OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of air pollution on stroke mortality in Tianjin, China, and to provide basis for stroke control and prevention.

METHODSTotal data of mortality surveillance were collected by Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meteorological data and atmospheric pollution data were from Tianjin Meteorological Bureau and Tianjin Environmental Monitoring Center, respectively. Generalized additive Poisson regression model was used in time-series analysis on the relationship between air pollution and stroke mortality in Tianjin. Single-pollutant analysis and multi-pollutant analysis were performed after adjustment for confounding factors such as meteorological factors, long-term trend of death, "days of the week" effect and population.

RESULTSThe crude death rates of stroke in Tianjin were from 136.67 in 2001 to 160.01/100000 in 2009, with an escalating trend (P = 0.000), while the standardized mortality ratios of stroke in Tianjin were from 138.36 to 99.14/100000, with a declining trend (P = 0.000). An increase of 10 µg/m³ in daily average concentrations of atmospheric SO₂, NO₂ and PM₁₀ led to 1.0105 (95%CI: 1.0060 ∼ 1.0153), 1.0197 (95%CI: 1.0149 ∼ 1.0246) and 1.0064 (95%CI: 1.0052 ∼ 1.0077), respectively, in relative risks of stroke mortality. SO₂ effect peaked after 1-day exposure, while NO₂ and PM₁₀ effects did within 1 day.

CONCLUSIONAir pollution in Tianjin may increase the risk of stroke mortality in the population and induce acute onset of stroke. It is necessary to carry out air pollution control and allocate health resources rationally to reduce the hazard of stroke mortality.

Air Pollutants ; analysis ; Air Pollution ; analysis ; China ; epidemiology ; Environmental Monitoring ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Particulate Matter ; analysis ; Poisson Distribution ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Survival Rate ; Time Factors

Objective To observe the efficacy of Chinese herbal fumigant sitz bath for different exposure durations on patients for the complicatiors after mixed hemorrhoidectomy.Methods One hundred and twenty patients with mixed hemorrhoidectomy were randomized into four groups(2 treatment groups and 2 control groups) with 30 cases in each group.The treatment groups were treated with the Chinese Herbal fumigant sitz bath for 10 minutes and 15 minutes respectively;while the control groups were treated with the hemorrhoids lotion for 10 minutes and 15 minutes respectively.The severity of pain,edema,bleeding,constipation and urinary disturbance were scored on the second,seventh and fourteenth days after treatment.Data were analyzed statistically.Results Chinese herbal fumigant Sitz baths for 10 minutes could significantly reduce postoperative pain,edema and bleeding symptoms[(1.72±1.23) points,(0.72±1.25) points,(0.91±1.37) points,respectively,P ＜0.05],followed sequentially by groups of Chinese herbal fumigant Sitz baths for 15 minutes [(1.79±1.21)points,(0.89±1.28) points,(1.03±1.24) points]; The hemorrhoids lotion for 10 minutes ((1.86±1.25) points,(1.14±1.47) points,(1.49±1.56)) and 15 minutes[(2.03±1.48) points,(1.05±1.29) points,(1.39±1.47) points,respectively,P ＜ 0.05]With the successful cases of 27,21,18,and 6 in the groups,respectively.Though the overall response rates of for the groups of 10 min's treatment,15min's treatment and 10 min's control were not significantly different between each other(P =0.0634,P =0.2560),they showed a superior efficacy in the overall response rate to the 15 min's control group(P =0.0064,P =0.0365,P =0.0089),respectively.Conclusion Chinese herbal fumigant Sitz baths for 10minutes have a success rate of 100％ on alleviating complications after mixed hemorrhoidectomy.It has a prominent efficacy on reducing postoperative edema and bleeding symptoms than other treatments studied in this program.

Objective To evoke cerebral potentials by stimulating nociceptive fibers with contact heat evoked potentials stimulator (CHEPS)and estimate the nerve conduction velocities of peripheral nerve fibers mediating these responses.Methods Subjects were set in supine position.A heat-foil technology with a rapid rising speed at 70 ℃/s was used to elicit pain and contact heat evoked potentials(CHEP).Contact heat was delivered via one circular thermode (diameter 27 mm,area 573 mm~2).Thermal stimuli were sent at two intensity levels (49.5 ℃ and 54.5 ℃) to three body sites:thenar eminence,the dorsum of hand and proximal volar forarm.Contact heat evoked potentials were recorded from Cz and Pz.A systemic effect between stimulus intensities and pain rating were observed,the main components of this evoked potential were observed.Nerve conduction velocity was calculated from latency difference of CHEP and center to center distance of distal and proximal stimulus arrays.Results The pain intensity rating was 3.2?0.3 and 4.4?0.5 when thenar eminence was stimulated at the temperature of 49.5 ℃ and 54.5 ℃ respectively;the rating was 6.3?0.8 and 7.2?0.5 when the dorsum of hand and proximal volar forarm were stimulated at the temperature of 54.5 ℃ respectively.Three components,Cz/N550,Cz/P750 and Pz/P1000,were found in the evoked potentials.Nerve conduction velocities of the fibers were (12.9?7.5) and (1.7?0.4) m/s respectively,which were corresponding to those of A8 fiber and C fiber.Conclusions CHEPs can be elicited reliably and stably.Velocities of peripheral nerve fibers demonstrate that A8 fiber and C fiber mediate the response.

Objective To establish the method of contact heat evoked potential(CHEP)and to explore the value of this evoked potential in pain testing of patients with cerebral infarction.Methods A total of 100 healthy volunteers and 30 patients were examined.The healthy volunteers were divided into 3 groups according to the length of their arms:(Group A:56.0～65.0 cm ;Group B :65.5～74.0 cm ;Group C :74.5～83.0 cm).A recently de- veloped heat-foil technique with a rapid temperature rising rate at 70℃/s was used to elicit pain and contact heat e- voked potentials.Contact heat was delivered via one circular thermode(diameter 27 mm,area 573 mm~2)and set at two intensity levels(49.5℃and 54.5℃)to three body sites:the thenar eminence,the dorsum of hand and proximal volar forearm.The subjects were asked to rate the pain with numerical rating scale after each stimulus and CHEP was recorded from Cz and Pz.The association between stimulus intensities and pain rating was explored,the main compo- nents of the evuked potential were watched.CHEP,sensory conduction velocity(SCV)and somatosensory evoked potentials(SEP)were performed in patients with hemi-anesthesia caused by cerebral infarction.Results The pain intensity ratings were 3.2?0.3 and 4.4?0.5 at thenar eminence,5.0?0.7 and 6.3?0.8 at the dorsum of hand and 5.3?0.6 and 7.2?0.5 at the proximal volar forearm when the temperature of 49.5℃and 54.5℃was applied, respectively;Three components,Cz/N550,Cz/P750 and Pz/P1000,were identified in the evoked potentials.Cz/ N550 and Cz/P750 appeared when the dorsum of hand and proximal volar forearm were stimulated.In contrast,Pz/ P1000 could be identified when nociceptors of thenar eminence and proximal volar fbrearm were excited.In the pa- tients with cerebral infarction,CHEP disappeared or became abnormal on one side,while SCV and SEP were normal on that side.Conclusion It was suggested that CHEP could be elicited reliably in the controls.CHEP is helpful in the assessment of analgesia in patients with cerebral infarction.

In the process of acid hydrolysis of medical absorbent cotton, we have discovered that some of the domestic manufactured medical absorbent cotton is mixed with wasted non-cotton chemical fiber. If the cotton is used in medical treatments, the chemical fiber will cause irritation, allergy and inflammation, so it's very harmful. But the non-cotton fiber content is not stipulated in the standard of YY0330-2002, and no testing method for it is available. In this paper we discuss the existent quality problems, the control and the test method for non-cotton chemical fiber in medical absorbent cotton.
Bandages ; standards ; Cotton Fiber ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical outcomes of percutaneous intervertebral foramina endoscopic lumbar discectomy for elder patients with lumbar spinal stenosis syndrome.

METHODSFrom July 2006 to July 2011, 60 elder patients with lumbar spinal stenosis syndrome were treated with surgical operation, including 32 males and 28 females with an average age of (66.7 +/- 2.5) years old ranging from 72 to 83 years. These patients were divided into the traditional surgery group and percutaneous intervertebral foramina endoscopic discectomy groups (PTED group), 30 cases in each group. The index of the preoperative and postoperative, operative incision visual analogue scale (VAS) of two groups were compared. The Oswestry disability index (ODI) of two groups at 6, 24 months of the follow-up were also evaluated on activity of daily living.

RESULTSThe average operative time, the average blood loss, the number of cases using analgesic drug, hospitalization time of PTED group were better than those of the traditional surgery group (P < 0.05). The improvement of incision VAS in PTED group was better than that in the traditional surgery group (P < 0.05). All patients were followed up for 24 months at least. The ODI at 1, 24 month after operation were better than that of preoperative in two group respectively (P < 0.05), but the improvement of PTED group was better than that of the traditional surgery group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPTED has the advantages of smaller incision, less bleeding, less postoperative stay and hospitalization time, tissue trauma and quicker recovery. It is a safe and efficacious minimally invasive surgical technique for elder patients with lumbar spinal stenosis syndrome.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Decompression, Surgical ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Spinal Stenosis ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To investigate the value of the trigeminocervical response (TCR) for revealing bulbar involvement in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Methods: Thirty patients with SBMA and 30 healthy male controls were included in this study. In all of the normal controls, stimulation of the infraorbital nerve on one side produced bilateral short latency waves consisting of a positive/negative wave, p19/n31, the mean latency of which was measured. The mean square root of the ratio between the amplitude of p19/n31 and the mean rectifi ed surface electromyography (EMG) activity preceding the stimulus, the A value, was estimated. The parameters of the TCR were compared between the two groups. Results: Among the patients with SBMA, 21 (70.0%) had delayed latencies of p19/n31 (P < 0.01) and all (100%) had reduced A values (P < 0.01) relative to the normal controls. Conclusions: All parameters of the TCR were signifi cantly different between the patients with SBMA and the normal controls. T

Objective To investigate the expression of immunohistochemistry of gastrin(GAS),somatostatin(SS),proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) and Fas-ligand(Fas-L) in the sinus ventriculi of children with pediatric gastritis and to explore the significance of their expression in the pathogenesis of pediatric chronic gastritis.Methods Fifty cases of the sinus ventriculi mucosa samples were enrolled in 3 groups:chronic gastritis,helicobacter pylori(Hp) positive(group A,n=20);chronic gastritis,Hp negative(group B,n=19);control group,normal sinus ventriculi mucosa,Hp negative(group C,n=11).Immunohistochemistry En Vision were carried out including GAS,SS,PCNA and Fas-L.Results In the expression of GAS and SS,the values of group A and B were comparatively higher than those of group C,but there was no significant difference among them in statistics.In the expression of PCNA,the value of group A was comparatively higher and that of group B.The value difference between 2 groups was significant(P=0.019);in the expression of Fas-L,no significant difference was found among these 3 groups.Conclusions Expressions of GAS and SS both increase in children with chronic gastritis and maybe the increase of GAS and SS play a role in the pathogenesis of pediatric chronic gastritis;Hp infection promotes the multiplication of the sinus ventriculi membrana mucosa epithelium cell in pediatric chronic gastritis.

Objective To discuss the effects of elastic modulus on propagation characteristics of ultrasonic guided waves in long bones based on finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, so as to provide the theoretical references for evaluating bone fatigue damage at the early stage. Methods A cylinder was used to model the long bone, and FDTD method was used to simulate the long bone with different elastic modulus. Then, the propagation characteristics of different guided wave modes were calculated, including the phase velocity, the group velocity, the central frequency and the energy. ResultsThe elastic modulus of long bones was closely related with the propagation characteristics of ultrasonic guided waves. The phase velocity, the group velocity, the central frequency and the energy were all reduced with the decrease in elastic modulus, and the variation tendency of L(0,5) mode was the most obvious. Conclusions The propagation of ultrasound guided waves can reflect the variation of elastic modulus of long bones, which provides a possible way to evaluate the fatigue damage at the early stage in long bones.

Objective To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of relieving fever with sweet and warm drugs (Ganwen Chure Therapy) for noninfectious fever caused by vital-energy deficiency based on Meta-analysis. Methods Literature about RCTs of Ganwen Chure Therapy for noninfectious fever caused by vital-energy deficiency in CNKI, Wanfang Database, CBM, VIP, Pub Med, Cochrane Library, and Embase was retrieved by computers from establishment of database to April 2017. After two researchers independently conducted literature screening, cross-checking, data extraction, and literature quality evaluation, cumulative Meta-analysis was performed on the outcome indicators in order of publication time and sample size, and the trend of the results was tested. Then the quality of the literature based on GRADE was under an overall evaluation. Results Totally 27 articles were included in this study, involving 2599 patients. The results of cumulative Meta-analysis showed that the total effective rates of using Ganwen Chure Therapy only [OR=3.875, 95％CI (2.87, 5.24), Z=8.82, P=0.000 1]and Ganwen Chure Therapy combined with routine therapy [OR=5.791, 95％CI (3.55, 9.45), Z=7.03, P=0.000 1]were better than the routine therapy, with statistical significance. Trend test showed that there was variability in the timing of drug combination study, showing that the cumulative Meta-analysis results were not stable. Conclusion Ganwen Chure Therapy has certain efficacy for noninfectious fever caused by vital-energy deficiency. However, the overall quality of the included studies was low, with relatively high homogeneity. There are biases in publication, yet more high-quality clinical research is needed for further verification.