Fear of falling in older adults: a guide to its prevalence, risk factors, and consequences.

Fear of falling, defined as a lack of self-confidence that one may avoid falls while doing everyday activities, may have serious consequences for elderly people. This article examines the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of fear of falling in the elderly population; methods for assessing those fears; and suggests evidence-based interventions. Incorporating successful strategies into programs to reduce falling can result in improved patient outcomes as well as decreased healthcare utilization and costs.     

Lack of C-erbB-2 protein expression in pulmonary carcinoid tumours.

To determine if amplification of the C-erb-B2 proto-oncogene could be correlated with prognosis in carcinoid tumours, 49 pulmonary carcinoid tumours (26 typical, 23 atypical) were examined using a polyclonal antibody to the C-terminal peptide of the C-erb-B2 protein sequence. No C-erb-B2 gene product could be shown: the demonstration of C-erb-B2 does not seem to help, therefore, in determining diagnosis or prognosis in pulmonary carcinoid tumours.     

改良去带盲结肠可控膀胱术

目的：评价改良去带盲结肠可控膀胱术的临床价值。方法：对8例膀胱癌患者施行全膀胱切除和改良去带盲结肠可控膀胱术。结果：随访3－41个月，均获得良好的疗效。贮尿囊容量为260－700ml，贮尿囊内最大压力为0.981-2.940kPa，每3－6h导尿1次，血清电解质和肾功能正常。结论：本术式可以获得大容量、低内压的贮尿囊，具有可控效果好、操作简单和并发症少等优点。     

Age- and sex-specific pediatric reference intervals for biochemistry analytes as measured with the Ektachem-700 analyzer

Using the Ektachem-700 multilayer film analyzer, we defined age- and sex-specific reference intervals for 20 analytes in sera from a healthy population of neonates and children ages one to 19 years. Upper and lower normal reference intervals for each analyte were determined by nonparametric methods as the 0.975 and 0.025 fractiles, respectively. Newborns have lower concentrations of total protein and albumin, and higher concentrations of phosphate, bilirubin, and enzymes in serum than older children do. Concentrations of urea, glucose, calcium, phosphate, and bilirubin change rapidly postnatally. Outside the neonatal period, no significant age- or sex-related difference was found for plasma glucose, serum amylase, conjugated or unconjugated bilirubin, or lipase. There was no sex-related difference in reference intervals for albumin, total protein, calcium, phosphate, or urea. However, concentrations of uric acid and creatine kinase are much higher in postpubertal boys than in girls. Alkaline phosphatase values peak later in boys. Except for lactate dehydrogenase and gamma-glutamyltransferase, the reference intervals defined here do not differ strikingly from data derived with use of other analyzers. The age- and sex-related trends are independent of method. However, each laboratory should determine the degree to which these reference ranges can be directly applied to analyses performed with another analyzer.     

VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF ELECTIVE LOWER LUMBAR DISC SURGERY

Lower lumbar disc surgery is an extremely common operation from which vascular complications are reported rarely. However vascular injury can occur with perforation of the anterior longitudinal ligament. External haemorrhage is uncommon and the true cause of the patient's hypotension may be misdiagnosed. If the hypotension is severe or prolonged laparotomy is indicated, to prevent exsanguination and to effect a repair of the vascular injury. Alternatively, if the injury is missed, an arteriovenous fistula may develop; this diagnosis may be delayed for months or years. One case of severe haemorrhage following lower lumbar disc surgery is reported and a further 69 cases of similar arterial injury have been reviewed from the world literature.     

上皮型钙黏蛋白在子宫内膜癌中的表达

目的　探讨上皮型钙粘蛋白 (E cadherin ,E cad)在子宫内膜癌中的表达意义。方法　采用免疫组织化学方法检测 16例子宫内膜癌及 10例子宫肌瘤、卵巢囊肿患者 (对照组 )的E cad表达。结果　子宫内膜癌患者的E cad表达阳性率较对照组显著增高 (P <0 .0 5 )。子宫内膜癌E cad表达水平 :①与临床分期相关 ,临床早期表达显著高于晚期 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;②与肿瘤细胞分化程度相关 ,分化越差 ,表达越低 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;③与子宫肌层浸润深度成反比 ,浸润肌层越深表达越低 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论　E cad在子宫内膜癌的侵袭转移中发挥重要的作用 ,它的丢失是癌细胞发生侵袭性生长过程中的关键环节