皮质类固醇激素局部应用的选择

局部应用皮质类固醇激素是治疗皮肤问题最古老、最有效的方法之一。临床上常用的皮质类固醇激素有很多,其药效和功能各有不同。应用皮质类固醇激素时,局部应用皮质类固醇激素是治疗皮肤问题最古老、最有效的方法之一。临床上常用的皮质类固醇激素有很多,其药效和功能各有不同。应用皮质类固醇激素时,     

The Involvement of General Practitioners in the Care of Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: Current practice and Future Implications

The objective was to determine the current use of their generalpractitioner (GP) by patients with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) infection and whether such patients would be interestedin having ‘shared care’ between a specialist HIVclinic and their GP. A questionnaire was administered to 203HIV-positive men attending the HIV outpatient clinic of a centralLondon teaching hospital. The main outcome measures were patientcharacteristics, numbers of patients registered with a GP, numbersof patients with a GP aware of their diagnosis, contacts withthe GP in the last year and level of interest and shared care.Eighty-five per cent of patients were registered with a GP ofwhom 67% knew of the diagnosis. Those diagnosed for more than2 years were significantly more likely to have an informed GP.A total of 73% of those registered had visited their GP in theprevious year although only 27% had visited for an HIV-relatedproblem. Only 19% had a GP actively involved in their HIV care.In all 51% of the patients indicated an interest in having sharedcare between the clinic and their GP. A high proportion of HIVpatients are registered with and attend a GP although they rarelyconsult for HIV-related problems. A significant proportion ofpatients expressed interest in having shared care suggestingthat there is the potential for increased GP involvement inthe care of patients with HIV infection.     

Interspecies Differences in the Phagocytic Activity of Pulmonary Macrophages Subjected to Acidic Challenge

Examining interspecies differences in response to ambient pollutantsis an essential component of risk assessment. The potentialhazard to public health from the inhalation of acid sulfateaerosols is of current concern. A significant biological targetis the pulmonary macrophage, which provides a primary defenseof the respiratory region of the lungs. One essential functionof these cells is phagocytosis of particles. This study assessedthe effects of acidic environments on the phagocytic activityof pulmonary macrophages obtained by lavage from humans andthree species of laboratory animals commonly used in acid aerosoltoxicology studies, namely, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs.Cells were incubated with polystyrene latex particles in mediaacidified by addition of sulfuric acid. The percentage of cellswhich were phagocytic, as well as the relative number of particlesingested by these cells, was found to decrease with increasingacidity for all species. The ranking of response in order ofdecreasing sensitivity to acidic challenge was as follows: guineapig>rat>rabbit>human.     

Synthesis and characterization of defensin NP-1

Defensins are a group of small, cationic, antimicrobial proteins found in the cytoplasmic granules of neutrophils and macrophages of a variety of mammalian species. One such defensin, NP-1, isolated from rabbit neutrophils, has been shown to consist of 33 amino acids rich in arginine and cysteine residues (6). We have synthesized NP-1 on an Applied Biosystems Model 431A peptide synthesizer using FastMoc? chemistry involving HBtu [2-1H-benzotriazol-1-y1)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate] activation for coupling amino acids. The linear peptide was folded by air oxidation to the biologically active form containing three disulfide bonds and purified by reverse phase chromatography. The amino acid sequence of the synthetic peptide was confirmed by Edman degradation. Molecular weight determination by plasma desorption mass spectroscopy (PDMS) gave a value of 3898.6, in agreement with the expected molecular weight of 3898. The biological activity of the synthetic peptide, as measured by its antifungal activity against several pathogenic fungi, was indistinguishable from that of the natural NP-1. Also, the CD spectrum was equivalent to that of natural NP-1, indicating conformational identity of the two species.     

Use of Intracardiac Echocardiography in Interventional Electrophysiology

Intracardiac echocardiography is emerging as a potentially useful tool during RF ablation procedures. There are a number of potential benefits of direct endocardial visualization during RF ablation including: (1) precise anatomical localization of the ablation catheter tip in relation to important endocardial structures, which cannot be visualized with fluoroscopy; (2) reduction in fluoroscopy time; (3) evaluation of catheter tip tissue contact; (4) confirmation of lesion formation and identification of lesion size and continuity; (5) immediate identification of complications; and (6) as a research tool to help in understanding the critical role played by specific endocardial structures in arrhythmogenesis. This article will review existing data and speculate as to possible future roles for intracardiac echocardiography in interventional electrophysiology.