六味地黄丸对体外培养黑素细胞的抑制作用

目的 :研究六味地黄丸对体外培养的黑素细胞的抑制作用。方法 :采用 MTT法测定细胞增殖情况 ;Na OH裂解法测定黑素合成 ;Takahashi法测定酪氨酸酶含量。结果 :六味地黄丸对黑素细胞的增殖有抑制作用 ,能使细胞数明显减少 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,并能使黑素合成显著下降 (P<0 .0 1) ,使酪氨酸酶活性逐渐减弱 (P<0 .0 1)。结论 :六味地黄丸能抑制黑素细胞增殖、黑素合成、酪氨酸酶活性 ,这可能是临床应用六味地黄丸治疗皮肤色素性疾病的机制     

Low-dose inhaled nitric oxide for neonates with pulmonary hypertension

Objective : Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) has been shown to cause selective pulmonary vasodilatation and improve ventilation-perfusion matching and may be an important therapeutic option for the treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). We report our experience on the use of iNO in neonates with severe PPHN.
Methodology : Inhaled NO was administered to 10 infants with PPHN and persistent hypoxaemia (meconium aspiration syndrome, n = 9; pneumonia, n = 1) after failure of conventional therapy to improve oxygenation. With the exception of one infant, iNO was commenced at 10 ppm.
Results : After 30 min exposure to iNO, the arterial oxygen tension (PaO₂) rose from a median of 49 mmHg (6.5 kPa) [range 12-82 mmHg (1.6-10.9 kPa)] to 75 mmHg (10 kPa) [range 17-450 mmHg (2.3-60 kPa)] ( P = 0.005), while the median oxygenation index fell (pre-iNO of 37 vs post-iNO 20) ( P = 0.005) and median systemic arterial pressure rose (pre-iNO 46.5 mmHg (6.2 kPa) [range 32-63 mmHg (4.3 to 8.4 kPa vs post-iNO 54.5 mmHg (7.3 kPa) [range 36-74 kPa]) P = 0.005). All infants subsequently continued to receive iNO with the duration of exposure to iNO ranging from 12 to 168 h (median duration 100 h). Three infants died despite showing an initial beneficial response to iNO. The mean duration of intubation for survivors was 11.9 ± 2.6 days. Methaemoglobinaemia and toxic levels of nitrogen dioxide were not seen during iNO administration. Of the seven survivors, 12 month follow up in two infants and 4 month follow up in four infants showed age-appropriate neurodevelopmental skills, with one infant having very mild hearing loss.
Conclusions : Inhaled NO reduces the oxygenation index by improving the PaO₂ and decreasing ventilation pressures, and appears to be clinically useful in severely hypoxaemic infants with PPHN refractory to conventional treatment.     

Inhaled nitric oxide during emergency neonatal transportation

ABSTRACT Inhaled nitric oxide is currently being investigated as a selective pulmonary vasodilator for neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension. The use of continuous inhaled nitric oxide during emergency transportation of three critically ill neonates with meconium aspiration and pulmonary hypertension is described. The successful application of this technique may allow safer transportation of neonates who require high level intensive care including ongoing nitric oxide, high frequency ventilation and/or extracorporeal life support. Regionally based nitric oxide-equipped retrieval teams may relieve the pressure on smaller neonatal intensive care units to provide inhaled nitric oxide therapy and allow centralization of nitric oxide resources, thus facilitating development of expertise and the completion of meaningful research programs with substantial recruitment.     

Health care and its costs for children with perinatally acquired HIV infection

Objective : To describe survival patterns, use of health services and related costs for Australian children with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
Methodology : A retrospective cross-sectional survey was made of 20 children with HIV infection (91% of those diagnosed) and 13 children with maternal antibodies who subsequently seroreverted, treated at 10 medical centres. Details of disease progression and use of health services were obtained from hospital medical records. Monthly costs for three phases of infection were estimated by linking service usage rates with estimates of the unit cost of each service. The average lifetime cost was estimated by combining monthly costs and phase duration estimates from the literature.
Results : Patterns of disease progression were similar to those reported internationally, with a median survival of 8 years. Use, of health services increased with severity of illness. Mean monthly costs were $120 per month (1992 Australian dollars) for children with maternal antibodies who subsequently seroreverted, $320 per month for children with HIV infection but no acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining illness, and $1830 per month for children with AIDS. The present value of total lifetime cost for a child with HIV infection was $48174,46% of which was for treatment of AIDS.
Discussion : The mean lifetime cost for a perinatally infected child was just over half that for a man with HIV in Australia. Health service usage and costs were lower for Australian than American children with HIV.     

Molecular analysis of PKU in Ireland

Classical phenylketonuria (PKU: McKusick No. 261600) is caused by mutations occurring at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus on chromosome 12 and has a prevalence in Ireland of 1 in 4500. We examined 304 independent alleles from 350 patients for the presence of six mutations and have characterized VNTR alleles within the minisatellite region 3' to the PAH gene in patients carrying the most prevalent mutation. R408W was the most common mutation found, with a relative frequency of 42%. All other mutations had relative frequencies of <10%. VNTR analysis showed that the R408W mutation is associated with the VNTR-8 allele in the Irish population, indicating that R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 1. This differs from that reported from eastern Europe where R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 2/VNTR-3; an observation which has led several groups to propose a Balto-Slavic origin for this mutation. These results support the hypothesis of a second, independent founding event for the R408W mutation on an RFLP haplotype 1 VNTR-8 chromsome background in the Irish/Celtic population.     

乙酰半胱氨酸对脑死亡大鼠肝脏的保护作用

目的探讨乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)对脑死亡大鼠肝脏损伤的保护作用。方法将30只大鼠随机分为空白对照组(C)、脑死亡组(B)、NAC保护组(N)。各组动物均于脑死亡4h后采集血清检测丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、透明质酸(HA)及肿瘤坏死因子α(TNFα),并切取肝组织行电镜观察。结果脑死亡4h后,B组、C组和N组血清ALT水平(U/L)分别是142.88±4.12、43.38±2.33和101.38±5.37,AST水平(U/L)是283.00±12.74、120.38±4.07和216.54±7.16,HA(μg/L)是168.98±2.59、61.14±1.10和139.31±2.61,TNFα(μg/L)是1.26±0.041、0.62±0.03和0.96±0.07;B组较C组、N组显著升高(P<0.05),N组较C组显著升高但明显低于B组(P<0.05)。电镜观察示B组大鼠肝脏Kupffer细胞明显活化、肝窦内皮细胞与基质部分脱落、肝窦内皮窗口扩大,N组Kupffer细胞活化明显减轻、内皮细胞基本完整。结论脑死亡可致大鼠肝脏损伤,NAC对脑死亡大鼠肝脏损伤具有保护作用。     

固体径迹图像分析法测量环境空气中氡浓度的研究

作者利用计算机图像识别技术，建立了测量环境空气中氧浓度测定的固体径迹图像分析方法，并在营房、坑道的氡水平调查中得到了应用．该方法与国家二级计量站标准氡室的比对结果为１０６．８±３．４Ｂｑ·ｍ￣（－３），和后期告知的标准氧暴露量１１５．６±４．３Ｂｑ·ｍ￣（－３），相对误差约为７．６％。测量速度较显微镜目测法有很大的提高，适合环境空气中氡浓度的测定和大规模氡水平调查。     

Therapeutic potential of wogonin: a naturally occurring flavonoid

The search for flavonoids with novel therapeutic effects has been intense. Wogonin, as a naturally existing monoflavonoid, has been shown to have therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo. Methods for its extraction from herbs and its chemical synthesis have been developed. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown a rapid tissue distribution and prolonged plasma elimination phase of wogonin. It has been shown experimentally that wogonin exerts anti-oxidant activity, which may, in part, underlie its antiinflammatory, anti-cancer, antiviral and neuroprotective actions. The recent discovery of its anxiolytic activity suggests a new mechanism of action, involving interaction with the benzodiazepine (BZD) binding site of the GABA(A) receptor and modulation of this receptor activity. Although the safety record of wogonin is remarkable and voluminous literature about its pharmacological effects is available, it has not been used in Western medicine in the form of a pure chemical. In this article we review its therapeutic effects, its sources and pharmacokinetic profile to highlight its therapeutic potential.     

Parent attitudes toward immunizations and healthcare providers the role of information

BACKGROUND: Lack of information has been associated with patient anxiety or concern in a number of healthcare areas. OBJECTIVES: (1) Identify the proportion of parents who agreed, were neutral, and disagreed that they had access to enough information to make a decision about immunizing their child; (2) examine how parents who agreed and disagreed differed with respect to sociodemographic characteristics, and their attitudes about immunizations, their child's healthcare provider, immunization requirements/exemptions, and immunization policymakers; and (3) identify if differences exist in specific immunization concerns. METHODS: A sample of parents with at least one child aged < or =6 years (n=642) was analyzed using data from the HealthStyles survey conducted during July and August 2003. Odds ratios and the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test were used for analysis. RESULTS: Response rate for HealthStyles was 69% (4035/5845). The largest proportion of parents agreed they had access to enough information (67%) compared to parents who were neutral (20%) or who disagreed (13%). Compared to parents who agreed, parents who disagreed were more likely to be less confident in the safety of childhood vaccines (odds ratio [OR]=5.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]=3.3-8.9), and to disagree that their child's main healthcare provider is easy to talk to (OR=10.3, 95% CI=3.7-28.1). There was a significant linear trend in the percentage of parents expressing immunization concerns among those who agreed, were neutral, and who disagreed they had access to enough information (p<0.05; df=1). CONCLUSIONS: While most parents agreed that they had access to enough immunization information, approximately a third did not. Perceived lack of information was associated with negative attitudes about immunizations and toward healthcare providers. Basic information about the benefits and risks of vaccines presented by a trusted provider could go a long way toward maintaining and/or improving confidence in the immunization process.