Association of blood urea nitrogen with 28-day mortality in critically ill patients: A multi-center retrospective study based on the eICU collaborative research database.

Objective: Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is a commonly used biomarker for assessing kidney function and neuroendocrine activity. Previous studies have indicated that elevated BUN levels are associated with increased mortality in various critically ill patient populations. The focus of this study was to investigate the relationship between BUN and 28-day mortality in intensive care patients.

RETRACTED: Exploring the mechanism by which accumbal deep brain stimulation attenuates morphine-induced reinstatement through manganese-enhanced MRI and pharmacological intervention.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal).

Sensitivity of power and RMS delay spread predictions of a 3D indoor ray tracing model.

This study investigates the sensitivity of a three-dimensional (3D) indoor ray tracing (RT) model for the use of the uniform theory of diffraction and geometrical optics in radio channel characterizations of indoor environments. Under complex indoor environments, RT-based predictions require detailed and accurate databases of indoor object layouts and the electrical characteristics of such environments. The aim of this study is to assist in selecting the appropriate level of accuracy required in indoor databases to achieve good trade-offs between database costs and prediction accuracy.

Embolization of dural arteriovenous fistula of the anterior cranial fossa through the middle meningeal artery with Onyx.

Objective: Dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) of the anterior cranial fossa is usually treated by surgical disconnection or endovascular embolization via the ophthalmic artery. The middle meningeal artery is a rarely used approach. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of embolization of DAVF of the anterior cranial fossa with Onyx through the middle meningeal artery.

Treatment of dural arteriovenous fistula by balloon-assisted transarterial embolization with Onyx.

Objective: This study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of embolization of dural arteriovenous fistula via a very small, short feeding artery with the assistance of a balloon placed proximal to the tip of the microcatheter, such that the balloon serves as a plug.

Methods: Eight patients who underwent treatment of DAVF by balloon-assisted transarterial embolization with Onyx were retrospectively reviewed. Gender, age, angiography findings, procedure details, clinical and angiographic outcomes, complications, and follow-up were recorded and analyzed.

Gypenosides improve cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats by suppressing oxidative stress and astrocytic activation.

Gypenosides (GP), the saponin extract derived from the Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino, a widely reputed medicinal plant in China, has been reported to have some neuroprotective effects. We used a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion to investigate the protective effects of GP on the cortex and hippocampal CA1 region and the underlying mechanisms for its inhibition of cognitive decline. Daily doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg GP were orally administered to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats for 61 days after inducing cerebral hypoperfusion experimentally, and spatial learning and memory were assessed using the Morris water maze.

Potential role of Jun activation domain-binding protein 1 and phosphorylated p27 expression in prognosis of glioma.

To investigate whether Jun activation domain-binding protein 1 (Jab1) expression is correlated with p27 protein and its phosphorylation status as well as how it might be clinically relevant in glioma, we carried out an immunohistochemical study of Jab1, Ser10-phosphorylated p27 (pSer10p27), and p27 using biopsies from 192 patients with primary glioma. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the prognosis of patients. Immunostaining revealed a positive correlation between Jab1 and cytoplasmic p27 as well as pSer10p27 in all glioma cases.

Reduced expression of SMAD4 in gliomas correlates with progression and survival of patients.

Background: To examine the expression of SMAD4 at gene and protein levels in glioma samples with different WHO grades and its association with survival.

Methods: Two hundreds fifty-two glioma specimens and 42 normal control tissues were collected. Immunochemistry assay, quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were carried out to investigate the expression of SMAD4.

Wingspan stent for high-grade symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery atherosclerotic stenosis.

Purpose: This study was designed to present the treatment outcomes with Wingspan stent angioplasty of high-grade intracranial vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stenosis in symptomatic patients.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2010, the records of 30 patients with 31 intracranial high-grade VBA stenoses (all ≥ 70%) who underwent elective stenting due to the failure of medical therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical evaluation was performed based on the modified Rankin scale and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.

Intraarterial thrombolysis and stent placement for acute basilar artery occlusion.

Purpose: To study retrospectively the prognostic factors for acute basilar artery occlusion treated with intraarterial thrombolysis and stent placement.

Materials And Methods: Within 3-48 hours of disease onset, 52 patients with basilar artery occlusion were treated with emergency intraarterial thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) or urokinase (UK) or intraarterial thrombolysis combined with stent placement. Sixteen patients simultaneously received stent placement for the partial recanalization of basilar artery occlusion after intraarterial thrombolysis.

Intracranial angioplasty with Gateway-Wingspan system for symptomatic atherosclerotic stenosis: preliminary results of 27 Chinese patients.

Background: We investigated the safety of treatment of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses with the Gateway-Wingspan system and its initial effect on prevention of ischemic events.

Methods: Twenty-seven cases of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses were treated with angioplasty with a Wingspan stent. Location of stenoses, extent of stenoses before and after angioplasty, success rate of treatment, occurrence of procedural complications, and changes in recurrence of symptoms of ischemic events 30 days after treatment were recorded.

Astragaloside IV attenuates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion-induced increase in permeability of the blood-brain barrier in rats.

Astragalus membranaceus is widely used to treat stroke and chronic debilitating diseases in China, but the mechanism has not been fully demonstrated to data. In the present study, we, using astragaloside IV, a purified extract from astragalus membranaceus, to a focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion rat model, aimed to investigate the effect of astragaloside IV on the permeability of the blood-brain barrier since disruption of blood-brain barrier induced by ischemia/reperfusion leads to serious brain injuries. We found that astragaloside IV (10, 20 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the permeability of blood-brain barrier in comparison with vehicle group after ischemia/reperfusion assessed via Evans blue leakage (P<0.

Inhibition of transcription factor STAT5b suppresses proliferation, induces G1 cell cycle arrest and reduces tumor cell invasion in human glioblastoma multiforme cells.

Abnormalities in the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) signaling are involved in the oncogenesis of several cancers. However, previous studies have not elucidated clear and distinct roles for each STAT5 gene in cancers. To investigate the role of STAT5a, -5b isoforms in human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) progression, we depleted each STAT5 isoforms with siRNA.

Nigrostriatal projecting neurons express GDNF receptor subunit RET in adult rats.

Nigrostriatal neurons expressing RET protein, a receptor protein tyrosine kinase of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were investigated in rats using retrograde neural tracing with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) combined with immunohistochemistry. HR/RET double-labeled neurons were abundantly distributed in the substantia nigra pars compacta ipsilateral to the caudate-putamen stereotaxically injected with HRP. Almost all the HRP-labeled neurons in nigra exhibited RET-like immunoreactivity, which however constituted more than half of the RET-immunoreactive cells.

Repeat gamma knife radiosurgery for recurrent or refractory trigeminal neuralgia.

Background: Repeat gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) is considered to be an effective treatment for refractory or recurrent trigeminal neuralgia (TN).

Aims: The purpose of this report was to demonstrate the relationship between the outcome of repeat GKRS and prior operative procedures on patients with recurrent or refractory TN.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 34 patients with refractory or recurrent TN who had undergone repeat GKRS; 21 patients had undergone other types of procedures, 11 of whom had undergone more than three such procedures prior to radiosurgery.

Carotid and transcranial color-coded duplex ultrasonography for the diagnosis of dural arteriovenous fistulas.

Background And Purpose: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF) can affect a variety of cerebral venous structures and can present at various clinical stages. This study was designed to introduce the characteristic manifestation of DAVF detected with both carotid and transcranial color-coded duplex ultrasonography (CDUS) and to evaluate the diagnostic value of CDUS in DAVF.

Methods: Nineteen patients with DAVF confirmed by cerebral angiography were studied with CDUS.

[Angiographic outcomes of cerebral aneurysms embolized with Matrix coils].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Matrix coil in prevention of recanalization of intracranial aneurysm after embolization with Matrix coils.

Methods: Plan of follow-up was designed to make digital subtraction angiographies for Forty-eight intracranial aneurysm patients with 49 aneurysm s, 22 males and 26 females, aged 52 (15 ~ 67), underwent embolization with Matrix coil and were followed up for 11.75 months on average.

Transcranial color Doppler flow imaging in detecting severe stenosis of the intracranial vertebral artery: a prospective study.

Objective: The aims of this prospective study were to investigate the manifestations of the hemodynamics and morphology of a normal intracranial vertebral artery (VA) and diffusely severe or localized critical vertebral artery stenosis (VAS) on transcranial color Doppler flow imaging (TCDFI) and to discuss the criteria of TCDFI in detecting severe VAS.

Methods: There were 30 patients suspected of having an intracranial VAS in a patient group and 30 healthy volunteers in a control group. All the patients underwent both TCDFI and digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

Expression of chimeric antibody in mammalian cells using dicistronic expression vector.

A dicistronic expression vector was constructed for Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that produce both selectable marker-DHFR (dihydrofolate reductase) gene and recombinant antibody cDNA from a single primary transcript via differential splicing. The vector was derived from a pDHL vector and contained the human constant region cDNA so that any human-mouse chimeric antibodies could be expressed. The expression vector produced stable CHO cell clones that secreted nearly double the amount of chimeric antibodies than produced by conventional expression approaches, where the DHFR gene and relevant cDNA are controlled by separate transcription cassettes.