Sexual abuse of children: an area with room for professional reforms

The cases of 46 children who had been abused sexually an average of 2.6 years previously, were reviewed and the non-offending parents were interviewed with emphasis on how they viewed the professional persons who had seen their children, and their opinions of the legal processes that were instituted. The parents found most professional groups helpful, with officers from the Department of Youth and Community Services being seen as the least helpful. Twenty-one of the cases went to court; in 12 cases this resulted in a conviction, and prison sentences were imposed on six of the offenders. Children found the court experience distressing and most parents expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the court hearing. Children were more likely to be required to give evidence in court if the offender had legal representation. Persisting behavioural problems and poor school performance were more likely to occur in those cases in which there had been court hearings. A review of Police Department records of children who had attended the hospital for the management of sexual assault, showed that 10 of the 107 children who are now aged over 14 years, have themselves been convicted of violent crimes since their episode of sexual assault. Long-term intervention is required to help many of these children, some legal reforms are necessary to reduce the stress that they experience when there is a court hearing, and all the professional groups that are likely to become involved with the problem of the sexual abuse of children need to be better informed about its seriousness and consequences.     

Multiple aneurysms in Beh?et's disease

Beh?et's disease is characterized by recurrent ulcers of the mouth and genitalia and relapsing iritis. It is now recognized as a chronic multisystem disease affecting the skin, mucous membranes, eye, joints, central nervous system, and blood vessels. One of the known vascular complications of Beh?et's disease is aneurysm formation or venous thrombosis. The two patients with Beh?et's disease in this report developed multiple aneurysms over a short time span. Vascular surgeons dealing with young adults with peripheral aneurysms must be aware of this uncommon yet challenging clinical entity.     

旁正中动脉入口部梗死82例临床分析

目的探讨急性桥脑旁正中动脉入口部梗死(branch atheromatous disease,BAD)的临床特点。方法回顾性分析1997～2003年本院神经内科收治的82例桥脑BAD的临床表现、MRI影像特点、脑干听觉诱发电位(BAEP)表现、危险因素。结果本组病例的临床特点是:平均发病年龄69.2岁,男性/女性=46/36,56/82病情呈进行性发展,75/82有构音障碍,72/82有肢体偏瘫,29/82为高度肢体瘫痪,27/82有轻度意识障碍,6/82伴有不全Homer征,49/82出现面部或(和)偏侧肢体感觉减退,25/82出现周围性面瘫,42/82有非旋转性头晕;13/82有眼球运动障碍。MRI表现有:梗死灶位于桥脑中上部、达桥脑表面,楔形,内侧位于桥脑旁正中、呈类似直线,可显示出基底动脉壁不整;危险因素方面除高血压外还与糖尿病、脂质代谢异常有关。结论根据临床特点及MRI表现正确诊断出桥脑BAD,以指导进一步的病因治疗及预防。     

Controlled-release codeine is equivalent to acetaminophen plus codeine for post-cholecystectomy analgesia

PURPOSE: Following ambulatory surgery, long-acting analgesics may provide advantages over short-acting analgesics. This study compared controlled-release codeine (CC) and acetaminophen plus codeine (A/C; 300 mg/30 mg) for pain control in the 48-hr period following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Eligible patients were randomized to CC or A/C in a double-blind, double-dummy parallel group study. Unrelieved pain in hospital was treated with fentanyl i.v. bolus. Pain [100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS)] was assessed before the first dose of medication; at 0.5, one, two, three, and four hours post-dose; at discharge; and three times a day for 48 hr. Adverse events were recorded and measures of patient satisfaction were assessed at the end of the study. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were enrolled in the study; 42 patients in each group. There were no statistically significant differences between CC and A/C treatment. Mean VAS baseline pain was similar in both groups (P = 0.49) and there was no significant difference in the time to onset of analgesia (P = 0.17). At 0.5 hr, the mean VAS pain score was significantly reduced from baseline in both groups (P = 0.0001). The VAS pain scores at discharge were reduced 59% and 56% from baseline, respectively (P = 0.61). There was no difference between treatments in the incidence of adverse events and patients reported similar levels of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Controlled-release codeine provides an equivalent onset of analgesia, reduction in postoperative pain, and level of patient satisfaction, to acetaminophen plus codeine, over 48 hr following cholecystectomy, with the advantage of less frequent dosing.     

