Our results appear to demonstrate that the procedures of ex vivo expansion of autologous mesenchymal stem cells and of transplantation into the spinal cord of humans are safe and well tolerated by ALS patients.

Our results demonstrate that direct injection of autologous expanded MSCs into the spinal cord of ALS patients is safe, with no significant acute or late toxicity, and well tolerated. The clinical results seem to be encouraging.

Background and Purpose-While it has been widely reported that the vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is prevented/reversed by endothelin (ET) receptor antagonists selective for the ET A receptor and by nonselective ET receptor antagonists, ie, antagonists of both the ET A and ET B receptors, there are no reports on the possible attenuation of the spasm by selective ET B receptor antagonists. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether (1) ET B receptor antagonists prevent and reverse SAH-induced spasm and (2) attenuation of the spasm results from blockade of smooth muscle ET B (ET B2 ) receptor-mediated constriction and/or endothelial ET B (ET B1 ) receptormediated ET-1-induced ET-1 release. Methods-SAH-induced spasm of the rabbit basilar artery was induced with the use of a double hemorrhage model. In vivo effects of agents on the spasm were determined by angiography after their intracisternal infusion (10 L/h) by mini osmotic pump. In situ effects of agents on the spasm were determined by direct measurement of vessel diameter after their suffusion in a cranial window. Results-SAH constricted the basilar artery by 30%. Intracisternal infusion with 10 mol/L BQ788, an ET B1/B2 receptor antagonist, reduced the spasm to 10%. To investigate whether BQ788 prevented the spasm by blockade of ET B1 receptor-mediated ET-1-induced ET-1 release, as opposed to ET B2 receptor-mediated constriction, we tested whether ET B1 receptor blockade also prevented the spasm. Indeed, intracisternal infusion with 10 mol/L RES-701-1, a selective ET B1 receptor antagonist, reduced the spasm to 10%. Similarly, in situ superfusion with 1 mol/L BQ788 reversed the spasm by 40%, and 1 mol/L RES-701-1 reversed the spasm by 50%. However, both BQ788 and RES-701-1 enhanced by 40% to 50% the 3 nmol/L ET-1-induced constriction elicited in spastic vessels previously relaxed with 0.1 mmol/L phosphoramidon, an ET-converting enzyme inhibitor. Conclusions-These results demonstrate that ET

DWI has an important role in the differential diagnosis of cystic cerebral masses but not in tumour characterisation. PWI is helpful in differentiating high-from low-grade gliomas and lymphomas from high-grade gliomas.

This study yields the first evidence for the existence of a TRPV1-LI innervation in human scalp arteries and provides the first quantitative assessment of the TRPV1-LI, CGRP-LI and SP-LI innervation of those vessels. The increase of TRPV1-LI periarterial nociceptive fibres of scalp arteries may represent, at least in some participants, a structural condition favouring CM (and possibly migraine), for example, by causing a higher sensitivity to algogenic agents.

Although cervical spine injury is rarely associated with maxillofacial trauma, it should be suspected when injuries above the clavicle occur, as suggested in the Advanced Trauma Life Support Manual. A retrospective study of 2482 patients with maxillofacial trauma, who were admitted to the Maxillofacial Surgical Division of Turin University between 1996 and 2006, conducted to identify concomitant fractures of the cervical spine and establish a treatment protocol. Twenty-one patients (0.8%), consisting of 17 males and four females ranging in age from 15 to 70 years, had amyelic cervical spine fractures. In 90% of the cases, the cervical spine injury was caused by a road accident. Cervical spine injuries were diagnosed using lateral x-rays in three cases and with computed tomography in the remaining patients. Although an association has been reported between mandibular fracture and cervical spine injury, we did not observe a preferential association between injuries of the upper third of the face and spinal injury. Cervical spine immobilization should never be removed until cervical spine injury has been excluded using a lateral x-ray of the cervical spine. In males with significant blunt craniomaxillofacial trauma caused by high-energy impact accidents such as car and motorcycle accidents, computed tomography is the radiologic examination of first choice to exclude cervical spine injuries. Lastly, the presence of a cervical spine injury did not result in modified or delayed treatment of maxillofacial fractures, with the exception of one patient who had a fracture of the odontoid process.

These results demonstrate that the maintenance of chronic spasm in the two-hemorrhage rabbit model after SAH is due to smooth muscle cell contractile mechanisms partly dependent on the influx of extracellular Ca2+. The influx of extracellular Ca2+ results from the opening of L-type Ca2+ channels and an additional channel or channels. We speculate that the L-type Ca2+ channel-independent influx of extracellular Ca2+ results from the opening of SOCs. The Ca(2+)-dependent characteristics of the spasm likely reflect the mediation of the spasm by ET-1.

iUS was highly sensitive in detecting all types of pathology, was safe and precise in planning trajectories to intraparenchymal lesions (including minimally mini-invasive approaches), and was accurate in checking extent of resection in more than 80% of cases. iUS is a versatile and feasible tool; it could improve safety and its use may be considered in routine intracranial surgery.