Significance: Direct electrical stimulation and intracranial recordings from the human brain during cognitive experiments revealed unique information about the temporal order of signal processing within and across intrinsic resting-state networks. Pairs of regions located within the same intrinsic networks communicate faster and coactivate closer in time than those located across different intrinsic networks.

Background: Magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) and traditional open surgery (OS) are effective and safe options for patients with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (DR-mTLE). However, their superiority in seizure control and preservation of functional abilities remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of MRgLITT and OS. Materials and methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients with DR-mTLE who underwent MRgLITT or OS at three centres between 2015 and 2023. The data on patient demographics, presurgical non-invasive evaluation, stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) implantation, memory alteration, and seizure outcomes were collected. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was conducted for the comparison of seizure control and functional preservation between two surgical approaches. Results: Of the 244 individuals who met the study criteria, 33 underwent MRgLITT and 211 OS. The median (interquartile range) age at seizure onset was 22.0 (13.0) and 12.3 (10.0) years in the MRgLITT and OS groups, respectively. The first PSM, based on demographic and non-invasive information, resulted in 26 matched pairs for the primary analysis. There were no significant differences in memory preservation (P = 0.95) or surgical outcomes (P = 0.96) between the groups. The second PSM, based on demographics and SEEG implantation, yielded 32 matched pairs for the sensitivity analysis, showing similar results. Subset analysis of early and late MRgLITT cases revealed no statistically significant differences in the proportion of patients with memory decline (P = 0.42) or seizure control (P = 1.00). Patients who underwent SEEG implantation were 96% less likely to achieve seizure freedom after MRgLITT (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Minimally invasive MRgLITT is associated with memory preservation and seizure control, similar to traditional OS. MRgLITT is effective and safe for DR-mTLE and is relevant for future prospective randomized trials on dominant-side mTLE, providing practical implications for guiding neurosurgeons in the selection of surgical approaches.

Aim: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a valuable treatment for drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE) without the indication of surgical resection. The clinical heterogeneity of DRE has limited the optimal indication of choice and diagnosis prediction. The study aimed to explore the correlations of brain‐clinical signatures with the clinical phenotype and VNS responsiveness.Methods: A total of 89 DRE patients, including VNS‐ (n = 44) and drug‐treated (n = 45) patients, were retrospectively recruited. The brain‐clinical signature consisted of demographic information and brain structural deformations, which were measured using deformation‐based morphometry and presented as Jacobian determinant maps. The efficacy and presurgical differences between these two cohorts were compared. Then, the potential of predicting VNS response using brain‐clinical signature was investigated according to the different prognosis evaluation approaches.Results: The seizure reduction was higher in the VNS‐treated group (42.50%) as compared to the drug‐treated group (12.09%) (p = 0.11). Abnormal imaging representation, showing encephalomalacia (p_corrected = 0.03), was commonly observed in the VNS‐treated group (p = 0.04). In the patients treated with VNS, the mild/subtle brain abnormalities indicated higher seizure frequency (p = 0.03) and worse VNS response (p = 0.04). The partial least square regression analysis showed a moderate prediction potential of brain‐clinical signature for VNS response (p < 0.01). The increase in the pre‐VNS seizure frequency and structural etiology could indicate a worse prognosis (higher McHugh classification).Conclusion: The brain‐clinical signature illustrated its clinical potential in predicting the VNS response, which might allow clinicians to personalize treatment decisions for DRE patients.

Recent evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRs), which are a class of non-coding RNAs, serve diverse roles in tumorigenesis. However, the role of miR‑635 in osteosarcoma (OS) remains unknown. The present study revealed that miR‑635 may be a tumor suppressive miR. The expression of miR‑635 was significantly decreased in OS specimens. In addition, the proliferation and invasion of OS cells transfected with miR‑635 may be effectively attenuated. Transfection of cells with miR‑635 may further inhibit tumor growth in vivo. miR‑635 may antagonize tumorigenesis of OS possibly by inducing apoptosis, as demonstrated by flow cytometric analysis and caspase‑3 kinase assays. The data of the present study suggested that miR‑635 may be a novel tumor suppressor and may serve as a putative diagnostic marker for patients with OS.