Modular Homes as a New Form of Accommodation to Tackle Homelessness: A Case Study From Cambridge, England.

In England, provision of temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness has often entailed using traditional construction approaches to deliver housing. However, recent experiments are using modular homes to provide temporary accommodation, accompanied by support services for people experiencing homelessness. Given the early nature of these trials, it is unclear what impacts these modular homes have on their occupants and how these projects in turn impact surrounding residents and businesses. We present a case study of the first modular homes for people experiencing homelessness in Cambridge, England, drawing on longitudinal interviews with the six residents occupying these homes. We found that the physical features of the homes, coupled with wrap-around support services, yielded positive short- and mid-term outcomes for occupants, including improved management of their substance use and money, skills development and readiness for employment, social relations, and a burgeoning sense of community, safety, and security. These positive outcomes have spurred wider interest, including the incorporation of modular homes as alternative temporary accommodation in the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy of Cambridge City Council, alongside a growing research interest in modular homes and other new schemes by the national government. We argue for further empirical studies of the impacts of different modular home projects, including those that admit more diverse resident cohorts and offer different accommodation types to establish a clear methodology for future modular homes projects in England and beyond.

Historical determinants of neurosurgical inequities in Africa and the African diaspora: A review and analysis of coloniality.

The movement to decolonize global health challenges clinicians and researchers of sub-disciplines, like global neurosurgery, to redefine their field. As an era of racial reckoning recentres the colonial roots of modern health disparities, reviewing the historical determinants of these disparities can constructively inform decolonization. This article presents a review and analysis of the historical determinants of neurosurgical inequities as understood by a group of scholars who share Sub-Saharan African descent. Vignettes profiling the colonial histories of Cape Verde, Rwanda, Cameroon, Ghana, Brazil, and Haiti illustrate the role of the colonial legacy in the currently unmet need for neurosurgical care in each of these nations. Following this review, a bibliographic lexical analysis of relevant terms then introduces a discussion of converging historical themes, and practical suggestions for transforming global neurosurgery through the decolonial humanism promulgated by anti-racist practices and the dialogic frameworks of conscientization.

Understanding the Ghanaian Neurosurgical Literature: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Research serves to bolster clinical neurosurgery by critically assessing various disease pathologies, while identifying important challenges and opportunities. However, there is limited information on the landscape of the Ghanaian neurosurgical literature. METHODS: A scoping review and bibliometric analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Global Index Medicus, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched from inception until December 21, 2021 for English language articles about neurosurgery in Ghana. RESULTS: 927 articles were identified and 66 were ultimately included in the analysis. A majority of them, 42.4%, were retrospective cohort studies, with 62.1% published after 2010. There were no randomized controlled or basic science studies. Most articles were published in the West African Journal of Medicine (24.2%) and non-infectious/non-traumatic spinal pathology was the most commonly discussed topic (22.7%); 66.7% of articles included only authors affiliated with Ghanaian institutions, and international collaborators frequently originated from the United States (15.9%). Only 22.7% of the manuscripts reported a funding source. Commonly reported challenges included limited sample sizes, delays in diagnosis and treatment, and lack of proper diagnostic tools and specialized care. CONCLUSIONS: This review revealed that while the Ghanaian academic neurosurgery output has been increasing over time, these have been limited to cohort studies largely assessing spine pathology. The Ghanaian neurosurgical research environment may be bolstered by an increase in research funding, the establishment of longitudinal clinical databases, training in research methodology, increased incentives for researchers, strengthening of research collaborative networks, and increased engagement of neurosurgical trainees in research.

High-resolution transcriptomics informs glial pathology in human temporal lobe epilepsy.

