Objective To explore the differences in the strength of the nodes in the brain white matter weighted networks between the male patients with paranoid schizophrenia and male healthy controls, and to analysis the integrity of the white matter fiber tracts that connected to the different brain regions and its relationship with the course of disease. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were obtained from 25 male patients with paranoid schizophrenia and 26 male healthy controls. The whole brain was parcellated into 90 regions by using the anatomical label map. Tractography was performed in the whole brain of each subject to reconstruct white matter tracts using the FACT algorithm. The brain white matter weighted networks were then constructed using the complex network theory. Results The strength of the nodes in the networks of schizophrenia significantly decreased in the right thalamus (P=0.03, corrected) and the right hes?chl gyrus (P=0.04, corrected). Negative correlation was found between the strength of the right thalamus and the course of disease (r=-0.45, P=0.03). Conclusion The integrity of the white matter fiber tracts connected to the thalamus and tem?poral lobes in the male paranoid schizophrenia is impaired. The lesion of fiber tracts connected to the thalamus is related with the course of disease.

Objective To investigate the clinical features and TCD-detected microembolic signals in patients with hypercoagulability related multiple acute cerebral infarcts within non-single arterial territories, and to explore the possi?ble underlying mechanisms. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on all clinical, laboratory, radiological and TCD monitoring records from patients with hypercoagulability related multiple acute cerebral infarcts within non-single arterial territories, who admitted to the neurology department in our hospital. Results The data from twenty-two cases were finally included in this study. All patients presented with acute-onset localized neurological dysfunction, e.g. hemi?paresis, aphasia, hemiparesthesia, dysarthria, hemianopsia and cortical blindness. Their hypercoagulability related diseas?es included 10 cases of systemic malignancy, 5 moderate to severe hyperhomocystynemia (HCY>50μmol/L), 2 nephrot?ic syndrome, 2 antiphospholipid syndrome, 1 ulcerative colitis, 1 polycythemia vera,1 paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobin?uria. In 18 cases, the hypercoagulability related diseases were diagnosed after their initial stroke onset. DWI showed mul?tiple disseminated acute cerebral infarcts in non-single arterial territories involving bilateral anterior or anterior plus pos?terior cerebral circulation simultaneously. Foci involved lobar cortex/subcortex of cerebral hemisphere in 22 cases, deep cerebral hemisphere in 12 cases, cerebellum foci in 10 cases,brainstem foci in 2 cases. TCD revealed microembolic sig? nals in ten of 22 patients monitored. Conclusions Patients with multiple acute cerebral infarcts involving non-single arte?rial territories, should be screened for hypercoagulability as in that hypercoagulability and microembolism might be in?volved in the etiology of cerebral infarction.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) combined with controlled hypotension on reducing heterogeneous transfusion and safety during liver tumorectomy.

METHODSThirty patients undergoing elective liver tumorectomy were randomly divided into 3 groups (10 each), namely ANH group (group A), ANH combined with controlled hypotension group (group B) and control group (group C). All the patients were anesthetized via endotracheal intubation. Before the operation, ANH was performed in groups A and B after anesthesia induction, and controlled hypotension was initiated in group B during tumorectomy. Blood transfusion and fluid infusion were carried out routinely in group C. Hb and Hct were measured before operation, after ANH, and immediately, 1 day and 7 days after the operation. The difference in intraoperative blood loss and heterogeneous blood transfusion volume in the 3 groups was observed.

RESULTSIn group A, heterogeneous blood transfusion was avoided in 6 cases and but given in the other cases for an average of 400 ml. In group C, every patient received heterogeneous blood transfusion (664.8-/+248.1 ml), but none of the patients received heterogeneous blood in group B. The difference in transfusion volume between the 3 groups was significant (P<0.01). Hemodynamics was basically stable during operation in the 3 groups.

CONCLUSIONANH combined with controlled hypotension is safe and effective for decreasing and even avoiding homologous blood transfusion in liver tumorectomy.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; prevention & control ; Blood Transfusion ; statistics & numerical data ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hemodilution ; methods ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Hypotension, Controlled ; methods ; Isotonic Solutions ; Liver Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the birth information of newborn infants from obstetric departments in the Central South Region of China.

METHODSA retrospective investigation was carried out in 15582 newborns from obstetric departments of 23 hospitals in the Central South Region of China between January 1 and December 31 of 2005.

RESULTSThe sex ratio (male/female) of neonates was 1.16∶1. The proportion of preterm infants was 8.11%. The very low birth weight infants accounted for 0.73%. The neonates born by spontaneous labor accounted for 57.52%. Cesarean sections accounted for 40.82% (social factor of cesarean section: 29.91%). The incidence of neonatal asphyxia was 3.78%, in which 0.75% of the cases were severe asphyxia. The mortality of newborn infants was 0.55%, in which the mortality of preterm infants was 5.56%.

CONCLUSIONSThe proportion of preterm infants and the incidence of neonatal asphyxia is high in the Central South Region of China. The proportion of births delivered by cesarean section is high, and social factors are probably responsible for the high rate.

Asphyxia Neonatorum ; epidemiology ; Cesarean Section ; statistics & numerical data ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy of telbivudine monotherapy and telbivudine combination therapy with adefovir in patients with nucleos(t)ide-naive chronic hepatitis B, high-level hepatitis B virus (HBV) load and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positivity, and to explore the relationship between treatment regimen adherence and treatment outcomes.

METODSA retrospective study was performed with 123 HBeAg-positive, high-level viral load (HBV DNA≥10(7) copies/ml), nucleos(t)ide-naive chronic hepatitis B patients. Fifty-three of the patients received combination therapy with telbivudine and adefovir dipivoxil,while 70 patients received the telbivudine monotherapy. All patients were tested for rates of conversion to HBV DNA-negative status,alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization, HBeAg seroconversion, drug resistance, and side effects at treatment weeks 12, 24, and 48. Treatment regimen adherence was assessed through self-reporting, and interviews were used to explore the relationships to treatment outcomes. The chisquare test, t test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analyses.

RESULTSThe rates of HBV DNA negative conversion in the combination group at treatment weeks 12, 24 and 48 were 62.3% (33/53), 88.7% (47/53) and 94.3% (50/53) and were significantly different from those in the monotherapy group at weeks 12 and 24.The rates of ALT normalization were significantly different between the two groups at treatment week 12 (94.3% vs. 77.1%). The rate of HBeAg seroconversion in the combination group at treatment week 48 was 39.6%, and significantly different than that of the monotherapy group. The rates of drug-resistance in the combination and monotherapy groups at treatment week 48 were 3.8% and 11.4%, and the proportion of non-adherence to the treatment regimen was 53.3%, which significantly affected treatment outcome. No side effects occurred in either treatment group.

CONCLUSIONTelbivudine combination treatment with adefovir was more effective than telbivudine monotherapy and elicited a low drug resistance rate in nucleos(t)idenaive chronic hepatitis B patients with high-level HBV load and HBeAg-positivity. Adherence to the therapy regimen was a key factor influencing treatment outcomes.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; Alanine Transaminase ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Organophosphonates ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; Treatment Outcome ; Viral Load

OBJECTIVETo assess the outcome of phacoemulsification-intraocular lens (IOL) implantation combined with viscocanalostomy (P-C group), compared with that of phacoemulsification-IOL implantation combined with trabeculectomy (P-T group).

METHODSCombined phacoemulsification with corneal incision, foldable intraocular lens implantation and viscocanalostomy was performed in 21 eyes of 19 cataract patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. All patients were followed up for 3 - 6 months.

RESULTIntraocular pressure (IOP) was significantly lower in both P-C group and P-T group (P=0.000). There was no statistically significant difference between two groups. Visual outcome was similar in both groups. Complications of P-C group included Descemet's membrane puncture in 2 eyes, Schlemm's tube puncture in 2 eyes and IOP spikes in 3 eyes (at 24 hours postoperatively). The P-C group experienced significantly less inflammation than the P-T group.

CONCLUSIONPhacoemulsification-IOL implantation combined with viscocanalostomy is a safe and effective surgery, with lower complicatin rate and easier ambulatory care.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Filtering Surgery ; methods ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; surgery ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phacoemulsification ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents and bioactivity of Teurium pilosum.

METHODVarious column chromatographic techniques were used to isolate the constituents. A combination of EI-MS, NMR spectroscopy and X-Ray were applied to identify the structures. The anti-microorganism was accomplished by disk diffusion method, the antioxidant activity was assayed by the DPPH microanalysis models and the inhibitory activity of alpha-glucosidase was screened In vitro.

RESULTEight compounds were isolated and identified as: glyceryl tristearate (1), 2,5-dioxolanone (2), fernenol (3), stigmasta-5,22-dien-3P-ol (4), 24-nor cholesta-5,22 (E)-dien-3beta-ol (5), ca-spinasterol (6), (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) acrylate (7), 3,4-dihydroxy phenyl acrylic acid (8).

CONCLUSIONAll compounds have been isolated from the genus for the first time. Compound 3 [IC50 = (37.63 +/- 3.45) mg +/- L(-1)], 6 [IC50 = (178.92 +/- 4.99) mg x L(-1)] and 8 [IC50 = (44.32 +/- 7.02) mg x L(-1)] are of higher inhibitory alpha-glucosidase activity than that of acarbose [IC50 = (1081.27 +/- 12.3) mg x L(-1)]. Compound7 [IC50 = (4.81 +/- 0.96) mg x L(-1)] and 8 [IC50 = (4.16 +/- 0.11) mg L(-1)] showed higher antioxidant activity than that of BHT [IC50 = (35.64 +/- 0.36) mg x L(-1)] and BHA [IC50 = (8.74 +/- 0.39) mg x L(-1)]. Compound 5-8 exhibited inhibitory activity against Fusarium graminearum. Compound 5 and 8 showed inhibitory activity against Botrytis cinerea.

Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fusarium ; drug effects ; Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Teucrium ; chemistry ; alpha-Glucosidases ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the CT axial manifestations of iliolumbar ligament(ILL) and discusses its clinical effects on locating lumbosacral vertebral segments.

METHODSFrom May 2008 to March 2010, 706 adult patients diagnosed lumbar disc disease were performed with axial scans by single slice helical CT. Among the patients, 436 patients were male and 270 patients were female, ranging in age from 25 to 82 years, the median age was 44 years, 78 cases with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) were verified by X-radiography or fluoroscopy. The morphology, origin and insertion, courses of ILL and the relationship of ligament and spinal segments on axial plane images were used to study. The location method of spinal segments by ILL was compared with the other four location methods on CT.

RESULTSOf the 628 cases with normal lumbosacral segmentations sides of ligament, the main part of ILL originated from L5 transverse processes and terminated at the iliac crest, the morphological characters were divided into two types: double band (71.8%, 451/628) and single band (28.2%, 177/628). The tiny branches from posterior and outside edge of L4, lumbar disc were seen simultaneity in 3 cases. The ILL of 78 cases with LSTV all also originated from L5 transverse processes. Using ILL as a marker of the L5 vertebral level, 78 cases with LSTV were correctly numbered, the accuracy rate was higher than the other location methods, there was statistical significance between the location method by ILL and the location method by iliac crest (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe main part of ILL originates from L5 transverse processes, the anatomic location is relatively steady and can be clearly displayed on axial CT, which can be used as a measure in the idenlification of LSTV in clinical practice, it is worthy to be applied widely in basic-level hospitals.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Ilium ; diagnostic imaging ; Ligaments ; diagnostic imaging ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Lumbosacral Region ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

D-alanine (D-Ala) is an essential amino acid that has a key role in bacterial cell wall synthesis. Alanine racemase (Alr) is a unique enzyme that interconverts L-alanine and D-alanine in most bacteria, making this enzyme a potential target for antimicrobial drug development. Streptococcus mutans is a major causative factor of dental caries. The factors involved in the survival, virulence and interspecies interactions of S. mutans could be exploited as potential targets for caries control. The current study aimed to investigate the physiological role of Alr in S. mutans. We constructed alr mutant strain of S. mutans and evaluated its phenotypic traits and interspecies competitiveness compared with the wild-type strain. We found that alr deletion was lethal to S. mutans. A minimal supplement of D-Ala (150μg·mL?1) was required for the optimal growth of the alr mutant. The depletion of D-alanine in the growth medium resulted in cell wall perforation and cell lysis in the alr mutant strain. We also determined the compromised competitiveness of the alr mutant strain relative to the wild-type S. mutans against other oral streptococci (S. sanguinis or S. gordonii), demonstrated using either conditioned medium assays or dual-species fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis. Given the importance and necessity of alr to the growth and competitiveness of S. mutans, Alr may represent a promising target to modulate the cariogenicity of oral biofilms and to benefit the management of dental caries.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of propofol target controlled infusion (TCI) and sevoflurane inhalational anesthesia on the hemodynamics and postoperative recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODSSixty ASA IorII patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized into propofol TCI group (group P) and sevoflurane inhalational anesthesia group (group S). In group P, TCI propofol was maintained after intubation until incision closure with the target concentration at 3 microg/ml. In group S, sevoflurane (end-tidal concentration of 2%) was maintained with oxygen flow rate of 2 L/min until incision closure. Fentanyl and vecuronium were intravenously infused according to the depth of anesthesia during the operation. MAP and HR were measured before anesthesia (T(1)), immediately after intubation (T(2)), at skin incision (T(3)), 10 min after pneumoperitoneum (T(4)) and immediately after completion of the operation (T(5)) respectively. Awake time, postoperative nausea and vomiting of the patients were observed after operation.

RESULTSThere was significant difference in MAP and HR at T(4) between the two groups (P<0.05), but not at T(1), T(2), T(3) and T(5) (P>0.05). No significant difference was also found in the awake time between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of PONV, however, was significantly lower in group P than in group S (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPropofol TCI and sevoflurane inhalational anesthesia are all effective in inducing good anesthetic effect, maintaining hemodynamic stability and ensuring rapid recovery, but propofol TCI causes lower incidence of PONV in operations such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anesthesia, Inhalation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Humans ; Infusion Pumps ; Male ; Methyl Ethers ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Propofol ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Young Adult