Objective To evaluate the differences of the lower extremity atherosclerosis between patients with and without type 2 diabetes using dual-source CT angiography.Methods Dual-source CT angiography of lower extremity was performed in 87 patients with (n=30)or without (n= 57 )diabetes.Extent of luminal stenosis,and the type,distribution and range of the plaques were compared.Results 342 plaques in 540 segments (63.3%)in diabetic patients,and 500 plaques in 1 026 segments (48.7%)in non-diabetic ones were detected respectively.Compared with non-diabetic patients,the diabetic ones had a higher overall incidence of plaques (P <0.05).Calcified plaques were the most common in both kinds of patients,and the incidence of mixed plaques was high-er in diabetic patients than that in non-diabetic ones (35.6 % vs.28.4%,P <0.05).Light to moderate stenosis occurred in most diabetic patients,and fewer occlusion was found compared with non-diabetic ones (9.1% vs.1 7.0%,P <0.05).The most common sites of the plaques in diabetic patients were located at distal small arteries below the knee.However,those were located at proximal arteries above the knee for non-diabetic ones.The involvement of atherosclerosis in diabetic patients was more diffused,and the de-gree of Ⅳ (75%-100%)was higher than that in non-diabetic ones (P <0.05).Conclusion Atherosclerosis in lower extremity on dual-source CT angiography is very common in diabetic patients with multi-segmental,diffused,non-obstructive involvement of dis-tal small arteries below the knee.

Objective To evaluate the correlations between the cerebral hemodynamic changes of severe acute encephalopathy with the clinical features from emergency periods to stable periods and the value of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography( TCD)in cerebral function assess. Methods Thirty patients with acute brain diseases by assisted mechanical ventilator from Jun 2014 to May 2015 in PICU were included and followed up to Nov 2015,then grouped by Glasgow Coma Scale( GCS),MRI,prognosis( mental sequelae after half a year). Each subject was examined through the temporal bone window by TCD at emergency peri-ods and stable periods. The systolic cerebral blood flow velocity( sCBFV),and pulsatility index( PI)of bilat-eral middle cerebral artery( MCA),anterior cerebral artery,posterior cerebral artery were analyzed. Multivari-ant analysis of variance,repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to compare sCBFV and PI of MCA among groups in different clinical periods. The variants included sex,disease diagnosis,prognosis, MRI,GCS,and the first abnormal TCD. The variation within groups was tested via a Hotelling T2 test. All sCBFV and PI of each artery and the D-value of sCBFV between the different periods were compared accord-ing to the prognosis groups. Results (1)Five patients could be lateralized,and their lateralization of MRI focus was consistent with the abnormal sides of sCBFV in the stable periods.(2)The D-value of sCBFV in left MCA between the different periods in the poor prognosis group was significantly higher than that in the good prognosis group[(71. 93 ± 58. 21)cm/s vs.(33. 20 ± 30. 23)cm/s,t = -2. 287,P =0. 033].(3) Multivariant analysis of variance showed that GCS classification and disease diagnosis were significantly cor-related with the cerebral hemodynamic changes respectively(P =0. 042,0. 005,respectively).(4)sCBFV and PI of left MCA reduced significantly in the stable periods than those in the emergency periods( P =0. 002,0. 003,respectivly). Conclusion The cerebral hemodynamic changes by TCD from emergency peri-ods to stable periods are consistent with the clinical status,dynamic evaluation by TCD may facilitate the evaluation of brain dysfunction in the severe acute encephalopathy.

Objective: To observe the effect of Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) on creatine kinase (CK), mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration, and ultrastructure of skeletal muscle in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) model rats.Methods: A total of 130 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank group, an exercise control group, a pre-exercise Tuina group, and a post-exercise Tuina group. According to the time points for sample collection, the exercise control group was divided into a 0 h exercise control group, a 24 h exercise control group, a 48 h exercise control group, and a 72 h exercise control group; the pre-exercise Tuina group was further divided into a 0 h pre-exercise Tuina group, a 24 h pre-exercise Tuina group, a 48 h pre-exercise Tuina group, and a 72 h pre-exercise Tuina group; and the post-exercise Tuina group was divided into a 0 h post-exercise Tuina group, a 24 h post-exercise Tuina group, a 48 h post-exercise Tuina group, and a 72 h post-exercise Tuina group. Rats in all groups except for the blank group received DOMS modeling. Professionals performed Nie-Pinching manipulation and finger Nian-Twisting manipulation on the lower limbs of the rats. The samples were collected at 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h after exhaustive exercise for each pre-exercise Tuina group. The samples were collected at 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h after Tuina for each post-exercise Tuina group. The changes in serum CK, skeletal muscle mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration, and Ca2+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) were determined. The ultrastructure changes of skeletal muscles in each group were observed by a transmission electron microscope. Results: The electron microscope showed that compared with the exercise control group, the skeletal muscle structures of the pre-exercise Tuina group and the post-exercise Tuina group were significantly improved, and the overall performance of skeletal muscle in the pre-exercise Tuina group was more similar to that of the blank group. The level of serum CK in the pre-exercise Tuina group and the post-exercise Tuina group was significantly lower than that in the exercise control group (P<0.01). The Ca2+ concentration of skeletal muscle in the 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h pre-exercise Tuina groups was lower than that in the post-exercise Tuina group at the same time point (P<0.01). The Ca2+-ATPase concentration of skeletal muscle in the 24 h and 72 h pre-exercise Tuina groups was lower than that in the post-exercise Tuina group at the same time point (P<0.05).Conclusion: Tuina effectively prevents muscle damage caused by heavy exercise and long-term exercise, which may be related to the increase of skeletal muscle Ca2+-ATPase activity and mitochondrial Ca2+ transport.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of leflunomide in comparison with methotrexate (MTX) on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China.

