Correlation of Hamstring Tendon Size in Pre-Operative MRI Measurement with Intra-Operative Graft Size in Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction

Background: The size of Hamstring autograft of less than 8.0 mm in ACL re-construction is one of the key factors that may contribute to the failure of the graft. In this study, we are going to assess the correlation of pre-operative MRI measurement of Hamstring tendons with the intra-operative ACL graft. Thus, it may help surgeons to anticipate the needs for graft augmentation should the final graft size be smaller than expected. Methods: We retrospectively re-viewed 41 cases of ACL reconstructions in which MRI were done pre-operatively, in Hospital Pakar Sultanah Fatimah (HPSF), Muar between January 2019 until December 2022. MRI measurements of Hamstring tendon (semitendinosus: ST, and gracilis) were done by a radiologist, and the in-tra-operative notes were reviewed for the final graft size. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the relationship between graft size and tendon cross-sectional area. The intraclass correlation (ICC) by using two-way mixed model with type consistency, the reliability based on average measure was 0.41 (95% CI: ?0.10, 0.69). A p-value < 0.05 was considered sig-nificant. Results: Of 105 patients with primary ACL reconstruction done be-tween January 2019 to December 2022, only 41 patients were included in this study. There was fair correlation (p = 0.048) between pre-operative MRI measurement and the graft diameter intra-operatively. The mean of 17.0 mm of combined diameter of ST and gracilis tendon in MRI may results in graft diameter of 8.3 mm. There was also positive correlation between patients’ height and the intra-operative graft size. Conclusion: These results showed good correlation between pre-operative MRI measurement of Hamstring ten-don size with the intra-operative graft size, hence it is a reliable tool to predict the Hamstring autograft size in ACL reconstruction.

"China and Africa Can Create Amazing Value"——Interview with Mehdi Laraki,President of the Morocco Chinese Business Council

"hina and Africa can create amazing value,because Africa or Morocco and China have a lot of common points,and the 2024Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) can make the relationship between Africa or Morocco and China even stronger."In an interview with China's Foreign Trade,Mehdi Laraki,President of the Morocco-China Business Council said,"I've been here (China)more than 65 times,but I always feel like a child every time,it's just like a miracle.

Enhancing Mutual Trust and Tapping into New Areas and Potentials for Bilateral Cooperation——Exclusive Interview with Namibian Ambassador to China,Elia George Kaiyamo

The 2024 Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation Summit was held in Beijing from September 4 to 6.Economic and trade cooperation serves as the"ballast stone"and"propeller"of China-Africa relations.During an exclusive interview with China's Foreign Trade conducted in Beijing recently,Namibian Ambassador to China,Elia George Kaiyamo,discussed Namibian-China bilateral trade and twoway investment,stating that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in1990,China and Namibia have made remarkable achievements in both economic and trade cooperation,which have become the most dynamic and potential components of bilateral relations.

"Australian Companies Remain Committed to the China Market"——Exclusive Interview with David Olsson,President and Chairman of Australia China Business Council

This year marks the10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Australia,and the development of bilateral relations are getting back on the right track.Recently,David Olsson,President and Chairman of the Australia China Business Council,stated his comments,when accepting an exclusive interview with China's Foreign Trade.

From Historical Landscapes to the Contemporary City: Interview with Professor Tim Bunnell

1.Chong Xu:It is my great honour to have this opportunity to interview you.You were trained as a geographer at the University of Nottingham in the UK.Can you talk to us about why you have chosen urban studies as your main research area?

The Impact of Street Interviews on Chinese EFL Undergraduates’Intercultural Communicative Competence

The study adopts Byram’s Intercultural Communicative Competence(ICC)model as the theoretical framework,and structured interviews were conducted to explore the impact of street interviews on the participants’ICC.Analysis results revealed street interviews help students acquire knowledge in intercultural attitudes,intercultural knowledge,skills of discovery and interaction,and critical cultural awareness,aligning with the four components of Byram’s ICC model.Meanwhile,they have positive perceptions of street interviews.Therefore,street interviews have a positive effect on the development of participants’ICC.

Pre-operative factors that can predict neoplastic polypoid lesions of the gallbladder

AIM:To investigate the preoperative factors that can predict neoplastic polypoid lesions of the gallbladder(PLGs) as well as malignant PLGs.METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the 210 consecutively enrolled patients who underwent cholecystectomy due to a PLG larger than 10 mm,as was determined by preoperative trans-abdominal ultrasonography or endoscopic ultrasonography.We ana-lyzed the medical,laboratory,radiologic data and the pathologic results.RESULTS:In 210 cases,146 had non-neoplastic polyps(69.5%) and 64 cases were neoplastic polyps(30.5%).An older age(≥ 65 years),the presence of diabetes mellitus(DM) and the size of polyp(≥ 15 mm) were revealed to be independent predictive variables for neoplastic polyps with odd ratios(OR) of 2.27(P = 0.044),2.64(P = 0.021) and 4.94(P < 0.01),respectively.Among the neoplastic PLGs,an older age(≥ 65 years),the presence of DM and polyp size(≥ 15 mm) were associated with malignancy with ORs of 4.97(P = 0.005),6.13(P = 0.001) and 20.55(P < 0.001),respectively.CONCLUSION:Among patients with PLGs larger than 10 mm in size,higher risk groups such as elderly patients more than 65 years old,those with DM or a large polyp size(≥ 15 mm) should be managed by cholecystectomy.

Hypo-Calories with Micronutrients and Fat Emulsion of Pre-Operative Peripheral Parenteral Nutrition in Malnutrition Risk Rectal Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Malnutrition has been recognized as a significant risk factor for the post operated patients, especially for those patients undergoing abdominal operations. This study evaluated the effect of hypo-calories with micronutrients of pre-operative peripheral parenteral nutrition support (PPPN) for rectal cancer patients. Retrospective cross sectional study method was used to investigate. We screened rectal cancer patients past year pre-operative with malnutrition risk from our cancer database and divided into 2 groups, received or not received PPPN and compared the post-operative outcomes. The results showed that the post-operative serum albumin of the 25 patients received PPPN averaged 2.5 ± 0.32 g/dl;significantly better than those of the 15 patients not received PPPN (non-PPPN), which averaged 1.92 ± 0.42 g/dl. The first ambulatory time required 3.0 ± 0.8 days for the PPPN, significantly shorter than those for the non-PPPN, which averaged 4.9 ± 2.4 days. Post-operative hospital days for the patients received PPPN were 18.2 ± 10.5 day, also significantly fewer than the non-PPPN, which averaged 33.7 ± 20.0 day. More than 25% of the non-PPPN was infected with sepsis, while none was infected in the PPPN patients. In conclusion, this study verified the benefits of micronutrients of pre-operative peripheral parenteral nutrition support for rectal cancer patients.

Possibility of Extension of Pre-operative Patient Preparation by Antiseptic Shower at the University Hospital Brno

Ensuring complex pre-operative patient preparation before planned surgery is an essential preventive measure of SSIs （surgical site infections）. The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in the effectiveness of the use of common soap and a tested product to reduce the occurrence of bacterial microorganisms on the skin surface in the area of the assumed surgical incision. Two hypotheses have been identified： H0： the tested product can be considered as beneficial for common pre-operative patient preparation in the incision area in order to significantly reduce the microbial load （decrease in CFU on a defined area of the blood agar by half of the original number and less）. H1： the tested product exceeds common soap by at least 20% when reducing the microbial load in the incision area. There were 80 microbiological prints examined on filter paper using the cultivation method on culture medium. The statistical method of the classic hypothesis test on the binomial distribution parameter versus the one-sided alternative has been used to process the results for the occurrence of microorganisms. The statistical processing of the results obtained by microbiological examination of prints allows for the confirmation of H0 and rejection of the H1 hypothesis. The results have shown the importance of proper pre-operative hygiene of the patient’s skin, regardless of the detergent base.

