Recently, bacteriophage particles have started to be applied as a new biomaterial for developing sensing platforms. They can be used as both a recognition element or/and as building blocks, template/scaffold. In this paper, we studied a bacteriophage selected through phage-display technology. The chosen bacteriophage acted as a building block for creating a carbon nanofiber-based electrode and as a new receptor/binding element that recognizes C-reactive protein (CRP) – one of the markers of inflammatory processes in the human body. The binding efficiency of the selected phage towards CRP is two orders of magnitude higher than in the wild type. We demonstrate that the phage-based sensor is selective against other proteins. Finally, we show that layer-by-layer methods are suitable for deposition of negatively charged phages (wild or CRP-binding) with positively charged carbon nanofibers for electrode surface modification. A three-layered electrode was successfully used for molecular recognition of CRP, and the molecular interactions were studied using electrochemical, biological, and optical methods, including microscopic and spectroscopic analyses.

Chondrosarcomas are extremely rare, locally invasive, and potentially mortal malignant cartilaginous tumors. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the incidence and survival rates and trends of skull base chondrosarcomas (SBC).

Data from SBC patients between 1975 and 2017 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The age-adjusted incidence rates (AAR) were calculated for the overall cases and based on gender, age, race, and histology. Furthermore, the relative survival rates for one, three, and five years, and the rates stratified to the aforementioned selected variables were computed. Besides, we conducted a joint point regression analysis to calculate the annual percent change (APC) and its associated standard error (SE) for AAR and mortality.

The AAR rate of SBC was 0.019 per 100,000. Higher AAR rates were observed in patients who were in the 65-74-year-age-group, females, Caucasians, and had none mesenchymal subtype. The relative one-year, three-year and five-year-survival rates were 99.58 %, 93.67 %, and 89.10 %, respectively. Lower survival rates were noted in patients who were males, African Americans, and had a mesenchymal subtype. The trend analysis has shown a significant yearly increase (P < 0.001) in AAR of SBC (APC ± SE = 0.0005 %±0.0001), along with a significant yearly decline in mortality rates (APC ± SE= -0.0202 %±0.0029).

Despite the increase in AAR over time, there has been a significant decline in mortality rates over time, which might have been due to the advancement of treatment modalities, improvement in diagnostic imaging, and modification in disease grading.

Despite the increase in AAR over time, there has been a significant decline in mortality rates over time, which might have been due to the advancement of treatment modalities, improvement in diagnostic imaging, and modification in disease grading.

This study clarifies the incidence of prolactin-producing pituitary adenomas without hyperprolactinemia and determines the appropriate treatment strategy for these tumors.

This retrospective analysis focused on prolactin-producing adenomas without hyperprolactinemia, which were initially treated by surgery as nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. Among 942 patients with histologically confirmed pituitary adenoma, 114 (12.1 %) patients, consisting of 68 men and 46 women, who had prolactin-producing adenomas without hyperprolactinemia were identified between April 2005 and March 2019.

Of the 114 patients identified, 13 (11.4 %) had prolactin mono-expressions, 18 (15.8 %) had pit-1 lineage hormonal expressions, and 83 (72.8 %) had paradoxical immunoexpression out of the pituitary differentiation lineage, including prolactin. During the follow-up period, 19 patients suffered tumor progression, and 14 required salvage treatment. Of the 19 patients, 11 underwent gamma knife radiosurgery, and none of them experie suffered further tumor progression and underwent additional salvage treatments.

Out of the pituitary differentiation lineage, paradoxical hormonal expression occurred in three-quarters of the patients identified. Further surgery or gamma knife radiosurgery should be given priority in times of tumor progression because most patients were resistant to dopamine agonists.

Out of the pituitary differentiation lineage, paradoxical hormonal expression occurred in three-quarters of the patients identified. Further surgery or gamma knife radiosurgery should be given priority in times of tumor progression because most patients were resistant to dopamine agonists.

Neurosurgical procedures are life- and function-saving but carry a risk of adverse events (AE) which can cause permanent neurologic deficits. Unfortunately, there is lack of clearly defined AEs associated with given procedures, and their reporting is non-uniform and often arbitrary. However, with an increasing number of neurosurgical procedures performed, there is a need for standardization of AEs for systematic tracking. Such a system would establish a baseline for future quality improvement strategies.

To review our institutional AEs and devise standardized titles specific to the spine, tumor, functional, and vascular neurosurgery divisions.

A review of prospective monthly-reported morbidity and mortality (M&M) conference data within the Department of Neurological Surgery was conducted from January 2017 to December 2019. An AE was defined as any mortality, an “unintended and undesirable diagnostic or therapeutic event”, “an event that prolongs the patient’s hospital stay”, or an outcome with permanent or transient neurologic deficit.

A total of 1096 AEs from 7418 total procedures (14.8 %) were identified. CPI-455 manufacturer Of those, 418 (5.6 %) were in cerebrovascular, 249 (3.4 %) were in neuro-oncology and 429 (5.8 %) were in the spine & functional divisions. The most common AEs across all divisions were infection (17 %), hemorrhage (11 %) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (7.8 %). Other AEs were indirectly related to the neurosurgical procedure, such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (2.7 %), or pneumothorax (0.3 %).

This work illustrates standardized AEs can be implemented universally across the spectrum of neurological surgery. Standardization can help identify recurring AE patterns through better tracking.

This work illustrates standardized AEs can be implemented universally across the spectrum of neurological surgery. Standardization can help identify recurring AE patterns through better tracking.