Altered intra- and inter-network brain functional connectivity in upper-limb amputees revealed through independent component analysis.

Although cerebral neuroplasticity following amputation has been observed, little is understood about how network-level functional reorganization occurs in the brain following upper-limb amputation. The objective of this study was to analyze alterations in brain network functional connectivity (FC) in upper-limb amputees (ULAs). This observational study included 40 ULAs and 40 healthy control subjects; all participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Hydrogen inhalation promotes recovery of a patient in persistent vegetative state from intracerebral hemorrhage: A case report and literature review.

Background: Persistent vegetative state (PVS) is a devastating and long-lasting clinical condition with high morbidity and mortality; currently, there are no available effective interventions.

Case Summary: We report the case of an 11-year-old boy with PVS caused by severe intracerebral bleeding in the left hemisphere following anticoagulation treatment. The patient's PVS severity showed no notable improvement after 2-mo neuroprotective treatment and rehabilitation, including nerve growth factor and baclofen, hyperbaric oxygen, and comprehensive bedside rehabilitation therapies.

Factors Related to Instrumentation Failure in Titanium Mesh Reconstruction for Thoracic and Lumbar Tumors: Retrospective Analysis of 178 Patients.

Purpose: To investigate risk factors for instrumentation failure (IF) in titanium (Ti) mesh reconstruction for thoracic and lumbar tumors.

Patients And Methods: The clinical data of patients with thoracic or lumbar tumors who received Ti mesh reconstruction via the posterior approach in our hospital from 2013 to 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The observation indexes included sex, age, BMI, the vertebra resection mode, the number of resected vertebral segments, application of bone cement, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, revision or primary surgery, and primary tumor metastasis.

Influence of Medial Support Screws on the Maintenance of Fracture Reduction after Locked Plating of Proximal Humerus Fractures.

Background: Technical aspects of the correct placement of medial support locking screws in the locking plate for proximal humerus fractures remain incompletely understood. This study was to evaluate the clinical relationship between the number of medial support screws and the maintenance of fracture reduction after locked plating of proximal humerus fractures.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 181 patients who had been surgically treated for proximal humeral fractures (PHFs) with a locking plate between September 2007 and June 2013.

Clinical characteristics and surgical experience of Type III Wagstaffe fractures: Pay attention to concomitant chondral injury of the talus.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical characteristics and surgical management of Type III Wagstaffe fracture.

Methods: From August 2012 to July 2015, 13 patients with Type III Wagstaffe fractures were surgically treated. During operation, the cartilage of joint surface was explored.

Comprehensive risk assessment and source identification of selected heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg, As) in tidal saltmarsh sediments of Shuangtai Estuary, China.

Heavy metals do not degrade and can remain in the environment for a long time. In this study, we analyzed the effects of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg, and As, on environmental quality, pollutant enrichment, ecological hazard, and source identification of elements in sediments using data collected from samples taken from Shuangtai tidal wetland. The comprehensive pollution indices were used to assess environmental quality; fuzzy similarity analysis and geoaccumulation index were used to analyze pollution accumulation; correlation matrix, principal component analysis, and clustering analysis were used to analyze pollution source; environmental risk index and ecological risk index were used to assess ecological risk.

Selective Arterial Embolization for the Treatment of Sacral and Pelvic Giant Cell Tumor: A Systematic Review.

Giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB) is a locally aggressive tumor with a certain distant metastatic rate. For sacral GCT (SGCT) and pelvic GCT (PGCT), surgery has its limitations, especially for unresectable or recurrent tumors. Selective arterial embolization (SAE) is reported to be an option for treatment in several cases, but there are few systematic reviews on the effects of SAE on SGCT and/or PGCT.

HIF1/2α mediates hypoxia-induced LDHA expression in human pancreatic cancer cells.

Glycolysis is a typical conduit for energy metabolism in pancreatic cancer (PC) due to the hypoxic microenviroment. Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate and is considered to be a key checkpoint of anaerobic glycolysis. The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanism of interactions between hypoxia, HIF-1/2α and LDHA, and the function of LDHA on PC cells by analyzing 244 PC and paratumor specimens.

En Bloc Resection of Primary Malignant Bone Tumor in the Cervical Spine Based on 3-Dimensional Printing Technology.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and safety of en bloc resection of cervical primary malignant bone tumors by a combined anterior and posterior approach based on a three-dimensional (3-D) printing model.

Methods: Five patients with primary malignant bone tumors of the cervical spine underwent en bloc resection via a one-stage combined anteroposterior approach in our hospital from March 2013 to June 2014. They comprised three men and two women of mean age 47.

HIF-1α activates hypoxia-induced BCL-9 expression in human colorectal cancer cells.

B-cell CLL/lymphoma 9 protein (BCL-9), a multi-functional co-factor in Wnt signaling, induced carcinogenesis as well as promoting tumor progression, metastasis and chemo-resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mechanisms for increased BCL-9 expression in CRC were not well understood. Here, we report that hypoxia, a hallmark of solid tumors, induced BCL-9 mRNA expression in human CRC cells.

Expression of CDc6 after acute spinal cord injury in adult rats.

The cell division cycle 6 (CDc6) protein has been primarily investigated as a component of the pre-replicative complex for the initiation of DNA replication. Some studies have shown that CDc6 played a critical role in the development of human carcinoma. However, the expression and roles of CDc6 in the central nervous system remain unknown.

An Up-regulation of IRF-1 After a Spinal Cord Injury: Implications for Neuronal Apoptosis.

IRF-1, a kind of transcription factor, is expressed in many cell types, except in early embryonal cells. IRF-1 has played an essential role in various physiological and pathological processes, including tumor immune surveillance, viral infection, development of immunity system and pro-inflammatory injury. However, the expression and function of IRF-1 in spinal cord injury (SCI) are still unknown.

AO X-shaped midfoot locking plate to treat displaced isolated greater tuberosity fractures.

Although various implants exist for 3- and 4-part fractures, few implants are appropriate for isolated greater tuberosity fractures. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of AO X-shaped midfoot locking plates for greater tuberosity fractures. Between May 2008 and September 2009, nineteen patients with displaced greater tuberosity fractures were treated with open reduction and internal fixation using AO X-shaped midfoot locking plates.

Different functional reorganization of motor cortex after transfer of the contralateral C7 to different recipient nerves in young rats with total brachial plexus root avulsion.

Clinically, contralateral C7 transfer is used for nerve reconstruction in brachial plexus injuries. Postoperatively, synchronous motions at the donor limb are noteworthy. This study studied if different recipient nerves influenced transhemispheric functional reorganization of motor cortex after this procedure.

The relevance of the anatomical basis of fracture for the subsequent treatment of the anterior humeral circumflex artery and the axillary nerve.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the location of the anterior humeral circumflex artery and axillary nerve based on bony landmarks, and to provide anatomical information that enables a safe approach when treating a proximal humeral fractures.

Methods: Thirty cadavers were included. The distances of both the anterior humeral circumflex artery and the axillary nerve from body landmarks were measured using Vernier calipers.

Identification of CNS neural circuitry involved in the innervation of C7 spinal nerve: a viral transsynaptic tracing study.

Objective: Contralateral C7 spinal nerve transfer is a useful operation for the treatment of brachial plexus root avulsion. The recovery of the independent function at the ipsilateral side, however, depends on neural circuitry reorganization in the central nervous system (CNS). This study tried to locate the CNS neuronal elements involved in the innervation of C7 spinal nerve.

BDNF and GAP43 contribute to dynamic transhemispheric functional reorganization in rat brain after contralateral C7 root transfer following brachial plexus avulsion injuries.

It is known that contralateral seventh cervical nerve (C7) root transfer after brachial plexus avulsion injuries (BPAI) causes interhemispheric cortical functional reorganization. However, the potential mechanisms and the role of neurotrophic factors and/or growth-associated protein expression in the process of cerebral reorganization are not well understood. The present study identified the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43) mRNA in primary motor cortex after contralateral C7 root transfer following BPAI.

Retrospective comparison of titanium elastic nail (TEN) and reconstruction plate repair of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures.

Background: Titanium elastic nails (TENs) are commonly used to repair displaced midshaft clavicular fractures. Although several clinical studies have shown that the use of TENs is more effective and less invasive than traditional plate fixation, high rates of complications associated with TENs have been reported. This retrospective study compared the use of TENs with reconstruction plates in the treatment of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures.

Escharectomy and allografting during shock stage reduces insulin resistance induced by major burn.

Hyperglycemia and insulin resistance have long been recognized in severe burn patients. Early excision and grafting reduces cytokines and insulin resistance in burned rats. The authors hypothesized that early wound excision and grafting in patients would also reduce insulin resistance induced by major burn.

Triple endobuttton technique for the treatment of acute complete acromioclavicular joint dislocations: preliminary results.

Numerous procedures have been described for the operative management of acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries. Some of these techniques, including hardware fixation and non-anatomical reconstructions, are associated with serious complications and high failure rates. Recently, AC joint reconstruction techniques have focused on anatomical restoration of the coracoclavicular ligaments to achieve optimal clinical outcomes.

[Evaluation of tongue manifestation of blood stasis syndrome and its relationship with blood rheological disorder in a rat model of transient brain ischemia].

Objective: To study the tongue tissue blood oxygen saturation measurement for evaluating tongue manifestation of blood stasis syndrome, and to explore its correlation with blood rheological disorder in a rat model of acute transient brain ischemia.

Methods: Twenty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group and ischemia group. Middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced by thread in rats of the ischemia group.

[Modern biological basis of Chinese medical theory that "kidney nourishes marrow and brain is sea of marrow"].

The theory that "the kidney nourishes marrow and brain is the sea of marrow" has been instructing traditional Chinese medical doctors in preventing and treating dementia in aged people for thousands of years. However, the modern biological basis of this theory has not been systemically studied. In this review, we summarized our serial pharmacological studies on the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with Chinese medicinal herbs, using multiple kinds of AD-like animal and cell models.

Learning-memory deficit with aging in APP transgenic mice of Alzheimer's disease and intervention by using tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside.

Objective: To investigate learning-memory deficit in different ages of AD-like APP transgenic mice and to observe the protective effects of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside (TSG), which is the main component of Polygonum multiflorum, on learning-memory abilities.

Methods: PDAPPV717I transgenic (Tg) mice were randomly divided into 3 model groups (4, 10 and 16 months old mice) and TSG treated (at doses 120 and 240 micromol/kg/d) groups. TSG was administered to some Tg mice with an age range 4-10 months.

[The study of total spondylectomy in the treatment of cervical spinal tumors].

Objective: To study the surgical indications, approaches and the clinical results of the total spondylectomy and instrumentation reconstruction in the treatment of cervical spinal tumor.

Methods: From October 1998 to October 2003, 39 patients with lower cervical bone tumors, including 34 cases with primary tumor and 5 cases with metastatic tumor, were admitted and operated on with total spondylectomy. The patients underwent anteroposterior total spondylectomy including anterior cervical plating, titanium mesh reconstruction and posterior instrumentation based on the location of tumor lesions in the lower cervical spine.