Clinical effects of low-molecular-weight heparin combined with ulinastatin in children with acute pancreatitis

Purpose: To explore the clinical effects of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) combined with ulinastatin (UTI) in children with acute pancreatitis.Methods: In total, 560 patients with severe acute pancreatitis treated at Binzhou People’s Hospital, Shandong, China, from April 2012 to June 2014 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into control (280 patients, ulinastatin + conventional treatment) and observational groups (280 patients, LMWH + ulinastatin + conventional treatment). The treatment lasted for 2 weeks. Clinical parameters, laboratory test indices, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score, and computed tomography score of pancreatic necrosis (CTSPN) were assessed in both groups.Results: On admission, no significant differences were noted in clinical features, laboratory parameters, APACHE II scores, or CTSPN between the two groups (all p > 0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, serum amylase, urine amylase, prothrombin time, fibrinogen, partial thromboplastin time, and platelet count in the study group were 913 ± 281 U/L, 1893 ± 295 U/L, 16 ± 1.60 s, 3 ± 0.60 g/L, 39.80 ± 5.60 s, and 294 ± 49 × 109/L, respectively, all of which were similar or superior to those in the control group (1738 ± 346 U/L, 2453 ± 473 U/L, 15 ± 1.50 S, 2.50 ± 0.50, 39.80 ± 5.90, and 192 ± 37 × 109/L)). APACHE II scores and CTSPN after 2 weeks of treatment in the observation group were 8.50 ± 1.80 and 2.10 ± 1, respectively, which were superior to those in the control group (9.60 ± 2.40 and 4.30 ± 2.60, respectively; p < 0.05). Moreover, the incidence of complications, mortality rate, and average duration of the hospital stay in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (p > 0.05). The cure rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group.Conclusions: LMWH combined with UTI enhances the efficacy of conventional treatment and reduces mortality. Thus, it is a potentially effective treatment strategy for severe acute pancreatitis in children.Keywords: Acute pancreatitis, Low-molecular-weight heparin, Multiple organ function syndrome, APACHE II score, Pancreatic necrosi

Operative coordination in one case of Intracranial hematoma removal combined with resection of spleen surgery

Objective: the authors summarized the operative coordination means which operated on the the same patients with Intracranial hematoma removal combined with resection of spleen surgery at the same time. Methods: From the perspectives of preoperotive preparation, hand-washing nurses and visiting nurse respectively, the paper elaborated the placement of sterile towels, personnel reasonable stance, the check and management of sterile items, etc. Results:The surgery was finished smoothly. Conclusion:To assist the surgery is a comprehensive test for nurses’ ability at the operating room. The work responsibility should be clearly arranged, and the principle of intraoperative sterile operation should be strictly followed.目的  总结1例颅内血肿清除术和脾切除术这两种手术在同一患者、同一时间施行时的手术配合方法。方法  分别从术前准备、洗手护士、巡回护士工作等角度进行阐述了无菌巾的铺设、人员的合理站位、无菌物品的清点和管理等。结果  手术配合顺利完成。结论  配合该手术是对手术室护士能力的综合考验，必须做到正确、清楚划分各组的工作区域，遵循术中无菌操作原则

Analyzing Gene Expression Profile in K562 Cells Exposed to Sodium Valproate Using Microarray Combined with the Connectivity Map Database

To explore the mechanism underlying antileukaemia effect of sodium valproate, the growth and survival of the K562 cell line were investigated. Global profiles of gene expression in K562 cells exposed to sodium valproate were assessed and validated. The differentially expressed genes identified were further used to query the connectivity map database to retrieve a ranked list of compounds that act on the same intracellular targets as sodium valproate. A significant increase in cell apoptosis and a change in gene expression profile were observed in valproate-exposed K562 cells. The significant enrichment analysis of gene ontology terms for the differentially expressed genes showed that these genes were involved in many important biological processes. Eight differentially expressed genes involved in apoptosis were verified by quantitative real-time PCR. The connectivity map analysis showed gene expression profile in K562 cells exposed to sodium valproate was most similar to that of HDACi and PI3K inhibitors, suggesting that sodium valproate might exert antileukaemic action by inhibiting HDAC as well as inhibiting PI3K pathway. In conclusion, our data might provide clues to elucidate the molecular and therapeutic potential of VPA in leukaemia treatment, and the connectivity map is a useful tool for exploring the molecular mechanism of drug action

Household Transmission of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus, Taiwan

During August–November 2009, to investigate disease transmission within households in Taiwan, we recruited 87 pandemic (H1N1) 2009 patients and their household members. Overall, pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus was transmitted to 60 (27%) of 223 household contacts. Transmission was 4× higher to children than to adults (61% vs. 15%; p<0.001)

High prevalence of thalassemia in migrant populations in Guangdong Province, China

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of thalassemia and to analyze the need for public health services for migrant populations in different cities in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 21 cities of Guangdong Province. Twenty-three types of a- and β-globin gene mutations were detected in a total of 14,230 pregnant women and 14,249 husbands. RESULTS: There was a 16.45% prevalence of thalassemia among the 28,479 individuals, and the prevalences of α-, β-, and combined α-/β- thalassemia were 12.03%, 3.80%, and 0.63%, respectively. Compared with the native city residents in the province, the migrants from within the province and the immigrants from outside the province had lower prevalences of thalassemia, but the prevalence values were >11%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence values for thalassemia gene mutations were high in all three population groups studied in Guangdong Province. The results indicate that all segments of the Guangdong population should be screened for thalassemia

The development and evaluation of individualized templates to assist transoral C2 articular mass or transpedicular screw placement in TARP-IV procedures: adult cadaver specimen study

OBJECTIVES: The transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate system treats irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation from transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-I to transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-III. However, this system has demonstrated problems associated with screw loosening, atlantoaxial fixation and concealed or manifest neurovascular injuries. This study sought to design a set of individualized templates to improve the accuracy of anterior C2 screw placement in the transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-IV procedure. METHODS: A set of individualized templates was designed according to thin-slice computed tomography data obtained from 10 human cadavers. The templates contained cubic modules and drill guides to facilitate transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate positioning and anterior C2 screw placement. We performed 2 stages of cadaveric experiments with 2 cadavers in stage one and 8 in stage two. Finally, guided C2 screw placement was evaluated by reading postoperative computed tomography images and comparing the planned and inserted screw trajectories. RESULTS: There were two cortical breaching screws in stage one and three in stage two, but only the cortical breaching screws in stage one were ranked critical. In stage two, the planned entry points and the transverse angles of the anterior C2 screws could be simulated, whereas the declination angles could not be simulated due to intraoperative blockage of the drill bit and screwdriver by the upper teeth. CONCLUSIONS: It was feasible to use individualized templates to guide transoral C2 screw placement. Thus, these drill templates combined with transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-IV, may improve the accuracy of transoral C2 screw placement and reduce related neurovascular complications

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged Rats by Inhibiting Hippocampal Neuroinflammation Activated via Microglia/TLRs Pathway

Neuroinflammation has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Electroacupuncture (EA) is an irreplaceable method in traditional Chinese medicine that is used for treating neurodegenerative diseases in clinical and experimental studies. The aim of this study was to examine whether EA improves cognitive dysfunction caused by surgery and to investigate the pathological mechanism of TLR2 and TLR4 in the hippocampus of aged rats. A rat model of POCD was established and treated with EA or minocycline. Both EA- and minocycline-treated rats performed significantly better than untreated operated rats in spatial memory tasks of the Morris water maze (MWM) test, spending comparatively greater amounts of time in the target zone during the probe test. Additionally, decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and HMGB1) and decreased TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression in the hippocampus of EA- and minocycline-treated rats were detected. Our data suggested that EA treatment alleviated the cognition performance deficit and neuroinflammation in aged rats following surgery, which may be mediated by inhibiting the expression of hippocampal neuroinflammatory cytokines through the microglia/TLR2/4 pathway

Association of smoking, alcohol drinking and dietary factors with esophageal cancer in high- and low-risk areas of Jiangsu Province, China

To study the main environmental and lifestyle factors that account for the regional differences in esophageal cancer (EC) risk in low- and high-risk areas of Jiangsu Province, China. Since 2003, a population-based casecontrol study has been conducted simultaneously in lowrisk (Ganyu County) and high-risk (Dafeng County) areas of Jiangsu Province, China. Using identical protocols and pre-tested standardized questionnaire, following written informed consent, eligible subjects were inquired about their detail information on potential determinants of EC, including demographic information, socio-economic status, living conditions, disease history, family cancer history, smoking, alcohol drinking, dietary habits, frequency, amount of food intake, etc. Conditional logistic regression with maximum likelihood estimation was used to obtain Odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confi dence interval (95% CI), after adjustment for potential confounders In the preliminary analysis of the ongoing study, we recruited 291 pairs of cases and controls in Dafeng and 240 pairs of cases and controls in Ganyu, respectively. In both low-risk and high-risk areas, EC was inversely associated with socio-economic status, such as level of education, past economic status and body mass index. However, this disease was more frequent among those who had a family history of cancer or encountered misfortune in the past 10 years. EC was also more frequent among smokers, alcohol drinkers and fast eaters. Furthermore, there was a geographic variation of the associations between smoking, alcohol drinking and EC risk despite the similar prevalence of these risk factors in both low-risk and high-risk areas. The dose-response relationship of smoking and smoking related variables, such as age of the fi rst smoking, duration and amount were apparent only in high-risk areas. On the contrary, a dose-response relationship on the effect of alcohol drinking on EC was observed only in low-risk area