Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a form of neuropathic pain occurring after limb amputation, and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear, posing significant challenges for clinical management. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS), a neuromodulation technique, has shown potential in relieving chronic pain, though its long-term efficacy and safety in treating PLP require further validation. This report presents a case of a 42-year-old male experiencing persistent radiating, lightning-like pain [Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score 8-9], following right upper limb amputation. Preoperative imaging revealed signal loss in the right nerve roots at C₆-T₁. A percutaneous electrode was implanted surgically to achieve full coverage of the painful region. Five days postoperatively, the VAS score dropped to 2-3, and after 1 year of follow-up, the patient continued to experience significant pain relief (VAS 1-2), with complete resolution of depressive symptoms and cessation of analgesic medication. Existing studies suggest that the long-term outcomes of SCS may fluctuate, and attention should be paid to potential complications such as infection and electrode displacement.
Humans ; Phantom Limb/therapy* ; Male ; Adult ; Spinal Cord Stimulation/methods* ; Electrodes, Implanted ; Amputation, Surgical/adverse effects*

Astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) exhibit diverse reactive phenotypes under neuropathic conditions, yet the mechanisms driving this diversity and its implications in chronic pain remain unclear. Here, we report that spared nerve injury (SNI) induces marked upregulation of both complement component 3 (C3⁺, A1-like) and S100 calcium-binding protein A10 (S100A10⁺, A2-like) astrocyte subpopulations in the SDH, with elevated microglial cytokines including interleukin-1α, tumor necrosis factor-α, and complement component 1q. Transcriptomic, immunohistochemical, and Western blot analyses reveal co-activation of multiple reactive astrocyte states over a unidirectional shift toward an A1-like phenotype. Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8), a neuroprotective factor via FGFR3, mitigated microglia-induced C3⁺ astrocyte reactivity in vitro and suppressed spinal C3 expression and mechanical allodynia following intrathecal administration in SNI mice. These findings reveal a microglia-astrocyte signaling axis that promotes A1 reactivity and position FGF8 as a promising therapeutic candidate for neuropathic pain by modulating astrocyte heterogeneity.
Animals ; Astrocytes/drug effects* ; Neuralgia/pathology* ; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/physiology* ; Male ; Mice ; Microglia/drug effects* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 8/pharmacology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Hyperalgesia/drug therapy* ; Spinal Cord/drug effects* ; Complement C3/metabolism* ; Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn/metabolism*

Objective:To investigate the real experience of early postoperative kinesiophobia in school-aged children after limb frac-ture surgery.Methods:A descriptive qualitative research method was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with sixteen children with limb fractures and their families in the ward of pediatric orthopedics in a grade A tertiary hospital in Chongqing,China,and a con-tent analysis was used to summarize and extract key themes from the interview data.Results:Three main themes and ten subthemes were extracted.The theme of pain cognition and catastrophic thinking included the subthemes of children's pain perception and activ-ity restriction,parents'pain perception and catastrophic reactions,and the interactive influence of pain cognition among different indi-viduals;the theme of medical education and risk perception included the subthemes of fear and concerns about refracture,the relation-ship between personality traits,help-seeking behavior,and internal-ized anxiety,and the impact of medical education on risk percep-tion;the theme of psychosocial stress and self-motivation included the subthemes of family members'attitudes toward academic inter-ruption,children's social disruption and compensatory media use,the mutual influence of compensatory indulgence and reinforced sick role behavior,and positive reinforcement enhancing children's self-driven recovery.Conclusion:Healthcare providers should closely monitor the recovery of limb motor function in the early stage af-ter surgery in children with fractures and provide personalized medical services and rehabilitation guidance to children and their fami-lies based on the pain perception,personality traits,and rehabilitation needs of children.

To study the effect of soybean isoflavones(SI) on thymocytes in irradiated mice. Method: Ninety male mice were randomly divided into control group, irradiated group, irradiated plus 0.5% dose SI group. After 2w feeding, the mice received 4.0 Gy 137Cs ?-radiation. The cell cycles,cell apoptosis and proliferation of thymocytes and thymus index were observed in irradiated mice after 12h, 24h, 1w and 2w. Results: After the mice were irradiated, the thymus became significantly atrophic, and the rate of cell apoptos and the cell cycles of G0-G1 phase in thymocytes were significantly increased (P

Nutritional studies were made on eleven elderly male hospitalized patients (60-83 years old) receiving nasogastric feeding for from several months to as long as 10 years duration.The major nutrients intake obtained was listed in table 1. According to the physical examination, biochemical parameter of the blood and nitrogen balance, the average intake 1722 kcal of enegy (1175-2700 kcal) and 82.4 g of protein (52.6-117.3g) probably met the need of the patients. Vitamin status (B1 B2 C) by blood and urine examination was rather good because of taking additional vitamin preparation regularly daily besides meal sources. Blood cholesterol concentration was moderately higher (339.3mg/dl) than the normal value possibly due to excessive daily intake. It suggested that the intake of cholesterol should be restricted.A better nasogastric feeding regimen was presented and discussed.