Short-term efficacy of microwave ablation in the treatment of liver cancer and its effect on immune function

BACKGROUND Hepatectomy is the first choice for treating liver cancer.However,inflammatory factors,released in response to pain stimulation,may suppress perioperative immune function and affect the prognosis of patients undergoing hepatectomies.AIM To determine the short-term efficacy of microwave ablation in the treatment of liver cancer and its effect on immune function.METHODS Clinical data from patients with liver cancer admitted to Suzhou Ninth People’s Hospital from January 2020 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Thirty-five patients underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy for liver cancer(liver cancer resection group)and 35 patients underwent medical image-guided microwave ablation(liver cancer ablation group).The short-term efficacy,complications,liver function,and immune function indices before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.RESULTS One month after treatment,19 patients experienced complete remission(CR),8 patients experienced partial remission(PR),6 patients experienced stable disease(SD),and 2 patients experienced disease progression(PD)in the liver cancer resection group.In the liver cancer ablation group,21 patients experienced CR,9 patients experienced PR,3 patients experienced SD,and 2 patients experienced PD.No significant differences in efficacy and complications were detected between the liver cancer ablation and liver cancer resection groups(P>0.05).After treatment,total bilirubin(41.24±7.35 vs 49.18±8.64μmol/L,P<0.001),alanine aminotransferase(30.85±6.23 vs 42.32±7.56 U/L,P<0.001),CD4+(43.95±5.72 vs 35.27±5.56,P<0.001),CD8+(20.38±3.91 vs 22.75±4.62,P<0.001),and CD4+/CD8+(2.16±0.39 vs 1.55±0.32,P<0.001)were significantly different between the liver cancer ablation and liver cancer resection groups.CONCLUSION The short-term efficacy and safety of microwave ablation and laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of liver cancer are similar,but liver function recovers quickly after microwave ablation,and microwave ablation may enhance immune function.

Short-Term and Long-Term Outcomes among COVID-19 Survivors: A Multi-Center Prospective Observational Study

Background: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive case fatalities across the world, people have been left with significant physical and mental disabilities, which has had an adverse impact on their quality of life. The objective of this study is to measure the short-term and long-term outcomes among COVID-19 survivors. Methods: This is a six-month-long multicentre prospective observational study, carried out in four specialized hospitals in the capital city Dhaka, where six hundred participants were enrolled by non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected through three structured interviews, and follow-ups were done during discharge, at 1st month, and 6th month. An analytical study was done on demographic variables, socio-economic conditions, physical findings and outcomes. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: A total of 600 participants were enrolled. The mean age was 49.83. Many participants belong to the age range of 31 to 40 years. More than two-thirds (72.7%) of participants were male, whereas 27.30% were female. Most patients admitted had mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms (40% and 58%, respectively). Among short-term COVID complications, it was found that 43.3% of the participants complained of fatigue, 32.6% of depression, 24.7% of sleep disturbance, 19% of anxiety and, 5% memory loss. In long-term COVID complications the number reduced significantly: 5% of the participants complained of fatigue, 10% of depression, 2.7% of sleep disturbance, 7.3% of anxiety and, 2.7% memory loss. The severity of lung parenchymal disease also reduced in long term COVID symptoms. The study found a statistically significant relationship between age groups and CT severity index (χ2 = 9.458, p = 0.032). Most patients (29.2%) in the under-30 age group had a CT Severity Index score of 2 & 3 (29.2%). The important CT Severity Index scores for individuals aged 30 to 60 years were 3 and 4, accounting for 37.7% and 33.3%, respectively. In the over-60 age group, 40.8% of patients showed a CT Severity Index score of 4, showing a range of 51% - 75%. Conclusion: This study found that fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances are prevalent among COVID-19 survivors;however, these symptoms generally reduce over time. Lung problems improved;however, some patients suffered from persistent effects. Older patients, especially those with pre-existing conditions, suffer from more severe outcomes. These findings underscore the need for ongoing care for COVID-19 survivors.

Short-term efficacy of laparoscopy-assisted vs open radical gastrectomy in gastric cancer

AIM:To investigate the short-term benefits of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy(LARG)and open radical gastrectomy(ORG)in patients with gastric cancer.METHODS:A total of 400 patients with gastric cancer aged≤65 years who were treated at General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Region were enrolled.Among these,200 patients underwent LARG between October2008 and August 2012(LARG group);and 200 patients underwent ORG between March 2000 and September2008(ORG group).The short-term therapeutic benefits between the two groups were analyzed.RESULTS:The LARG procedure offered significantly better benefits to the patients compared to the ORG procedure,including less intraoperative blood loss(103.1±19.5 mL vs 163.0±32.9 mL,P【0.0001),shorter postoperative hospital stay(6.8±1.2 d vs 9.5±1.6 d,P【0.0001),less frequent occurrence of postoperative complications(6.5%vs 13.5%,P=0.02),shorter time to mobilization(1.0±0.3 vs 3.3±0.4 d,P【0.0001),shorter time to bowel opening(3.3±0.7 d vs 4.5±0.7 d,P【0.0001),and shorter time to normal diet(3.0±0.4 vs d 3.8±0.5 d,P【0.0001).However,LARG required a longer time to complete than the ORG procedure(192.3±20.9 min vs 180.0±26.9 min,P【0.0001).CONCLUSION:Compared to ORG,LARG is safer,more effective,and less invasive for treating gastric cancer,with better short-term efficacy.

Systematic review of long-term Xingnao Kaiqiao needling efficacy in ischemic stroke treatment

OBJeCTIve：To systematically evaluate the long-term effect and safety ofXingnao Kaiqiao nee-dling method in ischemic stroke treatment. DATA ReTRIevAL： We retrieved relevant random and semi-random controlled trials that used theXingnao Kaiqiao needling method to treat ischemic stroke compared with various control treatments such as conventional drugs or other acupuncture therapies. Searched databases included China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Weipu Information Resources System, Wanfang Medical Data System, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Cochrane Library, and PubMed, from May 2006 to July 2014. SeLeCTION CRITeRIA： Two authors independently conducted literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction. The quality of articles was evaluated according to the Cochrane Reviewers’ Handbook 5.1, and the study was carried out using Cochrane system assessment methods. RevMan 5.2 was used for meta-analysis of the included studies. MAIN OUTCOMe MeASUReS： Mortality rate, recurrence rate, and disability rate were observed. ReSULTS：Nine randomized and semi-randomized controlled trials treating 931 cases of ischemic stroke were included in this review. Meta-analysis results showed that there were no sig-niifcant differences in mortality reduction （risk ratio （RR） = 0.58, 95% conifdence interval （CI）： 0.17–1.93,Z = 0.89,P = 0.37） or recurrence rate （RR = 0.55, 95%CI： 0.18–1.70,Z = 1.04,P = 0.30） of ischemic stroke patients between theXingnao Kaiqiao needling and control treatment groups. However, theXingnao Kaiqiao needling method had a tendency towards higher efifcacy in mor-tality reduction and recurrence rates. TheXingnao Kaiqiao needling method was signiifcantly better than that of the control treatment in reducing disability rate （RR = 0.51, 95%CI： 0.27–0.98, Z = 2.03,P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION：TheXingnao Kaiqiao needling method has a better effect than control treatment in reducing disability rate. The long-term effect ofXingnao Kaiqiao needling against ischemic stroke is better than that of control treatment. However, the limitations of this study limit the strength of the conclusions. Randomized controlled trials with a strict, reasonable design, and multi-center, large-scale samples and follow-up are necessary to draw conclusions aboutXingnao Kaiqiao needling.

Long-term efficacy of infliximab maintenance therapy for perianal Crohn’s disease

AIM:To assess the long-term efficacy of seton drainage with infliximab maintenance therapy in treatment of stricture for perianal Crohn’s disease(CD). METHODS:Sixty-two patients with perianal CD who required surgical treatment with or without infliximab between September 2000 and April 2010 were identified from our clinic’s database.The activities of the perianal lesions were evaluated using the modified perianal CD activity index(mPDAI)score.The primary endpoint was a clinical response at 12-15 wk after surgery as a shortterm efficacy.Secondary endpoints were recurrence as reflected in the mPDAI score,defined as increased points in every major element.The clinical responses were classified as completely healed(mPDAI=0),partially improved(mPDAI score decreased more than 4 points),and failure or recurrence(mPDAI score increased or decreased less than 3 points). RESULTS:There were 43 males and 19 females,of whom 26 were consecutively treated with infliximab after surgery as maintenance therapy.Complete healing was not seen.Failure was seen in 10/36(27.8%) patients without infliximab and 4/26(15.4%)patients with infliximab(P=0.25).Partial improvement was seen in 26/36(72.2%)patients without infliximab and 22/26(88.5%)patients with infliximab(P=0.25). Short-term improvement was achieved in 48/62(77.4%) patients.Although the mPDAI score improved significantly with surgery regardless of infliximab,it decreased more from baseline in patients with infliximab(50.0%) than in those without infliximab(28.6%),(P=0.003). In the long-term,recurrence rates were low regardless of infliximab in patients without anorectal stricture.In patients with anorectal stricture,cumulative recurrence incidences increased gradually and exceeded 40%at 5 years regardless of infliximab.No efficacy of infliximab treatment was found(P=0.97).Although the cumulative rate of ostomy creation was also low in patients without stricture and high in patients with stricture,no protective efficacy was found with infliximab treatment(P =0.6 without stricture,P=0.22 with stricture). CONCLUSION:Infliximab treatment was demonstrated to have short-term efficacy for perianal lesions.Longterm benefit with infliximab was not proven,at least in patients with anorectal stricture.

A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF SHORT-TERM EFFICACY OF Nd:YAG LASER PERIPHERAL IRIDOTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY ANGLE CLOSED GLAUCOMA

Q-switched Nd:YAG laser was used for the peripheral iridotomy in 68 cases(80 eyes) of primary angle closed glaucoma. The average number of laser shots is 20.5(1～127 shots), and the average shot energy is 2.5 mJ(0.9～5.6mJ). The successful rate of iris penetration is about 97.6%. The size of the iris hole is not smaller than 0.2mm^2. The kind of the iris is the most important factor that causes the marked variation in laser shots and in laser shot energy. The main complications of Nd:YAG laser iridotomy p...

Statistical Transformation Indicators of Short-Term to Long-Term Using Flood Regional Coefficients (Case Study: East Azarbaijan Province, Iran)

Changing contexts in a long-term and short-term perspective should be managed within an integrated risk management framework that accounts for both temporary management strategies and permanent preventive measures to reduce the impact of natural hazard processes. In this study, statistical transformation indicators of short-term (20 year) to long-term (30 year) used flood regional coefficients. After the tests of data validation and the reconstruction of missing and outlier data, the data of 18 hydrometric stations were completed for 30 years (1985 to 2014). In the next phase, the return period values were prepared for 20-year and 30-year statistical periods (1985 to 2004 and 1985 to 2014) using the HYFA software. Thus the 20-year to 30-year ratio for various return period discharges obtained and these dimensionless values were plotted for the return periods of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 years, also fitted the logarithmic trend line and the values of coefficients of the relationship were obtained. The statistics including average, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), skewness coefficient (CS) and Kurtosis coefficient (CK) were calculated for 20-year data period for each station and we identified the statistics as independent parameters and the coefficients of A and B as dependent parameter, thus analyzed using linear multivariate regression, and regional factors were obtained. In the hydrometric station with 17-027 code, the discharge using the regional factors was calculated and compared with the discharge values of 30 years data. The results showed that there is little difference between the observed and estimated values from regional factors thus this method can be used in projects that require at least 30 years of data.

Short-term and long-term risk factors in gastric cance

While in chronic diseases, such as diabetes, mortalityrates slowly increases with age, in oncological seriesmortality usually changes dramatically during thefollow-up, often in an unpredictable pattern. Forinstance, in gastric cancer mortality peaks in thefirst two years of follow-up and declines thereafter.Also several risk factors, such as TNM stage, largelyaffect mortality in the first years after surgery, whileafterward their effect tends to fade. Temporal trendsin mortality were compared between a gastric cancerseries and a cohort of type 2 diabetic patients. Forthis purpose, 937 patients, undergoing curativegastrectomy with D1/D2/D3 lymphadenectomy forgastric cancer in three GIRCG （Gruppo Italiano RicercaCancro Gastrico = Italian Research Group for GastricCancer） centers, were compared with 7148 type 2diabetic patients from the Verona Diabetes Study. Inthe early/advanced gastric cancer series, mortality fromrecurrence peaked to 200 deaths per 1000 personyears1 year after gastrectomy and then declined,becoming lower than 40 deaths per 1000 person-yearsafter 5 years and lower than 20 deaths after 8 years.Mortality peak occurred earlier in more advanced Tand N tiers. At variance, in the Verona diabetic cohort overall mortality slowly increased during a 10-yearfollow-up, with ageing of the type 2 diabetic patients.Seasonal oscillations were also recorded, mortalitybeing higher during winter than during summer. Alsothe most important prognostic factors presented adifferent temporal pattern in the two diseases： whilethe prognostic significance of T and N stage markedlydecrease over time, differences in survival amongpatients treated with diet, oral hypoglycemic drugsor insulin were consistent throughout the follow-up.Time variations in prognostic significance of main riskfactors, their impact on survival analysis and possiblesolutions were evaluated in another GIRCG series of568 patients with advanced gastric cancer, undergoingcurative gastrectomy with D2/D3 lymphadenectomy.Survival curves in the two different histotypes （intestinaland mixed/diffuse） were superimposed in the first threeyears of follow-up and diverged thereafter. Likewise,survival curves as a function of site （fundus vs body/antrum） started to diverge after the first year. On thecontrary, survival curves differed among age classesfrom the very beginning, due to different post-operativemortality, which increased from 0.5% in patients aged65-74 years to 9.9% in patients aged 75-91 years;this discrepancy later disappeared. Accordingly, theproportional hazards assumption of the Cox modelwas violated, as regards age, site and histology. Tocope with this problem, multivariable survival analysiswas performed by separately considering either thefirst two years of follow-up or subsequent years.Histology and site were significant predictors only aftertwo years, while T and N, although significant bothin the short-term and in the long-term, became lessimportant in the second part of follow-up. Increasingage was associated with higher mortality in the firsttwo years, but not thereafter. Splitting survival timewhen performing survival analysis allows to distinguishbetween short-term and long-term risk factors.Alternative statistical solutions could be to excludepost-operative mortality, to introduce in the modeltime-dependent covariates or to stratify on variablesviolating proportionality assumption.

The cardiotoxicity and long-term efficacy of different doses of epirubicin in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer patients: A case control study

Abstract Objective： The aim of the study was to observe the cardiac toxicity caused by different doses of epirubicin in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer and to evaluate the long-term efficacy. Methods： The 180 cases of breast cancer patients received epirubicin based adjuvant chemotherapy. The patients were randomly assigned to high-dosage group （90 rag/m^2）, medium-dosage group （70 mg/m^2） and low-dosage group （50 rag/m^2）, the primary endpoint was cardiac toxicity. The secondary outcomes were the 5-year overall survival （OS） and 5-year disease-free survival （DFS）. Results： During chemo- therapy, the clinical symptoms such as palpitation, dyspnea and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea occurred in 6 patients with the high-dosage group, 4 patients with the medium-dosage group and 3 patients with the low-dosage group. The number of patients who had changed in electrocardiogram （ECG） was 7, 5 and 4 in three groups, respectively. The echocardiographic showed each group had only one case with LVEF 〈 50%, there was no significantly difference （P 〉 0.05）. In the three groups, the 5-year DFS rates were 73.3% （44/60） in high-dose group, 53.3% （32/60） in medium-dose group and 41.6% （25/60） in low dose group. The 5-year OS rates were 85.0% （51/60）, 68.3% （41/60） and 58.3% （35/60） in three groups, respectively. The differences were statistically significant （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： The high-dose epirubicin in adjuvant chemotherapy with CEF （cyclophosphamide, epirubicin and fluorouracil） regimen could improve the 5-year OS rate and 5-year DFS rate on patients of breast cancer. The cardiotoxicity was mild-moderate and well tolerated.

Network meta-analysis of long-term efficacy of acupuncture-related therapies and SSRIs in treating post-stroke depression

