Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors in axial chondroblastomas: a retrospective analysis of 61 cases and comparison with extra-axial chondroblastomas.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive understanding of the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors associated with axial chondroblastoma (ACB) is still lacking. This study aimed to understand the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of axial chondroblastoma (ACB) and compare them with extra-axial chondroblastoma (EACB). METHODS: A retrospective review of our institution's local database was conducted, encompassing a total of 132 CB patients, of which 61 were diagnosed with ACB and 71 with EACB. Immunohistochemistry was employed to evaluate the expression levels of vimentin, S100, and cytokeratin. RESULTS: ACB and EACB shared similar characteristics, with the exception of advanced age, tumor size, elevated Vim expression, incidence of surrounding tissue invasion, and postoperative sensory or motor dysfunction. While wide resection and absence of surrounding tissue invasion consistently showed a favorable association with survival in both ACB and EACB cohorts during univariate analysis, most parameters exhibited differential prognostic significance between the two groups. Notably, the significant prognostic factors for local recurrence-free survival in the ACB cohort included the type of resection and the presence of chicken-wire calcification. In the multivariate analysis of overall survival, the type of resection emerged as a significant predictor in the ACB cohort, whereas in the EACB group, the type of resection and the occurrence of postoperative sensory or motor dysfunction were predictive of overall survival. CONCLUSION: There may exist distinct biological behaviors between ACB and EACB, thereby providing valuable insights into the prognostic characteristics of ACB patients and contributing to enhanced outcome prediction in this particular patient population.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: Probiotics for treating acute diarrhoea in children with dehydration.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of probiotics in treating children with acute diarrhoea and dehydration. METHODS: Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 17 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2861 participants met the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo, probiotics reduced the duration of diarrhoea (12 RCTs [15, 17], n = 1907, mean difference - 21.33 h, confidence interval (CI) -29.74 to -12.91, high heterogeneity, I2 = 86%), the duration of hospitalisation when compared with placebo (eight RCTs [19, 20], n = 1606, mean difference - 0.83 days, CI -1.53 to -0.12, high heterogeneity, I2 = 96%) and reduced risk of diarrhoea on day 4 or more days (six RCTs [19, 20], n = 1093, risk difference - 0.13, 95% CI -0.17- -0.09, no heterogeneity). CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics alongside rehydration therapy appear to be safe and have clear beneficial effects in shortening the duration of diarrhoea in children with acute diarrhoea and dehydration.

Effect of ondansetron on vomiting associated with acute gastroenteritis in a developing country: a meta-analysis.

In high-income countries. ondansetron is an effective antiemetic in children with gastroenteritis, but data from low- and middle-income countries are sparse. This study aimed to evaluate evidences of the effectiveness of ondansetron in preventing vomiting and reducing the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis in developing countries. A total of nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2313 participants met the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo, ondansetron reduced the use of intravenous rehydration (three RCTs, n = 1126, relative risk (RR) 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.95, no significant heterogeneity, I2 = 43%), the risk of failure of oral rehydration therapy among children with gastroenteritis-associated vomiting and dehydration (four RCTs, n = 1370, RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.43-0.79; no significant heterogeneity was found, I2 = 39%) and risk of hospitalization (2 RCTs, n = 264, RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.73, no heterogeneity, I2 = 0).Conclusions: Compared with placebo, ondansetron reduced the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis and dehydration. It has no effect on children with gastroenteritis who do not present with dehydration in developing countries. While ondansetron is effective in controlling vomiting and reducing the rate of hospitalization, there is no evidence that it is effective in reducing the rate of readmission. What is Known: • In high-income countries, ondansetron can reduce the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis and dehydration. • No systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were done in a developing country setting. What is New: • In developing countries, ondansetron reduces the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis and dehydration. • It has no effect on children with gastroenteritis but without dehydration.

Precise synthesis of sulfur-containing polymers via cooperative dual organocatalysts with high activity.

Metal-free and controlled synthesis of sulfur-containing polymer is still a big challenge in polymer chemistry. Here, we report a metal-free, living copolymerization of carbonyl sulfide (COS) with epoxides via the cooperative catalysis of organic Lewis pairs including bases (e.g.: phosphazene, amidine, and guanidine) and thioureas as hydrogen-bond donors, afford well-defined poly(monothiocarbonate)s with 100% alternating degree, >99% tail-to-head content, controlled molecular weights (up to 98.4 kg/mol), and narrow molecular weight distributions (1.13-1.23). The effect of the types of Lewis pairs on the copolymerization of COS with several epoxides is investigated. The turnover frequencies (TOFs) of these Lewis pairs are as high as 112 h-1 at 25 °C. Kinetic and mechanistic results suggest that the supramolecular specific recognition of thiourea to epoxide and base to COS promote the copolymerization cooperatively. This strategy provides commercially available Lewis pairs for metal-free synthesis of sulfur-containing polymers with precise structure.

Highly Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of COS-Based Block Copolymers by Using Organic Lewis Pairs.

A one-pot synthesis of block copolymer with regioregular poly(monothiocarbonate) block is described via metal-free catalysis. Lewis bases such as guanidine, quaternary onium salts, and Lewis acid triethyl borane (TEB) were equivalently combined and used as the catalysts. By using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the macromolecular chain transfer agent (CTA), narrow polydispersity block copolymers were obtained from the copolymerization of carbonyl sulfide (COS) and propylene oxide (PO). The block copolymers had a poly(monothiocarbonate) block with perfect alternating degree and regioregularity. Unexpectedly, the addition of CTA to COS/PO copolymerization system could dramatically improve the turnover frequency (TOF) of PO (up to 240 h-1), higher than that of the copolymerization without CTA. In addition, the conversion of CTA could be up to 100% in most cases, as revealed by ¹H NMR spectra. Of consequence, the number-average molecular weights (Mns) of the resultant block copolymers could be regulated by varying the feed ratio of CTA to PO. Oxygen-sulfur exchange reaction (O/S ER), which can generate randomly distributed thiocarbonate and carbonate units, was effectively suppressed in all of the cases in the presence of CTA, even at 80 °C. This work presents a versatile method for synthesizing sulfur-containing block copolymers through a metal-free route, providing an array of new block copolymers.

Perfectly Alternating and Regioselective Copolymerization of Carbonyl Sulfide and Epoxides by Metal-Free Lewis Pairs.

The preparation of perfectly alternating and regioslective copolymers derived from the copolymerization of carbonyl sulfide (COS) and epoxides by metal-free Lewis pair catalysts composed of a Lewis base (amidine, guanidine, or quaternary onium salts) and a Lewis acid (triethyl borane) is described. Colorless and highly transparent copolymers of poly(monothiocarbonate) were successfully obtained with over 99 % tail-to-head content and high molecular weight (up to 92.5 kg mol-1 ). In most instances, oxygen-sulfur exchange reactions (O/S ERs), which would generate random thiocarbonate and carbonate units, were effectively suppressed. The turnover frequencies (TOF) of these Lewis pair catalyzed processes were as high as 119 h-1 at ambient temperature.

[Study on the distribution of serum homocysteine and on multi-stepwise regression analysis of the associated factors in the population of community areas in Wuhan].

OBJECTIVE: To study the serum homocysteine (Hcy) distribution and characteristics in different sex and age groups in the community residents in Wuhan, and to analyse its associated factors with multi-stepwise regression analysis. METHODS: The population under study was from three community areas in Wuhan. Demographic distribution and the correlation with other risk factors of serum Hcy were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: (1) Geometric mean of serum Hcy was 14.43 micromol/L in males and 10.89 micromol/L in females with P <0.001. (2) Hcy of per age level in males was also higher (P <0.001). (3) The prevalence rate of hyperhomocysteinemia was 23.94% in the general population in Wuhan. The prevalence rate of hyperhomocysteinemia in males was 2.62 times higher than in females. (4) Multi-stepwise regression analysis showed that Hcy had different affecting factors in males and females. The affecting factors of Hcy in males were daily cigarettes smoking, urine micro-albumin (UMALB) and times of exercise per week. The affecting factors of Hcy in females were duration of exercise each time, weight, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), urine micro-albumin (UMALB) and age. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Hcy at the population level was significantly different by sex and age. (2) Population living in the community in Wuhan had a higher serum level and prevalence rate of Hcy comparing to some other cities in China and even in developed countries. (3) The important affecting factors of Hcy in population also showed sex difference, unlike the reports from other countries or other areas in China. Serum Hcy seemed to be affected by environmental and other factors.