AlM: To introduce a new color pediatric visual acuity chart and its clinical application.
METHODS:The color pediatric visual acuity chart was designed based on principle of visual angle. The optotype on the color chart had graphics. The progression rate of optotype size between 2 lines was 10 10 and 1. 2589. A regular geometric progression of optotype sizes and distribution was employed to arrange 8 lines with 11 optotype on the color chart. The testing distance was 3m. The visual acuity score could be recorded as logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution notation or decimal notation. The reliability of naked distant measurements with this new chart was tested in one eye of 100 children (4 ~ 6 years old) taking the Chinese national standard logarithm visual acuity chart standard.
RESULTS: The color pediatric visual acuity chart and logarithmic chart controls, visual acuity test results that in the two groups had no significant difference (t=1. 2671, P> 0. 05 ). Two sets of vision data existed positive correlation (r= 0. 924, P<0. 01). Cooperation rate was 100%, the recognition rate was more than 90%.
CONCLUSlON:Children are easier to accept used new color pediatric visual acuity chart to inspect vision. New chart is reliability and apply to children's vision screening.

The incidence of deacclimatization to high altitude syndrome (DAHAS) prevailed up to 80% in highland troops, and 100% in manual workers, and severe DAHAS could significantly affects patients' health, work and life. So it is imperative to develop effective prevention and treatment measures for DAHAS. The present review analyzes effective prophylactic and therapeutic measures against DAHAS, implemented at our hospital.
Acclimatization ; Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo explore the relation of the anogenital distance (AGD) with cryptorchidism in male newborns.

METHODSThis study included 350 male infants delivered in two community hospitals between September 2013 and September 2014. Within 24 hours after birth, a pediatric surgeon measured the AGD of the neonates and determined whether they had cryptorchidism. According to the testicular position, we divided the undescended testes into three types: upper scrotal, inguinal, and non-palpable.

RESULTSTotally 39 cases of cryptorchidism were found in the 350 newborns. The AGD of the cryptorchidism infants was significantly shorter than that of the normal neonates ([2.01 ± 0.22] vs [2.35 ± 0.19] cm, P < 0.01), and statistically significant differences remained even when preterm and low birth-weight infants were excluded ([2.32 ± 0.14] vs [2.06 ± 0.19] cm; (2.37 ± 0.17) cm vs (2.12 ± 0.12) cm, all P < 0.01). The newborns with higher-position cryptorchidism had a shorter AGD, though with no significant difference (F = 0.434, P > 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the AGD between unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism ([1.96 ± 0.13] vs [2.02 ± 0.17] cm, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONShorter AGD is associated with a higher incidence of cryptorchidism in male newborns. AGD could serve as a potential biomarker for disruption of androgen action during the male programming window period.

Androgens ; physiology ; Cryptorchidism ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Perineum ; abnormalities

AIM: To investigate the relationship among MCP-1 and monocyte chemoattract protein activity (MCA) and pathogenesis of lung cancer. METHODS: 173 patients were involved in the study and divided into three groups: group A: lung cancer group (60 patients); group B: benign lung disease group (55 patients) and group C: healthy control group (58 patients). MCP-1 level and MCA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured. RESULTS: The concentration of MCP-1 and MCA in BALF in group A were much higher than those in group B and group C (P

ObjectiveTo evaluate the potential value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI)elastography in the characterization of solid liver tumors.MethodsForty-three patients with 56 liver tumors were evaluated with ARFI,which included 21 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),8 patients with metastase,5 patients with cholangiocarcinoma(CCC),and 9 patients with hemangioma.The shear wave velocity of the tumor and background liver parenchyma were calculated,and results were compared with 30 healthy subjects.Statistical analysis was performed on the shear wave velocity for differentiation of normal liver,background liver parenchyma,and tumors.ResultsHCC and CCC had greater stiffness than metastase (P ＜0.05),there were no statistical differences between HCC and CCC (P = 0.179).Malignant liver tumors had significantly greater stiffness than hemangioma and normal liver (P = 0.000).34.5% (9/26) HCC and 33.3% (4/12) hemangioma appeared softer than the background liver.With a cut-off value of 1.5 m/s for the shear wave velocity,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value and negative predictive value for malignancies were 79.5%,83.3%,94.5% and 52.6%,respectively.ConclusionsARFI elastography quantification is a promising noninvasive technique for assessing solid liver tumors.Use of ARFI elastography quantification may lead to new quantitative tissue characterization parameters for differentiating hemangioma and malignant liver tumors.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytarabine ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fever ; blood ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; blood ; drug therapy ; Teniposide ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect of the modified maxillary bone disassembly procedures on patients with tumors in the anterior and middle skull base.

METHODSRetrospective analysis was made of patients treated with the modified maxillary bone disassembly procedures. Ten tumors in the anterior and middle skull base were resected according to the pathology, size and site of the skull base tumors including 9 benign tumors and 1 malignant tumor.

RESULTSAll tumors were resected completely. All patients were followed up from 12 months to 5 years postoperatively. The complications were less and the life quality was increased. The patients with benign tumors showed no recurrence . Two patients with cerebrospinal rhinorrhea cured spontaneously after 7 days. One patient with melanoma died of brain metastase.

CONCLUSIONSIt is necessary to estimate the tumors thoroughly before surgery. According to the location of the tumor, the modified maxillary bone disassembly is the nearest and harmless approach, through which the tumors can be completely excised with minimal invasiveness. The life quality is thus increased.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Maxilla ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Skull Base Neoplasms ; surgery ; Surgery, Oral ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of phase ordering with automatic window selection(PAWS)and simultaneous multiple volume(SMV)algorithm double respiratory navigator-gated two-dimensional(2DNAV)dual inversion recovery(DIR)fast spin echo(FSE)high-resolution black-blood coronary artery wall magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and evaluate its advantages and limitations.

METHODSPAWS and SMV 2DNAV DIR FSE high-resolution black-blood MRI was performed in 21 healthy volunteers. The images were evaluated qualitatively by using four grades(grade 0can not evaluate;grade 1bad;grade 2good;grade 3perfect). Images defined as grade 0 and grade 1 were excluded and those defined as grade 2 and 3 were evaluated further. Thickness of proximal(or middle)segment of right coronary artery(RCA)and left anterior descending branch(LAD)were measured. The difference of wall thickness was analyzed by using two-tailed independent sample t-test. P values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTSAmong the 38 slice images,31 slices(RCA13 slices,LAD18 slices;grade 214 slices,grade 317 slices)were obtained for further evaluation. The mean thickness of RCA and LAD was(0.94±0.16)and(0.89±0.15)mm,respectively,and the difference was not significant(t=-0.790,P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONPAWS and SMV algorithm 2DNAV DIR FSE high-resolution black-blood MRI has certain clinical value for coronary artery wall imaging.

Adult ; Coronary Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone to the cultured rat thoracic aortic smooth muscle cells(SMC)in vitro,and explore the role on it's prevention and cure for the in-stent restenosis after vascular intervention.Methods The rat thoracic aortic SMC were harvested and cultured for six to ten passages.The cultured SMC were synchronized and then restimulated to enter the cell cycle,and treated with incremental concentrations of dexamethasone or without dexamethasone as control.The proliferative assay was performed with MTT method in the different time points after treatment.RT-PCR was performed to assay the level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA)mRNA.Results 1.Dexamethasone progressively inhibited rat aortic SMC proliferation in a concentration-dependent fashion.The A value was statistically significant for different concentrations(F=36.02,P＜0.001).The effect was not significant for dexamethasone concentrations either between 10~(-6)and 10~(-5)mol/L(P=0.065)or between 10~(-11)mol/L and control group(P= 0.567).2.RT-PCR suggested dexamethasone significantly decreased rat aortic SMC PCNA mRNA transcription in a concentration-dependent fashion.Statistical analysis indicated F=15.407 and P＜0.001 by ANOVA. Comparing to the control,the corrected A value was not statistically significant at 10~(-9)or 10~(-11)mol/L groups by post hoc analysis.Conclusions Dexamethasone inhibits rat aortic SMC proliferation in a concentration- dependent fashion.The data suggest that effective action concentration is 10~(-7)mol/L with persistent time up to 96 hours or more.Dexamethasone may play the inhibit role to SMC at lower concentration with prolonging action time.

OBJECTIVE: To investgate the effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nC-PAP) short-term treatment on the serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients. METHODS: Twenty patients with OSAHS ( AHI > or = 15 ) and 15 controls (AHI < 15) were recruited. After polysomnography (PSG), the venous blood was collected from all subjects to investigate CRP and ICAM-1. The effects of short-term treatment (4 d) of nCPAP on the serum levels of CRP and ICAM-1 were studied in patients with moderate and severe OSAHS. RESULTS: Before the treatment, there was a significant positive correlation between CRP and AHI in all subjects (r = 0.615, P < 0.001), a significant negative correlation between CRP and the mean nocturnal oxygen saturation (r = -0.682, P < 0.001), and a significant negative correlation between CRP and the lowest nocturnal SaO2 (r = -0.61, P < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between ICAM-1 and AHI in all subjects (r = 0.751, P < 0.001), a significant negative correlation between ICAM-1 and the mean nocturnal oxygen saturation (r = -0.68, P < 0.001), and a significant negative correlation between ICAM-1 and the lowest nocturnal oxygen saturation (r = -0.656, P < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between CRP and ICAM-1 (r = 0.437, P = 0.009). The levels of CRP and ICAM-1 were significantly higher in patients with moderate and severe OSAHS than in the controls (P < 0.01). nCPAP decreased the levels of CRP and ICAM-1 in patients with moderate and severe OSAHS (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Inflammatory reaction exists in OSAHS and can be palliated after nCPAP short-term treatment.
Adult ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; blood ; therapy ; Time Factors