Objective To investigate effects of thoracoscopic sternal elevation by using a steel bar(Nuss procedure) in the treatment of pectus excavatum in children.Methods Under the assistance of thoracoscopy,a substernal tunnel was created using a blunt dissector via a right thoracic incision.Then a steel bar was inserted under the sternum.After the bar was placed in position,it was turned over to elevate the deformed sternum and the anterior chest wall.Results The operation was completed successfully in all the 11 cases.The operating time ranged 50~85 min(mean, 67 min).The intraoperative blood loss ranged 5~20 ml(mean,10 ml).The surgical outcomes were classified as "excellent" in 9 cases,"good" in 1 case,and "fair" in 1.Follow-up observations for 2~15 months(mean,6.4 months) in 8 cases showed satisfactory appearance.Conclusions Thoracoscopic Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum in children is a minimally invasive technique with limited surgical trauma,minimal blood loss,simple performance,rapid recovery,and good cosmetic results,being worthy of recommendation.

Objective To evaluate the rat model of dry eye induced by topical administration of benzalkonium chloride and compare the morphological characteristics of corneal and conjunctival tissues of the normal and model rats . Methods Topical administration of benzalkonium chloride (0.3%) twice per day for seven days to induce the rat model of dry eye.Pathology with HE and periodic acid-Schiff staining and transmission electron microscopy were performed to evaluate the corneal and conjunctival changes .Results The corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells were sloughed off , the number of goblet cells was decreased in the dry eye model .Microvilli were obviously lost in the surface epithelial cells of the dry eye rat cornea and conjunctiva compared with the normal rats , as indicated by the amount and size of microvilli . Conclusions The changes in the corneal and conjunctival epithelia of BAC-induced rat dry eye are similar to the changes in human dry eye .This rat model may play an essential role for dry eye studies in the future .

OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors and nursing protective measures controlling hospital infection in patients after neck dissection. METHODS The data of 116 patients after neck dissection from Aug 2000 to Aug 2005 were collected, and the hospital infection condition was analyzed in comparison with non-infection group. RESULTS Hospital infection rate was 18.97% (22/116) and case-time rate was 21.55%(25/116). Of 25 occasions in hospital infections, 48% were infection of operative incision and 24% were infection of respiratory tract. The risk factors for hospital infection in patients with neck dissection might be associated with patient's duration of hospitalization, history of chronic disease , age and invasive operation. CONCLUSIONS There is a high hospital infection incidence rate in patients after neck dissection , it is necessary to monitor high risk patients.

Background Studies showed that inflammation is associated with the pathogenesis and development of dry eyes,and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) are key inflammatory factors.Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) plays a promoting effect on the migration of epithelial cells and anti-inflammatory action.However,the influences of Tβ4 on the repair of ocular surface in dry eyes are unelucidated.Objective This study was to investigate the regulation of Tβ4 to the expressions of TNF-o and IFN-γand its effect on the recovery of ocular surface in rat dry eye models.Methods The dry eye models were induced by topically administered of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) for consecutive 7 days in the left eyes of 50 SPF male SD rats,and 36 successful models were used in the experiment.Tβ4 solution (9 μg/ml),recombinant human epithelial growth factor (rhEGF)and sterile PBS at 5 μl was topically administered three times for consecutive 7 days in the Tβ4 group,rhEGF group and PBS group,and no drug was used in the model control group.The normal right eyes of rats served as the normal control group.The break-up time of tear film (BUT),corneal fluorescein staining score and Schirmer Ⅰ test (S I t)were examined and evaluated in the rats on the seventh day after administration of drugs.Then the rats were sacrificed by excessive anesthesia and the sections of the ocular surface were prepared.The morphology of the specimens was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining,and the number of conjunctival gobelt cells was counted by periodic acidschiff staining.The ultrastructure of the corneal and conjunctival cells was examined under the transmission electron microscope.The expressions of TNF-α mRNA and IFN-γ mRNA and their proteins in conjunctiva tissue were quantified by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot,respectively.The use and care of the animals followed by Regulation for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results The BUT was (10.42±0.66),(7.46±0.49),(8.71±0.50),(9.59±0.35) and (8.63± 0.68) seconds in the normal control group,model control group,rhEGF group,Tβ4 group and BUT group,showing a significant difference among the groups (F =5.65,P =0.00),and the BUT was evidently shortened in the model control group compared with the normal control group,while the BUT was significantly extended in the rhEGF group and Tβ4 group in comparison with the model control group (all at P＜0.05).No significant differences were found in the corneal fluorescence score and S I t among the groups (F =0.42,P =0.79;F =136.77,P =0.00).The corneal and conjunctival epithelium defect and corneal stromal edema were seen in the model control group,and the proliferation of the epithelial cells were found in the rhEGF group and Tβ4 group,with the irregulated arrangement of the cells.A considerable difference was seen in the number of conjunetival goblet cells among the groups (F=3.16,P =0.04),and the number of eonjunctival goblet cells in the rhEGF group and model control group was significantly less than that in the normal control group (all at P＜0.05),and no statistically significant difference was seen between Tβ4 group and normal control group (P ＞ 0.05).The swelling,mergence,crispation,rupture and decrease of the microvilli and micro fold were found in the model control group,and the repair of the cell microvilli was seen in the Tβ4 group.The expressions of the TNF-α mRNA,IFN-γ mRNA and their proteins in the conjunctiva were significantly different among the groups (F =43.08,371.69,34.27,43.52,all at P =0.00),the expressions of the inflammatory factors were significantly higher in the model control group compared with the normal control group,and these expressions were evidently lower in the Tβ4 group in comparison with the model control group and rhEGF group (all at P＜0.05).Conclusions The topical administration of Tβ4 solution can promote the repair of ocular surface by down-regulating the expression of TNF-α and IFN-γ in conjunctiva and stablize the tear film in rat dry eyes.

