Objective To evaluate the value of echocardiography in diagnosing infective endocarditis (IE) in children. Methods The shape, size, echogenicity, distribution of vegetations and valvular function of the heart were observed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in 30 patients with suspected IE. We correlated TTE ifndings with the results of hemoculture and serologic test. Results Vegetations were observed in all patients by echocardiography:seven patients with tricuspid valve vegetations, two with mitral valve vegetations, three with pulmonary valve vegetations, three with main pulmonary artery vegetations, three with aortic valve vegetations, two with aortic valve abscess, and two with vegetations in right atrium. After anti-infection therapy, the size of vegetations in iffteen patients became smaller and the less echogenic than before. Vegetations disappeared in two patients. Vegetation was recurrent repeatedly in one case. Ten patients recovered after operation. Two severe cases died. Five patients underwent TTE again one week after the previous negative TTE. Of them, echocardiography demonstrated vegetations in three cases. However, no vegetations were found in rest two cases because antibiotics had been used at early stage. In addition, echocardiography demonstrated one patient with mitral valve vegetation. But the lesion was ifnally conifrmed to be operating suture. The sensitivity and specificity of TTE in detecting vegetations were 88.0% and 80.0%, respectively. Blood cultures were positive in twenty-seven cases and were negative in three cases. Conclusions The early diagnosis of IE is important to improve patient′s prognosis. It takes a long time in organism cultivation before achieving the clinical diagnosis. TTE can help obtain an early diagnosis stage of IE, and provide the assessment of size and location of vegetation. It plays an important role in treatment and prognosis prediction.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of α7 ( α7 AChR) agonist nicotine on regulating sensitivity of regular chemotherapeutic agent in cholangiocarcinoma cells,and explore the possible target.MethodsThe effect of nicotine and α-BTX pretreatment on the survival ability of cholangiocarcinoma cells was investigated when applied with 5-FU by using MTT and Flat cloning formation experiment.ResultsApplied with 5-FU,in various con centrations nicotine stimulating group( 10-3 g/L,10-4 g/L,10-5 g/L ),the survive rate of QBC939 was 128％,124％,118％,while that in α-BTX stimulating group and combined stimulation group was 92％,94％,93％,92％,respectively.The cloning formation ability of nicotine- stimulating group (6.2 ± 0.40) was significantly higher than α- BTX stimulating group (3.2 ± 0.20 ),combined stimulation group ( 3.2 ± 0.20 ) and control group ( 3.4 ±0.33).ConclusionNicotine can prevent chemotherapy-induced apoptosis,and improve cholangiocarcinoma cell survival via α7 nicotine acetylcholine receptor in vitro.

Objective To investigate the correlation between specific features on contrast-enhanced CT and its clinical findings of adrenal tuberculosis so as to improve the diagnostic accuracy of the disease. Methods Contrast-enhanced CT features in 30 patients with documented adrenal tuberculosis were retrospectively evaluated blindly for the features of location,size,morphology,attenuation and enhancement patterns on CT images,and compared with clinical and pathological materials.Results The common CT manifestations were as follows:enlargement of the adrenal glands in all 30 cases(bilateral 90%,mfilateral 10%)including mass-like enlargement in 13 cases and enlargement but the contours preserved in 17 cases, heterogeneity(28 cases,93.3%),calcification(17 cases,56.7%),and low attenuation in the center with peripheral enhancement(16 cases,53.3%)of the lesions.After antituberculosis chemotherapy, 5 cases of enlarged adrenal glands decreased in size or returned to normal size and configuration,with disappearance of the central low attenuation and new appearance of dot-like calcification in 2 cases.Cochran Armitage trend test showed there was an increasing tendency of calcification rate with clinical duration(X~2= 7.47,P

Thirty-eight individuals with normal glucose regulation and thirty-nine newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients were observed by continuous glucose monitoring system(CGMS)for three days.The mean blood glucose,mean amplitude of glycemic excursions(MAGE),and absolute means of daily differences(MODD)were calculated in each subject.The results suggested that the amplitude of glyeemic excursions revealed by CGMS could be used to evaluate the quality of glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients.

Objective To report the microsurgical outeome of the meningiomas located in the eranio- cervical junction.Methods Seven eases of meningiomas arising from the craniocervical junction operated with microsurgical technique by use of the posterior approaehes including the suboccipital approach,the lower lateral suhoecipital approach and for lateral approach.Reviewed the related ariieales and were analysed relative to their approach selection and outcomes were analysed.Results The tumors ranged in size from 0.8 to 4.8 cm and the tumors location with 2 cases posterior,3 cases anterior and 2 cases lateral to the brain stem.3 in 7 cases were operated by use of the suboccipital approach,2 in 7 cases with the lower lateral suboccipital ap- proach and 2 in 7 cases with farlateral approach.Total excisions were got in 6 of 7 cases,4 in 6 cases with Simpson gradeⅠand 2 in 6 cases withⅡ.The subtotal excision was got in 1 of 7 cass.Follow-up with 6 ca- ses between 6 to 36 months,the occupied symptoms in 6 cases improved good.No remnant tumor and recur- rent were found in the MRI follow-up.Conclusion By using of the proper posterior approaches,the micro- surgical outonmes of the meningiomas arising from craniocervical junction are good.

Cytokine-release syndrome (CRS) triggered by mon-oclonal antibodies ( mAbs) is characterized by rapid onset and severe damage, and difficulty in prediction and control. Recent years,it has been a research focus on establishing a reliable ani-mal model in vivo and cytokine release assay( CRA) in vitro to predict CRS for preclinical safety evaluation. In this paper we summarize matters related to CRA applicable objects, considera-tions of method design and method optimization, aiming to pro-vide suggestions for the optimization of CRA prediction platform.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of electric stimulation of long-term retaining needle on analgesia after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and the impacts on the post-surgical flatus time.

METHODSUnder static absorptive composite general anesthesia, 90 cases of LC were randomized into three groups, 30 cases in each one. In the control group, the analgesia was not applied after LC. In the analgesia-pumper group, the patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) was used. In the needle-retaining group, the electric acupuncture stimulator was used. The needles were inserted transversely at Riyue (GB 24), Qichong (ST 30) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) and fixed with sterile sticker. Separately, in 8 h and 24 h after surgery, the electric acupuncture stimulation with disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/100 Hz frequency was applied continuously for 30 min. Visual analogue scale (VAS), adverse reactions such as vomiting and nausea and the postoperative flatus time in 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 36 h after surgery were observed and recorded in the three groups.

RESULTSIn 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after surgery, VAS scores in the needle-retaining group and the analgesia-pumper group were all lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The analgesia effect at the above time points in the needle-retaining group was better than that in the analgesia-pumper group (all P < 0.05). There was not adverse reaction in the needle-retaining group. But there were 3 cases of somnolence, 6 cases of nausea and 3 cases of vomiting in the analgesia-pumper group, and 2 cases of nausea and 1 case of vomiting in the control group. The flatus time was quite earlier in the needle-retaining group as compared with the other two groups [(14.77 +/- 4.99) h vs (18.50 +/- 4.22) h, P < 0.01; (14.77 +/- 4.99) h vs (18.17 +/- 4.69) h, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONThe electric stimulation of long-term retaining needle is safe and effective in analgesia after LC. It avoids the adverse reactions of analgesics and promotes postoperative flatus.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; instrumentation ; Adult ; Aged ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; adverse effects ; Electroacupuncture ; instrumentation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Management ; Pain, Postoperative ; etiology ; therapy

Acute Disease ; Fatal Outcome ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; diagnosis ; therapy

AIM: To study cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiac development associated genes ex- pression and its function during early stage cardiomyogenesis. METHODS: (1 ) Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) line D3 culture. (2) Inductive culals of ESC differentiated into cardiac myocytes in vitro.(3) Identification of ESC -derived cardiac myocytes: RNA isolation; synthesis of specific primer and RT - PCR; Label of RT - PCR products with [? - 32P] dATP as probes, purifyed by sephadex G - 50 columns, determined the yield of DNA. RNA dot hy- bridization. RESULTS: 80% of ESC differentiated into cardiomyocytes by improved conditional medium. Cardiomy- ocytes contraCted in a synchronous manner. The results of RT - PCR and RNA blot showed that cardiac genes were expressed abundantly and specifically during the early cardiomyogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: ESC were able to be dif- ferentiate into cardiomyocytes. Different concentrations and components of RA, DMSO and FCS affected ESC car- diomyogenesis in de. The optimal result obtained was from the conditional medium, a mixturce of 2 nmol/L retinoic acid (RA), 0.6% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 20% fend calf serum (FCS).

Objective To study the change of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in myocardial tissue and serum of myocardial ischemia in rats.Methods Twenty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group and test group. Test group was ligated coronary artery,and the control group was pulled on line but not ligated,then observed the change of VEGF.The histological and immunohistochemical method were used for observing the change of VEGF serum in myocardial ischemia in rats' heart.VEGF levels were measured by image analysis.Results Compared with control group,the expression of VEGF in the myocardial ischemia group was increased obviously(P