Antisense Smad2 inhibits high glucose-stimulated production of extracellular matrix in cultured rat glomerular mesangial cells

Transforminggrowthfactor-β1(TGF-β1)is amultifunctionalpolypeptidethatregulatesanum-berofcellularprocesses,includingcellprolifera-tion,differentiation,apoptosis,migration,matrix synthesis,andtheimmuneresponse[1,2].Inchron-icrenaldiseases,TGF-β1isakeymediatorofex-tracellularmatrix(ECM)accumulation[3].Oneof thetargetrenalcellsforTGF-β1isglomerular mesangialcellsthatarecapableofproducingcom-ponentsofECM,suchascollagens,lamininand fibronectin[4,5].Recentstudiesindicatedthatinhi-bitionofT…     

多囊卵巢综合征患者卵巢间质胰岛素样生长因子受体的表达

目的：探讨肥胖及非肥胖多囊卵巢综合征（ＰＣＯＳ）患者卵巢间质胰岛素样生长因子（ＩＧＦ－Ⅰ）受体基因的定量表达。方法：用逆转录基因扩增技术（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ），检测３５例ＰＣＯＳ患者（肥胖组１５例，非肥胖组２０例）及２０例正常妇女（对照组）卵巢间质细胞ＩＧＦ－Ⅰ受体ｍＲＮＡ的表达量（灰度比值）。并对ＩＧＦ－Ⅰ受体基因ｍＲＮＡ逆转录的ｃＤＮＡ产物进行限制性内切酶酶切分析。结果：ＰＣＯＳ两组ＩＧＦ－Ⅰ受体基因的表达量显著高于对照组，ＰＣＯＳ两组灰度比值为１．１８４±０．２４０，对照组灰度比值为０．９９９±０．０８６（Ｐ＜０．００１）。非肥胖组（１．２３８±０．３８７）明显大于肥胖组（１．０５８±０．１０９，Ｐ＜０．１）。酶切分析证实，３组ＩＧＦ－Ⅰ受体基因扩增片段相同，ＰＣＯＳ两组未发现明显的碱基突变存在。结论：ＰＣＯＳ患者卵巢间质ＩＧＦ－Ⅰ受体基因呈过度表达。且ＰＣＯＳ非肥胖患者局部ＩＧＦ－Ｉ受体表达高于ＰＣＯＳ肥胖患者。     

Elements of psychological support in nursing care

The paper presents the results of a pilot study which involved 50 nurses from several departments of internal medicine of The State Clinical Hospital of the Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University in Cracow. The results are based on the Statement Response Questionnaire. They show that the most common responses of the nurses in the face of anxiety expressed by patients are cheering up the patient, collecting information about the symptom, and offering explanation of the symptom. The least common responses included expressing one's own positive emotions and showing empathy towards the patient.     

小叶锦鸡儿的抗炎作用

小叶锦鸡儿可明显对抗角叉菜胶、热烫及巴豆油所致的炎症,抑制小鼠毛细血管通透性、单核巨噬细胞系统的吞噬功能、肉芽组织增生及大鼠炎症部位PGE₂的合成和释放。     

Cannabinoid receptor down-regulation without alteration of the inhibitory effect of CP 55,940 on adenylyl cyclase in the cerebellum of CP 55,940-tolerant mice

The objective of this study was to determine whether the development of tolerance to CP 55,940, a potent cannabinoid agonist, was due to changes in the receptor or second messenger system. ICR mice treated with CP 55,940 (2 mg/kg) twice a day for 6 and one-half days developed a high degree of tolerance to the pharmacological effects of CP 55,940. The ability of CP 55,940 to produce motor hypoactivity, hypothermia and immobility was reduced 163-, 97- and 19-fold, respectively. Evaluation of 3H-CP 55,940 binding to rat brain membranes indicated no difference in receptor affinity between the vehicle- and CP 55,940-treated animals. However, these binding studies revealed a 50% decrease in receptor number in the cerebellum of the CP 55,940-tolerant mice. Although cAMP is generally considered to be the second messenger for cannabinoid receptors, little difference was observed in the inhibitory effects of CP 55,940 on adenylyl cyclase activity in cerebellum between vehicle and drug-treated mice. However, there was an increase in receptor mRNA which suggests a compensation for receptor loss. There are several possible explanations for these results. There may be sufficient spare receptors such that CP 55,940-tolerant mice are capable of producing a maximal effect on the second messenger system. On the other hand, one could conclude that cannabinoid receptor down-regulation does not account for the development of tolerance to all of the effects of CP 55,940 in mice.     

FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE: RESULTS FROM THE ANBP2 PILOT STUDY

1. The present study aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a 5 year cardiovascular outcome trial of the treatment of 6000 elderly hypertensive patients in Australian general practices. 2. General practitioners (GPs) were invited to participate by mail and personal follow-up. Patient records were reviewed to identify subjects for a blood pressure (BP) screening programme. Blood pressure was measured on three occasions and eligible subjects were included if the average BP was 160 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic if systolic BP was 140 mmHg. 3. Seven hundred and forty-one GPs were approached and 89 were enrolled in the study (12% of mail invites and 75% of those receiving a personal contact). In 16 practices where screening was completed, 82 000 records were reviewed to identify 4% patients eligible for screening. Twenty-two per cent of eligible subjects attended screening. Of 1938 subjects screened, 180 (9%) had BP 5=160/90 mmHg. Forty-seven percent of subjects (n = 916) were receiving antihypertensive therapy and 184 (20%) were withdrawn from therapy. One hundred and sixteen (63%) of these subjects had BP return to study entry levels within 6 weeks. Fifty-seven newly diagnosed and 81 previously treated subjects were randomized (7% of the screened population). 4. Based on the high participation rate of GPs, the response rate of patients to attend a BP screening programme and the 7% randomization to screening ratio for entry into the study, the ANBP2 pilot study has demonstrated that it is feasible to recruit subjects from Australian general practices to a cardiovascular outcome trial.     

'This isn't very typical I'm afraid': observing community care complaints procedures

The new complaints procedures which local authority social services departments have been required to introduce represent an important mechanism for managing the change of culture associated with recent community care reforms. They also represent a new genre in mechanisms of redress for welfare recipients. This paper reports the findings of a study which has observed considerable diversity in the ways in which local authorities are interpreting the nature and purposes of the new procedures and, in particular, the functions of review panels established under those procedures. Variations in the composition of panels, in the style of review panel proceedings, in perceptions of the panels' powers, and in the ways that complaints and complainants are constituted are all discussed. Attention is drawn to four competing interpretations of the review panels' role and to the need for these to be clarified and prioritised.     

Needs and needs assessment: their components and definitions with reference to dementia

The concept of need and the practice of needs assessment are both subject to a wide range of interpretations, to the likely detriment of individual assessments and to multidisciplinary working. Clear definition is important for individual assessment, for the development of multidisciplinary tools and in gathering planning information. The concept of need is clarified, firstly by distinguishing between need and the difficulties that engender it, and secondly through a taxonomy of need. These assist clear definitions of both need and needs assessment when linked with a consideration of the current help a person receives and a specification of the type of help required by a person to meet their needs. Such definitions have implications for the role of needs assessment in individual assessment, service evaluation, service management and planning and in the development of multidisciplinary needs assessment tools.