OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effects of amiodarone and metoprolol, either alone or in combination, on chronic heart failure (CHF) complicated by ventricular arrhythmia.

METHODSA total of 110 NYHA class II-III patients with CHF complicated by ventricular arrhythmia were randomly divided into amiodarone group, metoprolol group and amiodarone + metoprolol group. The therapeutic effects was evaluated at the end of the 1-year follow-up.

RESULTSAmiodarone, metoprolol and their combination produced statistically different therapeutic effects (P<0.05). Compared with amiodarone and metoprolol used alone, amiodarone combined with metoprolol resulted in significant cardiac function improvement (P<0.05) and ventricular arrhythmia control (P<0.01). During the 1-year follow-up, the readmission rate and cardiac event rate in the amiodarone + metoprolol group were significantly lower than those in amiodarone group (P<0.01) and metoprolol group (P<0.05). The adverse reaction rates in the 3 groups were similar (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combination of amiodarone and metoprolol produces better effect than amiodarone or metoprolol alone in the treatment of CHF complicated by ventricular arrhythmia.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Amiodarone ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; therapeutic use ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Heart Failure ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Metoprolol ; therapeutic use ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; drug therapy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Ventricular Premature Complexes ; drug therapy ; etiology

Objective To know the meal structure of nursing staff in hospital,and to ensure them have a sufficient ingestion for nutrient elements through eating and drinking,thereby keep their bodies in a good condition.Methods The eduction about dietetics was given to nursing peoples in a hosptal.30 nurses were enrolled randomly,before and after the education on dietetics.Then combination of 24 hour retrospection and account keeping was employed to make a 3 consecutive days' investigation.At last,a comparison of diet alteration before and after the education was carried out.Results Compared with diet before the education,diet after the education changed with much more cereal,egg,legume,vegetable and fruit,with much less meat and oil,with a much higher energy supply proportion from carbohydrate than from fat ( P < 0.01 ) ,with somewhat energy distribution increase in breakfast and somewhat decrease in supper.And compared with nourishment intake reference for diet,after the education,much more protein,mineral,water-soluble vitamin,but much less fat was taken ( P < 0.01).Conclusions Enhancement of diet education is vital for diet improvement for nurses.

Objective To explore clinical characters of type 1 diabetes mellitus with different serum potassium levels in children and adolescent.Methods One hundred and seventy-five patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus were reviewed,they were divided into 3 groups according to the serum potassium level.The patients whose serum potassium

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic changes of the epididymal size 1 year after vasectomy.

METHODSFifty male volunteers received vasoligation. Before and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after operation, we measured the size and detected the internal echoes of the epididymis using color Doppler ultrasonography.

RESULTSThe bilateral epididymides were both thickened post-operatively in all the 50 cases, with statistically significant differences between the baseline and the 1st month, the 1st and the 2nd month, the 2nd and the 3rd month, or the 3rd and the 6th month after surgery (all P < 0.01), but not between the 6th and the 12th month (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWithin 6 months after vasectomy, the bilateral epididymides manifested a progressive thickening, but basically restored their balance of secretion-absorption after 6 months.

Epididymis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Organ Size ; Postoperative Period ; Time Factors ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Vasectomy

OBJECTIVESTo compare the outcomes after liver resection for a single small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (≤ 5 cm) between non-cirrhotic patients and cirrhotic patients, and to explore the influence of liver cirrhosis on recurrence and overall survival after liver resection in patients with a single small HCC.

METHODSA consecutive series of 256 patients with a single small HCC undergoing liver resection from April 2001 to October 2009 was retrospectively reviewed. Among the 256 patients, 227 patients were male, and 29 were female. The medium age was 49 years (ranged, 14 - 79 years); 224 (87.5%) patients were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, 241 (94.1%) patients were with preoperative liver function of Child-Pugh grade A. The entire cohort were divided into non-cirrhosis group (n = 44) and cirrhosis group (n = 212). Univariate analysis and then multivariate analysis were performed to determine the prognostic factors of recurrence and overall survival after liver resection for all patients.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, 5-year recurrence-free survival rates after liver resection were 93.0%, 85.3%, and 68.5%, respectively, in non-cirrhosis group, while 81.1%, 58.6%, and 45.0%, respectively, in cirrhosis group. The 1-, 3-, 5-year overall survival rates after liver resection were 100%, 92.5%, and 92.5%, respectively, in non-cirrhosis group, while 93.8%, 78.7%, and 67.8%, respectively, in cirrhosis group. Both the recurrence-free survival and overall survival of non-cirrhosis group were significantly better than those of cirrhosis group (χ(2) = 8.756, P = 0.003; χ(2) = 8.603, P = 0.003). Cirrhosis, absence of tumor capsule, presence of microvascular invasion and moderate/poor tumor differentiation were the independent adverse prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival and overall survival in patients with a single small HCC after liver resection.

