Pilot-Scale Experimental Study on the Coupling of Venturi-Bubbling Reactor to Promote the Absorption of Leaked H2S.

Natural gas generates varying concentrations of H2S during natural formation and extraction, and H2S leak accidents are frequent, posing a significant threat to the safety of human life and the environment. Conventional treatment technology equipment is large and does not meet the emergency requirements of the complex topographical gas field. This study aimed to design a pilot-scale method coupling the venturi and bubbling reactors to reduce equipment size and improve emergency capabilities for the absorption of leaked H2S. It found that the ring system self-priming venturi reactor, which was suitable only for the coarse treatment of toxic gases, maintained an absorption efficiency of around 50% under most operating conditions, with substantial variations due to changes in process parameters, but that redundancy of the bubbling reactor was high. With the synergistic effect of venturi and bubbling, the coupling process had an extremely high absorption efficiency, basically more than 95%. The experiments also showed that the H2S concentration at the outlet of the venturi-bubbling reactor increased with increasing inlet gas concentration and gas volume. The absorption performance improved significantly on increasing Fe3+ concentration; it increased first and then remained constant, and the optimum Fe3+ concentration for the absorption of leaked H2S was 21 000 mg/m3. The absorption performance decreased with increasing submergence height and then remained stable after the size of the inlet approached 600 mm, whereas the overall absorption efficiency of the venturi-bubbling reactor remained constant. The optimum operating temperature range was 10 °C-50 °C. The experimental system kept the outlet concentration below the emergency discharge standard for a continuous period of 48 h following practical use in the gas field and resulting in significant enhancement in mass transfer performance, fully satisfying the emergency requirements.

Flushing emissions of methane and carbon dioxide from mangrove soils during tidal cycles.

Mangroves are transition areas connecting land, freshwater, and the ocean, where a great amount of organic carbon accumulates in the soil, forming a considerable carbon sink. However, the soil might also be a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study hypothesized that measuring GHG emissions solely during low tides can represent diurnal GHG emissions in mangroves. Methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were quantified during tidal cycles using an ultraportable gas analyzer in Kandelia obovata (without pneumatophores) and Avicennia marina (with pneumatophores) mangroves in summer and fall. The results showed that the CH4 fluxes varied greatly during tidal cycles, from -1.25 to 96.24 µmol CH4 m-2 h-1 for K. obovata and from 2.86 to 2662.00 µmol CH4 m-2 h-1 for A. marina. The CO2 fluxes ranged from -4.23 to 20.65 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1 for K. obovata and from 0.09 to 24.69 mmol CO2 m-2 h-1 for A. marina. The diurnal variation in GHG levels in mangroves is predominantly driven by tidal cycles. The peak emissions of CH4 and CO2 were noted at the beginning of the flooding tide, rather than during daytime or nighttime. While the patterns of the CO2 fluxes during tidal cycles were similar between K. obovata and A. marina mangroves, their CH4 flux patterns during the tidal cycles differed. Possibly due to different transport mechanisms, CO2 emissions are primarily influenced by surface soils, whereas CH4 is predominantly emitted from deeper soils, thus being influenced by root structures. To reduce the uncertainty in measuring GHG emissions in mangrove soils during a tidal cycle, it is advisable to increase the number of GHG flux measurements during the period spanning 30 min before and after the beginning of the flooding and ebbing tides.

Study on the design calculation method and construction control method of suction drum foundation for guided frame platform.

Currently, a standardized design and calculation specification for suction drum foundations has yet to exist in China. The engineering design currently depends mainly on the subjective understanding and engineering experience of the designers, which can be considered somewhat blind and subjective. In this paper, we utilize the offshore wind power project in Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province, as our case study. Building upon domestic and international research results, relevant investigations, design specifications, and engineering applications in related fields, we conduct a systematic study on the design calculation and construction control technology of the suction drum foundation. The document presents the design calculation and inspection of the suction drum foundation. Building on this foundation, we propose a sinking feasibility analysis method and a parameter value method for the suction drum foundation calculation. We also examine the suction drum foundation construction process, examining its control parameters, technology, and standards. Finally, based on the measured data from six four-barrel guided frame platform suction drum foundations that were successfully installed, the proposed design and control method are evaluated, and their effectiveness is verified. The results of this study can provide valuable references for the design and construction of similar suction drum foundation platforms.

Construction and Evaluation of Theranostic Near-infrared Fluorescent Probe for Targeting Inflammatory Brain Edema / 实验动物与比较医学

Objective A novel compound based on near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) probe was prepared to achieve dynamic monitoring of an inflammatory brain edema model in mice and real-time evaluation of therapeutic effects throughin vivo imaging.Methods The NIRF probe IR-783 was chemically linked with clinical brain edema therapeutic drug furosemide (FSM) to obtain the new compound, IR-783-FSM. The ultraviolet fluorescence properties of the compound were evaluated using an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The uptake of the compound by mouse macrophage cells RAW 264.7 was detected with in vitro cellular experiments. Its cytotoxicity was evaluated through CCK8 assays. A brain edema model was established in BALB/c mice via intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), confirmed by HE staining and dry-wet weight methods for brain tissues. The mice in the brain edema model were divided into control group, IR-783, and IR-783-FSM treatment groups, receiving intraperitoneal injections of PBS, IR-783, and IR-783-FSM, respectively. Real-time in vivo fluorescence imaging was then performed. The mice in each group were euthanized after 10 hours. Ex vivo brain imaging and dry-wet weight measurements were performed to observe the NIRF imaging characteristics and therapeutic effects of IR-783-FSM on brain edema model.Results The newly synthesized compound, IR-783-FSM, retained the excellent near-infrared fluorescence characteristics of IR-783. It could target mouse macrophages with an IC50 of 48.82 µmol/L. A brain edema model could be successfully constructed with intraperitoneal injection of LPS, with significantly higher brain tissue water content compared to the control group (P<0.01). In vivo imaging showed that IR-783-FSM had a significantly stronger fluorescence signal in the brain edema model than IR-783. Compared to the control group, the brain water content was significantly reduced in the 2, 5, and 8 mmol/L IR-783-FSM treatment groups (P<0.01).Conclusion The newly synthesized NIRF probe IR-783-FSM facilitates dynamic monitoring of brain edema and real-time evaluation of therapeutic effects.

The clinical application of targeted next-generation sequencing and metagenomics next-generation sequencing in pathogenic microorganism detection / 中华预防医学杂志

Infectious diseases seriously threaten human health. The early detection of the causative organism and antibiotic resistance genes of infection remains a major clinical challenge. Next-generation sequencing has been widely used in diagnosing infectious diseases. Cheaper and faster targeted next-generation sequencing technology is progressively being used in clinical practice. However, the awareness among clinicians about the clinical utility of this technology is limited. The article presents the theoretical background, advantages and disadvantages, clinical applications of targeted next-generation sequencing, and its contrasts with metagenomics next-generation sequencing. It provides a reference for clinicians to select laboratory methods for identifying pathogens in clinical practice.

Establishment and Analysis of Reference Intervals for Thyroid Hormones in Pregnant Women from Sanming City / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo establish the reference intervals of thyroid hormones in pregnant women from Sanming city and compare them with those from other areas in China. MethodsThe study recruited 605 pregnant women and 229 non-pregnant healthy women who visited Sanming First Hospital between March 29 and June 28， 2023. Blood samples were sequentially collected from the participants to determine the serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone （TSH）， free triiodothyronine （FT3） and free thyroxine （FT4）. The reference intervals of thyroid hormones were established by using a percentile range of P2.5 to P97.5 and their changes in different periods of pregnancy were analyzed and compared with those from other areas in China. ResultsThere were significant differences in levels of TSH， FT4 and FT3 at different periods of pregnancy （all P <0.05）. Compared with non-pregnant women， women in first trimester had significantly decreased levels of TSH and FT4， but similar level of FT3. Since the second trimester， TSH level displayed rising tendency， while FT3 and FT4 levels showed gradual decrease. The reference intervals of thyroid hormones in the first， second and third trimester of pregnancy in Sanming city were TSH （0.068， 2.943） μU/mL， FT3 （4.302， 6.888） pmol/L， FT4 （8.240， 14.719） pmol/L； TSH （0.419， 3.274） μU/mL， FT3 （4.074， 6.629） pmol/L， FT4 （6.726， 11.980） pmol/L； TSH （0.422， 3.570） μU/mL， FT3 （3.741， 5.850） pmol/L， FT4 （6.103， 10.347） pmol/L， respectively. Significant differences were found in the reference intervals of thyroid hormones during pregnancy among different areas in China. ConclusionsThe levels of TSH， FT3， FT4 during pregnancy are different from those during non-pregnancy， and also significantly differ in different periods of pregnancy. Reference intervals of thyroid hormones in pregnant women are affected by various factors such as geographic location， ethnicity and laboratory test method， etc. Therefore， establishing the population-specific reference intervals of thyroid hormones will benefit for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease in pregnant women from Sanming city.

