Performance of the fiber-optic low-coherent ground settlement sensor: From lab to field.

A fiber-optic low-coherent interferometry sensor was developed to measure the ground settlement (GS) in an accuracy of the micrometer. The sensor combined optical techniques with liquid-contained chambers that were hydraulically connected together at the bottom by using a water-filled tube. The liquid surface inside each chamber was at the same level initially. The optical interferometry was employed to read out the liquid level changes, which following the GS happened at the place where the chamber was put on and, thereby, the GS information was calculated. The laboratory effort had demonstrated its potential in the practical application. Here, the denoising algorithms on the measurement signal were carried out based on the specific environment to ensure the accuracy and stability of the system in field applications. After that, we extended this technique to the high-speed railway. The 5-days continuous measurement proved that the designed system could be applied to monitor the GS of the high-speed railway piers and approached an accuracy of ±70 µm in the field situation with a reference compensation sensor. So the performance of the sensor was suitable to the GS monitoring problem in the high-speed railway. There, the difficulties were to meet the monitoring requirement of both a large span in space and its quite tiny and slow changes.

[Percutaneous intratumoral injection with pingyangmycin lipiodol emulsion for treatment of recurrent sacrococcygeal chordomas].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous intratumor injection of pingyangmycin lipiodol emulsion (PLE) in the management of recurrent sacrococcygeal chordomas. METHODS: Seven patients with recurrent sacrococcygeal chordomas presenting with severe local pain with visual analogue score (VAS)≥8 received treatment sessions of fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous intratumor injection of PLE. The patients were followed up every 3 months after the last session to assess their clinical responses and observe the changes in the tumor size measured by computed tomography. The changes in the VAS, tumor necrosis and pain relief as well as the adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 22 sessions of fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous intratumoral PLE injection was performed in these cases (3 or 4 sessions in each case). The total average pingyangmycin dose delivered was 48.0 mg and the average lipiodol dose was 40.0 ml in each case. Five patients showed low fever and vomiting 48 after the injection. During the follow-up (median time of 21.7 months, range 10-26 months), all the patients showed obviously reduced tumor size and VAS, and partial remission was achieved in 6 patients and stable disease (SD) in 1 patient. None of the patients had complications during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: Fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous intratumoral injection of PLE can be effective and safe and may serve as a alternative for treatment of recurrent sacrococcygeal chordomas.

[Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for massive primary liver cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with unresectable massive primary liver cancer (PLC) receiving three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3-DCRT) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: From January 2001 to December 2004, 84 patients with unresectable massive PLC (tumor size> or =10 cm) received 3-DCRT combined with TACE, including 49 cases in UICC/AJCC T(3) stage and 35 cases in T(4) stages. Lymph node metastasis was found in none of the patients, and portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) was detected in 30 cases. Child-Pugh grade A of liver cirrhosis was present in 64 cases and grade B in 20 cases. The mean value of GTV was 705-/+430 cm(3) (170-2099 cm(3)). Following injections of fluorouracil and hydroxycamptothecine into the target artery of the tumor, the mixture of carboplatin, mitomycin (or pirarubicin) and super-liquefactive iodized oil was injected into the target artery. Gelatin sponge was used to embolize the artery. The procedure was repeated every 1.5-2 months according to the condition of the patients, and each patient received 1-3 such procedures. 3-DCRT was performed in all the patients, who received a total dose of 53.6-/+6.6 Gy (4-6 Gy per fraction at the interval of 48 h), and 3 fractions were given every week. RESULTS: Eight patients died in 3 months after 3-DCRT and were not evaluated. The total response rate (CR+PR) in these patients was 68.9% (51/74). The overall survival rates at 1, 2 and 3 years were 55.4%, 24.7% and 15.4%, respectively. T stage, GTV, PVTT and fraction size had no significant impact on the overall survival. Child-Pugh grade was found to have significant impact on the patients' survival (P=0.035, RR=2.440). CONCLUSION: 3-DCRT combined with TACE has definite therapeutic effect on advanced massive PLC, and Child-Pugh grade is an independent prognostic factor in such cases.

[Percutaneous intradiscal oxygen-ozone injection for lumbar disc herniation: no need of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of no antibiotic administration to prevent infection during the perioperative period of percutaneous intradiscal ozone-injection for treatment of lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with lumbar disc herniation but normal body temperature as well as normal results of three routine tests (blood, urine, stool) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level were randomly divided into two groups. The patients in prophylaxis group were given cephalothin V(2.0 g) intravenous 30 min before the operation, and the control group did not use any antibiotics. All the patients were injected with 6-10 ml ozone (40 microg/ml) for medical use into the discs with 21G needles under fluoroscopic guidance, followed by 10 ml ozone into the paravertebral space. Three days later the general examinations and CRP measurement were repeated. RESULTS: No infection was found in these patients, nor were any significant differences noted in the results of the examinations between the two groups after controlling in patients with above-normal white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage and CRP level. CONCLUSION: Prophylaxis antibiotics is not necessary during the perioperative period of percutaneous intradiscal ozone injection for lumbar disc herniation.

[Necessity of prophylactic antibiotics in patients with primary liver cancer undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization: a prospective study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the necessity of prophylactic administration of antibiotic in patients with primary liver cancer undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: Sixty patients without preoperative infection were randomized into two groups to receive a single dose of cefazolin (PA group) prior to TACE or no prophylactic antibiotics (NONE group). The incidence of postoperative infection was compared. RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative infection was 3.4% (1/29) in NONE group and 3.2% (1/31) in PA group, without significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Prophylactic antibiotics are not necessary for patients with primary liver cancer prior to TACE.