Longitudinal strain (LS) acquired by speckle tracking echocardiography can detect subtle changes of myocardial systolic function prior to left ventricular ejection fraction, which is clinically useful in predicting mortality and symptom development in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) after aortic valve replacement (AVR). The status of LS in assessing myocardial mechanics in severe AS patients undergoing AVR were reviewed in this article.

The early diagnosis, efficacy and prognosis evaluation of digestive malignant neoplasms are still difficult problems in the medical field. CT texture analysis (CTTA) is a new imaging post-processing technique, also an emerging area of radiomics. In recent years, CTTA has been widely used in digestive system neoplasms' classification, treatment efficacy evaluation, survival assessment and so on, having more advantages than conventional morphological evaluation. The application progresses of CTTA in diagnosis of digestive malignant neoplasms were reviewed in this article.

In recent years, pulmonary drug delivery as an attractive non-invasive administration way has been gaining intensive attention. The market for inhalable therapy has constantly grown over past years. Various particle engineering techniques have been employed to exploit the drug particles or drug-loaded particles used for pulmonary delivery with suitable physical properties. Those tailor-made inhalable particles offer the possibility of efficient delivering to lungs and the most optimal therapeutic outcomes. This review highlights the deposition mechanism of particles in lungs and several particle engineering techniques for pulmonary drug delivery, in particular two novel techniques PulmoSphere™ and TechnoSphere™, which have been used in the marketed products.

Adult ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Spastic Paraplegia, Hereditary ; diagnosis ; genetics ; physiopathology

In clinical practice, incubators can contribute to better diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Currently, insulation medical equipment used for the newborn are mainly warm-boxes. With the use popularity of warm-boxes in the country, medical accidents caused by improper use are on the increase. According to neonatal insulation technology and standardized management of practice, this article puts forward technical requirements of infant incubators with constant temperature and humidity, operation regulations and management specifications to better regulate the use of such devices. Meanwhile, it also suggests national related departments to formulate "incubator technology management norms" and "warm-box technology and practice", intending to standardize industry behaviors and ensure medical safety.
Humans ; Incubators, Infant ; standards ; Infant, Newborn ; Materials Management, Hospital ; organization & administration ; Safety Management ; Temperature

BACKGROUNDTo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of ITP (ifosfamide + perarubicin + cisplatin) and NP (vinorelbine + cisplatin) regimens in the treatment of advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSOne hundred inoperatable or recurrent patients with stage III and IV NSCLC were randomized into ITP group and NP group treated by the two regimens responsively for 2 or 3 cycles.

RESULTSThe overall response rate was 51.5% for ITP group and 50.9% for the NP group, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference of the overall response rate between the two groups ( P > 0.05). The major side effects were leukopenia and gastrointestinal reaction. The leukopenia incidence was higher in ITP group than that in NC group ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBoth ITP and NP regimens are effective for the advanced NSCLC. Compared with ITP regimen, NP regimen has less bone marrow toxicity than ITP regimen.

Animals ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Energy Metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Osteocalcin ; metabolism

The aim of this work was to investigate developmental changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis in normal duck bursa of Fabricius using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Studies were carried out on Tianfu ducks on days 24 and 27 of embryogenesis (E24 and E27) along with days 20, 70, and 200 of postnatal development (P20, P70, and P200). Results showed that the percentage of G0/G1 bursa cells significantly increased between E24 and P200 while the percentage of cells in the S phase or G2 + M phase as well as the proliferating index obviously decreased during the same period. Proliferation cell nuclear antigen was detected in lymphocyte and interfollicular epithelium. The proliferative lymphocyte density tended to decrease from E24 to P200. Apoptotic bodies in macrophages, free apoptotic bodies, or nuclei with condensed chromatin in lymphocytes in follicles were identified by transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling. Both flow cytometry and microscopic analysis reveal that the proportion of apoptotic cells and apoptotic lymphocyte density increased from E24 to P20, fell on P70, then rose again on P200. Our foundings demonstrate that cell proliferation decreases and apoptosis increases with age. These changes may account for duck bursa development and involution.
Animals ; *Apoptosis ; Bursa of Fabricius/*cytology/embryology/growth & development/*physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; Ducks/embryology/*physiology ; Embryo, Nonmammalian/cytology/embryology ; Embryonic Development ; Epithelium/physiology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry/veterinary ; Immunohistochemistry/veterinary ; Lymphocytes/physiology ; Male

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of Modified Xiaoyao Powder (MXP) on electrogastrogram (EGG) and pharmacokinetic characteristics of ferulic acid (FA) in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) of Gan-qi stagnation with Pi-deficiency syndrome type (FD-GP).

METHODSThe study was conducted following method of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics synchronous determination. The 20 patients with FD-GP and 21 healthy volunteers enrolled were orally administrated with MXP to observe the changes in symptom scores, EGG and pharmacokinetic characteristics of FA in patients using gastrointestinal analyzer and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the symptom scores of patients significantly decreased (P < 0.01). EGG showed that the average amplitude of peak and dominant frequency, etc. at the monitoring points, including gastric body, lesser curvature and the near gastric antrum part of greater curvature, etc. were lower than the normal range, the changes were especially obvious and would be worsened after meals (P < 0.01). After treatment by MXP, all the above indexes were improved either before or after meals. The pharmacokinetic parameters of FA in patients of FD-GP before treatment were lower than those in the healthy control group (P < 0.05) and they were insignificant different by MXP comparing with those in the healthy control group.

CONCLUSIONMXP is effective not only in improving clinical symptoms and EGG, but also on pharmacokinetic parameters of FD-GP patients.

Adult ; Coumaric Acids ; pharmacokinetics ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Dyspepsia ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Myoelectric Complex, Migrating ; Phytotherapy ; Yang Deficiency ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate changes of serum total oxidation status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) and their association with apolipoprotein (a) [Apo(a)] in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) combined with infertility.

MWTHODSNinety patients with PCOS and infertility were selected as the study group, including 45 patients treated with antioxidants combined with Diane-35(group A) and 45 with Diane-35 therapy only (group B), with 45 healthy volunteers with normal menstruation and normal dual phase basic body temperatures as the control group. Serum TOS of the participants was determined by dual xylenol orange method, and serum TAS was determined with ABTS method; plasma Apo(a) level was determined by dual wavelength immune transmission turbidity method.

RESULTSBefore treatment, serum TOS, OSI, and Apo(a) levels were significantly higher and TAS level was significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (P<0.05). Serum TOS, OSI, and Apo (a) were significantly lowered and TAS was significantly increased in group A after the therapy as compared with the levels before therapy and the levels in group B. The rate of natural recovery of menstruation was significantly higher and the incidence of cardiovascular disease was significantly lower in group A than in group B (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum TOS and OSI were positively correlated with plasma Apo(a) (r=0.524 and 0.531, P<0.05), and serum TAS was negatively correlated with plasma Apo(a) (r=-0.519, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAntioxidant therapy can lower TOS, OSI and Apo(a) levels and increase TAS level to lessen oxidative stress, improve the prognosis, and reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease in patients with PCOS and infertility.

Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Apoprotein(a) ; blood ; Cyproterone Acetate ; therapeutic use ; Drug Combinations ; Ethinyl Estradiol ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; blood ; Oxidative Stress ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy