Application of Supercharge End-to-Side (SETS) Obturator to Femoral Nerve Transfer in Electrical Injury-Induced Neuropathy to Improve Knee Extension.

Femoral nerve injuries are devastating injuries that lead to paralysis of the quadriceps muscles, weakening knee extension to prohibit ambulation. We report a devastating case of electrical injury-induced femoral neuropathy, where no apparent site of nerve disruption can be identified, thus inhibiting the traditional choices of nerve reconstruction such as nerve repair, grafting, or transfer. Concomitant spinal cord injury resulted in spastic myopathy of the antagonist muscles that further restricted knee extension.

Phrenic Nerve as an Alternative Donor for Nerve Transfer to Restore Shoulder Abduction in Severe Multiple Root Injuries of the Adult Brachial Plexus.

Purpose: Nerve transfer is the gold standard to restore shoulder abduction in acute brachial plexus injuries. The aim of this study was to compare the phrenic nerve (Ph) to the spinal accessory nerve (XI) as the donor nerve for this purpose.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 136 patients with acute brachial plexus injuries who received a nerve transfer of the shoulder with either the Ph (94 patients) or XI (42 patients).

Risk of Dry Eye Syndrome in Patients with Orbital Fracture: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

This study aimed to investigate whether orbital fracture increases the risk of dry eye syndrome (DES) and identified the profile of prognostic factors. We studied a cohort from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Overall, 46,179 and 184,716 participants were enrolled in the study and control groups, respectively.

Hypothenar Hammer Syndrome with Ulnar Nerve Neuropathy.

Hypothenar hammer syndrome is a rare medical condition that is usually associated with repetitive hand trauma. In this article, we delineate the importance of the nerve conduction velocity study to help determine objectively whether neuropathy is significant to the point that surgical means should be considered in absence of obvious ischemic change.

Author Correction: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blocker monotherapy retard deterioration of renal function in Taiwanese chronic kidney disease population.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Future Aspects of CDK5 in Prostate Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Implications.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a unique member of the cyclin-dependent kinase family. CDK5 is activated by binding with its regulatory proteins, mainly p35, and its activation is essential in the development of the central nervous system (CNS) and neurodegeneration. Recently, it has been reported that CDK5 plays important roles in regulating various biological and pathological processes, including cancer progression.

Arecoline Promotes Migration of A549 Lung Cancer Cells through Activating the EGFR/Src/FAK Pathway.

Arecoline is the primary alkaloid in betel nuts, which are known as a risk factor for oral submucosal fibrosis and oral cancer. Lung cancer is a severe type of carcinoma with high cell motility that is difficult to treat. However, the detailed mechanisms of the correlation between Arecoline and lung cancer are not fully understood.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blocker monotherapy retard deterioration of renal function in Taiwanese chronic kidney disease population.

It remains unclear how different uses of angiotensin-converting inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) influence the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study explored CKD progression in a multicentre, longitudinal cohort study that included 2639 patients with CKD stage 1-5 and hypertension. Patients treated with ACEI or ARB for ≥90 days during a 6-mo period comprised the study group, or no treatment, comprised the control group.

Effect of Statins on Renal Function in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Dyslipidemia is associated with glomerular injury. However, the effect of statins on chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of statins for renal protection in patients with CKD.

Synchronous microsurgical anastomosis in complex replantation surgery.

We conducted a retrospective case control study of digital replantations in 16 patients from September 2015 to January 2017. Half of the patients were treated by a synchronous microsurgical technique and the other half underwent conventional micro-anastomoses. The total time for anastomoses, total operation time and survival of digits were the major endpoints in this study.

SLC22A5 Mutations in a Patient With Systemic Primary Carnitine Deficiency and Cleft Palate-Successful Perioperative Management.

Background: Primary systemic carnitine deficiency (SCD) is an autosomal-recessive disorder caused by SLC22A5 gene mutation resulting in defective cellular carnitine transporter organic cation transporter 2. Defective carnitine transporter causes renal carnitine wasting and low serum carnitine. Carnitine is an essential cofactor for the transportation of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria.

Relationship between body mass index and renal function deterioration among the Taiwanese chronic kidney disease population.

This study investigated the characteristics of patients with different chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages according to various body mass index (BMI) categories and determined the influence of BMI in renal function deterioration. We conducted a multicenter, longitudinal cohort study based on the Epidemiology and Risk Factors Surveillance of CKD project (2008-2013) and National Health Insurance Research Database (2001-2013). A total of 7357 patients with CKD aged 20-85 years from 14 hospitals were included in the study.

Risk factors and their interaction on chronic kidney disease: A multi-centre case control study in Taiwan.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent in Taiwan. More than two-thirds of end-stage renal disease is associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) or hypertension (HTN). Therefore, the formulation of a special preventative policy of CKD in these patients is essential.

A model humanitarian cleft mission: 312 cleft surgeries in 7 days.

Background: There are many countries in the world where patients with cleft lip and palate cannot get access to specialized cleft care units. Cleft missions play an important role in providing surgical care to the areas of the world with limited resources. This article presents a model of cleft missions that can be adopted in many countries where expertise is available but resources are limited.

Activation of imidazoline I2B receptors is linked with AMP kinase pathway to increase glucose uptake in cultured C2C12 cells.

Guanidine, the active ingredient extracted from Galega officinalis, is introduced as a ligand for imidazoline I2 receptor (I2R) because guanidine decreased plasma glucose via an activation of I2BR to increase glucose uptake into skeletal muscle isolated from Wistar rats. However, the signals for this action of guanidine remained obscure. In the present study, we used the cultured skeletal muscle fibroblast named C2C12 cell line to investigate this point.

[Molecular characters of Centella asiatica found with RAPD technology].

Objective: To analyze the DNA molecular characters of Centella asiatica with RAPD technology.

Methods: With the genomic DNA as templates extracted from various source of Centella asiatica samples, optimized RAPD PCR reaction systems had been used. The random promers had been screened to amplify the specific molecular fragments of Centella asiatica.

Malignancy in choledochal cysts.

Background/aims: Malignancy in choledochal cysts is a rare condition. This study presents our experience with this condition, with emphasis on the clinical presentation, management and outcome.

Methodology: Subjects included 80 adults with choledochal cysts treated from January 1979 to December 1995.