CONCLUSIONSCirrhosis is an important adverse prognostic factor for long-term survival in patients with a single small HCC after liver resection. Liver resection resulted in much worse survival for cirrhotic patients compared to non-cirrhotic patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; complications ; mortality ; pathology ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; mortality ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; mortality ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the spectrum of pathogens for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, and to provide a basis for the diagnosis and treatment of CAP.

METHODSRespiratory secretions and venous blood samples were collected from 1560 children with CAP aged from one month to 9 years within 2 hours after admission, for detection of multiple pathogens. Respiratory virus antigens in nasopharyngeal swab specimens were detected by immunofluorescence. Sputum was used for bacterial culture. Levels of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)-IgM and Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP)-IgM in venous blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSA total of 579 strains of bacteria were isolated from all respiratory secretions, including 213 (36.8%) Gram-positive strains and 366 (63.2%) Gram-negative strains. The five most common strains were Haemophilus influenzae (7.50%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (6.73%), Staphylococcus aureus (6.35%), Moraxella catarrhalis (5.19%), and Escherichia coli (3.46%), wherein the beta-lactamase-producing strains accounted for 3.3% of all strains. The non-bacterial pathogens mainly included respiratory syncytial virus (12.88%), MP (7.88%), and CP (8.91%). Mixed infection of pathogens was serious, and the mixed infection of respiratory syncytial virus with Haemophilus influenzae infections were the most common. For most pathogens, the infection rate was higher in children aged under one year than in those aged over one year.

CONCLUSIONSHaemophilus influenzae, respiratory syncytial virus, MP and CP are the main pathogens for children with CAP. For most pathogens, the infection rate is higher in children aged under one year than in those aged over one year. Mixed infection rate of pathogens is high.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Coinfection ; etiology ; microbiology ; Community-Acquired Infections ; etiology ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pneumonia ; etiology ; microbiology

BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is one of the adipocytokines that have been found to be negatively correlated with obesity in recent years. As an endogenous bioactive peptide, adiponectin is shown to be associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and participate in the regulation of bone metabolism. OBJECTIVE: To describe the mechanism of adiponectin in bone metabolism, and mainly clarify the correlation of adiponectin with osteoblasts and osteoclasts. METHODS: The first author searched PubMed and CNKI databases for the articles addressing the experimental research and research progress of adiponectin in bone metabolism published from 2003 to 2017. The keywords were "adiponectin, osteoporosis, bone metabolism, osteogensis, bone absorption" in English and Chinese, respectively. Adiponectin, its receptors, bone metabolism, adiponectin effects on bone formation and bone resorption were reviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Adiponectin exerts a comprehensive effect on bone metabolism, mainly through autocrine, paracrine and endocrine, insulin signaling pathways. Besides, it exerts biological effects mostly by regulating OPG/RANKL/RANK system, especially in bone formation and bone resorption. Therefore, adiponectin may prevent osteoporosis by regulating bone metabolism.

Objective To examine the effect of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Coix lacryma-jobi stem on the growth of mouse S180 sarcoma cells in mice.Methods Tumor growth inhibition assays were performed using both aqueous and ethanol extracts of Coix lacryma-jobi stem.Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) Kunming mice,6-8 weeks old,were inoculated with 1 × 107 cells · mL-1 S180 sarcoma cells in a volume of 0.4 mL The next day,the mice were randomly divided into blank group,control group,experimental-H,experimental-M,experimental-L doses groups,and administered with 0.9％ NaC1,cyclophosphamide (20 μg · g-1 · d-1) or Coix lacryma-jobi stem extract (1 000,500,250 mg · kg-1 · d-1) respectively by gavage or tail vein injection for 10 d.The tumor and spleen were dissected and weighed.The tumor inhibition rate was calculated.Results Tumor growth inhibition ratios in the experimental-H,experimental-M,experimental-L groups by the aqueous extract of Coix lacryma-jobi stem were 32.11％,75.63％ and 11.41％,respectively.Tumor growth inhibition ratios for experimental-H,experimental-M,experimental-L groups by the ethanol extract of Coix lacryma-jobi stem groups were 77.09％,80.03％ and 73.52％,respectively.Conclusion Each dose of water or ethanol extract of Coix iacryma-jobi stem was able to inhibit the growth of S180 sarcoma to a degree,and exhibited few adverse reactions.The optimal dose of the aqueous extract was 500 mg · kg-1 · d-1.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate quality of surveillance and emendate rates of birth and death of population of the Three Gorges area.

METHODSData on the two samples collected were designed based on principle of capture-recapture method. An investigation of missing report of birth and death was conducted in 7061 families selected through stratified random sampling method. We collected and registered the data of birth and death in every family investigated and checked with correlative records reported in disease surveillance system of the Three Gorges area. The missing report rates and the 95% confidence intervals of birth rate and death rate were calculated.

RESULTSThe underreporting rates of birth and death were 13.91% and 15.60% and death of infant was 33.33%. The emended birth rate was 8.92 per thousandth and the 95% confidence interval of birth rate was 8.38 per thousandth-9.45 per thousandth. The emended report rate of death was 6.88 per thousandth and the collectivity 95% confidence interval was 6.37%-7.38 per thousandth.

CONCLUSIONResults showed that the quality of birth and death in the disease surveillance reporting system of Three Gorges area was competent to the quality level of the standard set for national disease surveillance system. The birth and death rates of population in the Three Gorges area were under 10.00 per thousandth.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Birth Rate ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Population Surveillance ; methods

OBJECTIVEHepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was detected from infants whose mothers were negative for all HBV markers and the fathers were HBV carrier, the homology of HBV sequence of fathers and fetus was high, and HBV mutations concentrated on some points, and the transmission of HBV from father to fetus was also identified in some reports. The present study aimed to study HBV transmission from father to infant.

METHODSThe study enrolled 16 pairs of fathers who were HBV carriers and infants whose mothers were negative for HBV markers. The infants had evidences for intrauterine HBV infection. The five HBV serum markers HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc were detected with ELISA. The positive results for HBsAg and/or HBeAg were regarded as markers of HBV infection. Amplification of HBV DNA was done using a nested PCR method. The first amplification was carried out using primer C1 (nt 2394-2370), and primer C3 (nt 1730-1754). The second amplification was carried out using primer C2 (nt 1955-1974) and primer C6 (nt 2348-2330). Both primers were designed to amplify the part of sequence coding for the hepatitis B C antigen. The size of the amplified fragment obtained by the nested PCR was expected to be 394 bp. The PCR products were electrophoresed on 1.5% agarose gels, which were then stained with ethidium bromide and observed with ultraviolet transillumination. When 394 bp specific band was detectable, the sample was designated positive. Then the positive samples were identified by dot blot. The second PCR products were extracted by phenol-chloroform and 70% ethanol precipitation, then resuspended in TE buffer (pH8.0), and used as the template for cloning. The template was connected into pGEM-T vector by ligase. The ligated products were cloned into fresh competent JM109 cells, and incubated for 90 minutes at 37 degrees C on roller drum. Finally several dilutions were plated on plates containing ampicillin, X-Gal and IPTG, and incubated at 37 degrees C overnight. The white colony on plates was used for identification by the nested PCR with the above primers. When the 394 bp band was detectable by electrophoresis of PCR products in 1.5% agarose gels, the colony was designated positive; a positive colony was incubated in LB medium for 8 to 12 hrs, then plasmid was extracted using the Wizard Plus SV Minipreps DNA Purification System Kit (Promega). The purified plasmid was sent to Beijing Saibaisheng Company for sequencing. The homology of HBV C nt 2022-2301 sequence was compared between fathers and infants.

RESULTSThe homology of HBV C nt 2022-2301 sequence were 99% - 100% in 16 pairs of fathers and infants. The results were referred to the published sequence of HBV adw/adr clones, and the nucleic acid databases were searched for homology by using BLAST tool on Internet. HBV of the sixteen pairs of father/infant was closely related to the Japan strain (Genebank accession number AF121249), but there were still 17 more mutations at nucleotide positions 2029, 2034, 2044, 2059, 2078, 2095, 2104, 2154, 2161, 2169, 2189, 2201, 2233, 2251, 2284, 2288, 2293. Moreover the mutations at positions 2189, 2288 resulted in the substitution of the encoded amino acid (corresponding to amino acid positions 97 and 130, respectively), the other mutations at the position were nonphenotypic. The mutation of 2189, 2288 nucleotide of HBV C gene caused 97, 130 amino acid substitution for isoleucine to leucine and proline to threonine. The mutation of 2189, 2288 nucleotide of HBV C gene were detected in 6 (37.5%) of 16 pairs of fathers and infants.

CONCLUSIONThe HBV transmission from father to infants did exist. The main HBV C gene mutation strains also existed in the transmission.

Adult ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Viral ; chemistry ; genetics ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Father-Child Relations ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; transmission ; virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Male ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction