OBJECTIVETo investigate the noise hazards in open quarries and to provide a basis for further control of noise hazards.

METHODSAn investigation was performed during 2010 to 2011 among all open quarries in Deqing County of Zhejiang Province, China. The investigation included basic information of the quarries, the occupational health situation and noise intensity at the workplace, and the hearing loss of workers exposed to noise in quarry enterprises. The hearing test results were evaluated based on the Diagnostic criteria of occupational noise-induced hearing loss (GBZ 49-2007).

RESULTSA total of 25 enterprises with open quarries were investigated, of which only 30.4% (17/56) workplaces met the national standard. The median noise level was 92.5 dB (A). Fifty-four (10.6%) out of 508 workers in the 25 enterprises were diagnosed with binaural hearing loss in the initial physical examination, with 18.3% (93/508) under surveillance. The rate of normal hearing among crushing workers, mechanists, drilling workers, and blasting workers ranged between 27.6% and 41.4%, which was significantly lower than that among workers exposed to slight noise hazards (80.0%) or other workers (63.7%) (P < 0.05). With increasing working years, the binaural hearing loss of crushing workers became serious.

CONCLUSIONSerious occupational noise hazards existed in most jobs in open quarries, with crushing workers, mechanists, drilling workers, and blasting workers most seriously jeopardized. Among crushing workers, those working in the first-line or unprotected second?line positions suffered more than the others. Further measures should be taken by the supervision department and the enterprises to control the noise hazards in open quarries.

Formation of dermal collagen fiber is a complicated and sequential process with the progressive assembly of collagen. Collagen monomers form stepped and orderly protofibrils through longitudinal displacement. Subsequently, protofibrils or protofibrils and collagen are bonded by covalent bonds to form orderly lamellar structure of collagen fibers. Then collagen fibers are tightly wound into coarse collagen fiber bundles by covalent crosslinking. Decorin is a multifunctional small leucine-rich proteoglycan. It can prevent the aggregation of protofibrils by binding to the specific site of collagen with its core protein, and adjusting the spacing between the protofibrils with its glycosaminoglycan chain. Thus, by effecting the formation of collagen fibers with regulation of collagen assembly, decorin may help prevent scar formation and even promote regeneration.
Collagen ; Decorin ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Fibrillar Collagens ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Fibrin ; metabolism ; Humans ; Microfibrils ; metabolism ; Proteoglycans ; metabolism ; pharmacology

Objective To observe any effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on the expression of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) after sciatic nerve injury and to investigate the possible mechanism of any regeneration of the injured sciatic nerve.MethodsForty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into a PEMF treatment group,a model group and a normal control group with 16 rats in each group.The three groups were then sub-divided into 1 day,3 day,7 day and 14 day subgroups.The rats of the model and treatment groups were clamped to produce a sciatic nerve injury model.The treatment sub groups were exposed to a 9 mT PEMF at 14 Hz for 2 hours once daily for 1,3,7 and 14 days,respectively.The model group was given sham exposure and the normal control group was reared conventionally and not given any special treatment.The histological changes in the rats' sciatic nerves were observed under a light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin staining.Expression of TGF-β1 was detected by immunohistochemical methods.ResultsAfter 7 and 14 days of treatment,Wallerian degeneration of the sciatic nerve in the treatment group was more obvious than in the model group.The expression of TGF-β1 increased during the treatment process and reached a maximum at the 14th day after nerve injury.The expression of TGF-β1 had increased significantly in the model and treatment groups compared with the control group at all observation time points.At the 3rd,7th and 14th day after the operation,the expression of TGF-β1 in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the model group. Conclusion PEMFs can accelerate Wallerian degeneration of peripheral nerves and can up-regulate the expression of TGF-β1 after sciatic nerve injury,at least in rats.

Objective To study the effects of motor imagery therapy on functional performance of upper ex- tremity in stroke patients.Methods Sixty cases of stroke were divided into a treatment group(n=30) and a con- trol group(n=30).The control group was treated with routine rehabilitation training,while the treatment group was treated with motor imagery therapy in addition to the routine rehabilitation training.The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA),upper extremity function test(UEFT)and simple test for evaluating hand function(STEF)were used to as- sess the upper extremity function before and after six months of treatment.Results After treatment,patients in both groups scored significantly better with the FMA scales,UEFT scales and STEF scales when compared to their scores obtained before the treatment(P

Brain ischemic tolerance refers to endogenous brain protective mechanism during severe ischemic injury of the body. Ischemia preconditioning is an effective mean to induce brain ischemic tolerance. However, the invasive and ethical limitation made the application of ischemic preconditioning difficult in the clinical practice. Studies found that extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway played an important role in the formation of brain ischemic tolerance. Meanwhile, brain ischemic tolerance induced by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) had its unique advantages. This article reviewed effects of ERK signaling pathway in the inducing of brain ischemic tolerance and TCM intervention in recent years.

Objective To discuss the practicability of application of fault tree analysis in innovation to electrical system of SL-IE radiotherapy simulator.Methods The structure and principle of the electrical system were analyzed,the fault tree for the electrical system was built,and the qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis to the fault tree were made.The electrical system was innovated with effective redundant method,and the qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis were made after innovation.Theoretical analysis and the actual validation were made for the fault tree of electrical system after innovation.Finally,several notes were provided for the innovation to the similar medical equipments.Results The fault tree analysis method was applied to innovating the electrical system,and theoretical analysis indicated that the failure probability to total system reduced obviously.Actually,the actual effect after innovation also validated the correctness of the theoretical analysis.Conclusion Application of fault tree analysis in innovation to electrical system of SL-IE radiotherapy simulator is practical.But,the selection to the innovation event,the change to maintainence after innovation and the event to innovate carefully should be paid attention to.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Xuesaitong Capsule on stroke patients in recovery phase.Methods427 patients with stroke were randomly divided into 3 groups, group Ⅰ(take in aspirin), group Ⅱ(take in Xuesaitong), group Ⅲ(take both medicine). The Europe Stroke Scale (ESS), Barthel index (BI) and blood rheology were compared among these three groups.ResultsESS and BI score of group Ⅱ were higher than that of group Ⅰ, but lower than that of group Ⅲ. The recurrence rate and blood rheology index was similar in group Ⅰand Ⅱ, but higher than that of group Ⅲ.ConclusionBoth Xuesaitong Capsule and aspirin are effectivity on stroke in recovery phase, but it is better to take in both medicines.

Objective To study the influence of seminal plasma reactive oxygen species(ROS),cell factors and sperm quality in infertile male with Uu infection and explore its action mechanism in male infertility.Methods Chose 83 cases of male in-fertility with Uu infection as the experimental group (Uu+ infertility group),30 cases of male infertility without Uu infec-tion (Uu- infertility group)and 30 normal men with children as a control (Normal fertility group).Respectively,determi-nate the levels of seminal plasma malondialdehyde (MDA),superoxide dismutase (SOD),IL-6,IL-10,IL-18 and TNF-α,and analyzed its correlation.Results In Uu+ infertility group,the levels of MDA (19.56±5.22 nmol/ml),IL-6 (58.31±8.94 pg/ml),IL-18 (38.16±17.02 pg/ml)and TNF-α(42.68±11.18 pg/ml)were obviously higher than those in the other two groups (t=4.35~20.43,P value<0.001),and the level of IL-10 (8.62±2.98 pg/ml)and SOD (95.36±20.03 μmol/L) was lower than those in the other two groups (t=3.67~23.74,P value<0.001).Correlation analysis found that MDA of Uu+ infertility group was positively correlated with TNF-α,IL-18 (r=0.61,0.55,P value<0.001),and negatively correla-ted with SOD and IL-10 (r=-0.55,-0.53,P value<0.001).Conclusion The results suggested that Uu infection caused the level of reactive oxidative increasing,cytokines counterbalance disorder and affected sperm quality.So it is of great signif-icance for the treatment to test the levels of ROS and cytokines in patients with male sterility.

Objective To study the expression of transcription factor FOXO1 and FOXO3a on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with active or inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and investigate the effect of FOXO1 and FOXO3a on the clinical features of SLE. Methods Thirty SLE patients and 10 healthy controls were enrolled. PBMC were separated from the peripheral blood. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot were applied to analyze the expression of FOXOI and FOXO3a. Results The level of FOXO1 expression was significantly decreased in active SLE patients compared with controls and patients with inactive SLE (P<0.05). The level of FOXO1 expression in inactive SLE patients was lower than that of the controls (P<0.05). The expression of FOXO1 mRNA was negatively correlated to SLEDAI. However, the level of FOXO3a was similar among the three groups. Conclusion The result suggests that FOXO1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE and the expression level of FOXOI may be a good indicator for the disease activity of SLE.

Objective To evaluate the clinical indication,research value and surgical techniques of retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureter lithotomy for ureteral calculi.Methods Clinical data of 98 cases were retrospectively analyzed.All the patients underwent RLU,KWB,IVP,CTU or MRU examination and diagnosed with ureteral calculi,with 42 cases of upper ureteral calculi,35 cases of middle ureteral calculi,and 21 cases of low ureteral calculi.Laparoscopic ureter lithotomy was performed on all the patients.Results All the 98 cases underwent laparoscopic ureter lithotomy (RLU) successfully,with the sizes of stones ranging from 1.5 to 3.0cm,the mean operative time 60 minutes (from 45 to 100 minutes),and mean blood loss 30 mL (from 20 to 60ml).Complication had not been observed in 85 cases for 3-38 months follow-up.Conclusions The treatment of ureteral calculi with lapa-endo-scopic ureter lithotomy shows its unique superiority on the basis of skilled operative technology.Lapa-endo-scopic ureter lithotomy can be a preferred method to be performed or be a compensation method in some cases.