OBJECTIVETo study the clinical and pathologic features of gliosarcoma of cerebral hemispheres.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic features of 10 cases of gliosarcoma involving cerebral hemispheres were reviewed. Immunohistochemical study was carried out using EnVision method.

RESULTSThe mean age of the patients was 54 years and the male-to-female ratio was 6 to 4. Clinical symptoms included headache (6/10), nausea/vomiting (5/10), and sensory or motor impairment (4/10). Nine of the cases were primary gliosarcoma, with maximum diameter ranging from 2.4 to 5.5 cm (mean = 4.2 cm). The remaining case represented secondary gliosarcoma involving skull base and extracranial tissues. Histologic examination showed a biphasic pattern in all cases. Regarding the glial component, there were 9 cases of pleomorphic glioblastoma and 1 case of giant cell glioblastoma. Reticulin stain was positive in all cases. Immunohistochemical study showed that the tumor cells variably expressed GFAP (10/10), p16 (4/10), EGFR (1/10), CD68 (1/10) and p53 (6/10). The Ki-67 index ranged from 15% to 70% (mean = 34%). Six patients had follow-up data available. One patient was disease-free for 45 months and 5 patients died of the disease at 3 to 17 months after the operation (mean duration of survival = 9 months).

CONCLUSIONSGliosarcoma is a highly aggressive tumor, often locates in the deeper part cerebral hemispheres and has a relatively short duration of symptoms. It carries a poor prognosis. GFAP immunostain and reticulin stain are helpful in confirming the diagnosis. p53 and p16 are also expressed in some cases.

Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebrum ; pathology ; Female ; Glioblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gliosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroglia ; pathology

A 4-month-old female Holstein Friesian calf was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Berne, Switzerland for evaluation of ataxia, weakness, apathy and stunted growth. Clinical examination revealed generalized ataxia, propioceptive deficits, decreased menace response and sensibility. Postmortem examination did not reveal macroscopic changes of major organs. Histologically, the brain and the spinal cord lesions were characterized by polymicrocavitation, preferentially affecting the white matter fibers at the junction of grey and white matter and by the presence of Alzheimer type II cells. The liver revealed lesions consistent with a congenital portosystemic shunt, characterized by increased numbers of arteriolar profiles and hypoplasia to absence of portal veins. The pathological investigations along with the animal history and clinical signs indicated a hepatic encephalomyelopathy due to a congenital portosystemic shunt.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*congenital ; Cerebrum/pathology ; Female ; Hepatic Encephalopathy/*veterinary ; Liver/pathology ; Portal System/*abnormalities

Objective To explore the relationship between the electrical conductivity （EC） and biochemical indicators of rat cerebrum tissues and postmortem intervals （PMIs） and discuss the mechanism of applying EC to infer PMI. Methods Forty healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed and stored in an environment of about 25 ℃. The whole cerebrum tissues of rats were removed respectively at different PMIs of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 d, and then made into homogenized impregnation solution. The EC and related biochemical indicators （potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium, uric acid, urea nitrogen and creatinine） in cerebrum tissue impregnation solution were determined, and the relationships among EC in impregnation solution, related biochemical indicators and PMI were analyzed. Results The EC in cerebrum tissues increased gradually with the extension of PMI, and the content of uric acid, urea nitrogen and inorganic phosphorus in its impregnation solution also increased gradually with the extension of PMI. The correlation of EC, uric acid, urea nitrogen, and inorganic phosphorus with PMI was relatively good （R² was 0.95-0.99）, and there was a linear correlation between the content change of uric acid, urea nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus and EC （R² was 0.97-0.99）. The changes of the other 6 kinds of biochemical indicators with the extension of PMI within 7 d after the rats' death were non-significant （P>0.05）. Conclusion The correlation between EC in cerebrum tissues, uric acid, urea nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus and PMI were relatively good, and combining various indicators can also improve the accuracy of PMI estimation.
Animals ; Cerebrum/pathology* ; Electric Conductivity ; Forensic Pathology ; Postmortem Changes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

