Objective: To observe the effects of dietary zinc deficiency on the apoptosis of immunocytes in 3 weeks old rats and study the underlying mechanism. Methods: A zinc-deficient growing rat model was developed. Using TUNEL(terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling) method, the apoptosis of thymocytes and spleen lymphocytes was checked. The expression of bcl-2, bax mRNA in thymus and spleen was detected by RT-PCR. Results: Compared with zinc adequate(ZA) and paired-fed(PF) groups, the percentage of apoptosis cells in thymus and spleen of zinc-deficient(ZD) rats was obviously higher, and the thymus and spleen of ZD rats had a higher expression of bax mRNA. Zinc supplementation could reverse these changes. Conclusion: Dietary zinc deficiency leads to the increase of apoptosis of lymphocytes in thymus and spleen. One important mechanism is that the thymus and spleen have higher expression of bax mRNA, which causes the decrease of bcl-2/bax ratio.

Objective: To observe the effects of zinc deficiency on peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotypic distribution and the balance between Th1 and Th2 cells in growing rats. Methods: Two-color cytofluorometric analysis was used. Results: Compared with zinc adequate (ZA) and paired-fed (PF) groups, peripheral blood lymphocytes in zinc deficient (ZD) rats had higher percentage of CD8+ cells (cytolytic T cells), lower percentage of CD4+ cells (T helper cells) and lower percentage of CD45RA+ cells (pure B lymphocytes).In addition, zinc deficiency selectively caused reduction of Th1-like CD45RC+CD4+ cells , but Th2-like CD45RC-CD4+cells had no significant changes in weanling rats. Zinc supplementation could reverse these changes. Conclusion: Dietary zinc deficiency leads to changes of lymphocyte phenotypic distribution and the imbalance of Th1 and Th2 subsets. These changes are reversible.

Objective To detect the dynamic visual acuity ( DVA) before and after vestibular habituation of subjects in order to optimize the DVA assessment criteria .Methods The vestibular function examination system was applied to the detection of static and dynamic visual function in 16 healthy subjects .Results When the speed of left or right swinging was fast enough , DVA before and after vestibular habituation was different .Conclusion Subjects with vestibular habituation can reduce their sensitivity to the vestibular system , the changes in DVA are better than before habituation , and the vestib-ular function adaptability training may have effect on DVA .

Objective:To analyze characteristics of and distribution of pathogenic fungi in patients with tinea capitis in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2010 to 2018.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 122 tinea capitis patients with positive fungal culture results in Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2010 to 2018, and retrospectively analyzed. Fungal culture was carried out, and lactophenol cotton blue staining was performed for morphological identification of the fungal isolates.Results:Of the 122 patients with tinea capitis, 112 (91.8%) were children, including 70 (62.5%) males and 42 (37.5%) females, and there were 58 (51.79%) preschool children and 37 (33.04%) school-age children; 9 (7.38%) were adults, including 7 females and 2 males; 66 (54.1%) were of Uygur nationality, 46 (37.7%) of Han nationality, 5 (4.1%) of Kazakh nationality, 3 (2.46%) of Hui nationality, 1 (0.82%) of Mongolian nationality, and 1 of unknown nationality. The annual number of cases of tinea capitis was more than 20 from 2011 to 2013, and gradually decreased year by year from 2014 (≤ 13 cases/year) . All the patients were infected with a single fungal strain, and a total of 122 strains were identified, including 46 (37.7%) strains of Microsporum ferrugineum, 44 (36.07%) strains of Microsporum canis, 10 (8.2%) strains of Trichophyton violaceum, 9 (7.38%) strains of Trichophyton schoenleini, 6 (4.91%) strains of Trichophyton tonsurans, 4 (3.28%) strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, 3 (2.46%) strains of Trichophyton verrucosum. Microsporum ferrugineum (anthropophilic species) mostly affected patients of Uygur nationality (34 cases, 73.91%) , and Microsporum canis (zoophilic species) mostly affected patients of Han nationality (26 cases, 59.09%) . Conclusion:In the Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2010 to 2018, tinea capitis commonly affected male children of Uygur nationality, and Microsporum ferrugineum and Microsporum canis were the dominant pathogenic species.

Objective: To compare the efficiency of four methods that remove calcium hydroxide in root canals and to guide clinical practice. Methods : Sixty-five isolated mandibular single root canal premolars were collected. After crown cutting and root canal preparation, a tooth was randomly selected as the blank control group, and the remaining 64 teeth were equally divided into Groups A and B (n = 32). Group A was injected with water-soluble calcium hydroxide, and Group B was injected with oil-soluble calcium hydroxide. After 2 weeks of drug sealing, Groups A and B were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 8), including the lateral opening syringe group, sonic vibration group, ultrasonic group, and Er: YAG laser group. Before and after calcium hydroxide removal, the samples were scanned by cone-beam CT, and the data were imported into Mimics for 3D reconstruction. The root canal was divided into the following segments: superior root segment, middle and apical, and the calcium hydroxide volume of each segment of the root canal was calculated. The volumes of calcium hydroxide before and after removal were V1 and V2, respectively, with a clearance rate = (V1-V2)/V1×100%. Three-factor ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. After Groups A and B were reconstructed, the apical region with residual calcium hydroxide was selected, and the blank control was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results : Two types of calcium hydroxide could not be completely removed by the four flushing methods. The clearance rate of water-soluble calcium hydroxide was higher than that of oil-soluble calcium hydroxide (P<0.001). Among the three segments of the root canal, the clearance rate of the apical segment was lower (P<0.05). The Er: YAG laser treatment group showed the highest removal efficiency of two kinds of calcium hydroxide, which was higher than that of the other groups, especially in apical of the root. Compared with the sonic wave washing group and the syringe washing group, the ultrasonic wave washing group exhibited significant advantages (P<0.05). The clearance rate of the sonic wave washing group was higher in the oily calcium hydroxide root middle group than in the syringe washing group (P<0.05). SEM showed that the two kinds of calcium hydroxide could not be completely removed, but the residual rate of oil-soluble calcium hydroxide was large. Conclusion Both types of calcium hydroxide could not be completely removed, and compared to water-soluble calcium hydroxide, oil-soluble calcium hydroxide was more difficult to remove. Among the four cleaning methods, Er:YAG laser swing washing showed the higher cleaning efficiency.

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is the most common thyroid dysfunction, and its relationship with blood pressure (BP) has been controversial. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between SCH and newly-diagnosed hypertension. Methods: Based on data from the Thyroid disease, Iodine nutrition and Diabetes Epidemiology (TIDE) study, 49,433 euthyroid individuals and 7,719 SCH patients aged ≥18 years were enrolled. Patients with a history of hypertension or thyroid disease were excluded. SCH was determined by manufacturer reference range. Overall hypertension and stage 1 and 2 hypertension were diagnosed according to the guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association in 2017. Results: The prevalence of overall hypertension (48.7%), including stage 1 (28.9%) and 2 (19.8%) hypertension, increased significantly in SCH patients compared with euthyroid subjects. With elevated serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, the hypertension prevalence also increased significantly from the euthyroid to different SCH subgroups, which was more profound in females or subjects aged <65 years. The age- and sex-specific regression analysis further demonstrated the same trends in the general population and in the 1:1 propensity matched population. Similarly, several BP components (i.e., systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP) were positively associated with TSH elevation, and regression analysis also confirmed that all BP components were closely related with SCH in female subjects aged <65 years. Conclusion The prevalence of hypertension increases for patients with SCH. SCH tends to be associated with hypertension and BP components in females younger than 65 years.

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is the most common thyroid dysfunction, and its relationship with blood pressure (BP) has been controversial. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between SCH and newly-diagnosed hypertension. Methods: Based on data from the Thyroid disease, Iodine nutrition and Diabetes Epidemiology (TIDE) study, 49,433 euthyroid individuals and 7,719 SCH patients aged ≥18 years were enrolled. Patients with a history of hypertension or thyroid disease were excluded. SCH was determined by manufacturer reference range. Overall hypertension and stage 1 and 2 hypertension were diagnosed according to the guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association in 2017. Results: The prevalence of overall hypertension (48.7%), including stage 1 (28.9%) and 2 (19.8%) hypertension, increased significantly in SCH patients compared with euthyroid subjects. With elevated serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, the hypertension prevalence also increased significantly from the euthyroid to different SCH subgroups, which was more profound in females or subjects aged <65 years. The age- and sex-specific regression analysis further demonstrated the same trends in the general population and in the 1:1 propensity matched population. Similarly, several BP components (i.e., systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP) were positively associated with TSH elevation, and regression analysis also confirmed that all BP components were closely related with SCH in female subjects aged <65 years. Conclusion The prevalence of hypertension increases for patients with SCH. SCH tends to be associated with hypertension and BP components in females younger than 65 years.

This study aimed to explore key quality control factors that affected the prognosis of intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Chinese mainland over six years (2015-2020). The data for this study were from 31 provincial and municipal hospitals (3425 hospital ICUs) and included 2 110 685 ICU patients, for a total of 27 607 376 ICU hospitalization days. We found that 15 initially established quality control indicators were good predictors of patient prognosis, including percentage of ICU patients out of all inpatients (%), percentage of ICU bed occupancy of total inpatient bed occupancy (%), percentage of all ICU inpatients with an APACHE II score ⩾15 (%), three-hour (surviving sepsis campaign) SSC bundle compliance (%), six-hour SSC bundle compliance (%), rate of microbe detection before antibiotics (%), percentage of drug deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis (%), percentage of unplanned endotracheal extubations (%), percentage of patients reintubated within 48 hours (%), unplanned transfers to the ICU (%), 48-h ICU readmission rate (%), ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) (per 1000 ventilator days), catheter related blood stream infection (CRBSI) (per 1000 catheter days), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) (per 1000 catheter days), in-hospital mortality (%). When exploratory factor analysis was applied, the 15 indicators were divided into 6 core elements that varied in weight regarding quality evaluation: nosocomial infection management (21.35%), compliance with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines (17.97%), ICU resources (17.46%), airway management (15.53%), prevention of deep-vein thrombosis (14.07%), and severity of patient condition (13.61%). Based on the different weights of the core elements associated with the 15 indicators, we developed an integrated quality scoring system defined as F score=21.35%xnosocomial infection management + 17.97%xcompliance with SSC guidelines + 17.46%×ICU resources + 15.53%×airway management + 14.07%×DVT prevention + 13.61%×severity of patient condition. This evidence-based quality scoring system will help in assessing the key elements of quality management and establish a foundation for further optimization of the quality control indicator system.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Cross Infection/epidemiology* ; Intensive Care Units/statistics & numerical data* ; Quality Control ; Quality Indicators, Health Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Sepsis/therapy* ; East Asian People/statistics & numerical data*