Soil microbial community responses to short-term nitrogen addition in China's Horqin Sandy Land.

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) addition has increased soil nutrient availability, thereby affecting ecosystem processes and functions in N-limited ecosystems. Long-term N addition decreases plant biodiversity, but the effects of short-term N addition on soil microbial community is poorly understood. The present study examined the impacts of short-term N addition (NH4NO3) on these factors in a sandy grassland and semi-fixed sandy land in the Horqin Sandy Land. We measured the responses of soil microbial biomass C and N; on soil ß-1,4-glucosidase (BG) and ß-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) activity; and soil microflora characteristics to N additions gradient with 0 (control), 5 (N5), 10 (N10), and 15 (N15) g N m-2 yr-1. The soil microbial biomass indices, NAG activity, and soil microflora characteristics did not differ significantly among the N levels, and there was no difference at the two sites. The competition for N between plants and soil microbes was not eliminated by short-term N addition due to the low soil nutrient and moisture contents, and the relationships among the original soil microbes did not change. However, N addition increased BG activity in the N5 and N10 additions in the sandy grassland, and in the N5, N10, and N15 additions in the semi-fixed sandy land. This may be due to increased accumulation and fixation of plant litter into soils in response to N addition, leading to increased microbial demand for a C source and increased soil BG activity. Future research should explore the relationships between soil microbial community and N addition at the two sites.

Evaluation of Diagnostic Scores for Acute Appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the sensitivity of the Alvarado score (AS), modified Alvarado score (MAS), Fenyo-Lindberg score (FS), Lintula score (LS), Eskelinen score (ES), Teicher score (TS), and Christian score (CS) [seven scorings] in patients with acute appendicitis (AA). STUDY DESIGN: Analytical study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China, from January 2012 to June 2015. METHODOLOGY: Patients with diagnosis of AA were evaluated retrospectively to compare the scoring systems. The diagnostic sensitivity (the correct number of diagnoses divided by the total number) was compared. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-nine patients were studied. The sensitivity of AS was 92.7%; It outperformed each of the other scores. The sensitivity of FS, LS, and TS in women was lower than that in men (p=0.016, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). The sensitivity of the FS, ES, TS, and CS in patients with a duration of illness greater than 48 hours was lower than that in patients with a duration of illness less than 48 hours (p<0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: AS is the most useful and sensitive diagnostic tool for AA. FS, LS, and TS had a lower diagnostic sensitivity in women; and FS, ES, TS, and CS had a low sensitivity in patients with a duration of illness greater than 48 hours.

The efficacy of autogenous femoral lateral iliotibial fascia in the treatment of female stress incontinence / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To analyze the safety and efficacy of autogenous femoral lateral iliotibial fascia(autologous fascia lata) in the treatment of female stress incontinence.Methods The clinical data of 7 female patients with stress incontinence admitted from January 2016 to June 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.The mean age was 58.2 years (range 45-72 years).The mean disease duration was 10.7 years (range 5-21 years).The mean Body mass index (BMI) was 24.1 kg/m2 (range 20.3-31.4 kg/m2).7 patients had severe subjective scores according to clinical symptoms.The average score of urinary incontinence questionnaire-simple form (ICIQ-SF) of international urinary incontinence advisory committee was 14.3 ± 1.1,the score of incontinence-quality of life (I-QOL) was 24.3 ± 4.8,respectively.During general anesthesia,the patient was placed in a half-recumbent position with the right leg straight down and the left leg bent over.The position of patella as well as the iliotibial band of the lateral femoral muscles were marked on the body surface.The iliotibial fascia of the lateral femoral muscle was exposed through a transverse incision 4-6 cm perpendicular to the iliotibial fascia of the lateral femoral muscle.The fascia of the lateral iliac tibial fascia of the lateral vastus with a width of 1.5 to 2.0 cm and a length of 12 to 14 cm was cut.The fascia was immersed in physiological saline and sutured with two 2-0 CT1PDS absorbable sutures or 2-0 vascular sutures at both ends of the fascia for 3 consecutive needles to form a sling.Then the urethral catheter was placed in the position of lithotomy,and then urethral suprapubic suspension was performed using autologous fascia through bilateral paravaginal incisions.The duration of surgery,intraoperative blood loss,intraoperative complications,postoperative catheter indwelling time,the length of hospital stay and postoperative complications were recorded.The situation of urinary incontinence as well as life quality before and after surgery were compared respectively.Results The operation was successfully performed.The mean operative time was 117.6 min(range 95-140 min).The mean intraoperative blood loss was 70.3 ml (range 50-90 ml).No complication was observed during the operation.The mean postoperative indwelling catheterization was 5.8 days (range 5-7 days).The mean postoperative hospital stay was 6.3 days (range 5-8 days).All 7 patients were cured after surgery,2 patients experienced urinary retention after removal of the catheter.The mean follow-up time was 18.2 months(range 13-24 months).No urinary incontinence or complications was observed postoperatively in all cases.Patient ICIQ-SF urinary incontinence questionnaire summary score and quality of life score of I-QOL questionnaire of 1 year post operation were 0.6 ± 0.5 and 96.1 ± 4.3,which were significantly improved compared with that before surgery(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion It is safe to use autologous femoral lateral muscle iliotibial fascia in the middle segment of urethra suspension for the treatment of female stress incontinence,and the curative effect is affirmative through one-year observation.

Ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty in young and middle-aged patients of femoral neck fracture / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty can be applied to young patients requiring frequent activity and high quality of life. OBJECTIVE:To explore the short-term efficiency of ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty in young and middle-aged patients of femoral neck fractures. METHODS:Fifty-one young and middle-aged patients under 50 years old with ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty were selected to analyze the function of hip joints and the complication after operation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Al the patients were fol owed up for 6 months to 44 months. At the last fol ow-up, the average Harris score was 92.0±3.4 points with an excellent and good rate of 94.1%. No dislocation was observed and three cases exhibited mild limping. Imaging examination showed that, no prosthesis loosing, broken, sinking or radiolucent line around prosthesis was observed. Ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty in young patients with femoral neck fractures can effectively decrease the osteolysis, prosthesis loosing and sinking caused by the debris of wearing, prolong the working life of the prosthesis, and improve the patient’s quality of life.

Comparative Study on Treatment of Chronic Pulmonary Heart Disease at Acute Stage with Sodium Ferulate and with Ciwujia Injection separately / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical effects of treatment of chronic pulmonary heart disease (CPHD) at acute stage with sodium ferulate and Ciwujia injection. Methods 90 cases of CPHD at acute stage were recruited into treatment group 1, treatment group 2 and control group. The control group was treated with consistent inhalation of oxygen,antibiotics, and symptomatic therapies like relieving cough, removing sputum, and stopping wheeze. The treatment group 1was treated with sodium ferulate, Ⅳ 0.2g, once daily for successive 14days, in addition to the conventional treatment. The treatment group 2 was treated with Ciwujia Injection, 100ml Ⅳ, once daily for successive 14 days. Observe the curative effect and the changes of blood gas analysis indexes (PAo2, PaCO2, SAO2) and bemorheological indexes (whole blood high-cutting viscosity, whole blood low-cutting viscosity, whole blood recovery viscosity, erythrocyte aggregation index, and HCT) before and after treatment. Result Compared with the control group, both treatment groups got improvement in blood gas analysis indexes and hemorheological indexes and curative effect, but no significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05).Conclusion both sodium ferulate and Ciwujia injection had good results in treating CPHD at acute stage, and there was no difference between the two medicines in terms of curative effects.