Cortical Hyper-Connectivity in a Stroke Patient with Rotated Drawing.

In the present case report, we investigated the cortical networks of a patient (DDA) affected by right parietal stroke who showed a constructional phenomenon, in which when coping and recalling from memory a complex figure, the model was reproduced rotated of 90° along the vertical axis. Previous studies suggested that rotation on copy is associated with visuospatial impairments and abnormalities in parietal cortex, whereas rotation on recall might be related to executive deficits and dysfunction of frontal regions. Here, we computed the DDA's resting-state functional connectivity (FC) derived from cortical regions of the dorsal attention (DAN) and the frontal portion of the executive-control network (fECN), which are involved in the control of visuospatial attention and multiple executive functions, respectively.

Brain Topological Reorganization Associated with Visual Neglect After Stroke.

To identify brain hubs that are behaviorally relevant for neglect after stroke as well as to characterize their functional architecture of communication. Twenty acute right hemisphere damaged patients underwent neuropsychological and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging sessions. Spatial neglect was assessed by means of the Center of Cancellation on the Bells Cancellation Test.

Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Adverse Events and Outcome in a Series of Patients with Long-Term Follow-Up.

Background: Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is a palliative treatment option for drug-resistant epilepsy. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and demographic features of selected patients scheduled for VNS and to evaluate the long-term efficacy of VNS in seizure control.

Materials And Methods: Between 2006 and 2013, 32 consecutive epileptic patients (14 male and 18 female) were enrolled at our Institute for VNS implantation.

Deep brain stimulation for intractabile epilepsy.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently considered a promising neuromodulation therapy for refractory epilepsy not suitable for resective surgery. Several anatomical targets and different stimulation approaches have been proposed in order to obtain satisfactory seizures reduction. As expected, according with different patterns of neural pathways involvement, the efficacy of each anatomical target stimulation in reducing seizure frequency varies among the different epileptic syndromes.

Hospital-based register of stroke in the Molise Region: focus on main subtypes of stroke. Years 2009-2013.

We determined incidence and intra-hospital mortality rate of stroke in Molise, Italy, to provide information for planning regional healthcare facilities and to ameliorate stroke management in this region. This study is part of the "Rete Molisana dell'Ictus Cerebrale (REMOLIC)" study, a population-based Cerebrovascular Registry in Molise, from 2009 to 2013, with a cold pursuit approach. The crude annual incidence rates for total stroke per 100,000 inhabitants, notified by hospital discharge records, were 198 for 2009, 185 for 2010, 169 for 2011, and 176 for both 2012 and 2013.

Influence of Cross-Linking on the Physical Properties and Cytotoxicity of Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering.

In this study, an unsaturated copolyester, poly[()-3-hydroxybutyrate--()-3-hydroxy-10-undecenoate] (PHBU), was produced by an engineered strain of , cross-linked via thiol-ene click chemistry, and analyzed for improved physical properties and biocompatibility with human mesenchymal stem cells. By cross-linking the PHBU polymer, an increase in tensile strength of greater than 200% to 26.2 MPa was observed, resulting in a material with physical properties closer to those relevant for soft tissue replacement.

Stop-event-related potentials from intracranial electrodes reveal a key role of premotor and motor cortices in stopping ongoing movements.

In humans, the ability to withhold manual motor responses seems to rely on a right-lateralized frontal-basal ganglia-thalamic network, including the pre-supplementary motor area and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). These areas should drive subthalamic nuclei to implement movement inhibition via the hyperdirect pathway. The output of this network is expected to influence those cortical areas underlying limb movement preparation and initiation, i.

Prognostic significance of serial postoperative EEG in extratemporal lobe epilepsy surgery.

Objective: To assess the prognostic value of postoperative EEG in patients surgically treated for drug-resistant extra-temporal lobe (ET) epilepsy.

Methods: We studied 63 consecutive patients with ET epilepsy who underwent epilepsy surgery and were followed up for at least 2 years (mean duration of follow-up 6.2 ± 2.

Arterial bleeding in pelvic trauma: priorities in angiographic embolization.

Vascular injuries are a major source of morbidity and mortality in patients with blunt pelvic trauma. Up to 40% of patients with pelvic fractures related to blunt traumatic injury experience intra-abdominal or intrapelvic bleeding, which is the major determining factor of mortality. Sources of hemorrhage within the pelvis include injuries to major pelvic arterial and venous structures and vascular damage related to osseous fractures.

Surgery after intracranial investigation with subdural electrodes in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy: outcome and complications.

Video-EEG monitoring with intracranial subdural electrodes is a useful assessment tool for the localization of the epileptogenic zone in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. We aimed at assessing the morbidity related to electrode implantation and the surgical outcome in patients who underwent epilepsy surgery after intracranial EEG monitoring. All patients (N = 58) admitted to our Epilepsy Surgery Centre for drug-resistant focal epilepsy who underwent resective surgery after intracranial monitoring with subdural electrodes and were followed up for at least 2 years were included in the study.

Seizure clusters and adverse events during pre-surgical video-EEG monitoring with a slow anti-epileptic drug (AED) taper.

Objective: To evaluate the efficiency and safety of pre-surgical video-EEG monitoring with a slow anti-epileptic drug (AED) taper and a rescue benzodiazepine protocol.

Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients with refractory focal epilepsy who underwent pre-surgical video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring during the year 2010 were included in the study. Time to first seizure, duration of monitoring, incidence of 4-h and 24-h seizure clustering, secondarily generalised tonic-clonic seizures (sGTCS), status epilepticus, falls and cardiac asystole were evaluated.

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma: a 13-year experience at a single institution.

We present our experience with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma at the University of Michigan over 13 years and review prior published data. We conducted a retrospective review of 19 patients who presented to a tertiary care academic center multidisciplinary skull base clinic with sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma between 1995 and 2008. Overall survival was 22% at 5 years, and the estimated 5-year distant metastasis-free survival was 35%.

Response to recombinant erythropoietin alpha, without the adjunct of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, is associated with a longer survival in patients with transfusion-dependent myelodysplastic syndromes.

This was a retrospective, comparative study focused on the extended follow-up of 192 transfusion-dependent patients with myelodysplastic syndromes treated (n. 83) or not treated (n. 109) with recombinant erythropoietin alpha (r-EPO) as single agent during the course of their disease.

Malignant rhabdoid tumor of the parapharyngeal space.

Malignant rhabdoid tumor has been a somewhat controversial entity since it was first described in 1978 as a possible sarcomatous variant of Wilms tumor. Eventually, however, it was found to be a distinct neoplastic tumor with histologic characteristics similar to those of rhabdomyosarcoma. Malignant rhabdoid tumors affect children.

Characterization CSMD1 in a large set of primary lung, head and neck, breast and skin cancer tissues.

The Cub and Sushi Multiple Domains-1 (CSMD1) is a tumor suppressor gene on 8p23.2, where allelic loss is both frequent and associated with poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). To understand the extent of CSMD1 aberrations in vivo, we characterized 184 primary tumors from the head and neck, lung, breast and skin for gene copy number and analyzed expression in our HNSCCs and lung squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).

Memory outcome 2 years after anterior temporal lobectomy in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Purpose: Memory decline is often observed after anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL), particularly in patients with dominant hemisphere resections. However, the follow-up length has been 1 year or less in most studies. Our aims were to examine postoperative memory changes over a longer period and to identify baseline demographic and clinical predictors of memory outcome.

Using color power Doppler ultrasound imaging to diagnose the acute scrotum. A pictorial essay.

Acute nontraumatic scrotum represents one of the most important emergencies in the male population. Etiology of the acute scrotum greatly varies, but the most common causes include testicular torsion and inflammatory disease. Currently, the most successful diagnostic imaging is ultrasound integrated by the application of color power Doppler.

Collagen-only biomatrix as a novel dural substitute. Examination of the efficacy, safety and outcome: clinical experience on a series of 208 patients.

Objectives: Dural replacement materials and other measures can provide an effective barrier between the subarachnoid compartment and the extradural space when a watertight closure of the patient's own dura is not possible.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a novel collagen-derived dural substitute on a series of 208 patients undergoing a variety of neurosurgical procedures.

Results: No patients experienced any local or systemic complications nor toxicity related to the dural patch.

Chondrosarcoma of the arytenoid cartilage: a case report and review of the literature.

We report the case of a 56-year-old black woman with a locally aggressive chondrosarcoma at an unusual tumor site: the right arytenoid cartilage. The tumor extended from the superior pole of the right arytenoid cartilage to the soft-tissue areas of the right aryepiglottic fold, piriform sinus, and interarytenoid area. We undertook a conservative surgical approach by performing an endoscopic transoral CO2 laser resection, a right arytenoidectomy with wide soft-tissue margins, and a tracheotomy in anticipation of postoperative edema.

Laser-assisted cerebrospinal fluid leak repair: an animal model to test feasibility.

Objectives: To test the feasibility of laser tissue welding as a method of creating an endonasal tissue bond for the purpose of cerebrospinal fluid leak repair.

Study Design And Setting: An 808 nm diode laser was used with a 42% albumin solder to create laser welds in sheep nasal septal mucosa, periosteum, and in situ rabbit maxillary sinus mucosa. Each condition was tested five times.

Multi-detector row computed tomography and blunt chest trauma.

Blunt chest trauma is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. The clinical presentation of trauma patients varies widely from one individual to another and ranges from minor reports of pain to shock. Knowledge of the mechanism of injury, the time of injury, estimates of motor vehicle accident velocity and deceleration, and evidence of associated injury to other systems are all salient features to provide for an adequate assessment of chest trauma.

Pneumoretroperitoneum Associated with "Dirty Mass": An Unusual Case of Rectal Perforation.

Perforation of the rectum requires early recognition and treatment. The diagnosis of rectal perforation is sometimes difficult owing to non specific clinical presentation, especially in elderly patients, in whom, in case of acute abdomen, Computed Tomography (CT) is increasing used as first diagnostic procedure [1]. Several CT signs of gastrointestinal perforation have been described [2, 3].

Intracranial complications of sinusitis in children and adolescents and their outcomes.

Objective: To gain insight into patterns of presentation, imaging, microbiological aspects, therapy, disease course, and outcome of intracranial complications of sinusitis (ICS), which are challenging conditions with the potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality. We reviewed our experience with ICS in children and adolescents.

Design: Consecutive case series with a mean follow-up of 12 months.

Intermediate crural overlay in rhinoplasty: a deprojection technique that shortens the medial leg of the tripod without lengthening the nose.

Objective: To review the indications for, surgical techniques of, and results of intermediate crural overlay of the alar cartilages in rhinoplasty.

Design: Prospective study of patients undergoing intermediate crural overlay of the lower lateral cartilages. The setting was a facial plastic surgery private practice.

Severe amnesia following bilateral medial temporal lobe damage occurring on two distinct occasions.

A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment was performed on a 38-year-old woman with drug-resistant right temporal lobe epilepsy before temporal lobectomy, during a 2-year follow-up period, and approximately 3 years after surgery when she developed a malignant glioma in the left medial temporal lobe (MTL). Both before and after epilepsy surgery, memory function was normal. When the tumour was discovered, the patient suffered from severe retrograde and anterograde amnesia, whereas working memory and the other cognitive abilities were preserved.