China ; Plague ; Topography, Medical

PURPOSE: To evaluate preoperative and postoperative spherical aberrations after cataract surgery based on selecting spherical or aspheric intraocular lens (IOL) according to preoperative corneal aberration. METHODS: The medical records of patients who underwent phacoemulsification and IOL implantation in the posterior chamber by a surgeon (H.J.C) were reviewed (68 patients, 97 eyes). IOL was selected based on preoperative corneal spherical aberration measured by corneal topography (ATLAS 9000, Carl Zeiss). The target postoperative total ocular spherical aberration was set to zero (0) and one of the following lenses was chosen: Acrysof SA60AT (n = 25), Acrysof IQ (n = 36) or Tecnis(R) ZCB00 (n = 36). The Wavescan aberrometer and the corneal topography were obtained postoperatively. Absolute prediction errors of postoperative total ocular spherical aberration were analyzed. RESULTS: Preoperative corneal spherical aberration was 0.241 microm; total postoperative ocular spherical aberration was 0.0509 microm (Acrysof SA60AT: 0.0954 microm, Tecnis(R) ZCB00: 0.0374 microm, Acrysof IQ: 0.0335 microm). Postoperative corneal spherical aberration was 0.232 microm, which was not significantly different from the preoperative value (p = 0.199). Postoperative ocular spherical aberration was 0.051 microm; 0.095 microm (Acrysof SA60AT), 0.034 microm (Acrysof IQ), and 0.037 microm (ZCB00). The reducing amounts of spherical aberration were 0.185 microm (Acrysof IQ) and 0.311 microm (ZCB00). The overall absolute prediction error was 0.068 microm. The absolute prediction error of the Acrysof SA60AT group was 0.092 microm, Tecnis(R) ZCB00 group was 0.067 microm and Acrysof IQ group was 0.054 microm. There was no significant difference among the 3 groups (p = 0.089). CONCLUSIONS: Aspheric IOLs can efficiently reduce total ocular spherical aberrations according to preoperative corneal spherical aberrations.
Cataract* ; Corneal Topography ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Medical Records ; Phacoemulsification

China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Precancerous Conditions ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Topography, Medical

OBJECTIVETo study ecology suitability rank dividing of Polygonum capitatum for selecting artificial planting base and high-quality industrial raw material in Guizhou province.

METHODBased on the investigation of PCB and DEM data of Guizhou province, the relationship between the gallic acid content in P. capitatum and topographical conditions was analyzed by statistical analysis. The geographic information systems (GIS)-based assessment and landscape ecological principles were applied to assess ecology suitability areas of P. capitatum in Guizhou.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONslope, aspect and altitude are main topographical factors that affect the content of gallic acid in P. capitatum. The gallic acid content of P. capitatum is higher in the lower altitude, shady slope and smaller slope areas. The gallic acid content is higher in the eastern areas of Guizhou province.

Adaptation, Biological ; China ; Ecology ; Gallic Acid ; analysis ; Geographic Information Systems ; Polygonum ; chemistry ; physiology ; Topography, Medical

OBJECTIVETo investigate water exposure modes and times of different populations in mountainous schistosomiasis endemic areas and to inform about the control strategies.

METHODSAll 1054 residents from populations around Qionghai Lake were randomly sampled according to occupation for a retrospective questionnaire survey in November 2001. Each individual was interviewed for his/her mode, frequency, and duration of water exposure occurring between April and October 2001.

RESULTSThe average exposure times and intensity were higher in farmers (median: 16 - 18 min/day and 2.41 - 2.5, respectively) who grow rice, tobacco, and vegetables than others (median: 3.74 - 7.39 min/day and 0.81 - 1.52, respectively); exposure frequency was found highest in farmers (median: 2.04 times/day) in all occupations; schoolchildren had low exposure frequency and times, but very high exposure intensity (median 2.34). Between April and June it is an agriculturally busy season, that is also a peak season of water exposure of adults. Schoolchildren's water exposure peaks on July and August, mainly due to playing water and swimming. Exposure times and intensities were higher in females than in males.

CONCLUSIONWater exposure modes, times, and intensities of different populations were different in mountainous schistosomiasis endemic areas of Xichang. Between April and June should be the peak infection season of adults who are engaging in agricultural activities, while July to August should be the peak infection season for schoolchildren with non-agricultural activities.

Adult ; China ; Environmental Exposure ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Schistosomiasis ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Topography, Medical ; Water ; parasitology

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of the intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation of clinical history method, with contact lens overrefraction method or computerized videokeratography method in the eyes with previous radial keratotomy (RK) METHODS: The medical records of 2 patients (3 eyes) who had previous RK, and recent phacoemulsification with posterior chamber lens implantation were retrospectively reviewed. All surgical procedures were performed by one surgeon. The power of implanted IOL was calculated by using clinical history method and SRK/T formula. Keratometric (K) value was measured with contact lens overrefraction and computerized videokeratography method before cataract extraction. Ideal keratometric value was calculated from the final postoperative spherical equivalent and the power of implanted IOL retrospectively, and then compared to K value of each method. RESULTS: Mean differences between the ideal K value and K value was 1.48 diopters in computerized videokeratography method, 2.54 diopters in clinical history method, and 3.65 diopters in contact lens overrefraction method, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Unintentional hyperopia can be decreased by intentional postoperative myopia and obtaining K value by the computerized videokeratography method in cataract surgery of the eyes with previous radial keratotomy.
Cataract Extraction ; Cataract* ; Corneal Topography ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Keratotomy, Radial* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Medical Records ; Myopia ; Phacoemulsification ; Retrospective Studies

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Geographic Information Systems ; Humans ; Satellite Communications ; instrumentation ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; epidemiology ; Snails ; parasitology ; Topography, Medical ; instrumentation ; methods

Chinese medicine that saw rapid development since the writing of Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine (Hunagti Neiching) greatly influenced Korea and then Japan, firmly establishing its dominant position in the East Asian world. However, as sciences of the west were gradually imparted to East Asia, medical topography was changing little by little as well. It was Japan that actively accommodated Western medicine. During Edo Japan, many interpretation officers played an active part for exchanges with influential merchants from the Netherlands and the resultant compilation of Kaitai Shinsho in 1774 made anatomy of the West introduced to the nation in earnest. Thereafter, starting with anatomy, westernization of Japanese medicine rapidly unfolded in the nation. Accommodation of Western anatomy was enabled by the development of empirical medicine and resulting practice of dissection. Two decades before the compilation of Kaitai Shinsho, the first dissection was made in Japan and five years later, Zoshi was published by Yamawaki Toyo, triggering great controversy over dissection in the nation's medical world. It was very meaningful in that it raised a question about positivity of traditional medicine, namely, the Theory of Visceras and Bowels, and made a verification of it. Dissection of the human body that started with Yamawaki Toyo's book was faced with criticisms from Sano Yassada and through his publication of Hi Zoshi and others on one hand but it led to practice of dissection itself on the other hand. Sixteen years later a second dissection was performed by Kawaguchi Shinnin and Kaishihen was complied by him. Thereafter, western medicine was rapidly accommodated by the nation through successive dissections, publications of anatomy books, and translations of western anatomy books, and through the Meiji Restoration the medical world was reorganized into one centered on western medicine. Modern anatomy of the West was widely introduced to East Asia and at the same time Japan led a cultural attitude to massively accept Western sciences through translations. Such academic climate, which was literally called Dutch learning(Ran Gaku), made Japan reflect itself from Western perspectives and transformed East Asia's medieval world view, knowledge system, and medical thoughts.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Climate ; Far East ; Hand ; Human Body ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Japan ; Korea ; Medicine, Traditional ; Netherlands ; Publications ; Topography, Medical ; Translations ; Viscera ; Writing

OBJECTIVETo reveal the iodine status of pregnant women and its impact on thyroid function of neonates in high iodine area.

METHODSA total of 210 pregnant women were chosen from a hospital in Haixing county, Hebei province. Pregnant women's random urinary and neonates' cord blood were collected. The urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was examined by arsenic-cerium catalytic spectrophotometry. The levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and sensitive thyroid-stimulating hormone (sTSH) in serum were measured by chemiluminescence.

RESULTSThe age of 210 pregnant women was (27.69 +/- 4.73) years old, whose urinary iodine median (inter-quartile range ) was 1240.70 (1292.68) microg/L. 84.3% (177/210) of the pregnant women had excessive iodine intake (UIC > or = 500 microg/L), 13.8% (29/210) had more than adequate iodine intake( UIC within 250 - 499 microg/L), 0.5% (1/210) had adequate iodine intake (UIC within 150 - 249 microg/L) and 1.4% (3/210) had insufficient iodine intake (UIC < 150 microg/L). The average serum level of FT3, FT4 in neonates were (2.93 +/- 0.59), (15.03 +/- 1.92) pmol/L, respectively. The median (inter-quartile range) of serum sTSH in neonates were 7.33 (5.59) mU/L 78.1% (164/210) of the neonates' serum TSH were beyond 5 mU/L. There were no correlation between pregnant women's urinary iodine level and neonates' serum FT3 and sTSH level (P > 0.05), but there was a positive correlation between pregnant women's urinary iodine level and neonates' serum FT4 level (P < 0.01). Serum FT4 level of the neonates with whose mothers had insufficient iodine intake ((12.99 +/- 1.10) pmol/L) were statistically lower than those with their mothers had excessive iodine intake (15.16 +/- 1.83) pmol/L) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMost of the pregnant women in high iodine area were excessive for iodine nutrition, but still a few pregnant women had insufficient iodine nutrition. The level of neonates' serum sTSH were relatively high and monitoring of risk of hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism should be strengthened.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; epidemiology ; Infant, Newborn ; Iodine ; urine ; Nutritional Status ; Pregnancy ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyrotropin ; blood ; Thyroxine ; blood ; Topography, Medical ; Triiodothyronine ; blood ; Young Adult

In order to determine the status of malaria among schoolchildren on Kome Island (Lake Victoria), near Mwanza, Tanzania, a total of 244 schoolchildren in 10 primary schools were subjected to a blood survey using the fingerprick method. The subjected schoolchildren were 123 boys and 121 girls who were 6-8 years of age. Only 1 blood smear was prepared for each child. The overall prevalence of malaria was 38.1% (93 positives), and sex difference was not remarkable. However, the positive rate was the highest in Izindabo Primary School (51.4%) followed by Isenyi Primary School (48.3%) and Bugoro Primary School (46.7%). The lowest prevalence was found in Muungano Primary School (16.7%) and Nyamiswi Primary School (16.7%). These differences were highly correlated with the location of the school on the Island; those located in the peripheral area revealed higher prevalences while those located in the central area showed lower prevalences. Plasmodium falciparum was the predominant species (38.1%; 93/244), with a small proportion of them mixed-infected with Plasmodium vivax (1.6%; 4/244). The results revealed that malaria is highly prevalent among primary schoolchildren on Kome Island, Tanzania, and there is an urgent need to control malaria in this area.
Blood/parasitology ; Child ; Coinfection/epidemiology/parasitology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Malaria/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Male ; Microscopy ; Plasmodium falciparum/*isolation & purification ; Plasmodium vivax/*isolation & purification ; Prevalence ; Tanzania/epidemiology ; Topography, Medical