bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Induction of transformational changes in normal endothelial cells by cultured human astrocytoma cells
Authors: Silbergeld Daniel L. , Ali-Osman Francis , Winn H. Richard
Published: May 2009

✓ Endothelial cell proliferation is a significant biological feature of malignant astrocytomas. The ability of the cells of these tumors to elaborate mitogenic angiogenesis factors has been well documented. However, less is known about the transformational effects that neoplastic astrocytes may have on the endothelial cells within malignant astrocytomas. In this study, the hypothesis that humoral factors elaborated by cells derived from malignant astrocytomas induce transformational changes in normal endothelial cells in vitro is investigated. Conditioned medium (CM) was prepared from exponentially growing cultures of a human glioblastoma cell line (UW18) and from two rat brain-tumor cell lines: an anaplastic astrocytoma (R175A) and a glioblastoma with sarcomatous elements (9L). Subconfluent target bovine aortic arch endothelial cells (BAEC's) were exposed for 48 hours to varying concentrations of CM prepared from each of these tumors, and then evaluated for transformational changes. Different molecular weight (MW) fractions of UW18 CM were prepared by molecular ultrafiltration, and each fraction was tested for transforming activity. Transformation endpoints included changes in cellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) content and distribution (measured by differential flow cytometry) and changes in de novo DNA synthesis determined by 3H-thymidine incorporation.

Significant changes in the amount and distribution of DNA and RNA were observed in the BAEC's treated with UW18 CM compared to untreated BAEC's. At 10% concentrations of UW18 CM, changes in the RNA profile of target BAEC's were evident, and at 30% concentrations of UW18 CM, an irregular bimodal distribution was well established. Patterns of DNA were also altered in a concentration-dependent manner, with significant aneuploidy developing at UW18 CM concentrations of 20%. The DNA synthesis in BAEC's increased with increasing CM concentrations, up to a maximum of about 250% of control values at 30% concentrations of UW18 CM. The transformational changes induced after exposure of BAEC's to CM prepared from R175A and 9L were significantly less than those observed with UW18 CM. Molecular ultrafiltration was used to prepare UW18 CM fractions with MW cutoffs of less than 10 kD, 10 to 30 kD, and greater than 30 kD. Transformational activity was significant only in CM's with an MW of 10 to 30 kD.

It is concluded that the UW18 human glioblastoma cell line elaborates a soluble factor, or group of factors, with an MW in the 10- to 30-kD range, capable of inducing transformational alterations in target normal endothelial cells, and that such transformation may account for some of the abnormal endothelial cell changes associated with malignant astrocytomas.
Sixth nerve schwannomas
Authors: Tung Howard , Chen Thomas , Weiss Martin H.
Published: May 2009

✓ Two cases of sixth cranial nerve schwannoma are presented with a review of four other cases from the literature. The clinical spectrum, neuroradiological findings, and surgical outcome of the six cases are discussed. There are two distinct clinical presentations for sixth cranial nerve schwannomas. Type I sixth nerve schwannomas present with sixth nerve palsy and diplopia and arise from the cavernous sinus. In contrast, type II sixth nerve schwannomas have a more severe presentation with obstructive hydrocephalus, raised intracranial pressure, sixth nerve palsy, and diplopia. This type arises along the course of the sixth cranial nerve in the prepontine area. Cavernous sinus involvement in either type may preclude total surgical excision and indicate an increased possibility for recurrence.
Gliofibroma
Authors: Snipes G. Jackson , Steinberg Gary K. , Lane Barton , Horoupian Dikran S.
Published: May 2009

✓ The case history of an infant with a large gliofibroma is presented. Gliofibromas are rare mixed glialmesenchymal tumors that have been poorly characterized. The computerized tomography appearance and a detailed light and electron microscopic description are presented, along with immunoperoxidase studies of this tumor. This case is compared with gliofibromas described elsewhere in the literature.
Now is our time
Authors: Kelly David L.
Published: May 2009

✓ The President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) in his presidential address discussed the challenges faced by neurosurgery today. He stressed three essentials to meeting the future: an effective and introspective organization; ample participation by the membership of the specialty; and a plan. He defined some of the problems before neurosurgery and the strategic planning process that has been undertaken during his presidency.
Endovascular occlusion of intracranial vessels for curative treatment of unclippable aneurysms: report of 16 cases
Authors: Hodes Jonathan E. , Aymard Armand , Gobin Y. Pierre , Rüfenacht Daniel , Bien Siegfried , Reizine Daniel , Gaston André , Merland Jean Jacques
Published: May 2009

✓ Among 121 intracerebral aneurysms presenting at one institution between 1984 and 1989, 16 were treated by endovascular means. All 16 lesions were intradural and intracranial, and had failed either surgical or endovascular attempts at selective exclusion with parent vessel preservation. The lesions included four giant middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms, one giant anterior communicating artery aneurysm, six giant posterior cerebral artery aneurysms, one posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm, one giant mid-basilar artery aneurysm, two giant fusiform basilar artery aneurysms, and one dissecting vertebral artery aneurysm. One of the 16 patients failed an MCA test occlusion and was approached surgically after attempted endovascular selective occlusion. Treatment involved pretreatment evaluation of cerebral blood flow followed by a preliminary parent vessel test occlusion under neuroleptic analgesia with vigilant neurological monitoring. If the test occlusion was tolerated, it was immediately followed by permanent occlusion of the parent vessel with either detachable or nondetachable balloon or coils.

The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 8 years. Excellent outcomes were obtained in 12 cases with complete angiographic obliteration of the aneurysm and no new neurological deficits and/or improvement of the pre-embolization symptoms. Four patients died: two related to the procedure, one secondary to rupture of another untreated aneurysm, and the fourth from a postoperative MCA thrombosis after having failed endovascular test occlusion. The angiographic, clinical, and cerebral blood flow criteria for occlusion tolerance are discussed.
Adverse effects of prolonged hyperventilation in patients with severe head injury: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Muizelaar J. Paul , Marmarou Anthony , Ward John D. , Kontos Hermes A. , Choi Sung C. , Becker Donald P. , Gruemer Hans , Young Harold F.
Published: May 2009

✓ There is still controversy over whether or not patients should be hyperventilated after traumatic brain injury, and a randomized trial has never been conducted. The theoretical advantages of hyperventilation are cerebral vasoconstriction for intracranial pressure (ICP) control and reversal of brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) acidosis. Possible disadvantages include cerebral vasoconstriction to such an extent that cerebral ischemia ensues, and only a short-lived effect on CSF pH with a loss of HCO3− buffer from CSF. The latter disadvantage might be overcome by the addition of the buffer tromethamine (THAM), which has shown some promise in experimental and clinical use. Accordingly, a trial was performed with patients randomly assigned to receive normal ventilation (PaCO2 35 ± 2 mm Hg (mean ± standard deviation): control group), hyperventilation (PaCO2 25 ± 2 mm Hg: HV group), or hyperventilation plus THAM (PaCO2 25 ± 2 mm Hg: HV + THAM group). Stratification into subgroups of patients with motor scores of 1–3 and 4–5 took place. Outcome was assessed according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale at 3, 6, and 12 months. There were 41 patients in the control group, 36 in the HV group, and 36 in the HV + THAM group. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale score for each group was 5.7 ± 1.7, 5.6 ± 1.7, and 5.9 ± 1.7, respectively; this score and other indicators of severity of injury were not significantly different. A 100% follow-up review was obtained. At 3 and 6 months after injury the number of patients with a favorable outcome (good or moderately disabled) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the hyperventilated patients than in the control and HV + THAM groups. This occurred only in patients with a motor score of 4–5. At 12 months posttrauma this difference was not significant (p = 0.13). Biochemical data indicated that hyperventilation could not sustain alkalinization in the CSF, although THAM could. Accordingly, cerebral blood flow (CBF) was lower in the HV + THAM group than in the control and HV groups, but neither CBF nor arteriovenous difference of oxygen data indicated the occurrence of cerebral ischemia in any of the three groups. Although mean ICP could be kept well below 25 mm Hg in all three groups, the course of ICP was most stable in the HV + THAM group. It is concluded that prophylactic hyperventilation is deleterious in head-injured patients with motor scores of 4–5. When sustained hyperventilation becomes necessary for ICP control, its deleterious effect may be overcome by the addition of THAM.
Predicting recovery of facial nerve function following injury from a basilar skull fracture
Authors: Adegbite Andrew B. , Khan Moe I. , Tan L.
Published: May 2009

✓ Twenty-five patients with posttraumatic facial nerve palsy were studied. Partial recovery of function had occurred in 95% of these patients by 18 months after injury. At 5 months posttrauma, there was some recovery in 92.5% of those with a partial lesion compared with 10% of those with a complete lesion. This difference attains statistical significance. Complete recovery of nerve function had occurred by 10.5 months in 53.5% of the patients; in 62% of patients with a partial lesion, complete recovery had occurred by 4 months compared with 0% in those with a complete lesion. This difference also attains statistical significance. There was no statistically significant difference in recovery of function between patients with an immediate as opposed to a delayed onset of facial nerve palsy. It was determined that the degree of palsy had a statistically significant influence on recovery of facial nerve function, whereas the time of onset did not. The data presented support a conservative approach to these injuries and it is recommended that the possibility of surgical treatment should be entertained in patients with complete facial palsy persisting for 12 to 18 months after injury.
A comparison of computerized tomography-guided stereotactic and ultrasound-guided techniques for brain biopsy
Authors: Lorenzo Nicola Di , Esposito Vincenzo , Lunardi Pierpaolo , Delfini Roberto , Fortuna Aldo , Cantore Giampaolo
Published: May 2009

✓ Forty-one patients with brain lesions underwent brain biopsy using either a computerized tomography (CT)-guided stereotactic approach or an ultrasound-guided technique. The cases were selected according to location and size of the mass lesion. Lesions 15 mm or less in diameter and those in the posterior fossa were biopsied by a CT-guided stereotactic technique (18 patients). Supratentorial lesions with a diameter larger than 15 mm were approached using ultrasound guidance (23 patients). These criteria for procedure selection provided a diagnostic yield of 94% for the CT-guided procedures and 91% for those guided by ultrasound. Safety for the two procedures was similar. The ultrasound procedure was more rapid, simpler, and less costly to perform. It is concluded that, with the protocol described, CT-guided stereotactic procedures could be reserved for cases in which absolute accuracy is mandatory.
Impairment of helper T-cell function and lymphokineactivated killer cytotoxicity following severe head injury
Authors: Quattrocchi Keith B. , Frank Edmund H. , Miller Claramae H. , Amin Asim , Issel Bernardo W. , Wagner Franklin C.
Published: May 2009

✓ Infection is a major complication of severe head injury, occurring in 50% to 75% of patients who survive to hospitalization. Previous investigations of immune activity following head injury have demonstrated suppression of helper T-cell activation. In this study, the in vitro production of interferon-gamma (INF-γ), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interleukin-2 (IL-2) was determined in 25 head-injured patients following incubation of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL's) with the lymphocyte mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA). In order to elucidate the functional status of cellular cytotoxicity, lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell cytotoxicity assays were performed both prior to and following incubation of PBL's with IL-2 in five patients with severe head injury.

The production of INF-γ and IL-2 by PHA-stimulated PBL's was maximally depressed within 24 hours of injury (p < 0.001 for INF-γ, p = 0.035 for IL-2) and partially normalized within 21 days of injury. There was no change in the production of IL-1. When comparing the in vitro LAK cell cytotoxicity of PBL's from head-injured patients and normal subjects, there was a significant depression in LAK cell cytotoxicity both prior to (p = 0.010) and following (p < 0.001) incubation of PBL's with IL-2.

The results of this study indicate that IL-2 and INF-γ production, normally required for inducing cell-mediated immunity, is suppressed following severe head injury. The failure of IL-2 to enhance LAK cell cytotoxicity suggests that factors other than decreased IL-2 production, such as inhibitory soluble mediators or suppressor lymphocytes, may be responsible for the reduction in cellular immune activity following severe head injury. These findings may have significant implications in designing clinical studies aimed at reducing the incidence of infection following severe head injury.
Restoration of cerebrovascular responsiveness to hyperventilation by the oxygen radical scavenger n-acetylcysteine following experimental traumatic brain injury
Authors: Ellis Earl F. , Dodson Lyn Y. , Police Richard J.
Published: May 2009

✓ Previous experiments have shown that, following experimental fluid-percussion brain injury, cyclo-oxygenase-dependent formation of oxygen radicals prevents arteriolar vasoconstriction in response to hyperventilation. The oxygen radical scavengers superoxide dismutase and catalase restore normal reactivity; however, they are not routinely available for clinical use. The present study tested whether n-acetylcysteine (Mucomyst), an agent currently available for acetaminophen toxicity, could be used as a radical scavenger to restore reactivity after brain injury. N-acetylcysteine (163 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally prior to or 30 minutes after fluid-percussion brain injury (2.6 atm) in cats, and reactivity to hyperventilation was tested 1 hour after injury. The authors found either that pre- or postinjury administration led to normal reactivity. Additional experiments supported the hypothesis that n-acetylcysteine is an oxygen radical scavenger, since it reduced or prevented the free radical-dependent cerebral arteriolar dilation normally induced by the topical application of arachidonic acid or bradykinin. The mechanism by which n-acetylcysteine is effective in trauma may involve direct scavenging of radicals or stimulation of glutathione peroxidase activity. The results suggest that n-acetylcysteine may be useful for treatment of oxygen free radical-mediated brain injury.
Rapid growth of residual aneurysmal neck during pregnancy
Authors: Weir Bryce K. A. , Drake Charles G.
Published: May 2009

✓ The pregnant state has an apparently stimulatory effect on the tendency for aneurysms to grow. A patient is reported whose symptomatic aneurysm was clipped during pregnancy. The small amount of residual aneurysm underwent remarkable continued growth during the last trimester of the pregnancy. The implications for management of such cases are discussed.
Trigeminal neuralgia caused by compression from arteries transfixing the nerve
Authors: Tashiro Haruhiko , Kondo Akinori , Aoyama Ikuhiro , Nin Kiyoshi , Shimotake Katsumi , Nishioka Tatsuya , Ikai Yoshiaki , Takahashi Jun
Published: May 2009

✓ The authors present three patients with trigeminal neuralgia due to compression by an artery that transfixed the sensory root of the fifth cranial nerve. These cases represented 0.8% of 384 patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated by microvascular decompression at the authors' clinic during the past 12 years. In the remaining 381 cases, the compressing vessels were successfully removed from the trigeminal nerve without much difficulty, for an initial cure rate of 94.3%. In the three cases reported, however, the compressing artery penetrating the nerve could not easily be maneuvered away from the nerve.

In the first two cases, partial rhizotomy perpendicular to the axis of the nerve at the site of arterial transfixion made it possible to separate the artery from the nerve. However, these two patients developed postoperative facial sensory impairment. In the third case, rhizotomy was performed longitudinal to the axis of the nerve at the site of arterial transfixion, making it possible to reposition the artery peripherally beyond the root entry zone of the nerve without causing any postoperative sensory deficits of the face.

No recurrent pain has developed in more than 2½ years since surgery in any of these three cases. When performing microvascular decompression surgery on patients in whom the compressing artery penetrates the nerve, the technique used in our third patient is the procedure of choice.
Chiari malformation with syringocephaly
Authors: Rhoton Eric L. , Rhoton Albert L.
Published: May 2009

✓ A 69-year-old white woman presented with a left hemiparesis which progressed to quadriparesis and encephalopathy. Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a Chiari I malformation and a hydromyelic cavity extending from C-2 to T-6. Rostrally, the cavity extended through the ventral medulla, pons, and right cerebral peduncle into the right cerebral hemisphere, where the cavity enlarged and was associated with mass effect. The patient has made a dramatic neurological recovery following suboccipital craniectomy with insertion of a dural graft to decompress the Chiari malformation and upper cervical laminectomy and dorsal root entry zone myelotomy to decompress the hydromyelia.
Origins of Wilder Penfield's surgical technique
Authors: Preul Mark C. , Feindel William
Published: May 2009

✓ Wilder Penfield left two great legacies: the development of successful surgical treatment of epilepsy and the establishment with his colleagues of the Montreal Neurological Institute as a world-renowned medical center, “dedicated to relief of pain and suffering and to the study of neurology.” That Harvey Cushing's surgical ritual (which stemmed from the painstaking operative methods of Halsted) played a paramount role in the origins of Penfield's surgical technique is revealed by a set of notes and drawings by Penfield during repeated visits in the 1920's to Cushing's clinic at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital.

Penfield's intellectual approach to the nervous system was derived from his studies with Sherrington, Holmes, Cajal, and Hortega. His eclectic surgical style emerged from his familiarity with the operating techniques of Halsted, Dandy, Horsley, Sargent, Cushing, Frazier, Whipple, Leriche, and Foerster. Penfield's debt to these teachers is documented in his memoirs and in an unpublished report on European neurosurgery which he sent to the Rockefeller Foundation in 1928.
The role of neuroeffector mechanisms in cerebral hyperperfusion syndromes
Authors: Macfarlane Robert , Moskowitz Michael A. , Sakas Danos E. , Tasdemiroglu Erol , Wei Enoch P. , Kontos Hermes A.
Published: May 2009

✓ Cerebral hyperperfusion, a state in which blood flow exceeds the metabolic needs of brain, may complicate a number of neurological and neurosurgical conditions. It may account for the propensity with which hemorrhage, cerebral edema, or seizures follow embolic stroke, carotid endarterectomy, or the excision of large arteriovenous malformations, and for some of the morbidity that accompanies acute severe head injury, prolonged seizures, and acute severe hypertension. Hyperperfusion syndromes have in common acute increases in blood pressure, vasodilatation, breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, and the development of cerebral edema. These common features suggest the possibility that they share the same pathogenic mechanisms. It was believed until recently that reactive hyperemia was caused primarily by the generation of vasoactive metabolites, which induced vasodilatation through relaxation of vascular smooth muscle. However, the authors have recently established that the release of vasoactive neuropeptides from perivascular sensory nerves via axon reflex-like mechanisms has a significant bearing upon a number of hyperperfusion syndromes. In this article, the authors summarize their data and discuss possible therapeutic implications for blockade of these nerves or their constituent neuropeptides.
A clinicopathological study of dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial vertebral artery
Authors: Sasaki Osamu , Ogawa Hiroshi , Koike Tetsuo , Koizumi Takayuki , Tanaka Ryuichi
Published: May 2009

✓ Five autopsied cases of dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial vertebral artery are reported and the literature is reviewed to clarify the clinicopathological correlations. In an autopsy series of 110 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), the incidence of this entity was 4.5%, with all five cases progressing rapidly to death from massive SAH. Cases of intracranial vertebral dissection can be divided clearly into two groups based on the clinical and pathological features. In the first group, the dissection is confined to the vertebral artery and a massive SAH develops caused by the rupture of the arterial wall. The plane of dissection is mainly subadventitial. In the second group, brain-stem infarction develops resulting from luminal occlusion by intramural hematoma. The plane of dissection is mainly subintimal, with the dissection extending to the basilar artery. The condition in the second group affects patients at a younger age. If the lesion is localized within the vertebral artery and does not extend to the basilar artery, the disease seems not to be fatal. The clinical features of the vertebral dissection are largely determined by the plane and extension of dissection. Vertebral artery dissection is due to many causative factors including hypertension, congenital or degenerative changes in the arterial wall, and anatomical and pathological characteristics of the vertebral artery.
Effect of chemical sympathectomy on cerebral blood flow in rats
Authors: Kobayashi Hidenori , Hayashi Minoru , Kawano Hirokazu , Handa Yuji , Kabuto Masanori , Ide Hisashi
Published: May 2009

✓ Thirty male Wistar rats, weighing 350 to 400 gm each, received stereotactic injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (300 µg/kg) into the left lateral ventricle. The same amount of saline was injected into a control group of 15 rats. Seven days after this procedure, cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured by the hydrogen clearance method. A hypertensive condition at a mean arterial pressure of about 160 mm Hg was maintained for 1 hour by intravenous infusion of phenylephrine. In the 6-hydroxydopamine-treated group, CBF increased significantly after the elevation of systemic blood pressure compared with that in the control group, and cerebral autoregulation was impaired. After a 1-hour study, the specific gravity of the cerebral tissue in the treated group significantly decreased; electron microscopic studies at that time revealed brain edema.

It is suggested that depletion of brain noradrenaline levels causes a disturbance in cerebral microvascular tone and renders the cerebral blood vessels more vulnerable to hypertension.
Histopathology of experimental hematomyelia
Authors: Milhorat Thomas H. , Adler David E. , Heger Ian M. , Miller John I. , Hollenberg-Sher Joanna R.
Published: May 2009

✓ The pathology of hematomyelia was examined in 35 rats following the stereotactic injection of 2 µl blood into the dorsal columns of the thoracic spinal cord. This experimental model produced a small ball-hemorrhage without associated neurological deficits or significant tissue injury. Histological sections of the whole spinal cord were studied at intervals ranging from 2 hours to 4 months after injection. In acute experiments (2 to 6 hours postinjection), blood was sometimes seen within the lumen of the central canal extending rostrally to the level of the fourth ventricle. Between 24 hours and 3 days, the parenchymal hematoma became consolidated and there was an intense proliferation of microglial cells at the perimeter of the lesion. The cells invaded the hematoma, infiltrated its core, and removed erythrocytes by phagocytosis. Rostral to the lesion, the lumen of the central canal was found to contain varying amounts of fibrin, proteinaceous material, and cellular debris for up to 15 days. These findings were much less prominent in the segments of the canal caudal to the lesion. Healing of the parenchymal hematoma was usually complete within 4 to 6 weeks except for residual hemosiderin-laden microglial cells and focal gliosis at the lesion site. It is concluded that the clearance of atraumatic hematomyelia probably involves two primary mechanisms: 1) phagocytosis of the focal hemorrhage by microglial cells; and 2) drainage of blood products in a rostral direction through the central canal of the spinal cord.
Decussation of hind-limb and fore-limb fibers in the monkey corticospinal tract: relevance to cruciate paralysis
Authors: Pappas Conrad T. E. , Gibson Alan R. , Sonntag Volker K. H.
Published: May 2009

✓ Cruciate paralysis is a clinical entity in which patients with trauma to the anterior cervicomedullary junction present with weakness of the upper extremity greater than that of the lower extremity. The underlying mechanism of this paralysis is commonly thought to be selective damage affecting the upper-extremity nerve fibers in the pyramidal decussation.

The authors examined the anatomical basis of cruciate paralysis in six New World squirrel monkeys and two Old World cynomolgus monkeys. No evidence for a differential decussation of fore-limb and hind-limb fibers was found. Thus, there is no obvious anatomical explanation for cruciate palsy. The results do suggest two alternative explanations for cruciate paralysis: 1) selective damage to neural areas involving the internuncial cells, the central gray area, and the cuneate nucleus, or 2) injury to the ventral corticospinal tract.
Multidrug resistance gene (MDR1) expression in human brain tumors
Authors: Nabors Michael W. , Griffin Constance A. , Zehnbauer Barbara A. , Hruban Ralph H. , Phillips Peter C. , Grossman Stuart A. , Brem Henry , Colvin O. Michael
Published: May 2009

✓ Multidrug resistance for many types of cancer outside the central nervous system (CNS) has been found to be due to the overexpression of the multidrug resistance gene MDR1, of which the gene-product P-glycoprotein acts as a membrane-bound efflux pump for many anticancer drugs. To examine whether brain tumors overexpress the MDR1 gene, 25 brain-tumor specimens were subjected to Northern blot analysis: 10 gliomas, eight meningiomas, three schwannomas, one malignant lymphoma, and three tumors metastatic to the brain. Ten fresh-frozen autopsy specimens of various parts of normal brain were also analyzed. Blots were hybridized with 32P-labeled Chinese hamster complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) and 32P-labeled human MDR1 cDNA. The MDR1 gene messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was detected in two tumors using the Chinese hamster probe (one sphenoid wing meningioma and one metastatic prostate tumor) and in one CNS lymphoma using the human probe. Intact mRNA could not be extracted from the fresh-frozen autopsy specimens of normal brain. Seventeen tumors were examined for P-glycoprotein by immunohistochemical staining using murine monoclonal antibody C219: eight gliomas, eight meningiomas, and one craniopharyngioma. The neoplastic cells from two gliomas and three meningiomas and the blood vessels within six gliomas and two meningiomas stained positively for P-glycoprotein. Seven of 10 normal brain specimens stained positively for P-glycoprotein in blood vessels but no specimen demonstrated staining of parenchymal cells. This study demonstrates that the MDR1 gene can be detected in normal brain, and in malignant, benign, and metastatic lesions. P-glycoprotein can be present in tumor blood vessels even when it is not seen in neoplastic cells. Although the role of P-glycoprotein in tumor blood vessels needs to be further examined and more clearly defined, drug resistance in malignant primary brain tumors may result from characteristics not solely of neoplastic cells but also tumor vasculature.
A sacral dural arteriovenous fistula presenting with an intermittent myelopathy aggravated by menstruation
Authors: Kim Dong-Ik , Choi In-Sup , Berenstein Alex
Published: May 2009

✓ The case is reported of a woman with a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula whose intermittent myelopathy became aggravated with menstruation. Her symptoms recurred in spite of successful acrylic embolization of the lateral sacral arteriovenous fistula. Repeat angiography showed venous drainage from the uterus toward the medullary vein. Total abdominal hysterectomy cured her symptoms. The pathophysiological basis for this peculiar clinical manifestation and its management are discussed.
Cervical disc herniation presenting as a mass lesion posterior to the odontoid process
Authors: Rosenberg William S. , Rosenberg Andrew E. , Poletti Charles E.
Published: May 2009

