The Efficacy and Safety of Thrice vs Twice per Week Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: A recent sham-controlled clinical study has shown that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound twice per week can safely and effectively treat patients with mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction (ED). However, large-scale clinical trials are needed to verify its efficacy and safety and determine a reasonable treatment interval.

Aim: To study whether low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy thrice per week is non-inferior to twice per week in patients with mild-to-moderate ED.

Single-cell transcriptome atlas of the human corpus cavernosum.

The corpus cavernosum is the most important structure for penile erection, and its dysfunction causes many physiological and psychological problems. However, its cellular heterogeneity and signalling networks at the molecular level are poorly understood because of limited access to samples. Here, we profile 64,993 human cavernosal single-cell transcriptomes from three males with normal erection and five organic erectile dysfunction patients.

Allergic diseases in preschool children in Taichung City.

The occurrence of allergic diseases in preschool children was studied on the basis of a questionnaire sent to the parents of 5,408 kindergarten students, 3 to 6 years of age, in Taichung City. The overall response rate was 81% and included 2311 (52.8%) boys and 2062 (47.

Prognosis of coronary arterial lesions in Kawasaki disease treated without intravenous immunoglobulin.

From 1981 to 1989, a total of 86 consecutive patients with definite Kawasaki disease who received aspirin but not intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy during the acute stage were studied. Thirty-eight of them (44%) had coronary arterial lesion (CAL) on initial two dimensional echocardiograms. Of them, 21 (56%) had ectatic coronary changes, 13 (34%) had small to large coronary aneurysms (diameter < or = 8 mm) and 4 (10%), giant coronary aneurysms (diameter > 8 mm).

Biliary tree rhabdomyosarcoma: report of one case.

A four-year-old boy was admitted due to abdominal distention for two years and jaundice of a few days duration. Abdominal ultrasound and CT scan of the abdomen showed marked dilatation of the common bile duct with two masses noted and a tumor extended to the left hepatic duct. Left hepatic lobectomy with Roux-en-Y right hepaticojejunostomy was performed which was histologically proved to be a embryonal type rhabdomyosarcoma.

[Effect of pinealectomy on N-methyl-D-aspartate-facilitated receptivity in female rats].

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pinealectomy and the possible mechanism of the pineal gland on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-associated receptivity in female rats. Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) was used as a neurotoxin to induce hypogonadal status. Long-Evans rats were divided into four groups: (1) control (C), (2) pinealectomized (Px), (3) MSG-treated (MSG) and (4) pinealectomized MSG-treated (Px-MSG).

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardias in pediatric patients.

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in children. Atrioventricular (AV) reciprocating tachycardia utilizing an accessory pathway and AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) constitute a majority of SVTs. Radiofrequency energy ablation has recently become the treatment of choice in adults.

Flow characteristics in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome: an echocardiographic study.

From July 1992 to January 1993, a total of 5 cases of hypoplastic left heart syndrome were diagnosed by echocardiograms and confirmed by available angiographic, surgical or autopsy results. The flow dynamics disclosed by spectrum display in the aortic root and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), in systole, were: (1) antegrade in the ascending aorta and descending aorta (below PDA), and retrograde in the transverse aorta, and (2) right-to-left shunt in the PDA. While in diastole, there were (1) antegrade in the transverse aorta, and retrograde in the ascending aorta and descending aorta (below PDA), and (2) left-to-right shunt in the PDA.

Unilateral pulmonary vein stenosis with atrial septal defect: report of one case.

A male infant with stenosis of the left pulmonary veins and atrial septal defect is reported. He began to have repeated pulmonary infections, with poor response to medical treatment, when he was 6 months old. Localized stenosis of the left upper and lower pulmonary veins were diagnosed with cardiac catheterization at the age of 7 months.

Scimitar syndrome complicated with right pneumonectomy syndrome: report of one case.

A 2-month-old infant, suffering from respiratory distress, was suspected to have scimitar syndrome from a chest roentgenogram and was diagnosed by cardiac catheterization. Ligation of the aberrant feeding arteries and right lung resection was performed at three and four months of age, respectively. However, the postoperative course was complicated with right pneumonectomy syndrome requiring continuous artificial ventilation.

[The mechanism of the pineal gland in inhibiting sexual receptivity of female rats treated with monosodium-L-glutamate: (III). Does it concern with the function of the pituitary gland?].

To elucidate whether pituitary function participates in the effect of the pineal gland on sexual receptivity, monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) was used as a neurotoxin to induce hypogonadal status. Long-Evans rats were divided into four groups: (1) normal control (C), (2) pinealectomized (Px), (3) MSG-treated (MSG) and (4) pinealectomized MSG-treated (Px-MSG). Pinealectomy was performed at six weeks of age.

[Investigation of activity of daily living performance in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy].

The purpose of this study was to reach a better understanding the deficits of activity of daily living (ADL) skills in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and their influencing factors. Our samples consisted of 35 male DMD patients, aged 3-24 years. The Barthel index was used to assess daily living abilities.

[Absent pulmonary valve syndrome in tetralogy of Fallot: report of two cases].

A combination of absence of the pulmonary valve with ventricular septal defect, annular pulmonary stenosis and aneurysm of the pulmonary artery is called "absent pulmonary valve syndrome". Most patients with this condition suffered from severe respiratory symptoms in early infancy. Respiratory failure which is the leading cause of mortality in infants with this syndrome, results from pulmonary emphysema, pulmonary atelectasis or pulmonary infection as a consequence of compression of the bronchus by the pulmonary aneurysm.

[The strength and functional performance of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy based on natural history].

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a disease of progressive muscular weakness and wasting. This study is designed to evaluate the muscle strength and functional performance of patients with DMD during the natural progression of this disease. This study comprises a sample of 35 subjects who were confirmed to have DMD.

Rupture of chordae tendineae in acute rheumatic carditis: report of one case.

Acute rheumatic carditis is a rare cause of ruptured chordae tendineae of the mitral valve. Such rupture could result in severe mitral regurgitation and in fatality. Surgical valvuloplasty or valve replacement is usually necessary.

Inward rectifier and delayed outward potassium currents in isolated guinea-pig ventricular myocytes: maturation and its role in repolarization.

In accord with previous reports, we have found that action potentials triggered from isolated mature (> 1 month) guinea-pig ventricular myocytes showed a longer duration than those from the neonate (< 1 day). A whole-cell voltage-clamp technique has been used to identify the postnatal changes of inward rectifier (Ikl) and delayed outward potassium currents (Ik), which may be related to the action potential transition. Our results have shown that the degree of maturation of the neonatal guinea-pig is much advanced, as compared to neonatal rabbits and rats.

Sinus node dysfunction in children.

Seven out of 829 pediatric cardiac patients (0.84%) were found to have sinus node dysfunction (SND) over the past seven years. Of the seven patients, three had structurally normal hearts.

[The mechanism of the pineal gland in inhibiting sexual receptivity of female rats: (II) Does it concern progesterone?].

The present study was designed to find the role of progesterone in modulating the effect of pineal gland upon reproductive behavior in the female rat. Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) was used as a neurotoxin to induce hypogonadal function. In the first part of the experiment, rats were divided into four groups: (1) normal, (2) pinealectomized (Px), (3) MSG-treated (MSG), and (4) pinealectomized MSG-treated (Px-MSG), as immature rats became mature, the IEC (Incidence of Estrous Cycle) in each group was determined by vaginal smear for three weeks.

Influence of maturation on diastolic events of left ventricle in children.

To delineate the influence of maturation process on diastolic events of cardiac cycle, we had performed M-mode and Doppler echocardiography in 120 normal subjects aged from 1 hour to 16 years. The isovolumic relaxation period (IVRP, msec), defined as the time interval between the aortic valve closure to the mitral valve opening, was not statistically different in various age groups. Different equations based on individual ranges of cycle length (CL) were disclosed for each of three different age groups, demonstrating a positive linear correlation between IVRP and CL.

Atrial overdrive pacing for conversion of atrial flutter in children.

Atrial flutter (AF) is a potentially dangerous arrhythmia in children, which is difficult to be converted into sinus rhythm by drug therapy alone. In four young patients (3 had history of cardiac surgery, 1 had Ebstein's anomaly), the AF which had failed to medical therapy was converted into sinus rhythm by an intracardiac atrial pacing: In two patients the AF was terminated by atrial pacing alone, and in the other two the AF was converted into sinus rhythm by atrial pacing after procainamide infusion. In all patients an entrainment of AF was observed during the atrial pacing, which favored a reentrant mechanism for the AF in these patients.

[The action mechanism of the pineal gland in inhibiting sexual receptivity of female rats: (I). Is it concerned with the extrahypothalamic inhibitory pathway?].

Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG), as a neurotoxin, was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 4 mg/g body weight to rat pups on days 1 and 3 postnatally. The sexual receptivity expressed as lordosis quotient (LQ) in MSG-treated female rats (2.5 months old) was significantly lower than that of the normal female ones, and this poor sexual receptivity of MSG-treated females could be improved by pinealectomy at the age of six weeks.

An electrophysiologic study of a child with idiopathic sustained left ventricular tachycardia.

A child with congestive heart failure was found to have a paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia (VT) without structural heart disease. This wide QRS tachycardia had an atrioventricular dissociation and a QRS pattern of right bundle branch block and left axis deviation. The tachycardia did not respond to lidocaine or procainamide but instantly responded to verapamil therapy.