Early imaging in heart failure: Exploring novel molecular targets

Conclusions  Noninvasive imaging of neurohumoral upregulation in remodeled myocardium suggests that an imaging strategy can be developed for predicting the rate of remodeling and likelihood of HF development. This should allow a more judicious use of neurohumoral antagonists especially in subjects who do not have manifest HF.⁷⁴ In others specific targeted imaging may allow timely selection of individualized treatment strategies and ensure optimization of therapeutic intervention. Similar to ACE and AII receptors, multiple other targets in the hormonal cascades can identify the likelihood of adverse and favorable remodeling.⁷⁴     

湿润烧伤膏治疗褥疮26例的临床体会

目的:进一步观察湿润烧伤膏对治疗褥疮的疗效,寻找最理想的治疗方法。方法:通过对26 例不同原因所致褥疮的治疗,探索湿润烧伤膏对治疗褥疮病人最合理的用药方法,创面的变化及其愈合时间。结果:25例病人创面愈合,死亡1例。结论:湿润烧伤膏治疗褥疮方法简便,实用性强,疗效显著,值得各级医院推广。     

A study of the relationship between ambient lead and blood lead among lead battery workers

 Objective: To examine the relationship between ambient lead levels and blood lead levels and to explore the modifiers of the relationship between ambient lead and blood lead. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two lead battery factories. Blood lead level and ambient lead concentration were measured for each participant concurrently. A structured questionnaire was administered to collect sociodemographic characteristics and occupational history. Design: Biological and personal environmental measurements of 219 lead-exposed workers were analyzed by both simple and multiple linear regression. A regression model was selected for interpretation. Results: A high correlation (r=0.62) between ambient lead (PbA) and blood lead (PbB) was observed. In addition, numerous factors, including age, sex, alcohol consumption, personal hygiene practice and type of lead exposure, were also found to influence blood lead levels. Although PbB was highly correlated with PbA, blood lead level may not be effectively lowered by reducing ambient lead level. Based on the regression coefficients, improvement of hygienic practice was more effective at lowering PbB than reducing ambient lead level. Good hygienic practice may be the preferential way to reduce lead exposure in current conditions. Conclusion: Education of correct work practice may be more important than engineering control in the developing countries to lower blood lead levels in lead battery factories. Received: 28 May 1996/Accepted: 30 August 1996     

Definition of An Optimal First-line Chemotherapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Single-agent chemotherapy of metastatic breast cancer is the treatment of choice in patients with slow tumor progression and asymptomatic disease. In this patient group, the choice of drugs is based more on good tolerability than on efficacy. By contrast, symptomatic or rapidly progressing disease requires the use of highly active regimens where more weight is put on reliable antitumor activity. While anthraycline-based combination regimens have set the standard of effective treatment, the addition of docetaxel (and to a lesser extent paclitaxel) has improved tumor response, but failed to induce a consistent prolongation of survival. Based on retrospective analyses, it is hypothesised that the combined use of anthracyclines and taxanes in first-line therapy may be most beneficial in defined subgroups: after adjuvant chemotherapy, in patients with HER-2 gene amplification, possibly also in patients with rapidly progressing visceral disease.     

Calcification and ossification of chronic encapsulated intracerebral haematoma: case report.

We report a case of calcified chronic encapsulated intracerebral haematoma (ICH) in a 29-year-old female who presented with progressive left sided weakness and intermittent seizures since childhood. The preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the head initially suggested that a partially thrombosed aneurysm or vascular malformation was present. However, no vascular stain was found on the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of both the carotid and vertebral arteries. The excised mass was histologically diagnosed as a chronic ICH. We traced the patient's medical history and found that at the age of one she sustained a head injury after a fall. So far, to our knowledge, no case of epilepsy secondary to a calcified chronic encapsulated ICH occurring 28 years after head injury has been reported. Calcified chronic encapsulated ICH concomitant with new bone formation within is even rarer. The possible pathogenesis of this case is discussed.