At present, research on the efficacy of local physical cooling devices is mainly based on clinical observation, but there is relatively little research on evaluating the effectiveness of local cold therapy cooling and the penetration depth. This study is based on the research of the structure and morphology of local muscle tissue in the human body, as well as the heat transfer characteristics and mechanisms of the human body. A simulation phantom of human muscle tissue under temperature cycling was created, and the differences in evaluating the effectiveness of local cold therapy between the human body and the simulation phantom were compared. This provides a new evaluation method for evaluating the cooling effectiveness of local physical cooling equipment.
Humans ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Hypothermia, Induced/methods*

[Objective]To explore the relationship between peripheral arterial disease(PAD)and diabetic retinopathy(DR)in type 2 diabetes patients.[Methods]A total of 99 patients diagnosed with PAD were classified into grade 1-3 by their total scores of peripheral arterial stenosis assessed by color doppler ultrasound examinations,where the degree of stenosis 30% ~ 49% scored 0, 50%~99%scored 1,lumen occlusion(i.e. degree of stenosis 100%)scored 2,and therefore the total score 0-2 was categorized into Grade 1 ,3~4 into Grade 2 ,5~12 into Grade 3. The bilateral anterior tibial artery ,posterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery of these patients were analyzed. The presence of diabetic retinopathy(DR)was graded from retinal photographs using a standard protocol.[Results]Among 99 cases of type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease ,58.6%of them were male with average age of 67.3 ± 7.9 years old. Patients of Grade 1,Grade2,Grade 3 lesion accounted for 45.4%,30.3%,24.2%,respectively. Age, gender,smoking history,SBP,DBP,BMI,FBG,TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C,HbA1C among 3 groups were not statistically signifi-cant. The associations of DM duration and HbA1C value were significantly larger in DR than in PAD. The proportion of DR patients increased with the severity degree of PAD(p for trend=0.004). Degree of stenosis Grade 2 and Grade 3 could be predictive for DR.[Conclusions]DR is associated with the severity degree of PAD in type 2 diabetes patients as evaluated by duplex ultrasonography.Degree of stenosis Grade 2 and 3 could be used for screening or finding DR. Strategies for optimum treatment and early prevention are needed.

Objective To study effect of three time intervals heat preservation nursing on the core temperature of patients with ureteral calculi.Methods A total of 60 patients who receive holmium laser lithotripsy for kidney and ureteral calculi were divided into two groups.Experimental group received three time intervals heat preservation nursing care while control group received routine temperature preservation nursing care.Core temperature was recorded after induction, 30 min and 60 min after surgery and completion of surgery.Time to be awake, time of removing urine tube, length of hospital stay and shiver score were recorded.Results There was no significant difference in core temperature after 60 min of surgery and completion of surgery(P＜0.01).Time to be awake, time of removing urine tube, length to hospital stay in the experimental group were better than the control group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Multimode of three-process temperature preservation nursing can keep patients'stable temperature, and decrease the incidence of shiver, reduce length to stay and time to be awake, decrease occurrence of complication.

Objective To study effect of three time intervals heat preservation nursing on the core temperature of patients with ureteral calculi.Methods A total of 60 patients who receive holmium laser lithotripsy for kidney and ureteral calculi were divided into two groups.Experimental group received three time intervals heat preservation nursing care while control group received routine temperature preservation nursing care.Core temperature was recorded after induction, 30 min and 60 min after surgery and completion of surgery.Time to be awake, time of removing urine tube, length of hospital stay and shiver score were recorded.Results There was no significant difference in core temperature after 60 min of surgery and completion of surgery(P＜0.01).Time to be awake, time of removing urine tube, length to hospital stay in the experimental group were better than the control group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Multimode of three-process temperature preservation nursing can keep patients'stable temperature, and decrease the incidence of shiver, reduce length to stay and time to be awake, decrease occurrence of complication.

Aim To investigate whether ulinastatin has a beneficial effect on lipopolysaccharide( LPS) induced acute respiratory distress syndrome ( ARDS ) in rats, and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms. Methods Fifty-six Wistar rats were randomly as-signed into control group, model group( LPS 6,12,24 h groups), ulinastatin group(UTI 6,12,24 h groups), with 8 in each group. ARDS rat model was reproduced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS ( 10 mg · kg-1 ) , The rats in UTI groups were injected ulinastatin (20 000 u·kg-1), The rats in the control group re-ceived an equal volume of normal saline at the same time, rats in each group were sacrificed at 6,12,24 hours after LPS challenge. Plasma and lung tissue sam-ples were collected, Histopathological evaluation, lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio, Tumor necrosis factor-a(TNF-α) , Interleukin-18 ( IL-18 ) , surfactant protein A ( SPA) , malondialdehyde ( MDA ) , nitric oxide ( NO ) and superoxide dismutase( SOD) were analyzed. Immu-nohistochemical method was performed to detect the protein expression of p38MAPK and ERK. Western blot method was used to detect lung phosphorylated p38 MAPK ( p-p38 MAPK ) and pERK protein expres-sion changes. Result In the control groups, lung tis-sue showed a normal structure and clear pulmonary al-veoli under a light microscope. In the model group, ARDS characters such as extensive thickening of the alveolar wall, significant infiltration of inflammatory cells, demolished structure of pulmonary alveoli, and hemorrhage were found. In the all UTI treatment groups, these pathological changes in lung were markedly alleviated compared with those of LPS-in-duced ARDS group. Compared with control groups, lung W/D ratio, tumor necrosis factor-a ( TNF-α) , in-terleukin-18 ( IL-18 ) and surfactant protein A ( SPA ) in plasma ,and lung MDA,NO levels in lung homogenates in the LPS group were increased significantly, while the lung SOD levels in the LPS group were decreased. Compared with the LPS group, lung W/D ratio, TNF-aIL-18 and ( SPAin plasma , and lung MDA levels in lung homogenates in the UTI groups were decreased significantly, while the lung SOD levels in the UTI groups were increased. Immunohistochemistry showed that positive expressions of p38 MAPK and ERK in cy-toplasm and nucleus in the ulinastatin treatment groups were significantly lower than those in the model group. Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the p-p38MAPK and pERK protein expression in LPS group were significantly increased, and the uli-nastatin could inhibit the protein expressions compared with model group. Conclusion Ulinastatin can signifi-cantly ameliorate the lung injury induced by LPS in rats via the intervention of p38 MAPK and ERK signa-ling pathway and reducing inflammation and antioxidant effect.

[ABSTRACT]AIM:Toinvestigatecellapoptosisindiabeticfootulcersandtheeffectofadvancedglycosylation end products (AGEs) on apoptosis in human fibroblast cells.METHODS: Diabetic foot patients (n=18) and 18 age-matched non-diabetic controls were recruited .The clinical and biochemical features were compared by statistics methods . Skin biopsies were obtained from foot .Cleaved caspase-3 was measured by immunohistochemistry using the technique of streptavidin-biotin complex ( SABC ) staining.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling ( TUNEL) technique was used to detect apoptosis of the skin tissues .Human primary foreskin fibroblasts were isolated and cultured in the presence of 5.6 mmo/L glucose, 25 mmo/L glucose, fluctuant glucose ( changing the glucose from 5.6 mmo/L to 25 mmo/L every 8 h) or AGEs (150 mg/L, containing 5.6 mmo/L glucose).After 72 h treatment, Western blotting was used to determine the levels of the apoptotic protein cleaved-caspase-3.Other cells were trypsinized , washed with cold PBS and incubated with PI and Annexin V-FITC, then analyzed by flow cytometry to detect cell apoptosis .RE-SULTS:Diabetic patients had higher levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2 h PBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and longer wound duration.The protein level of cleaved caspase-3 was signifi-cantly higher in diabetic group , suggesting that apoptosis was increased in diabetic skin tissues .TUNEL analysis showed that apoptotic index was higher in diabetic group compared with that in non-diabetic group (8.4%±1.5% vs 3.8%± 0.8%) , which further confirmed that cell apoptosis was increased in diabetic foot tissues .In human fibroblasts , the levels of cleaved caspase-3 in normal group , sustained high glucose group , fluctuant high glucose group and AGEs group were 0.80 ±0.13, 1.22 ±0.18, 1.46 ±0.32 and 1.83 ±0.25, respectively.The apoptotic rates detected by flow cytometry were 2.43%±0.19%, 2.89%±0.51%, 3.99% ±0.24% and 6.83% ±0.36%, respectively.Both the level of cleaved caspase-3 and the apoptotic rate in AGEs group were higher than those in normal glucose group and sustained high glucose group .CONCLUSION:Increased apoptosis in diabetic foot ulcers is one of the most important reasons for im-paired wound healing .As compared to sustained high glucose and glucose fluctuations , AGEs induce greater apoptosis in human fibroblast cells .

Objective To investigate the change of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in the skin of diabetic rats, and to explore the potential role of MMP-9/TIMP-1. Methods Diabetic rats were induced with streptozotocin (STZ). Then all rats were maintained for 6 weeks. Routine pathological examination and immnnohistochemistry were made to reveal the histological and cytological appearances. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of mRNA and protein of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the skin. Results Six weeks after STZ treatment, examination of HE-stained skin sections from normal and diabetic animals revealed that the epidermis and dermis layers were thinner in diabetic rats than those in control rats. The skin of diabetic rats showed features of atrophy such as disorganization of connective tissue fiber bundles and enlarged space between collagen fiber bundles. In contrast, thick bundles of connective tissue were observed in the dermis of normal rat skin. In normal skin, cells had a bipolar, spindle-shaped appearance in the thick collagen bundles, while in the skin of diabetic animals the interstitial cells had a rounded, shrunken and crenated appearance. The relative values of expression of MMP-9 in diabetic group were higher than those in normal group with significant difference, however, the relative values of expression of TIMP-I in diabetic group were lower than those in control group. Conclusion The changes in cutaneous histology and cytology appear earlier than skin wound. These "underlying disorders" may be associated with the imbalance of MMP-9/TIMP-1.

AIM:To investigate the imbalance between the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and that of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMPs) during wound healing in diabetic rats. METHODS: Diabetic rats were induced with streptozotocin. All rats were maintained for 6 weeks. A full-thickness excisional wound was created on the back of each rat. Every group was randomly divided into 3 subgroups of 7 rats: 3 d group, 7 d group, 14 d group and animals were killed at 3rd, 7th and 14th day. Routine pathological examination, Masson′s trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry were made to calculate the score of epidermal and dermal regeneration, granulation tissue thickness, angiogenesis, matrix density, and infiltrated cells at different time points. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of mRNA and protein of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the skin at those time points. RESULTS: Six weeks after streptozotocin treatment, Three days after injury, the wound healing rate of normal rats was faster than that of diabetic rats. From 3rd to 14th day, there were a lot of fibroblast and macrophage in normal skin, while few such cells were observed in diabetic skin. The other histological scores in normal skin were higher than those in diabetic rats at 7th and 14th day. Both MMP-9 and TIMP-1 had minimally detectable levels before wounding but exhibited rapid, significantly large increases within 3 d after wounding. Subsequently, they showed a rapid decline by 14 d. The relative values of expression of MMP-9 mRNA and protein in diabetic group were higher than those in normal group at different time points. However, the values of TIMP-1 mRNA and protein in diabetic group were significantly lower than those in control group. Significant difference was observed between two groups with the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1, higher in diabetic group than that in normal group. CONCLUSION: Abnormal reepithelialization, angiogenesis, inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen fibers generation, granulation tissue deposition, seem to be the basic histopathology that delays wound healing. The imbalance between MMPs and TIMPs in diabetic skin tissue before and after injury may be one of the important reasons of these alterations of histopathology.