Objective To compare the effects of nonsurgical spinal decompression system (SDS) cervical traction and common cervical traction using surface electromyography (sEMG).Methods Twenty-two volunteers' sEMG signals were recorded before,during and after two modes of cervical traction:the conventional traction in sitting and SDS traction in supine.The interval between the two modes of traction was no shorter than 24 hours.The mean and peak amplitudes of their sEMG signals were observed before,during and after traction.The sEMG signals of the posterior cervical muscle while sitting or lying were compared at different stages of the traction.Results There was no statistically significant difference in sEMG signals between the subjects' right and left posterior cervical muscles.The sEMG signals decreased significantly during both traction trials.With common cervical traction the mean and peak amplitudes of the left posterior cervical muscle pre-and post-traction were higher than during traction,and the same as that of the right posterior cervical muscle.In the SDS trials the sEMG signals during traction and post-traction were significantly lower than those pre-traction.After traction the sEMG signals while sitting (common cervical traction) were significantly higher than those post-traction while lying (SDS cervical traction),and the sEMG signals post-traction while either lying or sitting were stronger than during traction while lying.The post-traction signals in sitting were stronger than those in lying.Conclusions Both nonsurgical SDS and common cervical traction can relax the posterior cervical muscles.The effect of nonsurgical SDS was better than that of common cervical traction.

Objective: To analyze the status of personnel in occupational disease prevention and treatment institutions in Hunan Province, China, from 1996 to 2015, to predict staff composition using grey model (GM) (1, 1) , and to provide a scientific basis and reference for optimizing human resource planning of occupational disease prevention and treatment in other provinces and regions and promoting the service capacity of the institutions. Methods: The data of the staff in occupational disease prevention and treatment institutions in Hunan Province, China, from 1996 to 2015 were obtained from the established basic information management system. The descriptive analysis method was used to analyze the dynamic changes in number and composition of the staff and the GM (1, 1) was used to predict the staff composition. Results: The numbers of the staff members in 1996 and 2015 in occupational disease prevention and treatment institutions in Hunan Province, China were 1591 and 1429, respectively. In the twenty years, the main education level of the staff transformed from "technical secondary school education and non-academic qualifications" to "bachelor degree or above and college degree"; the main major of the staff transformed from "other majors" to "public health and clinical medicine"; the proportion of the staff members without professional titles changed from >1/3 to 5%; and the proportions of the staff members with senior, intermediate, and junior professional titles were steadily rising. GM prediction showed that the proportions of highly educated staff members in 2018 and 2020 would be up to 41.00% and 45.61%, respectively; and the proportions of the staff members with a major in public health in 2018 and 2020 would be up to 44.15% and 46.60%, respectively. Conclusion The staff in occupational disease prevention and treatment institutions in Hunan Province, China, in the twenty years have slight changes in staff size and great improvement in staff quality, which is beneficial to sustainable development of the occupational disease prevention and treatment undertakings. The education level and major will be further optimized in the next five years.

Objective To understand the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of migrant workers with pneumoconiosis who received basic medical treatment in Hunan Province. Methods A total of 613 migrant workers with pneumoconiosis who received basic medical treatment and assistance in Hunan Province was selected as the study subjects using stratified random sampling method. The European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire was used to assess their HRQOL. Results The abnormality of the five dimensions of the EQ-5D health description system, from high to low, were as follows： daily activities, mobility, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression, and self-care, with the abnormal rates of 50.9%, 46.8%, 41.1%, 21.0%, and 14.5%, respectively. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score of EQ-5D was (63.5±18.6) points. Patients with stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis had high abnormality in mobility, daily activities, and pain/discomfort compared with those with stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ disease (all P<0.02). Patients in stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ of pneumoconiosis had higher incidence of anxiety/depression compared with those with stage I disease (all P<0.02). Patients with complications in addition to pneumoconiosis had higher abnormality in mobility, self-care, and pain/discomfort compared to those with simple pneumoconiosis or those eligible for lung lavage treatment (all P<0.02). Patients with simple pneumoconiosis had a higher incidence of anxiety/depression compared with those eligible for lung lavage treatment (P<0.02). Patients with stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis had lower average VAS scores compared with stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ patients (all P<0.02). Patients with simple pneumoconiosis or those with complications had lower average VAS scores compared with those eligible for lung lavage treatment (all P<0.05). Conclusion The HRQOL of pneumoconiosis patients among migrant workers needs improvement, especially for patients with stage Ⅲ disease and those with complications. This study indicates the need of optimizing policies, raising the hospitalization expense limit for critically ill patients with stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis or with complications, and improving their HRQOL.