Non-Intubated Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery.

Double-lumen intubation under general anesthesia is currently the most commonly performed intubation technique for pneumonectomy, wedge resection of the lung, and lobectomy. However, there is a high incidence of pulmonary complications arising from general anesthesia with tracheal intubation. Non-intubation with the preservation of voluntary breathing is an alternative to anesthesia. Non-intubation procedures minimize the adverse effects of tracheal intubation and general anesthesia, such as intubation-related airway trauma, ventilation-induced lung injury, residual neuromuscular blockade, and post-operative nausea and vomiting. However, the steps for non-intubation procedures are not detailed in many studies. Here, we present a concise non-intubated protocol for the performance of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with preserved autonomic breathing. This article identifies the conditions necessary to convert from non-intubated to intubated anesthesia and also discusses the advantages and limitations of non-intubated anesthesia. In this work, this intervention was performed on 58 patients. In addition, the results of a retrospective study are presented. Compared with intubated general anesthesia, patients in the non-intubated video-assisted thoracic surgery group had lower rates of post-operative pulmonary complications, shorter operative times, less intraoperative blood loss, shorter PACU stays, a lower number of days to chest drain removal, less post-operative drainage, and shorter hospital stays.

[Analysis of endemic status of schistosomiasis in Gaoyou City from 1970 to 2009].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changing rule of schistosomiasis endemic situation in Gaoyou City, so as to provide the evidences for schistosomiasis control in lake and marshland regions. METHODS: The endemic data of schistosomiasis of Gaoyou City from 1970 to 2009 were collected to analyze the endemic patterns of schistosomiasis in different control stages comprehensively. RESULTS: In the first years of infection control stage (1970-1975), transmission control stage (1976-1994) and transmission interruption stage (1995-2009), the prevalence rates of schistosomiasis were 4.20%, 0.80% and 0 in human and 3.00%, 0.51% and 0 in cattle respectively. In 1984, the positive rate of crowd stool tests fell to 0.04%, which was reduced by 99.05% compared with that in 1970. From 1970 to 1980, the positive rates of stool tests of people and livestock were positively correlated significantly (r = 0.67, P < 0.05). After 1985, no local infection patients or cattle were found. No schistosome infected Oncomelania hupensis snails were found from 1970 to 2009. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive control measures have been insisted in Gaoyou City in different prevention and control stages. Although the snail situation is undulate, the prevalence of schistosomiasis steadily declines and the interruption of transmission has achieved.

ERR-10: a new repressor in transcriptional signaling activation of estrogen receptor-alpha.

Estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) is a nuclear transcriptional factor that is part of the nuclear receptor superfamily. In this study, we isolated and identified a new LXXLL-containing protein that interacts with the ER-alpha via a yeast two-hybrid assay. We have termed this protein estrogen receptor repressor-10 (ERR-10). The ERR-10 cDNA is predicted to encode a polypeptide of 94 amino acids, with a molecular mass of about 10 kDa. Although the ERR-10 mRNA transcript is expressed in a wide range of normal human tissues, higher expression levels are found in endocrinal tissues relative to other tissues. We have demonstrated, through immunoprecipitation, Western blot and GST pull-down assays, that ERR-10 associates with ER-alpha. Moreover, ERR-10 decreased 17beta-estrodial-induced activation of ER-alpha transcriptional activity in transient transfection assays of mammalian cells. The ERR-10 N-terminus, which resembles two LXXLL motifs, is essential for ER-alpha binding and repression activity. Estrogen modulation of estrogen-responsive gene expression was markedly blocked by ERR-10. These results suggest that ERR-10 is a novel mediator in ER transcriptional activation.

[Study on schistosomiasis control measures in mobile boat fishermen. III. Construction and application of regional joint mechanism for schistosomiasis examination and treatment in boatmen].

OBJECTIVE: To construct the regional joint mechanism for schistosomiasis examination and treatment and the examination protocol among mobile boatmen, so as to provide effective measures for control of mobile infectious sources of schistosomiasis in the Yangtze River basin. METHODS: According to the characteristics of the cargo frequent mobility of ships with fixed anchor points, the health, maritime and transport sections were jointly cooperated to set up sites for schistosomiasis examination and treatment in ship locks, wharfs and harbors. The infection of schistosomiasis was detected by means of rapid immunological screening and stool examination, and the regional joint mechanism was constructed. The sero-positives were traced for further parasitological examinations and treatment by using the regional joint network for schistosomiasis examination and treatment. The schistosome infections in boatmen were analyzed and compared between different examination and treatment sites and among different navigation coverage. RESULTS: A total of 16 sites for examination and treatment of schistosomiasis, including 5 fixed sites and 11 mobile sites, were set up in 12 townships of 6 districts (counties) of Yangzhou City. During a period between June and August, the examination of schistosomiasis was conducted in 40 sites, and of the 1 225 boatmen from 967 boats detected, 19 cases were sero-positive, with a positive rate of 1.55%. Among the 14 sero-positives examined, no stool positive patients were found. Among the 1 225 boatmen detected, 820 were from fixed sites and 405 from mobile sites, and 4 and 15 cases were found, respectively, with positive rates of 0.49% and 3.70%, respectively, and the sero-positive rate was higher in mobile sites and that in fixed sites. A total of 898 boatmen from the Yangtze River basin and 305 from the local inland rivers were examined, and 3 and 16 sero-positive cases were detected, respectively, with positive rates of 0.33% and 5.25%, respectively, and the sero-positive rate was significantly higher in the boatmen from the local inland rivers than that from the Yangtze River basin. CONCLUSION: Regional joint mechanism is an effective strategy for examination and treatment of schistosomiasis among mobile boatmen, which provides a new approach to control mobile infectious sources of schistosomiasis in the Yangtze River basin.

Effects of sex steroid hormones, thyroid hormone levels, and insulin regulation on thyrotoxic periodic paralysis in Chinese men.

Our study is to determine the expression of thyroid hormone, sex hormone, insulin, and C-peptide in Chinese male patients with thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP). This study covered 102 patients with hyperthyroidism from Xijing Hospital. According to whether occurrence of TPP or not, patients were divided into two groups (those that were hyperthyroid with and without TPP) that were, matched with age, blood pressure, urea, and creatinine. We found the body mass index (BMI) in patients with TPP was higher than that in pure hyperthyroidism patients. The levels of the total thyroxine (T4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxine (FT4) were significantly lower in patients with TPP compared with pure hyperthyroidism patients, while serum testosterone levels were higher compared with pure hyperthyroidism patients. Moreover, after glucose administration, the concentration of insulin at 60, 120, and 180 min were significantly higher in patients with TPP than those in pure hyperthyroidism patients. The insulin area under the curve (AUC) was significantly increased in patients with TPP compared with pure hyperthyroidism patients. The levels of thyroid hormone, sex hormone, and insulin were different in Chinese male patients with TPP compared to those with only hyperthyroidism.

[The role of different needling manipulation in adjusting swallow-period obstacle of dysphagia after stroke].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of different needling manipulation in improvement of swallow-period obstacle of dysphagia after stroke. METHODS: One hundred and eleven cases were randomly divided into a single Lianquan RN 23 shallow needling group (group A ), single Lianquan (RN 23) deep needling group (group A2) and Lianquan (RN 23) and para-Lianquan deep multi-needling group (group B). The therapeutic effect was investigated after continuous treatment for 14 days. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 95. 0% in the group B, 65. 7% in the group A1 and 83. 3% in the group A2, with significant difference or very significant difference when the group B compared with the group A, and the group A, (P<0. 01 or P<0. 05); the cured and markedly effective rate was 82. 5% in the group B, 20. 0% in the group Al and 52. 8% in the group A2, with a very significant difference as the group B compared with the group A, and A2 (both P