Hearing Loss, Sudden ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; etiology

Animals ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Male ; Muramidase ; biosynthesis ; Quartz ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of modified Wendan Decoction combined with amlodipine tablets in treating hypertensive patients with phlegm-damp constitution, and the impact on patients' constitution and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Methods Totally 126 patients were randomly divided into two groups, 63 cases in each group. The treatment group was given modified Wendan Decoction combined with amlodipine tablets, while the control group received amlodipine tablets, for 12 weeks. The blood pressures, TCM phlegm-damp scores, and serum VEGF levels in both groups were observed before and after treatment. Antihypertensive effect between the two groups was compared. Results TCM phlegm-damp scores decreased significantly in the treatment group after treatment (P<0.01), while that was not significant in the control group (P>0.05). The treatment group was superior to the control group (P<0.01). The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and serum VEGF level significantly decreased after treatment (P<0.01), and the indicators of treatment group were better than those of the control group (P<0.05). The total efficiency of treatment group and control group were 92.1%(58/63) and 76.2%(48/63), respectively, the difference was significant (P<0.05). Conclusion Modified Wendan Decoction combined with amlodipine tablets can significantly improve biased constitution in hypertension patients with phlegm-damp constitution, lower serum VEGF level, and improve endothelial function, with good antihypertensive effect.

Objective To provide a device and an effective method for tail vein injection in mice. Methods Doing the tail vein injection in mice with the self-designed device which is consisted of constant temperature part, lighting part and holding part.The difficulty and time of injection with and without the device were compared.Results It was faster and more accurate to perform the tail vein injection in mice with this self-designed device.Conclusion Using this self-designed device can significantly improve the efficiency and save the injection time.

OBJECTIVE: Through the application of eustachian tuboplasty assisted with hypothermy plasma ablation, we evaluate its efficacy in the threatment of adult refractory otitis media with effusion. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 48 cases (61 ears) suffering from adult refractory otitis media with effusion from January 2012 to December 2013. According to the admission date, the patients were divided into the control group (17 cases, 22 ears) and the treatment group (31 cases, 39 ears). In the control group, the patients were treated with drugs and physical therapy. In the treatment group, the hypothermy plasma ablation technology was used to ablates the hypertrophic tissues around the eustachian orifice besides the pharmaedogical interventions. The recurrence rate of the two groups were analyzed and compared in 1 year after treatment. Pure tone audiometry and acoustic immittance measurement were taken for the two groups in differernt periods (one week prior to operation, one months, three months, six months and one year after operation respectively) to evaluate their hearing change and the recurrence rate (within six months after treatment and one year respectively) objectively. RESULT: In the control group, 2 cases (2 ears) were lost to follow-up, and the recurrence rate was 65% (13/20) in 1 year. In the treatment group, four case were lost to follow-up,and the recurrence rate was 14.3% (5/35) in 1 year. The difference was statistically significant (P<0. 01). There were similar hearing improvement in the two groups after treatment in 1 month, but the hearing improvement in the treatment group increased with time. There were no complications occuring during the operation and post-operation. Within a month after operation, the majority of ears(28/35) obtained significant hearing improvement with the decreasing air-bone-gap comparision with the pre-operation (P < 0.01), and the preoperative tympanogram of 16 ears with type B or C turned to type A (P < 0.01). There were no both statistical significance in the variation of air-bone-gap and tympanogram of comparison with results between three months and six months, six months and one year postoperatively (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION This study confirmed the efficacy of eustachian tuboplasty assisted with hypothermy plasma ablation in the threatment of adult refractory otitis media with effusion caused by eustachian tube opening disorder was significant. It can reduce the recurrence rate significantly in one year and allow sustained hearing improvement within three months postoperatively.
Acoustic Impedance Tests ; Adult ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Cryosurgery ; Eustachian Tube ; surgery ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Plasma Gases ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Tympanoplasty

Objective To evaluate the status of self-efficacy and its influencing factors in adult patients with low vision,then explore an effective approach to improve their self-efficacy levels.Methods Seventy adult patients with low vision were sampled by random number table method.General social-demographic questionnaire and self-efficacy questionnaire were used to investigate these patients' general information and self-efficacy.Seventy pieces of questionnaires were issued and returned with the valid rate of 100％.Results The total score of self-efficacy in seventy adult patients with low vision was(16.25:±:1.93) points,92％ of patients had a low level of self-efficacy.The influencing factors of self-efficacy in adult patients with low vision were the attitude toward disease,mental status and gender.Conclusions The selfefficacy in patients with low vision was affected by many factors at different levels,so we should focus on main influencing factors to adopt corresponding nursing measures in order to improve self-efficacy of adult patients with low vision.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of the Monte Carlo software in measuring the radiation dose to the patients who received the CCTA (Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography) examination.Methods A anthropomorphic chest phantom underwent CCTA using three scan parameters (tube voltage 80 kV,100 kV and 120 kV).Computer Software ImpactDose 2.0 was used to compute the chest organ dose on the basis of the three groups tube voltage CT scan characteristic,and the stimulation results of ImpactDose 2.0 software was verified by use of anthropomorphic phantom thermoluminescence dosimeter experiment method.Results For all the measured organs except for lung,the absorbed organ dose and effective dose of three groups of tube voltages of CCTA measured by the InpactDose 2.0 was lower than those as measured by anthropomorphic phantom study.The relative error of both methods was within ± 50％.Conclusions Monte Carlo software can be used to estimate the levels of radiation dose during CCTA examination with a tolerable error within the acceptable range.

Objective To investigate the influence of acquisition time of C-arm cone-beam CT on image quality and radiation dose of cerebral angiography.Methods C-arm cone-beam CT of cerebral angiography was performed on the male anthropomorphic head phantom,with DynaCT imaging mode and the acquisition time of 5 s,8 s and 20 s were used.Scanning was performed with each acquisition time for three times,and VR,MIP and MPR images were reconstructed.The attenuation values and their standard deviations of intracranial segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA),middle cerebral artery(MCA),anterior cerebral artery(ACA) and uniformed brain tissues were measured to calculate the image noise,signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR).We used the image noise,SNR and CNR as the objective standard to evaluate the image quality,and One-way ANOVA analysis of variance was used to assess the difference among them.A scale with scores 1 to 5 was used to rate the quality of the reconstructed image of ICA,MCA,ACA as a subjective evaluation,the difference among the evaluation scores were analyzed using Kruskal-wallis.We recorded the dose area product (DAP) of each acquisition time and the effective dose(ED) was calculated to assess the radiation dose,the difference among them were analyzed using One-way ANOVA analysis of variance.Results In C-arm cone beam CT 20 s imaging,the SNR of intracranial segment of the ICA,M CA,ACA were 22.29± 1.41,29.36 ±0.11 and 23.13 ±2.10 respectively,in 5 s imaging13.83 ±0.61,14.65 ±0.16 and 12.79±0.19 respectively,in 8 s imaging 14.92±0.96,18.97 ± 1.24 and 16.65 ±0.46 respectively,all the results showed a significant difference (F valued 58.19,327.29,52.74 respectively,all P valued＜0.01),the CNR of 20 s imaging were higher than that of 5 s and 8 s imaging,the Noise of ICA,MCA,ACA and the uniformed brain tissues of 20 s imaging were lower than that of 5 s and 8 s imaging,all the results showed significant difference (all P valued＜0.01).The subjective evaluation scores of VR imaging of 5 s,8 s and 20 s were 3.61 ±0.49,4.06±0.53,4.72±0.45 respectively,the scores of MIP imaging were 3.42±0.50,3.83±0.65 and 4.50±0.51 respectively,the scores of MPR imaging were 2.83±0.45,3.14±0.35 and 3.67±0.49 respectively,all the results showed significant difference (x2 valued 51.29,42.25 and 43.56 respectively,all P valued ＜0.01).The DAP values in C-arm cone beam CT 5 s,8 s and 20 s imaging were (9.11 ±0.18),(13.81±0.75)and(58.62±0.62)Gy· cm2,ED values were (0.91 ±0.02),(1.38±0.75)and(5.84± 0.11) mSv,all the results showed significant difference (F valued 3 720.30 and 3 654.85 respectively,all P valued＜0.01).Conclusion The image quality and radiation dose of C-arm cone-beam computed tomography are closely correlated with acquisition time.

Objective To make students at different levels not only learn theoretical knowledge of acupuncture-moxibustion manipulation skills but also achieve full operating training, strengthen the combination of theory and practice and improve the teaching quality of clinical disciplines by applyingmultimedia-subject participationteaching method to acupuncture-moxibustion manipulation techniques in the experimental teaching of acupuncture and moxibustion. Method The students were randomized, according to grade, into experiment (n=114) and control (n=115) groups. The teaching content was the same in the two groups. The experiment group received multimedia-subject participationteaching method. After the multimedia teaching, the students did an independent demonstration and made a self-evaluation, the teachers made a comment and the students did independent practice again in groups. The control group received conventional theory teaching and did practice under demonstration in the experimental lesson. The examination and questionnaire were used as assessment indicators to evaluate the effect ofmultimedia-subject participationteaching method applied to acupuncture-moxibustion technique teaching. Result Statistical analysis was made using the SPSS11.5 statistical software package. The independent samples t-test is used for a between-groups comparison. The statistical result showed that satisfaction was 100%in the experiment group and 75.7%in the control group;there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Multimedia-subject participationteaching method is an innovation in acupuncture-moxibustion technique teaching and helps the students to better master acupuncture-moxibustion manipulation skills. Mastery of theoretical knowledge before real practice is the key to proficient manipulation. The combination of the two in classroom teaching yields twice the result with half the effort. Carrying out multimedia-subject participation teaching method will help to further deepen the teaching reform and to improve the level and quality of“Acupuncture and Moxibustion”teaching.

Objective To compare the differences of pulmonary nodule detection rates between iterative reconstruction (sinogram affirmed iterative reconstruction,SAFIRE)algorithm and filtered back projection (FBP) algorithm in chest CT, and to evaluate the detection accuracy.Methods Three groups of tube voltage values of 80,100,and 120 kV were defaulted on the new dual-source CT,with automatic mAs care dose 4D technology, the chest phantom with simulated pulmonary nodules was scanned, then the images were reconstructed with FBP and SAFIRE (grade 1-5 ),respectively. The detection rates of simulated pulmonary nodules in the chest CT images reconstructed of SAFIRE (grade 1-5 )and FBP were compared, and their diameters and CT values were measured.Results With the same tube voltage, no significant difference was found in the detection rate of simulated pulmonary nodules between SAFIRE (grade 1-5 )and FBP (P>0.05 ), the diameter deviation of simulated nodules of SAFIRE (grade 3 )was less than FBP, and the difference in the average CT value of the simulated nodules between SAFIRE (grade 3)and FBP was not statistically significant (P>0.05);the simulated nodule detection rate of 100 kV was equivalent to the detection rate of 120 kV,the simulated nodule (-800 HU and 3 mm )detection rate of 80 kV was less than that of 120 kV;as the tube voltage reduced,or simulated nodule diameter decreased,or the density of simulated nodule reduced,the nodule’s diameter deviation was increased. Conclusion Compared with FBP,the capabilities of SAFIRE in pulmonary nodule detection in different densities and different sizes are same,and SAFIRE algorithm is helpful for accurate displaying of pulmonary nodules,and it can be used for low-dose CT lung cancer screening program.