Objective:To observe the maximum tongue pressure and study the oropharyngeal activity during swallowing of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy so as to correlate the maximum tongue pressure with swallowing function.Methods:The mean maximum tongue pressure of nineteen NPC patients with dysphagia was measured at the anterior (TA), middle (TM) and posterior (TP) positions, followed by video fluoroscopy. Oral transit time (OTT), upper esophageal sphincter(UES)opening time (UOT) and UES opening range (UOR) were correlated with the mean maximum tongue pressures.Results:The maximum pressure at the TM and TP positions was significantly negatively correlated with OTT, but there was no significant correlation with the anterior readings. The maximum pressures at all three tongue positions were, however, positively correlated with UOT and UOR.Conclusion:The maximum pressure at the TA, TM and TP positions is strongly correlated with the swallowing function of NPC patients.

Objective:To explore the application of digital acoustic analysis in assessing the risk of aspiration among persons with dysphagia using the Praat speech analysis software.Methods:The swallowing of 46 stroke survivors with dysphagia was studied using video fluoroscopy. Each patient was required to pronounce " yi/i/" 3 times before and after taking each mouthful of food, and their voice samples were collected. The subjects were divided into a non-aspiration group of 16 and an aspiration group of 30 based on their penetration-aspiration scale scores. Fundamental frequency, relative average perturbation (RAP), jitter, shimmer, amplitude perturbation quotient and harmonic-to-noise ratio were compared between the two groups before and after taking food.Results:For the non-aspiration group, there was no significant difference in the acoustic data before and after eating. For the aspiration group there were significant differences in fundamental frequency, relative average perturbation and jitter before and after taking food. The average RAP and jitter of the non-aspiration group were significantly better than the aspiration group′s averages before eating. After eating, however, significant differences were observed only in average jitter.Conclusions:Analyzing perturbation and jitter can help to identify persons at risk of aspiration.

Objective:To observe any effect of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) of the cerebellum on swallowing dysfunction after cerebellar infarction, and to explore its mechanism.Methods:Sixty-two cerebellar stroke survivors with dysphagia were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, each of 29. In addition to the routine swallowing rehabilitation training, the observation group was treated with iTBS, while the control group was given sham iTBS. The incubation and amplitude of the bilateral suprahyoid muscle motor evoked potential (MEP) were recorded before and after 4 weeks of treatment. The exponential approximate entropy (ApEn) of different brain regions was compared between the two groups during reflex and autonomous swallowing. Swallowing function was evaluated using the penetration-aspiration scale (PAS).Results:MEP incubation in the bilateral suprahyoid muscles had decreased significantly after 4 weeks of treatment in the observation group, and the MEP amplitude in the bilateral suprahyoid muscles of the two groups had increased significantly. The average improvement in the amplitude and incubation in the observation group was significantly greater than in the control group. The average ApEn at C3, C4, P3, P4, T5 and T6 had increased significantly in both groups during both reflex and spontaneous swallowing, with the improvement in the observation group significantly greater. Swallowing function had improved significantly in both groups, but the average PAS grade of the observation group was again significantly better.Conclusions:iTBS can improve the swallowing function of dysphagic cerebellar stroke survivors. This may be due to iTBS improving the excitability of the cerebral cortex and improving motor control of the swallowing muscles.

Objective: To identify the pathophysiological characteristics of cortical stroke survivors′ swallowing. Methods: Sixty cortical stroke survivors with dysphagia and cognitive impairment were enrolled into the observation group, while another 16 with dysphagia but without cognitive impairment formed the unimpaired control group and 16 healthy counterparts were selected for a normal control group. Each subject was recorded videofluoroscopically while swallowing 5ml of a liquid of medium consistency. The occurrence of refusing to eat, mouth opening difficulty, incomplete oral closure, residue in the oral cavity, residue in the pharyngeal cavity, leakage and aspiration were observed. Each subject′s swallowing time and kinematic parameters were analyzed from the fluoroscopic videos. Results: The incidence of refusing to eat (37.5%) and/or incomplete mouth closure (68.75%) were significantly higher in the observation group than in the other two groups. The incidence of difficulty in opening the mouth (37.5%), residue in the oral cavity (81.25%), residue in the pharyngeal cavity (56.25%), leakage (56.25%) and aspiration (50%) of the observation group were significantly higher in the observation group than among the normal controls, but were not significantly different from those incidences among the group without cognitive impairment. The average oral transit time and soft palate elevation time of the observation group were significantly longer than those of the other two groups. The observation group′s average hyoid movement time was significantly longer than that of the normal control group, but not significantly different from that of the group without cognitive impairment. There were no significant differences among the groups in average upper esophageal sphincter opening time, larynx closure time or the kinematic parameters. Conclusions Stroke survivors with dysphagia and cognitive impairment present dysphagia characteristic of oral phase swallowing difficulties.

