Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is considered as one of the most important complications of diabetes mellitus. At present, effective treatments that might improve the damaged neurological function in DPN are sorely needed. As myricetin has been proved to possess excellent neuroprotective and antioxidant effects, it might have therapeutic potential for DPN. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to detect the potential beneficial effect of myricetin on DPN. A single dose of 50 mg/kg of streptozotocin was applied in rats for the establishment of diabetic models. Different doses of myricetin (0.5 mg/kg/day, 1.0 mg/kg/day, and 2.0 mg/kg/day) were intraperitoneally injected for 2 weeks from the 21st day after streptozotocin injection. After the final myricetin injection, behavioral, electrophysiological, biochemical, and protein analyses were performed. In the present study, myricetin significantly ameliorated diabetes-induced impairment in sensation, nerve conduction velocities, and nerve blood flow. In addition, myricetin significantly reduced the generation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and elevated Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity and antioxidant activities in nerves in diabetic animals. Additional studies revealed that myricetin significantly raised the hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) levels, and elevated the expression level of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) as well as nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in diabetic rats. In addition, myricetin has the capability of decreasing plasma glucose under diabetic conditions. The findings in our present study collectively indicated that myricetin could restore the impaired motor and sensory functions under diabetic conditions. The Nrf2-dependent antioxidant action and the capability of decreasing plasma glucose might be the underlying mechanisms for the beneficial effect of myricetin on impaired neural functions. Our study showed the therapeutic potential of myricetin in the management of DPN.

Purpose. Fractures are common among all types of paediatric injuries, with differences in incidence over time. Here, we present the epidemiologic features of traumatic fractures in a population of youth ≤ 18 years of age who were admitted to our university-affiliated hospitals from 2002 to 2010. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 2450 children and adolescents who had traumatic fractures. The data include variables such as age, sex, date of injury, and the mechanism of injury. For the period of 2002-2010, there were 2450 injury events that resulted in at least 1 fracture. Results. Low falls (1042, 42.5%) and upper limb fractures (1068, 43.6%) were the most common aetiologies and fracture sites. With increasing age, the proportion of injuries due to motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) decreased and the injuries due to being hit by others and due to sprains increased. With increasing age, the proportion of craniofacial fractures (CFFs) decreased, and lower limb fractures (LLFs), spinal fractures (SFs), and fractures of ribs and the sternum (RSFs) increased. Over time, the proportion of injuries due to MVCs and mechanical injury decreased. Male patients presented with a significantly higher proportion of injuries due to low falls, being struck by an object, being hit by others, and due to sprains. There were a significantly lower proportion of injuries due to MVCs in female patients. Male patients presented with a significantly higher proportion of ULFs in the ≤6-year-old age group and a significantly lower proportion of LLFs and SFs in the 12-18-year-old age group than did female patients. Conclusions. Low falls and upper limb fractures were the leading cause and fracture sites. To further improve the prevention and treatment of traumatic fractures in children and adolescents, policy makers should pay attention to these characteristics.

To investigate the sex, age, role and geographic differences in traumatic spinal fractures (TSFs) caused by motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) in adults (≥ 18 years old). This was a multicentre retrospective observational study. In total, 798 patients with TSFs caused by MVCs admitted to our hospitals from January 2013 to December 2019 were enrolled. The patterns were summarized with respect to different sexes (male and female), age group (18–60 and ≥ 60), role (driver, passenger and pedestrian) and geographic location (Chongqing and Shenyang). Significant differences in distribution related to district (p = 0.018), role (p < 0.01), motorcycle (p = 0.011), battery electric vehicle (p = 0.045), bicycle (p = 0.027), coma after injury (p = 0.002), pelvic fracture (p = 0.021), craniocerebral injury (p = 0.008) and fracture location (p < 0.01) were observed between the male and female groups. Significant differences in distribution related to district (p < 0.01), role (p < 0.01), car (p = 0.013), coma after injury (p = 0.003), lower limb fracture (p = 0.016), fracture location (p = 0.001) and spinal cord injury (p < 0.01) were observed between the young adult and elderly groups. Significant differences in distribution related to sex ratio (p < 0.01), age (p < 0.01), district (p < 0.01), most vehicles involved (P < 0.01), lower limb fracture (p < 0.01), pelvic fracture (p < 0.01), fracture location (p < 0.01), complications (p < 0.01), and spinal cord injury (p < 0.01) were observed between the three different groups of pedestrian, passenger, and driver. Significant differences in distribution related to sex ratio (p = 0.018), age (p < 0.01), role (p < 0.01), most vehicles involved (p < 0.01), coma after injury (p = 0.030), LLF (P = 0.002), pelvic fracture (p < 0.01), craniocerebral injury (p = 0.011), intrathoracic injury (p < 0.01), intra-abdominal injury (p < 0.01), complications (p = 0.033) and spinal cord injury (p < 0.01) were observed between the Chongqing and Shenyang groups. This study demonstrates the age-, gender-, role- and geographic-specific clinical characteristics of TSFs resulting from MVCs and reveals a significant relationship between different ages, sexes, roles, geographic locations and associated injuries, complications and spinal cord injuries.

Objective: Studies discussed few risk factors for specific patients, such as duration of disease; or surgical factors, such as duration and time of surgery; or C3 or C7 involvement, which could have led to the formation of hematomas (HTs). To investigate the incidence, risk factors especially the factors mentioned above, and management of postoperative HTs following anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACF) for degenerative cervical diseases.Methods: Medical records of 1,150 patients who underwent ACF for degenerative cervical diseases at our hospital between 2013 and 2019 were identified and reviewed. Patients were categorized into the HT group (HT group) or normal group (no-HT group). Demographic, surgical and radiographic data were recorded prospectively to identify risk factors for HT.Results: Postoperative HT was identified in 11 patients, with an incidence rate of 1.0% (11 of 1,150). HT occurred within 24 hours postoperatively in 5 patients (45.5%), while it occurred at an average of 4 days postoperatively in 6 patients (54.5%). Eight patients (72.7%) underwent HT evacuation; all patients were successfully treated and discharged. Smoking history (odds ratio [OR], 5.193; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.058–25.493; p = 0.042), preoperative thrombin time (TT) value (OR, 1.643; 95% CI, 1.104–2.446; p = 0.014) and antiplatelet therapy (OR, 15.070; 95% CI, 2.663–85.274; p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for HT. Patients with postoperative HT had longer days of first-degree/intensive nursing (p < 0.001) and greater hospitalization costs (p = 0.038).Conclusion: Smoking history, preoperative TT value and antiplatelet therapy were independent risk factors for postoperative HT following ACF. High-risk patients should be closely monitored through the perioperative period. Postoperative HT in ACF was associated with longer days of first-degree/intensive nursing and more hospitalization costs.

In recent years, chondrocytes have been found to contain hemoglobin, which might be an alternative strategy for adapting to the hypoxic environment, while the potential mechanisms of that is still unclear. Here, we report the expression characteristics and potential associated pathways of hemoglobin in chondrocytes using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). We downloaded data of normal people and patients with osteoarthritis (OA) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and cells are unbiased clustered based on gene expression pattern. We determined the expression levels of hemoglobin in various chondrocyte subpopulations. Meanwhile, we further explored the difference in the enriched signaling pathways and the cell-cell interaction in chondrocytes of the hemoglobin high-expression and low-expression groups. Specifically, we found that SPP1 was closely associated with the expression of hemoglobin in OA progression. Our findings provide new insights into the distribution characteristics of hemoglobin in chondrocytes and provide potential clues to the underlying role of hemoglobin in OA and the mechanisms related to that, providing potential new ideas for the treatment of OA.

Although Ti-Cu alloys have been shown to possess good antibacterial properties, they are still biologically inert. In this study, sandblasting and acid etching combined with anodic oxidation were applied to roughen the surface as well as to form a TiO₂/CuO/Cu₂O composite film, which would benefit both the antibacterial properties and the biocompatibility. The surface morphology, the phase composition, and the physicochemical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical testing and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP) were used to determine the corrosion resistance and Cu ion release, the plate counting method was used to evaluate the antibacterial performance, and the CCK-8 method was used to evaluate the cytocompatibility. It was revealed that a rough surface with densely porous double layer composed of TiO₂/CuO/Cu₂O was produced on Ti-Cu alloy surface after the combined surface modification, which enhanced the corrosion resistance significantly. The plate counting results demonstrated that the modified sample had strong long-term antibacterial performance (antibacterial rate > 99%), which was attributed to the formation of TiO₂/CuO/Cu₂O composite film. The cell compatibility evaluation results indicated that the surface modification improved the cytocompatibility. It was demonstrated that the combined modification provided very strong antibacterial ability and good cytocompatiblity, potentially making it a good candidate surface modification technique for Ti-Cu alloy for biomedical applications.