Objective To determine the incidence of long bone lesions and clinical characteristic in early newborn with asymptomatic congenital syphilis. Methods The syphilis antibody in 26 infants with asymptomatic congenital syphilis who were diagnosed and treated in our hospital from April 2001 to May 2004 were detected,and the clinical feature and X-ray features were analyzed.Results Twenty-six infants and their mothers all had the antibody positive of syphilis.Treponemal antibody titer were 4 times higher than their mothers in the infants blood serum.Their general conditions showed normal and had no symptoms when they were hospita-(lized).Then,there were 24 cases (92%) with positive physical signs and /or abnormal findings on the liver function tests and blood routine and long-bone radiographs.Long-bone radiographs were abnormal for approximately 38%(10 of 26)of asymptomatic newborns with congenital syphilis.Metaphysitis was shown and looked like sandwich biscuit in X-ray photograph.Conclusions Asymptomatic congenital syphilis has no symptoms in the early stage.Bone X-ray photograph should be included in the assessment of newborns with a positive serology.Further support is needed in the diagnosis and treatment of early newborns with asymptomatic congenital syphilis.

Objective To explore the relationship between the times of abortion and congenital and acquired uterine anomalies.Methods One hundred and eighty-five patients underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy following abortion were selected and diagnosed by hysteroscopy,then divided into congenital and acquired uterine abnormalities according to the morphology and the formation of uterine cavity lesions.The relationship of 1 times,2 times,equal or more than 3 times of different number of abortion and uterine congenital and acquired abnormalities were compared respectively.Results Diagnostic hysteroscopy revealed anomalies uterine cavity was 79.9％ (148/185),of them congenital uterine anomalies was 52.4％ (97/185),and acquired uterine pathologies was the most of 21.1％ (39/185),acquired uterine abnormalities was 21.1％ (39/185),and intrauterine adhesion was the most common of 11.9％ (22/185).Incidence of intrauterine adhesions of natural abortion with 1 times,2 times and 3 times or more were 7.4％ (5/68),14.1％ (11/78) and 15.4％ (6/39).Hysteroscopy showed that the detection rates of normal uterine cavity,congenital abnormalities,acquired uterine and congenital and acquired pathologies in 3 groups were 27.9％ (19/68),51.5％ (35/68),17.6％ (12/68)and 2.9％(2/68);17.9％(14/78),51.3％(40/78),24.3％(19/78) and 6.4％(5/78);10.3％(4/39),56.4％ (22/39),20.5％ (8/39) and 12.8％ (5/39),respectively,the differences were not significant (x2 =8.823,P=0.184).Conclusion Hysteroscopy is a simple and efficient tool in the early diagnosis of congenital and acquired uterine anomalies.Diagnostic hysteroscopy can be performed after the first miscarriage in order to early diagnose and treat congenital and acquired uterine pathologies.

Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Urinary Calculi ; drug therapy

Cryptotanshinone (CPT)is a major fat-soluble ingre-dient in Salvia,which is a traditional blood-activating and stasis-dissolving drug.CPT has been gradually concerned,because it has a remarkable therapeutic effect on cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.A large number of exper-imental and clinical studies have shown that CPT can primarily inhibit tumor cell′s proliferation,angiogenesis,invasion and ad-hesion and induce apoptosis.Thus to some extent,it hinders in-vasion of tumor cell and prevents the distant metastasis.This pa-per focuses on the anti-tumor metastasis of CPT.

