Development and characteristics of automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device / 中国针灸

An automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device was developed, which could keep relatively constant temperature of heat-sensitive moxibustion, and realize the automatic ignition and automatic ash removal of moxa sticks during heat-sensitive moxibustion. The automatic ash-removal heat-sensitive moxibustion device comprises a bracket and a moxibustion box fixed on the top of the bracket; the bracket is composed of a base and a movable telescopic arm. This device can solve the problems of temperature instability, moxa ash blocking heat transfer and moxa ash falling during heat-sensitive moxibustion, avoiding the scalding caused by moxa ash falling, and reduce the workload of medical staff.

Variable Quasi-circular Gait Planning with Smooth Angular Acceleration for Lower Limb Rehabilitation / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To solve the problem of leg shaking caused by the sudden change of angular acceleration at the joint of periodic motion during circular gait training of lower limb rehabilitation robot. Methods:A kind of quasi-circular gait was proposed, which divided the periodic motion into three phases: start phase, middle phase and end phase. The time was equal in the start phase and the end phase, and could be adjusted with the parameter ratio. The joint trajectories of the two phases were planned by quintic polynomial, and the middle phase was still the circular gait joint trajectory. The trajectory of the proposed quasi-circular gait was simulated. Results:The angular velocity was continuously differentiable and 0, the angular acceleration was continuous and 0, and the end-effector trajectory became flat with the increase of ratio. The results on the physical prototype of the lower limb rehabilitation robot were principally consistent with the simulation, and the machine worked smoothly. Conclusion:The proposed variable quasi-circular gait had smooth angular acceleration at the junction of periodic motions, which effectively solved the jitter problem when using circular gait for lower limb rehabilitation training and avoided secondary injury to the patients.

Automatic Adjustment Algorithm of Bed Height for Multi-position Lower Limb Rehabilitation Robot / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To develop an automatic adjustment algorithm of bed height of multi-position lower limb rehabilitation robot, to meet the variety of leg lengths and training modes to avoid the collision between robot and ground. Methods:Six mathematical models of robot bed body height were established for six training modes of multi-position lower limb rehabilitation robot, which were described with leg length and bed tilt angle. The influence was analyzed that mechanical clearance and deflection as well as the jitter error of leg bracket during movement. Furthermore, a software related to these models was developed to automatically adjust the bed height for training. Volunteers were recruited to test actually. Results:The test data of bed height are consistent with the theoretical calculation of six mathematical models. Clearance and deflection did not affect the theoretical results of bed height. The end of robot's lower limb was always above the safe height during rehabilitation training. Conclusion:The automatic adjustment algorithm of bed height has been established, which can ensure that the rehabilitation robot runs at a safe height.

Changes in activities of SOD and GSH-Px in induced sputum and their significance among silicosis patients / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the changes in activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxide (GSH-Px) in the induced sputum of silicosis patients, and to investigate the roles of SOD and GSH-Px in the development and progression of silicosis and the significance of measuring activities of SOD and GSH-Px in induced sputum among silicosis patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty hotel attendants were chosen as control group, 50 workers with more than one year of silica dust exposure as dust exposure group, 32 silica dust-exposed workers as observation subject group, and 52 silicosis patients as silicosis group. The activities of SOD and GSH-Px in their induced sputum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the observation subject group and silicosis group had significantly decreased SOD activity (68.16 ± 30.17 and 66.38 ± 47.32 U/ml vs 75.81 ± 11.92 U/ml, P < 0.05); compared with the dust exposure group, the silicosis group had significantly decreased SOD activity (66.38 ± 47.32 U/ml vs 70.12 ± 14.31 U/ml, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group and dust exposure group, the observation subject group and silicosis group had significantly increased GSH-Px activity (268.21 ± 15.45 and 279.34 ± 29.26 U/ml vs 224.22 ± 12.64 and 236.41 ± 14.54 U/ml, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The SOD activity in dust exposure group and silicosis group decreased, but there were no significant differences between patients with different stages of silicosis. The GSH-Px activity in dust exposure group and silicosis group was significantly higher than that in control group, and there were significant differences between patients with different stages of silicosis. These suggest that the imbalance of oxidative/antioxidant systems is associated with the development and progression of silicosis.</p>

Effects of oxidative stress and NF-kappaB levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells on development of silicosis / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the change of indicators of oxidative stress in serum and NF-kappaB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with silicosis, and explore the mechanism of the development of silicosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The subjects were divided into (1) 200 workers exposed to SiO2 for at least 1 years in a foundry served as the dust-exposure group; (2) 130 cases with silicosis (I phase silicosis 64 cases, II phase 46 cases III phase 20 cases) served as the silicosis group; (3) 32 cases with 0+ phase silicosis in the foundry served as the observed group,(4)100 subjects from a hotel served as the control group. The serum including superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), lipid malondialdehyde (MDA) and NF-kappaB protein levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, NO levels in dust-exposed group and silicosis group significantly increased, and SOD decreased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared with the control group and dust-exposed group, T-AOC, NOS, MDA levels in silicosis group significantly increased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). GSH-Px in dust-exposed group and silicosis group were (231.164 +/- 36.484) and (270.469 +/- 39.228)U/ml, respectively which were significantly than that [(223.360 +/- 46.838) U/ml] in control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and there was significant difference of GSHPx between the silicosis group and the dust-exposed group significantly (P < 0.01) . GSH-Px level [(290.750 +/- 39.129) U/ml] in III phase silicosis group were significantly higher than those [(256.906 +/- 21.41) and (259.594 +/- 34.79) U/ml] in observation group and I phase silicosis group (P < 0.05). NF-kappaB levels [(72.06 +/- 9.12) and (85.25 +/- 11.64) ng/L] in dust-exposed group and silicosis group were significantly higher than that [(59.71 +/- 9.27) ng/L] in control group (P < 0.01), and there was significant difference of between the silicosis group and the dust-exposed group (P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between serum GSH-Px level and the silicosis stages (r = 0.507, P < 0.01). Also there was a positive correlation between NF-kappaB level and silicosis stages, age, GSH-Px or NO levels (r = 0.376, 0.243, 0.233, 0.221, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The imbalance of oxidative and anti-oxidation system and the activation of NF-kappaB are related with the occurrence and development of silicosis. The monitoring of oxidative stress indicators and NF-kappaB is beneficial to the prediction and prognosis assessment of silicosis.</p>

Application of the national diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical manifestation of patients with renal injury induced by chronic mercury intoxication and the application of the diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 8 patients with chronic occupational mercury intoxication were analysed and evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the observed clinical signs of chronic mercury intoxication correspond with the items of the diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning. The increasing beta2-MG was one of the clinical manifestations of renal injury induced by chronical mercury intoxication. The renal injury obviously was dose-dependent and reversible.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The national diagnostic criteria of occupational mercury poisoning is practically valuable. The renal injury induced by chronic mercury intoxication should not be neglected.</p>

Change of serum TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in silicosis patients / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe serum TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in silicosis patients and workers exposed to silica dust to study the role of TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in the development of silicosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred non-exposed workers were selected as control group, 200 workers exposed to silica dust for more than 1 year as exposed group, 32 suspected silicosis patients (originally diagnosed as 0+) as observing group, 130 silicosis patients were as silicosis group. Serum TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in each group were determined with ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Serum TNF-alpha in exposed group [(47.86 +/- 16.52) pg/ml], observing group [(109.11 +/- 31.08) pg/ml], silicosis group [(216.35 +/- 51.03) pg/ml] were significantly higher than that in control group [(6.90 +/- 2.24) pg/ml] (P < 0.01); Silicosis group and observing group were also higher than exposed group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with control group [(23.28 +/- 12.24) pg/ml] and exposed group [(29.31 +/- 14.52) pg/ml], serum TGF-beta1 in silicosis group was much higher (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TGF-beta1, and TNF-alpha were essential in the development of silicosis, so the detection of TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha in peripheral blood was very useful for occupational health surveillance and early diagnosis of silicosis.</p>