APOE ε4-associated downregulation of the IL-7/IL-7R pathway in effector memory T cells: Implications for Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele exerts a significant influence on peripheral inflammation and neuroinflammation, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

Methods: The present study enrolled 54 patients diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD; including 28 APOE ε4 carriers and 26 non-carriers). Plasma inflammatory cytokine concentration was assessed, alongside bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Alzheimer's disease phenotype based upon the carrier status of the apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele.

The apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele (APOE4) is universally acknowledged as the most potent genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). APOE4 promotes the initiation and progression of AD. Although the underlying mechanisms are unclearly understood, differences in lipid-bound affinity among the three APOE isoforms may constitute the basis.

Increase of ALCAM and VCAM-1 in the plasma predicts the Alzheimer's disease.

Cell adhesion molecules (CAM) are crucial in several pathological inflammation processes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, their potential for clinical diagnostics remains unknown. The present investigation evaluated the clinical significance of ALCAM, VCAM-1, NCAM, and ICAM-1 levels in the plasma of participants with cognitive impairment (44 patients with mild cognitive impairment, 71 patients with Alzheimer's dementia, and 18 patients with other dementia) and 28 controls with normal cognitive ability.

Learning from magnetotactic bacteria: protects stem cells from oxidative damage.

Oxidative damage generally exists in stroke and impairs stem cells' survival; however, the problem is difficult to treat. In order to help stem cells to resist this damage, we inserted a magnetotactic bacteria (MB) gene, , into the neural stem cell genome by lentiviral transfection. It was found that the transfection of significantly improved the survival rate of stem cells in the condition of iron overload but not hypoxia.

Minimal invasive trans-eyelid approach to anterior and middle skull base meningioma: a preliminary study of Shanghai Huashan hospital.

Transpalpebral or trans-eyelid approach is a modified trans-orbital access to lesions of anterior cranial fossa and sellar region. But whether this approach is also suitable for tumors extending laterally to the temporal lobe or middle cranial fossa is not clarified. We would like to share our experiences from the cadaveric anatomy study to clinical operations.

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging for predicting the consistency of intracranial meningiomas.

Background: The ability of preoperative MRI-sequences to predict the consistency of intracranial meningiomas has not yet been clearly defined. We aim to demonstrate that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) improves the prediction of intracranial meningiomas consistency.

Methods: We prospectively studied 110 meningioma patients operated on in a single center from March 1st to the 25th of May 2012.

Lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma: our experience with 19 cases and a systematic literature review.

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis, pathology, and differential diagnosis of LPM by analyzing our experience and reviewed relevant literature. We also postulated the necessity of postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Methods: 19 patients with LPM underwent surgical treatment from 2007 through 2010 in our department.

Papillary meningioma: clinical and histopathological observations.

Papillary meningioma is a rare subtype of malignant meningiomas, which is classified by the World Health Organization as Grade III. Because of lack of large sample size case studies, many of the specific characteristics of papillary meningioma are unclear. This study investigated by retrospective analysis the clinical, radiological and histopathological findings of 17 papillary meningioma patients who underwent surgical resection or biopsy, to assess the characteristics of papillary meningioma.

Reprogramming of adult human neural stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells.

Background: Since an effective method for generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from human neural stem cells (hNSCs) can offer us a promising tool for studying brain diseases, here we reported direct reprogramming of adult hNSCs into iPSCs by retroviral transduction of four defined factors.

Methods: NSCs were successfully isolated and cultured from the hippocampus tissue of epilepsy patients. When combined with four factors (OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC), iPSCs colonies were successfully obtained.

Histopathological classification and location of consecutively operated meningiomas at a single institution in China from 2001 to 2010.

Background: Meningioma is one of the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system, but there are not many detailed studies on the sex, age, subtypes and locations of large series. This study was a retrospective analysis of the characteristics of meningioma cases consecutively operated on at a single institution in China from 2001 to 2010.

Methods: This study investigated the demographic background of 7084 meningioma cases, and the subtypes and locations of the tumors.

Secretory meningiomas: clinical, radiological and pathological findings in 70 consecutive cases at one institution.

Secretory meningioma (SM) is a rare, benign subtype of meningioma. Between January 2005 and December 2010, 70 SMs were operated on at the Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data, radiological and immunohistochemical findings, and patient outcome to discuss the specific features of SMs.

Preoperative surgical planning for intracranial meningioma resection by virtual reality.

Background: The Dextroscope system by Volume Interactions (Singapore) had been applied to minimally invasive neurosurgery in many units. This system enables the neurosurgeon to interact intuitively with the three-dimensional graphics in a direct manner resembling the way one communicates with the real objects. In the paper, we explored its values in pre-operation surgical planning for intracranial meningiomas resection.

Preoperative lanreotide treatment in acromegalic patients with macroadenomas increases short-term postoperative cure rates: a prospective, randomised trial.

Objective: To investigate whether 4-month preoperative lanreotide treatment would improve the surgical cure rate of newly diagnosed acromegalic patients with macroadenomas.

Design: A prospective, randomised study.

Methods: After a baseline evaluation, patients were randomly assigned to 4-month preoperative treatment with lanreotide (starting with 30 mg/2 weeks i.

[The value of three-dimensional 64-multi-slices helical computer tomography on the diagnosis of diseases of digestive system].

Objective: To study the value of three-dimensional 64-slice helical computer tomography (64-MSCT) in diagnosis and surgical treatment on diseases of digestive system.

Methods: From November 2005 to August 2006, 64-MSCT was performed on 102 patients suspected of digestive diseases to display foci of infection, hepatic conduit, biliary-pancreatic duct and portal venous system, followed by three-dimensional reconstruction of those targets. The reconstructed images as well as the data obtained from the reconstruction were compared with the surgical results.

Epigenetics and neural stem cell commitment.

Neural stem cell is presently the research hotspot in neuroscience. Recent progress indicates that epigenetic modulation is closely related to the self-renewal and differentiation of neural stem cell. Epigenetics refer to the study of mitotical/meiotical heritage changes in gene function that cannot be explained by changes in the DNA sequence.