ObjectiveTo ascertain accurate measurements of, and the relationships between, the normative parameters of the tracheobronchial trees in the Chinese population using multi-slice spiral computed tomography (CT) and multi-planar reconstruction (MPR).Materials and MethodsMeasurements were performed on 2107 patients who underwent thoracic CT scans in the PLA General Hospital. The lengths of the trachea and the main stem bronchi, and the sizes of the subcarinal angle were obtained through CT or MPR imaging. Multi-variance analyses were performed to detect potential correlations between obtained parameters.ResultsThe mean length of the trachea was 104.9 ± 13.4 mm (107.8 ± 13.2 mm for men and 101.4 ± 12.8 mm for women). The mean lengths of the right and left main stem bronchi were 13.6 ± 4.3 and 48.3 ± 6.5 mm, respectively. The right bronchus angle and the left bronchus angle were 34.9 and 42.5 degrees, respectively. Significant gender differences were found in all the parameters measured except for the angle of the right upper lobe bronchus. There are no statistically significant correlations among these parameters.ConclusionsThe normal reference values and the likely ranges of distribution of the tracheobronchial trees in the Chinese population have been established. Significant gender differences exist in the dimensions of the trachea, with the exception of the Right upper bronchial angle (RUA).
Blue light is an important environmental factor that induces mushroom primordium differentiation and fruiting body development. Although blue-light treatment has been applied for the production of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), the blue-light response mechanisms of P. ostreatus still remain unclear. In the present study, we exposed the primordium of P. ostreatus to blue-light, red-light, and dark conditions for 7 days. Subsequently, comparative transcriptomics analysis of the stipe, pileus, and gill under the three light conditions was performed to reveal the gene expression response mechanism of P. ostreatus to blue light and red light. The results showed that blue light enhanced the growth and development of all the three organs of P. ostreatus, especially the pileus. In contrast, red light slightly (non-significantly) inhibited pileus growth. When compared with red-light and dark treatments, blue-light treatment significantly upregulated gene expression involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the pentose phosphate pathway and the peroxisome in the pileus, but not in the gill or stipe. Most of the glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway genes were upregulated in the pileus by blue light. When compared with dark treatment, red-light treatment downregulated the expression of many respiration metabolism genes in the pileus. These results revealed that blue light enhanced the activation of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway, whereas red light weakened glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway activation. The conclusion can be drawn that blue light improved P. ostreatus fruiting body (particularly, the pileus) growth rate via enhancement of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway.
The authors performed a meta-analysis to compare the characteristics of clonidine and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants to local anesthetic in intravertebral anesthesia. Four investigators independently searched electronic databases for randomized trials comparing the characteristics of clonidine vs dexmedetomidine as adjuvants to local anesthetic on adults. The endpoints were onset of analgesia, sensory and motor block, and duration of analgesia. A random-effects model was used to perform quantitative analysis. Seven studies comprising 354 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. The onset of sensory block was significantly 40 seconds shorter when dexmedetomidine was added as an adjuvant in the intrathecal injection. The duration of stable sensory block, duration of overall sensory block, and the time before the need for analgesic requirements were significantly extended, 10.8 minutes, 22.3 minutes, and 38.6 minutes, respectively, when dexmedetomidine was used as an adjuvant to local anesthetics (bupivacaine or ropivacaine). No significant differences were detected in the motor block characteristics and the time to achieve peak sensory level between dexmedetomidine and clonidine as adjuvants to local anesthetics. Compared to clonidine, the addition of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to local anesthetics is associated with earlier, prolonged sensory block characteristics and later need for analgesic requirements.
This meta-analysis aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), conventional ultrasound (US) combined with CEUS (US + CEUS) and US for distinguishing breast lesions. From thorough literature research, studies that compared the diagnostic performance of CEUS versus US or US + CEUS versus US, using pathology results as the gold standard, were included. A total of 10 studies were included, of which 9 compared the diagnostic performance of CEUS and US, and 5 studies compared US + CEUS and US. In those comparing CEUS versus US, the pooled sensitivity was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91-0.95) versus 0.87 (95% CI: 0.85-0.90) and pooled specificity was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.84-0.88) versus 0.72 (95% CI: 0.69-0.75). In studies comparing US + CEUS versus US, the pooled sensitivity was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.92-0.96) versus 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90) and pooled specificity was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.82-0.89) versus 0.80 (95% CI: 0.76-0.84). In terms of diagnosing breast malignancy, areas under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic (of both CEUS (p = 0.003) and US + CEUS (p = 0.000) were statistically higher than that of US. Both CEUS alone and US + CEUS had better diagnostic performance than US in differentiation of breast lesions, and US + CEUS also had low negative likelihood ratio.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.