The pathophysiology of epilepsy underlies a complex network dysfunction between neurons and glia, the molecular cell type-specific contributions of which remain poorly defined in the human disease. In this study, we validated a method that simultaneously isolates neuronal (NEUN +), astrocyte (PAX6 + NEUN-), and oligodendroglial progenitor (OPC) (OLIG2 + NEUN-) enriched nuclei populations from non-diseased, fresh-frozen human neocortex and then applied it to characterize the distinct transcriptomes of such populations isolated from electrode-mapped temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) surgical samples. Nuclear RNA-seq confirmed cell type specificity and informed both common and distinct pathways associated with TLE in astrocytes, OPCs, and neurons. Compared to postmortem control, the transcriptome of epilepsy astrocytes showed downregulation of mature astrocyte functions and upregulation of development-related genes. To gain further insight into glial heterogeneity in TLE, we performed single cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq) on four additional human TLE samples. Analysis of the integrated TLE dataset uncovered a prominent subpopulation of glia that express a hybrid signature of both reactive astrocyte and OPC markers, including many cells with a mixed GFAP + OLIG2 + phenotype. A further integrated analysis of this TLE scRNA-seq dataset and a previously published normal human temporal lobe scRNA-seq dataset confirmed the unique presence of hybrid glia only in TLE. Pseudotime analysis revealed cell transition trajectories stemming from this hybrid population towards both OPCs and reactive astrocytes. Immunofluorescence studies in human TLE samples confirmed the rare presence of GFAP + OLIG2 + glia, including some cells with proliferative activity, and functional analysis of cells isolated directly from these samples disclosed abnormal neurosphere formation in vitro. Overall, cell type-specific isolation of glia from surgical epilepsy samples combined with transcriptomic analyses uncovered abnormal glial subpopulations with de-differentiated phenotype, motivating further studies into the dysfunctional role of reactive glia in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Access to training in neurosurgery (Part 1): Global perspectives and contributing factors of barriers to access.

Introduction: Neurological disorders are one of the leading causes of death and disability adjusted life years (DALYs). Efforts have been made to increase the neurosurgical workforce in an attempt to address the global disease burden. Despite these efforts, there continues to be a shortage of neurosurgeons in both high-income countries (HICs) and low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Research question: The aim of the study was to identify the barriers to neurosurgical training in LMICs and HICs. Materials and methods: We administered an electronic survey targeting medical students, neurosurgery residents, and recent neurosurgery graduates from 69 countries in both HICs and LMICs. Questions were framed to assess barriers to training. Results: Of the 198 responses received (31.3% response rate), 72% identified as male, 27% female, and 0.5% as non-binary gender. 33 respondents were from HICs and 165 were from LMICs. 70.1% of respondents reported no availability of dissection labs in their home institutions. There was a significant difference in availability of subspecialty training between LMICs and HMICs (p â€‹= â€‹0.001) but no significance was seen for competitiveness of programs (p â€‹= â€‹0.473). Discussion and conclusion: There are limitations to our study: it is not comprehensive of training programs globally, there is sampling bias, especially among LMICs, and the accuracy of responses is unclear. Nonetheless, our results highlight the need for a deliberate focus on designing and implementing both short and long term goals in tackling barriers to access to neurosurgical training, with a conscientious effort to involve interested stakeholders and governments to invest in the training and education of their neurosurgical workforce.

Access to training in neurosurgery (Part 2): The costs of pursuing neurosurgical training.

Introduction: Opportunities for in-country neurosurgical training are severely limited in LMICs, particularly due to rigorous educational requirements and prohibitive upfront costs. Research question: This study aims to evaluate financial barriers aspiring neurosurgeons face in accessing and completing neurosurgical training, specifically in LMICs, in order to determine the barriers to equitable access to training. Material and methods: In order to assess the financial costs of accessing and completing neurosurgery residency, an electronic survey was administered to those with the most recent experience with the process: aspiring neurosurgeons, neurosurgical trainees, and recent neurosurgery graduates. We attempted to include a broad representation of World Health Organization (WHO) geographic regions and World Bank income classifications in order to determine differences among regions and countries of different income levels. Results: Our survey resulted in 198 unique responses (response rate 31.3%), of which 83% (n â€‹= â€‹165) were from LMICs. Cost data were reported for 48 individual countries, of which 26.2% were reported to require trainees to pay for their neurosurgical training. Payment amounts varied amongst countries, with multiple countries having costs that surpassed their annual gross national income as defined by the World Bank. Discussion and conclusions: Opportunities for formal neurosurgical training are severely limited, especially in LMICs. Cost is an important barrier that can not only limit the capacity to train neurosurgeons but can also perpetuate inequitable access to training. Additional investment by governments and other stakeholders can help develop a sufficient workforce and reduce inequality for the next generation of neurosurgeons worldwide.

Turnover Time Between Elective Operative Cases: Does the Witching Hour Exist for the Operating Room?

