bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Primary Burkitt lymphoma of the brain in an immunocompetent patient
Authors: Monabati Ahmad , Rakei S. Mohammad , Kumar Perikala V. , Taghipoor Moosa , Rahimi Abbas 
Published: May 2009

✓ Primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is rare and is most often seen in immunodeficient patients. The majority of these tumors are the non-Hodgkin type and are high grade. Primary Burkitt lymphoma of the CNS in immunocompetent individuals has rarely been reported. The authors treated a 49-year-old woman who presented with left-sided weakness that had lasted 1.5 months. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an oval mass in the left parietal region, with central necrosis and peripheral edema, and no attachment to the leptomeninges or ependyma. Pathological examination yielded a diagnosis of typical Burkitt lymphoma. Six months postoperatively, the patient is ambulatory and has improving neurological signs.
This is a typical case of primary Burkitt lymphoma of the brain in an immunocompetent patient, which is a very rare event. The imaging pattern of the lesion is not typical of brain lymphomas and can result in an incorrect preoperative diagnosis of other brain tumors, such as glioblastoma multiforme. The patient's treatment and follow-up review are discussed.
George J. Heuer: forgotten pioneer neurosurgeon at The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Authors: Borden William B. , Tamargo Rafael J. 
Published: May 2009

✓ George J. Heuer was a pioneer in neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in the early 20th century; he trained under Harvey Cushing and acted as a mentor to Walter Dandy. In his early career, Heuer focused on research and clinical work in the field of neurosurgery and temporarily led the neurosurgery section at Johns Hopkins. One of his most important contributions to neurosurgery was the modern frontotemporal craniotomy. This elegant craniotomy, which initially was used to approach chiasmal tumors, developed into the modern frontosphenotemporal craniotomy, which neurosurgeons use to approach numerous tumors as well as most aneurysms. Although Dandy is frequently credited with inventing this operation, his article detailing the new approach clearly attributes its origin to Heuer, who was serving in World War I when the new technique was presented.
Although he had hoped to lead the neurosurgical section at Johns Hopkins permanently, he returned from military service to find that Dandy had been appointed to this position. Heuer subsequently advanced to a distinguished career in general surgery as the chairman of surgery at two institutions, and was known for his contributions to surgical education. Throughout his academic years, Heuer continued to operate on the nervous system and to perform spinal cord and peripheral nerve surgery. He played an important role along with Cushing and Dandy in the creation of neurosurgery as a specialty, but he is rarely given credit for this accomplishment. The authors describe Heuer's contributions to neurosurgery as well as his distinguished surgical career.
Craniopharyngioma in adults and children: a study of 122 surgical cases
Authors: Van Effenterre Rémy , Boch Anne-Laure 
Published: May 2009

Object. This work is devoted to a 25-year retrospective study of 122 cases of craniopharyngiomas in adults and children treated and followed by the same neurosurgeon (R.V.E.). In this homogeneous series, the aim was total microsurgical removal of the tumor, without postoperative radiotherapy.
Methods. The operation was performed via a frontopterional approach in 112 cases and a transsphenoidal approach in 10 cases. The tumor removal was considered total in 59%, subtotal in 29%, and partial in 12%. The surgical mortality rate was 2.5%. Even when tumor removal was not complete, radiotherapy was not systematically administered; it was reserved for cases of recurrence. The authors have studied clinical signs, operative characteristics, and ophthalmological, endocrinological, and functional outcomes, as well as recurrence risk and long-term patient survival. The mean follow-up period was 7 years. The functional results in these patients were excellent in 85%, good in 9%, fair in 5% (usually because of ophthalmological sequelae), and poor in 1%. Tumors recurred in 29 patients, but the salvage treatment, by operation or radiotherapy, was successful in 83%. The actuarial patient survival rate was 92% after 5 years and 85% after 10 years.
Conclusions. These results compared favorably with the data reported in the literature, suggesting that radical surgery of craniopharyngiomas allows good outcome in terms of survival, full recovery, and quality of life for both adults and children.
Utility of preoperative functional magnetic resonance imaging for identifying language cortices in patients with vascular malformations
Authors: Pouratian Nader , Bookheimer Susan Y. , Rex David E. , Martin Neil A. , Toga Arthur W. 
Published: May 2009

Object. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of preoperative functional magnetic resonance (fMR) imaging in the prediction of whether a given cortical area would be deemed essential for language processing by electrocortical stimulation mapping (ESM).
Methods. The authors studied patients with vascular malformations, specifically arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and cavernous angiomas, in whom blood-flow patterns are not normal and in whom a perfusion-dependent mapping signal may be questionable. Ten patients were studied (seven harboring AVMs and three with cavernous angiomas). The authors used a battery of linguistic tasks, including visual object naming, word generation, auditory responsive naming, visual responsive naming, and sentence comprehension, to identify brain regions that were consistently activated across expression and comprehension linguistic tasks. In a comparison of ESM and fMR imaging activations, the authors varied the matching criteria (overlapping activations, adjacent activations, and deep activations) and the radii of influence of ESM (2.5, 5, and 10 mm) to determine the effects of these factors on the sensitivity and specificity of fMR imaging. The sensitivity and specificity of fMR imaging were dependent on the task, lobe, and matching criterion. For the population studied, the sensitivity and specificity of fMR imaging activations during expressive linguistic tasks were found to be up to 100 and 66.7%, respectively, in the frontal lobe, and during comprehension linguistic tasks up to 96.2 and 69.8%, respectively, in the temporal and parietal lobes. The sensitivity and specificity of each disease population (patients with AVMs and those with cavernous angiomas) and of individuals were consistent with those values reported for the entire population studied.
Conclusions. The authors conclude that preoperative fMR imaging is a highly sensitive preoperative planning tool for the identification of which cortical areas are essential for language and that this imaging modality may play a future role in presurgical planning for patients with vascular malformations.
Cortical stimulation mapping of language cortex by using a verb generation task: effects of learning and comparison to mapping based on object naming
Authors: Ojemann Jeffrey G. , Ojemann George A. , Lettich Ettore 
Published: May 2009

Object. Cortical stimulation mapping has traditionally relied on disruption of object naming to define essential language areas. In this study, the authors reviewed the use of a different language task, verb generation, in mapping language. This task has greater use in brain imaging studies and may be used to test aspects of language different from those of object naming.
Methods. In 14 patients, cortical stimulation mapping performed using a verb generation task provided a map of language areas in the frontal and temporoparietal cortices. These verb generation maps often overlapped object naming ones and, in many patients, different areas of cortex were found to be involved in the two functions. In three patients, stimulation mapping was performed during the initial performance of the verb generation task and also during learned performance of the task. Parallel to findings of published neuroimaging studies, a larger area of stimulated cortex led to disruption of verb generation in response to stimulation during novel task performance than during learned performance.
Conclusions. Results of cortical stimulation mapping closely resemble those of functional neuroimaging when both implement the verb generation task. The precise map of the temporoparietal language cortex depends on the task used for mapping.
Stereotactic radiosurgery for pediatric intracranial arteriovenous malformations: the University of California at San Francisco experience
Authors: Smyth Matthew D. , Sneed Penny K. , Ciricillo Samuel F. , Edwards Michael S. , Wara William M. , Larson David A. , Lawton Michael T. , Gutin Philip H. , Mcdermott Michael W. 
Published: May 2009

Object. Stereotactic radiosurgery for arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is an accepted treatment option, but few reports have been published on the results of this treatment in children. In this study the authors describe a series of pediatric patients with a minimum follow-up duration of 36 months.
Methods. From 1991 to 1997, 40 children (26 boys and 14 girls) with AVMs were treated with radiosurgery at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF). Follow-up information was available for 31 children (20 boys and 11 girls) in whom the median age at initial treatment was 11.2 years (range 3.4–17.5 years). The median follow-up duration was 60 months (range 6–99 months). Sixteen percent of the AVMs were Spetzler—Martin Grade II; 68%, Grade III; 10%, Grade IV; and 6%, Grade V. The mean volume of the AVMs was 5.37 cm3 and the median volume was 1.6 cm3. The mean marginal dose of radiation was 16.7 Gy and the median dose was 18 Gy (range 12–19 Gy).
Angiography performed in 26 children confirmed obliteration of the AVM nidus in nine patients (35%), partial response in 16 patients (62%), and no response in one patient (4%). In five patients who refused angiography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed obliteration in two patients and partial response in three patients, bringing the overall obliteration rate associated with initial radiosurgery to 35%. Logistic regression analysis confirmed a significant correlation between marginal dose prescription and response (p = 0.025); in AVMs that received at least 18 Gy there was a 10-fold increase in the obliteration rate (63%) over AVMs that received a lower dose. Lesions smaller than 3 cm3 were associated with a sixfold increased obliteration rate (53%) over lesions larger than 3 cm3 (8%), but AVM volume was not a statistically significant predictor of response (p = 0.09). Twelve patients have since undergone repeated radiosurgery and are currently being followed up with serial MR imaging studies (in five cases, the AVM is now obliterated). During the follow-up period (1918 patient-months) there were eight hemorrhages in five patients, with a cumulative posttreatment hemorrhage rate of 3.2%/patient/year in the 1st year and a rate of 4.3%/patient/year over the first 3 years. There were two permanent neurological complications (6%) and no deaths in this study.
Conclusions. The lower overall obliteration rate reported in this series is most likely due to the larger mean AVM volumes treated at UCSF as well as conservative dose—volume prescriptions delivered to children. Significantly higher obliteration rates were observed when a marginal radiation dose of at least 18 Gy was delivered. The permanent complication rate is low and should encourage those treating children to use doses similar to those used in adults.
Volumetric measurements in the detection of reduced ventricular volume in patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus whose clinical condition improved after ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement
Authors: Anderson Richard C. , Grant Jessica J. , de la Paz Robert , Frucht Steven , Goodman Robert R. 
Published: May 2009

Object. The syndrome of normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) refers to the clinical triad of gait disturbance, dementia, and urinary incontinence in association with idiopathic ventriculomegaly and normal intracranial pressure. Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement often yields significant clinical improvements, sometimes without apparent reduction of ventricular size. The authors hypothesized that careful volumetric measurements would show a decrease in ventricular volume in these patients.
Methods. Twenty consecutive patients with NPH underwent placement of VP shunts equipped with programmable valves. In 11 patients pre- and postoperative neuroimaging was performed, which allowed volumetric analysis. Volumetric measurements of the lateral ventricles were calculated in triplicate by National Institutes of Health image-processing software to assess standard computerized tomography (CT) scans (eight patients) or magnetic resonance (MR) images (three patients) obtained before and after shunt placement. Ventricular volumes were also assessed by an independent neuroradiologist. Postoperative studies were performed at a time of clinical improvement, between 1 and 9 months postsurgery (mean 5 months). Preoperative and postoperative Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale evaluations were performed in four patients.
Significant clinical improvement occurred in all patients after shunt placement (mean follow-up period 17.5 months). Although 10 (91%) of 11 patients demonstrated a calculable decrease in volume in the lateral ventricles (mean decrease 39%), formal interpretation of neuroimages indicated a definite decrease in lateral ventricular volume in only three (27%) of 11 patients.
Conclusions. Volumetric measurements obtained to compare preoperative and postoperative CT or MR studies obtained in patients with NPH in whom clinical improvement was seen after shunt placement surgery show a demonstrable decrease in ventricular size. Volumetric measurements may be helpful in clinical assessment postoperatively and in guiding programmable valve pressure settings.
Early and persistent impaired percent alpha variability on continuous electroencephalography monitoring as predictive of poor outcome after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Vespa Paul M. , Boscardin W. John , Hovda David A. , McArthur David L. , Nuwer Marc R. , Martin Neil A. , Nenov Valeriy , Glenn Thomas C. , Bergsneider Marvin , Kelly Daniel F. , Becker Donald P. 
Published: May 2009

Object. Early prediction of outcomes in patients after they suffer traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often nonspecific and based on initial imaging and clinical findings alone, without direct physiological testing. Improved outcome prediction is desirable for ethical, social, and financial reasons. The goal of this study was to determine the usefulness of continuous electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring in determining prognosis early after TBI, while the patient is in the intensive care unit.
Methods. The authors hypothesized that the reduced percentage of alpha variability (PAV) in continuous EEG tracings indicates a poor prognosis. Prospective continuous EEG monitoring was performed in 89 consecutive patients with moderate to severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] Scores 3–12) from 0 to 10 days after injury. The PAV was calculated daily, and the time course and trends of the PAV were analyzed in comparison with the patient's Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at the time of discharge.
In patients with GCS scores of 8 or lower, a PAV value of 0.1 or lower is highly predictive of a poor outcome or death (positive predictive value 86%). The determinant PAV value was obtained by Day 3 after injury. Persistent PAV values of 0.1 or lower over several days or worsening of the PAV to a value of 0.1 or lower indicated a high likelihood of poor outcome (GOS Scores 1 and 2). In comparison with the combination of traditional initial clinical indicators of outcome (GCS score, pupillary response to light, patient age, results of computerized tomography scanning, and early hypotension or hypoxemia), the early PAV value during the initial 3 days after injury independently improved prognostic ability (p < 0.01).
Conclusions. Continuous EEG monitoring performed with particular attention paid to the PAV is a sensitive and specific method of prognosis that can indicate outcomes in patients with moderate to severe TBI within 3 days postinjury.
Delayed facial palsy after resection of vestibular schwannoma
Authors: Grant Gerald A. , Rostomily Robert R. , Kim D. Kyle , Mayberg Marc R. , Farrell Donald , Avellino Anthony , Duckert Larry G. , Gates George A. , Winn H. Richard 
Published: May 2009

Object. In this study the authors investigate delayed facial palsy (DFP), which is an underreported phenomenon after surgery for vestibular schwannoma (VS). The authors identified 15 (4.8%) patients from a consecutive series of 314 who underwent surgery for VS between 1988 and 2000, and in whom DFP developed. Delayed facial palsy was defined as a deterioration of facial nerve function from House—Brackmann Grades 1 or 2 more than 3 days postoperatively.
Methods. All patients underwent intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring of facial nerve function. The average latency of DFP was 10.9 days (range 4–30 days). In six patients (40%) minor deterioration (≤ two House—Brackmann grades) had occurred at a mean of 10.2 days postsurgery, whereas in nine patients (60%) moderate deterioration (≥ three House—Brackmann grades) had occurred at a mean of 11.8 days postoperatively. Five (33%) of 15 patients recovered to Grade 1 of 2 function within 6 weeks of DFP onset. Of the 15 patients with DFP, 14 had completed 1 year of follow up at the time of this study. Twelve (80%) of these 15 patients recovered to Grade 1 or 2 function within 3 months, and 13 (93%) of 14 patients recovered within 1 year. In all cases, stimulation of the seventh cranial nerve on completion of tumor resection revealed the nerve to be intact, both anatomically and functionally, to proximal and distal stimulation at 0.1 mA. A smaller tumor diameter correlated with greater recovery of facial nerve function. There was no correlation between the latency or severity of or recovery from DFP, and the patient's age or sex, the surgical approach, frequency of neurotonic seventh nerve discharges, anatomical relationship of the facial nerve to the tumor, patient's history of tobacco use, or cardiovascular disease.
Conclusions. It appears that DFP is an uncommon consequence of surgery for VS. Although excellent recovery of facial nerve function to its original postoperative status nearly always occurs after DFP, the magnitude and time course of the disorder were not predictors for subsequent recovery of facial nerve function.
Failure of single-unit neuronal activity to differentiate globus pallidus internus and externus in Parkinson disease
Authors: Schiff Steven J. , Dunagan Brian K. , Worth Robert M. 
Published: May 2009

