Objective:To observe the rehabilitation effect of balance training relying on tilted table on diaphragmatic function of patients with prolonged disorder of consciousness (pDoC).Methods:A prospective study was performed. Thirty patients with pDoC were enrolled from Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen Medicine and Rehabilitation, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command of PLA from May to December 2023. The pateints were divided into study group ( n=15) and control group ( n=15) according to different rehabilitation. Patients from the control group received conventional rehabilitation, while those in the study group received passive balance training relying on tilted table in addition to conventional rehabilitation. Diaphragmatic ultrasound examination was performed before treatment, and 4 and 8 weeks after treatment to measure diaphragm excursion (DE), diaphragm thickening inspiration (DTei), diaphragm thickening expiration (DTee) and diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) so as to assess the diaphragmatic functions of patients with pDoC. Results:During treatment, 2 patients dropped out from the study group resulting from the willing of the family members, ultimately including 13 and 15 patients in the study and control groups, respectively. (1) Between-group comparison: no significant difference in DE, DTei, DTee or DTF was noted between the study group and control group 4 weeks after treatment ( P>0.05). However, 8 weeks after treatment, the study group had statistically increased DE, DTei and DTF compared with the control group ([1.65±0.32] cm vs. [1.21±0.22] cm; [2.07±0.26] cm vs. [1.83±0.26] cm; and [24.39±3.19]% vs. [18.93±2.50]%). (2) Within-group comparison: both group had significantly increased DE 4 and 8 weeks after treatment compared with those before treatment ( P<0.05); in the study group, DE 8 weeks after treatment was significantly increased compared with that 4 weeks after treatment ( P<0.05). No significant difference in DTei, DTee or DTF was noted in both groups between 4 weeks after treatment and before treatment ( P>0.05). In the study group, DTei, DTee and DTF 8 weeks after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Balance training relying on tilted table is feasible and effective in improving diaphragmatic function in patients with pDoC, and the effect is positively correlated with treatment time within a certain time.

As the number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases and peripheral vascular diseases rises, the constraints of autologous transplantation remain unavoidable. As a result, artificial vascular grafts must be developed. Adhesion of proteins, platelets and bacteria on implants can result in stenosis, thrombus formation, and postoperative infection, which can be fatal for an implantation. Polyurethane, as a commonly used biomaterial, has been modified in various ways to deal with the adhesions of proteins, platelets, and bacteria and to stimulate endothelium adhesion. In this review, we briefly summarize the mechanisms behind adhesions, overview the current strategies of surface modifications of polyurethane biomaterials used in vascular grafts, and highlight the challenges that need to be addressed in future studies, aiming to gain a more profound understanding of how to develop artificial polyurethane vascular grafts with an enhanced implantation success rate and reduced side effect.
Humans ; Polyurethanes ; Biocompatible Materials ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis/adverse effects* ; Cardiovascular Diseases

Based on the community research experience of heat-sensitive moxibustion, this study explained technical recommendations for pragmatic randomized controlled trials (pRCTs) of heat-sensitive moxibustion in community from 7 aspects: selection of community research sites, ethical approval and registration, patient recruitment, training of standard operating procedures, ensuring patient compliance, quality control of follow-up visits and patient safety, which aimed to reduce the difficulty of research execution and improve the quality of pRCTs implementation and follow-up visits of heat-sensitive moxibustion.
Follow-Up Studies ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Moxibustion/methods* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Heat-sensitive moxibustion is the appropriate technique of the external treatment in traditional Chinese medicine and it is widely used in community because of its "easy learning, simple operation and clear curative effect". Pragmatic randomized controlled trial is a main intervention design in the real world study, which provides a high-level evidence for the effectiveness assessment of heat-sensitive moxibustion in community management. Focusing on the key links of randomization, e.g. block randomization, stratified randomization, cluster randomization, sample size allocation, allocation concealment and blinding, the paper elaborates the advantages, disadvantages and technical details of two-stage randomization with consideration of patient preference in pragmatic randomized controlled trials of heat-sensitive moxibustion in community. It facilitates improving the quality of evidence, reproducibility and methodological homogeneity among different trials.
Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Patient Preference ; Random Allocation ; Reproducibility of Results

BACKGROUND: It has been a global trend that increasing complications related to pelvic floor surgeries have been reported over time. The current study aimed to outline the development of Chinese pelvic floor surgeries related to pelvic organ prolapse (POP) over the past 14 years and investigate the potential influence of enhanced monitoring conducted by the Chinese Association of Urogynecology since 2011. METHODS: A total of 44,594 women with POP who underwent pelvic floor surgeries between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2018 were included from 22 tertiary academic medical centers. The data were reported voluntarily and obtained from a database. We compared the proportion of each procedure in the 7 years before and 7 years after September 30, 2011. The data were analyzed by performing Z test (one-sided). RESULTS: The number of different procedures during October 1, 2011-September 30, 2018 was more than twice that during October 1, 2004-September 30, 2011. Regarding pelvic floor surgeries related to POP, the rate of synthetic mesh procedures increased from 38.1% (5298/13,906) during October 1, 2004-September 30, 2011 to 46.0% (14,107/30,688) during October 1, 2011-September 30, 2018, whereas the rate of non-mesh procedures decreased from 61.9% (8608/13,906) to 54.0% (16,581/30,688) (Z = 15.53, P < 0.001). Regarding synthetic mesh surgeries related to POP, the rates of transvaginal placement of surgical mesh (TVM) procedures decreased from 94.1% (4983/5298) to 82.2% (11,603/14,107) (Z = 20.79, P < 0.001), but the rate of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) procedures increased from 5.9% (315/5298) to 17.8% (2504/14,107). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of synthetic mesh procedures increased while that of non-mesh procedures decreased significantly. The rate of TVM procedures decreased while the rate of LSC procedures increased significantly. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03620565, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov.
China ; Female ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Pelvic Floor/surgery* ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse/surgery* ; Surgical Mesh/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome ; Vagina

Objective To investigate the relation between course and effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on patients with spinal cord injuries. Methods The retrospective study of 147 patients with spinal cord injuries were reviewed and on the basis of comprehensive treatment the control group was not treated with hyperbaric oxygen (NHBO group,39 cases),whereas Hyperbaric oxygen treatment group(HBO group,108 cases)were treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. According to courses of HBO treatment ,from short term to long term ,the HBO group was divided into 3 subgroups,HBO1,HBO2 and HBO3 subgroup. Evaluation based on the result all selected patients assessed on the six months after the date of surgery. Results There was no significant difference in baseline data between the NHBO group and the HBO group and the overall effectiveness of the HBO group was better than the NHBO group(P<0.01). The efficacy of HBO2 and HBO3 subgroup was better than that of HBO1 subgroup. From the perspective of spinal cord function before and after treatment ,the efficacy of the HBO group was better than that of the NHBO group(P < 0.05).The efficacy of HBO2 and HBO3 subgroup was superior to that of HBO1 subgroup (P < 0.05). However there was no significant difference in total effective rate and spinal cord score between the HBO2 and the HBO3 subgroups. Conclusions Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is effective in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The treatment for 3~4 courses play the best therapeutic effect.

Objective To explore the effect of external diaphragm pacemaker (EDP) in patients with mechanical ventilation after stroke. Methods One hundred patients with mechanical ventilation after stroke, admitted to our hospital from January 2014 and July 201, were assigned to a control group and an observation group (n=50) according to the willing of the patient family. All the patients received routine ICU treatment; patients from the observation group were additionally given external diaphragm pacemaker (EDP). After 30 d of treatment, the incidence of respiratory infections and percentage of total subjects of weaned, diaphragmatic excursion, duration in ICU, and duration of mechanical ventilation were compared between the two groups. Results As compared with those in the control group, the percentage of subjects of weaned and diaphragmatic excursion were significantly increased, and the duration in ICU, duration of mechanical ventilation, and incidence of respiratory infections were significantly decreased in the observation group (P<0.05). Conclusion EDP treatment may increase the percentage of subjects of weaned by improving the diaphragmatic function, which can decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation and incidence of respiratory infections in patients with mechanical ventilation after stroke.

Objective To observe the effect of hypertonic saline complex solution (hypertonic saline plus hydroxyethyl starch,HSH) on patients with severe cerebral trauma,high intracranial pressure and shock by the measurement of the changes of the mean arterial pressure (MAP),central venous pressure (CVP) and intracranial pressure (ICP),as well as GOS score changes followed up for 6 months,in order to determine the value of HSH treatment in severe cerebral trauma,intracranial hypertension and shock.Methods Sixty patients with severe brain injury and uncorrected hemorrhagic shock were selected,while the degree of coma was assessed by using GCS score,and shock severity was estimated by using the shock index (SI) score.The patients were randomly divided into HSH group (n =30) and mannitol group (MT group,n =30).Thirty minutes,60 min and 120 min after administration either solution,The changes of MAP,CVP and ICP were observed in two groups,and all patients were followed up for 6 months to observe the outcomes of patients.Results There were no statistically significant differences in age,gender,GCS score,SI scores,and other medication between two groups (P ＞ 0.05),and they were comparable between two groups.After resuscitation of patients in two groups,MAP and CVP were elevated,but the effect of HSH appeared sooner and higher within 30 minutes [MAP (63.1 ± 8.8) mmHg vs.(51.0-9.3) mmHg] (P ＜ 0.05);At the same time,ICP dropped more than 10％ lower [ICP (27.3 ± 5.9) mmHg vs.(32.8 ± 4.1) mmHg] (P ＜0.05),while the effect of MT appeared more slowly in hemodynamic improvement;at 120 min,the increase in MAP and reduction in ICP in HSH group were more significant than those in MT group [MAP (65.9 ± 13.2) mmHg vs.(60.4 ±7.2) mmHg] (P ＜0.01);the ICP [(22.2 ±4.7) mmHg vs.(28.1 ±6.1) mmHg] (P ＜ 0.01).Followed up for 6 months,good recovery rate in HSH group was higher and poor recovery rate was lower than those in MT group.Conclusions In patients with acute intracranial hypertension and uncorrected hemorrhagic shock,the employment of hypertonic saline plus hydroxyethyl starch solution can produce faster and more effective therapy for shock and reduce intracranial pressure,improving the long-term neurological function of patients.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the specific microbial signatures in vaginal fluid. METHODS: Vaginal fluid （16 samples）, saliva （16 samples）, feces （16 samples）, semen （8 samples）, peripheral blood （8 samples）, urine （5 samples）, and nasal secretion （4 samples） were collected respectively. The 16S rRNA genes of Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii, Lactobacillus iners, and Atopobium vaginae were amplified. PCR production was detected via a 3130xl Genetic Analyzer. RESULTS: The detected number of Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii, Lactobacillus iners, and Atopobium vaginae were 15, 5, 8, 14, and 3 in all vaginal fluid samples, respectively. Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus jensenii existed specifically in vaginal fluid. CONCLUSIONS There is a potential application value to detect Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus jensenii for the identification of vaginal fluid.
Actinobacteria/classification* ; Blood/microbiology* ; Body Fluids/microbiology* ; Feces/microbiology* ; Female ; Genes, Bacterial ; Humans ; Lactobacillus/classification* ; Nasal Cavity/microbiology* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Saliva/microbiology* ; Semen/microbiology* ; Vagina/microbiology*

There are two kinds of amelogenin gene mutation, including mutation in primer-binding region of amelogenin gene and micro deletion of Y chromosome encompassing amelogenin gene, and the latter is more common. The mechanisms of mutation in primer-binding region of amelogenin gene is nucleotide point mutation and the mechanism of micro deletion of Y chromosome encompassing amelogenin gene maybe non-allelic homologous recombination or non-homologous end-joining. Among the population worldwide, there is a notably higher frequency of amelogenin gene mutations in Indian population, Sri Lanka population and Nepalese population which reside within the Indian subcontinent. Though amelogenin gene mutations have little impact on fertility and phenotype, they might cause incorrect result in gender identification. Using composite-amplification kit which including autosomal STR locus, amelogenin gene locus and multiple Y-STR locus, could avoid wrong gender identification caused by amelogenin gene mutation.
Alleles ; Amelogenin/genetics* ; Asian People/genetics* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Y/genetics* ; Humans ; India ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Nepal ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Deletion ; Sri Lanka