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A wearable flexible sensor fabricated on an ultrathin substrate is proposed for sleep respiratory monitoring in nasal cavity. The sensitive unit is composed of aurum multiturn microcoil fabricated on the surface of a polyimide catheter by the rotated lithography system, and the signal measurement is based on the principle of thermal resistance. The signal simulation and performance tests of the respiration sensor have been conducted, which demonstrate that the sensor has great performance in anti-interference, response speed, sensitivity, durability, and stability in long-time usage. The practical human tests in various simulated respiratory disease situations, mainly including apnea and hypopnea, display clear differences between normal and abnormal breathing signals measured by the sensor. The respiratory signals measured by this sensor can be utilized to analyze the various respiratory disease conditions. The presented wearable ultrathin flexible respiratory sensor has shown great potential for preliminary diagnosis of sleep respiratory diseases and sleep health monitoring.

Purpose This study aimed to detect the epidemiological relevance between adenoid hypertrophy (AH) and rhinosinusitis, and AH and allergic rhinitis (AR) through an Internet search. Methods Internet search query data from January 2011 to December 2019 in China were retrieved from the Baidu Index (BI). Spearman’s correlation coefficients were used to detect the correlation among the search volumes of AH, rhinosinusitis, and AR. We also collected search data from the first 5 months of 2020, when quarantine was implemented in China due to the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic. Then, we compared the search data to those obtained during the same period in 2019 to assess the effects of isolation on AH and AR. Results Statistically significant relevance was found between the search variations of AH and rhinosinusitis during 2011–2019 (R = 0.643, P 0.05) was not relevant. The average monthly search volume of AH and rhinosinusitis had a strong correlation (R = 0.846, P 0.05; R = – 0.042, P > 0.05, respectively). AH and rhinosinusitis search volumes decreased consistently during the first 5 months of 2020 (isolation), whereas that for AR increased during January–February. Conclusion AH had an epidemiological relationship with rhinosinusitis, which was not consistent with AR. The decrease in public gathering effectively reduced the morbidities of AH and rhinosinusitis but not those of AR.

The significance of source rocks for oil and gas accumulation has been indisputably acknowledged. Moreover, it has been gradually realized that there is difference between hydrocarbon generation capacity and hydrocarbon expulsion capacity, and this has prompted research on hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency. However, these studies dominantly highlight the results of hydrocarbon expulsion, and investigation into the corresponding process and mechanism is primarily from a macroscopic perspective. Despite its wide acceptance as the most direct hydrocarbon expulsion mode, hydrocarbon expulsion through micro-fractures is still not sufficiently understood. Therefore, this study obtains observations and performs experiments on two types of source rocks (mudstones and shales) of the Chang 7 oil group of the Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin, China. Microscopy reveals that organic matter is non-uniformly distributed in both types of source rocks. Specifically, mudstones are characterized by a cluster-like organic matter distribution, whereas shales are characterized by a layered organic matter distribution. Thermal evolution simulation experiments demonstrate that the hydrocarbon generation process is accompanied by the emergence of micro-fractures, which are favorable for hydrocarbon expulsion. Moreover, based on the theories of rock physics and fracture mechanics, this study establishes micro-fracture development models for both types of source rocks, associated with the calculation of the fracture pressure that is needed for the initiation of fracture development. Furthermore, the relationship between the fluid pressure, fracture pressure, and micro-fracture expansion length during micro-fracture development is quantitatively explored, which helps identify the micro-fracture expansion length. The results indicate that the development of micro-fractures is commonly impacted by the morphology and distribution pattern of the organic matter as well as the mechanical properties of the source rocks. The micro-fractures in turn further affect the hydrocarbon expulsion capacity of the source rocks. The results of this study are expected to provide theoretical and practical guidance for the exploration and exploitation of tight oil and shale oil.

To describe our clinical experience with surgical treatments for sinonasal phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors diagnosed at our institution.Retrospective case series.Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 10 patients diagnosed with phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors associated with tumor-induced osteomalacia between December 2014 and October 2019.There were 4 men and 6 women with a disease course of 1 to 19 years. All patients exhibited hypophosphatemia and tumor-induced osteomalacia. The tumor was located in the sinonasal region, frontal bone, and temporal bone in 8 patients, 1 patient, and 1 patient, respectively. Technetium-99m octreotide scintigraphy was used for tumor localization in 4 cases. Six patients underwent endoscopic resection; the remaining 4 underwent unilateral transorbital anterior and posterior ethmoid artery ligation + endoscopic resection, endoscopic resection + skull base repair, internal carotid artery stenting + transcatheter arterial embolization + temporal bone tumor excision + adipose tissue plugging, and endoscopic resection + transfrontal craniotomy (n = 1 each). Two patients had a history of incomplete endoscopic resection. All patients achieved clinical remission and normalized biochemical indices after surgery. Only 1 patient developed recurrence and died of a brain hernia.A diagnosis of sinonasal phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors should be based on a combination of clinical, imaging, and pathological findings. Technetium-99m octreotide scintigraphy helps in locating the tumor. Complete surgical excision guarantees clinical remission, and preoperative transcatheter arterial embolization or feeding artery ligation may reduce intraoperative bleeding in cases of highly vascularized tumors.