Object. The authors examine the validity of single-unit neuronal recordings as a method of differentiating the globus pallidus internus (GPi) from the GP externus (GPe) in Parkinson Disease.
Methods. One hundred twenty-eight recordings of apparent single-unit activity used to help guide final electrode placement in eight patients who underwent pallidotomy were analyzed using sophisticated spike sorting methods, and 185 neurons were characterized for mean firing frequency and percent of firing within bursts. In addition, the total spectral power was calculated on the full measured waveform for each of 128 samples without spike sorting. No correlation was identified between these measures of neuronal activity and depth within the GP.
ConclusionsThese results call into question the validity of relying on single-unit activity and microelectrode recordings in the operating room to localize lesion or electrode placement within the GPi during stereotactic pallidal surgery.
Posttreatment with adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of calcitonin gene—related peptide to reverse cerebral vasospasm in dogs
Authors: Satoh Motoyoshi , Perkins Eddie , Kimura Hitoshi , Tang Jiping , Chun Yi , Heistad Donald D. , Zhang John H. 
Published: May 2009

Object. Gene transfer to cerebral vessels is a promising new therapeutic approach for cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This study was undertaken to explore whether a delayed treatment with adenovirus encoding the prepro-calcitonin gene—related peptide (CGRP), 2 days after initial blood injection, reduces cerebral vasospasm in a double-hemorrhage model of severe vasospasm in dogs.
Methods. In 20 dogs, arterial blood was injected into the cisterna magna on Days 0 and 2. Thirty minutes after the second blood injection, the animals received either adenovirus encoding the prepro-CGRP gene (AdCMVCGRP—treated group, eight dogs) or adenovirus encoding the β-galactosidase gene (AdCMVβgal—treated group, six dogs) under the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. One group of dogs did not receive treatment and served as controls (control SAH group, six dogs). Angiography was performed on Days 0 and 7 to assess cerebral vasospasm. On Day 7 following angiography, the animals were killed and their brains were stained with X-gal to detect the distribution of gene expression. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was also tested for CGRP immunoreactivity.
Severe vasospasm was observed in control SAH dogs on Day 7, and the mean basilar artery (BA) diameter was 53.4 ± 5.5% of the value measured on Day 0. Treatment with AdCMVβgal did not alter vasospasm (the BA diameter was 55 ± 3.9% of that measured on Day 0). The leptomeninges and adventitia of the BAs of dogs treated using AdCMVβgal demonstrated positive staining with X-gal. High levels of CGRP were measured in CSF from dogs that received AdCMVCGRP. In the group treated with AdCMVCGRP, vasospasm was significantly reduced (the BA diameter was 78.2 ± 5.3% of that measured on Day 0, p < 0.05 compared with the control SAH group and the AdCMVβgal group).
Conclusions. In a model of severe vasospasm in dogs, gene transfer of CGRP after injection of blood attenuated cerebral vasospasm after SAH.
Interaction between p53 and p16 expressed by adenoviral vectors in human malignant glioma cell lines
Authors: Kim Seung-Ki , Wang Kyu-Chang , Cho Byung-Kyu , Chung Hyun-Tai , Kim Young-Yim , Lim Su-Young , Lee Choon-Taek , Kim Hyun Jib 
Published: May 2009

Object. Multiple gene replacements have been examined as a potential treatment modality for malignant gliomas. Nevertheless, no reports are available that detail the synergy, additivity, or antagonism of multiple genes. The aim of this study was to assess the interaction between p53 and p16 genes in the growth of glioma cell lines.
Methods. The human glioma cell lines U87MG and U373MG were transduced using an adenoviral vector with Ad-p53, Ad-p16, or both. Western blotting was performed to determine the expression of the protein products of the transduced p53 and p16 genes. To establish whether the combination of Ad-p53 and Ad-p16 would be beneficial, the effects of gene combinations at the median inhibitory concentration level were analyzed using the isobologram method. Annexin assays and cell cycle analyses were performed on the transduced cells. Western blotting demonstrated the expression of p53 and p16 in transduced cells. Simultaneous exposure to Ad-p53 and Ad-p16 produced additive effects in both glioma cell lines. Experimental data points in U373MG lay near the Mode I line, indicating that the vectors had a different mode of action. The restoration of normal p53-encoded protein in the mutant cell lines induced apoptosis, whereas in the wild-type p53 cell lines, the overexpression of wild-type p53 resulted in a moderate degree of apoptosis and G1 arrest. Furthermore, Ad-p16 induced more marked G1 arrest than Ad-p53 in cells with wild-type p53.
Conclusions. The results show that interaction between Ad-p53 and Ad-p16 is additive, regardless of p53 gene status.