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BackgroundOral and maxillofacial surgery currently relies on virtual surgery planning based on image data (CT, MM). Three-dimensional (3D) visualizations are typically used to plan and predict the outcome of complex surgical procedures. To translate the virtual surgical plan to the operating room, it is either converted into physical 3D-printed guides or directly translated using real-time navigation systems.PurposeThis study aims to improve the translation of the virtual surgery plan to a surgical procedure, such as oncologic or trauma surgery, in terms of accuracy and speed. Here we report an augmented reality visualization technique for image-guided surgery. It describes how surgeons can visualize and interact with the virtual surgery plan and navigation data while in the operating room. The user friendliness and usability is objectified by a formal user study that compared our augmented reality assisted technique to the gold standard setup of a perioperative navigation system (Brainlab). Moreover, accuracy of typical navigation tasks as reaching landmarks and following trajectories is compared.ResultsOverall completion time of navigation tasks was 1.71 times faster using augmented reality (P = .034). Accuracy improved significantly using augmented reality (P < .001), for reaching physical landmarks a less strong correlation was found (P = .087). Although the participants were relatively unfamiliar with VR/AR (rated 2.25/5) and gesture-based interaction (rated 2/5), they reported that navigation tasks become easier to perform using augmented reality (difficulty Brainlab rated 3.25/5, HoloLens 2.4/5).ConclusionThe proposed workflow can be used in a wide range of image-guided surgery procedures as an addition to existing verified image guidance systems. Results of this user study imply that our technique enables typical navigation tasks to be performed faster and more accurately compared to the current gold standard. In addition, qualitative feedback on our augmented reality assisted technique was more positive compared to the standard setup. (C) 2021 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Background We reported a patient with Testicular adrenal rest tumors(TARTs) caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH). TARTs occur frequently in CAH population with 21-hydroxylase deficiency(21-OHD). There are few reports of TARTs with 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency-2 (3β-2HSD).Furthermore,gaint TARTs are rarely mentioned in reported cases involving affected siblings. Case presentation A 14-year-old male patient was admitted by congenital adrenal hyperplasia with progressively increasing bilateral testicular masses.The Patient and his elder brother had been performed mutational and chromosome analysis and biopsy. Hormonal and anthropometric measurements were performed during endocrine treatments. We successfully performed surgery and excised two 83mm×46mm×44mm and 74mm×49mm×31mm tumors. Our pathology and immunochemistry tests have proven TARTs in patient. At first, both siblings received regular doses of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisones and tumor size regressed. During the one-year irregular intake due to Covid-19 pandemic, endocrine treatment became insensitive and tumor size slowly increased. The gene analysis reported two novel mutations C.776 C>T and C.674 T>A. The C.776 C>T is from father and has been reported. The C.674 T>A inherited from mother and cannot found in gene library and may related to TARTs. Conclusions This case illustrates inadequate hormone therapy could cause tumor enlargement. It is essential to seek for ultrasound examination once suspected scrotal mass occurred.It is necessary to adjust endocrine medicine or adopt surgery in refractory gaint TARTs. And presence of tunica vaginalis cavity may indicate the severity of TARTs in surgery.

