Kindergarten children's representation and understanding of written number symbols

Two samples of kindergarten children's representation and understanding of written number symbols were examined in two time points in one academic year. About 85% of Chinese five year olds (mean = 5 years 10 months) were able to use conventional number symbols to represent the quantity of 30 or larger. At the end of the kindergarten year, 94% of Chinese six year olds (mean = 6 years 4 months) were able to use conventional number symbols to represent the quantity of 100 or larger. Some Chinese six year olds had problems in representing written addition and subtraction tasks. Children's ability to represent written number symbols, ability to represent written addition and subtraction formula and their performance on written addition and subtraction were closely related. The performance of children in a university-affiliated childcare center was better than that of the center serving working-class families in Time 1, but the performance reversed at the end of the kindergarten year.     

Expression of measles virus nucleocapsid protein in osteoclasts induces Paget's disease-like bone lesions in mice.

We targeted the MVNP gene to the OCL lineage in transgenic mice. These mice developed abnormal OCLs and bone lesions similar to those found in Paget's patients. These results show that persistent expression of MVNP in OCLs can induce pagetic-like bone lesions in vivo. INTRODUCTION: Paget's disease (PD) of bone is the second most common bone disease. Both genetic and viral factors have been implicated in its pathogenesis, but their exact roles in vivo are unclear. We previously reported that transfection of normal human osteoclast (OCL) precursors with the measles virus nucleocapsid (MVNP) or measles virus (MV) infection of bone marrow cells from transgenic mice expressing a MV receptor results in formation of pagetic-like OCLs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on these in vitro studies, we determined if the MVNP gene from either an Edmonston-related strain of MV or a MVNP gene sequence derived from a patient with PD (P-MVNP), when targeted to cells in the OCL lineage of transgenic mice with the TRACP promoter (TRACP/MVNP mice), induced changes in bone similar to those found in PD. RESULTS: Bone marrow culture studies and histomorphometric analysis of bones from these mice showed that their OCLs displayed many of the features of pagetic OCLs and that they developed bone lesions that were similar to those in patients with PD. Furthermore, IL-6 seemed to be required for the development of the pagetic phenotype in OCLs from TRACP/MVNP mice. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that persistent expression of the MVNP gene in cells of the OCL lineage can induce pagetic-like bone lesions in vivo.     

Performance and comparison of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate in a Chinese Type 2 diabetic population.

AIMS: Our aim was to assess performances of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in Chinese diabetic populations and their association with vascular risks. METHODS: A total of 1009 patients with Type 2 diabetes were categorized into low estimated GFR groups (GFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) and control groups by the two equations. The performances of these formulae were assessed at different stages of kidney function. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy or albuminuria were compared among the groups. The ability of these formulae to identify established vascular risk markers using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were also compared. RESULTS: The prevalence of low estimated GFR was 32.7% with the Cockcroft-Gault formula and 5.2% with the MDRD formula, respectively. In low estimated GFR subjects by the MDRD formula, IMT was significantly thicker than those by the Cockcroft-Gault formula (1.2 mm vs. 1.0 mm; P < 0.05), with a higher prevalence of albuminuria (78.4 vs. 52.8%, P < 0.05) and diabetic retinopathy (46.5 vs. 30.5%; P < 0.05). The Cockcroft-Gault formula gave a specificity of 71.7% and a sensitivity of 37.0%, and the MDRD formula gave a specificity of 96.6% and a sensitivity of 7.9% in estimating low GFR relevant for established vascular risks. CONCLUSIONS: These formulae performed differently in Chinese diabetic populations. The simplified MDRD formula is minimally superior to the Cockcroft-Gault formula for its high specificity and positive predictive values in estimating low GFR relevant for vascular risks.     

“黄风湿”系列疗法——火针封闭治疗痛风石的疗效观察

痛风是一种由嘌呤代谢紊乱所致的疾病,日久不愈、反复发作则逐渐形成痛风石沉积。常规治疗对痛风石效果不明显。黄再军医院采用火针封闭疗法治疗痛风石36例,经临床观察治愈率为69.4%,显效率为25.0%,有效率为5.6%,总有效率达100%。     

识时度势保持特色力求发展--中西医合校的回顾与思考

新疆医科大学为全国第二家中西医合并院校.在新疆进行中西医合校,实属时势所使,事在必行.强弱相合,处于弱势的中医学院只有坚持相对独立,才能保证于合校后发扬中医药特色、办好中医药教育.中西医合校,给原本弱小的新疆高等中医药教育事业的发展带来了诸多可供凭借和利用的积极因素,同时也存在不少负面影响.新疆医科大学在实践中认清了中西医同校的优势与缺憾,采取扶持和爱护中医的策略,不断尝试规避冲突、化解矛盾、趋利祛弊、务期和谐,终喜事业有成,使高等中医药教育得以在新疆生存,并越过低谷,走上健康发展之路.     

腮腺良性和恶性多形性腺瘤的超声研究

目的研究腮腺良性和恶性多形性腺瘤的超声特点,为临床医师诊治提供有效依据。方法选取腮腺良性多形性腺瘤患者79例和恶性多形性腺瘤患者15例,对其肿块的大小、硬度、内部回声、彩色多普勒血流显像(CDFI)特点结合病理学诊断进行对照研究。结果恶性多形性腺瘤的声像图特点与良性多形性腺瘤相似,但其肿瘤相对较大,质地更硬,内部回声分布更紊乱。不同性质的肿瘤的大小和质地有显著性差异,(P<0.01)。结论多形性腺瘤的超声诊断主要依据二维图像之特点。当多形性腺瘤大于3.0 cm,硬度较硬,内部回声分布不均多提示恶性。     

Lecithin vesicles for topical delivery of diclofenac.

Skin penetration of topically applied diclofenac is important for the treatment of rheumatic diseases and actinic keratoses. We have studied the permeation of diclofenac across human cadaver epidermis in-vitro from four lecithin vesicle formulations and a few marketed semi-solid preparations. The lecithin vesicle formulations were prepared by dissolving the lipid contents (lecithin and sodium cholate) in a 1:1 mixture of methanol-chloroform, evaporating the solvents under vacuum, and hydrating the lipid layer with the drug solution in water or 10% ethanol. The vesicles were sonicated for 5 min to reduce the vesicle size and their size and Zeta potential were characterized. The cumulative amount and maximum flux of diclofenac was 69.7+/-40.3 micrograms and 4.77+/-3.16 micrograms/hcm(2) from lecithin vesicles containing sodium cholate and 10% ethanol, and is the highest of all formulations studied. The cumulative amount and mean maximum flux obtained from other formulations were in the range of 2.46+/-1.98-29.9+/-10.1 micrograms and 0.53+/-0.46-3.61+/-0.86 micrograms/hcm(2). Based on the results, lecithin vesicles of diclofenac appear to be advantageous for the topical delivery of diclofenac.     

Inhibitory effects of benzoate on chiral inversion and clearance of N(G)-nitro-arginine in conscious rats.

N(G)-nitro-arginine (NNA) is known to exhibit stereoselective pharmacokinetics in which N(G)-nitro-d-arginine (d-NNA) has a faster clearance rate than N(G)-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA) in anesthetized rats, and d-NNA undergoes unidirectional chiral inversion. It was postulated that chiral inversion of d-NNA was performed in a two-step pathway by d-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) followed by an unidentified transaminase. Such chiral inversion contributes (at least partially) to the pharmacokinetic stereoselectivity of NNA. This study used the selective inhibitor of DAAO, sodium benzoate, to test the above hypothesis. An i.v. bolus injection of d-NNA (32 mg/kg) and l-NNA (16 mg/kg) in conscious rats exhibited biphasic disposition with different pharmacokinetic parameters in a stereospecific manner (approximately 5-10-fold differences). Unidirectional chiral inversion of d-NNA but not l-NNA was found from these animals. In addition to its similar inhibitory effects on the d-NNA conversion and DAAO activity in kidney homogenates, sodium benzoate completely blocked chiral inversion of d-NNA and led to a smaller stereospecific difference, reflected by a nearly 50% reduction of d-NNA clearance and a 2-fold increase in t(1/2) and area under the curve of d-NNA in benzoate-pretreated rats. The results suggest that DAAO plays an essential role in chiral inversion of d-NNA and chiral inversion contributes mostly to the pharmacokinetic stereospecificity of NNA.     

胺碘酮联合卡托普利治疗阵发性房颤的临床疗效观察

目的:观察胺碘酮联合卡托普利治疗阵发性房颤(AF)的疗效,并探讨其机制与安全性。方法:将186例AF患者随机分为观察组和对照组,观察组给予口服胺碘酮和卡托普利,对照组则单用胺碘酮。结果:经过治疗,观察组的总有效率、随访2年后LVEF高于对照组,差异有显著性(P<0.05)。两组不良反应发生情况类似,患者均可耐受。结论:胺碘酮联合卡托普利治疗AF,疗效显著,作用持久,无严重不良反应发生,可以有效、安全地应用于临床。