Embryonic skull development in the gecko,Tarentola annularis (Squamata: Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae)

Tarentola annularis is a climbing gecko with a wide distribution in Africa north of the equator. In the present paper, we describe the development of the osteocranium of this lizard, from the first appearance of the cranial elements up to the point of hatching. This is based on a combination of histology and cleared and stained specimens. This is the first comprehensive account of gekkotan pre-hatching skull development based on a comprehensive series of embryos, rather than a few selected stages. Given that Gekkota is now widely regarded as representing the sister group to other squamates, this account helps to fill a significant gap in the literature. Moreover, as many authors have considered features of the gekkotan skull and skeleton to be indicative of paedomorphosis, it is important to know whether this hypothesis is supported by delays in the onset of cranial ossification. In fact, we found the sequence of cranial bone ossification to be broadly comparable to that of other squamates studied to date, with no significant lags in development.     

颅底中线区大型和巨大型脑膜瘤的显微手术切除

目的探讨颅底中线区不同部位大型和巨大型脑膜瘤手术入路和切除方式,并分析特殊类型脑膜瘤手术治疗方法。方法本组93例,男性26例,女性67例;平均年龄48.4岁。术前行神经影像学检查,根据肿瘤部位,选择相应手术入路,采用显微手术切除肿瘤。结果肿瘤全切除80例(86.02%),大部分切除13例(13.98%),死亡1例(10.75%)。除单条颅神经功能术前完全丧失外,术后神经功能改善者75例(81.52%),不变者10例(10.86%),加重者7例(7.6%)。经6月￣7年随访,13例(14.13%)肿瘤复发。结论颅底中线区大型和巨大型脑膜瘤手术切除难度大。要取得良好的手术效果,必须选择正确手术入路,采用分块切除方式,精心保护重要血管和神经。     

Dural arteriovenous malformations at the base of the anterior cranial fossa: report of nine cases

Nine men with dural arteriovenous malformations (DAVM) at the base of the anterior cranial fossa are described. Four patients had intracerebral haemorrhage and four had seizures, associated with haemorrhage in two. In three cases the fistula was an incidental finding. In five cases the diagnosis could be made before angiography, on the basis of CT findings. Angiographically, venous drainage was always seen into ascending cortical veins. Five cases demonstrated drainage via the olfactory vein into the basal vein of Rosenthal; in four this way was the principal route of drainage. Five patients underwent surgery, the therapy of choice. One fistula closed spontaneously after angiography. Two patients refused treatment and one was not treated because of his poor general condition. Because arterial supply was usually bilateral, from small branches of the ophthalmic artery, embolisation seemed to be more dangerous. Compared to dural fistulae in other locations the DAVM of the anterior cranial fossa have a higher risk of complications and should be treated even if asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis.     

Primary aspergillosis of the sphenoid sinus with pituitary invasion – a rare differential diagnosis of sellar lesions

Summary Aspergillosis belongs to the group of mycotic diseases of paranasal sinuses. The invasive forms, and particularly the fulminant forms, are potentially fatal. Isolated aspergillosis of the sphenoid sinus or the clivus is a difficult diagnosis, since the often misleading clinical manifestations of this rare disease develop late. These patients become apparent by neurological signs such as cavernous sinus syndrome, pseudotumor of the pituitary or the orbit. Diagnosis is often made intra-operatively or on histological examination. We report a case of invasive aspergillosis uniquely involving the sellar area revealed by clinical features suggesting a pseudotumor of the pituitary. Although such lesions are almost always seen in immune suppressed subjects, in our case, the patient was immune competent and had no past history of sinusitis. The question of whether, and when to perform limited or extensive surgery remains an issue for discussion, owing to the rarity of this disease honed by lack of experience. It depends on several factors: the kind of disease, the immunity, the subtype of invasive fungal sinusitis and the degree of tissue invasion.     

Does Meningitis Stop CSF Rhinorrhea following Lateral Skull Base Surgery?

In cases of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea following lateral skull base surgery, fibrosis and fibrin formation resulting from meningitis has been postulated as a mechanism of spontaneously resolving the CSF leak. This study was undertaken to explore any possible relationship between the cessation of CSF leak and meningitis. A retrospective study at a tertiary referral center of 232 consecutive patients was performed. Out of a total of 232 procedures, 29 patients developed CSF rhinorrhea, of whom 7 subsequently developed meningitis. Bacteria were isolated in CSF obtained at lumbar puncture in 5 cases, with the CSF analysis in the remaining 2 cases suggesting aseptic meningitis. Conservative treatment failed to stop the CSF rhinorrhea in 6 of 7 cases. In this study, the development of meningitis did not appear to aid in the resolution of the CSF rhinorrhea. We conclude that surgical intervention should not be delayed in the expectation that meningitis and conservative interventions may promote CSF leak resolution.     

Association between the HOXA1 A218G polymorphism and increased head circumference in patients with autism.

BACKGROUND: The HOXA1 gene plays a major role in brainstem and cranial morphogenesis. The G allele of the HOXA1 A218G polymorphism has been previously found associated with autism. METHODS: We performed case-control and family-based association analyses, contrasting 127 autistic patients with 174 ethnically matched controls, and assessing for allelic transmission disequilibrium in 189 complete trios. RESULTS: A, and not G, alleles were associated with autism using both case-control (chi(2) = 8.96 and 5.71, 1 df, p <.005 and <.025 for genotypes and alleles, respectively), and family-based (transmission/disequilibrium test chi(2) = 8.80, 1 df, p <.005) association analyses. The head circumference of 31 patients carrying one or two copies of the G allele displayed significantly larger median values (95.0th vs. 82.5th percentile, p <.05) and dramatically reduced interindividual variability (p <.0001), compared with 166 patients carrying the A/A genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The HOXA1 A218G polymorphism explains approximately 5% of the variance in the head circumference of autistic patients and represents to our knowledge the first known gene variant providing sizable contributions to cranial morphology. The disease specificity of this finding is currently being investigated. Nonreplications in genetic linkage/association studies could partly stem from the dyshomogeneous distribution of an endophenotype morphologically defined by cranial circumference.     

延迟性脑脊液鼻漏病理机制及诊治探讨

目的总结15例经手术治疗的延迟性脑脊液鼻漏的临床资料,探讨脑脊液鼻漏的病理机制及其与诊断治疗的关系。方法本组共15例脑脊液鼻漏患者,其中颅底骨折13例,自发性1例和垂体瘤术后1例。重点分析术前CTMRI扫描,术中所见,以及疗效三者之间的关系。结果术中见14例患者神经组织疝入鼻窦,垂体瘤术后鼻漏为鞍上池下疝,其中后7例的CT扫描显示骨缺损,MRI显示神经组织下疝与术中所见完全一致。15例术后14例治愈,1例无效,无手术并发症。结论神经组织或鞍上池经颅底缺损疝入鼻窦为外伤后或自发性脑脊液鼻漏不能自愈的病理机制的重要环节,由于上述组织的疝入,导致粘膜、硬膜、蛛网膜难以修复。冠状CT扫描和MRI可确定瘘口部位,如果冠状CT有骨缺损,MRI检查相应部位有脑组织下疝,应积极早期手术治疗。     

关附甲素对豚鼠乳头肌动作电位最大除极速度的频率依赖性抑制作用

应用标准微电极技术，研究了关附甲素对豚鼠右心室乳头肌动作电位最大除极速率(V_max)的频率依赖性抑制作用(RDB)，并与美西律，奎尼丁，劳卡尼进行了比较. 在相同刺激间隔(300 ms)，产生50%左右RDB的药物浓度下，美西律的RDB开始最快，其第2个V_max所产生的抑制已占RDB的64%，奎尼丁，劳卡尼和关附甲素的RDB开始速率常数分别为每个动作电位0.165, 0.076和0.136. 美西律，奎尼丁，劳卡尼和关附甲素产生RDB的恢复时间常数分别为1.4, 9.0, 18.2和44.0 s，而且它们的恢复时间常数是不依赖于药物浓度而变化的，结果提示，关附甲素是一个慢动力学钠通道阻滞剂.     

改良额颞-颞下窝入路切除中颅凹底内外沟通瘤

目的：为了更完全地切除中颅凹底内外沟通性肿瘤。方法：采用经过改良的Ｍｉｃｋｅｙ额颞颞下窝入路。其改良主要是将额骨瓣连同其表面附着的颞肌以及游离后的眶颧骨块一并向下翻开，并将手术程序作了相应改变。结果：成功切除了１３例肿瘤。术后３例恢复了轻工作，６例能自主生活，３例生活仍需别人照顾，１例复发未再次手术。结论：采用改良的额颞颞下窝入路对中颅凹底内外沟通性肿瘤暴露充分，切除广泛。Ｍｉｃｋｅｙ入路改良的优点：颞肌血运的保留，有利于骨瓣与正常颅骨的早期融合。同时颞肌附着点的保留，有利于咀嚼功能。     

同种异体胎颅骨结合碱性成纤维细胞生长因子移植治疗骨不连

目的寻找一种治疗骨不连接所需植骨材料,利用碱性成纤维细胞生长因子的活性诱导作用,促进骨修复.方法13例成人骨不连患者,选择4-10个月龄胎颅骨（FCB）作可吸收载体,结合碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（bFGF）制备成复合碱性成纤维细胞生长因子胎颅骨（bFGF/FCB）,植入受骨区,以适当的内固定重新构建骨修复支架.结果所有患者均得到骨性修复,且成骨效应明显.结论胎颅骨作为植骨材料既可以起到植骨作用,增大植骨面,增加骨再生诱发点,屏蔽了骨断面,也避免了自体植骨的手术创伤;碱性成纤维细胞生长因子可以诱导和促进骨修复,二者复合物是治疗骨不连接的一种较好材料.