Objective    To explore the value of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to monitor and evaluate aortic insufficiency (AI) within one year after the implantation of the left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Methods    We retrospectively collected and analyzed the TTE data of 12 patients who received LVAD implantation from 2018 to 2020 in our hospital. All patients were males, with an average age of 43.3±8.6 years. We analyzed temporal changes in the aortic annulus (AA), aortic sinus (AoS), ascending aorta (AAo), the severity of AI and the opening of aortic valve before operation and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after LVAD implantation. Results    All 12 patients survived within 1 year after LVAD implantation. One patient was bridged to heart transplantation 6 months after implantation, and two patients did not receive TTE after 3 and 6 months. Compared to pre-implantation, AoS increased at 1 month after implantation (31.58±5.09 mm vs. 33.83±4.69 mm). The inner diameters of AA, AoS and AAo increased at 3, 6 and 12 months after LVAD implantation compared to pre-implantation (P<0.05), but all were within the normal range except for one patient whose AoS slightly increased before operation. After LVAD pump speed was adjusted, the opening of aortic  valve improved. The severity of AI increased at 6 and 12 months after LVAD implantation compared to pre-implantation, and increased at 12 months compared to 6 months after LVAD implantation (P<0.05). Conclusion    TTE can evaluate aortic regurgitation before and after LVAD implantation and monitor the optimization and adjustment of LVAD pump function, which has a positive impact on the prognosis after LVAD implantation.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of posterior intervertebral autogenous bone grafting combined with long-segment fixation for type C thoracolumbar fractures.Methods A retrospective case series study was performed in 28 patients with type C thoracolumbar fractures admitted to the 903 Hospital of PLA from January 2013 through January 2016.There were 20 males and eight females,aged 25-55 years,with an average of 36.8 years.All patients had type C fractures according to the new AO classification system.The injury occurred at T11-12segment in 5 patients,T12-L1 segment in 8,L1-2 segment in 9,and L2-3 segment in 6.These patients were scored 7-9 points [(8.0 ± 1.1) points]according to the thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS) and 7-10 points [(8.5 ±1.4) points] according to Load sharing score (LSC).There were 20 patients with grade A and eight patients with grade B based on the American Spine Injury Association (ASIA).All patients were treated with posterior intervertebral autogenous bone grafting combined with long-segment fixation.The operation time and volume of blood loss were recorded.Kyphosis Cobb angle,visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared between before operation and 1 week,3 months,12 months and 24 months after operation.Bone grafting union was evaluated during the follow-up period by CT scan.ASIA grade was used to evaluate the functional recovery.Results All patients were followed up for average 26 months (range,24-36 months).The operation time was (135.8 ± 30.5) minutes and the intraoperative blood loss was (350.5 ± 50.7) ml,respectively.No serious complications occurred during the operation such as blood vessel or nerve injury aggravation.No serious complications occurred after operation such as incision infection and internal fixation loosening or fracture.Cobb angles of local kyphosis at 1 week,3,12 and 24 months after operation were significantly improved compared with preoperative Cobb angle (P ＜0.01).VAS and ODI were also significantly improved at 1 week,3,12 and 24 months after operation (P ＜0.01).The last follow-up found that all the intervertebral bone grafts were fused.At the last follow-up,ASIA grading results were as follows:grade A in 20 patients,grade B in 3 and grade C in 5.Conclusion Posterior intervertebral autogenous bone grafting combined with long-segment fixation has the advantages of simple operation,short operation time,minimal trauma,good fusion effect,significant relief of the pain and improvement of neurological function,indicating a surgical option for the treatment of type C thoracolumbar fracture.

The processing of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is a traditional pharmaceutical technology,which meets the development demand of the treatment based on syndrome differentiation of TCM. It is one of the important means to guarantee the quality of Chinese medicine and improve the clinical efficacy of TCM. Medical institutions of traditional Chinese medicine should take the advantages and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine as the foundation, vigorously carry out processing technology for traditional Chinese medicine, rich clinical drug varieties of traditional Chinese medicine, and develop such characteristics of TCM as treatment based on syndrome differentiation and individualized drug treatment. The processing of temporary prescriptions is one of the important means to reflect the characteristics of TCM, and it is of great significance to improve the curative effect of TCM. Based on working practice, this paper summarized the development current status, significance, technical standards and samples of processing variety and methods etc in order to provide thoughts for the processing technology of temporary prescriptions in medical institutions.

Objective· To compare the impacts on clinical efficiency and safety between 0.014 inch Synchro microwire and Transend microwire used during mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large artery occlusion.Methods· Forty-six patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy with stent retrievers between October 2012 and January 2016 were included,who were classified into Synchro group (21cases) and Transend group (25 cases).The clinical outcome,procedure time,and safety were analyzed and compared between two groups.Results· The recanalization rates were similar between two groups (P=0.600),but time from puncture to vascular recanalization of Synchro group was much shorter than that of Transend goup (48.88 min vs 82.33 min,P=0.001).The rates of functional independence (modified Rankin scale score ≤ 2) were similar between two groups (P=1.000).There was no significant difference of the rates of post-procedure subarachnoid hemorrhage (PSAH) between two groups (P=1.000).However,there were two cases that had fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage with intracranial hematoma in Transend group,while there was only one case of mild subarachnoid hemorrhage who recovered well in Synchro group.Conclusion· Compared with Transend microwire,Synchro microwire can significantly shorten the procedure time of mechanical thrombectomy,and the risk of fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage is rather small.