Objective: To explore the sensitivity and specificity of the Chinese version of the volume and viscosity swallowing test with modified safety and effectiveness indicators (VVST-CV) in assessing deglutition disorders. Methods: The solvent, volume, viscosity, and test index of the volume and viscosity swallowing test were modified before it was used to evaluate 89 patients with swallowing disorders. The positive rates of the safety indexes (coughing, voice changes and blood oxygen saturation decline at least 3%) and the efficiency indexes (poor lip closure, oral residue, pharynx residue and swallowing) were recorded and compared and compared with the positive rates of penetration, aspiration and food residue determined by means of according to the videofluoroscopic swallowing study, then the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the modified VVST-CV with regard to the safety and efficiency of swallowing were calculated. Results: The VVST-CV′s sensitivity in detecting dysphagia was 0.97. For impaired safety it was 0.85 and for impaired swallowing efficiency it was 0.95. The sensitivity of the coughing index was 0.65, that of sound change was 0.60 and that of oxygen saturation decrease was 0.42. The positive predictive values for coughing, sound change and oxygen saturation decrease were 0.98, 0.94 and 0.94, respectively. Conclusion The VVST-CV is simple, feasible and sensitive. It can be widely useful in the evaluation of dysphagia in clinical practice.

Objective To explore the rehabilitation for dysphagia in young patient after tracheotomy and cricopharyngeal achalasia with-out cough reflex. Methods A child was reviewed, who accepted tracheotomy after resection of cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma for dyspha-gia. The features characterized as severe silent aspiration and failure of cricopharyngeus muscle relaxation. Therapies included Passy-Muir valve placement, breathing exercises, balloon dilatation, surface electromyography biofeedback, and electrical stimulation. Results The aspi-ration was observed when she drank thin liquid with weak cough reflex, and disappeared as eating thick liquid and paste food, with complete cricopharyngeus muscle opening, 7 weeks after treatment. She was removed the tracheotomy tube and nasal feeding tube 11 weeks after treatment, and got sufficient nutrition by fully oral intake. Conclusion The application of Passy-Muir valve and comprehensive swallowing training is helpful for patient post tracheotomy with silent aspiration in decreasing the risk of aspiration, improving cough reflex and prompt-ing swallowing function.

Objective To analyze temporal and kinematic parameters of video fluoroscopic images of swallowing using a digital acquisition and analysis system and to verify the reliability of this method.Methods Eighteen patients with dysphagia were requested to completed six swallows (3 ml and 5 ml of thin liquid, thick liquid, and paste mixed with 600 kg/m3 barium sulfate suspension) in the natural sitting position.Video fluoroscopy was used to measure the oral transit times, soft palate elevation times, hyoid movement times, laryngeal closure times, cricopharyngeal muscle opening times, hyoid anterior movement (HAM) , hyoid superior movement (HSM) , cricopharyngeal muscle opening diameter and pharyngeal constriction rate.Each was extracted from the videos four times by two raters working separately with an interval of 4 weeks between the sets of evaluations.Results Reliability varied among the different observations.HAM and HSM showed inter-rater reliability between 0.41 and 0.60 and intra-rater reliability between 0.61 and 0.80.The other observations all demonstrated acceptable reliability.Conclusion The self-designed digital acquisition and analysis system tested showed acceptable reliability and could be applied to analyze swallowing function clinically.

