Animals ; Decompression ; Decompression Sickness ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Electroencephalography ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology ; Male ; Rabbits

Background Age-related cataract is one of the common causes of blindness.Although the pathophysiology of age-related cataract is far from clearly understood,it is well accepted that DNA damage plays an important role in the disease pathogenesis.Objective The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes of age-related cataract.Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out.This study complied Declaration of Helsinki and approved by Ethic Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Two hundred and eleven patients with agerelated cataract and 147 normal subjects were enrolled from a “ Jiangsu Eye Study:Funing 2011 Eye Disease Epidemic Survey”.All the subjects aged from 50 through 80 years with matched age and gender between the two groups.The percentage of tail DNA and Olive tail moment (OTM) were detected by comet assay to assess the extent of DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes.Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 17.0 software,and the differences of the percentage of tail DNA and OTM were compared between the age-related cataract group and normal control group by independent sample t test as well as among the 50-59 years group,60-69 years group and ≥70 years group by one-way analysis of variance.Results Comet assay showed a round lymph cell with the clear border in the normal group;while in the age-related cataract group,the cell was bigger with a comet-like tail.The percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (21.75 ± 3.51) ％ and 6.54 ± 1.65 in the age-related cataract group,and those in the normal control group were (9.31 ±3.60)％ and 2.18 ± 1.10,respectively,with significant differences between them (t =32.67,P =0.00 ; t =28.02,P =O.00).In the 50-59 years subgroup of the age-related cataract group,the percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (20.04±2.86) ％ and 5.92± 1.14,and in the 60-69 years subgroup of the age-related cataract group,the percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (20.77 ±2.93) ％ and 6.13 ± 1.14,which were significantly reduced in comparison with (22.79 ± 3.67)％ and 6.95±1.91 of the ≥70years subgroup(TailDNA％:q=2.75,P=0.00; q=2.02,P=0.00;OTM:q=1.03,P =0.02 ; q =0.82,P =0.00).Conclusions The pathogenesis and development of age-related cataract probably is associated with DNA damage.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of serum soluble CD 163 (sCD 163) level, to assess the severity of critical illness and to evaluate the immune status of sepsis or severe sepsis in children.

METHODA prospective study was conducted. The sCD 163 was determined in 50 cases with sepsis or severe sepsis in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and 23 cases of age- and gender-matched healthy children were enrolled as control during the period from April 2010 to March 2011. Double-antibody sandwich ELISA was used for sCD 163 measurement. The relationship with sCD 163 level and disease severity score (pediatric critical illness score, PCIS; and pediatric risk of mortality III, PRISM III), lymphocyte subsets, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were analyzed.

RESULTThe sCD 163 in sepsis/severe sepsis groups (171.04 ± 177.85) mg/L was significantly higher than that in control group (44.19 ± 86.48) mg/L (P < 0.01).sCD 163 in sepsis group [(105.32 ± 145.87) mg/L] was significantly lower than that of severe sepsis group [(233.32 ± 171.78) mg/L] (P < 0.05). sCD 163 level was significantly higher in lower PCIS score patients. (P < 0.01). The sCD 163 levels was higher in PRISM III ≥ 10 than the PRISM III < 10 group. The sCD 163 levels were higher in death group than the survival group. The sCD 163 was negatively correlated with CD4 +, CD4 +/CD8 + (R = -0.820, P < 0.05; R = -0.839, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDetection of sCD 163 was helpful in predicting the severity of sepsis and severe sepsis, and sCD 163 may reflect the immune status of critically ill children with sepsis.

Adolescent ; Antigens, CD ; blood ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; blood ; Biomarkers ; blood ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Critical Illness ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; blood ; Sepsis ; blood ; immunology ; mortality ; Severity of Illness Index ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore the vascular structure of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator with the four-dimensional computed tomography (CT) angiography.

METHODS10 abdominal specimens harvested from fresh cadavers were cannulated with trocar and injected with contrast medium in the deep inferior epigastric artery at different levels, including the deep inferior epigastric artery, its bifurcations, the lateral or medial large perforators. During the perfusion of the contrast medium in the flap, the flap was scanned by three-dimensional CT (four-dimensional defined as three dimensional CT plus time). The CT data were sent to CT workstation and the images were processed and reformatted.

RESULTSThe deep inferior epigastric artery perforator terminates in the subdermal vascular plexus, with bifurcating superior to the Scarpa fascia and under the skin. The anastomosis in the abdominal midline occurs in the subdermal vascular plexus. The blood flow distributes in two ways, one is the subdermal vascular plexus, the other is the existed vascular structure. The zone overlying the rectus muscle in the pedicle side has the best blood supply, the other adjacent zone on the ipsilateral side of the abdomen, the zone overlying the contralateral rectus muscle and the zone lateral to the contralateral rectus muscle has declining perfusion.

CONCLUSIONSThe four-dimensional CT is a useful method to study the vascular structure of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator in the superficial fascia.

Abdominal Wall ; blood supply ; Angiography ; methods ; Epigastric Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Four-Dimensional Computed Tomography ; Humans ; Male ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply

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

Postoperative radiotherapy is a major treatment for patients with maxillary sinus carcinoma. However, the irregular resection cavity poses a technical difficulty for this treatment, causing uneven dose distribution to target volumes. In this study, we evaluated the dose distribution to target volumes and normal tissues in postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) after placing a water-filled balloon into the resection cavity. Three postoperative patients with advanced maxillary sinus carcinoma were selected in this trial. Water-filled balloons and supporting dental stents were fabricated according to the size of the maxillary resection cavity. Simulation CT scans were performed with or without water-filled balloons, IMRT treatment plans were established, and dose distribution to target volumes and organs at risk were evaluated. Compared to those in the treatment plan without balloons, the dose (D98) delivered to 98% of the gross tumor volume (GTV) increased by 2.1 Gy (P = 0.009), homogeneity index (HI) improved by 2.3% (P = 0.001), and target volume conformity index (TCI) of 68 Gy increased by 18.5% (P = 0.011) in the plan with balloons. Dosimetry endpoints of normal tissues around target regions in both plans were not significantly different (P > 0.05) except for the optic chiasm. In the plan without balloons, 68 Gy high-dose regions did not entirely cover target volumes in the ethmoid sinus, posteromedial wall of the maxillary sinus, or surgical margin of the hard palate. In contrast, 68 Gy high-dose regions entirely covered the GTV in the plan with balloons. These results suggest that placing a water-filled balloon in the resection cavity for postoperative IMRT of maxillary sinus carcinoma can reduce low-dose regions and markedly and simultaneously increase dose homogeneity and conformity of target volumes.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; diagnostic imaging ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; surgery ; Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; methods ; Stents ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy of continuous blood purification(CBP) in the treatment of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) in children.

METHODSOne hundred and forty seven cases of ALI/ARDS were hospitalized to our pediatric intensive care unit, and 32 cases were treated with continuous blood purification (CBP) from June, 2006 to May, 2011. The model for CBP was continuous veno-venous hemofiltration dialysis (CVVHDF). CBP treatment persisted for at least 8 hours and replacement + dialysis fluid dose was 35 - 100 ml/(kg·h). The clinical outcome measures included the mortality rate at 28th day, respiratory index (FiO2/PO2), dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), mechanical ventilation parameters, vasoactive drug dose and lung X-ray changes.

RESULTSIn totally 147 cases of ALI/ARDS, 89 cases (60.5%) were male and 58 (39.5%) were female, mean age was (43.4 ± 36.7) months. Death occurred in 54 cases, the total mortality was 36.7%. The cause of ALI/ARDS was mainly severe pneumonia, severe sepsis, and leukemia or tumor diseases. There were significant differences in severity of illness between the CBP treatment group and non-CBP treatment group on Pediatric risk of score mortality (PRISM) III score (15.3 vs. 12.7, P < 0.05) and pediatric critical illness score (66.8 ± 19.3 vs. 74.6 ± 17.7, P < 0.05). The average duration of CBP treatment was 52 hours (12 hours to 232 hours). PaO2/FiO2 and Cdyn were improved after 2 hours CBP treatment compared with those before CBP treatment (P < 0.05), mechanical ventilation parameters including fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), peak inspiratory pressure (PiP) and positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) were reduced. The use of vasoactive drugs in patients with MODS and shock gradually declined. The average ventilator-free days of the two groups did not show significant difference (P > 0.05). The mortality on CBP treatment group and non-treatment group were 37.5% and 36.5%, respectively, the difference was not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCBP adjuvant treatment for ALI/ ARDS could reduce pulmonary edema, improve PaO2/FiO2 and Cdyn, and improve mechanical ventilation parameters. CBP may be a very promising treatment for ALI/ARDS in children.

Acute Lung Injury ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hemofiltration ; methods ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Lung Compliance ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the quality of the embryos, clinical outcomes and birth defects resulting from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment using sperms of different origins and parameters.

METHODSA total of 980 ICSI-ET (embryo-transfer) cycles were divided into 4 groups, namely normal sperm or mild oligozoospermia group (group A), severe oligozoospermia group (group B), epididymal aspirates group (group C) and testicular biopsies group (group D). The cleavage rate, embryo quality, fertilization rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and rates of birth defects were compared between the groups.

RESULTSThe fertilization rate, cleavage rate and good-quality embryo rate were not significantly different among the 4 groups (P>0.05), and the embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate were significantly higher in group C than in groups A and B (P<0.05). Groups A, B and C showed no significant differences in the rates of birth defects (P>0.05), and no birth defects occurred in group D.

CONCLUSIONSSperms of different parameters and origins used in ICSI treatment can achieve similar fertilization rate, good-quality embryo rate and delivery rate. The embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate of epididymal sperm group are higher than those of ejaculated groups, possibly due to the younger age of the patients and a greater number of oocytes retrieved in group C than in groups A and B.

Congenital Abnormalities ; etiology ; Female ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Male ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; adverse effects ; Spermatozoa ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect and safety of BCG vaccine on initially treated pulmonary tuberculosis and its controlling effect on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

METHODSAll 360 volunteers with initially treated pulmonary tuberculosis of positive smear and culture were divided into immunotherapy group (180 cases, also BCG group) and control group (180 cases) at random pair. The patients in BCG group were treated with chemotherapy of a regimen of 2HRZ/2HR and immunotherapy with BCG for 4 months,and the first BCG vaccine was given a month after chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the patients in the control group were treated with chemotherapy of 2HRZ/4HR only.

RESULTS(1) The negative conversion rate of sputum smear in BCG group was 98.3% (177/180), and it was 97.2% (175/180) in control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups both at the ends of 4 and 6 months after treatment (chi2 = 0.1278, P > 0.05). (2) The positive conversion rate of sputum smear in BCG group was 2.3% (4/177), and it was 6.9% (12/175) in control group followed up for 5 years. The successful rate was 96.1% (173/180) in BCG group, and it was significantly higher than that of 90.6% (163/180) in control group (chi2 = 4.4643, P < 0.05). (3) In the 5-year follow up, bacteriologic result was similar to that of X-ray. (4) The occurrence rate of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was 2.3% (4/177) in BCG group,significantly lower than that of 7.3% (13/178) in the control group (chi2 = 4.9513, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs an adjunct chemotherapy,immunotherapy with BCG vaccine should be helpful for patients with initially treated pulmonary tuberculosis. It would further strengthen the effects of chemotherapy and reduce the occurrence rate of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antitubercular Agents ; therapeutic use ; BCG Vaccine ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Active ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant ; prevention & control ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore a new surgical procedure for vaginal reconstruction with pedicled deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap.

METHODSSince June 2007, 6 cases underwent vaginal reconstruction, including five congenital vaginal absence and one immediately after total vaginal resection due to carcinoma. Intensive CT scans were performed preoperatively for perforator selection. The DIEP flaps were designed vertically on the anterior abdominal wall and transferred for vaginal reconstruction.

RESULTSAll the patients recovered uneventfully with no flap loss and other complication. The patients were followed up for 1 to 8 months (mean, 4 months) with satisfactory results.

CONCLUSIONVaginal reconstruction with vertical DIEP flaps is a safe and reliable method.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Epigastric Arteries ; transplantation ; Female ; Humans ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Vagina ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Young Adult