Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture on stroke in stroke unit, and its cost-effectiveness. Methods60 patients were divided into control group (n=30) and treatment group (n=30). All the patients were treated with structural therapy known as stroke unit, and the treatment group accepted acupuncture in addition. They were assessed with National Institutes of Health Stroke scale (NIHSS) and Barthel Index (BI) before, 15 d and 30 d after treatment. Their expenses for hospital were investigated. ResultsThe scores of NIHSS and BI improved in the treatment group compared with those in control group (P<0.05) 15 d and 30 d after treatment. The average cost for a score improved in both NIHSS and BI was less in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe acupuncture applied in stroke unit is effective and economical for stroke patients.

Objective To research the clinical value of serum thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) in screening thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy.Methods The concentration of serum TPOAb and TSH(thyroid-stimulating hormone) was detected by MEIA and CMIA in 75 cases of pregnant women with thyroid disfunction,and 145 cases of pregnant women without tyhroid dysfunction (as control group).Results There were significant differences in both TSH and TPOAb levels between pregnant women with and without thyroid dysfunction(P0.05). So the normal serum TSH could not completely exclude the thyroid dysfunction in pregnant women.Conclusion TPOAb can be used as a prenatal screening marker for early diagnosis of thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy. From the diagnostic point, TSH can not completely substitute for TPOAb and the abnormal TPOAb can indicate the possibility and risk for autoimmune thyroid disease in pregnant women.

BACKGROUND:With the extensive application of cone-beam CT in oral and craniofacial surgery, a clear hyoid bone position indicator for normal population has important implications for the change of hyoid bone position before and after orthodontics. OBJECTIVE:To determine the cone-beam CT measurement range of hyoid bone position in populations aged 6-19 years from Shandong, so as to provide a reference marker for the change of hyoid bone position before and after orthodontics in local children and adolescents. METHODS:Totaly 254 healthy children (120 males and 134 females) aged 6-19 years from Shandong Province were subjected to cone-beam CT scan of the hyoid bone. Mimics10.01 was used to evaluate the linear and angular measurements of hyoid bone position, and then the normal value range was confirmed. Independent-samplet-test was used for analysis of gender difference and 95% confidence interval was calculated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were gender differences in a part of indicators of hyoid bone position among 14-15 years, 16-17 years, 18-19 years groups (P < 0.05). For children aged 12-13 years, the hyoid bone position vertical to the base of skul and upper jaw bone is lower in males than in females. For children aged 14-15 years and 18-19 years, the hyoid bone horizontal to the cervical spine is more forward in males than in females.

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of amiodarone in the treatment of the elderly patients with ventricular arrhythmia.Methods 136 elderly patients with ventricular arrhythmia were randomly divided into the observation group (n =68cases) and control group (n =68cases).The observation group was given amiodarone by intravenous to treat the elderly ventricular arrhythmia,and patients in the control group were treated with combination therapy.After treatment for 4 weeks,the treatment outcomes were observed and compared.Results The obvious effective rate and total effective rate of the observation group was 51.47％,92.65％).which were significantly higher than those in the control group (51.47 ％,92.65 ％) (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse effect between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Amiodarone has good clinical effect in treatment of elderly patients with ventricular arrhythmia,it is worthy of clinical use.

Objective To investigate the advantages and disadvantages of two different approaches (i.e.internal jugular vein and subclavian vein) when used for the implantation of central venus access ports (CVAP).Methods We retrospectively analyzed 620 patients who underwent the implantation of CVAP via the approach of internal jugular vein (n =222) or subclavian vein (n =398) and compared the success rate on first attempt as well as the incidences of peroperative and long-term complications.Results The implantation of CVAP was successfully performed in all the 620 patients,with the success rate on first attempt being 97.24％ (387/398) in the subclavian vein group and 89.19％ (198/222) in the internal jugular vein group (U =0.171,P ＜ 0.01).The incidences of perioperative/long-term complications were 0.90％ (2/222) /1.80％ (4/222) in the internal jugular vein group and 1.26％ (5/398) /2.01％ (8/398) in the subclavian vein group,showing no significant differences (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The implantation of CVAP via either the internal jugular vein approach or subclavian vein approach is safe and reliable.Few complications will occur if performed properly.

