Objective To compare laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) with open appendectomy (OA) in the treatment of appendicitis complicating gangrene,perforation and abscess in children.Methods This study included 614 consecutively admitted patients with acute complicated appendicitis undergoing laparoscopic (267 cases) or open (347 cases) appendectomy.Clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups in relation to operative time,length of hospital stay,postoperative complications and in hospital cost. Results There was no mortality.Conversion to open surgery was necessary in 7 patients in LA group.Laparoscopic appendectomy was associated with a shorter hospital stay (4.6 d vs.8.1 d,P =0.00),lower incidence of wound infection(5.3％ vs.12.8％,P =0.03),less bowel obstruction(5.0％vs.10.0％,P =0.04) and nosocomial infection (9.7％ vs.18.3％,P =0.04).Intra-abdominal abscess formation was significantly higher after laparoscopic surgery (4.1％ vs.1.1％,P =0.04 ).The cost of treatment and operative time were higher in the laparoscopic group than in open appendectomy,however,there was no statistically significant difference. Conclusions Laparoscopic technique is a safe and clinically beneficial operative procedure for complicated appendicitis in children with short hospital stay,early recovery,good cosmetic appearance,and low complication rate,except for a higher incidence of intraabdominal abscess.

Objeetive To investigate the retired elderly patients who had traditional Chinese medicine for preventing cardio-vascular disease and their complications for providing the best possible care.Methods Forty-eight retired elderly patients who had been given the infusion of traditional Chinese medicine for preventing the cardio-vascular disease over two years were analyzed.Results The finance,individual choice and social influences were the three major factors for the retired elderly people to choose traditional Chinese medicine for preventing cardiovascular diseases.In forty-eight patients of the study,100％ of them had secure medical insurance and they did not have any worries with the finance.93.75％ of them positively agreed with the treatment.91.67％ of them supported the idea use of the traditional Chinese medicine to promote the health and had the positive influence on the society.Conclusion Financial reasons,individual preference and social influences are the main factors to affect the retired elderly patient's choice of having traditional Chinese medicine to prevent cardiovascular disease.Our health care system for the retired elderly people has ensured the compliance of the treatment.With the increased awareness of the importance of the health,the traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used to prevent the occurrence of the cardio-vascular disease.

Objective To observe the effects of nerve impulses on the expression of carbonic anhydrase Ⅲ ( CAⅢ ) and its phosphatase activity, and to explore whether or not the cause of CAⅢ expressive decreased in skeletal muscles of myasthenia gravis( MG) is resulted from the obstruction of nerve impulse.Methods The motor nerves of extensor digitorum longus (EDL, mainly composed by fast fibers) and soleus (Sol, mainly composed by slow fibers) were cut off by operation of denervation.Levels and phosphatase activities of CAⅢ were analyzed at 7, 14, 28, and 56 d after denervation by Western blot and specific enzyme staining on the membrane following SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, respectively.Results (1) Levels of CAⅢ in Sol of normal side (eg denervated contralateral) were much higher than that in EDL of normal side, and the levels in both Sol and EDL had an enhanced tendency with time (age) increase, especially for Sol.After denervation, the levels of CAⅢ in EDL were gradual increased, however, the level in Sol was 14 d after denervation as the boundary of ascension and then decline.( 2) The phosphatase activities of CAⅢ in Sol of normal sides were much higher than that in EDL of normal sides, and there were an enhanced tendency with time (age) increase in Sol, but no significant changes were found in EDL The enzyme activities in denervated Sol were lower(in the 14, 28, and 56 days after denervation: 14.39 ±1.93, 11.48 ±1.46, 9.04 ±1.46) much than their contralaterals(22.75 ± 1.80, 25.26 ±3.15, 25.82 ± 2.97; t = 0.002, 0.005, 0.002, all P ＜ 0.05), the enzyme activities in denervated EDL were also lower than their contralaterals, however, no significant differences were found.(3)It was consistent for CAⅢ levels and phosphatase activities in both Sol and EDL of normal sides.After denervation, however, the deviation of the CAⅢ levels and phosphatase activities happened, the levels of CAⅢ were increased, but the phosphatase activities were decreased.Conclusions The effect of nerve impulse transferring obstructed by denervation on CAⅢ expression of skeletal muscles is different from that by MG auto-antibody.The decrease of CAⅢ protein in the MG muscles may be not resulted from the nerve impulse transferring obstructed by MG auto-antibody.

Objective To investigate the effect of hydroxyethyl starch (HES 130/0. 4) on the expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP-1) and liver injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).Methods Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: Sham, SAP, and HES;each group was divided into 6 hour and 24 hour timepoints, with 8 in each subgroup. An SAP model was induced by injecting 5% sodium taurodeoxycholate into the biliary pancreatic duct. AMY, ALT,AST and water content in the liver were measured and TNF-a was examined by ELISA, and the expression of liver AQP-1mRNA was determined by RT-PCR, and the expression of liver AQP-Ⅰ protein was evaluated by immunohistochemical methods. Results Compared with the Sham group, the level of AMY, ALT, AST, TNF-a, water content, AQP-1mRNA and AQP-1 protein increased significantly in the SAP group (P＜0.05). Compared with the SAP group, the level of AMY, ALT, AST,TNF-a, water content, AQP-1mRNA and AQP-1 protein decreased significantly in the HES group (P＜0.05). At 6 hours, the expressions of liver AQP-1mRNA were (0. 402 ± 0. 023), (0. 811 ±0. 032) and (0. 595 ± 0. 015) in the Sham, SAP, and HES groups, respectively; at 24 hours, they were(0. 412 ± 0. 017), ( 0. 823 ± 0. 029) and (0. 607 ± 0. 021 ), with significant differences between each group (P＜0. 05). At 6 hours, the expressions of liver AQP-1 proteins were (2.07±0.25),(6.90±0.38)and (4.48±0.29) in the Sham, SAP and HES groups, respectively;at 24 hours, they were (2. 32±0. 31 ), (7. 04 ± 0. 32) and (4. 56 ± 0. 35), with significant differences between each group (P＜0. 05). Compared with the SAP group, the pathology of the pancreas and liver ameliorated significantly in the HES group. Conclusions Hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 may ameliorate liver injury of severe acute pancreatitis and alleviate the capillary leak. AQP-1 may play a role in the capillary leak caused by the liver injury of severe acute pancreatitis.

Objective To explore the ultrasonic diagnosis of fetal cleft palate.Methods By applying coronal,sagittal and transverse planes to scan the fetal facial anatomy routinely, 2125 pregnant women with 20 odd weeks′ gestation were examined.Results Complete cleft palate was diagnosed in 4 cases by ultrasonography, all of which were accompanied with complete cleft lip and alveolar process.Incomplete cleft palate were missed in 2 cases.Conclusions Complete cleft palate is accompanied mostly with cleft alveolar process and complete cleft lip, and cleft palate can be found out through cleft alveolar process.To those fetuses without cleft lip or with incomplete cleft lip,their palate cannot be explored by ultrasound,and their cleft palate cannot be displayed.

Objective: The experiment was designed to study the effects of compound Konjac glucomannan on hyperlipidemia for the purpose of improving the therapeutic efficacy. Method: First, hyperlipidemia rat models were established. Then the effects of compound Konjac glucomannan and Konjac glucomannan on blood lipids levels and hepatic tissue morphous of rats were detected. Result; The compound Konjac glucomannan could decrease LDL-C and ApoB levels of serum TC significantly, while notably increase HDL-C and ApoA-1 levels. The result also shows that compound Konjac glucomannan could obviously improve the TG metabolism and decrease blood glucose concentration. The morphologic observation indicates that both Konjac glucomannan and flavonids could protect liver tissues of rats. Conclusion; Compound Konjac glucomannan could improve regulative ability of lipids metabolism and decrease serum lipids levels.

Bacillus anthracis , the aetiological agent of anthrax, was the first discovered pathogenic bacterium in history Rapid progresses have been made on this field in recent years, especially; Bacillus anthracis has been sequenced successesfully early this year and published on the Internet The anthrax pathogenesis is always central to the study and there has been an enormous amount of work to elucidate it In this review, we will focus on the latest findings that concern three aspects of anthrax pathogenesis: Bacillus anthracis genome, pathogenic substances and pathogenesis mechanism

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is one of major candidate genes with genetic susceptibility to stroke. However, its correlation with stroke remains controversial. The relationship between gene polymorphism and stroke also cannot be determined. A specific branch in the ACE phylogenic tree may replace the insertion/deletion polymorphic site as a risk marker of stroke for association study.

Objective To investigate the expression of CD35 on erythrocyte membrane and the changes of serum inflammatory cytokines in children with recurrent respiratory tract infection (RRTI) and their relation to zinc therapy. Methods One hundred and sixteen RRTI children including 82 cases of upper respiratory tract infection and 34 cases of lower respiratory tract infection were enrolled in the study;40 children with acute respiratory infection and 50 healthy children were randomly selected as the controls. The expression of CD35 on erythrocyte membrane, positive rate of circulating immune complex (CIC), IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were detected. Sixty-eight RRTI children with hypozincemia were randomly divided into zinc treatment group ( n = 38) and control group ( n = 30). The above parameters were detected at the end of the treatment and 12 weeks after the treatment. Results The expression of CD35 on erythrocyte membrane was significantly lower in RRTI children ( upper respiratory group and lower respiratory group) than that in healthy controls ( t=6.17 and 6.46, P <0.01 ). CIC-pesitive rate and the contents of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were increased in RRTI children, especially in those with lower respiratory tract infections. Compared with the children of acute respiratory infections, the expression of CD35on erythrocyte memhrane was much lower in RRTI children in the remission stage ( t = 20. 307, P < 0.01 ). The above parameters were improved in RRTI children who received zinc treatment. Conclusions Down-regulation of CD35, insufficient elimination of CIC, excessive production of serum IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were observed in RRTI children, which might be the immunopathologic mechanism of the repeated infection. These indexes can be improved after zinc treatment.

BACKGROUND:A number of studies have been conducted on the prevention of enamel demineralization in orthodontic treatment, but no work has been carried out on the comparative studies addressing manual toothbrush, orthodontic fur V brush and interdental brush. OBJECTIVE:To compare the efficacy of manual toothbrush, orthodontic fur V brush and interdental brush on enamel decalcification during orthodontic treatment. METHODS:Adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years old, were randomly and averagely divided into three groups: manual toothbrush, orthodontic fur V brush, and interdental brush groups. Enamel decalcification index and augmenter of enamel decalcification index were examined and calculated by the same orthodontist before treatment and 1 year later. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no statistical difference in the enamel decalcification index among the three groups at the beginning (P > 0.05). After 1 year of treatment, the enamel decalcification index of each group was higher than that at the beginning (P < 0.05); the enamel decalcification index and augmenter of enamel decalcification index in the three groups were ranked as folows: orthodontic Fur V toothbrush group < manual toothbrush < interdental toothbrush group , and there was a statistical significant difference among the three groups (P < 0.05). Orthodontic fur V brush is proved to have advantages over manual toothbrush and interdental brush in the respect of controling enamel decalcification, and interdental brush has no good effect on preventing enamel demineralization while it is used alone.