Ultrastructural differences impact cilia shape and external exposure across cell classes in the visual cortex.

A primary cilium is a membrane-bound extension from the cell surface that contains receptors for perceiving and transmitting signals that modulate cell state and activity. Primary cilia in the brain are less accessible than cilia on cultured cells or epithelial tissues because in the brain they protrude into a deep, dense network of glial and neuronal processes. Here, we investigated cilia frequency, internal structure, shape, and position in large, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy volumes of mouse primary visual cortex.

Nanometer-scale views of visual cortex reveal anatomical features of primary cilia poised to detect synaptic spillover.

A primary cilium is a thin membrane-bound extension off a cell surface that contains receptors for perceiving and transmitting signals that modulate cell state and activity. While many cell types have a primary cilium, little is known about primary cilia in the brain, where they are less accessible than cilia on cultured cells or epithelial tissues and protrude from cell bodies into a deep, dense network of glial and neuronal processes. Here, we investigated cilia frequency, internal structure, shape, and position in large, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy volumes of mouse primary visual cortex.

Entrapment neuropathy of common peroneal nerve by fabella: A case report.

Background: Neuropathy of the common peroneal nerve caused by compression by a fabella is an extremely rare form of compression neuropathy. Involving both the superficial and deep peroneal nerves, it usually manifests as either impaired sensation from the lower lateral leg to the top of the foot or drop foot, or as a combination of both.

Case Summary: We report the case of a 58-year-old Asian female who presented with inversion of the right foot during the stance phase of gait without sensory complaints related to the lower leg.

Left Atrial Fibroelastoma as a Cause of Stroke: A Case Report.

Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma is a benign and rare primary tumor of the heart that is most frequently located in the aortic or the mitral valves. Papillary fibroelastoma arising from the left atrium is exceedingly rare, comprising less than 7% of all cardiac papillary fibroelastomas. Tumors in this location could be a source of cardioembolic stroke, often in the anterior circulation of the cerebrum.

Botulinum toxin injection for Cockayne syndrome with muscle spasticity over bilateral lower limbs: A case report.

Background: Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a rare inherited disease characterized by progressive motor symptoms including muscle weakness, joint contracture, ataxia, and spasticity. Botulinum neurotoxin type A has been used for conditions such as dystonia and spasticity, but it has rarely been used in patients with CS.

Case Summary: We report a 6-year-and-9-mo old girl diagnosed with CS who received an injection of botulinum neurotoxin type A to manage her difficulty with walking.

Effect of a Novel Perturbation-Based Pinch Task Training on Sensorimotor Performance of Upper Extremity for Patients With Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To investigate the effects of perturbation-based pinch task training on the sensorimotor performance of the upper extremities of patients with chronic stroke via a novel vibrotactile therapy system.

Design: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Setting: A university hospital.

Effects of enriched branched-chain amino acid supplementation on sarcopenia.

To evaluate the effects of short-term administration of enriched branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) on subjects with pre-sarcopenia or sarcopenia, our quasi-experimental study enrolled 33 subjects (12 pre-sarcopenia/21 sarcopenia; 6 men/27 women; mean age 66.6 ± 10.3 years) to take one sachet (3.

Chemical reaction induced carrier localization in nanometer-thin Al/Ru, Al/Co, and Al/Mo superlattices.

It is well-known that the electrical conductivity of a metallic film reduces dramatically when the film becomes very thin. This effect is mainly attributed to surface scattering of the conducting carriers. In a multilayer structure, interface scattering also reduces the conductance, but chemical reactions at the interfaces can have equal or bigger effects.

Robotic-assisted therapy with bilateral practice improves task and motor performance in the upper extremities of chronic stroke patients: A randomised controlled trial.

Background/aim: Task-specific repetitive training, a usual care in occupational therapy practice, and robotic-aided rehabilitation with bilateral practice are used to improve upper limb motor and task performance. The difference in effects of two strategies requires exploration. This study compared the impact of robotic-assisted therapy with bilateral practice (RTBP) and usual task-specific training facilitated by therapists on task and motor performance for stroke survivors.

A Touch-Observation and Task-Based Mirror Therapy Protocol to Improve Sensorimotor Control and Functional Capability of Hands for Patients With Peripheral Nerve Injury.

Importance: To develop a practical program in the early phase after nerve repair for more rapid return of function.

Objective: To investigate the effects of touch-observation and task-based mirror therapy on the sensorimotor outcomes of patients with nerve repair.

Design: An assessor-blinded study with a randomized controlled design.

Chloroquine inhibits human retina pigmented epithelial cell growth and microtubule nucleation by downregulating p150.

Chloroquine (CQ) is an antimalaria drug that has been used in clinical practice for several decades. One serious complication of CQ treatment is the macular retinopathy caused by the disruption of the retinal pigmented epithelium, leading to vision loss. Little is known about how CQ affects retinal pigmented epithelium.

Effects of the Surface Texture and Weight of a Pinch Apparatus on the Reliability and Validity of a Hand Sensorimotor Control Assessment.

