$st = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM table WHERE name LIKE ?");
$st->execute(array('%'.$test_string.'%'));

$test_string = '%' . $test_string . '%';
$st->bind_param('s', $test_string);
$st->execute();

# oracle
SELECT * FROM table WHERE name LIKE '%' || :param || '%'
# mysql
SELECT * from table WHERE name LIKE CONCAT('%', :param, '%')

"SELECT * FROM table WHERE name LIKE CONCAT(CONCAT('%',?),'%')"

$stmt = mysqli_prepare($con,"SELECT * FROM table WHERE name LIKE ?");
$newParameter='%'.$query.'%';
mysqli_stmt_bind_param($stmt, "s", $newParameter);
mysqli_stmt_execute($stmt);

$dbPassword = "pass";
    $dbUserName = "dbusr";
    $dbServer = "localhost";
    $dbName = "mydb";

    $connection = new mysqli($dbServer, $dbUserName, $dbPassword, $dbName);

    if($connection->connect_errno)
    {
        exit("Database Connection Failed. Reason: ".$connection->connect_error);
    }
        $tempFirstName = "reuel";
    $sql = "SELECT first_name, last_name, pen_name FROM authors WHERE first_name LIKE CONCAT(CONCAT('%',?),'%')";
    //echo $sql;

    $stateObj = $connection->prepare($sql);
    $stateObj->bind_param("s",$tempFirstName);
    $stateObj->execute();
    $stateObj->bind_result($first,$last,$pen);
    $stateObj->store_result();

    if($stateObj->num_rows > 0) {
        while($stateObj->fetch()){
            echo "$first, $last "$pen"";
            echo '<br>';
        }
    }

    $stateObj->close();
    $connection->close();