[Imaging characteristics and surgical effect for symmetrical lumbar hemivertebrae].

Objective: To analyze the imaging characteristics and surgical effect for symmetrical lumbar hemivertebrae in pediatric patients. Methods: The data of 13 patients with hemivertebrae locating in the lumbar spine symmetrically were retrospectively analyzed, and all the patients were treated in Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2015 to September 2021. The mean age of the patients was 6.2 (2.9, 9.3) years. There were 8 males and 5 females. The data of coronal/sagittal plane including segmental Cobb angle, cranial/caudal compensatory curve, thoracic kyphosis, thoracolumbar kyphosis, sacral obliquity, and lumbar lordosis were recorded through long cassette spinal radiographs. Associated anomalies and the relationship between hemivertebrae and posterior component were recorded through computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All the patients received surgery, and their pre-and postoperative imaging data were compared. Results: A total of 26 hemivertebraes were found, in which 80.8% (21/26) located below L2. Hemivertebraes in 10 patients were separated by a mean 1-2 normal vertebrae. Most hemivertebraes along with the corresponding posterior component were unison (21/26, 80.8%). The Cobb angles of cranial compensatory curve (13.9°±7.2°) was more serious than that of caudal compensatory curve (5.5°±5.0°)(P=0.04). The lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis was 20.2°±15.0° and 18.7°±9.2°, respectively. Six patients complicated with sacral obliquity, while 7 patients complicated with thoracolumbar lordosis. Associated anomalies were found in 6 (46.2%) patients through CT and MRI. Eleven patients received one-or two-stage posterior hemivertebrae resection with short segmental fusion, and 2 patients received one-stage hemivertebrae resection with long segmental fusion. All the surgery were completed successfully without serious complications such as nerve injury, infection, and implant failure. The mean follow-up period was (42.4±10.2) months. At the last follow-up point, the correction rate of segmental Cobb angle and cranial compensatory curve was 83.3%±15.6% and 38.1%±10.4%, respectively, showing significant improvement (P<0.05). Although the caudal compensatory curve, sacral obliquity, and thoracic kyphosis improved after surgery, the data showed no significant difference compared to that before surgery. Thoracolumbar lordosis in all patients were corrected. Conclusions: Most hemivertebraes in such spinal deformity locate in lower lumbar region with a high incidence of anomalies. Individualized treatment based on patients' condition is essential for the complicated spinal deformity.

Validation of the

The cluster structure of the neutron-rich isotope ^{10}Be has been probed via the (p,pα) reaction at 150 MeV/nucleon in inverse kinematics and in quasifree conditions. The populated states of ^{6}He residues were investigated through missing mass spectroscopy. The triple differential cross section for the ground-state transition was extracted for quasifree angle pairs (θ_{p},θ_{α}) and compared to distorted-wave impulse approximation reaction calculations performed in a microscopic framework using successively the Tohsaki-Horiuchi-Schuck-Röpke product wave function and the wave function deduced from antisymmetrized molecular dynamics calculations. The remarkable agreement between calculated and measured cross sections in both shape and magnitude validates the molecular structure description of the ^{10}Be ground-state, configured as an α-α core with two valence neutrons occupying π-type molecular orbitals.

Multiple Mechanisms in Proton-Induced Nucleon Removal at ∼100 MeV/Nucleon.

We report on the first proton-induced single proton- and neutron-removal reactions from the neutron-deficient ^{14}O nucleus with large Fermi-surface asymmetry S_{n}-S_{p}=18.6 MeV at ∼100 MeV/nucleon, a widely used energy regime for rare-isotope studies. The measured inclusive cross sections and parallel momentum distributions of the ^{13}N and ^{13}O residues are compared to the state-of-the-art reaction models, with nuclear structure inputs from many-body shell-model calculations. Our results provide the first quantitative contributions of multiple reaction mechanisms including the quasifree knockout, inelastic scattering, and nucleon transfer processes. It is shown that the inelastic scattering and nucleon transfer, usually neglected at such energy regime, contribute about 50% and 30% to the loosely bound proton and deeply bound neutron removal, respectively. These multiple reaction mechanisms should be considered in analyses of inclusive one-nucleon removal cross sections measured at intermediate energies for quantitative investigation of single-particle strengths and correlations in atomic nuclei.

Study on physicochemical properties, fatty acids, texture, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ghee from different regions.