Pre-Operative Hyponatremia in a High Dependency Cardiovascular Surgical Center of a Tertiary Health Facility in Nigeria: Risk Factors, Prevalence, Clinical Correlates and Treatment Outcome. A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Hyponatremia is the commonest electrolyte derangement seen in medical and surgical wards and in high dependency treatment units. It is associated with prolonged hospital stay, high economic burden and increased morbidity and mortality. Hyponatremia is well reported in medical and surgical conditions but literature is scanty concerning its relationship with treatment outcome in patients managed in high dependency heart and vascular surgical centers. Objectives: To determine the prevalence, determinants, clinical correlates and outcome of pre-operative hyponatremia. Methods: Retrospective study involving patients that had surgery (cardiac and vascular) between January 2015 and December 2019. Data were obtained from patients’ case files, perioperative and intensive unit charts. All participants with preoperative hyponatremia had their serum sodium corrected to ≥135 mmol before surgical incision and those with hypernatremia had their sodium corrected to <145 mmol. The socio-demographic, clinical, laboratory findings were entered. Statistical analysis was done using student’s t-test and Chi square. Results: Of the 305 participants (186 males and 119 females), pre-operative hyponatremia was found in 30.8% and normonatremia in 59.7%. Pre-operative hyponatremia was more common in advance age, overweight, those presenting for open heart and other major surgeries and those with background chronic heart failure and chronic liver disease. Participants with pre-operative hyponatremia had shortened and also prolonged hospital stay and higher risk of death than with normonatremia. Conclusion: Pre-operative hyponatremia is common in high dependency surgical unit particularly in the elderly, those with comorbidities and those presenting for major heart surgeries. It impacts negatively on the morbidity and mortality as it could shorten hospital stay through death, and could prolong hospital stay with increased health burden on patients, their care givers and the general population. The impact of this finding across different races needs further evaluation.

Effective Communication in the Pre-Operative Environment

Introduction: Building a strong patient rapport is a founding principle instilled early on in medical education. For many specialties, this relationship can be developed through repeated encounters. However, anesthesiologists are limited in opportunity for which such rapport can be built. Therefore, it is critical that the pre-operative visit is used effectively to develop a strong patient-physician relationship and help relieve patient anxiety. Methods: The primary objective of this study was to determine what communication aspects are most important to patients in the pre-operative period. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the effectiveness of our current communication practices and their impact on patient’s anxiety. This study was an anonymous and voluntary survey conducted in the pre-operative area prior to elective surgical cases at Mayo Clinic Arizona from Dec. 2018-Jan. 2019. Patients completed a one-page questionnaire ranking the importance of various communication aspects and its subsequent impact on their anxiety level. Results: Of the communication qualities evaluated, patients most valued their physician’s thoroughness and ability to describe their anesthetic plan. Greater than 95% of patients felt “very satisfied” with their anesthesia provider encounter and on a 1 - 5 point scale, with 5 being the highest, there was an average reduction of 0.75 in anxiety level after completion of the anesthesia interview. Conclusion: Incorporation of and improving these communication aspects during your pre-operative evaluation can help improve rapport, reduce patient anxiety, and improve the patient’s overall experience. Implementing a communication-focused curriculum during training may prove beneficial in improving resident’s effectiveness in communicating.

Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation(TAES)for pre-operative anxiety:a prospective observational pilot investigation

Objective:Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation(TAES)treatment is effective for post-operative anxiety.The investigation was designed to study the feasibility and effectiveness of TAES treatment for pre-operative anxiety.Methods:62 volunteered surgical patients were included in the pilot investigation.They all received TAES treatment for 30 minutes in the evening of the day before operation.Hegu(LI4)and Neiguan(PC6)of both sides were selected as the treatment acupoints.The anxiety degrees were measured by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.Heart rate and blood pressure were also recorded.Results:After TAES,pre-operative anxiety measured by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory dropped by almost 12%,and both heart rate and systolic blood pressure decreased significantly.Conclusion:The pilot investigation of TAES for pre-operative anxiety can successfully test the feasibility of outcome measurements and provide necessary data for calculating the sample size of a subsequent randomized controlled trial.

China’s Investors Demonstrate Confidence in Thailand——Exclusive Interview with Mr.Narit Therdsteerasukdi,Secretary General of BOI

China is a key strategic partner of Thailand and plays a vital role in the Thai economy through investment,trade,and tourism.This year marks a decade since the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries.Recently,Mr.Narit Therdsteerasukdi,Secretary General of BOI,participated in an exclusive interview with China’s Foreign Trade magazine to share his views on bilateral investment and future prospects.

THE JAKARTA-BANDUNG RAILWAY BOOST Exclusive interview with Ayodhia Kalake,Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs of Indonesia

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Indonesia.Over the last 10 years,bilateral relations between the two countries have maintained sound momentum of development,and strategic mutual trust has been continuously enhanced.

China-Laos Railway to Upgrade The Lao Economy Exclusive interview with Chairman of the Lao Chinese Chamber of Commerce Yao Bin

On December 3,2021,the China-Laos Railway,a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI),officially began operation.As of August 16,2023,the cross-border railway had made a total of 20.09 million passenger trips including 17.09 million in the Chinese section and 3 million in the Laos section,which has significantly boosted the port economy,cross-border tourism,and cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Laos.

RESOLVING BUSINESS DISPUTES AT THE EARLIEST STAGE POSSIBLE Exclusive interview with ICDPASO Secretary-General Liu Chao

Business mediation is an alternative dispute resolution method that helps avoid court litigation.An effective means of settling commercial disputes and protecting interests,business mediation allows companies to have an equal say to achieve win-win results based on flexible rules.In recent years,mediation has played an increasingly important role in handling international commercial disputes and optimizing the global business environment.

NEW HEIGHTS OF IRONCLAD FRIENDSHIP Exclusive interview with Dr.Kung Phoak,Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia

The year 2023 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia,in honor of which the“Year of China-Cambodia Friendship”was designated.Over the years,the two countries have joined hands to nurture their close bond into an ironclad friendship.Under the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement(FTA),which took effect in 2022,China and Cambodia have actively promoted practical cooperation in six priority areas including politics,production capacity,agriculture,energy,security,and people-to-people exchanges to build a“diamond hexagon”cooperation framework.In the new era,through a deepening comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation,the two countries are giving construction of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future a fresh new look with fruitful results achieved under the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).

BRI Opportunities for Overseas Chinese Businesses--An interview with Dr.Derek Goh Bak Heng,President of Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).Countries along the route have been responding enthusiastically to the BRI since it was proposed by China,and many overseas Chinese people have acted as bridges for cooperation.The Teochew people or Chaoshan people,native to the historical Chaoshan region in south China’s Guangdong Province,represent around 20 percent of the entire Chinese population in Singapore.Established in Singapore in 1929,Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan(TPIHK,meaning Chaoshan eight districts association)has a membership of more than 6,000 Singaporeans who have traced their origins to the eight Chaoshan districts including Chao’an,Jieyang,Chenghai。

UPGRADING THE CAMBODIAN ECONOMY WITH CHINESE ASSISTANCE Exclusive interview with Phana Veunida,director of the Asia Pacific and Oceania Countries Department of the Council for the Development of Cambodia

This year was designated the Year of China-Cambodia Friendship as part of activities to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia.Over the years,China has firmly supported Cambodia’s development in all areas and the two countries have yielded fruitful achievements in cooperation.Their traditional friendship has stood the test of time.

PROMISING PROSPECTS FOR SUSTAINABLE CHINA-THAILAND COOPERATION Exclusive interview with Thailand’s Ambassador to China Arthayudh Srisamoot

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia(TAC)and the 10th anniversary of China’s proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).Over the years,as natural partners in the BRI,China and Thailand have been promoting practical cooperation and deepening friendly relations.China has been Thailand’s largest trading partner,largest export market for agricultural products,and a major source of foreign investment for many years.Since the COVID-19 outbreak,China and Thailand have worked together to meet the challenge while maintaining close cultural and people-to-people exchanges.