OBJECTIVETo study blood Leptin level of 154 (78 male, 76 female) Chinese obese/non-obese children aged 0 - 14 years during 1999 - 2001.

METHODSThe gender- and age-specific distribution pattern of Leptin and its relationship with anthropometric parameters (waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, lean body mass, fat mass, body fat percentage, BMI/Kaup index etc.) and blood insulin level were recorded.

RESULTS(1) The blood Leptin level in healthy non-obese kids ranged from 1.01 - 29.92 (ng/ml), the mean values and SD were 2.99 +/- 2.13 (ng/ml) [90% confidence interval was 1.36 - 14.21 (ng/ml) in boys and 1.74 - 21.17 (ng/ml) in girls]. There was no significant difference in the blood Leptin level between serum and plasma. (2) The blood Leptin level was higher in overweight/obese kids than that in non-obese kids (P < 0.001). (3) There was significant difference in the blood Leptin levels between boys and girls groups (P = 0.023), especially in non-obese group (P = 0.004). The multiple regression analysis showed that there was no correlation between gender and blood Leptin level when body fat factor was added (P = 0.138, 0.241, 0.990), but there was still a strong correlation between blood leptin level and BMI, FM and BF% (P < 0.001). (4) There was a correlation between blood Leptin level and age (P = 0.005), especially in overweight/obese group and in girls (P = 0.001). The blood Leptin level rose from early puberty, especially in girl group (P = 0.045). There was significant difference in blood Leptin level in different age groups (P < 0.001) (5) There were strong positive correlation between blood Leptin level and BMI, BM and FM%, a weak correlation with LBM, and no correlation with W/H ratio in boys and a positive relationship in girls. The Quatatic equation was better than the linear equation in description of the correlation mentioned above. (6) There was a correlation between blood Leptin from 0 to 7 yr and birth weight (P = 0.001), after 7 yr of age this correlation disappeared (P = 0.456). (7) A positive correlation was seen between blood Leptin level and blood insulin level (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe blood Leptin level of 0 - 14 years old children is consistent with the level of growth of adiposity tissue and the degree of adiposity rebound.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Birth Weight ; physiology ; Body Constitution ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Insulin ; blood ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Regression Analysis ; Sex Factors

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cervical Vertebrae ; abnormalities ; Esophagus ; Foreign Bodies ; complications ; Humans ; Male

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The proximal tibia is the second common site for primary bony sarcomas,which lacks adequate soft tissue coverage.Resection and reconstruction by any technique leave the reconstructed area in a subcutaneous position.This has been a major source of necrosis of skin and infections.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of gastrocnemius muscle transfer to obtain soft-tissue coverage and extensor mechanism reconstruction for limb-sparing resection of the proximal tibia with endoprosthetic reconstruction.METHODS: From January 2001 to June 2008,27 patients with osteosarcoma of the proximal tibia confirmed by biopsy were selected.All the tumours were assigned to stage IIB based on Enneking's classical staging system.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy(Bacci,IOR/OS-N4)was utilized for the patients.All the patients adopted limb-sparing surgery,i.e.resection of proximal tibia with endoprosthetic reconstruction.A gastrocnemius flap was utilized to improve implant coverage and enhance the patellar tendon repair.MSTS was used to measure the functional status of patients with a sarcoma in the leg.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The follow-up was averagely 53.1 months.Of 27 patients,2 cases(7%)died of lung metastasis within 2 years,1(4%)suffered from amputation due to infection and underwent amputation.The others developed no complications or recurrence.The MSTS score was averagely 25.1 points.Results show that resection with endoprosthetic reconstruction utilizing a gastrocnemius muscle flap for osteosarcoma of the proximal tibia is reliable and predictable in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Adult ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Mucocele ; surgery ; Paranasal Sinus Diseases ; complications ; surgery ; Pituitary Apoplexy ; complications ; surgery ; Sphenoid Sinus

Adult ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Female ; Humans ; Neurofibroma ; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms

Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemmoma ; pathology

Abscess ; etiology ; surgery ; Drainage ; methods ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose ; surgery ; Orbital Diseases ; etiology ; surgery

Adult ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea ; etiology ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the species, the distribution and the utilization of the medicinal plants from Selaginellaceae in Hubei Province.

METHODThrough field investigations and comparing the collected specimens and literatures, the classification and identification of the species in Hubei Province were studied.

RESULTThe results indicated that 15 species of plants from Selaginellaceae in Hubei, including 14 medicinal and 1 newly recorded species existed. The distribution and use in folk medicine were investigated. And the morphological description of several species was appended.

CONCLUSIONThe results provided a basis for the exploitation and utilization of the medicinal plant resources of Selagingellaceae.

China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; classification ; Selaginellaceae ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; classification