Objective To assess the effect of resident training in clinical skills on SARS prevention and treatment. Methods A survey was conducted by means of questionnaires on 101 residents of the authors' hospital who were at the forefront of the fight against SARS. Results Training in clinical skills assisted the residents to various degrees in SARS prevention and treatment. 100% of the residents surveyed held that the training was helpful, beneficial and assisted them in solving problems. Conclusion Training in clinical skills, which rendered the residents proficient in basic skills and more capable of clinical application of the skills, also enhanced their ability to handle emergent events in SARS prevention and treatment.

0.05). Conclusions Ultrasound contrast agent Levovist improves signal of blood flow obviously. It increases the diagnostic accuracy for intracranial aneurysms and the level of confidence.

Objective To observe characteristic imaging of traumatic arteriovenous fistulas(TAVF) and to evaluate the methods of differential diagnosis of TAVF by Doppler ultrasonography. Methods Eleven patients suffering from TAVF were selected to have the examination of Doppler ultrasonography. The blood flow of arteriovenous fistulas, diameter, morphology and blood flow character of affected vessels were observed. Spectral of fistula and affected vessels were analyzed and compared with the healthy side. Results Localization of arteriovenous fistulas was observed directly in eight patients, which presented as intercepted wall of the affected vessels and irregular mosaic flashes flowing towards enlarged vein from artery. Pulsed wave Doppler showed unilateral continuant spectral with maximum velocity 300-390 cm/s when sampled in the fistula. Spectral analysis of proximal arteries of the fistula revealed high velocity and low resistance. Arterialized flow pattern was observed in affected veins. Proximal veins of the fistula revealed arterialized spectral with high velocity and low resistance. Reversed centrifugal blood flow was observed in the distal veins of the fistulas in 4 cases. Conclusions Unilateral shunt in both diastole and systole in the fistula and arterialized flow with high velocity in veins are characteristic presentation of TAVF. Color Doppler ultrasonography has great value in confirming diagnosis and differential diagnosis of TAVF.

Objective To analyze the ultrasonographic characters in the patients with scalp arteriovenous malformations and evaluate the value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis.Methods The head soft tissue mass,bilateral superficial temporal artery and occipital artery in 9 patients with scalp arteriovenous malformations were examined using high frequency ultrasound.The caliber,systole peak velocity(Vmax),diastole end velocity(Vmin) and resistance index(RI) of the abnormal vessels were recorded.The findings were compared and analyzed with those of the cerebral angiography and ultrasonography in 40 healthy volunteers.Results These lesions displayed subcutaneous hypoecho or no echo region full of reticular or honeycombed darkspace by two dimensional ultrasound,rich signals with flickering and bright mosaic flow by color Doppler and the spectra of high velocity and low resistance by pulsed Doppler.Arterial spectral shape with high velocity and low resistance were found within the lesions and Vmax( 77.7 ? 14.3 ) cm/s,Vmin( 44.3 ? 5.7 )cm/s,RI= 0.41 ? 0.09 .Sixteen feeding arteries with spectra of high velocity and low resistance were checked out,their caliber,Vmax and Vmin were higher and RI lower significantly than those in the control (P

Objective To clarify the diagnostic value of salivary gland ultrasonography in Sj(o)gren's syndrome (SS),and its correlation with the disease activity index and important organs involvement were analyzed.Methods A total of 116 patients with SS were involved,including 71 cases of primary SS and 45cases of secondary SS.Ultrasonography examination of major salivary glands was conducted for these patients,at the same time the clinical data including inflammatory parameters,the immunological parameter and the involved systems were collected.Ultrasonography examination was conducted in 49 cases as the control group.Use t test,x2test and analysis of variance for statistical analysis.Results The positive rate of salivary gland uhrasonography in SS (56/116,48.3％) was significantly higher than that of the normal control groups (1/49,2.0％),(The chi-square value was 32.57,P＜0.05),the sensitivity of salivary gland ultrasonography in primary SS (62.0％) was obviously higher than secondary SS (27％),(The Chi-square value was 13.75,P＜0.01).The specificity of salivary gland ultrasonography was 98％.The scores of salivary gland ultrasonography had shown positive correlation with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate,the levels of Immunoglobulin (Ig)G,and RF(r=0.234,0.353,0.176;P=0.002,0.000,0.013),and negative correlation with the white blood cell count (r=-0.292,P=0.000).Conclusion Salivary gland ultra-sonography provides additional evidence for the diagnosis of SS,particularly in primary SS groups.The scores of ultrasonography are correlated with inflammatory biomarkers,indicating that salivary gland ultrasonography is related to disease activity.

