Publications by authors named "John Donahue"

Glioblastoma (GB) is a highly heterogeneous type of incurable brain cancer with a low survival rate. Intensive ongoing research has identified several potential targets; however, GB is marred by the activation of multiple pathways, and thus common targets are highly sought. The signal regulatory scaffold IQGAP1 is an oncoprotein implicated in GB.

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  • Rare cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology can sometimes present as parkinsonism, but these occurrences as initial symptoms of AD are not frequently reported.
  • A clinical case study showed that a patient had symptoms resembling idiopathic Parkinson's disease for 12 years, with dementia emerging 6 years after the initial PD diagnosis.
  • Neuropathological examination revealed changes consistent with Alzheimer's rather than Parkinson's disease, with findings like neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques suggesting that AD pathology could explain the patient's parkinsonism symptoms.
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  • Suprasellar masses often include common types like craniopharyngiomas and pituitary adenomas, while suprasellar glioblastoma is a rare condition that can resemble these more common tumors before surgery.
  • A case study of a 65-year-old male showed he had a large suprasellar mass leading to cognitive decline, which was ultimately diagnosed as glioblastoma after surgery.
  • The study highlights the need to consider malignant glioblastomas in the diagnosis of brain masses and suggests using interhemispheric surgical approaches when necessary, as well as the importance of molecular profiling for potential therapeutic insights.
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  • * Results showed that a vast majority (97.6%) of the FT samples contained peripheral nerves, while other notable findings included ependymal cell linings, cysts, ganglion cells, and vascular elements; 41% exhibited fatty infiltration.
  • * The presence of inflammatory infiltrates and calcifications in some specimens suggests structural changes in the FT, which may be linked to the pathology of TCS, indicating altered mechanics and potential venous congestion.
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Objectives: A barrier to seeking mental health care is treatment stigma, a form of stigma associated with seeking/receiving mental health treatment. Prior research has also demonstrated relationships between five-factor model personality traits and treatment-seeking attitudes. However, findings in this area are mixed and research has tended not to include assessments of maladaptive personality traits outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition Section III: Emerging Measures and Models.

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Purpose: Epithelioid glioblastoma is an unusual histologic variant of malignant glioma. The present study investigates both the genomic and transcriptomic determinants that may promote the development of this tumor.

Methods: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and whole-transcriptome sequencing (WTS) were performed on an epithelioid glioblastoma, along with a specific bioinformatic pipeline to generate electronic karyotyping and investigate the tumor immune microenvironment.

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Meningioma is the most common intracranial neoplasm, yet there is no effective therapy for recurrent/refractory meningiomas after surgery and radiation. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an enzyme upregulated on endothelial cells of multiple neoplasms and is being investigated as a theranostic target. Until now, PSMA has not been studied in meningiomas.

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Background: Neural components of the fibrous filum terminale (FT) are well known but are considered as embryonic remnants without functionality.

Objective: To investigate the ultrastructure of human FT specimens for sensory nerve endings and record paraspinal muscle activity on electrostimulation of the FT.

Methods: We prospectively investigated a cohort of 53 patients who underwent excision of the FT for the treatment of tethered cord syndrome.

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Background: Patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), a heritable connective tissue disorder, present frequently with symptoms of tethered cord syndrome (TCS) but without a low-lying conus. Currently, surgical treatment of such cases is controversial. Because connective tissue disorder affects fibrous structures, we hypothesized that a diseased filum terminale (FT) might cause TCS in hEDS, justifying surgical transection for treatment.

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  • A 53-year-old male with diabetes experienced a rapid decline in mental status after recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia, leading to suspicion of a brain tumor based on imaging results.
  • During surgery for what was thought to be a primary brain neoplasm, the patient remained in a coma, and an autopsy later revealed he had a cerebral mucormycosis infection.
  • The case highlights the importance of considering mucormycosis in patients receiving steroids for COVID-19 who show significant clinical deterioration, especially those with underlying health issues like diabetes.
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The objectives of this study were to describe the anatomy, histology, and ultrastructure of the equine filum terminale (FT) and to describe the FT in hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA), a model of human Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS). Those humans suffer from tethered cord syndrome (TCS) caused by an abnormally structured FT wherein its attachment at the base of the vertebral column leads to long-term stretch-induced injury to the spinal cord. The pathophysiology of TCS in EDS is poorly understood, and there is a need for an animal model of the condition.

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Objective: The craniocervical junction (CCJ) is anatomically complex and comprises multiple joints that allow for wide head and neck movements. The thecal sac must adjust to such movements. Accordingly, the thecal sac is not rigidly attached to the bony spinal canal but instead tethered by fibrous suspension ligaments, including myodural bridges (MDBs).

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Objective: This study evaluates the 24-month follow-up for the NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN) Inositol for Retinopathy Trial.

Study Design: Bayley Scales of Infants Development-III and a standardized neurosensory examination were performed in infants enrolled in the main trial. Moderate/severe NDI was defined as BSID-III Cognitive or Motor composite score <85, moderate or severe cerebral palsy, blindness, or hearing loss that prevents communication despite amplification were assessed.

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Mixed invasive mold infections (MIMIs) are considered rare. We present a case of fatal aspergillosis and mucormycosis in an elderly host with history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and potential mold exposures. Notably, he had no classic risk factors for IMI other than high-dose corticosteroids, which may be an important risk factor for (M)IMI, based on the current and previous reports.

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The APOBEC3 (APOBEC3A-H) enzyme family is part of the human innate immune system that restricts pathogens by scrambling pathogenic single-stranded (ss) DNA by deamination of cytosines to produce uracil residues. However, APOBEC3-mediated mutagenesis of viral and cancer DNA promotes its evolution, thus enabling disease progression and the development of drug resistance. Therefore, APOBEC3 inhibition offers a new strategy to complement existing antiviral and anticancer therapies by making such therapies effective for longer periods of time, thereby preventing the emergence of drug resistance.

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Although stressful life events (SLEs) frequently relate to negative outcomes, many individuals demonstrate resilience by positively adapting to stressors without significant impairment. Valued living, a key process in the theory underpinning acceptance and commitment therapy is a response style characterized by daily purposeful actions that are linked to important values and may promote resilience in college students. This study examined the main and interactive effects of SLEs and valued living in the prediction of a multidimensional measure of resilience.

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Objective: Perineural cysts are a benign spine pathology but, when they become symptomatic and require surgical treatment, represent a significant challenge to the spine surgeon. Here we describe our experience with a novel endoscopic approach to the biopsy, drainage, resection of the cyst wall, and direct cyst fenestration to the subarachnoid space.

Methods: A transforaminal endoscopic approach to a large lumbar 2-3 perineural cyst is presented here in a 25-year-old patient.

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