Foot length growth related to crown-rump length,gestational age and weight in human staged fresh fetuses

Summary Several anatomical parameters are useful in the assessment of gestational age. This work studies the foot length growth analysed against age, crown-rump length (C-R) and body weight (W) in eighty human fresh fetuses (staging from 14 to 38 weeks postconception). These data were correlated with the following statistical methods: simple regression, power formula (allometric method), exponential and reciprocal models. The foot length growth presents very high and statistically significant coefficients of correlations with fetal parameters (P<0.001); the allometric method was the best method for this analysis. Foot length grows with moderate (against the age and C-R) or slight (against the W) positive allometry. This study presents statistically significant curves of the foot length growth in relation to fetal parameters. These curves are useful in anatomy, forensic medicine, fetopathology, medical imaging, obstetrics and pediatrics.

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Croissance de la longueur du pied rapportée à la taille vertexcoccyx, à l'âge gestationnel et au poids chez le ftus humain — Un index pour l'usage anatomique et médical

Résumé Plusieurs paramètres anatomiques sont utilisés pour estimer l'âge gestationnel. Ce travail étudie la longueur du pied comparée à l'âge gestationnel, à la taille vertex-coccyx et au poids du corps chez 80 ftus humains non conservés (étagés de 14 à 38 semaines après la conception). Ces données sont étudiées selon les méthodes statistiques suivantes : simple régression, régression multiplicative (méthode allométrique), modèles exponentiels et réciproques. La longueur du pied présente un coefficient de corrélation très élevé et statistiquement significatif, avec les paramètres ftaux (P<0,001). La méthode allométrique est la meilleure pour cette analyse. La longueur du pied croît avec une allométrie modérée (en comparaison avec l'âge et la taille vertex-coccyx) ou légère (en comparaison avec le poids). Cette étude a permis d'établir des courbes statistiquement significatives des rapports entre la longueur du pied et les paramètres ftaux. Ces courbes sont utiles en anatomie, en médecine légale, en fto-pathologie, en imagerie médicale, en obstétrique et en pédiatrie.

     

Pain among drug users completing an inpatient detoxification program

We determined the prevalence of persistent pain among illicit drug users who have completed inpatient clonidine detoxification and are returning to the community. We found that 17% of drug users have substantial unexplained pain at discharge, and that drug injectors have significantly more pain than non‐injectors. Drug users with substantial pain reported worse self‐perceived health, interference with daily activities and sleep than pain‐free drug users. Our findings suggest that assessing pain at the first outpatient primary care appointment after drug treatment may be an important aspect of the longitudinal care of this population.     

World health system performance revisited: the impact of varying the relative importance of health system goals

Background

In 2002, the World Health Organization published a health system performance ranking for 191 member countries. The ranking was based on five indicators, with fixed weights common to all countries.

Methods

We investigate the feasibility and desirability of using mathematical programming techniques that allow weights to vary across countries to reflect their varying circumstances and objectives.

Results

By global distributional measures, scores and ranks are found to be not very sensitive to changes in weights, although differences can be large for individual countries.

Conclusions

Building the flexibility of variable weights into calculation of the performance index is a useful way to respond to the debates and criticisms appearing since publication of the ranking.     

VEGF对缺血/再灌注损伤胰腺细胞凋亡的影响

目的 研究血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)对缺血/再灌注损伤胰腺组织细胞凋亡的影响.方法 将雄性sD大鼠30只随机分为3组(n=10),A组为假手术组,B组为缺血/再灌注损伤组,C组为缺血/再灌注损伤+VEGF反义寡核苷酸组.通过血管夹阻断大鼠腹腔干及肠系膜上动脉30 min,然后去除血管夹再灌注6 h,建立大鼠胰腺缺血/再灌注损伤模型.对各组胰腺组织进行VEGF免疫组化染色及TUNEL法细胞凋亡检测.结果 缺血/再灌注损伤后胰腺组织出现细胞凋亡,同时VEGF蛋白表达上调.缺血/再灌注损伤+VEGF反义寡核苷酸组的胰腺组织VEGF蛋白表达较缺血/再灌注损伤组显著减少(P<0.05),前者细胞凋亡指数较后者明显升高(P<0.05).结论 VEGF能抑制缺血/再灌注损伤胰腺细胞凋亡,可能对胰腺缺血再灌注损伤具有保护作用.     

汶川地震后重灾区人群重性抑郁障碍流行病学调查

目的 了解中国汶川5·12地震后重灾区居民的重性抑郁障碍患病率、患者的人口学和社会文化特征及患病相关危险因素.方法 采用分层整群抽样方法随机抽取≥15岁人群14 503人,以一般健康问卷12项(GHQ-12)为筛选工具,采用美国精神障碍诊断与统计手册第4版(DSM-Ⅳ)轴Ⅰ障碍定式临床检查版(SCID-Ⅰ/P)为调查诊断工具.结果 重性抑郁障碍现患180例,时点患病率为1.27%,终生患病率为1.36%;女性(OR=1.56,95%CI:1.136～2.143,P＜0.05)、合并躯体疾病(OR=4.02,95%CI:2.75～5.90,P＜0.05)、地震中受伤(OR=3.29,95%CI:1.92～5.65,P＜0.05)、财产损失(其中10万～20万元OR=2.09,95%CI:1.18～3.69,P＜0.05;＞20万元OR=2.54,95%CI:1.38～4.68,P＜0.05)、家人去世或失踪(OR=3.79,95%CI:2.08～6.89,P＜0.05)以及中年人群(OR=2.31,95%CI:1.38～3.86,P＜0.05)为危险因素.有职业为保护性因素(OR=0.60,95%CI:0.43～0.83,P＜0.05).结论 重性抑郁障碍是目前地震灾区较为多发的精神疾病.     

Health care seeking among detained undocumented migrants: a cross-sectional study

Background  

As in many European countries, access to care is decreased for undocumented migrants in the Netherlands due to legislation. Studies on the health of undocumented migrants in Europe are scarce and focus on care-seeking migrants. Not much is known on those who do not seek care.