Objective To observe the effect of combined therapy of external point application and herbal concentrate-granules on patients with asthma (hot wheezing in TCM).Methods 60 patients suffering from onset period of bronchial asthma were randomized to a control group and a treatment group.The control group was given budesonide inhaler and theophylline sustained release tablets.The treatment group was given combined therapy of external point application and herbal concentrate-granules.The course of treatment was 10 days.To observe the value ofFEV1％,ACT scores and TCM syndrome scores etc.Results After treatment,the value of FEV 1％ [treatment group:(82.83 ± 11.35) ％,control group:(83.85 ± 16.72) ％] and ACT [treatment group:(19.86±2.32),control group:(19.66±2.54)] in both groups were markedly increased with statistical significance (P＜0.01); and the difference between the two groups were also significant; TCM syndrome scoring [treatment group:(4.27±3.65),control group:(5.05±4.14)] was notably decreased in both groups compared with the values before the treatment with statistical significance (P＜0.01); but the difference between the two groups was not significant (P＞0.05).Conclusion The combined therapy of external point application and herbal concentrate-granules can treat bronchial asthma in the acute clinical course and improve lung function.

BACKGROUND: Prognosis is determined by degrees of outside force and time of spinal cord compression after spinal cord injury. The former factor cannot be changed, but the latter one can be changed through relieving spinal cord compression as early as possible to promote nervous function recovery.OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of surgical intervention time on nervous function recovery within 72 hours and 10 to 14 days after cervical spinal cord injury.DESIGN: Randomized controlled and before-after controlled study.SETTING: Department of Spine Surgery of the Second Hospital affiliated to Harbin Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 32 patients with cervical spinal cord injury were selected from the Department of Spine Surgery of the Second Hospital affiliated to Harbin Medical University from April 1998 to August 2001.All patients were divided into two groups according to randomly alternative criteria. There were 16 cases including 10 males and 6 females in early surgical group (within 72 hours) and there were also 16 cases including 12males and 4 females in delayed surgical group (within 10-14 days).METHODS: Patients in early surgical group were undertaken operation at 72 hours after hospitalization, and patients in delayed surgical group were at 10-14 days after hospitalization. Frankel grade, sensory and motor scores were recorded according to criteria set by American Spinal Injury Association before operation and within 24 months after operation.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Sensory and motor scores before and after operation; ② Frankel grade before and after operation.RESULTS: ① Improved level of sensory score (difference before and after operation) was higher in early surgical group than that in delayed surgical group (42.6±20.2, 19.2±19.1, P ＜ 0.01). ② Improved level of motor score (difference before and after operation) was higher in early surgical group than that in delayed surgical group (39.7±17.8, 17.3±18.6, P ＜ 0.01). ③Improved level of Frankel grade in early surgical group was superior to that in delayed surgical group (P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: Nervous function recovery of patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury who were suffered from operation within 72 hours is superior to that of those within 10 to 14 days. Therefore, surgical intervention should be undertaken as early as possible in order to promote nervous function recovery after cervical spinal cord injury.

Background: The proportion of recurrences after discharge among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported to be between 9.1% and 31.0%. Little is known about this issue, however, so we performed a meta-analysis to summarize the demographical, clinical, and laboratorial characteristics of non-recurrence and recurrence groups. Methods: Comprehensive searches were conducted using eight electronic databases. Data regarding the demographic, clinical, and laboratorial characteristics of both recurrence and non-recurrence groups were extracted, and quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. Results: Ten studies involving 2071 COVID-19 cases were included in this analysis. The proportion of recurrence cases involving patients with COVID-19 was 17.65% (between 12.38% and 25.16%) while older patients were more likely to experience recurrence (weighted mean difference (WMD)=1.67, range between 0.08 and 3.26). The time from discharge to recurrence was 13.38 d (between 12.08 and 14.69 d). Patients were categorized as having moderate severity (odds ratio (OR)=2.69, range between 1.30 and 5.58), while those with clinical symptoms including cough (OR=5.52, range between 3.18 and 9.60), sputum production (OR=5.10, range between 2.60 and 9.97), headache (OR=3.57, range between 1.36 and 9.35), and dizziness (OR=3.17, range between 1.12 and 8.96) were more likely to be associated with recurrence. Patients presenting with bilateral pulmonary infiltration and decreased leucocyte, platelet, and CD4+ T counts were at risk of COVID-19 recurrence (OR=1.71, range between 1.07 and 2.75; WMD=−1.06, range between −1.55 and −0.57, WMD=−40.39, range between −80.20 and −0.48, and WMD=−55.26, range between −105.92 and −4.60, respectively). Conclusions: The main factors associated with the recurrence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) after hospital discharge were older age, moderate severity, bilateral pulmonary infiltration, laboratory findings including decreased leucocytes, platelets, and CD4+ T counts, and clinical symptoms including cough, sputum production, headache, and dizziness. These factors can be considered warning indicators for the recurrence of SARS-CoV-2 and might help the development of specific management strategies.

Objective:To investigate the changes and significances of serum cystatin C and transforming growth factor-β1 levels for the neonatal asphyxia.Methods:Forty-six asphyxia newborns were chosen as the asphyxia group,and thirty healthy newborns were selected as the control group.The TGF-β1,CysC,BUN,Scr,and GFR levels of both groups were detected on the 1st,3rd,7th day after hospitalization.According to the renal injury,the 46 newborns were divided into normal group and asphyxia group,and the serum indexes were detected and analyzed.Results:On the 1st,3rd,7th day after hospitalization,the TGF-β1,GFR of asphyxia group was obviously increased and was lower than those of the control group (P＜0.05);the level of CysC,BUN,Scr in both groups were decreased,and the change degree in asphyxia group were higher than that of the control group (P＜0.05);the CysC,BUN,Scr in renal injured group were higher than those of normal group,and TGF-β1,GFR were much lower (P＜0.05).Additionally,TGF-β1 level of renal injured group was negatively correlated to the BUN and Scr,and positively correlated with the GFR (P＜0.05).The level of serum CysC in renal injured group was positively correlated to BUN and Scr and negatively correlated to GFR (P＜0.05).Conclusion:The serum TGF-β1,CysC in asphyxia newborns had significant changes compared with the healthy newborns and was correlated to the renal injured indexes,which had clinical directive significance on the early diagnosis,condition judgment,and prognosis of neonatal asphyxia with renal injury.

Objective To improve the diagnostic ability of leukoencephalopathy with cerebral calcifications and cysts (LCC),a rare central nervous system disease.Methods The clinical manifestations,neuroimages and neuropathological features of a 19-year-old male patient were analyzed.A total of 20 cases from 14 literatures were reviewed.Results The patient was admitted with right limb weakness,cognitive decline,headache and blurred eyesight.Head CT scan showed multiple calcifications,cysts formation and leukoencephalopathy.Brain MRI showed several cysts in bilateral hemisphere,basal ganglia,thalamus and paraventricular areas.A mural nodule was noted inside one of the cyst,which was enhanced on the contrasted MRI.The wall of the cysts was partially enhanced,but not with the fluid inside the cysts.The corresponding CT calcifications foci showed on T1 and T2 with either both hyperintensity or both hypointensity,which was also partial enhanced.Extensive leukoencephalopathy was formed around the cysts and the ventricles.But neither Cho nor NAA changed a lot on MRS.Amplitude diagram of SWI series exhibited multiple round small dark signals all over the affected areas with mixed signals showed in the phase diagram,which indicated both calcifications and microbleedings at the lesions.Neuropathological examinations found no tumor cells in the operated cyst,and showed angiomatous small blood cells were dominant in the cyst wall.Hyaline degenerations,microcalcifications and hemosiderin deposition were observed.No obvious demyelination was discovered,while gliosis,numerous Rosenthal fibers and fibrinoid vascular necrosis were found around the lesions.The clinical,neuroimaging and pathological features of this patient were in accordance with the cases reported in the literatures.Conclusions Neuroimaging is the most important method for the diagnosis of LCC.As small vessel lesions are probably closely related to the pathophysiology of LCC,SWI could be recommended to further reveal the etiology of LCC.

Objective To analyze the clinical,imaging and pathological features of cortical vein thrombosis (CoVT).Methods Three cases of cortical vein thrombosis were diagnosed in our hospital from February 2010 to October 2012.We reviewed and summarized their clinical manifestation,radiological feature and pathological characteristics.Results All patients were young with acute onset.The main clinical manifestations included headache,epilepsy or limbs weakness.Two cases had intracranial hypertension.One case had decreased activity of protein S.One had increased plasma homocysteine.Brain computed tomography scan showed hypodensity lesion with some hyperdensity inside.Cranial routine magnetic resonance imaging showed long signal in T1-weighed image and T2-weighed image,with occasional short T1 signal inside.Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging revealed heterogeneous enhancement.All of 3 cases underwent brain biopsy because of the suspected diagnosis of brain tumor.Brain pathology showed the local necrosis and hemorrhage,dilated small vein with congestion or thrombosis.Neuronal degeneration,hyperplasia of gliocyte,hyperplasia of endotheliocyte in small blood vessels with reaction of histiocytes was also displayed.Duration from initial visit to final diagnosis was from 14 days to 2 months.Conclusions CoVT has various clinical and radiological manifestations and it is easy to misdiagnose as brain tumor.Careful analysis of clinical and imaging data could improve its diagnostic accuracy.Brain biopsy would also be helpful for diagnosis.

