The Extended-Sphenoid Ridge Approach: A New Technique for the Surgical Treatment of Skull Base Tumors in Pediatric Patients.

Unlabelled: The sphenoid ridge approach (SRA) was initially described as a surgical technique for treating vascular pathologies near the Sylvian fissure. However, limited studies have systematically explored the use of skull base techniques in pediatric patients. This study investigated an extended variation in the sphenoid ridge approach (E-SRA), which systematically removed the pterion, orbital walls (roof and lateral wall), greater sphenoid wing, and anterior clinoid process to access the base of the skull.

Taenia solium: Development of an Experimental Model of Porcine Neurocysticercosis.

Human neurocysticercosis (NC) is caused by the establishment of Taenia solium larvae in the central nervous system. NC is a severe disease still affecting the population in developing countries of Latin America, Asia, and Africa. While great improvements have been made on NC diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, the management of patients affected by extraparenchymal parasites remains a challenge.

Hepatocyte growth factor in cerebrospinal fluid is associated with mortality and recurrence of glioblastoma, and could be of prognostic value.

Malignant gliomas--glioblastoma multiforme and anaplastic astrocytoma--are among the most fatal forms of cancer in humans. It has been suggested that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a reliable predictor of glioma malignancy; amounts of HGF are directly related to cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, low apoptotic rate, and poor prognosis (WHO III and IV). We measured the HGF content of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with malignant glioma glioblastoma multiforme (WHO IV; n = 14), anaplastic astrocytoma (WHO III; n = 4), and meningioma (WHO I; n = 9), and from control subjects (n = 25), and found a high concentration of HGF in patients with malignant glioma.

Brief presence of varicella-zoster vral DNA in mononuclear cells during relapses of multiple sclerosis.

Background: A possible viral cause for multiple sclerosis (MS) has long been suspected. A progressive increase in MS has been reported in Mexico during the past 20 years; a conspicuous antecedent of varicella infection during childhood has been the most relevant finding in the medical history of patients with MS.

Objective: To investigate the possible participation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in the etiopathogenesis of MS.

Hepatocyte growth factor is associated with poor prognosis of malignant gliomas and is a predictor for recurrence of meningioma.

Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a cytokine that participates in multiple cell functions; it promotes proliferation, motility, and morphogenesis of epithelial cells. Some malignant tumors, such as breast carcinoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, and multiple myeloma, overexpress it and its receptor. Hepatocyte growth factor is also present in normal astrocytes; therefore, it is important to investigate whether HGF participates in the pathophysiology of malignant gliomas and other brain tumors.