Caudate nucleus volume and cognitive performance: Are they related in childhood psychopathology?

BACKGROUND: Impaired neuropsychological test performance, especially on tests of executive function and attention, is often seen in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Structures involved in fronto-striatal circuitry, such as the caudate nucleus, may support these cognitive abilities. However, few studies have examined caudate volumes specifically in children with ASD, or correlated caudate volumes to cognitive ability. METHODS: Neuropsychological test scores and caudate volumes of children with ASD were compared to those of children with bipolar disorder (BD) and of typically developing (TD) children. The relationship between test performance and caudate volumes was analyzed. RESULTS: The ASD group displayed larger right and left caudate volumes, and modest executive deficits, compared to TD controls. While caudate volume inversely predicted performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test in all participants, it differentially predicted performance on measures of attention across the ASD, BD and TD groups. CONCLUSIONS: Larger caudate volumes were related to impaired problem solving. On a test of attention, larger left caudate volumes predicted increased impulsivity and more omission errors in the ASD group as compared to the TD group, however smaller volume predicted poorer discriminant responding as compared to the BD group.     

No Correlation Between Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Concentrations and Echocardiographic Measurements of Left Atrial Size or Left Ventricular Size and Function in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) may be associated with activation of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). The exact trigger for the release of ANP is still being debated. Atrial volume, pressure, and wall stretch are considered to be the main determinants of ANP activation. The aim of the study was to evaluate plasma ANP concentrations in patients with persistent AF and to analyze the echocardiographic determinants of ANP concentration in this group. The study population included 67 patients, 59 ± 7 years of age, with a median AF duration of 5.5 months (range 0.1–12). The relationship between plasma ANP concentrations and echocardiographic left atrial (LA) diameter and volume, and left ventricular (LV) diameter and ejection fraction (EF) was analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The median baseline plasma ANP concentration was 63 pg/mL (range 21–126) in the study group versus 34 pg/mL (range 16–73) in a control group. The mean left antero-posterior atrial dimension, LA volume, LV enddiastolic diameter, and LVEF were 48 mm, 104 mL, 52 mm, and 54%, respectively. A significant linear positive correlation was found between plasma ANP concentration and maximal LA volume (r = 0.62, P < 0.01). A negative correlation was found between LVEF and plasma ANP concentration (r =−0.42, P = 0.01). However, by multivariate regression analysis, no echocardiographic parameter was an independent predictor of plasma ANP concentration. Plasma ANP concentrations were independent of echocardiographic measurements of LA size or LV size and function in patients with persistent AF.     

后纵隔巨大甲状腺乳头状癌一例

患者女,48岁。两年前无明显诱因出现轻微进食梗噎感,抬头时加重,未予治疗。近半年,梗噎感加重,并出现胸闷、咳嗽,痰中带血,遂来我院就诊。胸部CT显示:左后纵隔食管后方见一长条形低密度影,密度不均,其上方见环形斑     

低潮气量治疗在机械通气肺结核术后合并呼吸衰竭患者中的应用

目的 探讨低潮气量维持通气对肺结核术后合并呼吸衰竭患者的应用价值。方法 在有效的抗结核、抗感染治疗的基础上，对32例肺结核术后合并呼吸衰竭患者进行低潮气量（6～8ml／kg）机械通气治疗，观察疗效及并发症。结果 呼吸衰竭治愈31例，死亡1例，治愈率96．9％，无明显并发症。结论 低潮气量维持通气对肺结核术后合并呼吸衰竭患者的治疗是安全的，且疗效显著。     

Parental alcohol use and brain volumes in early- and late-onset alcoholics.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that alcoholics have smaller brain volumes than non-alcoholic cohorts, but an effect of family history (FH) of heavy drinking on brain volume has not been demonstrated. We examined the relationship between an FH of heavy drinking and both brain shrinkage as measured by the ratio of brain volumes to intracranial volume (ICV) as well as maximal brain growth as measured by ICV in early-onset and late-onset alcoholics. METHODS: With T1-weighted resonance imaging, we measured ICV, brain volume, and white and gray matter volume in adult treatment-seeking late-onset and early-onset alcoholics with either a positive or a negative FH of heavy alcohol use, and in healthy control subjects. We also calculated brain shrinkage using a ratio of soft tissue volumes to ICV. RESULTS: The FH positive alcoholic patients had significantly smaller ICVs than FH negative patients, suggesting smaller premorbid brain growth. Brain shrinkage did not correlate with FH. Late-onset alcoholics showed a greater difference in ICV between FH positive and FH negative patients than early-onset alcoholics. Late-onset FH positive patients also had significantly lower IQ scores than late-onset FH negative patients, and IQ scores were correlated with ICV. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that parental alcohol use might increase risk for alcoholism in offspring in part by a genetic and/or environmental effect that might be related to reduced brain growth.     