Due to the lack of basic information on Chinese ghee and the increasing demand of consumers for natural oils, this study aims to explore and distinguish the quality characteristics of ghee in different regions of China. Ghee samples from 16 regions of Qinghai Province, Gansu Province, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and Tibet Autonomous Region were selected and their physicochemical properties, fatty acids, texture, antioxidant and antibacterial activities were determined. The results showed that: (1) The physicochemical properties of ghee were different from different regions, but the freshness and fat content are generally high. The results of iodine value and saponification value suggest that the fatty acid composition is good; (2) The unsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid content of ghee in Tibet and Xinjiang ranges from 63.05% to 79.13%, which is better than that in other regions; (3) Gansu Diebu ghee has the highest hardness (40.69 N); (4) Ghee from different regions has good antioxidant activity, DPPH free radical scavenging activity is 30.45% to 58.06%, ABTS free radical scavenging activity is 41.14% to 65.53%, and has varying degrees of inhibition on gram-positive bacteria. In addition, yak ghee, cattle-yak ghee and cow ghee have better fatty acid composition and antibacterial ability than scalper ghee. The results of this study distinguish the differences in the quality characteristics of yak ghee in different geographical regions. Therefore, it can provide a theoretical basis for the origin tracing and quality-oriented improvement of yak ghee.

Extended p_{3/2} Neutron Orbital and the N=32 Shell Closure in

The one-neutron knockout from ^{52}Ca in inverse kinematics onto a proton target was performed at ∼230 MeV/nucleon combined with prompt γ spectroscopy. Exclusive quasifree scattering cross sections to bound states in ^{51}Ca and the momentum distributions corresponding to the removal of 1f_{7/2} and 2p_{3/2} neutrons were measured. The cross sections, interpreted within the distorted-wave impulse approximation reaction framework, are consistent with a shell closure at the neutron number N=32, found as strong as at N=28 and N=34 in Ca isotopes from the same observables. The analysis of the momentum distributions leads to a difference of the root-mean-square radii of the neutron 1f_{7/2} and 2p_{3/2} orbitals of 0.61(23) fm, in agreement with the modified-shell-model prediction of 0.7 fm suggesting that the large root-mean-square radius of the 2p_{3/2} orbital in neutron-rich Ca isotopes is responsible for the unexpected linear increase of the charge radius with the neutron number.

Pairing Forces Govern Population of Doubly Magic

Direct proton-knockout reactions of ^{55}Sc at ∼220 MeV/nucleon were studied at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. Populated states of ^{54}Ca were investigated through γ-ray and invariant-mass spectroscopy. Level energies were calculated from the nuclear shell model employing a phenomenological internucleon interaction. Theoretical cross sections to states were calculated from distorted-wave impulse approximation estimates multiplied by the shell model spectroscopic factors, which describe the wave function overlap of the ^{55}Sc ground state with states in ^{54}Ca. Despite the calculations showing a significant amplitude of excited neutron configurations in the ground-state of ^{55}Sc, valence proton removals populated predominantly the ground state of ^{54}Ca. This counterintuitive result is attributed to pairing effects leading to a dominance of the ground-state spectroscopic factor. Owing to the ubiquity of the pairing interaction, this argument should be generally applicable to direct knockout reactions from odd-even to even-even nuclei.

[Effect of perioperative accelerated rehabilitation management program for children with congenital spinal deformity].

Objective: To explore the perioperative therapeutic effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in children with congenital spinal deformity and summarize the clinical experience. Methods: Fifty-nine pediatric patients with congenital spinal deformities admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital from May 2020 to January 2021 were included in this study, and all patients underwent posterior spinal osteotomy orthopedic implant fusion with internal fixation. There were 22 males and 37 females, aged (7.4±4.1) years. Patients were divided into ERAS group (n=29) and control group (n=30) according to the management model. Patients in the ERAS group were managed with an accelerated recovery management model during the perioperative period, which mainly included: high protein diet, shortened fasting time, optimized anesthesia protocol, and multimodal analgesia. Patients in the control group received the traditional perioperative management model. The indexes of surgery, diet, pain score and laboratory tests were compared between the two groups. Results: All patients completed the surgery successfully. The mean temperature and pain scores of patients in the ERAS group were lower than those in the control group at 3 days postoperatively (P<0.05). The time to exhaustion and defecation in the ERAS group was (1.0±0.8) d and (2.5±0.9) d postoperatively, both significantly earlier than those in the control group ((3.4±0.8) d and (4.0±1.1) d) (both P<0.05). C-reactive protein was 38(8,46) mg/L in patients of the ERAS group on the day 3 postoperatively, which was significantly lower than that in the control group 47(22,93) mg/L (P=0.023). The hemoglobin level on postoperative day 3 was (110.7±9.6) g/L in the ERAS group, which was significantly higher than that in the control group ((104.5±11.4) g/L) (P=0.029). Postoperative complications occurred in 8(27.6%) and 9(30.0%) patients in the ERAS and control groups, respectively (P=1.000), with mild abdominal pain and bloating being the most common complications in both groups, most of which were not treated specifically. Conclusion: ERAS is a safe and effective perioperative management mode for children with congenital spinal deformity. Compared with the traditional method, it can significantly improve the treatment efficiency and deserve clinical application.

