Experimental study on the immunosuppressive effects of gui zhi tang

In this paper the immunosuppressive effects of Gui Zhi Tang (a famous Chinese medicine) on the murine immune functions are reported. Varying dosages of Gui Zhi Tang administrated orally, i.p. and i.m. were able to inhibit the amounts of PFC, SRFC and the DTH response induced by BSA and the proliferation response of murine spleen cells to Con A and LPS. Further studies showed that Gui Zhi Tang had the inhibitory effect on Interleukin-2 production of murine spleen cells, which might be one of the mechanisms leading to the immunosuppressive effects of Gui Zhi Tang.     

The correlation between TNF-α, IL-6 in cervical mucous during follicular development and ovulation stimulation in different protocols

Objective To investigate the correlation between TNF-α and IL-6 levels in cervical mucous during follicular development and ovulation stimulation in different protocols.Methods 36 infertile women were set up as experimental groups,divided into CC, HMG, IVF-ET group,each group consisted of 12 infertile women and 15 women with normal menstrual cycles were choiced as control group.Cervical mucous during follicular phase, luteal phase and ovulation phase were collected.TNF-α, IL-6 levels in cervical mucous were measured by radioimmunology assay (RIA).Follicular development were monitored by transvaginal ultrasonagraphy.Results (1) TNF-α levels in cervical mucous of experimental groups and control group were periodically various among the reproductive cycle.It increased during follicular phase, reached to peak during ovulation phase, and decreased during luteal phase (P＜0.05).IL-6 levels had no obvious periodical changes.(2) Compared with CC and control group, levels of TNF-α,IL-6 in HMG and IVF-ET group were significantly higher (P＜0.05).(3) Levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in cervical mucous were positively correlated with the dominant follicle diameter (r=0.261, r=0.192 respectively,P＜0.05).(4) TNF-α and IL-6 showed positive correlation in the reproductive cycle (r=0.782,P＜0.05).Conclusions (1) TNF-α level shows a cyclic change in the reproductive cycle and peaks during ovulation,whereas IL-6 level does not.(2) TNF-α and IL-6 may play a certain role in the process of follicular development and ovulation.(3)The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 are up-regulated by gonadotrophic hormone.(4) TNF-α and IL-6 may have coordination properties and participate in the same biological effects.     

Impact of a specialized outpatient heart failure follow-up program on hospitalization frequency and functional status of patients with advanced heart failure.

BACKGROUND: High rates of morbidity and mortality are observed in patients with advanced heart failure (AHF). AHF is now considered the most costly syndrome in cardiology owing to the substantial economic burden associated with hospitalizations for acute decompensation. A management program that involves specialized follow-up by a multidisciplinary team has been suggested as a desirable strategy for improving outcomes for these patients. ObjectivE: To evaluate the impact of a specialized outpatient heart failure (HF) follow-up program for patients with AHF on frequency and duration of hospitalization for HF and functional status. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 167 consecutive patients with AHF who were referred to the outpatient HF follow-up program in our institution between January and November 2002, of whom 147 followed for > or =30 days were included in the analysis. In addition to demographic and baseline clinical characteristics, HF medication and NYHA functional class, the number and duration of hospitalizations for HF during the previous 12 months were recorded and compared at the time of referral and after a follow-up period of 6.5+/-3 months. RESULTS: Of the 147 patients analyzed (aged 60.8+/-13 years; 79% male; left ventricular ejection fraction 27+/-11%), 67% were in NYHA functional class III, 20% in class II and 13% in class IV at the time of referral. There was a significant improvement in functional class during the mean follow-up period: 55% of the patients were in class III, 37% in class II, 5% in class I and 3% in class IV (p<0.0001). The proportion of patients on beta-blockers or spironolactone increased from 33% and 51% at the time of referral to 69% and 71% respectively after referral (p<0.0001). In the 12 months before referral, 39% of the patients had been hospitalized for acute decompensation of HF (87 hospitalizations - mean 7.2/month) versus 13% of the patients during the mean follow-up period (25 hospitalizations - 3.8/month, p<0.0001). No significant differences were found in the proportion of patients on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers, digoxin or diuretics, or in the mean duration of hospitalization before and after referral. ConclusioN: The specialized follow-up of patients with AHF by a team with expertise in HF resulted in significant therapeutic optimization. Increased use of beta-blockers and spironolactone was associated with significant improvement in functional capacity and significant reduction in hospitalizations.     

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。     

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。     

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.