The relationship between semen quality and trace element levels in seminal plasma and miR-184 levels in seminal vesicles of male infertility patients / 实用医学杂志

Objective Explore the relationship between semen quality and trace element levels in seminal plasma,as well as miR-184 levels in exosomes of male infertility patients.Methods 155 male infertility patients in our hospital from January 2022 to July 2023 were selected as the infertility group,and another 155 male patients with normal physical examination during the same period were selected as the normal group.Compare the general information,semen quality parameters,trace elements,and miR-184 levels in exosomes between two groups,and analyze the correlation between male infertility patients and the above laboratory indicators through Spearman rank correlation analysis.Results The sperm concentration,total sperm motility(PR + NP),forward motility sperm(PR),average curve velocity,average linear velocity,average path velocity,and average lateral amplitude of sperm head(ALH)in the infertile group were lower than those in the normal group(P<0.05);The levels of Zn,Mg,and Ca in the infertile group were lower than those in the normal group,while the levels of Cu,Pb,and relative expression of miR-184 were higher than those in the normal group(P<0.05);The levels of Zn and Cu elements in male infertility patients are positively and negatively correlated with sperm concentration,total sperm motility(PR+NP),and forward motility sperm(PR),respectively.The levels of Pb elements are negatively correlated with the average lateral amplitude of sperm head(ALH),and P<0.05.The relative expression level of miR-184 in male infertility patients is negatively correlated with sperm concentration,total sperm motility(PR + NP),forward motility sperm(PR),and average sperm curve velocity,with P<0.05.Conclusion The quality of semen in male infertility patients is closely related to the levels of trace elements in semen and miR-184 levels in exosomes.

Ethical and Welfare Review in the Modeling Process of Disease Animal Models / 医用生物力学

Disease animal model is an indispensable part of studying the pathogenesis and treatment of diseases.Review of the ethics and welfare is the necessary measure to ensure the quality of scientific research and promote the scientific and rational use of laboratory animals.In the review practice,it is found that most applicants are difficult to accurately understand the items listed in the application form and ethical principles related to items.Therefore,a practical and feasible set of ethical guidelines for animal experiments is necessary.This review focuses on the legal and ethical basis of developing oral disease animal models,and divides the methods of establishing oral disease animal models into physical methods,chemical methods,biological methods,and combined methods.It also elaborates on the ethical and welfare review points of different modeling methods and model evaluation methods.Hopefully,ethical censors and project applicants may get more understanding of ethical review for disease animal models,and ultimately improve the standardization and applicability of animal models.

Study on the compatibility between pharmaceutical excipient polyethylene glycol 6000 and antiepileptic active pharmaceutical ingredients levetiracetam / 中国药师

