Impact of sinonasal anatomic changes after endoscopic anterior skull base surgery on nasal airflow and air conditioning: a computational fluid dynamics study / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To analyze the impact of the sinonasal anatomic changes after endonasal endoscopic anterior skull base surgery on the nasal airflow and heating and humidification by computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and to explore the correlation between the postoperative CFD parameters and the subjective symptoms of the patients. Methods: The clinical data in the Rhinology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2016 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients received the endoscopic resection of the anterior skull base tumor were selected as the case group, and the adults whose CT scans had no sinonasal abnormalities were chosen as the control group. The CFD simulation was performed on the sinonasal models after reconstructed from the patients' sinus CT images during the post-surgical follow-up. All the patients were asked to complete the Empty Nose Syndrome 6-Item Questionnaire (ENS6Q) to assess the subjective symptoms. The comparison between two independent groups and the correlation analysis were carried out by using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman correlation test in the SPSS 26.0 software. Results: Nineteen patients (including 8 males and 11 females, from 22 to 67 years old) in the case group and 2 patients (a male of 38 years old and a female of 45 years old) in the control group were enrolled in this study. After the anterior skull base surgery, the high-speed airflow moved to the upper part of the nasal cavity, and the lowest temperature shifted upwards on the choana. Comparing with the control group, the ratio of nasal mucosal surface area to nasal ventilation volume in the case group decreased [0.41 (0.40, 0.41) mm-1 vs 0.32 (0.30, 0.38) mm-1; Z=-2.04, P=0.041], the air flow in the upper and middle part of the nasal cavity increased [61.14 (59.78, 62.51)% vs 78.07 (76.22, 94.43)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the nasal resistance decreased [0.024 (0.022, 0.026) Pa·s/ml vs 0.016 (0.009, 0.018) Pa·s/ml; Z=-2.29, P=0.022], the lowest temperature in the middle of the nasal cavity decreased [28.29 (27.23, 29.35)℃ vs 25.06 (24.07, 25.50)℃; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the nasal heating efficiency decreased [98.74 (97.95, 99.52)% vs 82.16 (80.24, 86.91)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the lowest relative humidity decreased [(79.62 (76.55, 82.69)% vs 73.28 (71.27, 75.05)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], and the nasal humidification efficiency decreased [99.50 (97.69, 101.30)% vs 86.09 (79.33, 87.16)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023]. The ENS6Q total scores of all patients in the case group were less than 11 points. There was a moderate negative correlation between the proportion of the inferior airflow in the post-surgical nasal cavity negatively and the ENS6Q total scores (rs=-0.50, P=0.029). Conclusions: The sinonasal anatomic changes after the endoscopic anterior skull base surgery alter the nasal airflow patterns, reducing the efficiency of nasal heating and humidification. However, the post-surgical occurrence tendency of the empty nose syndrome is weak.

Assessment of heart's changes of elite Chinese male weightlifter by speckle tracking echocardiography / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the changes of heart structure and function in elite Chinese weightlifters by spot tracking technique.@*METHODS@#Chinese elite male weightlifters (weightlifter group, n=16) and age-matched healthy men (control group, n=16) were included as subjects. Transthoracic echocardiography and speckle-tracking automatic functional imaging were used for two-dimensional myocardial strain measurements.@*RESULTS@#The thickness of septum and left ventricular (LV) posterior wall and the myocardial mass index of LV were all higher than those of the control group [(9.3±1.3) mm vs. (8.0±0.4) mm, (9.2±0.8) mm vs. (8.0±0.8) mm, (77.8±12.8) g/m2 vs. (67.8±11.2) g/m2, all P < 0.05]. Although the LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and global long axis strain value (LVGLS) were not significantly different from those in the control group, the LV mean Sm and Em reflecting the systolic and diastolic functions of the LV were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Further myocardial strain analysis showed that the absolute value of the long axial strain of the basal anteroseptal and mid-inferoseptal segments of the weightlifters were significantly lower than those of the control group [|(-15.1±4.2)%|vs.|(-18.7±3.0)%|, |(-18.8±2.6)%|vs.|(-21.3±2.8)%|, all P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in other segments. The athletes were divided into two groups according to their best performance in the National Youth Games. The athletes were divided into two sub-groups according to their performance in the National Youth Games. The thickness of the septum in the sub-group with better performance (who ranked the 1st to 8th) was larger [(10.2±1.1) mm vs. (8.5±1.0) mm, P < 0.05], and the absolute value of the long-axis strain in the mid-inferoseptal segment was lower [|(-17.1±2.1)%|vs.|(-20.4±2.1)%|, P < 0.05].@*CONCLUSION@#The thickening of septum is more obvious in the excellent weightlifters, accompanied by the decrease of myocardial systolic function. The speckle-tracking technique of echocardiography can identify the changes of the heart structure and function of elite athletes at an early stage, which may provide a basis for sports medicine supervision and the selection of excellent talents.

