BACKGROUND:The development and evolution of atlas are complex,and there are a few research reports. CT imaging can show the normal development process,anatomical structure,developmental variation and deformity of the axis. It has important clinical value to clarify the time of occurrence of ossification center of axis and closure of epiphyseal plate and its evolution process and law.OBJECTIVE:To present the anatomical structure of the normal development and variation of children's axis based on CT images.METHODS:CT images obtained from 732 children aged 0 to 15 years who underwent neck scans between June 2016 and November 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The observation indicators encompassed the axis odontoid,bilateral pedicle,vertebral ossification center,secondary ossification center at the tip of odontoid,pedicle,base of odontoid,and posterior median epiphyseal plate,as well as any variations or deformities in axis development. The changes in these indicators were analyzed and compared across different age groups. SPSS 17.0 statistical software package was utilized for data classification and statistical analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) A total of 732 subjects were examined,comprising 718 cases (98.1％) with normal development of the axis and 14 cases (1.9％) exhibiting deformity or dysplasia. (2) The axis demonstrated the presence of five ossification centers,including those of the bilateral pedicles,odontoid process,and vertebral body,which were observed at birth. The median age for the secondary ossification center located at the tip of the odontoid process was determined to be 5.7 years,with an interquartile range of 4.1 to 7 years. The earliest recorded occurrence was observed at 8 months and 22 days,while the latest occurrence was noted at 12 years and 10 months. (3) The median age at which fusion took place was 6 years,with an interquartile range of 5-8 years. The maximum age at which non-fusion was observed was 8 years and 9 months,while the minimum age at which fusion occurred was 4 years and 3 months. (4) The median age at which bilateral epiphyseal plate closure occurred was approximately 3.8 years,with an interquartile range of about 2.9-4.6years. The earliest observed closure was at 2 years and 3 months,while the latest observed unclosure was at 6 years old. (5) The median age at which odontoid base epiphyseal plate closure occurred was 5.2 years,with an interquartile range of 3.5-6.8 years. The minimum age for closure was 2 years and 6 months,and the latest age for non-closure was 9 years and 6 months. (6) The posterior median epiphyseal plate typically closed at a median age of 1.5 years,with an interquartile range of 1.0-2.1 years. However,two cases exhibited delayed closure,occurring at ages 2 years and 5 months,and 14 years,respectively. Theearliest closure observed was at 6 months and 20 days. (7) Axis malformation or developmental abnormalities,including 7 cases of accessory ossification center and accessory epiphyseal plate,3 cases of free ossified small bones in the axis,2 cases of posterior median epiphyseal plate failure,2 cases of secondary ossification centers in the absence of the apex of odontosis,and 1 case of absence at ossification center in the odontoid of the armature vertebrae. (8) It is concluded that the utilization of multi-slice spiral CT scanning in conjunction with the multi-plane reconstruction technique enables comprehensive visualization of the anatomical structure of the axis,facilitating precise assessment of both its typical developmental variations and deformities.

BACKGROUND:The development and evolution of atlas are complex,and there are a few research reports. CT imaging can show the normal development process,anatomical structure,developmental variation and deformity of the axis. It has important clinical value to clarify the time of occurrence of ossification center of axis and closure of epiphyseal plate and its evolution process and law.OBJECTIVE:To present the anatomical structure of the normal development and variation of children's axis based on CT images.METHODS:CT images obtained from 732 children aged 0 to 15 years who underwent neck scans between June 2016 and November 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The observation indicators encompassed the axis odontoid,bilateral pedicle,vertebral ossification center,secondary ossification center at the tip of odontoid,pedicle,base of odontoid,and posterior median epiphyseal plate,as well as any variations or deformities in axis development. The changes in these indicators were analyzed and compared across different age groups. SPSS 17.0 statistical software package was utilized for data classification and statistical analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) A total of 732 subjects were examined,comprising 718 cases (98.1％) with normal development of the axis and 14 cases (1.9％) exhibiting deformity or dysplasia. (2) The axis demonstrated the presence of five ossification centers,including those of the bilateral pedicles,odontoid process,and vertebral body,which were observed at birth. The median age for the secondary ossification center located at the tip of the odontoid process was determined to be 5.7 years,with an interquartile range of 4.1 to 7 years. The earliest recorded occurrence was observed at 8 months and 22 days,while the latest occurrence was noted at 12 years and 10 months. (3) The median age at which fusion took place was 6 years,with an interquartile range of 5-8 years. The maximum age at which non-fusion was observed was 8 years and 9 months,while the minimum age at which fusion occurred was 4 years and 3 months. (4) The median age at which bilateral epiphyseal plate closure occurred was approximately 3.8 years,with an interquartile range of about 2.9-4.6years. The earliest observed closure was at 2 years and 3 months,while the latest observed unclosure was at 6 years old. (5) The median age at which odontoid base epiphyseal plate closure occurred was 5.2 years,with an interquartile range of 3.5-6.8 years. The minimum age for closure was 2 years and 6 months,and the latest age for non-closure was 9 years and 6 months. (6) The posterior median epiphyseal plate typically closed at a median age of 1.5 years,with an interquartile range of 1.0-2.1 years. However,two cases exhibited delayed closure,occurring at ages 2 years and 5 months,and 14 years,respectively. Theearliest closure observed was at 6 months and 20 days. (7) Axis malformation or developmental abnormalities,including 7 cases of accessory ossification center and accessory epiphyseal plate,3 cases of free ossified small bones in the axis,2 cases of posterior median epiphyseal plate failure,2 cases of secondary ossification centers in the absence of the apex of odontosis,and 1 case of absence at ossification center in the odontoid of the armature vertebrae. (8) It is concluded that the utilization of multi-slice spiral CT scanning in conjunction with the multi-plane reconstruction technique enables comprehensive visualization of the anatomical structure of the axis,facilitating precise assessment of both its typical developmental variations and deformities.

Objective:To investigate the acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) in patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) at the early stage of operation and its influencing factors.Methods:A total of 70 patients with ECMO who were hospitalized in the Emergency Care Unit of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Hospital from September 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, and a total of 70 patients with ECMO who were hospitalized in the emergency care unit of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Hospital from September 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the 2012 guidelines of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine on the classification of acute gastrointestinal injury in critically ill patients, the patients were divided into AGI group and non-AGI group. The incidence of acute gastrointestinal injury in the early stage was statistically analyzed, and the results of blood gas analysis during ECMO loading and ECMO parameters, hemodynamic indexes and biochemical indexes after ECMO transfer were statistically analyzed. To explore the influencing factors and independent risk factors of AGI in the early stage. In addition, 70 patients were divided into successful group and non-successful group according to whether they were successfully withdrawn. The occurrence of acute gastrointestinal injury between the two groups was compared, and the effect of acute gastrointestinal injury on ECMO patients was analyzed.Results:Among the 70 ECMO patients, the incidence of early AGI was 71.43% (50 cases), and the components of AGI Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ were 18.57% (13 cases), 41.43% (29 cases), 11.43% (8 cases) and 0% (0 cases), respectively. ① Univariate analysis showed that systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), vasoactive drug index (VIS), pH, lactic acid and BMI were significantly different between AGI group and non-AGI group when ECMO was used ( P < 0.05). Logistic binary regression analysis showed that BMI was an independent risk factor for early AGI in ECMO patients (ROC area 0.657, 95% confidence interval 0.522-0.791 ( P < 0.05), and Yoden index 0.15). (3) The AGI composition ratio of the unsuccessful group was higher than that of the unsuccessful group ( P < 0.05). Conclusions:Patients with ECMO have a high incidence of AGI in the early stage, mainly occurring in grade I and Ⅱ. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, MAP, VIS, pH, lactic acid and BMI when ECMO is put on are influential factors for the early development of AGI in ECMO patients, among which BMI is an independent risk factor for the early development of AGI in ECMO patients. The occurrence of AGI reduces the probability of successful withdrawal in ECMO patients.

Objective:To investigate the recovery of renal function and its influencing factors in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support and complicated with acute kidney injury(AKI).Methods:This was a retrospective observational study. The clinical data of patients with ECMO support and AKI admitted to the Emergency intensive care unit of the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from October 2019 to December 2021 were collected. The patients were divided into renal function recovery group and renal function non-recovery group according to the recovery of renal function after 28 days of ECMO. With renal function non-recovery at 28 days as the end point of the study, and the variables with significant differences in baseline were selected for stepwise backward regression to determine the independent risk factors. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of independent risk factors.Results:A total of 40 patients were enrolled, of which 28 patients (70%) had recovery of renal function, and 12 patients (30%) did not have recovery of renal function. Stepwise backward multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lactate level at ECMO initiation was an independent risk factor for non-recovery of renal function ( OR = 1.380, 95% CI: 1.096-1.738, P = 0.006). The ROC curve showed that the AUC and 95% CI were 0.863 (0.751-0.975), the sensitivity was 100%, and the specificity was 75%. Conclusion:Lactate level at ECMO initiation was an independent risk factor for non-recovery of renal function on 28 days after ECMO initiation among patients undergoing ECMO support complicated with AKI. Lactate has a high predictive value for the non-recovery of renal function.

Objective To detect the spatial point pattern distribution rules of neural tube defects.Methods The kernel density estimation and Ripley's K-function were used to analyze the spatial point pattern of the neural tube birth defects in Heshun county in 1998-2001.Results The kernel density estimation result showed that there was two clusters' distribution in central area and southeastern area respectively.In addition,the result by the Ripley's K-function presented that the location of neural tube birth defects had a significant cluster tendency in the spatial distance from 3.17 to 10.41 kilometers in the investigated area.Conclusion These results can provide an important clue for identifying the relations between environment risk factors and birth defects in this area in the future.