Modular Construction of a Tessellated Octahedron, its Hierarchical Spherical Aggregate Behavior, and Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction Activity.

Coordination-driven self-assembly has led to the formation of various aesthetical polyhedrons and compounds with advanced functions. Whereas two-dimensional supramolecules with complex and giant skeletons are plentiful, the constructions of polyhedrons are limited by using basic polygons as the panels. Herein, we report the modular synthesis of a tessellated triangle and tessellated octahedron with metal-organic modules as the panels and formed via template-driven self-assembly. These architectures have diameters on the order of 10.9 nm and molecular weights greater than 84 kDa. Interestingly, fiber and spherical-like nanostructures could be formed from the tessellated triangles and octahedrons, respectively, through hierarchical self-assembly. In addition, after hybridization with carbon nanotubes, the supramolecules exhibit electrochemical reduction activity for CO2 to CO.

The risk of intracranial infection in adults with hydrocephalus after ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery: A retrospective study.

Infection remains the most significant complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery. The objective of this study was to investigate intracranial infections complicating VPS surgery in adults with hydrocephalus. Patients who underwent VPS surgery for hydrocephalus between 2000 and 2016 were included. Clinical data and follow-up evaluations were examined and analysed retrospectively. A total of 502 patients with hydrocephalus who underwent VPS surgery were included. They were followed up for at least 2 years. Twelve patients with incomplete data were excluded. Four hundred and ninety patients were included in the final analysis. Twenty-five cases of intracranial infection occurred, accounting for 5.1% of patients with VPS surgery. The mean age of the patients was 57.1 ± 10.1 years (range, 39-72 years). The incidence of intracranial infection in patients over 60 years of age was higher than that in patients under 60 years of age (P = .007). Age (P = .007), diabetes (P = .026), skin infection (P = .028), bed-ridden (P = .007), and modified operation (P = .011) were highly correlated with the incidence of intracranial infection. The findings of this retrospective study show that age, diabetes, skin infection, bed-ridden, and modified operation of hydrocephalus significantly and independently correlated with the incidence of infection. Prospective studies are needed to assess the relationship between the incidence of infection and risk factors in patients with hydrocephalus after VPS.

Hybrid surgery can improve neurocognitive function in patients with internal carotid artery occlusion.

Internal carotid artery occlusion (ICAO) is a relatively uncommon but important cause of transient ischaemic attack and cerebral infarction. Hybrid surgery (HS) improves cerebral perfusion, but its impact on neurocognitive function has been controversial. Patients with symptomatic chronic ICAO treated by hybrid surgery or medical treatment from 2016 to 2019 were included. We recorded and analysed the clinical characteristics, angiographic data, outcomes and cognitive status. Functional assessments, including the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), the Barthel Index, and a battery of neuropsychological tests, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subtest (ADAS-cog), verbal fluency, and Colour Trail test Parts 1 and 2, were administered. Significant improvements in the ADAS (before, 7.5 ± 6.2 versus after, 5.2 ± 5.7; P = 0.022), MMSE (before, 25.5 ± 2.8 versus after, 28.1 ± 2.3; P = 0.013), and Colour Trail test Part 1 (before, 118.3 ± 26.5 versus after, 96.2 ± 23.1; P = 0.016) were observed six months after HS. Moreover, the abovementioned postprocedure scales were ameliorated in the HS group. This study found that in patients with multiple symptomatic ICAO and objective ipsilateral ischaemia, successful HS leads to improvement in the scores of three cognitive tests.

A case report of primary myxoid liposarcoma mimicking as a parotid cystic lesion.

RATIONALE: Myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) is an extremely rare tumor of the salivary gland and it arises from undifferentiated pluripotent mesenchymal cells. We report a rare case of a primary MLS in the parotid gland. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient was a 49-year-old female who presented with a hard fixed mass in the left parotid region. DIAGNOSIS: On computed tomography and MR images, this tumor has a low attenuation center with a thick enhancing wall and ill-defined margins. The absence of high-signal-intensity foci on T1-weighted images makes a MLS indistinguishable from most other soft-tissue masses. Pathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as MLS. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received total parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation and selective neck dissection. OUTCOMES: Immediate facial nerve function was House Brackmann Grade III and recovered within 3 months after the surgery. Follow-up period is 57 months and there was no recurrence until now. LESSONS: In this report, we report a rare case of primary MLS mimicking a cystic lesion of the parotid gland.

Microrchidia family CW­type zinc finger 2 promotes the proliferation, invasion, migration and epithelial­mesenchymal transition of glioma by regulating PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling via binding to N­myc downstream regulated gene 1 promoter.

