Tension pneumocephalus mimicking septic shock: a case report.

Tension pneumocephalus can lead to rapid neurologic deterioration. We report for the first time its association with aseptic systemic inflammatory response syndrome mimicking septic shock and the efficacy of prompt neurosurgical intervention and critical care support in treating this condition. A 64-year-old man underwent 2-stage olfactory groove meningioma resection.

Coiling Versus Microsurgical Clipping in the Treatment of Unruptured Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Open microsurgical clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms has long been the gold standard, yet advancements in endovascular coiling techniques have begun to challenge the status quo.

Objective: To compare endovascular coiling with microsurgical clipping among adults with unruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms (MCAA) by conducting a meta-analysis.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted from January 2011 to October 2015 to update a previous meta-analysis.

TREX1 Knockdown Induces an Interferon Response to HIV that Delays Viral Infection in Humanized Mice.

Despite their antiviral effect, the in vivo effect of interferons on HIV transmission is difficult to predict, because interferons also activate and recruit HIV-susceptible cells to sites of infection. HIV does not normally induce type I interferons in infected cells, but does if TREX1 is knocked down. Here, we investigated the effect of topical TREX1 knockdown and local interferon production on HIV transmission in human cervicovaginal explants and humanized mice.

Phase II multicenter study of gene-mediated cytotoxic immunotherapy as adjuvant to surgical resection for newly diagnosed malignant glioma.

Background: Despite aggressive standard of care (SOC) treatment, survival of malignant gliomas remains very poor. This Phase II, prospective, matched controlled, multicenter trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of aglatimagene besadenovec (AdV-tk) plus valacyclovir (gene-mediated cytotoxic immunotherapy [GMCI]) in combination with SOC for newly diagnosed malignant glioma patients.

Methods: Treatment cohort patients received SOC + GMCI and were enrolled at 4 institutions from 2006 to 2010.

Gene Knockdown by EpCAM Aptamer-siRNA Chimeras Suppresses Epithelial Breast Cancers and Their Tumor-Initiating Cells.

Effective therapeutic strategies for in vivo siRNA delivery to knockdown genes in cells outside the liver are needed to harness RNA interference for treating cancer. EpCAM is a tumor-associated antigen highly expressed on common epithelial cancers and their tumor-initiating cells (TIC, also known as cancer stem cells). Here, we show that aptamer-siRNA chimeras (AsiC, an EpCAM aptamer linked to an siRNA sense strand and annealed to the siRNA antisense strand) are selectively taken up and knock down gene expression in EpCAM(+) cancer cells in vitro and in human cancer biopsy tissues.

Silencing sexually transmitted infections: topical siRNA-based interventions for the prevention of HIV and HSV.

The global impact of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is significant. The sexual transmission of viruses such as herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) and the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), has been especially difficult to control. To date, no effective vaccines have been developed to prevent the transmission of these STIs.

Durable knockdown and protection from HIV transmission in humanized mice treated with gel-formulated CD4 aptamer-siRNA chimeras.

The continued spread of HIV underscores the need to interrupt transmission. One attractive strategy, in the absence of an effective vaccine, is a topical microbicide, but the need for application around the time of sexual intercourse leads to poor patient compliance. Intravaginal (IVAG) application of CD4 aptamer-siRNA chimeras (CD4-AsiCs) targeting the HIV coreceptor CCR5, gag, and vif protected humanized mice from sexual transmission.

Inhibition of HIV transmission in human cervicovaginal explants and humanized mice using CD4 aptamer-siRNA chimeras.

The continued spread of the HIV epidemic underscores the need to interrupt transmission. One attractive strategy is a topical vaginal microbicide. Sexual transmission of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in mice can be inhibited by intravaginal siRNA application.

HIV DNA is heavily uracilated, which protects it from autointegration.

Human immune cells infected by HIV naturally contain high uracil content, and HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) does not distinguish between dUTP and dTTP. Many DNA viruses and retroviruses encode a dUTPase or uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) to counteract uracil incorporation. However, although HIV virions are thought to contain cellular UNG2, replication of HIV produced in cells lacking UNG activity does not appear to be impaired.