Effective Rate Research Articles

Clinical application of transcranial neuroendoscopy combined with supraorbital keyhole approach in minimally invasive surgery of the anterior skull base

To explore the techniques, safety, and feasibility of minimally invasive neurosurgery through the supraorbital eyebrow arch keyhole approach by neuroendoscopy. Retrospective analysis of clinical data of patients with various cranial diseases treated by transcranial neuroendoscopic supraorbital eyebrow keyhole approach in our hospital from March 2021 to October 2023. A total of 39 complete cases were collected, including 21 cases of intracranial aneurysms, 9 cases of intracranial space occupying lesions, 5 cases of brain trauma, 3 cases of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and 1 case of cerebral hemorrhage. All patients’ surgeries were successful. The good prognosis rate of intracranial aneurysms was 17/21 (81%), and the symptom improvement rate of intracranial space occupying lesions was 8/9 (88.9%). Among them, the initial symptoms of one patient with no improvement were not related to space occupying, while the total effective rate of the other three types of patients was 9/9 (100%). The average length of the craniotomy bone window of the supraorbital eyebrow arch keyhole is 3.77 ± 0.31 cm, and the average width is 2.53 ± 0.23 cm. The average postoperative hospital stay was 14.77 ± 6.59 days. The average clearance rate of hematoma by neuroendoscopy is 95.00% ± 1.51%. Our results indicate that endoscopic surgery through the supraorbital eyebrow arch keyhole approach is safe and effective for the treatment of anterior skull base lesions and cerebral hemorrhage. However, this retrospective study is a single center, small sample study, and the good surgical results do not exclude the subjective screening of suitable patients by clinical surgeons, which may have some bias. Although the clinical characteristics such as indications and contraindications of this surgical method still require further prospective and multicenter clinical research validation, our study still provides a new approach and choice for minimally invasive surgical treatment of anterior skull base lesions.

Observation of therapeutic effect of lamp irradiation combined with purple gromwell oil gauze on alleviating intestinal colic in patients.

Intestinal colic is a common complication in patients who have undergone radical surgery for colorectal cancer. Traditional Chinese medicine has advantages, including safety and stability, for the treatment of intestinal colic. Lamp irradiation for abdominal ironing has been applied in the treatment of many gastrointestinal diseases. Purple gromwell oil has the effects of clearing heat, cooling blood, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. To investigate the impact of lamp irradiation combined with purple gromwell oil gauze on ameliorating intestinal colic in patients after radical surgery for colorectal cancer. A total of 120 patients who experienced postoperative intestinal colic complications after radical surgery for colorectal cancer and who were admitted to Foshan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital between June 2019 and March 2023 were enrolled as study subjects. The patients were divided into a control group (60 patients) and an observation group (60 patients) based on treatment method. The control group was treated with lamp irradiation, while the observation group was treated with lamp irradiation and external application of purple gromwell oil gauze. The clinical efficacy, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score, duration of symptoms, and rate of adverse reaction occurrence were further compared between the two groups. The general effective rate in the observation group was 95.00%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (86.67%, P < 0.05). Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the duration of symptoms between the groups (P > 0.05). After 1, 2, 3, and 4 d of treatment, the duration of symptoms in both groups were decreased, and the duration in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (96.54 ± 9.57 vs 110.45 ± 11.23, 87.26 ± 12.07 vs 104.44 ± 11.68, 80.45 ± 16.21 vs 99.44 ± 14.95, 73.18 ± 15.58 vs 92.17 ± 14.20; P < 0.05). After 1, 3, 5, and 7 d of treatment, the NRS scores in both groups were decreased, and the NRS scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (3.56 ± 0.41 vs 4.04 ± 0.58, 3.07 ± 0.67 vs 3.74 ± 1.02, 2.52 ± 0.76 vs 3.43 ± 0.85, 2.03 ± 0.58 vs 3.03 ± 0.82; P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the rate of adverse reaction occurrence between the groups (P > 0.05). The use of lamp irradiation combined with purple gromwell oil gauze in patients with intestinal colic after radical surgery for colorectal cancer can reduce symptom duration, alleviate intestinal colic, and improve treatment efficacy, and this approach is safe. It is worth promoting the use of this treatment in clinical practice.

Influence of reduced-port laparoscopic surgery on perioperative indicators, postoperative recovery, and serum inflammation in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

Conventional five-port laparoscopic surgery, the current standard treatment for colorectal carcinoma (CRC), has many disadvantages. To assess the influence of reduced-port laparoscopic surgery (RPLS) on perioperative indicators, postoperative recovery, and serum inflammation indexes in patients with CRC. The study included 115 patients with CRC admitted between December 2019 and May 2023, 52 of whom underwent conventional five-port laparoscopic surgery (control group) and 63 of whom underwent RPLS (research group). Comparative analyses were performed on the following dimensions: Perioperative indicators [operation time (OT), incision length, intraoperative blood loss (IBL), and rate of conversion to laparotomy], postoperative recovery (first postoperative exhaust, bowel movement and oral food intake, and bowel sound recovery time), serum inflammation indexes [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)], postoperative complications (anastomotic leakage, incisional infection, bleeding, ileus), and therapeutic efficacy. The two groups had comparable OTs and IBL volumes. However, the research group had a smaller incision length; lower rates of conversion to laparotomy and postoperative total complication; and shorter time of first postoperative exhaust, bowel movement, oral food intake, and bowel sound recovery; all of which were significant. Furthermore, hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in the research group were significantly lower than the baseline and those of the control group, and the total effective rate was higher. RPLS exhibited significant therapeutic efficacy in CRC, resulting in a shorter incision length and a lower conversion rate to laparotomy, while also promoting postoperative recovery, effectively inhibiting the inflammatory response, and reducing the risk of postoperative complications.

Moderating Role of Earnings Management on Leverage and Related Party Transactions Influence on the Effective Corporate Tax Rate (ETR) in Indonesian Stock Exchange Listed Industrial Companies for Periods of 2018 - 2022

This research aims to determine how earnings management moderates the influence of leverage and related party transactions on the Effective Corporate Rate (ETR) in Indonesia Stock Exchange listed industrial sector companies for periods of 2018-2022. This research is conducted based on information obtained on the Indonesian Stock Exchange. The sampling technique for this research is purposive sampling method. The population in this study was 63 industrial sector companies listed on the IDX in 2018-2022 and the samples used are 45 companies. The type of data used is secondary data and the data analysis technique is panel data regression and the Moderate Regression Analysis (MRA) test with analysis tools using Eviews software. The results of this research show that leverage has a negative and significant effect on ETR and related party transactions have no effect on ETR in industrial sector companies listed on the IDX for the 2018-2022 period. Earnings management cannot moderate the influence of Leverage on ETR in Industrial sector companies listed on the BEI for the 2018-2022 period and earnings management cannot moderate the influence of related party transactions on ETR in industrial companies listed on the BEI for the 2018-2022 period.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture for De Quervain's tenosynovitis treatment.

De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQt) is a prevalent chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder predominantly affecting the radial aspect of the wrist. This study conducted a comprehensive review of the efficacy of acupuncture in treating De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQt). Although there is evidence suggesting that acupuncture can alleviate symptoms of DQt-characterized by pain, swelling, and functional impairment-higher-level evidence is still required to further substantiate its efficacy and safety. This study conducted a comprehensive review of the efficacy of acupuncture in treating De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQt). By systematically searching databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EMbase, PEDro, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and Chongqing VIP China Science, Technology Journal Database (VIP), we retrieved randomized controlled trial (RCT) literature on acupuncture for DQt, with the search period extending to November 1, 2023. After extracting and assessing data from the included literature, we performed Meta-analysis using RevMan 5.4.1 software. The results encompassed 14 RCT papers, involving 851 patients. The Meta-analysis findings indicated that, when compared to topical analgesics, acupuncture demonstrated a significant increase in treatment effectiveness (RR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.39, P = 0.0002) and a notable reduction in VAS pain scores (MD = -1.06; 95% CI = -1.51, -0.61, P < 0.00001). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in conney wrist joint scores. Furthermore, acupuncture was found to reduce VAS pain scores compared to the waiting list group. In comparison to corticosteroid injections (CSI), acupuncture did not show statistical significance in VAS, effectiveness rate, and conney wrist scores. Acupuncture exhibited a promising trend in alleviating pain associated with DQt and enhancing treatment effectiveness. Nonetheless, due to limitations in the quantity and quality of the included studies, these findings warrant further validation through additional research.

