The Balloon Catheter Method and the End-hole Catheter Method in the Measurement of Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient: a Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the differences between The balloon catheter method and End-hole Catheter Method in measuring hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) among cirrhosis patients. METHODS: From October 2017 to January 2024, patients who underwent HVPG measurements using both methods were consecutively included. HVPGs obtained from both methods were compared with the portal vein pressure gradient (PPG) obtained via transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) using paired comparisons. Additionally, the consistency and predictive ability for bleeding risk of the two methods, as well as the impact of intrahepatic veno-venous shunt (IHVS), were analyzed. RESULTS: The study enrolled 145 patients, each of whom had HVPG measured by both methods. PPG was measured in 61 patients. There was a statistically significant difference between the PPGs and HVPGs measured by both the balloon catheter method and the end-hole catheter method (P < 0.001), with the HVPG mean values obtained by the end-hole catheter method being closer to the PPGs. In the non-IHVS group, no significant statistical difference was found between the two methods (P = 0.071). In contrast, the IHVS group showed a significant difference (P < 0.001), with a mean difference of 2.98 ± 4.03 mmHg. When IHVS was absent, the measurement results from the end-hole catheter method and the balloon catheter method were found to be highly correlated. The end-hole catheter method has a higher screening capability for patients at risk of bleeding compared to the balloon catheter method (75.90% vs. 72.86%). CONCLUSION: HVPG measurements using either the balloon catheter method or end-hole catheter method showed significant difference with the PPG. The end-hole catheter method has a higher screening capability for patients at risk of bleeding, and IHVS could lead to lower HVPG measurements with The balloon catheter method.

A novel method for quantitative determination of multiple substances using Raman spectroscopy combined with CWT.

The identification of mixed solutions is a challenging and important subject in chemical analysis. In this paper, we propose a novel workflow that enables rapid qualitative and quantitative detection of mixed solutions. We use a methanol-ethanol mixed solution as an example to demonstrate the superiority of this workflow. The workflow includes the following steps: (1) converting Raman spectra into Raman images through CWT; (2) using MobileNetV3 as the backbone network, improved multi-label and multi-channel synchronization enables simultaneous prediction of multiple mixture concentrations; and (3) using transfer learning and multi-stage training strategies for training to achieve accurate quantitative analysis. We compare six traditional machine learning algorithms and two deep learning models to evaluate the performance of our new method. The experimental results show that our model has achieved good prediction results when predicting the concentration of methanol and ethanol, and the coefficient of determination R2 is greater than 0.999. At different concentrations, both MAPE and RSD outperform other models, which demonstrates that our workflow has outstanding analytical capabilities. Importantly, we have solved the problem that current quantitative analysis algorithms for Raman spectroscopy are almost unable to accurately predict the concentration of multiple substances simultaneously. In conclusion, it is foreseeable that this non-destructive, automated, and highly accurate workflow can further advance Raman spectroscopy.

Screening of identification algorithm for rodent-induced bare patches based on the drone imagery.

Rodent-infested bald spots are crucial indicators of rodent infestation in grasslands. Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing technology for discerning detrimental bald spots among plateau pikas has significant implications for assessing associated ecological hazards. Based on UAV-visible light imagery, we classified and recognized the characteristics of plateau pika habitats with five supervised classification algorithms, i.e., minimum distance classification (MinD), maximum likelihood classification (ML), support vector machine classification (SVM), Mahalanobis distance classification (MD), and neural network classification (NN) . The accuracy of the five methods was evaluated using a confusion matrix. Results showed that NN and SVM exhibited superior performance than other methods in identifying and classifying features indicative of plateau pika habitats. The mapping accuracy of NN for grassland and bald spots was 98.1% and 98.5%, respectively, with corresponding user accuracy was 98.8% and 97.7%. The overall model accuracy was 98.3%, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.97, reflecting minimal misclassification and omission errors. Through practical verification, NN exhibited good stability. In conclusion, the neural network method was suitable for identifying rodent-damaged bald spots within alpine meadows.

Cytokine storm and targeted therapy in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening systemic hyperinflammatory syndrome. The central pathogenesis is an explosive cytokine storm characterized by a significant increase in proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. Meanwhile, negative regulatory factors, such as IL-10 and TGF-ß, are also related to the production of HLH. Exploring the specific mechanism of cytokine storms could provide ideas regarding targeted therapy, which could be helpful for early treatment to reduce the mortality of HLH. Although some research has focused on the advantages of targeted therapies, there is still a lack of a comprehensive discourse. This article attempts to summarize the mechanisms of action of various cytokines and provide a therapeutic overview of the current targeted therapies for HLH.

