RASER: a new ultrafast magnetic resonance imaging method.

A new MRI method is described to acquire a T(2)-weighted image from a single slice in a single shot. The technique is based on rapid acquisition by sequential excitation and refocusing (RASER). RASER avoids relaxation-related blurring because the magnetization is sequentially refocused in a manner that effectively creates a series of spin echoes with a constant echo time. RASER uses the quadratic phase produced by a frequency-swept chirp pulse to time-encode one dimension of the image. In another implementation the pulse can be used to excite multiple slices with phase-encoding and frequency-encoding in the other two dimensions. The RASER imaging sequence is presented along with single-shot and multislice images, and is compared to conventional spin-echo and echo-planar imaging sequences. A theoretical and empirical analysis of the spatial resolution is presented, and factors in choosing the spatial resolution for different applications are discussed. RASER produces high-quality single-shot images that are expected to be advantageous for a wide range of applications.     

人胎盘基因表达谱芯片的初步研究

目的 制备人胎盘基因表达谱芯片,前用于基因差异表达分析。方法用基因芯片点样仪将胎盘基因文库探针打印在氨基包被的玻片上制备表达谱芯片。分别提取对照组三氧化二砷处理的K562细胞总RNA,纯化mRNA后反转录成cDNA。再以限制性显示技术进行荧光标记,将两组荧光标记的样品混合后与芯片进行杂交。杂交后清洗芯片,干燥后对芯片进行扫描,分析杂交结果。结果 建立了较可靠的制备与检测基基表达芯片的方法,并筛选出45个差异表达基因片段。结论 制备的人胎盘基因表达谱芯片可有效地应用于基因的差异表达分析。     

Clinical and manometric evaluation of anorectal function following low anterior resection with low anastomotic line using an EEA™ stapler for rectal cancer

Anorectal function was evaluated in eight patients who had low anterior resection of the rectum with a low anastomotic line, using an EEA^™ stapler, with determination of function based on periodic manometric studies and clinical symptoms. Immediately following surgery all patients suffered from frequent bowel actions and soiling. These symptoms improved with time and most patients could enjoy almost normal daily life by the sixth postoperative month. One month after surgery, anal canal resting pressure and maximum squeeze pressure were significantly reduced and rectoanal inhibitory reflex was absent; neither showed a distinct tendency to improve thereafter. Rectal sensation and reservoir capacity, which also were seriously impaired, recovered satisfactorily by the time of the six-month examination. This suggests that an improvement of clinical symptoms following this operation is dependent upon the recovery of reservoir capacity and sensation of the neorectum, and that this operative procedure is a functionally acceptable option for low rectal cancer.     

青中年人群微量白蛋白尿患病率与心血管疾病危险因素的关系

目的　探讨微量白蛋白尿患病率与心血管疾病危险因素的关系。方法　选择 775例 (男 32 6例 ,女 4 4 9例 )年龄 2 0～ 5 0岁的社区人群 ,测定其体重指数 (BMI)、血压、空腹血糖、血脂谱 ;收集晨尿检测尿白蛋白、尿肌酐浓度 ,并计算尿白蛋白 /尿肌酐的比率。根据有无高血糖、高血压或高三酰甘油 /低高密度脂蛋白胆固醇 (高TG/低HDL C)血症分为 4组 ,即正常组 (A组 )、1种代谢紊乱组 (B组 )、2种代谢紊乱组 (C组 )及代谢综合征组 (D组 ) ,评价微量白蛋白尿与代谢紊乱的关系。结果　①糖尿病患者微量白蛋白尿的患病率为 2 2 .2 % ,显著高于正常血糖者 (5 .2 % ,P =0 .0 0 2 ) ;高TG/低HDL C血症者微量白蛋白尿的患病率为 8.3% ,显著高于正常血脂者 (4.0 % ,P =0 .0 12 ) ;高血压患者与正常血压者的差异无显著性。②随代谢紊乱加重 ,尿白蛋白浓度显著升高 (协方差分析 ,P <0 .0 1) ,微量白蛋白尿患病率升高 (趋势分析 ,P =0 .0 0 3)。③ 4组间尿肌酐浓度、尿白蛋白 /尿肌酐的差异无显著性。结论　①糖尿病、高TG/低HDL血症人群的微量白蛋白尿的发病率显著升高。②随代谢紊乱加重 ,微量白蛋白尿患病率亦升高     

