Objective To assess the prenatal features of dural sinus malformation (DSM) by ultrasound. Methods The prenatal ultrasonography and MRI examination were applied in three fetuses who were suspected as brain abnormalities and transferred to Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital for detailed antenatal ultrasound examination. Comparative analysis was performed on MRI, autopsy and prenatal ultrasonography. The prenatal characteristics were summarized. Results In the sonograms of all three cases, the torcular Herophili and superior sagittal sinus were dilated. No blood lfow was detected within or around lesions by color Doppler imaging. Posterior intracranial dual sinus thrombosis was detected in one case. MRI examinations were applied in two fetuses. The results of prenatal ultrasonography were consisted with those of MRI, MRI imaging showed dilated torcular Herophili and superior sagittal sinus with short T1 and short T2 signal. The thrombosis was presented as iso-hypointense with focal eccentric hyperintense. One case was undertook autopsy and the result was consisted with the prenatal sonographic findings. Conclusions The typical sonographic features of DSM is dilated torcular Herophili and superior sagittal sinus with no blood lfow in color Doppler imaging. DSM should be excluded when anechoic area was detected at the rear part of midline.

BACKGROUNDBecause of lacking skills in scanning the normal fetal facial structures and their corresponding ultrasonic features, misdiagnoses frequently occur. Therefore, we studied the appearance features and improved displaying skills of fetal facial anatomy in order to provide basis for prenatal diagnosis.

METHODSTwenty fetuses with normal facial anatomy from induced labor because of other malformations except facial anomalies were immersed in a water bath and then scanned ultrasonographically on coronal, sagittal and transverse planes to define the ultrasonic image features of normal anatomy. The coronal and sagittal planes obtained from the submandibular triangle were used for displaying the soft and hard palate in particular.

RESULTSFacial anatomic structures of the fetus can be clearly displayed through the three routine orthogonal planes. However, the soft and hard palate can be displayed on the planes obtained from the submandibular triangle only.

CONCLUSIONSThe superficial soft tissues and deep bony structures of the fetal face can be recognized and evaluated by routine ultrasonographic images, which is a reliable prenatal diagnostic technique to evaluate the fetal facial anatomy. The soft and hard palate can be well demonstrated by the submandibular triangle approach.

Face ; diagnostic imaging ; embryology ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ultrasonography

The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by various chromatographic techniques indluding silica gel, reverse phase silica gel, sephadex LH-20 and pre-HPLC and identified by their physicochemical properties and spectral data. Sixteen phenolic compounds had been isolated and n-butanol extracts which were fractionated from the ethanol extract of Oplopanax horridus roots bark. Their structures were identified as below, including 7 phenylpropanoid compounds, ferulic acid (1), 3-acetylcaffeic acid (2), caffeic acid (3), homovanillyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), 3-hydroxyphenethyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), 3, 5-dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), and 3-dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7). Three coumarins, scopoletin (8), esculetin (9) and 3'-angeloyl-4'-acetyl-cis-knellactone (10). And 6 lignan compounds, (+)-isolaricires-inol-9'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11), 3, 3'-dimethoxy-4, 9, 9'-trihydroxy-4', 7-epoxy-5', 8-lignan-4, 9-bis-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (12), (+)-5, 5'-dimethoxylariciresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (13), (-)-5,5'-dimethoxylariciresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (14), (-)-pinoresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (15), and (+)-5, 5'-dimethoxylariciresinol 9'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (16). All compounds were isolated and identified for the first time from this plant All the constituents except compounds 4, 6, 12 and 13 were obtained for the first time from the genus Oplopanax.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Oplopanax ; chemistry ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo study the value of prenatal ultrasound in the diagnosis of fetal malformations.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 993 cases of neonates and induced babies with malformations who were labored in our hospital from January 1999 to October 2006.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of fetal malformation was 22.5 per thousand in our study group. The detection rate of prenatal ultrasound was 79.02% (1 062/1 344), among which the detection rate of the severe malformations (87.58%, 860/982) were significantly higher than that of the minor malformations (55.80%, 202/362) (P < 0.005). The false negative rate was high for the extremity malformations (39.46%) and facial malformations (31.91%), especially the acrosclerodermas, simple cleft palates, and ear deformities.

CONCLUSIONPrenatal ultrasound is sensitive for fetal severe malformations, while the detection rate is low for fetal minor malformations.

Congenital Abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; False Negative Reactions ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to describe a new technique of combined hyoid bone and thyrohyoid membrane flap in laryngeal reconstruction after tumor resection, and to evaluate outcome.

METHODSSix patients requiring an frontal partial laryngectomy for cancer were enrolled between September 2008 and August 2012.

RESULTSNasogastric feeding was initiated within 24 hours. The mean times to swallow batter, ability to drink water and removal of the nasogastric tube were 2.6, 5.5 and 6.3 days. All patients had good respiratory function. There were no deaths, and no reports of postoperative dyspnea or dysphagia. The vocal quality was satisfactory, slightly deeper and raspy, and the volume was weak when calling. The final follow-up assessment was in August 2012, and the overall mean follow-up period was 29.5months, range 14 to 47 months. Case two subsequently underwent total laryngectomy for recurrence in the paraglottic space, but there was no evidence of further tumor recurrence at the final assessment.

CONCLUSIONSThe combined muscle-pedicle hyoid bone and thyrohyoid membrane flap is a reliable graft for one-stage repair of laryngotracheal defects, providing effective repair of the mucosa and cartilage support. Vocal quality, swallowing function and ventilation after the procedure were favorable.

Humans ; Hyoid Bone ; surgery ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Laryngectomy ; methods ; Laryngoplasty ; methods ; Larynx ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps

BACKGROUNDFetal brain development is a complicated process that continues throughout pregnancy. Fetal sulcus development has typical morphological features. Assessment of fetal sulcus development to understand the cortical maturation and development by prenatal ultrasound has become widespread. This study aimed to explore a reliable method to assess cortical sulcus and to describe the normal sonographic features of cortical sulcus development in the human fetus between 18 and 41 weeks of gestation.

METHODSA cross-sectional study was designed to examine the fetal cortical sulcus development at 18-41 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound was used to examine the insula, sylvian fissure (SF), parieto-occipital fissure (POF), and calcarine fissure (CF). Bland-Altman plots were used for assessing the concordance, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was used for assessing the reliability.

RESULTSSF images were successfully obtained in 100% of participants at 22 weeks of gestation, while the POF images and CF images could be obtained in 100% at 23 weeks of gestation and 24 weeks of gestation, respectively. The SF width, temporal lobe depth, POF depth, and the CF depth increased with the developed gestation. The width of uncovered insula and the POF angle decreased with the developed gestation. By 23 weeks of gestation, the insula was beginning to be covered. Moreover, it completed at 35 weeks of gestation. The intra- and inter-observer agreements showed consistent reproducibility.

CONCLUSIONSThis study defined standard views of the fetal sulcus as well as the normal reference ranges of these sulcus measurements between 18 and 41 weeks of gestation. Such ultrasonographic measurements could be used to identify fetuses at risk of fetal neurological structural disorders.

Adult ; Brain ; embryology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Fetal Development ; physiology ; Fetus ; embryology ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the underlying mechanisms of cyclovirobuxinum D (Cvb-D) on alleviating cardiac hypertrophy in rats.

METHODSSprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group; levothyroxine-induced cardiac hypertrophy group (model); levothyroxine-induced cardiac hypertrophy + Cvb-D group (Cvb-D); levothyroxine-induced cardiac hypertrophy + captopril group (captopril); levothyroxine-induced cardiac hypertrophy + SB203580 group (SB203580), n=10 for each group. Rats were daily administered the respective drugs continuously for14 days by gastric gavage. A rat model of cardiac hypertrophy was established by intraperitoneal injection of levothyroxine to investigate whether Cvb-D protects against cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and preventing apoptosis of cardiac cells.

RESULTSTreatment with Cvb-D significantly deceased left ventricle hypertrophy, improved the histopathology, hemodynamic conditions, and cardiac function in rats with cardiac hypertrophy. Compared with the normal control group, in rats with cardiac hypertrophy, expression of bax in the heart and phospho-p38 MAPK protein levels were significantly up-regulated (P<0.01 or 0.05), whereas the bcl-2 protein level was down-regulated (P<0.01). In contrast, Cvb-D treatment reversed the changes in bax and phospho-p38 MAPK protein levels but increased the bcl-2 protein level (P<0.01 or 0.05), and these effects were similar to those of captopril and SB203580 (a specific p38MAPK inhibitor) treatment. Furthermore, both Cvb-D, captopril and SB203580 reduced mRNA expression of p38α, p38β, c-fos, and c-jun mRNA, and Cvb-D had a stronger effect (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThese results demonstrate that Cvb-D protects against cardiac hypertrophy, which is possibly mediated by prevention of cardiac cell apoptosis and inhibition of the p38MAPK signaling pathway.

Objective: To explore the application and efficacy of paclitaxel liposome in the treatment of advanced breast cancer among Chinese population in the real world. Methods: The clinical characteristics of patients with advanced breast cancer who received paclitaxel liposome as salvage treatment from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2019 in 11 hospitals were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was progression free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcome included objective response rate (ORR) and safety. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox regression model were used for the multivariate analysis. Results: Among 647 patients with advanced breast cancer who received paclitaxel liposome, the first-line treatment accounted for 43.3% (280/647), the second-line treatment accounted for 27.7% (179/647), and the third-line and above treatment accounted for 29.1% (188/647). The median dose of first-line and second-line treatment was 260 mg per cycle, and 240 mg in third line and above treatment. The median period of paclitaxel liposome alone and combined chemotherapy or targeted therapy is 4 cycles and 6 cycles, respectively. In the whole group, 167 patients (25.8%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with capecitabine±trastuzumab (TX±H), 123 patients (19.0%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome alone (T), and 119 patients (18.4%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with platinum ± trastuzumab (TP±H), 108 patients (16.7%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with trastuzumab ± pertuzumab (TH±P). The median PFS of first-line and second-line patients (5.5 and 5.5 months, respectively) were longer than that of patients treated with third line and above (4.9 months, P<0.05); The ORR of the first line, second line, third line and above patients were 46.7%, 36.8% and 28.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that event-free survival (EFS) and the number of treatment lines were independent prognostic factors for PFS. The common adverse events were myelosuppression, gastrointestinal reactions, hand foot syndrome and abnormal liver function. Conclusion: Paclitaxel liposomes is widely used and has promising efficacy in multi-subtype advanced breast cancer.
Humans ; Female ; Breast Neoplasms/chemically induced* ; Paclitaxel/adverse effects* ; Liposomes/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Trastuzumab/therapeutic use* ; Capecitabine/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects*