Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for High-Grade Gliomas: Single-Center Experience of Six Years in China.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) as a salvage therapy for high-grade glioma in our center. METHODS: A total of 167 patients with malignant glioma were treated with GKRS in our Gamma Knife Center between January 2013 and December 2017; 140 patients (85 males and 55 females) were followed up and enrolled in our study. A single lesion was found in 110 cases, and multiple lesions were found in 30 cases; 108 cases received a single therapy, and in 32 cases, at least 2 GKRSs were performed. The median tumor volume was 13.5 cm3. The mean radiation dosage was 14.35 Gy (range, 6-18 Gy). MRI was performed regularly. The RANO criteria and Cox analysis were used to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency. RESULTS: Follow-up MRI showed the local control rate was 61.4% at 3 months after GKRS, 25.0% at 6 months, and 7.1% at 12 months. The mean and median progression-free survival (PFS) periods were 8.6 (95% CI, 6.3-11.0) and 4 (95% CI, 3.5-4.5) (range, 1-60) months, respectively. The overall survival (OS) after GKRS was 3-62 months, with a mean of 16.7 (95% CI, 14.6-18.9) months, and the median survival was 13 (95% CI, 12.1-13.9) months. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates were 51.4, 10.0, and 2.9%, respectively. No severe complications occurred. Cox regression showed that glioma pathology was closely related to prognosis (p < 0.05). The Karnofsky Performance Score had little influence on PFS (p > 0.05) but influenced OS significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: GKRS can be used to effectively treat malignant brain glioma and can therefore be used as an alternative treatment option.

Osthole attenuates mouse atopic dermatitis by inhibiting thymic stromal lymphopoietin production from keratinocytes.

Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common skin diseases. Dysregulation of immune system and chronic inflammation were believed to be associated with atopic dermatitis. Osthole was reported to play important roles in antitumor and anti-inflammation. However, whether osthole has effects on atopic dermatitis remains unclear. In this present study, we explored the biological role of osthole in atopic dermatitis and the molecular mechanism. Atopic dermatitis was induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene. Pathological damage of ear was detected by H&E staining. IgE level in serum or thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) level in supernatant was detected by ELISA. Interleukin (IL)-4 expression and IL-13 expression in CD4+ T cells were detected using flow cytometry. The expression levels of mRNA or protein levels were detected by RT-PCR or Western blot. Osthole attenuated atopic dermatitis development in mouse model. Osthole inhibits Th2 cell response, but have on influence on Th1 or Th17 cell response in the skin. In mouse model, osthole treatment significantly inhibited atopic dermatitis via directly inhibiting TLSP expression levels in keratinocytes. Osthole treatment alleviates atopic dermatitis through directly down-regulating TSLP production from keratinocytes. Osthole may serve as a potential choice for atopic dermatitis treatment in clinic.

Exposure to 3G mobile phone signals does not affect the biological features of brain tumor cells.

BACKGROUND: The increase in mobile phone use has generated concerns about possible risks to human health, especially the development of brain tumors. Whether tumor patients should continue to use mobile telephones has remained unclear because of a paucity of information. Herein, we investigated whether electromagnetic fields from mobile phones could alter the biological features of human tumor cells and act as a tumor-promoting agent. METHODS: Human glioblastoma cell lines, U251-MG and U87-MG, were exposed to 1950-MHz time division-synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) at a specific absorption rate (maximum SAR = 5.0 W/kg) for 12, 24, and 48 h. Cell morphologies and ultra-structures were observed by microscopy and the rates of apoptosis and cell cycle progression were monitored by flow cytometry. Additionally, cell growth was determined using the CKK-8 assay, and the expression levels of tumor and apoptosis-related genes and proteins were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. Tumor formation and invasiveness were measured using a tumorigenicity assay in vivo and migration assays in vitro. RESULTS: No significant differences in either biological features or tumor formation ability were observed between unexposed and exposed glioblastoma cells. Our data showed that exposure to 1950-MHz TD-SCDMA electromagnetic fields for up to 48 h did not act as a cytotoxic or tumor-promoting agent to affect the proliferation or gene expression profile of glioblastoma cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings implied that exposing brain tumor cells in vitro for up to 48 h to 1950-MHz continuous TD-SCDMA electromagnetic fields did not elicit a general cell stress response.

Fasting for 21days leads to changes in adipose tissue and liver physiology in juvenile checkered garter snakes (Thamnophis marcianus).

Snakes often undergo periods of prolonged fasting and, under certain conditions, can survive years without food. Despite this unique phenomenon, there are relatively few reports of the physiological adaptations to fasting in snakes. At post-prandial day 1 (fed) or 21 (fasting), brain, liver, and adipose tissues were collected from juvenile checkered garter snakes (Thamnophis marcianus). There was greater glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH)-specific activity in the liver of fasted than fed snakes (P=0.01). The mRNA abundance of various fat metabolism-associated factors was measured in brain, liver, and adipose tissue. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA was greater in fasted than fed snakes in the brain (P=0.04). Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL; P=0.006) mRNA was greater in the liver of fasted than fed snakes. In adipose tissue, expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ (P=0.01), and fatty acid binding protein 4 (P=0.03) was greater in fed than fasted snakes. Analysis of adipocyte morphology revealed that cross-sectional area (P=0.095) and diameter (P=0.27) were not significantly different between fed and fasted snakes. Results suggest that mean adipocyte area can be preserved during fasting by dampening lipid biosynthesis while not changing rates of lipid hydrolysis. In the liver, however, extensive lipid remodeling may provide energy and lipoproteins to maintain lipid structural integrity during energy restriction. Because the duration of fasting was not sufficient to change adipocyte size, results suggest that the liver is important as a short-term provider of energy in the snake.

Biophysical and molecular-dynamics studies of phosphatidic acid binding by the Dvl-2 DEP domain.

The Wnt-dependent, ß-catenin-independent pathway modulates cell movement and behavior. A downstream regulator of this signaling pathway is Dishevelled (Dvl), which, among other multiple interactions, binds to the Frizzled receptor and the plasma membrane via phosphatidic acid (PA) in a mechanism proposed to be pH-dependent. While the Dvl DEP domain is central to the ß-catenin-independent Wnt signaling function, the mechanism underlying its physical interaction with the membrane remains elusive. In this report, we elucidate the structural and functional basis of PA association to the Dvl2 DEP domain. Nuclear magnetic resonance, molecular-dynamics simulations, and mutagenesis data indicated that the domain interacted with the phospholipid through the basic helix 3 and a contiguous loop with moderate affinity. The association suggested that PA binding promoted local conformational changes in helix 2 and ß-strand 4, both of which are compromised to maintain a stable hydrophobic core in the DEP domain. We also show that the Dvl2 DEP domain bound PA in a pH-dependent manner in a mechanism that resembles deprotonation of PA. Collectively, our results structurally define the PA-binding properties of the Dvl2 DEP domain, which can be exploited for the investigation of binding mechanisms of other DEP domain-interacting proteins.

Structure, sulfatide binding properties, and inhibition of platelet aggregation by a disabled-2 protein-derived peptide.

Disabled-2 (Dab2) targets membranes and triggers a wide range of biological events, including endocytosis and platelet aggregation. Dab2, through its phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain, inhibits platelet aggregation by competing with fibrinogen for α(IIb)ß(3) integrin receptor binding. We have recently shown that the N-terminal region, including the PTB domain (N-PTB), drives Dab2 to the platelet membrane surface by binding to sulfatides through two sulfatide-binding motifs, modulating the extent of platelet aggregation. The three-dimensional structure of a Dab2-derived peptide encompassing the sulfatide-binding motifs has been determined in dodecylphosphocholine micelles using NMR spectroscopy. Dab2 sulfatide-binding motif contains two helices when embedded in micelles, reversibly binds to sulfatides with moderate affinity, lies parallel to the micelle surface, and when added to a platelet mixture, reduces the number and size of sulfatide-induced aggregates. Overall, our findings identify and structurally characterize a minimal region in Dab2 that modulates platelet homotypic interactions, all of which provide the foundation for rational design of a new generation of anti-aggregatory low-molecular mass molecules for therapeutic purposes.

Intracranial 131I-chTNT Brachytherapy in Patients with Deep-Seated Glioma: A Single-center Experience with 10-Year Follow-up from China.

OBJECTIVE: The intracranial brachytherapy has been applied for decades, however, no results with long-term follow-up have been reported. This study investigated the long-term efficiency of intra-tumoral injection of 131I-chTNT in patients with deep-seated glioma. METHOD: Thirty-five patients undergoing 131I-chTNT brachytherapy between December 2004 and May 2009 were enrolled. 131I-chTNT was injected at a dose of 1.5 mCi/cm3 at an interval of 1 month for consecutive 3 times. Serial ECT scan and MRI were performed during follow-up. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Adverse reactions were graded with WHO Toxicity Grading Scale for determining the severity of adverse events. RESULTS: ECT scan showed that enhanced accumulation of radioactive agents in the tumor lasted for more than 30 days. Three months after final injection, tumor complete remission (CR) was observed in 4 patients (11.4 %), partial remission (PR) in 11 cases (31.4 %), stable disease (SD) in 10 cases (28.6 %) and progressive disease (PD) in 10 cases (28.6 %). At 6-month, CR, PR, SD and PD were 2, 6, 12 and 15 respectively. After 10 years of follow-up, median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 5.4 and 11.4 months. One-year survival was 45.7 %, two and five-year survival was 8.6 %, ten-year survival was 5.7 %. Multivariate analysis showed that pathological grade and tumor diameter were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. Grade I-II adverse events occurred after drug injection, including nausea, fever, headache, hairloss and fatigue. CONCLUSION: 131I-chTNT intracranial brachytherapy is efficient and safe for patients with deep-seated glioma. It is a reliable option for inoperable glioma patients.

Human thrombopoietin reduces myocardial infarct size, apoptosis, and stunning following ischaemia/reperfusion in rats.

AIMS: Thrombopoietin (Tpo) is known for its ability to stimulate platelet production. However, it is currently unknown whether Tpo plays a physiological function in the heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed the potential protective role of Tpo in vitro and in vivo in two rat models of myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion. Tpo receptor (c-mpl) message was detected in the heart using RT-PCR, and the Tpo receptor protein was detected using western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Tpo treatment immediately before ischaemia reduced myocardial necrosis, apoptosis, and decline in ventricular function following ischaemia/reperfusion in the rat in a concentration- and dose-dependent manner with an optimal concentration of 1.0 ng/mL in vitro and an optimal dose of 0.05 microg/kg iv in vivo. Tpo also reduced infarct size when given after the onset of ischaemia or at reperfusion. Tpo activated JAK-2 (Janus kinase-2) and p44 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) during reperfusion but not prior to ischaemia. Inhibition of JAK-2 (AG-490), p42/44 MAPK (PD98059), mitochondrial K(ATP) channels (5-HD), and sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels (HMR 1098) abolished Tpo-induced resistance to injury from myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion. AG-490, PD98059, 5-HD, and HMR1098 alone had no effect on cardioprotection. Treatment with a single dose of Tpo (0.05 or 1.0 microg/kg iv) did not result in the elevation of platelet count or haematocrit over a 16-day period. CONCLUSION: A single treatment of Tpo confers cardioprotection through JAK-2, p42/44 MAPK, and K(ATP) channels, suggesting a potential therapeutic role of Tpo in the treatment of injury resulting from myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion.

Gadolinium limits myocardial infarction in the rat: dose-response, temporal relations and mechanisms.

The lanthanide cation, gadolinium (Gd) attenuates post-ischemic myocardial stunning. This study tests the hypothesis that Gd also preconditions the myocardium against infarction following ischemia-reperfusion (IR) and explores potential mechanisms underlying Gd-induced cardioprotection. Regional myocardial infarction was induced in rats by occluding the left anterior descending artery for 30 min and reperfusing for 120 min. Rats (n=6/group) were administered intravenous Gd (1 to 100 micromol/kg) 15 min prior to ischemia. Hearts were excised after reperfusion to determine infarct size (IS) and area at risk (AAR). The ratio IS/AAR (%) was reduced by Gd in a "U"-shaped, dose-dependent manner. The minimum dose that reduced IS/AAR was 5 micromol/kg (52+/-5% vs. 64+/-4%), while the dose that reduced IS/AAR maximally was 20 micromol/kg (44+/-4%). Gd also reduced IS/AAR when given 1 min before reperfusion (47+/-3%) but not when given 10 s after reperfusion (60+/-3%). Cardioprotection was maintained if IR was delayed 24-72 h after Gd administration. Cardioprotection by Gd was abolished by inhibition of JAK-2 with AG-490, of p42/44 MAPK with PD98059 or of K(ATP) channels with glibenclamide. None of these agents given alone altered IS/AAR compared with controls. Inhibition of JAK-2 also blocked Gd-induced delayed cardioprotection. Gd may have broad potential roles in IR, as it conferred immediate cardioprotection when given prior to ischemia or prior to reperfusion and delayed cardioprotection for up to 72 h after administration. The mechanism underlying Gd-induced preconditioning appears to be multi-factorial, involving JAK-2, STAT-3 and p44 MAPK pathways, as well as K(ATP) channels.

Inhibiting protease-activated receptor 4 limits myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat hearts by unmasking adenosine signaling.

Harnessing endogenous cardioprotectants is a novel therapeutic strategy to combat ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Thrombin causes I/R injury, whereas exogenous adenosine prevents I/R injury. We hypothesized that blocking thrombin receptor activation with a protease-activated receptor (PAR) 4 antagonist would unmask the cardioprotective effects of endogenous adenosine. The protective role of two structurally unrelated PAR4 antagonists, trans-cinnamoyl-YPGKF-amide (tc-Y-NH(2)) and palmitoyl-SGRRYGHALR-amide (P4pal10), were evaluated in two rat models of myocardial I/R injury. P4pal10 (10 microg/kg) treatment before ischemia significantly decreased infarct size (IS) by 31, 21, and 19% when given before, during, and after ischemia in the in vivo model. tc-Y-NH(2) (5 microM) treatment before ischemia decreased IS by 51% in the in vitro model and increased recovery of ventricular function by 26%. To assess whether the cardioprotective effects of PAR4 blockade were due to endogenous adenosine, isolated hearts were treated with a nonselective adenosine receptor blocker, 8-sulfaphenyltheophylline (8-SPT), and tc-Y-NH(2) before ischemia. 8-SPT abolished the protective effects of tc-Y-NH(2) but did not affect IS when given alone. Adenosine-mediated survival pathways were then explored. The cardioprotective effects of tc-Y-NH(2) were abolished by inhibition of Akt (wortmannin), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 [PD98059 (2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone)], nitric-oxide synthase [N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMA)], and K(ATP) channels (glibenclamide). PD98059, l-NMA, and glibenclamide alone had no effect on cardioprotection in vitro. Furthermore, inhibition of mitochondrial K(ATP) channels [5-hydroxydecanoic acid (5-HD)] and sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels (sodium (5-(2-(5-chloro-2-methoxybenzamido)ethyl)-2-methoxyphenylsulfonyl)(methylcarbamothioyl)amide; HMR 1098) abolished P4pal10-induced cardioprotection in vivo. Thrombin receptor blockade by PAR4 inhibition provides protection against injury from myocardial I/R by unmasking adenosine receptor signaling and supports the hypothesis of a coupling between thrombin receptors and adenosine receptors.

Bevacizumab and stereotactic radiosurgery achieved complete response for pediatric recurrent medulloblastoma.

Recurrent medulloblastoma has a very poor prognosis in children regardless of the treatment employed. We report the case of a 3-year-old child with recurrent refractory medulloblastoma who was treated with both bevacizumab and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The boy was found to harbor a tumor in the cerebral posterior fossa in November 2010. Craniotomy was performed to remove the tumor completely. Postoperative pathological examination showed desmoplastic medulloblastoma. Craniospinal radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed. Three years later, the boy suffered from constant headache again. Magnetic resonance imaging showed seeding of medulloblastoma in the posterior fossa as four masses with diameter ranging from 2 cm to 3 cm. To avoid overdose radiation, we used SRS and anti-angiogenesis therapy. Bevacizumab was given at 10 mg/kg for four times with an interval of 1 month. Gamma Knife (Leksell Gamma Knife®, Elekta Instruments, Stockholm, Sweden) was used targeting at one lesion each time and performed for consecutive two times with bevacizumab therapy. Following this combined treatment, the lesions targeted with radiosurgery showed complete response with minimal toxicity in <1 month successively. The combined use of bevacizumab and SRS may represent a novel treatment against medulloblastoma in patients who are not surgical candidates, and should be investigated further. This is the first documented case of medulloblastoma treated with bevacizumab and SRS. Further clinical trials should be considered to evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy.