从医务人员的证据意识谈举证责任倒置

文章从剖宫产术后伴发腰腿痛病例分析入手，认为举证责任倒置就在我们诊疗工作中，就在我们协调医患关系的过程中。因此需要在临床实践中去感悟举证责任置的深刻含义，从而树立证据意识，做好证据的收集与保存工作，一旦发生诉讼有证为据，并由此提出了“医学证据学”的构想，而医学证据的特点有待进一步深入研究。     

Cognitive profiles of individual patients with Parkinson's disease and dementia: comparison with dementia with lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease.

We describe the pattern of cognitive profiles within a community-based sample of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia (PDD) using cluster analyses, and compare the results with data from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Fifty patients with PDD and 39 with AD from Stavanger, Norway, and 62 patients with DLB from San Diego, CA, USA were diagnosed by either standardized clinical procedures or criteria (all PDD and all AD cases) or necropsy (all DLB cases). Four subgroups were identified: two subgroups with a subcortical cognitive profile (one with mild and one with moderate dementia severity), one subgroup with global impairment and severe dementia, and one subgroup with a cortical cognitive profile and moderate dementia. Of the patients with PDD and with DLB, 56% and 55%, respectively, had a subcortical cognitive profile, compared with only 33% of the AD patients. Conversely, 30% of the patients with PDD and 26% of those with DLB had a cortical cognitive profile, compared with 67% of the patients with AD. These findings suggest that in some patients with PDD, frontosubcortical changes are the main contributing factor to dementia, whereas in other patients, cortical and hippocampal changes are more important.     

Fracture frequency of all-ceramic crowns during dynamic loading in a chewing simulator using different loading and luting protocols

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this laboratory study was to compare the frequency of failures (complete fractures or partial cracks) of molar crowns made of two different all-ceramic materials during dynamic loading in a chewing simulator, as well as the fracture load when subjected to static loading, in relation to different dynamic loading and luting protocols. METHODS: One hundred and forty-four molar crowns fabricated with IPS Empress or an experimental e.max Press material with high translucency (e.max Press Exp) were luted on CAD/CAM milled PMMA abutments (first lower molar, circular chamfer) either with Variolink or glass-ionomer cement (GIC). All crowns were loaded according to three different loading protocols (n=12 per group) and two force profiles (sinusoidal, rectangular) in a pneumatically driven chewing simulator with a steel stylus (? 8mm) and they underwent simultaneous thermocycling (5 degrees C/55 degrees C). After each phase the crowns were evaluated with regard to fractures or cracks. After dynamic testing, the crowns that did not fail were subjected to compression loading until complete fracture in a universal testing machine (UTM). As control groups, unloaded crowns were also subjected to a UTM. Survival statistics with log-rank tests were applied for the results of the dynamic loading, while ANOVA with post hoc Tukey B was used for the fracture load results and two-way ANOVA was carried out for logarithmically transformed data. Weibull statistics were calculated for pooled fracture load data of the dynamically loaded and control groups. RESULTS: In the 144 IPS Empress crowns, complete fractures were observed in 9 crowns and partial cracks in another 3 crowns. When the data was pooled, a statistically significant increase in fractures occurred when the sinusoidal force profile was applied compared to a rectangular force profile (log-rank, p<0.05). No fractures occurred in the e.max Press Exp crowns. The two-way ANOVA showed that the type of luting protocol used had the most significant effect on the fracture load of both materials. In conjunction with Empress, however, the luting material influenced the variability twice as much as in e.max Press Exp. There was no statistically significant difference in the fracture load of GIC-luted e.max Press Exp crowns and that of the Variolink luted Empress crowns. The force profile had a significant effect on the fracture load only of the Empress crowns but not of the e.max Press Exp crowns. Weibull statistics revealed a higher scattering of the data of dynamically loaded crowns compared to that of the control groups. CONCLUSIONS: For testing all-ceramic materials, dynamic loading is indispensable to draw valid conclusions on clinical performance of all-ceramic molar crowns. A sinusoidal profile is advisable, while a gradual increase of the force amplitude does not significantly affect the results.