Efficacy of "high-intensity" blue-light and "standard" daylight phototherapy for non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinaemia

We report our clinical experience with phototherapy in 3802 infants; 3629 were exposed to "standard" daylight phototherapy and 173 to "high-intensity" blue-light phototherapy. High-intensity blue-light phototherapy was twice as effective as standard daylight phototherapy in decreasing bilirubin concentrations. No failures occurred with high-intensity phototherapy compared with an overall failure rate of 1.84/1000 with daylight lamps; these cases were transferred to high-intensity phototherapy with prompt response. Rebound after cessation of phototherapy was greater in those exposed to high-intensity blue light with a significantly greater number requiring a second exposure. However, the incidence was still low. No third exposure was required in any infant. Nursing of infants under high-intensity blue light was more difficult and inconvenient as was clinical monitoring. The light also caused more stress on the nursing and medical personnel. However, the infants tolerated both types of phototherapy equally well. High-intensity blue-light phototherapy would seem to be the treatment of choice for infants with rapidly increasing or very high bilirubin levels, as well as in those not responding adequately to daylight phototherapy.     

ThromCat血栓切除导管系统在急性冠状动脉综合征介入治疗中的应用

目的:评价ThromCat血栓切除导管系统(ThromCat Thrombectomy Catheter System,TTC)在急性冠状动脉综合征(ACS)介入治疗应用中的安全性、工作性能及有效性.方法:入选14例ACS患者进行经皮冠状动脉介入治疗(PCI),分析TTC操作的成功率、TTC应用的临床成功率、术中并发症和术后随访30 d心脏不良事件.结果:TTC操作成功11例,TTC临床成功10例,PCI成功13例,并不伴有心脏不良事件.在PCI中,心肌梗死溶栓治疗(TIMI)血流由使用TIC前的0.5(2.0)升高至使用后的2.0(1.0),心肌灌注分级(MBG)由使用前的1.0(2.0)升高至使用后的2.0(1.0),差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.01).结论:在ACS患者中行PCI,TTC能安全有效地去除非严重钙化的冠状动脉内的血栓.并发症少,操作简单易行,减少PCI手术引起的并发症.     

Detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in human fragmented embryos

In human in-vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer, the in-vitro culture environment differs from in-vivo conditions in that the oxygen concentration is higher, and in such conditions the mouse embryos show a higher concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in simple culture media. ROS are believed to cause damage to cell membranes and DNA fragmentation in somatic cells. This study was conducted to ascertain the level of H2O2 concentration within embryos and the morphological features of cell damage induced by H2O2. A total of 62 human oocytes and embryos (31 fragmented, 15 non-fragmented embryos, 16 unfertilized oocytes) was obtained from the IVF-embryo transfer programme. The relative intensity of H2O2 concentrations within embryos was measured using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate by Quanti cell 500 fluorescence imaging and DNA fragmentation was observed with transmission electron microscopy and an in-situ apoptosis detection kit. The H2O2 concentrations were significantly higher in fragmented embryos (72.21 +/- 9.62, mean +/- SEM) compared to non-fragmented embryos (31.30 +/- 3.50, P < 0.05) and unfertilized oocytes (30.75 +/- 2.67, P < 0.05). Apoptosis was observed only in fragmented embryos, and was absent in non-fragmented embryos. Electron microscopic findings confirmed apoptotic bodies and cytoplasmic condensation in the fragmented blastomeres. We conclude that there is a direct relationship between increased H2O2 concentration and apoptosis, and that further studies should be undertaken to confirm these findings.      

Psychoneuroses among first admissions to psychiatric facilities in Ohio: 1958–1961

The increase in psychoneurotic admissions to mental health facilities in the nation as well as the preponderance of such cases in existing community oriented facilities prompted the examination of the socioeconomic characteristics of such patients admitted to the mental health facilities in Ohio.Results showed higher admission rates for: (a) metropolitan residents than nonmetropolitan residents; (b) females than males; (c) whites than nonwhites; (d) females not employed than those of all occupational categories except laborers; (e) laborers followed by managerial and professional workers than any other occupational category; (f) married females than single females, the highest rates, for both sexes, occurring for the divorced and separated. Implications of these findings as they relate to the present community mental health approach are discussed.