Objectives: To investigate the reliability and validity of a modified pinch apparatus devised with 3 surface textures and 2 different weights for clinical application.

Design: Case-controlled study.

Setting: A university hospital.

Spinal cord infarction during physical exertion due to polycythemia vera and aortoiliac occlusive disease: A case report.

Rationale: Spinal cord infarction is rarely caused by hypercoagulable states. Polycythemia vera (PV) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm that can contribute to thrombotic events due to increased blood viscosity. We report a case of spinal cord infarction due to extensive aortic thrombosis caused by PV.

Botulinum toxin injection to improve functional independence and to alleviate parenting stress in a child with advanced pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration: A case report and literature review.

Rationale: Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) is a rare autosomal recessive disease. Progressive motor symptoms such as dystonia and spasticity begin in childhood and relentlessly become incapacitating later in life. Treatments including anticholinergics and iron chelation are usually ineffective.

7-hydroxy-staurosporine, UCN-01, induces DNA damage response, and autophagy in human osteosarcoma U2-OS cells.

Human osteosarcoma (bone cancer) is a highly malignant and the most prevalent bone tumor affecting children. Despite recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanism by which anticancer drugs kill osteosarcoma or block its growth, however, the mortality rate has declined only modestly. Thus, a new therapeutic approach is needed to be established.

Impacts of Sensation, Perception, and Motor Abilities of the Ipsilesional Upper Limb on Hand Functions in Unilateral Stroke: Quantifications From Biomechanical and Functional Perspectives.

Background: The presence of subtle losses in hand dexterity after stroke affects the regaining of independence with regard to activities of daily living. Therefore, awareness of ipsilesional upper extremity (UE) function may be of importance when developing a comprehensive rehabilitation program. However, current hand function tests seem to be unable to identify asymptomatic UE impairments.

Punding following posterior cerebral artery infarction: a case report and literature review.

Introduction: Punding is a complex stereotyped behavior, characterized by excessiveness, non-goal orientation, and repetitiveness. It is mostly associated with Parkinson's disease, and very few cases in non-Parkinson's disease have been reported. We report a case of punding associated with supratentorial ischemic stroke.

Parkinson disease and musculoskeletal pain: an 8-year population-based cohort study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and clinical features of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) compared with a control group without the disease. The retrospective cohort study used a subset of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) comprising information on 1 million beneficiaries randomly sampled from the entire population of Taiwan. A total of 490 patients aged 50 and above with newly diagnosed Parkinson disease were identified during a period from 2000 to 2005.

Determining the functional sensibility of the hand in patients with peripheral nerve repair: Feasibility of using a novel manual tactile test for monitoring the progression of nerve regeneration.

Study Design: Case-controlled cohort study.

Introduction: Sensory function is difficult to observe during nerve regeneration processes. Traditional sensory tests are limited to identifying the level of functioning hand sensation for sensory stimulus is given passively to the cutaneous surface of the hand.

Comparison of gait symmetry between poststroke fallers and nonfallers during level walking using triaxial accelerometry: A STROBE-compliant cross-sectional study.

To compare the degree of gait symmetry of chronic poststroke fallers with that of nonfallers during level walking using triaxial accelerometry.In this cross-sectional study, a total of 14 patients with chronic stroke were recruited from a community hospital from February 2015 to July 2016. Patient characteristics, including the number of falls in the previous 12 months, were obtained from medical records.

Comparison Between Steroid and 2 Different Sites of Botulinum Toxin Injection in the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylalgia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Active Drug-Controlled Pilot Study.

Objective: To compare the effects of 2 different injection sites of low doses of botulinum toxin type A with steroid in treating lateral epicondylalgia.

Design: Double-blind, randomized, active drug-controlled trial.

Setting: Tertiary medical center.

Clinical effectiveness in severe knee osteoarthritis after intra-articular platelet-rich plasma therapy in association with hyaluronic acid injection: three case reports.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder resulting from loss of joint cartilage and underlying bone and causes pain and loss of function. The treatment of knee OA is still a challenge because of the poor self-regeneration capacity of cartilage. The nonsurgical interventions include control of the aggravating factor (such as weight control and the use of walking aids), symptomatic treatment (such as acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), prolotherapy, and viscosupplementation.

Manual Tactile Test Predicts Sensorimotor Control Capability of Hands for Patients With Peripheral Nerve Injury.

Objectives: To comprehend the merits of a Manual Tactile Test (MTT) in assessing hand sensorimotor functions by exploring the relations among 3 subtests along with the precision pinch performances for patients with peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs); and to understand the accuracy of the MTT by constructing the sensitivity and specificity of the test for patients with PNI.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Hospital and local community.

Patients With Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Following Spinal Cord Injury Are at Increased Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

To investigate whether patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) following spinal cord injury (SCI) are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).The retrospective cohort study used a subset of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) comprising information on 2 million beneficiaries randomly sampled from the general population. A total of 3515 patients with newly diagnosed SCI were identified during the period of 2001 to 2008.