Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Rhinitis

ObjectiveTo evaluated the effect of swallowing training and acupuncture on dysphagia in nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy.MethodsThirty-eight post-radiotherapeutic nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were divided into 2 groups: comprehensive group (n=20) were treated with swallowing training and acupuncture therapy, acupuncture group (n=18) were treated with acupuncture only. The patients were assessed with water-swallow test and videofluoroscopy (VFS) before and after treatment.ResultsBoth groups improved their score of water-swallow test after treatment (P<0.01), but the scores of comprehensive group were better than that of acupuncture group(P<0.05).Under the VFS, the cure rate was 70.0% or 38.9% respectively(P=0.089). ConclusionSwallowing training can improve the swallow ability of bulbar palsy patients.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bloodletting ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Facial Paralysis ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; blood supply ; Young Adult

Endoscopy ; methods ; Frontal Sinus ; surgery ; Humans

Humans ; Sinusitis ; classification ; Terminology as Topic

Objective To observe the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated infection during pregnancy on the expression of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and density of dendritic spines in CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus of rat offspring,so as to explore the mechanisms for learning and memory injury of rat offspring which were infected during prenatal period,then to provide scientific experimental evidence for the prevention of prenatal infection-induced delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae which contributed to learning and memory dysfunction.Methods Ten-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats (n =30) were matched with male rats (1 ∶ 1).Pregnant rats were randomly divided into a control group (n =10) and an experimental group (n =20).The pregnant rats in experimental group were treated with LPS (66 μg/kg,intraperitoneally),and the pregnant rats in control group were intraperitoneally injected with same volume of saline on gestational day 10.On postnatal day 48,Morris water maze was used to estimate the ability of learning and memory;the brain tissues of offspring were taken and paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin eosin (HE) for histological observation of CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus;frozen sections were treated with indirect immunofluorescence to observe the expression of MR in CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus;Golgi-Cox method was used to observe the density of dendritic spines of CA1 region.Results In Morris water maze test,from the third day the time of escape latency in experimental group [the 3rd day:(42.603 ± 9.837) s;the 4th day:(30.222 ± 9.789) s;the 5th day:(28.808 ± 12.526) s] was significantly higher than that of the control group [the 3rd day:(28.078±14.088) s;the 4th day:(20.692±13.099) s;the 5th day:(14.632 ±11.624) s] (the 3rd day:t =-3.274,P＜0.01;the 4th day:t =-2.257,P ＜0.05;the 5th day:t =-3.213,P＜0.01);the swimming time in the target quadrant [(14.660 ± 7.337) times] and the number of crossing platform [(0.933 ± 0.704) times] in experi mental group were significantly decreased compared with those of the control group [time:(23.820 ± 6.321) s;num bers:(2.000 ± 0.756) times] (t =3.663,4.000,all P ＜ 0.01).Hematoxylin eosin staining showed that the nerve cells of the hippocampus in the control group distributed in order,nucleuses were round or oval,nucleoli were obvious,and chromatins were homogeneous;but the cells in the experimental group distributed in disorder and pathological changes were detected,such as cellular swelling,necrosis and obvious nuclear pyknosis.By immunofluorescence staining,the average optical density (AOD) of MR in CA1 region decreased significantly in the experimental group (0.067 ± 0.017) compared with that of the control group (0.083 ± 0.009) (t =2.644,P ＜ 0.05).In Golgi-Cox method,the density of dendritic spines in experimental group [(7.705 ± 0.791)/10 μm] was below that of the control group [(9.655 ± 1.391)/10 μm] (t =3.852,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions LPS-mediated infection during pregnancy might lead to hippocampus-dependent learning and memory dysfunction which might be associated with the reduced expression of MR and the low density of dendritic spines in CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus.

Objective: To explore the relationship between plasma levels of soluble receptor of advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiac function in patients with sepsis.
Methods: A total of 83 sepsis patients treated in our hospital from 2014-01 to 2015-06 were studied. Plasma levels of sRAGE, BNP were examined at 24 h after admission and they were evaluated by APACHEII scores. According to BNP levels, the patients were divided into 2 groups:Normal cardiac function group, the patients with BNP<500 pg/ml, n=32 and Cardiac dysfunction group, the patients with BNP≥500 pg/ml, n=51. The cardiac function as stroke volume (SV), LVEF, minute volume, E/A were examined by echocardiography. The above indexes were analyzed and compared between 2 groups, the relationship between plasma levels of sRAGE and the occurrence of sepsis was assessed by Logistic regression analysis.
Results: Compared with Normal cardiac function group, the patients in Cardiac dysfunction group presented decreased SV, LVEF, minute volume and E/A;increased APACHEII scores and sRAGE, all P<0.01. Plasma levels of sRAGE in sepsis patients were positively related to BNP (r=0.90, P<0.05) and APACHEII scores (r=0.85, P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that plasma levels of sRAGE (OR=1.019, 95%CI 1.004-1.035, P<0.05) was independently related to cardiac function in patients with sepsis.
Conclusion: Plasma levels of sRAGE were independently related to cardiac function in patients with sepsis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the occurrence and associated factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in rescuers and firefighters.

METHODSThe PTSD of 264 rescuers and firefighters who had participated in rescue was evaluated using the self-designed fireman general situation questionnaire and PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C). The factors associated with the occurrence of PTSD were also analyzed.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of PTSD in the subjects was 8.3%. The PTSD rate of special service corps (12%) was significantly higher than that of other subjects (P<0.05). The incidence of PTSD was highest in the rescuers and firefighters above the third rank, but without significant differences (P>0.05). The PTSD rate of married rescuers and firefighters was significantly higher than that of unmarried subjects (P<0.05). The PTSD rate of subjects addicted to drinking was significantly higher than that of non-drinking subjects (P<0.05). Subjects with more frequent attendance were more susceptible to PTSD compared with those with less attendance.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence rate of PTSD is high in rescuers and firefighters who have attended rescues. It is necessary to implement both short-term and long-term counseling programs for stress management and intervention in order to reduce the psychological trauma after rescue and improve the mental health of rescuers and firefighters.

Firefighters ; psychology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; diagnosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Acclimatization ; physiology ; Adolescent ; Altitude ; Humans ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; blood ; Oxygen ; physiology ; Pulmonary Gas Exchange ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the pathogens, drug sensitivity and risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in neonates.

METHODSRetrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 401 neonates who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and received mechanical ventilation for 48 hours or longer from January 2008 to February 2012. Eighty-five of the 401 neonates suffered VAP.

RESULTSThe main pathogens for VAP were Gram-negative bacteria (97%), including Klebsiella pneumoniae (51%), Acinetobacter baumannii (17%) and Escherichia coli (12%) as the three most frequent ones. The drug sensitivity test showed that these pathogens developed resistance to amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, piperacillin, ceftazidime, cefazolin, and cefotaxime, with a susceptibility rate of below 15%, and demonstrated decreased sensitivity to imipenem and meropenem, with a susceptibility rate of below 75%. The independent risk factors for neonatal VAP included birth weight (OR=1.399, P<0.05), duration of mechanical ventilation (OR=1.966, P<0.01), length of hospital stay (OR=1.812, P<0.01), times of tracheal intubation (OR=2.056, P<0.01), and 1 min Apgar score (OR=2.146, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of neonatal VAP is influenced by many factors. The main pathogens for neonatal VAP are Gram-negative bacteria and antibacterial agents should be properly used according to drug sensitivity test results. Comprehensive prevention and control measures should be taken to reduce the incidence of VAP.

Female ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; etiology ; microbiology ; Risk Factors