No abstract

The cytokine activin C is mainly expressed in small-diameter dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and suppresses inflammatory pain. However, the effects of activin C in neuropathic pain remain elusive. Experimental Approach: Male rats and wild-type and TRPV1 knockout mice with peripheral nerve injury-sciatic nerve axotomy and spinal nerve ligation in rats; chronic constriction injury (CCI) in miceprovided models of chronic neuropathic pain. Ipsilateral lumbar (L)4-5 DRGs were assayed for activin C expression. Chronic neuropathic pain animals were treated with intrathecal or locally pre-administered activin C or the vehicle. Nociceptive behaviours and pain-related markers in L4-5 DRGs and spinal cord were evaluated. TRPV1 channel modulation by activin C was measured. Key Results: Following peripheral nerve injury, expression of activin βC subunit mRNA and activin C protein was markedly up-regulated in L4-5 DRGs of animals with axotomy, SNL or CCI.

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in infants for congenital biliary atresia (BA) poses various challenges nowadays. We aim to investigate independent preoperative risk factors for LDLT in infants. We retrospectively analyzed medical records of infant patients who underwent LDLT surgery for BA from 1 July 2014 to 31 December 2016. Cox regression was used to explore risk factors. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the recipient and graft survival, and subgroup analysis was then applied according to the risk factors. Independent t test or Mann-Whitney U test was applied for comparison of certain factors between survival patients and death.A total of 345 infant LDLT for BA were included in the analysis. In the multivariate Cox-regression model, 3 factors were determined as independent risk factors for recipient and graft survival, there were neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), pediat-