OBJECTIVETo investigate the biomechanical changes in skin after employing the skin stretch.

METHODSSkin samples were took from the test group which was stretched for 7 days and control group without stretch respectively in the end of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 week. The biomechanical index were measured by tensiometer.

RESULTSThe mean destroy stress, breaking load, stretch rate of the test group decreased obviously in the first week (the breaking load was increasing at the beginning) and the three index increased subsequently, they reached the climax during the fourth week and turned to normal subsequently to the level of some higher than control group and normal value in the sixth week. The stiffness of the test group reached the climax at the first week and than decreased gradually to the level of some higher than normal value and control group. The biomechanical changes of te control group was not evident by comparing with the test gropu.

CONCLUSIONSSkin stretch may injured the biomechanical property during the early time and turned to normal soon afterwards. The stiffness of the skin was increased and its elasticity was decreased after performing skin stretch.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Elasticity ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; methods ; Rupture ; Skin ; Skin Physiological Phenomena

Objective To explore the mechanical properties of erythrocytes in the patients with hypertension.Methods Venous blood of 32 patients with hypertension were collected and divided into three groups of H1,H2,and H3 (degree Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ),with 8 cases of healthy adults into a control group.Erythrocytes were isolated,the diameter,height and elastic modulus were detected by the atomic force microscope (AFM).Statistical analysis was carried out.Results The RDW-CV of H2,H3 were much larger than the control group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01);The height of erythrocyte in H2,H3 groups were lower than that of the control group (P＜0.05).The elastic modulus of H 1,H2 groups were larger compared with normal erythrocytes (P＜0.05).Furthermore,erythrocytes elastic modulus correlated with RDW-CV (R2=0.629).Conclusion Hypertension could affect the elasticity modulus of erythrocytes.AFM could be an effective tool in measuring the mechanical characteristics of erythrocytes at single cell level.This study investigates the relationship between hypertension and the structure and function of erythrocytes from a biomechanical aspect.

This study was aimed to investigate the changes of cytokine contents in single donor platelets (SDPs) collected by using MCS(+), Trima, Amicus blood cell separators during storage. 18 portions of SDPs were collected by MCS(+), Trima, Amicus blood cell separators, were preserved in standard condition of blood bank, the levels of cytokines such as IL-8, RANTES, CD154, TGF-beta(1) and VEGF were detected by ELISA at 1, 3, 5, 7 days during storage. The results showed that the levels of IL-8, RANTES, CD154, TGF-beta(1) and VEGF in SDPs collected by blood cell separators MCS(+), Trima, and Amicus gradually increased with prolonging of time during storage, but the increase of IL-8 level in SDPs collected by MCS(+) separator was significant difference from SDPs collected by Trime and Amicus separators (p < 0.05). It is concluded that the all collected SDPs mentioned above express IL-8, RANTES, CD154, TGF-beta(1) and VEGF during storage, and their cytokine levels show a tendency to increase with prolonging of time during storage, apheresis platelets with less leukocytes express IL-8 lower.
Blood Platelets ; metabolism ; CD40 Ligand ; blood ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Chemokine CCL5 ; blood ; Cytokines ; blood ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Platelet Count ; Specimen Handling ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; blood ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

Objective To explore the data accuracy acquired by the anesthesia information management system.Methods Totally 100 patients from two hospitals were selected randomly,whose anesthesia time was estimated more than 1 h.The vital signs data acquired by the system were compared with those by the monitor once every 5 min±30 s,and totally there were 12 times of comparison executed.SAS 9.2 software was used for statistical analysis.Results In FAS set the system had the total data accuracy being 100％,95％ credibility interval from 86.87％ to 97.30％ and the BMDL higher than 85％;in PPS set he total data accuracy was 100％,95％ credibility interval was from 92.89％ to 100％ and the BMDL was also higher than 85％.The system gained "Excellent" or "Good" grade in system response,stability,functional interface operability and the accuracy of special functions.Conclusion The system acquires and stores the vital signs data automatically and accurately,enhances anesthesia information in objectivity,authenticity and tractability,and has high values for enhancing anesthesia safety,medical safety and scientific research.

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), which is defined as the absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate secondary to impaired spermatogenesis within the testis, may be caused by a variety of etiologies, including varicocele-induced testicular damage, cryptorchidism, prior testicular torsion, post-pubertal mumps orchitis, gonadotoxic effects from medications, genetic abnormalities, chemotherapy/radiation, and other unknown causes currently classified as idiopathic (Cocuzza et al., 2013). The microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) technique involves a meticulous microsurgical exploration of the testicular parenchyma to identify and selectively extract larger seminiferous tubules that carry a higher probability of complete spermatogenesis (Schlegel, 1999). The Cornell group evaluated the efficacy of micro-TESE in 152 NOA patients with an associated history of cryptorchidism. In their series, spermatozoa were successfully retrieved in 116/181 attempts (64%), and the resulting pregnancy rate was 50% with a delivery rate of 38% (Dabaja and Schlegel, 2013). Franco et al. (2016) described a stepwise micro-TESE approach in NOA patients, which was considered to reduce the cost, time, and effort associated with the surgery. Alrabeeah et al. (2016) further reported that a mini-incision micro-TESE, carried through a 1-cm equatorial testicular incision, can be useful for micro-TESE candidates, particularly in patients with cryptozoospermia. We conducted a retrospective study of 20 consecutive NOA patients with a history of orchidopexy from May 2015 to March 2017.
Adult ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Humans ; Male ; Microdissection/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Orchiopexy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Retrieval

We retrospectively reviewed data for 286 patients with varicocele who underwent microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy from March 2015 to May 2017 in Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China). In this surgical approach, the testis was delivered, and the gubernacular and external cremasteric veins were stripped. In addition, the spermatic cord was delivered downward with continuous double traction away from the external ring. The remaining procedure was similar to the conventional approach. We followed patients for at least 3 months and evaluated postoperative semen parameters, pain symptoms, and complications. We excluded data for 32 men due to inadequate follow-up (<3 months). Of the remaining 254 patients, 73 had oligoasthenospermia, 121 had nonobstructive azoospermia, and 60 had symptomatic varicoceles. Total progressive sperm counts increased in the oligoasthenospermic patients from a median preoperative value of 9.15 × 10⁶ ml^-1 to 25.33 × 10⁶ ml^-1 (n= 34), and 35.6% (26/73) initially oligoasthenospermic men contributed to unassisted pregnancies. Sperm returned to the ejaculate in 12.4% (15/121) azoospermia patients. In patients with scrotal pain (n = 60), 43 (71.7%) reported complete resolution of pain, 16 (26.7%) reported partial resolution, and 1 (1.7%) reported no change. No patients experienced varicocele recurrence. This double-traction strategy avoids opening the external oblique aponeurosis, and results in less damage and faster recovery. In addition, the stripping strategy eliminates potential damage to the testis caused by the varicose veins. Our results showed that microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy using spermatic cord double traction in conjunction with testicular delivery for vein stripping is a safe and effective approach for varicocele repair.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spermatic Cord/surgery* ; Testis/blood supply* ; Treatment Outcome ; Urogenital Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Varicocele/surgery* ; Veins/surgery* ; Young Adult

Objective To understand the basic information and epidemic characteristics of new cases of cysticercosis in Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the prevention and control strategy of cysticercosis. Methods The data of inpatients in the Dali Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control Center from 2014 to 2017 were collected and the eligible data of new cases of cysticercosis were analyzed by the epidemiological method. Results There were 1 552 patients with cysticercosis, including 549 new cases of cysticercosis. Among the new cysticercosis patients, most were neurocysticer-cosis cases (484 / 549, 88.16%). The symptoms included epilepsy and headache (51.73%), headache (40.98%), and dizziness (18.76%). The new cysticercosis patients were mainly middle-aged male farmers of Bai nationality, and they were distributed in all counties (cities) of Dali Prefecture, especially in Eryuan County (26.78%), and Dali City (19.49%). The annual incidence rate was 4.423/105 in 2014, 3.837/105 in 2015, 3.765/105 in 2016, and 3.442/105 in 2017, and there was no significance among the different years’incidence ( χ² = 4.595, P > 0.05). Conclusion Dali Prefecture is still an endemic area of cysticercosis. Therefore, the monitoring, prevention and control of the disease should be strengthened.