The effect of TERT promoter mutation on predicting meningioma outcomes: a multi-institutional cohort analysis.

Background: Molecular aberrations have been incorporated into tumour classification guidelines of meningioma. TERT-promoter (TERTp) mutation is associated with worse prognosis and is designated a WHO grade 3 biomarker. However, it remains unclear whether TERTp mutation is context-dependent, with other co-occurring genetic alterations potentially driving its association with prognosis.

Ki-67 in meningioma: distribution and implications.

Objective: Ki-67 is a widely used marker of proliferation in meningiomas, influencing prognostic assessment and treatment decisions, including adjuvant radiation therapy. However, it is increasingly appreciated that some meningiomas are enriched with immune infiltration, which may confound Ki-67 interpretation as both immune and tumor cells exhibit proliferative potential. The authors aimed to dissect the cellular source and distribution of Ki-67 within the meningioma microenvironment and explore their clinical, genomic, and biological associations.

Distribution of copy number alterations and impact of chromosome arm call thresholds for meningioma.

Chromosome-arm copy number alterations (CNAs) are an important component of cancer molecular classifiers. CNAs are often translated into binary chromosome arm calls (arm gain/loss) using an arm call threshold before integration into classification schemes. However, substantial variability exists in thresholds used to define arm calls from CNA data.

Clinical, molecular and radiological predictors of prognosis in newly diagnosed astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, WHO grade 4.

Background: Astrocytoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant, WHO grade 4 (Astro4), is a new tumor type in the 2021 WHO classification of central nervous system tumors that has been poorly characterized in the literature. This study evaluates predictors of prognosis in a large cohort of newly diagnosed Astro4.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 128 consecutive adult patients who presented with an initial diagnosis of Astro4 at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital between 2010 and 2021.

Impact of Adjacent Muscular Anatomic Preservation on Proximal Junctional Kyphosis and Failure.

Background: Surgical intervention is a cornerstone of adult spinal deformity (ASD) management. However, there remain burdens from complications, including proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF). Posterior anatomic preservation at the uppermost instrumented vertebra has emerged as an accessible approach to potentially reduce PJK/PJF risk.

Neurosurgical Residency Training at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, the Resident Perspective.

Background And Objective: Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) Medical Centers play a crucial role in training neurosurgery residents. Although previous studies have examined the impact of VA rotations from the attending perspective, the resident experience remains unexplored. We present a national survey of neurosurgery residents to assess their perceptions of VA rotations, focusing on operative experience, call burden, longitudinal patient care experiences, and overall strengths and limitations.

Strategies to improve surgical technical competency: a systematic review.

Background: A cornerstone of surgical residency training is an educational program that produces highly skilled and effective surgeons. Training structures are constantly being revised due to evolving program structures, shifting workforces, and variability in the clinical environment. This has resulted in significant heterogeneity in all surgical resident education, training tools utilized, and measures of training efficacy.

Advances and Evolving Challenges in Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Background: Surgical intervention is a critical tool to address adult spinal deformity (ASD). Given the evolution of spinal surgical techniques, we sought to characterize developments in ASD correction and barriers impacting clinical outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a literature review utilizing PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to examine advances in ASD surgical correction and ongoing challenges from patient and clinician perspectives.

Dendrimer nanotherapy targeting of glial dysfunction improves inflammation and neurobehavioral phenotype in adult female Mecp2-heterozygous mouse model of Rett syndrome.

Rett syndrome is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutation of Mecp2 gene and primarily affects females. Glial cell dysfunction has been implicated in in Rett syndrome (RTT) both in patients and in mouse models of this disorder and can affect synaptogenesis, glial metabolism and inflammation. Here we assessed whether treatment of adult (5-6 months old) symptomatic Mecp2-heterozygous female mice with N-acetyl cysteine conjugated to dendrimer (D-NAC), which is known to target glia and modulate inflammation and oxidative injury, results in improved behavioral phenotype, sleep and glial inflammatory profile.

Impact of H3K27 trimethylation loss in meningiomas: a meta-analysis.

Trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone 3 (H3K27me3) loss has been implicated in worse prognoses for patients with meningiomas. However, there have been challenges in measuring H3K27me3 loss, quantifying its impact, and interpreting its clinical utility. We conducted a systematic review across Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify studies examining H3K27me3 loss in meningioma.

Integration of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers Into Neurosurgical Residency Programs.

Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers serve as a unique training environment for US residency programs. In this study, we aim to explore the scope and details of VA integration into neurosurgery resident training. We used data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education database to provide an overview of neurosurgery training programs with an active VA affiliation and developed a multi-institutional survey to gather information related to rotation design, operative volume, expectations, and core training values.

Application of radiomics to meningiomas: A systematic review.

Background: Quantitative imaging analysis through radiomics is a powerful technology to non-invasively assess molecular correlates and guide clinical decision-making. There has been growing interest in image-based phenotyping for meningiomas given the complexities in management.

Methods: We systematically reviewed meningioma radiomics analyses published in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until December 20, 2021.

Machine Learning in the Classification of Pediatric Posterior Fossa Tumors: A Systematic Review.

: Posterior fossa tumors (PFTs) are a morbid group of central nervous system tumors that most often present in childhood. While early diagnosis is critical to drive appropriate treatment, definitive diagnosis is currently only achievable through invasive tissue collection and histopathological analyses. Machine learning has been investigated as an alternative means of diagnosis.