Genetic markers in oligodendroglial tumours

Background. Oliogodendrogliomas are brain tumours composed of the cells resembling oligodendrocytes. They represent the third most common glial tumour, comprising 2.5% of all primary brain tumours and 5-20% of all gliomas. Conclusions. Oligodendroglial tumours with 1p and 19q loss demonstrate a better overall prognosis due to more indolent clinical behaviour and higher sensitivity to treatment. Additionally, 1p and 19q loss is a marker of clinical utility, helping to assess tumour sensitivity to chemotherapy and harbouring the potential for improving the diagnosis and survival of oligodendroglioma patients as well as future clinical practice

Intervertebral disc tissue engineering: A brief review

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is associated with low back pain and significantly affects the patient’s quality of life. Degeneration of the IVD alters disk height and the mechanics of the spine, leading to chronic segmental spinal instability. The pathophysiology of IVD disease is still not well understood. Current therapies for IDD include conservative and invasive approaches, but none of those treatments are able to restore the disc structure and function. Recently, tissue engineering techniques emerged as a possible approach to treat IDD, by replacing a damaged IVD with scaffolds and appropriate cells. Advances in manufacturing techniques, material processing and development, surface functionalization, drug delivery systems and cell incorporation furthered the development of tissue engineering therapies. In this review, biomaterial scaffolds and cell-based therapies for IVD regeneration are briefly discussed

Stem cell therapy for degenerative disc disease: Bridging the gap between preclinical promise and clinical potential

Stem cell therapy has gained attention in the field of regenerative medicine due to its potential to restore damaged tissue. This article focuses on the application of stem cell therapy for treating spinal pathologies, particularly intervertebral disc degeneration. Disc degeneration is a major cause of low back pain and is characterized by changes in the matrix and inflammation. Animal studies have demonstrated that the implantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) yields promising results, including increased disc height, improved hydration, and reduced inflammation. However, the number of clinical trials remains limited, necessitating further research to optimize MSCs therapy. Although preclinical studies offer valuable insights, caution is needed when extrapolating these findings to clinical practice. Stem cell therapy still faces multiple challenges, such as the durability and survival of MSCs upon implantation, uncertain pathways to discogenic differentiation, and the adverse impact of a harsh microenvironment on cell survival. The avascular nature of the intervertebral disc and dynamic loading conditions also affect the adaptation of transplanted cells. Despite these obstacles, stem cell therapy holds promise as a potential treatment for disc degeneration, and ongoing research aims to fill the current gap in conclusive data

Soft tissue grafts for dural reconstruction after meningioma surgery

The meninges are involved in various pathologies and are often directly or indirectly severed during surgical procedures, especially the dura mater. This can pose a real challenge for the surgeon, as a proper reconstruction of the meninges is important to prevent complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSF). A variety of techniques for dural reconstruction have been described, employing natural and artificial materials. A novel technique for dural reconstruction involves soft tissue grafts in the form of fibrous or fibromuscular flaps, which are placed on the dural defects to seal the gaps. These soft tissue grafts represent an appropriate scaffold for cell ingrowth and fibrosis, thus preventing CSF. In this pilot study, we described the application of soft tissue grafts for dural reconstruction in 10 patients who underwent convexity meningioma surgery

An investigation of the potential application of chitosan/aloe-based membranes for regenerative medicine

A significant number of therapeutics derived from natural polymers and plants have been developed to replace or to be used in conjunction with existing dressing products. The use of the therapeutic properties of aloe vera could be very useful in the creation of active wound dressing materials. The present work was undertaken to examine issues concerning structural features, topography, enzymatic degradation behavior, antibacterial activity and cellular response of chitosan/aloe vera-based membranes. The chitosan/aloe vera-based membranes that were developed displayed satisfactory degradation, roughness, wettability and mechanical properties. A higher antibacterial potency was displayed by the blended membranes. Moreover, in vitro assays demonstrated that these blended membranes have good cell compatibility with primary human dermal fibroblasts. The chitosan/aloe vera-based membranes might be promising wound dressing materials.The authors acknowledge financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (grants SFRH/BPD/45307/2008 and SFRH/BD/64601/2009), the "Fundo Social Europeu", and the "Programa Diferencial de Potencial Humano". This work was partially supported by the FEDER through POCTEP 0330_IBEROMARE_1_P

Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes Through Sensory Modulation Profiles in Adults with Atypical Sensory Processing: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Sensory integration dysfunction (SID) often involves sensory modulation difficulties that can significantly impair daily functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults. Despite its prevalence, the relationship between sensory modulation profiles and HRQoL in adults with SID remains underexplored. Understanding this link is essential for developing targeted interventions to address diverse symptom profiles. Objectives: This study examined the association between sensory modulation difficulties and multiple HRQoL dimensions in adults with SID. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study included 86 adults aged 23–54 years, divided into two groups: adults with SID and healthy controls. Sensory modulation was assessed using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile Questionnaire, and HRQoL was measured with the SF-36 instrument. Statistical analyses included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson’s correlation. The null hypothesis tested for no differences in HRQoL scores between groups. Results: Significant differences were found between groups across all eight SF-36 domains and the overall HRQoL score (p < 0.001), with controls consistently scoring higher in each domain. Correlation analyses showed no significant associations between HRQoL outcomes and demographic variables (age, gender). Conclusion: These findings confirm a strong association between SID and reduced HRQoL in adults, affecting both physical and mental health. The consistent impact across age and gender groups highlights the importance of personalized therapeutic approaches

Hypophyseal metastases: A report of three cases and literature review

Metastatic tumours to the pituitary gland are rare. The most frequent are metastases from breast and lung. We describe three patients with metastatic tumours: (I) a 54-year-old patient with metastatic renal clear-cell carcinoma and consequent disturbances in visual acuity, cranial nerve paresis and panhypopituitarism, (II) a 60-year-old patient with a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with panhypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus and (III) a 57-year-old patient with metastasis of breast cancer and panhypopituitarism, visual impairment and cranial nerve paresis. A transnasal endoscopic biopsy and resection of the tumour was performed in all patients, followed by the oncological treatment. Despite the rarity of the disease, it is important to suspect a metastatic pituitary tumour especially in the case of diabetes insipidus, ophthalmoplegia, rapid course of the disease and headaches. In 20–30% of patients, a metastasis to the pituitary is the first manifestation of a tumour of unknown origin. Surgical and adjuvant therapy may improve the quality of life. The survival is not affected, however, and the prognosis of the disease is usually poor

Astrocytes and human artificial blood-brain barrier models

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) functions as a highly selective border of endothelial cells, protecting the central nervous system from potentially harmful substances by selectively controlling the entry of cells and molecules, including components of the immune system. To study the BBB properties, find suitable therapies, and identify new drug targets, there is a need to develop representative in vitro BBB models. In this article, we describe the astrocyte roles in the BBB functioning and human in vitro BBB models

Učinki zgodnje ravnotežne rehabilitacije na funkcionalno izvedbo hoje pri bolnikih z motnjami ravnotežja po operaciji tumorja v zadnji lobanjski kotanji

Izhodišča: Prizadetost ravnotežnega sistema se pri bolnikih med izvajanjem funkcionalne hoje kaže kot kombinacija zaznavnih, okulomotoričnih, posturalnih ter avtonomnih simptomov. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti učinke specifične ravnotežne rehabilitacije na izboljšanje izvedbe bolnikove hoje. Metode: Raziskava je potekala prospektivno. Vključenih je bilo 40 bolnikov, ki so imeli po operaciji procesa v zadnji lobanjski kotanji motnje statičnega in dinamičnega ravnotežja. Razdeljeni so bili v 2 skupini. Vsi so bili med hospitalizacijo vključeni v program ravnotežne rehabilitacije. Ob odpustu so bolniki v interventni vadbeni skupini izvajali specifično dinamično ravnotežno vadbo v domačem okolju, bolniki iz kontrolne skupine vaj v domačem okolju niso izvajali. Za oceno ravnotežja in primerjavo med skupinama smo uporabili Lestvico za oceno funkcionalnosti hoje (FGA). Bolnike smo ocenili ob odpustu in 3 mesece po odpustu iz bolnišnice. Rezultati: V interventni vadbeni skupini je sodelovalo 15 žensk in 5 moških s povprečno starostjo 45 let; v kontrolni skupini brez vadbe pa je sodelovalo 7 žensk in 13 moških s povprečno starostjo 50 let. Najmanjšo klinično pomembno spremembo med dvema ocenama FGA, ki je znašala 5 točk, je preseglo 17 bolnikov v interventni vadbeni skupini in 14 bolnikov v skupini, ki vadbe ni opravljala. Napredek FGA se je med skupinama tudi statistično značilno razlikoval (p=0,034). V času hospitalizacije ni prišlo do padcev. Po 3 mesecih je v vadbeni skupini padec utrpelo 7 bolnikov, v skupini brez vadbe pa 12 bolnikov. Zaključek: Tri mesece po odpustu smo pri bolnikih v interventni vadbeni skupini ugotovili statistično pomembno izboljšanje pri izvedbi ravnotežno zahtevnejših funkcionalnih nalog med hojo in zmanjšano ogroženost za padec

Multiple Epithelioid Hemangiomas with Orbital Involvement

Epithelioid hemangioma, also known as angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, is a cutaneous angioproliferative lesion that follows a benign clinical course. It is most frequently localized in the skin of the head and neck region; although it may sometimes arise deeper in soft tissues, orbital involvement is rare. Here we describe a patient who developed multiple epithelioid hemangiomas, including an intraorbital lesion. The histopathological parallels with other reactive and neoplastic lesions as well as therapeutic options are discussed