Objective To investigate the expression of a dismtegnn and metalloproteinase-12 (ADAM12) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in human bladder carcinoma,and to explore their correlation with different grades and stages of bladder cancer.Methods Biopsies of 12 normal bladder and 43 bladder tumors were performed.And immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect the expression of ADAM12 and PCNA in the biopsies.Results Positive expression signals of ADAM12 were detected significantly higher inthe bladder cancer biopsies than that in the normal ones (Z =4.879,P ＜ 0.05),and the expression level of ADAM-12 in lower histological grade was significantly higher than that in the moderate and higher histological grades (x2 =22.3685,P ＜ 0.01).Positive expression signals of PCNA were detected significantly higher in the bladder cancer biopsies than that in the normal ones (Z =4.879,P ＜ 0.05)).Those with lower histological grade had a higher expression level of PCNA when compared with the moderate and higher histological grades (x2 =10.665,P =0.0137).The expression of ADAM-12 was positively correlated with PCNA in bladder cancer (r =1.000,P ＜ 0.0001).Conclusion The over expression of ADAM12 and PCNA maybe play an important role in development of the bladder tumors.And ADAM12 may be a promising biomarker of bladder cancer in the clinical behavior.

Objective To investigate the minimal invasive management of cystitis glandularis with invasion of the ureteric meatus.Methods The clinical data of 18 cases were reviewed.Among the 18 cystitis glandularis patients,12 cases were invasion of bilateral ureteric meatus and 6 of unilateral ureteric meatus.Operation or drug treatment was performed on the diseases that can cause cystitis glandularis such as bladder stone,bladder neck stegnosis,external urethral meatus stegnosis and benign prostate hyperplasia.Sensitive antibiotic was administrated in all cases.After placing ureter catheter,transurethral plasma electro-resection was carried out in five patients whose ureteric meatus could be identified.In addition,of thirteen patients with ureteral orifice unable to be identified,there were ten cases with normal renal function,mitomycin was injected under affected membrana mucosa,and then the patient with ureteral orifice identified underwent transurethral plasma electro-resection after placing ureter catheter.On the other hand,the patient whose ureteral orifice still could not be recognized undertaken transurethral electro-resection at first,during which the ureter catheter was put once ureteral orifice had been detected,otherwise,the ureter catheter should be placed through cystoscope if nephritic colic emerged and hydronephrosis aggravated after operation.In those patients with kidney dysfunction,the ureter catheter was put by ureter discission or ureter replantation at first,the transurethral electro-resection could not be executed until the renal function recovered.Following all these procedure above,bladder instillation of drugs regularly,anti-infection and symptomatic treatment were administrated.Results One patient combined with bladder adenocarcinoma received cystectomy,of the other patients,six cases recurred and underwent electrotomy again resulting in no relapse.All nephrohydrops vanished or relieved obviously,nevertheless,urinary tract infection,haematuria and bladder-ureter backstreaming as the cardinal complication developed in some cases.Conclusion In the management of cystitis glandularis encroaching ureteric meatus,total or partial cystectomy can be avoided if ureter draining freely can be ensured,motivation removal,antiinfection,injection of drug under mucosa and preoperative diuresis conduce to the achievement of ureter catheter placing,transurethral plasma electro-resection is still effective methods in treating these cystitis glandularis.

Objective To investigate the expression of adamalysin-12 (ADAM-12) and PCNA in human bladder carcinoma and to investigate their correlation with different grades and stages of bladder cancer.Methods Biopsies of 15 normal bladder and 43 bladder tumors were analyzed.Immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect the expression of ADAM12 and PCNA in the biopsies.Results Postive expression signals of ADAM12 were detected significantly higher in the bladder cancer biopsies than that in the normal ones (P = 0.010).Those with lower histological grade had a higher expression level of ADAM-12 compared to the higher histological grades (P ＜0.001 ).Positive expression signals of PCNA were detected significantly higher in the bladder cancer biopsies than that in the normal ones (P = 0.026).Those with lower histological grade had a higher expression level of PCNA (P =0.014).There was a positive correlation between the expression of ADAM-12 and PCNA in bladder cancer (r =0.997,P ＜ 0.001 ).Conclusions The overexpression of ADAM-12 and PCNA in the biopsies of bladder tumors shows that protein expression of ADAM-12 and PCNA correlated with tumor stage and grade.Furthermore,ADAM-12 may be a promising biomarker of bladder cancer in the clinical implication.