Objective: To investigate clinicopathological features of multinodular and vacuolar neurodegenerative tumor (MVNT) of the cerebrum, and to investigate its immunophenotype, molecular characteristics and prognosis. Methods: Four cases were collected at the General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou, China and one case was collected at the First People's Hospital of Huizhou, China from 2013 to 2021. Clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of these five cases were analyzed. Follow-up was carried out to evaluate their prognoses. Results: There were four females and one male, with an average age of 42 years (range, 17 to 51 years). Four patients presented with seizures, while one presented with discomfort on the head. Pre-operative imaging demonstrated non-enhancing, T2-hyperintense multinodular lesions in the deep cortex and superficial white matter of the frontal (n=1) or temporal lobes (n=4). Microscopically, the tumor cells were mostly arranged in discrete and coalescent nodules primarily within the deep cortical ribbon and superficial subcortical white matter. The tumors were composed of large cells with ganglionic morphology, vesicular nuclei, prominent nucleoli and amphophilic or lightly basophilic cytoplasm. They exhibited varying degrees of matrix vacuolization. Vacuolated tumor cells did not show overt cellular atypia or any mitotic activities. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells exhibited widespread nuclear staining for the HuC/HuD neuronal antigens, SOX10 and Olig2. Expression of other neuronal markers, including synaptophysin, neurofilament and MAP2, was patchy to absent. The tumor cells were negative for NeuN, GFAP, p53, H3K27M, IDH1 R132H, ATRX, BRG1, INI1 and BRAF V600E. No aberrant molecular changes were identified in case 3 and case 5 using next-generation sequencing (including 131 genes related to diagnosis and prognosis of central nervous system tumors). All patients underwent complete or substantial tumor excision without adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Post-operative follow-up information over intervals of 6 months to 8 years was available for five patients. All patients were free of recurrence. Conclusions: MVNT is an indolent tumor, mostly affecting adults, which supports classifying MVNT as WHO grade 1. There is no tumor recurrence even in the patients treated with subtotal surgical excision. MVNTs may be considered for observation or non-surgical treatments if they are asymptomatic.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Brain Neoplasms/pathology* ; Cerebrum/pathology* ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe/pathology* ; Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism*

Cerebrum ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Congenital Abnormalities ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neonatology ; Osteopetrosis ; complications ; physiopathology ; Research Report ; Telencephalon ; abnormalities

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of combined ischemic preconditioning and postconditioning against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the potential mechanism. METHODS: Sixty SD rats were randomized into a sham operation group, a brain I/R group (model group), a brain I/R plus preconditioning group (preconditioning group), a brain I/R plus postconditioning group (postconditioning group), and a brain I/R plus preconditioning and postconditioning group (combined intervention group). The rat brain I/R injury model was created by suture emboli method. Preconditioning was induced by 3 cycles of 15 s occlusion followed by 30 s recanalization of the middle cerebral artery twice respectively at 24 h and 1 h before model creation, and postconditioning was elicited by 3 cycles of 30 s reperfusion followed by 15 s ischemia before long time reperfusion. The rats were sacrificed at 48 h after the reperfusion. The cerebral infarct volume and oxidative stress parameters as well as p-Akt and p-ERK1/2 protein expressions in the brain tissues were determined. RESULTS: The cerebral infarct volumes showed no significant difference between the preconditioning group and the postconditioning group (P>0.05), but both were smaller than that in the model group and larger than that in the combined intervention group (all P values<0.01). In the model group, the level of oxidative stress was markedly increased (SOD activity increased and MDA level decreased), and both p-Akt and p-ERK1/2 protein expressions in the brain tissues were upregulated compared with those in the sham group (all P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the oxidative stress parameters presented no evident difference in preconditioning group (P>0.05), but p-Akt expression was slightly upregulated and p-ERK1/2 was remarkably down-regulated (P<0.05 and P<0.01) In the postconditioning group, the level of oxidative stress was significantly decreased, and p-Akt expression was dramatically increased with a mild down-regulation of p-ERK1/2 expression (P<0.01 and P<0.05). In the combined intervention group, the oxidative stress decrease the p-Akt expression rise and p-ERK1/2 expression inhibition were significantly greater than those in either the preconditioning group or the postconditioning group (all P values<0.01). CONCLUSION Combined treatment of preconditioning and postconditioning exerts stronger protective effect against cerebral I/R injury than either preconditioning or postconditioning alone. The mechanism is possibly due to the different but complementary protection of preconditioning and postconditioning against I/R injury.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; Cerebrum ; pathology ; Down-Regulation ; Ischemic Postconditioning ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; therapy ; Up-Regulation

The organ weight is one important indicator to discern normal condition from abnormal in forensic pathology as well as in clinical medicine. This study includes organ weights of Korean population, which can be fundamental sources to be analyzed comparatively with other ethnic groups. Seven organs (heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen, thyroid gland, and brain), which were harvested from 526 Korean adults (369 males and 157 females) during ordinary postmortem examination, were weighed. All of the organs in males were heavier than those in females. With variables controlled, the organ weights of hearts, spleens, and thyroid glands in males were not different from those in females, and the rest of organs were heavier in males than females. Mean weight of left kidneys was higher than that of right ones (P<0.05). All of the organs but heart became lighter in weight, as one got older. The liver and kidney weights of the middle-aged adults were heavier than those of any other age groups (P<0.05). The weights of all organs except for lungs and cerebrums were more related to body weight than height. These results are considered for useful anatomical data to understand the disease properties in Koreans.
Adult ; Autopsy ; Body Weight ; Cerebrum ; Clinical Medicine ; Ethnic Groups ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Heart ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Organ Size ; Spleen ; Thyroid Gland ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUNDRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) research has mainly been focused on the therapeutic effect of psychiatric disorders and Parkinson's disease. A few studies have shown that rTMS might protect against delayed neuronal death induced by transient ischemia, enhance long-term potentiation in ischemic conditions and affect regional brain blood flow and metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP-2) expression in rat brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)/reperfusion.

