Red blood cell substitutes

Soluble polymerized haemoglobin (polyhaemoglobin) is now in a phase III clinical trials. Patients have received up to 20 units (10 litres) in trauma surgery and other surgery. Polyhaemoglobin can be stored for more than 1 year. Haemoglobin solutions have no blood group antigen and can be used as a 'universal donor' oxygen carrier. They can also be sterilized. With a circulation half-life of 24 hours they are undergoing trials for peri-operative use. For conditions with potential for ischaemia-reperfusion injuries, a new polyhaemoglobin-superoxide dismutase-catalase, which can reduce oxygen radicals, is being developed. Recombinant human haemoglobin has been tested in clinical trials, and a new type of recombinant human haemoglobin that has low affinity for nitric oxide is being developed for clinical trials. To increase the circulation time, artificial red blood cells have been prepared with a bilayer lipid membrane (haemoglobin liposomes) or with a biodegradable polymer membrane-like polylactide (haemoglobin nanocapsules). Synthetic chemicals such as perfluorochemicals are also being developed and tested in clinical trials as red blood cell substitutes.     

Digital image processing

LANGUAGE="EN">Summary. The image quality of a radiograph is determined by the local contrast, spatial resolution, latitude and the image noise. The goal of digital processing is to improve the visualisation of pathology by optimising these physical parameters. Processing parameters need to be chosen correctly in order to overcome the inverse relationship between contrast and latitude while producing images that retain a conventional appearance. Unsharp mask filtering (UMF) is a simple technique for improving image quality. This technique, however, suffers from serious drawbacks, such as the suppression of pathologic lesions or artifacts that may simulate pathology. Manufacturers have developed different approaches in order to overcome problems and artifacts derived from this technique.     

PEG Feeding,Dementia and the Need for Policies and Guidelines

The use of long term tube feeding solely as a life‐sustaining treatment is controversial, yet frequent, especially in patients with advanced dementia [1, p.379].     

论《小儿药证直诀》调理脾胃的学术思想

钱氏的《小儿药证直诀》中贯穿了顾护脾胃的思想,本文从病理、生理特点、辨证论治、剖析遣方用药特点,调剂制方、饮食护理等方面阐述了钱乙在治疗小儿多种疾病时不忽视调理小儿脾胃这一指导思想,此理论可为今天的临床实践提供了诸多借鉴,值得深究。