Objective To investigate the correlation between brain natriuretic peptide(BNP)and left ventricular diastolic function in the elderly patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.Methods 128 elderly patients with diabetes mellitus were divided into diabetes without hypertension (n=63)and with hypertension(n=65),and other 62 normal subjects were selected as control group.Plasma BNP levels and indexes of echocardiography,including left ventricular mass index(LVMI),the mitral peak flow velocity during early(E)and late diastole(A),ratio of E/A,average peak velocities at mitral annuluses of six sites in left ventricular wall during early(MEm)and late diastole (MAm),and relative E/MEm were measured in all patients.Results LVMI,E/MEm and the levels of BNP were significantly higher in groups of diabetes without and with hypertension[(91.6 ±17.3)g/m2 and(116.7±20.5)g/m2,(10.3±1.8)and(12.5±1.4),(47.7±29.4)ng/L and(105.7±32.5)ng/L]than in control group[(78.7±19.5)g/m2,(8.9± 1.6)and(20.8±11.63)ng/L,respectively](F=11.54,13.83 and 9.75,all P＜0.05),while MEm in two diabetes groups[(6.8±1.0)and(5.4±0.9)cm/s]were decreased as compared with control group[(8.0± 1.1)cm/s,F=11.26,P＜0.05].The BNP levels were negatively correlated with E/A and MEm(r =-0.42 and -0.51,all P＜0.01),and positively correlated with LVMI and E/MEm(r=0.48 and 0.58,all P＜0.01).Conclusions Left ventricular diastolic function is impaired in diabetes mellitus and more severely impaired in diabetic patients with hypertension.A combination of plasma BNP and echocardiography parameter may be helpful to accurately evaluate left ventricular diastolic function in the elderly patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

Objective To observe the effects of Huoxue Chubi Decoction on contents of PDGF-A and TGF-βin skin lesion of scleroderma mimicking mice models;To discuss its possible mechanism. Methods Thirty mice were randomly assigned into blank group, model group, TCM high-, medium-, low-dose group, with six mice in each group. Other than blank group, the rest of the 4 groups were given bleomycin-hydrocholoride 0.1 mL intradermal injection daily for 3 weeks to establish scleroderma mice models. From week 4 to 7, blank group and model group received gavage with equal amount of distilled water daily;TCM high-, medium-, low dosage group received gavage with Huoxue Chubi Decoction with different concentrations of 44.8, 22.4, 11.2 g/kg daily. The pathological changes in the skin tissue samples taken from each group were observed under microscope;the thickness of skin from each group was measured and the expression of PDGF-A, TGF-β, type-Ⅰ collagen (COL-Ⅰ) and type-Ⅲ collagen (COL-Ⅲ) were tested through immunohistochemical staining. Results Compare with blank group, the dermis tissue of model group was thicker, with the presence of thicker and greater number of collagen fibers, as well as infiltration of inflammatory cells. Compare with model group, thickness of skin and dermis collagen growth of TCM high-, medium-, low-dose group were milder varied by the concentration of the decoction. The result of immunohistochemical staining showed that the expressions of PDGF-A, TGF-β, COL-Ⅰ and COL-Ⅲ of modelgroup significantly increased than blank group (P<0.01); the expression of the mentioned indicators were statistically significant lower in the TCM high-, medium-, low-dose group than model group; The expressions of PDGF-A and TGF-β showed a positive correlation with the amount of COL-Ⅰ and COL-Ⅲpresented in each group. Conclusion Huoxue Chubi Decoction can suppress collagen expression and fibroblast formation in skin lesion of scleroderma mice models by down regulating the expressions of TGF-β and PDGF-A, thus demonstrate its potential in scleroderma treatment.

Objective To detect the correlations between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, microvessel density ( MVD) and time intensity parameters of contrast enhanced ultrasound in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Seventy-three patients of HCC were analyzed with time intensity curve of contrast enhanced ultrasound. VEGF and CD34 in different degree of differentiated HCC specimens were detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlations between VEGF, MVD and time intensity parameters were analyzed. Results Arrival time had no significant difference among different differentiated groups. However, the area under the curve, enhanced time and washout time had significant difference among different differentiated groups respectively ( P <0. 05). There was a positive correlation between VEGF expression and MVD in HCC. MVD was associated with enhanced time and the area under the curve ( r = - 0. 615,0. 563,respectively). The area under the curve,enhanced time and washout time of VEGF positive expression group had significant difference comparing to those of VEGF negative expression group ( P < 0. 05). Conclusions It was helpful to assess HCC differentiated degree with time intensity parameters of contrast enhanced ultrasound.

Objective To estimate the 10-year risk of coronary heart disease in patients with psoriasis,and to determine whether the risk profile is affected by disease duration,family history and clinical types of psoriasis.Methods Data were pooled from 322 inpatients with psoriasis and 297 inpatients with other skin diseases (151 cases of acute urticaria,33 drug eruption,113 herpes zoster) from December 2008 to December 2010 in the Department of Dermatology,West China Hospital of Sichuan University.Risks of coronary heart disease were estimated by using the Framingham risk score algorithm.Wilcoxon rank test,Kruskal-Wallis test and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the differences in risks and risk factors between the patients with psoriasis and controls.Results As far as the Framingham 10-year risk score was concerned,the difference was statistically significant between the patients with psoriasis and the control population (6％ vs.4％,Z =4.342,P =0.000),as well as between patients with different clinical types of psoriasis (6％ for psoriasis vulgaris vs.4％ for pustular psoriasis vs.7％ for psoriasis arthropathica vs.7％ for erythroderma psoriaticum,H =8.484,P ＜ 0.05),but was insignificant between patients with familial and sporadic psoriasis (6％ vs.6％,Z =0.406,P ＞ 0.05 ).No correlation was observed between the Framingham 10-year risk and psoriasis duration (P ＞ 0.05 ).Conclusions Increased risks of coronary heart disease exist in patients with psoriasis compared with those with acute urticaria,drug eruption or hepers zoster,and in patients with psoriasis arthropathica or erythroderma psoriaticum compared with those with pustular psoriasis.The Framingham 10-year risk of coronary heart disease is uncorrelated with disease duration and unaffected by family history of psoriasis.