The formation, position, and branches of ansa cervicalis of 100 children were in-vestigated. Ansa cervicalis was found in 96 cases, among them 62 have one ansa, 33have two ansae and one has three ansae. Ansa cervicalis is classified into four types according to the different sources of thenervus descendens cervicalis of which it is composed. The majority of them are of thesecond type (74 cases); the third type are listed next in order (18 cases), the first andfourth types are rarely seen. In our series, in addition to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th cervical nerves, the 1st and 5thnerves also enter the formation of the ansa. With regard to the position of the ansae, it was found that 60.4% of them aresituated behind the internal carotid vein and 54.2% of them descend below the levelof the cricoid cartilage. The ansae, as related to the carotid sheath, are located within the sheath in 88cases (91.7%), and outside of the sheath in 8 cases (8.3%). According to our investigation, with the exception of the nerve of m. thyreohyoideuswhich arise from the hypoglossal nerves, the infrahyoid muscles (including m. omohyoi-deus, sternothyroideus, and sternohyoideus) are supplied by the descending branches ofthe hypoglossal nerve in 184 cases (30.7%) and by ansa cervicalis in 277 cases (46.2%).

Aims: It is recognized that laser printed paper are difficult to deink using conventional method. This had lead to the suggestion of enzymatic approach to overcome the problem encountered by commonly employed deinking techniques. The present study aimed to investigate 7 commercially available enzymes for their suitability use in deinking of laser printed paper. Methodology and results: 3 cellulases, hemicellulases, xylanase and 2 lipases were used in enzymatic deinking of laser-printed wastepaper. Cellulase A “Amano”3 (C), Hemicellulase (H) and lipase (L) were selected for used in deinking because they possess either highest activity or broad pH stability compared to others enzymes. Different combination of enzymes was carried out to evaluate their effectiveness in deinking process. CH enzymes sequence was determined to be the most effective sequence in toner removal with 1.90% of brightness increment. However, only 0.95% of brightness increment was gained by enzyme sequence L. Highest deinking efficiency obtained was not proportional to the highest total reducing sugar produced. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Enzyme (cellulase and hemicellulase) can be used to de-ink laserprinted wastepaper, which are difficult to be deinked by conventional chemical deinking process. Thus, enzyme deinking has high possibility as alternative method to current chemical deinking process which is not environmental friendly.

OBJECTIVEAnimal studies have demonstrated a lipid-modulating effect of yun-cai tea. However, little is known about the lipid-lowering effect in humans.The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid lowering effects and safety of yun-cai tea in patients with elevated lipid levels in a human clinical trial.

METHODSThis was a 12-week, randomly assigned, parallel-group, double-blind, and placebo-controlled pilot clinical study. Sixty primary hyperlipidemia patients were included and randomly assigned to the yun-cai tea group (30 patients) and the placebo group (30 patients), for 8 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks of follow-up. The primary endpoint was changes in plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) at 8 weeks. The secondary endpoints included total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG).

RESULTSOur results revealed no statistically signifificant differences in LDL-C and TC between the two groups. Despite the lack of a statistically signifificant difference in the level of TG between the two groups, a declining trend was noted. A signifificant reduction of TG was observed in the yun-cai tea group at week 8, compared to baseline (P=0.048). The incidence of stomach discomfort, gastroesophageal reflfl ux, diarrhea, and constipation was slightly higher in the yun-cai tea group. No other signifificant adverse events were found.

CONCLUSIONIt is unlikely that yun-cai tea used had a blood lipid reduction effect. Further larger scale clinical trials with a longer duration and larger dose are necessary.

Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Placebos

Exhibitionism is a distressing condition which may have a link with the increasing availability and usage of online sexual activities (OSA). We highlight a 42-year-old man who presented with a constant craving for OSA to achieve his sexual satisfaction which included exposing his genitalia to virtual partners, unsuspected strangers, and colleagues in public areas. His sexual behaviours were further reinforced by an online video chatting with genitalia exposure, which ended commonly with an exchange of masturbatory acts. He denied any problem with his erection and able to achieve orgasm via common sexual acts. There was no past psychiatric history nor family history of mental disorder. He volunteered to seek psychiatric help and subsequently given a psycho education on his illness and how to cope with the distress associated with his sexual acts. He was scheduled for an intensive psychotherapy to instil insight and hope to deal with his sexual difficulties.
Pornography

OBJECTIVES: To determine if unilateral pedicle screw fixation is comparable to bilateral fixation in one-or two-segment lumbar spinal fusion. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients with spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis were assigned to either unilateral or bilateral pedicle screw instrumentation groups. Demographic variables, preoperative diagnosis, number of fusion segments, and kinds of instrumentation used were similar between the two treatment groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of blood loss, clinical results, time at which fusion was complete, fusion rate, and complication rate. There were significant differences between the two groups in terms of duration of operating time, duration of hospital stay, medical expenses. The number of fusion segments or kinds of instrumentation did not affect the fusion rate, time at which fusion was complete, or clinical outcomes. Metal failure rate of unilateral fixation was higher in patients with spondylolytic spondylolisthesis than in patients with spinal stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: Unilateral pedicle screw fixation was as effective as bilateral pedicle screw fixation in lumbar spinal fusion independent of the number of fusion segments (one or two segments) or pedicle screw systems. Unilateral pedicle screw fixation is not recommended for spondylolytic spondylolisthesis patients who were treated with Gill' s decompression.
Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Spinal Fusion* ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spondylolisthesis

The alphaB-crystallin, which is a member of small heat shock protein (sHSP), was initially identified as a component of a vertebrate eye lens protein, and also shown to be expressed in non-lenticular tissues including cardiac muscles and the central nervous system. Recently, it was demonstrated that alphaB-crystallin expression was increased in the brain of patients suffering various neurological diseases including Alzheimers disease. In the current study, we examined in detail the time-course of alphaB-crystallin expression in the region of neuronal loss and in activated glia cells in hippocampus of the KA-treated mouse brain. The alphaB-crystallin was expressed in pyramidal layer and in oligodendrocytes of hippocampus 1 day after KA-treatment, which was similar to that in normal mice. The alphaB-crystallin expression began to be increased 2 days after KA-treatment and reached peak induction, especially in astrocytes in the CA3 area of hippocampus 4 days after KA-treatment. Immunofluorescent staining with anti-alphaB-crystallin and anti-GFAP antibodies revealed that the induction of alphaB-crystallin was localized in the activated astrocytes, prominently in the CA3 region of hippocampus where a severe neuronal death was undergoing. The results suggested that alphaB-crystallin might play a role in reactive gliosis and/or in delayed neuronal death proceeded in KA-induced epileptic brain.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Astrocytes ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System ; Crystallins ; Gliosis ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Hippocampus* ; Humans ; Kainic Acid ; Mice* ; Myocardium ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Oligodendroglia ; Vertebrates

Today, increasingly more people worldwide are aware about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, their actual knowledge about ASD is yet unknown. The lack of knowledge about ASD is especially apparent among the lay people in the community. In this study, the lay knowledge of ASD was investigated using a brief survey involving a community sample in Malaysia. The survey findings revealed that the vast majority of the respondents could relate to ASD as a type of learning disability. However, they were less familiar with the diagnostic features and remedial needs of ASD. They also reported limited knowledge about the social communication and language deficits of ASD. Another noteworthy finding was that the respondents reported different sources of obtaining ASD knowledge according to their demographic profiles (namely age, gender, education and occupation), which correspondingly led to variability in the type of knowledge they obtained. Together, the findings implied that content-specific ASD awareness programs through the right channels are warranted for optimizing efficacy in knowledge transfer and minimizing redundancy in existing ASD awareness campaigns. Increased lay knowledge on ASD will provide a public guardian ground for children with ASD to ensure that the challenges faced by them can be identified at an early age for optimizing the remedial outcomes.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis* ; Spinal Cord*

Cryptorchid testis is correlated with high incidence rate of testicular neoplasm. A 44 year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to huge abdominal mass and dyspnea. Physical examination revealed impalpable right testicle in the scrotum. Abdominal CT scan revealed a huge right retroperitoneal mass with central necrosis. AFP and BHCG were increased. 4 courses induction PVB therapy was performed under diagnosis of unresectable bulky stage IIB nonseminomatous germ cell tumor. Thereafter the tumor size and markers were decreased. But the patient was lost for follow-up. One year later, the tumor size and markers were increased Retroperitoneal excision of intraabdominal mass was performed followed by adjuvant PVB therapy due to persistent increased markers.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Necrosis ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Physical Examination ; Scrotum ; Teratocarcinoma* ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Cryptorchid testis is correlated with high incidence rate of testicular neoplasm. A 44 year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to huge abdominal mass and dyspnea. Physical examination revealed impalpable right testicle in the scrotum. Abdominal CT scan revealed a huge right retroperitoneal mass with central necrosis. AFP and BHCG were increased. 4 courses induction PVB therapy was performed under diagnosis of unresectable bulky stage IIB nonseminomatous germ cell tumor. Thereafter the tumor size and markers were decreased. But the patient was lost for follow-up. One year later, the tumor size and markers were increased Retroperitoneal excision of intraabdominal mass was performed followed by adjuvant PVB therapy due to persistent increased markers.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Necrosis ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Physical Examination ; Scrotum ; Teratocarcinoma* ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed