A Six-Surface System to Describe Anatomy of Anterior Clinoid Process and Its Application in Anterior Clinoidectomy and Resection of Paraclinoid Meningioma.

Objective: The anterior clinoid process (ACP) is surrounded by nerves and vessels that, together, constitute an intricate anatomical structure with variations that challenges the performance of individualized anterior clinoidectomy in treating lesions with different extents of invasion. In the present study, we established a 6-surface system for the ACP based on anatomical landmarks and analyzed its value in guiding ACP drilling and resection of paraclinoid meningiomas.

Methods: Using the anatomical characteristics of 10 dry skull specimens, we set 9 anatomical landmarks to delineate the ACP into 6 surfaces.

A New Practical Method Based on MRI to Individually Localize the Transverse-Sigmoid Sinus Junction in Retrosigmoid Craniotomy: A Retrospective Before-After Study.

Background: Although the asterion has long been used as a skeletal surface marker of the transverse-sigmoid sinuses junction (TSSJ) point in the retrosigmoid approach, abundant evidence shows that the relationship between asterion and TSSJ point varies greatly. In recent years, new technologies have been developed, such as neuronavigation and three-dimensional volume rendering imaging, that can guide in exposing the TSSJ point individually. However, they are not only expensive but also difficult to apply in emergency surgery.

GPER expressed on microglia mediates the anti-inflammatory effect of estradiol in ischemic stroke.

Background: Stroke could lead to serious morbidity, of which ischemic stroke counts for majority of the cases. Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, thus drugs targeting inflammation could be potentially neuroprotective. Estradiol was shown to be neuroprotective as well as anti-inflammatory in animal models of ischemic stroke with unclear mechanism.

GPER1 mediates estrogen-induced neuroprotection against oxygen-glucose deprivation in the primary hippocampal neurons.

It is well-known that the neuroprotective effects of estrogen have potential in the prevention and amelioration of ischemic and degenerative neurological disorders, while the underlying mechanisms for estrogen actions are undefined. As an important mediator for the non-genomic functions of estrogen, GPER1 (G Protein-coupled Estrogen Receptor 1) has been suggested to involve in the beneficial roles of estrogen in neural cells. Here our studies on primary hippocampal neurons have focused on GPER1 in an in vitro model of ischemia using oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD).

Endoscopic Endonasal Approach to Mesencephalic Cavernous Malformations.

Background: Symptomatic cavernous malformations involving the brainstem are difficult to access by conventional approaches, which often require dramatic brain retraction to gain adequate operative corridor. Here, we present a successful endoscopic endonasal transclival approach for resection of a hemorrhagic, symptomatic mesencephalic cavernous malformation.

Case Description: A 20-year-old woman presented with acute onset of headache, nausea, and vomiting.

The Impact of Simulated Weightlessness on Endothelium-Dependent Angiogenesis and the Role of Caveolae/Caveolin-1.

Background/aims: The potential role of caveolin-1 in modulating angiogenesis in microgravity environment is unexplored.

Methods: Using simulated microgravity by clinostat, we measured the expressions and interactions of caveolin-1 and eNOS in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Results: We found that decreased caveolin-1 expression is associated with increased expression and phosphorylation levels of eNOS in endothelial cells stimulated by microgravity, which causes a dissociation of eNOS from caveolin-1 complexes.

Neuroprotective effects of a chromatin modifier on ischemia/reperfusion neurons: implication of its regulation of BCL2 transactivation by ERα signaling.

An understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-mediated neuroprotective effects is valuable for the development of therapeutic strategy against neuronal ischemic injury. Here, we report the upregulated expression of metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1), a master chromatin modifier and transcriptional regulator, in the murine middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Inhibition of MTA1 expression by in vivo short interfering RNA treatment potentiated neuronal apoptosis in a caspase-3-dependent manner and thereafter aggravated MCAO-induced neuronal damage.

Combination of temozolomide and Taxol exerts a synergistic inhibitory effect on Taxol‑resistant glioma cells via inhibition of glucose metabolism.

Malignant gliomas, which comprise the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor, are associated with a poor prognosis and quality of life. Paclitaxel (Taxol) and temozolomide (TMZ) are Food and Drug Administration‑approved anticancer agents, which are known to have therapeutic applications in various malignancies. However, similar to other chemotherapeutic agents, the development of resistance to TMZ and Taxol is common.

Inhibition of histamine receptor 3 suppresses glioblastoma tumor growth, invasion, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Histamine receptor 3 (H3R) is expressed in various tumors and correlated with malignancy and tumor proliferation. However, the role of H3R in tumor invasion and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unknown. Here, we explored the H3R in the highly invasive glioblastoma (GBM) and U87MG cells.

Hypoxia Induces autophagic cell death through hypoxia-inducible factor 1α in microglia.

As phagocytic cells of central nervous system, excessive activation or cell death of microglia is involved in a lot of nervous system injury and degenerative disease, such as stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease. Accumulating evidence indicates that hypoxia upregulates HIF-1α expression leading to cell death of microglia. However, the exact mechanism of cell death induced by hypoxia in microglia is not clear.

Systemic blockade of dopamine D2-like receptors increases high-voltage spindles in the globus pallidus and motor cortex of freely moving rats.

High-voltage spindles (HVSs) have been reported to appear spontaneously and widely in the cortical-basal ganglia networks of rats. Our previous study showed that dopamine depletion can significantly increase the power and coherence of HVSs in the globus pallidus (GP) and motor cortex of freely moving rats. However, it is unclear whether dopamine regulates HVS activity by acting on dopamine D₁-like receptors or D₂-like receptors.

Effects of simulated microgravity on human umbilical vein endothelial cell angiogenesis and role of the PI3K-Akt-eNOS signal pathway.

Endothelial cells are very sensitive to microgravity and the morphological and functional changes in endothelial cells are believed to be at the basis of weightlessness-induced cardiovascular deconditioning. It has been shown that the proliferation, migration, and morphological differentiation of endothelial cells play critical roles in angiogenesis. However, the influence of microgravity on the ability of endothelial cells to foster angiogenesis remains to be explored in detail.

Bovine serum albumin promotes IL-1beta and TNF-alpha secretion by N9 microglial cells.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is generally used in biomedical experiments. In the solution of some reagents, BSA is necessary to maintain the stability and concentration of the effective component. Therefore, the potential impact of BSA on experimental results should not be neglected when BSA is used.