Radial growth in Qinghai spruce is most sensitive to severe drought in the Qilian Mountains of Northwest China

Global warming and frequent extreme drought events lead to tree death and extensive forest decline,but the underlying mechanism is not clear.In drought years,cambial development is more sensitive to climate change,but in different phenological stages,the response rela-tionship is nonlinear.Therefore,the dynamic relationship between tree radial growth and climatic/environmental fac-tors needs to be studied.We thus continuously monitored radial growth of Qinghai spruce(Picea crassifolia Kom.)and environmental factors from January 2021 to November 2022 using point dendrometers and portable meteorological weather stations in the central area of the Qilian Mountains.The relationship and stability between the radial growth of Qinghai spruce and environmental factors were compared for different levels of drought in 2021 and 2022.The year 2022 had higher temperatures and less precipitation and was drier than 2021.Compared with 2021,the growing period in 2022 for Qinghai spruce was 10 days shorter,maximum growth rate(Grmax)was 4.5μm·d^(-1) slower,and the initiation of growth was 6 days later.Growth of Qinghai spruce was always restricted by drought,and the stem radial increment(SRI)was more sensitive to precipitation and air relative humidity.Seasonal changes in cumulative radial growth were divided into four phenological stages according to the time of growth onset,cessation,and maximum growth rate(Grmax)of Qinghai spruce.Stability responses of SRI to climate change were stronger in Stage 3 and Stage 4 of 2021 and stronger in Stage 1(initiation growth stage)and Stage 3 of 2022.The results provide important information on the growth of the trees in response to drought and for specific managing forests as the climate warms.

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of in-vessel phenomena under severe accident mitigation strategy based on ISAA-SAUP program

The phenomenology involved in severe accidents in nuclear reactors is highly complex.Currently,integrated analysis programs used for severe accident analysis heavily rely on custom empirical parameters,which introduce considerable uncertainty.Therefore,in recent years,the field of severe accidents has shifted its focus toward applying uncertainty analysis methods to quantify uncertainty in safety assessment programs,known as“best estimate plus uncertainty(BEPU).”This approach aids in enhancing our comprehension of these programs and their further development and improvement.This study concentrates on a third-generation pressurized water reactor equipped with advanced active and passive mitigation strategies.Through an Integrated Severe Accident Analysis Program(ISAA),numerical modeling and uncertainty analysis were conducted on severe accidents resulting from large break loss of coolant accidents.Seventeen uncertainty parameters of the ISAA program were meticulously screened.Using Wilks'formula,the developed uncertainty program code,SAUP,was employed to carry out Latin hypercube sampling,while ISAA was employed to execute batch calculations.Statistical analysis was then conducted on two figures of merit,namely hydrogen generation and the release of fission products within the pressure vessel.Uncertainty calculations revealed that hydrogen production and the fraction of fission product released exhibited a normal distribution,ranging from 182.784 to 330.664 kg and from 15.6 to 84.3%,respectively.The ratio of hydrogen production to reactor thermal power fell within the range of 0.0578–0.105.A sensitivity analysis was performed for uncertain input parameters,revealing significant correlations between the failure temperature of the cladding oxide layer,maximum melt flow rate,size of the particulate debris,and porosity of the debris with both hydrogen generation and the release of fission products.

Superplasticity of fine-grained Mg-10Li alloy prepared by severe plastic deformation and understanding its deformation mechanisms

