Influence of age on the mortality from acute pancreatitis

The influence of age on the mortality rate of 268 patients with acute pancreatitis was studied. The hospital mortality rate for patients aged below 50 years was 5.9 per cent. The figure increased to 21.3 per cent in patients aged over 75; the high mortality was accounted for by a higher incidence of deaths related to concomitant medical or surgical diseases in the same hospital admission rather than to complications resulting directly from the pathological process of acute pancreatitis. When only deaths due to complications of acute pancreatitis were analysed, the mortality rate was not significantly different between the young and elderly groups. Moreover, the complication rate and the proportion of patients having severe disease (judged by the number of prognostic signs) were not higher in the elderly. Thus acute pancreatitis was intrinsically not more serious were it not for the presence of concomitant diseases with advanced age.     

Is dietary counselling effective in increasing dietary calcium,protein and energy intake in patients with osteoporotic fractures? A randomized controlled clinical trial

To determine the feasibility of increasing the calcium, protein and calorie intake of osteoporotic fracture patients by repeated dietary counselling delivered by a dietitian, a randomized controlled trial was conducted. Among 189 patients presenting with osteoporotic fractures to an Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department of a large regional hospital, 98 patients were randomized to the intervention group and 91 were randomized to the control group (with usual care). Intervention group received three sessions of dietary counselling with tailored made recommendations over a period of 4 months, while the control group only received dietary assessment and pamphlets on the prevention of osteoporosis. Almost all subjects in both intervention and control groups had calcium intake below the recommended level of 1000 mg at baseline. Half and 60% of subjects in both groups had total energy and protein intake below recommended levels respectively. The mean weights of control and intervention groups at baseline were 51.5 and 50.9 kg respectively, while the body mass index (BMI) were 22.6 (kg m(-2)) and 22.6 (kg m(-2)) respectively. After dietary intervention, significant increase of intake was seen in calcium intake (P = 0.0095 by t-test) in the intervention group. No significant increase was seen in protein or calorie intake. No significant change was observed in the body weight or BMI although there was a positive trend in the intervention group for all these parameters. We concluded that there was general malnutrition in Chinese elderly who presented with osteoporotic fractures. Dietary calcium could be increased by repeated professional dietary counselling. Future studies with longer duration and more objective clinical outcomes will be helpful to further demonstrate the long-term effects of dietary intervention on osteoporosis and other chronic diseases.     

Full scale computer simulators in anesthesia training and evaluation

PURPOSE: With the advent of competency-based curriculum, technology such as full scale computer simulators have acquired an increasingly important role in anesthesia both in training and evaluation. This article reviews the current role of full scale computer simulators in teaching and evaluation in anesthesia. SOURCE: This review draws from existing anesthesia and medical education literature in order to examine and assess the current role of full scale computer simulators in anesthesia education today. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The last decade has witnessed a major increase in the use of full scale computer simulators in anesthesia. Many applications have been found for these simulators including teaching and training, evaluation and research. Despite the increasing use and application of full scale computers in anesthesia in the area of teaching and training, definitive studies evaluating its cost effectiveness, its efficacy compared to traditional training methods or its impact on patient outcome are still pending. Although there is some preliminary evidence of reliability and validity in using the simulator to evaluate clinical competence, development in this area has not progressed enough to justify its use in formal, summative evaluation of competence in anesthesia at this time. CONCLUSIONS: As technology acquires an increasingly important role in medical education, full scale computer simulators represent an exciting potential in anesthesia. However, the full potential and role of simulators in anesthesia is still in development and will require a dovetailing of clinical theory and practice with current research in medical education.     

非角度稳定性钢板固定治疗桡骨远端关节内背侧移位骨折的结果

Objective Intra-articular fractures of the distal radius in young adults comprise a distinet fracture pattern that is diffficuh to manage and associated with a high frequency of post-traumatic arthritis.Restoration of articular congruency and alignment should improve the outcome.Methods In this study we prospectively re- viewed the results of 21 consecutive cases of dorsally displaced intra-articular distal radius fractures which were treated with internal fixation after failing to achieve articular congruency with closed reduction.Results 3 patients were lost to follow-up.For the rest of 18 patients,follow-up time ranges from 18 to 75 weeks the fractures had healed with highly satisfactory radiographic and functional results.The final volar tilt averaged 4.9°;radial inclination 23.9°;radial length 14mm;and articular incongruity,0.1 mm.Wrist motion at final follow-up examination aver- aged flexion 62°,extension 60°,radial deviation 16°,ulnar deviation 27°,pronation 77°and supination 74°.Grip strength averaged 83% of the uninjured side.The overall outcome of 18 patients(94.4%)had a good or excellent result according to the system of Gartland and Werley and 18 patients(72.2%)had a good result according to the modified system of Green and O'Brien at the most recent evaluation.The only complication in this series was a superficial pin tract infection,which was rapidly resolved with removal of pins at 5th week of external fixation. Conclusion Thus restoration of articular congruency and alignment is possible with minimal complication using modern non-angular stable methods of internal fixation.     

Gastrointestinal bleeding and paraparesis in blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS), which consists of cutaneous and visceral hemangiomas, is a rare disease. Complications such as gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, anemia and coagulopathy have been documented. We report a patient with BRBNS who presented with acute paraparesis in addition to GI bleeding and coagulopathy.     

Long-term effects of physiologic concentrations of dexamethasone on human bone-derived cells

Bone cells derived from human trabecular explants display osteoblastic features. We examined the modulation of alkaline phosphatase activity and cAMP production as the result of exposing trabecular explants to physiologic concentrations of dexamethasone for 4 weeks during cellular outgrowth and subculture. Cells treated with dexamethasone were observed to grow generally more slowly than control cells. Cells appeared larger and more polygonal, and staining for alkaline phosphatase was more intense in the dexamethasone-exposed cultures. There was a progressive increase in cellular PTH responsiveness with increasing duration of exposure of cells to dexamethasone. Cells grown for 6 weeks in 3 x 10(-8) M dexamethasone had a 10-fold increase in PTH-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation. Dexamethasone-treated cells also had a significantly increased alkaline phosphatase activity. 1,25-(OH)2D3-stimulated alkaline phosphatase activity was increased approximately 20-fold. cAMP responses were significantly increased to PTH (21.7-fold), PGE1 (2.67-fold), and forskolin (4.81-fold), but not to cholera toxin. Dexamethasone-treated cells also had a mean decrease in 1,25-(OH)2D3-stimulated osteocalcin production to 26.2% of control values (p less than 0.001). Hydrocortisone treatment gave rise to similar effects but of smaller magnitude than those of dexamethasone. Testosterone did not have a significant effect on alkaline phosphatase activity or cAMP production. Skin fibroblasts showed a significant enhancement of alkaline phosphatase activity in response to dexamethasone, but of a much smaller magnitude than in bone cells. The phenotypic changes induced by long-term culture in dexamethasone are consistent with the promotion of a more differentiated osteoblastic phenotype.     

番荔枝开花生物学与人工授粉研究

对三年生番荔枝（Ancnona squamosa L.)实生树的开花生物学和人工授粉进行了研究并发现；番荔枝的花有两荔异熟现象，人工授粉能提高座果率，简便而有效的方法是用毛笔直接从树上花药自然裂开的花上聚花粉并立即授在花药没裂开的花上，授粉后两周的座果率达87．9％，授 在花药裂开的花上，座果率为5．3％，与对照照座果率4．4％没有区别，说明花药裂开柱头容受性完全消失，花药裂开时间与品种特有关，目前，广东栽培的番荔枝分为花药早上裂开和傍开两种类型，这两种类型的不同品种之间授粉也能提高座果率，授粉后两周的座果率为83．3％。说明花裂开关12h柱头容受性仍完全正常。