Retrieval of Entrapped Embolic Protection Device during Carotid Artery Stenting: A Case Report.

Aim: This study aims to report a rare case of an embolization protection device (EPD) entrapment during Carotid Artery Stent (CAS) and to discuss the management strategy, including open surgery and concurrent carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Case Presentation: A 71-year-old female presented with left limb weakness and unclear speech following CAS. Imaging revealed a new cerebral infarction and right internal carotid artery stenosis.

Elevated serum and cerebrospinal fluid levels of Interleukin-4 related to poor outcome of Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease that seriously jeopardizes human life and health. Some studies have shown that although Interleukin-4 (IL-4) acts as an anti-inflammatory factor, IL-4 levels are elevated when the disease occurs. This study focuses on exploring the relationship between IL and 4 concentrations in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and poor outcome in patients with aSAH.

Computed tomographic angiography to analyze dangerous vertebral artery anomalies at the craniovertebral junction in patients with basilar invagination.

Objective: Failure to detect dangerous anatomic vertebral artery anomalies (AVAAs) and dangerous functional vertebral artery anomalies (FVAAs) at the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) in patients with basilar invagination (BI) can result in major complications such as intraoperative vertebral artery injury, brain infarctions, and even death. Iatrogenic vertebral artery injury is a rare but severe complication of cervical spine surgery. We aimed to evaluate dangerous vertebral artery anomalies at the CVJ in patients with BI using computed tomographic angiography (CTA).

Hypertonic saline improves brain edema resulting from traumatic brain injury by suppressing the NF-κB/IL-1β signaling pathway and AQP4.

Although hypertonic saline (HS) has been extensively applied to treat brain edema in the clinic, the precise mechanism underlying its function remains poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of HS in brain edema in terms of aquaporins and inflammatory factors. In the present study, traumatic brain injury (TBI) was established in male adult Sprague-Dawley rats, which were continuously administered 10% HS by intravenous injection for 2 days.

TRIM28 is overexpressed in glioma and associated with tumor progression.

Background: Tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) is a transcriptional co-factor targeting many genes with pleiotropic biological activities, but the study on the role of TRIM28 in glioma is rare.

Methods: To explore the function of TRIM28 in glioma, we first detected the expression levels of TRIM28 in glioma tissues and analyzed the correlations of TRIM28 expression with clinicopathological variables of patients in 85 cases of glioma. Meanwhile, we used shRNA to knockdown TRIM28 in glioma cell lines to detect the biological functions of TRIM28 in cell and animal experiments.

Ketohexokinase is involved in fructose utilization and promotes tumor progression in glioma.

Many studies have pinpointed that fructose could be utilized as a carbon source in some cancers, and we also defined that glioma cells could utilize fructose to maintain themselves survival and proliferation depending on GLUT5 expression recently. However, ketohexokinase (KHK), as a key enzyme involved in fructose catabolism, drew less attention in cancers, especially in glioma. In the present study, we first analyzed the expression levels of KHK in glioma tissues and the correlations of KHK expression with clinicopathological variables of patients with glioma.

GLUT5 increases fructose utilization and promotes tumor progression in glioma.

Fructose is now such an important component of human diets, and several studies have found that some cancer cells could utilize fructose to overcome low glucose micro-environment, but the study on the role of fructose in glioma is rare. To explore the role of fructose in glioma, we detected the proliferation and colony formation ability of glioma cells in fructose medium, and found that the abilities of proliferation and colony formation of glioma cells in fructose medium were similar with abilities in glucose medium, however, fructose just partly restored proliferation ability of normal glial cells. To explore the mechanism, we compared the expression level of GLUT5 (Glucose transporter type 5) in these cell lines, and the results showed that glioma cell lines had higher GLUT5 expression than normal glial cell lines.

Tirofiban combined with urokinase selective intra-arterial thrombolysis for the treatment of middle cerebral artery occlusion.

The aims of the present study were to establish a model of embolic stroke in rabbits and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intra-arterially administered tirofiban combined with urokinase thrombolysis. The middle cerebral artery occlusion model (MCAO) of embolic stroke was established in New Zealand rabbits via an autologous clot. The model rabbits were allocated at random into four groups: Tirofiban group (T group), urokinase group (UK group), tirofiban and urokinase group (T + UK group) and the control group (C group).

Feasibility and limitations of C1 lateral mass screw placement in patients of atlas assimilation.

Background: C1 lateral mass is a common place for screw fixation in normal anatomy; whereas there is no research about whether screw placement is suitable in patients of C1 assimilation (C1A).

Objective: To study the feasibility and limitations of C1 lateral mass screw placement in patients with C1A.

Patients And Methods: From April 2008 to March 2009, C1 lateral mass of 17 C1A patients with atlantoaxial instability (AAI) or dislocation (AAD) was observed and measured using CT reconstruction; and factors determining C1 lateral mass screw placement were studied before and during the operation.