Objective To investigate the compatibility between antiepileptic active pharmaceutical ingredient(API)levetiracetam and binder polyethylene glycol 6000,and provide a basis for evaluating and ensuring the safety of drugs.Methods Levetiracetam and polyethylene glycol 6000 from different producers were mixed in a certain proportion,and placed under different conditions according to the test method of stability influencing factors.The compatibility of levetiracetam and polyethylene glycol 6000 was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and HPLC,respectively,and the thermal variations,changes of levetiracetam appearance and related substances were investigated.Results After being placed under high humidity(relative humidity of 90％)and light(4 500 Lx)for 10 days,the compatibility between API and pharmaceutical excipients was proved good,while under the conditions of high temperature of 50℃ and 60℃,polyethylene glycol 6000 interacted with levetiracetam,resulting in the growth of levetiracetam related substances including impurity A and total amount of impurities,along with the production of two unknown impurities.Polyethylene glycol 6000 from different producers and different batches had different effects on the related substances of levetiracetam.Conclusion There is a risk of compatibility between levetiracetam and polyethylene glycol 6000 under elevated temperatures,and it is recommended that preparation producers optimize product prescriptions and improve the quality and safety of drugs.

Correlation between plasma Pannexin-1 and no reflow in STEMI patients after PCI / 中华老年心脑血管病杂志

Objective To analyze the correlation between plasma Pannexin-1(Panx-1)level and no-reflow after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in patients with ST-segment elevation my-ocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods A prospective trial was performed on 218 STEMI patients who underwent PCI in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2021.According to the blood flow classification of myocardial infarction thrombolysis(TIMI)after PCI,they were divided into normal reflow group(110 cases),slow reflow group(69 cases)and no reflow group(39 cases).The plasma Panx-1 level was determined by ELISA,and the levels of P-selectin,activated glyco-protein Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a(aGP Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a)and platelet-leukocyte aggregates(PLA)were determined by flow cytometry.Results Older age,larger ratio of diabetes mellitus,longer time from symptom onset to PCI,higher platelet count and levels of LDL-C,D-dimer,P-selectin,GP Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a,PNA,PM A,PLyA and plasma Panx-1 were observed in the no-reflow group than the normal and slow reflow groups(P＜0.05).The plasma Panx-1 level in STEMI patients was positively correlated with P-selectin,GP Ⅱ b/Ⅲ a,PNA,PM A and PLyA(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).LDL-C ≥3.20 mmol/L and plasma Panx-1＞0.88 μg/mL were independent risk factors for no-reflow after PCI in STEMI pa-tients(OR=2.198,95％CI:1.252-3.858,P=0.006;OR=16.849,95％CI:4.481-63.357,P=0.000).The AUC value of Panx-1 was 0.826(95％CI:0.744-0.907,P＜0.01)in predicting no re-flux in STEMI patients after PCI.Conclusion The increase of plasma Panx-1 level is closely asso-ciated with the occurrence of no reflow in STEMI patients after PCI,and the protein can be used as a predictive biomarker for the phenomenon.

The clinical application of targeted next-generation sequencing and metagenomics next-generation sequencing in pathogenic microorganism detection / 中华预防医学杂志

Infectious diseases seriously threaten human health. The early detection of the causative organism and antibiotic resistance genes of infection remains a major clinical challenge. Next-generation sequencing has been widely used in diagnosing infectious diseases. Cheaper and faster targeted next-generation sequencing technology is progressively being used in clinical practice. However, the awareness among clinicians about the clinical utility of this technology is limited. The article presents the theoretical background, advantages and disadvantages, clinical applications of targeted next-generation sequencing, and its contrasts with metagenomics next-generation sequencing. It provides a reference for clinicians to select laboratory methods for identifying pathogens in clinical practice.

Identification of a novel ferroptosis-related gene signature associated with retinal degeneration induced by light damage in mice.

Background: Neurodegenerative retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa are serious disorders that may cause irreversible visual impairment. Ferroptosis is a novel type of programmed cell death, and the involvement of ferroptosis in retinal degeneration is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the related ferroptosis genes in a mice model of retinal degeneration induced by light damage. Methods: A public dataset of GSE10528 deriving from the Gene Expression Omnibus database was analyzed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene set enrichment analysis between light damage and control group was conducted. The differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DE-FRGs) were subsequently identified by intersecting the DEGs with a ferroptosis genes dataset retrieved from the FerrDb database. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were further performed using the DE-FRGs. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify hub ferroptosis-related genes (HFRGs). The microRNAs (miRNAs)-HFRGs, transcription factors (TFs)-HFRGs networks as well as target drugs potentially interacting with HFRGs were analyzed utilizing bioinformatics algorithms. Results: A total of 932 DEGs were identified between the light damage and control group. Among these, 25 genes were associated with ferroptosis. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that these DE-FRGs were mainly enriched in apoptotic signaling pathway, response to oxidative stress and autophagy, ferroptosis, necroptosis and cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway. Through PPI network analysis, six hub ferroptosis-related genes (Jun, Stat3, Hmox1, Atf3, Hspa5 and Ripk1) were ultimately identified. All of them were upregulated in light damage retinas, as verified by the GSE146176 dataset. Bioinformatics analyses predicated that 116 miRNAs, 23 TFs and several potential therapeutic compounds might interact with the identified HFRGs. Conclusion: Our study may provide novel potential biomarkers, therapeutic targets and new insights into the ferroptosis landscape in retinal neurodegenerative diseases.

Identification of retinal thickness and blood flow in age-related macular degeneration with reticular pseudodrusen.

AIM: To investigate thickness characteristics and vascular plexuses in retinas with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) as an early detection strategy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: This retrospective study included 24 subjects (33 eyes) with RPD and 25 heathy control subjects (34 eyes). The superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and the deep capillary plexus (DCP) of the retinal posterior poles were investigated with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Retinal thicknesses and vessel densities were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The general retinal thicknesses of RPD eyes were significantly decreased (95%CI -14.080, -0.655; P=0.032). The vessel densities of DCP in RPD eyes were significantly increased in the global (95%CI 1.067, 7.312; P=0.027), parafoveal (95%CI 0.417, 5.241; P=0.022), and perifoveal (95%CI 0.181, 6.842; P=0.039) quadrants. However, the vessel densities of the SCP were rarely increased in the eyes with RPD. CONCLUSION: The thinning of retinas in the RPD group suggests a reduction in the number of cells. Additionally, the increased vessel density of the DCP in retinas with RPD indicates a greater demand for blood supply, possibly due to the hypoxia induced RPD compensation caused by RPD in the outer retina. This study highlights the pathological risks associated with RPD and emphasizes the importance of early intervention to retard the progression of AMD.

Ultrafine Pt nanoparticles anchored on core-shell structured zeolite-carbon for efficient catalysis of hydrogen generation.

Ammonia borane (AB) is a potential hydrogen storage material with high-efficiency hydrolytic dehydrogenation under a suitable catalyst. Noble metal catalysts have drawn a lot of attention. In this study, a carbon-coated zeolite was obtained by calcination at high temperatures using glucose as a carbon source. Pt nanoparticles were fixed on a core-shell composite support by a simple chemical reduction method. A series of catalysts were prepared with different synthesis parameters. The results show that PSC-2 has excellent catalytic performance for hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB in alkaline solution at room temperature, and the turnover frequency (TOF) is 593 min-1. The excellent catalytic performance is attributed to the carbon layer on the zeolite surface which inhibits the aggregation or deformation of metals in the catalytic reaction. The metal-support interaction activates the water and accelerates the rate-limiting step of hydrolysis. The activation energy (E a = 44 kJ mol-1) was calculated based on the reaction temperature. In addition, the kinetics of AB hydrolysis was studied, and the effects of catalyst concentration, AB concentration and NaOH concentration on AB hydrolysis rate were further investigated. The high-efficiency catalyst prepared in this work provides a new strategy for the development of chemical hydrogen production in the field of catalysis.

Analysis of the mechanism of Ricinus communis L. tolerance to Cd metal based on proteomics and metabolomics.

The pollution of soil with heavy metals is an increasingly serious worldwide problem, and cadmium (Cd) has attracted attention because of its high toxicity to almost all plants. Since castor tolerates the accumulation of heavy metals, it has the potential for heavy metal soil remediation. We studied the mechanism of the tolerance of castor to Cd stress treatments at three doses: 300 mg/L, 700 mg/L, and 1,000 mg/L. This research provides new ideas for revealing the defense and detoxification mechanisms of Cd-stressed castor. By combining the results of physiology, differential proteomics and comparative metabolomics, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the networks that regulate the response of castor to Cd stress. The physiological results mainly emphasize the super-sensitive responses of castor plant roots to Cd stress and the effects of Cd stress on plants' antioxidant system, ATP synthesis and ion homeostasis. We confirmed these results at the protein and metabolite levels. In addition, proteomics and metabolomics indicated that under Cd stress, the expressions of proteins involved in defense and detoxification, energy metabolism and other metabolites such as organic acids and flavonoids were significantly up-regulated. At the same time, proteomics and metabolomics also show that castor plants mainly block the root system's absorption of Cd2+ by enhancing the strength of the cell wall, and inducing programmed cell death in response to the three different doses of Cd stress. In addition, the plasma membrane ATPase encoding gene (RcHA4), which was significantly upregulated in our differential proteomics and RT-qPCR studies, was transgenically overexpressed in wild type Arabidopsis thaliana for functional verification. The results indicated that this gene plays an important role in improving plant Cd tolerance.

Highly Selective Coextraction of H+/SO42- Using a Strapped Calix[4]pyrrole.

We report on the synthesis of a cage-type calix[4]pyrrole (1) bearing an additional basic pyridinebisthiazolamine group on the strap. The receptor in its protonated form shows strong affinity and selectivity for sulfate over a wide range of inorganic anions. With receptor 1 as a liquid-liquid extractant, H+/SO42- in the form of H2SO4 is almost quantitatively extracted from an aqueous solution containing HNO3 at a high concentration to CH2Cl2 in a recyclable manner.

A case of mental retardation caused by a frameshift variant of SYNGAP1 gene / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the genetic basis for a child with mental retardation.@*METHODS@#Whole exome sequencing was carried out for the child. Candidate variant was screened based on his clinical features and verified by Sanger sequencing.@*RESULTS@#The child was found to harbor a c.995_1002delAGACAAAA(p.Asp332AlafsTer84) frameshift variant in the SYNGAP1 gene. Bioinformatic analysis suggested it to be pathogenic. The same variant was not detected in either parent.@*CONCLUSION@#The c.995_1002delAGACAAAA(p.Asp332AlafsTer84) frameshift variant of the SYNGAP1 gene probably underlay the mental retardation in this child. Above finding has expanded the spectrum of SYNGAP1 gene variants and provided a basis for the diagnosis and treatment for this child.

Male Infertility Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

In recent years，with the change in lifestyle and social environment and the increase in pressure in both life and work，male fertility has decreased significantly in China，and the incidence of male infertility has increased year by year，which has brought great challenges to andrologists. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a definite curative effect in the treatment of male infertility and is widely applied in clinical practice. In order to clarify the role of TCM in different types and each stage of male infertility，the China Association of Chinese Medicine （CACM） invited outstanding young andrologists in the clinic of TCM and western medicine to discuss topics such as idiopathic oligospermia and teratospermia，abnormal semen liquefaction，varicocele，immune infertility，improving success ratio of assisted reproductive technology，and ameliorating depression or anxiety. They conducted in-depth discussions on the advantages，characteristics，disadvantages，diseases responding specifically，and advantageous aspects of TCM treatment. The causes of male infertility and related links of treatment were summarized. Due to the unclear etiology and complex pathogenesis of male infertility，western medicine cannot achieve a good curative effect，while TCM，taking the holistic view as the core，specializes in improving functional diseases and can correspond to multiple targets and factors，with comprehensive treatments such as internal treatment and external treatment. This study summarized the advantageous diseases and advantageous stages of TCM treatment alone and integrated TCM and western medicine treatment and put forward suggestions for the treatment of the diseases by TCM and western medicine in order to promote the therapeutic effects and advantages of TCM among andrologists，increase mutual learning and communication between TCM and western physicians，provide patients with excellent and personalized treatment plans in clinical practice，and improve the curative effect of male infertility and fertility of males in China.