METHODSFive hundred and sixty-six patients with active rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to receive leflunomide at 20 mg once daily or MTX at 15 mg once weekly in a controlled trial. Five hundred and four patients completed the 12-week treatment and some patients continued the treatment for 24 weeks.

RESULTSBoth leflunomide and MTX could improve the symptoms, signs, and joint function, but there were no changes in X-ray observations of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In the leflunomide group, the overall rates of effectiveness at 12 weeks and 24 weeks were 86.94% and 92.31% respectively; the rates of remarkable improvement were 64.95% and 79.81% respectively. In the MTX group, the overall rates of effectiveness at 12 weeks and 24 weeks were 84.04% and 83.15% respectively; the rates of remarkable improvement were 56.81% and 75.28% respectively. According to intent-to-treat analysis, the ACR 20% response rates at 12 weeks and 24 weeks in the leflunomide group were 62.54% and 67.18% respectively, compared with 60.08% and 61.32% respectively in MTX group. No statistical differences were shown in the efficacy between the two groups (P > 0.05). The adverse events in the leflunomide group were gastrointestinal symptoms, skin rash, alopecia, nervous system symptoms, decreased leukocyte count, and elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Most of these side effects were mild and transient. The incidence of adverse events in the leflunomide group was 16.84%, significantly lower than that in MTX group (28.17%, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONSLeflunomide is effective in the treatment of RA with less adverse events than MTX. Its efficacy is similar to MTX, but the incidence of adverse events and the rate of withdrawal due to adverse events were lower in the leflunomide group than in MTX group.

Antirheumatic Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Female ; Growth Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Isoxazoles ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Methotrexate ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged

Objective To investigate the tendency of viral hepatitis in Changning District, Shanghai, and to provide scientific evidence for decision-making of prevention and control. Methods Cases of viral hepatitis in Changning District from 2009-2019 were collected , and the epidemiological characteristics of viral hepatitis were analyzed by descriptive epidemiological method. Joinpoint regression analysis were used to estimate the annual percent change and average annual percent change, and to perform the trend test. Results Among the 2009-2019 in Changning District, a total of 3 397 cases of viral hepatitis were reported , the annual average incidence rate was 49.32/100 000. Results from Joinpoint trend analysis indicated that the incidence of viral hepatitis in Changning District was mainly due to hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Conclusions Although the annual incidence rate of viral hepatitis in Changning District is far below the incidence rate of viral hepatitis in China, but it still shows an increasing trend. This shows that the situation of prevention and control of viral hepatitis in Changning is still serious, and hepatitis B remains the key point of prevention of viral hepatitis in Shanghai.

Objective To investigate the current situation and annual trend of injuries among primary and middle school students in Changning District, Shanghai, and to provide scientific evidence for decision-making of prevention and control. Methods The monitoring data of various types of injuries was collected from the ^“cause of class absence^” system during the 2010-2017 school years. The Joinpoint regression analysis was used to estimate the annual percent change and average annual percent change, and to perform the trend test. Results During the 2010-2017 school years in Changning District, a total of 2,286 cases of injuries occurred among primary and middle school students, with an injury rate of about 0.70%. The top three prevalent injury types were falls, traffic accidents, and burn-related injury. The results of Joinpoint trend analysis indicated that the incidence of total injuries in Changning District was generally decreasing, which was mainly due to the effective control of injuries caused by falls, traffic accidents, and burns, and to the decreasing injury incidence among primary school students. Conclusion The overall situation of injuries among primary and middle school students in Changning District has improved significantly, but falls and traffic accidents are still important health threats. More attentions should be paid to certain groups, such as vocational and special education students.