腹腔镜肾上腺肿瘤切除术75例报告

目的探讨腹腔镜下肾上腺肿瘤切除的方法和临床应用价值.方法1999年1月～2004年6月75例患者行腹腔镜肾上腺肿瘤切除术,其中采用经腹腔途径51例和经腹膜后途径24例.结果手术时间平均为(170.16±33.81)min,术中的出血量平均为(70.82±37.15)ml.术后平均住院时间为(5.87±1.01)d.中转开放手术2例(2.67%).发生并发症4例(5.33%),分别为膈肌损伤、胰腺损伤、肠道损伤、皮下血肿各1例.结论腹腔镜下行肾上腺肿瘤切除术具有创伤小,术中出血少,术后恢复快等优点,已经成为现代治疗肾上腺肿瘤的金标准.     

In vitro differentiation of human adipose-derived adult stromal cells into neuron-like cells in hippocampal astrocyte conditioned medium

BACKGROUND: At present, researches on differentiating from human adipose-derived adult stromal cells (hADASC) to neuron-like cells are focus on inducing by artificial-synthetic compound solution; however, hippocampal astrocyte conditioned medium (HCAM) can induce in vitro differentiation from hADASC to neuron-like cells is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To observe whether HCAM can induce in vitro differentiation from hADASC to neuron-like cells. DESIGN: Randomized control study. SETTING: Department of Neurology, Taixing People's Hospital; Central Laboratory, North China Coal Medical College. MATERIALS: Donor of adipose tissue was donated by female volunteers suffering from caesarean section in the department of obstetrics & gynecology in our hospital and aged 20－35 years. Adipose tissue was collected from subcutaneous tissue of abdomen during the operation. In addition, 8 male newborn Wistar rats within 24 hours with average body mass of 20 g were provided by Animal Institute of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Rabbit-anti-human Nestin polyclonal antibody, rabbit-anti-human glial fibriliary acidic protein (GFAP) polyclonal antibody, rabbit-anti-human neuro-specific enolase polyclonal antibody and mouse-anti-human microtubal associated protein 2 (MAP-2) polyclonal antibody were provided by Wuhan Boster Company. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in the Central Laboratory of North China Coal Medical College from October 2004 to June 2005. hADASC was cultured with HCAM and its growth and morphological changes were observed under inverted phase contrast microscope. Immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to evaluate the expressions of Nestin, which was a specific sign of nerve precursor, neuro-specific enolase and MAP-2, which was a specific sign of nerve cell, and GFAP, which was a specific sign of neuroglial cells. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nestin, which was a specific sign of nerve precursor, neuro-specific enolase and MAP-2, which was a specific sign of nerve cell, and GFAP, which was a specific sign of neuroglial cells. RESULTS: On the 3rd day of culture, partial hADASC started deformation from slender shuttle-shape cells to neuron-like cells. It suggested that cells stretched out apophysis, which were mainly double-pole or multiple-pole cells. Five days later, immunohistochemical detection suggested that expression of Nestin (10.5±0.037) was found out in cells; meanwhile, expressions of GFAP (38.4±0.052) and neuro-specific enolase (NSE) (15.7±0.023) were also found out in cells; however, expression of MAP-2 was not observed. Western blot indicated that, 5 days after effect of HCAM, Nestin was found out in hADASC; meanwhile, expressions of GFAP and neuro-specific enolase were also found out; however, expression of MAP-2 was not observed. CONCLUSION: HCAM can induce the differentiation from hADASC to neuron-like cells in vitro.     

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for difficulty in withdrawal of double J ureteral stents due to ureteral lithiasis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) to coping with lithiasis-induced difficulty in withdrawing double J ureteral stents. METHODS: This study includes 6 patients with difficulty in withdrawing the stents due to lithiasis, who were in the anterior prone position or posterior oblique supine position to receive ESWL treatment. The stones were localized by double-band intersection X-ray system. The treatment voltage of shock wave was 11.2 kV initially, which was gradually increased to 18.1 kV, and the shock wave attack amounted to 1,000 to 3,000 times in total. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After ESWL treatment, the encrusted double J stents were successfully withdrawn in all the 6 cases, without causing any morbidity related to the use of ESWL. Among the various techniques available for removing encrusted double J stents, ESWL appears to be the most effective and the least invasive modality.