Objective To assess voice parametric characteristics of normal children in different age?sex?and phonation conditions. Methods Voice data of 240 children were collected and analyzed with Dr. Speech software. Acoustic signal data were measured in three phonation conditions: the lowest modal voice, natural voice, the highest modal voice. Results Perturbations and normalized noise energy from the highest value to the lowest one by one were that of the lowest modal voice, natural voice, the highest modal voice. The sequences of standard deviation of fundamental frequency were that of the highest modal voice, the lowest modal voice, natural voice. Conclusion The voice quality of normal children had distinctive characteristics in different phonation conditions.

Objective To measure the cancellous bone contents at different parts of the humeral heads of different ages and genders for data helpful for humeral head fixation.Methods Thirty-six patients with proximal humeral fracture were selected for this study who had been treated at our department with locking proximal humerus plate from June 2008 to April 2010.They were 18 men and 18 women,aged from 20 to 86 years (average,51.6 years).They were grouped according to age:group A ( ＜ 40 years),group B (40 to 60 years),and group C (＞ 60 years).A GE Sensation 16 CT scanner (GE Healtbcare,USA) was used to scan both of their affected and healthy humeral heads preoperation,with slices one mm thick.The bone density of cancellous bone was assessed by the CT value expressed in Hounsfield units.The maximum,minimum,and mean CT values were calculated for the cancellous bone in the humeral head in each image.CT images were processed by computer with custom software (Xiphoid 1.3,Image J 1.4g and Image-Pro Plus 6.0).All the data were analyzed with SPSS16.0.Results We found 4 weak point.s at the cortical bone of proximal humerus,correspondent with the 4 clinic CT types of proximal humeral fracture.The cancellous bone was the densest in the medial humeral head.The mean cancellous bone content was significantly lower in group C than in group A and B( P ＜ 0.05).There was a significant difference between men and women in group A in the BMD of cancellous bone ( t =4.744,P =0.001 ).Conclusions The cancellous bone content in the humeral head is related with age and gender.Since there is more cancellous bone in the medial part than in other parts of the humeral head,it is a reliable part for humeral head fixation.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of needle knife, Governor-Vessel moxibustion plus medication in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Method Forty AS patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 20 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by intravenous administration of Ossotide injection, while the treatment group was by needle knife and Governor-Vessel moxibustion in addition to Ossotide injection. Before and after the intervention, the symptoms and body signs, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) were observed in the two groups, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result The total effective rate was 90.0% in the treatment group versus 75.0% in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After the intervention, the symptoms and body signs (spinal pain score, Schober test, morning stiffness duration, chest expansion degree, and occiput-wall distance) were changed significantly in both groups (P<0.05). The BASDAI and BASFI scores were significantly changed after the intervention in both groups (P<0.05). The BASDAI and BASFI scores in the treatment group were significantly different from those in the control group after the intervention (P<0.05).Conclusion Needle knife plus Governor-Vessel moxibustion and medication is an effective approach in treating AS.

Objective To explore the diagnosis and topical treatment of diabetic foot in patients with burns.Methods Sixty-five patients with burns complicated with diabetic foot were admitted from Jan.2002 to Dec.2006.Bacterial culture of wound excretion,peripheral nerve electromyography and vascular ultrasonography of both lower extremities were performed in a part of patients.Twenty-four patients received topical treatment,including immersion bath with hypertonic saline solution and the application of epidermal growth factor,fibroblast growth factor and complex lysozyme disinfectant.Forty-one patients underwent surgical treatment.The operation methods,surgical treatment included debridement followed by direct closure,split-thickness skin grafting,repair with local skin flap or cross leg skin flap,or amputation of foot,as determined according to the condition of the wound.Results The positive rate of bacterial culture of wound excretion was 88.7%(47/53)on admission and 30.2%(16/53)one week after topical treatment.There were abnormal findings of peripheral nerve electromyography in all 31 cases.Vascular ultrasonography revealed pathological findings in both lower extremities of all 12 patients with vascular lesion,and 9 in 16 cases without vascular lesion.The lesions in all patients except 2,who were discharged in advance,healed and the cure rate was 96.9%.Conclusion Peripheral nerve electromyography and vascular ultrasonography of both lower extremities are promising auxiliary examinations for the diagnosis of diabetic foot in patients with burns.Topical treatment,which includes immersion bath with hypertonic saline solution and the application of growth factors and complex lysozyme disinfectant,as well as appropriate surgical management,plays an important role in the wound healing.

The process of protein synthesis is terminated by one of the three stop codons which are recognized by classⅠ polypeptide release factors.Subsequently, it could promote the hydrolysis of the ester bond of peptidy-tRNA, resulting in release of the nascent polypeptide.Recent results from cryoelectron microscopy, crystallography, NMR, molecular dynamic and biochemical experiments have shed considerable light on the function and structure of the classⅠ release factors.The progress in these aspects were summarized.

Objective:To study the feasibility of 3-D reconstruction model in the observation of tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD) effected palatal organ development of fetal mouse.Methods:Kunming mice treated 40 ug/kg TCDD by lavage on day 12.5 of pregnancy were used as in the experimental group,isodose corn oil treated in the control group.On day 13.5,14.5 and 15.5 of pregnancy heads of the fetal mice were taken out and fixed.Conventional paraffin serial sections of palatal organ were preparated and dyed by hematoxylin-eosin,images of the palatal organs were collected and photoshop treated,3-D reconstruction of the palatal organ was performed by 3D-DOCTOR software.Results:3-D reconstruction images showed that palatal organs moved from on both sides above the tongue and gradually closed and merged in the control group.In the experimental group,the palatal organs moved from on both sides above the tongue was later than control group,gradually closed,but not merged,formed cleft palate.Conclusion:3D-DOCTOR software reconstruction can be used for the study of the development process effected by TCDD in the pregnant mouse.

Aged ; Chordoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Nasal Cavity ; pathology ; Nose Neoplasms ; pathology

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of local administration of thymosin β4 (Tβ4) on bone regeneration in a distraction osteogenesis model of rat fenur.Methods Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into groups A,B and C in this study.A distraction osteogenesis model was established in the left femur after osteotomy.At the end of distraction period,the bone regeneration area in group A was subjected to no treatment,that in group B to injection of phosphate buffer saline (PBS),and that in group C to injection of Tβ4.On days 22,29 and 43 postoperatively,the rats from each group were randomly sacrificed and processed for observation of bone regeneration in the distraction osteogenesis area using radiography,Micro-CT,histology and immunohistochemical staining.RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of related genes as well.Results Radiography revealed that the bone regeneration in group C was superior to that in groups A and B on days 22,29 and 43 postoperatively.Micro-CT examination showed significantly increased bone volume (BV),bone mineral density (BMD) and ratio of bone volume to tissue volume (BV/TV) in group C on days 22,29 and 43 postoperatively,and significantly decreased ratio of bone surface area to bone volume on postoperative day 43 in comparison with groups A and B(P ＜ 0.05).HE staining indicated that local capillary density was significantly higher in group C than in groups A and B after local administration of Tβ4 in the distraction osteogenesis.Immunohistochemical staining showed that the capillary density and osteoblasts in group C were higher than in groups A and B.RT-PCR results revealed significantly higher expression of eNOS and Osterix mRNA in the local callus in group C on postoperative day 22 than in groups A and group B (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Local administration of thymosin β4 may promote bone formation,which is probably related to the increased expression of eNOS and Osterix.

This paper introduces a free and publicly open ICU database: multi-parameter intelligent monitoring in intensive care II: MIMIC-II, which has been built up and maintained by the laboratory of computational physiology at the Massachusetts Institute Technology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Philips Healthcare over the past decade. This paper briefly introduces its infrastructure, implementation and applications in clinical studies. Clinical study pertaining to circadian variation in heart rate and blood pressure during sepsis is shown as a typical example of research performed with MIMIC-II. In this study, it was found there was significant difference in circadian variation in both heart rate and blood pressure between survival and non-survival groups in septic patients. This study tackled several important techniques necessary for the investigation of the circadian rhythm.
Blood Pressure ; Circadian Rhythm ; Critical Care ; Data Mining ; Databases, Factual ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Medical Informatics

Objective To prepare porcine acellular dermal matrix(PADM) without cytotoxicity,to evaluate its biological safety,and investigate its end result in vivo.Methods A piece of porcine split-thickness skin of 0.3-0.4mm was obtained,the epidermis was removed by hypertonic saline immersion,and then the skin was immersed in sodium hydroxide solution,and dermal cells were removed by shaking water bath at normal temperature to harvest PADM.After cross-linking and sterilization,bacteria and porcine virus were examined in the PADM.The PADM were embedded beneath the Sprague-Dawley(SD) rat's skin,and then the general and histological changes were observed after transplantation.Result The obtained PADM was soft and elastic,easy to be moulded,and convenient for operation.No cellular component was found in PADM,the collagen was regularly arranged and elastic fibers were abundant.Bacteria and virus examination of all specimens was negative.No immunologic rejection of PADM was found after being embedded beneath the skin of SD rat.The PADM adhered to the wound firmly,and it was difficult to detach 3 weeks after implantation,and the general structures of PADM beneath rat skin were discernible 24 weeks after implantation.The PADM was infiltrated by inflammatory cells in the early stage,fibroblasts and capillary vessels increased in number along with the time,and collagen fibers gradually gained a regular and compact arrangement in PADM.Conclusions The PADM prepared by hypertonic saline/sodium hydroxide method is a simple preparation process,and there is no cytotoxicity.It has a high biological safety and can be used as dermal scaffold with long-term existence in vivo.