Chinese Plants in the Persian Agricultural Manual Asar va Ahyā’,and a Discussion of Rashīd al-Dīn’s Chinese Knowledge and Agricultural Practice

The Asar va Ahyā’is a manual of agricultural production written in the early fourteenth century by the famous Iranian vizier and scholar Rashīd al-Dīn.Only chapter 6 to chapter 13 of the original work survive,dealing with agriculture and horticulture,and nearly a third of the pages of which are devoted to introducing Chinese plants and related knowledge.In addition to introducing botanical knowledge,the book also covered information on all the aspects of the Yuan dynasty(1271–1368),including the taxation system,monetary system,military system,economy and trade,manufacturing techniques,ethnic customs,food culture,and other fields,providing important materials for research on the dissemination of species,exchange of technologies,communication of ethnic groups,and integration of cultures between China and the world during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.Rashīd al-Dīn,the book’s author,took advantage of his identities as a statesman and a businessman to collect rich information about plants all over the world.Motivated by his specific interest in Chinese culture,he included a huge amount of Chinese information in the book.Meanwhile,records in the Asar va Asyā’reflect the author’s practice of researching,planting,and cultivating plants,making the book not only a compilation of agricultural knowledge,but also a report that recorded the author’s agricultural practice.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Palatal Surgeries in the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background: This paper aims to examine published articles between January 2008 and January 2019 on the different palatal surgeries performed on OSA patients and the treatment outcomes, which in turn will be used to determine the effectiveness of various palatal surgical techniques in treating OSAS and the most effective of the palatal surgical techniques in treating OSAS. Patients and Methods: The current review followed the guidelines of preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis statement 2009 (PRISMA). The quality of relevant studies was assessed using NIH quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies as well as NIH tool for quality assessment for case series studies. Results: Meta-analyses of relevant studies showed that the surgical technique that achieved the best reduction on AHI (Apnea/Hypopnea Index) was the lateral pharyngoplasty followed by the Anterior Palatoplasty, with a significant mean reduction of [(SMD = −0.848, 95% CI (−1.209 - −0.487), p-value < 0.001) and (SMD = −0.864, 95% CI (−1.234 - −0.494), p-value < 0.001), respectively]. The technique responsible for the best improvement in Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) was the Relocation Pharyngoplasty, with a significant mean reduction of [SMD = −0.998, 95% CI (−1.253 - −0.743), p-value < 0.001]. Minimal O2 saturation level improved most with the Expansion Sphincter Pharyngoplasty, with a significant mean reduction of [SMD = 1.011, 95% CI (0.581 - 1.440), p-value < 0.001]. The surgical procedure that results in the best post-operative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was Z-Palatoplasty, with a significant mean reduction of [SMD = −1.551, 95% CI (−2.049 - −1.052), p-value < 0.001]. Soft palate length changes with a significant mean reduction of [SMD = −2.219, 95% CI (−2.730 - −1.708), p-value < 0.001]. Finally, meta-analyses of relevant studies showed that expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty achieved the overall highest success rate [event rate = 77%, 95% CI (65.4% - 85.5%), p-value < 0.001]. Conclusion: The best procedure for treating OSA varies from patient to patient and there is no universal cure-all. Careful patient selection and pre-operative evaluation are mandatory.