One-Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework with Improved Charge Transfer for Enhanced Electrochemiluminescence.

We present a dimensional regulating charge transfer strategy to achieve an enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) by constructing a one-dimensional pyrene-based covalent organic framework (1D-COF). The dual-chain-like edge architecture in 1D-COF facilitates the stabilization of aromatic backbones, the enhancement of electronic conjugations, and the decrease of energy loss. The 1D-COF generates enhanced anodic (92.5-fold) and cathodic (3.2-fold) signals with tripropylamine (TPrA) and K2S2O8 as the anodic and cathodic coreactants, respectively, compared with 2D-COF. The anodic and cathodic ECL efficiencies of 1D-COF are 2.08- and 3.08-fold higher than those of 2D-COF, respectively. According to density functional theory (DFT), the rotational barrier energy (ΔE) of 1D-COF enhances sharply with the increase of dihedral angle, suggesting that the architecture in 1D-COF restrains the intramolecular spin of aromatic chains, which facilitates the decrease of nonradiative transitions and the enhancement of ECL. Furthermore, 1D-COF can be used to construct an ECL biosensor for sensitive detection of dopamine.

Assessing the ecotoxicity of florfenicol exposure at environmental levels: A case study of histology, apoptosis and microbiota in hepatopancreas of Eriocheir sinensis.

The intensification of production practices in the aquaculture industry has led to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics to combat diseases and reduce costs, which has resulted in environmental pollution, posing serious threats to aquaculture sustainability and food safety. However, the toxic effect of florfenicol (FF) exposure on the hepatopancreas of crustaceans remains unclear. Herein, by employing Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) as subjects to investigate the toxic effects on histopathology, oxidative stress, apoptosis and microbiota of hepatopancreas under environment-relevant (0.5 and 5 µg/L), and extreme concentrations (50 µg/L) of FF. Our results revealed that the damage of hepatopancreas tissue structure caused by FF exposure in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Combined with the increased expression of apoptosis-related genes (Caspase 3, Caspase 8, p53, Bax and Bcl-2) at mRNA and protein levels, activation of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, FF exposure also induced oxidative stress, and apoptosis in hepatopancreas. Interestingly, 7 days exposure triggered more pronounced toxic effect in crabs than 14 days under environment-relevant FF concentration. Integrated biomarker response version 2 (IBRv2) index indicated that 14 days FF exposure under extreme concentration has serious toxicity effect on crabs. Furthermore, 14 days exposure to FF changed the diversity and composition of hepatopancreas microbiota leading remarkable increase of pathogenic microorganism Spirochaetes following exposure to 50 µg/L of FF. Taken together, our study explained potential mechanism of FF toxicity on hepatopancreas of crustaceans, and provided a reference for the concentration of FF to be used in culture of Chinese mitten crab.

Measuring early adolescents' prosocial behavior toward diverse others: Considering multiple social identities.

INTRODUCTION: In a diverse society, individuals often need to make prosocial decisions toward others who vary on a range of intertwined social identities. Adolescence is a prime time to promote intergroup prosociality due to identity salience during this developmental stage. In this study, our goal was to develop and provide initial validation, of a novel measure on intergroup prosocial behavior considering gender and race/ethnicity. METHOD: We used two independent samples of early adolescents (N1 = 118, Mage = 12.21 years, 55% boys, 59% White collected nationally in the United States.; N2 = 133, Mage = 12.77, 51.1% boys, 77% White collected locally in Arizona). RESULTS: Using the data from Sample 1, Exploratory Factor Analyses revealed a two-factor solution capturing intergroup prosociality and personal distress. Confirmatory Factor Analyses with data from Sample 2 confirmed the factor structure. The reliability of intergroup prosociality was acceptable. Prosociality subscale was positively correlated with adolescents' empathy, sympathy, compliant, emotional, dire, and anonymous prosocial behaviors indicating convergent validity and negatively correlated with adolescents' public prosocial behavior indicating discriminant validity. Further, we examined whether youth engage in differential intergroup prosocial behavior using both variable-centered and person-centered approaches, combining data from Samples 1 and 2. While adolescents did not engage in differential intergroup prosocial behavior, Latent Profile Analyses revealed five distinct profiles of early adolescents' intergroup prosociality. Overall, this study advances research on youth's intergroup prosociality across two intersectional social identities, moving beyond the conceptualization of single social identities in intergroup research.

Bioorthogonal Reaction-Mediated Enzymatic Elongation-Driven Dendritic Nanoassembly for Genome-Wide Analysis of 5-Hydroxymethyluracil in Breast Tissues.

5-Hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU) is an oxidation derivative of thymine in the genomes of various organisms and may serve as both an epigenetic mark and a cancer biomarker. However, the current 5hmU assays usually have drawbacks of laborious procedures, low specificity, and unsatisfactory sensitivity. Herein, we demonstrate the click chemistry-mediated hyperbranched amplification-driven dendritic nanoassembly for genome-wide analysis of 5hmU in breast cell lines and human breast tissues. The proposed strategy possesses good selectivity, ultralow background, and high sensitivity with a detection limit of 83.28 aM. This method can accurately detect even a 0.001% 5hmU level in the mixture. Moreover, it can determine 5hmU at single-cell level and distinguish the expressions of 5hmU in tissues of normal persons and breast cancer patients, holding great promise in 5hmU-related biological research and clinical diagnosis.

Construction of a Dendritic Nanoassembly-Based Fluorescent Biosensor for Electrostatic Interaction-Independent and Label-Free Measurement of Human Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase 1 in Lung Tissues.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) is responsible for catalyzing the creation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymer and involved in DNA replication and repair. Sensitive measurement of PARP-1 is critical for clinical diagnosis. However, the conventional electrostatic attraction-based PAPR-1 assays usually involve laborious procedures, poor sensitivity, and false positives. Herein, we demonstrate the construction of a dendritic nanoassembly-based fluorescent biosensor for electrostatic interaction-independent and label-free measurement of human PARP-1 in lung tumor tissues. When PARP-1 is present, the specific double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-activated PARP-1 transfers the ADP-ribosyl group from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)/biotinylated NAD+ to the PARP-1 itself, resulting in the formation of biotinylated dsDNA-PARP-1-PAR polymer bioconjugates that can be captured by magnetic beads. Upon the addition of TdT, APE1, and NH2-modified T-rich probe, the captured dsDNAs with dual 3'-OH termini initiate TdT-activated APE1-mediated hyperbranched amplification to produce abundant dendritic DNA nanoassemblies that can be stained by SYBR Green I to generate a high fluorescence signal. This biosensor is characterized by a template-free, electrostatic interaction-independent, high sensitivity, and label-free assay. It enables rapid (less than 3 h) measurement of PARP-1 with a limit of detection of 4.37 × 10-8 U/µL and accurate measurement of cellular PARP-1 activity with single-cell sensitivity. Moreover, it is capable of screening potential inhibitors and discriminating the PARP-1 level in normal person tissues and lung cancer patient tissues, with great potential in PARP-1-related clinical diagnosis and drug discovery.

Rapid, Sensitive, and Label-Free Detection of Long Noncoding RNAs in Breast Cancer Tissues by RecJf Exonuclease-Assisted Recombinase Polymerase Amplification.

An abnormal expression level of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is implicated in multiple cancers, and their sensitive and rapid measurement is pivotal for early cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. The conventional lncRNA assays often suffer from labor-intensive/time-consuming procedures and limited sensitivity. Herein, we report a simple and sensitive fluorescent biosensor for rapid and label-free measurement of lncRNAs based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) without the involvement of thermal cycling and reverse transcription. Target lncRNAs can bind with the 5'-end of the DNA template to create a DNA-lncRNA hybrid, protecting the DNA template from RecJf exonuclease-mediated degradation. Subsequently, the primers hybridize with the intact DNA templates and are extended to generate the dsDNA products with the assistance of polymerase. The resultant dsDNA products may be amplified by exponential recombinase polymerase amplification to produce abundant dsDNAs, generating a distinct fluorescence signal within 10 min. This biosensor achieves a wide dynamic range from 10-17 to 10-9 M and high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.23 aM. Moreover, it can distinguish the expressions of lncRNA HOTAIR in the tissues of healthy individuals and breast cancer patients, with broad application prospects in lncRNA-related research and early diagnosis of cancers.

Engeletin ameliorates sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment by activating PPAR-gamma in neonatal mice.

Sevoflurane (SEV) is a commonly used anesthetic in pediatric surgery. Recent studies reported that repeated use of SEV contributes to cognitive impairment. Engeletin has been discovered to exert anti-inflammatory effects in various diseases. However, the detailed roles and mechanisms of engeletin in SEV-induced cognitive dysfunction of neonatal mice remain unclear. In this study, C57BL/6 neonatal mice were randomly divided into Ctrl, SEV, SEV + Engeletin (10 mg /kg), SEV + Engeletin (20 mg/kg), and SEV + Engeletin (40 mg/kg) groups. The Morris water maze (MWM) test suggested that engeletin treatment significantly improved SEV-induced cognitive impairment in neonatal mice. Employing ELISA and Nissl staining analysis, engeletin reduced neuroinflammation and loss of nerve cells caused by SEV, respectively. The treatment of engeletin dramatically suppressed the activation of microglia and apoptosis induced by SEV in the hippocampus of neonatal mice. Furthermore, the inhibition of PPAR-γ obviously reversed the abovementioned effects of engeletin in the hippocampus of newborn mice. In conclusion, this study verified that engeletin notably ameliorated SEV-induced cognitive deficiencies in neonatal mice at least partially by mediating the expression of PPAR-γ.

Application of CUBE-STIR MRI and high-frequency ultrasound in contralateral cervical 7 nerve transfer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate the feasibility of CUBE-SITR MRI and high-frequency ultrasound for the structural imaging of the brachial plexus to exclude neoplastic brachial plexopathy or structural variation and measure the lengths of anterior and posterior divisions of the C7 nerve, providing guidelines for surgeons before contralateral cervical 7 nerve transfer. METHODS: A total of 30 patients with CNS and 20 with brachial plexus injury were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients underwent brachial plexus CUBE-STIR MRI and high-frequency ultrasound, and the lengths of the anterior and posterior divisions of C7 nerve were measured before surgery. Precise length of anterior and posterior divisions of contralateral C7 nerve was measured during surgery. RESULTS: MRI-measured lengths of anterior and posterior divisions of C7 nerves were positively correlated with that measured during surgery (anterior division, r = 0.94, p < .01; posterior division, r = 0.92, p < .01). High agreement was found between MRI-measured and intra-surgery measured length of anterior and posterior divisions of C7 nerve by BLAD-ALTMAN analysis. Ultrasonography could feasibly image supraclavicular C7 nerve and recognize small variant branches derived from middle trunk of C7 nerve root, which could be dissected intra-operatively and confirmed by electromyography during the procedure of contralateral C7 nerve transfer. CONCLUSION: CUBE-STIR MRI had advantages for the imaging of the brachial plexus and measurement of the length of root-trunk-anterior/posterior divisions of C7 nerve. The clinical role of ultrasonography may be a simple way of evaluating general condition of C7 nerve and provide guidelines for contralateral C7 nerve transfer surgery.

Identification of a Rice Leaf Width Gene Narrow Leaf 22 (NAL22) through Genome-Wide Association Study and Gene Editing Technology.

Rice leaf width (RLW) is a crucial determinant of photosynthetic area. Despite the discovery of several genes controlling RLW, the underlying genetic architecture remains unclear. In order to better understand RLW, this study conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 351 accessions from the rice diversity population II (RDP-II). The results revealed 12 loci associated with leaf width (LALW). In LALW4, we identified one gene, Narrow Leaf 22 (NAL22), whose polymorphisms and expression levels were associated with RLW variation. Knocking out this gene in Zhonghua11, using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, resulted in a short and narrow leaf phenotype. However, seed width remained unchanged. Additionally, we discovered that the vein width and expression levels of genes associated with cell division were suppressed in nal22 mutants. Gibberellin (GA) was also found to negatively regulate NAL22 expression and impact RLW. In summary, we dissected the genetic architecture of RLW and identified a gene, NAL22, which provides new loci for further RLW studies and a target gene for leaf shape design in modern rice breeding.

Construction of Bioluminescent Sensors for Label-Free, Template-Free, Separation-Free, and Sequence-Independent Detection of both Clustered and Isolated Damage in Genomic DNA.

DNA damage induced by endogenous/exogenous factors may cause various diseases, and the genomic DNA damage has become an important biomarker for clinical diagnosis and risk assessment, but it remains a great challenge to accurately quantify both clustered and isolated damage because of their random locations, large diversity, and low abundance. Herein, we demonstrate the development of bioluminescent sensors for label-free, template-free, separation-free, and sequence-independent detection of both clustered and isolated damage in genomic DNA based on the base-excision repair (BER) pathway and terminal transferase (TdT)-initiated template-free isothermal cyclic amplification. The damaged bases are cleaved by DNA glycosylase to generate a new 3'-OH terminus, and subsequently, TdT catalyzes the repeated incorporation of dTTPs into the 3'-OH terminus to produce poly-T structures which can hybridize with the signal probe to form a poly-T sequence/signal probe duplex. Under the lambda exonuclease hydrolysis, a large number of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) molecules are produced to generate a high bioluminescence signal through the cyclic interconversion of AMP-adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-AMP in the presence of luciferin and firefly luciferase. Moreover, the introduction of APE1-induced cyclic cleavage signal amplification can greatly improve the detection sensitivity. The proposed strategy can detect both clustered and isolated damage in genomic DNA with extremely high sensitivity and excellent specificity, and it can even distinguish 0.001% DNA damage in the mixture. Importantly, it can detect the cellular DNA damage with a detection limit of 0.011 ng and further extend to measure various DNA damage with the integration of appropriate DNA repair enzymes.

A Review of Circulating Tumor DNA in the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Esophageal Cancer.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a type of cell-free DNA released by tumor cells after necrosis and apoptosis, and it can be actively secreted by tumor cells. Since ctDNA is derived from various tumor sites, it can provide far more comprehensive genomic and epigenomic information than a single-site biopsy. Therefore, ctDNA can overcome tumor heterogeneity, which is the major limitation of a traditional tissue biopsy approach. Noninvasive ctDNA assays allow continuous real-time monitoring of the molecular status of cancers. Recently, ctDNA assays have been widely used in clinical practice, including cancer diagnosis, evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and prognosis, and monitoring of relapse and metastasis. Although ctDNA shows a high diagnostic performance in advanced esophageal cancer, it is far from satisfactory for early diagnosis of esophageal cancer. Monitoring the dynamic changes of ctDNA is beneficial for the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and prediction of early recurrence in esophageal cancer. It is necessary to establish standards for individualized ctDNA detection in the evaluation of treatment response and surveillance of esophageal cancer and to develop clinical practice guideline for the systemic treatment of patients with "ctDNA recurrence." This review aims to provide an update on the role of ctDNA in the diagnosis and monitoring of esophageal cancer.

An Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy of Early Dynamic Orthosis after Finger Extensor Digitorum Rupture.

