BACKGROUND

Blood pressure is an important vital sign measured not only in hypertension but also among hospitalized patients for clinical evaluation of the actual hemodynamic status. In the digital era, mercury and aneroid sphygmomanometers are being replaced by automated monitors despite lacking validation and recommendations for their use, especially in acute illness.

To compare automated and manual blood pressure measurement among hospitalized medical patients with acute illness.

A crossover design was used in a single tertiary hospital. Blood pressure was recorded from 216 participants, with 432 observations from an automated monitor (Omron HBP1120) and a mercury sphygmomanometer. Automated and manual BP recordings were done twice following the same arm sequential method. The average of the two recordings was used for comparison.

Most participants were female, elderly, obese, and had cardiac complaints. Comparing automated and manual methods, the mean difference for systolic was 1.47 ± 12.12 (p = 0.08) and 1.82 ± 10.99 (p=0.02) for diastolic. Subgroup analysis revealed that males had higher manual systolic BP than females (pairwise p-value= 0.017). Overweight and obese participants had higher automated systolic and diastolic BP (p=0.04). Overweight and obese participants had significantly higher systolic and diastolic BP regardless of the method. Significantly higher diastolic BP for different age groups and areas of admission (p=0.02) were observed from the automated method.

Automated BP monitoring showed a significant difference in diastolic BP recordings. Automated BP monitors should be used with caution, especially in interpreting diastolic BP among hospitalized patients.

Processing for deodorization is widely used in the production of animal-derived Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas-phase electronic nose combined with chemometrics was employed to analyze the overall odor difference of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(focusing on that derived from Cervus nippon Temminck in this study) before and after processing. The results showed that the electronic nose effectively distinguished between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. HS-GC-MS was used to identify and quantify the volatile components in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum, and 35 and 37 volatile components were detected in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces, respectively. The medicinal materials and decoction pieces contained 28 common volatile components contributing to the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor activity value(OAV) of each volatile component was calculated based on the olfactory threshold and relative content. The results showed that there were 17 key odor substances such as isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isobutyraldehyde, hexanal, and methanethiol in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. All of them had bad odor and were the main source of the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The results of principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) showed that there were significant differences in volatile components between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. Based on the thresholds of P<0.05 and Variable Importance in Projection(VIP)>1, 21 differential volatile odor components were screened out. Among them, isopentanol, isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, n-nonanal, and dimethylamine were the key differential odor compounds between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor compounds and their relative content reduced, and some flavor substances such as esters were produced after processing with wine, which was the main reason for the reduction of the odor after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Odorants/analysis* ; Electronic Nose ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Animals ; Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis* ; Deer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*

The lungs are the most common sites of metastases from non-pulmonarymalignancies. Endobronchial metastases are rare and have no specificity in clinical manifestations,thus being prone to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.The common tumors associated with endobronchial metastasis are renal,breast,and colorectal cancers.This article reported one case of postoperative rectal cancer with endobronchial and lung metastases,which was relieved by high-frequency electrocautery ablation via bronchoscope,chemotherapy,and targeted drugs,aiming to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Electrocoagulation/methods* ; Bronchial Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Bronchoscopy ; Lung Neoplasms/secondary* ; Bronchoscopes

It is just fitting for the oldest medical school in the Philippines, the UST Faculty of Medicine & Surgery, which just celebrated its sesquicentennial year, to initiate this trailblazing stethoscope tagging ceremony for 418 second-year medical students belonging to USTFMS Batch 2026. This activity is aligned with enhancing the Thomasian identity (one of the strategic directional areas [SDA 2] of the university) once they graduate, the Thomasian Physician identity. The stethoscope remains the symbolic representation of physician and patient care. The innovative and pivotal activity, completely different from other international medical schools’ rite of passage, was marked with meaningful symbolisms unique to USTFMS. This rite also involved a pledge to the patroness of the Department of Medicine, Mary Untier of Knots, who would thus qualify for a robust faith formation program of the university (key result area [KRA 1]). Indeed, this would be the beginning of an annual celebration of strengthening faith, hope, and charity (patient care advocacy), TRIA HAEC, the three virtues of St. Paul that comprise the core values of Thomasian education.
Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical ; Stethoscopes ; Patient Care

Objective: The varicocoele exist in approximately 35-40% of primary male factor infertility while two to 10 percent of cases presents with pain.1 Most surgeons favor subinguinal microscopic varicocoelectomy because it offers superior improvement in semen parameters and reproductive outcome with the least complication rate. This study aimed to show an innovative surgical technique in the management of men with varicoceles. Methods: Subinguinal varicocelectomies were performed by a single surgeon on all patients starting with a standard cystoscope stabilized by a customized mechanical holding system attached to the operating bed. All the presumed vascular channels, vas deferens and lymphatics were isolated and marked with vascular loops and surgical ties. After all the presumed vessels were tagged, the standard operating microscope was brought to the operative field and full microsurgical dissection was carried out. Results: Ten varicocelectomies were performed on six men with a mean age of 30.5 years. 13 arteries, 84 veins, and 20 lymphatics were identified by the cystoscope while 18 arteries, 93 veins, and 29 lymphatics were identified by the standard operating microscope. Comparing the two modalities, 72%, 90%, and 69% of the arteries, veins, and lymphatics, respectively, were correctly identified by the cystoscope when compared to the latter. Conclusion Subinguinal varicocelectomy using a standard cystoscope could be offered as an alternative surgical approach in men with varicoceles as it can identify veins comparable with that of the standard operating microscope. In addition, a standard cystoscope can also identify, to some degree, lymphatics and arteries during surgical dissection. This innovative surgical technique can serve as a valuable option in the treatment of men with varicoceles.
Cystoscopes ; Veins ; Arteries

INTRODUCTION: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, multiple guidelines have recommended videolaryngoscope (VL) for tracheal intubation. However, there is no evidence that VL reduces time to tracheal intubation, and this is important for COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure. METHODS: To simulate intubation of COVID-19 patients, we randomly assigned 28 elective surgical patients to be intubated with either McGrath™ MAC VL or direct laryngoscope (DL) by specialist anaesthetists who donned 3M™ Jupiter™ powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) and N95 masks. The primary outcome was time to intubation. RESULTS: The median time to intubation was 61 s (interquartile range [IQR] 37-63 s) and 41.5 s (IQR 37-56 s) in the VL and DL groups, respectively ( P = 0.35). The closest mean distance between the anaesthetist and patient during intubation was 21.6 ± 4.8 cm and 17.6 ± 5.3 cm in the VL and DL groups, respectively ( P = 0.045). There were no significant differences in the median intubation difficulty scale scores, proportion of successful intubations at the first laryngoscopic attempt and proportion of intubations requiring adjuncts. All the patients underwent successful intubation with no adverse event. CONCLUSION There was no significant difference in the time to intubation of elective surgical patients with either McGrath™ VL or DL by specialist anaesthetists who donned PAPR and N95 masks. The distance between the anaesthetist and patient was significantly greater with VL. When resources are limited or disrupted during a pandemic, DL could be a viable alternative to VL for specialist anaesthetists.
Humans ; COVID-19 ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopes ; Laryngoscopy ; Respiratory Protective Devices ; Video Recording

Background: An accurate, quantifiable assessment of hand grip strength (HGS) can predict overall strength and health with a good predictor for identifying populations at higher risk for any medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, neuromuscular diseases and stroke that helps clinicians establish realistic treatment goals and provides treatment outcome data. The purpose of the study is to determine the percentile scores of HGS of healthy adult individuals of various age groups using Jamar dynamometer and modified sphygmomanometer. Methods: This descriptive study measures HGS using Jamar dynamometer and modified sphygmomanometer obtained from one hundred twenty healthy participants 20 years old and above. Comparative analyses of the 2 apparatuses were conducted using One-Way ANOVA. The reference intervals at different percentiles were calculated using the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: Grip strength (GS) using Jamar dynamometer (JD) and modified sphygmomanometer (MS) among younger (20- 29 years old) participants, the 50th percentile (Q2) JD score was 28.29 kg with an equivalent MS score of 161.38 mmHg, were significantly higher compared to those across older age groups especially among the ≥70 years old with a JD Q2 score of 16.74 kg and MS Q2 score of 101.33 mmHg. These findings suggest that HGS decreases with increasing age. Conclusion Scores obtained from this study can serve as preliminary baseline values or guide for interpreting GS measurements.
Hand Strength ; Sphygmomanometers

Objective:To explore the feasibility of using self-made visual throat forceps to remove hypopharyngeal foreign bodies. Methods:The throat forceps were combined with the endoscope and connected to a monitor via a data cable resulting in a visual throat forceps apparatus. This device was utilized to examine and treat the hypopharyngeal foreign bodies. Results:Among 53 patients, foreign bodies were detected in 51,with 48 cases involving hypopharyngeal foreign bodies. All were successfully extracted using the visual throat forceps. Three cases, diagnosed as esophageal foreign bodies by electronic gastroscopy, were treated using the same method. Conclusion:Visual throat forceps can be used to examine the hypopharynx and remove foreign bodies. It has the advantages of simple operation, rapid operation, and high success rate of foreign body removal from the hypopharynx. It is worthy of clinical application.
Humans ; Hypopharynx/surgery* ; Pharynx/surgery* ; Endoscopes ; Surgical Instruments ; Foreign Bodies/diagnosis*

