[Plasma components of Danzhi Xiaoyao Formula and its mechanism of action in treating perimenopausal depression based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E integrated with network pharmacology].

In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E) was used to analyze the plasma components of Danzhi Xiaoyao Formula after oral administration. Forty-nine plasma components were found in the serum of rats by comparing the compound extract, drug-containing serum, and blank serum. Components, such as 6-hydroxycoumarin, poricoic acid F, deoxoglabrolide, 30-norhederagenin, kanzonol R, 3',6'-di-O-galloylpaeoniflorin, 16α-hydroxytrametenolic acid, 16-deoxyporicoic acid B, 3-O-acetyl-16α-hydroxytrametenolic acid, and 16α,25-dihydroxydehydroeburiconic acid, were first found in rat serum. Behavioral tests, including the tail suspension test, novel object recognition test, and novelty-suppressed feeding test, were conducted for behavioral analysis. It was confirmed that this formula had therapeutic effects on perimenopausal depression. Furthermore, in combination with the network pharmacology method, 53 core targets including MAPK1, HRAS, AKT1, EGFR, and ESR1 were screened, and these targets participated in 165 signaling pathways, including PI3K-AKT, AMPK, VEGFA, MAPK, and HIF-1. In summary, the potential effects of Danzhi Xiaoyao Formula in treating perimenopausal depression are associated with mechanisms in accelerating inflammation repair, improving neuroplasticity, affecting neurotransmitters, regulating estrogen levels, and promoting new blood vessel formation.

Effects of Portulaca Oleracea Extract on Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury of Rats.

The present study was envisaged to investigate the chemical constituents and the intervention effects of Portulaca oleracea extract (POE) on acute alcoholic liver injury of rats. The chemical composition of POE was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: Normal control (NC) group, acute alcoholic liver injury model group (ALI), low, medium and high dose of POE (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) groups and bifendate (BF, 3.75 mg/kg) group. Each group was given by intragastrical administration for 7 days. Alcoholic liver injury was induced in the experimental model by administering 50% ethanol at 8 mL/kg and repeated administration after 6 h, for a period of 7 days. The results showed that pretreatment with POE significantly reduced the ethanol-elevated serum level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and triglyceride (TG). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in liver were enhanced followed by administration of POE, while the content of nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) was found to decrease. Hepatic content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was also reduced by POE treatment. These results indicated that POE could increase the antioxidant capacity and relieve the inflammatory injury of the liver cells induced by ethanol. Meanwhile, in our study, POE reduced the expression of miR-122, acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) 1 mRNA and protein and increased the expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA and protein in liver, which indicated that POE could improve the lipid metabolism disorder induced by ethanol. Our findings suggested that POE had protective effects on acute alcoholic liver injury of rats.

Curcumin reverses the depressive-like behavior and insulin resistance induced by chronic mild stress.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that patients with depression have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance has been identified as the key mechanism linking depression and diabetes. The present study established a rat model of depression complicated by insulin resistance using a 12-week exposure to chronic mild stress (CMS) and investigated the therapeutic effects of curcumin. Sucrose intake tests were used to evaluate depressive-like behaviors, and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance tests (IPITT) were performed to evaluate insulin sensitivity. Serum parameters were detected using commercial kits. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to examine mRNA expression. CMS rats exhibited reduced sucrose consumption, increased serum glucose, insulin, triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucagon, leptin, and corticosterone levels, as well as impaired insulin sensitivity. Curcumin upregulated the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and protein kinase B (Akt) in the liver, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and reversed the metabolic abnormalities and depressive-like behaviors mentioned above. Moreover, curcumin increased the hepatic glycogen content by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3ß and prevented gluconeogenesis by inhibiting phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase). These results suggest that curcumin not only exerted antidepressant-like effects, but also reversed the insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities induced by CMS. These data may provide evidence to support the potential use of curcumin against depression and/or metabolic disorders.

Resveratrol Ameliorates the Depressive-Like Behaviors and Metabolic Abnormalities Induced by Chronic Corticosterone Injection.

Chronic glucocorticoid exposure is known to cause depression and metabolic disorders. It is critical to improve abnormal metabolic status as well as depressive-like behaviors in patients with long-term glucocorticoid therapy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol on the depressive-like behaviors and metabolic abnormalities induced by chronic corticosterone injection. Male ICR mice were administrated corticosterone (40 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection for three weeks. Resveratrol (50 and 100 mg/kg), fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) and pioglitazone (10 mg/kg) were given by oral gavage 30 min prior to corticosterone administration. The behavioral tests showed that resveratrol significantly reversed the depressive-like behaviors induced by corticosterone, including the reduced sucrose preference and increased immobility time in the forced swimming test. Moreover, resveratrol also increased the secretion of insulin, reduced serum level of glucose and improved blood lipid profiles in corticosterone-treated mice without affecting normal mice. However, fluoxetine only reverse depressive-like behaviors, and pioglitazone only prevent the dyslipidemia induced by corticosterone. Furthermore, resveratrol and pioglitazone decreased serum level of glucagon and corticosterone. The present results indicated that resveratrol can ameliorate depressive-like behaviors and metabolic abnormalities induced by corticosterone, which suggested that the multiple effects of resveratrol could be beneficial for patients with depression and/or metabolic syndrome associated with long-term glucocorticoid therapy.

Recurrent Streptococcus Pneumoniae 23 F meningitis due to cerebrospinal fluid leakage from the ear cannel: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency, and immediate diagnostic steps must be taken to establish the specific cause. Recurrence of bacterial meningitis in children is not only potentially life-threatening, but also involves or induces psychological trauma to the patients through repeated hospitalization with many invasive investigations. CASE PRESENTATION: A 6-year-old boy was diagnosed with recurrent bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus Pneumonia 23 F. He had received serial imaging studies for identifying the cause. The initial sinus computed tomography (CT) also showed sinusitis without bony defect of sinus. However, after performing nuclear scan, the results showed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaked originating from the right petrooccpital region into the middle ear. Subsequent high resolution CT (HRCT) reports showed focal enlargement of the right facial nerve canal, erosion of the bony canal at geniculate ganglion and tympanic segment with tiny high-density spots. The reconstruction HRCT showed multiple bony defects at temporal bone. The magnetic resonance imaging revealed multifocal bony destruction with CSF collection in the right petrous ridge, carotid canal and jugular foramen. Eventually, CSF leakage to the right middle ear was confirmed and this could be the cause of the recurrent bacteria meningitis in this patient. CONCLUSION: Although recurrent bacterial meningitis in childhood is not common, this case report illustrates that recurrence of meningitis within a short period should be considered as cause of underline immunologic or anatomic defect.

The migration law of overlay rock and coal in deeply inclined coal seam with fully mechanized top coal caving.

In a mine area, some environment geotechnics problems always occure, induced by mined-out region such as the subsidence and cracks at ground level, deformation and destruction of buildings, landslides destruction of water resources and the ecological environment. In order to research the migration of surrounding rock and coal in steeply inclined super high seams which used fully mechanized top coal caving, a working face of a certain mine was made as an example, analyzed the migration law of the overlay rock and coal under different caving ratio of fully mechanized top coal caving with numerical simulation analysis. The results suggest that the laws of overlay rock deformation caused by deeply inclined coal seam were different from horizontal coal seam. On the inclined direction, with an increase of dip angle and caving ratio, the vertical displacement of overlay rock and coal became greater, the asymmetric phenomenon of vertical displacement became obvious. On the trend direction, active region and transition region in goaf became smaller along with the increase of mining and caving ratio. On the contrary, the stable region area became greater. Therefore, there was an essential difference between the mechanism of surface movement deformation with deeply inclined coal seam and that with horizontal coal seam.

Antidepressant effects of the water extract from Taraxacum officinale leaves and roots in mice.

CONTEXT: The leaves and roots of the Taraxacum officinale F. (Asteraceae) is widely used as traditional medicinal herb in Eastern Asian countries. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, the antidepressant-like effects of the water extract of T. officinale (WETO) leaves and roots were investigated in mice using forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and open field test (OFT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Effects of acute (1-day) and chronic treatments (14-days) with WETO (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) on the behavioral changes in FST, TST and OFT, and the serum corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone concentration were assessed in mice. RESULTS: Chronic treatment (14-days) with WETO at the doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg significantly decreased the immobility time in both FST (92.6, 85.1 and 77.4 s) and TST (84.8, 72.1 and 56.9 s). Acute treatment (1-day) with WETO at a dose of 200 mg/kg also markedly decreased the immobility time in both FST (81.7 s) and TST (73.2 s). However, all treatments did not affect the locomotor activity in the OFT. Moreover, FST induced a significant increase in serum CRF (5.8 ng/ml), ACTH (104.7 pg/ml) and corticosterone levels (37.3 ng/ml). Chronic treatment (14-days) with WETO decreased the serum CRF (200 mg/kg: 3.9 ng/ml) and corticosterone (50 mg/kg: 29.9 ng/ml; 100 mg/kg: 22.5 ng/ml; 200 mg/kg: 19.8 ng/ml) levels. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These results clearly demonstrated the antidepressant effects of WETO in animal models of behavioral despair and suggested the mechanism involved in the neuroendocrine system.

Bodyweight loss in predicting neonatal hyperbilirubinemia 72 hours after birth in term newborn infants.

BACKGROUND: Severe dehydration is generally believed to be a cause of significant hyperbilirubinemia in newborn babies. This study aimed to analyze the weight loss of healthy term newborn infants at 24, 48 and 72 hours after birth to predict significant hyperbilirubinemia at 72 hours. METHODS: From January 2007 to December 2008, we conducted this retrospective chart review by measuring total bilirubin (transcutaneous and serum) in 343 healthy, term newborns with a birth body weight of more than 2500 g. We then analyzed the association between body weight loss (BWL) and significant hyperbilirubinemia (total bilirubin more than 15 mg/dL) 72 hours after birth. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the appropriate cutoff BWL percentages on the first three days after birth for the prediction of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia 72 hours after birth. RESULTS: A total of 115 (33.5%) neonates presented with significant hyperbilirubinemia 72 hours after birth, and the percentages of BWL on the first three days were all higher than those in the non-significant hyperbilirubinemia group (all p < 0.05). Breastfeeding was not statistically correlated with significant hyperbilirubinemia (p=0.86). To predict significant hyperbilirubinemia 72 hours after birth, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the optimum cutoff BWL percentages were 4.48% on the first day of life (sensitivity: 43%, specificity: 70%, positive likelihood ratio [LR+]: 1.43, and negative likelihood ratio [LR-]: 0.82), 7.60% on day 2 (sensitivity: 47%, specificity: 74%, LR+: 1.81, LR-: 0.72), and 8.15% on day 3 (sensitivity: 57%, specificity: 70%, LR+: 1.92, LR-: 0.61) (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: BWL on the first three days after birth may be a predisposing factor for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and may also serve as a helpful clinical factor to prevent significant hyperbilirubinemia 72 hours after birth. The optimal BWL cutoff percentages on the first three days after birth presented in this study may predict hyperbilirubinemia and indicate the need for supplementary feeding.

Whole exome sequencing and MicroRNA profiling of lung adenocarcinoma identified risk prediction features for tumors at stage I and its substages.

OBJECTIVES: About 20% of stage I lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients suffer a relapse after surgical resection. While finer substages have been defined and refined in the AJCC staging system, clinical investigations on the tumor molecular landscape are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed whole exome sequencing, DNA copy number and microRNA profiling on paired tumor-normal samples from a cohort of 113 treatment-naïve stage I Taiwanese LUAD patients. We searched for molecular features associated with relapse-free survival (RFS) of stage I or its substages and validated the findings with an independent Caucasian LUAD cohort. RESULTS: We found sixteen nonsynonymous mutations harbored at EGFR, KRAS, TP53, CTNNB1 and six other genes associated with poor RFS in a dose-dependent manner via variant allele fraction (VAF). An index, maxVAF, was constructed to quantify the overall mutation load from genes other than EGFR. High maxVAF scores discriminated a small group of high-risk LUAD at stage I (median RFS: 4.5 versus 69.5 months; HR = 10.5, 95% CI = 4.22-26.12, P < 0.001). At the substage level, higher risk was found for patients with high maxVAF or high miR-31; IA (median RFS: 32.1 versus 122.8 months, P = 0.005) and IB (median RFS: 7.1 versus 26.2, P = 0.049). MicroRNAs, miR-182, miR-183 and miR-196a were found correlated with EGFR mutation and poor RFS in stage IB patients. CONCLUSION: Distinctive features of somatic gene mutation and microRNA expression of stage I LUAD are characterized to complement the survival prognosis by substaging. The findings open up more options for precision management of stage I LUAD patients.

Enhanced Optical Response of Zinc-Doped Tin Disulfide Layered Crystals Grown with the Chemical Vapor Transport Method.

Tin disulfide (SnS2) is a promising semiconductor for use in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics. Doping plays an essential role in SnS2 applications, because it can increase the functionality of SnS2 by tuning its original properties. In this study, the effect of zinc (Zn) doping on the photoelectric characteristics of SnS2 crystals was explored. The chemical vapor transport method was adopted to grow pristine and Zn-doped SnS2 crystals. Scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the grown SnS2 crystals were layered materials. The ratio of the normalized photocurrent of the Zn-doped specimen to that of the pristine specimen increased with an increasing illumination frequency, reaching approximately five at 104 Hz. Time-resolved photocurrent measurements revealed that the Zn-doped specimen had shorter rise and fall times and a higher current amplitude than the pristine specimen. The photoresponsivity of the specimens increased with an increasing bias voltage or decreasing laser power. The Zn-doped SnS2 crystals had 7.18 and 3.44 times higher photoresponsivity, respectively, than the pristine crystals at a bias voltage of 20 V and a laser power of 4 × 10-8 W. The experimental results of this study indicate that Zn doping markedly enhances the optical response of SnS2 layered crystals.

Factors Associated with Postoperative Lipiduria and Hypoxemia in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Orthopedic Fractures.

We investigated factors associated with postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia in patients undergoing surgery for orthopedic fractures. We enrolled patients who presented to our emergency department due to traumatic fractures between 2016 and 2017. We collected urine samples within 24 h after the patients had undergone surgery to determine the presence of lipiduria. Hypoxemia was defined as an SpO2 <95% determined with a pulse oximeter during the hospitalization. Patients' anthropometric data, medical history, and laboratory test results were collected from the electronic medical record. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the associations of clinical factors with postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia with multivariate adjustments. A total of 144 patients were analyzed (mean age 51.3 ± 22.9 years, male 50.7%). Diabetes (odd ratio 3.684, 95% CI, 1.256-10.810, p = 0.018) and operation time (odd ratio 1.005, 95% CI, 1.000-1.009, p = 0.029) were independently associated with postoperative lipiduria, while age (odd ratio 1.034, 95% CI, 1.003-1.066, p = 0.029), body mass index (odd ratio 1.100, 95% CI, 1.007-1.203, p = 0.035), and operation time (odd ratio 1.005, 95% CI, 1.000-1.010, p = 0.033) were independently associated with postoperative hypoxemia. We identified several factors independently associated with postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia in patients with fracture undergoing surgical intervention. Operation time was associated with both postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia, and we recommend that patients with prolonged operation for fractures should be carefully monitored for clinical signs related to fat embolism syndrome.

Curcumin inhibits hepatic protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B and prevents hypertriglyceridemia and hepatic steatosis in fructose-fed rats.

UNLABELLED: High consumption of dietary fructose is an important contributory factor in the development of hepatic steatosis in insulin or leptin resistance. We investigated the effects of curcumin on fructose-induced hypertriglyceridemia and liver steatosis and explored its preventive mechanisms in rats. Curcumin reduced serum insulin and leptin levels in fructose-fed rats. This compound could increase phosphorylation of insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate 1 to enhance Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) activation in the liver of fructose-fed rats. Moreover, curcumin increased phosphorylation of hepatic janus-activated kinase-signal transducer 2 and subsequently also stimulated Akt and ERK1/2 activation in this model. Suppression of curcumin on leptin signaling overstimulation in tyrosine1138 phosphorylation of the long form of leptin receptor and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 resulted in down-regulation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 in the liver of fructose-fed rats. Thus, improvement of insulin and leptin signaling transduction and subsequently elevation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha expression by curcumin led to reduction of very-low-density lipoprotein overproduction and triglyceride hypersynthesis. Furthermore, overexpression and hyperactivity of hepatic protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) associated with defective insulin and leptin signaling were observed in fructose-fed rats. Additionally, curcumin was found to significantly reduce hepatic PTP1B expression and activity in this model. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the mechanisms by which curcumin protects against fructose-induced hypertriglyceridemia and hepatic steatosis are its inhibition on PTP1B and subsequently improvement of insulin and leptin sensitivity in the liver of rats. This PTP1B inhibitory property may be a promising therapeutic strategy for curcumin to treat fructose-induced hepatic steatosis driven by hepatic insulin and leptin resistance.