Left ventricular function and remodeling assessed by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in Chinese weightlifter athletes / 中华心血管病杂志

Objectives: To explore the impact of strength sport on heart structure by echocardiography (ECHO) and cardiac resonance imaging (CMR). Methods: This is a case control study. A total of 14 male weightlifter athletes who underwent physical examination in Peking University Third Hospital from January 16, 2019 to November 1, 2019 were included in this study. Fourteen age-matched healthy Chinese men served as the control group. ECHO and CMR were used to detect the heart structure and function of the participants. Results: The age of athlete group was (21±3) years, and the training time was (9±4) years. The weekly exercise time of athlete group was more than 15 hours, while that of control group was less than 3 hours. ECHO-derived interventricular septal (IVS) thickness value ((9.3±1.3) mm vs. (8.1±0.5) mm, P=0.006) and CMR-derived IVS value ((11.0±1.5) mm vs. (10.0±0.5) mm, P=0.003) was both significantly higher in the athlete group than in the control group. For the athlete group, the indicators of left ventricular volume measured by ECHO (left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), left ventricular end systolic volume, left ventricular end systolic volume index) and IVS thickness were significantly lower than those measured by CMR (all P<0.05). Left ventricular ejection fraction ((67.0±3.8)% vs. (59.0±3.9)%, P<0.001) and left ventricular global longitudinal strain ((19.3±2.9)% vs. (11.2±1.2)%, P<0.001) values measured by ECHO were significantly higher than those measured by CMR. There was no significant difference in the proportion of subjects with the left ventricular end diastolic diameter, LVEDV and LVEDVI above the upper limit of normal as measured by ECHOs and CMR (all P>0.05). IVS values measured by ECHO were all within the normal range, and CMR showed that 9 (9/14) weightlifter athletes had IVS>11 mm with a maximum thickness of 13.8 mm, which occurred in the inferoseptum. Conclusion: Weightlifter sport could result in thickening of the left ventricular inferoseptum, and CMR is superior to ECHO in detecting the thickening of the left ventricular wall, which serves as a helpful tool for sports medicine supervision.

Effect of qubi zhentong recipe on synovial gene expression in collagen-induced arthritis in rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of the Chinese medical formula Qubi Zhentong Recipe(, QZR) on the synovial gene expression profile in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten rats were randomly chosen from 60 rats as the control group, and the other 50 rats were used for the CIA models. The CIA model group was constructed by bovine injection of type II collagen through the rats' neck and tail. Twenty rats were randomly chosen from 34 successful CIA models and randomly assigned into two groups: the model group (n =10) and the QZR group (n=10). The QZR group was fed intragastrically with QZR 22.9 g/(kg·d) (10 times the clinical adult dose), and the CIA model group was given the same dose of normal saline. Both model and QZR groups were administered treatment once a day. Total RNA was collected from the knee joint synovium after 30 days. The change in gene expression profile was analyzed by a whole gene chip.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 76 genes showed a difference in expression between CIA model group and the control group; 35 genes were down-regulated and 41 were up-regulated. A total of 67 genes showed a difference in expression between the model group and the QZR group; 48 genes were down-regulated and 19 were upregulated.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>QZR may affect CIA by stimulating multiple genes and targets, which are related to oncogenes, apoptosis, metabolism, the immune system, ion channels, and transport proteins.</p>

