Objective To study the possibility of ultr asonic examination in evaluation of cleft palate repair. Methods The length, open-close movement of soft palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency were observed by ultrasonography in submaxillary region pre-operation and post-operation in 7 patients. Results After operation- the length of soft palate was longer than that before operation, the mean extended length was 13.7- mm; the movement of soft palate was increased; the velopharyngeal insufficiency was improved. Conclusions The observation of soft palate structure pre-operation and post-operation by ultrasonic examination is an objective index for evaluating the cleft palate repair.

The method of preparation of a Milk Substitute, formula 5410, and its nutritive value on rats have been reported in previous communications. Further tests of its nutritive effect were made by feeding a group of 100 infants including 4 premature and 10 undernourished. Another group of 43 infants fed with human breast milk or cow's milk were observed during the same period as controls. Among the infants of the two groups there were 6 pairs of twins; one of each pair was fed with the Milk Substitute and the other with human or cow's milk. Great majority of the infants were cared by their own mothers whose cooperation had been secured, while the rest of the infants (10%) were kept in our nursery.The Milk Substitute feeding was started with infants between half and six months of age, with an average age of three months. Observations were continued until they all reached one year old. Fish liver oil and ascorbic acid were supplied to infants of both the experimental and the control groups. Vegetable soup and fruit juice were given to the infants before five months of age. Then various kinds of other foods, including rice porridge, wheat flour nudols, bread, crackers, mashed meat and vegetable and egg yolk were individually supplemented furnishing not more than 1/3 of the total caloric intake, (at the age of one year), as the family income permitted.The appetite of the experimental infants was normal. There was no digestive disturbances and abnormal frequency and appearance of the stool. The average daily caloric intake was similar to those recorded in the literature.The body weight and height of the babies in the experimental group fell well within the normal range. The average initial body weight and height of the infants in the experimental group were somewhat lower than those of the control; however, the height reached .that of the control at the age of 7 months, and the weight at about 11 months. The red blood cell counts and the hemoglobin value of the blood were normal.Values of blood alkaline phosphatase activity higher than 15 Bodansky units were shown in 20 babies of the experimental group (27%) and 8 babies of the control group (23%) at the beginning of the observation; only 4 babies in the experimental group were found abnormal high blood alkaline phosphatase value at the end. At the beginning, 3 cases of rickets and 3 cases of suspected rickets were indicated by the radiograph of the wrist bones of the babies in the experimental group, and only one suspected ricket in the control group were observed; and they all became normal at the end of the experiment. Besides, there were no other signs of any nutritional deficiency among all the infants.

Brain iron deposition has been proposed to play an important role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer disease (AD). The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of brain iron accumulation with the severity of cognitive impairment in patients with AD by using quantitative MR relaxation rate R2' measurements. Fifteen patients with AD, 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, and 30 healthy volunteers underwent 1.5T MR multi-echo T2 mapping and T2* mapping for the measurement of transverse relaxation rate R2' (R2'=R2*-R2). We statistically analyzed the R2' and iron concentrations of bilateral hippocampus (HP), parietal cortex (PC), frontal white matter (FWM), putamen (PU), caudate nucleus (CN), thalamus (TH), red nucleus (RN), substantia nigra (SN), and dentate nucleus (DN) of the cerebellum for the correlation with the severity of dementia. Two-tailed t-test, Student-Newman-Keuls test (ANOVA) and linear correlation test were used for statistical analysis. In 30 healthy volunteers, the R2' values of bilateral SN, RN, PU, CN, globus pallidus (GP), TH, and FWM were measured. The correlation with the postmortem iron concentration in normal adults was analyzed in order to establish a formula on the relationship between regional R2' and brain iron concentration. The iron concentration of regions of interest (ROI) in AD patients and controls was calculated by this formula and its correlation with the severity of AD was analyzed. Regional R2' was positively correlated with regional brain iron concentration in normal adults (r=0.977, P<0.01). Iron concentrations in bilateral HP, PC, PU, CN, and DN of patients with AD were significantly higher than those of the controls (P<0.05); Moreover, the brain iron concentrations, especially in parietal cortex and hippocampus at the early stage of AD, were positively correlated with the severity of patients' cognitive impairment (P<0.05). The higher the R2' and iron concentrations were, the more severe the cognitive impairment was. Regional R2' and iron concentration in parietal cortex and hippocampus were positively correlated with the severity of AD patients' cognitive impairment, indicating that it may be used as a biomarker to evaluate the progression of AD.

Brain iron deposition has been proposed to play an important role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer disease (AD).The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of brain iron accumulation with the severity of cognitive impairment in patients with AD by using quantitative MR relaxation rate R2' measurements.Fifteen patients with AD,15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls,and 30 healthy volunteers underwent 1.5T MR multi-echo T2 mapping and T2* mapping for the measurement of transverse relaxation rate R2'(R2'=R2*-R2).We statistically analyzed the R2' and iron concentrations of bilateral hippocampus (HP),parietal cortex (PC),frontal white matter (FWM),putamen (PU),caudate nucleus (CN),thalamus (TH),red nucleus (RN),substantia nigra (SN),and dentate nucleus (DN)of the cerebellum for the correlation with the severity of dementia.Two-tailed t-test,Student-Newman-Keuls test (ANOVA) and linear correlation test were used for statistical analysis.In 30 healthy volunteers,the R2' values of bilateral SN,RN,PU,CN,globus pallidus (GP),TH,and FWM were measured.The correlation with the postmortem iron concentration in normal adults was analyzed in order to establish a formula on the relationship between regional R2' and brain iron concentration.The iron concentration of regions of interest (ROI) in AD patients and controls was calculated by this formula and its correlation with the severity of AD was analyzed.Regional R2' was positively correlated with regional brain iron concentration in normal adults (r=0.977,P＜0.01).Iron concentrations in bilateral HP,PC,PU,CN,and DN of patients with AD were significantly higher than those of the controls (P＜0.05); Moreover,the brain iron concentrations,especially in parietal cortex and hippocampus at the early stage of AD,were positively correlated with the severity of patients' cognitive impairment (P＜0.05).The higher the R2' and iron concentrations were,the more severe the cognitive impairment was.Regional R2' and iron concentration in parietal cortex and hippocampus were positively correlated with the severity of AD patients' cognitive impairment,indicating that it may be used as a biomarker to evaluate the progression of AD.