Recently, the Devonian Guanwushan Formation in the northwestern Sichuan Basin gained industrial attention when solid bitumen was discovered in reservoirs and outcrops. This discovery initiated the exploration and development of the Devonian natural gas. Devonian in the northwestern Sichuan Basin is a new stratum for the exploration and development of Paleozoic marine natural gas in Sichuan Basin. However, the unclear recognition on the genesis, the sources and the hydrocarbon evolution history of solid bitumen and natural gas seriously restricted further exploration and development. Based on the solid bitumen reflectance, carbon isotopes, saturated hydrocarbon chromatography, and solvent extract bitumen biomarkers combined with the component and carbon isotopes of natural gas, comprehensive analyses have been performed on the origin of the solid bitumen and the accumulation and evolution of the natural gases. The results showed that the outcrop solid bitumen is derived from biodegraded oil from the Lower Cambrian source rocks, and is characterised by low bitumen reflectance, low saturated/aromatic hydrocarbon ratios, seriously damaged normal-alkanes, and severe migration of the gas chromatographic baseline. The reservoir bitumen formed through thermal cracking of oil from Lower Cambrian and Lower Permian source rocks, and is characterised by high bitumen reflectance, high saturated/aromatic hydrocarbons, and complete normal-alkanes. The differences of tectonic evolution take control of the two different-genesis bitumen. The Longmen Mountain strata in the northwestern Sichuan Basin were uplifted sharply after the Jurassic and the early generated crude oil was biodegraded during uplifting and formed the outcrop bitumen. However, strata in Well Shuangtan-3 (ST3) continued to subside and the paleo reservoir thermal-cracked during deep burial into dry gas and heavy components gathered to form reservoir bitumen. Revealing the Devonian hydrocarbon evolution in Sichuan Basin is of highly significance and is meaningful to guide further researches on the gas-source correlation of natural from paleo-strata. It is of great significance to reveal the Devonian hydrocarbon evolution in Sichuan Basin and to guide further researches on the gas-source correlation of natural gas from paleo-strata.

Background In aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss, damage to spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) accelerates gradually after the acute outer hair cell death, accompanied by macrophage infiltration and cytokine release. Pyroptosis plays a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we explored the potential role of pyroptosis in SGN degeneration. Methods C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a kanamycin plus furosemide group and saline control group. Auditory functions were evaluated by auditory brainstem response tests conducted before treatment and at 1, 5, 15, and 30 days after treatment. HCs and SGNs were assessed for morphological alterations. SGNs were subjected to RNA sequencing and mRNA and protein analyses of NLRP3 inflammasome-related molecules. Macrophage activation was evaluated based on morphological and mRNA alterations. The effect of NLRP3 inhibition on SGN survival after kanamycin treatment was evaluated in organ explant cultures treated with Mcc950, a specific inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Results Kanamycin and furosemide administration led to irreversible deterioration of the auditory brainstem response threshold, accompanied by acute loss of outer hair cells and gradually progressive loss of inner hair cells. SGNs showed a progressive decrease in quantity, as well as swelling and membrane rupture, at 15 and 30 days. RNA sequencing of SGNs showed that inflammation and immune-related responses were significantly upregulated, as was the expression of the inflammasome-related gene NLRP3. During 30 days of kanamycin exposure, the canonical pyroptosis pathway was constantly activated in SGNs. Activation and infiltration of microglia-like cells/macrophages, and increased production of cytokines, hallmarks of neuroinflammation, were also observed. Mcc950 significantly ameliorated SGN degeneration by inhibiting NLRP3 expression and promoting release of interleukins 1β and 18. Conclusions Pyroptosis causes cell death during aminoglycoside-induced SGN degeneration. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome leads to a cascade of inflammatory events in SGNs. Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome significantly alleviates SGN damage, suggesting that it could serve as a new molecular target for the treatment of aminoglycoside-induced SGN degeneration.

