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BACKGROUND This study aimed to retrospectively analyze patient clinical data to investigate the effects of computed tomography (CT) reconstruction and the measurement of abnormal structures in the endonasal sphenoidal sinus approach on the operative effects in patients undergoing pituitary adenoma resection. MATERIAL AND METHODS The records of 53 patients who underwent pituitary adenoma resection via the endonasal transsphenoidal approach in the Neurosurgery Department of Tai'an City Central Hospital from December 2010 to June 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. All cases showed anatomical abnormalities in the endonasal transsphenoidal approach that were detected by conventional CT scans. The clinical data of the patients were reviewed. After review, 26 patients who underwent preoperative CT reconstruction and measurement of abnormal structures before surgery were included in the observation group (CT reconstruction group), and 27 patients who did not undergo CT reconstruction and measurement of abnormal structures were included in the control group. Data on intraoperative blood loss, surgical time, hospital stay, and postoperative complications were collected to assess the quality of the surgery. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the observation group showed less blood loss (p

Many water diversion channels in China were built on thick and high-permeability super stratum, and groundwater level exerts significant influence on the anti-floating stability of the channel lining structure. The check valve drainage is an effective engineering measure for ensuring the anti-floating stability. However, people have rarely paid attention to the anti-floating calculation of lining structure once the check valve fails. This study, based on the typical cross-section of a diversion channel, investigated the characteristics of anti-floating stability of the diversion channel by using finite-element numerical simulation and theoretical analysis. The results show that reasonable calculation of anti-floating water level in the channel should be based on both numerical simulation and theoretical formula. As the check valve works normally with local failure, increasing the water level of the channel can prevent the lining structure from floating up. However, if the channel section cannot meet the anti-floating requirements when the check valve completely fails, corresponding measures should be taken in actual engineering projects to avoid the floating.

BACKGROUND This investigation aimed to evaluate changes in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter injury (WMI) in preterm neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) using diffusion tension imaging (DTI). MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-eight neonates less than 37 weeks of gestation with leukoencephalopathy (as observation group) and 38 full-term infants with no leukoencephalopathy (as control group) were selected from the Neonatal Care Center in Taian Central Hospital from January 2012 to December 2013. A DTI scan was obtained within 1 week after birth. RESULTS In the observation group, on both sides the ADC values in regions of interest (ROI) of white matter, lesions were greater and FA values were lower than in the control group. ADC and FA values in genu and splenum of corpus callosum were statistically different between the mild and severe injury groups (p

This study aimed to observe the effects of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) on apoptosis of Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces induced by albendazole (ABZ), and to explore the potential mechanism of NaAsO2. According to the following final concentrations, the experimental groups were divided into 10 μM NaAsO2, 20 μM NaAsO2, 80 μM ABZ, 10 μM NaAsO2+80 μM ABZ, and 20 μM NaAsO2+80 μM ABZ. Viability was detected with 0.1% eosin staining. The ultrastructural alterations were visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Caspase-3 activity was assessed with colorimetric assay. Meanwhile, ELISA or WST were applied to detect the activities of antioxidases in NaAsO2 treatment groups. The maximum protoscolicidal effect was seen with the combination 20 μM NaAsO2+80 μM ABZ. The ultrastructural damage detected after NaAsO2+ABZ incubation were greater than those caused by ABZ alone and its primary damage site was the tegument of the parasite. The caspase-3 activity was clearly higher in protoscoleces treated with the combination of NaAsO2+ABZ than when drugs were used separately. The activities of NQO-1, HO-1, GST, and SOD were significantly lower in protoscoleces incubated with NaAsO2 than the untreated controls (P

In the process of testing the arrester, cranes, lift trucks are normally required in order to test the arresters by removing the high voltage lead conductors. However it's normally a time-consuming, costly, heavy load word with potential risk to the technicians and equipment in the field. Therefore efforts are taken by the researchers to figure out a way to test the MOA (metal-oxide arrester) without removing the lead conductor. However, conventional testing approach without removing the lead conductor has the drawback due to the different volt-ampere characteristic of different sections of zinc oxide arrester. To this end, this article proposes an improved method for testing MOA without the lead by adding series resistor in the section of MOA. The experiment results of zinc oxide arrester in 220KV and 500 KV substations shows the effectiveness of proposed method.