Gene expression in a canine basilar artery vasospasm model: a genome-wide network-based analysis

To investigate the changes of gene expression on the cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage, we used genome-wide microarray for a canine double-hemorrhage model and analyzed the data by using a network-based analysis. Six dogs were assigned to two groups of three animals: control and hemorrhage. The effects were assessed by the changes in gene expressions in the artery 7 days after the first blood injection. Among 23,914 genes, 447 and 66 genes were up-regulated more than two- and fivefold, respectively, and 332 and 25 genes were down-regulated more than two- and fivefold, respectively. According to gene ontology, genes related to cell communication (P = 5.28E-10), host–pathogen interaction (7.65E-8), and defense–immunity protein activity (0.000183) were significantly overrepresented. The top high-level function for the merged network derived from the network-based analysis was cell signaling, revealing that the subgroup that regulates the quantity of Ca2+ to have the strongest association significance (P = 4.75E-16). Canine microarray analysis followed by gene ontology profiling and connectivity analysis identified several functional groups and individual genes responding to cerebral vasospasm. Ca2+ regulation may play a key role in these gene expression changes and may be involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm

Evaluation of the Correlation between the Volume of Orbital Tissue Incarcerated into the Maxillary and Sinus Ocular Deviation, after Orbital Floor Fracture

In the case of orbital floor fractures, enophthalmos occurs if the volume of orbital tissue incarcerated into the maxillary sinus increases. However, during severe eyelid swelling, enophthalmos measurement is inaccurate. We aimed to investigate the correlation between the incarcerated tissue volume and ocular deviation. Patients with isolated orbital floor fracture were included. Orbital and incarcerated tissue volumes were measured using coronal computed tomography images. The ratio of incarcerated tissue volume to orbital volume (V) was calculated. Ocular deviation was measured using the Showa exophthalmometer. Ocular deviations in anterior-posterior and superior-inferior planes were defined as E1 and E2, respectively. Correlations between V and E1, V and E2, and E1 and E2 were statistically analyzed. Correlation coefficients between V and E1, V and E2, and E1 and E2 were 0.765, 0.279, and 0.237, respectively, and regression lines were E1 = 0.13 × V + 0.18, E2 = 0.05 × V-0.16, E2 = 0.24 × E1 + 0.07, respectively. Only the correlation between V and E1 was statistically significant. When enophthalmos cannot be measured after an isolated orbital floor fracture, if the tissue incarcerated volume can be measured using CT images, enophthalmos can be diagnosed