Objective To know the influence of gastrointestinal decontamination (including gastric lavage and activated charcoal treatment) on prognosis of asymptomatic presentation poisoning patients.Method six hundred and twenty seven asymptomatic presentation poisoning cases through January 1999 to December 2006 were reviewed retrospectively.Duration of ED stay and intubation requiring rate were compared between the intervention group and control group (patients treated only with supportive care),as well as complications associated with gastrointestinal decontamination intervention.Results Statistic analysis reveals no difference between the intervention group and the control group in rate of intubation (6.5 % vs 5.3 %,P=0.51) and emergency care unit admission (28.1% vs 26.6%,P=0.68).Meanwhile duration of ED stay is prolonged profoundly in prevention group [ (11.2?4.7) vs (8.9?5.0),P

Confronted with similar problems and difficulties in mainland,Taiwan reformed its medical education. The reform included setting up flexible program,formulating objective and detailed rotary guide,making the best of the resources,implementing medical humanities education based on the reality and forming unique cultivation system and mode. These measures can be taken as references for medical education reform in mainland.

AIM: To study the effect of phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) on rabbit bacterial corneal ulcer model and explore the clinical potential of this method. METHODS:Totally 48 eyes from all the 24 New Zealand rabbits were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus and bacterial corneal ulcer model was established successfully. At 1d after inoculation,48 eyes were given levofloxacin eye drops when corneal ulcer was confirmed. Then slit lamp inspection and optical coherence tomography ( OCT) were performed to measure the central corneal ulcer depth. All the rabbits right eyes were treated with PTK, as an observation group,left eyes were not treated as a control group. The eye section were observed by slit lamp and central thickness of corneal ulcer was measured by OCT at 3 and 7d after this operation. Rabbits were sacrificed and the cornea was removed for pathological section 7d later. RESULTS: The corneal ulcers in both groups had a tendency to heal, showing a decrease in ulcer area and smoothness of the surface. There was no significant difference in the depth of corneal ulcer between the observation group and the control group before PTK (t=0.706,P=0.484). The difference between the two groups of eyes at 3 and 7d after PTK was obviously (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PTK can effectively cure rabbit Staphylococcus aureus corneal ulcer and promote ulcer wound healing,which may be used for clinical treatment of patients with bacterial corneal lesions.

Objective To clarify the clinical features,therapeutic strategy and prognosis of lipid storage myopathy (LSM).Methods The clinical data and therapeutic effects of 42 LSM patients were summarized retrospectively.All patients were followed up to evaluate their prognosis.Results Data of short-term therapeutic results of all the 42 patients were available.Thirty-three cases were placed in low- doses prednisone and 9 cases in riboflavin.All patients showed marked and quick improvement of symptoms within one month.Among thirty-two patients followed up for more than one year,26 cases had a full recovery and 6 remained to have intolerance to heavy exercise.Thirteen patients had relapses of muscle weakness in various degrees and most of which were induced by exertion,exposure to coldness and upper respiratory tract infection.In 5 patients the symptoms were recurred for more than one time.Among 13 cases with relapses, 7 had family history.Conclusions Our data suggest that LSM is a treatable disease and well responsive to low-doses prednisone.The disease tends to recur,especially in patients with family history.Glutaric aciduria type Ⅱ should be considered in LSM patients who are responsive well to riboflavin,indicating drug therapeutic strategy for LSM should be based on the etiology of the disease.

OBJECTIVETo identify the anatomical variability of the left spermatic vein (LSV) and determine its effect on the induction of experimental left varicocele (ELV) in adolescent rats.

METHODSWe equally randomized 30 adolescent male SD rats to groups A (LSV collaterals fully ligated and the left renal vein constricted), B (only the left renal vein constricted), and C (sham operation), observed the courses of the LSVs and measured their diameters. At 30 days after operation, we analyzed the changes in the left kidneys and the diameters of the LSVs.

RESULTSIrregular collaterals were observed in 90% of the LSVs and no abnormal changes were found in the left kidneys after surgery. The postoperative LSV diameter was remarkably increased in group A as compared with the baseline ([1.47 +/- 0.15 ] vs [0.16 +/- 0.08] mm, P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference in group B ([0.31 +/- 0.49] vs [0.15 +/- 0.07] mm, P > 0.05) and C ([0.17 +/- 0.07] vs [0.16 +/- 0.06] mm, P > 0.05), and it was significantly longer in A than in B (P < 0.01). The success rate of ELV induction was 100% in group A and 10% in group B, but no varicocele was observed in group C.

CONCLUSIONCorrect identification of the anatomical course of the LSV and ligation of its irregular collaterals are essential for the establishment of a stable and consistent ELV model.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Kidney ; pathology ; Ligation ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatic Cord ; blood supply ; Varicocele ; Veins ; abnormalities

The microsatellite (SSLP) marker RM262,which is tightly linked to the blast resistance gene Pi-d(t) in rice, provides means to conduct marker-aided selection in a rice breeding program. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of this marker to select the blast resistance gene, Pi-d(t), in two crosses for rice blast resistance breeding. The products with amplified the microsatellite primers were polymorphic between the three varietes examined. To examine the power of the identified microsatellite marker in predicting the Pi-d(t) locus, we determined the genotypes of the two F2 populations at the Pi-d(t) locus by performing progeny testing for the disease respones. The results indicated an accuracy of more than 98 % in identifying the resistant plants in both populations. Therefore the microsatellite marker can be utilized in marker-assisted selection and breeding for new varieties with blast resistance.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the application of fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) in detection of gene translocation in paraffin-embedded tissue samples of synovial sarcoma.

METHODSInterphase FISH was carried out in paraffin-embedded tissue of 42 cases of synovial sarcoma and 9 cases of non-synovial sarcoma, using a LSI SYT (18q11.2) dual color break-apart probe. In all of the cases studied, the gene fusion product SYT-SSX was also analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSPositive signals were detected in 37 cases (88.1%) of synovial sarcoma by FISH, as compared with 35 cases (83.8%) by RT-PCR and 39 cases (92.9%) by both techniques. Of the 39 positive cases, 33 cases (78.5%) revealed SYT gene translocation.

CONCLUSIONSFISH may serve as an adjunctive diagnostic tool in problematic cases of synovial sarcoma and can be applied in paraffin-embedded tissue samples. As compared with RT-PCR, FISH is also sensitive and reliable. The methodology is less labor intensive and time consuming. FISH has great potential in molecular diagnosis of soft tissue tumors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Lower Extremity ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Paraffin Embedding ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; genetics ; metabolism ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

italic>Artemisia argyi (A. argyi) is a Chinese herbal medicine in China. The main active components are volatile oils, flavonoids, and other compounds, which have various pharmacological activities. Methoxylated flavonoids are the main active ingredients in A. argyi. Flavonoid O-methyltransferase (FOMT) is a key enzyme in the O-methylation of flavonoids. In order to further understand the function and characteristics of FOMT proteins, this paper carried out the whole genome mining and identification of FOMT genes in A. argyi and performed phylogenetic, chromosomal localization, gene sequence characterization, subcellular localization prediction, protein structure, gene structure analysis, and expression pattern analysis. The results showed that a total of 83 FOMT genes were identified in the genome of A. argyi. The phylogenetic tree shows that FOMT genes are divided into two subgroups, CCoAOMT (caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase) subfamily (32 genes) and COMT (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase) subfamily (51 genes). Gene sequence analysis showed that the number of amino acids encoded by FOMT was 70-734 aa, the molecular weight was 25 296.55-34 241.3 Da, and the isoelectric point was 4.51-9.99. Compared with 32 members of the CCoAOMT subfamily, nearly 1/3 of the 51 members of the COMT subfamily were hydrophobic proteins and 2/3 were hydrophilic proteins. Subcellular localization prediction showed that more than 80% of CCoAOMT subfamily members were located in the cytoplasm, and 96% of COMT subfamily members were located in the chloroplast. COMT subfamily members have more motifs than CCoAOMT subfamily members. The N-terminal motifs of COMT subfamily proteins are relatively variable, while the C-terminal motifs are relatively conserved. Expression pattern analysis showed that CCoAOMT subfamily members were mainly expressed in roots, while COMT members were mainly expressed in leaves. Some FOMTs showed the tissue expression specificity by real-time quantitative PCR analysis, especially in leaves. In this study, we identified and analyzed the FOMT gene family in A. argyi, and provided a theoretical basis for further research on the function of FOMTs and the biosynthesis of methylated flavonoids in A. argyi.

BACKGROUNDRhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an uncommon malignancy of the breast. The aim of this study was to summarize its clinicopathologic features and biological behavior.

METHODSFive primary or secondary breast RMSs were collected. Their clinicopathological characteristics and all published literature about breast RMS were reviewed. Immunohistochemical study of desmin, myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD1), myogenin, leukocyte common antigen (LCA), vimentin, cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), E-cadherin, neuron specific enolase (NSE), CD99, chorioallantoic membrane 5.2 (CAM5.2) and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) expression were performed.

RESULTSThe five patients were all female with ages ranging from 16 to 46 years old (mean, 30 years). Three were metastatic breast RMSs, two embryonal and one solid variant alveolar, with the primary tumor sites the right labium majus, left nasal meatus and nasopharynx, respectively. The other two, one embryonal and one alveolar, were primaries. Grossly, the surgical specimens revealed round or oval, well-demarcated but nonencapsulated masses. Their cut surfaces consisted of homogeneous grayish yellow or white tissue. Microscopically, most tumor cells were poorly differentiated small round, oval or small polygons with eosinophilic cytoplasm. All cases were positive for vimentin, desmin, MyoD1 and myogenin. One embryonal RMS also had a few cells with perinuclear staining of AE1/AE3. The other markers were negative.

CONCLUSIONSAlthough primary or metastatic RMS in breast was almost confined to young adolescent females, our cases suggested that it can also happen to the middle-aged women. Embryonal RMS has a certain metastatic potential. MyoD1 and myogenin are two useful markers when making differential diagnosis. Axillary lymph node status and age may play a role in the prognosis of primary breast RMS patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Middle Aged ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the dissociation pathways of aminoglycoside antibiotics.

METHODSIn positive mode, eight aminoglycoside antibiotics were elucidated by use of electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry in the multi-stage MS full scan mode.

RESULTSIt was demonstrated that the eight aminoglycoside antibiotics gave abundant product ions at m/z 322 (gentamicin, micronomicin and sisomicin), m/z 350 (etimicin, netilmicin and vetilmicin) and m/z 324 (kanamycin and tobramycin) by loss of the C-ring (amino-alpha-D-glucopyranose) in MS2 full scan mode. In MS3 full scan mode, the prominent fragmentation ions at m/z 163 as well as m/z 191 were formed from the fragmentation ions at m/z 322, m/z 350 and m/z 324 by loss of the A-ring (amino-alpha-D-glucopyranose), separately, while the characteristic fragmentation ions at m/z 160 as well as m/z 162 were formed from m/z 322, m/z 350 and m/z 324 by loss of the B-ring (2-deoxy-D-streptamine), separately.

CONCLUSIONThe structural information was obtained via collision-activated dissociation and these characteristics are applicable to the structural elucidation and quantitative analysis of aminoglycoside compounds.

Aminoglycosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; Gentamicins ; analysis ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; methods ; Tobramycin ; analysis ; chemistry