To investigate the known and new factors associated with uninvestigated dyspepsia (UD), we surveyed 8600 Chinese navy personnel with offshore training shorter than 1 month or longer than 9 months per year. All respondents were required to complete a questionnaire covering demographics, the Chinese version of the Rome III survey, eating habits, life styles, and medical and family history. The response rate was 94.3% (8106/8600) with 4899 respondents qualified for analysis, including 1046 with offshore training and 3853 with onshore training. The prevalence of UD was higher in the offshore group than in the onshore group (12.6% vs. 6.9%, P<0.001), with a general prevalence of 8.1%. The subjects with offshore training were more likely to suffer from UD and postprandial distress syndrome (OR=1.955, 95% CI 1.568-2.439, P<0.001 and OR=1.789, 95% CI 1.403-2.303, P<0.001, respectively). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed UD was associated with offshore training (OR=1.580, 95% CI 1.179-2.118, P=0.002), family history (OR=1.765, 95% CI 1.186-2.626, P=0.005) and smoking (OR=1.270, 95% CI 1.084-1.488, P=0.003), but not with alcohol drinking. The association between dysentery history and UD was undetermined/borderline (P=0.056-0.069). In conclusion, we identified offshore training as a new factor associated with UD, and also confirmed 2 known associated factors, family history and smoking.
Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Dyspepsia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Military Medicine ; Military Personnel ; Naval Medicine

Adult ; Dizziness ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; pharmacology ; Male ; Midazolam ; pharmacology ; Naval Medicine ; Young Adult

Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Adult ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; enzymology ; Humans ; Male ; Motion Sickness ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Naval Medicine

OBJECTIVETo observe the habituation of seasickness in non marine subjects during a long voyage.

METHODSA crew of 106 staffs of the Hospital Ship Ark Peace was included in this study. There were 59 male and 47 female with an age ranged from 23 to 53 years (mean 37.2 years). They all took part in the Mission Harmony 2011 for medical service in four countries around the Caribbean Sea. Questionnaires and visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to investigate the prevalence and degree of the seasickness in different periods.

RESULTSThe prevalence of seasickness was 72.64% in the initial period of voyage. The prevalence and degree of seasickness in female and in staff with motion sickness history were higher and more severe than that in male and in staff without motion sickness history(P < 0.05). After two weeks, the prevalence and degree of seasickness decreased, which meant habituation of seasickness occurred. With the voyage going longer, the prevalence and degree of seasickness were further decreased, but the severe sea condition make the prevalence and degree of seasickness worse. The rate of habituation of seasickness was 62.33%, and the habituation rate of seasickness in male (76.92%) was higher than that in female (47.37%) (χ(2) = 7.161, P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONSThe habituation of the seasickness occurred after two weeks in a long voyage. Male are easier to get habituation of seasickness than female. The severe sea condition influences the prevalence and degree of seasickness.

Acclimatization ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motion Sickness ; physiopathology ; Naval Medicine ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

Adult ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Motion Sickness ; genetics ; Naval Medicine ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Young Adult

Naval Medicine Hyperbaric Centre (NMHC) was approached by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to provide medical support for the North Eastern Line MRT Project. The medical support provided by NMHC focused on providing training, audits and ensuring that safety and health infrastructure were in place even before the commencement of compressed air tunnelling. The extensive use of the EPBM (Earth Pressure Balance Machine) tunnelling machines for the first time in Singapore necessitated a reassessment of the medical support system and paradigm that was based primarily on the older form of tunnelling. The survey results showed that human exposure to compressed air works with the use of EPBM was minimal and no decompression illness was reported. However, there was still a total of 28 cases of barotrauma that were reported which were mainly from the tunnels dug using the open face compressed air tunnelling method. As such, medical providers should still exercise careful planning for the medical support of compressed air works.
Atmospheric Pressure ; Decompression ; methods ; Decompression Sickness ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Facility Design and Construction ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; methods ; Male ; Naval Medicine ; methods ; Singapore

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of radar radiation on sperm quality.

METHODSA total of 348 infertile seamen were divided into 4 experimental groups according to their different lengths of exposure to radar radiation: Group 1 (n = 128) exposed for 12-36 months, Group 2 (n = 58) 37-72 m, Group 3 (n = 47) 73-108 m, Group 4 (n = 19) 109 m or more and Group 5 (n = 96) 48 m or more but free from the exposure for 6 months by then. Another 35 non-marine normal males were recruited as Control Group 1, and the first four experimental groups (n = 252) were taken as Control Group 2. Semen samples were collected from the subjects and analyzed statistically.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control, sperm concentration, sperm motility and the percentage of grade a sperm were significantly lower (P < 0.01), and the percentages of grade d and abnormal sperm significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the experimental groups. In Group 5, obvious recovery was noted in sperm morphology (P < 0.01) and motility (P < 0.05), but significant differences were seen with the normal control group in sperm concentration (P < 0.05), sperm motility and the percentage of grade a and b sperm and that of abnormal sperm (P < 0. 01).

CONCLUSIONRadar radiation damages sperm quality, as shown in the reduction of sperm motility and elevation of sperm abnormality. Cease from the exposure may effect an easy recovery in sperm morphology.

Adult ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; physiopathology ; Male ; Microwaves ; Middle Aged ; Naval Medicine ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Radar ; Semen ; cytology ; radiation effects ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; physiology ; radiation effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the health status of the thyroid and related influencing factors in the seamen in Zhoushan, China.

METHODSA total of 136 coastal seamen (coastal group), 104 deep-sea seamen (deep-sea group), and 272 base staff (base group) who underwent physical examinations in 2014 were selected. Questionnaire survey and ultrasound were performed, and levels of thyroid hormone and urinary iodine were measured.

RESULTSCompared with the coastal group and the base group, the deep-sea group had a significantly higher rate of abnormal ultrasound findings (49.04% vs 30.88%/28.67%, P<0.05), as well as a significantly higher rate of abnormal serum free thyroxine (FT4) (25.00% vs 9.56%/6.25%, P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that in the coastal group, the risk factors for thyroid abnormality on ultrasound were obesity shown by body mass index (BMI) (OR=2.55, 95% CI=1.13~4.13) and annual working time>6 months (OR=4.25, 95% CI=2.02~8.26) (both P<0.05); in the deep-sea group, the risk factors for thyroid abnormality on ultrasound were obesity shown by BMI (OR=3.45, 95% CI=1.28~7.02) and annual working time>6 months (OR=5.33, 95% CI=3.18~9.23) (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe thyroid abnormality in deep-sea seamen is caused by various reasons and is correlated with annual working time, working environment and area, and iodine nutritional status.

Body Mass Index ; China ; Health Status ; Humans ; Iodine ; urine ; Male ; Naval Medicine ; Occupations ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Thyroxine ; blood ; Ultrasonography

Vietnam Marine medicine Institute was established more than 20 years ago and actively contributed to many fields: examination and treatment for marine workers and people, searching and rescue, remote first-aid consultant, researching and training of marine medicine, consulting for Ministry of Health... In the future, it's the first special and leading institute of Vietnam
Submarine Medicine ; Health Services ; health

Diving medicine is one of the branches of military medicine, and plays an important role in naval development. This review introduces the progress of researches on undersea and hyperbaric physiology and medicine in the past few years in China. The article describes our research achievement in conventional diving and its medical support, researches on saturation diving and its medical support, submarine escape and its medical support, effects of hyperbaric environments and fast buoyancy ascent on immunological and cardiological functions. Diving disorders (including decompression sickness and oxygen toxicity) are also introduced.
China ; Decompression Sickness ; Diving ; physiology ; Humans ; Military Medicine ; Submarine Medicine