We evaluated DNA protection effect of heat shock protein (HSP) against cytotoxic effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI). Cultured human corneal fibroblasts were divided into 4 groups. Control (Group I) was not exposed to a sub-lethal heat treatment. Other 3 groups were exposed to 43 degrees C for 1 hr, then incubated at 37 degrees C during different duration (1, 6, 24 hr, Group II, III, IV, respectively). Expression pattern of HSP 70 was analyzed by Western blot. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay and the relationship between HSP 70 expression and DNA damage was examined by terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick and labeling (TUNEL) stain and single cell gel electrophoresis. Expression pattern of HSP 70 was dependent on recovery times. Cell viability following heat treatment was significantly increased and the TUNEL positive cell number was decreased at 6 hr. In single cell gel electrophoresis, tail moments were increased in a dose-dependent manner by SNAP and X/XO. Following heat treatment, tail moments showed decreased significantly at 6 hr. These results suggest that induction of HSP 70 by sub-lethal heat treatment is closely related with cytoprotective effects against oxidative stresses in human corneal fibroblasts.
Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cornea/*cytology ; DNA Damage ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fibroblasts/cytology/drug effects/*metabolism ; Heat ; Heat-Shock Proteins 70/genetics/*metabolism ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Donors/pharmacology ; *Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine/pharmacology ; Xanthine/pharmacology ; Xanthine Oxidase/pharmacology

No abstract available.
Atrial Fibrillation* ; Mitral Valve Stenosis*

Esophageal carcinoma rarely metastasizes to the brain. Although some studies have mentioned esophageal cancer with solitary brain metastasis or with meningocerebral metastasis or with skull metastasis, multiple meningocerebral metastasis and extensive skull metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus has not been reported in the literature. We encountered a case of an extensive osteolytic change of the skull and multiple meningocerebral metastases from esophageal carcinoma.
Brain ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Epithelial Cells* ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Esophagus* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Skull*

Myxomas are rare benign tumors that originate from mesenchymal tissue. They usually develop in the atrium of the heart, the skin, subcutaneous tissue, or bone. Involvement of the skull base with an intracranial extension is very rare and not well-described in the literature. We report a rare case of primary intracranial ossifying myxoma arising from the anterior skull base and mimicking a huge chondrosarcoma, and we review the relevant literature.
Chondrosarcoma ; Ethmoid Sinus* ; Heart ; Myxoma* ; Skin ; Skull Base ; Subcutaneous Tissue

