Cohort studies are important observational epidemiological studies. In this perspective, we briefly introduced several ongoing prospective cohort studies of cardiometabolic diseases in China and in the U. S. , which have shaped our current understanding of cardiometabolic diseases. We hope that this perspective could shed lights on the research of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Child ; Humans ; Male ; Thyroiditis, Suppurative ; pathology

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Dexamethasone ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; therapy ; Volatilization

Crush Syndrome ; therapy ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Humans

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Male ; Porokeratosis ; genetics ; Rectal Neoplasms ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo compare five materials commonly used in dentistry, including three types of metals and two types of ceramics, by using different sequences of three magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) field strengths (0.35, 1.5, and 3.0 T).

METHODSThree types of metals and two types of ceramics that were fabricated into the same size and thickness as an incisor crown were placed in a plastic tank filled with saline. The crowns were scanned using an magnetic resonance (MR) machine at 0.35, 1.5, and 3.0 T field strengths. The TlWI and T2WI images were obtained. The differences of various materials in different artifacts of field MR scans were determined.

RESULTSThe zirconia crown presented no significant artifacts when scanned under the three types of MRI field strengths. The artifacts of casting ceramic were minimal. All dental precious metal alloys, nickel-chromium alloy dental porcelain, and cobalt-chromium ceramic alloy showed varying degrees of artifacts under the three MRI field strengths.

CONCLUSIONZirconia and casting ceramics present almost no or faint artifacts. By contrast, precious metal alloys, nickel-chromium alloy dental porcelain and cobalt-chromium ceramic alloy display MRI artifacts. The artifact area increase with increasing magnetic field.

Artifacts ; Ceramics ; Chromium Alloys ; Crowns ; Dental Alloys ; Dental Materials ; Dental Porcelain ; Magnetic Fields ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Zirconium

Physiological and biochemical characteristics,drug sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria isolated from the diseased Sparus latus in Zhanjiang,Guangdong,and inactivated whole cell vaccine were studied.The results show that the isolated strain is Vibrio alginolyticus and is highly sensitive to tetracycline,gentamycin,chloramphenicol,and so on.But it is not sensitive to erythromycin and penicillin K.It also shows that the pathogen is inactivated more easily at pH6.0 than at pH8.4 when formalin is used.The whole cell vaccine can strengthen Sparus latus's immuno function and lessen their death rate when fish are infected by the Vibrio alginolyticus.

Falls in an elderly require a comprehensive bio-psycho-social approach to evaluate for the root causes. These may be multi-factorial, and we need to deal with most of them, if not all, in order to effectively reduce the risk for falls. Frailty is a marker of poor functional outcomes. Sarcopenia is a major modifiable risk factor for frailty. There are various community programmes providing a comprehensive range of services to keep the elderly physically, mentally, and socially active. Communication with primary care physicians is important to ensure smooth transition back into the community, optimal management of chronic diseases and minimal re-admission.

Objective To investigate the significance of the soluble Apo-1/Fas(sApo-1/Fas) in differentiating tuberculous and malignant pleural effusion.Methods The level of sApo-1/Fas was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).in serum and pleural effusion of 50 cases with malignant pleural effusion and 48 cases with tuberculous pleural effusion.Results The level of sApo-1/Fas in the serum and pleural effusion of malignant pleural effusion patients were ( 16.3 ± 2.5 ) μg/L and ( 38.6 ± 13.5) μg/L,significantly higher than those of tuberculous patients with pleural effusion( all P ＜ 0.05 ).The difference of rates of serum and pleural effusion in malignant pleural effusion and tuberculous pleural effusion patients was significant( P ＜ 0.05 ).The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of sApo-1/Fas in serum and malignant pleural effusion were 66.0％ and 93.8％ and 79.6％.Conclusion The detecting of sApo-1/Fas may play some role in differentiating tuberculous and malignant pleural effusion.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) consist of a heterogeneous group of rare malignancies with mesenchymal origin. Surgical resec-tion is the primary treatment for STS, but radiation therapy (RT) also plays an important role in the treatment. Radiotherapy for STS has advanced significantly over the past 50 years. Both preoperative and postoperative radiotherapies are equivalent in local control but are associated with different toxicity profiles. Boost techniques for STS include brachytherapy, intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), and external beam. Long-term toxicities of RT to normal tissues have been reduced because of improvements in image guid-ance and intensity-modulated radiotherapy, which significantly increase the precision and delivery of RT. This review discusses RT tech-nologies and their acceptable treatment principles.