Objective To develop two-grille latrines with the effect of non-hazardous treatment. Methods According to the result of the pretest, one type of two-grille latrines was selected and constructed and its effect of non-hazardous treatment was evaluated. Results The faces-treatment pool, with cement-prefab structure and obturation, had a total cubage of 1.32 m3. The average total amount of faces in the pool was 1.05 m3 per family per month, and the pool could store the faces for over 34 days. The “reaching criteria rate” of the parasite ova sediment and the value of the fecal coliform bacteria were 100% among the excrement in the outlet. Conclusions The prefab two-grille latrines can reach the criteria of non-hazardous treatment, and they can be used in well-off rural areas without the usage of manure.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy and the reliability in diagnosing breast cancer. METHODS: This clinical study was performed on 132 patients with palpable breast masses who had been diagnosed with excisional biopsy from August 1997 to July 1998 at the Department of Surgery, Seoul Adventist Hospital. Among the 132 patients, the mammographs were taken for 65 patients, ultrasonographs for 83 patients, and fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) for 72 patients. The results of the three diagnostic procedures were compared with the postexcisional histologic diagnosis. RESULTS: 1) Mammography discovered breast cancer with an accuracy of 70.8%, a false positive fraction of 6.8%, a false negative fraction of 76.2%, a sensitivity of 23.8%, a specificity of 93.2%, and a positive predictive value of 62.5%. 2) Ultrasonography detected breast cancer with an accuracy of 74.7%, a false positive fraction of 6.9%, a false negative fraction of 68.0%, a sensitivity of 32.0%, a specificity of 93.1%, and a positive predictive value of 66.7%. 3) Among the 72 aspirates, 7 (9.7%) aspirates had a technically unsatisfactory aspiration cytology. 4) Of the 65 technically satisfactory cytologies, the diagnosis was malignant in 16 cases, suspicious for malignancy in 6 cases, and benign in 43 cases. 5) Aspiration cytology detected breast cancer with an accuracy of 90.8%, a false positive fraction of 4.9%, a false negative fraction of 16.7%, a sensitivity of 83.3%, a specificity of 95.1%, and a positive predictive value of 90.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The fine needle aspiration biopsy was more reliable than either mammography or ultrasonography. Also, as an initial diagnostic method, fine needle aspiration biopsy had a high degree of accuracy in diagnozing palpable breast masses.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Mammography* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seoul ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Mammary*

BACKGROUND: As a candidate gene of congenital heart disease, ACTC1 gene is related to congenital atrial septal defect inhumans.OBJECTIVE: To perform a mutation screen of ACTC1 gene in 110 nuclear families of congenital heart disease.METHODS: A case-control study was conducted based on 110 nuclear families of congenital heart disease and 300 normalhuman beings with no reported cardiac malformation. Six fragments in the coding region of ACTC1 gene was amplified by PCR invitro using five primers pairs. PCR products were screened for gene mutations.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A novel G-to-A variant was found at the third nucleotide of the intron downstream from exon 5.This mutation existed in a 5-year-old female with an isolated ventricular septal defect and her 30-year-old father, who had noreported cardiac anomalies. This mutation was not detected in 300 normal controls. These findings indicate that the mutation maybe related with congenital ventricular septal defects in humans.

