Case report: Two case reports of cryptogenic brain abscess caused by and literature review.

Brain abscess originates from a localized cerebritis area of brain parenchyma, remaining a refractory infectious disease in the central nervous system. Causative pathogens can be wide-ranging, including bacteria, fungi, or parasites; thus, precise pathogen identification and individualized antimicrobial therapy determine patients' outcomes. Here, we report two cases where both patients only presented with limb dysfunction, but without symptoms, signs, or biological evidence of infection.

Risk factors for the progression of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in patients followed by CT/MR angiography.

Background: The progression of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) is associated with a higher rupture risk. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for the progression of UIAs among Chinese adults and compare them with the ELAPSS (Earlier subarachnoid hemorrhage, IA Location, Age, Population, IA Size and Shape) score.

Methods: Four hundred thirty-eight consecutive patients with 491 UIAs were followed and reviewed retrospectively from August 2011 to November 2019.

Risk of Rupture of Small Intracranial Aneurysms (≤5 mm) Among the Chinese Population.

Objective: We sought to develop a model to predict the risk of small intracranial aneurysm (SIA; ≤5 mm) rupture among Chinese adults and to compare the score predicted by our model with the PHASES (population, hypertension, age, size, earlier subarachnoid hemorrhage, aneurysm site) score.

Methods: From August 2011 to June 2015, 366 patients with 394 SIAs were retrospectively evaluated and followed up for ≥5 years. The clinical characteristics of the patients were reviewed from their medical records, and the SIA features were evaluated from the imaging studies.

Neuroprotective effects of isoflurane against lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation in BV2 microglial cells by regulating HMGB1/TLRs pathway.

Microglia, as the first line of defence of the central nervous system (CNS), has a major role in inflammatory response. It was reported that isoflurane has a neuroprotective role in the pathological process of CNS by interfering with inflammatory response. While the mechanism and function of isoflurane in microglia-mediated inflammation are still not clearly articulated.

Wall enhancement ratio determined by vessel wall MRI associated with symptomatic intracranial aneurysms.

Purpose: To study the association of the enhancement ratio (ER) of aneurysmal wall enhancement (AWE) with symptomatic intracranial aneurysms (IAs), we hypothesized that the ER of AWE would be stronger in symptomatic IAs than in asymptomatic IAs, as assessed by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI).

Materials And Methods: Between February 2016 and February 2018, 80 consecutive patients with 89 unruptured IAs were reviewed. Patients and IAs were divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups.

Relationships between aneurysmal wall enhancement and conventional risk factors in patients with intracranial aneurysm: A high-resolution MRI study.

Background And Purpose: Aneurysmal wall enhancement (AWE) is thought to reflect wall inflammation and is a novel imaging biomarker for intracranial aneurysm (IA) risk evaluation. However, the relationship between AWE and other conventional risk factors (e.g.

Predictive Value of Combined LIPS and ANG-2 Level in Critically Ill Patients with ARDS Risk Factors.

To investigate the predictive value of the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation 2 (APACHE2) score and lung injury prediction score (LIPS) for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) when combined with biomarkers for this condition in patients with ARDS risk factors. In total, 158 Han Chinese patients with ARDS risk factors were recruited from the Respiratory and Emergency Intensive Care Units. The LIPS, APACHE2 score, primary diagnosis at admission, and ARDS risk factors were determined within 6 h of admission, and PaO/FiO was determined on the day of admission.

Computed Tomography Angiography Evaluation of Risk Factors for Unstable Intracranial Aneurysms.

Objective: To evaluate risk factors for instability in intracranial aneurysms (IAs) using computed tomography angiography (CTA).

Methods: A total of 614 consecutive patients diagnosed with 661 IAs between August 2011 and February 2016 were reviewed. Patients and IAs were divided into stable and unstable groups.

Risk Factors for the Rupture of Intracranial Aneurysms Using Computed Tomography Angiography.

Objective: To study the clinical and morphologic characteristics associated with risk factors for the rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs).

Methods: A total of 1115 consecutive patients with 1282 IAs were reviewed from August 2011 to February 2016. The patients and IAs were divided into ruptured and unruptured groups.

Wall enhancement ratio and partial wall enhancement on MRI associated with the rupture of intracranial aneurysms.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors for rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) using high resolution MRI (HRMRI).

Methods: 91 consecutive patients with 106 IAs were reviewed from February 2016 to April 2017. Patients and IAs were divided into ruptured and unruptured groups.

Regulatory factor X1 depresses ApoE-dependent Aβ uptake by miRNA-124 in microglial response to oxidative stress.

Decreased proteolytic clearance of soluble amyloid β (Aβ) in microglia affects Aβ accumulation on Alzheimer's disease progression. However, the potential molecular mechanism by which microglial Aβ uptake is regulated remains unclear. In this study, we identified a microRNA, miR-124, that was down-regulated in aging with a function in regulating apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-dependent Aβ uptake by targeting regulatory factor X1 (RFX1) transcripts on BV2 microglia cell.