[Clinical outcome of open reduction and internal fixation with digastric trochanteric flip osteotomy for acetabular posterior wall fracture with hip dislocation].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcome of open reduction and internal fixation via digastric trochanteric flip osteotomy for acetabular posterior wall fracture with hip dislocation. Methods: From January 2014 to December 2016 a total of 39 patients who suffered posterior wall acetabular fracture and hip dislocation and treated in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital were included in this retrospective study. All the patients were divided into two groups according to surgery type. There were 22 cases in osteotomy group who underwent digastric trochanteric flip osteotomy (DTFO) via Kocher-Langenbeck (K-L) approach, while 17 cases in control group who only received surgery via (K-L) approach. The Matta scale was used to evaluate fracture reduction, while functional recovery scale (FRS) and Euro-Quality of 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) were applied to measure the clinical effect. Results: The baseline characteristics were similar for both groups and the mean follow-up period was (48±11) months. All the surgeries were performed successfully. The blood loss (t=1.52, P=0.12), bed days (t=1.22, P=0.25), complication rate (χ²=2.02, P=0.16) and operation time (t=1.31, P=0.23) showed no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The fracture reduction (χ²=0.05, P=0.81) were similar between the 2 groups but the excellent rate were higher in osteotomy group. According to evaluation scales the FRS score and EQ-5D index favored osteotomy group(85±13 vs 80±15 and 0.86±0.12 vs 0.80±0.17, respectively, t=2.87, 3.47, both P<0.05). Conclusion: K-L approach with DTFO can provide clearier surgical field which is convenient for procedure, and compared to K-L approach the clinical effect is more satisfactory.

[Effect of enhanced recovery after surgery for elderly patients with hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of femoral neck fracture].

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) for the elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. Methods: A total of 92 elderly patients with femoral neck fracture who received hemiarthroplasty from July 2018 to December 2018 in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital were enrolled in this study. The average age of the participants was (75±6) years, including 31 males and 61 females, and 72(78.3%) of the patients complicated with comorbidity. According to the perioperative management method, the patients were divided into the observational group (47 cases with ERAS) and the control group (45 cases with normal management). The data related to operation, hospitalization, complication and nursing satisfaction were compared between the 2 groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for pain evaluation. The Harris scores for hip joint and EQ-5D index scores were applied to evaluate the clinical outcomes. The follow-up were performed periodically for 3 months. The measurement data in accordance with normal distribution and homogeneity of variance were compared with t test. Results: All the surgeries completed successfully and no patient died during perioperative period. Compared with the control group, the operation rate in 48 hours (χ(2)=17.781, P<0.01), bed days (Z=-4.987, P<0.01), and medical costs (Z=-4.315, P<0.01) favored that in the observational group. The incidence of complication and nursing satisfaction showed no significant difference between the two groups (31.1% vs 14.9%, 86.7% vs 95.7%, χ(2)=3.432, 1.380, both P>0.05). The perioperative VAS score was lower in the observational group. The Harris scores were higher in the observational group after 1 months (t=4.458, P<0.01), however the quality of life for 2 groups was similar at all time points (t=1.293, 1.227, both P>0.05). Conclusion: ERAS can improve hip function and reduce the hospital stays and medical costs for patients underwent HA operation.

[Predictors for perioperative blood loss in pediatric patients with congenital scoliosis].

Objective: To identify predictors of massive blood loss after posterior hemivertebra resection for patients with congenital scoliosis. Methods: The data of 106 children with congenital scoliosis were collected from June 2017 to June 2019 in Beijing Children's Hospital. All the cases received posterior hemivertebra resection and internal fixation. The blood volume was estimated by weight and height. The visible blood loss was recorded according to medical record, and the hidden blood loss was calculated by OSTHEO formula. Perioperative information including age, gender, height, weight, Cobb and kyphosis angle, level fused, number of screws, operative time, and laboratory examinations was collected. Then multivariable linear regression was performed to determine the independent risk factors of blood loss. Results: All the surgeries were completed successfully. The mean age of the children was (7.3±2.3) years and the operative time was (162±56) min. The mean fused levels were 3 and the correction rate for deformity was 78.4%. The amount of blood loss was (568±208) ml which accounted for 42.3% of total blood volume. The visible and hidden blood loss was (334±193) ml and (234±199) ml, respectively, and which accounted for 58.8% and 41.2% of total blood loss. Multivariable linear regression analysis indicated that age, preoperative Cobb angle, the time of surgery and the number of fused levels were independent risk factors of total blood loss. Preoperative Cobb angle ≥40°, spinal fusion ≥4 levels and operative duration ≥140 min indicated more blood loss (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The perioperative blood loss of congenital scoliosis is massive with a high percentage of hidden blood loss. The patients with severe deformity, more fused levels and increased operative time brings higher risk of massive blood loss.

How Robust is the N=34 Subshell Closure? First Spectroscopy of

The first γ-ray spectroscopy of ^{52}Ar, with the neutron number N=34, was measured using the ^{53}K(p,2p) one-proton removal reaction at ∼210 MeV/u at the RIBF facility. The 2_{1}^{+} excitation energy is found at 1656(18) keV, the highest among the Ar isotopes with N>20. This result is the first experimental signature of the persistence of the N=34 subshell closure beyond ^{54}Ca, i.e., below the magic proton number Z=20. Shell-model calculations with phenomenological and chiral-effective-field-theory interactions both reproduce the measured 2_{1}^{+} systematics of neutron-rich Ar isotopes, and support a N=34 subshell closure in ^{52}Ar.

Quasifree Neutron Knockout from

Exclusive cross sections and momentum distributions have been measured for quasifree one-neutron knockout reactions from a ^{54}Ca beam striking on a liquid hydrogen target at ∼200 MeV/u. A significantly larger cross section to the p_{3/2} state compared to the f_{5/2} state observed in the excitation of ^{53}Ca provides direct evidence for the nature of the N=34 shell closure. This finding corroborates the arising of a new shell closure in neutron-rich calcium isotopes. The distorted-wave impulse approximation reaction formalism with shell model calculations using the effective GXPF1Bs interaction and ab initio calculations concur our experimental findings. Obtained transverse and parallel momentum distributions demonstrate the sensitivity of quasifree one-neutron knockout in inverse kinematics on a thick liquid hydrogen target with the reaction vertex reconstructed to final state spin-parity assignments.

Short-term supplementation of isocaloric meals with L-tryptophan affects pig growth.

L-Tryptophan (Trp) and some of its metabolites regulate the circadian rhythm in mammals. We aimed to investigate the effects of short-term supplementation of Trp in isocaloric meals on growth performance using the parameters of multiple blood biomarkers and free amino acids in growing pigs. A total of 32 Landrace × Yorkshire barrows with a mean body weight of 8.64 (±1.13) kg were randomly assigned to four groups and then fed with various concentrations of Trp diets daily. Our results showed that sequential supplementation of different concentrations of Trp in isocaloric meals decreased the feed:gain (F:G) ratio (P = 0.079) and plasma urea and albumin (P = 0.019), whereas the level of total protein did not. Among the essential and conditionally essential amino acids, the concentrations of histidine, isoleucine, proline, threonine, arginine, and valine in the plasma decreased (P < 0.05), whereas the concentrations of Trp, glycine, serine, and methionine increased (P < 0.01). In addition, concentrations of branched chain amino acids also significantly decreased (P = 0.004), while the rate of conversion of Trp to branched chain amino acids increased (P < 0.001). Taken together, we show that administration of a high concentration of Trp in breakfast with decreasing concentrations of Trp in lunch and dinner positively affected feed utilization and improved feed efficiency, at least in part, through the optimization of amino acid interconversions and nitrogen utilization.

[Internal fixation and hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of displaced femoral neck fracture: a cost-utility analysis].

Objective: To compare the cannulated screw internal fixation (IF) and hemiarthroplasty (HA) for displaced femoral neck fracture with cost-utility analysis (CUA). Methods: From January 2014 to August 2015, a total of 87 patients above 60 years old with displaced femoral neck fracture were admitted into the study and divided into 2 groups according to surgery type. There were 41 cases in IF group and 46 cases in HA group. During 1 year follow-up we collected the total cost due to fracture and applied EQ-5D index to evaluate the clinical effects. The value of EQ-5D index will be transformed to quality adjusted life year (QALY). Eventually the data including cost and QALY were used to calculate the cost utility ratio (CUR) for patients in each group. Results: All the patients completed the operation successfully. The total cost of IF and HA was 45 796 yuan and 56 657 yuan (P<0.05), while the QALY was 0.79 and 0.83 respectively (P>0.05). The CUR showed that patients in IF and HA group spent 57 970 yuan and 68 261 yuan for each QALY which means patients in HA group spent more 10 292 yuan for each QALY than that in IF group. Conclusions: Both IF and HA can provide satisfactory clinical outcome in 1 year follow-up, however the total cost of IF was obviously less than HA. Therefore IF may be more cost-effective for the treatment of displaced femoral neck fracture in terms of health economics.

[Epidemiological analysis of hospitalized patients with femoral neck fracture in a first-class hospital of Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical parameters of the patients with femoral neck fracture such as general condition, therapy method, hospitalized expense so as to provide more effective management plan for the clinical work. METHODS: The patients with femoral neck fracture above 50 years who received in-patient treatment from 2008 January to 2012 December were admitted into this study. We collected and analyzed the information, such as age, chronic medical disease, therapy method, hospitalized duration and expense and so on. RESULTS: There were 1 794 femoral neck fracture patients above 50 years (male/female=1/2.06) in our hospital in recent 5 years and the annual average rate of increase was 7.3%. The average age of the patients was (69.9±10.7) years and the annual average rate of increase was 0.6%. The chronic medical disease diagnosis ratio was 55.0%. The average waiting time for operation was (6.8±4.2) days and the average hospitalized duration was (12.9±4.9) days which showed downward trend in recent years. The most popular operations were cannulated screw internal fixation (41.8%) and artificial femoral head replacement (34.1%). In the study, 146 cases (7.9%) received nonsurgical treatment which showed downward trend. The average hospitalized expense was (35 075.7±11 343.2) yuan which showed no obvious change in recent years. The cost for the females was more than that for the males. The expense for hemiarthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty increased while that for cannulated screw internal fixation decreased gradually. CONCLUSION: The cannulated screw internal fixation and artificial femoral head replacement were the most important operations for the patients with femoral neck fracture. The number and the average age of the patients were on the rise while the expense showed no obvious change in recent years.

[Comparison of mid-term surgical results between plate and intramedullary nail for humeral shaft fracture].

Objective: To evaluate the mid-term clinical efficacy of plate and intramedullary nail for humeral shaft fracture. Methods: In this retrospective study a total of 122 patients with humeral shaft fracture were divided into 2 groups according to surgery type from May 2010 to July 2012. There were 63 patients in plate group and 59 patients in intramedullary nail group. The factors related to the operation for each group were compared respectively. The clinical outcome was evaluated by the Neer scores, Myao scores and EuroQol 5 dimensions scores (EQ-5D). All the patients were followed up periodically in the next 3 years. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups on hospital stay and time of returning to work (P>0.05). While the operation time, amount of intraoperative blood loss and complication rate were less in intramedullary nail group. The mean follow-up duration was (41.2±4.2) months in plate group and (42.1±4.7) months in intramedullary nail group respectively. At the last follow-up the postoperative Neer scores, Myao scores and EQ-5D scores showed no significant differences between the 2 groups[Neer: (93.8±6.1) vs(92.1±4.2); Myao: (94.9±2.9) vs(96.2±1.5), P>0.05]. There were no cases complicated with nonunion, delayed union, infection and deformity during the follow-up period. Conclusions: The mid-term outcome of open reduction and internal fixation with plate and close reduction with intramedullary nail for humeral shaft fracture is satisfactory. Although both surgeries are safe and effective, they also have some defaults. The doctors should choose the right surgery carefully according to the actual situation of the patients.

Autoimmune comorbid diseases associated with lichen planus: a nationwide case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with unknown aetiology. The association between LP and various autoimmune diseases has been reported, but nationwide study of the relationship of LP with associated diseases is quite limited. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to clarify the association between LP and a variety of autoimmune diseases in Taiwanese. METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan from 1997 to 2011. In total, 12,427 patients with LP and 49,708 age- and gender-matched controls were enrolled. RESULTS: Among patients with LP, there were significant associations with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (multivariate odds ratio [mOR]: 2.87; 95% CI: 1.97-4.17), Sjögren's syndrome (mOR: 3.75; 95% CI: 2.66-5.28), dermatomyositis (mOR: 6.34; 95% CI: 1.82-22.16), vitiligo (mOR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.31-3.32) and alopecia areata (mOR: 2.82; 95% CI: 2.20-3.62). On gender-stratified analyses, SLE and alopecia areata were significantly associated with LP in both genders. The association with Sjögren's syndrome was significant only in female patients. The associations with dermatomyositis and vitiligo became insignificant in both genders. CONCLUSION: Lichen planus is associated with various autoimmune diseases. Further study is required to elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms and roles of autoimmunity in the aetiology of LP.

