Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of gallbladder dyskinesia in adults

Gallbladder dyskinesia (GD) mainly manifests as recurrent biliary colic, which may greatly affect the patient′s work and life, but it is often neglected by clinical physicians due to negative results of ultrasound examination. This article introduces the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of GD, including etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic examinations, diagnostic criteria, and treatment methods. It is pointed out that typical symptoms of biliary colic, low gallbladder emptying fraction, and exclusion of organic lesions in the gallbladder are the key to the diagnosis of GD. Cholecystectomy remains the major treatment method for GD, and further studies are needed to clarify which patients can benefit more from cholecystectomy

Table1_Development and validation of a nomogram prediction model based on albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio for predicting the prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma.docx

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a rare biliary tract cancer with a high recurrence rate and a poor prognosis. Albumin-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) has been demonstrated to be a prognostic predictor for several cancers, but its predictive value for GBC patients remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive role of AAPR in GBC patients and to develop a novel nomogram prediction model for GBC patients. We retrospectively collected data from 80 patients who underwent surgery at the Hospital of 81st Group Army PLA as a training cohort. Data were collected from 70 patients with the same diagnosis who underwent surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University as an external verification cohort. The optimal cut-off value of AAPR was determined using X-tile software. A nomogram for the overall survival (OS) based on multivariate Cox regression analysis was developed and validated using calibration curves, Harrell’s concordance index, the receiver operating characteristic curves, and decisive curve analyses. The optimal cut-off value of AAPR was .20. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that BMI (p = .043), R0 resection (p = .001), TNM stage (p = .005), and AAPR (p = .017) were independent risk factors for GBC patients. In terms of consistency, discrimination, and net benefit, the nomogram incorporating these four independent risk factors performed admirably. AAPR is an independent predictor of GBC patients undergoing surgery, and a novel nomogram prediction model based on AAPR showed superior predictive ability.</p

High-temperature oxidation behavior and pore structure of porous TiAl3 intermetallics at 650 °C to 900 °C

Porous TiAl3 materials were prepared by a time- and energy-saving thermal explosion (TE) method with Ti-75 at% Al mixture powders. Cyclic oxidation tests were performed in air at 650 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C. Only a weak peak of the oxide phase was detected by X-ray diffraction when the oxidation temperature was below 800 °C. The pore structures remained stable without pore blockage or collapse due to the thin protective oxide layer formed on the surface of the product skeleton at 650 °C, which was confirmed to be Al2O3. The thickness of the oxide scale increased with increasing the oxidation temperature from 800 °C to 900 °C. The compressive strength of the oxidized sample was inversely proportional to its corresponding porosity. Additionally, the antioxidant mechanism at high temperature was further investigated, indicating excellent oxidation resistance. Therefore, porous TiAl3 intermetallic can be considered as promising materials for applications such as filtration, separation, and catalysis at a high temperatures up to 800 °C

The effect of Fe in the rapid thermal explosion synthesis and the high-temperature corrosion behavior of porous Co-Al-Fe intermetallic

High porosity Co-Al-Fe intermetallic with 3D-microstructures were one-step synthesized via a novel thermal explosion reaction. A link between pore structure and permeability was established using 3D-XRM technology. The corrosion resistance of the samples with different Fe contents was investigated at 900 °C under an oxygen/sulphur atmosphere for up to 120 h. The results showed that the pore structure of the samples remains stable, and the internal matrices are intact due to the formation of a thin protective layer of Al2O3 and Fe2O3 on the surface of the product skeleton. In addition, inward diffusion of S leads to the formation of FeS nodules