RESUMO OBJETIVO Este estudo visa investigar o valor da aplicação da hidrografia por ressonância magnética (RM) do ouvido interno no implante coclear. MÉTODOS Cento e quarenta e seis pacientes foram inscritos. Os exames da hidrografia por RM e do CT espiral para o canal auditivo intracraniano foram executados antes da cirurgia, e todos os resultados da imagem foram analisados estatisticamente, a fim de explorar o valor da aplicação da hidrografia por RM do ouvido interno no implante coclear. RESULTADOS Centro e quarenta e seis pacientes (292 ouvidos) foram examinados. Dentre esses pacientes, 13 foram diagnosticados com aquedutos vestibulares anormais (20 ouvidos) pela hidrografia por RM, enquanto cinco pacientes foram diagnosticados com esta doença pelo CT; 15 pacientes foram diagnosticados com malformação do ouvido interno (19 ouvidos) pela hidrografia por RM, enquanto 11 pacientes foram diagnosticados por CT (quatro foram diagnosticados erroneamente); cinco pacientes foram diagnosticados com estenose de canal acústico interno (oito ouvidos) pela hidrografia por RM, enquanto dois pacientes foram diagnosticados por CT (três foram diagnosticados erroneamente); e quatro pacientes foram diagnosticados com fibrose coclear (cinco ouvidos) pela hidrografia por RM, enquanto quatro foram diagnosticados por CT (quatro ouvidos). A taxa correta de diagnóstico foi de 77,40% (113/146) com base no CT, enquanto a taxa foi de 93,84% (137/146) com base na hidrografia por RM. CONCLUSÕES A técnica de imagem da hidrografia por RM pode ser aplicada à avaliação pré-operatória do implante coclear, que pode fornecer informações anatômicas precisas e confiáveis sobre o labirinto membranoso interno e os nervos no canal acústico interno, além de uma base exata para o diagnóstico da fibrose coclear e do desenvolvimento do nervo. Isso tem um significado orientador para a seleção de esquemas de tratamento.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the application value of magnetic resonance (MR) hydrography of the inner ear in cochlear implantation. METHODS 146 patients were enrolled. MR hydrography and spiral CT examinations for the intracranial auditory canal were performed before surgery, and all imaging results were statistically analyzed in order to explore the application value of MR hydrography of the inner ear in cochlear implantation. RESULTS 146 patients (292 ears) were examined. Among these patients, 13 were diagnosed with abnormal vestibular aqueducts (20 ears) by MR hydrography, while five were diagnosed with this disease by CT; 15 patients were diagnosed with inner ear malformation (19 ears) by MR hydrography, while 11 were diagnosed by CT (four were misdiagnosed); five patients were diagnosed with internal acoustic canal stenosis (eight ears) by MR hydrography, while two were diagnosed by CT (three were misdiagnosed); and four patients were diagnosed with cochlear fibrosis (five ears) by MR hydrography, while four were diagnosed by CT (four ears). The correct rate of diagnosis was 77.40% (113/146) based on CT, while the rate was 93.84% (137/146) based on MR hydrography. CONCLUSIONS MR hydrography imaging technique can be applied to the preoperative evaluation of cochlear implantation, providing accurate and reliable anatomic information on the inner membranous labyrinth and nerves in the internal acoustic canal and an accurate basis for the diagnosis of cochlear fibrosis and nerve development. This has a guiding significance for the selection of treatment schemes.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Estudar os fatores que afetam a regeneração hepática após hepatectomia. MÉTODOS A capacidade de regeneração hepática de 117 pacientes foi analisada com a tecnologia de reconstituição 3D e foram estudados os fatores relacionados. RESULTADOS Não houve diferença estatística significante entre o volume de ressecção hepática simulada e a ressecção atual. Todos os fígados apresentaram diferentes graus de regeneração após cirurgia. Idade, gênero e indicadores sanguíneos não tiveram impacto na regeneração hepática, enquanto que tempo de cirurgia, perda sanguínea intraoperatória, tempo de bloqueio do fluxo sanguíneo e diferentes formas de ressecção mostraram impacto significante na regeneração do órgão. Além disso, condições patológicas dos pacientes, incluindo hepatite e fibrose hepática, tiveram impacto significante na regeneração hepática. CONCLUSÃO O modelo de reconstituição 3D é um bom modelo para calcular o volume do fígado. Idade, gênero, indicadores sanguíneos e bioquímicos não tiveram impacto na regeneração hepática, mas indicadores operatórios e condição patológica dos pacientes mostraram influência na regeneração do órgão.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE To study factors affecting the liver regeneration after hepatectomy METHODS With 3D reconstitution technology, liver regeneration ability of 117 patients was analysed, and relative factors were studied. RESULTS There was no statistically difference between the volume of simulated liver resection and the actual liver resection. All livers had different degrees of regeneration after surgery. Age, gender and blood indicators had no impact on liver regeneration, while surgery time, intraoperative blood loss, blood flow blocking time and different ways of liver resection had a significant impact on liver regeneration; In addition, the patients’ own pathological status, including, hepatitis and liver fibrosis all had a significant impact on liver regeneration. CONCLUSION 3D reconstitution model is a good model to calculate liver volume. Age, gender, blood indicators and biochemistry indicators have no impact on liver regeneration, but surgery indicators and patients’ own pathological status have influence on liver regeneration.

Abstract Biofertilizer Ning shield was composed of different strains of plant growth promotion bacteria. In this study, the plant growth promotion and root-knot nematode disease control potential on Trichosanthes kirilowii in the field were evaluated. The application of Ning shield significantly reduced the diseases severity caused by Meloidogyne incognita, the biocontrol efficacy could reached up to 51.08%. Ning shield could also promote the growth of T. kirilowii in the field by increasing seedling emergence, height and the root weight. The results showed that the Ning shield could enhance the production yield up to 36.26%. Ning shield could also promote the plant growth by increasing the contents of available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic matter, and increasing the contents of leaf chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment. Moreover, Ning shield could efficiently enhance the medicinal compositions of Trichosanthes, referring to the polysaccharides and trichosanthin. Therefore, Ning shield is a promising biofertilizer, which can offer beneficial effects to T. kirilowii growers, including the plant growth promotion, the biological control of root-knot disease and enhancement of the yield and the medicinal quality.

Abstract This study investigated the effects of puerarin (PUE) on blood lipid and inflammatory factor levels in rats with lower limb arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). Sixty rats were randomly divided into control, model, simvastatin, low-PUE, middle-PUE and high-dose PUE group. The animals in later 5 groups were with lower limb ASO, and the later 4 groups were given 1 mg/kg simvastatin and 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg PUE, respectively. The blood lipid and inflammatory factor levels were determined. Results showed that, the serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level in model group were significantly increased (P <0.01), while the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly decreased (P <0.01). Compared with model group, TC, TG, LDL-C, IL-6, TNF-α and hs-CRP in high-dose PUE and simvastatin group were significantly decreased (P <0.01 or P <0.05), and HDL level was significantly increased (P <0.01 or P <0.05). There was no significant difference of each index between simvastatin and high-dose PUE group (P >0.05). PUE can obviously decrease the blood lipid and inflammatory factor levels in rats with lower limb ASO.

Strains of Francisella spp. were isolated from cooling water from an air conditioning system in Guangzhou, China. These strains are Gram negative, coccobacilli, non-motile, oxidase negative, catalase negative, esterase and lipid esterase positive. In addition, these bacteria grow on cysteine-supplemented media at 20 °C to 40 °C with an optimal growth temperature of 30 °C. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that these strains belong to the genus Francisella. Biochemical tests and phylogenetic and BLAST analyses of 16S rRNA, rpoB and sdhA genes indicated that one strain was very similar to Francisella philomiragia and that the other strains were identical or highly similar to the Francisella guangzhouensis sp. nov. strain 08HL01032 we previously described. Biochemical and molecular characteristics of these strains demonstrated that multiple Francisella species exist in air conditioning systems.

Patients frequently experience postoperative pain after a total knee arthroplasty; such pain is always challenging to treat and may delay the patient’s recovery. It is unclear whether local infiltration or a femoral nerve block offers a better analgesic effect after total knee arthroplasty. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare local infiltration with a femoral nerve block in patients who underwent a primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty. We searched Pubmed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library through December 2014. Two reviewers scanned abstracts and extracted data. The data collected included numeric rating scale values for pain at rest and pain upon movement and opioid consumption in the first 24 hours. Mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each end point. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate potential sources of heterogeneity. While the numeric rating scale values for pain upon movement (MD-0.62; 95%CI: -1.13 to -0.12; p=0.02) in the first 24 hours differed significantly between the patients who received local infiltration and those who received a femoral nerve block, there were no differences in the numeric rating scale results for pain at rest (MD-0.42; 95%CI:-1.32 to 0.47; p=0.35) or opioid consumption (MD 2.92; 95%CI:-1.32 to 7.16; p=0.18) in the first 24 hours. Local infiltration and femoral nerve block showed no significant differences in pain intensity at rest or opioid consumption after total knee arthroplasty, but the femoral nerve block was associated with reduced pain upon movement.

The effects of processing parameters, such as the punch speed, reheating duration and reheating temperature, on microstructure and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of thixoformed AM60B magnesium alloy have been investigated. The results indicate that low punch speed, short reheating duration or low reheating temperature often produces the defect of cold shuts or shrinkage porosities. On the contrary, gas pores can easily form. In addition, the reheating duration or temperature also has obvious effects on the primary particle size, fraction and morphology. The three parameters can significantly affect the UTS due to their effects on the formation of pores (cold shuts, shrinkage porosities and gas pores). But they can not alter the fracture path during tensile testing and the path is always along the secondarily solidified structures between the primary particles. The effect of pore amount on the UTS is lager than that of the primary particle size, fraction or morphology. In view of their effects on the microstructure compactness and the resultant UTS, the optimized parameters are reheating for 130 minutes at 610 °C and punch speed of 3 m/s.

The microstructural evolution and corresponding phase transformations have been investigated during partial remelting of AZ91D magnesium alloy refined by Al-Ti-B master alloy. The effect of heating temperature on semisolid microstructure has also been discussed. The results indicate that the microstructural evolution process includes four stages, the initial rapid coarsening, structure separation, spheroidization accompanied by coarsening and the final coarsening. Two or more equiaxed dendrites in the as-cast microstructure evolve into one spheroidal primary particle in the semisolid microstructure through the former three stages. The initial rapid coarsening results from the reaction of β→α, the structure separation is due to the α + β→L and α→L, the spheroidization is attributed to the α→L and the final coarsening is ascribed to the two reverse reactions of α→L and L→α. Rising the heating temperature during partial remelting is beneficial for obtaining small and spheroidal primary particles.

La identificación precisa de especies de insectos juega un papel esencial en la estimación del intervalo postmortem (IPM), especialmente cuando la información sobre el fenómeno postmortem no es disponible. Los escarabajos sarcosaprófagos infestan y colonizan los restos humanos y animales en la etapa tardía de descomposición y su similitud morfológica es un gran desafío para los entomólogos forenses ya que las claves taxonómicas existentes pueden ser incompletas o difíciles para los no especialistas. Se requiere un método fácil y preciso para la identificación a nivel de especie en cualquier estadio de vida. En este estudio se exploró la utilidad de una región del gen mitocondrial COI de 272 bases para identificar escarabajos de importancia forense. Se capturaron 24 ejemplares provenientes de 14 localidades de nueve provincias de China. El análisis de conglomerados de las secuencias por el método de ligamiento promedio no ponderado (UPGMA) mostró que todos los especímenes fueron apropiadamente asignados a seis especies con fuerte similitud lo que demuestra la posibilidad de separar especies congenéricas con este fragmento corto de COI. Estos resultados serán instrumentales en la implementación de una base de datos china de escarabajos importantes en el área forense.

Precise identification of insect species plays an essential role in the accurate estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI), especially when information on the postmortem phenomenon is not available. Sarcosaphagous beetles infest and colonize human and animal remains in the late stage of decomposition, and their morphological similarity poses a great challenge for forensic entomologists, as an existing key may be incomplete or difficult for non-specialists to use. A method for easy and accurate species-level identification at any life stage is required. In this study, a 272-base pair region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was used to explore its utility in the identification of forensically important beetles. Twenty-four specimens were collected from 14 locations in nine provinces of China. Phenogram analysis of the sequenced segments by the unweighted pairgroup method analysis (UPGMA) method showed that all specimens were properly assigned into six species with strong similarity, which indicates the possibility of separating congeneric species with the short COI fragment. These results will be instrumental for implementation of the Chinese database of forensically relevant beetles.

The grain refining technique of AZ91D magnesium alloy by MgCO3 has been investigated. The refining mechanism and tensile properties of the resulting alloy have also been discussed. The results indicate that MgCO3 can decrease its grain size from 311 to 53µm. Correspondingly, the tensile properties are obviously improved. The higher the cooling rate from addition temperature to pouring temperature or the higher the addition temperature, the finer the grains. The melt treated by MgCO3 should be poured as soon as possible because the inoculation fading is quite quick. The microstructure sensitivity to the diameter of a cast rod is relatively high and the microstructures of the rods with large diameters are quite inhomogeneous. The refining mechanism of MgCO3 belongs to heterogeneous nucleation and the nucleant substrates are believed to be the Al4C3 particles formed from the reactions between the MgCO3 and the molten alloy.