Objective:To evaluate the effect of existing acupuncture-related therapies on the longterm effects of post-stroke depression(PSD)by using a network meta-analysis with SSRIs as a common reference.Methods:The published randomized controlled clinical trials of acupuncture-related therapies and SSRIs for PSD in PubMed,The Cochrane Library,EMbase,CNKI,CBM,VIP and wan-fang databases were comprehensively searched.The literature retrieval period was from The database establishment to July 31,2020.Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 was used to assess the risk of bias in included studies.Data analysis is conducted through ADDIS,Review Manager 5.3,and STATA 13.1 software.Results:A total of 3115 patients with PSD were included in 30 RCTs,involving 10 therapeutic methods.Results of network meta-analysis showed that:in terms of total effective rate,body acupuncture+SSRIs was superior to body acupuncture[OR=2.85,95%CI(1.51,5.90)]and SSRIs[OR=5.37,95%CI(3.03,10.33)].In terms of HAMD score,body acupuncture+SSRIs was superior to body acupuncture[MD=1.69,95%CI(0.33,3.06)]and SSRIs[MD=3.87,95%CI(2.68,5.08)].The above ranking predicted that moxibustion+SSRIs was the best.In terms of NIHSS score,body acupuncture[MD=2.15,95%CI(1.10,3.26)]and body acupuncture+SSRIs[MD=1.77,95%CI(0.19,3.37)]were better than SSRIs.Conclusion:Moxibustion combined with SSRIs is the best for the long-term efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion on PSD.Body acupuncture combined with SSRIs is better than SSRIs alone.The other therapies have their own advantages and disadvantages.Based on the defects of existing studies,this conclusion still needs to be verified by more high-quality RCTs.

Long-Term Efficacy of Parathyroidectomy onHyperparathyroid Bone Disease

This is a retrospective analysis of long-term efficacy of parathyroidectomy on hyperparathyroid bone disease. The clinical manifestations, bone structure, and bone mineral density in 16 patients averaged 5.1 (1. 0-10. 5) years after parathyroidectomy were assessed. The results showed that although the bone disease could be markedly relieved after surgery, yet at terminal point of follow-up, 10/16 cases (62. 5% ) got incomplete recovery of bone disease, the ratio of incomplete recovery in Y1 group with severe bone disease was higher than that of Y2 group with mild bone disease (P <0. 05). The concentrations of serum BGP and morning void urine pyridinoline were within the refer ence ranges of young and middle aged controls. These imply that the osteoblastic and osteoclastic activities had reached a balancing state. The results suggested that hyperparathyroid patients should be operated on as early as possible, and intensively followed up after operation. subsequent therapy should be given to patients with incomplete recovery of bone disease.

Short-Term and Long-Term Price Forecasting Models for the Future Exchange of Mongolian Natural Sea Buckthorn Market

Sea buckthorn market floated uncertainly within a narrow range. The market situation provided upward pressure on prices, and producer and consumer interest were poor, coupled with weak prices in the regional markets. The objectives of the study are: 1) to estimate the relationship between wild Sea buckthorn (SB) price and Supply, Demand, while some other factors of crude oil price and exchange rate by using simultaneous Supply-Demand and Price system equation and Vector Error Correction Method (VECM);2) to forecast the short-term and long-term SB price;3) to compare and evaluate the price forecasting models. Firstly, the data was analyzed by Ferris and Engle-Granger’s procedure;secondly, both price forecasting methodologies were tested by Pindyck-Rubinfeld and Makridakis’s procedure. The result shows that the VECM model is more efficient using yearly data;a short-term price forecast decreases, and a long-term price forecast is predicted to increase the Mongolian Sea buckthorn market.

Long-term efficacy of microvascular decompression on trigeminal neuralgia and multi-factor research of recurrence

Objective To research the factors that affects the efficacy of 2 826 cases of of trigeminal neuralgia after microvascular decompression during follow-up more than 1 year. Methods The patients with trigeminal meuralgia were followed-up for 1-25 years ( mean 9. 8 years) after microvascular decompression from January 1984 to

Predictive value of serum levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 for the short-term effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer

Objective To investigate variation in levels of transforming growth factor beta 1(TGF-β1)before and after radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer in order to evaluate the predictive value of TGF-β1 for the effects of radiotherapy Methods A total of 140 patients with esophageal squamous carcinoma undergoing radical radiation therapy in the Department of Oncology from March 2015 to December 2017 were enrolled.The patients were divided into the effective(115 cases)and ineffective(25 cases)groups according to World Health Organization(WHO)criteria for the evaluation of solid tumors(2009 RECIST standard).TGF-β1 levels were measured in all patients by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Multiple-factor analysis of the predictive value of the treatment efficacy was performed by Cox regression analysis.Results After radiotherapy,36,79,and 25 cases experienced complete response(CR),partial response(PR),and no response(NR),respectively,with a total effective rate of 82.14%.The TGF-β1 level was significantly lower in the effective group than that in the ineffective group(P<0.05)and covariance analysis revealed significantly reduced TGF-β1 level in esophageal cancer patients following radiotherapy.The multi-factor Cox regression model revealed that the predictive value of TGF-β1 for the effect of radiotherapy was largest,with a hazard ratio[HR]of 1.955(P=0.002),followed by exposure dose,with(HR=1.367;P=0.035).Conclusion Serum TGF-β1 level can serve as a predictor for the short-term effects of radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer.

Long-term outcomes of focal laser photocoagulation for the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

AIM:To evaluate the long-term effect and safety of focal laser photocoagulation treatment in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy(PCV).METHODS:Medical records of 13 eyes of 13 patients with PCV were followed-up for more than 2 y after focal laser photocoagulation treatment.The patients were diagnosed with PCV using indocyanine green angiography,and eyes with other comorbid ocular diseases were excluded.The measurement outcomes of the study were the post-treatment regression and recurrence of polyps,complications,and changes in visual acuities.Paired t-test was performed to compare visual outcome before and after the treatment.RESULTS:The mean age of the 13 patients was 70.2±5.5 y,and the follow-up period was 72.3±31.0(range,25-118)mo.Three eyes had juxtafoveal polyps and 10 eyes had extrafoveal polyps.Of the 13 eyes,9 eyes(69.2%)had regression of polyps 1.7±1.2(range,0.9-4)mo after focal laser photocoagulation.Five eyes(55.6%)showed recurrence of polyps during the follow-up periods,and the recurrence period was 12.8±18.9(range,1.9-48)mo.Mild subretinal hemorrhage occurred in two eyes(15.4%)27 and 72 d after laser treatment,respectively.There were no statistically significant differences in visual acuities at baseline;1,2,3 y post-treatment(all P>0.05);and last follow-up(0.63±0.5,0.73±0.70,0.67±0.57,0.75±0.7,and 0.95±0.8 log MAR,respectively).CONCLUSION:Focal laser photocoagulation is beneficial for early regression of polyps in eyes with PCV and does not result in significant submacular hemorrhage during the long-term follow-up.Furthermore,it can be primarily considered in eyes with PCV with extrafoveal or juxtafoveal polyps to regress risky polyps as well as to maintain visual acuity without serious hemorrhagic complications.

Photosensitivity and a precise combination of size-dependent lambda-cyhalothrin microcapsules synergistically generate better insecticidal efficacy

In this study, lambda-cyhalothrin(LC) loaded polyurea microcapsules(MCs) with different particle sizes were fabricated.All of the MCs showed varying degrees of physical collapse, which was more obvious among those with smaller particle sizes. MCs with particle sizes of 1.38 μm(MC-S), 5.13 μm(MC-M) and 10.05 μm(MC-L) had shell thicknesses of 39.6,50.3 and 150.1 nm, respectively. MCs with smaller particles tended to have significantly faster release profiles, and the MC-S group had much higher bioactivity against Agrotis ipsilon and better foliar affinity on the peanut leaves(indicated by rainfastness) than MC-M and MC-L. All of the MCs exhibited light-enhanced release profiles and had much slower degradation compared with the emulsifiable concentrate(EC) group, among which MC-L had the slowest degradation.To generate MCs with both favorable quick efficacy and long-lasting efficacy, binary mixtures of MC-S, MC-M and MC-L were produced by mixing them in pairs at ratios of 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2. The mixture of MC-S:MC-L at 1:2 showed the best comprehensive efficacy in the peanut foliar spray scenario among the nine tested combinations, and its effective duration was three times longer than that of EC. Overall, the precise combination of MCs with different particle sizes can regulate the efficacy of pesticide control and serve as a strategy for the better utilization of pesticides.

Trends of Inequalities in the Use of Long-Term Reversible Contraceptives in Burkina Faso between 2010 and 2015

Background: Efforts have been made in Burkina Faso, a French-speaking country, since 2010 to improve healthcare access and provide affordable contraceptive methods to women. With the increasing prevalence of modern contraceptives in Burkina Faso, it is important to examine the socio-demographic factors that contribute to this new pattern of contraceptive use. This study aims to analyze the changes in socio-demographic factors associated with long-term contraceptive use and provide scientific evidence to guide policy development and action planning in family planning. Data and Methods: We utilized data from the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, which included 17,087 women aged 15 - 49 years, and the 2015 Demographic and Health Module, which included 11,504 women in the same age group. For the analysis of contraceptive use, we focused on women who were in need of contraception (either met or unmet), of reproductive age, non-pregnant, and either married or sexually active but not married. We included users of modern reversible methods and excluded non-users, as well as users of traditional or permanent methods. Results: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of long-term contraceptive use across all categories;however, certain challenges were identified, such as lower levels of information about contraceptive methods among users and the persistence of inequalities. Family planning discussions and partner approval did not influence long-term contraceptive choice. Additionally, some providers selectively offered specific methods based on women’s life course characteristics, such as parity and marital status, despite evidence suggesting that young and nulliparous women can effectively use long-term methods. Conclusion: Given the high effectiveness of long-term contraceptive methods, it is crucial to address barriers that hinder their utilization among young and nulliparous women, as well as those who desire to delay pregnancy. Efforts should focus on improving knowledge and dispelling misconceptions surrounding long-term methods. Providers play a pivotal role in this process by adopting counseling strategies that enhance users’ understanding and facilitate informed decision-making regarding contraceptive options.

Short- and long-term results of open vs laparoscopic multisegmental resection and anastomosis for synchronous colorectal cancer located in separate segments

BACKGROUND It remains unclear whether laparoscopic multisegmental resection and ana-stomosis(LMRA)is safe and advantageous over traditional open multisegmental resection and anastomosis(OMRA)for treating synchronous colorectal cancer(SCRC)located in separate segments.AIM To compare the short-term efficacy and long-term prognosis of OMRA as well as LMRA for SCRC located in separate segments.METHODS Patients with SCRC who underwent surgery between January 2010 and December 2021 at the Cancer Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively recruited.In accordance with the RESULTS LMRA patients showed markedly less intraoperative blood loss than OMRA patients(100 vs 200 mL,P=0.006).Compared to OMRA patients,LMRA patients exhibited markedly shorter postoperative first exhaust time(2 vs 3 d,P=0.001),postoperative first fluid intake time(3 vs 4 d,P=0.012),and postoperative hospital stay(9 vs 12 d,P=0.002).The incidence of total postoperative complications(Clavien-Dindo grade:≥II)was 2.9%and 17.1%(P=0.025)in the LMRA and OMRA groups,respectively,while the incidence of anastomotic leakage was 2.9%and 7.3%(P=0.558)in the LMRA and OMRA groups,respectively.Furthermore,the LMRA group had a higher mean number of lymph nodes dissected than the OMRA group(45.2 vs 37.3,P=0.020).The 5-year overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS)rates in OMRA patients were 82.9%and 78.3%,respectively,while these rates in LMRA patients were 78.2%and 72.8%,respectively.Multivariate prognostic analysis revealed that N stage[OS:HR hazard ratio(HR)=10.161,P=0.026;DFS:HR=13.017,P=0.013],but not the surgical method(LMRA/OMRA)(OS:HR=0.834,P=0.749;DFS:HR=0.812,P=0.712),was the independent influencing factor in the OS and DFS of patients with SCRC.CONCLUSION LMRA is safe and feasible for patients with SCRC located in separate segments.Compared to OMRA,the LMRA approach has more advantages related to short-term efficacy.

Comparison of short- with long-term regeneration results after digital nerve reconstruction with musclein-vein conduits

Muscle-in-vein conduits are used alternatively to nerve grafts for bridging nerve defects. The purpose of this study was to examine short- and long-term regeneration results after digital nerve reconstruction with muscle-in-vein conduits. Static and moving two-point discriminations and Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments were used to evaluate sensory recovery 6–12 months and 14–35 months after repair of digital nerves with muscle-in-vein in 7 cases. Both follow-ups were performed after clinical signs of progressing regeneration disappeared. In 4 of 7 cases, a further recovery of both two-point discriminations and in another case of only the static two-point discrimination of 1–3 mm could be found between the short-term and long-term follow-up examination. Moreover, a late recovery of both two-point discriminations was demonstrated in another case. Four of 7 cases showed a sensory improvement by one Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments. This pilot study suggests that sensory recovery still takes place even when clinical signs of progressing regeneration disappear.