Stress cardiomyopathy in thromboembolic arterial disease.

Apical ballooning is a novel clinical entity reported in different contexts of physical and psychological stress, which is more common in middle-aged women. Of unknown etiology, the syndrome is characterized by a sudden and transient dilatation of the left ventricular apex in the absence of obstructive atherosclerotic coronary disease or evidence of myocardial necrosis, with total late recovery of ventricular function. The authors report the case of a 53-year-old woman who was admitted to the emergency room with left arm ischemia and low cardiac output, requiring ventilatory support. Left catheterization showed typical medial and apical myocardial dysfunction, with normal coronary arteries. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a thrombus attached to the lower face of the aortic arch, which probably explained the thromboembolism of the arm but was unlikely to be the cause of the left ventricular dysfunction since there were no enzymatic or electrocardiographic signs of myocardial necrosis and normal wall motion was fully recovered.     

Modulation of arterial stiffness with intensive competitive training.

BACKGROUND: Aerobic exercise training has been associated with beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, improving arterial compliance, possibly related to a positive impact on the endothelium. The effects of competitive aerobic exercise are not so well documented. This prompted us to evaluate the possible modulation of arterial properties in a group of athletes and their response to the aging process. METHODS: 423 healthy males were enrolled in a cross-sectional study, 212 of whom were competitive athletes and 211 were controls. All underwent carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) evaluation, and casual blood pressure and other relevant anthropometric data were evaluated. RESULTS: To control the effects of age, each group was divided into two subgroups with an age cut-point of 20 years. PWV was 6.3 +/- 0.9 m/s (athletes) vs. 7.0 +/- 1.0 m/s (controls) for ages <20 years, and 7.6 +/- 1.2 m/s (athletes) vs. 8.1 +/- 0.9 m/s (controls) for ages >20 years, with statistically significant differences in both comparisons. A linear regression model with logarithmic tendency analysis with age as the independent determinant of PWV revealed a different progression of age-related deterioration of aortic compliance between the two groups (athletes and controls). CONCLUSIONS: Our data documented better compliance indices in competition athletes compared with controls, which may reflect optimization of endothelial function. This improvement was age-dependent, being less pronounced as the athletes grow older, which could be due partially to sustained stretching effects on the arterial walls in long-term competitors.     

Estimation of salt intake by urinary sodium excretion in a Portuguese adult population and its relationship to arterial stiffness.

BACKGROUND: Portugal has one of the highest mortality rates from stroke, a high prevalence of hypertension and probably a high salt intake level. AIM: To evaluate Portuguese salt intake levels and their relationship to blood pressure and arterial stiffness in a sample of four different adult populations living in northern Portugal. METHODS: A cross-sectional study evaluating 24-hour urinary excretion of sodium (24 h UNa+), potassium and creatinine, blood pressure (BP), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) as an index of aortic stiffness in adult populations of sustained hypertensives (HT), relatives of patients with previous stroke (Fam), university students (US) and factory workers (FW), in the context of their usual dietary habits. RESULTS: We evaluated a total of 426 subjects, mean age 50 +/- 22 years, 56% female, BMI 27.9+/-5.1, BP 159/92 mmHg, PWV 10.4+/-2.2 m/s, who showed mean 24h UNa+ of 202 +/- 64 mmol/d, corresponding to a daily salt intake of 12.3 g (ranging from 5.2 to 24.8). The four groups were: HT: n = 245, 49 +/- 18 years, 92% of those selected, 69% treated, BP 163/94 mmHg, PWV 11.9 m/s, 24 h UNa+ 212 mmol/d, i.e. 12.4 g/d of salt); Fam: n = 38, 64 +/- 20 years, 57 % of those selected, BP 144/88 mmHg, PWV 10.5 m/s, 24 h UNa+ 194 mmol/d, i.e. 11.1 g/d of salt; US: n = 82, 22 +/- 3 years, 57% of those selected, BP 124/77 mmHg, PWV 8.7 m/s, 24h UNa+ 199 mmol/d, i.e. 11.3 g/d of salt; FW: n = 61, 39 9 years, 47% of those selected, BP 129/79 mmHg, PWV 9.5 m/s, 24 h UNa+ 221 mmol/d, i.e. 12.9 g/d of salt. The ratio of urinary sodium/potassium excretion (1.9 (0.4) was significantly higher in HT than the other three groups. In the 426 subjects, 24h UNa+ correlated significantly (p < 0.01) with systolic BP (r = 0.209) and with PWV (r=0.256) after adjustment for age and BP. Multivariate analysis showed that BP, age and 24h UNa+ correlated independently with PWV taken as a dependent variable. CONCLUSIONS: Four different Portuguese populations showed similarly high mean daily salt intake levels, almost double those recommended by the WHO. Overall, high urinary sodium excretion correlated consistently with high BP levels and appeared to be an independent determining factor of arterial stiffness. These findings suggest that Portugal in general has a high salt intake diet, and urgent measures are required to restrict salt consumption in order to prevent and treat hypertensive disease and to reduce overall cardiovascular risk and events.     

肝移植术后胆道并发症的介入治疗

目的 探讨原位肝移植术后胆道并发症的介入治疗疗效。方法 回顾性分析我院2002年6月至2005年9月诊治的173例原位肝移植患者的临床资料。结果 术后出现胆道并发症14例（8．1％），其中胆管狭窄6例．胆管狭窄合并胆漏1例，胆泥淤积或结石3例，肝断面胆漏2例（劈离式肝移植患者），T管拔除后胆漏1例，Oddi括约肌功能失常1例。除1例胆道狭窄再次行肝移植，因发生严重感染导致肝功能衰竭死亡外．其余患者经介入治疗均获得满意的效果。结论 介入治疗是诊断和治疗肝移植术后胆道并发症的首选方法。     

管状膨体聚四氟乙烯用于组织工程支架材料的动物实验研究

目的：研究膨体聚四氟乙烯(ePTFE)植入动物体内后与机体的关系。方法：管状膨体聚四氟乙烯两端闭合，内充DMEM培养液，埋入家兔皮下，观察宿主生命情况，于术后1、2、4、6周取出标本，行大体及光镜下观察。结果：家兔在植入膨体聚四氟乙烯材料及DMEM培养液后存活情况良好，DMEM培养液在1周时即已完全无色透明；4周时膨体聚四氟乙烯与周围组织有粘连，6周时粘连紧密；光镜下观察，各时间点材料间隙均可见着色，1周时可见少量淋巴细胞浸润，无血管及组织细胞。材料内壁未见细胞附着。结论：植入膨体聚四氟乙烯材料及少量DMEM培养液对宿主动物存活无影响；管内外液体可相互交通，管状膨体聚四氟乙烯可作为组织工程化尿道的支架材料。     

岗位业绩导向的医院薪酬设计

基于现代管理理论和医院的实际情况，设计了一种以岗位和业绩为导向的医院薪酬制度。该设计的主要特点是：①薪酬结构以岗位工资和绩效工资为主体，同时兼顾稳定和逐步过渡原则，原档案工资的固定部分(约占档案工资的60％)保留。②岗位工资采用全院统一的等级薪酬结构，等级的评定基于全院统一的指标体系和权重，岗位工资每年随绩效考核结果在工资带宽中升降；③绩效工资与岗位等级和绩效考核紧密挂钩，考核的依据是全院统一模式的岗位绩效合同；④整个薪酬设计建立在岗位调查、岗位评价和岗位说明书等的科学规范的工作基础之上。     

岛状皮瓣静脉淤血再通后对大鼠全身情况的影响

目的：探讨岛状皮瓣静脉淤血再通后对全身多脏器的影响。方法：按静脉淤血时间的不同将大鼠分为4组。观察耳部微循环的改变，测量术后肿瘤坏死因子α(TNFα），白细胞介素10（IL－10）的动态变化，观察心，肺，肝，肾，小肠及耳部血管等组织结构及中性粒细胞浸润数目。结果：皮瓣原位缝合组及静脉淤血2h组，耳部微循环、TNFα、IL-10浓度基本保持不变，各脏器结构改变较轻，中性粒细胞浸润数目少。静脉淤血6、10h组，微循环，肺，小肠，血管则有明显组织学改变，大量中性粒细胞浸润其中，但心，肝，肾组织学改变较轻。TNFα浓度再灌注1h达到高峰，其后逐渐下降，IL－10浓度3h达到最低，然后逐渐上升。结论：皮瓣静脉淤血再通后可造成肺、小肠及血管器官损伤，静脉淤血时间越长，再通后则损伤程度越重。全身微循环的改变，中性粒细胞在肺、小肠中的浸润，与血管内皮细胞的粘附及细胞因子TNFα与IL－10的浓度失衡是重要的操作原因。     

微创经皮肾镜取石术治疗上尿路结石

目的 探讨微创经皮肾镜取石术治疗上尿路结石的有效性和安全性.方法上尿路结石患者368例,平均年龄57岁.其中输尿管上段结石116例,结石大小(2.1±0.8)cm;肾结石252例,结石大小(4.6±1.4)cm,其中非鹿角形结石190例,结石大小(3.2±1.1)cm,鹿角形结石62例,结石大小(7.6±1.6)cm.均采用微创经皮肾穿刺,输尿管镜下气压弹道或联合钬激光碎石治疗,对结石清除率和并发症等进行统计分析.结果 368例患者中单通道取石356例(96.7%),双通道12例(3.3%).一期取石344例(93.5%),二期取石24例(6.5%).总结石取净率为88.6%(326/368).平均手术时间73 min.一期取净结石者住院时间4～8 d,平均6 d.术后发热14例(3.8%);输血5例(1.4%);2例肾结石术后出血严重者经输血及超选择性肾动脉栓塞后治愈.结论 微创经皮肾镜取石术损伤小、住院时间短、术中出血及并发症少、结石清除率高、可重复取石,是治疗上尿路结石有效的微创手段.     

The effects of literacy and education on the quantitative and qualitative aspects of semantic verbal fluency.

Semantic verbal fluency tasks are commonly used in neuropsychological assessment. Investigations of the influence of level of literacy have not yielded consistent results in the literature. This prompted us to investigate the ecological relevance of task specifics, in particular, the choice of semantic criteria used. Two groups of literate and illiterate subjects were compared on two verbal fluency tasks using different semantic criteria. The performance on a food criterion (supermarket fluency task), considered more ecologically relevant for the two literacy groups, and an animal criterion (animal fluency task) were compared. The data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative analysis indicated that the two literacy groups performed equally well on the supermarket fluency task. In contrast, results differed significantly during the animal fluency task. The qualitative analyses indicated differences between groups related to the strategies used, especially with respect to the animal fluency task. The overall results suggest that there is not a substantial difference between literate and illiterate subjects related to the fundamental workings of semantic memory. However, there is indication that the content of semantic memory reflects differences in shared cultural background--in other words, formal education--, as indicated by the significant interaction between level of literacy and semantic criterion.     

神经导航下经岩骨幕上下联合入路中面神经管的解剖研究

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of neuronavigation in the transpetroal approach, and to provide anatomic data for the protection of the nerves in the facial nerve canal (FNC) during surgeries. METHODS: Simulated surgery through the transpetroal approach was performed on 16 sides of 8 adult cadaver heads with the assistance by neuronavigation. The anatomy of the facial nerve and the relationship of related structures were observed and the distances from the utmost external edge of the mastoid to different segments of the FNC were measured. RESULTS: Neuronavigation was successful with all the FNC, with the mean error of less than 0.9 mm. The FNC could be divided into 3 segments, the labyrinthine, the tympanic and the mastoid segments, stretching 3.6+/-1.2 mm, 11.2+/-2.5 mm and 16.1+/-3.6 mm respectively and with diameters of 1.2+/-0.3 mm, 1.4+/-0.1 mm and 1.7+/-0.2 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: Neuronavigation may help protect the FNC during surgical procedures, and a thorough knowledge of the anatomic features of the FNC can be significant for preservation of the facial nerves.