Adolescent ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Humans ; Male ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; rehabilitation ; Postoperative Period

Accidents, Occupational ; Adolescent ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Nasopharynx ; pathology ; Young Adult

Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Implantation ; Ear Canal ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods

Abstract: Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Ankang City from 2011 to 2021, so as to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of PTB prevention and control strategy. Methods Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of PTB in Ankang City from 2011 to 2021, and a time series model was established to quantitatively predict the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in 2023. Results The incidence rate in Ankang City showed a significant upward trend from 2011 to 2017, and a more obvious downward trend in 2017-2021 (P<0.05), and the decrease rate in 2021 was 40.36% compared with that in 2017. The proportion of etiological positivity increased from 12.5% in 2014 to over 50.00% after 2019. The incidence season was mainly concentrated in the first quarter, accounting for 28.39% of the annual incidence. High incidence areas were concentrated in the south of Ankang: Langao County, Ziyang County and Zhenping County, with 128.32/100 000, 117.07/100 000 and 110.44/100 000, respectively. Low incidence areas were located in the north of Ankang: Ningshan County, with 60.62/100 000. Farmers and students were the high incidence groups, accounting for 81.80% and 4.97% of the total cases respectively. The incidence of young children was relatively low, but cases were reported every year. The incidence rate of male was 2.39 times that of female. The age of onset increased significantly from 15 years old, and the peak incidence was in the age group of 60-<80 years old, followed by the age group of 45-<60 years old, the average annual incidence was 136.44/100 000 and 104.47/100 000, respectively. The model ARIMA(0,1,1)(0,1,1)12 predicted that the incidence of the disease generally increased from October 2022 to March 2023, then steadily decreased, and increased again in December. Conclusions The incidence of tuberculosis varies in different areas of Ankang City, and males, farmers, students and the elderly are all factors of high incidence of tuberculosis. Therefore, different prevention and control strategies should be adopted according to the characteristics of population in different areas. The number of cases in Ankang City in 2023 showed an overall downward trend, which can provide a reference for the prevention and control of PTB.

Objective To evaluate the detection rate and the efficiency of the modified crushing-cercariae escaping method.Methods The detection rates of the modified crushing-cercariae escaping method and the crushing methods were compared by using a double-blind control experiment with the latter as a gold standard.meanwhile the number of the cercariae was quantified.The efficiency of the two methods aforementioned and the cereariae escaping method were compared in field.Results The detection rate of the modified crushing-cercariae escaping method was 100%.the average number of cercariae in each infected snail was (4 778±1 157);and the number in certain volume of water sample was positively correlated with the number of infected snails.The efficiency of the modified menthed Was 18.2 times and 17.3 times as high as those of the crushing method and cereariae escaping method,respectively.Conclusions The modified crushing-cercariae escaping method Can detect the infected snails quicky and Can quantify the number of infected snails and cercariae,and is suitable for the detection of infected snails in large number.

Objective To investigate the relationship between alteration of gene in cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP) signal transduction system in rats after myocardial damage and changes of cardiac function and ventricular remodeling. Methods Twenty eight male Wistar rats weighing 220 g to 250 g were randomly divided into three groups: acute myocardial damage group(AMD, n = 10), chronic myocardial damage group (CMD,n = 9 ) and sham-operation group (control, n = 9). Animal model of acute myocardial damage was established by ligation of rats left coronary artery in the AMD and the CMD groups. Rats in control group were treated similarly, except that the coronary suture was not tied. Hemodynamics and echocardiography were measured before rats were sacrificed 24 hours after operation in control and AMD groups but those in CMD groups were sacrificed 8 weeks later. Cadiocyte apoptosis were estimated by TUNEL method, cAMP levels in heart were tested by radioimmunity and the mRNA expressions for inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER), cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), phosphodiesterase 3A (PDE3A) and bcl-2 were assayed by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results The difference of left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end diastolic pressure(LVEDP), maximal rising and falling rate of ventricular pressure,left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), eject fraction (EF) and fraction shortening (FS) were statistically significant among the three groups(F = 285.9, 196.8, 83.2, 80.4, 54.9, 196.6, 95.2, all P ＜ 0.01). LVEDD[(7.03 ±0.28), (8.20 ± 0.27)mm] and LVEDP[(11.19 ± 2.89), (19.76 ± 3.34)mmHg] in AMD and CMD groups were significantly increased, compared with those in control group[ (5.05 ± 0.30)mm, (- 5.62 ± 3.01 )mmHg, all P ＜0.01 ]. While maximal rising rate[ (2964 ± 449), (2214 ± 434)mmHg/s] and falling rate[(- 2617 ± 441),(- 1891± 424)mmHg/s] of left ventricular pressure, LVSP[ (94.19 ± 4.03), (85.85 ± 6.39)mmHg], EF[ (41.6 ±5.9)%, (35.9 ± 4.1 )%] and FS[ (36.9 ± 4.6)%, (23.1 ± 4.9)%] of left ventricular in the two groups were lower than those in control[(4759 ± 406)mmHg/s, (- 4327 ± 388)mmHg/s, (116.29 ± 8.25)mmHg, (80.9 ± 5.6)%,(53.1 ± 4.3)%, all P ＜ 0.01 ]. These changes in CMD group were more significant than those in AMD groups(P ＜0.05 or P ＜ 0.01 ). The difference of apoptotic index, cAMP and expression of ICER, CREB, PDE3A mRNA and bcl-2 mRNA were statistically significant among the three groups(F= 172.5, 141.0, 540.8, 246.8, 165.1, 563.9,all P＜ 0.01 ). Apoptotic index[ (32.8 ± 4.2)‰, (18.4 ± 3.9)‰] and cAMP in heart[ (9.95 ± 0.30), (5.60 ± 0.25)nmol/kg] in AMD and CMD groups were increased compared to control group[ (3.9 ± 1.7)‰, (2.48 ± 0.29)nmol/kg,all P ＜ 0.01 ], and those in CMD group were lower than in AMD group(all P ＜ 0.01 ). Expression of ICER mRNA (1.434 ± 0.093, 0.942 ± 0.076) and CREB mRNA(5.70 ± 0.50, 2.64 ± 0.51) in AMD and CMD groups were higher, and expression of PDE3A mRNA(48.98 ± 8.14, 16.68 ± 8.46) were lower than those in control group (0.154 ± 0.063, 1.08 ± 0.35, 105.94 ± 12.61, all P ＜ 0.01 ). The three genes in CMD group were fewer than those in AMD group(all P ＜ 0.01 ). bcl-2 mRNA was up regulated in AMD group(4.55 ± 0.27) and was down regulated in CMD group(0.35 ± 0.15) compared to control(2.18 ± 0.30, all P＜ 0.01). Conclusions There is PDE3A-ICER positive-feedback loop leading to myocyte apoptosis and heart failure after myocardial damage. The downregulation of PDE3A mRNA observed in chronic myocardial damage may play a causative role in the progression of ventricular remodeling and heart failure, in part, by inducing ICER mRNA and promoting cardiac myocyte dysfunction.

OBJECTIVETo detect hypermethylated tumor-specific RASSF1A DNA in the circulation and its significance in ovarian cancers patients.

METHODSMethylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was used to study the hypermethylation of RASSF1A in preoperative serum samples from 51 ovarian cancer patients.

RESULTSThe RASSF1A gene was not methylated in peripheral blood samples from 51 normal patients and 51 patients with benign ovarian tumors. Hypermethylation of RASSF1A gene was found in circulating tumor-specific DNA in 43.1% of patients (22 out of 51 cases) with ovarian cancers (P < 0.05). There was no difference in hypermethylation of RASSF1A gene amongst various ovarian cancer subtypes (P < 0.05). On the other hand, hypermethylation of RASSF1A gene was more frequently encountered in stage III and IV than stage I and II tumors (P < 0.05). It was rarely seen in well and moderately differentiated groups, as compared with poorly differentiated group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is a higher frequency of RASSF1A hypermethylation in circulating tumor-specific DNA of ovarian cancer patients. RASSF1A has been postulated to play an important role as tumor suppressor gene and can be silenced by promoter hypermethylation. This methylation correlates with clinical stage and histopathologic grade. Such observation may carry diagnostic and prognostic implications when assessing ovarian tumors.

Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; blood ; pathology ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; blood ; pathology ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; blood ; pathology ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; blood ; genetics

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of localizing the internal auditory canal (IAC) and the facial nerve through the root of the zygoma、foramen spinosum and the head of the malleus in middle fossa approach with the assistance of high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT).Methods Eighteen human cadaveric temporal bones were scanned and measured by HRCT.Cadaver specimen were divided into two groups.Group A was studied first through a middle fossa approach to find out the relationship between the HRCT measurements and the anatomic measurements.Then 4 whole human cadaveric heads (8 temporal bones) of group B were dissected using a HRCT oriented middle fossa approach to localize IAC with the root of the zygoma,foramen spinosum and the head of the malleus as landmarks.The two measurement methods were analysed with the Paired-Sample T test,and the difference was thought to be statistical significant when P＜0.05.Results In Group A, there were no statistical significant differences between the CT measurements and the anatomic measurements from the head of the malleus to other important anatomic structures.In group B,the operation was guided with CT measurements:the distance between the head of the malleus and the root of the zygoma,and the distance between the head of the malleus and foramen spinosum.Within the range 1.5mm to 3.7mm,the head of malleus was correctly localized.In seven out of the eight cases,the root of the zygoma,the head of the malleus and the internal auditory canal were in a straight line,whereas,in one case,there was an angle of 15°between the root of zygoma-head of malleus line and head of malleus-internal auditory canal line.Conclusions HRCT would provide more information on the distance relationship between the head of malleus and the root of the zygoma,foramen spinosum and the internal auditory canal.The head of the malleus could be localized through the root of the zygoma and foramen spinosum with HRCT and therefore the IAC could be exposed with the head of the malleus as a landmark in middle fossa approach when other landmarks were not recognizable.

Objective To explore the effectiveness of voice training on professional voice users with voice disorders. Methods Thirty one professional voice users suffering from voice symptoms without organic disorder were treated with a four-week voice training program, including vocal hygiene education, respiratory training and resonant therapy. Voice handicap index, maximum phonation time, noise to harmonic ratio,jitter and shimmer were compared before and after the training. Results The voice handicap index ((-x) ± s)decreased from 33.7 ± 19. 2 to 18. 8 ± 18.4 after the training and the difference was significant (t =6. 14,P ＜ 0. 05 ). Maximum phonation time ( (-x) ± s) increased significantly from ( 15. 5 ± 5. 8 ) s to ( 18.6 ± 6.0) s (t = - 3.43, P ＜ 0. 05 ). jitter ( M [P25; P75] ) decreased significantly after the training from 0. 42%[0.36%; 0.62%] to0.35% [0.29%; 0.47%] (Z= -2.51, P＜0.05), while there was no significant change in shimmer and noise to harmonic ratio. Conclusion Voice training can effectively reduce the vocal symptoms in professional voice users, decrease the handicap degree and increase the respiratory support during phonation, thus improve the voice quality.