Retrospective Analysis of External Quality Assessment Data of Humoral (Except Feces) Morphology in Guangxi from 2010 to 2022

[Objectives] The study aims to improve the ability of inspectors to recognize humoral morphology and provide data reference for the improvement of EQA work of humoral morphology by Guangxi Clinical Laboratory Center. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was made on the EQA of humoral morphology by Guangxi Clinical Laboratory Center from 2010 to 2022, and the number of participating laboratories, the rate of return, sample types and maps of EQA of humoral morphology such as urine sediment, vaginal secretions and so on(except feces), and the reasons for the high error rate of the results of the participating laboratories were analyzed. [Results] The number of laboratories participating in the assessment of humoral morphology increased from 98 in 2010 to 371 in 2022. Except for 2011(90.98%), the rate of return was more than 94%, and the highest rate of return was up to 100%. A total of 119 pictures of EQA of humoral morphology were studied, including 101 urine sediment smears, 13 vaginal secretions smears and 5 other smears. The types of specimens were relatively comprehensive. The distribution of the maps was basically reasonable. The urinary sediment was mainly composed of crystalline salts, followed by tubes, and cells and fungi ranked third. The coverage was relatively complete. The error rate of return results from high to low were bacteria(error rate was equal to 40%), tubes and crystalline salts(error rate was close to 29%), and cells and fungi(error rate was about 14%). The main cases with high error rate of return results are as follows: the difference between different tubes was not clear, and the diversity of crystal morphology was not understood enough;the phase division of cells in the same system was wrong. [Conclusions] The analysis and summary of the reasons for the high error rate of the data and results of Guangxi's EQA of humoral morphology is helpful for laboratory physicians to improve their awareness of morphological examination and identify clearly the error type and blurred concept, and lays a foundation for Guangxi Clinical Laboratory Center to carry out EQA of humoral morphology more specifically.

Retrospective analysis of interventional treatment of hepatic metastasis from gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Objective： To analyze the angiography appearance of liver metastases from gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors （GEP-NETs）, and evaluate the clinical efficacy and prognostic factors of interventional treatment for hepatic metastases. Methods： Fifty GEP-NETs patients with hepatic metastases were treated from January 2012 to December 2016, and received transarterial embolization （TAE） in the hepatic tumor or hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy （HAIC）. All patients received 179 times of the intervention therapy in total. Results： Blood supplies were identified in the 50 eases with angiography, which showed that 35 cases had abundant vessels, while 15 eases had poor blood supply. Twenty-two cases were found either collateral blood supply, or portal vein invasion or arterial-portal vein fistula. The best curative efficacy was complete remission （CR） in 4 cases, partial remission （PR） in 28 cases and stable disease （SD） in 18 eases during the process of treatment. The angiography （P=0.047） and the frequency of intervention （P=0.037） showed significantly statistical difference with Kaplan-Meier analysis. The Cox analysis showed that more than 3 times of interventional therapy was an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions： Interventional treatment is safe and effective for GEP-NETs, and is beneficial to patients with main hepatic metastases after endocrine therapy.

Factors affecting failed trial of labor and countermeasures:A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND Vaginal delivery is the ideal mode of delivery for the termination of a pregnancy.However,the cesarean section rate in China is much higher than the published by the World Health Organization in the Lancet in 2010.AIM To retrospectively analyze the factors related to failed trial of labor and the clinical indications for cesarean section conversion,explore how to promote the trial of labor success rate,and determine the feasibility of reducing the rate of conversion to cesarean section.METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on 9240 maternal women who met vaginal delivery conditions and required a trial of labor from January 2016 to December 2018 at our hospital.Among them,8164 pregnant women who had a successful trial of labor were used as a control group,and 1076 pregnant women who had a failed trial of labor and converted to an emergency cesarean section were used as an observation group.The patients’clinical data during hospitalization were collected for comparative analysis,the related factors of the failed trial of labor were discussed,and reasonable prevention and resolution strategies were proposed to increase the success rate of trial of labor.RESULTS The analysis revealed that advanced age(≥35 years old),macrosomia(≥4000 g),delayed pregnancy(≥41 wk),use of uterine contraction drugs,primipara,and fever during labor were associated with conversion to an emergency cesarean section in the failed trial of labor.Multivariate regression analysis showed that age,gestational age,primipara,use of uterine contraction drugs,fever duringbirth,and newborn weight led to a higher probability of conversion to an emergency cesarean section in the failed trial of labor.The analysis indicated that the following clinical indications were associated with the conversion to cesarean section in the failed trial of labor:Fetal distress(44.3%),social factors(12.8%),malpresentation(face presentation,persistent occipitoposterior position,and persistent occipitotransverse position)(9.4%),and cephalopelvic disproportion(8.9%).CONCLUSION The conversion to emergency cesarean section in failed trial of labor is affected by many factors.Medical staff should take appropriate preventive measures for the main factors,increase the trial of labor success rate,improve the quality of delivery,ensure the safety of mother and child during the perinatal period,and improve the relationship between doctors and patients.

