OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the most useful ultrasound (US) features associated with definite neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and their prognostic values, particularly the calculated markers combined with important features. METHODS: A total of 213 suspected NEC cases were collected from the neonatal department of our hospital from January 2015 to August 2017. Each infant received both X-ray and US examinations. RESULTS: No differences were found in sex composition and delivery modes between groups. NEC-positive neonates had poorer prognosis compared to negative ones. The NEC group showed a higher frequency of abnormal signals. US showed higher NEC-related frequencies in different parameters. A variable (named predictor in US [PUS]) with five features was constructed. For NEC diagnosis, this variable provided a much higher area under the curve Q2 (AUC) (0.965) than other parameters. In this model, PUS had a cutoff value of 0.376 with a 0.900 sensitivity and 0.922 specificity. In prognosis, the closest factors were selected to draw a receiver operating characteristic curve, as well as a novel calculated variable US prognostic (USPro) marker. USPro had a much higher AUC (0.86) than other single features and showed a cutoff value of 0.18145, with 0.75 sensitivity and 0.84 specificity. This variable had a weaker power in prognosis when compared with PUS in diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The application of abdominal color Doppler US can provide high accuracy and sensitivity in NEC diagnosis and also contribute to its prognosis, without induction of radiation. Suspected neonates should be examined using this technique as early as possible.

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Descrever o caso de uma paciente diabética que desenvolveu osteomielite vertebral e abcesso bilateral do psoas com formação de gás causada por klebsiella pneumoniae. MÉTODOS: Uma mulher de 64 anos de idade, com 4 anos de histórico de diabetes mellitus tipo 2, foi admitida no Serviço de Emergência. A paciente apresentava um quadro de dias de febre alta acompanhada de calafrios e um histórico de 5 horas de consciência. Ela recebeu tratamento empírico com antitérmico, após o qual a febre diminuiu. RESULTADOS: A febre retornou após um intervalo de três horas. Uma tomografia computadorizada do abdome revelou osteomielite vertebral e abcesso bilateral do músculo psoas com formação de gás. A cultura do sangue e o fluido purulento revelaram o crescimento de Klebsiella pneumoniae. A paciente recebeu antibióticos e terapia de drenagem bilateral após o cateter de drenagem ser posicionado na cavidade do abscesso com auxílio de TC. Devido a sérios danos à coluna vertebral e a dor permanente, a paciente foi submetida à fixação vertebral interna minimamente invasiva e recuperou-se com sucesso. CONCLUSÃO: Um caso de osteomielite vertebral e abscesso do psoas bilateral com a formação de gás causada por Klebsiella pneumoniae em uma paciente diabética. Antibioticoterapia, drenagem e fixação vertebral interna minimamente invasiva foram realizadas, o que permitiu um bom resultado.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: We describe the case of a diabetic patient who developed vertebral osteomyelitis and bilateral psoas abscess with gas formation due to klebsiella pneumoniae. METHODS: A 64-year-old woman with a 4-year history of type-2 diabetes mellitus was admitted to the Emergency Department. The subject had a 2-day history of high-grade fever associated with chills and a 5-hour history of consciousness. She received empirical treatment with febrifuge, after which her fever decreased. RESULTS: Her fever recurred after an interval of three hours. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed vertebral osteomyelitis and bilateral psoas muscle abscess with gas formation. Blood culture and purulent fluid described the growth of the Klebsiella pneumoniae. The patient received antibiotic therapy and bilateral drainage therapy after the drainage catheter was placed into the abscess cavity by CT-guidance. Due to the serious damage to the vertebral column and permanent pain, the patient underwent minimally invasive internal spinal fixation and recovered successfully. CONCLUSION: A case of vertebral osteomyelitis and bilateral psoas abscess with gas formation caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae in a diabetic patient. Antibiotic therapy, drainage, and minimally invasive internal spinal fixation were performed, which enabled a good outcome.

ABSTRACT The effects of quenching process on microstructure and hardness of High-Boron High-Speed Steel (HB-HSS) containing 0.4%C-6.0%Cr-4.0%Mo-1.0%V-1.0%Si-0.5Mn-x%B-y%Al (x=1.0, 1.5, 2.0, y=1.0, 2.0, 3.0) were investigated by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Rockwell hardness tester. The experimental results indicate that the quenching microstructure of HB-HSS consists of α-Fe, M2(B, C), M7(B, C)3 and a few of M23(C, B)6 。With the increase of quenching temperature, the net structure of borocarbides is damaged and the borocarbides are evenly distributed in the matrix. When the quenching temperature is 1050 °C, the Rockwell hardness of HB-HSS increases with the increase of boron content. The Rockwell hardness of HB-HSS decreases with the increase of aluminum content. When the quenching temperature is 1050 °C, the aluminum content is 1.0% and boron content is 1.0%-2.0%, the combination of the microstructure and the hardness of HB-HSS is the best.

RESUMO A qualidade do sabor das frutas cítricas é amplamente determinada pela relação açúcar- ácido, mas permanece incerto como enzimas metabolizadoras de açúcar e / ou do ácido regulam a relação açúcarácido de laranjas de umbigo e depois afetarem a qualidade dos frutos. No presente estudo, laranjas de umbigo Robertson (Citrus sinensis Osb.) foram coletadas de seis habitats representativos em três ecorregiões do Sichuan, na China. As mudanças na relação açúcar-ácido e as atividades da síntese de sacarose fosfato (SPS), síntese de sacarose (SS), aconitase citossólica (ACO) e isocitrato desidrogenase (IDH) foram examinadas em laranjas de umbigo durante o desenvolvimento dos frutos. Os resultados indicaram que a relação açúcar-ácido de frutas em diferentes ecorregiões alterou significativamente a partir de 150 dias após a plena floração. O SPS e as atividades ACO citossólicas das frutas tiveram pequenas alterações entrediferentes ecorregiões ao longo dos períodos experimentais, enquanto que as atividades da SS e IDH alteraram significativamente em frutas entre três ecorregiões. Além disso, a relação açúcar-ácido e as atividades da SS na direção sintética e IDH foram as mais elevadas em regiões subtropicais sul e as mais baixas nas regiões do meio-subtropical norte, provavelmente devido aos efeitos das condições climáticas e / ou outros fatores-ecológicos. Demonstrou-se que a SS na direção sintética e IDH foram de maior importância na regulação da relação açúcar-ácido de laranjas de umbigo em diferentes ecorregiões, que forneceu novas descobertas sobre os fatores que determinam a qualidade do sabor das laranjas de umbigo e dados valiosos para orientar práticas agrícolas relevantes.

ABSTRACT The flavor quality of citrus fruits is largely determined by the sugar-acid ratio, but it remains uncertain how sugar- and/or acid-metabolizing enzymes regulate the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges and further affect the fruit quality. In the present study, Robertson navel oranges (Citrus sinesis Osb.) were collected from six representative habitats in three eco-regions of Sichuan, China. The changes in the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SS), cytosolic cio-aconitase (ACO), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) were examined in navel oranges during fruit development. The results indicated that the sugar-acid ratio of fruits in different eco-regions changed significantly from 150 days after full bloom. The SPS and cytosolic ACO fruit activities had minor changes among different ecoregions throughout the experimental periods, whereas the activities of SS and IDH changed significantly in fruits among three eco-regions. Furthermore, the sugar-acid ratio and the activities of SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were the highest in south subtropics and the lowest in north mid-subtropics, probably due to the effects of climate conditions and/or other relevant eco-factors. It demonstrated that SS in the synthetic direction and IDH were of greater importance in regulating the sugar-acid ratio of navel oranges in different eco-regions, which provided new insights into the factors that determine the flavor quality of navel oranges and valuable data for guiding relevant agricultural practices.

The analytic mean field potential (AMFP) approach is applied to the poly-exponential model solid. The analytic expressions for the Helmholtz free energy, internal energy and equation of state (EOS) are derived. The formalism for the case of the double-exponential (DE) model is applied to fcc C84. One set of potential parameters are determined by fitting the experimental compression data of C84 up to 9.24 GPa at ambient temperature (297 K). The equilibrium distance and well depth for C60, C70 and C84 molecules are plotted. The thermophysical properties including the isothermals, thermal expansion, isochoric heat capacity, Helmholtz free energy and internal energy are calculated and analyzed. The theoretical results agree well with the experimental data available of C84. Basing the results of our calculations, we may also predict the behaviors of C84 at extreme conditions.