Objective To understand the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and related factors among special popu?lation in Changzhou City,so as to provide the evidence for formulating toxoplasmosis prevention measures. Methods The ve?nous blood was collected from participants in Changzhou City for detecting IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by ELISA;and an epidemiological questionnaire investigation was also conducted. Results Among the total 400 respondents detected,the prevalence of T. gondii infection was 15.0%and the positive rates of IgG and IgM were 15.0%and 0.8%,respectively. The T. gondii infection rates of pregnant women,HIV/AIDS patients,patients with neoplasia,and livestock and poultry breeding and processing workers were 11.0%,11.0%,24.0%and 14.0%,respectively. As the age increased,the infection rate of T. gondii showed an upward trend,with the highest infection rate(21.6%)among the group of respondents aged above 50 years. The in?fection rates of groups with different education levels were statistically different(χ2=11.443,P<0.05),and there was a trend that the infection rate decreased with the increase of education level. The prevalence of T. gondii infection in pregnant women was not significantly associated with the number of pregnancies and gestational age. The infection rate of T. gondii in the live?stock and poultry breeding and processing workers increased with the length of their working years. Conclusions The preva?lence of T. gondii infection among the special population in Changzhou City is high. Therefore,it is necessary to enhance the health education on the knowledge and information of prevention and control of toxoplasmosis,and to improve the awareness of personal protection,the hygiene practices and diet habits. In addition,more attention should be paid to T. gondii monitoring in the special population.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and related knowledge and behavior among special population in Changzhou City,so as to provide the evidence for formulating effective measures of toxoplasmosis prevention. Methods The pregnant women and patients with neoplasia in Changzhou hospitals,and livestock and poultry breeding or processing workers were selected as the subjects of the study. Venous blood samples were collected from each partici-pant for detecting IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by ELISA. A questionnaire investigation on knowledge and behavior about T. gondii infection was conducted. Results Among the total 300 respondents investigated from March to May,2015,the prevalence of T. gondii infection was 16.3％(49/300). Totally 52 respondents knew the knowledge about the prevention and con-trol of T. gondii infection with an awareness rate of 17.3％(52/300). The proportion of participants who frequently contacted with cats/dogs(25.0％,13/52)in the group who knew the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection was lower than that of participants(50.8％,126/248)in the group who did not know the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection,and the difference was statistically significant(X2=11.51,P<0.05). The proportion of participants sepa-rating chopping boards for raw and cooked food(61.5％,32/52)in the group who knew the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection was statistically higher than that of the participants(9.3％,23/248)in the group who did not know the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection,and the difference was statistically significant (X2=78.43,P<0.001). There was a negative correlation between the awareness rate of the knowledge about the prevention and con-trol of T. gondii infection and the infection rate of T. gondii. The infection rate of T. gondii(5.8％,3/52)in the group who knew the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection was lower than that(18.5％,46/248)of the group who did not know the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection,and the difference was statistically significant (X2=5.14,P<0.05). Conclusions The awareness rate of the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infec-tion among special population in Changzhou City is low. The health education on the knowledge of the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis should be strengthened,in order to improve the awareness of personal hygiene and change the unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of serum uric acid with prediabetes and newly detected type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adults. Methods: Data were obtained from the baseline investigation of Songjiang Peak-Plan cohort. According to the baseline fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin, the eligible subjects were divided into normal blood sugar group, prediabetes group, and newly detected T2DM group. Unconditional logistic regression model was used to explore the effect of serum uric acid level on prediabetes and newly detected T2DM, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) function was used to explore the nonlinear dose-response relationship of serum uric acid level with the prevalence of prediabetes and newly detected T2DM. Results: A total of 30 375 subjects were included in the analysis, with an average age of (55.36±11.52) years, and 60.2% (18 299) of them were women. The baseline survey found that the prevalence of prediabetes was 38.6% (11 739 cases), and the prevalence of newly detected T2DM was 6.6% (1 992 cases). Logistic regression analysis showed that, in women, for every 10µmol/L increase in serum uric acid, the risk of developing prediabetes and T2DM s increased by 2.4% (OR=1.024, 95%CI: 1.018-1.030), and 1.5% (OR=1.015, 95%CI: 1.005-1.025), respectively; in men, for every 10 µmol/L increase in serum uric acid, the risk of developing prediabetes and T2DM decreased by 0.8% (OR=0.992, 95%CI: 0.987-0.998) and 5.0% (OR=0.950, 95%CI: 0.939-0.960), respectively. The RCS function showed that the serum uric acid level showed a nonlinear dose-response relationship with newly detected T2DM (P=0.017), but not with prediabetes (P=0.670) in women and showed a nonlinear dose-response relationship with both prediabetes (P=0.040) and newly detected T2DM (P<0.001) in men. Conclusions: Adult women are at increased risk of prediabetes and newly detected T2DM with increase of serum uric acid level, and adult men are at decreased risk of newly diagnosed T2DM with the increase of serum uric acid level. There was no significant relationship between serum uric acid level and prediabetes in men.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Prediabetic State/epidemiology* ; Uric Acid ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology* ; Glycated Hemoglobin ; Fasting