Does prophylactic sotalol and magnesium decrease the incidence of atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass surgery: a propensity-matched analysis

Background  

Atrial fibrillation can occur in up to 40% of patients undergoing coronary surgery.     

Stereological evaluation of liver volume in living donor liver transplantation using MDCT via the Cavalieri method.

In living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), obtaining the precise volume of the graft is very important to decrease volume-related postoperative complications, especially in cases with suspected small-for size grafts. We used stereology based on the Cavalieri method (CM), a new method to measure liver graft volume, and compared the results with those obtained through intraoperative measurement (IOM) and through multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) measurement. Liver volumes estimated using the 3 methods were well-correlated with each other (r(2) = 0.94 and P < 0.001 for IOM and CM; r(2) = 0.91 and P < 0.001 for IOM and MDCT, and r(2) = 0.95 and P < 0.001 for CM and MDCT); however, they were different from each other (in descending order, 908 +/- 124 cm(2), 861 +/- 121 cm(2), and 777 +/- 168 cm(2) for MDCT, CM, and IOM, respectively). Although MDCT and CM overestimated the volumes, the results of CM were almost similar to those obtained via IOM. In conclusion, our results suggest that CM measured the liver graft volume more reliably. Thus, its use, particularly in cases with suspected small-for-size graft, may prove useful.     

Ultrastructural changes in pneumocyte type II cells following traumatic brain injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to demonstrate the time-dependent ultrastructural changes in pneumocyte type II cells following brain injury, and to propose an electron microscopic scoring model for the damage. METHODS: Forty Wistar-Albino female rats weighing 170-200 g were used. The rats were allocated into five groups. The first group was the control and the second was the craniotomy without trauma. The others were trauma groups. Weight-drop method was used for achieving head trauma. Samples were obtained from the right and left pulmonary lobes at 2-, 8-, and 24-h intervals after transcardiac perfusion. An electron microscopic scoring model was used to reveal the changes. RESULTS: There were no ultrastructural pathological findings pointing to lung injury in any rat of the control groups. There was intense intracellular oedema in type II pneumocyte and interstitial oedema in the adjacent tissue in trauma groups. Oedema in mitochondria and dilatation in both smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus was more evident in the 8- and 24-h trauma groups. The chromatin dispersion was disintegrated in the nucleus in all trauma groups. Scores of all trauma groups were significantly different from the controls (P<0.05). All trauma groups were different from each other at significant levels (P<0.05 for each trauma groups). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggested that ultrastructural damage is obvious at 2 h and deteriorates with time. The electron microscopic scoring model worked well in depicting the traumatic changes, which were supported by lipid peroxidation. Further experiments are needed to determine the exact outcome after brain death model.     

颈内动脉接近完全闭塞时的处理

目的由于卒中风险随着狭窄严重程度的增加而升高，因此认为颈内动脉（ICA）接近闭塞患者的卒中风险很高。在现有的随机试验中，还没有专门针对这种情况进行探讨，因此其处理尚存在争汶。方法：对相关文献进行系统评价。结果：对ICA接近闭塞患者的处理还存在争议：一些学者支持进行干预，而另一些学者则认为存在风险或没有益处而反对进行干预。在ICA接近闭塞的有症状患者中进行一项比较外科治疗与最佳内科治疗的多中心前瞻性随机试验似乎非常困难，因为这类研究需要大量的患者。尽管如此，基于目前的证据，似乎很难拒绝手术治疗。结论：由于目前对ICA接近闭塞患者的最佳处理方案仍存在着争议，因此需要前瞻性观察性研究以证实其在有症状和无症状人群中的患病率以及相关的卒中风险。基于目前的证据，大多数医疗中心选择手术治疗，但它相对干内科治疗的特粱尚右待证章．     

Ameloblastic carcinoma arising from anterior skull base.

Ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) is an aggressive malignant epithelial odontogenic tumor. It may appear de novo or originate from a pre-existing ameloblastoma or odontogenic cyst. To our knowledge, an AC that originates from the anterior skull base has not been reported before in the English literature. We report a case of an AC that originated from the anterior skull base and invaded the dura of the anterior fossa and discuss its clinical course and treatment.     

“维生素AD、铁营养强化奶的研制”研究报告

目的:研制维生素AD、铁营养强化奶,用于群体有效防治维生素AD、铁缺乏.方法:应用微胶囊技术科学配方成维生素AD、铁营养粉,添加到鲜牛奶中.结果:工业化生产维生素AD、铁营养强化奶.结论:该产品取得了很好的社会效益和经济效益.     

Changes in Escherichia coli resistance to co-trimoxazole in tuberculosis patients and in relation to co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in Thyolo,Malawi

In Thyolo district, Malawi, an operational research study is being conducted on the efficacy and feasibility of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in preventing deaths in HIV-positive patients with tuberculosis (TB). A series of cross-sectional studies were carried out to determine i) whether faecal Escherichia coli (E.coli) resistance to co-trimoxazole in TB patients changed with time and ii) whether the resistance pattern was different in HIV positive TB patients who were taking co-trimoxazole prophylaxis. Co-trimoxazole resistance among E.coli isolates in TB patients at the time of registration was 60% in 1999 and 77% in 2001 (p<0.01). Resistance was 89% among HIV-infected TB patients (receiving co-trimoxazole), while in HIV negative patients (receiving anti-TB therapy alone) it was 62% (p<0.001). The study shows a significant increase of E.coli resistance to co-trimoxazole in TB patients which is particularly prominent in HIV infected patients on co-trimoxazole prophylaxis. Since a high degree of plasmid-mediated transfer of resistance exists between E.coli and the Salmonella species, these findings could herald limitations on the short and long term benefits to be anticipated from the use of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in preventing non-typhoidal salmonella bacteraemia and enteritis in HIV infected TB patients in Malawi.