Case Report: Corneal perforation secondary to orbital cellulitis caused by Streptococcus pseudoporcinus infection.

INTRODUCTION: This report described a rare case of corneal perforation secondary to orbital cellulitis caused by Streptococcus pseudoporcinus (S. pseudoporcinus) infection. To the best of our knowledge, only six cases of S. pseudoporcinus infection have been reported. This case report suggested that S. pseudoporcinus infection was contagious and potentially life threatening. The report emphasized the value of managing infections early to avoid serious consequences. CASE DESCRIPTION: A patient with orbital cellulitis, which progressed to corneal perforation was admitted to the hospital for right facial swelling, pain, and decreased vision in his right eye. S. pseudoporcinus infection was found after bacterial culture of pus puncture. After aggressive anti-infection and surgical treatment, the infection was eliminated, and the patient was discharged. However, the patient had sustained permanent vision loss. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggested the potential risk of corneal perforation and orbital cellulitis caused by S. pseudoporcinus infection in humans. The specific biological changes and mode of action of S. pseudoporcinus are unclear and need further investigation.

Lifshitz phase transitions in a one-dimensional Gamma model.

In this paper, we study quantum phase transitions and magnetic properties of a one-dimensional spin-1/2 Gamma model, which describes the off-diagonal exchange interactions between edge-shared octahedra with strong spin-orbit couplings along the sawtooth chain. The competing exchange interactions between the nearest neighbors and the second neighbors stabilize the semimetallic ground state in terms of spinless fermions, and give rise to a rich phase diagram, which consists of three gapless phases. We find distinct phases are characterized by the number of Weyl nodes in the momentum space, and such changes in the topology of the Fermi surface without symmetry breaking produce a variety of Lifshitz transitions, in which the Weyl nodes situating at k=π change from type I to type II. A coexistence of type-I and type-II Weyl nodes is found in phase II. The information measures including concurrence, entanglement entropy, and relative entropy can effectively signal the second-order transitions. The results indicate that the Gamma model can act as an exactly solvable model to describe Lifshitz phase transitions in correlated electron systems.

Numerical and analytical results for geometric measure of coherence and geometric measure of entanglement.

Quantifying coherence and entanglement is extremely important in quantum information processing. Here, we present numerical and analytical results for the geometric measure of coherence, and also present numerical results for the geometric measure of entanglement. On the one hand, we first provide a semidefinite algorithm to numerically calculate geometric measure of coherence for arbitrary finite-dimensional mixed states. Based on this semidefinite algorithm, we test randomly generated single-qubit states, single-qutrit states, and a special kind of d-dimensional mixed states. Moreover, we also obtain an analytical solution of geometric measure of coherence for a special kind of mixed states. On the other hand, another algorithm is proposed to calculate the geometric measure of entanglement for arbitrary two-qubit and qubit-qutrit states, and some special kinds of higher dimensional mixed states. For other states, the algorithm can get a lower bound of the geometric measure of entanglement. Randomly generated two-qubit states, the isotropic states and the Werner states are tested. Furthermore, we compare our numerical results with some analytical results, which coincide with each other.

Polarization-dependent photon switch in a one-dimensional coupled-resonator waveguide.

Polarization-dependent photon switch is one of the most important ingredients in building future large-scale all-optical quantum network. We present a scheme for a single-photon switch in a one-dimensional coupled-resonator waveguide, where N(a) Λ-type three-level atoms are individually embedded in each of the resonator. By tuning the interaction between atom and field, we show that an initial incident photon with a certain polarization can be transformed into its orthogonal polarization state. Finally, we use the fidelity as a figure of merit and numerically evaluate the performance of our photon switch scheme in varieties of system parameters, such as number of atoms, energy detuning and dipole couplings.

[Epidemiological survey of HBsAg carriers in the Uighur and Han populations in the Khotan Area of Xinjiang autonomous region].

OBJECTIVE: To survey nonsymptomatic HBsAg carriers in the Uighur and Han populations in Khotan Area of Xinjiang Autonomous region. METHOD: HBsAg was detected using colloidal gold-labeled double antibody sandwich method. RESULTS: These investigations included 2 597 subjects consisting of 2 022 Uighur and 575 Han subjects. The total HBsAg carrier rate in the Uighur population was 1.48% (30/2 022), specifically 1.078% in male and 1.59% in female subjects. No significant differences were observed in the age between male and female HBsAg carriers, who had an average age of 35 years. In the Han population, the total HBsAg carrier rate was 6.09% (30/575), and was 5.6% in male and 4.4% in female subjects. The average age of the male carriers was 36.3 years and 27.6 years in the female carriers, which showed significant difference in respect to HBsAg carrier rate. The HBsAg carrier rate showed significant difference between Uighur and Han populations in Khotan Area (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The HBsAg carrier rate in Uighur population in Khotan Area is consistent with that in areas with low HBV infection, whereas the Han population exhibit features similar to those in areas with moderately HBV prevalence in the inland regions. The low HBsAg carrier rate in Uighurs might be attributed to the their customs in diet, eating habit, local living environment and the difference in HLA gene distribution. The authors suppose that such antigens as HLA-Bw41 might be protective against HBV infection.

[Expression of focal adhesion kinase in laryngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pattern of FAK expression in laryngeal squamosa cell carcinoma and non-carcinoma tissue. METHOD: Expression of FAK was examined in 100 specimens with laryngeal squamosa cell carcinoma and 60 specimens with non-carcinoma, in which 8 cases were in stage I, 23 cases in stage II, 38 cases in stage III and 31 cases in stage IV. RESULT: The staining of FAK was stronger in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas than in the cell of non-carcinoma areas. The cancers with lymphnode metastasis had more FAK protein than the cancers with out lymph node metastasis. Survival rate at 3 and 5 years was 76.9%(50/65) and 61.5%(40/65) respectively for positive staining group of FAK, compared to 97.1%(34/35) and 88.6% (31/35) respectively for negative staining group. CONCLUSION: The results in the report show that the level of FAK expression might be a valuable marker for carcinogeneandsis and the progression of carcinoma.

[Pearson technique in the treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To seek for a better method of treating the advanced laryngeal cancer. METHOD: Twenty-eight cases of advanced laryngeal cancer were treated with near-total laryngectomy(Pearson technique), including 11 glottic cancers(III stage, 8 cases: IV stage, 3 cases), 17 supraglottic cancers (III stage, 13 cases; IV stage, 4 cases). In the same time 26 patients had neck node dissections. All the cases had speech function reconstructions. RESULT: The speech function was obtained in 27/28(96.4%). All cases had good swallowing, 3-year survival rate is 78.6%, 5-year survival rate is 68.4%. CONCLUSION: Near-total laryngectomy can be used in most cases that might be treated with traditional total laryngectomy in the past. It can provide satisfied survival rate, good swallowing, better speech function, but breath function.

[Surgical management of hypopharyngeal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preservation of laryngeal function for the patients with hypopharyngeal cancer. METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-three cases of hypopharyngeal cancer with surgical management were reviewed retrospectively, and 222 cases were originated from pyriform sinus, 13 from post-cricoid, and 21 from posterior pharyngeal wall. Radiotherapy (37 cases), operation only (56 cases) and the combined treatment (operation plus radiation or chemotherapy, 200 cases) were adopted. 159 cases were treated with function preserved laryngectomy and 97 with total laryngectomy. RESULTS: The 5 year survival rates of patient with laryngeal function preserved and no laryngeal function preserved were 51.3%, 47.6% (for stage III); 40.4%, 43.3% (for stage IV), respectively. There were no significant differences in 5-year survival between the functionally preserved group and no functioned group (P > 0.05). The analysis of survival rates revealed a significant difference between combined therapy and radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference between the survive rates of function preserved and non-preserved groups. Conservation laryngectomy improves the quality of patient's life, and combined therapy is the best choice for hypopharyngeal cancer.

[A clinical evaluation on supracricoid partial laryngectomy with laryngoplasty].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of supracricoid partial laryngectomy with laryngoplasty in treating laryngeal cancer and reconstructing its functions. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-nine patients receiving subtotal laryngectomy from 1993 to 1999 were analysed. 4 kinds of operations were performed for them. 46 cases underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy with the reconstruction of laryngeal function by pedicled flaps. RESULTS: Among the 46 cases receiving supracricoid partiallaryngectomy with laryngoplasty, aspiration did not occur in 40 cases. The decannulation rate was 91.3%, 3, 5 year survival rates were 84.8%, 75%. 41 cases resumed enjoyed satisfactory phonation. CONCLUSION: This form of laryngeal reconstruction in supraericoid partial laryngectomy with laryngoplasty is helpful to restore laryngeal function. It can prevent aspiration and improve the decannulation rate as well as the quality of life in partial laryngectomy patients.