Objective To summarize the sonographic features and differential diagnosis points of mass-type cornual pregnancy. Methods The sonographic ifndings of 23 pathological proven mass-type cornual pregnancy cases enrolled in PUMCH from 2011 January to 2013 January were retrospectively analyzed. Results All pathological proven mass-type cornual pregnancy were located at one corner of the uterus presenting as a heterogenous outward mass. Well-deifned margins were found in 20 cases, and interstitial-line signs were found in 15 cases. The surrounding muscle thickness is 0.1-0.3 cm. Typical hyperechoic villi were found on sonography in cases with bloodβ-hCG>20 000 IU/L. On Doppler, the lesion showed abundant peripheral vascularity with low resistance in 22 cases, 9 lesions also showed abundant internal vascularity. Among 23 mass-type cornual pregnancy cases, 7 cases were misdiagnosed as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) due to the similar sonographic characteristics including mixed-echo and abundant vascularity with low resistance. Sixteen cases were diagnosed by ultrasound preoperatively, with featured sonographic signs including mass located in the endometrial extension line;clear margin;peripheral vascularity;or detection of interstitial-line sign and typical villus. Conclusions Mass-type cornual pregnancy may be correctly diagnosed according to the location, boundary of the mass and the distribution of blood flow combining with clinical manifestation and bloodβ-hCG level. Transvaginal sonography could play an important role in diagnosis of cornual pregnancy.

Objective To study the influence of survivin targetedly inhibited with antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN)technique on the apoptosis of hepatoma carcinoma cells SMMC-7221,and to clarify the mechanism of promotion effect of survivin-ASODN on the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells.Methods The ASODN sequence of survivin marked by FAM fluorescein was designed and synthized. The SMMC-7721 cells were transfected by different concentrations (100,200,300,400,and 600 nmol· L-1 )of survivin-ASODN (ASODN transfection groups),at the same time blank control group and blank liposome control group and sense oligonucleotide (SODN) control group were set up.The apoptotic rates and the changes of cell cycle of the SMMC-7721 cells 24,48,and 72 h after transfected with different concentrations of survivin-ASODN were detected by FCM. The expression levels of survivin were measured by Western blotting method.Results Compared with each control group,24 h after transfection,the apoptotic rates of survivin-ASODN transfected SMMC-7221 cells were increased,the growth of cells was inhibited (P<0.05),and the effects had time-dose dependent tendency.48 h after transfection,the hypodiploid apoptotic peak appeared in ASODN transfection groups before G1 phase, the number of the cells at G0/G1 phase was decreased (P<0.05)and the number of the cells at G2/M phase wsa increased (P<0.05). Compared with each control group,the survivin expression levels in the SMMC-7721 cells in ASODN transfection groups were decreased (P<0.05 ), and the effects of survivin-ASODN was time-dose dependent (P<0.05 ). Conclusion Survivin-ASODN can block the expression of survivin in SMMC-7721 cells and inhibit the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells by changing the cell cycle and increasing apoptosis in a time-dose dependent manner.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical characteristics and therapy of fresh cervical spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) in children.MethodsThe materials of fourteen SCIWORA children (13 cases treated with non operative menthod, 1 case treated by atlantoocciptal fusion) were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsOne child was dead, and the other 13 cases had a 3-year follow up. Three children's symptoms had no change. According to ASIA criterion, there were 3 cases with grade A, 5 cases with grade B, 5 cases with grade C and 1 case with grade D before treatment. After treatment, there were 1 case recovered to grade B, 2 cases recovered to grade C, 5 cases recovered to grade D, 2 cases recovered to grade E.ConclusionSpinal cord injury caused by a short time dislocation of cervical vertebrae is the main reason of SCIWORA in children. The degree of the injury of spinal cord is related directly with the recovery of function of nervous system. Most patients can get satisfactory results by non operative methods. Operations are useful to the cases with obvious instability of cervical spine.

With a new therapy of keratoconus in recent years-corneal cross-linking, the pediatric keratoconus have characterized by corneal dilatation, central thinning, protrusion and conical shape in the children' eyes. By analyzing the epidemiological characteristics of keratoconus and the current methods of treating pediatric keratcoconus, this paper discusses the role of different CXL protocols in the clinical application of pediatric keratcoconus, thus providing some help for the choice of clinical treatment methods.