Objective T o prom ote the further research on body stature estim ation and the innovative ap-plications based on the distances betw een the anatom ical landm arks on body torso surface. Methods A specification for the collection of distances betw een the anatom ical landm arks on body torso surface w as established. T he data of 933 cases of adult population in Y angtze R iver D elta region w ere collected. M ultiple linear regression m ethod w as used to statistical analyse and establish the regression equation of stature estim ation. Results A regression equation about 5 variables including gender (x1), cervical verte-brae-coccyx line (x2), sterna-pubis line (x3), distance betw een acrom ion and iliospinale anterius (x4) and shoulder breadth (x5), and stature (y) w as established, y=105.406+5.414 x1+0.436 x2+0.286 x3+0.225 x4+0.193 x5. Conclusion T he m ethod is suitable for the rapid, sim ple and accurate estim ation of stature for the forensic experts.

OBJECTIVES: To promote the further research on body stature estimation and the innovative applications based on the distances between the anatomical landmarks on body torso surface. METHODS: A specification for the collection of distances between the anatomical landmarks on body torso surface was established. The data of 933 cases of adult population in Yangtze River Delta region were collected. Multiple linear regression method was used to statistical analyse and establish the regression equation of stature estimation. RESULTS: A regression equation about 5 variables including gender （x₁）, cervical vertebrae-coccyx line （x₂）, sterna-pubis line （x₃）, distance between acromion and iliospinale anterius （x₄） and shoulder breadth （x₅）, and stature （y） was established, y=105.406+5.414 x₁+0.436 x₂+0.286 x₃+0.225 x₄+ 0.193 x₅. CONCLUSIONS The method is suitable for the rapid, simple and accurate estimation of stature for the forensic experts.
Adult ; Body Height ; Bone and Bones/anatomy & histology* ; Cervical Vertebrae/anatomy & histology* ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Regression Analysis ; Torso/anatomy & histology*

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between age and general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis and its forensic significance. METHODS: Eighty-six corpses' cartilago costalis from the routine postmortem examination were collected and the morphological features of their transverse section were observed. RESULTS: With the increased age, there were regular changes in the color, structure, and material of the general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis. But the changes were not affected by gender. CONCLUSION The good correlation between general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis and age can be used to estimate age of the deceased rapidly.
Age Factors ; Autopsy ; Cadaver ; Cartilage/pathology* ; Humans

To study the effect of early intervention of liver-soothing and Blood-activating decoction combined with acupuncture in improving neurological functions, depressive symptom and life quality of patients with post-stroke depression, and compare with fluoxetine hydrochloride. Specifically, 63 patients with post-stroke depression were randomly divided into the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture group (31 cases) and the western medicine group (32 cases). On the basis of the conventional treatment of the primary disease, the TCM acupuncture group was treated with liver-soothing and blood-activating decoction and acupuncture, while the western medicine group was treated with fluoxetine hydrochloride for four weeks. In the follow-up visit six months later, scores of HAMD, NIHSS and SS-QOL were observed. The scores of HAMD and NIHSS of both groups were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), while the scores of SS-QOL increased significantly, with a notable difference compared with that before the treatment (P < 0.01). Specifically, the TCM acupuncture group's was superior to the western medicine group (P < 0.05). The study suggests that the early intervention of liver-soothing and blood-activating decoction combined with acupuncture on patients with post-stroke depression has the effect in relieving depression symptom and improving neurological functions, thereby improving their quality of life and prognosis.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depression ; drug therapy ; etiology ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Female ; Fluoxetine ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Stroke ; psychology

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cells, Cultured ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Microglia ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to investigate the value of postoperative chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer patients who reached pathological ypT1-4N0 after neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

METHODSWe performed a retrospective study of 104 patients treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by radical resection, who achieved pathological ypT1-4N0, between Mar 2003 and Dec 2010. There were 73 patients who received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and the other 31 patients did not. The distribution of final pathologic stages for these patients was ypT1-2N0 in 39 cases and ypT3-4N0 in 65 cases.

RESULTSThe median follow-up was 41 months. The 3-year overall survival rate (OS) and recurrence-free survival rate (RFS) for the whole group (ypT1-4N0) were 93.4% and 85.3%, respectively. The 3-year OS and RFS in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and non-adjuvant chemotherapy group were 95.5%, 88.6% and 88.6%, 77.2%, respectively. There were no significant differences in 3-year RFS (P = 0.108) and OS (P = 0.106) between the two groups. The 3-year local recurrence and distant metastasis rates in the adjuvant chemotherapy group were 4.1% (3/73) and 5.5% (4/73), while for the non-adjuvant chemotherapy group, the 3-year local recurrence rate and distant metastasis rate were 3.2% (1/31) and 16.1% (5/31), respectively. Significant difference was found in distant metastasis rates (P = 0.030) between the two groups, but not in local recurrence rates (P = 0.676).Further subgroup analysis indicated that for the ypT1-2N0 patients, there were no significant differences in 3-year OS (P = 0.296) and RFS (P = 0.939) between the adjuvant and non-adjuvant chemotherapy groups, while negative results displayed in 3-year local recurrence rates (P = 0.676) and distant metastasis rates (P = 0.414). However, for patients with ypT3-4N0, significant differences were showed in both the 3-year OS (P = 0.034) and RFS (P = 0.025), and further analysis revealed that the 3-year distant metastasis rate was significantly higher in the non-adjuvant chemotherapy group than in the adjuvant chemotherapy group (P = 0.010) , but with non-significant difference in the 3-year local recurrence (P = 0.548).

