Radiation-induced glioblastoma with rhabdoid characteristics following treatment for medulloblastoma: A case report and review of the literature.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a high-grade glioma that may develop from several other central nervous system tumors after radiation therapy. We herein report a case of GBM occurring 8 years after radiation therapy for medulloblastoma. The secondary tumor was histologically distinctly different from the primary tumor.

Vitamin D improves immune function in immunosuppressant mice induced by glucocorticoid.

Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin with multiple functions. Vitamin D receptor has been shown to be expressed in several types of immune cells suggesting vitamin D may have immune regulatory roles. Vitamin D insufficiency has been suggested to increase the risk of autoimmune diseases.

Parasympathectomy increases resting salivary secretion in normal and irradiated submandibular glands of rats.

Fluid and ion secretion from the submandibular gland (SMG) is mainly regulated by parasympathetic nerves. This study evaluated the effect of parasympathectomy on salivary secretion from normal and irradiated rat SMGs from 1 to 24 wk after denervation. Although stimulated salivary secretion was significantly lower in denervated SMGs compared with contralateral self-controls, the resting salivary flow rates were markedly higher in the denervated SMGs at 1, 12, and 24 wk after denervation.

The Associations of Serum Lipids with Vitamin D Status.

Aims: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with some disorders including cardiovascular diseases. Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, data about the relationships between vitamin D and lipids are inconsistent.

A Battery-Less, Implantable Neuro-Electronic Interface for Studying the Mechanisms of Deep Brain Stimulation in Rat Models.

Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been a promising alternative for treating several neural disorders, the mechanisms underlying the DBS remain not fully understood. As rat models provide the advantage of recording and stimulating different disease-related regions simultaneously, this paper proposes a battery-less, implantable neuro-electronic interface suitable for studying DBS mechanisms with a freely-moving rat. The neuro-electronic interface mainly consists of a microsystem able to interact with eight different brain regions bi-directionally and simultaneously.

Successful treatment of recurrent Kimura's disease with radiotherapy: a case report.

Kimura's disease is a rare, chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the skin and subcutaneous tissue, predominantly in the head and neck region. It is benign but may be recurrent and difficult to eradicate. A case of recurrent Kimura disease in a 53-year-old man was reported.

[Polyethylenimine and minicircle DNA based gene transfer].

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is one of the most characterized non-viral vectors. It can condense DNA in a good manner and achieve high transfection efficiency. Minicircle DNA (mc-DNA) is a novel kind of supercoiled DNA which is devoid of bacterial backbone.