✓ The authors report two cases of herniated intervertebral disc presenting as a mass posterior to the odontoid process and causing myelopathy in previously healthy elderly women. The differential diagnosis of a mass at the craniovertebral junction is reviewed, and the implications of these cases are discussed.
Enlargement of basilar artery aneurysms following balloon occlusion — “water-hammer effect”
Authors: Kwan Eddie S. K. , Heilman Carl B. , Shucart William A. , Klucznik Richard P.
Published: May 2009

✓ Two patients with distal basilar aneurysms were treated with intra-aneurysmal balloon occlusion. After apparently successful therapy, follow-up angiograms demonstrated aneurysm enlargement with balloon migration distally in the sac. Geometric mismatch between the base of the balloons and the aneurysm neck together with transmitted pulsation through the 2-hydroxyl-ethylmethacrylate (HEMA)-filled balloon directly contributed to aneurysm enlargement. In this report, the authors discuss the problems of progressive aneurysm enlargement due to a “water-hammer effect” and the possibility of hemorrhage following subtotal occlusion.
Extraosseous spinal chordoma
Authors: Tomlinson Francis H. , Scheithauer Bernd W. , Miller Gary M. , Onofrio Burton M.
Published: May 2009

✓ An extraosseous extradural tumor of the lumbar region with the histological appearance of chordoma produced symptoms in a 58-year-old woman. The tumor occupied the epidural space and produced scalloping of the adjacent vertebral body and pedicle without associated bone destruction. The location of the tumor within Batson's plexus and lack of osseous connection facilitated complete removal. Although the lesion exhibited the classic histological features of a chordoma, it differed significantly in its extraosseous location. Like the rare intradural chordoma arising in the cranium, this tumor presumably represents neoplastic development in an extraosseous notochordal rest.
Peter Bent Brigham Hospital
Authors: Black Peter McL.
Published: May 2009

✓ The Peter Bent Brigham Hospital was established in Boston in 1913. The purchase of the site defined what would become one of the largest medical complexes in the world. This hospital was intended to be a university hospital based on the model created by Johns Hopkins University. The pioneering work of Harvey Cushing while at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital is briefly touched on.
Everyone is guilty in everything
Authors: Yevtushenko Yevgeny
Published: May 2009

✓ In the 1991 Cushing oration, Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko examines the concept of guilt and responsibility for the condition of mankind. Literature and recent history offer examples of response to shame. He discusses the importance to the future of man of the acknowledgment of guilt and the concept of global patriotism.
Aplysinopsins - Marine Indole Alkaloids: Chemistry, Bioactivity and Ecological Significance
Authors: Bialonska Dobroslawa , Zjawiony Jordan  K.
Published: May 2009

Aplysinopsins are tryptophan-derived marine natural products isolated from numerous genera of sponges and scleractinian corals, as well as from one sea anemone and one nudibranch. Aplysinopsins are widely distributed in the Pacific, Indonesia, Caribbean, and Mediterranean regions. Up to date, around 30 analogues occurring in Nature have been reported. Natural aplysinopsins differ in the bromination pattern of the indole ring, variation in the structure of the C ring, including the number and position of N-methylation, the presence and configuration of the C-8-C-1’ double bond, and the oxidation state of the 2-aminoimidazoline fragment. Aplysinopsins can also occur in the form of dimers. This review summarizes 30 years’ research on aplysinopsins. The origin, isolation sources, chemistry, bioactivity, and ecological functions of aplysinopsins are comprehensively reviewed.
Sphaeroane and Neodolabellane Diterpenes from the Red Alga Sphaerococcus coronopifolius
Authors: Smyrniotopoulos Vangelis , Vagias Constantinos , Roussis Vassilios
Published: May 2009

Investigation of minor metabolites in the extracts of the red alga Sphaerococcus coronopifolius collected from the rocky coasts of Corfu Island in the Ionian Sea yielded two new diterpene alcohols, sphaerollanes I,and II (1, 2) featuring neodolabellane skeletons, and the new sphaeroane diterpene alcohol 16-hydroxy-9S*-acetoxy-8-epi-isosphaerodiene-2 (3), along with two previously reported metabolites 4, 5. The structures of the new natural products, as well as their relative stereochemistry, were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectral analysis, including 2D-NMR experiments.
A Review of Current Methodologies for Regional Evapotranspiration Estimation from Remotely Sensed Data
Authors: Li Zhao-Liang , Tang Ronglin , Wan Zhengming , Bi Yuyun , Zhou Chenghu , Tang Bohui , Yan Guangjian , Zhang Xiaoyu
Published: May 2009

An overview of the commonly applied evapotranspiration (ET) models using remotely sensed data is given to provide insight into the estimation of ET on a regional scale from satellite data. Generally, these models vary greatly in inputs, main assumptions and accuracy of results, etc. Besides the generally used remotely sensed multi-spectral data from visible to thermal infrared bands, most remotely sensed ET models, from simplified equations models to the more complex physically based two-source energy balance models, must rely to a certain degree on ground-based auxiliary measurements in order to derive the turbulent heat fluxes on a regional scale. We discuss the main inputs, assumptions, theories, advantages and drawbacks of each model. Moreover, approaches to the extrapolation of instantaneous ET to the daily values are also briefly presented. In the final part, both associated problems and future trends regarding these remotely sensed ET models were analyzed to objectively show the limitations and promising aspects of the estimation of regional ET based on remotely sensed data and ground-based measurements.
An expedient synthesis of 5-n-alkylresorcinols and novel 5-n-alkylresorcinol haptens
Authors: Parikka Kirsti , Wähälä Kristiina
Published: May 2009

The first synthesis of bioactive long alkyl chain 5-n-alkylresorcinols, present in whole grain products, by a novel modification of the Wittig reaction is described. All the main long chain 5-n-alkylresorcinols present in rye and wheat, including C23 and C25 analogues and haptens, which have not been previously prepared, were synthesised. Microwave-promoted reactions of a semi-stabilized ylid and alkanals in water gave good yields in both pressurized and open systems. An alternative microwave-promoted synthesis starting from non-stabilized alkyltriphenylphosphonium salts and 3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde worked as well. Aqueous media were suitable for the reactions even if the starting materials were not soluble in water. The 5-n-alkylresorcinols are potential biomarkers of whole grain intake, and the new hapten derivatives of 5-n-alkylresorcinols will open the way for the immunochemical detection techniques of alkylresorcinols.
Mycotoxin risk management in New Zealand and Australian food
Authors: Cressey P.
Published: May 2009

In 2002 New Zealand and Australia initiated a joint food regulatory approach, codified in the Australia New
Zealand Food Standards Code. Prior to drafting of the joint Code a series of risk assessments were carried out by
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ; then Australia New Zealand Food Authority). This included a
review of the maximum permitted concentrations of non-metals in food, including mycotoxins. On the basis of this
review, just three classes of mycotoxins were included in the joint Food Standards Code: aflatoxins, in peanut and
tree nuts; ergot, in cereal grains; and phomopsins, in lupin seeds and products of lupin seeds. Both countries apply
import controls on the basis of aflatoxins standards, but not ergot or phomopsins. New Zealand and Australia are
moving domestic food regulation from an inspection-based system to a risk-based approach. Consequently, instead
of the responsibility for food safety being placed on regulatory authorities to find any problems, responsibility is
moved to the persons in charge of the food operation who must be proactive in the way they manage food safety
and suitability and must demonstrate how they manage food safety. There is evidence in both Australia and New
Zealand for increasing industry mycotoxin monitoring to support a risk-based approach. Analysis of domestically
produced foods and non-regulated imported foods for mycotoxins by regulatory bodies is mainly carried out to
support risk assessment activities.
Commercial use of rapid mycotoxin test kits: significance and potential harmonisation issues
Authors: Alldrick A. , van Egmond H. , Solfrizzo M.
Published: May 2009

A key requirement of any food safety management system is the process of demonstrating its continuous effectiveness
(verification). Increasingly, rapid test methods are being used by food businesses as a tool to assist them in this
process. This includes management of hazards presented by mycotoxins. These compounds provide a significant
challenge to both food processors and regulatory agencies, since they are usually present in the raw material on
receipt and subsequent process steps have only limited efficiency in effecting their removal. Within the commercial
environment it is critical for those purchasing raw materials to satisfy themselves that any delivery meets regulatory
and specification requirements. Decisions to accept or reject deliveries usually need to be taken within short time
periods (minutes rather than hours). This requires the use of rapid and - at the same time - reliable analytical
methodology; furthermore, the methods need to be of minimal complexity. Within the European Union (EU), analytical
methods to determine mycotoxin levels for regulatory purposes must fulfil to certain performance criteria. This
principle also holds true for rapid test kits. Current activities within the EU-funded project MoniQA have identified
a number of areas in relation to the use of rapid test kits which need to be addressed. These include the criteria
which determine robustness of such kits, operator competence and the issues relating to the fate of the rejected
lots. Given the diverse stakeholder (e.g. regulator, food business and consumer) interest in the data generated from
rapid test kits, a harmonised rationale for their use and also the actions taken upon the results obtained, is desirable.
Beneficios y costes ambientales en la Directiva Marco del Agua: conceptos y estimación
Authors: Martín-Ortega Julia , Berbel J.
Published: May 2009

Dentro del análisis económico que la Directiva Marco del Agua (DMA) prescribe para alcanzar una gestión sostenible de los recursos hídricos, destaca la necesidad de evaluar los beneficios y costes ambientales. Dada la falta de una definición explícita de estos conceptos en el texto de la Directiva y, al mismo tiempo, la necesidad acuciante de evaluar la desproporcionalidad de los costes de la implementación de la DMA, este artículo pretende contribuir a la reflexión sobre los conceptos de beneficio y coste ambiental en este contexto. Se discuten la diferentes interpretaciones y valoraciones que se han hecho hasta el momento en Europa y se profundiza en aspectos claves para su estimación.
El sudeste andaluz: incertidumbres comerciales de una agricultura productivista
Authors: Larrubia Vargas Remedios
Published: May 2009