CONCLUSIONSAdjuvant chemotherapy may not improve survival for ypT1-2N0 patients. However, it may be clinically meaningful for ypT3-4N0 patients by decreasing distant metastasis rate. Further randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm our results.

Adenocarcinoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; therapeutic use ; Postoperative Period ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; Rectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish a model of acute lung injury induced by paraquat poisoning and to observe the effects of anticoagulant therapy on acute lung injury induced by paraquat poisoning.

METHODSOne hundred twenty adult healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: the paraquat poisoning group was exposed intragastrically (IG) to 50 mg/kg paraquat, anticoagulant therapy group was exposed intragastrically (IG) to 50 mg/kg paraquat then administrated subcutaneously with 68 U/kg low molecular heparin calcium 2 times a day and administrated intragastrically with 1.67 mg/kg aspirin one tome a day for 3, 7, 14 and 21 days, respectively, control group exposed intragastrically to normal saline. After exposure the rats were sacrificed, the venous blood and lung tissues were collected to detect the prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, thrombin time and D-dimer in blood and the hydroxyproline in lung tissues, and to examine pathological changes in lung tissues with HE and Masson staining under light microscope.

RESULTSAt the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days after exposure, the hydroxyproline contents of lung tissues in paraquat poisoning group and anticoagulation therapy group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05), but the hydroxyproline contents of lung tissues in anticoagulation therapy group were significantly lower than those in paraquat poisoning group (P < 0.05). At the 3rd day after exposure, the PT, APTT, Fib and D-dimer levels in paraquat poisoning group and anticoagulation therapy group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05), the D-dimer level of anticoagulation therapy group was significantly lower than that of control group (P < 0.05). At the 7th, 14th and 21st days after exposure, the TT and D-dimer levels of paraquat poisoning group and anticoagulation therapy group were significantly higher than those of control group (P < 0.05), the TT and D-dimer levels of anticoagulation therapy group were significantly lower than those of paraquat poisoning group (P < 0.05). The lung injury in paraquat poisoning group increased with exposure period, the lung fibrosis in anticoagulation therapy group was lower than that in paraquat poisoning group.

CONCLUSIONAnticoagulation therapy can improve hyper-coagulation state and acute lung injury in rats induced by paraquat poisoning.

Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Animals ; Anticoagulants ; therapeutic use ; Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To investigate the demands for professional training of ICU nurses in Xiamen so as to provide basis for setting up suitable professional training and continuing education program for them. Methods 150 ICU nurses from 3 third-grade class-A hospitals in Xiamen were surveyed with self-designed questionnaire to investigate the demands for professional training. Results "The use and tips for mild hypothermia therapeutic equipment" listed the first of the master of professional knowledge and skills (60.0％). Generally, there was inadequacy of theoretical knowledge and clinical experience, emergency management and operation of first aid equipment. Total score of demands for professional training of ICU nurses was (2.21 ± 0. 63 ) scores and was in " moderate needs" level. In the four dimensions of demands for professional training, the highest demand was professional skills and the lowest was ICU setup and management.All the 8 mostly demanded training factors were among the dimensions of "professional skills" and "nursing care for critical patients", and were in "extraordinary needs" or "moderate needs" level. Conclusions We should pay great attention to the systematic and standardized training of ICU nurses, focusing on technique training, using large-scale, professional and systematic training mode and implementing the training at different levels.

OBJECTIVEPPAR-gamma is associated with the differentiation, apoptosis, proliferation and cytokine secretion of immunologic cells. This study investigated peripheral blood lymphoblastic PPAR-gamma mRNA expression and its correlation with plasma IL-13 contents in children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

METHODSFifty-three children with acute ITP who were in line with the standard test between September 2007 and July 2008 were enrolled. Fifty healthy children during the same period were used as the control group. PPAR-gamma mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes were detected by RT-PCR. Plasma IL-13 contents were detected using ELISA.

RESULTSPPAR-gamma mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes from acute ITP children were significantly higher than that in the control group (0.78 +/- 0.03 vs 0.52 +/- 0.05; P< 0.05). Plasma IL-13 contents in children with acute ITP were also significantly higher than those in the control group (160.21 +/- 34.26 pg/mL vs 121.42 +/- 12.69 pg/mL; P< 0.05). There was a positive correlation between plasma IL-13 level and lymphoblastic PPAR-gamma mRNA expression in children with ITP (r=0.89, P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPPAR-gamma mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes increased and were positively correlated with plasma IL-13 contents in children with acute ITP, suggesting that PPAR-gamma and IL-13 might participate in the pathogenesis of acute ITP.

Acute Disease ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-13 ; blood ; physiology ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; physiology ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; etiology ; immunology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis