Exploring the causal relationship between gut microbiota and frailty: a two-sample mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Frailty is a complex geriatric syndrome that seriously affects the quality of life of older adults. Previous observational studies have reported a strong relationship of frailty with the gut microbiota; however, further studies are warranted to establish a causal link. Accordingly, we aimed to conduct a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study to assess the causal relationship between frailty, as measured by the frailty index, and gut microbiota composition. Methods: Instrumental variables for the frailty index (N = 175, 226) and 211 gut bacteria (N = 18,340) were obtained through a genome-wide association study. A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was performed to assess the causal relationship of gut microbiota with frailty. Additionally, we performed inverse Mendelian randomization analyses to examine the direction of causality. Inverse variance weighting was used as the primary method in this study, which was supplemented by horizontal pleiotropy and sensitivity analyses to increase confidence in the results. Results: Bacteroidia (b = -0.041, SE = 0.017, p = 0.014) and Eubacterium ruminantium (b = -0.027, SE = 0.012, p = 0.028) were protective against frailty amelioration. Additionally, the following five bacteria types were associated with high frailty: Betaproteobacteria (b = 0.049, SE = 0.024, p = 0.042), Bifidobacterium (b = 0.042, SE = 0.016, p = 0.013), Clostridium innocuum (b = 0.023, SE = 0.011, p = 0.036), E. coprostanoligenes (b = 0.054, SE = 0.018, p = 0.003), and Allisonella (b = 0.032, SE = 0.013, p = 0.012). Contrastingly, frailty affected Butyrivibrio in the gut microbiota (b = 1.225, SE = 0.570, p = 0.031). The results remained stable within sensitivity and validation analyses. Conclusion: Our findings strengthen the evidence of a bidirectional causal link between the gut microbiota and frailty. It is important to elucidate this relationship to optimally enhance the care of older adults and improve their quality of life.

The Extended Pterional Approach Allows Satisfactory Results for the Resection of Huge Medial Sphenoid Ridge Meningioma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the surgical method and efficacy of the extended pterional approach in the resection of huge medial sphenoid ridge meningiomas (MSRMs). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 41 patients diagnosed with MSRMs (diameter ≥4.0 cm) from Nanjing Brain Hospital between January 2012 and February 2022 was conducted. Within 24 hours after surgery, head computed tomography and magnetic resonance imagingwere reviewed to evaluate the extent of tumor resection based on Simpson grading. Cranial magnetic resonance imagingwas repeated 3 to 60 months after surgery to assess tumor recurrence or progression. Preoperative, discharge, and follow-up Karnofsky functional status scores (KPS) were assessed to determine patients' functional status. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was utilized to compare KPS at preoperative, hospital discharge, and final follow-up. RESULTS: The 41 selected cases included 38 cases (92.7%) of Simpson I-III resection and 3 cases (7.3%) of Simpson IV resection. All the cases had typical pathological features and definite pathological diagnoses. There were 2 recurrent tumors and 4 progressed tumors when the patients were followed up from 3 months to 60 months after operations. The results demonstrated that the KPS score at the final follow-up (91.4 ± 9.6) was higher than at hospital discharge (85.3 ± 8.9) and preoperation (78.2 ± 8.5) (F = 69.46, P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the extended pterional approach in the resection of huge MSRMs appears to be an effective surgical method. Careful dissection and preservation of vascular and neural structures, as well as meticulous microsurgical techniques in managing cavernous sinus tumors, can lead to reduced surgical complications and improved treatment outcomes.

Research on the Relationship Between Meckel's Cavity Shape, Balloon Shape, and Intracapsular Pressure During Percutaneous Balloon Compression.

OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous balloon compression is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive therapeutic method for trigeminal neuralgia. Intraoperatively precise compression after the formation of the pear-shaped balloon is the key to the expected effect. In this study, we assessed the relationship between the structure of Meckel's cavity and the shape and intracapsular pressure of the balloon by preoperative magnetic resonance. METHODS: We respectively analyzed 58 patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia who underwent percutaneous balloon compression surgery in our department. Reconstruction of magnetic resonance imaging 3-dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition thin-layer scanning sequence was also performed before the operation to analyze the sagittal features of Meckel's cavity. The pressure was recorded continuously when a pear-shaped balloon was forming during the operation. Meanwhile, the balloon height/length (h/l) ratio was measured. The relationship between Meckel's cavity shape, balloon shape, and pressure was analyzed by mentioned parameters. RESULTS: The pain of 57 patients was relieved immediately after the operation, and the effective rate was 98.27% (57 of 58); Recurrence in 2 cases within the median follow-up time (7.5 months). Meckel's cavity classification on magnetic resonance showed that the clubbing type, oval type, and flat type accounted for 31.1% (18 of 58), 58.6% (34 of 58), and 10.3% (6 of 58), respectively. The results demonstrated that the intracapsular pressure was low, while the h/l ratio of Meckel's cavity was relatively high. We also found the corresponding pressure results when the ratio was low. However, no significant difference was found between the balloon h/l ratio and Meckel's cavity h/l ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Intracapsular pressure of balloon is negatively correlated with the h/l ratio of Meckel's cavity. The individually differentiated formation of the pear-shaped balloon has little correlation with the sagittal shape of Meckel's cavity.

Hemangioblastoma in the lateral ventricle: An extremely rare case report.

Hemangioblastoma (HB) is a benign vascular tumor that accounts for approximately 2% of intracranial neoplasms. HB of the lateral ventricles is extremely rare. Only a few reports are present in the literature. This article reports a 27-year-old male patient who arrived at our hospital because of a progressive headache lasting one month. The brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed a solid-cystic mass of 3.5×3.0 cm in size located in the left lateral ventricle, the surgery was performed by applying an interhemispheric approach to single frontal craniotomy with coronal incision to remove the tumor. The postoperative CT and MRI showed the successful complete removal of the tumor and a normal ventricle morphology. The differential diagnosis should be considered in case of intraventricular tumors including HB. Angiography should be performed prior to surgery when HB is suspected.

Efficacy and Safety of Pharmacological and Physical Therapies for Bell's Palsy: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.

Objective: The objective was to comprehensively assess the efficacy and safety of all pharmacological and physical treatments (short-term, ≤ 1 month) for patients with acute Bell's palsy. Methods: The electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI were searched for the randomized controlled trials comparing two or more regimens in patients with the Bell's palsy to be included in a Bayesian network meta-analysis. Odds ratios and CIs for the primary outcome of the House-Brackmann scale and secondary outcomes of sequelae (synkinesis and crocodile tears) and adverse events were obtained and subgroup analyses of steroids and antivirals were conducted. Results: A total of 26 studies representing 3,609 patients having undergone 15 treatments matched our eligibility criteria. For facial recovery, acupuncture plus electrical stimulation, steroid plus antiviral plus Kabat treatment, and steroid plus antiviral plus electrical stimulation were the top three options based on analysis of the treatment ranking (probability = 84, 80, and 77%, respectively). Steroid plus antiviral plus electrical stimulation had the lowest rate of sequelae but were more likely to lead to mild adverse events. Subgroup analysis revealed that methylprednisolone and acyclovir were likely to be the preferred option. Conclusions: This network meta-analysis indicated that combined therapies, especially steroid plus antiviral plus Kabat treatment, were associated with a better facial function recovery outcome than single therapy. Other physical therapies, such as acupuncture plus electrical stimulation, may be a good alternative for people with systemic disease or allergies. More high-quality trials of physical regimens are needed in the future. Systematic Review Registration: Our registered PROSPERO number is CRD42021275486 and detailed information can be found at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.

ß-Elemene Triggers ROS-dependent Apoptosis in Glioblastoma Cells Through Suppressing STAT3 Signaling Pathway.

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive primary brain tumors with few treatment strategies. ß-Elemene is a sesquiterpene known to have broad spectrum antitumor activity against various cancers. However, the signaling pathways involved in ß-elemene induced apoptosis of glioblastoma cells remains poorly understood. In this study, we reported that ß-elemene exhibited antiproliferative activity on U87 and SHG-44 cells, and induced cell death through induction of apoptosis. Incubation of these cells with ß-elemene led to the activation of caspase-3 and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Western blot assay showed that ß-elemene suppressed phosphorylation of STAT3, and subsequently down-regulated the activation of p-JAK2 and p-Src. Moreover, pre-incubation of cells with ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) significantly reversed ß-elemene-mediated apoptosis effect and down-regulation of JAK2/Src-STAT3 signaling pathway. Overall, our findings implied that generation of ROS and suppression of STAT3 signaling pathway is critical for the apoptotic activity of ß-elemene in glioblastoma cells.

TNF Inhibitor Pomalidomide Sensitizes Glioblastoma Cells to EGFR Inhibition.

OBJECTIVE: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the important targets in cancer treatment. However, EGFR inhibitors are reported to be ineffective in treating glioblastoma (GBM). In this study, we evaluated the potential mechanism of GBM resistance to EGFR inhibition. METHODS: EGFR, p38, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) expression levels were detected by western blotting. Cell viability was evaluated by the MTT assay. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) mRNA expression was assessed by qRT-PCR. TNF-α expression was detected by ELISA. The combined effect of EGFR inhibitor (afatinib) and TNF inhibitor (pomalidomide) was evaluated in xenograft athymic mouse model of GBM. RESULTS: Upon blocking TNF, GBM sensitivity to EGFR inhibitors was observed to recover. The combination of afatinib and pomalidomide was found to effectively inhibit cell growth of EG-FR-expressing GBM. In addition, the p38/JNK/ERK pathway was activated following EGFR inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that GBM resistance to EGFR inhibition was mediated by the activation of TNF. The combination of EGFR inhibitor and TNF inhibitor may have potential clinical implication in treating patients with EGFR-positive GBM.

Novel CXCR4 Inhibitor CPZ1344 Inhibits the Proliferation, Migration and Angiogenesis of Glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) are life-threatening tumors with a poor prognosis and low cure rates. GBMs are malignant brain tumors that develop from astrocytes. Most GBMs are not inherited and occur sporadically. GBM recurrence after standard treatment has led to the assessment of agents targeting the CXCR4 chemokine receptor as alternative drug target for much needed GBM therapeutics. In present study, a novel CXCR4 inhibitor modified with a picolinamide scaffold (CPZ1344) was designed and synthesized. Its anti-GBM function was then evaluated. Our results showed that CPZ1344 reduced the growth of GBM cells in a concentration dependent manner. The anti-GBM activity of CPZ1344 was due to alteration in GBM-cell morphology and apoptotic induction in GBM cells. CPZ1344 inhibited the migration and angiogenesis of U87 cells, led to cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and inhibited CXCR4 signaling. These findings demonstrate the anticancer effects of CPZ1344 and its potential as a novel anti-GBM therapeutic.

Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is involved in brain glioma development.

INTRODUCTION: Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been implicated in various diseases, including cancer. However, little is known about lncRNAs in human brain gliomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined lncRNA profiles from three glioma specimens using lncRNA expression profiling microarrays. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was used to analyze the differential expression of raw intensities of lncRNA expression in glioma and peritumoral tissues. RESULTS: We found 4858 lncRNAs to be differentially expressed between tumor tissue and peritumoral tissue. Of these, 2845 lncRNAs were up-regulated (fold change > 3.0) and 2013 were down-regulated (fold change < 1/3). A total of 4084 messenger RNAs were also differentially expressed, including 2280 up-regulated transcripts (fold change > 3.0) and 1804 that were down-regulated (fold change < 1/3). Consistent with the microarray data, qPCR confirmed differential expression of these 6 lncRNAs (ak125809, ak098473, uc002ehu.1, bc043564, NR_027322, and uc003qmb.2) between tumor and peritumoral tissue. We next established co-expression networks of differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs. Many mRNAs, such as LOC729991, NUDCD1, SHC3, PDGFA, and MDM2, and lncRNAs, such as ENST00000425922, ENST00000455568, uc002ukz.1, ENST00000502715, and NR_027873, have been shown to play important roles in glioma development. Consistent with this, pathway analysis revealed that "GLIOMA" (KEGG Pathway ID: hsa05214) was significantly enriched in tumor tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that altered expression of lncRNAs may be a critical determinant of tumorigenesis in glioma patients.

Effect of Hormone Levels and Aging on Cognitive Function of Patients with Pituitary Adenomas Prior to Medical Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairments have been reported in patients with pituitary adenomas (PAs). The aim of this research was to demonstrate the effects of hormones and age on cognitive decline in patients with PAs. METHODS: A total of 64 patients with PA and 69 healthy control subjects (HCs) were recruited for this study. Both PAs and HCs were divided into a younger group (<50 years of age) and an older group (≥50 years of age). Neurocognitive domains were assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Chinese Revision (WAIS-RC) and Wechsler Memory Scale-Chinese Revision (WMS-RC) tests. Furthermore, we also investigated the relationship between cognitive domains and tumor volume, and the hormone levels and age of patients with PA. RESULTS: Several of the cognitive impairments found on the WAIS-RC and WMS-RC tests were more frequently observed in untreated patients with PA. Importantly, no significant correlations were found between cognitive domains and tumor volume after controlling age, sex, and educational levels. Furthermore, several significant correlations were found between cognitive domains and hormone levels, such as free thyroxine and adrenocorticotropic hormone, after controlling age, sex, and educational levels. Finally, the age of the patients was found to correlate with a decrease in memory after controlling sex and educational levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate a significant decline in the cognitive performance of patients with PA prior to medical treatment, especially in older patients, which suggests that hormones and age have the ability to interact and aggravate cognitive decline in patients with PA.

The function and clinical relevance of lncRNA UBE2CP3-001 in human gliomas.

INTRODUCTION: Gliomas are the most frequent primary tumors in the human brain. Recent studies have identified a class of long noncoding RNAs, named lncRNAs, which were reported to participate in regulating the development of various diseases, including gliomas. In our previous studies, we found that lncRNA UBE2CP3-001 was overexpressed in gliomas but not in normal tissue. However, the molecular functions of UBE2CP3-001 in glioma are largely unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The presence of UBE2CP3-001 in U87 cells, glioma tissues and normal brain tissues was detected by real-time RT-PCR. The ability of U87 cells to migrate was analyzed using a cellular wound healing assay after downregulation of UBE2CP3-001. The survival rate of U87 cells after UBE2CP3-001 knockdown was also analyzed using the CCK8 assay. In vivo tumor weights from xenograft tumors transfected with UBE2CP3-001 shRNA were further analyzed using in vivo animal experiments. The expression levels of MMP-9 and TRAF3IP2 were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Our data showed that UBE2CP3-001 was overexpressed in most glioma tissues (p < 0.01). Downregulation of UBE2CP3-001 could inhibit cell migration (p < 0.01) and invasiveness (p < 0.01) of U87 cells. Downregulation of UBE2CP3-001 in U87 cells also suppressed the cell proliferation (p < 0.01) and promoted apoptosis (p < 0.01). Furthermore, in vivo studies confirmed that knockdown of UBE2CP3-001 could retard the growth of U87 xenograft tumors (p < 0.01). Western blot analysis showed that knockdown of UBE2CP3-001 could effectively inhibit the expression of MMP-9 (p < 0.01) and TRAF3IP2 (p < 0.01) in U87 glioma cells. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest an important role of UBE2CP3-001 in glioma and indicate its potential application in anti-glioma therapy.

Early Cranioplasty Benefits Patients with Obvious Bilateral Frontotemporal Bone Window Collapse After Decompressive Craniectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Obvious skin flap collapse is often accompanied by reduced neurologic recovery after decompressive craniectomy. This study explored the feasibility of early cranioplasty (EC) in patients with obvious bilateral frontotemporal bone window (BFBW) collapse after decompressive craniectomy. METHODS: Patients with obvious BFBW collapse who underwent EC or traditional cranioplasty (TC) were divided into 3 groups according to their preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores. The indexes, including postoperative incision healing, salivation symptoms, postoperative infection, and 6-month postoperative follow-up after EC or TC, were compared in each group. RESULTS: Two of 32 patients with GCS scores of 3 to 8 points experienced poor healing of the scalp incision after EC, whereas no TC patients had poor healing. Incision healing significantly differed between these 2 groups (P > 0.05), and long-term prognoses based on GOS scores were the same after a 6-month postoperative follow-up (P > 0.05). In patients with GCS scores of 9 to 12 points, salivation improved by 84.2% and 17.6% in the EC and TC groups, respectively (P < 0.05) after a mean follow-up time of 6 months. Similarly, positive neurologic recovery rates (GOS score 4-5 points) were higher in the EC group (88.9%) than in the TC group (60.0%) (P < 0.05) and did not differ between the EC (79.3%) and TC (80.6%) groups in patients with GCS scores of 13 to 15 points (P > 0.05). However, salivation improved by 86.7% in the EC group but by only 12.5% in the TC group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We therefore recommend EC for patients with obvious BFBW collapse and GCS scores ≥9.

Dexmedetomidine attenuates acute paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity.

We evaluated the curative effect of dexmedetomidine on paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) in a retrospective study of 72 PSH patients after neurosurgery. Our results showed that dexmedetomidine was superior to propofol for treatment of PSH with respect to: average time needed to reduce paroxysmal hypertension (PH) to <140/90 mmHg (29.03±8.86 vs. 42.0±14.77 min), average remission time of PH (3.97±1.73 vs. 5.65±1.51 min), PH remission rate (61.22±10.8% vs. 41.52±14.15%), PH duration (9.31±2.66 vs. 13.05±4.19 days), average time for body temperature to return to normal (10.62±4.14 vs. 15.31±4.58 days), average time for heartrate to return to normal (11.34±3.90 vs. 15.72±4.10 days), and average time of respiratory rate below 25 breaths per minute (BPM) (7.00±1.74 vs. 15.32±5.87 days). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that dexmedetomidine did not protect against the recurrence of PSH. Age and Glasgow Coma Score were the main factors predicting PSH recurrence. There was no difference in Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) between the two groups during the 6 months of postoperative follow-up (p>0.05). These data suggest dexmedetomidine effectively controls an acute attack of PSH, but it does not improve the long-term prognosis of patients compared with propofol.

Characteristics of Rosai-Dorfman Disease Primarily Involved in the Central Nervous System: 3 Case Reports and Review of Literature.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to summarize the clinical characteristics of Rosai-Dorfman disease primarily involving the central nervous system and to explore diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical, imaging, and pathologic characteristics; treatment; and prognosis in 3 cases of Rosai-Dorfman disease primarily involving the central nervous system. We also performed a literature review. RESULTS: The largest of multiple intracranial lesions was totally resected, and steroid administration and radiotherapy were performed in phases for the remaining lesions. During the 1-year follow-up period, the excised lesion did not recur, and no obvious variations were observed in the other lesions. Subtotal resection was performed of the largest of another group of multiple intracranial lesions, and the residual did not show any obvious variations during the 1-year follow-up period. The isolated lesion was totally resected and did not recur during a 2-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Rosai-Dorfman disease with multiple lesions primarily involving the central nervous system is rare. Imaging characteristics are similar to meningiomas, and the pathological features include lymphocytes and plasma cells reaching tissue cells with large volume and abundant cytoplasm. Surgery is the preferred treatment, as the effects of steroid administration and radiotherapy are not apparent.

Primary Germinoma Originating from the Insular Lobe: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Primary intracranial germinomas occurring in the cerebral hemisphere are extremely rare, with only a few reported cases in the literature. We describe an unusual case of a primary germinoma that developed in the insular lobe, with little involvement in the basal frontal lobe. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 19-year-old man presented with headache and vomiting. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a solitary, ring-like enhanced lesion in the left hemisphere, and a preliminary diagnosis of glioma was made. Surgery was performed, and the diagnosis of germinoma was made based on the histopathologic results. CONCLUSIONS: The causes of ectopic germinomas of the midline structures of the brain are still unclear, but the theory of misplacement may partially clarify this phenomenon. Reflecting a lack of definitive management guidelines for atypical germinoma, the present patient was treated with focal radiotherapy around the lesion after surgery and achieved remission by 34 months postoperatively.

Atorvastatin May Attenuate Recurrence of Chronic Subdural Hematoma.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common form of intracranial hemorrhage with a substantial recurrence rate. Atorvastatin may reduce CSDH via its anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenesis effects, but its effectiveness for preventing recurrent CSDH has never been explored. We hypothesized that atorvastatin is effective in reducing recurrence of CSDH after surgery and identified determining factors predictive of hematoma recurrence. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 168 surgical cases of CSDH.All patients were randomly assigned to the group treated with atorvastatin or control group. Clinically relevant data were compared between two groups, and subsequently between the recurrence and non-recurrence patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the relationship between atorvastatin treatment and the recurrence using brain atrophy, septated and bilateral hematoma was performed. RESULTS: Atorvastatin group conferred an advantage by significantly decreasing the recurrence rate (P = 0.023), and patients managed with atorvastatin also had a longer time-to-recurrence (P = 0.038). Admission brain atrophy and bilateral hematoma differed significantly between the recurrence and non-recurrence patients (P = 0.047 and P = 0.045). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that atorvastatin significantly reduced the probability of recurrence; severe brain atrophy and bilateral hematoma were independent risk factors for recurrent CSDH. CONCLUSIONS: Atorvastatin administration may decrease the risks of recurrence.Patients with severe brain atrophy and bilateral CSDH are prone to the recurrence.

An integrated multi-electrode-optrode array for in vitro optogenetics.

