Association between pneumonia in acute stroke stage and 3-year mortality in patients with acute first-ever ischemic stroke.

The influence of pneumonia in acute stroke stage on the clinical presentation and long-term outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke is still controversial. We investigate the influence of pneumonia in acute stroke stage on the 3-year outcomes of patients with acute first-ever ischemic stroke. Nine-hundred and thirty-four patients with acute first-ever ischemic stroke were enrolled and had been followed for 3years. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether pneumonia occurred during acute stroke stage or not. Clinical presentations, risk factors for stroke, laboratory data, co-morbidities, and outcomes were recorded. The result showed that a total of 100 patients (10.7%) had pneumonia in acute stroke stage. The prevalence of older age, atrial fibrillation was significantly higher in patients with pneumonia in acute stroke stage. Total anterior circulation syndrome and posterior circulation syndrome occurred more frequently among patients with pneumonia in acute stroke stage (P<0.001 and P=0.009, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression revealed that pneumonia in acute stroke stage is a significant predictor of 3-year mortality (hazard ratio=6.39, 95% confidence interval=4.03-10.11, P<0.001). In conclusion, pneumonia during the acute stroke stage is associated with increased risk of 3-year mortality. Interventions to prevent pneumonia in acute stroke stage might improve ischemic stroke outcome.

[The application of trace element analysis to the study of provenance of copper minerals in ancient bronzes].

The simulated smelting and founding experiment of bronze showed that the copper minerals from different regions could be distinguished clearly by using the multi-statistical analysis based on choosing the chalcophile elements determined by ICP-AES. In the present paper, the data of trace elements in bronzes from Panlongcheng Site and Ezhou, which were determined by NAA, were tried to be processed. The analytical result showed that the bronzes from Panlongcheng and Ezhou could be divided clearly, just like the results of the former simulated smelting and founding experiment of bronze. So, the feasibility of trace element analysis for the study of provenance of copper minerals in ancient bronzes was proved again.