Arthroscopic inferior leaf meniscectomy of the involved anterior horn in the lateral meniscus horizontal tear via an accessary extreme far anteromedial portal.

BACKGROUND: An accessory extreme far anteromedial portal can improve visualisation and ease inferior leaf meniscectomy in patients with lateral meniscal anterior horn horizontal tears. However, the therapeutic outcomes of adding an accessory extreme far anteromedial portal remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of adding an accessory extreme far anteromedial portal for treating lateral meniscal horizontal tears involving the anterior horns. METHODS: This retrospective study included 101 patients with anterior horn involvement in lateral meniscal horizontal tears who underwent arthroscopic unstable inferior leaf meniscectomy between January 2016 and December 2020. The pathologies were diagnosed using physical examinations and magnetic resonance imaging. The anterior horn involved in the lateral meniscal horizontal tears was treated using inferior leaf meniscectomy. The primary endpoints were changes in the visual analogue scale, Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee, and Tegner scores at the final follow-up. The secondary endpoint was meniscal cure rate at 3 months postoperatively. The preoperative and postoperative functional scores were compared. The occurrence of complications was recorded. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for an average of 4.9 ± 1.2 years (range 2.3-7.5 years). After 4 months, none of the patients experienced pain, weakness, instability, or tenderness in the lateral joint line, achieving an imaging cure rate of 98%. At the final follow-up, significant postoperative improvements were observed in the average values of the visual analogue scale score (3.5 ± 0.7 vs. 0.7 ± 0.6), Lysholm score (62.7 ± 4.4 vs. 91.8 ± 3.1), International Knee Documentation Committee score (61.9 ± 3.7 vs. 91.7 ± 9.5), and Tegner score (2.0 ± 0.7 vs. 6.1 ± 0.7). Excellent Lysholm scores were obtained in 81 patients, and good outcomes were obtained in 18 patients, with an excellent-to-good rate of 98.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Inferior leaf resection via the accessory far anteromedial portal is a safe treatment option for the involved anterior horn in lateral meniscal horizontal tears. This approach enhances visibility and facilitates surgical procedures, with minimal complications.

Clinical outcomes following direct anterior approach during total hip arthroplasty without hip extension: a retrospective comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Traditional total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the direct anterior approach (DAA) requires a hip extension. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing THA with DAA using either the no hip extension (NHE) or the traditional hip extension (THE) strategy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of demographics, clinical and radiological outcomes, and occurrence of complications was performed using data from 123 patients treated between January 2020 and November 2021. The patients were categorised into two groups: NHE (84 patients) and THE (39 patients). RESULTS: The NHE group exhibited shorter operative time and had more male participants with higher ages. Comparable outcomes were observed in the visual analogue scale, Harris Hip, and Oxford Hip scores at the final follow-up. Furthermore, complications were observed in the NHE and THE groups, including two and one greater trochanteric fractures and three and one transfusions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the THE, employing the NHE strategy during THA with DAA in elderly and young female patients resulted in comparable clinical outcomes with several advantages, such as favourable surgical time. The NHE method also exhibited good safety and effectiveness. Therefore, the NHE strategy may be a favourable option for elderly and young female patients.

Atrophic gastritis rather than Helicobacter pylori infection can be an independent risk factor of colorectal polyps: a retrospective study in China.

BACKGROUND: Colonoscopy is considered the most effective screening method for colorectal polyps. However, the longevity and complexity of the procedure makes it less desirable to screen for colorectal polyps in the general population. Therefore, it is essential to identify other independent risk factors. In this study, we explored the link between Hp infection, atrophic gastritis, and colorectal polyps to identify a new potential risk factors of colorectal polyps. METHODS: In this study, atrophic gastritis and intestinal polyps were diagnosed by endoscopy and pathology. All the 792 patients in this retrospective study were divided into sub-groups based on the presence of colorectal polyps. The correlation between polyps and atrophic gastritis was analyzed using the chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis test. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the predictive value for colorectal polyps between Hp infection and atrophic gastritis. Binary logistic regression was utilized to identify independent risk factors for colorectal polyps. RESULTS: Patients with colorectal polyps were primarily male with advanced age, and the number of patients with colorectal polyps had a higher association with smoking, alcohol drinking, and Hp infection than the control group. A positive correlation between the number of colorectal polyps and the severity of atrophic gastritis was observed. ROC analysis showed that atrophic gastritis was a better risk factors for colorectal polyps. Multivariate analysis identified atrophic gastritis as an independent risk factor for colorectal polyps (OR 2.294; 95% CI 1.597-3.296). CONCLUSIONS: Atrophic gastritis confirmed could be an independent risk factors for colorectal polyps.

The effect of posterior cruciate ligament tibial avulsion fracture on functional outcomes in knees with concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures: a matched-cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: At present, the optimal treatment for posterior cruciate ligament tibial avulsion fracture (PCLTAF) combined with concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures remains unclear. The present study aimed to assess the preliminary outcomes of treatment for PCLTAF with concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of patients who sustained PCLTAF with concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures between March 2015 and February 2019 and underwent treatment at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Imaging examinations performed at the time of injury were applied to identify concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures. We used 1:2 matching between patients with PCLTAF combined with concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures (combined group; n = 11) and those with isolated PCLTAF (isolated group; n = 22). Outcome data were collected, including the range of motion (ROM) and visual analogue scale (VAS), Tegner, Lysholm, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores. At the final follow-up, the clinical outcomes were compared between the combined and isolated groups and between patients who underwent early-stage surgery and those who underwent delayed treatment for PCLTAF. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (26 males, 7 females) were included in this study, with eleven patients having PCLTAF and concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures and a follow-up of 3.1 to 7.4 years (average, 4.8 years). Compared to patients in the isolated group, patients in the combined group demonstrated significantly worse Lysholm scores (85.7 ± 5.8 vs. 91.5 ± 3.9, p = 0.040), Tegner scores (4.4 ± 0.9 vs. 5.4 ± 0.8, p = 0.006), and IKDC scores (83.6 ± 9.3 vs. 90.5 ± 3.0, p = 0.008). Inferior outcomes were found in patients with delayed treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Inferior results were found in patients with concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures, while better outcomes were obtained in patients with PCLTAF through early-stage ORIF using the posteromedial approach. The present findings may help determine the prognoses of patients with PCLTAF combined with concomitant ipsilateral lower limb fractures treated through early-stage ORIF.

Hip effusion/synovitis influences results after multiple drilling core decompression for bone marrow edema syndrome of hip.

BACKGROUND: At present, it is not known whether hip effusion/synovitis affects the therapeutic effect of multiple drilling core decompression (MDCD) in patients with bone marrow edema syndrome of hip (BMESH). The aims were to assess hip effusion/synovitis and its relationship with results of MDCD in patients with BMESH. METHODS: The data of undergoing arthroscopic-assisted MDCD for treatment of BMESH with hip effusion/synovitis by one surgeon were retrospectively reviewed from the associated medical records at the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (2016-2019). Seven patients (9 hips) participated in this study. Patients were followed up at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. Data included demographics and clinical outcomes. The pre- and postoperative pain and functional outcomes were measured with the visual analogue scale (VAS), Harris Hip Score (HHS), Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living subscale (HOS-ADL), International Hip Outcome Tool-12 (iHOT-12) and range of motion (ROM). RESULTS: Seven patients (9 hips) were followed up. Disappearance of hip pain immediately obtained at rest after surgery. All of 7 patients returned to their former activity level at postoperative 3 months, bone marrow edema had disappeared on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The VAS, HHS, HOS-ADL, iHOT-12, and ROM at postoperative 1 month had a significant difference (P < 0.05) compared with preoperative. It was also statistically significant (P < 0.05) when compared with other time points. At the final follow-up, all patients had no limited ROM, which was symmetrical with the contralateral of hip joint. Hip effusion/synovitis were observed in 9 hips. Labral tears, cartilage fissure, and loose bodies were observed in 1 hip, respectively. Kirschner wire tracks bleeding occurred in 1 hip. No other complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Hip effusion/synovitis could affect the clinical outcomes after MDCD in patients with BMESH. Arthroscopic procedure of hip effusion/synovitis can shorten postoperative pain relief time, disappearance time of bone marrow edema on MRI. It can simultaneously diagnose and treat other concomitant intraarticular pathologies, and be a safe operation with fewer complications.

CNTF induces Clcf1 in astrocytes to promote the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells.

NSCs play an essential role in the regeneration process of the central nervous system. However, due to the influence of the harsh pathological microenvironment, the viability of neural stem cells is limited, and the therapeutic effect needs improvement. Previous studies have found that stem cells overexpressing ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) have apparent therapeutic effects on remyelination, but the specific mechanism of action still needs to be further explored. We found that astrocytes, the most numerous groups in the CNS, exhibited a pathological role in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model, but after stimulation with CNTF-NSCs, a phenotypic switch occurred and induced the neurotrophic factor cardiotrophin-like cytokine 1 (Clcf1) production. Mechanistically, Clcf1 can significantly promote the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), and the advanced effect can attenuate by the Clcf1 antibody. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the pathway by which CNTF-NSCs exert their therapeutic effects by affecting astrocytes. It is expected to identify a potential therapeutic factor, Clcf1, for the treatment of demyelinating diseases.

Engineering of Defect-Rich Cu2WS4 Nano-homojunctions Anchored on Covalent Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Gaseous Elemental Mercury Removal.

Fabricating two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD)-based unique composites is an effective way to boost the overall physical and chemical properties, which will be helpful for the efficient and fast capture of elemental mercury (Hg0) over a wide temperature range. Herein, we constructed a defect-rich Cu2WS4 nano-homojunction decorated on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with abundant S vacancies. Highly well-dispersed and uniform Cu2WS4 nanoparticles were immobilized on COFs strongly via an ion pre-anchored strategy, consequently exhibiting enhanced Hg0 removal performance. The saturation adsorption capacity of Cu2WS4@COF composites (21.60 mg·g-1) was 9 times larger than that of Cu2WS4 crystals, which may be ascribed to more active S sites exposed in hybrid interfaces formed in the Cu2WS4 nano-homojunction and between Cu2WS4 nanoparticles and COFs. More importantly, such hybrid materials reduced adsorption deactivation at high temperatures, having a wide operating temperature range (from 40 to 200 °C) owing to the thermostability of active S species immobilized by both physical confined and chemical interactions in COFs. Accordingly, this work not only provides an effective method to construct uniform TMD-based sorbents for mercury capture but also opens a new realm of advanced COF hybrid materials with designed functionalities.

Low-frequency electrical stimulation alleviates immobilization-evoked disuse muscle atrophy by repressing autophagy in skeletal muscle of rabbits.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to investigate the effect of low-frequency electrical stimulation (LFES) on disuse muscle atrophy and its mechanism in a rabbit model of knee extension contracture. METHODS: This study involved two experiments. In the time-point experiment, 24 rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups: Control 1 (Ctrl1 group), immobilization for 2 weeks (I-2 group), immobilization for 4 weeks (I-4 group), and immobilization for 6 weeks (I-6 group). In the intervention experiment, 24 rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups: Control 2 (Ctrl2 group), electrical stimulation (ESG group), natural recovery (NRG group), and electrical stimulation treatment (ESTG group). All intervention effects were assessed by evaluating the knee joint range of motion (ROM), cross-sectional area (CSA) of the rectus femoris muscle, and expression of autophagy-related proteins. RESULTS: The time-point experiment showed that immobilization reduced the knee ROM, reduced the rectus femoris muscle CSA, and activated autophagy in skeletal muscle. The levels of five autophagy-related proteins [mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR), autophagy-related protein 7 (Atg7), p62, and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B-II (LC3B-II)] were significantly elevated in the skeletal muscle of the I-4 group. The intervention experiment further showed that LFES significantly improved the immobilization-induced reductions in ROM and CSA. Additionally, LFES resulted in a significant decrease in the protein expression of mTOR, p-mTOR, Atg7, p62, and LC3B-II in the rectus femoris muscle. CONCLUSIONS: LFES alleviates immobilization-evoked disuse muscle atrophy possibly by inhibiting autophagy in the skeletal muscle of rabbits.

