Preventative strategies for low anterior resection syndrome.

BACKGROUND: A common and debilitating complication of low anterior resection for rectal cancer is low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). As a multifactorial entity, LARS is poorly understood and challenging to treat. Despite this, prevention strategies are commonly overlooked. Our aim was to review the pathophysiology of LARS and explore current evidence on the efficacy and feasibility of prophylactic techniques. METHODS: A literature review was performed between [1st January 2000 to 1st October 2023] for studies which investigated preventative interventions for LARS. Mechanisms by which LARS develop are described, followed by a review of prophylactic strategies to prevent LARS. Medline, Cochrane, and PubMed databases were searched, 189 articles screened, 8 duplicates removed and 18 studies reviewed. RESULTS: Colonic dysmotility, anal sphincter dysfunction and neorectal dysfunction all contribute to the development of LARS, with the complex mechanism of defecation interrupted by surgery. Transanal irrigation (TAI) and pelvic floor rehabilitation (PFR) have shown benefits in preventing LARS, but may be limited by patient compliance. Intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) and robotic-assisted surgery have shown some promise in surgically preventing LARS. Nerve stimulation and other novel strategies currently used in treatment of LARS have yet to be investigated in their roles prophylactically. CONCLUSIONS: To date, there is a limited evidence base for all preventative strategies including IONM, RAS, PFP and TAI. These strategies are limited by either access (IONM, RAS and PFP) or acceptability (PFP and TAI), which are both key to the success of any intervention. The results of ongoing trials will serve to assess acceptability, while technological advancement may improve access to some of the aforementioned strategies.

A quinary WTaCrVHf nanocrystalline refractory high-entropy alloy withholding extreme irradiation environments.

In the quest of new materials that can withstand severe irradiation and mechanical extremes for advanced applications (e.g. fission & fusion reactors, space applications, etc.), design, prediction and control of advanced materials beyond current material designs become paramount. Here, through a combined experimental and simulation methodology, we design a nanocrystalline refractory high entropy alloy (RHEA) system. Compositions assessed under extreme environments and in situ electron-microscopy reveal both high thermal stability and radiation resistance. We observe grain refinement under heavy ion irradiation and resistance to dual-beam irradiation and helium implantation in the form of low defect generation and evolution, as well as no detectable grain growth. The experimental and modeling results-showing a good agreement-can be applied to design and rapidly assess other alloys subjected to extreme environmental conditions.

[CT perfusion combined with energy spectrum imaging to evaluate the short-term efficacy of bronchial arterial chemoembolization for lung cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of dynamic volumetric CT perfusion combined with energy spectrum imaging in bronchial arterial chemoembolization (BACE) in patients with lung cancer. Methods: The data of 31 patients with lung cancer confirmed by pathology and treated with BACE in Lishui Central Hospital from January 2018 to February 2022 were retrospectively collected, including 23 men and 8 women, aged 31-84 (67) years. All patients received perfusion scans of lesion sites within 1 week before surgery and 1 month after surgery. We collected and compared the changes in preoperative and postoperative perfusion parameters such as blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean through time (MTT), permeability surface (PS) and energy spectrum parameters including arterial phase CT value (CTA), venous phase CT value (CTV), arterial phase iodine concentration (ICA), venous phase of iodine concentration (ICV), arterial standardization iodine concentration (NICA), and intravenous standardized iodine concentration (NICV) to confirm the significance of these parameters in evaluating the short-term efficacy of BACE in the treatment of advanced lung cancer. Data normality was tested using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and normally distributed measurement data are expressed here as mean ± standard deviation; the independent-samples t-test was used for comparisons between two groups. The measurement data that were not normally distributed are expressed as median (interquartile interval) [M (Q1, Q3)], and the comparison between the two groups used the Kruskal-Wallis test. Count data are expressed as cases (%), and comparisons between groups used the χ2 test. Results: The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) at 1 month after BACE were 54.8% (17/31) and 96.8% (30/31), respectively. CT perfusion parameters and energy spectrum parameters of patients before and after BACE treatment were compared. The results showed that BF, BV, MTT, ICA, ICV and NICV were significantly decreased after BACE treatment compared with before treatment, and the differences were statistically significant[58.06 (40.47,87.22) vs.23.57(10.92, 36.24) ml·min-1·100g-1,3.33(2.86,6.09) vs.2.12(1.96,3.61)ml/100g,2.70(2.19,3.88) vs.1.53 (1.12,2.25)s, 3.51 (3.11,4.14)vs.1.74 (1.26,2.50)mg/ml,2.00 (1.30,2.45) vs.1.32(0.92,1.76)mg/ml,0.51(0.42,0.57) vs.0.33(0.23,0.39)](all P<0.05). At the same time, compared with the non-remission group, the study results showed that the difference of parameters in remission group before and after BACE was more obvious, including ΔBF, ΔBV, ΔMTT, ΔPS, ΔCTA, ΔCTV, ΔICA, ΔICV, ΔNICA, ΔNICV were significantly increased, and the difference was statistically significant [36.82(32.38, 45.34) vs.9.50(-1.43, 12.34) ml·min-1·100g-1,4.46(2.52, 5.79) vs.0.22(-0.76, 4.09) ml/100g,4.22(2.25, 6.77) vs.0.43(-2.53, 1.88) s,10.07 (2.89, 13.13) vs.-2.01(-6.77, 4.28) ml·min-1·100g-1,14.22(11.88, 20.57) vs.4.18(-5.25, 6.37) HU, 34.6(14.88, 43.15) vs.11.60(0.26, 25.05) HU,0.95(0.54, 1.47) vs.0.11(0.20, 0.59) mg/ml,1.57(1.10, 2.38) vs. 0.26(-0.21, 0.63) mg/ml,0.05(0.03, 0.08) vs.-0.02(-0.04, 0.01),0.18(0.13, 0.21)vs. 0.11(-0.06, 0.16)](all P<0.05). Conclusions: CT perfusion combined with spectral imaging could effectively evaluate the changes in tumor vascular perfusion in patients with advanced lung cancer before and after BACE treatment, which has important value in judging the short-term efficacy after treatment.