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to improve students' ability in practical and theoretical courses of oral health education and to promote students' learning interest and initiative.

METHODSFourth-year students of the oral medical profession from 2006 to 2008 at Weifang Medical University were chosen as research objects for oral health education to explore the experimental teaching reform. The students were divided into test and control groups, with the test group using the "speak out" way of teaching and the control group using the traditional teaching method. Results of after-class evaluation of the test group, as well as final examination and practice examination of the two groups, were analyzed and compared.

RESULTSAfter-class evaluation results of the test group showed that the "speak out" teaching method was recognized by the students and improved students' ability to understand oral health education. The final examination and practice examination results showed that the score of the test group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION"Speak out" teaching methods can improve students' ability for oral health education, in accordance with the trend of teaching reform.

Objective To assess the left ventricular(LV)segmental function by velocity vector imaging(VVI)in uremic patients with diffferent quantity of parathyroid hormone(PTH).Methods Sixty patients with uremia were divided into 2 groups according to the value of PTH:group A with PTH less than 3 times of upper normal limit,group B with PTH more than 3 times of upper normal limit.Normal control group was 30 healthy subj ects.All people were evaluated by VVI.The parameters,including the longitudinal systolic strain rate(SSR),diastolic strain rate(DSR),were analysed among the three groups.Results Compared with normal group,in group A and B,SSR,DSR in all segments were lower.Compared with group A,in group B,DSR were all significantly lower(P＜0.05),SSR in apex of laternal wall,medium of anterior septum wall,posterior wall,medium and apex of posterior septum wall and superior wall,base,medium and apex of anterior wall were significantly lower(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference of left ventricular ejection fraction between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusions VVI is a viable objective tool to quantitatively assess LV segmental function damaged by different quantity of PTH.

Objective: To explore the value of virtual touch tissue imaging quantification (VTIQ) in evaluation of rehabilitation effect of children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Forty spastic children were randomly divided into 2 groups (each n=20). Children treated with rehabilitation training and botulinum toxin A (BTA) injection were assigned into BTA group, while those treated with rehabilitation training, BTA injection and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) were assigned into BTA+ESWT group. The modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and shear wave velocity (SWV) using VTIQ were assessed before treatment and 1 week, 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks after treatment. Results: There were total significant differences in MAS scores and SWV before and after treatment in both 2 groups (all P<0.01). Compared with those before treatment, MAS score and SWV in BTA group decreased to the lowest 4 weeks after treatment (both P<0.05), while MAS score and SWV in BTA+ESWT group significantly decreased 1 week after treatment (both P<0.05). With time going after treatment, MAS scores and SWV in both groups increased gradually, but the differences were still statistically significant compared with those before treatment (all P<0.05). Conclusion: VTIQ can objectively and quantitatively evaluate the hardness of spastic muscles, therefore can be used as an effective method for evaluation rehabilitation treatment of children with spastic cerebral palsy.

To explore the effects and mechanism of dexamethasone and ambroxol on expression of surfactant protein (SP)-B mRNA and thyroid transcription factor (TTF)-1 in premature rat lung. Methods Sixteen pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four equal groups: two doses of dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg injected intramuscularly on Day 17 and 18 of pregnancy respectively);single dose of dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg injected intramuscularly on Day 18 of pregnancy);ambroxol group (100 mg/kg injected intraperitoneally on Day 16, 17 and 18 of pregnancy respectively); and control group (normal saline injected intraperitoneally on Day 16, 17 and 18 of pregnancy respectively). There were four pregnant rats in each group. All of the fetal rats were taken out on Day 19 of pregnancy as the preterm birth model, and 20 fetal rats from each group were randomly selected. The ratio of body weight to fetal lung weight of newborn rats was calculated. Changes in lung morphology were observed under light microscopy and the ratio of alveoli surface area to alveolar septae surface area was calculated. Expression of TTF-1 protein was determined by immunohistochemistry. Expression of SP-B mRNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. One-way analysis of variance, Student-Newman-Keuls method and Pearson correlation analysis were applied as statistical methods. Results (1) The ratio of body weight to fetal lung weight was (6.5±0.6), (7.9±0.8), (9.5±0.8) and (9.5±0.9) mg/g in two doses of dexamethasone group, one dose of dexamethasone group, ambroxol group and control group respectively (F=67.69,P<0.01). The ratio of two doses and one dose of dexamethasone group was lower than that of control group (q=17.143 and 9.143, all P<0.01) and ambroxol group (q=17.143 and 9.143, all P<0.01). The ratio of two doses dexamethasone group was lower than that of one dose dexamethasone group (q=8.000, P<0.01). (2) The ratio of alveoli surface area to alveolar septae surface area was 2.19±0.15, 1.70±0.18, 1.67±0.13 and 1.08±0.12 in two doses of dexamethasone group, one dose of dexamethasone group, ambroxol group and control group respectively (F=190.85, P<0.01). The ratio of two doses of dexamethasone group, one dose of dexamethasone group and ambroxol group were higher than that of the control group (q=33.639, 18.788 and 17.879, all P<0.01). The ratio of two doses dexamethasone group was higher than that of one dose dexamethasone group (q=14.848, P<0.01). (3) Expression of TTF-1 protein was 0.311±0.018, 0.224±0.019, 0.196±0.013 and 0.191±0.018 in two doses of dexamethasone group, one dose of dexamethasone group, ambroxol group and control group respectively (F=211.69,P<0.01). TTF-1 protein expression of two doses and one dose of dexamethasone group were higher than that of control group (q=30.000 and 8.250, all P<0.01) and ambroxol group (q=28.750 and 7.000, all P<0.01). TTF-1 protein expression of two doses dexamethasone group was higher than that of one dose dexamethasone group (q=21.750, P<0.01). (4) Expression of SP-B mRNA was 1.25±0.13, 1.15±0.12, 1.10±0.10 and 1.01±0.12 in two doses of dexamethasone group, one dose of dexamethasone group, ambroxol group and control group respectively (F=14.48, P<0.01). SP-B mRNA expression of two doses of dexamethasone group, one dose of dexamethasone group and ambroxol group were higher than that of control group (q=9.231, 5.385 and 3.462, all P<0.01). SP-B mRNA expression of two doses of dexamethasone group was higher than that of ambroxol group (q=5.769, P<0.01) and one dose of dexamethasone group (q=3.846, P<0.01). (5)TTF-1 expression in two doses of dexamethasone group, one dose of dexamethasone group and control groups was positively correlated with SP-B mRNA expression (r=0.512, 0.597 and 0.449, respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusions Ambroxol can accelerate the maturation of fetal lung with minimal adverse effects on fetal lung weight. Ambroxol might be an alternative to dexamethasone to prevent neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Objective To compare the efficiency of National Early Warning Score (NEWS),Chronic Respiratory Early Warning Score(CREWS) and BAP-65(elevated Blood urea nitrogen,Altered mental status,Pulse＞109bpm,age＞65 years)among patients with AECOPD (acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).Methods Totally 181 patients with AECOPD were investigated by these three scales,and the efficiency of NEWS,CREWS and BAP-65 was compared.Results The scores of NEWS,CREWS and BAP-65 in the death group were higher than those in the survival group and the general ward group(P＜0.01).Regarding the predicted results of hospital death,the area under the ROC curve of NEWS,CREWS and BAP-65 was 0.878,0.836 and 0.774,respectively,and the differences were not statistically significant(P＞0.05);for predicted results of ICU admission,the area under the ROC curve of NEWS,CREWS and BAP-65 was 0.826,0.813 and 0.716,respectively,and the differences were not statistically significant (P＞0.05).Conclusion NEWS,CREWS and BAP-65 have satisfied predictive efficiency for prognosis,and NEWS and CREWS are much easier and faster to use.