As delayed diagnosis and treatment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage are common in current practice, this study was performed to determine associated factors and discuss appropriate strategies to deal with these problems. A retrospective analysis of all cases of CSF leakage in our hospital from 2007 to 2018, including 41 patients with CSF rhinorrhea and 5 with CSF otorhinorrhea, was performed. Symptoms, associated diseases, misdiagnoses, history of skull base repair surgical, previous medical costs, and number of hospital visits before visiting our institution were reviewed. The diagnoses, surgical reconstruction methods, and prognoses of the patients were analyzed. In 18 patients, CSF leakage was spontaneous, in 14 the cause was trauma, and in the remaining 14 the origin was iatrogenic. Twelve patients had been misdiagnosed with allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, or otitis media. Twelve cases had intracranial infection and 14 suffered airway infection. Six had undergone unsuccessful craniotomy, endonasal endoscopic surgery, or ear surgery for treatment of CSF leakage before visiting our institute. This resulted in an average of 5.13 ± 1.32 referrals and medical costs of up to 20,795.7 ± 4553.80 RMB. The success rate was 97.83% after repairing CSF fistulae in our hospital. The septal floor flap (SFF) method (based on ethmoidal arteries) to treat CSF rhinorrhea showed a success rate of 100% in 12 patients. Therefore, early localization, clinical diagnosis, and appropriate repair surgery can avoid the occurrence of delayed events. Pedicled flaps, including SFF, are recommended to manage challenging CSF rhinorrhea.

In the Triassic Yanchang Formation, Jiyuan-Wuqi area, Ordos Basin, the Chang 6 reservoir is contacted to the Chang 7 high-quality source rock, but the oil pools are unevenly distributed, and complex in oil and water distribution. Through cores observation and fracture statistics, combined with comprehensive analyses of physical property, mercury injection, logging and geochemical data, and comparisons of the sandbodies scales, reservoir physical properties, argillaceous laminae and fractures between source and reservoir in the eastern and western oil-bearing areas and in the central water producing area, it is found that the hydrocarbon accumulation patterns are different in the eastern, central and western areas, and the characteristics of hydrocarbon migration under the background of double-provenance were sorted out. The study results show that the crude oil in the eastern area has different Pr/Ph and sterane distribution from that in the western area. The oil and gas primarily migrated vertically. The high-quality source rocks and favorable source-reservoir-cap combinations lay the foundation for large-scale oil and gas accumulations. Vertically, the oil and gas enrichment is controlled by the scale of sandbody and the difference of physical properties, while on the plane, it is controlled by the connectivity of sandbodies, the argillaceous laminae between source rock and reservoir, the reservoir physical property and the fractures. The sandbodies of oil-rich zones in the eastern and western areas have large thickness, low shale content, good physical properties, weak heterogeneity, few argillaceous laminae and abundant fractures, all of which are favorable for the vertical migration and accumulation of oil and gas. In contrast, in the middle area with converging provenances, the reservoirs, composed of thin sandbodies, features rapid variation in lithology and physical properties, strong heterogeneity, poor continuity of sandbodies, abundant argillaceous laminae between source rock and reservoir, and few fractures, makes it difficult for the oil and gas to migrate vertically, and results in low oil enrichment degree ultimately. For the exploration of continental multiple-provenance tight reservoirs, not only the good-property source rocks and reservoirs, but more importantly the source-reservoir contact relationship and the effect of fractures on the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation should be considered. Key Words: Yanchang Formation, Chang 6 Member, oil reservoir distribution, hydrocarbon accumulation difference, Jiyuan-Wuqi area, Ordos Basin

Xiaolong Zhao,1– 3,* Huajun Xu,1,3,* Chuan Dong,2,* Jiangang Fan,2 Gang He,2 Jianyin Zou,1,3 Lili Meng,1,3 Huaming Zhu,1,3 Kaiming Su,1,3 Mingpo Yang,4 Hongliang Yi,1,3 Jian Wang,5 Shankai Yin,1,3 Jian Guan1,3 1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery & Center of Sleep Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 3Shanghai Key Laboratory of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Communication Science and Disorders/Physiol & Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shankai Yin; Jian Guan Email skyin@sjtu.edu.cn; guanjian0606@sina.comBackground: Cardiac autonomic dysfunction (CAD) is a common pathology in cardiovascular diseases; however, the role of glycolipid metabolic disorders in CAD development in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains poorly understood.Methods: In total, 4152 patients with suspected OSA were recruited in our sleep center. Metabolic characteristics including anthropometric and glycolipid data were collected. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured to assess the risk of CAD; its dose–response relationship with OSA severity was evaluated via restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis. A segmented multivariate linear regression (SMLR) model was used to evaluate the roles of metabolic variables in different stages of OSA.Results: The RCS showed that CAD risk increased in a nonlinear relationship pattern with OSA severity, from slow fluctuation at earlier stages to rapid change in later stages. After integrating the clinical definition and RCS selected knots, we obtained the new four OSA severity stages. SMLR model showed that the overall value of glycolipid variables for prediction of HRV abnormalities was greater than the value of OSA variables at earlier stages, while OSA variables were more effective predictors in more severe stages. The discordance in respective relationship of HRV with metabolic and OSA variables sheds the light how metabolic disorders promoted the development of CAD in OSA, the later further in turn deteriorates cardiac function.Conclusion: These results are indicative of stage-specific involvement of glycolipid metabolic factors underlying CAD nonlinear changes in patients with OSA. Early control glycolipid disorders may help the control of CAD development in patients with OSA.Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea, autonomic nervous system, cardiac autonomic neuropathy, metabolism, heart rate variability

Purpose : This study aimed to verify that adenoid hypertrophy (AH) and rhinosinusitis share similar epidemiologic patterns and that AH and allergic rhinitis (AR) are not related. Methods: Internet search engine query data from January 2011 to December 2019 were retrieved from the Baidu index. Monthly search volume was obtained in China for the following search terms in Chinese: “adenoid hypertrophy,” “rhinosinusitis,” and “allergic rhinitis”; the data obtained were then presented as percentages. Pearson’s and Spearman’ s correlation coefficients were used to detect the correlation among the search volumes of AH, rhinosinusitis, and AR. We also collected search data from the first 5 months of 2020, when segregation was implemented in China due to the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic. Then, we compared the search data to those obtained during the same period in 2019 to detect the effects of segregation on AH and AR to varying degrees. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the search variations of AH and rhinosinusitis during 2011–2019 (R=0.643, P

Background The relationships between apolipoprotein A-I (APOA-I), apolipoprotein B (APOB) with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome (MetS) are unclear in OSA. We aimed to evaluate whether the multiple single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants of APOA-I and APOB exert a collaborative effect on insulin resistance and MetS in OSA. Methods Initially, 12 APOA-I SNPs and 30 APOB SNPs in 5259 subjects were examined. After strict screening, four APOA-I SNPs and five APOB SNPs in 4007 participants were included. For each participant, the genetic risk score (GRS) was calculated based on the cumulative effect of multiple genetic variants of APOA-I and APOB. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between APOA-I/APOB genetic polymorphisms, insulin resistance, and MetS in OSA. Results Serum APOB levels increased the risk of insulin resistance and MetS adjusting for age, gender and BMI [odds ratio (OR = 3.168, P P P = 0.001; OR = 0.870, P P = 0.610), and had weak association with MetS after adjustments (OR = 1.072, P = 0.042). In addition, individuals in the top quintile of the APOA-I genetic score distribution had a lower risk of insulin resistance and MetS after adjustments (OR = 0.761, P = 0.007; OR = 0.637, P Conclusions In patients with OSA, cumulative effects of APOA-I genetic variations decreased the risk of insulin resistance and MetS, whereas multiple APOB genetic variations had no associations with insulin resistance and weak association with MetS.

Background Although long-term retention of a ventilation tube is required in many ear diseases, spontaneous removal of conventional ventilation tube is observed in patients within 3 to 12 mo. To address this issue, we aimed to determine a new method for long-term retention of the ventilation tube. Aim To explore the value of removing the biofilm for long-term retention of tympanostomy ventilation tubes. Methods A case-control study design was used to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of long-term tube retention by directly removing the biofilm (via surgical exfoliation) in patients who underwent myringotomy with ventilation tube placement. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: Control group and treatment group. Patients in the treatment group underwent regular biofilm exfoliation surgery in the clinic, whereas those in the control group did not have their biofilm removed. Only conventional ventilation tubes were placed in this study. Outcome measures were tube position and patency. Tube retention time and any complications were documented. Results Eight patients with biofilm removal and eight patients without biofilm removal as a control group were enrolled in the study. The tympanostomy tube retention time was significantly longer in the treatment group (43.5 ± 26.4 mo) than in the control group (9.5 ± 6.9 mo) (P = 0.003). More tympanostomy tubes were found to be patent and in correct position in the treatment group during the follow-up intervals than in the control group (P = 0.01). Conclusion Despite the use of short-term ventilation tubes, direct biofilm removal can be a well-tolerated and effective treatment for long-term tube retention of tympanostomy ventilation tubes in patients who underwent myringotomy.

Additional file 1: Table S1. Basic characteristics of the top vs bottom quintile APOA GRS; Table S2. Basic characteristics of the top vs bottom quintile APOB GRS; Table S3. The associations between SNPs with insulin resistance and MetS. Table S4. Linear regression of APOA GRS with clinical characteristics; Table S5. Linear regression of APOB GRS with clinical characteristics; Table S6. The stepwise multivariate linear regression model for predicting HOMA-IR.

Due to the similarity of the biomarker characteristics of the source rocks of different layers, the progress of the oil source research of the Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin is difficult and slow, which highlights the shortcomings of traditional research methods. Given this, this paper uses the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis results of a large volume of samples of the Yanchang Formation in the basin as the dataset, and performs an exploratory application of the factor analysis (FA, a multivariate statistical method) to analyze the molecular geochemical characteristics of organic matter, with an aim to find features that have not been noticed in the past, and give a reasonable explanation for the oil source. The findings are summarized as below: with the help of multivariate (31 molecular geochemical parameters are introduced), FA can quantify many geochemical properties of samples well, which brings convenience to research. Based on the results, it was found that parameters such as C26TT/C25TT, sterane/hopane, and ΣC19-26TT/C30αβ can effectively distinguish the samples of different areas and layers, and it is further believed that the Chang 9 source rock has higher contributions to adjacent layers (mainly the Chang 8–Chang 10 oil groups) in areas where it is abundant (mainly the Wuqi-Zhidan area), while in the other areas and layers, oil is mostly attributed to the Chang 7 source rock.

Inner ear formation requires that a series of cell fate decisions and morphogenetic events occur in a precise temporal and spatial pattern. Previous studies have shown that transcription factors, including Pax2, Sox2, and Prox1, play important roles during the inner ear development. However, the temporospatial expression patterns among these transcription factors are poorly understood. In the current study, we present a comprehensive description of the temporal and spatial expression profiles of Pax2, Sox2, and Prox1 during auditory and vestibular sensory organ development in mice. Using immunohistochemical analyses, we show that Sox2 and Pax2 are both expressed in the prosensory cells (the developing hair cells), but Sox2 is later restricted to only the supporting cells of the organ of Corti. In the vestibular sensory organ, however, the Pax2 expression is localized in hair cells at postnatal day 7, while Sox2 is still expressed in both the hair cells and supporting cells at that time. Prox1 was transiently expressed in the presumptive hair cells and developing supporting cells, and lower Prox1 expression was observed in the vestibular sensory organ compared to the organ of Corti. The different expression patterns of these transcription factors in the developing auditory and vestibular sensory organs suggest that they play different roles in the development of the sensory epithelia and might help to shape the respective sensory structures.

Tight sandstone gas characterized by a wide distribution, local enrichment and a complex gas–water distribution has high exploration potential. This study, using the Xujiahe Formation in the Guang’an gas field as an example, aims to determine the main controlling factors of the enrichment of tight gas through comprehensive analyses of the source rock and reservoir characteristics, pressure evolution and structural effects by using various methods including well logging, geochemistry, mercury injection, reservoir physical properties and formation pressure. The results show that the proximal-source, interbedded hydrocarbon accumulation results from a dispersed hydrocarbon supply, which is the root cause of the widely distributed tight sandstone gas. The abnormally high reservoir pressure caused the enrichment of tight sandstone gas even under insufficient hydrocarbon generation dynamics; in addition, natural gas preferentially accumulated in the relatively high-quality reservoirs under the same hydrocarbon supply, which means that differences in the reservoir physical properties control gas charge in the reservoir. Structure controls the gas–water differentiation under the stable tectonic background, and the higher the structure is, the more abundant the gas–water differentiation is, and the easier pure gas reservoirs form. Therefore, the accumulation and enrichment of tight sandstone gas in the Xujiahe Formation is controlled by source rocks, abnormally high reservoir pressure and the physical properties and structure of the reservoir.

Background The pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) has not been fully elucidated. This study sought to explore the role and mechanism of transient receptor potential canonical channel 6 (TRPC6) in the pathogenesis of CRSwNP. Methods Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was employed to evaluate TRPC6 immunolabeling. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted to assay TRPC6, stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), and calcium release-activated calcium channel protein 1 (Orai1) messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in 70 patients with CRSwNP, including eosinophilic CRSwNP (ECRSwNP) or non-eosinophilic CRSwNP (nECRSwNP), and 28 control subjects. The concentrations of inflammatory mediators, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-5, and IL-25, were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In experiments on human nasal epithelial cell (HNEC) culture and stimulation, the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of intracellular Ca2+ was assayed by flow cytometry. Western blotting, real-time PCR, and ELISA were also conducted to assess the effects and mechanisms of TRPC6 activator 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol (OAG) and TRPC6 inhibitor 1-[2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propoxy]ethyl-1H-imidazole (SKF-96365) on HNECs. Results Upregulation of TRPC6, STIM1, and Orai1 levels was found in CRSwNP patients, particularly in those with ECRSwNP. TRPC6-positive cells correlated positively with the numbers of eosinophils and neutrophils, respectively. Moreover, TRPC6 mRNA was positively correlated with STIM1 and Orai1 mRNA levels. The concentrations of inflammatory mediators, including IL-1β, IL-5, and IL-25, were elevated in CRSwNP, especially in ECRSwNP. In cultured HNECs, TRPC6, STIM1, Orai1, Ca2+ MFI levels, and inflammatory mediators were upregulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and OAG but were inhibited by SKF-96365. Conclusion TRPC6 plays a pro-inflammatory role in the pathogenesis of CRSwNP via regulating Ca2+ flow.

The distribution pattern of oil and gas in the western part of central Sichuan Basin is complicated, there are many different views on the sources of natural gas, which restrict further exploration and deployment of oilfields. Therefore, by analyzing geochemical characteristics and quantitative calculation of natural gas in study area, combined with the data of structure and gas-oil ratio, the origin and sources of gas are discussed and analyzed. The results show that the dryness coefficient of the natural gas ranges between 0.71 ∼ 0.93, δ13C values range between −45.3 ∼ −38.0‰ in methane, −32.0 ∼ −25.6‰ in ethane and −30.0 ∼ −25.3‰ in propane. Crossplots of isotope data and quantitative calculation indicate that natural gas in Da'anzhai Member is characterized by the mixture of sapropelic and humic natural gas, the humic gas largely occupies the proportion of 20–40%, up to 70%. It is the result of upward migration of natural gas in Triassic Xujiahe Formation. The abnormally high gas-oil ratio is an important manifestation of this upward intrusion. Based on the study of high gas-oil ratio wells, the distribution of humic natural gas that intruded from Xujiahe Formation and enriched in Da'anzhai Member is unevenly distributed. It inherits characteristics of “Plaque accumulation” of natural gas in Xujiahe Formation. The inhomogeneity of this plane distribution is controlled by fault location, fault scale and the size of underlying Xujiahe Formation gas reservoirs. The humic gas from Xujiahe Formation occupies a large proportion in blocks of Da'anzhai Member which are favorable for intrusion, accumulation and preservation of Xujiahe Formation natural gas, whereas for blocks without these conditions, natural gas is often associated gas.

// Yiqun Fu 1,2,3,* , Huajun Xu 1,2,3,* , Yunyan Xia 1,2,3,* , Yingjun Qian 1,2,3 , Xinyi Li 1,2,3 , Jianyin Zou 1,2,3 , Yuyu Wang 1,2,3 , Lili Meng 1,2 , Xulan Tang 1,2 , Huaming Zhu 1,2 , Huiqun Zhou 1,2 , Kaiming Su 1,2 , Dongzhen Yu 1,2 , Hongliang Yi 1,2 , Jian Guan 1,2 and Shankai Yin 1,2 1 Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery & Center of Sleep Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China 2 Otolaryngological Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China 3 Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China * These authors have contributed equally to this paper Correspondence to: Jian Guan, email: // Hongliang Yi, email: // Shankai Yin, email: // Keywords : excessive daytime sleepiness, metabolic syndrome, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea Received : October 29, 2016 Accepted : June 18, 2017 Published : July 08, 2017 Abstract Purpose: Excessive daytime sleepiness is a common symptom in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Previous studies have showed that excessive daytime sleepiness is associated with some individual components of metabolic syndrome. We performed a large cross-sectional study to explore the relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness and metabolic syndrome in male OSA patients. Methods: A total of 2241 suspected male OSA patients were consecutively recruited from 2007 to 2013. Subjective daytime sleepiness was assessed using the Epworth sleepiness scale. Anthropometric, metabolic, and polysomnographic parameters were measured. Metabolic score was used to evaluate the severity of metabolic syndrome. Results: Among the male OSA patients, most metabolic parameters varied by excessive daytime sleepiness. In the severe group, male OSA patients with excessive daytime sleepiness were more obese, with higher blood pressure, more severe insulin resistance and dyslipidemia than non-sleepy patients. Patients with metabolic syndrome also had a higher prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness and scored higher on the Epworth sleepiness scale. Excessive daytime sleepiness was independently associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio =1.242, 95% confidence interval: 1.019-1.512). No substantial interaction was observed between excessive daytime sleepiness and OSA/ obesity. Conclusions: Excessive daytime sleepiness was related to metabolic disorders and independently associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in men with OSA. Excessive daytime sleepiness should be taken into consideration for OSA patients, as it may be a simple and useful clinical indicator for evaluating the risk of metabolic syndrome.

To evaluate the effectiveness of thalidomide for epistaxis in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), 7 HHT patients with recurrent epistaxis were treated with thalidomide at an initial dose of 50 mg/d, gradually increasing to 100 mg/d if needed. The Epistaxis Severity Score (ESS) was used to evaluate the treatment effects. Patients reported that epistaxis improved 1 to 3 weeks after starting thalidomide. The mean ESS before treatment, at the end of treatment, and 3 months after stopping treatment was 5.03 ± 2.05, 0.90 ± 0.84 ( P = .003), and 1.98 ± 1.33 ( P = .006), respectively. Four patients reported mild to moderate side effects, including drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, nausea, and peripheral neuropathy. Two patients stopped the treatment because of adverse effects. Those results showed that thalidomide may be a treatment choice for recurrent epistaxis in HHT patients, although the side effects should be considered. Further study should focus on guidelines for dosing and course and investigate how to reduce the adverse effects.

Inherited hearing loss is associated with gene mutations that result in sensory hair cell (HC) malfunction. HC structure is defined by the cytoskeleton, which is mainly composed of actin filaments and actin-binding partners. LIM motif-containing protein kinases (LIMKs) are the primary regulators of actin dynamics and consist of two members: LIMK1 and LIMK2. Actin arrangement is directly involved in the regulation of cytoskeletal structure and the maturation of synapses in the central nervous system, and LIMKs are involved in structural plasticity by controlling the activation of the actin depolymerization protein cofilin in the olfactory system and in the hippocampus. However, the expression pattern and the role of LIMKs in mouse cochlear development and synapse function also need to be further studied. We show here that the Limk genes are expressed in the mouse cochlea. We examined the morphology and the afferent synapse densities of HCs and measured the auditory function in Limk1 and Limk2 double knockout (DKO) mice. We found that the loss of Limk1 and Limk2 did not appear to affect the overall development of the cochlea, including the number of HCs and the structure of hair bundles. There were no significant differences in auditory thresholds between DKO mice and wild-type littermates. However, the expression of p-cofilin in the DKO mice was significantly decreased. Additionally, no significant differences were found in the number or distribution of ribbon synapses between the DKO and wild-type mice. In summary, our data suggest that the Limk genes play a different role in the development of the cochlea compared to their role in the central nervous system.

Object Expanded endonasal approaches have dramatically changed how skull base surgery is performed, and nasoseptal flap (NSF) has significantly improved skull base reconstruction. However, challenges remain when the pterygopalatine artery is invaded by tumors; when it must be sacrificed to approach the lateral sphenoidal recess; when late-occurrence leak occurs in the sella after transsphenoidal surgery; and also when the leak is on the posterior wall of the frontal sinus, which is too distant for NSF to reach. This article describes a septal floor rotational flap pedicled on ethmoidal arteries for endoscopic skull base reconstruction in certain cases. Study design Case series. Method In this article, we retrospectively review a series of 19 patients who underwent skull base reconstruction with a septal floor rotational flap pedicled on the ethmoidal arteries. Result All 19 flaps, including the anterior and posterior artery pedicled flaps, survived without significant complications, and no postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak occurred during follow-up. Conclusion Ethmoidal arteries pedicled septal floor rotational flap, with their strong blood supply and large coverage area, are ideal replacements for NSF. These flaps are qualified in locations ranging from the posterior wall of the frontal sinus to the lateral sphenoidal recess and in cases ranging from tumor invading the pterygopalatine fossa to sellar late-occurred leak after transsphenoidal surgery. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 129:2696-2701, 2019.

Petroleum exploration in the Ordos Basin gradually expanded to the edge of the basin, but encountered difficulties on the southwestern edge. Compared with mature exploration areas inside the basin, the nature of reservoir fluids in the southwestern area is more complex. In order to better understand the oil/gas system in this area, this study conducted a detailed research on the geochemical characteristics of potential source rocks and reservoir fluids in this area. The results show that although the Chang 7 oil group in the study area developed thicker mudstone and has a high abundance of organic matter, the low degree of thermal evolution limits its hydrocarbon production. The Chang 8 oil in the study area is the result of lateral migration of products from mature source rocks inside the basin, which can be explained by the similar biomarker characteristics and gradually changing nitrogen compounds between them. Anaerobic biodegradation is an important factor that complicates the fluid properties in the study area. It not only thickens part of the oil, but also produces secondary biogenic natural gas, mainly methane.

Background Dyslipidaemia is an intermediary exacerbation factor for various diseases but the impact of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) on dyslipidaemia remains unclear. Methods A total of 3582 subjects with suspected OSA consecutively admitted to our hospital sleep centre were screened and 2983 (2422 with OSA) were included in the Shanghai Sleep Health Study. OSA severity was quantified using the apnoea–hypopnea index (AHI), the oxygen desaturation index and the arousal index. Biochemical indicators and anthropometric data were also collected. The relationship between OSA severity and the risk of dyslipidaemia was evaluated via ordinal logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis and multivariate linear regressions. Results The RCS mapped a nonlinear dose–effect relationship between the risk of dyslipidaemia and OSA severity, and yielded knots of the AHI (9.4, 28.2, 54.4 and 80.2). After integrating the clinical definition and RCS-selected knots, all subjects were regrouped into four AHI severity stages. Following segmented multivariate linear modelling of each stage, distinguishable sets of OSA risk factors were quantified: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein E and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); body mass index and/or waist to hip ratio; and HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides were specifically associated with stage I, stages II and III, and stages II–IV with different OSA indices. Conclusions Our study revealed the multistage and non-monotonic relationships between OSA and dyslipidaemia and quantified the relationships between OSA severity indexes and distinct risk factors for specific OSA severity stages. Our study suggests that a new interpretive and predictive strategy for dynamic assessment of the risk progression over the clinical course of OSA should be adopted.