Risk factors for progressive ischemic stroke: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND： Progressive ischemic stroke has higher fatality rate and disability rate than common cerebral infarction, thus it is very significant to investigate the early predicting factors related to the occurrence of progressive ischemic stroke, the potential pathological mechanism and the risk factors of early intervention for preventing the occurrence of progressive ischemic stroke and ameliorating its outcome. OBJECTIVE： To analyze the possible related risk factors in patients with progressive ishcemic stroke, so as to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of progressive ishcemic stroke. DESIGN： A retrospective analysis. SETTING： Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Beijing Coal Mining Group. PARTICIPANTS： Totally 280 patients with progressive ischemic stroke were selected from the Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Beijing Coal Mining Group from March 2002 to June 2006, including 192 males and 88 females, with a mean age of （62±7） years old. They were all accorded with the diagnostic standards for cerebral infarction set by the Fourth National Academic Meeting for Cerebrovascular Disease in 1995, and confired by CT or MRI, admitted within 24 hours after attack, and the neurological defect progressed gradually or aggravated in gradients within 72 hours after attack, and the aggravation of neurological defect was defined as the neurological deficit score decreased by more than 2 points. Meanwhile, 200 inpatients with non-progressive ischemic stroke （135 males and 65 females） were selected as the control group. METHODS： After admission, a univariate analysis of variance was conducted using the factors of blood pressure, history of diabetes mellitus, fever, leukocytosis, levels of blood lipids, fibrinogen, blood glucose and plasma homocysteine, cerebral arterial stenosis, and CT symptoms of early infarction, and the significant factors were involved in the multivariate non-conditional Logistic regression analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Results of the univariate analysis of variance of the factors related to progressive ischemic stroke; Results of the multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS： All the 480 patients were involved in the analysis of results. ① Results of the univariate analysis variance： There were significantly more patients with fever, leukocytosis, history of diabetes mellitus, cerebral arterial stenosis and CT symptoms of early infarction in the progressive ischemic stroke group than in the control group （P 〈 0.01）; The levels of blood glucose and fibrinogen in the progressive ischemic stroke group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while the level of blood pressure was significantly lower than that in the control group （P 〈 0.05 - 0.01）. ② Results of the multivariate Logistic regression analysis： The independent predicting factors for progressive ischemic stroke were history of diabetes mellitus, fever, leukocytosis, cerebral arterial stenosis, CT symptoms of early infarction, blood glucose and blood pressure （OR =2.61,2.96, 3.79, 1.03, 3.57, 2.68, 95% CI 0.92 - 3.59, P 〈 0.05 - 0.01）. CONCLUSION： History of diabetes mellitus, fever, leukocytosis, levels of blood pressure, blood glucose, cerebral arterial stenosis and CT symptoms of early infarction are the risk factors for progress ischemic stroke

Retrospective analysis of results of treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Macao

Background： Nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） is a common malignancy in Southeast Asia, however, a full consensus has not yet been reached as to the value of comprehensive treatment for NPC. This study was designed to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of NPC and their prognostic value, as well as the long-term efficacy of NPC treatment. Patients and methods： A total of 248 patients, with different stages of NPC, were included in this study. Results： The 5-year overall survival （OS） rates for patients in stages I, II, lII and IV were 90.48%, 76.71%, 76.89% and 33.87%, respectively （P=0.000）, while the respective 5-year progression-free survival （PFS） rates were 85.15%, 72.36%, 63.88% and 26.26% （P=0.000）. The respective 5-year OS rates, according to stage, for the group that received radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy and for the group that received radiotherapy only were as follows： stages I and II, 81.67% and 79.59% （P=0.753）; stage III, 79.91% and 70.38% （P=0.143）; stage IV,, 35.22% and 0% （P=0.000）. The respective 5-year PFS rates in these groups were as follows： stages I and II, 75.83% and 74.98% （P=0.814）; stage III, 74.08% and 42.25% （P=0.027）; stage IV,, 27.31% and 0% （P=0.000）. Conclusions： Clinical staging appears to be the most important prognostic factor for NPC. As the stage number increases, both the 5-year OS and PFS significantly decrease. Adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy was not advantageous for patients with stage I or II NPC, however the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy significantly improved OS and PFS in patients with stage IV NPC. The addition of chemotherapy improved PFS, but not OS in patients with stage III NPC.

Comparison of Dose-dense ABVD and Standard ABVD in the Treatment of Early Unfavorable and Advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A Retrospective Analysis

This retrospective analysis compared standard regimen of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vin- blastine, and dacarbazine （ABVD） with the dose-dense ABVD regimen （ABVD-21） in terms of effi- cacy and toxicity. Patients who had early-stage unfavorable or advanced Hodgkin＇s lymphoma （HL） according to German Hodgkin Study Group criteria from March 1999 to February 2011 were ana- lyzed for treatment response, long-term survival and hematological toxicity. There were 85 patients in the ABVD-21 group and 118 patients in the ABVD group respectively. The complete remission rates aider completion of treatment were 92.9% and 90.7% for ABVD-21 and ABVD, respectively. During a median follow-up period of 62 months, no significant difference was found in projected 10-year progression-free survival （PFS） and overall survival （OS） rates （84.7% and 94.1% respectively for ABVD-21; 81.4% and 91.5% for ABVD）. Subgroup analyses showed that ABVD-21 was signifi- cantly better than ABVD for patients with IPS〉3 in terms of PFS and OS rates. Grade 3 to 4 leuko- penia （51.8% vs. 28.8%, P=0.001） and neutropenia （57.6% vs. 39.0%, P=0.009） were more common with ABVD-21. We were led to conclude that dose-dense ABVD did not result in better tumor con- trol and overall survival than did ABVD for early-stage unfavorable HL. However, patients at high risk, for example, with IPS〉3, may benefit from dose-dense ABVD.

Neuroelectrophysiological indexes and clinical characteristics of patients with peroneal muscular atrophy: Retrospective analysis of 24 cases

BACKGROUND: Peroneal muscular atrophy (PMA) is characterized by insidious onset, gradually progressive course of disease, very mild disability degree and easily subjecting to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Nerve conductive velocity is helpful in the diagnosis of atypical cases. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze the characteristics of clinical manifestation, electromyogram (EMG), motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity of patients with PMA. DESIGN: Retrospective case analysis. SETTING: Department of Neurology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four patients with PMA, including 16 males and 8 females, aged 5-68 years old, admitted to Guangzhou First People's Hospital between March 1996 and January 2006 were recruited. Informed consents were obtained from all the patients. METHODS: All the patients subjected to EMG and detection of nerve conduction velocity at distal end of four extremities with a Keypoint evoked potential/ EMG instrument (Denmark). Sensory and motor conduction velocity, EMG changes of upper and lower extremities were observed, and relationship of neuroelectrophysiological characteristics and clinical symptoms was analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in sensory and motor conduction velocity, EMG and clinical manifestations of 24 patients. RESULTS: ① All the patients suffered from insidious onset and gradually progressive course of PMA. Muscular atrophy of lower extremity was found in 14 patients, and that of upper extremity in 5 patients. ②Routine nerve conduction study showed that sensory and motor conduction velocity were stepped down, especially in 16 patients with typeⅠPMA (demyelinating pattern, nerve conduction velocity below normal level 50%). Motor nerve conduction velocity of median nerve, ulnar nerve, common peroneal nerve and tibial nerve averaged 34.8 m/s, 37.2 m/s, 16.5 m/s and 17.4 m/s, respectively; Sensory nerve conduction velocity of median nerve, ulnar nerve and sural nerve averaged 27.9%, 24.6 m/s and 3.1 m/s, respectively. Slowing conduction velocity and muscular strength involvement were disproportionate, i.e. myasthenia was relatively lessened, sensory and motor conduction velocities were greatly decreased. Nerve conduction velocity in distal end of two lower extremities was not detected in 8 patients, but who could still walk. CONCLUSION: ①PMA of patients is characterized by insidious onset and gradually progressive course of disease. Clinical symptom is the base to diagnose PMA. ②Neuroelectrophysiological study is a simple and easy-to-operate means with good reproducibility in diagnosing PMA. Patients with abnormal myasthenia in lower extremity can be detected in the early stage.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of traumatic basal ganglia hematomas: A retrospective analysis of 40 cases

AIM： To retrospectively analyze the pathogenesis, clinical characteristics, treatment and prognostic characteristics in patients with traumatic basal ganglia hematomas （TBGH）. METHODS： A retrospective analysis of the clinical data was performed in 40 patients with TBGH who were selected from 1 250 patients with closed brain injury, who admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery of Shangqiu First People＇s Hospital from January 1990 to January 2004. The pathogenesis, clinical characteristics and signs, results of radiological examination, treatment and prognostic characteristics were analyzed. The patients all had definite history of brain injury, manifested by neurological functional disturbance to different extent after brain injury, and basal ganglia hemorrhage was identified by CT after brain injury, and hemorrhagic volume were more than or equal to 2 mL. Totally 34 males and 6 females were enrolled, aged 16-72 years and 28 cases of them were younger than 40 years old. The prognosis of the patients was evaluated with Glasgow outcome scale （GOS） at 6 months after injury, and GOS scoring standard was 1-5 points （1 for dead; 2 for vegetative survival, long-term coma, manifestations of decorticate rigidity or decerebrate rigidity; 3 for severely disabled, should be look after by others; 4 for moderately disabled, be able in self-care; 5 for good recovery, adults can work and study）. RESULTS： The enrolled cases accounted for 3.20% of the 1250 patients with closed brain injury admitted at the same period. ① The causes of injury included traffic accident in 36 cases, fall in 2 cases, and assault in 2 cases. ②At admission, the Glasgow coma scale （GCS） scores were as follow： 13-15 scores （mild） in 10 cases, 9-12 scores （moderate） in 20 cases, and 3-8 scores （severe） in 10 cases. Hemiplegia presented in 37 cases, aphasia in 20 cases, conscious disturbance in 10 cases, unilateral mydriasis in 6 cases, and decerebrate rigidity in 2 cases. ③ TBGH was detected by CT within 30 minutes to 24 hours after injury in 37 cases, and delayed TBGH was diagnosed by serial CT reexamination at 24 to 48 hours after injury in 3 cases. Apart from the TBGH, signs of diffuse axonal injury （DAI） were observed in 22 cases and the criterion of CT diagnosis was that apart from TBGH, small hemorrhagic loci were found in the deep white matter of the hemisphere, corpus callosum, dorsolateral quadrants of the midbrain and the upper pons, internal capsule, basal ganglia area, intraventricle, and cerebellum, etc., but there was no obvious mass effect （clinically manifested by conscious disturbance immediately after brain injury, and primary coma lasted for longer than 6 hours）. Secondary intraventricular hemorrhage occurred in 19 cases, acute subdural hematoma in 3 cases, acute epidural hematoma in 1 case, cerebral contusion in 7 cases, and diffuse cerebral swelling in 3 cases. TBGH located at contralateral to the side of impact in 29 cases. The volume of TBGH was 3-9 mL in 8 cases, 10-19 mL in 10 cases, 20-29 mL in 12 cases, and more than 30 mL in 9 cases. ④Ten patients underwent surgical treatment, including TBGH were evacuated by craniotomy in 7 cases, drained by drilling hole in 2 cases, and hematoma drainage combined with extraventricular drainage in 1 case. 30 patients received conservative treatment, including hyperbaric oxygen treatment in 22 cases. ⑤At 6 months after injury, good recovery obtained in 10 cases （25%）, moderately disabled in 17 cases （42.5%）, severely disabled in 2 cases （5%） and dead in 11 cases （27.5%） respectively. CONCLUSION： In our study, the proportion of TBGH in closed brain injury was 3.2%, and it had a higher incidence of disability. Most of the patients were young people and injured in traffic accident, and TBGH mostly oc- curred at contralateral to the side of impact. The patients suffered from hemiplegia and long-term coma, incidence rate of diffuse axonal injury was higher, but conscious disturbance was milder. Conservative treatment was mainly applied in our study. CT scan can not only establish the position, volume of TBGH, but also establish if it combines with other intracranial injury, and it is helpful to detect delayed TBGH.

Monitored anesthesia care and asleep-awake-asleep techniques combined with multiple monitoring for resection of gliomas in eloquent brain areas:a retrospective analysis of 225 patients

