The dietary composition of inhabitants of the endemic and nonendemic areas, the epidemics of Keshan disease, and its clinical examinations from 14 counties in Heilongjiang, Hebei, Shanxi, Shantong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan and Xizhang provinces were investigated.The results revealed: (1) There were differences of the dietary sources between endemic and non-endemic inhabitants (difference of water-soil conditions); (2) The composition of diet between inhabitants of endemic and non-endemic areas were different; (3) There were differences of dietary composition of the inhabitants between peak year of incidence and ordinary year in endemic districts. The less the variety of diet the higher the incidence of the disease; the greater the variety of diet, the lower its incidence. The decrease of the incidence was closely related to the improvement of dietary conditions in endemic area.

This article presents a discriminant equation for distinguishing children with Keshan disease from normals. The stepwise regressive discriminant equation is established by means of 10 variables including sex, age, and eight-element contents in hair based on 23 patients and 23 normal subjects. Variables finally entered to the discriminant equation are Mn, Cu, Zn, Ca, sex, and age as follows;Y = - 0.89 + 0.09XCu + O.OlXAn- 0.23XMn + 0.48XCa + 0.38Xsex- 0.05XageBy resubstitution test 95.7% accuracy is obtained. Applying the equation to the population (n=247) of endemic and non-endemic area, the accuracy of non-endemic is 100%. Thus, the equation may provide a basis for predicting endemic area or patients with Keshan disease.

This article reported the results of eight series of animal experiments. In each series, the rats were divided into two groups: the experimental group was fed on corns and vegetables from endemic districts; the control group, from non-endemic districts. The composition of the foodstuffs was the same in the two groups. 375 albino rats were used in the experimental group, and 315 rats in the control group. The observation period was 8-13 weeks.The results showed that the incidence of myocardionecrosis had increased, the heart weight was comparatively larger, the mortality rate was higher, growth was stunted and the weights of the thymus and brown fat were lower than those of controls. The differences between experimental and control groups were stastistically singnificant. Such difference was not due to the composition of foodstuffs, but was closely related to the districts, from where the corns and vegetables were obtained. The results of these eight series of experiments were similar, and with very good reproducibility. It seemed that there were some myocardiac necroti-zing and growth inhibition factors in the corns and vegetables from the Keshan disease endemic districts.

The effects of manganese on selenium content and glutathione peroxidaseactivity in blood and myocardium, and on selenium excretion in growing ratswere studied to ferret out the interaction of the two essential trace elements.Manganese dichloride (40mg/kg of MnCl2.4H2O) was administered daily to a group of 17 rats for 35 days intraperitoneally. An obvious increase in manganese content in serum and myocardium was induced. However, selenium levels in the two tissues of manganese-treated rats were significantly lower than the controls. From the 14th day on, glutathione peroxidase activities in whole blood of manganese-treated rats were below the controls, and on the 35th day, the activities of the selenium-containing enzyme in blood and myocardium were reduced by 29.33% (P

In this study, the effects of overvitamin D on cardiac lesions and the protective effects of zinc on them were studied. The results showed that cardiac MDA and calcium were significantly increased and cardiac lesions were characterized by nonspecial focal necrosis, accompaning with myofib-eral and interstitial calcification. Zinc could remarkably decrease cardiac MDA and calcium and the cardiac lesions were also much milder. It suggested that cardiac lesions induced by overvitamin D related to both cardiac lipid peroxide and calcium overload. It might be concluded that zinc could protect heart from overvitamin D intoxication.

In the present study, the effects of adriamycin on antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase(SOD), and cardiac lesions were studied, furthermore, the protective influence of supplementation of copper and/or zinc on cardiac toxicity induced by adriamycin were investigated. Fourty four wistar rats weighing 130-160g were randomly divided into I-IV groups. All animals were fed on basic ration. The group I was given zinc sulphate 0.60mg/kg weight intraperitoneally once every third day for 49 days. The group I was given zinc 0.60mg + copper carbonate 0.14mg/kg weight intraperitoneally once every third day for 49 days. Groups I and I were given adriamycin 12mg/kg weight intraperitoneally. Group I was given adriamycin 12mg/kg weight intraperitoneally. Group IV was given physiological saline. The results suggested that the activities of GSH-Px and SOD were significantly decreased and cardiac lesions were characterized by numerous intracellular vesicles formed by dilation of the sarco-plasmic reticulum and lysis of myofiber accompanied by focal necrosis in group III. The activities of GSH-Px and SOD were apparently higher and cardiac lesions were much milder in the groups I and II, compared with those in the group VI.It may be concluded that trace elements (zinc and copper) can exert protective effects on cardiac lesions induced by adriamycin. Comparatively, much better results were observed in group I than that in group I.

Objective To explore CT features of simple renal adipose capsule herniation (SRACH)and discuss its classification. Methods CT data of 1 8 patients with SRACH were retrospectively analyzed.Results All of the 1 8 cases occurred on the left side. SRACH could be divided into two types,thoracic and extrapleural.XGray films were negative in 1 7 cases,and 1 case in the lateral chest radiograph showed the hilly shadow in the posterior costal phrenic area.The results of CT detections presented as round,oval,and fusiform fat density masses on the paraspinal or posterior phrenic angle area with smooth margins,which extended downward to the diaphragm and were linked to the perinephric fat.Conclusion MSCT can clearly show the location of SRACH,the shape,size and density of the hernia sac,and the relationship with the renal adipose capsule,which may be helpful in confirming the diagnosis.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma on visual evoked potential (VEP).

METHODSVEP of 63 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were tested before, at the end of, half a year, one year, 2 years and 3 years after their radiotherapy.

RESULTSWithin the male group, one year after radiotherapy, the latency of VEP was significantly delayed than that before and at the end of radiotherapy, while the amplitude was decreased significantly. Two years after radiotherapy, the latency of VEP was significantly delayed more than that before radiotherapy. However there was no significant difference among VEP at the end of, half a year and 3 years after radiotherapy. Within the female group, 2 years after radiotherapy, the latency of VEP was significantly delayed than that before radiotherapy. Three years after radiotherapy, the latency of VEP was significantly delayed than that before, at the end of, half a year and one year after radiotherapy. There was no significant difference in VEP amplitudes before and after radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONWithin the male group, the abnormal delay of VEP latency mostly happens one or two years after radiotherapy. Within the female group, the significant delay of VEP latency happens at the end of radiotherapy and lasts for 3 years, while the VEP amplitude does not change significantly during the 3 years after radiotherapy. The result indicates that the sustained radiation damage within the female visual nerve system starts at the end of radiotherapy, but to a lesser degree. It was shown that radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma certainly damages the visual nerve system, though there is sex difference in the impairment.

Adult ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; radiation effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Sex Factors ; Time Factors

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence,antibiotic characteristics as well as molecular background of community-associated methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) from patients with skin and sofi tissue infections from 4 different hospitals in Beijing.MethodsFive hundred and one patients were enrolled from 4 hospitals prospectively.Patients with skin and soft tissue infections and no risk factors for healthcare-associated acquisition were included.Sample from the infection sites were collected for culture.Case report form was filled out for each patient.Antibiotic susceptibility test and molecular analysis was performed for each Staphylococcus aureus isolate.ResultsTotally 164 Staphylococcus aureus isolates were cultured from the patients with skin and soft tissue infections.Of them 5 isolates were CA-MRSA.These 5 CA-MRSA isolates harbored SCCmec Ⅰ, SCCmec Ⅲ, SCCmec Ⅳ,SCCmec Ⅴ and untypable,respectively.CA-MRSA was highly resistant to β-lactamase,levofloxacin,erythromycin and clindamycin,but susceptible to vancomycin,teicoplanin,linezolid,daptomycin,and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.Prevalence of PVL in community-associated methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus(CA-MSSA) and CA-MRSA were 41.9％ and 2/5.Other toxins expressed similarly between them.Combined with multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa typing,the major clones of CA-MSSA were ST398-t034,ST7-t796,ST398-t571,ST1t127,and ST188-t189,while in CA-MRSA were ST239-t037-SCCmec Ⅰ,ST239-t632-SCCmecⅢ,ST59-t437-SCCmecV,ST8-t008-SCCmecⅣ,and ST6-t701-NT.ConclusionsThe low prevalence of CA-MRSA in Beijing and complexity of the genetic background in CA-MRSA were observed.Clone spread is not found among CA-MRSAisolates.CA-MRSAexhibithigher resistancecomparedwithmethicillinsensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).Rational drug use scheme is called in the clinical practice to prevent development of high level resistance.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate the intergrader and intragrader reliability of human graders and an automated algorithm for vertical cup-disc ratio (CDR) grading in colour fundus photographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two-hundred fundus photographs were selected from a database of 3000 photographs of patients screened at a tertiary ophthalmology referral centre. The graders included glaucoma specialists (n = 3), general ophthalmologists (n = 2), optometrists (n = 2), family physicians (n = 2) and a novel automated algorithm (AA). In total, 2 rounds of CDR grading were held for each grader on 2 different dates, with the photographs presented in random order. The CDR values were graded as 0.1-1.0 or ungradable. The grading results of the 2 senior glaucoma specialists were used as the reference benchmarks for comparison. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient values ranged from 0.37-0.74 and 0.47-0.97 for intergrader and intragrader reliability, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the human graders' level of reliability and their years of experience in grading CDR ( = 0.91). The area under the curve (AUC) value of the AA was 0.847 (comparable to AUC value of 0.876 for the glaucoma specialist). Bland Altman plots demonstrated that the AA's performance was at least comparable to a glaucoma specialist. CONCLUSION The results suggest that AA is comparable to and may have more consistent performance than human graders in CDR grading of fundus photographs. This may have potential application as a screening tool to help detect asymptomatic glaucoma-suspect patients in the community.