The aim of our study is to analyze viscosity characteristics of focal liver lesions (FLLs) and the diagnostic performance of shear wave dispersion (SWD) in differentiating benign and malignant FLLs. Between January 2018 and April 2018, 58 consecutive patients (median age 57, age range 21-74 years, 37 males) with 58 FLLs located on the right lobe of liver were prospectively studied. The Aplio i900 series diagnostic ultrasound system (Canon Medical systems) equipped with a curvilinear PV1-475BX transducer (1-8 MHz) was used. SWD slope and viscosity measurements were expressed as mean ± standard deviation for both liver tumors and background liver parenchyma. Histopathological results after surgery were regarded as the gold standard for diagnosis. Final diagnosis included 40 cases of malignant and 18 cases of benign FLLs. The mean viscosity value were 14.78 ± 1.86 m/s/kHz for hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 30), 14.81 ± 2.35 m/s/kHz for liver metastasis lesions (n = 10), 13.23 ± 1.31 m/s/kHz for hemangioma (n = 13), and 13.67 ± 2.72 m/s/kHz for focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 5). Malignant FLLs showed higher mean viscosity values (14.79 ± 3.15 m/s/KHz) than benign FLLs (13.36 ± 2.76 m/s/KHz) (p 0.05). The best performing cut-off value of lesion viscosity was 13.15 m/s/kHz (sensitivity 83.3 %; specificity 56.5 %; area under the curve (AUC) 0.71) for malignancy) (p 0.05). The analysis of SWD slope and liver viscosity parameters provide additional viscoelastic information about FLLs before operation. Ziel der Studie ist es die Viskosität fokaler Leberläsionen (FLL) zu bestimmen und die Aussagekraft der Scherwellendispersion zur Differenzierung von benignen und malignen Leberraumforderung zu validieren. Zwischen Januar und April 2018 wurden 58 konsekutive Patienten (medianes Alter der Patienten 57 (21–74) Jahre, 37 Männer) mit FLL im rechten Leberlappen prospektiv untersucht. Die Untersuchungen erfolgten mit einem hochauflösenden Ultraschallgerät Canon Aplio i900, ausgerüstet mit einem kurvilinearen Schallkopf PV1-475BX (1–8 MHz). Die Scherwellendispersion und Viskositätmessungen wurden ausgedrückt als Mittelwert ± Standardabweichung, sowohl für die FLL, als auch für das Leberparenchym. Der Goldstandard war die histopathologische Untersuchung der FLL nach chirurgischer Resektion. Die finale Diagnose beinhaltete 40 Patienten mit malignen und 18 Patienten mit benignen FLL. Die mittleren Viskositätswerte lagen bei 14,78 ± 1,86 m/s/kHz für hepatozelluläre Karzinome (n = 30), 14,81 ± 2,35 m/s/kHz für Lebermetastasen (n = 10), 13,23 ± 1,31 m/s/kHz für Hämangiome (n = 13) und 13,67 ± 2,72 m/s/kHZ für fokale noduläre Hyperplasien (n = 5). Maligne fokale Leberläsionen zeigten (14.79 ± 3.15 m/s/KHz) höhere Viskositätswerte als gutartige fokale Leberläsionen (13.36 ± 2.76 m/s/KHz) (P 0,05). Bei einem angenommenen Wert von 13,15 m/s/kHz betrug die Sensitivität für die richtige Erkennung maligner Raumforderungen 83,3 %, die Spezifität 56,5 %, die Fläche unter der Kurve (area under the curve (AUC) 0,71, p 0,05). Die Analyse der Leberviskositätsmessung mittels Scherwellendispersion gibt zusätzliche Informationen zur Charakterisierung fokaler Leberläsionen.

Background and aim To evaluate the benefits of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with high frequency transducers in characterization of focal gallbladder lesions (FGL). Material and methods From January 2017 to April 2019, 59 FGL detected by B mode ultrasound (BMUS) were examined, first with the low frequency convex transducer (1-5 MHz) and afterwards with high frequency transducer (7.5-12 MHz). High frequency dynamic CEUS were applied after bolus injection of 4.8 ml Sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles (SonoVue®, Milan). The BMUS and CEUS imaging features were recorded and compared. All lesions were confirmed by surgical resection and histopathologic results. Results The final diagnoses of 59 FGL included gallbladder adenocarcinoma (n = 15), gallbladder polyps (n = 11), gallbladder adenomas (n = 18), focal adenomyomatosis (n = 9), and gallbladder Ascariasis debris (n = 6). The mean diameter of FGL was 24.5±11.4 mm, and mean depth to the abdominal wall was 21.2±7.3 mm. While applying CEUS with high frequency transducer, specific diagnostic features, including arterial phase irregular intralesional vascularity (10/15, 66.7%), late phase hypoenhancement (12/15, 80%), destruction of gallbladder wall (8/15, 53.3%), infiltration to the adjacent liver (6/15, 40.0%) were significantly higher in malignant FGL. The overall sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for the correct characterization of malignant FGL were significantly improved by CEUS with high frequency transducer (sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 88.5%, accuracy 100%). Conclusion With its superior contrast resolution, CEUS performed with high frequency transducers is helpful to achieve better visualization of gallbladder fundus and make differential diagnosis of gallbladder lesions, which might greatly improve diagnostic confidence between malignant and benign FGL.

Vasa, one of the best-studied germ cell markers plays a critical role in germ cell development and differentiation in animals. Vasa deficiency would lead to male-specific sterility in most vertebrates, but female sterility in the fly. However, the role of the vasa gene involved in germ cell differentiation is largely elusive. Here, we first characterized the expression profile of vasa products in the Asian yellow pond turtle by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence immunostaining. The results showed that vasa messenger RNA (mRNA) is initially detected in embryos at stage 16, and then dramatically increased in embryos at stage 19. In particular, like the sex-related genes, vasa mRNA exhibited differential expression in embryos between the male-producing temperature (MPT, 25°C) and the female-producing temperature (FPT, 33°C), whereas there was no difference in methylation levels of vasa promoter detected between FPT and MPT. In contrast, in the adult Asian yellow pond, the level of vasa mRNA was much higher in the testis than ovary. Moreover, the immunostaining on testicular sections and cells showed that Vasa protein was exclusively expressed in germ cells: Weak but detectable in spermatogonia, highest in spermatocytes, moderate and concentrated in chromatid bodies in spermatids and spermatozoa, and bare in somatic cells. The expression profile of Vasa protein is similar in turtle species studied so far but distinct from those in fish species in this study. The findings of this study would provide new insights into our understanding of the conservation and divergence of the vasa gene, even other germ cell genes across phyla.

Objective: To investigate the value of high-frame rate vector flow imaging technique (V flow) in evaluating the hemodynamic changes of carotid stenosis caused by atherosclerotic plaques.Methods and Materials: In this prospective study, patients with stenosis rate (diameter) ≥30% caused by carotid atherosclerotic plaques were included. Degrees of carotid stenosis were graded according to North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial criteria: moderate (30–69%) or severe (70–99%). Mindray Resona 7s ultrasound machine with a linear array transducer (3–11 MHz) was used for ultrasound examinations. The mean WSS value of carotid arteries was measured at the proximal, narrowest region and distal of carotid stenosis. The mean WSS values were correlated with peak systolic velocity (PSV) measured by color Doppler flow imaging and stenosis degree detected by digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The vector arrows and flow streamline detected by V flow dynamic imaging were analyzed. Imaging findings of DSA in carotid arteries were used as the gold standard.Results: Finally, 51 patients were included. V flow measurements were performed successfully in 17 patients (100%) with moderate-grade stenosis and in 30 patients (88.2%) with severe-grade stenosis. Dynamic V flow imaging showed yellow or red vectors at the stenotic segment, indicating fast speed blood flow (up to 260.92 cm/s). Changes of streamlines were detected in the stenotic segment. The mean WSS value measured at the narrowest region of the carotid artery had a moderately positive correlation with stenosis degree (r = 0.58, P < 0.05) and PSV value (r = 0.54, P < 0.05), respectively. Significant difference was detected in mean WSS value at the narrowest region of the carotid artery between severe carotid stenosis (1.47 ± 0.97 Pa) and moderate carotid stenosis (0.96 ± 0.44 Pa) (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The hemodynamic changes detected by V flow of the carotid stenosis might be a potential non-invasive imaging tool for assessing the degree of carotid stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of dynamic contrast enhanced ultrasound (D-CEUS) in predicting the microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 16 patients with surgery and histopathologically proved HCC lesions were included. Patients were classified according to the presence of MVI: MVI positive group (n = 6) and MVI negative group (n = 10). Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examinations were performed within a week before surgery. Dynamic analysis was performed by VueBox® software (Bracco, Italy). Three regions of interests (ROIs) were set in the center of HCC lesions, at the margin of HCC lesions and in the surrounding liver parenchyma accordingly. Time intensity curves (TICs) were generated and quantitative perfusion parameters including WiR (wash-in rate), WoR (wash-out rate), WiAUC (wash-in area under the curve), WoAUC (wash-out area under the curve) and WiPi (wash-in perfusion index) were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: All of HCC lesions showed arterial hyperenhancement (100 %) and at the late phase as hypoenhancement (75%) in CEUS. Among all CEUS quantitative parameters, the WiAUC and WoAUC were higher in MVI positive group than in MVI negative group in the center HCC lesions (P

The Asian yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica) displays temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), in which incubation temperature during embryonic development determines the sexual fate of the individual. However, the mechanism of the sex determination/differentiation of Mauremys mutica remains a mystery. Here, we first analyzed the temperature-specific gonadal transcriptomes of Mauremys mutica prior to gonad formation and gonads during the thermosensitive period. We uncovered a list of candidates that respond to temperature stimuli enriched in several categories, such as heat shock protein family members dnajb6a, dnaja4, hspa8 and hsp90aa1, temperature sensor genes mmp17 and mmp28, and putative novel temperature-responsive genes tmco6, gria3 and eif3f. Notably, striking differences were identified in the expression profiles of genes underlying sexual development, such as tex15, insr, igf1r, cirbp, esr1, dmrt2 and Serpinh1. Moreover, we analyzed the similarity and divergence of the timecourse of gene expression among Mauremys mutica and two other reported TSD turtles (Trachemys scripta and Chrysemys picta). The shared genes revealed the common gonad-specific regulatory mechanisms existing in these three TSD turtles that initiate their sexual development. Therefore, our findings could provide basic data to elucidate the mechanisms of sex determination/differentiation of M. mutica, even contributing to further understanding of these mechanisms in other TSD turtles.

AIM To investigate the value of contrast enhanced ultrasound with high resolution linear transducers (HF-CEUS) for differential diagnosis of focal fundal gallbladder (GB) wall thickening. METHODS A total of 32 patients with incidentally detected focal fundal GB wall thickening were included. After conventional B mode ultrasound (BMUS) examinations, HF-CEUS were performed with a 7.5-12 MHz 9L4 linear transducer (S2000 HELX OXANA unit, Siemens). Two radiologists independently reviewed the HF-CEUS enhancement patterns to determine the differential features between malignancy and benignity with a five-point confidence scale. The diagnostic accuracy of BMUS and HF-CEUS for GB wall thickening was compared. The final gold standard was surgery with histological examination. RESULTS Final diagnoses included GB adenocarcinoma (n = 16), adenomyomatosis (n = 12), Xanthogranulomatous (n = 2) and cholecystitis (n = 2). HF-CEUS features associated with GB adenocarcinoma including arterial phase inhomogeneous hyperenhancement, venous phase hypoenhancement and disruption of GB wall layer structure (P

In order to understand the endocrine mechanism associated with fecundity of seasonally breeding animals, we investigated the plasma reproductive hormones levels and detected the differences in steroidogenic enzymes and sex hormone receptor mRNA levels in female Mauremys mutica. These turtles were divided into higher fecundity (HF) group than those in lower fecundity (LF) group based on paternity identification in our previous research. The plasma estrogen (E2), testosterone (T) and progesterone (P4) levels were significantly higher in pre-breeding season (PBS) than those in non-breeding season (NBS) and were markedly higher in the HF group than those in LF group. In the hypothalamus, there was significantly higher mRNA abundance of P450-cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450Scc) encoded by Cyp11α1, aromatase (Cyp19α1) and 5-reductase (5α-R), but significantly lower mRNA levels of follicular stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and progesterone receptor (PR) detected in PBS than those in NBS. The pituitary steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cytochrome P450-17alpha-hydroxylase (Cyp17α1), 3-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase (3βHSD), 17-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase 3 (17βHSD3), Cyp19α1, 5α-R, FSHR, estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), androgen receptor (AR) and PR transcriptional levels in HF group were up-regulated significantly compared with the LF group. In the ovary, Cyp17α1 and 17βHSD3 transcriptional levels were markedly higher in PBS than those in NBS. We detected significantly increased expression levels of all steroidogenic enzymes, but notably lower mRNA levels of FSHR and PR in uterus during the PBS, and the HF group has significantly higher expression levels of StAR, Cyp17α1, 5α-R and AR than LF group. Our work reveals seasonal variations in hormone regulation as well as gene regulation in turtles, providing reliable information to understand the mechanisms underlying the different reproductive capacity of reptiles.

As a commercial carnassial fish, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) consumes a large amount of forage fish as food annually. To reduce the use of forage fish, a formulated diet was utilized in a largemouth bass culture. Although they have been improved upon for 10 years, formulated diets still cannot meet the nutritional needs of largemouth bass. The formulated diet and forage fish were separately used to feed fish in an experimental group (FDG) and control group (FFG) to investigate the effects of a commercial formulated diet on the growth performance and liver histomorphology and transcriptomics of largemouth bass. After the 8-month feeding trial, fish fed the formulated diet exhibited a significantly lower weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) but a higher hepatosomatic index (HSI) and hepatocyte vacuolization score. A further transcriptomic difference analysis demonstrated all of the physiological changes in the process of liver injury caused by the formulated diet. Several key genes involved in the process of liver disease, including gk (glucokinase), pck (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase cytosolic-like (acat cytosolic-like), type-2 ice-structuring protein (type-2 isp), tf (transferrin), col6a3 (collagen type VI alpha 3), and TBT-bp (tributyltin-binding protein), showed significant differences in their expression patterns between the two diet groups. KEGG analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes in both females and males were involved in important pathways, including glycolysis, the citrate cycle (the TCA cycle), pathogenic E. coli infection and fatty acid biosynthesis. The results suggest that the extra carbohydrates in the formulated diet were transformed into fatty acids and that the synthesized fatty acids with the lipids in the formulated diet accumulated heavily in the liver, leading to inflammation and liver injury in largemouth bass.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) has a wide range of biological functions. We cloned the full-length cDNAs encoding PACAP and PACAP-related peptide (PRP) from the brain of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and used real-time quantitative PCR to detect PRP-PACAP mRNA expression. The PRP-PACAP cDNA has two variants expressed via alternative splicing: a long form, which encodes both PRP and PACAP, and a short form, which encodes only PACAP. Sequence analysis results are consistent with a higher conservation of PACAP than PRP peptide sequences. The expression of PACAP-long and PACAP-short transcripts was highest in the forebrain, followed by the medulla, midbrain, pituitary, stomach, cerebellum, intestine, and kidney; however, these transcripts were either absent or were weakly expressed in the muscle, spleen, gill, heart, fatty tissue, and liver. The level of PACAP-short transcript expression was significantly higher than expression of the long transcript in the forebrain, cerebella, pituitary and intestine, but lower than that of the long transcript in the stomach. PACAP-long and PACAP-short transcripts were first detected at the blastula stage of embryogenesis, and the level of expression increased markedly between the muscular contraction stage and 3 d post hatch (dph). The expression of PACAP-long and PACAP-short transcripts decreased significantly in the brain following 4 d fasting compared with the control diet group. The down-regulation effect was enhanced as fasting continued. Conversely, expression levels increased significantly after 3 d of re-feeding. Our results suggest that PRP-PACAP acts as an important factor in appetite regulation in largemouth bass.

In April 2011, 40% mortality of Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides juveniles occurred at a farm of Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, China. Infected fish became lethargic, exhibited corkscrew and irregular swimming, and developed a distended abdomen and crooked body. Fish began to die within 2 d after the appearance of clinical signs. In order to analyze the pathogeny and diagnose the disease earlier, observation of clinical signs, cell infection, titer calculation, electron microscopy, immersion infection assay for fish, and nucleotide sequence analysis were carried out. Fathead minnow (FHM) cell cultures, inoculated with filtrate of liver and spleen homogenates from the diseased fish, developed the obvious cytopathic effect 46 h after inoculation in the primary culture and 24 h at the first passage. Typical rhabdovirus particles, 115-143 nm in length and 62-78 nm in diameter, were observed in infected FHM cells by direct transmission electron microscopy. The isolated virus produced a titer of 10(7.15) TCID50/mL. Immersion-Fish infected with the virus had similar clinical signs and 80% mortality with 10(2.5) LD50/mL. The data indicated that the rhabdovirus was the lethal pathogeny of the current disease. Based on nucleoprotein-gene nucleotide sequence multiple alignment analysis, the newly isolated virus is a strain of Siniperca chuatsi rhabdovirus (SCRV) under family Rhabdoviridae, which was initially isolated from Mandarin Fish Siniperca chuatsi. Up to the present, at least four virus strains have been isolated from diseased Largemouth Bass, which have had different clinical signs. Comparison of the clinical signs can help in an early diagnosis of the disease.

