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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and identify risk factors for severe hypocalcemia following total parathyroidectomy (TPTX) in patients with renal secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis who underwent TPTX from January 1, 2018, to April 30, 2023. Participants were categorized into groups based on postoperative corrected serum calcium levels: severe hypocalcemia (<1.8 mmol/L) and non-severe hypocalcemia (≥1.8 mmol/L). We conducted univariate analyses of demographic and laboratory data to identify potential risk factors, which were further analyzed using a binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: Significant associations were observed with age, dialysis duration exceeding five years, type of dialysis (peritoneal dialysis), lower preoperative corrected serum calcium, elevated preoperative intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), and increased preoperative alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels (all p<0.05). Age, preoperative iPTH, and ALP levels were identified as independent risk factors for severe hypocalcemia post-TPTX. CONCLUSIONS: Younger patients with renal SHPT who have elevated preoperative iPTH and ALP levels are at an increased risk of experiencing severe hypocalcemia following TPTX. These findings underscore the importance of careful preoperative assessment and monitoring to mitigate the risk of this complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO) is a fully conjugated, heterocyclic aromatic rigid-rod polymer having a collinear and coplanar backbone leading to excellent thermo-oxidative stabilities, mechanical tenacity, and optoelectronic properties. PBO is inherently a liquid-crystalline polymer and can be obtained as uniaxially oriented fiber or film by extrusion of acidic solution. Schemes for making uniaxial freestanding films and monolayered luminescence devices for polarized optical absorption and emission were processed from a uniaxial PBO fiber. Wide-angle x-ray scattering revealed that the starting fiber and the resulting films were highly oriented. UV-Vis transmission spectra over 200 to 800 nm indicated that the PBO films also had polarized absorption with an attenuation coefficient ratio α[sub ⊥]/α[sub ∥]=1.7. The photoluminescence (PL) of the PBO films was excited at 363 nm, showing an emission intensity ratio I[sub ∥]/I[sub ⊥] as high as 5. The anisotropic PBO film was sandwiched between an indium tin oxide substrate and an Al electrode for monolayer light-emitting diodes (LEDs), showing an electroluminescence (EL) intensity ratio I[sub ∥]/I[sub ⊥]=1.6 together with a markedly decrease in threshold voltage. PL and EL results demonstrated that a highly polarized luminescence emission was achieved by using the uniaxially oriented PBO films. The polarization effects in absorption and luminescence were absent for isotropic PBO films or LEDs. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which incorporated the p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole polymer with electron lamines, electroactive triarylamino. Details on the experiment; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Describes the waveguide attenuation in an anisotropic polyester film. Relationship between the in-plane optical loss and the molecular orientation in a unidirectionally stretched copolyester film; Significance of a guided wave for signal propagation for optical communication and photonic computation; Main mechanisms for signal attenuation; Description of the propagation directions adopted in guiding the photons; Optical parameters of the anisotropic copolyester films.

OBJECTIVE: To observe effects of the drug pioglitazone on expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in diabetic rats with hindlimb ischemia, and explore the role of pioglitazone in angiogenesis after ischemia and its possible mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The diabetic rat model was established by high-fat and high-sugar diet and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The diabetic rats with the unilateral hindlimb ischemia were randomly divided into diabetic model group and pioglitazone treated group, and the normal rats with unilateral hindlimb ischemia were selected as the control group. RT-PCR and Western blotting techniques were employed for analysis and detection of HIF- 1α and VEGF expression, as well as detection of capillary density by immunohistochemical staining and ischemic hindlimb perfusion by Doppler ultrasonography were measured. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the fasting glucose, fasting insulin, insulin resistance index, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in diabetic rats were significantly increased. This was accompanied by increased mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α and VEGF, and decreased microvessel density (MVD) of the ischemic limb (p < 0.05). The above indicators in pioglitazonetreated diabetic rats were significantly decreased (p < 0.01) with decreased expression of HIF-1α and VEGF (p < 0.01), while the microvessel density (MVD) of the ischemic limb was increased (p < 0.01) and blood perfusion was also increased (p < 0.01). The expression of HIF-1α and VEGF were positively correlated (p < 0.05) in diabetic rats with hind limb angiopathy, while HIF-1α and VEGF were all negatively correlated with the microvessel density (MVD). CONCLUSIONS: HIF-1α and VEGF expression in diabetic rats with hind limb angiopathy were increased. Pioglitazone has a promoting effect on ischemic limb angiogenesis in diabetic rats. It suggested that pioglitazone may improve ischemic limb angiogenesis mechanisms correlated with regulating the HIF-1α/VEGF hypoxia response pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the clinical therapeutic effects of arterial first approach pancreaticoduodenectomy(AFA-PD) with standard approach pancreaticoduodenectomy(SPD) in the treatment of borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 113 cases of pancreatic cancer patients from January 2014 to August 2015 at Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, including 43 cases in AFA-PD group and 70 cases in SPD group.Every patient had gone high-resolusion computed tomography before the surgery, when BRPC was definitely diagnosed by both experienced radiologist and pancreatic surgeon.There were 24 males and 19 females in the AFA-PD group, with average age of (61.6±10.2)years.And in the SPD group, there were 47 males and 23 females, with average age of (62.7±9.4)years. Results: The operation time was (210.7±31.5)minutes in AFA-PD group, (187.9±27.4)minutes in SPD group, and peroperative bleeding volume was (1 007.1±566.3)ml in AFA-PD group, (700.0±390.0)ml in the other group.Those two indicators of AFA-PD group, compared with SPD group, were relatively higher, the difference was statistically significant(all P <0.01). And with regard to postoperative diarrhea(9.3% vs .5.7%), postoperative 1, 3 days of white blood cells(postoperative 1 day: (13.3±1.1)×10(9)/L vs .(12.4±2.4)×10(9)/L; postoperative 3 days: (12.7±1.6)×10(9)/L vs .(11.7±2.5)×10(9)/L), postoperative 1, 3, 5 days of peritoneal drainage fluid volume(postoperative 1 day: (184±42)ml vs .(156±54)ml; postoperative 3 days: (155±48)ml vs .(133±35)ml; postoperative 5 days: (66±20)ml vs .(47±31)ml), the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P <0.05). One patient in the SPD group was treated with unplanned secondary surgery for postoperative intraperitoneal hemorrhage, and the patient was cured and discharged.There was no death in the two groups within 30 days after surgical operation and no patient with positive gastric margin, duodenal margin, or anterior margin.The resection rate of superiormesenteric artery(SMA) margin R0 in AFA-PD group was higher than that in SPD group ( P =0.019). The two groups were followed up for 14 to 30 months.As for AFA-PD group, the average survival time, progression free survival time and median survival time was respectively (20.4±1.2)months, (21.5±1.4)months and 20 months.There were 3 cases(7.0%) with local recurrence and 8 cases(18.6%) with liver metastasis or distant metastasis.In the SPD group, the average survival time, progression free survival time and median survival time was (17.1±1.1)months, (16.4±1.3)months and 16 months, respectively.There were 13 cases(18.6%) with local recurrence and 25 cases(35.7%) with liver metastasis or distant metastasis.As a result, the AFA-PD group had longer survival time( P =0.001)and progression free survival time( P =0.002). However, the lower local recurrence and distant metastasis rate in AFA-PD group did not reach statistical standard ( P >0.05). Conclusion: The arterial first approach pancreaticoduodenectomy is safe and effective in the treatment of borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, which can improve the resection rate of SMA margin R0, and prolong patient survival time.

New generation antidepressant therapies, including serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIs), were introduced in the late 1980s; however, few comprehensive studies have compared the benefits and risks of various contemporary treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD) in young patients. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases was conducted from 1970 to January 2015. Only clinical trials that randomly assigned one SNRI or placebo to patients aged 7 to 18 years who met the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder were included. Treatment success, dropout rate, and suicidal ideation/attempt outcomes were measured. Primary efficacy was determined by pooling the risk ratios (RRs) of treatment response and remission. Acceptability was determined by pooling the RRs of dropouts for all reasons and for adverse effects as well as suicide-risk outcomes. Five trials with a total of 973 patients were included. SNRIs were not significantly more effective than placebo for treatment response but were for remission. The comparison of patients taking SNRIs that dropped out for all reasons and those taking placebo did not reach statistical significance. Significantly more patients taking SNRIs dropped out for adverse effects than those taking placebo. No significant difference was found in suicide-related risk outcomes. SNRI therapy does not display a superior efficacy and is not better tolerated compared to placebo in these young patients. However, duloxetine has a potential beneficial effect for depression in young populations, showing a need for further research.

Rocuronium is a non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent which has a rapid onset and intermediate duration of action. The goal of this study was to compare the neuromuscular blocking actions of rocuronium with and without a priming dose of pancuronium or rocuronium in children. Thirty patients were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Ten patients received a single dose of 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium (Group I). The others received either 0.015 mg/kg pancuronium (Group II) or 0.06 mg/kg rocuronium (Group III) 3 minutes before an intubating dose of 0.54 mg/kg rocuronium was given. Neuromuscular blockade was measured via accelerographic response to single stimulations (1 Hz) of the ulnar nerve until maximal twitch depression was reached followed by train-of-four (TOF) stimuli (2 Hz) at 15 second intervals for the remainder of recovery. Groups were compared with regard to onset time, duration and recovery indices. The onset time and duration of block did not differ significantly between groups. However, the time to recovery in group II (24.5 +/- 9.9 min) was significantly prolonged compared to that in group I (12.7 +/- 3.1 min) or group III (12.7 +/- 3.9 min). We concluded that the use of rocuronium with a preceding dose of either pancuronium or rocuronium provided no advantage for intubation in children.

Unlabelled: Magnesium (Mg) enhances the activity of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs. However, no interaction between mivacurium and magnesium has been described. Therefore, we sought to determine the effect of the influence of Mg on the infusion rate of mivacurium and its spontaneous recovery. We studied 24 parturients who had undergone cesarean section under general anesthesia. Those who had been given MgSO4 for the treatment of preeclampsia were assigned to the Mg group (n = 12), and the other normal parturients were assigned to the NonMg group (n = 12). In both groups, the train-of-four (TOF) response to stimuli of the ulnar nerve was measured at intervals of 15 s. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and succinylcholine. In both groups, a bolus dose of mivacurium 0.06 mg/kg was administered when the first twitch of TOF (T1) reached 100% after the succinylcholine injection. When the electromyographic response after mivacurium had recovered to approximately 5%-10% of the baseline, a continuous infusion of mivacurium was given to maintain 93%-97% neuromuscular blockade. The plasma concentration of Mg in blood of the Mg group was 4.0 1.0 mEq/L, higher than that (1.4 mEq/L) of the NonMg group (P < 0.01). The infusion rates of mivacurium of Mg and NonMg groups were 1.6 and 5.4 mEq x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively. In addition, the recovery indexes of the Mg and NonMg groups were 12.9 and 4.3 min, respectively. We conclude that a smaller dose of mivacurium should be infused to patients receiving Mg., Implications: Magnesium, used as a standard therapy for severe toxemia, may act to enhance muscle relaxants such as mivacurium, a short-acting drug used in general anesthesia. Among women undergoing a cesarean section who were given a magnesium pretreatment, the infusion rate of mivacurium required to obtain relaxation was lower than that among women who did not receive pretreatment.