Epilepsy in Adults with Supratentorial Glioblastoma: Incidence and Influence Factors and Prophylaxis in 184 Patients.

AIM: To analyze the incidence of epilepsy in adult patients with supratentorial glioblastoma, assess the factors influencing the development of epilepsy in these cases, and evaluate patients' response to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in a series of 184 patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the 184 adult patients diagnosed with supratentorial glioblastoma. All subjects were treated within our hospital and subsequently died between 2003 and 2013. The incidence of epilepsy was assessed before and after initial resection and reexamined every 2 months thereafter. We evaluated the efficacy of prophylactic AEDs in this patient population based on the gathered incidence data. RESULTS: Of 184 patients, 43 (23.37%) were diagnosed with epilepsy before their initial resection. The total incidence of epilepsy (both pre- and postoperative) was 68.48%. The prevalence of active epilepsy reached over 80% in patients with epilepsy and survival of greater than 13 months postoperatively. Patients with glioblastoma in the frontal and/or temporal lobes had a higher prevalence of epilepsy. In the 43 patients with preoperative epilepsy, total resection of glioblastoma resulted in significantly lower seizure frequency. Patients who received epilepsy prophylaxis with AEDs for at least 6 months had significantly fewer seizures and higher Karnofsky scores than those receiving AEDs for less than one month or not at all. CONCLUSION: The incidence of epilepsy in adult patients with glioblastoma was high and responded poorly to AEDs in the short term. However, when taken for longer periods, AEDs can reduce the frequency of seizures in patients with glioblastoma.

Localization and distribution of magnetic chemotherapeutic drugs with magnetic targeting in rat brain.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic targeting therapy may be a new method for the treatment of malignent tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the localization and distribution of ferrofluid microsphere of human serum albumin methotrexate (FM-HSA-MTX) carriers in the brain and to explore the magnetic targeting chemotherapy for malignant brain tumor. METHODS: Ninety SD rats were divided into three groups: targeting group, non-magnetic targeting group, and control group. Synthesized FM-HSA-MTX carriers (MTX 25 mg/kg) were injected into the systemic circulation via the caudal vein (magnetic targeting group, n = 30). A 0.6 T magnetic field was placed around the right hemisphere. The non-magnetic targeting group (n = 30) was administered with FM-HSA-MTX without external magnetic field, meanwhile the control group (n = 30) was treated with MTX and a magnetic field. Random serial sacrifices (n = 10) were conducted at 15, 30 and 45 minutes after drug administration. Bilateral hemispheres were collected respectively, and analyzed for total MTX content. RESULTS: MTX content in the right hemisphere of the magnetic targeting group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups at 15, 30 and 45 minutes after drug administration (P < 0.05) No difference was seen between the non-targeting group and control group. In the magnetic targeting group, MTX returned to the peak level [(0.564 +/- 0.018) mg/g, q15-45 = 32.252, P < 0.05] 45 minutes after the injection but it deceased in the other two groups [non-magnetic targeting group: (0.060 +/- 0.015) mg/g, q15-45 = 9.245, P < 0.05, control group: (0.074 +/- 0.045) mg/g, q15-45 = 6.299, P < 0.05]. In the magnetic targeting group, the concentration of MTX in the right hemisphere was significantly higher than that in the left hemisphere (t45min = 21.135, P = 0.000) but no difference was observed between bilateral hemispheres in the other two groups (non-magnetic targeting group: t45min = 0.434, P = 0.670; control group: t45min = 0.533, P = 0.600). CONCLUSION: In the presence of the external magnetic field, FM-HSA-MTX can distribute successfully in the targeting areas of the brain.

Patterns and Drivers of Soil Respiration under Long-Term Citrus reticulate in Southern China.

Soil respiration (Rs) is a major source of carbon emission in terrestrial ecosystems. Despite the fact that the influence of land use practice on Rs has been widely studied, the patterns and drivers on Rs of Citrus reticulata cultivation, a worldwide land use practice are unclear. In this current study, we investigated the influence of long-term cultivation of Citrus reticulata (CO) and of CO intercropped with soybean (CB) on soil nutrients, water availability, and Rs in southern China. Results indicated that after 21 years of cultivation, CO and CB significantly increased total soil carbon (TC), total soil nitrogen (TN), and soil organic matter (OM) at 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm, both at upslope and downslope compared with bare soil (CK). However, soil moisture (SM), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) decreased under CB. In addition, no significant variation was found in soil pH between CK, CO, and CB. Across incubation time (56 days), Rs decreased exponentially with incubation time and CB showed the highest Rs rate irrespective of soil depth or topography. Linear regression further showed TC and TN as the two major factors influencing Rs upslope, while DOC was the dominant factor in regulating Rs downslope. These findings demonstrated that long-term cultivation of citrus significantly changed soil nutrients, water availability, and Rs rate.

LncRNA TSLC1-AS1 is a novel tumor suppressor in glioma.

Growing evidence demonstrates that long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in cancer origination and progression. A novel lncRNA, TSLC1-AS1, is the antisense transcript of tumor suppressor TSLC1. The expression profile and function of TSLC1-AS1 in glioma were investigated using Real-Time Quantitative PCR and siRNA knockdown. The data showed that TSLC1-AS1 expression was down-regulated in tumor tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues, and negatively associated with the WHO criteria of the tumors. Overexpression of TSLC1-AS1 resulted in up-regulation of TSLC1 and significant inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion in U87 cells, while knockdown of TSLC1-AS1 in SNB-19 cells showed the opposite effect. The expression of TSLC1-AS1 was also positively correlated with other tumor suppressors NF1, VHL, PIK3R1 and negatively correlated with the oncogene BRAF. The results suggested that TSLC1-AS1 was a tumor suppressor of glioma and a mediator of TSLC1 expression. LncRNA TSLC1-AS1 may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for glioma.

Anterior corpus callosotomy in school-aged children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: a prospective study.

AIMS: To compare outcomes of anterior corpus callosotomy (CCT) with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) treatment in school-aged children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). METHODS: Sixty school-aged children with LGS were prospectively enrolled and divided into either the medicine or surgery group according the choice of the patients' caregivers. Cases in the medicine group were treated with multiple rational AEDs and patients in the surgery group underwent anterior CCT. Seizure control at 1-5 years after enrollment and changes of intelligence quotient (IQ) and quality of life (QOL) from pre-treatment to the 2-year follow-up were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The percentages of patients who were totally seizure-free in the surgery group were 17.4% at the 1-year follow-up, 13.0% at the 2-year follow-up and 8.7% at the 5-year follow up, and the data for patients in the medicine group were 2.9%, 5.9% and 2.9%, respectively. Significant differences were found in total seizure control between the two groups at 1, 2, and 5-year follow-up (personal χ2 test). Significant differences were found in mean changes of IQ and overall QOL between the medicine and surgery groups at the 2-year follow-up, showing positive results for the surgery group, but these changes were not related to postoperative outcomes of seizure control (t-test). CONCLUSION: Anterior CCT is a promising treatment for school-aged children with LGS, and can present marked seizure control and improvement in QOL and IQ, all of which were significantly better than the effects of treatment with multiple AEDs.

Ligand binding reveals a role for heme in translationally-controlled tumor protein dimerization.

The translationally-controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is a highly conserved, ubiquitously expressed, abundant protein that is broadly distributed among eukaryotes. Its biological function spans numerous cellular processes ranging from regulation of the cell cycle and microtubule stabilization to cell growth, transformation, and death processes. In this work, we propose a new function for TCTP as a "buffer protein" controlling cellular homeostasis. We demonstrate that binding of hemin to TCTP is mediated by a conserved His-containing motif (His76His77) followed by dimerization, an event that involves ligand-mediated conformational changes and that is necessary to trigger TCTP's cytokine-like activity. Mutation in both His residues to Ala prevents hemin from binding and abrogates oligomerization, suggesting that the ligand site localizes at the interface of the oligomer. Unlike heme, binding of Ca2+ ligand to TCTP does not alter its monomeric state; although, Ca2+ is able to destabilize an existing TCTP dimer created by hemin addition. In agreement with TCTP's proposed buffer function, ligand binding occurs at high concentration, allowing the "buffer" condition to be dissociated from TCTP's role as a component of signal transduction mechanisms.

