ObjectiveTo explore the relationship of obesity with asthma control and airway inflammatory phenotype. MethodsA cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on 101 patients with asthma. Asthma control level was assessed by Asthma Control Test (ACT) and GINA. Furthermore, height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Lung function and sputum induction were performed, and differential cell count was obtained from induced sputum and peripheral blood. ResultsNinety eligible patients were divided into 3 groups as a normal-weight group (n=54), an over-weight group (n=21) and an obesity group (n=15). The asthma control levels were different among three groups (P=0.019 for ACT and P=0.014 for GINA, respectively). BMI was positively related to the number of neutrophils in induced sputum (r=0.29, P=0.039). Increased BMI deteriorated asthma control levels assessed by ACT[OR=1.84, 95% CI (1.04, 3.23), P=0.035] and GINA[OR=2.27, 95% CI (1.27, 4.07), P=0.006] in a dose-response manner. Obesity indicated poor asthma control assessed by ACT (P=0.015) and GINA (P=0.008) after adjusting for age, sex, duration of asthma, FEV1%pred, smoking, and the number of neutrophils in peripheral blood. ConclusionsIn Chinese individuals with asthma, neutrophilic inflammatory phenotype dominates the airway inflammation of obesity-associated asthma. Obesity is a risk factor that deteriorates asthma control level in a significant dose-response manner.
The aim of this study is to investigate the search time regulation of objectives and eye movement behavior characteristics in the multi-objective visual search. The experimental task was accomplished with computer programming and presented characters on a 24 inch computer display. The subjects were asked to search three targets among the characters. Three target characters in the same group were of high similarity degree while those in different groups of target characters and distraction characters were in different similarity degrees. We recorded the search time and eye movement data through the whole experiment. It could be seen from the eye movement data that the quantity of fixation points was large when the target characters and distraction characters were similar. There were three kinds of visual search patterns for the subjects including parallel search, serial search, and parallel-serial search. In addition, the last pattern had the best search performance among the three search patterns, that is, the subjects who used parallel-serial search pattern spent shorter time finding the target. The order that the targets presented were able to affect the search performance significantly; and the similarity degree between target characters and distraction characters could also affect the search performance.
Objective To investigate effectiveness of suture anchor fixation combined with Nice knot strapping via longitudinal patellar drilling in the treatment of patellar inferior pole fractures. Methods A clinical data of 37 patients with unilateral patellar inferior pole fracture who met the selection criteria between June 2017 and June 2021 was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 17 cases were treated with the suture anchor fixation combined with Nice knot strapping via longitudinal patellar drilling (group A), and 20 cases were treated with the traditional Kirschner wire tension band technique (group B). There was no significant difference in terms of gender, age, body mass index, fracture side, combined medical disease, and preoperative hemoglobin between the two groups (P>0.05). Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, fracture healing time, knee range of motion, and knee function Bostman score (range of motion, pain, daily work, muscle atrophy, walking aids, knee effusion, soft leg, and stair climbing) and grading were recorded in both groups at last follow-up. Results There was no significant difference in operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (P>0.05). All incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 1-2 years, with an average of 1.7 years. X-ray films reexamination showed that all fractures in group A healed, while 2 cases in group B did not heal. There was no significant difference in bone healing time between the two groups (P>0.05). At last follow-up, the knee range of motion, the range of motion score of Bostman score, total score and effectiveness grading in group A were significantly better than those in group B (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the other items of Bostman scores between the two groups (P>0.05). During follow-up, 2 cases of internal fixation failure and 1 case of internal fixator irritation occurred in group B, and no complication related to internal fixation occurred in group A. The occurrence of complications was significantly lower in group A than in group B (P<0.05). ConclusionCompared with the traditional Kirschner wire tension band technique, the suture anchor combined with Nice knot strapping via longitudinal patellar drilling for the patellar inferior pole fractures has the advantages of simple operation, reliable fixation, early flexion and extension activity, and better functional recovery of knee joint.