Objecfive To analyze the relationship between aortic root dimension(ARD)and anterior circulation infarction(ACI)by measuring ARD of ACI patients.Methods The ARD of 110 ACI patients(56 men and 54 women)were measured with 2-dimensional uhrasonography during ventricular systole.66 control subjects(32 men and 34 women)without the clinical signs of cerebral infarction or organic heart disease and cardiac insufficiency were selected after carrying out detailed cage history inquiring.physical examination,CT or MRI and ultrasonic examination.ResultsARD in men and women Was respectively(29.80±2.35)mm and(28.88±3.06)mm in the ACI group.While it was(27.64±1.70)mm and(26.98±1.60)mm respectively in the control subjects.ARD in men and women was significantly higher in the ACI group as compared with the control subjects(P＜0.01).Logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds ratio(confidence interval)associated with ARD Was 1.630(1.205-2.204)in men and 1.494(1.098-2.033)in women for ACI.Conclusions There is a close relationship between ARD and ACI.ARD is an important risk factor of ACI.

Air Pollutants ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Urea ; analysis ; Workplace

Objective To evaluate the application of osteoporosis self-assessment tool for Asians (OSTA) in screening of osteoporosis for postmenopausal women in community.Methods Total 793 postmenopausal women were included.OSTA were calculated and bone mineral density (BMD)was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).The correlation of OSTA index with DXA results was analyzed.Results The prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia was 18.3％ (145/793) and 47.7％(378/793) respectively,the remaining 270 women had normal bone mass (34.0％).According to OSTA index the rate of low-risk,medium-risk,high-risk osteoporosis groups were 61.9％ (491/793),29.5％(234/793) and 8.6％ (68/793),respectively.The BMD measured by DXA was positively correlated with OSTA index(r =0.559,P =0.000).The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of OSTA for diagnosing osteoporosis was 0.736.Taking-1 as cut off value,the sensitivity and specificity of OSTA in diagnosis of osteoporosis was 73.1％ (106/145) and 69.8％ (452/648),respectively.Conclusion OSTA can be used as an effective index for screening of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in community.

Objective In this study,we aimed at investigating the clinical,laboratory and management characteristics of adolescent-onset SLE patients compared with adult-onset SLE patients.Methods 470 fe- male patients with SLE were divided into two subgroups:adolescent-onset SLE patients and adult-onset SLE patients.The analyzed variables included clinical,laboratory parameters,damage index and outcome charac- teristics.Results In 470 female patients with SLE,there were 98(20.85%)adolescent-onset SLE patients. The following manifestations occurred more frequently in adolescent-onset SLE patients:malar rash,cutaneous vasculitis,proteinuria and abnormal liver function.Adolescent-onset SLE patients had more severe disease features and had significantly higher mean value of SLEDAI.Mortality was higher in adolescent-onset SLE pa- tients than aduh-onset SLE patients.Renal and blood system were the organs that most frequently involved. Conclusion Adolescent-onset SLE patients accounts for roughly 20.85% of all SLE cases.It is necessary to pay more attention to adolescent-onset SLE patients because the management for them is usually more difficult and the prognosis is usually poorer than aduh-onset SLE patients.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of transpedicular intracorporeal bone graft with allogenic bone in treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture. Methods A total of 45 patients with thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fractures were treated with posterior short segment pedicle screw fixation and transpedicular intracorporeal bone graft with allogenic bone. Anteroposte-rior and lateral X-ray photographs were taken before and after operation and at follow up period to determine the ratio of anterior and middle compressed body height to the normal height, the vertebral angle and the superior-inferior endplate angle. The extent of local pain was measured by VAS score. The implant failure was also recorded during follow-up. Results The operative reduction and interbody bone grafting exerted a satisfactory effect on the ratio of anterior and middle body height to the normal height, the vertebral angle and the superior-inferior endplate angle. Local back pain disappeared immediately after surgery in 34 patients out of 38 patients followed up for more than two years. No implant failure was found during follow-up. Conclusions Early treatment with posterior short segment pedicle screw fixation and transpedicular intracorporeal bone graft with allogenic bone can effectively correct local deformity, prevent late vertebral collapse and implant failure and is an ideal treatment method for thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture.

OBJECTIVETo observe the characteristic of the fMRI brain map in patients undergoing needling at Zusanli (ST36) by reinforcing method for exploring the essence of Meridian-Collaterals and the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating diseases.

METHODSTwenty-six healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to two groups by double blinded method, 16 in the acupoint group and 10 in the non-acupoint group. Using GE Signa 1. 5 T superconducting MRI system, the fMRI was performed with Gradient echo-EPI sequence. Post-processing of fMRI data was performed using the Functool software (GE-ADW4.0) to generate positive correlation coefficient brain functional activating images and the data was analyzed statistically using SPSS 13.0 software.

RESULTSBrain functional area was elicited in 13 out of the 15 patients in the acupoint group and 10 in the non-acupoint group. Among them, the temporal elicited area in the acupoint group showed specificity (Fisher's Exact test, P = 0.022) and only the difference in contralateral hemisphere activation rate was of statistical significance (McNemer test, P = 0.020).

CONCLUSIONAcupoints has its own specific brain activated areas. The therapeutic effect of acupoint might be mediated through brain to treat diseases and regulate functional disorder of organs. There exists special transmission channel of meridian.

Acupuncture ; methods ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Brain ; physiology ; Brain Mapping ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male

Objective To explore the change of nerve growth factors(NGF) through the blood brain barrier(BBB) after distal intravenous injection of mannitol into the experimental rats and the effect of exogenous NGF on the expression of growth associated protein-43 in hypoxic-ischemic brain.Methods One hundred cases of 7 days rats were divided into 2 units.One unit was divided into 3 groups:treatment group,control group and sham operated group,20 rats in each group.The other unit was divided into 4 groups:mannitol and NGF treated group,NGF treated group,control group,and sham operated group,there were 10 rats in each group.The model rats with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage(HIBD) rats were prepared by ligation of left common carotid artery with a temporary systemic hypoxia(inhaling 80 mL/L O2 and 920 mL/L N2).The sections of brains were processed by immunochemistry with antibodies against GAP-43,and the study and memory ability of rats were tested by maze test.The effect of osmotic opening of BBB on the facilitation of NGF′s passage was tested by ELISA.Results The expression of GAP-43 increased after NGF treatment,and the differences were remarkable(P

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic damage in critically ill patients is associated with the progressive failure of multiple organs, but little is known about its clinical characteristics. At present, no guidelines are available for the diagnosis and management of pancreatic damage. This study was undertaken to analyze the clinical and pathologic characteristics of pancreatic necrosis in critically ill children, and to find some biological markers of pancreatic damage or pancreatic necrosis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data, laboratory results, and autopsy findings of 25 children, who were admitted to Hunan Children's Hospital, China from 2003 to 2009, and died of multiple organ failure. The autopsy revealed pancreatic necrosis in 5 children, in whom sectional or gross autopsy was performed. RESULTS: The 5 children had acute onset and a fever. Two children had abdominal pain and 2 had abdominal bulging, flatulence and gastrointestinal bleeding. Four children had abnormal liver function, characterized by decreased albumin and 3 children had elevated level of C-reactive protein (CRP). B-ultrasonography revealed abnormal acoustic image of the pancreas in all children, and autopsy confirmed pancreatic necrosis, which may be associated with the damage of the adrenal gland, liver, lung, heart, spleen, kidney, intestine, thymus, mediastinal and mesenteric lymph nodes and other organs. Children 1 and 2 died of acute hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis (AHNP);children 3-5 died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) due to pancreatic necrosis. CONCLUSION: Pancreatic damage or pancreatic necrosis in critically ill children is characterized by acute onset, severity, short course, multiple organ damage or failure. It may be asymptomatic in early stage, and easy to be ignored.

This study was conducted to investigate the paclitaxel loaded by hydrazone bonds in poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(caprolactone) micelles (mPEG-PCL-PTX) on proliferation and apoptosis of human lung cancer A549 cells and its possible mechanisms of anti-tumor activity. The cell proliferation was measured with MTT assay. Flow cytometry were used to analyze the cell cycle. The cell apoptosis was analyzed using Hoechst/P staining. The expression levels of apoptotic genes expression in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The mPEG-PCL-PTX could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells and promote the apoptosis. The Bax, caspase-3 protein expression were increased while Bcl-2 protein expression was decreased in A549 cells. Results showed that the polymer containing hydrazone bond is non-toxic in vitro, the mPEG-PCL-PTX micelles can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of A549 cells. Key words: paclitaxel; micelle; A549 cell; proliferation; cell cycle; apoptosis
Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Micelles ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacology ; Polyesters ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effectiveness of transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy (TUSV) combined with finasteride in the treatment of recurrent hemospermia.

METHODSThis study included 32 patients with recurrent hematospermia, with the disease course of 3 months to 4 years. After administration of finasteride at 5 mg/d for 2 weeks, the patients underwent TUSV for both exploration of the causes and treatment, followed by medication with finasteride at the same dose for another 2 weeks. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for observation of the outcomes and complications.

RESULTSTUSV was successfully accomplished in all the 32 cases, which revealed 16 cases of seminal vesiculitis, 10 seminal calculi, 1 seminal vesicle cyst, 2 seminal vesicle polyps, and 3 seminal vesicle abscess. The operative time was 20 to 51 (31.0 +/- 5.2) minutes. Postoperative complications included 1 case of acute epididymitis and 3 cases of breast discomfort within the first 4 weeks. No incontinence, urethral stricture, rectal injury, retrograde ejaculation, and sexual dysfunction occurred postoperatively. All the patients but 1 were followed up for 6 months to 2 years. Twenty-nine of the cases were cured, and 2 experienced recurrence.

CONCLUSIONTransurethral seminal vesiculoscopy combined with finasteride is safe and effective for the treatment of recurrent hemospermia.

Adult ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Finasteride ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemospermia ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome