Effectiveness of open-label donepezil treatment in patients with Alzheimer's disease discontinuing memantine monotherapy.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of donepezil in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who discontinue memantine due to a lack of efficacy or not being well tolerated.

Methods: This study enrolled patients with moderate-to-severe AD (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score 5-17) who had a history of treatment with memantine monotherapy (10 mg/BID) for > or = 3 months prior to screening and maintained until study baseline. For inclusion in this study, the patient's memantine treatment had to have been judged as lacking efficacy or not well tolerated at the screening visit.

Efficacy and safety of donepezil in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: significant placebo/practice effects in a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Altered expression of central muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in hippocampal and cortical regions may contribute to the cognitive impairment exhibited in patients with schizophrenia. Increasing cholinergic activity through the use of a cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) therefore represents a possible strategy for cognitive augmentation in schizophrenia. We examined the efficacy and safety of the ChEI donepezil as cotreatment for mild to moderate cognitive impairment in schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in a prospective, 12-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study.

Palliative gastrectomy and chemotherapy for stage IV gastric cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the value of palliative gastrectomy and chemotherapy in a large series of patients with stage IV gastric cancer.

Methods: A total of 389 patients were identified in survival analysis. Among which, 183 cases received palliative gastrectomy (PG) and 206 cases received unresectable operation, 184 cases received palliative chemotherapy (PC) and 205 cases did not receive chemotherapy.

[Prognostic analysis of 384 male patients with rectal cancer].

Background & Objective: The incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing in China, of which rectal cancer accounts for over 50%. Because of the limitation of pelvic cavity, the selection of surgical procedures, the proportion of sphincter saving and prognosis of male patients are different from those of female patients. This study was to analyze the correlations of clinicopathologic features of rectal cancer in 384 male patients to their prognosis.

Eletriptan in migraine patients reporting unsatisfactory response to rizatriptan.

Objective: The objective of this open-label study was to evaluate the efficacy of switching patients who had a previous unsatisfactory response to rizatriptan to eletriptan 40 mg. Background.-The characteristics of individual migraine patients can vary tremendously and can have a significant impact on treatment outcomes.

[Impacts of Cd and Pb pollution on soil microbes in tobacco root zone and on tobacco leaf quality].

A pot experiment was conducted to study the impacts of Cd and Pb pollution on soil microbes in tobacco root zone and the quality of tobacco leaves. The results indicated that the higher concentrations of Cd and Pb in soil, the less soil microbes in tobacco root zone. When the levels of Cd and Pb were < or = 10 and < or = 300 mg x kg(-1), respectively, the individuals of soil microbes decreased acutely.

Plaque imaging using ultrasound, magnetic resonance and computer tomography: a review.

Different classifications have been proposed in the literature for the characterization of atherosclerotic plaque morphology, resulting in considerable confusion. For example plaques containing medium of high level uniform echoes were classified as homogeneous by others and correspond closely to dense and calcified plaques, other types. This survey is to understand different types of plaque when imaged using ultrasound and MR.

In situ TEM observation of the nucleation and growth of silver oxide nanoparticles.

The nucleation, growth, and coalescence of silver oxide nanoparticles have been investigated dynamically and at high spatial resolution by using the electron beam of a transmission electron microscope to stimulate and to observe the processes. Under the assumption the particles are hemispherical, the growth rate was found to be proportional to the square root of the electron irradiation time. This result suggests that the rate-limiting step is the attachment of atoms to the nanoparticles.

[Long-term result of low anterior resection with stapling devices for rectal cancer].

Background & Objective: Currently, to preserve the anal function and improve the patients' quality of life, low anterior resection has become the preferred option in curative rectal cancer surgery. As the use of stapling instruments provides more reliable anastomoses in low anterior resection for rectal cancer, it enlarges the indication of this procedure. The aim of this study was to review the operation results and their outcomes of 449 rectal cancer patients who recieved of curative low anterior resections with stapling devices, and intent to find some measures that can reduce complications and improve long-term effects of this procedure.