[A real-world study on the efficacy and safety analysis of paclitaxel liposome in advanced breast cancer].

Objective: To explore the application and efficacy of paclitaxel liposome in the treatment of advanced breast cancer among Chinese population in the real world. Methods: The clinical characteristics of patients with advanced breast cancer who received paclitaxel liposome as salvage treatment from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2019 in 11 hospitals were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was progression free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcome included objective response rate (ORR) and safety. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox regression model were used for the multivariate analysis. Results: Among 647 patients with advanced breast cancer who received paclitaxel liposome, the first-line treatment accounted for 43.3% (280/647), the second-line treatment accounted for 27.7% (179/647), and the third-line and above treatment accounted for 29.1% (188/647). The median dose of first-line and second-line treatment was 260 mg per cycle, and 240 mg in third line and above treatment. The median period of paclitaxel liposome alone and combined chemotherapy or targeted therapy is 4 cycles and 6 cycles, respectively. In the whole group, 167 patients (25.8%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with capecitabine±trastuzumab (TX±H), 123 patients (19.0%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome alone (T), and 119 patients (18.4%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with platinum ± trastuzumab (TP±H), 108 patients (16.7%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with trastuzumab ± pertuzumab (TH±P). The median PFS of first-line and second-line patients (5.5 and 5.5 months, respectively) were longer than that of patients treated with third line and above (4.9 months, P<0.05); The ORR of the first line, second line, third line and above patients were 46.7%, 36.8% and 28.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that event-free survival (EFS) and the number of treatment lines were independent prognostic factors for PFS. The common adverse events were myelosuppression, gastrointestinal reactions, hand foot syndrome and abnormal liver function. Conclusion: Paclitaxel liposomes is widely used and has promising efficacy in multi-subtype advanced breast cancer.

[Analysis of 15 cases of trench foot in peacetime].

Trench foot was first seen in World War Ⅰ and was one of the reasons for non combat attrition. We reviewed and analyzed 15 cases of trench foot admitted from 2010 to 2021, summarized clinical treatment methods and experiences, analyzed the causes, population characteristics, treatment methods, and treatment experiences of trench foot during peacetime, strengthened attention to high-risk groups, and improved the success rate of clinical treatment.

[Cone-beam CT analysis of vertical control of mandible and changes of temporomandibular joint in adult patients with skeletal class â ¡ malocclusion with high angle].

Objective: To investigate the shape and position changes of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in adult skeletal class Ⅱ malocclusion with high angle patients after vertical mandibular control, and the correlation between vertical mandibular changes and condylar position changes. Methods: Twenty adult skeletal class Ⅱ malocclusion with high angle patients [6 males and 14 females, aged (21.4±2.4) years] who underwent extraction treatment and active vertical control in the Department of Orthodontics, Lanzhou University Stomatological Hospital from October 2017 to November 2020 were selected. Cone-beam CT data of the patient before and after treatment were imported into Invivo Dental 5.0 software for three-dimensional reconstruction and correction, and the vertical index of mandible in reconstructed lateral cephalogram (mandibular plane angle, posterior anterior height ratio, mandibular true rotation angle) were measured. Incisal angle and variables of condyle shape, position and articular fossa shape were measured. Paired t test was performed on the results before and after treatment, and the correlation between mandibular vertical changes and condylar position changes was determined by Pearson correlation coefficient calculation. Results: After treatment, the overbite and overjet were within normal range, and the vertical height of the molars was controlled. Compared with the measurement before treatment, mandibular plane angle and mandibular true rotation angle were decreased by 2.05°±1.22° (t=7.60, P<0.001) and 1.42°±1.92° (t=3.54, P=0.002), respectively. The posterior anterior height ratio was increased by (1.89±3.32)% (t=2.56, P=0.019). After treatment, the mediolateral diameter of condyle, the anteroposterior diameter of condyle, the maximum cross-sectional area of condyle, the height of condyle head, the width of articular fossa, the depth of articular fossa and the articular nodular angle were increased by (0.55±0.76) mm (t=-2.73, P=0.015), (0.27±3.51) mm (t=-3.23, P=0.006), (6.01±7.36) mm2 (t=-2.80, P=0.013), (0.33±0.72) mm (t=-2.14, P=0.046), (0.56±0.93) mm (t=-2.37, P=0.032), 0.33 (0.14, 0.51) mm (Z=-2.76, P=0.006) and 1.50°±2.40° (t=-2.44, P=0.028), respectively. The internal condylar space and the external condylar space were decreased by (0.33±0.49) mm (t=2.31, P=0.035) and (0.20±0.23) mm (t=3.58, P=0.003), respectively. Before orthodontic treatment, 6 patients were with anterior displacement of the condyle, 7 patients with central position of the condyle, and 7 patients with posterior displacement of the condyle. After correction, patients who were with central position of the condyle have not changed much. The posterior displaced condyle in 2 patients and anterior displaced condyle in 3 patients became in central position after treatment. The joint space index was closer to the central position in 3 patients with anterior displacement and 3 patients with posterior displacement. The position of condyle in 1 patient with posterior displacement and 1 patient with anterior displacement remained basically unchanged. There was a significant negative correlation between the change of the posterior-anterior height ratio and the change of the internal condylar space in patients (r=-0.52, P=0.019), and a low correlation with the contral condylar space and the external condylar space(r=-0.48, P=0.031; r=-0.47, P=0.035). Conclusions: Skeletal class Ⅱ malocclusion with high angle adult patients achieved normal overbite and overjet and remodeling of condyle and articular fossa occurred after orthodontic treatmnet and vertical control. There was a certain negative correlation between the change of posterior-anterior height ratio and the change of condylar position.

[Accuracy of the China-PAR and WHO risk models in predicting the ten-year risks of cardiovascular disease in the Chinese population].

