Long-Term Outcome of Repeat Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm.

Objective: Although repeat microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS) in patients with failed prior MVD is potentially curative, little is known about the long-term results of repeat MVD. We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes and complications after repeat MVD for HFS.

Methods: We performed repeat MVD on 78 consecutive patients who had undergone a prior MVD >1 year previously.

Gastric Lgr5(+) stem cells are the cellular origin of invasive intestinal-type gastric cancer in mice.

The cellular origin of gastric cancer remains elusive. Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) is the first identified marker of gastric stem cells. However, the role of Lgr5(+) stem cells in driving malignant gastric cancer is not fully validated.

Akt-p53-miR-365-cyclin D1/cdc25A axis contributes to gastric tumorigenesis induced by PTEN deficiency.

Although PTEN/Akt signaling is frequently deregulated in human gastric cancers, the in vivo causal link between its dysregulation and gastric tumorigenesis has not been established. Here we show that inactivation of PTEN in mouse gastric epithelium initiates spontaneous carcinogenesis with complete penetrance by 2 months of age. Mechanistically, activation of Akt suppresses the abundance of p53, leading to decreased transcription of miR-365, thus causing upregulation of cyclin D1 and cdc25A, which promotes gastric cell proliferation.