OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the day of delivery for women with regular menstrual history was predicted best from the last menstrual period (LMP), crown rump length (CRL) and or biparietal diameter (BPD). METHODS: All of 561 women had estimated the day of delivery by LMP, CRL in the first trimester (In case of 217 women, it was available) and BPD in the second trimester. The accuracy of each method in predicting the day of delivery was determined. Those who were delivered after the spontaneous onset of labor were included. Differences among these methods were evaluated with nonparametric tests. RESULTS: The percentage of women who delivered within 3 days of the estimated day of delivery was 254(45.3%) and 216(38.5%) of the women with pregnancies by BPD and LMP, respectively. And within 7days of the estimated day were 408(72.7%), 390(69.5%) of the women from BPD and the LMP. In the women, the BPD estimate was significantly better predictor within the 7days of the day of delivery than LMP estimate (p=0.027). Compared to LMP estimate, CRL and BPD estimates seemed to be advanced the day of delivery about 2.6 days in CRL, and 0.9 days in BPD (p=0.004, p=0.034). But we could not find any advantage of the CRL measurement in first trimester than single BPD measurement in the second trimester for the predictor of the day of delivery. CONCLUSIONS: When the difference between the methods in predicting the day of delivery was less than 7 days, the BPD measurement was better than the last menstrual period.
Biometry* ; Crown-Rump Length ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of scalp acupuncture (SA), a modern acupuncture technique specialized to neurological disorders, in managing motor function and symptoms for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.

METHODSTwo independent reviewers extracted data from all of the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy of SA for PD compared with conventional therapies (CTs). Sixteen electronic databases were searched. The risk of bias was appraised with the Cochrane Collaboration tool, and the reporting of the included studies was evaluated by the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 checklist and the revised Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines.

RESULTSIn total, 4 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. As assessed by the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS), 2 RCTs showed that SA combined with CTs proved superior to CTs alone [60 cases; weighted mean difference, -3.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), -6.05 to -1.84, P=0.01; I(2) =0%]. Based on the Webster scale, however, 3 RCTs showed no superior effect of SA when combined with CTs with high heterogeneity (154 cases; risk ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.79 to 2.12, P=0.30; I(2) =84%). The Cochrane risk of bias, adherence to the CONSORT and the STRICTA checklist showed that the quality of all the included RCTs was generally low.

CONCLUSIONSThe result of our systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that the effectiveness of SA for PD is promising, however, the evidence is not convincing. A sham-controlled RCT design that adheres to the CONSORT and STRICTA guidelines to overcome methodological weakness and that includes a large sample size is strongly recommended to confirm the precise effect of SA on PD.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease ; therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Scalp ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome

Adult ; Animals ; Bone Density ; Calcium Sulfate ; Depression ; Dogs ; Golgi Apparatus ; Humans ; Organelles ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Secretory Vesicles ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

Herein, a rare case of ovarian granulosa cell tumor, presenting as Meigs' syndrome, with elevated carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), is reported. A 69-year-old woman was admitted for the investigation of abdominal fullness and dyspnea. A preoperative examination revealed a huge pelvic tumor and an abdominopelvic magnetic resonance image (MRI) assumed ovarian cancer. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed pleural effusion. A laparotomy confirmed the huge mass to be an ovarian tumor. A total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), with a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) and partial omentectomy, was performed. Although short-term intrathoracic drainage was required, the hydrothorax and ascites rapidly resolved in the postoperative period.
Aged ; CA-125 Antigen/*blood ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Granulosa Cell Tumor/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Meige Syndrome/*diagnosis ; Ovarian Neoplasms/*diagnosis