Association of MicroRNA Expression and Serum Neurofilament Light Chain Levels with Clinical and Radiological Findings in Multiple Sclerosis.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are promising biomarkers for many diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a biomarker that can detect axonal damage in different neurological diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of the expression profile of pre-selected miRNAs and NfL levels with clinical and radiological variables in MS patients.

Intraoperative brain mapping during awake surgery in symptomatic supratentorial cavernomas.

Background: Complete resection of symptomatic supratentorial cavernoma (SCA) and removal of the surrounding gliotic area is recommended to minimize the risk of persistent seizures or (re)bleeding. Surgery of SCA located in an eloquent area, can carry out severe postoperative neurological morbidity. We report a study aimed to assess feasibility, extent of resection and outcome after surgical removal of CA by cortico-subcortical intraoperative brain stimulation (ioBS) in the awake patient.

Hypomimia in Parkinson's Disease: What Is It Telling Us?

Amimia is one of the most typical features of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its significance and correlation with motor and nonmotor symptoms is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between amimia and motor and nonmotor symptoms, including cognitive status, depression, and quality of life in PD patients.

Intraoperative brain mapping of language, cognitive functions, and social cognition in awake surgery of low-grade gliomas located in the right non-dominant hemisphere.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of cortical-subcortical intraoperative brain mapping (ioBM) in resective awake surgery of low-grade gliomas (LGG) of the right non-dominant hemisphere (RndH). It was estimated how ioBM may affect both the extent of resection and postoperative outcome of language, spatial cognition, social cognition, and executive functions including attention and working memory.

Patients And Methods: Fifteen patients that underwent ioBM in resective awake surgery of LGG located on the RndH, were included.

Intraoperative brain mapping during awake surgery in symptomatic supratentorial cavernomas.

Background: Complete resection of symptomatic supratentorial cavernoma (SCA) and removal of the surrounding gliotic area is recommended to minimize the risk of persistent seizures or (re)bleeding. Surgery of SCA located in an eloquent area, can carry out severe postoperative neurological morbidity. We report a study aimed to assess feasibility, extent of resection and outcome after surgical removal of CA by cortico-subcortical intraoperative brain stimulation (ioBS) in the awake patient.

Nummular headache: an update and future prospects.

Nummular headache (NH) is characterized by continuous or intermittent head pain, which remains confined to a round or oval shaped area of the scalp, generally 1 to 6 cm in diameter. Usually mild or moderate in intensity, some patients suffer severe acute exacerbations or continuous disabling pain. Areas covered: This article reviews epidemiological and clinical features of NH, the most recently proposed pathophysiological mechanisms, and state-of-the-art management according to the literature.

Supratrochlear Neuralgia: A Prospective Case Series of 15 Patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe clinical features unique to supratrochlear neuralgia.

Background: The supratrochlear nerve supplies the medial aspect of the forehead. Due to the intricate relationship between supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves, neuralgic pain in this region has been traditionally attributed to supraorbital neuralgia.

Living With Cluster Headache: A Qualitative Study of Patients' Perspectives.

Objective: Our aim was to explore the views and experiences of a group of Spanish men suffering from cluster headache (CH).

Background: CH has considerable effects on patients' quality of life, impairs everyday activities, and can modify lifestyle. This is the first time the experience of patients with CH is examined in a clinical study using a qualitative, phenomenological approach.

Short-term effects of greater occipital nerve blocks in chronic migraine: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background Greater occipital nerve (GON) blocks are widely used for the treatment of headaches, but quality evidence regarding their efficacy is scarce. Objective The objective of this article is to assess the short-term clinical efficacy of GON anaesthetic blocks in chronic migraine (CM) and to analyse their effect on pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in different territories. Participants and methods The study was designed as a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Greater occipital nerve block for the acute treatment of prolonged or persistent migraine aura.

Background Presently, there is no evidence to guide the acute treatment of migraine aura. We aimed to describe the effect of greater occipital nerve (GON) anaesthetic block as a symptomatic treatment for long-lasting (prolonged or persistent) migraine aura. Methods Patients who presented with migraine aura lasting > 2 hours were consecutively recruited during one year at the Headache Unit and the Emergency Department of a tertiary hospital.

Uncrossed epileptic seizures in Joubert syndrome.

Joubert syndrome and related disorders comprise a subgroup of ciliopathies defined by the presence of the 'molar tooth sign', a midbrain-hindbrain malformation identifiable by neuroimaging. Characteristically, the corticospinal tract and superior cerebellar peduncles do not decussate. Epileptic seizures are uncommon.

Use of cell-based assays in myasthenia gravis and other antibody-mediated diseases.

The increasing demand on diagnostic assays that are sensitive and specific for pathogenic antibodies, and the interest in identifying new antigens, prompted the development of cell-based assays for the detection of autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis and other autoimmune disorders. Cell-based assays were initially used to show that clustering the AChR improved the positivity in myasthenia gravis, and similar assays have now been applied to detection of antibodies to neuromuscular junction candidate proteins such as LRP4 and agrin. In addition cell-based assays have been used in the routine detection of antibodies to proteins expressed on the surface of neurons (NMDAR, LGI1, CASPR2, AMPAR, GABA-A/B, GlyR, and DPPX) and glia (AQP4, MOG).

Superficial artery aneurysms underlying nummular headache--2 cases and proposed diagnostic work-up.

Introduction: Nummular headache, considered a primary headache in the 3rd edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, has nonetheless been attributed in several occasions to underlying epicranial anomalies.

Case Reports: Vascular imaging of the head in 2 patients with nummular headache revealed fusiform aneurysms of the scalp vessel in close relation to the painful area. One of the patients underwent surgical resection of the aneurysm with excellent response.

Prostate anatomy in motheaten viable (me(v)) mice with mutations in the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1.

Objective: To study prostate and seminal vesicle anatomy in viable motheaten (mev) with mutations in PTPN6 gene leading to a severe reduction in the activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1. Homozygous mev mice exhibit multiple anomalies that include immunodeficiencies, increased proliferation of macrophage, neutrophil, and erythrocyte progenitors, decreased bone density and sterility.

Material And Method: We analyzed macro- and microscopic anatomy of the seminal vesicle and prostate macro- and microscopic anatomy of 5 mev/mev and 8 wt/wt adult 7 week old mice.

A tetradecapeptide somatostatin dicarba-analog: Synthesis, structural impact and biological activity.

We described here the first tetradecapeptide somatostatin-analogue where the disulfide bridge has been replaced by a carbon-carbon double bond. This analogue was prepared using microwave assisted ring closing metathesis (RCM) using the 2nd generation Grubbs as catalyst. Under our optimized conditions the cyclization between allylGly 3 and 14 proceeded in moderate yield, excellent cyclic/linear ratio and very high Z-double bond selectivity.

Insights into structure-activity relationships of somatostatin analogs containing mesitylalanine.

The non-natural amino acid mesitylalanine (2,4,6-trimethyl-L-phenylalanine; Msa) has an electron-richer and a more conformationally restricted side-chain than that of its natural phenylalanine counterpart. Taking these properties into account, we have synthesized ten somatostatin analogs containing Msa residues in different key positions to modify the intrinsic conformational flexibility of the natural hormone. We have measured the binding affinity of these analogs and correlated it with the main conformations they populate in solution.

Distinct and specific roles of AKT1 and AKT2 in androgen-sensitive and androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.

AKT isoforms are expressed in prostate cancer and their expression and localization have different associations with clinical characteristics. However, the distinct roles of the AKT isoforms in prostate cancer cells are largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrate distinct roles for AKT1 and AKT2 in cell growth and migration.

EGF promotes neuroendocrine-like differentiation of prostate cancer cells in the presence of LY294002 through increased ErbB2 expression independent of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT pathway.

An increased neuroendocrine (NE) cell population in prostate cancer is associated with more aggressive disease and recurrence after androgen-deprivation therapy, although the mechanism responsible is unknown. In this study, we report that the treatment of LNCaP cells with epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the presence of LY294002, an inhibitor of the phosphoinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K)-AKT pathway, induced an increase of levels and activity of ErbB2. Under these conditions, we also observed cell survival and NE differentiation.

SHP-1 in cell-cycle regulation.

The reversible phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in proteins, which is governed by the balanced action of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), is a key element of the signaling pathways that are involved in the control of cell proliferation. Deregulation of either of these key regulators leads to abnormal cell signaling, which is largely associated with human pathologies including cancer. This review focuses on recent studies on the role of the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 on cell-cycle regulation and its possible roles in tumour onset and progression.

SSTR1- and SSTR3-selective somatostatin analogues.

We prepared the two enantiomers of 3-(3'-quinolyl)-alanine (Qla, 1) in multigram scale by asymmetric hydrogenation. These amino acids, protected as Fmoc derivatives, were then used in the solid-phase synthesis of two new somatostatin 14 (SRIF-14) analogues 8 a and 8 b, tetradecapeptides in which the tryptophan residue (Trp8) is replaced by one of the two enantiomers of 3-(3'-quinolyl)-alanine (Qla8) and therefore lack the N--H bond in residue 8. The selectivity of these new analogues for the somatostatin receptors, SSTR1-5, was measured.

Conservative approach versus urgent appendectomy in surgical management of acute appendicitis with abscess or phlegmon.

Background: Surgical management of acute appendicitis with appendiceal abscess or phlegmon remains controversial. We studied the results of initial conservative treatment (antibiotics and percutaneous drainage if necessary, with or without interval appendectomy) compared with immediate surgery.

Methods: We undertook an observational, retrospective cohort study of patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of acute appendicitis with an abscess or phlegmon, treated in our hospital between January 1997 and March 2009.

Knockdown of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 inhibits G1/S progression in prostate cancer cells through the regulation of components of the cell-cycle machinery.

SHP-1, a haematopoietic cell-specific tyrosine phosphatase, is also expressed in human prostate. In this study, we report that SHP-1 depletion in PC-3 cells induced by small interfering RNAs causes G1 phase cell-cycle arrest accompanied by changes in some components of the cell-cycle machinery. SHP-1 knockdown increases p27(Kip1) (p27) protein stability, its nuclear localization and p27 gene transcription.

EGF prevents the neuroendocrine differentiation of LNCaP cells induced by serum deprivation: the modulator role of PI3K/Akt.

The primary focus of this investigation was to study the relationship between neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation and epidermal growth factor (EGF) because both have been implicated in the progression of prostate cancer. For this purpose, we used gefitinib and trastuzumab, which are inhibitors of EGF receptor (EGFR) and ErbB2, respectively. EGF prevents NE differentiation induced by androgen depletion.

[Intrathoracic lipoblastoma with costal involvement].

We report the case of a two-year-old girl with a lipoblastoma arising from the chest wall with intrathoracic extension and costal involvement. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically after surgery. Plain-film chest x-rays showed an extrapleural mass; computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested fatty contents.