Temporal and spectral profiles of stimulus-stimulus and stimulus-response conflict processing.

The ability to detect and resolve conflict is an essential function of cognitive control. Laboratory studies often use stimulus-response-compatibility (SRC) tasks to examine conflict processing in order to elucidate the mechanism and modular organization of cognitive control. Inspired by two influential theories regarding cognitive control, the conflict monitoring theory (Botvinick, Braver, Barch, Carter, & Cohen, 2001) and dimensional overlap taxonomy (Kornblum, Hasbroucq, & Osman, 1990), we explored the temporal and spectral similarities and differences between processing of stimulus-stimulus (S-S) and stimulus-response (S-R) conflicts with event related potential (ERP) and time-frequency measures.

[The value of D-dimer for etiological diagnosis of mortal chest pain: an analysis of 438 cases].

Objective: To investigate the role of plasma D-dimer in differentiating fatal chest pain due either to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute pulmonary embolism (APE) or acute aortic dissection (AAD) in emergency department.

Methods: The data of a total of 445 consecutive patients complaining chest (back) pain and/or dyspnea who visited emergency department of Peking University Third Hospital from January 2011 to January 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. All cases were either diagnosed as AMI, APE or AAD finally.

Adjuvant therapy with zoledronic Acid and menopausal status.

Zoledronic acid as adjuvant therapy in breast cancer patients has been shown to have a beneficial effect on OS. Adjuvant treatment with clodronate also may improve OS in patients with early breast cancer. Further study with analysis of subgroups by age or menopausal status should be performed to investigate adjuvant therapy with bisphosphonates in breast cancer patients.

Effect of CLC-2 on the cytoskeleton in human trabecular meshwork cells.

The chloride channel protein 2 (CLC‑2) is important in maintaining the volume of trabecular meshwork cells by adjusting the outflow of aqueous solutions and maintaining the fluid balance. However, little is known concerning the functions of CLC‑2 in the cytoskeleton, specifically in human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells. In the present study, two CLC-2 specific siRNAs (siRNA1 and siRNA2) that target CLC-2 mRNA were designed.

Common underlying diseases do not contribute in determining the causes of sudden unexplained death.

Background: Underlying diseases have a statistically significant positive correlation to sudden death. However, sudden unexplained death (SUD) is different from sudden death, as there is no clinical evidence to support the sudden death due to the original underlying disease, nor a lethal pathological basis to be found during autopsy. In addition, SUD are more common in young, previously healthy individuals, usually without any signs of disease, with no positive lesions found after autopsy.

Visual mismatch negativity in the detection of facial emotions in patients with panic disorder.

Panic disorder is a highly prevalent mental disease characterized by sudden and recurrent panic attacks. Studies on patients with panic disorder have found dysfunctional strategic processing of facial expressions and abnormal automatic processing of panic-related stimuli. However, whether the automatic processing of facial emotions in patients with panic disorder is normal is unknown.

[Relationship between daily mean temperature and emergency department visits for respiratory diseases: a time-series analysis].

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate the influences of daily mean air temperature (DMT) on Emergency Department Visits (EDVs) for the respiratory diseases.

Methods: The EDV data from medical records for respiratory diseases in Peking University Third Hospital between January 2004 and June 2009 were collected. The data of the air pollutants (SO(2), NO(2) and PM(10)) and meteorological factors at the same time periods were also collected from the local authorities of Beijing.

Brain fMRI study of crave induced by cue pictures in online game addicts (male adolescents).

Objective: To study crave-related cerebral regions induced by game figure cues in online game addicts. fMRI brain imaging was done when the subjects were shown picture cues of the WoW (World of Warcraft, Version: 4.1.

Pulmonary embolism in adolescents.

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is rare and seldom considered in adolescent patients; however it occurs with a greater frequency than is generally recognized, and it is a potentially fatal condition. The aim of the current study was to understand its epidemiology, clinical features and the cause of delay of its diagnosis in adolescents.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of nine adolescents with acute PE admitted to the Peking University Third Hospital over the past 16-year period was performed.

Dietary agents in cancer prevention: an immunological perspective.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in the United States. Exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiations is believed to be the primary cause for skin cancer. Excessive UV radiation can lead to genetic mutations and damage in the skin's cellular DNA that in turn can lead to skin cancer.

Sex assessment using measurements of the first lumbar vertebra.

Sex determination is a vital part of the medico-legal system but can be difficult in cases where the integrity of the body has been compromised. The purpose of this study was to develop a technique for sex assessment from measurements of the first lumber vertebrate. Twenty-nine linear measurements and five ratios were collected from 113 Chinese adult males and 97 Chinese adult females using digital three-dimensional anthropometry methods.

Differentially expressed profiles in the larval testes of Wolbachia infected and uninfected Drosophila.

Background: Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that are frequently found in arthropods and nematodes. These maternally inherited bacteria manipulate host reproduction by several mechanisms including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). CI is the most common phenotype induced by Wolbachia and results in the developmental arrest of embryos derived from crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and uninfected females.

[Analysis of etiological and related factors responsible for acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage].

Objective: To investigate the etiology, related factors and endoscopic characteristics of acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Methods: The data including age, gender, medical and medication history, and endoscopic characteristics of patients receiving emergency treatment for acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage between February 2006 and February 2010 were collected to analyze the etiological profiles of this disorder.

Results: (1) A total of 1415 patients with a 2: 1 male-to-female ratio visited our hospital for acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage in the past 4 years.

[The endoscopic and clinical features of Indigo Naturalis-associated ischemic lesions of colonic mucosa].

Objective: By analysing the clinical features of Indigo Naturalis-associated ischemic lesion of colon mucosa to improve the precautionary and therapeutic level of the disease.

Methods: Thirteen patients diagnosed as Indigo Naturalis-associated ischemic lesion of colon mucosa in Peking University Third Hospital from 2005 to 2010 were reviewed. The endoscopic and clinical features were analysed.

Electrophysiological correlates of emotional processing in sensation seeking.

Previous studies have consistently reported a relationship between sensation seeking and emotional reactivity. However, little is known about the neural correlates and the time course of emotional processing in sensation seeking. The present study addressed these issues by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) during an emotional oddball task.

Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility is associated with decreased Hira expression in male Drosophila.

Background: Wolbachia are obligate endosymbiotic bacteria that infect numerous species of arthropods and nematodes. Wolbachia can induce several reproductive phenotypes in their insect hosts including feminization, male-killing, parthenogenesis and cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). CI is the most common phenotype and occurs when Wolbachia-infected males mate with uninfected females resulting in no or very low numbers of viable offspring.

[Association between ambient temperature and hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases: a case-crossover study].

Objective: To explore the association between ambient average temperature and hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Vision ICD-10: I00 - I99) in Beijing, China.

Methods: Data was collected on daily hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases from Peking University Third Hospital, including meteorological data (daily average temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure) from the China Meteorological Data Sharing Service System, and on air pollution from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center. Time-stratified case-crossover design was used to analyze data on 4 seasons.

The time course of novelty processing in sensation seeking: an ERP study.

Novelty processing is critical for human survival in a rapidly changing environment. However, how and when the orientation attention reflected by novelty processing is modulated by personality elements such as sensation seeking is still opened. The present study investigated the time course of novelty processing in sensation seeking by recording the event-related potentials (ERPs) in a visual novelty oddball task.

[Adsorption of Pb2+ onto chitosan-grafted-poly (acrylic acid )/sepiolite composite].

A composite adsorbent chitosan-grafted-poly(acrylic acid)/sepiolite was prepared, and its pH-dependence for removing Pb2+, as well as adsorption isotherm and kinetics were estimated. The results indicate that poly (acrylic acid) has been grafted onto the backbone of chitosan, forming an organic-inorganic composite adsorbent. As-prepared adsorbent shows a coarse, porous and accidented surface, which can contribute to its adsorption kinetics.

Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of 3129 heroin users in the first methadone maintenance treatment clinic in China.

Background: This study aimed to determine the characteristics of heroin users in the first methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinic in China.

Methods: In a retrospective chart review, the notes of 3127 heroin users who received both detoxification and MMT at the clinic were analyzed. Their socio-demographic and clinical data were collected, and the frequency of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and syphilis infections was investigated.

[Immediate cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter lasting less than 90 days by ibutilide versus propafenone: a multicenter study].

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of ibutilide versus propafenone in immediate cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) lasted less than 90 days.

Methods: 212 consecutive patients suffering from AF or AFL all lasting less than 90 days that were diagnosed and treated in 5 medical centers were randomly assigned into two groups: ibutilide group (n = 107, including 75 AF cases and 32 AFL cases, receiving intravenous injection of ibutilide 1mg over 10 minutes) and propafenone group as control group (n = 105, including 76 AF cases and 29 AFL cases, receiving intravenous injection of propafenone 70 mg over 10 minutes). If AF/AFL still persisted 10 minutes after treatment, the above dose was repeated.