Relationship between biological variation and delta check rules performance

ObjectivesThe performance of delta check rules has been considered to be dependent on the biological variation characteristics of the analyte of interest. The assumed relationships have not been formally studied. The mathematical relationship between biological variation and delta check rules is explored in this study.Design and methodsFrom the mathematical model for absolute difference delta check, the threshold for specificity and sensitivity are observed to be normalized differently. For specificity, the threshold is normalized by the within-subject biological variation (expressed as a coefficient of variation, ${\mathit{CV}}_i$), whereas for sensitivity the threshold is normalized by the between-subject biological variation (expressed as a coefficient of variation, ${\mathit{CV}}_g$). This highlights the different roles the two biological variations play in affecting the absolute difference distribution for correct and switched patient samples. Analogous to absolute difference delta checks, for relative difference delta checks, the expressions for specificity and sensitivity are scaled by ${\mathit{CV}}_i$ and ${\mathit{CV}}_g,$ respectively. However, the expressions are independent of ${\mu }_g$(the average of the population).ResultsA comparison between the mathematical model and empirical/ historical laboratory data obtained from patients was conducted for both absolute and relative difference delta checks. In general it was found that the specificity obtained from the historical laboratory data was less than the model predicted values, while on the other hand, good correspondence was obtained between the experimental sensitivity and predicted sensitivity.ConclusionsThe difference in within-subject biological variation in different patients may contribute to the observed discrepancy in predicted and empirical delta check performance.     

被动吸烟与神经管缺陷关系的病例对照研究

目的 探讨妇女怀孕前后被动吸烟与神经管缺陷（NTDs）的相关性。方法 采用1[DK]∶1配对病例对照研究，选取2010-2014年山西省“削峰工程”监测医院登记的生育NTDs患儿的妇女411例作为病例组，同时选择怀孕前后居住在同一个县（或区）、民族相同、末次月经与病例妇女相差3个月以内的生育健康儿童的妇女411例作为对照组进行问卷调查。用单因素和多因素条件logistic回归模型探究妇女怀孕前后被动吸烟与NTDs的关系。结果 妇女怀孕前后被动吸烟增加生育NTDs患儿的风险（aOR=1.209，95%CI:1.043～1.401，P=0.012）。且随着被动吸烟的频次增加，生育NTDs患儿的风险增加，与未被动吸烟的妇女相比，每周被动吸烟4～6次的妇女和每周被动吸烟大于6次的妇女生育NTDs患儿的OR值分别为2.113和2.903（趋势〖XC小五号.EPS;P〗=13.381，P＜0.001）。妇女被动吸烟的主要场所是家中（71.6%），且妇女被动吸烟程度与丈夫吸烟情况相关（r=0.405）。结论 妇女怀孕前后被动吸烟会增加生育NTDs患儿的风险，且随着被动吸烟频次的增加，生育NTDs患儿的风险增加。     

探析腹腔镜手术用于输卵管积水性不孕症患者治疗中的临床效果

目的：探析腹腔镜手术用于输卵管积水性不孕症患者治疗中的临床效果。方法随机选择该院2014年2月—2015年2月接收并行腹腔镜手术治疗的输卵管积水性不孕症患者60例，双侧积水为37例，单侧积水为23例，所有患者均应用腹腔镜手术进行治疗，观察期临床治疗疗效。结果60例输卵管积水不孕患者，治疗后输卵管的通常率达到96.67%，总妊娠率为90.0%，复发率为8.3%，临床治疗效果极为显著。结论采用腹腔镜术治疗输卵管积水性不孕症患者，有助于帮助患者重建通常的输卵管，是一种有效安全的方法，具有较高的应用价值。     

Abnormalities of the muscles of the soft palate and their impact on auditory function in patients operated on for cleft palate: a case-control study

Patients with cleft palate have a high incidence of otitis media (OM), which, even after palatal repair, can persist and lead to auditory dysfunction. We aimed to identify what predisposes such patients to develop OM and correlate it with auditory function. We designed a prospective case-control study of adults who had had their cleft palates repaired in childhood. We examined the anatomy of the eustachian tube and the paratubal muscles of the soft palate with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assessed auditory function, and correlated the results to evaluate the impact of the pathological anatomy on the function of the middle ear. A total of 64 ears in 32 patients were evaluated (Group A, n = 16) (Group B, controls = 16). MRI showed a short eustachian tube with a shortened tensor attachment in Group A when compared with Group B. The pterygoid hamulus was found to be intact in both groups, but extensive perihamular fibrosis was seen in Group A. A total of 15 ears in Group A had loss of hearing (prevalence ratio (PR) 1.08), (13 mild loss, and 2 moderate loss), and impedance audiometry showed effusion of the middle ear in 12 ears in 16 patients, and dysfunction of the eustachian tube with high negative pressure in the middle ear in four ears in the 16 patients (PR 4.6). These could be positively correlated with the pathological anatomy using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Otitis media is persistent and can lead to conductive hearing loss in adults who have been operated on for cleft palate. This can be attributed to abnormalities in the development of the eustachian tube and the paratubal musculature.     

改良双腔球囊导管在插管失败的输卵管阻塞介入再通术中的应用价值

目的探讨改良双腔球囊导管在插管失败的输卵管阻塞介入再通术中的应用价值。方法回顾45例输卵管阻塞性不孕患者,应用常规法行介入再通术,其中输卵管开口插管失败采用改良双腔球囊导管行介入再通,统计分析常规法组与联合改良双腔球囊导管法组(联合法组)的输卵管开口插管成功率、输卵管阻塞的开通率。结果输卵管阻塞性不孕患者45例,共阻塞输卵管90条,采用常规法输卵管开口插管成功32条,其中开通成功31条,插管成功率为35.56%,开通率96.88%。采用联合法输卵管开口插管成功90条,输卵管开通83条,插管成功率为100%,开通率92.22%,7条输卵管因阻塞病情严重无法开通,其中双侧均未能开通1例。所有患者术中均无严重并发症发生。随访12个月,妊娠率48.65%。常规法组与联合法组输卵管开口插管成功率差异具有统计学意义(χ^2=85.574,P=0.000),而输卵管开通率差异无统计学意义(χ^2=0.248,P=0.619)。结论对于常规法输卵管开口插管失败者,采用联合改良双腔球囊导管可提高输卵管开口插管成功率。采用改良双腔球囊导管介入再通与常规法开通效果相当,可作为常规介入再通输卵管开口插管失败的备选方案。