The mechanism of resistance-reducing/anti-adhesion and its application on biomimetic disc furrow opener.

The black soil of Northeast China is sticky and agglomerates easily, which often adheres to the surface of a traditional furrow opener during the furrowing process. In this paper, biomimetic design principles in resistance-reducing, anti-adhesion and resistance-reducing mechanism of biomimetic disc furrow opener were studied. Nine kinds of singular convex hull, nine kinds of singular wedge and nine kinds of mixed convex hull and wedge structural biomimetic disc furrow opener were designed, and the furrowing process with the soil simulated by finite element method (FEM).Three types of biomimetic disc furrow opener with less resistance were manufactured by laser processing for comparative test in soil bin based on the simulation results. The test results showed that the resistance of the biomimetic disc furrow opener was less than that of the ordinary disc. The soil-disc stress, influence of biomimetic structures, moisture content and furrow speeds on resistance were discussed. The resistance-reducing rate of D-BC-3 reached the maximum value 15.36% at the furrow speed of 0.6 m/s and the soil moisture content of 20%. It is believed that the biomimetic design principles can provide the significant inspirations for the future design of disc furrow opener with drag reduction.

Comparison of OnabotulinumtoxinA versus sacral neuromodulation for refractory urinary urge incontinence: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND & AIM: Both intradetrusor OnabotulinumtoxinA (BTX) and Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) as third-line therapies for urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) are increasingly being utilized. However, there are differences in preference between patients and medical personnel in clinical practice. This meta-analysis was designed to compare BTX versus SNM in treatment of UUI. METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science from January 1, 1992 to April 22, 2018. Mean differences (MDs) and risk ratio (RR) with its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to compare the outcomes of the groups. All the MDs were after subtracting OnabotulinumtoxinA data from Sacral neuromodulation data. RRs were acquired from comparing OnabotulinumtoxinA data to Sacral neuromodulation data. Two reviewers assessed trial quality and extracted data independently. All statistical analyses were performed using standard statistical procedures provided in Review Manager 5.2. This work has been reported in line with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and AMSTAR (Assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews) Guidelines. RESULTS: Seven randomized controlled trials and two retrospective studies (N = 1649 participants) were identified for the present analysis. In change from baseline in UUI episodes (UUIE) per day, comparing BTX groups with SNM groups, the effects were observed through 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 month, with pooled MDs of -0.62, -0.55, -0.38, -1.02 and -0.50 respectively. In UUIE reduction post treatment, the pooled RRs of complete UUIE reductions through 4 and 6 months respectively were 5.13 and 6.63. Significant results were observed through overall times in more than 75% UUIE reduction. No significance was found in more than 50% UUIE reduction. Significant results were observed in urinary tract infection. More treatment satisfaction were found in BTX groups than that in SNM groups (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01-1.29; P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Generally, BTX seems superior to SNM in treatment of UUI but inferior regarding safety. Patients receiving BTX experienced a higher treatment satisfaction.

[Thyroid lymphography:a new clinical approach for protecting parathyroid in surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To research the role of lymph tracers to protect parathyroid in surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS: Patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who met selected criteria were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into carbon nanoparticle group, methylene blue group, and conventional surgery group. RESULTS: No significant complication occurred in the patients of carbon nanoparticle and methylene blue groups. In carbon nanoparticle group, methylene blue group and conventional surgery group, the mean numbers of parathyroid glands detected during surgery were 3.1 ± 0.3, 2.9 ± 0.4 and 2.3 ± 0.3 (F = 3.78, P < 0.01) , the rates that parathyroid was cut mistakenly were 1.37% (2/146) , 2.62% (2/97) and 7.14% (6/84) respectively (χ(2) = 17.372, P < 0.05) ; and the incidence of postoperative hypocalcemia were 10.4% (5/48) , 9.1% (3/33) and 17.5% (7/40,χ(2) = 0.671, P = 0.037) . CONCLUSION: Thyroid lymphography technique is helpful to protect from the injury to the parathyroid glands in surgery.

[A prospective randomized and controlled study on no drainage after surgery for benign thyroid disorders].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the necessity of drainage after thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disorders. METHODS: A total of 272 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disorders were randomly divided into drainage group or non-drainage group. Operating time, postoperative stay time in hospital, comfort of neck assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) on postoperative day (POD) 0 and POD1 were and the incidence of complications, including post-thyroidectomy bleeding, hematoma, seroma, wound infection, hoarseness, and hypoparathyroidism, were assessed and compared between two groups. RESULTS: Both groups were similar in the mean age, the sex ratio and the underwent procedure types. There was no significant difference in the mean operating time between two groups (87.5 ± 32.0) min and (93.8 ± 30.1) min (t = 0.12, P = 0.45). The mean postoperative hospital stay time of non-drainage group (1.9 ± 0.3) d was significantly shorter than that of drainage group (2.6 ± 0.6) d (t = 1.45, P = 0.02). The mean VAS scores of neck comfort on POD0 and POD1 in non-drainage group were significantly high than those in non-drainage group(t = 2.67, P = 0.03 and t = 0.33, P = 0.006). There were no significant difference in postoperative complications, including permanent hoarseness and hypoparathyroidism, between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: No drainage after thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disorders does not increase postoperative complications, with the increase in postoperative neck comfort, the decrease in hospital stay time and potential wound infections. The routine drainage is not necessary after thyroid surgery for benign disorders.