Modulation of a group of cells or tissue needs to be very precise in order to exercise effective control over the cell population under investigation. Optogenetic tools have already demonstrated to be of great value in the study of neuronal circuits and in neuromodulation. Ideally, they should permit very accurate resolution, preferably down to the single cell level. Further, to address a spatially distributed sample, independently addressable multiple optical outputs should be present. In current techniques, at least one of these requirements is not fulfilled. In addition to this, it is interesting to directly monitor feedback of the modulation by electrical registration of the activity of the stimulated cells. Here, we present the fabrication and characterization of a fully integrated silicon-based multi-electrode-optrode array (MEOA) for in vitro optogenetics. We demonstrate that this device allows for artifact-free electrical recording. Moreover, the MEOA was used to reliably elicit spiking activity from ChR2-transduced neurons. Thanks to the single cell resolution stimulation capability, we could determine spatial and temporal activation patterns and spike latencies of the neuronal network. This integrated approach to multi-site combined optical stimulation and electrical recording significantly advances today's tool set for neuroscientists in their search to unravel neuronal network dynamics.

Effect of Capsaicin-Loading Nanoparticles on Gliomas.

Capsaicin is recognized as a natural tumor preventive compound and exhibits a remarkable anticancer action. Strong inhibitory role of capsaicin on gliomas has been well documented. However, the use of capsaicin is limited due to its hydrophobicity, low affinity, and short half-life. The present study aimed to explore the physiochemical characteristics of the capsaicin-loading nanoparticles prepared by methoxy polyethylene glycol-poly(caprolactone) (mPEG-PCL) amphiphilic block copolymer. It also aimed to evaluate the ability of the nanoparticles to cross the blood-brain barrier. Additionally, the uptake of nanoparticles in the glioma cells and its ability to inhibit cell proliferation were tested in human glioblastoma U251 cells. mPEG-PCL amphiphilic block copolymer was synthesized using the ring-opening polymerization method, and the capsaicin-loading nanoparticles were prepared with the solvent diffusion method. In vitro drug release assay revealed that the capsaicin-loading nanoparticles presented a slow-release characteristic. Coculture of the human glioblastoma U251 cells and the fluorescein-loading nanoparticles showed the uptake of nanoparticles in U251 cells by endocytosis. We found that the NIR-797 isothiocyanate-loading nanoparticles can cross the blood-brain barrier. In addition, the capsaicin-loading nanoparticle showed a remarkable inhibition on the growth of U251 cells. The efficacy of the capsaicin-loading nanoparticles against tumor cells was significantly superior to the capsaicin at low concentrations. It is concluded that the capsaicin-loading nanoparticles can provide an extremely promising approach for chemotherapy of gliomas.

The Microsurgical Anatomy of the Modified Presigmoid Trans-Partial Bony Labyrinth Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the surgical techniques of the modified presigmoid trans-partial bony labyrinth approach and the advantages in the exposure of the petroclival region and in the treatment of lesions in this area. METHODS: Between April and October of 2012, a study on modification of the surgical approach was performed on 15 cadaveric heads. On the basis of the traditional presigmoid approach, semicircular canals, and the petrous apex were partially resected. The detailed conditions of the exposure of important structures of the petroclival region were recorded. RESULTS: This approach provided a large operational space from the petroclival region to the posterior cavernous sinus. The range of presigmoid exposure (horizontal direction) was (19.41 ±â€Š1.58)  mm, the exposure range of the inferior temporal (vertical direction) was (14.18 ±â€Š1.88)  mm, the maximum exposure angle of the slope center depression was (60.54°â€Š±â€Š6.93°), and the depth of operation was (55.87 ±â€Š4.34)  mm. The vertebral-basilar artery, anterior inferior cerebellar artery, superior cerebellar artery, ipsilateral III-X cranial nerves, contralateral VI cranial nerve, Meckel cave, and posterior cavernous sinus were well exposed. CONCLUSION: The modified presigmoid trans-partial bony labyrinth approach was able to achieve excellent exposure of deep surfaces of the petroclival region and the posterior part of the cavernous sinus and showed advantages including a large range of exposure, multiple axes of visualization, preservation of hearing and facial nerve function, and early devascularization of tumors.

A substrate integrated folded waveguide (SIFW) H-plane band-pass filter with double H-plane septa based on LTCC.

In this paper, a novel substrate integrated folded waveguide (SIFW) H-plane band-pass filter based on low-temperature co-fired ceramic technology (LTCC) is proposed which employs double H-plane septa of a short-ended evanescent waveguide as an impedance inverter. The filter has advantages of convenient integration, compact, low cost, mass-producibility, and ease of fabrication, and it also has frequency responses similar to those of traditional E-plane double-iris waveguide band-pass filters. To validate the new proposed topology, a three-pole narrowband band-pass filter is designed and fabricated using half-wavelength resonators. A comparison between measured results and simulated results shows good agreement.