A simple, sensitive, accurate and portable reverse flow injection (rFIA) spectrophotometric method is proposed for the on-line determination of trace phosphate in seawater. In acid conditions, phosphate reacts with ammonium molybdate to form molybdophosphoric acid, which forms a soluble complex compound with ethyl rhodamine B in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol. The absorbance of the complex compounds was measured by optical detector at 585 nm. Chemical factors and rFIA variables affecting the system were also discussed. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration graph for phosphate was linear over the concentration range from 2.0 to 200.0 μg/l with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995. The detection limit was 0.05 μg/l; the relative standard deviation was 0.61% for a solution containing 50 μg/l phosphate (n=15). The recovery of phosphate from three samples ranged from 96.4 to 98.4% of the added amount. The results obtained for phosphate by the proposed rFIA spectrophotometric method were in very close agreement with those using the conventional method.

Trivalent and hexavalent chromium have been successfully separated and determined using low pressure ion chromatography combined with flow injection spectrophotometric analysis (LPIC–FIA). A column packed with crosslinking starch microspheres was used for on-line separation of Cr(III) from Cr(VI) in a flow-injection system because of its absorptive effect on Cr(III). To determine the concentration of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in samples, we used 3.0 mmol/L nitric acid to elute adsorbed Cr(III) from the column and then used ceric sulfate–sulfuric acid as oxidant to convert all Cr(III) into Cr(VI). Then, Cr(VI) directly came from the samples and Cr(VI) came from Cr(III) successively formed a amaranthine complex with diphenycarbazide and the complex shows a maximum absorption at 530 nm. Analytical parameters including the concentration of eluent and oxidant solution, oxidizing temperature, length of oxidizing reaction coil, reaction coil and injection coil, interfering effects, etc., were optimized. The limit of detection was 1.25 μg/L for Cr(VI) and 3.76 μg/L for Cr(III). The linear relationship between absorption with the concentration of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) was 0.001–1.000 mg/L and 0.030–1.000 mg/L with correlation coefficients of 0.9995 and 0.9994, respectively. The relative standard deviation of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) was 1.21% and 1.66%, respectively ( n = 10). Major cations and anions did not show any interference. We validated this method through certified reference materials and through measuring the recovery in tannery wastewater.

Yu L. Y., Zhang X., Jin J., Che S., Yu L. (2011): Simultaneous determination of chloride, bromide and iodide in foodstuffs by low pressure ion-exchange chromatography with visible light detection. Czech J. Food Sci., 29: 634–640. An ion-exchange chromatography method with visible light detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of chloride, bromide, and iodide in foodstuffs. They were separated by means of low pressure ion-exchange chromatography using 4.0mM sodium carbonate solution as the eluent and a low pressure ion-exchange chromatography column as the separation column. The detection limits of chloride, bromide and iodide were 0.011 mg/l, 0.002 mg/l, and 0.023 mg/l, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the peak area were smaller than 2.9%. The recoveries were between 98.61% and 105.65%. Unlike the traditional methods, this validated method is inexpensive and stable.

Background: Community health centres (CHCs) are an important component of the health system in Mali and China. Despite patient support and commitment from the authorities, the management and the quality of care of these structures need to be improved. This research aimed to compare the management style of the relevant boards with users’ satisfaction pertaining to CHC services in Mali and China. Method: Between September 2009-January 2010, a study was conducted in eight CHCs in Mali and in 16 CHCs in China. A total of 480 householders, [60 (Mali) and 320 (China)]; and 24 management committee members (Mali) and 48 management committee members (China) were interviewed. An in-depth interview technique was used on members of the management committee, while a structured interview was carried out to collect data during face-to-face contact with householders in their residences. In residences in which there were two or more households, the first willing householder was interviewed. Questions about the level of satisfaction were coded from 1-5 and ranged from “excellent” to “very bad” respectively. Results: The CHCs in China were managed by the government, whereas in Mali, they were overseen by the local population. The most satisfied people in both countries were those living in the poorest socioeconomic conditions, the elderly, and those who attended the healthcare meetings. Chinese households were more satisfied with the quality of the CHC services than those in Mali. The Chinese management boards proposed standardisation of rules and more funding, whereas those in Mali advocated that government provide more funding and human resources allocation. Conclusion: A high level of satisfaction regarding the CHC services was observed. However, users reported on deficits in the quality of care, whereas management suggested a need for greater resource allocation. Key words: primary health care system, householders’ satisfaction, management board, China, Mali

Lead is the non-essential trace element in the human body, and it has been confirmed that drinking water is one of the sources of lead in human body. In the research, based on the sensitive colour reaction of lead with I(-)-EV(+)-PVA, a simple, sensitive, accurate and portable method for the determination of trace lead in drinking waters was proposed. Chemicals and physicals had been optimized in detail. The apparent molar absorption coefficient was up to 7.4x10(5) mol L(-1) cm(-1). The developed method provided a linearity range over 5-80 microg L(-1). The regression deviation was between 0.71% and 2.33%. The 3sigma detection limit was 0.9 microg L(-1). Close to the quantitation limit for the analyte the relative standard deviation was 1.10% (n=10) at 40 microg L(-1). The method developed here for analysis of lead yielded results that were comparable with those of the GFAAS.

Summary Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) regulates the secretion of growth hormone (GH) in the pituitary gland. A 66-bp deletion (c.-923_-858del) was detected in the 5′-flanking sequence of the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) GHRH gene. In two cultured random populations of adult individuals (A: n = 170 and B: n = 150), the genotype ratios of +/+:+/− were 2.5:1 and 2.8:1 respectively. Only one −/− fish was detected. A Largemouth bass family was constructed with two heterozygous individuals (+/−) as parents. The genotype ratio of +/+:+/−:−/− in the filial generation embryos was 1:1.6:0.1 at the neurula and 1:2:0 at hatched larvae stages. This indicated that the 66-bp deletion was a recessive lethal site and that homozygous individuals (−/−) died off in embryonic development. The growth traits (body weight, body length and body depth) were measured, and the GHRH mRNA expression levels in brain tissue were detected using real-time PCR. The effects of genotype (+/−) on growth traits and GHRH mRNA expression were not significant. Although the cause of death was not clear, the results hint that the 66-bp deletion site in GHRH 5′-flanking sequence significantly affects the livability in largemouth bass embryonic development.

The purpose of this study was to describe the health behaviors of earthquake victims related to gastrointestinal and respiratory infectious diseases in the centralized transitional earthquake resettlement sites in Wenchuan, China; and to identify key factors related to health behaviors that may inform local infectious diseases prevention and control strategies.Data were collected using a questionnaire that included questions about socio-demographic characteristics and health beliefs and behaviors. In total, 1411 participants were included through a two-stage random sampling strategy. A bivariate multilevel model was used to explore the related factors.Approximately 67% of the participants wash their hands after going to lavatories every time, and 87% felt uncomfortable spitting on the ground. The more the participants perceived their susceptibility to and the severity of infectious diseases, the better their health-related behaviors (P0.05). Both health-related behaviors were influenced by communication modes of health education (P = 0.01) and socio-demographic characteristics. There was heterogeneity of health-related behaviors among different resettlement sites (P0.01).Health education intervention, based on the Health Belief Model, is one of the main preventative strategies that should be implemented to inspire self-efficacy and to enhance better health-related behaviors among earthquake victims. Appropriate health education communication modes should be considered among different resettlement sites.