Prediction of factors influencing the timing and prognosis of early tracheostomy in patients with multiple rib fractures: A propensity score matching analysis.

Objective: To investigate the factors affecting the timing and prognosis of early tracheostomy in multiple rib fracture patients. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was used to analyze the clinical data of 222 patients with multiple rib fractures who underwent tracheotomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University from February 2015 to October 2021. According to the time from tracheal intubation to tracheostomy after admission, the patients were divided into two groups: the early tracheostomy group (within 7 days after tracheal intubation, ET) and late tracheostomy group (after the 7th day, LT). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to eliminate the differences in baseline characteristics Logistic regression was used to predict the independent risk factors for early tracheostomy. Kaplan-Meier and Cox survival analyses were used to analyze the influencing factors of the 28-day survival. Results: According to the propensity score matching analysis, a total of 174 patients were finally included in the study. Among them, there were 87 patients in the ET group and 87 patients in the LT group. After propensity score matching, Number of total rib fractures (NTRF) (P < 0.001), Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (P < 0.001) and Volume of pulmonary contusion(VPC) (P < 0.000) in the ET group were higher than those in the LT group. Univariate analysis showed that the patients who underwent ET had a higher survival rate than those who underwent LT (P = 0.021). Pearson's analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between NTRF and VPC (r = 0.369, P = 0.001). A receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis showed that the areas under the curves were 0.832 and 0.804. The best cutoff-value values of the VPC and NTRF were 23.9 and 8.5, respectively. The Cox survival analysis showed that the timing of tracheostomy (HR = 2.51 95% CI, 1.12-5.57, P = 0.004) and age (HR = 1.53 95% CI, 1.00-2.05, P = 0.042) of the patients had a significant impact on the 28-day survival of patients with multiple rib fractures. In addition, The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the 28-day survival of patients in the ET group was significantly better than that of the LT group, P = 0.01. Conclusions: NTRF, ADRS and VPC are independent risk factors for the timing and prognosis of early tracheotomy. A VPC ≥ 23.9% and/or an NTRF ≥ 8.5 could be used as predictors of ET in patients with multiple rib fractures. Predicting the timing of early tracheostomy also need prediction models in the future.

[Trace Metals Pollution and Health Risks for Planning Area Soils of 193 Chinese Cities].

Urban soils are more easily subjected to modification, especially by contamination because of various human activities, and the environmental problems caused by urban soil pollution have become more prominent. To systematically investigate concentration characteristics, pollution levels, and exposure risks of 13 trace metals in urban soils of planning areas for 193 cities above the prefectural level, located in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) of China, levels of pollution in urban soil were evaluated using the geoaccumulation index and integrated pollution index of trace metals, and health risks of residents exposed to urban soils were quantified using the health risk assessment method recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The results show that the median concentrations of As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, Tl, V, and Zn in topsoils of urban planning areas were 9.25, 2.14, 0.174, 12.4, 68.4, 28.2, 0.095, 27.7, 31.1, 0.29, 0.61, 82.7, and 82.2 mg·kg-1, respectively. Compared with the corresponding urban soil background values, the concentrations of Cd, Hg, and Se changed significantly. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) values showed that Hg in urban soils of the planning area was the most severe pollutant, followed by Se and Cd, which caused pollution levels of uncontaminated to moderately contaminated levels, while other trace metals were uncontaminated. The Nemerow IPI (IPIN) revealed that the soils in 22 urban planning areas were heavily polluted and 16 urban planning areas were moderately polluted; in addition, the most polluted city in China was Zhuzhou in the Hunan province. The results of health risk assessment indicate that the soils in the five urban planning areas-Chenzhou City, Huangshi City, Zhuzhou City, Xiangtan City, and Longyan City-posed potential non-carcinogenic risks to children, and the major factor triggering risks was ingestion of Pb. To understand the soil pollution status and distribution of contaminated land parcel, it is suggested to carry out detailed investigation in cities with integrated moderate to heavy pollution to establish the list of contaminated land parcel and implement pollution control and restoration.

Spatial variations, source apportionment and potential ecological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and synthetic musks in river sediments in Shanghai, China.

The aims of this study were to investigate the levels, possible sources and potential ecological risks of 26 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including highly carcinogenic dibenzopyrene (DBP) isomers and 4 synthetic musks (SMs) in river sediments from Shanghai. 74 sediment samples were collected from the Huangpu River and its main tributaries. The total concentrations ranged from 52.0 to 11400 ng g-1 for Σ26PAHs, 25.1-9910 ng g-1 for 16 USEPA priority PAHs (Σ16PAHs), 0.769-384 ng g-1 for Σ4DBPs, and 0.080-63.3 ng g-1 for Σ4SMs, respectively. Seven sources of PAHs in river sediments were identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. Coal combustion, vehicle and creosote were the major emission sources for PAHs. SMs came mainly from domestic and industrial wastewaters. The toxic equivalent quantities of the benzo[a]pyrene (TEQBaP) ranged from 7.64 to 3920 ng g-1 for Σ24PAHs, 2.07-1150 ng g-1 for Σ16PAHs, and 5.53-3150 ng g-1 for Σ4DBPs. The TEQBaP of Σ4DBPs made up 73.9% of Σ24PAHs, which indicated that DBPs were the major carcinogenic contributors to total PAHs in sediments. According to sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and mean PEL-Q values, the risks posed by PAHs in sediments were at medium level at most sampling sites, and SMs posed a low ecological risk to sediment-dwelling organisms in Shanghai.

[Analysis of ecological risk and the content situation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sediments from Northeast China River Basin].

To investigate the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) pollution status, sediment samples were collected from major rivers in northeast China. Contents of 41 PBDEs congeners in sediments were measured using GC-NCI-MS. BDE209 was not detected, measured level of total PBDEs (excluding BDE209) ranged from 0.91 to 17.67 ng.g-1 dry weight, the highest concentrations of PBDEs were detected in the sediment samples from upstream and downstream of Jilin City in the Second Songhua River Basin, with 15.86 and 17.67 ng.g-1. BDE207 and BDE47 were the predominant PBDE congeners, with their concentrations accounting for 86. 5% and 76. 6% of the total PBDEs concentration measured in the samples. Each congener content difference was not obvious in other river sediments. PBDEs levels monitored in the present study were compared to those reported recently for districts located at home and abroad, and with ecological risk analysis. PBDEs content is at a low level in sediments of Northeast China River Basin and there is no ecological risk.

Profile of organochlorine pesticides in soil cores from some hotspot areas of Beijing, China.

For the valid use of urban land and the safety of public health, an extensive contamination survey of organochlorine pesticides from five soil cores was conducted in the highly urbanized areas of Beijing in China. For topsoils in five soil cores, level of ∑HCHs and ∑DDTs varied from 0.174 to 4,783 ng g(-1) and 0.62 to 57,849 ng g(-1), respectively. The profile in topsoil of cores displayed that levels of pollutants in four soil cores from the urban areas with dense population are higher than that from outskirts. The depth characteristics of pollutants indicated that the level of ∑HCHs and ∑DDTs in BY and WU was close to/below the background value of soil in China (50 ng g(-1)), but those in some soil samples from A, B and ZX core, especially A and B, was above the threshold value for the soil safety (1,000 ng g(-1)). In views of the usage history of the land and profiles of contaminants, the source in A and B probably came from the dumped waste chemical materials in the old chemical factories. The study of soil cores sampled revealed the existence of chemical "time bomb" in urban regions of Beijing. Also, the finding indicated the absolute necessity of assessing the soil quality with the unprecedented land use changes in the big city community.

Levels and distribution of organochlorine pesticides in various media in a mega-city, China.

As one of China's great metropolises, Taiyuan is generally recognized to be one of the most polluted cities in the world. It is affected by pollution from heavy industries, and from organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). In this study, we measured the concentrations of OCPs in various environmental media in Taiyuan. We measured the levels of OCPs in 15 soil samples and 34 samples of respirable particulate matter (PM) (17 of PM(2.5) and 17 of PM(10)) from urban areas of Taiyuan. Analysis of the composition ratios of OCP residues revealed that dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) were the predominant compounds in soil, PM(2.5) and PM(10). The total DDT concentrations were 1.8-1.0x10(2)ngg(-1) in soil, 6.5-1.0x10(3)pgm(-3) in PM(2.5), and 8.5-1.5x10(3)pgm(-3) in PM(10). The total HCH concentrations were 1.4-45ngg(-1) in soil, 5.2-8.0x10(2)pgm(-3) in PM(2.5), and 9.6-8.7x10(2)pgm(-3) in PM(10). Furthermore, source analysis indicated that there was new input of OCPs at some sites. Finally, analysis of the individual OCPs revealed that new OCP contamination was the major problem in Taiyuan. This study suggests that measures should be taken to reduce the levels of OCP residues in order to improve the environmental quality in Taiyuan.

[GC-MS analysis of essential oil from nutmeg processed by different traditional methods].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the chemical components of the essential oil extracted from the seeds of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) processed by different methods (steamed with water steam, roasted with flour, sauted with flour, roasted with talcum powder, roasted with loess, and roasted with bran) and to provide quality control foundations in the sciences. METHOD: The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation and separated with GC capillary column. The relative content of every compound was determined with area normalization method and the structures were elucidated by GC-MS technique. RESULT: Fifty-eight to one hundred and four of chromatographic peaks were detected, among them seventy-six compounds accounting for 98.32% to 99.99% of the total essential oil in nutmeg were identified, which were composed of 69.15% to 97.24% for monoterpenoids and 2.06% to 25.51% for aromatic compounds of the total essential oil, respectively. CONCLUSION: It was shown that monoterpenoids and their derivatives were main composition, and aromatic compounds were secondary composition in the total essential oil of nutmeg grows in Indonesia and processed by different traditional methods on the basis of theory of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, it was suggested that we should be careful to use processed nutmeg owing to contain safrole and a-asarone induced genetoxicity in animals and mutagenicity in the Ames Salmonella assay, and myristicin and elemicin induced narcotism in human. The processed method roasted with bran for nutmeg may be better and will be developed.

Purification of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus DNA polymerase from infected insect cells.

Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) DNA polymerase was purified from virus-infected cells using conventional chromatographic methods. The enzymatic activity of fractions eluting from single-stranded agarose gels was found to exactly coincide with a single polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of approximately 110,000 Da on denaturing polyacrylamide gels stained with Coomassie blue. This purification scheme resulted in a 228-fold purification of AcMNPV DNA polymerase with recovery of 3.5% of the initial activity. The specific activity of the most purified fraction of DNA polymerase was 5000 units/mg, which is sufficiently high to eliminate the possibility that contaminants significantly contribute to the polymerase activity. Preparations of purified DNA polymerase had 3'-5' exonuclease activity, but no 5'-3' exonuclease activity. The proofreading activity was apparently an intrinsic property of the enzyme as the ratio of nuclease activity to polymerase activity was constant throughout purification. Using a singly-primed M13 DNA template, RF-II DNA was detected within 3 min, indicating a polymerization rate of 40 nt/s. The effects of several DNA polymerase inhibitors on the enzymatic activity of purified DNA polymerase were also determined.