Objective To detect the changes of gastric emptying function by gastroenteric contrastenhanced ultrasonography and to offer the evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic gastroparesis.Methods The gastric emptying function was measured by gastroenteric contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in 35 cases of diabetic gastroparesis (DGP,DGP group) and 35 volunteers (control group).The gastric emptying rate(GER) and emptying time(ET) after taking orally gastroenteric ultrasound developer in DGP group were observed and compared with control group.Results The GER in DGP group was lower than that in control group [(27.05 ± 11.32)％ vs.(45.38 ± 15.08) ％] (P ＜ 0.05).The ET in DGP group was longer than that in control group[(102.43 ± 15.76) min vs.(75.31 ± 11.52) min] (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The method of gastroenteric contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is a simple,and repeatable imaging method,which can be used to make a real-time assessment on the gastric dynamic changes,but don't influence gastroenteric function and can provide a dependent and noninvasive examine means for clinical physician to test the gastric emptying function in DGP.

Objective To evaluate the curative effect,adverse reactions and complications of transcatheter uterine arterial embolization (TUAE) therapy for leiomyoma of uterus with three different embolization agents: silk particles, pingyangmycin-lipiodol emulsion (PLE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).Methods One hundred and twenty-six patients of uterus leiomyoma were included, who undergoing TUAE treatment with silk particles(54 cases, silk particles group) ,PLE(40 cases,PLE group) and PVA(32 cases, PVA group) respectively.Adverse reactions and complications were recorded until 6-60 months after TUAE treatment.Measured the volume of the leiomyoma by ultrasonic inspection or enhanced computed tomography (CT).Results All clinical symptoms of three groups were relieved, and the volumes of uterus leiomyoma after TUAE treatment of 6,12,24 months in PVA group [(50.84 ± 30.77), (39.92 ± 25.72), (31.24 ± 30.60) cm~3]were less than those in PLE group[(76.24 ± 31.16), (58.21 ± 32.05), (52.48 ± 31.41 ) cm~3]and silk particles group[(69.22 ± 36.22), (68.31 ± 32.42), (68.01 ± 30.12) cm~3].The inferior belly and perineal region pain were most slight in silk particles group, but no significant difference in complications was observed in three groups.The symptom recurrence was 3 cases, 2 cases in silk particles group and 1 case in PIE group.Conclusions Clinical outcome of TUAE treatment with all the three embolization agents is acceptable.Adverse reactions and complications are associated with volume of the leiomyoma and the area being embolized.PVA is superior in prevention of complications and relapse of uterus leiomyoma after TUAE treatment.

BACKGROUND: Traditional cancellous bone porosity detection methods such as direct method,gas expansion method,mercury injection method,density and osmotic suction measurement have many disadvantages,such as low efficiency,labor-intensive and complexity.OBJECTIVE: To process cancellous bone chips using MATLAB image processing method to calculate cancellous bone porosity.METHODS: Using MATLAB image processing method,the stained cancellous bone images were subjected to uneven lighting removal,image enhancement,binarization,removing interference objectives to obtain binary two-dimensional matrix.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Slice image was composed of bone and pore space.The slice image was segmented to calculate its porosity.This solves the problem of the inequality of light intensity and other interferences in image information that affect the statistics.The image processing and analysis methods of bone slices were performed using MATLAB,which can be used for cancellous bone porosity measurements and be used to explore the distribution and variation of porosity.Selecting different regions to calculate the different porosity of each area can be used to analyze the distribution of the pore.This method provides a method for the study of trabecular bone structure.

The prosthesis is forced by pneumatic artificial muscle, which can swing like human legs by inputting signals such as square waves and trigonal waves.Its swing performance is tested under such triggerings in order to find out a best motivating curve rendering the prosthesis performance almost the same as what human legs do. Compared with the normal human pace graph, the curve matches very well in the ascending edge but quite a discrepancy in the end of descending edge. According analyzing the reasons of the discrepancies, we could know how to ameliorate the design of the next generation of the bionic legs.

Knee joint is the largest and most complex joint of human body. Knee prosthesis, as the core component of lower limb, has a great expectation on simulated properties. Based on bionics, this study was designed to analyze kinematic characteristics of simulated knee joint, such as the sliding and rolling ratio of the knee as well as the instantaneous center curve, in order to further investigate an ideal simulated knee joint which was highly similar to normal knee joint. Movement regularity of human knee joint was simplified to introduce biomechanical model of knee joint so as to analyze and deduce formula of sliding ratio, rolling ratio, and instantaneous center curve. The calculation results were compared with parameters of human knee joint, suggesting a high coincidence between simulated and human knee joint. This provides an evidence for analyzing stability of motion and further studying structure and function of simulated knee joint, and this also provides basis for further research artificial simulated leg.

In the present study, a finite element model of L4-5 lumbar motion segment was established based on the CT images and a combination with image processing software, and the analysis of lumbar biomechanical characteristics was conducted on the proposed model according to different cases of flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Firstly, the CT images of lumbar segment L4 to L5 from a healthy volunteer were selected for a three dimensional model establishment which was consisted of cortical bone, cancellous bone, posterior structure, annulus, nucleus pulposus, cartilage endplate, ligament and facet joint. The biomechanical analysis was then conducted according to different cases of flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. The results showed that the established finite element model of L4-5 lumbar segment was realistic and effective. The axial displacement of the proposed model was 0.23, 0.47, 0.76 and 1.02 mm, respectively under the pressure of 500, 1 000, 1 500 and 2 000 N, which was similar to the previous studies in vitro experiments and finite element analysis of other people under the same condition. The stress distribution of the lumbar spine and intervertebral disc accorded with the biomechanical properties of the lumbar spine under various conditions. The established finite element model has been proved to be effective in simulating the biomechanical properties of lumbar spine, and therefore laid a good foundation for the research of the implants of biomechanical properties of lumbar spine.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; anatomy & histology ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; anatomy & histology ; Models, Anatomic ; Pressure ; Prostheses and Implants ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rotation

Based on the surgical model using transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) to treat lumbar spondylolisthesis, this paper presents the investigations of the biomechanical characteristics of cage and pedicle screw in lumbar spinal fusion implant fixed system under different combinations with finite element method. Firstly, combining the CT images with finite element pretreatment software, we established three dimensional nonlinear finite element model of human lumbar L4-L5 segmental slight slippage and implant under different fixed combinations. We then made a comparison analysis between the biomechanical characteristics of lumbar motion range, stress distribution of cage and pedicle screw under six status of each model which were flexion, extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left axial rotation and right axial rotation. The results showed that the motion ranges of this model under different operations were reduced above 84% compared with those of the intact model, and the stability of the former was improved significantly. The stress values of cage and pedicle screw were relatively larger when they were fixed by single fusion device additional unilateral pedicle screw, but there was no statistically significant difference. The above research results would provide reference and confirmation for further biomechanics research of TLIF extracorporal specimens, and finally provide biomechanical basis for the feasibility of unilateral internal fixed diagonal intervertebral fusion TLIF surgery.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Models, Anatomic ; Motion ; Pedicle Screws ; Posture ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rotation ; Spinal Fusion

Objective_To study the effect of human insulin on cell cycle progression and apoptosis of rat liver cell line BRL-3A in vitro.Methods_MTT method was used to observe the effect of insulin on cell activity, and flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and cell cycle.qRT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of related genes.Results_Human insulin induced the proliferation of BRL-3A cells in a dose-dependent manner ( P<0.05 or P<0.01);After 3 days treated by human insulin (500 nmol/L), the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phases re-markably decreased (P<0.05).Moreover, pro-apoptotic BAX was down-regulated (P<0.05), while cell prolif-eration-related gene CCNA2 was up-regulated (P<0.05).Conclusions_Human insulin may inhibit the apoptosis of BRL-3 A cell line and induce proliferation due to the down-regulated expression of BAX and up-regulated expres-sion of CCNA2 .

Objective To investigate current status in knowledge,attitude and practice(KAP)of transitional care among the nurses in Shaanxi province,identify the influencing factors that hinder the transitional care and carry out training of transitional care for the nurses in different specialties in order to provide a theoretical basis for establishing a transitional care model for discharged patients.Methods A total of 2 288 nurses were selected to participate the survey from 41 hospitals in Shaanxi province by the stratified two-stage random sampling method.A self-designed questionnaire for general information,an obstacle factor scale,and a KAP of transitional care questionnaire were used as the survey instruments.The data acquired from the survey were processed by Cluster analysis to identify potential categories and the influencing factors.Results Totally 2085 nurses finished the study.Total score of KAP of transitional care among the nurses in Shaanxi province was found at(134.96±23.75),which was at a medium level.The scores of knowledge,attitude and practice were 77.24%,80.64%and 76.98%respectively.Cluster analysis showed that all the nurses could be categorised into either a lower scored group(n=1 596,76.5%)or a higher scored group(489,23.5%),with a best potential category number of 2 for the 2 085 nurses who participated the survey.There were statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of care training,telephone follow-up,network platform,outpatient service of nursing experts,family visits,patient club and hospital categories(all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis on even factors above showed that care training,telephone follow-up,network platform and patient club could significantly affect the potential categorisation of KAP of the nurses in transitional care(all P＜0.05).The main factors that hindered the transitional care included insufficient human resources(93.81%),insufficient supply of community services(93.57%)and lack of a standardised flowchart for transitional care(93.09%).Conclusions Levels of KAP about the transitional care are at a medium level among the nurses of 41 hospitals in Shaanxi province,which indicates that the nurses are active in attitude,but the knowledge and practice are required to be further improved and standardised.The results of cluster analysis indicate that it is necessary for nursing managers to carry out targeted trainings in transitional care for the nurses in different categories.This study provides a theoretical basis to establish a diversified transitional care mode for discharged patients in Shaanxi province.

Objective: To investigate the comprehensive nutritional status and diet behavior of middle aged and elderly women with osteoporosis, and thereby to explore the relationship between diet behavior and comprehensive nutritional status. Methods: 311 middle-aged and elderly women with osteoporosis in Chengdu were included in this study. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was applied to assess their comprehensive nutritional status. Information of social-demographic characteristics and diet behavior (about meals, snacks and water drinking, etc.) of the subjects was collected by questionnaire. Chi square test was used to assess the differences in nutritional status among patients who have different eating behaviors. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between diet behaviors and comprehensive nutritional status. Results: The mean MNA score of subjects was 25.8±2.5. 20.3% (63/311) of the subjets were at risk of potential malnutrition, but there was no malnourished subjects found. 46.9% (46/311) of the subjects were in good appetite. 95.2% (296/311) of them had a fixed food intake each meal. 65.8% (198/311) of them had snacks every day, and the most common choice was fruit (86.4% (248/287)). 54.8% (165/311) of them had initiative drinking water habits, and the most common choice was plain boiled water (79.9%, 246/308). 76.5% (238/311) of them had daily portable water less than 1 500 ml. After adjusting the effects of age, occupation and education level, bad appetite (OR=3.50, 95%CI: 1.18-10.62), unfixed food intake (OR=7.27, 95%CI: 1.40-35.83), and seldom or never intake of snack (OR=3.71, 95%CI: 1.42-9.72) were risk factors for malnutrition risk, while tea drinking was protective factor(OR=0.31, 95%CI: 0.11-0.93). Conclusion Risk of potential malnutrition and unhealthy diet behavior among the middle aged and elderly women with osteoporosis should be paid more attention. Unhealtghy diet behavior has a negative effect on their comprehensive nutritional status.