Functional outcomes of different surgical treatments for common peroneal nerve injuries: a retrospective comparative study.

Background: This study aims to assess the recovery patterns and factors influencing outcomes in patients with common peroneal nerve (CPN) injury.

Methods: This retrospective study included 45 patients with CPN injuries treated between 2009 and 2019 in Jing'an District Central Hospital. The surgical interventions were categorized into three groups: neurolysis (group A; n = 34 patients), nerve repair (group B; n = 5 patients) and tendon transfer (group C; n = 6 patients).

The lateral habenula nucleus regulates pruritic sensation and emotion.

Itch is a complex aversive sensory and emotional experience. As a most upsetting symptom in many dermatological and systemic diseases, it lacks efficient treatments. The lateral habenula nucleus (LHb) encodes negative emotions in the epithalamus and has been implicated in pain and analgesia.

Disease-associated gut microbiome and critical metabolomic alterations in patients with colorectal cancer.

Background: Gut microbiota plays a significant role in the colorectal cancer (CRC) process. Ectopic colonization of multiple oral bacteria is reportedly associated with CRC pathogenesis and progression, but the details remain unclear.

Methods: We enrolled a cohort of 50 CRC patients and 52 healthy controls from an East China population.

Outcomes and prognostic factors for nerve grafting following high radial nerve injury.

In this study, we examined the prognostic factors affecting outcomes following nerve grafting in high radial nerve injuries. Thirty-three patients with radial nerve injuries at a level distal to the first branch to the triceps and proximal to the posterior interosseous nerve were retrospectively studied. After a follow-up of at least 1 year, 24 patients (73%) obtained M3+ wrist extension, 16 (48%) obtained M3+ finger extension and only ten (30%) obtained M3+ thumb extension.

Restoring After Central Nervous System Injuries: Neural Mechanisms and Translational Applications of Motor Recovery.

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury, are leading causes of long-term disability. It is estimated that more than half of the survivors of severe unilateral injury are unable to use the denervated limb. Previous studies have focused on neuroprotective interventions in the affected hemisphere to limit brain lesions and neurorepair measures to promote recovery.

Crossing nerve transfer drives sensory input-dependent plasticity for motor recovery after brain injury.

Restoring limb movements after central nervous system injury remains a substantial challenge. Recent studies proved that crossing nerve transfer surgery could rebuild physiological connectivity between the contralesional cortex and the paralyzed arm to compensate for the lost function after brain injury. However, the neural mechanism by which this surgery mediates motor recovery remains still unclear.

Occurrence and modeling of disinfection byproducts in distributed water of a megacity in China: Implications for human health.

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are initially formed in the process of chlorination in the drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), then further formed in the distribution system due to the presence of residual chlorine and reactive organic matters. However, in China, DBPs are monitored in the effluent from the DWTPs, but less is known about concentrations of DBPs in tap water since they are usually monitored once per half a year. The smart water service system is establishing real-time monitoring of water indices, although DBPs are an urgent need, they are difficult to monitor in real-time due to their diversity and complicated detection methods.

Improving Wastewater Treatment by Triboelectric-Photo/Electric Coupling Effect.

The ability to meet higher effluent quality requirements and the reduction of energy consumption are the biggest challenges in wastewater treatment worldwide. A large proportion of the energy generated during wastewater treatment processes is neglected and lost in traditional wastewater treatment plants. As a type of energy harvesting system, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) can extensively harvest the microscale energies generated from wastewater treatment procedures and auxiliary devices.

A Mouse Model of Direct Anastomosis via the Prespinal Route for Crossing Nerve Transfer Surgery.

Crossing nerve transfer surgery has been a powerful approach for repairing injured upper extremities in patients with brachial plexus avulsion injuries. Recently, this surgery was creatively applied in the clinical treatment of brain injury and achieved substantial rehabilitation of the paralyzed arm. This functional recovery after the surgery suggests that peripheral sensorimotor intervention induces profound neuroplasticity to compensate for the loss of function after brain damage; however, the underlying neural mechanism is poorly understood.

A Novel TLR4-Binding Domain of Peroxiredoxin From Triggers NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Macrophages.

Macrophages promote early host responses to infection by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and they are crucial to combat amoebiasis, a disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Macrophages elicit pro-inflammatory responses following direct cell/cell interaction of , inducing NLRP3 inflammasome activation with high-output IL-1β/IL-18 secretion. Here, we found that trophozoites could upregulate peroxiredoxins (Prx) expression and abundantly secrete Prxs when encountering host cells.

Spatio-temporal variability of halogenated disinfection by-products in a large-scale two-source water distribution system with enhanced chlorination.

Distributions of halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in a two-source water distribution system (WDS) with enhanced chlorination were investigated. The WDS was divided into different sub-service areas based on different electrical conductivity of two water sources. Results clearly show that the principal halogenated DBPs were trihalomethanes (THMs) (5.

Construction of artificial micro-aerobic metabolism for energy- and carbon-efficient synthesis of medium chain fatty acids in Escherichia coli.

Medium-chain (C-C) chemicals are important components of fuels, commodities and fine chemicals. Numerous exciting achievements have proven reversed β-oxidation cycle as a promising platform to synthesize these chemicals. However, under native central carbon metabolism, energetic and redox constraints limit the efficient operation of reversed β-oxidation cycle.

Stability of methods for differential expression analysis of RNA-seq data.

Background: As RNA-seq becomes the assay of choice for measuring gene expression levels, differential expression analysis has received extensive attentions of researchers. To date, for the evaluation of DE methods, most attention has been paid on validity. Yet another important aspect of DE methods, stability, is overlooked and has not been studied to the best of our knowledge.

A fractographic study of clinically retrieved zirconia-ceramic and metal-ceramic fixed dental prostheses.

Objectives: A recent 3-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) of tooth supported three- to five-unit zirconia-ceramic and metal-ceramic posterior fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) revealed that veneer chipping and fracture in zirconia-ceramic systems occurred more frequently than those in metal-ceramic systems [1]. This study seeks to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the fracture phenomena observed in this RCT using a descriptive fractographic analysis.

Methods: Vinyl-polysiloxane impressions of 12 zirconia-ceramic and 6 metal-ceramic FDPs with veneer fractures were taken from the patients at the end of a mean observation of 40.

The CRE luc bioluminescence transgenic mouse model for detecting ligand activation of GPCRs.

Numerous assays have been developed to investigate the interactions between G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their ligands since GPCRs are key therapeutic targets. Reporter-based assays using the cAMP response element (CRE) coupled with bioluminescence from a luciferase reporter have been used extensively in vitro with high-throughput screens (HTS) of large chemical compound libraries. We have generated a transgenic mouse model (CRE luc) with a luciferase reporter under the control of a synthetic promoter that contains several CREs, which supports real-time bioimaging of GPCR ligand activity in whole animals, tissues, or primary cells.

Endocannabinoids and obesity.

A safe and effective antiobesity drug is needed to combat the global obesity epidemic. The discovery of cannabinoids from medicinal herbs has revealed the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in animals and humans, which regulates various physiological activities such as feeding, thermogenesis, and body weight (BW). Although cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1) antagonists have shown antiobesity efficacies in animal models and in the clinic, they failed to establish as a treatment due to their psychological side effects.

Fixed and Random Effects Selection by REML and Pathwise Coordinate Optimization.

We propose a two-stage model selection procedure for the linear mixed-effects models. The procedure consists of two steps: First, penalized restricted log-likelihood is used to select the random effects, and this is done by adopting a Newton-type algorithm. Next, the penalized log-likelihood is used to select the fixed effects via pathwise coordinate optimization to improve the computation efficiency.

The central cannabinoid CB1 receptor is required for diet-induced obesity and rimonabant's antiobesity effects in mice.

Cannabinoid receptor CB1 is expressed abundantly in the brain and presumably in the peripheral tissues responsible for energy metabolism. It is unclear if the antiobesity effects of rimonabant, a CB1 antagonist, are mediated through the central or the peripheral CB1 receptors. To address this question, we generated transgenic mice with central nervous system (CNS)-specific knockdown (KD) of CB1, by expressing an artificial microRNA (AMIR) under the control of the neuronal Thy1.

[HPLC fingerprints of processed products from Sinapis alba].

Objective: To establish the HPLC fingerprint method and compare the changes of chemical compositions of the processed products from Sinapis alba.

Method: The procedure of HPLC analysis was performed on a agilent TC-C18 (2) column at 35 degrees C with the acetonitrile -0.1% phosphoric acid in gradient elution as the mobile phase.

GPR40 is partially required for insulin secretion following activation of beta3-adrenergic receptors.

The free fatty acid (FFA) receptor GPR40, expressed by pancreatic beta-cells, may be responsible for insulin release following beta(3) adrenoceptor (Adrb3) activation. To test this hypothesis, we first studied the effects of Adrb3 agonists SR58611A and CL316,243 in GPR40 knockout (GPR40(-/-)) mice. Both drugs increased blood FFA levels in wild-type (GPR40(+/+)) and GPR40(-/-) mice, indicating that lipolysis is not GPR40-dependent.

Effects of neurotensin-2 receptor deletion on sensorimotor gating and locomotor activity.

Endogenous neurotensin (NT) has been implicated in brain processes relevant to schizophrenia as well as the therapeutic effects of antipsychotic drugs (APDs) used to treat this disorder. Converging evidence suggests that NT1 receptors mediate the antipsychotic-like effects of NT, such as prepulse inhibition (PPI) elevation. However, the role of NT2 receptors in these effects is not known.

[Anthraquinone contents in five processed products from Rheum palamatum].

Objective: To compare the contents of five anthraquinone components in five different processed products from Rheum palamatum.

Method: The contents of aleo-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion were determined simultaneously by HPLC on plogilent TC-C18 (2) column at 35 degrees C with the methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid (85: 15).

[Identification and comparison of constituents in HPLC fingerprint of five Chinese herbal pieces from Rheum palamatum].

Objective: To identificate and compare constituents in the HPLC fingerprint of five Chinese herbal pieces from Radix et Rhizoma Rhei.

Method: HPLC analysis was carried out with methyl alcohol 1% glacial acetic acid as gradient elution, changes in five Chinese herbal pieces and medicinal material under 280 nm and 430 nm were compared.

Result: HPLC fingerprints of the no-parched pieces, the liquor and the vinegar roasts pieces were similar, 24 peaks were identified under 280 nm 19 or 22 peaks could be indicated in the braising with liquor and the charring respectively.

[Comparson study of two types of constituents in seeds of Cassia obtusifolia before and after roasted].

Objective: To establish methods of RP-HPLC respectively for content-determination of two types of constituents in the Cassia obtusifolia respectively, and tp determine the constituents between the raw and roasted seeds of C. obtusifolia in order to distinguish the difference of those seeds.

Method: HPLC systems consisted of Alltima C18 (4.