Clinical Features and Treatment of Distal Intracranial Aneurysms.

To analyze the clinical characteristics, therapies, and outcomes of distal intracranial aneurysms, the authors retrospectively studied the clinical and imaging data of 18 patients with distal intracranial aneurysms. There were 10 males and 8 females, aged from 11 months to 59 years (mean, 40.4 ± 11.

Preparation of copper-containing bioactive glass/eggshell membrane nanocomposites for improving angiogenesis, antibacterial activity and wound healing.

Unlabelled: Effectively stimulating angiogenesis and avoiding wound infection are great challenges in wound care management. Designing new healing dressings with requisite angiogenic capacity and antibacterial performance is of particular significance. In order to achieve this aim, we prepared a copper (Cu)-containing bioactive glass nanocoating (40-50nm) with uniform nanostructure on natural eggshell membrane (Cu-BG/ESM) by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique.

Isoflurane Post-Treatment Improves Outcome after an Embolic Stroke in Rabbits.

Application of commonly used volatile anesthetics after brain ischemia onset (post-treatment) provides neuroprotection in rodents. To further test its translational potential, this study was designed to determine whether isoflurane post-treatment induced neuroprotection in rabbits after embolic stroke. White male New Zealand rabbits received intra-carotid injection of clots when they were awake.

Successful Transarterial Embolization of a Posttraumatic Fistula Between a Posterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm and the Cavernous Sinus: A Case Report.

Posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysm-cavernous sinus fistulae are an extremely rare complication of head injury . The treatment of PCoA aneurysm-cavernous sinus fistulae has not been well described. A 27-year-old man was admitted with a retroocular bruit and blurred vision of the left eye seven months after a severe head injury.

Inhibition of brain ischemia-caused notch activation in microglia may contribute to isoflurane postconditioning-induced neuroprotection in male rats.

Prolonged exposure to volatile anesthetics alone may be detrimental to the brain. However, volatile anesthetics, such as isoflurane, can provide neuroprotection against various damaging insults. Application of isoflurane after focal brain ischemia reduces ischemic brain injury.

Regulatory factor X1 is a new tumor suppressive transcription factor that acts via direct downregulation of CD44 in glioblastoma.

Background: The biological functions of regulatory factor (RF)X1, a transcription factor, are not known. Since the RFX1 gene is often epigenetically silenced and clusters of differentiation (CD)44 proteins that regulate cancer cell biology are increased in human glioblastomas, we designed this study to determine whether RFX1 could regulate CD44 expression in glioblastoma.

Methods: Regulatory factor X1 was overexpressed in 4 human glioblastoma cell lines.

Association between XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and risk of brain tumors: a meta-analysis.

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3) plays an important role in the process of homologous recombination repair for DNA double-strand breaks which further maintains the stability of the genome. XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism has been indicated in the development of cancers, but the association of the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism with risk of brain tumors is still unclear owing to the conflicting findings from previous studies. We performed a meta-analysis to provide a better understanding on the association between the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and risk of brain tumors.

Isoflurane postconditioning reduces ischemia-induced nuclear factor-κB activation and interleukin 1β production to provide neuroprotection in rats and mice.

Application of isoflurane, a volatile anesthetic, after brain ischemia can reduce ischemic brain injury in rodents (isoflurane postconditioning). This study is designed to determine whether isoflurane postconditioning improves long-term neurological outcome after focal brain ischemia and whether this protection is mediated by attenuating neuroinflammation. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 90-min middle cerebral arterial occlusion (MCAO).

Expression and cellular distribution of vascular endothelial growth factor-C system in cortical tubers of the tuberous sclerosis complex.

Cortical tubers are malformations of cortical development in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and highly associated with pediatric intractable epilepsy. Recent evidence has shown that signaling mediated through vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and its receptors, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3, has direct effects on both neurons and glial cells. To understand the potential role of VEGF-C system in the pathogenesis of cortical tubers, we investigated the expression patterns of VEGF-C signaling in cortical tubers compared with age-matched normal control cortex (CTX).

Striatal dopaminergic fiber recovery after acute L-DOPA treatment in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rats.

In order to examine the acute effects of L: -DOPA treatment following 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injection into rat medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 48) received either 6-OHDA, via intracranial unilateral injection, into the MFB (experimental group) or saline 0.9% (control group).

Involvement of over-expressed BMP4 in pentylenetetrazol kindling-induced cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus of adult rats.

The dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus is one of a few regions in the adult mammalian brain characterized by ongoing neurogenesis. Proliferation of neural precursors in the granule cell layer of the DG has been identified in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) kindling epilepsy model, however, little is known about the molecular mechanism. We previously reported that the expression pattern of bone morphogenetic proteins-4 (BMP4) mRNA in the hippocampus was developmentally regulated and mainly localized in the DG of the adult.