[3-D finite element study on rapid maxillary expansion using implant anchorage].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biomechanic changes of craniofacial complex with rapid maxillary expansion using implant anchorage. METHODS: Rapid maxillary expansion using implant anchorage was simulated with MSC. Marc. Mentat software, restrained at the region around the foramen magnum and the anterior middle point of parietale and foramen. In the area of implant surface, forces of 80 N were applied with rapid maxillary expansion. Different numbers and positions of implant anchorage were chosen. Their influences on the craniofacial complex were analysed. RESULTS: The stress distribution and displacement trend of the craniofacial complex under different conditions were approximate. The greatest stress appeared on the areas along the frontonasal suture, zygomaticomaxillary suture, nasomaxillary suture and pterygopalatal suture. Two halves of palatine were separated in a "V" shape. Maximal stress and displacement were found when the implant was located between maxillary canine and first premolar. CONCLUSION: The numbers of implant are not associated with the size of stress and displacement. Greater stress and displacement occur when the implant position is in the front.

[Effect of occlusion vertical rising on the expression of TGF-beta 1 in condylar cartilage of adolescent rats].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the expression and localization of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 in condylar cartilage of adolescent rats following occlusion vertical rising procedures. METHODS: Forty male rats of 5 weeks of age were randomly divided into the experiment group (n=20) and the control group (n=20). The rats in the experiment group were fitted with upper posterior bite rising splints on their upper molar. Five rats from each group were killed at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after the procedures, and their left condylar cartilages were taken for the determination of the expression of TGF-beta1 through SABC. RESULTS: The rats in the experiment group had significantly less expression of TGF-beta1 in condylar cartilage than the controls. The rats in the experiment group had the lowest TGF-beta17 day after the procedure. The level of TGF-beta1 increased over time. More TGF-beta1 positive cells were found in the rats of the experiment group than those in the control 28 days after the procedure. CONCLUSION: Occlusal vertical rising stimulates the expression of TGF-beta1 in condylar cartilage, which may be part of the adaptive remodeling of condylar cartilage in adolescent rats.

In situ antioxidation-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion microextraction and discrimination of chiral flavonoids from citrus fruit via ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry.

A simple and sensitive in situ antioxidation process assisted with a matrix solid-phase dispersion method for extracting chiral flavonoids in citrus fruit was established, and samples were further analyzed using ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry. The collision cross-sections of the target compounds were studied using single-field and stepped-field methods. The optimal conditions were obtained using 30 mg of C18 as a dispersant, methanol as an elution solvent and 0.6 mM 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) as a radical solution. Additionally, the method showed satisfactory limits of detection (3.70-6.52 ng/mL) and good recoveries (96.78-104.67%) for four flavonoids in citrus fruit. The IC50 values of DPPH radical-scavenging activities ranged from 817.8 to 981.55 µg/mL for tested samples. The method was a good alternative for the microextraction and determination of antioxidant capacity and chiral differentiation of narirutin, naringin, hesperidin and neohesperidin in citrus fruit.

[Relation between species distribution of plant community and soil factors under grazing in alpine meadow]. / æ”¾ç‰§ä½œç”¨ä¸‹é«˜å¯’è‰ç”¸ç¾¤è½ç‰©ç§åˆ†å¸ƒä¸ŽåœŸå£¤å› å­çš„å ³ç³».

The research selected the alpine meadow located in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study the changes of vegetation community and soil properties under different grazing intensities, as well as the quantitative relation between the distribution patterns of plant species and the physical and chemical properties of soil. The results showed that the grazing caused the differentiation of the initial vegetation community with the dominant plants, Elymus nutans and Stipa grandis. In the plots with high and low grazing intensities, the dominant plants had changed to Kobresia humilis and Melissitus ruthenica, and E. nutans and Poa crymophila, respectively. With the increase of grazing intensity, the plant richness, importance value and biomass were significantly decreased. The sequence of plant species importance value in each plot against grazing intensity could be fitted by a logarithmic model. The number of required plant species was reduced while the importance value of the remaining plant species accounted for 50% of the importance value in the whole vegetation community. The available P, available K, soil compaction, soil water content, stable infiltration rate and large aggregate index were significantly changed with grazing intensity, however, the changes were different. The CCA ordination showed that the soil compaction was the key factor affecting the distribution pattern of the plant species under grazing. The variance decomposition indicated that the soil factors together explained 30.5% of the distribution of the plant species, in particular the soil physical properties alone explained 22.8% of the distribution of the plant species, which had the highest rate of contribution to the plant species distribution. The soil physical properties affected the distribution pattern of plant species on grazed alpine meadow.

[Evaluation and selection of species diversity index under grazing disturbance in alpine mea-dow]. / æ”¾ç‰§å¹²æ‰°ä¸‹é«˜å¯’è‰ç”¸ç‰©ç§å¤šæ ·æ€§æŒ‡æ•°è¯„ä»·ä¸Žé€‰æ‹©.

The research selected the plots of six grazing intensities in an alpine meadow in north-eastern Tibet Plateau in four years (2012-2015) and studied the relation between ten species diversity indexes, including two measured indexes (Richness and Abundance) in field and two indexes of each dominance, evenness, richness, integrated indexes, and grazing intensity as well as grazing time aiming at scientific selection of biodiversity index under grazing disturbance. The results indicated that the abundance was a better index than importance value to calculate biodiversity level because it was more sensitive to grazing disturbance. Dominance indexes, including Berger-Parker and Dominance, were not sensitive to grazing intensity and grazing time because they could not clarify the effect of grazing disturbance on dominant species in plant community. Evenness indexes, including Equitability and Evenness, had not relation with grazing intensity, however, the evenness index had a negative correlation with grazing time and it was not influenced by occasional species as well as the variation coefficient of species abundance. Hereby, the evenness index could be chosen for studying evenness change at temporal scale. Richness indexes, including Menhinick and Margalef, had no relation with grazing time, however, the Margalef index had a positive correlation with grazing intensity and the index was not influenced by occasional species. Integrated index, including Shannon and Simpson indexes, had no relation with grazing intensity, however, the Shannon index had a significant positive correlation with species richness and abundance and the index was not influenced by occasional species, and it significantly increased along grazing time. Hereby, Shannon index could be used as an index of studying plant species diversity in long-term. In ten diversity indexes, only the measured indexes in field, including richness and abundance, were signifi-cantly negatively correlated with grazing intensity, and positively correlated with grazing time, and the two indexes were not influenced by occasional species. Hereby, the combination of species richness and abundance mea-sured in field could be considered as the most important indexes for studying plant species diversity under grazing disturbance. Besides, the selection of biodiversity indexes must consider the spatial-temporal feature of grazing, diversity components and research purpose.

[Quantitative apportionment of slope aspect and altitude to soil moisture and temperature and plant distribution on alpine meadow]. / å¡å‘å’Œæµ·æ‹”å¯¹é«˜å¯’è‰ç”¸å±±ä½“åœŸå£¤æ°´çƒ­å’Œæ¤ç‰©åˆ†å¸ƒæ ¼å±€çš„å®šé‡åˆ†è§£.

For understanding the effect of aspect and altitude of hill on soil moisture and temperature as well as the vegetation community, we selected an alpine meadow located on a hill in north-eastern Tibet Plateau as our study area. Data on soil moisture and temperature, as well as plant distribution pattern in this mountain ecosystem were collected. We used regression analysis, CCA ordination and variance decomposition, to determine the impacts of the key factors (aspect, altitude, soil temperature and moisture) on plant diversity distribution in 189 sample sites of the hill. The results showed that the plant diversity of shady aspect and bottomland was highest and lowest, respectively. The plant diversity of the shady aspect and on the ridge of the hill increased initially and then decreased with the increasing altitude, but the plant diversity of the sunny aspect increased with the increasing altitude. At 0-30 cm soil layer, the soil temperature of the sunny aspect was higher than that of other aspects, but the soil temperature at 0-20 cm soil layer did not change with the increa-sing altitude. The soil moisture of shady aspect was higher than that of other aspects, and increased with the increasing altitude. The aspect and altitude explained 100% of soil temperature changes and 51.8% of soil moisture variation. Aspect alone explained 72.2% of soil temperature variation and altitude alone explained 51.8% of soil moisture variation, which had the highest contribution rate individually. Most plants were distributed on the shady aspect and on the ridge, and at medium altitude. Sedges mainly grew on the shady aspect, while Gramineae grew on the sunny aspect, the ridge was an ecotone. Cyperaceae, Gramineae and Leguminosae were mainly distributed in low altitude zone. Hill aspect and altitude totally explained 28.6% of plant abundance variation, hill aspect alone explained 19.9% of plant abundance variation. The management of grassland production and ecological restoration in alpine meadow ecosystem should consider the effect of landform on soil and vegetation, and the hill aspect should be priority factor instead of altitude when planning management interventions.

[A comparative assessment of mechanical property between lingual and labial archwires using three-dimension finite element method].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanical property of lingual and labial archwires by using finite element method. METHODS: A three-dimensional finite element model including three maxillary left incisors of the 0.022-inch Dentaurum Discovery labial and Ormco 7th Generation lingual brackets was constructed and threaded with corresponding labial and lingual archwires. Then the arch wire's mechanical property in different materials, sizes and space between brackets were analyzed. RESULTS: The load deflection curve of lingual archwire was similar to labial archwire at the same distance of brackets and mainly determined by the characters of archwire. The effects of the type of wire alloy were greater than dimension but less than the coordination of the two: the load value of lingual archwire increased when archwire size increased (the load value of 0.019 × 0.025 inch stainless steel wire was about 1.46 times as bigger as 0.017 × 0.025 inch one),but this change was less than the material of archwire brought(the load value of stainless steel was about 2.73 times as bigger as the same size of titanium-nickel wire),and was less than the coordination of the two(the load value of 0.019 × 0.025 inch stainless steel wire was about 3.5 times as bigger as 0.017 × 0.025 inch titanium-nickel wire),the force of the lingual side was larger than the labial side at the same conditions, when the distance of brackets increased ,both of them decreased gradually(the force loading on 10 mm, 12 mm and 14 mm was about 2.42, 1.59 and 1.33 times as bigger as on 16 mm , respectively), faster in the early, later became stabilized. CONCLUSIONS: Lingual archwire should be in smaller diameter, lower stiffness than labial archwire. In choosing arch wire clinically, the material of arch wire should be considered first, followed by size and coordination of the two, meanwhile the distance of brackets should also be considered.

[Clinical experience of orthodontic treatment on 36 cases with congenital lower incisor missing].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the treatment plan in patients with congenital lower incisor missing. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with congenital lower incisor missing were included in the investigation. The missing location, missing quantity, malocclusion type and treatment method were analyzed. Bolton index of two groups were analyzed. The first group was congenital missing one lower incisor who treated by extracting two upper first premolars and one lower first premolar. The second group was congenital missing two lower incisors who treated by exacting two upper first premolars. RESULTS: The therapeutic effect of 36 cases were better. Overall ratio in two groups were 91.70% +/- 1.85% and 92.83% +/- 2.74%, anterior ratio were 81.69% +/- 2.12% and 85.46% +/- 2.39%, anterior tooth-size discrepancy were (2.16 +/- 0.64) mm and (4.27 +/- 1.14) mm. There were no significance difference on overall ratio in two groups (P > 0.05). There were significance difference in anterior ratio and anterior tooth-size discrepancy (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: For patients with congenital missing one lower incisor who need extraction in upper and lower jaws, it is less affection on Bolton index that extracting one premolar at non-missing side than extracting one center incisor in mandible.

[A survey of the therapeutic reason of orthodontic patients in Luzhou].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic reason of orthodontic patients in Luzhou. METHODS: A questionnaire investigation was made for the following randomly chosen people: 452 teenage patients from orthodontic department of stomatology hospital affiliated to Luzhou Medical College were brought into treatment group. 600 students from Luzhou No. 2 Middle School were brought into non-treatment group. The questionnaire investigation was conducted to two groups. The results were statistically analysed with SPSS 10.0. RESULTS: (1) The main aim for orthodontic treatment was to align the teeth. (2) 37.39% of the patients accepted orthodontic treatment for parent's demand. (3) 76.1% of the patients expected to align the dentition. (4) Most people in treatment group could accept the time and expenses in the orthodontic treatment, but most people of non-treatment group could not accept the expenses in the orthodontic treatment. (5) Most people thought appearance was important. CONCLUSION: Aesthetic is the main reason for orthodontic patients.

[Clinic study of root resorption caused by edgewise appliance combined with flat bite plate treatment ].

OBJECTIVE: To study the root resorption caused by edgewise appliance combined with flat bite plate treatment. METHODS: 65 patients with edgewise technique and flat bite plate treatment were chosen. All patients were taken panoramic radiograph before flat bite plate treatment, immediately after flat bite plate treatment and 6 months after flat bite plate treatment. Root resorption grade of mandibular permanent incisors were analyzed. RESULTS: There were statistical difference in the root resorption grade of three groups (P < 0.05), but there was no statistical difference between male and female (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Flat bite plate can cause root resorption of mandibular permanent incisors, but the root resorption is slight.