Third-class medical metrology station is being established in hospital for implementing national and military medical metrology law and regulations. The goal, significance and main functions are elaborated. It is suggested that the leader should take the initiative to grasp not only the overall design and the supplementary equipment construction, but the civil engineering technological design and the layout of metrology standard equipment. The general steps of establishing third-class medical metrology station are discussed.

Objective To compare the mid- and long-term results of tricuspid valve (TV) repair with or without an annuloplasty ring. Methods Two hundred seventy-seven patients underwent TV repair at our division (Sep. 2001 to Sep. 2008) ,of which 203 had, predominantly, a De Vega or Kay procedure (non-ring group) and 74had an annuloplasty with an artificial ring (ring group). TV pathology mainly was functional (secondary) and several with rheumatic leaflets involvement. Concomitant procedures consisted of mitral valve surgery in all patients,aortic valve surgery in 81 ,and coronary bypass in 19. Clinical and echocardiographic data followed for 1.5 to 3.5years were obtained. Results Postoperationally,the mid-term(1.5 years) follow-up was 100% completed and the long-term follow-up for 3. 5 years was 89. 9%. The recurrence of TV regurgitation (TR) of moderate and lower degree was not significantly different(χ2 = 1.3128, P= 0.26) in the 1.5 years follow-up between the two group,whereas the recurrence of TR of moderate to severity degree was significantly less in the ring group (χ2 =5. 8159,P =0.023).In the long term follow up,the TR in the ring group (25%) was significantly lower than that of 15% in the non-ring group (χ2 = 4. 9328, P = 0.036) . There are higher proportion of patients developing to moderate TR in the non ring group(34%) than in the ring group (10%) (χ2 =7. 9120,P =0.005). The TR developed fast in the ring group,increasing from 18% at 1.5 years follow up to 10% at 3.5 years follow up (χ2 = 2. 1327, P = 0.016),whereas it was relatively stable in the non-ring group,with 7% at 1.5 year follow up and 10% at 3.5 year follow up. Conclusions Placement of an annuloplasty ring in patients undergoing TV repair could remarkably improved the mid and long terum outcome. In clinic practice, we should be more positive to the functional TR and prefer to the procedure with annuloplasty ring.

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on M1 polarization of alveolar macrophages (AMs) in rats with acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to explore the potential protective mechanism of EA.Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, and three groups of EA pretreatment [including a Chize (LU5) group, a Zusanli (ST36) group and a Chize (LU5) plus Zusanli (ST36) group], with eight rats in each group. The model rats of ALI were established by instilling LPS [2 mg/(kg·bw)] into the trachea of rats for 3 h. The rats in each EA pretreatment group were pretreated with EA for 30 min per day at the corresponding bilateral acupoints 6 d before instilling LPS. Three hours after modeling, the pulmonary function of the rats was tested, and the lung tissue was taken to calculate the ratio of lung wet weight to dry weight (W/D). The pathological lung changes and the injury score were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The contents of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in rat's bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein expression levels of M1 macrophage markers clusters of differentiation 86 (CD86), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and its signaling pathway factor Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 in the alveoli were detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Results: After being induced by LPS, the pulmonary function of the model rats showed that the forced expiratory volume in 0.1 s (FEV0.1), forced expiratory volume in 0.3 s (FEV0.3), and their respective ratios of FEV to forced vital capacity (FVC) (including FEV0.1/FVC and FEV0.3/FVC) were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while the W/D of lung tissue was increased (P<0.01). The score of lung injury was significantly higher (P<0.01). The contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the mRNA and protein expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 in the lung tissue were significantly increased (P<0.01). After EA pretreatment, the FEV0.1, FEV0.3, FEV0.1/FVC, and FEV0.3/FVC were significantly increased, the lung injury score decreased significantly, and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 mRNAs and proteins in the alveoli decreased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the other two single acupoint groups, the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 mRNAs in the alveoli in the Chize (LU5) plus Zusanli (ST36) group were significantly lower (P<0.01). Conclusion: EA pretreatment at Chize (LU5) and Zusanli (ST36) can inhibit inflammation and reduce pulmonary injury in ALI rats induced by LPS. The effect of the combination of Chize (LU5) and Zusanli (ST36) is better than that of using these two acupoints separately, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of AMs' M1 polarization by down-regulation TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUNDIn March 2013, human cases of infection with a novel A (H7N9) influenza virus emerged in China. The epidemic spread quickly and as of 6 May 2013, there were 129 confirmed cases. The purpose of this study was to analyze the epidemiology of the confirmed cases, determine the impacts of bird migration and temperature changes on the H7N9 epidemic, predict the future trends of the epidemic, explore the response patterns of the government and propose preventive suggestions.

METHODSThe geographic, temporal and population distribution of all cases reported up to 6 May 2013 were described from available records. Risk assessment standard was established by analysing the temperature and relative humidity records during the period of extensive outbreak in three epidemic regions in eastern China, including Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. Risk assessment maps were created by combining the bird migration routes in eastern China with the monthly average temperatures from May 1993 to December 2012 nationwide.

RESULTSAmong the confirmed cases, there were more men than women, and 50.4% were elderly adults (age >61 years). The major demographic groups were retirees and farmers. The temperature on the days of disease onset was concentrated in the range of 9°C-19°C; we defined 9°C-19°C as the high-risk temperature range, 0°C-9°C or 19°C-25°C as medium risk and <0°C or >25°C as low risk. The relative humidity on the days of disease onset ranged widely from 25% to 99%, but did not correlate with the incidence of infection. Based on the temperature analysis and the eastern bird migration routes, we predicted that after May, the high-risk region would move to the northeast and inland, while after September, it would move back to north China.

CONCLUSIONSTemperature and bird migration strongly influence the spread of the H7N9 virus. In order to control the H7N9 epidemic effectively, Chinese authorities should strengthen the surveillance of migrating birds, increase poultry and environmental sampling, improve live poultry selling and husbandry patterns and move from a "passive response pattern" to an "active response pattern" in focused preventive measures.

Animals ; Birds ; China ; epidemiology ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza in Birds ; epidemiology ; Temperature