A new analytical cut-off point for determining 18 years of age using MRI on medial clavicular epiphysis

Evaluation of the ossification of the medial clavicular epiphysis plays a key role in forensic age estimation. The purpose of the present study was to assess a new numerical cut-off at the age of 18 years, taking into consideration Magnetic Resonance (MR) images of the medial clavicular epiphysis. We analyzed 163 MR scans of Italian subjects aged between 14 and 25 years. Using the data obtained we calculated two ratios: REM-1 (ratio between the length of the whole epiphysis and the length of the metaphysis) and REM-2 (ratio between the length of epiphyseal-metaphyseal fusion and the length of the metaphysis). In 68 out of 163 cases it was not possible to measure REM-2. The reproducibility was demonstrated using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.80). REM-1 and REM-2 were compared in each category of age (adult and minor) by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The cut-off points for measurements of REM-1 and REM-2 were determined by logistic regression. For REM-1, the cut-off scores were 0.83 for all individuals (accuracy = 94.77%) and males (accuracy = 96.05%), and 0.86 for females (accuracy = 92.30%). For REM-2, the cut-off values were 0.40 for all individuals and males (accuracy = 100.00%), and 0.41 for females (accuracy = 100.00%). Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for age classification based on REM-1 and REM-2 were constructed, showing that REM-2 had the highest discriminative power. Thus, a new cut-off model for predicting the age of majority has been introduced, conducting a quantitative analysis thanks to the use of a high-resolution imaging tool.     

Analyses of rare predisposing variants of lung cancer in 6,004 whole genomes in Chinese

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Body mass index growth trajectories from birth through 24 months in Iranian infants of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus

AimsChild growth is one of the important health indicators in pediatric care. Few studies focused on the impact of prenatal exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on growth trajectories particular in early years of childhood. The aim of this study was identifying growth pattern of GDM exposed offspring's, comparison with new WHO child growth standards.Methods and materialsIn a population-based Longitudinal study 438 infants exposed to gestational diabetes in utero, aged 0–24 months, born between 2014 and 2016 with at least 9 visits in first 2 years of life were enrolled. Twenty health centers of Ahvaz city (Capital of Khuzestan province, located in south western of Iran) and two referral centers for neonatal hypothyroidism involved the study.ResultsOf 438 GDM exposed infants, 54.6% were boys. Incidence of low birth weight and macrosomia were 4.6% and 8.7% respectively.Results4.6% had birth weight less than 2500gr and 8.7% was rate of macrosomia. Boys had higher weight and BMI than girls. Peak of BMI was 17.8 (±2.07) at 6 months after Gender was significant factor in predicted of BMI growth trajectories in GDM exposed children (p = 0.001). BMI in GDM exposed infants, in first 2 years of life was higher than WHO growth standards 2006 (P < 0.01).ConclusionMedians of BMI in GDM exposed infants in all measures was higher than WHO reference data 2006 (P < 0.01). Obesity prevention programs must be priority in GDM exposed infants.     

Bypass Surgery or Stenting for Left Main Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Diabetes

Background

The randomized EXCEL (Evaluation of XIENCE versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left Main Revascularization) trial reported a similar rate of the 3-year composite primary endpoint of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke in patients with left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) and site-assessed low or intermediate SYNTAX scores treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Whether these results are consistent in high-risk patients with diabetes, who have fared relatively better with CABG in most prior trials, is unknown.

耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩对老年原发性高血压患者血压变异性的影响

目的:探讨耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩治疗老年原发性高血压的效果及对患者血压变异性(BPV)的影响。方法:将94例老年原发性高血压患者随机分为对照组(n=47)和观察组(n=47)。常规西医治疗基础上,观察组给予王不留行籽耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩治疗。比较两组治疗前后收缩压(SBP)、舒张压(DBP)水平、SBP/DBP下降幅度并评估降压疗效,BPV根据24 h动态血压监测结果评估,计算两组治疗前后24h SBP标准差(24h SBP)、24h DBP标准差(24h DBP)、白天SBP标准差(dSSD)、白天DBP标准差(dDSD)、夜间SBP标准差(nSSD)和夜间DBP标准差(nDSD),记录两组治疗期间不良反应情况。结果:观察组治疗后SBP、DBP水平和下降幅度均优于对照组(P<0.05); 观察组降压总有效率97.87%明显高于对照组82.98%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05); 对照组治疗后24h SBP、24h DSD、dSSD、dDSD较治疗前有明显下降(P<0.05),观察组治疗后24h SBP、24h DSD、dSSD、dDSD、nSSD显著低于治疗前(P<0.05),观察组治疗后24h SBP、24h DSD、dSSD均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05); 两组不良反应以头晕、头痛、恶心和眩晕为主,症状程度均较轻,患者耐受性好,组间不良反应率比较差异均无统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:常规西医治疗基础上给予中医耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩,不仅能有效降低老年原发性高血压患者血压水平和增益降压疗效,而且能显著降低BPV。     

槟木香散贴敷神阙穴联合蒙脱石散防治阿奇霉素致胃肠道反应临床研究

目的:观察槟木香散贴敷神阙穴联合蒙脱石散防治阿奇霉素致胃肠道反应的临床效果。方法:根据不同防治措施将163例静脉滴注阿奇霉素的患者分为对照组64例和观察组99例。2组均于静脉滴注阿奇霉素前30 min温水冲服蒙脱石散。观察组于静脉滴注阿奇霉素前30 min将槟木香散调成的药膏贴敷于神阙穴上,持续至滴注完成后2 h。2组均连续观察7天。记录恶心、呕吐、腹痛、腹泻等胃肠道反应发生的例数、发生时间和持续时间,并评价胃肠道反应各症状的程度。结果:治疗后,观察组胃肠道反应发生率为8.08%,低于对照组的23.44%(P<0.01)。观察组胃肠道反应程度轻于对照组(P<0.05)。2组胃肠道反应发生时间比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。观察组恶心、呕吐、腹痛、腹泻持续的时间均短于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:采用槟木香散贴敷神阙穴联合蒙脱石散干预静脉滴注阿奇霉素的患者,可减少胃肠道不良反应的发生率,减轻不良反应程度,促进胃肠道症状的消除。