Nasal septal deviation (NSD) has a significant impact on patients' quality of life; however, there have been limited studies examining the psychological status of NSD patients. In this study, symptoms of depression and anxiety were investigated between NSD patients and controls using a self-report questionnaire.A case-control study design was used to evaluate the psychological burden of NSD in patients who visited the general hospital. The control group comprised of ENT outpatients without a history of chronic nasal disease. The Zung Self-rating Anxiety/Depression Scale (SDS/SAS) was used to evaluate the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression between the NSD and control group.Seventy-six patients with NSD and 79 control patients were enrolled in the study. We found that depression and anxiety, as well as the co-morbidity of depression with anxiety, were more common in the NSD group in comparison to the control (39.5% vs 22.8%, p = 0.025; 38.2% vs 15.2%, p = 0.001; and 27.6% vs 11.4%, p = 0.011, respectively). The average SDS and SAS score was higher in NSD patients compared to controls (SDS: 49.7 ± 13.1 vs 45.2 ± 10.4, p = 0.019 and SAS: 48.1 ± 11.6 vs 41.3 ± 9.3, p 0.001, respectively), and NSD patients were found to have more severe levels of anxiety and depression.Depression and anxiety are more common and severe in patients with NSD. Therefore, psychological distress should be taken into consideration during the diagnostic and therapeutic process for patients with NSD.

Solid bitumen not only strongly damages the reservoir properties, but it is easily confused with oil and gas in the conventional classification logging interpretation, which seriously affects the effective recognition of oil and gas. Thus, it leads to a deceptive estimation of the reserve. Focusing on the above problems, this study takes Jurassic solid bitumen-containing reservoirs from the Santai-Northern Santai area in the Junggar Basin as an example, and aims to quantitatively evaluate the impact of solid bitumen on the porosity, permeability, resistivity, AC (Acoustic) and NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), with a comparison between the values of these parameters before and after core bitumen dissolution, as well as to establish an NMR identification method for solid bitumen. The results show that solid bitumen can damage the pore structure of the reservoir and cause a reduction of porosity and permeability. The content of solid bitumen is linearly correlated with the change of porosity and permeability. After solid bitumen dissolved, the resistivity decreased, the longitudinal wave time difference (Vp) and shear wave time difference (Vs) increased, and the shear wave time difference changed noticeably. The content of solid bitumen is exponentially correlated with the change of resistivity, and linearly correlated with the change of longitudinal wave time difference and shear wave time difference. Solid bitumen had a short transverse relaxation time and a response range of 10–1000 μs (Peak 1) on the T2 map. Bitumen-containing sandstone had 3 peaks on the T2 map. Peak 1 decreased, while Peaks 2 and 3 increased after the solid bitumen dissolved. Solid bitumen can be characterized by a typical short time lag of the transverse wave, a bigger density porosity than the NMR porosity and small values of T1LM and T2LM, which led to an effective recognition of the layers of solid bitumen. The results are significant for the exploration and development of oilfields.

Aging and exposure to noise or ototoxic drugs are major causes of hair cell death leading to human hearing loss, and many agents have been developed to protect hair cells from apoptosis. Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is a fundamental ingredient in the culture medium of hair cell-like House Ear Institute Organ of Corti 1 (HEI-OC-1) cells, but there have been no reports about the function of FBS in HEI-OC-1 cell apoptosis. In this study, we found that FBS deprivation alone significantly increased HEI-OC-1 cell apoptosis in the absence of neomycin exposure and that the presence of FBS significantly inhibited HEI-OC-1 cell apoptosis after neomycin exposure compared to FBS-deprived cells. Further, we found that the protective effect of FBS was dose dependent and more effective than the growth factors B27, N2, EGF, bFGF, IGF-1, and heparan sulfate. We also found that FBS deprivation significantly disrupted the expression level of mitochondrial proteins, increased pro-apoptotic gene expression, decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased reactive oxygen species accumulation in HEI-OC-1 cells after neomycin exposure. These findings indicate that FBS is involved in maintaining the level of mitochondrial proteins, maintaining the balance of oxidant gene expression, and preventing the accumulation of ROS, and thus FBS maintains normal mitochondrial function and inhibits apoptosis in HEI-OC-1 cells after neomycin exposure.

To evaluate the potential ototoxicity of high-dose celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor.Prospective animal study.Laboratory.Twenty adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups for hearing and tinnitus tests, respectively. The auditory brain-stem response (ABR) and the gap prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle (GPIAS) were used as indicators of hearing loss and tinnitus, respectively, and were measured before and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours after administration of celecoxib (2 g/kg) via gavage.ABR threshold and wave III latencies did not increase significantly at any frequency following celecoxib administration, at any time point (P.05). GPIAS remained below 30% after celecoxib, from a baseline of 20.03% ± 3.62%; no change was significant.High-dose celecoxib (2 g/kg), a selective COX-2 inhibitor, did not cause hearing loss or tinnitus in Sprague Dawley rats within 48 hours of administration. Further studies are needed to explore the roles played by COX-related mechanisms when nonselective COX inhibitors induce ototoxicity.