BACKGROUND: Efficient resource management in the operating room (OR) contributes significantly to healthcare expenditure and revenue generation for health systems. We aim to assess the influence that surgeon, anesthesiology, and nursing team assignments and time of day have on turnover time (TOT) in the OR. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of elective cases at a single academic hospital that were completed between Monday and Friday between the hours of 0700 and 2359 from July 1, 2017, through March 31, 2018. Emergent cases and unplanned, add-on cases were excluded. Data regarding patient characteristics, OR teams, TOT, and procedure start and end times were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 2174 total cases across 13 different specialties were included in our study. A multivariate regression of relevant variables affecting TOT was performed. Consecutive specialty (p < 0.0001), consecutive surgeon (p < 0.0001), anesthesiologist (p < 0.0001), and prior case ending before 1400 (p < 0.0001) were independent predictors of lower TOT. A receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.848 and a cutoff of 1400 having the highest sensitivity and specificity for TOT difference. CONCLUSIONS: TOT can be significantly affected by the time of the day the procedure is performed. Staffing availability during late procedures and the differences in how OR team staff are scheduled may affect OR efficiency. Additional studies may be needed to determine the long-term implications of changes implemented to decrease organizational operational costs related to the OR.

Assessment of the Neurosurgical Capacity in Ghana: Challenges and Opportunities.

BACKGROUND: Low- and middle-income countries experience numerous challenges in the provision of neurosurgical care. However, limited information exists on the neurosurgical workforce and the constraints under which care is delivered in Ghana, West Africa. METHODS: A 19-item survey assessing neurosurgical workforce, infrastructure, and education was administered to Ghanaian consultant neurosurgeons and neurosurgeon trainees between November 8, 2021, and January 20, 2022. The data were analyzed using summary descriptions, and qualitative data were categorized into themes. RESULTS: There were 25 consultant neurosurgeons and 8 neurosurgical trainees (from 2 training centers) identified at 11 hospitals in Ghana totaling a workforce density of 1 neurosurgeon per 1,240,000. Most neurosurgical centers were located in Accra, the capital city. Almost half of the population did not have access to a hospital with a neurosurgeon in their region. Of hospitals, 82% had in-house computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging scanners. In the operating room, most neurosurgeons had access to a high-speed drill (91%) but lacked microscopes and endoscopic sets (only 64% and 36% had these tools, respectively). There were no neurointensivists or neurological intensive care units in the entire country, and there was a paucity of neurovascular surgeries and functional neurosurgical procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The provision of neurosurgical care in Ghana has come a long way since the 1960s. However, the neurosurgical community continues to face significant challenges. Alleviating these barriers to care will call for systems-level changes that allow for the prioritization of neurosurgical care within the Ghanaian health care system.

Consecutive Surgeon and Anesthesia Team Improve Turnover Time in the Operating Room.

Efficient management of the operating room (OR) contributes to much of today's healthcare expenditure and plays a critical role in generating revenue for most healthcare systems. Scheduling of OR cases with the same team and surgeon have been reported to improve turnover time between cases which in turn, improves efficiency and resource utilization. We aim to assess different operating room procedures within multiple subspecialties and explore the factors that positively and negatively influence turnover time (TOT) in the operating room. We conducted a retrospective review of cases that were completed on weekdays between 0600 and 2359 from July 2017 through March 2018. Cases between 0000 and 0559 were excluded from this study. Of the total 2,714 cases included in our study, transplant surgery had the highest mean TOT (71 ± 48 min) with orthopedic surgery cases without robots having the lowest mean TOT. OR cases in rooms with the same specialty had significantly less mean TOT compared to rooms switching between different subspecialties (70 vs. 117 min; p < 0.0001). Similarly, cases with the same surgeon and anesthesia team had a significant lower TOT (p < 0.0001). Consecutive specialty, surgeon, anesthesiologist, and prior procedure ending before 15:00 were all independent predictors of lower TOT (p < 0.0001). Our study shows scheduling cases with the same OR team for elective cases can decrease TOT and potentially increase operating room efficiency during the day. Further studies may be needed to assess the long-term effects of such variables affecting OR TOT on healthcare expenditure.

Longitudinal Trends and Prevalence of Bowel Management in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury.

Background: Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) following spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a major source of morbidity, negatively impacting quality of life and overall independence. The long-term changes in bowel care needs are not well-reported, preventing consensus on the natural course and optimal management of NBD following injury. Objectives: To understand the changes in bowel management needs over time following SCI. Methods: A retrospective observational study using the National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems database evaluated the degree of independence with bowel management at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation across time (1988-2016). The prevalence and consecutive trajectory of bowel management was also evaluated at discharge and at each 5-year follow-up period, for 25 years. Results: The majority of individuals discharged from inpatient rehabilitation (n = 17,492) required total assistance with bowel management, a trend that significantly increased over time. However, by 5-years post injury, there was a significant shift in bowel management needs from total assistance to modified independence. In those with consecutive 25-year follow-up data (n = 11,131), a similar shift in bowel management to a less dependent strategy occurred even at chronic time points post injury, primarily in individuals with paraplegia and classified as motor and sensory complete. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the need for providing continued multipronged interventions (e.g., rehabilitative, educational, psycho-social) at the different stages of SCI to support individuals not only in the immediate years after discharge but also well into the chronic stages after injury.

Outcomes of patients with nonepileptic transient neurologic symptoms after subdural hematoma evacuation.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing a subdural hematoma (SDH) evacuation can experience transient neurological symptoms (TNS) postoperatively. Electroencephalography (EEG) is used to rule out seizures. We aim to characterize patients with TNS and negative epileptiform activity on EEG and compare them to those with positive epileptiform EEG findings. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of adult patients who underwent EEG for evaluation of TNS after undergoing SDH evacuation. Patients were stratified based on SDH type (acute and non-acute) and whether or not their EEG demonstrated positive epileptiform activity. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of negative EEG findings. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-nine SDH patients were included (45 (34.9%) acute; 84 (65.1%) non-acute). Overall, 45 (24 acute and 21 non-acute SDH patients) had positive epileptiform EEG findings, and 84 (21 acute and 63 non-acute SDH patients) had a negative EEG. Acute and non-acute SDH patients with positive EEG findings were more likely to suffer from greater than five episodes of TNS, impaired awareness, and motor symptoms, while the negative EEG group was more likely to suffer from negative symptoms. Non-acute SDH patients with positive EEG had longer mean ICU stays (14.6 vs. 7.2; p = 0.005). Both acute and non-acute SDH-positive EEG patients had worse disposition upon discharge (p < 0.05), worse modified Rankin score at discharge (p < 0.05), and 3-month follow-up (p < 0.05) and were more likely to be discharged on more than one antiepileptic drug (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Postoperative acute and non-acute SDH patients with TNS and negative EEG results are likely to have a favorable clinical picture. This distinction is therapeutically and prognostically important as these patients may not respond to typical antiepileptic drugs and they have better functional outcomes.

Emphasizing the Role of Neurosurgery Within Global Health and National Health Systems: A Call to Action.

Background: Worldwide, neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost and the second leading cause of death. Despite global health capacity-building efforts, each year, 22.6 million individuals worldwide require neurosurgeon's care due to diseases such as traumatic brain injury and hydrocephalus, and 13.8 million of these individuals require surgery. It is clear that neurosurgical care is indispensable in both national and international public health discussions. This study highlights the role neurosurgeons can play in supporting the global health agenda, national surgical plans, and health strengthening systems (HSS) interventions. Methods: Guided by a literature review, the authors discuss key topics such as the global burden of neurosurgical diseases, the current state of neurosurgical care around the world and the inherent benefits of strong neurosurgical capability for health systems. Results: Neurosurgical diseases make up an important part of the global burden of diseases. Many neurosurgeons possess the sustained passion, resilience, and leadership needed to advocate for improved neurosurgical care worldwide. Neurosurgical care has been linked to 14 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thus highlighting the tremendous impact neurosurgeons can have upon HSS initiatives. Conclusion: We recommend policymakers and global health actors to: (i) increase the involvement of neurosurgeons within the global health dialogue; (ii) involve neurosurgeons in the national surgical system strengthening process; (iii) integrate neurosurgical care within the global surgery movement; and (iv) promote the training and education of neurosurgeons, especially those residing in Low-and middle-income countries, in the field of global public health.

Abnormal neurological pupil index is associated with malignant cerebral edema after mechanical thrombectomy in large vessel occlusion patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Malignant cerebral edema (MCE) is a feared complication in patients suffering from large vessel occlusion. Variables associated with the development of MCE have not been clearly elucidated. Use of pupillometry and the neurological pupil index (NPi) as an objective measure in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has not been explored. We aim to evaluate variables significantly associated with MCE in patients that undergo MT and hypothesize that abnormal NPi is associated with MCE in this population. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with acute ischemic stroke who had undergone MT at our institution between 2017 and 2020 was performed. Baseline and outcome variables were collected, including NPi values from pupillometry readings of patients within 72 h after the MT. Patients were divided into two groups: MCE versus non-MCE group. A univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of 284 acute ischemic stroke patients, 64 (22.5%) developed MCE. Mean admission glucose (137 vs. 173; p < 0.0001), NIHSS on admission (17 vs. 24; p < 0.01), infarct core volume (27.9 vs. 17.9 mL; p = 0.0036), TICI score (p = 0.001), and number of passes (2.9 vs. 1.8; p < 0.0001) were significantly different between the groups. Pupillometry data was present for 64 patients (22.5%). Upon multivariate analysis, abnormal ipsilateral NPi (OR 21.80 95% CI 3.32-286.4; p = 0.007) and hemorrhagic conversion were independently associated with MCE. CONCLUSION: Abnormal NPi and hemorrhagic conversion are significantly associated with MCE in patients following MT. Further investigation is warranted to better define an association between NPi and patient outcomes in this patient population.

Perioperative Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Incidence and Outcomes in Neurosurgical Patients at Two Tertiary Care Centers in Washington, DC, During a Pandemic: A 6-Month Follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to affect all aspects of health care delivery, and neurosurgical practices are not immune to its impact. We aimed to evaluate neurosurgical practice patterns as well as the perioperative incidence of COVID-19 in neurosurgical patients and their outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective review of neurosurgical and neurointerventional cases at 2 tertiary centers during the first 3 months of the first peak of COVID-19 pandemic (March 8 to June 8) as well as following 3 months (post-peak pandemic; June 9 to September 9) was performed. Baseline characteristics, perioperative COVID-19 test results, modified Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive (mMeNTS) score, and outcome measures were compared between COVID-19-positive and-negative patients through bivariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In total, 652 neurosurgical and 217 neurointerventional cases were performed during post-peak pandemic period. Cervical spine, lumbar spine, functional/pain, cranioplasty, and cerebral angiogram cases were significantly increased in the postpandemic period. There was a 2.9% (35/1197) positivity rate for COVID-19 testing overall and 3.6% (13/363) positivity rate postoperatively. Age, mMeNTS score, complications, length of stay, case acuity, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, and disposition were significantly different between COVID-19-positive and-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: A significant increase in elective case volume during the post-peak pandemic period is feasible with low and acceptable incidence of COVID-19 in neurosurgical patients. COVID-19-positive patients were younger, less likely to undergo elective procedures, had increased length of stay, had more complications, and were discharged to a location other than home. The mMeNTS score plays a role in decision-making for scheduling elective cases.

A Semisupervised Learning Scheme with Self-Paced Learning for Classifying Breast Cancer Histopathological Images.

The unavailability of large amounts of well-labeled data poses a significant challenge in many medical imaging tasks. Even in the likelihood of having access to sufficient data, the process of accurately labeling the data is an arduous and time-consuming one, requiring expertise skills. Again, the issue of unbalanced data further compounds the abovementioned problems and presents a considerable challenge for many machine learning algorithms. In lieu of this, the ability to develop algorithms that can exploit large amounts of unlabeled data together with a small amount of labeled data, while demonstrating robustness to data imbalance, can offer promising prospects in building highly efficient classifiers. This work proposes a semisupervised learning method that integrates self-training and self-paced learning to generate and select pseudolabeled samples for classifying breast cancer histopathological images. A novel pseudolabel generation and selection algorithm is introduced in the learning scheme to generate and select highly confident pseudolabeled samples from both well-represented classes to less-represented classes. Such a learning approach improves the performance by jointly learning a model and optimizing the generation of pseudolabels on unlabeled-target data to augment the training data and retraining the model with the generated labels. A class balancing framework that normalizes the class-wise confidence scores is also proposed to prevent the model from ignoring samples from less represented classes (hard-to-learn samples), hence effectively handling the issue of data imbalance. Extensive experimental evaluation of the proposed method on the BreakHis dataset demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Outcomes of Surgical Evacuation of Chronic Subdural Hematoma in the Aged: Institutional Experience and Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Surgical intervention for chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) in the elderly population remains a clinical challenge given that associated morbidity and outcomes do not always equate radiographic success with clinical success. Our objective was to compare outcome measures of 2 age groups of patients undergoing surgical intervention for cSDH evacuation and to perform a systematic review of the literature related to this topic. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of adult patients undergoing surgical evacuation of cSDH at our institution was performed. Primary outcome measures of modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge and 3 months were assessed. In addition, a systematic search was performed to collect all relevant studies addressing outcomes after surgical intervention in aged patients with cSDH. RESULTS: There were 72 patients in the younger cohort (<70 years) and 113 patients in the aged cohort (≥70 years). Multivariate analysis showed significant association between age and higher mRS score at discharge and 3 months follow-up. There were also significant differences in length of stay and disposition between the 2 groups. Twenty-one studies were reviewed, and 11 studies were included in a meta-analysis of recurrence rates between studied age groups. CONCLUSIONS: The aged cohort had worse outcomes than the younger cohort as determined by mRS score at discharge and 3 months. A systematic review of outcomes is provided with limited meta-analysis because of the heterogenous nature of outcome reporting and the observational design of previous studies. Further studies with standardized reporting and long-term follow-up are warranted to further study outcomes in this increasing population.

Case Volumes and Perioperative Coronavirus Disease 2019 Incidence in Neurosurgical Patients During a Pandemic: Experiences at Two Tertiary Care Centers in Washington, DC.

OBJECTIVE: The true incidence of perioperative coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not been well elucidated in neurosurgical studies. We reviewed the effects of the pandemic on the neurosurgical case volume to study the incidence of COVID-19 in patients undergoing these procedures during the perioperative period and compared the characteristics and outcomes of this group to those of patients without COVID-19. METHODS: The neurosurgical and neurointerventional procedures at 2 tertiary care centers during the pandemic were reviewed. The case volume, type, and acuity were compared to those during the same period in 2019. The perioperative COVID-19 tests and results were evaluated to obtain the incidence. The baseline characteristics, including a modified Medically Necessary Time Sensitive (mMeNTS) score, and outcome measures were compared between those with and without COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 405 cases were reviewed, and a significant decrease was found in total spine, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and functional/pain cases. No significant differences were found in the number of cranial or neurointerventional cases. Of the 334 patients tested, 18 (5.4%) had tested positive for COVID-19. Five of these patients were diagnosed postoperatively. The mMeNTS score, complications, and case acuity were significantly different between the patients with and without COVID-19. CONCLUSION: A small, but real, risk exists of perioperative COVID-19 in neurosurgical patients, and those patients have tended to have a greater complication rate. Use of the mMeNTS score might play a role in decision making for scheduling elective cases. Further studies are warranted to develop risk stratification and validate the incidence.

Biomarkers for immunotherapy for treatment of glioblastoma.

Immunotherapy is a promising new therapeutic field that has demonstrated significant benefits in many solid-tumor malignancies, such as metastatic melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer. However, only a subset of these patients responds to treatment. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor with a poor prognosis of 14.6 months and few treatment advancements over the last 10 years. There are many clinical trials testing immune therapies in GBM, but patient responses in these studies have been highly variable and a definitive benefit has yet to be identified. Biomarkers are used to quantify normal physiology and physiological response to therapies. When extensively characterized and vigorously validated, they have the potential to delineate responders from non-responders for patients treated with immunotherapy in malignancies outside of the central nervous system (CNS) as well as GBM. Due to the challenges of current modalities of radiographic diagnosis and disease monitoring, identification of new predictive and prognostic biomarkers to gauge response to immune therapy for patients with GBM will be critical in the precise treatment of this highly heterogenous disease. This review will explore the current and future strategies for the identification of potential biomarkers in the field of immunotherapy for GBM, as well as highlight major challenges of adapting immune therapy for CNS malignancies.