Glioma is a common malignant tumor of the central nervous system with high incidence and mortality. The present study aimed to investigate the role of Microrchidia family CW­type zinc finger 2 (MORC2) in the development of glioma. Firstly, MORC2 expression was detected in several glioma cell lines (U251, SHG44, LN229 and T98G). Following MORC2 silencing, cell proliferation was evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit­8 assay and the expression of proliferation­related proteins was assessed via immunofluorescence staining or western blotting. Cell invasion and migration were assessed using transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were employed to determine the expression of epithelial­mesenchymal transition (EMT)­associated proteins. The protein expression of N­myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) and PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling was determined with western blot analysis. Then, the luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay were employed to evaluate the binding between MORC2 and NDRG1 promoter. Subsequently, cellular functional experiments were performed to assess the effects of NDRG1 on the progression of glioma after NDRG1 and MORC2 overexpression. In addition, tumor­bearing experiments were conducted using a U251 tumor­bearing nude mice model to detect tumor growth. The expression of proliferation (proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cyclin­dependent kinase 2 and cyclin E1), migration [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9], EMT (E­cadherin, N­cadherin and Vimentin) and PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling proteins in tumor tissues was examined with immunohistochemistry assay or western blotting. Results revealed that MORC2 was notably unregulated in glioma cells compared with the normal human astrocyte. Loss­function of MORC2 inhibited the proliferation, invasion, migration and EMT of glioma cells. Importantly, MORC2 silencing upregulated NDRG1 expression and inactivated PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling. Additionally, the luciferase reporter­ and ChIP assays confirmed that MORC2 could bind to the NDRG1 promoter. NDRG1 upregulation suppressed the progression of glioma and these effects were partially reversed by MORC2 overexpression. Results of tumor­bearing experiments suggested that gain­function of NDRG1 inhibited tumor growth and downregulated the expression of proliferation, migration and EMT­related proteins in tumorous tissue in U251 tumor­bearing mice, which was partially counteracted after MORC2 overexpression. In addition, MORC2 overexpression abrogated the inhibitory effect of NDRG1 on PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling. In summary, MORC2 promoted the progression of glioma by inactivation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling via binding to NDRG1 promoter, providing a novel and potent target for the treatment of glioma.

Multiple nerve root metastasis of breast carcinoma: a report of two cases.

Nerve root metastases are extremely rare with only a handful of cases ever reported. Metastasis to sites other than the primary site is common in malignant tumors whereas spinal ganglion metastasis is extremely rare and has been only reported in individual cases. The lumbar spine tends to be more common areas of presentation whereas breast cancer metastasis has been rarely reported. We herein reported two cases of breast carcinoma metastasis to multiple spinal nerve roots. The metastasis sites were S1 nerve root in Case 1 and left L5 and bilateral cervical nerve roots in Case 2. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the nerve roots in the intervertebral foramen zones appeared thickened and contrast-enhanced MRI exhibited intense enhancement. Pathological examination showed that these primary lesions were breast cancer in both cases, and there were intracranial multiple metastases in both cases, including preoperative metastasis to multiple nerve roots (lumbar and cervical) and postoperative recurrence. The clinical course was characterized by worsening radicular symptoms-especially intractable pain. The radiologic appearance might mimic a neurogenic tumor, which is performed intervertebral foraminal area lesion, and the corresponding ganglion/nerve root became thickened and was enhanced significantly. Surgical intervention with tumor debulking followed by radiotherapy provides local tumor control and palliation from pain, but it is palliative. Therefore, for patients with radiological manifestations of radiculopathy, the possibility of metastatic tumors should be considered.

A Treatment Option for Symptomatic Chronic Complete Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion: Hybrid Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Internal carotid artery occlusion (ICAO) is a relatively uncommon but important cause of transient ischemic attack and cerebral infarction. The majority of cases of symptomatic ICAO requires surgical treatment. In this study we performed an investigation of the efficacy and safety of hybrid surgery which is a surgical method for symptomatic chronic complete ICAO. METHODS: Fifty-five patients with symptomatic chronic ICAO treated by hybrid surgery from 2016 to 2019 were included. We recorded and analyzed the patients' clinical characteristics, angiographic data, recanalization rate, complications, and outcomes. Catheter angiography or computed tomography angiography was used to assess the patency of the recanalized ICA during follow-up. RESULTS: The total success rate of recanalization was 78.2% (43/55). The occlusions were significantly shorter in the success than failure group (5.40 ± 1.50 vs. 7.56 ± 0.99 cm, respectively; P < 0.001). The median duration of ICA occlusion was significantly shorter in the success than failure group (90 vs. 200 days, respectively). The success rates of distal ICA recanalization at the petrous segment or below, cavernous segment, and clinoid segment or above were 100, 33.3, and 14.3%, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the level of distal ICA reconstitution was the only factor affecting the recanalization success rate. Periprocedural complications included hyperperfusion syndrome (n = 1) and laryngeal nerve injury (n = 1). ICA reocclusion occurred in one patient (2.3%). Significant postoperative improvement in symptoms was observed in the success group, with a median modified Rankin scale score of 0 at the 3-month follow-up compared with before recanalization (median, 1) (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hybrid surgery might be safe and effective for patients with symptomatic chronic complete ICAO. The level of distal ICA reconstitution is a predictor of successful recanalization in hybrid operations.

The potential risk factors of cortical visual impairment following cerebral angiography: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Cortical visual impairment is an uncommon complication after cerebral angiography with an incidence of 0.3%-1.0%. Here we would like to investigate and discuss the potential risk factors of cortical visual impairment after cerebral angiography. METHODS: Based on the presence of post-operative cortical visual impairment, 4,528 patients who received cerebral angiography were split into two groups. The relevant risk factors were compared and analyzed between the groups. RESULTS: In the patient cohort, 11 cases exhibited post-operative cortical visual impairment (0.24%). In particular, seven patients presented with blurred vision and four presented with binocular blindness. Visual sensation of these patients recovered after the treatment. Our univariate analysis revealed that differences in age, weight, sex ratios, proportions of patients with hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipemia, and operation time were not statistically significant between the two groups (P>0.05). The multivariate analysis indicated that the dosage of contrast medium was the independent risk factor for post-operative cortical visual impairment. CONCLUSION: Clinically, cortical visual impairment following cerebral angiography typically presented as blurred vision or complete blindness. We have identified the dosage of contrast medium as the most critical independent risk factor based on our study. Preventive strategies need to be implemented to avoid post-operative cortical visual impairment in this regard.

miR-204 reverses temozolomide resistance and inhibits cancer initiating cells phenotypes by degrading FAP-α in glioblastoma.

Malignant gliomas are treated with temozolomide (TMZ) at present, but often exhibit resistance to this agent. Cancer-initiating cells (CICs) have been suggested to lead to TMZ resistance. The mechanisms underlying CICs-based TMZ resistance are not fully understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to serve important roles in tumorigenesis and TMZ resistance. In the present study, a sphere forming assay and western blot analysis were performed to detect the formation of CICs and fibroblast activation protein α (FAP-α) protein expression. It was revealed that TMZ resistance promoted the formation of CICs and upregulated FAP-α expression in glioblastoma cells. Over-expressing FAP-α was also demonstrated to promote TMZ resistance and induce the formation of CICs in U251MG cells. In addition, using a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, it was observed that miR-204 was downregulated in U251MG-resistant (-R) cells. miR-204 expression negatively correlated with the FAP-α levels in human glioblastoma tissues, and it may inhibit the formation of CICs and reverse TMZ resistance in U251MG-R cells. Therefore, it was concluded that miR-204 reversed temozolomide resistance and inhibited CICs phenotypes by degrading FAP-α in glioblastoma.

Risk factors for vasovagal reaction associated with cerebral angiography via femoral catheterisation.

Objective To analyse the related risk factors for vasovagal reaction associated with cerebral angiography via femoral catheterisation and discuss treatment measures and prevention and control methods. Methods The data of 3107 patients on whom cerebral angiography was performed in two high-volume interventional neuroradiology centres within 8 years were retrospectively analysed. Patients were divided into the vasovagal reaction and non-vasovagal reaction groups according to whether vasovagal reaction developed. The two groups' clinical data were analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine vasovagal reaction-related factors. Results Of the 3107 patients included, 127 developed vasovagal reaction (4.09%). Of the 127 patients who developed vasovagal reaction, 123, three and one had vasovagal reaction after sheath removal, during cerebral angiography and upon femoral artery compression device removal, respectively. Differences in age, body mass index, sex ratios, proportions of patients with hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipemia, and adoption rate of femoral artery compression device were not statistically significant between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the vasovagal reaction group had a significantly longer preoperative fasting time ( P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed preoperative fasting time as the only risk factor for vasovagal reaction that was associated with cerebral angiography ( P < 0.001). Conclusion Excessive fasting time before cerebral angiography is the most important risk factor for vasovagal reaction associated with cerebral angiography.