Sublethal toxicity of graphene oxide in Caenorhabditis elegans under multi-generational exposure.

Nanomaterials have received increasing attentions owing to their potential hazards to the environment and human health; however, the multi-generational toxicity of graphene oxide under consecutive multi-generational exposure scenario still remains unclear. In the present study, Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model organism was employed to explore the multi-generational toxicity effects of graphene oxide and the underlying mechanisms. Endpoints including development and lifespan, locomotion behaviors, defecation cycle, brood sizes, and oxidative response were evaluated in the parental generation and subsequent five filial generations. After continuous exposure for several generations, worms grew smaller and lived shorter. The locomotion behaviors were reduced across the filial generations and these reduced trends were following the impairments of locomotion-related neurons. In addition, the extended defecation cycles from the third filial generation were in consistency with the relative size reduction of the defecation related neuron. Simultaneously, the fertility function of the nematode was impaired under consecutive exposure as reduced brood sizes and oocytes numbers, increased apoptosis of germline, and aberrant expression of reproductive related genes ced-3, ced-4, ced-9, egl-1 and ced-13 were detected in exposed worms. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzyme, SOD-3 was significantly increased in the parent and filial generations. Thus, continuous multi-generational exposure to graphene oxide caused damage to the neuron development and the reproductive system in nematodes. These toxic effects could be reflected by indicators such as growth inhibition, shortened lifespan, and locomotion behavior impairment and induced oxidative response.

A new indolizinium alkaloid from marine-derived Streptomyces sp. HNA39.

A new indolizinium alkaloid, named as cyclizidine J (1), was identified from Gause's liquid fermentation of marine-derived Streptomyces sp. HNA39. Its structure was elucidated by extensive NMR spectroscopic methods, HRESIMS data, and ECD calculations. To our best knowledge, compound 1 was a unique cyclizidine-type alkaloid that contain a chlorine atom substituted at position C-8. Unfortunately, biological evaluation of 1 exhibited no active against PC-3 cancer cell line, BRD4, and ROCK2 protein kinase.

A prospective cohort study of cord blood 25(OH)D3 and food allergies in 6-month-old Chinese infants.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D is closely related to childhood allergic diseases, such as food allergies, atopic dermatitis, and asthma. However, it is unclear whether vitamin D status in the cord blood from mothers is related to food allergies in infants. OBJECTIVE: We performed a prospective cohort study on the relationship between the cord blood vitamin D [i.e., 25-hydroxyvitamin D3(25(OH)D3)] level and infant food allergies. METHODS: This study selected 741 newborns to observe until 6 months of age and used open oral food challenges (OFCs) to diagnose their food allergies. Cord blood and 6-month serum 25(OH)D3 levels of the infants were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The proportion of children with cord blood 25(OH)D3 deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) was 86.27%. Cord blood vitamin D was positively correlated with the supplementation frequency of egg yolk, multivitamins, calcium, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during pregnancy and the mother's age. No significant difference was found in the cord blood 25(OH)D3 level between summer born and winter born infants (p = 0.465). After adjusting for seasonal factors, the risk of food allergies in the 25(OH)D3 non-deficiency group was 2.72 times that of the 25(OH)D3 deficiency group. Infants in the 25(OH)D3 non-deficiency group ≥20 ng/mL) had a higher risk of allergies compared with the deficiency group (< 20 ng/mL) (RR = 2.49). CONCLUSIONS: Cord blood 25(OH)D3 is associated with infant food allergies. Maintaining 25(OH)D3 in maternal cord blood at a low level may be conducive to the prevention of infant food allergies.

A Case Series of Children With 2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection: Clinical and Epidemiological Features.

We first described the 2019 novel coronavirus infection in 10 children occurring in areas other than Wuhan. The coronavirus diseases in children are usually mild and epidemiological exposure is a key clue to recognize pediatric case. Prolonged virus shedding is observed in respiratory tract and feces at the convalescent stage.

Ginsenoside Rb 1: A novel therapeutic agent in Staphylococcusaureus-induced Acute Lung Injury with special reference to Oxidative stress and Apoptosis.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is considered as an uncontrolled inflammatory response that can leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which limits the therapeutic strategies. Ginsenosides Rb1 (Rb1), an active ingredient obtained from Panax ginseng, possesses a broad range of pharmacological and medicinal properties, comprising the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor activities. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of Rb1 against S. aureus-induced (ALI) through regulation of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathways in mice (in-vivo), and RAW264.7 cells (in-vitro). For that purpose, forty Kunming mice were randomly assigned into four treatment groups; (1) Control group (phosphate buffer saline (PBS); (2) S. aureus group; (3) S. aureus + Rb1 (20 mg/kg) group; and (4) Rb1 (20 mg/kg) group. The 20 µg/mL dose of Rb1 was used in RAW264.7 cells. In the present study, we found that Rb1 treatment reduced ALI-induced oxidative stress via suppressing the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) and increase the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxidase dismutase 1 (SOD1), Catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx1). Similarly, Rb1 markedly increased messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of antioxidant genes (SOD1, CAT and Gpx1) in comparison with ALI group. The histopathological results showed that Rb1 treatment ameliorated ALI-induced hemorrhages, hyperemia, perivascular edema and neutrophilic infiltration in the lungs of mice. Furthermore, Rb1 enhanced the antioxidant defense system through activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Our findings showed that Rb1 treated group significantly up-regulated mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and its downstream associated genes down-regulated by ALI in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, ALI significantly increased the both mRNA and protein expression of mitochondrial-apoptosis-related genes (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, cytochrome c and p53), while decreased the Bcl-2. In addition, Rb1 therapy significantly reversed the mRNA and protein expression of these mitochondrial-apoptosis-related genes, as compared to the ALI group in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, Rb1 alleviates ALI-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis by modulating the Nrf2 and mitochondrial signaling pathways in the lungs of mice.

Using ESI FT-ICR MS to Characterize Dissolved Organic Matter in Salt Lakes with Different Salinity.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in salt lakes is critical for water quality and aquatic ecology, and the salinization of salt lakes affects the DOM composition. To the best of our knowledge, no study has explored the effects of salinity on salt lake DOM composition at the molecular level. In this work, we selected Qinghai Lake (QHL) and Daihai Lake (DHL) as typical saline lakes. The two lakes have similar geographical and climatic conditions, and the salinity of QHL is higher than that of DHL. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization was applied to compare the DOM molecular composition in the two lakes. At higher salinity, the DOM showed larger average molecular weight, higher oxidation degree, and lower aromaticity. Moreover, the proportion of DOM that is vulnerable to microbial degradation (e.g., lipids), photo-degradation (e.g., aromatic structures), or both processes (e.g., carbohydrates and unsaturated hydrocarbons) reduced at higher salinity. On the contrary, compounds that are refractory to microbial degradation (e.g., lignins/CRAM-like structures and tannins) or photo-degradation (e.g., aliphatic compounds) accumulated. Our study provides a useful and unique method to study DOM molecular composition in salt lakes with different salinity and is helpful to understand DOM transformation during the salinization of salt lakes.

Silicon-mediated plant defense against pathogens and insect pests.

Plant diseases and insect pests are one of the major limiting factors that reduce crop production worldwide. Silicon (Si) is one of the most abundant elements in the lithosphere and has a positive impact on plant health by effectively mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses. It also enhances plant resistance against insect pests and fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases. Therefore, this review critically converges its focus upon Si-mediated physical, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms in plant defense against pathogens and insect pests. It further explains Si-modulated interactive phytohormone signaling and enzymatic production and their involvement in inducing resistance against biotic stresses. Furthermore, this review highlights the recent research accomplishments which have successfully revealed the active role of Si in protecting plants against insect herbivory and various viral, bacterial, and fungal diseases. The article explores the potential in enhancing Si-mediated plant resistance against various economically important diseases and insect pests, further shedding light upon future issues regarding the role of Si in defense against pathogens and insect pests.

[Post-marketing intensive safety monitoring of Injection of Xuesaitong (lyophilized) in 30097 cases].

To investigate the safety of Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) in clinical "real world" application, including the types, incidence, as well as the severity and treatment measures of adverse reactions/adverse events. This will serve as a basis for hospitals and enterprises to develop risk control measures. A prospective, multi-center, and large-sample hospital centralized monitoring method was used to conduct post-marketing safety monitoring of Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) in medical institutions nationwide. Paper case report forms were adopted to collect general information, medication and adverse reaction information of patients using Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized). Data analysis was performed by using SAS 9.1 software. The study included 79 hospitals with 30 097 patients. 199 cases of adverse events were found in patients administered with Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized), a total of 206 times. Among 199 cases, 40 of them showed adverse reactions, accounting for an overall incidence of 0.13% and 95%CI[0.09%,0.17%], which was an occasional grade. There were 38 cases of mild adverse reactions, accounting for 95.0%, 2 cases of moderate adverse reactions, accounting for 5.0%. Adverse reaction symptoms were relieved in six patients, accounting for 15.0% of the total number of adverse reactions, adverse reaction symptoms disappeared in 34 cases, with an overall percentage of 85.0%. The results of the study showed the adverse reactions in patients using Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) were rare and mild, with a good prognosis. Therefore, clinical administration of Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) is relatively safe.

[Analysis of Injection of Xuesaitong (lyophilized) in 30097 cases in real world].

To investigate the extensive application of Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) in clinical real world study, and provide basis for clinical guidance on rational drug use and improvement of drug instructions. A prospective, multi-center, large-sample hospital centralized monitoring method was adopted to collect the general information and medication information of all patients who received Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) during the study period in the respective monitoring units. Data analysis was performed using SAS 9.1 software. This study included 79 hospitals, with 30 097 patients being recruited. The patients who met the indications for stroke and hemiplegia accounted for 31.18%, those who experienced indications of chest pain and heartache accounted for 23.15%, and patients with central retinal vein occlusion indication accounted for 0.53%. The minimum single dose of Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) was 20 mg, the maximum single dose was 1 000 mg, and the average single dose was(383.31±78.10) mg. 69.96% of the patients used 0.9% sodium chloride as the menstruum, 28.78% of the patients used 5% glucose as the menstruum, and 0.19% of the patients used 10% glucose as the menstruum. The minimum time for Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) to dissolve is 0 min, 120 min maximally, and(14.26±13.73) min on an average basis. Patients using Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) by intravenous drip accounted for 99.93%, with a slowest drip rate of 10 drops per min, fastest drip rate of 80 drops per min, and an average of(43.91±10.77) drops per min. Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) was used for a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 80 days, with an average of(8.22±5.12) days. Combined use with other injections accounted for 80.67%, 47.14% of them flushed the tube and 3.31% of them replaced infusion sets. The study found 40 cases of adverse reactions in patients with Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized), with an overall incidence of 0.13%(0.09% to 0.17%) for adverse reactions. In the real world application, the usage of Injection of Xuesaitong(lyophilized) basically meets the requirement of drug instructions in terms of indications, dosages, and methods of administration. However, it still needs to be improved in standardizing the selection of the menstruum, drip rate, course of treatment, and the combined usage of medicine.

Validation of Quality of Life Instruments for Cancer Patients - Colorectal Cancer (QLICP-CR) in patients with colorectal cancer in Northeast China.

BACKGROUND: Measuring quality of life is important for cancer patients, but there are regional differences in age-standardized colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates which may affect measurement. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability, validity and responsiveness of Quality of Life Instruments for Cancer Patients - Colorectal Cancer (QLICP-CR) in colorectal cancer patients in Northeast China, and assess its usefulness for evaluation of quality of life in these patients. METHODS: From November 2016 to January 2017, 152 patients with colorectal cancer from Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute were surveyed three times using QLICP-CR and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Colorectal (FACT-C) to measure their quality of life (on admission, 2-3 days later and at discharge). Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Validity was examined by item-domain correlation, criterion-related validity and factor construct validity analysis. Responsiveness was assessed using paired Student's t tests and calculating standardized response mean. RESULTS: Cronbach's α coefficient for QLICP-CR ranged from 0.62 to 0.93. Pearson correlation and intra-class correlation coefficients for QLICP-GM, the five domains and the total scale of QLICP-CR ranged from 0.74 to 0.91 and 0.74 to 0.90. The item-domain correlation analysis showed good convergent validity and discriminant validity. Correlation analysis of domain scores between FACT-C and QLICP-CR showed good criterion-related validity. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that nine and three principal components were extracted from items in the two modules of QLICP-CR, and the contribution rate of cumulative variance was 70.21 and 72.26%. There were significant differences in quality of life between the first and the third measurements, with standardized response mean values ranging from 0.30 to 0.81. CONCLUSIONS: The QLICP-CR was a reliable, valid and sensitive instrument to measure quality of life in colorectal cancer patients in Northeast China.

An injectable, biodegradable calcium phosphate cement containing poly lactic-co-glycolic acid as a bone substitute in ex vivo human vertebral compression fracture and rabbit bone defect models.

Purpose/Aim of the study: To evaluate the biomechanical characteristics and biocompatibility of an injectable, biodegradable calcium phosphate cement (CPC) containing poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A vertebral compression fracture model was established using 20 human cadaveric vertebrae (T11-L3) divided into CPC/PLGA composite versus PMMA groups for biomechanical testing. In addition, 35 New Zealand rabbits were used to evaluate biodegradability and osteoconductive properties of CPC/PLGA using a bone defect model. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated by culturing with L929 cells. RESULTS: The CPC/PLGA composite effectively restored vertebral biomechanical properties. Compared with controls, the maximum load and compression strength of the CPC/PLGA group were lower, and stiffness was lower after kyphoplasty (all p <.05). Degradation was much slower in the control CPC compared with CPC/PLGA group. The bone tissue percentage in the CPC/PLGA group (44.9 ± 23.7%) was significantly higher compared with control CPC group (25.7 ± 10.9%) (p <.05). The viability of cells cultured on CPC/PLGA was greater than 70% compared with the blanks. CONCLUSIONS: Our biodegradable CPC/PLGA composite showed good biomechanical properties, cytocompatibility, and osteoconductivity and may represent an ideal bone substitute for future applications.

Molecular Characterization of Organics Removed by a Covalently Bound Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Coagulant for Advanced Treatment of Municipal Sewage.

Coagulation is an important process to remove organics from water. The molecular composition and structure of organic matter influence water quality in many ways, and the lack of information regarding the organics removed by different coagulants makes it challenging to optimize coagulation processes and ensure reclaimed water safety. In this paper, we investigated coagulation of secondary biological effluent from a municipal sewage treatment plant with different coagulants. We emphasized investigation of organics removal characteristics at the molecular level using Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI). We found that conventional coagulants can only partially remove condensed polycyclic aromatics and polyphenols with low H/C (H/C < 0.7) and highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds and aliphatic compounds with high O/C (O/C > 0.6). A new coagulant, CBHyC, had better removal efficiencies for all organics with different element compositions and molecular structures, especially organics that are resistant to conventional coagulants such as highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds and aliphatic compounds located in 0.3 < O/C < 0.8 and 1.0 < H/C < 2.0 regions and sulfur-containing compounds with higher O/C (e.g., anionic surfactants and their metabolites or coproducts). This study provides molecular insights into the organics removed by different coagulants and provides data supporting the possible optimization of advanced wastewater treatment processes.