Comorbidity profiles in association with vitiligo: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The previous literature has demonstrated the association of autoimmune and atopic diseases with vitiligo, but there has been no large-scale nationwide study conducted to confirm this. OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to clarify the comorbid profiles in vitiligo patients and thereby better understand their clinical scenarios and underlying pathogenesis. METHODS: This was a retrospective population-based study conducted from 1996 to 2011 via the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. The differences in the prevalence of multiple autoimmune and atopic diseases between case subjects and controls were analysed by multiple logistic regression method. RESULTS: A total of 14883 vitiligo patients and 59532 controls were enroled. The prevalence of vitiligo was 0.064% and the peak of onset age was 40-59 years old. The non-stratified analysis evidenced a significant association between vitiligo and several comorbid diseases, including alopecia areata, Hashimoto thyroiditis, myasthenia gravis, psoriasis, Graves' disease, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus and atopic dermatitis. Vitiligo patients also had higher prevalence of multiple comorbidities than controls. In the age- and gender-stratified analysis, increased risks of systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome were observed only in subjects aged 60-79. The association of vitiligo with myasthenia gravis and rheumatoid arthritis was identified only in the subgroup aged 20-39 and in females aged 60-79 respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study not only confirmed the significant association of vitiligo with multiple autoimmune and atopic diseases in Taiwan but also disclosed several unique findings, including the much lower prevalence of vitiligo, delayed onset of vitiligo by three decades, different associated comorbidity profiles comparing to westerners and the age- and gender-specific approach for the vitiligo-associated comorbidities.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus and the correlation of HPV infection with cervical disease in Weihai, China.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection rate in female genital tracts, as well as the HPV genotype distribution and HPV correlation with cervical disease in Weihai, Shandong Province, China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A random sample of 9,460 volunteers was simultaneously screened using gene chips and examined by ThinPrep liquid-based cytology test (TCT). Cervical biopsy samples were collected from women with positive HPV-DNA and abnormal TCT for pathological diagnosis. RESULTS: The overall HPV prevalence was 6.93% (656 of 9,460). A total of 753 subjects were infected with HPV subtypes (including multiple HPV infections). Of those with infections, 688 were infected with high-risk (HR) types (91.37%), and 65 were infected with low-risk subtypes (8.63%). The single-infection rate was 63.1%.The prevalence rates of HPV in women aged 20 to 39 years and 40 to 59 years were 7.29% and 6.71%, respectively. The most common genotype was HPV16. The HR genotypes were associated with cervical diseases such as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) (37.9%), atypical squamous cells high grade (ASC-H) (42.5%), low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) (50%), and high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion HSIL (66.7%). Cervical biopsy results show that the HPV detection rate increased in the following biopsy samples: cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I (74.11%), CIN II (84.31%), CIN III (90.32%), and squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) (100%). CONCLUSIONS: The HPV infection rate with associated cervical disease in Weihai is equal to those in foreign countries but is lower than the average rate in China. The prevalence of HPV was higher in young people. The most common HPV genotype was 16, followed by 52 and 58. HR HPV is the most probable infection factor for cervical diseases.

Chemical composition of yak colostrum and transient milk.

The objective of this study was to assess the changes in the chemical composition of yak colostrum and transient milk. Samples were collected from 12 yaks on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 post-partum (PP). The gross composition, nitrogen fraction distribution, amino acid (AA) profile and fatty acid (FA) profile were analysed. All the components decreased rapidly during the first 3 days except lactose which increased. The ratio of whey protein to casein protein decreased from 46:54 to 17:83 during the first 7 days PP. The content of all the AAs decreased, while the percentages of eight essential AAs in protein of samples increased during the study period. Monounsaturated FAs and polyunsaturated FAs decreased in the first 7 days PP, whereas saturated FAs increased. In conclusion, the changes in chemical composition were remarkable during the first 3 days. The slight variations, happened during the transient period, are not negligible, which also should be taken into account in the development of yak colostrum supplements.