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

We compared the predictive ability of the 2014 and 2005 Gleason grading systems in 568 patients initially diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer (PCA). Outcomes included the duration of castration-resistant prostate cancer-free survival (CFS) and overall survival (OS). Univariate analyses and log-rank tests were used to identify prognosis indicators and assess univariable differences in CFS and OS in Gleason score (GS) groups. Cox proportional hazards and area under the curves of receiver operator characteristics methods were used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the 2005 and 2014 ISUP grading systems. Univariate analyses showed that the 2005 and 2014 grading systems were prognosticators for CFS and OS; both systems could distinguish the clinical outcome of patients with GS 6, GS 7, and GS 8-10. Using the 2014 criteria, no statistical differences in patient survival were observed between GS 3 + 4 and GS 4 + 3 or GS 8 and GS 9-10. The predictive ability of the 2014 and 2005 grading systems was comparable for CFS and OS (P = 0.321). However, the 2014 grading system did not exhibit superior predictive efficacy in patients initially diagnosed with PCA and bone metastasis; trials using larger cohorts are required to confirm its predictive value. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first study to compare the 2005 and 2014 grading systems in initially diagnosed PCA with bone metastasis. At present, we recommend that both systems should be used to predict the prognosis of patients with metastatic PCA.

OBJECTIVE: To prepare the inclusion complex of Lignum dalbergia odorifera oil with hydroxyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), and to optimize the preparation process of it. METHODS: The inclusion complex was prepared by the stirring-freeze-dry meth od. The preparation process was optimized by central composite design-response surface method (CCD-RSM), with the colligation score which was calculated by the yield of inclusion, the utilization rate of volatile oil and the content of trans-nerolidol as index. The inclu sion complex was verified by phase-solubility method, DSC,UV and microscopical identification. RESULTS: The optimum inclusion technology was: inclusion solvent 5% ethanol, stirring rate 500 r·min-1, HP-β-CD to volatile oil 33:1, inclusion temperature 42℃, inclusion time 2.5 h. The formation of inclusion complex can change the solubility, optical and thermodynamic properties of volatile oil. CONCLUSION: The preparation process of inclusion complex of Lignum dalbergia odorifera oil with HP-β-CD optimized by CCD-RSM is reasonable and feasible, and provide a reliable experiment basis for its application.