Objective To evaluate the roles of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in predicting the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) by studying the correlation between them.Methods A total of 202 patients with CAP admitted from December 2011 to December 2012 were enrolled in this study.All these patients were checked with laboratory tests for BNP level,C-reactive protein (CRP),white blood cell count (WBC) as well as other markers needed for obtaining pneumonia severity index (PSI).The differences in BNP levels,CRP levels,and WBC were compared among different degrees of pneumonia severity,and the correlation between BNP levels and PSI was investigated by a linear correlation analysis.The patients enrolled were divided into a high-risk group (defined as Ⅳ-Ⅴ grade of PSI) and a low-risk group (defined as Ⅰ-Ⅲgrade of PSI).Meanwhile,they were also divided into a survivor group and a non-survivor group according to outcomes.BNP levels between the two groups were compared,and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed on the BNP levels versus PSI.Results BNP levels increased with CAP severity (r =0.782,P ＜0.01).The mean level of BNP (263.2 ± 119.6) pg/mLof patients in the high-risk group was significantly higher than that of patients (71.5 ± 54.3) pg/mL in the low-risk group (P ＜ 0.01).The patients in the non-survivor group had significantly higher BNP levels compared to the survivor group [(343.86 ± 125.49) vs.(183.00 ±121.71) pg/mL,P ＜ 0.01].In addition,there were positive correlations between BNP levels and PSI (r =0.782,P＜0.001),between BNP levels and CRP levels (r =0.560,P＜0.01),and between BNP levels and WBC (r =0.513,P＜0.001).The BNP level had a high accuracy in predicting the severity of CAP (AUC =0.952).The optimal cut-off point of BNP level for distinguishing high-risk from low-risk patients was 125.0 pg/mL,with a semitivity of 0.891 and a specificity of 0.946.Moreover,BNP level had a definite accuracy in predicting mortality (AUC =0.823).Its optimal cut-off point for predicting death was 299.0 pg/mL,with a sensitivity of 0.675 and a specificity of 0.816; its negative predictive cut-off value was 0.926,and positive predictive value was 0.426.Conclusions BNP level is positively correlated with the severity of CAP.The patient with BNP level above 125.0 pg/mL should be hospitalized immediately and patients with BNP level higher than 299.0 pg/mL are at the high risk of death.Therefore,BNP is a useful biomarker for evaluating the severity of patients with CAP.

Child ; Child Day Care Centers ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Nematode Infections ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Prevalence

Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Pigmentation Disorders ; pathology ; Skin ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To establish a rapid molecular identification method for Polygonatum filipe species. METHODS: Polymorphism analysis on DNA of P. filipe and P. cyrtonema was performed by using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) molecular markers. Differential ISSR and SRAP bands between the two species were sequenced and species-specific sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) primers were designed for the identification of P. filipe and P. cyrtonema. RESULTS: Under respective optimal annealing temperature, three pairs of SCAR primers can specifically amplify three fragments of 150, 354 and 518 bp only from P. filipe, respectively, not from P. cyrtonema. The SCAR-PCR test was simple and convinent to operate, and reproducible. The molecular identification technology based on SCAR markers was further validated by testing 8 samples of Polygonatum tubes sold in market. CONCLUSION: SCAR molecular technology developed in this study can be used for the assistant identification of P. filipe species.

BACKGROUND: In addition to physical disability, stroke may also result in psychological impairments usually manifested by depression and anxiety.Regardless of the primary or secondary onset of anxiety, anti-depressants should be given for treatment of the anxiety and depression besides routine treatment of the primary condition underlying the symptoms.OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of different treatment protocols with or without anti-depressants and different anti-depressants on poststroke anxiety and depression as well as the neurological functions.DESIGN: Randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial.SETTING: Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology of the Second Hospital Affiliated to Lanzhou University.PARTICIPANTS: Ninety patients aged 41-72 years with post-stroke anxiety and depression, who were admitted in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology of the Second Hospital Affiliated to Lanzhou University between July 1999 and December 2002, were enrolled in this study and randomized equally into Paxil group, imipramine group and control group.METHODS: After emergency management for 1-2 weeks in the acute stage, the stroke patients showed clear consciousness and stable life signs without any understanding problems. Patients in the control group received conventional treatment combined with rehabilitative training, while patients in the other two groups were given additional Paxil (20 mg/day) or imipramine (50-150 mg/day) for totally 12 weeks. The neurological deficits and capacity for independent living of the patients were assessed with Hamilton Depression Scale (24 items) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (14items) at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks during the treatment. A reduction of the score for Hamilton anxiety and depression scale by over 75% suggested a cure of depression and anxiety, 50% but ＜ 75% obvious improvement,25% but ＜ 50% improvement, and ＜ 25% non-response. Basically recovered neurological function was indicated by a reduction of neurological deficit score by 90%-100%, remarkable improvement by 46%-89%, improvement by 18%-45%, and non-response or exacerbation by a reduction less than 17%.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURS: ① Neurological function recovery of recovery of the patients after treatment; ② Poststroke anxiety and depression status before and after treatment; ③ Therapeutic effects on depression,neurological functions, severity of neurological deficit, and capacity of independent living. ④ Adverse events and side effects.RESULTS: One patient in Paxil group and 3 in the control group failed to be available for follow-up study, and 3 patients in imipramine group withdrew from the study due to adverse events, so that 83 cases were analyzed.At 2 and 4 weeks in the treatment, the scores for neurological deficits and capacity for independent living exhibited obvious changes (P ＜ 0.01),which gradually stabilized at 8 and 12 weeks (P ＜ 0.05), and significantly greater improvement in the neurological function and capacity for independent living was observed in Paxil group than in the control group (P＜ 0.01), but the differences between imipramine group and the control group and between Paxil group and imipramine group were not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05). The scores for Hamilton Depression Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Scale were obviously lower in Paxil group and imipramine group at 2, 4, 8 and 12 week than those in the control group (P＜ 0.01-0.001), but similar between the former two groups at 12 weeks (P＞ 0.05). Paxil and imipramine on resulted in curative rates of anxiety and depression of 86.6% and 85.1%, respectively, which were obviously higher than that of the control group (46.6%); the improvement rate ofneurological function in Paxil group, imipramine group and control groupwas 89.6%, 70.3% and 56.6%, respectively, with that of Paxil groupsignificantly higher than that of the control group (P ＜ 0.01), but the difference between imipramine group and control group was not signifi cant (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Patients with poststroke anxiety and depression shouldreceive appropriate interventions with anti-depressants in addition to treat ment of neural function impairment. Paxil and imipramine haye similar effect in treating anxiety and depression, but the former can be for its less side effects, better compliance on the part of patients and good effect inpromoting neurological function recovery.

Objective To summarize the experience of management of upper urinary tract calculi by Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) in our department in order to improve the gravel success rate and decrease the incidence of complications.Methods 15 019 patients with upper urinary calculi from October 1988 to September 2011 treated by ESWL with X-ray localization were analyzed retrospectively.The maximum diameter of the stones ranged from 0.8 cm to 3.2 cm,with 1 3 794 cases with maximum stone diameter less than 2 cm (guoup A),and with 1225 cases with maximum stone diameter more than 2 cm (guoup B).All patients had normal or nearly normal renal function,and 56.0％ patients (8 410/15 019)had varying degrees of hydronephrosis.Results The effective rate of first ESWL was 84.5％ ( 12 691/15 019) and the effective rate of second ESWL was 12.0％ (1 802/15 019),and 313 cases need a third ESWL.The clearance rate in group A was 90.2％ ( 12 443/13 794 ),in group B was 50.9％ (623/1225),and the overall stone clearance rate within three months was 87.0％ ( 13 066/15 019).The majority of patients ( about 93％ ) had postoperative gross hematuria,which disappeared after drinking lots of water.46cases (0.3％) of patients had postoperative fever,which returned to normal after usage of antibiotics.There were no serious complications such as kidney hematoma,continuous high fever,continuous hematuria,ureteral stones jams.Conclusions ESWL.with X-ray localization had the advantage of low energy,minor injury,easy localization,uniform stone fragment,because of which it could reduce the complications such as continuity fever,ureter stone james,continuious hematuria.ESWL with X-ray localization could be preferred treatment for upper urinary calculi with diameters between 10 to 20 mm.