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.     

Investigation of melt agglomeration process with a hydrophobic binder in combination with sucrose stearate

The melt agglomeration process of lactose powder with hydrogenated cottonseed oil (HCO) as the hydrophobic meltable binder was investigated by studying the physicochemical properties of molten HCO modified by sucrose stearates S170, S770 and S1570. The size, size distribution, micromeritic and adhesion properties of agglomerates as well as surface tension, contact angle, viscosity and specific volume of molten HCO, with and without sucrose stearates, were examined. The viscosity, specific volume and surface tension of molten HCO were found to be modified to varying extents by sucrose stearates which are available in different HLB values and melt properties. The growth of melt agglomerates was promoted predominantly by an increase in viscosity, an increase in specific volume or a decrease in surface tension of the molten binding liquid. The agglomerate growth propensity was higher with an increase in inter-particulate binding strength, agglomerate surface wetness and extent of agglomerate consolidation which enhanced the liquid migration from agglomerate core to periphery leading to an increased surface plasticity for coalescence. The inclusion of high concentrations of completely meltable sucrose stearate S170 greatly induced the growth of agglomerates through increased specific volume and viscosity of the molten binding liquid. On the other hand, the inclusion of incompletely meltable sucrose stearates S770 and S1570 promoted the agglomeration mainly via the reduction in surface tension of the molten binding liquid with declining agglomerate growth propensity at high sucrose stearate concentrations. In addition to being an agglomeration modifier, sucrose stearate demonstrated anti-adherent property in melt agglomeration process. The properties of molten HCO and melt agglomerates were dependent on the type and concentration of sucrose stearate added.     

接触镜与泪液形态关系的临床评价

目的 :观察配戴不同种类接触镜后眼表面泪膜的形态、稳定性及泪液量的变化。方法 :对日戴SCL、RGPCL和Ortho KCL的 2 14名近视患者 4 2 8只眼 ,利用表面泪膜观察装置 (DR 1)观察戴镜前后眼表泪液膜和戴镜状态下镜上泪液膜的形态分级 ,同时测定泪膜破裂时间 (BUT)。利用酚红染色棉丝测定SCL戴镜前后的泪液量 ,并用折射仪 (AtagoCL 1)测量SCL含水量的变化。结果 :SCL配戴者随戴镜时间延长 ,BUT明显缩短 (P <0 .0 1) ,RGPCL和Ortho KCL配戴者戴镜 5年以内 ,BUT无明显变化 (P >0 .0 5 )。戴镜后RGPCL ,Ortho KCL和非戴镜正常眼三组间眼表泪膜分级比例差异无显著性 ,SCL组Ⅰ级比例为 6 .5 % ,显著低于其他组(16 .1%～ 2 3.0 % )。镜上泪膜 ,SCL、RGPCL和Ortho KCL三组均以Ⅳ级为主 (分别占 5 4 .4 %、5 3.4 %和 5 1.5 % ) ,SCLⅠ级比例仅 1.9% ,显著低于另二组 (分别占 6 .2 %和 12 .4 % )。SCL配戴者随戴镜时间延长 ,泪液量轻度减少 ,SCL含水量在戴镜 1w后即显著降低。结论 :科学配戴接触镜对泪液膜质量无明显影响 ,但SCL长期使用可能对泪膜有一定干扰作用。     

舌异位甲状腺的诊断与治疗

目的 :探讨舌异位甲状腺诊治方法。方法 :将我院从 1992年 10月～ 2 0 0 0年 2月收治的 18例舌异位甲状腺患者的临床资料进行总结分析 ,其中异位甲状腺全切除术 5例 ,部分切除术 3例 ,次全切除加部分带蒂移植10例。结果 :1例异位甲状腺癌行全切除术后出现甲状腺功能低下 ,部分切除术后 2例复发 ,其余 15例情况良好。结论 :术前常规B超检查、同位素扫描、细胞学检查和冰冻切片对异位甲状腺的诊断有指导意义 ;治疗上 ,患者无症状 ,异位甲状腺无恶变 ,可不予治疗 ,如果出现临床症状 ,对于副甲状腺 ,可作全切除术 ,若为迷走甲状腺 ,则行次全切除加部分带蒂移植是很好的方法