Diabetic macular edema is the major cause of vision impairment in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Thickness and pathological alterations in each retina layer of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients can be performed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) device. And retinal light sensitivity at specific retinal point and fixation state can be detected by microperimetry qualitatively and quantitatively. Moreover, OCT can discover pathological anatomical changes in the retina of DME patients, thus facilitating the interpretation of the structure-function relationship in DME with combination of microperimetry results. At present, there are various therapies for DME patients, and the primary method in evaluating therapeutic efficacy is to compare the pathological changes in the retina before and after treatment by OCT. Besides, microperimetry can provide information in visual function restoration. The combined application of OCT and microperimetry has broad prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of DME patients.
Neuromuscular disease (NMD) encompasses a group of disorders that affect motor neurons, peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junctions, and skeletal muscles, potentially leading to respiratory muscle impairment and decline in respiratory function, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. In March 2023, clinical practice guideline titled Respiratory Management of Patients with Neuromuscular Weakness was released by the American College of Chest Physicians. This article summarizes, categorizes, and interprets the contents and key points of the guideline, aiming to provide more targeted guidance for clinical healthcare professionals and ultimately enhance the effectiveness of respiratory management for patients with NMD.
ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy and safety of the axial load mechanical testing for removing external fixator. MethodsBetween January 2014 and August 2015, 27 patients with tibia and fibula fractures caused by trauma underwent an external fixation. Of 27 patients, 21 were male and 6 were female with the average age of 45 years (range, 19-63 years), including 7 cases of closed fracture and 20 cases of open fracture. X-ray film results showed spiral unstable fracture in 4 cases and comminuted unstable fracture in 23 cases. All patients underwent an external fixation. Bone nonunion occurred in 3 cases because of infection, and bone nonunion combined with bone defect occurred in 1 case, who received tibial osteotomy lengthening surgery. When X-ray film showed continuity high density callus formation at fracture site, axial load mechanical test was performed. If the axial load ratio of external fixator was less than 10%, the external fixator was removed. ResultsAt 21-85 weeks after external fixation (mean, 44 weeks), axial load mechanical test was performed. The results showed that the axial load ratio of external fixation was less than 10% in 26 cases, and the external fixator was removed; at 6 weeks after removal of external fixator, the patients could endure full load and return to work, without re-fracture. The axial load ratio was 14% in 1 case at 85 weeks, and the X-ray film result showed that fracture did not completely heal with angular deformity; re-fracture occurred after removing external fixator, and intramedullary fixation was used. ConclusionExternal fixator axial load mechanical testing may objectively reveal and quantitatively evaluate fracture healing, so it is safe and reliable to use for guiding the external fixator removal.
Objective To investigate the current situation of anxiety and depression in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and analyze the related influencing factors. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among AECOPD patients admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from August 2022 to October 2023. The survey included basic demographic information, anxiety and depression scores, quality of life and dyspnea symptoms in the AECOPD patients. The clinical data of patients in the electronic medical record system were also collected. According to the anxiety score or depression score, the patients were divided into an anxiety group and a non-anxiety group, or a depression group and a non-depression group. The indicators between two groups were compared and the influencing factors were analyzed. Results Among the 164 patients with AECOPD, 123 patients (75.0%) were complicated with anxiety, 125 patients (76.2%) were complicated with depression, and 105 patients (64.0%) were complicated with anxiety and depression. Education level, place of residence, monthly income, smoking index, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) score were associated with AECOPD and anxiety (P<0.05). Higher CAT score was an independent risk factor for anxiety in the patients with AECOPD. Residence, monthly income, smoking index, CAT score, modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea questionnaire rating, actual bicarbonate, neutrophilic granulocyte percentage (NEU%), lymphocyte percentage (LYM%), basophile percentage (BASO%), alkaline phosphatase, total carbon dioxide concentration, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were associated with AECOPD and depression (P<0.05). Among them, higher CAT score and PLR value were independent risk factors of AECOPD and depression. Conclusion Anxiety and depression have higher prevalence in AECOPD patients, and the influencing factors include quality of life, dyspnea symptoms, education level, place of residence, monthly income, smoking index, acid base balance, NEU%, LYM%, BASO%, NLR和PLR, etc.