Background:Awake craniotomy(AC)has become gold standard in surgical resection of gliomas located in eloquent areas.The conscious sedation techniques in AC include both monitored anesthesia care(MAC)and asleep-awake-asleep(AAA).The choice of optimal anesthetic method depends on the preferences of the surgical team(mainly anesthesiologist and neurosurgeon).The aim of this study was to compare the difference in physiological and blood gas data,dosage of different drugs,the probability of switching to endotracheal intubation,and extent of tumor resection and dysfunction after operation between AAA and MAC anesthetic management for resection of gliomas in eloquent brain areas.Methods:Two-hundred and twenty-five patients with super-tentorial tumor located in eloquent areas underwent AC from 2009 to 2021 in Xijing Hospital.Forty-one patients underwent AAA technique,and the rest one-hundred eighty-four patients underwent MAC technique.Anesthetic management,dosage of different drugs,intraoperative complications,postoperative outcomes,adverse events,extent of resection and motor,and sensory and language dysfunction after operation were compared between MAC and AAA.Result:There was no significant difference in gender,KPS score,MMSE score,glioma grade,type,and growth site between the patients in the two groups,except the older age of patients in MAC group than that in AAA group.During the whole process of operation,there were greater pulse pressure difference(P=0.046),shorter operation time(P=0.039),less dosage of remifentanil(P=0.000),more dosage of dexmedetomidine(P=0.013),more use of antiemetics(81%,P=0.0067),lower use of vasoactive agent(45.1%,P=0.010),and lower probability of conversion to general anesthesia(GA,P=0.027)in MAC group than that in AAA group.Blood gas analysis showed that PetCO2(P=0.000),Glu concentration(P=0.000),and PaCO2(P=0.000)were higher,but SPO2(P=0.002)and PaO2(P=0.000)were lower in MAC group than that in AAA group.In the postoperative recovery stage,compared with that of AAA group,the probability of dysfunction in MAC group at 1,3,5,and 7 days after operation was lower,which were 27.8%vs 53.6%(P=0.003),31%vs 68.3%(P=0.000),28.8%vs 63.4%(P=0.000),and 25.6%vs 58.5%(P=0.000),respectively.Conclusion:Compared with AAA,it seems that MAC has more advantages in the management for resection of gliomas in eloquent brain areas,and MAC combined with multiple monitoring such as cerebral cortical mapping,neuronavigation,and ultrasonic detection is worthy of popularization for the resection of gliomas in eloquent brain areas.

Comparative analysis of the short and medium-term efficacy of the Da Vinci robot versus laparoscopic total mesangectomy for rectal cancer

BACKGROUND The Da Vinci robot-assisted surgery technique has been widely used in laparo-scopic mesangectomy for rectal cancer.However,the short-term efficacy of these procedures compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery remains controversial.The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the short-and medium-term efficacy of Da Vinci robot and laparoscopic surgery in total mesangectomy(TME)for rectal cancer,so as to provide guidance and reference for clinical practice.AIM To investigate the safety and long-term efficacy of robotic and laparoscopic total mesorectal resection for the treatment of rectal cancer.METHODS The clinicopathologic data of 240 patients who underwent TME for rectal cancer in the Anorectal Department of People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from August 2018 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,112 patients underwent laparoscopic TME(L-TME)group,and 128 patients underwent robotic TME(R-TME)group.The intraoperative,postoperative,and follow-up conditions of the two groups were compared.RESULTS The conversion rate of the L-TME group was greater than that of the R-TME group(5.4%vs 0.8%,χ^(2)=4.417,P=0.036).The complication rate of the L-TME group was greater than that of the R-TME group(32.1%vs 17.2%,χ^(2)=7.290,P=0.007).The percentage of positive annular margins in the L-TME group was greater than that in the R-TME group(7.1%vs 1.6%,χ^(2)=4.658,P=0.031).The 3-year disease-free survival(DFS)rate and overall survival(OS)rate of the L-TME group were lower than those of the R-TME group(74.1%vs 85.2%,χ^(2)=4.962,P=0.026;81.3%vs 91.4%,χ^(2)=5.494,P=0.019);in patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage III DFS rate and OS rate in the L-TME group were significantly lower than those in the R-TME group(52.5%vs 76.1%,χ^(2)=5.799,P=0.016;65.0%vs 84.8%,χ^(2)=4.787,P=0.029).CONCLUSION Compared with the L-TME group,the R-TME group had a better tumor prognosis and was more favorable for patients with rectal cancer,especially for patients with stage III rectal cancer.

Chinese Medicine Syndromes in Congestive Heart Failure:A Literature Study and Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Cases

Objective： To discuss the characteristics of Chinese medicine （CM） syndrome factors and distribution of congestive heart failure （CHF）, and provide a basis for the diagnosis criteria of essential syndromes. Methods： Based on databases of China National Knowledge infrastructure （CNKI, 1980--2012） and Chinese Journal of Chongqing VlP Database （1989-2012）, the eligible studies in CHF and extracted factors associated with compound syndromes were analyzed. All the syndromes were classified into deficiency, excess, and deficiency-excess in complexity syndrome were classified. Compound syndromes were separated into syndrome factors including single, double, three or four factors, along with the frequency of occurrence. The relation of CHF syndromes with age, gender, primary disease, brain natriuretic peptide （BNP） and cardiac functional grade was studied in 1,451 CHF cases （between December 2010 and September 2012）, and the clinical distribution of common CHF syndromes was summarized. Results： The literature study involved 6,799 CHF cases in 66 literatures after screening. Of the different factors affecting CHF, qi deficiency was the most important one. In deficiency syndrome, Xin （Heart）-qi-deficiency was the most common single factor, and deficiency of both qi and yin was the most common double factor. The retrospective analysis involved 1,451 CHF cases （431 cases with test results of BNP）. The xin blood stasis and obstruction and deficiency of both qi and yin syndrome were mostly seen in female patients, and phlegm-blocking-Xin-vessel and qi-deficiency-blood-stasis syndrome mostly in males. Xin-qi-deficiency and qi-deficiency-blood-stasis syndrome were mostly seen in patients aged 50--60 years. Patients aged over 60 years likely manifest deficiency of both qi and yin and Xin blood stasis and obstruction syndrome. The severity of syndrome is aggravated with increased BNP and cardiac functional grade. Conclusions： The essential syndromes of CHF include qi-deficiency-blood-stasis and deficiency of both qi and yin. The clinical distribution is linked to patients＇ age and gender. BNP and cardiac functional grade is closely related to CHF syndromes, which may indicate the severity of CM syndromes of CHF.

Impact of Australia’s catastrophic 2019/20 bushfire season on communities and environment.Retrospective analysis and current trends

2019/20 Australia’s bushfire season(Black Summer fires)occurred during a period of record breaking tempera-tures and extremely low rainfall.To understand the impact of these climatic values we conducted a preliminary analysis of the 2019/20 bushfire season and compared it with the fire seasons between March 2000 and March 2020 in the states of New South Wales(NSW),Victoria,and South Australia(SA).Forest and fire management in Australia were asked to provide data on the number of fires,burned area,life and house loss,as well as weather conditions.By March 2020 Black Summer fires burnt almost 19 million hectares,destroyed over 3,000 houses,and killed 33 people.Data showed that they were unprecedented in terms of impact on all areas.A number of mega-fires occurred in NSW resulting in more burned area than in any fire season during the last 20 years.One of them was the largest recorded forest fire in Australian history.Victoria had a season with the highest number of fires,area burned,and second highest numbers of houses lost for the same period.SA had the highest number of houses lost in the last 20 years.Black Summer fires confirmed existing trends of impact categories during the last two decades for NSW and Victoria.It showed that the smoke from the bushfires may be a significant concern in the future for the global community,as it travels to other countries and continents.Based on preliminary data,it will take many years to restore the economy and infrastructure in impacted areas,and to recover animal and vegetation biodiversity.

A Clinical Retrospective Analysis of 340 Inpatients With Malignant Skin Tumors in Western Inner Mongolia

Objective:This study was performed to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of inpatients with malignant skin tumors in western Inner Mongolia during the past 10 years.Methods:We collected the clinical data of inpatients with histopathologically diagnosed malignant skin tumors admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from June 2008 to December 2018.Morbidity was compared using the Chi-square test.Results:In total,340 inpatients with malignant skin tumors were evaluated,including 163(47.94%)patients with basal cell carcinoma,134(39.41%)with squamous cell carcinoma,5(1.47%)with malignant melanoma,21(6.18%)with Bowen disease,and 6(1.76%)with Paget’s disease.Four(1.18%)patients had metastatic skin cancer and seven(2.06%)had other malignant skin tumors.The patients comprised 132(38.8%)men and 208(61.1%)women,and there were no statistically significant sex-related differences among the skin malignancies(χ^(2)=5.006,P>0.05).Among the 340 patients,314(92.4%)were of Han nationality and 26(7.6%)were of ethnic minorities.Statistically significant differences were found in the various types of malignant skin tumors between the Han and minority groups(χ^(2)=19.446,P<0.05).Among the selected patients,61.76%were farmers and herdsmen,and the sites mainly affected were the head,face,neck,trunk,limbs,and vulva.Conclusion:The incidence of malignant skin tumors in western Inner Mongolia has substantially increased during the past decade,especially in the past 2 years.Therefore,we should increase the awareness of prevention and treatment of malignant skin tumors to achieve early diagnosis and treatment effects.

Clinical analysis of 114 cases of bronchiolitis in infants

BACKGROUND Bronchiolitis is a common lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children.Severe cases may be accompanied by obvious dyspnea and oxygen saturation decline.AIM To summarize the clinical features,standard diagnosis,and treatment of bronchi-olitis.METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of 114 pediatric patients(74 males,40 females)who were first diagnosed as having bronchioles at the Department of Pediatrics of Tongling Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019.The clinical features,imaging features,treatment,and other clinical data were recorded and analyzed.RESULTS The age of onset of the disease was mainly from 1 mo to 6 mo(75.4%),and the time to hospital visit was mostly from the 2nd day to the 4th day of the course of the disease(75.4%).Lung imaging examination showed increase in lung texture,fuzzy(93.8%).The main treatment was atomization therapy:Budesonide combined with terbutaline(45.6%)and budesonide combined with salbutamol(38.5%).The average hospitalization time was 7.1±2.4 d,and the overall cure rate was 94.7%.In patients without bacterial infection,the use of antibiotics significantly prolonged the length of hospital stay(7.8±2.5 d vs 5.7±1.8 d)and improved the cure rate(98.3%vs 87.9%,P<0.05).CONCLUSION Infants with bronchiolitis are mainly male and tend to have a good prognosis.However,the unneeded use of antibiotics may prolong the length of hospital stay significantly,which imposes the burden both on the patients and hospital system.CONCLUSION Bronchiolitis is a common acute respiratory infectious disease in infants and young children.It mainly affects male children and the age onset is between 1 to 6 mo.The standard use of antibiotics should be emphasized in view of the prolonged average length of hospital stay between the antibiotic treatment group and the non-antibiotic treatment group.When the course of disease is more than 7 d or the treatment effect is poor,active anti-infective treatment is needed to improve the long-term prognosis.Very few children have recurrent cough and wheezing symptoms within 1 year,which may be related to the risk of later asthma attack.FOOTNOTES Author contributions:Shi C and Wu MH contributed to study conception and design,and provision of study materials or patients;Shi C contributed to administrative support;Zuo A,Yang MM,and Jiang RR contributed to data collection and assembly;Shi C contributed to data analysis and interpretation,and manuscript writing;all authors contributed to the final approval of the manuscript.Institutional review board statement:The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki(as revised in 2013).The study was approved by Institutional Review Board of Tongling Maternal and Child Health Hospital.

Changing trends in gastric and colorectal cancer among surgical patients over 85 years old:A multicenter retrospective study,2001–2021

BACKGROUND Whether patients over 85 years old with gastrointestinal cancer should undergo surgery remains controversial.We aimed to describe the changing trends of characteristics to provide more information to decision makers,and strive to find appropriate surgical plan.AIM To describe the changing trends of characteristics to provide more information to decision makers,and strive to find appropriate surgical plan.METHODS A total of 218 gastric cancer(GC)patients and 563 colorectal cancer(CRC)patients who underwent surgery between 2001 and 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective analysis.Changes in clinicopathological features,surgical treatments,and survival status were analyzed longitudinally at 5-year intervals.RESULTS Only 14 GC patients underwent laparoscopic surgery where 219 CRC patients had this procedure.Cardia and esophagogastric junction cancer increased in GC patients,and the proportion of sigmoid colon cancer decreased in CRC patients.Pulmonary infection gradually became the most common postoperative complication,its incidence in period 4 reached 48.79%.However,the incidence of anastomotic leakage decreased from 26.79%to 9.38%(P<0.01).Additionally,30-d mortality significantly decreased from 32.14%to 9.01%.Increases were observed in 5-year overall survival(OS)in GC patients from period 1 to period 4(18.18%vs 33.32%,respectively)and CRC patients(0 vs 36.32%,respectively).Disease-free survival(DFS)also increased in GC and CRC patients(7.14%vs 27.74%and 0 to 36.03%,respectively).The average survival time of GC patients following radial lymphadenectomy was higher than in patients that underwent limited lymphadenectomy(26 vs 22 mo,respectively),the same was seen in CRC patients(44 vs 33 mo,respectively).This advantage was particularly evident in patients with TNM I,but not in patients with TNM II/III period cancer.CONCLUSION The safety as well as effectiveness of surgery in ultra-elderly patients is increasing.Radical lymphadenectomy has advantages in patients with TNM I gastrointestinal cancer,but not TNM II/III.

Clinical Analysis of 137 Cases of Fungal Keratitis

Objective: To analyze the epidemiology, clinical diagnosis and treatment of fungal keratitis (FK) in hospitalized patients at the First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University in recent years. Methods: A retrospective investigation was conducted on the data of 137 cases of FK in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2022. The epidemiological characteristics, identification results of fungal strains, clinical treatment, and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. Results: Among the 137 FK patients, 89 were males and 48 were females, and the ratio of male to female was 1.85:1, The age of onset was the largest number of patients in 50-59 years old and 60-69 years old. The disease occurred most in autumn, winter and summer farming season (from September to December, January, May, June). 72 cases (52.6%) had a clear history of corneal injury, and 43 cases (31.4%) had a history of plant injury. Other risk factors include eye surface diseases, ophthalmic surgery, and wearing corneal contact lenses. The top three pathogens were fusarium (38.7%), aspergillus (23.3%), and alternaria (17.5%). 101 eyes showed improvement or cure after treatment with medication, 9 eyes underwent corneal stromal injection, 11 eyes were covered with conjunctival flap covering or amniotic membrane transplantation, 12 eyes were covered with corneal transplantation, and enucleation of ocular contents was performed in 4 eyes;Visual acuity was improved or maintained in 123 patients (about 89.8%). Conclusions: The incidence of FK in our hospital was mostly middle-aged and elderly men, mostly caused by corneal injury in the process of agricultural labor. The pathogens were mainly fusarium and aspergillus. The preferred treatment was medication, with severe cases requiring combined surgical treatment. Most patients can maintain or improve their vision after treatment.

Death and do-not-resuscitate order in the emergency department:A single-center three-year retrospective study in the Chinese mainland

BACKGROUND:Consenting to do-not-resuscitate(DNR)orders is an important and complex medical decision-making process in the treatment of patients at the end-of-life in emergency departments(EDs).The DNR decision in EDs has not been extensively studied,especially in the Chinese mainland.METHODS:This retrospective chart study of all deceased patients in the ED of a university hospital was conducted from January 2017 to December 2019.The patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were excluded.RESULTS:There were 214 patients’deaths in the ED in the three years.Among them,132 patients were included in this study,whereas 82 with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were excluded.There were 99(75.0%)patients’deaths after a DNR order medical decision,64(64.6%)patients signed the orders within 24 hours of the ED admission,68(68.7%)patients died within 24 hours after signing it,and 97(98.0%)patients had DNR signed by the family surrogates.Multivariate analysis showed that four independent factors infl uenced the family surrogates’decisions to sign the DNR orders:lack of referral(odds ratio[OR]0.157,95%confi dence interval[CI]0.047–0.529,P=0.003),ED length of stay(ED LOS)≥72 hours(OR 5.889,95%CI 1.290–26.885,P=0.022),acute myocardial infarction(AMI)(OR 0.017,95%CI 0.001–0.279,P=0.004),and tracheal intubation(OR 0.028,95%CI 0.007–0.120,P<0.001).CONCLUSIONS:In the Chinese mainland,the proportion of patients consenting for DNR order is lower than that of developed countries.The decision to sign DNR orders is mainly affected by referral,ED LOS,AMI,and trachea intubation.

Analysis of Thorax Injuries in 112 Death Cases Caused by Traffic Accidents

Objective: To explore the characteristics and mechanisms of serious injuries of chest caused by road traffic accidents. Methods: Totally 112 autopsy cases with chest injuries in the urban of Jingzhou road traffic accidents were collected. Systematic review and analysis of the general information, postmortem examinations and assessments of chest injury had carried out from Feb. 2016 to Mar. 2018. Results: Average age of the victims was 52.2 years and the ratio of male to female deaths was 2.39:1. The proportion of motor-cyclists and pedestrians increased significantly. The overwhelming majority of accident vehicles were motorcycles and bicycles. Fractures of ribs and pulmonary contusion were the most common injuries. Craniocerebral and abdominal injuries were the most common associated injuries. Conclusion: Fractures of ribs and pulmonary contusion were the most common features of fatal road traffic injuries, often associated with vitreoretinal damage and serious multiple damages. These features reflect the characteristics of great violence in traffic accidents, which provides the evidence of identification of violent injuries.

Water in Morocco, Retrospective at the Political, Regulatory and Institutional Levels

Water, a primary source of life, in Morocco, is recognized as a major problem due to its scarcity on the one hand, the multiplication and interdependence of uses, the overlap of responsibilities between public and private actors, and the superposition of regulatory texts on the other hand. It is in this sense that a retrospective analysis of water management in Morocco has been made to highlight the reconfigurations and successive legislative and institutional reforms that the water sector has undergone, the constraints and shortcomings that this sector has experienced and the solutions undertaken to remedy them. Its developmental orientation, managed since independence by the Ministry of Public Works, was strongly correlated with water even after the reforms of 2002 and 2007. The institutional reform led to the creation of the Hydraulic Basin Agencies (HBAs) as a response to the severe drought problems that characterized the early 1980s. The modern twist could respond to the operational difficulties of Integrated Water Resources Management IWRM by focusing the missions of these agencies as regality of the State, while the political orientation towards large-scale irrigated agriculture also led to their focus on meeting the supply side. This generally explains the creation of institutions that are weak enough, in terms of bureaucratic power, not to interfere with the general direction of the country and not to threaten the prerogatives of other powerful administrations such as agriculture and the interior. For this reason, efforts could also have been made to institute coordination mechanisms between the different sectors to put the sectoral plans and master plans in order to strengthen the coordination and regulation role of the Hydraulic Basin Agencies (HBAs). The country is also subject to exogenous harmonization of water policies because of donors who make their loans and project financing conditional on the establishment of a water resources management organization.