Iniencephaly and long-term survival: a rare case report

Introduction Iniencephaly, a neural tube defect involving occiput and inion and combined with rachischisis of the cervical, thoracic spine, and retroflexion position of the head is a very rare congenital abnormality of the fetus–newborn with a 0.1–10 of 10,000 prevalence. This abnormality’s prognosis is thought to be dismal. This abnormality can be associated with other abnormalities such as anencephaly, encephalocele, hydrocephalus, cyclopia, absence of the mandible, cleft lip and palate, cardiovascular disorders, diaphragmatic hernia, renal abnormalities, overgrowth of the arms compared to the legs, and club food and gastrointestinal atresia. Discussion Most of the patients are dead born, and the others die in a few hours. There are only six previously documented long-term survivors. In our case, our patient with iniencephalic signs and findings is still living. She is 2 years old now. We think that this patient presents a mild form of iniencephaly.     

Insular carcinomas of the thyroid exhibit poor prognosis and long-term survival in comparison to follicular and papillary T4 carcinomas

Background Insular thyroid carcinoma was described as a tumor with aggressive behavior, and patients usually present themselves with an advanced tumor stage. Whether the insular component is an independent factor for poor prognosis remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we compared the survival of patients with advanced insular, follicular, and papillary thyroid cancer. Materials and methods The clinical behavior of tumors in three groups of patients with T4 thyroid carcinoma—8 patients with insular, 11 patients with follicular, and 21 patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas—was compared. Disease-free survival and disease-specific death were analyzed statistically. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of histotype and other prognostic factors. Results At 3 years, survival was 37.5% (mean 26 months) among patients with insular thyroid carcinoma, 80% (mean 59 months) among those with follicular, and 89% (mean 126 months) among those with papillary thyroid carcinomas (p = 0.007). Disease-free survival in patients without initial distant metastasis was worst in patients with insular thyroid carcinoma (20%) compared to those with follicular (75%) and those with papillary thyroid carcinomas (71%). Conclusion Patients with advanced insular thyroid carcinoma have a poorer outcome in comparison to patients with similar advanced stage who have follicular or papillary thyroid carcinoma.     

肠易激综合征辨证分析

肠易激综合征（IBS）是一组持续存在或反复发作的临床症候群,主要症状有腹痛、腹胀、排便习惯改变和大便性状异常、黏液便等,经检查排除可引起这些症状的器质性疾病。临床分为肝木乘脾型腹泻、脾胃虚弱型腹泻、脾肾阳虚型腹泻、肝郁脾虚型便秘四型,根据临床辨证分别施以不同治法,不同方药治疗,有显著疗效。同时,教育患者平时养成良好的饮食卫生习惯,不饮生水,不食生冷瓜果,忌食辛辣、油腻、肥厚之品,保持心情舒畅,怡情悦志,注意保暖,可加强疗效,防止复发。     

Parental Communication Not to Smoke and Adolescent Cigarette Smokers' Readiness to Quit: Differences by Age

There is limited information on the relationship between parental practices that specifically discourage current cigarette smoking and adolescent cessation, and how this relationship varies by age. Among 1629 adolescent smokers, self-reported receipt of parental communication not to smoke was significantly and positively associated with readiness to quit. The strength and significance of this association decreased from early to middle adolescence and was not significant in late adolescence.     

Measurement in clinical trials: A neglected issue for statisticians?

Biostatisticians have frequently uncritically accepted the measurements provided by their medical colleagues engaged in clinical research. Such measures often involve considerable loss of information. Particularly, unfortunate is the widespread use of the so‐called ‘responder analysis’, which may involve not only a loss of information through dichotomization, but also extravagant and unjustified causal inference regarding individual treatment effects at the patient level, and, increasingly, the use of the so‐called number needed to treat scale of measurement. Other problems involve inefficient use of baseline measurements, the use of covariates measured after the start of treatment, the interpretation of titrations and composite response measures. Many of these bad practices are becoming enshrined in the regulatory guidance to the pharmaceutical industry. We consider the losses involved in inappropriate measures and suggest that statisticians should pay more attention to this aspect of their work. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

家兔阴茎皮肤感觉脊神经来源的电生理研究

目的:探讨家兔阴茎感觉神经来源。方法:健康成年雄性新西兰白兔12只,随机均分为两组:每组6只,A组在左侧脊神经上记录,B组在右侧脊神经上记录。对家兔阴茎施加不同大小的机械刺激,用神经单纤维记录技术,在同侧S1~S4脊神经上记录单纤维放电。结果:通过对家兔阴茎施加各种不同机械刺激,在同侧S2~S3脊神经上能记录到放电,S1、S4脊神经上未能记录到放电。左侧脊神经放电纤维数量分别为:S2:39.67±3.14,S3:21.00±2.19;右侧脊神经放电纤维数量分别为:S2:40.00±3.16,S3:19.67±2.58,左右侧差异无显著性(P>0.05)。结论:家兔阴茎皮肤感觉来源于S2~S3脊神经。     

基于免疫系统非线性模型对中医正邪相争理论和扶正祛邪治则的一个非线性动力学诠释

文中基于免疫系统有关免疫活性细胞或分子与外来抗原相互作用的非线性的动力学模型对中医学正邪相争理论及其扶正祛邪治则进行了新的诠释,提出了新的研究思路。认为:中医学关于外感邪气致病的六经、卫气营血和三焦辨证在本质上是识别抗原与免疫活性细胞或分子相互作用的三种不同的非线性动力学诊断模式,其证相应于这一过程中不同的非线性动力状态,可以用一个或一组非线性动力学方程进行定量描述。一个证常常对应于抗原与免疫活性的细胞或分子非线性动力学相互作用相空间中的一个稳定或不稳定的极限环和混沌,这可以作为证诊断的图形或形象标识。以中医学扶正祛邪的治疗思想为先导,有可能研制出全新靶向的和更有效的治疗传染性疾病的药物。     

腹腔镜胆囊切除术转开腹可能性评分系统建立和运用

目的　根据术前临床资料建立预测腹腔镜胆囊切除术转开腹可能性的评分系统。方法　对邵逸夫医院 1994年 4月 4日至 2 0 0 1年 6月 30日的 7134例LC的术前临床资料进行单因素分析 ,筛选出中转开腹的危险因素 ,再进行logistic多元回归分析。男性、高龄 (≥ 6 5岁 )、上腹部手术史、糖尿病、总胆红素升高 (≥ 1 2mg/dl)、胆囊壁增厚 (≥ 4cm )、胆总管直径增宽 (≥ 8cm)、急性胆囊炎是转开腹的危险因素并被分别赋值 ,建立预测转开腹可能性的评分系统。计算 7134例LC的综合得分 ,比较不同得分组转开腹率。用ROC曲线评价该评分系统的效能。 2 0 0 1年 7月 1日至 2 0 0 1年 12月 31日 938例LC运用该评分系统 ,比较各得分组转开腹率的差异。结果　 7134例LC中各组得分越高 ,转开腹率越高 ,且多数相邻两组的转开腹率有显著性差异 (P <0 0 1)。ROC曲线以下面积为0 81,标准误为 0 0 1。 938例LC中的各组也是得分越高 ,转开腹率越高 ,且多数相邻两组的转开腹率有显著性差异 (P <0 0 5 )。结论　根据危险因素预测LC转开腹可能性 ,以指导临床工作。     

17β-雌二醇对子宫内膜异位症患者在位子宫内膜间质细胞β-catenin mRNA和蛋白表达的影响

目的研究17β-雌二醇(17β-E2)对子宫内膜异位症(内异症)患者在位子宫内膜间质细胞β-catenin mRNA和蛋白表达的影响,探讨Wnt/β-catenin信号通路在介导雌激素促进内异症发生发展的作用。方法体外分离培养内异症患者在位子宫内膜间质细胞。用不同浓度17β-E2处理子宫内膜间质细胞48 h;此后选用10-10mol/L 17β-E2处理子宫内膜间质细胞12、24和48 h,逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)和免疫印迹法(Western blotting)检测17β-E2处理前后子宫内膜间质细胞β-catenin mRNA和蛋白的表达水平。同法分析雌激素受体拮抗剂ICI182,780(10-6mol/L)对17β-E2促进β-catenin mRNA和蛋白表达的影响。免疫组织化学染色观察17β-E2作用后β-catenin在子宫内膜间质细胞中的定位。结果17β-E2能明显促进内异症患者在位子宫内膜间质细胞β-catenin mRNA和蛋白的表达,并呈剂量和时间依赖性,于10-10mol/L作用48 h最明显。雌激素受体拮抗剂ICI182,780能明显抑制17β-E2对子宫内膜间质细胞β-catenin mRNA和蛋白的表达。免疫组织化学染色发现17β-E2能促进β-catenin在子宫内膜间质细胞核内的表达。结论雌激素可能通过激活Wnt/β-catenin信号通路促进内异症在位子宫内膜的异位种植。     

人血清载脂蛋白A-I的分离、纯化及其测定

用超离心法制备人血清高密度脂蛋白(HDL);甲醇/氯仿脱脂;经Sephadex G-150层析及DEAE-纤维素(DE-52)离子交换得纯化载脂蛋白A-I(Apo A-I),免疫新西兰兔,获得效价为1:32的特异性抗人Apo A-I抗血清。用本室建立的单向火箭免疫电泳法测定了158名健康中年人与9名老人的血清Apo A—I含量,结果发现:β-脂蛋白<5g/L,总胆固醇<2mmol/L的人血清Apo A-I含量男女分别为2.06±0.16g/L和2.07±0.15g/L;而β脂蛋白≥5g/L,总胆固醇≥2mmol/L的人血清Apo A-I含量男女分别为1.75±0.15g/L和1.82±0.1g/L,由此可见,血脂正常的男性和女性的Apo A—I含量均显著高于血脂高的男性和女性。80岁以上老年人的血清Apo A-I含量为2.1±0.1g/L,也在正常范围。与文献报道比较,我国人的血清Apo A-I含量高于外国人,这与我国人HDL水平较外国人高一致。