Animals ; Athletic Performance ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Morinda ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Physical Conditioning, Animal

Some research on intelligent non-invasive temporary pacemakers is introduced in this paper. An industrial computer, some IC chips and other elements are used to construct its hardware, and its software is in C++ language. The experimental device has some intelligent functions of recognizing some arrhythmia. The system has a pacemaker module and an ECG monitor module. Its software includes a main program, a RS-232C communication program, a printer VxD, a pacing control VxD and ECG signal pretreatment and recognizing program and so on. The pacing-generating circuit is employed to make the precision control of pacing current. The communication between industrial-computer system and ECG module is completed through the DLL. The real time processing of ECG signals is based on filter method for a higher recognizing ratio. The system calculates several parameters to recognize certain arrhythmia and uses MIT/BIH database to validate the reliability of ECG recognition.
Algorithms ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Artificial Intelligence ; Echocardiography ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; classification ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; Software Design

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between different genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the severity of liver diseases.

METHODSThe S nucleotide sequences of HBV strains isolated from plasma samples of 284 patients were detected and compared. Among them, 87 patients were HBV asymptomatic carriers (ASC), 157 chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 22 liver cirrhosis (LC), and 18 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

RESULTSGenotypes B and C were predominant, with a 26.1% proportion and a 63.2% proportion respectively. The percentage of genotypes B and C in patients with ASC, CHB, LC, and HCC were significantly different (x(2)=15.09, P<0.001). Compared with genotype B, genotype C was more common in patients with CHB and HCC (59.6% vs 43.2%, chi(2)=10.87, P<0.001; 7.7% vs 1.4%, x(2)=7.41, P<0.001), but in patients with LC there was no different (7.7% vs 8.1%, chi(2)=1.29, P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThis study suggests that genotype B and C are predominant. And genotype C may induce more severe the liver inflammation than genotype B may do.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors

Objective To analyze the status of first-aid knowledge master of university volunteers and enterprise employees in Yantian district of Shenzhen city so as to provide the basis for the popularity of first-aid knowledge education.Methods Used questionnaire survey method,262 volunteers and 298 enterprise employees who received the university training about first-aid knowledge before and after training were investigated,then contrasted the results.The content validity of the questionnaire was 0.88,the overall Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.865,and the reliability was 0.873.Results Totals of 255 valid questionnaires for volunteers and 288 valid questionnaires for enterprise workers were taken back,with the effective rate of 97.3％ and 96.6％.Enterprise workers accounted for 27.78％ and volunteers accounted for 40.39％ who never training,and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).23.26％ enterprise workers and 10.93％ volunteers who personally encountered sudden death,and significant difference was found (P ＜ 0.01).The two groups acquired knowledge about unarmed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) mainly by television,accounting for 39.93％ and 37.25％,respectively.Compared with the enterprise employees,14.90％ volunteers unwilling give artificial respiration,and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =13.35,P ＜0.01).Conclusions It is necessary to carry out the universal education about the multifarious first-aid knowledge including CPR,so as to strengthen the attention of public popularity to the training of first-aid knowledge and improve the consciousness and initiative of the public participation in first aid.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of PHI on histone acetylation and methylation in hepatocellular carcinoma line SMMC-7721 cells.

METHODSApoptosis was measured by TUNNEL assay. Histone methylation and acetylation were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSPHI inhibited cells growth and induced apoptosis. PHI treatment resulted in increased acetylation of histone H3 and H4 , elevated level of histone H3 lysine 4 methylation, and decreased level of histone H3 lysine 9 methylation.

CONCLUSIONSPHI can modulate both histone acetylation and methylation, which could remodel chromatin structure. PHI may be a novel anticancer drug.

Acetylation ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Histones ; metabolism ; Humans ; Isothiocyanates ; pharmacology ; Methylation

BACKGROUNDDegenerative lumbar scoliosis is common in older patients. Decreased bone density and the degeneration of intervertebral discs are considered to be correlated with degenerative lumbar scoliosis. A means of quantifying the relative signal intensity for degenerative disc disease has not been previously discussed. The purpose of this study was to compare bone mineral density and intervertebral disc degeneration between degenerative lumbar scoliosis and lumbar spinal stenosis patients in a nine-year retrospective study.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to August 2010, 96 patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis were retrospectively enrolled and 96 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were selected as controls. Cobb angle, height of the apical disc and the contiguous disc superiorly and inferiorly on convex and concave sides, the height of the convex and concave side of the apical and the contiguous vertebral body superiorly and inferiorly were measured in the scoliosis group. The height of L2/L3, L3/L4, L4/L5 discs and the height of L2/L4 vertebral body was measured in the control group. The grade of intervertebral disc degeneration was evaluated using T2WI sagittal images in both groups. The bone density of lumbar vertebrae was measured with dual-energy X-ray.

RESULTSIn scoliosis group, the intervertebral disc height on the convex side was greater than the height on the concave side (P < 0.001). The vertebral body height on the convex side was greater than the height on the concave side (P = 0.016). There was a significant difference between the scoliosis group and the control group (P = 0.003), and between T-value and the rate of osteoporosis between the two groups (both P < 0.001).

RESULTSwere verified using multiple linear regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONSDegenerative lumbar scoliosis is accompanied by height asymmetry between the intervertebral disc and vertebral body regarding the convex and concave surfaces. There is a positive correlation between the angle of scoliosis and the disc index, the degree of degeneration of the intervertebral disc, and a negative correlation between the angle of scoliosis and bone density.

Aged ; Bone Density ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; pathology ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Linear Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis ; pathology ; Spinal Stenosis ; pathology

BACKGROUND: Our preliminary study has shown that methylene blue exerts toxic effect on human nucleus pulposus cells in a concentration-dependent manner, but the toxic range remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the critical range of the cytotoxicity of methylene blue to nucleus pulposus cells by cell counting-kit 8 (CCK-8) assay. METHODS: The nucleus pulposus was from a patient with intervertebral disc herniation. The nucleus pulposus cells were extracted and cultured. Passage 1 cells mere used to make cell suspensions. The cells were divided into nine groups for culture: blank control (only the medium, CCK-8 solution), control (only medium, cells and CCK-8 solution), and methylene blue groups (1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, 0.01% and 0.005% of methylene blue). The absorbance values were measured by CCK-8 assay at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after incubation. The cell viability was calculated, and the color was observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The color in the control group was the darkest, and the color in the methylene blue groups became lighter with the concentration of methylene blue increasing, and the 0.05%, 0.01%, 0.005% and 0.001% methylene blue groups showed darker color similar to the control group. The absorbance values in the 0.1% methylene blue group were significantly less than those in the control group (P＜ 0.05). There were no significant differences in the absorbance values and cell viability between 1% and 0.5% methylene blue groups (P ＞0.05). The absorbance values and cell viability in the 0.1% methylene blue group were significantly higher than those in the 0.5% methylene blue group, but were significantly less than those in the 0.05% methylene blue group (P ＜ 0.05). Thus, methylene blue exerts cytotoxicity to human nucleus pulposus cells, and the critical value of toxicity is between 0.1% and 0.05% and close to 0.05%. However, the exact value needs a further investigation.

AIM:To analyze the imageological changes of acute and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) by 2 types of optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed, inclu-ding data of 60 eyes from 56 patients with CSC diagnosed by conventional eye examination, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), which were divided into acute group (28 eyes of 28 patients) and chronic group (32 eyes of 28 patients) according to imageological examinations and duration (6 months). Optical coher-ence tomography angiography (OCTA) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography ( SD-OCT) were performed to study the vessel density of the chorioretinal leyers and the integrity of the outer retinal structure. RESULTS:In the pa-tients with chronic CSC, OCTA in 4 eyes ( 12.50% ) revealed the presence of a distinct choroidal neovascularization (CNV), while no evidence of CNV in ICGA was observed. However, no sign of CNV in acute CSC group both on OCTA and ICGA was found. The occurrence of 'dark areas' in chronic CSC was much higher than that in acute CSC ( P <0.01). In addition, the integrity of the outer retinal structure (defined as tissue between external limiting membrane and retinal pigment epithelium) in acute group was significantly better than that in chronic group ( P <0.01). CONCLU-SION:Our study demonstrates the existing secondary CNV that is not demonstrated by ICGA in the chronic CSC patients, and the different characteristics of retinochoroid structures between acute and chronic CSC in OCTA and SD-OCT are ob- served. Chronic CSC has more severe structural changes.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of endoscopic thyroidectomy via the areola of breast approach.

METHODSBetween April 2005 to September 2008, endoscopic thyroidectomy via the areola of breast approach was performed in 28 female patients. Of the patients, 25 cases presented with nodular goiter, 2 cases with Grave's disease and 1 case with minimum papillary carcinoma. The average age was 22.5 years (range, 18-38 years). A 10 mm trocar was placed on the medial border of the areola of the right breast for the video-endoscopy and removing specimens, and a 5 mm trocar was placed on the lateral border of the areola of the same breast as the assisted operation hole. Another 5 mm trocar was placed on the medial border of the areola of left breast as the main operation hole. The operation data was recorded and analyzed.

RESULTSAll the 28 operations were successful. The procedures included one lobe total thyroidectomy in 5 cases, one lobe subtotal thyroidectomy in 15 cases, subtotal thyroidectomy in 3 cases, one lobe near total thyroidectomy + the other lobe subtotal thyroidectomy in 4 cases, and one lobe total thyroidectomy + the central group lymph node resection + the other lobe subtotal thyroidectomy in 1 case. The average operation time was 60.7 minutes (range, 40-125 minutes), the average operation blood loss was 5.8 ml (range, 2-15 ml), the average length of post-operative hospital stay was 3.1 days (range, 2-5 days). No adverse effects was found after the operation, such as damage to the parathyroid gland and the laryngeal nerve. The patients were followed-up for 1 to 40 months with satisfactory results. All 28 patients were satisfied with the cosmetic effects of the operation.

CONCLUSIONSEndoscopic thyroidectomy via the areola of breast approach produces an outstanding cosmetic effect, it is safe and feasible.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Breast ; surgery ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Thyroid Diseases ; surgery ; Thyroidectomy ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of robot-assisted laparoscopic pyelolithotomy (RALPL) as the surgical management for nonstaghorn renal calculi larger than 2 cm. Methods Among the patients admitted to our hospital for nonstaghorn renal calculi larger than 2 cm between Jun. ,2013 and Jun. ,2017, a retrospective analysis was performed on the treatment outcome of patients undergoing RALPL (48 cases) and open pyelolithotomy (OPL) (44 cases). The initial stone-free rate, mean operating time, hemoglobin drop, off-bed activity time and hospital stay were compared between two groups. Results Compared with OPL group, RALPL group had a higher initial stone-free rate (91. 66% vs. 70.45%, P < 0.05), and had significant lesser hemoglobin drop, shorter operating time, off-bed activity time and hospital stay. There was no ClavienⅡ or above complications in RALPL group, but there were 2 cases of ClavienⅡcomplications in OPL group. Conclusions Transperitoneal approach RALPL has a better visual angle to observe renal pelvis and calyces, and can ensure a higher initial stone-free rate under the conditions of low intrarenal pelvic pressure and leaving renal parenchyma and vessels intact. RALPL is a minimally invasive, effective and safe treatment, and is an alternative indication for renal calculi larger than 2 cm (including renal pelvis stones with accompanying renal calyceal stones).