Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: Description and analysis of 23 cases treated in Chile between 2017 and 2022.

Introduction: Since the first description of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, caused by a severe deficiency of ADAMTS13, plasma exchange and immunosuppression have become standard treatments, allowing to decrease its high mortality rate. Prospective records of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura have provided valuable information on its pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and outcomes. The objective of this study is to update the local Chilean experience in the diagnosis and management of this disease, through a case series of patients treated between 2017 and 2022.

Fluorescence-Guided Surgery for Gliomas: Past, Present, and Future.

: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant central nervous system tumor, accounting for 50.9% of malignant CNS diagnoses and carrying a median survival of 15 months despite maximal standard therapy. High recurrence rates are driven by residual infiltrative tumor cells at the resection margin.

Analysis of the interaction between sleep quantity and sex in neurocognitive performance testing for sports-related concussion.

Objective: Cognitive testing for sports-related concussion (SRC) has become a critical component in ensuring the health of adolescent athletes. Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is a validated tool for assessing SRC and guiding subsequent medical management; thus the effect of different variables on ImPACT scoring is of clinical relevance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sleep quantity and patient sex on the ImPACT performance of athletes at baseline and time points after SRC.

3D Mitochondrial Structure in Aging Human Skeletal Muscle: Insights Into MFN-2-Mediated Changes.

Age-related skeletal muscle atrophy, known as sarcopenia, is characterized by loss of muscle mass, strength, endurance, and oxidative capacity. Although exercise has been shown to mitigate sarcopenia, the underlying governing mechanisms are poorly understood. Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in aging and sarcopenia; however, few studies explore how mitochondrial structure contributes to this dysfunction.

Optimizing In Situ Proximity Ligation Assays for Mitochondria, ER, or MERC Markers in Skeletal Muscle Tissue and Cells.

Proximity ligation assays (PLAs) use specific antibodies to detect endogenous protein-protein interactions. PLAs are a highly useful biochemical technique that allow two proteins within proximity to be visualized with fluorescent probes amplified by PCR. While this technique has gained prominence, the use of a PLA in mouse skeletal muscle (SkM) is novel.

Creating Optimal Western Blot Conditions for OPA1 Isoforms in Skeletal Muscle Cells and Tissue.

OPA1 is a dynamin-related GTPase that modulates mitochondrial dynamics and cristae integrity. Humans carry eight different isoforms of OPA1 and mice carry five, all of which are expressed as short- or long-form isoforms. These isoforms contribute to OPA1's ability to control mitochondrial energetics and DNA maintenance.

Innovations in intraoperative therapies in neurosurgical oncology: a narrative review.

Purpose: High-grade gliomas (HGG) represent the most aggressive primary brain tumors in adults, characterized by high recurrence rates due to incomplete resection. This review explores the effectiveness of emerging intraoperative therapies that may extend survival by targeting residual tumor cells. The main research question addressed is: What recent intraoperative techniques show promise for complementing surgical resection in HGG treatment?

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, examining recent studies on intraoperative therapeutic modalities that support surgical resection of HGG.

Return to play after head injury in adolescent sports: evaluating football versus other sports.

Objective: Increased adolescent sports participation has raised concerns about higher rates of concussions, a prevalent injury among young athletes with potential long-term effects. Discrepancies in concussion recovery and management protocols across various sports underscore a critical issue in youth athletics. This study aimed to examine the relationship between sport type and the number of games missed following a concussion to inform targeted management strategies.

Effects of hours of sleep on ImPACT concussion testing: comparing baseline with postinjury scores.

Objective: The influence of sleep on baseline and postconcussion neurocognitive performance prior to Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is poorly understood. Since ImPACT is widely used in youth sport to assess neurocognitive performance before and after head injury, it is important to delineate factors that affect testing performance. While some have reported correlations between fewer hours of sleep and lower scores on baseline tests, others have not observed any such associations.

Magnetic Hyperthermia Therapy for High-Grade Glioma: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) is a re-emerging treatment modality for brain tumors where magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are locally delivered to the brain and then activated with an external alternating magnetic field (AMF) to generate localized heat at a site of interest. Due to the recent advancements in technology and theory surrounding the intervention, clinical and pre-clinical trials have demonstrated that MHT may enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) for the treatment of brain tumors. The future clinical success of MHT relies heavily on designing MNPs optimized for both heating and imaging, developing reliable methods for the local delivery of MNPs, and designing AMF systems with integrated magnetic particle imaging (MPI) for use in humans.

Identifying Predictors of Initial Surgical Failure during Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation.

: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a common and severe disease with high rates of morbidity and mortality; however, minimally invasive surgical (MIS) hematoma evacuation represents a promising avenue for treatment. In February of 2019, the MISTIE III study found that stereotactic thrombolysis with catheter drainage did not benefit patients with supratentorial spontaneous ICH but that a clinical benefit may be present when no more than 15 mL of hematoma remains at the end of treatment. Intraoperative CT (iCT) imaging has the ability to assess whether or not this surgical goal has been met in real time, allowing for operations to add additional CT-informed 'evacuation periods' (EPs) to achieve the surgical goal.

3D reconstruction of murine mitochondria reveals changes in structure during aging linked to the MICOS complex.

During aging, muscle gradually undergoes sarcopenia, the loss of function associated with loss of mass, strength, endurance, and oxidative capacity. However, the 3D structural alterations of mitochondria associated with aging in skeletal muscle and cardiac tissues are not well described. Although mitochondrial aging is associated with decreased mitochondrial capacity, the genes responsible for the morphological changes in mitochondria during aging are poorly characterized.

A Novel Port to Facilitate Magnetic Hyperthermia Therapy for Glioma.

High-grade gliomas (HGG) are the most common primary brain malignancy and continue to be associated with a dismal prognosis (median survival rate of 15-18 months) with standard of care therapy. Magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) is an emerging intervention that leverages the ferromagnetic properties of magnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs) to target cancer cells that are otherwise left behind after resection. We report a novel port device to facilitate localization, delivery, and temperature measurement of MIONPs within a target lesion for MHT therapy.

Three-dimensional mitochondria reconstructions of murine cardiac muscle changes in size across aging.

With sparse treatment options, cardiac disease remains a significant cause of death among humans. As a person ages, mitochondria breakdown and the heart becomes less efficient. Heart failure is linked to many mitochondria-associated processes, including endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial bioenergetics, insulin signaling, autophagy, and oxidative stress.

Surgical techniques for evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma: a mini-review.

Chronic subdural hematoma is one of the most common neurosurgical pathologies with over 160,000 cases in the United States and Europe each year. The current standard of care involves surgically evacuating the hematoma through a cranial opening, however, varied patient risk profiles, a significant recurrence rate, and increasing financial burden have sparked innovation in the field. This mini-review provides a brief overview of currently used evacuation techniques, including emerging adjuncts such as endoscopic assistance and middle meningeal artery embolization.

Bibliometric Analysis of International Medical Graduates and Professorship Promotion in Neurosurgery.

Background: International medical graduates (IMGs) comprise ∼25% of physicians in the United States. Differences in promotion rates from assistant to associate to full professorship based on medical school location have been understudied. We aim to stratify odds of professional advancement by 3 categories: IMG with U.

Isolated tricuspid valve Group B Streptococcal endocarditis with septic pulmonary embolism and multiple mycotic aneurysms of the pulmonary arteries.

A diabetic woman in her 30s was admitted to our medical centre for persistent fever associated with worsening cough, easy fatigability and pleuritic chest pain noted after childbirth. Investigations revealed an isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis from Group B Despite appropriate antibiotic coverage, her symptoms persisted with worsening dyspnoea; hence, a CT pulmonary angiogram was done which showed septic pulmonary embolism and multiple mycotic aneurysms of the pulmonary arteries. She was treated with antibiotics and underwent tricuspid valve replacement and was discharged well with a return to her baseline functional capacity on subsequent follow-ups.