Objectives: In this case report, we describe the design, fabrication and clinical outcomes of a novel bioresorbable, mineralized collagen burr-hole plug for the reconstruction of craniotomy burr-holes.
Methods: Mineralized collagen burr-hole plugs were fabricated via a biomimetic mineralization process. The biomimetic mineralized collagen has a similar chemical composition and microstructure to natural bone tissue, thereby possessing good biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. The mineralized collagen burr-hole plugs were implanted into three patients, and clinical outcomes were evaluated at one-year follow-ups.
Results: All bone defects healed very well using the mineralized collagen burr-hole plugs, and there were no adverse reactions at the surgical sites.
Conclusions: The clinical outcomes indicated that the mineralized collagen was effective for reconstructing burr-holes in the skull after craniotomy.

Objectives: To study the effect of fetal stem cell (FSC) therapy on Grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ respiratory failure in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and muscular dystrophy (MD).
Methods: A comparative study was conducted on 41 patients with Grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ respiratory failure (RF) resulting from ALS or MD. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the underlying disease and the degree of RF. Patients underwent combined treatment, including the experimental application of FSC therapy, and were examined before FSC treatment, and 6 months and 12 months after treatment.
Results: FSC treatment improved both subjective and objective breathing parameters as early as 6 months post-treatment. A significant increase in the forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) was reported by all patients with grade Ⅰ RF linked to ALS and MD compared to baseline. Patient respiratory improvement was maintained over the next 6 months. Grade Ⅱ RF patients with MD reported a significant improvement in FVC 12 months after treatment.
Conclusions: Evidence for respiratory improvement was observed as early as 6 months in all patients after combined treatment including FSC therapy, and this was maintained for a further 6 months after therapy. In MD patients with Grade Ⅱ RF, treatment resulted in a significant FVC and FEV₁ increase within 6 months and downgrading to Grade Ⅰ RF within a year after FSC treatment.

Objectives: Adult medulloblastoma is a rare tumor, and few retrospective studies on medulloblastoma have been published to date. A standard treatment regimen has not yet been established. Accordingly, this study was designed to determine the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with adult medulloblastoma.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all cases of adult medulloblastoma at the Beijing Tiantan Hospital between 2004 and 2007. There were 33 patients in total. Tumor removal followed by radiotherapy was performed in all patients. Five patients received maintenance chemotherapy after radiotherapy. Statistical analysis was performed using the log-rank test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression analysis.
Results: The median follow-up period was 73 months. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 45.5% ± 8.7% and 51.5% ± 8.7%, respectively. Recurrence or progression was observed in 21 patients, and 14 patients were still alive. Tumor location at the midline with infiltration to the floor of the fourth ventricle was associated with the worst PFS and OS (P= 0.032). Hemispheric desmoplastic/nodular medulloblastomas (DNMBs) were associated with a better outcome than midline DNMB. The average-risk group tended to have a better 5-year PFS rate than the high-risk group (P= 0.065).
Conclusions: Tumor location is an important prognostic marker for adulthood MB. We propose a molecular and clinical staging system should be established for adulthood MB. Further prospective clinical trials should be performed to draw a conclusion.

Objectives: Nerve regeneration after peripheral nerve injury is a slow process with a limited degree of functional recovery, resulting in a high disability rate. Thus, accelerating the rate of nerve regeneration and improving the degree of nerve repair is a clinical challenge. This study aimed to investigate the role of growth factor gel combined with small-gap nerve anastomosis in the regeneration of sciatic nerve injury in rats. This was achieved by injecting nerve growth factor (NGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gel into a silicon chamber that bridged the transection of the nerve.
Methods: In 27 randomly chosen Sprague Dawley rats, a sharp blade was used to transect the right hind leg sciatic nerve. The rats were divided into 3 groups: in groups A and B, silicon tubes containing NGF and bFGF gel or saline, respectively, were used to bridge the nerve proximal and distal ends (3-mm gap), and in group C, the nerve proximal and distal ends were directly sutured. Eight weeks after surgery, the sciatic nerve function index, neural electrophysiology, and muscle wet weight as well as histological, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical parameters were evaluated.
Results: The sciatic nerve function index, nerve conduction velocity, muscle wet weight, density of regenerated nerve fibers, and myelination in group A were better than those in group B or C, but the sciatic nerve function index, muscle wet weight, and thickness of myelination in the 3 groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences innerve conduction velocity between groups A and B (P > 0.05), but it was higher in both groups than that of group C (P < 0.05). The regenerated nerve fiber density in the 3 groups showed significant differences (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Small-gap nerve anastomosis can provide a good regenerative microenvironment for rat sciatic nerve regeneration, and the combined strategy of growth factor gel with small-gap nerve anastomosis appears to have a superior effect on nerve repair.

Objectives: Objectives: Significant advances in neurosciences will result from research focused on the non-contact treatment of the nervous tissue (NT). The objective of the article is to describe a novel non-contact method of restoration of damaged NT of the human brain and spinal cord that was termed multi-wave neuro-bioengineering.
Methods: The method includes a purposeful complex program of different therapeutic ionizing and non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation effects on the damaged NT, which is approved for clinical practice. Exposure of the human brain to a stepwise algorithmized combination of different ionizing and non-ionizing radiations and simultaneous application of various types of electromagnetic radiation at the specific site of restoration considerably reduce the adverse effects of all types of radiation on NT.
Results: The technology for non-contact restoration of the injured tissue of brain or spinal cord was appiled in 30 cases of neurological disorders using the stereotaxic system, structural resonance therapy, radiotherapy and focused ultrasound. The applied methods are approved for humans and theorem programmed combination opens new perspective for the treatment of brain and spinal cord disorders.
Conclusions: The approach provides quick restoration of the disordered function of damaged brain tissue and establishes a new paradigm of radio non-contact neurorestoration of the brain and spinal cord.