YMDD motif mutations in chronic hepatitis B antiviral treatment naïve patients: a multi-center study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the natural prevalence of variants of tyrosine-methionine-aspartic acid-aspartic acid (YMDD) motif in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to explore its relation with demographic and clinical features, hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes, and HBV DNA levels. METHODS: A total of 1,042 antiviral treatment naïve CHB patients (including with lamivudine [LAM]) in the past year were recruited from outpatient and inpatient departments of six centers from December 2008 to June 2010. YMDD variants were analyzed using the HBV drug resistance line probe assay (Inno-Lipa HBV-DR). HBV genotypes were detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microcosmic nucleic acid cross-ELISA, and HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was quantitated with real-time PCR. All serum samples underwent tests for HBV, HCV, and HDV with ELISA. RESULTS: YMDD variants were detected in 23.3% (243/1042) of CHB patients. YMDD mutation was accompanied by L180M mutation in 154 (76.9%) patients. Both wild-type HBV and YMDD variant HBV were present in 231 of 243 patients. Interestingly, 12 patients had only YIDD and/or YVDD variants without wild YMDD motif. In addition, 27.2% (98/359) of HbeAg-positive patients had YMDD mutations, which was higher than that in HbeAg-negative patients (21.2%, 145/683). The incidence of YMDD varied among patients with different HBV genotypes, but the difference was not significant. Moreover, the incidence of YMDD in patients with high HBV DNA level was significantly higher than that in those with low HBV DNA level. CONCLUSION: Mutation of YMDD motif was detectable at a high rate in CHB patients in this study. The incidence of YMDD may be correlated with HBeAg and HBV DNA level.

Analysis of the genetic relationships from different genetic systems between the amylose content and the appearance quality of indica rice across environments

The genetic relationships between amylose content (AC) and appearance quality traits of indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) were investigated using conditional analysis and unconditional analysis in present experiment. The results from the unconditional analysis indicated that AC of rice positively correlated with brown rice (BR, i.e., dehulled but unmilled rice) length (BRL), width (BRW) and thickness (BRT), but was negatively correlated with the ratio of length to width (RLW). The conditional analysis showed that weight of brown rice (WBR) negatively affected the genetic relationships between AC and the appearance quality traits of rice except between AC and BRW, while the genetic relationships between AC and most appearance quality traits were negatively affected by protein content (PC). However, these influences were not apparent due to the impact of WBR or PC on the most covariance components of the different genetic systems between AC and the appearance quality traits. The conditional analysis showed that it was possible to improve AC while significantly reduce BRL and BRT under maintaining WBR. Furthermore, AC could be improved when BRL was reduced under maintaining PC, but BRW and BRT could be significantly increased.

Muscle-sparing thoracotomy in chest surgery / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To review the clinical experience of muscle-sparing thoracotomy in intrathoracic surgery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thoracotomy was performed in 386 patients from 1998 to 2002, during the procedure lateral-transverse incision, free dissection of muscular flap and entering to the thoracic cavity through certain intercostal space were applied. Two sets of rib retractors were used to ensure the excellent field exposure.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intrathoracic surgery was carried out by this method with the advantage of excellent surgical field exposure, less pain and relative quick recovery.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Muscle-sparing thoracotomy has the merits of less injury and the same good exposure as routine thoracotomy and it can be carried out in majority of chest surgery.</p>

Setting environment variable to update Oracle client's character set / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To prevent data transfer or loss in application development when dealing with data exchange between Oracle database with different server's character set.Methods Environment variable is set to update Oracle client's character set so as to solve data transfer or loss caused by character set transformation.Results It was the environment variable not the register list that was reset,so Oracle databases with different server's character set were not connected at the same time.Conclusion An adaptive method for different server's character set is given to solve this problem.

Multi-version Data Management by Oracle Workspace Manager / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To simplify the management of multi-version data.Methods Oracle workspace manager technology was implemented to manage corresponding table in different version.Results The management of multi-version data in a single Oracle database could be achieved.Conclusion The method can make database management easier and save the cost of hardware.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2008,29(3):45-46]