Burkholderia multivorans acts as an antagonist against the growth of Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil.

In this study, it was demonstrated, by using agar diffusion tests and a Transwell system, that Burkholderia multivorans NKI379 has an antagonistic effect against the growth of B. pseudomallei. Bacterial representatives were isolated from agricultural crop soil and mixed to construct a partial bacterial community structure that was based on the results of reproducible patterns following PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of total soil chromosomes. The antagonistic effect of B. multivorans on B. pseudomallei was observed in this imitate community. In a field study of agricultural crop soil, the presence of B. pseudomallei was inversely related to the presence of the antagonistic strains B. multivorans or B. cenocepacia. B. multivorans NKI379 can survive in a broader range of pH, temperatures and salt concentrations than B. pseudomallei, suggesting that B. multivorans can adapt to extreme environmental changes and therefore predominates over B. pseudomallei in natural environments.

Electrophysiological study of the dominant motor innervation to the extensor digitorum communis muscle and long head of triceps brachii at posterior divisions of brachial plexus.

BACKGROUND: Restoration of elbow and finger extension function is still challenging in management of complete brachial plexus avulsion injury, mainly because of fewer available donor nerves for transfer to the radial nerve. Selective neurotization could be a potentially alternative for overcoming this dilemma. This study was designed to identify the innervation dominance of the extensor digitorum communis muscle (EDCM) and long head of the triceps brachii (LTB) at the level of division of brachial plexus. METHODS: From February 2008 to October 2009, 17 patients with complete brachial plexus avulsion injury underwent the procedure of contralateral C7 nerve root transfer. The posterior divisions of brachial plexus on the healthy donor side were intraoperatively stimulated and the compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) from the extensor digitorum communis muscle and long head of triceps brachii were recorded by an electrophysiological device. RESULTS: In 13 out of 17 patients (76.5%), the maximal amplitude of CMAP from EDCM was induced by stimulation of the posterior division of lower trunk (PDLT). The mean amplitudes of CMAP from EDCM with stimulation of the posterior division of upper trunk (PDUT), middle trunk (PDMT), and PDLT were 0.64 ± 0.95, 1.64 ± 1.56, and 5.32 ± 4.67 mV (P < 0.05), respectively. The maximal amplitude of CMAP from LTB was induced mainly by stimulation of the PDMT) and PDLT (6 out of 11 and 5 out of 11 patients). The mean amplitudes of CMAP from LTB with stimulation of the PDUT, PDMT, and PDLT were 0.15 ± 0.24, 5.20 ± 4.27, and 7.48 ± 9.90 mV, respectively. The differences of CMAPs between stimulation of PDUT and other two divisions were significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: From the electrophysiological point of view, this study showed that the PDLT was the major motor division innervating EDCM, and the PDMT and PDLT shared the similar proportion of LTB innervation.

Regulation of ATGL expression mediated by leptin in vitro in porcine adipocyte lipolysis.

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), as an adipose-enriched protein, is able to hydrolyze triglycerides and plays an important part in triglyceride lipolysis of fat tissue. Leptin, an adipocyte cytokine, can increase the fat decomposition process. Many phenomena indicate that ATGL has a close relationship with leptin's promoting the hydrolysis of triglycerides. However, the regulatory mechanism of ATGL in leptin's promoting fat hydrolysis has not been directly and systematically studied yet. This study demonstrated that ATGL was expressed in vitro by leptin regulation. The amount of ATGL mRNA increased and the amount of ATGL protein decreased based on a dose-dependent manner when leptin concentrations ranged from 5 to 50 ng/ml were used to treat fully differentiated porcine adipocytes for 3 h. In addition, this study revealed that JAK-STAT and MAPK signaling pathways, as well as PPAR gamma all played important roles in the ATGL expression mediated by leptin.

[The clinical study of reconstruction of traumatic brachial plexus root avulsion injury in children].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the primary result of finger flexion reconstruction in the procedure of direct anastomosis of contralateral C(7) transferred through the prespinal route with lower trunk in children suffered traumatic brachial plexus root avulsion injury. METHODS: On the healthy side, the C(7) nerve root was identified anatomically and transected at the level of division by dissecting its anterior and posterior division as far distal as possible up to the level where the nerve fibers interweaving with other division, then the contralateral C(7) nerve root was dissected proximally up to the neuroforamina. The contralateral C(7) nerve root was transferred to contralateral side through the prespinal route. The entire brachial plexus of suffered side was exposed through the union incision superior and inferior to the clavicle, The lower trunk was identified and dissected proximally to the C(8) and T(1) nerve root which were severed at the lateral margin of anterior scalenus, and then the dorsal division and anterior medial pectoral nerve of lower trunk were severed. The median nerve, ulnar nerve and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve were identified from the origin and dissected distally continue to the midpoint of upper arm, and lateral head of the median nerve was severed so that the lower trunk, medial cord and median nerve, ulnar nerve and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve can be fully mobilized. Anteriorly flexion and adduction of the should at 0 degrees and flexion elbow at 90 degrees , this could allow considerable length to be gained when pulling the lower trunk proximally, direct anastomosis of contralateral C(7) with lower trunk was performed. If there was any tension exist, the appropriate humerus shorten osteotomy should be performed. From August 2004 to December 2008, 20 children including 13 cases with total brachial plexus nerve root avulsion injury and 7 cases with middle and lower trunk avulsion injury were repaired by this procedure. Twenty cases including 16 males and 4 females, the average age was 13 years with a range of 5 to 18 years. The interval from injury to operation ranged 1 to 11 months with a mean of 4.6 months. Eleven patients were performed the humeral shorten osteotomy, the length of the humeral shorten was 2.0 - 4.5 cm, with the mean of (3.1 +/- 0.7) cm. RESULTS: The follow up period was 12 to 51 months, with the average of 26 months. The muscle strength of finger flexion attained M 4 in 18 cases, M 2 in 2 cases. The motor function of thumb flexion gained M 4 in 10 cases, M 3 in 8 cases, M2 in 2 cases. Of the 2 cases achieved motor function of intrinsic muscles of the hand of M3. CONCLUSIONS: The direct anastomosis of contralateral C(7) with lower trunk in children with traumatic brachial plexus avulsion injury can improve the effect of reconstructing the function of finger flexion because it reduces one never anastomosis site and decreases the distance of nerve regeneration compared with the traditional method. With this modified procedure, the functional recovery of intrinsic muscles of the hand in children with traumatic brachial plexus avulsion injury is becoming possible.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals the mechanism of sulfasalazine-induced liver injury in mice.

Liver injury is one of the main toxic effect of sulfasalazine (SASP). However, the toxicological mechanism of SASP-induced liver injury remains unclear. In the present study, the liver injury was induced by orally treatment with SASP for 4 weeks in mice. The hepatic mRNA profiles were detected by RNA sequencing and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. The elevated serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL), combined with the hepatic histopathological features verified that liver injury was successfully caused by SASP. Transcriptomic results showed that 187 genes (fold change > 1.5 and P < 0.05) were differentially expressed, of which 106 genes were up-regulated and 81 genes were down-regulated in SASP-treated group. Moreover, the further analysis showed that these 187 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in 123 GO terms, which mainly including oxidation-reduction process, oxidoreductase activity and epoxygenase P450 pathway. KEGG pathway analysis showed 30 pathways including chemical carcinogenesis, retinol metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism and glutathione metabolism. Among these 187 DEGs, the top 22 hub genes were screened from network of protein-protein interaction (PPI) and verified by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the mRNA levels of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes, including cyp2b50, cyp2c50, cyp2c39, cyp2c38, cyp2c29, cyp2c54, cyp2c55, cyp2a5, gsta1, gsta2, gstt2, gstm2 and ephx1, were significantly up-regulated, while egfr and egr1 were down-regulated in SASP-treated group. Moreover, the mRNA levels of egfr and cyp2c55 exhibited a dose-dependent changes in SASP groups. Western blotting verified that the changes of protein levels of EGFR and CYP2C55 were consistent with mRNA levels. Considering that egfr has the highest score in PPI degree and cyp2c55 has the largest fold change in qPCR analysis, our present results suggested that the toxicological mechanisms of SASP-induced liver injury might be related to multi-biological processes and pathways, and egfr and cyp2c55 may play important roles in SASP-induced liver injury. The present study would be helpful for better understanding the hepatotoxic mechanism of SASP. However, the precise mechanism still needs further research.

Effects of resveratrol on the levels of ATP, 5-HT and GAP-43 in the hippocampus of mice exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress.

Growing evidence suggested that energy deficiency might be involved in the pathophysiological mechanism of depression. Energy deficiency, mainly results from mitochondrial damage, can lead to the dysfunction of synaptic neurotransmission, and further cause depressive-like behavior. The antidepressant effect of resveratrol had been widely demonstrated in previous studies; however, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate whether the antidepressant effects of resveratrol involved in the energy levels and neurotransmission in the hippocampus. We found that resveratrol and fluoxetine significantly attenuated depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), which evidenced by the increased sucrose preference and the reduced immobility time in a forced swimming test. In addition, resveratrol increased hippocampal ATP levels, decreased Na+-K+-ATPase and pyruvate levels, and upregulated the levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), mRNA expression of sirtuin (SIRT)1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator (PGC)1α. Furthermore, resveratrol and fluoxetine increased serotonin (5-HT) levels and downregulated the mRNA expression of 5-HT transporter (SERT) in the hippocampus. The decreased protein expression of growth-associated protein (GAP)-43 induced by CUMS was also ameliorated by resveratrol and fluoxetine. These findings demonstrated the antidepressant effects of resveratrol and suggested that resveratrol was able to promote mitochondrial biogenesis, enhance ATP and 5-HT levels, as well as upregulate GAP-43 expression in the hippocampus.

Depressive-like behaviors are induced by chronic liver injury in male and female mice.

Depression is a highly prevalent mental disease and increasingly become a global public health problem. Recent studies have shown that the dysfunction of liver was associated with depression. However, the previous studies have not been fully explained the relationship between depression and liver injury. The present study was aimed to investigate whether chronic liver injury could induce depressive-like behavior. Chronic liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of carbon (CCl4), D-galactosamine (D-GalN) and thioacetamide (TAA), respectively. And the results showed that the serum activities of ALT in CCl4, D-GalN and TAA groups were significantly increased in both male and female mice compared with the control group, while the activities of AST increased only in CCl4 group. Meanwhile, H&E staining showed that CCl4, D-GalN and TAA induced hepatocytes injury in both male and female mice. Moreover, the sucrose preference was significantly decreased and the immobility time in forced swimming test and tail suspension test were significantly prolonged in CCl4 and D-GalN group compared with control group. Our findings demonstrated that chronic liver injury induced by CCl4 and D-GalN could induce depressive-like behaviors in mice.

Landscape of Mitochondria Genome and Clinical Outcomes in Stage 1 Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Risk factors including genetic effects are still being investigated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Mitochondria play an important role in controlling imperative cellular parameters, and anomalies in mitochondrial function might be crucial for cancer development. The mitochondrial genomic aberrations found in lung adenocarcinoma and their associations with cancer development and progression are not yet clearly characterized. Here, we identified a spectrum of mitochondrial genome mutations in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma and explored their association with prognosis and clinical outcomes. Next-generation sequencing was used to reveal the mitochondrial genomes of tumor and conditionally normal adjacent tissues from 61 Stage 1 LUADs. Mitochondrial somatic mutations and clinical outcomes including relapse-free survival (RFS) were analyzed. Patients with somatic mutations in the D-loop region had longer RFS (adjusted hazard ratio, adjHR = 0.18, p = 0.027), whereas somatic mutations in mitochondrial Complex IV and Complex V genes were associated with shorter RFS (adjHR = 3.69, p = 0.012, and adjHR = 6.63, p = 0.002, respectively). The risk scores derived from mitochondrial somatic mutations were predictive of RFS (adjHR = 9.10, 95%CI: 2.93-28.32, p < 0.001). Our findings demonstrated the vulnerability of the mitochondrial genome to mutations and the potential prediction ability of somatic mutations. This research may contribute to improving molecular guidance for patient treatment in precision medicine.