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of electronic laryngoscope combined with narrow band imaging（NBI） endoscope and its classification in the diagnosis of vocal cord leukoplakia. Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 115 cases of patients treated in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from September 2020 to November 2022. All 115 cases were diagnosed with vocal cord leukogramma using the electronic laryngoscopy and narrow band imaging endoscopy, followed by pathological examination in the outpatient tissue biopsy. The morphological characteristics of vocal cord leukoplakia and the correlation between narrow band imaging classification and pathological results were investigated. Results:Among 115 cases of vocal cord leukoplakia, 46 cases（40.00%） were diagnosed as benign lesions. Low grade intraepithelial neoplasia occurred in 29 cases（25.22%）. High-grade intraepithelial neoplasia（including carcinoma in situ） occurred in 22 cases（19.13%）. Invasive carcinoma（including suspected invasive carcinoma） was found in 18 cases（15.65%）. There were no statistical differences in the unilateral and bilateral distribution of vocal cord leukoplakia and pathological results（P>0.05）, but there were statistical differences in the size, thickness, lesion uniformity, clear boundary, pre-invasion commissure, symmetry,age over 55 years old, morphological classification, NBI classification and pathological results distribution（P<0.05）. The two-by-two comparison among the three groups of morphological classification（flat type, raised type, rough type） showed that P<0.017 was only compared between flat type and rough type, and P>0.017 was compared between the other two groups. The pairwise comparison among the three groups of NBI classification（Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ） was statistically significant（P<0.017）. There was a high correlation between NBI classification and pathological diagnosis, and the correlation coefficient was 0.705（P<0.05）. The risk of high intraepithelial neoplasia and cancerization in type Ⅳ was 9.125 times higher than that in type Ⅲ, and the risk of high intraepithelial neoplasia and cancerization in type Ⅴ was 271.078 times higher than that in type Ⅲ. The area under the curve of morphological classification and NBI classification were 0.672 and 0.896, respectively. Conclusion:There is a high match and correlation between NBI classification and pathological diagnosis. Electronic laryngoscope combined with narrow band imaging endoscope has a high diagnostic value for vocal cord leukoplakia, and a strong predictive ability for malignant leukoplakia.
Humans ; Vocal Cords/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Leukoplakia/diagnosis* ; Narrow Band Imaging/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Laryngoscopy/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Laryngeal Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Aged ; Laryngoscopes ; Adult

The odor fingerprint of Pollygonati Rhizoma samples with different mildewing degrees was analyzed and the relationship between the odor variation and the mildewing degree was explored. A fast discriminant model was established according to the response intensity of electronic nose. The α-FOX3000 electronic nose was applied to analyze the odor fingerprint of Pollygonati Rhizoma samples with different mildewing degrees and the radar map was used to analyze the main contributors among the volatile organic compounds. The feature data were processed and analyzed by partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA), K-nearest neighbor(KNN), sequential minimal optimization(SMO), random forest(RF) and naive Bayes(NB), respectively. According to the radar map of the electronic nose, the response values of three sensors, namely T70/2, T30/1, and P10/2, increased with the mildewing, indicating that the Pollygonati Rhizoma produced alkanes and aromatic compounds after the mildewing. According to PLS-DA model, Pollygonati Rhizoma samples of three mildewing degrees could be well distinguished in three areas. Afterwards, the variable importance analysis of the sensors was carried out and then five sensors that contributed a lot to the classification were screened out: T70/2, T30/1, PA/2, P10/1 and P40/1. The classification accuracy of all the four models(KNN, SMO, RF, and NB) was above 90%, and KNN was most accurate(accuracy: 97.2%). Different volatile organic compounds were produced after the mildewing of Pollygonati Rhizoma, and they could be detected by electronic nose, which laid a foundation for the establishment of a rapid discrimination model for mildewed Pollygonati Rhizoma. This paper shed lights on further research on change pattern and quick detection of volatile organic compounds in moldy Chinese herbal medicines.
Electronic Nose ; Odorants/analysis* ; Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis* ; Bayes Theorem ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Discriminant Analysis