The median patient age was 45 years (range, 7-80 years). The median SRS target volume was 7.1 cm(3) (range, 0.9-109 cm(3)), and median margin dose was 15.0 Gy (range, 9-25 Gy).

RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 5 years (range, 0.6-14 years) after SRS, 23 patients died of tumor progression. The

5-year Akt inhibitor actuarial overall survival after SRS was 80% for the entire group, 93% for the no prior fractionated radiation therapy (RT) group (n = 50), and 43% for the prior RT group (n = 21). Younger age, longer interval between initial diagnosis and SRS, no prior RT, < 2 cranial nerve deficits, and smaller total tumor volume were significantly associated with longer patient survival. The 5-year treated tumor control rate after SRS was 66% for the entire group, 69% for the no prior RT group, and 62% for the prior RT group. Older age, recurrent group, prior RT, and larger tumor volume were significantly associated with worse tumor control.

CONCLUSION: Stereotactic radiosurgery is a potent treatment option for small sized chordomas, especially see more in younger patients and as part of a multipronged attack that includes surgical resection when possible.”
“Aim:

Aspergillus terreus produces itaconic acid at low pH but lovastatin and other secondary metabolites at higher pH in the fermentation. The utilization of glucose as a carbon substrate was investigated for secondary

metabolite production by A. terreus.

Methods and Results:

With a starting pH of 6 center dot 5, glucose was rapidly metabolized to gluconic acid by the wild-type strain and by transformants harbouring Aspergillus niger genes encoding 6-phosphofructo-1-kinases with superior kinetic and regulatory properties for bioproduction of metabolites from glucose. On exhaustion of the glucose in batch fermentations, the accumulated gluconic acid was utilized as a carbon source.

Conclusions:

A novel pathway

of glucose catabolism was demonstrated in A. terreus, a species whose wild type is, without any strain development, capable of producing gluconic acid at high molar conversion efficiency (up to 0 center dot 7 mol mol-1 glucose consumed).

Significance heptaminol and Impact of the Study:

Aspergillus terreus is a potential novel producer organism for gluconic acid, a compound with many uses as a bulk chemical. With a new knowledge of glucose catabolism by A. terreus, fermentation strategies for secondary metabolite production can be devised with glucose feeding using feedback regulation by pH.”
“BACKGROUND: External ventricular drains (EVDs) are valuable adjuncts in the management of neurosurgical patients but are associated with a significant risk of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infection (range, 0% to 27%); a review of 23 studies reported a mean of 8.8%.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of 2 different antibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters in preventing CSF infections.