Characteristics and potential biomarkers of flavor compounds in four Chinese indigenous chicken breeds.

Chinese indigenous chickens have a long history of natural and artificial selection and are popular for their excellent meat quality and unique flavor. This study investigated six meat quality-related traits in Ningdu yellow, Baier yellow, Kangle, and Shengze 901 chickens. Two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to detect unique flavors in 24 breast muscle samples from the same phenotyped chickens. Overall, 685, 618, 502, and 487 volatile organic compounds were identified in Ningdu yellow, Baier yellow, Kangle, and Shengze 901 chickens, respectively. The flavor components were separated into eight categories, including hydrocarbons and aldehydes. Multivariate analyses of the identified flavor components revealed some outstanding features of these breeds. For example, the hydrocarbons (22.09%) and aldehydes (14.76%) were higher in Ningdu yellow chickens and the highest content of N, N-dimethyl-methylamine was in Ningdu yellow, Baier yellow, and Shengze 901 chickens, indicating the maximum attribution to the overall flavor (ROAV = 439.57, 289.21, and 422.80). Furthermore, we found that 27 flavor compounds differed significantly among the four Chinese breeds, including 20 (e.g., 1-octen-3-ol), two (e.g., 2-methyl-naphthalene), four (e.g., 2,6-lutidine), and one (benzophenone) flavor components were showed significant enrichment in Ningdu yellow, Baier yellow, Kangle, and Shengze 901 chickens, respectively. The flavor components enriched in each breed were key biomarkers distinguishing breeds and most were significantly correlated with meat quality trait phenotypes. These results provide novel insights into indigenous Chinese chicken meat flavors.

A catalog of microbial genes and metagenome-assembled genomes from the quail gut microbiome.

The gut microbiome plays an important role in quail feed efficiency, immunity, production, and even behavior. Gut microbial gene catalogs and reference genomes are important for understanding the quail gut microbiome. However, quail gut microbes are lacked sequenced genomes and functional information to date. In this study, we report the first catalog of the microbial genes and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) in fecal and cecum luminal content samples from 3 quail breeds using deep metagenomic sequencing. We identified a total of 2,419,425 nonredundant genes in the quail genome catalog, and a total of 473 MAGs were reconstructed through binning analysis. At 95% average nucleotide identity, the 473 MAGs were clustered into 283 species-level genome bins (SGBs), of which 225 SGBs belonged to species without any available genomes in the current database. Based on the quail gene catalog and MAGs, we identified 142 discriminative bacterial species and 244 discriminative MAGs between Chinese yellow quails and Japanese quails. The discriminative MAGs suggested a strain-level difference in the gut microbial composition. Additionally, a total of 25 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional terms and 88 carbohydrate-active enzymes were distinctly enriched between Chinese yellow quails and Japanese quails. Most of the different species and MAGs were significantly interrelated with the shifts in the functional capacities of the quail gut microbiome. Taken together, we constructed a quail gut microbial gene catalog and enlarged the reference of quail gut microbial genomes. The results of this study provide a powerful and invaluable resource for quail gut microbiome-related research.

Gut microbiome and serum metabolome analyses identify biomarkers associated with sexual maturity in quails.

Increasing evidence indicates that the gut microbiome plays an important role in host aging and sexual maturity. However, the gut microbial taxa associated with sexual maturity in quails are unknown. This study used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to identify bacterial taxa associated with sexual maturity in d 20 and d 70 quails. We found that 17 bacterial species and 67 metagenome-assembled genomes (e.g., Bacteroides spp. and Enterococcus spp.) significantly differed between the d 20 and d 70 groups, including 5 bacterial species (e.g., Enterococcus faecalis) enriched in the d 20 group and 12 bacterial species (e.g., Christensenella massiliensis, Clostridium sp. CAG:217, and Bacteroides neonati) which had high abundances in the d 70 group. The bacterial species enriched in d 20 or d 70 were key biomarkers distinguishing sexual maturity and significantly correlated with the shifts in the functional capacities of the gut microbiome. Untargeted serum metabolome analysis revealed that 5 metabolites (e.g., nicotinamide riboside) were enriched in the d 20 group, and 6 metabolites (e.g., D-ribose, stevioside, and barbituric acid) were enriched in the d 70 group. Furthermore, metabolites with high abundances in the d 20 group were significantly enriched for the KEGG pathways of arginine biosynthesis, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, and lysine degradation. However, glutathione metabolism and valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis were enriched in high-abundance metabolites from the d 70 group. These results provide important insights into the effects of gut microbiome and host metabolism on quail sexual maturity.

A safe and effective surgical method for complex pyriform sinus fistula.

Objective: This article aims to propose a new surgical method for the treatment of pyriform fistula, especially for the complex pyriform fistula. Methods: A total of 36 patients with pyriform fistula underwent the procedure between August 2017 to October 2020. Surgery was performed by the senior authors using the same technique at the same clinical center for all patients. The median follow-up time was 33 months. Meantime, we collected information on patients with pyriform fistula using traditional surgical methods in our hospital from April 2015 to November 2018 for comparison. Results: The surgery was successfully completed in 36 patients. In all, 32 patients had a history of multiple incisions and drainage, 16 patients had a history of surgical resections, and two patients had a history of cauterization of the internal fistula. Compared with traditional surgical methods, our new surgical method greatly shortens the length of the surgical incision (4.3 vs. 5.5, p < 0.0001), reduces the operation time (8.1 vs. 27.1, p < 0.0001), and reduces the blood loss (103.2 vs. 196.8, p < 0.0001). None of the 36 patients in this study had complications such as pharyngeal fistula, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, or hypothyroidism. The mean follow-up duration after the excision of the lesion was 34.1 months. To date, no patients have relapsed. Conclusion: Our experience showed that this surgical technique could be used to completely remove the fistula, and it was easier to perform than the conventional strategies. These treatment options result in less trauma and reliable results, especially for complex pyriform fistulas. Level of evidence: IV.

RNA Sequencing of the Pituitary Gland and Association Analyses Reveal PRKG2 as a Candidate Gene for Growth and Carcass Traits in Chinese Ningdu Yellow Chickens.

Growth and carcass traits are of great economic importance to the chicken industry. The candidate genes and mutations associated with growth and carcass traits can be utilized to improve chicken growth. Therefore, the identification of these genes and mutations is greatly importance. In this study, a total of 17 traits related to growth and carcass were measured in 399 Chinese Ningdu yellow chickens. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to detect candidate genes using 12 pituitary gland samples (six per group), which exhibited extreme growth and carcass phenotypes: either a high live weight and carcass weight (H group) or a low live weight and carcass weight (L group). A differential expression analysis, utilizing RNA-seq, between the H and L groups identified 428 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 110 up-regulated genes and 318 down-regulated genes. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of the identified genes showed a significant enrichment of 158 GO terms and two KEGG pathways, including response to stimulus and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, respectively. Furthermore, RNA-seq data, qRT-PCR, and quantitative trait transcript (QTT) analysis results suggest that the PRKG2 gene is an important candidate gene for growth and carcass traits of Chinese Ningdu yellow chickens. More specifically, association analyses of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in PRKG2 and growth and carcass traits showed that the SNP rs16400745 was significantly associated with 12 growth and carcass traits (P < 0.05), such as carcass weight (P = 9.68E-06), eviscerated weight (P = 3.04E-05), and semi-eviscerated weight (P = 2.14E-04). Collectively, these results provide novel insights into the genetic basis of growth in Chinese Ningdu yellow chickens and the SNP rs16400745 reported here could be incorporated into the selection programs involving this breed.

Gut archaea associated with bacteria colonization and succession during piglet weaning transitions.

BACKGROUND: Host-associated gut microbial communities are key players in shaping the fitness and health of animals. However, most current studies have focused on the gut bacteria, neglecting important gut fungal and archaeal components of these communities. Here, we investigated the gut fungi and archaea community composition in Large White piglets using shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and systematically evaluated how community composition association with gut microbiome, functional capacity, and serum metabolites varied across three weaning periods. RESULTS: We found that Mucoromycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the most common fungi phyla and Euryarchaeota was the most common archaea phyla across individuals. We identified that Methanosarcina siciliae was the most significantly different archaea species among three weaning periods, while Parasitella parasitica, the only differential fungi species, was significantly and positively correlated with Methanosarcina siciliae enriched in day 28 group. The random forest analysis also identified Methanosarcina siciliae and Parasitella parasitica as weaning-biased archaea and fungi at the species level. Additionally, Methanosarcina siciliae was significantly correlated with P. copri and the shifts of functional capacities of the gut microbiome and several CAZymes in day 28 group. Furthermore, characteristic successional alterations in gut archaea, fungi, bacteria, and serum metabolites with each weaning step revealed a weaning transition coexpression network, e.g., Methanosarcina siciliae and P. copri were positively and significantly correlated with 15-HEPE, 8-O-Methyloblongine, and Troxilin B3. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide a deep insight into the interactions among gut archaea, fungi, bacteria, and serum metabolites and will present a theoretical framework for understanding gut bacterial colonization and succession association with archaea during piglet weaning transitions.

Identifying biomarkers of the gut bacteria, bacteriophages and serum metabolites associated with three weaning periods in piglets.

BACKGROUND: The establishment of the piglet gut microbiome has a prolonged influence on host health, as it sets the stage for establishment of the adult swine microbiome. Substantial changes in host metabolism and immunity around the time of weaning may be accompanied by alterations in the gut microbiome. In this study, we systematically evaluated differences in the gut microbiome and host metabolites among three weaning periods using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and untargeted metabolomic profiling in piglets. RESULTS: We identified that P. copri was the most significantly different species among three weaning periods, and was the key bacterial species for mitigating piglet adaptation during the weaning transition, while Bacillus_phage_BCD7, the only differential bacteriophages, was significantly and positively correlated with P. copri enriched in day 28 group. Additionally, P. copri and Bacillus_phage_BCD7 was significantly correlated with the shifts of functional capacities of the gut microbiome and several CAZymes in day 28 group. Furthermore, the altered metabolites we observed were enriched in pathways matched to the functional capacity of the gut microbiome e.g., aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. CONCLUSION: The results from this study indicate that the bacteria-phage interactions and host-microbial interactions during the weaning transition impact host metabolism, leading to beneficial host changes among three weaning periods.

A mutation in PHKG1 causes high drip loss and low meat quality in Chinese Ningdu yellow chickens.

With increasing societal development and the concurrent improvement in people's quality of life, meat consumption has gradually changed from a focus on "quantity" to "quality". Broiler production is increasingly used as a means to improve meat quality by altering various characteristics, especially its genetic factors. However, until now, little has been known about the genetic variants related to meat quality traits in Chinese purebred chicken populations. To better understand these genetic underpinnings, a total of 17 traits related to meat quality and carcass were measured in 325 Chinese Ningdu yellow chickens. We performed DNA sequencing to detect nucleotide mutations, after which we conducted association studies between PHKG1 gene polymorphisms and traits related to meat quality and carcass. Results indicated a large phenotypic variation in meat quality traits. More specifically, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs15845448 was significantly associated with drip loss at 24 h (P = 8.04 × 10-6) and 48 h (P = 5.47 × 10-6), pH (P = 2.39 × 10-3), and meat color L* (P = 9.88 × 10-3). Moreover, the SNP rs15845448 reduced 24 h and 48 h drip loss by 3.62 and 5.97%, respectively. However, no significant associations were found between rs15845448 and carcass traits (P > 0.05). Furthermore, a haplotype block containing 2 adjacent SNPs (rs15845448 and rs15845450) was identified. This block displayed 4 distinct haplotypes that had significant association with drip loss at 24 h and 48 h, pH, and meat color L*. Collectively, these results provide new insights into the genetic basis of meat quality in Chinese Ningdu yellow chickens. Moreover, the significance of SNP rs15845448 could be incorporated into the selection programs involving this breed.

Metagenomic Analysis Identifies Sex-Related Cecal Microbial Gene Functions and Bacterial Taxa in the Quail.

Background: Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) are important and widely distributed poultry in China. Researchers continue to pursue genetic selection for heavier quail. The intestinal microbiota plays a substantial role in growth promotion; however, the mechanisms involved in growth promotion remain unclear. Results: We generated 107.3 Gb of cecal microbiome data from ten Japanese quail, providing a series of quail gut microbial gene catalogs (1.25 million genes). We identified a total of 606 main microbial species from 1,033,311 annotated genes distributed among the ten quail. Seventeen microbial species from the genera Anaerobiospirillum, Alistipes, Barnesiella, and Butyricimonas differed significantly in their abundances between the female and male gut microbiotas. Most of the functional gut microbial genes were involved in metabolism, primarily in carbohydrate transport and metabolism, as well as some active carbohydrate-degrading enzymes. We also identified 308 antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) from the phyla Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Euryarchaeota. Studies of the differential gene functions between sexes indicated that abundances of the gut microbes that produce carbohydrate-active enzymes varied between female and male quail. Bacteroidetes was the predominant ARG-containing phylum in female quail; Euryarchaeota was the predominant ARG-containing phylum in male quail. Conclusion: This article provides the first description of the gene catalog of the cecal bacteria in Japanese quail as well as insights into the bacterial taxa and predictive metagenomic functions between male and female quail to provide a better understanding of the microbial genes in the quail ceca.

Comparison of laser microsurgery and open partial laryngectomy for T1-2 laryngeal cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the clinical efficacy of transoral laser microsurgery and open partial laryngectomy (OPL) in treating T1-2 laryngeal cancer. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 182 patients with T1-2 cancer with anterior vocal commissure (AVC) involvement. The local control (LC), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates at 5-year follow-up and the influencing factors were analyzed. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the LC or DFS rates between the two groups at 3- and 5-year follow-up. No significant difference was found between the two groups with T1-stage disease. The 5-year LC rates were significantly different from patients with grade 3 or 4 tumors on indirect laryngoscopy and patients with class III or IV tumors on the modified Mallampati test (MMT) (log-rank test: χ2=8.037, P=0.005). The 3-year LC rate of OPL in the depth of pathological infiltration (3-5 mm) group was found to be significantly higher than that of TLM. Significant differences in pathological infiltration depth (3-5 mm) existed between the two groups (log-rank test: χ2=5.786, P=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: T1 lesions are generally limited and superficial, and laser surgery can be well-controlled. For patients with difficult airway exposure, surgeons should have extensive surgical experience and skills. It is recommended that a variety of equipment should be ready so that surgeons can convert to open surgery at any time. For patients with a deep infiltration depth, surgeons should examine laryngoscopy imaging results before surgery.

Using RNA sequencing to identify a putative lncRNA-associated ceRNA network in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Accumulating evidence indicates that lncRNAs can interact with miRNAs to regulate target mRNAs through competitive interactions. However, this mechanism remains largely unexplored in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). In this study, transcriptome-wide RNA sequencing was performed on 3 pairs of LSCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues to investigate the expression profiles of lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs, with differential expression of 171 lncRNAs, 36 miRNAs and 1709 mRNAs detected. Seven lncRNAs, eight mRNAs and three miRNAs were identified to be dysregulated in patients' tissues by using qRT-PCR. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed to elucidate the potential functions of these differentially expressed genes in LSCC. Subsequently, a ceRNA (lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA) network including 4631 ceRNA pairs was constructed based on predicted miRNAs shared by lncRNAs and mRNAs. Cis- and transregulatory lncRNAs were analysed by bioinformatics-based methods. Importantly, mRNA-related ceRNA networks (mRCNs) were further obtained based on potential cancer-related coding genes. Coexpression between lncRNAs and downstream mRNAs was used as a criterion for the validation of mRCNs, with the ZNF561-AS1-miR217-WNT5A and SATB1-AS1-miR1299-SAV1/CCNG2/SH3 KBP1/JADE1/HIPK2 ceRNA regulatory interactions determined, followed by experimental validation after siRNA transfection. Moreover, ceRNA activity analysis revealed that different activities of ceRNA modules existing in specific pathological environments may contribute to the tumorigenesis of LSCC. Consistently, both downregulated SATB1-AS1 and ZNF561-AS1 significantly promoted laryngeal cancer cell migration and invasion, indicating their important roles in LSCC via a ceRNA regulatory mechanism. Taken together, the results of this investigation uncovered and systemically characterized a lncRNA-related ceRNA regulatory network that may be valuable for the diagnosis and treatment of LSCC.

Third or fourth branchial pouch sinus lesions: a case series and management algorithm.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to develop an effective management algorithm for lesions of third or fourth branchial sinuses. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. METHODS: Data from patients who were identified as having third or fourth branchial pouch sinus lesions in a single institution between January 2014 and December 2018 were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: All 67 patients underwent fistulectomy. First, we classified the patients into five types based on their anatomic features. Then, we considered four optimized surgical methods and adopted the appropriate method with full consideration of the patient's clinical characteristics. The great majority of cases occurred on the left side of the neck (68.7%) and most commonly presented as either a recurrent low-neck abscess or cutaneous discharging fistula with neck infection. Effective preoperative examination included administering contrast agent prior to a computed tomography (CT) scan and in-office laryngoscopy during the quiescent period of inflammation. Ultrasound was also very helpful in determining the presence of thyroiditis. The mean follow-up duration after excision of the lesion was 25.8 months. To date, only 1 (1.5%) recurrence and no obvious complications have been observed. CONCLUSION: Refining fistula subtypes and adopting corresponding treatment measures can reduce the recurrence rate and improve curative effects. We propose and advocate this treatment algorithm for all third and fourth branchial pouch lesions.

Base composition is the primary factor responsible for the variation of amino acid usage in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata).

In the present study, we carried out an examination of the amino acid usage in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) proteome. We found that tRNA abundance, base composition, hydrophobicity and aromaticity, protein second structure, cysteine residue (Cys) content and protein molecular weight had significant impact on the amino acid usage of the zebra finch. The above factors explained the total variability of 22.85%, 25.37%, 10.91%, 5.06%, 4.21%, and 3.14%, respectively. Altogether, approximately 70% of the total variability in zebra finch could be explained by such factors. Comparison of the amino acid usage between zebra finch, chicken (Gallus gallus) and human (Homo sapiens) suggested that the average frequency of various amino acid usage is generally consistent among them. Correspondence analysis indicated that base composition was the primary factor affecting the amino acid usage in zebra finch. This trend was different from chicken, but similar to human. Other factors affecting the amino acid usage in zebra finch, such as isochore structure, protein second structure, Cys frequency and protein molecular weight also showed the similar trends with human. We do not know whether the similar amino acid usage trend between human and zebra finch is related to the distinctive neural and behavioral traits, but it is worth studying in depth.

Clinical Characteristics and Endoscopic Endonasal Removal of Foreign Bodies within Sinuses, Orbit, and Skull Base.

BACKGROUND: Foreign bodies within the sinuses, orbit, and skull base (FBSOS) are rare; hence, diagnosis and management guidelines are lacking. Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) removal is preferred because of the less invasiveness and minimal morbidity. This study was designed to summarize clinical experience with ESS management of FBSOS. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical manifestations, imaging findings, treatment, and outcomes in consecutive patients with ESS removal of FBSOS between 2004 and 2015 at a tertiary academic medical center. The Chi-square test was performed to compare the infection rate between wooden and nonwooden FBSOS. RESULTS: There were 23 male and five female patients, with median age of 11 years. FBSOS were located within the sinuses (86%), orbit (75%), and skull base/intracranial region (46%). Wooden FBSOS had a significantly higher risk of infection (78%) compared with nonwooden FBSOS (5%, P < 0.05). Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) plus three-dimensional reconstruction was sensitive in all cases. Twenty-seven (96%) FBSOS were removed by ESS alone, while 1 (4%) FBSOS was removed using the combined ESS and lateral cervical approach. Four of the nine intracranial penetrating FBSOS patients had intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak and received endoscopic CSF leak repair. Twelve (43%) patients suffered complications (meningitis, diplopia, and vision loss). CONCLUSIONS: ESS is a minimally invasive, safe, and promising surgical approach for FBSOS removal. Contrast-enhanced CT is effective in preoperative diagnosis and intraoperative guidance. Wooden FBSOS had higher risk of infection, thus antibiotics are recommended.

Postconditioning attenuates coronary perivascular and interstitial fibrosis through modulating angiotensin II receptors and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Postconditioning (Postcon) is known to reduce infarct size. This study tested the hypothesis that Postcon attenuates the perivascular and interstitial fibrosis after myocardial infarction through modulating angiotensin II-activated fibrotic cascade. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 45-min coronary occlusion followed by 1 and 6 wk of reperfusion. Postcon was applied at the onset of reperfusion with four cycles of 10/10-s reperfusion-ischemia at the onset of reperfusion. Preconditioning (Precon) with two cycles of 5/5-min ischemia-reperfusion was applied before coronary occlusion. RESULTS: Postcon reduced angiotensin-converting enzyme protein and expression in the perivascular area and intermyocardium, coincident with the less-expressed angiotensin II receptor, type 1, enhanced angiotensin II receptor, type 2, and angiotensin converting enzyme 2. Postcon lowered the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and inhibited the populations of interstitial macrophages (60 ± 12 versus 84 ± 9.5 number per high-powered field [HPF] in control, P < 0.05). Along with these modulations, Postcon also downregulated transforming growth factor ß1 protein and inhibited proliferation of α-smooth muscle actin expressing myofibroblasts (41 ± 11 versus 79 ± 8.2 number per HPF in control, P < 0.05), consistent with downregulated phospho-Smad2 and phospho-Smad3. Furthermore, the synthesis of collagen I and III was attenuated, and the perivascular-interstitial fibrosis was inhibited by Postcon as demonstrated by reduced perivascular fibrosis ratio (0.6 ± 0.6 versus 1.6 ± 0.5 per HPF in control, P < 0.05) and smaller collagen-rich area (16 ± 4.7 versus 34 ± 9.2% per HPF in control, P < 0.05). Precon conferred a comparable level of protection as Postcon did in all parameters measured, suggesting protection trigged by this endogenous stimulation can be achieved when it was applied either before ischemia or after reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that Postcon could be selected as an adjunctive intervention with other existing therapeutic drugs to treat the fibrosis-derived heart failure patients after myocardial infarction.

Analysis of Postsurgical Health-Related Quality of Life and Quality of Voice of Patients With Laryngeal Carcinoma.

This study aims to analyze the postsurgical health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and quality of voice (QOV) of patients with laryngeal carcinoma with an expectation of improving the treatment and HRQOL of these patients. Based on the collection of information of patients with laryngeal carcinoma regarding clinical characteristics (age, TNM stage, with or without laryngeal preservation and/or neck dissection, with or without postoperative irradiation and/or chemotherapy, etc.), QOV using Voice Handicap Index (VIH) scale and HRQOL using EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTCQLQ-H&N35 scales, the differences of postsurgical HRQOL related to their clinical characteristics were analyzed using univariate nonparametric tests, the main factors impacting the postsurgical HRQOL were analyzed using regression analyses (generalized linear models) and the correlation between QOV and HRQOL analyzed using spearman correlation analysis. A total of 92 patients were enrolled in this study, on whom the use of EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-H&N35 and VHI scales revealed that: the differences of HRQOL were significant among patients with different ages, TNM stages, and treatment modalities; the main factors impacting the postsurgical HRQOL were pain, speech disorder, and dry mouth; and QOV was significantly correlated with HRQOL. For the patients with laryngeal carcinoma included in our study, the quality of life after open surgeries were impacted by many factors predominated by pain, speech disorder, and dry mouth. It is suggested that doctors in China do more efforts on the patients' postoperative pain and xerostomia management and speech rehabilitation with the hope of improving the patients' quality of life.

Study of the Histopathologic Characteristics and Surface Morphologies of Glottic Carcinomas With Anterior Vocal Commissure Involvement.

This article explores the features and the role of the anterior vocal commissure (AVC) structure and the surface morphologies of glottic carcinomas with AVC involvement to provide a reference for the selection of transoral carbon dioxide (CO2) laser surgery. A total of 31 cases of glottic carcinomas with AVC involvement from May 2012 to January 2014 were included. All patients underwent electronic laryngoscopic examinations and computed tomography scans to determine the surface morphology. After surgery, the tumor specimens were resected integrally, and axial serial sections parallel to the plane of vocal cords were taken to explore the features and possible invasion paths of the glottic carcinomas with AVC involvement. The rates of involvement of the supraglottis and subglottis were 71.4% and 14.8%, respectively, via the AVC. The involvement of the superficial layer of the unilateral or bilateral vocal cords without involvement of the vocal muscle in the AVC region (IVM) or the cartilage was present in 15 cases (48.4%). The involvement of the superficial layer of the unilateral and bilateral vocal cords occurred in 16 cases (51.6%) with the IVM in 13 cases and the involvement of the intermediate lamina of the thyroid cartilage (ITC) in 8 cases. The involvement of the ITC was associated with the involvement of the vocal muscle of the AVC region (P < 0.05). Among the pushing carcinomas, 15 of 21 (71.4%) presented with well-defined tumor mass, and 8 of 10 (80.0%) infiltrating carcinomas presented with multiple tumor nests that were often surrounded by fibrosis (P < 0.05). The AVC is an important path of invasion of subglottic in glottic carcinomas but less so for suparglottic. The Broyles' ligaments acted as a barrier against the spread of the tumors to the thyroid cartilage, but this role was obviously weaken by the involvement of the vocal muscle of the AVC region. The infiltrating carcinomas presented with multiple tumor nests in fibrous tissue. When CO2 laser microsurgery is considered as a treatment option, these facts should be kept in mind.

Deep Neck Infection: A Review of 130 Cases in Southern China.

The study aims to present our experience of the clinical course and management of deep neck infection and try to determine if the characteristics of this kind of infection were similar between the children and adults in southern China.Patients diagnosed with deep neck infection in the Division of Otolaryngology in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between January 2002 and December 2011 were screened retrospectively for demographic characteristics, presenting symptoms, antibiotic therapy before admission, the history of antibiotics abuse, leucocyte count, etiology, bacteriology, disease comorbidity, imaging, treatment, complications, and outcomes.One hundred thirty patients were included and 44 (33.8%) were younger than 18 years old (the children group), 86 patients (66.2%) were older than 18 years old (the adults group). Fever, trismus, neck pain, and odynophagia were the most common symptoms in both groups. Forty children (90.9%) and 49 adults (57.0%) had been treated with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy before admission. Thirty one children (70.5%) and 24 adults (27.9%) had a history of antibiotics abuse. In children group, the site most commonly involved was the parapharyngeal space (18 patients, 40.9%). In adults group, the site most commonly involved was multispace (30 patients, 34.9%). In children group, the most common cause was branchial cleft cyst (5 patients, 11.4%) and the cause remained unknown in 31 patients (70.5%). In adults group, the most common cause was pharyngeal infection (19 patients, 22.2%). All of the 27 patients with associated disease comorbidity were adults and 17 were diabetes mellitus (DM). Streptococcus viridans was the most common pathogen in both children and adults groups. Eighty six (66.2%) underwent surgical drainage and complications were found in 31 patients (4 children, 27 adults).Deep neck infection in adults is easier to have multispace involvement and lead to complications and appears to be more serious than that in children. Understanding the different characteristics between the children and adults with deep neck infection may be helpful in accurate evaluation and proper management.