Objective: The main objective is to compare the clinical efficacy of the early use of dynamic orthosis in patients with a finger extensor digitorum rupture. Methods: A total of 50 patients with hand and foot trauma who received surgical treatment in our hospital from March 2017 to February 2021 were selected, and two patients were excluded from the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (group A) was treated with plaster fixation and routine rehabilitation, and the study group (group B) underwent dynamic low-temperature thermoplastic plate fixation and routine rehabilitation. Total active motion (TAM) and total passive motion (TPM) of the injured finger before treatment, one month after treatment, two months after treatment, and after corrective treatment were compared. Results: After treatment following a finger extensor digitorum rupture, the TAM and TPM of the injured fingers increased significantly in both groups. The TAM and TPM in group B were significantly better than those in group A after one and two months of treatment (P < 0.05). After two months of treatment, the rates of improvement in TAM and TPM in group B were significantly higher than those in group A. Conclusion: The early use of dynamic orthosis can significantly improve the motor function and motion amplitude of the injured finger, increase the elasticity and extension of the finger extensor digitorum, and promote the recovery of muscle strength. It is an effective corrective method for tendon contracture after finger extensor digitorum rupture and has great value in clinical application.

A novel ent-pimarane-type diterpenoid from Sigesbeckia glabrescens with anti-inflammatory activity.

A novel ent-pimarane-type diterpenoid, sigesbeckia J (1), along with two known diterpenoids, siegesbeckia acid (2) and ent-18-acetoxy-16R,17-dihydroxykauran-19-oic acid (3), were isolated from the aerial parts of Sigesbeckia glabrescens Makino. Their chemical structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic interpretation. The absolute configuration of ent-pimarane-type diterpenoid (1) was determined by comparing experimental and calculated ECD spectra. Compared with the positive control minocycline (IC50 32.84 µM), compound 1 exhibited moderate cell growth anti-inflammatory activities in vitro by testing their inhibition of LPS-induced NO production in BV2 microglial cells, with IC50 value of 58.74 µM.

Clinical practice guidelines for the nutritional risk screening and assessment of cancer patients: a systematic quality appraisal using the AGREE II instrument.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the quality of published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) regarding the nutritional risk screening and assessment of cancer patients and to identify high-quality CPGs for clinical healthcare professionals. METHODS: Guidelines for the nutritional risk screening and assessment of cancer patients were comprehensively searched in eight electronic databases, including The Lancet, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine disc (CBMdisc), and Wan Fang Data, through August 2020. Six relevant guideline databases, including the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC), the Guideline International Network (GIN), the New Zealand Guidelines Group (NZGG), the China Guideline Clearinghouse (CGC), and Medlive, and relevant nutrition society websites, were also searched through August 2020. The methodological quality of the included CPGs was appraised independently by three assessors using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation, 2nd edition (AGREE II) tool. RESULTS: Seven CPGs were located, and the domain with the highest percentage was "clarity of presentation" (85.44%), while the domain with the lowest percentage was "applicability" (40.26%). From the AGREE II results, two guidelines were rated as "strongly recommended," three were assessed as "recommended with modifications," and two were deemed as "not recommended." CONCLUSION: Considering that the two "strongly recommended" guidelines were developed within the American and European contexts, translation, validation, and cultural adaptation are recommended prior to implementing these guidelines in other countries or healthcare contexts to improve their effectiveness and sensitivity for local cancer patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration of the study protocol: CRD42020177390 (July 5, 2020).

PX Domain-Containing Kinesin KIF16B and Microtubule-Dependent Intracellular Movements.

As a member of the kinesin-3 family, kinesin family member 16B (KIF16B) has a characteristic PhoX homology (PX) domain that binds to membranes containing phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI(3)P) and moves along microtubule filaments to the plus end via a process regulated by coiled coils in the stalk region in various cell types. The physiological function of KIF16B supports the transport of intracellular cargo and the formation of endosomal tubules. Ras-related protein (Rab) coordinates many steps of membrane transport and are involved in the regulation of KIF16B-mediated vesicle trafficking. Data obtained from clinical research suggest that KIF16B has a potential effect on the disease processes in intellectual disability, abnormal lipid metabolism, and tumor brain metastasis. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the structural and physiological characteristics of KIF16B as well as diseases associated with KIF16B disorders, and speculating its role as a potential adaptor for intracellular cholesterol trafficking.

Unusual ectopic ACTH syndrome in a patient with orbital neuroendocrine tumor, resulted false-positive outcome of BIPSS:a case report.

BACKGROUND: Cushing's syndrome has been described as a complex endocrine disorder characterized with high cortisol concentration. Correct and early diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome is challenging. According to the latest guideline, bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS) is considered to be the gold standard for the differential diagnosis. However, in some unusual cases, this method may be false positive. Here, we presented a rare case of orbital neuroendocrine tumor secreting adrenocorticotrophic hormone with false positive inferior petrosal sinus sampling. CASE PRESENTATION: A 48-year-old woman was admitted to West China Hospital of Sichuan University, presenting with fatigue, whole body edema for 1 year, alopecia and skin pigmentation for 5 months. Hormonal profiles including plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) measurements and low-dose dexamethasone inhibition test suggested that the patient had Cushing's syndrome. However, during tumor location phase, the results of high-dose dexamethasone inhibition test (HDDST) contradicted desmopressin (DDAVP) stimulation test. Thus, BIPSS was employed, and its results indicated a pituitary origin. Interestingly, MRI of sellar region showed an innocent pituitary but caught a serendipitous lesion in the lateral rectus muscle of left eye, which was later proved to be an orbital neuroendocrine tumor secreting ACTH by pathological and immunohistochemical results. ACTH level of the patients was < 0.1 ng/L and cortisol level was 51.61 nmol/L 1 week after surgery. At 24 months follow-up, the patient appeared stable with no complaints nor any symptoms of Cushing's syndrome, including moon face, purple striate and central obesity. The patient's life quality also improved significantly. CONCLUSION: We reported a rare case of endogenous Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic ACTH secreting from an orbital neuroendocrine tumor. This unique case of orbital EAS suggests that orbital venous blood backflow, owning to abnormal anatomic structures, may possibly lead to false positive BIPSS results.

Silencing of circular RNA ANRIL attenuates oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation-induced injury in human brain microvascular endothelial cells by sponging miR-622.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNA (circRNA) is highly expressed in the brain tissue, but its molecular mechanism in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion remains unclear. Here, we explored the role and underlying mechanisms of circRNA antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus (circ_ANRIL) in oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced cell injury. RESULTS: The expression of circ_ANRIL in OGD/R-induced human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) was significantly up-regulated, while that of miR-622 was significantly down-regulated. Overexpression of circ_ANRIL significantly inhibited the proliferation of OGD/R-induced HBMECs and aggravated OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, circ_ANRIL overexpression further increased the secretion of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in OGD/R-treated HBMECs. The results of bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay indicated that circ_ANRIL served as an miR-622 sponge to negatively regulate the expression of miR-622 in OGD/R-treated HBMECs. Additionally, circ_ANRIL silencing exerted anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects by positively regulating the expression of miR-622. Furthermore, inhibition of OGD/R-induced activation of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway by circ_ANRIL silencing was significantly reversed by treatment with miR-622 inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of circ_ANRIL improved OGD/R-induced cell damage, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway through sponging miR-622.

Contralateral cervical seventh nerve transfer for spastic arm paralysis via a modified prespinal route: a cadaveric study.