METHODSTo study the effects of different timecourses of rTMS on ATP content and MAP-2 expression, 90 rats were randomly divided into three groups (30 rats in each group). To study the effects of multiple rTMS parameters on ATP content and MAP-2 expression, the rats in each group were further divided into six subgroups (five rats each). The rats were sacrificed at 1-hour, 24-hour and 48-hour intervals after reperfusion, and the brain tissues were collected for the detection of ATP and MAP-2.

RESULTSrTMS could significantly increase ATP content and MAP-2 expression in the left brain following ischemic insult (P < 0.01) and different rTMS parameters had different effects on the ATP level and the MAP-2 expression in the left striatum. A high-frequency rTMS played an important role in MAP-2 expression and ATP preservation.

CONCLUSIONSThis study revealed that rTMS induced significant increase of ATP content and MAP-2 expression in the injured area of the brain, suggesting that the regulation of both ATP and MAP-2 may be involved in the biological mechanism of the effect of rTMS on neural recovery. Therefore, rTMS may become a potential adjunctive therapy for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.

Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebrum ; metabolism ; pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; Time Factors ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; methods

This study was undertaken to identify acute changes and mechanism of traumatic brain edema in the rabit by measuring the regional specific gravities and water content with Evans blue dye staining. After delivery of brain injury on the frontal area, animals were sacrificed at 30 minutes, 2, 4 and 6 hours. Specific gravity data collection of regional brain tissue was taken in the serial copper sulfate gravity solution. The regions tested included frontal lobe, occipital lobe, basal ganglia, cerebellum, pons and medulla. Specific gravity data and Evans blue dye staining with spread were compared with those from similar areas in the uninjured anesthetized rabbits to test for brain edema. The results obtained were as follows: 1) Immediately following brain impact, almost all animals in this study demonstrated temporary respiratory arrest. The mean duration of respiratory arrest in experimental animals was 15+/-3 seconds. There was no correlation between length of respiratory arrest and either gross intracranial pathology or brain edema data. 2) The specific gravities in both hemispheres were same in control animals and were not affected by the duration of anesthesia. 3) Significant decrease of specific gravity was identified in the both supratentorial regions at 30 minutes, 2 and 4 hours after trauma. This finding was more prominent in the contused side. No significant changes occurred in the cerebellum but significant decrease of specific gravity occurred in medulla at 6 hours. 4) Almost brain water content was increased as the time course and arrived on peak value at 4 hours and decreased at 6 hours after trauma in the supratentorial regions. 5) Evans blue dye staining occurred in the contusion area at 30 minutes after trauma and spread to surrounding cortex and subcortex but dye density was decreased with time. These results suggest that traumatic brain edema may originate from vasogenic mechanism due to dysfunction of blood-brain barrier and this edema may spread to both cerebral hemispheres and brain stem.
Anesthesia ; Animals ; Basal Ganglia ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Edema* ; Brain Injuries* ; Brain Stem ; Brain* ; Cerebellum ; Cerebrum ; Contusions ; Copper Sulfate ; Data Collection ; Edema ; Evans Blue ; Frontal Lobe ; Gravitation ; Occipital Lobe ; Pathology ; Pons ; Rabbits ; Specific Gravity

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), NO and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the cerebrum of rats subjected to cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: a sham group, an I/R group,an HGF1 group, an HGF2 group, and an HGF3 group. The latter 3 groups were respectively injected 15, 30 and 60 μg/kg HGF. The focal cerebral I/R model was established by sutureoccluded method. After 1.5 h ischemia followed by 24 h reperfusion, the iNOS activity and NO content in the ischemic cerebral tissue were assessed. The expression of iNOS mRNA and IL-1β mRNA was detected. The level of iNOS protein and IL-1β content were determined. In addition, cultured cerebral cortical neurons in vitro were exposed to I/R. Then the expression of iNOS and IL-1β protein in the neurons was detected, and NO content was assessed. RESULTS: The iNOS activity and NO content in the ischemic cerebral tissue were increased. The expression of iNOS mRNA and IL-1β mRNA was upregulated. The level of iNOS protein and IL- 1β content were increased. Administration of HGF decreased the iNOS activity and NO content, and downregulated the expression of iNOS mRNA, IL-1β mRNA, iNOS protein and IL-1β content in the ischemic cerebral tissue. HGF decreased the expression of IL-1β, iNOS protein and NO content in the cortical neurons exposed to I/R in vitro. CONCLUSION HGF can inhibit the expression of IL-1β and decrease the expression of iNOS and content of NO, which is probably one of the mechanisms mediating the protection of HGF against cerebral ischemia injury.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; Cerebrum ; metabolism ; pathology ; Down-Regulation ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation