BACKGROUND:A large number of literatures have shown that surgeons expose to a higher radiation dose during puncture and bone cement injection in percutaneous vertebral augmentation. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress in radiation doses and safeguard procedures in percutaneous vertebral augmentation. METHODS: By using percutaneous vertebral augmentation, radiation doses, radiation protective as key words, we retrieved articles related to radiological protection during percutaneous vertebral augmentation published from January 1995 to December 2014 in Wangfang database and PubMed database. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:One basic principle of radiation protection is that the radiation dose decreases rapidly with distance from the radioactive sources. Surgeons should maximize the distance from the radioactive sources as far as possible in case there is no effect on the operation. To optimize the setting and position of C-arm machine, wear protective devices and put lead shields as wel as computer navigation and radiation training in surgeons al can help to reduce the radiation doses during percutaneous vertebral augmentation. Remote bone cement injection device is easy to control but not increases the radiation doses. In addition, the influence of surgery bed on radiation dose remains to be further studied. We believe that with the in-depth research on radiological protection, vertebral augmentation technique wil be safer in clinical application.

Objective To simulate the hemodynamic feature in cerebral bridging veins (BVs), in order to provide a morphologic basis for the pathogenesis explanation and imaging diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). MethodsTotally 6 human cadavers (12 sides) were examined in this study. Each head of the cadavers was injected with blue-coloured latex via the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and internal jugular veins. The diamter and the angle of BVs entering SSS were measured. Based on the data of cadavers and computational fluid dynamics software pack, the hemodynamic models were established. The wall shear stress (WSS) was carefully studied and compared between different models. Results The total of 137 BVs formed two clusters along the SSS: anterior group and posterior group. Compared with anterior group BVs, the diameter of posterior group BVs was large, and the angle was smaller. In 137 models,when the diameter of a BV was more than 1.2mm, and the angle was between 65 and 105 degree, the local WSS decreased in the downstream wall of SSS. When the diameter of a BV was more than 1.2mm, and the angle was less than 65 degree, the local WSS decreased in the downstream wall of SSS and the upstream wall of BVs. The minimum WSS in BVs was 63% of the minimum WSS in SSS. Compared with the anterior group BVs, the minimum WSS in the wall of posterior group BVs was samller, and the distance from the minimum WSS to the dural entrance was longer. Conclusion CVT occurs easily when the diamter of a BV is more than 1.2mm and the angle is less than 65 degree. The embolus forms early in the upstream wall of BVs entering the posterior part of SSS.

Objective To learn the overall results of the final test paper in nursing undergraduates of Peking Union Medical College, and to provide the theoretical support for teaching quality assessment of nursing undergraduates.Methods The difficulty coefficient, the discrimination index, the reliability (Cronbach α coefficient) and the degree of coverage were analyzed based on education measurement and education statistical methods.Results The mean total score was 67.8±12.5, ranged from 38 to 95.The difficulty coefficient, the discrimination index and the Cronbach α coefficient were 0.68, 0.30 and 0.71 respectively.The rates of loss score were 33.8% for choice questions, 37.2% for completion questions, 22.5%for true or false questions and 24.8% for calculation questions respectively.Among the total 30 examination questions, the proportions of the most difficult ones, the difficult ones, the moderate ones, the easy ones and the easiest ones were 30.0%,13.3%,20.0%,20.0% and 16.7% respectively.28 examination questions (93.3%) had the best or better discrimination.Conclusions The test paper held the moderate difficulty and the good discrimination, reliability and the degree of coverage.The results of the examination accurately reflect the knowledge and ability of the students.In addition, more attention should be paidto improve the knowledge of nursing undergraduates on the importance of the medical statistics in medical scientific research.

10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2013.25.008

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of MRI follow-up in pediatric patients with spinal tuberculosis.

METHODSFrom February 2004 to April 2013, MRI imaging data in 21 children with spinal tuberculosis by pathologically and clinically proven were retrospectively analysed. There were 11 males and 10 males, with an average age of 9.4 years old ranging from 2 to 14 years old. Eighteen patients were received conservative treatment, 3 patients were treated by surgical operation. The course of disease ranged from 2 months to 3 years. All cases underwent two or more MRI examinations for follow-up. MRI findings of the first and second examination were comparatively analyzed,including signal changes of vertebral body and intervertebral, paraspinal abscess and the change of kyphosis angle.

RESULTSIn the 21 cases with tuberculosis, 85 vertebral bodies were affected in total, including 10.6%(9/85), 49.4%(42/85) and 40%(34/85) vertebral bodies separately in the cervical,thoracic, lumbosacral spine. Follow-up MRI showed vertebral body shape and signal had no obvious change during or after treatment, 15 cases with vertebral bodies changed flat or cuneate, 10 cases with disc involvement,and intervertebral space became narrowing at different level. Among 13 patients with kyphosis angle greater than 0°, 7 were located on thoracic, 2, 3, 1 were on thoracolumbar, lumbar and cervical spine, respectively. Among 18 cases with conservative treatment,kyphosis angle were 0° on the first and the follow up MRI of 8 patients. One case of mild (<10°) kyphosis,follow-up MRI during therapy showed the angle slightly increased; 5 cases with moderate (10° to 30°), follow-up MRI during therapy showed no obvious change; 4 cases with severe (>30°), follow-up MRI during and after therapy showed kyphosis increased in varying degrees.

CONCLUSIONFollow-up MRI can make a big difference in the spinal tuberculosis of children; it can clearly show the change of the vertebral body and intervertebral space, paraspinal abscess and the kyphosis angle after the treatment,which can provide reference for clinical treatment and estimating prognosis.

Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Monitoring ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; diagnostic imaging ; Tuberculosis, Spinal ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the efficacy on low back pain of cold-damp pattern between electric-thermal Bian-stone therapy and moxibustion box therapy.

METHODSForty-one cases of low back pain of cold-damp pattern were randomized into an electric-thermal Bian-stone therapy group (group A, 26 cases) and a box moxibustion therapy group (group B, 15 cases). In the group A, the electric-thermal Bian-stone was placed over Shenshu (BL 23) and Weizhong (BL 40). The temperature of stone was adjusted in accordance with patient's comfort. In the group B, moxibustion box was used over Shenshu (BL 23) and Weizhong (BL 40). The treatment was given once every day or every two days. Ten treatments made one session. The symptom and physical signs score of low back pain and the score of cold-damp syndrome were observed before and after treatment in the patients.

RESULTSThe symptom and physical signs score of low back pain and the score of cold-damp syndrome were all improved in the two groups (all P < 0.01). The changing rate of symptom and physical signs and syndrome were (37.04 +/- 32.68)% and (22.85 +/- 29.95)% in the group A, and were (47.29 +/- 22.08)% and (23.89 +/- 22.53)% in the group B, respectively, without significant difference in comparison between the two groups (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy on low back pain of cold-damp pattern treated with the electric-thermal Bian-stone therapy is similar to that of moxibustion box therapy. This therapy is characterized as more convenient, safer operation and less pollution.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion

Emodin is an effective active ingredient extracted from Chinese herbal medicine, which has the function of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and scavenging oxygen free radicals, inhibiting platelet aggregation, improving microcirculation, protecting various organs and tissues as well as a wide range of anti-tumor effect. Primary biliary gallbladder is a common malignant tumor resection rate and lack of effective adjuvant treatment. It has been confirmed that emodin has broad spectrum antitumor effect, whereas, whether it has curative effect in the treatment of gallbladder carcinoma there is no reliable clinical trials confirmed that its resistance to gallbladder carcinoma function needs further experimental research. In this review, we report the research progress of emodin anti-gallbladder carcinoma.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Emodin ; therapeutic use ; Gallbladder ; drug effects ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Humans

The study aims to characterize and compare interferon reference standards from 5 manufacturers. By testing molecular mass and trypsin-digested peptide mass mapping, the amino acid sequence was verified and post-translational modifications such as disulfide bond were identified. Results show that the molecular mass and amino acid sequence were consistent with theory; the disulfide bonds of 4 lots of interferon were Cys1-Cys98/Cys29-Cys138, 1 lot was Cys29-Cys139/Cys86-Cys99; N-terminal "+Met", acetyl N-terminal and Met oxidation were identified in part of the sample. UPLC-MS can be used to characterize and compare interferon reference standards from different manufacturers.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Interferons ; standards ; Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Molecular Weight ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Peptide Mapping ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Reference Standards

This paper presents and discusses the liquid density sensing potential of a delay line Lamb-wave sensor configuration, where Lamb wave is excited only by interdigital transducer (IDT), without membrane when fabricated. An optimized cut orientation and the normalized thickness of substrate by using genetic algorithm is presented to improve the sensitivity of the sensor and to get low noise. Experimental measurements performed on Lamb-wave device fabricated from Y-Z LiNbO3 in a delay line configuration are found to be in agreement with theoretical calculations.
Algorithms ; Biosensing Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Models, Theoretical ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transducers ; Ultrasonics ; Water ; analysis ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the difference of spatial working memory among first-episode patients with deficit and nondeficit schizophrenia. Methods The study recruited 116 first-episode treatment-naive patients with schizo-phrenia, and 60 normal controls. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptoms of patients and Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome (SDS) was used to divide schizophrenia patients into deficit group (28 patients) and nondeficit group (88 patients). Spatial Working Memory (SWM) test from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automat-ed Battery (CANTAB) was used to test the spatial working memory function. Results Adjusted for age, gender and years of education, there were significant differences in the performance of between errors of 4 boxes (P=0.03), between errors of 6 boxes (P=0.01), between errors of 8 boxes (P=0.03), total errors (P=0.01) and strategy (P<0.01) between deficit and nondef-icit patients, and both groups were poorer than the control group. The SWM of deficit and nondeficit patients has no corre-lation with the negative symptoms (P>0.05). Conclusion The impairment of SWM was more severe in deficit schizophrenia patients than in nondeficit patients at early stage of the disease, suggesting they are different subtypes of schizophrenia.