Objective: To externally validate and compare the accuracy of the China-PAR (Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China) model and the 2019 World Health Organization (WHO) cardiovascular disease risk charts for East Asian in predicting a 10-year cardiovascular disease in a general Chinese population. Methods: Participants aged 40-79 years without prior cardiovascular disease at baseline in the CHinese Electronic health Records Research in Yinzhou (CHERRY) were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated the observed cardiovascular events (including non-fatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, and non-fatal or fatal stroke) rate within ten years. The expected risks were calculated using the WHO risk charts for East Asia (including the laboratory-based and non-laboratory-based models) and the China-PAR model. The expected-observed ratios were calculated to evaluate the overestimation or underestimation of the models in the cohort. Model accuracy was assessed by discrimination C-index, calibration χ2 value, and calibration plots. Results: During a median of 7.26 years of follow-up, 13 301 cardiovascular events were identified among 225 811 participants. The C-index for the China-PAR model, WHO laboratory-based model and WHO non-laboratory-based model were 0.741 (0.735-0.747), 0.747 (0.740-0.753), and 0.739 (0.733-0.746) for men, and 0.782 (0.776-0.788), 0.789 (0.783-0.795), and 0.782 (0.776-0.787) for women, respectively. The WHO laboratory-based model and non-laboratory-based model underestimated the 10-year ASCVD risk by around 15% in women and underestimated by 0.8% and 4.4% in men, respectively. The China-PAR model underestimated the risks by 19.5% and 42.3% for men and women. Conclusions: The China-PAR and WHO models all have pretty good discriminations for 10-year cardiovascular risk assessment in this general Chinese population. However, the accuracy should be improved in the highest-risk groups, suggesting further specific models are still needed for those with the highest risk, such as patients with diabetes or older persons.

[Effect of behavioral intervention based on social media to promote HIV/syphilis testing in young men who have sex with men].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of social media based behavioral intervention on promoting joint testing of HIV and syphilis in young men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: After the recruitment, the participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided (1∶1) into two groups, i.e. social media intervention group and control group. The control group was given routine voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services. The intervention group was also given VCT services, besides; the comprehensive strategies through social media, including regular health education message and testing information sending, were given to them to strengthen the behavioral intervention. Follow up was conducted for the participants for 12 months after the intervention. The number and the proportion of young MSM receiving HIV and syphilis testing, and the reported proportion of the young MSM with sexually transmitted diseases (STD) symptoms between the intervention group and the control group were compared to evaluate the effect of the intervention. Results: A total of 315 young MSM were recruited (158 in the intervention group and 157 in the control group), in whom 248 young MSM completed the follow up. The follow-up rate was 78.7%. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the intervention group and the control group (all P>0.05). The proportion of young MSM receiving more than one joint testing in the intervention group was slightly higher than that in the control group (53.2% vs. 48.4%, rate difference (RD): 4.8%, 95%CI: -7.5%-17.0%, P=0.448) without significant difference. However, in the young MSM who used condoms in the last anal sex, the proportion of those receiving more than one joint testing in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group (63.8% vs. 46.1%, RD: 17.7%, 95%CI: 1.5%-32.6%, P=0.035). In addition, the reported proportion of young MSM with STD symptoms in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (6.3% vs. 18.0%,RD: -11.7%, 95%CI: -20.6%- -3.0%, P=0.005). Conclusion: Compared with routine VCT, social media based behavioral intervention might promote joint HIV and syphilis testing in the young MSM who used condom in the study. It could significantly reduce the reporting proportion of STD symptoms, suggesting that this method can promote the AIDS and STD prevention related behaviors in young MSM.

[Effectiveness of different screening strategies for type 2 diabete on preventing cardiovascular diseases in a community-based Chinese population using a decision-analytic Markov model].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of different screening strategies for type 2 diabetes to prevent cardiovascular disease in a community-based Chinese population from economically developed areas based on the Chinese electronic health records research in Yinzhou (CHERRY) study. METHODS: A Markov model was used to simulate different systematic diabetes screening strategies, including: (1) screening among Chinese adults aged 40-70 years recommended by the 2020 Chinese Guideline for the prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes (Strategy 1); (2) screening among Chinese adults aged 35 to 70 years recommended by the 2022 American Diabetes Association Standard of Medical Care in Diabetes (Strategy 2); and (3) screening among Chinese adults aged 35-70 years with overweight or obesity recommended by the 2021 United States Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement on Screening for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes (Strategy 3). According to the guidelines, individuals who were screened positively (fasting plasma glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L) would be introduced to intensive glycemic targets management (glycated hemoglobin < 7.0%).The Markov model simulated different screening scenarios for ten years (cycles) with parameters mainly from the CHERRY study or published literature. Number of cardiovascular disease events or deaths could be prevented and number needed to screen (NNS) were calculated to compare the effectiveness of the different strategies. One-way sensitivity analysis on the sensitivity of screening methods and probabilistic sensitivity analysis on uncertainties of diabetes incidence, the sensitivity of screening methods, and intensive glycemic management effects were conducted. RESULTS: Totally 289 245 Chinese adults aged 35-70 years without cardiovascular diseases or diagnosed diabetes at baseline were enrolled. In terms of the number of cardiovascular disease events could be prevented, Strategy 1 for systematic diabetes screening among the adults aged 35-70 years was 222 (95%UI: 180-264), Strategy 2 for systematic diabetes screening among the adults aged 40-70 years was 227 (95%UI: 185-271), and Strategy 3 for systematic diabetes screening among the adults aged 35-70 years with obesity or overweight (body mass index ≥ 24 kg/m2) was 131 (95%UI: 98-164), compared with opportunistic screening. NNS per cardiovascular disease event for the strategies 1, 2 and 3 were 1 184 (95%UI: 994-1 456), 1 274 (95%UI: 1 067-1 564) and 814 (95%UI: 649-1 091), respectively. Compared with Strategy 1, NNS per cardiovascular disease event for Strategy 2 increased by 90 (95%UI: -197-381) with similar effectiveness of cardiovascular prevention; however, NNS per cardiovascular disease event for Strategy 3 was reduced by 460 (95%UI: 185-724) in contrast to the Strategy 2, suggesting that the Strategy 3 was more efficient. The results were consistent in multiple sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Systematic screening for diabetes based on the latest guidelines in economically developed areas of China can reduce cardiovascular events and deaths. However, merely lowering the starting age of screening from 40 to 35 years seems ineffective for preventing cardiovascular disease, while screening strategy for Chinese adults aged 35-70 years with overweight or obesity is recommended to improve efficiency.

[Construction of prediction model combined dual-energy CT quantitative parameters and conventional CT features for assessing the Ki-67 expression levels in invasive breast cancer].

Objective: To develop a model combined with dual-energy CT quantitative parameters and conventional CT features for evaluating the expression level of Ki-67 in invasive breast cancer. Methods: A total of 191 patients with histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer in Lishui Central Hospital from March 2019 to December 2020, were retrospectively enrolled, all of them were females, aged from 25 to 77 (53.2±11.3) years. All patients underwent preoperative non-contrast chest and contrast-enhanced Dual energy CT scans, and the normalized iodine concentration (NIC) of lesions on arterial and venous phase, spectral curve slope (λHU), and normalized effective atomic number (nZeff) were measured and calculated, and their conventional CT characteristics were assessed. According to the results of immunohistochemistry (IHC), the patients were divided into Ki-67 high expression group (n=129 patients) and low expression group (n=62 patients) level. The differences in clinical data, conventional CT characteristics and dual-energy CT quantitative parameters between the two groups were analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve was conducted to assess the efficacy of each individual model and joint model in evaluating Ki-67 expression levels, and the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated, respectively. Results: In the analysis of CT features, the longest diameter, shape and enhancement pattern of the tumor were significantly difference between the two groups (all P<0.05). The NIC, nZeff on the arterial phase and NIC, nZeff and λHU [M(Q1,Q3)] on the venous phase were higher in the high Ki-67 expression group compared to the low expression group [0.13 (0.12, 0.16) vs 0.11 (0.08, 0.14), 0.71 (0.70, 0.75) vs 0.70 (0.67, 0.72), 0.40 (0.32, 0.48) vs 0.23 (0.17, 0.32), 3.10 (2.58, 3.63) vs 2.86 (2.19, 3.48), 0.88 (0.85, 0.92) vs 0.85 (0.84, 0.86), all P<0.05]. The logistic regression model, which integrated significant conventional CT features and dual-energy CT quantitative parameters, demonstrated the highest diagnostic performance for assessing Ki-67 expression levels, with an AUC of 0.924, sensitivity of 88.37%, specificity of 83.87%, and accuracy of 86.91%; the AUC of the dual-energy CT parameter model was 0.908, sensitivity of 82.17%, specificity of 88.71%, and accuracy of 84.29%. Though the diagnostic efficacy was no significant difference (P=0.238), both models showed superior to the conventional CT feature model (all P<0.001). Conclusion: A dual-energy CT quantitative parameter combined with a conventional CT feature model was successfully constructed, which has a good evaluation performance on the expression level of Ki-67 in invasive breast cancer.

[Standardization of spirometry updated in China and international: comparison and interpretation of the key updates].

Standardization of spirometry was jointly updated by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) in 2019. Similar technical standards for spirometry recommended by the Chinese Thoracic Society (CTS) and/or the Chinese Association of Chest Physicians (CACP) are widely used in China. We compared the key similarities and differences of these recommendations and interpreted the key updates. The ATS/ERS 2019 updates expanded the scope of indications for spirometry and recommended the contraindications based on the pathophysiological perspective, while contraindications recommended by the CTS were based on the severity of contraindications. ISO 26782∶2009 standards were applied by the ATS/ERS 2019 to evaluate the performance quality (reliance for accuracy, repeatability, etc.) of spirometers, while standards adopted 24/26 waves suggested by the ATS 1994 was used by the CTS. The ATS/ERS 2019 also included the performance quality control criteria for 3-L calibration syringe, operator training and attainment and maintenance of competency, grade"U", system warning messages, instructions to patients, and standardized operator comments. Some of these criteria in the CTS were not explained in detail. However, the CTS/CACP emphasized that the spirometry record should report the indices of forced inspiratory phase and small airway function, those are not clearly required in the ATS/ERS 2019. In comparison, the ATS/ERS 2019 has stricter criteria for FEV1 and FVC acceptability than the CTS and more detailed explanations. Those outstanding parts are worth referencing for the updated version of the CTS in the future, while the criteria that combine our own conditions need to be retained and popularized.

Risk of stroke with antivenom usage after venomous snakebite in Taiwan: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke is a rare complication of snakebites, but may lead to serious sequelae. We aimed to explore the relationship between venomous snakebite and the risk for acute stroke, in a nationwide population-based cohort study. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used claims data between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2012, from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The study included data of patients aged 18 years or older with venomous snakebite (n = 535), matched for propensity score with controls without venomous snakebite (n = 2140). The follow-up period was the duration from the initial diagnosis of venomous snakebite and administration of antivenom to the date of an acute stroke, or until 31 December 2013. The competing risk model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of stroke, ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke, after adjusting for demographic and other possible stroke risk factors. RESULTS: The adjusted HR for the venomous snakebite group compared with the control group was 2.68 for hemorrhagic stroke (95% CI = 1.35-5.33). Stratified analysis showed that the older age group (>65 years old) had a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. A 2.72-fold significant increase in the risk for hemorrhagic stroke was observed following venomous snakebite with antivenom usage (95% CI = 1.41-5.26). CONCLUSION: Venomous snakebite is associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke after the use of antivenom. Further study of the underlying mechanism is warranted.

[Efficacy of relocation and expansion pharyngoplasty by suspension sutures in the treatment of OSAHS with soft palate oropharyngeal obstruction].

Objective: To explore the efficacy of relocation and expansion pharyngoplasty by suspension sutures in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods: Seventy-three patients(including 60 males and 13 females) with OSAHS admitted to the department of otorhinolaryngology of our hospital in recent two years were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients had velopharyngeal obstructionevaluated by electronic endoscopic Müller test and were divided into control group (34 cases) and observation group (39 cases). The patients in the control group were performed modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, while those in the observation group were performed relocation and expansion pharyngoplasty by suspension sutures.The scores of ESS, AHI and LSaO2 before and after treatment were collected and compared. Results: The total effective rate of the observation group was 94.87%, which was significantly higher than 79.41% of the control group. The AHI was lower and LSaO2 value was higher (χ2=-1. 896,-1. 968,P<0.05)in the observation group. The sleeping symptoms and quality of life of the two groups were significantly improved. The ESS score of the observation group was decreased more significantly than that of the control group after treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=-1.451,P<0.05). The incidence of foreign body sensation in pharynx of the observation group (89.74%) was higher than that of the control group (55.88%), and the postoperative bleeding and postoperative recurrence rate (0.00%, 2.56%) was lower than that of the control group (8.82%, 14.70%)with statistical significance (χ2=4.738,4.249,4.119,P<0.05).The incidence of transient nasopharyngeal reflux in both groups was low and statistically insignificant (χ2=0.629,P>0.05). Conclusions: Preoperative strict screening of indications plays an important role in the selection of palatopharyngeal surgery methods and curative effect. Relocation and expansion pharyngoplasty by suspension sutures can improve the clinical efficacy of OSAHS with better safety and less recurrence.

[Willingness of post-exposure prophylaxis and possible related factors in men who have sex with men].

Objective: To analyze the willingness of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent HIV transmission and related factors in men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: Cross sectional survey design was used in this study. After informed consent, MSM aged 18 years or above and having had homosexual anal or oral sex in the past 6 months were recruited through "i WeChat" official account between September and November, 2019. Results: Of 1 517 MSM were surveyed, the proportion of MSM who had ever heard of PEP were 72.5% (1 100/1 517) and 87.9%(1 333/1 517) of the MSM said they would like to use PEP if it is needed.Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that aged above 25 year (OR=1.807, 95%CI: 1.090-2.995), HIV test history (OR=1.953, 95%CI: 1.171-3.256) and being aware of PEP (OR=2.163, 95%CI: 1.468-3.186) were the positive factors for PEP use, but an aware of the HIV status of sexual partner was the negative factor for PEP (OR=0.602, 95%CI: 0.407-0.890). Among MSM who had ever heard of PEP, the positive factors for PEP use included living in Zhejiang (OR=1.942, 95%CI: 1.097-3.438), aged above 25 years (OR=2.431, 95%CI: 1.331-4.439), being aware of PEP (OR=3.714, 95%CI: 1.532-9.007) obtaining information about PEP service from MSM organization/volunteer/health organization. Conclusions: MSM's willingness to use PEP services was relatively high. Age, awareness of PEP related knowledge, and awareness of sexual partner's HIV infection status were the related factors. MSM organization/volunteer/health organization were the main forces for PEP promotion in MSM.

[The risk prediction models for occurrence of cervical cancer: a systematic review].

Objective: To systematically summarize and assess risk prediction models for occurrence of cervical cancer and to provide evidence for selecting the most reliable model for practice, and guide cervical cancer screening. Methods: Two groups of keywords related to cervical cancer and risk prediction model were searched on Chinese databases (CNKI, and Wanfang) and English databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library). Original articles that developed or validated risk prediction models and published before November 21, 2019, were selected. Information form was created based on the CHARMS checklist. The PROBAST was used to assess the risk of bias. Results: 12 eligible articles were identified, describing 15 prediction models, of which five were established in China. The predicted outcomes included multiple stages from cervical precancerous lesions to cancer occurrence, i.e., abnormal Pap smear (1), occurrence or recurrence of CIN (9), and occurrence of cervical cancer (5), etc. The most frequently used predictors were HPV infection (12), age (7), smoking (5), and education (5). There were two models using machine learning to develop models. In terms of model performance, the discrimination ranged from 0.53 to 0.87, while only two models assessed the calibration correctly. Only two models were externally validated in Taiwan of China, using people in different periods. All of the models were at high risk of bias, especially in the analysis domain. The problems were concentrated in the improper handling of missing data (13), preliminary evaluation of model performance (13), improper use of internal validation (12), and insufficient sample size (11). In addition, the problems of inconsistency measurements of predictors and outcomes (8) and the flawed report of the use of blindness for outcome measures (8) were also severe. Compared with the other models, the Rothberg (2018) model had relatively high quality. Conclusions: There are a certain number of cervical cancer risk prediction models, but the quality is poor. It is urgent to improve the measurement of predictors and outcomes, the statistical analysis details such as handling missing data and evaluation of model performance and externally validate existing models to better guide screening.

[Role of NF-κB p65 and related cytokines in rats with liver function injury induced by dibutyl phthalate and benzo (a) pyrene].

Objective: To explore the role of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 and related cytokines in rats with liver function injury induced by dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and benzo (a) pyrene (BaP) , in order to provide support for enriching the mechanism of liver injury induced by DBP and BaP. Methods: In September to December of 2019, a total number of 160 specific pathogen free Sprague Dawley rats were numbered in order of sex and body weight, then using the statistical table of random numbers, they were randomly divided into eight groups and each group consists of twenty animals (10 male and 10 female rats) , including blank control group, vehicle control group (given corn oil) , DBP 50 mg/kg (DBP(50)) group, DBP 250 mg/kg (DBP(250)) group, BaP 1 mg/kg (BaP(1)) group, BaP 5 mg/kg (BaP(5)) group, DBP 50 mg/kg plus BaP 1 mg/kg (DBP(50)+BaP(1)) group and DBP 250 mg/kg plus BaP 5 mg/kg (DBP(250)+BaP(5)) group, then DBP and BaP were administered to rats as a homogenous mixture in corn oil by gavage. After exposure for 90 days, liver was separated to test the mRNA and protein expression levels of NF-κB p65 by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Then serum of rats was collected to detect the levels of CXCL-13, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , aspartate aminotransferase (AST) , albumin (ALB) and total protein (TP) were detected by Reitman-Frankel assay. Results: The protein expression of NF-κB p65 in BaP(1) group was not statistically significant, but the mRNA and protein expression levels of NF-κB p65 in the liver tissues of rats in other exposure group were higher than those in the blank control group (P<0.05) , and the expression levels of NF-κB p65 increased more obvious in the DBP and BaP co-exposed groups than those in the low and high dose groups that single-exposed to DBP and BaP (P<0.05) . The serum levels of CXCL-13 and IL-6 of rats in other group were obviously higher than those of the blank control group except for the BaP(1) group, and the increase was more obvious in the high-dose group that co-exposed to DBP and BaP (P<0.05) . While the level of TNF-α in each exposure group was higher than those in the blank control group and the levels of TNF-α in the DBP and BaP co-exposed groups were strongly augmented compared to those in the low and high dose groups that single-exposed to DBP and BaP (P<0.05) . What's more, compared with the blank control group, the level of ALT in each exposure group was increased significantly. Except for the BaP(1) group, the levels of AST in other exposed groups were increased (P<0.05) , and the levels of ALT and AST in the DBP and BaP co-exposed groups were significantly elevated in comparison to the low and high dose groups that single-exposed to DBP and BaP (P<0.05) . On the contrary, the level of ALB in each exposure group was significantly lower than that in the blank control group, especially decreased significantly in the DBP and BaP co-exposed group (P<0.05) . The level of TP decreased only in the high-dose group that single and co-exposed to DBP and BaP, and the decrease was more significant in the DBP and BaP co-exposed group (P<0.05) . When DBP exposed alone, Pearson correlation analysis showed that NF-κB p65 protein expression level was positively correlated with IL-6, TNF-α and ALT (r=0.762, 0.951, and 0.924, P<0.05) . After BaP exposed alone, the NF-κB p65 protein expression level was positively correlated with TNF-α and ALT (r=0.911 and 0.910, P<0.05) . When DBP and BaP exposed together, NF-κB p65 protein expression level was positively correlated with CXCL-13, IL-6, TNF-α, ALT and AST (r=0.711, 0.764, 0.955, 0.903 and 0.827, P<0.05) . In addition, Pearson correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between TNF-α and ALT (r=0.833 and 0.894, P<0.05) when DBP or BaP exposed alone. Furthermore, when DBP and BaP exposed together, CXCL-13, IL-6 and TNF-α were positively correlated with ALT (r= 0.871, 0.925 and 0.942, P<0.05) , and also positively correlated with AST (r=0.910, 0.892 and 0.890, P<0.05) . Conclusion: Single and co-exposed to DBP and BaP may regulate the abnormal secretion of related cytokines by upregulating the expression level of NF-κB p65 in rat liver tissue, thus leading to hepatocyte injury in rats, and the damage effect may be enhanced when DBP and BaP are exposed together.

[Application of adaptive technology-based speech recognition system in 600 pathological grossing process].

Objective: To establish a speech recognition system based on adaptive technology and to evaluate its value in pathological grossing processes. Methods: A total of 600 tissue specimens were collected at the Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College between October 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. A speech recognition system based on adaptive technology was used in the pathological grossing processes, and the pathological examination reports were generated and extracted. Results: The speech recognition system based on adaptive technology showed a good recognition rate (overall recognition rate = 77.87%) and helped achieve rapid input and output of pathological examination data. Conclusions: The speech recognition system can reduce the labor costs, improve the work efficiency of pathologists and increase the quality of medical services, which may be valuable for building next-generation smart hospitals.

Effect and mechanism of propofol in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury of rat.

The article "Effect and mechanism of propofol in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury of rat, by L. Wei, W.-Y. Chen, T. Hu, Y.-X. Tang, B.-B. Pan, M. Jin, G.-Y. Kong, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21 (15): 3516-3522-PMID: 28829487" has been withdrawn from the authors due to some technical reasons in the preparation of figures. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/13224.