Simulation Analysis of Deformation Control for Magnetic Soft Medical Robots

Dear Editor,This letter presents a biocompatible cross-shaped magnetic soft robot and investigates its deformation mode control strategy through COMSOL modeling and simulation.Magnetic soft robots offer novel avenues for precise treatment within intricate regions of the human body.

Comparison of Antioxidant Status between Pilots and Non-flight Staff of the Army Force: Pilots May Need More Vitamin C

Objective To compare the blood antioxidant levels and dietary antioxidant intakes between pilots and non-flight staff of the Army Force in The Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods Thirty-seven helicopter pilots and 40 non-flight staff were included in this study. Their general characteristics were recorded and their weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Their daily intake of energy and nutrients including antioxidants was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Serum levels of total antioxidant capacity （TAC）, malondialdehyde （MDA）, and glutathione reductase （GR）, glutathione peroxidase （GPx）, superoxide dismutase （SOD）, and catalase （CAT） in red blood cells were also measured. Results The median erythrocytes SOD, serum MDA level and the mean serum level of TAC and erythrocytes GPx were significantly higher in pilots than in non-flight staff. The median vitamin C intake was significantly lower in pilots than in non-flight staff. The serum MDA levels were similar in non-flight staff and pilots when their vitamin C intake was 〈168 mg and significantly lower in non-flight staff than in pilots when their vitamin C intake was 〉168 mg. Conclusion The serum MDA level is lower in non-flight staff than in pilots when their vitamin C intake level is high, indicating that pilots need more vitamin C than non-flight staff.

Long-Term Evaluation of Retinal Artery Occlusion Patients Who Applied Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment

Introduction： Hyperbaric oxygen treatment （HBOT） is one of the treatment modalities for retinal artery occlusion （RAO）. HBOT may be beneficial if initiated within 2-12 hours of onset of symptoms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of HBOT on the patients who had applied to our center for HBOT with an RAO diagnose. Methods： Sixteen patients were included in this study for a three-year period those were applied HBOT with RAO diagnosis. HBOT sessions of these patients had been started as quick as possible soon after they have arrived. Also, all patients had been started medication by ophthalmologists who sent them. To evaluate the outcome of the treatment the patients were called with telephone and ophthalmology clinic control examinations were obtained. Patients were asked survey questions about their visual ameliorations before and after HBOT. Results： Mean initiation duration of patients to get HBOT was about 28 hours. Only one patient has initiated treatment after 13 days from the event and no visual improvement was recorded. Within this patient, no visual amelioration was recorded for two more patients. Among the other 13 patients, three had 80% and more, three had 50-79% and seven had below 50% visual amelioration. Eleven of 13 patients had peripheral visual field amelioration. Discussion： With the medical treatment, an immediate intervention of HBOT was considered a useful treatment modality for RAO. The visual improvement of the visual fields was considered especially in the peripheral vision rather than central vision.

急性轻、中度缺氧暴露对心理运动及反应时的影响(英文)

目的研究急性轻、中度缺氧暴露对人的心理运动及视觉反应时的影响。方法利用低压舱模拟30 0m (对照高度 )、2 80 0m、360 0m、440 0m高度缺氧暴露 1h ,考察了 1 8名健康男性青年被试者指叩测验、简单反应时和选择反应时的变化。结果血氧饱和度 (SaO2 )由地面对照值 98%分别降至 90 %、82 %和 74%。 2 80 0m缺氧暴露 1h心理运动绩效的各个参数并无显著改变 (P >0 .0 5)。 360 0m缺氧暴露时选择反应时的平均反应时明显延长 ,运动绩效下降 (P <0 .0 5) ,且随着高度的增加以上影响进一步加重 (P <0 .0 1 )。而简单反应时和指叩测验的绩效暴露于 440 0m时仍无显著改变 (P >0 .0 5)。结论本研究的结果提示 ,急性缺氧暴露于 2 80 0m高度 1h并未对心理运动产生严重影响 ,而暴露于 360 0m以上高度时会对选择反应时等复杂反应产生负面影响 ,且随着高度的增加而加重。

Sub-anesthesia Dose of Isoflurane in 60% Oxygen Reduces Inflammatory Responses in Experimental Sepsis Models

Background：Sepsis is a major cause of mortality in Intensive Care Units.Anesthetic dose isoflurane and 100% oxygen were proved to be beneficial in sepsis;however,their application in septic patients is limited because long-term hyperoxia may induce oxygen toxicity and anesthetic dose isoflurane has potential adverse consequences.This study was scheduled to find the optimal combination ofisoflurane and oxygen in protecting experimental sepsis and its mechanisms.Methods：The effects of combined therapy with isoflurane and oxygen on lung injury and sepsis were determined in animal models of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture （CLP） or intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide （LPS） or zymosan.Mouse RAW264.7 cells or human peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMCs） were treated by LPS to probe mechanisms.The nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） signaling molecules were examined by Western blot and cellular immunohistochemistry.Results：The 0.5 minimum alveolar concentration （MAC） isoflurane in 60% oxygen was the best combination of oxygen and isoflurane for reducing mortality in experimental sepsis induced by CLE intraperitoneal injection of LPS,or zymosan.The 0.5 MAC isoflurane in 60% oxygen inhibited proinflammatory cytokines in peritoneal lavage fluids （tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α]：149.3 vs.229.7 pg/ml,interleukin [IL]-1β：12.5 vs.20.6 pg/ml,IL-6：86.1 vs.116.1 pg/ml,and high-mobility group protein 1 [HMGB1]：323.7 vs.449.3 ng/ml;all P 〈 0.05） and serum （TNF-α：302.7 vs.450.7 pg/ml,IL-1β：51.7 vs.96.7 pg/ml,IL-6：390.4 vs.722.5 pg/ml,and HMGB1：592.2 vs.985.4 ng/ml;all P 〈 0.05） in septic animals.In vitro experiments showed that the 0.5 MAC isoflurane in 60% oxygen reduced inflammatory responses in mouse RAW264.7 cells,after LPS stimulation （all P 〈 0.05）.Suppressed activation of NF-κB pathway was also observed in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages and human PBMCs after LPS stimulation or plasma from septic patients.The 0.5 MAC isoflurane in 60% oxygen also prevented the increases ofphospho-IKKα/β,phospho-IκBα,and phospho-p65 expressions in RAW264.7 macrophages after LPS stimulation （allP 〈 0.05）.Conclusion：Combined administration of a sedative dose of isoflurane with 60% oxygen improves survival of septic animals through reducing inflammatory responses.