The superplastic behavior and associated deformation mechanisms of a fine-grained Mg-10.1 Li-0.8Al-0.6Zn alloy(LAZ1011)with a grain size of 3.2μm,primarily composed of the BCCβphase and a small amount of the HCPαphase,were examined in a temperature range of 473 K to 623 K.The microstructural refinement of this alloy was achieved by employing high-ratio differential speed rolling.The best superplasticity was achieved at 523 K and at strain rates of 10^(-4)-5×10^(-4)s^(-1),where tensile elongations of 550±600%were obtained.During the heating and holding stage of the tensile samples prior to tensile loading,a significant increase in grain size was observed at temperatures above 573 K.Therefore,it was important to consider this effect when analyzing and understanding the superplastic deformation behavior and mechanisms.In the investigated strain rate range,the superplastic flow at low strain rates was governed by lattice diffusion-controlled grain boundary sliding,while at high strain rates,lattice diffusion-controlled dislocation climb creep was the rate-controlling deformation mechanism.It was concluded that solute drag creep is unlikely to occur.During the late stages of deformation at 523 K,it was observed that grain boundary sliding led to the agglomeration of theαphase,resulting in significant strain hardening.Deformation mechanism maps were constructed forβ-Mg-Li alloys in the form of 2D and 3D formats as a function of strain rate,stress,temperature,and grain size,using the constitutive equations for various deformation mechanisms derived based on the data of the current tests.

Successful management of severe hypoglycemia induced by total parenteral nutrition in patients with hepatocellular injury: Three cases reports

BACKGROUND Glucose imbalance is common in total parenteral nutrition(TPN).Hypoglycemia seems to be less frequent than hyperglycemia,but it influences the clinical outcome to a greater extent.Therefore,it should be effectively prevented and treated.However,there is no relevant report on how to treat hypoglycemia caused by TPN in patients with liver cell injury.CASE SUMMARY We present three patients with liver cell injury who developed severe hypo-glycemia during or after TPN infusion.The causes of severe hypoglycemia and glucose-raising strategies were discussed.According to the physiological charac-teristics of the hepatocellular injury,the ratio of nutrition components prescribed in TPN was appropriately adjusted for the three cases.We simultaneously reduced the dose of insulin and fat emulsion,and increased the dose of glucose in TPN.The blood glucose level was restored to normal range and clinical symptoms were eliminated.CONCLUSION When hypoglycemia occurs during or after TPN in patients with hepatocellular injury,physicians need to simultaneously reduce insulin and fat emulsion,and increase glucose,and correct severe hypoglycemia in time to reduce its adverse consequences.

Accidental placement of venous return catheter in the superior vena cava during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe pneumonia: A case report

BACKGROUND Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(V-V ECMO)has become an important treatment for severe pneumonia,but there are various complications during the treatment.This article describes a case with severe pneumonia success-fully treated by V-V ECMO,but during treatment,the retrovenous catheter,which was supposed to be in the right internal vein,entered the superior vena cava directly in the mediastinum.The ECMO was safely withdrawn after multidiscip-linary consultation.Our experience with this case is expected to provide a reference for colleagues who will encounter similar situations.CASE SUMMARY A 64-year-old man had severe pulmonary infection and respiratory failure.He was admitted to our hospital and was given ventilation support(fraction of inspired oxygen 100%).The respiratory failure was not improved and he was treated by V-V ECMO,during which the venous return catheter,which was supposed to be in the right internal vein,entered the superior vena cava directly in the mediastinum.There was a risk of massive mediastinal bleeding if the catheter was removed directly when the ECMO was withdrawn.Finally,the patient underwent vena cava angiography+balloon attachment+ECMO with-drawal in the operating room(prepared for conversion to thoracotomy for vascular exploration and repair at any time during surgery)after multidiscip-linary consultation.ECMO was safely withdrawn,and the patient recovered and was discharged.CONCLUSION Patients may have different vascular conditions.Multidisciplinary cooperation can ensure patient safety.Our experience will provide a reference for similar cases.

Efficacy and safety of carrimycin in ten patients with severe pneumonia following solid organ transplantation

BACKGROUND The number of patients undergoing solid organ transplantation has increased annually.However,infections in solid organ transplant recipients can have a severe effect on patient survival owing to the continued use of immunosuppressants.Carrimycin is a novel macrolide antibiotic produced by genetically engineered streptomyces spiramyceticus harboring a 4’’-O-isovaleryltransferase gene(ist)from streptomyces thermotoleran.Carrimycin has good antibacterial and antiviral effects.However,no relevant studies have been conducted on the efficacy and safety of carrimycin in patients with severe pneumonia(SP)after solid organ transplantation.AIM To explore the efficacy and safety of carrimycin in patients with SP after solid organ transplantation to provide a medication reference for clinical treatment.METHODS In March 2022,ten patients with SP following solid-organ transplantation were treated at our hospital between January 2021 and March 2022.When the condition was critical and difficult to control with other drugs,carrimycin was administered.These ten patients'clinical features and treatment protocols were retrospectively analyzed,and the efficacy and safety of carrimycin for treating SP following solid organ transplantation were evaluated.RESULTS All ten patients were included in the analysis.Regarding etiological agent detection,there were three cases of fungal pneumonia,two cases of bacterial pneumonia,two cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia,and three cases of mixed infections.After treatment with carrimycin,the disease in seven patients significantly improved,the course of the disease was significantly shortened,fever was quickly controlled,chest computed tomography was significantly improved,and oxygenation was significantly improved.Finally,the patients were discharged after curing.One patient died of acute respiratory distress syndrome,and two patients discontinued treatment.CONCLUSION Carrimycin is a safe and effective treatment modality for SP following solid organ transplantation.Carrimycin may have antibacterial and antiviral effects in patients with SP following solid organ transplantation.

Severe acute pancreatitis complicated with intra-abdominal infection secondary to trauma:A case report

BACKGROUND Pancreatic trauma(PT)is rare among traumatic injuries and has a low incidence,but it can still lead to severe infectious complications,resulting in a high mortality rate.Acute pancreatitis(AP)is a common complication after PT,and when combined with organ dysfunction and sepsis,it will result in a poorer prognosis.CASE SUMMARY We report a 25-year-old patient with multiple organ injuries,including the pancreas,due to abdominal trauma,who developed necrotising pancreatitis secondary to emergency caesarean section,combined with intra-abdominal infection(IAI).The patient underwent performed percutaneous drainage,pancreatic necrotic tissue debridement,and abdominal infection foci debridement on the patient.CONCLUSION We report a case of severe AP and IAI secondary to trauma.This patient was managed by a combination of conservative treatment such as antibiotic therapy and fluid support with surgery,and a better outcome was obtained.

Treatment of a patient with severe cerebral malaria during the COVID-19 pandemic in China:A case report

BACKGROUND On June 30,2021,China received certification from the World Health Organization for malaria elimination.However,this certification does not signify the absence of malaria within China.Due to the increasing frequency of international exchanges and collaborations,the threat of imported malaria persists in China.Consequently,the prevention and control of imported malaria have become a primary focus for our country to maintain its malaria elimination status.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we present a case report of a 53-year-old Chinese man who worked in Africa for nearly two years.He was diagnosed with malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between November 19 and November 23,2022.After receiving effective treatment with oral antimalarial drugs,his condition improved,allowing him to return to China.He was later admitted to our hospital on January 12,2023,during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Huangshi,China.Through a thorough evaluation of the patient's symptoms,clinical signs,imaging and laboratory test results,and epidemiological data,he was rapidly diagnosed with severe cerebral malaria.The patient underwent successful treatment through a series of intensive care unit interventions.CONCLUSION The successful treatment of this imported case of severe cerebral malaria provides a valuable reference for managing patients with similar malaria infections and has significant clinical implications.

Effects of nursing team communication and collaboration on treatment outcomes in intensive care unit patients with severe pneumonia