Develop a novel superparamagnetic nano-carrier for drug delivery to brain glioma.

Magnetic drug carrier has been employed in drug delivery for over 30 years. Modern nanotechnology has improved its efficiency dramatically by decreasing its diameter into nano-scale. It may help chemotherapeutic agents penetrate BBB and raise local drug concentration in brain, which is the ideal model for glioma treatment. In our study, magnetic carrier was fabricated with octadecyl quaternized caroxymethyl chitosan (OQCMC), hydrophobic Fe3O4 ferrofluid and cholesterol, which showed a uniform diameter of 20 nm under transmission electronic microscopy and superparamagnetic character in vibration sample magnetical measurement system. To investigate the efficacy of drug delivery, paclitaxel was used as loaded drug and analyzed by the HPLC. Results showed that magnetic carrier released drugs for more than 20 d in vitro and maintain the drug concentration above 0.4 µg/g for 16 h in rat brain after magnetic targeting. Drug concentration increased by 1-3 folds when delivered by carrier without magnetic targeting, and by 3-15 folds after magnetic targeting. Cellular study revealed that the magnetic carrier was clearly localized in the targeted cortex neural cells and U251-MG cell lines. These results showed that this magnetic carrier is capable of maintaining high drug concentration in magnetically targeted area and carrying drugs or genes into cells, which is potentially promising for local chemotherapy to brain tumors.

Nano-sized cationic polymeric magnetic liposomes significantly improves drug delivery to the brain in rats.

In recent years, cationic polymeric magnetic liposomes have shown greater stability and prolonged circulation half-life over traditional liposomes. Here, we examined the capability of cationic polymeric magnetic liposomes in delivering drugs into the brain under magnetic targeting with paclitaxel as the loaded agent. We found that the fabricated paclitaxel-loaded magnetic liposomes had a uniform diameter of 20 nm and were superparamagnetic. After they were injected into rats by the caudal vein, brain paclitaxel concentration increased 2-5 folds without magnetic targeting and 5-15 folds after magnetic targeting. The high brain concentration was maintained for more than 8 h, which was significantly longer than that for pure paclitaxel injection. When the liposomes were given via the internal carotid artery at 10% of the dose given via the caudal vein, paclitaxel in the brain was increased by 1.5 folds, indicating that intra-arterial administration enhanced delivery efficiency remarkably. Prussian blue staining of the cortex showed that the magnetic liposomes were aggregated in the cortex vasculature and the cortex cells were under magnetic targeting, indicating that the drugs were delivered across the nearly impermeable blood-brain barrier. These results showed that the nano-sized cationic polymeric magnetic liposomes are potential tools for magnetic drug delivery to the brain.

Long-term outcomes of epilepsy surgery in school-aged children with partial epilepsy.

The pediatric epileptic spectrum and seizure control in surgical patients have been defined in developed countries. However, corresponding data on school-aged children from developing countries are insufficient. We summarized epileptic surgical data from four centers in China, to compare surgical outcomes of school-aged children with intractable partial epilepsy from China and those from developed countries, and introduce surgical candidate criteria. Data from 206 children (aged 6-14 years) undergoing surgical resection for epilepsy between September 2001 and January 2007 were selected. Postoperative freedom from seizures was achieved in 173 cases (84.0%) at 1 year, 149 (72.3%) at 3 years, and 139 (67.5%) at 5 years. Patients with focal magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities and a short history of seizure were most likely to become seizure-free postoperatively. Those with preoperative low intelligence quotients who became seizure-free postoperatively achieved improvements in full memory quotients, intelligence quotients, and overall quality of life at 2 years. Significant differences were evident in mean changes of full intelligence quotient, full memory quotient, and overall quality of life between patients with preoperative low intelligence quotients who received corpus callosotomies and those with a normal preoperative intelligence quotient, and between seizure-free children and those with continual seizures.