A retrospective study on manual reduction combined with Chinese Orthopaedic ankle external fixator in the treatment of trimalleolar fracture / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the needle puncture safety and clinical efficacy of manual reduction combined with external fixation of ankle frame in the treatment of trimalleolar fracture under the guidance of Chinese Osteosynthesis (CO) theory.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 118 patients with trimalleolar fractures admitted from December 2010 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Fifty-three patients were treated with manual reduction combined with external fixation of ankle frame(observation group). Sixty-five patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation with plate and screws(control group). The operation time, hospitalization days, non-weight-bearing time of the affected limb, clinical healing time of fracture, incidence of complications, visual analogue scale (VAS) before and 1 month after operation, and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society(AOFAS) score of ankle joint before and 1 year after operation were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Patients in both groups were followed up for more than 1 year. All patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 14 to 70 months, with an average of(35.28±14.66) months. There were statistically significant in operation time, hospitalization days, non-load-bearing time of affected limbs, clinical healing time of fractures and VAS score one month after operation between the two groups. One month after operation, the VAS score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group(t=3.343, P=0.001). The operation time of the observation group was significantly shorter than that of the control group(t=9.091, P=0.000). The hospitalization days in the observation group were significantly less than those in the control group(t=5.034, P=0.000). The non-load-bearing time of the affected limb in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group(t=11.960, P=0.000). The clinical healing time of fracture in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group(t=4.007, P=0.000). There was no significant difference in AOFAS score between the two groups one year after operation(t=0.417, P=0.678). In the observation group, there were 2 cases of pinhole infection and 3 cases of loss of reduction less than 2 mm. There were 3 cases of surgical incision infection in the control group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups(χ2=0.446, P=0.504).@*CONCLUSION@#Manual reduction combined with external fixation is safe and effective in the treatment of trimalleolar fracture under the guidance of CO theory, and the function of ankle joint recovers well after operation. This therapy has good clinical value.

Short-term efficacy of digitally-assisted traditional Chinese medicine manual reduction combined with 3D printed splint in the treatment of AO type-A distal radius fractures / 中国骨伤

Objective To explore the short-term efficacy of digitally-assisted traditional Chinese medicine manual reduction combined with 3D printed splint in the treatment of AO type-A distal radius fractures, and explore the quantification of traditional Chinese medicine manual reduction and personalized improvement of splinting. Methods The clinical data of 50 patients with AO type-A distal radius fractures, who received treatment at the outpatient department of Cangzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital in Hebei Province, were retrospective analyzed. The patient cohort included 22 females and 28 males, with ages ranging from 25 to 75 years old. Among them, 27 cases presented with distal radius fractures on the left side, and 24 cases on the right side. The patients were categorized into two groups: treatment group (n=25) and control group(n=25). There were 13 males and 12 females in the treatment group, with an average age of (56.2±5.5) years old. Treatment approach for this group involved several steps. Initially, Mimics Research software was used to conduct comprehensive analysis of complete CT data from the affected limb, resulting in the creation of a three-dimensional model. Subsequently, 3D models of the bones and skin contours, stored as STL format files, were imported into the Materialise Magics 23.0 software for model processing and repair. This facilitated the simulation of reduction and recording of displacement data, effectively generating a "digital prescription" to guide and quantify traditional Chinese medicine manipulation procedures. Finally, a personalized 3D printed splint was applied for fixation treatment. There were 15 males and 10 females in the control group, with an average age of (53.32±5.28) years old. These patients were treated with manualreduction combined with traditional splinting. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was assessed in terms of fracture reduction quality, fracture healing time, Gartland-Werley wrist joint score and X-ray parameters (palminclination angle, ulnar deviation angle, radius height) at 6 weeks post-operatively. Results The treatment group exhibited a shorter duration for achieving clinical healing compared to the control group (P<0.05). Six weeks post-operatively, the treatment group demonstrated higher wrist joint function scores, and a higher proportion of excellent and good outcomes than the control group(P<0.05). The treatment group was superior to the control group in terms of imaging parameters 6 weeks post-operatively (P<0.05). Conclusion By quantifying skin contours through digital simulation prescription reduction, a personalized 3D printed splint is developed to effectively stabilize fractures, enhancing localized fixation while ensuring greater adherence, stability, and comfort. This innovative approach offers personalized treatment for AO type-A distal radius fractures and presents a novel, precise treatment strategy for consideration.