3 binding to the IFN-γ-activated site and IFN-γ-activated site promoter activity. However, both phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT-1/3 was unchanged in IFN-γ-treated microglia. The active component(s) in OGD-ACM were smaller than 3kDa, and displayed anti-inflammatory effects independent of protein synthesis. These results suggest that, in the injured brain, astrocytes may act as a controller to rapidly suppress microglial activation.     

Eupatilin alleviates inflammatory response after subarachnoid hemorrhage by inhibition of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB axis

Early brain injury (EBI) is associated with the adverse prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients. The key bioactive component of the Chinese herbal medicine Artemisia asiatica Nakai (Asteraceae) is eupatilin. Recent research reports that eupatilin suppresses inflammatory responses induced by intracranial hemorrhage. This work is performed to validate whether eupatilin can attenuate EBI and deciphers its mechanism. A SAH rat model was established by intravascular perforation in vivo. At 6 h after SAH in rats, 10 mg/kg eupatilin was injected into the rats via the caudal vein. A Sham group was set as the control. In vitro, BV2 microglia was treated with 10 μM Oxyhemoglobin (OxyHb) for 24 h, followed by 50 μM eupatilin treatment for 24 h. The SAH grade, brain water content, neurological score, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of the rats were measured 24 h later. The content of proinflammatory factors was detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot analysis was conducted to analyze the expression levels of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway-associated proteins. In vivo, eupatilin administration alleviated neurological injury, and decreased brain edema and BBB injury after SAH in rats. Eupatilin markedly reduced the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and suppressed the expression levels of MyD88, TLR4, and p-NF-κB p65 in the SAH rats' cerebral tissues. Eupatilin treatment also reduced the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and repressed the expression levels of MyD88, TLR4, and p-NF-κB p65 in OxyHb-induced BV2 microglia. Additionally, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate or resatorvid enhanced the suppressive effects of eupatilin on OxyHb-induced inflammatory responses in BV2 microglia. Eupatilin ameliorates SAH-induced EBI via modulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway in rat model.     

Clinical characteristics and pathophysiological mechanisms of focal and diffuse traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a frequent and clinically highly heterogeneous neurological disorder with large socioeconomic consequences. TBI severity classification, based on the hospital admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, ranges from mild (GCS 13–15) and moderate (GCS 9–12) to severe (GCS ≤ 8). The GCS reflects the risk of dying from TBI, which is low after mild (∼1%), intermediate after moderate (up to 15%) and high (up to 40%) after severe TBI. Intracranial damage can be focal, such as epidural and subdural haematomas and parenchymal contusions, or diffuse, for example traumatic axonal injury and diffuse cerebral oedema, although this distinction is somewhat arbitrary. Study of the cellular and molecular post-traumatic processes is essential for the understanding of TBI pathophysiology but even more to find therapeutic targets for the development of neuroprotective drugs to be eventually used in human beings. To date, studies in vitro and in vivo, mainly in animals but also in human beings, are unravelling the pathological TBI mechanisms at high pace. Nevertheless, TBI pathophysiology is all but completely elucidated. Neuroprotective treatment studies in human beings have been disappointing thus far and have not resulted in commonly accepted drugs. This review presents an overview on the clinical aspects and the pathophysiology of focal and diffuse TBI, and it highlights several acknowledged important events that occur on molecular and cellular level after TBI.     

液压脑损伤大鼠大脑皮质突触素的动态变化

目的:探讨液压脑损伤后突触素在皮质区表达的动态变化.方法:应用液压脑损伤复制脑损伤动物模型,应用免疫组织化学和计算机图像分析技术定量分析皮质受损区突触素表达的动态变化.结果:突触素在皮质受伤区表达呈现两次高峰:分别为3～12h和15～30d,90d表达接近正常.结论:突触素在皮质受伤区第2次表达增高可能与脑的结构和功能恢复有关.急性期表达增高则可能与脑的直接损伤有关.     

A possible mechanism for the hypoxia-hypoglycemia-induced release of excitatory amino acids from cultured hippocampal astrocytes

In order to elucidate the mechanism of release of excitatory amino acid (EAA) induced by hypoxiahypoglycemia (in vitro ischemia) from cultured hippocampal astrocytes, we compared the EAA release by in vitro ischemia with those by other treatments. The EAA release induced by in vitro ischemia treatment was rapid and reversible. The amount of released aspartate was comparable to that of glutamate, although the endogenous content of aspartate was one sixth that of glutamate. High-K (100 mM) treatment and the addition of 5 mM NaCN induced a rapid EAA release and the glutamate release was much greater than aspartate. Addition of 5 mM iodoacetate, a glycolysis inhibitor, induced a slow EAA release, and the amount of released aspartate was much higher than that of glutamate. On the other hand, the in vitro ischemia treatment and the addition of 5 mM NaCN induced only 20% reduction in ATP content for initial 5 min, whereas the addition of 5 mM iodiacetate induced a marked reduction. Our data suggest that ischemia-induced EAA release from astrocytes is a complex process in which local energy failure, inhibition of glycolysis, and depolarization of the cell membrane are involved.Abbreviations used EAA excitatory amino acids - PEI polyethyleneimine - DMEM Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium - HKR Hepesbuffered Krebs-Ringer solution     

大鼠二次脑损伤后脑组织SOD及MDA的变化研究

目的:观察大鼠二次脑损伤后脑组织SOD及MDA的变化,进一步探讨过氧化反应在二次脑损伤机制中的作用。方法:90只雄性SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组(A组)、弥漫性脑损伤组(B组)和二次脑损伤组(C组),建模成功后,分别于伤后1 h、3 h、6h、12 h、24 h、48 h处死动物,取额叶组织匀浆,分别测定大鼠脑内SOD及MDA的含量。结果:伤后1h开始,B、C组中SOD含量呈现先上升后下降的趋势,并随时间呈持续下降趋势直至伤后24 h,C组较B组下降程度更加明显(P0.05);伤后3 h,B、C组中SOD含量均增高,B组增高程度和速率均高于C组(P0.05)。伤后1 h开始,B、C组MDA含量呈升高趋势,并于24小时达峰值,C组升高趋势较B组更显著,伤后6 h、24 h、48 h,C组与B组之间相比统计学差异显著(P0.05)。结论:创伤性脑损伤及二次脑损伤后,脑组织内过氧化反应明显加重,SOD及MDA均出现明显变化,二次脑损伤的过氧化反应较脑损伤组更加严重且持续时间更长,且MDA较SOD的变化具有滞后性。     

Finite element modeling of human brain response to football helmet impacts

The football helmet is used to help mitigate the occurrence of impact-related traumatic (TBI) and minor traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) in the game of American football. While the current helmet design methodology may be adequate for reducing linear acceleration of the head and minimizing TBI, it however has had less effect in minimizing mTBI. The objectives of this study are (a) to develop and validate a coupled finite element (FE) model of a football helmet and the human body, and (b) to assess responses of different regions of the brain to two different impact conditions – frontal oblique and crown impact conditions. The FE helmet model was validated using experimental results of drop tests. Subsequently, the integrated helmet–human body FE model was used to assess the responses of different regions of the brain to impact loads. Strain-rate, strain, and stress measures in the corpus callosum, midbrain, and brain stem were assessed. Results show that maximum strain-rates of 27 and 19 s^?1 are observed in the brain-stem and mid-brain, respectively. This could potentially lead to axonal injuries and neuronal cell death during crown impact conditions. The developed experimental-numerical framework can be used in the study of other helmet-related impact conditions.     

急诊绿色通道提高颅脑外伤患者救治效果的体会

目的:评价建立急诊绿色通道对救治颅脑外伤患者的价值.方法:采用回顾性分析方法,收集我院2007年1月～2012年1月救治的颅脑外伤患者199例,其中急诊绿色通道组111例(A组)和非急诊绿色通道组88例(B组)的救治情况进行比较,分析两组救治的疗效、死亡率及预后.结果:199例颅脑外伤患者中,绿色通道组(A组)111例(55.78％),死亡26例(23.42％),对照组88例(44.22％),死亡30例(34.09％).A组的有效治疗时间较B组明显缩短,差异有统计学意义(0.01＜P＜0.05);A组硬膜外血肿(33例)的术前血肿量少于B组(30例),预后较B组好,差异有统计学意义(0.01＜P＜0.05);A组的中重型颅脑外伤的死亡率明显低于B组,差异有统计学意义(0.01＜P＜0.05),两组特重性颅脑外伤的死亡率仍较高,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论:急诊绿色通道可缩短颅脑外伤患者救治等待时间,改善中重型颅脑外伤患者的预后.     

N-Terminal Arginylation of Sciatic Nerve and Brain Proteins Following Injury

N-terminal protein arginylation has been demonstrated in vitro and in situ and has been reported to increase following injury to sciatic nerves of rats. The present study attempts to demonstrate these reactions in vivo by applying [³H]Arg to the cut end of sciatic nerves in anesthetized rats and assaying for N-terminal arginylation using Edman chemistry and acid precipitation of labeled proteins in the proximal nerve segment. No evidence was found for arginylation in an aqueous soluble fraction. However, N-terminal arginylation was detected in a urea soluble fraction at 2 hours after nerve crush. The data show that arginylation of rat sciatic nerve proteins occurs in vivo and suggest that the arginylated proteins formed an aqueous insoluble/urea soluble aggregate after arginylation. In other experiments, rat brains were injured and assayed for arginylation in vitro to test the hypothesis that injury causes an up-regulation of these reactions. Results showed an activation of the reaction at 2 hours post crush and indicate that increases in N-terminal arginylation are likely to be a general response to injury in nervous tissue.     

Change in plasma visfatin level after severe traumatic brain injury

Higher plasma visfatin concentration has been associated with ischemic stroke. Thus, we sought to investigate change in plasma visfatin level after traumatic brain injury and to evaluate its relation with disease outcome. Seventy-six healthy controls and 98 patients with acute severe traumatic brain injury were recruited. Twenty-seven patients (27.6%) died and 48 patients (49.0%) suffered from unfavorable outcome (Glasgow outcome scale score of 1–3) in 6 months. On admission, plasma visfatin level was increased in patients than in healthy controls and was highly correlated with Glasgow Coma Scale score. A multivariate analysis identified plasma visfatin level as an independent predictor for 6-month mortality and unfavorable outcome. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the predictive value of the plasma visfatin concentration was similar to Glasgow Coma Scale score's. In a combined logistic-regression model, visfatin did not improve the predictive value of Glasgow Coma Scale score. Thus, increased plasma visfatin level is associated with 6-month clinical outcomes after severe traumatic brain injury.     

Towards reducing impact-induced brain injury: lessons from a computational study of army and football helmet pads

We use computational simulations to compare the impact response of different football and U.S. Army helmet pad materials. We conduct experiments to characterise the material response of different helmet pads. We simulate experimental helmet impact tests performed by the U.S. Army to validate our methods. We then simulate a cylindrical impactor striking different pads. The acceleration history of the impactor is used to calculate the head injury criterion for each pad. We conduct sensitivity studies exploring the effects of pad composition, geometry and material stiffness. We find that (1) the football pad materials do not outperform the currently used military pad material in militarily relevant impact scenarios; (2) optimal material properties for a pad depend on impact energy and (3) thicker pads perform better at all velocities. Although we considered only the isolated response of pad materials, not entire helmet systems, our analysis suggests that by using larger helmet shells with correspondingly thicker pads, impact-induced traumatic brain injury may be reduced.     

Foxj1 在脑外伤后的表达变化

目的:探讨脑外伤后Foxj1在脑组织中的表达变化及其意义。方法:建立大鼠脑外伤模型,利用Western blot和免疫组织化学方法检测脑外伤后Foxj1在脑组织中表达的变化。结果:Western blot显示大鼠脑外伤后,Foxj1的表达逐步增高,伤后3 d升至最高点,之后逐渐降低;免疫组织化学的结果与Western blot一致。结论:脑外伤后Foxj1在脑组织中的表达增高,这种增高的表达参与了脑外伤后脑组织的病理生理和生化变化。     

肌苷促进脑损伤后神经功能恢复的实验研究

目的：中枢损伤是目前致残率最高的疾病之一,肌苷对于神经损伤后功能恢复的促进作用已经成为研究热点,本研究拟建立一侧前肢瘫痪的大鼠脑外伤模型,证实肌苷治疗促进中枢损伤后上肢功能恢复的有效性,同时初步探索其机制。方法：建立一侧运动皮层冲击损毁的大鼠模型,通过肢体不对称实验、抓取实验等行为学观察证实其惠侧上肢功能受损,后在实验组进行肌苷药物14天,观察28天内上肢功能的恢复情况,与对照组作对比。证实其行为学上的有效性,同时对损伤侧大脑进行顺行BDA染色,探索其内在机制。结果：通过28天的观察发现经过肌苷治疗的的实验组大鼠肢体不对称实验、抓取实验等行为学评分明显好于隐性对照组,顺行BDA染色证实其有促进损伤周围健存皮层突触再生和代偿的作用。结论：肌苷可以促进中枢损伤后大鼠残存神经元得突触再生,使其大脑能在最大程度上代偿其丧失的功能,该药物可能会成为一种新的中枢损伤治疗的前体药物。