Objective To determine the proportion and the clinical value of the thymus extending superiorly into the lower neck in children.Methods The MR images of 400 normal children were retrospectively reviewed.According to the childhood staging criteria.all children were divided into four groups:the infancy and toddlerhood group(0-3 yo,42),the pre-school age group(>3-6 yo,87),the school age group(>6-12 yo,168),and the adolescence group(>12-18 yo,103).The presence or absence of the superior extension of the thymus above the manubrium Was determined on sagittal T2-weighted images.If so,the distance between manubrium and thymic apex was measured.The associations between frequency of ccrvicaI extension and age and sex were evaluated using correlation analysis.Results Superior extension of the thymus was detected in 288(288/400,72.0%)children,with 39(39/42,92.9%)in the infancy and toddlerhood group,72(72/87,82.8%)in the pre-school age group,118(118/168,70.0%)in the school age group,and 59(59/103)in the adolescence group(57.3%).There Was a statistically significant relationship between age group and frequency of cervical extension of the thymus (X2=4.9684,P<0.05).There was no significant decreasing trend in the mean distance of cervical extension between age increasing groups(F=2.28,P>0.05).Conclusions Cervical extension of the thymus occurs in the majority of children,and should be considered as a normal finding.Through recognizing this finding,doctors can avoid misdiagnosing it as a pathologic mass.

The morbility of depression in epilepsy patients is relatively high,and children and adolescents are the main population of epilepsy.Because of the specific physical and mental development in children and adolescents,the incidence and medication in these population have their own characteristics.This paper reviews the research progress of the effects,causes,features,and interventions of epilepsy combined with depression in children and adolescents.

Quality standard research of pieces of Chinese crude drugs is the important content of research of Chinese medicine processing, and it is also the key point of the whole standardization system of Chinese medicine. Although we have set up a preliminary quality standard system of pieces of Chinese crude drugs, it still under a low level. During the research of quality standard of pieces of Chinese crude drugs, we still face some problems, such as how to set up a more comprehensive, scientific, and reasonable quality standard. In this paper, we proposed some advices that we should pay more attention to traditional processing theories, processing mechanisms and effective substances during research of quality standard research of pieces of Chinese crude drugs.

[Objective]To study the effect of tibial diaphyseal lengthening on the longitudinal growth of the tibia.[Method]Rabbit models of tibial diaphyseal lengthening and tibial osteotomy were established.Standard radiography of the tibia was taken and the length of the tibia was measured.Histology of the proximal and distal tibia was made and the thickness of the growth plate was measured.[Result]Tibial osteotomy alone stimulated the longitudinal growth of the tibia and increased the thickness of the growth plate.However,tibial diaphyseal lengthening suppressed this stimulation resulting in natural longitudinal growth and normal thickness of the growth plate that matched the normal side.[Conclusion]Diaphyseal lengthening of tibia does not inhibit the longitudinal growth of the tibia.

OBJECTIVE:To probe into the situation and trend of cardiovascular Chinese patent medicine in our hospital.METHODS:The utilization of 10 kinds of cardiovascular Chinese patent medicine in our hospital from 2007 to 2009 was analyzed statistically in respect of consumption sum,proportion of drug use and utilization frequency,etc.RESULTS:Consumption sum of 10 kinds of cardiovascular Chinese patent medicine increased year by year with capsule as main dosage form.The DDDs,DDC and sequence ratio of cardiovascular Chinese patent medicine indicated most of drugs were characterized with high utilization frequency and low price.CONCLUSION:The utilization of cardiovascular Chinese patent medicine is rational and widespread with great advantage.Pharmaceutical enterprises should develop more safe,effective and economical cardiovascular Chinese patent medicine.

BACKGROUND: With the development of nanotechnology, a new system for the delivery of drugs by magnetic nanovectors has been proposed. Within a magnetic field, the system can implement site-specific drug administration, thereby raising drug concentration at the lesion focus, elevate therapeutic effects, and reduce side effects.OBJECTIVE: To study the preparation of magnetic poly D, L-lactide-co-glycolic acid phenylarsine oxide nanoparticles (M-PLGA-PAO-NPs) and to evaluate characteristics of the prepared nanoparticles.DESIGN: Several factors influencing nanoparticle characteristics were selected for single-factor tests. Then, according to experimental results, and in conjunction with orthogonally designed statistics, the optimized prescription was obtained. SETTING: Department of Special Diagnosis, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: The study was performed at the Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from January 2005 to March 2006. The reagents used were as follows: phenylarsine oxide (Sigma, USA), poly D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (Shandong Medical Apparatus Institute, China), ferroso-ferric oxide (nanometer, Sigma, USA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA1788, Beijing Organic Chemical Industry Plant, China). Methylene dichloride and other agents were all analytical grade and purchased from Shanghai Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd, China.METHODS: M-PLGA-PAO-NPs were prepared through an emulsion-evaporation process. Nanoparticle shape was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Magnetism was determined by a vibrating sample magnetometer. The size and diametral distribution of nanoparticles were determined by a laser particle size analyzer. The encapsulation ratio and drug loading of phenylarsine were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The percentage of phenylarsine oxide release in vitro was calculated [the percentage of phenylarsine oxide release in vitro =(total dose of phenylarsine oxide-residual dose of phenylarsine oxide)/ total dose of phenylarsine oxide].MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The shape, size, drug loading, encapsulation ratio and release in vitro of M-PLGA-PAO-NPs.RESULTS: The prepared nanoparticles had an average encapsulation ratio of 34.2%. Drug loading of 5 batches of nanoparticles was 3.06%, 3.15%, 3.18%, 3.21%, and 3.41%, respectively, with an average drug loading of 3.20%. Drug loading difference was small between batches, indicating good stability and reproducibility of the technology. M-PLGA-PAO-NPs were spherical, smooth, evenly distributed and non-adhesive. Ferrosoferric oxide microparticles, which exhibited unevenly dispersed black opacities, were found in the magnetic microparticles. Nanoparticles were in a narrow size range, with an average diameter of 290 nm (range 140-500 nm). When the magnitude and the direction of the outside magnetic field were changed, nanoparticles showed different intensities of magnetization. This indicated that M-PLGA-PAO-NPs had a certain magnetic response. The in vitro nanoparticle-release curve indicated that drug release was initially fast followed by a slow controlled release, and on day 8, it was basically stable.CONCLUSION:The experiment acquires a satisfactory technique for preparation of M-PLGA-PAO-NPs. The prepared M-PLGA-PAO-NPs were well targeted and exhibited slowly controlled drug release effects.

Objective 4-Hydroxyisoleucine (4-HIL) is the active component isolated from the seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum. It exerts broad pharmacological effects such as anti-hyperglycemia,blood lipid lowing,improvement of insulin resistance,etc. As the Chinese traditional medicine,it can be used clinically in treating many diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia,metabolic syndrome,fatty liver and other diseases. Here the current research status and application prospect on 4-Hydroxyisoleucine were summarized.

Objective To investigate the adjustment effect of microRNA-155 on CD4+CD25+ regulative T cell (Treg) in peripheral blood of sepsis patients,and to elucidate the role of miR-155 in the pathogenesis of sepsis.Methods A retrospective study was corducted.60 sepsis patients (mild n =20,moderate n=20,and severe n =20)from emergency room or intensive care unit (ICU) of the Fourth Hospital of Jiangsu University were enrolled.20 healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls.Real-time fluorescent quantitation polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the levels of miR-155 and Foxp3 mRNA expressions in peripheral blood.CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in peripheral blood were identified by flow cytometry.Peripheral interleukin-10 (IL-10) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results The expressions of miR-155,Treg,Foxp3 mRNA and the level of IL-10were higher in the patients with sepsis than those in healthy control group [Treg:(2.89 ± 1.13)％ vs.(2.32 ± 0.91)％,t=10.540,P=0.002; miR-155:1.19 ±0.48 vs.0.80 ±0.33,t=8.605,P=0.006; Foxp3 mRNA:0.18 ±0.08 vs.0.13 ±0.03,t=6.862,P=0.008; IL-10 (ng/L):56.89 ± 17.28 vs.33.24 ± 11.93,t=12.742,P=0.001].These variables were elevated gradually with the elevation of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ)score.The expressions of Treg,miR-155,Foxp3 mRNA and the level of IL-10 were (3.05 ± 1.21)％,1.36 ± 0.79,0.21 ±0.10,(62.82 ±21.38) ng/L in severe sepsis group; they were (2.86 ±0.88)％,1.25 ±0.56,0.17 ±0.08,(56.38 ± 19.65) ng/L in moderate group; they were (2.61 ± 0.87)％,0.94 ± 0.52,0.15 ± 0.05,(45.43 ± 14.40) ng/L in mild group.The values showed significant statistical difference among the mild,moderate and severe sepsis groups (all P＜0.01).Above values were significandy higher in non-survival group than those in survival group [Treg:(3.46 ±1.53)％ vs.(2.85 ± 1.03)％,t=14.250,P=0.005; miR-155:1.41 ±0.85 vs.1.16 ±0.76,t=11.875,P=0.006;Foxp3 mRNA:0.24 ± 0.11 vs.0.17 ± 0.09,t=8.795,P=0.001 ; IL-10 (ng/L):65.47 ± 23.58 vs.51.70 ± 16.86,t=16.313,P=0.001].The expression of miR-155 was positively correlated with the expression of CD4+CD25+ Treg and Foxp3 mRNA (r1=0.635,P1=0.007; r2=0.671,P2=0.005).Conclusion The result of this study suggest that miR-155 is involved in the cell proliferation regulation of CD4 +CD25 + Treg cells,and play some role in the immunological dissonance in sepsis.

Objective To investigate the relationship between brain natriuretic peptide ( BNP)/ N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide ( NT-proBNP) and New York Heart Association ( NYHA) classification, left ventricular structure and function, and explore the value of BNP/ NT-proBNP in the diagnosis of heart failure in the elderly. Methods Fifty-five elder patients with heart failure were selected (NYHA II, n = 15; NYHA III, n = 25; NYHA IV, n = 15) (heart failure group), and another 16 elder people with NYHA I were served as control group. The plasma mass concentrations of NT-proBNP and BNP were detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and immunofluorescence method, respectively, and the structure and function of left ventricle were examined by echocardiography. Results The levels of plasma BNP and NT-proBNP increased with NYHA grades, were negatively correlated with LVEF (P <0.001), and were positively correlated with LVST, LVEDD, LAD and LVMI( P < 0.05). The area under the curve of BNP in diagnosis of heat failure was 0. 879 (P < 0.001), and that of NT-proBNP was 0.914(P < 0.001). Conclusion Both plasma BNP and NT-proBNP can be used to evaluate the heart function of patients with heart failure, and are useful tools for diagnosis of HF in the elderly.

Comorbid depression and chronic pain are highly prevalent in individuals suffering from physical illness .Here, we critically examine that inflammation is the possible mechanism of comorbidity of pain and depression .These mechanisms include direct effects of cytokines on the neuronal environment or indirect effects via downregulation of G protein -coupled receptor kinase 2, activation of the tryptophan-degrading enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase that generates toxic kynurenine metabolites .We review the role of in-flammation in the mechanism of the commorbidity of depression and pain .