[Clinical analysis of 542 intraspinal tumors microsurgically resected by hemilaminectomy].

Objective: To investigate the advantages, disadvantages and indications of hemilaminectomy for microsurgical resection of intraspinal tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the clinical data of 542 cases of intraspinal tumors microsurgically resected by hemilaminectomy during the period from January 2005 to December 2008.

Results: The tumors were totally removed in 501 cases (92%).

Surgical excision of extensive sacrococcygeal chordomas assisted by occlusion of the abdominal aorta.

Object: An extensive sacrococcygeal chordoma is considered a challenge for neurosurgeons. Because of the complex anatomy of the sacral region, the risk of uncontrollable intraoperative hemorrhage, and the typically large tumor size at presentation, complete resections are technically difficult and the tumor recurrence rate is high. The aim of this study was to assess the value of using occlusion of the abdominal aorta by means of a balloon dilation catheter and electrophysiological monitoring when an extensive sacrococcygeal chordoma is removed.

A novel zinc finger protein Zfp637 behaves as a repressive regulator in myogenic cellular differentiation.

Zinc finger proteins have been implicated as transcription factors in the differentiation and development of cells and tissues in higher organisms. The classical C2H2 zinc finger motif is one main type of motif of zinc finger proteins. Our previous studies have shown that Zfp637, which comprises six consecutively typical and one atypical C2H2 zinc finger motifs, is highly expressed in undifferentiated or poorly differentiated cell lines, but is moderately or slightly expressed in normal tissues.