Potential ecological risk of microplastics contamination to environment in protect area lakes.

Microplastics (MPs) in freshwater have been extensively studied on a global scale. However, a deeper understanding is still required regarding the occurrence characteristics and ecological risks of MPs in protected area lakes(PAL). Here, the study investigated MPs pollution in PAL, outside protected areas lakes (OPAL), and ponds (OPAP) in the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and a comprehensive analysis was conducted comparing lakes or ponds from different income regions.

Airway and Voice Outcomes After Thyroarytenoid Myomectomy for Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility.

Introduction: Type 4 posterior glottic stenosis and bilateral vocal fold paralysis are clinically challenging causes of bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) that result in glottic airway obstruction. Established procedures for BVFI typically worsen dysphonia. We hypothesize the use of thyroarytenoid myomectomy (TAM) in the setting of BVFI will improve dyspnea with decreased detriment to voice.

Non-negligible impact of microplastics on wetland ecosystems.

There has been much concern about microplastic (MP) pollution in marine and soil environments, but attention is gradually shifting towards wetland ecosystems, which are a transitional zone between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This paper comprehensively reviews the sources of MPs in wetland ecosystems, as well as their occurrence characteristics, factors influencing their migration, and their effects on animals, plants, microorganisms, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It was found that MPs in wetland ecosystems originate mainly from anthropogenic sources (sewage discharge, and agricultural and industrial production) and natural sources (rainfall-runoff, atmospheric deposition, and tidal effects).

Transnasal Humidified Rapid Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange in Endoscopic Esophageal Surgery.

Objectives: Transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) describes apneic oxygenation using humidified high flow nasal-cannula oxygen. Although it has been described as a sole mode of oxygenation in endoscopic laryngotracheal surgery, its use in endoscopic esophageal surgery under general anesthesia with neuromuscular paralysis has not previously been described. The objective of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of THRIVE in esophagology.

Novelty three stages for humification of sewage sludge during hyperthermophilic aerobic fermentation.

Compared with conventional aerobic fermentation (CAF), there is limited knowledge of how hyperthermophilic aerobic fermentation (HAF) enhances the humification of sewage sludge. This study compared three novel stages of organic degradation, precursors, functional groups, bacterial community, and humus synthesis mechanism in HAF with CAF. The results showed that organic matter (OM) degraded rapidly, and 68% of the degradation could be completed of stage I in HAF.

Indications and Short-Term Outcomes for In-Office Therapeutic Superior Laryngeal Nerve Block.

Objective: Superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) block consists of injection of steroid and anesthetic at the internal branch of the SLN entry site. Prior case series have demonstrated beneficial effects on neurogenic cough. SLN blocks have also recently shown benefit for paralaryngeal pain.

Implementation of an interdisciplinary tracheostomy care protocol to decrease rates of tracheostomy-related pressure ulcers and injuries.

Objectives: Tracheostomy-related pressure injuries (TRPI) have been demonstrated to occur in approximately 10% of tracheostomy patients. In this study, we present TRPI outcomes after implementation of a standardized tracheostomy care protocol.

Methods: A tracheostomy care protocol was developed by an interdisciplinary quality improvement program and implemented on July 1, 2016.

Comparison of Survival Outcomes Following Postsurgical Radioactive Iodine Versus External Beam Radiation in Stage IV Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: There is a lack of well-powered data regarding outcomes in stage IV differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) treated with postsurgical radiation. The objective of this study was to examine survival in patients with stage IV papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) who received radioactive iodine (RAI), external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), or neither following surgery.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data collected from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) yielded 11,832 patients with stage IV DTC who underwent primary surgical treatment between 2002 and 2012.

Safety and outcomes of cochlear implantation in the elderly: A review of recent literature.

Global demographic changes related to longevity are leading to increasing numbers of the elderly, for whom hearing loss is a significant cause of morbidity and disability. Once met with reticence, severely hearing impaired older adults are increasingly being considered for cochlear implantation (CI). Significant data indicate that CI in the elderly population is safe, well-tolerated, and effective.

Patients undergoing total laryngectomy: an at-risk population for 30-day unplanned readmission.

Importance: Patients undergoing total laryngectomy are at high risk for hospital readmission. Hospital readmissions are increasingly scrutinized because they are used as a metric of quality care and are subject to financial penalties.

Objective: To determine the rate of, reasons for, and risk factors that predict 30-day unplanned readmission for patients undergoing total laryngectomy.

Dynamics of autotrophic marine planktonic thaumarchaeota in the East China Sea.

The ubiquitous and abundant distribution of ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota in marine environments is now well documented, and their crucial role in the global nitrogen cycle has been highlighted. However, the potential contribution of Thaumarchaeota in the carbon cycle remains poorly understood. Here we present for the first time a seasonal investigation on the shelf region (bathymetry≤200 m) of the East China Sea (ECS) involving analysis of both thaumarchaeal 16S rRNA and autotrophy-related genes (acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene, accA).

Niche partitioning of marine group I Crenarchaeota in the euphotic and upper mesopelagic zones of the East China Sea.

Marine group I Crenarchaeota (MGI) represents a ubiquitous and numerically predominant microbial population in marine environments. An understanding of the spatial dynamics of MGI and its controlling mechanisms is essential for an understanding of the role of MGI in energy and element cycling in the ocean. In the present study, we investigated the diversity and abundance of MGI in the East China Sea (ECS) by analysis of crenarchaeal 16S rRNA gene, the ammonia monooxygenase gene amoA, and the biotin carboxylase gene accA.

The application of complex multiple forklike ZnO nanostructures to rapid and ultrahigh sensitive hydrogen peroxide biosensors.

A new complex multiple forklike ZnO nanostructure was fabricated by citric acid assisted annealing process. The complex multiple forklike ZnO nanostructure is composed of several nanorods. These nanorods grow from a thin platelet base and are parallel to each other to form complex multiple forklike ZnO nanostructure.

Substrate-free growth, characterization and growth mechanism of ZnO nanorod close-packed arrays.

ZnO nanorod close-packed arrays are successfully fabricated in a substrate-free manner by a citric acid assisted annealing process at a low growth temperature of 400 °C. Each nanorod of ZnO nanorod close-packed arrays grows along the [0001] direction and is single crystalline with an average diameter of 50 nm, and an average length of 0.5 µm.