BACKGROUND: We proposed contralateral cervical seventh nerve transfer for spastic arm paralysis after central neurological injury in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2018. In this surgery, we applied a new surgical route for nerve transfer, the Huashan prespinal route. The objective of this study was to elaborate our new surgical technique, clarify its relationship to the vertebral artery, and provide anatomical data on this novel method. METHODS: The effectiveness and safety of the Huashan prespinal route in contralateral C7 nerve transfer were evaluated anatomically. Nine cadavers (4 males, 5 females) were available for this study. Among these, anatomical parameters of the vertebral artery were obtained from 6 cadavers, and the anastomosis of the bilateral cervical seventh nerve was observed on 3 cadavers undergoing contralateral C7 nerve transfer via the Huashan prespinal route. RESULTS: Tension-free anastomosis of the bilateral cervical seventh nerve was achieved through the Huashan prespinal route. The tilt angle of the vertebral artery to the sagittal plane (with thyroid cartilage as the origin) was 25.5 ± 4.5°, at 22.5 ± 1.6° and 28.7 ± 4.3° on the left and right side, respectively. The safe drilling angle to penetrate through the longus colli muscles for the creation of a longus colli muscle tunnel to avoid injury to the vertebral artery in our surgical technique was above 33.2°. CONCLUSIONS: The cadaveric study confirms that the presented technique allowed simple, effective, and safe contralateral C7 nerve transfer. This technique can be used in the treatment of hemiplegia and brachial plexus injury. There is a safe scope of drilling angle for creating the longus colli muscle tunnel required for this surgical route. The anatomical parameters obtained in this study will be helpful for the performance of this operation.

Brief report: Patterns of prosocial behaviors in middle childhood predicting peer relations during early adolescence.

INTRODUCTION: Early adolescence is a developmental period in which peer victimization, bullying, relational aggression, and social exclusion are particularly prominent. As these behaviors have long-term implications for children, in this study, we investigated early variations of prosocial behaviors as one of the critical precedents that shape youth's subsequent peer relational outcomes. Specifically, we identified different profiles of prosocial behaviors in middle childhood (Grade 4) and related these profiles to peer relationships in early adolescence (Grade 6). METHOD: Using longitudinal data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 914; 52% girls), a three-step latent profile analysis was conducted on Grade 4 prosocial behaviors, which were then related to Grade 6 teacher- and student-rated peer relationships (e.g., relational aggression). RESULTS: Four patterns of prosocial behaviors emerged: low prosocial (18%), high prosocial (67%), primarily friendly (8%), and primarily kind (7%). These four patterns of prosocial behaviors were differentially related to later problematic peer relationships: Low prosocial youth demonstrated the most problematic peer relationships (Mdiff = 0.36-0.93, all p < .001). Primarily friendly (but not kind) youth displayed more general and relational aggression (Mdiff = 0.22, SE = 0.07, p = .002; and Mdiff = 0.18, SE = 0.06, p = .006, respectively). CONCLUSION: Both low prosocial and primarily friendly youth are at risk for displaying peer-related problems; interventions that build prosocial behaviors in youth with a low prosocial or primarily friendly profile may help prevent problematic peer relationships at early adolescence.

Hyperselective neurectomy in the treatment of elbow and wrist spasticity: an anatomical study and incision design.

OBJECTIVE: Hyperselective neurectomy is used to treat spastic arm paralysis. The aim of the study was to analyze the nerve branching patterns of elbow and wrist flexors/pronator to inform hyperselective neurectomy approached. METHODS: Eighteen upper extremities of fresh cadaver specimen were dissected. The number of motor branches from the musculocutaneous nerve to biceps brachii and brachialis, median nerve to pronator teres, flexor carpi radialis and ulnar nerve to flexor carpi ulnaris were counted. The origin site of each primary motor branch was documented. RESULTS: Either biceps or brachialis was innervated by one or two primary motor branches. Pronator teres was innervated by one to three motor trunks and the pattern for flexor carpi radialis was a common trunk with other branches. The origin of the biceps and brachialis nerve trunk was located approximately 30% to 60% of the length of the arm. The median nerve branched to pronator teres and flexor carpi radialis at the region about 34mm (SD 18.8mm) above and 50mm (SD 14.9mm) below the medial epicondyle. Flexor carpi ulnaris was innervated by one to three motor trunks and the mean distance from the medial epicondyle to the origin of flexor carpi ulnaris nerve on ulnar nerve was 18.7 mm (SD 6.5mm). CONCLUSION: Primary motor branches to elbow flexors, wrist flexors and pronators were various, while the regions of their origins were relatively settled. It was recommended the incisions be designed according to the location of the primary motor trunks.