Background Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a major event in the pathogenesis of posterior capsular opacification (PCO),and the expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) is the marker of EMT.Previous studies showed that breviscapine plays an important role in anti-fibrosis and suppression EMT,however,the mechanism of its effect on EMT in LECs is unclear.Objective Present study was to investigate the effect of breviscapine on the expression of α-SMA and fibronectin (FN) in human LECs induced by transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2).Methods Human LECs strain,HLE-B3,was cultured and passaged in DMEM containing 10％ fetal bovine serum.Different concentrations of breviscapine (6.75,12.75,25.00,50.00 and 100.00 mg/L)were added into the medium for 24,48 and 72 hours respectively,and then cell cunting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to evaluate the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of breviscapine to HLE-B3.In addition,HLE-B3 was subcultured at the density of 1 × 106/hole and divided into 4 groups.The cells were in free-serum medium as the normal control;the cells were exposed in 10 μg/L TGF-β2 as TGF-β2 group;while in the breviscapine group,10 mg/L of breviscapine was added into the culture medium and another group was the combination of 10 mg/L breviscapine and 10 μg/L of TGF-β2 treatment.Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA expressions of α-SMA and FN as well as their protein in HLE-B3 72 hours after cultured.Results The inhibitory rate of breviscapine to HLE-B3 proliferation was gradually elevated with the increase of concentration of breviscapine,showing a significant inhibition of the cell proliferation among the different groups and at various time points (F =292.851,P=0.000;F =65.037,P=0.000).IC50 of HLE-B3 at 72 hours was 22 mg/L,and therefore,in rest of experiment 10 mg/L of breviscapine was used which was 1/2 only half of the IC50.α-SMA and FN were expressed in cultured normal HLE-B3.The expressing level of α-SMA mRNA and FN mRNA in the HLE-B3 was significantly different among the normal group,TGF-β22 group,breviscapine treatment group and combination group as well as at various time points (F =105.490,P =0.000 ; F =1041.414,P =0.000).Similarly,the protein expressions of α-SM A and FN in the HLE-B3 was significantly different among the four groups and different time points (F=136.872,P=0.000;F=119.820,P=0.000).The expression levels of α-SMA and FN mRNA and their proteins in HLE-B3 were remarkably increased in the 10 μg/L TGF-β2 group compared with the normal control group (at all P=0.000),and those in the combination group were obviously declined in comparison to the TGF-β2 group (P =0.001,0.001,0.001,0.010).No significant difference was found in the expressions of α-SMA and FN in the HLE-B3 between the breviscapine group and normal control group in both transcriptional level and protein level (P =0.551,0.292,0.551,0.360).Conclusions 10 mg/L breviscapine can arrest the proliferation and EMT of human LECs.This result suggests that using breviscapine may be a potential prophylactic approach in the prevention of PCO.

Objective: To investigate the use of new types of drugs among HIV/AIDS patients in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide insights into surveillance and interventions for use of new types of drugs among HIV/AIDS patients. Methods: The HIV/AIDS patients in Ningbo City were randomly sampled from the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Information System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. Patients' demographics, use of new types of drugs and sexual behaviors were collected using questionnaire surveys. Patients' hair samples were collected, and new types of drugs were determined in hair using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In addition, factors affecting the use of new types of drugs were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 254 HIV/AIDS patients were enrolled, including 214 men (84.25%), 31 cases aged under 25 years (12.20%), 66 cases aged 25 to 30 years (25.98%), and 157 cases aged 31 to 75 years (61.81%). There were 30 cases reported previous use of new drugs (11.81%), including 27 cases reported previous use of methamphetamine (90.00%). There were 48 cases tested positive of new types of drugs, with a positive rate of 18.90%, including 44 cases tested positive for methamphetamine (91.67%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified age (25 to 30 years, OR=6.926, 95%CI: 1.412-33.969), occupation (students/teachers/cadres/employees/retirees, OR=6.971, 95%CI: 2.123-22.889; housekeeping and housework servants/unemployed, OR=3.356, 95%CI: 1.289-8.739; business/public place servants, OR=2.447, 95%CI: 1.033-4.448) and syphilis infection during recent six months (OR=3.491, 95%CI: 1.664-7.326) as factors affecting the use of new types drugs among HIV/AIDS patients. Conclusions The use of new types of drugs exists in HIV/AIDS patients in Ningbo City. Age, occupation and syphilis infection were associated with the use of new types of drugs among HIV/AIDS patients.

Objective To study the auditory processing abilities of children with learning difficulty and deter-mine the proportion of the children with auditory processing disorder.Methods A single factor completely random-ized experimental design was used.Seventeen children with learning difficulties and 31 normal children from grade 2 to grade 4 in Beijing were induded in this study.The abilities of low-pass filtered speech,competing sentences,di-chotic digits and frequency patterns were tested through auditory processing disorder screening test software.Results There were significant differences in the abilities of listening sentences and digits in competitive environment and recognizing frequency patterns between children with learning difficulty and without.The auditory processing ability of children with learning difficulties was obviously poorer than normal children.The incidence of auditory processing disorder among the children with learning difficulties was 41.176%~58.824%.Conclusion The auditory process-ing ability in the competitive environment of children with learning difficulties was obviously poorer and they need in-tervention specifically.

Objective To compare the effect of Solitaire AB and Enterprise stent-assisted endovascular embolization of intracranial wide-necked aneurysms. Methods The clinical data 218 patients with intracranial aneurysm treated with Solitaire AB stent or Enterprise stent in Guangdong General Hospital from January 2012 to December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Seventy patients were treated with Solitaire AB stents and 148 were treated with Enterprise stents. They were followed up after procedure (2 months to 2 years). The Raymond grade and the modified Rankin scale (mRS)scores were used to compare the efficacy of the 2 kinds of stents. Results There were no significant differences in patients before procedure in the Hunt-Hess grade (Z = 1. 550,P = 0. 121),Fisher grade (Z =1. 537,P =0. 124),aneurysm size (Z =0. 192,P =0. 848),and position (χ2 = 0. 337,P = 0. 736)between the 2 stent groups,while there were no significant differences in patients after procedure in the instant Raymond grade (Z = 0. 682,P = 0. 495), follow-up Raymond grade (Z = 0. 206,P =0. 837),and mRS score (P =0. 662)between the 2 stent groups. Further multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the stent type (Solitaire AB stent or Enterprise stent),Raymond grade follow-up grade (OR,0. 029 ,95% CI 0. 126 - 0. 199,P = 0. 661 ),and postoperative mRS score (OR,2. 000,95% CI 0. 204 - 19. 603,P = 0. 552)had no influence on the
prognosis. Conclusions In the assisted embolization of intracranial wide-necked aneurysms using the Solitaire AB and Enterprise stents,the effects of both stents are good in the assisted embolization of intracranial wide-necked aneurysms.

AIM To observe the effects of Qibao Meiran Oral Liquid (Polygoni multiflori Radix Praeparata,Angelicae sinensis Radix,Psoraleae Fructus,etc.) on learning and memory function,hippocampus tissue pathological morphology,SOD activity and carbonyl protein content in SAMP8 mice.METHODS Twenty-seven SAMP8 mice were randomly and equally divided into model control group,donepezil hydrochloride group and Qibao Meiran Oral Liquid group.Another nine SAMR1 mice were selected as normal control group.Mice were given successive intragastric administration for 60 days.On the 56th day,the passive avoidance test was adopted,and the learning and memory capacities were determined after 5 d;The pathological morphology was observed by HE staining;ELISA assay was used to detect the activity of SOD and the content of carbonyl protein in brain tissue.RESULTS Compared with the model control group,the escape latency of mice in the Qibao Meiran Oral Liquid group was significantly prolonged,and the number of errors decreased significantly (P ＜0.01);the pathological morphology of hippocampus tissue was significantly improved;SOD activity increased significantly,and carbonyl protein content decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION Qibao Meiran Oral Liquid can not only improve the learning and memory function of SAMP8 mice,but also reduce the degree of hippocampus tissue degenerative disease.

Objective To study the influencing factors of the competing sentences test in normal-hearing adults, in order to provide references for the preparation of the competing sentences test with children and the development of the diagnostic tools of the central auditory processing disorders.Methods According to the three kinds of test tables of semantic competition, sentence constituent competition and phonetic competition for the competing sentences test, the 2×3×3 factors mixed experimental design were used to test the 48 normal-hearing adults(forty-six right-handed adults and two left-handed adults) with the competing sentences test.The correct rate was obtained and the influencing factors were analyzed.Results ①The average correct rate of the Competing Sentences Test for the forty-six right-handed normal-hearing adults was 94.98%,and for the two left-handed normal-hearing adults was 96.12%.②The right-handed subjects'' right ear accuracy rate was significantly higher than that of the left ear(P<0.01),while the accuracy rate of the left ear was obviously higher than the right ear with left-handed subjects.③The effects of genders on the results of the competing sentences test was not significant(P>0.05)with the right-handed subjects.④For the results of three types sentences,the correct rate of semantic competition was the highest, the second was the sentence constituent competition and phonetic competition was the lowest with the right-handed subjects.Conclusion No gender factors were found to affect the results of the competing sentences test among adults.The normal-hearing right-handed adults have the right ear advantage in the competing sentences test, prompting us to become concerned about the choice of the ear sides.Different competition types of sentences will have a greater impact on the difficulty of the competing sentences test, so we should pay more attention to this in the preparation of competitive sentences test tables.

Objective To observe hibernation phenomena of Oncomelanai hupensis and explore the way of inducing the hibernation in laboratory. \ Methods\ Snails, O\^hupensis hupensis, were collected from marshland of Jiangsu. The snail hibernation was induced by the way of cultivation at a mimic natural environment in the laboratory with gradually changing temperature. The amount of oxygen consumed by snails was tested by iodine titration, and their hibernation was tested by pin puncture followed by warm water. \ Results \ There was no significant difference on the rate of snail \{hibernation\} when the temperature was reduced by 1 ℃ per 24 hrs and by 1 ℃ per 48 hrs. The hibernation rate \{increased\} with the decreasing temperature. There was a significant regression relationship between hibernation rate and temperature with R\+2=0\^967 (F=207\^72, P