BACKGROUND Severe pneumonia is a common severe respiratory infection worldwide,and its treatment is challenging,especially for patients in the intensive care unit(ICU).AIM To explore the effect of communication and collaboration between nursing teams on the treatment outcomes of patients with severe pneumonia in ICU.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 60 patients with severe pneumonia who were treated at the ICU of the hospital between January 1,2021 and December 31,2023.We compared and analyzed the respiratory mechanical indexes[airway resistance(Raw),mean airway pressure(mPaw),peak pressure(PIP)],blood gas analysis indexes(arterial oxygen saturation,arterial oxygen partial pressure,and oxygenation index),and serum inflammatory factor levels[C-reactive protein(CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),cortisol(COR),and high mobility group protein B1(HMGB1)]of all patients before and after treatment.RESULTS Before treatment,there was no significant difference in respiratory mechanics index and blood gas analysis index between 2 groups(P>0.05).However,after treatment,the respiratory mechanical indexes of patients in both groups were significantly improved,and the improvement of Raw,mPaw,plateau pressure,PIP and other indexes in the combined group after communication and collaboration with the nursing team was significantly better than that in the single care group(P<0.05).The serum CRP and PCT levels of patients were significantly decreased,and the difference was statistically significant compared with that of nursing group alone(P<0.05).The levels of serum COR and HMGB1 before and after treatment were also significantly decreased between the two groups.CONCLUSION The communication and collaboration of the nursing team have a significant positive impact on respiratory mechanics indicators,blood gas analysis indicators and serum inflammatory factor levels in the treatment of severe pneumonia patients in ICU.

Assessment of early factors for identification or prediction severe acute pancreatitis in pregnancy

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy(APIP)is a rare and serious condition,and severe APIP(SAPIP)can lead to pancreatic necrosis,abscess,multiple organ dysfunction,and other adverse maternal and infant outcomes.Therefore,early identification or prediction of SAPIP is important.AIM To assess factors for early identification or prediction of SAPIP.METHODS The clinical data of patients with APIP were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were classified with mild acute pancreatitis or severe acute pancreatitis,and the clinical characteristics and laboratory biochemical indexes were compared between the two groups.Logical regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to assess the efficacy of the factors for identification or prediction of SAPIP.RESULTS A total of 45 APIP patients were enrolled.Compared with the mild acute pancreatitis group,the severe acute pancreatitis group had significantly increased(P<0.01)heart rate(HR),hemoglobin,neutrophil ratio(NEUT%),and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio(NLR),while lymphocytes were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Logical regression analysis showed that HR,NEUT%,NLR,and lymphocyte count differed significantly(P<0.01)between the groups.These may be factors for early identification or prediction of SAPIP.The area under the curve of HR,NEUT%,NLR,and lymphocyte count in the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was 0.748,0.732,0.821,and 0.774,respectively.The combined analysis showed that the area under the curve,sensitivity,and specificity were 0.869,90.5%,and 70.8%,respectively.CONCLUSION HR,NEUT%,NLR,and lymphocyte count can be used for early identification or prediction of SAPIP,and the combination of the four factors is expected to improve identification or prediction of SAPIP.

Relationship between nutritional therapy and beneficial bacteria ratio in severe disease

Objective:To evaluate relationship between changes in the beneficial bacteria in intensive care unit(ICU)patients and nutritional therapy type.Methods:Ten patients aged≥18 years admitted to the ICU between January and December 2020,were included.Good enteral nutrition was defined as early achievement of target calorie intake through enteral feeding.The ratio of beneficial bacteria at the first and second bowel movements after each patient’s admission was calculated and the patients were classified into the increase or decrease group.Among all patients,five each were in the increase and decrease groups.We investigated patient background,changes in sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation(APACHE)Ⅱscores,nutritional doses or methods,and clinical outcomes.Results:No relationship was found between changes in the ratio of beneficial bacteria and changes in SOFA/APACHEⅡscores at the time of admission.The rate of good enteral nutrition was significantly higher in the increase group than in the decrease group(4/5 vs.0/5,P=0.01).Conclusions:An increase in beneficial bacteria may be significantly related to the early establishment of enteral nutrition.In the future,accumulating cases may make it possible to establish a new nutritional strategy for critically ill patients from an intestinal microbiota perspective.

Different timing for abdominal paracentesis catheter placement and drainage in severe acute pancreatitis complicated by intraabdominal fluid accumulation

BACKGROUND Non-surgical methods such as percutaneous drainage are crucial for the treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).However,there is still an ongoing debate regarding the optimal timing for abdominal paracentesis catheter place-ment and drainage.AIM To explore the influence of different timing for abdominal paracentesis catheter placement and drainage in SAP complicated by intra-abdominal fluid accumu-lation.METHODS Using a retrospective approach,184 cases of SAP complicated by intra-abdominal fluid accumulation were enrolled and categorized into three groups based on the timing of catheter placement:group A(catheter placement within 2 d of symptom onset,n=89),group B(catheter placement between days 3 and 5 after symptom onset,n=55),and group C(catheter placement between days 6 and 7 after symptom onset,n=40).The differences in progression rate,mortality rate,and the number of cases with organ dysfunction were compared among the three groups.RESULTS The progression rate of group A was significantly lower than those in groups B and groups C(2.25%vs 21.82%and 32.50%,P<0.05).Further,the proportion of patients with at least one organ dysfunction in group A was significantly lower than those in groups B and groups C(41.57%vs 70.91%and 75.00%,P<0.05).The mortality rates in group A,group B,and group C were similar(P>0.05).At postoperative day 3,the levels of C-reactive protein(55.41±19.32 mg/L vs 82.25±20.41 mg/L and 88.65±19.14 mg/L,P<0.05),procalcitonin(1.36±0.51 ng/mL vs 3.20±0.97 ng/mL and 3.41±0.98 ng/mL,P<0.05),tumor necrosis factor-alpha(15.12±6.63 pg/L vs 22.26±9.96 pg/L and 23.39±9.12 pg/L,P<0.05),interleukin-6(332.14±90.16 ng/L vs 412.20±88.50 ng/L and 420.08±87.65ng/L,P<0.05),interleukin-8(415.54±68.43 ng/L vs 505.80±66.90 ng/L and 510.43±68.23ng/L,P<0.05)and serum amyloid A(270.06±78.49 mg/L vs 344.41±81.96 mg/L and 350.60±80.42 mg/L,P<0.05)were significantly lower in group A compared to those in groups B and group C.The length of hospital stay in group A was significantly lower than those in groups B and group C(24.50±4.16 d vs 35.54±6.62 d and 38.89±7.10 d,P<0.05).The hospitalization expenses in group A were also significantly lower than those in groups B and groups C[2.70(1.20,3.55)ten-thousand-yuan vs 5.50(2.98,7.12)ten-thousand-yuan and 6.00(3.10,8.05)ten-thousand-yuan,P<0.05).The incidence of complications in group A was markedly lower than that in group C(5.62%vs 25.00%,P<0.05),and similar to group B(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Percutaneous catheter drainage for the treatment of SAP complicated by intra-abdominal fluid accumulation is most effective when performed within 2 d of onset.

Computerized tomography-guided therapeutic percutaneous puncture catheter drainage-combined with somatostatin for severe acute pancreatitis: An analysis of efficacy and safety

BACKGROUND Severe acute pancreatitis(SAP),a condition with rapid onset,critical condition and unsatisfactory prognosis,poses a certain threat to human health,warranting optimization of relevant treatment plans to improve treatment efficacy.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of computerized tomography-guided the-rapeutic percutaneous puncture catheter drainage(CT-TPPCD)combined with somatostatin(SS)in the treatment of SAP.METHODS Forty-two SAP patients admitted to The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from June 2020 to June 2023 were selected.On the basis of routine treatment,20 patients received SS therapy(control group)and 22 patients were given CT-TPPCD plus SS intervention(research group).The efficacy,safety(pancreatic fistula,intra-abdominal hemorrhage,sepsis,and organ dysfunction syndrome),abdominal bloating and pain relief time,bowel recovery time,hospital stay,inflammatory indicators(C-reactive protein,interleukin-6,and pro-calcitonin),and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE)II score of both groups were evaluated for comparison.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the research group had a markedly higher total effective rate,faster abdominal bloating and pain relief and bowel recovery,INTRODUCTION Pancreatitis,an inflammatory disease occurring in the pancreatic tissue,is classified as either acute or chronic and is associated with high morbidity and mortality,imposing a socioeconomic burden[1,2].The pathogenesis of this disease involves early protease activation,activation of nuclear factor kappa-B-related inflammatory reactions,and infiltration of immune cells[3].Severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)is a serious condition involving systemic injury and subsequent possible organ failure,accounting for 20%of all acute pancreatitis cases[4].SAP is also characterized by rapid onset,critical illness and unsatisfactory prognosis and is correlated with serious adverse events such as systemic inflammatory response syn-drome and acute lung injury,threatening the health of patients[5,6].Therefore,timely and effective therapeutic inter-ventions are of great significance for improving patient prognosis and ensuring therapeutic effects.Somatostatin(SS),a peptide hormone that can be secreted by endocrine cells and the central nervous system,is in-volved in the regulatory mechanism of glucagon and insulin synthesis in the pancreas[7].It has complex and pleiotropic effects on the gastrointestinal tract,which can inhibit the release of gastrointestinal hormones and negatively modulate the exocrine function of the stomach,pancreas and bile,while exerting a certain influence on the absorption of the di-gestive system[8,9].SS has shown certain clinical effectiveness when applied to SAP patients and can regulate the severity of SAP and immune inflammatory responses,and this regulation is related to its influence on leukocyte apoptosis and adhesion[10,11].Computerized tomography-guided therapeutic percutaneous puncture catheter drainage(CT-TPPCD)is a surgical procedure to collect lesion fluid and pus samples from necrotic lesions and perform puncture and drainage by means of CT image examination and precise positioning[12].In the research of Liu et al[13],CT-TPPCD applied to pa-tients undergoing pancreatic surgery contributes to not only good curative effects but also a low surgical risk.Baudin et al[14]also reported that CT-TPPCD has a clinical success rate of 64.6%in patients with acute infectious necrotizing pan-creatitis,with nonfatal surgery-related complications found in only two cases,suggesting that this procedure is clinically effective and safe in the treatment of the disease.In light of the limited studies on the efficacy and safety of SS plus CT-TPPCD in SAP treatment,this study performed a relevant analysis to improve clinical outcomes in SAP patients.

Application of psychological intervention in intensive care unit nursing for patients with severe acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)is a familiar critical disease in the intensive care unit(ICU)patients.Nursing staff are important spiritual pillars during the treatment of patients,and in addition to routine nursing,more attention needs be paid to the patient’s psychological changes.AIM To investigate the effects of psychological intervention in ICU patients with SAP.METHODS One hundred ICU patients with SAP were hospitalized in the authors’hospital between 2020 and 2023 were selected,and divided into observation and control groups per the hospitalization order.The control and observation groups received routine nursing and psychological interventions,respectively.Two groups are being compared,using the Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS),Self-Determination Scale(SDS),Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE)Ⅱ,and 36-item Short Form Health Survey(SF-36)scores;nursing satisfaction of patients;ICU care duration;length of stay;hospitalization expenses;and the incidence of complications.RESULTS After nursing,the SDS,SAS,and APACHEⅡ scores in the experimental group were significantly lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The SF-36 scores in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).The nursing satisfaction of patients in the experimental group was 94.5%,considerably higher than that of 75.6% in the control group(P<0.05).The ICU care duration,length of stay,and hospitalization expenses in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group,and the incidence of complications was lower(P<0.05).CONCLUSION For patients with SAP,the implementation of standardized psychological intervention measures can effectively alleviate adverse psychological conditions.

Evaluation of the Care of Children Aged 0 to 10 Years Hospitalized for Severe Malaria at the Tambacounda Health Center, Senegal

Introduction: Malaria remains a public health priority in Senegal, particularly in Tambacounda, where it is one of the main causes of child mortality. The objective of this work was to evaluate the care of children under 10 years of age hospitalized at the Tambacounda Health Center and the factors associated with recovery. Methods: An analytical, retrospective, and descriptive cross-sectional study with exhaustive recruitment of children 0 to 120 months hospitalized at the Tambacounda reference health center for severe malaria (according to WHO criteria) between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2021 was performed. Data collection was done through a questionnaire. Records, hospitalization records, and treatment records were the sources of collection. Data entry and analysis were performed on Epi Info 7.2 and R. Results: A total of 481 children hospitalized with severe malaria were recruited. The highest number of cases was recorded in 2018 (33.05%). In the four years of the study, peaks were always observed between October and November and the highest peak in November 2020 with 95 cases. The mean age was 65.64 months with a standard deviation of 29.28 months and a predominance of male (53.43%). The majority of people were admitted from the outpatient clinic (57.79%) and the rest (42.21%) on the recommendation of a peripheral health post. All hospitalized patients had a positive RDT and/or a positive thick drop. However, the sharp decline at admission or during hospitalization was positive in 93.80% of patients in our series, negative in 5.20% and not achieved in 1.00%. Seizures and severe anemia topped the list of signs of severity with 45.94% and 8.11%, respectively. In terms of evolution, for all hospitalized patients, there were 81.29% recovery, 10.19% referral to the Tambacounda regional hospital center for hospitalization, 4.99% death, 0.83% discharge and 2.70% unknown evolution. There was a statistically significant association between recovery without referral from a health post (OR = 1.85), absence of 2 or more signs of severity (OR = 1.82), absence of seizures (OR = 1.51), prostration (OR = 2.78), cardiovascular shock (OR = 6.67), coma (OR = 7.69), lack of evidence of biological severity (OR = 3.70), and hypoglycemia with blood glucose less than 0.4 g/L (OR = 5.88). Conclusion: In addition to the routine malaria prevention and management strategies implemented in Tambacounda, and the early referral of cases of severe malaria from health posts to the health center, all children hospitalized for severe malaria with certain symptomatology such as coma, prostration, cardiovascular shock, etc. Seizures and/or hypoglycemia should be systematically referred to the regional hospital to increase their chance of recovery.

Clinical Effect of Yinhuang Qingfei Capsules in Treatment of Asymptomatic and Mild/Common Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection:An Analysis of 242 Cases

[Objectives]To investigate the clinical effect of Yinhuang Qingfei capsules in the treatment of asymptomatic and mild/common severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection.[Methods]A total of 362 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were divided into the treatment group with 242 patients and control group with 120 patients according to their treatment regimen.The patients in the control group were given standard treatment regimen and those in the treatment group were given Yinhuang Qingfei capsules in addition to the treatment in the control group.The two groups were observed in terms of average length of hospital stay,mean time for nucleic acid clearance,TCM syndrome score,and progression to severe/critical illness,and clinical outcome was compared between the two groups.[Results]There was a significant difference in the overall response rate between the treatment group and the control group[97.52%(236/242)vs 95.00%(114/120),P<0.05].Compared with the control group,the treatment group had significantly shorter length of hospital stay and time for nucleic acid clearance(P<0.05).After 7 days of treatment,both groups had a significant change in TCM syndrome score,and there was a significant difference in TCM syndrome score between the two groups(P<0.05);after 15 days of treatment,both groups had a TCM syndrome score of 0.Progression to severe/critical illness was not observed in either group.[Conclusions]Compared with the standard treatment regimen alone,standard treatment regimen combined with Yinhuang Qingfei capsules can effectively shorten the length of hospital stay and time for nucleic acid clearance and improve TCM symptoms in patients with asymptomatic and mild/common SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Association between Placental Malaria and Severe Pre-Eclampsia in Two University Hospitals of Yaounde City

Context: Pre-eclampsia and placental malaria, are two diseases that share pathophysiological similarities, such as placental ischemia, endothelial dysfunction and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Objective: The objective of our study was to investigate the association between placental malaria lesions and severe pre-eclampsia. Methodology: We conducted a prospective analytical cross-sectional study in two University Hospitals in the city of Yaounde (Yaounde Central Hospital and the Gynaecological Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital), and in the laboratory of the Centre Pasteur in Yaounde over an eight-month period (1st January 2021 – 1st September 2021). All patients with pre-eclampsia diagnosed according to the criteria of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension (ISSHP) and free of chronic metabolic or infectious pathology were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (mild pre-eclampsia) and group 2: severe pre-eclampsia. Socio-demographic, clinical and histopathological characteristics specific to pre-eclampsia and placental malaria were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 23.0 software, Chi 2 was used to compare categorical variables, Student t-test was used to compare means, and logistic regression was used to assess the association between placental malaria lesions and PES. Results: The mean age of our study population was 29.93 ± 7.36 years versus 28.28 ± 7.18 years in patients with mild and severe pre-eclampsia respectively. Pre-eclampsia placental lesions (accelerated villous maturation, infarction) were significantly greater in patients with severe pre-eclampsia (p Conclusion: Placental malaria lesions were significantly associated with severe pre-eclampsia and increased the risk of developing severe pre-eclampsia placental lesions by a factor of 10.

Diagnosis and management of severe pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in critically ill patients:A mini review for clinicians

Among critically ill patients,severe pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis has high morbidity and mortality.Yet,it is a diagnostic challenge given its nonspecific clinical symptoms and signs in early stages of the disease.In addition,management of severe pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis is complicated given the high risk of drug-drug interactions,drug-disease interactions,and adverse drug reactions.To help clinicians acquire an up-to-date approach to severe tuberculosis,this paper will provide a narrative review of contemporary diagnosis and management of severe pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in critically ill patients.

Analysis of Factors Associated with the Abandonment of Nutritional Recovery among Parents of Severely Malnourished Children Aged 6 to 59 Months in the Health District of Titao, Burkina Faso

Introduction: In Burkina Faso, undernutrition is a public health problem associated with more than 40% of infant and child mortality. Undernutrition management is complex, and there is often a risk of treatment abandonment. Studies on this topic have not explored the influence of environmental and therapeutic factors on parental compliance. This study proposes an analysis of factors influencing the abandonment of nutritional recovery by parents of malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months in ambulatory care. Methods: This was a descriptive and exploratory qualitative study. Data collection took place in February 2020. Data were collected from seventeen (17) participants via in-depth interviews (IDI) and direct observation. The IDIs were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using Nvivo software. Results: The results revealed that factors related to the physical environment, such as geographical inaccessibility, pastoral occupation, displacement at auriferous sites, and insecurity, are important causes of nutritional recovery abandonment. They also prove that factors related to the social environment, such as lack of family and social support, feelings of shame, stigmatization, occupation of the mother, and social events, lead to this abandonment. In addition, therapeutic factors such as interruptions of supplies of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), feeling of improvement or worsening of the state of health, recourse to traditional medicine, and ignorance of undernutrition are also associated with this issue. Conclusion: This study highlighted barriers to the abandonment of nutritional recovery among parents of severely malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months in the health district of Titao, Burkina Faso. It is more important to consider these different factors when evaluating care protocols so that policies to reduce child undernutrition can considerably impact the targets.

Conceptual Strategy for Mitigating the Risk of Hydrogen as an Internal Hazard in Case of Severe Accidents at Nuclear Power Plant Considering Existing Risks and Uncertainties Associated with the Use of Traditional Strategies

Hydrogen challenge mitigation stands as one of the main objectives in the management of severe accidents at Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Key strategies for hydrogen control include atmospheric inertization and hydrogen removal with Passive Autocatalytic Recombiners (PARs) being a commonly accepted approach. However, an examination of PAR operation specificity reveals potential inefficiencies and reliability issues in certain severe accident scenarios. Moreover, during the in-vessel stage of severe accident development, in some severe accident scenarios PARs can unexpectedly become a source of hydrogen detonation. The effectiveness of hydrogen removal systems depends on various factors, including the chosen strategies, severe accident scenarios, reactor building design, and other influencing factors. Consequently, a comprehensive hydrogen mitigation strategy must effectively incorporate a combination of strategies rather than be based on one strategy, taking into consideration the probabilistic risks and uncertainties associated with the implementation of PARs or other traditional methods. In response to these considerations, within the framework of this research it has been suggested a conceptual strategy to mitigate the hydrogen challenge during the in-vessel stage of severe accident development.