El sector hortofrutícola del sudeste andaluz es uno de los más significativos distritos de producción hortofrutícola de España. El modelo agronómico desarrollado ha basado su dinamismo en continuas ganancias de productividad y en la proyección exterior de la producción. En la actualidad, el sector vive una creciente preocupación por el descenso de la rentabilidad de los productores, debido al incremento de los costes de producción que no van acompañados por un aumento proporcional tanto de la productividad, como de los precios de los productos hortofrutícolas. En consonancia con estos planteamientos, se analiza la estructura productiva del sector poniendo el acento en la evolución reciente de rendimientos, costes y exportación, sin olvidar el impacto que sobre el sector posee las regulaciones agrícolas internacionales y los elementos que apoyan su identificación como distrito industrial.
El monocultivo de pino radiata en el País Vasco: origen y claves de permanencia de un sistema de explotación contrario al desarrollo sostenible
Authors: Ainz Ibarrondo Mª José
Published: May 2009

El País Vasco dispone de un importante patrimonio forestal; sin embargo, una parte sustancial de los montes se dedican al monocultivo del pino radiata —Pinus radiata D. Don—, sometiéndose a una práctica silvícola muy agresiva desde el punto de vista ambiental. Este trabajo analiza el origen del actual forestalismo intensivo y plantea las claves que explican la permanencia de una gestión forestal incompatible con el desarrollo sostenible.
Cambios en la distribución de cultivos y producciones ganaderas en España inducidos por la nueva PAC
Authors: Júdez Lucinio , De Andrés Mª del Rosario , Ibáñez Miguel , Urzainqui Elvira , Miguel José Luis
Published: May 2009

En este trabajo se analiza el impacto sobre el sector agrario español de las medidas de la Política Agraria Común de desacoplamiento de ayudas directas a las superficies sembradas de distintos cultivos y a las cabezas de ganado. El análisis se hace en base a los datos de 2002 de la Red Contable Nacional Agraria y a los resultados simulados para 2013 con el modelo de programación matemática PROMAPA, utilizando la predicción de variacion de precios entre 2002 y 2013 del modelo europeo de simulación ESIM. Los resultados obtenidos permiten comparar los cambios en la distribución de cultivos y de distintas categorías de ganado entre el año base 2002 y el año simulado, 2013, según se siga una política de desacoplamiento parcial, como la implantada en España en 2006, o una política de desacoplamiento total sobre la que se está reflexionando actualmente. En este trabajo se comparan, por otra parte, los cambios que se observan con los dos tipos de desacoplamiento con los que se obtendrían en el caso de proseguir las medidas vigentes en 2002 en el contexto de la denomina Agenda 2000.
El agua como recurso escaso y sus problemas en la España actual
Authors: Bosque Maurel Joaquín
Published: May 2009

El agua es, en España, un bien esencial pero también escaso, mal repartido y muy debatido. Desde su uso como base de los cultivos desde la Antigüedad, el desarrollo de las técnicas del agua ha conducido a más de cuatro millones de hectáreas de regadío repartidas por todo el territorio español. Pero también a un consumo creciente y vario difícil de atender en las regiones más secas del Estado caracterizado por un grave desequilibrio territorial que enfrenta el noroeste con el sudeste. Su solución necesaria ha dado lugar a soluciones a menudo muy politizadas como los sucesivos Planes Hidrológicos Nacionales planteados en 1994, 2001 y 2004.
Antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of Ferula assafoetida and its essential oil composition
Authors: Dehpour Abbas Ali , Ebrahimzadeh Mohammad Ali , Seyed Fazel Nabavi , Seyed Mohammad Nabavi
Published: May 2009

The antioxidant activity of the aerial parts of Ferula assafoetida was determined by employing various in vitro assay systems. IC50 for DPPH radical-scavenging activity was 380 ± 12 mg ml-1. The extracts showed good nitric oxide-scavenging activity (IC50 was 270 ± 3) and Fe2+ chelating ability (IC50 was 0.57 ± 0.02 mg ml-1). The peroxidation inhibition (antioxidant activity) of the extracts exhibited values from 82% (at 24 hrs) and 88% (at 72 hrs). The extract exhibited a fairy weak reducing power at 25-800 μg ml-1 of extracts which was not comparable with Vitamin C (p < 0.001). The tested extracts exhibited very low antioxidant activity. In addition, the chemical composition of the essential oil of the aerial parts was determined. The major compounds were phenol, 2-methyl-5-(1-methyl ethyl) (18.2 %), α.-Bisabolol (10.4%) and Arsine triethyl (8.7 %). Total phenol compounds, as determined by the Folin Ciocalteu method, were 94.8 ± 5.9 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of extract powder and the total flavonoid content (by AlCl3 method) was 90.9 ± 6.3 mg quercetin equivalent/g of extract powder.
Oxidation of ethoxylated fatty alcohols to alkylpolyglycol carboxylic acids using noble metals as catalysts
Authors: Zlatanos Spiros , Laskaridis Kostas , Sagredos Angelos
Published: May 2009

The conversion of ethoxylated fatty alcohols to the corresponding carboxylic acids through dehydrogenation/ oxidation using noble-metal catalysts has been studied. Ethoxylated primary aliphatic alcohols, ethoxylated random secondary aliphatic alcohols and ethoxylated alkylphenols have been converted to the corresponding acids in the presence of a base. The noble metal catalysts Palladium and Platinum were used without significant degradation of the ethoxyl chain in yields that exceeded 90%. On the other hand, the catalysts Rhodium and Ruthenium gave yields of about 80% and 60% respectively.