Ergonomics ; Humans ; Occupational Health

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Workplace

Objective To correct the high supratarsal fold after cosmetic upper blepharoplasty is a challenge because of the shortage of both upper eyelid skin and fat.Levator shortening has been a procedure of choice selected by the surgeons to correct this condition.Methods Under local anesthesia, the desired crease was marked according to the characteristics of eyelid anatomy and aesthetic consideration for Asian women.The incision was made through the marked new skin crease and the old incision with surrounding scar tissue was incised.The adhesion between the skin and the levator aponeurosis was completely released.The levator aponeurosis was then divided above the tarsal plate.It could be shortened and then reattached to the tarsal plate depending on the amount of the upper eyelid skin and the degree of the ptosis.The skin incision was then closed to form new but lowered fold.Results Between 2003 to 2015, a total of 34 Chinese women underwent bilateral levator shortening for correction of high supratarsal fold after previous unsatisfactory upper blepharoplasty by other surgeons.There were no surgical complications postoperatively in this series and 32 patients (94.1%) were satisfactory for the outcome of the proper height of the supratarsal fold with at least 1 month follow-up.Only one patient (2.9%) required surgical revision for asymmetry of supratarsal folds and one patient (2.9%) for correction of deepened supratarsal fold.Conclusions The levator shortening can be an effective procedure to correct high supratarsal fold after unsatisfactory upper blepharoplasty in Asian women.It is especially useful to correct such a condition where there is shortage of the eyelid skin combined with the eyelid ptosis.

Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of the polyglutamine tract in the N-terminal huntingtin (Htt). Htt is a substrate of caspases and calpains, the proteases involved in initiation and execution of neuronal apoptosis. Caspase- and calpain-mediated cleavage of mutant Htt results in the production of toxic Nterminal Htt fragments. Recent studies suggest that Htt cleavage may be a crucial step in the pathogenesis of HD and may be a potential molecular target for HD therapy.

OBJECTIVETo observe Smads protein expression in lung tissue of quartz exposed mice and to explore its association with pulmonary fibrosis in silicosis.

METHODSThe experimental mice were divided into control and quartz groups. 0.2 g/kg weight of quartz was injected intratracheally in quartz group. Samples were collected at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 14th and 28th day after injection. Immunohistochemical methods with quantitative image analysis were used to assay the protein expression of transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)), Smad 2/3, Smad 4, and Smad 7 protein levels. Protein expression level is presented by positive unit (PU).

RESULTSSmad 2/3 protein expression increased from day 3, reaching its peak level in day 14 [(42.2 +/- 2.4) PU], and decreased gradually. The elevation of Smad 4 protein level began from day 5, and the highest degree came into day 14 [(40.0 +/- 1.8) PU], decreased thereafter. The expression of Smad 7 presented a decreasing tendency at the beginning and reaching the lowest level in day 14 [(33.5 +/- 3.3) PU]. It seemed to elevate in day 28, but was still lower than the controls. There were positive correlation between Smad 2/3, Smad 4 and TGF-beta(1) (r = 0.91, r = 0.71, respectively, P < 0.05) and also between Smad 2/3 and hydroxyproline contents of lung tissue (r = 0.85, P < 0.05) except Smad 7.

CONCLUSIONSmad protein may have certain association with pulmonary fibrosis in silicosis.

Animals ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; immunology ; metabolism ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Quartz ; toxicity ; Smad2 Protein ; Smad3 Protein ; Smad4 Protein ; Smad7 Protein ; Trans-Activators ; immunology ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate if heart rate variability (HRV) can be used to evaluate mental workload.

METHODSForty-six volunteers were selected to simulate mental work by inputting the random number through keyboards. ECG was recorded by Holter 8800 during the performance and transferred into digital signal. Total power (TP), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) were analysed by Holter software.

RESULTSAlong with time, the inputting speed increased but accuracy decreased, and was positively correlated with TP, LF (r = 0.851 and 0.827 respectively, P < 0.05), showing a distinct dose-effect relationship. HRV values at rest were higher than during mental work [TP: (2 745.4 +/- 1 301.6) vs (686.2 +/- 420.7) ms(2)/Hz; HF: (670.6 +/- 393.8) vs (202.6 +/- 171.7) ms(2)/Hz; LF: (870.5 +/- 553.7) vs (206.0 +/- 187.9) ms(2)/Hz] indicating that they were decreased remarkably as the mental work started. Then, they were gradually increased with the workload (intensity and time) increased, but still at lower level.

CONCLUSIONHRV may be used as a parameter to evaluate mental workload but the change pattern of HRV needs to study further.

Adult ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; statistics & numerical data ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Processes ; physiology ; Rest ; physiology ; Workload

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the influence of the frequency, the weight and the motion angle on the stress and the fatigue of the forearm extensors in repetitive wrist extending at low force loading level with surface electromyography (SEMG).

METHODSSixteen male college student volunteers were recruited for the experiment. Eight tasks of wrist extending were performed for 20 minutes respectively in given weight (1.96, 4.90 N), frequency (8.0, 33.3 moves/minute) and motion angle (45 degrees, 90 degrees). The static wrist extending at the level of 20% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were performed before and after each task for 2 up to 3 seconds, and the SEMG signals of extensor carpi ulnaris muscle (ECU) and extensor digitorum (ED) were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTSThe weight loading level was approximately equal to 1.40% or 3.50% of the MVC force. The mean power frequency (MPF) and the median frequency (MF) were decreased with the increase of 3 kinds of loading levels. The decrease of MPF of the muscle ED was significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The MF was decreased with the increase of angle and weight loading levels (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The root mean square (RMS) value of SEMG could be divided into 3 or 4 groups with significant difference. All three kinds of loads had positive correlation with amplitude of SEMG according to the stepwise regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONThe fatigue level of ED is the highest. The primary load factor for the forearm extensors is the frequency followed by the weight and the angle. MF, MPF and RMS can be used as sensitive indexes for evaluating the stress and the fatigue of the forearm extensors during repetitive performance at lower force loading level.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Electromyography ; Forearm ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Fatigue ; physiology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiology ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Regression Analysis ; Workload ; Wrist Joint ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the intramuscular loads of the upper limb during static postures and repetitive work by surface electromyography.

METHODSTwenty-six male college student volunteers were recruited for the experiment. The surface electromyography (SEMG) singal were recorded from the brachioradialis, biceps brachii, deltoid and trapezius of right arm during static postures including forward elevating, abducting, extending and a repetitive performance at different height of the bench, and root mean square (RMS) values were educed from the singal.

RESULTSThe SEMG amplitudes from forward elevating and abducting were in direct proportion to the angle of the elevating and abducting (r > 0.9, P < 0.01). The maximal voluntary electrical activation (MVE) of the deltoid were 6.4%, 10.1%, 12.6%, 16.2% and 20.8% while the arm elevated forward at an angle of 0 degrees , 45 degrees , 90 degrees , 135 degrees and 180 degrees respectively. The repetitive work showed that the height of the bench and the duration had more effects on deltoid and trapezius than the other muscles. The MVE% of the deltoid were 13.0%, 14.4% and 15.6% while the bench was 74, 79 and 84 cm in height respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSEMG which is suitable for determining and reflecting the muscle strain during static postures and repetitive work may be a reasonable indicator for the assessment of manual workload and the ergonomic design.

Arm ; physiology ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiology ; Posture ; physiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEUsing surface electromyography (SEMG) technique to evaluate repetitive lifting task-induced fatigue of back muscles.

METHODSThirteen volunteers lifted and lowered an 8 kg weight from floor to waist level for 100 times. Fatigue in the erector spinae muscles was quantified by comparing the frequency content of the EMG signal during static contractions performed before, and immediately after the 100 lifts.

RESULTSEMG average amplitude rose gradually during 100 lifts, the difference was significant at T10 right (P < 0.05) and L3 left (P < 0.01), the difference was not significant at T10 left and L3 right (P > 0.05). The median frequency intercept at T10 right, T10 left, L3 right, L3 left erector spinae muscles decreased by 2.0% (P > 0.05) 10.9% and 29.9% (P < 0.05), 27.9% (P < 0.01), respectively. The mean power frequency intercept decreased by 9% at L3 left erector spinae muscle (P < 0.05), the decrease was not statistically significant at other sites (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRepetitive lifting may induce measurable fatigue in the erector spinae muscles. Erector spinae muscle at L3 is more easily fatigued than at T10. Using the median frequency intercept to assess muscle fatigue is more sensitive than using mean power frequency intercept.

Adult ; Back ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Lifting ; Male ; Muscle Fatigue ; physiology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiology

OBJECTIVEFunctional defects in NK cells have been proposed to be responsible for the impairment of anti-tumor immune responses. However, it remained unclear whether the function of NK cells were impaired in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. To address this issue, we analyzed the frequency and function of peripheral NK cell subsets in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

METHODS35 HCC patients and 24 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in the study. Peripheral NK frequency was analyzed using flow cytometry. In addition, the capacity of NK cells to produce IFN gamma and to lyse K562 cells was evaluated.

RESULTSIn contrast with the healthy controls, the frequency of peripheral NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma patients was decreased (12.19%+/-10.85% vs 24.01%+/-8.78%, u = 4.01, probability value less than 0.01), while the frequency of CD56(bright)CD16(neg) NK cells was increased (0.62%+/-0.39% vs 0.48%+/-0.28%, u = 1.96, probability value less than 0.05), and the frequency of CD56(dim)CD16(pos) NK cells was significantly decreased (11.59%+/-7.49% vs 22.66%+/-8.84%, u = 3.92, probability value less than 0.01). In addition, peripheral NK cells from HCC patients exhibited decreased capacity to produce IFN gamma (effective cells 13.31%) and to lyse K562 cells (mixed ratio 30:1, 10:1, 1:1, effective cells 16.72%+/-7.33% vs 26.29%+/-12.36%, u = 2.52, P less than 0.05, 8.01%+/-4.40% vs 13.09%+/-5.03%, u = 3.32, probability value less than 0.05, 3.51%+/-2.82% vs 3.42%+/-1.64%, u = 1.56, probability value more than 0.05, respectively) as compared with healthy subjects.

CONCLUSIONAnti-tumor activity of NK cells in HCC patients was impaired.

Adult ; CD56 Antigen ; immunology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, IgG ; immunology