OBJECTIVE: Resorption of autologous bone flap grafts is a known long-term complication of cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy (DC). We analyzed our data to identify risk factors for bone flap resorption (BFR) following cranioplasty. METHODS: A total of 162 patients who underwent cranioplasty following DC due to life-threatening elevated intracranial pressure between October 2003 and December 2012, were included in our investigation. Follow-up exceeded one year. RESULTS: BFR occurred as a long-term complication in 9 of the 162 patients (5.6%). The affected patients consisted of individuals who had undergone DC for traumatic brain injury (TBI; n=4), for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH; n=3), for cerebral infarction (n=1), and intracerebral hemorrhage (n=1). Logistic regression analysis identified no significant risk factors for BFR. CONCLUSION: TBI and SAH as initial diagnoses are more often associated with BFR than other diagnoses. This finding may influence future surgical decision making, especially in patients with possible risk factors for BFR. A prospective study with a large number of patients is needed to identify potential predictors of BFR such as bone flap sterilization and preservation.
Bone Resorption ; Brain Injuries ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebral Infarction ; Decision Making ; Decompressive Craniectomy* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Risk Factors ; Sterilization ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein(IAP), which inhibits apoptosis through a pathway distinct from the Bcl-2 family members. Overexpression of survivin and Bcl-2 have been commonly reported in human neoplasms. The authors investigate whether there is a synergistic effect on the anti-apoptosis rate of primary brain tumors "in situ" based on the co-expression of survivin and Bcl-2. METHODS: One hundred and two brain tumor patients who had been resected were included in this study. Survivin and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blotting analysis, while apoptosis was examined by DNA fragmentation analysis. An anti-apoptotic rate was assessed in these brain tumor samples based on the expression of survivin and Bcl-2 or co-expression of both. RESULTS: Survivin and Bcl-2 were expressed in 57(55.9%) and 53(52.0%) of 102 brain tumor samples studied respectively, and co-expressed in 31(30.4%). The percentage of astrocytic and meningeal tumors expressing survivin was significantly correlated with histological grades; however, Bcl-2 was not correlated (p=0.106). The anti-apoptotic rate in primary brain tumors with survivin, Bcl-2, and both was detected in 49(86.0%) of 57 samples, 42(79.9%) of 53 samples, and 27(87.1%) of 31 samples, respectively. Their difference in the frequency of anti-apoptosis was not significant. CONCLUSION: Survivin or Bcl-2 is involved in the anti-apoptosis. However, it suggests that co-expression of survivin and Bcl-2, together, have no synergistic effect on the anti-apoptotic properties of the primary brain tumors.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Neoplasms* ; DNA Fragmentation ; Humans ; Meningeal Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the associations between 30-day mortality and various radiological and clinical factors in patients with traumatic acute subdural hematoma (SDH). During the 11-year study period, young patients who underwent surgery for SDH were followed for 30 days. Patients who died due to other medical comorbidities or other organ problems were not included in the study population. METHODS: From January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2014, 318 consecutive surgically-treated traumatic acute SDH patients were registered for the study. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze 30-day survival rates. We also estimated the hazard ratios of various variables in order to identify the independent predictors of 30-day mortality. RESULTS: We observed a negative correlation between 30-day mortality and Glasgow coma scale score (per 1-point score increase) (hazard ratio [HR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52–0.70; p<0.001). In addition, use of antithrombotics (HR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.27–4.33; p=0.008), history of diabetes mellitus (HR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.20–4.32; p=0.015), and accompanying traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (hazard ratio, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.27–3.58; p=0.005) were positively associated with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: We found significant associations between short-term mortality after surgery for traumatic acute SDH and lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores, use of antithrombotics, history of diabetes mellitus, and accompanying traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage at admission. We expect these findings to be helpful for selecting patients for surgical treatment of traumatic acute SDH, and for making accurate prognoses.
Brain Injuries ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Acute ; Humans ; Methods ; Mortality* ; Prognosis ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Traumatic ; Survival Rate

Objective: : Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) can be occurred after acute cerebral infarction. HT can worse symptoms in severe cases and adversely affect long-term prognosis. As bone and vascular smooth muscle are composed of type 1 collagen, we aimed to identify a potential relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and HT after acute cardioembolic stroke. Methods: : As an indicator of BMD, we used mean frontal skull Hounsfield unit (HU) values on brain computed tomography (CT). Multivariative hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression analysis to identify whether the osteoporotic condition was an independent predictor of HT after acute cardioembolic stroke. Results: : This 11-year analysis enrolled 506 patients who diagnosed as acute cardioembolic infarction. The first tertile of skull HU value was an independent predictor of HT development compared to the third tertile (hazard ratio, 2.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–3.98; p=0.020). We observed no interactions between age and skull HU with respect to HT statistically. Conclusion : The results of this study revealed an association between osteoporotic conditions and HT development after acute cardioembolic stroke. A convenient method to measure the cancellous bone HU value of the frontal skull using brain CT images may be useful for predicting HT in patients with acute cerebral infarction.

Objective: : Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) can be occurred after acute cerebral infarction. HT can worse symptoms in severe cases and adversely affect long-term prognosis. As bone and vascular smooth muscle are composed of type 1 collagen, we aimed to identify a potential relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and HT after acute cardioembolic stroke. Methods: : As an indicator of BMD, we used mean frontal skull Hounsfield unit (HU) values on brain computed tomography (CT). Multivariative hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression analysis to identify whether the osteoporotic condition was an independent predictor of HT after acute cardioembolic stroke. Results: : This 11-year analysis enrolled 506 patients who diagnosed as acute cardioembolic infarction. The first tertile of skull HU value was an independent predictor of HT development compared to the third tertile (hazard ratio, 2.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–3.98; p=0.020). We observed no interactions between age and skull HU with respect to HT statistically. Conclusion : The results of this study revealed an association between osteoporotic conditions and HT development after acute cardioembolic stroke. A convenient method to measure the cancellous bone HU value of the frontal skull using brain CT images may be useful for predicting HT in patients with acute cerebral infarction.