Endothelial FUNDC1 Deficiency Drives Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with endothelial dysfunction. However, the cause of endothelial dysfunction and its impact on PH remain incompletely understood. We aimed to investigate whether the hypoxia-inducible FUNDC1 (FUN14 domain-containing 1)-dependent mitophagy pathway underlies PH pathogenesis and progression.

Spatial Responses of Ecosystem Service Trade-offs and Synergies to Impact Factors in Liaoning Province.

Global ecosystem services (ESs) are experiencing a significant decline, necessitating the development of robust environmental governance policies. To address the lack of integrated planning with heavy industry as the research object and a lack of knowledge of ES trade-offs and synergies in China's ecological and environmental governance. In this study, the spatial and temporal variations of four ESs (water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), carbon storage (CS), and habitat quality (HQ)) were determined in the study area of Liaoning Province.

Changes in transcriptomic landscape in human end-stage heart failure with distinct etiology.

Heart failure (HF) is the ultimate outcome of a variety of heart diseases, including restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), ischemic heart disease (IHD), and valvular heart disease (VHD). To date, accumulating evidence has suggested an important role of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in HF. We performed RNA-sequencing studies with myocardial mRNAs/lncRNAs/circRNAs/miRNAs from non-failing hearts (donor heart tissue from heart transplantation) and three groups of patients with HF (RCM, IHD, and VHD).

Effect of Yiqihuoxue Formula for the treatment of ischemic stroke: A retrospective study.

This retrospective study assessed the feasible effect of Yiqihuoxue Formula (YQHXF) for the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke (IS).A total of 66 patients with IS were included in this retrospective study. All patients received routine treatment, and were divided into two groups: a treatment group (n = 33) and a control group (n = 33).

Risk factors for non-fusion segment disease after anterior cervical spondylosis surgery: a retrospective study with long-term follow-up of 171 patients.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and causes of non-fusion segment disease (NFSD), both adjacent and non-adjacent to a fused segment, after anterior cervical arthrodesis.

Methods: This is a single-center study. Between January 1998 and January 2011, two surgeons' 171 patients who had an anterior cervical decompression and fusion were followed clinically for more than 5 years.

Risk factors and the surgery affection of respiratory complication and its mortality after acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury.

The aim of this study is to estimate the risk factors of both respiratory complication (RC) and mortality after acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (TCSCI). Between July 2005 and July 2015, in 181 patients (142 males and 39 females; mean age 41.0 years) with acute TCSCI, we compared the difference and odds ratio in RC group (n = 73) with that of non-RC group (n = 108), and also death group (n = 15) and survival group (n = 166).

A new zero-profile, stand-alone Fidji cervical cage for the treatment of the single and multilevel cervical degenerative disc disease.

To investigate the clinical and radiological results of the new zero-profile, stand-alone Fidji cervical cage to treat single- and multiple-level cervical DDD, and evaluate the safety and efficiency. Between October 2011 and July 2014, 72 consecutive patients (41 males and 31 females; mean age 50.9years [range, 33-68years]) with cervical DDD who underwent surgery and were followed for more than 2years were enrolled in this study (mean 31.

Comparison of Three Reconstructive Techniques in the Surgical Management of Patients With Four-Level Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Study Design: Retrospective clinical series.

Objective: To compare perioperative parameters, clinical outcomes, radiographic parameters, and complication rates of three reconstructive techniques after the anterior decompression of four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Summary Of Background Data: At present, the decision to treat multilevel CSM, especially four-level CSM, remains controversial.

A comparison of a new zero-profile, stand-alone Fidji cervical cage and anterior cervical plate for single and multilevel ACDF: a minimum 2-year follow-up study.

Purpose: To compare perioperative parameters, clinical outcomes, radiographic parameters, and complication rates of the new zero-profile, stand-alone Fidji cervical cage with those of the stand-alone cages with a titanium plate for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for the surgical treatment of single- and multilevel cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD).

Methods: Between October 2009 and December 2013, 152 consecutive patients [86 males and 52 females; mean age 51.0 years (range 30-69 years)] with cervical DDD, who underwent surgery and were followed for more than 2 years, were enrolled in this study and divided into the cage group and plate group.

Efficacy and Safety of One-Stage Selective Discectomy Combined with Expansive Hemilaminectomy in the Treatment of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Objectives: We designed a novel surgical strategy named one-stage selective discectomy combined with expansive hemilaminectomy, which might theoretically reduce the postoperative complications of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). The objective of this study is to evaluate its efficacy and safety.

Methods: Sixty-two patients with CSM were enrolled in this study.

Type II Odontoid Fracture with Atlantoaxial Dislocation Presenting as Symptomatic Seizures: A Case Report.

Objective And Background: To report symptomatic seizures of a patient with an old type II odontoid fracture with atlantoaxial dislocation. The type II odontoid fracture is a dangerous disease and presents as neurological deficits. Because of the compression of upper cervical cord, without timely diagnosis and treatment, a type II odontoid fracture may result in sudden death.

Adipose-derived stem cells improve the viability of nucleus pulposus cells in degenerated intervertebral discs.

Patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD) experience serious clinical symptoms, including chronic low back pain. A series of therapies have been developed to treat DDD, including physical therapy and surgical treatment. However, the therapeutic effect of such treatments has remained insufficient.

[Effects of acupuncture intervention at different stages on urinary function reconstruction of neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury].

Objective: To explore the effects of early intervention of acupuncture on urinary function reconstruction of neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury, so as to find the optimal treatment timing of acupuncture.

Methods: Fifty-three patients of neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury were randomly divided into a prior-to-catheter group (25 cases) and a posterior-to-catheter group (28 cases). For the prior-to-catheter group, one week before the removal of catheter, acupoints on the abdomen and back such as Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Baliao (Shangliao (BL 31), Ciliao (BL 32), Zhongliao (BL 33), Xialiao (BL 34), Jiaji (EX-B 2) and acupoints at distal end such as Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected; after the catheter removal, simple method.

[Case-control study on intrasacrospinal muscular approach and posterior midline approach for the treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation].

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of intrasacrospinal muscular approach and posterior midline approach in treating far lateral lumbar disc herniation.

Methods: The clinical data of 32 patients with far lateral lumbar disc herniation underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion from January 2004 to January 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into intrasacrospinal muscular approach group (11 males and 6 females ) and posterior midline approach group (10 males and 5 females).

Four-year follow-up results of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion as revision surgery for recurrent lumbar disc herniation after conventional discectomy.

This study investigated the safety, effectiveness, and clinical and radiological outcomes of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for recurrent lumbar disc herniation (rLDH) following previous lumbar spine surgery. Seventy-three consecutive patients treated for rLDH between June 2005 and May 2012 were included in the study. The previous surgical procedures included percutaneous discectomy, discectomy with laminotomy, discectomy with unilateral laminectomy, and discectomy with bilateral laminectomy.

Percutaneous resolution of lumbar facet joint cysts as an alternative treatment to surgery: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: A comprehensive review of the literature in order to analyze data about the success rate of percutaneous resolution of the lumbar facet joint cysts as a conservative management strategy.

Methods: A systematic search for relevant articles published during 1980 to May 2014 was performed in several electronic databases by using the specific MeSH terms and keywords. Most relevant data was captured and pooled for the meta-analysis to achieve overall effect size of treatment along with 95% confidence intervals.

Effect of etching time and resin bond on the flexural strength of IPS e.max Press glass ceramic.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of hydrofluoric acid (HFA) etching time and resin cement bond on the flexural strength of IPS e.max(®) Press glass ceramic.

Methods: Two hundred and ten bars, 25mm×3mm×2mm, were made from IPS e.

[Diagnosis and limited operative treatment of multi-segmental lumbar disease].

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and effectiveness of limited operative treatment for multisegmental lumbar disease.

Methods: Between February 2008 and February 2011, 47 patients with multi-segmental lumbar disease were treated, including 27 males and 20 females with an average age of 60.3 years (range, 38-82 years) and a median disease duration of 21 months (range, 6 months to 7 years).

[Preliminary curative effect of interspinous blocking injection guiding by X-ray for the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar Baastrup's disease].

Objective: To evaluate the preliminary curative effect of interspinous injections for the diagnosis and treatment of back pain caused by lumbar kissing spine (Baastrup's disease) under fluoroscopically guiding.

Methods: From November 2011 to March 2013,17 patients with back pain caused by Baastrup's disease were treated with fluoroscopically-guided interspinous injections, including 7 males and 10 females with an average age of 49.6 years old ranging from 40 to 71 years old; the duration of the disease ranged from 2 to 5 years with a mean of 3.

[Effect of hydrofluoric acid etching time and resin bonding on the flexural strength of lithium disilicate glass ceramic].

Objective: To analyze the effect of hydrofluoric acid(HFA) etching time and resin bonding on the flexural strength of IPS e.max® Press glass ceramic, and evaluate the efficacy of resin cements to seal the cracks of the etched ceramic.

Methods: Two hundred and twenty-five bars (25.

[Surgical treatment of thoracolumbar single compression fracture by using in situ rod rotation reduction].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and clinical outcome of the treatment of thoracolumbar single compression fracture by using in situ rod rotation reduction and short segment pedicle screw at the fracture level.

Methods: From December 2008 to May 2010,12 cases of traumatic thoracolumbar single compression fracture (T11-L2) were treated, including 9 males and 3 females, with an average age of 35.8 years old (ranging from 24 to 52).

Increased expression of netrin-1 and its deleted in colorectal cancer receptor in human diseased lumbar intervertebral disc compared with autopsy control.

Study Design: The expression of netrin-1 and its deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) receptor was investigated in human lumbar discs using immunohistochemistry.

Objective: To investigate the expression of netrin-1 and DCC receptor in human diseased and healthy lumbar intervertebral discs (IVDs) and to clarify the correlation between netrin-1 expression and the degree of neurovascular ingrowth.

Summary Of Background Data: Previous studies have shown neurovascular ingrowth into the inner regions of degenerated IVD and suggested that the ingrowth may contribute to discogenic low back pain.

AQP9: a novel target for bone loss induced by microgravity.

The aim of current study was to elucidate whether aquaporin-9 (AQP9) expression was involved in the progression of bone loss induced by microgravity. We used the hind-limb suspension (HLS) mice model to simulate microgravity and induce bone loss. It was found that HLS exposure decreased femur bone mineral density (BMD), and enhanced femur AQP9 mRNA and protein levels.

The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and CD68 in high-intensity zone of lumbar intervertebral disc on magnetic resonance image in the patients with low back pain.

Study Design: Several recent studies suggest a high-intensity zone (HIZ) within the posterior annulu of lumbar intervertebral disc seen on T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images represents the inflammation in the annulus, an annular tear, and/or vascular granulation tissue. It has not be reported yet whether there is the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and inflammatory cells appear in HIZ of intervertebral disc on MR images.

Objective: To study whether HIZ is a specific signal for the inflammatory reaction of painful intervertebral disc.