Identification and Application of Emerging Biomarkers in Treatment of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Systematic Review.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases, often diagnosed at advanced stages, which diminishes the effective treatment options and survival rates. This systematic review assesses the utility of emerging biomarkers-circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), microRNAs (miRNAs), and the blood tumor mutational burden (bTMB)-enhanced by next-generation sequencing (NGS) to improve the diagnostic accuracy, prognostic evaluation, and treatment strategies in NSCLC. Analyzing data from 37 studies involving 10,332 patients from 2020 to 2024, the review highlights how biomarkers like ctDNA and PD-L1 expression critically inform the selection of personalized therapies, particularly beneficial in the advanced stages of NSCLC. These biomarkers are critical for prognostic assessments and in dynamically adapting treatment plans, where high PD-L1 expression and specific genetic mutations (e.g., ALK fusions, EGFR mutations) significantly guide the use of targeted therapies and immunotherapies. The findings recommend integrating these biomarkers into standardized clinical pathways to maximize their potential in enhancing the treatment precision, ultimately fostering significant advancements in oncology and improving patient outcomes and quality of life. This review substantiates the prognostic and predictive value of these biomarkers and emphasizes the need for ongoing innovation in biomarker research.

Mechanism and Potential Therapeutic Strategies Based on PRMT5 in Chemotherapy-Induced Drug Resistance in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

As a malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality in the world, the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer is still facing great challenges. Although new breakthroughs have been made in recent years and great progress has been made in chemotherapy and targeted therapy, the five-year survival rate of most NSCLC patients is still at a low level. The emergence of drug resistance is one of the important factors affecting the therapeutic effect and survival rate of patients. PRMT5 (protein arginine methyltransferase 5), as a type II arginine methyltransferase, plays an important role in cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and tumorigenesis. At present, people pay more and more attention to the research on the mechanism of PRMT5 in tumor drug resistance. In this review, we summarize the mechanism of PRMT5 in chemotherapy resistance of non-small cell lung cancer and discuss potential strategies to avoid or overcome chemotherapy resistance.

Assessing the Impact of Abamectin and Diafenthiuron on Silkworm Larval Growth and Survival

An experiment was conducted primarily to evaluate chemicals exhibiting dual insecticidal and acaricidal properties, with a specific focus on their compatibility with silkworms and indigenous natural predators within the mulberry ecosystem, to evaluate abamectin 1.9% EC and diafenthiuron 50% WP for safety period on mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Jan-Feb and Mar-April 2023) where in the pesticides were sprayed on mulberry at different durations, after spray were fed to the silkworms from third instar onwards. There was no mortality (0.00%) of silkworm observed in the treatments during two seasons and the larval progression 100% during third, fourth and fifth instars. The total larval duration was found shortest when the silkworms were fed with mulberry leaves harvested from the plots sprayed with abamectin 1.9% EC at 0.75ml/lit (22.30 and 23.22 days) and diafenthiuron 50% WP at 1 g/lit (22.77 and 23.07 days) at 15 and 21 DAS, respectively. The larval weight was significantly maximum in the treatments with abamectin 1.9% EC at 0.75 ml/lit (4.29 and 4.08 g/larvae) and diafenthiuron 50% WP at 1 g/lit (4.17 and 4.06 g/ larvae), respectively at 15 and 21 DAS. The Effective Rate of Rearing (ERR %) was found highest with diafenthiuron 50% WP at 1 g/lit (97.78 and 96.67 % at 15 and 21 DAS) and abamectin 1.9% EC at 0.75 ml/lit (97.78 and 96.67 % at 15 and 21 DAS) that was comparable with control. The molecules, diafenthiuron 50% WP at 1 g/lit and abamectin 1.9% EC at 0.75 ml/lit were found safer to silkworms at 15 and 21 DAS in terms of survival and larval growth.

Comparative efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy: A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a prevalent nutritional disorder during pregnancy. Clinical studies indicate that incorporating Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) with oral iron (OI) in treating IDA in pregnancy can reduce adverse effects and improve clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, the comparative efficacy of different CPMs remains unclear. AIM To assess the safety and effectiveness of different CPMs for treating IDA during pregnancy using network meta-analysis. METHODS We conducted a search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that combined CPM and OI for IDA treatment in pregnancy, spanning from 2013 to the present. Data analysis was performed using Rev Man 5.3 and Stata 14.0 on literature that satisfied the quality criteria. RESULTS The analysis included 45 RCTs, encompassing 4422 pregnant patients with IDA. Six CPMs were examined, including Shengxuebao Mixture, Shengxuening Tablets (SXN), Yiqi Weixue CPMs (YQWX), Jianpi Shengxue CPMs (JPSX), Yiqi Buxue Tablets, and Compound Hongyi Buxue Oral Liquid (FFHY). Findings indicated that FFHY + OI significantly improved the clinical effective rate. SXN + OI was most effective in boosting red blood cells counts and hemoglobin levels. YQWX + OI showed superior results in improving serum ferritin, and SXN + OI was most effective in increasing serum iron levels. JPSX + OI was optimal in reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes, while YQBX + OI effectively minimized adverse events. A cluster analysis suggested that SXN + OI could be the potentially optimal therapeutic regimen for IDA in pregnancy. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that the combination of OI with CPMs offers better outcomes than OI alone. Based on clinical efficacy and other measured outcomes, SXN + OI emerges as the most effective treatment modality for improving the health of pregnant patients with IDA.

Therapeutic efficacy of methylprednisolone sodium succinate via diverse administration routes for mid- to high-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss

BACKGROUND Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), characterized by a rapid and unexplained loss of hearing, particularly at moderate to high frequencies, presents a significant clinical challenge. The therapeutic use of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) via different administration routes, in combination with conventional medications, remains a topic of interest. AIM To compare the therapeutic efficacy of MPSS administered via different routes in combination with conventional drugs for the treatment of mid- to high-frequency SSNHL. METHODS The medical records of 109 patients with mid- to high-frequency SSNHL were analyzed. The patients were divided into three groups based on the route of administration: Group A [intratympanic (IT) injection of MPSS combined with mecobalamin and Ginkgo biloba leaf extract injection], Group B (intravenous injection of MPSS combined with mecobalamin and Ginkgo biloba leaf extract injection), and Group C (single IT injection of MPSS). The intervention effects were compared and analyzed. RESULTS The posttreatment auditory thresholds in Group A (21.23 ± 3 .34) were significantly lower than those in Groups B (28.52 ± 3.36) and C (30.23 ± 4.21; P &lt; 0.05). Group A also exhibited a significantly greater speech recognition rate (92.23 ± 5.34) than Groups B and C. The disappearance time of tinnitus, time to hearing recovery, and disappearance time of vertigo in Group A were significantly shorter than those in Groups B and C (P &lt; 0.05). The total effective rate in Group A (97.56%) was significantly greater than that in Groups B and C (77.14% and 78.79%, χ 2 = 7.898, P = 0.019). Moreover, the incidence of adverse reactions in Groups A and C was significantly lower than that in Group B (4.88%, 3.03% vs 2.57%, χ 2 = 11.443, P = 0.003), and the recurrence rate in Group A was significantly lower than that in Groups B and C (2.44% vs 20.00% vs 21.21%, χ 2 = 7.120, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION IT injection of MPSS combined with conventional treatment demonstrates superior efficacy and safety compared to systemic administration via intravenous infusion and a single IT injection of MPSS. This approach effectively improves patients' hearing and reduces the risk of disease recurrence.

Salvia Polyphenolates Combined with Doxophylline in the Treatment of Patients with Chronic Pulmonary Heart Disease in the Compensated Stage

Objective: To statistically determine the effect of salvia polyphenolates combined with doxophylline treatment in patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease in the compensated stage. Methods: From January 2023 to January 2024, 76 patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease in the compensated stage were selected as research subjects. The patients were divided into a research group and a reference group using a randomized numerical table method. The research group was treated with salvia polyphenolates combined with doxophylline, while the reference group received conventional therapy. The treatment effects of the two groups were compared. Results: The patients in the research group, treated with salvia polyphenolates combined with doxophylline, showed maximal ventilation of 73.26 ± 4.83 L/min, left ventricular ejection fraction of 56.14 ± 1.98%, and total effective treatment rate of 94.74%. These results were better than those of the reference group. The differences between the data of the research group and the reference group were statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: For patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease in the compensated stage, treatment with salvia polyphenolates combined with doxophylline significantly improves maximum ventilation and left ventricular ejection fraction, and also results in a higher total effective treatment rate.

Effect of acupuncture intervention time on the therapeutic effect in patients with sudden hearing loss.

To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture intervention at different time for patients with sudden hearing loss. According to the timing of acupuncture intervention, 86 patients were divided into early exposure group (n=43) and late exposure group (n=43) . The early exposure group was given acupuncture treatment within 14 days of onset, and the late exposure group was given acupuncture treatment after 14 days of onset. After propensity score matching (PSM, a statistical matching technique for observational data) processing by using SPSS26.0 software, outcomes of 30 cases in the early exposure group and 30 cases in the late exposure group were analyzed. In addition to receiving basic treatment with drugs for vascular dilatation, thrombolysis, nourishing nerve, etc., all patients of the two groups were treated with neck acupuncture ("Neck Seven Meridian Lines" acupuncture), once every other day except Sundays, for a total of 12 time. Before, after the treatment and 3 months after the treatment, the total score of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI, 0, 2 and 4 points for each of the 25 items, total scores = 100 points) scale was used to evaluate the improvement of tinnitus symptoms caused by hearing loss. The clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated according to the efficacy grading criteria in the Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Sudden Deafness (2015) and the changes of pure tone audiometry curve. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of factors that might influence efficacy before propensity score matching. The THI scores of patients in both groups decreased strikingly after the treatment and 3 months' follow-up (P<0.05). Compared with the same time-points of the late exposure group, the total THI scores of post-treatment and 3 months' follow-up were evidently lower in the early exposure group (P<0.05). The effective rate of the early exposure group (22/30, 80.00%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the late exposure group (16/30, 53.33%). The classification of sudden deafness and the application of traditional Chinese medicine in this study were not independent factors affecting the total effective rate. The time point of acupuncture intervention is an important factor affecting the effect on hearing and tinnitus disability of patients with sudden deafness. The earlier acupuncture treatment is accepted, the better the therapeutic effect is.

Clinical observation of ultrasound-guided acupotomy assisting percutaneous cervical disc nucleoplasty in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.

To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided acupotomy in adjuvant treatment of residual symptoms after percutaneous cervical disc nucleoplasty (PCDN) for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR). A total of 70 CSR patients were divided into treatment group and control group according to random number table, with 35 cases in each group. Patients in the control group received PCDN, while patients in the treatment group further received ultrasound-guided acupotomy, which was performed once every 5 to 7 days for a total of 4 to 6 times (adjusted according to the condition of patients). The visual analog score (VAS), neck dysfunction index (NDI), Japanese Orthopaedic Association cervical spondylosis scale (JOA score), and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point scale were adopted in the assessment before PCDN and 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after PCDN. The clinical efficacy, postoperative adverse reactions and complications of the 2 groups were evaluated. Compared with those before PCDN, the VAS score and NDI score of the 2 groups were decreased (P<0.05), JOA score and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point score were increased (P<0.05) at 1 day and 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Compared with same group 1 day after surgery, the VAS score and NDI score of the treatment group were decreased (P<0.05), while JOA score and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point score were increased (P<0.05) at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Compared with the control group at the same time points, the VAS score and NDI score of the treatment group were decreased (P<0.05), while JOA score and Tanaka Yasuhisa 20-point score were increased (P<0.05) at 1, 3 and 6 months after operation. The effective rate and excellent rate of the treatment group 1, 3 and 6 months after PCDN were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Follow-up to 1 year after surgery, no significant postoperative adverse reactions and complications were found in both groups. Ultrasound-guided acupotomy can significantly improve the residual symptoms after PCDN for CSR patients, and the clinical efficacy is significantly better than that of PCDN alone, and this therapy is safe and reliable.

English

Based on observations and interviews, it was discovered that junior high school students' achievement in measuring object material remained low. To improve students' achievement, innovative learning media such as hologram media can be implemented. This research aimed to produce hologram media that is decent and effective in improving student achievement. The hologram media products development follows the ADDIE model, including 3D hologram animation videos creation and a teaching module to aid the learning process. A range of tests were conducted on various products, including justification tests, perception tests, and student achievement tests. The participants consisted of experts, teachers, and students. According to experts, both products were successfully developed and received very decent justification. Teachers and students have also reported excellent perceptions when using the products for learning purposes. According to the achievement test results, students' average post-test score (81.85) is higher than their pre-test score (50.74). The results indicate a normal distribution and significant differences through a normality test and paired sample t-test. According to the N-Gain test results, it showed a 63.41% effectiveness rate, indicating that the learning on the measuring of object material using our hologram media is capable of enhancing student achievement in junior high school.

Corporate Tax Rates, Allocative Efficiency, and Aggregate Productivity

Abstract This paper quantifies the impact of effective corporate tax rates on aggregate total factor productivity (TFP). Using Chilean manufacturing data, we document a large dispersion in the effective tax rate faced by firms and a mass of firms facing a 0 percent tax rate. We integrate these findings into a standard monopolistic competition model, where firms are subject to corporate taxation and also face output and capital wedges, which represent all other distortions present in the economy. We find that eliminating corporate tax rates increases TFP between 4 and 11 percent. We consider counterfactual policies in which firms face a uniform flat tax rate and find a monotonically decreasing relationship between the level of the tax rate and TFP.

A 6-year single-center prospective follow-up study of the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an alternative modality for thyroid nodules (TNs) and many studies have also confirmed its favorable efficacy and safety. The scope of RFA increases in clinical practice and the aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of RFA. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of RFA for thyroid nodules between January 2017 and December 2022 at our institution. We assessed the change in nodal volume, volume reduction ratio (VRR), technique effective (TE) rate, complete ablation (CA) rate, and nodal regrowth rate and time after RFA. We performed RFA for 1703 patients with TNs between January 2017 and December 2022, of which a total of 970 eligible patients were enrolled in the study. The preoperative volume of TNs was 6.23 ± 8.11ml, with 821 benign and 149 malignant nodules. The post-RFA TE and adjusted TE rate were 80% and 88.8%, respectively. CA was achieved in 145 (14.9%) patients with a mean time of 18.32± 12.98 months; nodal regrowth occurred in 15 (1.5%) patients with a mean time of 29.80 ± 12.47 months. TNs volume and VRR changed significantly at years 1 and 2 after RFA and stabilized after 5 years. A serious postoperative adverse event occurred in one patient with cervical sympathetic chain injury resulting in Horner's syndrome. A transient or permanent damage of the recurrent laryngeal nerve could not be evaluated due to the lack of postoperative laryngoscopy, and this is a significant limitation of the study. The expanded RFA indications were also effective for TNs, with no significant change in long-term efficacy.

Studying the kinetics and removal mechanism of the methylene blue dye in a continuous adsorption process using prepared mesoporous materials

ABSTRACT This study investigated the removal of a typical organic pollutant methylene blue (MB) dye from wastewater by a prepared mesoporous SBA-15 adsorbent in a continuous adsorption system (fixed-bed column). The structural and textural properties of the SBA-15 adsorbent were determined using different characterization techniques. The adsorption of continuous system experiments assessed the bed height effect, initial concentration, and flow rate on a breakthrough curve. The kinetic constants and breakthrough curves were obtained using the Thomas and Yan models. The breakthrough results revealed that SBA-15 has an excellent adsorption efficiency for use in the continuous adsorption system. The findings explain that MB removal achieved the maximum uptake (84 mg/g) at 6 cm of bed height, 0.5 mL/min of flow rate, and 30 mg/L initial concentration of MB. SBA-15 can be efficiently regenerated by calcination and re-employed 5 times in a fixed-bed system without a significant loss in its adsorption capacity of MB from MB solutions. As a result, SBA-15 was determined as the appropriate media to be adsorbent for MB. This study suggests that the prepared SBA-15 is feasible to use effectively for MB removal from the wastewater.

Light-Operated Transient Unilateral Adhesive Hydrogel for Comprehensive Prevention of Postoperative Adhesions.

Dislocation of anti-adhesion materials, non-specific tissue adhesion, and the induction of secondary fibrinolysis disorders are the main challenges faced by postoperative anti-adhesion materials. Herein, a self-leveling transient unilateral adhesive hydrogel is custom-designed to conquer these challenges with a theoretically calculated and dual-step tailored gellan gum (GG) as the sole agent. First, the maximum gelation temperature of GG is lowered from 42-25°C through controlled perturbation of intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds, which is achieved by employing the methacrylic anhydride as a "hydrogen bond's perturbator" to form methacrylate GG (MeGG). Second, the "self-leveling" injectability and wound shape adaptably are endowed by the formation of borate-diol complexed MeGG (BMeGG). Finally, the transient unilateral tissue-adhesive hydrogel (BMeGG-H) barrier is prepared through photo-controlled cross-linking of reactive alkenyl groups. This degradable hydrogel demonstrates favorable rheological properties, light-controlled unilateral adhesion properties, biocompatibility, anti-fibrin adhesion, and anti-cell adhesion properties in vitro. Comprehensive regulation of the fibrinolysis balance toward non-adhesion is conformed in a rat model after intra-abdominal surgery via anti-autoinflammatory response, intestinal wall integrity repair, and Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) balance adjustment. Notably, the 14th day anti-adhesion effective rate is 100%, indicating its significant potential in clinical applications for postoperative anti-adhesion.

Nutritional Evaluation of Milk Thistle Meal as a Protein Feedstuff for Diets of Dairy Cattle.

The objective of this work is to investigate the chemical and nutritional value of milk thistle meal (MTM) in order to improve it and to provide theoretical support for its application in dairy cattle production. MTM was assessed in comparison with seven conventional protein feed sources, namely, soybean meal (SBM), cottonseed meal (CS), canola meal (CN), palm kernel meal (PK), rice bran meal (RB), corn germ meal (CG), and sesame meal (SS). The chemical composition of these feedstuffs was assessed using wet chemical analysis, the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System was used to evaluate the carbohydrate and protein fractions, and the in situ nylon bag technique and the modified three-step in vitro method were used to assess the rumen degradation and intestinal digestibility. Additionally, Fourier transform infrared technology was used to determine the feedstuff protein spectral molecular structure and its amino acid profile was also assessed. The result showed that MTM acid detergent fiber, lignin, unavailable nitrogen, and non-degradable carbohydrate content were higher than those of the other feedstuffs. It had a 17% and 36% rumen effective degradation rate of neutral detergent fiber and dry matter, respectively, and had the lowest small intestinal rumen undegradable protein digestibility rate. It was low in leucine, histidine, arginine, and proline, but high in methionine. The total area of amide I and amide II in the protein secondary structure was similar to that of CN and CS, and the amide I and II ratio was not different from that of RB. To sum up, MTM has a poor carbohydrate composition and is high in fiber but, in comparison to most other protein feeds, has a higher crude protein rumen effective degradation rate, similar to that of SBM, and it is a good source of methionine, a limiting amino acid. Hence, its nutritional value can be further improved for application in dairy feeding through processes such as microbial or enzymatic fermentation.

Clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

This study investigated the etiology, clinical features, and prognosis of patients diagnosed with bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (BSSNHL). The clinical data of 100 patients with bilateral sudden hearing loss as a chief complaint treated at Xiangya Second Hospital of Central South University between January 2010 and August 2022, including clinical characteristics, audiometric data, and prognosis, were retrospectively analyzed. These 100 cases accounted for 8.09% (100/1235) of all patients admitted for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) during the same period. Of these, 71 were simultaneous cases and 29 were sequential cases of BSSNHL. Among the 200 ears analyzed in this study, 13, 36, 57, and 94 had mild, moderate, severe, and profound sensorineural hearing loss, respectively. The overall effective rate after comprehensive treatment was 32%, with significant differences in efficacy and prognosis among different degrees of hearing loss (p < 0.05). Comorbidities of hypertension (24 cases), diabetes (14 cases), and coronary heart disease (9 cases) significantly impacted therapeutic efficacy and prognosis in patients with BSSNHL (p < 0.05). Compared to unilateral SSNHL, BSSNHL exhibits distinctive characteristics.