Search

This study aimed to assess the application of ultrasonography for preoperative diagnosis of retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF). A total of 51 patients with clinically suspected RPF underwent transabdominal ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided histopathologic biopsy (tAU-UGHB). Retroperitoneal fibrosis was diagnosed in 35 patients; of these, 31 cases (88.6%) received a diagnosis using tAU-UGHB. The ultrasonographic images mainly showed solid, irregular isoechoic masses, which were present behind the retroperitoneum and surrounded the abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, and ureters and had clear borders with the encapsulated structures. Compared with other retroperitoneal lesions, RPF lesions were mainly located below the initial level of the renal artery, and their internal flow signals were not rich (P < 0.05). Retroperitoneal fibrosis had characteristic ultrasonographic features, and color Doppler ultrasound-guided biopsy could be positioned accurately, safely, and efficiently; therefore, tAU-UGHB can be used as an effective modality for preoperative diagnosis of RPF.

Previous epidemiologic studies that have been reported on the association between cigarette smoking and risk of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) have remained controversial. A comprehensive meta-analysis was performed to evaluate smoking as a potential relationship factor and incidence of CML.Systematic literatures collected from articles published before August 2015 were searched from PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. A total of 10 studies (nine case-controls and one cohort) met inclusion criteria of this meta-analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the strength of the association between cigarette smoking and risk of CML in this study. Quality assessments were performed on the studies with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. I2 index was used to evaluate heterogeneity. Finally, publication bias was assessed through funnel plots and Begger's test.No significant association was observed between ever-smokers and CML when compared among non-smokers (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.99-1.29) or between subgroups stratified by smoking history, gender, geographical region, study design and source of patients. Our results demonstrate that this association was stronger in individuals who smoked20 cigarettes/day (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.06-2.79) vs. individuals who smoked20 cigarettes/day (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.55-2.81). Moreover, cumulative smoking of15, 15-30 and30 pack-years was associated with ORs of 1.22, 1.32 and 1.39, respectively (P 0.001, for trend).This meta-analysis suggests that smoking may significantly increase the risk of CML in a dose-dependent manner. However, additional well-designed, prospective cohort studies are required to verify these findings and identify other risk factors associated with CML.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the growth of meromorphic functions with a radially distributed value. The paper is closely related to a more recent result due to Fang and Zalcman [M.L. Fang and L. Zalcman, On the value distribution of f + a(f′) n , Sci. China Ser. A-Math. 38(2008), 279–285].

ON THE GROWTH OF MEROMORPHIC FUNCTIONS WITH A RADIALLY DISTRIBUTED VALUE

To analyze the echocardiographic standardized myocardial segmentation features in patients with left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC).Echocardiographic characteristics of 9 patients with LVNC were analyzed and the localization of lesions were determined according to the standardized myocardial segmentation (SMS) recommended by American Heart Association (AHA).Loose trabeculation in the myocardial lesions were evidenced in all LVNC patients. Communication between deep intertrabecular recess and LV cavity was evident with color flow imaging. According to SMS of AHA, noncompaction of ventricular myocardium was localized in apical segment in all 9 patients, in apical segment of the inferior wall (IW) in 9 patients, in apical segment of the lateral wall (LW) in 7 patients, in middle segment (MS) of IW in 7 patients, in MS of LW in 6 patients. One NC segment was also evidenced in apical segment and MS of septal ventricular wall, basal segment of IW and LW and right ventricular apex, respectively. NC was not found in left ventricular anterior wall.Echocardiographic standardized myocardial segmentation is helpful to diagnose LVNC and NC was mostly localized in the apical segments of LVNC patients.

Tension control of press is a key and difficult point of the whole machine control. The stand or fall of tension is directly related to the quality of the products. According to the characteristics of the web press tension control, this paper expounds the main factors influencing tension and the purpose of tension control, researches on the tension control principle of web tape, analyzes control rule and control circuit of tension control system, illustrates the advantages of PID control law adopted in the tension control system, and concludes the influencing factors of paper tape tension control system and the corresponding problems needed to solve in the control.