ObjectiveTo observe the full-field ERG (ff-ERG) characteristics of patients with acute regional occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR).MethodsA retrospective observational study. From June 2017 to June 2019, 62 eyes of 42 patients (AZOOR group) who were diagnosed with AZOOR in the Department of Ophthalmology of West China Hospital of Sichuan University were included in the study. All patients had no obvious localized disease on the fundus. Among 62 eyes, BCVA of 16 eyes were＜0.1, BCVA of 27 eyes were ≤0.5, and BCVA of 19 eyes were＞0.5. From June 2018 to January 2019, 40 normal volunteers (80 eyes) who attended the outpatient clinic of West China Hospital of Sichuan University and passed detailed ophthalmological examination to exclude all eye diseases including refractive errors were selected as the normal control group. All the examined eyes were tested with ff-ERG using the German Roland visual electrophysiological inspection system. The peak times and amplitudes of the waveforms induced by each response of dark adaptation 0.01 ERG, dark adaptation 3.0 ERG, dark adaptation 3.0 ERG, light adaptation 3.0 ERG, and light adaptation 30 Hz flicker ERG were recorded, respectively. The peak time and amplitude of each ff-ERG response between the two groups were compared by independent sample t test. The peak time and amplitude of each ff-ERG response between different BCVA eyes in the AZOOR group were compared by variance test.ResultsCompared with the normal control group, 0.01 ERG b wave of the dark adaptation of AZOOR group (t=3.601, －6.120), 3.0 ERG a wave and b wave of dark adaptation (t=2.627, －4.263, 3.719, －5.866), 3.0 Oscillation potential P2 wave of dark adaptation (t=－6.625), 3.0 ERG a wave and b wave of bright adaptation (t=3.762, －3.612, 3.648, －3.739) and 30 Hz flicker ERG P wave of bright adaptation (t=－3.832), all peak time of those were significantly delayed, the amplitude decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). Comparison of different BCVA eyes in the AZOOR group showed that 0.01 ERG b wave amplitude of dark adaptation (F=3.950), 3.0 ERG a peak and b wave amplitude of dark adaptation (F=4.408, 4.876), oscillation potential P2 wave amplitude of dark adaptation (F=4.295), 3.0 ERG b wave amplitude of bright adaptation (F=4.344) and 30 Hz flicker ERG P wave amplitude of bright adaptation (F=4.483) of differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in waveform peak time and amplitude of the other reactions (P＞0.05). Pairwise comparison results showed that, compared with those with 0.1≤BCVA≤0.5 and BCVA＞0.5, those with BCVA＜0.1 dark adaptation to 0.01 ERG b wave, dark adaptation 3.0 ERG b wave, dark adaptation oscillation potential P2 wave, and light adaptation 3.0 ERG b wave and light adaptation 30 Hz scintillation ERG P wave amplitude were significantly reduced, and dark adaptation to 3.0 ERG a peak was significantly delayed, the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).ConclusionsThe ff-ERG of patients with AZOOR show delayed peak time and decreased amplitude of each response. The worse BCVA are accompanied by the more obvious decrease of each response amplitude of ff-ERG.
This study was aimed to design a new, accurate and easy-to-use water bath cryo-jaw, and try to solve the problems met in small animals achilles tendon mechanical testing. The muscle-tendon-bony units were fixed in the clamps. SD rats achilles tendon were randomly divided into group A and B. Group A was tested by the newly designed water bath cryo-jaw, while group B was treated by non-water bath cryo-jaw. The mechanical tests revealed that non of the samples of the newly-designed water bath cryo-jaw in group A slipped and fell off, and the achilles tendons were in a physiologically active state, but one of the group B samples slipped and fell off, and the others had the frozen phenomenon obviously. The maximum stress, fracture displacement and Young's modulus of the rats in group A were significantly different compared to those in group B (P<0.05). In conclusion, the new water bath cryo-jaw has more advantages than traditional ones. It exhibits a good simulation in vivo in the environmental conditions for testing the mechanical properties of the achilles tendon.
A new type of testing system used for antithrombotic pressure circulatory equipment has been developed, which realized a new method for the calibration of pressure sensor. Multi-path control and acquisition functions are achieved by this method based on human-computer interaction testing system. The precision of pressure sensor is obtained by polynomial fitting for each test point using linear interpolation method. The result showed that the precision test of pressure sensor could be realized easily and efficiently, using the developed testing system, and the parameters of pressure sensor could be calibrated effectively, so that it could be accurately used in the antithrombotic pressure circulatory equipment. The developed testing system has a prosperous future in the aspects of promotion and application.
ObjectiveTo investigate the behavioral recovery of spinal cord injury (SCI) rats that received transplantation of NEP1-40 gene-modified neural stem cells. MethodsNeural stem cells (NSCs) were derived from the cortex tissue of rat embryo at the age of 18 days and identified by Nestin immunofluorescence. The lentiviruses were transduced to NSCs to construct NEP1-40 gene modified NSCs. Spinal cords of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats were hemisected at the nineth thoracic vertebrae level. The rats were randomly assigned to three groups. Cell culture medium, NSCs and NEP1-40 gene-modified NSCs were transplanted into the lesion site of rats of SCI group, NSCs group and NEP1-40-NSCs group respectively 7 days after injury. Additional 10 rats served as blank control group (sham group), which only received laminectomy. Following transplantation, behavior tests including Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) Locomotor Rating Scale and grid test were utilized to evaluate spinal cord functional recovery. ResultsBehavior tests 8 weeks after cells transplantation showed that the rats in SCI group got worst results, the BBB scores improved and the grid drop times reduced significantly in NSCs transplantation group (P<0.01) and behavioral test outcomes were best in the NEP1-40 gene-modified NSCs group (P<0.01). ConclusionNEP1-40 gene modification can significantly improve the behavioral recovery of SCI rats that received transplantation of pure neural stem cells. It can provide a new idea and reliable experimental base for the study of NSCs transplantation for spinal cord injury.