Abstract Objectives: The Lateral Arm Free Flap (LAFF) offers advantageous features like variable thickness and minimal hair growth. LAFF is primarily used in orofacial and pharyngeal reconstructions, with limited reports on tracheal/esophageal applications. Also, the psychological prognosis and quality of life in patients with LAFF reconstruction are lacking. Methods: This retrospective case series presents outcomes of LAFF reconstruction for head and neck surgical defects which included 19 patients. The disease type, location of reconstruction, TNM staging, tumor size, chemoradiation status, anxiety, depression, quality of life and detailed perioperative information of the LAFF reconstruction surgery were presented in a descriptive pattern. Subgroup analysis was conducted using Mann–Whitney U and Pearson r test Conclusions: The lateral arm free flap exhibits remarkable versatility and multifunctionality, providing advantageous outcomes in head and neck reconstruction. Level of evidence: Level 4 according to OCEBM.

Abstract Background: The negative effects of visceral adiposity accumulation on cardiovascular health have drawn much attention. However, the association between the Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) and Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC) has never been reported before. The authors aimed to investigate the association between the VAI and AAC in US adults. Methods: Cross-sectional data were derived from the 2013 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of participants with complete data of VAI and AAC scores. Weighted multivariable regression and logistic regression analysis were conducted to explore the independent relationship between VAI and AAC. Subgroup analysis and interaction tests were also performed. Results: A total of 2958 participants were enrolled and participants in the higher VAI tertile tended to have a higher mean AAC score and prevalence of severe AAC. In the fully adjusted model, a positive association between VAI and AAC score and severe AAC was observed (β = 0.04, 95% CI 0.01‒0.08; OR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01‒1.07). Participants in the highest VAI tertile had a 0.41-unit higher AAC score (β = 0.41, 95% CI 0.08‒0.73) and a significantly 68% higher risk of severe AAC than those in the lowest VAI tertile (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.04‒2.71). Subgroup analysis and interaction tests indicated that there was no dependence for the association of VAI and AAC. Conclusion: Visceral adiposity accumulation evaluated by the VAI was associated with a higher AAC score and an increased likelihood of severe AAC.

RESUMO CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) é um patógeno infeccioso crônico com alta prevalência. Este estudo investigou a interação entre exposição à fumaça ambiental do tabaco (FAT) e infecção pelo H. pylori sobre a incidência de amigdalite crônica em crianças chinesas. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal desenvolvido num ambulatório na China. MÉTODOS: Pacientes pediátricos com amigdalite crônica foram recrutados. A infecção por H. pylori foi determinada segundo a presença de anticorpos H. pylori CagA IgG. Foi determinado o nível de cotinina sérica e exposição à FAT de todos os participantes. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença significativa entre crianças com amigdalite crônica na infecção por H. pylori e sem amidalite, mas existia diferença significativa na FAT entre os dois grupos (P = 0,011). Em seguida, estudamos a associação entre FAT e amigdalite crônica com base no status de infecção por H. pylori. Nos pacientes com infecção por H. pylori, houve diferença significativa na distribuição de FAT entre os grupos de amigdalite crônica e controle (P = 0,022). Tomando os participantes sem FAT como referência, a análise de regressão logística multivariada mostrou que aqueles com alta FAT tinha maior susceptibilidade à amigdalite crônica (OR ajustado IC = 2,33, 95%: 1,67-3,25, ajustado P < 0,001). No entanto, naqueles sem infecção por H. pylori, a FAT não predispôs a amigdalite crônica. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos achados sugerem que a exposição ao tabaco é um fator de risco para amigdalite crônica em crianças com infecção por H. pylori.

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a chronic infectious pathogen with high prevalence. This study investigated the interaction between environmental tobacco exposure and H. pylori infection on the incidence of chronic tonsillitis in Chinese children. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study performed in an outpatient clinic in China. METHODS: Pediatric patients with chronic tonsillitis were enrolled. H. pylori infection was determined according to the presence of H. pylori CagA IgG antibodies. Serum cotinine levels and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure were determined for all participants. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in H. pylori infection between the children with chronic tonsillitis and children free of disease, but there was a significant difference in ETS between the two groups (P = 0.011). We next studied the association between ETS and chronic tonsillitis based on H. pylori infection status. In the patients with H. pylori infection, there was a significant difference in ETS distribution between the chronic tonsillitis and control groups (P = 0.022). Taking the participants without ETS as the reference, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that those with high ETS had higher susceptibility to chronic tonsillitis (adjusted OR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.67-3.25; adjusted P < 0.001). However, among those without H. pylori infection, ETS did not predispose towards chronic tonsillitis. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that tobacco exposure should be a putative mediator risk factor to chronic tonsillitis among children with H. pylori infection.

Iron nitride films were deposited by radio frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering at different bias voltages. It was found that the composition, structure and magnetic properties of the iron nitride films were strongly dependent on the depositing bias voltage. With a bias voltage of –50 V, the iron nitride film is fully dense and has a homogenous microstructure consisting of α-Fe and Fe16N2, leading to a unique combination of high Ms of 1645 emu/cc, Hc of 5 Oe and μi of 1573.

Se ha convertido en una maleza importante en hábitats de agua dulce en ríos, lagos y embalses, tanto en zonas tropicales como templadas de todo el mundo. Algunas investigaciones han indicado que se puede utilizar para la fitorremediación de agua, debido a su fuerte asimilación de nitrógeno y fósforo, y la acumulación de metales pesados, su crecimiento y propagación puede desempeñar un papel importante en la ecología ambiental. Con el fin de explorar el mecanismo molecular de respuesta a la deficiencia de nitrógeno en E. crassipes, se construyeron bibliotecas de cDNA mediante síntesis adelantada y retrasada para raíces de E. crassipes en condiciones de deficiencia de nitrógeno mediante el método de hibridación supresiva sustractiva (SSH). Para este estudio se utilizaron 2 100 clones de síntesis adelantada y 2 650 de síntesis retrasada. De la biblioteca se escogieron al azar mil clones, 737 (527 unigenes) de síntesis adelanta- da y 757 (483 unigenes) de síntesis retrasada que fueron informativos. El análisis BLASTX mostró que había más transportadores y proteínas adenosilhomocisteinasa en E. crassipes cultivadas en un medio deficiente de nitrógeno; mientras que las cultivadas en un medio repleto de nitróge- no tenían más proteínas como UBR4 e3 ubiquitina-proteína ligasa y la proteína arabinogalactano 8 tipo fasciclina, así como otras proteínas del citoesqueleto, incluyendo la actina y la tubulina. Clúster del Grupo Ortológico (COG) también demostró que en la biblioteca de síntesis adelan- tada, la mayoría de los marcadores de secuencia expresada (ESTs) estaban involucrados en el transporte de coenzimas y el metabolismo.

Eichhornia crassipes is an aquatic plant native to the Amazon River Basin. It has become a serious weed in freshwater habitats in rivers, lakes and reservoirs both in tropical and warm temperate areas worldwide. Some research has stated that it can be used for water phytoremediation, due to its strong assimilation of nitro- gen and phosphorus, and the accumulation of heavy metals, and its growth and spread may play an important role in environmental ecology. In order to explore the molecular mechanism of E. crassipes to responses to nitrogen deficiency, we constructed forward and reversed subtracted cDNA libraries for E. crassipes roots under nitrogen deficient condition using a suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) method. The forward subtraction included 2 100 clones, and the reversed included 2 650 clones. One thousand clones were randomly selected from each library for sequencing. About 737 (527 unigenes) clones from the forward library and 757 (483 unigenes) clones from the reversed library were informative. Sequence BlastX analysis showed that there were more transporters and adenosylhomocysteinase-like proteins in E. crassipes cultured in nitrogen deficient medium; while, those cultured in nitrogen replete medium had more proteins such as UBR4-like e3 ubiquitin- protein ligase and fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein 8-like, as well as more cytoskeletal proteins, including actin and tubulin. Cluster of Orthologous Group (COG) analysis also demonstrated that in the forward library, the most ESTs were involved in coenzyme transportation and metabolism. In the reversed library, cytoskeletal ESTs were the most abundant. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis categories demonstrated that unigenes involved in binding, cellular process and electron carrier were the most differentially expressed unigenes between the forward and reversed libraries. All these results suggest that E. crassipes can respond to different nitrogen status by efficiently regulating and controlling some transporter gene expressions, certain metabolism processes, specific signal transduction pathways and cytoskeletal construction.

China has been carrying out large-scale schistosomiasis control since the mid-1950s, but in the early 1990s, schistosomiasis was still endemic in eight provinces. A World Bank Loan Project enabled further significant progress to be made during the period 1992-2001. The control strategy was focused on the large-scale use of chemotherapy - primarily to reinforce morbidity control - while at the same time acting on transmission with the ultimate goal of interrupting it. Chemotherapy was complemented by health education, chemical control of snails and environmental modification where appropriate. A final evaluation in 2002 showed that infection rates in humans and livestock had decreased by 55% and 50%, respectively. The number of acute infections and of individuals with advanced disease had also significantly decreased. Although snail infection rates continued to fluctuate at a low level, the densities of infected snails had decreased by more than 75% in all endemic areas. The original objectives of the China World Bank Loan Project for schistosomiasis control had all been met. One province, Zhejiang, had already fulfilled the criteria for elimination of schistosomiasis by 1995. The project was therefore a success and has provided China with a sound basis for further control.

China lleva tomando medidas en gran escala contra la esquistosomiasis desde mediados de los años cincuenta, pero a comienzos de los noventa esa enfermedad era todavía endémica en ocho provincias. Un Proyecto de préstamo del Banco Mundial permitió hacer grandes progresos durante el periodo 1992-2001. La estrategia de control se centró en la administración de antibioticoterapia en gran escala - principalmente para reforzar el control de la morbilidad - unida a intervenciones paralelas contra la transmisión, a fin de interrumpirla. Como complemento de la antibioticoterapia se adoptaron medidas de educación sanitaria, control químico de los caracoles y modificación ambiental cuando fue necesario. Una evaluación final realizada en 2002 mostró que las tasas de infección en seres humanos y en el ganado habían disminuido en un 55% y un 50%, respectivamente. El número de infecciones agudas y de individuos con signos de enfermedad avanzada también había disminuido significativamente. Aunque las tasas de infección de los caracoles siguieron fluctuando a niveles bajos, las densidades de caracoles infectados habían disminuido en más de un 75% en todas las zonas endémicas. Todos los objetivos originales del Proyecto de préstamo del Banco Mundial en China para el control de la esquistosomiasis fueron alcanzados. Una provincia, Zhejiang, consiguió cumplir ya en 1995 los criterios de eliminación de la enfermedad. El proyecto fue por tanto un éxito, y ha proporcionado a China una base sólida para aplicar nuevas medidas de control.

La Chine mène une lutte à grande échelle contre la schistosomiase depuis le milieu des années 50, mais au début des années 90, cette maladie était encore endémique dans huit provinces. Un projet de prêt de la Banque mondiale a permis la réalisation de progrès importants sur la période 1992-2001. La stratégie de lutte contre la maladie était axée sur l'utilisation à grande échelle de la chimiothérapie dans l'objectif principal de maîtriser davantage la morbidité, tout en agissant simultanément sur la transmission dans le but ultime de l'interrompre. La chimiothérapie était complétée par une éducation sanitaire, une lutte chimique contre les escargots et des modifications de l'environnement le cas échéant. Une évaluation finale réalisée en 2002 a montré que les taux d'infection chez l'homme et les animaux d'élevage avaient diminué respectivement de 55 et 50 %. Le nombre d'infections aiguës et d'individus à un stade avancé de la maladie avait aussi notablement diminué. Bien que les taux de contamination des escargots continuent de fluctuer à un faible niveau, les densités d'escargots infectés ont diminué de plus de 75 % dans l'ensemble des zones d'endémie. Les objectifs de départ du Projet de prêt de la Banque mondiale en faveur de la lutte contre la schistosomiase ont été remplis. Une province, le Zhejiang, était parvenu à satisfaire les critères d'élimination de la schistosomiase dès 1995. Le projet a donc été un succès et a fourni à la Chine une base solide pour poursuivre la lutte.