Chest radiograph abnormalities in very low birthweight survivors of chronic neonatal lung disease

Objective : To determine whether the neonatal chest radiograph (CXR) at 28 days in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants who develop chronic neonatal lung disease (CNLD) predicts oxygen therapy duration or CXR abnormalities in early childhood. Also, to assess the inter-observer reliability of the radiologists scoring the CXR.
Methodology : Clinically well survivors of CNLD ( n = 46) had neonatal CXR scored (mean age 28.5 days) and compared with current CXR (mean age 40 months). The CXR were scored independently and 'blindly' by two paediatric radiologists using a standardized scoring system (range 0-10).
Results : There was no correlation between neonatal CXR scores and current CXR scores for either radiologist. There was no association between CXR severity scores and duration of oxygen therapy for either neonatal or current CXR. Radiologist A scored the current CXR significantly more abnormal than radiologist B [medians (range): 3 (1-6) vs 1 (0-5), P <0.001] with reasonable correlation ( r = 0.593, P <0.005) but worse than chance agreement (kappa = - 0.034). The median scores for the neonatal CXR were similar [1.5 (0-8) vs 2 (0-8), P = 0.789] and again there was good correlation ( r = 0.760, P <0.0005) although poor individual agreement (kappa = 0.243) between radiologists.
Conclusions : Follow-up CXR abnormalities in VLBW infants with CNLD are usually minor and are not predictive of the duration of oxygen therapy that will be required nor of the CXR appearance in early childhood. Considerable inter-observer variation exists in the interpretation of the CXR in CNLD.     

GRANULOCYTE MACROPHAGE COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR IMPROVES IMMUNOGENECITY OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

Only 20–50% of hemodialysis patients, develop protective antibodies following double dose Hepatitis B vaccination. Early reports suggest augmented response with concomitant use of Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF). This study was done to assess the response rate to hepatitis B vaccine in hemodialysis patients with use of GMCSF. Seventeen patients were included in study, all received 40 mcg of hepatitis B vaccine at 0,1 and 2 months. Ten of these received 150 mcg of GMCSF with each dose of vaccine while 7 were taken as controls. Only one patient from control group (14.3%) while 5/10 (50%) patients from GMCSF group, developed protective antibodies, i.e. anti HBS titres > 10miu/ml (p < 0.05). Present study shows the beneficial effect of GMCSF when used as adjuvant with hepatitis B vaccine, in hemodialysis patients.KEY WORDS: GMCSF, Hepatitis B vaccine, Hemodialysis patients     

Chlamydia Trachomatis: the Prevalence, Trend and Importance in Initial Infertility Management

One thousand and five women, and 354 of their partners, attending an infertility clinic have been assessed for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies in their serum. The overall prevalence in women was 12.4% (125/1,005) but appeared to have increased over a 2-year period. A similar trend was not apparent for men and the prevalence was only 4.2% (15/354). Of the 125 seropositive women 81 had their pelvis examined for the first time by laparoscopy. Fifty seven had tubal disease of varying severity, but only 16 had had an ectopic pregnancy or admitted to a previous history of pelvic inflammatory disease or nonspecific urethritis. These findings suggest that laboratory testing for chlamydial antibodies should be routine in the initial investigation of an infertile couple and that early laparoscopy is indicated in seropositive women.     

Modest phenotypic improvements in ASA-deficient mice with only one UDP-galactose:ceramide-galactosyltransferase gene

Background  

Arylsulfatase A (ASA)-deficient mice are a model for the lysosomal storage disorder metachromatic leukodystrophy. This lipidosis is characterised by the lysosomal accumulation of the sphingolipid sulfatide. Storage of this lipid is associated with progressive demyelination. We have mated ASA-deficient mice with mice heterozygous for a non-functional allele of UDP-galactose:ceramide-galactosyltransferase (CGT). This deficiency is known to lead to a decreased synthesis of galactosylceramide and sulfatide, which should reduce sulfatide storage and improve pathology in ASA-deficient mice.     

终末期肾脏疾病患者透析治疗的相关因素分析

目的:回顾性分析终末期肾脏疾病透析患者病因、年龄、性别与选择血液透析和全部腹膜透析的关系。方法:收集2003-01/2004-05中南大学湘雅二医院病案统计室、血液净化中心及腹透中心终末期肾脏疾病透析患者资料356例,血液透析患者307例,全部腹膜透析患者49例。血液透析患者采用日本东丽公司,美国百特公司,德国费森-尤斯公司和贝朗公司的血液透析机,采用双醋酸纤维膜、血仿膜和合成膜;空心纤维透析器,透析液为碳酸氢盐透析液,采用肝素(普通肝素或低分子肝素)抗凝,透析时血流量为200～280mL/min,透析液流量为500mL/min,患者透析频率及时间为每周两三次,每次4～4.5h。全部腹膜透析患者采用解剖法置入腹膜透析导管,腹膜透析方法为持续不卧床腹膜透析,腹膜透析外管连接方式为美国百特公司双联系统,腹膜透析液使用含葡萄糖的透析液。分别记录患者姓名、性别、年龄、原发疾病、血尿素氮,肌酐(取患者第一次透析前清晨空腹采血所测数值)、透析的方式等资料,进行统计和分析,分析其病因及其与年龄、性别、透析方式选择的关系。结果:透析患者356例全部进入结果分析。①终末期肾脏疾病透析患者主要病因为慢性肾小球肾炎(52.0%),其次为糖尿病肾病(16.0%),高血压肾病(13.2%),梗阻性肾病(9.0%);男女之比为1.87∶1,平均年龄为(51±16)岁。②腹膜透析患者的平均年龄明显高于血液透析患者[(59±15),(50±16)岁,P<0.05]。86.2%的患者选择血液透析,13.4%选择腹膜透析;糖尿病肾病患者选择腹腹膜透析高于血液透析(P<0.01)。③结缔组织病、慢性肾小球肾炎组患者年龄较小,狼疮平均年龄仅40岁;高血压肾病、糖尿病肾病、梗阻性肾病、痛风、多发性骨髓瘤患者年龄较大,40岁以上患者约95.0%,平均年龄约60岁,与慢性肾炎、狼疮比较,差异有显著性意义(P<0.05)。结论:本组患者以中老年为主,男性多见;终末期肾脏疾病透析患者主要病因为慢性肾小球肾炎,其次为糖尿病肾病;糖尿病肾病首选腹膜透析。     

A stitch in time. Facilitating proactive interventions with dementia caregivers: the role of community practitioners

KEADY J. & NOLAN M. (1995) Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2 , 33–40: A stitch in time. Facilitating proactive interventions with dementia caregivers: the role of community practitioners. : The role of family caregivers in supporting people with dementia in the community is beyond question. Yet, all too often, the needs of such carers are overlooked by community practitioners. This paper describes the results of a study in Wales examining the experiences of dementia caregivers with Community Practitioners. Four themes are identified which encapsulate the various difficulties carers faced. These revolve around a lack of communication, information and support. Recommentations to improve the current situation are made.     

急性肺损伤大鼠肺组织白细胞介素1β和肿瘤坏死因子α表达及黄芪的干预效应

目的:观察黄芪注射液对急性肺损伤时肺组织白细胞介素1β和肿瘤坏死因子α表达的影响,分析黄芪在急性肺损伤中的治疗机制。方法:实验于2005-11/2006-04在南华大学动物实验中心完成。清洁级健康SD雄性大鼠24只,以随机数字表法分3组,即对照组、模型组和黄芪组,各8只。对照组从尾静脉注入1mL生理盐水;模型组和黄芪组以内毒素5mg/kg溶解于1mL生理盐水,从尾静脉注入,制造急性肺损伤模型;45min后,黄芪组予黄芪注射液(每支10mL含20g生药,成都地奥九泓制药厂)0.5g/kg,加生理盐水稀释成1mL,并从尾静脉注入。免疫组化法检测各组肺组织白细胞介素1β和肿瘤坏死因子α的表达情况。并做肺组织大体观察和200倍光镜下观察,以胞浆出现棕黄色颗粒为阳性表达。结果:实验大鼠24只全部进入结果分析。①模型组大鼠右下肺湿质量、干质量及湿/干比值较对照组显著增加(P<0.01);黄芪组大鼠右下肺湿质量、干质量及湿/干比值较模型组明显降低(P<0.01),但仍明显高于对照组(P<0.01)。②对照组肺组织大体观察可见,表面光滑,呈淡粉红色无充血水肿及梗死灶;模型组肺组织呈现暗红色,肺包膜下明显充血水肿,广泛出血点;黄芪组大体观察同模型组。镜下观察可见,对照组肺组织结构清晰,无充血渗出,未见明显炎性细胞浸润;模型组可见肺微血管充血、出血、微血栓形成,肺间质和肺泡内有水肿液和炎症细胞浸润,部分可见灶状肺不张;黄芪组病理学改变可见肺微血管充血、出血、微血栓形成及炎症细胞浸润,但比模型组稍轻。③模型组和黄芪组白细胞介素1β和肿瘤坏死因子α的表达水平均高于对照组(P<0.01),但黄芪组白细胞介素1β和肿瘤坏死因子α的表达水平低于模型组(P<0.01)。④白细胞介素1β和肿瘤坏死因子α主要表达于肺组织的单核巨噬细胞胞浆中,呈棕黄色颗粒;模型组的表达最多,黄芪组的表达次之,对照组几乎不表达。结论:黄芪可能通过抑制白细胞介素1β、肿瘤坏死因子α等前炎性因子的表达来促进急性肺损伤的修复。     

Association of gamma-glutamyltransferase and risk of cancer incidence in men: a prospective study

Although several epidemiologic studies have shown that gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is independently associated with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, its relationship with cancer incidence remains widely unexplored. In several experimental models, the ability of cellular GGT to modulate crucial redox-sensitive functions has been established, and it thus may play a role in tumor progression, as has been repeatedly suggested. We prospectively investigated the association between GGT and risk of overall and site-specific cancer incidence in a large population-based cohort of 79,279 healthy Austrian men with serial GGT measurements. Median follow-up was 12.5 years. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were calculated to evaluate GGT as an independent predictor for cancer incidence, and nonparametric regression splines were fitted to flexibly capture the dose-response relationship. Elevated GGT significantly increased overall cancer risk, showing a clear dose-response relationship (P for GGT log-unit increase < 0.0001; P for trend < 0.0001). In comparison with the reference GGT concentration (25 units/L), we found adjusted relative risks (95% confidence intervals) equalling 1.19 (1.15-1.22) for GGT concentrations of 60 units/L, 1.32 (1.28-1.36) for 100 units/L, 1.67 (1.60-1.75) for 200 units/L, and 2.30 (2.14-2.47) for 400 units/L. In cancer site-specific models, GGT was significantly associated with malignant neoplasms of digestive organs, the respiratory system/intrathoracic organs, and urinary organs (all P < 0.0001). Age of participants significantly modified the association of GGT and cancer risk (P < 0.001), revealing markedly stronger associations in participants ages 相似文献