Objective:To find out the transformation reasons of the processing methods for Matrii sultas Exsiccatus through the bencaological study and the modern experimental researches.Methods:The different processing methods for Matrii sultas Exsiccatus in different periods were collected through the researches on the ancient agrostology and the modern processing standards.Furthermore,different processed products were prepared and analyzed by Raman spectroscopy.Results:There were significant differences in the processing methods for Matrii sultas Exsiccatus in the ancient herbal documents while tending to be the same in the modern processing standards.No difference was shown in the Raman spectrogram between Matrii sultas Exsiccatus and Weathered mirabilite produced by the processing methods in the ancient agrostology.The Raman characteristic peaks of the two processed products were as follows:1 153,1 132,1 102,992,648,632,621,466,450 cm-1,which were in line with the Raman spectrogram of the products produced by the modern processing methods.Conclusion:The change of processing methods for Matrii sultas Exsiccatus has certain reasons,which is worthy of further studies.

Objective To identify the suitable echocardiographic predictor,the standard 2-demensional echocardiography and speckle tracking imaging (STI) techniques were applied for the late referred children with transposition of great arteries with intact ventricular septum (TGA-IVS) after neonatal period.Methods 22 children with TGA-IVS after neonatal period were enrolled.According to the intraoperative left ventricular (LV)/right ventricular systolic pressure ratio,they received pulmonary artery banding (PAB group,n =10) or arterial switch operation (ASO group,n =12).15 body surface area matched healthy children were served as control group,Echocardiography was performed before the operation.The dynamic images in basal and apical short axis view were collected respectively.Meanwhile,using the STI technique,the rotation curves at apex and base was analyzed.Results All the patients discharged eventually.A right to left bulging of the ventricular septum was observed in all the patients by the 2D short-axis view.There were no differences in wall thickness and ejection fraction between control,PAB and ASO group.Compared with the control group,the end diastolic diameter,end diastolic volume and indexed LV mass in PAB and ASO group were significantly reduced,however,no difference in the end diastolic diameter and volume and LV mass was observed between the PAB and ASO group.The hypoplasia of LV in PAB and ASO group was associated with an extended time to peak basal rotation and reduced basal rotation and global torsion.Furthermore,the shorter time to peak apical rotation and reduced apical rotation and global torsion were only observed in PAB group.Conclusions The standard echocardiography could be useful for the initial evaluation for regressed LV of the children with TGA-IVS.However,STI allows a much more precious approach to the assessment of LV regressing after neonatal period.The apical rotation and global torsion might be the better predictor to identify the borderline or regressed LV for the surgical management for the children with TGA-IVS.

ObjectiveTo identify the suitable echocardiographic predictor of speckle tracking imaging (STI) for evaluation of development of left ventricle(LV) after pulmonary artery banding (PAB).Methods Seven children older than 3 months with transposition of great arteries with intact ventricular septum (TGA) were enrolled,they received pulmonary artery banding (PAB group).Eight body surface area matched healthy children were severed as control group.Using the STI technique,the rotation curves at apex and base were analyzed.ResultsAll the patients discharged eventually.The intraoperative LV/RV systolic pressure ratio in PAB group was (0.32 ± 0.04):1.There were no differences in ejection fraction and wall thickness between control and PAB group.However,the end diastolic diameter and end diastolic volume in PAB group was significantly reduced.Compared with the control group,the hypoplasia of LV in PAB group was associated with an extended time to peak basal rotation,and furthermore,the basal and global torsion was significantly reduced by 3 times.ConclusionsSTI showed local rotation and global torsion might be thevaluable predictor to evaluate the regressed and the development of LV peri-PAB procedure for the older children with TGA.

Drinking a great amount of alcohol over a long period of time has serious effect on people's health and their families.It has been the chief concern for many experts to find ways to help people to give up alcohol.Radix pueraria is the most typical traditional Chinese herb to help giving up driking alcohol.Some experts had done some deep-seated pharmacological researches on the effect of puerarin and daidzin,the contents distilled from Radix pueraria,on treating alcohol-dependence disease.The present paper is a general survey of recent developments of this research.

0bjective To summarize the experience of postoperative and mid-term echocardiographic evaluation of modified Blalock-Tasussig(BT)shunts. Methods During 2003-2006,thirty five consecutive patients received modified BT shunts and survived postoperative 6 months were enrolled in this study.Transthoracic echocardiography was utilized to evaluate the patency of shunts and the change of pulmonaryarteries(PA)and left ventricle(LV). Results Three patients received the emergence surgery for the intervention for the BT shunts. The follow-up was (21.2±11.3) months. During the follow up,the obstruction of shunts occurred in 7 cases. After the placement of shunts,the mean size of PA increased by 31.2%,meanwhile,the size of LV increased by 25.6%. Nineteen patients received the followed definitive repair or palliative operations. Compared with the patients still waiting for the growth of PA,the patients who receiving the second staged procedure achieved the more appropriate PA growth. Furthermore,for the above patients,there was no significant difference between the angiographic and echocardiographic evaluation for the PA size. Conclusions Echocardiography could accurately diagnose the patency of shunts and record the growth of PA and LV following BT shunts. Echocardiography is a highly reliable noninvasive approach for the perioperative evaluation and mid-term follow-up for the modified BT shunts.

Cortical visual prosthesis, optic nerve visual prosthesis and vision substitution devices are alternative ways for repairing the visual impairment in case of optic nerve injury, retina lose or blindness without fully developed central visual system. This article is a state-of-art review of the principles, technical details and the limitations of different types of prostheses beyond the retinal prosthesis.
Animals ; Artificial Intelligence ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Optic Nerve ; physiopathology ; Prosthesis Design ; Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; trends ; Retinal Ganglion Cells ; physiology ; Vision Disorders ; rehabilitation ; Visual Cortex ; physiopathology ; Visual Pathways ; physiopathology